Five things to do around Boston, June 23-29
In Step
Dance like a diva with Free Salsa Lessons at the Great American Beer Hall in Medford. Come with a partner or meet someone on the dance floor to learn the basics. Food and drinks — including over 30 craft beers — will be available for purchase. For ages 21-plus; from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Reserve free tickets at
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Wednesday
Love Story
Write your own happily ever after at So You Want to Write a Romance Novel. Author and literary agent Maggie Cooper will lead a romance-writing boot camp from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Arts at the Armory in Somerville. Start by learning the basics, such as how to structure a love story. Then, overcome writer's block and connect with fellow romance lovers through group freewriting exercises. $40.
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Thursday-Sunday
The Next Act
Discover New England's best new plays at the Boston New Works Festival. Seven plays and musicals by local playwrights will be showcased at the annual celebration. This year's stories include enemies-to-lovers romance, cutthroat reality competitions, tributes to LGBTQ activism, and more. Staged readings and mainstage productions take place between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. at the Calderwood Pavilion and the Boston Center for the Arts. $25 per play.
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Saturday
Folk Tales
Enjoy live folk, bluegrass, country, rock, and more at the annual New England Americana Festival. Watch 14 bands from across the Northeast as they perform on two outdoor stages at Medfield's Bellforge Arts Center. Plus, mingle with fellow fans at the event's food trucks and full bar. From 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Free admission.
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Send information on Boston-area happenings at least three weeks in advance to week@globe.com.
Adelaide Parker can be reached at
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Being a lesbian top means getting attuned to your partner's wants and desires, so start paying close attention to her body language. 'If you move closer to her, does she soften? If you back her against the wall or pin her down on the bed, does she sigh and open, or stiffen? Never be afraid to ask questions or change course, because being a top is about bringing pleasure,' Dr. Schwartz recommends. Don't get too focused on penetration. Not all bottoms are interested, and that's ok, there are plenty of other things to do in the bedroom. Don't forget about foreplay and timing! 'Many bottoms feel more turned on if they're made to wait before something they are craving — whether it's your lips on her lips, your squeeze of her nipples, your mouth or fingers on her pussy, or, of course, your fingers or dildo inside her,' Dr. Schwartz says. Encourage your partner to moan, move, and be vocal about what she wants more of or less of. It will help her feel freer and give you valuable information as a newbie. Check in and cuddle afterward. Aftercare is an important part of the experience, too. Biggest mistakes lesbian tops make Rushing through foreplay, ignoring verbal or nonverbal cues, relying on toys while ignoring manual or oral technique, and 'viewing topping as dominance rather than connection,' are all common mistakes lesbian tops make, Newton explains. And don't get it twisted, tops are allowed to enjoy pleasure too. If you want the focus to be solely about your partner's enjoyment, that's ok, but you're allowed to have fun and experience orgasms yourself while topping. 'A lesbian top might also think it's not okay to get aroused, want to be touched, or have an orgasm herself. But in fact, all of these things are more than okay! Letting yourself be touched and pleasured doesn't turn you into a bottom, if your energy is still in charge of the encounter,' Dr. Schwartz says. 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