Category Archives: Massachusetts

Plymouth Rock: The Legend, the Letdown, and the Lovely Town Around It

Posted on by

The Most Overrated Tourist Attractions? Let’s Talk About Plymouth Rock

So I saw another list, but we’re not going to dig through it all. I’m just going to pick and choose a few choice comments. The list was The U.S. Tourist Attractions That People Regret Visiting the Most. As a travel enthusiast, I felt it was my duty to share a few of my thoughts.

Since I’m in Massachusetts and only a couple of towns over from Plymouth, I thought I’d chat about Plymouth Rock.

What was on the list? Well, without taking the time to bore you with details, here’s the lineup:

  1. Times Square, NYC, New York
  2. Skywalk, Grand Canyon, Arizona
  3. SeaWorld, Orlando, Florida
  4. Salem Witch Museum, Salem, Massachusetts
  5. Hollywood Walk of Fame, Los Angeles, California
  6. Broadway, Nashville, Tennessee
  7. Duval Street, Key West, Florida
  8. Pat’s King of Steaks, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  9. Roswell, New Mexico
  10. Ocean City Boardwalk, Ocean City, Maryland
  11. Mystery Spot, St. Ignace, Michigan
  12. Plymouth Rock, Plymouth Harbor, Massachusetts
  13. Navy Pier, Chicago, Illinois
  14. Calico Ghost Town, San Bernardino County, California
  15. World of Coca-Cola, Atlanta, Georgia
  16. Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco, California

So now you have the whole list—let me talk about Plymouth Rock.

Plymouth Rock: The Legend, the Letdown, and the Lovely Town Around It

As a kid, the idea of Plymouth Rock is irresistible. It’s practically mythological—the rock where the Pilgrims supposedly stepped ashore in 1620. You picture something massive, dramatic, maybe glowing with historical importance. At the very least, something you could stub your toe on.

Then you finally go see it and… well… it’s a medium-sized rock in a granite gazebo, sitting behind iron bars like it’s in time-out. You stand there thinking, This? This is the rock? And yet, thousands of people come every year to have the same moment of quiet confusion.

But here’s the twist: the story behind the rock is far more interesting than the rock itself. And Plymouth—thankfully—is full of genuinely lovely places that make the trip worthwhile.

The Real Story Behind the Rock (Which Is Better Than the Rock)

  • No Pilgrim ever mentioned a rock. Not in 1620, not in 1621, not ever. The first written reference appears more than a century later.
  • The legend began in 1741, when an elderly church elder insisted he remembered hearing from earlier generations that this was the landing spot.
  • The rock has been moved several times, and each move made things worse:
    • 1774: Townspeople tried to relocate it and accidentally split it in half.
    • 1834: The top half was hauled to the town square for display.
    • 1880: The halves were reunited at the waterfront, but not quite perfectly—hence the famous crack.
  • The “1620” carving? Added in the 1800s, long after the Pilgrims were gone.

So the rock you see today is more of a symbol than an artifact. And symbols can be powerful… even if they’re smaller than expected.

What Makes Plymouth Worth the Trip

Plymouth itself is charming, historic, and absolutely worth a visit—even if the rock leaves you shrugging.

  • Brewster Gardens — A pretty little park right off the waterfront with footbridges, flowers, and shady paths. It’s the kind of place you wander into and think, “Oh, this is lovely.”
  • The Massasoit Statue — Overlooking the harbor, honoring the Wampanoag leader who forged a peace treaty with the Pilgrims. The view from up there is one of the best in town.
  • The Mayflower II — A full-scale reproduction of the original ship. It’s surprisingly immersive, and the interpreters do a fantastic job bringing 1620 to life.
  • Plimoth Patuxet Museums — If you want the real, nuanced history—not the postcard version—this is where it lives.

Plymouth isn’t overrated. Historic Plymouth Rock is.

And Now for Something Actually Exciting: Captain John Boats

Once you’ve stared at the rock for the obligatory 30 seconds, you’re only steps away from one of the best things Plymouth has to offer: Captain John’s whale watches.

