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I'm applying to various graduate schools this fall for an MFA in creative writing. I have spent the last two years living in Austin, TX where I am finishing up my Master's degree in English. Previous to Austin, I lived in Lawrence, KS (BA from the University of Kansas--rockchalk) and proudly hail from Kansas City.
My main concerns have to do with price and culture (both artistic and regional).
Being a Midwesterner, I've had a bit of a hard time transitioning to Austin--it seems an odd fusion of Texas "BIG Southern hospitality" and transplant LA glitz. Yes, the music scene is pervasive, but it borders on silly, in my opinion, mostly due to its ridiculous self-consciousness. Many many poseurs littering street corners. :-) Outnumbering the music group are what I would call milktoast white folk, and they fill much of 6th St. every weekend. The Greek community is insane at UT, which has to be the cleanest campus I've seen in my life. I find myself missing the brick and graffiti of Kansas City and the quiet hipsters and hippies of Lawrence.
What is the vibe of Ann Arbor? What is the "scene" like? How many shows a week could I expect? What about art shows? Are they mostly casual turn your house to a gallery and invite a friend's band shows or more gallery based or a mix? Besides being a writer, I'm interested in fashion (I make and sell new and vintage clothes), am a ceramicist, and a non-militant vegetarian. Are there good organic grocers in AA?
Is Ann Arbor friendly? I don't mean Southern "come on in and take your shoes off while I fix some sweet tea" hospitality, but politeness, I guess. An openness to new people. I'm curious about how urban AA feels too. What about diversity? I miss the diversity (and good food!!!) of Kansas City.
Lastly, price. I live about 20 minutes from the UT campus (very good UT shuttle system allows this), and pay $727 a month for a 1/1 no utils included. This does include pet rent (I have a Fox Terrier). I can afford to stay in that range, although I'd prefer to go lower. For my dog and my sanity, I need about 700 sq.ft. How much on average do gas bills run in the winter?
Oh! I also am curious how open-minded AA is in regards to politics. I am a libertarian, which was fine in KS, but in Austin is like calling myself the devil. ha.
Have been away from Michigan for quite a few years and I'm sure others will post detailed info. but from what I read of your post, you will fit in perfectly with regard to arts, politics and food preferences. AA is really quite artsy, diverse, liberal and veggie loving - an interesting, fun place. Good luck.
I'm applying to various graduate schools this fall for an MFA in creative writing. I have spent the last two years living in Austin, TX where I am finishing up my Master's degree in English. Previous to Austin, I lived in Lawrence, KS (BA from the University of Kansas--rockchalk) and proudly hail from Kansas City.
My main concerns have to do with price and culture (both artistic and regional).
Being a Midwesterner, I've had a bit of a hard time transitioning to Austin--it seems an odd fusion of Texas "BIG Southern hospitality" and transplant LA glitz. Yes, the music scene is pervasive, but it borders on silly, in my opinion, mostly due to its ridiculous self-consciousness. Many many poseurs littering street corners. :-) Outnumbering the music group are what I would call milktoast white folk, and they fill much of 6th St. every weekend. The Greek community is insane at UT, which has to be the cleanest campus I've seen in my life. I find myself missing the brick and graffiti of Kansas City and the quiet hipsters and hippies of Lawrence.
What is the vibe of Ann Arbor? What is the "scene" like? How many shows a week could I expect? What about art shows? Are they mostly casual turn your house to a gallery and invite a friend's band shows or more gallery based or a mix? Besides being a writer, I'm interested in fashion (I make and sell new and vintage clothes), am a ceramicist, and a non-militant vegetarian. Are there good organic grocers in AA?
Is Ann Arbor friendly? I don't mean Southern "come on in and take your shoes off while I fix some sweet tea" hospitality, but politeness, I guess. An openness to new people. I'm curious about how urban AA feels too. What about diversity? I miss the diversity (and good food!!!) of Kansas City.
Lastly, price. I live about 20 minutes from the UT campus (very good UT shuttle system allows this), and pay $727 a month for a 1/1 no utils included. This does include pet rent (I have a Fox Terrier). I can afford to stay in that range, although I'd prefer to go lower. For my dog and my sanity, I need about 700 sq.ft. How much on average do gas bills run in the winter?
Oh! I also am curious how open-minded AA is in regards to politics. I am a libertarian, which was fine in KS, but in Austin is like calling myself the devil. ha.
Thanks so much for your help!
As far as the culture is concerned, think Portland, Eugene, Denver, Northern Cali, mixed with Chicago, and a touch of Boston. Lots of transplants from the NW, still thinking they are climbing the mountain every day wearing Mountain Hardwear head to toe, or toting their kayaks and canoes atop their Subaru's. But at the same time, you'll see the globetrotting student from Tokyo or Moscow, London, mixed in with a huge number of other variants. No doubt, you wont have the southern slowness of Austin, but...you will be able to pronounce your liberal views loudly. In fact, I thought I was liberal, but after I finished grad school here I found out I really wasn't compared to most residents (extreme). No time for sweet tea, if you spend more than 10 seconds deciding on your tea at a coffee house, (or 1 second at a green light) someone will notify you of your delay. On that note, a great art scene exists here, with several ceramic galleries on State street (main drag through campus), along with countless other galleries. You could see a show every night of the week pertaining to every venue, depending on what side of town you chose. If your into architecture, there are houses built by Frank Loyd Wright near campus.
