Restaurants | Travels With Alison

Cambridge is a hub of learning with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Harvard University, and Leslie College among others. It has a plethora of unique coffee shops, boutique stores, bars, and music venues. Several museums and art galleries offer art and science exhibitions.

If you’re planning a trip to Cambridge, a great way to orient yourself to the city is with a self-guided graffiti walking tour. This walking tour allows you to view public art, take in the architecture of top universities, and sample some uniquely decorated restaurants along the way.

As perspectives change so does public art. Street art is fleeting; it might be there one day and gone the next. It is an expression of its creator in that moment. Sometimes it may be commissioned by a city to enhance beauty. It might also be strategically placed in order to hide ugly, yet vital components of the city.

Graffiti has gone from being viewed as vandalism, to sometimes activism, and often art. Over the years, street art has become mainstream. Museums have commissioned urban artists. Large companies have used it as means for guerrilla marketing. Cities have begun giving tours of graffitiscapes.

I find graffiti most pleasing when the artist makes a conscious choice to incorporate the surrounding environment into their designs. Strategic placement in public spaces makes for smart art. Utilizing tree branches, bodies of water, or shadows are a few ways an artist might incorporate already existing environmental elements into their art. In these cases, the artist’s thought process can truly be seen.

The Route

190 Massachusetts Ave.>Right on Windsor St.>Left on State St.>State St. and Mass. Ave. merge>Continue on Mass. Ave.>Mass. Ave. & Norfolk St.>Mass Ave. & Pearl St.>Right on Modica Way>Left on Bishop Allen Dr.>Left on Prospect St.>Right on Mass. Ave.

Cambridge is in no shortage of interesting public art installations. Start your morning on Massachusetts Ave., the main drag through Cambridge, by enjoying coffee at Flour Bakery in Central Sq. Everything is baked in-house. It draws students, morning commuters, and nearby working professionals. Notice the interesting architecture of the building across the street. If you’re a wine aficionado, stop next door at Central Bottle.

Proceed to view your first graffiti artwork. Walking left out of the coffee shop, cross Massachusetts Ave. and take a right down Windsor Street. Turn left on State Street. You will find graffiti on a loading dock door to the left, as pictured below.

Several feet ahead, the street merges back with Mass. Ave. Where the two roads meet, look to the right. There are three loading dock doors filled with colorful shapes and spiraling graffiti. Take note that MIT Museum is a few feet up the road should you wish to visit on another day.

Continue walking on Mass. Ave. You are headed away from the Charles River and MIT, going toward the center of Central Sq. There is a good chance you will stumble upon musicians playing or a festival happening in Lafayette Sq. Here, you will also see a small, yet wildly popular breakfast and lunch spot, Café Luna. On weekends, this café is busting out onto the sidewalk with an overflow of people waiting for brunch.

When you reach Norfolk Street, admire the painted mural.

Once, you are finished marveling at this piece, cross the street, and walk to the colorful corner nightclub and restaurant, the Middle East. This can be found at the intersection of Mass. Ave. and Pearl St. Take a look at the Middle East’s mural, located on the side of the building. If you like live music, check out the line-up for ZuZu and the Middle East’s upstairs and downstairs music venues.

Prepare yourself for the pinnacle of graffiti viewing. Cross Mass. Ave. once more and dodge down the alley to the right of Central Kitchen, Modica Way. Take your time walking through the ever-changing artwork. Keep in mind that next to Central Kitchen is a bar without a sign. I recommend this bar, Brick & Mortar, as a good place to start your evening. It has a moody vibe created from lighting and interior design.

Modica Way leads to a parking lot with, you guessed it, more graffiti. Look to your left to view two excellent artscapes of Asian women on Bao Nation’s building. One woman is in traditional Asian dress with a dramatic red backdrop. The other lures you into Bao Nation. Look up to the rooftop, which is covered in an interesting assortment of graffiti. Walk directly in the parking lot and look at the side of H Mart, an Asian grocery store. You will find a community mural.

The parking lot exits onto Bishop Allen Dr. Turn left and swing around to the other side of H Mart to find another painting. Continue on Bishop Allen Dr. Turn left on Prospect St. Take note of The Field, a pub you may want to visit later. This bar has a laid back vibe and a back patio open on warm nights.

Prospect St. leads you back to Mass. Ave., where you will find a four-way intersection. The Central Square T Stop, or subway, is located here should you need it at a later date. Turn right on Mass. Ave.

If you are ready for some more food, stop in 1369 Coffee Shop. Awarded Best of Boston in 2013, this coffee shop has rotating art on the walls and an inviting atmosphere full of creatives typing away on their laptops. The delicious coffee, fresh baked cookies, and homemade soups don’t hurt either.

If it’s lunchtime, and you are a health food fanatic, go to Life Alive. Life Alive is my favorite lunchtime spot because of the unique food combinations, amazing smoothies, and earthy interior décor. The self-described “urban oasis & organic café” has won many Best of Boston awards. They have music on Thursdays and Fridays.

After an energizing shot of wheatgrass, you will be raring to go. Take a right when exiting either 1369 or Life Alive. You are headed to Harvard Sq.

