The Boston Traveler

Boston is the place to be this Saturday, August 2, when the fifth annual Peace Hip Hop Festival kicks off on City Hall Plaza from 4pm to 8pm.
Among the event’s many highlights is the scheduled appearance of hip-hop artists EPMD (which stands for “Erick and Parrish Making Dollars,” in case you’re curious), also known as New York emcees Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith. The East Coast hip-hop specialists’ partnership goes all the way back to 1988. And if that’s not enough — and I can’t imagine why it wouldn’t be — Chubb Rock and Das EFX are also …read more

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Iconic Grateful Dead musician Jerry Garcia passed away on August 9, 1995, but his death hasn’t stopped or even lessened the adoration his many fans still feel for him. Case in point: This Friday, the Boston branch of the famous restaurant Hard Rock Cafe will host a birthday bash in honor of Garcia’s August 1 birth date. And it will only cost you $15 to attend.
If Garcia was still alive, he would be 66 years old on Friday. To celebrate, Hard Rock Cafe has booked local Grateful Dead tribute band Playin’ Dead to headline a concert that …read more

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Movie buffs have yet another venue to check out this weekend for some intriguing films normally unavailable at local multiplexes. Made possible through a collaboration of Arts, Culture & Trade (ACT) Roxbury and Color of Film Collaborative, the 2008 edition of the Roxbury Film Festival presents a program of movies featuring the work of people of color.
The tenth annual festival will run until Sunday night, August 3, with a stellar lineup screened in Cambridge and Boston-area theaters, many augmented by Q&A sessions with the actors and filmmakers responsible for creating the movies.
Weekend highlights include:
Friday: “Jellysmoke,” which stars Michael …read more

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First it was the Bard days on Boston Common, and now it’s the Bard days in Harvard Square. From Friday, August 1, to Sunday, August 3, the Harvard Square Business Association will host Shakespeare in the Square.
The free outdoor theatrical performances will feature the work of the Actors Shakespeare Project, American Repertory Theatre, and Revels. On the schedule are:
Shakespeare Slams: Eighteen performers from the American Repertory Theatre’s A.R.T. Institute for Advanced Theatre Training use culture, movement, and music to make Shakespeare more appealing to a varied modern audience. The “Boston Globe” calls it “[t]heatre that cries out …read more

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Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Art has a series of fun, interesting, and free summer events coming up in the next couple of weeks that are appropriate for the entire family, as well as both residents and visitors.
Harborwalk Sounds

July 31 — Soul and jazz music with Sol Melodiq
August 7 — Groove music with Zach Hillyard Band
August 14 — Funk, Jazz, and Soul music with Cole Degenova
*All concerts are from 6pm–8:30pm and have limited space

Summer Stages Dance — Sara Rudner
Dancing-on-View: The ICA Variations
Choreographer Sara Rudner performs a four-hour celebration of dance on Saturday, July 26, and Sunday, July 27, from 12–4pm. …read more

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On Tuesday, August 5, the South End hotspot The Beehive will entertain guests with a unique performance by Pinchbottom Burlesque from 9pm to 1am. There’s no cover charge to get in on the fun, and a cash bar will be available.
Pinchbottom Burlesque is a New York production company formed by the performing duo Nasty Canasta, who hails from Boston, and Jonny Porkpie. Together, they present themed burlesque shows for audiences that combine striptease with assorted other acts relevant to the theme of the moment, which also includes a plot and a script, just like a regular old stage …read more

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This is a very familiar sight in Boston lately since every day seems to bring yet another thunderstorm. Add periods of torrential rain — complete with booming thunder and startling lightning flashes — that are causing flash floods all over, and you can envision exactly what it looks like fairly regularly around these parts this summer. As a result, if you’re visiting Boston, make sure you don’t leave your hotel room or other lodging without an umbrella, no matter how deceptively sunny it looks outside at the time.
FYI: The photo above shows Boston and Cambridge in the early …read more

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I’ve recently written several posts about family-friendly things, so now it’s time to talk about stuff for adults only.
Boston Globe staffers have done those of us who imbibe alcoholic beverages a great favor. They conducted a survey of sorts that involved sampling numerous drinks at numerous locations to compile a list of Ten Tasty Drinks best indulged in during the summertime.
If you’re in or around the city and can’t decide which drink from your normal repertoire will satisfy your taste buds most, the following suggestions might help get you thinking in the right direction. Make sure to also …read more

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Canadian Rockies-themed Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse currently has a nice special in progress for diners with children. On Tuesday Family Nights through August 26, 2008, children 10 years old and under eat free after 4pm. The special, which includes an ice cream dessert but no beverage, only applies when orders are selected from the Children’s Menu. Just one child’s meal is free per accompanying adult meal purchase.
Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse is an award-winning, moderately priced U.S.-based restaurant chain with branches in ten states: Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. In …read more

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Planning a family-friendly vacation in Boston doesn’t have to cost a lot of money, especially if a substantial portion of your itinerary focuses on enjoying the many nature-based attractions in and around the city. Since no matter where you go in Boston you’re never too far from a body of water, it’s fitting that one of the most popular activities in the area consists of hopping on a boat and taking a scenic tour of the region’s sights, many with deep historic ties.
The go-to company for a trip along the Charles River and Boston Harbor is the Charles Riverboat …read more

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