What Bostonians need to know this week
Hello Boston. After a somewhat quiet weekend, get ready for an event-packed week.
What happened over the weekend
Breaking: The New York Timesreported
Sunday that Donald Trump Jr., the son of President Donald Trump, met “a Kremlin-connected Russian lawyer” last June during the 2016 presidential campaign after being promised damaging information about Hillary Clinton. Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, and former campaign manager Paul Manafort also reportedly attended the meeting.
Per the Times: “The accounts of the meeting represent the first public indication that at least some in the [Trump] campaign were willing to accept Russian help.”
Meanwhile…: At the G20 Summit in Hamburg, President Trump met with Vladimir Putin, and tweeted afterward that he asked the Russian president about the country’s efforts to influence the 2016 election. Trump says Putin denied it and that he believes “it is time to move forward in working constructively with Russia.”
Good weekend for the Celtics: No. 3 overall draft pick Jayson Tatum continues to tear up the NBA’s Summer League, and is being favorably compared to Paul Pierce by a man who knows the former Celtic well. The team’s second-round draft pick, Semi Ojeleye, also had himself a very good under-the-radar game Saturday night.
The Celtics will also welcome two former Pistons to the team: Marcus Morris, who they acquired Friday in return for the departing Avery Bradley, and Aron Baynes, who they reportedly agreed to sign Sunday.
New England food festivals galore: Thousands turned out for Boston’s inaugural pizza festival in City Hall Plaza this weekend, though many were met with lines stretching 45 minutes or longer, according to The Boston Globe. Also on Saturday, Portland held its first-ever lobster roll festival. You’ll never guess where the winner was from (Hint: Not New England).
What to know this week
South Boston double murder:
The suspect in the shocking May double murder in South Boston is due in court Monday. Bampumim Teixeira, 30, has pleaded not guilty to a slew of charges. He will appear in Suffolk Superior Court.
Republican health care bill ‘dead?’: So suggests John McCain. As Reuters reports, Republicans are growing increasingly optimistic about the unpopular bill’s future.
What’s happening in Boston
Weather Wisdom, live:
Meterologist Dave Epstein will be at Boston Public Library on Tuesday to talk about how climate change is affecting New England’s already unpredictable weather and what models say the future to look like. The event is free and begins at 6 p.m. at the library’s Rabb Hall.
Taste of Cambridge: The 15th annual event returns to CambridgeSide’s Canal Park and is expected to feature a wide array of the city’s best food and drink institutions. Tickets are $75 for both food and drink samples, $50 for just food, and $15 for kids. Tickets will also be for sale at the door, but at a $10 up-charge.
Warped Tour hits Massachusetts: The traveling, Vans-sponsored rock festival arrives at Mansfield’s Xfinity Center on Wednesday, featuring a huge lineup that includes a couple local names like Street Dogs, Sammy Adams, and Big D and the Kids Table. Tickets start at $25.
Not just hot air: Greenfield’s annual music and hot air balloon festival, Green River Festival, returns this weekend, featuring the locally-grown breakout band Lake Street Dive. The festival goes from Friday afternoon to Sunday night, with single-day passes going for $35 and $65, and multi-day passes ranging from $110 to $120. Friday, however, is free for those 18 years old or younger.
Beers and barbecue: Just because Boston isn’t in the South doesn’t mean it doesn’t have good local barbecue to showcase. Pair those meats with some beer and you have very good festival at hand. The aptly-named Boston Beer and BBQ Fest is bringing 25 New England craft brewers and cideries and seven local BBQ joints all under one roof this Friday and Saturday at the Cyclorama Building on Tremont Street. The $55 ticket gets you unlimited drink samples, as well as samples from each of the BBQ joints at the 21+ event.
’80s night at the Xfinity: Rod Stewart and Cyndi Lauper’s summer tour hits Mansfield as well this week. The two ’80s rock stars will play at the Xfinity Center at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets range from $40 up to several hundred dollars.
Just one week until winter: In honor of the Season 7 premiere of Game of Thrones next Sunday, Gather is bringing back its show-themed weekend brunch. “We’ll be serving themed food and drink specials alongside other GoT inspired activities,” the Boston Harbor restaurant promises on its event page. Due to popular demand, the restaurant is hosting the Game of Thrones brunch on both Saturday and Sunday.
Red Sox schedule (home games in bold):
The Red Sox have the first half of the week off for the MLB All-Star break, which includes the Home Run Derby (Monday night) and the All-Star Game itself (Tuesday night). However they return to Fenway on Friday for a four-game weekend series against the Yankees, which includes a double-header Sunday.
Friday, July 14: 7:10 p.m. vs the Yankees on NESN
Saturday, July 15: 4:05 p.m. vs the Yankees on NESN and FS1
Sunday, July 16: 1:05 p.m. vs the Yankees on NESN, and 8:08 p.m. vs the Yankees on ESPN
