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.
Hi Claudia! I once lived on Comm Ave near BU when I was first out of college and teaching near Boston. Then I moved to my husband’s rent controlled apt on Forest Street in Cambridge, halfway between Harvard and Porter Squares. We called it the Forest Street luxury apt, even tho the fourth floor walk-up was far from that! But we loved living there! So much to do and such beautiful buildings and gardens everywhere, tucked in between the city buildings. Hope you enjoy yourself there. Linda
Hi Claudia,
Thanks for the tour of such a lovely and historic place. I would love to go back to my first apartment and see how it’s changed.
Have a wonderful weekend.
hugs
Sissie
hi claudia!
i loved the tour. i haven’t been over there in years either. looks so much like providence’s east side near brown and risd. the layout of your apt. sounds very similar to one that i had (in prov.). so much character and charm!
if you pass a rebecca’s cafe, get a congo bar. you will love it!
xo
elyse
I want to live in a city where I can walk..and I would do it here except that I don’t want to be shot to death while leaning over to smell the roses…lol!
Your former apartment is just charming Claudia. I never did get a chance to live by myself. I feel that I missed out on something.
I would love to walk the street where those amazing houses sit. I loved that Georgian (?) home with the dark brick. Maybe one day Marsh and I can be free to travel!
Hugs,
Deanna :D
The place is beautiful and very historical, but there isn’t much yard to some of them. They sit almost on the street. I don’t think I’d like that but the brick walks are lovely, sweetpea.
xoxo,
Connie
Not often does one get to walk through their past memories and places. Thank you for this post.
– Joy
Hi Claudia,
I discovered your blog through Fifi O’Neal’s I believe. Just wanted to say I love your blog…
I enjoyed the tour and lovely photographs so much and am going to add your blog to my list of “other nests to visit” on my own blog. Keep writing and taking photos. Your blog is wonderful!
Have a beautiful day. xoxo Kim
hi claudia,
thank you for the tour. i loved it. i love your old apt. building. and those street signs, omg – how fabulous is that. the history!
xo
janet
Hi, Claudia,
I heard you were in my hood. What a nice tour you’ve given everyone! I don’t know that brick home –it’s gorgeous– but I know that white Greek Revival very well. I wish they would have kept the name on all the original Bread & Circus stores. It’s such a great name. I hope you enjoy your time in Boston and hope the storm doesn’t put a damper on things. Steve
How wonderful to see some of your old haunts. What a beautiful city! We just don’t anything like that out here in California. We need to appreciate our history much more than we do!
Once again you have taken me to somewhere I have never been! Loving the tour! Beautiful old homes! Isn’t this where the filmed LOVE STORY?~Hugs, Patti
I loved going on this tour with you and seeing your former apartment (NEAT!) and all of the other interesting places, Claudia. I can certainly understand why you enjoyed walking there as it’s lovely. While I have the dubious distinction of never having been to Boston (we were within an hour when we were in MA a few years ago), I have always wanted to visit there. I had ancestors from the area, and one, Comfort Starr, owned the home where Harvard was supposedly founded. Some day. Sigh.
I also keep wanting to get to Watertown and do some grave rubbings. Weird, but true. ;-)
XO,
Sheila
What a wonderful neighborhood, so much character in those lovely old buildings!
I hope you have a fabulous Friday!
Hugs,
Anne
Oh, how fun to see you walk around there…….my son and his wife’s digs…they are on Prentiss although I may be spelling it wrong as I have trouble remembering if it is one ‘s’ or two. So glad you got to walk down memory lane.
xox Rella
I loved the tour. How wonderful to picture you walking those streets. I wish I could have come up for tea!
Perhaps to spy a rug or two.
Lovely!!!!
D.
I loved the tour and I’m nuts over historic structures…so much history there.
It was snowing not far from me today…I’ve got a fire roaring in the wood stove because it’s going to freeze tonight. Old man winter is having a hard time letting go of us this year.
Hugs,
Stephanie
Poor Don… I thought spring was there to stay! That’s a lot of snow!
How wonderful to have lived in such a lovely neighborhood. I love places with a sense of history, and interesting architecture.
Wishing you safe travels~
Hugs,
Jill
What charming places! I loved the tour – and…
So far it’s still raining…dare we hope??….
Isn’t it always fun to visit those old places we lived at one time. Somehow, that still seem to be a part of us. I still drive by our first house, just to see my old garden.
Icks… just looked at the weather map and it looks like snow your way again.
Thanks for taking time to bring us along on the walking tour. I love your old apt. building and the leaded glass windows. Great photos of the neighborhood. I can see why it ‘s a fond memory. Hope you’ve gotten your last snow!
It was close to ninety here yesterday /~”
another wonderful tour Claudia! I am so thankful you bring your camera along. I am in love with the brick house! I’m so sorry you are getting so much snow again- it doesn’t seem fair, does it? We had flurries yesterday but thankfully not much stuck to the ground. I hope that yours melts quickly, but not so quickly it causes more flooding problems for your area ♥
I loved visiting you in Boston, I remember that apartment so well. Thanks for taking me back ther, hope you are having fun.
XO, Mere