Seattle Transplants: Love It or Hate It? (Tacoma, Bellevue: living, restaurants)

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by usernametaken

There was a time when I was probably conservative, and then one day I realized that all my favorite cities and neighborhoods in the US seemed to be heavily left leaning, and had a high proportion of gays (and usually also jews).

I am not well versed on the exact definitions and differences between conservative versus liberal and was never political nor born in the US. However, wouldn't a conservative like houses to be expensive? That would keep out low income people, plus if prices are based on a a free market system, one can't complain about that as a conservative right?

That is one of the more unique things about this area, lots of people making a lot of money that are liberal. Seattle has plenty of poor people too, including thousands of homeless, but if you look at some of the eastside cities with family incomes over $150k and home prices at or above $600k, the majority still vote for democratic candidates. What is happening here more and more since we came in 1993, is that the middle is shrinking greatly. Those people that were considered lower-middle middle class are being forced to move to outlying areas and have long commutes.

As for the weather, this last week is a good example of why I love it here. Sunny and dry for a week, down to 14F at night, followed by 4" of snow overnight, then (hopefully) warmer and rain tomorrow.
Nothing boring about that.

[Garfunkle524]

Originally Posted by usernametaken

wouldn't a conservative like houses to be expensive? That would keep out low income people, plus if prices are based on a a free market system, one can't complain about that as a conservative right?

Disengage!!

[hjmontijo]

I live in Las Vegas, Nevada, originally from Southern California. I have lived in the Seattle area twice now. The first time was for 7 months and the second time was for 9 months. I moved back to Vegas over a year ago due to tenant issues for a house I own here in Vegas. But let me tell you, I LOVE AND MISS SEATTEL SO MUCH!!! I love everything about the Pacific Northwest, The people, the life style especially the weather. I plan on moving back to the Seattle area within the year, if I'm lucky.

[Cinema Cat]

Originally Posted by victorianpunk

I'm from New Jersey. I went from this:




To this:



Need I say more?

I've been in both New Jersey and Seattle, and while I prefer Seattle, I think that of those two photos, the one from New Jersey is the more beautiful.

Driving down a Jersey turnpike at around 4 a.m., I passed a refinery or chemical plant. Lots of smokestacks adorned with bright yellow lights. Lights everywhere, against a brownish-pink winter sky. Like a scene from BLADE RUNNER. I thought it looked awesome.

There's a beauty in industry. Washingtonian David Lynch appreciates that, as can be seen through all his close-ups of industrial logging machinery in TWIN PEAKS's opening credits, and in some of his other work.

[Cinema Cat]

Originally Posted by Seacove

Arizona tends to have a lot of retirees who are not inclined to fund education initiatives. This will slowly hurt them because it self-perpetuates as fewer companies move there because it is not family friendly...

If Arizona attracts lots of retirees, it doesn't need to attract that many jobs. Out-of-state retirees bring their pension and Medicare and social security checks with them -- paid for by taxpayers in other states.

Lots of California government workers are retiring to Arizona and Nevada -- bringing BIG, FAT pension checks with them.

[Flori_Washington_Gal323]

Originally Posted by victorianpunk

Trust me, in Jersey, this is what the usual "manly man" is like:



My New Haircut: Original Version - YouTube

LOL I love your posts! I moved from Seattle from Florida, & I LOVE IT HERE! The manly men that were displayed in the "Jagerbomb" videos are the same 'manly men' in Florida.

Men here are educated, intellectual, cultural, NICE, understanding, & .... Real.

I personally couldn't stand the stifling Florida heat; the high temperatures coupled with the 95% humidity rate made summers intolerable. I lived 10 minutes from Siesta Key Beach, the #1 Beach in America one year, but from June - October, I don't leave my air conditioned house. Not to mention you have to apply sunscreen everyday, even if you are just going shopping or going to work. The sun is so brutal you can even get dangerous sun exposure on a short walk to your car.
The beaches were great, in October - January. During the summer, the water in the gulf is so warm (usually 87 degrees) so it isn't even refreshing to swim in. The sun is ALWAYS out, in full force, & personally, I'm not a big fan of that.

Plus, I lived in SW Florida; the median age was probably 75 (not a real statistic, but it has to be pretty damn close). The whole place was old, people were old, they drove slowly in the left lane in their old-people cars, they were HORRIBLE tippers (I was in the service industry in college), they they complained about everything!
I love the youthfulness of the population in Seattle. There are tons of successful, intelligent, motivated young people here, & I really like that. I'm no spring chicken (I'm 32), but I really appreciate not being surrounded by elderly people all day, every day.

The Seattle weather does not bother me at all; I actually enjoy our "bipolar" weather. One minute is is dreary & drizzly, & an hour later, the sun is out & it is a beautiful day. The rain keeps everything so green, the city is so clean, & the snow-capped Cascade mountains are a breathtaking reminder that this is the most beautiful state in the nation.

