SUN 5/9: Flowers, Ducklings, Art, Theatre, Music

Happy Mother's Day (to my mom, above, especially)!

If you're in the mood for some other wholesome family fun, Smolak Farms sent me an email that they're having their "opening weekend". You can't "pick your own" until next month, but that doesn't need to stop you from taking a free hayride or go to the petting zoo.

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SUN 5/9

10am to 4pm
Lilac Sunday
at Arnold Arboretum, 125 Arborway, Boston (Jamaica Plain)
FREE

On a nice day, the Arnold Arboretum is a great place to walk and view the flora. The fragrance of lilacs was present in a walk around Cambridge last week, so the Arboretum must be lovely even after a rain.

Stroll on your own, or enjoy a guided tour. You don't need to bring your mother, but it could be some quality time... If you don't want to talk a lot, activities and performances are occurring throughout the day [PDF]. Of course, there's a "family activity" area too.

SUN 5/10

Noon
Annual Duckling Day Parade
from the State House to the Public Garden, mostly Boston Common
FREE

Yep, little kids and their families recreate "Make Way for Ducklings". You can bring your kid and march them, but they ask for $25 donation per family. It's a rain or shine event, because ducks are water fowls...

Watch for free. Just don't show up if you're creepy.

There's a fishweir being built in Boston Common, so let's hope ducklings or kids don't get caught...

SUN 5/9

Noon to 5pm
Annual Fort Point Art Walk
around Fort Point, South Boston
FREE

Noon to 6pm
Cambridge Open Studios: East
around Lechmere - Inman - Kendall Squares, Cambridge [PDF]
FREE

Noon to 5pm
West Medford Open Studios
North of the Mystic River, Medford
FREE

I find it more interesting to walk around on a Spring day and stopping for some art than going to a museum. You can even talk to the artists and buy a Mother's Day gift before dinner time...

SUN 5/9

2:30pm to 5:30pm
Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School Cabaret: Life Drawing Class
at Great Scott, 1222 Comm Ave, Allston
$8 / 18+

I guess Dr. Sketchy is usually on the second Sunday, and that's coincided with Mother's Day for at least two years. Maybe you want to take Mom on a wild adventure surrounded by wild creatures, or you could take her to the Zoo for free... If Mom has an artistic flair or likes to drink a lot, why not take her to Dr. Sketchy's? She won't forget it.

A couple of tips: Come on time to get a seat up front. Keep it small so others can crowd in around you. A milk crate to carry your stuff and double as a chair wouldn't hurt.

We start with short poses to get you warmed up and then move on to longer and longer poses, but that's about where the traditional life drawing session stops...

There might be some parallels to a normal life-drawing class, but there's no instructor to criticize. If you don't have the chops of other folks, do your best and have a good time. Enjoy the atmosphere and the creativity!

You don't have to be a good artist, or someone who draws everyday. Dr. Sketchy is a great place to begin your practice, or to try to pick up a new creative outlet.

This month's model: Cameryn Moore

I watched a clip of Moore at Improv Boston, and I believe she's really a phone sex worker who is also on the verge of a one-woman tour (titled "Phone Whore") across North America. You know she won''t be able to pose quietly...

SUN 5/9

8pm
"Blood Wedding"
at Fuller Bldg, 4th Fl, 808 Comm Ave, Boston (BU campus)
FREE

If you've never seen a Federico Garcia Lorca play, you may have heard the Spanish poet and playwright's name. He was one of the influential artists of the early 20th century and friends with Salvador Dali and filmmaker Luis Buñuel. Unfortunately, he's also known for his mysterious death during the Spanish Civil War.

This is heavy material that does center around death and marriage. It's produced by the BU senior theater group, and I wouldn't doubt if they've been working on this for a bit longer than usual. At this point in the year, there may be two prevailing attitudes: "I don't care how we do; I'm almost out of here" and "I'd really want to make all this work mean something."

They've been performing the play for over a week, so all the kinks should be worked out by now.

Note: Use Essex Street entrance.

It's not a big room, so you may want to email or call Collin ahead of time to see if a lot of people have reserved seats.

SUN 5/9

9pm
Josh Lederman & the CSARS
at Atwoods Tavern, 877 Cambridge St, Cambridge (near Inman & Kendall Sq)
FREE

Feeling restless and miss your mama? Feeling restless and spent too much time with your mama?

Maybe you want to hang out and listen to some easy-rolling and rollicking Americana with strains of gypsies and Irishness. If you're drinking in a bar on Mother's Day night, you might as well hear a few heart-achin' songs from Lederman and the "Cambridge-Somerville All-Stars". This is on the Atwoods calendar, so there's a good chance musicians will show up...

If you wanna party, Jesse Dee and Christian McNeill lead the Sea Monsters every Sunday ($7-ish) at Precinct (not far away). It feels like a place to celebrate Sunday as the beginning of week rather than the end of it.