The Best

Romance

LET'S TALK, FOR A MOMENT, about the woo -- for nowhere do the three subjects of this particular "Best Of" section come together as they do in the hunt. There are two dominant elements involved in the woo, the mental and physical. The first, obviously, is the most important, some sort of emotional stability and health clearly necessary for any non-frightening-type advances. But the second, physicality (and by this I don't so much mean physical attraction, which is, duh, ultra-important, but the actual space in which the woo occurs -- i.e., here, in Rhode Island), is also vital, supplementary and complementary to the mental, and entirely necessary in its own right.

See, the woo is, almost entirely, a location-based thing. That is, a successful woo is absolutely dependent on its context, on its surrounds. For instance, if there's nothing to do, if you're living in a city that shuts down after 5 and all you're left with are strip malls and Jack-in-the-Boxes, then you're basically stuck bitching about how the city shuts down at 5 and there's nothing doin'. There is no woo in that, nothing that will move anybody, except maybe away from the area.

And cities like that dominate the country -- San Diego, Dallas, Bangor, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Hartford, heck, the whole state of New Jersey. The US is splattered with either gritty industrial cities that have lost their industry, that have lost their life, or huge metro-burbs that never had a soul to begin with, Wal-Mart communities that built highways between each other.

But here, in our city with all the age and history of the best of the country, we not only have the colonial and the shipping and then the industrial roots of most East Coast cities but we have the liberal roots of Roger Williams and the cultural roots of RISD and Brown making this Downcity renaissance thing at all possible. And this just makes for an ideal spot for the sport, the woo. Although it has its share of people bitching about its size, La Prov actually has all you need to keep your current or future interest interested.

First of all, consider the endless mix of cultures that is essentially Providian. Providence was, don't forget, founded on the idea of freedom to be who you want to be, who you are. And the diversity that has grown in this city is impressive. Every shade of white, black, Hispanic, East and West Asian, every religion, every taste or fetish or lifestyle has some outpost in the area that offers the opportunity to explore, to, say, walk slowly (perhaps even hand-in-hand, hmmm?) through bazaar-type displays of every different kind, from Judaica to SM, from Japanese tapestries to antique Pez dispensers.

Think of the potential, then, for that little $3 nothing-of-a-gift, the millions of varieties of tchotchke to be found here -- that essential part of the woo that tells a certain someone you have been thinking about them, that they aren't the absolutely lowest thing on your priority list. The East Side alone has two thoroughfares positively aching under the weight of the American consumptive compulsion -- Thayer Street's college fare for your quirky clothes and refrigerator magnet needs, Wickenden's art galleries and antique shops for the ashtray of your dreams. Wander off the East Side, and you'll enter into an ethnic dreamworld of shops. How about records from the Caribbean, African ceramics, Filipino Cigars, Chinese porcelain, etc.?

PVD also has the goods romantically speaking. It's an old enough city that you can walk through both densely packed and ill-planned city streets, or through colonial splendor, with plenty of private garden pathways to sneak into. Neighborhoods with every nip and tuck of varied local flavor are within blocks of each other. Providence is on the water, has parks up the wazoo on the water. And it's got enough creaky old buildings-turned-museum to fill up all the rainy days and nor'easters the bastard Art Lake can come up with.

Plus, it has a history not just interesting and architectural but positively ghastly, in a romantic sort of way. The colonial streets of the East Side and its Athenaeum are where Edgar Allan Poe, that master of eek, courted Sarah Helen Whitman. The ghost of H.P. Lovecraft walks Benefit Street, a perfect hunting ground for "the Shunned House," while the North Burial Ground is one of the few municipal garden cemeteries on this continent, perfect for a midnight game of hide-and-seek. Brown's Carrie Tower, dedicated by a widowed husband to his ever-young wife, sports the epitaph "Love is Strong as Death." They're all stops on a sort of slow spook-walk made up of places too beautiful for your other to think you a freak yet creepy enough to have her maybe sidle up a little closer. All perfectly woo-centric, if that's the way you work it.

