Why did/do Seattle people love to BASH the East Side? (Tacoma: house, high school)

[PollyGlott]

Originally Posted by fnh

I don't have anything against the eastside suburbs, I have a suburban home in another city, but I am genuinely curious about why people are going over there without living or working there. DH worked in Redmond before when we lived in Seattle full-time so it isn't like we are completely unfamiliar with the eastside, but that was mostly before kids. Now I go to Bellevue mainly for the Container Store, very occasionally for the botanical garden, but otherwise I don't know of a reason to cross the bridges. What am I missing?
Also, I don't really hear much eastside bashing. I think it is a non-issue.

You are right, it's like so many other "issues" people bring up on these threads - sigh...

[BATCAT]

Originally Posted by fnh

but otherwise I don't know of a reason to cross the bridges. What am I missing?

The Container Store!!!



I am serious.

[benleis]

There's a Container Store at South Center now as well.
Ben

[SeahawksLOB]

I’m a long time lurker but decided to sign up since this is a topic that hits close to home. If you would indulge me for a bit, I’d like to give some background. I grew up in North Seattle and moved to the Eastside after college to be closer to my job. My extended network of friends from the UW primarily chose Seattle or Bellevue to call home depending on their own personal situations (family, work, lifestyle, etc). Gradually over time a rift started to develop between the “Westsiders” and “Eastsiders” mainly due to the disdain that the Westsiders developed for the Eastside as they became more ingrained into their new neighborhoods and their unwillingness to ever cross the lake. As another poster eloquently posted earlier in this thread, many Eastsiders treat the entire King County as one large city and have no qualms about visiting other parts of the area while many Seattle residents have a superiority complex where they don’t ever want to leave the city limits.

I also think that much of the disdain and hatred for Bellevue are based off of outdated stereotypes. I will admit that prior to moving here I hadn’t spent much time in Bellevue and my perception of it was similar to how many of the Bellevue bashers describe it. While there is some truth behind every stereotype, the majority of them are unfounded when describing the modern day Bellevue.

•Bellevue is full of rich snobby white people – False. Bellevue is actually one of the most diverse cities in the state. The Crossroads/Lake Hills area (98007 zip code) is on par with the Rainier Valley for its ethnic diversity. As far as the rich and snobby part, there’s probably a small subset that matches that description but they make up just a tiny fraction of the general population and exist in every city. If someone visited Seattle and only saw Magnolia, Madison Park, and Upper Queen Anne they would likely have come across these types as well.

•Bellevue is full of conservative right winged Bible huggers – This is false to a certain degree. Kemper Freeman is a staunch Republican and Mars Hill Church sits prominently in the center of downtown but the city as a whole has traditionally voted blue over the past few decades. Initiatives to legalize gay marriage and marijuana both passed in Bellevue during the last election. Even Kemper’s grip on the City Council has loosened as they defied him by supporting bringing Light Rail to downtown Bellevue

•Downtown Bellevue is bland and only has chain restaurants – False. Sure, if you only stick around the mall you’ll find the typical national chains (Cheesecake Factory, PF Chang’s, Palomino, Rock Bottom) but guess what? All these chains have locations in Downtown Seattle too. DT Bellevue may not have the eclectic bistros that are all the rage in Capitol Hill or Ballard but there is a respectable lineup of locally owned and independent restaurants that is growing every year.

•No one walks and you have to drive everywhere – This is true but there are growing pockets of walkable neighborhoods on the Eastside. Downtown Bellevue is continuing to get more pedestrian friendly while other cities such as Kirkland, Redmond, and Bothell have very walkable and quaint downtowns. Seattle does have more walkable neighborhoods but how are people getting from one to another? Mainly by car as well.

I know my post is starting to sound like a Seattle vs Eastside comparison but what I’m trying to prove is that they’re not all that different. I feel the negative parts of the Eastside are put under a microscope while these same attributes in Seattle are disregarded. Can’t we all just get along?

[MmeZeeZee]

"Hate" is a strong word.

I always thought of this as a good-natured rivalry.

Sure, teenagers are going to have these rivalries and it's fair to say that KingCo High School sports league sees a lot of trash talk along these lines.

But most adults know people on both sides of the lake and it's really not a big deal. In most cases it comes down to walkability to a park vs. a yard you can actually run around in, and guess what? Some of us have both, not only in Seattle, but on the Eastside.

Also, the best Indian food is on the Eastside, but Seattle has better Thai, hands down. That's just my personal opinion.

[SeahawksLOB]

Originally Posted by MmeZeeZee

Also, the best Indian food is on the Eastside, but Seattle has better Thai, hands down. That's just my personal opinion.

I'd have to disagree about the Thai food. I'd say it's even on both sides of the lake as there are several standout Thai joints on the Eastside. Seattle does have better Vietnamese, Chinese, and sushi while the north and south ends have the best Korean.

[MmeZeeZee]

Originally Posted by SeahawksLOB

I'd have to disagree about the Thai food. I'd say it's even on both sides of the lake as there are several standout Thai joints on the Eastside. Seattle does have better Vietnamese, Chinese, and sushi while the north and south ends have the best Korean.

This debate is actually much more informative than the cliquey "ick a minivan" pseudo-debate. I feel like the Thai joints on the Eastside are too Americanized, too greasy, and less fresh spices. Where do you go for Thai?

For Indian I think Oh! cannot be beat for the price, but it has very mixed reviews on Yelp so maybe I got a good day. There is better Indian, but not for the price. Also it's pretty authentic, for better and for worse.

[flyingsaucermom]

Originally Posted by MmeZeeZee

This debate is actually much more informative than the cliquey "ick a minivan" pseudo-debate. I feel like the Thai joints on the Eastside are too Americanized, too greasy, and less fresh spices. Where do you go for Thai?

For Indian I think Oh! cannot be beat for the price, but it has very mixed reviews on Yelp so maybe I got a good day. There is better Indian, but not for the price. Also it's pretty authentic, for better and for worse.

A Bai Tong just opened up in Issaquah Highlands. I'm not a foodie, but I think it's really good. When we lived in N. Seattle we liked Chaiyo in Pinehurst/Northgate quite a bit, mostly because it was a little cheaper. Similan in Issaquah is also good, but I like Bai Tong even more.

[SeahawksLOB]

Originally Posted by MmeZeeZee

This debate is actually much more informative than the cliquey "ick a minivan" pseudo-debate. I feel like the Thai joints on the Eastside are too Americanized, too greasy, and less fresh spices. Where do you go for Thai?

For Indian I think Oh! cannot be beat for the price, but it has very mixed reviews on Yelp so maybe I got a good day. There is better Indian, but not for the price. Also it's pretty authentic, for better and for worse.

On the Eastside I like Chantanee, Bai Tong, Bangkok Basil, Noodle Boat, Isarn, Thai Ginger, Pen...the list goes on and on. Seattle has a great selection as well with places like Thai Tom, Pestle Rock, and Buddha Ruksa. The entire region is a hotbed for great Thai cuisine.

[MmeZeeZee]

Okay, I think we have different tastes in Thai food. Still you've given me several to check out. Thanks!