By Maggie Livingstone
As Brown students, we love our College Hill neighborhood. But by now, we’ve exhausted most of the cafes/study hangouts in our immediate vicinity. If you have a day, I would recommend exploring down the hill, even beyond our neighbors at RISD. Westminster Street is a cute, higher-end alternative to Wickenden, and it packs great shopping, coffee shops, and restaurants. The cobblestoned street is lined with lights, and at night the entire street is lit in a yellow hue. Tres chic! I ventured there last week and uncovered the street’s greatest hits.
Tazza:
Café by day, sleek restaurant by night, Tazza is outfitted with comfy black leather, sexy chrome fixtures, and modern mahogany surfaces. Definitely an upscale place, I would not recommend coming in your sweats and t-shirt. But they have delicious brunch and a pretty outdoor eating area, perfect for a spring afternoon. And there’s free Wi-Fi!
Queen of Hearts & Modern Love:
Two adorable shopping boutiques right next to each other for those of us sick of Urban Outfitters and NAVA on Thayer. Modern Love specializes in shoes, and I found an AMAZING pair of brown, leather oxford pumps there for a reasonable price. Queen of Hearts stocks great clothing and some kitschy gifts. The atmosphere is girly and sweet, and both are boutiques are co-owned.
Roots Cultural Center:
This is a hub for music and performance, and it has a stacked weekly calendar. Anything from poetry slams, jazz, and southern rock could be housed here on any night. It also is a great quiet study space during the day.
There you have it Brownies. So next time you’re bored at the Blue Room, try stretching your legs and heading to Westminster!