May 2008 Archives

Hey-o,

This is what's coming up.

My favorite "local" group, by which I mean people I actually know might get roles there, is Theatre@First, and they are putting on another creative show in Somerville. This time it's called SomerVaudeVille, an attempt to recreate an original vaudeville performance. May 28 at Johnny D's, 17 Holland St, Somerville MA. http://www.theatreatfirst.org/shows/somervaudeville/somervaudeville.shtml

Someone crazy in the LiveJournal community is organizing a Boston Area Rollerskating Party, May 28. It's at Roller World in Saugus, MA, which by the way is the closest roller skating rink to Boston. $10 admission including skates. 7-9pm. I asked the organizer for permission to invite cool peoples like you all and she said yes. http://www.roller-world.com

Or perhaps you'd prefer the kickoff party to Dancing On The Charles. First off, unless your JC himself I think that should be Dancing Along The Charles. But hey. Apparently it's both day and night, 7pm-1am. They claim to have a BBQ but I can't believe that food is included in the $10 price. Check it out. Cambridge knows how to throw a festival. May 31. http://www.soulclap.us/dotc/

New England Celebrates Israel is a step up from last year, from merely Boston Celebrated Israel. Jun 1. Boston, MA. All over the citywide area, but primarily 1:00-5:00 p.m. at Gann Academy, 333 Forest Street, Waltham. They will have camel rides! http://www.celebrateisrael.org/

Once in a while I get a listing that's weird all right, so weird that I can't really figure it out. It's a circus, it's a dance performance, it's downright strange... It's Emperor Norton's Stationary Marching Band circus. May 30-Jun 1. Boston University Dance Theater, 915 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA. http://www.mischiefinthemachine.com

Also poorly explained, "Open Sound" is a kind of improvisational music. I think. May 31. Third Life Studios, 33 Union Square, Somerville, MA. 7:30pm. http://www.opensound.org

Bike Tour of Historic Somerville and Medford. May 31. Somerville City Hall, 93 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA. (617) 776-3938. Visit historic sites throughout Somerville and Medford, including the Old Powder House, the Isaac Royall House, and the armories and historical museums. 10am-1pm, meet in the parking lot of Somerville City Hall, 93 Highland Avenue. http://www.somervillema.gov/calendar/eventdtl.cfm?id=5448

I'm not overly fond of quilt shows, but I have attended one (with a sewing hobbyist) and it was surprisingly fun. The Quilters' Connection Annual Quilt Show is May 30-Jun 1. Arsenal Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal Street, Watertown, MA. Largest quilting event regionally, with 200 quilts are on display. http://www.quiltersconnection.org/qshow.shtml

AIDS Walk Boston. Just don't tell anyone you're doing it to support AIDS. You're doing it to combat AIDS, ok? Jun 1. http://www.aac.org

Here's an example of an event -- like many I list here -- that's not really worth attending on its own merit. But if you get swept up in the enthusiasm of the locals, you'll be glad you went. Dedham Square Music Fest. May 31-Jun 1. http://www.dedhamsquarecircle.org/

Here's another local yokel event that's probably worth checking out if you have the right attitude. This year's Dorchester Day Parade celebrates "Peace". I'm not sure if that's militant peace or just regular peace. Jun 1, at 1pm. Dorchester, MA. Cookout afterwards. Starts in Lower Mills and goes down Dorchester Avenue to Columbia Road. http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=glbt&sc2=events&id=553127

Not enough peace? Do you need some more friggin' peace in your friggin life? Try the Peace Picnic in Raymond Park. Balance a fine line between hating war and supporting the troops. May 31. http://www.cambcamb.org/TheCambridgeSchoolforCambodia/Events.html

Here are some beaches that are accessible by public transportation. Red Line: Wollaston Beach, Castle Island & L Street Beach, Carson Beach, Malibu Beach, Tenean Beach. Blue Line: Revere Beach, Winthrop Beach, Constitution Beach. Commuter Rail: Nahant Beach (Lynn stop), Lynn Beach (Lynn stop), King's Beach (Swampscott stop), Singing Beach (Manchester stop), Long Beach (Rockport stop). My favorite is the Singing Beach. When you scuff your feet in the sand, it really does make a chirping noise, and it's great for smooching after dark, too. Just enough privacy, but not totally isolated.

Or perhaps you'd prefer to check out the nudist beach, Herring Cove Beach, on Cape Cod in Provincetown, MA. Although I haven't been, I suspect that there are plenty of people one does not wish to see naked on the beach mixed in with the hotties.

