🍩😇 Welcome to cider doughnut heaven

🫎 This New Hampshire moose is on the LOOSE. You might’ve seen a moose wander into a parking lot or down a residential street. But we’d bet you’ve never seen one in a literal car chase with a police cruiser … until now.

🎭 Also … buckle up, theatre kids: We’re giving away SIX pairs of tickets to “Hamilton” (!) at Citizens Opera House (valued at $238 each!). Become a B-Side member first, then enter the giveaway here!

👀 What’s on tap today:

Up first…

We’d NEVER slander fall in Boston. But we have to admit … a hot, fresh cider doughnut at a local farm just hits *different*.

So, with a little help from our friends at Boston magazine, we rounded up the best fall farms within ~30 minutes of the city:

🚌 If you don’t have a car … head to Brookline’s Allandale Farm. It might not be the biggest or bougiest farm on this list, but just a quick MBTA-to-bus ride and an 11-minute walk separates you from hayrides, PYO-pumpkins, and an adorable farmstand packed with fresh produce. We’d go for these dried flour bouquets alone.

🎃 If you want the perfect photo op … try Lexington’s Wilson Farm. On the other hand, Wilson Farm IS the bougiest farm on the list. Just a 35-minute drive from Boston (or a trip on the Red Line and 76 bus), you’ll find all sorts of gourmet goodies, from its “legendary” cheese shop and produce to gorgeous cider doughnuts and hand-spun caramel apples. And don’t miss a photo op at its iconic pumpkin village, which opens Saturday.

🤤 If you’re just in it for the food … you’ll love Waltham’s Pizzi Farm. Pizzi is bursting at the seams with indulgent fall foodie specials, but don’t skip the selection of fall-themed butters, dips, and sauces either. Pro tip: If you hop in the car, in just 30 minutes, you could be munching on a pumpkin cannoli sundae or apple cider doughnut ice cream sandwich. 

🍎 If you’re in it for the U-Pick … go to Natick’s Belkin Family Lookout Farm. A 35-minute ride gets you access to Lookout’s fabulous U-Pick apple orchard. The selection rotates often (right now you can grab Asian Pears, plus Macoun and Jonagold apples), but you can always hit up the onsite taproom for farm-to-table BBQ and brews, and live music most Friday and Saturday nights. Also: Mini goats!!!

🍂 If you’re in it for the vibes … try out Canton’s Pakeen Farm. If you’re just looking for all the New England fall staples and vibes in under 30 minutes (try 25), Pakeen Farm is the ticket. They’ve got all the classics: Made-to-order mini cider doughnuts, hot cider, PYO pumpkins, and fresh New England apples, all on an adorable local farm to boot. 

🍁 Want more fall to-do’s? Boston magazine has guides for the best apple-picking, pumpkin patches, cider doughnuts, and MORE near Boston.

🎨🍷 It’s time to upgrade your HomeGoods wall art. At Boston’s Affordable Art Fair, everything’s up for grabs — and priced between $100 and $10,000. Explore thousands of pieces from 56 galleries around the world and find the piece that feels like you at SoWa Power Station from Oct. 23-26. Whether you’re new to collecting, have a trained eye, or are just looking for a statement piece to dress-up your apartment, this is your chance to buy art you love and can afford. Grab tickets today! 

🔥 Boston’s streets are turning into a scene from “Fast and Furious.” (Derogatory.) Early Sunday morning, Eastern Mass. saw at least seven “street takeovers,” where dozens to hundreds of drivers shut down streets to race, perform stunts, and generally cause chaos. Three of said takeovers were in Hyde Park, the South End, and West Roxbury, which saw everything from injuries to fireworks to a police cruiser literally going up in flames. For Gov. Healey’s part, she says she’s “disgusted” by the events, and vowed a major crackdown.

👑 The headliner for the next “No Kings” rally? Mayor Michelle Wu. The national anti-Trump protest is set to return to Boston Common on Oct. 18 at noon, with Mayor Wu as its “headline” speaker, following its first iteration back on June 14. Similar rallies are planned across the state and country, with folks gathering to protest ICE immigration crackdowns, Republican gerrymandering efforts, and gun violence, among other issues. Organizers include the ACLU of Massachusetts, Indivisible Mass Coalition, and Mass 50501. Here’s all the info.

🤢 That dirty water is really living up to its name. Toxic cyanobacteria is STILL blooming in a major chunk of the Charles two months after it was first flagged (and days before the Head of the Charles Regatta), per the Boston Public Health Commission. The blooms are pretty unpredictable, so there’s no telling when it might dissipate, but until it does, keep yourself and your fur babies away from the water, which can make you sick. The warning is in effect downstream of the Cambridge Street Bridge — the vast majority of where it runs through Boston. Gross!

🏓 When one outdoor co-op closes, an indoor pickleball court opens. Right? Well, it’s true, anyway: A new boujee indoor Pickleball spot, PickleBOS, will open in Southie this November, with 11 courts, a lounge, and a bar and event space. Bonus: Another Charlestown location is coming in 2026. Also (re)opening this month? Improv Asylum, following a massive, $1 million reno. Meanwhile, Fenway’s REI location will close its doors in late 2026 amid slowing sales, not long after it shuttered its nearby Cambridge location. 

Sure, WebMD can tell you your cough might be allergies … or the plague. But a primary care physician (PCP) can give you actual answers. With Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, many PCPs now offer texting and virtual visits — meaning expert advice is just a message away. 

A new era is on the horizon for Kowloon. And it’s giving … corporate? 

ICYMI: Kowloon is an iconic 75-year-old pan-Asian restaurant in Saugus, Mass., which has gained cult classic status for its over-the-top, kitschy design (see: a literal lagoon inside), expansive menu (see: flaming pu pu platters), and generally chaotic-good vibes. 

But for years, its owners have hinted at major changes coming to the restaurant, and this week, we finally got a glimpse at what the new Kowloon could look like. And let’s just say, it’s almost unrecognizable.

According to new renderings, the restaurant will take over the bottom floor of a soon-to-be swanky, modern residential building on Route 1. Here’s a peek.

If approved, the new design would be significantly smaller, with a “clean aesthetic,” and decidedly less … chaos than the original. Construction is set to kick off in 2026.

— Written by Gia Orsino, Emily Schario, and Claire Nicholas

🥟 Thanks for reading! What’s next? Painting the orange dinosaur millennial beige? 

💜 Special shoutout to today’s sponsor, Affordable Art Fair, for supporting local journalism and making art accessible to everyone.

🏒The results are in: The B-Siders are pretty evenly split on whether the Bruins will make the playoffs this year … but many of you won’t be watching anyway. 31% of B-Siders say they just don’t watch hockey. One reader said: “Don't watch hockey but ... Drake Maye though *eyeball emoji.*”

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