Of course, it isn't as if there's a specific formula or anything, like such and such equals classic and successful woo. It's just that whatever the woo, whatever your woo style, PVD's got the Motts. Be it bangin' beats and late-night French fries, 3 a.m. hunts for cool shit to climb after one too many, or the slow perusal of racks of used threads and '50s kitsch, the woo, in Providence, is on.
-- David Andrew Stoler

Romance

Best place to become more than "friends"

Couches -- no, love seats -- on the right, standard movie-house singles on the left. An arty flick about spectatorship and objectification on-screen, possibly in French, to show them that you mean business. The Cable Car Cinema offers the perfect test for any misplaced romantic inclinations: First, if they go for the singles, game way over. Second, if you've successfully made it to one of the couches, do they sit as far toward one end as possible, leaning their entire body toward their armrest and away from you, creating a gulf of three or four undeniable and uncrossable inches, or do they lay back closer to the middle, their hand making inviting circles on the faded fabric near your thigh? Slap down $6.50, buy a cup of tea and some damn fine popcorn, and understand that it was time to find out anyway. 204 South Main Street, Providence, 272-3970.

Best surefire end to a romantic evening

You've taken your date out to dinner and the theater, maybe tried the gondola or horse-drawn buggy ride downtown or strolled over to Waterplace Park. Now you're looking for the perfect capper. Pastiche, the cozy little dessert spot on the Federal Hill, is just the place for high-caloric woo pitching (the best kind). It's just a block off Atwells Avenue, a few blocks from the legendary Caserta's Pizzeria, in one of those beautiful vintage buildings that crop up all over Da Hill. Small, quiet, and intimate, Pastiche is one of the truly hidden gems in the Biggest Little. There's a gourmet selection of teas and coffees, and the homemade sweets include a carrot cake that is about the best around and a number of truly outstanding fruit tortes and cheesecakes. Finally, it is highly suggested that, when you leave Pastiche, you take a short walk around the corner to the fountain in DePasquale Plaza in order to (a) speed digestion and (b) make out. 92 Spruce Street, Providence, 861-5190.

Best place to quote Siddhartha to a date

Some things never go out of fashion. A stroll along a moonlit beach and quoting from a favorite book or poem are still high on the romance list. Narragansett Town Beach offers both options at least 12 times a year (unless, of course, full-moon nights are clouded over). This mile-long crescent of beach runs from the wall on its south edge, where many people sit and watch the surfers, to its northern boundary, where the strong currents of Narrow River collide with the ebb and flow of the tides. Walking the length of it on a moonlit night tantalizes all the senses: the moonlight silvers the foam on the breakers; bare feet absorb the grittiness and coolness of the sand; ears tune into the shushing surf sounds; noses pick up seaweed and fish; and a lick of the lips confirms the saltiness in the air. But the real inspiration for quoting Herman Hesse's Siddhartha is the river flowing into the ocean, making physical the simultaneous elements of continuity and change that the young man Siddhartha sought to understand about life . . . and that two people falling in love try to understand about their attachment to each other. The beach entrances are located on Scenic 1A, between Narragansett Pier and Bonnet Shores.

Best place to meet your personal-ad date

You've heard the horror stories of Internet madmen who lure their chat-room girlfriend out into the real world, meet them in a "safe place," and then try to con them back to their demon's den. You'll want to avoid that. So, when meeting your Providence Phoenix personal-ad date, go to Cafe Zog. With cozy booths and fresh-baked goods, it's quiet enough for conversation but, on Thursday and Friday nights, crowded enough with local music acts (usually acoustic folk or jazz) that, if your new friend is a Unabomber waiting to happen (you know the type: she'll tell you how she sometimes has trouble relating, how she fears the revolution, etc.), you can plant a friend in an adjacent seat for safe watching. No matter how the company turns out, the food and creative coffee combos (the "Funky Monkey" is a double espresso with chocolate and banana syrup) will keep you there for hours. Just make sure your date doesn't ask you to mail a package for her on your way home. 239 Wickenden Street, Providence, 421-2213.

