Washington State cities, neighborhoods

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

I'm planning my escape from Canada  and am applying for jobs in Washington State. Can anyone comment on the differences between various neighborhoods near / around the Puget Sound area? I'm interested in any comments about quality of life, affordability, cultural scene in Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Puyallup, Everett, that whole area. thanks.

[uffeviking]

Good Luck! That's all I can say because I live in the other part of the State, the one on the other side of the mountains; those two sides are as different as New York and Texas!

If you don't mind getting dirt under your fingernails, come over to us, we always need help in getting our fruit crops off the trees, from cherries to grapes! 

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

Good Luck! That's all I can say because I live in the other part of the State, the one on the other side of the mountains; those two sides are as different as New York and Texas!

If you don't mind getting dirt under your fingernails, come over to us, we always need help in getting our fruit crops off the trees, from cherries to grapes! 

Probably pays better than academia. I've applied for jobs in Spokane--seems like a nice, high standard of living, affordability, etc. The warmer climate especially appeals to my wife.

[uffeviking]

Now you are on my side of the State! Weather definitely is better, less rain, but also fewer green trees. In general, Seattle is liberal, Spokane is conservative. Seattle and surrounding area offer any cultural entertainment you desire. Spokane, hmmm, let's see. Stock up on your CDs and DVDs and use your extra bedroom as your music room! 

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

Don't forget, I lived in cow-town (Davis, CA, which is near Sacramento) for six years while in graduate school.

What is Coeur d'Alene like?

Anyway, one of these years, Quebec will finally secede and the rest of Canada will become the 51st and 52nd state, but I'm not prepared to wait that long!

[uffeviking]

But now you are not in Washington State any more, you crossed the border into Idaho. Coeur d'Alene is a resort town, let's say, it's trying to become a resort town and has a good start at it. Unfortunately it's still working at living down the headlines of years ago when there was the stand-off at a wilderness home between some ultra-conservatives and sheriff and the feds, and people and dogs got shot.

If your degree is in the conservation field then the Idaho panhandle is not a bad place to maybe find employment, lots of wilderness, with lots of 'different' people living in it!

[M forever]

Seattle and surrounding area offer any cultural entertainment you desire.

Maybe any "cultural entertainment" *you* desire, but Seattle reali is a very provincial town compared to many, many other places, although not so much when compared to many other places *in the US* but still brutally provincial and mediocre when compared to some other US cities. Still, it is a fairly nice city with some cool scenery, I like the water and the sunds with all the litle islands and the fir tree forests and all that. From a "classical music"point of view, there isn't that much action though, the orchestra there is third rate at best, nothing to write home about. Nightlife-wise, it is not too bad (again when compared to other US cities, when compared to cities anywhere in Europe, it is as dead as a rat's ass) but most of it is concentrated in the downtown area although there are some neighborhoods which have a neighborhood flair and feeling, but they are working on regulating and shutting that down, like in most of the rest of the country.