Briana’s Ultimate Tier List of Medford/Somerville Activities
When I get a second in my spare day either alone or with my friends, I go off campus into Medford/Somerville. Since there’s many things to do, here is a tier list to share my favourite activities that everyone should check out at least once!
If it’s your last day on Earth, you must go to:
My favorite Thai restaurant is Dakzen, which is in Davis Square, accessible by a pleasant 10-15 minute walk, our Tufts Shuttle every 30 minutes or by the 96 and 94 MBTA buses. Dakzen has an affordable and authentic menu of Thai cuisine such as my favourites like khao grapow (a fried rice) and khao soi (a noodle dish). And, I never leave without their homemade Thai milk tea. Their colorful environment is the ultimate meet up spot for my friends and I all year long, even in the colder winter months.
Also in Davis Square, the Somerville Theater is a must! Unlike your typical cinemas, this is one of the oldest movie and opera houses in the United States designed specifically with 35mm and 70mm film viewing and digital screenings. Other than your typical blockbuster movies, I watched limited edition vintage films such as the horror movie Carrie at midnight on 35mm film with my friends. We were freaked out by the movie, but it was a memorable night in its grand opera-like architecture. On Halloween night, my friends also dressed up to participate in the interactive Rocky Horror Picture Show!
When finals season gets busy, make sure to stop by Somerville Porch Fest where a music festival happens with musicians, vendors, bikers, and walkers on porches across the city. I happened to walk by near Tufts in May when I heard lots of vibrant music around.
If you have some company with friends and family, you definitely should go to:
Deep Cuts, in Medford past the Mystic River, is a great restaurant with live music, an arcade, and drinks! In December, I attended The Ladybug Transistor’s warm and cozy concert with my friend. Afterwards, we played pinball in their arcade and chatted over some chicken wings. This is a great place to see cheap local performances.
In the warmer months of May, Somerville City Hall will host an open studio weekend featuring 430+ artists vending and showcasing their artworks. I went with my SMFA friends this past May and purchased lots of prints to decorate my Junior year off-campus house, while learning about different artists’ practices.
If you have a full day off campus and are in need of touching grass/nature, you could stop by:
Torbert Macdonalds State Park where you can run, bike, and walk in trails. Or last summer on a hot day when I stayed around Medford for a bit, I brought my sketchbook to sit near the Mystic River and watch families swimming with canoes and kayaks. During the back to school season, I would recommend heading there for their September river celebration and Oktoberfest for days of food vendors, and outdoor activities!
If you are alone and want some downtime, you can go to:
Comicazi, a comic book store in Davis Square, where Comedy Cazi, a comedy organization, hosts open-mic nights. Whenever I am in need of new comic books either that’s vintage DC or marvel comics or new graphic artists, I head there.
On the other side of Davis square, I like shopping for gifts at Glass Ripples with ceramics and glassware from local Boston and international artists. I purchased a mahjong shaped butter knife there for my friend’s birthday! If you are up for a challenge, they also host DIY glass workshops to melt glass into coasters, plates, bowls, and magnets
A similar atmosphere is at Narrative bookstore, where they also host sewing workshops, poetry slams, and book discussions. Sometimes, they host monthly book talks featuring authors such as R.F. Kuang during her U.S. book tour.
The possibilities of our Medford/Somerville neighborhood are endless, so there will never be a dull moment outside of Tufts!