The U.P.
Robby and I are moving here to Marquette, Michigan, home of Northern Michigan University: 
Marquette, looks like this about about four months out of the year:
The rest of the year it looks like this:
We went up there to find housing this past weekend and met with success. The Northern most part of Michigan is called the Upper Peninsula or the U.P. I am forbidden by Robby to refer to the area as the U.P. A resident of the U.P. can be referred to as a "Yooper." Restrictions on alcohol are not as harsh as down here. You can buy liquor anywhere you can buy beer, and wow are the locally brewed beers FANTASTIC. Michigan hops are free and you can taste the difference!
Most of the people we encountered sounded like extras from Fargo. I will probably talk like an extra from Fargo within a week. Well, an extra that says y'all.
A local bakery called Babycakes, just like the NYC vegan bakery of the same name, bakes vegan three days a week. They have a co-op in Marquette and the local public library was "hoppin'" while were there. A large portion of the community seems to be very environmentally minded. Sulfide mining is a problem in the area, as is unemployment. Marquette has some pretty neat local publications such as the Marquette Monthly which has a TON of local information for newcomers like Robby and I. All in all, if we can survive the winter months, I think it is going to be an enjoyable place to live.
Pictures coming soon!
Cheers! Say yah to da U.P., eh?
Marquette, looks like this about about four months out of the year:
The rest of the year it looks like this:
We went up there to find housing this past weekend and met with success. The Northern most part of Michigan is called the Upper Peninsula or the U.P. I am forbidden by Robby to refer to the area as the U.P. A resident of the U.P. can be referred to as a "Yooper." Restrictions on alcohol are not as harsh as down here. You can buy liquor anywhere you can buy beer, and wow are the locally brewed beers FANTASTIC. Michigan hops are free and you can taste the difference!
Most of the people we encountered sounded like extras from Fargo. I will probably talk like an extra from Fargo within a week. Well, an extra that says y'all.
A local bakery called Babycakes, just like the NYC vegan bakery of the same name, bakes vegan three days a week. They have a co-op in Marquette and the local public library was "hoppin'" while were there. A large portion of the community seems to be very environmentally minded. Sulfide mining is a problem in the area, as is unemployment. Marquette has some pretty neat local publications such as the Marquette Monthly which has a TON of local information for newcomers like Robby and I. All in all, if we can survive the winter months, I think it is going to be an enjoyable place to live.
Pictures coming soon!
Cheers! Say yah to da U.P., eh?