Explain Boston to Me
Podcaster and Philly transplant Lee Stabert learns about Boston. She'll never be a native, but she might just learn to speak the language.
Episodes
68 episodes
REWIND: BMC presents Good Will Hunting
What movie should we do next? And who should be the guest? Email meThis is a great weekend to get the family together for a viewing of the 1997 classic starring Matt and Ben. In this reru...
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Season 1
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Episode 68
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38:27
Karen Read with Susan Zalkind
In this very special episode, we solve the Karen Read case! JK. We actually talk about what the obsession with this murder says about Boston, its suburban small towns, local media, law enforcement, and true crime. Offering her expertise is writ...
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Season 1
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Episode 67
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54:40
Boston baked beans with Amy Traverso
There's a reason they call it "Beantown." In this week's episode, Yankee Magazine food editor Amy Traverso takes us through the history of this iconic food — and explains why its place on the Mount...
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Season 1
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Episode 66
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46:35
Boston's water supply with Elena Palladino (plus, a wet and wild taste test)
Is there anything we take for granted more than clean, safe water flowing out of our taps? In this episode, I'm learning all about Boston's municipal water supply and its source, the Quabbin Reservoir. My guest is writer and historian Elena Pal...
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Season 1
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Episode 65
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42:11
Lexington with Trisha Pérez Kennealy
In this week's episode, we're learning all about Lexington, aka the "birthplace of American Liberty." Or so they say! Giving us the 411 on this iconic New England town is Trisha Pérez Kennealy, local and proprietor of the
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Season 1
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Episode 64
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43:14
Fenway (the neighborhood not the ballpark) with Michael Minichello
This week, we're talking Fenway — or "The Fenway" — which has everything from baseball (duh) to world-class art to gorgeous parks. The inside scoop comes courtesy of Michael Minichello, general manager at
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Season 1
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Episode 63
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45:42
Head of the Charles with Brendan Mulvey
In this week's episode, we're chatting about the city's most famous rowing race: The Head of the Charles, happening October 19-20. Joining us is Brendan Mulvey, director of racing at the annual regatta. He te...
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Season 1
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Episode 62
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30:40
REWIND: The 2004 Red Sox with Tyler Rotman
In honor of October baseball, we're revisiting this magical tale of underdog grit, triumph over evil, and old men weeping in the streets. Lifelong Red Sox fan Tyler Rotman joins me to tell me the tale of how the curse was broken and the city li...
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Season 1
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Episode 61
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51:14
The West End is dead, long live the West End with Sebastian Belfanti
In this episode, we're joined by Sebastian Belfanti of the West End Museum to talk about the history of the neighborhood — and its tragic fate at the hands of Urban Renewal. Turns out Boston looked at...
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Season 1
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Episode 60
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1:06:38
Never go to Salem in October with Adam & Art Antczak
Salem, the North Shore city with a long and complicated history, is now in the midst of a new chapter: Halloweenmania! Beginning before the first leaf even turns, its annual Halloween Happenings attracts tourists from around the globe, packing ...
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Season 1
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Episode 59
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40:38
The Boston Tea Party (PART TWO) with Audrey Stuck-Girard
It's the dramatic conclusion of our discussion of the Boston Tea Party! Living history interpreter Audrey Stuck-Girard walks us through the aftermath and the legacy of this iconic incident.Check out Audrey's custom historical wig busine...
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Season 1
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Episode 58
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40:53
The Boston Tea Party with Audrey Stuck-Girard
In part one of our inaugural two-parter, we're talking with living history interpreter Audrey Stuck-Girard about one of Boston's most iconic incidents, The Boston Tea Party. This episode has everything: Colonial tax policy, tea talk, a
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Season 1
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Episode 57
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50:31
Lobstah with Curt Brown
Not even COVID could keep me away from you! I'm back from vacation with an episode exploring an iconic part of New England culture: Lobster. To go deep (sea) on the subject, I'm joined by Curt Brown, a Maine lobsterman and marine biologist with...
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Season 1
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Episode 56
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47:25
REWIND: Allston Christmas with Matt Shearer
Oh how far we've come! I'm on vacation, so here's an oldie but a goodie — with a new intro! On the first ever episode of "Explain Boston to Me," l learned about Allston Christmas, the smorgasbord of free curbside stuff that happen...
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Season 1
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Episode 55
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33:22
The whitewashing of Boston with Dart Adams
In this week's episode, we're joined by Dart Adams, author, journalist, historian, and Black Bostonian. He talks about how the culture being exported by the city — the movies, TV shows, ...
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Season 1
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Episode 54
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53:26
The North End with James Pasto
This week, we're talking about one of Boston's most iconic neighborhoods, the North End. James Pasto grew up in this Italian enclave and now teaches a class on its history at Boston University. It's currently Feast Season —
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Season 1
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Episode 53
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51:55
Boston's best dive bars with Zach Servideo
This week, we're grabbing a drink where everyone knows your name. Oops. Not that place — we'll save that for another day. Zach Servideo of Value Creation La...
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Season 1
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Episode 52
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51:34
Boston's NIMBYs with Jacob Anbinder
This week, we're talking about the housing crisis. And affordability. And development. And density. What could go wrong? Historian Jacob Anbinder is an expert on how cities grow and evolve, and the f...
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Season 1
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Episode 51
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51:51
Revere Beach with Jan Dumas
Let's hit the sand! We're talking about Revere Beach with Jan Dumas, a proud resident and city booster. We get into the area's history, its rough reputation and weigh in on the original Kelly's Roast Beef. If you'd like to know more about what'...
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Season 1
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Episode 50
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35:51
How to survive moving in Boston with Premium Q
Happy first birthday to Explain Boston to Me! In this episode, I'm joined by Marian Esanu and Victor Chaves of Premium Q Moving & Storage to talk about the wild world of moving in Boston. Fr...
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Season 1
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Episode 49
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44:21
Boston Movie Club: The Departed
In the second installment of Boston Movie Club, I'm joined by Southie native and former EBtM guest Pat Toomey (check out his episode here) to chat about The Departed. I was new ...
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Season 1
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Episode 48
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42:44
Catholics! with Craig Tichelkamp
How did Boston's Catholics go from a scorned minority to the dominant force in local politics and culture? Lots of reasons! Here to walk us through it is Craig Tichelkamp, a Harvard Divinity School-educated scholar who teaches at Stonehill Coll...
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Season 1
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Episode 47
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53:51
Dunkin' Donuts with Megan Johnson
It's finally time. We're chatting about the brand that is perhaps most closely associated with the Boston region. The conversation touches on the mustachioed man ("time to make the donuts"), the iconic color scheme, the kinds of people you find...
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Season 1
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Episode 46
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41:36
The curious case of the $600,000 liquor license with Shirley Leung
Sometimes episodes of EBtM deal with the "what" — this one deals with the "why." Boston Globe reporter and podcaster Shirley Leung joins us to explain how Boston's restaurant scene has long been stymied by esoteric liquor regulations. This has ...
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Season 1
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Episode 45
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43:27