I'm Shipping Up to Boston

[Mr. Tony Margaritatime]

Fellow VCers. I'm moving to Beantown in a couple of weeks for school and work. I've only been up there a few times and I was wondering if any of you that are there locally (or have lived there at some point) can recommend some "must do" things around town. I'm not looking for touristy things per say, but I want to get to know the area. I won't have a car since I'm going to drive it to my parents in Atlanta, but I have great access to the "T". Thanks for any input!

[Duck-Billed Catechist]

So you got into law school?

[Mr. Tony Margaritatime]

So you got into law school?

 

Yeah! I was pretty stressed out, but I made it.

[Wilco Worshipper]

Well first of all, I need to ask...Boston proper or suburb of? If suburb, which one?

 

And congratulations! Which school?

[sweetheart-mine]

Fellow VCers. I'm moving to Beantown in a couple of weeks for school and work. I've only been up there a few times and I was wondering if any of you that are there locally (or have lived there at some point) can recommend some "must do" things around town. I'm not looking for touristy things per say, but I want to get to know the area. I won't have a car since I'm going to drive it to my parents in Atlanta, but I have great access to the "T". Thanks for any input!

hey tony, you are in for a great time. and it's way better that you won't have a car there -- driving is a nightmare and the T gets you almost anywhere you'd want to go in the whole boston area. in fact, just riding around on the T is a good way to get to know the area.

 

it's been a long time since i lived there, but was there for 15 years and have a few things to recommend. like movies? don't miss the coolidge corner theatre, an oldie but goodie. it's at 290 harvard street in brookline, but you can get there simply by taking the cleveland circle streetcar (green line) out brookline ave -- it'll drop you a block from the theatre. kenmore square (you'll see it on any T map, also green line) is full of casual pubs and dance places; it was always a big friday or saturday happening place and i'm sure it still is. fenway park is just around the corner from there, if you're a baseball fan (which i am) -- it's the most beautiful old ballpark in the country, in my biased opinion, no it really is!

 

i assume you've already spent time hanging out on the boston common and the boston public garden, where you can see the vast variety of humanity parading by in all its glory.

 

boston's "north end" is a really interesting ethnic (italian) area to walk around in, with wind-y narrow old streets and cool places to eat. you can walk there from haymarket square (big open farmers market) and quincy market (upscale shops, pubs, you name it, near faneuil hall).

 

as you probably already know, cambridge is just a few minutes' ride on the red line T over the charles river from boston. central square is even better than when i lived there -- it's full of great ethnic restaurants now, both along mass. ave. and down the little side streets. *most of those sailboats you see on the charles as you ride over the bridge are rented, by the hour; i forget the name of where you rent them and take off right there in the water, but it's near the esplanade, boston side, and it's a blast to do it on a hot day.

 

harvard square (after central square), what can i say? it too is full of restaurants, small, medium, and huffy, and endless shops, plus tons of bookstores (e.g., wordsworth, harvard bookshop, grolier poetry bookshop). don't forget to visit the harvard coop, which sells everything (i bought my first tv there!), including books. the harvard square theatre (10 church street) is great -- it was only one theater when i lived there, but it has expanded. it still shows art films and not just the films of today. one of its theatres shows the original "rocky horror picture show" all the time, i hear. there are several museums within easy walking distance of the square, and they're not just for tourists. the fogg, the seklar, the peabody -- all great to wander in over time.

 

if you take the red line T beyond harvard square toward alewife parkway (or maybe still a bus out huron avenue), you'll find fresh pond. lots of nature and greenery there, not to mention a pond! there's a path around it, for walking, running, biking, whatever. it's 2.5 miles around it. it's a nice oasis in the middle of citylike life.

 

ok, that's for starters. hope it's helpful. boston/cambridge are great places to live. thanks for the nostalgia!

[Mr. Tony Margaritatime]

Well first of all, I need to ask...Boston proper or suburb of? If suburb, which one?

 

And congratulations! Which school?

 

Kenmore neighborhood on Beacon St., so I'm in the thick of it! I'm going to New England School of Law

[jenbobblehead]

Fellow VCers. I'm moving to Beantown in a couple of weeks for school and work. I've only been up there a few times and I was wondering if any of you that are there locally (or have lived there at some point) can recommend some "must do" things around town. I'm not looking for touristy things per say, but I want to get to know the area. I won't have a car since I'm going to drive it to my parents in Atlanta, but I have great access to the "T". Thanks for any input!

Red Sox.

