That will be me soon!
After our long weekend of apartment hunting, Mike and I have settled on an apartment in Inman Square. While I won’t go into too much detail until I have signed the lease, I will tell you about some of our culinary stops along our search.
We arrived in Inman Square a bit early for our first apartment on Sunday, so we decided to kill some time by eating a late lunch. Enter City Girl Cafe on 204 Hampshire Street. We thought it was called City Grill at first – and frankly, I am glad because I am not sure Mike would have strolled in with such ease if he hadn’t read it that way.
But, we both loved it.
They had me with their decor – it should have been a sign that they would eventually be my new neighbor.
I bought a similar mirror at a warehouse sale a while back in anticipation of hanging it up in our new place, so I had to take a picture. I also love the different door knobs on the rack above it. And the light switch covers below – are perfect.
No I am not moving into the cafe, I just seriously loved how homey and welcoming it was. I was in an “about to take a new step in my life phase” and when in such phases, I become addicted to visualizing what said phase will really be like. I set up expectations, I think about it constantly, I make up scenarios, etc.
Anyways, onto the food… we split a delicious baguette:
Turkey & Prosciutto
with fontina cheese, tomatoes, romaine and aioli
The bread looks crusty, but it wasn’t the kind that hurts your gums because you have to bite so hard to break through to the meat – it was just crusty enough.
On Monday our search continued. After a visit to the attic of a BYOF (F=fridge) three family house in Winter Hill and another attic a third floor one bedroom that was really taken care of, but had a huge master bedroom that only left room for a shoe box kitchen and a moderate living room, a lunch break with Lisa and Bryce was perfect timing. And hey, we were in the area.
Cambridge Common on 1667 Massachusetts Ave was one of the few places open on that Columbus Day holiday. They had their brunch menu, which is what they always do on a Monday holiday, and it was pretty good. I got a quiche which came with a cup of clam chowder and a salad. Their beer selection is quite large as well – not taking advantage of that is something that I regretted for the entire day.
Remember when I said I’m not really a foodie? It’s worse than I thought – I am the biggest wannabe foodie ever. I always try to be adventurous and sample new things. However, my taste buds are just not as adventurous as me. My wannabe foodieness mostly backfires when I order something with a spice I don’t recognize or when I want to be agreeable in a large group. This time, it was simply a bad decision.
I ordered a bloody mary. My friends Kim and Matt get them all the time and I have always wanted to order one out, I just never think of it at the right time. This time, when our waitress mentioned they had it on the menu, I instantly got a craving, which was made up because I obviously barely remembered what they taste like.
This thing was out of control. Look at it compared to Mike’s IPA. It is a monster. I kind of liked my first sip because I was in denial. I tried to get another big sip in before trying my food. I shamelessly offered up sips to my friends. Finally, after flashbacks of my first experience with cocktail sauce as a kid, where I dunked an entire shrimp thinking it was marinara sauce and the taste of cocktail sauce flooded my mouth causing me to get sick, I gave up.
It wasn’t even a bad bloody mary. According to Lisa and Bryce, who do actually like them and to Mike, who had had his first sip from that very glass, it was good and spicy. Unfortunately I tasted that thing in my mouth for the entire day.
But at least our apartment search is over.
Congrats on the new place…and I’m with you on the whole bloody mary thing…UGGG!!
that’s just how i like my bloody mary – full of fruit and fixins
congrats on the apartment! you have to try the bloody mary at Deep Ellum. but that one looks like it could give the Ellum a run for its money
we gotta plan a time for drinks again soon! i’m finally moved in, and bored!
Food posts ake me hungry. and thirsty! But because of my surgery I can haz no alcohol
New place looks great, btw! Very homey.
ooh what a sweet cafe -love the periwinkle walls! And congrats on your soon-to-be lodgings; I’m rawther jealous!
congrats on the new digs!! that’s exciting! oh i loooove bloody mary’s. sorry you aren’t a fan!
Welcom to the hood! City Girl Cafe is one of the best hidden places in Inman.
Soo awesome you found a new place!!! And I love Inman Square and need a good excuse to visit more
I used to hatee bloody marys but now I’ve developed a taste for them. There’s not much else I can handle when it comes to early AM drinking!
@ Sara – thank you!
@ alexa – I want to like them so bad
@ Julie Q – thanks! We definitely need to do that, that’s great your all settled in.
@Tough Girl 101 – they make me hungry too, I don’t know why I do them, I hope your knee is getting better.
@claire – thanks, I know I loved the walls too.
@brookem – thanks, hopefully they will grow on me
@Syd – Thanks, yeah it is kind of hidden, the only reason why we went in was because there were long lines at some other places
@Susie – Thanks, you definitely have a reason now! I do like mimosas though, so until I can adapt a taste for a bloody mary, those will have to do.
congrats on the new apartment. that sandwich looks really good.
Ahh I can’t wait to see your new place! Congrats! That’s so exciting!
Aw City Girl Cafe looks really cute! Congrats on the new apartment!
Inman square is my favorite square in Cambridge.
Did you notice that City Girl’s sign is spelled wrong? They spell Caffe which has always really irked me and I now realize I have to get over their spelling mistake and actually try it out.
The Druid is one of the most amazing irish bars in the city I have ever gone to. Their pub food is to die for, but you have to wait a bit for it. It’s a small kitchen and everything is made fresh to order. I don’t know what they marinate their burgers in, but I can’t compare it to anything I’ve ever had.
Bukowski’s is known for their beer selection-which is certainly vast-btu I know them for their kitchen being open late. I love being able to stroll in there at midnight on a Friday after a show and grabbing a half priced appetizer.
Other places you have to check out are Spice and Rice, East Coast grill (They have a make your own bloody mary bar, which makes me gag. I did the same thing once ordered one and pretended to like it for two sips..).
Ahh…So much food and so little money.
Yay for the new place! I am cheersing you with my virtual bloody mary
Congrats on your new place in Inman. Its such a great neighborhood! I’ve been there since the summer and couldn’t be happier!
You have to check out Spice & Rice and Midwest Grill – I think those are my two favorite places in the area.