😳 A $100 trip to the movies

⛸️ It’s also ice skating season! And in case you haven’t heard, the Frog Pond on the Boston Common is officially open for skating. Admission is $10 (although if you’re under 4’10” it’s free), and if you need ‘em, you can rent skates for an additional $15. Happy skating!

👀 What’s on tap today:

Up first...

Welcome to this month’s edition of B-Side Certified. We asked readers which new spot around town they wanted our two cents on, so we grabbed dinner and a movie at Alamo Drafthouse in the Seaport, New England’s first locale of the beloved movie theater chain known for made from scratch food, comfy seats, and a strict no-texting or talking policy. 

Here’s what we thought:

😬 The space itself put AMC to shame. After two escalator rides, we were greeted in the lobby by a massive sculpture of the Iron Giant and a cozy bar with leather couches. There wasn’t a kernel of popcorn on the floor in sight. Soon after, a manager hollered that the doors were now open for the latest Nicholas Cage flick, “Dream Scenario,” and into the theater we went.

🍿 If dinner and a movie had a baby, it would be Alamo Drafthouse. Each cushy seat is equipped with a lengthy food and drink menu, a tray desk for eating, a pen and paper for orders, and a button that lets moviegoers page their server for another round of whatever they want. Despite homemade food being one of Alamo’s hallmarks, I was suspicious of just how good it could really be. The food at my local movie theater tastes like a frozen Trader Joe’s meal at best.

🤤 Thankfully, I ate my words. The seasonal candy cane milkshake was pillowy yet crunchy; the chips and queso with hatch green chiles was equally zesty and addicting; and the brussels sprouts pizza with bacon and goat cheese was surprisingly good for movie theater pizza. That last observation is key. For a movie theater, the food was exceptional. But had I eaten any of these items outside of this setting, it would just be solid bar food. You can see the full menu here.

💸 Like most things in the Seaport, it ain’t cheap. Yes, you can score tickets as low as $7 midweek on their BFD Tuesday deals, but that doesn’t include parking, food, or drink. Our grand total for the night which included all of our food and drink, tickets, parking, and tips was about $118. Sheesh! 

📝 One small note: For a theater that prides itself on comfy, heated seats, I was slightly disappointed the ones in my theater didn’t recline all the way back. My AMC wins that competition.

🎥 It’s a worthy once-in-a-while splurge. You will certainly leave well fed and entertained, and the service is exceptional. The custom pre-show video of Nicholas Cage memes was also a nice touch (IYKYK). If there’s a movie you’re dying to see, it’s a fun way to sweeten the experience, but it’ll cost you.

✅ The verdict? B-Side Certified (on special occasions). You can see what’s playing here. 

Your go-to holiday classic, but ✨cooler✨ Anthony Williams’ “Urban Nutcracker” is back, adding Boston vibes to the traditional tale you know and love. Join Clarice and crew in a metropolitan Land of Sweets, where TikTok meets Tchaikovsky and dancers rock crop tops AND leotards. It’s not just dance; it’s a cultural mashup — remixing Duke Ellington’s bluesy jazz beats with ballet, tap, hip-hop, swing, flamenco, and jazz. Grab your tickets (before they sell out!) and catch the show at the Shubert Theatre from Dec. 16 through 23. 

💸 The future of a guaranteed basic income in Boston is … TBD. Boston’s City Council discussed the idea of implementing a guaranteed basic income this week in order to fight poverty in Boston (about 18% of Boston residents live below the poverty line). Nothing too concrete came of the convo, and questions as far as the plan’s cost, where the money would come from, and who exactly would receive it, are still up in the air (although similar programs in Cambridge and Chelsea might give us a hint). However, at least a few councilors seem pretty open to the idea.

🌊 Coastal cities are getting prepped for climate change. Gov. Maura Healey announced a new, regional approach to managing the state’s coastline against the impacts of climate change, aptly named ResilientCoasts. Right now, we don’t know a ton about what tangible actions the plan will involve, but we do know that ResilientCoasts will collab with Mass.’ 78 coastal communities to unite against the climate challenges that face them like sea level rise, erosion, and an increase of severe weather. But, apparently, a full statewide comprehensive strategy is in the works.

🥗 A kosher spot in Somerville just made history. Lehrhaus, a Jewish restaurant and house of learning, just became the first kosher establishment to be named one of Esquire’s "Best New Restaurants in America.” Lehrhaus prides itself on being a place where Jewish people can feel at home. And from the offerings, to the dishes’ names, to the decor, it fully delivers. Besides the bites and sips, Lehrhaus also holds educational events, which you can check out here. And you can make a reservation here.

🐶 The crossover you didn’t know you needed kicks off tomorrow. In an idea that can only be described as iconic, Park-9, the super boujee indoor dog park-slash-bar in Everett (seriously, they have beer for dogs), is putting on a “Golden night” event on Thursday Nov. 30 from 6 to 10 p.m. The event will involve an incredible combination of a golden retriever meetup plus a viewing of The Golden Bachelor finale. Considering that Park-9 has a bar and food pop-ups, there should be plenty of treats for dogs and humans.

What do AI, Taylor Swift, and BeReal have in common? They all inspired the 2023 word of the year: authentic. 

And it seems pretty fitting. Between our collective ChatGPT nightmare (maybe we’re projecting), endless celebrity memoirs, and many a lying scandal in the news, it feels like questions about authenticity were popping up all over the place.

Some of the runners up included: dystopian, EGOT, coronation, and implode. As well as one that very thankfully did not become our official word of the year: Rizz. 

—Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

🔠 Thanks for reading! Some 2023 Boston word of the year suggestions: Shutdowns, cop slide, and flop. 

💜 Special shoutout to today's sponsor, Boch Center, for supporting local journalism and bringing holiday magic to Boston. 

💃 Keep up with us @BostonBSide on IG, TikTok, and Twitter. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected].