What is a long drive or walk to a Bostonian?
May 9th, 2005, 07:42 AM
#21
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Bennie,
That is funny about directions. We walked all over for hours asking anyone & everyone if they knew were Acorn St. was. I had read about it on every website I searched for things to do/see if Boston as the most charming cobblestone street you just have to see, most photographed or something like that. Well, no one in Boston knew where it was. We'd almost given up & just happened to find it. And this is WITH a map and 2 of 3 who are very capable of reading (and understanding) maps!
Turned out to be a beautiful street that would have made wonderful photographs had it not been for a car parked with flashers for the 1/2 hour we stuck around waiting for them to move.
So, I bought the postcard instead!
That is funny about directions. We walked all over for hours asking anyone & everyone if they knew were Acorn St. was. I had read about it on every website I searched for things to do/see if Boston as the most charming cobblestone street you just have to see, most photographed or something like that. Well, no one in Boston knew where it was. We'd almost given up & just happened to find it. And this is WITH a map and 2 of 3 who are very capable of reading (and understanding) maps!
Turned out to be a beautiful street that would have made wonderful photographs had it not been for a car parked with flashers for the 1/2 hour we stuck around waiting for them to move.
So, I bought the postcard instead!
May 9th, 2005, 08:26 AM
#22
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Of course you know--or will soon find out--300 miles is not always 300 miles. It is a mere 200 miles from Boston to NYC and as someone who has been in a car driving those 200 miles as well as the same distance in NM--well it is apples and orages, as the saying goes. Re: the walk to TJ's, in nice weather, it would be fine--with a stroller, packages and kids, another story altogether!! Walk there and take a taxi back would be my advice. Do *not* try to drive there....not easy even for the locals!!
May 9th, 2005, 08:44 AM
#23
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Bennie--my favorite question is when someone asks, "now will I be going north on such and such a street?" When you are in Boston and Cambridge, it is as if the points of the compass disappear--or at least become rather irrelevant!! It is hard to explain, esp to Midwesterners!! And no offense meant to said Midwesterners, as I used to be one in a former life!!
May 9th, 2005, 09:44 AM
#24
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North,South, East or West - none of these compass points mean anything. East Boston is north of Boston, the South Shore includes every town from Milton (not on the shore but the Neponset River) to Taunton which is 20 miles from the ocean to Plymouth which lo and behold actually is on the ocean. Same thing on the North Shore - Billerica is north of Boston but 20 miles from the water.
We are more likely to say " Go up Rt 1 toward the Hilltop" if you are heading north on Rt 1 or "Go down Rt 1 toward the Hilltop" if we are headed south.
neworleanslady - I have never heard of Acorn St. but I do know exactly which street is the narrow, attractive one featured in all the postcards. To get there just take a left at the Dunkin Donuts, go past the CVS and take a left. ;-)
We are more likely to say " Go up Rt 1 toward the Hilltop" if you are heading north on Rt 1 or "Go down Rt 1 toward the Hilltop" if we are headed south.
neworleanslady - I have never heard of Acorn St. but I do know exactly which street is the narrow, attractive one featured in all the postcards. To get there just take a left at the Dunkin Donuts, go past the CVS and take a left. ;-)
May 9th, 2005, 10:23 AM
#26
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I just might have found it with those directions... =D>
I never ask North/South directions because anyone who has been to New Orleans now knows the "Westbank" is only WEST of Mississippi! The STATE - not the RIVER!
I never ask North/South directions because anyone who has been to New Orleans now knows the "Westbank" is only WEST of Mississippi! The STATE - not the RIVER!
May 9th, 2005, 10:28 AM
#27
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just a funny story, about giving directions in Boston...
There were 6 of us, all locals, walking on the sidewalk near Fenway after a game...lots of cars, people, noise, and what have you. A woman, in a station wagon full of kids, rolled down her window and asked "Can you help me, I'm lost". "Sure, we'll try. Where are you headed?" "Cape Cod." she replied.
