😜🍺 It’s ALWAYS 5 o’clock here ...

It’s Wednesday, Boston.

👀💜 Reminder: Today’s the LAST day to get tickets to our epic Best Day Ever summer festival on Aug. 2 for half price! Snag your discounted tickets here.

🥳 Also … everyone say HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CLAIRE NICHOLAS!! If you love B-Side, you already love Claire: She built the B-Side Membership from the ground up (girlboss), plans ALL of our epic events, and her chic outfits put the rest of us to shame. Claire, if you’re reading this: We WILL be singing to you in the office today. <3 

👀 What’s on tap today:

• New England voters are fed up

• Alex Cooper’s BU bombshell

• A very dapper young man

Up first…

FOOD & DRINK

Sip your way through summer

It’s not summer in Boston ’til you’ve raised a glass at a local beer garden … but not all beer gardens are created equal. 

Thankfully, the folks at Boston magazine are here to help, with a roundup of Greater Boston’s very best beer gardens. Here are some under-the-radar spots to sip at this summer:

👋 If you like your beer with a side of nostalgia: Aeronaut’s excellent Allston beer garden is closing up shop for good on June 28. But until then, they’ll be slinging brews and live music on Friday and Saturday nights, including at their third-annual Sunflower Fest on June 13.

🚚 If you need an excuse to leave your hood: Roundhead Brewing’s roving beer garden will be bouncing around the city all summer long, with food trucks and music in tow. It’s currently in Southie through June 20, but check here for its next destinations.

🏙️ If you love a beer with a view: IMO, Dorchester Brewing has one of Boston’s coolest rooftop spaces (the vibes are giving greenhouse chic). It’s the perfect excuse to take advantage of its *chef’s kiss* programming lineup and Boston’s only Museum of Bad Art.

🤩 If you want to try something new: Charlestown Brewing Co.’s summer pop-up at The Yard is having its grand opening this weekend! Expect a full mini golf course, live music, and … three hours (!) of validated parking for customers all summer long.  

🐶 If you won’t leave home without your pup: Fenway’s Park-9 at the Station is New England’s only beer garden slash dog park — and yes, there’s a brew specifically for your fur baby. Just make sure to register your pup before you go.

🙋‍♀️ If you’re not quite 21 yet: We’ve all been there. Thankfully, all ages are welcome at the Harpoon beer garden at Emerson’s UnCommon Corner. The live student music and El Jefe’s truck are just as much of a draw as the bevs (which includes Dunkin’ spiked drinks, if you’re into that). 

💡 If you’re more interested in *vibes* than IPAs: Allow us to throw in our own rec, courtesy of the TikTok girlies. The Fat Cactus’s Saguaro Garden Bar in Kendall Square has a secret oasis atmosphere and a menu of build-your-own cocktails and mocktails (which are $5 on Wednesdays). And yes, there’s also beer.

🍺 Want some more? Check out the full list here.

QUICK QUESTION!

🍻 Let’s hear it: Are you an IPA person?

CITY

Quick & dirty headlines

🙄 New England voters did NOT pass the vibe check. According to a new Suffolk/Globe poll, 68% of Mass., Rhode Island, and New Hampshire voters think the country is on the “wrong track.” Two-thirds don’t like President Trump’s job so far, and just one in four rate the economy as “good” or “excellent.” But Trump isn’t the only problem: 56% of voters said Democratic leaders have done a “poor” job dealing with key issues, and the bloc doesn’t agree on how they should respond to Trump’s policies. Yeesh.

⚽ “Call Her Daddy” star Alex Cooper dropped a BU bombshell. The podcaster known for A-lister interviews and juicy sex-capades got serious in her new Hulu documentary, “Call Her Alex,” revealing she was allegedly sexually harassed by one of BU’s soccer coaches during her stint on the team. Cooper said she endured the harassment for years, but was brushed off by the school when she brought up her concerns. So why drop the news now? After learning harassment was still happening at BU, Cooper said, “if I don’t speak about this, it’s going to continue.”

🥙 Bakeries, beer, and baklava pancakes, oh my! Boston’s foodie news is HOT this week. Beloved Cambridge diner, Brookline Lunch (you’ve def seen their baklava pancakes), is expanding its aptly named biz to Brookline in the former Busy Bee location (RIP). Meanwhile, cutie Portsmouth cafe Elephantine Bakery is bringing its drool-worthy pastries to the Seaport (along with breakfast, lunch, and aperitivo) later this summer. And finally, The Lawn Bar is now open at Assembly Row, serving up beer, cider, mocktails, and fun summer programming seven days a week.

🧘 Need a little more self-care in your life? The Boston Harbor Association’s Waterfront Wellness Weekend has you covered. From June 14 to 20, expect a week of community celebrations, waterfront workouts, guided bike rides, and park cleanups — all totally free. Highlights include a Juneteenth Joy celebration, a chat and graffiti sesh with the Charles River Conservancy’s artist-in-residence, a self defense class, and outdoor pilates. But there’s a lot more where that came from: Here’s the full schedule.

MEDIA SPONSORSHIP

Pizza Fest is BACK, baby!

Boston pizza lovers, get a load of THIS: On June 21 and 22, City Hall Plaza will transform into a lively marketplace of pizza by the slice thanks to the Boston Pizza Festival. More than 30 pizzerias from across the world will be serving their mouthwatering pies, and you are invited to try them. See you there! Oh, and don’t forget: B-Side members get 20% off their ticket!

ONE LAST THING

A dapper young man 

Manchester-by-the-Sea didn’t know it needed a fashion icon. But it now has one in 26-year-old Matthew Swindell, who’s been described by his local paper as “Dapper. Elegant. And most definitely intriguing.” 

Swindell, the associate director of the Manchester-by-the-Sea Museum, has become the talk of the town for his 1920’s-era sensibility. His clothes? Always a suit and tie, plus a straw hat and a walking stick if he’s “out of doors.” His music taste? 1920’s pop and jazz. His hobbies? Volunteering in the Salem State Archives or strolling on the beach “when day’s work is done.”

While Swindell’s vintage vibes might go under-the-radar in a place like Boston, in a town of 5,000 people, he’s made quite a name for himself. And his straw hat is pretty epic. Check out his full profile here.

— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

🎩 Thanks for reading! $10 says this guy uses phrases like “the cat’s pajamas,” “why I oughta,” and “gee willikers” at least once a day.

🪩🎪 Don't forget to grab your tickets to Best Day Ever, our Aug. 2 food, music, and shopping extravaganza at Artists for Humanity!

💸 The results are in: 60% of readers say they’ve started dining out less thanks to rising prices. One reader said: “Whoever is saying they dine out MORE, take me with you. </3”

🔑 Members: Here’s the link to your perks!

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