Charming towns for a creative person (Seattle, Vancouver: sales, mattresses, buyer)

[jacqueg]

Originally Posted by NW4me

Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see any mention of Ashland in this thread.

It's not in WA, but it's still in the PNW. Very expensive and touristy,
but perhaps the most artsy place in the whole region, thanks to
the presence of the Shakespeare Festival -- multiple theatres,
open most of the year (except winter). Add a state university
campus and a beautiful natural setting, and it probably would fit
most of the OP's requirements, except of course being within
2 hours of Seattle or 3 hours of the Olympics. It's not near
any big city.

Lived in Ashland years ago, and loved it. It’s getting too suburban though.

[Taz22]

Originally Posted by Zima1349

I wasn't sure of the best title since "creative" can be interpreted in many ways. Instead of trying to explain, I will create a list.

Warning: Some will probably find it silly, judgmental, and overly critical.

Sometimes it's easier to say what you are NOT looking for. Here's what I want to avoid:

• Run-down (Port Townsend, Port Angeles, most towns in the Cascades)
• Monster pickup trucks, trump signs, guns... (most towns in the Cascades)
• A suburb (Edmonds)
• A retirement community (Anacortes)
• A military base (Everett)
• Overly "ritzy" (Some parts of Bainbridge)

And, here's what I want:

• Liberal
• Intellectual population (and hopefully a little more interesting than the average bay area tech worker, though tech has some of the best people I've met, too)
• It's possible to go out the front door and go for a nice walk through both town and nature
• Has forests and parks nearby
• There are places such as breweries and coffeehouses where one can read a book or maybe even talk to other humans
• Reasonable commute to Olympics and North Cascades (3 hours)
• Reasonable commute to Seattle (2 hours)

So far the two places I've found are Langley and Vashon. The latter is on the run-down side, but close and I know many musicians live there. I only know Langley from visiting but it looks adorable and close to perfect. Isolation is a concern there, but perhaps it's worth it.

The other alternative for me is to live in West Seattle, but Seattle is just getting too big for my taste...

Just for fun, feel free to suggest places outside of the Seattle area or even outside of America. However, I love northern landscapes and moody weather, so I'd limit this to PNW, BC, Alaska, and parts of northern Europe.

I don’t find your post overly judgmental, because only you know what you want to live around. My thinking is that if you’re paying a mortgage, and you care what kind of area you live in, it’s better to speak up now, rather than buy and suffer buyers remorse.

I’ve never been to Port Angeles or Port Townsend so I don’t know if they are rundown or not. I loved Edmunds when I first saw it, it’s such a pretty village beside the ocean. Politics are fine if you want to discuss them, personally, I don’t want to know how people vote, it might turn me off from an otherwise nice person.

I understand your issue with the military, makes me think of packs of rowdy young guys, you can’t get too ritzy in a neighborhood for resale value, techs are great neighbors to have (there are much worse up here). I’d add that neighbors who fly conference flags are a huge turnoff. This kind of thing is part of much of rural Washington, which I didn’t understand before choosing a house. Many people in rural Washington must live a dreary existence and the popularity of meth and other drugs is proof. The towns around Centralia are some of the ugliest and most depressing I’ve seen and they have a reputation for being meth towns. This area has some of the surliest people I’ve ever met.

I like diversity and a bunch of white people who pile sh*t all over their yards isn’t it. If you want a better crowd of people, you can get it at a price. Vashon seems like a cool area for artsy types although it’s on the high side, I’d recommend you look there and stay away from towns around Olympia. The uniform for men here is beards and flannel shirts, the women around here have often wagged their tails at my husband while completely ignoring me. Now, if these women are dumb and stuck in a low paying job in a backward area, they should be motivated to get off their butts and get themselves elsewhere.

I really dislike this area and hope you do your due diligence and understand that unless you’re willing to pay more, something like my situation is likely what you’ll get. My house wasn’t cheap, but with crowds of people moving here, finding a suitable place is only going to become more difficult. If you’re going to buy, some trendy artsy towns in Oregon or north of Seattle would probably work well for you.

