🤫🍹 We manifested this new cocktail bar

It’s Wednesday, Boston.

🌭 Actually, it’s weenie Wednesday. A.k.a. National Hot Dog Day. To celebrate, you can get $1 hot dogs at Pauli’s from 1 to 3 p.m. and at the Sil with a drink purchase all day long (or, free forever, if you get a rat tattoo.)

🥳 And HBD to our girl, Kiley Copps! Kiley is a senior marketing brand coordinator at the Globe, and a v important part of the B-Side team. We hope you get all the $1 weenies you want today. <3

👀 What’s on tap today:

• Bostonians brace for (more) tariffs

• A statewide tobacco ban

• So long, Hyannis Port

Up first…

B-SIDE CERTIFIED

Voulez-vous un petit cocktail?

A cute French cocktail bar in Coolidge Corner? Twist our arm … we’ll try it out. For this edition of B-Side Certified, you sent us to Bar Lunette, Brookline's buzziest new watering hole.

Here’s what we thought:

FIRST IMPRESSION

👓 It’s the epitome of a cozy, quirky cocktail bar. Checkered floors, vintage posters, and winks to the building’s past life as an optometrist’s office create a quirky retro chic vibe. But the real winner? The *ambiance.* The music, lighting, and noise levels struck the (rare) balance of an intimate, moody atmosphere without needing a flashlight to read the menu or to yell “WHAT?” after every other sentence.

🪑 PSA: If you want a seat, get there early. The space is pretty petite — we barely snagged two seats at 7:30 p.m. on a Monday. It was standing room only for folks who arrived after us.

COCKTAILS

👑 We’re trading in Aperol spritzes for the “Hail Holy Queen” ($14). This spritzy drink hits all the same punchy, bitter notes, but with a lighter, delicate floral flavor instead of citrus.

🧚 Insta baddies will love the “Stardust” ($13) glittery daiquiri. And not just because of the edible glitter. Like any daiquiri, it’s sweet and syrupy enough to please the just-turned-21 crowd, but has just enough tart, lemon-y sourness to feel balanced. But the edible glitter didn’t hurt.

☕ The Nutella espresso martini ($14) was a nutty twist on a classic. Sweetness from the Nutella and fluffy Irish creme cold foam balanced (but didn’t overpower) the vodka’s bite and coffee’s bitterness, making for a velvety, smooth sip.

🍳 Rumor has it … bites (and brunch!) are on the way. And by “rumor,” we mean reporting from Boston magazine. Keep your eyes peeled for menu drops!

VALUE

💸 The price is so, so right. We paid $43.87 plus tip for three drinks. All but one of the menu’s cocktails fall in the $13 to $16 range, which (sadly) is an absolute steal for the quality.

🤝 This is the bar Coolidge Corner was missing. As a Brookline baddie, Gia has been desperate for more places where you can pop in, grab a drink, and sit for hours. This is an ideal spot for a first date, drinks before a movie at the Coolidge, or a long gossip sesh with a friend or two.

✅ The verdict? Totally B-Side Certified.

CITY

Quick & dirty headlines

🥵 It’s not just hot. It’s a heat emergency. Don’t say we didn’t warn you! Today through July 18, Mayor Michelle Wu has declared a heat emergency in Boston, a.k.a. two or more days with a heat index over 95 degrees “with little relief overnight.” Oy. You know the drill by now: Pools and splash pads are available throughout the city for some relief (here’s where to find them), as well as cooling centers. In the meantime, stay inside, hydrate, and check out these tips on surviving in the heat.

💸 The tariffs are coming (again). President Trump is threatening whopping 30% tariffs on products from Mexico and the European Union starting Aug. 1. And like last time, Bostonians are bracing for impact. Two areas where we could feel the squeeze: Grocery AND liquor stores. As of 2022, 69% of U.S. vegetable imports and 51% of fresh fruit imports came from Mexico, while ~72% of our imported wines come from the EU. Translation: Many small businesses will have to decide whether to raise prices or lose money.

