Lil' Rhody Lounge | Off-topic posting

[Cotuit]

What are people's opinions of stamped concrete sidewalks made to look like brick? They are putting these in Pawtuxet Village right now (crosswalks as well) and I can't decide if I like them or not. Sure they match the whole villagey atmosphere but they're so fake looking I think I'd rather see regular concrete with maybe some brick outlining. I won't complain though, since the village is getting new crosswalks, bumpouts and sidewalks as part of RIDOT traffic calming enhancement project.

I don't mind stamped concrete, but I think it's silly to try to make it look like red brick. What I really don't like is regular concrete edged with brick. It's a waste of time to go through the bother of doing this. Whatever pattern they choose for the edging is always at some point interupted by something, a light post, a driveway, a tree... and the pattern looks stupid when it's interupted. Also, the bricks inevitable start falling out, or settle to a level below the concrete or something equally ugly (and often unsafe) ends up detracting from the design. My prefered sidewalk design is just regular concrete, flat, easy to shovel, safe to walk on, no need to match some pattern when patches are made...

[runawayjim]

What are people's opinions of stamped concrete sidewalks made to look like brick? They are putting these in Pawtuxet Village right now (crosswalks as well) and I can't decide if I like them or not. Sure they match the whole villagey atmosphere but they're so fake looking I think I'd rather see regular concrete with maybe some brick outlining. I won't complain though, since the village is getting new crosswalks, bumpouts and sidewalks as part of RIDOT traffic calming enhancement project.

they're ugly.

in my hometown of branford, CT, they put in actual brick sidewalks all over the center of town, including crosswalks. they look nice until bricks pop out, although that hasn't happened much. they painted the crosswalks red because they were hard to see after the brick color faded.

[JJK5]

they're ugly.

in my hometown of branford, CT, they put in actual brick sidewalks all over the center of town, including crosswalks. they look nice until bricks pop out, although that hasn't happened much. they painted the crosswalks red because they were hard to see after the brick color faded.

I was going to say the same thing, that eventually the red fades and it looks stupid. Is the red added after the stamping or is it orignally a red mix that just completely fades?

I do like the stamped concrete that's made to resemble cobble stone and has multiple colors in it. But not for a sidewalk, I've only seen it used as home walkways. Of course, these days I think it's cheaper to actually use stones than pay for the concrete..

[Recchia]

I liked the stamped concrete they used when they did the Wickford Enhancement project, it made it look a little worn and rough. This fake brick though just seems to look so tacky, especially up against the blind person pad thingies at the curb ramps to crosswalks. I like the look better of real brick but we all know how poor it is for a sidewalk surface.

[Garris]

I was reading something in a throw away real estate magazine in a waiting room recently about stone types for walkways, and I think the costs for the materials for stamped concrete and stone were virtually a wash. In fact, I was fairly shocked to see that the costs differences for nearly all materials per square foot, from concrete to mixed stone to flag stone, werent' nearly as great as I would have guessed.

I think the big difference they pointed out, as it always is, was in the amount of time it takes to do different materials right vs doing stamped concrete, so labor costs were the big difference in the end.

I'd love to hear from the many folks on the board from the development community on this issue, as it's something I've always wondered about.

- Garris

PS: There's a house that's had a beautiful renovation on Rochambeau in Summit/Hope Village/whatever it's called this week (I like Beirne Square, which is what the tiny sign at the Hope/Rochambeau intersection says its called, and what I'm going to call it from now on to introduce it into the lexicon). Anyway, there's this beautiful redo that the owners or realtors or developers or whoever spent a fortune on brick and stone walk and driveways for almost every surface. It looks like a zillion bucks, but I keep thinking that, boy, try preventing weeds and moss from coming up there in the future and give it a few winters before those surfaces are aiming at all angles...

[Recchia]

On another note, I'm lovin Pawtuxet Village. I'm practically right on the water, I have brand new sidewalks and crosswalks, a locally-owned pharmacy and mini-market, 2 nice bar/restaurants, the best ice cream south of Providence (screw you Heffy's, you suck), nice historic buildings and a small but beautiful waterfront park with a gazebo, all much cheaper than 'affordable' Pawtucket and actually closer to downtown Providence (only 5 miles). The only thing that sucks is that once you get out of the village on the Warwick side you lose all pedestrian accommodations whatsoever. That's why I've vowed to never venture south of my apartment into the autowasteland that is Warwick.

Edited September 28, 2006 by Recchia

[runawayjim]

On another note, I'm lovin Pawtuxet Village. I'm practically right on the water, I have brand new sidewalks and crosswalks, a locally-owned pharmacy and mini-market, 2 nice bar/restaurants, the best ice cream south of Providence (screw you Heffy's, you suck), nice historic buildings and a small but beautiful waterfront park with a gazebo, all much cheaper than 'affordable' Pawtucket and actually closer to downtown Providence (only 5 miles). The only thing that sucks is that once you get out of the village on the Warwick side you lose all pedestrian accommodations whatsoever. That's why I've vowed to never venture south of my apartment into the autowasteland that is Warwick.

hmmmm... i may have to consider pawtuxet village when i move in about a year...

