Living here vs USA, 2015

[50fiftyball]

Anyone been or lived in Seattle/Washington and or Oregon (Portland) areas? Been offered a job out there in construction estimating.. Because its more northerly up the Pacific Coast ( I realise it's not far off Vancouver) what the lifestyle etc and culture is like compared with SF, SD, LA areas down the coast.

[armaghniac]

Well in Seattle you get rainbow crossings, so that everyone feels involved when crossing the road.

There is a view that Seattle, Portland, SF have a lot in common culturally, further south in California not so much.

[Muck Savage]

Seattle/Portland similar weather to Ireland in that there is a lot of rain. Summers are probably dryer however but still some rain.
Not as far left as SF culturally but probably a better place for someone moving over as SF can be a bit of a cultural shock. The City is a great place for a bit of craic but can be a bit in your face also -personal opinion.
Seattle/Portland have a big enough Irish community to settle you in and also two well supported soccer teams.

[Puckoon]

Seattle/Portland similar weather to Ireland in that there is a lot of rain. Summers are probably dryer however but still some rain.
Not as far left as SF culturally but probably a better place for someone moving over as SF can be a bit of a cultural shock. The City is a great place for a bit of craic but can be a bit in your face also -personal opinion.
Seattle/Portland have a big enough Irish community to settle you in and also two well supported soccer teams.

It's not a kick in the arse off it. Seattle is pretty granola, dude.

[deiseach]

Seattle/Portland have a big enough Irish community to settle you in and also two well supported soccer teams.

Liverpool and Man Utd?

[The Iceman]

Anyone been or lived in Seattle/Washington and or Oregon (Portland) areas? Been offered a job out there in construction estimating.. Because its more northerly up the Pacific Coast ( I realise it's not far off Vancouver) what the lifestyle etc and culture is like compared with SF, SD, LA areas down the coast.

I live out in the Seattle area now - give me  a shout on PM if you want

California and WA are very different places. PNW is much more outdoor lifestyle in my opinion. Skiing in the winter, loads of hiking, mountain biking, road biking, water sports. Weather for the past 3 years has been more like central france. Summers are spectacular.
There is a strong Irish community centered around the Seattle Gaels and a lot of ex-pats.
There are some great areas to live depending on what you want to spend and what you are looking for.

[The Iceman]

Seattle/Portland similar weather to Ireland in that there is a lot of rain. Summers are probably dryer however but still some rain.
Not as far left as SF culturally but probably a better place for someone moving over as SF can be a bit of a cultural shock. The City is a great place for a bit of craic but can be a bit in your face also -personal opinion.
Seattle/Portland have a big enough Irish community to settle you in and also two well supported soccer teams.

Lad's let me dispel the myth - The Weather is nothing like Ireland, or England. It's like France.
I've been in Seattle for 3 years. 3 Summers of practically no rain. From the end of May to the end of September its perfect weather between 25-35 with no humidity and no mosquitoes.
The past few years have been very mild. My kids are out every day - without exception. The locals will tell you this isn't normal weather but its been normal for us for 3 years and I'm not complaining.

[Puckoon]

3 years? Time flies. 

[J70]

Anyone been or lived in Seattle/Washington and or Oregon (Portland) areas? Been offered a job out there in construction estimating.. Because its more northerly up the Pacific Coast ( I realise it's not far off Vancouver) what the lifestyle etc and culture is like compared with SF, SD, LA areas down the coast.

I'd live in Portland in a heartbeat. Fantastic town, very progressive and laid back. Amazing public transport system, beautiful scenery (Cascades and Pacific Coast) less than an hour away. Only place I've ever seen where they don't have bins on the streets, but solar-powered mini rubbish compactors!

There were a lot of homeless there, although they weren't the usual, middle-aged mentally ill, addict types. More like young hippy types. Not sure if they're a year round phenomenon.

[The Iceman]

Anyone been or lived in Seattle/Washington and or Oregon (Portland) areas? Been offered a job out there in construction estimating.. Because its more northerly up the Pacific Coast ( I realise it's not far off Vancouver) what the lifestyle etc and culture is like compared with SF, SD, LA areas down the coast.

I'd live in Portland in a heartbeat. Fantastic town, very progressive and laid back. Amazing public transport system, beautiful scenery (Cascades and Pacific Coast) less than an hour away. Only place I've ever seen where they don't have bins on the streets, but solar-powered mini rubbish compactors!

There were a lot of homeless there, although they weren't the usual, middle-aged mentally ill, addict types. More like young hippy types. Not sure if they're a year round phenomenon.

I'm down twice a week in Portland for work - the city where young people go to retire they call it. It's a fun place, very progressive if thats your thing....
The homless are getting a little aggressive from what i hear from the locals. Sad to see a lot of young ones have run away from home and ended up there. A lot of the city parks and bridges would be full of them in the evening times. Outside the town in the lives of beaverton or hillsboro theres really none at all

[The Iceman]

3 years? Time flies. 

technically 2 years and 8 months - but I've seen 3 summers now. Still take East coast people over West Coast people any time. The sense of humour isn't the same or outlook on life.
"everything is fine" only flies with me for a couple of months ha

[J70]

Anyone been or lived in Seattle/Washington and or Oregon (Portland) areas? Been offered a job out there in construction estimating.. Because its more northerly up the Pacific Coast ( I realise it's not far off Vancouver) what the lifestyle etc and culture is like compared with SF, SD, LA areas down the coast.

