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April 27, 2015
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Featured Stories
Featured Announcement
Announcements
Arts, Entertainment & Events
Deals & Promos
Construction & Utility Work Updates
BID Ambassador Services & Links
City Services
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MBTA Monthly and Weekly Passes Discounted 15% for May
The MBTA is offering a 15% discount on all MBTA monthly and weekly passes for May. This discount applies to the general public as well as monthly passes for students, seniors and persons with disabilities. However, it excludes semester and one-day passes.
You can purchase passes at fare machines. Click here for more info about Charlie Card passes. Click here for prices of regular passes and what they will cost with the 15% discount. Please note - parking fees will apply at all MBTA parking lots. |
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This Week's Featured Event
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'Sesame Street Live: Make a New Friend" - Four Shows this Weekend at Orpheum Theatre
Come say hello to Bert, Ernie, The Count and the rest of the Sesame Street family this weekend. "Sesame Street Live: Make A New Friend" will be at the Orpheum Theatre for four shows on two days - May 2nd and 3rd.
Elmo, Grover, Abby Cadabby, and their Sesame Street friends welcome Chamki, Grover's friend from India, to Sesame Street. Together, they explore the universal fun of friendship and celebrate cultural similarities, from singing and dancing, to sharing cookies! Join the fun and make a memory with your friends and family! Shows are at 10:30 am and 2 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Click here for tickets. |
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Volunteers Wanted! Annual Boston Shines Clean-Up on May 8th in Downtown Boston
The City of Boston's annual Boston Shines neighborhood clean-up day will take place in Downtown on Friday, May 8th from 8 am to noon. As in years past the Downtown Boston BID hosts the downtown Boston Shines.
Volunteers are wanted! To RSVP please email David Ertischek at [email protected] with your name, organizational affiliation, and anyone else from your group who may be participating. In past years volunteers have painted, cleaned up flower and plant beds and more. See you at Boston Shines! |
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Arts, Entertainment & Events
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Spencer Trappist Beer and Cocktail Dinner at The Merchant on April 27th
The Merchant (60 Franklin St.) is hosting a night of delicious food and cocktails prepared with Trappist preserves and paired with Spencer Trappist Ale on April 27th.
Four courses will be served, all paired with their own specialty cocktails or beer. Click here for the menu and to purchase tickets for $75. The dinner is from 7 to 9 pm. |
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'Embattled Farmers: Revolutionary Soldiers from Lincoln, MA' Discussion with Author Richard Wiggin on April 28th
Come hear author Richard Wiggin discuss his book "Embattled Farmers: Revolutionary Soldiers from Lincoln, MA" on the diverse experiences of 256 ordinary men who served on both sides of the Revolutionary War. This free lecture will be at the Old South Meeting House (310 Washington St.) on Tuesday, April 28th.
Wiggin will discuss the perspectives of the men who were farmers, merchants, African-American slaves and others who held a variety of military positions. Book sales and signings will follow the lecture.
This event is co-sponsored by Old North Church. This program is made possible with funding from the Lowell Institute. This is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is requested by clicking here. This event starts at 6:30 pm. |
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Kentucky Derby Parties at GEM and Fajitas & 'Ritas on May 2nd
GEM Italian Kitchen, Nightclub and Lounge (42 Province St.) and Fajitas & 'Ritas (25 West St.) are both hosting Kentucky Derby events on Saturday, May 2nd.
GEM is hosting a Triple Crown Derby Day Party beginning with brunch at 2 pm with music by DJ Chachi. Call 617-482-1213 for reservations.
Fajitas & 'Ritas is hosting a Kentucky Derby Party with Corona promotional reps from 6 to 7:30 pm. Call 617-426-1222 for more info. |
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Mariachi Bands and More for Cinco de Mayo at Papagayo and Fajitas & 'Ritas
Papagayo (15 West St.) and Fajitas & 'Ritas (25 West St.) are both celebrating Cinco de Mayo with food, drinks and entertainment.