Best romantic use of local color

Harlequin Temptations writer Kristine Rolofson has published two dozen paperbacks about the giddy consequences of hearts going pitter-pat, three million copies sold. Early on, she used settings in her native South County, such as with the 1989 Stuck on You, which contains some moonlit antics on Narragansett Town Beach. And it contains plenty of local color, such as: "Fifteen years ago she would have been excited about the first Saturday night of the summer, wondering what the new summer kids would be like, who she would meet on the beach, if she would fall in love with some tanned surfer with gorgeous shoulders and a smile that could charm a shark. Maggie could almost smell the cocoa butter." Other books have scenes on the Block Island Ferry, at Theatre-by-the-Sea. Schartner Farm pumpkins are on the cover of Somebody's Hero. For the last four years, our beloved author has set her books in the West for a change of pace -- not to mention for the abundance of rugged Montana cowboys. But many of her loyal readers protested, so come year 2000 a Rolofson romance may be set in your favorite South County haunts. Lovemaking atop the South Kingstown fire tower, anyone?

Best place to mix Gabriel García Márquez and your love life

If you are a poet and you're looking for love at a kegger, beware: it will not be found. If you are a poet and you go looking for, say, Love in a Time of Cholera at Myopic Books and a tall, dark, and handsome someone just happens to lean down and whisper in your ear, "That's my favorite book," you might be a wiser person. Romance in bookstores is hardly a new thing. Since Barnes & Noble mixed the two great '90s trends -- mass-marketed books and Starbucks Coffee -- into a neat little in-store café, many single someones have been spending their otherwise lonely Saturday nights poring over books. What's good about Myopic is that you don't have to shell out the big corporate dollars to meet other literary-minded individuals, and you can find anything from small-press books by local writers to tomes by García Márquez himself. And, of course, with Myopic's sofa and coffeepot, it's also a cozy place to spend a rainy afternoon simply, you know, reading. 5 South Angell Street, Providence, 521-5553.

Best drug-induced shortcut to her/his heart

Never mind spiking his brewski with Viagra. Forget replacing that fillet of sole's paprika with Spanish fly. The amorous drug of choice has always been, and forever will be, phenylethylamine. That's the ingredient in chocolate that induces euphoria in people akin to a runner's high. Note the operant word: people. The myth may persist that it's more appropriate for women to hunker down with a weepy potboiler and a box of bonbons in the wake of a disastrous love affair, but men have the same brain chemistry when it comes to phenlywhatsis. Spurned by the comely lass in the next valley, a lovesick cowpoke could do worse than mosey over to a thick slab of almond bark and chow down like a lusty beaver. There's almond-chocolate "bark" and more at Sweenor's, a family operation that has been filling the need for more than 50 years. They have a wide array of treats (ginger and orange rind, nuts and cherries) dipped in bittersweet (gustatorily and metaphorically the only way to go) and milk chocolate. Got a jones for butter cream or caramel centers? Covered. Hurry, before they run out. 21 Charles Street, Wakefield, 783-4433; Garden City Shopping Center, Cranston, 942-2720; Routes 1 & 2, Charlestown, 364-3339.

