Outgoing five term mayor of Boston, Thomas Menino was named the 2013 Grand Marshal for Boston’s Pride Parade scheduled for early next month.
Out and proud NBA player, Jason Collins, also announced he will be marching in Boston’s Pride Parade with his friend and former college roommate, United States Congressman Joe Kennedy.
First held in 1981, BAGLY Prom night is the nation’s oldest and largest LGBT Youth Prom in the country. Since the late 1990’s, the event has attracted over 1,000 youth. The admission for the BAGLY Prom is $20 and may be paid in cash at the door. If you are interested in supporting this event you may make a donation to BAGLY or you can offer to chaperone. More information here.
To anyone who may be reading my blog and planning to attend this prom, I’d like to wish you a safe and fun evening.
Boston beer brewer, Harpoon will be hosting their namesake festival this Friday and Saturday. HarpoonFest, is hosted at their brewery in Boston’s Seaport District.
More info about Harpoon’s two day summer festival, HarpoonFest here.
No worries about getting a ride to or from the brewery. Uber is offering $25 off the town car ride by using the code ”bosharpoonfest” for anyone who has yet to use the car service.
Tomorrow, Boston’s favorite same sex couple returns to the Boston Public Garden. Romeo & Juliet, the two graceful swans that make the pond in the Public Garden their home will be back on Tuesday, May 7th at 11:00AM.
Back in 2005 (just a year after same sex marriage was legalized in MA) it was learned that Romeo is in fact a female, causing many conservatives who like to scream about how unnatural homosexuality is to cry foul (or is that fowl?)!
According to the zoo keepers who watch over the couple in the winter months, the two swans have been nesting together for more than a decade so if you should find yourself in Boston, head over to the Boston Public Garden and congratulate the city’s favorite lesbians on their longevity. I’m not sure what the divorce rate among swans is like but they certainly outlasted many of their human counterparts.
Philanthropic foodies have come together with Boston Bites Back – a fundraiser spearhead by chefs Ken Oringer and Ming Tsai as well as The Boston Red Sox, Gov. Patrick, Mayor Menino and ARAMARK. This fundraiser to benefit The One Fund aims to raise $1 million through the help of 100 of Boston’s top chefs and you the support of foodies like you.
Wednesday, May 15th from 6:00 – 10:00 PM at Fenway Park
Only 5,000 general access tickets will be sold at $200 each. There will also be 200 VIP tickets at $1,000 each, allowing additional access to an intimate and exclusive gathering in Fenway’s EMC Club. If you are interested and want to learn more about this event visit, www.bostonbitesback.org.
BAGLY – Boston’s Alliance of GLBT Youth is hosting Out for Youth on Saturday, May 4th at the Museum of Science in Boston to celebrate the work of BAGLY, the achievements of the GLBT youth leaders in our communities, and to present the 2013 Queer Activist College Honorary Degrees.
Not familiar with BAGLY? BAGLY is a youth-led, adult-supported social support organization committed to social justice, and creating, sustaining and advocating for programs, policies and services the the GLBT youth community here in Boston. Perhaps best known for hosting the country’s first Gay Prom back in 1981 – BAGLY has been a mainstay in Boston since its inception.
You may support BAGLY through donations or by attending tomorrow’s Out for Youth. More information here.
In the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings a fund was created called The One Fund. Money raised by this fund will go to help the people most affected by the tragic events that occurred in Boston on April 15, 2013.
Boston has a long (and fairly well deserved reputation) for being a cold city; tough to meet people especially if you are not from the area. I’ve often countered this painfully truthful observation that friendships once made here are rock solid and for many last a lifetime. Reactions from the community have helped validate how meaningful personal relationships are here in Boston. I don’t want to dwell on the tragedies from this year’s marathon, but I do want to say thank you to all who have donated money or time to help those afflicted.
Today along Boston’s Harborwalk at the Gillette Public Dock The Design Museum Boston unveiled the 20 Semi-Finalist benches and the selection of the 3 finalists for their international design competition, Street Seats.
More than 170 designs from all around the world were submitted for this contest. Unfortunately, I was not able to get down to see the unveiling but hope to check these out later this weekend.
Plans are tentatively scheduled (pending the opening of businesses on Boylston Street) to host a huge bar crawl the last half mile of the Boston Marathon. You are encouraged to wear their Bruins, Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots, Revolution, Huskies, Eagles, Terriers, Crimson, whatever colors you have to represent Boston. Tentative plan (assuming locations are open):
10am: Pour House
12pm: McGreevy’s
2pm: Lir
4pm: Dillon’s
6pm: Kings
7pm: Cactus Club
8pm: Whiskeys
9pm: Towne
10pm: back to whichever you prefer
Since it is unclear if these bars will be allowed / able to open for business, check back to the event’s Facebook page, here.
Tomorrow, Opus Affair will host their free monthly gathering in Fort Point Channel at Tavern Road – a relatively new space that opened earlier this year in the space formerly occupied by Blue Wave.
When: Tuesday, Apr. 23rd at 6:00 PM
Where: Tavern Road at 343 Congress Street
RSVP: C’mon it’s fun and it’s free – click here
This month the Punch Bowl fund will be featuring:
I don’t want to gloss over the terrible tragedies from this year’s Patriot’s Day / Marathon, but now that the suspects have been identified, killed and captured, there is a sense of relief that is hard to articulate. Those emotions are quickly turning into expressions of pride and love of our city. You see it on Twitter and Facebook with people encouraging others to go out and support local businesses and with people talking about their plans to train and run in the 2014 Boston Marathon.
Looking back on the past week, I couldn’t be more proud of those who tended to the injured, those who stood up to protect and defend our community and yes, even our elected officials. Governor Deval Patrick showed a leadership sorely lacking in government today and Mayor Tom Menino, showed the grit he’s made of and how much he loves this city not letting his own injuries slow him down.
In the weeks that follow I hope we can focus on what this city did right and be proud of how we conducted ourselves while the world was watching our every move. Like this song says, come to Boston. It’s a great city to call home.
To be frank, it has been a crappy week. I hadn’t realized how trying it had been until just a few minutes ago when it was reported that nineteen year old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was captured.
All of Boston’s first responders have been exemplary and I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you to the B.P.D. and to everyone who helped. I am very much looking forward to referring to this entire incident in the past tense.
Although I’m still saddened by the senseless nature of Monday’s tragedy, it is a new day and I have to place my faith in the work our government will do to trace who did this and hope for the best for those injured.
This photo of Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood was circulating on Twitter on Monday, and while I don’t intend to forget what happened, I’d like to start to focus on the beauty of my home rather than the horror of those memories.
Apologies – I can’t seem to find who captured this beautiful image.
For anyone hosting people impacted by the bombing:
Resource center at Boston Park Plaza Castle
Restaurants serving free meals this evening
Information on help, MBTA updates, etc
Concerns for Family Members, Requests for Counseling Resources Mayor’s Health Line: 617-635-4500
Reflection Services today (Tuesday) and tomorrow (Wednesday)
Guides developed by the Child Witness to Violence Program at BMC for discussing the events with children or young adults are available by emailing staff – email here.
General resources and FBI tip line or call at 617-223-6610
Posting to show solidarity in light of the Marathon bombings and out of respect to those who know and love those injured or killed. My sincere thanks to the men and women who helped those hurt and injured.
I will not be posting anything on Tuesday, but thank you for stopping by.
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