Connecticut or Seattle?

[kungapa]

Originally Posted by computerpro3

So you don't have $15 to take the train for a freaking hour to NYC? Hell, if you live in New Haven the train station is 10 minutes tops from where you live. Or if the train's not your thing, it's a 45min limo ride - we took one to go shopping at Madison avenue a while back.

Stop trying to complain for the sake of appearing like a "cool big city urbanite." I don't think you get it - people that live in CT live there because we can get all of the benefits of NYC without the downsides. We don't think it's "cool" to live in NYC. Otherwise, we'd all live there - we'd save a few million dollars a year, after all.

1. Not everyone is in CT for the lifestyle.

2. A place being a $15 train ride and 1.5h away is very different from living there.

 

[scientific]

how are you going to save money living in NYC ...
also it's more like two hrs from new haven to NYC...
also someone moving for a job prob does not have money to splurge on limo rides to madison ave ...
clearly that guy was clueless ... yet indicative of parts of CT ...

ct offers two contrasting extremes - waspiness and ghettos. so depending on what part of CA you're from it could be a great fit.

 

[medtech_expat]

Originally Posted by scientific

ct offers two contrasting extremes - waspiness and ghettos.

I'd take Seattle over CT in a heartbeat, but this isn't really a proper comparison. Seattle is a proper city with all the cultural and lifestyle advantages that confers, yet it's in very close proximity to some of the most breathtaking wildlife and scenery in the country. Love it or hate it, there's a progressiveness in Seattle which you are unlikely to find in the areas of CT mentioned in this thread. Seattle, while not cheap, is a relative bargain for cost-of-living given its advantages. The weather can well and truly suck - and that's why I'd never live there - but Nor'easters and summer humidity are no picnic either.

Oh yeah, and by leaving Seattle you'd have ~5% of your income jacked for state income tax.

 

[LA Guy]

Originally Posted by Johdus Fanfoozal

The oversell on CT here is epic.

Originally Posted by medtech_expat

I'd take Seattle over CT in a heartbeat, but this isn't really a proper comparison. Seattle is a proper city with all the cultural and lifestyle advantages that confers, yet it's in very close proximity to some of the most breathtaking wildlife and scenery in the country. Love it or hate it, there's a progressiveness in Seattle which you are unlikely to find in the areas of CT mentioned in this thread. Seattle, while not cheap, is a relative bargain for cost-of-living given its advantages. The weather can well and truly suck - and that's why I'd never live there - but Nor'easters and summer humidity are no picnic either.

Oh yeah, and by leaving Seattle you'd have ~5% of your income jacked for state income tax.

This. I don't get the hate for Seattle. It's got a lot of neighbourhoods with character, pretty decent dining, and is a city with all the urban amenities, from decent stores to good restaurants to museums and other boring stuff I never do, but very close to outdoors activities if you like those. Also, it's close to Vancouver, imo one of the best cities in the world for any number of reasons, starting with the Chinese food.

I've lived on both the West Coast and the East Coast, and I like the openness of West Coast people. The enclave mentality of the East Coast is suffocating.

 

[Svenn]

Originally Posted by champagne socialist

Seattle is so dreary and unfortunate, fashion wise. Do they even have a Hermes in Seattle? How can someone live like that? I won't step foot in that dump again until a store worth me setting into is ever established there.

It is true that seattle isn't as sophisticated or metropolitan as other major world cities. Nightlife options are fairly limited (no clubs that the upper echelons of SF would deem worthy) and it can be a ghost town at night in all but a few parts of the city, and even there it's mostly just riff raff. Mind you I'm from a tiny redneck town in rural washington, so I've dealt with seattle my whole life... and I'd take a major Asian, European, or NYC or LA over the faux-'laidbackness' in seattle any day. Seattle has the highest suicide rate in the country apparently, and it's not a great place to be if you're single. However if you meld well with a certain type of crowd (alternative portlandia type) it could be the greatest place on earth for you.

If you have a partner it can be a lot more enjoyable, i've had a lot of good times in sea with the gfs. A lot of suburban east-coasters not accustomed to the outdoors are fascinated by seattle, but honestly there's tons of northwest cities that have much better and easier access to the outdoors than seattle.

 

[imatlas]

I've lived in both. My mother and sister still live in Wilton. Given those options I'd choose Seattle in a New York minute. Especially if the alternative is New Brit-Ann, which might as well be Toledo, Ohio for all the amenities it offers.

 

[patrickBOOTH]

I have never been to Seattle, but I would choose Seattle over Connecticut. I need a larger city to feel well. Suburbs are like Hell to me.

 

[imatlas]

Originally Posted by patrickBOOTH

I have never been to Seattle, but I would choose Seattle over Connecticut. I need a larger city to feel well. Suburbs are like Hell to me.

Outside of the immediate (small) downtown area, Seattle has a very suburban feel.

 

[patrickBOOTH]

I would probably just have to hang out in the space needle all day.

 

[imatlas]

Originally Posted by patrickBOOTH

I would probably just have to hang out in the space needle all day.