tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post115276104108711918..comments2024-03-28T02:14:08.783-07:00Comments on THE MFA BLOG: Literary Cities: Small to Medium StyleTom Kealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11913868167191023096noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-36269426422212760992008-11-14T14:23:00.000-08:002008-11-14T14:23:00.000-08:00I'll throw my two-cents behind Portland, OR. There...I'll throw my two-cents behind Portland, OR. There is a great arts culture here and one of the best Zine cultures in the states. Lots of writers, small indie publishing houses, and amazing bookstores (yay Powells). <BR/><BR/>www.portlandfiction.netSpencerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05658511530726826665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-1153351808735566892006-07-19T16:30:00.000-07:002006-07-19T16:30:00.000-07:00About Pittsburgh:I'm a little biased because I'm a...About Pittsburgh:<BR/>I'm a little biased because I'm a local and we Pittsburghers are notoriously in love with (and overzealous about) our hometown, but Pittsburgh is a fantastic smallish city with a great literary presence. First, there are the reading series at Pitt, CMU, Chatham, and Carlow, the Drue Heinz Lecture Series (bringing in heavy hitters like Joan Didion and Arthur Miller), and the Gist Street Reading Series (probably the coziest & most community-minded reading series I've ever known, bringing in Tomasz Salamun, Jean Valentine, and many others). Lots of writing students = lots of fantastic used books for cheap when the semester is over, two well-reputed university presses, and this is only the tip of the iceberg. Also, it must be said that the cost of living is ridiculously low, and that, sometimes, can make all the difference.<BR/><BR/>And yeah, look out for those potholes. And that erratic driving.Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14412390957747817516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-1153068983261208572006-07-16T09:56:00.000-07:002006-07-16T09:56:00.000-07:00RE: PittsburghI can't speak about the literary sce...RE: Pittsburgh<BR/><BR/>I can't speak about the literary scene, because I was otherwise occupied during my two years there. However, da Burg does have a healthy theatre, music and art scene, so I would not be surprised if the literary life is above average as well. It's not a bad city, and it's easy to escape into the mountains. <BR/><BR/>Beware the car-eating potholes in winter and the "Pittsburgh left"!jaywalkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16674338232465086024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-1152825459228654232006-07-13T14:17:00.000-07:002006-07-13T14:17:00.000-07:00I would second the vote for Seattle. It's a real ...I would second the vote for Seattle. It's a real city (which means it has a vibrant and varied artistic life) without the mean people. The random acts of decency and kindness I experienced while living in Seattle just boggled my Midwestern-origin, East Coast-steeped, Southern-infused mind.<BR/><BR/>The Pacific NW holds the promise of California, but with different weather. I say different, not better. Yup, lived in both. Seattle has more snow, but fewer flakes.jaywalkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16674338232465086024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-1152813798437742112006-07-13T11:03:00.000-07:002006-07-13T11:03:00.000-07:00I currently live in New York (going on 7 years) an...I currently live in New York (going on 7 years) and am attending a MFA program. I'm often day dreaming about where I will end up after NYC. Ultimately, I'll end up where I get a teaching job but ideally I'd be in Austin, San Franscisco, Portland, Maine, Portland, Oregon, Ann Arbor or Iowa City. Never been to Vancouver but have always been curious.branbrugehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11949656159554477496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-1152813750998905982006-07-13T11:02:00.000-07:002006-07-13T11:02:00.000-07:00I wrote an article last year about Seattle's lit s...I wrote an article last year about Seattle's lit scene for a local magazine. We have tons of readings and a great poetry-only bookstore called Open Books. <BR/>http://www.seattlewomanmagazine.com/november05-3.htm<BR/>(Okay, commercial over ;)Jeanninehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16419593830749483323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-1152809966838354532006-07-13T09:59:00.000-07:002006-07-13T09:59:00.000-07:00boston (and surrounding suburbs). it's new york-l...boston (and surrounding suburbs). it's new york-lite.dangerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02705632943847175107noreply@blogger.com