Category Archives: Boston

A Landmark, a Coffee Shop and a Steaming Kettle

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A large golden teapot sculpture hangs from the corner of a downtown Boston building, with real steam rising from its spout. The teapot is mounted high above the sidewalk against a brick façade with rows of rectangular windows.

The Mystery of the Steaming Kettle

Boston’s love affair with its oddball icons

Quirky Little City Treasures Bronze sculptures of a mother duck and her ducklings line a cobblestone path in a park, each duck wearing small decorative hats and ribbons. Benches and trees sit in the background, creating a charming Public Garden scene.

Boston is full of landmarks and statues — quirky little city treasures like the ducks in the Public Garden. When I first started working in downtown Boston back in the late ’70s, there was a little coffee shop in Government Center where we always grabbed a pastry on the way to work.

A large golden teapot hangs from the corner of a downtown building while pedestrians walk below. The street is lined with multi‑story buildings, including one with a “State Street Bank” sign, creating a busy urban scene.The shop was distinguished by a giant teapot that actually spouted steam. I kid you not. The shop was named for that teapot — The Steaming Kettle — and everyone knew it. Everyone recognized it. It was one of those things that made Boston feel like Boston.

From Scollay Square to Government Center A historic street scene of Scollay Square shows people walking along cobblestone roads with horse‑drawn carriages and early automobiles. A small building with a clock tower and a red‑tiled roof stands at the center, surrounded by brick storefronts and vintage signs, capturing the lively atmosphere of early 20th‑century Boston.

But as so often happens in life, things change. I changed jobs and became a suburbanite. Government Center was revamped yet again.

At one time the area was known as Scollay Square — you may remember it from the Kingston Trio’s song about Charlie on the MTA. “Charlie’s wife goes down to the Scollay Square station…” But alas, Scollay Square is no more.

We now have the big brick expanse of Government Center. But through all the upheaval, the Steaming Kettle stayed.

A Teapot With a Past

A vintage street scene shows pedestrians in early‑20th‑century clothing walking past a storefront with a large teapot mounted above the entrance. The shop’s sign reads “Tea Company” and “Home of Best New England Teas,” and surrounding buildings display period advertisements, creating a lively old‑Boston atmosphere.The kettle was built in 1873. It originally hung outside the Oriental Tea Company, whose owners quickly realized they needed a hook — and the giant teapot provided just the thing.

In 1875, they ran a contest to guess the weight of the kettle. Participants had to buy a ticket to log their guess.

Part two of the contest was even better: guess how many people could fit inside the kettle. When the kettle was lowered to the ground, eight boys and one very tall man popped out of it.

Then came the official weighing. Boston’s sealer of weights and measures recorded the result: 277 gallons, two quarts, one pint, and three gills. That weight was later inscribed right on the kettle itself.

The Oriental Tea Company lasted until 1966, when it finally closed its doors. But Boston doesn’t give up its icons easily. A large golden teapot hangs outdoors against a blue sky, suspended by metal supports beside a modern building. Text on the side lists its measured capacity in gallons, quarts, pints, and ounces. The owner opened another shop in the same area — The Steaming Kettle Coffee Shop — and brought the now‑famous kettle along.

The shop changed hands several times, eventually becoming a Starbucks. Except for a brief period in 2016 when the kettle was damaged, it hung proudly from its installation back in 1873.

And Now… a Boston Mystery

Today, the whereabouts of the kettle are a mystery. The Starbucks location closed in 2025, and after that the kettle seems to have gone missing.

But this is Boston, folks — a city that loves its oddball relics. Who knows? Maybe some historical group or an enterprising entrepreneur will locate that giant teapot and reinstall it in its rightful place, as iconic as the Old State House.

I hope they do. That kettle is a part of my Boston heritage.

A large golden teapot is mounted on the exterior of a curved stone building, supported by metal brackets. The shiny teapot stands out against a bright blue sky and tall windows, creating a striking landmark on the city street.

 

Back to School Boston Style – Live Action Chaos

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Students and families unloading belongings from multiple U‑Haul trucks on a Boston residential street during fall move‑in day.

