Volunteer Event! Kicking It With The Kids

It's time to get out there with the kids at the West End House!

On Wednesday, September 23 from 5-7pm, OYFP will be at the West End House in Allston, playing games in their sweet gym (see left) or unleashing our creative spirits in the art studio with the grade schoolers at WEH.

Volunteers can spend their time in the gym, in the studio, or mix it up and spend an hour in each.

And for those of you who can't get swing by at 5, feel free to come by at 6 for the last hour -- it'll be a great time! To make sure volunteers can really interact with the children, we're capping the number of volunteers at 15. Please email David at david.dsilva@oyfp.org to claim your spot.

Bring your gym shoes and your smocks and we'll see you there!

Picture courtesy of the West End House

5th Annual Taste of Fort Point Channel - Free Food & Music

VOLUNTEERS are needed for the 5th Annual Taste of Fort Point Channel hosted by the Friends of Fort Point Channel on Thursday, September 17th from 12noon-1:30pm at the Children's Museum Wharf Park next to the Boston Children's Museum.

The 5th Annual Taste of Fort Point Channel is a dining event featuring 15 local Fort Point restaurants that will serve up samples of their signature dishes for the public during lunchtime! This event is FREE and will feature live music and a variety of cuisine!

The Friends of Fort Point Channel are expecting about 1500 people at the event!

Details:
Date: Thursday, September 17th
Time: 12noon-1:30pm
Location: Children's Museum Wharf Park next to the Boston Children's Museum, 300 Congress Street, Boston, Ma 02210
List of restaurants

They are looking for volunteers from 11:30 – 2:00 to help welcome people as they arrive and give them a map of the area. If you or your friends are interested, please contact events@friendsoffortpointchannel.org.

Friends of Fort Point Channel is a nonprofit organization committed to making the Fort Point Channel an exciting and welcoming destination for all of Boston’s residents, workforce and visitors.

The Canary Project

I work for a very green company in a very green workplace, so it was no surprise to me when the founders of the Canary Project paid us a visit to educate us about their work. The Project "produces visual media, events, and artwork that build public understanding of human-induced climate change and energize commitment to solutions." Edward Morris and his wife and photographer for the project, Susannah Sayler have travelled the world (I won't pretend I'm not a little bit jealous) photographing areas affected by climate change. The Canary Project successfully melds art and activism and is an interesting new way to inform and inspire. Check it out!

Shepard Fairey - New ICA exhibit

The ICA has opened a new exhibition Shepard Fairey: Supply & Demand. I went there yesterday, and the different layers and materials he uses for his work are definitely something worth checking out.

This is a first museum survey of Shepard Fairey, the influential street artist who created the now iconic Obama poster, on the 20th anniversary of the Obey Giant campaign.

You probably have seen his work all around the city (commissioned to accompany his exhibit), it has appeared on street signs and buildings around the world.

Featuring over 80 works, Shepard Fairey: Supply & Demand traces the artist’s career over 20 years, from the Obey Giant stencil to screen prints of political revolutionaries and rock stars to recent mixed-media works.

So - I highly recommend you go see the exhibit while its still in town! And keep an eye out for a future OYFP charity event at the ICA...

Related Posts: The 'other' First Friday; Clothing as self-expression; India Vogue: The haves and the have nots

Photos courtesy of the ICA.

Clothing as Self Expression

With the upcoming OYFP charity fashion show this Thursday, my thoughts this week have turned to clothing. Just exactly why do we take it so seriously? And when does this obsession (for some of us) start?

In every culture, communication is not just what comes out of our mouth, it's our body language, it's how we fashion our hair, it's who we gather around us, it's what we put on our bodies, that communicates our message to those who know us (or don't).

Typically we start to become more aware of what we put on our bodies when we're teens. "Mom, I cannnnn'tttttt wear that!!!!! NO NO no NO No No!" This is the period when we're a little bit lost (psychologically) and trying to fit in with our identified group until we figure it all out, and it is of upmost importance we don't misstep, though invariably we always do.

