Crowdsourcing for book recommendations has become one of my favorite things to do via social media. I love hearing how passionate people are about books and over the last several years, these lists have been my go-to source for so many wonderful reads! Following last year's 80 books for your booklist, I decided to canvas again and received 100 recommendations in a few days -- bookmark or print this list out for your next bookstore or library visit!

I've included the name of the recommender(s) and any specific comments, to help guide your choices (I tend to start with books with multiple recommendations or enthusiastic comments!). If you have other recommendations not on this list, of course feel free to share via comment!

1. A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams (via Kris-Ann)

2. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (via Morra)

3. A Long Time Gone by Karen White (via Kris-Ann)

4. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (via Kaitlyn, Heather)

5. American Romantic by Ward (via Morra: ”Just like a modern day Graham Greene and really good.”)

6. An Abundance of Katherines by John Green (via Christina)

7. And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini (via Ana-Maria)

8. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell (via Lucrecer)

9. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walters (via Sharon, Elena)

10. Born to Run by Christopher McDougall (via Amie)

11. Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling (via Sharon)

12-14. Century Trilogy: Fall of Giants, Winter of the World, Edge of Eternity by Ken Follett (via Amie)

15. China Dolls by Lisa See (via Sharon)

16. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell (via Hillary)

17. Comfort Me with Apples by Ruth Reichl (via Morra)

18. Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey (via Lucrecer)

19. David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell (via Matt)

20. Dear Nobody: The True Diary of Mary Rose by Gillian McCain (via Ana-Maria)

21. Defending Jacob by William Landay (via Tara)

22. Die Empty: Unleash Your Best Work Every Day by Todd Henry (via Lucrecer)

23. Euphoria by Lily King (via Morra)

24. Family Life by Akhil Sharma (via @notabilia)

25. For You Mom, Finally (originally published as Not Becoming My Mother and Other Things She Taught Me Along the Way) by Ruth Reichl (via Morra)

26. Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise by Ruth Reichl (via Morra)

27. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (via Kaitlyn, Melissa)

28. His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman (via Melissa: “Perfect amount of fantasy for summertime.”)

29. How the World Sees You by Sally Hogshead (via Lucrecer)

30. I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb (via Sharon)

31. I Heart My Little A-Holes by Karen Alpert (via Meredith)

32. In the Shadow of the Banyan by Vaddey Ratner (via Amie)

33. In the Time of Butterflies by Julia Alvarez (via Laura)

34. Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry (via @stephsday)

35. Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson (via Tara: “My daughter read this as part of book club, great for kids.”)

36. Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain (via Kaitlyn)

37. Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg (via @stephsday)

38. Lipshtick by Gwen Macsai (via Lindsey)

39. Love and Treasure by Ayelet Waldman (via Heather)

40. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (via Kristy; Amie: “Made me cry, but I loved it!”)

41. Moloka’i by Alan Brennert (via Annie)

42. Mrs. Lincoln’s Rival by Jennifer Chiaverini (via Sharon)

43. My Salinger Year by Joanna Smith Rakoff (via Casey)

44. NurtureShock by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman (via Matt)

45. One Summer: America, 1927 by Bill Bryson (via Kristy)

46. Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline (via Stacey, Sharon, Tara, Heather)

47. Our Boston: Writers Celebrate the City They Love by Andrew Blauner (via Heather: “Collection of essays and stories benefitting The One Fund.”)

48. Play It Away: A Workaholic’s Cure for Anxiety by Charlie Hoehn (via Lucrecer)

49. Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld (via Jen)

50. Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver (via Kaitlyn)

51. Profit First by Mike Michalowicz (via Lucrecer)

52. Protecting the Gift: Keeping Children and Teenagers Safe (and Parents Sane) by Gavin De Becker (via @stephsday)

53. Save the Date by Mary Kay Andrews (via Kris-Ann)

54. Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead (via Heather)

55. Serena by Ron Rash (via Kaitlyn)

56. Tell No One by Harlan Coben (via Andrea)

57. Tender at the Bone by Ruth Reichl (via Morra)

58. Testimony by Anita Shreve (via Kris-Ann)

59. The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan Philipp-Sendker (via Heather: “Loved, loved, LOVED.”)

60. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein (via Christine)

61. The Atlantis Gene by A.G. Riddle (via Kris-Ann)

62. The Bell Ringers by Henry Porter (via Sharon)

63. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (via Laura)

64. The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty (via Heather)

65. The Circle by Dave Eggers (via Stefania)

66. The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith (via Melissa: ”Read in 2 days, couldn’t put it down. Very old school noir mystery like Raymond Chandler.”)

