Bahston / Boston (1 Viewer)

[THRILLHO]

Heading off to MA in August for a wedding. Going to be spending a week in Cape Cod, then I've got five days to fuck around with, so I'm going to head into Boston. Now, I've never been before, but there's already questions as to whether there's enough to do in Boston to keep me entertained for five whole days, and whether I'd be better off heading into New York for the last two days.

Anyone been and got any suggestions? Is Boston wicked pissah? Or will they get sick of my constant Chowdah/Yahd/Hahvahd jokes and drive me out?

 

[zebra heart attack]

i was there for five days. it's nice, but three would have been enough. havard is good for a look around, as is newbury street for shopping. we did most of the things on the city pass, but they're not the most essential.

the $15 bus to nyc was a good deal: http://www.fungwahbus.com

 

[RSJ]

Ya pahk ya cah in havahd yahd? Ah yah fakkin retahded?

 

[jane]

Don't go to NY! There's plenty to do in Boston.

I highly recommend going up to Salem for a day or two. It's kind of touristy, but it's fucking beautiful, and you can embrace or ignore the whole Witch Hysteria thing and still think it's awesome. If you are taking the lady, you must -- ABSOLUTELY MUST -- go to a vintage shop called Modern Mille, which is run by a woman who has the most amazing eye for a good cut, and also charges practically nothing.

You can get to Salem on public transport (it's about 30 minutes from Boston), but will you have a car? I can make lots of other recommendations, but it depends on your mode of transport. Boston has remarkably good transport links (for the US, anyway) to suburban and outlying areas, so you wouldn't be lost without a car.

A day trip to Portsmouth, NH would be a massive treat for all involved, but that would fall into the 'if you have a car' category.

Go for a walk down at Castle Island, originally a 17th-century fort (I think the present structure is later) in Boston Harbor. Get some ice cream and walk around the 'Sugar Bowl', formed by a land bridge out in the harbour. Very pretty, and part of the reason I like living in Ringsend is that it reminds me of this part of Boston, which is one of my favourite spots in the universe.

Take the commuter boat to the South Shore, and hear the very different kind of accent! Take a visit to World's End, George's Island or Plum Island.

Go to the North End and eat a cannoli from Mike's Pastry, the best cannoli in the entire universe, ever, and ever amen. Also, August is Saint Madness month, and every weekend there are Italian festivals around Hanover St. Get some peaches and wine from a street vendor and watch people stick money to a statue. Also go to the church (which, the name, I always forget), and marvel at the statue of St Lucy, who has her eyeballs on a plate, but also ANOTHER SET OF EYEBALLS IN HER HEAD PART.

Go to Southie and watch people be Irish American. Go to the Public Garden and/or Boston Common and see the Swan Boats, and have a picnic.

The Museum of Fine Arts, the Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum, the Fogg Museum, etc etc.

And shit, the fucking Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy Library is a sight to behold. Seriously, it's fucking fascinating, and the Mapparium was, anthropologically, one of the most interesting places I've seen in a long time. HAdn't been there since I was a kid, but went over Christmas, and it was way interesting.

Fucking hell, there's so goddamn much awesome stuff to do in Boston, I don't know why anyone would ever want to be anywhere else. The end.

GO TO A RED SOX GAME AND SEE HOW A REAL SPORT IS PLAYED.

RED SOX RED SOX RED SOX.


I :heart: my hometown, and I really hope you do, too. I'll be mad at Boston if you come back not having had an awesome time.

ETA: Also, sit somewhere near a highway on/off ramp and just watch people drive. You'll find out why they call us Massholes.

 

[jane]

Ya pahk ya cah in havahd yahd? Ah yah fakkin retahded?

Dude, pahking ya cah is wicked fuckin' pissa. Yestiday I took the fuckin' Camaro up Reveah an' it was like, FUCKIN' A, an' fuckin' Scottie was like, "Whaya d'yo think yoo aah, fuckin' Wollaston?" An' I was like, "Fuckin' A, I gut a idear," an' I'm all fuckin', DUDE, SCOAHPIANS, drivin' aroun rockin' fuckin' noath shoah fucks like a fuckin' hurricane.

Yah, dude. Fuckin' a. Buncha fuckin' Eastie fucks, think theyah so fuckin' hoat caz they live neah fuckin Logan.

 

[potlatch]

Yep, go to a ballgame and visit the MFA. Southie's interesting, got a really yummy, greasy calzone in some place. And the Boston Phoenix will sort you out on things to do.

 

[pete]

speaking as an unbiased tourist, i'd definitely try to fit in new york

 

[hugh]

Hey Jane,

What's the best record shop? For vinyl ....

Great info by the way ... I'm going in a week's time ... looking forward to it.

 

[La La]

"pahtty"

no, it's "party" you dick.

"pahtty"

no, it's "party" you dick.

"pahtty"

no, it's "party" you dick.

"pahtty"

no, it's "party" you dick.

"pahtty"


ad infinitum.....

 

[potlatch]

Hey Jane,

What's the best record shop? For vinyl ....

Great info by the way ... I'm going in a week's time ... looking forward to it.

Newbury comics in Cambridge, and random places around Cambridge there seemed good. That's all I know, though. Also, check out the Harvard Bookstore, or whatever it's called - opposite some gate or other. Chin-strokingly good shit.

 

[jane]

Hey hugh,

Christ, I don't really know where to buy records these days, except at Newbury Comics (there's one on Newbury St, too, and it's really big, though I have no idea if the Cambridge one has expanded). Most of the places I used to go are gone: Planet Records burned down (I think), Mystery Train seems to have disappeared, and I don't dare ask what happened to Nuggets. In fact, Nuggets may still be around, I just don't want to find out because I will be absolutely devastated if I find out that that's gone, too.

I haven't lived there in about a decade, so I'm probably not much use anymore when it comes to individual stores.

But if you're going during a non-snowing time of year, do not underestimate the potential of yard sales.