It really depends on where you'll be living. The further away you get from Seattle, the less adequate the bus system becomes.
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Seattle-GAF!
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It really depends on where you'll be living. The further away you get from Seattle, the less adequate the bus system becomes.
distantmantra
Member
Public transportation is decent if you're getting around Seattle or want to go somewhere nearby right off I5, 520 or I90. Everywhere else pretty much requires a car.
Noisy Ninj4
Member
If anyone tells you that you don't need a car I GUARAN-FUCKING-TEE that they live in a shit old Apartment building near downtown and they ride a Fixie on the sidewalk.
TheFightingFish
Member
My two cents as an Eastsider (Houghton) is that getting close to both highway access and preferably a transit center is really clutch, even if you do have a car. Obviously not the same as being in the city, but if you get right on a route like say the 545 or the 255 you can get to enjoy more of the city stuff without all the driving hassle.
It's a suburb of Seattle, you don't have to live there, many people live in the city and commute to the east side for work.Well I got a potential job offer in Bellevue. Would be moving from Phoenix
Checked this thread and every post about it is how much Bellevue sucks
I would bring the car, it's not impossible, but it's not easy either, if you're used to driving a car around, it will be quite an adjustment to live on only public transportation, this is not NYC where everybody's doing it.
If you're looking for places to live keep in mind that 520 is a toll bridge so you might want to avoid commuting over it to/from work. If you work pretty normal hours it would currently be $7.18 round trip with a good to to pass, $10.26 without one, and they have said that the rates will continue to increase.
Battlezone
Member
2Crisis said:Well I got a potential job offer in Bellevue. Would be moving from Phoenix
Checked this thread and every post about it is how much Bellevue sucks
I lived in Bellevue when I first moved here ten years ago, and it was fine. And back then, there wasn't nearly as much to do there as there arguably is now. I wound up moving to Seattle, because that's where my friends were, but the commute to and from Bellevue sucks.
I don't have the arrogant snobbish attitude towards the Eastside as most Seattleites do, but maybe it's because I'm not a native. I don't get it-if I had a permanent job on the Eastside, I'd happily live over here-there are plenty of areas that are nice and comfortable with plenty of things to do. Of course there's more to do in the city, but that's the case in any metro area.
Battlezone
Member
Unless he can get his job to pay for the pass
The place I'm contracting now pays for the toll, but only up to $100. At the rate it keeps increasing, it's only going to pay for two weeks of it pretty soon.
Unless he can get his job to pay for the pass
Good point, although he said his offer was with Boeing. They don't reimburse for tolls when you commute by yourself. There are some reimbursement options (general ones, not specific to tolls) if you vanpool/carpool/ride the bus.
That sucks. If they start tolling I-90 I'm going to be a sad panda.
Ah, wasn't really sure what Boeing's policy on that was. Too bad!
you don't need a car
Cosmic Bus
pristine morning snow
Stinkles has some unique views on things.
Cosmic Bus
pristine morning snow
Come to think of it, that would make a good show on KCTS. Preferably under that exact title.
You don't "need" pants. But they are highly recommended.
We got really lucky once, went to hike "Wallace Falls" (somewhere out near Gold Bar) a few weeks back and just happened to show up at 630a on the celebration of the park's 100th birthday, so passes weren't required. By the time we'd finished the hike and returned to the parking lot a few hours later there were cars parked about a mile out because there were so many people.
Well I got a potential job offer in Bellevue. Would be moving from Phoenix
Checked this thread and every post about it is how much Bellevue sucks
Bellevue doesn't suck; it's definitely not Phoenix, either. If you're looking to be out-and-about on a regular basis, though, you'll find yourself crossing the lake quite often... and as tolls get higher on 520 you'll see traffic on I-90 go up as well...
I use my car at my place in Queen Anne (downtown) just as much as I use my car at my house in Normandy Park (suburb). Public transportation here is slow and inefficient as can be. That said, I also walk a lot downtown.
Best of luck with your position at Boeing.
luckyboyceo
Member
Gotdamn is it gorgeous out today. I drove around the Magnolia boulevard on my way home from work and it was like I was on top of the world. I swear I could see Hawaii.
It really would.
