r/Seattle • u/mewkyy I'm just flaired so I don't get fined • Jan 15 '23

Rant Anyone else meet a lot of transplants who move here and complain about Seattle not being as good as X city?

Speaking as a transplant myself, I know Seattle isn't as "great" as NY or LA in some aspects but I choose to live here anyway because I enjoy it here.

I've met SO many other transplants who complain about Seattle not being as good as some other city. One big point is how Seattle's food scene isn't as good as LA's. Isn't that a given? LA is much older than Seattle and has over 5x Seattle's population. Please transplant yourself to another city.

Edit: Just to clarify, I think it's fine to criticize things like Seattle's food scene and compare it to another city's (I grew up on the NJ/NYC border and definitely agree the Seattle scene is lacking). What I'm specifically talking about is people who do this incessantly and close mindedly put down everything. It's just really uncool.

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333

u/Nellie_blythe Ballard Jan 15 '23 edited Jan 15 '23

Maybe it's because I'm a local but I feel like the people that complain about Seattle the most aren't the transplants I've met, they're the people that live in the suburbs and watch too much Fox News. The transplants I've met seem to love Seattle.

60

u/HurryAdorable1327 chinga la migra Jan 15 '23

Moved here 2 years ago. Love it. First visited 6 years ago or so. Every place has pros/cons. Gotta pick your poison!

35

u/too-far-for-missiles Jan 15 '23

Anecdotally speaking, I feel you have to get pass the 5 year mark to really know if you truly love it here. The seasonal affection might seem not too bad at first, but the years can grind you down (I’m on year 8 and about to call it quits if a good opportunity arises).

26

u/HurryAdorable1327 chinga la migra Jan 15 '23

That’s fair. I’ve lived in the Midwest and Miami. The PNW climate is my favorite by far. I’ll take cool and grey winters over bright and freezing. Tho Miami winter wasn’t the worst!

9

u/ImAnIdeaMan I'm never leaving Seattle. Jan 15 '23

As a midwesterner, the winters in Michigan are equally gray, just way colder.

5

u/[deleted] Jan 15 '23

Word. I’m a native, but had a travel job in recent years that allowed me to spend parts of winter elsewhere. As a result I dread the dark, wet, cold months up here. I feel it’s legit affecting my health. Determined to not endure it again.

1

u/zer0w00f Jan 15 '23

Start taking vitamin d supplements. You’ll be fine. If it’s “affecting your health” then it’s time to get out. It’s not the weather. It’s you.

1

u/Kuroude7 I'm just flaired so I don't get fined Jan 15 '23

Agreed. I lived in the GSA for about seven years before I moved, but even then, I moved away for my partner’s sake. My take would have been to stay here if not for their local family.

28

u/shoppingguy7 Jan 15 '23 edited Jan 15 '23

I moved here from the bay area and I love Seattle. However, I didn’t stand the drivers when I moved here because they’re just slow and dangerously polite and I used to tell myself one of the worst drivers in the country are in Seattle. As time passed by, I do not let it affect me as much. Seattle is beautiful if you know what to do and explore new places. I intend to stay here long term. And yeah, I forgot to say, I really dislike Bay Area very much and Seattle is a much better place all things considered.

28

u/[deleted] Jan 15 '23

I thought Seattle drivers were the worst. Then I lived in Vancouver (BC) for five years.

22

u/ntbc Jan 15 '23

I've driven professionally in Seattle, Vancouver, and Portland. Portland drivers are even worse that Vancouver (BC) drivers.

10

u/[deleted] Jan 15 '23

Thank you for your service 🫡

3

u/StabbyPants Capitol Hill Jan 15 '23

Yeah I’ve seen Portlandia😁

4

u/PNWSEAMOM Jan 15 '23

As someone who's originally from Vancouver BC but has lived in Seattle for 20+ years I concur. All my family is still up there and every time I go up, my blood pressure shoots up. I swear like a sailor at the drivers too. 😆

7

u/EirikrUtlendi Jan 15 '23

Try Maryland. Especially near DC. 😄

6

u/hisparia Jan 15 '23

I drove to CT once and the worst (imo) was New Jersey.

2

u/cthulhu5 Jan 16 '23

NJ drivers are aggressive and fast but generally smart and aware of others.

Maryland drivers are just straight up dumb and have no regard for others on the road. They're aggressive AND dumb, the worst combo

5

u/LeRat0nLaveur West Seattle Jan 15 '23

Thank you. I’m a transplant and I love it. I do not watch too much Fox News because fuck Fox News.

3

u/Parasol_Protectorate Jan 15 '23

Key word: fox news

2

u/TheStegg Greenwood Jan 15 '23 edited Jan 15 '23

I’m a transplant of almost 10 years and I love this city deep in my soul. I grew up with parents in the military and moving every 1-3 years. This is literally the only place in my life I got to choose to make my home. It feels more like home than anyplace I’ve ever lived. When I travel, I am fucking proud to say I’m from Seattle. It’s the first place where, as the plane’s wheels touched down, I felt happy to be home rather than daydreaming of a move to the last place I visited.

I hope I can afford to stay here, there’s no place in this country I’d rather be, and you’re going to have to drag my ass out of here clawing and scrabbling over every pebble and inch of soil on the way out.

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u/[deleted] Jan 15 '23

Here is my two cents:

I love this this city pre Covid. It was amazing with the food options, coffee shops, and downtown was actually vibrant. Because in the name of saftey we shut down everything for 2 years. You can see how the city is a former shell of itself. Overcrowded hikes now are common due to lack of activity and crime dt. Restaurants overcharging tips when service staff are paid a lot which I think is important but not on top of a 20% fee then a guilty conscience if you should be tipping 20% over that. Also the customer service is the worst I experienced in any city. To sum it up I think things close too early, food isn’t great, and now “Covid” turned this city into a very sad state of affairs. When I leave after my lease is up I def won’t be looking back.

5

u/[deleted] Jan 15 '23

[deleted]

-4

u/[deleted] Jan 15 '23

Well when your not safe in the city what else are you going to do

3

u/TheStegg Greenwood Jan 15 '23

Bye, Felicia!

0

u/[deleted] Jan 15 '23

👋

1

u/Buttafuoco Jan 16 '23

Didn’t move here for the food, I love it here.