New England Aquarium – Salem Happenings

Your Boston Accent: Love It or Lose It?

Do you park your car in Harvard Yard or do you pahk your cah in Hahvuhd Yahd? If you’re from anywhere in the vicinity of the Boston area, you’ve probably heard this phrase or some version of it at some point. In fact, it’s pretty much a guarantee that someone somewhere will ask you to demonstrate your Boston accent like you’re a trained chimpanzee whose sole purpose is to amuse the person who probably has an accent thicker than you do. Unfortunately, when you are presented with this question, you really only have two options: get mad and refuse or say the phrase. However, if you would like to shock and awe all of the people who ask to hear your accent, you may want to consider either learning to eliminate your accent (which will really shock them when you say the phrase in a way they are totally not expecting) or you can embrace your Boston heritage and brush up on your accent (thereby making sure that your accent is wicked pissa).

First, if you would like to lose your accent, you may want to consider taking a course at the Boston Center for Adult Education (BCAE). This is because the BCAE is offering a course entitled “Lose Your Boston Accent” from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. tomorrow (Saturday, November 21, 2015). This course, which is primarily designed for actors and other professionals who may need to speak in a more generic dialect, will teach you to pronounce your r’s, pronounce certain vowel sounds differently, and lose some of the Boston slang we’ve all come to know and love. For more information on the Lose Your Boston Accent course at the BCAE, please visit the Boston Center for Adult Education’s website.

If, on the other hand, you would like to embrace your heritage and really work on improving your accent, there’s no better way than spending some time in the city itself. And, if you would like to spend some time in the city itself and enjoy everything Boston has to offer, you may want to check out Boston CityPASS. Boston CityPASS is a program that will allow you to buy a booklet of tickets to some of the most popular museums in Boston at an extremely discounted price. In fact, this program will allow you to get tickets to four attractions, including the Museum of Science, the Museum of Fine Arts, the New England Aquarium, and either the Harvard Museum of Natural History or the Skywalk Observatory for a single fee that’s pretty close to half the price you would normally pay to get into all four museums. For more information on the Boston CityPASS program, please visit the Official Boston CityPASS website.

Photo credit: Bert Kaufmann / Foter.com / CC BY

The First Day of Spring

Today may be the first day of spring, but it certainly doesn’t look like it. In fact, looking out the window at the lightly falling snow, it looks a lot more like the first day of winter than the day that all of the buds are supposed to start becoming flowers once again. Some might even go as far as to say that it feels like we’re stuck in our own version of Groundhog Day reliving the same weather over and over again (and, who knows, maybe that’s what the groundhog was trying to say when he bit the mayor.) Fortunately, winter will eventually come to an end, and we’ll be able to start complaining about 90 degrees days and the fact that we could probably cook an egg on the sidewalk. However, until then, if you’re looking for a way to get outside and have some fun, you may want to check out the Revere Spring Carnival.

The Revere Spring Carnival, which is located in the Showcase Cinemas parking lot at 565 Squire Road in Revere, is a three-week event sponsored by the McCarthy-Trifone Recreation Committee. This event will feature all of your typical carnival fare, including rides, games, food, and a petting zoo. The Revere Spring Carnival is scheduled to open this Thursday (March 26, 2015) and will continue operating daily until April 19, 2015. For more information on the Carnival, please visit the Fiesta Shows website.

If, on the other hand, you’re really looking for something to do this weekend and/or you would prefer an activity that is more environmentally friendly, you may want to head over to the Franklin Park Zoo. This is because the Franklin Park Zoo is holding their World Water Day Celebration from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. Sunday (March 22, 2015.) This celebration will not only allow to you see all of the animals and engage in all of the fun that the zoo typically offers but will also teach you about the different ways that the zoo attempts to conserve water and the ways that you may be able to help conserve water at home. And, if that wasn’t enough, there will even be hands-on activities conducted by staff from the New England Aquarium. For more information on the World Water Day Celebration at Franklin Park Zoo, which is included in the zoo’s normal admission price, please visit the Zoo New England Events page.

