Moving to Cambridge/Boston!! Need Advice!!

Cliff Notes for Thread: You're an idiot if you live in the City, especially if you drive a BMW that you care about, unless you're in your younger 20's, have no responsibilities and don't give a sh*t, or are an old fart like Steve.

Originally Posted by trizzuth

Cliff Notes for Thread: You're an idiot if you live in the City, especially if you drive a BMW that you care about, unless you're in your younger 20's, have no responsibilities and don't give a sh*t, or are an old fart like Steve.

blasbhemy! i am hardly an old fart... 35, and married with kids, but and have been living in boston or nyc since 21. the city has so much to offer--amazing restaurants, nightlife, museums etc. i cant effing stand the suburbs. that being said, we're house shopping and actually looked at a place on the other side of 128--i was crying inside.

Originally Posted by trizzuth

Cliff Notes for Thread: You're an idiot if you live in the City, especially if you drive a BMW that you care about, unless you're in your younger 20's, have no responsibilities and don't give a sh*t, or are an old fart like Steve.

Bullshit, it's a waste of your twenties to spend it far out from nightlife.

Originally Posted by iceberq

Bullshit, it's a waste of your twenties to spend it far out from nightlife.

100% agreed.

Marina bay is nice but gets all trashy on weekends when the whores and "guidos" come out to go to oceanclub I am 26 and I cant stand that place. I have only gone one time when avicii was going to dj and then he didn't show up till 10 minutes before close.

Thanks in advance for all the lively discussion. My company is actually located in Cambridgeport by MIT on Waverly. I am coming with my M (which I care deeply about and would not like to risk door dings and scratches). I talked to some people at my current company and they suggested Davis square, but what kind of commute would I be expecting?

I am open to living across the river, but I was told by some colleagues at my current company that as long as I'm on the redline I will be good as far as commute to work and fun. What I'm more interested is a balance between having a nice place and some nightlife (bars, restaurants).

I'm 27, so not looking to rage every weekend, but would like some lively places with a bit of class and want a decent place to bring a girl home to

Thanks for the debate and any recommendations on good inde shops or places to get a moderately priced detail for when I can't wash the car myself is greatly appreciated.

-JJ

Originally Posted by iceberq

Bullshit, it's a waste of your twenties to spend it far out from nightlife.

Maybe I put some misinterpretation into that..

I lived in the Back Bay the summer after I graduated from College (age 22-23)

Then I lived in Roslindale, which was close to where I was working in Westwood at that time, for about a year and a half (ages 23-25ish)

Then moved in with my girlfriend onto Strathmore road in Brighton - right up the street from Cleveland Circle for about 3 years (25-28ish)

Then moved into Slummerville for 6 months after I broke up with my girlfriend (28-29ish)

Then moved back to Brighton on Wallingford road for a year or so (29-30ish)

Then moved to Chestnut Hill for 2 years with my new girlfriend now wife (30-32ish)

Then moved down to live in her parents house in New Bedford (whoah what a change) to save money for a house since I did nothing but spend in my 20's for 2-3 years - was supposed to be 1 year! 32-34ish ****Bought BMW right after moving in here****

and bought my house in Fairhaven in 2007, worked on it for 5 months straight renovating the entire thing myself and moved in in March of 2008 when I was 34, now 38 (whoah, sounds mad old doens't it!) and have 2 kids 4 and 6 years old.

So yeah, I've been all over the muthafunkin city and you NEED to be there in your 20's so you won't let your college years die too soon.. some damn good times there man. It's like going to college, after college, but no homework.

the moral of trizz's story is: marry a girl whose parents liver closer to boston.

Uber..

Welcome!

Davis to Kendall on the red line is 15 minutes, max, seat time on the T. Davis is nice because there is a good mix of music (Johnny D's), bars (waaay to many to list), a gym (Boston Sports Club), decent restaurants (Orleans)...plus it's not as homogenous as other areas (Brookline/Back Bay/Beacon Hill). And you might even be able to find off street parking with your apartment rental. Plus, it's pretty close to Route 2 when you want to get the heck out of dodge. (NH, VT, etc).

