Cambridge Local Customs

Bostonians are notorious jaywalkers. As pedestrians we would rather risk our lives than wait at a crosswalk for a second longer than we have to. So if you are a walker waiting calmly for the light to change, don't be surprised to see people head straight into the road with barely a side glance. They're more likely to be looking at you with a puzzled expression than watching for oncoming traffic.
And if you are driving in Boston be aware that we often don't even bother with crosswalks. If we think we can make it across before your speeding vehicle hits us with bone-shattering force, we're going for it.

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The game of chess is as much an art form here as it is a sport. Take away the mind numbingly slow pace of the ordinary game and replace it with a tournament of moment, action and speed and you have Chess in the square. The chess celebrities here are as unique as they are brilliant.
This takes place at the tables outside of a chain coffee house. The coffee is necessary to keep your adrenaline pumped to play!

Harvard Square has a festive atmosphere with street performers and outdoor cafes being the norm. At the Boston-based au bon pain cafe here in the Square, you'll find self-appointed chess masters that are willing to take on all challengers. Be careful though; these guys might only charge a couple bucks to take them on, but if they're beating Harvard students, you can be sure they're pretty good at this!

Relax, sit and listen to the great street musicians in Harvard Square. You never know, you may be witnessing the early works of a future famous artist.
Singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman, who attended nearby Tufts University, is known to have played here during her college years.

Young man! Excuse me, young lady? Will you buy a copy? Help the homeless help themselves!
So goes the familar sales pitch heard at Au Bon Pain in Harvard Square.
Spare Change is a newspaper published in Cambridge, through the efforts of the Homeless Empowerment Project, a grassroots organization created to help end homelessness.
Spare Change contains news features, interviews, stories, poetry and classified ads that are all written by people who are homeless or who work with the homeless.
Vendors pay .25 cents per copy and sell it for $1.00, if you give more than $1.00 they are allowed to keep that money as well. Buying this newspaper is the perfect solution for those that would like to help but are hesitant to hand out spare change to the homeless.

Don't go around wearing New York Yankees gear. We don't like it. (Go Sox!) For those of you who are not baseball fans and have no idea what I am talking about...The Boston Red Sox is the local Baseball team. We have had an intense rivalry with the New York Yankees for many years. Sadly, the Yankees come out ahead far more than we do. We have not won the World Series (baseball championship) since 1918. We love our team anyway.

(UPDATE 2004) The Red Sox Won the World Series!!!

Samuel Adams Ale is the best beer around here, so, if you are tired of the lagers, just have this one.

This is a town of Universities with multi-cultures throughout the area. I love to go out & about whenever I can but ...

I'm usually in my office dreaming of what to put on VT next!

This is Widener Memeorial Library. I recall it's Harvard's main library and thus it's largest one on campus. Not everyone at Harvard or even those from Boston speak with a 'Boston' accent.