category: Cambridge
By: Jim Martinho - Thursday, Dec 4, 2014 - 3:38pm
(Photo credit: Rodney Brown/Creative Commons)
Sick of the holiday season already? Charlie Brown was railing against the commercialism of Christmas way back in 1965 and nothing’s changed yet, so you might as well embrace it. Throw on “This Christmas” and hug your sweetie by the fireplace. Go see a burlesque ballet, run with Santas in Speedos, or score some free hot cocoa. Do you feel it? That warm sensation in your tummy? That’s the Christmas spirit! And the whiskey you topped off your cocoa with. But mostly the Christmas spirit! (more…)
By: Jim Martinho - Thursday, Nov 13, 2014 - 4:21pm
(Photo credit: Janine/Creative Commons)
Attention movie buffs: This weekend in Boston you can see a free screening of a new film produced by locals, meet a film and television legend, or eat some pancakes at an indie theater. Or, fine, just drop $20 to see “Interstellar” in IMAX because the Internet has already spoiled half the movie for you anyways and that Matthew McConaughey sure is dreamy.
* Struggling to make ends meet, Philip Waters decides to turn to old habits and sell an exclusive strain of marijuana known as “The Grim Reefer.” Sounds pretty awesome so far, but if “A Sea of Green” — filmed around Lowell with a cast of underground rappers — is anything like most drug movies, things probably aren’t going to end well. Writer, director, and co-star Myster DL hosts a screening and party with many of the film’s stars tonight at Good Life. 11.13. 8:30p. FREE
* Provided that you’ve heated your griddle to the proper temperature, got your flipping technique down, and always reach for real-deal Vermont maple syrup — not that Vermont Maid brand from the supermarket — pancakes are pretty much the perfect food. But does their deliciousness translate to the visual medium of film? Find out at The International Pancake Film Festival, celebrating animation, puppets, and pancakes tonight at the Brattle Theatre. Admission includes complimentary pancakes. 11.13. 8:30p. $7
* Look, whenever Angela Lansbury comes to Boston, I’m going to let you know about it. Whether it’s for a Q&A after a Harvard Film Archive screening of John Frankenheimer’s “All Fall Down” (1962) or just a brief layover at Logan, I’m going to find out where she’ll be and put it in this column, because Dame Angela Lansbury is a national treasure. Not only was “Murder, She Wrote” a cultural touchstone for a generation, it warned all of us that old people can actually be pretty sneaky and should never be trusted. That show premiered in 1984 and she was already old. Could you imagine being old, and then living for another 30 years? That’s another whole lifetime of old. 11.14. 7p. $12
* It’s OK to admit you’re excited to transition into your fall/winter wardrobe (you have so many nice sweaters!) but it’s also time to transition into a fall/winter beer, which means putting down the Bud Light Straw-ber-ita and walking away slowly until you’re drinking a nice dark imperial stout at the Drink Craft Beer Fall to Winter Fest. Three sessions at the Revere Hotel will feature 25 New England brewers, all bringing along at least one beer made with a fall or winter seasonal ingredient — and not just pumpkin. We’re talking stuff like sweet potatoes, roasted pecans, and foraged sumac. 11.14 and 11.15. 6p and 1p. $50
* These days you expect to find artists working in cool lofts converted from old factories that once housed real factories where men came to work carrying metal lunch boxes instead of hip Jack Spade messenger bags they bought on Gilt. No so with the Fenway Studios, built in 1905 and considered the oldest structure in the country designed solely as artist studios. Check out the building and meet the artists working there at this weekend’s Open Studios, which doubles as a food drive for the Greater Boston Food Bank. 11.15 and 11.16. 11a. FREE
* Back when San Diego Comic-Con first got started, pretty much no one cared because comics were generally considered to function only as fantasy lands where high school losers could imagine they had superpowers including but not limited to X-ray vision. Then Iron Man started cracking jokes and geek culture became cool and now all the Cons have been taken over by Hollywood studios. What’s a true geek to do? Well, Alternicon is here to remember the media that others forgot: web comics, flash animation, and podcasts. Stop by the Midtown Hotel to check out author panels, workshops, a cosplay contest and more. 11.15 and 11.16. 10a. $30-35
