😵‍💫📲 This is your sign to delete TikTok

😅 Looks like NYC is rooting for the Pats in the Super Bowl. The Empire State Building was (hilariously) lit up in Pats colors honoring their AFC Championship win, and let’s just say, New Yorkers were NOT happy. 

😡 But just so we’re clear: Pru, if you ever do this for the Giants, you’re cancelled FOREVER. 

👀 What’s on tap today:

Up first…

Here’s another reason to put down your phone: A new cohort of “anti-doomscrolling” creators are making content about the dangers of social media, according to the Associated Press. And they’re going viral for it.

Here’s what to know:

📲 Their content is meant to disrupt your doomscroll. Sometimes, the clips are a simple reminder to put your phone down. Other times, they feature a not-so-fun fact about social media, or a digital detox plan. And the internet loves it: One anti-doomscrolling influencer, Olivia Yokubonis, has racked up millions of views and nearly 400,000 followers.

🧠 Getting offline would do us all some good. We probably don’t need to tell you this, but … excessive social media use isn’t great for your mental health. In fact, NYC designated social media as a public health hazard back in 2024. Plus, doomscrooling, or mindlessly scrolling for extended amounts of time, has been linked to increased anxiety, depression, and stress. Boo!

😵‍💫 And we could definitely use the help. Professor Ofir Turel, who studies social media use, told the AP that many people he works with are practically “in a state of shock” when he shows them their screen time numbers. But it’s not entirely their fault: “There’s an army of nerds whose only job is to get you to increase your time spent on that platform,” said anti-doomscrolling influencer Cat Goetze. “You’re not going to win this just [through] willpower.” 

🤳 The irony of the situation isn’t lost on the creators. Yes, making social media videos about the dangers of social media requires walking “a fine line,” as Yokubonis said. But, “for us to actually be seen, we have to be where people are,” she said. “‘Where else am I supposed to find you, Kyle? Outside? You’re not outside.’”

🤔 The jury is still out on whether the strategy works. Scholar Ian A. Anderson told the AP that he could see the videos being an effective intervention if users are paying enough attention to take in the information (which, unfortunately, isn’t a given). But ultimately, making interventions to cut down on social media requires self-awareness and a desire to change, and these videos can help plant those seeds. Just look at Yokubonis’ comment section.

📵 Ready to stop the scroll? Some “low touch” places to start include moving the app’s location in your phone or turning off notifications, and Hannah Chidekel of Boston Children’s Digital Wellness Lab told us that simply limiting your reel and TikTok time to your computer can be surprisingly effective. FWIW: We’ve also heard GREAT things about Brick (which is still sitting on Emily’s desk).

📱 Want to know more? Read the full story here.

❄️ Boston’s official snowfall total is … 23.2 inches! After two days of snow, this weekend’s storm clocked in as our eighth-largest snowfall ever, beating out the infamous Blizzard of 2005 (22.5 inches). But while you work on digging yourself out, remember: Space savers are OK to use through 8 p.m. tonight. Officials are warning of slick conditions on the road all week, so be careful! And don’t put away those shovels just yet. Forecasters are already keeping their eyes on another major storm …

🏢 This building could give a new meaning to “working from home.” Developers are gearing up to turn this 11-story Downtown Crossing office building into 250+ apartments. The transformation would be Boston’s biggest office-to-residential conversion since Mayor Wu launched a program to encourage them back in 2023. The goal? Put a positive spin on downtown’s grim office vacancy rate and revitalize the neighborhood. That said, the project needs to be approved, permitted, and financed before construction starts, so … don’t hold your breath.

🍷 We’re having a wine girl winter. Thanks to the inaugural Femme Fête, a natural wine festival on Feb. 28 at Cyclorama meant to celebrate women winemakers. The fest is the brainchild of Boston natural wine queen Haley Fortier, who owns haley.henry and Nathalie, based on events she’s attended in NYC and Montreal. A $60 ticket gets you access to five hours of tasting 100+ natural wines, plus panels, food, and a commemorative glass! And if you want to keep the party going, the afterparty is free. 

🎭 Grab your wallets, theatre kids. Broadway in Boston just dropped its 2026-27 season lineup, and it’s looking good. Eleven shows will be coming to the Citizens Opera House and Emerson Colonial Theatre from fall 2026 through summer 2027. The lineup includes hits like “Wicked” and “The Book of Mormon” alongside recent Tony winners like “Operation Mincemeat,” and “Maybe Happy Ending.” Single-show tickets aren’t available yet, but subscription packages are (those get you into eight shows). The cheapest option we found will run you ~$350.

Below are some of the hottest local things to do. This month, B-Side Members can save more than $150 across our events, in addition to over 60 other awesome perks. 

📓 Win a “Lets Get Real” guided journal with a gift bag and journaling pen | Jan. 28 |  Ready to reflect? Tackle 240+ therapist- approved prompts, affirmations, quotes, and coloring pages. B-Side Members can enter our giveaway for a chance at winning a guided journal by Chasing Red Flags.

🏈 Boston Demons season opener party | January 31 | Loco Lounge, Southie | Free for members, $10 regular | Party with Boston's Australian-rules football club at their season opener celebration at Loco. Start a free membership trial, then show your pass at the door to get your free ticket and a free shot at the raffle.

🛍️ Select Winter Thrift Market | Feb 1 | The Cyclorama | Free entry 12-5 p.m.; $10 member early bird, $15 regular early bird | Shop 60+ vintage, Y2K, and streetwear vendors at this winter thrift market. Enjoy free drinks, temp tats, live DJs, tooth gems, and more. Early bird tickets get you in at 11 a.m. Grab an early bird ticket here and take $5 off as a member!

🍷 Galentine's Day Wine Tasting with The B-Side | Feb. 5 | 6:30 p.m. | M Fine Arts Galerie | $25 members only | Limited spots available at our wine tastings with Hannah from Pana Tastings! You'll taste four wines and you get a new wine glass out of it (plus new friends, and hopefully some tasting skills to brag about). 

⛸️ Pink Rink at Canal District Kendall | Feb. 21 | $22 member, $29 regular | The Pink Rink is taking over Canal District Kendall this Saturday for an 18+ skating night with DJ Starjuice spinning tunes. If you love the club and the color pink, this is your ultimate winter moment. B-Side Members save $7. Grab tickets here. 

👀 Want to feature your upcoming event above? Click here.

Ann Michael Maye is a New England renaissance woman. The WAG-slash-Bakemas star is going viral again, but this time, for her fashion sense. 

While the Pats were winning the AFC Championship, Ann Michael was winning the WAG fashion game with a look that one dude in a Northampton bar described as giving “Idina Menzel on her final night of ‘Wicked,’” “snow bunny,” and “F1 racer.”  Yes, all at the same time. Even the NFL gave its stamp of approval.

But why are we so obsessed with Maye? She’s nothing like former Pats first lady Gisele Bündchen. And that’s exactly why the New England girlies love her. Yes, she’s aspirational, but Bakemas and Abercrombie fits are much more relatable to us than a rich Brazilian model (respectfully).

— Gia Orsino, Emily Schario, and Claire Nicholas

👠 Thanks for reading! That’s our people’s princess!

🤑 The results are in: Looks like the B-Siders are independent thinkers: 68% of readers say they’d never buy a product just because it was endorsed by a celeb. This reader can’t relate: “Selena Gomez Oreos were so good!,” they said. We’re sure they were, queen!

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