Psst. Want a CHS Crow tattoo? You know you do.
| RYAN, 31 |
What are you up to tonight?
I’m just hanging out with friends.
Do you live on the Hill?
No, I’m actually from Reno, Nevada.
“The Biggest Little City in the World”?
More like, “The Biggest Little Shithole in the World.”
So, I assume your life is just like on that show “Reno 911”?
Yes, only we don’t have palm trees. You’ll notice on the show, there are palm trees, because it’s actually filmed in L.A. or wherever.
What brought you to Seattle?
My best friend and life partner.
Your partner lives here? That must be difficult, having a long-distance relationship.
We’re buying a condo here, we’re finalizing everything now. I’m moving here in six months. He came here before me and found a job, but I already have a job that goes between here and there.
What line of work are you in?
I work with the developmentally disabled.
I imagine that’s very challenging, but also very rewarding.
It is. It can be very hard. In all honesty, it’s a job that doesn’t give back more than you give out on a daily basis. But in my mind, they deserve every chance in life. It’s like having a family outside of your own family.
Did you grow up in Reno?
Born and raised.
What do you think it’s going to be like, then, living somewhere else?
I’ve already lived abroad, so coming here won’t be that hard. For psychology, I lived in Dublin, England, Germany, and South Africa. I’ve got 27 languages under my belt.
You speak 27 languages? Seriously?
Roughly, but not fluently.
Do you have any one memory that really stands out from your time abroad?
It’s not one single memory, but one thing that strikes me is that there is one theme that you hear over and over again, no matter where you are. There’s a pretty universal idea that if there’s anything you should regret in life, it’s what you haven’t done. I’ve heard that from tribeswomen in Africa, to old men in pubs in Ireland, across the United States…
Is there anything that you personally regret not doing?
If there’s anything regret, it’s not loving more.
You’re still young. I’m sure you’ll have the opportunity to love a lot more. Depending on the context, here on the Hill, you could love a LOT more.
Yes, I’m sure, but that’s not the kind of love I was thinking about. For me, love is about giving to others without thinking about yourself. I was raised very Catholic, and that’s one part of it that stuck with me.
| CHELSEA, 32 |
What are you up to tonight?
Hanging out in Momiji, waiting for my husband [gestures toward bartender] to get off work.
Having a spouse who is a bartender must have a lot of perks.
Yes, it’s a lot of fun. He makes really good drinks.
Do you guys live on the Hill?
No, we live in Queen Anne, but I love to come out here. It’s so much fun.
What are some of your favorite things on the menu?
The Moonraker roll is fabulous. It’s all really good, but that one’s my favorite.
Do you have any other favorite hangouts on the Hill?
I love Barrio, I love here, Plum, La Spiga…what’s the noodle joint on the corner?
Boom Noodle?
Yes, that one.
Did you walk up here tonight?
No, I took Car2Go.
I’ve seen a lot of those around the Hill lately. Would you recommend it?
Yes, I totally recommend it. It makes it so easy. You save money, you don’t have to pay to park, and you can always find a really small parking space and it just fits right in.
Wait…free parking?
If it’s four hours or more, you get to park for free.
What line of work are you in?
I’m a physician’s assistant.
Being a P.A. must be an intense job.
Yes, it is, but I love it.
Do you have a specialty?
I’m a hospitalist, in Internal Medicine. So it’s always something different.
When you’re not helping save lives or eating Moonraker rolls, what do you like to do in your free time?
I volunteer, I love going to museums and parks, skiing… I’m an all-around Northwest kind of girl.
Are you from the Pacific Northwest originally?
Yes, from Greenwater, WA, up near Crystal Mountain.
What brought you to Seattle?
Just to live in the City, because there’s so much more going on, lots of restaurants, lots of things to do. It’s just a beautiful place.
| MATT, 25 |
What are you up to tonight?
I’m hanging out. It’s a coworker’s last night, and we’re going over to the Rock Box later.
What’s your favorite karaoke song?
Total Eclipse of the Heart.
A karaoke classic! I was going to say something about that, but I’m totally distracted by how sparkly you are. Are you, in fact, a vampire?
No, but I am very sparkly. I’m matching a coworker, she’s inside, wearing red. We’re sparkly Christmas twins.
Sparkly Christmas twins in July…but of course you are. The “of course” is what I love about the Hill. Are you a Seattle native?
I am. Born here, lived in Ballard.
Do you live on the Hill?
I do, just a few blocks from here.
What are some of your favorite hangouts?
The Pony, the Crescent, the Hillside Bar, the Bus Stop, when it was open.
Wait…the Bus Stop closed? Where have I been?
Yeah, it closed a few months ago, unfortunately. Hopefully they’ll be re-opening very soon, but we’ll see about that.
Why do you choose to live on the Hill?
It’s fun. There’s always something going on. Whatever day of the week it is, I can always find something to do. It’s lively.
I love your collar, by the way. Did you by chance get that at Doghouse, our friendly neighborhood human-collar store? Well. I should clarify. One of our friendly neighborhood human-collar stores.
Actually, I borrowed this one from a coworker.
Is someone going to put a leash on that?
We’ll see how the night progresses!
Random question time: if you could take off on vacation anywhere in the world this summer, where would you go?
I would probably go to Disneyland, because I’m a big Disney freak. I’m a dork, and I would wait 45 minutes to go on the Peter Pan ride.
Have you been to Disneyland before?
When I was little. So, yeah, if I had a dream vacation, I would go to Disneyland.
Random Question 2: What would be your dream job?
I would be a TV personality, sort of like Andy Cohen.
I bet you would be great at that!
I love talking to strangers, clearly. I love the interview format, and speaking freely and improvising.
Any other thoughts about life on the Hill?
Life on the Hill has been kind of dangerous lately. Be safe, keep your cell phone away, and travel with friends. I’ve had over four friends who’ve been assaulted in the past two months. Definitely be aware of your surroundings. Even though we’re in a big city, shit can still happen.
More CHS Crow:
Car2go to get from Queen Anne to the Hill, I don’t get that. I looked up their prices. It’s way cheaper to get a cab, no parking hassle at all in that case, and you don’t need a designated driver, the cabby’s the designated driver. :D
Really? Unless I’m misunderstanding the pricing, Car2go is $0.38 a minute. You figure about 15min to get from QA to CapHill which is about $6 (rounded up). A cab is going to cost about $15 for the same trip (give or take)
[…] Ryan, Chelsea & Matt — ‘I love talking to strangers, clearly’ […]