The Weekender: March 17 to 20

El Jefe’s, 957 Comm Ave.

Eat, shop, go

After a relaxing (we hope) Spring Break, we trust you’re ready to get back to the second semester grind. We’ve compiled a list of some restaurants and shops and a new Allston music venue to check out, if you find free time in between laundry and study sessions.

El Jefe’s Taqueria

With a new spot on Comm Ave near West Campus, local favorite El Jefe’s Taqueria serves reasonably priced and delicious authentic Mexican food. The restaurant—which has six other locations around Boston and in Bethlehem, Pa.—are all open past midnight for those late-night cravings. Their tacos, burritos, and bowls come with your choice of protein (like carne asada, carnitas, or sauteed shrimp), and then you can go crazy with the free toppings: Mexican rice, refried beans, plantains, guacamole, and all types of salsas. Although famous for their under $10 burritos, they offer other items, such as  sopas (soups like chicken tortilla and Mexican chili), salads, and quesadillas. They serve breakfast, too.

El Jefe’s Taqueria, 957 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, is open daily from 8 am to 1 am.

Blunch

This neighborhood kitchen in the South End offers an expansive menu of pressed sandwiches, fresh salads, and desserts. Established in 2008, the restaurant is woman-owned and -operated, and was featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Some standout items: The Piglet, a sandwich stuffed with smoked bacon and black forest ham, a goat cheese salad, and the triple chocolate chip cookies. The cozy restaurant bakes desserts fresh daily and has daily specials.

Blunch, 59 East Springfield St., Boston, is open Monday to Friday from 8 am to 3 pm.

Vivant Vintage

An eclectic and unique thrift store, Vivant Vintage specializes in local artist-made products and affordable secondhand apparel and decorations. The store has a vast selection of vintage T-shirts, dresses, accessories, and even crystals. Vivant Vintage also offers wardrobe and prop rentals and styling services for those working on a production or film. Keep track of their sales by giving them a follow on Instagram.

Vivant Vintage, 318 Lincoln St., Allston, is open daily from 11 am to 6 pm.

Roadrunner

Live music fans should check out the new Allston spot Roadrunner, a midsize venue that can hold up to 2,000 people on the floor and another 1,500 in the balcony. In a recent write-up of the space, the Boston Globe described it as a perfect venue for established “burgeoning performers or midsized acts,” and “a bridge between smaller local music clubs—Great Scott, Sinclair, Royale—and arenas, like Agganis Arena and TD Garden.” The space is bright, boasting steel beams, glass block windows, and a Felipe Ortiz mural. Upcoming musical acts include Black Tiger Sex Machine, Disclosure, and Sofi Tukker. This Saturday, English musician and producer Tom Misch hits the Roadrunner stage, with proceeds from each ticket sale going towards the Shout Syndicate, a volunteer-run fundraising effort for youth-led arts programs in Greater Boston. Find a full calendar of musical acts and ticket information here.

Tom Misch will perform at Roadrunner, 89 Guest St., Allston, on Saturday, March 19, at 8 pm. Doors open at 7 pm. All ages are welcome. Tickets start at $39.50.

Coffee and Conversation

Coffee and Conversation, a weekly event at the Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground, is a forum for students, faculty, and staff to discuss recent headlines and controversial ideas. Led by Nick Bates, Thurman Networks associate director, the program is a chance to learn civil discourse, discover your voice, and listen to new perspectives and opinions. This week’s discussion will focus on the pandemic. Past topics include the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Pope Francis and gay marriage, and NFTs. Students are encouraged to suggest readings, podcasts, and other resources after the chat.

Coffee and Conversation is every Friday from 4 to 6 pm, through May 4, at the Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground, 808 Commonwealth Ave., Boston. This event is free and open to all BU students.

2022 MFA Thesis Exhibitions

Hosted by the BU College of Fine Arts School of Visual Arts, the 2022 MFA Thesis Exhibitions showcase features the work of graduating Master of Fine Arts candidates in graphic design, painting, and sculpture. The students in this class persevered through the onset of a debilitating and destructive pandemic, as they were forced to make meaningful yet urgent art, according to faculty members Lucy Kim, a CFA associate professor of art and interim chair of graduate studies in painting, and David Snyder, a CFA assistant professor of art and chair of graduate studies in sculpture. A reception will be held Friday, March 18, from 5 to 7 pm, where visitors can meet the student artists. 

The 2022 MFA Thesis Exhibitions showcase is open Tuesday to Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm, through April 2, at the College of Fine Arts Stone Gallery, 855 Commonwealth Ave., Boston. The exhibitions are free and open to the public.