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Well, yes, I agree. But, I too was among the confused when I arrived here. Mention Jazz and some people enthusiastically talk. Combine that with articles. Then Berklee, a top place for studying jazz. It is reasonable to assume you could go 'music hopping' in a compact area of the city, with jazz and perhaps other kinds of music...Brazilian...whatever. Incidentally there is a large Brazilian population locally.
I still don't understand why there is not a casual (no tickets / drop by) 'live music hub' set of streets locally. Would people not go?
Holden - you're missing the boat. I should have taken out the marketing materials bit. My real point is, most locals (born and raised type of locals) tend to think of Boston has having much more than it really does compared to other places. I can't tell you how many locals go on about the 'world class' shopping on Newbury Street. or, all the jazz music around town, or...
It's an insularity. Their descriptions are spot on, but usually only from the point of view of someone coming from a small, faraway town in New England.
I dunno. Maybe it is an insularity in the sense that Boston does have most things born-and-raised Bostonians really need. For example, I'm someone who really doesn't care at all about the one-of-a-kind shopping you're looking for. If someone asked me where to shop, I might well suggest Newbury St without even knowing there was a caveat I should be adding.
I figure that's to be expected. For example, my grandmother lived her whole life in Brooklyn and, while she appreciated Manhattan, she could go on for days about how you could get all of that right here in Brooklyn. And this was the Brooklyn of 60's, 70's, 80s. Some people (perhaps including yourself?) would not necessarily agree, but it seems pretty common for locals anywhere to think the local stuff is good enough. If their home really were lacking things they thought essential, people'd probably be looking to leave.
Also, to be fair, you're talking about a pretty small subset of the world's cities that do surpass Boston in this regard. It's not just tiny villages in New England--a whole lot of places that don't have that level of shopping or jazz.
I still don't understand why there is not a casual (no tickets / drop by) 'live music hub' set of streets locally. Would people not go?
More like the bands wouldn't pay for free...
There are places where you can find live music at several places (Allston and Central Square come to mind) but these are more geared towards rock/punk bands, not jazz. As I said before, I've never heard anyone describe Boston as a place for tons of jazz music.
Yes, Allston has some of that with local indie rock. Lots of bands will pay for free (and I am a musician), if it's a city where there are a lot of musicians gathered. Boston has that population. You get paid in food and drink. Also, there is often a small 'cover' fee at the door. It is a different thing, having assigned seats and buying tickets in advance for such-and-such performance at such-and-such hour. One way is formal, the other way is casual. Quality varies with 'drop by' type of live music, but that's part of the fun. Portland, Maine, as I remember has some of this kind of scene. I suspect a lot of it has to do with price of real estate/rents. But then again, not all of Boston is super expensive.
This insularity happens everywhere to some degree. Visit Binghamton in upstate NY and the locals there think they have everything they need - many of them literally never in their lifetimes visit NYC, which is a cheap 4 hour bus ride away. People who live in the east village in Manhattan will resist going uptown or cross-town, and don't even think about getting them into Brooklyn - if they're young maybe you can talk them into visiting a trendy bar in Williamsburg - the first brooklyn stop on the L train.
We all have to make our own judgements of places in the end. these forums are useful partly because you get to read several contradictory sides to every issue. The resulting discussions often bring out relevant and useful facts about the places being discussed.
The insularity issue is hardly unique to Boston. It's everywhere, even New York. In New York many people who are, "Lifelong New Yorkers" assume that something in New York is "great" simply because it is in New York (not always true). On the flip side, when I lived in Portland, Maine the attitude was that Portland was a "hidden gem" and has everything a "big city" does with the atmosphere of a small town (not true at all). The reality was that New York has many of the greatest amenities in the U.S. but not everything is stellar. Portland, while a great little city, hardly has everything you'd find in a large city. It is, by nature, a small city. Holden had it right when he said locals who are happy in a certain place (either because they moved there and loved it or haven't left enough) tend to think that they're city has everything they need. If they didn't, why would they live there?
I don't think Boston gets hyped up locally more than any other city in the country. In fact, I think many other cities are worse. While I don't like the term "World Class," I think that it's sort of ridiculous to assume that Boston is the only city that touts it's high-end retail chains as "world class." I've found the shopping options in Boston to be just as good (if not better) than cities like San Francisco, Dallas, Philadelphia, Seattle, etc. Each of those cities tout their shopping as "world class" when really, they just have the same chains that the other cities have. L.A., New York and Miami are probably the only cities in the country with a real abundance of boutiques unique to the city. NYC, LA and Miami are really the only cities in this country that have a significant impact on the international fashion world. Calling the shopping in any city in this country besides those three, "World Class" is just plain wrong. However, every city does it; not just Boston.
As far as Boston's "fashion" goes, I've felt that it's much more along the lines of international trends than most cities in the U.S. Generally, American styles are a bit more informal than most international ones. San Francisco is considered a major international city (it is), but many of the styles you'd see while walking around the city wouldn't fly in Paris, Madrid or the other fashion hubs of Europe. Boston's conservative styles are far more reflective of the jet-set elite you find all over the world. I do agree, though, that Boston doesn't have too many wonderful boutiques that aren't chains. One of the best ones (Louis Boston) is no longer on Newbury. Still, the "world-class" reference is generally meant to identify Newbury as the street where you find the major high-end chains that really only located in major metro areas. You wouldn't find Gucci in most small and mid-size cities (certainly not in poorer areas) and in that regard, it is "world-class." There are only a handful of cities on the planet with a staggering number of influential local designers and no, Boston isn't one of them. However, I don't know anyone who claims it is.
