davis_square | Is 35 too old...

Current Mood: 35
Current Music: Les Sans Coulottes

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local landscape

Is 35 too old...

...to live in Davis Square?

The square, while my favorite place in the entire Boston area and one of my fave neighborhoods eva, is getting younger and younger. I like that there is stuff to do though, but I also like the peace and quiet...I am like Jonathan Richman; I want the city but I want the country too.

Can you all help me remember why I love my one - bedroom apartment outside Davis at a time when most people my age have kids and a picket fence and do horrible things like golf?

Or should I just shut up and stop acting like an asshat cuz I know its cool to be 35?

I am simply seeking some validation, as tomorrow is my birthday.

still, thoughts on why we love the square?

-N-Lo

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Hey there :
I am in my 30's as well & have definitely noticed that there is a young crowd in Davis, but there are a lot of people our age too.
There are quite a few cool spots to see music and hang out that are not overrun with people that will make you feel ancient. I'd be happy to share my favorite spots.
ps. Nice work with the asshat reference.

Please, share!

Ummm.
Well, it's not really Davis, but TOAD has a very cool crowd and great music. The Burren can be good too, as long as it's not on Thursday night. The Independent & Tir na Nog in Union Sq.
PJ Ryan's in Teele is great. It can be a bit collegey at times, but I still dig it.

i'd say be happy you're 35 and thus more likely to be able to afford to stay put. i had to move away because it got too expensive.

you're only a few months younger than i am.... (i'll be 35 in november.) i love the diesel cafe and the fact that on any given weekend i can sit there for an hour and a half and see teenagers, college students, grad students, and parents with kids. (and if i'm very lucky my cousin....) i dunno, i love the square because it's fun and interesting and staunchly not-corporate, and it has good restaurants and a good movie theater and lots of places to sit outside, and it makes me feel like not so much of an old fart.

I know lots of folks in your age range and higher who live in the square, and to some extent I think the square will only truly be saved from becoming an Allston clone if those folks do stay and remain involved.

That said I got sick of the hipness and the rising rents and I'm happy in Ward 2 now. I still might love to move back to Davis someday, especially as my place of worship is there, but only if I were really financially established enough to afford it.

At 30, I may be a bit too young to speak, but I love how age mixed Davis is during the day. Getting off the T, I walk home in crowds of older suits and dodge baby carriages. Have you seen the soccer moms with their kids in the park? Yes, our friends are all getting married and having kids, but not all of them are moving away.

The Burren before the college crowds come out at 9pm; and Johnney D's for brunch on the weekend; and that little fish place tucked back by to comic store at any time on any day. Our nieghborhood is rich. It's just at night, the college kids, who don't have early a.m. responsibilities, seem to dominate.

And have you noticed that the college kids get younger (and skinner) every year ;)

Happy Birthday!
(you are as young as you feel, and all that crap!)

oh, all of us who have lived in/near davis for a long time are aging as well. happens every year, dangit. it's just feeling young because the students are back. :)

you are, however, insane if you think davis is 'peace and quiet'. too noisy for me, unfortunately.

that one would find away from the city. My bad for not eloquating clearly.

you and i seem to want the same thing - i propose a time share!

Well, having just bought a house in Davis at 36, I really hope I'm not already too old.

We bought the house from a lovely woman who had lived there for decades, long enough to raise her kids and have her grandkids over to visit. Elsewhere on the street are others who have been there equally as long, as well as people younger than me and people raising little kids.

Nobody on the street looks at me funny because I'm too old, or because I'm too young, they just offer pound cake and introductions and advice.

It's all good. I love this place.

to be clear, but gravitate toward davis as its my fave place. I like poundcake-toting neighbors. I want some of those.

Look how much pound cake I could fit into this wonder-woman mouth, i mean....bring on the pound cake.

I'm 39, and I live between Davis & Porter in a crappy one-bedroom. I don't have kids, but I have two Siamese...and I don't really spend much time "hanging out"...

But things to love?

