Photo by Gage Skidmore

I have been a longtime Star Trek fan so of course Leonard Nimoy‘s death(reported today) comes with more than it’s share of sadness for the death of a well known celebrity.  Beyond that I have also had a level of pride for the fact that he was born and raised in Boston.

As a child I remember thinking that Spock was so cool.  His logic and control of his emotion was something that I often aspired to.  It seemed he was born to play Spock and of course that will probably what he will be most remembered for but I am not sure whether that is my strongest memory.

There are few voices that are so distinctive.  Besides Nimoy’s the ones that jump to mind are Morgan Freeman and James Earl Jones.  For those of us in Boston and those that may have visited the Museum of Science you may remember his distinctive voice welcoming you the “The Mugar Omni Theatre”.  It has been a while since I have been there so I don’t know if they are still running the intro as well as the documentary about New England that he narrates but I have to say that is what I will remember him most for, his distinctive voice and his pride for New England.

I want to thank YouTuber 2HHB for actually filming this just for this moment.  He recorded not only the intro “Who Put the Bomp” but also the New England Time Capsule short film that Leonard Nimoy narrated.  Though there is some background noise it is definitely good enough to bring the memories back..

Rest in Peace Leonard Nimoy…

The Blink part of the event has also been kicked off.  This is a series of events and full blown Christmas lighting of Faneuil Hall that is one of my favorites.  The kids love the blinking of the lights on the trees that line the Marketplace with the big lighted tree in the background.  We were fortunately able to find some videos that were posted of the actual lighting that we are including in this post.

Thankfully there are still a few Boston Tree Lighting ceremonies left including the biggie on the Boston Common.  Here is the updated list of Boston Tree Lighting Events for 2014:

Columbus Park Trellises Lighting (North End-Waterfront– November 24th

Everyone is welcome at the annual lighting of the wonderful blue and white trellis! There will be music, fun, snacks, and good cheer. Join Mayor Walsh, Santa Claus, and Miss Massachusetts in Christopher Columbus Park for the annual lighting of the trellis!

Boston Common Tree Lighting December 4th Official Annual Gift from Nova Scotia Tree

An updated talent lineup for Boston’s 73rd Annual Official Tree Lighting has been announced.  Mayor Martin J. Walsh and the Honourable Stephen McNeil, Premier of Nova Scotia, will host the festive event on Boston Common on Thursday, December 4, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Macy’s Tree Lighting November 28th

Blink see below for the Faneuil Hall Tree Lighting Highlights

Blink! – the state-of-the-art light & sound extravaganza that transforms every inch of America’s first open marketplace – returns to Faneuil Hall Marketplace and Marketplace Center for a third year in November 2014.
This magical and unforgettable light show uses over 350,000 LED lights to illuminate Boston’s skyline – to the song stylings of the Holiday Pops – in a seven-minute spectacle that runs continuously each evening.
The lights dance seamlessly to the music through every inch of Faneuil Hall, including the largest Christmas tree in the northeast, to create a spectacle not to be missed.

Frog Pond Skating Spectacular December 4th

Freedom Trail Foundation’s 2014 Holiday Stroll.  The first is a one time event but the Freedom Trail Foundation gives these Holiday Stroll/Tours from mid November through the end of January.  This is how they describe the tour:

Costumed tour guides in 19th-century Dickensian garb lead visitors along Downtown’s historic Freedom Trail. Revisit the days when Boston hosted the triumphant American premiere of Charles Dickens’ holiday classic “A Christmas Carol.”

Hear the story of how Christmas and holiday traditions evolved in Boston and the highlights of the American Revolution as it happened just 75 years earlier. Round off the tour with hot chocolate, tea or wine, and the famous Boston Cream Pie at the Omni Parker House Hotel.

Here is the video from the Faneuil Hall Tree Lighting Event.  Mayor Walsh seems right at home.  Enjoy the Holiday Season!

There is no denying that Peyton Manning is a great quarterback but Tom Brady is better. The debate will continue until they retire but in my mind the record says it all Brady 11 Manning 5.  The stat counters will analyze this forever but as I have seen in other places “Who would you want on your team in a playoff game?”  The answer is predominantly Brady.

I am including a Tom Brady profile video that ESPN put together on Brady’s improbably career.

Enjoy New England!  This is looking like another good season!

http://youtu.be/VOAKBBMJfwQ

It would be difficult not to like Mayor Menino as a man of the people because there is no denying that he was.  Though I never interacted with him directly there are those that I know that did.  On one side he was such a hard working Mayor that at times he was at the point of falling asleep at meetings.  It had to cost him to try to be everywhere as it seemed he always was.

On the political side he was well known to not be afraid to use his power.  At times he had problems with the public sector(police, fire…) because of contract negotiations with the unions.  This didn’t endear him to many of those members…

At different points, Mr. Menino found himself at odds with the city’s public-sector unions, with contact negotiations sometimes becoming rancorous, deeply personal affairs. Noting that one Fire Department captain had published a letter to the editor in the Globe with the phrase “we die for you,” an exasperated Mr. Menino wrote in his memoir: “Give me a break! Try negotiating with a union whose members die for you.”

