Om Rhum Bar

It may be a little too late for VIP seats on New Years Eve, but this is a place you should check out year round.
Om recently opened it's Rhumbar upstairs. It is a more tranquil enviornment comparitively to the downstairs lounge. The rhumbar serves the latest rhum-based special creations from resident mixologist Clif Travers.

Clif Travers holds court nightly with a star team of bartenders serving up a new generation of cocktails subtly infused with essential oils such as lavender, jasmine and lemon verbena.

Starting at midnight on Friday and Saturday evenings.
OM
92 Winthrop Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA 02138
617.576.2800

>>OM Lounge

>>Menu

Mike Tyson = Hilarious

I don't really care that Mike Tyson was arrested last night on suspicion of DUI and for possession of coke, but I do care about how funny this montage of Tyson clips is.

A little ridiculousness for your Friday afternoon.

Best Seat in the CIty

I like to sit. I'm not lazy or anything, I just enjoy a little rest here and there. Now what would be better than sitting on a piece of art? Well, probably my couch, so I will rephase, what would be cooler than sitting on art? The arts council of Somerville has commissioned a series of artist designed public benches in Union Square.

Designed by public artist Ross Miller for Union Square, these whimsical benches are playful transformations of standard anonymous city benches. They have personality, and offer a commentary on sociability. One bench encourages intimate conversation through a loveseat configuration, while another offers the solitary pedestrian a seat next to the tree growing through its slats. The third bench is the result of two benches crashing together to form one.

Take a seat in Union Square and check it out.

>> The best seat in the city is in Union Square
>> Public Art in Somerville

$50 Donation = $10 CharlieCard

If you are looking for a good place to donate to or an easy tax deduction LivableStreets is giving away a $10 CharlieCard with any donation of $50 or more.

LivableStreets Alliance is a non-profit organization that believes urban transportation has the power to make Boston a more connected, livable city. We challenge people to think differently and to demand a system that balances transit, walking, and biking with automobiles. We promote safe, convenient, and affordable transportation for all users in urban Boston. Streets that are enjoyable to use will better support neighborhoods and small business districts. LivableStreets believes that to remain a competitive, world-class city, Boston needs a world-class transportation network – one that makes our city a better place to live, work, and play.

LivableStreets Alliance
email: jeff@livablestreets.info
phone: 617-939-3824

>> LivableStreets Donations
>> LivableStreets

Improv Family Show

It is really hard to find an activity that the whole family will enjoy. Things like movies and dinner can be too expensive, and we know it is hard for two people to agree on a movie nevermind a family of 4, 5 or 6.
Improv Boston has a family show that everyone would enjoy. Because honestly who is going to be the one that says "I don't like to laugh"

Start your Saturday night with hilarious short-form improv for Mom, Dad, Sis, Grandma, Spot the dog and the entire family! This evening full of interactive games, performed by the ImprovBoston Family Show Crew, is sure to bring out the child in everyone.

A bonus to this show-if your son/daughter is an aspiring comdian they host a February vacation Camp as well as a Teen Summer Camp!

The ImprovBoston Theater

1253 Cambridge Street
Cambridge, MA 02139

Every Saturday at 6 PM
Tickets $12 / $10 for seniors / $7 for students and children
617-576-1253 for info and reservations

>>IB Family Show
>>IB Calendar

MINE

It is really hard to think about yourself around this time of year. Ironically, I feel, it is the time when we need to the most. Media says the "Holiday's" are the happiest time of year. Think about all the stress people have about all sorts of things! Not even just money,
this is the biggest diamond selling season-there is always that girl that gets her heart broken instead.
What about family and tragedy? This is also one of the highest selling season for alcohol. I don't think I need to get into details of that one.

So I think you need to stop and think for a second. Are you driving yourself insane wishing it would just be February already. You don't need to. The holiday's are supposed to be a happy time, but you don't need to kill yourself making it happen.

To help with this you should visit MINE. Massage Institute of New England. They offer student clinics at a discount price.

