🚇😭 Your commute might stink this week

It’s Monday, Boston.

🚚 And if today’s gloomy vibes got you down … Just think, at least you weren’t in this truck, which Storrowed so hard on Friday that it fully tipped over, in what’s being called “the Storrowing to end all Storrowings.” Yikes!

👀 What’s on tap today:

• Wrapping up the Steward saga

• Pour one out for Cambridge Brewing Co.

• Damon at Dunkin’

Up first…

TRANSPORTATION

The Red Line is down … again

It’s not déjà vu. Part of the Red Line is really OOO again this week. Today through Aug. 25, service between Kendall/MIT and JFK/UMass will be replaced with shuttle buses. And in true MBTA fashion, the map alone is enough to give you a headache. 

Here’s what to know:

🚌 The shuttle bus route has some quirks. While *most* of the stops should mirror the Red Line’s regular route, Park Street and Downtown Crossing riders, beware: 

• Shuttle service will bypass Park Street entirely. Instead, the buses will hit the Haymarket and State T stops, where riders can more easily connect to the Green, Orange, and Blue lines.

• Shuttle service to Downtown Crossing will be indirect, with northbound buses stopping at Federal Street at Franklin Street, and southbound buses at Otis Street at Summer Street. Riders who want to navigate between Downtown Crossing and Park Street should use the Winter Street concourse.

• Otherwise: You can find all of the exact shuttle bus stop locations here.

🚂 At least parts of the commuter rail will be free! Riders can hop on trains between Braintree and South Station, and Porter and North Station free of charge during the shutdown. 

📝 Note: The commuter rail might be the move during rush hour. The T is warning of especially high ridership at the Kendall/MIT stop between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. T officials are asking riders to consider “alternative routes” during those hours.

🚲 Want to avoid trains entirely? Bluebikes is once again offering five free unlocks on pedal bikes and e-bikes during the shutdown with the in-app code MBTAREDAUGUST.

🤠 This won’t be Red Liners’ last rodeo. We’ve said it before, we’ll say it again: This shutdown is yet another piece in the MBTA’s plan to make the entire T slow zone-free. And the Red Line is far and away its biggest roadblock, with 44 remaining slow zones across the line (for context: the Orange Line is in second place with 19 slow zones). But between this shutdown and the upcoming behemoth shutdown on the Braintree branch in September, the T plans to address a whopping 26 slow zones by October.

😢 And if all of this has you (understandably) feeling a little down … Remember that the man in charge is still feeling hopeful.

TOGETHER WITH SNOWBOUND EXPO

The countdown to snow season starts here 

🏂🎿 This is for all of the “I can’t wait for winter” people. Snowbound Expo, the biggest snow sports event in the Northeast, is coming to Boston from Nov. 15 through 17. Shop the latest gear and tech, shred the indoor mega slope, cheer at the live rail jam, and hear from famous athletes (including Maine’s finest athlete’ Donny Pelletier) all weekend long. Tickets are free with code BSIDE until Aug. 31, so hurry and grab yours before it’s too late!

CITY

Quick & dirty headlines

🏥 We’re ready to close the book on the Steward saga. Gov. Maura Healey wished the shady healthcare company “goodbye and good riddance” as she announced preliminary plans to keep six of the eight Steward hospitals in Mass. open under new operators. The deals include a plan for the state to take control of St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Brighton by eminent domain and turn operations over to Boston Medical Center. That said, Dorchester’s Carney Hospital and Ayer’s Nashoba Valley Medical Center will still shut down by the end of August.

🚇 The MBTA is entering its *reliable* era. Or so we hope. Per the agency’s fall service changes, starting Aug. 25, we can expect more frequent trips on the Red, Orange, and Blue Lines, plus another boost for Red Liners after their mega-Braintree branch shutdown ends. The changes are thanks in part to improved track conditions (read: shutdowns) plus more vehicle availability on the Orange Line. Bonus: Other improvements, like more reliable schedules and trip increases, are also coming to the Mattapan Trolley and many bus lines.

🤷 Want to vote out your elected officials this year? Too bad. Despite 200 seats in the Mass. Legislature being up for election, 65% of incumbent state lawmakers will face no official challengers in either the Sept. 3 primary or Nov. 5 general election. Translation: Millions of voters effectively have no choice in who represents them in the state House and Senate. While some lawmakers see this as voters being happy with their performance, others suggest it can fuel a sense of complacency (see: lawmakers recently missing the deadline on key legislation).

