Happy Friday, Boston!
๐ The Cโs arenโt just playing great this season, they look great, too. Before you get any ideas, weโre talking about their new โCity Editionโ uniforms. In our opinion, it blows their usual white-and-green out of the water.ย
๐ Whatโs on tap today:
MBTA shutdown reminders
Pour one out for Roxyโs Grilled Cheese
A risquรฉ Market Basket parodyย
Up firstโฆ
B-SIDE CARE PACKAGE
We care about YOU

Illustration: Gia Orsino.
Weโre only 15 days into November and have somehow aged 15 years. So weโre back with another B-Side care package to share the food, media, trends, and other delights that have been bringing us comfort during these strange times. We hope they can do the same for you.ย
GIAโS RECS
๐ฒ This soup by Julius Roberts. Did you know if you put leeks, potatoes, chorizo, and chicken stock in a pot, it turns into the world's easiest, most flavorful soup? Now you do! Itโs deliciously hearty and savory, and it turns out great every time.ย
๐ โThe Wedding Peopleโ by Alison Espach. 200 pages into this book, I already know itโs getting a five-star Storygraph rating. Set in Rhode Island, itโs a beautiful story about pain, new beginnings, and meeting strangers.ย
๐ฎ Stardew Valley. Video game buffs know Iโm five years late to this party. But this cozy, Animal Crossing-esque farming game is only $15, and has single-handedly made the transition to 4:30 p.m. sunsets bearable.ย
EMILYโS RECS
๐ Geneโs Flatbread, Chinatown. And no, this isnโt the pizza kind of flatbread. Itโs the hand-pulled noodle kind. With soup season in full swing, thereโs nothing I crave more than a vat of these thick, chewy Chinese noodles soaked in a hot and sour broth and loaded with pork and bean sprouts. Most importantly, itโs only $11.ย
๐ โSubway Takesโ TikTok series. I am simply unable to skip these videos of comedian Kareen Rahma asking celebs, TikTok stars, and average Joes their (sometimes very out-of-pocket) takes on a moving train. Some bangers: Why we should stop singing Happy Birthday to adults and restaurants need to stop serving artisanal ketchup.
๐ The Ethicist Newsletter. Have an embarrassingly personal Q youโve been too scared to ask? The New York Timesโ ethics columnist answers everything from โis it okay to keep returning purchases youโve worn for months?โ to โdo I tell my sonโs partner about his gambling problem?โ And the comment section is equally juicy.
BOSTON GLOBE MEDIA RECS
๐ The Globeโs new wedding column. Whether youโre a hopeless romantic, love a good story, or just like to know other peoplesโ business (check, check, and check, personally) โThe Big Dayโ is a perfect treat. Start here!
๐ โWhy doesnโt Boston have a WNBA team?โ If youโre a WNBA fan wondering how you ended up rooting for a Connecticut team (or whether Boston might eventually get one of its own), read on.
๐ โAre bay leaves a scam? An investigation, and then a taste test.โ Do bay leaves actually do โฆ anything? This story about the question that everyoneโs asking but no oneโs answering (until now!) is tons of fun, not to mention educational.
QUICK QUESTION
๐ฅฒ Whatโs your go-to comfort activity?
TOGETHER WITH THE MBTA COMMUTER RAILย
Another car-free way to get around Bostonย
๐Because you can never have too many options. Hop aboard the Commuter Rail with us and discover an alternative for traveling to the cityโs 17 Zone 1A stations, from JFK/UMass and Boston Landing to Lansdowne, Ruggles, and Back Bay. With fares at just $2.40 for a zone 1A trip (the same as the subway), you can save your money for better things โ like grabbing lunch in Uphams Corner or seeing a show at Strand Theater. Watch the full video here and start planning your next Commuter Rail adventure today.ย
CITY
Quick & dirty headlines

Image: Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe
๐ Weโve got some T housekeeping to run through. First thingโs first, Red Liners: Remember that shutdown between Harvard and Broadway that was supposed to start on Monday? Well, now itโs starting Sunday at 8:30 p.m., shuttle buses included. Thankfully, itโll still be over on Nov. 24. Meanwhile, Green Liners: Starting tonight at 8:45 p.m. through Nov. 17, service will be suspended between Park Street and Union Square as well as โฏEast Somerville.ย
๐ธ Chef Barbara Lynch just got a major lawsuit โฆ from the City of Boston. On Wednesday, the city filed a $1.7 million suit for unpaid personal property taxes across Lynchโs (now shuttered) Boston restaurants. Lynch, the celebrated local chef who recently faced a slew of toxic workplace allegations, is expected to have the money to pay the taxes from the sales of her restaurants. That said, the missed payments are from as far back as 2011, and currently growing at a rate of $366.94 a day.
๐ฑ New Englandโs winter outlook is โฆ confusing. A warming climate + a weak La Niรฑa = a wacky New England winter forecast. The Globeโs Ken Mahan suggests that, much like last winter, this one will likely be warmer and wetter than average. But the unpredictability of La Niรฑa might make things a little more interesting. For example, La Niรฑa could disrupt long warm stretches with cold, wintery bursts of air. If they align with the right systems, we could see more snow than weโve had in recent years, despite warmer temperatures.
๐ฅช Roxyโs Allston location will soon grill its last cheese. Translation: Itโs closing. After 10 years in biz, the sandwich spot announced on Instagram that itโll be closing its Allston location on Nov. 24. The post didnโt list any specific reasons for the closure, but did, thankfully, mention that its other spot in Central Square (and its accompanying arcade) is still slinging grilled cheese. Meanwhile, lots of Roxyโs fans took to the comments to mourn the good times and cheese pulls. R.I.C. (rest in cheese).
THINGS TO DO
Weekend plans

