Somerville non-profit The Welcome Project is celebrating the community’s immigrant flavor, in partnership with the City’s Shape Up Somerville healthy restaurant campaign, Shape Up Approved – Eat Well. The 2014 YUM: A Taste of Immigrant City event will celebrate a city proud of its diverse immigrant history and celebrated for its growing foodie scene celebration. All YUM eateries are part of the city’s Shape Up Approved – Eat Well campaign, which makes Somerville a healthier place to live, work, play and eat by highlighting healthier menu options at participating restaurants.

 
Through a partnership with the Great American Rain Barrel Company in Hyde Park, MA, the City of Somerville is offering rain barrels to Somerville residents at a discount to help conserve water and save money. Barrels can be purchased through April 5 by visiting www.greatamericanrainbarrel.com. Click on “Shop Local Programs,” and search for Somerville. Somerville residents may purchase the barrels at a cost of $69, a 40% discount from regular retail price. Barrels are available in Forest Green, Earth Brown, or Nantucket Gray.

James Force et al — a.k.a. Subpar Co-star — will be presenting his music and green vest at Bull McCabe’s on April 4.

By Blake Maddux

James Force is a tall, curly-haired redhead and self-described “lo-fi bohemian.” He records and performs under the alias Subpar Co-star. His influences run the gamut from writers such as Aesop and Shel Silverstein to musicians as diverse as Tom Petty, Weezer, and Nine Inch Nails.

By Jeremy F. van der Heiden

Saturday, April 12 is fashion day in Union Square as “Kawaii-Me: A Behind-the-Scenes Beauty Experience” takes center stage.

Union Square has served as a central hub for Main Street stores in the past several years, with countless fashion shops, niche eateries and stylish retailers making the Somerville neighborhood even more colorful. It will also be the location for “Kawaii-Me: A Behind-the-Scenes Beauty Experience,” which is scheduled to take place Saturday, April 12 at The Uniun, 3 Sanborn Court, Somerville.

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

I remember the bowling alley (behind Wedgewood Crane and Connolly) where the T station is now on College Avenue (it was in the back and to the left of the train in the picture). There was a pretty bad fire there that basically destroyed it. The day after the fire, my friends and I actually went inside exploring.

Join Keshet’s Transgender Working Group and the LGBT Liaison to the City of Somerville for a picture book reading and activities! The activity is geared toward families, but all are invited to attend!

We’ll read aloud from a Transgender-themed children’s book and discuss how it may affect us through the lens of Jewish culture and tradition. Keshet’s Transgender Working Group works for transgender inclusion and offers education, programs and social support for Jews who are transgender and their allies.

The back of Cheryl Hirshman’s ‘Field Hands.’

The Somerville Winter Farmers’ Market at the Armory will throw the spotlight on local artist Cheryl Hirshman March 29.

“Field Hands: A Celebration of ‘Hand’ Work and the Family Farmer” will feature a recent installation piece by Hirshman focusing on the “artistry” involved with work performed by farmers. Hirshman invites the public to participate in the project by writing about farmers, farms, food and nutrition on prepared work gloves, which will then be added to the installation and exhibited across the country.

The Mount Vernon Restaurant in Somerville will play host to the newest comedy room in Massachusetts called “The  Joke is On You” on Saturday night March 29 at 8:30 pm.

Paul Nardizzi (appearances on Conan O’Brien), Gary Leavitt (“The Wizard of Stars”/celebrity impressionist) and the “Wicked Funny” Dan Miller will be performing opening night.

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

By Stella M. Johansson

During my college years I bartended at Connolly’s, a working-class saloon on Oakland’s Telegraph Avenue. We didn’t spoil customers with over-priced drinks and brownnosing service. We spoiled them with $2.50 bottles of Bud and an empathetic ear.

Constructed from approximately 6,350 LEGO® bricks, model will be on display at Boston Public Library March 28 – April 5

In a preview of what visitors will discover at LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Boston, a replica of the iconic Boston Public Library will be unveiled Friday, March 28 at 11 a.m. in the library’s Johnson Lobby. The 2.6-square foot replica, which was constructed from approximately 6,350 bricks and took 47 hours to design and build, will be on display until April 5 at Boston Public Library, the first large free municipal library in the U.S.