The Official Seattle Area Chat Thread (Shoreline, Rainier: shops, suburbs, car)

[victorianpunk]

Hello all! I have not typed a word on here in months. Why? because I have finally, FINALLY made it to Seattle. Now that I am here after years of trying to escape Jersey and, after coming here without visiting Seattle or the West Coast at all for that matter, I have a question I cannot answer. First of all, Seattle...

...the day I arrived (I drove all the way, alone) was 70 degrees, not a cloud in the sky, and I could see a snow capped mountain from downtown...a MOUNTAIN FROM DOWNTOWN! I mean, in Jersey we have no mountains, just hills with delusions of grandeur. I have never seen anything like that short of the Paramount logo...and you can see it from downtown? If I live to be 100 and live here the rest of my life, that will never get old.

Okay, you have a city, a big, huge city, surrounded by the Olympic Forest, the Cascades, lake Washington and the Puget Sound. I mean, from I-90, I was ten miles away according to my GPS and still, I was in the woods! All that green and nature within a one hour drive of a metropolis! Where on Earth can you find that other than here? (and maybe Vancover)

This is the cleanest city on Earth. Chicago, Philly, NYC and all those East coast dumps down have anything on Seattle. Not to mention crime! I hurt myself driving through Rainer Valley one day as I laughed so hard and just kept thinking "this is what they call a ghetto!?" Yahh, okay. Real hardcore neighborhood there, where they (gasp!) don't recycle tin! Come on, after Newark, NJ, nothing in Seattle compares. There is not a neighborhood in Seattle I would feel unsafe in.

And you can see a mountain from downtown.


And the suburbs? I mean, in Jersey, our suburbs are all forty miles away from everything and are just houses and nothing else, but here, you have actually working suburbs with shops and all. I live in Shoreline, and Aurora is only a few minutes away on foot with tons of shops and stuff, plus a bus. So, I can have a car but if I don't feel like it and want to take a walk, even in the burbs I can do that...

...plus, I can live in Shoreline and still say I live in Seattle and no one raises an eyebrow. If someone lived five miles from NYC in Weehawken and said they lived in New York, people would practically be ready to call the cops on this "bridge and tunnel person". You don't get that here.

And the weather! This summer, while Jersey has 90 degree heat, Seattle has 70s with 80 tops. And winter is just gray and rain with very little snow. Amazing! Like fall and spring all year round!

and you can see a mountain from downtown.

And the people? "Seattle Freeze" my foot! I have met so many cool people here! There are artists, freaks, yuppies, gays, hip-hoppers, intellectuals, spiritual people, hippies, cowboys, pickup truck types, everything...everything, that is, except the "Jersey Shore" folks I was running away from. Nine out of ten you will find somewhere to fit in here. That, and I have to say people who were born and raised in Seattle are like Bigfoot: heard rumors of them, but have never ran into one. Met people from Washington originally, but none from Seattle. So many transplants eager as I am to meet new people more than makes up for any stupid "Seattle Freeze" thing.

and you can see a mountain from downtown.

So much to do, this huge, vibrant city...AND DID I MENTION YOU CAN SEE A MOUNTAIN FROM DOWNTOWN??!!!


Well, all of this brings me to the question I have been meaning to ask which is something about Seattle I can't understand, and that is this: WHO THE HECK WOULDN'T WANT TO LIVE HERE?

Sorry to go on and on, but I love this city...I love MY CITY ! Man, does it feel good to say that!

So many people trashing this place I thought I could give my anti-rant on the Emerald City. I took a BIG gamble coming here having never even visited, but man did I make the right gamble.

Mr Perry Como, you where right on


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NUzNtqu3zQ



I love this town!

[HandsUpThumbsDown]

[Thepastpresentandfuture]

Im glad to see someone else liking Seattle and the PCNW in general!
Its strange how Seattle can get such mixed extreme opinions from so many people.

I disagree with some of the things you said but do agree with other things you said too.

I also dont think the Seattle freeze exists.

And this summer had some days that was in the 50-60s and sweater weather all day. Even the summer can have some rain/cloudy days.

These are some pictures I like of Seattle and the area.

P1080383 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/52907417@N04/4880942677/ - broken link)

Rainier | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/52907417@N04/4881551214/in/photostream/ - broken link)

4164618631_58a091555d_b | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/52907417@N04/4881551122/in/photostream/ - broken link)

3518019958_7cc799d7bc_b-1 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/52907417@N04/4881551180/in/photostream/ - broken link)

[enigmadsm]

SSHHHH!!!!! this OP must be delusional. hands down worst city in the country!!!! (you think its crowded now, wait til people start reading your post lol!!!)


I was kidding by the way for those of you who didn't pick up on the sarcasm

[41Willys]

Thanks for the motivation!!

[la_fuerza]

Victorianpunk-

Welcome to Seattle! Everything you say is true. Seattle is a great city and it's always nice to hear a newcomer's perspective on the positive things this place has to offer!

[David Aguilar]

Originally Posted by victorianpunk

WHO THE HECK WOULDN'T WANT TO LIVE HERE? [

Somebody who wants more snow.

[CityGirl72]

Glad you like it.

But remember "everyone" is NOT YOU. Do not put your perceptions on other people - that's like those right wingers who are trying to decide everyone else's life because they believe they are correct.

There are a ton of people who love it there! I think it's beautiful there too!

But it didn't "fit" me and all the beauty in the world couldn't help that. When I moved to Sac (in my early 20s) I told people the first day I got there it felt like "home". So much the same experience you have described.

The first day I was in Seattle it was Jan 2002, freakin' wet, dark, muddy and damn cold. I thought it looked like something exaggerated from a depression era picture, with a ton of yucky brown industry (this was coming from SeaTac International and took a taxi up 99 through downtown.)

Anyway, my point is - people should live where THEY fit with their own set of preferences.
Glad Seattle is yours. As I said many people think the same. And it is lovely on a nice 70 degree sunny day! But just because YOU think it's that way, don't expect your opinion to be everyone's.

Be considerate.

[caphillsea77]

You will encounter the best and worst of human nature in Seattle just like anywhere else. But I got point out that you seem exceptional for the fact that you did not bring Jersey to Seattle with you. So many people move to another state and bring their morose realities with them only to scapegoat the next place they move to for all their problems, just look at Florida.

You have the right attitude. Just remember it is summer in Seattle and you recently arrived so you could be in the honeymoon phase. Hold on to your positive attitude long term and you'll definitely come out on top and you will fulfill your dreams and thensome. Congratulations on your success in Seattle thus far, keep it up, and kudos to you for shunning away the naysayers.

[Wet Dog]

Originally Posted by victorianpunk

And winter is just gray and rain with very little snow. Amazing! Like fall and spring all year round!

Heh heh, yup...it's a virtual paradise from November thru May!

Give us a follow up post in a few months, just to confirm you're still in love.