67. The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery (via Laura)

68. The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe (via Heather: “Loved it!”)

69. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (via Laura, Tara, Christine; Jessica: “I just finished The Fault in Our Stars, probably the last American mom to read it. But it was a quick, delightful, heartbreaking, beautiful read and I am so glad I finally got to it.”)

70. The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes (via Stefania)

71. The Gold Coast by Nelson DeMille (via Amie: “Good beach read.”)

72. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (via Heather, Amie)

73. The Hundred Foot Journey by Richard C. Morais (via Tara)

74. The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer (via @courtneytheduke)

75. The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd (via Sharon)

76. The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood (via Christy: “Heartbreaking, but so beautifully crafted.”)

77. The Hurricane Sisters by Dorothea Benton Frank (via Kris-Ann)

78. The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh (via Elena)

79. The Magic Room: A Story About the Love We Wish for Our Daughters by Jeffrey Zaslow (via Kris-Ann)

80. The Matchmaker by Elin Hilderbrand (via Ryan, Heather)

81. The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin (via Close Buy Catalog)

82. The Nobodies Album by Carolyn Parkhurst (via Jessica: “Perfect novel for a cross-country flight.”)

83. The Pearl That Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi (via Thien-Kim)

84. The Red Thread by Ann Hood (via Christy)

85. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion (via Kristy, Tara)

86. The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert (via Heather)

87. The Sleepwalker’s Guide to Dancing by Mira Jacob (via Karen)

88. The Vacationers by Emma Straub (via Heather)

89. The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan (via Sharon)

90. This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper (via Meredith: “Provided much needed laughter.”)

91. Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis (via Elaine)

92. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand (via Lindsay: “INCREDIBLE. Life changing.”)

93. Visible City by Tova Mervis (via Lisa:“It’s a best seller and was written by a parent at my son’s school in Watertown.”)

94. Wave by Sonali Deraniyagala (via @notabilia)

95. What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty (via Laura)

96. Where’d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple (via Sharon: “LOVED. Funny, funny.”)

97. White Teeth by Zadie Smith (via Kaitlyn)

98. Wild by Cheryl Strayed (via Elena)

99. Yes, Chef: A Memoir by Marcus Samuelsson (via Thien-Kim: “I’m listening to this. It’s eloquent and he’s got a great voice!”)

100. Z: A Novel of Zelda Scott Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler (via Sharon)

I find that green vegetables especially improve in flavor when they come in season and green beans are no exception. Green beans are in season in Massachusetts July and August and this week's Eat Seasonal feature includes 8 tasty ways to incorporate green beans into your meals, in some instances thinking outside the box -- even for breakfast and as a tart!.

1. These garlicky beet green and green bean egg sandwiches offer a new approach to breakfast or a light dinner.

2. A fresh and easy balsamic green bean salad.

3. A perfectly seasonal green bean summer salad.

4. Your kids will love munching on these crispy baked parmesan green bean “fries”.

5. Whoa. Bacon wrapped green beans.

6. Lighten up traditional green bean casserole with this dijon haricot vert recipe.

7. This green bean mushroom tart would be good vegetarian dinner fare.

8. Green beans, potatoes, and spinach in coconut curry = yum.

Image credits: green beans via FreeDigitalPhotos.net; all others via linked sites above

Happy Monday everyone, I hope you had a great weekend! We enjoyed a lovely one and I've been reveling in the fact that this summer has been so different and wonderful for Laurel regarding camps and things. I hope to find the space to write more on that soon. Meanwhile, welcome to a new week and another packed edition of the Weekly Blueprint (including lots of free picks!). Enjoy and share with your friends!

