Rain City Guide

1. Comment from kpom
Time May 19, 2007 at 1:51 pm

Cars have to stop for pedestrians crossing the street in Seattle.

2. Comment from ARDELL
Time May 19, 2007 at 2:08 pm

Welcome! Excellent! My guess is you will have an easier time relocating from Chicago than some do from California. Those who come from places where they see the sun most everyday, have more difficulty.

It really doesn’t “rain” as much here as people think. It just spits a lot.

Are you coming straight to an apartment? A hotel and then apartment? How are you “landing”? Are you going to get here and then find a place? Or do you already have a place lined up.

3. Comment from Jay Thompson
Time May 19, 2007 at 3:36 pm

I’ve only been to Seattle once, for a couple of days.

I’m sure the locals will laugh, but you’ve got to stop by the original Starbucks and then stroll across the street and watch them throw fish.

(It’ll make sense when you see it…)

It’s a very cool city.

4. Comment from Reba Haas
Time May 19, 2007 at 5:36 pm

As a transplant to Seattle 19 years ago and with similar age and circumstances as you, Karen, I think you’ll find you’ve made an excellent choice. The Seattle area is wonderful and there are a multitude of excellent places for you to check out and enjoy. If you are ever looking for suggestions of places to check out, I’ll be happy to provide some options.

5. Comment from finance girl
Time May 19, 2007 at 6:37 pm

Great choice! I moved here 18 years ago; and love it, although yeah it can be harder to understand people socially (e.g. they are very reserved here and not too friendly past “hello”).

But! It’s a wonderful place for a woman to be!

Congratulations on your decision!

6. Comment from Rhonda Porter
Time May 19, 2007 at 7:18 pm

Welcome to the “Rain City”, Karen. I’m a Puget Sound native…I’ve lived here most of my life (a couple teen years in California). You got to check out Alki in West Seattle, Pike Place market is a great place to see too.

I’ve been to Chicago once…I would love to back to visit.

It will be fun to see your fresh view on “the Emerald City”.

7. Comment from ARDELL
Time May 19, 2007 at 7:53 pm

Rhonda,

Don’t forget the painted naked people on bicycles! I wonder if Karen will be here in time for the Summer Solstice?

Karen, one of THE VER BEST things about Seattle is the days are LONGER. Really, really long, in summer. It gets light earlier and it gets dark later. Something to do with how far north we are.

So on the longerst day of the year (or the weekend near it) there is a huge festival in Fremont. I haven’t made it there yet, so Rhonda is going to make sure I don’t miss it this year.

I did go to Alki Beach to see the sunset on the longest day of the year. It was almost ten o’clock at night when the sun totally went down. But arrived late and the restaurants had been so busy, they were out of food

8. Comment from Rhonda Porter
Time May 20, 2007 at 6:37 am

Ardell, save the date…June 16 is the Fremont Solstice Parade.
http://www.fremontfair.com/events.php

The Fremont Art Car Show that weekend should be interesting too!

9. Comment from Karen
Time May 20, 2007 at 11:32 am

Thanks everyone for the welcome! I’m excited to get through the roadtrip and get out there! I think if my timing is right, I’ll get into Seattle June 16, so maybe I’ll at least catch a glance of the parade. Sounds like a blast!

The longer days sound great, wow ten o’clock, that really must be nice!

I do have a fabulous roommate with a place - which I am planning to delve into on my next post! I met her via roommates.com. I feel like we have already become great friends! I know how tight the rental industry is there so I tried to exhaust other options and it seems like it will work out better this way anyways.

I have seen a lot of the tourist magnets during previous visits to Seattle (i.e. the first Starbucks, Pike’s Place, Underground Tour); they are neat. And though I know all coffee in SEA is great, you’ll have to suggest any can’t-miss coffee joints besides of course the chains. I do enjoy my espresso!

Chicago and its surroundings are nice (and flat!), but the traffic seems to get worse and worse each day. It is a great place to visit in the autumn and summer though.

Thank you for all the suggestions thus far!

10. Comment from Jon
Time May 20, 2007 at 12:39 pm

Karen-

Welcome to the RCG team and the PNW. You are coming out here at the best time… nothing beats the NW July - October.

Also, please bring Portillos with you

11. Comment from Karen
Time May 21, 2007 at 8:27 am

Rhonda - thanks for the Fremont link! Jon - Thanks, I’m glad to contribute! I will miss Portillos, especially the salads. There is one less than a mile from where I work now so I’ve been trying to wean myself off of it before I go, otherwise I’ll end up ordering it online like my out-of-state brothers do ! http://www.portillos.com/store/

12. Comment from Rhonda Porter
Time May 21, 2007 at 10:17 am

Chicago has such a rich music scene…I think Seattle does, too. Last night, my husband and I dragged our three teens to the Triple Door for dinner and to see Charlie Musslewhite (a great blues man and harmonica player from Chicago). The kids fessed up that they had a great time.

13. Comment from gracie
Time May 21, 2007 at 7:47 pm

Karen, don’t forget to call your ma every other day when you relocate…cause we’ll miss you here in Chicago…ma, pa, karlie

14. Comment from ARDELL
Time May 21, 2007 at 9:10 pm

Karen,

It’s raining cats and dogs tonight! Maybe it will rain itself out before you get here.

15. Comment from Bert Sperling
Time May 22, 2007 at 12:31 am

Hi Karen,
Glad to hear that our site (Sperling’s BestPlaces - http://www.bestplaces.net) has been of use for your research about Seattle.
You’ll find Seattle is a wonderful place, one of the perennial picks for best places to live. Chicago is also one of my favorite spots, so I’ll be interested in reading your comments comparing the two cities.

It will still be about 3-4 weeks until summer truly arrives, so keep your polarfleece handy. When it does arrive, you’re in for a treat. Summer in the Pacific Northwest is probably the best in the U.S. - no humidity, no bugs, mild temps, long days and practically no rain.

Interestingly, Seattle ranked #1 in our most recent study of Best Cities for Dating (for AXE Body Spray).

“Best” always,
Bert

16. Comment from Dustin
Time May 22, 2007 at 9:51 am

Bert,

Thanks for stopping by… You’re right that the summer in the Seattle area is awesome. And a particularly great time for outdoor activities like hiking and mountain biking (my favorite!)…

17. Comment from Karen
Time May 22, 2007 at 4:39 pm

Hi Bert!
I use your Web site often! It has been an invaluable tool to me while I have been prepping for my move to Seattle and just in general. I enjoy comparing different cities my friends live in and also reading the comments from residents in various cities. I will be sure to savor my first summer living in Seattle & enjoy the outdoors as much as possible! I look forward to more of your suggestions & input. Thanks Bert!

18. Comment from Rhonda Porter
Time May 22, 2007 at 6:54 pm

Bert, Seattle has bees, mosquitos and fruit flies in the summer…ummm…well… at least we do at our house (cover them wine glasses)!

19. Comment from Bert Sperling
Time May 23, 2007 at 5:32 am

O.k. Rhonda, some bugs! We have yellowjackets (hornets) somtimes too, here in Portland, primarily in the late summer. But insects are rarely more than a minor annoyance in the Pacific Northwest, not like the South.
We were sitting on our deck after dinner one summer evening with some friends visiting from the deep South, and one suddenly exclaimed, “Do you know? I just realized we’ve never been outside like this before! The insects back home are just too thick and annoying. Not to mention the humidity.”

20. Comment from Michael
Time May 25, 2007 at 2:40 pm

good luck to you, but i can tell you that i am STRUGGLING to live here. my wife and i transferred up from the bay area 3 years ago and the reality is…yes, it rains as much as people say it does. there’s no “just sprinkles a lot to it” - it downright rains almost every day from nov. 1 through to the last week of may.

although the days are longer in the summer because of the northern latitutde….do not forget that it means it’s darker in the winter too. that means, cold, damp, wet, dark afternoons and evenings constantly.

i know many of you will think i’m a whiner, but honestly, it’s killing me to be here where it’s always cloudy, the urban transportation system is terribly inefficient and the cost of living is nearly as much as california for housing and gas and definitely more regarding food.

just thought i’d share my perspective on moving here. i’m desperate to convince my wife to move anywhere south of portland now.

