So… I’m on my way to Rhode Island to help Rasa move out to the Left Coast. I must admit I’m a little nervous. I’ve never been east of Chicago. I’ve heard strange things about it though. They have these things called Blue Laws, you can’t buy Belgian beer, you can’t get “stuff”, the states are tiny. Hell, I don’t even know if you can drin kthe water there.
So help me out. What tips can you offer a Cali Boy to survive the Great North, or is that East… whatever. All I know is it’s not California.
Woohoo! Isn’t it kinda cute how I’d never been west of Chicago till I went to see you and you’ve never been east of Chicago till you’re coming to see me? 
Yes, it’s small. You won’t be here long enough for it to matter. You won’t be here on a Sunday, so the Blue Laws won’t affect you. Though liquor stores close at 11, you can’t buy alcohol in the grocery store, and you can’t buy alchohol on Sunday. You won’t be here long enough that a lack of “stuff” will affect you. (If it’s necessary, I have… “friends”.) You can drink the water, but if you’re in Westerley (which you won’t be) you’d better boil it first.
Dress warm. Right now, the temp is dipping around 32, so we’re having a mix of rain, sleet, snow and freezing rain. (The difference between sleet and freezing rain is that sleet doesn’t hurt when it hits ya.) You’ve been to India. Think of it like that, except smaller. And with no cows in the street.
I can’t wait!
Hmmmmm I sense a tourism campaign to rival MR Potato Head.
Rhode Island… Like India, only smaller!
Just be surly if you go through New York.
You can buy “stuff” anywhere if you know the right people, and it looks like you do! Have a safe trip, and have fun (stay away from the potato things, though - they’re scary).
Thank god! I was a fraid I’d have to go without artichokes, white asparagus, humbolt fog, junipero, good sourdough, and toilet paper.
Good to know that I can get it through connections.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by oldscratch *
**
The artichokes and white asparagus will be canned. They’ll claim the sourdough is good and that the fog is the same, but neither will be. Toilet paper is scarce, but not impossible to obtain. You’ll be on your own for the junipero, though. Bring a good supply.
Well, it’s supposed to snow/rain/sleet/whatever tonight, so the stores will all be out of toilet paper. We tend to buy it in bulk and horde it at the slightest mention of snow. Bread and milk too.
Oldscratch – very important: Best Foods Mayonnaise is called “Hellmann’s” Mayonnaise. But it’s really the same thing.
My God, he’s going to be here like overnight, if that. The way he’s talking you’d think he’s staying a month! Sheesh.
It’s an island, at least most of it. They just added a slice of mainland to make it square.
It’s cold, dress warm.
Say “wicked” (used like “very”) a lot.
When people ask you what’s up with your ears, say “They’re just PSDS, only bigger.”
Pats = NE Patriots
A “bulkie” is a roll for sandwiches.
Have some chowdah.
Dress warm, it’s cold.
Oh, and be safe.
Have fun with Rasa.
Soooo…there are Indians in various states of undress and covered in ashes or not, bathing on the banks of rivers while corpses are being burned on platforms? Cool! I’m so there!
Oh…you mean crowded wise i assume.
Anyway, have a safe trip Jal, i hope you dont go into withdrawl symptoms from being away from CA while youre away.
(and welcome to CA rasa, even though youre not here yet :))
Again, I give you this disclaimer. He’s only going to have to bear with Rhode Island for maybe 24 hours tops! Do all Californians whine this much? I may have to rethink my move!
Sue: You forgot to tell him we drink coffee milk and cabinets. Aah, Autocrat syrup, how I shall miss thee… As far as his ears go, if we hung around RI School of Design, or some of the college-y parts of Providence, he’ll fit right in. Nen managed to hang out in a RI bar with his plugs and piercings and not get run out on a rail… though, as we all know, scratchie’s are bigger… 
el Doob: Ok, so it’s not quite like India. It’s not crowded at all here. I was (sarcastically) comparing the standard of living in RI to India, and saying if he could survive there, RI will be a walk in the park. Remind me to withhold sarcasm before my first cup of coffee, k?
Thanks Morph… Hellmans. Right. Got it.
I don’t want to look like a freak, I will avoid asking people if they have spare jars of Best Foods mayonaise. I don’t want to stand out.
Thanks Sue… I figured any island would be warm and tropical. Does this mean I won’t be getting fresh coconuts in RI?
And I will Doob
Rasa… I know I’m only supposed to be there for a day or so, but I hear you have these things called…um…brizzards? Bizzards?
whatever… anyway, I could get stuck there. Just got to make sure I’m fully prepared.
The drive back isn’t bad. Not as great as the drive west of MN, but it’s not bad.
#1 : Techincally, it is an island. The full name is “The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.” The island part refers to Aquidnick Island where Newport is.
#2 : Everything is a suburb of Providence.
#3 : Don’t forget to see the Big Blue Bug on your way through. Don’t worry, it’s not alive.
#4 : AUTOCRAT Syrup??? You can always tell a true RhoDislander if they can remember when it was ECLIPSE Coffee Syrup.
#5 : If you drive down Rt 95 anytime from 3:00am to 3:00pm on a weekday, and you see a big Christmas display on the northbound side right after the Jefferson Blvd. exit, shout REAL LOUD because I work about a block east of there.
#6 : Watch out for the Rhode Island Slide.
#7 : And slide a cheek for Beaver Brown.
Ok, as far as what Euty said, I have no clue what #6 or #7 are… but maybe we’ll drive by and yell hi, Euty! Though, with the world’s largets American Flag at the car dealership there, your building may be obscured.
The big blue bug’s name is Nibbles Woodaway. And he’s decorated for Christmas.
I’d show you the Nen Memorial Snow Angel, but the sleet will have destroyed it by then…
And oldscratch, you want to not look like a freak? Hmm… that’s gonna be tough, but I’ll see if we can work on it.
I’m not really worried any more about looking like a freak in a state that names bug statues Nibbles Woodaway, or puts up freakish potato statues.
Well, what else would a giant blue termite be called? Makes perfect sense to me…