
A last-minute Valentine's Day guide that won't break your heart
LOVE ON FILM
The classic movie date is a tried-and-true classic. Several theaters throughout Boston and beyond will play everything from tearjerker rom-coms to dark romances. To celebrate, several local theaters are presenting one-day and limited screenings of classics featuring love (and love lost) all weekend — from a prop-inspired party for
Check individual theaters for ticket prices, dates, and start times.
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HEART-EYED WHODUNNITS
While Valentine's Day is synonymous with many cheesy activities, there are other, more chilling options to partake in around Boston. Social experience app Questo has designed a Valentine's-themed murder mystery that takes participants on a scavenger hunt around downtown Boston, picking up clues along the way to solve a fictionalized 'crime of passion.' To partake, you must have access to a GPS-enabled cellphone; while groups can gather around the same phone (and single fee), a little competition won't cost you. Per phone access to the game is
Feb. 14-16. Starting
at North Square. $20.
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Spend a night Upstairs at Bow with your valentine or galentine.
Rhode Tripper Photography
GRAB YOUR PARTNER
On first dates, dance may be a barometer for chemistry; for long-time loves, it can be a way to turn up the heat. Plus, it occupies your hands if you don't know what to do with them.
Feb. 14, 7:30-11:30 p.m. $5-$10
. 1 Bow Market Way, Somerville.
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ALL THAT JAZZ
Cozy corners at Boston's best jazz clubs are
extra
coveted on V-Day, so for an alternative evening, head to Lamplighter's East Cambridge location for a night of beats and brews. The night features a performance by a local jazz trio called Bean Supper featurning multi instrumentalist
Feb. 14, 8-10 p.m. $15-$20.
110 N First St., Cambridge.
BAILE DE AMOR
Adding some dancing to your Valentine's date may be what you need to light a fire of long-lasting passion. State Park Bar in Kendall is hosting a night of Latin music on vinyl including cumbia, salsa, bachata, and more. The restaurant will reorganize its regular retro-inspired dining layout for a makeshift dance floor where couples can heat things up with some tropical beats.
Feb. 14, 10 p.m. Free.
15 Hampshire St., Bldg. 300, Cambridge.
For the haters and the daters
HIT THE BRAKES
Harvard's Science Center Plaza offers an ideal setting for unleashing a little Valentine's frustration (or flirtation) with their ice-bound bumper cars, a winter adaptation of the amusement park classic. Glide your bumper car across the icy field, bouncing off the rounded rims of your neighbors, and if you happen to spot an ex, we cannot be held responsible for what happens next.
Through
M
arch 13,
noon-3 p.m. and 4-7 p.m. $15. First come, first served.
1350 Massachusetts, Ave., Cambridge.
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COLD AS ICE
Get your blood pumping with tickets to see
Feb. 14, 6 p.m. $10. 65 N Harvard St., Allston.
Spend Valentine's Day playing Bingo at Bow Market's Remnant.
Celina Carros
CALL THAT LUCKY NUMBER
Though you may not (technically) be a winner in romance, a game of Bingo may just increase your chance of bringing home a prize. At Remnant Brewery, hosts won't be calling out numbers; it's up to you to fill your romance-themed Bingo card. Stamp a square if you've 'seen an ex on a dating app' or 'faked an emergency to get out of a bad date.'. Other squares require some real-time flirting — like exchanging numbers or buying someone a drink. A prize bucket will be available for those who get six across, but the real winners are those who make new connections.
Feb. 14, 8 p.m. Free.
2 Bow Market Way, Somerville.
TONGUE-IN-CHEEK
Discovering your partner's sense of humor is a great — and often necessary — test of compatibility. Men in Comedy, an all-femme comedy collective, has teamed up with Somerville's All She Wrote bookstore to make light out of love. The Valentine's comedy show will feature readings of the booksellers' romantic collections, followed by an open mic so attendees can read their own poetry and perhaps proclaim their love.
Feb. 14, 8:30-10 p.m. $10.
Connexion, 149 Broadway, Somerville.
