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LOL I was going to comment before I read this. Seattleite's giving Californians tips on dressing is a first, isn't it? I thought Socal was the fashion/entertainment hub of the country and a major player in the entire world. But get ready for another defensive slew of responses similar to the weather responses. Whatever it is, Seattle either has it or has it better.
No, not really. We know and acknowledge we're not the greatest dressers-- and that we take great pride in. That and the fact that people are dismayed at some our fashion choices, LOL. I love the socks with sandals-- but it really weirds the Non-Washingtonians a lot.
If the previous poster is saying Seattleites are better dressers than Phoenicians... then I'd have to really wonder both about the source and the reality in Phoenix.
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Originally Posted by NewtoSD?
I recently argued with a Seattleite that Seattle was in fact not as ethnic as Sacramento, San Francisco, or other major cities in California that I've lived in or been to. I mean, you need only to go to Wikipedia to verify some of these things.
Maybe he was referring to our old Scandinavian and Japanese history? That's about as far as we got.
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Originally Posted by NewtoSD?
They should stick to the things that Seattle does in fact far outpace other areas. Natural beauty, no income tax, coffee culture, tech industry, etc. Why argue the losing battles? I don't get it.
No, not really. We know and acknowledge we're not the greatest dressers-- and that we take great pride in. That and the fact that people are dismayed at some our fashion choices, LOL. I love the socks with sandals-- but it really weirds the Non-Washingtonians a lot.
FTR, I think it's a *good* thing that Seattle is like this, to an extent; if nothing else, that there's a major metro where people who are averse towards fashion trends and just want to dress as they may. Keeping up with fashions is, or at least can be, expensive and frustrating, and if it's not your thing, then why do it? And furthermore, why live in a place where you run the risk of your indifference to fashion negatively impacting your career or social life?
To keep the conversation back on track, though, the way that people dress from region to region is generally a product of climate and weather. Say flip-flops and shorts were all the rage - why in god's name would one wear that in the winter in Seattle? Or if REI jackets were considered high fashion - who would be caught dead snuggled up in one in the summer in Phoenix?
No, not really. We know and acknowledge we're not the greatest dressers-- and that we take great pride in. That and the fact that people are dismayed at some our fashion choices, LOL. I love the socks with sandals-- but it really weirds the Non-Washingtonians a lot.
If the previous poster is saying Seattleites are better dressers than Phoenicians... then I'd have to really wonder both about the source and the reality in Phoenix.
Maybe he was referring to our old Scandinavian and Japanese history? That's about as far as we got.
This applies to everyone, actually.
I'm down with the Seattle style. It's relaxed, wear what you want. Ironically, I've worn flip flops plenty of times up there. It' just funny to hear the civic pride extend to certain things that one necessarily shouldn't need to defend.
I also like the weather up there. It's part of what differentiates Seattle from other places. And like any place, it's shaped Seattle's culteral norms and lifestyle. That's why constant comparisons to California bother me. SF is nothing like Seattle in terms of whether, and I don't find too many similarities in the people or the culture either. Neither is "better" than the other objectively speaking. Each city fits a different personality type, and each has its good and bad.
For example, I can always find cheap parking in Seattle. I've found many mom and pop eateries in Seattle that are cheaper than SF. I have to wear a stocking cap and gloves some days in Seattle, never have in SF. SF is more ethnic. On and on.
The Average high for SF for May 2012 was 67 and for Seattle 64. If you look at the stats for the next three months, you will notice how SF is getting colder than that.
Summer 2011
June 2011 average high
SF 68
Seattle 68
July 2011
SF 71
Seattle 74
August 2011
SF 69
Seattle 76
September 2011
SF 74
Seattle 74
And summer 2011 in Seattle was very cold and cloudy
Exaclty. So unless a couple degrees difference makes you freezing, then it's a bit riduculous to characterize SF summers as cold and Seattle's perfect. The other variables are rain and cloudy days. You don't get much of either in SF in during the summer, but you will get them in Seattle. You will get some fog in SF from time to time, but it burns off rather quickly.
