As most of you know, I relocated to Seattle about 2 months ago from my year and a half stint in Florida. Before Florida, I lived in NYC for over ten years. I was only used to the ways of the east coast. Now that I’m on the west coast, I’m learning how much I like it and how different it is. Here are my observations so far:
1. People in Seattle are very polite.
Cars will actually stop to let you cross the road.
People don’t confront people who cut them in line.
They smile politely if your gaze meets theirs.
It’s like living in an alternate reality, especially in comparison to living in NYC where you’re dodging cars and cabs on the sidewalk and avoiding peoples’ stares. In south Florida, if your eyes lock with someone they think you’re either hitting on them or starting a fight. Go figure.
2. Summer here is glorious. It’s 70 degrees and there is no humidity. Everything is beyond green and flowering. This just might be heaven. (Not to worry, I know what lies ahead in winter and I have the Smiths, Deathcab for Cutie, and Postal Service already downloaded onto my iPhone).
3. There is happy hour food. And it’s good. You don’t encounter this in NYC because it would just never happen in the land of $25 burgers and $9 beers. In south Florida, they would call it the “early bird special” but the types of restaurants that serve the “early bird special” serve horrendous food. In Seattle, the nibbles are quite delicious. For $5 you get a quality meal, whether it’s beef stew or a cheeseburger with double fried fries, made from real potatoes, not the frozen kind. I say “Well played, Seattle.” Lure me in with good, cheap food so I have a proper foundation to drink your full priced drinks excessively.
4. It’s really hilly here and people park on both sides of the road. I’m used to driving on gridded, flat land. Driving up hills and down them is a whole new adventure. I can almost hear my car moan as it climbs the steep hill of Queen Anne Ave. People park on both sides of the road here which results in your avoiding oncoming traffic because there just ‘ain’t room for the both of you on the road.
5. Avoid Pike and 3rd Ave downtown if you can. Meth dealers apparently congregate here from all areas of Seattle to sell to the meth heads. I’ve heard that meth dealers literally commute from other cities to sell there. There are some interesting characters soliciting the streets in that area and it’s a shame because it’s so central to tourism. Granted, I’m quite used to dodging junkies and homeless people. I did live in NYC.
Next up: Stating the obvious… Seattle loves coffee. I’ll list my favorite coffee houses in one of my upcoming posts…and what differentiates one from the other and why.
Tricia Chatter 