Catch the Free Blue Man Boston Fan Drum-Off tomorrow 7/7

Finalist Victoria Venegas-Rizk.
Photo provided by Blue Man Group Boston.
Used with permission.

Blue Man Group Boston is hosting their fifth annual Drum-Off competition tomorrow, July 7th at 5:00 pm at the free Summer Block Party at The Lawn on D in Boston. After the competition, the winner will perform with Blue Man Group so you'll even enjoy a mini-performance, too!

This competition showcases the best drumming talent in New England and beyond with selected finalists each performing a 3-minute solo jam session in front of the festive Summer Block Party crowd and judges. The winner will receive over $6,000 in prizes from Blue Man Group, DW, Sabian and Vic Firth and have the chance to perform with Blue Man Group at the end of the competition.

The finalists are:
Vlade Guigni, 33, lives in Boston, from the Dominican Republic.
Xavier Martin, 32, lives and from Sanford, North Carolina
Cameron Petros, 19, lives and from Ellsworth, Maine
Tyler Pedersen, 24, lives and from Marblehead, MA
Victoria Venegas-Rizk, 20, lives in Boston and from Miami, Florida

Vlade and Tyler are returning finalists having competed in the 2016 and 2017 Drum-Offs respectively.  Victoria becomes the third female finalist in the five-year history of the Blue Man Group Boston Drum-Off and first female finalist since 2015.

“When we started this event five years ago, our goal was to highlight the area’s drumming talent and we’ve seen such amazing and proficient drummers perform at this event over the years,” said Jonathan Screnci, Resident General Manager, Blue Man Group Boston. “These five individuals all have such distinct drumming styles and I think the audience at The Summer Block Party is really going to enjoy watching them compete and perform.”

This year’s competition will be hosted by Danny Balel of ImprovBoston. ImprovBoston has been New England’s leading theater and school dedicated to the art of comedy in all forms. The judges will include members of the Blue Man Group band that will also perform during the encore.

NOTE: I'm providing this information for my readers since I think you all will enjoy it! No compensation was provided and all opinions are my own.

Bringing back my childhood for the fourth of july!

Today I had the opportunity to join some friends and play in an adult kickball game. Nevermind the fact that we're in the middle of a heat wave here in New England and the temperature was 94 degrees Fahrenheit with a feel-like temperature of over 100, I drank a bunch of water and had a bunch of fun. I haven't played the game in 25+ years but it came right back to me just like in my childhood. Can't wait for the next game... whenever that is!

Red Sox Weekend at the Museum of Science Tomorrow and Sunday!

Photo from mos.org

This weekend (tomorrow AND Sunday) is Red Sox Weekend at the Museum of Science in Boston!

Last year, the Museum of Science started a multi-year partnership with the Red Sox to host a fun-filled roster of activities combining the spirit of baseball with the learning opportunities of STEM. This second annual celebration will be quite a catch!

A stellar lineup of baseball-inspired science and engineering activities is on deck. Try a Sox-themed Design Challenge where you can build and test prototypes to solve a problem. Enter Fenway Park from afar via the Red Sox Showcase, find mascots Wally and Tessie, and more. Join Museum educators for exciting baseball-themed live presentations, enjoy Fenway-themed photo opportunities, a unique rendition of Take Me Out to the Ball Game, and other opportunities!

The partnership looks to produce baseball-inspired STEM material for the 70,000+ members of Red Sox Kid Nation and collaborate on family-friendly programs, activities, and events throughout the year — both at the ballpark and at the Museum. On your next Fenway visit, remember to grab a copy of Wally & Tessie's STEM Workbook at the Kid Nation booth or Wally's Clubhouse).  Learn more about the partnership between the Museum and the Red Sox here.

The schedule, provided by the Museum, is as follows:

Saturday, June 2
Red Sox Showcase
• 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
• Blue Wing, Lower Level
Experience Fenway at the Museum and test your baseball skills with a Red Sox pitching station, virtual reality headsets, and a life-size game of Jenga!
Face painting will be available from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm!

Baseballs in Flight
• 10:30 am - 12:30 pm
• 1:30 - 3:30 pm
• Investigation Station, Blue Wing, Level 2
Keep your eyes on the ball! Launch miniature baseballs to investigate how the variables of projectile motion affect the way a ball flies.

Baseball by the Numbers
• 11:30 am
• Gordon Current Science & Technology Center, Blue Wing, Level 1
Numbers are an important part of baseball. Using statistics allows us to compare players, measure their performance and predict their success. Take a closer look at how stats help us to understand America's favorite pastime.

Lightning!
• 12:00 pm
• 2:00 pm
• 4:00 pm
• Theater of Electricity, Blue Wing, Level 1 and 2
Indoor bolts produced by the world's largest air-insulated Van de Graaff generator spark exciting explorations of lightning, conductors, insulators, electricity, magnetism, and storm safety. Featuring the solid-state tesla coils playing Take Me Out to the Ballgame.

