Tag 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.

 

 

 

The Old State House

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Walking to the “T” station I was stopped by a group of Asian Tourists. By pointing and broken English they managed to ask me what the “Pretty Building in Gold” was. I tried to explain what the Old State House meant to us Americans and especially Bostonians. I think I managed to convey some of it in spite of the language limitations. That tiny building is still a grand and shining symbol.

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The Old State House is the  oldest surviving public building in Boston. It was built in 1713 to house the government offices of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. It stands on the site of Boston’s first Town House of 1657-8, which burned in 1711. The Old State House was a natural meeting place for the exchange of economic and local news. A Merchant’s Exchange occupied the first floor and the basement was rented by John Hancock and others for warehouse space. As the center of political life and thought in the colonies, the Old State House has been called one of the most important public buildings in Colonial America.

Official proclamations were read from the Old State House balcony, on the east side of the building, looking down State (formerly King) Street. The area beneath the balcony was    the site of the Boston Massacre on March 5, 1770, when a handful of British soldiers fired into a taunting crowd, killing five men. Today a circle of paving stones marks the spot of the Massacre.

On July 18, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was first proclaimed from here, to the jubilant citizens of Boston.

The Old State House continued as the seat of Massachusetts government until a new State House was built on Beacon Hill. On January 11, 1798, all government functions left the building when the governor, state legislature, and other state officials moved to the new State House.

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The building continued to be used for commercial use and entered a period of decline. Eventually a group of concerned citizens formed the Boston Society to rescue the building.

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Today this tiny building stands proudly surrounded by modern skyscrapers. It is a stop on the Freedom Trail and houses a museum of Boston History.

The entrance to the State Street Station, a stop on the MBTA’s  Orange Line, is accessed by entering the historical building.

Reference: http://www.bostonhistory.org/

Be careful What You Wish for

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Now I’m not saying I’m psychic or anything..psycotic maybe…but if you recall as 2012 was wrapping up I posted about The End of a Cycle/ New Beginnings. In that post I said I had a feeling things were going to change for me in 2013.
Well it didn’t take long for the first shoe to drop. I would have had my 10th year anniversary at my job this year on May 12. I just wanted to make it until then at which time I was planning to review my “options’.

I found out yesterday that I should start reviewing my options now. I’m not going to make it to my 10th anniversary. My company is moving my department to another office north of Boston. Everyone is welcome to keep their jobs and work from the new office or they can take a severance package. There’s no increase in pay for the move. For me it would require a 1/2 hour- 45 minute drive (depending on traffic) just to get to the “T”. If I choose to drive all the way it would be at least 1.5 hours each way and that’s on a good day. I worked in that office before and most days it was 2+ hours.
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Between the time and the additional cost taking their offer to move isn’t an option. So that means that on April 1 (April Fool’s Day) I will join the ranks of the unemployed.

On the good side I’ll be old enough to draw social security. I will also be eligible for unemployment and there will be some sort of severance. I’m not sure how much.

Now before everybody gasps and offers condolences let me tell you that I am actually very excited about this.
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I used to enjoy my job but changes in the structure in recent years had me increasingly dissatisfied. I stayed because of the economy, my age and mostly because I really like the people I work with. As conditions deteriorated I knew we were all in it together. Now that I know my time is coming to an end I’m excited to look for new opportunities.

I have been dabbling with the photography so the first thing I have to do is get serious about it. I intend to use some of the “down time” to build up my “stock” (photos) portfolio and see if I can get that producing some income.

I’d love to see my photo cards take off.
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Sales have been sluggish but I’m not real good at promoting myself. I know the people who receive the cards love them and the people who have sent them are all repeat customers so I just have to get the word out more. Maybe now I’ll have time for some craft shows. Any suggestions on low-cost advertising are welcome. Chime in
www.dustyroadsphotos.etsy.com
www.dustyroadsphotos.zenfolio.com
And of course, feel free to become a valued customer. 🙂

The same thing applies to my pet photography and portrait line.

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I need to get my name out there. Once again the key is advertising especially in the highly competitive market we’re in. Everybody has a phone or camera phone and everybody considers themselves a pro. I need a niche.

I was recently “flirting” with another company about a “work from home” position. I’ll see if I can get that back on track. I also noticed that a number of companies that have “in store ” photo studios are hiring as well as several “photo Processing Labs”.

