HOW TO SPEAK WITH A BOSTON ACCENT

I'm sure we all know the common line "Pahk yah cah in the Hahvad yahd". This is always associated with who....Bostonians.  Every day when I say something, my co-workers will say "Since you live in Boston, you have to speak how we speak" LOL!  So they have been "coaching" me on how to say certain words.  

I have learned the following so far:

Scorcher - (pronounced: scor-cha)

Car - (pronounced: cah)

Yard - (pronounced: yahd)

Where - (pronounced: whe)

Swear - (pronounced: sweah)

Are - (prounced: ah)

So I'm moving along, and the funniest thing is you can learn and get tips from on line.  Here are some tips:

Steps

1. 1
   Pronounce your R's as AH (Park the Car at Harvard Yard will become Pahk the Cah At Hahvad Yahd)
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2. 2
   Don't drop the "R"'s at the beginning of the word.
3. 3
   Pronounce your "O's" like "aw" ('Boston' becomes 'Bawstun", 'Octopus' becomes 'Awctapus').
4. 
   

4

Many Bostonians hypercorrect and replace their Rs where they don't belong. For example, instead of "I have no idea.", I find myself saying, "I have no idear."

I could not stop laughing when I read this...but there is more:

EditTips

• You would say car, a person with a Boston accent would say cah c(as in car) then ah (as in say "AH" at the doctor's).
• In a phrase with at least two words, the first ending with "r" and the second beginning in a vowel, slur the "r". For example, "Where are you?" to "Whe-rah ya?.
• If you live in a suburb of Boston and many of your family members are Bostonians from birth, there's a good chance you inherited some of the accent, like I did. Just make a conscious effort to leave out those R's where they belong and put them back where they don't!
• Use some of our lingo. Instead of turn signal, say blinka. Instead of drinking fountain, say bubbla. Instead of "remote control", say clicka. To emphasize, say wicked. Instead of trash can, say barrel. Instead of "soda", say tonic. Use frappe when you mean milkshake and milkshake when you mean frappe.
• If you go on Wikipedia and look up "Boston accent", there is a full list of our mispronunciations and slang.
• Accept that it might never happen. Even if you're a Bostonian, that's ok. My homeroom teacher's lived in and around Boston all her life and still doesn't talk like JFK.
• Boston is a generalization. People all over Eastern Massachusetts from Lowell to the Rhode Island line and out to Provincetown have it, with different variations. Not everyone drops the R.
• Bostonians, be proud of it! I live right next to the Rhode Island border, and my parents and I are the only speakers of it in these parts, but we haven't tried to lose it! Don't!
• If trying to speak in a Boston Brahman (People whose ancestors founded Boston) accent, use the Boston English, but with a British tone.

And I saved the best for last:

EditWarnings

• Be careful if you're trying to make fun of us. We Bostonians have more than the accent to show for ourselves.

So there you go folks, even you can learn to speak with a Boston accent.  And just so you know I'm NOT making this up...here is the link:

http://www.wikihow.com/Speak-With-a-Bostonian-Accent

I guess it is time for me to go practice my accent!

Well until next time....

ZOEY'S FIRST ROAD TRIP!

So one of the main reasons of me moving to Boston was to be closer to my family.  Those of you who know me, know my family has been through a rough time the last year with the passing of my brother Lee Ernest Mouzone on March 6, 2010.  When that happened and I couldn't get to see him before he passed, that is when I really started to think that I need to be closer just in case of an emergency.  Well, I decided it was time to make a trip home for my mother and Zoey and I did so this past weekend.


When I packed up the car, and told Zoey to get into it, she was so excited and just loved to look out the window. It was an easy ride back home, less than 5 hours!  Drove through Connecticut, blew through New York and back home to Jersey!


Well the first day there Zoey thought it was a good idea to take off and roam about the neighborhood.  Not listening as I was calling her name to come back, as a matter of fact she ran faster!  Let's just say I was not a happy camper and she was put on lock down for the remainder of the day.  She did not like that, but oh well, you do the crime, you do the time.  Then she must have ate something that didn't agree with her because her stomach wasn't right, but I think she is back to normal now.


In a nutshell we had a great time.  I was able to get some things done that my mother needed help with, Zoey got spoiled, I got a little spoiled and it was a nice break from daily life.  We had family game night which we haven't done that in a long time, had a blast!  I beat them not once, but twice!!!  My brother keeps saying that my dancing was not necessary but I think it was because you know what....I was the WINNER and they were the LOSERS!!!!  HA HA HA!!!


Well until next time....

MY TOP TEN BOSTON BUCKET LIST - 2011

So alot of people have bucket lists of things they want to do before they die.  I have always thought about creating one, I mean I guess I have a mental bucket list of what I want to do in life.  But I've decided to create a Top 10 Boston bucket list and try to accomplish these things while I'm here in Boston.  Here we go:


1.  SoWa Open Market - www.sowaopenmarket.com

Who doesn't like going to a open flea market with various vendors?  I know I do, different things to see, buy, eat.  And we all know that I enjoy to eat.  Good thing about this it is every Sunday from May 1st - October 1st.  So I have plenty of time to visit this once or maybe more than once.  


