This month marks the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing, a landmark moment that captivated this nation like few others have since.

To celebrate the historic achievement, the Museum of Science is doing something pretty cool. People (no age limit) are being asked to submit a question to Apollo 11 astronaut Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin at askbuzz@mos.org. If your question is chosen, you’ll have the opportunity on July 20 to call and ask Aldrin your question during a NASA panel discussion at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.

Questions must be submitted by Thursday at noon.

The Museum of Science has a number of other special events planned to celebrate the anniversary, including a planetarium show about the moon, an exhibit on black holes, and even lunar haiku. See their web site for complete details.

Photo © Michael Malyszko/Museum of Science

Sail Boston’s much-anticipated Tall Ships event officially began Thursday, when thousands took advantage of the perfect July weather to soak in the sights of the grand sea vessels.

Some of the ships, located at the Charlestown Navy, Fish Pier, and the Seaport World Trade Center, will be open for public tours. Others will only be viewable from the docks at locations such as Rowes Wharf, the John Joseph Moakley U.S. Courthouse, and Aquarium Wharf. See Sail Boston’s web site for a complete listing of ships and locations.

Also, check out some photos from the event, which will take place through Sunday.

Photo by Eric Wilbur

Sausage and sauerkraut to celebrate a French national holiday? OK, I’m game.

Sure enough, the normally-perceived German food will be on the menu Sunday - aptly classified as “choucroute and sausages” (pictured) - when the region’s largest Bastille Day celebration takes place in Harvard Square. There will be an outdoor beer and wine garden, French food vendors, local artisans, live music, and the traditional French waiter’s race.

The free event, sponsored by the Harvard Square Business Association and Sandrine’s Bistro, a local French restaurant, begins at 3 p.m. on Holyoke St. It will party on into the wee hours of Monday morning, ending at 1 a.m. For a full schedule of the day's events, click here.

Photo courtesy Sandrine's Bistro

Bostonians are wasting less time in traffic, according to the latest report from the Texas Transportation Institute.

In its annual urban mobility report, TTU cites data from 2007 that shows peak travelers are spending 43 hours annually in road and highway congestion, down one hour from 2006. Still, that’s three hours more than drivers were spending in 2002, a surprising trend considering that the Big Dig was still ongoing at the time. The one-hour gain from 2006 to 2007 is consistent with what researchers found on a national level as well.

Other highlights from the research showed that:

• The overall cost (based on wasted fuel and lost productivity) was approximately $945 per Boston area traveler.
• The total amount of wasted fuel was around 29 gallons per area traveler.
• On a national level, the amount of wasted time totaled 4.2 billion hours – nearly one full work week for every traveler.

Even though some numbers have leveled off, TTU doesn’t expect to see that as a trend, or a greater use of public transportation. Rather, the institute cites the economy as impacting some of the numbers, and expects to see the traffic problems rebound when the economy does.

The full report for the Boston area can be found here.

Photo © Texas Transportation Institute

Call me a lightweight, but one serving of prime rib is usually about all I can handle on any particular day. Still, Ken Oringer’s KO Prime strives to give those with a more hearty appetite one of the best meat deals running.

The downtown steak house offers a $24.95 all-you-can-eat prime rib dinner Mondays through Wednesdays. It's the sort of deal you might expect at Ponderosa, not an establishment owned by a James Beard Foundation Award recipient. The price is solid enough for one serving, never mind as much as you can handle. So, maybe that fact can justify not pushing it to the brink to get your money’s worth?

This isn’t the only deal you’ll find at an Oringer restaurant. La Verdad, on Lansdowne St., offers $1 chicken tacos, $1 carnitas tacos, and $1 pork pastor tacos on Tuesdays when the Red Sox aren’t in town.

KO Prime is located at the Nine Zero Hotel, 90 Tremont St.

Photo by Eric Wilbur

The Tall Ships are indeed coming.

After some measure of controversy, the grand vessels will make their way into Boston Harbor this week, and some of the ships will be available for public viewing. Of course, just two months ago, their arrival was up in the air. Boston city officials had delivered a bill for $1.1 million to non-profit Sail Boston organizers to cover safety and security measures, a tab that was ultimately picked up by the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority.

So indeed, for five days beginning Wednesday, their grandeur will be on display. The 13 ships open to the public will be located at the Charlestown Navy Yard (Pier 1 and Pier 4), Fish Pier, and the Seaport World Trade Center. Public access to the piers is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday through Sunday at the Charlestown Navy Yard. At Fish Pier and World Trade Center, public access is from 5 to 10 p.m. Spectators can board the ships at the discretion of the captain.

