On Thursday and Friday, May 29 and May 30, a 47-foot-long streetcar designed by Peter Witt will be on display in Copley Square. That’s just the beginning, though, because all sorts of activities are also scheduled to help Bostonians become more familiar with that big country up north we share this continent with, including an opportunity to win a trip to Canada.

Thursday’s theme is Ottawa, and it features performances by Capital City’s International Chamber Music Festival, a Canadian Aboriginal Hoop Dancer, carving demonstrations with Chef Armando of Ottawa’s renowned Le Cordon Bleu school, and oyster shucking displays sponsored by The Whale Bone.

On Friday, the theme will change to Niagara, complete with Aroma Bar demonstrations showing how Niagara wines are made, a photographer to snap photos of interested people in a barrel (they couldn’t very well bring Niagara Falls along, could they?), and Canadian performers demonstrating their stilt-walking and tight-rope skills.

The fun starts on both days at 8am (they get up early, don’t they?) and ends twelve hours later at 8pm. Moreover, in addition to the daily themes, revelers can enjoy a tour of the historic streetcar and take pictures with genuine Canadian Mounties.

I did some research since the name Peter Witt didn’t jump out at me. Now that I’m done, I have to admit I never thought I’d say this about streetcars — particularly after getting a look at so many MBTA Green Line versions in dire need of a good wash — but some are astoundingly gorgeous, especially those designed by Peter Witt.

A transit commissioner of Cleveland Street Railway, Witt is famous for pioneering streetcars that made it possible to decrease waiting times at stops by optimizing embarking and disembarking procedures. New passengers entered at the front door and proceeded to the back of the car, where they were intercepted by a conductor in the middle who collected fares. As a result, waits at stops were significantly shortened because the conductor in the driver’s seat didn’t have to stall the train while passengers fiddled around in their pocket(book)s forever paid one by one as they entered.

Learn more about Witt’s remarkable trolley cars at Gomaco Trolley Company. What a fascinating history lesson! The fact that his streetcars have endured so long and remain in such good condition — refurbished cars are still in use throughout North America and in Milan, Italy — just makes the reality even more incredible.

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Narrated by Chris Rock, the series is based on the comedian’s experiences growing up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant community located in Brooklyn, New York. The highly publicized segment featuring O’Ree was filmed last August, and eager hockey fans in-the-know have been waiting to see it since last fall.

O’Ree, a Canadian of African ancestry from New Brunswick, is often called the Jackie Robinson of ice hockey for his accomplishment making history when he broke the color barrier in the National Hockey League in 1958. His NHL debut was with the Bay State’s very own Boston Bruins on January 18 of that year, at which time he played the position of winger in a game against the Montreal Canadiens.

O’Ree’s forthcoming television gig is on the sitcom’s episode named “Everybody Hates Gretzky.” The teenage title character Chris (Tyler James Williams) skips school to accompany his younger brother Drew (Tequan Richmond), who’s determined to go to Long Island to track down his idol Wayne Gretzky at an Edmonton Oilers game.

On the way, the two siblings get lost and ask O’Ree’s well-dressed character for directions. He obliges, giving them not only instructions on how to complete their trip, but a few pertinent details about ice hockey history. Fellow black Canadian and New Jersey Devils goaltender Kevin Weekes also has a speaking part in the same scene.

Viewers can catch this must-see episode of an excellent family comedy series on The CW television network. In addition to watching faithfully since its premiere three seasons ago, I’ve seen the segment in question, and I guarantee fans of the players and the show in general will be pleased. Even if you’ve never experienced Everybody Hates Chris before, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy the episode, too.

Post from: The Boston Traveler

The Travel and Culture Channel here at b5media did an excellent job providing multistate coverage of the Improv Everywhere event, which broke out of its New York confines in 2008 for the first time in its nearly decade-long history.

