Iowa City

Eeeesh....can anyone talk to me about Iowa City? I'm considering entering a year-long grad program there...it looks like it's in the middle of nowhere (well, yes, it's in IOWA...). But is it livable? Is there anyplace fun within easy driving distance? My other options are in New Haven and rural Ohio, which aren't too enticing, either.

• I had sex with a 73-year-old bus driver there.

• I sort of passed through there years ago, probably not long enough to form an accurate impression, but I recall it being not unpleasant; it is the old state capitol before Des Moines and the old statehouse I think is a nice example of Greek Revival. I recall I ate at a very nice restaurant there and it seemed clean and well run--wish I could give you more to go on. I think that was the first time I had been in Iowa and I had the impression alot of people have of Iowa, pigs, pigshit and corn, but it can be surprising if you give it a fair chance; I think the Amana colonies are nearby if you are into that sort of thing.

  anonymous

• It's a town with a pretty decent university, not a place like say ... Wasilla! And you're only there for a year - how bad can it be? If I managed two years in central Maine, you should be fine.

• "I'm considering entering a year-long grad program there" Good for you, very few people in their sixties would even consider such a move.

• It's a lot more liberal than you might think. And it's not that far from Chicago.

• Have you folks forgotten about that uber liberal senator from Iowa, Tom Harkin? Iowa City is a lovely college town, summertime is fun in Iowa City with its wonderful farmer's market. Where is the location in rural Ohio, OP?

• It's no Des Moines (aka the Paris of the Plains)!

• Gay marriage before New York. A great city for hospitals and the sciences. Iowans are nice people and well educated. Go there over Ohio any day.

• What will you be studying, OP?

• New Haven is close to NYC. Consider that...

• It's actually a pretty nice place, OP. Especially around campus there are a lot of local shops and places to eat. It's not bad at all. Flat at a board and cold as fuck in the winter (especially the wind chill) but not nearly as desolate as you would think. Visit it and hang out before you decide.

• It's very pleasant. It feels like a college town - nice coffee shops and bookstores and a decent theater or two. I'd have no problem living there for a year.

• [quote]It feels like a college town How odd!

• I'm there frequently. There is a large teaching hospital, the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics so there are many young medical students and doctors. There's Coralville Lake for boating/sailing and the Iowa Hawkeyes. The weather can be very cold (-30 windchill)however the weather has been much milder the last couple of years. The summers are hot and very humid. Last year we had close to a record breaking hot summer with many days in the 90s. I consider the Univ of Iowa campus hilly. It's right off Interstate 80 but not near any bigger cities that have more to offer. It's the opposite if NYC.

• New Haven is not that bad 1,5 hours by train to NYC - 10 minutes away is a really cute/safe shoreline town called Branford. I would go to school there but not live there.

  could%20not%20pay%20me%20to%20go%20to%20iowa.

• [quote]There's Coralville Lake for boating/sailing and the Iowa Hawkeyes. The weather can be very cold (-30 windchill)however the weather has been much milder the last couple of years. The summers are hot and very humid. Last year we had close to a record breaking hot summer with many days in the 90s. In other words: FLEE! FLEE for your life!

• New Haven -- the one where Yale is? What does it take to "entice" you, OP?

• It's a college town. Why don't people understand what that means?

• I think it's basically pleasant but I'm not college age or gay. Although I don't have any statistics I'm guessing it's more liberal than many other spots in the Midwest because of the university and I remember merchants saying on the news that they welcomed the gay couples getting married there. However, the surrounding farming area is pretty conservative. I'm sure you've Googled information about gay organizations and bars. I can't shed any light on that.

• You're debating between going to grad school at Iowa, some school in Ohio or Yale... Hmm, I wonder which is the better option. IC is not close to Chicago, it's a four hour drive. I visited friends who went to school there and I absolutely hated it. The bars were gross, even for college standards. There are only one or two restaurants worth visiting. The only way they have fun is football games and there's one gay bar (that is not worth visiting). Typical Big Ten environment. You couldn't pay me to even visit again.

  Anonymous

• I live in a college town in the middle of nowhere, not one in the Midwest. I like it a lot. I will advise the OP to make sure he has a decent car before he makes the move. Riding one's bike around town is all very well, but a good car is your lifeline to the wider world.

• Standard & Poor's (S&P) is an American financial services company. It is a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies that publishes financial research and analysis on stocks and bonds. S&P is known for its stock market indices such as the U.S.-based S&P 500,

• Why don't you give Iowa a try?

  Ethel%20Toffelmier

• I never understood the term "college town" either nor the term "college age"--anyone can attend a college whatever the age, some people attend college when they are in their retirement, that is, usually in their 50s, 60s or even 70s. "College age" seems to be part of this effort to infantilize everyone well into their 20s. Oh, he's college age and I recall so well when he was just kindergarten age. And he lives in a "dorm" (god forbid it should be called a dormitory once or twice).

  anonymous

• I used to work for a company that managed senior living facilities. One of our properties was in Iowa City. I heard it has the highest gay population per capita in the US. Coincidentally the director of that facility was gay and his boyfriend worked there as well.

• ummm 'college town' is a town with a large university in it. Maybe you should go back to school.

• Did you get into the Iowa Writer's Workshop? If so, are they funding you?

• My dad went to the writing workshop in the 70s. He would high tail it back to Connecticut at every opportunity.

• I live in Iowa City. Extremely gay friendly. Plenty of decent local restaurants rather than chains. Terrific farmer's market in the summer. Lots of outdoor concerts, local bands that play in the bars, thriving bookstores, clean parks and a great dog park. Nice art shops and a couple good museums. Good local theatre productions and concerts in small venues. A co-op grocery that rivals Whole Foods, and lots of quaint antique/collectible stores to shop in. Of course there is Starbucks, but the locally-owned coffee places and other shops have much more to offer. Not a lot of crime. If you live downtown all you need is a bicycle to get around. One of the most successful city planners is gay and has gone to great efforts to introduce modern living and restaurarants in the area. Certainly not NYC, but enough diversity. People are friendly. Cheap place to live, too. Des Moines just two hours away for bigger concerts, symphony, theatre.

• It's a great place for gay people. Having said that, IC is a big magnet for writers because there's not much to do.

• [quote]I never understood the term "college town" either nor the term "college age" I can help. A college town is a town with a college in it. College age refers to the age of someone in college, traditionally 18-22.

• I've lived in both Iowa City and New Haven, OP, and there is no comparison. New Haven is hugely improved and improving; very close to NY; great restaurants, bars, coffee houses, etc.; great new art museum, etc. Iowa City is a college town strikingly untouched by the college that's in it. It's not near anything else that's interesting, and it's cold as fck. The bigger issue, assuming you're at the university, is that it's a fish bowl -- everyone will know every move you make every minute of every day. You will have to make your peace with that.

• Iowa City is a very nice, charming little city. I would go there in a heart beat. It has many big city advantages at an inexpensive cost. I love it. And Chicago isn't too far away. You won't feel isolated there. You may actually feel liberated there. And gay marriage is legal in Iowa.

• Every time I've asked someone about New Haven they recommend not going off campus into the surroundings.

• I did time at Yale. I'd say consider New Haven. Might be a little boring, but at least you're only a train ride away from Boston and New York.

• Everyone there and in the surrounding towns is not exactly like you. Stay away.

  Typical%20Gay