r/AskSeattle

I would love to hear from people that have lived in Portland and decided to move to Seattle for lifestyle or career reasons. How did it work out and was it a worthwhile change?

I’m interested in making the move in the hopes of getting access to better career, dating (early 40s woman who dates men) and social life opportunities. I’ve been several times it definitely feels like a bigger city, which I like. It would be an increased COL with less disposable income but seems doable to maintain roughly the same lifestyle (albeit probably a smaller and worse apartment for my budget 😔). I work remotely so getting a local job isn’t a concern.

My hesitation is that the life there is largely the same, but more expensive. Which would be a really disappointing thing to realize because I would be giving up a spacious and affordable apartment and a routine that works for me.

Context: I’m not from the PNW and don’t have family here. I like all the typical PNW activities and would be looking to join groups for hiking, reading, sailing, walking, sauna, etc. I’m more outgoing and socially active than the PNW stereotype. My goal would be to to join professional networking groups and eventually level up my job and salary. I’m hoping the energy of a bigger city, a bigger economy and presumably more career oriented knowledge workers will help provide some momentum for growth.

My biggest challenge in Portland has always been social life, finding like minded people and some of the limitations of a smaller city (economy, city governance, etc). Portland definitely attracts a certain type…I know - dating sucks everywhere, it’s hard to make friends as an adult, the Seattle freeze, etc etc… that’s why I’m asking the question. Curious if it’s been different for folks in Seattle or more of the same.

Thank you!

Or know somebody who would?

I had a band lined up from Olympia for my wedding next month and they just had to back out due to scheduling conflicts. My wedding is ONE MONTH away and now I'm kind of freaking out.

Here are the details:

Date: September 19th

Time: 3pm for roughly 3 hours

Location: South Seattle

What we're looking for:

3-4 piece acoustic band - Guitar, upright bass, drums, violin, mandolin, banjo etc. (NO vocals)

Country, bluegrass, jazz, covers etc.

Vibes are casual, punk, summer, party.

This is a PAID gig! Plus you'll get free drinks and food!

We've already been in touch with Blue Wave Band since they seem to be the only option that comes up when you Google but if you are in a band or know of a band that fits the bill above please let me know!

It had like 600 upvotes and 400 comments. Ridiculous.

I’m 21 and I really want to go trick-or-treating this Halloween 😭I didn’t grow up in the US, so it was never something I got to experience as a kid, and I’ve always wanted to do it at least once

I know trick-or-treating is mostly for kids, so I don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable or take away from them. Are there any neighborhoods/areas in Seattle where people wouldn’t mind adults trick-or-treating too? Or any Halloween events that have actual trick-or-treating for adults?

Also, if any other adults have gone trick-or-treating in Seattle, did people care? I’m fully willing to put effort into the costume lol.

Hey!! All my friends are employed ( yay for them, boo for me) and I am getting tired of applying to jobs alone. I want to have a meetup day during m-f with some other unemployed people. I want it to happen consistently and I think we should cycle (either during each meetup or every other meetup) between job search activities (applying to jobs together + looking over resumes, helping with mock interviews) and fun things like paddleboarding, museum days, short hikes when we get more comfortable as a group etc. If anyone is interested, lmk! I will make a group chat :)

I need someone to explain this to me because I feel like I’m being gaslit by the entire Seattle metro area.

Some of the wealthiest, smartest, most technologically advanced zip codes on Earth. We can build cloud infrastructure that powers half the internet. We can engineer airplanes. We can put AI into everything.

But somehow: Bacon + Egg + Cheese + Bagel has defeated us as a civilization.

I’ve tried the big hitters. Toasted. Backyard Bagels. Grateful Bread. Eltana. Rachel’s and a lot of others.
I walk in with one simple dream: “Can I get a bacon, egg and cheese on a toasted bagel?” And suddenly I’m negotiating the Treaty of Versailles.
“We have lox?” Great. Not what I asked. “Cream cheese?” Incredible. Do you also sell water?

“Would you like the bagel toasted?” YES And some places DON’T EVEN TOAST IT.

Meanwhile, somewhere in NYC, a bodega with flickering fluorescent lights, a $4.99 ATM fee, and a cat named Tony sleeping on a case of Poland Spring will make you a BEC in 47 seconds that could bring a grown man to tears.

No artisanal aioli. No seasonal schmear. No 25-minute wait.

Just: Bagel. Toasted. Bacon. Egg. Cheese. Salt. Pepper. (Ketchup if you want it). Foil. Done.

And before anyone says, “Seattle isn’t New York…”
I KNOW
I’m not asking for the subway system.
I’m asking you to put an egg on a bagel.

At this point I’m convinced a legitimate NYC style BEC shop in Seattle would cause an economic event. Microsoft employees would abandon Redmond. Amazon would acquire the shop within six months. Bellevue would establish a Bacon Egg & Cheese drone delivery service.

And please don’t send me somewhere serving a “breakfast bagel” with arugula, pickled fennel, herb chèvre, heirloom tomato jam, and a $3 egg add-on.

I respect the creativity. But that is not a BEC! That is what we call a salad wearing a bagel as a hat.

So I’m begging r/AskSeattle: Where is the greasy, salty, cheesy, properly toasted, no-nonsense Bacon Egg & Cheese?

Does it exist? Is there a password?

Because I refuse to believe that Seattle has failed to reverse engineer something every random NYC bodega mastered decades ago.

