What's Coming Up in New England - Dec 31

By Quirky_NE_Events on Mon, Dec 31, 2007 10:13 am

Hi all, The weird of the week has to be two swimming days. Basically, insane people go to the beach and dip in, risking hypothermia. Go watch and take photos. In Boston, the L Street Brownies New Year's Day Swim is Jan 1, 9am at the Curley Community Center, William Day Blvd. in Boston. http://lstreetcurley.com/lst.html In Rhode Island, the Polar Bear Club will take a dip at Easton's Beach, Memorial Blvd, Newport, Rhode Island. 401-781-9199. Insane people dip into the water. They also have a branch in New Hampshire. http://users.ids.net/~cwwright/ Also weird, Elvis lives! Steve Connolly is a performer I've seen before, and it's fantastic to get a glimpse of how "The King" would affect audiences. He's performing twice this week. First, Elvis Presley's Birthday Bash, Jan 3 at the Hard Rock Café, 22 Clinton St. Boston, MA. And then, if you can afford tickets, the "Spirit of the King", Jan 5 at the Cutler Majestic Theatre, Boston, MA. http://www.maj.org This one's for nuts only. That means us. Every year at the New Bedford Whaling Museum, they do a 25 hour reading, cover to cover, of the whaling classic, Moby Dick. This year it's Jan 3. New Bedford, MA. http://www.whalingmuseum.org Do you like Monty Python? You simply must go see SPAMALOT, which I saw two years ago and it was fantastic. SPAMALOT is the Tony award winning musical featuring plenty of new material, not just a rehash of Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Jan 15-27 at the Wang Center, http://www.citicenter.org/shows-wang.html#389 Can't afford it? How about going to see the Python-athon Movie Marathon at the Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Cambridge, MA. It's Jan 5. http://www.brattlefilm.org I walk around looking for hobbyists and the strange things they do with legos, model airplanes, and parachutes. I've only ever found just a few railroad shows. Perhaps the largest is the Annual Railroad Hobby Show at the Wenham Museum. It's a good excuse to visit the Wenham, which I've seen, and it's one of those tiny New England museums in the middle of nowhere that's actually fantastic! They have a 17th century house and tons of dolls from all of history. Jan 5. http://www.wenhammuseum.org I just learned that Harvard's Fogg Art Museum has regular "Drop In and Draw Sundays". The idea is for you to get some practice drawing and apparently you don't need to sign up. This month, for example it is Sunday Jan 6, 13, and Saturday Jan 26. 1-3pm. Fogg Art Museum, 32 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA. 617-495-9400. http://www.artmuseums.harvard.edu If you are a car fantatic, check out the World of Wheels convention, which is Jan 4-6 at the Bayside Expo Center in Boston, MA. They'll have 350 custom vehicles created or restored by local enthusiasts, from hot rods to antiques, including NASCAR celebs, dancers, etc. http://www.baysideexpo.com Or, if you can't afford tickes, try the Larz Anderson Auto Museum, otherwise known as the Museum of Transporation. And you can go ice skating on the rink next door. 15 Newton Street, Brookline, MA. (617) 522-6547. http://www.mot.org This is the last chance to view some holiday lights: -- Carver, MA. Edaville Railroad, to Jan 1. My favorite! http://www.edaville.com -- Springfield, MA. Bright Night at Forest Park. Nov 21-Jan 1. Rt 83, . 413-733-3800. 550,000 lights. My 2nd favorite. Check out Springfield Museums or zoo at same time. Daily. And check out the holiday lights at Dunn & Phillips, 185 Belmont Ave., Springfield. http://www.brightnights.org -- Attleboro, MA. La Salette Shrine Festival of Lights, Nov 22 - Jan 1, 947 Park Street. 508-222-5410. Daily. Very religious, it's a shrine. 250,000 lights. http://www.lasalette-shrine.org -- Sandwich, MA. Heritage Museum Spectacle of Lights, Nov 23 - Dec 31, 67 Grove Street. 