Really, though, this doesn't change much even as we age. We continue throughout our lives to wear clothing similar to that of our friends, or perhaps similar to that of people with whom we would like to be friends. Researchers have postulated that clothing helps us satisfy our "higher order needs" of belonging and self-esteem. Some adults take it even farther - for them, clothing has been found to contribute to a sense of well-being or quality of life.

Think about it - we all have that favorite t-shirt or dress, and it's not only because of how it fits, but because of how it makes us feel. Even guys who proclaim "I don't care what I wear" can't help but feel good when they're wearing that blue tshirt that they know makes their eyes look good, or a suit that makes them look sharp.

So. Where do you fall on the scale of caring about what you wear? Or don't you?

Related Posts: Who is Happier?; How to be Happier
Related Events: OYFP Fashion Show, Nov 13 from 8 PM to 11 PM. Tickets are just $20, all proceeds go to Christopher's Haven.

This blog post was based on research I read about from the paper Clothing in the Self-System of Adolescents by M. Suzanne Sontag, Mihaela Peteu, and Jongnam Lee (1997).

designgive - creativity is a gift

designgive is an apparel retail web site created by designers who donate a portion of every sale to charity. They sell mostly t-shirts, long-sleeve shirts and hoodies. One dollar of every shirt sold is donated to charity.

“As artists we were given a talent to create, it's up to you to use those talents to try and make a difference in the world.”

The buyer can choose where their donation will go from some of the largest and most far-reaching charitable organizations in the world. These groups include:

- American Diabetes Association - diabetes affects an estimated 20 million men, women and children in the United States. Out of each dollar spent by the ADA, 78 cents support research, advocacy and services for people affected by the disease.

- American Cancer Society – invests nearly $3 billion annually in cancer research since 1946. Cancer kills more than a half a million Americans each year, equaling more than 1,500 deaths per day. In the United States, cancer accounts for one of every four deaths.

- UNICEF - or the United Nations Children's Fund, provides humanitarian aid to children and mothers in developing countries. With staff in over 150 countries and territories, UNICEF is the world's leading children's organization. Contributions also support humanitarian support in the Sudan, where a $3 donation can buy a large wool blanket to protect children from the cold during an emergency.

- American Red Cross - provides relief to victims of disasters and provides respond to emergencies. The organization responds to more than 70,000 disasters each year.

- Make-a-Wish Foundation - is the country's largest wish-granting organization for children suffering from life-threatening medical conditions. The foundation has granted almost 150,000 wishes since it was founded in 1980.

- American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals - is the oldest humane organization in the United States. It has worked for over 140 years to eliminate injustices toward animals.

- Children with AIDS Charity – supports children diagnosed with pediatric HIV and AIDS. The group uses donations to fund its three-pronged approach of education, transport assistance and financial support to children and families affected by the disease.

designgive encourages designers who would like to participate in this project to contact them. Each design appearing on the designgive site will feature the artists name as well as a brief "About the Artist" section. To contact designgive check out their contact page.

“Creativity was a gift to you, now is your chance to give something back. Contribute to designgive, and realize your cause for design.”

http://www.designgive.com/

St. Patrick’s Day 2008

St. Patrick's Day is almost upon us. In the United States we officially celebrate St. Patrick's Day on March 17. In Boston, we celebrate St. Patrick's Day for about three weeks in March.

St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, would be proud. This year, South Boston’s Saint Patrick's Day Parade will be held on Sunday, March 16, 2008 at 1:00 p.m. The parade begins at the Broadway 'T' Station, it proceeds down West Broadway to East Broadway, to East 4th, to 5th Street and around Thomas Park. Marchers continue to Telegraph Street, to Dorchester Street, ending at Andrew Square.

In addition to marching, dancing the jig, gathering to sing songs, wearing green garb, and of course drinking Guinness and Jameson's Irish Whisky there are many other things to do around town. Here are a few:

- Laser U2. (March 14-15) U2 laser-light show at The Museum of Science. 8:30 p.m. $6.50 for adults.

