TPC: A Home Away from Home for Transplants
As Seattle has grown from a small isolated town to a larger city, its population of transplants has grown with it. It seems no one has been here for more than a few years. We asked a few of our members who have recently decided to make this city their new home, “Why Seattle?” Read on for their favorite and least favorite parts of the Emerald City.
Alex followed her family up to Seattle 6 years ago from Fresno, CA. She loves that there is so much to do in Seattle and all of the amazing bars & restaurants. She highly recommends Linda’s Tavern in Capitol Hill for its great food, great people, & great drinks. Alex doesn’t love the ever changing weather but has still made Seattle her forever home!
Heather, originally from San Diego, CA, came to Seattle 5 years. How she puts it is, “Seattle brought me to Seattle. I fell in love with the city and decided this was where I wanted to be”. She loves that Seattle & the surrounding area is so beautiful. The combination of gorgeous green tree line with the city streets & tall brick buildings is one of the things that she loves the most along with the proximity to the mountains & ocean. She would recommend Peddler Brewing (2023 note: R.I.P.) to anyone visiting as it is “so NW it's ridiculous. Beer, cycling, covered patios, dogs, and frequent outdoor movies and nerdy science based talks” all make it a cool place to visit. Heather also recommends you check out Timber Outdoor Music Festival. “It's a small music festival usually showcasing lots of local bands, fun in the sun, beer tents, river floats and camping. Always my favorite summertime weekend”! Although she loves Seattle, Heather is considering other options as the city continues to get more expensive.
James is originally from Maine but came to Seattle from Chicago as his company was expanding about 3 years ago. He loves the oysters, mountains, & skiing that Seattle has to offer & in fact he recommends Taylor Shellfish Farms if you’re looking to try out some fresh PNW oysters. As far as cons, the ever-rising cost of the city is definitely challenging & the restaurants leave something to be desired according to James. Although he loves Seattle, James is heading off on his next adventure abroad very soon so he won’t be sticking around.
Caroline moved to Seattle from Louisville, KY just 6 months ago. She’s a big fan of Seattle’s natural beauty—particularly the mountains & the weather. She recommends the swanky MBar in SLU, the historic yet modern Good Bar or just Pioneer Square in general! Although the streets & the neighborhoods are overcrowded, Caroline thinks she’ll stick around for a couple of years before her next move.
Aaron is another recent Seattleite transplanting from New York City last fall. He came to Seattle for a multitude of reasons from size to job opportunities to nature but ultimately family. Compared to New York, Aaron says Seattle is “the right balance of being a world class city without sacrificing quality of life”. He says his favorite thing about Seattle is his “new lifestyle. Seattle is liveable and breathable. We can take a stroll around our neighborhood, checking out the local farmers market. Drive to the mountains to find a beautiful Lake Serene covered in snow. Take the water taxi into downtown.” Although, he finds people aren’t as direct as in NYC, Aaron is definitely going to be sticking around.
Jeff is originally from Washington, D.C. and was brought to Seattle for a job. He loves Seattle’s weather but could live without “the Seattle Freeze”. He would suggest Tilikum Place Cafe in Belltown to both those passing through & those who’ve made Seattle their home. At this point, Jeff has no plans to pack up & move on so maybe you’ll catch him at Tilikum sometime!