"Getting to Kirkland is a schlep."

[randy_byers]

Interesting, if puffy, piece about Google's new office in my neighborhood of Seattle, Fremont. I think I had heard they were opening an office there, but had forgotten. Not noted in the article, which notes that "more than a half-dozen companies -- ranging from Adobe to startups such as All Star Directories -- have offices on North 34th Street" (I live on 36th), is that Adobe is actually building a whole new building on their campus for further expansion. Also not noted is that the South Lake Union neighborhood (a.k.a. Allentown) is actively courting Microsoft and Amazon, partly because the insanity of the cross-lake commute ("Kirkland is a schlep") is getting worse and worse. The tech companies seem to be looking more favorably at opening offices in Seattle itself. Perhaps it's also because the rents on the Eastside are no longer cheaper than those in the city.

Deep in the puffery about all the "perks" Google offers, we find the reason why I would never want to work for them (or any other high tech company, probably): '"When you spend so much time at work, you should have some input on what it is like," said Peter Wilson, engineering director and director of the Kirkland office.'

To my mind, when you spend so much time at work, you should look for another job. Ha!

Comments

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

Right. One could look at *your* situation as *never* getting away from the office.

[wrdnrd]

From my perspective, the most exciting thing over there on 34th is Theo.

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

What, not the circus school? I know, I know, you can't argue with chocolate. (Although technically, Theo is on Phinney, not on 34th.)

[wrdnrd]

Bah! If i walk down 34th to get to the building, it's on 34th!

Isn't the circus fairly new in that location, tho'? So my neurons haven't remapped to take it into consideration yet. And i was very cross with the spousal unit for telling me *afterward* that the grand opening of Circus Contraption at Theo was played by a local band i really like, Moonpenny Opera.

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

I believe Circus Contraption is fairly new. I only noticed it last Sunday when I was at the Fremont Market. Or maybe I noticed it when I walked to the panto at Hales Brewery last month.

I haven't heard of Moonpenny Opera, although I love the name.

[wrdnrd]

Andy likes to refer to Moonpenny Opera as "your weird Ave music," because i bought it from them while they were busking on The Ave one day. I think they're actually members of other bands who come together occasionally under the Moonpenny name. I've only ever seen a bass and accordion player, but i think there might be a 3rd member. Winamp suggests that their genre is "circus/gypsy," which is about as accurate as anything else i could think up. They seem to have a MySpace.