508-888-3300. 1 million lights. http://www.heritagemuseumsandgardens.org/2007_spectacle_of_lights -- Millis, MA. The Millis Wonderland, at 60 Causeway Street. Daily, 6-10pm, to Dec 31. http://www.milliswonderland.com/ -- Stoneham, MA. Holiday Landscapes, runs Nov 22-Dec 31, 5-10pm except when raining. 83 Franklin St. http://holidaylandscapes.com Ice skating: -- Kendall Square, Cambridge. http://www.kendallsquare.org/ice.html -- Boston Common, Boston, http://www.bostoncommonfrogpond.org -- Harvard Square, Cambridge, http://www.charleshotel.com/iceskating.htm -- Brookline. To March 4. http://www.townofbrooklinemass.com/recreation/LarzAnderson.html -- For other ice skating locations in Boston Metro and beyond, see http://www.mass.gov/dcr/recreate/skating.htm Here are a few theatre events coming up which you may want to buy advance tickets for: -- RENT, Jan 8-13, Wang Theater, Boston, MA. http://www.citicenter.org -- Chinese New Year Spectacular, Jan 10-12, Opera House, Boston, MA. They are just advertising the Chinese Hell out of this. -- Professional Bull Riders, which is basically a rodeo, Jan 11-13, Worcester, DCU Center, 50 Foster Street, Worcester, MA. 617-931-2000. http://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/821993 -- For the first time ever, the Golden Dragon Acrobats from China are coming to Boston. They are, well, acrobats. Jan 13. Symphony Hall, 301 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA. 617-482-2595. Tickets are pricey, $37-58. 3pm. Continuing events: -- Napoleon exhibit at the MFA, thru Jan 27. http://www.mfa.org -- Defending the Caveman, to Jan 5, http://www.stuartstreetplayhouse.com/show_caveman.html -- Mayor's Holiday Special, to Jan 1, http://www.artsboston.org/mhs/ -- 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother, to Dec 31, http://www.huntingtontheatre.org -- The CSI exhibit at the Museum of Science, to Jan 1, http://mos.org Finally, what's going on New Years Eve? Here are some ideas: -- First Night Boston features a parade at 5:30pm down Boylston Street, Boston. Then fireworks at 7pm over Boston Common and at 12am over Boston Harbor. I've been several times and it's corny but good if you're willing to wander around, try things, leave and wander again. Buy one ticket for dozens of dance, music, participatory events. http://www.firstnight.org -- Quincy FamilyFest, Parade, fireworks, party. http://www.ci.quincy.ma.us/filesDownload/BinderNewYears.pdf -- Beverly's New Year 2007. Cabot Street, Beverly, MA. Parade, party, and "briefcase toss". What's weird is the celebrations end at 8pm. Dec 31, 3-8pm. http://www.beverlymainstreets.org/welcome.html -- Bright Night Providence, RI. Fireworks (twice!). http://www.brightnight.org -- Nashoba Ski Area New Year's Eve Celebration. 978-692-3033. Skiing, riding, tubing until 11:30pm and then a parade and fireworks! http://www.skinashoba.com -- First Night Worcester. Worcester, MA. http://www.firstnightworcester.org -- New Years Rockport Eve. Rockport, MA. http://www.newyearsrockporteve.com -- New Years' Eve Contra Dances. http://www.facone.org/fdrb/home/cal-week.html -- Spirit of Boston New Year's Cruise, leaves from Commonwealth Pier. Boston, MA. 617-748-1450. Call for reservations. See the fireworks from a ship. -- The Resolution Ball at the Westin Boston Waterfront, 425 Summer Street, Boston, MA. 781-444-7771. This is a young professional event, i.e. a singles thing, black tie optional, Boston's longest-running New Years' Eve gala, dinner included, cocktails, dancing. 2007: 7:30pm to 2am. 21+. http://www.bostoneventguide.com/events/nye.htm -- Roaring 20s New Years Eve at Beechwood Mansion, which is one of the mansions in Newport, RI. Astors' Beechwood Mansion, 580 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI. http://www.astorsbeechwood.com -- First Night Newport, RI. http://www.firstnightnewport.org -- First Night Fall River, MA. 5:30pm to Midnight at the Waterfront. http://www.fallriverma.org/view_eventcalday.asp?view_date=31-December-20... -- First Night New Bedford, http://www.firstnightnb.org/ -- First Night Chatham, MA. http://www.firstnightchatham.com Have fun and see you in 2008. -Johnny

