There are many activities for which summer is ideally suited: Listening to the rock music, sitting outside drinking beer and watching celebrities, escaping from the heat to a cool, dark, overly-air-conditioned movie theatre, and, of course, kvetching about local politics. But lately, Bostonist has been getting reacquainted with that simplest and best of summer pastimes: exploring and enjoying the little, sometimes hidden pleasures of our own neighborhood.
Having undertaken a project that requires us to walk or bike along each and every block of Somerville, Bostonist (frequently accompanied by baby Bostonist, who likes nothing more than a nice late-afternoon nap in the stroller) has had occasion to find a few of our city's hidden gems. Some of our favorites are Oxford Street, where the sidewalk is raised, separated from the street, and canopied by trees, vines, and creeping flowers, giving it a jungly, decidedly un-Somerville feel; the bizarre and intriguing round house (pictured above), which we know was built in 1856 thanks to Adam at Universal Hub; and the improbable, rocky cliff at the end of Pitman Street, where otherwise ordinary wood houses perch like castles overlooking Somerville Avenue. Or if the back streets of Massachusetts' most densely populated city aren't your idea of a good time, local bloggers have plenty of other good ideas.
So tell us, dear readers: What local delights are you savoring during these hot summer evenings? Outdoor festivals and sporting events are all well and good, but we think it's the little things - sprinklers, ice cream trucks, pick-up basketball, and lazy strolls - that make summer so delightful.
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