Station/Boat Location~
USCGC MELLON (378')
Date there~
July 2006 to Present (Dec 2006)
Weather~
Rainy, Rainy, Rainy, Windy, Windy, Super Windy, Snow, Gloomy and generally Yucky.
Military facilities~
Coast Guard Station Seattle Naval Station Everett, Naval Station Bremerton, McCord AFB and Ft. Lewis both near Tacoma . The Commissary is located at Smokey Point, about an hour north of Seattle and it is nice, you have to get there early if you want a good selection of things to buy. The Exchange is medium sized it is nice a typical Exchange.
Housing~
There is housing at Magnolia Point however the facilities are small and not very nice. Most live on the economy strung out from Tacoma to Arlington . It is very expensive and most houses are built on top of one another, you can hear your neighbors sneeze. If you like having your neighbor’s house in your backyard then Seattle is for you.
Shopping~
Alderwood Mall in Lynnwood is the biggest and best mall around most chain stores, Macy’s and Nordstrom are the anchor stores, and there is a J.C. Penny as well. There is a huge Lowe’s Movie Theatre, even valet parking available if you do not want to be hassled about finding a parking place. There are shops outside as well in the area they call the Terraces, mostly boutique style shops.
Everett Mall is decent Sears, Macy’s as well as other chain stores and some boutique shops as well.
Northgate Mall is pretty much like Everett Mall with the exception of Nordstrom’s.
About an hour north of Seattle is Seattle Premium Outlet Mall it is run by the Tulalip Indian Tribe; the Tulalip Casino is located next to the Outlet Mall.
All around the area there are your usual Targets, Wal-Marts, Cosco’s, Pier One’s, etc.
Leavenworth is about 100 miles to the east over Stevens Pass it is a Bavarian style community, huge German influence all the buildings and stores as well as houses are fashioned after their counterparts in Bavaria Germany. Authentic German Food and music. At Christmas time there is the town lighting every weekend leading up to Christmas. Word of warning do not go on weekends or holidays you will not be able to find parking or have room to move. During the week is much better.
The town of Snohomish is 40 miles to the East of Seattle it is the Antique Capitol of the World. Store after store of all kinds of things new and old. The Cabbage Patch Restaurant is the place to eat; it is a turn of the Century house. Very quaint and charming. The food is all made from scratch and plenty of it. My favorite place is Candle Sticks it has primitive Americana if you’re into that décor.
Child Care/Schools~
DS is enrolled in Lake Stevens High School it has a good staff, the teachers take interest in the student’s progress the counselors are the same take interest in the student and make appropriate suggestions for class schedules as well as good future education advise.
Adult Schools~
Everett Community College, Edmonds Community College, University of Washington, ITT Technical Institute, DigiPen Institute, City University, University of Seattle along with many more smaller career colleges and institutes.
The Naval Complex at Smokey Point has Columbia College
Fun Activities~
Zoo, Parks, Aquarium, Pike’s Market, Ferries, Parks, Pacific Science Center , Seattle Center , Musical Fountain in Seattle Center , Westlake Mall downtown Seattle , Pioneer Square . The Mountains for hiking in spring and summer, skiing snowboarding cross country skiing in winter.
Additional Info~
The traffic is horrendous, if you have to go out leave after 8:00am and try to be on the freeways before 2:00pm other wise you will spend your life in a sea of tail lights and stop and go driving. It is like can they get one more car on the freeways. In the mornings I-5 going north is horrible as well. The afternoon reverse is horrible, the other day I had to pick DH up from the Coast Guard Station in Seattle we live in Lake Stevens it took 2.5 hours to drive 38 miles that is typical. DH rides the bus to and from work it takes about an hour for him to get home. The other freeways are worse than I-5 pure gridlock.
People say I am crazy but I hate it here, this is by far the worst duty station we have been assigned. I cannot wait until our 2 years are up and DH can retire and we can get the heck out of dodge. The people are not exactly welcoming; they are standoffish, not friendly and stuffy. The weather is awful, if you like rain and wind then Seattle is for you. Too bad the Hawaii assignment fell through I would have rather ended up there than Seattle . I am miserable the two friends I have made are not exactly warm and welcoming I guess I am just used to the Southern way of life where there is never a stranger just a friend you have not made yet. hopefully it will get better over time. 2009 cannot get here fast enough.