Quirky New England Events This Week - Dec 16

By Quirky_NE_Events on Mon, Dec 17, 2007 10:51 am

Hey-o,    How to banish the snow? Hold a Carnaval! It's at the Boston Public Library in Jamaica Plain at 433 Centre St. Dec 17 at 6pm. Storytelling, music, dessets. http://www.bpl.org/news/upcomingevents.htm    This is the season for theater. "25 Questions for a Jewish Mother" is like the Vagina Monologues, except Jewish. Um, and no vaginas. Dec 18-31, 527 Tremont Street, Boston, MA. 617-266-0800. http://www.huntingtontheatre.org    Another one that looked fun is "The Eight: Reindeer Monologues". Also no vaginas. Dec 20-30, 791 Tremont Street, Boston, MA. $15 in advance; $20 at the door. http://www.reindeerinboston.com    My favorite improv studio just happens to be the cheapest and closest. It's ImprovBoston in Inman Square, Cambridge. They're having a show called "ImprovBoston Holiday Spectacular: What the Dickens!?!", Dec 21 @ 8pm, Dec 22, 23, 29 @ 8pm & 10pm. http://www.improvboston.com    There's a percussion performance group and their instrument is the typewriter. For those of you who don't know the term, look it up on Wikipedia. It looks interesting and definitely weird! Boston Typewriter Orchestra, Dec 22, at Church, which is really a bar, 69 Kilmarnock Street, Boston, MA. http://www.bostontypewriterorchestra.com and http://www.myspace.com/churchboston    Have you wanted to catch the CSI exhibit at the Museum of Science? Well do it quickly, it closes Jan 1. I've seen it and if you don't mind blood and dead bodies, it's excellent. http://mos.org    Have you missed out on holiday caroling? Try just singing on the subway and see who cringes and who joins in. Or:    -- Visit the Hawthorne Hotel in Salem, MA. They're having caroling 12/23, 6-8pm, 12/24, 4-7pm. The sing is free, but 12/24 is followed by a Xmas eve dinner. http://www.hawthornehotel.com/calendar/december.shtml                -- Also on Dec 23, they'll have caroling at the Arlington Street Church, which is neither in Arlington nor on Arlington Street. Dec 23 at 11am. 351 Boylston Street, Boston, MA. http://ascboston.org    -- In Weston, MA, they'll also have caroling on Dec 19 at 7pm at the Public Library. http://www.eventkeeper.com/clients/westonpl/ek_westonpl.cfm    -- Also Wednesday Dec 19, a neighborhood carol sing at 5:30pm at the Church of St. John the Evangelist, 35 Bowdoin St., Boston, MA. http://www.stjohnsbowdoinst.org/    -- The Holiday Party at Appleton Farms, Dec 21, in Ipswich, will include caroling, 3:30pm-5pm. http://www.thetrustees.org/pages/249_appleton_farms.cfm    And now, the Holiday Lights overview:    -- Carver, MA. Edaville Railroad, to Jan 1. My favorite! http://www.edaville.com    -- Springfield, MA. Bright Night at Forest Park. Nov 21-Jan 1. Rt 83, . 413-733-3800. 550,000 lights. My 2nd favorite. Check out Springfield Museums or zoo at same time. Daily. And check out the holiday lights at Dunn & Phillips, 185 Belmont Ave., Springfield. http://www.brightnights.org    -- Attleboro, MA. La Salette Shrine Festival of Lights, Nov 22 - Jan 1, 947 Park Street. 508-222-5410. Daily. Very religious, it's a shrine. 250,000 lights. http://www.lasalette-shrine.org    -- Stoneham, MA. Stone Zoo's Zoolights, Nov 22 - Dec 30. 49 Pond Street. 617-989-2000. Convenient to Boston, but the animals are mainly sleeping in their holes and the park is not spectacularly lit. http://www.stonezoo.org    -- Campton, NH. White Mountain Holiday Magic Light Park, Nov 22 - Dec 30, Branch Brook Campground. 