While Massachusetts businesses and cultural institutions remain partially open amid reopening rollbacks, many residents are continuing to stay home due to the coronavirus pandemic. With that in mind, this week’s BosTen offers a mix of in-person and virtual things to do this weekend. Have an idea about what we should cover? Leave us a comment on this article or in the BosTen Facebook group, or email us at [email protected].
Enjoy an at-home cinema experience with Boston Israeli Film Festival
Created by the same team behind the Boston Jewish Film Festival, the Boston Israeli Film Festival will bring some of the most buzzed-about films from Israel to its virtual cinema for a weeklong festival from March 4-10. You’ll be able to stream a number of shorts and feature films, as well as view live panel discussions and classes from Israeli actors, directors, and other film professionals. You can buy tickets to individual films, or purchase an all-inclusive festival pass on the Boston Jewish Film website.
Sip spritzes with the Boston.com cocktail club
Close your eyes and picture yourself on the Italian Riviera. You’re at a waterfront cafe, sun in your eyes and an aperol spritz in your hand. OK, so we’re still a long ways off from international travel. But you can learn how to spritz up your life with Boston.com at 7 p.m. Thursday for its weekly cocktail club. Host Jackson Cannon (The Hawthorne, Eastern Standard) and guest Kyisha Davenport (Tanám Narrative Cuisine) will teach you how to make both a classic Aperol Spritz and a Scotch Bonnet Spritz, which throws a bit of heat into the mix. Attending the Zoom is free, and you can purchase a kit with all the ingredients you’ll need here. Proceeds from the event benefit Off Their Plate.
Learn about the life of Crispus Attucks on the Boston Massacre anniversary
To commemorate the 251st anniversary of the Boston Massacre, Violence In Boston Inc. founder Monica Cannon-Grant and Black Market founder Kai Granta will host a free Zoom panel on Friday at 5 p.m. examining the legacy of Crispus Attucks, widely considered to be the first casualty of the American Revolution. A man of African and Native American descent who was born into slavery in Framingham, the story of Attucks has been less prominent in history curriculum than other revolutionary figures, though Cannon-Grant and Granta will help fill the knowledge gap. Registration for the free talk, which will also discuss the life story of activist Melnea Cass, can be completed on the Revolutionary Spaces website.
Pay a visit to Neighborhood Kitchen’s Chinatown pop-up
If you know, you know: Medford’s Neighborhood Kitchen makes standout chicken sandwiches, chicken and waffles, and mac and cheese. On Monday, it started a two-month pop-up at Ruckus in Chinatown, where it’s serving some of its greatest hits, like the H-Milly Chicken Sandwich and customizable chicken and waffle combos (hello, lemon pepper wings). Pop by the restaurant at 5 Tyler St., or order online through Grubhub, Uber Eats, Postmates, and DoorDash — just be sure to search for Ruckus when using any third-party delivery apps.
Watch Anne Lamott chat about her new book with Hoda Kotb
This Friday at 7 p.m., Harvard Book Store, will virtually host a discussion between “Today” anchor Hoda Kotb and bestselling author Anne Lamott (“Operating Instructions,” “Bird by Bird”) about Lamott’s new book “Dusk Night Dawn: On Revival and Courage.” Purchasing a ticket to the event through Harvard Book Store’s website will give attendees a chance to submit questions for the talk, as well as a copy of “Dusk Night Dawn.”
Enjoy a Friday evening at Aquarium After Dark
The New England Aquarium has continued to strictly observe COVID safety regulations since reopening, but that doesn’t mean the institution can’t have a little fun as well. Every Friday night until 8 p.m. in the month of March, the aquarium will host themed Aquarium After Dark nights, including Tropical Night (March 5), Advocate For Climate Change (March 12), and It’s Not Easy Being Green (March 19), which is timed perfectly for St. Patrick’s Day weekend. You’ll be able to see the aquarium as you’ve likely never seen it before, with the lights dimmed to emulate the sea creatures’ natural nighttime environment. The Giant Ocean Tank, in particular, looks completely different when the sun goes down.
Unburden your mind with an ocean therapy guided winter walk
The physical and mental health benefits of a walk outdoors has never been more apparent than during the pandemic. If you want to up your walking game, join certified forest therapy guide Tam Willey for an ocean therapy guided winter walk this Saturday at Webb Memorial State Park in Weymouth. Similar to forest bathing, Willey’s 75-minute walk gives participants a chance to unburden their minds by unplugging, slowing down, and opening their senses to the natural surroundings. Registration is now open for either a 10 a.m. or 12 p.m. walk on the Boston Harbor Now Eventbrite page.
Spend a Smorgasbord Sunday at Cambridge’s Bondir
Baker and chef Kat Bayle is back with another Blueberries for Sal pop-up at Bondir, hosting Smorgasbord Sundays each Sunday in March. The first one kicks off this weekend with dishes like Swedish-style mushroom toast, beet-cured gravlax, and cabbage rolls. Want something sweet? Try the naturally leavened buns baked with sweet farmer’s cheese and drizzled with honey. Orders close on Friday at noon, and you can pick up your haul between 11 a.m. and noon on Sunday at Bondir.
Raise a glass to International Women’s Day with the VinoKarma Project
Join Haley Fortier of haley.henry and Nathálie wine bar for the VinoKarma Project’s Badass Women & Wine, a virtual event filled with great wine and even better conversation. Discussion topics will revolve around the pandemic’s impact on the restaurant industry, equity and representation in the wine world, and the rise of natural wines, and guests will be invited to sip through some of Fortier’s favorite varietals from Mary Taylor Wines. Tickets ($70-$88) include three large tasters, seafood tins, and access to the Zoom event.
Join some of Boston’s women-owned restaurants for a multi-course meal
Let’s Talk Womxn, an initiative for women restaurateurs to connect with each other and share resources during the pandemic, started in Chicago but swiftly grew to 12 cities across the country. On Monday, the movement is hosting its first national event: “Dine Together & Let’s Talk.” In Boston, guests will be able to purchase a multi-course meal for two ($85) from a cadre of local women restaurateurs, accompanied by a Zoom conversation moderated by Mass. Attorney General Maura Healey. Find the full list of participating chefs and order details here.
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