I love living in Seattle! I can’t imagine Ryan and I living anywhere else right now. For us, it’s a really great combination of being “in the city” while being so close to nature and the beautiful Puget Sound. I love living near the water. A walk out overlooking the Sound or a ferry trip is a great way to calm my nerves.
This photo is a rarely-pictured vantage point of the city, as the Sound is barely pictured (it’s the water just right of the city). From here, you can see the lakes that surround the city. Lake Union just “below” the city and that silvery mass on the left is Lake Washington. Our apartment is near the VERY right edge of the photo near the middle. And of course, the majestic Mt. Rainier in the distance is a stunning sight when the cloud cover lifts. I borrowed the photo from King 5 News’s facebook page.
Some of my favorite things about Seattle:
1. The scenery. Mountains, lots and lots of green (thanks, rain!), waterfront… I even like the rainy days. Bonus: it doesn’t usually get too hot in the summer.
2. It’s pretty small. Even with traffic it only takes about 30 minutes to get to any given part of the city from where we are (driving, anyway).
3. We’re entrepreneurial. There are a ton of start-ups and solo-preneur businesses. People say “oh, wow,” when I tell them I quit my job to start a business, but it’s not so unheard of.
4. Creativity abounds. People are passionate about art, culture and history, and music. That said, I wish there was a more active design blogging community here.
Misconceptions about Seattle:
1. “It rains constantly.” It really doesn’t. Yes, it rains a lot… but we get less annual rainfall than New York! We just get ours spread out. Gray skies from October to June, usually. But it makes you appreciate a beautiful clear day in November!
2. “It’s grungy and outdoorsy.” In fashion magazines, we’re always depicted as wearing oversize flannel (that was 20 years ago, people!) and hiking boots. We have some “free spirits” here (what city doesn’t?) but for the most part, I think Seattle stays pretty current with trends. HOWEVER, people just don’t get as dressed up here – don’t expect to see Chanel and Manolos on 5th Ave. As for the hiking boots, we don’t all trek out to the wilderness when the clock hits 5. I have never gone backpacking, or snowboarding or rock climbing, or biking. I have gone kayaking (on flat water only, no white water for me!).
3. “You’re obsessed with coffee.” Ok, that one might be true. But not all are Starbucks devotees… in fact, you can get into a pretty heated debate about what coffee shops you prefer (I tend to avoid the subject… if you serve caffeine, I’m an equal-opportunist!).
4. “You’re all better-than-everyone-hipsters.” Hey, we’re hip, but we’re not Portland. Just kidding (kind of).
Anyone else living in Seattle and love it like I do? Ever traveled to Seattle? Or do you think my points are totally off-base and Seattle sucks (just say it nicely, please…)
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That photo is so beautiful! I’d LOVE to visit Seattle someday, I’ve heard from several people who have been there that they loved it. Reading what you love about it made me want to go even more!
Oh wow, I have wanted to move from Boston to Seattle for years and your post makes me want to even more. I feel like you’re right – it’s a great balance of city and mountains and water… just perfect. If I ever make it over I’ll have to chat you up for some recommendations!
I absolutely LOVE Seattle. (Well, all of Washington, really.) I was born and bred here in Miami, FL., but my boyfriend is from eastern Washington, and every time we go to WA to visit his family, we make a point of spending some time in Seattle. I love the brick buildings, the scenery, the food, the ambiance and the people.
I’m not gonna lie, when I visited Seattle my first thought was “I could live here.” Seriously, loved the vibe and the feeling of the city. I fell in love! My Mom and Dad are both from Asheville, NC and Asheville is frequently referred to as “The Seattle of the South” and it’s very true. Obviously Asheville is much smaller, but the vibe is very similar. I think that’s why I felt so at home in Seattle. My Mom was with me when we visited and she felt the same way. By the way it was crystal clear when we visited in October – not a cloud in the sky for a couple of days, then it was grey and a bit rainy, but not a big deal at all! So cheers to Seattle, I adore you!
Seattle is on my “must see” list. I have never been! I definitely thought it rained all the time.. but recently I think here in Northern Virginia we have been getting more rain then you guys! We haven’t seen the sun in days!
I live in Ballard and LOVE Seattle. I’ll be here forever and have no complaints about it!
I’ve only been lucky enough to visit Seattle once, but I can’t wait to go back. I loved every minute of the last visit even though it was for work. That is a stunning picture!
What a gorgeous picture! Another great thing about Seattle that I found after living in Boston then LA, was how NICE people are. Everyone asks you genuine questions about yourself and then (gasp!) remembers the answers the next time you see them! My only complaint is that people here are horribly lazy drivers.
Seattle does rock. Not a day goes by that I don’t think that to myself. Great photo!
ooh, i LOVE this post! hooray, you make me proud to live in seattle. agreed, we definitely need to work on expanding the blogging community — there ARE design bloggers here, we just need to unite
I’m originally from Alaska, but live in Seattle now. I think this is the only city I could call home, for all the reasons that you mentioned. But also, I find a great deal of small town values in this big city. I currently live in Ballard (yay!), and I am amazed and grateful for how loving and caring my neighbors are. Our neighborhood feels very much like a community, and I didn’t think I would find that when I left my hometown. I am still a small town girl at heart, but if you have to live in a city, I think that Seattle is a fantastic compromise.
Not to mention, it’s freakin’ gorgeous here.
I love Seattle…but I’m ready to move
or buy a cute new pair of hunters…that would keep me here.