With its epic essence preserved in its Georgian architecture and its relevance ensured by its early and recent residents' contributions to society, Cambridge is one of America's most storied cities. Contemporarily, the names Kennedy, Winthrop and Frost appearing on the city's signage give the city as much cach as the Sontag, Chomsky and Gates who have called the area home. The city is not, however, just home to a pantheon of artistic, academic and leftist greats; it's an antiseptic New England playground with a book store, confectionary shop and coffeehouse on every corner. Assuming Porter Square and Central Square are simply extensions of Harvard and that Kendall is its own imposing entity, let's take a look around the city that is so shaped by its two great schools that even the streets and buildings tend to be in shades of crimson or cardinal.

10 a.m. Books for sale

Rodney's Bookstore (698 Massachusetts Ave, (617) 876-6467) is more Cambridgian a bookstore than either the mandarin Harvard Bookstore or the highly commercial COOP, both of which have a fairly standard selection. Rodney's unfinished shelves, worn carpet and friendly staff give it a warm, local feel. But its selection of books, or what it provides beside books, is what makes Rodney's really stand out from other nearby shops. Rows and rows of vintage volumes, fairly priced and in near-mint condition, constitute most of the selection, making Rodney's the destination for the out-of-print novel that Harvard or the COOP wouldn't have. The store also has an eclectic mix of posters, prints and lithographs culled from genres ranging from 1950s comicbook art to 1970s softcore pornography.

11 a.m. A different kind of tan

The Tannery (4 Brattle St, (617) 267-0899) is a somewhat New Yorkish nook just outside of Harvard Square. That it is installed in a basement beneath a Gap and is typically minded at its stairs by one of its chain-smoking, henchman-like employees only adds to its character as a destination for certain underground clothing goods. The flooring is a craggy, almost rustic sort of tile, and the atmosphere is busy, whether the store is empty or teeming with teens, because of how cramped it is with sneakers. Rap aficionados will also appreciate the heavy rotation of Lil' Wayne, Young Jeezy and Clipse that typically blares around the store. Tannery is worth deeming "New Yorkish" because, in an area that's known for its tweedy students, much of the goods sold at the Tannery are rather urbane. Limited edition Nike, Jordan and Adidas shoes are the most prominently displayed products in the store, with the high-end denim (True Religion, Theory, Seven) racks taking a close second. The store is not entirely for the advanced fashion fiend, though. Also available are various incarnations of the beloved Converse All-Star, the Puma Clyde, and the Adidas Superstar. And if you're in the market for something as timeless and useful as a North Face fleece or Marmot hiking boot, you'll find those, too.

12:15 p.m. Best food ever?

You want cult following? Walk into Anna's Taqueria in Porter Square (822 Somerville Ave, (617) 661-8500) and you're likely to see a line 20 heads deep for a $4 burrito. What could make the place so good? The decor isn't anything special; it might as well be a McDonald's with a Mexican color scheme. The staff is a little intimidating and requires rapid ordering. There is no table service; it's simply order, pay, sit and eat. It's the simplicity of the Anna's Taqueria experience that's so delicious. And it doesn't hurt that Anna's soft, chewy tortillas, tender chicken and heavenly guacamole make life worth living.

3:30 p.m. Movies galore

If you're looking for your fill of liberal elitist esoterica, be it the latest Pedro Almod?var film or the latest documentary constructing a story around the murder of George W. Bush, the Kendall Square Theater is for you. No other theater in the Boston area gets limited-release films sooner or runs them longer than this one. It was the first theater in the area, over a year ago, to feature Almod?var's Bad Education and Terry George's Hotel Rwanda, and more recently, it was the first theater screening Stephen Frears' The Queen, which will likely garner Dame Helen Mirren her first Oscar win, and French director Gabriel Range's Death of a President, which explores the fictitious global ramifications during the year 2009 of President George W. Bush's assassination.

7 p.m. Never too early for a pub

Shay's Pub and Wine Bar is an interesting hybrid of a bar. In the summer and fall, patrons can make great use of the brick outdoor patio area, smoking as they please, enjoying the atmosphere and watching passersby. Come November, though, its cozy, wood-rich pub interior becomes a bit more attractive. The clientele has a high quotient of Harvard and MIT upperclassmen and graduate students, particularly those hailing from the United Kingdom, but Allston and Brighton locals also stop in frequently. Shay's actually starts filling up around 7 p.m., earlier than a lot of bars in the area, because of its respectable selection of bar food. The cheeseburger is recommended because, as one would expect of a Harvard bar, a higher-end Swiss is put on the burger. Shay's wine and beer list is what really makes it such a gem though, because of how geographically diverse the list is. If you're looking for wine from Bordeaux or cheri from Capri, you'll find it here, and if you only drink Belgian, English, Irish or German draughts, Shay's will also probably have what you're looking for. If nothing else, it's the perfect place to relax after a day in Cambridge.