Say “wicked” outside Massachusetts, and most Americans picture a decades-old sitcom joke or something out of the Salem witch trials. Both guesses are wrong. These are the phrases that mark someone as a true Bay Stater, whether they grew up in Boston or out past Worcester. 1. Taking the Rotary Drive almost anywhere in Massachusetts,…
Would you trust a grocery store’s own coffee over Folgers? Texans do. H-E-B has built a lineup of house-made products that regulars trust more than the national names stocked one shelf over, from the queso case to the ice cream churned in San Antonio. These are the H-E-B store brands Texans grab instead of the…
An out-of-state moving truck pulls up in Cary, and the neighbors already have a name ready for whoever steps out. Nobody explains the joke to them. These are the things North Carolinians do that take transplants by surprise. 1. Clearing the Bread Aisle for Snow A winter storm watch barely needs to touch the forecast…
A moving truck pulls away on Tuesday from a ranch house near Stone Mountain. By Friday, a corporate landlord’s rental sign is staked in the yard instead of a “Sold” sign. That’s the issue Georgia’s senators pointed to when they pushed a cap on corporate home buying through Congress this year. It passed. These are…
At first glance, a BOGO tag looks like Publix is doing shoppers a favor. Sometimes, that’s true. Other times, it’s doing itself the bigger favor. These are the moves Floridians use to get BOGOs working for them. 1. Splitting One Pair Into Two Coupons Publix treats every BOGO deal as two separate purchases, not one….
A Fort Worth native rattles off directions without blinking: “Take FM 1187 past the feed store, then watch for the water tower.” A transplant just nods, having no idea what “FM” even means. These are the Texas habits transplants can’t fake, no matter how hard they try. 1. Texas U-Turns A native Texan can spot…
Many downstaters treat upstate New York like one giant suburb of Manhattan. But it has its own weather, its own food, and a six-million-acre park bigger than five national parks combined. None of it runs on New York City’s clock. These are the things upstate New Yorkers are sick of explaining to downstaters. 1. Where…
A Californian mentions where they’re from at a wedding reception, and the questions start before the appetizers arrive. Is it always sunny? Have you ever felt an earthquake? Nobody waits for an answer before asking the next question. These are the questions and lines Californians are tired of hearing from the rest of America. 1….
A church fellowship hall in Georgia fills up 20 minutes before the service ends, folding tables already sagging under foil-covered dishes. Nobody wrote a sign-up sheet. Nobody needed a sign-up sheet. Every regular already knows exactly what they’re bringing, the same dishes a Georgia potluck table isn’t complete without. 1. Brunswick Stew Every Georgia potluck…
A moving truck idles in a Westerville driveway while a neighbor stops by to explain trash day. Nobody mentions the state driving laws that could cost the new arrival a ticket. Ohio’s laws run differently than those some transplants packed up and left behind. These are Ohio’s driving laws that catch some new residents off…
