<p>OK, if we’re welcoming the new freshman parents, I guess I can offer a small gift. Check out the Irving House. It’s something in between a large B&B and a small hotel, on a side street, three blocks past Memorial Hall (Annenberg). Rates get jacked up for major weekends, but in between they’re as reasonable as the Boston / Cambridge area gets. Full breakfast in the basement cafe plus snacks all day long. A nice, friendly, homey feel that tends to get guests visiting with one another. I’m sorry Loki5 - I know it’s supposed to be our little secret. :)</p>
<p>^ ahhh, but if you’re visiting Cambridge it’s simply a crime to not stay at the Harvard Inn, if only to spot the many illustrious scholars and thought leaders in the lobby. Then there’s the breakfast in that gorgeous atrium. And the charming, old school rooms. And a location that just can’t be beat. Worth every penny.</p>
<p>We’ve stayed at the Harvard Inn and it is lovely. Extremely convenient location and the atmosphere is very “Harvard” :)</p>
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<p>So’s the price tag! :)</p>
<p>I’d also like to extend a welcome to the new parents and students. My tip (gift) … use Priceline or Hotwire!</p>
<p>Thanks Twinmom for the suggestions.</p>
<p>Gadad, The price tag is very high, that’s why we only stayed there once! 
- and probably never again</p>
<p>Another reasonable alternative that we have found is the Hotel Tria, near Tufts, and one stop up (I think) on the red line.</p>
<p>I ditto Gadad on the Irving House—we will share it with you all, but just don’t go blabbing to anyone else… >:{</p>
<p>I’m intrigued by Irving House and will try it out when I go for my October trip up to see son. As for Harvard Inn, it is substantially cheaper than the Charles and we horde the frequent flier miles to use on it rather than airfare, which seems to be cheaper each time I check. We have also stayed at the Brookline Marriott (don’t do this without points) and it was very, very nice. The good part of visiting Cambridge is that there’s lots of good, cheap food. And Bertucci’s makes any trip well worth the expense - nothing like swirling their wonderful crusty Italian bread around in the saucer of fragrant olive oil while you wait for the pizza on a cold Cambridge evening and listen to your child and his friends discourse across from you.</p>
<p>Ok I’ll chime in, Was able to meet up with Ronsard-m’aimait in Cambridge for dinner, as two ex-pats we had a lot in common and really enjoyed meeting each other. The kids got the opportunity to meet and all three…my sophomore D and freshman S and her freshman D hit it off and we ended up hanging out the whole weekend, shopping and getting the kids set up. Dropped them off at FIP Sunday and I will be headed back to move son in on Thursday and Daughter in on Friday. So far so good!</p>
<p>Also beware of Hotwire, got a 2 star for a 3 star advertised but Ronsard-m’aimait was able to guide me to a website so I avoid this next time. (Can’t remember the site, Ronsard???) May try Irving Inn or Harvard Inn next time just for the convenience of it all! Good luck to all the parents moving their freshman in! I am excited to do it again.</p>
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<p>Yes! I’ve had this very experience, except that with my child it was “…and <em>her</em> friends…” Same Bertucci’s though.</p>
<p>I recently got the Courtyard by Mariott for $65 on Priceline! We used to stay at Hotel Tria often but have done better using the discounted sites.</p>
<p>Any suggestions on a good restaurant in Cambridge?</p>
<p>Helmand is a pseudo fancy Afghan restaurant. It is very highly “rated” and remarkably consistent in my opinion. It’s closer to the Galleria and thus is on other side of Cambridge but well worth the short trip. If you want to stay in the Square, try Henrietta’s Table (fancy). If you’re completely new to the area, try John Harvard’s, good local beer.</p>
<p>mushmouse, Depends on the cuisine that you like. If you like Indian, I like Passage to India in Porter Square. If you like Thai, Nine Tastes on JFK. If you are looking for an up-scale restaurant, Upstairs on the Square is nice, but pricey.</p>
<p>One of my favorites is a small cafe that makes crepes whose name I do not recall (corner of Arrow St. and Mass Ave.). For dessert, do not miss Berryline, Arrow Street - one of the best fozen yogurt places in the country.</p>
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<p>OK, now that image is just cruel to unload on me while I’m sitting here in the heat and humidity of a Deep South August! :)</p>
<p>For Thai food, I like Spice. (That’s the name of a restaurant, not a condiment.) And Berryline is a must. If you have a kid in school there but give a blank look when someone mentions Berryline, you’re likely to be accused of being a H-parent fraud.</p>
<p>Legal Seafood is good too-one in Harvard Square and one in Kendall Square.</p>
<p>Thank you all. Any other suggestions? </p>
<p>BTW, we also use Priceline for hotel, it generally gets us a pretty good deal. Last year, we got Le Meridien in Cambridge for $90+tax. However, for this coming weekend, we end up have to pay $120+tax for a 4 star hotel in Cambridgeb, not bad, but not as good as last year.</p>
<p>The best Indian restaurant is Tamarind Bay in the Square. The Little Red House on Elliot Street (?) is also nice. Pho Le in The Garage is a Vietnamese restaurant. Not great, but cheap. You can get a very filling bowl of pho for about $6.00, which makes it popular with students on a budget. Grafton Street is a bistro at the corner of Mass Ave and Arrow Street; it always seems packed and can be a bit noisy. For lunch, you may try Casablanca, next to the Brattle Theatre. It has a Middle Eastern menu and the walls are decorated with scenes from the movie (when I was in grad school, the Brattle Theatre showed Casablanca every January at exam time). If you like Ethiopian food, there is Asmara in Central Square and Red Sea on Mass Ave near Porter Square. Past Porter Square there is Elephant Walk which does both Cambodian and French food–both of them nicely done (the owner was a former Cambodian diplomat).
If you are willing to go into Central Square, we like Rendez Vous, located in a former Burger King. The chef tries to use locally grown stuff. Dinner at Om in Harvard Square or at Craigie on Main in Central Square will set you back about $75 for a prix fixe dinner. Craigie on Main (the restaurant used to be located on Craigie Street in a basement and was then called the Craigie Street Bistro) is close to Toscanini’s ice cream which is a Cambridge institution. Supposedly, MIT students helped the owner improve his ice-cream machine. A bit further on Main Street is Salts, a tiny restaurant that does very nice continental food. Next to it is Royal East restaurant, which is probably the best Chinese (Cantonese) restaurant in Cambridge. When I was a grad student, it was called Colleen’s, but despite its Irish sounding name, it was also a Chinese restaurant and a favorite hangout of MIT students and profs. Mary Chung on Mass Ave in Central Square is also an MIT favorite.</p>
<p>Bon Appetit!</p>
<p>My daughter is freshpeople this year and she is in FIP now.
She says she will move in to a new dorm tomorrow(Aug. 26, Wed.)
around 4:00 pm.</p>
<p>My son will be 2nd yr this September.
What is exact day for move-in to a new dorm ?
Aug 27 or 28 or 29th ?</p>
<p>I have to schedule it.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>