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Some of us won’t be traveling away this summer, and others have guests coming to visit.  Need ideas to keep you busy?

The Travel Tacoma website has a list of 100 things you can do in your own back yard.  They also have a visitors guide you can download.  Go check them out!

Here is their list:

100 Things to Do in Your Own Backyard -

Tacoma

1. Explore Tacoma’s Museum District on a Wednesday – see all three museums for discounted price!
2. Watch artisans create with molten glass in the Museum of Glass’ Hot Shop.
3. View fine art in permanent and traveling exhibits at the Tacoma Art Museum.
4. Discover Washington’s fascinating heritage at the Washington State History Museum.
5. Marvel at the glass art on the 500-foot long, pedestrian-only Chihuly Bridge of Glass.
6. View more of Dale Chihuly’s glass art in historic Union Station – for free.
7. Save the third Thursday every month for the Art Walk in downtown Tacoma.
8. Ride the free Tacoma Link light rail between the Tacoma Dome and Theater District.
9. Take in a play, ballet or concert at the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts.
10. Phone for a tour of the 1918 Pantages Theater, modeled after Louis XIV’s opera house in Versailles.
11. Listen to the Tacoma Youth Symphony & Northwest Sinfonietta chamber orchestra at Rialto Theater.
12. Browse Tacoma’s Antique Row for waiting-to-be discovered treasures.
13. Discover downtown Tacoma’s historic architecture and photogenic facades.
14. Find the many salmon sculptures – each decorated quite differently!
15. Explore the latest exhibit at the Children’s Museum of Tacoma.
16. Stroll through Wright Park – and perhaps try lawn bowling.
17. Explore the lush tropical displays at the W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory at Wright Park.
18. Experience history through remarkable documents on display at Karpeles Manuscript Museum.
19. See 400 vintage vehicles in Harold LeMay’s incredible collection at Marymount.
20. See the 85-foot totem pole in Fireman’s Park and enjoy a 180-degree view of Commencement Bay.
21. Discover Tacoma’s maritime past at the Working Waterfront Museum.
22. Visit Freighthouse Square, an eclectic mix of shops and eateries in a renovated railroad warehouse.
23. Climb the Port of Tacoma’s Observation Deck and watch cargo ships being loaded.
24. Ask the Port for a “stack” chart and identify different types of big ships.
25. Bring your binoculars to bird-watch along the Gog-Le-hi-Te wetland and trail.
26. Enjoy a meal on the deck of a Ruston Way waterfront restaurant and watch boats cruise by.
27. Walk, rollerblade or cycle along the two-mile Ruston Way promenade.
28. Kayak along Commencement Bay
29. Visit Tacoma’s historic Proctor District for great restaurants and shops.
30. Learn the story of Tacoma’s founder at the Job Carr Cabin Museum in Old Town.
31. Listen to jazz, check out a microbrewery and try a new restaurant in the Sixth Ave. District.
32. Tickle your taste buds with Asian cuisine in the Lincoln International District.
33. Visit the 1887 Brown’s Point Lighthouse – you can even be the lighthouse keeper for a week!
34. Take the kids to the Tacoma Nature Center and hike around Snake Lake.
35. Visit Point Defiance Zoo’s rare Sumatran tigers in its Asian Forest Sanctuary.
36. Watch animals display typical behavior and learn why at the zoo’s Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater.
37. Explore Point Defiance Park’s Japanese Garden, Rose Garden and other specialty gardens.
38. Step back in time to 1855 at the Fort Nisqually Living History Museum.
39. Ride a vintage train at Camp 6 Logging Exhibit in Point Defiance Park.
40. Bicycle Five-mile Drive in Point Defiance Park.
41. Rent a boat at the Point Defiance Boathouse.
42. Ride the ferry between Point Defiance Park and Vashon Island.
43. Walk along Titlow Beach at sunset for a dramatic view of the Tacoma Narrows
44. Play 18 holes at the new Scottish links-style Chambers Bay Golf Course in University Place.
45. Ask for a tour of the Tacoma Dome – the world’s largest wood-domed arena.
46. Enjoy baseball when the Tacoma Rainiers play at Cheney Stadium.
47. Visit your favorite Farmers’ Market.
48. Swim or do laps in the saltwater, 112,000-gallon pool at the City of Fife Swim Center.
49. Score great bargains – ranging from sports apparel to chocolate – at Fife’s outlet stores.
50. Learn about the city’s heritage at the Fife Historical Society Museum.
51. Try your luck at the Emerald Queen Casino, owned by the Puyallup Tribe.
52. Picnic in Puyallup’s Pioneer Park and enjoy its Arts Downtown Outdoor Gallery of sculptures.
53. Tour the 1890, 17-room Victorian mansion built by Puyallup’s founder, Ezra Meeker.
54. Browse Puyallup’s Antique District with 400 dealers in 20 locations.
55. “Do the Puyallup” every September – and the Puyallup Spring Fair, too.
56. Stroll through dazzling spring bulb displays at Windmill Gardens and Van Lierop Bulb Farm.
57. Tour Sumner’s historic Ryan House, built in 1875.
58. Shop intriguing boutiques in the picturesque community of Gig Harbor.
59. Learn about the town’s Scandinavian/Croatian heritage at the Gig Harbor Historical Museum.
60. Tour the Minter Creek Salmon Hatchery near Gig Harbor.
61. Take a short hike through Penrose State Park overlooking Henderson Bay.
62. Collect sand dollars at Kopachuck State Park’s saltwater beach.
63. Explore scenic Fox Island and its historical museum.
64. Admire the Anastasia tulips and rare blue poppies at Lakewold Gardens.
65. See one of the largest rhododendron and Japanese maple collections in the NW at Lakewold.
66. Sip an old-fashioned milkshake at the Blair Drug & Hardware store in Steilacoom.
67. Find date plaques on the historic homes in Steilacoom – the entire town is on the National Register.
68. Visit the Steilacoom Historical Museum and 1857 Nathaniel Orr Home.
69. Learn about the area’s original inhabitants at the Steilacoom Tribal Museum.
70. Take the Pierce County ferry to Anderson Island and see the historic 1912 Johnson Farm.
71. Visit Fort Lewis Military Museum and learn army history from 1803 (Lewis & Clark) to today.
72. Discover the story of a former “company town” at the DuPont Historical Society Museum.
73. Bet on the race horses at Emerald Downs.
74. Meander through the Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection.
75. Take a swim or go boating in Lake Spanaway or Lake Tapps.
76. Experience genuine Old West flavor at the Roy Rodeo with bucking broncos, bull-riding, calf-roping.
77. Take Northwest Trek’s naturalist-guided tram tour and see free-roaming herds of native wildlife.
78. Let your kids experience 1880’s homestead life at Pioneer Farm Museum and Ohop Indian Village.
79. Relax around the campground at Alder Lake Park near Eatonville.
80. Discover Elbe’s 1906 Evangelische Lutheran Kirche, the smallest church in the U.S. (24 feet x18 feet)
81. Ride the steam-powered Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad 14 miles between Elbe and Mineral Lake.
82. Treat yourself to a getaway at a cozy B&B in Ashford near Mount Rainier’s Nisqually entrance.
83. Encounter Buckley’s heritage in its historic buildings and at the Foothills Historical Society Museum.
84. Explore the “rails to trails” portions of the Foothills Trail on foot or bicycle.
85. Visit Chase Gardens in Orting, a classic Pacific Northwest-style garden recognized by the Garden Conservancy.
86. Pause for a picnic in scenic areas of Wilkeson, Carbonado and Mowich Lake.
87. Drive State Highway 410, the only road in Washington to be designated a National Scenic Byway.
88. Ski downhill at Crystal Mountain Resort, the Northwest’s highest, most challenging ski area.
89. Ride the chairlift up Crystal Mountain to 7,000 feet for spectacular views winter or summer.
90. Backpack or cross-country ski from hut to hut on the Mt. Tahoma Trails system.
91. Take in breathtaking vistas on your drive to Mount Rainer, fourth highest peak in the U.S.
92. Marvel at Mount Rainier’s 35-square mile ice cap and 26 major glaciers.
93. Enjoy visitor facilities at Paradise (5,500 feet), Sunrise (6,400 feet) and Longmire (2,760 feet).
94. Explore Paradise’s Jackson Visitor Center to see fascinating exhibits on “The Mountain.”
95. Learn about native flora and fauna and area geology at the small Longmire Museum.
96. Hike some of the 210 miles of trails and look for the 34 waterfalls and 62 lakes in the park.
97. View over 700 species of flowering plants, alpine wildflowers and 600-year old trees.
98. Watch for more than 130 species of birds and 50 species of wild animals.

