🙅‍♀️ Sunday scaries? Not this weekend.

Happy Friday, Boston!

🏈 If the Chiefs are making you miss our dynasty days ... Today, Apple TV+ is dropping “The Dynasty,” a docu series that will deep dive into the Pats’ dynasty era, and rumor has it, give an inside look into Brady and Belichick’s relationship that might explain Brady’s departure.

📝 Programming note: We’re off for President’s Day and will be back in your inbox next Tuesday. Enjoy the long weekend!

👀 What’s on tap today:

• An MBTA news deluge

• Mass.’ robotic future

• Moving in for money

Up first…

OUT & ABOUT

The best kind of to-do list

This is a first: President’s Day Weekend is looking LIT. Between V-Day, the Lunar New Year, Mardi Gras, and the extra day off, Boston’s event scene is stacked.

So here’s how to celebrate them all, and them some:

🐉 Break out your best red and yellow. Boston is one of the best cities in America for Lunar New Year celebrations (just ask Conde Nast Traveler!). This weekend features a range of festivities including the iconic Chinatown Lion Dance Parade, Pao Arts Center’s celebration with art, workshops, and performances on Sunday, and this Lunar New Year themed cocktail making class by Koy Boston tonight. 

❄️ Channel cute winter vibes sans snow. This snowstorm may have been a bust, but temps are certainly looking wintery this weekend. You can go full-on New England mode this Saturday by doing some maple sugaring right here in Boston at the Nature Center, or hit up this free community skate in Kendall Square. Just imagine the snow around you.

💗 Keep the Valentine’s Day energy going. The spirit of love is forever! Celebrate the season tonight by hitting up this dream combo romance novel and cheese night at curds&co, or listen to hilarious (and true!) stories of teen heartbreak and angst straight from the source at CitySpace’s Mortified Live event. If you’re feeling particularly brave, hit up this Cupid Undie run that’s exactly what it sounds like, or try speed dating (while you work out) at this Crushin on U fitness mixer Saturday.

👑 Party Mardi Gras style … in Dorchester. If you squint and turn your head sideways, it’s almost like you’re in New Orleans. Dorchester Brewing Co. is bringing the Mardi Gras spirit to Mass. Ave for an all-day party on Sunday complete with dancing, food and drink specials, and a masquerade contest. 

🎶 Jam to TikTok’s favorite love song. You can head to MGM Music hall whatever night you please to see indie icon Mitski on tour for her new album. Seriously, she’ll be here for four nights! Grab tickets here. Also, iLE, the Grammy-winning Puerto Rican singer and composer is coming to Somerville’s Crystal Theatre on Saturday in a seemingly one-off show. 

🎥 Or catch an award worthy movie. Be the only friend that’s seen this year’s Oscar noms and hit up the Coolidge for the opening night of their annual Oscar-Nominated Short Films presentation for the live action and animated flicks. Or, stay off the beaten path and head to Boston’s SciFi Film Fest this weekend in Somerville. 

TOGETHER WITH LEVITATE MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL

This year’s lineup is (insert impression of Ryan Gosling yelling “SUBLIME”)

☀️🎵 Summertime, and the livin’s easy — well, at least it will be on 4th of July weekend. The 11th annual Levitate Music and Arts Festival is making its return to Marshfield from July 5 to 7 with three days of live music, art, food trucks, cold drinks, and much more. Plan your summer escape on the South Shore (just 30 minutes outside of Boston) during one of the best weekends of summer. With sets from talented artists like Lake Street Dive, Mt. Joy, Dirty Heads, and a special appearance from the newly reunited Sublime (including original members Bud Gaugh and Eric Wilson) for all you ‘90s music lovers, this is going to be the ultimate good vibes summertime bash! Grab your tickets now before they sell out. 

CITY

Quick & dirty headlines

🚇 The MBTA can’t stop making headlines. Shot: This is your official warning that the Green Line’s B, C, and D branches are shutting down from Babcock St., Cleveland Circle, and Brookline Hills to Copley from Feb. 20 (next Tuesday) to March 8. Chaser: At least the Red Line is back in business after its shutdown. Another round! Shot: Yesterday, the Green, Blue, and Orange Lines stranded riders during the morning commute due to a cable failure. Chaser: Philip Eng made all subway lines free from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. Whew!

💸 One of COVID’s biggest costs (literally). Unsurprisingly, Boston’s office buildings have been declining in value since COVID ushered in our collective WFH era. But it turns out that dropoff in value could cost the city big (around $1.2 to 1.5 billion in the next five years). I.e., enough to cause some major troubles for Boston’s budget. But until we see how much the buildings sell for, it’s hard to know for sure. One (fun!) suggestion for making up the deficit? Selling official Boston merch, a measure introduced during Wednesday’s City Council meeting.

🤖 Mass.’ future is looking … robotic. This week, Gov. Maura Healey signed an executive order to create an AI Strategic Taskforce for Mass. made up of 25 tech-y individuals tasked with studying AI and its impacts on the state, higher ed, and regular old Massholes like us. Healey also plans to request money to create an applied AI hub in Mass. which would support the state in using AI to solve public policy problems, among other things. The taskforce is starting their work ASAP, and we can expect to hear back later this year.

🍝 Today’s restaurant news du jour is piping hot. The Babe, a new neighborhood bar and sandwich spot from the folks behind MIDA, is now open in Salem; Yume Ga Arukara, a Porter Square udon spot, will be adding a second location in the Seaport this month; and Nashville chicken chain Birdie’s Hot Chicken, appears to be coming to Downtown Crossing. Bonus: Blue Ribbon Brasserie is now offering half off burgers and oysters during its “late night social hour” from 10 p.m. to midnight.

QUICK QUESTION

💑 Before you read on: Would you move in with a partner just to save money on rent?

ONE LAST THING

The price of moving in

Would you move in with your partner to save a few bucks? What about $20,000?

As it turns out, that’s about how much you’d actually save if you split your one bed with your boo. According to Boston.com, depending on the neighborhood, you can save anywhere from $12,000 to $24,000 per person by splitting a one-bed. And it seems that's as compelling a reason as any for people to move in together (54% of young people making the decision to move cite finances as a reason). 

But if those numbers make you want to call your partner ASAP, maybe slow your roll. Relationship experts had a slightly more pessimistic take on the matter. One called it “a horrible, horrible idea.” 

Our take: If it makes Boston living affordable … we really can’t blame ya. 

— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

💰 Thanks for reading! For an extra $20,000 in our bank account, we’d do a lot.

🫂The results are in: Most B-Siders are interested in Lola, the dating app that expedites in-person meetups, with Fourplay, the double dating app, was right behind it. Readers were less keen on PreVue, one said: “I would so much rather go on a group first date than film myself.”

💜 Special shoutout to today's sponsor, The Boston Outdoor Expo, for supporting local journalism and helping locals gear up for a summer of adventure. 

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