New Haven (vs Cambridge, MA)

Colleges and Universities A-Z Yale University
41

<p>Actually, the theater on Temple Street is not small at all - it's so large it even has its own liquor license. And it shows a number of first-run films. Right now, for example, it is showing Match Point. It was the first theater in CT to show that movie. As far as premieres go, new movies now often premiere in New York, Connecticut and Los Angeles and the reason is that theater on Temple Street. It used to be just NY and LA that got the new movies about a week before they came out in the rest of the country.</p>

<p>Also, I don't know why Yale students would take a taxi ($20 each way to a theater on the edge of town) when there is a bus that charges $1.25 and gets there in 15 minutes, and also goes to a number of other theaters in the area in about 15 minutes. Especially with the theater on Temple Street and all of the film societies at Yale that show films a couple months after they come out for $3. Visit the CTTransit website. Spoiled Yalies?</p>

42

<p>You're wrong. Criterion is very small. Occaisonally it has a new release...but it only has what 5 theaters? It's just a little theater! Reviewers for the YDN MUST go to other cinemas by bus or taxi in order to get there on time and see the movies they have to review. You simply are not informed here.</p>

43

<p>Yes, Criterion is nice and fancy, but it simply doesn't play the top hit films. I really don't know why.</p>

44

<p>Criterion is adding two new 180-seat theaters, which will enable it to have even more first-run films. It is easily one of the best movie theaters in the Northeast.</p>

45

<p>Granted I haven't been to many theaters in the Northeast, but Criterion is a joke compared to most theaters I have been to. I mean its great that there is a decent movie theater in downtown New Haven, but it isn't that nice. Also, the suburban movie theaters around New Haven have apparently conspired to prevent first-run mainstream movies from playing in downtown New Haven (I have no idea if this is true or not, but read this <a href="http://www.azothgallery.com/yorksquare.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.azothgallery.com/yorksquare.html&lt;/a> for more info). Even with its new theaters, Criterion will still probably target its niche of arthouse movie goers. </p>

<p>The point is, New Haven is not a real city. I mean it has most things that one would need, but it does not come close to comparing with Boston and New York is far enough away to make it mostly accessible only for infrequent day trips. If being in or near a real city is most important to you, then New Haven is going to be a dealbreaker for you compared to Cambridge. For most people, the added pluses of Boston won't really be missed too much, but if you absolutely NEED to have easily accessible malls/movie theaters/concerts (Toad's sometimes gets good stuff, but most acts skip New Haven) then you really shouldn't have applied to Yale in the first place because New Haven will come up short.</p>

46

<p>What about Providence? Anyone know something about New Haven vs. Providence? I've been told it's had a renaissance of sorts in the past 10 years or so, but I really haven't had enough experience with New Haven or Providence to compare the two. Any comments?</p>

47

<p>"Two decades ago, Providence, Rhode Island, was a gritty wasteland of neglected waterways, derelict railroad yards, and vast parking lots derided as a smudge on the road from New York to Cape Cod. Today, this historic New England city boasts a lively panorama of graceful river walks, revived commercial activity, and celebrated public arts—and has been named among the best places to live in America.</p>

<p>This breakthrough portrayal of urban rebirth reveals the ideas, opportunities, people, and projects behind the twenty-five-year Providence renaissance. Laying the historical, economic, and political groundwork, Francis J. Leazes Jr. and Mark T. Motte describe in detail the many disparate events that came together to transform Providence’s downtown into one of the nation’s most attractive urban environments at a time when other nearby former industrial centers, such as Fall River, Hartford and New Haven, continued to decay despite valiant renewal efforts. Through extensive interviews with elected officials, civil servants, entrepreneurs, and citizen activists, a complete picture takes shape for the first time of the myriad actors, complex goals, and intergovernmental cooperation involved in developing such lauded successes as the new Capital Center, the Providence Place mall, and the award-winning light sculpture, WaterFire.</p>

