The staff in our office has always been largely female (roughly a 3:1 ratio) and while that has mostly been for the good, we always knew it might come back to haunt us one day. That day has come. Shine America, the production company behind critically acclaimed scripted shows (The Office, Ugly Betty), reality TV hits (The Biggest Loser, Nashville Star) and, well, other things (MTV's Date My Mom, that short-lived American Gladiators reboot), is now looking to the biggest little for its latest reality TV inspiration. They're currently seeking male business owners for what is sure to be the thinking guido's answer to Jersey Shore: the soon-to-be-a-pop-culture-phenomenon Rhode Island Boys. According to the casting call, Shine America "has a fascination with Rhode Island's small businesses," and they're looking for male-owned businesses with predominantly male employees — which means our moment in the harsh, unflattering spotlight of reality TV will have to wait. However, we promise the fine folks at Shine America that if they'll reconsider maybe doing Rhode Island Boys and Girls, we'll deliver all the cussing, petty infighting, drunken tantrums, on-camera meltdowns and delusions of self-importance they could ever possibly hope for. In the meantime, if you think your business fits the bill, contact LDI Casting for more details.More

This Sunday, after you've given most of your Saturday over to margaritas and mint juleps, make up for it by getting out on the Boulevard to promote healthy lifestyles. Shape Up RI and the India Association of RI are hosting their annual 5k walk/run on Blackstone Boulevard on May 6 at 1pm. The event goes off rain or shine, so gather at Lippitt Park, where Blackstone meets Hope Street, to register. The first 100 people to do so will receive free Shape Up RI pedometers. There will also be fresh fruit, healthy snacks and, of course, plenty of water. Check Shape Up RI's website for more info.More

Who can forget all the buzz last summer regarding a movie being filmed in our area starring powerhouse celebrities Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Edward Norton and Tilda Swinton? The time has finally come to see our beloved state and its beautiful scenery up on the big screen in acclaimed director Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom. The film is set on an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965 and tells the story of two 12-year-olds who fall in love, make a secret pact and run away together in the wilderness. You may have heard rumors of Bruce Willis and Bill Murray spottings at Tiverton’s Standish Boatyard. (The boatyard was just one of the many staging areas for the film.) The Hollywood stars were said to have been very friendly and down to earth. Be sure to look for the much-anticipated motion picture, set to premiere as the opening film of the 2012 Cannes Film Festival on May 16. It’s scheduled for an American release on May 25.More

Imagine our surprise when these sweet cupcakes arrived at our office this morning. Clearly, someone at the newly renamed Big Blue Bug Solutions, formerly New England Pest Control, knows that the best way to get our attention is with food. It seems like the name change was inevitable, given the fact that their mascot, the famed "big blue bug" Nibbles Woodaway, is one of the best-known and most iconic corporate symbols in New England. We wish them luck with the name change, and thanks for the sweet treat (from the also iconic Wrights Dairy Farm, no less).More

There really is no better way to get into the spirit of spring then by enjoying a day at Hope Artiste Village for Craftopia. A twice annual day of art, craft, food and fun, Craftopia is a popular event, produced by Rhody Craft 100 – a seasonal shop selling locally handmade goods. The shop also serves as a networking outlet for many local artists. Craftopia showcases the unique work of over 70 independent artisans. The items featured range from repurposed clothing, stitched handbags and one-of-a-kind jewelry to fine arts and even bath and body products. As you peruse the large variety of unique displays, you can grab a bite to eat at the food trucks outside or a coffee inside to help make your shopping day that much more enjoyable. Providence Monthly proudly sponsors Craftopia, which will be held on April 28 from 10am to 4pm at Hope Artiste Village. Free parking available.More

You've spent your entire zoo-visiting life being told not to feed the animals, but finally your days has come. Beginning April 1, Roger Williams Park Zoo will host group feeding sessions, in which visitors will have the chance for an up-close encounter will giraffes, penguins and seals. There will only be a handful (cue rim shot) of spots available for these feedings, and tickets will be sold on a first come, first served basis. The first giraffe feeding is at 2pm on April 1, with penguin and seal feedings to begin later in the spring at 11am. They will take place daily until Labor Day, and on weekends in October. We know some of you out there are probably really excited about this, but please don't shove any little kids to the ground in your scramble to get one of those tickets.More

The Brown University/Trinity Rep MFA Programs will present two plays in rotation repertory this month at the Pell Chafee Performance Center: Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett, directed by Aubrey Snowden (Brown/Trinity Rep MFA Programs ’13) and Venus by Suzan-Lori Parks, directed by Ryan Guzzo Purcell (Brown/Trinity Rep Programs ’13). The plays will alternate taking the stage throughout their March 1-18 run.

