sumariotter

I have just moved to Boston after visiting a number of other cities. I think Boston is the most beautiful city I’ve ever been to. The past is alive here—Boston feels like both a very very old city and a very modern one. It feels very European to me—although not having been to Europe I can’t really say that. It has narrow curving streets lined with brownstones and gorgeous old churches and tons of independent shops and restaurants. It is a multi-cultural stew—I love hearing so many different languages all around me, meeting so many Irish, Russian, Jewish, African-American, Latino etc. people. It has a diversity that I have only dreamed of before. I love that it is not on a grid—it is so beautifully complex. I love that it is easy to get around—between the T and the buses. There is no need to ever have a car here, in fact, a car is a distinct liability. There is so much going on here culturally—I love the fact that Boston has over 14 universities and colleges. What a smart city it is! I could talk about Boston all day but I’ve only been here 3 weeks so keep that in mind. I highly recommend visiting.

Savannah is very beautiful—it’s unbelievable how well-preserved the buildings are and the huge oak trees which canopy the city are gorgeous. It is very touristy although I’m sure when you live here you get used to that and find a whole different city underneath. I was looking for a place to live and for me Savannah seemed too formal. All dressed up in Sunday best…I was only here a few days in the winter. It felt like a very sleepy town—nobody hanging out in the beautiful public squares on a sunny bright mid-morning except for the tourists. I did go out at night here…and then realized that probably the locals were just sleeping in, because there seems to be a hopping night life :-) And it might be really different in the summer. The influence of SCAD is everywhere and that is cool—the art school seems to sprawl all over Savannah and I saw lots of young people with portfolios. Still, it seemed to me that unless you are going to SCAD, are a professional, a tourist, or a well-off retiree that Savannah doesn’t have that much to offer. It does not seem to have a lot of inexpensive cafes/coffeeshops/used bookstores/cooperatives—the kind of things I look for in a town.There is a small eco-scene but you really have to look for it. On the positive side, it does seem like a gay/lesbian friendly place. Savannah’s downtown is very easy to get around without a car—I loved that. And the people here are really friendly.

Asheville has a stunning downtown. It’s really well-designed and beautiful. Downtown is easy to get around without a car, but in general I think it would be much easier to live here with a car, unless you are an avid cyclist, because many of the things you will need/want to do will not be downtown. I stayed in West Asheville in the hostel and although I had heard it was very walkable I didn’t find it very pedestrian friendly myself. The buses run once an hour and only the poor people take the bus. I liked Asheville but didn’t feel drawn to move there. To me it felt like a rich resort town—-with an interesting mix of wealthy new-agey folks, hippies, and poor people. It’s definitely a mountain community. I think that if you love the outdoors this is probably a great place to live. If you are into bluegrass music and mountain culture you’ll love it. I love that it is gay and lesbian friendly, I’ve heard it has a great music/art scene, and it is definitely eco-friendly. I would love to visit again in the spring and fall. Overall I think it’s a really cool small mountain town although not what I was looking for.