Papagayo will have a live mariachi band, amazing food and the largest tequila list available in Boston on May 5th. Call 617-423-3600 for reservations and more info.
Fajitas & 'Ritas will have a live mariachi band from 3:30 to 4:15 pm on Sunday, May 3rd, a Cinco Fiesta with Corona and Casa Noble tequila on May 5th from 6 to 7:30 pm., and a Lunazul Tequila promotion from 7 to 9 pm later that night. Call 617-426-1222 for reservations and more info. |
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'Building Boston 2030 - MBTA: Just Fix It' on May 5th Hosted by Suffolk's Sawyer Business School
Suffolk University's Sawyer Business School and the Greater Boston Real Estate Board are co-hosting "Building Boston 2030 - MBTA: Just Fix It" on Tuesday, May 5th. This is a free event open to the public but a valid ticket available here and registration must be presented to enter.
Prompted by chronic service and equipment failures, Gov. Charlie Baker assembled a task force to examine solutions to improve service and increase revenue. How will the task force's recommendations fix the MBTA? Panelists include: Stephanie Pollack, Secretary of Transportation, Commonwealth of Massachusetts; James Aloisi, Principal, Pemberton Square Group; James O'Leary, Partner, Alternate Concepts, Inc.; and Greg Sullivan, Director, Pioneer Institute. Peter Howe, Business Editor for NECN, will moderate. This event is being held at the C. Walsh Theatre (55 Temple St.) from 7:45 to 9:45 am. |
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Broadway in Boston 2015-16 Season; Broadway in Boston Subscribers May Purchase Tickets Before General Public
Broadway in Boston 2015-16 season tickets are available to Broadway in Boston subscribers. Click here to become a subscriber and get tickets before the general public.
The Boston Opera House is hosting seven of the eight shows for the season. The shows and dates for the Opera House shows are below:
- "Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella" September 29th to October 11th, 2015
- "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical" November 3rd to 15th, 2015
- "Beauty and the Beast" January 6th to 10th, 2016
- "Pippin" February 2nd to 14th, 2016
- "The Sound of Music" March 29th to April 10th, 2016
- "Matilda the Musical" June 14th to 26th, 2016
- "If /Then" July 5th to 17th, 2016
- All shows will be at the Boston Opera House except "The Book of Mormon" running September 1st to October 11th, 2015 at the Citi Emerson Colonial Theatre.
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Construction & Utility Work Updates
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Millennium Tower Continues to Reach for the Sky and More
Downtown Boston is continually transforming, with new buildings rising, as well as transportation projects taking place underground and at street level. Looking for the latest updates on developments, construction, sidewalk closings, and more? Click here.  |
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BID Ambassador Services & Links
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BID Ambassadors Provide Walking Escorts 24 Hours a Day in Downtown
The Downtown Boston BID Ambassadors provide hospitality services seven days a week, nearly 24 hours a day, creating a welcoming environment for everyone. BID Ambassadors provide walking escorts all day or night - they'll even tote an umbrella if it's snowing!
Please call 617-261-0066 to arrange an escort or for other BID Ambassador services. Please call 20 to 30 minutes prior to desired escort. You can also email [email protected], which is encouraged.
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Additional BID Ambassador Services
- Making sure handicapped ramps are not obstructed and storm drain openings are not clogged by snow or ice.
- Cleaning and powerwashing in Downtown Boston during warm weather.
- Landscaping, watering flowers during warm weather.
- Remove litter and graffiti
- Friendly, welcoming downtown presence: helping visitors with directions, notifying fire and police personnel of incidents, etc.
- Contact [email protected] for more.
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AARP Rates Downtown Crossing as One of Most Livable Neighborhoods in the Country
The AARP recently unveiled its list of Top 10 Livable Neighborhoods in the Country and Downtown Crossing was named with other places such as Downtown Sioux Falls and Downtown Seattle.
