My Year in Seattle (Bellevue, Kirkland: to rent, houses, buying)

[angelenogirl]

Originally Posted by ctr88

The problem is GETTING to all those "cute places" in the 3rd worst traffic city in the U.S.

I came from the first worst, so it's still an improvement!

[orzo]

Originally Posted by angelenogirl

But the water does not feel like the water elsewhere on this coast. Initially I tried to make neighborhoods here correlate to those I knew in L.A., but it's just not possible. It feels almost east coast to me, in the best way.

Excellent and insightful post overall! I'm glad you love Seattle so much, and have found a home here. It truly is a great city.

In terms of your comments above regarding the water being different than the rest of the Coast and the East Coast feel, I have sort of an interesting take on that. As someone who has spent a good amount of time in all of the West Coast's major metros (Bay Area, LA, Portland, Seattle, San Diego but to a lesser extent, and Arizona [ok, not technically on West Coast, but close]), I find it to be quite a wide spectrum. While much of the national image of the West Coast centers around SoCal, the entire Coast really is an incredibly diverse place with many different cultures, urban forms, and natural settings. The further north you go, the more the water starts to feel "nautical" as opposed to sandy beach. It feels like a slow progression. And I'd argue that San Francisco actually has more of an East Coast urban structure than Seattle, although SF does have palm trees, spanish-style architecture and almost no brick (while Seattle does have brick and almost no palm trees). But San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland are all more classic centralized cities. LA is more of a sun belt-style City, although denser and in my opinion a lot more urban than cities like Houston, Phoenix, Dallas, etc.

I guess my point is the West Coast is hard to pin down as being one particular way - there is a certain laid-back vibe and feeling that permeates across the board and ties it all together, for sure, but it covers such a wide spectrum of urbanity and natural setting. San Francisco and the Bay Area, being in the "middle" in terms of population centers, seems to somehow best capture all of the West Coast's cultural and physical manifestations.

By the way, have you driven out to Eastern Washington yet? Check out Yakima, Wenatchee, or Spokane if you really want to be warped into a different cultural and physical setting

[limeyx]

Originally Posted by ctr88

The problem is GETTING to all those "cute places" in the 3rd worst traffic city in the U.S.

I rarely have issues getting anywhere (way way better than LA)
Yes, there can be crippling traffic in downtown itself, and the freeways are clogged at rush hour....

But at least here rush "hour" actually ends at some point !

Downtown does truly suck in the evenings though, which is why I bus in and try to walk in downtown whenever possible

[MJ5150]

Instead of an AC unit, we added a heat pump to our furnace.

I never really noticed the PA thing until it was spelled out in this thread.

The wife and I just returned to Lacey after living in central New Hampshire the last two years. We are so happy to be back. Yes, it is a little damp right now, but the mountains and views of Puget Sound make it all worth it. We got plenty of snow in NH, but here we don't have to shovel rain.

-Mike

[loveagrey1]

Originally Posted by angelenogirl

I tend to romanticize the south because I haven't spent much time there. I'm glad you're able to leave it, though! Don't be nervous. Seattle is really special.

People here definitely are and seem smart, which makes the quirkiness seem quaint. Smart people can just be weird. I just read a very long L.A. vs. Seattle thread here on C-D, and the qualities people championed about L.A. (where I grew up) seemed goofy and shallow compared to the ones championed by the Seattle voters. For example, people thought Disneyland, celebrity culture and hot women were important factors for voting L.A. The Seattle folks liked access to nature, good schools, architecture.

Do you want to be in Seattle proper? Where will your husband work?

Hi there!

I am enjoying this thread a lot.....well not sure.....he will mostly likely be working in corrections for either King or Kitsap county...we are not sure at this time...leaning towards King.....heard from some locals all the way here in South Carolina that North Bend is awesome....can I have someone elaborate?
Oh I know what you mean about "romanticizing" about the south...the whole Designing Women....Julia Sugarbaker thing..........well, not so much..........maybe in Georgia but not here......those southern belles are far and few between and most charming......but not in this part of the Carolinas unfortunately.....Anyway, off the subject.........lets concentrate on Seattle proper.......Thank you tons!!!

[loveagrey1]

Originally Posted by Garethe

Nice thread and feedback.

I too think the gray damp drizzly weather makes for a great cozy indoor feeling and I just love it. The dryness of where I'm living is something I never got used to. I can't stand how it can go for 2 or 3 weeks or longer at a time without rain.

The noise level at my local Starbucks is deafening which makes the Olive & Summit location look like a monastery. While I don't care for the other extreme, 4th & Seneca for instance, where everybody has their head down in a book or gadget, it will be refreshing.

BTW, I'm not shy, and one of the few Seattleites that talk to anyone whether it's a bus stop, clerk, or fellow customer in line at Starbucks. And it's kind of amusing at times to watch their reaction like "OMG, he's talking to me!! What do I do?!!! How do I make it stop!"

A funny story: I attended a Beach Boys concert one year at the Puyallup and I, along with 2 or 3 others were dancing up in our seats, in the aisles, etc. while everybody else sat quietly with their hands in their laps. Even one of the BB's commented it looked like a Lawrence Welk concert. Oh Washington, we LOVE ya, but you gotta learn to lighten up!

