Good places?

[stariel25]

Hi all! I'm brand new here (moved on Wednesday from Seattle) and I live in between Porter and Davis Square. What are some cool places to check out. Stores, restaurants, coffee shops, anything really. I'm a vegetarian, so any good veggie restaurant suggestions would be appreciated too. Of course places in Cambridge or near the Longwood Medical area are good too.

Comments

[anotherjen.livejournal.com]

Welcome!

There's a nice New Age bookstore on Mass Ave, a bit past the post office, called Unicorn Books.

I also like Diesel Cafe and Soundbites.

There's a beautiful gift shop called (I think) Sign of the Dove, in the same building as the CVS. Great handmade and unique items.

Also, in the J.F. Kennedy School on Elm St just past Star, Somerville residents can use the pool for a pittance (like $2 or 3).

I'm an omnivore, so I don't have any good veggie suggestions. I like the Indian food at Diva, and have had "vegetarian" dishes there, but who knows if they use chicken stock or something.

[juldea.livejournal.com]

Ooh, how does one prove their Somervillianhood at the School pool? I don't want to have to bring my lease to the pool! ;)

[stariel25]

Yeah, no kidding! Are they the address enfocers around here or what?? I think an ID or drivers license would be fine, just a guess, though.

[juldea.livejournal.com]

...but my license still says Oklahoma. :P I suppose I could bring my passport.

(I don't have a car, so I haven't seen the need to get a new license here.)

[stariel25]

Yeah, me neither. Plus it's sooooo expensive!

I'm thinking I'll get a Mass ID as long as the school doesn't want me to switch my license for residence.

[juldea.livejournal.com]

How much does it cost to get an ID?

[anotherjen.livejournal.com]

It's been so long since I've been there, I don't remember... but I imagine that you could just bring a utility bill with your name and address on it, plus a driver's license to prove that's your name.

[adrian-turtle.livejournal.com]

You can go to the Somerville Public Library with a copy of your lease, a utility bill, or any piece of official-looking mail sent to your name at your new address. The nice librarian will give you a Somerville library card, which will let you check out books from any library in the Minuteman network (Cambridge and Arlington have excellent fiction collections) as well as any of the Somerville branches. You may be able to use your new library card as local ID, even if you haven't changed your driving license yet.

Technically, Massachusetts law requires you to get a MA driving license and car registration within 30 days of moving to the state. If you get stopped while driving, you could get a ticket (or an extra ticket) for using your old paperwork...though many cops just give warnings. Almost all state police target cars with out-of-state plates when giving speeding tickets. And local officials ticketing parked cars target out-of-state plates as well. So it's to your advantage to get to the RMV reasonably soon.

[stariel25]

Thanks for the warning!

I got a library card, actually!

I'm not driving here, that's one of the reasons I don't want to change my license. I don't have a car, and I'm not planning to get one!

[juldea.livejournal.com]

Oh, silly me. I already have a library card. I will use it.

I don't have a car and don't drive. Therefore the RMV shouldn't give a flying fuck where my license is from.