Public Transportation/Shoreline area (Seattle, Starbuck: condos, neighborhoods, income)

[eep29]

Hi All,
I'm considering applying for a job in the Shoreline area (specifically N. 195th & Fremont Ave N.). I'd be relying completely on public transit and was wondering where I should look to live, and is it possible to commute to the Shoreline area conveniently?

Info about me you should probably know:
-never been to Seattle before ever
-early 30's single female
-currently live in Wash, DC

Part of me was thinking of finding something close to that area so I could just walk and not have to worry about a commute or the money for the bus but it looks very suburban and maybe not so much fun. My other thought was to find a place downtown and commute that is a little more of a happening neighborhood with restaurants, shopping etc.

Thoughts?

[Inkpoe]

Originally Posted by eep29

Hi All,
I'm considering applying for a job in the Shoreline area (specifically N. 195th & Fremont Ave N.). I'd be relying completely on public transit and was wondering where I should look to live, and is it possible to commute to the Shoreline area conveniently?

Info about me you should probably know:
-never been to Seattle before ever
-early 30's single female
-currently live in Wash, DC

Part of me was thinking of finding something close to that area so I could just walk and not have to worry about a commute or the money for the bus but it looks very suburban and maybe not so much fun. My other thought was to find a place downtown and commute that is a little more of a happening neighborhood with restaurants, shopping etc.

Thoughts?

If you decide not to live in Shoreline itself, best to live in the Seattle neighborhoods north of DT. Like Wallingford, Ballard, Fremont, Phinney Ridge, Greenlake. These areas would be more happening with restaurants. There are a lot buses that go through Shoreline via hwy 99, going to/from Seattle.

[eep29]

Thanks, Inkpoe. That's helpful! Can you tell me sort of the general feel of these neighborhoods? I hear each [neighborhood] is very different.

[eep29]

*Bump* Thanks for any info!

[Malloric]

Fremont is younger but aging yuppies, pretty nice place but I just can't get over the condos overlooking the statue of Lenin. Does not compute. Lots of good eats, bars, coffee-shops, some shops. It's still got a flavor of Bohemian left in it, more of an aftertaste really. It was gentrified in the '80s and yuppified in the late '90s early 2000's. Supposedly it's been attracting a bunch of frat brats recently. Wallingford is similar to Fremont except for people who have accepted that they are in fact yuppies. There's an eclectic mixture of solidly middle class. Lot's of young families, older residents, singles, and it's Seattle's second most gay neighborhood behind Capitol Hill. Liberal, environmentally conscious, farmers markets, stylish but not trendy.
Ballard is an old Scandinavian neighborhood. It's more working class/lower income creative class mostly residential. Quite a few younger people. It doesn't have the reputation that Fremont does for being altculture/edgy/creative, but in actuality is much more so. The guy working at Starbucks playing music can't afford to live in Fremont (plus, he wouldn't be tolerated making that horrible racket and drinking/smoking until ungodly hours of the night. Some people have to work, you know.), but he can in Ballard. There's a row of pretty good eats along Salmon Bay and some shopping. It also shares a shopping district with Phinney Ridge, which is again mostly restaurants/bars with a few art galleries and shopping. Fremont isn't far.

Green Lake is residential except for a few places right along Green Lake. Very active/outdoorsy. For things to actually do its close to the Ravenna/Roosevelt shopping areas (lots of ethnic, organic vegan, spiritual stuff) and Wallingford.