I am not cool because I don't live in Seattle (Tacoma: apartment, townhomes)

[mrman78]

Originally Posted by DavidRudisha

I have more time and money and space to do everything that an introverted Seattleite would do.

"There is no night life in Redmond. What if you want to go out to the bars on Thursday and Friday?" Who has the money to do that?

Apparently you do?

[DavidRudisha]

Originally Posted by RotseCherut

Some people enjoy living in small apartments surrounded by concrete, traffic, homeless people urinating in the alleys and car thieves busting open windows and grabbing your stuff. However, some of us think it is cooler to live in a little larger of a home, in a safe and quiet neighborhood surrounded by water, trees, agriculture and wildlife. Redmond is very beautiful in its surroundings and the neighboring Snoqualmie Valley is probably one of the most beautiful valleys on the Earth. Basically, it could rival any Swiss mountain valley for beauty. However, some people need to be within walking distance of bars so they can get crapfaced drunk every weekend and than pass out on their overpriced IKEA sofa in their overpriced studio loft apartment. But, hey, it has a nice looking lobby with a pool table? And, even more important, it is cool to live there! Living in a box surrounded by electronic and mechanical pollution, homeless people and concrete is cool!

I live way out in the Eastside , yet Seattle is a beautiful and not far 30-40 minute drive (wihout traffic). Ironically, I can get to some neighborhoods of Seattle faster from where I live than from some overcrowded and inaccessible neighborhoods of Seattle, like West Seattle or even Ballard at the wrong time of day. If anyone did the drive from Ballard to Capitol Hill via QUeen Anne at rush hour, you might as well live on the moon, as it would be a faster commute to downtown.

My thoughts exactly.

[homesinseattle]

Rotse and David, My family and I live in what you would consider "Seattle", Phinney Ridge, just a touch north of downtown. There are none of these things you are talking about. We live on a great little tree lined block with charming historic homes, parks and bike trails nearby. I don't see street urinators or crap faced drunks. The bars nearby are little alehouses, pubs, pretty chill and friendly places. Again, love where you love, I'm glad you do. Try not to speak in generalities though.

[RotseCherut]

Originally Posted by homesinseattle

Rotse and David, My family and I live in what you would consider "Seattle", Phinney Ridge, just a touch north of downtown. There are none of these things you are talking about. We live on a great little tree lined block with charming historic homes, parks and bike trails nearby. I don't see street urinators or crap faced drunks. The bars nearby are little alehouses, pubs, pretty chill and friendly places. Again, love where you love, I'm glad you do. Try not to speak in generalities though.

Phinney, that's one of my favorite Seattle neighborhoods, as well as Greenwood, but not everyone has $3000/month to afford one of those charming old houses in the tree lined neighborhoods. Many are stuck in the apartments in the neighboring Green Lake, which are still very, very pricey; and, while not being infested with homeless, has all the other issues I have spoken about. Then, there is lovely Aurora up the street from you, where the prices are more affordable and you have all the grit and grime I have mentioned. Barbed wire fences, methheads pushing shopping carts and high amounts of property crime, in addition to some issues with gangs or criminal activity in the apartment complexes. Not to mention, it is just plain ugly and reminds me of 82nd Ave area of Portland in the 90s.

Don't get me wrong, Seattle has some charming areas that have that nice forest feeling. I actually like Alki Beach , Wedgewood, Magnolia, Phinney, Greenwood and some of these other outer neighborhoods of Seattle. However, these areas cost a premium and are even more expensive than living in some of the more upscale Eastside cities now, such as Bellevue or Kirkland.

[homesinseattle]

Fair enough Rotse. In the interest of appropriate analogies, the peaceful eastside existence you describe also costs money, you aren't describing a cheap apartment in Totem Lake. I just am reading too many emotionally laden words in your description of the Seattle side.

