Well my vacation was perfectly nice, you cheap vultures, thanks for asking. Do I feel a bit guilty for missing Monday and Tuesday? Sure. But you know what they say about beggars, choosers and late-night Megabus runs.
Wednesday, August 10
Masochistic Brave souls looking to shape up (or chill out) can hit the Esplanade Tuesday through Friday for free fitness, yoga and even dancing courses from top clubs and instructors across Boston. All classes (like this morning’s 7AM Boot Camp) begin near the Hatch Shell.
Get a preview of the Boston Asian American Film Festival (November 11-13) with a screening and reception for Papers, a documentary about the estimated 2 million children of undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. who face enormous uncertainty once they turn 18. The screening will be held on the Tufts Medical campus from 6:30 to 9:30 PM. RSVP at the BAAFF link for directions.
The National Poetry Slam 2011 kicked off last night in Boston/Cambridge and continues through Saturday. [Here’s the full festival guide.] Teams from around the country (plus a couple from Canada and Australia) spar their best rhymes across the metro area, with hundreds of open mics, bouts and workshops to make your snapping fingers cry uncle.
The Boston Landmarks Orchestra features the New Philharmonia Orchestra for a Mozart, Tchaikovsky and Dvorák set. As always, the Landmarks strike up at 7 PM.
The BU Observatory at the top of CAS holds public stargazing most Wednesdays (weather permitting) from 8:30 to 9:30 PM. Call within two hours of start time to see if cloud cover has ruined the view.
Thursday, August 11
Gallery 263 on Pearl Street in Cambridge has transformed its main exhibition space into the interactive and DIY Cave Project, a paper mache homage to cave paintings. The project is open from 4:30 to 9:30 PM for bring-your-own-paint adventures.
Improv Asylum graduates Awkward Compliment present Thursday Night Comedy at the Somerville Theatre in Davis Square. A mere $5 gets you into the 8 PM show featuring standup, scripted and improvised comedy from across Boston.
Friday, August 12
The Highland Street Foundation’s Free Fun Fridays asks not what you can pay today for admission to the JFK Museum and Library on Columbia Point. Paw over the playboy President’s artifacts and documents, as well as take in archival footage of the baby-faced, blue-blooded leader. [Although it’s always free, Highland is also sponsoring a community day at the Arnold Arboretum in J.P. that’s worth checking out.]
Free Friday Flicks at the Esplanade Hatch Shell continues at sundown with Toy Story 3 (2010).
If you missed Wednesday’s star session, the Museum of Science has a public night at its Gilliand Observatory Friday night from 8:30 PM to 10 PM, weather permitting (call ahead or look up).
Saturday, August 13
Come for the kabob, stay for the Dabke at this Saturday’s Lebanese Food and Music Festival at Our Lady of the Cedars of Lebanon in Jamaica Plain. Revel in baklawa, tabouleh and maamoul while taking in performances from noon to 11 PM.
Boston-based company Contrapose Dance performs selections from its repertoire at 4 PM and 6 PM in Somerville’s Union Square.
Sunday, August 14
Brush up on your bistro etiquetee, cheapies: Sunday kicks off the first leg of Boston’s Restaurant Week. Prime eateries across the city slash their prices down to our plebeian liking: 2-course lunch for $15.11, 3-course lunch for $20.11, and 3-course dinner for $33.11. Bon appe-cheap.
Art collective The Whitehaus Family Record in J.P. presents its third annual fringe-ish We Are Guest Talk, Free: $10, a hodgepodge of over 30 performances from artists far and near from 2 to 10 PM at the Cambridge YMCA Theatre.
If a more straight-laced concert strikes your fancy, the Boston Pops play at at Olmsted Park in Brookline at 6 PM.
