Street piano hours?
The Central Square street piano is supposed to be available from 8 AM to midnight. But I've seen it locked as early as 10 pm.

Anyone know the real hours, or why it's being locked early?

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reposting: "Was just mugged in Central Square, be careful out there everyone!"
Someone posted last night on boston.reddit.com:

Was just mugged in Central Square, be careful out there everyone!
Hey guys, on Washington Street and Norfolk two men approached me, choked me out, and took my wallet, keys, phone, and longboard.

This is going to be longshot, but if anyone sees an arbor longboard around central sqaure that sweaks a ton as it moves around, please either PM me or call the police. I saw the kids riding off with it before they left.

---

Later, in a comment, they added:

Hey guys thanks so much for the support. As for the guys. Two males one white one black, probably in their late teens/early twenties. The white mail had brown short hair with light facial hair on his face, the black male had the outside of a mustache and close shaven black hair. The thing is they took my longboard, which is unique in that it is broken and makes a loud squeaking noise and it really obnoxious. I'm going into the detectives office tomorrow to look through some mugshot. If anyone wants to be kept posted let me know!

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Road Closures in Cambridge tomorrow [Wednesday, April 24]
Restrictions in place for the Memorial Ceremony for Officer Sean Collier

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - April 23, 2013 - The Cambridge Police Department is announcing the following road closures ahead of the memorial service taking place on MIT's campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts on Wednesday, April 24, 2013:

VASSAR STREET:
o Closed beginning at 6 a.m. on Wednesday, April 24 between Audrey St. and Massachusetts Ave.

MASSACHUSETTS AVE
o Closed from Albany St. toward Boston beginning at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, April 24.

MASS AVE BRIDGE
o Closed beginning at 12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 24 between Massachusetts Ave. and the B.U. Bridge.

MEMORIAL DRIVE
o Closed beginning at 12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 24 between Massachusetts Ave. and the B.U. Bridge.
o There will be no parking on Memorial Drive between Massachusetts Ave. and the B.U. Bridge on Wednesday, April 24

These road closures are going to have a major impact on traffic in the city. Police are asking residents to plan ahead, seek alternate routes, and use public transportation whenever possible.

Further updates about road closures and other traffic issues will be posted on the Cambridge Police Department's website at http://www.CambridgePolice.org/
Information can also be found by following @CambridgePolice on Twitter.

Larry Brutti
Operations Manager
MIT Parking & Transportation Office

[ I also posted this to cambridge_mass but it's moderated and I don't know if it'll show up today. ]

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Man Ray Returning
Man Ray in tentative agreement for new home in Central Square's ex-Blockbuster

Man Ray owner Don Holland never stopped trying to resurrect the famed Central Square nightclub. Under threat of losing his restaurant and alcohol license, he said Tuesday that he believed he's succeeded.

The location: Central Square's former Blockbuster video, a 5,000-square-foot space at 541 Massachusetts Ave. - less than a tenth of a mile from the old location at 21 Brookline St., and even closer to nightclubs The Middle East and T.T. the Bear's Place.

Holland said he would bring "basically the same operation" to the site, creating anew the home for the goth, fetish, LGBT and BDSM scenes that were dispersed to nights at clubs such as T.T.'s since Man Ray's closing in July 2005, forced out by a landlord who wanted to replace the club with apartments. It would also bring another stage to Central Square, with a booking sensibility that once brought in Nirvana and Bauhaus' Peter Murphy as performers.

"Man Ray being in Central Square is what made it exciting, and it's integral to its success," [...]

Anyone still here reading this, who used to go to ManRay?

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Parking lot closure affects food-rescue nonprofit
A year ago, the two private parking lots at Prospect and Bishop Allen stopped allowing the public to park there nights and weekends. See http://b0st0n.livejournal.com/7297469.html .

This didn't just affect Central Square shoppers and residents. The local food-rescue nonprofit Food for Free used to park their truck there, but now they urgently need another place to park it.

If anyone knows a contact at the Central Plaza Realty Trust (the lot owner), a city official or business association member who could help, or another parking lot owner who could offer space, please be in touch with Food for Free.