🍻 Pour one out for Cambridge Brewing Company. The beloved Kendall Square pub that’s been in biz since 1989 announced it’ll pour its last brew on Dec. 20. And for once, Boston’s sky-high real estate prices aren’t to blame: After 35 years, owner Phil Bannatyne is just ready to retire. But don’t panic yet, beer lovers. The good news is that until Dec. 20, you can still stop in and grab a brew (including the two that have been on the menu since 1989!) and most importantly, there will still be an Oktoberfest celebration.

QUICK QUESTION

❤️‍🔥 We want your two cents for an upcoming story: Does Gen Z know how to flirt IRL? 

THINGS TO DO

Weekday plans

🍿 Take your pick of outdoor movies. We’ve got “The Parent Trap” on deck at Time Out Market tonight, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” in the South End on Wednesday, and “Footloose” (featuring a dance contest and free snacks) at Boston Landing on Thursday.

🏝️ Watch the hot new bombshells rehash the drama. Althea in Cambridge is hosting a “Love Island” reunion watch party tonight where a ticket gets you a welcome islanders shooter, a drink flute, and a free photo in the confessional.

🏀 Watch WNBA history be made. The Connecticut Sun are taking on the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday in what will be the first WNBA game to be held at TD Garden. Bonus: There will be a pre-game block party on Canal Street. 

🏳️‍🌈 Curl up with your favorite queer book. The History Project is hosting an LGBTQ+ Book Club Social near the Jamaica Pond Boathouse on Tuesday. You just have to bring your favorite LGBTQ+ books to share, a comfy blanket, and some snacks. 

🐶 Turn your pooch into Picasso. They may not have opposable thumbs, but your dog’s tongue is all they’ll need to make a “lick painting” at Dorchester Brewing Co. on Tuesday.  

👯 Strut your way around the Seaport. We’re talking about the Sip and Strut Seaport social event on Wednesday, which gets you a walk with a bodyweight workout, a drink, girl dinner bites, and a chance to meet some new pals.  

👗 Score a sweet vintage deal. There’s a lot where that came from at Bow Market’s vintage night market on Thursday, featuring 30 vintage vendors sharing clothing, decor, barware, antiques, and more.

💞 Meet Mr. Right over Lite Brite. Kazoo! is hosting a dating event for 25- to 45-year-olds on Friday, where you can chat up some potential suitors while playing nostalgic games like Connect 4 and Mad Libs. 

MEDIA SPONSORSHIP

Free Feminist Music Fest!

B-Side is a proud sponsor of We Make Noise Fest held this Saturday, Aug. 24 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (rain date Aug. 25). Hosted at Downtown Crossing, Boston, MA, this event will highlight women and gender-expansive musicians, artists, and makers from the Greater Boston area. This event is free and open to the public. Get tickets today!

ONE LAST THING

Damon at Dunkin’

Celebs just can’t stop feeding us Dunkin’ content. Between the DunKings, the DunQueens (not to be confused with the DunkQueen), and the Iced Boys, the Dunkin’ content has been wild this year, and it’s not slowing down. 

This time, DunKing Matt Damon teamed up with DunKing sibling Casey Affleck and local Boston content creators like Prosciutto Papi and Tommy Guarino to promote their new Boston-based movie, “The Instigators.” The ad in question?  The chronicles of a failed Dunkin’ robbery.

Let’s just say, what the ad lacks in successful heists, it more than makes up for in Boston accents and New England spirit. You can check it out here.

— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

🍩 Thanks for reading! If we had to rank this on a scale of this year’s iconic Dunkin’ moments, we’d put it below the DunKings and DunQueens, but above the DunkQueen and Iced Boys. And if you could follow that sentence … you’re a true B-Sider.

💜 Special shoutout to today’s sponsor, Snowbound Expo, for supporting local journalism and already getting us hyped for winter 2024. 

🍦 The results are in: B-Siders are split on what they’d want to replace Earl of Sandwich on the Common, with an ice cream shop just edging out another sandwich spot at 35% of the vote. One reader said: “We had it all and took it for granted.”

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