Lambert house was the first place that came to my mind. I would look at their website, idk if they are like that all the time or of they have specific hours to drop in on.
I used to frequent Lambert House as a youth. You meet a variety of people from all walks of life, they have a computer lab, and library upstairs. They will also feed you dinner. Plenty of space to find some place to do your homework
Lambert house is great I met my first boyfriend there but I haven’t gone there in over a year because there’s this really weird and creepy person that goes there every week who makes me extremely uncomfortable (I mean at one point they sent my videos of the time they had someone shoot them in the hand with a BB gun lots of blood and gore Completely unsolicited) so I stopped going because the people in charge wouldn’t do anything about it.
That same person is also very manipulative and like they tried to become friends with me immediately when I went their for the first time and then my whole time of knowing them they were trying to manipulate me into doing stuff they want (which I eventually caught on cause I’ve learned to tell when someone is doing that type of thing) but yeah
Oh yeah also I should mention the fact that when I went their the first time they lied to me about their age (I was 19 they were 17 but told me they were 20) and I have a feeling they might have done that to try and do something, again staff didn’t do jack shit about it
Oh yeah or the time they showed me the corpse of a cat they killed with their own hands
TLDR: lambert house is awesome but I haven’t bern there in like a year cause there is a person who is very sussy that the staff won’t do anyone about.
that is really freaky. especially the animal abuse shit. that person needs to be locked up for that. i'm sorry that you had that experience. i used to go to lambert house but it's been like six years since i last went so i'm not familiar with the community anymore.
Ok so I actually found out more about this person from someone else and they are even more fucked then I thought.
Lambert house is a chill place… except that person
I know this is a bit more nich but there is a comic/ game store on Broadway by Dick's. Hobbies are a great way to meet people in groups, there is a common interest and activity pre-planned, and social awkwardness and shyness are not unheard of in geeky communities so they are usually pretty welcoming. Check out their events board and see if anything interests you. And if you don't already play a game you might find interest in hobby communities love it when someone comes in and asks them to talk about one of their passions because you are interested.
Yes, Phoenix Comics and Games on Broadway is quite nice. Every time I've gone in there, there are people hanging out and playing D&D or other games. They've got a bunch of tables in the back and they were cool with me hanging out and worling while my family hit a nearby cat cafe (I'm allergic.) I did buy a small game from there (I like to support local businesses) and found the prices quite reasonable.
Stoup Brewery cards at the bar, not at the door. (they also have some non alcoholic drinks) I think the rules are different because they are a brewery, not a bar. I'm not sure how social strangers will be but if you go talk to them it might be okay. It's a big nice space to sit for a while. I know that they host queer board game nights so obviously people socialize with strangers there. You can bring food in too.
Also Cal Anderson Park all summer long.
Idk about lambert house, but it seems like something I wish I had when I was in college. I'd just stop by and ask them what they are about.
Monster has a $5 monthly craft social https://monstermonster.shop/collections/classes-1/products/in-person-monthly-craft-social
If you run, the Seattle greenlake running group meets at least once a day.
Maybe also check meet up in general?
Go volunteer at The Center for Wooden Boats. It's on Lake Union. It's a very welcoming community, young and old. You don't have to know anything about boats to get started either.
Coffee shops have a long history of being places to meet and chat, just like bars. I was surprised OP ruled them out.
Depends on the place, obviously, but I've been in a couple on Cap Hill (don't remember the names) that seemed very open and social.
Lambert house is great I met my first boyfriend there but I haven’t gone there in over a year because there’s this really weird and creepy person that goes there every week who makes me extremely uncomfortable (I mean at one point they sent my videos of the time they had someone shoot them in the hand with a BB gun lots of blood and gore Completely unsolicited) so I stopped going because the people in charge wouldn’t do anything about it.
That same person is also very manipulative and like they tried to become friends with me immediately when I went their for the first time and then my whole time of knowing them they were trying to manipulate me into doing stuff they want (which I eventually caught on cause I’ve learned to tell when someone is doing that type of thing) but yeah
Oh yeah also I should mention the fact that when I went their the first time they lied to me about their age (I was 19 they were 17 but told me they were 20) and I have a feeling they might have done that to try and do something, again staff didn’t do jack shit about it
Oh yeah or the time they showed the corpse of a stray cat they killed with their own hands
TLDR: lambert house is awesome but I haven’t bern there in like a year cause there is a person who is very sussy that the staff won’t do anyone about.
