I'm in Seattle for a week for a client and the longer I'm hear, the stranger it seems. Now, I've been to California a ton of times, but these Northern Pacific people are different.
For instance, I held the door for a person earlier today and they said "Why Thank You!", then shot me a genuine smile. On the east coast, you might get a half-hearted "Thanks".
While walking from my hotel wait to cross the street, I noticed that not a single driver was using their cell phone. In Boston, who isn't on the phone (or texting) while they drive?
While here, I've also been enlightened to the fact that Seattle isn't necessarily a rainy city, that Boston gets far more rain based on inches. I mentioned to one guy that it's not rare for us to get a couple inches of rain in a single day, sometimes in one hour. He told me that .5"-1" of rain in the day here causes roads to shut down.
It isn't completely dark until after 10pm.
Also, Seattle is the home of Starbucks. At 10:00 this morning, I walked to one to grab a coffee.... and it was closed?!?! There are more Starbucks locations within 1 block of the Boston Common than I've seen since I got here.
My whole world is being torn apart the longer I'm here. I can't wait to get back home where courtesy is rare, the people don't pay attention to the road and almost anywhere you go there is at least one Starbucks or Dunkin in view.
I've actually had people stop and let me cross the road, more than once. It doesn't happen in Redmond though.
Yes, the Pike Place market is the best, found a lot of good stuff at the day tables at the north end.
The Spice shop behind the fish market is the best I had been to in the US.
For instance, I held the door for a person earlier today and they said "Why Thank You!", then shot me a genuine smile. On the east coast, you might get a half-hearted "Thanks".
It seems that the younger women are the ones who are less likely to say Thank You.
Most times I just let it go but, sometimes I'll just say, "Your Welcome."
last time I was in Seatlle I got pushed by Kevin Costner's bodyguard. I pushed him back and then a cop behind me grabbed me and told the bodyguard if he puts his hand on anyone else, he would be taken in.
I was in Seattle in 99' on a winter vacation. We flew there and drove to Whistler, BC. We had 2 nights on both sides of the vacation in Seattle. You're right on about the people there being courteous. I scored tickets(front row) the day of the Neil Young concert at the theater. The guy was putting the name up on the marquee and I asked if there were any available. He climbed down and chatted with me a bit. I told him there were 8 of us and he said to come back at 2pm. I came back at 2pm and there was a line around the block. He see's me get out of the car and waves me over and hands 8 tickets to me for $60 a pop. He then proceeds to put up a sign in the window that says "Sold Out". I have no idea where we're sitting cuz there's no seats printed on the tickets but he tells me to look for him at the front door when the doors open for the show. We get the there later and he escorts us down to the orchestra pit front row center stage! The guy didn't know me from Adam but we were courteous and he returned the courtesy. Can you imagine that happening here at one of the venues? Oh yea, I almost forgot about this one. On the back end of the trip the NCAA men's basketball tourney is being played at Key arena directly accross from the hotel. Me and another friend who are interested in the tourney go the ticket booth in the pouring rain only to find out it's sold out. A guy in a suit comes up and asks if we need tickets. He hands over 2 and says it's on the house! They are center court 15 rows up! It turns out the guy who gave us the tickets was the Florida AD and we were sitting in the team's family and coaching section. I sat next to 2 scouts from the Knicks. The games we saw were Gonzaga over Stanford and Florida over Weber State. Good times and I have fond memories of that city. The fish market was awesome! Have fun out there and enjoy the city!
It seems that the younger women are the ones who are less likely to say Thank You.
Most times I just let it go but, sometimes I'll just say, "Your Welcome."
To me, it seems like the women around 30-50 are the ones who look at me like holding the door for them is expected. You can also add to that list the local white trash of any age.
The girlfriend yells at me once in a while because I always let people know that their lack of appreciation didn't go unnoticed. Same goes for when someone enters a building right in front of us and lets the door slam in my girlfriend's face (I almost always let her go first).
To me, it seems like the women around 30-50 are the ones who look at me like holding the door for them is expected. You can also add to that list the local white trash of any age.
