Hello and welcome to my BLOG. I wanted to invite everyone who may want to read up on my adventures in Boston. So this is my first ever blog space and my second full blog. I thought by making a blog it would be easier for you to keep up with me, instead of me sending out numerous emails all the time. So all you have to do is check back at this page every so often and see if I have made any updates or postings. You can also request that I add you to the blog reminder email list. Soon another component will be added to the blog so that you can join on your own and get reminders automatically sent to you whenever I post something. So really it is up to you how much email you still want to get from me. LOL
Don't forget the highlighted and underlined words are links to webpages specific to that word.
I have been in Boston for a month now and I still feel like I am on an extended vacation. We are still in temporary corporate housing right now in downtown Boston next to Historic Landmarks and
busy shopping districts and of course thousands of tourists. At night the loud nightclubs and bars are teaming with people and when they let out, it can get rowdy down here, especially on the weekends. I have seen fights and brawls from my window and there is always an ambulance or two streaming down the street at 1am or later. We have Marie our real estate agent that we really like. She and I go out about twice a week looking at the new listings in our price range. Jay and I also get out on Sundays to all the open houses. Properties don’t stay on the market long around here especially with the weather warming up. Oh, and the weather? Well, that is another adjustment. It is dryer out here and in the evening when the sun goes down so does the temperature by about 10 degrees. We have now narrowed down the neighborhoods, but I tell you it was great to get out and learn all the areas in the beginning, but it is wearing on us. We figured out that we cannot live in 400 square feet together and that we at least need a separate bedroom. We are trying to stay as close to downtown as we can. An example of the prices here; If you take the space of my old salon and ad them together it would be about 500sf. At $300,000 in downtown Boston that is how much living area you get. So can you imagine our entire 2500sf house fitting in that? (insert raucous laughter here). So we compromise and live a bit away from Government Center (down town center) which the equivalent in St. Louis is from the Arch to Forest Park in distance. That distance is approximately 5 miles from downtown and we get 800sf for the same price.
I am constantly out and about going into salon after salon. I even worked in two salons, this way I get to see how we all got along and if I liked the places. I really like Àcôté I am getting closer to a decision on where to work, but I still need a bit more time to get to even more places. I want to make sure I make the right decision. I also found Pure Pure is a small neighborhood booth rental place and is in the South End which is similar feel as the Central West End. If I did decide to go with them, WHEW, it would be tough and I would have to get a part time job as well to support myself. Being independent is important to me. I have been to over 25 salons and only a dozen or so interest me. It is a tough market out here, very competitive on Newbury Street, which is wear all the big salons and of course all the upscale shopping is.
Overall I am enjoying the exploring and learning about Boston. The people are not bad either as some can make the east coast out to be cold and distant. Everyone goes about there business as usual and pretty much tolerates the diversity. There is so much more diversity and culture here. The accent is definitely noticeable. Although even native Bostonians often try to refrain from the thick accent themselves. They all have subtle ways of reminding us that we are not from here. I have a natural keen instinct for remembering streets and directions, so I am becoming somewhat familiar very quickly. Often times people who live here will actually know about the area in which they live or work so I feel I am getting a unique opportunity to learn downtown and other areas while searching for places to live. We love the North End for example, which we live just a few blocks away. The
North End is an all Italian area full of wonderful restaurants, bakeries, Gelato bars, Coffee shops and mom and pop groceries. It feels like you walk into another country when you go down there.
As you can imagine there is so much to do here, as with any city really. I can always find something to do. I have already joined to walk in the Boston AIDS Walk, and been to one Pride meeting. We have been to a play, a benefit for PFLAG in the Boston Ballet building, the movies, the Science Park as they call it. I have been to the Art Museum, Harvard University area, the U.S.S. Constitution, Dunkin Doughnuts, took a harbor ferry to Charles Town. Been in Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market, walked by the site of the Boston Massacre, shopped Filenes Basement on numerous occasions, and walked and walked and walked. Of course the “T” (subway and trolley) is great, but it has its limits.
So next time I post I will have a new home (Condo) and a new job. Cross your fingers and wish me luck. Thank you and I miss you all.
Love
Shan