Beyond the student population, most residents are well educated masters or higher degree, outdoor minded granola folk (my terminology). Ann Arbor is a very green community, almost everyone recycles, and yes you wont have to go far for your organic food selection. Besides the Whole Foods, there are several other small grocers that have very small batch organic foods from farmers across Michigan. Lots of food choices, one of the few cities in Michigan to offer authentic non corporatized chain options...pick a culture and you could go to a fine restaurant with that food.
You should do pretty well on the price range, although you may be confined to the west end of town, mostly post doc and grad students...mixed with younger couples. As far as heating costs that will vary with landlord and complex offerings. A nice 10-15 min bike ride will lead you back to campus, so a car isn't vital. Overall you'll see similarities of both Austin and Kansas City, but on a smaller scale. Unless your afraid of culture, pretty much anyone could come to Ann Arbor and be satisfied with the offerings..
Good Luck, hope i answered some of your questions anyways...
AA also has one of the biggest art street fairs anywhere (in the summer, August I think). Like everything else, it has gotten a bit commercialized, but there are still a ton of real artists there.
Lived in KC, From Metro Detroit, so here's my opinion
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pipermackie
I'm applying to various graduate schools this fall for an MFA in creative writing. I have spent the last two years living in Austin, TX where I am finishing up my Master's degree in English. Previous to Austin, I lived in Lawrence, KS (BA from the University of Kansas--rockchalk) and proudly hail from Kansas City.
My main concerns have to do with price and culture (both artistic and regional).
Being a Midwesterner, I've had a bit of a hard time transitioning to Austin--it seems an odd fusion of Texas "BIG Southern hospitality" and transplant LA glitz. Yes, the music scene is pervasive, but it borders on silly, in my opinion, mostly due to its ridiculous self-consciousness. Many many poseurs littering street corners. :-) Outnumbering the music group are what I would call milktoast white folk, and they fill much of 6th St. every weekend. The Greek community is insane at UT, which has to be the cleanest campus I've seen in my life. I find myself missing the brick and graffiti of Kansas City and the quiet hipsters and hippies of Lawrence.
What is the vibe of Ann Arbor? What is the "scene" like? How many shows a week could I expect? What about art shows? Are they mostly casual turn your house to a gallery and invite a friend's band shows or more gallery based or a mix? Besides being a writer, I'm interested in fashion (I make and sell new and vintage clothes), am a ceramicist, and a non-militant vegetarian. Are there good organic grocers in AA?
Is Ann Arbor friendly? I don't mean Southern "come on in and take your shoes off while I fix some sweet tea" hospitality, but politeness, I guess. An openness to new people. I'm curious about how urban AA feels too. What about diversity? I miss the diversity (and good food!!!) of Kansas City.
Lastly, price. I live about 20 minutes from the UT campus (very good UT shuttle system allows this), and pay $727 a month for a 1/1 no utils included. This does include pet rent (I have a Fox Terrier). I can afford to stay in that range, although I'd prefer to go lower. For my dog and my sanity, I need about 700 sq.ft. How much on average do gas bills run in the winter?
Oh! I also am curious how open-minded AA is in regards to politics. I am a libertarian, which was fine in KS, but in Austin is like calling myself the devil. ha.
Thanks so much for your help!
Hey!
I used to live in Kansas City (1.5 years in Lenexa,KS) and was born and raised 20 minutes east of Ann Arbor. Here goes:
Ann Arbor will be very accepting that you are a libertarian. As far as "art shows" and things of that nature, I am not certain of specifics, but I know that Ann Arbor has a ton of Art Galleries/Huge Art Scene and does have the largest art fair, as a previous poster pointed out.
Ann Arbor is extremely liberal. You will find it a lot more liberal then Kansas City is. The food is great, I like Ann Arbor a lot better then Midtown/Westport in KC (Yes, I lived in Lenexa, but Johnson County is my version of "Hell on Earth", so I tried not to spend any time there).
The one thing to keep in Mind is that a lot of Ann Arbor, asides from the Students at U of M, is very yuppie and well-educated. (Ann Arbor proper). Think of it as a "soccer Mom who drives her Range Rover to Whole Foods, since Whole Foods is great for your body." It can be very hippie in parts and very yuppie, depending on where you are at.
Might I suggest a visit, maybe soon? Michigan winters are a lot more rough then Kansas City (Colder and more snow), so you will have to get acclimated to that. Good Luck!
I'm applying to various graduate schools this fall for an MFA in creative writing. I have spent the last two years living in Austin, TX where I am finishing up my Master's degree in English. Previous to Austin, I lived in Lawrence, KS (BA from the University of Kansas--rockchalk) and proudly hail from Kansas City.
