<p>If all the experienced parents are as wonderful as EAO1227, the rest of the freshmen parents are in luck! I cannot tell you how reassuring it was to have someone there to help and answer questions, and become a friend in just a few days! I know most everyone lives a long way from Harvard, but for those of us who have to cross an ocean, we particularly appreciate your kindness and help. </p>
<p>I used Priceline bringing my daughter to FIP. $90 + fees at Le Meridien. It is a nice chain hotel with great service and a comfortable room. It is a good long walk from Harvard Square.</p>
<p>If anyone has suggestions for inexpensive restaurants in the area (maybe some you already mentioned are?), I for one would appreciate it. Of course as a long-term ex-pat I guess Iām pretty happy with Dunkin Donuts!</p>
<p>I believe Le Meridien used to be the MIT hotel, so it is in the Central Square area. Check out my post above. If you want cheap, there are quite a few ethnic restaurants in Central Square, including a Thai (Spice & Rice?) Tibetan, Ethiopian (Asmara) Indian (Indian Palace) Chinese (Royal East on Main), Middle Eastern (not to be confused with the Middle East, which is a music club), and various pizza places. And a McDonald.</p>
<p>The T will get you from Central Square to Harvard Square for $1.75, or you can take the bus going down Mass Ave (cheaper, but I have not taken it in ages).</p>
<p>Pho Le in the garage is inexpensive. Thereās also Wagamama which is next to the Staples. The ācheap pizza placeā in the garage is different but still there I think. Also, thereās always the Bertucciās and along Mt. Auburn Street there are a couple of burrito placesā¦</p>
<p>Finally, if youāve never been, definitely try Burdickās on Brattle St. They have fantastic hot chocolate and good pastries.</p>
<p>Purolator - Move-in for second-years at Harvard is August 29. Check your studentās house website, I recall that at least one house said you could move-in August 28 (but that could have been a typo).</p>
<p>I think we need a Harvard Parent Thread parentsā weekend in Cambridge / Boston. Kind of like the universityās Parentsā Weekend but with fewer panel discussions and more restaurants!</p>
<p>I also thought it was Aug. 29 according to New Academic Calendar.
This Thurday night(Aug. 27) our family will leave here in Toronto and
help my daughterās room next day and enjoy(?) one more day.</p>
<p>Gadad sounds fun!!! Count me in! If all parents are as fun and nice as Ronsard Māaimait then it would be a wonderful weekend! FIP kids do get their dorm keys tonite but so do FIP leaders (not just freshman) and dorm crew kids as well. </p>
<p>Freshman move in day just got more hectic, avoid going in from the South if you can as Ted Kennedy will be lying in state at the JFK library tomorrow and Friday in Dorchester. I imagine it will be bad traffic all over Boston but the southern route goes right past the library!</p>
<p>Priceline is great-staying at the Hyatt Cambridge this weekend for 75 dollars! Enjoy the move in!</p>
<p>There are no good parking places around Harvard. there are some paying parking lots or garages, one on Church Street and one on Elliot Street, one in the Charles Hotel. But street parking is a huge headache, even for Cambridge residents with stickers. The Cambridge police is incredibly vigilant about parking fines (though not so much about jumping red lights!) and makes quite a bit of money out of them.</p>
<p>I just realized that DD is scheduled to return to H on Saturday afternoon (made the reservation months ago), and right now it looks like there are two events that may be happening in Boston when she arrives: Edward Kennedyās memorial, and the possibility that Tropical Storm/Hurricane Danny will be in the area. I guess that we will wait to see if her airline allows itinerary changes without penalty and, if allowed, change the reservation to either Friday or Sunday. I donāt want her to get stuck at the connecting airport (EWR) and have the airline tell her that they canāt do anything for her because the delay is due to weather (been thereā¦done that).</p>
<p>Last Year there was FREE Parking provided by Harvard back behind Annenberg a ways. They will give you a map when your son and daughter pick up the keys, you start by driving on the yard, unloading and then you can go park for the day. I am off, praying that I donāt face tons of traffic with people going in for Ted Kennedy!</p>
<p>Freshman parents who are driving, when you get to the unloading zone in the Yard, be sure to shut off your engine and apply the parking brake. That way, you can actually claim to have . . . well, you know.</p>
<p>MSMDAD, I have not heard about a storm. My son is scheduled to fly out of Long Beach, Ca tomorrow night and take a red eye into Boston. Heāll be arriving at 6am in Boston. </p>
<p>Guitars - The storm is not expected to hit Boston until Saturday night according to MSNBC, so he should not have a problem getting into Boston Saturday AM. My son is arriving tomorrow and I have warned him that moving into his house on Saturday could be messy. It doesnāt look like it will hit NE directly.</p>