Things to Do in Central Falls

Although custom pottery painting has long been the pastime of rich, retired circus elephants, the Weirdgirl provides stamps, sponges, and supportive ideas to any artist. Customers who want more inspiration can also draw inspiration from books and example pieces to help foster a creative mood. Project possibilities are nearly limitless, from a custom coffee mug for the office to a hand-painted vase, perfect for holding a collection of miniature hand-painted-vase replicas.

The Spot Underground, The Spot's live-music venue, hosts an eclectic mix of bands from a variety of styles, such as funk, jam, reggae, blues, and dance. Savor the upcoming ear candy produced by local, regional, and touring acts including dance-rockers The Indobox on June 17, experimentalists Dopapod on July 16, and Latin-roots prodigies Santa Mamba on July 9. Housed in a former jewelry-making building, The Spot Underground features local artwork and sculptures to punctuate the brick walls, exposed wooden support beams, and grade-school grammar lessons. A full bar and deli dishes up a menu showcasing pizza, flavorful nightly specials, and drinks with hand-painted ice cubes (this Groupon is not valid for food or drinks).

European friends Pernilla Frazier and Line Daems founded Kreatelier in 2007. Since then, solid local press has helped bring crafters from around the area into the shop. Its quaint quarters feature a diverse collection of product designs including bags, quilts, reusable gift wraps, and various accessories, all enhanced by crafty workshops that educate interested art architects. Rampant pencil collections can be put to rest with large cotton pencil cases ($18), which are washable, rollable, and feature 11 pockets, while manicure and pedicure cases ($15) help keep tools and other grooming paraphernalia from escaping. Keep rebellious flocks of hair at bay with a brightly colored headband ($8), elegantly wrap bottles of precious fermented fruits inside wine bags ($10), or organize a messy back seat with the car-seat organizer ($40), which withstands abuse and the effects of time travel.

Legion Bowl & Billiards preserves retro entertainment with 18 duckpin bowling lanes, eight tournament-sized billiards tables, and ticket-spewing arcade games. The alley’s streamlined design hearkens to the tailfins of a 1957 Chevy Bel-Air or the cover art of a mid-century sci-fi novel. Traditional scoring projectors lend to the classic ambiance at the lanes, which fill with the clatter of scattering pins.

Television screens in the pool hall broadcast live coverage of New England sports teams, and the spitfire rasp of electric guitars occasionally cuts through from live musicians at the adjoining Legion Pub. The kitchen staff fires selections from a menu of burgers and grilled pizzas, which pair with draft beers or cocktails. On the alley’s outdoor deck, guests click together glasses or toss rocks at poets attracted by the breezy summer evenings.

Jeffrey Hall will never toss a wrapper out the car window again. That’s because he knows that every piece of trash strewing the highway’s meridian attracts mice. And mice attract hungry hawks, who can’t always dodge oncoming trucks. Not everyone is so aware of the potential far-reaching implications of a single fast-food wrapper, but the Audubon Society director learned such lessons long ago, seeing first-hand the victims of those circumstances in injured hawks and falcons on just such a rescue.

Now, Jeffrey hopes to spark a similar awareness in his fellow Rhode Islanders. “When people learn about plants and animals, they appreciate them. And once they appreciate them, they want to save them,” says Mr. Hall. As no one in Rhode Island lives more than 20 minutes from an Audubon Society wildlife refuge, he's certain they can find ample opportunities to do so. In addition to conserving land for hikes and staring contest with owls, the Society boasts an Environmental Education Center, which hosts events, programs, and interactive exhibits year-round. For the Audubon Society to thrive, Jeffrey knows the organization's programs must inspire young stewards. “They’ll grow up to be the voters who want to protect this land,” he says. That's why, among the many programs guests can partake in, the society's also offers a summer camp and kid-friendly classes.