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For those of you who have never been to "Bawstin", this is a good guideline.
I hope you will consider coming to "Beantown" in the near future. For those who call New England home, this is just plain great!
Information on Boston and the surrounding area:
There's no school on School Street, no court on Court Street, no dock on Dock Square, no water on Water Street.
Back Bay streets are in alphabetical "oddah": Arlington, Berkeley, Clarendon, Dartmouth, etc. So are South Boston streets: A, B, C, D, etc.
If the streets are named after trees (e.g. Walnut, Chestnut, Cedar), you're on Beacon Hill. If they're named after poets, you're in Wellesley.
Massachusetts Ave is Mass Ave; Commonwealth Ave is Comm Ave; South Boston is Southie. The South End is the South End. East Boston is Eastie.
The North End is east of the former West End. The West End and Scollay Square are no more; a guy named Rappaport got rid of them one night. Roxbury is The Burry, Jamaica Plain is J.P. How to say these Massachusetts city names correctly: **Say it wrong, be shunned**
Definitions: Frappes have ice cream, milkshakes don't.
If it is fizzy and flavored, it's tonic. Soda is CLUB SODA. "Pop" is Dad. When we want Tonic WATER, we will ask for Tonic WATER. The smallest beer is a pint.
Scrod is whatever they tell you it is, usually fish. If you paid more than $6/pound, you got scrod.
It's not a water fountain; it's a bubblah. It's not a trashcan; it's a barrel. It's not a spucky, a hero or grinder,... it's a sub. It's not a shopping cart; it's a carriage. It's not a purse; it's a pockabook. They're not franks; they're haht dahgs; Franks are money in Switzahland.
Police don't drive patrol units or black and whites, they drive a "crooza". If you take the bus, you're on the "looza crooza".
It's not a rubber band, it's an elastic. It's not a traffic circle, it's a rotary. "Going to the islands" means Martha's Vineyard & Nantucket.
The Sox = The Red Sox WORLD SERIES WINNAHS! The C's = The Celtics The B's = The Bruins
Things not to do: Don't pahk your cah in Hahvid Yahd--they'll tow it to Meffa (Medford) or Summahville (Somerville). Don't sleep on the Common. (Boston Common) Don't wear Orange in Southie on St. Patrick's Day.
Things you should know:
There are two State Houses, two City Halls, two courthouses, two Hancock buildings (one old, one new for each). The colored lights on top the old Hancock tell the weatha: "Solid blue, clear view...." "Flashing blue, clouds due...." "Solid red, rain ahead...." "Flashing red, snow instead...." - (except in summer--flashing red means the Red Sox game was rained out)'
Route 128 is also I-95 south. It's also I-93 north. Most people live here all their life and still don't know what the heck is going on with this one.
The underground train is not a subway. It's the "T", and it doesn't run all night (fah chrysakes, this ain't Noo Yawk).
Order the "cold tea" in China Town after 2:00 am you'll get a kettle full of beer.
Bostonians... think that it's their God-given right to cut off someone in traffic.
Bostonians...think that there are only 25 letters in the alphabet (no R's).
Bostonians...think that three straight days of 90+ temperatures is a heat wave.
Bostonians...refer to six inches of snow as a "dusting."
Bostonians...always "bang a left" as soon as the light turns green, and oncoming traffic always expects it.
Bostonians...believe that using your turn signal is a sign of weakness.
Bostonians...think that 63-degree ocean water is warm.
Bostonians...think Rhode Island accents are annoying.
My Keyboards: Estonia L-190, Roland RD88, Yamaha P-80, Bilhorn Telescope Organ c 1880, Antique Pump Organ, 1850 concertina, 3 other digital pianos ------------------------- My original piece on BandCamp: https://frankbaxtermrpianoworld.bandcamp.com/releases
Me banging out some tunes in the Estonia piano booth at the NAMM show...
This is delightful! I'm having a great time reading your posting out loud! It's wonderful to "hear" a Boston accent again.
I'm from Connecticut and grew up in New London which is about half way between Boston and the Bronx. I have always been asked "Where ARE you from?" Even though I've been away since 1961, my accent is still strong enough to provoke that question.
