Midnight Madness

As I have mentioned before, the Saturday before Christmas is the busiest shopping day of the year. What about the Saturday before the Saturday? And will it still be bad around 11pm? Who is open until 11? ALOT! But more specifically to you, the shops on Mass Ave. between Harvard and Porter. This Saturday night, do some last minute shopping-late. It can't be too busy on that street so late, avoid the stress of crowds, and purchase some unique items. There are no chains like Target or Home Depot. More of along the lines of Rosie's bakery and Paper Source. There are several other shops, but i can honestly say, i have no idea what they are called.
But check them all out tomorrow night!

Midnight Madness.
Between Porter Square and Harvard Square
8pm-1:00am
Saturday 12/15/07

Random trivia fact: That area is called Avon Hill.

Nave Gallery Salon

One weekend left to start or add to your art collection. Over 50 artists are on exhibit at the Nave Gallery. Proceeds benefit the guest curator.
Artist include: Leika Akiyama, Karen Aqua, Marcia Ahern, Shelley Barandes, Laurinda Bedingfield, Peter Belford, Adriana Prat, Christina Renfer, Susan Rice, Margaret Ryan, Ellen Schön, Tova Speter, Johanna Sprague, and many more.

December Salon
Friday 12/14 5p-8p
Sat/Sun 1p-5p.
Nave Gallery
Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church
155 Powderhouse Blvd., Somerville, MA

>>Nave Information

Do some good this season

There are unlimited needy families and this is the season it usually hurts them the most. Innocent children not understanding the joy of Christmas due to some tragedy or another. Whether it be poverty, abuse, alcoholism, loss of parent(s).
There are unlimited trees in banks, BJ's, places of work, these trees are filled with children who would love to open a brand new pair of socks, or a sweater, something so simple would fill them with joy.
Help a family out this season, pick up a name off a tree. Tis the season to be giving. If you would like to help out some families, but are unsure of what I am talking about, here is a wish list for three different families.
Each of these families are receiving services from Respond Inc. a Somerville shelter for women and their children who are leaving abusive relationships. Unity Church of God is organizing/supplying these items.
To claim an item you can call the church: 617-623-1212 OR you can also pick up a wish list tag in the foyer of the church.
After purchasing items please mark them with Family number 42, 43, or 44 and drop off unwrapped gifts at the Church by December 16th.
If you live further away, but would still like to help, you can mail a check to the church. Make it out to UCG and add Respond in the Memo line. The donations will be sent to the mother's who will then be able to shop for their own gifts.

Since you may not receive a personal thank you. I will thank you. Even for taking the time to read this and understand that we may think we have it rough, but we have our homes, our happy holiday memories, and our safety.

Unity Church of God
6 Williams St.
Somerville

Holiday Craft Fair

I went to the mall Friday, that's right. Black Friday. There were not as many sales as I had hoped. But then again, I didn't get out to the stores until 6ish. Lame in the eyes of serious shoppers i guess. So, I didn't get nearly as much shopping as done as I had hoped. Something that will be helpful to me as well as people who hate malls this time of year: Union Square Main Streets' Annual Craft Fair.

A press release from Union Square Main Streets said four craft markets and open studios at the fair will feature gifts including sculpture, jewelry, knitwear, photography, handbags, electronics, greeting cards, wreaths, and more. The Sherman Café and Bloc 11 will be on the scene if you get hungry. Local bands The Doctors Faux and Chris Mancini and the Pretty Pennies are set to headline live performances throughout the day.

Something else I always think about it to hit up artist co-ops. Family members usually enjoy home made gifts. It doesn't say anything about you needing to be the one to make them anymore. What are we third graders? I kid I kid.

Union Square Main Streets' Annual Craft Fair
December 1
Union Square Plaza and Toast Lounge

Holiday Trivia: Black Friday is not the busiest shopping day of the year as most assume. It is usually the Saturday before Christmas. OR December 23rd if Christmas falls on a weekend.

Beaded Fair

Interested in beads? I am not talking beads you used in the fifth grade to make friendship bracelets, or braid your BFF's hair. Artists from all over the country are gathering on Saturday to show off their beads, beaded jewelry, and supplies. Also The Women’s Craft Cooperative of Rosie’s Place will be present and showing/selling their work.
Admission is $6 Children under 12 are free. A portion of the admission proceeds will be donated to the Women’s Craft Cooperative of Rosie’s Place. Funds raised by the show are used to support the ongoing activities of the bead society, including school sponsorship for three Maasai girls as part of the Beads for Education program.

29th Annual Bead Affair
Armenian Cultural Center
47 Nichols Ave
Watertown, MA (Watertown Square)
Saturday 10/13
10a-5p
Admission: $6. Children 12 and under: free
Discount Coupon

One Dollar!

There will be a flea market in Somerville this Saturday. What makes this one different? Everything is a buck or best offer! Things include linens, silverware, clothes, picture frames, tools and more! Even if it is trash and works a week? Would it matter, it was $1! Everything must go!
All proceeds benefit Nave gallery guest curator program.

Saturday 9/22
Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church (basement)
155 Powderhouse Blvd.