🍁 Welcome Fall in Boston: The Annual Chaos Returns

People loading furniture, boxes, and trash bags into large moving trucks on a Boston street during fall move‑in day.Every fall, Boston experiences its own version of the great Serengeti migration. The colleges open their arms, and the students return — thousands of them — charging back into the city like lemmings to the sea, U‑Hauls in tow and optimism overflowing.

Move‑in used to be a classic Labor Day ritual, but every year it creeps earlier and earlier. Still, Labor Day weekend remains the unofficial peak of Boston’s annual chaos.

Boston in the fall is a whole mood — crisp air, pumpkin‑spice everything, and the unmistakable sound of U‑Hauls grinding their way through streets that were never meant for U‑Hauls. Every college town has its back‑to‑school quirks, but Boston? Oh, Boston is a whole different beast.

We don’t just have colleges. We have COLLEGES. Plural. Many. A whole ecosystem of them.

And not nearly enough dorms.

Which means every September, the city transforms into a live‑action puzzle game called “Where Do We Put All These Students?”

🎒 The Great Migration: Students ReturnStudents pushing large BU Housing carts and carrying boxes outside a campus residence hall during Boston move‑in day.

Returning students? They’ve been through this rodeo. They know the drill. But the incoming freshmen… oh, bless their hearts.

They arrive bright‑eyed and buzzing with excitement — maybe with parents, maybe with brand‑new roommates who are just as clueless. Their U‑Haul is packed to the ceiling, their GPS is confidently lying to them, and they truly believe they’re ready.

Boston smiles kindly and says, “Sit down, kid. Your first lesson starts now.”

Four students carrying two mattresses down a sunny Boston street during college move‑in day.🚚 Tiny Streets, No Parking, and U‑Hauls Everywhere

Boston’s narrow streets don’t care how excited you are. Cars already line both sides, and a second row of U‑Hauls is trying to squeeze through like it’s a parade no one planned.

Your destination sits tantalizingly close, yet completely blocked off by the chaos. After circling the block more times than you’d like to admit, the clock is ticking and patience is gone. Eventually, desperation wins and you leave the truck right in the street, convinced you’ll unload “in just a minute.”

And just like that, you’ve entered the unofficial Boston loading zone. This is moving day. This is your initiation into city life.

🚫 And Then… Storrow Drive Claims Its First Victim

Meanwhile, somewhere across the city, another first‑timer has met their fate on Storrow Drive.U‑Haul truck wedged under a low-clearance bridge on Storrow Drive, blocking traffic during Boston’s fall move‑in season.

Every Bostonian knows the rule: You can’t get there from here. Especially not with a truck.

Storrow Drive’s low bridges are legendary. If you don’t check the height of your rental truck — and the height of those bridges — you’re about to become a cautionary tale.

U‑Haul with its roof peeled back like a sardine can after striking a low bridge in Boston.Two outcomes:

  • The Sardine Can Special: The roof peels back like you opened it with a key.
  • The Full Stop: You wedge yourself under the bridge and become the most unpopular person in Boston.

Traffic backs up. Police arrive. Your rental company prepares its “We’re not mad, just disappointed” speech.

But hey — silver lining! You’re not the first, and you won’t be the last. Someday you’ll tell this story at Thanksgiving, and everyone will laugh… except maybe your parents.

🐾 Welcome to Boston — Buckle Up

Your life just changed. You’re officially a Boston student now. And it’s going to be quite a ride from here.

Fall in Boston isn’t just a season. It’s an event. A spectacle. A yearly comedy show starring U‑Hauls, confused freshmen, and bridges that refuse to negotiate.

So don’t forget to pack a sense of humor. You’re going to need it on move‑in day.

Another truck stuck under a low Boston bridge, illustrating a classic Storrowing-style move‑in mishap.

 

 

 

You Know You’re From Massachusetts if:

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A two‑panel meme comparing reactions to snow. The top panel shows cars and trucks stuck on a snowy highway near signs for Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, with the caption “The South be like ‘We’re all gonna die!!!’”. The bottom panel shows a person sitting outside in deep snow while grilling food, with the caption “Meanwhile in Massachusetts ‘How do you want your burger?’”.