If you live near Kendall you could walk to work..but nightlife is a lot less. Until 10 years ago, this neighborhood very quiet after work, save Kendall Square movie theatre complex.

Otherwise, your other options on the Boston side are Beacon Hill (on Red Line @ Charles) and Back Bay (10-20 minute walk to Charles)...but if you think Cambridge and Somerville are expensive, you will be shocked that $2000 minimum for a decent, tiny 1 bedroom is not uncommon..and that does NOT include parking.

I live between Cambridge and Rt128, but wanted a house and a wee bit of yard...so in a different boat.

But good luck and welcome!

Originally Posted by sna77

the moral of trizz's story is: marry a girl whose parents liver closer to boston.

Haa you got me there!

Thank you to everyone for your input. I'm going to take 60days worth of corporate housing to figure it out once I get there (part of the relocation package). I hope to see you guys at the local events!

Originally Posted by sna77

Eeeks. Hard to have an intelligent conversation when someone lists Marina Bay nightlife as good.

Hey dick did you not read that I've never been there thats what I heard. Never went clubbing in Boston was too busy being deployed.


Sent from my SCH-I535 using Bimmer App

Originally Posted by adamdifilippo

Hey dick did you not read that I've never been there thats what I heard. Never went clubbing in Boston was too busy being deployed.


Sent from my SCH-I535 using Bimmer App

if your friends tell you Marina Bay is good nightlife... you need new friends.


I jest... but yeah, Marina Bay / Quincy sucks

My advice is u should
Go to show and shine in Portsmouth nh Sunday oct 7th its from 8-2 free food n prizes!!!

Originally Posted by BMWuberwagon

Thank you to everyone for your input. I'm going to take 60days worth of corporate housing to figure it out once I get there (part of the relocation package). I hope to see you guys at the local events!

If you are able to just pocket some of the corporate housing money, my 1 bedroom apartment with parking is available 10/6/2012-10/31/2012. I'd sublet it as I'm moving out on the 4th.

Uberwagon...

If you are at MIT, then you can basically live a lot of places, but as others have pointed out you can live in posh places or student places.

Someone said Allston/Brighton - Forget there. Dumps. BU and other College Students mostly.

Back Bay - Nice area, $$-$$$, maybe okay if you get a roommate as far as cost wise. Parking tough, but doable, especially if you pay.

Cambridge - Davis/Kendall/Harvard/Porter Squares. Hit or miss, but crowded and expensive usually. Mixed crowd of college and young professional. Parking will be typically tough.

Brookline/Cooledge Corner/Longwood area - This a great place to live. Mostly young professionals. Not too outrageous for $$ if you hunt around. My wife lived there while we dated. She lived on the top floor of a 3 fl. Brownstone. 3 bdr /1 bath. Parking should be fairly easy with the right unit.

A Couple of other places to think off that would be fun, less expensive, a little quieter and good for a car.

Watertown - Good restaurants and some nightlife, but far enough from the "city" to make it more affordable and more likely to have good parking. Depending on where in Watertown, you can ride a bike to MIT in about 20 minutes or take an express bus into the city. Lots of young professionals live here

Newton (West Newton or Newtonville) - Newton has many sections, but Newtonville and West Newton have some great eats and hangouts. More room for the car and probably a lot cheaper. Commuting to work is a little more of a pain, but not unrealistic. Take the Commuter rail to South Station (~10 minutes) and then catch the Red Line to Kendall Sq (MIT) another 10 minutes.