Best way to spend a week in your sweetie's apartment

The key word is fresh. Presenting wilted posies to your honey just isn't cool. And suppose they make it through dinner but die the next day? What does that say about your relationship? So listen up: at the Eastside Marketplace, an upscale grocery store with locations in Providence and Newport, the cut-flower offerings are beautiful, hardy blossoms known to routinely flourish for more than a week. That's seven days that a piece of you will get to live on in that special someone's apartment. The selection at the floral mart is vast, with a special focus on unconventional exotic buds and plenty of ready-made classy bouquets (many for under $15). Want something more personal? The friendly, efficient staff will work with you to create an original masterpiece, complete with greens and trimmings, to rival any high-priced floral shop. Ready to make more of a commitment? How about a house plant? Eastside Marketplace has this covered, too. So why not surprise them the next time you get sent out to buy some milk? Just because. 165 Pitman Street, Providence, 831-7771; 181 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, 841-0559.

Best place for hand-holding

Even before you leave your house, it might be a good idea to have a trial run. Don't be shy -- practice which hold you'll use. Will it be the traditional finger interlock, the palm clasp, or perhaps even the nouveau pinkie grasp? Because the WaterFire crowd will be surging around the two of you, your method should be perfected long before your arrival at the riverfront in downtown Providence. Whatever you do, don't let go, as the walkways are guaranteed to be overflowing with people intent on experiencing the serene magic of the flames dancing above the water. And who can blame them? Stretching the length of the Providence River and looping around the basin at Waterplace Park, artist Barnaby Evans's installation has quickly been adopted as a symbol of the city's revitalization. WaterFire pays tribute to all the senses, with its distinctive melodies and woodsy scent contributing to its visual appeal. You might just keep holding hands long after the crowds go home. Providence River, downtown Providence.

Best method to mend a broken heart

It's over. Finished. Now you have two choices: you can either wallow in your sorrow, curling up into a ball, weeping into tissue after tissue in a downward spiral of despair, or you can seek emotional comfort in the desserts at Gregg's. With locations in Providence, East Providence, Warwick, and North Kingstown, solace is sure to be in your vicinity. You won't even need to see a menu. Simply walk right in and order a therapeutic slice of carrot cake ($3.85). The moist, four-layer confection with alternating layers of rich cream-cheese frosting sprinkled with walnuts is sure to take your mind off of any problem. Still not feeling yourself? Why not buy the entire cake for $13.25? You'd still save tons of money in potential therapy bills, and the confection has a bright-orange iced carrot on top, certain to make any mood lighter. But, of course, you'll need to look past today into tomorrow, which gives you good reason to consider Gregg's creamy cheesecakes, velvety chocolate cakes, fruit pies. Luckily, the handy take-out shops make it convenient to pop by, even with swollen eyes and a tear-streaked face. It's going to be okay. 1303 North Main Street, Providence, 831-5700; 1940 Pawtucket Avenue, Pawtucket, 438-5700; 1359 Post Road, Warwick, 467-5700; 4120 Quaker Lane, North Kingstown, 294-5700.

Best place to meet a man in uniform

Newport is, by all accounts, a city that knows how to party. And as the home of a Navy base, it's only logical that these enlisted men would head out to enjoy the scene themselves. Where to find your very own man in uniform? Señor Frogg's is a safe bet. You can start your search as soon as you make it up the stairs and past the bouncer. Ah, the tricky part is that he might not even be wearing a uniform. But as you scan the pool tables and dart boards in the front of the club, look for a couple of clues if the dress whites haven't become glaringly obvious. The first giveaway is usually the posture -- heads held high, spines in perfect alignment. Nope, no slouchers here. Then, while you're standing at one of two bars waiting for a drink, casually check out haircuts. Super short with skin peeking out above the ears. Getting closer. Highest probability: on the dance floor busting a groove to current hip-hop tunes. Peer through the smoke machine cloud. Shiny military shoes and black socks? Bingo! You've got your man. 108 William Street, Newport, 849-4747.

