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I have been living in Buffalo for about 3 years now for dental school (originally from NYC), and to be honest, I'd really like to leave. Seattle is pretty high on my list - plenty to do, close to lots of outdoor activities, family in the area, etc. I was wondering if you could give me some feedback on a few fronts.
Equality:
I would be moving with my girlfriend. We are an interracial lesbian couple. Having just passed marriage equality here in New York, moving to a state without it is a bit of a drag, but I know you have some sort of "everything but marriage" law. Separate but equal sounds fishy to me for some reason. Are the rights really totally equal except in title? Are people still working towards gay marriage in Washington? Also, I have heard Seattle is pretty non-racist, but just to check, will we be treated much differently? Are there some neighborhoods that are more diverse/integrated than others?
Weather:
Is it easy to get to places that are hot in the summer/sunny in the fall winter and spring? I like the idea of not being too cold in the winter or too hot in the summer, but I'd rather not have to take a plane before I can don shorts and a tank top/go swimming outdoors. Also, Buffalo is a pretty grey place itself. I have heard it's on par with Seattle during the non-summer months. It drives me crazy, but I think half of it is the unrelenting snow/cold. Still, a sunnier option would be nice for a weekend trip. Ideas?
Jobs:
Fingers crossed I will be a dentist in a year. Does anyone know what the job prospects are like for dentists in the area? Do you have a hard time scheduling appointments weeks in advance or is there an office every block? My girlfriend is a secretary at the moment, but she's willing to work most jobs provided they are not too involved in customer service (see: grocery bagging, telephone operator). What's the general market like for non-customer service jobs? She has a BA.
Cost of Living:
What is the cost of living like in Seattle? I've gone from high (NYC) to low (Buffalo). How much would a typical 2-bedroom apartment in a decent neighborhood go for monthly? Is it possible to get a nice 3 bdrm 2 bthrm home for $400K or less? We don't currently plan on having kids, but who knows if we'll change our minds 5 years down the road.
Classes:
Is it easy to take classes in the Seattle Universities without being a full time student? My girlfriend loves taking the occasional class at University at Buffalo even though she graduated years ago.
Food:
I'm a vegetarian and my girlfriend is vegan. Do you find that there are many vegan options in Seattle? Are they concentrated in one neighborhood or another?
Friendliness:
Are Seattle people generally friendly? Weird question, I suppose. Both of us are rather introverted and shy, but outgoing once we meet the right people. Would you say people are generally friendly towards outsiders or is it a bit more clique-ish.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Equality: Very accepting people here, not judgmental, many more in the Capital Hill area but all over the city there are others.
Weather: Late fall, winter and early spring there is nowhere in the state that's sunny and hot, you would hav eto at least drive 15 hours to CA.
Jobs: Our dentist has taken to advertising in the paper lately, as the people laid off lost their benefits and can't afford him. ON the other hand Microsoft and Amazon continue to hire hundreds of more people so there must be some dentists doing well. Like all over we have our companies laying off people and going under, but it's probably better here for jobs than many other places.
Cost of Living: Coming from NY you won't have the sticker shock that many others do coming here. Think higher than Buffalo but not like NY city.
Nice studio $800, 2 bedroom $1,500. Small house $1,800+.
Classes: Yes, but you will pay non-resident fees, 2-3 times the resident amounts.
Food: You'll fit right in.
Friendliness: Polite, will speak casually with strangers, but hard to make good friends.
Location: where you sip the tea of the breasts of the spinsters of Utica
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It seems like I can't stop posting on the Seattle forum lately, but I'm getting obsessed again! I haven't lived there in 7-8 years, guess I'm going to have to come visit again soon.
I don't know the exact legal status, but to me the important thing is not the word but if you have the same rights to insurance coverage, company benefits, hospital visitation, inheritance etc as a hetero couple. In my opinion the state shouldn't use the word "marriage" even for heteros, it's a religious term that should be determined by the individuals and not the law. In this day and age no one cares about homosexuality except for a few unfortunate individuals who have been brainwashed by religious fundamentalism. When I lived in Utica NY no one cared about lesbianism except that we teenage males thought it was cool - male homosexuality wasn't accepted publicly though. In Seattle, people care even less - there's a huge amount of casual bisexuality among girls, and people don't even care much if guys get hitched to each other. It's just not much of an issue anymore.
