Is Boston the San Francisco of the East Coast? (Bostonia: how much, universities)

[matt345]

I can see some similarities.

-Both are somewhat limited geographically being surrounded by water on three sides, which has lead to incredible density in both cities.

-Both have removed freeways which used to cut off their waterfronts (Boston did the Big Dig; SF demolished the Embarcadero Freeway)

-Both have extremely dense Italian neighborhoods: North End and North Beach

-The citizens of both cities love to hate their respective public transit agencies. As much as San Franciscans complain about Muni, I've heard Bostonians complain equally about the T.

-I've heard the term "boutique city" applied to both.

-People not completely familiar with either city are often surprised by "how small" each city is. I put that in quotes because SF's population is over 808,000 and Boston's is 620,000 - I wouldn't consider either to be a small city. I think what happens though is that each city has attained a reputation/image more commonly associated with much larger places and visitors are often surprised to find out that neither city exceeds 1 million residents.

-Of course there's the LA-SF / NYC-BOS thing. However, I don't think this comparison translates as well as most people say. New York and Boston, though each are remarkably unique and by no means should one be mistaken for the other, have far more in common than Los Angeles and San Francisco. NY/Boston are both old east coast cities, have similar architecture (brick rowhomes, brownstones), both rely heavily on public transit, etc.

There really isn't much of anything similar between LA and SF. In the simplest terms, NYC is a "big East Coast city", while Boston is a "medium-sized East Coast city". OTOH, LA and SF are two completely different types of cities. They both may be on the West Coast, but is there any one thing that LA is a bigger version of and SF equally is a smaller version of? Whereas NYC-Boston is just a straight up competition on who does what better, LA-SF IMO, is more of a competition between different outlooks/philosophies.

[theh]

Similarities: They're both cities and they both tend to vote liberal.

Differences: Where do I begin? I could write a book.

It's seriously easier to compare Boston to a European city than it is to compare it to any west coast city. At least that is how I feel. Boston and San Francisco are two completely different worlds to me.

[clongirl]

Originally Posted by lrmsd

I am from boston and lived in SFO.
SFO is the boston of the west coast,not the other way around.
And even then,it's not really.
but it does have victorian architecture,and a bit of a similar spirit or outlook.
but being CA it's more laid back and open,than boston. I agree exactly with someone saying it is more diverse but segregated in boston.

They really aren't that similar-but compared to any other US cities they may be compared to,they match the closest. does this make sense?

Both great cities,though.

Sorry, just want to mention to you that "SFO" means the airport (I've noticed you've stated that several times- no offense- just a pet peeve of mine)

[lrmsd]

Originally Posted by ambient

Maybe Boston is the SF of the East Coast....with much, much worse weather.

I think the older city is considered the one that is compared to...ie,boston is a very old city,by US standards...so SFO is the Boston of the west-the same way we compare people or siblings-the older is the standard by which the contrast is made.

Then again,if one is from SFO,feel free to make that comparison the other way around-since sfo is your starting reference point.

[lrmsd]

Originally Posted by xGrendelx

Depends on the program. Not sure about USF, but SFSU has some pretty great programs that do rank nationally.

I've heard this Boston/SF comparison before. Never been to Boston though, but some of the architecture does look similar. SF is more colorful, but there's nothing like brownstones and brick row-houses. They're so "East Coast".

Well,Boston has well over 100 colleges,actually(last I heard,anyway)-massachusetts is referred to as 'the education state'...and boston area includes (just off the top of my head)Tufts,harvard,MIT,boston college,northeastern,boston U.,wellsley,brandeis,bryant,wheelock,simmons,emers on,u-mass boston,babson,lesley...shall i go on? [many are small liberal arts colleges,and most are quite reputable,regardless of size.]

So,no,SFO does not compare to boston in that regard. Even if sfsu and usf have programs ranking nationally....just from a factual standpoint,it cannot compare,even adding in berkely and stanford. I love both cities-just saying....

