MON 4/19: Marathon, Art, Lit, Blues

Happy Patriots Day, folks!

Some people must have showed up for the early activities in Lexington and Concord. As usual, Somerville celebrates Paul Revere and Cambridge gives props to William Dawes...

I also noticed that House of Blues and The Lansdowne Pub are already open for marathon and Sox fans who don't want to rush to the day game -- or just sit there all day long.

I'd get a free scoop of Boston Cream Pie ice cream at the three Ben & Jerry's locations near the end of the marathon (10am to Noon).

Enjoy the day off, whether you're running or loafing.

Update: I did forget to mention the Brattle's double-feature of "The Dark Crystal" (3:30pm, 7:30pm) and "Labyrinth" (5:30pm, 9:30pm). (If anyone goes, I'd love an unofficial count of people dressed as "Jareth and Sarah"...)

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MON 4/19

9:15am until the last guy
114th Boston Marathon
from Hopkinton to Boston
FREE to watch

There have been worse days to stand and watch the crazy people run farther than anyone has really needed to run since the Peloponnesian wars.

The marathon is a Boston tradition, and I've enjoyed hanging out on a couple occasions on Comm Ave just a bit after Heartbreak Hill. It's probably difficult to find a spot too close to Copley Sq, since the crowd was pretty strong out there and the runners love the encouragement. Bring a little chest, and you should be okay...

I hope someone reading this will bust out of the crowd at Copley Square and run past the winner at the finish line. That would be awesome! Maybe illegal, but still awesome.

The wheelchairs start at 9:17am, elite women start at 9:32am, elite men start at 10am, then everyone sets off by 10:30am. The fastest wheelchair competitors will cross the finish line around 11 am, and the first runners should be arriving about an hour later.

MON 4/19

5:30pm
"Rock Art Festival"
at Hard Rock Cafe, 22 Clinton St, Boston (near Faneuil Hall)
FREE, donations accepted

Before you go home (from work or play), you could stop and check out the silent auction of what should be rock-themed art to benefit Artists For Humanity (to provide young people opportunities in art) and the Kristen Corbett Scholarship Foundation (who worked at the Hard Rock and died in a car accident last year).

Expect raffles, some free apps (if you get there early enough), and entertainment of some kind.

MON 4/19

8pm
Literary Firsts
at Middlesex Lounge, 315 Mass Ave, Cambridge (near Central Sq)
FREE / 21+

Feat: John Cotter, Shannon Derby, Gillian Devereux, Carissa Halston

Usually a group reading makes me a little nervous. When it's at a bar, there is a guaranteed source of booze and one doesn't feel as trapped. From the event's description, the event wants to approach it with a "theatrical, absurd, fantastical, confrontational" spirit.

MON 4/19

The White Owls (8pm), Jen Kearney & The Lost Onion (10pm)
at Toad, 1912 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Porter Sq)
FREE

The White Owls are killer blues squad that has Dennis Brennan ripping through classic tunes with yet another set of top-notch players. It's one of the benefits of living in the area: the amazing Brennan often plays with various outfits usually for free or a small cover. Those who go will hear the blues played head and shoulders above other bar bands.

Jen Kearney & The Lost Onion keep the place jumping for the rest of the night with some solid soul/funk with Latin accents.