Late-30's Single Female Seeks Advice as To Upscale-Neighborhoods-BOSTON (Cambridge: best neighborhood, apartment)

[JennLaurie]

Hey there! I'm born/raised/currently live on the W. Coast (SF currently), but spent almost 10 years educated back East (RI/MA/NYC) - it's hard to leave the sunshine, but I miss various aspects (just not the weather!!) of the people back East, and have been offered a job in the general Boston area - willing to pay $1,600+/month for studio or more for a 1BR. I may/may not have a car. I'm interested in living in an area with (potentially) like-minded people: friendly, interesting, intelligent, traveled, cultured, like the arts, etc. who have moved beyond the twenties scene (PLEASE - no offense...) of the "bars/clubs" of where I currently live (I don't drink much/at all) - to a nice, safe, easily accessible neighborhood of Boston - have visited a few times, but I don't know the city well at all. Low crime rate *a must*. If you could include which neighborhoods are more "car-friendly" vs. those that are not, I'd appreciate it. Actually "knowing my neighbor's names" is a plus, but not a requirement!! (I found Bostonians very friendly people, even compared to a lot of West Coaster's).

Thank you - appreciate your reading my post xD.

[bostonguy1960]

In South Boston, I've noticed a few parking signs indicating "residents only parking" from 6 pm to 8 am. That's for those who can"t find a space in the full-time “residents only" space which are neighborhood-specific and require a sticker, which you get once you register your car locally.

Southie has lots of young professionals in certain parts, is not far from the city beach at one end of the neighborhood, and is getting more upscale restaurants and bakeries.

It still had a lower class element in part, as well as housing projects.

But there's a god segment of 25-35 y.o. professionals, some who have dogs.

Easy access to downtown and Cambridge via subway or bus, depending which section you reside.

[sobo16]

It really sounds like the South End might be a good fit for you, especially the northeastern part of the neighborhood that is close to Back Bay. You can google crime statistics for Boston to get a feel for how safe an area is. The South End is diverse, and it has plenty of mature, educated professionals and young families. It's still quite urban and has many shops, restaurants (a lot of upscale restaurants), coffee shops, etc. It's convenient to downtown and I-93 and I-90.

It's easier to live in the South End without a car, but I live there and have a car, and it's not too bad. I honestly had more problems finding parking when I lived in Baltimore. The biggest pain might be finding a spot late on a weeknight, and having to move the car for street cleaning. I haven't lived here long enough to experience a big snowstorm yet (last winter was very mild), so I can't comment on driving/parking in that type of weather.

It is expensive, but $1600 should get you a decent studio. You would definitely have to pay more for a 1 bedroom.

[jeffreyhayes]

no, south end is not very car friendly. and the OP wanted to move away from the "twenties" scene and s.end has lots of bars and clubs even tho she isn't a big-drinker she says.

i vote for brookline and for south boston and possibly, back bay. back bay will be the most noisy but marlborough street is a lovely street that's always quieter than most, and it would also be tough with a car. but both brookline and south boston seem to tick all the boxes... with brookline, there is no resident parking on the streets unless you pay for a spot. but you'll be able to find a place with parking included in the rent for your budget.

[sm4269a]

$1600 will get you none of the things you're looking for, sorry.

[Lefleur]

If you get lucky and can find one, I think you'd love Coolidge Corner, Brookline.

$1600 is going to be on the low-end, but if you don't have pets (I didn't see any reference to one), you can probably find a studio and a place to rent a parking spot.

Here are some points that I think jive with what you're seeking:

1) Low crime rate...check.
2) Car-ok but totally accessible via subway/bus/walking to most of Boston....check. Just be sure to figure out your parking situation; there is no overnight street parking allowed in Brookline.
3) Culture/shopping/fun without nightclubs/hoardes of college kids....check.

