😂 Prepare to spit out your drink

It’s Monday, Boston.

⛱️ A definitive summertime “best of New England” list doesn’t exi—  Scratch that. From the best bike trail, to the No. 1 maple creemee, to this (controversial) best beach pick, Globe travel writer Christopher Muther just shared his list of New England summer faves, and the man doesn’t miss.

👀 What’s on tap today:

• A Game 4 better forgotten

• Mass.’ tax holiday is SET

• More puffins please!

Up first…

ARTS & CULTURE

Have a laugh, hold the booze

💸 A comedy club without alcohol might seem like a money pit. After all, “the economy of comedy is food and beverage,” said Norm Laviolette, co-founder of Improv Asylum in the North End. “That’s a huge way to pay the comedians.” Some comedy clubs even require a two-drink minimum during a show to help cover the club’s overhead.

🍻 But as audiences’ drinking habits change, so can a comedy club’s status quo. At least Norm Laviolette and John Tobin think so. They’ve created some of Boston’s top comedy clubs like Laugh Boston and Improv Asylum, and are the brains behind SoBar Comedy, the country’s first “sober-curious” comedy club set to open June 22 in Faneuil Hall.  

📉 The decline in alcohol consumption isn’t just a “a monthly detox trend,” as Laviolette put it. It’s a lifestyle. “Young people are choosing to eat healthier and go to bed earlier. How dare they!” Laviolette joked. That behavioral change + declining alcohol sales post-COVID = the opportunity to create a sober-curious comedy club. “We have to go where people are at and create spaces where people are comfortable,” Tobin said. 

😐 Alcohol ≠ a funnier comedy show. You’ve likely heard the old comic chestnut that “the more you drink, the funnier we get,” but for Laviolette, “a great comedian is a great comedian, and it has no bearing on if the audience is drunk or not.” He thinks comedy is best enjoyed sober so you can enjoy the craft in its purest form and likens SoBar’s choice to go booze-free to larger venues that bag phones. “It’s removing another distraction,” he said. 

🍹Out: Cocktails. In: Mocktails. SoBar plans on having a full non-alcoholic bar on site, featuring booze-free drinks from Sam Adams and Athletic Brewing, along with mocktails. Which also means that folks under 21 can enjoy the comedy club. “All we ever hear is, we've got to create spaces for these young people,” Laviolette said, “and then nobody ever does” (until now). 

😂 But don’t worry, the comedy itself won’t be sober-curious. Both Laviolette and Tobin said the lineup of stand-up comedians and improvisers at SoBar will be no different from what you would see at their other clubs or theaters. You can see which comedians will be performing at SoBar here.

👀 Want tickets? The first shows kick off Saturday, June 22 at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. A $15 ticket gets you into the 7:30 show; $20 gets you into both. Grab them here! 

TOGETHER WITH CONSERVATION LAW FOUNDATION

Spilling the tea on offshore wind myths 

🌊🌎 PSA: Don’t believe everything you hear on social media. Conspiracy theories have been spreading lately, blaming offshore wind for negative environmental impacts. But here’s the thing: much of it is fake, backed by (you guessed it) fossil-fuel interests and climate deniers with a goal to derail clean energy progress. Don’t believe us? Read the full report from Brown University and find out how you can stop the spread of disinformation today. Offshore wind is part of the solution to fighting climate change, not the problem.

CITY

Quick & dirty headlines

🏀 So … Game 4 happened. But we’d be OK pretending it didn’t. The Celtics were absolutely rocked by the Mavs on Friday in a spectacular 122-88 loss that could’ve earned them their 18th banner. Murphy’s Law was on full display, as the C’s struggled to score, our energy was MIA, and Coach Mazzula benched our starters because things got so bad. And let’s just say the Mavs took major advantage of it all, beating the C’s by the third-largest margin in NBA Finals history (38 points). The bright side? We have another shot to win it all at the Garden at 8:30 p.m. tonight. 

💸 A (potential) ballot Q has lived to see another day. A challenge to the potential tipped minimum wage ballot question (which would let voters decide if tipped workers should make the state minimum wage and if tip pooling should be allowed among tipped and non-tipped employees) was tossed out by Mass.’ Supreme Judicial Court last week. The challenge, brought on by the Mass. Restaurant Association, basically argued that the question’s two components were too different to be on a single question, but that didn’t prove to be an issue for the court. Now, the campaign just has to successfully gather its second round of signatures by July 3.

🛵 Boston’s food delivery service problem is multi-pronged. ICYMI: The city has been cracking down on Mass.’ food delivery drivers recently thanks to what they say is a steep increase in dangerous driving and non-licensed moped use. But in many cases, the blame isn’t squarely on the drivers: The workforce is often hard-pressed to find other work, with a lot riding on the measly wages (ex: On a recent two-mile Uber Eats delivery, one driver made $2.39, pre-tip, on a $43.46 order). Meanwhile, speed is rewarded and slowness punished in the food delivery industry, incentivising practices like speeding or running reds. 

🤑 Treat yo’ self 2024 is officially on the calendar. A.k.a. The 2024 Mass. Sales Tax Holiday, an unofficial annual tradition where Mass.’ 6.25% sales tax is waived on most purchases under $2,500. This year the holiday will fall on August 10 and 11, meaning that on those two days, many purchases you make will be exempt from the tax. You can check these guidelines to see what does and doesn’t qualify. And if you’re looking for a place to shop, may we suggest this new, super boujee expansion to The Street Chestnut Hill?

B-SIDE FOODIE’S CHOICE AWARDS SPONSORED BY TOAST

🍺 There are a lot of brews to choose from in Boston. But if you had to pick just one, which of these spots would you most like to grab a beer at?

Poll nominees have been selected by Toast and B-Side’s branded content team

THINGS TO DO

Weekday plans

🤞 Cross your fingers and toes for a duck boat parade. Tickets to Game 5 at TD Garden are over $1,300, so save a buck and watch the C’s take on the Mavs at The Anchor’s watch party instead. 

💏 Find your boo at a brewery. Castle Island Brewing is hosting a speed dating event tonight where your ticket gets you a drink, up to 15 five-minute dates, and at the very least, a fun story. 

✊🏿 Celebrate Juneteenth with a block party. Head to the Florida Ruffin Ridley School on Wednesday at noon for an afternoon of free Caribbean and soul food, music, ice cream, art activities, and more. 

🪴 Adopt a plant child. Trident Booksellers is hosting a succulent night on Thursday where you can paint pottery and take home a new succulent friend. 

🏖️ Map out your summer bucket list. What better way to celebrate the summer solstice than drafting up your ultimate summer bucket list at the Fenway Community Center’s solstice party on Thursday (there will be mocktails!)?

🍿 Cheers to outdoor movie season. “The Greatest Showman” is on the docket at Boston Landing’s movie night on Thursday with complimentary snacks.

ONE LAST THING

A little Monday goodness

Need a Monday pick-me-up? May we introduce: The puffin cam.

This livestream by the Maine Audubon gives viewers an intimate look into a real-life puffin burrow on Seal Island. The burrow is where these rare birds breed, sleep, and generally look adorable during the spring and summer months, before they set out into the open ocean for the rest of the year. 

So far, every time we’ve checked on the feed, there’s been at least one bird resting in the burrow, and we can confirm that it’ll make your Monday just a little better.

— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

🐦 Thanks for reading! And if you happened to miss the puffins on the livestream (and even if you didn’t), this will also do the trick. 

💜 Special shoutout to today’s sponsor, Conservation Law Foundation, for supporting local journalism and keeping the public informed about environmental issues that matter.

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