By Emily Huizenga, News Staff
Feature: Brunch Much?
Easter means eggs, bunnies and great brunch deals around the city. Rocca in the South End offers a Ligurian-inspired menu with starters like prosciutto and fontina crespelle ($7) and handmade panzotti ($9), entrees like eggs Benedict over focaccia with prosciutto, spinach, and hollandaise sauce ($12) and a shrimp omelet with tomatoes, capers, and basil, served with roasted potatoes ($12). Cambridge’s Craigie On Main features both a three-course prix fixe menu ($40) and a la carte options like organic buttermilk pancakes ($12) and the Craigie “Dimanche” sausages with a buttermilk biscuit and gravy ($12), as well as sides like grilled pork belly and cashew granola ($3-$8). Finally, Arlington’s Tryst has extended brunch hours and a special two-course prix fixe menu featuring options like lemon and ricotta pancakes and breakfast pizza (eggs, house-made sausage, herbed goat cheese and caramelized onions) ($22). Rocca: 500 Harrison Ave.; 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.; Craigie On Main: 853 Main St., Cambridge; 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.; www.craigieonmain.com; Tryst: 689 Massachustts Ave., Arlington; 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.; www.trystrestaurant.com.
Thursday, April 5
Lauren Conrad, star of MTV’s hit show “The Hills,” launched her career as a fashion designer in spring of 2008 with the debut of the Lauren Conrad Collection. Like fellow high-brow reality stars Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi and Jon and Kate Gosselin, she’s now writing books. Conrad is coming to the Prudential Center’s Barnes and Noble to promote her latest novel, “The Fame Game.” In it, 19-year-old Madison Parker (who made a name for herself as best friend of girl-next-door Jane Roberts in Conrad’s other book, “L.A. Candy”) struggles to star in a new show while backstabbing friends and suspicious family members try to bring her down. Not unlike her previous gig on “The Hills,” Conrad’s books are full of Hollywood drama and gossip, and showcase the highs and lows of being famous. 800 Boylston St. Suite 179; 6 p.m.; free; www.barnesandnoble.com.
Friday, April 6
The annual Anime Boston conference is back, bringing with it all the anime you can fit into one weekend. Highlights of this year’s festival include an anime music video contest (and a special Hentai-themed – that’s sexually explicit cartoons – video contest for 18+ videographers), a swap meet to barter and trade the geekiest of possessions, two brand new cosplay games (“Death Match” and “Family Feud”) and a formal “Phoenix Ball” (black-tie encouraged, semi-formal required) for all comic book kids to get dolled up. The festival also features three panel sessions from illustrator and designer of video games and books David A. White, as well as Artists’ Alley, an area where talented individuals can display and sell their anime creations. The events takes place at the Hynes Convention Center, and tickets can be purchased for each individual day or in a three-day weekend pass. 900 Boylston St.; times vary by location and event; $55 weekend pass, $35 Friday and Saturday, $30 Sunday; www.animeboston.com.
Saturday, April 7
This Saturday is International Pillow Fight Day, and Boston will be celebrating. Resident impresarios the Banditos Misteriosos are organizing the world-wide scuffle, which takes place at 3 p.m. at a location to be announced on the Banditos’ website Friday night at 11:55 p.m. This is the fifth year of the fight, which welcomes men, women and children alike – as long as they’re armed with a pillow and vigor. Participants are encouraged to keep their “weapon” hidden until the start of the fight, and discouraged from bringing feather pillows, which make for messy cleanup. The fight will take place all over the world, from Budapest to Beijing. Location to be announced on misteriosos.org; 3 p.m.; free.
Even if you don’t have a pet, it’s still fun to go see others’ little furry friends. The Peeps-N-Pets Easter Eggstravaganza kicks off at Long Wharf Park, near the intersection of High and Water Streets, just a couple of blocks from downtown Cambridge. The event features an Easter Bonnet Contest (categories include Most Glamorous, Most Creative, Most Howlarious) and the Best Dressed Contest (categories include Best in Show and Best in Show Group). There will be an Easter Egg Hunt, Dunkin’ for Eggs and other furry fun. Participants can stop by Pet Threadz at 315 Gay St. in Cambridge for information and early registration for $2, or register the day of the event for $5. Anyone is welcome to observe. Long Wharf Park, High Street, Cambridge; 1:30 – 4 p.m.; free; www.cambridgemainstreet.com.
Sunday, April 8
After a long day of homework or egg-hunting or both, ImprovBoston Mainstage offers Stand Up Sundays as comedic relief. Dana Jay Bein and Maria Ciampa host the show, which features several comedians from Boston and beyond. For 28 years ImprovBoston has been the region’s leading theater and school dedicated to the art of comedy in all its forms, and was voted 2009-2010 “Best of Boston” by The Phoenix, The Improper Bostonian and The Weekly Dig. 40 Prospect St., Cambridge; 9 p.m.; $10, $8 students; www.improvboston.com.
Monday, April 9
The Baffler, a left-wing magazine of cultural, political and business criticism, returns after a two-year hiatus to launch its latest issue, “The Baffler No. 19.” Editors John Summers and Chris Lehmann as well as founder Thomas Frank will be at Harvard Bookstore hosting the launch party, which will feature a drawing for 20 free limited edition Baffler tote bags. The Baffler No. 19 features a talk by author and journalist Thomas Frank on making a career out of mistakes, political activist and feminist Barbara Ehrenreich on animal spirits, anthropologist and anarchist David Graeber on flying cars, journalist Rick Perlstein on Ronald Reagan, screenwriter and journalist James Agee on cotton tenants and author Maureen Tkacik on The Atlantic. Founded in 1988, author and historian Studs Terkel called the magazine a place for “old-time muckrakers to challenge the power pillars of our society.” 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge; 7 p.m.; free; www.harvard.com.
Tuesday, April 10
Before seniors graduate in May, the Boston Alumni Chapter hosts the Professional Networking Exchange’s Spring Reception to give soon-to-be alumni the opportunity to meet with both fellow students who are reaching the end of their college careers and graduates. The goal is to share the common threads of a Northeastern education, whether through co-op experiences, a college or major, favorite professor or course, or love of local hotspots (i.e. Conor Larkin’s). The Alumni Chapter encourages local NU alumni to remain engaged and involved with their alma mater, while simultaneously asserting the NU alumni motto of “Huskies Helping Huskies.” The event is free for students, but early registration online is encouraged. 716 Columbus Ave., 6th floor; 6:30 – 9 p.m.; free; www.alumni.northeastern.edu.
Wednesday, April 11
After 20 open story slams from October until April 2012, massmouth,inc., a Massachusetts organization that promotes storytelling through social media, education and live performance, presents the winning stories in an evening of 15 slams. People from all walks of life, mothers, artists, entrepreneurs, actors, chefs and scientists, tell their stories at the event, with themes like cupid, wheels, gifts, emergencies and pranks. Special guests Tony Kahn of “Morning Stories,” Brian O’Donovan from “A Celtic Sojourn” and WGBH radio and master storyteller Jay O’Callahan will speak at the third annual greater Boston story slam finale. All proceeds will benefit StoriesLive, a program that both introduces the art of storytelling in the classroom and offers scholarships to high school participants. The show takes place at the Coolidge Corner Theater. 290 Harvard Street, Brookline; 7 p.m.; $20 online, $25 at the door; massmouth.org.
Have an event coming up? E-mail the details to [email protected].
Events may be canceled or rescheduled. Call ahead to confirm.
