Welcome you’ll love New Haven. It’s a very youthful town it’s a town. Not a huge city. Living outside it you need a car not much in walking distance. Hamden there is spring glen which has Best Video a non profit performing space cafe and yes last of video stores also in hamden is Whitneyville area and Books & Company is a great cafe and used book store. Irish pub across st. In New Haven great pockets of places to live. East rock is a fab neighborhood but pricey if you want to live on your own. There is Wooster Square , Westville and Fairhaven. Atticus market on Orange st and Nicas on Orange st are great hangouts. Also on state st is Marjolaine ( French pastries) Chestnut Fine Food makes the best homemade breads, rolled oats cereal and prepared foods. There is Yale Art Gallery and British Art Museum but galleries also, theaters, music venues like cafe nine and firehouse 12 and the palace. A fun place to explore.