Waiting for Godot has been considered one of the most important theatrical works of the 20th century. The play focuses on two men, Vladimir and Estragon, and their efforts to “hold that terrible silence at bay” while they continuously wait on the side of a road for a man named Godot to arrive. The men’s comical and desperate attempts to pass the time spans two acts and explores the notion of time and existence.

Suzan-Lori Parks’ Venus, on the other hand, is based on the true story of Saarjie Baartman, a member of the Khoi-San tribe of South Africa, who was transported to London in 1810 under the false pretense of opportunity. Upon her arrival, Baartman , nearly nude, is put on public display and dubbed “The Venus Hottentot.” This tale of exploitation will examine the treatment of women and minorities, and will demand that its' audience come to terms with history in order to move beyond it. $10. $5 students. The Citizens Bank Theater, Pell Chafee Performance Center, 87 Empire Street, Providence. 401-351-4242.More

Federal Hill's Gallery Z hits the road tomorrow in its brand new ArtMobile, Moby. The mobile gallery is an effort to bring art to public spaces and neighborhoods where it might not always be accessible. A Christening ceremony will launch the effort Thursday, February 16 at 6pm in the parking lot of Scialo Bros. bakery next door. It marks the occasion of Gallery Z's 111th exhibit in 11 years, and Moby was partially funded by the generosity of 111 Kickstarter campaign donors. Gallery Z Director Berge Zobian promises to use the ArtMobile to bring visual and performance arts, film projections and art installations to places like libraries, schools, college campuses, churches, nursing homes and more. If you miss out on the Christening, keep an eye out for Moby in your neighborhood soon.More

The American Hockey League, the NHL minor league in which the Providence Bruins play, announced today that its All-Star Classic will return to Providence in 2013. This will be the third time the event has been held in Providnece; the first dates all the way back to 1956 at the old Rhode Island Auditorium. The event returned to our city at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in 1995 for the first AHL All-Star Game of the modern era. From January 25-28, the Dunk will host a variety of hot hockey action, kicking off with a P-Bruins home game on Friday, the 25th. The Providence Bruins Youth Hockey Festival will follow on Saturday. The All-Star Skills Competition and Hall of Fame Induction happen on Sunday, and finally, Monday brings the All-Star game itself. The weekend festivities are sure to bring a boost to Downtown in a typically slow month, and the AHL looks "forward to showcasing our brightest stars to capacity crowds at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center and to an international television audience" -- possibly on "The Ocho"?More

We’re happy to report that driving and parking Downtown is getting easier and more user-friendly. Spending time in the city center has typically required drivers to navigate an unnecessarily complex and inhospitable system of one-way streets, baffling parking regulations and maddening inconsistency in the placement and function of parking meters. (This multi-space meter doesn’t take credit cards? The one two blocks over does. I don’t have any coins.) Fortunately, that has been changing for the better.

Last month, Empire and Weybosset Streets were opened to two-way traffic after some repair and improvement work. This will free up the flow of traffic in and around Downtown, and no longer require circumnavigating the entire neighborhood to, say, double back to AS220 if you miss a parking spot on the first pass, or get to PPAC if you’re already on Dorrance.

Of course, the biggest problem most of us have Downtown is parking: where to find it, how to know if it’s legal and how to pay for it. The City and the Downtown Improvement District (you know, the folks responsible for those yellow-jacketed workers watering the flowers and cleaning up the sidewalks) are working on an initiative to provide visitors with better information and options. The aptly named Park Downtown Providence effort involves new parking-directional signs and green stickers placed on meters to clarify enforcement hours, but its most effective improvement is the accompanying website. It boasts features like an interactive map that will allow you to select your destination, then highlight nearby parking options that can be filtered by criteria like “credit cards accepted,” “indoor garages” and “open 24 hours.” Visitors can also find information about the locations and rules of on-street parking, a list of parking specials and directions to popular locations. While it won’t entirely solve the parking puzzle, it definitely puts a …More