Greetings from Boston!

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
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We're not really there yet, we're still in Westport, but we'll be pulling in tomorrow. So what should we see and do? Any tips on how to get around? Our hotel is about 3 miles from downtown, near the airport. I'm thinking cab, unless the subway is nearby - parking prices downtown make me choke, then laugh out loud.

We'll do the Freedom Trail tour, self-guided, so I can get my history on. And I want to see Cheers. What else?
 

lovinmaryland

Well-Known Member
Have you tried Uber or Lyft? I find they're much cheaper in big cities vs a taxi.

Please share pics! I've been wanting to this upper east coast route as well...sigh maybe someday!
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
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Have you tried Uber or Lyft? I find they're much cheaper in big cities vs a taxi.

We took our first Lyft ride today! I feel so cool! :yahoo:

Today we walked the Freedom Trail, which started in Boston Common and ended in Charlestown at the USS Constitution shipyard. Officially 2.5 miles, but we veered off to see other things before getting back on track. It was a nice first day and "get our feet wet" for Boston.

I had Manhattan as my frame of reference and thought Boston would be similar. No. Boston has been set up for tourists (and general living) and whoever planned that city decided to make it easy to get around and not get too overwhelmed. Our hotel is in the heart of a Latino neighborhood, and they have a local market that is AMAZING. We stocked up on groceries last night (we're at a Homewood Suites with a full kitchen) when we got in. We were confronted with a number of ways to get from Chelsea (where we are) to downtown; the gal at the hotel desk said if it was her she'd call for Lyft or Uber. We were chicken, so we took a cab this morning - which was fine and we loved our driver, but it was $30 including tip one way. To come back we set up a Lyft pickup and it was $15 including tip, so that's that.

Boston is a marvel, with historic buildings alongside modern. We both remarked how clean it is here and where Manhattan smells like garbage and restaurant exhaust, Boston smells like a normal place. We had lunch in the North End, with is their Little Italy. Monello had lobster ravioli and I had arancini. We also had a beer at the fake Cheers at Faneuil Hall (the real one is at Beacon Hill). So far we like all the Bostonians we've met - the tourists make me want to punch their face, but that's good because it helps me with what not to do as a visitor and gawker.

You could certainly drive in downtown Boston - it's closer to Annapolis than Baltimore, not DC and certainly not the nightmare that is midtown Manhattan. The reason you wouldn't is because parking is super expensive ($25-40 for the day), and if you're being a tourist you will be walking all over Hell's half acre and you don't want to have to back track to get your car. And you WILL walk, so wear comfortable shoes. Boston is a walky town like NYC and DC, and you will blast through the miles without realizing you did it. The things you want to see are fairly close together, but not. It's a progression, where you'll see a bunch of stuff in this area, then more stuff is a half mile away, then more a quarter mile from there, then another third of a mile, etc. Driving it doesn't make sense.

Boston is on my list of come back and stay longer, become a part of it. I like to live like a local, and you don't really do that when you're rushing around trying to do tourist things. If I could find a place to stay that wasn't stupid expensive (good luck) I'd come back for a month or more. There's a lot going on in the Boston area, and a lot of areas to explore, not just the history stuff.
 
Coast Guard Base Boston is within walking distance to Faneuil Hall and the Old North Church. We park there when we go to Boston. It would be an easy Lyft or Uber from there if you don't want to walk it. Cheers is about a mile or so from there also.

United States Coast Guard Base Boston
427 Commercial Street, Boston, MA 02109
 

lovinmaryland

Well-Known Member
We took our first Lyft ride today! I feel so cool! :yahoo:

Today we walked the Freedom Trail, which started in Boston Common and ended in Charlestown at the USS Constitution shipyard. Officially 2.5 miles, but we veered off to see other things before getting back on track. It was a nice first day and "get our feet wet" for Boston.