- Celtic Invasion. (March 15) The Orpheum will showcase Ireland's top young boxing prospects as they face up-and-coming American fighters. 7-11 p.m. 21+, ID required. Tickets range from $40-$125

- Eastern Standard (March 15) is offering a prix-fixe Irish breakfast from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 15. Your choices will include white liver pudding, sunny-side up eggs, soda bread with Irish jams, boxty (traditional Irish potato pancake), Guinness braised beef, and poached egg. Cost is $14, which does not include beverages and gratuity.

- Ned Devine's Irish Pub. (March 15-16) Irish breakfast will be served this weekend beginning at 10 a.m. The pub's traditional Irish lunch and dinner menu, including corned beef and cabbage, beef stew, and fish and chips, will be served until 11 p.m.

- The Black Rose (March 17) will host WFNX as they broadcast live beginning at 6 a.m. on St. Patrick's Day. The first 100 people to arrive will get a free Irish breakfast. Live performance by Saint Poitin and an acoustic performance by Louis XIV. Visit FNXRADIO.com and you may just win a trip for two to Ireland.

- Blarney Stone Bar (March 16-17) will have traditional boiled dinner and shepherd’s pie on the menu Sunday and Monday.

- Doyle's Cafe is great on St. Patrick's Day. There's live Irish music and The Boston Police Gaelic Column of Pipes and Drums often stop here to entertain the crowd.

- The Burren in Davis Square will be serving a full Irish breakfast, and doors open at 8 a.m. At noon, Irish music will play in the front bar while McGowan's Rovers play back followed by Johnny Come Lately's and Spike Island. WAAF will broadcast from The Burren at 8 a.m.

- Dropkick Murphys (March 16-17) Boston's favorite Irish punk band will being playing the Paradise Rock Club for two nights. Doors open at 7 p.m., show starts at 8. thedise.com

- 'Bee Irish!' (March 17) The Bee Hive is celebrating in Irish Style. 5 p.m.-2 a.m. No cover charge. (617) 423.0069. beehiveboston.com

- Boston's Irish Heritage Trail: “The Irish Heritage Trail is a self-guided, three mile walking tour (click for map) that takes you through Boston's downtown, North End, Beacon Hill and Back Bay. You'll learn about famous politicians, artists, matriarchs and war heroes, part of a rich tradition of rebellion, leadership and triumph that personifies the Boston Irish. Tour starts at the Rose Kennedy Garden along the waterfront and proceeds throughout downtown Boston and into the Back Bay, ending up at the John Boyle O’Reilly Memorial in the Fens, not far from Fenway Park.”

No matter what you do this St. Patrick’s Day, “May luck be your companion. May friends stand by your side. May history remind us all, of Ireland's faith and pride. May God bless us with happiness and may love and faith abide.”

The Other "First Friday"

Everyone in Boston proper has heard of the meat market for 30-somethings that is the MFA's "First Friday" event--for the price of museum admission, you're invited to shmooze and flirt in one of the museum's grand halls. But here are my gripes: there's selection at the cash bar is small, appetizers aren't worth their price, the crowd is kind of dull, and the art is always the same in that hall of the museum.

So, when a friend asked if I was up for "first friday" tomorrow, I said no thanks. I dunno, it's just kind of a trite evening.

HOWever, turns out she was referring to the OTHER First Friday, at the Boston Center for the Arts:

"First Fridays are an important event in the South End, showcasing the premeir performing and visual arts and artists of our time. Artists working in studios at the BCA include painters, printmakers, sculptors, filmmakers, craftspeople, writers, performing artists, and others."

The BCA also provides affordable studio space to local artists, and I believe that the FF open studio showcases their work (see samples lifted from the BCA website below.)


Did you say local_artist_community? with new featured works every month? Sounds like a winner to me.

If you've been to the BCA's FF, drop me a note to let me know how it is~