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Would you consider Boston a boring city? I've been living around Boston my entire life and am still amazed by some of the basic things it lacks.
1) Lack of anything open for 24 hours. I know the Charles st CVS is open 24 hours but I don't know much else that is...
2) Lack of much ethnic cuisine. I don't believe there is an Indonesian or filipino restaurant in the area. I know that just in Queens NYC, there are plenty of them. It seems like the only food that is reputable here is the Italian food, but i have had pretty crappy Italian food at numerous locations in the south end. Korean food is also subpar compared to the locations I've been to in flushing and koreatown in NYC.
3) the shopping is pretty much limited to Newbury St and Copley/Prudential, and the choices there are limited, as there is a lack of staple clothing stores like Top Man and Uniqlo. Downtown crossing is a joke. I was just in nanjing this summer, and the shopping in the Xinjiekou section blows prudential out of the water in terms of both the quantity and quality of the stores (and the food courts in the basement were so much better than the prudential food court). There were several malls in that section all jam packed next to each other in Nanjing, each several stories tall. It was awesome.
4) abysmal karaoke scene. There are really only two karaoke studios (golden leaf and doremi) which are pitiful and expensive compared to those in Toronto or Shanghai or pretty much any other city.
5) Nightlife is also subpar, with everything ending at 2AM
6) Also the lack of anything resembling Pacific Mall near Toronto or the endless string of Asian markets and diversity in Markham, Ontario.
Obviously Boston has some pros, but aside from the touristy things, there really isn't that much to actually do in Boston. Would you agree?
I disagree overall. Your points are valid, but those issues certainly do not make BOS a boring city. I'm living in my 10th metro area now and have spend at least 3 days in another 50, so I have a good perspective to compare.
Boston is definitely not a boring city overall. Most cities in the USA are far more boring, but it depends what you're looking for. Granted, NYC blows BOS away, but Dallas doesn't. Even wild Miami while trumping BOS in the party scene, well that's kinda about it. No history. No academia. Less diverse culture.
Yeah, if public transit back from the Karaoke at 2am in an Indonesian restaurant defines boring, BOS may not be for you. But Boston has Algonquins, Pilgrims, Puritans, Salem Witches, Revolutionaries, Scientists, Inventors, Abolitionists, Harvard, MIT, the Boston Bean Eaters, Blackstone, Brahmins, 200 year old pubs, the Waterfront, Hampton Beach, Castle Island, the USS Constitution, the MFA, the Charles River Esplanade, Hampton Beach, World Class Music Schools, Cape Cod, The North End, The South End, Boston Common, Quincy Market, The Combat Zone, the King's Chapel, The Theater District, The Public Garden, Newbury St and about 100,000 hotties there shopping any given day.
And if that's not enough, you can leave for Manhattan every hour on the hour for as cheap a dollar.
So, uh, what more do you want? Someone to sing and dance for you? OK, we can do that too!
Would you consider Boston a boring city? I've been living around Boston my entire life and am still amazed by some of the basic things it lacks.
1) Lack of anything open for 24 hours. I know the Charles st CVS is open 24 hours but I don't know much else that is...
2) Lack of much ethnic cuisine. I don't believe there is an Indonesian or filipino restaurant in the area. I know that just in Queens NYC, there are plenty of them. It seems like the only food that is reputable here is the Italian food, but i have had pretty crappy Italian food at numerous locations in the south end. Korean food is also subpar compared to the locations I've been to in flushing and koreatown in NYC.
3) the shopping is pretty much limited to Newbury St and Copley/Prudential, and the choices there are limited, as there is a lack of staple clothing stores like Top Man and Uniqlo. Downtown crossing is a joke. I was just in nanjing this summer, and the shopping in the Xinjiekou section blows prudential out of the water in terms of both the quantity and quality of the stores (and the food courts in the basement were so much better than the prudential food court). There were several malls in that section all jam packed next to each other in Nanjing, each several stories tall. It was awesome.
