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Anyone else can ask some questions too, or answer them. We have a large pink commie, I mean, Massachusetts/Eastern New England contingent on Hatrack
I'm a newbie, not only here but also in the Boston area. Actually, I am South of Boston. I have kids and am wondering what others think is great about living here. (I like it so far)
We haven't even gotten to all the historical/touristy spots yet, so I'm not out of things to do, just always looking.
What are your suggestions? And what do you like about New England?
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I'm a North Shore guy (That's any place on or east of I-495 and I-93, north of the immediate suburbs of Boston). It seems like you're on the South Shore (you'll see that a lot in papers and the like).
I grew up here, so to me the whole area is home. The brick buildings, (even sidewalks!), the old fishing towns, and the fact that Boston is one of the coolest, smartest little cities in the US (IMO). Plus it's old enough to have all sorts of weird quirks, if you go looking.
Of course, I think the city and the North Shore better examplify that than the South Shore, but I'm a provincial New Englander, so of course my part of MA is better than anywhere else
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That's because you lived out in "The Middle of Nowhere", as I call it, Kwea Had you actually lived in civilization, I figure it would have been much more amenable.
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Now you just get to deal with the hurricanes then, Kwea?
What's up with these Noreasters (sp?)? The rain was interesting a month or two ago, my neighbors talk about the winter version as though it's a natural disaster. I haven't been in a good blizzard in a long time. Should be interesting.
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A Nor' Easter is bad. It's when a storm comes up the coast and therefore the winds come right off the ocean. If you're near the shore, expect flodding, winds, general craziness. Blizzards are usually a result of one of these, and the visibility goes down to nothing, and the plows can't move fast enough to get rid of the snow.
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Huricanes kill fewer people per year than ice and snow on the roads do each year.
I'll take FL over MA anytime..although Bok is right, the Boston area is pretty cool.
We had a NE'r dump 26 inches of snow in 18 hours once when we lived in MA...they are NOT fun for the most part.
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The high snow in the people photos is due to a T intersection right in front of the house we live in; the plows pile the snow from the street in front of us all up onto our sidewalk. So not that much snow fell, but a bunch did.
Nor'Easter. Thanks for the correct spelling. We are in a winter storm watch for one right now. I guess Bok, that you are far enough north, that you don't have to worry too much? My kids are hoping for a snow day tomorrow...
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I agree about the flurry. Kwea's 26 inches in 18 hours sounds like a DUMP! I had the kids still pack their lunches Posts: 697 | Registered: Nov 2005
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I told someone the other day that my two favorite days in MA are April 19 and October 19. The first is (obviously) Patriot's Day (<edit> well, at least, it's near Patriot's Day, since the State pushes the holiday to the nearest Monday </edit>), a celebration of the first real battle of the American Revolution. I generally get up at 4:00 and go to Lexington to watch the Minuteman Reenactment, then go to one of the town parades later in the morning. October 19 was chosen for reasons of symmetry, but is approximately the beginning of Fall foliage, which is the other thing I really like living here.
For the rest, Boston is nice to visit, but it has its downside, too (narrow streets, poorly labeled, bad roads, loads of obnoxious students). I agree with Bok that the North shore fishing villages are cool (I especially like Marblehead). I also like driving out to Western MA and the Berkshires, particularly in the Fall.
All that being said (and I probably will get no sympathy from my fellow New England Hatrackers) I can't stand the political climate here. It's just as stifling as Utah (where I lived previously).
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Yeah, I was home on leave from the Army at the time, and they canceled all flights for two days. That almost NEVER happens in NE, they are pro's about clearing snow.
I had to extend my leave as teh roads were closed as well, but everyone else had to exchange as well so they knew it wasn't just me wanting more time at home. Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001
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I love New England. Honestly, of the places I've lived (Florida, Georgia, New York), New Hampshire is my favorite. It feels like home. I love my Southern friends, but I just don't want to live there. Utah, whenever I visit, feels like an alien planet. Honestly, an alien planet.
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SenojRetep, thanks for the Patriot's Day tip. We'll have to make sure to pay attentiont to that! You also made me laugh about the political climate because I just moved from Utah too!
Bok---just a trace of snow. Such a disappointment for the kids and enough to make the driveway icy, that's it Posts: 697 | Registered: Nov 2005
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Another Patriot's Day tip, if you do go to Lexington; bring a small step stool and plenty of warm clothes. The crowd starts gathering around 4:00 am and if you get there at 5:00 you'll be five or ten bodies deep and unable to see anything without standing on top of something.
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Also on Patriot's Day, if you can afford it is to go to the 11AM Red Sox game. Weird time for a game, especially on a weekday, right???
Well, they do it because by the time it ends, you can walk a block from the ballpark and watch most of the Boston Marathon runners go through Kenmore Square, and cheer them on. Kenmore Square is about a mile (maybe less) to the finish, and having the huge crowd no doubt gives some runners the extra lift they need to finish strong
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Senoj, I'm pretty liberal, especially if you reduce me to bullet points. I've found my rationales a bit different, and some issues I differ, but I still find some of the politics here in MA annoying... As I have everywhere else.
I dunno, I don't feel like most people here take having a differing opinion as a personal attack; My POV is warped because I listen to talk radio occassionally, which is very popular, particularly in other areas of the country, and they seem to try and make everything personal.
Outside of the the protester fringe, of course, which I admit Boston, and some other areas, likely have a larger than average population of.
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The re-enactment is plenty kids friendly (IMO). Most people will let kids sneak up to the front to get a better view. Starting at five the kids also get the chance to ring an antique "warning" bell set on a hill to the South of the battlegreen. The rifle shots are pretty loud, though, so you might prepare your kids for that; one of my neices was traumatized all day.