2.  Freedom Trail - www.thefreedomtrail.org

A trail that is 2.5 miles of history.  Now those of you who know me know I'm not a history buff, but this looks pretty neat and is definitely a must see for me.


3.  USS Constitution - www.history.navy.mil/ussconstitution

It's a boat, what can I say?  I'm in to visit this!


4.  Arnold Arboretum - www.arboretum.harvard.edu

Located in Jamaica Plain, MA and it's free for entry and tours.  Did I say this was free?


5.  New England Aquarium - www.neaq.org

First, it's an aquarium, who doesn't love an aquarium.  Second, they just opened the Shark and Stingray touch tank this year...nuff said, I'm there!


6.  Boston Duck Tours - www.bostonducktours.com

It's a car, it's a boat and I hear you can get a whistle that sounds like a duck.  I wonder if that's only for kids?  Guess I'll have to try it out to see! 


7.  Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum - http://www.gardnermuseum.org/about/isabella_stewart_gardner

If I remember correctly, this woman was a gajillionaire!  When she passed, she wanted her collection to remain the same and nothing to be changed. And it hasn't and her memory lives on.  Now that's what I'm talking about!


8.  Whale Watching - www.bostonharborcruises.com

Whale Watching....there is no need for any explanation to want to do this.  And the Codzilla boat looks interesting!


9.  Boston Public Library - www.bpl.org

Why would I want to visit a library?  Go to Google and type in Boston Public Library images and you will know why I want to visit.  Pretty impressive!


10.  Spirit of Boston Cruises - www.spiritofboston.com

Okay another boat....can you tell I like being on a boat?  And what's best about this is it is a 3 hour cruise around Boston Harbor and includes my three favorite things, dinner, dancing, and drinks!  As well as taking in some sights while on the boat, who wouldn't want to do this either?


Well there you have it my Top 10 Boston Bucket List.  Of course there are plenty of other things I want to do but these make the top of the list.  Keep up with my blog as I encounter this journey to complete this year it should be pretty interesting!


Well until next time....

LOBSTER ROLL RECIPE!!!!!!!!!!

Well....apparently this seafood guru who is a Boston native (Ben Sargent) hosts this show on the Cooking Channel called Hook, Line & Dinner.  And this is one of his famed Lobster Roll recipe.  Let me tell you, these sandwiches are the BOMB!!!!  I can't wait until the day I try this recipe, just trying to figure out how I will be able to boil a live lobster!!!  EEEEEEEP!  Anyhoo, if you want to try it out, here it is:

Ingredients

1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns

1/2 yellow onion

3 tablespoons sea salt

1 teaspoon seafood seasoning (Old Bay, for example)

4 lobsters, 1 to 1 1/2 pounds each

1  tablespoon mayonnaise

1 stick salted butter

1 splash of crisp, white wine

2 cloves garlic, smashed

4 top-loading hot-dog buns (such as Pepperidge Farm Classic Top-Sliced)

Directions

1. Set a large stockpot of water to boil over medium-high heat.  Add the peppercorns, onion, sea salt and seafood seasoning.  Once the water is boiling, add the lobsters.  Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes.  When done, remove the lobsters and run under a blast of cold water.  Carefully remove the meat from the shell, saving the juices, and coarsely cut into large chunks (usually, the meat from one lobster is good for one roll).  Mix the lobster juices with the mayonnaise; it should be a wet, thin consistency.  Lightly toss the meat with the mayonnaise.  In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter along with a splash of crisp, white wine and the garlic.

2. Heat a large, flat grill pan or skillet over medium heat.  Open the buns, brush the butter mixture on the insides and toast, buttered-side down, until golden brown, about one minute.

3. Place the lobster meat on some foil and gently heat on the grill.

4. Evenly divide the lobster meat among the rolls, brush the meat with some butter mixture and serve in paper boats.  

Well until next time....

MBTA DISASTER RECOVERY PLAN WAS A DISASTER!

What an interesting day on the train today.  Here I am listening to my music and the next thing I know there was an announcement that the train is stopping at the next stop and everybody had to get off.  I was like what???  I didn't know where I was, the next thing I know they say that an individual was hit by a train and they were going to put everyone on shuttle buses to Quincy Center which was my destination.  


Now I don't know what type of disaster recovery plan the MBTA has in place, but I don't think that it includes on how to handle irate, crazy, and confused people. You would think that providing shuttle buses to transport people would be a no brainer well obviously not.  People were shoving, pushing, yelling at the bus drivers, complaining, etc.  I'm standing there like helllllloooo......a person just got hit by a train aren't you even thinking about that person.  The trains are not running and you have to wait just like everyone else.  I want to get home just as bad as you do.  I couldn't believe how people were acting, so selfish. But finally after about 30 minutes I get on a shuttle bus and then I go to my normal train station to catch another bus home.  


Everything runs smoothly from there on out and I got home safe and sound.


The one thing that worries me is when there is a REAL disaster and people are not going to know how to act or what to do.


My idea is...wait in line, do not push, shove, or try to run people over, make a single file, and wait your turn, things will run much smoother and faster.  Wow imagine that...being civilized makes things work better.  


If only I was in charge, things would be better


Well, until next time.....

ZOEY'S BIRTHDAY BATH

Well what perfect way of starting the day is being clean! This is the trouble that I go through when I have to clip Zoey's toenails.