Boston

Blue and Green Line Passengers: Can You Hear Me Now? Good!

It has happened to all of us: you’re talking on the phone when you go underground to the Copley T station and the call gets dropped, or you’re trying to send a friend a very important text message while on the Green Line when you realize you don’t have any service. Those few moments when you’re disconnected and isolated from civilization are excruciatingly frustrating. But there’s good news! The Boston Globe has just reported that by the end of the year, the MBTA’s Green and Blue lines will feature cell phone service. Underground cell service is already available on the entire Orange line and part of the Red line, so it was only natural that passengers on the Blue and Green lines would someday be able to gab on the phone while riding the T too. Unfortunately, the Prudential and Symphony stations on the Green line’s E branch will not be getting cell reception until the end of 2012, along with the still unserviced areas of the Red line. However, installation of cell reception on the rest of the Green line and all of the Blue line should be completed by the end of 2011. All of the MBTA’s 35 underground stations and 19 miles of tunnels are expected to feature cell phone service by the end of 2012. So Blue and Green line riders, get ready to talk, text, and check email while riding the T. You can even use the new cell service to Text a Librarian and get help from a librarian at Snell! But please, be courteous while talking on your cell phones. Just because nothing will be stopping you from chatting obnoxiously loud to your friend on your phone about what you did last weekend doesn’t mean you should do it. If you are respectful of others around you while using your phone, riding the T can be a pleasant experience for all. To find out more read the Boston Globe article and for research and books about the history of the MBTA, search NUCat, Northeastern’s library catalog.

Local Boston Designers Recognized by Smithsonian

Being a native Massachusetts girl and a graphic design student at Northeastern, I am always excited to hear about different opportunities in the design world that pop up around the historical city of Boston. Just the other day I came across an interesting article from Boston.com, which announced that the Smithsonian recently awarded three local MA designers for their recent and lifelong achievements in typography, interactive and product design. One designer, Matthew Carter, received the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt Lifetime Achievement Award, a prestigious award recognizing him for his years of work on numerous typefaces for Microsoft, Yale University, and the Boston Globe. Additionally, the Boston.com article features a short interview with designer Gianfranco Zaccai who says he believes Americans are becoming more design-savvy and excelling in the design world. He states, “We live in a much more global and connected world…. and I think a lot of it is due to some design companies communicating to people more”. Needless to say, this recent recognition of local designers certainly makes me excited to see what other opportunities lie within our beloved city!

Massachusetts Summer Fun!

As the summer weather starts to creep over Boston, students everywhere have started looking for creative new ways to relax and enjoy themselves, both inside and outside. Here are some local (and one not-quite-so-local) events to keep in mind for the upcoming weeks! NOW: Flash Forward Festival, Boston The Flash Forward Festival comes to Boston to showcase the best contemporary photography from all over the world, including Canada and the UK. The festival lasts for four days (June 2nd to June 5th) and runs from 12pm to 7pm, leaving ample time to explore the other activities going on around the showcase. You have your choice of public art installations, lectures, panel discussions, gallerists, and countless artists from around the city and the world. This four-day festival is free to the public. http://www.flashforwardfestival.com THIS SATURDAY, June 4, 2011: The Cambridge River Festival This one-day celebration brings the Charles River to life with countless musical performances and more than 200,000 attendees flanking the river’s edges. Come on Saturday, June 4th between noon and 6pm to experience the magic and culture of this celebration. The festival is free for everyone! http://www.cambridgema.gov/CAC/ July 4: 38th Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular Every year on the Fourth of July, the Boston Pops play an amazing free concert at the Hatch Shell on Boston’s Esplanade along the Charles River. There are usually several exciting guest performers, and the fireworks that follow the concert are truly not to be missed. The crowds can get intense, and people camp out for space early in the morning. Tip from the locals: you can see the fireworks just as well, sometimes better, from the Cambridge side of the river, and they usually broadcast the concert to that side as well. Another tip to beat the crowds — see and hear the same concert the night before, July 3, at the dress rehearsal. (No fireworks that night, though.) http://www.july4th.org/ Charlie Chaplin’s The Kid with Live Score by Marc Ribot This event at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art on Saturday, July 9th at 9:00pm revamps a classic Charlie Chaplin film with modern guitar solos and soundtracks. Marc Ribot’s transformation of the film brings a whole new meaning to the timeless piece. Ticket prices vary, but if you are a student (at NEU or any other college) you get a flat rate ticket for $10. Note: This museum is in North Adams, Massachusetts, about a 2.5-hour drive from Boston. http://www.massmoca.org Around the World in Watercolor, 1860-1920 This exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts from July 16th to March 4th features works by American watercolorists such as John La Farge, Thomas Moran, Henry Roderick Newman, and Joseph Lindon Smith. These painters all travelled the world for inspiration, and their pieces are sure to transport you to the beautiful hills of Greece or the deserts of Egypt. The best part about this showing? Admission to the museum is free when you show your NEU student ID. http://www.mfa.org

Big Citizenship Discussion with Co-Founder of City Year, Thurs. Oct 14

Alan Khazei, co-founder of City Year and CEO/founder of Be the Change, Inc., has written a new book — Big Citizenship — and is coming to campus to discuss the book and highlight Northeastern students who are Big Citizens. “‘Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others,’ Robert Kennedy famously wrote, ‘he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope.’ No one better exemplifies the truth of these words than Alan Khazei, the co-founder of City Year. In this stirring call to arms, Khazei lays out a path for the renewal of America, which should provoke conversation, debate and action.” —Doris Kearns Goodwin, Pulitzer Prize–winning author and presidential historian. Who: Alan Khazei with Barry Bluestone Where: Curry Student Center Ballroom When: Thursday October 14th, 2:30-4:00pm What: Discussion and Book Signing with Alan Khazei!!

Boston Vegetarian Food Festival

Those of you looking for something fun and not Halloween-related to do this weekend should check out the Boston Vegetarian Food Festival. It’s happening Oct 31st from 10 AM to 6 PM and Nov 1st from 10 AM to 4 PM at the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center, 1350 Tremont Street, Boston. There will be cooking demonstrations and talks on everything from the basics of vegetarianism, to nutrition, to the effects of diet on global warming. There will also be plenty of exhibitors giving out free samples, educational exhibits on animals and the environment and children’s activities. Best of all, everything is free. Stop by and learn how you can eat healthier and help the environment.