This one’s written for anyone who is reading from afar, considering a move to the Emerald City. But Seattleites should read along and lend their expertise.
- It really doesn’t rain that much (except sometimes). The skies are overcast more often than not, it’s true. And it drizzles like crazy. But if you’re from a climate where it actually rains, our “rainy” city will disappoint you. Some new rain vocabulary: “It’s spitting.”
- Related to point one: almost nobody carries an umbrella. Someone with an umbrella is likely to be in one of four categories: executives, small children, limousine drivers, or fashion iconoclasts.
- “Jesus Christ made Seattle under pressure” is not a moral judgment on the city. It’s a mnemonic device used to remember the order of downtown streets (south to north): Jefferson, James, Cherry, Columbia, Marion, Madison, Spring, Seneca, University, Union, Pike, Pine. Remember that it only works downtown.
- If you’re like me, you’ll initially struggle to remember the difference between Pike and Pine Streets. If you’re really like me, you’ll still have that same difficulty 10 years after moving to Seattle. My tip, which sometimes helps me: PiNe is North of Pike.
- There are all kinds of people in Seattle. However, perhaps due to the soggy weather or the many burst bubbles we’ve endured (grunge, dot com, and now real estate??), the city inspires attitudes of irony, tedium, and angst. Enthusiasm is suspect. Cool is literal. Think back to high school.
- Newcomer origin stereotypes: you’ll endure less judgment if you’re from New York (City, even) than California, but it’s best to be from the Midwest.
- Companies that headquarter in the greater Seattle area: Microsoft, Starbucks, Boeing (or they used to — they moved their corporate offices to Chicago), Nintendo, Costco, Amazon.com, Tully’s, Nordstrom, Eddie Bauer, Real Networks, T-Mobile (USA), Safeco, Alaska Airlines, and Washington Mutual.
- It is often difficult to get a job with only the aid of your spiffy resume. Better to have an inside connection, unless you’ve performed exactly the same position for ten years at another company.
- Be warned: you might actually get a ticket if you jaywalk. It costs $40.
- I-5 not only clots up during rush hours, but at random times of day — and night — for seemingly no reason. Often traffic during rush hours is far worse going “against traffic.” You’d think it’d be easier to travel into the city at 5 p.m., but the reversible express lanes relieve the downtown folks’ commute. The express lanes open, close, and switch directions at approximately the same time every day.
- “Right about now, while you are reading this, I-90 is faster than SR-520, regardless of your location or direction.” This and more biting truths for frustrated Seattle drivers can be found at Driver’s Etiquette for Seattle — worth the click.
- You can bring your dog on the bus. If s/he is a large dog, you will have to pay a full adult fare for your pooch.
- If you’re in your twenties or early thirties, it’s possible to have a semi-respectable job and blue hair at the same time. As the ad campaign proclaims, we’re a little different around here.
- Every day is casual Friday. You will have a hard time finding a restaurant where someone dining therein is not wearing jeans. People might even wear jeans to your wedding. A friend visiting from New York City once commented on Seattle fashion: “Everyone here still dresses like they’re in college.”
- Washington is a bluish purple state, and it gets redder east of the mountains. Like many states with one major city, lefty Seattle usually overpowers the vote.
- In this city, it’s far better to be politically correct than sorry. In fact, even using the term “politically correct” may draw attention, since it’s usually used negatively.
Speak up, transplant Seattlites (read: most of us) — what have you learned about Seattle since you moved here?
For those of you who haven’t made the move yet, here are some (serious) resources you might find helpful:
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Canada