Itβs Monday, Boston.
πͺ© Looking for some free weekend plans? Weβre giving away a pair of tickets to Boston Art Reviewβs very cool annual bash this Saturday (think: dance party vibes) to the first person who responds to this email. Ready β¦ Set β¦ GO!
π Whatβs on tap today:
Bostonβs sky popped off
Commencement speakers find the words
A hill where physics don't apply
Up firstβ¦
RENTING
Wake me up when Sept. 1 ends

Image: Matt Rourke/AP. Illustration: Gia Orsino.
It may only be May, but weβve got Sept. 1 on the brain. Hereβs why:
π‘ The time for renters to be looking for a 9/1 move-in is now. Amy Mueller, vice president of marketing at Apartment Advisor, a Cambridge-based apartment search and data platform, said around 50% of its Boston listings are for 9/1 availability, βand as is typical for this time of year, these apartments will move quickly.β Remember: The majority of Boston residents are renters, meaning the competition is fierce.Β
π€· Overall, Bostonβs current rental market is up to its usual shenanigans. TL;DR: Itβs still incredibly expensive and tight. According to data from Boston Pads, Bostonβs apartment vacancy rate (i.e., the number of open units today) remains below 1%; the average rent (not including luxury buildings) is still over $3,000 a month; and the vast majority of landlords require tenants to pay those pesky broker fees.Β
π But thereβs a bright spot: Prices might finally be cooling off. The average monthly rent in Boston actually decreased in May, according to the same report. It only dipped a few bucks compared to April numbers ($3,267, down from $3,273), but Boston Pads CEO Demetrios Salpoglou canβt remember the last time he saw it decline. βThat might be a little bit of a crack,β Salpoglou said. Apartment Advisor data also shows that βthe rate of rent growth in Boston overall has slowed compared to previous years when weβve seen double-digit, year-over-year rent inflation,β Mueller said.
π¬ Average rental prices are still 20% higher compared to May 2022. Translation: The average Boston apartment is now $500 more a month. Apartment Advisor data also found that in Bostonβs more affordable neighborhoods, rent inflation has outpaced the cityβs average, with one-bedroom rents up 12.5% in Jamaica Plain, up 9.1% in Brighton, and up 8.3% in Roxbury. On the flip side, thereβs also been some slight cooling in pricier neighborhoods like Downtown, the Seaport, and Southie.
π Landing your dream unit is all in the timing. Salapoglou said listings for three-, four-, and five-bedroom units for a 9/1 move-in tend to hit the market earlier in the year (think: March and April) since landlords know it takes longer for a big group to form. βYou might be late in many neighborhoods on a three- or four-bed,β Salapoglou said. Whereas studios and one-beds can trickle out later since itβs just one (maybe two) people making a decision.Β
π‘ Pro-tip: If youβre willing to gamble, the closer you are to Sept. 1, the better chance you can negotiate having your landlord pay part of the brokerβs fee β if not the whole thing β Salapoglou said.
TOGETHER WITH TOAST
Looking to impress your foodie friends?

π½οΈπ βI know the best spot in town forβ¦β just became your new catchphrase. With Toast, simply search for whatever youβre craving and get countless recommendations for local joints β from takeout at Monicaβs Mercato & Salumeria in the North End to a sit-down meal at the Seaportβs Row 34. Download the app now (or if youβre an owner looking to level up your restaurant, book a demo). Be warned: You might end up becoming the go-to βplanner friendβ in the group chat.
CITY
Quick & dirty headlines

