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Yeah, the sizes are different. But it's really the culture/personality of Pittsburgh that I'm interested in understanding. It's not an odd comparison for me b/c I'm debating on where to live b/twn the two. I loved Pittsburgh when visiting 6 years ago, but there is only so much a person can see & understand about a city when on vacation.
Regulars in the City vs City forum thinks everyone is criteria for the better city is automatically the Bigger the Better.....a city can never be too big to most on here.
I see we have bunch of Seattle homers that never stepped foot in Current day Pittsburgh...
I have travelled to Seattle on Business twice and stayed mostly in the core Downtown but did some riding around...
1 - Seattle is hardly what I'd call a "Tourist" city
2 - Pittsburgh has vibrant, lively, pulsating neighborhoods bustling with activity day and night, outside of Seattle's downtown it was all sleeper residential neighborhoods some looking quite suburbish.
3 - Seattle's downtown the 2 times Ive visited was Pretty dead this may have been because it was a Monday and Tuesday night both times. Again Pittsburgh's downtown is no Manhattan, but atleast what's missing downtown is made up for in its neighborhoods.
4 - Both Pittsburgh and Seattle are Very Lush and Green....I like that alot
5 - Pittsburgh has tons of bike trails, where's Seattle's biking its more integrated into the streets...both are very Outdoorsy cities.
6 - Both have top notch College Institutions.
7 - Pittsburgh still have remnants of a once Very Old Industrial city, that is now grown into into a pretty modern city while retaining that grit....where's Seattle was pretty modern right from the beginning.
8 - Seattle and Pittsburgh are mostly Bus operated Public Transit systems, Pittsburgh's however is suffering from The Old Boys political system where politicians think Pittsburgh can survive with reduced transit and everyone jamming into their cars to get everywhere...While Seattle's did seem more progressive and extensive, which I'm a strong advocate of..
9 - Pittsburgh is Sports Red meat eating city....Seattle its more of a Geeky Tech (not that there anything wrong with that) Crunchy city...
10 - Pittsburgh from what I hear has a better Music scene, didnt get to sample Seattles...
11 - Both Cities get alot of Rain and I do mean ALOT, but Pittsburgh has a more brutal Winter to contend with.
12 - Coffee i'd give the edge ever so slightly to Seattle because it is the home of Starbucks which dominates the Burgh...but Pittsburgh also has a ton of Indies as well as Dunkin Donuts making a resurgence.
13 - Seattle is more Transient than the Burgh
I hear all the time Pittsburgh is the East's Portland/Seattle just with more grit....
Hold on, is this a joke? I have a hard time believing you spent much time in Seattle considering your post.
To address your points:
2) The neighborhoods immediately surrounding downtown Seattle are Queen Anne, Capitol Hill, Belltown, Chinatown/ID, and South Lake Union (SLU). All of them are vibrant, exciting neighborhoods with great restaurants and (with the exception of SLU) awesome nightlife. None of them have single family homes, except for maybe the far north section of Capitol Hill.
Then spread throughout the city you've got over two dozen "urban villages", such as Fremont, Ballard, Wallingford, University District, Columbia City, Phinney/Greenwood, West Seattle Junction, etc. etc. These are all walkable neighborhood centers with restaurants, nightlife, grocery stores, and tons of other amenities. They all have decent foot traffic and some, like Ballard and the U District, feel just as crowded and vibrant as the inner neighborhoods.
When I was in Pittsburgh, I didn't come across too many neighborhoods that could match that. The rowhouse infrastructure was there, but -aside form East Carson and a couple other areas - they did not feel nearly as vibrant to me.
3) As for downtown Seattle, I find it offers more than Pittsburgh. First of all, it's a lot bigger and has a lot more sections. The area around Westlake is far more pulsating than any part of downtown Pittsburgh that I've seen. There are areas of downtown Seattle that have the hustle and bustle feel of a pretty good size city, and I never felt that in Pittsburgh. You've got the Pike Place Market, The Waterfront, The West Edge, Westlake, Financial District, etc. While downtown proper may die down for the most part at night (with some pockets of notable exception) there are great nightlife areas in Capitol HIll and Belltown within easy reach.
10) Music - Seattle has a ton of great venues, everything from top notch theatres to the crappiest dive bars and cafes. The city is littered with music venues. As for the current music scene, Im not crazy about a lot of it, but there are some great bands and a ton of choices every night if you want to see live music. I don't know enough about Pittsburgh's venues and scene, but I'd be impressed if they could match Seattle's.
12) The coffee part is what really makes me uncertain that you've ever been to Seattle. Because the first thing you notice when you get to Seattle is that there are tons and tons of independant coffee shops and cafes everywhere. Starbucks and Tullys arent even on the map for coffee drinkers. Seattle is consistantly voted the best coffee city in the country and there's a very good reason for that. The standards are extraordinarily high and there are so many places to go for a great cup of coffee or a truly world-class espresso.
