The Weekender: February 24 to 27

Eat, shop, go

We’re nearly there: we’ve hit the last weekend in February, the days are getting noticeably longer, and spring is around the corner…almost. But first we have another winter storm to get through on Friday. Looking for ideas for how to spend this winter weekend? We’ve got some great ones—from dance to opera, an unforgettable planetarium show inspired by Beyoncé, and more. Take a look.

Kimchipapi Kitchen

Kimchipapi Kitchen offers delicious, authentic Korean food, including Korean street corn dogs, poke bowls, kimchipapi fried chicken, and dem truffle fries. Restaurant owner Joon Son has created a comfortable atmosphere, with free Wi-Fi. The reasonable prices and relaxed vibe make this a perfect spot for college students.

Kimchipapi Kitchen, 81 Harvard Ave., Allston, is open Monday to Thursday, 11:30 am to 9:30 pm, Friday and Saturday, 11:30 am to 1:30 am, and Sunday, 11:30 am to 8:30 pm.

Commonwealth Books

In the heart of Downtown Crossing, just steps from the MBTA State stop, Commonwealth Books is a bookworm’s paradise. The used bookstore, which has been a fixture since 1995, offers over 40,000 titles, ranging from medieval manuscripts to recent fiction. The store is noted for collections focused on the arts, architecture, religion, and philosophy, but you’ll also find recently published mysteries and other fiction and nonfiction works. And the shop boasts an extensive collection of old prints and engravings—some hundreds of years old—as well as antique maps and rare or first edition art, poetry, and literature. You can lose yourself for hours here. 

Commonwealth Books, 9 Spring Lane, Boston, is open Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm, and Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm. The store also offers private shopping appointments—call 401-487-0128. 

Museum of Science: The Beyoncé Experience 

This dazzling 40-minute show pairs the music of Grammy Award–winning megastar Beyoncé with stunning visuals projected onto the museum’s Charles Hayden Planetarium dome. The experience is part of the museum’s ongoing series Music Under the Dome. 

The Beyoncé Experience is Friday, February 25, at 8:30 pm at the Museum of Science, One Science Park, Boston. The event is for 18-plus only. There are a limited number of tickets, which begin at $10, still available. They can be purchased online or by calling 617-723-2500. Face masks are required.

‘Froca Fitness at The Dance Complex

Looking for a new kind of workout? This hour-long dance class draws on movements and dances from across Africa and the Caribbean, including from Madagascar, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Jamaica, and Trinidad. Instructor Sylver Rochelin Randrianantenaina, who created the dance and fitness program, describes it as a joyful celebration of traditional and contemporary African dance and music. The class is sure to have you break a sweat while offering a new cultural experience and a sense of excitement.

‘Froca Fitness is at The Dance Complex, 536 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, on Saturday, February 26, at noon. Classes are $16. Find more information here or call The Dance Complex at 617-547-9363. 

If I Were You

The College of Fine Arts School of Theatre and Opera Institute are staging a production of If I Were You, a 2019 two-act opera with music by Jake Heggie and libretto by Gene Scheer. Based on the 1947 novel Si J’etais Vous by Julian Green, the opera is a modern retelling of the Faust story. A young writer, Fabian Hart, makes a deal with the devil and is granted the power to move his soul from person to person. The catch: he cannot return to his original body or he will die and the devil will collect his soul. Does he choose to live forever as other people or die for love as himself? Find out. 

If I Were You plays at the Joan & Edgar Booth Theater, 820  Commonwealth Ave., Thursday, February 24, through Saturday, February 26, at 7:30 pm, and Sunday, February 27, at 2 pm. Tickets are $20, free with your BU ID, subject to availability. Reserve tickets here.