Espresso Vu

This post comes from the Espresso Royale on Gainsborough St. in Boston a day after the Head of the Charles (they wouldn't punch my Ann Arbor card. Bastards.) Let the word go out to hipsters and proto-yuppies everywhere -- Allston has got it going on. A western village of Boston, just north of mega-chic suburb Brookline, Allston and Farrington Inn, a sort of flea bag rooming house just off the T played host to your newly engaged commentator and his rower girlfriend (now fiancee) this weekend. Home of lots of restaurants, great shops and friendly people. If only a theater venue were offering something last night, I would have put it atop my list of places I'd like to live. In between Boston College and Boston University, that part of Allston (Brighton and Harvard Sts.) is on its way back from typical 1970s urban desolation, though it's not too yuppified. Even still, real estate is crazy affordable (in Boston terms) there. You can get about 600 square feet for 200k (not much more than downtown Ann Arbor, I might note.) Buildings out to the sidewalk, sidewalks, T connections and buses going everywhere -- Boston's rep for walkability is well-deserved. Did someone say "get me out of Ann Arbor"?