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Birdwatching 101: What to Know Before You Go

Maximize your enjoyment and appreciation of birds in their local environment. Weʼll discuss necessary and recommended tools (binoculars, scopes, bird books, and phone applications); how to pick a place and a time for ideal birdwatching; and strategies for identifying birds using their appearance, flight patterns, songs and calls, and the habitats where they live and migrate through.

Bob Dylan as Literature & Inspiration

Bob Dylan is not just one of the great American songwriters, he’s an eminent storyteller. From the fairy-tale simplicity of “Girl from the North Country” to the surrealist panorama of “Subterranean Homesick Blues” to the autobiographical narrative of “Sara,” Dylan’s songs have transported listeners to worlds real and imagined. In this literature and writing class, we’ll examine the literary forms of surrealist poetry, lyrical ballads, and protest songs and learn how to apply these techniques to our own writing.

Tue, May 21 - Jun 11

7:00 - 8:30 PM

Arlington High School

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BollyX LIT (Low Impact)

This class is the low-impact version–but still high energy–of the Bollywood-inspired dance-fitness program. At the very core of a BollyX workout is the inspiration it draws from the infectious energy, expression, and movement of the music and dance of Bollywood, the film industry of India. Follow along, learn the dance moves as you go, and get a great cardio workout to get you moving, sweating, and smiling. No previous dance experience is required!

Mon, Apr 22 - Jun 10

Arlington Community Center

BollyX Workout

Be exposed to a new musical genre while you get an amazing cardio workout with this dynamic dance-fitness program that draws inspiration from the high-energy song and dance sequences of India’s Bollywood movies. Have lots of fun, unleash your inner swagger, and engage your entire body as you cycle between high and low levels of intensity choreographed to great tunes from around the world. Moves can be modified for any fitness level. No experience necessary.

Wed, Apr 24 - Jun 5

Bookkeeping Lunchtime Learning Series

Small business owners, does just reading the word bookkeeping make you want to run and hide? Take a break from your workday as you find out how you can DIY your bookkeeping with ease—without needing an accounting degree. Bookkeeping 101: We’ll talk about why proper bookkeeping is essential for the small business owner and explore how accounting software (such as QuickBooks) makes bookkeeping easier and more accurate than a spreadsheet (or shoebox!). Ideal for those without any prior experience in bookkeeping, and/or who have anxiety around the topic. QuickBooks 101: QuickBooks Online is an incredible accounting program, but it can be tricky to set up properly and it’s easy to make a mistake if you don’t have an accounting background. This jargon-free workshop will walk you through the top ten tips to ensure you are using your QuickBooks Online account properly. Intended for small-business owners (sole-prop/LLC) with service-based businesses using QuickBooks Online. Please note that this class will not cover QuickBooks Desktop or QuickBooks Self-Employed, which are different products. P&L 101: This friendly workshop will explain in plain English what a Profit & Loss statement is, how you put it together, how you read it, and how you use it to run a more profitable business. This class is intended for small-business owners (sole-prop/LLC) with service-based businesses.you put it together, how you read it, and how you use it to run a more profitable business. This class is intended for small-business owners (sole-prop/LLC) with service-based businesses.

12:00 - 1:00 PM

12:00 - 1:00 PM

12:00 - 1:00 PM

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Boston’s Big Dig Archaeology

Boston’s Big Dig rerouted the city’s highway corridors in the 1990s into tunnels extending from Charlestown to South Boston. It also provided archaeologists with a unique opportunity to explore sites associated with the area’s earliest Native American and European inhabitants. This illustrated presentation highlights human adaptations to Boston’s marine and coastal setting over the past 2,000 years, as well as colonial-period sites that were “frozen in time” in 1775 on the day of the Battle of Bunker Hill.

Arlington High School

Botanical Watercolors

The fragile beauty of flowers and the vibrancy of watercolors go hand in hand. Learn how to paint several types of flowers, from start to finish. Get expert step-by-step guidance for color mixing and brushwork. Explore the finer details of nature in color, light, and form and learn watercolor tips and tricks that you can use for a lifetime. All levels from beginners to advanced are welcome. Some materials are included. The class materials list can be found here.