July 21: Design and construct a junkyard croquet course. (Acton)

July 21: Everything you always wanted to know about lightning. (Edgartown)

July 21 - 23: Circus Smirkus performs Anchors Away for Atlantis. (East Sandwich)

July 21 - 27: The Barnstable County Fair. (Barnstable)

July 22: Performance by Berklee musicians The Bonobros Trio. (Boston)

July 22: Free music on the river with Bron Don. (Ipswich)

July 22 + 23: Orleans Summer Arts and Crafts Show. (Orleans)

July 23: The Landmark Orchestra presents Fiesta Sinfonica. (Boston)

July 23: It’s time to play in the park. (Lincoln)

July 23: How to fit fitness into your busy family. (via the internet!)

July 23: Animal friends at Smolak Farms. (North Andover)

July 23: Free concert - Steve Smith & the Nakeds. (Plymouth)

July 23 - 26: The Pirate, the Princess and the Pea puppet show. (Brookline)

July 23 - August 10: Opening week for free performances of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. (Boston)

July 24: Performance by Berklee musicians HartBeat. (Boston)

July 24: Jam to the eclectic soul sounds of LowTone Society. (Boston)

July 24: Sunset clambake on Spectacle Island. (Boston)

July 24: Petting zoo drop-in day. (Easton)

July 24: Thursday night picnic concert with The Fools. (Ipswich)

July 24: Children’s tour of the farm. (Lexington)

July 24: Use your voice to help create a Hackerspace after-school program. (Somerville)

July 24: Free Movies at the Mansion: Little Shop of Horrors. (Waltham)

July 24: A baby gearapalooza. (Wellesley)

July 24 - 30: The Recycle Shop is popping up for one week only. (Boston)

July 25: Free admission to The Discovery Museums. (Acton)

July 25: Free admission to The Freedom Trail Foundation. (Boston)

July 25: Free admission to Battleship Cove. (Fall River)

July 25: Free admission to Children’s Museum in Easton. (North Easton)

July 25: Free admission to Tower Hill Botanic Garden. (Boylston)

July 25: Free admission to Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University. (Boston)

July 25: Free admission to Cape Cod Museum of Art. (Dennis)

July 25: Free admission to Danforth Art. (Framingham)

July 25: Free Friday Flicks at the Hatch Shell: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2. (Boston)

July 25: KidsJam family dance party. (Boston)

July 25: Happy birthday Beatrix Potter. (Cambridge)

July 25: A summer evening stargazing party. (Sharon)

July 25: Bubble, bubble...pop! (Worcester)

July 25 - 27: Circus Smirkus performs Anchors Away for Atlantis. (Waltham)

Image credit: Puppet Showplace

Happy weekend everyone, I hope you're having a great one! I've been up since 4am with Violet (zzzzzz) but I shook off the cobwebs with a run and then Jon and I just finished our little patio expansion project -- so fun to flip a previously dormant space into a live one! Anyway, I've got some great reads and visuals for you via Hey Internet, Keep Being Awesome. Enjoy, and don't forget to check the Weekend Roundup if you're looking for something to do!

- My naked truth (essential read re: self acceptance and aging)

- Self acceptance, via Colbie Caillat

- 23 quotes that perfectly explain racism to people who don’t see color

- The emotional whiplash of parenting a teenager

- 99 texting acronyms and phrases every parent should know

- 6 steps to growing a positive parent-child relationship

- Down with America’s kid competition complex

- Want to get pumped? Watch Kacy Catanzaro. Laurel and I were FREAKING OUT.

- Letting your kids see you cry

- I don’t care if you like it (women are tired of being judged by the Esquire metric)

Image credit: creamy margarita popsicles via Pinterest

Happy Friday everyone, I hope you're having a great week! I'm not sure what's going on, but I've been vascillating between feeling totally awesome and totally crappy all week long -- and from what I hear from others I'm not alone! I'm hoping to recalibrate this weekend, and if you're looking for something to do, there are 31 events to consider in this weekend's roundup. Let's all make this weekend fantastic, shall we? Enjoy!

