Podcast
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.
- Places & Travel chart
- #140
- Episodes
- 171
- Releases
- Weekly
- Typical length
- 55 min
- On air since
- 2023
- Latest episode
- 4 days ago
Episodes
171 episodes, newest first
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36 min
BONUS: Love is Blind Boston (Season 11) Recap, episodes 9-11
Episode 171
Show notes
Your local Boston expert-in-training is back to recap the third batch of episodes from the Netflix dating show Love is Blind. We discuss Rob's implosion — a disaster in two acts — share some local goss on Aneha, and solve the crisis of the American male.
DID YOU LIKE THIS RECAP? Please let me know, so I’ll keep doing them. DM me on Instagram, email me, or send me a voice memo.
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1 hr 2 min
Boston's Theater Scene with Evan Turissini
Episode 170
Show notes
In this episode, we're talking to Evan Turissini, a local actor. He's giving us the scoop on Boston's theater scene, from the top theaters to the enduring challenges. We also ponder the eternal question: Do you have to go to New York or L.A. to "make it" — or should we rethink that whole paradigm.
For local theater reviews, check out Evening Transcript (substack).
Evan's upcoming projects:
A CHRISTMAS FOR THE BIRDS @ GOLD DUST ORPHANS Nov 27 - Dec 20, 2026 | Iron Wolf Theater ARCADIA @ CENTRAL SQUARE THEATER Feb 8 - Feb 27, 2027Have feedback on this episode or ideas for upcoming topics? DM me on Instagram, email me, or send me a voice memo.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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27 min
BONUS: Love is Blind Boston (Season 11) Recap, episodes 6-8
Episode 169
Show notes
Your local Boston expert-in-training is back to recap second batch of episodes from the Netflix dating show Love is Blind. What is the current state of our couples? Where the hell do they live?? And how many opaque wine glasses are in the production budget???
Next week, there will be a regular episode of EBtM and a final Love is Blind recap.
DID YOU LIKE THIS RECAP? Please let me know, so I’ll keep doing them. DM me on Instagram, email me, or send me a voice memo.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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29 min
BONUS: Love is Blind Boston (Season 11) Recap, episodes 1-5
Episode 136
Show notes
Lee Stabert, your local Boston expert-in-training, is here to recap season 11 of the Netflix dating show Love is Blind. This time, the whole cast is based in the Boston area. Will the region's singles find love in the pods? How many times will Dunkin' be mentioned?? Did Tom Brady's Super Bowl triumph against the Falcons beat out Jesus for the "best comeback ever"??? So many big questions, plus my thoughts on Sarah (sweet baby angel), Rob, Morrey (RIP), and the ubiquitous shiny monochromatic cocktail dresses.
DID YOU LIKE THIS RECAP? Please let me know, so I'll keep doing them. DM me on Instagram, email me, or send me a voice memo.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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1 hr 3 min
The kerfuffle over White Stadium with Michael Omenazu
Episode 167
Show notes
As promised! In this episode, we're joined by Michael Omenazu, a Roxbury resident and and former director of community engagement for Boston Legacy FC. He talks me through the development plans for White Stadium, the history of its disrepair, the unique public/private funding model, and the much-discussed the transit plan!
Want to see the chippy comments that inspired this episode? Click here.
Elizabeth Banks is Karen Read.
Have feedback on this episode or ideas for upcoming topics? DM me on Instagram, email me, or send me a voice memo.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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1 hr 9 min
Romneycare was a buddy-cop story with Ian Coss of The Big Dig
Episode 166
Show notes
Ian Coss is back! This time, he's discussing season four of his GBH podcast, The Big Dig. This iteration — titled "Mitt & Ted, a healthcare story" — centers on the passage of Romneycare and the unlikely duo who pushed it across the finish line. We get into Mitt Romney as a fascinating American character, the Heritage Foundation, the Affordable Care Act, and what the bill looks like 20 years later.