Personally, I think the term "world class" is way too open to interpretation to be useful. To me, there are 4 world class cities: New York, London, Paris, Tokyo. This is personal opinion formed based on their economic and cultural output. Anything beyond those cities is "sub" world class in my opinion.
As far as the perception of Boston goes, I don't think it's any different than the locals in other metro areas around the country. In fact, I think Boston is unfairly chastised for this. Being so close to New York really allows many people to see first hand on a regular basis, a city that is all that much more significant than their own. On the other hand, many people from places like Seattle, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, New Orleans, etc all feel that their cities offer more and are simply more significant than they really are. I'm always surprised at how many people around here think Boston is unique in that regard.
Now, when it comes to "branding" the city, I think nationwide stereotypes really hurt. Many people expect Boston to be one big colonial Disney World or the city they saw in The Departed, The Town, Gone Baby Gone, Mystic River, Boondock Saints, etc. They're shocked when they get here and it's an actual, functioning metropolis and every resident doesn't act like an "information" officer or part of the Irish mob. Many tourists expect to be catered to by everyone and it doesn't always happen like that. The disappointment I've seen expressed from visitors is generally with regards to how difficult it is to drive here, how expensive it is, and the perceived rudeness of the people. Even so-called "world class" cities leave visitors disappointed if those visitors expect something that just doesn't exist in reality. I was talking to a girl in San Francisco who visited NYC for the first time and expected to spend the week living out an episode of Gossip Girl. Long story short, she didn't care for it.
Could Boston be more clear about things like shopping and jazz? Absolutely! Should it? No. Advertising is just that, advertising. There's no need to elaborate on a promotional message. Every city (every single city) has misleading and highly exaggerated advertisements. If Boston took your approach it would lose potential tourists to cities that continue to exaggerate. Boston is still one of the most popular tourist destinations in the nation which means it's doing something right. Some people are going to leave unhappy, but when you get millions of tourist per year, that's to be expected. Many people live NYC, San Francisco, Chicago, Miami, etc disappointed too.
Even so-called "world class" cities leave visitors disappointed if those visitors expect something that just doesn't exist in reality. I was talking to a girl in San Francisco who visited NYC for the first time and expected to spend the week living out an episode of Gossip Girl. Long story short, she didn't care for it.
I sympathize with her. I still haven't gotten over my disappointment that my San Francisco taxi rides were nothing like Dirty Harry.
Why do some people have no sense of reality at all?
"The insularity issue is hardly unique to Boston."
I have been enjoying my time here, as a resident of the Boston area. I'm here on this board because I think there are a lot of influential people here, and, I also suspect, some local entrepreneurs stop by from time to time.
They want to grow and build upon what Boston already has, and although I am just one point of view, I like offering my points of view. My point of view, however, is addressing something life-long/born residents may or may not care about: educated, employed people from abroad, whether here for a handful of years or for a holiday/vacation. Boston has a lot of tourists. The vast majority are from the US, and of those the majority are from the Northeast US (if I remember the stats correctly). Those are the people you want to appeal to the most. So, part of our discussion is at cross-purposes. I also don't so disproportionately care about clothes... it's just a convenient example/illustration....
You may be right that fewer US cities have high-end shops like that on Newbury Street. But, many or most of those shops are European. In many European countries, you'll find those same shops in cities much smaller than Boston. What is most interesting is Boston home-grown fashion, and I think that is what many expect, rightly or wrongly. As far as local looks go, and speaking as a Londoner, the fashion in San Francisco or Los Angeles is much closer to the fashion (day to day trendy clothes) that people wear in London. Boston is conservative by comparision. It looks sort of 1950s, by what people wear. But, a smart entrepreneur could change attract people to new styles and make a lot of money. Make a 'Boston' style but one that will appeal internationally. Draw people in to homegrown things!
Boston may be a city of ideas or an academic center, but that doesn't mean it can't support other things as well. Growth isn't less, it's more.
Like Cantabridgienne never heard of Boston as a jazz hub. But, again, that really surprises me given the HUGE number of music schools here. The problem is that most students leave when they finish. There's no compelling reason to stay. A jazz-music (I use the term very broadly) 'bar-hopping' area with bars would be a great draw for people of all ages. However, it would take a lot of marketing. I'll tell you, my colleagues from here, at this point (without all that genius marketing), wouldn't go. They have kids and this and that. Well, I have kids, and this and that...so I am not getting the reasons, other than pure disinterest, which is hard for me to believe. Who doesn't like live music and a drink or two?
Boston government/commerce wants to attract and keep people. Comparing to low denominators (e.g. we're better than Houston) won't help it. Saying people from Brooklyn are insular, too, doesn't help it. Marketing to people from abroad (because that's what is done!) a small selection of overpriced European branded goods is absolutely hilarious.
I hope the Louis Boston people are reading. They should stop worshiping European things and start finding top notch local things. That will attract people like me. Local born/raised people who can afford to shop there probably travel abroad with ease, as well. Where is the attraction for them to shop at Louis Boston?
Why do I hear more young Berklee musicians playing in London than I do Boston? That is too bad.
Boston is just not taking advantage of nor building upon the resources it already has! There is huge opportunity for here for entrepreneurs, from what I can tell.
I've thought about my post today. My thought is, you guys in Boston are haemorrhaging talent in the most spectacular way. You've got to stop the bleeding.
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