😎 A perfect Boston day under $30

 Happy Friday, Boston.

🌳 Fun fact: Pot is officially the top crop in Massachusetts, knocking cranberries down to the No. 2 spot. Go figure.

👀 What’s on tap today:

• Boston misses the mark on climate change

• The official holiday lighting events calendar

• L.L. Bean totes … with a twist.

Up first…

OUT & ABOUT

Have fun downtown for less than $30

Exploring the city doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. We wanted to see if we could plan a perfect day in Boston for less than $30 (including public transit). Here’s our itinerary:

📚 Take the free Arts and Architecture Tour of the Boston Public Library. After taking this hour-long tour, you’ll realize that the BPL is much more than just Bates Hall. This building is truly a masterpiece and a great alternative to spending $27 on an MFA ticket. You can also do a self-guided tour if that’s more your vibe.

• Cost: $2.40 T ride to Copley Square

🍎 Browse local vendors at the Copley Square Farmers Market. Boston’s biggest farmers market runs every Tuesday and Friday through Nov. 22 and is right across the street from the BPL. You’re welcome to buy some goodies, but we stuck to free samples of maple syrup shots.

• Cost: Free (if you’re just window shopping)

🍫 Sip on the best hot chocolate in the city (imo) at L.A. Burdick. Ask for a demi-sized cup of their dark hot chocolate. It may look small, but it’s so rich you may want to split.

• Cost: $4

🍗 Share a fried chicken sandwich at Saus. They’re huge, $11, and simply delicious. You can also split an order of their fries and still be under budget.

• Cost: $5.50 per person, $2.40 T ride from Arlington to Government Center

🍪 Collect some goodies from Flour and Kured for a sunset picnic. Walk off your lunch through Beacon Hill, then grab the snacking essentials: cheese, cured meat, crackers, and something sweet.

• Cost: $5.99 for Kured’s charcuterie cup, $3.50 for a Flour cookie

😎 Enjoy said sunset picnic on the Esplanade. No explanation needed.

• Cost: $2.40 for T ride home

Grand total: $26.19. Where in Boston should we go for our next perfect day? DM us @BostonBSide on Twitter, TikTok, or IG.

CITY

Quick & Dirty Headlines

♻️ Boston’s 2030 goal of cutting carbon emissions by 50% is out of reach, according to a new report from The Boston Foundation. If Boston wants to meet its goal of net zero emissions by 2050, there are four key challenges requiring an “all-in effort” starting now: electrifying the city’s 70,000 single and multi-family homes; modernizing and expanding the electrical grid (and electrical planning); improving coastline resilience; and prioritizing social justice in climate planning.

🚫 Expect some parking restrictions and road closures this weekend. Between the Veterans Day parade, a soccer tournament, and a pumpkin-smashing event (and more), the City of Boston is encouraging those attending to walk, bike, or take public transit this weekend. Cambridge will also see some road closures and traffic impacts on Sunday between 5 a.m. and noon due to the Cambridge Half Marathon.

🎄 It’s *almost* the most wonderful time of the year. Boston’s Department of Parks and Recreation officially announced the city’s holiday lighting events earlier this week. The trellis in Christopher Columbus Park will be the first lighting ceremony of the season on Nov. 21 (two weeks from Monday), with the Commonwealth Avenue Mall and the Boston Common Tree Lighting set for Dec. 1.

THINGS TO DO

Brunch dishes to try

🥞 The lemon ricotta pancakes at Cafe Luna in Cambridge. Three words: fluffy, tart, creamy. Starts at $16.

😋 The “Appetize Me Captain,” a.k.a. the breakfast pupu platter at The Friendly Toast. Complete with breakfast egg rolls, churro bites, tater tots, and fruit. Starts at $20.

🍷 The wine rosemary French toast with Brie and raspberries at Union in Allston. This dish is my love language. Starts at $15.

🥂 The $5 mimosas at Ward 8 in the West End. Need we say more? Get it Sat. and Sun. from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

🍳 The BBQ pulled pork Benedict at Lincoln Tavern. Complete with honey-sriracha hollandaise on a cheddar biscuit. Starts at $15.

ONE LAST THING

Boat and Tote … with a twist.

Take a look at the ‘Ironic Monogram’ collection, a collaboration between L.L. Bean and influencer Gracie Weiner. It’s the snarky gift you never knew you needed.

Weiner went viral for customizing her Boat and Tote bag with the word “psycho” in 2021, starting a trend of ditching traditional monograms for ironic sentiments like “Highstrung,” “CTRL Freak,” “anxious,” and “LOL NO.” Now you can buy your own cheeky totes and garb on L.L. Bean’s website, just in time for the holidays.

⏰ Thanks for reading! Don’t forget to turn the clocks back this weekend and emotionally prepare for the return of 4:30 p.m. sunsets … and a 74 degree Sunday. My body is already confused.

💃 For more hot takes and late night thoughts, follow me on Twitter and IG @emilyschario. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected].