Our First 6 Months (Seattle: crime rates, how much, house)

[texastrigirl]

Try amazonfresh.com for groceries. Great prices, great service!! Way less expensive than QFC on most things...I know because I compared a recent bill online. Other than that, I also try to shop at TJ's (which I love) to keep the grocery bill down.

And a big old second for the city being nothing like the suburbs for families. I know at least 10 different families who left the city and beyond neighborhoods for the Eastside. As for the rest of your experience, WOW, but that's not even remotely like mine. Welcome to Seattle!

[Woof]

Originally Posted by Hamza

Hi guys!

2. The City’s Costs: Seattle is surprisingly expensive. I say this and I am coming from NYC. By far the largest price difference is in groceries. My grocery bill went up 30%, and that’s not just because of tax. The local QFC in Capitol Hill on Broadway is, frankly, criminally priced. We shop at Trader Joes which is less expensive, even if you have to rent a Zipcar.

3. …’s Transportation: The Bus System is great if you live between downtown and the U-district. Outside of that buy a car. But inside of that – no need! And there’s Zipcars all over this place.

8. The City’s Vibe: Present company on this forum excepted, most people in Seattle are just plain weird. There is an enormously passive-aggressive vibe with a lot of the people here. They won’t directly come out and call you an *******, which I’d prefer, but just be really snotty about it. And if you’re not snotty, you are ice-cold silent. Especially in Capitol Hill, people look at the ground a lot. If you look them in the eyes, they’ll look to the ground. If you talk to them, they’ll look embaressed, silent, eyes to the ground and walk away. People don’t really just strike up conversations with other people unless they’re hitting on you.

....15. There isn’t really a nightlife here beyond singles bars. Almost everything closes up in our area – Capitol Hill – by 10pm. And Capitol Hill is apparently the most night-life-ish part of the city. This is bad, on one hand, because we miss staying out until 2am partying. On the other hand, we’re saving money hand-over-fist and getting lots of work done. So it balances!

You're on the wrong side of Broadway for night life (except for a little around SCCC.) I rarely went out, but it seems to me Belltown had nicer places to go, sometimes with live jazz, and then there were some places along First Ave, from the Pioneer Square area up past the Pike Place Market area into Belltown.

The vibe may be somewhat shy and depressive, but you may be scaring people with what they might see as rude or brash behavior (which would be seen as humorous by fellow New Yorkers), and the accent may grate on some nerves (as apparently mine did at times, though I was only made aware of it when they were drunk - in vino veritas).

Concerning groceries, go to Fred Meyer or way out to Winco. It seems to me there was something less expensive along Rainier Ave also.

The bus system is the most extensive I've seen in a large spread-out city, and it's good in most areas. Denny St especially connects to many areas through it's #8 bus if I remember correctly. You can pick up a transit system map or simply call the toll free number for operator help .... you can also plan a trip on their website.

You also said something about there not being much to do indoors .... I'll bet that if you let people here know what you enjoy doing, they could steer you in the direction of some good times other than swinging.

[Hamza]

I still can't get over the food here.

The Seattle restaurants are fantastic.

[allforcats]

Originally Posted by Hamza

I still can't get over the food here.

The Seattle restaurants are fantastic.

Wasn't that one of the seven million things I told you about months ago? As two Manhattanites who thought we knew all about food back there, what an awakening, eh?!! And you've only just begun!!

[Hamza]

Originally Posted by texastrigirl

Try amazonfresh.com for groceries. Great prices, great service!! Way less expensive than QFC on most things...I know because I compared a recent bill online. Other than that, I also try to shop at TJ's (which I love) to keep the grocery bill down.

The lady and I talked about this.

A) I'm not sure our building allows it. We live on Bellevue Ave E, making it tough for large truck deliveries.

B) She argues that sometimes you need to feel the produce and smell the fish to know it's fresh. I agree with her there. Never-the-less buying staples like bread, milk, cereal etc, from amazonfresh.com might be the way to go. Great advice.

Originally Posted by Woof

You're on the wrong side of Broadway for night life (except for a little around SCCC.) I rarely went out, but it seems to me Belltown had nicer places to go, sometimes with live jazz, and then there were some places along First Ave, from the Pioneer Square area up past the Pike Place Market area into Belltown.

Really! We love Jazz, love music, especially some place we can get dressed up. I'm open to any and all recommendations.

