🥃🎿 And a shotski in a pear tree

Happy Friday, Boston!

🏠 What does $300K get you in Boston? Well, according to this listing: Stunning waterfront views, a sun deck, and … a boat? Yes, this 500 square-foot houseboat in Charlestown seems like a Boston real estate miracle … until you learn what the maintenance fees are …

👀 What’s on tap today:

• Spilling the tea anniversary

• Final holiday shipping dates

• Boston’s most Googled

Up first...

12 DAYS OF B-SIDE

Getting in the Christmas spirit(s)

NYC’s pop-up scene gets a lot of love during the holidays. And frankly, we think Boston deserves some love, too. 

So we compiled a list of local bars and restaurants going hard this season (and, we think, giving NYC a run for its money): 

🎄 If you want to feel like Christmas threw up on you … Take a drive to The Venetian in Weymouth. This Italian restaurant serving homemade pasta understood the assignment when they heard “Deck The Halls,” tricking out their holiday pop-up with lush greenery, lights, trees, and over 6,000 ornaments hanging from the ceiling. It’s basically the Mass. equivalent of Rolf’s German Restaurant in NYC, without the NYC crowds. You can make your reservation here.  

🛖 If you’ve got a big group … Renting a yurt at The Bowery Bar in Dorchester might be the move. These private, heated yurts hold up to eight people and are the epitome of cozy (just see for yourself), and are open for brunch, lunch, and dinner. The food and bev minimums range from $100 to $200, which TBH, is a reasonable split if you’ve got seven friends. Plus, the menu has a slew of starters that are great for splitting. You can book your yurt here. 

🏝️ If you’re dreaming of spending the holidays on a beach … You can feel like you’re in the Bahamas at Shore Leave’s Sippin’ Santa Christmas pop-up. This South End tropical escape goes hard for the holidays, thickly laying on lights, garlands, ribbons, and Christmas-inspired tchotchkes, (plus a hit holiday soundtrack). Its cocktail menu is equally festive, too, with aptly named drinks like the North Pole Bowl and the Ginger Snapper. Book your reservation here. 

👻 For “Nightmare Before Christmas” vibes … Grab a drink at The Liberty Hotel in the West End. This former jail consistently makes the list of one of Boston’s most haunted locales, and their signature upside-down Christmas tree holiday installation only adds to its eerie vibe. Each nine-foot tall tree hanging in the lobby is decorated with lights, ornaments, and acrylic paint, which you can take in while enjoying a bite or drink at one of their restaurants and bars. 

🎿 If you want to skip skiing and go straight to aprés … Publico Street Bistro and Garden in Southie has transformed into The Lodge, a cozy ski chalet equipped with fire pits, shareable comfort food and specialty drinks (boozy salted caramel hot cocoa!), and retro-inspired Christmas decor. And yes, there are shotskis. You can make a reservation here. 

🕎 If you need a reprieve from Christmas decorations … It’s time to visit Noir’s Maccabee Bar in Harvard Square. This Festival of Light-inspired pop-up has traded in garland and trees for menorahs and dreidels, and they’re serving a festive menu of fittingly named cocktails like the “Oy, what a night,” and noshes, like the untraditional latkes with traditional condiments. You can book a table by calling the this number, or just walk in.

TOGETHER WITH PROJECT BREAD

Treat yourself while treating others

🥐💝 Your next delivery order could help change someone’s life. Tatte Bakery is partnering with its exclusive partner, DoorDash, this holiday season to serve hope to neighbors in need. For every Tatte order delivered from Dec. 13 to 19, $3 will be donated to Project Bread — an amazing organization on the frontlines of fighting hunger and food insecurity in communities across Massachusetts. Learn more about the partnership, or order now with DoorDash (no code or minimum order size required) and spread joy with each bite.

CITY

Quick & dirty headlines

☕ Almost 250 years ago, Boston spilled the tea. And by that we mean, happy almost 250th Boston Tea Party-versary! (it’s tomorrow). The city is holding several reenactments in honor of the day this weekend, as well as special tea party programming from the National Parks of Boston and the Mass. Freemasons. And if you want to celebrate in an, ahem, different way, Night Shift brewing is releasing a special “Tea Party” hard tea, which will be available in their Everett taproom, and Sam Adams released a green tea pale ale in honor of the occasion. 

