The thing about fashion shows is that they're very alluring with all the glamour and glitz and fabulous clothing, but they tend to be so hoity-toity and exclusive; most of them aren't really accessible for us regular folk. That's the real beauty of our own StyleWeek: everybody's welcome, so you get all of the style and none of the snootiness. While a full-on StyleWeek won't be hitting the runway again until the August/September 2012 edition, you can get your fashion fix this Saturday, June 9 at the RISD Museum as we celebrate the event's two-year anniversary. That's right, it's already been two full years and four seasons of Providence's most stylish event, and "The Ascension of Style" is going to be a soiree to properly mark the occasion. The theme of the party is indeed "four seasons," and StyleWeek-affiliated designers will create installations to illustrate them. Plus, there will be live music courtesy of Miss Wensday, performances by TEN31 Productions, complimentary hors d'oeuvres and first cocktail, a cash bar, and great silent auction prizes to benefit Gabrielle's Heart Camp. As always, you're invited, so you won't need to stand on the other side of the velvet rope while high society hoots it up. It's fashion for the people. Get your tickets now and, despite what you may have heard, don't arrive fashionably late.More

Adversity does not have to stand in the way of achievement. Rhode Islanders Sponsoring Education (RISE) is a Providence based non-profit organization dedicated for the last 15 years to supporting, mentoring, and sponsoring children with family histories of incarceration.

On Monday, June 11, RISE will honor select students with its 2nd Annual Awards Dinner & Recognition ceremony hosted by Brown University and the Samuel M. Nabrit Black Graduate Student Association. Family members, volunteer mentors, and donors will gather at the Alumnae Hall Auditorium, at Brown’s Pembroke campus, to celebrate the success of nineteen exceptional students. This includes the Inspirational Student of the Year.

Eric Shorter, Managing Associate at Next Street in Boston, MA will address the attendees as a keynote speaker for the event. Mr. Shorter plans to use his personal experiences, which have made similar barriers to success the RISE youth face, to prove hard work and commitment to education is key to success.

Long time supporters like The Collette Foundation have made RISE and its activities possible. Youth who receive a scholarship from RISE have the opportunity to attend a private or parochial high school in Rhode Island. The program is currently making a difference in 49 students’ lives. Ninety percent of the program’s high school graduates have plans to enter college.More

The staff in our office has always been largely female (roughly a 3:1 ratio) and while that has mostly been for the good, we always knew it might come back to haunt us one day. That day has come. Shine America, the production company behind critically acclaimed scripted shows (The Office, Ugly Betty), reality TV hits (The Biggest Loser, Nashville Star) and, well, other things (MTV's Date My Mom, that short-lived American Gladiators reboot), is now looking to the biggest little for its latest reality TV inspiration. They're currently seeking male business owners for what is sure to be the thinking guido's answer to Jersey Shore: the soon-to-be-a-pop-culture-phenomenon Rhode Island Boys. According to the casting call, Shine America "has a fascination with Rhode Island's small businesses," and they're looking for male-owned businesses with predominantly male employees — which means our moment in the harsh, unflattering spotlight of reality TV will have to wait. However, we promise the fine folks at Shine America that if they'll reconsider maybe doing Rhode Island Boys and Girls, we'll deliver all the cussing, petty infighting, drunken tantrums, on-camera meltdowns and delusions of self-importance they could ever possibly hope for. In the meantime, if you think your business fits the bill, contact LDI Casting for more details.More

This Sunday, after you've given most of your Saturday over to margaritas and mint juleps, make up for it by getting out on the Boulevard to promote healthy lifestyles. Shape Up RI and the India Association of RI are hosting their annual 5k walk/run on Blackstone Boulevard on May 6 at 1pm. The event goes off rain or shine, so gather at Lippitt Park, where Blackstone meets Hope Street, to register. The first 100 people to do so will receive free Shape Up RI pedometers. There will also be fresh fruit, healthy snacks and, of course, plenty of water. Check Shape Up RI's website for more info.More

Who can forget all the buzz last summer regarding a movie being filmed in our area starring powerhouse celebrities Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Edward Norton and Tilda Swinton? The time has finally come to see our beloved state and its beautiful scenery up on the big screen in acclaimed director Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom. The film is set on an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965 and tells the story of two 12-year-olds who fall in love, make a secret pact and run away together in the wilderness. You may have heard rumors of Bruce Willis and Bill Murray spottings at Tiverton’s Standish Boatyard. (The boatyard was just one of the many staging areas for the film.) The Hollywood stars were said to have been very friendly and down to earth. Be sure to look for the much-anticipated motion picture, set to premiere as the opening film of the 2012 Cannes Film Festival on May 16. It’s scheduled for an American release on May 25.More

Imagine our surprise when these sweet cupcakes arrived at our office this morning. Clearly, someone at the newly renamed Big Blue Bug Solutions, formerly New England Pest Control, knows that the best way to get our attention is with food. It seems like the name change was inevitable, given the fact that their mascot, the famed "big blue bug" Nibbles Woodaway, is one of the best-known and most iconic corporate symbols in New England. We wish them luck with the name change, and thanks for the sweet treat (from the also iconic Wrights Dairy Farm, no less).More

There really is no better way to get into the spirit of spring then by enjoying a day at Hope Artiste Village for Craftopia. A twice annual day of art, craft, food and fun, Craftopia is a popular event, produced by Rhody Craft 100 – a seasonal shop selling locally handmade goods. The shop also serves as a networking outlet for many local artists. Craftopia showcases the unique work of over 70 independent artisans. The items featured range from repurposed clothing, stitched handbags and one-of-a-kind jewelry to fine arts and even bath and body products. As you peruse the large variety of unique displays, you can grab a bite to eat at the food trucks outside or a coffee inside to help make your shopping day that much more enjoyable. Providence Monthly proudly sponsors Craftopia, which will be held on April 28 from 10am to 4pm at Hope Artiste Village. Free parking available.More

You've spent your entire zoo-visiting life being told not to feed the animals, but finally your days has come. Beginning April 1, Roger Williams Park Zoo will host group feeding sessions, in which visitors will have the chance for an up-close encounter will giraffes, penguins and seals. There will only be a handful (cue rim shot) of spots available for these feedings, and tickets will be sold on a first come, first served basis. The first giraffe feeding is at 2pm on April 1, with penguin and seal feedings to begin later in the spring at 11am. They will take place daily until Labor Day, and on weekends in October. We know some of you out there are probably really excited about this, but please don't shove any little kids to the ground in your scramble to get one of those tickets.More

The Brown University/Trinity Rep MFA Programs will present two plays in rotation repertory this month at the Pell Chafee Performance Center: Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett, directed by Aubrey Snowden (Brown/Trinity Rep MFA Programs ’13) and Venus by Suzan-Lori Parks, directed by Ryan Guzzo Purcell (Brown/Trinity Rep Programs ’13). The plays will alternate taking the stage throughout their March 1-18 run.

Waiting for Godot has been considered one of the most important theatrical works of the 20th century. The play focuses on two men, Vladimir and Estragon, and their efforts to “hold that terrible silence at bay” while they continuously wait on the side of a road for a man named Godot to arrive. The men’s comical and desperate attempts to pass the time spans two acts and explores the notion of time and existence.

Suzan-Lori Parks’ Venus, on the other hand, is based on the true story of Saarjie Baartman, a member of the Khoi-San tribe of South Africa, who was transported to London in 1810 under the false pretense of opportunity. Upon her arrival, Baartman , nearly nude, is put on public display and dubbed “The Venus Hottentot.” This tale of exploitation will examine the treatment of women and minorities, and will demand that its' audience come to terms with history in order to move beyond it. $10. $5 students. The Citizens Bank Theater, Pell Chafee Performance Center, 87 Empire Street, Providence. 401-351-4242.More

Federal Hill's Gallery Z hits the road tomorrow in its brand new ArtMobile, Moby. The mobile gallery is an effort to bring art to public spaces and neighborhoods where it might not always be accessible. A Christening ceremony will launch the effort Thursday, February 16 at 6pm in the parking lot of Scialo Bros. bakery next door. It marks the occasion of Gallery Z's 111th exhibit in 11 years, and Moby was partially funded by the generosity of 111 Kickstarter campaign donors. Gallery Z Director Berge Zobian promises to use the ArtMobile to bring visual and performance arts, film projections and art installations to places like libraries, schools, college campuses, churches, nursing homes and more. If you miss out on the Christening, keep an eye out for Moby in your neighborhood soon.More