😅 Let's start with the good news ...

It’s Monday, Boston.

😭 How blessed are we to exist in the same city as Jayson Tatum? We hope your Monday feels as good as these Celtics fans after Tatum nailed this game-winning 3-pointer Saturday at TD Garden. Apologies to my downstairs neighbor for the screams … Go, C’s!

👀 What’s on tap today:

• Red Line DOWN

• Half-off Sully’s glizzies

• The sweetest advent calendar

Up first…

GOOD NEWS

Seawalls, snails, and satire … oh my!

We wouldn’t blame you for feeling like this month has been full of bad news. But amidst the headlines, dark nights, and whatever else has got you down, trust us, good things were still happening. 

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

🌊 This Boston seawall doubles as a home for snails. Let us explain. Due to the changing climate, seawalls are becoming a more common tool to protect against flooding (including on about seven miles of the city’s coastline). But most are essentially concrete slabs — inhospitable for marine life — until now. Local scientists are experimenting with “living seawalls” in Eastie, which can provide habitats for snails, mussels, fish, and others. And just one day after installation, there were already some tiny new inhabitants.

📲 Two Eastie kids made it BIG on TikTok. Chronic Boston TikTok users (guilty) probably already know Prosciutto Papi, a.k.a. Chad McDonough Jr. and Tommy Guarino. But maybe you don’t know that McDonough was raised by his grandmother in low-income Eastie housing and met Guarino, who he now considers a “brother,” at five years old. These days, they have a combined 2 million followers, a successful production company, collabs with Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg, and ambition for more.

💸 A satire news site and Sandy Hook parents did the most iconic thing. The Onion, the satirical news site famous for headlines like … this, purchased conspiracy-theorist Alex Jones’ website Infowars. The move was backed by the families of Sandy Hook victims, who won over $1 billion in defamation judgments from Jones after he called the tragedy a “hoax.” Now, his site is in the hands of The Onion (and its Mass. native CEO) who plans to reboot it into more satire — with Everytown for Gun Safety as the exclusive launch advertiser.

📦 This beloved Cambridge USPS worker got a neighborhood-wide sendoff. Sajid Bhatti is a local legend. He’s (almost) never taken a day off in 15 years, gaining a cult-like group of friends and fans for his kind demeanor and over-the-top generosity (think: throwing catered, open-bar parties for customers and community). When he announced he was leaving for St. Croix, his community did the same for him, throwing him a block party with over 200 guests, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren. 

📚 A half-century overdue library book was returned. Presumably in the spring of 1973, someone checked out “The Early Work of Aubrey Beardsley” — which was added to the Worcester Public Library’s collection in 1899 — with a May 22 due date. Last week, over 51 years later, the book was returned. No, the library doesn’t charge late fees, the staff are just happy that the book is back in its “rightful home.” And the book? You can read it at the library, but, due to its age, it can’t be checked out. Probably for the best.

TOGETHER WITH FLEXCAR

Baby it’s cold outside … but your Flexcar is toasty

🥶🚗 Why brave the harsh Boston winters when you could be cruising through them in style? With Flexcar, swap out your ride for a snow-slaying SUV, built to handle every flurry, drift, and icy street. Forget car loans and down payments — Flexcar’s one monthly payment covers everything: insurance, maintenance, and 24/7 roadside assistance. No need to stress about seasonal upkeep or surprise repairs — Flexcars got you covered. Plans start at just $199/month, meaning you’re set to drive warm and worry-free all season. Use code BSIDE for 200 free miles and let the car do the snow shoveling for you.

CITY

Quick & dirty headlines

🚇 Reminder: This week’s Red Line commute looks awful. Bad news: It’s shuttle bus city between Harvard and Broadway now through Nov. 24. Buses will make most of the line’s usual stops, but instead of hitting Park Street, they’ll stop at Haymarket and State, where riders can transfer to the Green, Orange, and Blue lines. Also, Downtown Crossing service will be indirect (this MBTA explainer lays out all the dirty details). Good news: It’s looking like the last Red Line shutdown of the year. Everyone say “thanks, Phillip Eng!”

👀 The Question 1 drama is heating up. You’d think the tea surrounding Question 1 would be over after 70+% of Mass. voters gave state auditor Diana DiZoglio the greenlight to audit the state legislature. But you’d be wrong. The house approved a rule change last week that would make DiZoglio pick an independent audit firm to conduct the audit of the legislature, rather than having the authority to do it herself. She argued the move would sidestep the more incisive work she's hoping to do, “effectively slapping voters in the face.