Classic Swedish Massage $35
Advanced Therapeutic $40
Deep Tissue Massage $45
$5 Discount for Doctors, Nurses, Students, Policemen, Firemen, Teachers & Seniors (ID's required)

Clinic hours:
Monday thru Thursday 10:30-8:30
Friday 10:30-4:00 and Saturday 10:30 - 4:30

22 McGrath O'Brien Hwy. Suite 11
Somerville MA, 02143
Call to set up an appt. 617-666-3700

>>MINE

Beatles and Beers

Take a break from the hustle and bustle and sit back and enjoy a beer and some classic tunes. This friday at Sally O'Brien's in Union Square The Nowheremen, a Beatles tribute band, will be playing nine to close.

Friday, 12.22
9pm

Sally O'Brien's Bar and Grill
335 Somerville Ave.
Somerville, MA 02145

>> Sally O'Brien's

A Cure for the Seasonal Hangover

Having just come off a weekend of over induldgent holiday parties, CNN's article on seasonal hangovers is exactly what I needed three days ago. It gives tips on over eating, over drinking, and over stressing, or in other words: my life. Some of the tips are a little obvious, but I guess this isn't rocket science.

Drink up. If people were smoking at the party and you were downing wine, you're probably dehydrated, and your vocal cords may be irritated. Consume 2 quarts of water during the day to rehydrate your body and lubricate your pipes.

Soothe the soreness. A steaming bowl of chicken soup will pamper your poor cords. Or, gently gargle for 2 minutes with a solution of 6 ounces of warm, distilled water mixed with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of light corn syrup; this strange-but-potent combo may help stimulate mucous flow in your dry throat. Or try Entertainer's Secret, a throat spray with aloe vera.

>> CNN - Seasonal hangovers

CambridgeSide Galleria Best Buy Closed

I had no idea, apparently a pipe burst last week flooding the Best Buy at CambridgeSide Galleria. The store is expected to be closed for months to clean up. What a horrible time of year for this to happen, I'm glad I know before heading out to finish (start) my shopping on Saturday.

>> Cambridge Chronicle - Best Buy to be closed for months

America's Smartest City: For Real

The other day I titled a post "Smartest city in the world?". To be honest this title was not at all based on fact, but come to find out it is kind of true. According to Forbes Magazine Cambridge, MA was included in the "America's Top 10 Smartest Cities," list.

The publication looked at data from the 200 largest metropolitan areas.

They ranked them based on the percentage of the population age 25 and over with at least a bachelor's degree.

Boulder, Colorado tops the list. Second is Bethesda, Maryland. Cambridge, Massachusetts comes in a solid fourth, ahead of San Francisco.

>> WHDH Publication names Cambridge one of America's smartest cities

The Golden Tooth

Picture it-

You are holiday shopping at the mall and you decide to stop for dinner with your friends. Mmmm something crunchy. But you are eating a hamburger?!?! Your tooth broke! Gross right?

That's how I felt when it happened to me. It was holiday party weekend, driving between New Hampshire and Rhode Island, so I was unable to get to the dentist immediately.
I scheduled an appt. for this morning (Tues.) three hours later I leave Gentle Dental (in Porter Square) feeling, well not really because I was numb, satisfied with my visit. This RARELY happens with me and dentists.

I have a long history of skipping from dentist to dentist; sporadic appointments only when I feel pain. (Possibly the cause of my tooth falling out) Other dentists have tried to sway me into coming back, but I was just not feelin' it.

I will go back to this Gentle Dental. One-I have to. They are still working on fixing my tooth, but also I felt extremely comfortable. This procedure could have been extremely painful. For what may have been the first dentist visit ever, I was pain free!

I highly recommend Gentle Dental.

21 White St.
Cambridege Ma, 02140
Porter Sqaure Shopping Plaza
(617) 354-3300

>>Gentle Dental

Cognitive Responsibility

This is no relaxing Tuesday night activity. Well at least not for me, this deep philosophical conversation wears me out. If this is your cup of tea, join the Davis Square Philosophy Cafe at McIntyre & Moore Booksellers for a discussion on Cognitive Responsibility: Should faith ever trump facts?

