Football season is in full swing, and if you’re headed to a game in Tennessee, bring an open mind along with your cooler. Fans there tailgate in places and ways that catch out-of-state visitors off guard. Here’s what to expect before you pull in. 1. Sailgating on the Vol Navy A tailgate in Knoxville can…
Where does upstate begin? Ask around New York, and you’ll hear more than one answer. “Upstate” isn’t the only word that’s confusing in New York. These are the words that leave many out-of-staters lost. 1. Kill If you see kill on a map, you’re looking at a creek. Many out-of-staters see a kill on a…
Some of the nicest things you’ll hear in Mississippi can sound like a scolding. Mississippians know their tone does most of the work, but visitors may walk away wondering what just happened. Here are the sayings that mean something kinder than they sound. 1. Quit Being Ugly “Quit being ugly” sounds like a crack about…
Halloween ends, and for many New Mexicans, another kind of holiday is just getting started. It’s about remembering loved ones, and the customs are full of color, food and candlelight. Here’s how New Mexicans honor the people they’ve lost. 1. Ofrendas for Loved Ones At the center of Día de los Muertos is the ofrenda,…
Connecticut may be small, but there’s room for some big disagreements. Where Connecticut residents live can decide which side they’re on, from football to area codes. Here are the lines that divide the state, so you can see which side feels like yours. 1. Giants or Patriots National Public Radio reported in 2012 that the…
Moving to a new place is the easy part. Feeling like you belong can take a lot longer. In Maine, a newcomer can be “from away” for years, and Mainers don’t always agree on what ends it. Here’s what people say can shift that label. 1. Birthplace Maine Magazine‘s lingo guide defines “from away” as…
Every generation has words that sound normal at the time and strange a few decades later. Virginians who grew up in the 1960s may still let one slip now and then. Here’s a look at the slang that faded from everyday talk. 1. Rat Fink If you called somebody a rat fink in the 1960s,…
Some words feel so normal at home that you forget they’re local. Bay Staters use a few names without a second thought, and visitors to Massachusetts may need a translation. Here’s a guide to the local names that leave out-of-staters guessing. 1. Jimmies Jimmies are tiny rod-shaped bits of candy, usually chocolate-flavored, that land on…
If you’re an out-of-stater, your first church lutefisk supper can leave you wondering where to start. North Dakotans who grew up at these tables tend to know the routine without thinking about it. Here are the lutefisk supper customs worth knowing before you take a seat. 1. Skipping the Lutefisk Many lutefisk supper promoters also…
Ask for directions in Florida, and you might hear a road name that isn’t on the sign. Many go by nicknames and initials, and the route number gets left out. Here’s what some of those names mean, so the directions you receive make sense. 1. Alligator Alley Alligator Alley shows up on a Florida Department…
