Whitney Scharer, BDS parent and author of The Age of Light, will join your book club to discuss behind-the-scenes info on research, the history behind the novel, what it's like to work for a ridiculously long time on the same project, and more.  To make sure no one is feeling shy at book club, she will provide cocktails that were created specifically for the book by Sam Treadway of Somerville's Backbar, along with eight copies of her novel. The Age of Light is a fabulous book for lovers of historical fiction. The novel is based on the real-life story of Vogue model turned renowned photographer Lee Miller and her search to forge a new identity as an artist after a life spent as a muse. Lee’s journey takes her from the cabarets of bohemian Paris to the battlefields of war-torn Europe during WWII, from inventing radical new photography techniques to documenting the liberation of the concentration camps as one of the first female war correspondents. Through it all, Lee must grapple with the question of whether it’s possible to stay true to herself while also fulfilling her artistic ambition—and what she will have to sacrifice to do so. The novel was a Boston Globe and IndieNext bestseller, winner of Le Prix Rive Gauche à Paris, and named one of the best books of 2019 by Parade, Glamour, Real Simple, Refinery 29, Booklist, and Yahoo. 

Photo: Sharona Jacobs

What's better than the gift of knowledge? Up to ten people will have a chance to experience a behind the scenes tour of the Harvard Museum of Natural History with Hopi Hoekstra-Mallet, Harvard's Curator of Mammals and BDS parent. You will enjoy seeing research collections of Harvard's Museum of Comparative Zoology Mammal Collection -- opening drawers of museum specimens, from gorilla skulls to elelephant tusks to zebra hides. Hopi will also share information about particular mammals of interest and the lively history of the museum itself. The group will then visit the public exhibits, including a tour of the Great Mammal Hall, which is the sole room in the museum that has been maintained in appearance to when it first was opened in 1859. After the tour is complete, the group is free to tour other parts of the delightful natural history museum on their own. This tour can be tailored to specific ages and interests and each family will leave with a book about the museum and its most famous specimen, as well as a children's book about mammals.

Perfect for the golf lover in your life! Spend the day at Shaker Hills, one of the most sought-after golf courses in the area! After enjoying a foursome of golf with friends, head over to the bar for another round!

Interested in learning how to make healthy desserts or infuse your cooking with superfoods? Gather four (4) to six (6) of your friends at your home for a 2-hour gathering where you will learn from plant-based wellness chef Nancy Cohen while enjoying healthy cocktails and appetizers. Nancy will teach you and your friends how to make her delicious chocolate detox and chocolate infused with superfoods or any of her many desserts free of gluten, dairy, and refined sugars. You’ll also get health and wellness tips on how to get that glow from the inside out. Date to be mutually agreed upon,

Nancy Cohen of We the Leafy provides master classes at the Aspen Cooking School and Nantucket Culinary focused on superfood-infused cocktails, appetizers, main courses, and desserts. Visit wetheleafy.com to learn more about her and her plant-based approach to wellness.