How to spend time on your front porch or stoop (Boston)

Your front stoop or porch can be a great place to spend some time (albeit uncomfortable in the dead of a cold New England winter). You can meet your neighbors, get some fresh (or polluted) city air, and sometimes, even see some pretty interesting events take place. This is a how-to guide to help you sit or stand and enjoy the space right out your front door.

Simply sitting outside and watching what goes on helps you to get more in touch with your neighborhood. I have personally gotten to know what cars or bikes belong to who, who lives in what house. Faces will become familiar to you, and you will become a familiar face (just don't sit there ALL day, or people will start to wonder about you).

For this how-to guide, you will need:
-You
-The space just beyond your front door
-A chair if you want, but not necessary

This is an item on the Neighbors Project Neighbors Checklist.

Step 1 Do the things you do.

Now that you've realized what an awesome place your stoop is, do whatever it is that you do there. You could have alone time, to read, eat, or just sit and enjoy the city rhythms. When this gets lonely, it's just as nice to stoop it up with company. The stoop is a great place to talk to your neighbors and your friends. Just don't get too crazy with stoop-euphoria and do something like talk loudly on your cell phone for the entire neighborhood to hear, or get super drunk and rowdy. Invite friends, but not so many that you turn your neighbors on you.

Comments

[Weissensteinburg]

*Is reminded of Hey Arnold!*

[oodava]

Hahaha, remember the "Stoop Kid".

[shooby]

Used to live on Comm in Brighton, always great to watch accidents during the winter. Stooping, getting stoop'd, it's fun.

[gmoon]

Ahhh, I miss the asphalt sidewalks and granite curbs...

[metalpissed]

In San Francisco we call this "stooping it". Grab a 6 pack and enjoy the times.