21. Comment from ARDELL
Time May 25, 2007 at 3:27 pm

Michael,

Where did you come from and where are you now? I don’t seem to get as much rain in Kirkland as my friend in North Bend. I call her and say “it’s a gorgeous sunny day, isn’t it?!” And she says, it’s raining here

I find it is brighter and sunnier where I am in Kirkland than where she lives and also where I used to live in Bridal Trails in Bellevue (tall pines).

22. Comment from Michael
Time May 25, 2007 at 3:46 pm

i live in wallingford.

maybe it’s all relative because i grew up in a drier climate, but i lived in vancouver bc for 8 years and couldn’t wait to leave there. we made the move to SF and i fell in love with it…then, my wife got transferred up here for work at msft and i telecommute to a consulting agency in SF and spend about a week a month down there. i’m just one of those peeps who can’t handle the constant cloudy, wet, cold weather i guess.

i mean, two winters ago it was the 33 straight days of rain, this past winter it was the barrage of wind/rain storms and snowstorms…”some kind of rain record” is established every year.

i know there are people who couldn’t fathom the humidity of atlanta and those who couldn’t fathom the heat of phoenix (or the winters of chicago i guess), but for me it’s the rain that gives me the blues.

i’m kind of venting because my wife likes it here and i am soooooo unhappy. what’s a guy to do?

23. Comment from Cat
Time May 25, 2007 at 6:11 pm

How close to Redmond does your wife need to be? It’s a whole lot sunnier just on the other side of the Cascades. I personally can’t imagine commuting from say, Ellensburg or Wenatchee, but I’ve known people who did it.

I empathize about hating an area’s climate. I found the endless, unvarying sun of LA so awful I moved back here, where the grey is a better fit for me.

24. Comment from Karen
Time May 26, 2007 at 9:56 am

The fact of the matter is, no city’s weather is absolutely perfect. If any of you have experienced a relentlessly bitter cold Chicago winter, I think you would rethink some of your opinions on Seattle. I’ve heard the windstorms are worse in Seattle, but overall the cold can’t compare. If temperatures don’t get into the negative figures there, I think I can endure it. As far as the grey goes, I’m not exactly coming from the Sunshine State … so we’ll see.

But also, I think what people neglect to think about when they move is that people spend more than half of their days at work (typically indoors for most people), so how often do you realistically get to enjoy the sunny weather anyways?

Just some food for thought.

25. Comment from Michael
Time May 28, 2007 at 3:43 pm

very true. i’m just adding that i grew up where there was a cold winter with snow, but the incessant rainy period is something that has blown with me away with its impact on my day-to-day psyche.

p.s. i do not buy that excuse about spending all your time indoors because one works. you enjoy the weather during your commute, the walk to the office from your car, lunchbreak, a game of tennis after work, a walk to a restaurant in the evening, walking the dogs, etc.

i’m simply adding a perspective to the thread that isn’t perpetuating that this place is nirvana…although, they did sing a lot of depressing songs - coincidence?

26. Comment from ARDELL
Time May 28, 2007 at 4:21 pm

Michael,

I just walked in from sitting out in the sun for a few minutes and I was thinking of you and wondering if you were enjoying this glorious day! And there you were.

Are you?! Do you appreciate them all the more when they DO come? I was just wondering…not trying to be a cheerleader about it.

27. Comment from Karen
Time May 29, 2007 at 12:16 pm

Michael,

I agree with you on your comment that just because people work much of a day the weather doesn’t have a substantial impact. Especially when I think of all the Midwest snowstorms that gave me a pounding headache while I made the commute to work in suburban CHI. We’ll see, maybe the weather will have colossal negative effects on me. In general, it seems people can never quite accurately predict how something will affect them. You will surely find out how the weather in SEA impacts me as I chronicle my experiences adjusting to the city. Good luck to you and your wife, I hope everything works out well

28. Comment from ARDELL
Time May 29, 2007 at 1:05 pm

Karen,

Today is an absolutely gorgeous day, yesterday was half and half. Early rain late sun. Since Seattle weather gets discussed so much, I’ve been thinking of having a calendar of actual vs “forecasts” at end of each day. It seems to be the only accurate way.

