Itβs Thursday, Boston.
π¦ New Englanders know how to make a mean vanilla scoop. The Washington Post taste-tested 13 grocery store vanilla ice creams, and this local favorite took home the top spot. Take that, HΓ€agen-Dazs.
π Whatβs on tap today:
Orange Line on fire (again)
No U-pick for you
Bostonβs best brekkie
Up first...
SPORTS
Pickleballing in Boston

Illustration: Emily Schario
Pickleball is on the brain. At least it is for nearly 20% of Americans who picked up a paddle in the last year.
But if youβre the other 80% who doesnβt know a dill ball from a dink (or youβre a Wellesley resident whoβs had a change of heart), hereβs a quick guide to pickballing around the city this summer:
π First things first: The basics. You can read the full rule book here, but these are the key nuggets:
You can play singles or doubles.
The ball needs to bounce once per side after the serve.
The ball has to stay in bounds.
You can only score a point if you serve.
Typically, the first side scoring 11 points and leading by at least a two points wins.
This two-minute YouTube how-to goes a little deeper and is a great watch for visual learners.
π Differentiate your dillballs from your dinks. Pickleball is chock full of tennis-y slang like βace,β βserve,β and βlet,β but we start departing from the Williams sistersβ game with words like βdillballβ (a ball in play) and βdinkβ (a soft shot that falls in the section closest to the net, affectionately called βthe kitchenβ). Hereβs a comprehensive list of pickleball terms. Was not expecting βfalafelβ to be in the pickleball vernacular.
π Boston has plenty of low-key court options for beginners. Since it takes at least two to tango, joining a weekly league will guarantee you some play time. Volo Sports has a party pickleball league thatβs super social, and Hub Sports Boston has a rec league at Harpoon Brewery for casual players looking to stay active and meet new friends. And if youβre looking to smash, both leagues offer more competitive matches and tourneys, too. Hub Sports Boston calls theirs the βJuicer League.β
π But thereβs still plenty of courts to practice on your own time. If youβre just looking to dink around, your first pickle session at PKL Boston, a new-ish pickleball bar, is free; Lawn on D has brand new courts open every day (as long as thereβs not a private event); and Pickleheads has a full list of all pickleball courts in Mass., so you can find one near you.
π Want to watch the pros? Yes, there are pickleball pros. Fenway Park will be hosting a pro showcase and amateur tournament July 12 through 16, and admission is only $10. And although a splurge at $200, you can rent a court for two to four people to play a few matches.
TOGETHER WITH IFAW
SAVE THE LAST 340

Image: Nick Hawkins
π³ If youβre down on Marthaβs Vineyard this summer, if youβre lucky, you may spot a critically endangered (and majestic) North Atlantic right whale on its migratory path. The bad news: the species is on the brink of extinction, and there are only 340 left in our oceans due to vessel strikes and entanglements in fishing gear. But itβs not too late to turn the tides β the International Fund for Animal Welfare, better known as IFAW, is working hard to ensure the speciesβ survival, with dedicated experts, resources, and programs to help these creatures thrive again in our oceans. If you feel like lending a helping hand this summer and making a positive impact, get involved.
CITY
Quick & dirty headlines

Image: @windtrain1/Twitter
π₯ The Orange Line caught on fire (again). The Tufts Medical Center stop was evacuated on Wednesday after an electrical issue sparked a fire on the third rail, filling the station with smoke (you can see what it looked like here). Service was suspended for a few hours between North Station and Back Bay while the fire department scoped out the situation. Thankfully, no one was hurt. But this isnβt the first smoky situ-station of the month: Just a few weeks ago, a mechanical problem caused a Red Line train to break down and send smoke into Central Square station.
π If youβre flying out for the long weekend today, buckle up. Holiday travel is expected to peak today, with more than 52,500 total flights. This weekend is shaping up to be a big test for airlines that are struggling to keep up with surging numbers of passengers (revenge travel is in full swing, baby). But luckily, it looks like there wonβt be any thunderstorms to slow things down. But regardless, make sure youβre signed up for alerts from your airline and read up on your traveler rights in case your flight gets canceled or delayed.
π Itβs slim pickins this U-pick season. Remember that -14 degree weather we had back in February? Weβre paying for it now. The deep freeze did a number on this yearβs U-pick summer crops, particularly cherries, peaches, and plums. Parlee Farms in Tyngsboro lost their entire cherry crop, Brooksby Farm in Peabody lost their peaches, and Carver Hill Orchard in Stow lost its plums. Carver Hill also noted that βapple picking will certainly look a little different this year.β Thankfully, on the cherry front, Parlee Farmsβ trees werenβt damaged, so we should get another go in 2024.
π₯― Cambridge has some of the best bagels in the U.S. At least when you take New York out of the competition. Bon AppΓ©tit magazine compiled a list of two dozen places that make the best bagels outside of the Big Apple, and Bagelsaurus in Cambridge made the cut. Bon AppΓ©tit was particularly taken with their hot-smoked salmon bagel featuring a heaping schmear, pickled cabbage, smoky, buttery salmon, and βa garnish of pungent red onion and dill for good measure.β Unsurprisingly, Boston.com readers had this scoop long ago, as they ranked the Bagelsaurus fifth among a reader-recommended guide of 45 best places to get a bagel around Boston.
TOGETHER WITH LEVITATE MUSIC FESTIVAL
Giveaway alert!
π€ Weβre giving away two, 3-day VIP passes to Levitate Music Festival on July 7-9. To be eligible, refer a friend below and have them accept your invite between June 16, 2023-Jun 29, 2023. If you have already referred a friend to B-Side (and theyβve accepted), you're eligible! Full details below*
ONE LAST THING
Bostonβs best brekkie

Image: ABC News/βGood Morning Americaβ
This yearβs Thanksgiving dinner might be a little tense for the Sidell siblings.
Robin Sidell, chef and owner of iconic North End restaurant North Street Grille, won Good Morning Americaβs βUnited States of Breakfastβ competition on Wednesday. The loser? Her brother Solomon, the owner of South Street Diner.
According to the judges (Patriots player David Andrews, Food Network TV personality Rocco DiSpirito, and WCVB co-anchor Antoinette Antonio), Robinβs famous banana bourbon French toast was βjust the right balance of sweet and a little bit fruity,β eeking her a victory over Solβs Boston cream pancakes.
Robin now heads to NYC this Friday where sheβll compete against other first-round winners from each competing city for a chance to win $10,000 in the finale showdown. And a chance to make Boston the best city for sports AND breakfast.
π³ Thanks for reading! Yeah, Thanksgiving may be tense, but you know their Thanksgiving is delicious, so Iβll take it.
π The results are in: 33% of respondents from yesterdayβs poll were itching to try Comfort Kitchen after it was lauded as the best new restaurant by Boston magazine. You have my endorsement.
π Thanks to today's sponsor International Fund for Animal Welfare for supporting community journalism and protecting wildlife through sustainable programs.
π Keep up with us @BostonBSide on IG, TikTok, and Twitter. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected].