😫🚇 It’s SO over for this T line

It’s Wednesday, Boston.

🦆 New Boston lore drop: We were today years old when we learned about this ADORABLE secret floating duck house in the North End. Yes, a legit mini house … for ducks! Just look at them all sitting on the porch.

👀 What’s on tap today:

• Does it smell like … smoke?

• Harvard feels the squeeze

• Freedom Trail tour gone WRONG

Up first…

TRANSPORTATION

Blue Line DOWN

As the old saying goes: It has to be SO over before we can be SO back. And it’s SO over for the Blue Line, which is shutting down between Airport and Wonderland from Aug. 9 to 17. 

Here’s what to know: 

🚌 Shuttles will replace service between the two stations. And this time, it’ll be *gasp* pretty straightforward. Shuttles will make all the usual stops between the two stations. You can find the exact location of each stop here.

⏰ But you’ll still need to budget extra travel time. Think: An extra 20 to 30 minutes if you’re taking the train between Government Center and Wonderland, per the MBTA. But really ALL Blue liners should budget extra time since weekday trains will only run about every eight minutes during the shutdown — double the typical wait.

🚲 This might be a good time to use those free BlueBike credits. Remember: Blue Cross Blue Shield is offering all riders a $31 credit while supplies last. To claim it, use the code “BLUECROSSMARIDE” in the app’s rewards section. 

🚧 The goal: Squash future issues before they happen. During said shutdown, crews will work to replace thousands of ties, resurface tons of track, and replace nearly a thousand feet of rail before they require dreaded speed restrictions … or cause any more impromptu spelunking sessions for unsuspecting riders.

🥳 AND it *could* be the line’s last shutdown of the year. As of now, it’s technically the last one scheduled on the line through the end of the year, according to the MBTA’s 2025 shutdown schedule. Of course, this schedule was made pre-spelunking, so that’s subject to change. But we’re nothing if not hopeful!

💬 Any other questions? You can find answers here.

CITY

Quick & dirty headlines

💨 Wondering why the entire city smells like a campfire? You can thank the nearly 700 wildfires raging across Canada. The country is currently experiencing a terrible wildfire season, with over 17 million acres burned so far, and high pressure in eastern Canada has blown a ton of that smoke right into New England. While the worst of it in Boston passed through on Monday (just check out these pics of the sky), expect some smoke to linger until the weekend. Keep up with the latest here.

🎓 It looks like Harvard v. Trump is rolling into the school year. As it heads into a new semester, Harvard’s community is feeling the squeeze after a summer of battling President Trump. Between the impacts of federal funding cuts on research and hiring and threats to international students, it’s hard not to feel like the school is “contracting,” as one PhD student put it. Though the jury’s out on whether a settlement deal will come soon or not, community members told the Globe they’re proud the school hasn’t given in to Trump’s demands. 

📺 “Good Morning America” is live from … Brighton! On Aug. 7, the iconic show will be coming to Boston as part of its “50 States in 50 Weeks: America the Beautiful” series celebrating America’s 250th birthday. The segment will focus on what makes Mass. great, which, in this case, includes senior rowers from Boston’s Age Strong program, and Wally’s Jazz Club. If you want to catch them IRL, they’ll be reporting from the Harry Parker Boathouse, or you can watch it on Hulu.

🥂 Boston’s about to get boozier. As of today, there are two new places to sip in the city. Spritz lovers: Sipsmith is bringing its boozy waterfront pop up back to Woods Hill Pier 4’s Seaport patio from Aug. 6 to 14 with gin drinks and bites galore. Not a gin girl? Bubble Bath, the luxe High Street Place bar specializing in champagne, caviar, and hot dogs, is opening its second (and bigger!) outpost on the roof of the CitizenM hotel, with an expanded menu and incredible views.

GIVEAWAY

Together with SmartSKN

Enter to win a personalized AI-powered skincare session at SmartSKN! To enter, just refer a friend and have them accept your invite by the end of the day on Aug. 7, 2025. If you have already referred a friend to B-Side (and they’ve accepted), you're eligible! Full details below*

18+. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Limit one entry per person. See Official Rules & an additional entry option here.

THINGS TO DO

Mid-week check in

COMMUNITY EVENTS

🚢 WALK THE PLANK | Thursday, Aug. 14 | 5:30-8 p.m. | Denis Sullivan Sailboat, Courthouse Dock, Seaport | A dockside fundraiser with an open bar, Levain cookies, tacos, and more — plus, watch folks jump off a real live pirate plank!

B-SIDE EVENTS

🧘 Any Bodies Pilates | Sunday, Aug. 10 | 10-11 a.m. | Outside Faneuil Hall | Join us with @anybodiespilates and @sweathouz for a FREE all-levels mat Pilates class and HUGE GIVEAWAY! Sweathouz will be popping up contrast therapy and POST Physical Therapy will offer free injury screenings. Members get a B-Side sweat towel!

💋 The Dating Game Live | Monday, Aug. 11 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Aeronaut Brewing | We’re teaming up with Aeronaut to host our take on the 60’s hit show “The Dating Game!” Come watch couples go on first dates IRL. Members get a free 5 oz pour!

At B-Side events, members get perks like discounted entry, free drinks, B-Side swag, and more. Stay tuned for more meetups, and become a member to get your perks! 

QUICK QUESTION!

💩 Do you like a good poop joke? 

ONE LAST THING

The worst Freedom Trail tour EVER

Warning: If you don’t enjoy a good poop story, scroll away now. OK, now that those guys are gone, buckle up, baby. 

Jeremiah Poope (yes, the last name is real) is one of the brave souls who dresses up in colonial-era regalia to give ghost tours of the Freedom Trail. And he recently went viral on TikTok for sharing a tale about what we can only describe as the worst tour EVER. Like, ever. 

Basically, he was leading a group of eighth graders down a dark and foggy alley when they happened upon someone defecating. Long story short, things went south, feces were flung, and one chaperone mom may or may not have been … compromised. You really gotta hear him tell it. 

His takeaway? “It was a horrible incident … but probably one of the best Snapchat stories of my life.” 

— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

💩 Thanks for reading! The real prize is all of the butt-themed Boston history puns in the comments.

👀 The results are in: Early birds! 53% of B-Siders say they read the newsletter before work, and your write-ins were SO sweet. One reader said: “Whenever I need some happy upbeat news as a break from motions around at everything.” Fair!

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