How would you describe the Boston area right now to an out-of-towner?

There is a ton happening in the Boston area. Pick any umbrella topic—neighborhoods, transportation, development, public art, quality of life, cost of living, etc.—and you’ll probably find that the only constant in these is change.

So that leads to our latest open thread: How would you break down the area right now to an outsider?

Even for someone on the outside who thinks he or she “gets” Boston, there’s a lot to get. And old stereotypes of the region die hard, after all. Describe it in all its beauty and ugliness right now.

What would you say drives the region? What is holding it back? And what does it mean—to you or in general—to live here? Sound off in the comments section below.

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