[Recchia]

hmmmm... i may have to consider pawtuxet village when i move in about a year...

Live on the Cranston side, then you're close to Edgewood too.

[Cotuit]

I just saw Billy Joel at Starbucks.

[runawayjim]

I just saw Billy Joel at Starbucks.

billy joel is in RI?????

[Gusterfell]

I've heard that he has a house in Tiverton. Somewhere on Nannaquaket Neck if I remember correctly.

Edited September 28, 2006 by Gusterfell

[Cotuit]

I've heard that he has a house in Tiverton.

Really, doesn't he also have homes on Long Island and the Vineyard? I guess he really likes the coast.

[runawayjim]

Really, doesn't he also have homes on Long Island and the Vineyard? I guess he really likes the coast.

he's got a place in the hamptons as well as an apartment in manhattan that he was gonna use to be "hip" so he could meet another woman (like billy joel really needs a manhattan apartment to do that).

[Dan]

Here come the cans!

I thought I read somewhere that Mt. Pleasant was supposed to get 'em next year, maybe.

[Cotuit]

Judge rules gay R.I. couple has right to marry in Mass. [Boston.com]

Boston judge clears marriage of two Providence women [Providence Journal NewsBlog]

Now I need to buy a ring.

In a tremendous victory, the Massachusetts Court today declared that same-sex couples from Rhode Island can indeed legally marry in Massachusetts!!!!

As we shared with you, Marriage Equality RI will be holding a Celebration at Prospect Park, on Congdon Street, on the East Side of Providence, at 5:00 pm today!!!

Please come and show how many Rhode Islanders are thrilled with this decision.

(The weather says the rain will stop at 3:00! Heck, bring a rainbow umbrella!)

Thanks!

[Dan]

Congratulations!

[Garris]

Congratulations!

Ditto. Very nice news. Congrats!

- Garris

[Cotuit]

Well we're going to wait and see a bit how this all shakes out, but thanks.

[runawayjim]

can anyone recommend a store in the area where you can get exercise equipment? i'm specifically looking for either a stationary bike or rowing machine. i don't have a ton of money to spend, so if they have good prices, that'd be good as well. knowledgable staff would be even better (the people at sears or dick's don't really know all that much about what they sell). thanks...

[Recchia]

can anyone recommend a store in the area where you can get exercise equipment? i'm specifically looking for either a stationary bike or rowing machine. i don't have a ton of money to spend, so if they have good prices, that'd be good as well. knowledgable staff would be even better (the people at sears or dick's don't really know all that much about what they sell). thanks...

Try Big Fitness in North Providence. I think there's also a place called Gym Source somwhere near the Warwick Mall but I can't remember.

I bought an exercise bike and elliptical at Dick's before. The bike still works but its a peice of crap. My elliptical broke after 3 months and since I didn't get the warranty, I had to just throw it out. So if you buy from Modells or Sports Authority or Dicks, get their stupid warranty if it doesnt have a manufacturers warranty.

[eltron]

Just throwing it out there, but:

I despise the Yankees, and I really despise Sterling and Suzy Waldman. oooooof.

[Jerry2]

If anybody didn't get their big green trash can from the city, the vacant Valueland weed lot on Smith Street is now the new storage spot. The gate is open and people can come and get them as they please. Please hurry up as I hear that the homeless are taking them to make new quarters . They are weather-proof after all.

[runawayjim]

Just throwing it out there, but:

I despise the Yankees, and I really despise Sterling and Suzy Waldman. oooooof.

i miss phil rizzuto... he was the best.

[Garris]

Just throwing it out there, but:

I despise the Yankees, and I really despise Sterling and Suzy Waldman. oooooof.

I like them overall... Yankees announcers going waaay back (Rizzuto included) always have had their wince-inducing moments, but at least they have character. They're not bland, anywhere-USA baseball announcers...

I, on the flip side, despise the Red Sox radio announcers. They're not just homers, which is bad enough, they're bland homers...

- Garris

[runawayjim]

I like them overall... Yankees announcers going waaay back (Rizzuto included) always have had their wince-inducing moments, but at least they have character. They're not bland, anywhere-USA baseball announcers...

I, on the flip side, despise the Red Sox radio announcers. They're not just homers, which is bad enough, they're bland homers...

- Garris

speaking of red sox announcers... watching sox-yanks games on NESN is amusing. the people on that station seem to whine everytime the yanks do something great or the sox lose.

rizzuto was amusing to watch on tv... he always wore his tie only partially tied (meaning he didn't tuck it through the knot and just left it hanging over the top).