Think Fast!
• 1:00 pm
• 3:00 pm
• Hall of Human Life, Green Wing, Level 2
Reaction time is important in baseball, from catching a ball to hitting. Come by the Hall of Human Life to measure your reaction time and see if it measures up to hitting a 90 mph fastball.

Predicting Performance
• 12:30 pm
• Gordon Current Science & Technology Center, Blue Wing, Level 1
Do you want to take statistics to the next level? Join us to learn more about sabermetrics with video game developer and baseball enthusiast Ian Davis as he talks about the computer programs he has created and used for his own teams.

Home Run Science
• 1:00 pm
• 3:00 pm
• Cahners Theater, Blue Wing, Level 2
Join educators to explore home run science as we use large-scale demonstrations to illustrate the forces at work while the ball is speeding to the plate, colliding with the moving bat and rocketing out of the park.

How to Pitch in the Big Leagues
• 2:30 pm
• Gordon Current Science & Technology Center, Blue Wing, Level 1
How does a major league pitcher hurl a ball at such high speeds? How do they get their arms to extend and move like they do? Former Red Sox pitcher and World Series champion Lenny DiNardo describes and demonstrates some of the biomechanics of pitching.

Sunday, June 3
Red Sox Showcase
• 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
• Blue Wing, Lower Level
Experience Fenway at the Museum and test your baseball skills with a Red Sox pitching station, virtual reality headsets, and a life-size game of Jenga!
Face painting will be available from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm!

Baseballs in Flight
• 10:30 am - 12:30 pm
• 1:30 - 3:30 pm
• Investigation Station, Blue Wing, Level 2
Keep your eyes on the ball! Launch miniature baseballs to investigate how the variables of projectile motion affect the way a ball flies.

Baseball by the Numbers
• 11:30 am
• Gordon Current Science & Technology Center, Blue Wing, Level 1
Numbers are an important part of baseball. Using statistics allows us to compare players, measure their performance and predict their success. Take a closer look at how stats help us to understand America's favorite pastime.

Lightning!
• 12:00 pm
• 2:00 pm
• 4:00 pm
• Theater of Electricity, Blue Wing, Level 1 and 2
Indoor bolts produced by the world's largest air-insulated Van de Graaff generator spark exciting explorations of lightning, conductors, insulators, electricity, magnetism, and storm safety. Featuring the solid-state tesla coils playing Take Me Out to the Ballgame.

Think Fast!
• 1:00 pm
• 3:00 pm
• Hall of Human Life, Green Wing, Level 2
Reaction time is important in baseball, from catching a ball to hitting. Come by the Hall of Human Life to measure your reaction time and see if it measures up to hitting a 90 mph fastball.

Home Run Science
• 1:00 pm
• 3:00 pm
• Cahners Theater, Blue Wing, Level 2
Join educators to explore home run science as we use large-scale demonstrations to illustrate the forces at work while the ball is speeding to the plate, colliding with the moving bat and rocketing out of the park.

NOTE: We're pleased to partner once again with the Red Sox as Red Sox Parents this season to provide our readers with family friendly events from the Red Sox! All opinions, as always, are our own.

Visit Fenway today for Mother's Day

The Red Sox will be hosting a “Walk in the Park” for Mother’s Day Today, Sunday, May 13 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Additionally, moms can enjoy free tours of Fenway Park on Mother’s Day, which take place every hour on the hour from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The annual celebration of Mother’s Day at Fenway Park gives fans the opportunity to walk around the warning track, sit inside the home and visitor’s dugout, take photos with a Red Sox alumnus, and participate in other family-friendly activities. The event is free.

Fans can enter the ballpark through Gate B/K, located near the corner of Van Ness and Ipswich Streets. Games will be activated in the Kids Concourse, including speed pitch, the virtual reality dugout, and homerun challenge experience. Red Sox alumnus Sam Horn will take photos and meet fans outside of the Red Sox dugout, and the 2004 and 2013 World Series Trophies will be placed behind home plate for photos.

Wally the Green Monster and his sister, Tessie, will be on hand, accompanied by a balloon artist, face painter, caricature artist, juggler, stilt walker, and magician.

Ballpark concessions will be available at a discounted price. The event will take place rain or shine.

NOTE: We're pleased to partner once again with the Red Sox as Red Sox Parents this season to provide our readers with family friendly events at Fenway! All opinions, as always, are our own.

RedSox Kids Opening Weekend and SoxPromos for April

Red Sox Kids Opening Weekend at Fenway is off to a great start! The Sox won their home opener on Thursday, April 5 and today they won their game against Tampa Bay with some great home runs! Let's hope they can continue the streak tomorrow when they play their first Sunday home game at Fenway. Fans who are 14 or younger in attendance will receive youth batting gloves.

There's a few other fun giveaways and promos to highlight:

• Fri, April 13 - Chris Sale "K-Counter" Bobblehead for the first 10,000 fans
• Sun, April 29 - Wally's Birthday Party and On-field photo day where the team will take their annual team photo and kids will also get the chance to run the bases after the game! 
• Mon, April 30 - Christian Vazquez Gnome for the first 10,000 fans

Remember, kids can register for Red Sox Kid Nation and receive a free ticket to a Red Sox game (for the first 25,000 redemptions) and earn points for exclusive rewards, items and experiences.

