Google Seattle

Last week I headed up to Google’s Seattle (or, more specifically, Fremont) offices for a workshop. I visited Google NYC earlier this week, but this was my first visit to (some of) the Seattle offices. They’ve got a nice location: right across the Fremont bridge on the west side, and some of the buildings are right on the ship canal. In fact, the folks we’re working with have views right out onto the canal, and I’m jealous. My desk has a lovely view of absolutely nothing (although I do appreciate that California’s weather allows me to spend part of each day working outside).

It was the first time I’d had to visit Seattle in awhile (the last time I spent any significant time there was in the early 2000s, when I split my time between Pittsburgh and Seattle when finishing my PhD). South Lake Union has almost completely transformed; on a future visit I’d like to spend more time wandering around that area. And the new(-ish) light rail makes it a lot easier to get to and from the airport. But Lake Union, Fremont, and Wallingford (where I stayed) didn’t feel drastically different. And the dynamic lighting conditions still allow you to appreciate the scenery in different ways throughout the day. I do like the fact that the Bay Area’s consistent weather allows me to bike to work every day for much of the year, but sometimes the relentlessly blue skies and sun do feel a little… oppressive. I know, cry me a river.