1. Magic show with Rupayan Neogy. (Acton)

2. Free family film festival presents The Smurfs 2. (Boston)

3. FAME JR. THE MUSICAL. (Boston)

4. Get your DIY on with Splendid. (Boston)

5. Make your own ice cream sandwiches and join the ice cream social. (Boston)

6. A special bike ride just for moms and kids. (Boston)

7. Kids cruise free on the Spirit of Boston. (Boston)

8. Interactive event featuring screenings of the new make-along, create-along Amazon Original Series, Creative Galaxy. (Boston)

9. Put your engineering skills to use and build your own boat. (Boston)

10. Family jam with Karen K and the Jitterbugs. (Boston)

11. Relax on the porch of Spectacle Island and listen to the jazz of Berklee College of Music. (Boston)

12. The Great Red Ball Rescue puppet show. (Brookline)

13. Enjoy some Sunday Parkland Games. (Cambridge)

14. Regattabar Kids’ Summer Music Series presents Alastair Moock. (Cambridge)

15. Calling all superheroes and princesses. (Carver)

16. Chatham mid-summer craft show. (Chatham)

17. Blueberry pancake breakfast and pie eating contest. (Concord)

18. Music at the Manse. (Concord)

19. Civil war themed Bryant Day celebration. (Cummington)

20. Visit the MAKEmobile traveling creative and tactile experience cart. (Lincoln)

21. Family canoe trips on the Charles. (Medfield/Dover)

22. Board the Captain’s Lady III for a family whale watch. (Newburyport)

23. Bust out your bagpipes and head over to the Scottish Festival. (Northampton)

24. A most beautiful pick your own opportunity. (North Andover)

25. Check out the creations at the National Sand Sculpting Festival. (Revere)

26. Get hands on in the art gallery. (Salem)

27. Read about, investigate real clouds and create fanciful fabric art of your own.  (Salem)

28. Enjoy the Handmade Arts Market. (Somerville)

29. Art in the Park: the art of pastels. (Somerville)

30. Family campout along the river. (Topsfield)

31. Learn all about birds of prey. (Worcester)

Image credit: Revere Beach

Last weekend I had the lovely opportunity to visit the Sea Crest Beach Hotel in Falmouth on a media visit. I took Laurel and Vi on my own since Jon was working all weekend and despite missing him, it was a fantastic visit! And totally doable parenting solo due to various amenities. In a nutshell, I think Sea Crest is utterly perfect for families, but here are 12 specific reasons why I recommend you consider visiting.

1. Location. One of the great things about the Upper Cape is that that it means less driving, coming from the city. Located in Falmouth, Sea Crest is about 1 hour, 15 minutes from both Boston and Providence, RI.  

2. Beach proximity. Sea Crest’s positioning right on Old Silver Beach is part of what makes the experience so amazing and also convenient for parents. Even though I toted a well-stocked bag with me, I had to head back to the room with one or both girls many, many times (potty! milk cup! change of clothes! etc!). It was great that our room was mere steps away.

3. Room options. The hotel offers a variety of accommodations, including several types of guest rooms (I highly recommend ocean front) + they have a 3 bedroom cottage, which would be great for larger parties. I also asked about adjoining rooms (early on Jon and I discovered the beauty of this when traveling with Laurel), and they do have some available in case you need a larger setup and the cottage isn’t available. Of note, though the hotel has 264 rooms, the rooms are spread out over eight 1-2 floor buildings so it doesn't feel monstrous at all. All rooms come with standard amenities, including a mini-fridge, which is perfect if you need to tote allergy-friendly foods as I do.

4. Beach-side service. I’m not going to lie, I'm a person who really, really appreciates convenience and a helping hand, especially when I’m traveling alone with my kids. Sea Crest has chair, umbrella, and towel service and you can basically set up camp for the day -- just leave a few non-valuable personal effects on your chairs and staff and other guests know not to flip your space. Also, later in the afternoon when my sister and her family arrived to hang out, we enjoyed a beach cocktail via the roaming server; the berry mojitos were divine!

5. Pools. Need a break from cleaning up sandy feet? Outdoor plans blown by a rainy day? The property has both indoor and outdoor saline pools.

6. Family friendly (+ grown up) dining options. Sea Crest offers a range of dining options. On a return visit, I’d love to try Shutters (the fancier restaurant) with Jon, but alone with the kids, the buffet breakfasts at the Ocean View Room were perfect. There were lots of cold and hot options, including waffle and omelette stations (Laurel LOVED the waffles). It was perfect for getting a range of food quickly. We also dined twice at Red’s Restaurant (which also has a poolside bar and takeout window if you want to tote lunch to the beach) and I was very happy with the food there. I’d say the only thing I wished were different was that the kids menu items came with a little fruit or vegetable on the side. There’s also a cafe with Starbucks. Mmm...Starbucks. Also of note, despite the size of the property and the fact that it's peak season we never had to wait for a table. They clearly have the dining mechanics down.

