South Boston

The Doorman comes back to Southie after a long sojourn in New York and cannot believe what he sees when he stops at a liquor store on West Broadway:

... We're in the heart of Southie, and it's January, and three guys are standing in front of the place smoking. Who are we dealing with here? Some of Whitey's boys? Am I gonna have to throw down? Pull out my gat and be firin'?

So, you know, my guard's up when I'm walking in there, but then I see two hot chicks checking out the wine selection. Classy ones, not pregnant visor-wearing redheads with butterfly knives sticking out the pockets of their overalls. And then there's a guy with a poodle. And three guys who give me a wide birth walking in, as if they'd never seen such thuggery. And, finally, the guy wearing the leather pants.

In South Boston. A guy wearing skintight leather pants. ...

Muscular white gunman wearing a ski mask points gun at clerk at the 3 D's store; got away with about $200.

249 W. 6th St.

More info.

Man with gun enters dry cleaners, exits out the rear with money.

768 E. 4th St.

More info.

The view this afternoon from the Congress Street bridge across Fort Point Channel and toward the South Boston Postal Annex (and the South Boston Big Dig ventiliation shafts).

John wonders what's so important that the developers of the Macallen Building (you know, the "green" condos near the Broadway T stop) had to be doing loud construction work at 2:25 a.m.

Bruce blames Tom Menino for the death of Jean Lampron, because Menino supports limits on gun ownership and Bruce somehow knows that Lampron would been packing if not for Menino.

Eastie? Rozzie? Fuhgeddaboud'em. Charlestown? That's SO '90s. John reports that the New Boston Hotness is South Boston:

The hottest neighborhood in Boston is now the lower end of South Boston, near the Broadway bridge. Everyone wants to live there.

Prediction: Within two years, John will be writing the same exact thing about Wolcott Square in Hyde Park. And two years after that, Mattapan Square.

John, the blogging real-estate agent, reads about burgeoning housing growth near the Broadway T stop, and seeks suggestions for names for the area, because, of course, what's the Next Hot Neighborhood without a name?

Since it's in South Boston near the South End, how about SoSo? Or, wait, even better, EaBo has a nice ring to it.

Joel reports that some people in the Polish city of Wroclaw are trying to block the Boston Gay Men's Chorus from performing there because it would be "a disgrace."

Chorus Executive Director Steven Smith is blogging the chorus's European tour.

Sketch Element ambles around the neighborhood, taking photos.

Jonelle notes the fancy-shmancification of South Boston:

... Give us your yuppies, your I-bankers, your huddled day traders yearning to drink lattes. The twenty-something single urbanites of your overpriced shore. Send these, the French-cuffed, well-coiffed to me. And don't be alarmed when the locals throw rocks through your windows.

Leslie and friends ride around on the new Silver Line waterfront extension, checking out all the new stations, like the one at the federal courthouse:

...It was quite elaborate with embossed metal panels, and a huge upper concourse with violet UFO-style lighting. The escalators go up to a bright, glass-enclosed entry kiosk. Since it was a holiday, there hadn't been much traffic on the further reaches of the line, but quite a few people actually got on at the Courthouse Station for the trip under the channel to South Station. ...

South Boston.