🚭 Things today’s kids may never understand: The drunk cig. At least, if the state legislature passes this bill seeking to ban tobacco sales for anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 2006 (folks who are currently ~19 and under). Towns like Brookline, Malden, and Reading already have similar plans in place, but this bill would make it statewide, effectively phasing out pretty much all the state’s sales of cigarettes, vapes, cigars, and more. That said, opponents say it’s bad for local businesses and limits freedoms. Now, we wait for next steps.

✈️ Here’s how to have a *cheap* summer getaway. JetBlue just dropped a three-day summer sale with one-way flights starting at $59. Here’s the deal: The discount is live now through July 17, and applies to flights between Aug. 2 and 27 (minus Fridays and Sundays). During that time, you can get to Austin or Fort Myers for just $64, Miami for $74, Nassau or St. Thomas for $124, and way more. Peruse the deals and book your flight here.

QUICK QUESTION!

🚬 Should Mass. implement a statewide tobacco ban?

THINGS TO DO 

Mid-week check in

🤝 Networked for Growth: Female Founders Harnessing Campus Connections | Thursday, July 17 | 4-6 p.m. | 120 Forsyth St., Boston | Attend Northeastern University’s panel discussion and networking event featuring local business leaders and campus partners.

🏓 Pickleball party with Volo | Saturday, July 19 | 2-4 p.m. | Club Volo, Assembly Row | B-Side is teaming up with Club Volo to host a day of pickleball, volleyball, and other lawn games! B-Side Members get $5 off, a free drink, a B-Side sweat towel, and a pair of B-Side socks.

🧘 Lymph flow yoga in the park | Wednesday, July 23 | 6-7 p.m. | Copps Hill Terrace | Join us for a specialty lymph flow yoga class and on-site giveaway! B-Side Members get an extra entry into the giveaway.

🎨 Community art night | Thursday, August 7 | 6-8 p.m. | Boston Public Market | Making friends can be hard. That’s why we’re hosting this watercolor painting night with BPM’s Laurel Greenfield Art. B-Side Members get $5 off, a free drink, and a take-home watercolor kit!

B-Side Members get perks like discounted entry, free drinks, B-Side swag, and more at B-Side events. Stay tuned for more meetups, and become a member to get your perks! 

MEDIA SPONSORSHIP

One thing about us? We will walk for food.

B-Side is a proud media sponsor of Up & Adam Food Tours, the locally-owned and -operated food tour company leading small groups on foot to try the best eats in neighborhoods like North End, Back Bay, and Union Square. Run by young entrepreneur and Stonehill graduate Adam Branco, Up and Adam is all about fueling your love for Boston and its fantastic flavors — all while supporting local restaurants. 

ONE LAST THING

So long, Hyannis Port

Taylor Swift’s former Hyannis Port home is SOLD. And the price? A whopping $12.3 million. 

Some lore: Swift bought the waterfront house back in 2012 (for just a steal at $4.8 million *sobs*) near the Kennedy family’s Cape property during her whirlwind romance with Connor Kennedy. But the pair broke up, and, naturally, she sold the house … upgrading to her current iconic spot in Rhode Island soon after.

Since then, the house has undergone a massive renovation project, including a new pool, patio, and totally renovated interior which, we gotta say, is absolutely beautiful. 

Feeling snoopy? You can look through all the gorgeous pics here.

— Written by Gia Orsino, Emily Schario, and Zoe Lorizzo

🤑 Thanks for reading! Buying a multi-million-dollar house because you like a boy? Relatable.

👵 The results are in: 65% of B-Siders say they do “granny hobbies” all the time! Should we … have a B-Side knitting night?? One reader said: “Just think of how good I’ll be at these crafting skills when I actually am a grandma!”

🥳 🎟️ Don't forget to grab your tickets to Best Day Ever, our Aug. 2 food, music, and shopping par-tay at Artists for Humanity!

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