[Mr. Tony Margaritatime]

hey tony, you are in for a great time. and it's way better that you won't have a car there -- driving is a nightmare and the T gets you almost anywhere you'd want to go in the whole boston area. in fact, just riding around on the T is a good way to get to know the area.

 

it's been a long time since i lived there, but was there for 15 years and have a few things to recommend. like movies? don't miss the coolidge corner theatre, an oldie but goodie. it's at 290 harvard street in brookline, but you can get there simply by taking the cleveland circle streetcar (green line) out brookline ave -- it'll drop you a block from the theatre. kenmore square (you'll see it on any T map, also green line) is full of casual pubs and dance places; it was always a big friday or saturday happening place and i'm sure it still is. fenway park is just around the corner from there, if you're a baseball fan (which i am) -- it's the most beautiful old ballpark in the country, in my biased opinion, no it really is!

 

i assume you've already spent time hanging out on the boston common and the boston public garden, where you can see the vast variety of humanity parading by in all its glory.

 

boston's "north end" is a really interesting ethnic (italian) area to walk around in, with wind-y narrow old streets and cool places to eat. you can walk there from haymarket square (big open farmers market) and quincy market (upscale shops, pubs, you name it, near faneuil hall).

 

as you probably already know, cambridge is just a few minutes' ride on the red line T over the charles river from boston. central square is even better than when i lived there -- it's full of great ethnic restaurants now, both along mass. ave. and down the little side streets. *most of those sailboats you see on the charles as you ride over the bridge are rented, by the hour; i forget the name of where you rent them and take off right there in the water, but it's near the esplanade, boston side, and it's a blast to do it on a hot day.

 

harvard square (after central square), what can i say? it too is full of restaurants, small, medium, and huffy, and endless shops, plus tons of bookstores (e.g., wordsworth, harvard bookshop, grolier poetry bookshop). don't forget to visit the harvard coop, which sells everything (i bought my first tv there!), including books. the harvard square theatre (10 church street) is great -- it was only one theater when i lived there, but it has expanded. it still shows art films and not just the films of today. one of its theatres shows the original "rocky horror picture show" all the time, i hear. there are several museums within easy walking distance of the square, and they're not just for tourists. the fogg, the seklar, the peabody -- all great to wander in over time.

 

if you take the red line T beyond harvard square toward alewife parkway (or maybe still a bus out huron avenue), you'll find fresh pond. lots of nature and greenery there, not to mention a pond! there's a path around it, for walking, running, biking, whatever. it's 2.5 miles around it. it's a nice oasis in the middle of citylike life.

 

ok, that's for starters. hope it's helpful. boston/cambridge are great places to live. thanks for the nostalgia!

 

 

Wow! Thanks for all of the info! I did get to tool around a little bit at the Common, but that was all I was able to do. I'll have to check all of that out. I'm definitely in a prime location since I will be spending most of my time downtown. It seems like an awesome place to live. Now I'll have to see if Sir Stu will help me unload my stuff

[jmacomber68w]

fenway park is just around the corner from there, if you're a baseball fan (which i am) -- it's the most beautiful old ballpark in the country, in my biased opinion, no it really is!

 

i assume you've already spent time hanging out on the boston common and the boston public garden, where you can see the vast variety of humanity parading by in all its glory.

 

boston's "north end" is a really interesting ethnic (italian) area to walk around in, with wind-y narrow old streets and cool places to eat. you can walk there from haymarket square (big open farmers market) and quincy market (upscale shops, pubs, you name it, near faneuil hall).

 

harvard square (after central square), what can i say?

 

I have never lived in Boston, but living in RI im usually go there 5 or 6 times a year for sox games, visiting friends, concerts etc. All these places mentioned are spots that id also check out , some are kinda for tourists (quincy market and harvard square) but you can tell the tourist spots from the local spots pretty easy (cheers themed bars?? haha) Whenever I go to boston I usually find my self taking the red, orange and green lines, they seem to always be the ones that take me the hot spots. Park Street is a spot I usually meet people, from there are the commons and quick walks to lots of cool stuff. There are tons of little side streets to wander through. I also recomend finding that redline on the sidewalks, its like a tour of the cities history but its also a good way of learning your way around. Newbury street is a nice long street full of shops and cafes and such (where newbury comics got its name, best cd store ever). I believe newbury street is the arlington stop on the green line, but ive also walked there from park street. For you coffee fix there are espresso royales, if you find one stop

[mountain bed]

 

 

 

Congrats man - I know you'll excel in Beantown. I'll miss our late night brandy sessions.

