Arrivederci North End

I've lived in the North End for 2 years, and in 2 weeks, I will move. This saddens me more than you know, because for the first time, I became really connected with my neighborhood. Freshmen year I lived in Allston, and there's nothing to connect with there except homeless ninjas with no teeth who communicate by grunting. Not my crowd. The North End is just so wonderful, it will always be my favorite neighborhood in the city. Beacon Hill is quaint, but can be a bit pretentious, South End is well manicured and rather gay, but again, a little snobby, the North End just has SO much, and remains comfortable and welcoming. I think I'm also rather partial to the Italian way of life, or at least the American version of the Italian way of life. Although the neighborhood is now mostly Suffolk students and young professionals, you can still hear the natives speaking Italian and enjoying an espresso on the street in their lawn chairs. It's also still a real community of people that know each other. I know Bobby, the owner of Polcari's, we greet each other on a first name basis, and it's wonderful. I buy my coffee and my herbs from him when I make sauce, and yesterday, when I told him I was moving, he was genuinely a bit sad to hear that. He knows that I'm not just another student invading the neighborhood creating tom foolery. I appreciate the neighborhood and its rich history and culture. In fact, I did a documentary on the businesses on Salem street, one of which was Polcari's, and Bobby was SO happy to be a part of it. He started working at that store when he was a kid, and Mr. Polcari told him if he stuck with him, one day the store would be his, and that came true just a month before I shot the documentary. As I paid for my tin of tea, bulbs of garlic, and small bags of dried herbs (which always look like weed) he shook my hand and wished me all the best in my future. I will miss that, and the food, and the festivals, and Modern Pastry, and running around the waterfront, and the narrow one way streets, and the candlelight dinners from my red kitchen.

Thanks North End for a great 2 years, and don't you worry, I will be back!