Image: Charlie Peachey
π Bostonβs sky was giving big Norwegian energy this weekend. Courtesy of an unexpected solar storm, New Englanders were treated to a rare view of the aurora borealis a.k.a. Northern Lights. The display was utterly incredible, creating beautiful scenes of green, blue, and purple hues in the sky across New England (and even as far south as Alabama!). Pro photographers had a field day, capturing incredible pics from Dorchester to Mount Washington, as did B-Sideβs own Emily Schario, whose iPhone somehow managed to capture these.Β
π Commencement speakers are trying to find the right words. In the weeks leading up to graduation season, protests over the war in Gaza have roiled local college campuses, leaving commencement speakers with a dilemma: Do they address the protests, which have led some schools to bar students from graduating, caused speakers to pull out, and have even ended in some ceremonies being canceled? Or do they focus on the event at hand, and leave the issue unspoken? Experts and speakers canβt seem to agree.
π Gusterβs set at Somervilleβs Porchfest was β¦ something. The legendary indie band, who used to live down the street, made a celebrity appearance this weekend. And it looked like a mosh pit packed with hundreds of Millennials. The lo-fi setup and the exorbitant crowd of people led to quite a bit of difficulty seeing, or even hearing, the band. Plus, the set ended early due to a medical emergency in the crowd.Β
ποΈ Bostonβs rooftop bars are coming out to play. Enter: The Layover, a tropical bar which just opened on the rooftop of East Bostonβs Cunard Tavern, followed by The Revere Hotelβs seasonal rooftop patio, which was unveiled last week. In other food and drink news: Juicy Greens, the fast-casual smoothie and salad spot, just opened a new location in Downtown Crossing, and Grace by Nia, the Seaportβs classic supper club, is opening a second location in Foxborough soon.
THINGS TO DO
Weekday checklist

Image: Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe
π Watch the Bβs and Cβs (hopefully) snag a W. Thereβs no better way to watch the playoffs than at The Anchorβs watch parties on Monday and Tuesday.
π¬ Catch a free movie in the fresh air. This Wednesday marks the beginning of a free summer movie series at The Speedway in collaboration with the Coolidge. The first flick? Bring It On.
π Speed date over tea. Or really, speed date over cocktails at the Tea Party Museum on Wednesday. Your ticket gets you two drink/food tickets, a chance to browse the museum, and several five-minute dates with new faces.
π Get your sweat on in the Seaport. As a part of their summer sweat series, the neighborhood is hosting free Zumba in the commons every Thursday. Just donβt forget to reserve your spot.
πΊ Spend Wednesday night in da club β¦ completely sober. Thatβs exactly whatβs going down at this Over The Influencer disco party aiming to redefine nightlife norms with an alcohol-free, early evening event.
π Want more things to do recommendations? Refer five friends to unlock three bonus items. For those who already have, enjoy below.
π§βπ»Work from home, away from home. The Boston Young Professionals Association is putting on a community coworking day in the Seaport on Wednesday. Bonus: the coffeeβs free.
ποΈ Make happy hour even happier. Boston Landingβs Happy Hour Market at Broken Records is back on Wednesday with locally made products and art from several local makers. And yes, there will be cocktails.
πSee Bostonβs funniest Black comedians. The Black Comedy Explosion is coming to the Carver Den every Wednesday night, including this week!
GIVEAWAY!
Together with Boston Calling
Enter to win a pair of 3-DAY VIP passes to Boston Calling from May 24 to May 26, a $2,400 value! If you have already referred a friend to B-Side (and theyβve accepted), you're eligible. Full details below*
ONE LAST THING
Mass.β Gravity hill

Illustration: Gia Orsino
Thereβs one place in Mass. where the rules of physics seemingly donβt apply. Allow us to introduce: Gravity Hill, a βhillβ in Greenfield, where, when left to their own devices, cars, skateboards, and bikes seem to roll β¦ up instead of down. You need to see it to believe it.
Some say itβs the ghosts of car crash victims past that push unsuspecting vehicles up the hill. But according to TikToker @joshopedia, the explanation is actually much simpler (and way less creepy) than that.
Due to a number of scientific-seeming factors like an unobstructed horizon and a very specific gradient-tilt, Gravity Hill is actually a unique optical illusion: It only looks like an uphill when, in fact, itβs a downhill. Check out his full video here.
β Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario
π Keep up with us @BostonBSide on IG, TikTok, and Twitter. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected] or [email protected].
π€ Thanks for reading! TBH, weβd have gone anyway, just for the plot.
π Special shoutout to todayβs sponsor, Toast, for supporting local journalism and making dining in (or taking out) in Boston easy.Β
π The results are in: 54% of B-Siders had their Motherβs Day plans done and dusted by Friday, proving that they are the best children imaginable. One reader said: βEldest daughter here. If I don't get it done, who will? β