99. Go snowshoeing or cross-country skiing at Longmire – far into the spring.

100. Camp overnight at one of the national park campgrounds.

Courtesy of Ed’s Diner

I hear the Proctor Farmer’s Market has lots of food (ingredients, not prepared) items, but it is Saturday and you know where I am on Saturdays.  There is one downtown on Thursdays, but in the middle of the day.  I don’t have a scheduled lunch hour (hairdressers every where are laughing now…lunch hour…ha ha ha!)

So, much to my delight I hear we have another market on the horizon.  Tuesdays.  In the evening.  When people are off work.  And it’s right in my neck of the woods at 6th and Pine (Starbucks, Engine House, Masa, etc.)

And, even better, I hear it will be lots of food type vendors and fewer flowers and crafts.  (No, I have nothing against flowers and crafts, but I like food better!)

Maybe I’ll see you there!

Read more about it (and the cheese lady in the picture) here.

And get more specifics from the offical 6th Ave Farmer’s Market website here.

You may have noticed that we have been doing a bit of freshening up at the salon this spring.  New shampoo chairs, a new color processing zone and a streamlining of the retail space have all been completed.

If you thought we were done, you were wrong!

The large back wall that is currently covered in multi-colored squares is getting a mural.

Thanks to Rea, a School of The Arts student (who is also our client) we will be getting some lovely original art.  It will probably take the whole summer to finish and I will keep you posted of the progress.  If she’s in the salon working on it when you are there, feel free to say hello!

So far we are in the development stage.  We talked about what kind of items spoke to us and what would work for our customers.  She came back with a few rough ideas.  Here is the one that we selected as our launchpad.

Pacific Grill is having an Argentine Wine dinner this Thursday (June 12, 200 .

It sounds pretty fabulous. Five wines, and a five course Chef Tasting dinner for $95 a person.

If you want to go, you better call soon.  Reservations are required.

For reservations and information, please contact Chip Venzone at 253-627-3541.

Irvine Robbins, the founder of Baskin-Robbins died last week.  I imagine some of you are more informed than I and knew that he attended Stadium HS and that his first store was in downtown Tacoma.

For those of you who didn’t, click on over and read the article in the Trib for more details.

Have I told you that I would rather open a vein than open a restaurant?

While I love to cook and enjoy watching Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares, I have no desire to run a restaurant.

There are, however, no shortage of people who find the idea appealing.  God bless them.  If it weren’t for these crazy dreamers, I would have to cook all my meals at home.

Pacific Avenue is home to many restaurants, large and small, and they all have a story to tell.  If you heard that La Costa had closed and re-opened under the name Gringo de Loco, you may have been excited to give it a try.

Well, hold on to your hats, kids, because Gringo de Loco is gone.

Read the whole sordid tale in the buyer’s own poignant words here.

We will be at the Crown Bar on Sixth Avenue at 6:30 - 7:00 (ish).  We have reserved space for the Azarra crew and friends.  We’d love to have you join us, but there are other places you can go that are part of the event.

Participating restaurants

Ever wonder what your favorite stylists do on their days off?

Sunday Carrie was back at the Harmon Building shaving heads for the St. Baldrick’s fund raiser for childhood cancer research.

Click here to see the pictures taken by (Azarra client) Leslie Bernard.

The Azarra staff will be Dining Out For Life next Thursday, April 24.  If you want to join us, we’ll be at the Crown Bar on Sixth Avenue around 6:30 or so.

If you need a list of other places to go, check this out.

Hello Cupcake is one of our neighborhood businesses.  I thought you might like to read this article from Cakespy, a Seattle based blog about cake.

Friday, April 11, 2008

Batter Chatter: Interview with Reina Miller of hello, cupcake in Tacoma, WA

Cakespy Note: This interview also appeared on our Cakespy Seattle outpost!

Let’s face it–between the paper-mill aroma and the collapsing bridges, Tacoma doesn’t have the best reputation. But have you been there recently? Like whoa. Downtown Tacoma has undergone a massive revitalization and has become quite the budding art scene, what with its gorgeous museums, newly-renovated airy artist lofts, and a thriving UW campus. But really, to the Cakespy crew, the most exciting part of this revitalization is hello, cupcake, a cupcake shop whose wares have been aptly described as “coo-worthy”. Walking into hello, cupcake is like becoming a child again: there’s no turning back once you’re greeted by an intricate cupcake mosaic tile design on the floor, on a crash course toward sugar overload…but then again, why would you want to? The cupcakes are not only adorable but delicious, with a tender, moist crumb and creamy, rich frosting which melts oh-so pleasingly in your mouth (not your hand). Recently, we had a chance to talk cupcake with one of the owners, Reina Miller; here’s what we found out about life, love and the pursuit of cupcake nirvana:

Read the rest of the article here.