Boston Globe

Over the course of more than 20 years as Mayor you have to make enemies but as can be seen by the outpouring of support, tributes and remembrances he made many more friends.  With his power he also accomplished much for the city’s national standing and it’s neighborhoods.  It is tragic that a man that gave so much to the people of Boston did not get a chance to “relax” after serving.  He was only out of office 297 days before he passed.  The good news for us is that he did get a chance to finish his memoir so we will have a chance to see his accomplishments and life through his eyes.  I have linked to the book below.  Though it is currently out of stock I’ve ordered it because I am sure it will be restocked quickly due to Mayor Menino’s unfortunate passing.

Mayor for a New America

For those of us that lived through all of Mayor Menino’s terms it will be hard not to think of Menino when you think of Boston.  He truly shaped this city, primarily for the better.

Rest in peace and our utmost condolences to his dedicated wife Angela and his family.

Did you know that Rick Riordan now lives in Boston?  He has been here for a while since he moved here for his son’s college choice and we hope he will stick around.  Back in January the Globe wrote about Mr. Riordan’s move to Boston and how he is also here to research his next series on Norse Mythology which will be based in Boston.  Hopefully plenty of updates on what he is working on and how he likes Boston will be included.  As the kids’ keynote speaker he will surely fill the room.

I have 2 middle school aged children and they are pained that they won’t be able to see him live.  The Saturday morning timing of the Kids’ Keynote does make it challenging for the kids that participate in not only athletics (soccer and basketball) in our town but also the music students with Saturday morning music school.  I have noticed this year that they have put the audio up for many of the presenters from last year’s festival.  I am going to let my daughter know she can listen to the Tomie dePaola keynote from last year.  As an aspiring author listening to the words of successful authors can be very inspiring.  The audios are a great opportunity for anyone who may have missed some of the sessions too.  The organizers have been nice enough to allow us to download them for convenience as well.

Of course, nothing beats catching the presentations live.  Due to the many different presentations and venues I always advise to do as much planning ahead as possible.  The Boston Book Festival website not only offers the schedule and venue maps online but give you the option of downloading them and printing them out.

Our famous Concord resident Doris Kearns Goodwin will also be presenting as the History keynote on Saturday afternoon.  Goodwin has a remarkable way of telling history in a way that both fascinates and entertains.  She has to have a remarkable amount of patience to research her chosen topics so well.  Her current book is “The Bully Pulpit:  Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism”.  I have not had the chance to read it yet but if it is anything like “Team of Rivals” I’m in.

The festival has many other presenters worthy of mention including jazz legend Herbie Hancock and novelist Susan Minot (Thirty Girls).

If you want to delve into Doris Kearns Goodwin’s thoughts on her latest book here is a good interview.  It is about an hour long so you can always play it in the background.  If you can get out and catch her live…

Around Halloween there is of course much going on due to the Haunted Happenings events that celebrate everything Halloween.  Many tourists go to Salem just for those but many find out that there is more to Salem than just Witches.  Salem Historical Tours offers Halloween inspired tours but also a General History Tour which is advertised as:

Everyone knows Salem for its witch history, but the city is one of the oldest in the United States with a rich seaport and revolutionary history. We were the 6th largest seaport in the US in 1790 and we played a major role in the fight for independence from England. Many “firsts” occurred in Salem and there are several famous people who lived and visited our city, including 17 US Presidents. Come take a stroll through present day Salem and our glorious past.

Check out the schedule at SalemHistoricalTours.com

The other must see is the Peabody Essex Museum where my family and I saw the Ansel Adams: At the Water’s Edge Exhibit back in 2012.  The museum is well laid out and spacious which I prefer when the crowds start to gather(as they definitely should during the Halloween Season).  The current exhibition is Calder and Abstraction:  From Avant-Garde to Iconic.  The museum describes it as:

Alexander Calder’s abstract works revolutionized modern sculpture and made him one of the most celebrated artists of the 20th century. In collaboration with the Calder Foundation, this exhibition brings together 40 of the artist’s mobiles (kinetic metal works) and stabiles (dynamic monumental sculptures) to explore how Alexander Calder introduced the visual vocabulary of the French Surrealists into the American vernacular.

This exhibit is there until January so if you don’t get the chance during your Halloween visit to Salem you can go back later.  My son and I were obsessed with photographing water for quite a while after seeing the Ansel Adams exhibit so who knows what will happen after seeing Calder’s abstract works…Here is the schedule.

The schedule for the many events that take place as part of Halloween can be found on the Haunted Happenings website.  If you are curious about the Witch trials I am including a video from the History Channel.  This one is more PG.  There is another documentary by the Geographic Channel but it is a bit too violent for this site.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmBT049__tQ

We wish everyone a safe Halloween season.  For more of our Halloween content be sure to check the This Month links on the right sidebar which includes a link to all of our Halloween content via the Halloween Tips link.

We provide the links below go to their official websites but I am also going to include the WBZ debate that was available online.  If you want to see the most recent debate put on by WGBH and the Boston Globe please click here .