My main concerns have to do with price and culture (both artistic and regional).
Being a Midwesterner, I've had a bit of a hard time transitioning to Austin--it seems an odd fusion of Texas "BIG Southern hospitality" and transplant LA glitz. Yes, the music scene is pervasive, but it borders on silly, in my opinion, mostly due to its ridiculous self-consciousness. Many many poseurs littering street corners. :-) Outnumbering the music group are what I would call milktoast white folk, and they fill much of 6th St. every weekend. The Greek community is insane at UT, which has to be the cleanest campus I've seen in my life. I find myself missing the brick and graffiti of Kansas City and the quiet hipsters and hippies of Lawrence.
What is the vibe of Ann Arbor? What is the "scene" like? How many shows a week could I expect? What about art shows? Are they mostly casual turn your house to a gallery and invite a friend's band shows or more gallery based or a mix? Besides being a writer, I'm interested in fashion (I make and sell new and vintage clothes), am a ceramicist, and a non-militant vegetarian. Are there good organic grocers in AA?
Is Ann Arbor friendly? I don't mean Southern "come on in and take your shoes off while I fix some sweet tea" hospitality, but politeness, I guess. An openness to new people. I'm curious about how urban AA feels too. What about diversity? I miss the diversity (and good food!!!) of Kansas City.
Lastly, price. I live about 20 minutes from the UT campus (very good UT shuttle system allows this), and pay $727 a month for a 1/1 no utils included. This does include pet rent (I have a Fox Terrier). I can afford to stay in that range, although I'd prefer to go lower. For my dog and my sanity, I need about 700 sq.ft. How much on average do gas bills run in the winter?
Oh! I also am curious how open-minded AA is in regards to politics. I am a libertarian, which was fine in KS, but in Austin is like calling myself the devil. ha.
Thanks so much for your help!
Ive lived in MI much of my life and used to visit Ann Arbor all the time even into 2004. Ann Arbor is known as being very liberal. Think Democratic. Ann Arbor does have a ton of organic grocery stores including one shop that specializes in deli food that is very good. I know they have a Whole Foods there. Ann Arbor I must warn you is extremely affluent, and the housing costs there are extremely high even for students. Many with less money live in Ypsilanti, but you have to be careful on what neighborhood you end up in, because it can be bad. Ann Abor, Ive heard is very much like Austin in politics, you would face the same thing there.
I had someone close to me and his friends try and break into music scene in Ann Arbor playing down at the ARK, but you will be facing some closed shop stuff. It is not an open laid back world, but an affluent one, where connections get you in.
The only thing I don't like about Ann Arbor is the winter. It is really cold. I remember once looking for an address, I couldn't find it and it was so cold that I just gave up.
I have zero fear of the cold. I actually prefer cold and snow to mild winters (KC gets below zero and snowy but our weather is so erratic that nothing lasts long).
I do have another question. How "bad" is Ypsilanti? Austin "bad" is not KC "bad"--far fewer murders, rapes, muggings but about equal breakins. Is Ypsilanti simply poor and a little sketch or seriously dangerous? Could I walk my dog after dark and not fear for my well-being? Will my car inevitably be stolen?
I have zero fear of the cold. I actually prefer cold and snow to mild winters (KC gets below zero and snowy but our weather is so erratic that nothing lasts long).
I do have another question. How "bad" is Ypsilanti? Austin "bad" is not KC "bad"--far fewer murders, rapes, muggings but about equal breakins. Is Ypsilanti simply poor and a little sketch or seriously dangerous? Could I walk my dog after dark and not fear for my well-being? Will my car inevitably be stolen?
Parts of Ypsilanti, are seriously bad, think crack dealers and gangs.
I had friends in college live there, and this was the early 90s, and lets just say the neighborhood they were in was really sketchy. There may be a few safe neighborhoods, but you hvae to be cautious, maybe near Eastern Michigan University would be best bet.
There are definitely places in Ypsilanti, you would be fearing for your well-being.
I have zero fear of the cold. I actually prefer cold and snow to mild winters (KC gets below zero and snowy but our weather is so erratic that nothing lasts long).
I do have another question. How "bad" is Ypsilanti? Austin "bad" is not KC "bad"--far fewer murders, rapes, muggings but about equal breakins. Is Ypsilanti simply poor and a little sketch or seriously dangerous? Could I walk my dog after dark and not fear for my well-being? Will my car inevitably be stolen?
Opinions of Ypsi will differ greatly with whom you ask, although there are GOOD and VERY BAD parts to the area. First, a truth that many don't know: A great deal of UM grad students commute from the west side of Ypsi into A2, however, if you do go far enough east (Past Eastern Michigan University) I would consider it "dangerous" as in, yes you would be robbed by gun point. There are nice middle class neighborhoods near EMU and points west, my advice..if you are looking at cheaper housing, stay west of EMU, you will live with a mix of grad students from both schools and have little problems.
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Lived in KC, From Metro Detroit, so here's my opinion