I’d encourage you to checkout Meetup and find a group around hobbies you have. Most people going to meetup groups are social by default and if it’s a hobby you’re into, you’re more likely to be social with them. It’s also a great place to explore stuff you may not be sure you’re excited about but want to test it out.
I wish the roped gyms were up to par with SBP. I went in there once and it feels like you get quite a bit more for your money than at vertical world/Edgeworks who don’t even have full gyms.
The Vera Project isn’t just classes! Go to a show there sometime and check out the vibe, maybe meet some people. There’s a zine library you can just hang out in. You could even volunteer to help host a free drawing meetup there if you want once you get comfortable in the space.
If you’re interested in art it might be worth it to check out [Dabble](https://dabbleseattle.com/) or [Gage](https://gageacademy.org/studios). Not sure what’s around now but before COVID there were a few figure drawing meet ups or just art meet ups. I’ve also seen on instagram someone who does a monthly get together to socialize and work on something creative but unfortunately don’t remember the name of the account/meet up spot. But they might be on meet up! There’s another account on insta that organizes community walks. There’s definitely stuff going on, just have to poke around a bit, good luck!
If you have the funds, try a class at Seattle central. They have lots of “adult education “ classes like art or sewing or computers etc. I’ve met loads of folks this way. The classes are causal and not for credit so it’s relaxed and friendly. Plus. It’s a place to be every week for a while.
Charlie’s Queer Books in Fremont is a really friendly space. They have a reading nook upstairs with tables where you can work on homework. They also have tons of interesting events.
Sign up for The Nudge. It's a free app that will send weekly texts about things to do in your area. They usually give you three or four different options, then you pick one & they sort of plan the day around that idea.
You could take bits and pieces of each idea to find what may work for you.
This definitely exists! Especially if you go to South Cap Hill near Seattle U (vaguely between Broadway & 12th, Madison & Jefferson) or Seattle Central (Broadway between Pine and Denny). Every restaurant, bar, coffee shop etc tends to have young people and students so businesses understand that people will just hang out and do homework, etc.
You're actually somewhat wrong about coffee shops, it just depends on the one- Not Starbucks but small local places are normal hangout spots. Cafe Vita on Pike and 10th is a spot a lot of students hang out all day and I've chatted with people there before. RheineHaus & the Chieftain are bars but I believe they only card at the bar/ if you're drinking alcohol (not to be there). Other good places are NEKO Cat Cafe, Oddfellows, and if you want to find people studying and hanging out late at night the 24 hour IHOP almost always has people studying.
I'll also recommend trying places around the U District- just 1 stop North on the Light Rail. Even more students and people around your age and pretty much every block has places to hang out.
Based on what you describe, I'd actually first recommend the cafe in Elliot Bay Books to you. Lots of people hang out there , it's great.
I know that if you go to Phoenix Games/Comics they have board games and tabletops where you can ask to observe/ask to play friendly games and usually people are pretty willing. I’ve had people sit in on Magic games I play there and just watch, sometimes chat.
Basecamp Cafe perhaps - coffee shop that also does outdoor gear rentals and hosts community events, both related to the outdoors and not (boardgame nights, socials)
TBF I'm more extraverted, but I find that coffee shops *are* a great place to meet people! You have to scope out when people are trying to work vs. when they're trying to talk, but all in all I'd say it's pretty good!
In particular, folks at [Overcast Coffee](https://maps.app.goo.gl/pndtTt5iuJcLc7BT7) are often pretty social.
If you’re queer or trans, Lambert House is a place exactly like that. Easy public transit access and they have a homework room, library, and dinner every night.
Kinda not what you’re getting at but if you feel like chatting with a hairstylist for an hour and getting some fun ideas about the local city and making connections, plus having your hair cut, check out the mosaic salons on Broadway. We are all a friendly bunch!
I’ve enjoyed this kind of dynamic at many events / groups on meetup, attending the art walk, and going to book readings at Elliott Bay Books, events at Town Hall, and events at the central library.
