2014 has finally come to an end, and a new year and the winter weather that often comes with it is certainly upon us. In fact, as I sit here typing this post, I can see that my thermometer has thawed just enough to actually inform me that the temperature has moved from a delightful “freeze your extremities off” reading of 19 degrees to a “seemingly warm by New England in January standards” reading of 24 degrees. Now, I know what you’re probably thinking. Five degrees is not really much of a difference, but trust me, when the temperature starts to drop that low, every degree starts to feel like an ice age approaching or a sweltering heat wave (probably because you have thirteen layers of clothing on.) However, just because it’s cold enough that you could use your porch as your own personal freezer doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t have some fun this weekend. And, if fun is what you’re looking for this weekend, there are a number of places that will allow you to embrace the ice of the season or fan the flames to melt it away.
First, if you’re just looking for a way for you and your kids to embrace the icy magic of the season, you may want to check out the Snowflake Festival. The Snowflake Festival, which is scheduled to take place at the Brookline Arts Center from 12:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. tomorrow (Saturday, January 3, 2015), is a winter arts and crafts festival. This festival will allow you and your family to decorate cookies, learn about Monoprinting as part of a special free workshop, make brass and copper bracelets as part of a special workshop, make paper snowflakes and other wintery creations, eat cake in honor of the Center’s 50th anniversary, and more. For more information on the Snowflake Festival and Open House at the Brookline Arts Center, please visit the Brookline Arts Center website.
If, on the other hand, you’ve decided that you’re not really ready for this whole winter thing (and, really who above the age of 21 is ever truly ready), the Fire and Ice Festival in Boston may help you embrace the season or, at the very least, stave off the cold a little longer. The Fire and Ice Festival, which will occur at the Lawn on D at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (BCEC), runs from 4:00 to 8:00 P.M. tonight (January 2, 2015) and 11:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. Saturday and Sunday (January 3 – 4, 2015.) This festival will feature all things fire and ice, including an entire labyrinth made of nearly 300 giant ice blocks, fire pits, fire dancers, fire eaters, jugglers (with flaming objects of course), and a whole lot more. For more information on the Fire and Ice Festival in Boston, please visit the Official Lawn on D website.
Finally, if you’re just looking for somewhere good to eat that will certainly have the warm food you need to beat back the cold, you can always try my personal favorite, Fire and Ice. Fire and Ice, which has locations in Boston, Cambridge, Providence, Anaheim, and Lake Tahoe, is a create-your-own dish restaurant that will allow you to choose from dozens and dozens of different vegetables, meats, noodles, and sauces. Professional cooks will then take all of the ingredients that you have chosen, throw them on a grill, and cook you a meal that you certainly won’t forget. And best of all, if you chose a sauce or some other ingredients that you’re not really thrilled with, you can always go back up and try again because Fire and Ice is setup somewhat like a buffet. For more information on Fire and Ice, please visit the Fire and Ice website.
Photo credit: Furryscaly / IWoman / CC BY-SA
