Thursday, May 6, 2010

Cheaps: Boston khed, subway raves & free zoos

Thursday brings about another round of Cheap Thills, my weekly column in the Boston Herald. There is word the column will continue after I leave the newspaper later this month, which rules.

WICKED GOOD
The Good Life’s Boston party

Friday at 28 Kingston St., Downtown Crossing; 21-plus, $5 (free admission requirements below) and the cover is $100,000 if you’re from New York.

Yo, khed, wheartha pahtee at? If you hear someone shout that in the vicinity of the Good Life Friday night, you’re in the right place. Not since Everlast broke out the Larry Bird Celtics [team stats] jersey in the House of Pain “Jump Around” video has Boston been so fashionable, and now the kids behind the So Dope parties are bringing the flavor of the Hub to the nightclubs. Sure, it can be said that every downtown party is a Boston party, but few have such promotional whimsy behind them. Free admission to anyone wearing Sox, Bruins [team stats], Patriots [team stats], Celtics or Revolution sports apparel, and bonus points for Bill Belichick hoodies, old, ratty Steve Grogan jerseys or anything suggesting the Yankees are not a very good baseball team. DJs Brek.One, Damien Paul and Dorchester’s own Jay K hold down the music.
Info: goodlifebar.com, 617-451-2622

UNDERGROUND PARTY
Boston Subway Rave

Friday from 5 to 10 p.m., on any Boston MBTA subway car; general meet-up at South Station at about 4:30 p.m.; all ages, FREE

The commute home Friday evening just got a bit more interesting. Scott Trano, the man behind spontaneous and nontraditional all-are-welcome community events like the zombie march and silent disco, is taking the rave to the subway. Participants are asked to divide into groups of 20, which means that even if half the 1,300 R.S.V.P.’d guests on Facebook take part, subway cars from the Red to Orange to Green lines will have party-people raving out alongside the weary just trying to get home. This could get ugly, and will no doubt be interesting, even if you get the car without Boston subway legend DJ Night Train. The rules are simple: no offensive music, no strobe lights and no invading people’s personal spaces. Trano is hosting a meet-up at South Station about an hour before things get rolling down, and all are welcome. It’s the kind of event that’s as cool as participants make it, like last weekend’s epic water-boiling house parties.
Info: search Facebook or e-mail strano317@yahoo.com; subscribe to event notices by texting your name to broadtexter.com/waldo

MATERNAL KINGDOM
Free admission to mothers at the Stone and Franklin Park zoos

Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Stone Zoo (149 Pond St., Stoneham, $11 adults/$7 children 2-12) and Franklin Park Zoo (One Franklin Park Road, $14 adults/$8 children 2-12); all-ages, FREE for moms with proof of child
Cheap Thrills has said it before and we’ll say it again: Mom doesn’t want lavish gifts for Mother’s Day, she wants to spend quality time with the kids. The evidence is in that still-wrapped iPod you got her last year when you thought you were “the man” and tried to outspend your broker-than-you siblings. Whether or not Momma Dukes will be impressed with the Stone Zoo’s new baby emperor tamarin twins or the Franklin Park’s baby lemur is anyone’s guess, but if the weather holds up, she’s certain to enjoy chillin’ out with the fam. She gets into both parks for free all day as well, saving you a few dimes before you go out and buy another fancy-pants electronic device she has no use for.
Info: zoonewengland.org, 617-989-2000 (Franklin) or 781-438-5100 (Stone)

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