though i've lived in the boston area on and off for the better part of the past 10 years, i truly never tire of being a tourist here. this is especially true in the summertime, when every weekend means some sort of festival or feast or other such whimsy.
when i read a couple weeks ago that iconic newbury street was going to be temporarily car-free all day today, i decided to take my "real" camera and re-explore the city on foot.
i began in the south end with a visit to the recently relocated sowa open market. i've gotta say, it was lacking the energy of the old market, possibly because there seemed to be far fewer vendors. meh. i got bored and wandered down some side streets and admired the brownstones instead:
then it was off to open newbury street, which was just such a great sight to see. cafe tables in the street, children on scooters, families playing four square and cornhole, people hula hooping, couples playing ping pong, and instagram husbands maxing and relaxing in lawn chairs. i hope they make this a regular thing.
i passed through the common and faneuil hall...
next was the north end, where the locals were celebrating st. agrippina's feast. fun fact: our girl agrippina is the patron saint of thunderstorms, leprosy, and evil spirits. pretty killer combo, i must say.
anyways, i'm always nostalgic for this neighborhood, as i lived here for two years in college, and the procession used to pass right under my window every weekend in the summertime. as much as it pains me to see that the powers that be have allowed pinkberry and some other bullshit chains into the neighborhood, it still retains that authenticity and italian charm that made me fall in love with it a decade ago. i mean, a dozen guidos carrying a saint statue covered in dollar bills past a fried dough stand while their fathers yell "nicholas!" or "tony!" and a band of police officers play "when the saints go marching in?" it just doesn't get better than that.