Your other points made sense, but, man, you were way off base in the ones I mentioned above!
I hate Seattle. I spent 3 weeks there once and will never go back. It drizzled the entire time, was bone-chilling cold, and the people were the most miserable and nasty I ever experienced.
Wow you're Homer-ism is shining bright isn't it....and clearly you've never been to Pittsburgh as the OP asked for opinions from people who have knowledge of BOTH Cities...
Been to Pittsburgh many times. Hell I bought a driver in Mars years ago for crying out loud. still have the damned thing.
I see you haven't responded to any of the facts I've presented by the way. And yet you claim I'm being a homer?
Please, let's all be nice. I really don't want this thread to be shut down. Everyone will have a different perspective of each city, and I appreciate that. I can glean important info just reading b/twn the lines sometimes, so every post is valuable.
I hate Seattle. I spent 3 weeks there once and will never go back. It drizzled the entire time, was bone-chilling cold, and the people were the most miserable and nasty I ever experienced.
Hold on, is this a joke? I have a hard time believing you spent much time in Seattle considering your post.
To address your points:
2) The neighborhoods immediately surrounding downtown Seattle are Queen Anne, Capitol Hill, Belltown, Chinatown/ID, and South Lake Union (SLU). All of them are vibrant, exciting neighborhoods with great restaurants and (with the exception of SLU) awesome nightlife. None of them have single family homes, except for maybe the far north section of Capitol Hill.
Ok so immediately surrounding downtown, maybe that why I mistaked it for Downtown..mybad
Quote:
Then spread throughout the city you've got over two dozen "urban villages", such as Fremont, Ballard, Wallingford, University District, Columbia City, Phinney/Greenwood, West Seattle Junction, etc. etc. These are all walkable neighborhood centers with restaurants, nightlife, grocery stores, and tons of other amenities. They all have decent foot traffic and some, like Ballard and the U District, feel just as crowded and vibrant as the inner neighborhoods.
When I was in Pittsburgh, I didn't come across too many neighborhoods that could match that. The rowhouse infrastructure was there, but -aside form East Carson and a couple other areas - they did not feel nearly as vibrant to me.
3) As for downtown Seattle, I find it offers more than Pittsburgh. First of all, it's a lot bigger and has a lot more sections. The area around Westlake is far more pulsating than any part of downtown Pittsburgh that I've seen. There are areas of downtown Seattle that have the hustle and bustle feel of a pretty good size city, and I never felt that in Pittsburgh. You've got the Pike Place Market, The Waterfront, The West Edge, Westlake, Financial District, etc. While downtown proper may die down for the most part at night (with some pockets of notable exception) there are great nightlife areas in Capitol HIll and Belltown within easy reach.
Again anyone who been to Pittsburgh extensively knows that its a city of neighborhoods and that its pulse doesn't just center on its Downtown...Pittsburgh's source for activity lies thoughout the city, as I've illistrated for you in the links above.
Quote:
10) Music - Seattle has a ton of great venues, everything from top notch theatres to the crappiest dive bars and cafes. The city is littered with music venues. As for the current music scene, Im not crazy about a lot of it, but there are some great bands and a ton of choices every night if you want to see live music. I don't know enough about Pittsburgh's venues and scene, but I'd be impressed if they could match Seattle's.
That's what alot of people say who underestimate Pittsburgh greatly, as alot of you guys are doing.
Quote:
12) The coffee part is what really makes me uncertain that you've ever been to Seattle. Because the first thing you notice when you get to Seattle is that there are tons and tons of independant coffee shops and cafes everywhere. Starbucks and Tullys arent even on the map for coffee drinkers. Seattle is consistantly voted the best coffee city in the country and there's a very good reason for that. The standards are extraordinarily high and there are so many places to go for a great cup of coffee or a truly world-class espresso.
I did notice that, but I gave the edge to Seattle because it has a coffeechain that has gone national including its domination in the Burgh....
I doubt you recently been to Pittsburgh or seen it at all...Coffee joints are EVERYWHERE even in the Ghettos again not only is Starbucks everywhere but Pittsburgh also has a TON of Indies, with Dunkin Donuts and a handfull of Local Chains.
Quote:
Your other points made sense, but, man, you were way off base in the ones I mentioned above!
Been to Pittsburgh many times. Hell I bought a driver in Mars years ago for crying out loud. still have the damned thing.
I see you haven't responded to any of the facts I've presented by the way. And yet you claim I'm being a homer?
That Cheerleading of Seattle is what you call facts? You know nothing of Pittsburgh and have proven that.
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