<p>Featuring dozens of illustrations, including many striking before-and-after images, the book reveals that the Providence renaissance is far more than mere smoke and mirrors perpetrated by flamboyant former mayor Vincent "Buddy" Cianci. Leazes and Motte employ the "garbage can" policymaking model to show how contingent coalitions, made up of public and private sector leadership, can adapt more effectively than a single grand redevelopment scheme or market-driven privatization alone. The evidence uncovers a true comeback of a city solidly remade, not merely a grimy urban skeleton with a postmodern veneer.</p>

<p>Meticulously documented and engagingly written, Providence, the Renaissance City is the authoritative account of one city’s dramatic new beginning. It will be valuable reading for policymakers, administrators, political scientists, urban planners, and all concerned citizens of our nation’s cities."</p>

48

<p>Having spent a summer at Brown and going to Yale, I will say that Providence is slightly nicer (the downtown mall really is a plus) but there is not too much difference at least in terms of what each city has to offer. You would still have to go to Boston to get a significant city advantage over New Haven.</p>

49

<p>Providence isn't as charming, and New Haven is not as doleful as the popular myths would have us believe. They are both prosaic New England cities with fine universities as their cultural centers. Boston is a big East Coast city, with most of the advantages and all of the negatives one would expect.</p>

50

<p>New Haven beats Providence any day. New Haven at its center has the city government/civic downtown, nightlife center for 10s of thousands of area college students, as well as Yale, whereas in Providence, Brown sits up on a hill away from downtown. As a result, Yale has much more to do in the immediate area and the area stays open much later. </p>

<p>Also, New Haven is within the New York City metro area, connected by about 50 commuter trains per day, making it easily accessible via daytrip (and Boston is also very close). Providence doesn't have any significant distance advantage relative to Boston, but is much, much, much farther from New York.</p>

51

<p>Providence is only an hour from Boston, while New Haven is at best 1 hour and 40 minutes from New York (assuming the Metro North trains run on time which is not always the case). Day trips are pretty much impossible from Providence to New York and New Haven to Boston as they are both about 3 hours from each other. Yes, New York is a more exciting city, but Boston is pretty good (especially for a college student). The extra 80 minutes you save on a roundtrip is pretty nice too and makes day trips a lot easier.</p>

<p>Also, most of the college oriented stuff in Providence is up near Brown on Thayer St. and the downtown of Providence (at least from the Main Green of Brown to the mall in the middle of downtown) is at most 10 or 15 minutes (or like from Science Hill at Yale to Pierson College).</p>

52

<p>Normally, when driving, New Haven is less than an hour and a half from New York and less than two hours from Boston (Providence is an out-of-the-way city and you normally bypass it going from New York to Boston, via Hartford, so the comparison you made is not valid). There are also express trains that are faster. </p>

<p>In addition to Boston being utterly boring when compared with New York (it's even worse than comparing say, Paris to a small, provincial city like Toulouse - there's no real comparison), going to Boston is a hassle because Boston is spread out and does not have a public transit system even remotely comparable to New York's subway system. It's a bunch of infrequent trolleys that stop running at midnight. That's also a reason why much of Boston shuts down very early and on weekends, while New York is a 24 hour city.</p>

<p>It's good that Providence has a large shopping mall, but it's kind of sad considering the state had to entirely fund its construction, and also the extreme segregation there between the rich stores and "lower" level makes it kind of depressing, in my opinion. Plus, it is just a bunch of chain stores that can be found anywhere. It's not at all integrated with Brown or downtown Providence the way that New Haven's more unique shopping & restaurant areas are integrated with the campus and rest of the city.</p>

53

<p>Really, the city that kicks ass over all of these is Washington DC. Its more manageable than New York, but has almost as many great museums and parks. Georgetown is just about the perfect location, with incredible restaurants, nightclubs and interesting retail stores, featuring everything from second-hand vintage clothing to boutiques. George Washington University is in Foggy Bottom, not too far from the White House and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, not quite as charming as Georgetown, but also with great restaurants and shopping. Both Georgetown and Foggy Bottom are really alive at night. American University is in a very prosperous area of Northwest Washington within easy walking distance to the Metro subway. Catholic University is kind of away, but the campuses beautiful, as is that of Howard University.</p>