Best place to woo your 13-year-old cousin

Okay, so we don't all have the romantic interests of Edgar Allan Poe, who courted Sarah Helen Whitman at the Providence Athenaeum. But the library is still the best free place to take a date on a rainy afternoon. Walking along the creaky wooden balconies, you'll be immersed in history: Ralph Waldo Emerson, John James Audubon, Jackie O., and Archbishop Tutu are among those who perused the books here. The building itself was designed in 1836 by the first trained American architect, William Strickland. Plus, the books: check out a first edition of Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass -- with the copyright written by hand by Whitman himself -- or a book on bees and why they're so cool. Says Risa Gilpin, the Athenaeum's director of development, "It's really a reader's library -- we have all sorts of good things." Like a great children's section built in the shape of a castle. What better place to show you're heady, yet whimsical and literary? A visit's free, although to borrow a book, you must buy a membership. 251 Benefit Street, Providence, 421-6970.

Best place to show off your sexy new pedicure

Never mind protecting the vulnerable low-lying coastal areas from the ocean's unforgiving storm surges. Sure, that's probably the intended purpose of the Narragansett seawall, but for hopeless romantics, it's a great place to watch the waves lapping over the rocks below. Stretching from Narragansett Pier to the town beach (Hey! Was cupid the engineer behind this project?), the wall offers plenty of room to find the perfect spot to sit and let your feet dangle in the sea breeze. Once on the beach, be sure to strip your feet, complete with newly painted toes, naked. (Well, unless it's the dead of winter. Emergency-room visits to treat hypothermia aren't high on the list of ways to woo.) Beyond the sensuality of walking barefoot in the sand with the water licking at your toes, the grains double as nature's pumice -- a free exfoliant. By the end of your walk down the expanse of the beach, you'll both have soft skin on the bottom of your feet. And what could be more important to a relationship? Route 1A, Narragansett.

Best cyberdate with your Internet honey

With the '90s came love online, cybercoupling, modem matrimony. In some circles, the Internet has replaced wise elders as the primary matchmaker. After all, how much easier could it be to find your soul mate than by simply surfing the Web until you find the appropriate chat room? Looking for someone with a passion for vintage Smurf collectibles? Shouldn't be too hard. And when you find them, don't let the distance and language barrier discourage you from asking them out. You can even show them around your hometown of Providence. Just e-mail them the Providence Preservation Society's address (www. preserveprov.com) and have them meet you there at an appointed time for virtual tours of downtown, the riverwalk, Benefit Street, and a citywide overview. While you won't actually get to converse, the common experience will be an important bonding one. With a click of a mouse, you'll share beautiful colored pictures of the State House, Prospect Terrace, Wickenden Street, Waterplace Park, the Arcade, and historic houses of the East Side, just to name a few stops. It's almost as if they were here -- only the Web site provides much more historical information than you'd ever be able to give them. And probably better company, too.

Best place to slow dance

Swing music is on the upswing with Gen X -- witness the success of the Squirrel Nut Zippers. But there's one place in town where swing never went out of style: Bovi's Tavern in East Providence. For more than 27 years, the Duke Belaire Orchestra has played their smooth '30s and '40s dance tunes, from "String o' Pearls" to "In the Mood" every Monday night at Bovi's. Bandleader and drummer Duke Belaire says his 16-piece group is enjoying the renewed interest in swing: "We get called for a lot more weddings these days!" But a little more than a year ago, Belaire and crew cut back from playing every Monday night to playing only the first Monday of the month. On other Mondays, another 16-piece group, John Allmark's Jazz Orchestra, picks up the pace. Cover charge is $3, and the music starts at 9 p.m. 287 Taunton Avenue, East Providence, 434-9670.

