It's been exactly two months since I moved to Seattle (and 3 months for Anya), so I thought I would write a little bit about some of our observations and address some of the common stereotypes.
1. The People
I've always suspected that "Minnesota Nice" was an exaggeration; a quaint illusion that was perpetuated more by outsiders' stereotypes than by anything Minnesotans actually did. My time in Seattle has backed up my beliefs: Anya and I have found Seattelites to be no more or less friendly than Minnesotans.
People here are laid back, neither annoyingly gregarious nor overly cold. This is probably predictable: of the 50,000 people who migrate to Seattle (and its environs) each year, half are from California. Restaurants are casual and unpretentious. Things might be changing (the Four Seasons hotel opens next year), but stuffiness is generally looked down upon; dress codes are rare.
Seattleites are outdoorsy, but it's hard not to be when there are such beautiful natural surroundings. It seems that nearly everyone is a skier, climber, kayaker, mountain biker, etc.
People here are also somewhat self-effacing. They don't brag much about their city, and they seem to idolize San Francisco...it's impossible to read a newspaper article about some infrastructure project without seeing a description of how they did it in San Francisco. The two cities are probably pretty similar: temperate climate, tech-based economy (we don't have Oakland, though...so read into that what you will).
2. The Climate
To say about Seattle,"It rains all the time," is about as accurate as saying that it "Snows all the time" in Minnesota. Since we moved here it's been cool (50's) to warm (70's), and rained only occasionally. There have been only two weekends where our plans were dampened by all-day rain, but both of those times we were in Canada (we don't know what the weather was like in Seattle). Anya would like it to be a bit warmer, but I've found it pleasant to walk around without needing shorts and sandals. On several occasions locals who know that we're new here have apologized for the "bad spring" we're having...this always confuses me as I've liked the weather so far. Summer is said to begin on the 4th of July, so we'll see how that goes.
3. Coffee
Yes, people here drink a lot of it and they like it 'strong,' at least by MN reckoning. Yes, there are quite a few Starbucks. I've been told there's one place downtown where you can see 4 individual Starbucks locations without turning your head (I haven't seen this but I don't doubt it). But there are also plenty of local, independent coffee shops and roasters, as I've discussed previously.
Perhaps the most unique coffee-related thing happens when you leave the city. Anya and I have driven through a fair amount of small towns on our way to hikes in the mountains. There are two things found in every small town across the country: a bar and a gas station. In Washington, there is a third ever-present element to small town life: the drive-through Espresso hut. Usually they're cute little log-cabinesque structures, barely larger than a parking lot attendant's booth. They all have the same red neon sign that announces, in large letters, "ESPRESSO." I've never actually stopped at one, but I suppose it's reassuring to know that even in a small town I'll never have to resort to drinking gas station coffee.
Overall, both Anya and I like Seattle very much. Compared to Minneapolis, Seattle has an even more screwed up transportation system (although it's getting better), more homeless people, more petty crime, and costlier housing. It also has better food (including tons of great locally-grown products), a better climate, less violent crime, more urban neighborhoods worth exploring, more innovative companies, a downtown that's alive after 5:00 and on weekends, more tech jobs, more super-rich people giving vast sums of money to local cultural institutions, more great local coffee, beer, and wine, and more day or weekend trips to interesting & beautiful places.
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