EverythingShiny
Member
Well I got a potential job offer in Bellevue. Would be moving from Phoenix
Checked this thread and every post about it is how much Bellevue sucks
I'm a recent transplant from the DC area and I was kinda amazed at how much hate there is for the Eastside; not just in this thread, but nearly everyone I've talked to who is from the area or lives in Seattle. I lived in Seattle for the first 6 months and I just moved to Kirkland and love it. We're about a 5 minute walk to downtown Kirkland. I take the bus every day into Seattle for work and it takes my boyfriend about 10 minutes to get to his job in Redmond. It really depends on your preference. There's definitely not quite as much going on around here. I don't eat out a lot and I'm not a big drinker, so I don't mind living in a quieter area.
I would definitely recommend bringing your car; Seattle's public transportation absolutely sucks compared to other metropolitan cities. Buses are your only real option.
This is why Redmond can eat my ass. Can't wait to move in June.
That's the thing. I like going out to eat at a bunch of different places and I like to drink
Well I got a potential job offer in Bellevue. Would be moving from Phoenix
Checked this thread and every post about it is how much Bellevue sucks
Bellevue is fine, it's just very business oriented, with no night life whatsoever. I lived there for about 5 years, then moved up north to around Mill Creek. People are right when they say there's less to do there, though they have added a lot in the 10 years since I moved away. I'm a quiet guy, so I fit right in.
Bellevue is fine, it's just very business oriented, with no night life whatsoever. I lived there for about 5 years, then moved up north to around Mill Creek. People are right when they say there's less to do there, though they have added a lot in the 10 years since I moved away. I'm a quiet guy, so I fit right in.
I envy you guys. I don't think I'll be in Seattle forever so I'm afraid to make a proper investment in a house; but if I do I think it'll be out there (albeit I just got a condo downtown, I was trying to get a short sale in Issaquah that fell through).
Now that I'm only working (was working full-time and doing full-time UW) I am going to try and experience things/parts of the city that I never really have paid any mind to (like beer in a can, discovering Discovery Park, Seattle-GAF)-- see if that changes my perspective. Thus far, I enjoy living downtown because I don't have to interact with as many God-awful drivers 'cause I'm walking more.
I could see it as a 7PM staple on NPR. A producer kind of manages the conversation, but he just lets Stinkles go about what he learned over the course of the day (as long as he doesn't talk poorly of democrats, of course).
TheFightingFish
Member
There are plenty of fine spots in the Eastside. You sound like you live really close to where I live in Kirkland, and I rather enjoy it as well. I have a little walkable town with swimming access in the summer, a fast bus commute to work in Redmond, convenient highway access to summer parks / hiking, and a direct bus to the city for weekends. Works great for a family like mine where we like to hit the city in the winter and then play in the mountains in the summer and we don't eat out a ton. Most of the year I do a 6 mile trail run for my morning commute and I wouldn't trade that for pretty much anything.
However I can totally see where much of the Eastside gets a bad rap. For starters, as already mentioned if you are looking to go out every night, then there are much better places to be. And (this is the big thing that I see) if you get even a little bit too far North, South, or East you can very easily get into a position where it takes you 45 min+ in traffic or multiple bus transfers to get anywhere interesting. Folks come in to work at Microsoft, think that they need / want a big house and end up way out in a place with no easy access to get anywhere and annoying traffic. Obviously this still works out ok for some people, but it's the big frustration that I see from lots of Eastsiders.
To get off of the Eastside...blah, blah, blah talk. Anyone else a trail runner in the Seattle area? I'm starting to get all my races lined up for the summer. Currently aiming for Rattlesnake Ridge 50K in June as a lead up to the White River 50M in July.
I'd done races with both Northwest trail runs and Evergreen trail runs before and they were all really well done races. Lots of them have short running options and the events are all really friendly and almost all in beautiful locations. My only warning is that once you start doing these you might get pretty spoiled for traditional road races. I've been running marathon+ distances on the trails, but I'll probably never do something like the Seattle Marathon because I have no intention of running 26 miles in the middle of a huge crowd on concrete. Just had to put a plug out there are the start of the season.
http://nwtrailruns.com/
http://evergreentrailruns.com/
That's hardcore. Props! I'm just trying to do a 5K at some point this year, haha.
distantmantra
Member
I'm a runner and like trail running when I can (the trails in Cowen Park are a great option in the city), but nowhere as hardcore as you are.
I'm running the Rock and Roll Half Marathon in June, though. Fourth year for me.