Best place to buy chocolate-covered strawberries

Key ingredients for a romantic evening: soft jazz playing on the stereo, dim lighting, flickering candles, a chilled bottle of champagne, and a plate of chocolate-covered strawberries. And no, they can't be something you whip up yourself with a bag of Stop & Shop frozen berries and a Hershey bar melted in the microwave. All Don Juans know that at Pastry Gourmet, succulent jumbo strawberries are dipped into a dark chocolate that hardens into a rich, delectable shell for the perfect union of flavors. Sorry, do-it-your-selfers -- this cannot be duplicated in your own kitchen. But the full-service bakery/café does have seven locations in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, so one must be close to your love nest. And if your evening somehow works its way into a marriage proposal, the Pastry Gourmet can custom-design your wedding cake. Perhaps Bakery of Love would be a better name. 269 Greenville Avenue, Johnston, 232-2555; 149 Elmgrove Avenue, Providence, 273-1700; 2001 Mendon Road, Cumberland, 333-5535; 1920 Mineral Spring Avenue, North Providence, 353-0770; 570 Putnam Pike, Smithfield, 949-1441; 45 Brown Street, Wickford, 295-8400; Emerald Square Mall, North Attleboro, (508) 695-9030.

Best place to meet a guy who dresses like Grandpa

Of course, the year is 1947, and Grandpa is styling in his pin-striped zoot suit. Fast forward to 1998, with you overlooking the dance floor and rating the cats based on the height of their fedoras. The DJ is mixing classic Sinatra with the latest hits from the Squirrel Nut Zippers, and even the bartenders are looking smooth. Yes, the old is new again at Swingers, and so are the rules. Look carefully before you pick your honey. Big and brawny are two key features you might want to look for -- to avoid the horrible embarrassment of a mid-dip drop. Two left feet are another no-no, unless you want to spend the evening at the tall bar tables simply watching the action. But if he seems trainable, there's help nearby, with instructors always available to school you in shag, jive, jitterbug, and the lindy hop. Still no hope? You can always dump your current dance partner and try again on Wednesday night, when, in honor of the ladies, the club hosts a live band for some fresh attitude. Maybe Grandma is free then for a girl's night out. At the Complex, 180 Pine Street, Providence, 751-4263.

Best exotic florist

Golden sunflowers and red mums sparked with purple statice and Japanese irises make a strong-colored and exotic bouquet, especially good for a man, according to Adele Napolitano, owner of the eight-year-old flower/gift shop Ivy Rose in Cranston. "Men can't see pastels," she quips. Napolitano and her staff specialize in unusual Victorian and European floral arrangements, anything from a moss-bedecked wire basket with a large nosegay of pink-tinged roses framed with ferns and accented with burgundy heather (all of which will dry in place) to a single dusky-orange rose surrounded by hydrangea blossoms. They also let their imaginations soar with whimsical confections (birthday cakes, ice cream sundaes, pumpkin pies with whipped cream, plum puddings) made entirely of flowers. Too many people are stuck on long-stemmed roses as their flower of choice, says Napolitano, when many other flowers and shorter-stemmed roses last much longer. At Ivy Rose, they "condition" roses by trimming stems, stripping bottom leaves and thorns and hand-petaling the outside petals to encourage them to open. The store also offers dried potpourris, Victorian gifts and dolls, and out-of-the-ordinary cards, as well as flowers for weddings and parties. 1287 Cranston Street, Cranston, 942-9540.

Best romantic picnic baskets

"A book of verses underneath the bough,/ A jug of wine, a loaf of bread -- and Thou." Omar Khayyam had it right nine centuries ago. Grab a copy of his Rubaiyat, locate a bough and a jug, invite your Thou, and leave the rest up to Wickford Gourmet. The Dubés, Donna and Joe, have been making up baskets of bread with cheeses, pâtés, deli meats, and dessert since 1984. Standard baskets for $75, $100, or $150 include two wine glasses, linens, paperware, and two candles, all packed attractively into an authentic picnic basket. They will also prepare a basket to any less expensive price you might name -- just call a day ahead or stop by and pick out your goodies (Mon.-Thurs. and Sat., 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m.; Fri. till 7 p.m.; Sun., 8 a.m.-5 p.m.). On the packed shelves of this converted 18th-century house there are imported crackers and chocolates, gourmet condiments and jams, and hand-thrown mugs and herbal teas. Peruse the extensive array of deli dishes, such as pesto tortellini, sesame chicken, barley and wild rice salad, and potato-leek soup. And don't forget to peek in the standing freezers, which contain other exotic items, including imported Irish bangers -- perfect for a breakfast, lunch, or dinner picnic! 21 West Main Street, Wickford, 295-8190.