Arlington - Great place and a mix of young professionals and families. Very easy access to MIT/Kendall Sq. from Alewife Station (Red Line). Live on the east side of Arlington and ride your bike, or take a bus, to the T station or walk and then it's a 10 minute ride to MIT. You can car park at the T station at $7/day (Cash only). Arlington will be relatively inexpensive housing and easy to park a car. If you want to go out in the city (Boston), just leave from work and and then head back to the urban burbs (Arlington, Brookline, Newton, Watertown) at the end of the night.

I live in a burb just on the other side of Rt 95/128 about 15 minutes from Boston. When I first moved here, I was single and lived in Belmont, but looked at buying a house in Arlington and Watertown. I was 28 when I moved here, so about your age now.

Doc Hollywood

Originally Posted by Doc Hollywood

Uberwagon...

If you are at MIT, then you can basically live a lot of places, but as others have pointed out you can live in posh places or student places.

Someone said Allston/Brighton - Forget there. Dumps. BU and other College Students mostly.

Back Bay - Nice area, $$-$$$, maybe okay if you get a roommate as far as cost wise. Parking tough, but doable, especially if you pay.

Cambridge - Davis/Kendall/Harvard/Porter Squares. Hit or miss, but crowded and expensive usually. Mixed crowd of college and young professional. Parking will be typically tough.

Brookline/Cooledge Corner/Longwood area - This a great place to live. Mostly young professionals. Not too outrageous for $$ if you hunt around. My wife lived there while we dated. She lived on the top floor of a 3 fl. Brownstone. 3 bdr /1 bath. Parking should be fairly easy with the right unit.

A Couple of other places to think off that would be fun, less expensive, a little quieter and good for a car.

Watertown - Good restaurants and some nightlife, but far enough from the "city" to make it more affordable and more likely to have good parking. Depending on where in Watertown, you can ride a bike to MIT in about 20 minutes or take an express bus into the city. Lots of young professionals live here

Newton (West Newton or Newtonville) - Newton has many sections, but Newtonville and West Newton have some great eats and hangouts. More room for the car and probably a lot cheaper. Commuting to work is a little more of a pain, but not unrealistic. Take the Commuter rail to South Station (~10 minutes) and then catch the Red Line to Kendall Sq (MIT) another 10 minutes.

Arlington - Great place and a mix of young professionals and families. Very easy access to MIT/Kendall Sq. from Alewife Station (Red Line). Live on the east side of Arlington and ride your bike, or take a bus, to the T station or walk and then it's a 10 minute ride to MIT. You can car park at the T station at $7/day (Cash only). Arlington will be relatively inexpensive housing and easy to park a car. If you want to go out in the city (Boston), just leave from work and and then head back to the urban burbs (Arlington, Brookline, Newton, Watertown) at the end of the night.

I live in a burb just on the other side of Rt 95/128 about 15 minutes from Boston. When I first moved here, I was single and lived in Belmont, but looked at buying a house in Arlington and Watertown. I was 28 when I moved here, so about your age now.

Doc Hollywood

Nice, thoughtful post but generalizing all of Brighton as a dump is wrong. There are plenty of beautiful places in Brighton to live and play. JMO

Originally Posted by ShootyzGruve

Nice, thoughtful post but generalizing all of Brighton as a dump is wrong. There are plenty of beautiful places in Brighton to live and play. JMO

Yes, I should not have generalized re: Brighton. There are some very nice areas, but I typically associate most of Allston, and much of Brighton, as BU's and BC's off-campus housing. Maybe a bad generalization.

IMO, there is a higher density of college kids in this area (A-B) than the others I mentioned. I found that when I started to get into my late twenties, the "college" aged crowd and scene was old. From the OP's original post, it sounded like he wanted to avoid this also.

Cheers,

Doc Hollywood

I thought I would give everyone a follow-up. Thanks for all of your input, I ended up taking a studio in the west end (beacon hill). seems centrally located enough until I get my bearings of the city.

Now I can use some advice on fun bars/restaurants (in the back bay/beacon hill area) and also looking for a shop that can take care of some curb rash and a detail before putting her in a garage for the winter.

Thanks,
-JJ