For nearly 50 years, these trips have been part of my life—breaching humpbacks, sea spray, the thrill of spotting that first tail flick. It’s the perfect contrast to the stillness of the Rock. If Plymouth Rock leaves you wanting more, Captain John’s will give you a show the Pilgrims never dreamed of.

Wrapping It Up

So yes—Plymouth Rock may be one of the most overrated attractions in America, but Plymouth itself is a gem. It’s a place where history, beauty, and the Atlantic all meet. Go for the Rock if you must… but stay for everything else. And if you time it right, you might just end your day with a whale tail against the horizon.

Breaching Whale

 

Back to Boston, Baby

Posted on by

 

Vikings, Chowda, and Josh Gates’ Wild New England Detour

Writing about Boston’s quirks and accents made me think of an episode of Expedition Unknown with host Josh Gates, a Massachusetts native son. The episode I’m thinking of—“Viking Secrets” (Season 4, Episode 1), which originally aired in December 2017—was packed with Boston jokes and New England flavor. One bit in particular, a hilarious monologue Josh delivered about coming home to Boston, aired once or twice and then vanished from later edits.

I don’t remember every word after all these years, but the spirit of it stuck with me. What follows isn’t a transcript — it’s my best memory of the tone, the rhythm, and the jokes he tossed out in that moment.

🦞 “I’m headin’ to Boston, baby—my home town.”

Josh delivered that line with the kind of grin only a true Boston kid can pull off. And then he launched into a hometown riff that hit every note:

“I’m headin’ to Boston, baby — my home town.
Nothin’ like comin’ back to a place where you can walk down the street wearin’ a giant foam lobstah hat and nobody bats an eye. Half the time someone’ll stop ya just to ask if the packie had ’em on sale.

And the sports, my God. You step off the plane at Logan and within five minutes you’ve got two guys in Brady and Ortiz jerseys arguin’ about which championship parade had bettah weathah.

The seafood? Forget it. You can’t throw a rock without hittin’ a place claimin’ they’ve got the best chowda in New England. And honestly? They’re not wrong.

But the real sign you’re home? Dunkin’. There’s one on every cornah, like they’re multiplyin’. You leave for five minutes and suddenly there’s a new one across from the old one, just in case you needed backup.

So yeah — Vikings, longships, ancient mysteries… but first I’m grabbin’ an iced regulah and maybe swingin’ by Kowloon. You can’t staht an expedition on an empty stomach.”

It was Boston in a nutshell—accent, attitude, seafood, sports, and caffeine. And then, as quickly as it appeared, the riff disappeared from later versions of the episode. Lost media, Boston edition.

🌳 Comm Ave, Memory Lane, and the Boston That Stays With You

Hearing Josh talk about coming home made me think about my own Boston moments. Walking down

Swan boats in the public garden boston

two Swan Boats 2017

Comm Ave in the fall, leaves crunching underfoot. The Public Garden swan boats. The way the city glows at dusk, all brownstones and lamplight. The stubborn pride that makes Bostonians argue about everything from sports stats to the correct way to pronounce “car.”

(For the record: cah.)

Boston isn’t just a place—it’s a personality. And Josh taps into that every time he comes back.

Is it a Viking tower or a windmill🏰 From Chowda to the Newport Tower: New England Mysteries

Once Josh finished his iced regulah, he headed south to Rhode Island to investigate the Newport Tower—one of New England’s most persistent historical head‑scratchers.

 

 

Is it:

  • A colonial windmill?
  • A Viking structure?
  • A Portuguese relic?
  • A medieval tower built by someone who got very lost?

Depends on who you ask.

Josh did what Josh does best: climbed it, measured it, poked it, and interviewed everyone from historians to enthusiastic theorists. The result? A delightful blend of science, speculation, and “well, it could be Vikings… maybe.”

🦈 Nomans Land: Where Josh Gates Nearly Becomes Shark Chowda

But nothing—and I mean nothing—beats the segment where Josh heads to Nomans Land, the forbidden island off Martha’s Vineyard.