Some of my favorite places in Coolidge Corner:

http://www.coolidge.org/ Coolidge Corner Theater - indie films (plus more) in the heart of CC
http://www.brooklinebooksmith.com/ Brookline Booksmith - independent bookstore with TONS of readings/speakers/guests
http://pariscrepe.com/ Crepes....enough said.

Of course we also have a Trader Joe's, too

[Verseau]

Originally Posted by sm4269a

$1600 will get you none of the things you're looking for, sorry.

Uh, not true.

You'll also notice that she's willing to pay more for a 1br.

To the OP: you mentioned that you may or may not have a car. Is this because you're not sure where you'll be working yet? Unless you need a car to get to work, I would probably ditch it. Most of the criteria you described apply to neighborhoods that are not very well-suited for cars, and Boston has a great public transit system.

Personally, I agree that the South End sounds like a good fit for you. Sure, there are still bars and clubs there, but it's not a neighborhood that is mobbed by 20-somethings in the same way as, say, Davis Square in Somerville. Most 20-somethings cannot afford to live in the South End, and even on your budget you might not be satisfied with the size or condition of the apartment - it's hard to tell how picky you are about that. Quiet, exclusive residential streets abound in this neighborhood. I also agree about trying to find somewhere in the northern part of the neighborhood.

Although Back Bay is synonymous with "cultured," I would caution that you'll get even less with your budget there, if you even manage to find a place. This is the second most expensive and exclusive neighborhood of the city (after Beacon Hill), and I wouldn't be too optimistic about the prospects of getting to know your neighbor's names...

A neighborhood that I'm surprised hasn't been mentioned yet is Jamaica Plain. It seems to have exactly the kind of people you're looking for, and it's also more car-friendly than neighborhoods closer to the city center. It's also more affordable than the South End. I would try to stay as close to Centre Street as you can, and preferably not too far north or south - places within walking distance of the Stonybrook or Green Street stops on the Orange Line are better choices than places near Jackson Square or Forest Hills.

I think Brookline (Brookline Village or Coolidge Corner) is worth looking into, although there might be more of a 20-something scene around Coolidge Corner than you're looking for. South Boston (Southie) has a lot of pros, but although it has gentrified considerably in recent years, I'm still not sure that it's the best neighborhood to find tons of "traveled, cultured, artistic" people. Things are definitely changing there, for better or for worse, but it will take a long time before Broadway starts looking like Harvard St in Brookline or Mass Ave in Cambridge, if that ever happens...

A couple of other nabes to throw into the ring: Charlestown, at least on the southern side of the hill, closest to downtown. Also, Porter Square in Cambridge/Somerville, which has somewhat less of a 20-something vibe than neighboring Davis or Harvard/Central.

[TAM88]

Originally Posted by sm4269a

$1600 will get you none of the things you're looking for, sorry.

That's laughable. And how much will she need?

She will be able to find a nice one bedroom apartment in the better neighborhoods in the area for that amount.

[sm4269a]

Originally Posted by TAM88

That's laughable. And how much will she need?

She will be able to find a nice one bedroom apartment in the better neighborhoods in the area for that amount.

Prove it.

[sobo16]

[quote=Verseau;24798394]Uh, not true.

Personally, I agree that the South End sounds like a good fit for you. Sure, there are still bars and clubs there, but it's not a neighborhood that is mobbed by 20-somethings in the same way as, say, Davis Square in Somerville. Most 20-somethings cannot afford to live in the South End, and even on your budget you might not be satisfied with the size or condition of the apartment - it's hard to tell how picky you are about that. Quiet, exclusive residential streets abound in this neighborhood. I also agree about trying to find somewhere in the northern part of the neighborhood.

quote]

I agree. No bars/restaurants in the South End resemble Boylston Street or the places around BU. The South End is more of a place to go out for a nice dinner and/or a glass of wine. It is a very quiet neighborhood. The people I've met there - mostly neighbors - are generally very friendly, intelligent, and professional.

Are you able to visit these neighborhoods before you make the move? If so, please take a walk through the South End and consider it.