In our open society, freedom of religion is an essential liberty protected by the First Amendment. But what if faith-based beliefs conflict with empirical evidence? Some believe that physical disease is an illusion, to be healed by prayer; others that mental illness is a fraud, so psychiatry should be banned; others that condoms don’t prevent the spread of HIV. Such beliefs can have damaging consequences, so is it responsible to hold them? If not, how can freedom of belief and our cognitive responsibilities best be reconciled?

December 19
7:30-9:30 pm
McIntyre & Moore Booksellers
255 Elm St.
Somerville MA

>> McIntyre & Moore Booksellers

The December Store

There is always that one person where you just can't seem to think of a gift for. This year it is my mom. Heck-every year it is my mom! She doesn't like any normal mom things! The one thing she does like, is pretty and unique items.
The December Store, an art market at the Brickbottom Gallery, has gifts for art lovers! Lots of one of a kind paintings, sculptures, and jewelry.

Sunday Dec. 1-23.
2pm-6pm
Brickbottom Gallery
1 Fitchburg Street Somerville, MA 02143
617-776-3410

>>Brickbottom Gallery

Smartest city in the world?

Entering Cambridge: We're wicked smaht. Still looking for the perfect gift for the MA sports fan in your life. Find this tee and many more Sox and NE pride shirts at Supahfans.com.

A passionate enthusiast of New England sport, the Supahfan sets themselves apart by being a positive influence on their community.

>> SupahFans - Store

New MBTA.com

I have always been a fan of the MBTA website, it wasn't the best design but it was just so damn functional. Especially the trip planner which is awesome at letting you know which train you have to take to get bus connections and stuff like that. (I have an issue standing around waiting, i preffer to overplan each commute and errands as to optimize my oh so value time.)

Today the MBTA has launched a new and improved site to go along with their new and improved Charlie system. Its like a whole new transit system, no wonder fares are going up. The site has a fresh design, interactive street maps, personalize options (save maps, trips, and schedules). For a site that was already so much ahead of other tranisit systems this is impressive.

Although, as i was checking the site out this morning it was really really slow, i know they got a lot of press and the traffic must be heavy, but come on, you increased your server power 4x and it still takes me 5 minutes to load a page!

>> mbta.com

Darfur Diaries Screening

This Friday the Democracy Center in Cambridge is hosting a "Darfur Diaries" screening. To be honest I know very little about this topic, but here is a little intro:

The Darfur conflict is an ongoing armed conflict in the Darfur region of western Sudan, mainly between the Janjaweed, a militia group recruited from the tribes of the Abbala, and the non-Baggara people of the region. The Sudanese government, while publicly denying that it supports the Janjaweed, has provided arms and assistance and has participated in joint attacks with the group, systematically targeting the Fur, Zaghawa, and Massaleit ethnic groups in Darfur. The conflict began in July 2003. The mass media have described the conflict as both "ethnic cleansing" and "genocide." - Wikipedia

This film focuses on the people that are living through this conflict.

Through the voices of refugees, displaced persons, and in particular women and children, who are always among the most vulnerable in any conflict situation, this film seeks to provide space for the marginalized victims of atrocities to speak and to engage with the world.

Friday, Dec. 15
6:30 pm

The Democracy Center
45 Mt. Auburn
Cambridge MA 02138

>> RSVP
>> Darfur Diaries
>> Wikipedia - Darfur Conflict

Shop Inman by Moonlight

Tonight Inman sqaure is open till midnight for some moonlight shopping and fun. Is this the new thing, has this always been a thing? The first time i heard about this idea i thought it was neat (Davis Square Midnight Madness), but really who needs to be shopping that late at night. Do you think you can just trick us with your free food and open bar doors to believe that a booze and shopping is a good idea? They aren't pushing the booze thing that was my addition, they actually offer hot cider, which is cute. The overall idea is cute, just not as original as I would have thought, so I guess I will stop ranting.

The highlights: wine and cheese at Bird by Bird, live ImprovBoston performace and Santa at Boutique Fabulous , free pizza and cookies at City Girl Cafe, hot cider at East Coast Grill, 15% off and free gift wrapping at Lorem Ipsum Books, free soaks in the hot tub (I dont know if that is a highlight or gross!) at Urban Oasis.

