March 2023 | Page 44

RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY • 35 YEARS

H ow very fitting that in 1980 , alongside bustling Route I-95 , Rhode Island ’ s most famous resident — the Big Blue Bug — was introduced , kicking off the ’ 80s in style . The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi were smashing box office records , Madonna ruled the airwaves and Atari and Nintendo invaded living rooms everywhere with games like Donkey Kong and Super Mario Bros . Patrick J . Kennedy became the youngest Kennedy to ever hold public office when

he won a seat in the Rhode Island House in 1988 , representing District 9 in Providence while still a student at Providence College . As the decade came to a close , work began in earnest on uncovering Providence ’ s waterways and a little-known artist named Barnaby Evans made our list of pacesetters to watch in the ’ 90s . Little did we know that in just a few short years he ’ d set the capital city ablaze .
December 1988 : Geoff ’ s on Benefit Street , Providence Who can forget the original Geoff ’ s on Benefit Street , with its abysmal service , delicious and cleverly named sammies and enormous pickle barrel ? You can still order a Phillipe and Jorge ( hot spinach , melted cheese , mushrooms , tomato , onion , pepperoncini and sprouts ) or a “ Slim ” Jim O ’ Neil ( lettuce , tomato , onion , sprouts and horseradish ) at its location at 401 S . Main St . in Providence .
May 1988 : Our First Issue ! Rhode Island ’ s six o ’ clock television news anchors graced our first cover . From left , Doug White , Ann Conway , Walter Cryan , Cathy Ray , Janice Glynn and Dave Layman .

The

1980s
October 1988 : Adrian Hall , the founding artistic director of Trinity Repertory Company , led the theater from 1963 to 1989 before departing for the Dallas Theater Center . Providence honored him by naming an adjacent street Adrian Hall Way .
January 1989 : Local celebrities ( and columnists for the Providence Phoenix ) Phillipe and Jorge judged our first-ever R . I . Red Awards .
November 1989 : Patrick Kennedy began his first term as a state representative while still a student at Providence College .
42 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l MARCH 2023