This place has:

  • Rough seas
  • Unexploded WWII bombs
  • Restricted access
  • A coastline patrolled by great white sharks

Naturally, Josh decides this is the perfect place to investigate Viking legends.

Watching him bounce around on a boat in choppy water while the captain casually mentions, “Oh yeah, this whole area is full of unexploded ordnance,” is peak Expedition Unknown. Add in the sharks circling like they’re waiting for him to drop a snack, and it becomes comedy gold.

I laughed out loud then, and I still do now. Only Josh could turn “bombs and sharks” into a charming travelogue.

⚓ Why This Episode Feels So Boston

It’s not just the accent or the Dunkin’ jokes. It’s the spirit of the thing.

Boston—and New England in general—is a place where:

  • History is always underfoot
  • Mystery is always around the corner
  • The ocean is always waiting to surprise you
  • And the locals are always ready to argue about something

Josh captured that perfectly. Even when the intro got cut, the episode still carries that unmistakable New England energy: a mix of curiosity, grit, humor, and “yeah, we’ll go check out the island full of bombs, why not?”

📝 Closing Thoughts

Revisiting this episode reminded me why I love Boston—and why Josh Gates remains one of my favorite storytellers. He gets it. He gets us. Josh knows that New England isn’t just a backdrop; it’s a character.

And even if that original Boston riff is lost to the editing room floor, it lives on in the hearts of those of us who heard it the first time and thought:

“Yep. That’s home.”

Boston Slang: A Survival Guide for Anyone Visiting the Hub

Posted on by

 

Boston has its own rhythm, its own attitude, and absolutely its own vocabulary. After fifty years in New England, I’ve learned that half the fun of living here is listening to the way people talk—and the other half is watching tourists try to decode it. So if you’re planning a trip to the Hub, or you’ve ever wondered why a Bostonian told you to “bang a U‑ey” near the “packie,” this one’s for you.

🗣️ Everyday Bostonisms

Boston slang isn’t just words—it’s a whole personality. These are the phrases you’ll hear before you’ve even finished your first Dunkin’ coffee.

  • Wicked — the Swiss Army knife of intensifiers. Wicked cold, wicked good, wicked late.
  • Bang a U‑ey — make a U‑turn, usually in a place that does not officially allow U‑turns.
  • Clicker — the TV remote.
  • Packie — the liquor store, not a package drop-off.
  • The T — the subway system, even though half of it is buses.
  • Kid — a friendly greeting, even if the person is 47 and wearing a suit.

Boston English is less about grammar and more about attitude. If it sounds like it should be shouted across a parking lot, it probably is.

🚗 Driving & Directions

Boston driving is a sport, a tradition, and occasionally a test of faith. The slang reflects that.

  • Storrowed — when a truck hits a low bridge on Storrow Drive. Happens every September like clockwork.
  • The Pike — the Massachusetts Turnpike.
  • Southie, Dot, Eastie — South Boston, Dorchester, East Boston.
  • The Big Dig — the tunnel project we’re still complaining about twenty years later.

If you can navigate Boston without GPS, congratulations—you’re officially a local.

🍽️ Food & Drink Terms

Boston’s food vocabulary is its own little universe.

  • Frappes — milkshakes with ice cream.
  • Jimmies — chocolate sprinkles.
  • Hoodsie — those little ice cream cups with the wooden spoon.
  • Steamers — soft-shell clams.
  • Scrod — whatever white fish the restaurant has that day.

If you order a “milkshake” expecting ice cream, that’s on you. Boston warned you.

🧥 Weather & Clothing

The weather here has personality, so of course the language does too.

  • Nor’easter — a storm that shuts down everything except Dunkin’.
  • Tennis shoes — any athletic shoe, regardless of sport.
  • Mud season — the fifth New England season between winter and spring.

nor’ easter

If someone says “wicked windy,” just grab a jacket and don’t ask questions.

🏙️ Attitude & Local Flavor

This is where Boston really shines.

  • Pissa — amazing, awesome, top‑tier.
  • Smaht — smart, usually said sarcastically.
  • Skeevy — sketchy or gross.
  • No big whoop — not a big deal.

