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Boston, MA
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Anonymous
| We just moved here FROM Boston and this is making me sad! I miss Boston soooooo much - it is a much more pedestrian friendly city and Newbury Street shopping and cafes can't be beat! BOO HOO - now I am homesick. |
Anonymous
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We moved here from Boston about a year ago. Boston is a better city all around (except for weather). I miss it terribly and find that most of what the other posters have said is quite true (burbs are a lot nicer, more options as far as housing- here it seems to be Bethesda or nothing..., very pedestrian friendly, gorgeous, nice people, not such a big deal to go to private school, historic, etc.. etc..). One more point - the people in New England are a whole lot less showy and competitive regarding materialistic things. My husband and I always say that if you are a "celebrity" in Boston you want a small table at the back of the restaurant... but here... you want to sit in the front with champagne and caviar even if you're not a "celebrity." In other words New England / Boston is a lot more "real" and down to earth. I think that is one of the things I miss the most. Enjoy and good luck! |
Anonymous
Totally agree with you, especially your second paragraph. I am the poster who grew up in NH and although I pretty much wanted to get out after high school, I now miss it terribly. We get the Red Sox package down here so we can watch all the games, so I do have a little taste of "home", but nothing is like being a Sox fan up in NE. |
Anonymous
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I lived in Boston for 3 years while in grad school as well and HATED it. But to each their own. I disliked it b/c of the miserable weather, crazy sports fans (please - let's talk about something else), more expensive homes for less space/not as nice, and I have to agree with the second poster - Bostoners are not a particularly friendly bunch.
I think it is a great college town. Fun place to go to school there, but I really couldn't ever see myself settling down there. There are some cute neighborhoods outside of the actual city, which is really small, though. Beacon Hill and Back Bay are very nice, but TINY apartments and VERY VERY expensive. And DO NOT bring your car there if you are moving into the city. Trust me on this one. |
Anonymous
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Bethesda or nothing? PP you need to maybe get yourself a map of the DC area b/c there are a LOT of great burbs in DC not to mention DC itself.
to name just a few... Alexandria (Old Town, Del Ray), Georgetown, AU, Woodley Park, Arlington, Annandale, Fairfax City, Clarendon, Ballston, Vienna... I'm not mentioning MD burbs b/c I don't know them as well, but there are a bunch there too. Honestly, I'm the PP and lived in Boston for 3 years and lived in western MA another 4 years. I don't think Boston has more or better burbs. You just aren't as familiar with them... |
Anonymous
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I grew up in this area but my parents were both raised in Dorchester, MA. I went to graduate school in Boston, met my husband there and miss it terribly! We relocated here to take a job on Capitol Hill (retch!). I agree with the poster above who said Boston is less materialistic and more "real." I brighten up everytime I see a random talking head on MSNBC with the gorgeous new bridge behind him. There's just no comparison for me. You can't beat Boston.
I love Cambridge, the North End, the characters on the T, downtown crossing, the Burren in Somerville, Faneuil Hall in the summertime, the Cape, the Red Sox...I miss feeling safe at all hours of the night. Despite the reputation, I find the people to be friendly, helpful, charming even. There are great suburbs to live in -- admittedly its expensive. I'd go back in a heartbeat if we weren't tethered here. |
Anonymous
| Oh...this thread reminded me of the four wonderful years I studied in Cambridge. My school (MIT) was on the river, and there was never a better feeling than jogging across the river to Beacon Hill, Quincy Market, etc. As a city, Boston has a more European feel to it (perhaps because it is older and more walkable than DC). |
Anonymous
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In response to poster 16:33
When I said "Bethesda or nothing.." I was specifically referring to Maryland and wanting to be close to the city. I wasn't clear. Yes, here there are GREAT city 'burb neighborhoods (like you mentioned, and we currently live in AU Park). In Boston you have Brookline, Newton, Belmont, Winchester, Cambridge, Milton, Weston, Wellsely, Lexington, Concord... plus what's north and south. Since we want to be in MD - what else would you suggest. Please, I'm all ears. |
Anonymous
| I lived in Boston for several years and agree that it is a great city with beautiful architecture, great city neighborhoods and very pedestrian friendly. But, I disagree that Boston so much more to offer families or that the people are friendlier. If you don't know people already, good luck making close friends in Boston and good luck finding anywhere near the variety of free educational resources for kids that DC has to offer. I am glad to be raising my kids in DC rather than Boston, although I wouldn't mind moving to the Back Bay again someday when they're older. |
Anonymous
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I lived in Boston for 5 years (college and a year after), then later for 3 years when I was working as a professional. Honestly, it was a fun college town, but I didn't like it so much as an "adult." I thought it was very provincial professionally. I didn't find the people to be very friendly -- it seemed you were from there (and fit in) or you weren't. Don't even get me started on the annoying sports fans!
DC is way more "international" and diverse. I find DC people much more interesting to talk to. I can't say much about the 'burbs because we lived int eh city, although I had a job that took me out to a lot of the burbs and we had friends that lived in the burbs. Some of them were very nice, but I couldn't say how it is to live in them. I didn't hate it and I'd go back if I had to, but I prefer DC. |
Anonymous
What about Silver Spring? There are lots of great neighborhoods here.
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Anonymous
| This thread is making me miss Boston so much. I lived there for nearly 5 years before coming to DC. I fell in love with Boston immediately and have been trying/learning to love DC for 5 years now... The people aren't unfriendly in Boston. The street signage/driving is a little more crazy than here, yet somehow I never got into an accident there, whereas I've been hit by two red-light-running jerks here and nearly hit by a third. I too wish I were still living there! (No offense to DC, which like I said, I'm learning to love...) |
Anonymous
Silver Spring, Takoma Park, Potomac, Kensington... get out a map, my friend! I too love Boston, but if you really think that to be in MD and close to the city it's "Bethesda or nothing," maybe you're not exploring your new environs enough. |
Anonymous
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Let's get something straight. There is NO - repeat, NO comparison between Boston and D.C. The people can NOT drive here (if a Bostonian tells you some one can not drive, it is real - not perceived).
The people are MUCH happier in Boston, let's face it! It is not something one can learn by relocating there. It comes with actually being born and raised there. I can detect a Bostonian a mile away, it seems (while abroad or within the States). Of all my New England friends who have come here for a job, they have all gone back to New England to become high ranking lawyers, professors, doctors...... If one has actual choices, along with money and actual experience and actual education (fakes, posers, new money and wanna be's need not apply) - THERE IS NO COMPARISON. I've met people here who can not even name the New England states without Googling them first - LOL! |
Anonymous
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In addition, it is only fair to warn you... The Boston area differs in every way, but here are some more that are well known:
It is competitive, they do not hand out A's in class, nor do they put any one who whines into G&T. They don't even have G&T. They have IB instead (look it up). Stricter international guidelines, no appeal process. Also, they are not nosy. If you are nosy, you will have a difficult time making friends. Nosy is seen as "raised without parents", so to speak. Much of what pertains to the South seems reverse in New England. |