Neighborhoods Shmeighborhoods

The various neighborhoods of Boston range in environment, affordability, and social scene as much as the winding career paths of the former members of the 90’s power-boy-band N’SYNC. Each one offers something different and unique, however the same characteristics that appeal to one person may be the deterrent for another. For students, neighborhoods range from the affordable and spacious student filled duplexes of Allston/Brighton to the more swank, pricey, and ultimately smaller apartments of downtown Boston. A neighborhood reflects upon you as much as the car you drive in LA. It represents and embodies your own priorities, values, and personality. It is an extension of ones-self that has been materialized in the coffee shops, restaurants, bars, and green spaces that surround you.

How do you choose what neighborhood best fits you? What I look for in a great apartment is proximity to a T stop and school, a safe and friendly neighborhood, and most importantly price. As I touched upon in my first blog entry at ONEin3, I have lived numerous apartments in Boston over the past seven years and am currently on my fifth.

My first apartment was 160 Newbury Street. There were five people, three boys and two girls ranging in age from 20-22. It was a perfect fit for a Sophomore in college. We did whatever we wanted whenever we wanted. People stopped by constantly and there was always something to do. We were a 30 second walk from the Copley stop and a ten minute walk from school, and most importantly the price was right. What I quickly learned was that Newbury Street is not just a street and my front yard, it is Boston’s very own catwalk. It is a venue of its own where Boston’s most “fashionable” come to see and be seen. Now people watching is one of my favorite sports, however watching people so into themselves can only be entertaining for so long. Newbury Street is a great place to live, however one year at 160 and another at the corner of Hereford and Newbury was enough for me.

Tell Me Tuesday…What is your favorite restaurant?

My mom lived in Boston in the early 1980’s and claims that Boston lacked good restaurants at the time.  I know she agrees with me when I say that that is no longer the case and no matter what neighborhood you visit you can find a hidden gem that only locals know about.

So this week we are asking…what is you favorite Boston restaurant?

As most of my faithful ONEin3 readers know, I live in the North End and there is no shortage of restaurants in my neighborhood.  However, among by pick of an array of Italian restaurants I’d have to say my favorite place would have to be a seafood restaurant on Salem Street called Neptune Oyster.  The lobster rolls with butter are to die for and their fried clams are considered some of the best in Boston.  In addition, the restaurant was used to shoot a scene in the new Ben Affleck movie “The Town” …so I would check it out before it stops being remotely hidden.  So there you go my ONEin3ers, that is my favorite.

Give the comment section some love and stay tuned for Hump Day Job Day…as a little teaser…there will be an internship opportunity posted that involves spending a lot of time with Local Celebrity Devin Cole.

A Little Trip to Charlestown…

It was a cold day.  Really cold but I could see that Charlestown had charm through my frozen corneas.  I’ve lived in the North End since gracing Boston with my arrival three years back which has made me kind of a snob when it comes to proximity.

I don’t like going to Cambridge and I only like going to the Back Bay if wherever I am going isn’t past Exeter.  My friend who lives in Brookline laughs at me when I ask her if she is going to come into the city as if she lives in Wellesley (in my defense Brookline is technically not part of Boston so therefore she is in fact coming into the city).  My little corner of Boston is cool enough that I learn or see something cool and new by just staying in a one-mile perimeter of my apartment.

Clearly, I need to expand my horizons. So here’s what I’m doing: I will travel to different neighborhoods, experience them and report back.  Good?

Good.

With this in mind, Devin suggested we explore his stomping grounds of Charlestown. I groaned thinking about having to cross a body of water and leaving the safety of the North End/Downtown area.

Tell Me Tuesdays: What is your non-resolution?

So it’s Tuesday.  Tuesday I would say is the most boring day of the week.  If you are like me, you consistently feel like Tuesday is a different day of the week, like Wednesday, or even worse Thursday.  However, ONEin3 Boston is looking to change the dreariness and confusion that comes with this overlooked day.

We are starting “Tell Me Tuesdays,” which will get your brains going and fingers typing.  This week’s topic: What is your non-resolution? Unlike the typical question asked during this time of the year, we are looking for you to be a little naughty and consider what are you absolutely not willing to give up this year.