Tue, Apr 23 - Jun 11

Arlington High School

Bridge

Engage your brain—play bridge! An exciting card game of logic and detective work, it’s also a great way to be social. We will learn by playing, not lecture. Play with a partner against another pair, so bring a friend (or foursome) if you can. Singles are welcome and will be paired up in class. Beginner: Get all the very basics, including bidding, playing, and defending in modern bridge. Required text: Bridge Basics 1 - An Introduction by Audrey Grant. Available online new and used - please purchase before Week #2 of class but not before we confirm the class has reached minimum enrollment and is running. Advanced Beginner: Learn a variety of competitive bidding techniques. Ideal for players who have completed the Beginning class or similar introductory class or for players who would like a refresher. Required text: Bridge Basics 2 - Competitive Bidding by Audrey Grant. Available online new and used - please purchase before Week #2 of class but not before we confirm that the class has reached minimum enrollment and is running.

Tue, Apr 23 - Jun 11

Arlington High School

Cake Decorating

Learn to decorate a cake like a pro in this hands-on workshop. Start by leveling, filling, and frosting your cake. Then practice applying just the right amount of pressure to the decorating bag to pipe flowers, leaves, and other embellishments. Leave with your decorated cake and the skills to make a unique custom confection for your next celebration. Icing and decorating tools are provided. BYO unfrosted cake (details online). Please note: Bring a single-layer cake (6, 7, or 8 inch round) and a cake carrier or box to transport your finished product, and an apron if you'd like. All other materials will be provided by the instructor.

Canasta for Beginners

More popular than ever with adults of all ages, the card game canasta is fun, strategic, and addictive. Learn Modern American Canasta rules, scoring, and basic strategies through instruction and guided play. Meet new friends or gather your crew—either way, canasta offers great brain exercise in a fun and social environment. In the event that a makeup class is needed, it will be held Tuesday, June 18.

Wed, May 8 - Jun 12

Arlington High School

Cane a Chair

Fix a family heirloom, create a keepsake, or rescue a chair from the trash. Bring a chair you want to re-cane to the first class. It should be light enough to carry and have a series of holes in the wood rail around the seat opening. We’ll prepare the chair, determine the cane size you need to purchase, and discuss how to order materials (about $35). Leave the final class with a restored chair and a new hands-on hobby. Please note: materials will cost between $30-$35 and you will be told how to order after the first class.

Thu, Apr 25 - May 30

Central Square Food & Mural Arts Tour

Explore this diverse and fun Cambridge community through its unique food and inspiring art. Meet area restaurateurs and sample delicious dishes along famed Mass. Ave. Fill your belly with eats from irresistible arancini to heart-warming donut pudding, and wash it all down with a local beer (alcoholic or non). Uncover the vibrant public art of Central Square, including iconic Graffiti Alley, impressive large-scale murals commissioned by the city from award-winning local talent, and a hidden art passageway. All ages welcome.

12:00 - 2:30 PM

Chair Yoga

One great thing about yoga is that it can be adapted to suit anyone’s needs. Chair yoga is especially beneficial for beginners, senior citizens, people with injuries, or those looking to learn how to apply yoga techniques at the office. As we practice chair yoga, our bodies relax and our minds quiet. During our time together, we will increase our self-awareness and revitalize our lives. Yoga has been proven to improve strength and flexibility as well as reduce stress and manage pain. The chair yoga postures taught in this class can be integrated throughout your day. Please note: Classes will not be held on May 21 and May 28.

Tue, Apr 23 - Jun 25

9:00 - 10:00 AM

Charlie Gibson House Museum Tour: "Upstairs Downstairs"

Explore the lives of the young, Irish immigrant women who worked in domestic service in the grand houses of the Back Bay during the 19th century on this tour of the Gibson House historical house museum, an 1860 Victorian rowhouse that was home to three generations of the Gibson family. The working and living spaces of the staff will be the focus, highlighting the last surviving coal shed in the Back Bay and the fifth-floor servant bedroom. Ages 10+ Please note: The tour is one hour and involves walking up and down five flights of stairs.

Gibson House Museum

Cheese Tasting: Funky Favorites

Feeling adventurous? Join a cheesemonger to learn about and taste some of Formaggio’s funkiest favorite cheeses. As you taste your way through, you will come to appreciate the incredible skill needed to produce them. Although wine will not be served, throughout this tasting you will also learn helpful tips and tricks for pairing wine with more robust cheese flavors. You’ll leave this class having discovered some new favorites!

