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I love living in Olympia because it feels so safe. I can’t think of a single area called “the bad side of town” or ever being told “don’t go there after dark.” It’s a great place to raise a family, and the public schools are terrific. We certainly have our share of unsavory types, and bad things do happen, but for the most part life bumps along like an episode of Northern Exposure. Except with less snow and a whole lot more rain. The rain keeps us indoors reading The New Yorker, and The Economist, but when the sun comes out we’re outside digging in our gardens, taking long walks, and barbequing salmon for dinner. Our summers are the most spectacular in the world because it’s not too hot, it’s rarely humid, and the only bugs are mosquitoes—which only come out at night in late August.
Olympia has the aspirations of a city yet retains the feel of a town.
There is a vibrant arts community on display in its theaters,
galleries, cafes, religious communities
as well as twice- yearly Arts Walks and the annual Procession of the
Species parade.
And Olympia loves its parades, including one that features pets.
As the state capital, Olympia is alive with politics and political action.
It's a community in which the call for social justice is vital and ongoing.
Olympia has real neighborhoods filled with real and caring people.
It has an accessible and funky downtown.
In the contest between asphalt and trees as is true in most cities,
the asphalt wins,
but that's not apparent when you look across Olympia from one of its
hilltops
to the Black Hills or into Puget Sound or up to the Olympic Mountains.
Olympia is a beautiful little city.
The Capitol Dome rising above the trees
Sailboats galore
Warm hearted people
Closet Unitarians everywhere
Great schools
The view of Rainier
Hiking the Staircase
Drive-through Coffee
Green trees, green people, green grass
Summer days that go on and on and on
More musical theater per-capita than any other city in the county that I know of
Protesters for all occasions
Not too big, not too small
Not to close, not too far
Not too right
Olympia is just right
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