I was at a cookout in Washington, DC recently when someone asked me "what's it like up in Boston?" It's not that I haven't been to other places. But it's hard to sum up Boston in a few short, coherent sentences while balancing a glass of sangria and a plate of veggie burgers.I was at a cookout in Washington, DC recently when someone asked me "what's it like up in Boston?" It's not that I haven't been to other places (in fact, I spent six years in New Mexico, two years in Washington state and a summer in London - how's that for geographic diversity?). But it's hard to sum up Boston in a few short, coherent sentences while balancing a glass of sangria and a plate of veggie burgers. Here goes...

Why I Love Boston

• The people are wicked smaht. Just kidding, I don't actually talk like that. Jokes aside, Boston has some of the world's leading researchers in medicine, technology, and other fields. My apartment is sandwiched between Harvard and MIT, so PhDs are even more common than Starbucks.
• It's easy to get around without a car. According to the Brookings Institute, Boston is the second most walkable city after DC. I'd agree with that. I can walk along the Charles River or wander Harvard Square with a few minute's walk. Or I can hop on a bus or subway and be downtown in fifteen minutes for under $2. Be forewarned that the MBTA doesn't run very late on weekends (I believe the last train is around 1am, but I've gotten stuck before).
• History abounds. We have the nation's first large public library that was open to the public (and the selection of books, DVDs and other resources is amazing!). Our city was the site of the Boston Tea Party and we have hosted the Boston Marathon for over 100 years, which brings me to my next point.
• We take our sports very seriously. Boston has been called a drinking town with a baseball problem. Though Boston is best known for the Red Sox, it's also home to the Celtics and several (high competitive) college hockey teams.

Advice for Those Relocating to Boston

• Unless you need to commute to the 'burbs, don't bring a car. My boyfriend is from the Midwest (where cars are de rigour) and the high cost of parking combined with the stress of snow and city traffic are almost enough to make him sell the car for scrap metal. Almost...
• Plan to live with roommates or pay at least $1,000 per month in rent. That's for a studio. A one bedroom in a decent location will cost around $1,400. Add in a few hundred bucks a month for parking, and you understand my previous point.
• Stay away from the Allston area unless you want to relive your college fraternity days every night of the week. Popular neighborhoods for young professionals include Back Bay (pricey but centrally located), Brookline (fewer bars but lots of upscale restaurants and stores), Cambridge (think artsy intellectuals and free-spirited grad students), the North End (an old Italian neighborhood with lots of charm and very little parking), and the South End (picture trendy brunch places, art galleries and boutiques - Guppy heaven!).
• Bring your student ID. With dozens of colleges in a small area, most of Boston's museums, movie theaters, and other places offer a student discount. Few will question whether you're still in school unless your ID has the year on it. Also stop by one of the college bookstores at the beginning of the semester for a free student coupon book.
• Buy a copy of MAP Boston. OK, for the sake of full disclosure, I should tell you that I wrote for this year's guide, but I still think it's chock full of stellar photography and cool, off-beat recommendations for restaurants, shops and obscure landmarks around Boston. I'd recommend Yelp and DailyCandy for a quick fix online. You can also pick up a free copy of The Improper Bostonian from almost anywhere in the city. Just keep any pro-Yankees sentiments to yourself, and you'll feel like a local in no time!