The city of Seattle has 97 distinct neighborhood, although to be totally honest, even I can’t tell some of them apart, especially up in North Seattle. North of 65th Ave, it all turns into a big amorphous blob in my head that I think of as “that area where I am always lost.” There is a specific neighborhood called “North Seattle”, but in my mind I see Greenwood, Lake City, Roosevelt, and all linked together as a big mass of place.
Ironically, I grow livid when anyone suggests that I live in Capitol Hill. I have no disrespect for Cap Hill, spending much time there on a regular basis (after all, to get there I’ve only to walk a few blocks), but I live in a unique, specific neighborhood called First Hill, one of Seattle’s oldest neighborhoods. First Hill was originally designed by the wealthier of the first families here, but nowadays it’s known mostly as “Pill Hill” due to the concentration of medical facilities. A few of the old mansions still stand but no one lives in them anymore; one of First Hill’s defining characteristics is that there are no stand-alone single-family residences here. It’s all apartments and condos, mixed in with the hospitals, clincs, medical centers, drug stores and fast food joints. There are a few unique businesses here–some very nice restaurants and boutique shops (including City Books, one of the finest small, independent bookstores ever)–but if you’re only passing through, you’re probably only going to notice block after block of apartments, block after block of medical facilities. It’s urban density at its best.
It’s also a neighborhood with not a whole lot to “do” if you’re the sort who needs more stimulation than can be obtained from simply walking around and taking in the scenery. Most of the buildings in First Hill are quite old and beautiful. My apartment building was built in 1927 and my landlord has spent a great deal of time and money to make our charming Meditterean style home look as lovely as it did back then. The whole of the neighborhood is lushly planted and elegantly designed; anyone interested in architecture or art will find much to view here.
However, while we do have a couple bars, we have no nightclubs. We have no grocery store, only small mom-and-pop corner stores along with the chain drugstores. We have no movie theater, although we do have a museum. Once one gets used to the sound of sirens (it takes about a week; I’ve been living here a long time now and I barely notice sirens at all unless someone points them out to me), one discovers another defining characteristic of First Hill–for an entirely urban area, it’s almost freakishly quiet.
Downtown and Capitol Hil (downtown is quiet at night, too, but Cap Hill hasn’t ever been quiet, once) are only blocks away and the great central location of First Hill means that it’s easy to get to anywhere from here, so it’s not hard to find sources of distraction in any flavor you desire. When people ask me why I live here, I often cite the convenience of the location.
The real truth, though, is that I can’t help but be charmed by this oasis of calm in the midst of the big city.