The Walkable City
Written: May 17 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Always active, pleasant to walk in, easy to traverse, and oh the food is great.
Cons: Can't drive, easily, but that's a good thing. Expensive price of living
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| Daystorm's Full Review: Boston |
My brother is smart.
Really smart.
He went to MIT during his college years (not so long ago). Towards the end of his stint there, I slipped off between my graduation and my new job to visit him in Boston.
Two years ago, almost to this day, I stepped off of a plane and met my brother at baggage claim. We said our hellos and boarded the subway to his frat house (for those of you down south, MIT frat houses aren't like southern frat houses. Not as much beer. And the percentage of Asians is higher. Like 90%). The train rattled out of a tunnel and into the sunlight, rumbling over a bridge. We slipped into downtown proper and the train berthed at its stop and let us off.
Boston.
My brother led me for a walk down the streets, the skyscrapers casting deep shadows, contrasting sharply with the evening glow of the setting sun. I smiled as I shivered slightly in the cold shade and followed him a few blocks down to Commonwealth Avenue and entered his house.
My brother was still in testing so we would only have time off and on, but that wasn't a problem. I told him I'd hoof it on my own while he was busy or meet up with some friends who were going to school here.
Over the next week, we walked and took the subway around greater Boston, avoiding the pesky suburbs like the plague. Unlike Houston, the downtown area of Boston is lively and attractive, despite the layers of concrete and glass. The streets are well proportioned with the buildings, with multi-use establishments that have 24 hour activity. This cuts down on crime and creates more self-policing, unlike other downtown areas that shut down at 9:00, providing a dead time where darkness invades in more ways than one.
Boston provides all things within walking distance. No matter where you are downtown, it's just a couple of blocks to find food and drink, to find a department store or to find the subway which can get you anywhere else. This is a necessity, as Boston is pedestrian friendly. The city isn't designed around the car, a requirement in order to make a city vibrant and active. It also creates a terrific place to just BE. Driving sucks, but the typical error that newer cities make is designing around cars. Why would you design around an inanimate object? Streets get too wide. Cars drive too fast. People shy away from walking and the downtown district starts to die. That's the surest sign of a city that's just going to spread out and choke on itself.
Boston has food of every type to offer, from some excellent Thai, Chinese food in Chinatown, Italian with big heaping plates (okay, the size of these plates are truly ridiculous), burgers, fish, Japanese and Mexican. It's not GOOD Mexican. But they'll have it. Suffice it to say, Boston has culinary treats for any palate.
As for activities, Boston provides a wide range from shopping, to touring the Aquarium. The Fleet Center holds sporting events for the sports oriented and Cambridge, MIT and Brown University campuses have various group hangout establishments (i.e. food places with great atmospheres).
Boston doesn't have a shortage of educational activities, either. Trinity Church sits under the shadow of the John Hancock building (a skyscraper where all the windows popped out several decades ago after it was first built because of the parallelogram floor plan, wind shear and solar heating. The windows bowed and started to pop out one by one. It's a REALLY interesting story, but not for here), a great example of American architecture. The city also offers a historic cross-town walk that visits Paul Revere's house and other Independence era museums and attractions. It's a stiff walk, though. Wear comfortable shoes.
Boston provides a historic, beautiful atmosphere in its well-designed and planned downtown area. Activity flows at all times of day, from morning to night, giving it a healthy, living glow. Multi-use establishments that provide living, commerce and business help to keep Boston alive, and they've done just enough civic projects to make things interesting. It's exciting and there's always something to do. It's a great place to visit, but living there (unless you live out in the crummy suburbs) can be harsh on the pocketbook unless you're a student.
And the food. Did I mention the food?
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Daystorm
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Member: Daniel Fu
Location: Austin, TX
Reviews written: 131
Trusted by: 68 members
About Me:
Intern architect and aspiring comic book writer/artist/creator. Still trying to figure this site out.
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