PAWTUCKET – One year and 20 or more events later, Rhode Island Monthly’s Jamie Coelho says her first book is doing exactly what she intended it to: let others in on the delicious discoveries she’s made all over this beautiful state.
The editor-in-chief told The Local Insider said she’d definitely love to write another book along similar themes after the success of her “Rhode Island Food Crawls: Touring the Neighborhoods One Bite & Libation at a Time.”
After a launch party last July, Coelho has done signing events at bookstores, libraries, businesses that invite her, and anywhere else that makes sense. The book was a labor of love, she said, and she’s grateful for both the recognition of the work and passion she put into it.
Coelho says she considers herself so fortunate to have been able to cover Rhode Island’s dining scene for the past 15 years, and writing a book highlighting her experiences was a dream come true.
Two years have now passed since she was writing the book, Coelho said, and a lot has changed within the local restaurant industry. Some restaurants have new owners, some have rebounded in a big way, and there are many great new places she’s just itching to write about. Many restaurants have closed since she wrote the book, while others, such as The Cooked Goose and Matunuck Oyster Bar, were temporarily lost to fires but have since rebounded.
Coelho said Kate Ayers, now with Rhode Island Commerce, guided her through her book deal with Globe Pequot while she was still with the publisher, which produces dining guides all over the U.S., including for New York, Boston, and Chicago. She laughed as she shared how she said yes to Ayers without considering how she would get it all done, but she started chipping away, finding time when she could on nights and weekends while raising her two children.
Coelho said she was requested to focus on walkable neighborhoods all over the state, including in Pawtucket, where Rhode Island Monthly is located at 560 Mineral Spring Ave., and nearby Central Falls.
One of Coelho’s favorite locations found in the book is Pawtucket’s Blackstone Place plaza, where she recently participated in a book signing at Maven’s Delicatessen, and which also contains Rasoi, Garden Grille, Wildflour, and Antonio’s Pizza. Another fun part of the book highlights a Central Falls and Pawtucket taco crawl, including James Beard-nominated Tuxpan Taqueria.
Other delicious options featured include La Herradura Taqueria Mexicana in Central Falls, Hidalgo Restaurant in Pawtucket, Tacos Don Nacho in Pawtucket, and various establishments at the Lorraine Mills where she works, including A Guy and His Pie, Crooked Current Brewery’s and White Dog Distilling.
She also covered local diners, including Miss Lorraine Diner at Lorraine Mills, Modern Diner in Pawtucket, West Side Diner in Providence, and Haven Brothers in Providence.
Coelho’s explorations go to unexpected places, including restaurant powder rooms. Pretty Powder Room Selfies on Instagram is another labor of love, allowing her to highlight how so many restaurants have “really upped the ante” with their restroom decor, including cool wallpaper, lighting, mirrors, and other creative touches. This also allows her to combine her love of fashion as well, she said, as she and those who post to Pretty Powder Room Selfies are highlighting their fit check. What started in Rhode Island has now expanded to New England and the world, with 3,300 followers and counting.
Coelho said she could create a book just based on what she sees on Instagram, and has thought about doing live video restroom interviews to add another layer to the mix.
On of Coelho’s favorite events she’s attended was at the East Greenwich Veteran Fireman’s Hall, where she was expecting 10 or so people and arrived to a packed house of 100 or so people. She said she spoke for about an hour, and has never sold more copies than she did that day.
The way it works with her publisher, she said, copies sold pay down the money paid to the author up front, and she’s working her way through that amount.
Coelho says she enjoys wearing a lot of hats, including social media, food writer, editor, and mom, but it’s sometimes a challenge to balance it all. She and her team are committed to excellence, which shows up in their numerous Rhode Island Press Association awards each year, and they also live by the notion that modern media outlets need to have a creative and multi-dimensional approach.
“Rhode Island Food Crawls: Touring the Neighborhoods One Bite & Libation at a Time.” is available on the Globe Pequot website, at local book stores, and on Amazon.
“Discover hidden gems with the freshest seafood, hottest cocktail bars, and the best seaside views around. Each crawl is the complete recipe for a great night out, the perfect tourist day, a new way to experience your own city, or simply indulging in some eye candy from home.”