You had me at wine and cheese.

Thursday, December 14
7pm - Midnight
Inman Square

>> Shop Inman Square by Moonlight

Holiday Whine, Dine, and Laugh

This time of year is filled with comedic material. Work parties, family, in-laws the situations are ridiculous and if only there was time it could be turned into a killer stand up act. I'm not suggesting you try, leave it to the professionals.

Cormier's Comedy Madness hosted by Janet Cormier presents HOLIDAY WHINE, DINE AND LAUGH DINNER SHOW. Comedy, music, poetry... get tips on dealing with bad gifts, bad guests and crazy relatives

Wednesday, Dec. 13
6:30 PM
$5.00

All Asia
334 Mass Ave, Cambridge (outside of Central Sq.)

Get Lit! Illuminations Tour

Mayor Joe Curtatone and the Somerville Arts Council presents the annual. Start off at City hall for refreshements, crafts, and choral music, and then get on the bus! A trolley will take you through Somerville to witness some of the most dazzling display's of residential spirit. These are the people that apparently eaither truly love the season, or are just trying to show each other up. Either way-we win!

Sat. 12/16
***Snow date is Sun. 12/17
Tours leave : 4:30, 5, 5:45, 6:15, 7, 7:30, 8:15, 8:45 and 9:15 p.m.
Tickets: Adults $10
Kids $5

For those of you who would like to see these display's on a different day; you can purchase the map of the tour for $3 at McIntyre and Moore Booksellers in Davis Square.

Tickets: call Rachel Strutt at 617-625-6600, ext. 2985
Email: Rachel@ somervilleartscouncil.org

>> Somerville Illuminations Tour

Magical Herbs for Winter Celebrations

Ha, this titles makes me laugh a little. Not that kind of herb though.

Holly, ivy, mistletoe, the Yule log, the fir (Christmas) tree—all are magical/sacred and associated with celebrations of light as winter sets in and we prepare for the dark time of the year. Learn some of the ancient myths, beliefs, and uses of the herbs that helped people move through this time and make sacred connections. We’ll look at Christian, Jewish, Druidic, Pagan, and Christian customs. As part of the workshop we’ll make a small wreath or other decoration using some of the sacred herbs of the season. Handouts and supplies are included.

Informative and if you are still looking for a gift for mom I'm sure she would love a handmade wreath.

Tues. 12/12/06
6:00 pm–8:00 pm
FREE

Harvest Coop Market
581 Mass Ave.
Cambridge, MA
617-661-6978

>> Harvest Coop

Mezcal Tasting

Ok, first things first, what is Mezcal:

Mezcal is a Mexican distilled spirit made from the agave plant. There are many different types of agaves, and each produces a slightly different mezcal. Agave is part of the Agavaceae family, also called maguey. While Tequilais a mezcal made only from the blue agave plant in the region around Tequila, Jalisco, spirits labeled "Mezcal" are often made using other agave plants.

This Tuesday Ole Mexican Grill in Inman Square is holding an informative mezcal tasting paired with appitizers. So, if you are looking for a little midweek booze, nibbles and info, check it out, although I suggest saying away from eating the worm on a work night.

Tuesday, Dec. 12
7:00pm
Ole Mexican Grill
11 Springfield Street, Cambridge
$15 (plus tax & gratuity)
617-492-4495

>> Ole Mexican Grill
>> Mezcal

Chocolate Tasting

Around this time of year I have been invited to every kind of party imaginable. Tupperware, jewelry, purses, pampered chef, and even a pedicure party. Not to dump on these, cuz some of them are pretty fabulous, but I can't imagine any one of them competing with this. A CHOCOLATE party!
Founder of Experience Chocolate will come to your home with everything neccessary to host a fun and informative chocolate tasting. Including Tasting Techniques Guide and Tasting Evaluation Worksheets.