Continue your trek up Mass. Ave., stopping in boutiques and taking in the mix of characters in this area. You will soon pass by a local bar, the People’s Republic. You are now in between Central and Harvard Squares. Note the Plow & Stars bar as well, which offers local bands up close and personal. If you duck in here, you just might find my brother’s band, Crooked Mirror, playing.

You will soon approach colorful graffiti splashed with words summing up the area: “technology,” “family, and “community.”

About one block up, on the opposite side of the street, is a mural, which brings a bit of nature into the city with black and white tree branches.

Continue walking straight to locate great boutique shops. You are now in Harvard Square. You may want to check to see if there are any interesting seminars going on, shop, and wander through Harvard Yard to look at the architecture.

Overall, this walking tour allows you to become better oriented to the city. You can slow down and appreciate the nuances and explore the creativity of the city’s residents. Harvard is full of shopping and beautiful architecture. Central Square keeps things real, adding a bit of grit and has a great music scene. MIT leads into the technology hub of Kendall Sq.

Be sure to share any updated artwork you come across on your walk by posting below!

Sitting outside on a Saturday morning at a table in Burlington, Vermont, I was enjoying a cup of coffee, greek yogurt and fresh fruit with granola at the Skinny Pancake. Three friends and I sat around the table for a relaxing morning of good conversation.

We walked a short distance from the restaurant to the waterfront docks and looked out toward the Adirondack Mountains, located on the New York side of Lake Champlain.

View of Lake Champlain, looking toward New York

Lake Champlain, named after explorer Samuel de Champlain, is a fresh water lake, bordered by Vermont, New York, and a portion in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu in the province of Quebec, Canada. Legend has it, Champy, a lake monster, lives in the depths of Lake Champlain. Also known as Champ, the lake monster has been assigned names by the local American Indian Iroquois and Abenaki tribes, such as “Tatoskok”. Reputed sightings state the giant serpent creature is 25 to 30 feet long.

Church Street Marketplace, Downtown Burlington, Vermont

The city of Burlington is known for it’s historic downtown, beautiful lake views, proximity to great skiing and hiking areas, and its prominent locally grown produce scene. The ice creamery, Ben & Jerry’s, well-known for it’s unique flavors, was first started in a renovated gas station in Burlington.

The pedestrian-only Church Street Marketplace is in the heart of the city and is lined with restaurants and retail shops. The city has a large student population as it is home to the University of Vermont. In addition, one of Vermont’s largest and oldest year-round farmers markets is held in Burlington. Overall, it is a great city for outdoor activities and enjoying locally grown cuisine.

Burlington's Waterfront — Burlington’s Waterfront

After our walk along the waterfront, we departed from my Burlington-based friend, who was gearing up for a day in her garden, and we set out for Montréal.

Montréal is the second largest city in Canada and home to an abundance of festivals. Some of the most well known festivals include the Montréal International Jazz Festival and the largest comedy festival in the world, Just For Laughs. Headlining comedians performing in Montréal this year are Dave Chappelle and Mike Myers.

Our accommodations were right in downtown Montréal at Hotel Bonaventure.The hotel is in a great location. The metro is right across the street and only a short ride to Old Montréal, where we spent most of our time walking around the historic district.

Another notable feature of the hotel is the roof top heated pool.

We met up with two of my Montreal-based friends who I first met during a trip to the British Virgin Islands. We went to several excellent restaurants, all of which I would recommend.

Monsieur had a modern retro feel, evident from the décor to the waiter’s attire. One wall was decorated with white and black striped wallpaper. Art on the non-wallpapered walls was modern. There was live music playing. The waiters were dressed in white buttoned up dress shirts, suspenders, and bow ties, reminiscent of a previous era.

Across the street from Monsieur was, Notkins, a trendy fresh seafood restaurant. Go to Notkins if you love seafood and have money to burn! Reservations are a must.

The next place we went to for dinner was Furco, an industrially designed wine bar which received it’s name from it’s location in the old fur district. Together, the futuristic lighting and the copper bar gave off a warm modern feel, instead of a cool sterile industrial feel. The seating played with levels so that some tables and chairs were higher than others, making it easy to see and be seen. One could easily spot a friend or catch a stranger’s eye. The food and drink were fantastic, as well as the service (our friend’s sister!).

Changing pace, we also went to McLean’s Pub, an Irish bar where a friend of ours tends bar. If you go here, get ready for comedy night upstairs, and if you’re with a group, take advantage of the enormous beer towers.

Sunday was hot and sunny. We decided to explore the mountain that gave Montréal it’s name, Mount Royal. The hike was intense on such a hot day because it is a continuous climb uphill. At the peak, a group of people were practicing Tai Chi. We took in a great view of the city and then walked down a winding path, filled with runners and dog walkers.

We arrived at Tam-Tams, a gathering of drummers, dancers, and vendors at Mount Royal Park by Sir George-Étienne Cartier monument. Tam-Tams is not an officially sanctioned event or sponsored, but rather a gathering that has become a regular city event and commonplace over time. It takes place in the warmer months from noon until sunset on Sundays. This is a nice spot to hang out, listen to the beat of drums, and enjoy a picnic.

Walking toward the city in Mount Royal Park

With a road trip only 4.5 hours from Boston, I will definitely be going back to take in more of the city and all the great summer festivals. If you are interested in more information on things to do in Montréal this summer, check out the MTL blog.