Am I the only person who finds Cambridge completely overrated? Ok, fine, you go there so you can gawk at Harvard and MIT, and then … well, there are lots of quasi-city-suburban places like that all over the country. I didn’t see the big deal.
Shawbridge, I do agree that the collective intellect and vast range of interests many people can have are a distinct attraction. But it’s a slice. Despite my connections to the city, I’m ambivalent.
@mcat2 if your wife was on NYC only once, I seriously doubt she “knows” NYC. My husband lived there for seven years, and there are still things he doesn’t know.
One visit to a city, especially one as busy and varied as NYC, will not make one fully knowledgable about that city.
Even spending a week there won’t guarantee that!
@Pizzagirl well…Cambridge has Henrietta’s Kitchen which is one of my favorite brunch places!
@Pizzagirl, Cambridge had a lot more character before real estate got so pricey and the chain stores took over. I still dream about Elsie’s chicken salad sandwiches. I was a bit shocked when we visted dh’s PhD mentor from Caltech. He’s only in half a house in Cambridge, admittedly a lovely location on Mt. Auburn Street, but nothing like what he had in Pasadena.
Boston is a great place to visit. I always have a good time when I am there. My aunt still lives in the suburbs, my brother is in Gloucester and my kiddo went to Tufts. I went to college “near Boston” too.
The American Repertory Theater puts on some terrific shows. Many of which go on to NYC.
Massachusetts drivers are terrible and Boston drivers are even worse.
I’ve taken an Uber many times to Logan.
Henrietta’s Table.
Oops…sorry…Henrietta’s Table!
It is a really great brunch! Love it there.
I live in Cambridge, and I really like it. My neighborhood is a bit further out, and people actually have small yards so I get some grass exposure. I think there are great restaurants and coffee shops - I work downtown, and I find that this side of the river has far more independent coffee shops than downtown Boston. I think there are a lot of great small shops, and places to walk - wonderful for just walking around on the streets, or by the river, or through the cemetery. There are two great bookstores near me, and I’ve seen some great authors come through, there’s often good music around, and the ART has some really good shows. I believe Waitress just stopped showing there with Jessie Mueller (Tony winner for Beautiful) and is heading to Broadway in the spring. I also love the vibe and the people. Harvard Square does have more chains than it did 20 years ago, but it still has some of the great independent stores it always has, and things like the Car Talk sign above the Curious George toy shop that are fun to point out.
That said, the prices are ridiculous. I have a ridiculously good deal for a large studio, but part of me does want to get out of the city and have a little more space and some ability to save some money. I don’t know what my next career step will be, but I’ll see if I end up staying here.
momof3sons - DS had 7am flights home \on Thanksgiving morn and on Christmas Eve. Both times he used Uber to get from Somerville to Logan airport. I think he said it was $15 / shared ride. Reading other posts, I wonder if he had an extra leg on public transit too at the end.
He really likes Boston area and bikes to work. He’s a rugged kid, still biking in Dec. Brrr. Some of the route is bike paths.
@colorado_mom I misspoke. My son said the issue with Uber is that they can’t pick up at Logan
The restaurants are a lot better than they were 30 years ago. Bondir, Alden & Harlow, Toscana, Craigie on Main, Puritan & Company, East Coast Grill, Catalyst, Rialto, Cafe ArtScience etc. (to pick restaurants in Cambridge only). So is the theater. But to me, what makes Cambridge / Boston distinctive is the number of interesting people per capita. Beats NY and London. SF area is similar but people are much more focused on high-tech whereas in the Boston area, there is a lot more breadth. You don’t see that on a drive-through or walk-through.
My son lives in Boston (Davis Square) and loves it. Rents are ridiculous, but since he doesn’t need a car, it’s about the same cost to rent here in the south plus car expenses. Depending on the kind of car and car payments, many here pay more for rent + car than you would in Boston. Plus, salaries in Boston are generally higher there to compensate for high rents.
For those complaining about Boston drivers, why would you drive in Boston? I take the T from the airport and buy a metro pass while there.
I’m driving in Boston because I’m on my way to or from Tufts or Gloucester and it ends up seeming easier. I don’t think it’s impossible to drive in Boston, though I’ve ended up at Logan a couple of times because GPS did not work in the underground parts of the Big Dig and signs got really confusing.
@momof3sons my son has been in Boston since August and I have been there 2 times this year. He has used Uber to the airport 3 times and we have used it twice. Don’t know why your son has had an issue. Has not been a problem for us.