๐ณ๏ธโ๐ See the best new LGBTQ+ docs in town. Bostonโs Wicked Queer: Docs Film Festival returns today, celebrating Queer filmmakers that share untold stories of activism, love, and resistance. You catch the festโs lineup of films at the MFA, Brattle Theater, and ICA.
๐ Kick off Saturday with a sweat. The Soulful Sister Collective is hosting a high-energy dance cardio pop-up where all you have to bring are a pair of sneakers, a can-do attitude, and your best moves.
๐ง Take a trippy yoga class. The WNDR Museum in Downtown Crossing is the studio for this Saturday morning class where youโll flow through poses surrounded by stunning visuals and captivating soundscapes.
๐ท Sip on a red and a romance novel. Love a juicy wine? Love a juicy romance read? You can double fist both on Saturday when the Read My Lips bookstore pops up at The Urban Grapeโs free, public wine tasting.
๐๏ธ Get a jump on holiday shopping. Time Out Market will deck the halls on Saturday for its Holly Jolly Holiday Market, showcasing handcrafted gifts from LGBTQ+ makers and vendors.ย
๐ Start your Christmas tree engines โฆ Because you can buy yours at Sam Adams Breweryโs holiday tree pop-up this Sunday. Not ready to pull the tree trig? Theyโre also teaching an ornament-making class that same day.
๐น Draft your Thanksgiving cocktail menu (sans booze). Dray Drinks, Bostonโs first non-alcoholic bottle shop, is hosting a Thanksgiving-themed NA cocktail-making class with local mixologist Smoke King Kev on Sunday.
๐ Sift through Bostonโs best vintage Two beloved markets are on the scene this weekend: The Sunday Bazaar in Brighton (featuring fizzy freebies) and the FOUND market at Arsenal Yards (featuring a market-wide scavenger hunt).ย
GIVEAWAY
Enter to win Two Handel and Haydn Society H2 Memberships for Young Adults!
One lucky winner will receive two Handel and Haydn Society H2 Memberships for Young Adults! To enter, just refer a friend and have them accept your invite by the end of the day on Nov. 15. If you have already referred a friend to B-Side (and theyโve accepted), you're eligible! Full details below*
18+. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Limit one entry per person. See Official Rules & an additional entry option here.
MEDIA SPONSORSHIP
This weekโs 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 thatโs 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
A risquรฉ Market Basket parody

Image: David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe. Illustration: Gia Orsino.
If we gave you a million guesses as to why Market Basket sent a cease-and-decist to a Salem native โฆ You still probably wouldnโt guess itโs because sheโs making raunchy merchandise featuring the companyโs logo (which you can see here) to promote a North Shore-themed erotic art and poetry book, โMy Gaping Masshole.โ
But yes, thatโs what North Shore author Madison Murray had been doing for the past few months when she received a cease-and-decist letter on Nov. 7. The letter alleged trademark and copyright infringements, noting that the designs, a spoof on the companyโs โMore for your Dollarโ slogan, โthreaten the valuable goodwill associated with the Market Basket brand and its marks.โ
The merch in question was taken down from Murrayโs site. But you can still get a โLana del Revereโ T-shirt or some truly wild postcards!ย
โ Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario
๐ Thanks for reading! OK, but youโve got to admit that book title is wild.
๐ Special shoutout to todayโs sponsor, MBTA Commuter Rail, for supporting local journalism and connecting Boston โ from South Station to Back Bay and beyond โ with accessible transportation options.
๐ The results are in: B-Siders have spoken, and they love Chris Evans. 50% of you said heโs your favorite of New Englandโs three most recent Sexiest Men Alive. Multiple readers referenced this Paul Rudd line in โAvengers: Endgame.โ Legends.
๐ Keep up with us @BostonBSide on IG, TikTok, and Twitter. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected] or [email protected].