7. Ice cream. Yes, this deserves its own bullet. Right near the pool, Sea Crest has its own little ice cream/snack store. I recall there were about 8 flavor options and along with my sister's family we collectively tried almost all of them. Totally delicious.

8. Fitness options. My main fitness activity was giving Vi uppies across the sand (no small feat), but Sea Crest has a fitness center, beach volleyball, bike rentals, water sports, and a yoga/Pilates room (when I got there I learned that my sister teaches yoga there on Wednesdays...CRAZY!). There’s also plenty of golf to be had nearby. I'd love to go back with Jon with us so we could do some paddle boarding (I couldn't negotiate this alone with Laurel and Violet).

9. Activities for kids. In addition to a tween room and arcade, there’s regular programming through the day for kids (field day, parachute games, arts and crafts, etc.), including outdoor movies on a mega screen in the beautiful courtyard.

10. Service in general. Top to bottom, the service at Sea Crest was wonderful -- friendly and helpful, though not overbearing at all.

11. All inclusive-ness of the property. Though I always love exploring when we travel, given that we were only in Falmouth for about 36 hours and given that I was solo with the girls, I loved that the hotel had everything we needed. We were having so much fun that we never even left the property!

12. Off-property attractions. The flip side to #11 is that Sea Crest is close to lots of great local attractions. On a longer visit, I'd love to support the rest of the local economy! Last summer we spent an afternoon in Woods Hole and I'd love to get in some more time there.

In summary, the Sea Crest Beach Hotel is wonderful -- it's a fantastic destination for families, and they also have meeting and event spaces (I'm fantasizing about hosting a conference there and Laurel was so excited to spot a bride on Saturday!). I’m eager to return and am already thinking about booking a trip before the end of the summer or in the fall). I recommend you consider visiting soon!

Disclosure: my accommodations and some meals were provided per my media visit; all opinions on the awesomeness of the property are, of course, my own.

Image credits: Christine Koh

I'm watching a documentary about eating disorder treatment called THIN. I think I understand better why so much in-patient treatment doesn't work.

I don't see staff showing compassion. They refer to the patients as antidepressant junkies, even the suicidal ones. The parents seem clueless. I'm angry, watching this.

I get 3-4 emails a week from people who have read my ED posts. I can't believe there is so little out there that is real. I want to wrap my arms around these women and girls (and sometimes boys). They are so scared of their own bodies. They should be more scared of their minds, and their minds are being sadly neglected.

ED is about the mind. It's about looking into your future and asking yourself if you can stand the thought of suffering at this level in five, ten, fifteen years. If you have ED, you have three choices: you can suffer indefinitely, you can recover, or you can die.

Those are your choices.

Some of us contract terminal diseases. The difference between those people and the general population is that those people know how they will die.

We will all die someday. The human mortality rate is currently 100%.

The question is: Do you want to speed it up?

I didn't care when I was sick. When I looked at recovery, I started to care. I reached for happiness, for peace. I didn't want to go on like that. That daily struggle between life and death is awful. How can anyone keep it up indefinitely? At what cost?

It is my hope that anyone reading this while hating his or herself can see the three choices clearly and want, seriously want, to eliminate the more dismal two.

There are evolutionary reasons our brains can drive us for perfectionism that don't seem necessary in 2014. It's okay to tell that part of your brain to stand down. In a First World country, you can get water from the tap. Stop listening to the part of your brain that says you need to run five miles to deserve it. That's not true. Your brain is stuck on evolutionary default, but you have a frontal lobe. Let your frontal lobe win.

Life is short. Life is beautiful. Seize the desire to be fierce, to live free, to tell your asshole inner voice to go back to the cave and wait for a saber-toothed tiger. In 2014, what matters is staying sane despite the photoshopping and the Pinterest and the perfect family Facebooks. Stay with us. Value yourself in your soul enough to keep that shell that carries your soul around alive.