Some days we have what is called “dramatic weather day” by the locals. Periods of still bright sunshine mixed with periods of rain and armageddon like darkness.

Being a transplant myself, I generally like the weather here. Spent 42 years in Philly area, 2 in Florida and 6 in CA…something like that, before coming here in 2004. I like it a lot better than Philly. The mild climate suits me, once I figured out what to do with all those “bad hair days”. I don’t have an umbrella and never use one (most Seattle poeple don’t) so forget all those movies showing 25 umbrellas walking down the street.

Sunday morning I saw a woman walking down the street all dressed up in the spitting weather. No jacket. No umbrella. If my windshield wasn’t getting wet as I drove past her, I wouldn’t know it was “raining”. That’s how Seattle people react. They kind of pretend it isn’t, and have really good hair car products or clips or hoods.

29. Comment from Michael
Time May 30, 2007 at 8:08 am

yes, i’m certainly enjoying the heat and sun this week. thanks for asking.

again, i want to reiterate that i’m not trying to whine here or be a big negative influence on the people who love seattle, but i just wanted to add to a thread of someone who’s moving here that i too moved here and have found the weather to be really difficult for me.

you can bet i’ll be outside every minute it’s not cold and wet.

30. Comment from Matt
Time May 30, 2007 at 7:37 pm

If the weather has that much effect on how you feel, I think there may be other issues going on. I honestly don’t know why I read this entire thread, but I did. Karen good luck with your move, make the best of it, if it doesn’t work out you can always move back. This Michael character reminds me that if you live in NoCal too long you become soft. Anyways, there will always be a cold Old Style waiting for you at Bernie’s up in Wrigleyville. Peace!

31. Comment from ARDELL
Time May 30, 2007 at 9:01 pm

Michael,

It is often more difficult for the “relocated spouse” than the one who transfered for a job. It’s harder when you don’t choose it for yourself. I had that problem when I moved to Granite Bay, CA. Seemed like it was either raining (for months) or 105 degrees with not much in between. We only stayed there a year. But mostly I just didn’t feel like I fit in there.

32. Comment from Michael
Time May 31, 2007 at 10:24 am

excellent insight matt.

clearly you’ve read the parts of my messages that cater to your particular perspective and have conveniently ignored the items that have added to my own perspective.

digression - one of the things about internet message boards that i find incredibly sanctimonious and hypocritical is that everyone wants to expound his/her opinion, but nobody wants to hear counter-arguments, hence “that Matt character’s” wonderful (read: ignorant) generalization from a Baz Lurhman anecdote about being soft if you’re from Northern California. I hope you don’t rely on the genius of pop music lyrics for all of your own thoughts.

If you actually had read my posts you’d have no doubt noticed that I lived in Vancouver, BC for 8 years after growing up somewhere much drier. I simply lived in SF for 5 years and loved it. Then again, if you did read my posts, but are not geographically literate, perhaps you didn’t know that Vancouver, BC is merely 2 hours up the highway from Seattle (read: same climate).

And finally Matt…I’d love to hear what these alleged “other issues” you think I have are. Where exactly do you live? If you grew up in this climate with the incessant rain and cloudy skies, then of course it likely wouldn’t bother you. If not, do you think you could live absolutely anywhere?

33. Comment from Todd
Time June 1, 2007 at 11:13 am

Hi Karen,

Funny I found this site and your entry. I did the exact reverse move in 2003. Spent my entire life in Seattle, just graduated from UW and hopped in my car with everything I owned and moved to Wrigelyville without ever touching foot in Chicago before. I spent 3 amazing years out there and could go on and on about the differences/similarities. The one thing I found out through my little ‘life experiment’ is that you amazingly adapt to your environment fairly easy. I had never seen a frozen lake, worried about wind chill, or knew what something called a heat index was till I stepped out there. Soon I found myself walking around town in shorts in 32 degree weather because it was so nice out and wondering why Seattle didnt have an El train. People bagged on Seattle for being so rainy and ‘isnt it the suicide captial of the world’ while Seattlites were asking why would you want to move off the west coast to a city that freezes through April and is too muggy to step outside during the summer. It was pretty comical. Loved my stay Chitown, the most amazing city I’ve lived in, there is such a pulse and rich tradition of cultures. You’ll find that you like Seattle for many different reasons. I always look forward to going back there. Best of luck.