NOTE: We're pleased to partner once again with the Red Sox as Red Sox Parents this season to provide our readers with family friendly events at Fenway! All opinions, as always, are our own.

Red Sox Kid Nation registration is open for the 2018 season

Attention parents of Red Sox Nation: Kid Nation registration is now open for the 2018 season! Some highlights include: a revamped loyalty program offering the chance to earn points redeemable for prizes, raffles, experiences and more; a free kid-companion ticket for the first 25,000 members to redeem their ticket; two tiers (free/paid).

Red Sox Kid Nation offers kids the opportunity to experience baseball and Fenway Park in a different way. Kid Nation members who come to Fenway Park are rewarded with exclusive prizes and benefits. There are two different tiers for Kid Nation, a Rookie (free) and All-Star (paid) membership. Each offers different benefits for its members, such as prizes, access to special events, and discounts.

Membership points can be earned both at the ballpark, as well as when the team is on the road, in a variety of ways: fans can check in at Fenway Park at Kid Nation kiosks throughout the ballpark, attending seasonal events held by partners and affiliates, participating in online games and activities, as well as watching and listening for Kid Nation “code word” during NESN broadcasts.

The free Kid Nation membership includes a membership card, lanyard, subscription to the Kid Nation newsletter, discounts at the Red Sox Team Store and the ability to earn points that can be redeemed online for exclusive rewards. The paid All-Star package includes everything from the Rookie membership plus more! This package includes a duffle bag, "how to pitch" baseball, athletic arm sleeve, and water bottle, as well as the membership card and lanyard. Paid memberships also include the opportunity to take part in early entry to watch batting practice and makes the member eligible for special ticket offers, discounts, and access to Kid Nation special events.

NOTE: As a Red Sox Parent, I am providing this information for you, my readers since I think you would find it useful. I did not receive any compensation for this post and all opinions are my own.

Brunch at Coppersmith's Bar and the New England Boat Show Recap

Our Saturday trip to Boston for the Boat Show started off with an easy drive up I-93 to Boston and we made our 11 am reservation at Coppersmith's Bar, a restaurant in South Boston located close to the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, the site of the New England Boat Show. The restaurant opens at 11 am, but they also have a cafe that opens a few hours before and you can order coffee drinks along with tasty treats if you're eager to get going on a Saturday morning.

We walked in and were promptly seated near the dueling food trucks, which are permanently installed inside of the restaurant floor. For weekend brunch, they also have a Bloody Mary bar where you order the alcohol from the bar and then go to the Bloody Mary bar to customize it to your liking. We're not big Bloody Mary people so we skipped that.

We ordered the food which took a little while to prepare. We tried all of the appetizers from sweet potato donut hole treats and tater tots to hangover wings and your typical steak and eggs or omelette. Emily tried the Felafel sandwich and the kids had sliders and chicken tenders. We truly enjoyed all of the food and smoothies, frappes and cappuccinos before heading over to the show.

Upon arriving at the New England Boat Show, we parked onsite for $18 in a lot behind the convention center which made it easy to get to the show since the show is on the first floor. We had to pass through metal detectors to enter and the whole process was quick.

We got to go on the various boats and the kids really enjoyed themselves, getting to explore boats and even try sitting in captains chairs! Luckily for the boat owners, the wheels were disabled so the kids could play with the steering wheel as much as they wanted to without ruining things.

One of my favorite booths was Yeti, the makers of the eponymous premium coolers and stainless steel rambler mugs. Their Tundra cooler line, which range from $200-450 are crafted with precision combine versatility with durability. The coolers are made of durable rotomolded construction and have up to two inches of PermaFrost™ Insulation. They also have cooler bags called the Hopper Flip which is a soft-shell cooler whose smallest size can hold 8 cans and the Hopper Two which is a carry bag that is built to last. The Hopper Two is easy to load and unload. Its tapered body shape is comfortable to haul and has a detachable shoulder strap. New for this year, they also have an attachable Side Kick dry bag which you can toss your mobile phone into and not have to worry about it getting wet thanks to RF-welded seams and a magnetic HydroShield™ Closure. The mugs are available in a variety of sizes and are double-insulated to keep your hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold. They are also made of stainless steel and are easy to wash.

There were also some great kid-friendly things for families. Progressive, the title sponsor of the show had a section where you could use a remote control boat to try driving it in a little pool and you could also enter to win a t-shirt, hate or cute keychain.

The Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary had a booth and they brought along a huge inflatable life-size humpback whale that you could actually go into and learn all about whales. We found it absolutely fascinating! Who know whale poop was so good for the environment?

We hope you enjoyed our recap and we look forward to attending this show again - it was so much fun!

NOTE: We worked with the New England Boat Show and have been provided passes to attend as well as brunch at Coppersmiths Bar. All opinions are our own and are not influenced by any consideration we received..