So this is goodbye. After eight years and five jobs, the time has come to leave Beantown. My final Boston employer, an alternative-energy engineering firm, laid me off in November. And so, like the Joads before us, my wife and I will shortly pack up our two cats, one dog, and five bicycles into the Corrolla, and move to Providence.
I plan to use this blog to chart our discovery of the Ocean State, discuss the bicycling in Providence, and generally rant and rave about food and food issues, urban planning, cycling, DIY projects, and more as I explore Providence, learn to garden and play the harmonica, and work toward becoming the best bread baker I can be.
Let's start with some lists. Everyone likes lists. Here's one to kick things off:
Seven Things I Am Going to Miss About Boston
- The Parks. The Public Garden in summertime, Jamaica Pond, the Arboretum, Spy Pond. This city has some wonderful parks. And don't forget, you can still legally graze your livestock on the Common!
- Jamaica Plain. The Centre/South corridor has everything you could possibly want to buy, look at, and eat. And nothing you don't (trolleys, undergrads, chain stores). I realize there are lots of great neighborhoods in Boston--in fact "the Neighborhoods" almost made this list--but JP is the best. Sorry, poseurs.
- The Subway. Sure, it's a serious Hub-dweller pastime to bitch about the T, but something about not appreciating things until they're gone... yeah. I love me some public transportation, and for all its quirks, the T gets you where you're going. Plus, you've got to admit it's a cool name: don't stand for nothin' just a big F-ing T. Boom.
- The Accent. Okay, so they talk funny in Rhode Island too, but there's just something so satisfying about saying, "Hey, let's go find ourselves a baahh, I could totally use a Hahpoon right now."
- The Drivers. This one probably comes as a surprise coming from a cyclist, and, sure, they honk too much, and sometimes get spooked and angry and stampede, but there's something reassuringly bovine about Boston drivers. I came to eventually feel almost like a cowboy while cycling amongst the herds of massive, stupid, gentle beasts. Git along now.
- Lionette's Market, that salumeria on Prince Street, Capone Foods, Kurkman's, Brookwood Community Farm, the Copley Farmers' Market. There are other delicious places to get food out there, but these are closest to my heart.
- The People. Y'all bitches better come visit. We have a proper guest room and everything. Er, but there's no overnight street parking. Awkward.
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