34. Comment from Karen
Time June 1, 2007 at 1:11 pm

Hi Todd,

Thanks! I’m glad you offered your insight. I’m excited and a bit stressed :). But it’s a good stressed. It’s really neat to try these kinds of adventures. Wherever you move negatives and positives exists, so it seems you just have try not to let the negatives hold you back and bank on adapting as best you can to the idiosyncrasies of a particular area. Like you said, it’s amazing how one adapts, so I’m hoping it won’t be too bad. Sounds like you really loved Chicago, it is a great city. I’m heading out to Wrigley for my last time for awhile this weekend and I know, as a big baseball fan, I’ll miss watching the Cubs especially. But I’m sure I’ll hit lots of Mariners games out in Seattle!

35. Comment from joseph
Time June 8, 2007 at 1:46 pm

I am not sure exactly how to use this website yet…so feel free to email…but you should definitely check out Bumbershoot September 1-3.

http://www.bumbershoot.org/

joseph.krawiecki@gmail.com

36. Comment from Michi
Time June 25, 2007 at 12:40 pm

I guess you weren’t kidding when you said you had an article posted (I was scratching my head wondering, how does a newbie have anything to write about Seattle so soon?)…interesting website; good to know since I’m looking to buy next year; thanks for the tip. For stuff to do, there’s also Ohana’s on July 1st celebrating their 8th anniversary party for a chance to mingle with the Belltown Locals…(1st and Blanchard)…the entire restaurant shuts down at 9pm and transforms into one big gala…RCG team invited as well…more the merrier!

37. Comment from Dennis
Time October 13, 2007 at 9:43 pm

We are moving back to Chicago from here in about a year. Can’t wait.

Seattle and the Pacific Northwest are nice. It is really beautiful.

But I do miss Chicago. Can’t wait to do all of the Chicago things I’ve been away from for a few years.

There are some cultural differences. You’ll figure them out after you’ve been here for a little while. Don’t expect Seattle to be Chicago. Public transportation isn’t the greatest out here. And the people can be little preachy over their pet causes. But all in all it turns out to be a great place.

Enjoy Seattle. And when you have had enough remember that Chicago is always there to go back to.

38. Comment from M
Time July 16, 2008 at 1:32 pm

I made the move from Seattle to Chicago in June 2007. It’s been one year. I have lived in Atlanta and DC before as well.

I can tell you that Chicago is the most beautiful, wonderful city in the world. Yes I said ‘in the world’, and I am not the only one with that opinion. It’s a big city but unlike New York you get to know it intimately.

Having said that, its not for me. I am not a big city person. It’s too crowded for me. The pace is too fast and it’s basically a concrete jungle unless you live in the burbs or by the lake. What I miss about Seattle the most is the natural beauty, the pace of life, the intellectual vibe.

As for the Mariners, they have a nice stadium but they don’t define baseball the way Cubs and Wrigley Field do. The baseball scene in Seattle does not come even close to what you have in Chicago.

Also, Chicago has an edge in terms of restaurants and their prices. Seattle has fewer options and the better places are pricey. The one area where Seattle has an outright advantage is beer. Northwestern beer is the best.

Beware that Seattle can get pretty boring. Whereas in Chicago on any given day you can do whatever your heart desires – from a good comedy show to live music – the choices in Seattle are limited. Seattle is all about the pace of life and nature. If those two things don’t satisfy you then you wont enjoy it much.

I love Chicago but I cant call it home. My heart is still back in Seattle. Maybe because that place healed me in very many different ways. I drove from Seattle to Chicago. I drove through South Dakota and went to see Mt. Rushmore and the Badlands National Park. I had fun in Montana. It was a great trip.