603-726-7001. Exit 28 off I-93. Fri-Sun, 4:30- 8:30pm. http://www.holidaymagiclightpark.com    -- Sandwich, MA. Heritage Museum Spectacle of Lights, Nov 23 - Dec 31, 67 Grove Street. 508-888-3300. 1 million lights. http://www.heritagemuseumsandgardens.org/2007_spectacle_of_lights    -- Millis, MA. The Millis Wonderland, at 60 Causeway Street. Daily, 6-10pm, to Dec 31. http://www.milliswonderland.com/    -- New Bedford, MA. Holiday Lights at Buttonwood Zoo. And many visits by Santa, see Web site. Dec 21-23, 6-9pm. http://www.bpzoo.org/    -- Stoneham, MA. Holiday Landscapes, runs Nov 22-Dec 31, 5-10pm except when raining. 83 Franklin St. http://holidaylandscapes.com    Ice skating:    -- Kendall Square, Cambridge. http://www.kendallsquare.org/ice.html    -- Boston Common, Boston, http://www.bostoncommonfrogpond.org    -- Harvard Square, Cambridge, http://www.charleshotel.com/iceskating.htm    -- Brookline. To March 4. http://www.townofbrooklinemass.com/recreation/LarzAnderson.html    -- For other ice skating locations in Boston Metro and beyond, see http://www.mass.gov/dcr/recreate/skating.htm    Continuing events:    -- Victorian Christmas Feast at the Astors' Beechwood Mansion, Dec 21, 22 at 7pm, $125. Reservations required. http://www.astorsbeechwood.com    -- Napoleon exhibit at the MFA, thru Jan 27. http://www.mfa.org    -- Mayor's Holiday Special, to Jan 1, http://www.artsboston.org/mhs/    -- Faneuil Hall bellringers on Saturdays to Dec 22. 12pm-3pm.    -- The Nutcracker, to Dec 29, http://www.bostonballet.org    -- Silent Night of the Lambs, to Dec 29. http://www.golddustorphans.com    -- Revels Concert, with participatory sing, to Dec 30, http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~memhall/sanders.html    Here's an insider tip. Be naughty this week. Santa's too busy to notice.    Next week: what to do on Xmas and New Years. -Johnny

What's Coming Up in New England - Dec 4

By Quirky_NE_Events on Tue, Dec 4, 2007 5:50 pm

Hi all,    This is your week in weirdness. Apparently I cannot format this with line breaks or paragraph tags, the site insists on screwing it up.    Here's the weird event of the week! The MIT Marching Band's is having a participatory event called the Annual Holiday Tour. Basically you attend one practice and bring any instrument. Even a kazoo might work. There's a rehearsal Tuesday Dec 4 at from 5:30-6:30pm in MIT W20-400 in Cambridge. That's the student center at 84 Massachusetts Avenue. Then Dec 8, meet in the Marching Band office (W20-423), also the student center, at 11 AM. March into Boston and back, returning around 4:30 PM.    Have you heard of Talk Like a Pirate Day? Well, you missed it. However! Annual Day of the Ninja is December 5. Come be a real ninja for a day at the Boston Martial Arts Center, with free classes and party music. RSVP by calling 617-789-5524, or emailing askthedojo@boston-ninpo.com.  http://dayoftheninja.com/index2.html and http://askaninja.wiki-site.com/index.php/North_America_07#East    Also weird, the Harvard Model United Nations is Dec 6-Dec 9. Basically, students get together and pretend to be representatives from different countries. Then they mud wrestle! Just kidding. They negotiate. Hynes Convention Center, Boston, MA. 3,000 people come. http://www.hnmun.org    For those of you with a Victorian fetish, the Jane Austen Holiday Tea and Tour, at Gore Place. Dec 7, 8, 14, 15. This historic home and museum is transformed into a Victorian tea party. Buy tickets now, they may sell out! 2:30pm and 4pm. http://www.goreplace.org/events/events.htm#holidaytea    Also Victorian, there's a Victorian Christmas Feast, in Newport, Rhode Island, at the Astors' Beechwood Mansion. 