Did you hear the Powerball jackpot has hit $1 billion? It’s the kind of number that can make even the most sensible Rhode Islander briefly start pricing out waterfront property and wondering how many coffee shops one person could reasonably own. While we wait to see if anyone local gets very lucky, today’s newsletter has plenty worth paying attention to without changing your tax bracket: a Rhode Island editor behind a Paris-set documentary, a refreshed Goat Island menu, adoptable pets, a statewide coffee trail, and a weekend calendar with some wonderfully specific plans. Turns out, a billion dollars isn’t the only thing capable of making the week more interesting.

Rhode Island native Jacob Boblitt edited The Artist Must Grow Ever More Selfish, a new documentary short that uses archival footage, photographs, and Ned Rorem’s own diary entries to trace the acclaimed composer’s life in 1950s Paris. After the film screened at the Rhode Island International Film Festival, Boblitt shared how he helped turn decades of personal material into something intimate, surreal, and emotionally alive. Read more online.

1639 at Newport Harbor Island Resort is leaning further into its coastal setting with a refreshed menu featuring New England seafood, wagyu, smoked cocktails, and polished takes on familiar flavors. New Golden Hour specials, Sunday Harbor Suppers, and seasonal wine and spirit dinners give diners even more reason to settle in and stay awhile. Read more online.

Presented by Viva Fall River

Fall River has long made a name for itself with Portuguese food, waterfront views, and a deep industrial past. Now, its coffee scene is giving visitors another reason to pay attention.

Viva Fall River’s Coffee Lover’s Guide, created especially for Hey Rhody readers, rounds up the locally owned cafes, artisan coffee shops, neighborhood bakeries, and gathering spaces shaping the city’s growing coffee culture. Some have been part of the community for years. Others are newer arrivals already earning their regulars.

The guide doesn’t stop at what to order. It helps readers figure out what comes next, pairing coffee destinations with nearby shops, historic neighborhoods, local restaurants, and time along the waterfront. It feels less like a directory and more like a well-informed friend pointing out where to start.

That personal approach runs through everything Viva Fall River does. Each year, the destination initiative promotes hundreds of events, spotlights dozens of locally owned businesses, and shares original stories about the people and places giving Fall River its character. Its team gives neighborhood favorites and family-run businesses the same care it brings to major festivals, cultural events, and familiar landmarks.

Those stories aren’t only good trip-planning material. They encourage visitors to walk through the doors of local shops, restaurants, and cafes, helping support the small businesses and community organizations that keep Fall River interesting.

The Coffee Lover’s Guide is one way into a city that may still have a few surprises left, even for those who’ve lived nearby for years. Viva Fall River also publishes free monthly event guides, maintains a year-round calendar, and offers curated itineraries and self-guided audio walking tours. Explore the exclusive Coffee Lover’s Guide to Fall River, and learn more about Fall River’s year-round offerings at VivaFallRiver.com. Come for the coffee, then let the city make its case.

This week’s Hey Rhody Weekly heads into peach season with three Rhode Island orchards to watch: Steere Orchard, Barden Family Orchard, and Sunset Orchard. Since ripe peaches move on their own schedule, the episode also shares the smartest way to plan the trip, check availability, and still come home with something sweet even if pick-your-own isn’t open.

Presented by Dogtopia

Hugo, the Spirit Cats, and Layne are three very different personalities with one thing in common: they’re still waiting for the right Rhode Island home. From a big-hearted birthday boy to a bonded group of cats and a shy pup who blossoms with patience, this month’s Rhody Pets lineup is full of reasons to make room for one more. Read more online.

Centreville Bank Stadium will trade soccer for synchronized lights, s’mores, Santa visits, and a holiday marketplace when the first Rhode Island Lights Festival opens November 27 in Pawtucket. Running through January 3, the walk-through experience invites visitors onto the field for a new view of the stadium and a very different kind of winter night out. Read more online.