4) abysmal karaoke scene. There are really only two karaoke studios (golden leaf and doremi) which are pitiful and expensive compared to those in Toronto or Shanghai or pretty much any other city.
5) Nightlife is also subpar, with everything ending at 2AM
6) Also the lack of anything resembling Pacific Mall near Toronto or the endless string of Asian markets and diversity in Markham, Ontario.
Obviously Boston has some pros, but aside from the touristy things, there really isn't that much to actually do in Boston. Would you agree?
Would you consider Boston a boring city? I've been living around Boston my entire life and am still amazed by some of the basic things it lacks.
1) Lack of anything open for 24 hours. I know the Charles st CVS is open 24 hours but I don't know much else that is...
2) Lack of much ethnic cuisine. I don't believe there is an Indonesian or filipino restaurant in the area. I know that just in Queens NYC, there are plenty of them. It seems like the only food that is reputable here is the Italian food, but i have had pretty crappy Italian food at numerous locations in the south end. Korean food is also subpar compared to the locations I've been to in flushing and koreatown in NYC.
3) the shopping is pretty much limited to Newbury St and Copley/Prudential, and the choices there are limited, as there is a lack of staple clothing stores like Top Man and Uniqlo. Downtown crossing is a joke. I was just in nanjing this summer, and the shopping in the Xinjiekou section blows prudential out of the water in terms of both the quantity and quality of the stores (and the food courts in the basement were so much better than the prudential food court). There were several malls in that section all jam packed next to each other in Nanjing, each several stories tall. It was awesome.
4) abysmal karaoke scene. There are really only two karaoke studios (golden leaf and doremi) which are pitiful and expensive compared to those in Toronto or Shanghai or pretty much any other city.
5) Nightlife is also subpar, with everything ending at 2AM
6) Also the lack of anything resembling Pacific Mall near Toronto or the endless string of Asian markets and diversity in Markham, Ontario.
Obviously Boston has some pros, but aside from the touristy things, there really isn't that much to actually do in Boston. Would you agree?
Aside from NYC, Miami, New Orleans and Las Vegas, most American cities are not going hard beyond 2-3 am. Most cities have last call at 2 am like Boston. I do agree that food options for late night are lacking in Boston.
Aside from that, I have to disagree with your comments. Boston is a fine shopping city. Between the Pru, Copley Mall, Newbury Street and the rest of the Back Bay and Downtown Crossing, few cities can match the amount and variety of shops Boston has. Boston also features a wide array of premium/top tier shops that only NYC, LA, Miami and maybe Chicago can top.
Karaoke in general is not that popular in America.
You also cannot compare Boston to NYC in terms of ethnic cuisine. NYC is a massive city and a lot bigger than Boston. So of course NYC is going to have a lot more and a wider array of ethnic cuisine. Boston does offer a good amount and a good mix of offerings.
Would you consider Boston a boring city? I've been living around Boston my entire life and am still amazed by some of the basic things it lacks.
1) Lack of anything open for 24 hours. I know the Charles st CVS is open 24 hours but I don't know much else that is...
2) Lack of much ethnic cuisine. I don't believe there is an Indonesian or filipino restaurant in the area. I know that just in Queens NYC, there are plenty of them. It seems like the only food that is reputable here is the Italian food, but i have had pretty crappy Italian food at numerous locations in the south end. Korean food is also subpar compared to the locations I've been to in flushing and koreatown in NYC.
3) the shopping is pretty much limited to Newbury St and Copley/Prudential, and the choices there are limited, as there is a lack of staple clothing stores like Top Man and Uniqlo. Downtown crossing is a joke. I was just in nanjing this summer, and the shopping in the Xinjiekou section blows prudential out of the water in terms of both the quantity and quality of the stores (and the food courts in the basement were so much better than the prudential food court). There were several malls in that section all jam packed next to each other in Nanjing, each several stories tall. It was awesome.