Ten Quirky Things Massachusetts People Do

Seasons change, and with the change, folks in Massachusetts swap out habits — at least a little. But some things stay the same no matter the weather. Here are a few more quirks that Massachusetts natives do that make outsiders scratch their heads and wonder how we function.

1. We refuse to turn on the heat until Halloween.

It can be 48 degrees in the house, we’re wearing two hoodies and a blanket, and we still say, “It’s not cold yet.” The thermostat doesn’t move until October 31. It’s tradition and stubbornness and  it’s pride.

2. We save winter parking spots with random household objects.

Shovel out a spot after a storm? Congratulations — it’s yours until spring. And to make sure everyone knows it, we’ll guard it with:

  • a kitchen chair
  • a trash barrel
  • a traffic cone
  • a busted fan
  • or something so weird it becomes a neighborhood landmark

Everyone respects the system. It’s unwritten law.

3. We give directions using landmarks that no longer exist — and we always tell you to “bang a Uey.”

Ask a Massachusetts person how to get somewhere and you’ll hear:

  • “Take a right where the old Friendly’s used to be.”
  • “Go past the building that burned down in ’92.”
  • “Turn left after the Dunkin’ — not that Dunkin’, the other Dunkin’.”

And if you miss the turn? No problem. They’ll say, “Just bang a Uey,” like it’s the most normal driving instruction in the world. ( That’s a U-Turn, legal or not)

4. We call highways by names that haven’t been used in decades.

Nobody says I‑95 or I‑93. Nobody says Route 90.

We say:

  • “The Pike”
  • “The Expressway”
  • “128”
  • “The Artery”
  • “The Braintree Split”

Newcomers think we’re speaking in riddles.

5. We will drive 20 minutes out of the way to avoid paying a toll.

Massachusetts people will zigzag through back roads, hit three rotaries, and add fifteen minutes to the trip just to avoid paying $1.25 on the Pike. And we’ll brag about it like we outsmarted the system.

6. We treat Dunkin’ like it’s a public utility.

There are towns with one Dunkin’ on each corner, and somehow they’re all busy. We don’t ask, “Where’s the nearest Dunkin’?” We ask, “Which Dunkin’ are you going to?”

7. We think rotaries are perfectly normal — and we insist they are rotaries, not roundabouts or traffic circles.

Other states panic when they see one. We glide through them like we’re in a NASCAR warm‑up lap.

And if someone from out of state calls it a “roundabout,” we will correct them immediately. It’s a rotary. It has always been a rotary. It will never be anything but a rotary.

If you hesitate, you’ll get honked at by someone who learned to drive on the Bourne Rotary.

8. We pronounce town names in ways that confuse everyone else.

Gloucester?

Worcester?

Leominster?

Peabody?

We say them like we swallowed half the syllables and decided the rest were optional.

9. We have strong opinions about which Market Basket is “the good one.”

Every region has at least one Market Basket that’s:

  • cleaner
  • faster
  • better stocked
  • less chaotic

And we will drive past three other grocery stores to go to that one.

10. We treat weather like a competitive sport.

If someone says, “It’s cold today,” a Massachusetts person will immediately respond with:

  • “You think this is cold?”
  • “You should’ve been here in ’15.”
  • “This is nothing.”
  • The Blizzard of ’78? That’s nothin’

We don’t just endure weather — we brag about surviving it.

If you’re from Massachusetts, you probably nodded at least once. If you’re not… well, now you know why we are the way we are. We got some wicked , quirky habits. Lets bang a Uey and grab a cuppa iced coffee at that Dunkin up ahead. By the way, where are you from and what quirky habits make your state special?

 

Massachusetts: Where the Sweet Stuff Happen

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Five glossy chocolate Junior Mints candies arranged on a white surface, with one cut open to reveal the smooth white mint filling.

With the Fourth of July just passed and everyone enjoying waterfront strolls, cookouts and all the summer traditions, I fell down a fun little rabbit hole this morning — the “Massachusetts Food Hall of Fame.” We all know our big hitters: Toll House cookies born in Whitman, Fig Newtons created in Cambridge, and the cranberry empire that practically defines the state. But here’s one I didn’t expect to add to the list:

Junior Mints are made right here in Massachusetts.

