Welcome to the Neighborhood – Things You Should Know

If you’ve just moved to Southie, welcome! I’m sure you’ll love our little neighborhood as much as I do. I know moving to a new place can be overwhelming, so I figured I’d do you a solid and come up with a few Southie things you should know as a newbie. And if you didn’t just move to Southie, you probably need a little refresher anyway and it’s not like anything I write is long, so give it a read…
Street Cleaning Does Not Play
Heed my words – pay attention to street cleaning signs! There is nothing worse than heading out your front door in the morning with a little spring in your step and a song in your heart, walking the (hopefully) short walk to your car, only to find your car is not where you parked it, because it’s a tow lot racking up big bills. If you risk it on street cleaning, you will get ticked, you will get towed, and you will eventually get the dreaded boot.
Southie Is Super Walkable
I live in The Point and I regularly walk to The Lower End. Translation: I live by The L St. Tavern and I regularly walk to Capo. And the walk home from The Seaport is a personal fave (I can’t wait till The Alamo Drafthouse opens up, and I can take a leisurely stroll home after a movie again). Walking is a great way to get to know the neighborhood; just be safe and use your common sense. And if you don’t have any common sense, please get some fast; your neighbors and I are begging you.
Sullivan’s
Sullivan’s, or Sully’s, is a national treasure. She’s a queen, icon, legend. Sullivan’s is the moment, Sullivan’s is that girl…and any other somewhat relevant lingo you youngsters use nowadays. You’ve probably heard the hoopla around Sully’s opening day every year, and you’re probably pretty pumped to treat yourself on a beautiful, warm, sunny day. EVERYONE will be at Sully’s on a warm, sunny day. People drive from Kingdom Come for a hot dog on a sunny day, but you? You’re a local now and you know that the move is going to Sully’s on a cold, rainy day. Nothing beats the feeling of biting into a piping hot Sullivan’s fry on a bleak, chilly day. Well, maybe the feeling of not having to wait in line to order beats it. PS the most popular thing I ever wrote is a primer on how to order at Sully’s. I wrote it years ago, but it’s as relevant today as the day I wrote it. And you can read my legacy HERE.
Sundays Are Crazy
Sundays used to be a day of rest and relaxation, but no more! The Lord may have rested on Sunday, but Southie sure doesn’t. You’re going to wait in line for EVERYTHING on a Sunday: coffee, groceries, brunches, bars, takeout, so be patient. My advice is either head out super early for anything you plan on doing, or stay home and just have some people over…maybe with a little something from The Dirty Italian?
Your Garbage Matters
I’m probably showing my age here (how do you do, fellow kids), but the episode of Sex and the City when the rat runs across Carrie’s hair while she sleeps aired almost twenty years ago (Out Of The Frying Pan Season 6 Episode 16) and it still haunts me to this day. Which brings me to my point: Snap the lids on your mother-effing trash barrels. All that’s standing between us and a full-on rodent uprising is the thin polyethylene of your Roughneck lid. Keeping your trash locked and loaded means rats can’t get in to eat, and no one stays at a party with no food. Just ask Sai from RHONY. Check out Peter G’s Trash Etiquette post here.
Be A Good Neighbor
At its core, Southie is a tight-knit neighborhood. I think our sense of community is one of our finest attributes, and that feeling of community is something you can take with you long after you leave 02127. IF you’re a good neighbor, that is. So be friendly, be kind, be considerate, look out for your neighbors, and they’ll look out for you. Case in point, I got a text from a concerned neighbor this morning because my car was parked on the street cleaning side of the street, and they wanted to give me a heads up before I got a ticket or towed. It wasn’t actually my car, but I appreciate the looking out, Danny!
And whether you’ve lived here for a couple of days or a couple of decades, feel free to say hi to any of us Caught In Southie writers if you see us in the wild, we won’t bite… hard (trademark Austin Powers).
Heather has been writing for Caught In Southie since pretty much the beginning and for that we apologize. She can often be found on her couch with a log of raw cookie dough. Her biggest fear is being on an episode of Dateline and her wildest dream is being a guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race. Feel free to let her know if there’s something you think she should write about, unless it’s stupid.
Southie has left the building awhile ago.
Good advice to the newbies and great reminders for those who aren’t.
Forget owning a car. No place to park it any time of the year.
Missed youbshesther-feel like you hdvrnt written much lately. You are the best.
Fifth year seniors new to Southie should pay attention. Loud frat parties will be shut down & your landlord fined. When you go to bars buy rounds rather than pay individually. Snowflakes should avoid verbal altercations which may lead to physical combat. Mouthing off online is different than trying it face to face in Southie. Knock outs do occur. Be polite, be respectful & everything else will take care of itself.
You don’t need a car in this neighborhood. It’s expensive and a pain in the ass to drive or park. Walking and biking is king.
What if you have children? Or kids that play hockey?