Best make-out room

Back in the days when nonsmoking rooms were not de rigueur, those in the know would ask to be seated in such rooms at L'Elisabeth's. If you were the first couple in this comfortable Victorian-style sitting room, down a narrow hall from the bar, things could get very cozy very quickly. If you were not, you either asked if it was okay to come in or very discreetly made your way to a love seat with your back to the first couple -- reminiscent of curfew farewells in the lobby of a women's dorm in the early '60s. The club's proximity to RISD and Brown, its delectable European-style pastries -- three on the menu and two specials, created by owner Ruth Mahoney -- and its wide-ranging list of beer, wine, liqueurs, coffees, and teas have made it a favorite rendezvous for 25 years. Mahoney got inspired to open this combination salon/bar while staying at the Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal -- hence the name. She is open from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m., seven days a week, which makes it a convenient postmovie or postconcert stop. 285 South Main Street, Providence, 861-1974 or 621-9113.

Best place to gaze at the stars from your monster truck

Nothing is more synonymous with teenage hormones than a trip to the drive-in. Fortunately for these young lovers, the Rustic Drive-In, the only operating drive-in left in Rhode Island, is open from April until October. And here are some viewing tips for our inexperienced friends: contrary to popular belief, the picture is not always best from the back seat. To experience the full effect of the drive-in, you need to be outside. Indeed, the moon and stars on a cloudless night are romance at its finest. Try spreading a blanket in the back of your four-by-four vehicle and parking in the last row for a clear view of the screen. Also, remember to bring a portable radio -- an entire evening spent reading lips surely would be your last together. And don't forget to get enough popcorn to last through two features. That's four hours' worth of popcorn; so plan accordingly. Route 146, North Smithfield, 769-7601.

Best place to create your own legend

Despite this Tiverton landmark's name, with its echoes of Hester Prynne and the Reverend Dimmesdale, it turns out that Sin and Flesh Brook did not have a romantic origin -- quite the opposite, in fact. During the King Philip War in 1675, old Zoeth Holland, a very devout Quaker from nearby Westport, set out on a journey through the countryside. At a granite outcropping near the northeast corner of Nannaquaket Pond, he was met by unfriendly Indians, who stabbed him and cut up his body, tossing its parts into the pond's feeder brook, which shortly thereafter became known as Sin and Flesh Brook (apparently, the Quaker's flesh and the Indians' sin). It's a lovely area to explore, despite the gory history, and makes an ideal spot for a little innocent necking. . . . Sin and flesh, indeed. Take exits for Route 77 or Fish Road off I-24.

Best mainland spot for a San Francisco sunset

Despite the miles of ocean surrounding our fair state, Rhode Islanders are cursed with land to our west whenever we attempt to see the sun sink into the horizon. Though the western side of Block Island is probably the best place catch the sun set over water, the end of Napatree Point in Westerly is quicker to get to. Take Exit 1 off I-95 and follow Route 3 into town, where you pick up Scenic 1A (it lives up to its name!) to Watch Hill. There is public parking, but time limits are strictly enforced in the summer season. It takes 30 to 45 minutes to walk to the end of the point, so check the time of sunset before you undertake this expedition. Pre-hike activities can include a window-shopping tour of the village, and post-hike you can relax at one of the harborside eateries. The hike itself is well worth the effort -- blazing orange on the water, glorious pinks in the sky, a special person to share it with. Keep an eye on the sun as you walk along this sandy peninsula -- it moves throughout the season and you probably want to position yourself on the southern side of Napatree's elbow for best viewing. Watch Hill, Bay Street.

