FoggyImagination

I'm writing a novel and I want some of the scenes to be in Boston's North End, the Italian area. I've been there only once and it was a long time ago. If anyone can help me out with like, the residential areas (where they are, which streets, what they're like) and maybe some of the restuarants and places that the residents of that area frequent. The most popular areas for residents, not tourists. I've checked it out online, but most of its only tourist information. I just need help getting a feel for the surroundings and way of life there day to day. I'd really like to go there myself, but money situations are preventing that. I figure the next best thing is some information from people that know the area. If you could help, it'd be much appreciated.

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"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." Dr. Seuss

Writer on Stone

Foggy,
It just so happens that I know somebody who lives in the general area. I'll see if I can pry some info from out of her.

R

FoggyImagination

Thanks.

__________________
"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." Dr. Seuss

Philo

Hope this isn't too late in coming to be helpful. Given my location, I've spent some time in the area. The north end was more Italian when I first started to visit in the early 80s as a student, as these things tend to go a few of the larger chains have moved in but it still has a real feel. There are a few restuarants that have stayed for the long haul but most come and go and every year there is a new crop and they are trending toward high price, high design. Ida's is tiny and has been in a small back alley for years, Cantina Italiana has also been around for a while as has the Il Panino (the sandwich) and in recent years they have expanded to two new locations, one is more a grab and go and the other just ouside the North end in Boston, is more of a night club. Each of these is on, or just off of, the most famous street, Hanover Street. Cars, big ones for such small streets, are often double parked and never get tickets. Cafe Paradiso is where the locals go for coffee and Mike's Pastry is where the tourists go, both on hanover.

Parallel to Hanover St is Salem Street, which is one way and more old school. Candy and nut shop, cheese shops, magazines and cigarettes, the shop windows have the baby jesus dressed as a king under clear plastic (to keep off the dust) Italian shoes, all leather inside and out, the kids shoes are still made the same way since WWII, whith the high ankel and the strap. Where else can you buy 3 pounds of raw barley and scoop it into a bag yourself out of a 40 year old barrel?

There are festivals almost every weekend during the summer and the biggest is probably the Feast of Saint Anthony. Idols are carried through the streets and people add money. The street vendors and revelers fill the streets and its closed to traffic.

Haymarket happens each Saturday and Sunday just on the other side of route 93 (the elevated Highway that has been a physical barrier between the north end and the rest of the city since it was built in the 50s(?) more on that later) The fruit and vegitable vendors fill the street and sidewalks and its wall to wall people shopping outdoors, with hawkers yelling and the fish mongers stinking up the place by early afternoon.

The Big Dig which you may have heard of as the biggest, most expensive highway project in the history of the world is nearly complete and the biggest change is that the elevated 6 lane highway that split the city is now under ground and they are filling in over the hole now. What will be there afterwards is a surface road and a lot of the cross roads that used to connect the north end to the rest of the city will return. In my opinion, this will soften that hard edge that has surrounded and kept the North end special. As the north end bleeds out into the city and the city intrudes into the north end, it is my fear that its identity will begin to fade. Hopefully the width of the surface road they are planning on will help if there is park land between the north and south bound sides. If they allow building in the middle, I'm afraid we may lose the north end.

Hope this helps.

FoggyImagination

Thanks so much Philo. All that is really helpful actually. As it happens, I've been....er, preoccupied for a while, not on the forums, not writing...so its actually right on time for me to get back into the swing of things.

Do you have anything else about like the social stuff in the area...um, familial traditions and stuff? Or maybe know any good sites to help me out.

Thanks again.

__________________
"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." Dr. Seuss

Philo

FoggyI, I'm not sure what you're looking for exactly. If you have specific questions about how a particular social situation may be handled etc... let me know and I'll tell what I can. The first generation Italians who live there (and elsewhere in the greater Boston area) are different than the Italian-Americans that have been here a while.

My wife and her family came here in the 70s so I have first hand info on what family situations are like, and I have a fair amount of Italian-American friends and my wife's extended family includes many of them as well, but no one who currently lives in the north end.

I'll do what ever I can for you.