If McDonalds' grand opening this semester was a sign that Davis Square is an up-and-coming place, then this recent accolade is a whole billboard. The latest issue of the Utne Reader ranks Davis Square as number 14 in a list of "The 15 Hippest Places to Live" in the United States and Canada.
   The Utne Reader, a self-proclaimed "alternative" magazine, compiled this list based on conversations and interviews with many community members and leaders, such as shop clerks, gallery owners, urban planners and advertising agencies.
   According to the article by Jay Walljasper and Daniel Kraker, Davis is "awash in artistic-energy spillover from Cambridge." They attribute this Somerville hub's success to Somerville Theater, bookstores and Irish pubs, such as The Burren.
   Some of the popular "HANGOUTS" in Davis Square are surprised by the news that this area is nationally ranked by the magazine but acknowledge that the square has come a long way.
   John Murphy, manager of The Joshua Tree, attributes the success of the square to the new clubs and businesses that have sprung up in the last few years. "I think it really started when The Burren opened about two years ago," he said.
   Assistant Manager of the Somerville Theater Jeff Hatch credits the Someday Cafe with attracting a lot of people to Somerville, but he also said that the new bars, such as The Burren have attracted a lot of younger people to Somerville. "The bars opened up a whole drinking scene for Tufts. People are getting tired of Harvard Square," said Hatch.
   Walljasper and Kraker wrote that more people are choosing to visit Somerville, calling it an "alternative to franchise-filled Harvard Square. According to the article, franchises did not score very high on the "hip" scale.
   What did score high, however, was atmosphere. The authors were looking for places with old buildings, places to walk and proximity to a major metropolitan area, to name a few. It was also important that the areas have available and inexpensive living space, which apparently attracts artists, writers and musicians.
   Davis Square shares this honor with areas all over the country and in Canada, from the Lower Garden District in New Orleans (ranked number one) to Los Feliz in Los Angeles (number 11) to Commercial Drive in Vancouver, Canada (number nine).
   The beginning of Walljasper and Kraker's article contains a disclaimer, however, which says that "hip is a restless, competitive force that never stays put for long."
   The implication of the article is that Davis Square's "hip" rank is far less stable than the bronze statues that decorate its sidewalk.