The passive-aggressiveness is a bit annoying. Rather than just say you don't want to go out to dinner with me because you have plans with someone else (and in Seattle two is company, three's a crowd apparently), you make up a headache excuse instead. The more the merrier as far as I'm concerned, but that's just one of those Seattle things I put up with all these years.

Glad to hear it Garethe.....being a talker from Pennsylvania.....I will probably get the same reaction....in case one day...I am at a Starbucks and someone comes up to me and starts talking, I will have to wonder if it is "you".....tee hee!

[loveagrey1]

Originally Posted by orzo

Excellent and insightful post overall! I'm glad you love Seattle so much, and have found a home here. It truly is a great city.

In terms of your comments above regarding the water being different than the rest of the Coast and the East Coast feel, I have sort of an interesting take on that. As someone who has spent a good amount of time in all of the West Coast's major metros (Bay Area, LA, Portland, Seattle, San Diego but to a lesser extent, and Arizona [ok, not technically on West Coast, but close]), I find it to be quite a wide spectrum. While much of the national image of the West Coast centers around SoCal, the entire Coast really is an incredibly diverse place with many different cultures, urban forms, and natural settings. The further north you go, the more the water starts to feel "nautical" as opposed to sandy beach. It feels like a slow progression. And I'd argue that San Francisco actually has more of an East Coast urban structure than Seattle, although SF does have palm trees, spanish-style architecture and almost no brick (while Seattle does have brick and almost no palm trees). But San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland are all more classic centralized cities. LA is more of a sun belt-style City, although denser and in my opinion a lot more urban than cities like Houston, Phoenix, Dallas, etc.

I guess my point is the West Coast is hard to pin down as being one particular way - there is a certain laid-back vibe and feeling that permeates across the board and ties it all together, for sure, but it covers such a wide spectrum of urbanity and natural setting. San Francisco and the Bay Area, being in the "middle" in terms of population centers, seems to somehow best capture all of the West Coast's cultural and physical manifestations.

By the way, have you driven out to Eastern Washington yet? Check out Yakima, Wenatchee, or Spokane if you really want to be warped into a different cultural and physical setting

Orzo, what do you mean by different culture in those areas? Do tell!?

[orzo]

Originally Posted by loveagrey1

Orzo, what do you mean by different culture in those areas? Do tell!?

Eastern Washington? More of a cowboy culture, for lack of a better word. More conservative and less progressive. It's high desert in much of it so there's just such a different feel compared to the lush forests of Western WA. It's a lot warmer in summer but colder in the winter - generally much sunnier . It's gorgeous country - but in a completely different way than Western WA. People are a little friendlier and more direct. I'd say culturally a lot closer to Idaho than Seattle. Of course, Eastern WA is huge so it varies a lot even within it, but you just notice a dramatic change once you crossover the Cascades in terms of the setting and the people.

[BellevueNative]

Originally Posted by angelenogirl

We live in Ravenna/Bryant. It's nice, if a bit ho-hum. We are leasing. I wouldn't buy in this neighborhood, though people do love it and it's popular. I have no idea where I want to commit to buying when we do buy, because I am like a teenager falling in love every two seconds with each new place I discover.

There really are so many cute little neighborhoods and towns that fit the bill, to be honest. Right this second, I would buy a house in downtown Edmonds and be thrilled with that decision. As a Realtor described it to me, it's like Kirkland 20 years ago (I also love Kirkland - pricey). I love sweeping water views and quaint little town squares. I initially fell in love with West Seattle, but my husband just doesn't like it at all. But he'll go over and visit it with me, so I have that. I also recently fell in love with Bothell, and some of the homes around the wine country in Woodinville.

Queen Anne is the place we're currently poking around in. It was never on my radar because it just didn't feel homey when we first visited. The ingredients are all there - views, access, walkability, cuteness - but it's just sort of missing something for me. Maybe it'll grow on me.

My husband and I both work from home, so that tends to guide a lot of our decisions.

You like the exact same places I do. I really wanted to buy in Edmonds, but we had trouble finding a house in the Bowl or within walking distance of downtown that was big/right enough for us. And my husband was a little paranoid about Edmonds being in a tsunami zone. LOL.

[loveagrey1]

Originally Posted by orzo

Eastern Washington? More of a cowboy culture, for lack of a better word. More conservative and less progressive. It's high desert in much of it so there's just such a different feel compared to the lush forests of Western WA. It's a lot warmer in summer but colder in the winter - generally much sunnier . It's gorgeous country - but in a completely different way than Western WA. People are a little friendlier and more direct. I'd say culturally a lot closer to Idaho than Seattle. Of course, Eastern WA is huge so it varies a lot even within it, but you just notice a dramatic change once you crossover the Cascades in terms of the setting and the people.

Hmmm....interesting...Thanks! We are also looking at Boise....so I am guessing the conservative is describing that area as well...........leaning more toward Seattle at the moment, due to employment opportunities!