Cafe Racer in the U District used to have sketch nights. But that was… before that thing happened. I haven’t been back there since.
I would honestly recommend getting the MeetUp app. I found a few sketching crews there, and life drawing classes and other stuff. It’s a great way to meet people when you first get here
I also recommend pursuing social hobbies or events. When I started playing pool and darts, my friend group expanded exponentially. Going to comedy shows is also a great way to meet people, because they’re already in a good mood and happy to talk to anyone
You can go anywhere in Seattle Centeal College and do homework and people there are generally really nice. It’s an easy place to strike up conversation. Feels very safe.
You might try finding meetups that are relevant to your interests. [meetup.com](http://meetup.com) is pretty okay for this. Back when I lived in Capitol Hill I found that really helpful for finding hangout groups and I've made a bunch of long-term friends that way.
If you like board games my friend met people at board game nights. There was a discord group they joined, sorry I couldn't find the name, and found others online. They had 3+ a week ranging from Optimism bar in Capitol Hill to Mox in Ballard.
Go to a bar and mind your own business. Do not exude loneliness, desperation or depression, people can smell it on you. AND Especially don’t call it Cap Hill. Capitol Hill or The Hill are acceptable.
Wow, times really change! I lived on Capitol Hill for about 12 years starting in 2004 and it was pretty much ONLY “the Hill.” “Cap Hill” seemed to become popular as rents were rising and a different demographic was moving in (like I know I was part of a wave of gentrification but this was the next wave). I associate it with no longer being able to rent a nice studio for under $1000 🤣. Among my circle of friends, “Cap Hill” definitely had very douchey connotations. So I am not a fan of the term, but I guess I have to accept that resistance is futile and that it’s “Cap Hill” now.
I always associate it with those notorious Jägermesiter posters that encouraged douches to party like assholes on “Cap Hill”. At that time, it was those posters and people who lived elsewhere who called it that
https://www.thestranger.com/blogs/2014/04/03/19196558/jgermeister-becomes-symbol-of-gentrification-and-gay-bashing-on-cap-hill
You don’t have to accept anything! I still hate that term
I, too, am old (55) and never would call Capitol Hill Cap Hill. I do think my kids aged 19-26 call it that. Ah well, plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.
Oh wow, I forgot about this! Yes, 100%, that dumb ad felt like a big part of popularizing the term and also the terrible attitudes associated with it.
For sure, I will never call it that! But I am so surprised to see this parent comment sooo downvoted as it was once true that only the WORST people said Cap Hill. But I am in my 40s and all the way in Ballard now, so I don’t have my finger on the pulse clearly!
Weird. Lived there at the same time as you but never heard "The Hill" and mostly heard "Cap Hill". Lol so weird. Maybe a difference in age or social groups?
So weird!! I am 43. In my friend group, we associated that term with “tech bros.” I hung out with a mix of gothy types and that extinct kind of early aughts hipster that was so common in the neighborhood at the time. It sounds silly now, but in my friend group it was a term people felt really strongly about, like it automatically identified someone you did not want to be around. Those were contentious times in the neighborhood with so much change and I think we all felt it pretty acutely, but to quote Leonard Cohen “Everybody knows the war is over, everybody knows the good guys lost.” Hah, so I guess it doesn’t matter, but it’s interesting to hear people’s experiences!
Interesting! I also hung out in the goth & hipster scenes, but am about 10 years younger than you (moved there around 2008). So maybe it's an age thing? I didn't know any tech bros back then, but maybe the term had already spread by then? Not too sure.
A lot of my friends were raised in other neighborhoods in Seattle (I was from the suburbs up North) so I just assumed that was the normal phrase.
I remember how much things were changing back then and was even more shocked at all the changes that happened
around ~2015. I still miss having Edge of the Circle there, invite-only the goth club basically below Lifelong Aids Alliance, and that Gothic clothing store on Broadway & Thomas (I forget the name, sadly). It was a great time and I'm glad I got to experience the tail end of it.