Exaclty. So unless a couple degrees difference makes you freezing, then it's a bit riduculous to characterize SF summers as cold and Seattle's perfect. The other variables are rain and cloudy days. You don't get much of either in SF in during the summer, but you will get them in Seattle. You will get some fog in SF from time to time, but it burns off rather quickly.
Out where I was in the Inner Richmond, many mornings throughout the year, I'd wake and look out my window to see fog. I'd yawn, go back to sleep, wake up a few hours later, and... sunshine!!! As soon as the sun raises into the sky, it cooks everything off. The temperatures in SF tend to drop faster than they do in Seattle, year-round... for me though, the flipside is that you have a wider swath of the year where you actually see a blue sky, actually see the sun.
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For the record, I do love Seattle summers too.
Seattle's summers are great, and you often hear people say that the rest of the year is worth it, for them. Which is awesome... for them. To me, it's like saying that a relationship where I get nine months of indifference, sarcasm, and the cold shoulder is worth it because I get three months of very memorable affection. I need that at least a few times a week
Out where I was in the Inner Richmond, many mornings throughout the year, I'd wake and look out my window to see fog. I'd yawn, go back to sleep, wake up a few hours later, and... sunshine!!! As soon as the sun raises into the sky, it cooks everything off. The temperatures in SF tend to drop faster than they do in Seattle, year-round... for me though, the flipside is that you have a wider swath of the year where you actually see a blue sky, actually see the sun.
Seattle's summers are great, and you often hear people say that the rest of the year is worth it, for them. Which is awesome... for them. To me, it's like saying that a relationship where I get nine months of indifference, sarcasm, and the cold shoulder is worth it because I get three months of very memorable affection. I need that at least a few times a week
Yes, the fog is usually gone by Noon in most areas around the bay. To me, fog is part of the Bay area charm.
Now, I have never lived in Seattle, so I have no idea how its weather could affect a person over a prolonged period of time. But I do know that in my 30-40 visits I've yet to experience what I would characterize as "bad" weather. It's usually mild, even in the December days I've been there. I jogged in the morning last time I was there in late December, and it was 45-50 degrees. 50 degrees in Seattle feels more arctic to me though, whereas 50 degrees in SF feels coastal. Arctic cold will nip at your ears, freeze your fingers. I needed gloves and a stocking cap that morning, and most other people out jogging were wearing them too.
In contrast, Coastal cold makes me feel like pullying on a hooded sweatshirt. And fact, I've jogged some mornings in SF around the same temp (50 degrees) wearing a shirt and shorts. It's tough to quantify the difference, but I feel it.
Now, during my 10 or 11 yrs on the east side of WA state I definitely was emotionally affected by the weather. During the 3rd or 4th month of grey and short days, I would get an eery, haunted house type feeling and general anxiety/depression. I've had that same feeling a couple times on my visits to Seattle. For whatever reason it always comes on in the "arctic" type cold, and I do not know why. I've never felt it down here in the Bay though.
Yes, the fog is usually gone by Noon in most areas around the bay. To me, fog is part of the Bay area charm.
Oh yeah, definitely. I've always loved fog, and there definitely is something to be said about walking through DTSF, Chinatown, or Nob Hill in the dead of night with the fog out. It feels like living in a Noir, and makes for some really great photos
Some areas, especially over in the East Bay (Oakland, Berkeley, etc) don't get much fog - when I lived in Oakland, I really can't recall any fog of note. Contrasted with Daly City, Colma, etc, where it's even foggier on average than SF. It's an extremely diverse and varied area in terms of weather.
