Hello, friends. In keeping with a tradition of “Places I have Lived” posts, we are going to take a little walk down Harvard Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I took a little trip to Cambridge via the T this morning. Oh, how I love Cambridge! This is the first time I have been back here since I moved to San Diego in 1993. How did so much time go by? It was the exact route I took so many, many times. Take the Red Line to Central Square, walk north to Harvard St. Stop at the Whole Foods (which was called Bread & Circus when I lived here) on the corner of Harvard and Prospect. Buy some coffee and a scone. A left turn on Harvard St and there I was, in my old neighborhood. I didn’t have a car in those days and I well remember walking the 4 or 5 blocks to my apartment laden down with grocery bags.
The neighborhood is a mixture of stately old homes and brick apartment buildings.
It’s a gray day – a Nor’easter is coming – but I saw little crocuses (croci?) coming up everywhere. Too bad they will be covered by snow. I will digress for a minute: Poor Don. We are supposed to get over 6 inches of heavy, wet snow tomorrow! What the ???? He is very depressed and I feel bad because I won’t be there to help him shovel.
Where are we now? My former place of residence! I lived in this fabulous old (rent controlled, at the time) apartment building. It is no longer rent controlled – Mary, the owner, died several years ago. It looks a little spruced up, but is basically the same. Do you see the apartment on the 3rd floor, with the bay window? That was my place. I loved it. After living in a postage stamp of an apartment my first year in Boston and paying a high monthly rent, my friend Judith, who lived in this building and worked with me at BU, called me to tell me there had been an opening. Oh joy of joys! Much less rent and much more room. And a great neighborhood!
My visual aid. I have labeled each of the rooms. Hardwood floors, a non-working fireplace with a beautiful mantel, a pantry, a beautiful old black and white tiled bath and a bay window. And this neighborhood:
Remember that story I told you about finding a dresser on the street in Cambridge and carrying it several blocks (with the help of a friend) to my apartment? I found it in front of one of these buildings. I still use it to this day.
As we continue to walk down Harvard Street, we come to the gate surrounding Harvard Yard.
And we end up in Harvard Square. So much has changed here but so much is the same, as well. Boston and Cambridge are wonderful places to walk. I used to walk for hours here. The architecture is interesting, the history is fascinating. It’s not uncommon to walk in Cambridge and see a sign saying “George Washington spoke to his troops under this tree.” Or to see a sign like this:
Here’s the house, which is currently a restaurant.
Longfellow’s house is in Cambridge – I just didn’t have time to walk there. I am here to work, after all!
I’ll share more with you soon. I hope you enjoyed the tour.