Do any of you have a recommendation for a door to door transport service that includes an escort to the waiting area. This would be for an elderly person who uses a walker. A Friendly and patient person to walk with and wait through Dr. visits is needed.

I know that some of the Almost Live!-era stereotypes, like Ballard being for Scandinavians and old people, are dated by now, so I was wondering if Seattleites still mock Tacoma like in the old days.

So far, this is what we have done (along with the impressions from my two teenagers).

Ballard Locks (2 out of 5 stars)

No interest in the locks themselves but they enjoyed hanging around that hill

Discovery Park (5 out of 5)

We actually went there twice because they just loved finding rocks and wandering around the area near the lighthouse

Alki Beach (1 out of 5)

No interest. Too much noise and nonsense for their taste. Seemed like a California beach.

Twin Falls (2 out of 5)

The hike was more intense than we anticipated, so we didn't get as far as we planned.

Snoqualmie Falls (4 out of 5)

Much better place to see waterfalls, which means no hiking haha

Pikes Market (3 out of 5)

They found some treasures there. And we saw the stupid Gum Wall

Olympic Sculpture Park (3 out of 5)

They enjoyed walking around and looking at the art but these are teenagers

Bainbridge Island (3 out of 5)

We took our car on the ferry and the island had a nice quiet charm

Space Needle (3 out of 5)

We saw it from multiple points but we did not actually go up. The kids were less impressed because they kept on asking what was the point of it haha

Still (possibly) on our list would be

Seattle Art Museum

Drive out to Middle Fork

Anything else we are missing?

It’s my birthdayyy (39🍾) this weekend and maybe I want to go on a hike! with my babe and my dogs! Suggest me a hike ✌️

Hi all! First pregnancy and I've narrowed it down to Swedish First Hill vs UW Medical Center Northwest, and I'm torn.

I'm leaning UW NW, their midwives and nurses get amazing reviews, and their intervention/C-section numbers are noticeably better than Swedish's for low-risk first births according to hca. My priorities are simple: clinic resources, staff who are kind, able to explain why they're recommending something and respect my wishes (hoping for a natural birth if possible). It's my first time so I don't know what I don't know.

But: I live in Belltown with no car. Swedish is 10 min away; UW NW is up at N 115th, which means a trek for every prenatal visit plus the day-of trip. Also Swedish has the big Level IV NICU on-site, which is reassuring for worst-case scenarios.

Complicating things - I had a bad experience at Swedish before (rude staff, misdiagnosed a fracture as a sprain), so I'm a little wary even though their birth center reviews are very positive.

Anyone delivered at either this year? How was the staff about your birth preferences? Anyone done UW NW car-free from downtown? Would love your opinions, ty! :)

My pregnancy craving has been stracciatella gelato and there’s very few spots I could find it in Seattle. So far, I’ve only been able to find it consistently at Nutty Squirrel and occasionally at Met Market. Is there anywhere else one can reliably find this flavor? I live in the South end so would especially appreciate recommendations for down here.

Whats up r/AskSeattle!

Bringing my Mom and Dad to Seattle for the first time this weekend! I would love to treat them for a nice dinner here near the pike place area since thats were we are staying at. They are down for anything such as seafood, steak, thai, teriyaki, etc. BUT not mexican food, as my parents would say "why pay for something we can cook it at home". Any options are very helpful!

Also my dad loves his IPA craft beer and my mom loves her black coffee so any options for that would be helpful as well and very much appreciated. Thank you so much!

Hi everyone! We’re looking for a photographer for a small, private elopement ceremony at Mount Rainier National Park in Second half of September (flexible with dates as we need to choose a location in NP), ideally around the Paradise area.

We’d love someone experienced with outdoor elopements and comfortable shooting in mountain weather and natural lighting. We’re looking for coverage of the ceremony, couple portraits, and a few photos with our small group.

If you’re available, or have someone you highly recommend. Please reach out.

Hello Seattle locals. I am planning a solo trip to Seattle in November for a few days (18-23) and am looking for hotel recs, things to do, and maybe advice on how cold its going to be. I will be going up to Leavenworth for a wedding via train the 20-22nd, and then coming back to Seattle 22-23.

I am not going to rent a car, I do not mind public transit, but obviously I want to stay in a more walkable area in Seattle that is also safe. I grew up in NYC so I am not afraid of much when it comes to 'sketchy areas', if that is any help.

Thank you for any advice!

Hi, I’m a 45-year-old woman who recently moved to the US from India because of my husband’s job. I’ve been thinking about visiting this spa for a few months, but I’ve been a little nervous because of the nudity rule throughout the facility. I’m Muslim, so I’m not very comfortable with nudity, but I’m planning to visit next week .

I had a few questions and would really appreciate hearing about your experience:

1. How was your overall experience? Also, how many people do you usually see in the spa at one time?

2. How often do you see South Asian or Middle Eastern women there?

3. Is the entire area nude mandatory? Or can anyone use disposable underwear?

You’ve lived in Seattle for years, seen the highlights, been a local and a tourist. New or repeats, what are you hitting with one month left?

Hi all, I'll be visiting in early to mid October and would love to get a tattoo while there. Any recommendations for tattoo shop/artists? Preferably those that have experience tattooing color on darker skin tones? Line work is fine too though.

Thanks!

What do people think of this place? Particularly for private parties? Bonus points if you can comment on Ristorante Picolinos as well.

Where can I meet interesting older age women who are interested in grabbing dinner or coffee with young guys and have a nice conversation and get to know each other is there any place where I can find them someone genuinely interested for a good conversation ?