As a result of the ambitious international reach, pantsless riders stormed the public subway systems in no less than ten different locations, including New York (of course), Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Portland (Oregon), Washington (DC), Salt Lake City, and San Francisco in the United States; Adelaide in Australia; and Toronto in Canada.

One of the rules for participating in the orchestrated prank was to not bring along a camera. There really was no need, as the dozens of videos currently circulating on the Web to commemorate the historic occasion confirm. The extensive footage ranges from participant-made YouTube fare to major network news coverage by such venerable (or at least well-known) media outlets as CNN, Fox News, and NBC.

If you’d heard beforehand about certain brave individuals’ mad rush to ride the trains en masse with undergarments proudly showing but not much else since, I’ve got a treat for you. Take a look at the following YouTube videos after the jump to get a visual idea of what transpired during Boston’s No Pants 2k8 subway stunt.

It looks like the guys and gals had a truly great time, although I do agree with many that the whole affair would have been that much more entertaining if it hadn’t been so widely publicized ahead of time. About the only people who seemed not to know what was happening were the few tourists passing through town, the news-challenged, the computer-deprived, and the chronic shut-ins who were only out for their once-a-month journey into civilization. Maybe next year, organizers can throw everyone off by arranging a Surprise No Pants 2k9 Subway Ride worldwide.

Note: If you want to see what went down in some of the other participating regions, just search YouTube using the terms “no pants 2k8” or mosey on over to peruse the numerous posts at Improv Everywhere.

Post from: The Boston Traveler

Big Apple-based comedian Charlie Todd established Improv Everywhere in 2001 to spread a little cheer in humans’ dreary everyday existence by staging “scenes of chaos and joy in public places.”

One result of Todd’s ambitious (and somewhat illegal-sounding) endeavor was the first annual No Pants! Subway Ride held in the bowels of the New York City transit system in 2002. I was living in Queens and commuting to work in midtown Manhattan every weekday and most weekends back then, but somehow I managed to miss the eye-opening occasion.

If you want to get in on the bliss here in the Bay State and don’t mind a little cold air whipping around your lower limbs for several hours, the place to be on Saturday is the large, open, downstairs area of the Red Line’s last stop in North Cambridge, Alewife Station, at 3pm EST sharp.

The Facebook website for the gathering (easy registration required) adds that people should only show up if they plan to go pantsless on the subway while maintaining a straight face throughout the entirety of the two- to three-hour ride. In addition, wear normal winter attire and carry along a backpack and fare, but don’t bring a camera; Organizers will take care of photos. I guess it’s also fair to advise against sporting underwear that’s sleazy and provocative, for safety and sanity’s sake.

Interested people who are game to give pants-free T-riding a try along with some of Boston’s bravest should know that it’s not illegal to walk around in public in just your underwear in Boston. All you’ll likely have to worry about is possible frigid temperatures, unidentifiable nasty stuff on subway seats against your naked skin (you can always stand then), and a few or more blank/horrified/stunned/disgusted/outraged stares from your fellow clueless riders. Otherwise, it’s all good times.

Even better, depantsed Bostonians will not be alone because this year, the seventh annual festivities, marks the first time that subway riders will coordinate internationally and go pantsless in additional cities besides New York (read more about this year at Heather’s The New York York City Traveler). Courageous commuters in six other locations—Adelaide, Australia; Chicago, Illinois (check out Matt’s coverage at The Chicago Traveler); Portland, Oregon; San Francisco, California; Toronto, Canada; and Washington, DC (Jon writes about the event at The DC Traveler)—will be taking part in the stunt, as well.

Learn more essential details about the Boston leg of the mission (yes, that’s what these staged scenes are called) at the Facebook website, and take a look at what happened during the first and last No Pants! Subway Rides below. This is one one-of-a-kind event that’s sure to be a blast—of refreshing cold air if not memorable fun.

And, in case you’re wondering if I’ll be attending, the answer is, “Ahhh, no.” I get cold easily.

Post from: The Boston Traveler