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Marianna Orozco can be reached at
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Buzz Feed
5 hours ago
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Just 27 Little Treats Since Mercury Is Retrograding
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A nostalgia-inducing composition book MacBook cover — this hard shell protector will probably make you feel like it's time to write a five-paragraph essay in Mrs. Lowell's class every single time you open your laptop to write a five-paragraph email at your big-kid job. A pack of eight spicy margarita instant cocktail tea bags because as cute as it is to go out and spend upwards of $20 on just one at home in your coziest loungewear is also a really ~intoxicating~ idea. All you have to do is let it steep for three minutes in a combination of water and spirits (I'd obvi go with tequila here), and your fave summery drink is good to go! A L'Oreal natural glow enhancer infused with glycerin and shea butter for an illuminating tint and a sun-kissed glow that lasts all day long. Go get your shine on! An easy-to-use mug ice cream maker — now you can have a delicious cold treat in under 20 minutes, which is about how long it'll take you to find a show to watch as you dig into your dessert. And now that you're in the driver's seat, you can blend whatever flavors don't exist at ice cream shops. (I'm thinking chocolate and orange?) Reviewers even say this is a cheaper alternative to the Ninja Creami! An 18-karat gold-plated mood ring because the one you've been wearing since you were 12 can't tell the difference between when you're merry or miffed anymore. And it's got a protective coating to help prevent tarnishing because, I'm sure you've noticed, but your finger's green... An incredibly small Magic 8 Ball so you can immediately get answers to your burning questions. Wondering if you should take the day off to do a little retail therapy? Just give this fortune teller a little shake, and read your destiny: "Ask Again Later." Perfect. A pack of 25 cute and colorful Mediterranean-themed stickers if your love of sardines has taken over your life, and you like it that way! And since they're waterproof vinyl stickers, they can safely go on your water bottle. 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A vintage-inspired "and I've always said that" cap because, it's true, you have always said that. That thing that you just said? You've absolutely said it before. A simple CZ tennis bracelet no one will be able to tell is cubic zirconia and not real diamonds. Feel free to wear it on its own or stacked with other gorge bracelets! A pack of three beer-infused hot sauces so you can literally ~spice up~ your meals! You'll get three distinct flavors — all handcrafted with real craft beer — to use as both a topping and an ingredient. A perfectly brined pickle-lovers sweatshirt for all you connoisseurs out there. Tell the world whether you're more of a kosher dill, a gherkin, or a bread-and-butter buff! A pair of waterproof platform slides that'll give you a little extra height without sacrificing comfort. They're designed with pronounced arch support, a deep heel cup, and a toe grip function; some reviewers with plantar fasciitis love them! 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Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
How Does the Cast of "American Love Story" Compare to Their Real-Life Counterparts?
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Here's a closer look at the cast, who bring an uncanny resemblance to the real life figures who played a part in the Kennedy couple's Pidgeon as Carolyn Bessette Kennedy Sarah Pidgeon is a 29-year-old actress best known for her breakout role in The Wilds and her acclaimed performance in Hulu's Tiny Beautiful Things. A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, she made her Broadway debut in Stereophonic, earning a Tony nomination for her role. Her Instagram is @sarah__pidgeon. She will play Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, a Calvin Klein publicist and wife of John F. Kennedy Jr. Born in 1966, Carolyn married Kennedy in a secret ceremony in 1996. Tragically, she died alongside her husband and sister, Lauren Bessette, in a plane crash off the coast of Martha's Vineyard in 1999, at the age of Kelly as John F. Kennedy Jr. Paul Kelly is a rising actor and model set to make his major screen debut as John F. Kennedy Jr. in American Love Story. Though new to TV, he has appeared in theater and modeled for brands like Bonobos and John Varvatos. His Instagram is @ofishalpak. Kelly will play John F. Kennedy Jr., the son of President JFK and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Besides being a lawyer and journalist, he co-founded George magazine. He dated everyone from Christie Brinkley to Sarah Jessica Parker before marrying Carolyn Bessette. Tragically, he died in a plane crash in 1999 at age Gummer as Caroline Kennedy Grace Gummer is a 39-year-old actress and the daughter of Meryl Streep. She's known for roles in TV shows like The Newsroom, Mr. Robot, and American Horror Story. Gummer will play Caroline Kennedy, the only surviving child of President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. She graduated from Radcliffe College and earned a law degree from Columbia University. She married artist Edwin Schlossberg in 1986, and they have three children: Rose, Tatiana, and Jack. 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She will play Daryl Hannah, a 64-year-old actress and filmmaker who was dating JFK Jr. when he met Carolyn Bessette. Hannah gained fame for her roles in Blade Runner (1982) and Splash (1984), and later portrayed Elle Driver in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill series. She married musician Neil Young in Lemmon as Lauren Bessette Sydney Lemmon is a 35-year-old actress known for her role as Ana Helstrom in the Hulu series Helstrom and appearances in Fear the Walking Dead and Succession. She holds degrees from Boston University and Yale, and has performed on Broadway, including in the play Job. She is also the granddaughter of actor Jack Lemmon. Her Instagram is @Sydney_lemmon. Lemmon will play Lauren Bessette, a Morgan Stanley executive and the sister of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy. She died in a 1999 plane crash with Carolyn and John F. Kennedy Jr. near Martha's Nivola as Calvin Klein Alessandro Nivola is an American actor known for roles in American Hustle, Jurassic Park III, and The Many Saints of Newark. A Yale graduate, he has also appeared on Broadway and co-founded King Bee Productions with his wife, Emily Mortimer. His son Sam Nivola recently starred in The White Lotus season three. His Instagram is @ He will play Calvin Klein, an influential American fashion designer who founded his brand in 1968. Known for popularizing designer jeans and underwear, Klein's work helped define modern American style. Carolyn Bessette worked as a publicist for his K. Chancellor as Gordon Henderson Omari K. Chancellor is a New York–based actor and graduate of NYU's Tisch MFA program. He has appeared in The Greatest Beer Run Ever and Why Women Kill. His Instagram is @omari_k. He will play Gordon Henderson, a close friend of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and a designer who helped plan her wedding to John F. 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NBC News
