Bean town, The Hub, Land of the Bean and the Cod. These are all nicknames for Boston -my hometown. And, as the locals would say, Boston is "wicked pissah" i.e. pretty cool.

Our country was born in the Boston area, as was First Night, the Duck Boats and Thanksgiving. Though I have traveled the world over, I always come back to Boston. So, let me give you the local's guide to some of the most popular-and most notorious-Boston neighborhoods.

We'll explore "Boston Proper" i.e. what's within the city limits. Our mode of transportation will be our feet (Boston is a great walking city) and the "T", the color-coded public transportation system that inspired the famous Kingston Trio hit, "Charley of the MTA." Since Boston is well known for its sports fanaticism as well as its historical roots, we'll start our tour with Boston's sports neighborhoods.

SPORTS NEIGHBORHOODS: FENWAY PARK AND THE FENS

Bostonians love to root for professional (and college) sports teams. It’s a year round ritual. We Bostonians love our sports and we are damn proud of our teams. Even if they're cursed for 86 years or choke in the Super Bowl or can't seem to throw a round ball through a hoop, we love 'em and we love to hate 'em when they don’t live up to our expectations.

So, it's only fitting to introduce you to Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. Hop on the Green Line of Boston's "T" (subway) and get off at either the Kenmore Square or the Fenway stop. It’s a brisk five-minute walk to one of the country's oldest and most beloved baseball parks.

There's not much to see in the area of Brookline Avenue leading up to the park--just a few bars, restaurants and pool halls. But, If you want a bite to eat before the game, duck into the upscale but very crowded Boston Beer Works, across from the park. Here you can get a Boston style blueberry beer, a clam chowder and a burger. If you'd like to mingle with some locals, across the street is the more rowdy Cask and Flagon. Just don't wear a Yankees cap.

And, if you don't grab a bite before the game, not to worry. Get a hot dog or an Italian sausage sub (sandwich) and a cold beer inside the park. Somehow hot dogs taste better there-especially if they're Fenway Franks.

Fenway Park is the crown jewel of Boston's Fenway and Kenmore Square neighborhoods. On a game day, the park is a green oasis nestled among city streets. Outside the park, hordes of fans, souvenir hawkers and local characters contribute to game day festivities.

I will never forget the first time I walked through the park's underground concrete maze and up into the grandstand area. I was about nine or ten years old. It was magical. The park looked like a meticulously manicured green carpet with every blade of grass seemingly groomed to perfection. As a friend once remarked, "Fenway Park is pristine." I still get that same excitement each time I go to a game.

Fenway Park is a true field of dreams, even if you're not a baseball fan. The drama and history of baseball's past are etched into the park's worn wooden seats, old fashioned green and white scoreboard (where scorekeepers still put numbers up by hand) and the winning pennants hung proudly above the bleachers. This is where Babe Ruth got his start and Ted Williams hit the final home run of his career

If you want to learn more about its 97 year history, you can come to the park early for a tour where you'll get the chance to sit in the luxury box seats, visit the Green Monster and see vintage photos of yesteryear's stars as well as today's heroes. If you want to try to snag an autograph, get to the park a few hours before game time. During batting practice, players often sign, especially for kids.

There is also more to see and do in the Fenway area. You can either take the T (Green Line) to the Fenway stop or walk about ten minutes from the ball park top get to the edge of "The Fens" area. Here you can explore another section of the Fenway neighborhood. But beware. The "Fens" area was once known as a place not to walk at night. It still may be.

The Fens is adjacent to some of Boston's top hospitals, schools and museums, including world-renowned Childrens' Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Simmons College, the world class Museum of Fine Arts and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Affectionlately known as "Mrs.'s Jack Palace", the Gardner Museum has a beautiful indoor garden atrium with classical and Renaissance paintings. The museum also recently introduced a networking night for singles.

HISTORIC AND ETHNIC NEIGHBORHOODS: QUINCY MARKET AND THE NORTH END

Take the Green Line to Government Center. A ten minute walk will bring you to to Boston's Quincy Market area. If you're looking for more of a tourist's perspective of Boston, Quincy Market and the Fanueil Hall Marketplace are the best tourist stops in town.

Fanueil Hall was once home to America's Revolutionary War orators and now houses a Great Hall with colonial style eat and drink for locals and tourists. Where once the great patriots of America came to speak to the people, you'll find row upon row of food stalls with New England and ethnic delicacies like clams on the half shell and Greek gyro plates. Its fun to go from stall to stall to sample the offerings of each one. Stroll through Quincy Market for flowers, restaurants and street entertainment. Stop for a cool one at one the upscale bars or wineries.

Your next stop is a a short walk away to one of Boston's most cherished ethnic enclaves, the North End. This little neighborhood, tucked into a handful of city blocks, has a lot of charm. During the turn of the 20th century, immigrants to America often passed through the North End searching for the "streets of gold." Jewish, Irish and Italian immigrants all made the North End their home. Today, this neighborhood is known as the Italian section of the city.

On any given weekend, throngs of tourists and Greater Bostonians come to the North End for a slice of pizza along with a slice of history. In addition to the best Italian food and pastry in Boston (Mike's pastry and Regina's Pizza are both local favorites) the North End is home to the Paul Revere House, The Old North Church and many other historic sites on the Freedom Trail.

