Here’s a fine way to spend a Presidents Day afternoon in Harvard Square.
This crazy haired kid a the Brattle looks excited about the Looney Tunes festival
The MBTA has been a mess this week. Every morning I jam myself onto a packed train car for my quick commute between Central and Kendall. I saw one redline train push another disabled train through the station one day. Another the smell of burning breaks was so strong people were covering their mouths - I was afraid we weren’t going to make it that time.
The T has tried something to ease the congestion, these new high capacity trains called “Big Red.” They removed most of the seats so there’s room to jam more people in there. It just as crowded through, I still couldn’t have touched my toes or anything. My idea is that they figure out a way to make their trains not break when it snows or something, but I’m not in the transportation industry so what do I know?
My fellow commuters jam onto the high capacity Big Red car
It is snowing so hard [I can hardly see the river](http://www.flickr.com/photos/lfb/3233714627/) from my office at the base of the Longfellow Bridge. So we were surprised and a little impressed that Cambridge Public Schools are open today. Nelson, the crossing guard and jack-of-all-trades at [Escuela Amigos](http://www.cpsd.us/AMI/) was surprised as well, saying every other city and town in the area was closed. He thinks (hopes?) they will close early today. Last year the schools stayed open in a snow storm but then couldn’t get the buses to the schools. Some kids were still stuck in school at 8PM. At Amigos the custodians opened the kitchen to cook spaghetti for the kids stuck in the cafeteria. Hopefully they have a plan to get the kids back home today.
Kids trudge through the snow into Escuela Amigos
**Update**: looks like [Cambridge has blown through the snow removal budget](http://www.wickedlocal.com/cambridge/homepage/x403281423/Cambridge-blows-through-snow-removal-budget) already. No surprise really, considering the weather this year.
You might not think of ugly strip malls when you imagine Cambridge, but we have one, and it’s a gem. Behold the Fresh Pond Mall. Your place to shop in Cambridge for pet supplies, sporting goods and, most importantly, discount liquors. Also home to the city’s finest of three Whole Foods. I thought it should post this for out-of-towners who think our fair city is all brick sidewalks and ivy.
Back in olden times, say like 1992, we didn’t have many Mexican restaurants in Cambridge. So when [Picante](http://picantemex.com/) opened it was very exciting. Even more wonderful was their fabled “salsa bar” with four exotic salsas - pico de gallo, salsa yanqui, chipotle and super picante - and you could have as much as you wanted.
15+ years later, the magic has worn off a bit and Picante has become more comfort food than exotic adventure. I go there regularly with my son after swimming class at the YMCA across Mass Ave. However I interviewed some of the diners at Picante and the salsa bar is still a draw for some less jaded patrons.
The family and I visited [Restoration Resources](http://www.restorationresources.com/) over the river in Boston today. I know, it’s not in Cambridge and I didn’t walk there, but it was seriously cool so I wanted to tell you about it. We were shopping for a salvaged sink for a bathroom remodel we are slowly saving for. We found the sink we wanted, but the place is just full of cool stuff beyond bathroom stuff, including a lot of sculpture salvaged from churches, movie seats, music players like from old diners (see below), and boxes and boxes of cool old knobs and hinges and other hardware.
Like you used to see at diners. Can't remember what they are called.
Is Basta Pasta a sub shop or a restaurant?
* You fetch your drinks from a big Pepsi Fridge *(sub shop)*
* A muted TV over the fridge shows a sports channel, while top 40 radio is played loud on the sound system *(sub shop)*
But…
* My chicken parm sub is called a chicken parmesan panini on the menu *(restaurant)*
* There were two sprigs of fresh rosemary in my fries *(restaurant)*
Well whatever, the chicken parm panini sub hit the mark. The roll was warm and toasty, the sauce perfectly savory, the chicken crisp and then tender. I am stuffed full and loving it.
Chicken Parm Panini at Basta Pasta
I took our sick cat, Mr. Jones, to [Porter Square Vet](http://www.yelp.com/biz/porter-square-veterinarian-somerville) today. Where is Porter Square Vet? Davis Square, of course! The receptionist says this results in a lot of confusion and the occasional missed appointment. “We used to be in Porter Square and never got around to changing the name.” Maybe it’s hard to accept that they are in Somerville now.
Despite the identity crisis, it’s a great place to bring your pet. They are highly professional and kind and helpful. Mr. Jones is feeling much better thanks to them. We use Dr. Grosser, she is very nice and never pressured us to try expensive treatments. I think they are a little on the expensive side, but sometimes you get what you pay for.
Speaking of walking in Cambridge, have you noticed how much easier it is this winter?
The Cambridge DPW increased the fine for people who don’t shovel in front of their property to fifty bucks a day. They also provde a [webform where citizens can report sidewalks that haven't been cleared](http://www.cambridgema.gov/TheWorks/services/snow/complaint.aspx). And they have actually been ticketing people who aren’t shoveling. The first snowstorm this year the sidewalks were a mess. And the tickets came out. Since then the sidewalks have been blissfully clear. I can now walk from Riverside to the Longfellow Bridge without my boots touching snow - and that is saying a lot considering how much snow we’ve seen this month.
I hear indirectly from City Councilor Craig Kelley that it Lisa Peterson of the DPW is managing this process. Nice work, Ms. Peterson.
I live near the heart of Cambridge in the Riverside neighborhood and I work in the nerd paradise, Kendall Square. I love this city, and I decided to start up a blog and share the love around a little. I know this city from walking from Square to Square my whole life so I’m called the blog Walking Cambridge .
I’m hoping to add things like
How ever you got here, thanks for listening in.