Or, if you've always wanted to visit Vermont but just wanted an excuse: here's one that may help. The Burlington Discover Jazz Festival is May 30-Jun 8. I wonder if they really aim to help non-enthusiasts "discover" jazz. Burlington, VT. http://www.discoverjazz.com

Glengarry Glen Ross is one of my favorite movies and it's no surprise that it was originally a stage play. It's running May 30-Jun 15 and is highly recommended. The Factory Theatre, 791 Tremont St, Boston, MA. http://www.counterproductionstheatre.com/?p=42

Chris Tucker performs May 31 at BU, and Chris Rock performs Jun 14 at the Citi Performing Arts Center. Have you ever noticed that you never see them both in the same place at the same time? Sort of like Clark Kent and Superman. Here's a little known factoid: Chris Tucker is the highest paid actor of all time, bringing in $25M for Rush Hour 3, in which he ended up sucking. That's a professional film reviewer term meaning 'bad, really bad'. http://www.bu.edu/agganis/index.html and http://ticketmasterymakeyoupayfees.com

Continuing events:

-- The Producers, to June 1, http://www.nsmt.org

-- The Great Park Pursuit, to Jun 14, http://www.greatparkpursuit.org/

-- Lexington Arts Walk, to Jun 3, http://www.lexingtonma.org/LACS

Hey! Stuff those coats in a box in the basement and get outdoors this weekend. It won't be nice weather forever. Just 5 glorious months.

-Johnny

Hey-o,

This is what's coming up.

My favorite "local" group, by which I mean people I actually know might get roles there, is Theatre@First, and they are putting on another creative show in Somerville. This time it's called SomerVaudeVille, an attempt to recreate an original vaudeville performance. May 28 at Johnny D's, 17 Holland St, Somerville MA. http://www.theatreatfirst.org/shows/somervaudeville/somervaudeville.shtml

Someone crazy in the LiveJournal community is organizing a Boston Area Rollerskating Party, May 28. It's at Roller World in Saugus, MA, which by the way is the closest roller skating rink to Boston. $10 admission including skates. 7-9pm. I asked the organizer for permission to invite cool peoples like you all and she said yes. http://www.roller-world.com

Or perhaps you'd prefer the kickoff party to Dancing On The Charles. First off, unless your JC himself I think that should be Dancing Along The Charles. But hey. Apparently it's both day and night, 7pm-1am. They claim to have a BBQ but I can't believe that food is included in the $10 price. Check it out. Cambridge knows how to throw a festival. May 31. http://www.soulclap.us/dotc/

New England Celebrates Israel is a step up from last year, from merely Boston Celebrated Israel. Jun 1. Boston, MA. All over the citywide area, but primarily 1:00-5:00 p.m. at Gann Academy, 333 Forest Street, Waltham. They will have camel rides! http://www.celebrateisrael.org/

Once in a while I get a listing that's weird all right, so weird that I can't really figure it out. It's a circus, it's a dance performance, it's downright strange... It's Emperor Norton's Stationary Marching Band circus. May 30-Jun 1. Boston University Dance Theater, 915 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA. http://www.mischiefinthemachine.com

Also poorly explained, "Open Sound" is a kind of improvisational music. I think. May 31. Third Life Studios, 33 Union Square, Somerville, MA. 7:30pm. http://www.opensound.org

Bike Tour of Historic Somerville and Medford. May 31. Somerville City Hall, 93 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA. (617) 776-3938. Visit historic sites throughout Somerville and Medford, including the Old Powder House, the Isaac Royall House, and the armories and historical museums. 10am-1pm, meet in the parking lot of Somerville City Hall, 93 Highland Avenue. http://www.somervillema.gov/calendar/eventdtl.cfm?id=5448

I'm not overly fond of quilt shows, but I have attended one (with a sewing hobbyist) and it was surprisingly fun. The Quilters' Connection Annual Quilt Show is May 30-Jun 1. Arsenal Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal Street, Watertown, MA. Largest quilting event regionally, with 200 quilts are on display. http://www.quiltersconnection.org/qshow.shtml

AIDS Walk Boston. Just don't tell anyone you're doing it to support AIDS. You're doing it to combat AIDS, ok? Jun 1. http://www.aac.org

Here's an example of an event -- like many I list here -- that's not really worth attending on its own merit. But if you get swept up in the enthusiasm of the locals, you'll be glad you went. Dedham Square Music Fest. May 31-Jun 1. http://www.dedhamsquarecircle.org/

