Around Town

Learn About Watertown Citizens Who Made History at New Library Display

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The portraits of eleven prominent figures from Watertown’s history have hung from street lamps along the town’s main thoroughfares since last July. Now, visitors can learn the stories behind the faces on the banners by exploring a new interactive digital display at the Watertown Free Public Library. In the display, photographs and documents from the library’s local history collection combine with biographical information to create a more complete portrait of each of the eleven banner subjects. The wide-ranging influence of these artists, entrepreneurs, activists, inventors, and explorers extends from patents to pulpits, architecture to abolition, Common Street to the U.S. Supreme Court. Some of their works—handwritten manuscripts, larger-than- life sculptures—are too fragile to touch, but all can be “handled” in digital format on the library’s interactive display.

Around Town

Historical Society Invites Public to “Dining Out Boston” Authors Talk and Slide Show

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The Historical Society of Watertown invites you to their March program:

Dining Out in Boston: A Culinary History
An Author’s Talk and Slide-show Lecture
Presented by James C. O’Connell

The event is on Wednesday, March 29, 2017 at 7 p.m at the Watertown Free Public Library’s Watertown Savings Bank Meeting Room, 123 Main Street, Watertown, MA 02472

The book Dining Out in Boston: A Culinary History (2016) is a comprehensive historical overview of the development of Boston’s restaurants. Boston has been one of America’s leading laboratories of urban culture, including restaurants, and its history provides valuable insights into American food ways. Dining Out in Boston explains how the city was a pioneer in elaborate hotel dining, oyster houses, French cuisine, ostentatious banquets, ice cream parlors, ethnic cooking, the colonial revival of traditional New England dishes, the “gourmet revolution,” student hangouts, and contemporary locavore and trendy foodie culture. Mr. O’Connell will talk about the food served at some of the historic restaurants covered in the book, which includes Julien’s Restorator (the city’s first restaurant), the Parker House, Durgin-Park, Union Oyster House, Locke-Ober, Café Marliave, Jacob Wirth, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Anthony’s Pier 4, Dini’s Sea Grill, Maison Robert, Bailey’s Ice Cream Shop, Longfellow’s Wayside Inn, and many long-forgotten eateries. Jim O’Connell is a planner for the Boston Regional Office of the National Park Service.

Entertainment

Come Hear Watertown Musicians, Young and Old, at MusicFest

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The Friends of Watertown Music (FoWM) presents its 6th annual MusicFest fundraiser, Friday, March 31, 5:30-9:30 p.m., at the Watertown Middle School, 68 Waverly Avenue, Watertown, MA. The event features over fifty performances by musicians by students, community members, and professional musicians, and an instrument petting zoo. Proceeds benefit the music program of the Watertown Public Schools. Suggested donations are $8/person and $25/family. T-shirts and other merchandise, pizza, and baked goods will also be on sale.

Government

Sen. Brownsberger, Rep. Hecht Hosting Meeting on Criminal Justice Reform

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Later this month, Senator Will Brownsberger will cohost two discussions on the push for criminal justice reform in Massachusetts. The events will feature an overview of the broad agenda for criminal justice reform in the 2017-2018 legislative session, followed by a general discussion, as Senator Brownsberger and his colleagues in the Legislature seek community feedback on the agenda and other criminal justice reform priorities. Allston/Brighton | Cohosted by State Representatives Kevin Hogan & Mike Moran
WHEN: Monday, March 27 from 6:30-8 p.m.
WHERE: Jackson Mann Community Center | 500 Cambridge St., Allston

Watertown | Cohosted by State Representative Jon Hecht
WHEN: Tuesday, March 28 from 6:30-8 p.m.
WHERE: Watertown Free Public Library | 123 Main St., Watertown

These events are free and open to the public. If you are unable to join Senator Brownsberger in Allston/Brighton or Watertown, please feel free to submit your thoughts directly by emailing William.Brownsberger@masenate.gov, or contribute to the conversation online at willbrownsberger.com! And stay tuned for more information as we finalize the details surrounding our community discussion on criminal justice reform in Boston, which will take place later this Spring!

Entertainment

Mosesian Center for the Arts Invites Public to ‘Ink & Drink’

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The Mosesian Center for the Arts invites you to Ink & Drink, an Opening Reception for: Big Print/Little Print – an Exhibition of Epic Proportions & Uniform T-shirt Show and Pop-Up Shop on March 23 from 5:30-8 p.m.

Big Print/Little Print is a diverse look at all forms of hand printing – from BIG to small, esoteric to accessible – featuring monoprint, letterpress, woodcut, linocut, etching and more. Uniform explores the rise of the t-shirt as a modern day uniform for young and old alike. Exhibiting artists will be on hand to answer questions about their art and technique. The evening celebration of these two complimentary exhibitions culminates with free munchies and a cash bar reception in our newly redesigned MBar café. Attendees are also invited to try their hand at screen printing.

Charity

Ed Walsh Foundation Hosting Fundraiser to Put More Books in Schools

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The Ed Wash Foundation, in memory of the fallen Boston firefighter and Watertown native, will host a Spring Fundraiser on March 24 featuring music, food and raffles. 

The event will be held on March 24, 2017 from 7 p.m.-midnight at the American Legion Post 440, 295 California St., Newton. Tickets cost $20 in advance or $25 at door Purchase tickets at bit.ly/March32417

Entertainment for the evening will be provided by Boston rock band Fenian Sons. Proceeds from the event will be used for the Smile-On Grant program that provides grant money to teachers, coaches, parents and specialists who help children in school and sports, according to the organizers. “Please help us by bringing a book for our book drive. Imagine a school without a library, or a home with no books to read when you get home from school.