11 hours ago
- NBC News
Hulk Hogan's death resurfaces painful contradictions for Black wrestling fans
One of Kazeem Famuyide's earliest memories is sitting on his father's lap watching Hulk Hogan wrestle in the 1988 Survivor Series. His love of Hogan in the ring became inextricable from what would become a lifelong obsession with the sport — including a yearlong role touring the country and writing scripts for WWE's top talent. "He was a superhero to a lot of people, including myself," said Famuyide, who is Black and now co-hosts the WWE-themed podcast "The Ringer Wrestling Show." He remembers Hogan telling audiences to "train, say your prayers and eat your vitamins," often in front of giant American flags. But for the 38-year-old Famuyide and other Black wrestling fans and sports commentators, Hogan's death this week at 71 has resurfaced an irreconcilable contradiction in the iconic wrestler's legacy: Hogan's undeniable role in broadening wrestling's appeal to fans of all backgrounds versus his well-documented racism. "You never really got the feeling that Hulk Hogan truly felt remorse," Famuyide said. Reactions to Hogan's death reflect American divide on race "The Right Time" podcast host Bomani Jones noted there were two sharply different reactions to Hogan's death. Remembrances have split between those who see no need to harp on past controversies and those who struggle with his behavior that got once got him banned from the WWE. "This was never going to be one where people were going to mourn quietly," Jones said. Hogan's death drew remembrances from politicians, celebrities and fans alike, celebrating his accolades. Many applauded how he was able to parlay his wrestling persona into movie appearances, brand deals, a reality television show and notable political influence. On Friday, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, whose fame arguably rivals Hogan's acclaim, paid tribute. Johnson, the son of pioneering wrestler Rocky Johnson, one of the WWE's first Black champions, said Hogan was a hero "to millions of little kids." "You may have 'passed the torch' to me," Johnson wrote under a 2002 video showing him and Hogan facing off at Wrestlemania. "But you, my 'drew the house' meaning you sold out every arena and stadium across the country in your prime as Hulk Hogan, on your way of becoming the greatest of all time." Other notable Black professional wrestlers, from Booker T and Mark Henry, to Jacqueline Moore and Carlene "Jazz" Moore-Begnaud, have found success and fame in the WWE. But just as many people took Hogan's death as an opportunity to regale Hogan's more controversial behavior. In 2016, a Florida jury awarded Hogan over $115 million against Gawker Media, after Hogan sued them for posting a video of him having sex with his former best friend's wife. The litigation led to the discovery that Hogan had used racial slurs in 2007 to describe his daughter's Black ex-boyfriend. "I am a racist, to a point," Hogan said, before adding the slur against Black people, according to a transcript. Hogan apologized at the time and called the language "unacceptable." Around the same time, some outlets reported that Hogan used the same slur on a recorded phone call with his son. Hogan's enthusiastic endorsement of conservative political figures like longtime friend President Donald Trump made many people doubt the sincerity of that apology, Jones said. "It's one thing to get caught on tape saying these things in private. It's another thing for you to decide publicly to align yourself with a cause that many Black people find antagonistic toward us," Jones said. Professional wrestling has a history of reckoning on racist tropes For many Black wrestling enthusiasts, Hogan's death brings up familiar contradictions in how the sport deals with race. Lyric Swinton, 27, a freelance wrestling writer, first fell in love with the sport when she was 8. She describes wrestling as "the most nuanced and colorful" form of storytelling. Although she feels representation has improved, Swinton remembers WWE use racist tropes in Black wrestlers' plot lines. Swinton recalls Shelton Benjamin having a "mammy," played by Thea Vidale, invoking a racist caricature. Swinton considers Benjamin one of the most talented wrestlers at the time, but feels he never got the recognition that his contemporaries did, in part because he was scripted to those roles. "I kind of felt like I had to check my Blackness at the door," she said. Hogan hasn't tarnished sport for all Black fans For WWE enthusiast and sports journalist Master Tesfatsion, the mixed reactions to Hogan's death mirror fault lines that exist throughout the country, and highlight how central wrestling has become in pop culture. Growing up, Tesfatsion, who is Black, remembers watching Vince McMahon, the company's co-founder and former chairman, use a racial slur in a match with John Cena in 2005; or the storyline in 2004 when wrestler John Layfield chased Mexicans across the border. "In some strange way, the WWE always had a pulse on where America stood," Tesfatsion said. "You cannot tell the history of America without all these issues, just like you cannot tell the history of the WWE without these issues." Tesfatsion was in the audience at Hogan's last appearance at a professional match in January. He was one of the many who booed Hogan. After decades of fandom, it was his first time seeing Hogan live. "I never thought that I would see 'The Hulk' in person, and that I would resort to bullying him. But that's what his actions made me do." Still, Tesfatsion said he will never stop being a super fan.