Here's another local yokel event that's probably worth checking out if you have the right attitude. This year's Dorchester Day Parade celebrates "Peace". I'm not sure if that's militant peace or just regular peace. Jun 1, at 1pm. Dorchester, MA. Cookout afterwards. Starts in Lower Mills and goes down Dorchester Avenue to Columbia Road. http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=glbt&sc2=events&id=553127

Not enough peace? Do you need some more friggin' peace in your friggin life? Try the Peace Picnic in Raymond Park. Balance a fine line between hating war and supporting the troops. May 31. http://www.cambcamb.org/TheCambridgeSchoolforCambodia/Events.html

Here are some beaches that are accessible by public transportation. Red Line: Wollaston Beach, Castle Island & L Street Beach, Carson Beach, Malibu Beach, Tenean Beach. Blue Line: Revere Beach, Winthrop Beach, Constitution Beach. Commuter Rail: Nahant Beach (Lynn stop), Lynn Beach (Lynn stop), King's Beach (Swampscott stop), Singing Beach (Manchester stop), Long Beach (Rockport stop). My favorite is the Singing Beach. When you scuff your feet in the sand, it really does make a chirping noise, and it's great for smooching after dark, too. Just enough privacy, but not totally isolated.

Or perhaps you'd prefer to check out the nudist beach, Herring Cove Beach, on Cape Cod in Provincetown, MA. Although I haven't been, I suspect that there are plenty of people one does not wish to see naked on the beach mixed in with the hotties.

Or, if you've always wanted to visit Vermont but just wanted an excuse: here's one that may help. The Burlington Discover Jazz Festival is May 30-Jun 8. I wonder if they really aim to help non-enthusiasts "discover" jazz. Burlington, VT. http://www.discoverjazz.com

Glengarry Glen Ross is one of my favorite movies and it's no surprise that it was originally a stage play. It's running May 30-Jun 15 and is highly recommended. The Factory Theatre, 791 Tremont St, Boston, MA. http://www.counterproductionstheatre.com/?p=42

Chris Tucker performs May 31 at BU, and Chris Rock performs Jun 14 at the Citi Performing Arts Center. Have you ever noticed that you never see them both in the same place at the same time? Sort of like Clark Kent and Superman. Here's a little known factoid: Chris Tucker is the highest paid actor of all time, bringing in $25M for Rush Hour 3, in which he ended up sucking. That's a professional film reviewer term meaning 'bad, really bad'. http://www.bu.edu/agganis/index.html and http://ticketmasterymakeyoupayfees.com

Continuing events:

-- The Producers, to June 1, http://www.nsmt.org

-- The Great Park Pursuit, to Jun 14, http://www.greatparkpursuit.org/

-- Lexington Arts Walk, to Jun 3, http://www.lexingtonma.org/LACS

Hey! Stuff those coats in a box in the basement and get outdoors this weekend. It won't be nice weather forever. Just 5 glorious months.

-Johnny

Hello, New England!

Here's your week in weird.

The weird event of the week is undoubtedly PirateFest! Avast, matey! May 24. Newport, RI. Spread across the city, it involves cruises, costume competitions, singing sea chanteys, and ending with a ball. http://www.piratefest.net

Of course, while you're there, check out the Newport mansions & cliff walk, which are amazing enough that you don't really need an excuse to visit Newport. Just go. The mansions are museums based in preserved mansions of the 1900 time period. The cliff walk is a lovely ocean view stroll, which is free. There's a great beach there too and plenty of sea side shops and discoveries to be made. It's like Cape Cod but closer. 424 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI. 401-847-1000.

Also weird is the Street Performer's Festival at Faneuil Hall. Apparently Forbes Magazine ranked Faneuil Hall over Disney World in the 25 Most Visited Tourist Sites. And every Memorial Day weekend they have a celebration with magicians, jugglers, and various hustlers. May 24-26. Boston, MA. 617-523-1300. http://www.faneuilhallmarketplace.com

I've just checked out one of the many dinner theatres around Boston: the Murder Mystery Cafe, at http://mysterycafe.com. They have regular shows, more than one per night at various locations around Boston. The show is set up like improv comedy. Actors not only play roles, they ad lib, joke around, and even serve you food. The quality of improv comedy varies... but generally it's a fun time at Improv Boston, for example, because even when the actors stumble, the audience is on their side.

Unfortunately, I can't say much good about Mystery Cafe. One of the actors confided to me that they have no rehearsals, and it shows. Because of the dinner, the production is 2.5 hours long with no easy way to leave early (unless you want to go unfed). They charge $48, but including an expected tip, you're basically getting a $15 dinner and a $15 show for the price of $60.

