Happy Hump Day people. As Easter weekend approaches, let’s be thankful that our social distancing is working and the curve is beginning to flatten. But there is more that we need to do. We cannot slack off just yet. So stay home, be healthy and happy. Here’s a few things to help you do so.
1. FRONT PORCH PROJECT
Mix 104.1 Personality Kennedy proves there’s much to celebrate during a quarantine. Photo cred: Kennedy’s Facebook page.
13 Photography in Boston has decided to participate in the #FrontPorchProject and boy are we thrilled! Here’s how it works. All you have to do is make a minimum $150 donation to one of his charities, listed below and make sure you are located within at least a half hour drove from Boston (with no traffic – but why would there be traffic right now anyway, are we right?).
Photo cred: Kennedy’s Facebook.
“My dear friend Drea came by to take my #FrontPorchProject pics yesterday and to say that they are fantastic is an understatement,” gushed Kennedy on Facebook. “He stood in the street while I was on my steps – well over the 6 feet recommended. He’s got some kind of super-duper lens that takes great pictures from a distance. He’s not charging a dime, all you have to do is make a donation!”
And here’s a positive twist … health care workers battling coronavirus on the front lines need not donate to either organization, just sign up for a session and 13 Photography will come grab picks of you and/or you and your team completely complimentary. You can find Drea from 13 Photo on Instagram or email him at 13photo@gmail.com for details.
2. THE PORCH COCKTAIL KITS
The Porch restaurant, located in Medford, has created Cocktail Kits that are available for delivery. They come in 4 servings ($22) and 6 servings ($30) sizes. The package has all the juices, garnishes … essentially everything but the booze. Below is a list of the cocktails they’re currently offering.
The Chilloma Kit
Bloody Mary Kit
Bloody Mary
Porch Smash Kit
Porch Smash
Lemon Juice
Bonus! Andy will also be whipping up the Coconut Cold Brew Martini, an original recipe from The Smoke Shop BBQ Beverage Director, Michael Boughton. Grab the ingredients for this energizing libation or grab your favorite bottle of bourbon and pour yourself a stiff one.Don’t miss BBQ and Booze with Andy Husbands this Friday LIVE at 5pm.
3 cups cooked jasmine rice (Equal to 1 cup uncooked. Make this the night before or earlier in the day!)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
8 ounces Smoked Beef Brisket, diced (or any leftover protein!)
1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 large yellow onion, diced
1 rib celery, diced
1/2 large carrot, peeled and diced
1/2 small head bok choy, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
1/2 cup fresh or thawed frozen peas, blanched
1/8 cup fish sauce
1/8 cup soy sauce
1/8 cup sambal olek, or your favorite Asian hot sauce
1/8 cup roughly chopped cilantro, divided
1/8 cup roughly chopped basil, divided
1/9 cup roughly chopped mint, divided
2 large eggs
Homemade coconut milk syrup (You’ll want to make this in advance! To make, whisk 1 cup refrigerated unsweetened coconut milk and 1 cup of sugar in a bowl until the sugar is completely dissolved.)
1/4 cup toasted coconut shavings
1 1/2 tablespoons dark rum
1 1/2 tablespoons Rum Haven coconut rum
2 tablespoons cold brew coffee
Ice cubes
Eligible customers will use a special code for Uber rides to and from their local Stop & Shop for up to two times per week in the designated shopping hours. Photo cred: Uber
To take advantage of these discounted rides, eligible customers — and friends, family, and neighbors of those who are 60 and older and want to order a ride on their behalf — should tap “wallet” in the Uber app’s menu, scroll down to “promotions,” then tap “add promo code.” Enter the code STOPSHOPUBER, tap “add,” then type in “Stop & Shop” to select the nearest Stop & Shop store.
5. EASTER DINNER FROM CAPITAL GRILLE
Capital Grille is offering an Easter takeout menu, with curbside pickup beginning on April 10 from noon to 8 p.m. (and also on Easter from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.). Preordering available while supplies last; call (617) 262-8900 for the Back Bay location, (781) 505-4130 for Burlington, or (617) 928-1400 for Chestnut Hill. The meal — which can be prepared to reheat or ready to serve — is $95 for two or $185 for four to six and includes salad and bread, a whole rack of bone-in filet, sides, dessert, and optional add-ons such as lobster mac and cheese. Other roasts, steaks, and accompaniments are also available a la carte. The Easter Bunny is going gourmet this year!
6. ANDREA BOCELLI’S EASTER CONCERT OF HOPE
Like most churches this Easter, the historic Duomo Cathedral in Milan, Italy will be closed to the public due to the coronavirus pandemic. But over the empty pews on Sunday, the voice of famed opera singer Andrea Boccelli will echo through the cathedral during a special audience-free concert, which will be live streamed.
On Easter Sunday at 1PM Eastern, by invitation of the City and of the Duomo Cathedral of Milan, Italian global music icon Andrea Bocelli will give a solo performance representing a message of love, healing and hope to Italy and the world.
7. GHOST COCKTAIL CHALLENGE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8i4CeFg2CGU
Boston-based Ghost Tequila has launched a nationwide knockout competition to put put money in bartenders’ pockets while supporting restaurant workers too. Ghost Tequila founder and CEO Chris Moran has created the Ghost Cocktail Challenge to raise much-needed funds for furloughed bartenders and restaurant professionals. More than 100 mixologists from across the USA have been asked to concoct a spicy Ghost Tequila cocktail – using ingredients they have at home – and share a video of themselves creating their Ghost tequila-based cocktail.
The videos and recipes are posted online for viewing and voting-on in a tournament-style bracket. Ghost Tequila will donate $1 for every vote to the Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund. You can vote online. Round one voting is currently closed with the second round launching online Friday, April 10 a 12noon.
8. PEDRO’S PIZZA DELIVERY
The Pedro Martinez Foundation is passionate about helping children and families in Boston and its surrounding communities. Since many of these children and families have been affected by the Covid-19 virus, of course they want to help! Thousands of families in Boston and surrounding communities have recently lost their jobs, and their biggest challenge right now is that they cannot provide their children with food. The Pedro Martinez Foundation would like to partner with you to help them during this challenging time.
The Pedro Martinez Foundation is partnering with Bertucci’s Pizza and their volunteer team is personally delivering hundreds of pizzas to these families in need (of course, practicing social distancing). Along with these pizzas, they want to also deliver grocery gift cards, so these families can get the food they need. A $50 gift card can provide 3 meals for a family of four. Make your donation here.
Sony Pictures Entertainment has launched their new YouTube Channel, Sony Pictures’ Kids Zone, providing parents and kids with a one stop central destination for interactive fun, physical movement, learning, and hands-on activities. Sony Pictures’ Kids Zone is curated with a wide range of activities that will support families coping with school closures, new work-from-home routines and social distancing.
“A significant portion of Sony Pictures’ workforce is made up of working parents. The idea of Sony Pictures’ Kids Zone was born from parents on our own team adjusting to working from home and managing home schooling,” says Lexine Wong, Senior Executive Vice President, Worldwide Marketing. “We are proud to offer this resource to help families navigate these new and challenging circumstances, while hopefully having a little fun in the process.”
Viewers can enjoy content from movies such as PETER RABBIT™, The Angry Birds Movie series, the Hotel Transylvania series, Center Stage: On Pointe, the Swan Princess series and more. Tune in every Tuesday & Thursday for new content from artistic crafts to yummy treats, DIY projects, scientific experiments, energetic dance-alongs, karaoke sing-alongs, a “just for Laughs” section and more!