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Now, I have never lived in Seattle, so I have no idea how its weather could affect a person over a prolonged period of time. But I do know that in my 30-40 visits I've yet to experience what I would characterize as "bad" weather. It's usually mild, even in the December days I've been there. I jogged in the morning last time I was there in late December, and it was 45-50 degrees. 50 degrees in Seattle feels more arctic to me though, whereas 50 degrees in SF feels coastal. Arctic cold will nip at your ears, freeze your fingers. I needed gloves and a stocking cap that morning, and most other people out jogging were wearing them too.
In contrast, Coastal cold makes me feel like pullying on a hooded sweatshirt. And fact, I've jogged some mornings in SF around the same temp (50 degrees) wearing a shirt and shorts. It's tough to quantify the difference, but I feel it.
Now, during my 10 or 11 yrs on the east side of WA state I definitely was emotionally affected by the weather. During the 3rd or 4th month of grey and short days, I would get an eery, haunted house type feeling and general anxiety/depression. I've had that same feeling a couple times on my visits to Seattle. For whatever reason it always comes on in the "arctic" type cold, and I do not know why. I've never felt it down here in the Bay though.
Well, I spent about half my childhood there and then lived there again for a year and a half as an adult. The cold up there did seem to bite harder than it did in SF - both of them have a pretty damp cold, neither is particularly dry, but I always found myself wearing more layers of clothing up there than down here.
I got hit by the anxiety and depression really hard in Seattle - harder than I'd ever been hit before, really. The social climate was a big part of it, to be sure, but the weather played a big role too. In SF, even at the lowest points of winter, you still have a few days where just as always, the fog cooks off and you can see a blue sky through some clouds. Once in a while, you'll even get a day that's warm. And this is only SF - again, go across the Bay to Oakland or Berkeley, and you've got plenty of days with a clear sky even though it's chillier out.
In Seattle, you just go through months of darkness. There is no break. There are days where the cloud cover is so thick that it doesn't get "light" out until damn near 10am, and that "light" means that from 10 till 2, there's a slightly-luminous, impenetrable grey cloud cover that hangs over everything. You can't see your shadow on the sidewalk. You feel like a vampyre.
I ran year-round in the Bay Area; even on cold days, after a block or two, I was warmed up and didn't notice it. Up in Seattle, I tried to do the same; it didn't work. After a half mile, I was still cold, and my muscles were fighting me. Maybe it was the lack of sunlight? I don't know, but I never was able to adapt back to the climate. There are definitely some fit people in Seattle, so obviously it's a YMMV situation; there are obviously plenty of people who absolutely love the weather. I don't think I could ever go back to it.
Out where I was in the Inner Richmond, many mornings throughout the year, I'd wake and look out my window to see fog. I'd yawn, go back to sleep, wake up a few hours later, and... sunshine!!!
My last year in SF I lived at 23rd and Noriega in the Sunset. Like you I really liked the fog and I enjoy the rare Seattle days when we get SF-like fog in the city.
How old are you out of curiosity? I'm guessing mid-20's? When you find a mate and want to settle down you might see the benefits of living in Seattle outweigh the drawbacks of the weather.
My last year in SF I lived at 23rd and Noriega in the Sunset. Like you I really liked the fog and I enjoy the rare Seattle days when we get SF-like fog in the city.
How old are you out of curiosity? I'm guessing mid-20's? When you find a mate and want to settle down you might see the benefits of living in Seattle outweigh the drawbacks of the weather.
I'm 28. On the one hand, I completely agree with you - on paper, theoretically speaking, I should have liked it when I moved back there in '08. The lower rents, superior schools, etc. are all wonderful. However, all this said, I can't see any benefit to my kids growing up with a father or my wife living with a husband who can't stand where he lives, is chronically depressed because of the weather, can't stand the people, makes less money in his field and thus is more stressed financially, and is generally at a much lower point there than he is/was in California.
As my friend whom I'd moved up to Seattle with had posed to me, when I decided that I was going to move back down South, "what if you were to meet the perfect girl up here, but she was a Seattlite and would never leave?"
My answer: "Then she wouldn't be perfect for me, and that'd be that."
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