😻 Boston’s cat cafe is open for biz

It’s Wednesday, Boston.

🚃 Live in Boston long enough, and you’ll hear a lot of Boylston wheel squeal jokes. Not all of them are good, but we gotta hand it to these folks, this one really got us.

👀 What’s on tap today:

• Mayor Wu on mass deportations

• The drought just got critical

• Back Bay’s tiniest apartment

Up first…

B-SIDE CERTIFIED

Folks, we have a cat cafe

What’s better than a cafe-slash-micro bookstore? A cafe-slash-micro bookstore with CATS! A Sanctuary Cafe is now taking reservations for its cat lounge on Beacon Hill. 

So we obviously had to check it out (in the name of journalism). Here’s what we thought:

FIRST IMPRESSION

📚 The vibes are very *Beacon Hill*. That’s a compliment! A Sanctuary lives up to the hood’s charming, boutique-y rep. The space is separated into two areas: a bright, simple cafe/bookstore decked out in pastels and tall bookshelves, and a two-story cat lounge that we'd describe as grandma’s living room-chic. There’s vintage-y furniture, a smattering of kitschy-cute cat objects and toys, and tons of kitty-approved nooks and crannies, from suitcases that double as beds to a cat staircase that runs between the floors.

☕ We were impressed by the cat-free experience. Even if you’re a … dog person, the cafe and micro-bookstore are worth checking out. It serves all the typical espresso drinks and pastries, but we were particularly impressed with their unique seasonal drink menu (think: apple cider and chai steamed with caramel and pumpkin pie spice). The micro-bookstore’s small selection is small but mighty, filled exclusively with staff picks, which of course, means there are a few cat books. 

THE MAIN EVENT 

🐈 These folks take their cats very seriously. While you can walk in to the regular cafe, the cat lounge requires a reservation. It’s a separate but connected space, and before you enter, you get shoe coverings, hand sanitizer, plus a helpful briefing on how to interact with the cats, i.e. don’t pick them up or feed them. The entry process was thorough but quick. Once you’re in, you’re free to wander the two-story space for about an hour, sip on your complementary drink, and pet, play with, or just ooh and aah at the cats.

🐱 Obviously, the kitties steal the show. There are eight cats total (we’re personally partial to Bug), all adopted from local shelters and living at the cafe permanently. While we were there, the vibes were very chill, with most cats snoozing or lounging while we pet and brushed them, although a few were milling around — one even used that cat staircase (adorable). But the staff told us there’s usually more action if you book your slot in the morning.

VALUE & EXPERIENCE

🐈‍⬛ It’s a delightful way to spend an afternoon. Admission to the cat lounge will run you $35 a pop (or $40 on the weekends), which gets you an hour-ish hang with the kitties and a complimentary drink. Admittedly, it’s a little steep. But it’s obvious that A Sanctuary is the real deal in terms of quality of experience for us and the kitties alike. We’d say it’s worth the cash for a one-time visit, and would make a great gift for the cat lover in your life.

✅ The verdict? B-Side Certified. You can book a reservation here.

QUICK QUESTION

🐱 Are you a cat person or a dog person? 

TOGETHER WITH THE COMMONWEALTH SHAKESPEARE COMPANY 

Watch Ebenezer Scrooge get ghosted 

🎄 👻 Turns out, the key to holiday spirit is a visit from three actual spirits. Catch “Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’” at the Emerson Cutler Majestic Theater Dec. 8-22 and watch as Scrooge gets schooled by the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. With Will Lyman starring as the ultimate grump, this timeless tale — brought to life by the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company — has all the chills, thrills, and heartfelt moments to make your holiday bright. Grab your tickets now (before they vanish like Jacob Marley). 

CITY

Quick & dirty headlines

👮 Mayor Michelle Wu has two cents on Trump’s deportation plan. With President-elect Trump’s plans to conduct mass deportations of undocumented migrants on the horizon, Wu’s been speaking out on how she won't expect local personnel, including police, to cooperate with federal agents attempting to detain them. In fact, an existing Boston ordinance prohibits local cops from cooperating with ICE in some specific instances like transferring individuals to ICE custody or making arrests solely on their warrants. And as for areas where the plan can be implemented without local cooperation, Wu said the city will have “other mechanisms” for protecting migrants.

🚰 Mass.’ drought just got critical. Seriously, on Tuesday, the entire state minus the Cape and islands were upgraded to level three, “critical” drought conditions. Considering we’ve seen less than an inch of rain in the past 30 days (that’s 3 to 4.5 inches below normal), this isn’t exactly surprising, but it is v serious. Nearly 40 wildfires are burning across the state, so officials are calling for “aggressive indoor water conservation” to keep water available for drinking and fighting fires. The good news: Come Thursday, we’re finally expected to get some rain. 

🎯 The Boston College Republicans are feeling targeted. The group took to the school’s newspaper to pen an op-ed in protest of the treatment they say they’ve faced from the community post-election. According to the piece, “unhinged people” have taken to “openly defam[ing] the character of students who voted for President Trump,” both IRL and on social media. The group is calling for more “respectful political discussion” on campus. That said, this follow-up letter to the editor calls out the group for not practicing what they preach.

😋 Restaurant openings are the gift that keeps on giving. And we have two (and … a half) for you. First up, the Cousin Stizz-approved BRED Gourmet recently brought its signature smoked burgers, smoothies, and loaded fries to a second location in Kendall Square. Next, a swanky new cocktail bar, D16 Lounge and Bar, is opening in a former Back Bay police station, with seafood-y bites, cocktails, and beer. And finally, the half: The Museum of Ice Cream is officially opening in December in the Seaport, where you can apparently taste lobster ice cream while taking fire IG pics.

ONE LAST THING

Boston’s tiniest apartment

Guys, we did it. We found an apartment in Back Bay for under $400,000. It’s right off Newbury Street and in one of the city’s most beautiful buildings. There’s just one catch … it’s a 175-square-foot studio. That’s $2,280 per square foot.

If you’re struggling to picture it, imagine a regular sized living room. Now imagine that it doubles as a kitchen, dining room, bedroom, and office. Sure, there’s no in-unit laundry, the fridge is half-sized, and your couch has to double as a bed, but there is a separate bathroom, and you can’t beat that access to Newbury Street … right?

If you think that’s wild, just wait until we tell you about the $519,000, 171-square-foot apartment in P-Town.

— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

🏘️ Thanks for reading! Is my brain broken or is this not, like, the worst deal you’ve ever seen?

💜 Special shoutout to today’s sponsor, the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, for supporting local journalism and spreading holiday cheer in Boston. 

🗳️ The results are in: 66% of B-Siders said that they would vote for Mayor Michelle Wu when she runs for reelection. One reader said: “Michelle Wu is my queen, my life force, my reason why.”

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