Walking through the North End you'll feel transported to the streets of Italy. You'll hear Italian spoken in the alleyways and see Italian soccer games playing on TVs in local sports cafes. Each weekend during the summer, the North End hosts one of a series of festivals for the patron saints of the Catholic Church. Though the origins are religious, in essence the festivals are just an excuse for a good old-fashioned block party.

Two of the best-known festivals are the Feast of St. Anthony and the Madonna or Fisherman's Feast. Locals parade through the streets holding aloft images of the saints while food booths lining the sidewalks sell everything from squid to cannoli and local street musicians serenade the crowds.

ETHNIC NEIGHBORHOODS: CHINATOWN

Take the Green Line back "in town" and get off at Boylston Street. Chinatown is located here in what used to be called Boston's Combat Zone. Why the strange title? This area was once Boston's Red Light District. Though most of the seedier establishments have long since disappeared, there are a few that remain.

Boston's Chinatown is quite small compared to those in Manhattan and San Francisco, but it is still an active and lively community. Most of Greater Boston's established ethnic Chinese population lives in the suburbs these days. But Chinatown is home to many new immigrants who live in the four or five block neighborhood. Chinatown boasts both spartan and deluxe local restaurants as well as shops, services and cultural activities.

ETHNIC NEIGHBORHOODS: BEACON HILL

The Puritans settled Massachusetts and the Brahmins settled Boston. I am not exactly sure what a Brahmin is. All I know is that they got here first and have a lot of money and power. Many of Boston's Brahmins live on Beacon Hill. Perhaps calling them an ethnic group is a stretch since 99.9% are Caucasian. Nonetheless, they are a group.

To get to Beacon Hill take the Red Line to the Charles Street Station. Turn onto classy Charles Street and window shop for a bit. On either side of the avenue you will see steep side streets lined with elegant brownstones. This is Beacon Hill, where "The Cabots talk only to the Lodges and the Lodges talk only to God", as the saying goes. In other words, these quiet streets are home to some of the most wealthy and powerful people in Boston.

Beacon Hill is also a bastion of history and politics. The Massachusetts State House is located here, its golden dome rising above the city like a beacon, hence the name of this neighborhood. Few people know that Beacon Hill was once a stop on the Underground Railroad, though many people do know that the bar made famous in the hit TV show Cheers is just down the hill from the State House.

A short five minute walk from Beacon Hill will take you to the Boston Common, a green expanse that was once a cow pasture during Revolutionary Times. These days it's more likely that you'll find people proselytizing and commuters rushing to catch a train, get to work or shop. Downtown Crossing, long the home of "retail therapy" i.e. shopping, in Boston, is a short five minute walk from the Commons.

WHERE THE SCHOOLS ARE:

Every fall, the population of Boston swells as college students from across the country and the world return to classes. Boston is a student town and a terrific place to attend college. As many college viewbooks state, "Boston is Your Campus." And how true it is.

There is no one area where the more than one hundred colleges and universities are located or students live. So, here is a brief rundown of some of the better-known institutions and their locations.

* Harvard University: Ivy League all the way, Harvard is really located in the city of Cambridge, MA, across the Charles River from Boston. Get on the Red LIne and get off at Harvard Square. This is where you'll see students as well as aging hippies and panhandlers. Walk through Harvard Yard and gaze up at the statue of John Harvard for inspiration.

* MIT: Also located in Cambridge, just over the bridge from Boston. MIT offers a world-class education in science and technology. The students are a bit nerdy, but they are the geniuses who will one day rule the worlds of science and technology, so who cares?

The campus is not as green and leafy as Harvard but the buildings are quite stately and impressive, as are the professors and graduates of this esteemed institution.

*Boston University: This school is located along busy Commonwealth Avenue, just past Kenmore Square in Boston, of course. This large, multi faceted school is known for its Communication, Business, Arts and Science programs, among others. The campus is smack in the middle of the city on a trolley line, so there isn't a lot of ambience. Still, it’s an eclectic urban environment full of ideas and energy.

*Boston College: BC is located in Chestnut Hill, a wealthy part of town located at the border of Boston and the towns of Brookline and Newton. BC is green, leafy and quiet. That is until the students return.

Over the years this Jesuit run college has evolved into a world-class and highly competitive university. If you're thinking of sending your child here, you'll need big bucks and/or excellent grades!

The campus is charming and pastoral , with beautiful steepled brick buildings and quaint quadrangles. The sports teams are first rate and the students are smart but not snobby. What more could you ask for?

TRAVEL TIPS:

*If you plan to stay for a few days, buy a "Charlie Card"--a pass to ride on the "T." Its easier than buying subway tokens and may save you some pennies

*For the best historical tour of Boston, book a Duck Boats Tour. Tours rumble through city streets and onto the Charles River in World War Two amphibious vehicles i.e. the duck boats.

Each vehicle is driven by a colorful and chatty Tour Operator who will regale you with jokes and stories along with the history. Kids even get to drive the boat!

*Boston is notorious for its bad--make that awful-- drivers and hard to navigate streets. Since the streets were once cow pastures they don't follow any logical pattern. Save yourself the trouble. Don't drive. Take the T instead!!!