Hot sunny dry weather is only a short trip across the mountains, you might not even have to cross them entirely to get a quick fix. You won't have to get out of the city to swim comfortably July through September in Lake Washington or Sammamish, or even Green Lake (you might not want to swim there if you see all the goose poop, I never swam there). Green lake is a great little park for people who like to run in circles. Alki Beach is on the Puget Sound and so is saltwater, but it's way too cold to swim in at any time of the year (notwithstanding the nuts who do so). It's more a place for seeing some eye candy, young ladies or a grand view of the city and Sound, take your pic.
Ira is the authority here on real estate and rental prices. I think it's safe to say that Bisjoe is right in saying that it's higher than Buffalo and lower than NY, but you already knew that. Food and entertainment, eating out, drinking out are all more expensive. Keeping a car is more expensive, but not crazy expensive like NYC.
Classes - yes, there's lots of continuing education stuff going on, some classes in the community colleges and the University have more older than traditional students. They'll take your word on residency, just say that you've resided for x months or whatever is needed for Washington resident tuition rates. You can also simply drop in on the bigger classes if you don't need the official credits, and if you pay attention to the posters around town you may see lots of speeches and colloquia and demonstrations etc.
Food - vegetarianism is so popular in Seattle that every real restaurant has veggie options (maybe not Dick's Burgers). You can't walk a block in any direction without stumbling over the sidewalk menu of an Indian restaurant, which are mainly lacto-vegetarian. Vegan options are common also. More importantly, the servers mostly know the difference between "vegetarian" and "vegan" which might not be the case in Buffalo. There aren't many dedicated vegetarian restaurants with nothing else, but there are a lot of restaurants that have veg and vegan menu items.
Seattle food is generally more health-conscious but less flavorful than back East food.
Quote:
Friendliness:
Are Seattle people generally friendly? Weird question, I suppose. Both of us are rather introverted and shy, but outgoing once we meet the right people. Would you say people are generally friendly towards outsiders or is it a bit more clique-ish.
Most people in Seattle are just as you describe yourself.
Equality:
I would be moving with my girlfriend. We are an interracial lesbian couple. No problem. Many businesses provide benefits for gay partner, including the local hospitals.
Weather:
Is it easy to get to places that are hot in the summer/sunny in the fall winter and spring? I like the idea of not being too cold in the winter or too hot in the summer, but I'd rather not have to take a plane before I can don shorts and a tank top/go swimming outdoors. Not really. You may be consider the summers here on the cold side at first, as I did, but you will gradually acclimate. Sometimes there are warm days, but this year has thus far been on the cooler & cloudier side.
Jobs:
Fingers crossed I will be a dentist in a year. Does anyone know what the job prospects are like for dentists in the area? Do you have a hard time scheduling appointments weeks in advance or is there an office every block? Pediatric dentistry can be really booked. There seem to be a lot of dentists here, and there is a respected dental school. But our population is huge, so I can't imagine the market being saturated. But maybe someone else has a better idea. Outstanding service & a positive reputation really make a difference in attracting clientele.
My girlfriend is a secretary at the moment, but she's willing to work most jobs provided they are not too involved in customer service (see: grocery bagging, telephone operator). What's the general market like for non-customer service jobs? She has a BA. She could probably find a position at UW in one of the schools. Some of the best places to look for jobs are the UW website, Seattle Times jobs, or Seattle craigslist.
Cost of Living:
What is the cost of living like in Seattle? I've gone from high (NYC) to low (Buffalo). How much would a typical 2-bedroom apartment in a decent neighborhood go for monthly? Is it possible to get a nice 3 bdrm 2 bthrm home for $400K or less? We don't currently plan on having kids, but who knows if we'll change our minds 5 years down the road. Yes, you can get a decent home for $400K. Do a search for Seattle MLS: TheMLSonline.com - Seattle Real Estate, Top Seattle Real Estate Search - Call 425-467-6577.
Classes:
Is it easy to take classes in the Seattle Universities without being a full time student? My girlfriend loves taking the occasional class at University at Buffalo even though she graduated years ago. Yes. UW has a continuing education department (extension). Also, classes can be taken in non-graduate matriculated status (ie. without admittance into a graduate program). Seattle U and Pacific Lutheran probably have similar deals.
Food:
I'm a vegetarian and my girlfriend is vegan. Do you find that there are many vegan options in Seattle? Are they concentrated in one neighborhood or another? No problem, they are everywhere.