My political frustration is two-fold, Bok. The one side is feeling like I make no difference, even in local elections, because the votership is so skewed. Last I checked the state legislature Dem/Rep ratio was 9/1. My second frustration is that often when I explain my position on an issue people tend to look at me as if I'd just grown horns. It's not that they take it as a personal attack, more that they can't understand how a rational person like me could be so irrational stance on an issue. I got the same thing in UT, but there it was more they couldn't understand how a good boy like me could have such a immoral stance on an issue. Oh, and I can't listen to talk radio of either flavor; idealogues infuriate me.
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I can see that, but I think that making a moral judgment is worse than making a judgment of intelligence But I know what you are talking about. And they're all right about you
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Yay New England! I'm a little confused about how anywhere in NE could have a stifling political climate, but I don't live in Boston and my very conservative brother does so maybe I'm just out of the loop.
Anyway, I am totally in love with New England and I will miss it sorely some day.
Posts: 3636 | Registered: Oct 2001
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Many love this area, I'm wondering what I should DO so I can love it too (actually, I end up loving where ever I live---it's all in the attitude) but I'd like to love it here sooner than later.
Remember I have kids (ages 9-3)and so going out to explore is ok but I kind of have to have a game plan or I lose their interest/cooperation.
(btw if you're wondering why I'm not just looking at the bazillion books out there, I have and do but I like personal recommendations best, like Patriot's Day---you can't read the need for layers of clothes, a step stool and 4 am stuff in a book)
Thanks everyone, this is great.
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Some of my favorites: Wingersheek (sp?) beach on the North Shore; parking can be costly, but I like the beach a lot Climbing the Bunker Hill Memorial; it took us 2 years after moving here to follow the Freedom Trail all the way to Charlestown. Once we did, I really enjoyed the experience. A Red Sox game. If you can't go to the one on Patriot's Day, find some other game to go to. Fenway is amazing. They also offer tours on non-game days. Durgin Park restaurant in Faneuil Hall; can be touristy and crowded, but it's one of my favorite family friendly restaurants downtown. My dad used to eat there when he was a student at MIT in the 60s. 40 years later and it's about the same (although the waitresses are nicer now, he claims). Minuteman National Historic Park visitor's center; on the way from Lexington to Concord there's a great little visitor's center that explains the history of April 18-19, 1775. There's a 20 minute movie thing that explains everything very well. It'll help to get the facts straight for Patriot's Day. Graveyard searches; if you have NE roots (I didn't know I did until I moved here) you might find some ancestor's graves. I found my 11th great grandparents in the old burial ground in Cambridge.
These are just some ideas off the top of my head. I may post more as I think of them.
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Also try the Boston Children's Museum. It's near South Boston/Financial District, and has a big milk bottle in front. My wife works in the office there, so I hear all sorts of fun stories. I myself have enjoyed some of the exhibits
If you want a longer excursion during spring/summer/fall, head up to my old hometown, Newburyport, MA. It's much more trendy now, but it's a great little historic seaport, with parks (Maudslay State Park), beaches (Plum Island), a river and tours/cruises on it. Good eats, interesting history, and back in its more decrepit form in the 30s, it was one of the primary inspirations for the town of Innsmouth in stories by HP Lovecraft.
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Thanks some more everyone. I didn't even see that you'd posted again Senoj and Bok. I just grabbed the thread to comment on the weather oddity.
I have NEVER been in a snowstorm that also has thunder and lightning. Is this common here?
Kids are out of school early. woo hoo! I'm thinking I might kick them outside to shovel the walk *insert evil laugh here*.
Back to your comments. I am very excited to do the Freedom Trail, probably best for better/warmer weather though. What would you recommend for winter fun here? Any truly can't miss snow hills for sledding? (we are missing our Rocky mountains--although we had fun in NH over Thanksgiving!)
Stay warm and safe out there today!
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Not very, though not unheard of. The first time I experienced a thunderstorm + snow was in Baltimore, of all places.
Almost every town has a park with a hill for sledding... Though they might not be as big as you are expecting You could go skating at a local rink (they'll rent skates, both figure and hockey), or go skating at the Frog Pond on Boston Common.
There's also skiing (not like the Rockies)... Generally winter is a "hunker-down" sort of period for New England. Lots of hot cocoa by the fireplace
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Good. That was kind of scary. (Thunder and lightning and snow)
Mmm. Hot cocoa is good too. I completely forgot about skating. Fun idea.
Where is there skiing? I saw a sign for it once on 53 in Hingham but I kinda laughed and didn't really think about it again until you mentioned it.
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There 2 or 3 _really_ small hills in eastern MA: Bradford (in Haverhill), Wachusett, and one other whose name escapes me [EDIT: Aha! It's Nashoba Valley]. Most of the real skiing is in VT, NH, and ME, though some skiing exists in Berkshires (and Upstate NY beyond that).
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Ooooh! It sounds perfect! (The kids have taken a couple of lessons but aren't all that confident!) Thanks.
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Hmm, I learned on slopes in Utah. From what I've seen of things in MA there's not much of a challenge. And I'm no better than an intermediate, go once or twice a year skiier. But maybe for kids. VT (Killington or Stow) have some better skiing from what I've heard.
That was the first thunder and lightening snowstorm I've been in. Very odd.
I definately second the skating. One of my favorite MA memories is skating on the local pond (Spy Pond, Arlington), although you have to watch the locals to know when and where the ice is thick enough to skate on. Frog pond on the Common is fun, as Bok said, but it can get crowded.
We have a great sledding hill; if you can't find one near you I can give you directions. If you're LDS (you did say you just moved from Utah) it's right near the temple in Belmont.
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