Nearly 30 other ships will be privately docked, and only viewable from a distance at locations including Rowe’s Wharf, the Cottage Park Yacht Club, and the John Joseph Moakley U.S. Courthouse.

For a full list of events surrounding the arrival of the Tall Ships, see Sail Boston’s web site.

Photo © Sail Boston

Not in the mood to jockey for position with thousands of others on the Esplanade in order to catch the 4th of July fireworks? Well, there are some extravagant options for watching them at both the highest and lowest points of the city.

As it is, the view from the Top of the Hub is breathtaking on any night. Add bursting fireworks into the mix, and it’s sure to be something extra special.

The restaurant, atop the Prudential Center building, is hosting a special Independence Day celebration tomorrow night, when patrons can feast on a five-course dinner including grilled Block Island swordfish, king crab cocktail, and pan seared tenderloin of beef. Afterward, enjoy the fireworks from the highest point in the Boston skyline. The cost is a steep $200 per person, though that price does include an hour of open bar as well as tax and gratuity.

Back to earth – sea level to be precise – you can experience the show from the Boston Harbor, where the Odyssey Cruise is offering a dinner cruise featuring live entertainment for $149.50 per person. But for a truly unique experience, it might be tough to beat what the World Ocean School is offering. For $70 you’ll be able to climb aboard the Roseway, one of Boston’s oldest sailing ships (and a registered U.S. National Historic Landmark) and cruise the harbor with the distinct scent of the sea and pyrotechnics

Reservations for each event, of course, are required.

Photo © Kate Wood/World Ocean School

It’s probably not the way many people envision spending the 4th of July, but still hundreds will arrive at the Hatch Shell at 9 a.m. Saturday morning, looking to secure prime lawn space for the evening’s Boston Pops spectacular, which will take place more than 12 hours later. As much fun as the evening is, I'll be at the cookout all day, thank you.

Then again, those that do so admittedly will have the best seats in the city when Neil Diamond joins Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops in the annual free concert and fireworks display. But even if you can’t make it to the Esplanade until later in the day, odds are you’ll still find a fine spot somewhere along the Charles River and won't have to spend all afternoon waiting for the show in the sky, known as one of the best Independence Day celebrations in America (and broadcast live on CBS).

Rather not deal with the crowds but still want to hear the Pops? Head on down to the Esplanade the night before, when the concert takes place without fireworks. Then, on the 4th, watch the fireworks from the Mass. Ave bridge, one of the best spots in the city to witness the show, short of knowing someone with a roof deck in the Back Bay.

Of course, if you do know someone with a roof deck in the Back Bay, you’re either already headed there Saturday, or at the very least have to convince them to host people for the night.

For complete information on times, prohibited items, and other questions, see the official site.

Photo © Michael Lutch/Boston Pops

The 4th of July may not be until Saturday, but today kicks off the annual celebration of Independence Day in Boston with Harborfest, a six-day festival in the downtown and waterfront areas.

The fun starts today at noon at Faneuil Hall, where opening ceremonies will take place, and will continue through Sunday with more than 200 daily events taking place, showcasing Boston’s colonial and maritime history. The most popular event is arguably Sunday’s Chowderfest, featuring some of the best restaurants in town competing for the title of Boston’s Best Chowder.

The event takes place Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at City Hall Plaza. Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for children under 12. That price includes all the chowder you can eat, and the right to vote for your favorite. A winner will be announced at the end of the day.

For a complete listing of all Harborfest events taking place this week, click here.

Photo courtesy Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau

So, the term, “Happy Hour” may not be legal in Massachusetts. That doesn’t stop local establishments from offering a multitude of weekly dining deals.

One of the best we’ve seen lately is 33 Restaurant and Lounge’s “3 for $3 Menu,” consisting of 11 popular items from its regular menu, each for just…yes, $3.

Here’s a complete list of what is available:

Basket of fries
Mac and cheese
Caesar salad
Side salad
Traditional sliders
Grilled lamb chops with foundu dip
Jumbo shrimp with cocktail sauce
Cape Cod oysters and three sauces
Tomato, basil, mozzarella stacks
Crostini – olive, mushroom and caprese
Dips with pita – baba ganoush, hummus and tzatziki

Sure beats a Value Meal at McDonald’s.

The best part might be that the Back Bay restaurant isn’t offering this deal on a typically less-busy night like Monday or Tuesday. It is available Wednesday and Thursday from 5-7 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 8-11 p.m. Paired with one of their 33 original cocktails (a bit more on the stiff side, from $10-$14 each), that’s not a bad way to start out an evening.

Photo by Eric Wilbur