The Somerville Theatre.
The Rosebud - even if you never go there, it's cool to live near.
The Davis Sq. Liquor store is open til 11pm - even on Sunday!
There are so many places to eat out - and some are cheap!
The Goodwill. Especially the basement.
ArtBeat.
It's cheaper than Cambridge.

That's just off the top of my head...

First, please don't do something horrible like golf. You'd only be hurting yourself.

That said, there are a lot more of us 35-n-over kids than you probably know. I say "kids" because that's what being this age still feels like to me, regardless of expections of picket fences and babymaking.

(has anyone noticed that there's more picket fences in Somerville than in real suburbs with their golf course sized lawns?)

People have already listed so many of the great things about this neighborhood, and surely you're already aware of most of them. Consider these things about the You+Davis equation:

*You live in one of the coolest neighborhoods in the Notrheastern United States, easily in a league coolness-wise with Williamsburg Brooklyn or Ithaca (in fact, almost like a love child of those two).

*The people who live on either side of you probably don't drive SUVs.

*If we all stay, the median age of the population rises -- a community growing beyond college age together without dispersing to to Hicksvilles and Sticksvilles. That's definitely all good.

Love your Davis.

I heart Ithaca! But Davis is just as cool :)

I love it too. Its only drawback is being so far away from anything else (which I guess to some people is a plus, but I like being near a major city). I'm from Upstate NY originally, and we used to go to Ithaca for our coolness fix from dreary Rochester. Amazing place if you can swing it financially, but as the old joke goes:

Q: Why do hippies move to Ithaca?
A: Because there's no jobs there!

I just moved to Davis from dreary Rochester...this place is like a pot of coffee :) Loving it so far...

Welcome! There are so many people from Ra-Cha-Cha in greater Boston that I have to wonder if anyone's left.

has anyone noticed that there's more picket fences in Somerville than in real suburbs with their golf course sized lawns?

yes, but that's because:
1. fences are *expensive*
2. a fence would hide their lawn, which is considered a "status symbol"
3. we put up fences in somerville to keep the dogs from running through our flowers and pooping on our lawn (shame on you, dog owners, for not picking up after your pooches!)
4. a nice fence dresses up an otherwise pitiful front yard.

I actually think the fences are cute. I just think its funny how a cultural icon traditionally associated with sterile suburbs is now more often used for city homes, and to nicer effect.

easily in a league coolness-wise with Williamsburg Brooklyn

Hm. I am going to hazard a guess that you've never lived in NYC?

I am often torn as to whether to refer to Somerville as a city or a town, especially when stuff happens like finding just about every damn kitchen closed after rehearsal.

*dramatic sigh* I have tasted the kanpyo and the inari, but not in Davis Square after 10pm!

Hmmm. welll I have lived in NYC. I lived there for many years. In the east village, west village and in brooklyn too. I'd say Davis ranks up there with any hood in nyc. Its one of about 2 Boston area hoods that can compete, but compete it does. easily. You have to take things being open late out of the equation if you compare anything here to there. But aside from that, Davis is great. I'm going to the east village today to stay with a friend on my birthday, and last time i was there there were too many spoiled rich wanna be hip in the east village 23 year olds which in my opinion are FAR worse than some of the nerdy, dont know better Tufts kids stumbling down the street at 1 am.

And you cant find food in Davis after 10? I am going to hazard a guess that you've never gone to Redbones?

Funny you should mention Redbones, as that was, in fact, where we ended up that night, running into a bunch of other people who'd been in the same boat. The paucity of dining (and most any other) options after 10pm is just one thing that happened to hit home recently.

I've lived in Davis Square for the past six years and could list plenty of great things about this town -- I just don't see the point of comparing it to NY. Aside from the early closings, the far smaller number of, and way more limited scope of eateries and shops, the limited range and timing of the T, not much theater, museums?, some big park space (locally, a lack peculiar to Somerville), etc.

But I live in Davis Square because I want what Davis has to offer. I enjoy the small scope of the place, the fact that I can keep my car without pain even if I rarely use it, walking around at night without fear, and running into people I know constantly. I like that the smallness allows me with my meager talents to still play a significant role in the local arts community when I choose to and even be in a well-attended play. To name a few.