And,boston does not really have any brick rowhouses-that is more philly. And brownstones are more NY. Boston has some brownstones in a small area-but mainly boston is alot of multi family large houses,or single family victorian era and early 1900's architecture. Alot of working class neighborhoods that over the years have become more shi shi....along with enclaves that have always been wealthy.

[xGrendelx]

Originally Posted by lrmsd

Well,Boston has well over 100 colleges,actually(last I heard,anyway)-massachusetts is referred to as 'the education state'...and boston area includes (just off the top of my head)Tufts,harvard,MIT,boston college,northeastern,boston U.,wellsley,brandeis,bryant,wheelock,simmons,emers on,u-mass boston,babson,lesley...shall i go on? [many are small liberal arts colleges,and most are quite reputable,regardless of size.]

So,no,SFO does not compare to boston in that regard. Even if sfsu and usf have programs ranking nationally....just from a factual standpoint,it cannot compare,even adding in berkely and stanford. I love both cities-just saying....

And,boston does not really have any brick rowhouses-that is more philly. And brownstones are more NY. Boston has some brownstones in a small area-but mainly boston is alot of multi family large houses,or single family victorian era and early 1900's architecture. Alot of working class neighborhoods that over the years have become more shi shi....along with enclaves that have always been wealthy.

I never said San Francisco compares to Boston in terms of universities. I was responding to a poster who was implying that the schools within San Francisco city limits aren't good schools, and it really depends on the program you look at. For example, SFSU's cinema program is incredible.

While I admittedly have never been to Boston, many pictures show many red brick structures which is something San Francisco doesn't have a whole lot of.

Like these (all Boston):
Bow-front row houses - South end, Boston (included in the newly released ninth edition of Schmap Boston Guide) on Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/hgmphotos/3829240063/ - broken link)
Boston, Row Houses on Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lalobamfw/3640632015/ - broken link)
Houses on Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/imarealgeek/2695054758/ - broken link)
Upscale row houses, Boston on Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/eprof/63524191/ - broken link)
Back Bay on Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sigfrid/534405200/ - broken link)
Back Bay Brownstones | Boston, MA on Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/dellahuff/3274080003/ - broken link)
Morning Light, Boston brownstone on Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/40303595@N00/2886316186/ - broken link)
Boston brownstones on Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattdipaola/2542000374/ - broken link)
Boston Brownstones on Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/andrewmurray/3470067134/ - broken link)

You can find rows like those in most urban East Coast cities. That's what I was getting at. Sorry for confusing you somehow.

[matt345]

Please stop calling it SFO.

[bellalunatic]

Originally Posted by theh

Similarities: They're both cities and they both tend to vote liberal.

Differences: Where do I begin? I could write a book.

It's seriously easier to compare Boston to a European city than it is to compare it to any west coast city. At least that is how I feel. Boston and San Francisco are two completely different worlds to me.

I completely agree with you. I don't understand why people need to constantly try and hash out which city is similar or dissimilar to another. It simply doesn't matter, it's not they are going to up and move in with eachother....

[bellalunatic]

Originally Posted by clongirl

Sorry, just want to mention to you that "SFO" means the airport (I've noticed you've stated that several times- no offense- just a pet peeve of mine)

Oh GAWD YES! please do stop that! It is a pet peeve of mine too.
Unless of course we all start referring to Boston in this thread as BOS (for Logan) ugh.

[Jpa2001]

Boston is a WAY better City than San Francisco. I have lived both places. Only advantage in San Francisco is the weather. Boston is way cleaner, smarter people, way better schools, alot less scum, homeless and crackheads and weirdos in which San Francisco is infested with, not even close to the whiney liberal protesters that disrupt everyones work day in San Francisco at least once every few weeks, way more history, better traffic, better drivers, food just as good, and WAY better sports teams and sports history.Really not even close and I can go on with more.