While You're in Cambridge...

Welcome to our quaint town. Hope you like the construction, which, you might want to know, will continue until (gasp) 1984. But while some are here for four years, you are here for a few days. So you may want to sample a slice of Cambridge life. Or a slice of pizza.

James Q. Wilson, Shattuck Professor of Government, tells incoming freshmen every year that Buddy's Sirloin Pit has the best hamburger in Harvard Square. Many feel Bartley's Burger Cottage deserves the lofty honor. You decide.

Ice cream goes over real big around here. Belgian Fudge, Baskin-Robbins, Bailey's and Brigham's are at your disposal.

For late night, Charlie's Kitchen offers that greasy tastiness and reasonable beer which often make good companions. Tommy's Lunch has pinball, a jukebox, and cheesesteak subs. One Potato, Two Potato has luscious desserts, good drink and good coffee. 33 Dunster Street has just about everything. And Elsie's is a legend in its own roast beef.

The quality of pizza varies widely; Pinocchio's and Harvard Pizza may offer the best bet.

Oriental food has its place in the sun. You can find it at Yenching at Harvard Square, Joyce Chen's at Fresh Pond, Hunan, Kabuki and Colleen's in Central Square, Ta Chien across from the Kennedy School, and Hong Kong on Mass Ave. Try Hong Kong's "scorpion bowl." Trust us.

The Sunflower Cafe has nightly jazz performers and good health food. The Garage has myriad offerings, including good salad and cheesecake.

If you want something a little more formal, consider Ferdinand's, the Blue Parrot, the Harvest, or the Hyatt. $$$$$.

If you get a chance to visit downtown Boston, great pizza presents itself in the North End (near the Boston Garden), and everything presents itself at the Faneuil Hall-Quincy Market area. By consensus the best restaurant in Boston is Locke-Ober's, hidden in a small cranny near the Park Street subway stop.

Other eateries to explore are Lechner's, Maison Robert and Durgin Park, all situated in the downtown area within walking distance of Park Street bring money.

For mind-occupying activity, Harvard has just about everything. But then, why spend any time in a library? In case you do, check out famous Widener (found in the Yard), or Cabot (located in the Science Center, a building modeled on a Polaroid camera. If you don't believe it, go look at the buttons).

A note of caution: do not confuse Harvard Yard with the Cambridge Common, especially at night.

More likely than not, Americana will intrigue more than Harvardiana. The John F. Kennedy (Harvard class of '40) Presidential Library sits out at Columbia Point, easily accessible by MBTA, and is well worth a look.

Many museums dot Cambridge and Harvard, if you're on an intellectual diet.

Wordsworth's is a reasonable bookstore, the renowned Coop has everything and a little bit more.

Harvard Square theater runs different movies every day, usually good ones. The Orson Welles shows good European films (and the occasional bad European film). For current film fare, the Sack chain has a virtual downtown monopoly.

The theater district on Boylston Street near the Boston Common has a wide selection of plays to offer.

The Boston Garden houses the Bird and the B's (the Celtics' Larry Bird and the Boston Bruins).

If you dare to disco, thereby denying the universe and dropping the moment, Boston-Boston is the "best" bet.

Oh, yes: the drinking age in Massachusetts stands at 20. Bring I.D.