😘 Hot take: V-Day dinner is LAME

🚨 PSA, Boston residents: Feb. 15 is your LAST chance to vote on how the city should spend $2 million on community projects (think: installing benches at high-ridership bus stops and rental assistance for Boston youth). Check out the proposals here and cast your ballot here.

🥳 And a happy early b-day to reader Madelyn Cummins! Nothing says “happy birthday” like voting for Boston’s participatory budget. You da best!

👀 What’s on tap today:

Up first…

Sometimes, dropping hundreds on a mid Valentine’s Day dinner just ain’t it. If this is one of those years, never fear. 

Here are some V-Day-themed things to do this weekend that don’t require a dinner res: 

👠 Bust out your fur coat and animal prints. Row 34 is throwing a mob wives-themed Galentine’s party tonight, and costumes are strongly encouraged. Think: Fur, leather, gaudy jewelry, and BIG hair. 

💃 Express your love the old fashioned way. Through DANCE! Take your pick between line dancing for lovers at Bow Market, a tango class at Dance Union, or swing dancing at Boston Swing Central. All are tonight!

💌 Channel “Bridgerton” energy. A Valentine’s Day text won’t cut it this year (really, ever). So head to this Victorian Valentine-making class today to whip up your best love letter.

💋 Smooch* a stranger. *On the cheek! Tonight, Homie Goods, Bow Market’s resident Bodega, is turning into a kissing booth. Stop by to get a free hug and kiss, and grab some delish empanadas while you’re there.

🧱 Build your love brick by brick. Are you a LEGO adult? Great news: Boston’s LEGO Discovery Center is hosting a romantic Valentine’s Day-themed LEGO building night tonight. 

👫 Dress to impress … your new besties. The Make Friends After College FB group is hosting a free dress-to-impress event at the Liberty Hotel tonight to mix and mingle with fellow 20- and 30-somethings.

💔 Turn the season of love on its head. Happening tonight: This anti-Valentine’s Day drag show at Rebel’s Guild and Time Out’s anti-Valentine’s day bash.

🤣 Laugh at other lovers’ pain. Watch two blindfolded singles go on a first date … on stage at It’s a Date’s V-Day show on Feb. 15.

👙 Run in your undies (for a good cause!). On Saturday, Boston’s Cupid’s Undie Run will raise money for Neurofibromatosis … by hosting a wild mile-ish undie run bookended with drinks and dancing. 

💆 Get handsy with your boo. Tired: A couple’s massage. Wired: This Partner yoga and Thai massage class on Feb. 15. Instructors will guide you through a mixture of partner yoga poses and Thai body work to help you unwind from head to toe. And it’s actually a decent deal …

🔥 Keep the passion (and competition) alive. Treat bae to an intense game of love pong at SPIN Boston on Feb. 15 (B-Side members get 20% off and TWO free bites). 

🍴 But if you must go out to dinner … Here are all of Greater Boston’s best options.

🏞️💕 Roses are red, violets are blue. Outdoor season is coming, and we’ve got FREE tickets for you! The Boston Outdoor Expo and The Boston Run Show are taking over the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center on March 1-2, bringing 200+ top brands (think Patagonia, PUMA, and Salomon) with jaw-dropping deals, inspiring speakers like Conrad Anker, and epic activities, including a climbing wall, pickleball, Hyrox fitness, ice plunges, and more. But hurry, tickets are only free until Feb. 16.

😬 Your Uber to Logan could soon cost waaay more. These days, if you take a rideshare to the airport, Massport charges ride apps a $3.25 fee for pickups and drop-offs (which the apps pass onto consumers). Massport is now considering hiking those fees to $5.50 starting in July, then again to $7.50 in July 2027, making the total airport round-trip fee $15. Why? The port authority wants to ease congestion and $$$ to support ground transportation investments (think: improving the Logan Express). Unsurprisingly, rideshare apps have some thoughts …

🚇 Planning on taking the Orange Line to V-Day dinner? Not so fast. Shuttle buses will replace service between Oak Grove and North Station to support bridge upgrade efforts. The shutdown starts at 8:30 p.m. tonight and continues through Presidents’ Day. Shuttles will make the usual stops, and express shuttles will stop at Oak Grove, Malden Center, and North Station. You can also take advantage of fare-free service on the Haverhill commuter rail line, but only tonight after 8:30 p.m. and on Feb. 17 … because it’ll also be shut down Feb 15-16 *sigh*.

🚌 Say bye bye to the Boylston Street bus lane. Well, that didn’t last long. In a letter to Back Bay community leaders, Mayor Michelle Wu announced that the Boylston Street bus lane will be removed in the coming weeks. Quick recap: The lane was created as a temporary measure during the infamous 2022 Orange Line shutdown and permanently installed last summer (not without some grumbles from residents). But Wu said the lane has not “functioned as intended to justify the space allocation,” as the bus lane is regularly used for driving and parking.

🍳 You might want to take eggs out of your breakfast rotation. Attention, Trader Joe’s and Costco shoppers! In the wake of the bird flu ripping across farms, both retailers — no pun intended — are cracking down on the number of egg cartons customers can buy. Expect a one-dozen limit at Trader Joe’s and a three-carton cap at some Costco locations. Thankfully, one local TJ’s manager said customers have been very understanding, as some Bostonians can only shop at night.

🍜 Slurp all the soup your heart desires. Not exaggerating. Soup Fest returns to Bow Market on Feb. 15, where your ticket gets you a 4 oz. soup cup from nearly 10 Bow Market businesses.

🧊 Bump and slide in Harvard Square. Say it with us now: Ice bumper cars. You can slip and slam into your friends at Harvard’s Plaza Winter Fest. C’mon, doesn’t this look fun?

❄️ Explore the Boston Harbor Islands in the snow. You can hop on the winter wander cruise to Peddocks Island on Feb. 15. Take in the wildlife, enjoy a guided walk, and cozy up by the fire for s’mores on the beach.

👗 Learn to sew your own clothes. The Roxbury branch of the BPL has a free sewing 101 class on Feb. 15. You’ll learn the sewing machine basics, including set up, care, and stitching. 

🥳 Say HBD by shopping vintage. FOUND vintage market is celebrating its second birthday this weekend with over 80 small business vendors selling some of the best vintage and upcycled clothing collections. Just make sure to grab a ticket before you go!

🍹 Crown Boston’s best bloody Mary. Time Out Market’s best bloody contest on Feb. 16 will feature tomato-y sips from some of the city’s finest restaurants, and YOU get to decide the winner. Best of all: It’s free.

📚 Hit refresh on your TBR list. Here’s a fun deal: Bring up to three books you don’t plan to read to Porter Square Books: Boston Edition’s book swap on Feb. 16, and leave with up to three new ones.

🖼️ Hit up an art museum fo’ free. Reminder: The ICA is offering free admission on Presidents’ Day (Feb. 17). Just remember to book your ticket on Sunday.

Apartment hunting can be a lot to take on in Boston, but ApartmentAdvisor helps you find your next place in a snap. Started by the founders behind Tripadvisor and CarGurus, ApartmentAdvisor combines smart technology with expert local guidance to make your apartment search easier at every step. B-Side members get $300 off their broker fee!

Join the B-Side Membership to unlock this discount!ONE LAST THING

The phrase “Boston marriage” might sound like when people get married in City Hall. Or when a couple moves in together to save on rent. But it’s actually an important piece of queer history. If we may …

Back in the 1800s, unwed women were encouraged to live together, and even kiss or share beds in order to train them for marriage. Because women were presumed to have no sense of passion or desire, it didn’t raise any eyebrows. But the relationships were often deep and meaningful, and naturally, sometimes things got … romantic. 

So where does Boston come in? Referring to this kind of arrangement as a “Boston marriage” became popular after it was the subject matter of  the 1885 Henry James novel “The Bostonians,” something Boston.com unpacks in its latest edition of “Wickedpedia.”

Long story short, Boston marriage = an epic secret queer relationship. Happy Valentine’s Day!

— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

👭 Thanks for reading! Every time we think we’re up-to-date on Boston lore, something incredible like this pops up. 

💜 Special shoutout to today's sponsor, The Boston Outdoor Expo and The Boston Run Show, for supporting local journalism and helping us gear up for epic outdoor experiences. 

🎓 The results are in: 75% of readers think that a college degree is worth the money depending on how much it costs and your major. One reader wrote: “Gone are the days where it was all about exploring your interests.” Preach!

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📝 Programming note: We’re off for Presidents’ Day. We’ll be back in your inbox on Tuesday. Enjoy the long weekend!

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