Then there’s freelance work.
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I have had 1 photo published and I’ve been encouraged to write travel articles and try to sell those. In fact at one point a major newspaper suggested I report on New England Travel. I didn’t do anything with it at the time but maybe it’s time to revisit these opportunities.

Relocating is not an option because my home has not rebounded enough to sell and staying here is cheaper than renting.

So the bottom line is that change is in the wind and I suspect it will be a busy , challenging and exciting time. Have any of you been through a layoff or career change later in life? I’d love to hear what kind of experience you had.

Let me tell you a story about a man named Charlie

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…On that tragic and fateful day.

He put 10 cents in his pocket, kissed his wife and family,

went to ride ont he MTA.

We all know the tale of Charlie and the MTA ..he never returned , no he never returned…

Sadly on our return trip on the MBTA, a “Charlie” went to ride at Wollaston Station. As of this writing no one knows what happened. All that we, the public and other passengers know is that  a young man was hit by a red line train and there was no miracle. The young man did not make it. Was it an accident? Was it suicide? Was he drunk, impaired by some other substance? Was he distracted by his phone, texting? or an i-pod? We may never know. Hopefully the family will learn the details and be able achieve some kind of closure.

My heart goes out to the family and to the engineer and the conductor on that train. It was surely traumatic for them, a life changing event.

But I want to comment on the actions of the rest of the MBTA; how the tragic affair affected the rest of the passengers and there were many as it was rush hour.

So let me start at the top. We left the MFA and decided to walk (I know, I’m a glutton for punishment) because I wanted to get some pictures at the Christian Science Center. It is a beautiful spot and I recommend that anyone visiting Boston take a minute to  stop by.

Using the benches along the sidewalk and taking frequent rest stops, I was finally able to get to the Christian Science Center and get some pictures. Yea!

After another rest stop it was back to the OP Shuffle (No offence but it’s the “old person” shuffle. As a card-carrying member of AARP I can say that. I was bent over and had to shuffle my feet . I couldn’t pick them up) Pretty funny now but it wasn’t at the time.

We stopped at Border’s Cafe for a fruit smoothy and then hooked up with the Green Line. If I had hopes of relief there I was sorely (Pun intended) mistaken. It was standing room only and even though it was 4:30 (rush hour) we had to wait 30 minutes for a train, not the normal 10-15.

Arriving at Park St we changed to the Red Line where conditions were no better. We finally got on a train where we hung from poles and straps and my back screamed in protest. I was counting the stops when 2 stops from where the car was parked we were thrown off the train.  A medical emergency in Wollaston we were told. You’ll have to take a shuttle bus.

We were herded off the train and up to the platform where there was 1 bus. Yup, just one. I took advantage of our misfortune by snagging a seat on a bench but the relief was short-lived. It was quickly apparent that if we wanted to have any chance of getting in a shuttle that we would have to stand on the curb and push into the fray when the buses pulled in.

We got on the 4th or 5 th bus..standing room only..again. As the bus pulled into Wollaston Station we saw the crime scene tape and the ME’s van pulling out. We knew it was something bad then. The few passengers for Wollaston exited and the bus turned around to take the majority of us to Quincy Center where we would get off the bus and back onto the train. Standing room only…again.

One of the other passengers used her cell phone to get the latest news and told us a man had been hit by the train in front of ours. That was all we knew and as I write this it is all I have been able to find out.

We finally made it to Quincy Adams Station where my car was parked. As we exited the garage we did a time check, 7:15! 2 hours an 15 minutes for a ride that shouldn’t have taken more than 1 hour! I dropped Nancy off about 15 minutes later and pulled into my complex at 8pm.

The sad part of all this is that this is not the first accident like this on the “T”. I tried to get the numbers of similar incidents for 2011 but couldn’t find any however I did find plenty of news clips about train hits and close calls going back to 2009. So I can’t help but wonder, what steps have the MBTA taken to prevent these kinds of accidents? And with experience with this type of thing, why aren’t they more prepared to provide for their other passengers? No one wants accidents or injuries but that’s why they are called accidents. Shouldn’t the T have contingency plans in place? Our driver said he didn’t even know what station he was supposed to be driving to! I give the “T” a C- for their response to the emergency.

As for my back, a visit to my doctor secured some muscle relaxants and although not 100%, I am well along on the road to recovery!