nun

The apartment scene in Boston is a lot better than it was a couple of years ago and depending on what you expect $1200 to $1700 will get you something. It won't be luxurious, but it'll be ok. If your husband is working in Cambridge I'd start looking on that side of the river so try Cambridge, Inman Square, Somerville, Watertown, and Arlington. If you can deal with commuting over the river Brookline is a bit yuppie but has lots of restaurants and bars

to find an apartment check out Craigslist, which is the best and cheapest way to find a good place.

http://boston.craigslist.org/

As far as culture goes Boston/Cambrideg is pretty good. Boston has an ok theatre district with the Boston Ballet, and Broadway productions. The Boston University Huntingdon Theatre is excellent. Lots of museums. MFA etcx and the Boston Symphony is world class. In Harvard Square (HS) is the American Repetory Theatre (www.amrep.org) which is fantastic and has a world reputation, it does many original productions and plays.
There are 3 good independent cinemas, The Brattle Theatre in HS, The Kendall Square Cinema and the Coolidge Corner Cinema, they all play lots of foreign and US independent films. Of course there are lots of regular cinemas too. Harvard University has some great events, readings, concerts and lectures.
Lots of bands come to Boston and play downtown or in the clubs on Lansdown Road, Central Square or in Allston eg.

http://www.mideastclub.com/
http://www.zeitgeist-gallery.org/
http://www.par-don.com/pan9/

Pan 9 was a great space for bands and artists, but they recently had a fire still the hope to be up
and running again soon. If you follow some of the myspace links you'll see some of Boston's Vaudeville
folks who put on amazing "alternative" productions. The most famous people to come out of this
group are of course the fantastic Dresden Dolls, lots of their videos are on youtube.

www.dresdendolls.com

Bottomline is there is plenty of highbrow culture and lots of more "street" stuff in the cheaper more studenty neighbourhoods too.

nun

PS

MA is a very liberal state in terms of its politics and social services, but you might find bits of it socially conservative in the way they view alcohol etc. Its a combination of Puritan history and the Roman Catholic
church. Until the late 1800s Boston was very WASPy and then waves of Irish and Italian immigrants changed the demographics. Boston/Cambridge is now very cosmopolitan, becasue of its history and becasue of all the universities and companies in town. But in most ways at first you won't see much difference in peoples attitudes from those in Britain. Remember that MA is not the USA its very different from the majority of the country, heck Cambridge is only semi-jokingly called "The People's Republic of Cambridge". After a few months you'll see the differences, but at least you won't have to deal with living in the South, California and Texas, that would be a major culture shock, Boston not so much.

regarding drivers license, its not a bother. You can drive for a bit on your UK license, but should get a MA one as it serves as you ID to get into places and bars. When I got one(admittedly 18 years ago) I showed them my UK license and just had to take a simple written test, not driving involved.

Transportation is good in urban Boston/Cambridge the T (underground) and buses tun until about 1:00am. After that its cabs. Public transportation doesn't run as late or go out as far as in London so if you live in the suburds you have to drive.

Also ignore the negative stuff people say about Boston, yes it snows, the roads are crap, people drive like crazy, but its a great city to live in. Must dash I have to meet a friend in Harvard Square for a few beers....I may be on that 1:00am bus home

krizzy

I like it around here bad roads and all...I find the driving OK for the most part...people will pull out in front of you when there is no-one behind you which is a pain.....
It can be very hot and humid..that is the pits...it can be very cold and snowy...if you can afford the bills that can be nice...
Bills are high ..I started out with a $2k pot...and I add $600 a month to it...I keep my house temp at beteen 59 and 66 because gas prices are very high...but we have a log fire...and a wood stove...

I love Boston...but then I don't live there....people love the Cape...but they don't live here....

krizzy

I have to agree with nun...I feel sometimes like I've never left England...country lanes...tea rooms...Irish pubs...MA is a nice place to start your life in the USA...

freezerman

Silk museum huh....Macclesfield?
I spent much of the past 10 years in Massachusetts but have just moved to the mid west.
You'll like Boston but just remember the driving parking things
Welcome!
FM

popcorn

WOW!

OK, firstly, thanks so much for all the advice and 'bring you back down to earthisms'. I really appreciate it. I wasn't aware of the road situation, so that's a heads up. Don't think we will need to use a car that much, I'm happy with public transport and (get ready for waves of laughter) Hus is a big mountain biker, currently cycles 8 mile to and from work, so is vainly hoping on doing similar-weather permitting. The rent thing is also a factor. Hus asked about the dog thiing when he was out there, but it didn't seem to be too much of a prob with him being fairly small - he's just a little terrier, but we shall see...I also didn't know about working for yourself! nightmare! I wasn't really sure how to go about that, or even if I could on a H4. I was thinking about doing some freelance illustration etc... but maybe no!?