Homeport WA
USCGC MELLON (378')
Date there~
July 2006 to Present (Dec 2006)
Weather~
Rainy, Rainy, Rainy, Windy, Windy, Super Windy, Snow, Gloomy and generally Yucky.
Military facilities~
Coast Guard Station Seattle Naval Station Everett, Naval Station Bremerton, McCord AFB and Ft. Lewis both near Tacoma . The Commissary is located at Smokey Point, about an hour north of Seattle and it is nice, you have to get there early if you want a good selection of things to buy. The Exchange is medium sized it is nice a typical Exchange.
Housing~
There is housing at Magnolia Point however the facilities are small and not very nice. Most live on the economy strung out from Tacoma to Arlington . It is very expensive and most houses are built on top of one another, you can hear your neighbors sneeze. If you like having your neighbor’s house in your backyard then Seattle is for you.
Shopping~
Alderwood Mall in Lynnwood is the biggest and best mall around most chain stores, Macy’s and Nordstrom are the anchor stores, and there is a J.C. Penny as well. There is a huge Lowe’s Movie Theatre, even valet parking available if you do not want to be hassled about finding a parking place. There are shops outside as well in the area they call the Terraces, mostly boutique style shops.
Everett Mall is decent Sears, Macy’s as well as other chain stores and some boutique shops as well.
Northgate Mall is pretty much like Everett Mall with the exception of Nordstrom’s.
About an hour north of Seattle is Seattle Premium Outlet Mall it is run by the Tulalip Indian Tribe; the Tulalip Casino is located next to the Outlet Mall.
All around the area there are your usual Targets, Wal-Marts, Cosco’s, Pier One’s, etc.
Leavenworth is about 100 miles to the east over Stevens Pass it is a Bavarian style community, huge German influence all the buildings and stores as well as houses are fashioned after their counterparts in Bavaria Germany. Authentic German Food and music. At Christmas time there is the town lighting every weekend leading up to Christmas. Word of warning do not go on weekends or holidays you will not be able to find parking or have room to move. During the week is much better.
The town of Snohomish is 40 miles to the East of Seattle it is the Antique Capitol of the World. Store after store of all kinds of things new and old. The Cabbage Patch Restaurant is the place to eat; it is a turn of the Century house. Very quaint and charming. The food is all made from scratch and plenty of it. My favorite place is Candle Sticks it has primitive Americana if you’re into that décor.
Child Care/Schools~
DS is enrolled in Lake Stevens High School it has a good staff, the teachers take interest in the student’s progress the counselors are the same take interest in the student and make appropriate suggestions for class schedules as well as good future education advise.
Adult Schools~
Everett Community College, Edmonds Community College, University of Washington, ITT Technical Institute, DigiPen Institute, City University, University of Seattle along with many more smaller career colleges and institutes.
The Naval Complex at Smokey Point has Columbia College
Fun Activities~
Zoo, Parks, Aquarium, Pike’s Market, Ferries, Parks, Pacific Science Center , Seattle Center , Musical Fountain in Seattle Center , Westlake Mall downtown Seattle , Pioneer Square . The Mountains for hiking in spring and summer, skiing snowboarding cross country skiing in winter.
Additional Info~
The traffic is horrendous, if you have to go out leave after 8:00am and try to be on the freeways before 2:00pm other wise you will spend your life in a sea of tail lights and stop and go driving. It is like can they get one more car on the freeways. In the mornings I-5 going north is horrible as well. The afternoon reverse is horrible, the other day I had to pick DH up from the Coast Guard Station in Seattle we live in Lake Stevens it took 2.5 hours to drive 38 miles that is typical. DH rides the bus to and from work it takes about an hour for him to get home. The other freeways are worse than I-5 pure gridlock.
People say I am crazy but I hate it here, this is by far the worst duty station we have been assigned. I cannot wait until our 2 years are up and DH can retire and we can get the heck out of dodge. The people are not exactly welcoming; they are standoffish, not friendly and stuffy. The weather is awful, if you like rain and wind then Seattle is for you. Too bad the Hawaii assignment fell through I would have rather ended up there than Seattle . I am miserable the two friends I have made are not exactly warm and welcoming I guess I am just used to the Southern way of life where there is never a stranger just a friend you have not made yet. hopefully it will get better over time. 2009 cannot get here fast enough.
Homeport WA
