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I always thought Boston was overrated just because the vibe there is overly serious. Like it takes itself too seriously. The nightlife isn't that good, the sports scene is overrated (looking at you TD Garden attendance figures), the food is okay, and the weather is pretty miserable.
You're paying New York and San Francisco prices for that?
I agree with Guineas how it's often very over-romanticized by outsiders for some reason, like the "fall in Boston" stuff. As if fall doesn't happen in New York or Philadelphia or something.
Boston is mostly tripledeckers and single family homes. Somerville and Cambridge are some of the most bland middle American neighborhoods from a visual aesthetic. Brookline has more appealing architecture than both. But like BostonBornMassMade has said repeatedly in the past, people always wanna add places like that to Boston's city limits but not eyesores like Everett, Revere, Lynn, Malden, Melrose, etc.
I forgot to mention it's racist history. Boston altogether is just a very exclusive and unfriendly place to visitors.
Honestly, it would be a lot nicer if it weren't for the people. I think that's probably half of it for me. The arrogance factor. For whatever reason. Your elite universities are housed by a lot of non-natives and foreigners, not locals. It's not as if native Bostonians are born and wake up with an IQ of 200.
Funnily enough, an old friend of mine met a guy from Southie, married him, had a kid and moved there. He's a huge Trump supporter. Lol.
The one thing I like most about Boston is the history, but that's a characteristic that it shares with Philadelphia. So it's not as if it's just a Boston thing.
I always thought Boston was overrated just because the vibe there is overly serious. Like it takes itself too seriously.
Whaaaat? I’ve yet to find someone from elsewhere in the country with the same affinity for sarcasm!
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The nightlife isn't that good, the sports scene is overrated (looking at you TD Garden attendance figures), the food is okay, and the weather is pretty miserable.
Nightlife and sports? True. Food and weather? Nah.
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You're paying New York and San Francisco prices for that?
IKR!? It’s ABSURD! It’s the result, I’d reckon, of rampant NIMBYism and a legacy of hardcore redlining..
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As if fall doesn't happen in New York or Philadelphia or something.
It’s definitely better in New England (and the Adirondacks by extension). Quebec can give us a run for our money, though.
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Originally Posted by VericoGel
eyesores like Everett, Revere, Lynn, Malden, Melrose, etc.
With the exception of Lynn, these cities are absolutely not “eyesores”. Course (to reference your other points), a lot of those cities are gentrifying far too quickly. They could benefit from being more eyesore-y.
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I forgot to mention it's racist history. Boston altogether is just a very exclusive and unfriendly place to visitors.
Least we haven’t had anyone die during an arrest. 10-15 years ago, I’d have considered that an absurdly low bar.
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For whatever reason. Your elite universities are housed by a lot of non-natives and foreigners, not locals. It's not as if native Bostonians are born and wake up with an IQ of 200.
I do personally know a lot of very smart Bostonians.
Last edited by Boston Shudra; 07-07-2020 at 07:09 PM..
Boston is mostly tripledeckers and single family homes. Somerville and Cambridge are some of the most bland middle American neighborhoods from a visual aesthetic. Brookline has more appealing architecture than both. But like BostonBornMassMade has said repeatedly in the past, people always wanna add places like that to Boston's city limits but not eyesores like Everett, Revere, Lynn, Malden, Melrose, etc.
I think others have responded to some of your comments, but this one in bold especially irks me.
Have you ever actually visited these two cities? Have you ever strolled through Cambridgeport, East Cambridge or any of the other neat little neighborhoods that give the city a lot of character? Somerville isn't quite as nice, but we can't deny that it has its own unique character.
By saying they "are some of the most bland middle American neighborhoods by aesthetic", what are you comparing them to? Gated communities in the South? Sprawl in LA or Phoenix? Cookie-cutter suburbs in the Midwest?
And the fact that you called any of those other cities I've put in bold "eye-sores" makes me think you've never even been to Boston. Lynn might be the roughest of the bunch, but still has many great areas. Malden, Revere and Everett aren't perfect, but perfetly livable places. And Melrose? C'mon now. That's just crazy talk.
Last edited by bolehboleh; 07-07-2020 at 07:59 PM..
I think others have responded to some of your comments, but this one in bold especially irks me.
Have you ever actually visited these two cities? Have you ever strolled through Cambridgeport, East Cambridge or any of the other neat little neighborhoods that give the city a lot of character? Somerville isn't quite as nice, but we can't deny that it has its own unique character.
By saying they "are some of the most bland middle American neighborhoods by aesthetic", what are you comparing them to? Gated communities in the South? Sprawl in LA or Phoenix? Cookie-cutter suburbs in the Midwest?
And the fact that you called any of those other cities I've put in bold "eye-sores" makes me think you've never even been to Boston. Lynn might be the roughest of the bunch, but still has many great areas. Malden, Revere and Everett aren't perfect, but perfetly livable places. And Melrose? C'mon now. That's just crazy talk.