As with strawberries, I love when blueberries come into season -- they're sweeter, more affordable, and I love watching Laurel and Vi gobble up all those nutrients. It's National Blueberry Month and blueberries are in season in Massachusetts July and August -- hooray! This week's Eat Seasonal feature includes 10 tasty ways you can incorporate seasonal blueberries into your day, all the way from breakfast to dinner.

1. This gluten-free breakfast cake is a yummy way to start the day.

2. Adorn your pancakes (or, er, ice cream) with this homemade blueberry sauce.

3. These frozen yogurt covered blueberries are the perfect summer snack.

4. Give your appetizer lineup a fresh twist with these blueberry almond crostinis.

5. Bust out your crockpot for these blueberry glazed crock pot ribs.

6. Grilled blueberry pizza makes the perfect quick dinner.

7. This blueberry lime salsa? So clever.

8. Tough to go wrong with a classic blueberry cobbler.

9. Slicing and serving dessert is a breeze with these blueberry pie bars.

10. Invite blueberries to cocktail hour with this blueberry mojito recipe.

Image credits: blueberries via FreeDigitalPhotos.net; all others via linked sites above

Happy Monday everyone, I hope you had a great weekend! I enjoyed a wonderful one with Laurel and Vi (and, as it turned out, my sister Sharon's family and my friend Casey's family!) at the Sea Crest Beach Hotel -- I'll share more about the Sea Crest soon...my brain is definitely still with the sea and sand! But it's time to get back to things so here we go with an awesome roundup of weekday events via the Weekly Blueprint.

July 14: Two special donkeys have come to celebrate Bastille Day. (Boston)

July 14: Learn more about urban wildlife. (Boston)

July 15: Spend your lunch hour with Berklee College of Music. (Boston)

July 15: Downtown dancing with Greg Coles. (Ipswich)

July 15: Wade in and see if you can make the big catch. (South Wellfleet)

July 15 + 17: Performances by Berklee musicians. (Boston)

July 16: Landmarks Orchestra presents Carmina Burana. (Boston)

July 16: Family South Beach adventure. (Chatham)

July 16: Tractors and trucks at Smolak Farm. (North Andover)

July 16: Free concert - The Delta Generators & the Jim Libby Band. (Plymouth)

July 16 - 19: The Great Red Ball Rescue puppet show. (Brookline)

July 17: Wambura Mitaru performance on the waterfront. (Boston)

July 17: Water drumming,  ponchos provided. (Boston)

July 17: Talented musicians from Berklee’s Summer Day Musicians perform. (Boston)

July 17: Summer dock party on the Esplanade. (Boston)

July 17: Summer concert celebrating the anniversary of the moon landing. (Harvard)

July 17: Thursday night picnic concert with Digney Fignus. (Ipswich)

July 17: Nothing says summer like poets in the park. (Lincoln)

July 17: Fine art is going to extremes. (Salem)

July 17: A beautiful day to create some floral eco-art. (Topsfield)

July 17: Free Movies at the Mansion: The Goonies. (Waltham)

July 17 - 20: FAME JR. THE MUSICAL. (Boston)

July 18: Free Friday Flicks at the Hatch Shell: The Goonies. (Boston)

July 18: Free admission to the Discovery Museums. (Acton)

July 18: Free admission to Museum of Fine Arts. (Boston)

July 18: Free admission to Ocean Explorium. (New Bedford)

July 18: Free admission to The Eric Carle Museum. (Amherst)

July 18: Free admission to Larz Anderson Auto Museum. (Brookline)

July 18: Free admission to Springfield Museums. (Springfield)

July 18: Free admission to Mass Audubon’s Boston Nature Center. (Mattapan)

July 18: Free admission to Sandwich Glass Museum. (Sandwich)

July 18: Blankets and boxes become forts and rockets at FortNight. (Acton)

July 18: Stop by the pop up oyster bar. (Boston)

July 18: It’s a playspace pajama party. (Boston)

July 18: Summer concert with Autre Ne Veut. (Boston)

July 18: Buggy for bugs storytime. (Cambridge)

July 18 + 19: Circus Smirkus performs Anchors Away for Atlantis. (Great Barrington)

July 18 - 20: Chatham mid-summer craft show. (Chatham)

July 18 - 20: East End open studios art show. (Ipswich)

Image credit: Eric Carle Museum