Thanks to Exit133 I see we are having a meeting so they can give us the scoop:

Pacific Paving Project Open House

Remember the paving project on Pacific Avenue? Well, as the date approaches, more details are emerging. The City of Tacoma is hosting an open house on Thursday, April 10, to provide details of the upcoming project. The project team will share the preliminary plans and schedule for the project, which runs on Pacific Avenue between South 17th and South 25th streets and South 25th Street from Pacific Avenue to C Street. Sidewalks and curb and gutter will also be repaired where needed.

Construction is slated to start in the summer of 2008 – after the Tall Ships Festival – and is scheduled to be complete by the end of fall 2008. No construction work will take place during the Tall Ships Festival.

Details
Thursday, April 10 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Greater Tacoma Convention Center lobby
1500 Broadway
For more information about the open house or the Pacific Avenue improvement project, visit www.cityoftacoma.org/PacAve.

The Harmon Brewery & Restaurant is close to our hearts because we like the food (favorites are fish & chips and the coconut prawns) and the beer and because it is directly beneath our feet.  It is very nice to have a restaurant near the salon.  I use it as place to hold meetings with vendors or prospective employees as well as a place to have a drink at the end of the day.  (I like the Bartender’s Margarita.)

Saturday Carrie and I went to the Friends and Family opening (pictures here) of their new venture, The Harmon Hub.  Be sure to visit them if you like wood fired pizza with a paper thin crust.  (Read the whole menu here.)  Carrie had the salmon appetizer and I had the caprese sandwich, both of which were darn tasty!  We also enjoyed a few more of their Margarita Fresca (fresh juice…very limey…yum!) than we should have.  Next time we’ll take a cab.

Read a more thorough review from Ed’s Diner here.

See you there soon!

Yes, they are going to dig up Pacific Avenue. Again.

Apparently no one checked the soil upon which we built a road and a light rail.

The Tribune has a story with all the details, but here is the schedule: Start digging after the Tall Ships event, finish in November.

We have never been so thankful for our rear building parking and entrance. While the construction will make things unpleasant, it will not cripple us in the same way it would if we only had access from Pacific Avenue.

Downtown Tacoma businesses win bid to postpone rebuilding of Pacific Avenue

JASON HAGEY; jason.hagey@thenewstribune.com

Published: March 17th, 2008 01:00 AM | Updated: March 17th, 2008 04:44 AM

Score one for the merchants. After hearing from downtown business owners, the City of Tacoma has decided to delay its plan to shore up sinking Pacific Avenue until after Tall Ships Tacoma 2008.Once the ships – and throngs of expected visitors – leave town, work will begin, possibly as early as July 8 but more likely the following Monday, July 14, said Dan Seabrands, a Tacoma public works engineers. The $2.6 million repair of the substructure between South 17th and South 25th streets is expected to be finished by about mid-November, before the heart of the holiday shopping season, Seabrands said.

Read the rest of the story here.

Azarra spent its first 13 years on  Sixth Avenue (and Christine is still there at Azarra on Proctor: 253-752-5678).  Carrie grew up blocks away and she and I still live walking distance from Sixth Avenue (although I am ashamed to admit we drive more often than we walk!)

A local band has recorded a song celebrating the area.  Turn on your speakers and click over here to have a listen. 

One of the blogs at the Trib that I subscribed to is “In Your Neighborhood.”  As luck would have it, there is an entry about us today!  Oh, please click over and read, won’t you?

Monday, March 3, 2008

Tacoma Talk Beauty and Fun: Azarra Salon

I haven’t had a “regular” hairstylist in years; my low maintenance long hair doesn’t go to the hair salon that often and I haven’t found the right person or salon that I wanted to stick with for the long haul. Well, I have now.

Because of my must-learn-everything-the-hard-way son, I have had the opportunity to watch the Pierce County justice system crawl along at an unbelievably slow pace.

It seems now that I am not the only one who thinks things take longer than they should.  From the Tribune:

Pierce County Superior Court judges to target case backlog

Proposal offers solutions after audit shows delays in Superior Court system

ADAM LYNN; adam.lynn@thenewstribune.com

Published: February 28th, 2008 01:00 AM | Updated: February 28th, 2008 06:26 AM

Stung by an audit that said they move too slowly, Pierce County’s Superior Court judges are implementing changes they hope will reduce a backlog of cases clogging the county’s criminal justice system.

Click here to read the whole story.

