citylikeyou — Wedding Cake House — Providence by Elizabeth Goodspeed

Providence / Architecture / Art / Attraction

The Wedding Cake house was originally built in 1867 and served as the home of Anna and Laura Tirocchi, two Italian-American immigrant sisters who operated a dressmaking business before becoming vacant and settling into disrepair for decades. However, in the last 5 years it’s been renovated and restored to its former glory by the long standing Providence feminist art collective The Dirt Palace. It now operates as a contemporary art installation, housing artists on short term residencies to engage with and work in the space. They also host regular shows, open houses, and, occasionally operate as a bed & breakfast. It’s worth walking by to see the stunning architecture, especially on a night when you can go inside!

Address
Wedding Cake House, 514 Broadway, Providence, United States

Designer Art Director

Current city: Providence

Other cities: New York

elizabethgoodspeed.com

Elizabeth Goodspeed is an independent, multidisciplinary designer and art director based in Providence. She’s a devoted generalist, but specializes in idea-driven and historically inspired brand identity projects. She’s passionate about lesser-known design history, and regularly researches and writes about various archive-oriented topics. In addition to design, she loves to cook, go to flea markets, and read.

More Places in Providence 18

Providence / Shop

Hungry Ghost is an artist-owned studio and shop that sells a range of merch (all printed in-house), as well as repurposed vintage apparel, patches, pins, local zines, VHS tapes, and other deadstock eccentricities. Great for souvenirs and niche Rhode Island joke products (like their notorious "Rhode Island Slut" sweatshirt, inspired by a scene in the original Dumb & Dumber movie).

Providence / Attraction

One of Providence's weirdest and best kept secrets. A holdover from the years from Providence was considered "the Jewelry capitol" of the US, Wolf E. Myrow is a vintage jewelry warehouse selling closeout jewelry supplies and wholesale jewelry findings. They've been around for fifty years and most of their stock is even older—you could wander around for hours and still only see a tiny portion of their collection of beads, tiny figurines, Swarovski crystals, and chandelier findings.

Providence / Restaurant

A new ramen joint with exceptional homemade broth and thin Hong-Kong style noodles and a small but exciting set of Japanese cocktails. Dessert is one of the main stars, made by former Big King pastry chef Millie, who specializes in eclectic ice cream flavors. Come during the day and you can sometimes buy a single scope from the front window!

Providence / Restaurant

Oberlin is one of the best examples of Providence's fantastic dining scene—expect a wide range of excellent lesser-known, sustainably caught local fish like tautog, butterfish and bluefish, as well as a wide range of other regionally-inspired dishes like fresh pasta, homemade sourdough, and roasted local veg. The place has a real neighborhood vibe that makes you want to stay for hours, which is definitely helped by the exceptional wine list and desserts (specifically: the Basque cheesecake).

Providence / Bar

Bayberry Beer Hall is a contemporary take on a German beer hall—open year round and filled with plants, the space offers New England-made brews from local favorites like Oxbow, Maine Beer Co., Aeronaut, Proclamation Ale Company (and of course, Narraganset). It's scandi communal tables are great for big groups, and despite being billed as a beer hall, it's food is surprisingly exceptional and seasonally inspired. Be sure to try the pretzel.