😵‍💫🌳 This is your sign to touch grass

🍩 You know the Red Sox hot dog hat. Now, meet the Red Sox Dunkin’ hat. Tickets to the May 26-28 series against the Braves come with a $5 Dunkin’ credit … and an iconic iced coffee hat. 

👀 What’s on tap today:

Up first…

It’s time for a brain break, Boston. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, for this edition of telephone tag, we asked our fav spots to take a ~mental health break~ where they go to take a beat.

Here’s what they said:

🌳 The B-Side team takes a break at the Arnold Arboretum. There are a lot of green spaces around Boston, but none transport you from the city quite like the Arboretum. The 281-acre preserve is basically a living tree museum — the thousands of different species create pockets of landscape that look and feel worlds away. Our rec: Stroll to the top of Hemlock Hill.

📚 The Arnold Arboretum takes a break at the Boston Athenaeum. The stunning museum, library, and cultural center is the perfect backdrop for “solitude without isolation,” said Jon Hetman, the Arboretum’s associate director of external relations and communications. From the gorgeous building to all the history that lives inside, the atmosphere evokes a feeling of “reverence and awe” for what’s around him.

🍃 The Boston Athenaeum takes a break at Mount Auburn Cemetery. A cemetery might not seem like a spot for a mental health break. But the Athenaeum’s director of education Michelle LeBlanc finds them to be grounding, a reminder that “I'm part of this larger, sort of lovely continuum of life of people who’ve been in Boston and done really amazing things.” Plus, Mount Auburn’s beautiful springtime flowers don’t hurt.

🦢 Mount Auburn Cemetery takes a break at the Boston Public Garden. Mount Auburn president and CEO Matthew Stephens appreciates a peaceful oasis that’s “surrounded by urban chaos,” so it’s no surprise that the Public Garden is his go-to. In today’s fast-moving world, “these places to escape, to connect with nature or connect with yourself … are really going to become profoundly even more important,” he said. His rec: Try a free mindfulness event.

🌊 The Boston Public Garden takes a break at Castle Island. For Rebecca DiTommaso, Friends of the Public Garden’s director of capital projects and parks care, the best way to unplug is a long walk where she can slow down and connect with nature. Her preferred destination? The tip of Castle Island’s peninsula. On the way, she’ll try to “pay attention to the little details” like noticing which plants are in bloom, or listening to bird calls.

💼🧠 Because sometimes…it really doesn’t. The MA in Organizational Psychology at William James College is built for career-switchers, recent grads, and anyone who’s ever wondered, “Why is my workplace like this?” In just 11 months, you’ll learn how to improve communication, team dynamics, and workplace culture with built-in hands-on experience. It’s online or blended, with scholarships available, and designed to fit real life. Fill out a quick inquiry form to learn more.

💼 Should Bostonians return to the office? The question has been a hot topic since Fidelity announced it’ll require its 6,200 Boston employees to return to the office five days a week in September, joining a growing national trend. On the one hand, returning to the office may revitalize our struggling Downtown and foster collaboration, but some have concerns about work-life balance and flexibility. Mayor Wu’s two cents: She called Fidelity’s move “great news” for small businesses, and promised to help ease said concerns by improving resources for parents and commuters.

💩 What’s next for the Charles: More sewage. The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, Cambridge, and Somerville recently dropped a $1.3 billion plan to eliminate sewage outflows into the river by 2050 — as long as it doesn’t rain too hard. ICYMI: Thanks to Boston’s ~vintage~ sewer system, heavy rain = raw sewage dumped into the river. While the new plan would prevent the outflow in years with “typical” weather, it doesn’t account for extreme weather, drawing criticism from some environmentalists. But officials say the extra protection isn’t worth the projected $4.7 billion price tag.

🍩 Your stock portfolio can run on Dunkin’. Dunkin’s parent company, Inspire Brands, recently announced plans to transition from private to public ownership. What does this mean for you? Short answer: Probably not much. Though the public should technically be able to buy Dunkin’ shares, initial details are still under wraps, and (shocker) most will likely be reserved for the ultra rich. And while there’s debate about whether ownership changes lead to menu mishaps, historically, Dunkin’ has taken big swings under both private and public ownership. 

🍺 It’s beer garden season, Boston! The latest sign of summer: Night Shift Brewing’s beer gardens are officially open for biz. Here’s the deal: The Esplanade garden is open from Wednesday to Sunday in May and October, and Tuesday to Sunday from June to September; the Herter Park location is open Thursday to Sunday in May and October, and Wednesday to Sunday from June to September. Deets on the Dewey Square garden are TBD, but it’ll open next week. Keep up with the latest updates here!

This month, B-Side Members can save more than $150 across our events plus monthly freebies like free coffee at Flour Bakery.

🌮 May 26: B-Side Supper Club at Taquismo, $25 for Members. Our May Supper Club is at Taquismo inside Bow Market. The menu includes house-made guacamole with morita salsa, tostada de ceviche, chicken in achiote adobo, and flan casero. Tickets start at $25, for B-Side Members only. 

🍊May 30: B-Side x Handle Bar x Bar Mezzana, $30. We're hosting a South End Euro-summer kickoff! Your ticket gets you a spot in a spin or sculpt class, followed by a patio party with mingling, Bar Mezzana food, and sips and merch from Aperol. Grab a ticket here! Members save $10.

🎤 Sundays at The Comedy Studio, $10 for Members. Conan O'Brien's fav comedy club in Harvard Square is offering B-Side Members Sunday night shows for $10 with a drink ticket included. 

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

Girlfriends Boston is hosting a Garden Fairy Picnic on May 30 from 12 to 3 p.m. at 9OS Rooftop. Expect finger food, desserts, drinks, and an Instagram-worthy setup by Hola Picnic Boston. Plus raffles, goodies, and a chance to meet new people. Dress code: all pink or yellow. B-Side Members get 10% off tickets. Grab yours here. B-Side Members get 10% off!

Plus: B-Side Members get their first month of the Girlfriends Boston Membership for FREE and 12% off thereafter with code GFBSIDE12.

These days, the most popular babies at Beth Israel aren’t in the maternity ward. They're on a ledge outside the window of the ninth floor … because they’re red-tailed hawks!

Meet Milly and Winne, three-week-old chicks who have been delighting staff and patients alike with their newborn cuteness. In fact, they’re so popular, the hospital even set up a livestream to check up on them.

Apparently, the red-tailed hawks started appearing in the space outside the oncology unit in 2023, and have returned every year since. It’s unclear whether it’s the same set of parents (which staff named Beth and Israel, naturally), but the hospital is “thrilled they returned.”

Check out the livestream here!

— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

🐦 Thanks for reading! They’re just so … TINY!

💜 Special shoutout to today’s sponsor, William James College, for supporting local journalism and creating meaningful pathways into careers that truly matter.

🧑‍🍳 The results are in: 41% of B-Siders said they prefer cooking to baking. One reader said: “You couldn’t pay me to use a measuring spoon.”

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