Hey, I love Santa Cruz, too, but I don't think it's like either Somerville or NY. Whether one is just as good as the other to a particular person depends on what they are looking for, but they are different places and offer different things.

IMHO, anyway. :)

i toot dont think you should really compare davis square with nyc which in reality, is the world's capital. seriously.

But there are plenty of places to eat within a mile or two late late at night. by the way, orleans and joshua tree and rosebud serve past 10. i think diva does, though that overpriced place wont get my biznezz.

but there are like 9 parks in somerville. there is one right up hollaand ave, there is one just past ball square on broadway. there are the ones in east somerville.

I agree that places have their own unique charm, but i had to take offense earlier (not now) at what i guess i thought was that nyc snobbery that i hear from time to time. I'm actually writing this from stuvesant town in the east village by the way. but i like to defend my little burg of davis, even when i feel too old for it.

you humble opinion sounds right on. look on this sight, people will tell you where to eat and sit on the grass if you can't find what you are looking for.

Oh, and i hated being around a huge gathering of - of course - yankee fans last night. which was my birthday.

I like the professional sports team from Boston more than these yankees.

seriously, as i said to people last night...how can you root for the yankees? its like rooting for the house in black jack.

to the shower!

For the record, my first comment was directed to the previous commenter (who is someone I know), and not specifically to you, and so was written accordingly.

Also, Happy Birthday!

But thou hast not tasted the earthworm and the prawn, the jackdaw and the camel... ;-)

thanks!!! i drank too much and have to go to a wedding tonight at the tribeca grille. yay birthday! boo day after birthday.

Not lived there, but I had theatre friends who did and I used to visit a lot. They moved elsewhere about 5 years ago though and I haven't had cause to go back, so maybe the neighborhood is different now.

As my birthday is next week and I'm really feeling it, and it's DEFINITELY over 35, I'll say that Davis is not just for the 20-somethings. Most of my friends live in the neighborhood and many are in their mid-to-late thirties. Some are even a little older than that.

I get really tired of people expecting everyone to express the majority behavior of a demographic. I mean, I'm well over 30 and I'm still a goth and live in Davis/Porter area--and own the house so I'm NOT about to move!

I get really tired of people expecting everyone to express the majority behavior of a demographic.

Thank you, sister. ;-)

and sometimes I do feel old living around here. Especially when I... err... notice... some attractive woman and realize she might be half my age...

But then, I'll sometimes just go out to Diesel, or even just for a walk... and I remember why I love living in a place that just *feels* alive. After dark, in the 'burbs, it's like some sort of ghost town, walking the streets. Everyone's inside, with the SUV parked in the driveway. Give me the energy of a place where people actually live, not just go home to.

I was sitting in Someday the other day, musing that I was probably the oldest person in the room, when a bunch of 50 to 60-somethings walked in. So, just wait a moment, and it'll get diverse(er).

- downtown wine and spirits, easily the most thorough selection anywhere within a reasonable commute
- beautiful young people
- artistic and creative folks abound
- stuff to do that appeals to multiple generations
- beautiful old people
- I've met more people here in three months than I had in years living in every other town in the Boston area
- easy access to the bike paths, and through them, peace, quiet and reality
- easy access to public transit, and through that, convenience, noise, and urbanity

"Give me the energy of a place where people actually live, not just go home to."

That's it. That's what its about. Thank you all.

happy birthday

you've all made me very happy and thanks for the well wishes!

I do love Davis and hope all of us can get together soon.

If you see me in the square (yes, um, that is me) please say hi!

I usually dont wear a wonder woman costume and i open my mouth that wide less and less these days.

i can see it now, i'm going to be somewhere in the square, yawn, and then have someone say "hey are you the guy on the davis LJ site who just had a birthday?"

Seriously, thanks so much.

Hey there :
Would you guys be up for getting together for a pint or something sometime. After work at The Burren perhaps??

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Is 35 too old...

Don't be an asshat

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i meant the peace and quiet

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Im between davis and teele

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You can take the frog out of the city...

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PS

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I'm over 35...

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Where you actually live

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Older Unite!!