😷 PSA: That cough you have might be a lil’ more serious. If state health officials had a nickel for every young person they’ve seen contract whooping cough or pneumonia recently, they’d have … a lot of nickels. There’s been an increase in both this sick season, with Mass. clinicians reporting more pneumonia cases among children and young adults than usual (symptoms include: persistent cough, fever, and fatigue). One doctor said “we’re seeing common pre-pandemic illnesses return with a bit of a vengeance,” but why it’s happening is unclear. 

🌭 The glizzy fairy came early this year. Sullivan’s Castle Island plans to close up shop for the season on Sunday, Dec. 1. And in what might be the best early Christmas present, they’re saying “thanks for another great season” to customers by offering half-priced hot dogs through closing. In case you’re new here: Sully’s hot dogs are a Southie mainstay, where hundreds line up for one at the start of every season. So take this as a sign to grab a cheap glizzy and walk around Castle Island.

QUICK QUESTION

🤒 How many times have you had COVID-19?

THINGS TO DO

Weekday plans

💏 Meet someone the old-fashioned way. Delete the apps for just one night and head down to Tiki Rock on Wednesday for its Boston singles mixer. The vibe will be chill and casual (no speed dating!). 

🧀 Learn the grazing table ropes. If you’re a sucker for meat, cheese, and hosting, this charcuterie board-making class at Super Bien on Wednesday is for you. 

🤝 Trade LinkedIn for linking up IRL. Wednesday night = networking night for young professionals at Cosmica in the South End. Expect lots of snacks, handshakes, and the chance to flex your resume. 

🎄 Toast to the holidays at Boston’s jolliest bar. The Holly Jolly Bar at Harpoon Brewery opens for biz on Friday. The halls will be decked with floor-to-ceiling tinsel, trimmings, and ornaments.

🦃 Skip Friendsgiving at home … And go to Capo instead! The Southie restaurant has a three-course Friendsgiving dinner on Friday starring a delicious fall-themed menu. Bonus: No clean-up required. 

😂 Watch a blind date unfold on stage. The “It’s a date” comedy show is back Thursday at Dorchester Brewing, where four blindfolded singles will take the stage and let their charms do the seducing (oh, and there’s audience participation, too). 

🧸 Cheer on the lady Crimson (with teddy bears!). Harvard’s women’s hockey team takes on Providence College this Friday. Don’t forget to bring a stuffed animal to throw onto the ice for the annual Teddy Bear Toss.

⛸️ Dust off your ice skates. The Frog Pond may not be open for skating just yet, but you can still hit the ice at Warrior Ice Arena in Brighton (fun fact: it’s where the Bruins skate for practice!).

TOGETHER WITH THE FENWAY FOODIES CLUB

This week’s foodie deal sponsored by The Fenway Foodies Club

Basho Sushi is serving up daily lunchtime deals until 3 PM, turning your midday break into a mini celebration! Enjoy bento boxes, Basho bowls, sushi specials, and more, with dishes priced between $16 and $25. And that’s not all, to discover all The Fenway Foodies Club latest dining deals and secrets, sign up for their newsletter or check out their blog

ONE LAST THING

The sweetest advent calendar

Not to be dramatic, but … This might be the greatest advent calendar we’ve ever seen.

Gracie’s Ice Cream in Somerville’s Union Square is known for its signature toasted fluff cone and lineup of wacky flavors. But the shop can now add “creator of this iconic ice cream advent calendar” to the list.

Owner Aaron Cohen didn’t grow up with advent calendars, but he liked the idea of opening up a little treat every day. So to celebrate Gracie’s 10th b-day this year, he launched an ice cream advent calendar. 

Over the course of the calendar's 24 days, you’ll get to indulge in the obvious tasty stuff, including a scoop of 24 different Gracie's flavors. But you’ll also find a numbered envelope each day, featuring an additional surprise and delight, plus a daily task of gratitude. (We don’t want to spoil them, but from what we've seen, they’re v doable and important reminders we could all use.) 

You can grab yours here.

— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

😋 Thanks for reading! Eating ice cream everyday in the name of gratitude? We’re there. 

💜 Special shoutout to today's sponsor, Flexcar, for supporting local journalism and making transportation more affordable and accessible in Boston. 

🎥 The results are in: Watching TV and movies are the go-to comfort activities for 31% of B-Siders. One proclaimed, “Hello 1000th rewatch of gilmore girls.”

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