Valley - Providence, RI

The Valley neighborhood was settled when industry blossomed through the Woonasquatucket River. After World War II, technological advancements shifted the focus of Valley from industrial to commercial. The vacated factories now house small shops and artists in loft spaces.

Ten minutes from Valley, the Rhode Island School of Design provides five buildings worth of local and international graphic design, photography, art, sculpture and fashion. Near the border of Valley on Eagle Street, Gallery Z features crafts, artwork and jewelry by local, national and international artists. An annual art festival takes place on Westminster Street every June with artwork submitted by local and regional artists.

On Chalkstone Avenue, the border of Valley and Elmhurst, Los Andes Bolivian and Peruvian dishes bring in people from all over Providence. Los Andes' warm decor with blood-orange walls and live entertainment come second to the large portions and interesting ingredient pairings. Small changes to traditional items such as corn nuts in ceviche add complex textures and flavor to an already flavorful dish. Its menu features pan-seared sirloins, chicken breast with chorizo and calamari tossed with queso blanco, cloves of garlic and mint that rivals most Italian restaurants in Providence. Los Andes has quite a following, and Friday night seating can result in waits up to 45 minutes, so be sure to make reservations when planning a weekend dinner at this local hot spot.

A five-minute ride into Federal Hill, Siena on Atwells Avenue serves northern Italian dishes in an elegant atmosphere. This award-winning restaurant has three Rhode Island locations, each with a different menu. Siena soars with dishes incorporating fresh herbs, creams and truffle oil, including the Scaloppine di Vitello Porcini — a veal dish deglazed with white wine. The Manzo di Giuseppe delivers a 14-ounce Black Angus sirloin with sea salt and warm Gorgonzola cream cheese, a taste that marries well with the fresh lemon juice drizzle. Siena has a wide-ranging wine list and meal pairings with bottles from New Zealand, France, California and Italy. Much like Los Andes, this northern Italian-inspired bistro receives heavy volume on the weekends, with wait times that sometimes extend to hours. During peak hours, Siena often gets quite loud in the dining area, so save the romantic night out for a weekday night when Siena provides more intimacy.

For a frolicking good time, check out the Comedy Connection to find a variety of visiting A-List comedians from shows such as Last Comic Standing and stay for the extravagant drag queen gathering and some local talent. The small menu of pizza and wraps awaits along with a nice variety of appetizers such as the fried ravioli. The Hardcore Fries loaded with cheese, jalapenos, bacon, scallions and sour cream prove nothing to laugh at, but they remain a favorite with locals nonetheless. The converted bank building also houses a full bar and special nights of poker and music. If you fancy yourself a would-be stand-up comic, check out this establishment's comedy lessons.

Highly residential, Valley requires transportation to get to shopping destinations and to run daily errands. Trolleys and buses on Atwell Avenue directly connect Valley residents to downtown Providence. For work or travel, an Amtrak station on Gaspee Street has rail lines to Boston, New York, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and Virginia Beach. Commuters live within five minutes of Route 6 with local exits running to Connecticut. Route 44, five minutes north of Valley and accessible via Route 6, provides local destinations and direct routes to New York. When coming home, Providence requires overnight parking stickers on all residential vehicles. Locally, metered parking is available on all main roads.

Roaming taxis are unavailable in Valley but greater Providence taxi services and local Uber drivers service the area with 24-hour accessibility and fair rates. Valley does not have cycling lanes; however, cyclists can safely navigate suburban streets until meeting with bike lanes provided in downtown Providence.

Parks around Valley include Merino Park on Heath Street. This community-built park has playgrounds, walking and running nature trails, bike paths, basketball courts and open fields for play. Donigian Park on Valley Street is a 10-minute walk from Valley homes and features hiking trails, kayaking entrances to and white water views of the Woonasquatucket River. All parks near Valley are free to use and dog friendly. Park events include paddling outings, bike rides and Earth Day activities.

Valley residents enjoy lower costs of living than most Providence neighborhoods, and the $6 all-day bus rates let you explore the area. One-bedroom apartments in Valley begin at $925 or two percent lower than other Providence areas. When staying local to Valley, beer prices begin at $5. Closer to Brown University, the prices rise slightly with beers and well cocktails beginning at $7. Valley gas prices cost 12 percent more than national prices but average work commutes of 15 minutes and 10-minute trips to downtown save time and gasoline.

Less than 10 minutes away, Providence Place retailers include Nordstrom, Macy's, Apple, LUSH and Tiffany & Co. This luxury mall also includes a movie theater with IMAX screens. Boutique shopping lies within a 10-minute drive away from Valley, minutes away from Providence Place. Electric blue and orange walls inside Diva's Palace on Atwell Avenue contain leopard print skirts, floral patterned tops, formal gowns and colorful dresses. Jewelry gems inside Diva's Palace are made in-house and accentuate your new outfit, fit and tailored on site.

On Westminster Street, Queen of Hearts sells clothing, accessories and an eclectic mix of items made by local designers and artists. Quirky mock tuxedo dresses, uniquely patterned tops and even handcrafted LP storage units make this a Providence treasure. The locally loyal boutique has a sister location next door, Modern Love. While Queen of Hearts focuses on funky clothing, Modern Love packs its walls with trendy shoes. Everyday flats as well as rodeo and silver boots, clogs, trendy heels and sandals line the walls of Modern Love. These two boutiques rely on local talent to provide interesting additions to fashion and style from head to toe.

Local grocery shopping at Los Minas Market on Harold Street, a South American market with imported products, meets the needs of most daily shopping, although many go to Aldi and Price Rite. Academy Supermarket on Chalkstone Avenue stocks many off-brand products at competitive prices. For organic and natural grocery lists, a Whole Foods Market on North Main Street features fair-trade products and homeopathic remedies. Ten minutes north of Valley, the Wintertime Farmers Market in Pawtucket sells local produce at low costs.