The Weekender: May 9 to 12
Lady Gaga, lilacs, bikes, and udon
Seniors, the final countdown to graduation has begun. Senior Week begins Saturday and Commencement is around the corner. For Senior Week, there are trips to Six Flags amusement park on Saturday and Foxwoods Resort Casino on Sunday, the Lansdowne Takeover on Monday night, the Grand Boston nightclub on Tuesday night, day trips around New England on Wednesday (Martha’s Vineyard, Newport, R.I., and Burlington, Vt.), and finally, a celebration on the Lawn On D Thursday night. And this weekend many may take advantage of a final chance to explore the city before graduation. We’ve put together a list of great options in and around Boston that will make your last days as an undergrad memorable. Take a look in our guide “The Weekender.” And if you have suggestions for other events or places to visit, leave them in the Comment section below.
Futago Udon
Futago Udon opened in February in the heart of Audubon Circle, replacing Jimmy John’s next door to Mei Mei in South Campus. The new eatery is known for its house-made Japanese noodles, served hot and cold in a variety of bases, including sweet and savory broth, and egg and curry soups. Diners can select from four signature udon bowls: miso carbonara (creamy sauce with egg yolks, bacon, and parmesan), uni cream (sea urchin cream sauce topped with uni mentaiko, snow crab, and sesame), sukiyaki (Angus beef ribeye, tofu, napa, enoki, and poached egg), and niku (beef short rib and honeycomb tripe). They’re all delicious.
Futago Udon, 508 Park Drive, is open Monday through Saturday, 11:30 am to 3 pm and 5 to 10 pm, and Sunday, noon to 9:30 pm.
Futago Udon, in South Campus, offers four signature bowls: miso carbonara, uni cream, sukiyaki, and niku. Photo courtesy of @futago_udon
Eureka Puzzles
Indulge your playful side at Eureka Puzzles, a mecca for board game and puzzle lovers in Coolidge Corner. It’s the place to find a gift for that hard-to-please friend. Shoppers can peruse more than 10 different categories of games, among them chess, brain games, mechanical puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, science and STEM, and toys. Visit the store in person or shop online. Eureka also offers entertainment for weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, corporate events, and more. Starting in June, guests are invited to stop by on Tuesday nights from 5 to 8 pm for its Summer Game Nights. Eureka turns the walkway next door into an outdoor mecca for games and fun for visitors of all ages.
Eureka Puzzles, 1349 Beacon St., Brookline, is open Monday through Thursday, 10 am to 7 pm, Friday and Saturday, 10 am to 8 pm, and Sunday, 11 am to 6 pm.
Coolidge Corner’s Eureka Puzzles is a mecca for board game and puzzle lovers.
Lilac Sunday at the Arnold Arboretum
Celebrate spring this Sunday at the Arnold Arboretum’s annual Lilac Sunday, held each May on Mother’s Day. The daylong festival gives visitors a chance to explore the spectacular collection of lilacs (179 different varietals)—it’s one of the best in North America. Take a self-guided tour or check out other collections featuring thousands of species of trees, shrubs, and vines on 45-minute tours throughout the day. Those looking to unwind can enjoy live music performances by the Boston Symphony Orchestra String Quartet at 11 and 11:45 am, the BSO Children’s Choir at 12:30 pm, and the Sheila del Bosque Jazz Trio at 1:30 and 2:15 pm near the Centre Street Gate. Last, don’t forget your picnic basket—Lilac Sunday is the only day of the year that food is allowed inside the arboretum gates. Guests are urged to take public transportation, as parking is limited.
Lilac Sunday at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, 125 Arborway, Jamaica Plain, is Sunday, May 12, 10 am to 3 pm. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. Take an MBTA Orange Line train to Forest Hills.
Bay State Bike Week
Boston has long been a center of urban cycling and in honor of National Bike Month, local groups are hosting hundreds of rides, panel discussions, and community meet-ups around the commonwealth from May 11 to 19. Connect with other bicycle riders, commuters, and enthusiasts in the Boston area during the weeklong series of events, which include the Wells Ave Training Criterium race, open to cyclists of all skill levels, in Newton on Sunday, a discussion about the restoration of Beacon Street’s bridle path on Monday, and a Pancake Day celebration at the Broadway Bicycle School on Tuesday.
Prices and locations vary for Bay State Bike Week events, from May 11 to 19. Find more information on how to attend a Bike Week event or host one of your own here.
Visitors to the Lady Gaga Experience at the Museum of Science Planetarium will be treated to a dazzling projection of surreal visuals while listening to the Oscar-winning pop star’s hit songs. Photo courtesy of the Museum of Science
The Lady Gaga Experience at the Museum of Science
Are you a fan of the latest remake of A Star Is Born? Then head over to the Museum of Science this weekend to catch the latest in the Music Under the Dome program. Sit back, relax, and immerse yourself in the Lady Gaga Experience. Listen to many of the greatest hits by the pop star turned Oscar winner, while imaginative visuals unfold on the ceiling of the Charles Hayden Planetarium dome. Seats in the dome allow spectators to lean back at an angle so they can watch a projection above, displaying cutting-edge visuals synched to the songs. Created as part of the museum’s experimental SubSpace Project, an initiative to bring new and innovative work to the museum, the Music Under the Dome program features some of music’s greatest icons. Next after Lady Gaga, the museum will showcase Radiohead and Rihanna this summer.
The Lady Gaga Experience is each Friday and Saturday night through May 31 at the Museum of Science, One Science Park, Boston. The show begins at 7:30 pm. Admission is $10 and the event is 18+ only. Purchase tickets online. Take an MBTA Green Line trolley to Lechmere.
Senior Abigail Freeman (COM) can be reached at anfree@bu.edu.
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