4 min read
It’s a Date!
Friday, Sept. 21
Photo courtesy of Brookline Arts Center
Wheels are turning: Get your pottery on at this Brookline Arts Center ceramics class
Do This
Make like Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze in Ghost (not literally!) at this Brookline Arts Center ceramics class. Teachers will guide you (no “Unchained Melody” reenactments here) through the basics of molding by hand and on the wheel. You’ll end up with two of your very own pots and creative bragging rights. You’re welcome to bring refreshments to snack on while you craft. No experience necessary.
Brookline Arts Center
6:30 pm–9:30 pm
$45/person
86 Monmouth St., Brookline
St. Mary’s T stop, limited street parking
Then What?
Photo courtesy of Deborah Hansen
Prawn shop: Enjoy authentic tapas like the grilled langostinos at Taberna de Haro
Walk a block to Taberna de Haro, an authentic Spanish tapas restaurant with an out-of-this-world wine list. Chef-owner Deborah Hansen spent eight years living in Spain, where she trained as a sommelier, and it shows. Sample classic small plates like croquetas and chorizo or experience entrees like the paella, crafted with new seasonal flavors daily. The only hard part about dining here is choosing from the list of over 325 Spanish wines to accompany your meal. We think it’s a challenge well worth taking on.
Taberna de Haro
5 pm–10 pm, Mon.–Thur.; 5 pm–11pm, Fri.–Sat.
$6–$24 tapas, $20–$36 entrees
999 Beacon St., Brookline
St. Mary’s T stop, limited street parking
Friends Zone
Sunday, Sept. 23
Do This
Photo courtesy of Branch Line
Basket case: The perfect picnic—from corn to cookies—prepared and presented by Branch Line
Start your adventure by picking up a spread from Branch Line in Watertown. The local rotisserie offers a to-go picnic featuring half a chicken, smoked Dijon baby back ribs, corn on the cob, pasta salad, and cookies for dessert. Spindrift sodas and all the utensils you need for the picnic are also included, which means you only need to remember the blanket. Picnics are also available for delivery via Caviar, a food courier service. Tip: For full effect, it’s BYOB (Bring Your Own Basket).
Branch Line
11 am–3 pm
$34/two people, $68/four people
321 Arsenal St., Watertown
Arsenal St. (opposite Talcott Ave.) stop on the 70 bus, on-site parking
Then What?
Photo courtesy of Boston Harbor Now
Feel the beat: Experience a jazz concert on the scenic Spectacle Island
Grab your picnic and take to the seas on a ferry to Spectacle Island in the Boston Harbor. As part of the Jazz on the Porch concert series hosted by Boston Harbor Now, the Yoko Kowata jazz trio will perform a smooth, bluesy Sunday show. Enjoy the music against the sound of the crashing waves on this island oasis just a half hour boat ride from the city. While you’re there, take a post-picnic hike to the top of the island for spectacular views of the city.
Spectacle Island
12:30 pm–3:30 pm
$19.95/round-trip ferry ticket
Boston Harbor Cruises Ferry Center – 66 Long Wharf, Boston
Aquarium T stop, $40/day parking at Boston Harbor Garage
Family Fun
Saturday, Sept. 22
Photo courtesy of the MFA
Grin and bear it: Reunite with childhood favorite Winnie at the MFA’s new exhibition
Do This
Celebrate the opening of the Winnie-the-Pooh: Exploring a Classic exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts with a day of child-friendly fun. Outside, families can play giant Jenga, cornhole, and milk bottle ring toss, and capture the good times in a photo booth. Hood will be giving away free milk and cookies and Hoodsies to satisfy your group’s sugary cravings. Inside, there will be a story hour and a station to make your own animal ears. Indoor activities require museum admission, and you must reserve a time slot in advance to see the exhibition.
Museum of Fine Arts Boston
Event: 10 am–3 pm
Free admission for outdoor activities; museum admission $25/adult, free for children under 18
465 Huntington Ave., Boston
Museum of Fine Arts T stop, parking $24/3 hours in the museum lot
Then What?
Photo: Celina Colby
Smoke show: Check out the Fog x FLO installation on the Emerald Necklace
Keep the interactive art coming with a visit to the Fog x Canopy installation, just a five-minute walk from the MFA. The exhibition Fog x FLO features five fog sculptures by Fujiko Nakaya around the Emerald Necklace to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the conservancy that maintains the Frederick Law Olmstead-designed park system. In kid terms, that means there will be a whole lotta fog that’s just begging to be played in. The art piece only runs for three minutes on the hour and half hour, so keep an eye on the timing to prevent restless kiddos.
Back Bay Fens
Every half hour 8 am–7 pm
Free
On the path between Clemente Field and the Muddy River
Museum of Fine Arts T stop, limited street parking
Then What?
Refuel from all the fun at Tapestry, Fenway’s dual-purpose neighborhood joint with a casual front room and an upscale back bar (think of it as a reverse mullet). The kid-friendly brunch menu offers breakfast pizza topped with scrambled eggs and caramelized pineapple and almond pancakes. If you were hoping to get them to eat something healthier, the menu also features a red quinoa bowl with charred broccoli and green shakshuka. We’ll leave you to fight that battle…
Tapestry
10:30 am–2:30 pm
$1–$8 sides, $7–$18 entrees
69 Kilmarnock St., Boston
Fenway T stop, limited street parking