Not that I feel the Mystery Cafe hit the mark of most $15 improv comedy shows. The actors talked over each other, the dialogue and plot were hard to follow, and they sometimes chose shy members of the audience to tease and touch, making some painfully awkward moments. One of the actors started throwing things (stealing the scene when it was not his turn) and came close to starting a food fight. I've heard that one of the basics of improv comedy is never say 'no' to your partner in a scene... always take their suggestions and build upon them. Half the cast seemed aware of these basics; the other half did not.

My favorite improv group remains Improv Boston, in Cambridge at http://improvboston.com. They're easy to get to, inexpensive, and continually are doing new concepts, not just "ongoing shows".

You've heard of The Producers, first a movie and then a Broadway smash. It's running now through June 1 at the North Shore Music Theatre. http://www.nsmt.org

I've just heard about the Lexington Arts Walk, May 23-Jun 3. It's a bunch of smaller open studios and concerts. It seems like very "community" oriented, not really a draw, but fun if you are already in the region. http://www.lexingtonma.org/LACS

WBOS Earthfest made a smart move a couple of years ago and put their concert in May, when it's warmer, instead of on Earth Day. So it's May 24 this year. Hatch Shell, Esplanade. 12-6pm. Free. Three stages, lots of exhibitors. A rain or shine event. http://www.earthfest.com

It turns out that the free sailing day at the Boston Sailing Center isn't actually once a year. They do it a bunch of Saturdays including this Saturday, May 24 and they call it an "open house". Lewis Wharf, Atlantic Avenue, Boston, MA. 617-227-4198. They do a big one in April and then regular open houses throughout the warm season. Free rides around the harbor and 10% off courses. 1-5pm. Dress warm. No experience necessary. http://www.bostonsailingcenter.com

Davis Farmland has the largest maze in New England. It's a corn field which has been planted into a maze-like shape. It takes 90 minutes to solve the maze, which I helped to design a couple of times. This weekend is special because across the road, in their animal petting zoo, they are having Construction Day! It's May 24-26 and this is when you can try driving a tractor. 978-422-MOOO. I have this sinking feeling that it's for kids only but show up and beg. Works for me. 145 Redstone Hill, Sterling, MA. http://www.davisfarmland.com

For a small city, Providence, the capitol of Rhode Island, is doing a great job with tourism, arts, and nightlife. Perhaps their biggest cultural night event is Waterfire. The Providence River, which winds directly through the city, has these metal baskets they throw wood into and burn it. This creates flames all along the riverwalk and it's fun to stroll around and listen to music and buy stuff from vendors. Opening night is May 24 and it runs through Nov 11. Providence Place, Providence, RI. 401 751-1221. http://www.waterfire.com

Continuing events:

-- The Indiana Jones movie opens on May 22

-- Gloria Estefan performs at Foxwoods on May 23

-- Neil Gaiman comes May 23 to MIT, http://cms.mit.edu/events/specialevents.php

-Johnny

Hello,

What's happening this week? Here it is!

The weird event of the week has got to be the American Gerbil Society Show. May 16-17. Best Western Plaza Hotel, 340 Great Road. Bedford, MA. 781-275-6700. Complete with gerbil olympics, judging, animal treasure hunt, banquet dinner. http://agsgerbils.org/NEShow2008/

Also weird! Also with animals! The Audubon Society Birdathon asks teams to compete to see who can find the most birds. May 17. Somehow this benefits charity. http://www.asri.org/Events/raise-money-for-Audubon-by-identifing-birds-on-one-day.html

The World's Largest Pancake Breakfast is May 17 in Springfield, MA. It's a "feast" of pancakes and entertainment of dancing and singing which looks very local. However, the bomb squad will have a display and they'll have clowns and pony rides and hay rides. 413-733-3800. http://www.spiritofspringfield.org/breakfast/

If you missed the art-buying opportunities last week, plenty more are coming in 2008. For one thing, the weekly South End Open Market (SoWa Open Market) opens May 17 and runs every Sunday through Oct 28. I've been and they have good stuff, but it's really more a vendors thing than a meet-the-local-artists thing. 540 Harrison Avenue. Boston, MA. 617.481.2257. http://southendopenmarket.com/

Nearby, and preferred, the SOWA Art Walk is May 17-18. It's the same thing as an "open studios" event. Boston, MA. http://www.sowaartwalk.com

Let's hope living in upscale Newton doesn't pop the bohemian bubble of the artists who live there. The Newton Open Studios is May 17-18. Newton, MA. (617) 332-9967. 12-6pm. As usual, you walk into local artists private homes and work studios, meet them, and potentially buy stuff. There are so many nice homes in Newton (and Brookline) it's worth a walk around just to see! http://www.newtonopenstudios.com

Question of the week: what other neighborhoods have enough mansions that it's fun just to stroll aroud?