Agreed. I'm not going to come rushing to Boston's defense each time someone calls it overrated. I love it, but I can also certainly understand why people feel that way about it.
However, this particularly commentary about Cambridge in Somerville is wrong. And it's beyond "difference of opinion," it's obvious lack of familiarity. Cambridge is the antithesis of "bland, middle-American neighborhoods from a visual aesthetic." Cambridge's neighborhoods are largely charming, unique, and full of handsome older buildings and charming, vibrant neighborhood centers. I agree that Somerville isn't as aesthetically attractive as Cambridge. I live in a neighborhood full of the standard Boston Three-Deckers (I live in one of them). I don't have a ton of love for the style (though I don't hate it), but it's certainly not "bland, middle-American." In fact, I think a lot of three-decker neighborhoods have their own unique charm - most are old and tree lined, and in good neighborhoods (most of Somerville), they're generally in good repair with decent outdoor space, etc. And like Cambridge, Somerville as also pocketed with unique neighborhood centers and squares that are aesthetically pleasing and full of life.
I'm not going to rush to defend Everett, Malden, or even Revere which are just "fine" in their best spots (livable, but not beautiful by any stretch), but Melrose is absolutely charming (and desirable), and while much of Lynn is ranges from "yuck" to "meh," the Diamond District is very, very attractive with it's grand old homes and oceanfront setting.
Agreed. I'm not going to come rushing to Boston's defense each time someone calls it overrated. I love it, but I can also certainly understand why people feel that way about it.
However, this particularly commentary about Cambridge in Somerville is wrong. And it's beyond "difference of opinion," it's obvious lack of familiarity. Cambridge is the antithesis of "bland, middle-American neighborhoods from a visual aesthetic." Cambridge's neighborhoods are largely charming, unique, and full of handsome older buildings and charming, vibrant neighborhood centers. I agree that Somerville isn't as aesthetically attractive as Cambridge. I live in a neighborhood full of the standard Boston Three-Deckers (I live in one of them). I don't have a ton of love for the style (though I don't hate it), but it's certainly not "bland, middle-American." In fact, I think a lot of three-decker neighborhoods have their own unique charm - most are old and tree lined, and in good neighborhoods (most of Somerville), they're generally in good repair with decent outdoor space, etc. And like Cambridge, Somerville as also pocketed with unique neighborhood centers and squares that are aesthetically pleasing and full of life.
I'm not going to rush to defend Everett, Malden, or even Revere which are just "fine" in their best spots (livable, but not beautiful by any stretch), but Melrose is absolutely charming (and desirable), and while much of Lynn is ranges from "yuck" to "meh," the Diamond District is very, very attractive with it's grand old homes and oceanfront setting.
I think people might have an unrealistic expectation of Boston based on Back Bay and the North End but that’s true of basically every city. Rittenhouse Sq is not representative of Philly, the French Quarter or Garden district is not representative of New Orleans.
Pretty much every city went from smallish provincial center to major city in about 50 years so every single city is like 80% cheap crap that was in style at that time and place.
Boston Triple Deckers, Philly Rowhomes, Chicago Bungalows, Buffalo two Flats, New Orleans Shotguns all were just the mid-century ranches of their day.
I've been to Boston plenty of times. There is nothing special about Cambridge or Somerville housing.
Triple deckers are nothing special either.
It's probably the same for some of you folks that don't like rowhomes.
Sure, there may be a charm to it, if you grew up in one. But most haven't.
My favorite parts of the Boston area are probably what, like 10% of the city? Beacon Hill, Back Bay, South End, North End, Charlestown. That's pretty much it. I, probably unlike most, is aware that most of Boston doesn't look like that.
Same deal with other cities. There are other cities where I like a higher % of the city overall like Seattle, but most cities have that bland kind of residential housing.
My favorite parts of Philadelphia are places like Rittenhouse Square, Washington Square, Old City, Society Hill, Fitler Square, Fairmount, and the NW parts like Mt. Airy and Chestnut Hill. The rest is whatever. Maybe I'd add Spruce Hill.
I can go on and on with other cities. Look at New York. Most people move to New York for Manhattan and then probably Brooklyn. Bronx? Staten Island? Lol.
Most cities are represented by a small fraction of itself, whether positive or negative.