4) abysmal karaoke scene. There are really only two karaoke studios (golden leaf and doremi) which are pitiful and expensive compared to those in Toronto or Shanghai or pretty much any other city.
5) Nightlife is also subpar, with everything ending at 2AM
6) Also the lack of anything resembling Pacific Mall near Toronto or the endless string of Asian markets and diversity in Markham, Ontario.
Obviously Boston has some pros, but aside from the touristy things, there really isn't that much to actually do in Boston. Would you agree?
Well, the first issue I see with your post is that you keep comparing Boston to all these larger cities. Boston is NOT NYC. Boston is NOT Toronto. Boston is NOT Shanghai. The second you stop comparing Boston to the largest, most bustling cities in America, Canada, and SE Asia, the happier you'll be. Now, to address your points:
1) Boston is not a 24/7 city. Few cities are 24/7. I do wish Boston had more options for late, late night dining and shopping, but it is what it is for now. If you want to pick up pizza at 3am, go to NYC. This is only really an issue if you have an irregular work schedule.
2) Lack of ethnic cuisine? Seriously? Just because Boston doesn't have as much Filipino or Indonesian food as NYC does NOT mean that it is lacking in ethnic food. Boston has one of the largest populations of people from the Caribbean on the East Coast (only NYC and Miami tops it). There's no shortage of West Indies cuisine (Boston has more Haitian cuisine restaurants than Chicago, that's for sure). Boston has one of the highest, if not THE HIGHEST populations of Brazilians outside of Brazil and a very large population of Portuguese and Cape Verdeans. Boston is filled with Africans, Vietnamese, and people from across the globe. Please don't tell me that Boston lacks in ethnic food .
Also, the South End isn't known for Italian cuisine. Wrong part of town, dear.
3) Why are you limiting yourself to a minor section of Boston for shopping? I never shopped on Newbury St. or in the Prudential and never found myself lacking for shopping. JP has a lot of nice stores. Ditto Brookline (a 'burb practically surrounded by Boston), Cambridge (Cambridgeside Galleria), and the other neighborhoods in the city. Branch out to the greater Boston area and you have the Natick Mall, South Shore Plaza, and more.
Never heard to Top Man or Uniqlo, even here in Chicago. Once again, you can't compare Boston to all these other cities, especially to cities in Asia. Boston is a city known for not having many major chains and has tons of smaller boutiques and local shops. You actually have to branch out away from the core downtown area to find good stuff (same could be said for countless cities, including Chicago).
4) Karaoke? You say Boston is boring because it doesn't have has good of a karaoke scene? ONCE AGAIN, stop comparing Boston to other, larger cities. Second, since karaoke originates from Asia and is more popular there, it stands to reason that cities with large Asian populations like Shanghai and Toronto will have more karaoke bars to cater to them. Off the top of my head, I can think of 3 dedicated karaoke bars in Chicago (not counting bars and pubs that host karaoke nights once a week) and those are typically filled with drunk college students. Two in Boston is plenty.
5) ONCE AGAIN, Boston is not the city that never sleeps. Yes, last call in Boston is earlier than last call in NYC. But guess what? Last call in L.A. is also 2am, minus a very few select spots. Most places in Chicago close at 2am, again, with some exceptions of places that close around 4-5am. If you want a 24/7 party town, go to NYC.
6) I will reiterate again that Boston is not Toronto. If Boston has fewer Asian markets than Toronto, it's because Toronto has FAR more Asians living there. Boston's population is about 9% Asian (don't think that includes the GBA like Cambridge); Toronto's Chinese population alone is over 9%, never mind all the other Asian ethnicties (collectively, Toronto is over 25% Asian).