I'm ashamed to admit it, but we just laughed. I mean we wanted to help her, really we did. But she was pointed the wrong way, it was incredibly crowded, and frankly directing someone to the Mass Pike from Fenway is really, really difficult (well, you turn around, go down this street...starts with a "B", I can't remember...brookline, boylston beacon one of those... bear left, follow the cars, go across the river into Cambridge, turn left to come back, get on the Pike...try not to miss the sign, its underneath a tree branch).
I think she got offended. We would have let her follow us, but we still had to walk 2 miles to pick up our car in Brookline.
There were 6 of us, all locals, walking on the sidewalk near Fenway after a game...lots of cars, people, noise, and what have you. A woman, in a station wagon full of kids, rolled down her window and asked "Can you help me, I'm lost". "Sure, we'll try. Where are you headed?" "Cape Cod." she replied.
I'm ashamed to admit it, but we just laughed. I mean we wanted to help her, really we did. But she was pointed the wrong way, it was incredibly crowded, and frankly directing someone to the Mass Pike from Fenway is really, really difficult (well, you turn around, go down this street...starts with a "B", I can't remember...brookline, boylston beacon one of those... bear left, follow the cars, go across the river into Cambridge, turn left to come back, get on the Pike...try not to miss the sign, its underneath a tree branch).
I think she got offended. We would have let her follow us, but we still had to walk 2 miles to pick up our car in Brookline.
May 9th, 2005, 02:21 PM
#30
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Isn't Dunkin Donuts great? It's always been Dunkin Donuts. Only problems is there are so many of them:
"Turn right at the 3rd Dunkin Donuts you see. Then turn left at the 2nd DD after that initial turn. Make sure you count every single one of them!"
"Turn right at the 3rd Dunkin Donuts you see. Then turn left at the 2nd DD after that initial turn. Make sure you count every single one of them!"
May 9th, 2005, 03:47 PM
#31
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Better yet, "You know where Dunkin' Donuts used to be? Well, you want to take a right just before there..."
Nothing is funnier than traveling due north on Route 6 on Cape Cod, where the signs are posted "Route 6 South" (and vice versa going the other way).
Best, though, are the signs on "Route 128": I-93 North, I-95 South, one above the other.
Nothing is funnier than traveling due north on Route 6 on Cape Cod, where the signs are posted "Route 6 South" (and vice versa going the other way).
Best, though, are the signs on "Route 128": I-93 North, I-95 South, one above the other.
May 10th, 2005, 03:27 PM
#34
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For staples like milk and diapers, there's no need to find a supermarket -- there's a CVS on every block that will have those basics. No problem at all. If the kids have a favorite cereal, bring a box of it.
Jul 16th, 2005, 09:15 AM
#35
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One thing I have noticed about my friends in the mid-west; is that they think nothing of hopping in the car to drive from vail, co to chicago and then on to wisconsin. To me; having lived in Boston, if it were longer than 2.5 hours; i would fly. My tolerance for long drives got mished by the traffic. I hope you had a great trip; small children in the city can be a hassle; when i had my place downtown; my sister in law would come down from maine and we would go to the childrens museum; and then get to go back to my place and chill out with their twins and their little brother. it was all doable as we had a retreat to go back to . just don't try and plan too much in the city with the kids... trying to get my screaming head strong nephew off the t was an event... he woudl have been thrilled to ride on that thing the entire day! 
Sep 3rd, 2005, 04:23 PM
#40
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Boston is a walkable city...PERIOD.. I defy you to drive our "cowpath" streets almost anytime of the day or night.. One day my sister who lived in Atlanta and was staying in Copley Square commented on the heavy traffic after Midnight in Boston. I can drive to Rhode island in about an hour, Maine and New Hampshire in about an hour depending where.. When we were dating many moons ago you used to go to "Rhode Island for a cup of coffee or a pizza" Three to four hours will take us to NYC. Go ahead...try driving in Boston...I DARE YOU!! Just make sure you bring a stroller for your little ones..