Friendliness:
Are Seattle people generally friendly? Weird question, I suppose. Both of us are rather introverted and shy, but outgoing once we meet the right people. Would you say people are generally friendly towards outsiders or is it a bit more clique-ish. Seattlelites are just like you -- friendly, introverted, and shy.
Equality:
I would be moving with my girlfriend. We are an interracial lesbian couple. Having just passed marriage equality here in New York, moving to a state without it is a bit of a drag, but I know you have some sort of "everything but marriage" law. Separate but equal sounds fishy to me for some reason. Are the rights really totally equal except in title? Are people still working towards gay marriage in Washington? Also, I have heard Seattle is pretty non-racist, but just to check, will we be treated much differently? Are there some neighborhoods that are more diverse/integrated than others? If you're in the Seattle Metro area, you'll be in one of the most tolerant areas of the country. You'll be welcomed, and treated as well as anybody else
Weather:
Is it easy to get to places that are hot in the summer/sunny in the fall winter and spring? I like the idea of not being too cold in the winter or too hot in the summer, but I'd rather not have to take a plane before I can don shorts and a tank top/go swimming outdoors. Also, Buffalo is a pretty grey place itself. I have heard it's on par with Seattle during the non-summer months. It drives me crazy, but I think half of it is the unrelenting snow/cold. Still, a sunnier option would be nice for a weekend trip. Ideas? It stays plenty warm in eastern Washington into October, but beyond that, you'll probably be looking at Cali for heat. That said, you'll find the weather MUCH more mild than Buffalo. I wear shorts when it isn't raining, period, but I'm a native.
Jobs:
Fingers crossed I will be a dentist in a year. Does anyone know what the job prospects are like for dentists in the area? Do you have a hard time scheduling appointments weeks in advance or is there an office every block? My girlfriend is a secretary at the moment, but she's willing to work most jobs provided they are not too involved in customer service (see: grocery bagging, telephone operator). What's the general market like for non-customer service jobs? She has a BA. not sure on dentistry in particular, but it's at the very least a high-paying job market.
Cost of Living:
What is the cost of living like in Seattle? I've gone from high (NYC) to low (Buffalo). How much would a typical 2-bedroom apartment in a decent neighborhood go for monthly? Is it possible to get a nice 3 bdrm 2 bthrm home for $400K or less? We don't currently plan on having kids, but who knows if we'll change our minds 5 years down the road. Depends on whether you want single-family detached or not. You can certainly find townhomes & condos for under $400k in the current economy, but you'll sacrifice neighborhood quality if you're looking for property. Really depends on what you're willing to sacrifice... definitely look at Redfin.com
Classes:
Is it easy to take classes in the Seattle Universities without being a full time student? My girlfriend loves taking the occasional class at University at Buffalo even though she graduated years ago. Tons of extension classes available
Food:
I'm a vegetarian and my girlfriend is vegan. Do you find that there are many vegan options in Seattle? Are they concentrated in one neighborhood or another? Likely only San Francisco has more readily available options.
Friendliness:
Are Seattle people generally friendly? Weird question, I suppose. Both of us are rather introverted and shy, but outgoing once we meet the right people. Would you say people are generally friendly towards outsiders or is it a bit more clique-ish. For sure cliquish at first, but once you find the right folks, you won't have better friends anywhere.
Wanted to add that just like sexual orientation, interracial couples are a non-issue. This type of diversity is accepted & embraced in the general culture and workplace.
I have been living in Buffalo for about 3 years now for dental school (originally from NYC), and to be honest, I'd really like to leave. Seattle is pretty high on my list - plenty to do, close to lots of outdoor activities, family in the area, etc. I was wondering if you could give me some feedback on a few fronts.
Equality:
I would be moving with my girlfriend. We are an interracial lesbian couple. Having just passed marriage equality here in New York, moving to a state without it is a bit of a drag, but I know you have some sort of "everything but marriage" law. Separate but equal sounds fishy to me for some reason. Are the rights really totally equal except in title? Are people still working towards gay marriage in Washington? Also, I have heard Seattle is pretty non-racist, but just to check, will we be treated much differently? Are there some neighborhoods that are more diverse/integrated than others?
People are still working towards gay marriage in Washington, but it was a tough slog to even get the "everything but marriage" law. There's plenty of intolerant right wingers in the state, just very few in the Seattle area.
Seattle may be non racist and ultra progressive , but it's one of the whitest major cities in the country. Columbia City is a particularly diverse/integrated neighborhood within Seattle, in one of the most diverse zip codes in the United States.
