🥸 Here’s your excuse to skip work today

It’s Thursday, Boston.

😅 How much does to cost to live “comfortably” in Boston? According to this new study, a single adult needs to make about $60 an hour, or $124,966 a year. *forwards newsletter to boss*

👀 What’s on tap today:

• The Coolidge’s glow up

• Stormy weather ahead

• Boston’s motivational influencer

Up first…

MARCH MADNESS

The real dunkin’ starts now

If there’s one thing we’re doing this week … It's betting $20 on a March Madness bracket where our No. 1 pick loses in the first round. 

The round of 64 in the NCAA men’s March Madness tourney kicks off today, and the women’s first round kicks off tomorrow. So whether you’re a bandwagon fan, a college basketball zealot, or are just in it for the game snacks, here’s what to know:

🐺 On the men’s side, UConn is the team to beat. Ranked No. 1 overall in the tournament, if the Huskies win it all, they’d be the first back-to-back national champs since Florida in 2006 and 2007. And while we’ve seen plenty of No. 1 seeds get upset by No. 16 seeds in the first round, UConn remains a betting-market favorite. Even President Joe Biden picked UConn to win it all in his March Madness bracket!

🏀 The road to the men’s final four goes through Boston. TD Garden will host the East regional games on March 28 and 30, meaning a quarter of the men’s bracket has sights set on Causeway Street. If you’re feeling fiscally irresponsible, tickets to said games start around $300 a pop. 

🐓 On the women’s side, South Carolina is back with a vengeance. The Gamecocks (yes, that’s their mascot) are entering the women’s tourney as the No. 1 overall seed and undefeated for the second year in a row. And thanks to Iowa’s record-breaking, three-shooting machine Caitlin Clark, there's (finally) more excitement around the women’s tournament this year.

Here are the prime spots to watch:

🥸 If you want an excuse to call in sick today … Harpoon is hosting a “hooky watch party” at noon where you can watch the men’s tourney on their seven jumbo TVs, enjoy beer and snacks, win tons of prizes, and participate in a costume contest for the “Best Incognito Look” (you’re playing hooky after all!). 

👀 If you want to watch the game on the biggest screen around … Banners Kitchen & Tap is home to a 40-foot TV and their four-day March Madness watch party kicks off today. A $75 ticket gets your bottomless wings, entry into their bracket challenge, beer tastings, and tons of giveaways. 

🍺 But if you just need a TV, some good food, and no fuss … The Greatest Bar is hosting a first round kickoff watch party tomorrow; Coolidge Corner Clubhouse has a great blend of good food and gametime vibes; and Buff’s Pub in Newton has arguably the best wings in the area. Here’s a full list of other classic spots to watch on game day.

B-SIDE MADNESS

Boston’s best nightlife

🪩 Welcome to round one of Nightlife Madness! We crowdsourced some of Boston’s best nightlife venues to create our own March Madness bracket, where B-Siders can vote which spot is the city’s best. Voting will take place over the next two weeks, so make sure you get your picks in. First up …

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CITY

Quick & dirty headlines

🎥 The Coolidge has officially glow’d up. The Coolidge Corner Theatre’s two year major renovation project has finally come to an end: On March 27, they’ll unveil the changes to the public. The 14,000-square-foot expansion includes a new, bigger box office and lobby, two new (stunning) theaters, and an education space overlooking the city, all in a timeless art-deco style with nods to the industry in the design. The changes will allow them to beef up both their new and repertory movie programming, plus expand their educational ambitions.

🏈 Some former Pats stars are feeling duped by “The Dynasty.” Devin McCourty and Rodney Harrison didn’t hold back chatting about their disappointment with Apple TV+’s new docu series detailing the Pat’s glory days. The show has picked up lots of criticism for its focus on the negative aspects of former coach Bill Belichick’s tenure. In an interview for NBC Sports, the two former players agreed, citing their disappointment with a too-narrow discussion of the team, and seemingly cherry-picked quotes and events to paint Belichick in a bad light. 

🍕 Harvard Square has a new pizza rivalry. Ever since Joe’s Pizza, a popular, New York pizza joint, took Harvard by storm in September, something’s shifted in the area’s pizza-verse. Pinocchio’s Pizza & Subs, the longtime go-to choice for most locals (particularly Harvard students) officially had some stiff competition. But after a slight initial blow to business, according to the shops, both spots’ profits have leveled out (although some locals are definitely taking sides).

🌨️ New England spring weather is weathering. This weekend will mark the end of our streak of sunny, springy weather, as meteorologists are predicting a storm that could bring both rain and snow. Most of the precipitation is expected on Saturday, which, here in Boston, is looking like mostly heavy rain (two-ish inches), with potential for a couple flakes of snow earlier in the day. Sunday’s not looking much better, though a bit more mild. But until then, just make sure to bundle up — it’s gonna be nippy today!

ONE LAST THING

Boston’s newest social media star

Imagine if a finance bro and a motivational poster had a baby. That’s basically the energy you get when you watch Davis Clarke, a new local social media star who’s gained recognition for his extremely positive attitude about, well, everything. 

If you haven’t already seen his Instagram reels, they tend to be very quick and casual, usually including the phrases “absolutely” and “locked in,” and often sharing a positive or motivational moment from his days as a young finance worker.

Boston.com interviewed Clarke this week to chat about how he got started, how he’s handling his newfound fame, and how it’s possible to be so locked in all the time. Check it out here.

— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

📊 Thanks for reading! I don’t know about you, but personally, I am locked in for greatness today. It’s a bad day to be a newsletter. 

💜 Special shoutout to today’s sponsor, Flexcar, for supporting local journalism and making transportation more affordable and accessible in Boston. 

🔊The results are in: A whopping 93% of B-Siders think that a too-loud restaurant is worse than a too-dark one. And TBH, we’re with ya. One reader said: “I don’t want to be a mid 20 year old breaking out my flashlight to see the menu like my grandma.”

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