🚃😬 It’s the final T shutdown (for now)

😋 Former “Bachelor” Matt James isn’t exactly our go-to guy for local foodie recs. But for some reason, he recently took to IG to give a few, and TBH, from Gufo to Brick Street Bagels, he did a pretty solid job. 

👀 What’s on tap today:

Up first…

This might be the MBTA’s final slow zone-related shutdown … But the agency is certainly going out with a bang. From Dec. 6 to 20, Green Line service will be suspended between Park Street and Union Square as well as Medford/Tufts. And, per usual, the map is giving us a migraine.

Here’s what to know:

🚇 Traveling between Park Street and North Station? Use the Orange Line — shuttles won’t be running between those stations. You can easily transfer between the Green and Orange lines at North Station. But since there’s no Orange Line stop at Park Street, your best bet is to use the Winter Street concourse to get to Downtown Crossing.

🚃 Traveling between North Station and Medford/Tufts? Take a shuttle bus. Free shuttles will make all the usual stops between both stations, which, thankfully, make up the majority of the shutdown. We stan an unproblematic route <3.

🚌 If you’re heading to or from Union Square … You should probably take the bus. In fact, it’s “strongly encouraged” by the MBTA because no shuttles will be stopping there. But there are a plethora of local buses to get you from A to B:

⌚ If it weren’t obvious, this WILL make your commute longer. The MBTA recommends that a rider traveling from Park Street to Medford/Tufts budget “at least an additional 35 minutes of travel time in addition to their regular commute.” 

🥳 But we’ll leave you with some good news: Yes, this shutdown will be a royal pain. But it’s the final royal pain of the MBTA’s Track Improvement Plan. Although T shutdowns aren’t over for good, it’s safe to say that this is the official end of a not-so-fun commuting era. Ten years from now, we’ll look back on our year of shutdowns and laugh (maybe?). But until then: Thoughts and prayers, Green Liners!

🔍 A Boston City Councilor is reportedly being investigated by the feds. Yes, for real. On Tuesday, the Globe reported that feds are investigating councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson, and sent two subpoenas to City Hall … but as of Tuesday evening, that’s about all we know. The City has reason to (at least, temporarily) withhold requested public records for the subpoenas and communications between the councilor and her office, and Fernandes Anderson gave the Globe a big, fat “no comment.” Previously, the councilor has fessed up to ethics and campaign finance violations.

🏘️ Harvard is refusing students a home for the holidays. After the university denied a large number of applications to stay on campus over winter break, international students on financial aid are scrambling to find lodging. The decision has caused some waves on campus (see: a 280+ signature petition) particularly since, in the past, affected students say they’d secured housing easily, and some face $1,000+ plane tickets to go home. According to the school, all students who “meet the eligibility requirements” will be approved to stay, but those requirements are unclear.

🏀 The Sun will rise again at TD Garden. It’s official: The WNBA is coming back to Boston, and this time, the Connecticut Sun will be facing off against the Indiana Fever (yes, the one with Caitlin Clark). This will be the league’s second ever game in Boston, after the first one sold out all 19,156 of TD’s seats this summer against the LA Sparks. It’s all going down on July 15, the Sun’s final game before the All-Star break. Ticket sale dates are currently TBD, but you can get access to the presale if you download the Sun’s app. Check out the Sun’s full schedule here.

🏆 And Boston’s best new restaurant of 2024 is … La Padrona! Well, according to Eater Boston’s 2024 year-end awards, anyway. The swanky (read: pricey) Back Bay Italian spot took home top honors for its luxe vibes and eats. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Merai in Brookline was crowned “best new bar” for its divey-chic atmosphere and fun menu options. Other winners include Cambridge’s Verveine Cafe & Bakery as “best new bakery” and JP’s Black Cat Eatery as “best new pop-up.” You can see all the winners here.

Two lucky winners are about to be enchanted by Greater Boston’s ultimate winter wonderland — for FREE — because our friends at Mount Auburn Cemetery are giving away tickets to SOLSTICE: Reflections on Winter Light. To enter, just refer a friend and have them accept your invite by the end of the day on 12/5. 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.

The only thing worse than an MBTA commute … is an MBTA commute followed by a 199-stair climb. But if you live in Porter Square, that might be an average day.

It’s true: In order to get in or out of Porter Square station, you have to climb or descend a whopping 199 stairs. Why? According to Boston.com, because the station needed to go under the Fitchburg commuter rail line, plus private property that the T didn’t own on the surface, Porter Square ended up being the deepest station in the system. 

And if you’re thinking “couldn’t this just be solved with escalators?” There are, in fact, escalators in the station (which take two full minutes to ride up, mind you) but in classic MBTA fashion, they’re infamously often out of service. 

— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

🚇 Thanks for reading! If that were my home station, I might actually enjoy a shutdown. 

🏆 The results are(n’t) in: We’re saving the B-Side awards results for a grand reveal on Dec. 20. And thanks to a mistake on our end, we accidentally turned off write-in responses for yesterday’s poll (as a few of you wrote in to tell us) but don’t worry, they’re back up and running! 

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