Best place for a cheap date and a beach stroll

Be it fresh fish and chips at $6.95 or the fried clams with fries and pasta salad for $10.95, Flo's Clam Shack, just across the street from the eastern end of Easton's Beach (known locally as First Beach), is a bargain place for a date. Flo's started in a converted chicken coop in Island Park in 1936 and was wiped out twice: first, in the Hurricane of '38 and then again in '91, thanks to Hurricane Bob. But the tiny takeout hot spot reared its head again, and even opened a spinoff restaurant, in Middletown in '92. Head to Flo's for the best onion rings this side of New Orleans, the fattest and sweetest fried clams in Rhode Island, and a mean cup of "chowda." The eight combos here run the price gamut: a cup of chowder, three clam cakes, and soda or beer for $3.95; burgers or dogs with beer and fries ($3.95-$5.25); or a bottle of Moët and two "gourmet" hot dogs for $50. Now there's an unusual dinner date! Grab the bubbly and head for the sand. Or hang out at the upstairs raw bar till the last rays of the sun are past Ochre Point. 4 Wave Avenue, Middletown, 847-8141.

Best romantic secret garden

Bet you didn't know that Bretton Point State Park in Newport had a Japanese garden on its grounds. But then, why would you? You probably were too wrapped up catching the perfect gust of wind to lift your kite off the ground to notice how many romantic spots the park has to offer. I suppose you didn't even pack a picnic, either. Well, okay, kite flying under a clear blue sky does have its charm. But until someone comes up with a design for a kite built for two, it remains a solo adventure. So perhaps you should consider moving beyond the open meadow vista and part with the exquisite view of the Atlantic -- just for a little while. Beyond the garden, down a dirt road, lie the remnants of a carriage house. Although it's rickety and falling apart, you can imagine the romance of a bygone era. Follow the path for a bit longer and arrive at another secret spot that only avid explorers know about -- a stone observation tower. At the top, you'll have a 360-degree panoramic view of the sea. Couldn't get much better than that -- unless you were a kite. Ocean Drive, Newport.

Best place to register

No matter how simple a wedding you plan, it seems that once family members get involved, the whole process takes on a life of its own. And if the traditionalists among them are pressuring you to register for china and the like, one of the most versatile places in Rhode Island is Williams-Sonoma. Not only is it a nationwide company, but it's a catalog company, too. Friends and family from coast to coast, and especially those who hate going to large stores, can just thumb through the offerings and pick something from your list to make you happy. One couple's recent register list included items ranging from $2 cookie cutters to a $500 cappuccino maker. "That was just a lark, it wasn't like we couldn't live without it," they quipped. But they were thrilled with the Italian-style place settings, the two-layer cookie sheets, the pots and pans, the casserole dishes, the serving bowls, and the flatware they received as a result of having chosen Williams-Sonoma over Macy's. "We could never find anyone at Macy's to help us. At Williams-Sonoma they were very friendly." Garden City, Cranston, 943-7255.

Best place to find heart-shaped rocks

Looking for a way to warm your lover's stony heart? How about combing the beaches together for heart-shaped stones? The best ones can be found on beaches where the stones are dramatically cleared and then redeposited by the tides, as well as on beaches that face outward, toward Long Island Sound, than those that face inward, toward Narragansett Bay. (It's probably a question of odds, too -- more of them get deposited on the outer beaches.) Thus, Moonstone, East Matunuck, and East Beach in Quonochontaug are all good possibilities. But local legend has it that the best place to find them -- and it's well worth the trouble to get to it -- is Goosewing Beach in Little Compton. In recent years, a long-standing public right-of-way was closed off by private property, so that now the only way to get to Goosewing is across the Little Compton Town Beach adjacent to Goosewing. Round Meadows or South Shore beaches are also good for stone collectors -- and for lovers looking for treasures in the sand. Goosewing Beach, Little Compton.

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