Explain Boston to Me

Your local Boston expert-in-training is back to recap the FINALE episode of the Netflix dating show Love is Blind. We discuss the pre-altar dropouts, the dangers of single women in their 30s, and ask serious questions about balloon arches. Plus, we finally know who says YES. We will be back next week with a reunion recap/discussion on Boston male archetypes. DID YOU LIKE THIS RECAP? Please let me...

Your local Boston expert-in-training is back to recap second batch of episodes from the Netflix dating show Love is Blind. We discuss Rob's implosion — a disaster in two acts — share some local goss on Aneha, and solve the crisis of the American male. DID YOU LIKE THIS RECAP? Please let me know, so I’ll keep doing them. DM me on  Instagram ,  email me , or send me a voice memo. Hosted by Simplecas...

In this episode, we're talking to Evan Turissini , a local actor. He's giving us the scoop on Boston's theater scene, from the top theaters to the enduring challenges. We also ponder the eternal question: Do you have to go to New York or L.A. to "make it" — or should we rethink that whole paradigm. The Liberty Biberty protest . For local theater reviews, check out Evening Transcript (sub...

Your local Boston expert-in-training is back to recap second batch of episodes from the Netflix dating show Love is Blind. What is the current state of our couples? Where the hell do they live?? And how many opaque wine glasses are in the production budget??? Next week, there will be a regular episode of EBtM and a final Love is Blind recap. DID YOU LIKE THIS RECAP? Please let me know, so I’ll kee...

Lee Stabert, your local Boston expert-in-training, is here to recap season 11 of the Netflix dating show Love is Blind . This time, the whole cast is based in the Boston area. Will the region's singles find love in the pods? How many times will Dunkin' be mentioned?? Did Tom Brady's Super Bowl triumph against the Falcons beat out Jesus for the "best comeback ever"??? So many big question...

As promised! In this episode, we're joined by Michael Omenazu, a Roxbury resident and  director of former community engagement for the Boston Legacy FC. He talks me through the development plans for White Stadium , the history of its disrepair, the unique public/private funding model, and the much-discussed the transit plan! Want to see the chippy comments that inspired this episode? Click here ....

Ian Coss is back! This time, he's discussing season four of his GBH podcast, The Big Dig. This iteration — titled "Mitt & Ted, a healthcare story" — centers on the passage of Romneycare and the unlikely duo who pushed it across the finish line. We get into Mitt Romney as a fascinating American character, the Heritage Foundation, the Affordable Care Act, and what the bill looks like 2...

In this episode, we're speaking with returning guest Dart Adams about Celtics legend Bill Russell. He goes deep on the superstar's personality, his activism, his groundbreaking play style, and his relationship with the city of Boston. The Double Doink . Jayson Stark on the biggest MLB late-season implosions . Have feedback on this episode or ideas for upcoming topics? DM me on  Instagram ,  email...

In this episode, we're chatting with Gregory Cordeiro of Easymoc. This shoe industry vet talks about the history of making footwear in New England, the talent base that keeps companies in Boston, and why he has dedicated his life to making high-quality leather shoes in Maine. Plus, a clip from Pretty Woman and too much talk about Jumanji . But his shoes HERE ; and/or follow Easymoc on Instagram ....

We're talking about a project that transformed downtown Boston, for good or for ill. City planner Noah Harper talks us through the history of Government Center, from Scollay Square to Urban Renewal, Brutalism to the Cop Slide. Plus, the tragic tale of a lost earring. Check out Harper's substack, Power and Place ; here is his piece on Government Center . Previous Relevant Episodes: Urban Renewal ,...

In this episode, we're talking about East Boston with researcher and resident Joshua Lown. How did this series of soggy islands become a dense urban neighborhood? What is residents' relationship with their noisy neighbor, Logan Airport? And how did fights over runways and run-off contribute to a legacy of community resistance on Maverick Street and beyond? Plus, the White Stadium conversation cont...

There’s a reason they call it “Beantown.” In this week’s rerun,  Yankee Magazine food editor Amy Traverso takes us through the history of this iconic food — and explains why its place on the Mount Rushmore of local cuisine might be in jeopardy. I made beans!  Have feedback on this episode or ideas for upcoming topics? DM me on  Instagram ,  email me , or send me a voice memo. Hosted by Simplecast,...

In this Boston Movie Club REWIND, we’re talking about Fever Pitch , the 2005 romcom starring Jimmy Fallon, Drew Barrymore, and the 2004 Red Sox. Joining me to dig into this divisive film is Tyler Rotman, who you might remember from  EBtM: The 2004 Red Sox . We talk about Fallon as a leading man, the last-minute script changes, and why some locals loathe this movie. This episode originally aired on...