P.S. FM, you got me, I am currently residing in the wonder that is Macclesfield, but SShhhhh.... they haven't noticed the stranger in their midst yet

Jerseygirl

I used to live in Macc. Broken Cross and Tytherington.

popcorn

No way! how bizarre! I live in the middle of town but used to rent in Bollington when I first moved here, so used to catch the bus through Titherington loads... when were you last in Macc?

Jerseygirl

Log time ago...1979. I used to work in Wilmslow. There used to be another poster on here from Macc...he still pops in from time to time.

popcorn

You probably wouldn't recognize it! Things are really moving up, they are getting a cinema next year and a debenhams! It was still voted in the Times as 'least cultural town' last year

Jerseygirl

There used to be a cinema in the centre of Macc in the '70's. I shall try to have a drive around Macc the next time I'm back in the UK.

BrandonBrit

Yes it's very nice here if you go to the right ones that don't con you with their 'devonshire' cream

popcorn, it is nice in these parts, I'm sure if you are optimistic then you'll be happy anywhere, life is what you make of it.

I've lived in 3 different states in the past 11 years and there's some things you love and hate about all of them. On the whole though, the USA is a wonderful experience to be able to have in life. And it's nice to have the best of both worlds when you get to go home.

Welcome to BE

Hiro11

Er, don't get your hopes up. Boston is better than many US cities, but you will definitely need to use your car to get around. Trust me, even if you live right next to a T stop, you'll be driving a bit more than you'd think.

Boston real estate is very cyclical and is coming down off of some ridiculous highs a few years ago. Add the fact that, in general, Boston salaries aren't as high as cities like NY of LA and it can be one of the more difficult to afford places in the US.

Here are some places to consider living:

Cambridge is a very liberal area with great bars, clubs, theaters and restaurants. It's fairly diverse but generally yuppie-fied. It's not cheap to find a good place in Cambridge but in general Central Square is the cheapest (and edgiest) while David Square is probably the most "up and coming". Kenmore Square is an awesome neighborhood but it ain't cheap. The Alewife area is cheaper but a bit derelict.

Watertown is a great suggestion: it's only as few minutes outside Cambridge, has good public transportation and much more reasonable rents.

Jamaica Plain ("JP") is also in a great location and is fairly affordable. It is suburban in character, a bedroom community. It ain't the center of the action and is across the river from Cambridge.

Parts of Newton are a little nicer and more expensive but (if you're on the Green line) are easy to commute from. Newton is definitely the burbs, though. I particularly like the Newton Centre (sic) area.

Brookline is a great location but fairly gentrified and expensive, you'd probably be better off in Cambridge proper.

Allston is right next to Brookline and a lot cheaper but (natch) not as nice.

Charlestown and the North End might be a good places to look. They're both rapidly gentrifying but you might be able to find something in your price range. Charlestown is a beautiful historical neighborhood (cobblestones, gaslights etc) that was an Irish-American enclave for centuries. The North End is sort of Boston's Little Italy and has been vastly improved since the Big Dig.

The Fens is an extremely nice (small) area but can be very expensive.

Back Bay and the South End (note: not South Side) are probably out of your price range. Too bad, they're two of my favorite urban neighborhoods. The South End is the traditional home of Boston's gay community and they certainly know how to run a nice neighborhood. (Beacon Hill is even nicer but may be one of the pricier neighborhoods in the US).

Somerville is dumpy on first glance but you can find some lovely places. Anything good wont be cheap, though (you might be catching a theme here).

In general, Boston's real estate looks a little dumpy on the outside when compared to the rest of the US: lots of triplex clapboard houses that have been converted into condos. However, I've noticed that places are generally much nicer inside than you'd think. Like any city, it can be a tough place to find a good bargain but don't get discouraged, now is actually a good time to be looking to rent in Boston.

krizzy

Well we'll not be going back to that tearoom again...LOL!
we used to go to a nice one on 6A...English couple again...they went home...but I think the Americans who took it over still have the tearoom...its near to the herring run which is a must see...better then the telly......geezzzz i've been in the sticks way to long......

Bob

Watertown is a nice, but quiet town, not that cheap though, but well located...but if your heading there, might as well sniff out Waltham, okay most of it is a dump, but there are some superb places out there if you've got the time to look out for them.

Don't bother with dorchester/rochester or most chester type places...nor lawrance....heaves, the lot of 'em.

Allstown is a cool place, cheap places too, but it's a student town, so parking is a major problem, especially if you've got more than one car, car's get frozen in all the time during the winter as your car gets ploughed in if parked on the road and then the wall freezes you in...few guys at work live there, and it's a bit of a hassle...same with many places where you park on the road though.

Bit further out, but Chestnut Hill is supposed to be good, as is Brighton...Jamaica Plains is a bit further south, and quite a happening place, though it can go either way on actually living there.