Arlington High School

Acabashi (flickr) (CC BY 2.0)

Chess

Considered one of the greatest games ever invented, chess challenges us to tap into our creative thinking, problem solving, and reasoning skills. Learn chess rules, positional tactics, and basics to more advanced moves with the guidance of an experienced chess master. We will divide into groups according to experience and end the program with a mini chess tournament. For beginners to advanced beginners.

No Currently Open Sections

Chinatown Food Tour

Boston’s Chinatown is filled with so many little shops and restaurants—it’s easy to get lost amid its colorful window displays and enticing aromas. Our journey begins in the heart of Chinatown, where we’ll learn about its history while stopping at a few shops and bakeries for samples. Next, we’ll visit a Chinese herbal shop to examine traditional Chinese medicinal remedies, before touring a Chinese market to explore exotic produce and other unique offerings. We’ll also try dim sum from a traditional and popular restaurant. Please note: Dietary restrictions CANNOT be accommodated on this food tour.

Sun, May 5

10:45 AM - 1:15 PM

TBD

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Citizenship Exam Prep Class

Prepare for the U.S. Citizenship test. Learn how government works, understand your rights and responsibilities as a citizen, learn the answers to all of the questions on the civics and history portion of the test, improve your English, and prepare to pass the exam. Requirements to apply for citizenship are a green card for five years (or married to an American citizen and green card for three years) and intermediate level English. This free class meets for 10 weeks, 2 hours per week. For more information: https://www.stmarksesol.org/citizenship-program

Tue, Apr 23 - Jun 25

Codman Estate Grounds & Gardens Tour

Enjoy a guided tour of the Codman Estate’s historic landscape in Lincoln and learn about its evolution and preservation. The last two generations of family members who lived here between 1862 and 1968 made improvements to the grounds and gardens, while carefully preserving aspects of what their 18th century ancestors created. The grounds feature a hidden Italianate garden (c. 1900) with perennial beds, statuary, and a reflecting pool filled with water lilies, as well as an English cottage garden (c. 1908).

Coffee Tasting & Roasting

Coffee is love! Learn where specialty coffee comes from, how it is processed, graded, and roasted, then taste a few different types. After the group has decided which coffee they like the best, we will fire up the roaster and develop a batch of freshly roasted beans. After they have cooled, we will bag them and everyone will leave with a 12 oz. bag of their own freshly roasted coffee.

10:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Del's Coffee Roasters

Conflict Resolution

We all encounter conflict every day, either as a participant or an observer. How conflict is resolved (or not resolved) has a large impact on our quality of life. Through practice and roleplaying, learn strategies that effectively resolve conflict amicably and allow both parties to feel like a positive outcome has been achieved. You will develop useful conflict resolution skills for resolving personal conflicts or those of others.

Wed, May 29 - Jun 5

Arlington High School

Conversation & Connection: A Guide to Friendship for Young Adults

It’s an awkward topic, but have you ever thought to yourself, “I feel so lonely sometimes. How can I deepen my relationships? How do I make new friends?” Meaningful relationships can help boost self-esteem, improve family dynamics, and increase work success, but in adulthood, there are fewer and fewer built-in opportunities to socialize. Through discussion and roleplay, learn strategies that can be used in multiple contexts to initiate and maintain conversations, how small talk can lead to deeper connection, the hidden expectations and rules around conversation and friendship, and how to identify and see value in different types of friendships. Designed for adults ages 18–30.

Tue, Apr 23 - May 14

7:00 - 8:15 PM

Arlington High School

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Elliott Brown (flickr) (CC BY 2.0)

Conversational French for Fluent Speakers

Join fellow French language lovers, conversing in a warm and inviting class led by an enthusiastic near-native speaker. This program is designed for students who have an advanced comprehension and expression. We will refine our French via word nuances, sophisticated locutions, figurative French, and advanced grammatical topics

Tue, Apr 23 - Jun 11

Mon, May 6 - Jun 10

12:00 - 1:30 PM

Country Western Line Dancing

There’s nothing more fun than country western line dancing! You don’t even need a partner. Come get low-impact exercise as we dance to (mostly) country western music. Ages 18+ Beginner: If you’ve never line danced before or have only done a few classes, we’ll start from the very beginning, with simple dances that teach you the basic building blocks of line dancing. Intermediate: For those who have been dancing for a while and are ready for a new challenge, these dances are longer, faster, and have more turns.

Wed, Apr 24 - Jun 5

Wed, Apr 24 - Jun 5