Brighton Center

Brighton Center is in many ways my perfect neighborhood. In Boston terms we’re a little off the beaten track: no trains, almost as far west as one can get in Suffolk County… plus there’s nothing too cutting-​edgy around here that trendy jerks come out to discover.
But if you live here you’re within walking distance just about everything you need, and a lot of those places are just really, really nice. We have a great greengrocer (Johnny D!), two bakeries (Athan’s and Daniel’s), two cafes (Cafenation and Treats), a good doughnut shop (Café Mirror), a ton of sub shops (Li’l Pizza King, etc.), churches galore (St. Columbkille is so beautiful it makes me want to rediscover my Roman Catholic roots… but then there’s all the God and Jesus stuff so I don’t), Irish groceries (hooray for Kiki’s!!), bars (mainly Irish), neighborhood restaurants (the Corrib! – see also bars, mainly Irish), good bus service (57, 86, 501, 503, 65, AND the totally crazy zig-​zaggy but awesome 64).
And on top of the services, it’s a nice, quiet neighborhood with enough parking that you don’t get crackheads tossing hockey sticks through your living room window for taking their spot (I myself have a driveway, so I would throw a hockey stick through your window if you parked there), there are lots of dogs, and a really nice park (Rogers Park), which I’m about to go review right now…