Weather:
Is it easy to get to places that are hot in the summer/sunny in the fall winter and spring? I like the idea of not being too cold in the winter or too hot in the summer, but I'd rather not have to take a plane before I can don shorts and a tank top/go swimming outdoors. Also, Buffalo is a pretty grey place itself. I have heard it's on par with Seattle during the non-summer months. It drives me crazy, but I think half of it is the unrelenting snow/cold. Still, a sunnier option would be nice for a weekend trip. Ideas?
It's only a two and a half hour plane ride to Southern California.
Cost of Living:
What is the cost of living like in Seattle? I've gone from high (NYC) to low (Buffalo). How much would a typical 2-bedroom apartment in a decent neighborhood go for monthly? Is it possible to get a nice 3 bdrm 2 bthrm home for $400K or less? We don't currently plan on having kids, but who knows if we'll change our minds 5 years down the road.
There are a lot of 3 bd, 2 ba homes for less than 400k, but in the hippest, coolest neighborhoods in Seattle they're going to be either pretty ugly or pretty run down. Columbia City is a bit less expensive than Ballard or Wallingford, and more my kind of neighborhood. Renton, south of Seattle, is a tolerant, friendly, diverse place offering a lot more home for the money.
Food:
I'm a vegetarian and my girlfriend is vegan. Do you find that there are many vegan options in Seattle? Are they concentrated in one neighborhood or another? University District, Capitol Hill, and Columbia City, amongst others, have lots of veggie options. The International District has at least one vegetarian Chinese place, and Thai places are everywhere.
Thanks for all the great advice! The other place I'm mainly considering is the Raleigh, NC area. Very different weather-wise. But I'm starting to think too hot for me. I have been keeping track of them and it's been in the 90s for something like 2-weeks now. Ouch. Plus I hear there are lots of bugs/ticks there. In my experience, Seattle isn't so bad with the bugs.
I lived in Raleigh for about 10 years prior to NC. It's an OK place to live b/c of the 3 universities (UNC, Duke, and NCSU) & RTP (tech jobs galore). However, it wouldn't be on the top of my list for an interracial gay couple. Southern culture is pretty conservative & religious, and racism is very much alive in the surrounding rural areas. NC does have many more bugs (ticks, fleas, mosquitos, cockroaches), while in Seattle they are scarce. We see a lot of spiders here. But I really do miss the fireflies found on the East coast...
It is much cooler and comfortable here, but the grey skies can be a bit depressing. NC has great weather for all seasons except the summer (very hot and humid).
You may find it more your pace here in Seattle than in Raleigh. Here people don't even notice who is gay or who isn't, or whether couples are of the same race. It's such a non-issue, which is great freedom for all. Just for illustration, last year my landlords were a lesbian couple raising adopted children, one of my co-workers was also a lesbian in a long-term partnership raising kids, and my neighbors in West Seattle were an interracial lesbian couple w/out kids. Lots of parents at my child's public school are gay. Families of all kinds are respected. This is true in all neighborhoods in Seattle.... and in writing this I'm speaking about the majority viewpoint. Are there instances of discrimination or hate crimes? Probably, but this is not the norm. In NC, it's much more prevalent.
We just had a gay pride march here (as did you in NYC), and tens of thousands attended. The space needle wore the rainbow flag. Lots of families marched, gay and straight:
Marriage equality is not realized here b/c most of WA state is conservative, as a prior poster stated. Seattle is a liberal mecca, and undoubtedly would support it. A lot of us never travel East of Seattle in this state, and for car trips instead go to the peninsula, Portland, or Vancouver Canada.
Last edited by west seattle gal; 06-26-2011 at 08:34 PM..
Thanks for all the great advice! The other place I'm mainly considering is the Raleigh, NC area. Very different weather-wise. But I'm starting to think too hot for me. I have been keeping track of them and it's been in the 90s for something like 2-weeks now. Ouch. Plus I hear there are lots of bugs/ticks there. In my experience, Seattle isn't so bad with the bugs.
I've lived in upstate NY, Raleigh-Durham and Seattle. I prefer Seattle, for a lot of reasons. NC is way too hot for me too.
If you do move to Raleigh, you will feel right at home with every other upstate NY'er who's moved there in the last 10 years. A few years ago, I ran into the girl who lived next door to me growing up in Syracuse in a Durham Whole Foods.
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some answers