 

Your Pal, Jim

[Wilco Worshipper]

I'm pretty sure the pond sweetheart speaks of is Jamaica Pond over in the fancier area of Jamaica Plain. One of my friends who lives in JP is ALWAYS going on about how beautiful the Pond is. Then, of course, so is the Charles River.

 

In Cambridge, a couple of great small venues to go to are The Paradise Club right on Commonwealth Ave and TT the Bear's Place in Cambridge. I've been to both quite a few times. Paradise is like a big club. TT is really, really small but GREAT!!! I got to see (and meet) Robbie Fulks there twice.

 

Sweetheart definitely gave you a wealth of information here!

 

Are you living on your own or with roommates?!? Do you know anyone here?!?

 

I usually go out to JP just about every Thursday night. My friends and I would be more than happy to have dinner with you. My friend's husband just so happens to be a big Wilco fan (only one of two I've ever met off the board in my life). There's a great historical restaurant called Doyle's right in JP (right near one of the T stops). One of the last times I was there I saw Mayor Menino...lol Not that I care so much but it was cool.

[So Long]

you'll soon be residing in the best city in the world to close at midnight. haha. It's fun though. Enjoy.

 

Go to the Paradise rock club, and the Middleeast. A lot.

[watch me fall]

Fellow VCers. I'm moving to Beantown in a couple of weeks for school and work. I've only been up there a few times and I was wondering if any of you that are there locally (or have lived there at some point) can recommend some "must do" things around town. I'm not looking for touristy things per say, but I want to get to know the area. I won't have a car since I'm going to drive it to my parents in Atlanta, but I have great access to the "T". Thanks for any input!

 

Congrats, again!

 

Just don't forget about your southern roots or I'll have to put a hurtin' on ya.

[sweetheart-mine]

I'm pretty sure the pond sweetheart speaks of is Jamaica Pond over in the fancier area of Jamaica Plain. One of my friends who lives in JP is ALWAYS going on about how beautiful the Pond is. Then, of course, so is the Charles River.

fresh pond is on the outskirts of cambridge (toward belmont), on both the red line T and a bus line, ww -- but i mentioned it before knowing that mtm will be living at kenmore. you're right, jamaica plain is definitely a lot closer and has its own beauty. (actually i didn't know there's a fancy area of j.p., which shows you how long it's been since i lived there!) is jamaica pond in the fens? (a big area a couple of blocks behind fenway park that is all nature with beautiful trees and paths and community gardens.)

 

someone mentioned harvard square as being touristy and i guess that's a point-of-view thing. even aside from the university, it's a heavily residential area in the middle of the city. a lot of working people live there (i was one of them, not a student at the time), and there's tons of stuff to do, most of which i didn't think of as touristy. i've always loved it because there's so much to do and see, just life going on and it's a cultural mecca. most tourists seem to be prospective students checking it out with their families, but they're in the minority. there are probably others from out of town who go to harvard square once, maybe just to say they've been there! there used to be a lot of street musicians, but maybe they're outlawed by now as life gets more prissy everywhere. hope not.

 

by the way, there's also the chinatown section of boston that is fun to check out (near the common), not to mention the combat zone (seedy redlight and porn district -- not for everyone, but good for jokes!).

[Wilco Worshipper]

fresh pond is on the outskirts of cambridge (toward belmont), on both the red line T and a bus line, ww

Oh sorry I thought you were saying A fresh pond not THE Fresh Pond...sorry!

[sweetheart-mine]

Oh sorry I thought you were saying A fresh pond not THE Fresh Pond...sorry!

no problem at all, ww, and was my fault anyway because of this very bad habit of not using capitals! i stopped using

the shift key a few years ago because of a frozen shoulder -- and it's fine now, but the habit stuck. please hit me

over the head with a baseball bat and straighten me out because i need it!

[Wilco Worshipper]

no problem at all, ww, and was my fault anyway because of this very bad habit of not using capitals!

No worries, you're still cool in my book

[MeDave]

duuude. forget all that. just take da T to quincy and have ah beeeeeah.

 

no seriously. welcome to town - you've got enough good rec's there to start you on your way. lemme know if i can help in any way!

 

though in current clubland - i'd correct that the paradise is 90% jam bands and lite-rock nationals now, and the middle east down is emo-screamo touring acts most of the time- stick with TTs, the lizard lounge, toad and church - and scan the others for touring acts that you want to catch!

[Mr. Tony Margaritatime]

Thanks guys! You are a wealth of info. Thanks for the input!