The girlfriend yells at me once in a while because I always let people know that their lack of appreciation didn't go unnoticed. Same goes for when someone enters a building right in front of us and lets the door slam in my girlfriend's face (I almost always let her go first).
Good man Johnny!
The sunsets out there are pretty cool. Olympic Sculpture Park was interesting. Is Mt Rainer showing? It was showing for us the whole week. Enjoy the beer, sushi and crab legs while your out there.
If you go to Cutters Bay House and let them know its your first time in Seattle and never have tried Alaskan King crab legs, they will give you a small appetizer of crab legs for free! Good stuff!
The sunsets out there are pretty cool. Olympic Sculpture Park was interesting. Is Mt Rainer showing? It was showing for us the whole week. Enjoy the beer, sushi and crab legs while your out there.
If you go to Cutters Bay House and let them know its your first time in Seattle and never have tried Alaskan King crab legs, they will give you a small appetizer of crab legs for free! Good stuff!
Have fun...
Mike
Thanks for the tips Mike. My Rainer was showing the day I got here and Sunday - been pretty murky the last couple days.
Last night was a long-ass day. Decided I'd treat myself so headed of to a local sushi place that was recommended by 3 different people. Turned out to be my first trip to a sushi restaurant with a Sushi Belt. The fish was superb. Pulling plates off the belt as they come by, the bill can add up fast and boy did it. Sushi and sake were a much needed end to that day though.
This city (the small amount I've seen) looks beautiful. Just wish I had a day that I could be a tourist.
On the flip side, I am jonesing to get back fishing for stripers.
Imagine if Kurt Cobain lived in NYC. He would have been hooked on H by age 7 and probably have done himself in before he had a decade under his belt.
thats an incredibly silly thing to say. Mile by mile there are more brilliant musicians in NYC than in all of Seattle. If in NYC, Nirvana would have been competing against thousnads of talented bands vs. a new "scene" that happened to be taking place in Seattle. they were lucky to be in the right place, right time.
As far as Johnny's post, I lived in San Francisco for years and loved it. You are right that people are much nicer and truly more interesting in the north west. they travel, are open to different cultures. But....after time the city will wear on you. Im sure Seattle has its homeless problem, parking problems, crime, etc. Visiting a city and living in one are very different.
thats an incredibly silly thing to say. Mile by mile there are more brilliant musicians in NYC than in all of Seattle. If in NYC, Nirvana would have been competing against thousnads of talented bands vs. a new "scene" that happened to be taking place in Seattle. they were lucky to be in the right place, right time.
It was silly and sarcastic but you're just echoing my point exactly. He couldn't hang in NYC. Although, now I'm not sure I agree with it. Nirvana has definitely had a pretty heavy influence on modern "post hardcore" style music which gives them tons of credibility. Nevermind their mainstream influence. Musically they absolutely could have competed in NYC.
As far as Johnny's post, I lived in San Francisco for years and loved it. You are right that people are much nicer and truly more interesting in the north west. they travel, are open to different cultures. But....after time the city will wear on you. Im sure Seattle has its homeless problem, parking problems, crime, etc. Visiting a city and living in one are very different.
I'm in San Francisco at least once or twice a year, beautiful city. You are dead on with regards to the cliche "big city problems." I pass a number of homeless on my 4-block walk to and from meetings every day. Your last sentence couldn't more dead on.
I'm not sure how the crime is here, but the police know how to deal with punks that get out of line:
Don't pass judgment on the cop. The story has been pretty big the past couple days and that girl is lucky she only got one punch to the face. It all started over the cop stopping the girls for jaywalking.
Now, I'm used to walking and driving in Boston where people cross the streets regardless of the traffic signals and cars travel without regard for pedestrians. When I first got here and was walking around, I noticed that people pay very strict attention to the traffic/pedestrian signals and almost no one crosses the road outside of a crosswalk.
Just one more thing to add to the list of how Seattle is different from the East.
Given the diversity of the human species, there is no “normal” human genome sequence. We are all mutants.
Nirvana has definitely had a pretty heavy influence on modern "post hardcore" style music which gives them tons of credibility. Nevermind their mainstream influence. Musically they absolutely could have competed in NYC.
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