piroshki

Palijandro, that reminds me - I've heard that the Cuyahoga river (I think that's spelled correctly) has had major pollution issues in the past. That feeds into the lake, yes? What's the story now, are the beaches swimable? Is that a common activity?

Holy crap! You guys are AMAZING. Thanks so much for your thoughtful replies, each of you! To respond to what was discussed: -I'm in Seattle currently. Neighborhoods that are my speed are along the lines of Capitol Hill, Ballard, Wallingford, & Fremont. -Ethnic and cultural diversity is super important! I'm ethnically Russian, and also really enjoy any sort of international foods. -Looking at rental postings, one of my concerns was the 'cheap but not safe' factor. I'll be making a trip out in July to find a place, so I guess the best thing to do is just see it for myself! It's also good to know that the majority of rentals aren't posted online. I'll be sure to drive around and look for signs! -Rockandroller, thanks for so much information! Coming from the northwest, the gray definitely won't bother me. But I'll be sure to get some proper cold weather attire. -I will definitely look at the photo tours. Whoever thought of that idea is a genius, and I am very appreciative! Here's another probably ridiculous question - having visited the area once (for admission interviews), I couldn't get over just how flat it is. What's with that? I can see that being a legitimate adjustment issue. Where do you guys get in touch with nature without mountains? Actually, I guess that's not even a question, just more of a...wtf... :laugh:

Hi there! I'll be starting grad school at Case Western in August, and I'm so glad to have found this forum - I know nothing about the midwest, let alone Ohio/Cleveland! For the moment I'm trying to figure out where I should be looking to live and just trying to wrap my mind around what it's like to live in the midwest in general. I would love some pointers about neighborhoods and living in ohio. Some context: -I have lived on the west coast my entire life. I currently live in a large city in the pacific northwest. I am a single woman who will be living alone, with no pets. (though the option later on would be nice!) -The main factors that are most important to me are: a safe neighborhood, quick/easy commute to Case, parking, and nearby services (grocery, coffee, bars, restaurants, etc.) -Some extras that would be great: indoor parking, in building laundry, a deck/balcony, maybe a den/extra room. -I'm not sure how much in loans I'm going to receive just yet, but I'm willing to spend a little more to ensure a decent quality of life, cut down on unnecessary stress, etc. I'm guessing the high end of my range would be $700-750. Also, I'm willing to extend my commute a little bit to get more for my money...around a 20 minute drive would probably be the limit. Some questions: -I've heard from some locals that public transit is rarely utilized, and can be unsafe. How true do you consider this? -Looking at apartment listings, I've noticed some features advertised that I'm not familiar with at all. For example, storm windows. What do they do, and why are they important? -It seems like a lot of the rentals are done through major realty companies. Are there any ones that are especially good and/or good to avoid? -So far the neighborhoods I've been pointed to are the 'heights' surrounding university circle: shaker heights, university heights, cleveland heights, etc. Any words about the distinct characteristics/personality of these neighborhoods? -For those of you who left milder climates, is there anything I should know about? I've heard the winter can be kind of insane. -Honestly, I'm a little apprehensive about picking up and moving to an entirely new region. If any of the long-distance transplants could share their experiences, and what they love about cleveland, that would be really helpful! Thanks so much in advance, everyone! I know some of these questions are probably ridiculous...but I'm a planner and there's a lot to plan for with this upcoming move! :)