[DavidRudisha]

Originally Posted by RotseCherut

Phinney, that's one of my favorite Seattle neighborhoods, as well as Greenwood, but not everyone has $3000/month to afford one of those charming old houses in the tree lined neighborhoods. Many are stuck in the apartments in the neighboring Green Lake, which are still very, very pricey; and, while not being infested with homeless, has all the other issues I have spoken about. Then, there is lovely Aurora up the street from you, where the prices are more affordable and you have all the grit and grime I have mentioned. Barbed wire fences, methheads pushing shopping carts and high amounts of property crime, in addition to some issues with gangs or criminal activity in the apartment complexes. Not to mention, it is just plain ugly and reminds me of 82nd Ave area of Portland in the 90s.

Don't get me wrong, Seattle has some charming areas that have that nice forest feeling. I actually like Alki Beach , Wedgewood, Magnolia, Phinney, Greenwood and some of these other outer neighborhoods of Seattle. However, these areas cost a premium and are even more expensive than living in some of the more upscale Eastside cities now, such as Bellevue or Kirkland.

The way I see it, if everyone wants and is able to do something, such as live in a "cool" area of Seattle, then it's no longer "cool". An experience becomes devalued when you see everyone doing it. So many people want to live in Seattle that they come here even if they're unemployed or marginally employed (See: the many threads started here by people who say they desperately want to move to Seattle but have no plan for how to settle down there).

[homesinseattle]

David, here is what you said: "The way I see it, if everyone wants and is able to do something, such as live in a "cool" area of Seattle, then it's no longer "cool". An experience becomes devalued when you see everyone doing it. So many people want to live in Seattle that they come here even if they're unemployed or marginally employed (See: the many threads started here by people who say they desperately want to move to Seattle but have no plan for how to settle down there)".

I see your point. However, objectively, there are many cool places left in Seattle. If I am being lured to Seattle by what I have heard (as I was 26 years ago), I'm not thinking "I'd like to move ten miles from downtown to a suburb". That's not how younger people think, generally. Although Seattle has undeniably become more expensive, there is still room for dreams. I have a good friend who rents a one bedroom apartment in Fremont for $1000 a month and has a very rich life, she is preparing for the crazy, funky Solstice parade, building a float right now, walks to great live music. That just doesn't happen in Issaquah.

[homesinseattle]

In fact, David and Rotse, I think you should come to the Fremont Solstice Fair and parade this Saturday, if you want to see the kind of thing that makes Seattle funky and fun. I'll buy you a pint! Fremont Solstice Fair ? June 19-21, 2015

[southwestW]

I can say that meeting people in Seattle is pretty hard. You really have to be in the right place at the right time. Definitely should not be the only reason to live in the city. I personally cannot do suburbs, despite loving them in Chicago for example. But for you it works. Just tell people to give it a rest. I have lived in the city for 9 yrs. I tried one year in Kenmore and returned to city of Seattle as soon my lease expired. You had opposite situation of working in suburbs. But just tell them you do not want to add miles to your car. And all other stuff you said are also valid. I just remember I added like 20000k on my car. That was crazy.

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by southwestW

I can say that meeting people in Seattle is pretty hard. You really have to be in the right place at the right time. Definitely should not be the only reason to live in the city. I personally cannot do suburbs, despite loving them in Chicago for example. But for you it works. Just tell people to give it a rest. I have lived in the city for 9 yrs. I tried one year in Kenmore and returned to city of Seattle as soon my lease expired. You had opposite situation of working in suburbs. But just tell them you do not want to add miles to your car. And all other stuff you said are also valid. I just remember I added like 20000k on my car. That was crazy.

Plus stop-and-go miles take much more out of a car than open highway miles...

The neighborhoods generally deemed "cool" these days are ones where you can get along perfectly well without owning a car. If others want to deem car-dependent suburban neighborhoods as being "cool", they certainly can...

The original "cool" neighborhoods were where the "scene" was. In the 30's and 40's, that was Jackson Street. In the 60's and 70's, that was the Ave (U District), Capitol Hill, and Fremont. In the 80's and 90's, Belltown. Places like Ballard, Wallingford, and Georgetown were decidedly uncool.