This one's just gross. "Surgery in the British Army During the Revolution" is all about -- you guessed it, a re-enactor who demonstrates various medical tools of the era. May 17. Old State House Museum. Boston, MA. 617-720-1713. 10:30am to 2:30pm. http://www.nps.gov/ner/customcf/apps/eventcalendar/events/bostevent59997515.html

Also gross. Have you heard of the Bad Museum of Art? I am not making this up. They're not only in Dedham, MA but have opened a 2nd branch in Somerville. Dedham Community Theatre, 580 High Street, Dedham, MA, just outside the men's room in the basement. Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square Somerville, MA, in the basement near the bathrooms. http://www.museumofbadart.org

Barcamp is an "unconference" being held May 17-18. I guess the idea is that if they don't choose a compelling name and don't publish a schedule (the Web site is full of crap like "Schedule #1", "Schedule #2"), maybe people will come. It seems to be mainly tech topics. Matignon High School, 1 Matignon Rd. Cambridge, MA. http://BarCampBoston.org

Every summer the Larz Anderson Museum, which is an amazing automobile museum in Brookline, holds a number of summer events on their lawn, all car themed. They open the season with Cadillac Day, May 18. Brookline, MA. http://www.mot.org

More directly philanthropic, the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. You walk. Breasts walk. It's alllll good. May 17-18. UMass Boston Campus. Boston, MA. 800-510-WALK. Starts at UMass Boston Campus. http://www.avonwalk.org

There's also the Brain Tumor Society Ride for Research. May 18. As far as I can tell, you ride a bike, you earn money. There does not seem to be a festival or 'event' waiting for you when you finally arrive in Waltham, MA. http://www.tbts.org/calendarDetail.asp?date=5/28/2008&eventCat=all&eventID=407&categoryID=1

Laugh if you like! But I've been to a quilt show and they're full of quilts that are real art, not grandma-style. Well, ok, a lot of grandmas attend. But they're hot. Chelmsford Quilter's Guild Quilt Show. May 16-17. All Saints Church, 10 Billerica Road. Chelmsford, MA. Over 150 quilts. One of two big quilt shows I found in New England. http://chelmsfordquiltguild.com/

Like architecture? The national architect's group is having their convention in Boston this year. AIA National Convention. May 15-17. http://www.aiaconvention.com/

The new Indiana Jones movie open on May 22. Where better to see it than the Mendon Drive-In? They're the closest to Boston and my favorite, because you can go see the Southwick Zoo the same day, which is also in Mendon, MA. Their opening night just happens to be May 22 and they'll run all summer long. Hint: arrive 90 minutes early and have dinner there at their 1950s-style diner.

Heads up, Gloria Estefan, the pop star, will perform at Foxwoods on May 23. And Jay Leno is still coming June 21 to the Lowell Memorial Auditorium.

Continuing events:

-- Pre-buy tickets for Neil Gaiman, who comes May 23 to MIT, http://cms.mit.edu/events/specialevents.php

-- Brimfield Antiques Festival, May 13-18, http://www.brimfield.com

-- David Copperfield, in Providence on May 13, http://www.broadwayacrossamerica.com/Boston or http://www.davidcopperfield.com

-- The Great Park Pursuit, to Jun 14, http://www.greatparkpursuit.org/

-- Annual Beacon Hill Hidden Gardens Tour, May 15, from 9am-5pm rain or shine, $25. http://www.beaconhillgardenclub.org

-- Dragonfly Theatre Festival, to May 20, http://www.devtheatre.com

-- Boston Gay and Lesbian Film/Video Festival, at the MFA through May 18. http://72.5.117.145/calendar/sub.asp?key=12&subkey=51

-- Ancient Fishweir Project, through May 28, http://www.fishweir.org

I could use some advice about promoting this blog. I've never tried.

-Johnny

Hey-o,

Here's what's coming up in New England. Rain on Saturday. Clear Sunday.