The summers are amazing, the people are culturally diverse, & the job market is AMAZING!! I am making almost twice here in Seattle doing the same job that I was doing in Florida. But in Florida, we get paid in SUNSHINE.. Unfortunately, FPL, my landlord, the phone company & the cable company all refused to take sunshine as a form of payment.

I love Seattle, I Love the eccentric people, & I even smile when the crazy lady yells at me on the bus for no reason. The shops are amazing, pot is legal, public transportation is second to none ( My car has been parked all week & I've been using the bus with no problems), my best friend can marry her long-time girlfriend, Washington is a "Die with Dignity" state, & I will NEVER live anywhere again.

Oh, politically, I am a liberal republican. When it comes to fiscal issues, I am very conservative (Pro welfare reform, tougher immigration laws, etc), but when it comes to social issues like gay marriage, abortions, marijuana legalization, I am a hopeless liberal.


Oh, and in Washington, if you did something stupid as a young adult that resulted in a felony, the State of Washington will not consider any felonies that occurred more than 10 years ago. So, people here can actually have a second chance to build their life back up.

Yeah, I will NEVER leave.

[chrisb19]

Spent most of my life split between Arizona and San Diego (I'm 29). I have lived in the Seattle area for about 3 years now. I love the natural beauty of the NW. Absolutely beautiful. I am into a lot of outdoors activities, so for that this place is great. Whether it's hiking, snow shoeing, camping, backpacking etc, there is no shortage of great and beautiful places to explore. It is also great for photography. The thing is, all of these things I enjoy, are also very ample and equally beautiful in Arizona.

What I dislike here is primarily the politics, the taxes, the fees for EVERYTHING and I work outside, so I do not really enjoy the cold, wet, frequently windy days. I would much rather work in the snow than have it be 34 degrees with just a constant blast of freezing rain in my face. If you work indoors, then you don't care as much. Same for Arizona in the opposite fashion. Working outdoors in summer is absolutely killer when it's 120 degrees and no shade in sight. But if you work indoors you go from your Air Conditioned house, to your Air Conditioned car to your Air Conditioned work etc..You are sheltered on a daily basis.

Pick your poison. There's good and bad everywhere. Compare and contrast. Many similarities yet polar opposite at the same time. I give a slight edge to the NW, I can always put more layers on..But if I get naked at work in Arizona to cool off, I get sunburned in places I don't particularly enjoy applying aloe vera to, and I also get fired.

[folkguitarist555]

Obviously women tend to love Seattle, especially the book worm, more nerdy types. It is their kingdom to enjoy. Men who are not nerdy, and who may be more conservative politically, and who tend to be more gregarious socially, and lastly, who are sort of happy go lucky, and single, will possibly find Seattle to be dismal and morose. Every lady who moves to Seattle most always love it there, imo. Great choice for single women imo. I cant high tail it out of Seattle fast enough. As well, as far as owning a home with a little bit of buffering from a neighbor, well, forget it. The prices are insane. The other factor is the horrible congestion and traffic from Tacoma all the way to Marysville, that alone makes me feel moronic living in Seattle. The traffic in Seattle and the outskirts, imo, has really taken away the quality of life that once was in Seattle. Just way too dang crowded and the roads cant handle it.

The region, Seattle itself, is easily one the cleanest, most modern, nicest cities and regions in the USA. You really don't see the rough neighborhoods and ghettos like you would see in so many other cities, imo. Just the high housing costs, the mind numbing traffic, and the sausage fest, that Seattle, is, along with what I always perceived to be a much too reserved, and standoffish society, imo, has rendered it uninhabitable to me.

[lucky4life]

Originally Posted by Tall Traveler

Seems like liberals love Seattle and conservatives not so much. I would add I'm Libertarian and I would say that Seattle is Liberal/Libertarian. I wuld prefer Libertarian/Conservative say like what you have in Arizona myself and have considered moving there many times. But I do support the recent legalization of pot and marriage equality. I just don't agree with the liberal attitude about conficating an ever increasing portion of your personal income to give to non-workers. Paradoxically, Washington state has no state income tax and Arizona does....so opposite of what one would expect.

I'm as liberal as they come, and Seattle has literally broken me. I love the city, but the weather can't be described to people that haven't experienced this type of hell. I'm originally from southern CA, so my opinion of weather is warped due to spending my entire childhood in perfect beautiful weather. This place is not for everyone. It's a cool city, with lots to do, but I've personally seen this place smash people from other parts of the country. I was at my GF's company Christmas party a few months ago, and I remember talking with a kid from Brownsville TX, that said he was heading back. This poor guy met a girl in college at A&M that was from Seattle and followed her back here after college. He basically said it's me or Seattle after one year up here. According to my GF they just broke up and he's already gone.

This place is great for some people, but it's not for everyone.

[folkguitarist555]

It is a great city, and hard to beat, in many ways, I preferred the Seattle of old though, like 20 years ago. I think aside from other things, the traffic and congestion, has got to make even the most hardened souls cringe.