🧶🤨 Gen Z’s fav accessory: A bag of yarn

🍦 But more importantly … it’s Free Cone Day! That means EVERYONE gets a free scoop at most Ben & Jerry’s locations from 12 to 8 p.m. (Pro tip: It’s technically unlimited, but you have to wait in line for each scoop.) Find your closest shop here. 

👀 What’s on tap today:

Up first…

What’s in Gen Z’s bag? Yarn, puzzles, and absolutely NO push notifications. Some young people are toting bags of non-digital hobbies, a.k.a. “analog bags,” to curb their scrolling, according to the Globe.

Here’s what to know:

👜 Analog bags are the new “it” accessory. The idea came from California-based influencer Sierra Campbell, who was searching for ways to conquer her phone addiction. Her solution: A bag full of crafts, books, journals, and puzzles, dubbed the “analog bag.” Ironically enough, the internet loved the idea, and it went totally viral.

📲 The goal: Make tech-free hobbies as accessible as your FYP. “To actually change a habit, you have to replace the habit instead of just quitting it cold-turkey,” Campbell explained in a video. When the urge to doomscroll pops up, the bag ensures that there are plenty of non-digital activities to reach for instead. She updates her bag every month with new items like the latest edition of The New Yorker, a sketchbook, or a Polaroid camera.

👵🏼 It’s the latest iteration of the granny hobby craze. Lately, young people are picking up hobbies traditionally associated with older folks — like writing snail mail, baking, knitting, or birdwatching — to help their mental health. Hands-on, phone-free activities are great ways to help return people to their tactile senses and aid the nervous system, according to art therapist and mental health counselor Emily Natale.

🧶 Local craft and book shops have noticed the change. “We’re definitely seeing folks that are just like, ‘I want something to escape, but I don’t want it to be in front of my television,’” said Christina Pascucci-Ciampa, owner of All She Wrote Books. She’s seen an uptick of interest in stationery items and writing prompt books; at in-store events, she’s also noticed attendees whip out knitting needles instead of staring at their phones before activities start. 

📚 And they’re ready to meet the moment. Harvard Book Store is reintroducing board games and beefing up its puzzle collection. Porter Square Books is stocking crochet kits and other hobby supplies. “We have seen people be really interested in this new more concentrated way of thinking about the world,” said Porter Square’s GM Katherine Davidson. “If you want to be mindful and to be able to rest your brain, it is much easier to do that if you are doing something that is analog.”

💭 Wanna know more? You can read the full story here.

🚗 Brace for pricier parking permits. Some cities are planning to hike the cost of residential parking permits next year. Somerville's will rise from $40 to $50, and Cambridge is mulling a plan to triple its rate from $25 to $75 for some. Why? Proponents say subsidizing certain city services doesn’t make sense during rough financial times, especially since parking demand is going up … but that doesn’t mean residents aren’t peeved. The good(ish) news for Bostonians: Despite its nearly $50 million budget deficit, Boston plans to keep permits free (woo!).

📲 Phone bans could be coming to a school near you. House lawmakers officially passed a bill that would ban cellphone use in public schools, ban kids under 14 from using social media, AND require social media companies to create age verification systems. If Gov. Maura Healey gives it the green light, this bill would be “among the most restrictive in the entire country” (their words). Now, it’ll go back to the Senate, which passed a bill that would ban phones in public schools last year, buuut didn’t include a social media ban. 

🎨 This viral art vending machine has touched down at Bow Market. Jamie’s Print Club’s trendy art vending machine has a new home in Somerville after stints at Brookline Booksmith and Porter Square Books. Here’s where to find it! Never heard of it? For five quarters, the cutesy machine spits out a tiny, dreamy photo of an iconic Boston location, from the swan boats to the Citgo sign, and way more. Bonus: Here’s where to find other mini print machines around town.

🚉 Summer weekend trips loading … If you’re looking for an easy weekend getaway, may we suggest the Amtrak Downeaster? If you didn’t know, the 143-mile train route runs from North Station to Brunswick, Maine five times a day, making 12 stops across Mass., New Hampshire, and Maine, including Portland, Freeport, and Old Orchard Beach. Translation: Beaches, shopping, and stellar seafood (here’s a cutesy Portland itinerary). Usually, a ticket from Boston to Brunswick will run you ~$35, but check here for deals. Here’s the schedule.

This Boston doctor literally has “The Best of Both Worlds.”

After a decade of writing under a fake name, New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden revealed her true identity: Sara Cohen, a local doctor who treats brain disorders. 

Cohen used the name (and a very convincing wig) for over a decade to protect her privacy and her patients while she cranked out 20+ psychological thrillers. See: “The Housemaid,” which was adapted into a movie starring Sydney Sweeney.

But much like Miley Stewart, Cohen’s double life eventually took a toll. “I just realized I was completely overwhelmed from trying to do both," she told USA Today. “I’m at a point in my career when I’m tired of this being a secret.” She even dropped a pic without the wig!

Though her true identity isn’t a secret anymore, she’ll still use her pen name, including for her new book, “The Divorce,” which comes out in May.

— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

📚 Thanks for reading! What can we say? The woman knows a good plot twist.

🏒 The results are in: 54% of B-Siders said the Fleet will go the farthest in this year’s playoffs. One reader said: “The brick wall that is Aerin Frankel is taking the Walter Cup and celebrating with a delicious caesar salad.” IYKYK.

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