National Astronomy Day is May 10. So here's an open observatory in Newton. I wonder if they're serving fish or ale. https://www.dexter-southfield.org/podium/default.aspx?t=36644

Weird. But good weird? Who knows! You've heard of Poetry Slams. The idea is that you don't just dryly read poetry from a book to an audience of professors or laymen falling asleep. Instead with poetry slams it's more like a one-person theatre show, with dynamism and powerful oration. Well, now it's time for the Brookline Puppet Slam. It's the same thing but -- with puppets! This show is not a kids event, adults should go. May 10. http://www.puppetshowplace.org/slams.html

There's a lot of art coming up! I just went on the Somerville Open Studios last weekend and it was so much fun:

-- Fort Point Spring Art Walk. May 9-11. Boston, MA. May 5, 12-7. May 6, 11-5. Local arts event where private studios are opened to the public. Fort Point is generally considered (someone correct me?) the art center of Boston. At least they advertise that way. http://www.fortpointarts.org

-- Obviously fighting for time on the calendar, the West Medford Open Studios is May 10-11. Medford, MA. Local arts exhibition. 12pm-5pm. http://www.wmos.org

-- Feel like a drive out West? I may go this year to pick up a few knick knacks for the new pad. The Brimfield Antiques Festival is I believe the largest in New England. They do three shows a year, but May's is the largest. And it's unclear to me beyond simply having the galleries open as usual what's special about it. May 13-18. Rt 20 at Rt 19. Brimfield, MA. Largest in NE. Off of Rt 20. http://www.brimfield.com

Did you miss the New England Folk Festival? The RI Folk Festival is May 10-11. Peeptoad Coffeehouse, 81 East Killingly Road. Foster, RI. Perhaps my favorite folk group, Atwater-Donnelly, will perform. Festival on Saturday, "Open Jam" is on Sunday. 9am-6pm. This one would appear to be much smaller, but they do have participatory singing and folk dancing. http://www.fosteringarts.org/rifolkfestival/

Or, closer to Boston, catch up by attending the "Kettle of Fish" Ale. This is a cleverly disguised marketing ploy designed to keep everyone away by mislabeling the event. It's a morris dance performance. I wonder if they even serve ale. Or fish. May 10. Quincy, MA. I've seen it, it's weird and fun. http://www.mit.edu/~jcb/RedHerring

Those feisty morris dancers will also perform at Lilac Sunday at the Arnold Arboretum. May 11. As you know, the Arnold Arboretum, at 125 Arborway in Jamaica Plain, MA, is run by Harvard as a huge park with all kinds of foreign trees and plants and even some bonsai. I guess lilacs bloom early, "signaling spring", and it's fun to stroll the park and watch the dancing. I've been before and it's really fun. This is their 100th anniversary and I would not say exactly they are blowing the doors off all previous dates. But they will have bellydancing and ballet, too. See the Web site because it's easy to stroll around the huge park and not find the entertainment. Morris dancing is at the Center St Gate. 617.524.1718. http://www.arboretum.harvard.edu/plants/lilacsunday.html

Also folksy, but substantially more classy (i.e. scary unless you know how to sing) the Revels Spring Pub Sing is May 15. Doyle's Café, 3484 Washington Street. Jamaica Plain, MA. 6-9pm. Reservations are required. http://www.revels.org

The DeCordova Sculpture Museum is my favorite in New England, because they show novel but accessible sculptures and they have a park surrounding the museum with a lake that's fun to walk aroud. Every year they have an "Annual DeCordova Exhibition" with an opening day celebration. This year it is May 10, 6-9pm and it's free. I'm not sure if that means the museum entre is free too. DeCordova Museum. Lincoln, MA. They'll display local talent and have artist talks Saturdays at 3pm, and student classes on Tuesdays ($95, 6:30-8:30). http://www.decordova.org

Are you a yute? I mean a youth? Ogle or join in with the Youth Pride Parade. And they're not proud of being youth, if you get my meaning, wink wink. May 10Boston Common at 11:00 AM. A parade, a festival, vendors, performances (including theatre in the drag) and a prom. They have a video from 2007 to help you decide if it'll be cool to go. http://www.massyouthpride.org/

David Copperfield, the magician, is coming to the Opera House in
Boston May 9-11, and then Providence on May 13. I've seen him twice. The first time he seemed tired and the jokes were a little flat -- still a great show, although the dead time (they show a video) is a little egomaniacal. The 2nd time was fantastic and I even got called up on stage for the final act! They threw these balls out into the audience and said whoever catches them gets to come up on stage. This guy 5 people to my right caught the ball and looked stunned, like he didn't want to go up. So I was like oo Ooo oOoOo! http://www.broadwayacrossamerica.com/Boston or http://www.davidcopperfield.com