580 Bellevue Avenue. Dec 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22 at 7pm, $125. Reservations required. http://www.astorsbeechwood.com    What's better than Christmas Caroling? Caroling with the Boston Symphony Orchestra! Join them for a participatory sing, Dec 8. With the Handel & Hayden Chorus. Symphony Hall, 301 Massachusetts Avenue. Boston, MA. 617-266-3605. 3pm.    December 8 is also a free "Birthday Open House" at the Emily Dickinson Museum. 280 Main Street, Amherst, MA. 413-542-8161. Free. While you're out there, check out the Bright Nights in Springfield, see below. http://www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org    There's no way to escape the shopping. Hop on and go for the ride. For example, the MassArt Annual Holiday Sale is Dec 3-8. Student art is generally inexpensive. Tower Building Lobby, 621 Huntington Ave    Boston, MA. 617-879-7710. 10am-7pm. http://www.massart.edu/ca_main.html    The Museum of Fine Arts December Sale is Dec 5-9. 230 The Fenway, Boston, MA. http://www.smfa.edu/Calendar/Events/Exhibitions_Public_Programs_Calendar...    Trying to compete with the above, the MIT Student Art Association Holiday Sale is Dec 10-11. MIT Lobby 10, 77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA. 617-253-7019. 10-5pm    And my favorite of the year, the Fort Point Open Studios, Dec 7-9. You get to walk around Boston's favorite art community and interact with the actual artists who've created the works. http://www.fortpointarts.org    I would skip the SoWa Holiday Market, Dec 8-Dec 9. I went once and it had a lot of merchants (not artists) packed into an uninteresting gymnasium. Catholic High School Gymnasium, Union Park St, Boston, MA. 617-481-2257. And they charge $5 admission. It's like paying a fee to visit the mall. Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 10am-6pm. In all fairness, I did enjoy their outdoor summer SoWa market. http://www.sowaholidaymarket.com    Much better to try the Bazaar Bizarre, an edgy crafts fair, Dec 9 at the Boston Center for the Arts, Boston, MA. 12-6pm. http://www.bazaarbizarre.org/boston.html    I have tried and failed to find crazy fantastic non-Christian events this winter solstice season. However, here's one. It's the Everyone Loves Latkes Party, with Storytelling and Klezmer Music. Dec 8. Winthrop Park, Cambridge, MA. I just like the word "latke". Latke! 3-5pm. http://www.harvardsquare.com/Home/Articles/Sparklefest-2007.aspx    Evanescence performs Dec 5-8 in Manchester, NH, http://www.ticketmaster.com    And they're actuall having a rodeo in Worcester, called Professional Bull Riders, Dec 6. http://www.paymeyourfeesmaster.com    Are you guys getting tired yet of me listing the Watson Adventures scavenger hunts? This one's called Murder at the MFA, it's Dec 8. http://www.watsonadventures.com    Speaking of the MFA, it's time for the "First Friday" events again. Enjoy cocktails and mingling with sophisticated artistes and the people who want to be them. Or get with them. http://www.mfa.org/calendar/sub.asp?key=12&subkey=73     The Boston Center For the Arts Studio Artists has a first fridays too. Pleae don't make me hurt you by your asking me what date it's being held on. It's Friday, December 7. http://www.bcaonline.org/may_2007/first_fridays_at_the_bca.php    If you've seen one tree lighting, you've seen them all. But they sometimes come with extras like visits from Santa or free hot chocolate. Here are some more:    -- Concord Holiday Tree Lighting, Dec 6. Santa arrives by Fire Engine. I guess the flying reindeer are on strike. Strolling carollers, hot chocolate. They have real money in Concord, I bet it'll be a good one. http://www.concordchamberofcommerce.org/calendar.htm    -- USS Constitution Tree Decorating, Dec 7 and Dec 9. The Website doesn't say much, I had to call to confirm that it's happening. It is. http://www.ussconstitution.navy.mil/Announcements.htm    -- The Edgartown Holiday Parade is actually on Martha's Vinyard. Dec 8. This one's quite impressive. It's