Crime…

So, if you read Universalhub.com on a regular basis, you would probably think that everyone in East Boston is being mugged, shot, stabbed, punched, and generally living in a combat zone. Out of the last 10 reports on Eastie, 8 have to do with crime.

I know that crime happens in East Boston, however, our major crime has been in decline over the last few years (As seen in this pdf here (East Boston is the A-7 district)).

It would be nice if Eastie were mentioned for some of the great things to do…perhaps some help is needed in finding those out?

1. Constitution Beach: I would not suggest swimming here because it is a fairly enclosed body of water with airplanes flying overhead, but it is a great place to go play frisbee or to watch planes take off and land. They also have a great little playground for kids of all different ages and an ice skating rink that has public skating. (Bennington Street near Orient Heights)
2. Belle Isle Marsh: The last of the salt marshes in Boston proper, Belle Isle is not only people friendly but dog friendly. A great big area for dogs to run around, just watch out for ticks and the occasional coyote or skunk. It is also a great place to go birdwatching. There is ample parking and is T accessible from Suffolk Downs.
3. East Boston Piers Park: Beautiful park! Lovely views of the skyline and a bunch of interesting art installations.
4. Madonna Queen National Shrine: 35 foot tall statue of the Madonna. It is an interesting statue and has a great view of the city and airport.
5. Temple Ohabei Shalom Cemetery: A coworker told me that the name translates to “Those who love peace” . This cemetery was created in 1844 as the first legally established Jewish cemetery in the state.  Because there was no sacred ground in the area, Jews were sent to Rhode Island, the West Indies, or Europe for burial.  This is a historic cemetery, but still used and is tucked away.  The building next to it used to be a small school and the congregation is located in Brookline.(Information taken/adapted from The Bostonian Society) (Wordsworth and Horace Streets)

And then there is the food:

• Rincon Limeño Restaurant: Great Peruvian food…who knew they put their food on top of french fries? Brilliant! (Chelsea Street)
• Belle Isle Lobster and Seafood: Where else in the city can you eat your food while feeling like you are in a scene from Wayne’s World (the part when the plane flies over them and they are arguing)? Great food, but they only take cash. (Saratoga Street going into Winthrop (RT 145)).
• El Paisa: Tasty tasty Colombian food. They change the menu every once in a while and are now serving brunch. (Bennington Street)
• 303 Cafe: Have not been here yet, but they have a strong focus on craft beers and have trivia. (Maverick Square)
• Betty Ann Food Shop: Where else can you get donuts that are cooked in a coal fired stove for next to nothing? They have lemon, sugar, plain, round, crullers…and they also serve brownies, cookies, cakes, and other baked goods at a reasonable price. They have odd hours, though, so pay attention!

So, much more to Eastie than just crime, gangs, and angry people…history, great food, and some real hidden gems for people to discover.

Raccoons!

Just saw a family of 5 raccoons in the backyard!! Someone else saw an oposssum in Maverick the other day, so it looks like the wildlife is trying to take over Eastie!

Sights and sounds of Eastie

I have been trying for months to see the Osprey that nest in Belle Isle Marsh…but have never been able to see any until today. This one was just lazily flying around, probably trying to see if he could catch some lunch somewhere…the marsh was fairly quiet except for the Red Winged blackbirds and the people establishing a new trail, probably for National Trail Day.

While walking home, I heard some interesting music and looked up to see this man on his front porch:

He was playing the accordion. I love that my neighborhood has such diverse people in it…we have a garage band a few houses down, airplane pilots and attendants, students, families, and everything in between. Lovely way to end a walk.

So odd

Plane Noise

The amusing thing about this image is that it catalogs the noise complaints by town for Logan Airport…and that East Boston shows a huge rise in complaints from 2007 to 2008.  Did these people not realize that when they moved to Eastie that the airport is here and that there would be noise?

The View from Eastie

Well, our little party was a success…only 1 car got lost and ended up by the airport. They were also the car that had a person slightly freak out when they went through the tunnels under the harbor and who asked every few minutes “Is that an airplane?!”

Too bad about the Patriots, though. The Jets suck.

Shakey

No, not me (for once).

Our house.

Our house is shaking like a 3 year old girl next to a scary monster.

And is making our tree shake.

And my computer desk and monitor.

Broke out the flashlight…might not get to watch “White Christmas” tonight if some wires fall down.

snow storm 08

Possibly the last storm of the year has finally arrived here in Eastie a few hours later than the weather people predicted. Its been going strong for about 2 hours and with the setting sun, the sky has turned a lovely shade of purple with large swaths of white streaming by.

I have been productive today already! Ihave a few presents that need to be made, mainly a blanket for my nephew’s puppy doll and onesies for my new niece who will arrive in May. Soon, the tree will go on and I might nip out to the back porch to sip some of my cider once the wind dies down a bit. The storm is supposed to have a wicked tail, though, that is going to hit coastal areas fairly hard. They really mean Gloucester and Ipswich, but its entirely possible that it might here too.
I’ve also gathered the stable food stuffs from the pantry that we aren’t going to eat. Salad dressing, green beans, corn, tomato sauce…all are not being eaten by us and can make someone’s Christmas a bit better. Now I just have to figure out when I can donate it before the holidays (There is a food pantry down the street at a Church).

Things I love about Eastie

1. The commute to work and school is so much better than Medford. I love not taking the bus.
2. Massport windows are among the best inventions in the world. They keep out the noise, the cold, and don’t shake nearly as bad as other windows.
3. Belle Isle Marsh is gorgeous and changes nearly every day
4. Coming home to the smell of the ocean puts me in a better mood every time
5. Its warmer in the winter and colder in the summer than downtown.
6. Our landlord lives in our house, the house that he grew up in, and is a wiz at being McGyver
7. Watching planes take off and land through the window or when walking around or at the beach is fascinating
8. Great food at Italian, Colombian, and Mexican places all nearby. Still have to try the Peruvian.
9. The weird collection of stores nearby amuses me everytime I see them.

Belle Isle Marsh

While most people who are asked would say that the only thing in East Boston is the airport, locals know different. It is home to an astonishing amount of great restaurants, weird little shops, statues of every different type, and Belle Isle Marsh.

The marsh is the largest surviving salt water marsh in Boston and encompasses 350 acres of land.  At one point in its history, it also hosted the Suffolk Downs Drive-in theater. But, little of that can been seen these days.

Today, the marsh is a great place to go if you want a bit of a break from the city without going too far away. Dogs are welcome and really seem to enjoy having the area to run around in. I mostly go to take pictures of the birds and other things that catch my attention.

Rite Aid

Is it wrong of me to be overly excited at having a Rite Aid just up the street? 🙂 One just opened this past weekend and it is so nice to have something like that nearby! Not that I don’t love my little bodega with its suspect workers (children of the owners who don’t seem old enough to be working a register) and interesting products like “Jackson Pollack” frozen fish (seriously need to take a picture of that).

However! They might have the cookies that I’m addicted to…and maybe some other stuff. Who knows! I have to go explore tonight and see if they have anything I missed on my grocery trip today. I know they were giving out balloons the other day, but I couldn’t work up the energy to go see it and my paper was due 😦