Deals and Delights
Deals and Delights
 | Maria Mitchell, the first professional female astronomer in the United States, was born on this day in 1818. Mitchell was raised in a Quaker community, which was one of the few groups that felt women should have equal educational opportunities as men. She had the notable discovery that sunspots are “whirling vertical cavities” and not, as thought at the time, clouds. |
 | If you know of an event that should be included in this calendar, please contact editor Alison O’Leary Murray at 781-433-6971 or email alisonm@skirtboston.com. |
| Life is not a having and a getting, but a being and a becoming.” Myrna Loy would have been 103 today. She used her fame in the 1930s-40s to champion the rights of black actors and to give them dignity onscreen, rather than the stereotypes they often played at the time. |
 | Enjoy a Day at the Zoo, 1-4pm, and learn about the Abuse Victim Hotline Inc. Heal and have fun at the Franklin Park Zoo, Boston. Avhotline.org |
| Martha Stewart’s birthday is today. Bake a cake entirely out of the flour you hand-milled from your personal wheat crop and decorate it with homemade buttercream frosting and fruit from your organic orchard to celebrate. |
 | Meet author Linda Barnes, creator of Carlotta Carlyle, when she discusses her new novel, Lie Down with the Devil, at Wellesley Booksmith, 7pm. Wellesleybooksmith.com |
| Today is the 52nd birthday of Meg Whitman, former President and CEO of eBay. Since resigning from eBay in March 2008, she is considering a run for Governor of California in 2010. |
 | Shecky’s Girls Night Out returns to the Cyclorama this summer for shopping, sipping and socializing. Sheckys.com |
| Discuss inter-racial relationships in the queer community over dessert, 7pm at the Center for New Words, 7 Temple Street, Cambridge. Centerfornewwords.org |
| Dame Miriam Rothschild, a leading entomologist and zoologist, was born on this day in 1908. Scientifically, she was a foremost expert on fleas and was the first person to figure out the biology of how fleas jump. Socially, she campaigned for the legalization of homosexuality in the U.K. in the 1960s and was a vegetarian—she refused to wear any form of leather or fur. |
 | Change your life with a Creative Visualization Workshop based on the book by Shakti Gawain. See neelscompany.com/summer-slow-down-series.php or call 617.848.8579, ext. 701. |
| Sing along with "Lady Marmalade" and "I Will Survive" at a Girls Night Out at the Hanover Theater to benefit the domestic violence prevention programs of the YWCA of Central Mass. Call 508.767.2505 or email events@ywcaworcester.org for tickets. |
| Lucille Ball’s birthday is today…she clashed with CBS execs after they tried not to let her have a pregnancy storyline in her show. They finally caved, but still wouldn’t allow her to say “pregnant.” Throughout the episode, they had to refer to her as “expecting” instead. |
| Grandma Moses was born 148 years ago today. She started painting in her 70s after arthritis made it difficult for her to continue her art of embroidery. She went on to become one of America’s most popular folk artists and lived to the age of 101. |
 | See eight artists’ concepts of A Woman's Place, at Bromfield Gallery, 450 Harrison Ave., Boston before it closes Aug. 23. www.wcaboston.org/ |
 | If you love to make unique jewelry, or just appreciate beautiful crafts, see Bead & Pearl at their new, larger location: 1183 Walnut Street www.beadandpearl.com Grand Re-opening celebration will last a whole week !
