NEWPORT: PERRO SALADO OPENS PERRITO TAQUERIA

Perro Salado, Newport's very charming Mexican restaurant (19 Charles Street, Newport  401-619-4777), has opened Perrito Taqueria at 190A Thames Street. It's an eat-in/take-out sort of place featuring tacos, tostadas and other street food (using house-made tortillas). As a fan of Perro Salado's Sunday brunch/lunch (the El Perro Domingo - scallion corncakes topped with eggs, black beans, salsa verde, cheddar and jack cheeses and sour cream - is a satisfying food fest but the more basic Huevos Americanos - eggs, jalapeno hashbrowns, toast and grilled bacon or choriso - is also a good reason for fasting until noon. Add the cocktail list (including the spicy cucumber margarita) and it's a day. Reason enough to try the new place (www.elperritonewport.com).

(www.perrosalado.com)

COASTAL WINE TRAIL ORGANIZERS: READ THIS

Re the Coastal Wine Trail event held at the Westport (MA) Fairgrounds last weekend - an attendee had this to say:

"I attended this festival. They really need to put some work into making it better. Too many tickets were sold and the inside area was actually so crowded it was unsafe. You could not maneuver to taste wines and if you bought wine you were not allowed to open it on the grounds...but you were not told this when you purchased the wine. All in all...a very poor execution of what could have been a great idea. I hope they get their act together next year. It was not worth the 4 tickets I purchased."

And I note that Oyster had listed the fair as Saturday, June 24. Oops.

COASTAL WINE TRAIL EVENT IN WESTPORT: JUNE 24

Fir0002/Flagstaffotos

The Coastal Wine Trail runs from Westerly, RI to Truro, MA on Cape Cod (www.coastalwinetrail.com). Check the site for individual winery events scheduled for this summer and fall. The next big do with participants from member wineries is Saturday, June 24 at the Westport, MA Fairgrounds (200 Pine Hill Road). Billed as the 1st Annual Wine Cheese & Chocolate Festival, it's a walk-around sampling afternoon (where you practice your skills at getting repeats at tables you favor). Tickets are $20 now, if you purchase them from any of the participating wineries, or $30 at the gate.

Saturday, July 24  1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Contact Maggie Harnett at 401-847-3777 for more info

STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL AT SMITH'S CASTLE: JUNE 16

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It's time for strawberries and the annual festival at Smith's Castle. The original Smith's Castle (155 Richard Smith Dr., Wickford, North Kingstown  401-294-3521), built by Richard Smith, was the first "English" residence in the area then known as Cocumscussoc. Home to the Narragansett tribe, Cocumscussoc is where Roger Williams established a trading post in 1637. The castle was burned in 1676 following a very bloody period between colonists and natives; Smith junior rebuilt in 1678. In 1740 the Updike heirs remodeled the home to what it looks like today. The history of Smith's Castle is a story of the good, the bad, the ups and the downs of Rhode Island fortunes over four centuries but only the good is celebrated in June when homage is paid to the local strawberry.

Saturday, June 16  12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Rain date: June 17

Smith's Castle, 155 Richard Smith Dr. (off Route 1), Wickford, North Kingstown. 401-294-3521  www.smithscastle.org/

JEWELRY DISTRICT FARMERS' MARKET

Felixphoto

The new Farm Fresh Rhode Island Farmers' Market in the Jewelry District will be open every Tuesday through October.  It's at the corner of Ship and Richmond across from Brown Medical School.

It features goods from nearby Olga's Bakery and three food trucks: Mama Kim's Korean BBQ, Mijos Tacos and Rocket Fine Street Food.

Hours:11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

BLOUNT'S CLAM OPENS A PROVIDENCE SHACK

If you're looking to indulge in all things fried, try Blount's most recent location (371 Richmond Street, Providence  401-228-7746), a semi-seaside (okay, semi-riverside) shack a few hundred yards from the hurricane barrier. For atmosphere take your clams over to a bench by the power plant and look at the assemblage of non-glam power boats and the snappy house boat.



Hours: Monday, 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. ; Tuesday - Saturday, 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. 

www.blountretail.com/providence/home

Daniel Case

If you have kids in tow, head to  Blount's Riverside location at Crescent Park (684 Bullocks Point Avenue, East Providence  401-628-0485) for your clams and ice cream. Crescent Park is home to a popular national landmark, the grand 1895 Looff Carousel. (It's a Looff Carousel at the Santa Monica pier in California.) Blount hours here are Wednesday - Sunday, 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.