Conservator Society

Thursday, August 17

Our summer event by the bay in Portsmouth celebrating the five year-old RI LGBTQ+ Community Archive at PPL was as advertised. The weather held and everyone enjoyed a lovely evening exploring the 80+-acre campus of St. Mary's Episcopal Church.  In addition to learning about hidden queer history and "activist archives" contained in the RI LGBTQ+ Archive, we heard personal stories from fellow Conservators and friends who have contributed to the Archive.

Wednesday, March 29

We enjoyed a walk down memory lane with Amanda Quay Blount, author of Meet Me at the Biltmore: 100 Years at Providence’s Most Storied Hotel. The story of the Biltmore is a sensational drama of scandal, secrets, and high society. With characters ranging from crooked politicians and mobsters, to bootleggers and Hollywood stars, the Biltmore has provided the backdrop for some of the highest highs and lowest lows of Providence in the last century.

Thursday, February 9

Our virtual crêpe-making cook-a-long with culinary luminaries Claudine Pépin and Rollie Wesen was delightful and fun, as advertised! In addition to delicious crêpes and pink bubbly, courtesy of our friend Eric Taylor of Bottles Fine Wine — who even described for us the technique for opening champagne with a saber — we heard from Claudine and Rollie about some of their favorite Providence restaurants and stories about the famous Jacques Pépin!

Claudine is a cookbook author, president of the Jacques Pépin Foundation, former Moet & Chandon and Dom Perignon brand ambassador, and TV personality and producer. Rollie is a professor at Johnson & Wales who teaches courses on local food systems and “conscious cuisine,” former chef at Michelin-starred London and Paris restaurants, and executive director of the Jacques Pépin Foundation.

Tuesday, October 25

The Paramount Classics documentary, Mad Hot Ballroom, captured the minds and hearts of moviegoers the world over. And this fall, PPL Conservators and friends were treated to a discussion and abbreviated film screening with fellow Conservator Rodney Eric López, former teaching artist and executive director of Dancing Classrooms. Rodney not only shared his experiences from Mad Hot Ballroom, but led us in a joyful dance lesson not soon to be forgotten! We also enjoyed delicious dance-friendly Southern food with a Latin twist from Kin Southern Table and drinks from Conservator Eric Taylor of Bottles Fine Wines!

Wednesday, August 24

A summer gathering at the spectacular Bristol waterfront home of Conservators Jackie Savoie and Dennis McCool included a presentation by and conversation with Dr. Caroline Ummenhofer, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and Dr. Timothy Walker, UMass Dartmouth, on the Nicholson Whaling Collection and its connection to their cutting-edge climate change research. Guests enjoyed lobster rolls provided by the Blount's Clam Shack food truck and fabulous made-to-order pizzas from a large, wood-fired pizza-oven food truck. Conservator Eric Taylor from Bottles served wine, soft drinks, and delicious Bee's Knees cocktails using honey from Jackie's own hives!