Published July 9, 2010
Slurp in style (and for free!) this weekend. (Joe Marinaro/Flickr)
It’s a culture fest in the Bean this weekend. Whether you’re letting your inner Francais show through or downing all the Greek food you’ll ever want, the world’s at our feet — let’s just hope it doesn’t sizzle on the pavement.
EAT
- Sunday, July 11, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- The closest 7-Eleven
Next to a full-scale AC set-up, this may be the best way to beat the heat. Celebrate the chain’s birthday (and avoid a massive electricity bill) with an extra-large Slurpee (or seven, or 11…) and brace yourself for brain freeze.
All the greek food you could ever want's in Ipswitch this weekend. Hungry yet? (Charkesw/Flickr)
- Saturday, July 10, 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday, July 11, 1 p.m. to dusk
- Junction of Routes 133 and 1A, Ipswitch
- $3 admission
An authentic Ipswitch clambake, savory Greek cuisine, and 14 acres of rolling riverfront views — what’s not to love? Make a trip to the North Shore this weekend for a fresh taste of all three.
SHOP
- Saturday, July 10, 3 to 7 p.m.
- Union Square, Somerville
- Free (unless you buy everything something)
There’s nothing better than when you can feel great about shopping (well, maybe that’s just me, but still, I’m standing by it). Spend your dollars wisely this weekend at Boston’s real-life version of Etsy.com. Troll for one-of-a-kind treasures crafted by local artisans to a soundtrack of live indie pop, and support good people making pretty things.
Love Etsy? you'll LOVE Boston's Handmade Marketplace. (Ashe_villain/Flickr)
DO
Chinatown Main Street Festival
- Sunday, July 11, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Boylston Street, Chinatown
Soak up Boston’s little slice of China this weekend. The festival will feature vendor booths, Chinese dough art (now you know!), children’s folk dance and martial arts performances.
- Friday, July 9, 6 to 11 p.m.
- Marlborough Street, between Berkeley and Clarendon Streets
- $28 in advance, $35 at the event
There’s no calling them Freedom Fries this weekend. Shirk off the old rivalry and celebrate La Fête Nationale in style at one of Boston’s biggest, classiest block parties, to the tune of Haitian musicians Tabou Combo and manouche jazz-esque Caravan Palace. And what would France’s independence day be without food? The Beehive, Petit Robert Bistro, Sel de la Terre and others will be on hand dishing out french delicacies.
This osprey's probably swooping in for some ice cream. (AJ Baxter/Flickr)
- Saturday, July 10, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
- South Shore Sanctuaries, 2000 Main St., Marshfield
- $15 for members, $20 for non-members
Honestly, is there a better combination of things? Learn all about our local wildlife and eat all the ice cream you can stomach. If I had kids, I’d be toting them to this.
LISTEN
- Friday, July 9, 7:30 p.m.
- Boarding House Park, Lowell
- $21 in advance, $25 at the show
So maybe I’ve got a little love affair with the Lowell Summer Music series. This week, Boarding House Park hosts folk-soul-jazz crooner Amos Lee — the perfect summertime soundtrack.
Remember Haiti Benefit Concert
- Saturday, July 10, doors open at 6 p.m.
- House of Blues, 15 Lansdowne St.
- $20
Rock out to hometown acts The Bad Rabbits and singer-songwriter Will Dailey and help out with the ongoing relief effort in Haiti. There’s nothing like a win-win situation to get you out of the house and on the dance floor (seriously, listen to five minutes of The Bad Rabbits and just try not to bust a move).
SEE
Show your love for the other Red, White and Blue this weekend. (Notfrancois/Flickr)
- All weekend long, various times
- Museum of Fine Arts
- $8 for members, seniors, students; $10 general admission
There’s more than enough French fun to go around this weekend. Seek refuge from the heat and brush up your high-school French with the MFA’s line-up, which is on until July 15. The festival boasts 23 Boston premieres of French films and features work by some of France’s best actors and directors, including Catherine Deneuve, Christophe Honoré, Isabelle Huppert and Vanessa Paradis.
- Friday, July 9, dusk
- The Hatch Shell, Storrow Drive and Mugar Way
- Free
Bust out your ruby slippers and relive the magic of the yellow brick road: Rhe ultimate movie classic makes its way riverside Friday night. No, Toto, you’re not in Kansas anymore — though this heat might make it feel that way, the humidity is pure Boston.
Dali's "Face of the Great Masturbator". An impressive collection of the Spanish artist's work is at DT Modern Galleries. (Search83/Flickr)
Summer In Barcelona Exhibition
- All weekend long, Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, 12 to 6 p.m.
- DT Modern Galleries, 126 Newbury St.
- Free
No need for a plane ticket — some of Barcelona’s finest artists are right here in the Bean — Oogle Picassos, Miros and the largest privately-owned collection of Dali works in the world. The exhibition runs until August 10.