Have feedback on this episode or ideas for upcoming topics? DM me on Instagram, email me, or send me a voice memo.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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57 min
Bill Russell with Dart Adams
Show notes
In this episode, we're speaking with returning guest Dart Adams about Celtics legend Bill Russell. He goes deep on the superstar's personality, his activism, his groundbreaking play style, and his relationship with the city of Boston.
Jayson Stark on the biggest MLB late-season implosions.
Have feedback on this episode or ideas for upcoming topics? DM me on Instagram, email me, or send me a voice memo.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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1 hr 18 min
Making Shoes — then and now — in New England with Gregory Cordeiro
Episode 164
Show notes
In this episode, we're chatting with Gregory Cordeiro of Easymoc. This shoe industry vet talks about the history of making footwear in New England, the talent base that keeps companies in Boston, and why he has dedicated his life to making high-quality leather shoes in Maine. Plus, a clip from Pretty Woman and too much talk about Jumanji.
But his shoes HERE; and/or follow Easymoc on Instagram.
Have feedback on this episode or ideas for upcoming topics? DM me on Instagram, email me, or send me a voice memo.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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56 min
Government Center with Noah Harper
Episode 163
Show notes
We're talking about a project that transformed downtown Boston, for good or for ill. City planner Noah Harper talks us through the history of Government Center, from Scollay Square to Urban Renewal, Brutalism to the Cop Slide. Plus, the tragic tale of a lost earring.
Check out Harper's substack, Power and Place; here is his piece on Government Center.
Previous Relevant Episodes: Urban Renewal, The West End, The Big Dig.
My lost earring on Reddit. Cash reward! Also GO TO ZUSAMMEN.
Have feedback on this episode or ideas for upcoming topics? DM me on Instagram, email me, or send me a voice memo.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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1 hr 13 min
East Boston and living in the shadow of Logan Airport with Joshua Lown
Episode 162
Show notes
In this episode, we're talking about East Boston with researcher and resident Joshua Lown. How did this series of soggy islands become a dense urban neighborhood? What is residents' relationship with their noisy neighbor, Logan Airport? And how did fights over runways and run-off contribute to a legacy of community resistance on Maverick Street and beyond? Plus, the White Stadium conversation continues and a vacation report.
Jalen Hurts is nice to look at: Topping the Hottest QB rankings and appearing in the pages of GQ.
Tortilla San Roman in Philadelphia.
Bill "Spaceman" Lee in Eephus.
Have feedback on this episode or ideas for upcoming topics? DM me on Instagram, email me, or send me a voice memo.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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40 min
Boston baked beans with Amy Traverso (Rewind)
Episode 161
Show notes
There’s a reason they call it “Beantown.” In this week’s rerun, Yankee Magazine food editor Amy Traverso takes us through the history of this iconic food — and explains why its place on the Mount Rushmore of local cuisine might be in jeopardy.
Have feedback on this episode or ideas for upcoming topics? DM me on Instagram, email me, or send me a voice memo.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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58 min
Boston Movie Club: Fever Pitch (Rewind)
Episode 160
Show notes
In this Boston Movie Club REWIND, we’re talking about Fever Pitch, the 2005 romcom starring Jimmy Fallon, Drew Barrymore, and the 2004 Red Sox. Joining me to dig into this divisive film is Tyler Rotman, who you might remember from EBtM: The 2004 Red Sox. We talk about Fallon as a leading man, the last-minute script changes, and why some locals loathe this movie.
This episode originally aired on September 24, 2025.
Here’s the essay Tyler mentions: “In defense of Fever Pitch, the greatest Red Sox movie of all-time”
When your baseball team loses (TikTok)
Have feedback on this episode or ideas for upcoming topics? DM me on Instagram, email me, or send a voice memo.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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1 hr 13 min
Gillette Stadium and the economics of sports in Boston with Victor Matheson
Episode 159
Show notes
In this episode, we're talking with economics professor Victor Matheson about the history of Gillette Stadium and Boston's aversion to stadium funding more broadly. The conversation touches on Fenway, the new ballpark in Worcester, Robert Kraft's new Revs home, and the one public stadium project the city IS funding.