TheFightingFish
Member
It was totally that work run commute that did it to me. I was in okish shape before, but more of a lifting / sprinter type guy. Then I started to run at lunchtime. Once I got the lunchtime two miles down I started to think, "hey maybe I could run the whole way home (Redmond -> Kirkland 6.5 miles or so by trails)" and eventually I got trained enough for it. Then I started doing it twice a week, then three times, then four times, and so on and so on. In the summer I put about 35-40 miles of trail running in every week just on my commute. Knocking off the 50K honestly only required a little extra training over my normal routine for me.
There are some good 5Ks in the trail runs that I listed, but do be careful as most of them would be a solid bit harder than a usual 5K due to footing / elevation change / mud. Might want to make sure that you could do a flatland 5K before doing a trail one.
edit <distantmantra>: I would say that RnR is one of the few road races that I would actually still do, since it sound like a pretty fun event. It just never seems to fall on the right dates for me.
Darth Pinche
Member
Looks like the Kirkland-GAF community is growing. I'm in Juanita and love it!
moving to Kirkland this July after living in Issaquah for 12 years.. hopefully the commute to Seattle wont be as bad
I wouldn't mind running to work but 1) I work in Issaquah and live in the U-District, so that run would probably take too long, and 2) I would need to shower.
platypotamus
Member
I am completely incapable of running unless there is a ball and net involved somehow.
Don't forget, I'll be in town next week. I'd love to get together for beer and also to bring some of you along with me for one of these.
http://youtu.be/UMARwm96yn8
http://youtu.be/UMARwm96yn8
distantmantra
Member
It's a lot of fun. It typically falls on the Saturday after I'm done with work for the school year, so it's a great way to kick off Summer.
distantmantra
Member
Just got done at the dentist. Sitting outside at Uber having a glass of Schooner Exact's sour brown ale. Too nice to be inside!
platypotamus
Member
Everytime I look out the office window behind me for the rest of the afternoon, I'm going to say "screw you distantmantra".
Only about an hour to go
Thanks, going next week to study at Digipen for 3 months!
lastflowers
Banned
cool beans. You'll be going to school a half mile from my apartment!
distantmantra
Member
I'm now sitting outside Latona Pub having a beer while waiting for takeout.
platypotamus
Member
I love the waiting for takeout beer. It's always extra delicious
distantmantra
Member
Now that we've got a daughter, our excursions to Latona have been cut way down. Fortunately they do takeout.
Nice weekend for the most part, can't complain too much. Took the dog down to Gasworks today for a stroll before stopping by Fremont Brewery for a growler, place was packed!
Gasworks was great though, Seattle bottled and fermented: hipsters biking on fixed gears, frisbee being tossed, kickball game, slacklining, medieval battle with all the props, and on.
said dog taking in the view:
Gasworks was great though, Seattle bottled and fermented: hipsters biking on fixed gears, frisbee being tossed, kickball game, slacklining, medieval battle with all the props, and on.
said dog taking in the view:
distantmantra
Member
Hehe. There are a bunch of people who do that in the 65th Park and Ride by my house.
PapaJustify
Member
Hey Seattle-GAF.
I <3 your city!
That's all. kthxbye.
I <3 your city!
That's all. kthxbye.
I'm curious as to how many Sonics games you guys were going to in the final few seasons of them being here. Everyone I talk to says they went to a lot of games, but I seem to remember the Key being pretty empty on most nights unless LeBron or the Lakers were in town. I know those of you who really want a team back hate hearing that, I'm not trying to troll; sorry.
Thanks. Where are you from, PapaJustify?
Thanks. Where are you from, PapaJustify?
I went to two Sonic games in the mid 2000s. I like basketball, but seeing the sport in person was expensive as I recall. I remembered a good portion of empty seats, too.
Seattle sports fans just don't stick around if the team isn't winning. See: Safeco Field circa 2001-2003 and Safeco Field now. It's packed for the Yankess and Boston, but generally they aren't pulling numbers anything like they were a decade ago.
Also, Sacramento did more to keep the Kings than Seattle ever did to keep the Sonics. I say let them have their only pro team and follow Portland if you're particularly desperate.
Seattle sports fans just don't stick around if the team isn't winning. See: Safeco Field circa 2001-2003 and Safeco Field now. It's packed for the Yankess and Boston, but generally they aren't pulling numbers anything like they were a decade ago.
Also, Sacramento did more to keep the Kings than Seattle ever did to keep the Sonics. I say let them have their only pro team and follow Portland if you're particularly desperate.
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