Boston Suburb Best for Families (Cambridge, Somerville: real estate, college, living)

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by alidmc

Cambridge in Somerville are becoming less hip as they become less affordable. It would be very difficult to find a SFH in any of these three for a $1 million budget.

When was the last time you ventured up to the North Shore? I think you'd be surprised by the hipster populations (and accompanying cafes, restaurants and bars) in Beverly, Salem, and even Gloucester. I know quite a few who moved up here from Somerville

https://goodmorninggloucester.wordpr...ad-thing-rant/ Funny article from a few years ago.

Definitely true, but it's just that the commute stinks, and it's especially risky when you don't know exactly where you'll be working... while places like Arlington gives you lots of flexibility. Salem has definitely had that going on for a decade now.

I'd love to do Salem, or Gloucester, or Newburyport... but the commute is a killer.

[BostonMike7]

Originally Posted by alidmc

When was the last time you ventured up to the North Shore? I think you'd be surprised by the hipster populations (and accompanying cafes, restaurants and bars) in Beverly, Salem, and even Gloucester. I know quite a few who moved up here from Somerville

Would agree. Salem is especially starting to get that vibe, but I see it in Gloucester as well. I used to discount Salem in my youth, but it's become my new favorite place to go in the last few years after living there for 6 months.


I still get a family feel in Beverly.




Somerville will be forever hip. I don't see that ending anytime soon.

[semiurbanite]

Originally Posted by alidmc

Cambridge in Somerville are becoming less hip as they become less affordable. It would be very difficult to find a SFH in any of these three for a $1 million budget.

When was the last time you ventured up to the North Shore? I think you'd be surprised by the hipster populations (and accompanying cafes, restaurants and bars) in Beverly, Salem, and even Gloucester. I know quite a few who moved up here from Somerville

https://goodmorninggloucester.wordpr...ad-thing-rant/ Funny article from a few years ago.

Oh - the hipsters are alive and well in Somerville, it an epidemic really and only increasing as rents go up, not sure how that happens. Sit in Union Square at 8:30 AM in the summer and watch the bike commuters zipping to and fro - its as hipster as Brooklyn at times. Salem and even Lowell have bit of a hipster vibe.

This guys gives Somerville a top 5 in the WORLD: http://www.metro.us/newyork/lifestyl...-cities-top-5/

[Whatsnext75]

I could never live in Somerville. Hipsters think they are so different yet they are all the same.

[alidmc]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

Would agree. Salem is especially starting to get that vibe, but I see it in Gloucester as well. I used to discount Salem in my youth, but it's become my new favorite place to go in the last few years after living there for 6 months.


I still get a family feel in Beverly.




Somerville will be forever hip. I don't see that ending anytime soon.

You've mentioned that before about Beverly. I think it's location dependent. I go out a lot in Beverly and you definitely get the vibe downtown. Outside of downtown, there are more suburban areas of Beverly that definitely give off the family friendly vibe. I think the diversity of neighborhoods within Beverly is one of the coolest and most unique things about it.

In a way I was joking about Somerville. It makes sense that the hipsters keep coming-look at Brooklyn. I closely follow the restaurant scene and have noticed that the new restaurant openings in Somerville and Cambridge don't seem as unique as they used to be. I guess that happens when rent becomes very expensive. I used to venture out frequently to Somerville and Cambridge to eat, but nothing has appealed to me recently. Some of my old favorites are gone as well (Gargoyles ). Timberline and semiurbanite, would you agree with me or are the newish restaurants still worth going to?

[semiurbanite]

Originally Posted by alidmc

You've mentioned that before about Beverly. I think it's location dependent. I go out a lot in Beverly and you definitely get the vibe downtown. Outside of downtown, there are more suburban areas of Beverly that definitely give off the family friendly vibe. I think the diversity of neighborhoods within Beverly is one of the coolest and most unique things about it.

