The Write Place

Fresh Table in Bristol to host author Kathryn Kulpa

By Laura LaTour
Posted 11/10/16

On Friday, November 18 the Bristol Merchants Association (BMA) will host its 15th Annual Holiday Preview Weekend, a chance to stroll Bristol in search of unique gifts and cozy conviviality. Kurry …

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The Write Place

Fresh Table in Bristol to host author Kathryn Kulpa

Posted

On Friday, November 18 the Bristol Merchants Association (BMA) will host its 15th Annual Holiday Preview Weekend, a chance to stroll Bristol in search of unique gifts and cozy conviviality. Kurry Davis Jacob, proprietor of Fresh Table, a chic yet homey downtown gift shop and cafe located at 423 Hope Street, is excited to take part in her first BMA holiday event and has planned a reading and book launch party for local Somerset, Massachusetts author Kathryn Kulpa.

From 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., the public is invited to visit Fresh Table for drinks by Boot Black Brand cocktail mixes, yummy appetizers, and a reading from Kathryn Kulpa’s chapbook, Girls On Film. The book is an award-winning collection of flash fiction, an umbrella term describing fictional work of 1000 words or less. A rapid-fire open mic will also be offered for those who want to try their hand at flash fiction storytelling.

As the title suggests, Girls on Film delves into our obsession with celebrity and image and is a rich hybrid of short story and poetry. Kulpa says the first time she wrote in the flash fiction format, the length constraints were freeing: “It challenged me to pare down and use more lyrical language than in a long-format story.”

This year marks the first holiday season for Fresh Table since opening in March 2016. “I’ve always felt drawn to downtown Bristol,” says proprietor Kurry Davis Jacob. “It’s the kind of place where people will hang out in the street and just chat. I wanted a place where people could feel comfortable.” In fact, Jacob can often be found hanging out on the floor with her youngest customers, spinning wooden tops, or reading books. She confesses that “the most fun I have is with the kids’ stuff and snarky greeting cards.”

Fresh Table features a highly curated collection of gifts for the table, home and spirit. From the hilarious “misheard lyrics” drink coasters to the arthouse coffee table books and bike-themed table ware, Fresh Table is a one-stop shop for unique hostess gifts and personal items for your home. Their motto is “Do what makes your table happy.”

If you like to shop local and support local artisans, Fresh Table boasts a large collection of locally sourced products including the aforementioned Boot Black Brand drink mixes from Warren and 1000-piece puzzles made from reproductions of artwork by Seekonk artist Sarah Jane Lapp. Jacob has even built a “Pie & Puzzle Happy Hour” around Lapp’s puzzles. Every Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m., folks can stop in for $5 pie and coffee and join in a communal puzzle-building effort, an event which dovetails nicely with their philosophy of bringing people together for the old-school art of lingering.

For more information about Kathryn Kulpa and her writing visit kathrynkulpa.com. To find out more about Fresh Table and their upcoming events, visit them at 423 Hope Street, Bristol, or find them online at shopfreshtable.com.

Laura LaTour is an avid reader and former bookseller. She is currently working as a freelance writer and publicist. Tell her your stories at: Laura@LaTourCreations.com.




Kathryn Kulpa, Fresh Table, Bristol Merchants Association

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A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.