where is the intellectual crowd in Seattle?? (Bellevue, Sammamish: fit in, attorneys)

[mare 70]

We are moving to Seattle this summer. We are looking at Bellevue area because of good schools. I hear Medina is the best. We are a young family and would like to live in a good neighborhood where you could find educated and open-minded people. How is the life in these areas? Is it all about money if you live in Medina??? We looked at some houses, the schools and the clubs and I am not sure if we would fit in!! Even if we could afford it, I don't like my child to grow up as a snob.
How is Laurelhurst????

Any help is appreciated

[texastrigirl]

Actually Mercer Island schools are generally regarded as the "best" (though that is subjective on some level depending on what is best for your child), followed by Bainbridge Island, Bellevue, Issaquah, then Lake Washington schools. Lots of areas to choose from and the school test scores are not significantly different in parts of Bellevue compared to Issaquah/Lake Wash though some of the Bellevue HS's are nationally rated. Laurelhurst is a very well established older Seattle neighborhood but Seattle Public Schools are not consistently good. You will probably have to be more specific about your housing price range, commute time, and expectations of schooling to get a more informed response. Medina is well known the suburb where Bill Gates resides but it's actually not a large suburb by Seattle standards. I am not really in to the country club scene so I can't speak to that at all. I am pretty happy living in Sammamish which sounds like quite a different area than you are looking for though it's a very nice and safe place to live and raise a family. Good luck.

[Ira500]

The intellectual crowd, or at least folks who think they're intellectual, are all over Seattle.
Medina is very pretty, but it's mostly people in their large houses and not much of a real community.
But if we're talking educated, open minded people, but also safe and a sense of community with great schools, how about Mercer Island? They are supposedly the highest rated school district in the state.
One of my favorite Mercer Island stories:
There's a tavern there that's been there since the 1920's. The demographics of the island have changed, so a different crowd has adopted the tavern, which is a family friendly place that allows kids until dark. A few years ago a neighbor hired an attorney to try to get the place shut down, since the place is no longer zoned for a tavern, and they have inadequate parking.
Thy messed with the wrong crowd. The attorneys who frequented the place offered to defend them free. Several judges, legislators, and a few CEO's let it be known that they were very fond of the place, and wouldn't stand to see their favorite hangout shut down.
How did it get resolved? The lawsuit was thrown out and the neighbor moved.
Mercer Island is expensive, but it's really a lovely place, without the stuffiness of Medina.

[pw72]

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BTW, Laurelhurst is fine...a bit over-priced, but very intelectual, (I mean intellectual!)...

[seattlenextyear]

Originally Posted by texastrigirl

Actually Mercer Island schools are generally regarded as the "best" (though that is subjective on some level depending on what is best for your child), followed by Bainbridge Island, Bellevue, Issaquah, then Lake Washington schools. Lots of areas to choose from and the school test scores are not significantly different in parts of Bellevue compared to Issaquah/Lake Wash though some of the Bellevue HS's are nationally rated. Laurelhurst is a very well established older Seattle neighborhood but Seattle Public Schools are not consistently good. You will probably have to be more specific about your housing price range, commute time, and expectations of schooling to get a more informed response. Medina is well known the suburb where Bill Gates resides but it's actually not a large suburb by Seattle standards. I am not really in to the country club scene so I can't speak to that at all. I am pretty happy living in Sammamish which sounds like quite a different area than you are looking for though it's a very nice and safe place to live and raise a family. Good luck.

Is Sammamish stupid and close minded? What makes it different?

[eskercurve]

About 51% of all primary breadwinners in Seattle are college educated. That's the highest percentage of any large metropolitan area in the United States. Therefore, there's bound to be intellectuals everywhere, either of the soapbox variety or the cool ones.

I'd highly recommend a trip out to here. Iowa sounds depressing from your post in that thread.

[TheRef]

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There really isn't a specific "intellectual area" in Seattle and it sounds more like you're looking for an affluent area with a good public school system.

[texastrigirl]

mod cut: orphaned comments removed And I did not mean to imply that Sammamish was "stupid and close minded"...more that it was not the epitome of country club life nor was is the poshest part of town (though it is very nice and we love it). OP was listing exclusive neighborhoods in Seattle only and I wanted to make a point that if OP didn't think they would fit in in the most exclusive areas in Seattle they certainly had other choices.

[TheRef]

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But, to keep this on topic: Seattle as a whole has an "intellectual" vibe to it and I think associating with the cerebral crowd depends more on associations (clubs, hobbies, etc) than it does where someone lives.






















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[mare 70]

Originally Posted by pw72

mod cut:

BTW, Laurelhurst is fine...a bit over-priced, but very intelectual, (I mean intellectual!)...

I am sorry. This forum is too intellectual for me, if you have to be perfect in typing!!!!!