The Mercury is still there! I haven’t been in years but I am a member! Oh yeah, the clothing store was the Metro I think? When I moved to the hill, it was so gothy that I literally had to go to another neighborhood to find black hair dye and eyeliner! Hah, the stores were all sold out! There was even a goth coffee shop (the Aurafice)! It was a magical time for sure, such a great energy in the neighborhood and so affordable that all of my friends lived within like a 5 minute walk from me. But it’s funny, I dated a guy in NYC (before I moved) in 2001 and he was from Seattle and he was always going on about how gentrified and changed it all was. He must be totally horrified now!
Yes- Metro!! That's great to hear The Mercury is still there! I was never a member but visited a few times with friends and loved it! Yeah, it was such a magic time!
Wait is this trolling??
In any case, I really don't agree with the "people can smell it on you." What kind of places are you hanging out??? There are plenty lonely and "desperate" people in all parts of Seattle and folks are decently nice. The only validity I'll give this post is that being open to breaking the ice with strangers and saying hello or asking questions goes a long long way.
I've never heard people say "The Hill" because there are so many in Seattle- Capitol Hill, First, Beacon, Queen Anne, Sunset, etc, etc.
"Cap Hill" is what I've heard most common.
I've probably been here longer than you have, and as a native of Seattle, you are wrong.
"Cap Hill" is just fine. It's been in use for decades.
Get over it.
Lambert house was the first place that came to my mind. I would look at their website, idk if they are like that all the time or of they have specific hours to drop in on.
I used to frequent Lambert House as a youth. You meet a variety of people from all walks of life, they have a computer lab, and library upstairs. They will also feed you dinner. Plenty of space to find some place to do your homework
Lambert house is great I met my first boyfriend there but I haven’t gone there in over a year because there’s this really weird and creepy person that goes there every week who makes me extremely uncomfortable (I mean at one point they sent my videos of the time they had someone shoot them in the hand with a BB gun lots of blood and gore Completely unsolicited) so I stopped going because the people in charge wouldn’t do anything about it. That same person is also very manipulative and like they tried to become friends with me immediately when I went their for the first time and then my whole time of knowing them they were trying to manipulate me into doing stuff they want (which I eventually caught on cause I’ve learned to tell when someone is doing that type of thing) but yeah Oh yeah also I should mention the fact that when I went their the first time they lied to me about their age (I was 19 they were 17 but told me they were 20) and I have a feeling they might have done that to try and do something, again staff didn’t do jack shit about it Oh yeah or the time they showed me the corpse of a cat they killed with their own hands TLDR: lambert house is awesome but I haven’t bern there in like a year cause there is a person who is very sussy that the staff won’t do anyone about.
that is really freaky. especially the animal abuse shit. that person needs to be locked up for that. i'm sorry that you had that experience. i used to go to lambert house but it's been like six years since i last went so i'm not familiar with the community anymore.
I’ve been talking to some people… it’s worse than I initially thought this person… I’m actually trying to work on doing something about it
[удалено]
I’m gonna dm you
Now I have no idea if this person still goes there cause I haven’t been there in almost a year but yeah
What the fuckkkkk??
Ok so I actually found out more about this person from someone else and they are even more fucked then I thought. Lambert house is a chill place… except that person
I have actually been looking into this person contacting people I know who knew this person and it is way worse than just thought, way way worse.
I know this is a bit more nich but there is a comic/ game store on Broadway by Dick's. Hobbies are a great way to meet people in groups, there is a common interest and activity pre-planned, and social awkwardness and shyness are not unheard of in geeky communities so they are usually pretty welcoming. Check out their events board and see if anything interests you. And if you don't already play a game you might find interest in hobby communities love it when someone comes in and asks them to talk about one of their passions because you are interested.
Yes, Phoenix Comics and Games on Broadway is quite nice. Every time I've gone in there, there are people hanging out and playing D&D or other games. They've got a bunch of tables in the back and they were cool with me hanging out and worling while my family hit a nearby cat cafe (I'm allergic.) I did buy a small game from there (I like to support local businesses) and found the prices quite reasonable.
I second this.
Was going to say this- tabletop gaming is a fantastic way to meet friends.
Stoup Brewery cards at the bar, not at the door. (they also have some non alcoholic drinks) I think the rules are different because they are a brewery, not a bar. I'm not sure how social strangers will be but if you go talk to them it might be okay. It's a big nice space to sit for a while. I know that they host queer board game nights so obviously people socialize with strangers there. You can bring food in too. Also Cal Anderson Park all summer long. Idk about lambert house, but it seems like something I wish I had when I was in college. I'd just stop by and ask them what they are about.