AARP's Livability Index listed Boston as the second most-livable large city behind San Francisco. When talking about Downtown Crossing AARP said, "A shopping district in transition to more mixed use with high-rise residences. Adjacent to Boston Common (and all of its recreational amenities), the theater district and the financial district. Stations for three main rail lines are nearby. Some streets are for pedestrians only."
On a scale of 0 to 100, Downtown Crossing received a perfect 100 on transportation, 98 on housing and 91 on neighborhood. |
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Roche Bros. Grand Opening on Wednesday!
Road to Roche Events Include Sampling Booths, Free Concert and More
The long-awaited Roche Bros. flagship supermarket in Downtown Crossing will officially open on April 29th! A ribbon cutting ceremony will occur at 9:30 am and the store will then open its doors at 10 am to the public. The store is in the first floor and basement of the historic Burnham Building at 8 Summer St.
On opening day there will be several Road to Roche events all free and open to the public including sampling booths on Summer Street from 10 am to 5 pm. The Boston-based country band Dalton & the Sheriffs will play a free concert from 5 to 7 pm outside of the Summer Street entrance.
There are two public entrances into the market - one at street level on Summer Street, and the other from the MBTA concourse inside the Downtown Crossing station on Summer Street. At the street level, customers will find an extensive array of ready-to-eat food, straight from Roche Bros. kitchen - including satisfying meals, healthy snacks and sweet treats for any time of day. Street-side seating and an outdoor fruit and flower stand will provide added convenience along one of New England's busiest pedestrian malls.
Escalators take customers downstairs to a full-service supermarket in the former space of the historic Filene's Basement. The supermarket is complete with a bakery, deli, specialty cheeses, high-quality meats at great value and fresh-off-the-boat seafood.
Roche Bros. is currently hiring for numerous positions for their new store. Click here for career opportunities available at the Downtown Crossing Roche Bros. The new 25,000-square-foot market will be open from 7 am to 10 pm, Monday through Saturday, and 8 am to 9 pm on Sundays.
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Flash Forward Boston Includes Three Running Exhibit and Two Events in BID
[Photo]gogues: New England (Part 3) at Lafayette City Center Passageway
Flash Forward Boston is a 10-day festival of international and New England photography in Boston. There are three free events in the district as part of the festival - a 22-day exhibit and two discussions with noted photographers.
From April 24th through May 15th, the exhibit "Photo]gogues: New England (Part 3)" will be on display for free at the Lafayette City Center Passageway.
The exhibition "is not a definitive study of New England Photography Pedagogues, rather it is a sampling of faculty members from the region." Paula Tognarelli and Frances Jakubek, executive director and associate director of the Griffin Museum of Photography in Winchester, MA, invited 10 photography instructors to exhibit their work during the Flash Forward Photography Festival 2015 in Boston. The exhibition is open to the public 10 am - 9 pm Monday to Thursday, 10 am - 9:30 pm Friday and Saturday, and 10 am - 9 pm on Sunday. The Lafayette City Center Passageway links Macy's with the Hyatt Regency Hotel at 2 Avenue De Lafayette.
A Talk with Bill Brett at Emerson College's Paramount Center on April 27th
Photographer Bill Brett will talk about his latest book "Boston: Irish" as part of the Flash Forward Boston festival on Monday, April 27th. This event is free at the Jackie Liebergott Blackbox Theater at Emerson's Paramount Center (559 Washington St.) from 7 to 9 pm.
The longtime Boston Globe photographer will talk about what "inspired him to put this collection of black-and-white images together that represent the people and the city he loves." He will sign books after the talk.
Blue Sky Days: A Talk About Drone Photography at Central Bistro on April 29th
Enjoy a free discussion "Blue Sky Days" about the changing nature of privacy, warfare and photography due to drones at Central Bistro (101 Arch St. 2nd Floor) on Wednesday, April 29th. Photographer Tomas van Houtryve attached his camera to a drone in 2013 to explore the implications of domestic and foreign drone policy.