🚲 Some MBTA riders are exploring other options. It’s no secret that the MBTA’s current, um, state has been having a serious impact on Bostonians’ commutes as of late. But things have gotten so bad recently that some riders (either by force or by will) have taken matters into their own hands. The Globe reports that one rider got her driver's license in her 30s to avoid her miserable commute on the Green Line Extension, while others have opted to bike, or take the Commuter Rail. You can read more about their various endeavors here.

🎁 PSA: Your holiday mailing window is closing fast. If you’re planning on shipping or buying gifts online this season and want them to arrive before Christmas, time’s a-ticking. Today is the last day for FedEx’s ground 5-day shipping, and tomorrow’s the last day for USPS ground shipping. For Amazon Prime, you have until Dec. 22, and for UPS, next week is crunch time. You can find more information about deadlines here.

🍕’Tis the season for … some restaurant news! Iconic Connecticut pizzeria Sally’s Apizza (known for their sauce and signature slightly charred crust), opened its new Woburn location on Dec. 14 (with a Seaport location to follow), marking the chain’s first expansion outside of Conn. And speaking of expansions, Waltham’s fan fave Deep Ellum is launching brunch this weekend, which will apparently include breakfast poutine (omg), and will be served from Saturday through Monday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

THINGS TO DO

Weekend plans

🐶 Spend an afternoon with Santa paws. Castle Island is hosting “Puppy Pawtraits” for you and your furry friends on Saturday. Come take photos with Santa, have a beer, and buy some gifts for the pups in your life.

🕯️ Quit giving out regular old candles for the holidays. Instead, give custom hand-painted candles that you made at BPL Grove Hall during Saturday’s free workshop.

🥰 Continue your quest for love — but faster. First dates are not always fun! Enter: Speed dating. If you’re 27 or older, head to Thirsty Scholar in Somerville on Sunday for their take on the rapid rendezvous. 

⛸️ Wobble, glide, or lutz your way through the weekend. Whether pupil or pro, you’re invited to the winter wonderland SKATE @ Canal District Kendall — you can even book a lesson or group outing. 

🛍️ Support Black businesses by holiday shopping. Friday through Sunday, One Brattle Square will become a Black businesses pop-up with local makers selling wares of everything from food to fine art. 

— Written by Claire Nicholas

🎉 Want more things to do recommendations? Refer five friends to unlock three bonus items. For those who already have, enjoy below.

GIVEAWAY

Giveaway alert!

Enter our 12 Days of B-Side Giveaway (worth $1,000!+). Over the next 12 days, we’ll be giving away items from some of Boston's favorite brands (Rev’d Cycling, Big Night Entertainment, New England Inns and Resorts and more!). One entry will give you eligibility to all prizes, so the earlier you enter, the more prizes you can win. Refer a friend before 12/21 to be eligible. If you have already referred a friend to B-Side (and they’ve accepted), you're already enrolled! Full details below*

ONE LAST THING

Boston’s most Googled

Google just dropped its 2023 “Year in Search,” which includes the ability to check out what people in your city, area, or zip code searched the most. So we took a look at Boston’s trending searches in 2023. 

In news that will surprise no one, the Eras Tour was the top trending concert search, followed by the Renaissance Tour, and “The Last of Us” was the top trending TV show search, coming in ahead of “Daisy Jones and the Six” and “The Golden Bachelor.” 

Boston’s top “near me” searches were a little … less predictable. The top search was “air quality near me” (remember when the sky turned yellow?) with “pawn shops near me” taking the number two. What to do with this information? We can’t tell ya…but now you have it!

— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

😭 Thanks for reading! If I had to venture a guess, I’d say my personal top search of 2023 was, unfortunately, my parking ticket payment site. Oops! 

💜 Special shoutout to today's sponsor, Project Bread, for supporting local journalism and helping in the battle against hunger within our communities. 

🎁 The results are in: B-Side readers are most likely to give an experiential gift out of the sustainable gifting options we listed. One reader said: “I have and will continue to do all of these, not so much because of sustainability, but because I am broke.” Fair enough!

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