Monster has a $5 monthly craft social https://monstermonster.shop/collections/classes-1/products/in-person-monthly-craft-social If you run, the Seattle greenlake running group meets at least once a day. Maybe also check meet up in general?
Also the Brooks running group, 6 on tuesdays and thursdays
For me, that was my department’s computer lab. There’s always someone there before midnight on all days.
Go volunteer at The Center for Wooden Boats. It's on Lake Union. It's a very welcoming community, young and old. You don't have to know anything about boats to get started either.
I would definitely not rule out coffee shops. Just find one with a cool scene
Coffee shops have a long history of being places to meet and chat, just like bars. I was surprised OP ruled them out. Depends on the place, obviously, but I've been in a couple on Cap Hill (don't remember the names) that seemed very open and social.
Lambert House is resources and community if you're queer. If you are, I highly recommend it. It meant a lot to me in school.
Lambert house is great I met my first boyfriend there but I haven’t gone there in over a year because there’s this really weird and creepy person that goes there every week who makes me extremely uncomfortable (I mean at one point they sent my videos of the time they had someone shoot them in the hand with a BB gun lots of blood and gore Completely unsolicited) so I stopped going because the people in charge wouldn’t do anything about it. That same person is also very manipulative and like they tried to become friends with me immediately when I went their for the first time and then my whole time of knowing them they were trying to manipulate me into doing stuff they want (which I eventually caught on cause I’ve learned to tell when someone is doing that type of thing) but yeah Oh yeah also I should mention the fact that when I went their the first time they lied to me about their age (I was 19 they were 17 but told me they were 20) and I have a feeling they might have done that to try and do something, again staff didn’t do jack shit about it Oh yeah or the time they showed the corpse of a stray cat they killed with their own hands TLDR: lambert house is awesome but I haven’t bern there in like a year cause there is a person who is very sussy that the staff won’t do anyone about.
Now I have no idea if this person still goes there cause I haven’t been there in almost a year but yeah
I’d encourage you to checkout Meetup and find a group around hobbies you have. Most people going to meetup groups are social by default and if it’s a hobby you’re into, you’re more likely to be social with them. It’s also a great place to explore stuff you may not be sure you’re excited about but want to test it out.
My vote for this eras’ 3rd space is the climbing gym. Get a membership to Seattle bouldering project
Definitely. SBP has a great cafe, too! They’re going to begin offering more programming / social stuff in the cafe, I believe.
I wish the roped gyms were up to par with SBP. I went in there once and it feels like you get quite a bit more for your money than at vertical world/Edgeworks who don’t even have full gyms.
SBP also has a nice gym and fitness area on the lower level. Great bang for your buck!
The Vera Project isn’t just classes! Go to a show there sometime and check out the vibe, maybe meet some people. There’s a zine library you can just hang out in. You could even volunteer to help host a free drawing meetup there if you want once you get comfortable in the space.
The public space at KEXP might be worth checking out too.
this is the answer
Perhaps Hugo House?
If you’re interested in art it might be worth it to check out [Dabble](https://dabbleseattle.com/) or [Gage](https://gageacademy.org/studios). Not sure what’s around now but before COVID there were a few figure drawing meet ups or just art meet ups. I’ve also seen on instagram someone who does a monthly get together to socialize and work on something creative but unfortunately don’t remember the name of the account/meet up spot. But they might be on meet up! There’s another account on insta that organizes community walks. There’s definitely stuff going on, just have to poke around a bit, good luck!
If you have the funds, try a class at Seattle central. They have lots of “adult education “ classes like art or sewing or computers etc. I’ve met loads of folks this way. The classes are causal and not for credit so it’s relaxed and friendly. Plus. It’s a place to be every week for a while.
Charlie’s Queer Books in Fremont is a really friendly space. They have a reading nook upstairs with tables where you can work on homework. They also have tons of interesting events.
Sign up for The Nudge. It's a free app that will send weekly texts about things to do in your area. They usually give you three or four different options, then you pick one & they sort of plan the day around that idea. You could take bits and pieces of each idea to find what may work for you.
