💏 Dating apps are so 2023

💝 If you’re looking for some extremely wholesome Valentine’s plans … The Scituate Animal Shelter is opening its doors tomorrow for visitors to cuddle with their new litter of husky puppies(!) as well as other adoptable dogs for $20 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

👀 What’s on tap today:

Up first…

Striking out with Hinge? Don’t sweat it. Speed dating is having a comeback. 

Here’s what to know:

💏 The numbers don’t lie: Boston’s dating scene is on fire. According to data from Eventbrite, dating and singles events in the area saw an 80% increase in attendance from 2022 to 2023, with speed dating events seeing a 52% bump during that same period. 

📱 What’s behind the IRL dating demand? The apps are killing us, Smalls. Whether it’s seeing the same faces again and again, in-app banter that leads to nowhere, or ghosting, “people are still getting dating fatigue,” said Jill Vandor, executive matchmaker at LunchDates. Plus, spending money (whether it’s on a speed dating ticket or a matchmaker) can show you mean business, especially “if they're taking the time, and they're getting dressed up, and they're showing up,” Vandor said.

💗 And there’s something comforting about doing things old school. Beyond speed dating, Eventbrite also saw a 55% bump in attendance at Boston area “nostalgia events” (think: 80s, 90s, and 2000s themes) from 2022 to 2023. Jon Strother, a data analyst at Eventbrite thinks that by reliving the “carefree days” of those eras, “people find a relaxed atmosphere that fosters authentic connections and offers a welcome break from the pressures of modern dating.”

👀 But speed dating has come a long way from the 90s. A quick Google search of speed dating events in the area delivers a laundry list of outings for 20-somethings to septuagenarians, straight to LGBTQ singles, monogamous to polyamorous couples, and more. Strother’s also seen more unique dating events, including Harpoon’s “Pitch a Pal” event, where you promote your single buddy via PowerPoint, and HIIT workout speed dating (both this week). 

👯 And the happily ever after looks different for everyone. Just take Skip the Small Talk, a speed dating series known for leading conversations with more vulnerable questions. Although participants come with the intention of finding bae, founder Ashley Kirsner often hears stories of folks meeting their now best friend or roommate. “When people are open to more options for where the relationships are gonna go, they end up with cool stuff that they might not have otherwise predicted,” she said. 

😬 But some folks are still sus … We asked B-Side readers if they’ve ever tried or would try speed dating, and nearly 50% of respondents gave a big fat “no.” Several were open to the idea, but intimidated, while others had tried it and were unsuccessful. That said, some haven’t completely closed the door on it. One said: “[I’m] trying to meet more people in person this year after being burned by the apps one too many times!”

❄️ There’s been a plot twist in today’s snowstorm. The nor’easter’s track has shifted south, so Boston will likely see only two to five inches of snow, instead of the originally predicted eight to twelve. That said, Boston is still technically under a snow emergency, meaning we’re all encouraged to stay home, school is canceled for BPS students, and parking bans have been implemented on most major streets and throughways (break out the space savers!). For all your need-to-know snowmergency info, check out the city’s snow page here.

💸 The MBTA is officially strapped for cash. And by strapped, we mean, a $628 million budget gap plus debt from as far back as the Big Dig. For years, the MBTA hasn’t been performing well financially, an effect that was exacerbated by the pandemic, and until now, legislators have pretty much been kicking the can down the road in terms of creating effective, implementable solutions. But recent data on the budget gaps’ especially bleak state has some transit advocates and MBTA board members hoping that change will come sooner rather than later.

🫘 Your new men’s Beanpot champions are … The Huskies! The 71st annual Beanpot championship (a.k.a. Boston’s iconic college hockey tournament) was last night, and after a very competitive game, Northeastern defeated BU 4-3 to take home the trophy. Senior Gunnarwolfe Fontaine scored the game-winning goal with just under 30 seconds left in OT for the team’s fifth Beanpot victory in six years, although they still have some work to do to catch up to BU’s record 31 Beanpot wins (this year brings NU to nine).

🐱 Boston’s newest cat cafe is on the way. A Sanctuary Cafe, a combination bookstore, cat cafe, and coffee shop, is set to open in Beacon Hill later this month. A Sanctuary will be Boston’s only currently operating cat cafe (the last stab at opening one didn’t go too well) and will feature several cats adopted from local shelters who will live permanently in the space, as well as locally sourced food, drinks, and a small selection of books hand-picked by the staff. We’re there.

Dunkin’ knows what we want, and they’re delivering. ICYMI: Dunkin’ dropped the most Boston commercial imaginable during the Super Bowl in which Ben Affleck pursues his dreams of becoming a pop star by creating a band, the DunKings, with none other than Matt Damon and Tom Brady. Unsurprisingly, the whole thing prompted a truly unhinged online response from Massholes. 

But jokes aside, the commercial served as an announcement for some new Dunkin’ merch, including the truly wild Dunkin’/Boston themed tracksuits worn in the commercial (which immediately sold out, we’re sorry to say.) 

It also gave us a new DunKings drink, which is apparently modeled after Ben Affleck’s go-to order with notes of vanilla, a sweet cream cold foam, and a cinnamon sprinkle which honestly, sounds really good.

— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

🍩 Thanks for reading! Although, after the Ice Spice drink, our standards are kind of low.

🍗 The results are in: In one of the tightest votes in B-Side history, chips and dips were voted the No. 1 super bowl snack over wings by a margin of just one vote, with many specifying that it has to specifically be Buffalo chicken dip.

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