Upside of suspects staying in county while they await trial: much of their sentence time is already served by the time they are found guilty.

Downside: over-crowded facilities and overtime for the corrections staff.

I thought you would be interested to see the time-line of my kid’s case as an example.  (Remember, we have suspects waive their right to a speedy trial because no one (prosecution or defense) is ready to deal with the case.)

For clarification, CONTINUED means that what ever was supposed to happen didn’t because someone (prosecution or defense) wasn’t ready or wasn’t available.  After 16 months, I am sure the prosecution and the defense were glad to see the end of this case!

Our venerable local paper, The News Tribune, has a number of blogs specific to our region.  There is one about neighborhoods, one on music, one for dining….

I just subscribed to some, so I will share with you any time something pops up that I think would be of interest.  But, if you would rather gather your own news than rely on me (probably a wise choice!) click on over here for the list. 

We have a box in the salon to collect donations for the Dugan Foundation. Donations will go to shelters, rescues, foster homes and low-income pet owners.

Wish List:

Unopened dry and canned food for dogs, cats and small animals -blankets -toys -leashes and collars -medical supplies -gently used towels -clay cat litter -beds -cash donations

We will have our box up through December so feel free to bring in donations (or write a check if you prefer) and we will make sure it all gets to animals in need.

UPDATE:

A client emailed me a link to photos of the protest.

Seems pretty low-key.  Hope tomorrow is the same. 

The news vans were here this morning, but there seems to be nothing to report. Clients have been arriving fine. No horrible traffic. We can’t see the site of the “official” protest area, so I can’t tell you if anyone is there or not, but I am happy to report that things are smooth so far!

Protesters plan to ’shut down’ downtown

SCOTT FONTAINE; The News Tribune

Published: November 8th, 2007 05:37 PM

Protesters plan to “shut down” downtown Tacoma Friday and Saturday to “send a very clear message that will be heard by the powers that be” that they’re unhappy with federal immigration policy.The group, spearheaded by a group of self-proclaimed anarchists, is unhappy with the 1,000-bed Northwest Detention Center on the Tideflats. It’s the main detention center for Immigration and Customs Enforcement for Washington, Oregon and Alaska.

The protest will be centered at a “green zone” near Tollefson Plaza at South 17th Street and Pacific Avenue. “Bring puppets, musical instruments, signs, banners, creativity and passion,” a Web page about the protest reads. “The rest of downtown will be open to diverse and creative tactics!”

The protest was planned at Pitch Pipe Infoshop at 617 South 17th St. It bills itself as “a not-for-profit, collectively run radical lending library and community space” and boasts it “has the potential to become a hub for regional anarchist networking, skill sharing, and organizing.”

No one from the shop returned phone calls or e-mail messages.

There also appears to be a counter-protest brewing. A group called March for America! sent out a mass e-mail in a “call to all American patriots who are able, to stand in solidarity against the communist/socialist/anarchist pawns who call for an end to the nation state, who call for an end to America.”

Jonnie Crivello, the founder of March for America! Washington, was unsure how many people the group will have because of short organizing time.

The Tacoma Police Department expects the rally to be peaceful. However, it’s also heard that some smaller groups might use the rally as a way to move throughout the downtown corridor and engage in “unlawful behavior,” police officials said. The department is prepared to respond if there is illegal activity during the rally.

The department has been aware of the rally since last month and have been planning their response.

“Hopefully we won’t be needed whatsoever,” spokesman Mark Fulghum said. “We’ll be ready in case we are.”

The department encourages business owners and residents to go about their activities as usual. However, they ask business owners to make sure their outside area is free of debris and obstructions like sandwich boards, displays and other signage. Officials ask people to report suspicious activity to the police.

The Business Improvement Area is adding an extra security patrol Saturday, Paul Ellis said.

Patricia Lecy-Davis, the president of the Downtown Merchants Association, said she’s not sure what to expect, but one thing should be different.

“This will be the largest crowd we’ve had in downtown for a while,” she laughed.

Few expect violence to erupt, but some businesses near Tollefson Plaza are taking precautions. The Courtyard by Marriott hotel at 1515 Commerce St. will add an extra security guard this weekend, front-office manager Jennifer Chell said. Warren Cabes, the owner of Tacoma Art Supply at 1552 Jefferson Ave., said his biggest concern is customers finding parking this weekend. And, he adds, the protest could become a positive.

“I might (tell the protestors), ‘Well, you know, this is an art store,” he said. “We sell markers and paint if you want to make signs.’”