(multi-posted to http://b0st0n.livejournal.com/7360421.html )

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Harvest Co-op is open in their new location
This morning, Harvest Co-op opened in their new location, 580 Mass Ave.

It's across the street from their old location at 581. Their website has a note about the new location, but still has several references to the old address.

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Central Sq. Harvest moving sale and closing date announced
Looks like Harvest Coop in Central Square has set their closing date for the move across the street: Wednesday, August 15th

I got this email that was sent out to the Harvest Coop members list:

From: Chris at Harvest Co-op Market

Save Money!
Help us clear the shelves!
Harvest Co-op
Cambridge

Moving Sale
10% off everything!
We are moving just across the street to 580 Mass Ave
Look for your new Harvest Co-op to open in early September

10% off in
Cambridge store only
until we close on Wednesday, August 15

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Oh, the irony
A Hubway van was in front of City Hall today, for the filming of a news clip about their expansion to Cambridge.

The van was parked in a spot that was reserved for the event. And stuck out into the bike lane.

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Somervile Police issuing tickets to bicylists
Somerville police will enforcing the laws for bicycles soon:

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/somerville/2012/04/somerville_police_to_focus_on.html

There is a link to the Somerville guide for bicylists there.

Please share this with other lists.

Be safe and considerate of others!

best -len

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Cambridge YMCA Diagrams. Directory http://cambridgeydiagrams.blogspot.com
Cambridge YMCA Diagrams. Directory
http://cambridgeydiagrams.blogspot.com

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"ThIStHaT ShoW no.4 and no.5": curated by Daniel McCusker

Daniel McCusker Dance Projects, in collaboration with Central Square Theater, presents ThIStHaT ShoW no.4 and no.5 ; new and recent works featured over a 2 week period. Works created by Sarah Baumert/Sara Smith, Lara Binder/Sheriden Thomas, Adriane Brayton, Nell Breyer, Audra Carabetta, Caitlin Corbett, Brian Crabtree, Heidi Henderson, Kristy Kuhn, and Morgan Packard; curated and produced by Daniel McCusker; lighting designed by Paul Marr. Performances run January 12-21: Thurs. (7:30 pm), Fri. (8 pm), and Sat. (8 pm). Tickets: $20, $15 BDA members, $10 students/seniors; $10 for 2^nd weekend for 1^st weekend audience members [subject to availability at the door, bring 1^st weekend ticket stub for discount]. For advance tickets call 1-800-838-3006 or visit www.thisthatshow.org. Tickets also available at the door [cash or check only] one hour before each show. Central Square Theater, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge [conveniently located near the MBTA Red Line & bus connections, visit www.centralsquaretheater.org for directions]. For further information, log onto www.thisthatshow.org or call the ThIStHaT information line at 617-544-7408.

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Where are there floor by floor diagrams for the 1896 Cambridge YMCA? Hartwell, Richardson & Driver
Where are there floor by floor diagrams, architectural drawings for the 1896 Cambridge YMCA building?... by Hartwell, Richardson & Driver architects. Young Men's Christian Association 820 Massachusetts Ave, Central Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139. Henry Walker Hartwell (1833-?). William Cummings Richardson (1854-1935). James Driver (1859-1923)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hartwell_and_Richardson

Our Cambridge YMCA has a complicated irregular network of passages, paths in which it is difficult to find one's way, a maze, a labyrinth. New to the Y folks need a handy diagram to download! A good diagram should there be something urgent and alternate paths needed to exit. And more easily find your way to where the variety of Y facilities, rooms, studios are located.

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What's up with Economy Hardware?
When they closed last winter, the Economy Hardware said they'd reopen in April, IIRC. Around April, the signs that had been up on the windows saying that disappeared and for a while there was nothing there, but then I saw something saying they'd open later in the summer. Now their web site says "by October 2011".

According to an article yesterday in MIT's The Tech, Economy Hardware still empty",

Economy Hardware - formerly the value hardware store of choice for many MIT students - still seems to be "spring cleaning." Though it began renovations last December, a store representative said that Economy Hardware plans to reopen its location in Central Square by the end of this month. The store originally hoped to be open this spring.