I had Manhattan as my frame of reference and thought Boston would be similar. No. Boston has been set up for tourists (and general living) and whoever planned that city decided to make it easy to get around and not get too overwhelmed. Our hotel is in the heart of a Latino neighborhood, and they have a local market that is AMAZING. We stocked up on groceries last night (we're at a Homewood Suites with a full kitchen) when we got in. We were confronted with a number of ways to get from Chelsea (where we are) to downtown; the gal at the hotel desk said if it was her she'd call for Lyft or Uber. We were chicken, so we took a cab this morning - which was fine and we loved our driver, but it was $30 including tip one way. To come back we set up a Lyft pickup and it was $15 including tip, so that's that.

Boston is a marvel, with historic buildings alongside modern. We both remarked how clean it is here and where Manhattan smells like garbage and restaurant exhaust, Boston smells like a normal place. We had lunch in the North End, with is their Little Italy. Monello had lobster ravioli and I had arancini. We also had a beer at the fake Cheers at Faneuil Hall (the real one is at Beacon Hill). So far we like all the Bostonians we've met - the tourists make me want to punch their face, but that's good because it helps me with what not to do as a visitor and gawker.

You could certainly drive in downtown Boston - it's closer to Annapolis than Baltimore, not DC and certainly not the nightmare that is midtown Manhattan. The reason you wouldn't is because parking is super expensive ($25-40 for the day), and if you're being a tourist you will be walking all over Hell's half acre and you don't want to have to back track to get your car. And you WILL walk, so wear comfortable shoes. Boston is a walky town like NYC and DC, and you will blast through the miles without realizing you did it. The things you want to see are fairly close together, but not. It's a progression, where you'll see a bunch of stuff in this area, then more stuff is a half mile away, then more a quarter mile from there, then another third of a mile, etc. Driving it doesn't make sense.

Boston is on my list of come back and stay longer, become a part of it. I like to live like a local, and you don't really do that when you're rushing around trying to do tourist things. If I could find a place to stay that wasn't stupid expensive (good luck) I'd come back for a month or more. There's a lot going on in the Boston area, and a lot of areas to explore, not just the history stuff.
Wow sounds like you guys did a lot!

I love Homewood suites too! We like to eat out during the day and then do dinner back at the hotel saves $$$ big time. Plus they do a nice dinner during the week. Nothing extravagant but decent!

We found Lyft and Uber are almost always be cheaper than a taxi. We've also have never had a nasty or rude driver...we've actually had drivers willing to go through fast food drive thrus or stop off at liquor stores for us :lmao: The only negative is the occasional surges. We've paid $8 one way and then when we tried to head back it was a surge time so that $8 ride was now $24. We normally just keep site seeing or pop in a pub for a pint and then it drops back down. Also I'm not sure for Boston but in DC, Baltimore, Philly, Savannah...basically any major city we've been in almost every car that has picked us up has both a Lyft sticker and an Uber sticker on the car. So I usually just pull up both aps and see who's cheaper at the time and that's who I use.
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
The other day we took the trolley tour, which I highly recommend. The conductors are informative and entertaining, giving you a history lesson that you really shouldn't need, but they also give you interesting trivia bits and pieces.

I'm not madly in love with the city - any city. They're fun for a few days, then...ugh, get me out of here. Chelsea, where we're staying, is a rundown area that is gritty without being charming. Our next stop is Ogunquit, ME where we'll be staying in a cottage off the beaten path so we can relax and the dog can have a nice walk.

Hi Boston!
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The most striking aspect of Boston is how the old and the new share space
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vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
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With the goal of eating BBQ in all 50 states in mind, yesterday we headed to Redbones in Somerville. It's a hole in the wall that's been there forever and contains humans of every conceivable type - goth, prep, the Johnny Depp version of Willy Wonka, and normal boring people like us. There are about 8,000 beers and ciders on tap in this rustic-kitschy-cool joint, and I have to believe it's very popular with students. As far as the food...

Texas, you have some unexpected competition.

