We limit our study to the fun/superficial/delicious, and ignore discussion of moral attitudes, historical analysis, and other long words.
In the last week, we set out to enjoy a few New England-y things.
First up: Parade. Living on Boylston St. we see a lot of parades. In New England, there is the ubiquitous fourth of July parades, but there are parades every other saturday as well. Every cultural group gets a parade down Boyslton. Last weekend, it was Greece.
If you have ever been Greek, like blue and white, or have an awesome costume, you must parade. We like our gyros, so we joined the festivities. (If our street is blocked by police, then there must be gyros, beer or pizza involved)
Georgie doesn't like parades. They are loud, she sees stomping feet, and interrupt her walk.
Second, related activity: New Englanders are ALL ABOUT spring. Understandably. But it is amazing how quickly they come out of the woodwork dressed in bathing suits to sit on the grass in the Boston Common in 50 degree weather. If the swan boats are running, then there are teenagers in bathings suits and no child owns a pair of shoes. Note how Eric is wearing a FLEECE in the next picture. Trust me that on the ground next to this tree are 10 teenagers in sundresses.
I love the cherry trees in the Gardens.
Activity #3: Doubleparking.
OK, living next to Chinatown does make us biased as Chinatown is the capital of double parked cars. But we have to double park once a week in order to get groceries to our apartment or pack boxes. We are excavating our apartment in anticipation of Tex and got a ticket while actively carrying boxes to our car from the door of our apartment building. And we had just moved the car out of double parking into a tow zone. Ah, Boston. We dream of the day we can park in front of our residence legally in order to unload groceries.
To lighten Eric's mood post-ticket, we went hiking. Which isn't exactly a New England thing to do (ask me about MA campgrounds later with their prohibition of dogs AND beer and approbation of ZERO funtimes). I think I look a bit preggers. Although I convinced a 5 year old in clinic that I just ate a lot of pancakes.
Activity #4: ICE CREAM.
What makes NE so blarney about ice cream? OK, yeah, in TX we have Braun's and the usual chains. But if you are a New Englander, every single saturday or sunday involves a drive to ice cream stands ubiquitous along the countryside. And you have to wait in line for an hour, and then you have to eat a giant serving of ice cream. Since I'd eaten bacon and pancakes for breakfast, I thought a lunch of ice cream was par for the course. (Eric supplemented with a hot dog)
Its vitally important which ice cream stand you frequent. Any true Bostonian I know can tell you their favorite vendor and then the ice cream maker close by for frozen-treat-emergencies. BTW, no one has even heard of Blue Bell, so don't ask or make comparisons. They tend to get defensive. This was the SHORT line:
Delicious!
Before we leave, we will partake of our favorite raw oysters downtown (post-preggers of course), eat some "lobstah rolls," maybe hit up a Red Sox game.
Things we will not do: experience the winter again (not necessary), and travel to the Cape (because, Lord Almighty, I DO NOT understand the draw- trafficky smelly private beachy with 90% of the population of MA on any given Saturday)
Our urban home!
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