Itβs Wednesday, Boston.
π₯ We all know Snoop Doggβs Olympic Games commentary is fire. But this year, his ability to light up will also be put to the test as he helps carry the Olympic torch ahead of the opening ceremonies. Weβre sure heβll do just fine.
π Whatβs on tap today:
Mayor Wuβs BIG news
Overflow shelter crack downs
Fluffy coke
Up firstβ¦
OLYMPICS
These locals are going for gold

Image: Charlie Riedel/Associated Press
The 2024 Paris Olympic Games kick off Friday. And of this yearβs approximately 10,500 Olympic athletes, 55 of them have New England ties *flips hair.*
So if you need an athlete to stan, here are a few hometown heroes to root for:
π Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday, and Derrick White, menβs basketball. Not to flex (jk, weβre totally flexing), but three of the 12 players on Team USA are Celtics this year. And after a 5-0 hot streak in their exhibition games, the teamβs run for their fifth straight gold medal looks promising. The first official game against Serbia is on Sunday, so keep your eyes on the full schedule here.
π€ΈπΏββοΈ Frederick Richard, menβs gymnastics. Simone Biles may be the GOAT, but Stoughton native and Mills-based Richard is shaping up to be gymnasticsβ next big thing. At 20, his resume already includes being the youngest ever medal-earning individual at Worlds, a slew of NCAA titles, and a massive social media following to boot. Catch him (alongside Worcester native Stephen Nedoroscik) on their quest for a medal starting Saturday.Β
π Ilona Maher, womenβs rugby. If youβre on TikTok, youβve probably seen Maher, sharing her behind-the-scenes rugby content, or her plan to treat the Olympic Village like Love Island. But did you know sheβs originally from Burlington, Vermont? Maher and Team USA will look to improve on their sixth-place performance in Tokyo this go around, starting with a game against Japan on Sunday.
ππΏββοΈ Zuri Ferguson, swimming. On this episode of βteenagers who are already more impressive than Iβll ever be:β Ferguson, a rising senior at Attleboro High School, will represent Trinidad and Tobago in the 100-meter backstroke at just 17 years old. We just feel bad for her high school rivals, as sheβs set just about every local record possible this year. Her first heat is slated for Monday.
π Ally Hammel, womenβs field hockey. After failing to qualify for the games in 2021, BU-grad and Duxbury-native Ally Hammel had a major hand in Team USAβs Cinderella-story rise to qualifying for the 2024 games. You can watch them try to do it all over again starting on Saturday against Argentina.
ππΎββοΈ Gabby Thomas and Alexis Holmes, track and field. Five New Englanders are taking the line at this yearβs track and field events (shoutout Emily Mackay, Emily Sisson, and Elle Purrier St. Pierre!). If you're looking to see a podium finish, your best chances may be to watch Connecticut native Holmes in the 400-meter or 4x400-meter relay (Team USA hasnβt lost the latter since 1992), or Harvard grad Thomas in the 200-meter, where sheβll try to improve on her bronze medal in Tokyo. Check out the track and field schedule here.
π Looking for more? The Globe put together an interactive guide to all of the athletes with New England ties here.
TOGETHER WITH OMNI BOSTON HOTEL AT THE SEAPORT
Hot take: Staycation > vacationΒ

βοΈ πΉ Want the relaxing vibe of a waterside getaway without the hassle of travel? Spend a weekend at the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport and unwind in a stylish skyline room overlooking Boston Harbor. Youβll have everything you need for the perfect staycation, including an art gallery and live music (every Thurs-Sat.) in the lobby, refreshing cocktails at Lifted Rooftop Restaurant & Bar, seasonal citrus-inspired treatments at Breve Spa, and a scenic rooftop pool and hot tub to soak in the summer sun. Save up to 20% for stays up to Sept. 29!
CITY
Quick & dirty headlines

Image: Erin Schaff/Getty
π€°π» Mayor Michelle Wu has BIG news. First off: Sheβs pregnant! Her family is expecting a bundle of joy in January, and itβs a girl. In sharing the news with the Globe, Wu also spoke for the first time publicly about the two miscarriages sheβs had since the birth of her second son. And if all that werenβt news enough, in the same interview, she also confirmed sheβs planning to run for reelection next year, although the hard launch of her campaign wonβt come until the βtime is right.β
ποΈ Gov. Maura Healey is cracking down on overflow shelters. In the latest attempt to get a handle on the stateβs emergency shelter system crisis, on Aug. 1, Healeyβs admin is limiting stays in overflow sites β which house those on the shelter waitlist β to just five days with no options to extend their stay (although theyβll have the option fly out for free or apply for a rent voucher). They'll also be tweaking the rules to prioritize Mass. residents in the shelters, adding families displaced by no-fault evictions and veterans to the top of the priority list for longer-term stays.
π΄ Is Boston a bike-friendly city? Yes and no. You donβt have to be a routine rider to know that biking in Boston isnβt for the faint of heart. The good news? The cityβs Safe Streets Initiative has been successful in getting some new bikers on the streets by adding bike lanes and other safety initiatives β bike numbers are up 50% on the Mass. Ave Bridge since 2021. But the bad news β¦ the dangers that remain in areas without those lanes are still significant. And getting real estate developers to agree to more lanes ainβt easy either.Β
β These local chefs are rising stars. We already know Bostonβs restaurant scene is hot, but now others are starting to figure it out. StarChefsβ Rising Star Awards are back in Boston for the first time since 2020, with this yearβs awards recognizing 17 local industry pros who are shaking up Bostonβs hospitality scene, from sommeliers, to chefs, to restaurateurs, including some of our faves from spots like Southern Pines Diner Car, Good Company, Tonino, and Sarma. Check out the whole list here.
B-SIDE FOODIEβS CHOICE AWARDS SPONSORED BY TOAST
βοΈπΉ The temperature is above 60 degrees and the sun is shining. Quick, where are you snagging a table outside?
Let us know below!
GIVEAWAY
Together with The Beth Kitchen & Bar
Enter to win a giveaway of a $100 gift card from The Beth Kitchen & Bar in Hingham. To enter, just refer a friend and have them accept your invite by the end of the day on July 25. If you have already referred a friend to B-Side (and theyβve accepted), you're eligible! Full details below*
18+. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Limit one entry per person. See Official Rules & an additional entry option here.
ONE LAST THING
Fluffy Coke

Illustration: Gia Orsino
Introducing the new drink of the summer: Fluffy Coke.Β
According to a recipe by foodie influencer Anna Maria Arriaga a.k.a. @forkdacalories, a Fluffy Coke is essentially a glass coated in our beloved Marshmallow Fluff, filled with Coca-Cola, and topped with a vanilla creamer of your choice.Β
In the recipe, Arriaga positions a Fluffy Coke as a sort of alternative to our daily coffee drinks. Which, at first, we thought sounded like a wild sugar bomb that has no place replacing our morning coffee, until we realized β¦ a large caramel swirl from Dunkinβ probably has a similar sugar content.
β Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario
π₯€ Thanks for reading! Donβt worry Dunks, we still love ya.Β
π Special shoutout to todayβs sponsor, Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport, for supporting local journalism and offering Bostonians a little slice of paradise thatβs close to home.Β
π³οΈ The results are in: 52% of B-Siders are fully onboard the Kamala train, while another 25% are about 50/50, and 17% wish they had other options. Thank you to the many, many readers wrote in to tell us their nuanced thoughts about the situation, but this one took the cake: βWould love a kamalanomenom π β.
π Keep up with us @BostonBSide on IG, TikTok, and Twitter. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected] or [email protected].