When I first decided to come to Boston College, one of the biggest draws was the proximity to Boston. I’m from Indianapolis, a fairly small city, so living close to such a major city seemed like a huge adventure. I am ashamed to admit, however, that from time to time, I have gotten caught in the typical Boston College student rut of only frequenting the same few places in our beautiful city.
Now, however, I’m here to introduce you to a place that will certainly draw you away from Newbury Street: Harvard Square! It’s an ideal place for eating, shopping, and of course people watching. But here is the first, and most important piece of advice I can give about Harvard Square before we even begin: do NOT take the T! I repeat, do NOT take the T. Instead, go to the Reservoir stop and hop on an 86 bus. It’s way faster and 50¢ cheaper, too!
EATS
Border Café
Border Café is a Tex-Mex, Cajun fusion restaurant located in the heart of Harvard Square. Dinner is priced around $10 to $15. I highly recommend the Gulf Coast seafood enchiladas, if you’re into seafood. But everything is delicious!
Flat Patties
I have to be honest, I am a burger-and-fries-girl at heart, and Flat Patties does not disappoint! Their burgers are fresh and made-to-order with your choice of a variety of toppings. The fries are also incredible. My favorite thing, however, is the homemade pickles! Not to sound too much like Snooki, but there is nothing better than a pickle, especially at Flat Patties with their homemade variety. The most unbelievable part of their menu is the prices. Meals range around 5$!
DESSERTS:
Sweet Cupcakes
I’ve always said that cupcakes are my absolute weakness, but the truth is that I’m a total frosting addict. Luckily, Sweet offers shots of frosting for just 50¢! On top of that, if you’re dog lover, they even bake pupcakes — cupcakes for dogs!
Lizzy’s Ice Cream and J.P. Licks
Lizzy’s is a teeny, tiny ice cream shop with big flavor. I like the ginger ice cream – it’s packed with flavor and quite a kick. The Boston staple J.P. Licks is another fantastic ice cream joint, offering many fair trade products. They offer ice cream, frozen yogurt, and sorbet, all of which are delicious! My favorite is the grapefruit sorbet!
SHOPPING
Urban Outfitters
Going to this Urban Outfitters, rather than the one on Newbury Street, is worth the extra few minutes in travel time. It’s more organized and has a more logical set-up. The greatest part? The bargain basement! That’s right, this Urban Outfitters has an entire basement dedicated to sale items.
Anthropologie
Four floors of Anthropologie is a dream come true, and one of the major draws of going to Harvard Square in the first place. The store is teeming with gorgeous clothes, and most importantly, a whole room of sale items!
Photo Sources:
www.celebrateboston.com
www.hungrycityblog.com
www.confessionsofashopaholic.com
www.emailresponsibliy.com