In a way I was joking about Somerville. It makes sense that the hipsters keep coming-look at Brooklyn. I closely follow the restaurant scene and have noticed that the new restaurant openings in Somerville and Cambridge don't seem as unique as they used to be. I guess that happens when rent becomes very expensive. I used to venture out frequently to Somerville and Cambridge to eat, but nothing has appealed to me recently. Some of my old favorites are gone as well (Gargoyles ). Timberline and semiurbanite, would you agree with me or are the newish restaurants still worth going to?

Somerville in 2014-2015 had a huge rush of good restaurants - Sarma was just listed as top 38 in country by Eater. Juliet got restaurant of the year for 2016. Waypoint and Table at Seasons to Taste in Cambridge are excellent.

Eater's list tend to be pretty spot on - lots of them in Cambridge/Somerville
http://boston.eater.com/2016/11/16/1...er-awards-2016

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by alidmc

Timberline and semiurbanite, would you agree with me or are the newish restaurants still worth going to?

I'm not a big eating out person, I rarely think it's worth the money, but the better/more interesting restaurants, like usual, have been opening in cheaper/less popular areas of Somerville. Like along Broadway, or Sarma which is next to nothing (the old Paddock).

Not even my really willing to spend money on dining experience foodie friends think places like Juliet's or Journeyman are worth the money. I would so much rather have Sherman's back.

Newer/more interesting places always get priced out, heck, look at Portsmouth, the best restaurants are in Kittery where it was cheaper to secure locations for young restaurateurs.

Originally Posted by semiurbanite

Eater's list tend to be pretty spot on - lots of them in Cambridge/Somerville
http://boston.eater.com/2016/11/16/1...er-awards-2016

Can't agree it is spot on. Just even a quick look, Night Shift over Trillium? That's just scream we have no idea what the blank we're talking about.

[wolfgang239]

Originally Posted by alidmc

In a way I was joking about Somerville. It makes sense that the hipsters keep coming-look at Brooklyn. I closely follow the restaurant scene and have noticed that the new restaurant openings in Somerville and Cambridge don't seem as unique as they used to be. I guess that happens when rent becomes very expensive. I used to venture out frequently to Somerville and Cambridge to eat, but nothing has appealed to me recently. Some of my old favorites are gone as well (Gargoyles ). Timberline and semiurbanite, would you agree with me or are the newish restaurants still worth going to?

Agreed. It has been since late 2013 for me as far as actual sit down restaurants worth going to, Sarma and Kirkland Tap and Trotter. Assembly Row had potential, but its a carbon copy of places like 3rd st in Burlington. The whole "smart growth" "eat play work" thing exists everywhere from Oregon to Kentucky, and Assembly Row offers no distinction.

But plenty of good food options still popping up, mostly takeout or smaller venues like Tenoch or Momo N Curry.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by wolfgang239

Agreed. It has been since late 2013 for me as far as actual sit down restaurants worth going to, Sarma and Kirkland Tap and Trotter. Assembly Row had potential, but its a carbon copy of places like 3rd st in Burlington. The whole "smart growth" "eat play work" thing exists everywhere from Oregon to Kentucky, and Assembly Row offers no distinction.

But plenty of good food options still popping up, mostly takeout or smaller venues like Tenoch or Momo N Curry.

I would say that River Bar's burger is very very good.

[alidmc]

Originally Posted by wolfgang239

Agreed. It has been since late 2013 for me as far as actual sit down restaurants worth going to, Sarma and Kirkland Tap and Trotter. Assembly Row had potential, but its a carbon copy of places like 3rd st in Burlington. The whole "smart growth" "eat play work" thing exists everywhere from Oregon to Kentucky, and Assembly Row offers no distinction.

But plenty of good food options still popping up, mostly takeout or smaller venues like Tenoch or Momo N Curry.

That's not surprising about Assembly Row. I may get yelled at here, but I view Assembly Row to be an extension of the nearby Station Landing. Tenoch is awesome. I have only patronized the food truck, though.