Hip to Be Square

Just across the river from Boston lies an urban hotspot that promises a wicked good time.

BY LAYLA SCHLACK

You may have heard the phrase “Pahk the cah in Hahvahd Yahd,” a reference to the Boston accent, but if that’s all you know about this area across the Charles River, you’re missing out.

While Harvard Yard is a grassy corner of history at the nation’s oldest institution of higher learning, other exceptional attractions are just outside the university gates.

Once a mecca of alternative culture, Harvard Square is a bit tamer now. (However, the center of the square—or “Th e Pit,” as locals call it—is still full of skaters and mohawked teens.) It’s a great spot to people-watch before or after making the rounds of trendy boutiques and eateries.

SHOP Seeking a souvenir that’s sassier than the typical Harvard T-shirt or Red Sox baseball cap? Fashionistas should head to Mint Julep (www.shopmintjulep.com), which carries everything from frilly dresses by Nanette Lepore to multiple lines of designer jeans. Th e Tannery (www.thetannery.com), one of the Square’s veteran shops, keeps both male and female shoppers happy with high-end denim, as well as a wide selection of sneakers and stilettos. Hootenanny (617-864-6623) is a nod to the Square’s punk rock days, and it also carries trendy designer tees.

If you’re more into do-it-yourself than ready-to-wear, visit Woolcott and Company (www.woolcottandcompany.com) for a lesson in jewelry making. “Th e summer is a time for people to take more classes and lessons because there’s time to focus,” says owner Sean Riley.

Bookworms will also feel right at home in the Square, which is home to a variety of independent bookstores. Harvard Book Store (www.harvard.com) has been around since 1932, offering new and used books with an academic emphasis as well as mainstream fiction and nonfiction; it also hosts author readings. Curious George & Friends (www.curiousg.com) will delight everyone from toddlers to pre-teens with its impressive collection of books and toys.

EAT Summer—dubbed “Patio Season” by the Harvard Square Business Association— is the time for alfresco dining. UpStairs on the Square (www.upstairsonthesquare.com; 617-864-1933) has a beautiful patio on which to savor a lobster omelet with brie for brunch. It’s right next to Winthrop Park—one of Riley’s favorite spots. “Th ere’s always someone playing an instrument, and always great people-watching,” he says.

Looking for a good burger? Mr. Bartley’s Gourmet Burgers (www.bartleysburgers.com; 617-354-6559) is an institution, where you can chow down on the likes of Th e Manny Ramirez (turkey burger with blue cheese and hot sauce) or Th e Professor Skip Gates (“a sharply dressed burger for a sharply dressed man,” a teriyaki patty topped with grilled pineapple and onion rings). Th e setting will bring back fond memories of your dorm room days in a unique family-restaurant-meets-dive-bar kind of way.

PARTY Harvard Square is no slouch for nightlife, filled with tons of great “bahs.” Redline (www.redlinecambridge.com) caters to a twentysomething crowd with a DJ and dance floor Thursday through Saturday. Sister business Graft on Street (www.graftonstreet.cambridge.com) is the place to enjoy a blueberry mojito while mingling with a more grown-up set.

For something a bit more upscale, head to the Zen-themed Lounge @ Om (www.omrestaurant.com), decorated with Tibetan murals and soft ly lit stone walls. Th e relaxing vibe is transcribed into aromatherapy cocktails like the Rosemaya (gin infused with cucumber, dill and rose essence).

While it’s easy to shop, eat and party in the Square all day and night, make your way to the edges, either for a walk by the river or a look at Harvard’s hallowed educational grounds. Try to blend in with the students— it’ll make you feel wicked “smaht.”

POP QUIZ

Which of these movies was actually filmed in or around Harvard Square?

ANSWERS
1 Legally Blonde (2001): The movie uses aerial shots of the Square and Boston, but the exteriors are of the University of Southern California and interiors are of Rose City High School in Pasadena, CA.
2 Good Will Hunting (1997): Staying true to Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s Cambridge roots, two locations— Bow & Arrow Pub and The Tasty Sandwich Shop—were institutions that have since closed. You can still sit outside at Au Bon Pain, like Damon and Minnie Driver did.
3 Love Story (1970): Although this has authentic Cambridge and Harvard shots, the main ones are actually from City College of New York.
4 With Honors (1994): This tale has several Harvard and Boston shots, including one of Joe Pesci hawking newspapers in The Pit, but the area around the main characters’ apartment is actually in Chicago.
5 Stealing Harvard (2002): Maybe the producers stole Harvard and brought it to LA, because that’s where this one was filmed.