😭 Here comes another T shutdown

It’s Wednesday, Boston.

💕 Feeling dating app fatigue? We’re co-hosting a Single Mingle event at GrandTen Distilling on April 19 with bites, sips, great vibes, and most importantly, lots of eligible singles. Grab tickets here!

👀 What’s on tap today:

• Marathon Monday’s spicy aftermath

• Beer garden season has arrived

• Boston’s “Abbot Elementary” 

Up first…

TRANSPORTATION

The Blue Line is officially MIA

Blue Liners, you’ve had it too good for too long. Today marks the beginning of a full-service 12-day shutdown through April 28 between Maverick and Wonderland stations.

Here’s what to know:

🚇 The shutdown will be broken down into two chunks. For the first three days (today through April 19) shuttle buses will replace service between Maverick and Wonderland, but for the final nine (April 20 through 28), the shuttle bus shlep will be shortened by one stop, between Airport and Wonderland. Here’s a map of the shutdown if you're a visual learner. 

⚠️ And, say it with us: The whole thing is yet another piece of the MBTA’s grand plan to get rid of all the T’s slow zones by the end of 2024, sixteen of which are on the Blue Line. But hopefully, that’s not all that’s going to get done. Also on the docket: Upgrading older infrastructure, fixing signal issues, and improving power problems.

💙 The silver lining: This could be a one and done situation. That’s right, this shutdown is slotted as the only major Blue Line disruption this year, according to the MBTA’s tentative schedule. And it makes sense considering the Blue Line has routinely proven itself to be the least problematic MBTA line (for some perspective, the Green, Orange, and Red Lines are scheduled to face five or more multi-day shutdowns each). 

⛴️ If the whole situation makes you want to avoid the T at all costs … Even though you don’t technically need to take it, the East Boston Ferry can get you from Eastie to downtown in just ten minutes for the same price-per-trip as the T. And if you’d rather just stay away from the MBTA all together, here’s our two cents on the best alternative commuting options. 

QUICK QUESTION

👀 If we were to host a young professionals networking event (think: inspiring local speakers, schmoozing and drinks, and helpful workshops), would you come?

TOGETHER WITH THE WIC NUTRITION PROGRAM

Want a truly ‘happy meal’?

🥗🥬🥕 Skip the drive-thru in favor of an affordable, delicious, and nutritious meal — really! Level up your diet with the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program — a resource for planning healthy (yet still budget-friendly) meals that the whole family will love. Participants enjoy personalized meal guidance, free healthy foods, breastfeeding support, healthcare referrals, and more. Check if you’re eligible and apply online to get started today!

CITY

Quick & dirty headlines

 🥵 Mother Nature did some serious damage this Marathon Monday. 73 degrees and sunny might sound like a gorgeous spring day to you, but for a marathon runner who mostly trained in winter temps, there might as well be a heat advisory. This year’s spicy temps and lack of shade took its toll on the runners, sending at least 77 to local hospitals and causing countless others to hit the medical tents (some of which reached capacity multiple times) with everything from cramps, chafing, dehydration, and even heat stroke. Marathoners are truly a different breed.

💐 It’s a busy month over at the MFA. If you’ve been looking for a reason to spend a day at the museum, we’ve got two. First off, their new “Dress Up” exhibit, which explores the role of clothing and jewelry in communicating personal identity, making political statements, and expressing moods, is now open through September. Plus: “Art in Bloom,” a special two-day event featuring 45 floral arrangements that interpret different artworks in the museum, is back on April 26. Grab tickets here.

🍺 The Greenway is buzzing with beer gardens this year. Not one, but two beer gardens are going to be in business on the Greenway this summer. Trillium’s “Garden on the Greenway” is (as of yesterday) officially open for the season on Rowes Wharf, with a rotating cast of food trucks to enjoy while you sip. Plus, the Greenway just announced a second, new beer garden in partnership with Night Shift Brewing in Dewey Square opening May 8. Bonus: Keep an eye out on their IG to find out when Night Shift’s other two beer gardens reopen.

✈️ The time to book an early summer vacation is now. JetBlue, Logan’s largest carrier, is running a “Hit Refresh” sale through today with one-way fares for as low as $49. The deal applies to Tuesday and Wednesday flights between May 7 and June 12 to locations like West Palm Beach, NYC, Miami, Charlotte, and New Orleans all for under $100. Our only tip: If you can squeeze your stuff into a carry-on, do it. JetBlue just raised their price to check a bag (for the second time this year) to a whopping $40 each way. 

GIVEAWAY

Enter to win a free 50-minute personalized facial at Heyday!

We’re giving away one 50-minute personalized facial at Heyday, a professional skincare studio helping self-care enthusiasts across the nation find their glow. To be eligible, refer a friend and have them accept your invite by the end of the day on 4/17. If you have already referred a friend to B-Side (and they’ve accepted), you're eligible! Full details below**

18+. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Limit one entry per person. See Official Rules & an additional entry option here.

ONE LAST THING

America’s Favorite Teacher

A local teacher and TikTok sensation is up for a major award. Tyler Jackowski (@fishin4clout), high school teacher for Boston Public Schools, is currently in the running (and in the lead!) for Colossal's “America’s Favorite Teacher” award. 

Jackowski, who originally used his Tiktok to post fishing content, has been posting scenes from his classroom for the past three years, from POV moments teaching Gen Z, to students talking to him about their crushes, to his reflections on life as a teacher, building a following of 2.1 million followers along the way.

His students clearly love him, and the videos are guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. You can check out his Tiktok here, and give him a vote here.

— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

🍎 Thanks for reading! It’s giving “Abbot Elementary” IRL. 

💜 Special shoutout to today's sponsor, WIC Nutrition Program, for supporting local journalism and helping families in Massachusetts maintain a healthy lifestyle. 

🏃 The results are in: 59% of B-Siders managed to get out and catch the marathon yesterday, probably in part thanks to having Patriots Day off. One reader said: “Marathon Monday needs to be a holiday in Boston asap!”

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