💪😤 The only gym bros we trust

💸 How much does a Boston software engineer make? Probably more than you. Boston.com is dropping mini-profiles of Greater Boston’s workforce, including their salaries. And let’s just say, after reading the profile of this local software engineer … our philosophy and English degrees aren’t looking too hot.

👀 What’s on tap today:

Up first…

It’s not *quite* the holiday season. But we’re already feeling holiday levels of cheer thanks to November’s boatload of good news.

Here are the feel-good stories you might’ve missed this month:

🗳️ Election Day gave Muslim New Englanders a dose of hope. Zohran Mamdani and Ghazala Hashmi’s historic W’s might’ve been in NYC and Virginia, but for New England’s ~200,000 Muslim folks, the victories were a sign of hope and inspiration — especially as Islamophobia is on the rise across the U.S. “My children … finally have a leader that they can look up to,” Malden’s Nichole Mossalam told the Globe.

🐱 At this shelter, EVERY cat deserves love. Enter: The Odd Cat Sanctuary in Salem, a foster-based organization dedicated to re-homing cats that are usually overlooked. They work with older cats, cats with behavioral or medical issues, and even ones who look a little different. See: Memphis, who has two noses(!), Pearl, who has vision and hearing impairments, and Ariel, who’s a little … wobbly. You can donate to the sanctuary here!

🍎 Jennifer Coolfridge is helping Brookliners put food on the table. No, not Jennifer Coolidge. Jennifer Coolfridge, Brookline’s first 24/7 community fridge in Brookline Village that reopened in July. The fridge is playfully named after the Emmy-winning actor and Mass. native, in hopes she’ll eventually take notice. But in the meantime, the fridge has become a lifeline for folks impacted by the SNAP payment freeze. Here’s how you can donate.

💪 Two local dudes set the world record for pull-ups … and friendship. OK, fine, there’s no record for friendship, but if there were, Harvard philosophy professor Adam Sandel (a.k.a. “professor pull-ups”) and Marblehead financial planner Ron Cooper would be in the running. Since the duo became training partners in 2015, they’ve each set multiple Guinness World Records across pull-ups, chin-ups, and push-ups (see: Sandel doing 77 pull-ups in one minute!) … and became lifelong friends. <3 

🍔 Now arriving: The Allston-Brighton food train. When SNAP payments froze during the government shutdown, Allston-Brighton residents Claire and Sofia didn’t waste any time. The duo started the Allston-Brighton food train, a grassroots food donation initiative where they match folks in need of food with those who have some to give — no questions asked, no ID required. And so far, they’ve helped over 80 neighbors, and are brainstorming ways to make it sustainable long-term.

🤧 Mass.’ flu season could put the “sicko” in sicko mode. Public health experts are warning that Boston could be in for a rough sick season thanks to “subclade K,” a mutated strain of the flu that’s uniquely resistant to this year’s vaccines. Though Mass.’ flu numbers are low right now, they’re expected to tick up in the coming weeks, especially since the variant is currently wreaking havoc on the U.K. — not a great sign for what’s to come across the pond. To be clear: DON’T PANIC. But DO schedule your flu shot!

🏘️ Need to settle a fight with your landlord? Good news: The Attorney General’s office just dropped an updated guide to landlord and tenant’s rights, which is basically a giant, up-to-date FAQ on all the rights and responsibilities of Mass. renters and landlords. Inside: The top 10 things you should know before you rent (including who’s responsible for snow removal), guidance on how to navigate new laws like the ban on renter-paid broker fees and eviction sealing, and resources from legal services and community partners. Check out the whole guide here.

😋 Gen Z is changing the way we dine out. That’s according to reservation app Resy’s annual “Resy Retrospective.” The findings? They prioritize connection in their dining experiences BIG time. See: 97% of Gen Zers like to share their food when dining out (depending who they’re with), 90% like to dine at a communal table (compared to 60% of boomers), and over half have brought a “table captain” to dinner — someone they invite simply for their foodie expertise. You can dive into the entire thing here.

👋 Say hey to these new businesses on the block. Come early 2026, food hall Eastern Edge is coming to Cambridge’s Kendall Square with nine local food vendors (think: Clover, Perillas, Viet Citron), plus bar spaces and event venues. In the meantime, local thrift chain Boomerangs, which shuttered back in 2024, is back like a … boomerang in the South End, and we can thank More Than Words. The non-profit is working to revive the beloved biz employed by young adults impacted by foster care. And it looks ADORABLE. 

Enter to win Two (2) tickets to All Time Low’s “EVERYONE’S TALKING! TOUR” at the MGM Music Hall at Fenway – Boston, MA on Sunday Nov. 23. To enter, just refer a friend and have them accept your invite by the end of the day on 11/20/2025. If you have already referred a friend to B-Side (and they’ve accepted), you're eligible! Full details below*

18+. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Limit one entry per person. See Official Rules & an additional entry option here.

This year’s Snowport smells like … “dead rats.” Or, depending who you ask, “fart,” “belly button,” and “death itself.”

The culprit? The Baked Cheese Haus booth, which sells a raclette cheese sandwich so stinky, it’s gone viral on TikTok, and even prompted a story in the Globe. For context, the L.A. Times once compared raclette’s funk to “something left to rot for a few months in a gym locker.” Yum!

But despite the cheese’s stank, customers who actually eat the sandwich seem to think it’s worth the stench. As one of the booth’s workers told the Globe: “the stronger the smell of the cheese, the tastier it is.” 

— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

🧀 Thanks for reading! Gia’s thoughts: I didn’t smell anything, and I’m kind of sad! Emily’s take: BRING ON THE FUNK!

👭 The results are in: 59% of B-Siders say they wouldn’t shell out for a paid friendship-making service. One reader said: “Just bring back MSN and AOL group chats.”

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