My cousin calls me from Connecticut infrequently, but the minute she says "Hello, Betty, this is your Cousin Gladys" (I can't spell it the way she says it or put the yowl and inflections into it, but her voice and speech just makes me break out in a big grin!"
PianoTeacherKim should read this - as she is a new transplant to Boston (October) from Washington State. Hi, Kim!
This cracks me up every time I read it! I'm a New England transplant (originally from PA), but I've been here long enough to truly enjoy these. I still find it hysterical when people ask where I'm from, because of my "accent!" Accent??? What about YOUR accent???? LOL
-Mak
1889 Mason & Hamlin screwstringer upright Kawai MP-4 digital
--------------------------- When life hands you lemons, throw them back and add some of your own. Stupid life.
We're back in the Boston area after living for nearly 6 years in Washington state. We had been Boston transplants before that, living in the suburbs of Boston for 6 years after growing up in the midwest.
So, we weren't born here; we didn't grow up here, but we truly feel like this is our home and we hope to be growing old here! Boston, we love you!
My favorites:
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Bostonians...believe that using your turn signal is a sign of weakness.
Oh, so true. So very true.
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Route 128 is also I-95 south. It's also I-93 north.
Hehe. Driving in Boston is a whole world of confusion.
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Bostonians...refer to six inches of snow as a "dusting."
Apparently, we're in for a dusting tomorrow!
And we LUV THOSE SOX!
Thanks for a great post!!
Kim
Find some help for stage fright and share what helps you -- Stage Fright Tips. Let's learn from each other!
Originally posted by Piano World: Bostonians... think that it's their God-given right to cut off someone in traffic. Bostonians...always "bang a left" as soon as the light turns green, and oncoming traffic always expects it. Bostonians...believe that using your turn signal is a sign of weakness.
Thanks for the warning. Now I know where all the bad drivers in Florida are from.
Despite what you may hear, the Massachusetts State Bird is not the chickadee, but the driver who flaps his hand at you as he cuts you off---as if to say, "No, it's OK, it's ME."
And the rotaries (traffic circles to you non-New Englanders)! Long time ago, the person entering the rotary had the right of way. Now the person in the rotary does. The result is nobody knows WHAT to do.
If I had ever learnt, I should have been a great proficient.
I've lived in Mass most of my life. I only recently started to say my R's through self induced speech therapy.
My friend and I used to say (jokingly) we were going to "owdah a peetzer (pizza) and cut it with the peetzer cuddah".
A m*sshole is basically anyone who lives in mass that has an "attidute". Which is pretty much everyone(exept for me-i'm nice, most of the time) LOL
My friend who is originally from Japan loves the whole Boston attitude and way of life. He has a web sited called japanes m*sshole.
“The doubters said, "Man cannot fly," The doers said, "Maybe, but we'll try," And finally soared in the morning glow while non-believers watched from below.†― Bruce Lee
I've lived in CT for 60 + years and every time I go to Boston it is exactly as described in the first post. Maybe not exactly, it does get worse each and every time I return... But I love its history and the Independance Theme of Mass.
Fred Bieler
If you look deeply enough into someone's eyes you will find a place that, were you to go there, would break your heart in two.
Thanks for the Boston information. Lots of fun. I love visiting Boston and now will be better informed the next time we make it across our great country from the West Coast to the East.
Dr. J - The More You Play the Better Your Day
Dr. Jordan is a professional piano teacher and performer, offering creative online piano tutorials to adult beginners.
Frank - your post made my day. I grew up in Winchesta and miss those crazy Bostonians, even the drivers.
Thanks PianogrlNW, I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Kathy (my girlfriend) and I are driving up to New England starting this Friday night (July 6). She's orignally from West Bridgewater, and I'm from Nahant.
While Florida has it's own challenges (old people who shouldn't be driving, Canadians who think 15mph is fast enough anywhere, and tourists who don't know what is going on), there is nothing like driving in Boston.
Driving in Boston is a whole world of confusion.
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