Boston slang is blunt, efficient, and usually delivered with a side of dry humor.

🧭 Place Names Tourists Always Butcher

If you can pronounce these correctly, you’ve earned honorary Boston status.

  • Worcester — WUSS‑tah
  • Gloucester — GLOSS‑tah
  • Peabody — PEE‑buh‑dee
  • Haverhill — HAY‑vrill
  • Leicester — LEST‑ah
  • Copley — COP‑lee
  • Faneuil — FAN‑yul

If you pronounce them phonetically, don’t worry—locals will correct you before you finish the word.

Final Thoughts

Boston slang is more than vocabulary—it’s a cultural handshake. It’s the sound of Red Line delays, Dunkin’ drive‑thrus, and neighbors yelling across triple‑deckers. It’s sharp, funny, and proudly unique, just like the city itself.

And if you ever get confused, just remember: when in doubt, it’s probably wicked something.

 

New England vs the World- a Linguistic Nightmare

Posted on by

 

New England Just Can’t Get With the Rest of the World

Or: Why Ordering a Simple Drink Can Feel Like a Pop Quiz

The Goulash That Started It All

A few days ago, I mentioned the great Massachusetts goulash mystery — how my simple mix of hamburger, tomatoes, and macaroni somehow shares a name with a paprika-heavy Hungarian stew, a baked casserole, and something called American Chop Suey. After fifty years in New England, you’d think I’d have the naming conventions down.

But no. Because if there’s one thing New England loves, it’s doing things its own way. And that includes what we call everyday foods and drinks.

Tonic, Soda, Pop… and Now “Soft Drink”

Ask for a soda in most of the country and you’ll get a Coke, a Pepsi, or whatever fizzy thing you’re after.

Ask for a tonic in New England and you might get a raised eyebrow — unless you’re talking to someone over 60, in which case they’ll hand you a Pepsi without blinking.

Meanwhile, pop is strictly a Midwest thing. If you say “pop” in Massachusetts, people will assume you’re talking about your father, not your beverage.

And then there’s soft drink, the polite, slightly formal cousin that sounds like it belongs in a 1950s diner or a doctor’s office. Technically it means any non‑alcoholic carbonated drink, but around here it’s more of a background character than a star.

So the full New England beverage glossary now looks like this:

  • Soda — the modern default
  • Tonic — the old-school Massachusetts classic
  • Soft drink — the formal, old-fashioned option
  • Pop — something your father is called, not something you drink

A newcomer doesn’t stand a chance.

The Frappe vs. Milkshake Debate (Now Featuring Smoothies)

This one still gets me.

In most of the country, a milkshake has ice cream. Thick, creamy, slurp-it-through-a-straw-if-you’re-lucky ice cream.

In New England?
Nope.

  • A milkshake is just flavored milk.
  • A frappe (pronounced frap, not frap-pay) is what the rest of the world calls a milkshake — because it actually has ice cream in it.
  • A smoothie is the healthy overachiever of the group — fruit, yogurt, ice, maybe spinach if you’re feeling virtuous. It sounds like it should be in the same category, but it absolutely is not.

So yes, you can order a chocolate milkshake here and get something the consistency of chocolate milk. And yes, it still surprises me.

The Grinder vs. Sub vs. Hoagie Situation

If you’re new to New England and someone offers you a grinder, don’t panic — it’s not a tool, it’s lunch.

  • Grinder — New England
  • Sub — Most of the U.S.
  • Hoagie — Philadelphia
  • Hero — New York

Same sandwich. Four names. Zero agreement.

Sneakers? Nope. We Wear “Tennis Shoes.”

Even if we haven’t touched a tennis court since the Nixon administration, New Englanders will still call all athletic shoes tennis shoes.

Running shoes, walking shoes, cross-trainers — doesn’t matter. They’re tennis shoes.

Rotaries, Not Roundabouts

Everywhere else: roundabout.
New England: rotary, and we drive through them like we’re trying to qualify for the Indy 500.