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| Janie Porter Barrett was born on this day in 1865. She founded the Virginia Industrial School for Colored Girls, a rehabilitation center for troubled girls which was centered on self-reliance and self-discipline. It became a model for other similar schools and was extremely successful—the majority of students found jobs and had families after leaving the facility. It became integrated in 1965 and still exists today under the name of the Barrett Learning Center. |
 | Mary Gove Nichols was born 198 years ago, today. She traveled the country speaking about women’s health and anatomy, but was scorned by many of her time for her belief in “free love” instead of marriage, which Nichols considered to be the “annihilation of women.” She believed that health, freedom and sexual liberation were all linked was an outspoken advocate for all three. |
 | Let go of old hurts and learn the Power of Forgiveness, 7-9pm, with instructor Elizabeth Foley at the Center at Westwoods. Centeratwestwoods.com |
| Today would have been the 91st birthday of Gladys Bentley, a Harlem Renaissance blues singer. Openly lesbian during her early career (she dressed in tuxedos and top hats with a drag queen chorus line singing back-up and flirted with female patrons), during the McCarthy era, she put on dresses, married a man and claimed that taking female hormones had “cured” her, in order to avoid being put on trial. |
 | Hip harpist Deborah Henson-Conant imagines tryouts for heaven’s Celestial Chorus in her Central Square Theatre show, Aug. 13-23. Centralsquaretheatre.org; hipharp.com |
| Wednesday, August 13th, at 7 pm At Wellesley Booksmith: www.wellesleybooksmith.com |
| Left-hander’s Day is today. Approximately 7-10% of the population is left-handed, and left-handed females are rarer than males. Joan of Arc, Queen Victoria, Eudora Welty, Greta Garbo and Ruth Bader Ginsberg are some of these unique, southpawed females. |
 | Start your day with coffee and conversation at the Middlesex West Chamber’s Professional Women’s Network, 7:30am at the Inn at Robbins Brook, Acton. Preregister: www.mwcoc.com or 978.263.0010. |
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| Letitia Elizabeth Landon (often known as L.E.L.), a poet, was born on this day in 1802. While her poetry has not withstood the test of time, she was respected by her contemporaries for paving the way for other female writers. Christina G. Rossetti and Elizabeth Barrett Browning were just a few of her literary admirers who wrote tributes to her. |
 | Julia Child, former assistant in the OSS’s Secret Intelligence division and celebrity chef and author, would have been 96 today. Her legendary persona and accessible recipes made her a pop culture icon. |
 | Ready, set .... SHOP! This is the perfect time to buy the new mattress you need or to redecorate a room, because the state Legislature has suspended Massachusetts’ sales tax collection on personal items under $2,500. See http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=gov3pressrelease&L=1&L0=Home&sid=Agov3&b=pressrelease&f=080730_Sales_Tax_Holiday&csid=Agov3 for complete info. Gee, that’s all the stimulus WE need! |
| Artist Leah Gauthier promises a cooking and tasting "performance" featuring the watermelons she’s grown this summer; at the DeCordova Museum galleries, 3 pm. decordova.org; leahgauthier.com |
| Madonna turns 50 today. From “Like a Virgin” to “4 Minutes,” she manages to push the envelope on the issue of sexuality and proves to be an enormous influence to society (Kabbalah, anyone?) while putting out an endless stream of shake-your-booty tunes. |
 | “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” Mae West, stage and screen actress, who pushed the social limits on female sexuality, was born on this day in 1893. |
 | Join the Fiber Revival, 9am-4pm at Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm, Newbury for needle felting, hand-spinning, weaving and knitting. Historicnewengland.org |
| Enjoy the sounds of Chaka Khan at the new National Amusements Showcase Live Theatre at Patriots Place in Foxboro. showcaselive.com |