Photo credit: Evil Erin / Foter / CC BY

Friday Fun: How to Beat the Heat

It may not officially be summertime yet, but the warm weather is definitely here. In fact, if you’re living in the Boston area or you’re planning to go just about anywhere in the Northeast this weekend, you’ll probably see temperatures in the mid 80’s to low 90’s. This means that while the weather may be perfect if you’re planning to spend a few hours outside, it’s going to be pretty hot if you’re planning on doing anything other than sitting or swimming. Fortunately, if you’re looking for a way to entertain your family without succumbing to the heat, there are some upcoming events that are conveniently located in air-conditioned buildings (or somewhere with a cool ocean breeze.)

The first place that you may want to check out if you’re looking for a way to beat the heat this weekend is the Boston Sailing Center. The Boston Sailing Center is offering free sailing cruises from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 1st. Each of these cruises will typically last approximately 20 to 30 minutes and will give you the opportunity to either sit back and relax as you cruise down the waterfront or try your hand at steering the boat. For more information on the Boston Sailing Center’s Free Sailing Open House, please visit the Boston Sailing Center website.

The second place that you may want to check out if you’re looking for a way to escape the heat this weekend is the New England Aquarium. The New England Aquarium is offering free admission to its IMAX theatre at 12:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 2nd. This means that you and your family will be able to see sharks, turtles, fish, and all of the other creatures that live in and around the coral reefs of the world (12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.) or more penguins than you’ve ever seen before (1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.) on one of the biggest screens you will ever see without paying a dime. For more information, please visit the New England Aquarium’s website.

The third and final place that you may want to check out if your kids are big fans of Harry Potter and you’re looking for somewhere cool to spend the day is the Museum of Fine Arts. The Museum of Fine Arts and Watson Adventures is holding a Wizard School Scavenger Hunt at 1:00 P.M. on Saturday. This event will allow kids ages 10 and up (even kids that are technically adults, but still kids at heart) to track down centaurs, dragons, giants, owls, unicorns, and other creatures and objects from the world of Harry Potter in the artwork of the museum. To find out more about the event or to register for it, please visit the Watson Adventures website.

Friday Fun: Mother’s Day

This weekend, as you may already know, is Mother’s Day weekend, which means that it is a time to celebrate all of the things that your mother has done for you and a time to apologize for all of the trouble that you have caused over the past year. Unfortunately, you’ve probably already realized that it’s not always easy to come up with a way to honor the incredible amount of time, effort, and money that your mother put into raising you. In fact, finding a way to atone for all of the mischief you may have caused when were younger (or are still causing) can be even more difficult, and if you’re one of the fine, upstanding individuals who totally forgot about the holiday, you may be desperately seeking a way to demonstrate your respect for your mother this weekend. Fortunately, if you’re at a loss as to what to do for your mother this Mother’s Day, you’ll be happy to know that there a number of events specifically designed to honor your mother occurring throughout the weekend.

First, if your mother has a favorite museum or a favorite hobby that is related to one of the museums in your local area, you may want to look into taking her there. Many museums have special events and/or discounts this weekend specifically for mothers, and your mother may be able to get into the museum for free or at a large discount, view special exhibits, have brunch with other mothers, and/or take part in a bunch of activities specifically geared towards mothers and their children. Some of the museums in the Northeast offering special exhibits, brunches, and/or free admission to mothers this weekend include the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire, the Discovery Museums, the Providence Children’s Museum, and the Museum of Fine Arts.

Secondly, if your mother isn’t really a big fan of museums, but she likes animals, you may want to check out your local zoo or aquarium. A large number of zoos and aquariums offer free admission, discounts on food and gifts, and other special offers for mothers this weekend. In fact, mothers living in the Boston area can get into the Franklin Park Zoo, the Stone Zoo, and the New England Aquarium for free on Sunday (although your mother will have to go with someone purchasing a full-priced ticket to take advantage of the Aquarium offer.)

Finally, if all else fails, you can always take your mother to her favorite restaurant. A lot of restaurants offer a special brunch or other special meals for mothers this weekend, and these meals can be a excellent way to celebrate the holiday and get some great food. However, it is important to remember that these brunches can be pretty pricey, and they tend to fill up fast. As a result, it is always a good idea to call ahead and make a reservation before you head over to the restaurant.