A Minty Massachusetts Surprise

Not invented here — but still produced here, and have been for 75 years. That’s a long time for a candy to stay put.

Back in 1949, the James O. Welch Company released Junior Mints and named them after a popular Broadway show called Junior Miss. Welch was based in Cambridge, and at the time the area was known as Confectioner’s Row.

In the mid‑1940s, more than 65 candy companies operated in Cambridge. Sixty‑five! Today, only one remains — the Junior Mints plant, still tucked into an unassuming building near Central Square.

You’ve probably driven past it without realizing you were passing the birthplace of movie‑theater minty goodness.

The Last Candy Maker Standing

The factory is now owned by Tootsie Roll Industries, who took over the brand in 1993. And despite its quiet little presence, the place is busy: it turns out over 15 million Junior Mints every single day.

They also make Charleston Chews and Sugar Babies, so if you grew up with those in your Halloween bag, there’s a good chance they came from Cambridge too.

Mint Cousins… But Not Related

And yes — even though Junior Mints and York Peppermint Patties look like cousins, they’re not related. York started in Pennsylvania and eventually landed under Hershey. Massachusetts gets the minty chocolate pillow; Pennsylvania gets the minty chocolate puck.

A Sweet Addition to the Massachusetts Legacy

So now, when you’re grabbing snacks for the parade or the fireworks, you can toss a box of Junior Mints into your cart and say you’re supporting local history. Toll House cookies, Fig Newtons, and Junior Mints — three very different treats, all tied to our little corner of New England.

Not bad for a state that’s only 190 miles long. I guess I know where my sweet tooth comes from!

 

 

Why We Celebrate the 4th of July

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A rectangular 4th of July cake decorated like the American flag, with blueberries and small white star-shaped frosting in the top-left corner and alternating rows of raspberries and white frosting forming the stripes. The cake sits on a wooden surface with patriotic napkins and red, white, and blue striped straws in the background.

Hooray for the Red, White, and Blue!

The 4th of July always sneaks up right when summer starts feeling real — flags on porches, parades gearing up, cookouts firing, and someone in the neighborhood already testing fireworks like they’re running quality control. It’s festive, it’s loud, and it’s very American. But behind all the fun, there’s a real story about why we celebrate this day.

The Declaration of Independence

July 4th marks the anniversary of the Continental Congress adopting the Declaration of Independence — the moment the colonies officially said, “We’re done here,” to British rule. Thomas Jefferson wrote most of it, and the delegates spent time editing and debating before approving the final version.

What Actually Happened on July 4, 1776

Here’s the twist: the vote for independence happened on July 2nd, not the 4th. John Adams even predicted July 2nd would be the holiday we celebrated every year. Only two men signed the Declaration on July 4th — John Hancock and Charles Thompson. Hancock famously signed his name large enough for King George to read without his spectacles, which is how we ended up with the phrase “put your John Hancock on it.”

The big parchment with all 56 signatures didn’t come until August 2nd.

Early Independence Day Celebrations

The very first celebrations included mock funerals for King George III. (Americans have always had a flair for dramatic symbolism.) George Washington marked the first anniversary by giving his soldiers extra rum — probably the most popular tradition of all.

The First Fireworks

By 1777, Boston and Philadelphia were lighting up the sky with cannons and fireworks. Boston, of course, claimed another “first,” because that’s just what Boston does.

 

How the Holiday Grew

After the War of 1812, Independence Day really took off. It became a federal holiday in 1870 and a paid one in 1941. From there, the celebrations got bigger, louder, and more delicious.

A few fun facts:

  • Three presidents died on July 4th: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Monroe.
  • Americans spend about $1.5 billion on fireworks every year.
  • Around 150 million hot dogs get eaten on the 4th.
  • Fireworks send roughly 10,000 people to the ER annually — so maybe don’t stand too close to Uncle Bob’s “custom” firework setup.

A Modern American Tradition

Today, the 4th of July is a blend of history, community, food, and things that go boom in the sky. It’s imperfect, messy, and uniquely ours — a celebration of choosing our own future.

So enjoy the parades, the parties, the cookouts, and all the red‑white‑and‑blue desserts your heart desires. Just be safe around those fireworks.

Happy 4th of July!