We had beef ribs and brisket, and while the ribs weren't anywhere close to Black's (Lockhart, TX) in beefiness and size, they were tender and flavorful. The brisket was to absolutely die for - honestly some of the best I've ever had. But forget that because the sides stood out hard. No kidding. I had pinto beans that were simple and delicious, without the goober that most places want to dress them in. And then there was the star of the show: roasted root vegetables. Brussel sprouts, carrots, beets, and baby radishes, charred up and well seasoned - I would go back for those alone.

Today I need my hot pot fix, so as soon as Monello gets his butt out of bed we will head to Chinatown. (I, I want you to know, have been up since 6am, had breakfast and did an hour at the gym :cool: )
 

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
With the goal of eating BBQ in all 50 states in mind, yesterday we headed to Redbones in Somerville.

In Davis Square! I used to live a few blocks away up on Newbury Street.
Back then, there was an Indian restaurant in Davis Square I used to walk to about once a week.

At the top of the hill is an intersection actually called "Teele Square" although unlike a lot of squares around Boston, I don't think it's actually marked.
That's where I went the most and there used to be a great ice cream place that made its own hot fudge.

It's been a LONG time, so it doesn't surprise me that a lot of places I went are gone. In the 80's and early 90's it was still a rage to go to any of the ice cream chains in the area but I wouldn't be surprised to learn they're all gone. One thing that DID persist is the local walk up ice cream places like Kimball's in Westford - but there are a LOT of those around. I used to work at a pizza place call Checkmate in Billerica - I can't vouch for their pizza now, but we used to make a serious effort to make the crust the best part.

I also lived in Lowell, which unless things have changed - is a real dump, as is its sister mill cities like Lawrence and Haverhill. But because of the ethnic background, you can find some good ethnic cuisine in that area. Mostly Greek, Polish, Lithuanian, Portuguese and French-Canadian.

My very favorite town however, was and still is Newburyport but second would be Salem. I had a friend whose hair salon was right next to Laurie Cabot (I don't even know if she is still alive) who is/was Salem's official witch in residence. (Just looked her up - still alive, but her witchcraft shop closed a few years ago).

You know - I was awfully lucky to live up there. I worked at Harvard, so shots of the campus and the medical school over in Boston usually trigger a smile when I see them in movies.
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
I worked at Harvard, so shots of the campus and the medical school over in Boston usually trigger a smile when I see them in movies.

The Harvard area is beautiful. Very nice, just like you see in the movies.

Today we are on our way to Wells/Ogunquit, so we'll have to stop by Salem on the way.
 

Bann

Doris Day meets Lady Gaga
PREMO Member
With the goal of eating BBQ in all 50 states in mind, yesterday we headed to Redbones in Somerville. It's a hole in the wall that's been there forever and contains humans of every conceivable type - goth, prep, the Johnny Depp version of Willy Wonka, and normal boring people like us. There are about 8,000 beers and ciders on tap in this rustic-kitschy-cool joint, and I have to believe it's very popular with students. As far as the food...

Texas, you have some unexpected competition.

We had beef ribs and brisket, and while the ribs weren't anywhere close to Black's (Lockhart, TX) in beefiness and size, they were tender and flavorful. The brisket was to absolutely die for - honestly some of the best I've ever had. But forget that because the sides stood out hard. No kidding. I had pinto beans that were simple and delicious, without the goober that most places want to dress them in. And then there was the star of the show: roasted root vegetables. Brussel sprouts, carrots, beets, and baby radishes, charred up and well seasoned - I would go back for those alone.

Today I need my hot pot fix, so as soon as Monello gets his butt out of bed we will head to Chinatown. (I, I want you to know, have been up since 6am, had breakfast and did an hour at the gym :cool: )


Wow. I would have never thought of roasting radishes! That combination sounds really good, though. Will have to try it.
 

Monello

Smarter than the average bear
PREMO Member
Edgar Allen Poe sculpture

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Outside Fenway park
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They knew my name. They asked "Hey, You!" "What do you want". You was close enough anyway.
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