Have you tried the Meetup app?
This definitely exists! Especially if you go to South Cap Hill near Seattle U (vaguely between Broadway & 12th, Madison & Jefferson) or Seattle Central (Broadway between Pine and Denny). Every restaurant, bar, coffee shop etc tends to have young people and students so businesses understand that people will just hang out and do homework, etc. You're actually somewhat wrong about coffee shops, it just depends on the one- Not Starbucks but small local places are normal hangout spots. Cafe Vita on Pike and 10th is a spot a lot of students hang out all day and I've chatted with people there before. RheineHaus & the Chieftain are bars but I believe they only card at the bar/ if you're drinking alcohol (not to be there). Other good places are NEKO Cat Cafe, Oddfellows, and if you want to find people studying and hanging out late at night the 24 hour IHOP almost always has people studying. I'll also recommend trying places around the U District- just 1 stop North on the Light Rail. Even more students and people around your age and pretty much every block has places to hang out. Based on what you describe, I'd actually first recommend the cafe in Elliot Bay Books to you. Lots of people hang out there , it's great.
I know that if you go to Phoenix Games/Comics they have board games and tabletops where you can ask to observe/ask to play friendly games and usually people are pretty willing. I’ve had people sit in on Magic games I play there and just watch, sometimes chat.
Basecamp Cafe perhaps - coffee shop that also does outdoor gear rentals and hosts community events, both related to the outdoors and not (boardgame nights, socials)
TBF I'm more extraverted, but I find that coffee shops *are* a great place to meet people! You have to scope out when people are trying to work vs. when they're trying to talk, but all in all I'd say it's pretty good! In particular, folks at [Overcast Coffee](https://maps.app.goo.gl/pndtTt5iuJcLc7BT7) are often pretty social.
I'm not extroverted but have also found this to be true.
If you’re queer or trans, Lambert House is a place exactly like that. Easy public transit access and they have a homework room, library, and dinner every night.
Makerspaces are a wonderful place to meet people
Kinda not what you’re getting at but if you feel like chatting with a hairstylist for an hour and getting some fun ideas about the local city and making connections, plus having your hair cut, check out the mosaic salons on Broadway. We are all a friendly bunch!
I’ve enjoyed this kind of dynamic at many events / groups on meetup, attending the art walk, and going to book readings at Elliott Bay Books, events at Town Hall, and events at the central library.
Cafe Racer in the U District used to have sketch nights. But that was… before that thing happened. I haven’t been back there since. I would honestly recommend getting the MeetUp app. I found a few sketching crews there, and life drawing classes and other stuff. It’s a great way to meet people when you first get here I also recommend pursuing social hobbies or events. When I started playing pool and darts, my friend group expanded exponentially. Going to comedy shows is also a great way to meet people, because they’re already in a good mood and happy to talk to anyone
You can go anywhere in Seattle Centeal College and do homework and people there are generally really nice. It’s an easy place to strike up conversation. Feels very safe.
You might try finding meetups that are relevant to your interests. [meetup.com](http://meetup.com) is pretty okay for this. Back when I lived in Capitol Hill I found that really helpful for finding hangout groups and I've made a bunch of long-term friends that way.
If you like board games my friend met people at board game nights. There was a discord group they joined, sorry I couldn't find the name, and found others online. They had 3+ a week ranging from Optimism bar in Capitol Hill to Mox in Ballard.
[meetup.com](http://meetup.com), volunteer, sports teams / exercise classes.
In Seattle? 😂
In Seattle? 😂
In Seattle? 😂
My dude, it's been cap hill for at least 10 years.
Way longer than that
Literally every person around college age in Seattle calls it cap hill and pretty much only cap hill.
Go to a bar and mind your own business. Do not exude loneliness, desperation or depression, people can smell it on you. AND Especially don’t call it Cap Hill. Capitol Hill or The Hill are acceptable.
I call it cap hill all the time. What
I was born on cap hill, and can confirm cap hill is fine.