The vibe may be somewhat shy and depressive, but you may be scaring people with what they might see as rude or brash behavior (which would be seen as humorous by fellow New Yorkers), and the accent may grate on some nerves (as apparently mine did at times, though I was only made aware of it when they were drunk - in vino veritas).

110%. I don't think it's depressing or shy, just very different. I knew everyone on my block back home -- half of us hated each other -- but we knew each other. I don't know anyone in my building except my downstairs neighbor, and that's because she says we're too loud. Edit: Tho to her eternal credit (and in case she reads city-data forums) she was the nicest person on the planet when we were moving in, and probably still is very nice. Sorry about the chair squeeking.

I definitely feel you on the culture difference though. To be fair to Seattle, several times people have remarked that I'm too pushy, or they think I'm mad at them, because I talk louder than other people. When my fiancee and I are on the bus talking, people think we're talking to them, because our voices are above a whisper. Guess I have to learn to Seattle it down a bit.

Concerning groceries, go to Fred Meyer or way out to Winco. It seems to me there was something less expensive along Rainier Ave also.

Who wha when where? I'm all for Cheap groceries but I've never heard of these places. Got street addresses?

The bus system is the most extensive I've seen in a large spread-out city, and it's good in most areas. Denny St especially connects to many areas through it's #8 bus if I remember correctly. You can pick up a transit system map or simply call the toll free number for operator help .... you can also plan a trip on their website.

I don't think I did justice to the bus system in my original post. It's really great and extensive.

The problem is that late at night, outside of the areas I mentioned, it runs once maybe every hour. It's very unreliable and if you miss it, you miss it. You need a car if you live in those areas. I stand by that. But that being said, yes, its fantastically extensive.

However, beware: the drivers do not really know the routes well. They cannot tell you if they pass X street or not, I have found. So know where you're going and don't rely on the drivers. The King County Metro trip planner is very useful tho.

You also said something about there not being much to do indoors .... I'll bet that if you let people here know what you enjoy doing, they could steer you in the direction of some good times other than swinging.

lol

We desperately need art shows. My lady loves the art scene -- she was an art history major undergrad -- and we need some art shows where people get dressed up sexy and look at attractive paintings. It can be funky and weird and everything, but she really wants to get dressed up and be taken out for a night on the town. I have a really hard time finding places in Seattle where people get dressed up as a point, rather than a frustration. We went to the ballet and there were people in jeans and sneakers. That's just disrespectful to the performers.

Fancy, hip art shows. If you help, I'll give you a cookie.

[allforcats]

Hamza, the answers to all your questions are in Google...
Here's a start: Metro. Actually, it's usually very on time and dependably on schedule. Rarely are there new drivers who don't yet know the route. Get schedules either online or in the Post Office, Bartell's, RiteAid, many office buildings on the first floor, many department stores ditto, in all the Metro tunnel stops, on any and all Metro buses...
http://transit.metrokc.gov/ (broken link)

[Hamza]

Originally Posted by allforcats

Hamza, the answers to all your questions are in Google...

See, now, we tried that, and we tried hitting up some of the flyers at coffee houses too. We've had middling success. So I'm plying you guys for some advice.

I'm being proactive. I'm networking.

Edit: Damn girl, you're on late.

[allforcats]

JAZZ CLUBS:
Seattle Jazz Clubs, Lounges, & Restaurants - Jim's Favorites

There's a Fred Meyer in Capitol Hill on Broadway. Take the bus that goes up the hill (toward I-5) on Denny. Where the heck are you living anyway?

ART SCHMART:
There must be eight hundred thousand art galleries in Seattle. All along 5th Ave., 4th Ave. would be a start. Then there's the Seattle Art Museum, a place with a glistening sense of humor, at 1300 1st Ave. at University St.
Galleries:
Seattle Art Gallery Guide and Seattle Art Galleries

Enuff of a start? And yeah, I warned you about being loud, pushy, overbearing, didn't I? Just take a deep breath before you say anything, and remember to be quiet and calm....

Speaking of food, among my faves are Dahlia Lounge and Etta's. The chef is internationally-famous Tom Douglas:
http://www.tomdouglas.com/

[Hamza]

Originally Posted by allforcats

Just take a deep breath before you say anything, and remember to be quiet and calm....

*Head asplodes*

[allforcats]

Originally Posted by Hamza

*Head asplodes*

Boyohboy did your karma demand you live here!!! Hahahahaha! You're gonna find out more about yourself than you ever thought there was to know! WAHOOO!! Expanding, enhancing, evolving.....