His "Blue Sky Days" project became the longest photo essay published in Harper's Magazine's 165-year history. Join van Houtryve for a conversation about drones, war and privacy. This event is from 7 to 9 pm.
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Scholars Offering $5 Burger Special on Mondays and Tuesdays
Scholars (25 School St.) is offering a $5 burger special on Mondays and Tuesdays from 5 to 11 pm with the purchase of a beverage.
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Receive a Complimentary Uber Ride to The Merchant, Bogie's Place and 40+ Restaurants through Reserve App
Through May 2nd, Uber is partnering with Reserve, a dining concierge app to offer diners deals including a complimentary ride where they make a reservation. The Merchant (60 Franklin St.) and Bogie's Place at JM Curley's (21 Temple Place) are just two of more than 40 restaurants participating in this offer.
Book your restaurant reservation through the Reserve app and instantly gain access to exclusive menus, chef's tastings, secret off-menu items, beverage flights and more.
Download the Reserve app and enter code: RESERVEWEEK. Once you make a Reserve Week reservation at one of the participating restaurants, you'll get a code for a complimentary ride and gain access to UberVIP. Click here to see a list of participating restaurants. |
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Save $$ During Macy's Friends and Family Sale April 26th - May 4th
Shop at Macy's during its Friends and Family Sale from Sunday, April 26th through Monday, May 4th and save 25% off regular, sale and clearance prices.
Shoppers can also save 10% on electronics during the sale. Don't forget Mother's and Father's Days are coming up soon! |
Employment Opportunity: Chief Operating OfficerThe Downtown Boston BID is seeking a Chief Operating Officer (COO). Reporting directly to the President/Chief Executive Officer, this position will provide staff oversight and accountability and direction to all department programs. This position will also be responsible for all contract compliance. Please read here for the full job description.
Qualified applicants should email a cover letter, their resume, and salary history or requirements to Stacy Cawley, [email protected].
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Join or Renew AMC Stubs for Only $8 - Waived Online Ticketing Fees, Free Food & Drink Upgrades and More
Join or renew in the AMC Stubs program for only $8 a year (normally $12) and you will reap some great benefits from your membership. This is open to all new members and renewals through June 22nd.
Membership benefits include $10 rewards for every $100 spent, free upgrades on popcorn and fountain drinks, waived online ticketing fees, online scrapbook screening opportunities and member exclusive giveaways. Click here for more info.
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Capital One 360 Caf� Celebrating One-Year Anniversary on with
Carnival-Themed Party on April 28th
The Capital One 360 Caf� (129 Tremont St.) is hosting a one-year anniversary on Tuesday, April 28th to thank the Downtown Boston community for supporting the business. The cafe will be transformed into a carnival-themed party house with multiple raffles, free snacks and a free photo booth.
The party is from 11 am to 4 pm. Stop by and have some fun! No purchase necessary. |
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Host Your Private Function at
BONAPITA Nights
BONAPITA (49 Franklin St.) is now available for BONAPITA Nights to host private functions. Hold your birthday party, celebration, work events, company presentations or cocktail events. BONAPITA serves fresh, Mediterranean-inspired food including black bean and beet patties, chicken a la plancha, delicious salads and amazing pitas baked daily on the premises.
BONAPITA Nights is available 5 to 10 pm and will cater your event. If you book two weeks in advance wine and beer can be provided. Please call BONAPITA at 857-350-4606 to book your event or for more info.
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BID Internships Available
The Downtown Boston BID is seeking qualified, enthusiastic interns to assist with the following projects: - Office administration and customer service
- Policy research and analysis
- Data collection, input and management
Please send a cover letter and resume to [email protected]. |
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Downtown Boston BID Weekly News Update
For questions and comments, please contact David Ertischek, newsletter editor, at: [email protected] |
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