Nighttime in the old/new neighborhoods
Boston is becoming a foodie heaven, as we all here know. But terrific dining is not confined to Downtown, the South End or North End. Some of Boston’s traditional neighborhoods are welcoming upscale restaurants that are worth a trip. Check out Vintage in West Roxbury, a high-end steakhousethat could be mistaken for a downtown classic; dbar on Dot Ave in Dorchester, a new restaurant/club that is triggering a nightlife scene along a grimy stretch of Boston; and South Kitchen and Wine Bar, in of all places, South Boston. Imagine -- a wine bar in Southie, where a Welcome to South Boston sign at the foot of A Street is translated into Gaelic, the neighborhood’s second language.

http://www.vintagerestaurants.com
http://www.dbarboston.com
http://www.southkitchenbar.com

Insider’s Tip
Don’t plan on taking a stroll before or after dinner. These restaurants are pioneers, all located in sections that are basic and do not reflect the appealing qualities of their host neighborhoods. But that will change.

The Beanpot
What is “the Beanpot”? You hear the term a lot this time of year. The Boston Beanpot is the annual college varsity ice hockey tournament between Harvard, Northeastern, Boston College and Boston University. The winners of the first round square off for the Beanpot trophy. Boston University has dominated the tournament since it began over 50 years ago. It is exciting and lots of fun. It warms the city up on February 6 and 13 at the Garden.

The first year I lived in Boston, an old boy friend tracked me down, and in an effort to restart a relationship, invited me to the Beanpot. I was yet not initiated into the great traditions of Boston life and believed he had suggested a local coffee shop. That did not seem special enough for our “first re-date,” so, I said no. I was extremely disappointed when I learned what I had turned down, not to mention chagrined at my snobbishness.

Insider’s Tip
If you are in town on the 6th or 13th, and you love sports, try to get tickets for one of the games. Hockey is huge in Boston, and seeing it played with so much spirit and talent before a passionate crowd is unforgettable.

That’s who on the Gas Tank?
One of our more curious contemporary landmarks is the Dorchester Gas Tank, just east of the Southeast Expressway on the southern edge of the city. You easily see it from the highway, the air, and a few strategic places around the harbor, including the Kennedy Library. Boston Gas Company in 1971 invited artist Corita Kent to paint one of her distinctive graphics on one of the two that the company had then. She created a bold rainbow with six swashes of color over the top and across the sides.

What transformed that tank into a controversial landmark was the rainbow’s blue band, which looked suspiciously like the profile of Ho Chi Minh, the leader of the Communist Viet-Cong. Kent died in 1986, without ever revealing her intent. However, the image was striking. And it was painted during the height of the Viet-Nam War. And the former nun was a prominent anti-war activist, who used her art as protest.

In 1992 the rainbow tank was torn down. By then, a generation had passed, and the tank had become an icon. The gas company, now Keyspan, doing the only right thing, recreated Kent’s rainbow on the remaining tank. They kept the profile, but “softened” it, apparently, more in line with what Kent had intended. At least, that is their story.

For a photo of the tank…
http://www.wellesley.edu/Polisci/wj/Vietimages/corita.htm

 
Speaking English, like a Bostonian
To get around our city, you need to know how to pronounce our destinations -- our streets, neighborhoods, local towns. Let’s get started, with a few local spots.

The Boston Common: The Cawmin
Tremont Street (by the Cawmin): Tremmint Street
Bowdoin Station T Stop: Bodin
Harvard Square: Havvid Skwayah or better, The Skwayah
Commonwealth Avenue: Cawm Avv

Now, let’s head out of Boston, aka Bawstin, to a few nearby towns.

Concord: Cahnkid
Leominster: Lemminsteh
Quincy: Quinzy
Medford: Meddfid
Revere: Reeeveeah
Woburn: Woobrn

Insider’s Tip
You need to go into the neighborhoods or, if downtown, come into contact with a city worker to get a meaningful dose of the local accent. It is spoken mostly by Bostonians with immigrant roots going back several generations, particularly Irish or Italian. The most notable city worker with a classic Bawstin accent is our popular mayor, Tom Menino, or as he, himself, would say, The Mayah. He was raised in Hyde Park and still lives there. I am proud to say that Mayor Menino is markedly welcoming to immigrants, calling them “New Bostonians.” This is especially remarkable in light of Boston’s historic wariness of outsiders.

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