The Red Sox are going to the CORN.
The Union build a "Sportsplex" in Chester.
Check out Ghostlander! You could be their new drummer/pedal steel/keyboard player.
Have feedback on this episode or ideas for upcoming topics? DM me on Instagram, email me, or send me a voice memo.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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45 min
Thoreau, Emerson, Fuller and the Transcendentalists with Peter Wirzbicki
Episode 158
Show notes
On this episode, we're talking about an intellectual movement that changed the world — and was born right here in the Boston area. From Walden Pond to "Self-Reliance" to one of the first great feminist thinkers, Transcendentalism produced enduring literature and revolutionary ideas. Princeton professor Peter Wirzbicki is here to explain it all.
Have feedback on this episode or ideas for upcoming topics? DM me on Instagram, email me, or send me a voice memo.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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47 min
What your New England summer destination says about you with Zach Remi
Episode 157
Show notes
We're joined by Zach Remi aka @new_england_dad to talk about what your New England summer vacation says about you. From Maine to Martha's Vineyard, New Hampshire to Cape Cod, we're parsing the delights, drawbacks and expectations of iconic local warm-weather destinations.
Have feedback on this episode or ideas for upcoming topics? DM me on Instagram, email me, or send me a voice memo.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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48 min
Boston in the 1970s with Joseph Nevins
Episode 156
Show notes
We're talking with Joseph Nevins, a professor and co-author of A People's Guide to Greater Boston, about this seminal decade in Boston history. From busing to the Bicentennial to the Vault, the 1970s showcased a city in transition.
Lebron is a Sixer and people are freaking out.
Have feedback on this episode or ideas for upcoming topics? DM me on Instagram, email me, or send me a voice memo.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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53 min
Boston coffee culture with Jim Varney of Wavelength Coffee Roasters
Episode 155
Show notes
We're chatting with Jim Varney of Wavelength Coffee Roasters about local coffee culture — from Dunkin and Coffee Connection to Keurig and $8 pour-overs. What does it mean that this regional prizes both affordable, utilitarian caffeine delivery AND serves as a hot-bed for java-centric innovation?
Have feedback on this episode or ideas for upcoming topics? DM me on Instagram, email me, or send me a voice memo.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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55 min
Saving — and occasionally scrapping — Boston's Historic Buildings with Peter Vanderwarker and Dr. Rebecca Kemper
Episode 154
Show notes
This conversation focuses on Boston's wealth of historic buildings — and the advantages and challenges that result. Peter Vanderwarker and Dr. Rebecca Kemper from Historic Boston Incorporated share their thoughts on the evolving city, when a building crosses the rubicon and becomes "historic" (paging City Hall), and lament some of their favorite lost structures.
Philly's best cheesesteak is in the visiting clubhouse.
'The Five-Star Weekend' filmed on Nantucket.
Have feedback on this episode or ideas for upcoming topics? DM me on Instagram, email me, or send me a voice memo.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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1 hr 12 min
Nantucket with Julie Gerstenblatt
Episode 153
Show notes
We're hopping on a ferry and heading to the "The Little Grey Lady of the Sea." Author Julie Gerstenblatt is here to talk us through her personal relationship to Nantucket, detail the island's particular charms, and explain how the whaling-mecca-turned-posh-summer-destination has evolved over the years.
@Carly gets her own Nantucket lightship basket.
Have feedback on this episode or ideas for upcoming topics? DM me on Instagram, email me, or send me a voice memo.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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37 min
Tripledeckers with Matthew Dickey aka Streetscape Curator (REWIND)
Episode 152
Show notes
I'm down the [Jersey] shore, so it's rerun time! This is one of the show's most popular episodes ever. We’re talking tripledeckers, that iconic piece of the local urban fabric with Matthew Dickey, aka Streetscape Curator. What are the origins of this vernacular architectural style? How has their identity — and their residents — changed over the years? And are we ready for a tripledecker renaissance?
Have feedback on this episode or ideas for upcoming topics? DM me on Instagram, email me, or send a voice memo.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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