I'm not sure how I feel about this. "The Great Park Pursuit" seems to be an attempt by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation (the parks people) to get you to sample 6 parks in 6 weeks. May 10 to Jun 14. Teams are challenged to visit various state parks and compete for outdoorsy prizes. Learn to fish, build a campfire, ride a horse, etc. Must have at least one child to be a team. Anyone have a spare child I can borrow? He or she can read comic books while I stroll around and try to win the prizes with a GPS system and laser range finder. http://www.greatparkpursuit.org/

Closer to Boston, the Annual Beacon Hill Hidden Gardens Tour is a showcase of several private gardens. I've never been and I wonder how snooty it is. It's probably lovely. Thursday May 15. Beacon Hill Garden Club, Charles & Mt. Vernon Streets. Boston, MA. Conveniently at 9am-5pm when most of us are working. Rain or Shine, $25. http://www.beaconhillgardenclub.org

I've always wanted to check out the Dragonfly Festival, which is a marathon of very-short theatre performances. May 10-20. The Piano Factory, 791 Tremont St. Boston, MA. http://www.devtheatre.com

Elbowing their way onto the same calendar is the Boston Theater Marathon. May 11. Boston Center for the Arts. Boston, MA. A ten-hour marathon of fifty 10-minute plays. Stanford Calderwood Pavillion at Boston Center for the Arts. http://www.bu.edu/btm/

Every year the Dance Complex in Cambridge has an open house which means a free day of classes. I really want to learn hip hop! They also feature a kick boxing class, which I was unaware was a kind of dance. May 11. http://www.dancecomplex.org/programs.html#oh

The Altcom! Alternative Comedy Fest is May 9-10. http://www.altcomfestival.com or http://www.somervilletheatreonline.com/somerville/schedule/events.php

The Annual Boston Gay and Lesbian Film/Video Festival takes place at the MFA now through May 18. Boston, MA. http://72.5.117.145/calendar/sub.asp?key=12&subkey=51

How cute is this. You've heard of the children's story about ducks walking around Boston followed by a policeman who tried to stop traffic? The Make Way for Ducklings Parade is where kids dress up and walk around. May 11. Boston Common at Beacon Street. http://www.friendsofthepublicgarden.org/

Since that's not really interesting enough by itself, here's another semi-intersting event on Boston Common. It's the Ancient Fishweir Project. Now through May 28. Boston Common. Boston, MA. Along the Charles Street edge of the Boston Common. Native american indian fish trapping device placed in tidal flats. Now let me rephrase that. A bunch of sticks in Boston Common near Charles Street. http://www.fishweir.org

Remember Midnight Seduction? The free party for the kink-curious recurrs again May 10 in Cambridge. Recommended. See http://myspace.com/bostonseduction

Continuing events:

-- Spin, to May 10, http://www.zeitgeiststage.com/

-- Pre-buy tickets for Neil Gaiman, who comes May 23 to MIT, http://cms.mit.edu/events/specialevents.php

-Johnny

p.s. Still settling in to my new apartment! Will post earlier next week.

Hi!

Here is your week in weird. I just moved out of Cambridge about 10 feet across city lines into Somervile. I have boxes all around and this weeks blog was written hastily. Please research as some of the locations or times of day are borrowed from last year. However, I did make sure to peg the calendar dates correctly.

Arts First, the arts festival run by Harvard, runs to May 4. http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~arts/

This is unrelated, I believe, but at the same time, May 4, is the Harvard Square MayFair, 18 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA. 12-6pm. All throughout Harvard Square. Live music, dance, street performers. Kids rides, art activities. Sidewalk vendors. http://www.harvardsquare.com

There's a play about famous physicists at MIT. It's sure to be "electrifying". Q.E.D., Apr 30-May 4, http://artscal.mit.edu/index.php?template=1&fulltext=qed&start=20080430&end=20080503&id=9004323&tr=y&auid=3506964

The Ringling Bros. Circus is in town to May 4, way out in Worcester, MA, http://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/804232

Night at the Museum @ Harvard Museum of Natural History is May 2. It's basically free admission from 5pm to 8pm. Cambridge, MA. http://www.hmnh.harvard.edu

This is my favorite fashion event of the year. The MassArt Fashion Design Senior Collections, May 2, Cyclorama, 539 Tremont St. Boston, MA. 617-879-7676. http://www.massart.edu/about/news/pressrels.html

The Big Ol' Cow Cook Festival at MIT is May 2-May 3. If you don't know what this is, you're not invited.