An Experience: CHOCOLATE™ Chocolate Tasting acquaints discerning chocolate lovers with premium chocolate brands and the factors that influence their taste. Some chocolates have an immediate intense flavor that disappears quickly. Others can be initially bland, with the flavor taking its time to explode and linger in your mouth. Everyday flavor connections such as fruity, nutty, buttery or spicy can be detected as you learn about cocoa content and bean origin for each tasting selection.Our goal is to educate discriminating chocolate lovers about exceptional chocolate choices and provide a forum for their convenient purchase.

If you would like to witness what this even entails Spark Crafts in Davis Square is holding a Chocolate Tasting on Monday 12/11.

To register for this event call Call 617-718-9132.

Or visit Sparks website for more info on their studio.

>>Spark Craft Studio

To schedule your own tasting you can call or email-

617-840-4766
questions@experiencechocolate.com

>>Experience Chocolate

Booze and Books - Four Stories

I love to read and I love to drink. Before hearing about Four Stories these two true loves have never overlapped. Four stories is a monthly literary series bringing together authors, readers, and friends in a bar setting to enjoy the readings of four pieces under a similar theme. This monday is the 2006 season finale: Power Plays: Tales of love, war, and politics featuring
Peter Brown, Jennifer M. Ivers, Bret Anthony Johnston, and Katherine Vaz.

Monday, December 11, 2006
7-9pm; Music starts @ 6pm

The Enormous Room
567 Mass Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
Telephone: 617-491-5599

>> Four Stories

Amnesty International's Write-a-thon @ Elephant Walk

This Sunday, Dec 10th, is Human Rights Day. In observation of this day join other concerned citizens by participating in Amnesty's annual Global Write-a-thon at Elephant Walk Resturant in Cambridge. Participants are encouraged to write letters to help free Prisoners of Conscience, stop violence against women and make powerful changes in the lives of individuals

Any and all interested individuals are welcome to join us for an afternoon of letter writing in the beautiful dining room of the Elephant Walk Restaurant's Cambridge site (2067 Massachusetts Avenue). Coffee and pastries will be provided for all letter-writers who stop in.

The doors will be open for this event from noon until 4 pm on Sunday, December 10th. Some local businesses will be donating paper, pens, envelopes and postage, however any and all donations of these goods by participants will be greatly appreciated. See you there!

Elephant Walk Restaurant - Cambridge
2067 Massachusetts Avenue
Sunday Dec. 10
12 - 4

>> Elephant Walk Cambridge
>> Amnesty International's Global Write-a-thon
>> Amnesty International Event Listing

Reading from Roses Take Practice

Connie Biewald reads from "Roses Take Practice" this sunday, Dec 10th, at Harvard Coop.

"Connie Biewald’s writing…probes and sifts the buried storage vaults of family relationships with an archaeologist’s precision. Her work will appeal to those readers who love the fiction of Anne Tyler and Carol Shields."

Dec. 10
2 pm
Harvar Coop
Third floor
free

>> Harvard Coop

Winter Hip Hop Fest

This Saturday night Leedz Edutainment presents the 2006 Boston Winter Hip Hop Fest downstairs at the Middle East. The show will be featuring Insight, Termanology, Letia Larok, Elemental Zazen, D-Tension, AWOL, Brix, JDO - Hosted by Ricky Roman. Music by DJ On&On. Follow the links to listen to some samples. It's good stuff, so good I just spent all my time listening instead of writing, oh well.

Sat Dec. 9
The Middle East
$12adv/$15doors

>> The Middle East

Cirque de Magic

'Cirque de Magic' With Simon Winthrop & Cirque-style Performers has come to Cambridge to dazzle us for one night only! Cirque de Magic performers regularly perform for celebreties such as The Clinton's, Tom Cruise, and Bruce Willis.
What a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon? Contortionists, magic, wonderment, as well as knowing you are helping a good cause!!
This event is a fund raiser for Art Of Living foundation's world wide service projects.

Art of Living Foundation's Silver Jubilee celebration also witnessed the inauguration of the launch for the largest global humanitarian project ever undertaken, the 'One World Family Fund'. This consolidated fund will be used to support Art of Living's internationally acclaimed educational and humanitarian services, and social programs.