 | WHO: Bella Luna, the funky lil’ restaurant which rests atop of the Milky Way Lounge & Lanes. WHAT: The Bloggers Lounge – (An opportunity for bloggers to meet, greet and discuss everything from food to, cocktails & fashion!) WHEN: August 19, 2008 from 6:30PM – 8:30PM WHERE: Bella Luna, 403-405 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, MA, 02130 WHY: This Bloggers Lounge will encourage bloggers to come meet and mingle. Sure other meet-ups, conventions and events for bloggers have been held by third parties; but this might very well be the first attempt by a restaurant owner to reach out directly to the blogger community. DETAILS: The Event will be held August 19, 2008 from 6:30PM – 8:30PM, free of charge and refreshments will be served. All beginner, novice and experts bloggers are encouraged to attend with information or marketing materials to spread the word about their given online entity. Those interested in attending should email bostonblogevent@gmail.com. (Space is limited) |
| Coco Chanel, the revolutionary designer who liberated women from centuries of corsets with simple, menswear inspired fashions, was born 125 years ago today. “The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.” |
 | Fashionable Fundraiser At Bloomingdales, Chestnut Hill. http://www1.bloomingdales.com/store/event/index.ognc?action=search&storeId=50003&searchDate=M8Y2008 |
| Singer Eleonora Bianchini, lead vocalist of Peru Mestizo Project, is the Berklee free summer music series performer featured at the Charles Hotel’s Regattabar courtyard, 5:30pm. Regattabarjazz.com |
| Wednesday August 20th 7pm At Brookline Booksmith www.brooklinebooksmith.com |
 | Fashionista alert: food, fashion and fun are in store at a benefit for Red Sox slugger Kevin Youkilis’ Hits for Kids charity, 6:30-9pm at Neiman Marcus, Natick Collection. youkskids.com/index.html |
 | Spark Craft Studios offers an opportunity to learn a relaxing craft,
meet new people and have a drink of wine at their Porter Square,
Cambridge workshop. See www.sparkcraft.com for details. Wine & Craft Events Summer Price Break All Classes Now $28! Due to popular demand, we've added more classes at this special price break. Have fun, be social and get creative. Call 617-441-5200 to register. FALL SCHEDULE COMING SOON! Encore workshops and new classes will be available soon. Check the website for more details soon! Stunning Stone Necklaces Wine & Craft stoneMix and match stone, glass and other types of beads to create your own designer-inspired necklace. Summer Price Break! $28 (regularly $40). All supplies included; choose your own beads. Friday, August 8 at 6:00 pm Friday, August 29 at 6:00 pm Luscious Long Necklace Wine & Craft luscious Create a necklace that you can wear in various ways - wear it as a longer length necklace, wrap it as a smaller length triple strand necklace, or wrap it several times around your wrist and you have a gorgeous bracelet to show off. Summer Price Break! $28 (reg. $35). All supplies included; choose your own beads. Friday, August 22 at 6:00 pm Exclusive In-Store $5 SALE! wavy windows Check out our assortment of craft supplies, including 10 rubber stamps for only $5, 3 for $5 deals, and more. |
 | Roll and ride this weekend in Salisbury Beach to benefit local families of motorcyclists killed or seriously injured in accidents. Boston Derby Dames will skirmish with the Maine Roller Girls and New Hampshire Roller Derby on both days. Bostonderbydames.com |
 | Today is Women’s Equality Day or Susan B. Anthony Day—it’s the 88th anniversary of the passing of the 19th amendment to the Constitution, allowing women the right to vote. |
| Today is also the 73rd birthday of Geraldine Ferraro, the first and only (so far) female Vice Presidential candidate for a major political party. In 1984 Walter Mondale selected her as his running mate in the campaign against Ronald Reagan. She went on to serve as a U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Commission of Human Rights under President Clinton’s administration, and also worked on Hillary Clinton’s campaign. |
 | Egleston Square Unity Celebration Meet, mingle & have fun with your neighbors! Wednesday, August 27, 2008, 5-8 pm Egleston YMCA, 3134 Washington St. Free prizes, food, music, games and entertainment Rain or Shine For more information, call Fran Smith at 617-697-8531 Sponsored by 826 Boston, Boston Neighborhood Network, Boston Police Department District E-13, Boston Public Library Egleston Branch, Dimock Center, Friends of the Rafael Hernandez School, Greater Boston Egleston YMCA, Teen Empowerment, The Boston Foundation, Urban Edge. |
 | Enjoy Tea by the Sea from 12-1pm or 3-4pm at Beauport, a national historic landmark in Gloucester; $30 includes entertainment and a tour. Registration required. Historicnewengland.org |
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