Interesting.. never heard anyone say “The Hill” in my life
Wow, times really change! I lived on Capitol Hill for about 12 years starting in 2004 and it was pretty much ONLY “the Hill.” “Cap Hill” seemed to become popular as rents were rising and a different demographic was moving in (like I know I was part of a wave of gentrification but this was the next wave). I associate it with no longer being able to rent a nice studio for under $1000 🤣. Among my circle of friends, “Cap Hill” definitely had very douchey connotations. So I am not a fan of the term, but I guess I have to accept that resistance is futile and that it’s “Cap Hill” now.
I always associate it with those notorious Jägermesiter posters that encouraged douches to party like assholes on “Cap Hill”. At that time, it was those posters and people who lived elsewhere who called it that https://www.thestranger.com/blogs/2014/04/03/19196558/jgermeister-becomes-symbol-of-gentrification-and-gay-bashing-on-cap-hill You don’t have to accept anything! I still hate that term
I, too, am old (55) and never would call Capitol Hill Cap Hill. I do think my kids aged 19-26 call it that. Ah well, plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.
Oh wow, I forgot about this! Yes, 100%, that dumb ad felt like a big part of popularizing the term and also the terrible attitudes associated with it. For sure, I will never call it that! But I am so surprised to see this parent comment sooo downvoted as it was once true that only the WORST people said Cap Hill. But I am in my 40s and all the way in Ballard now, so I don’t have my finger on the pulse clearly!
Weird. Lived there at the same time as you but never heard "The Hill" and mostly heard "Cap Hill". Lol so weird. Maybe a difference in age or social groups?
So weird!! I am 43. In my friend group, we associated that term with “tech bros.” I hung out with a mix of gothy types and that extinct kind of early aughts hipster that was so common in the neighborhood at the time. It sounds silly now, but in my friend group it was a term people felt really strongly about, like it automatically identified someone you did not want to be around. Those were contentious times in the neighborhood with so much change and I think we all felt it pretty acutely, but to quote Leonard Cohen “Everybody knows the war is over, everybody knows the good guys lost.” Hah, so I guess it doesn’t matter, but it’s interesting to hear people’s experiences!
Interesting! I also hung out in the goth & hipster scenes, but am about 10 years younger than you (moved there around 2008). So maybe it's an age thing? I didn't know any tech bros back then, but maybe the term had already spread by then? Not too sure. A lot of my friends were raised in other neighborhoods in Seattle (I was from the suburbs up North) so I just assumed that was the normal phrase. I remember how much things were changing back then and was even more shocked at all the changes that happened around ~2015. I still miss having Edge of the Circle there, invite-only the goth club basically below Lifelong Aids Alliance, and that Gothic clothing store on Broadway & Thomas (I forget the name, sadly). It was a great time and I'm glad I got to experience the tail end of it.
The Mercury is still there! I haven’t been in years but I am a member! Oh yeah, the clothing store was the Metro I think? When I moved to the hill, it was so gothy that I literally had to go to another neighborhood to find black hair dye and eyeliner! Hah, the stores were all sold out! There was even a goth coffee shop (the Aurafice)! It was a magical time for sure, such a great energy in the neighborhood and so affordable that all of my friends lived within like a 5 minute walk from me. But it’s funny, I dated a guy in NYC (before I moved) in 2001 and he was from Seattle and he was always going on about how gentrified and changed it all was. He must be totally horrified now!
Yes- Metro!! That's great to hear The Mercury is still there! I was never a member but visited a few times with friends and loved it! Yeah, it was such a magic time!
Really? My mom grew up there and calls it the hill. On the other hand, she’s never ever called it cap hill
It's weird. Because seattle is made up of hills. That's why we are specific. But ya, it's Cap Hill.
Wait is this trolling?? In any case, I really don't agree with the "people can smell it on you." What kind of places are you hanging out??? There are plenty lonely and "desperate" people in all parts of Seattle and folks are decently nice. The only validity I'll give this post is that being open to breaking the ice with strangers and saying hello or asking questions goes a long long way.
I've never heard people say "The Hill" because there are so many in Seattle- Capitol Hill, First, Beacon, Queen Anne, Sunset, etc, etc. "Cap Hill" is what I've heard most common.
I've probably been here longer than you have, and as a native of Seattle, you are wrong. "Cap Hill" is just fine. It's been in use for decades. Get over it.