Every year when I have been in the area, I have made earnest attempts to make it to the South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade. It’s a long-standing and time-honored tradition- and when approached properly- it can be a fun and silly start to a wonderful day in the city (weather permitting!)
The catch to my efforts, however- is that they are rarely successful. I oversleep. I get caught up with other plans. I see the crowds and lose interest- or I have, on a few occasions- completely forgot about the parade all together.
Since the beginnings of COVID-19 back in 2020- the parade had been scrapped completely the past couple of years to adhere to social distancing mandates and protocols- and I vowed to watch it again in all it’s green and drunken glory if and when it ever made it’s triumphant return. So, when it was announced that not only would the parade be returning over this past weekend- but it would also start in the afternoon instead of the morning- I knew I’d make the special trip to see it. It seemed like the perfect way to celebrate the first (official) day of Spring, too!
So, did I make it to Boston and enjoy a beautiful day in the sunshine? Absolutely- and I’d nearly forgotten just how much I missed the city.
Did I watch the parade? Well… No. No, I did not. I tried, though! I really, really did!
I moved and have been living about two hours away from Boston now, give or take- and although I’d started off on the road with plenty of time and plenty of coffee to keep me going- traffic unsurprisingly became more and more congested and difficult to navigate through the closer I got to the city. By the time I’d found parking, the parade was only minutes away from starting- and I still had to either hop on the T or do some power walking to try and find a place to stand and watch. Defeated, I threw in the towel- maybe next year, after all- but I didn’t let it stop me from enjoying the beautiful weather and some food while I was in town!
The first signs of Spring are slowly and surely on their way- and it’ll only be a matter of weeks before places like Commonwealth Avenue and Boston Common are in full bloom (and I look forward to heading back to snap plenty of photos of those, too!) After I made my way around the Norman B. Leventhal Park on Congress Street- I stopped by Granary Tavern for some fish and chips and a beer- my one St. Patrick’s Day Parade tradition I adhere to without fail. I always have one beer!
I hadn’t been able to spend much time in Boston since the pandemic started- and now that things are opening back up and restrictions have loosened just a little bit more- I’m really looking forward to going back more frequently. There are so many cool spots and beautiful places I want to share here on ‘Coffee & Chiffon!’
And hopefully next year I’ll actually be able to share some photos from the parade. It’s doubtful- but I’m willing to try again!
xo
Coffee & Chiffon 