not just like Santa shows up and leaves 90 minutes later. They have tons of events all throughout the day! Holiday parade, gingerbread workshop, arts & crafts show, santa, wreath making workshop, music, tree lighting, and the Annual Great Chowder Contest and Annual Cookie Tasting Contest. http://edgartownboardoftrade.com/php/activities.php    -- The Methuen tree lighting got postponed to December 7. See how I'm keeping on top of the pulse of stupid holiday events, just for you? http://www.cityofmethuen.net/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=116    Holiday Lights Summary:    -- Carver, MA. Edaville Railroad, to Jan 1. My favorite! http://www.edaville.com    -- Springfield, MA. Bright Night at Forest Park. Nov 21-Jan 1. Rt 83, . 413-733-3800. 550,000 lights. My 2nd favorite. Check out Springfield Museums or zoo at same time. Daily. And check out the holiday lights at Dunn & Phillips, 185 Belmont Ave., Springfield. http://www.brightnights.org    -- Attleboro, MA. La Salette Shrine Festival of Lights, Nov 22 - Jan 1, 947 Park Street. 508-222-5410. Daily. Very religious, it's a shrine. 250,000 lights. http://www.lasalette-shrine.org    -- Stoneham, MA. Stone Zoo's Zoolights, Nov 22 - Dec 30. 49 Pond Street. 617-989-2000. Convenient to Boston, but the animals are mainly sleeping in their holes and the park is not spectacularly lit. http://www.stonezoo.org    -- Campton, NH. White Mountain Holiday Magic Light Park, Nov 22 - Dec 30, Branch Brook Campground. 603-726-7001. Exit 28 off I-93. Fri-Sun, 4:30- 8:30pm. http://www.holidaymagiclightpark.com    -- Sandwich, MA. Heritage Museum Spectacle of Lights, Nov 23 - Dec 31, 67 Grove Street. 508-888-3300. 1 million lights. http://www.heritagemuseumsandgardens.org/2007_spectacle_of_lights    -- Millis, MA. The Millis Wonderland, at 60 Causeway Street. Daily, 6-10pm, to Dec 31. http://www.milliswonderland.com/    -- Holiday Landscapes, runs Nov 22-Dec 31, 5-10pm except when raining. 83 Franklin St, Stoneham, MA. What's great is that these people also do it for Valentine's Day and every other holiday. http://holidaylandscapes.com    Are you crazy about dogs? These pedigreed beasts won't sniff your crotch. Attend the Bay Colony Cluster Dog Show, Dec 6-9, at Ye Olde Bay Side Expo Center, Boston, MA. http://www.baycolonydogshow.com    Are you crazy about symphony orchestras? But have no cash? The Quincy Symphony Orchestra is holding a Free Holiday Concert, Dec 11, in a high school at 7:30pm. Quincy, MA. http://www.discoverquincy.com/calendar.htm    I mentioned earlier that they have ice skating on Boston Common, http://www.bostoncommonfrogpond.org    Well, now they're having a free skate day for the opening of the rink at the Charles Hotel. You know, in Harvard Square in Cambridge at 0 Brattle Street. Dec 9. Free skating, 12-8pm. Performance by skating pros. Santa visits. But will he skate? http://www.harvardsquare.com/Home/News/Sparklefest-Holiday-Events-Announ...    Continuing events:    -- The Mystery of Edwin Drood, to Dec 15, http://www.speakeasystage.com/    -- Napoleon exhibit at the MFA, thru Jan 27. http://www.mfa.org    -- Mayor's Holiday Special, to Jan 1, http://www.artsboston.org/mhs/    -- Cultural Survival Bazaar, Dec 8-9 in Boston. http://www.cs.org    -- Attend the Gingerbread House Workshops at Verrill Farm, to Dec 9, http://www.verrillfarm.com    -- Faneuil Hall bellringers on Saturdays to Dec 22. 12pm-3pm.    -- The Nutcracker, to Dec 29, http://www.bostonballet.org    My big reviews on skiing sites is at http://activityinfo.com/johnnys-activities.xls and click on the "Skiing" tab at the bottom. My basic theme here is that I wanted places that were for fun skiing, not let's try to kill ourselves skiing.    I often get stuff later in the week. For last minute updates on this blog, see http://make-you-laugh.livejournal.com -Johnny