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Greetings from Roslindale, Mass.
By adamg on Wed, 07/30/2008 - 9:03pm
I admit I was kind of surprised the other day to see the city had put one of its staycation pins in Adams Park in Roslindale Square. Don't get me wrong, I love our little square, but I just don't see it as a tourist destination. In any case, tonight there was a little festival in Adams Park as part of National Night Out. Girls from the Hyde Park School of Dance danced, while students at the Center for Asian Martial Arts in Rozzie showed off their moves, including this kid:
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Comments
What a waste
The whole pushpin thing is a waste of money. They're ugly and little resemble pushpins unless you know what they are. It took me weeks to realize why there were random red balls around town.
If the city wants to make the public aware of local history and neighborhoods, there should be something in town like a trolley tour. Or this thing called a "Duck Boat." Or a long red line throughout the city. I propose the name "Liberty Trail." And maybe they should build tourist info buildings at almost every block downtown.
(Does that count as snarking? If so, yay!)
I thought they were
I thought they were lollipops!
I walked through the square tonight and saw some of the dancing. It was a very vibrant scene, all told.
Lollipops, exactly.
I saw one somewhere else and thought, 'Oh, what a nice big lollipop. Perhaps they give that to city blocks when they have their cavities filled.'
Well, you're mostly right
Yes, the pins basically duplicate the areas that are already covered by the mainstream tourism industry:
Are you interested in visiting a pin? There are many to see and several are within walking distance of each other. You'll find pins in these locations:
The Boston Common, Boston's City Hall Plaza, Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston's Children's Museum, New England Aquarium, Christopher Columbus Park, Copley Square, Franklin Park Zoo, and Roslindale Village.
Plus one random pin in
Rozzie SquareRoslindale Village. What.They could have actually used the pins to draw people's attention to the historic and cultural sites that aren't downtown, but they didn't. So yes, it's a waste of money.
http://1smootshort.blogspot.com
Stick shift?
Someone online (maybe even here?) said he thought the pushpin was actually a stick shift. (Do people under 25 know what a stick shift is?)
They'd better!
I'm not under 25, but there's one in the car I bought last month. It isn't big and red though. My kids sure as hell will know what one is.
http://1smootshort.blogspot.com
I'm 24 and it's the only
I'm 24 and it's the only thing I'll drive voluntarily.
Roslindale VILLAGE
I think all of you "townies" getting pissy about the Village thing is hilarious. I have heard it said that this was not a new fangled title for the area, but one that old granny used to use.
My parents love to come to Roslindale VILLAGE when they come to town. They like the Halal butcher, the thrift store, the cute little tchtchka shop, the Greek bakery, the wine store, the yuppie bakery, the greek diner, the little grocery store, etc. I like the hardware store there a lot--excellent wall covering selection.
Why not a pin?
Whit
Rozzy
It may be a nice area, with lots of shopping, etc. (I've never been there so I'll take your word for it), but if you look at it pragmatically, how many tourists do you think come into town thinking "hey, maybe I'll skip all the historic stuff downtown and look for an oversized push-pin in an area that is not easily accessible for an out-of-towner who doesn't know their way around?"
My own comment on the pins wasn't based on the fact that Roslindale shouldn't have a pin, but if officials think a big ugly pin is going to draw tourists down there, they need some re-staffing really soon.
Is it still there? I drove
Is it still there? I drove through Roslindale a few mornings this week and haven't noticed it.
It was there tonight
Maybe they only inflate it in the evening :-).
You probably didn't notice it....
...because it was obstructed due to torn-up sidewalks all around it.
;~}
Trojan Pins as Guerilla Art / Prank?
I wonder if we could make extra ones and place them in various mundane and notorius locations.
Put them in places like:
Location of Coconut Grove Nightclub
Historic Brothels
Off beat culinary landmarks (like No Name, Kelly's Revere, Tasty Chicken, former Fontaine's, etc.)
Where the Chappy bridge used to be
Last known sighting place for Whitey
If you were here you'd be home now/West End
Molasses Tank Disaster
It would be even more fun to put some out randomly and invent a reason for them being there, with a full-on BS explanation of something that never happened or never was.
Bonus points if the bomb squad blows one up!
OMG this is brilliant!
Should we make them look the same, or would a slightly different design be in order?
http://1smootshort.blogspot.com
Cost might govern quality here ...
I don't know what the real ones are made out of, but they would have to be cheap to get enough of them out there, yet convincing to get the buy in.
Papier mache for the balls?
Attached to wooden stakes ...
What would be the performance specification
I think they might need to be water resistant - so papier mache might not work.
They might be smaller though - as though they are part of a minor destination campaign. That would help keep things manageable.
Papier mache sprayed with, um, something?
Some waterproofing stuff, like shellac? I'm thinking these things are not going to last very long in the wild, anyway - so probably part of the whole thing would be to photograph them during installation.
Newstead Montegrade
deserves a pin.
Swirly
You read my mind! Some friends of mine and I have been looking to organize free "tours" of Boston, and see how many people buy our made-up info, but this is better.
The ultimate location
On top of one of the MIT domes.
I think that could be subcontracted, though. Another one would look swell inside Lobby 7 at MIT.
Not that I would know anything about hacking or anything.
And at least one pin ...
Should mark the location of a former bowling alley.
I can see it now
how about some guns and knives?
Put 'em up to remind people of where violence has taken a life...
Already being done
With candles and teddy bears ...
where violence has taken a life...