I'd live in Portland in a heartbeat. Fantastic town, very progressive and laid back. Amazing public transport system, beautiful scenery (Cascades and Pacific Coast) less than an hour away. Only place I've ever seen where they don't have bins on the streets, but solar-powered mini rubbish compactors!

There were a lot of homeless there, although they weren't the usual, middle-aged mentally ill, addict types. More like young hippy types. Not sure if they're a year round phenomenon.

I'm down twice a week in Portland for work - the city where young people go to retire they call it. It's a fun place, very progressive if thats your thing....
The homless are getting a little aggressive from what i hear from the locals. Sad to see a lot of young ones have run away from home and ended up there. A lot of the city parks and bridges would be full of them in the evening times. Outside the town in the lives of beaverton or hillsboro theres really none at all

Is it a Seattle thing too? Or is Portland just a unusually generous place for homeless? Has to be some reason so many of them end up there.

[gawa316]

Anyone been or lived in Seattle/Washington and or Oregon (Portland) areas? Been offered a job out there in construction estimating.. Because its more northerly up the Pacific Coast ( I realise it's not far off Vancouver) what the lifestyle etc and culture is like compared with SF, SD, LA areas down the coast.

I'd live in Portland in a heartbeat. Fantastic town, very progressive and laid back. Amazing public transport system, beautiful scenery (Cascades and Pacific Coast) less than an hour away. Only place I've ever seen where they don't have bins on the streets, but solar-powered mini rubbish compactors!

There were a lot of homeless there, although they weren't the usual, middle-aged mentally ill, addict types. More like young hippy types. Not sure if they're a year round phenomenon.

I'm down twice a week in Portland for work - the city where young people go to retire they call it. It's a fun place, very progressive if thats your thing....
The homless are getting a little aggressive from what i hear from the locals. Sad to see a lot of young ones have run away from home and ended up there. A lot of the city parks and bridges would be full of them in the evening times. Outside the town in the lives of beaverton or hillsboro theres really none at all

Is it a Seattle thing too? Or is Portland just a unusually generous place for homeless? Has to be some reason so many of them end up there.

Santa Barbara is like that too and I don't blame them. I'd want to live there as well if I was homeless

[Muck Savage]

Seattle/Portland similar weather to Ireland in that there is a lot of rain. Summers are probably dryer however but still some rain.
Not as far left as SF culturally but probably a better place for someone moving over as SF can be a bit of a cultural shock. The City is a great place for a bit of craic but can be a bit in your face also -personal opinion.
Seattle/Portland have a big enough Irish community to settle you in and also two well supported soccer teams.

Lad's let me dispel the myth - The Weather is nothing like Ireland, or England. It's like France.
I've been in Seattle for 3 years. 3 Summers of practically no rain. From the end of May to the end of September its perfect weather between 25-35 with no humidity and no mosquitoes.
The past few years have been very mild. My kids are out every day - without exception. The locals will tell you this isn't normal weather but its been normal for us for 3 years and I'm not complaining.

Well technically your norm of 3 years is not the norm, as it doesn't seem to match with what the locals call normal. Its a much more similar climate to Ireland than the rest of the US.

[The Iceman]

Anyone been or lived in Seattle/Washington and or Oregon (Portland) areas? Been offered a job out there in construction estimating.. Because its more northerly up the Pacific Coast ( I realise it's not far off Vancouver) what the lifestyle etc and culture is like compared with SF, SD, LA areas down the coast.

I'd live in Portland in a heartbeat. Fantastic town, very progressive and laid back. Amazing public transport system, beautiful scenery (Cascades and Pacific Coast) less than an hour away. Only place I've ever seen where they don't have bins on the streets, but solar-powered mini rubbish compactors!

There were a lot of homeless there, although they weren't the usual, middle-aged mentally ill, addict types. More like young hippy types. Not sure if they're a year round phenomenon.

I'm down twice a week in Portland for work - the city where young people go to retire they call it. It's a fun place, very progressive if thats your thing....
The homless are getting a little aggressive from what i hear from the locals. Sad to see a lot of young ones have run away from home and ended up there. A lot of the city parks and bridges would be full of them in the evening times. Outside the town in the lives of beaverton or hillsboro theres really none at all

Is it a Seattle thing too? Or is Portland just a unusually generous place for homeless? Has to be some reason so many of them end up there.

Portland would be consistently nicer weather by a few degrees in my time out here. It's also more "homeless friendly" at the police and city level.
The infrastructure is different, and the residents are all quite young. My Wife's friend lives down there  - she is 40 and working 2 part time jobs and sharing with another few middle age'ers...
It's the norm. Where the young to to retire, lay from paycheck to paycheck, very little responsibility and no ties... I think the general atmosphere just makes for easier living for the homeless...