... so I guess they're still planning to come back, and still sticking to "October". Hmm.

Anyone know what's taken them so long, and why they've reduced their space?

P.S. Yes, I know we still have Pill over on the other side of Central, but they have shorter hours and are usually closed when I want to get something. Also, there are some things Economy Hardware has much better selection of (and vice versa).

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Nearby Farmers Markets
Nearby Farmers Markets
http://www.massfarmersmarkets.org/

Saturdays
9am-1pm Union Square Somerville Farmers Market
10am-2pm Magazine St Cambridgeport Farmers Market
11am-4pm 1st and 3rd Saturdays August 6, 20, September 3, 17, 2011 Allston Union Square Jackson Mann Community Center 500 Cambridge St Farmers Market

Sundays
10am-3pm Charles Hotel Courtyard Charles Square Cambridge Farmers Market
10am-4pm South End SOWA Open Market 500 Harrison Ave Farmers Market

Mondays
12-6pm Central Square Cambridge Farmers Market
11am-6pm Boston City Hall Farmers Market

Tuesdays
12-6pm Harvard University Cambridge Farmers Market
11am-6pm Copley Square Boston Farmers Market
11:30am-6:30pm South Station Dewey Square Boston Public Market

Wednesdays
11am-6pm Kendall Cambridge Center Farmers Market
12-6pm Davis Square Somerville Farmers Market
11am-6pm Boston City Hall Farmers Market

Thursdays
11am-2pm 500 Kendall St Cambridge Farmers Market
11am-6pm Prudential Center Boston Farmers Market
11:30am-6:30pm South Station Dewey Square Boston Public Market

Fridays
12-6pm Charles Square Cambridge Farmers Market
3-7pm Allston Harvard Farmers Market
11am-6pm Copley Square Boston Farmers Market
11:30am-2:30pm Boston Medical Center

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Speaking of people not wearing much clothing,
What's the deal with the hordes of people in Central Square wearing very little on certain weekday nights? Is it for an event at a bar?

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Free Production of "Six Characters in Search of an Author"
MIT Shakespeare Ensemble and Dramashop present a FREE joint production of Luigi Pirandello's bizarre masterpiece "Six Characters in Search of an Author", directed by Adam Strandberg.

"A theater company is trying to put on a show when they are interrupted by a group of characters demanding to have a story written for them. As the interaction and conflict between character, actor, and director unfolds, the hijinks get sillier, the drama gets more tragic, and the meta gets more meta..."
Show dates:
15th-16th and 21st-23rd July 8pm, 17th July 2pm
Location:
Kresge Little Theater, MIT
Tickets:
FREE
More info: moremeta@mit.edu

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What other library services are around Central Square?
In Massachusetts what other library services and archives are around Central Square in Cambridge?... besides The Regional Center for Healthy Communities Resource Library http://www.healthier-communities.org/info/library and Central Square Branch Cambridge Public Library http://cambridgema.gov/cpl/hoursandlocations/centralsquarebranch.aspx

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Drop Box at the Library Anyone?
Would you find it convenient if there was a drop box to return books on the sidewalk out side the new Broadway Library? Am I the only one who finds it incredibly difficult to find a parking space, and take the nice long walk (when you are late for work or in the rain) to get to the drop box? Or drive to the underground lot, purchase a ticket, walk up the stairs. When I asked the staff about it, they said they couldnt afford to have someone empty it.  How about it!?!?

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Central Square library branch to re-open in May
No April foolery here. Good news for the book-lovers: the April newsletter from the Cambridge Public Library says the Central Square branch will re-open on May 16th. I know I'll be very happy to have it back! There is a little more info on the library web site here, if you're curious about the specifics of the renovations.

Current Mood: relieved

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Area 4 Facebook Page
New Facebook Page for Cambridge Area 4 (the neighborhood between Mass Ave, Prospect St, Hampshire St, and the railroad tracks by MIT):
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cambridge-Area-4-Neighborhood/193805170652899

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