Boston is not boring. Boston has countless of things to do if you open up your eyes and stop looking for NYC, Toronto, Shanghai, and Nanjing around every corner. Many people love and enjoy Boston and don't care if everything is not open 24/7 or the karaoke scene is lackluster compared to Asia. Boston is an older, smaller city than many of the place you keep comparing it to and so isn't going to have mega malls on every block. It's not a party city with never ending raves like NYC, Miami, or Vegas. If you're Asian and are looking for more Asian-centric shopping, cuisine, and lifestyle, then I would suggest not even bothering with the East Coast outside of NYC and go straight to the West Coast (especially Seattle), Toronto, or Vancouver where the Asian population is higher.
If you're in Boston for a specific reason for a while, I suggest that you approach Boston with a completely open mind, drop all comparisons to other cities, and enjoy Boston for what it is. Explore the history and realize that Boston played a MASSIVE role to the founding and establishment of our country. Visit the museums. Enjoy the variety of cuisines-seafood, New England specialties, West Indies, Italian, Brazilian, African, etc. Explore the harbor islands, coastlines, lakes, parks, and natural beauty of the city and surrounding area. There re things in Boston that can't be found anywhere else in this country or even the world if you're willing to look for and enjoy them.
Many restaurants in Chinatown are open until 1am and 2am. Moon Villa and New Golden Gate are open until 4am daily.
The South Street Diner is open from 5pm-5am daily.
I find Boston plenty interesting. Great museums and the MIT campus is hang out at. Decent antiquing and good thrift and consignment shops. Good bars and yummy restaurants to go to. The harbor offers many boat tour options. There's the harbor islands to visit. And there's canoeing, kayaking and sailing on the Charles River. And Boston is a short drive to other interesting places like the Cape, Plum Island, Providence and Newport, RI and VT, ME, CT and NH. We have a coastline and mountains.
And I have friends that will drive to Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods for a night of gambling. With a comp card, they usually get free hotel stays and free restaurant food.
And does Boston really need to be a 24/7 open city? I don't think so. We're a small city and a hardworking group of people so we need our sleep. And even the students need to sleep too, if they want to do well with their academics. Boston isn't a party town, and I prefer it that way. If I want to party all night, I can visit NYC or South Beach. But when I go to sleep at night, I like that it's quiet outside.
good points sobe. Also even if bars were open until 5am...no one would stay out that late because anyone who drove would be freaked out about finding an open street parking spot when they get home at 5am!
At times I feel like Boston is a boring city compared to Miami and Fort Lauderdale. It really isn't. There is a lot, you just have to scratch beneath the surface of frat-boy bars to find the decent stuff. Also finances can come into play. 1/3 of the residents of Boston are students and I as one of them have had to turn down going out or not go out to a certain place because of my budget. As a bartender I never had this problem in Miami because for some reason everything I did was free! That may be a bartender thing though.
good points sobe. Also even if bars were open until 5am...no one would stay out that late because anyone who drove would be freaked out about finding an open street parking spot when they get home at 5am!
At times I feel like Boston is a boring city compared to Miami and Fort Lauderdale. It really isn't. There is a lot, you just have to scratch beneath the surface of frat-boy bars to find the decent stuff. Also finances can come into play. 1/3 of the residents of Boston are students and I as one of them have had to turn down going out or not go out to a certain place because of my budget. As a bartender I never had this problem in Miami because for some reason everything I did was free! That may be a bartender thing though.
If you're bored and need some free entertainment, just go pull up a chair on Boylston St anywhere between Tremont and Copley after the bars let out at 2am. Watching the drunks stumble home is just riotous.
For what it's worth, I got the same impression of Boston as the OP after visiting it. I basically got the impression of a small-ish, somewhat parochial town.
The first thing I noticed was that there weren't a lot of businesses. Even in the central part of the city the number of stores and restaurants was much less than what we have in Washington DC for example. The variety just isn't there.
People don't seem to dress very well, they're very casual (shorts + flipflops), Boston seems to be a casual town... which probably explains the weak nightlife culture.
Nothing wrong with these issues, I'm sure a lot of people in Boston like it that way, but a bustling cosmopolitan city it is not.
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