>>Somerville Arts

Camberville Farmers Markets

The Boston Weekly Yelp had a great write up of Farmers Markets in the area.

Some Cambridge / Somerville picks:

Central Square (Mon 11:30 to 6pm)
Parking lot at Bishop Allen and Columbia
Cambridge, MA

Davis Square (Wed from noon 'til dark)
Day Street & Herbert Street
Somerville, MA

Kendall Square (Thurs from 11am to 2pm)
300 Athenaeum St
Cambridge, MA

Union Square (Sat from 9am to 1pm)
70 Union Sq
Somerville, MA

Cambridgeport (Sat from 10am to 2pm)
Morse School Parking Lot
Magazine St & Memorial Dr
Cambridge, MA

Shop til you drop

Some of you may remember Davis Square Midnight Madness. Yes? No? Either way it is back! Shopping in Davis Square starting at 5pm with specials in participating stores.

Shoppers will enjoy discounts at participating stores and tasty treats courtesy of area restaurants. Partial proceeds benefit Solutions at Work, a non-profit organization that provides programs that help the homeless transition back into the “mainstream” working world. The evening is being organized in collaboration with the Davis Area Resident Business Initiative (DARBI).

Participating Stores:

• Black & Blues — Men’s and women’s clothing, 89 Holland St.
• Cameras Inc. — Cameras and supplies, 267 Elm St.
• Chinook — Outdoor clothing and gear, 93 Holland St.
• Cibeline — Designer clothing and accessories, 85 Holland St.
• Magpie — Hip local crafts, 378A Highland St.
• Poor Little Rich Girl — Designer consignment, 255 Elm St.
• Rockin Bob’s Guitar — Music store, 37 Holland St.
• And many more.

July19th
5p-12a
Davis Square

FLEA @ MIT

Rachel had one task this week. Post about the FLEA at MIT. Totally her thing, she was excited to read about it, but she failed. We now know her priorities. Unfortunately this is not my cup of tea, so I don't know that I can be so witty in this area, but I wanted everyone to know about this. I mean c'mon! A shopping trip all geeks and nerds would love!

The MIT Radio Society, in conjunction with the MIT UHF Repeater Association, the MIT Electronics Research Society, and the Harvard Wireless Club, sponsors a Swapfest on the third Sunday of each month, April through October. This is a place to buy, sell, and swap amateur radio, electronic, and computer equipment. Hams and non-hams alike are welcome. For more information, see the online copy of our swapfest flyer (pdf, or text only). Print out a copy of the flyer and bring it with you for a discount on the buyer's admission.

Interested in selling? Registration Form

This month: TODAY!
Luckily for everyone, this event is held the third Sunday of every month.
Rain or Shine-covered space for all sellers.
Albany Street Garage and adjacent lot.
(Between Mass Ave. and Main St. Cambridge)
ADMISSION: $5

Glassy Class, or is it Classy Glass

If you are looking for a gift for a friend or if your mom is a booze hound (reminder mothers day is soon), check out Bread and Badger in Davis Square for homemade etched glass.

She scours craft and thrift stores for vintage vases, shot glasses, and colored candle holders in onyx, cobalt blue, or pale pink. Then, using her artist’s eye, she freehands whimsical designs — stars, anchors, flowers, sea creatures — and ink-inspired skull and crossbones or hearts swathed with “mom” banners.

Each glass piece is one of a kind, so you can be sure you’re expressing your true self.

Magpie
416 Highland Ave
Davis Square
Somerville

>> Bread and Badger
>> Dude that's so Etchy
>> Magpie

History through clothes?

Former History teacher Rachel Hirsch has opened her new vintage shop History. A store that brings history to life through the clothes. Starting with the 40's and ranging all the way up to today's wrap around dresses. Stop by and check it out-definitely a chicer way to learn.

Ever the historian, Hirsch tags every hand-picked item with a short story based on the decade in which it was made and the lives of female characters. One reads: "She looked across the table and wondered how Annie Hall would handle this."

History
1693 Mass Ave.
(Between Porter and Harvard Sq.)

Food for me, help for you

If you need to get some food shopping done this week, might as well head to Whole Foods in Cambridge this Tuesday. 5 percent of sales from all three stores for the entire day of shopping go to help prevent homelessness among Cambridge residents.

Now that the post-holiday refrigerator and pantry need restocking, the Cambridge community is encouraged to shop at one of three Whole Foods Markets on Jan. 9 to help support the Cambridge Housing Assistance Fund (CHAF), an organization of Cambridge Realtors and concerned citizens who responded to a need to help people with rising home rental costs. This fund-raising event will net 5 percent sales from all three stores for the entire day of shopping to help prevent homelessness among Cambridge residents.

The three Cambridge Whole Foods Markets participating in this fundraiser are located at Fresh Pond Mall, 200 Alewife Parkway, 340 River Street (off Memorial Drive) and 115 Prospect Street in Central Square. By making purchases on this day, shoppers will help to contribute funds to provide initial rental costs to individuals and families who otherwise would not have a place to live.

Kill two birds with one stone: feed yourself and help someone afford a home.

>> Shop and Help

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

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

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

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

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

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

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