As overrated as Boston is, I think Providence, R.I. is a hundred times worse in that regard. At least Boston is home to the oldest and most prestigious institution of higher learning in the entire country, Harvard University, and features all of the hallmarks of a major American city, including, but not limited to: professional sports teams, an international airport, a high-tonnage seaport, an expansive skyline, a comprehensive public transit network and a highly educated workforce spread across multiple high-yielding industries, such as biopharmaceuticals and finance, for example. In my opinion, Providence, R.I. has all of the attitude of Boston, but none of the merits. Sadly, Providence, R.I. -- which is my hometown, mind you -- has the most corrupt politics of any city in America, largely due to the Italian-American mafia influence. Of course, corrupt politics over many generations have fostered a host of other terrible issues, such as exceptionally high poverty for the Northeast U.S. region, the absolute worst infrastructure in the entire nation for over four decades and a very lackluster economy. For generations now, the culture of Providence and R.I. in general has been largely shaped by these ongoing issues, and to deny the general vibe of apathy, despair and distress in the Greater Providence Area would be disingenuous at best. At least Boston and its suburbs feel somewhat happy and positive.
Last edited by Bert_from_back_East; 07-08-2020 at 01:47 PM..
I've been to Boston plenty of times. There is nothing special about Cambridge or Somerville housing.
Triple deckers are nothing special either.
It's probably the same for some of you folks that don't like rowhomes.
Sure, there may be a charm to it, if you grew up in one. But most haven't.
My favorite parts of the Boston area are probably what, like 10% of the city? Beacon Hill, Back Bay, South End, North End, Charlestown. That's pretty much it. I, probably unlike most, is aware that most of Boston doesn't look like that.
Same deal with other cities. There are other cities where I like a higher % of the city overall like Seattle, but most cities have that bland kind of residential housing.
My favorite parts of Philadelphia are places like Rittenhouse Square, Washington Square, Old City, Society Hill, Fitler Square, Fairmount, and the NW parts like Mt. Airy and Chestnut Hill. The rest is whatever. Maybe I'd add Spruce Hill.
I can go on and on with other cities. Look at New York. Most people move to New York for Manhattan and then probably Brooklyn. Bronx? Staten Island? Lol.
Most cities are represented by a small fraction of itself, whether positive or negative.
Do you see you’re holding Boston to an insane standard? Like of course not all of Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, Everett, Malden and Chelsea are going to be 5 star architecture
Do you see you’re holding Boston to an insane standard? Like of course not all of Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, Everett, Malden and Chelsea are going to be 5 star architecture
I think VericoGel is just jealous of the how well Boston does in terms of our sports teams' attendance and success. I wouldn't read into it too much.
As overrated as Boston is, I think Providence, R.I. is a hundred times worse in that regard. At least Boston is home to the oldest and most prestigious institution of higher learning in the entire country, Harvard University, and features all of the hallmarks of a major American city, including, but not limited to: professional sports teams, an international airport, a high-tonnage seaport, an expansive skyline, a comprehensive public transit network and a highly educated workforce spread across multiple high-yielding industries, such as biopharmaceuticals and finance, for example. In my opinion, Providence, R.I. has all of the attitude of Boston, but none of the merits. Sadly, Providence, R.I. -- which is my hometown, mind you -- has the most corrupt politics of any city in America, largely due to the Italian-American mafia influence. Of course, corrupt politics over many generations have fostered a host of other terrible issues, such as exceptionally high poverty for the Northeast U.S. region, the absolute worst infrastructure in the entire nation for over four decades and a very lackluster economy. For generations now, the culture of Providence and R.I. in general has been largely shaped by these ongoing issues, and to deny the general vibe of apathy, despair and distress in the Greater Providence Area would be disingenuous at best. At least Boston and its suburbs feel somewhat happy and positive.
You may not be wrong about Providence, but outside of New England, I'm not sure anyone considers it a city of relevance.
Cambridge's neighborhoods are largely charming, unique, and full of handsome older buildings and charming, vibrant neighborhood centers. I agree that Somerville isn't as aesthetically attractive as Cambridge. I live in a neighborhood full of the standard Boston Three-Deckers (I live in one of them). I don't have a ton of love for the style (though I don't hate it)
Agreed, I actually like Cambridge, and if I had stayed more permanently in the Boston area would have considered living in Cambridge or maybe Brookline.
I think what irks me most about much of Boston is that places like Dorchester are not much cheaper for what you get, but the bulk of available housing under a million dollars are in places like Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan, Hyde Park, Roslindale, East Boston. In Chicago for instance, the poorer neighborhoods are significantly cheaper. I bought my first condo in Hyde Park Chicago for $90k (1200sqft 2 bdrm, solid brick building) within a very lovely tree-lined neighborhood full of walkable amenities next to the University of Chicago and close to Lake Michigan. This was at a time when Chicago's Lincoln Park condos were 5-10x more expensive. You don't have that kind of differential in Boston, even though a Dorchester triple decker is not remotely in the same league as a Back Bay townhouse, not even 100 years ago.
It's one thing to say triple deckers are utilitarian housing for the masses (as in, don't be a snob, every city needs cheap, practical housing), it's another when they are $800/sqft in Egleston Sq, sold as "luxury housing" by Sotheby and you need a jumbo mortgage. Hence I find it very overrated.
Last edited by Guineas; 07-09-2020 at 04:46 PM..
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