Lifestyle

One thing I hear all the time from long-time Seattle residents is how the old, freaky-and-proud Seattle is going the way of the dinosaur, that it's being replaced with a slick, almost corporate sheen that lacks the personality of those bygone days of grunge, punk and sample-heavy hip hop. Especially as a journalist, I detect a lot of that sentiment in people who really have roots in this town. Business owners on Capitol Hill are quick to point out how what was once a strip of raucous bars is now a trendy bistro and its adjacent parking lot. They're a little less willing to acknowledge the once-decaying, now refurbished chunk of the district that's home to lively ballroom dancing venues and the recently relocated Elliot Bay Bookstore that has been a Seattle fixture for decades. Beyond the Hill, Seattle is growing and changing in some very exciting ways. The question is, should we really be lamenting the loss of Seattle's flannel days?