Howdy, y'all, from Boston, MA

[El Feo]

You can probably guess, I ain't from 'round here. Born and raised in the Bluegrass State. Edumacated in SC (where I was viewed as a liberal yankee interloper), and now working and living in eastern Massachusetts with my New Englander wife(where I am eyed condescendingly as a southern neanderthalic conservative). Pity the poor, misunderstood border state boy.

Like yaff, and many others apparently, long time lurker, first time poster. The bar you guys have set is high in terms of wit and intelligent discussion. Hope I can contribute without draggin' you down.

 

[Chet]

Welcome

And no need to check your firearms at the door.

 

[lowlyplanner]

Hey Feo,

I was a transplanted southerner in Boston for a while... I loved the place, but I came to miss so many things about my native Florida - the flat, the slash pines, and the fact that people would actually smile at you when you walked past them on the street.

But I miss being in the big city sometime, especially the architecture and the food.

 

[el Guapo]

WELCOME

Welcome
Boston has always been on my list of places to visit. Someday...

Mike Gurnee is a fellow Bluegrass man if you need a fellow to commiserate with after games.

El Guapo

PS - To any other lurkers - give posting on Cyburbia a try. It's like electric crack without the eventual prostitution career to support the habit.

 

[Downtown]

El Feo - welcome to the crew. Are you fellow Clemson alum?

 

[El Feo]

KMateja - indeed, a fellow Tiger - but a graduate of the Public Administration program ('95), not CRP. My wife, however, is a "formally trained" planner from Clemson (also '95).

El Guapo, you'd love Boston, it's a great place to work and live, if you can learn to deal with the constant, pervasive and overpowering smell of P.C. Thanks for the tip on Mike Gurnee. Warning to Mike Gurnee: I'm a U of L fan, we've got Rick Pitino now, and we're comin' after ye.

Lowlyplanner - I CAN'T FIND SLOW-COOK GRITS ANYWHERE. I'm not sure what this "barbeque" they try to serve me up here really is, but it ain't barbeque, I'll tell you that. Send a care package...please...

Bturk, as a resident of the state with the most stringent firearms laws in the nation, I don't officially own any. You know what I mean.

 

[Downtown]

The great thing about practicing planning in South Carolina (I did a stint for Anderson County) is that the state APA conferences are just one big Clemson reunion. Oh, how I miss the SCAPA.

 

[mike gurnee]

Hey El F, May Rick Pitino do for the Cardinals as he did with the Celtics.

 

[El Feo]

Mike, don't get all somber on me, now - you know I'm just kidding (mostly). Besides, even though I'm a Cards fan, as long as there's an Indiana University, I'll always cheer for UK at least ONCE a year...

 

[lowlyplanner]

Feo -

Check out the old muskets hanging in the Senate chamber of the State House - and you'll see they have bright orange trigger locks (as required by Massachusetts state law).

For the grits, oddly enough, you may find a passable version at your local Brazilian specialty market (don't ask me why). I found some one time at one of those yuppie food co-ops, but I think that place has closed down since. There's also a Cracker Barrel out in Tewksbury if you get really desperate.

As for barbecue, yankees seem to have some sort of congenital misunderstanding of what barbecue is - they think that if you cooked it on a grill, it must be barbecue. I was unable to make them see the light. Sticky Fingers in Somerville has pretty decent ribs, but it's not quite the same thing.

 

[planasaurus]

Welcome El Feo. I am planning a trip to Boston this summer. I have never been there.

 

[dmvallie]

relocated yankee

Hi,
I was raised in CT and my parents took me to Boston for day trips all the time! I miss it. The subway was great and there used to be trolleys and the drivers would let the little kids announce the next station. and Quincy market and the aqarium ... I'm getting homesick. Now I'm in NC where the winters are nicer and the people are too.

 

[El Feo]

Gotta tell ya, despite pinin' for grits, hush-puppies (after describing them to a friend up here, he said "oh, sounds like little balled-up latkes), decent 'cue, benedictine sandwiches, etc., the folks up here are pretty darn nice. And after 33 humid, sweltering summers in the Ohio River valley, Upstate SC and the Carolina Lowcountry, I am MORE than ready for a few harsh winters. New England and Boston in particular have their charms, that's for sure.

P-saurus, give us a yell when you're heading up - maybe we can hoist a Sam sometime while you're up here.