Charlie Baker for Governor official site https://charliebaker2014.com/

Martha Coakley for Governor official site http://www.marthacoakley.com/

Sometimes we can be lazy when it comes to politics or even worse apathetic.  I know at times it is easy to rely on the ads you see on television to get what you think are the facts about each of the candidates.  The great part about the way the new political candidate websites are set up you can see what their stances are on the issues they care about and think that we care about.  You also get a feel for their values and priorities based on their bios and the various videos that are included on the sites.

Of course, you can’t just rely on what they say about themselves or what they put on their own websites.  That is why you should also see them in action in debates.  There have already been 2 debates.  The more recent one mentioned about can be accessed on the WGBH news website.  I am including the WBZ one below and will add information about the last one that is supposed to take place on Monday October 27th on NECN at 8pm in case you can’t catch it live.  UPDATE:  The debate has been added below for NECN.  This is not the last one though WCVB is having the last one tonight if you want to catch one live.  You will be able to see it online and on TV’s Channel 5 at 7:00pm

Besides the Governor’s race there are quite a few questions on the ballot this year covering issues from Casinos to Bottle fees.  You can get information on those questions and the other races that are taking place at the Secretary of State’s Office Mass 2014 Election info page.

NECN Debate

 WBZ Debate Videos

Get out and vote on November 4th!

Boston Tree Lighting Events for 2013 include:

Columbus Park Trellises Lighting – November 25th

Boston Common Tree Lighting December 5th Official Annual Gift from Nova Scotia Tree

Macy’s Tree Lighting November 29th

Macy’s Downtown Crossing rings in the Christmas spirit with spectacular events for the entire family. Special guests include hip-hop and R&B recording artist Mack Wilds, Alt/Pop band Echosmith, The Boston’s Children Choir, and The Boston Pops.

Faneuil Hall Tree Lighting and Blink! November 23 Mayor Menino to be honored with a tribute for “his commitment to Faneuil Hall and his 20 years of serving as Mayor of Boston”.  I would not be surprised if Mayor-Elect Walsh shows up too.  Don’t forget toys for the New England Patriots Annual Holiday Toy Drive.

Frog Pond Skating Spectacular

Boston Winter Events Guide from the City of Boston.  This guide gives you neighborhood specific tree lighting information as well as other Winter fun you may want to participate in.

A couple of other Boston Holiday Events that got our attention were the Beacon Hill Holiday Stroll and the Freedom Trail Foundation’s 2013 Holiday Stroll.  The first is a one time event but the Freedom Trail Foundation gives these Holiday Stroll/Tours from mid November through the end of January.  This is how they describe the tour:

Costumed tour guides in 19th-century Dickensian garb lead visitors along Downtown’s historic Freedom Trail. Revisit the days when Boston hosted the triumphant American premiere of Charles Dickens’ holiday classic “A Christmas Carol.”

Hear the story of how Christmas and holiday traditions evolved in Boston and the highlights of the American Revolution as it happened just 75 years earlier. Round off the tour with hot chocolate, tea or wine, and the famous Boston Cream Pie at the Omni Parker House Hotel.

In closing here is a video from last year’s Macy’s Tree Lighting event.  Enjoy the Holiday Season!

This year’s conference will have some interesting key note speakers, as is usually the case.  For those of us that are fans of the ABC show Scandal, you may be surprised to know that actress Kerry Washington is a women’s right activist as well.  She will be speaking alongside Doris Kearns Goodwin.

According to the official press release:

Washington and other speakers will share their experience and expertise on a range of topics including personal growth, career advancement, money management, health and wellness, small business and entrepreneurship, social media branding and more. This year’s Conference theme “The Power of Us” encourages women to take a greater role in changing the course of their own lives and in being a force for change in their communities.

I really admire both women so I am sure they will have plenty to offer regarding their unique journeys and the challenges that they have faced.  Washington recently hosted Saturday night live and in a very funny way illustrated how the show needs to add African-American actresses to the cast.  The skit had her having to go back and forth to change into different character outfits for Oprah and Michelle Obama since there was no one else to play the roles.  It was pretty funny but proved the point.  Saturday Night Live of course had to be in on it but I think Kerry Washington’s elevated stature is what pushed it forward.

There is still time to register for the conference that takes place Thursday December 5th from 7:30am to 5pm at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.  Here is the direct link to the Agenda so you can decide what you want to participate in.  If you are a student you get a deep discount but you need to make sure you bring your student id.

To get a feel for what the speakers are like here is a clip of Arianna Huffington from last year.  She was one of the keynote speakers.  She definitely adds wit to her insights…

There are 2 movies that were filmed in the Boston area that will be featured at the festival, “Siren” and “George of the Center”.  The first was filmed in Millis and the second in Billerica.  I am including previews of both Middleton and George of the Center but there wasn’t one available for Siren.  George of the Center definitely has that New England feel to it.

These are just 3 of the movies and short films that will be showing at the Boston Film Festival.  Take a look, it might be good counterbalance to the sports madness that is a big part of Boston right now.

Middleton Preview

George of the Center Preview