In this episode, we're talking with economics professor Victor Matheson about the history of Gillette Stadium and Boston's aversion to stadium funding more broadly. The conversation touches on Fenway, the new ballpark in Worcester, Robert Kraft's new Revs home, and the one public stadium project the city IS funding. The Red Sox are going to the CORN.  The Union build a "Sportsplex" in Ch...

On this episode, we're talking about an intellectual movement that changed the world — and was born right here in the Boston area. From Walden Pond to "Self-Reliance" to one of the first great feminist thinkers, Transcendentalism produced enduring literature and revolutionary ideas. Princeton professor Peter Wirzbicki is here to explain it all. Zoo360. A.J. Brown drama.  Have feedback on...

We're joined by Zach Remi aka @new_england_dad to talk about what your New England summer vacation says about you. From Maine to Martha's Vineyard, New Hampshire to Cape Cod, we're parsing the delights, drawbacks and expectations of iconic local warm-weather destinations. Have feedback on this episode or ideas for upcoming topics? DM me on  Instagram ,  email me , or send me a voice memo. Hosted b...

We're talking with Joseph Nevins, a professor and co-author of A People's Guide to Greater Boston , about this seminal decade in Boston history. From busing to the Bicentennial to the Vault, the 1970s showcased a city in transition. Lebron is a Sixer and people are freaking out . Nantucket influencer drama. Jimothy. Have feedback on this episode or ideas for upcoming topics? DM me on  Instagram , ...

We're chatting with Jim Varney of Wavelength Coffee Roasters about local coffee culture — from Dunkin and Coffee Connection to Keurig and $8 pour-overs. What does it mean that this regional prizes both affordable, utilitarian caffeine delivery AND serves as a hot-bed for java-centric innovation? Have feedback on this episode or ideas for upcoming topics? DM me on  Instagram ,  email me , or send m...

This conversation focuses on Boston's wealth of historic buildings — and the advantages and challenges that result. Peter Vanderwarker and Dr. Rebecca Kemper from Historic Boston Incorporated share their thoughts on the evolving city, when a building crosses the rubicon and becomes "historic" (paging City Hall), and lament some of their favorite lost structures. Philly's best cheesesteak...

We're hopping on a ferry and heading to the "The Little Grey Lady of the Sea." Author Julie Gerstenblatt is here to talk us through her personal relationship to Nantucket, detail the island's particular charms, and explain how the whaling-mecca-turned-posh-summer-destination has evolved over the years. Primo's Hoagie Trays! Jaylen Brown to the Sixers. @Carly gets her own Nantucket lights...

I'm down the [Jersey] shore, so it's rerun time! This is one of the show's most popular episodes ever. We’re talking tripledeckers, that iconic piece of the local urban fabric with Matthew Dickey, aka Streetscape Curator . What are the origins of this vernacular architectural style? How has their identity — and their residents — changed over the years? And are we ready for a tripledecker renaissan...

In this episode, we're chatting with chef and restauranteur Nick Dixon about what it actually takes to run a successful spot in the city of Boston, from the cost of doing business to picking the right plates, to sending back food. His new spot Dalia just opened in South Boston. Calder Gardens wows . Have feedback on this episode or ideas for upcoming topics? DM me on  Instagram ,  email me , or se...

Crack a cold one! In this episode, we're talking about Polar Seltzer, a staple of fridges and coolers across New England. This Worcester-based company has been in business for 144 years, and it remains the gold standard for the seltzer obsessed, including our guest, food writer Jacqueline Cain. We chat about the best flavors, the recent rebrand and the Willy Wonka-esque mystery surrounding Polar....

In this episode, we're chatting with Chris Wrenn, author of Fenway Punk: How a Boston Indie Label Scored Big on Baseball's Greatest Rivalry . He talks "Yankees Suck," going legit with Sully's Brand, and the city's enduring punk and hardcore scene. It's a true Boston story with plenty of only-in-Beantown insights. AJ Brown's AI silliness Boston has the NBA's most passionate — and most obn...

This week, it's just the tip — of Cape Cod! We're talking Provincetown with Courtney Trautman a South End transplant with a deep love of this seaside gay mecca. Philly artist Clancy Philbrick explains his very special replica of the World Cup trophy. Check our his work HERE . The Broad Street Bulletin. Bathtub Marys. Have feedback on this episode or ideas for upcoming topics? DM me on  Instagram ,...