help me pick a Seattle neighborhood to live (Bellevue, Redmond: renting, home)

[fnh]

I completely agree, north/east Capitol Hill is a gorgeous neighborhood in a convenient location, but we are not alone in our Capitol Hill love as evidenced by the price tag to live there. I looked up a one bedroom in my old building (Hillcrest) and a one bedroom now goes for $2195 per month! I suggested Central District as an option which is still pretty darn close to the stores and activities that you like but would more likely fit your budget.

(The only song I know by Sir Mix-A-Lot is the catchy Baby Got Back, which my kids loooove but which I try to avoid because, well, I don't need them running around telling everyone that they LIKE BIG BUTTS... Cool references to the CD, things have certainly changed since the 80's!)

[ctr88]

I think the CD is a good suggestion. I might give it one more look. I kind of want to be 3 blocks away max from clusters of cool cafe's, stores and restaurants though. Also former Husky and NBA player Brandon Roy & Troy Wroten came out of Garfield High in the CD. Pretty good CD trivia for a new guy to Seattle huh?

[beautifulseattlehomes]

Capital Hill...Especially around Pike Pine area...Best coop in the city...amazing restaurants and Traders Joes too. Filled with cool apartment living and great walking to everything!

[Ira500]

Originally Posted by ctr88

I think the CD is a good suggestion. I might give it one more look. I kind of want to be 3 blocks away max from clusters of cool cafe's, stores and restaurants though. Also former Husky and NBA player Brandon Roy & Troy Wroten came out of Garfield High in the CD. Pretty good CD trivia for a new guy to Seattle huh?

If you're going to base where you live on the best NBA players coming out of the nearest local high school, you'll end up in Rainier Beach
Like Capitol Hill, the CD is physically large, and one part can be very different from another. it's still kind of nasty in the area south of Yesler between 23rd and Martin Luther King. just west of Garfield HS is stil run down and ugly(despite the presence of the original Ezell's fried chicken.) But near where the CD borders Capitol Hill, around Spring St between 14th and 17th, are some cool old brick apartment buildings and big street trees. The area around 23rd and Madison has seen a bunch of newer apartments built, and it's pretty nice. The area around 23rd and Union, long a neighborhood with a bad reputation, has become much more hip, with espresso shops, a mostly vegetarian bar, an independent cinema,and a good falafel joint.

[BellevueNative]

Originally Posted by Ira500

Lower QA sure is a convenient location, and a busy one. It's O.K. Not particularly crime ridden, but it doesn't have that coolness factor that you find on 15th. It's near a lot of things.

Originally Posted by ctr88

Thanks Ira500 I agree Lower QA does't quite have the cool quotient of 15th and a lot of Cap Hill. Not as "neighborhoody". There is a lot of furnished executive housing there that might be good for me just to get out of this hotel I'm in now so I can catch my breathe for a month or two, unpack my car, and figure out where I want to lease a longer term unfurnished rental.

If anything, Lower Queen Anne is "cool." It's just not yuppie. Lots of good restaurants (particularly asian ones), an amazing Metropolitan Market (as well as a QFC), a ton of good (and dive) bars, Uptown Espresso and Cafe Ladro, and right next to Seattle Center, McCaw Hall, Key Arena and a few theatre companies. Not to mention proximity to SLU, which has great restaurants, too. Lower QA is also VERY walkable.

[ctr88]

Originally Posted by Ira500

If you're going to base where you live on the best NBA players coming out of the nearest local high school, you'll end up in Rainier Beach

Rainier Beach has Nate Robinson and others. But don't forget Franklin High who produced current NBA players Jason Terry & Aaron Brooks! Central and South Seattle have the best hoopsters! Too bad my knee is too gimpy to find some games(:

[ctr88]

Thanks BellevueNative for pointing out some benefits of Lower QA. That could work for me and is less expensive than Cap Hill. I plan to look at some stuff over there. I think I would go Queen Anne upper or Lower before Ballard or Fremont. Mostly because they are closer in.

[BellevueNative]

Originally Posted by BellevueNative

If anything, Lower Queen Anne is "cool." It's just not yuppie. Lots of good restaurants (particularly asian ones), an amazing Metropolitan Market (as well as a QFC), a ton of good (and dive) bars, Uptown Espresso and Cafe Ladro, and right next to Seattle Center, McCaw Hall, Key Arena and a few theatre companies. Not to mention proximity to SLU, which has great restaurants, too. Lower QA is also VERY walkable.

Originally Posted by ctr88

Thanks BellevueNative for pointing out some benefits of Lower QA. That could work for me and is less expensive than Cap Hill. I plan to look at some stuff over there. I think I would go Queen Anne upper or Lower before Ballard or Fremont. Mostly because they are closer in.

Forgot: one more thing it has is SIFF Cinema at the old Uptown Theatre. Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) bought the theatre last year when it was closing, refurbished it and now shows first run and classic films. Some quirky theme nights, too. Actually, Lower Queen Anne is home to the SIFF.

The theatre is right across the street from the only Dick's with an indoor seating area.

[ctr88]

I'm finding with the brutal traffic in Seattle is extremely important to pick an area to live where you will spend most of your time (work, groceries, gym, restaurants, cafe's, entertainment). B/c if you have to drive anywhere for anything it can be brutal. It took me like 40 minutes yesterday to get from Lower Queen Anne to Capitol Hill (2.7 miles). There seems to be no easy way to get across town that way. Seattle's traffic is much, much worse than San Diego. It's more on par with SF Bay, Boston and LA.

[Inkpoe]

Originally Posted by ctr88

I'm finding with the brutal traffic in Seattle is extremely important to pick an area to live where you will spend most of your time (work, groceries, gym, restaurants, cafe's, entertainment). B/c if you have to drive anywhere for anything it can be brutal. It took me like 40 minutes yesterday to get from Lower Queen Anne to Capitol Hill (2.7 miles). There seems to be no easy way to get across town that way. Seattle's traffic is much, much worse than San Diego. It's more on par with SF Bay, Boston and LA.

Its funny that you say that because anytime someone talk about Seattle traffic being as bad as (XX city), there's always someone in the wings who will come out and say that the poster needs to get out more.

The moment they completely close the Alaskan Viaduct, oh you better believe traffic is going to be hellish. I can still remember from the last time they closed it off after the Nisqually quake-- Bleh. That's over 10 years ago... now there's more people around. I'm so not going to deal with that again.