I apologize for being blunt: Cannot wait to get out of Seattle (Tacoma: mobile home, price)

[toughguy]

Originally Posted by Jenbar

Please. You see it all over. Just like you do the big W bumperstickers in the "no" sign. Or the "Visualize Ballard" bumper stickers that you will see, even in Redmond. Or the ever popular, "Visualize Whirled Peas" and "My other ride is a broomstick"

Have fun with the Seattle stereotypes - don't be so defensive!!

Oh you will see them all over, but they are far more common in the more residential neighborhoods north of lake union. The belltown/cap hill crowd is a younger demographic, and thus haven't yet attained aging hippie status.

As far as the No W stickers, you will find those on the cars of people of all age, race and creed Even the most ardent conservatives openly express their disappointment with Jr. out here.

[jwb123]

Even the most ardent conservatives openly express their disappointment with Jr. out here.

That's not specific to "out here" - it's everywhere... even here in Texas.

[seattlerain]

Originally Posted by Ira500

...and let's not forget Mario Batali, who not only hails from Seattle, but has old Seattle Italian-American roots( The Merlino Family).
Gov Rosellini had a first cousin also big in the restaurant biz, Victor, who had a few great local restaurants back in the day.

Of course, what long time Seattleite, (besides myself lol) could forget the legendary Rossellini's 410 and 610! I remember many fine meals at both of them!

Let's also not forget Mario Batali's father, Armandino Batali, (grandson of Angelo Merlino), who founded the now famous Salumi in Pioneer Square. The New York Times called him "The Prince of Pork" and pronounced his culatello the best in the country...

[sean98125]

Having grown up here, I tend to prefer the more naturalistic, minimally made-up look of Seattle women. Just like I prefer wild, rocky beaches over sand.

Folks should live in the place that suits them best, and no place is going to suit everyone. Arguing about personal preferences in an attempt to convince others that your own personal preference is somehow superior to theirs is pretty silly.

[robertpolyglot]

Originally Posted by Jenbar

Seattle. Pegged.

Thanks, jen, I've read your posts and see we have similar viewpoints...yours brought to life by being able to live in TX where, every time I've visited, people are remarkably outgoing. Instead, I've lived up and down the West Coast, in Atlanta, near Chicago and, because of parents' relocations, in Europe and the New York suburbs. Each one of those places has a different vibe. But we do see a lot of what I described in Seattle and some of its hippy-dippy neighborhoods. Jen, I don't know if you frequented the East Side much, but you rarely see this in Bellevue, Kirkland or Issaquah...some can be outright materialistic or overly made up, but you don't see any earth mamas out there at all.

Yo, tough, I would describe myself as above average but not stellar, ok? Above average to the point that I wouldn't even consider dating one of these women we are describing because part of the equation is chemistry.

[seattlenextyear]

Aren't the old hippies wearing crocs now? Birkenstocks are like, so 1998 aging hippie.

[robertpolyglot]

Originally Posted by Ira500

When I've been at airports looking for the gate for the Seattle flight, all I've needed to do was look at the ground. If there's a high preponderance of Birkenstocks and wool socks, it's going to Seattle or Portland.

Ira...this is telepathic. Just great! Changing planes in any major airport such as O'Hare or Atlanta, I think to myself as I go to the SEA or PDX plane gate, "ok now, will the typical presentation of the passengers in terms of apparel and somber expression be in evidence?" I am RARELY disappointed.

[robertpolyglot]

Originally Posted by Jenbar

Please. You see it all over. Just like you do the big W bumperstickers in the "no" sign. Or the "Visualize Ballard" bumper stickers that you will see, even in Redmond. Or the ever popular, "Visualize Whirled Peas" and "My other ride is a broomstick"

Have fun with the Seattle stereotypes - don't be so defensive!!

What does that one mean, BTW? Let's see. If I close my eyes and think of Ballard, I think of crappy 900 sf clapboard houses that approach a sales price of $ 500,000. Not what I want to visualize!

[HistoryAficionado]

As a general statement: I rock.

Regarding Italians: first, when I mentioned that Americans tend to stereotype all Italians as generally Southern Italian (thanks, David Chase, for your wonderful mini-series that could have ended better), I wasn't implying that the Southern Italians fit negative stereotypes (and, joking or not, I disagree with toughguy's hirsuteness statement: every part of Italy is home to some gorgeous women). I've never visited Sicily, but one of the best trips I had there was around Naples. I really liked Pompeii.
Also, yeah, Italian-Americans are born everywhere in this country. Seattle has Italians, that's not news.
Back to cultural anthropology -- in the Boston threads, they talk about the Italian and Irish influences on that city just as we mention the Scandinavian and maybe German influences on Seattle.

toughguy: Indeed, I shall call you troll, sir and you shall abide it like the upstanding gentelman you are. Just kidding.

As far as the Seattle women: I wouldn't call most of them genetically unattractive at all. It's a matter of how they dress, and androgyny doesn't do it for a lot of people (plus -- despite lack of sun preserving the skin -- those scowl lines tend to wear a face down, do they not?). Some (especially natives, I think) will undoubtedly like this unconventionally austere style. Seattle, despite its secular leanings, to me, seems very prudish -- almost Victorian. To others, they can say it's "real" or whatever, but that's a matter of taste.

[toughguy]

Originally Posted by robertpolyglot

Ira...this is telepathic. Just great! Changing planes in any major airport such as O'Hare or Atlanta, I think to myself as I go to the SEA or PDX plane gate, "ok now, will the typical presentation of the passengers in terms of apparel and somber expression be in evidence?" I am RARELY disappointed.

I saw way more somber faces on the streets of Manhattan than I do in Seattle.