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Old 10-24-2017, 03:19 AM
 
1,131 posts, read 1,262,319 times
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There's no substitute for actually driving around (or biking or walking, I guess). Since 1980 (when I moved to Northampton) I've had jobs that required me to drive all around the four western Mass. counties, and I can now proudly say I know the whole state really well. There is so much beauty, and so many great people, so much to do...Enjoy our wonderful state, folks!
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Old 10-24-2017, 05:50 AM
 
837 posts, read 1,226,568 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shrewsburried View Post
It sounds like they need a second car, unless disabilities are an issue. As someone living in central MA, my partner having a car is critical to our overall quality of life - lacking a second vehicle would severely limit our social and professional opportunities. I.e., your friend's reality is not the reality of most in the area, at least those in good health.
They can barely afford one vehicle, never mind two. They were priced out of three different places outside the Boston area before moving out that way.

There's more but it's not my story to tell. Their journey there, however, mirrors another friend's who bought a house out that way only because he couldn't afford anything within the 495 belt. He still can't. With his salary he can remodel without many financial repercussions.

The drawback is that he has to work at his employer's HQ down on the South Shore once a week. It's a 3-hour drive one-way, barring any traffic.
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Old 10-24-2017, 09:45 AM
 
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My college roommate (from Newton) didn't know that Massachusetts bordered New York (as I was trying to explain where I grew up in Pittsfield).
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Old 10-24-2017, 09:53 AM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by western mass and love it View Post
And for the most part people in the Springfield area have no idea what lies past Northampton to the north or Westfield to the West. They know the Hartford region and most people I know have no problem hopping in the car and traveling to Boston. But you ask them to drive to Greenfield and that's like taking an overnight expedition. It's all about how people perceive things. Forget going to the Berkshires, that's almost out of the question for most people I know.
Very true from my Hampden county childhood. I went to Boston a decent amount for Sports and to the Cape for vacation but never to the Berkshires for anything. Greenfield was in the greater Springfield youth hockey league and it was like we were all taking an expedition to the North Pole.

One thing that does worry me about my beloved Western, MA is that the top talent is not staying. I can't think of anyone in the top 20% of my class that is still there, very little in the top 50%. With wealth centering around city I am not sure it is getting better. I lived in North Central, MA for a while and it reminded me a lot of Hampden County with Fitchburg and Leominster ( Springfield/West Springfield) but they were on the fringes of the Boston employment market which allowed some of the best and brightest to move back when they started a family.
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Old 10-24-2017, 12:38 PM
 
Location: near bears but at least no snakes
26,655 posts, read 28,697,006 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WillRunForBeer View Post
My college roommate (from Newton) didn't know that Massachusetts bordered New York (as I was trying to explain where I grew up in Pittsfield).
All I knew was the greater Springfield area plus Enfield and Hartford CT. A bit of Northampton because my grandmother lived there. Then I learned about Greenfield when an aunt moved there.

Never knew a thing about the Berkshires. Even less than Boston. We looked to CT for most things.
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Old 10-24-2017, 12:47 PM
 
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NY Times just did an article on how Columbia County, the NY County across the border from Pittsfield MA (WAY out west) is a gay enclave. Communities such as West Stockbridge, Lenox, Great Barrington et al are part of the area which has gone upscale with a gender neutral climate. Easterners should come out and enjoy it sometime. Might be surprised. Gentility at a reasonable price. NO Starbucks either (well, there are a couple in Pittsfield, and one in Lanesborough....really part of Pittsfield which is a gritty old GE abandoned town).
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Old 10-24-2017, 01:00 PM
 
23,577 posts, read 18,722,077 times
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Originally Posted by Ted Bear View Post
Communities such as West Stockbridge, Lenox, Great Barrington et al are part of the area which has gone upscale with a gender neutral climate. Easterners should come out and enjoy it sometime.

I think maybe I won't...


The White Mountains sound nice though.
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Old 10-24-2017, 01:01 PM
 
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
41,936 posts, read 36,974,024 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ted Bear View Post
NY Times just did an article on how Columbia County, the NY County across the border from Pittsfield MA (WAY out west) is a gay enclave. Communities such as West Stockbridge, Lenox, Great Barrington et al are part of the area which has gone upscale with a gender neutral climate. Easterners should come out and enjoy it sometime. Might be surprised. Gentility at a reasonable price. NO Starbucks either (well, there are a couple in Pittsfield, and one in Lanesborough....really part of Pittsfield which is a gritty old GE abandoned town).


I don't know about the reasonable price. Great Barrington is super expensive to stay in or visit.


But Allium is a pretty swell restaurant, as is Prairie Whale.
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Old 10-24-2017, 03:29 PM
 
Location: Springfield and brookline MA
1,348 posts, read 3,100,106 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Boston_Burbs View Post
Very true from my Hampden county childhood. I went to Boston a decent amount for Sports and to the Cape for vacation but never to the Berkshires for anything. Greenfield was in the greater Springfield youth hockey league and it was like we were all taking an expedition to the North Pole.

One thing that does worry me about my beloved Western, MA is that the top talent is not staying. I can't think of anyone in the top 20% of my class that is still there, very little in the top 50%. With wealth centering around city I am not sure it is getting better. I lived in North Central, MA for a while and it reminded me a lot of Hampden County with Fitchburg and Leominster ( Springfield/West Springfield) but they were on the fringes of the Boston employment market which allowed some of the best and brightest to move back when they started a family.
Greenfield is still in the GSL hockey league. They added Brattleboro and Keene too. My kid plays travel hockey so we are all over New England from Stamford Ct to Salem and Hudson NH and Kingston MA. It's fun being able to be all over the region. Gives the kid broader view of life than most. Plus it's the greatest sport on earth.
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Old 10-25-2017, 07:21 AM
 
6,460 posts, read 7,798,579 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by in_newengland View Post
and never the twain shall meet.

Having grown up and lived most of my life in WMass (with abt 15 years of college and work in CT), I had never even heard of 95, 495, 128 until I moved out to the north shore for retirement.

EMass is nice..
you have ocean, access to the Cape & Maine, plus, if you can afford it, you can partake of Boston amenities. EMass does seem to get everything while WMass is an afterthought--or no thought at all.
Although I live in Eastern Mass, I have a deep appreciation for the Western part. I'm in Eastern for convenience and junk but would also really like to have more trees, land, less congestion, etc.
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