[Diana Holbrook]

Oh Taz... What's wrong with wrong with beards and flannel? It's pretty dang practical for this climate, I think!

There are actually charming, happy, positive, creative people and places all around this area, if you choose to see them. I do hope you find joy in your next place.

[Taz22]

Originally Posted by Diana Holbrook

Oh Taz... What's wrong with wrong with beards and flannel? It's pretty dang practical for this climate, I think!

There are actually charming, happy, positive, creative people and places all around this area, if you choose to see them. I do hope you find joy in your next place.

Blowing smoke doesn’t change facts.

[Diana Holbrook]

I'm not blowing smoke at all. I do know lots of charming, happy, creative people who live here. And I do think beards and flannel is a very practical style for the NorthWest. My hubby wears it daily.

And although you and I couldn't disagree more on the general quality of life here in rural Washington, I really do hope you and your hubby find some place where you are happy. I am very sorry you don't like it here.

All that is true. No smoke.

[Taz22]

Originally Posted by Diana Holbrook

I'm not blowing smoke at all. I do know lots of charming, happy, creative people who live here. And I do think beards and flannel is a very practical style for the NorthWest. My hubby wears it daily.

And although you and I couldn't disagree more on the general quality of life here in rural Washington, I really do hope you and your hubby find some place where you are happy. I am very sorry you don't like it here.

All that is true. No smoke.

I’ve met some decent people here as well. The area we live in is sketchy, I show everyone even my dentist, pictures of these horrible shacks around here, more than one neighbor has a mattress in their front yard. No one can believe it. My dentist has had the same problem with his neighbors in Olympia. You can talk all you want about the wonderful people who have chosen to live in crapholes like these houses, although they are anything but “charming, happy, creative”. Weedhead comes to mind.

My farrier says you and your spouse have lived here so long you don’t see it anymore. That sounds right, but thanks for the good wishes.

[dtuba]

The OP has not returned, this looks like a "hit and run" post to me. He/she must have realized how ridiculous their request was.



Creative, quirky, and interesting towns are always a little bit "run-down". It's part of their charm. If the OP can find a neat, tidy, well-scrubbed place with no soul and no personality that meets their needs...then good luck to them.

[Diana Holbrook]

Originally Posted by Taz22

I’ve met some decent people here as well. The area we live in is sketchy, I show everyone even my dentist, pictures of these horrible shacks around here, more than one neighbor has a mattress in their front yard. No one can believe it. My dentist has had the same problem with his neighbors in Olympia. You can talk all you want about the wonderful people who have chosen to live in crapholes like these houses, although they are anything but “charming, happy, creative”. Weedhead comes to mind.

My farrier says you and your spouse have lived here so long you don’t see it anymore. That sounds right, but thanks for the good wishes.

I see crap holes and shacks, sure... but I don't live in a crap hole or a shack. The good people I know don't live in crap holes or shacks, and neither do you. You have to go way out of your way to see junky places around your place, you actually live in a pretty nice area surrounded by nice properties. If you go down some side roads and dead ends look for them, you can find a few junky places... but... Welcome to America. Some people are messy. I don't think that's a uniquely Washington problem, and I don't let it consume me what other people do on their property far out of my view.

I have helped dozens of people move here and the vast majority love it here. *Almost* without exception. There's a lot to love about this area and I choose to focus on that. I am truly sorry you don't like it... I am sorry for you, but I'm still going to stay here and continue to be happy. I do mean the good wishes. All the best to you.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by dtuba

The OP has not returned, this looks like a "hit and run" post to me. He/she must have realized how ridiculous their request was. .

Somehow, I don't think that's it. I think she realized how rude some people were.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by ScottStielow

Try Leavenworth.
Maybe not? That is in the Cascades, and I am sure there are monster Trucks up there, tow Trucks and such, that are useful to get you out of Snow if you get stuck.

OMG, don't inflict Leavenworth on the poor woman! It's the most HORRIBLY touristy town I've ever seen! And who wants to live with anemic oompah bands taking over downtown every weekend, all summer and into Oktoberfest? Ugh!