🍀😉 You’ll get lucky at these local spots

🍀 Every year, UMass students have a “blarney blowout” for St. Paddy’s Day. And every year, videos like this give us secondhand claustrophobia. Let’s just say we weren’t shocked to see this story …

👀 What’s on tap today:

Up first…

It's either Southie’s best or worst week of the year. A.k.a. St. Paddy’s Day week. 

Boston magazine just gave its list of Boston’s best Irish pubs a refresh. So whether you’re hitting the parade or want to stay as far from it as humanly possible, here’s an Irish pub for every vibe:

🍀 For a spot right near the action … L Street Tavern is just a few blocks away. It will almost certainly be a zoo, but it’s a classic for a reason. Plan to get there early if you want a table (they told us they’re opening at 12). But if you want to visit without triggering your claustrophobia, hit up its Irish music night on Thursday. For a more classic townie bar experience, Murphy’s Law is also just three blocks away from the parade route.

🌈 For a spot near the parade … You’ve got two options: If you’re willing to cross I-93, J.J. Foley’s Cafe is the oldest family-run Irish pub in town and only a 12-minute walk from the parade’s starting point. And just a 20ish-minute walk from the parade’s end is The Banshee, a cozy Dorchester sports bar. Plus, they have pizza!

💰 For parade-level energy without schlepping to Southie … Try The Dubliner. This well-loved pub is relatively new, but they’re already celebrating this week with live music and running a gift card and skip-the-line giveaway for this Saturday (which ends TODAY!). And Somerville girlies already know The Burren is the spot to be on St. Paddy’s Day. In addition to being a great place to meet local hotties, it has nightly live music, and is absolutely decked out for the occasion. 

🎩 For somewhere slightly off the beaten path … and we say slightly because, let’s be honest, they’ll be crowded anyway … The Brendan Behan Pub in JP is a seven-time “Best of Boston” winner, boasting two patios — perfect for our near 70-degree weekend. Just don’t forget to bring cash! For a more intimate vibe, check out The Druid in Inman Square, where the food, draft list, and vibes (think: banshees hanging over the bar) all have a wow-factor.

🤑 For a spot where you can get a DEAL … B-Side members get 20% off The Black Rose’s merch this month only!

👀 Need more? Check out Boston magazine’s whole Irish pub guide here.

💸 Gov. Maura Healey owes you $50. Well, as long as you’re an Eversource, National Grid, or Unitil customer. On Monday, Healey announced that this April, she’s giving a $50 credit to every residential electric customer in Mass. served by those providers to offset the atrocious spike in heating bills this winter. If you qualify, it’ll automatically apply. The announcement was just the first piece of Healey’s new Energy Affordability Agenda, which aims to save residents $5.8 billion over the next five years by strengthening discount rates, minimizing charges on bills, and stabilizing prices.

🐶 The housing crisis hurts our fur babies, too. In 2024, 29% of pets surrendered to the Animal Rescue League of Boston were given up due to housing issues, like sudden no-pet policies, moving to less expensive, less pet-friendly options, or homelessness. That’s up from 24.4% in 2023 and well over the national average of 14%. Those stats sound pretty bad — and they are — but they make some sense given only 39% of Mass. rentals accept dogs (just 7% have no breed or weight limits) on top of Boston’s already difficult housing market.

🎸 The latest addition to Boston Calling’s lineup: Berklee students. Remember that new indoor, temperature-controlled public space that Boston Calling is debuting this year? Turns out, it’s gonna have music, too! Berklee just announced the space will be home to seven musical performances from student jazz acts. Each day of the fest, we can expect three different ensembles to perform through the afternoon and evening. And trust us, this isn’t elevator music. See: Devon Gates, Solaya + The Effect, and Aniyé.

🍩 When Boston loses a donut, it gains a chicken sandwich. That’s how that saying goes, right? After nearly seven decades in business, Twin Donuts, Allston’s iconic breakfast spot, is closing its doors due to — as one employee put it — the price of “everything” going up and the neighborhood’s gentrification. It’ll be open through March 23 to say goodbye and grab one last bacon egg and cheese. In better foodie news, all-day café and rotisserie Shy Bird officially opened its newest (and biggest) location in Fenway. Based on their IG, the vibes look high.

Enter to win TWO tickets to Boston Weddings’ Bubbly Brunch on March 30. To enter, just refer a friend and have them accept your invite by the end of the day on March 12. If you have already referred a friend to B-Side (and they’ve accepted), you're eligible! Full details below*

21+. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Limit one entry per person. See Official Rules & an additional entry option here.

We’re in the business of journalism here at B-Side. Buuuut today, we have a little bit of gossip, courtesy of “Love Is Blind.” 

You might already know that the reality TV show where folks get engaged without ever seeing each other is currently filming in New England (remember the casting call last summer?). But after this TikTok about a dating show filming at Loco in Southie popped off, tons of Bostonians dropped some juicy morsels about where they’ve seen LIB filming.

One commenter said: “They were at d16 last wknd … they made me sign a waiver lol. Also the gold cups were a dead giveaway.” Others said they saw filming at Buttermilk & Bourbon or the street corn stand outside the central BPL. One claimed they’re all staying at apartments in Alewife, another said she helped a castmate pick out makeup at Sephora. 

Get all the tea here.

— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

📝 Correction: We updated the newsletter to reflect the fact that L Street Tavern is near the parade route, not on the parade route.

💍 Thanks for reading! If anyone sees any LIB shooting around Boston … PLEASE send it our way. 

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