Tourists approach them with fear. Locals approach them with misplaced confidence. No one uses a blinker.

Wicked Good, Wicked Cold, Wicked Everything

“Wicked” is our universal intensifier.

  • Wicked cold
  • Wicked good
  • Wicked fast
  • Wicked expensive

It works for everything except actual wickedness.

Bubbler vs. Water Fountain

This one’s more Rhode Island and parts of Massachusetts, but it still counts.

A bubbler is a drinking fountain.
If you ask where the water fountain is, you’ll get directions.
If you ask where the bubbler is, you’ll get respect.

Jimmies vs. Sprinkles

Chocolate sprinkles?
In New England, they’re jimmies.

Rainbow sprinkles are still sprinkles, but chocolate ones get their own name. Why? No one knows. It just is.

Package Store vs. Liquor Store

If someone tells you they’re “running to the packie,” they’re not mailing a package — they’re buying wine.

A package store is a liquor store.
A packie run is a perfectly respectable Saturday errand.

Final Thoughts

New England is full of charm, contradictions, and linguistic curveballs. Whether it’s goulash that isn’t goulash, milkshakes that aren’t milkshakes, or rotaries that strike fear into the hearts of tourists, we like things the way we like them — even if the rest of the world disagrees.

The 4 P’s of Cold Weather

Posted on by

 

❄️The 4 P’s of Cold Weather

Snow is piling up across Massachusetts, the winds are howling, and winter has officially settled in. Here on Around Dusty Roads, we know that surviving the season isn’t just about braving the cold—it’s about finding comfort, warmth, and maybe even a little humor along the way.

That’s why we’re sharing the tried-and-true 4 P’s of Cold Weather: People, Pets, Pipes, and Plants.

👨‍👩‍👧 People

  • Dress in layers: Think of it as building your own personal insulation system.
  • Check on neighbors: Especially the elderly—sometimes a knock on the door means more than just a wellness check; it’s a chance to share a smile.
  • Prepare for outages: Stock up on blankets, flashlights, and snacks. (Yes, marshmallows count.)

🐾 Pets

  • Bring them inside: If you wouldn’t sleep outside in a snowbank, neither should your dog.
  • Keep water fresh: Frozen bowls are no fun for thirsty pets.
  • Create cozy corners: Heated beds or a pile of blankets make winter feel less like survival and more like luxury.

 

 

🚰 Pipes

  • Insulate exposed pipes: Foam covers are basically puffy jackets for your plumbing.
  • Let faucets drip: Keeps water moving and pressure down. Bonus: dripping faucets double as cat entertainment—your feline friends will think you installed a new toy just for them.
  • Disconnect hoses: Outdoor hoses don’t enjoy becoming popsicles.

🌱 Plants

  • Cover delicate greenery: Burlap, blankets, or tarps—plants love a good winter fashion statement.
  • Bring potted plants inside: Herbs and houseplants thrive when they’re not auditioning for Frozen.
  • Think ahead: Protecting plants now means fewer tears when spring finally arrives.

🛋️ Featured Cozy Essential: Welcoming Haven’s Faux Fur Leopard Print Throw

When the winds whip and the snow piles high, nothing says “winter survival” quite like a blanket that’s equal parts warmth and style. Welcoming Haven’s Faux Fur Leopard Print Throw is the ultimate winter companion:

  • Luxuriously soft: Perfect for curling up with a book or binge-watching your favorite series.
  • Wildly stylish: Adds a pop of personality to your living room or bedroom décor.
  • Practical warmth: Because sometimes the best way to fight the cold is to embrace cozy.

👉 Ready to make winter chic and cozy? Shop the Faux Fur Leopard Print Throw at Welcoming Haven today!

🌟 Final Thoughts

Winter in New England is a test of preparation, patience, and humor. By remembering the **4 P’s—People, Pets, Pipes, and Plants—you’ll keep your home safe, your loved ones cozy, and maybe even your cats entertained. And when it’s time to settle in after a long day of shoveling, let Welcoming Haven’s Faux Fur Leopard Print Throw be your stylish shield against the cold.