🤫🍪 A new sweet treat has entered the chat

🐶 This little pup had a BIG adventure. How a dog ended up taking a solo stroll through the Ted Williams Tunnel AND came out completely unscathed, we’ll never know. But it happened, and it’s all on video.

👀 What’s on tap today:

Up first…

Seasons change. People change. But Boston’s foodie scene STAYS on top. And per usual, Boston.com and Boston magazine have the roadmaps to this month’s new restaurant openings. 

Here’s what’s worth a res:

🥐 Hearth & Hug Bakery, Davis Square. After a two-year stint at the BPM, Hearth & Hug is settling into a permanent home in Somerville. Its cozy vibes and legendary arsenal of pastries and desserts will stick around (think: croissants, cinnamon rolls, giant cookies, homemade pop tarts), but thanks to the new digs, now there’s room for coffee, breakfast, and lunch offerings, too. The full menu is still under wraps, but you can experience it IRL now! Here’s a peek into the new space.

Things to try:

🐟 Holdfast Specialty Seafood Co., Allston. Allston’s foodie scene has a LOT going on: Korean BBQ, Italian, brunch … but no seafood. Until now! Holdfast is a pint-sized, counter-service seafood restaurant from O Ya alums that *just* opened its doors on Brighton Ave. The vision: Fine dining-quality dishes in a casual setting. The vibe: a menu full of gourmet rolls (clam, shrimp, oyster, and, of course, lobster), plus fries and a few raw options. 

Things to try:

🍹 SJ’s, Leather District. If you love Sloane’s and Stillwater, you’ll probably also love SJ’s, the newly-opened third restaurant from “Chopped” champ Sarah Wade. While Wade’s other two concepts are comfort food-heavy, SJ’s is designed to be more *elevated* from the modern decor to the menu, which includes a “caviar spoon,” matzo ball soup, homemade pastas, and steak frites. Bonus: There’s a patio!

Things to try:

🧙 The Hollows, Somerville. This mysterious new neighborhood “haunt” from the folks behind Somerville’s Dragon Pizza is set to open soon in the former Rudy’s Cafe space in Teele Square. Aside from the subtle witchy vibes, much about this spot is still TBD, including the menu and opening date. That said, they describe themselves as “where comfort food meets a darker edge.” Here’s a peek inside!

🤤 Hungry for more? Check out Boston magazine’s full roundup here, and Boston.com’s here. 

🎪❄️ You realized your holiday plans were … meh, not pretty. Then suddenly: a sign. Cirque du Soleil. Holiday magic, acrobatics, and costumes that slay. Based on the poem you know and love, “Twas the Night Before” tells the story of Saint Nicholas’s visit from high up above. With lovable characters, snowstorms, and cheer, suddenly your boring December feels magical here. Grab your tickets and catch it Nov. 26-Dec. 14 at Boch Center Wang Theater — it’ll make your holiday season even sweeter. 

😮‍💨 Mass.’ SNAP saga is FAR from over. On Saturday, about half of the state’s SNAP recipients *finally* received their full November food payments, but by the end of the day, Trump had ordered the state to take them back, or else. Why? Shortly after a federal judge ordered the Trump admin to dole out the payments in full on Thursday, the Supreme Court temporarily paused the order while the decision is appealed. That said, based on Gov. Healey’s *matter-of-fact* response to the situation, we wouldn’t bet on Trump seeing that cash.

✈️ Thanksgiving travel season is shaping up to be … chaotic. Even if the federal shutdown ended today (spoiler: it won’t), Thanksgiving travel plans will still be impacted by airport staffing shortages, per U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. ICYMI: To ease the load on unpaid workers, 40 airports across the country (including Logan) are seeing their daily flights cut by 10%, which has already caused chaos in Boston, and driven up rental car and train bookings. Here’s what to do if your flight gets cancelled.

🥦 Soon, you might be able to (legally) light up in public. No joke: Sometime before Christmas, state officials will likely pass a measure that would legalize *some* social pot consumption; for example, in separate “tasting rooms” at current dispensaries or in pre-existing venues like yoga studios or restaurants. That said, it’ll take a lot more than a vote to actually open these venues. First, towns and cities would need to opt-in to social consumption, and businesses would have to follow strict regulations like including “cooling-down areas” or installing fancy ventilation systems.

🍔 Boston Burger Company is *literally* feeding us. The local burger chain is adding a late night eats menu to its Boston and Cambridge locations, available from 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. every single night, and it’s absolutely packed with deals. The main event? A smashburger with cheese, pickles, and onions for just $3 (yes, $3!) with a bev purchase. But you can also get chicken sandwiches or four-piece chicken tenders for $9, or a combo with fries and a drink for ~$15. We gotta say … we’re already drooling.

🤑 Save some dough at the Snowport. Its vibe tax might be alive and well, but if you download the Seaport Insider app, you can take 10% off your purchase at tons of vendors (these adorable prints are calling your name!). 

🥫 Give a can, get a coffee. Luxor Cafe in Cambridge is holding a food drive this week where, if you bring in two cans of unexpired food, you get a small latte for FREE.

👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨 Just say “no” to the apps this week … and try this speed dating event for 26- to 36-year-olds on Nov. 11 instead! You’ll get to go on up to 14 dates in one night. Hinge could NEVER!

🎨 Paint your problems away. All you need for this beginner watercolor-painting class on Nov. 11 is ~$20, something to yap about, and a can-do attitude — they provide the supplies!

🏀 Catch the C’s from the (cheap) nosebleeds. Bad news: The Celtics are off to a rocky start. Good news: We found tickets to their Nov. 12 home game for under $60!

🤣 Laugh at a bunch of f*** ups. Their words, not ours! It’s F*** Up Night at Aeronaut on Nov. 13, where three fearless speakers share their biggest professional disasters … via PowerPoint. 

🖍️ Make art after dark. We were today years old when we learned the ICA has FREE after-dark art-making sessions, including on Nov. 13. Tickets will drop here at 10 a.m. the day of.

👏🏾 Give Black culture its flowers. On Nov. 13, notable Bostonians will compete in rounds of trivia rooted in Black culture and language at Historically Black Phrases Live!

🎥 Watch some wicked queer movies. Boston’s oldest LGBTQ+ film fest is heading to The Brattle for Wicked Queer: Docs, a series of films highlighting queer changemakers from Nov. 14 to 17. Here’s the lineup.

If pro sports teams’ social media squads have one job … it’s to make sure their players never know peace. See: Buffalo Bills players teaching us about Wabi Sabi or the Celtics hula hooping on camera. 

But the best video award this week has to go to the Pats social team, who filmed themselves calling players by their full *government* names. That’s first, middle, and last. Highlights included: Drake Lee Maye, Jack Francis Westover, and … Alexander Richard Joseph Austin. 

And although the players definitely didn’t *love* it, it certainly didn’t hurt their chances on Sunday, when they snagged a major W in their game against the Tampa Bay Bucs (a.k.a. the “Brady bowl.”)

— Written by Gia Orsino

🏈 Thanks for reading! Sorry, don’t they mean Drake “Drake ‘Drake Lee Maye’ Maye” Maye? 

💜 Special shoutout to today’s sponsor, Boch Center, for supporting local journalism and making Boston’s holiday season a little extra magical. 

🛍️ The results are in: 40% of B-Siders are mixed on the Snowport. One reader said: “Yes it's overcrowded and yes it's overpriced and yes it's super cold and yes a lot of it feels the same every year BUT IT'S TRADITION.” EXACTLY!

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