FAQs
frequently asked
questions
what is monoho?
( what is monoho? ) ( new to western mass? ) ( other questions? ) top
let's get to know
monoho,
shall we?
1. just what is
'monoho' ?
SHORT ANSWER: monoho is an
informal social group that helps
connect gay men in western Mass and surrounding
areas. monoho
members communicate through the Yahoo! Group,
while this site
provides an easy-to-browse guide to the area.
2. what area does monoho cover ?
SHORT ANSWER: While monoho centers around Northampton,
this
group is for ALL GAY MEN in western
Mass, upper CT, lower VT ...
even upstate NY or NH. It's based out of Northampton, but it is for
everyone.
3. how in the heck do you pronounce monoho ?
SHORT ANSWER: monoho is pronounced "muh NO ho".
4. how does this website relate to the yahoo group ?
The monoho Yahoo Group and the monoho
website work
together, but they are not the same thing. Read on! ...
5. OK, I get it ... so how do I join?
Please calm down, sir, someone will
be right with you.
Simply click here!
new to western mass?
( what is monoho? ) ( new to western mass? ) ( other questions? ) top
exploring the area for the first time? ...
...
don't feel lost.
just check out our:
· local activities
· community
board
·
yahoo notices
plus, there's more
info below ...
the monoho map
check out the lay of the land
This
map should give you a pretty good idea of the area we try to keep on
top of (ahem). Though monoho was started in north-ampton, ma, we
cover events for gay
men anywhere in western Mass, upper CT, lower VT, or occasionally
in New Hampshire or upstate New York.
northampton
sorta like "northern exposure" meets starbucks ...
“This small city [Northampton] offers more restaurants and shops, certainly more galleries, theaters and performance venues than most urban centers dozens of times its size. Add two rivers, mountain views, landscaped parks and meadow walks, and you begin to see why people call it paradise.”
–The Boston Globe
OK, now that we've got our
fancy bragging rights out of the way ... the Northampton area really
is the cultural "center" of western Mass. Part of this is geographic
(see map above) and part of this
owes to the fact that there are 5 major colleges in the area. This
more than anything creates a lively energetic artistic cultural
academic musical community. Over the last few decades, people from
Boston and New York have been gradually migrating to western Mass,
attracted by both the rural charm and urban sophistication.
Housing is, well, still relatively affordable (compared to
urban gay centers), but neighboring towns are quickly becoming the
"boroughs," where more affordable homes and industrial spaces are
available for artists, musicians, younger couples, single folks ...
whoever.
Anyway, the point is Northampton has the best of both worlds--a sophisticated rural lifestyle
and all the cultural, artistic, academic, and business amenities of a
much larger city.
Northampton also features one of the most vibrant downtown centers in New England, offering a unique blend of independent retail shops, eclectic restaurants and cafes, art galleries, museums, clubs, and theaters, earning its name as “Number One Best Small Arts Town in America” by author John Villani, and one of the “Top 25 Arts Destinations” in the nation by American Style magazine.
Northampton
has retained much of its historic character in its downtown, its
residential neighborhoods, and the smaller commercial village centers of
Florence and Leeds
(see the
Visitor's Guide). Northampton is also located in the heart of a
lively college community
that includes Smith College, the
University of Massachusetts, Amherst College, Hampshire College, and Mount Holyoke College.
The Five Colleges are host to a wide array of educa-tional, cultural, arts, theater, and music events
... which then draws in the guys who prefer such things (which I
am assum-ing includes both you and me).
the pioneer valley
a river runs through it
Western Massachusetts is
a great place to live! The outdoors offers myriad activities
year-round: hiking, boating, swimming in the lakes
and rivers,
kayaking, organized sports, and festivals galore. Arts and
entertainment include theater, music, and first-class museums.
There are small artsy cities like Northampton and Amherst,
bigger cities like Springfield, and lots of surrounding rural
areas.
The Pioneer Valley is the area surrounding the Connecticut River, as it courses through Western Mass. It is an area of post-industrial riverside cities (that are continually gentrifying and housing artists), fertile river plains still used for farming, and picturesque mountain ranges, great for hiking and exploring. In summer, there are some great swimming holes, though most of them lie a little further north. There is also a great ever-expanding system of bike trails in the northampton/easthampton area, as well as lots of river activities like boating and kayaking.
other questions?
( what is monoho? ) ( new to western mass? ) ( other questions? ) top
got questions?
you can talk to me.
For general questions, membership questions,
or
advertising questions ... or even comments about the website
(which I just know will be all fawning and wonderful), please contact the
monoho webmaster at:
askmonoho@gmail.com.
thanks for visiting the site!
ken molnar,
your friendly neighborhood webmaster
