365 Things to Do in Boston - New Tips Daily

Yeah, yeah, yeah, you could do the typical Mother's Day brunch today, which is nice too, but why not keep it simple and get out in the fresh air?

Grab mom, take her for a coffee and scone at a local Back Bay coffee shop (maybe L'Aroma Cafe) and walk over to the Public Garden.  You'll want to get there around 11am for the Duckling Day parade, in which children dressed up as littles ducks retrace the steps of the famous Mallard family ducklings from Robert McCloskey's Make Way for Ducklings, while being led by the Harvard University marching band.

Continue by enjoying the beautiful flower beds and trees through the Garden, then wander on over to take a ride through the lagoon on the Swan Boats, a Boston institution since 1877!

After that, you're on your own!  Happy Mother's Day!

(photo credit David Paul Ohmer)

Continuing our art theme from yesterday, here's another great event showcasing local artists...but this time its the up and comers from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in The Fenway.

SMFA is having their spring sidewalk sale today from 10am - 5pm! Venture out to the school to view and purchase art by Museum School artists.  Showcasing everything from ceramics, photography, drawings, jewelry, t-shirts, prints and more, prices start at $5 and a percentage of all proceeds are donated to a local organization chosen by students, which this year, will benefit Gateway Arts in Brookline.

Totally worth checking out.  And go buy a little something, will ya!

Like art?  But sometimes just want it to feel a little more "alive" than in a museum or gallery?  Well, now's your chance.

Tonight, SoWa Artist Guild presents "First Friday Open Studios" from 5-9pm at 450 Harrison Ave in the SoWa District of the South End.  It's a unique opportunity to have access to the artists of the guild in their own element.  They'll be opening their working studios, showing off their contemporary artwork, and meeting the public.  From their website:

With over 50 artist studios and 15 galleries at 450 Harrison, there's plenty of diversity in the art to appeal to a wide variety of tastes!  Plus with free parking nearby, and several great restaurants on Harrison Ave (Rocca, Gaslight, and Estragon, to name a few) you could easily make it a great night!

Check out a few of the artists work on the SoWa Artist Guild website.

A Dragon Boat is basically a big canoe shaped boat with 20 paddlers on board, and oh...it just happens to have Chinese dragon heads and tails.  Dragon boat races are springing up all over the country, and we're lucky enough to have our very own competitive team here in Boston.  The Living Root Dragon Boat team practices in the Charles River and enters races everywhere from  New York to Montreal. 

It's quite a site to see these sleek  boats cruising the Charles, but even better is tonight when the team is offering an introductory session for newcomers to the sport.  Don't just watch...participate!

From 6pm-8pm tonight, at the dock at Spaulding Rehab Hospital (125 Nashua Street), you're welcome to visit and see what the sport is all about. You'll get a chance to go out paddling in one of the boats and cruise the river.  Have some fun, maybe even get a decent workout in, and meet some new friends.  No experience or equipment is necessary.  Should be fun!

For more info or to attend, just sign up here.

And if you're brave enough, there may even be an opportunity to join the team and participate in actual racing throughout the summer!

The Beehive is holding their annual Cinco de Mayo celebration tonight featuring a special Mexican menu and live music from Pablo Bencid followed by Mariachi Internacional!

A great venue for live music, amazing Mexican food, cocktail specials - and no cover!  Listen to the "Latin-infused Jazz" of Pablo Bencid at 6:30PM and keep the groove going with a performance by Mariachi International at 9PM.

If you're looking for dinner, Mexican appetizers, entrées, desserts, and cocktail specials (aka margaritas!) will be served all night.  Here's a sample from the menu:

• Shrimp & Chorizo Quesadilla, Salsa Verde
• 
Mexican “Fall Off the Bone” Roast Pork, Warm Tortillas, Rice & Beans
• Grilled Mahi Mahi Tacos, Slaw, Salsa, Mexican Corn on the Cob
• Mexican Chocolate Coconut Flan

Make your way over to Symphony Hall (at 301 Massachusetts Ave) for for tonight's opening of the Boston Pops, now in their 125 year as a Boston institution!  Featuring Michael Chertock, Idina Menzel, Doc Severinsen, and Keith Lockhardt, the lineup tonight looks amazing!

I just checked the BSO website and there are tickets from $40 to $119 still available.

From the Boston Symphony Orchestra website, about tonight's show:

In 1885, the founding father of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Henry Lee Higginson, had a rather radical idea: that there was room on the docket of this august institution for concerts of a different sort-concerts played at a high artistic level but with the emphasis on accessibility and entertainment. Out of this revolutionary notion was born a uniquely American institution-the Boston Pops. Here we are now-125 seasons, twenty conductors, hundreds of recordings, tours, and television shows, thousands of concerts, and untold millions of audience members later.