My favorite a cappella group, The Housejacks, is touring again from their home in California, this time (boo hoo!) without local favorite Wes Carroll. May 2, Natick, http://www.housejacks.com/hj2000/gigs.html

The Boston Print Fair is basically a gallery show. It's free but they hope that you'll be buying books or anything printed like maps and woodcuts, from modern way back to Renaissance. May 2-4, Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston Street, Boston, MA. 617-266-6540. In the McKim Building Conference Rooms. http://www.bostonprintfair.com/

I've always wanted to visit the Cambridge Dulcimer Festival! It's May 2-4, at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education, 56 Brattle St, Cambridge, MA. (617) 547-6789. They have performances and even a beginners course. You can even sing along. http://www.jonweinberg.com/dulcifest or http://www.ccae.org

For a modern "Walden" experience, you can hardly camp out in Concord, MA. It's too suburban now. So try out the Monadnock Pastoral Poetry Retreat, in Hancock, NH, near Mt. Monadnock and the state park. You read poety. You write poetry. You meet poets. You ponder nature and the condition of humanity. May 2-4. http://www.matchbook.org/EventsCalendar.aspx

The Coolidge Corner Theatre is doing a retro 3D Film Festival with old stuff from the 1950s. May 2-8. Coolidge Corner Theatre, Brookline, MA. 617-734-2500. http://www.coolidge.org

The Boston Asthma Walk is May 3 at Artesani Park, Soldiers Field Road, Brighton, MA. 781-890-4262. It's a 3.1 mile walk along the Charles River. Registration starts at 8:30am. 10am. http://www.asthmawalk.org

Perhaps the idea of walking alongside wheezing asthmatics does not please yuo. Well, then. Walk for Hunger, May 4, Boston, MA. 20 mile route, nations largest hunger fundraiser. Registration 7-9am. http://www.projectbread.org

Free Comic Book Day is a marketing gimmick, but who cares, it's free comics, yay! It's May 3 at comic book stores everywhere. http://www.freecomicbookday.com

Somerville Spring Garden Day & SomerGreen Festival is May 3. http://www.thegrowingcenter.org/calendar/demo.php

The Wake Up the Earth Festival & Parade is a hippie celebration thing in Jamaica Plain. May 3. Street festival. Participatory dancing & lessons. Raindate is following Saturday. Bands, dancers, puppet show, pageant. http://www.spontaneouscelebrations.org

If you'd like a Walking Tour of Chinatown, there is one May 3, and a few other dates too, search the catalogue. Chinatown Gate, Boston, MA. 617-730-2700. http://www.brooklineadulted.org/bin/catalog/bldCatalogPage.pl?File=FoodandWine.txt&Key=6

Harvard has an observatory. They have astronomers. The astronomers sometimes show movies! See 2001: A Space Odyssey, the 1968 classic, at Phillips Auditorium, May 3. http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/events/movienight.html

Somerville Open Studios is May 3-4, and it's perhaps my favorite of them all. Also, I now live in Somerville. (Sorry, Cambridge!). 617-764-2287. Sat-Sun 12-6pm. Local arts exhibition. You get a map and walk all over invading, I mean, um, visiting local artists' homes. http://www.somervilleopenstudios.org

The Society For Creative Anachronism (SCA) is a social group of re-enactors who dress in medeival or renaissance garb, with varying levels of historical accuracy. Sometimes they weave and sing and have old timey feasts. Sometimes they fight! Blaaaarrrgh! Their May Day festival is May 4. Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA. Fencing, fighting, potluck, dance. 10am-10pm. http://www.eastkingdom.org/event-detail.html?eid=1331

The MIT 2.007 Engineering Competition is one of those courses where they build robots or gizmos and make them fight! May 7-8. MIT, Cambridge, MA. http://pergatory.mit.edu/2.007

Continuing events:

-- Big Apple Circus, Boston, to May 4, http://www.bigapplecircus.org

-- Cambridge Science Festival, to May 4, http://www.cambridgesciencefestival.org

-- Spin, to May 10, http://www.zeitgeiststage.com/

-- Pre-buy tickets for Neil Gaiman, who comes May 23 to MIT, http://cms.mit.edu/events/specialevents.php

-- JazzBoston Jazz Week, to May 3, http://www.jazzboston.org

-- The Drowsy Chaperone, to May 4, http://www.ticketmaster.com

-- Elections & Erections, to May 4, 617-547-8300

-Johnny

p.s. I found all the roommates and employees I posted about!