Is it weird we think of fundraising more often around the holiday's? Ah, another topic for another day.


Dec. 9th 12:00pm
Kresge Auditorium, MIT- 84 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA.

>> Cirque de Magic
>> Art of Living Foundation's Silver Jubilee

Spicey Cooking Demo

Ana Sortun, chef and owner of Oleana Restaurant in Cambridge, will host a cooking demo and book signing for her new cookbook Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean.

What makes each contry's food taste unique? What gives it life? In the Arabic foods around the Mediterranean and Middle East, the answer is spice.

In cooking school in Paris, I was taught that the way to add flavor to a dish was with fat. The rule still lingers that where there is fat there is flavor, and so French-influenced chefs regularly use extra butter or heavy cream to add richness to a dish. I have nothing against the use of fat, but my experience has taught me that it is not the only way to achieve flavor.

To attend, email pr@cambridgeculinary.com.

Dec. 6, 2006
6:30pm-8:30pm
The Cambridge School of Culinary Arts
2020 Mass. Ave., Cambridge, MA
FREE and open to the public

>> Cambridge School of Culinary Arts Events
>> Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean

Holiday Glass lab

Hand blown glass, in my opinion, could be one of the most beautiful artforms. It requires so much work to create this delicate and elegant product. It is rare to be invited into a lab, never mind actually being able to purchase the glass at a reduced price. MIT's glass lab is opening its doors for one of three yearly public sales of student/instructors work.

12/11 and 12/12
10am-5pm
MIT Lobby 10
>> http://web.mit.edu/glasslab

Ballroom Dancing

Who hasn't watched Dancing with the Stars and thought, wow I wish I could move like that! For you-Extreme Dancesport is going to make that happen with their 8 week Ballroom Sampler. You can learn the most popular dances of American Smooth and Rhythm styles. For those of you who have no idea what that means, the dances are called ChaCha, Rumba, Swing, Waltz, Tango and Foxtrot.
The class is scheduled for the next three Thursday's. 12/7, 12/14, and 12/21. January dates are yet to be determined.

Thursday's Dec 7, 14, 21
7:30pm

Cost: Please contact Extreme Dancesport for holiday rates.
Email: info@extremedancesport.com
Website: www.extremedancesport.com
Phone:617-492-2122

Davis Square Midnight Madness

Work is busy, weekends are packed with holiday parties, the shopping list is getting longer, life needs to be delt with, and oh yeah wouldn't it be nice to help someone less fortunute. If only there were more hours in the day. Well. I have yet to figure that one out, but at least this week your will have a few more useable hours. On Thursday Dec. 7th select stores in Davis Square will be open until midnight during this years, Midnight Madness Holiday Shopping Night offering tasty treats donated by local eateries, one night only discounts, and they’ll also be selling Somerville Homeless Coalition T-shirts for $12, with 100 percent of proceeds going to help Somerville’s vulnerable populations.

Davis Square
Dec. 7
5:00 - 12:00am

>> Davis Square Midnight Madness Holiday Shopping Night

Barbie Nation

Growing up my sister and I had tons of Barbies. I remember pulling out boxes from under our beds filled with dolls, clothing, and accessories. We would create towns, homes, and lives for these dolls. We would dress them up, do their hair, and rip off their legs. The Barbie boxes quietly left our lives as we grew up, finding a home in the damp basement, and although we were not huge collectors Barbie was part of our childhood. This wed Dec. 6th the documentary about the cult of Barbie directed by Susan Stern will be shown at Harvard's Radcliffe College Room. To be followed by discussions.

The Barbie doll is not just the world's most popular toy, she's a Rorschach test, revealing attitudes about sexuality, body image, gender roles and creativity.

"Barbie Nation: An Unauthorized Tour."
Wed., Dec. 6
6 p.m.

Schlesinger Library
Radcliffe College Room
10 Garden St. (617) 495-8647.

Harvard's Center for European Studies

If you happen to have a weekday off and a hankering for knowledge; Hardvard's Center for European Studies lectures are free and open to the public.

The Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies is dedicated to fostering the study of European history, politics and society at Harvard. Through our graduates, who go on to teach others about Europe and to many other roles in society, the Center sustains America's knowledge base about Europe, an important contribution to international understanding in difficult times.

The Center was founded as a catalyst to bring scholars and students together to talk and think about Europe. As such, it creates an intellectual community that is more than the sum of its parts. That community is open to everyone with interests in Europe.

Lectures this week include: Women and the Varieties of Capitalism, Does Europe Still Need NATO?, and Jews and War in Modern Europe: Patriotism or Internationalism?

>> The Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies
>> Complete CES Calendar

Marcus Samuelsson at Rialto

In celebration of the release of “The Soul of a New Cuisine” A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa, Marcus Samuelsson be hosting a dinner and reception at Rialto. Try out three Ethopian inspired courses straight from the cookbook.

Monday, December 4, 2006
Reception at Noir 5:30-7 pm
3-Course Dinner at Rialto 7:15 pm

$75 per person (reception and dinner)
$25 per person (reception only)

For reservations and information
call 617.661.5050

Rialto at The Charles Hotel
One Bennett Street, Cambridge, MA 02138

>> Dinner at Rialto
>> The Soul of a New Cuisine: A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa

Monsieur Gainsbourg Revisited at the Middlesex Lounge

This Monday at the Middlesex Lounge DJ Christopher Muther will be spinning the tribute album Monsieur Gainsbourg Revisited. The Cultural Services of the French Consulate in Boston and the French Library Alliance Francaise invites you to sit back and enjoy Gainsbourg songs by some of today's most infulencial artists including Portishead, Tricky, Frans Ferdinand,and the Kills. (Give a listen to the album)

Monday Dec 4, 2006
9:00 pm - 1:00 am
Middlesex Lounge
315 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge

>> Monsieur Gainsbourg Revisited at the Middlesex Lounge
>> Middlesex Lounge

Cultural Survival Bazaar

I hate shopping. I hate the pressure and materialism that surrounds it. This time of year is challenging for me. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy gift giving, but just not in the same way as a majority of the American public does. I attempt to find gifts that are opportunities for a loved one to broaden their horizons: a CD of new music, a book I enjoyed, a piece of art from a local artist. This isn't any easy task, trust me, but this event might be a solution. The Cultural Survival Bazaar this weekend, 12.2 - 12.3, at David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies.

"The Cultural Survival Bazaar brings together the work of dozens of skilled artisans and craftspeople from around the world in one place. With each step you take, the sights, smells, and sounds will transport you to a time and place in another land. Our members and friends come back year after year for this colorful event."
--Pia Maybury-Lewis, Co-founder of Cultural Survival

Items include handmade jewelry, hand-knotted rugs, pottery, silk weaving, and much more. Exotic cuisine and entertainment (storytelling, dancing, music) will be available as well.

Every year, hundreds of vendors committed to ethical business practices and fair trade principles sell traditional crafts, artwork, clothing, jewelry, carpets, and accessories at the Bazaars. Thousands of New England residents take advantage of these globally-minded shopping opportunities, knowing that their purchases help Cultural Survival's work with indigenous peoples.

December 2-3
10:00am-6:00pm
David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies
1730 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA. 02138

>> Cultural Survival Bazaar

Pyara Holiday Open House

If I had to pick one word I loved to hear it is free. And around this time of year nothing rings my bells such as this. The Pyara Spa and Salon is here to help a few stressed out shoppers this season with a Holiday Open House. On December 3 from 6-8 The Pyara Spa is opening its doors for those in need of break for "me". This time of season everyone feels guilty splurging on themselves; bringing us back to my favorite word-FREE! While there you can

check in with spa therapists and skin, hair, and makeup specialists for personal consultations on anything beauty-related, seasonal or not.

You can also get some holiday shopping done with a wide variety of health and beauty products they carry. Before you leave, don't forget to grab your gift bag packed with specific products for you. Make sure you reserve your spot, as space is limited. Call 617-497-9300 or email events@pyaraaveda.com

>> Pyara Spa and Salon