The concert highlights the extraordinary legacy of Arthur Fiedler (Pops Conductor 1930-79), one of the most beloved figures in Boston history, with pianist Michael Chertock performing Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. The program continues with music by acclaimed conductor/composer John Williams (Pops Conductor, 1980-93), including selections from E.T., The Extra-terrestrial and Star Wars. The inimitable Doc Severinsen, the longtime trumpeter, bandleader, and irreverent sidekick on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, makes a special appearance, as he holds the distinction of performing under the batons of all three of the evening’s tribute Pops Conductors.

Keith Lockhart (Pops Conductor 1994-present) leads the program’s grand finale, featuring Idina Menzel, Tony Award-winning actress and new star of the hit TV show Glee!, singing two of her most famous songs from Rent and Wicked, and the world premiere of The Beatles: Rock Band, a fully orchestrated audience sing along featuring some of The Beatles’ iconic songs synched to the groundbreaking game design by Harmonix Music (producers of the wildly popular game series Rock Band) projected above the orchestra on the Pops’ 44 foot-wide screen. A collaboration between the Boston Pops and Harmonix Music, their parent company, MTV, and the Beatles’ record label, Apple Records. It connects past to present in that Arthur Fiedler was among the first to recognize the incredible musical force the Beatles would become when he recorded The Boston Pops Plays the Beatles, and Keith Lockhart brings it full circle to recognize the enormous global impact of video gaming to 21^st Century homes.

With everything from Rhapsody in Blue to the Beatles in video game form, it can't be anything but a great time! Get there at 7pm, for the festive pre-concert reception and see giant balloon arches and a huge “125” on top of the marquee to commemorate the anniversary milestone.

For tickets: http://www.bso.org/bso/mods/perf_detail.jsp?pid=prod361001

Not only is it back to work today on a Monday, but you've also got to contend with this whole "water issue", so I thought it might make some sense to get out and try to extend the weekend tonight.  What better way than with a few laughs?

Take the edge off by heading to Dick's Beantown Comedy Vault at Remington's (124 Boylston Street, across from Boston Common) to see a comedy show.

Tonight features Mitch Stinson, a former Navy pilot turned comedian (as weird as that sounds!), who brings some fun to his experience on life as a Navy Man.  Top Gun jokes, anyone?

Show starts at 8:30pm, for more info visit Dick's Comedy Vault.

The Big Apple Circus is back in Boston!  You may have seen the big tent at City Hall Plaza?  Head down to watch breathtaking feats of artistry, gymnastics, and humor - all in one ring! With jugglers, trapeze artists, aerial dancer, galloping horses, and more....there's enough for the whole family to enjoy.  And I'm not sure exactly how they choose this award, but don't miss the opportunity to see Bello, the daredevil clown, who was named "Best Clown in America" by Time Magazine.

With two shows today, one at 12:30pm and another at 4:30pm and tickets range from $15 to $65, get your cotton candy and popcorn and enjoy the show!

Website: Big Apple Circus

It's a glorious day today so why not experience life on the water in Boston Harbor! There's nothing quite like the experience of sailing with the wind at your back on a beautiful sunny day and today you can have just that experience!

Boston Sailing Center is holding an Open House today from 1-5p.  With free rides on Boston Harbor (and discounts on future classes), go for a sail on one of their boats that range from 24 to 40 feet.  No worries if you're intimidated by steering, each boat will be captained by an experienced sailer who will show you the basics of sailing.  Even if you have absolutely no experience, go and simply enjoy the ride or take a turn on the helm if you're brave!  It's first come first serve (no RSVP required), and they can accommodate groups of up to 6 people on the same boat. So get there early, especially if you have a big group!

To find out more information check out their website: http://www.bostonsailingcenter.com/news/openhouse.asp 

Well, I certainly can't claim to have discovered Sweet Cupcakes (it was awarded Boston's Best Cupcakes by Improper Bostonian), but I recently had the chance to try their Red Velvet cupcake and I'm pretty sure I'll be regular over there for a long time to come.

For no other reason other than it's Friday (you've worked extra hard this week and deserve it, right?), visit Sweet at 49 Massachusetts Ave in the Back Bay and try one of their Red Velvet cupcakes.  The strange red hue, the slight cocoa flavor, and the smooth cream cheese frosting just evaporate any work week stress away!

Since it's open until 9pm, you can even grab an early dinner and get a cupcake for dessert! 

Happy indulging!