* Every November, the Nave Gallery in Teele Square hosts a Wrap Around Sale of homemade knitted, crocheted, and sewn goods to benefit the Somerville Homeless Coalition. (Hey if you’re going to Alternicon, you should stop by and look for a nice Cosby sweater. You know, for the “Cos”-play contest. You’re so clever!) The sale kicks off Sunday with a dessert reception — FYI, knit hats prevent brainfreeze — and runs through December 14. 11.16. 1p. FREE
By: Jim Martinho - Thursday, Oct 30, 2014 - 3:33pm
(Photo credit: Anji Barton/Creative Commons)
Are you tired of the Halloween house party scene? Sick of finishing just out of the medals in bar costume contests? There’s much more to do this Halloween weekend, so you don’t have to stay home and hand out candy to an endless parade of Elsas whose parents aren’t even much older than you and somehow can afford to own property in your neighborhood, and that is truly frightening. (more…)
By: Jim Martinho - Thursday, Oct 23, 2014 - 4:58pm
(Photo credit: Boston Circus Guild)
Happy Halloweek! That’s “Halloween” plus “week” and it’s what I’m calling the weeklong extravaganza of Halloween events starting tonight all over the city. May your candy bars all be king-sized, your costumes half-assed but hilarious, and your candy corn nonexistent because it’s gross and no one should have to eat that stuff, not even children. Not even children, you guys. (more…)
By: Jim Martinho - Thursday, Oct 16, 2014 - 3:05pm
(Photo credit: Lorianne DiSabato/Creative Commons)
We’re getting into prime leaf-peeping season around town, so when you’re on your way to this week’s events, try to look up from your phone once in a while. Unless you were just looking at the Google image results for “leaves,” in which case carry on, because real-life trees do not feature high-density retina display. (more…)
By: Jim Martinho - Thursday, Oct 9, 2014 - 12:19pm
(Photo credit: Gianluca Sciannameo/Creative Commons)
Five hundred and some odd years ago, Columbus discovered America, kind of in the same way models get “discovered” by creepy agents at the mall. He gave America its big break! Here’s how to celebrate your three-day weekend if you’re lucky enough to work for the government or other employers that value a healthy work-life balance. (more…)
By: Jim Martinho - Friday, Oct 3, 2014 - 9:52am
(Photo credit: Christopher Lehault/Creative Commons)
Get ready for another week of fun events, including a ton on Sunday for those of you who are boycotting the NFL due to the domestic violence controversy, the debilitating effects of concussions, or just because seriously what is the deal with the Patriots. Stop playing like the Bills and start playing like the Patriots. You are the only good thing about winter.
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By: Jim Martinho - Thursday, Sep 11, 2014 - 6:16pm
(Photo courtesy Höweler + Yoon Architecture)
You may or may not agree with the Medford Masshole Kim Costa’s message to college students that went viral earlier this week. But just from the perspective of a guy who looks for cool stuff to do in the city, there’s even more cool stuff to do since the kids came back. Dodging a few backpacks on the T is a small price to pay for this week’s events.
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By: Jim Martinho - Thursday, Aug 28, 2014 - 1:20pm
(Photo credit: Todd Van Hooser / Creative Commons)
Hey everyone, Jim from The Boston Calendar here. If you can’t find a way to get out of town for the long weekend to avoid the gigantic mess that is moving day in Boston, make the best of it with some pretty sweet theater, arts, and music events. Or just stroll around and make up aSeptember 1st drinking game: Moving truck stuck under a bridge on Storrow? Take a shot. Recent grad fighting with his mom because he wants to assert his independence but also has no earthly idea how to hang up curtains? Finish your drink. You get the idea. (more…)
By: Jim Martinho - Friday, Aug 22, 2014 - 1:19am
People move to Boston for college or grad school, to start a career, or to build a following for their band before they move to Brooklyn (stupid Brooklyn). When you’re only here for a few years, it’s easy to live like a tourist in your own city: Walking the Freedom Trail, waiting in line at Mike’s Pastry, quacking away on duck boats. You’d FOMO so hard if you only knew what you were M’ing O on.
Welcome to your Boston Bucket List, an occasional series featuring the essential but sometimes under-the-radar spots you need to hit before you leave Boston. First up: Skyline views. (more…)
(Photo credit: Rodney Brown/Creative Commons)
