From MIAMI to Puyallup - Party Boy - Where to live? HELP! (Seattle: condo, living in)

[t78beast]

With the new privitization of the wine and spirits laws in Washinton brings new opportunity for me. I was asked to work in Puyallup and move, I said yes.

Now the question is where to live. Nature is cool but what I am into is nice restuarants, going out at night to bars and clubs and being in the "in scene"

I know this sounds superficial but I am from Miami and to each his own.

I dont mind driving 45 min to work. I heard Bellvue is a good place to live.

I am 23, single and have money - not worried about house/condo prices. Really just want a safe, hip, cool place with hot girls and a good night scene.

Where should I live????

Thanks everyone!

[Seacove]

Party Boy in Puyallup? You're in for a surprise. There really is no place in Western Washington like Miami. So you're going to have to expect a different lifestyle. Bellevue is nice, but it is more "corporate urban" or "upscale suburban". Downtown Bellevue is about twelve square blocks. I cannot imagine you want to commute at least an hour and a half each way for twelve square blocks. And those twelve square blocks are comprised of mostly a dozen tall corporate/condo buildings, some bars and restaurants and a big mall. Seattle is going to be as close as you get and even there, it's not Miami.

I may think to myself that it's unfortunate that the guy that lives in Washington and had a job, loses his so that the guy in Florida can move here and get a job while complaining that Seattle is nothing like Miami, but no one will say it out loud. I'm sure you're excited and for that I'm happy for you. But Miami it's not.

[t78beast]

Thanks for the honest opinion. We are hiring hundreds of Washington state workers...
I guess I will look at Seattle. Not looking forward to the drive, I hear good things about Freemont, Capital Hill, Ballard, Kirkland and Downtown.

Not sure which is the best area. Help please!

Thanks

[Seacove]

I definitely think you will like Seattle more than Bellevue from a young lifestyle standpoint - it will still be a drive but if you haven't been there, Puyallup is small, you probably wouldn't want to live there unless you were looking for low cost housing.

[E-rok]

If you loved the nightlive in south FL, you are going to hate it here.

and you think traffic is bad in Miami? traffic is a breeze compared to the mess here in WA

and dont expect to see an abundance of hot women like in FL......

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by t78beast

I guess I will look at Seattle.

Er, no.

Tacoma...
you really don't want to have to commute to and from Seattle.

[Inkpoe]

Originally Posted by MrRational

Er, no.

Tacoma...
you really don't want to have to commute to and from Seattle.

QFT. 6th Ave is where its at.

Originally Posted by t78beast

Thanks for the honest opinion. We are hiring hundreds of Washington state workers...
I guess I will look at Seattle. Not looking forward to the drive, I hear good things about Freemont, Capital Hill, Ballard, Kirkland and Downtown.

Not sure which is the best area. Help please!

Thanks

But if you insist on living in/near Seattle...

Do NOT look north of DT (which cancels out Fremont and Ballard). As with Kirkland, they're all nice places but the traffic isn't worth the commute. Kirkland to Puyallup is 45min-ish... but you still have to contend with the 405 traffic w/ would easily push your commute to the 75+ min marker. 167 does have a reverse commute, so it should be smooth sailing from that point, but 405 is just baaaaad. Fremont/Ballard/CH is also ~45-50ish mins to Puyallup... w/o traffic-- its not really worth the rush through DT (both ways, mornings and evenings) and there will always be traffic there (unless its overnight) because there is a bottleneck. Capitol Hill would be a wee-bit easier since you can get off just before the bottleneck and travel through the streets.

Your better bet would lie with West Seattle, Columbia City... but don't expect the commute to be around 45 mins. Give it around an hour (and some).

[t78beast]

Thanks everyone....

I am going up next week to look around and get a feel for the place.

I am in for a culture shock!

[Hemlock140]

I really had to laugh out loud at the idea of a party boy in Puyallup.

There are some nice looking women and places to party in the downtown Kirkland area, lots of bars to party in Seattle a real mix of people, but nothing like what you have in Miami. Bellevue has it's own nightlife but very much upscale yuppie, think BMWs and Mercedes driven by people that look like they should be driving Fords. Or high tech nerds driving Lamborghinis like they are old ladies in Buicks.

Hopefully the job pays enough that you can go back for an occasional weekend partying fix.

[observer]

t78beast,

I live in Miami, and have spent considerable amount of time in Seattle in the past, especially the last 2 summers including close to a 6 week stay this summer. There is HUGE difference in lifestyle in Seattle compared to Miami. I don't have time to list all of it, but I will write down the most noticeable differences:

* People in Miami in general are much more image oriented than people in Seattle. For example, you can find the young woman in Miami dress up and put make up on and perfume just to go to publix. In Seattle, it is more like put on a t-shirt, maybe light make up if that, and head to the supermarket.

* In general, people in Miami are much louder than people in Seattle.

* Nightlife, is way different. Even though I am way past the nightclub stage, I remember back in the 90s while bar and club hopping in Seattle it was mostly bars with live bands. There are few clubs with music and dancing, but they are few and far in between compared to Miami.

* Most bars in Seattle would be considered "dive bars" by Miami standards.
* Compared to Miami, in general people in Seattle avoid eye contact in public. That in your face attitude that is prevalent in Miami is pretty much non existent in Seattle.

*In general, people in Seattle are much much more civil and polite than Miami. However, people in Miami are more social and more expressive than people in Seattle, but are much more rude in Miami as well. In other words, for the better or worse, people in Miami have more of a personality, sense of humor, and more of an attititude as well.

*It seems as if people in Seattle have more of a live and let live attitude and many people keep to themselves compared to Miami. Now that is a good and bad thing, depending on the circumstances and situations.

If you have never been to Seattle and are very use to the Miami lifestyle, there will be a transitional period. However, if one is flexible and can adapt easy to the change, it will be ok as long as they accept Seattle for what it is and not try to change it to what Miami is.