2 for 1 culture deal

This week many Boston area museums are offering a 2 for 1 entrance fee. With the college kids getting ready to go back to school in a few weeks (hopefully) nothing better to get them prepared.
Well, not true, but it was a nice line.

Museums
Cape Ann Historical Museum
DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park
Fuller Craft Museum
Harvard Museum of Natural History
Harvard University Art Museums
The Institute of Contemporary Art
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Larz Anderson Auto Museum
MASS MoCA
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
New Bedford Whaling Museum
Peabody Essex Museum

2 for 1 museum fee
Monday Jan. 7th-Sunday Jan. 13th.

Get Cultured!

The Sox are making the final push for the playoffs and if you are anything like me, you are spending many a nights watching the games and drinking beers. Could you use a little more culture in your life right now? Possibly? To make it easy for us the Smithsonian is sponsoring a free museum day this Saturday.

Also unrelated, the MIT museum is free on Sunday.

Museum Day
Saturday, Sept 29

>> MuseumDay - MA
>> MIT Museum

Mardi Gras in Cambridge!

Close! The Cambridge Carnival International is hosting the Taste of Cambridge Carnival on Sunday August 12.

A kick-off fundraising event to support the 15th year of Cambridge Carnival International a Caribbean and Mardis Gras style festival in Cambridge. This event will feature a cultural presentation from a historical and social perspective of Cambridge Carnival.

Steel pan presentation, drumming, folkloric, dancing, and educational exhibits.
Tickets are $10. $5 for children. (Includes refreshments.) People are encouraged to buy advance tickets due to limited seating. Call 617-492-2518.

Broad Institute
7 Cambridge Center
Kendall Square.
Free Sunday Parking in the MIT lot across the street.
Sunday, August 12th.
3:00p-7:00p

Annual Spring Exhibition

For those of us who like art-this is the place. Except way better. It is art by kids. Cambridge Multicultural Arts is hosting Cambride Public School's Annual Spring Exhibition.
Drawings, Sculptures, and paintings on the lower level by grades K-8. Photographs on the second level by students grades 9-12.
The exhibition is from may 8-june 8. They are hosting a reception Thursday May 31. It is free for both viewing as well as attending the reception, but of course donations are always welcome.

Cambridge Mulitcultural Arts Center
41 Second St.
Cambridge MA.

Reception:
Thursday May 31.
6:00p.

Gallery Hours:
Mon, Tues, Wed, and Fri. 10a-6p
Thurs. 10a-8p.

>>CMAC

Dance Month

I would like o start by apologizing. I am so sorry this wasn't posted sooner. I don't know how Rachel and I did not know about this. We know about EVERYTHING to do with Cambridge/Somerville. Well ok so we don't. But this seems like a big deal, so everyone should enjoy it for what is left of May! Apparently May is DanceMonth in Cambridge.

DanceMonth is a citywide celebration of the movement arts in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Neither a festival nor a showcase, it is a way to focus on the richness of dance that is already an intrinsic part of our lives. Still a collaboration between the Mayor's office and the Dance Complex, DanceMonth is now a Cambridge tradition and most eagerly-awaited herald that Spring is finally here, and here must be Cambridge.

DanceMonth is celebrating its 14th year! They are hosting things such as Dance Distractions Tuesdays@Noon, and Workshops.
Everything happening now!

>>DanceMonth is...
>>Events

Dialogues on Diversity

Cambridge Women's Center is hosting a four part discussion on the topic of diversity.

Cambridge Women' Center
46 Pleasant St.
Cambridge MA.
617-354-8807

Wed. 3/21 at 6:30
The discussion continues the next three Wednesday's.
3/28, 4/4 and 4/11

Childcare is available with 2 days notice.
This space is not wheelchair accessible.

Bugs Bunny-a-thon

Brattle Theatre is hosting it's Twelfth Annual Bugs Bunny Film Festival. Who didn't enjoy that "wascally wabbit" at some point in their lives!?!

As usual, our featured attraction is a program of films featuring everyone’s favorite rabbit. One reason Bugs is so admirable is his ability to be master of any situation – from bullring, to outer space, to the French Foreign Legion, Bugs is almost always able to swing the setting to his favor. With antagonists like Yosemite Sam, Marvin The Martian and, of course Elmer Fudd, he has to be!

2/16-2/22
5:30, 7:30, and 9:30.
Brattle Theatre
40 Brattle St.
Cambridge MA

>>Brattle Theatre

Union Square Ethnic Market Tour

I went on a market tour of the North End a few months ago and loved it. Now come to find out there is a Union Square Market Tour. The Somerville Arts Council has developed a guide of the markets that is available in brochure format (from the city hall or any of the participating markets) as well as three group tours.

This guide will tell you where to find squid ink pasta, coxinha (Brazilian cheese dumplings) and 30-pound fish from Bangladesh called Lakka—just for starters.

The ArtsUnion Ethnic Market Guide provides lively short descriptions and key information about Capone’s Foods, Casa de Carnes, Halal Market, La Internacional Foods, Little India, New Bombay Market, Pao de Acucar & Brazilan Buffet and Reliable Market. Whether you’re looking for exotic, hard-to-find ingredients or simply want to learn more about the cultural and culinary diversity of Union Square, pick up one of these brochures and take a self-guided tour.

There will be three group tours of three markets each. Shop owners will share stories about their market— relating to history, culture and clientele and each will share a favorite recipe.

· Jan. 25: Halal Market (Bangladesh/India), Internacional Market(Latin American and Haitian goods), Casa de Carne (Brazilian butcher) Meet at Halal Market, 380 Somerville Ave., 6pm

· Feb. 15: Little India, Capone’s (Italian), Reliable Market(Asian) Meet at Little India, 77A Bow Street, 6pm

· March 8: Pao de Acucar (Brazilian), New Bombay (Indian), Internacional Foods (Latin American and Haitian goods) Meet at Pao de Acucar, 57 Union Square, 6 p.m.

>> Somerville Arts Council - Cultural Tours
>> Take a tour of Union Square’s ethnic markets - Somerville Journal

Opera Boston Underground

I have no idea if I like opera, I could say I dont, but I really haven't been exposed to it. Now am I going to go pay some insane amount of money, get all dressed up, and then trek across the river to see if I like it? Probably not. But, I am willing to walk down the street, pay 5 bucks, and drink some beers while checking it out, that sounds do-able.

Opera Boston Underground, a concert series in the Cambridge bar the Lizard Lounge with a cover charge instead of season tickets and standing room instead of velvet seats. You won’t see any fat ladies in Viking helmets or hear Italian arias; instead, some of the actors performing in Opera Boston’s next show, Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill’s Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny, will be performing concert versions of some of the show’s songs.

January 17
7 pm
Cover: $5

Lizard Lounge
1667 Mass Ave
Cambridge

>> Opera Boston Goes Underground

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

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

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