05/16/09 - Exploring Tacoma - Part 2

We also explored a bit of North Tacoma, with its Victorian gingerbread and great views of the harbor and Puget Sound. We found the Rosewood Cafe, but didn't have a chance to try it. The Proctor Shopping District is nearby, as is the University of Puget Sound. They call it UPS for short. We thought they were referring to the United Parcel Service.

We took Sixth Avenue on our way back downtown. The neighborhood is bit louche, especially in comparison with North Tacoma, but it reminded us a little of Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles. The stores were aimed at the arty and edgy with a host of vinyl records shops, vintage clothing stores, and even a Hawaiian gift shop.

Some Victorian gingerbread

More gingerbread and a nice garden

It's almost like being in San Francisco.

To the north, some great views, but less fantastic architecture

The Rosewood Cafe - It looked good, and the joint was jumping.

The Proctor Shopping District - That's a model train store, one of many intriguing shops.

The Music House, one of many special interest houses at the University of Puget Sound - There are also the language houses, athletic house and so on.

We had to admire the sentiment at this little computer store.

Sixth Avenue was a bit louche, a lot like Melrose in Los Angeles.

Another Sixth Avenue shop - great colors.

The costume shop - probably a madhouse come Halloween

Keywords: tacoma, victoria, los angeles

05/16/09 - Exploring Tacoma - Part 1

Downtown Tacoma is being rebuilt, and the repaving and reworking of Broadway is just part of it. Like many cities, the downtown has gone through cycles, and it is currently undergoing a rebirth. During the boom, it seems, that half of downtown was either renovated or torn down and rebuilt. There are still empty slots, empty store fronts, and lots of for rent, for sale and for lease signs. There are also all sorts of intriguing little shops opening, selling art work, antiques, clothing, books and who knows what else.

Even a short walk revealed a lot. Right now, there are all the signs of formation and re-formation. New Tacoma is an unfinished product, but the city has a lot going for it. There is the harbor, there is its newly rebuilt downtown with its museums and convention center, and there are the colleges and universities. It will be interesting to get back in a few years to see how things have developed.

Great old buildings in the theatre district

Lots of interesting shops

More of downtown

More shops

Mandarin antiques

The Rialto Theatre and one of many construction signs - Broadway is being rebuilt.

An apartment court - for rent

For rent, for lease - the signs of the times

Gasoline alley

This is either some restoration work, or a great deal on clothing.

There is still a working harbor.

Keywords: tacoma

05/15/09 - Museum of Glass In Tacoma

We didn't have much time in Tacoma, but we did manage to get to the Museum of Glass in Tacoma's waterfront Museum District. Tacoma, like Seattle, is a big glass town, and a lot of the local art involves working, molding and forming glass in a variety of different styles and forms.

Our favorite part of the museum was The Hot Shop where one can watch artists at work with fiery ovens, flaming jets of gas and a variety of tools for pulling, pressing, roughing and otherwise shaping raw glass forms into finished work. We also explored the galleries, one of which offered a sense of the variety of glass, its strengths and uses as a medium. Needless to say, glass is a pretty versatile material.

Overhead on the bridge to the museum

Two glass sculptures on the bridge

Long galleries on the bridge

The Hot Shop, inside the metal cone

Glass and flame

More glass and flame, glass work is slow, but intense

The metal cone of the Hot Shop and a glass fountain

Another sculpture

The waterfront with its marina

Keywords: tacoma

05/14/09 - Flight To Tacoma

We just got back from Tacoma. We'll post more in a bit. For now, here's a photo of the view west from our takeoff at Fairchild Airport (CLM). You can see Striped Peak and probably out past Clallam Bay.

The view west from Port Angeles

Keywords: port angeles, tacoma, striped peak


An urban nurse log

11/17/07 - A Taste of Home

We were exploring the new Seattle Art Museum sculpture garden and were suprised to find a taste of home. Inside the concrete building down on the corner of Broad and Eliot was a nurse log. Since this was the middle of the city, they had the nurse log on life support with all sorts of humidifiers and temperature controls. Most of the nurse logs we see tend to manage on their own, but downtown, they need a bit of help.

According to the docent, the original tree fell in the Tacoma area and was collected, along with lots of mosses and little undergrowth plants, to comprise the Neukom Nurselog exhibit. They did a nice job, though we aren't sure of what the museum people are going to do when the young trees growing from the old log start getting tall. We'd like to think that they'll have a fund drive and grow the building. Why not a taste of artificial rain forest in downtown Seattle?

Keywords: seattle, art, science, tacoma

04/26/06 - Dungeness Valley Creamery Is Open for Business

We just got word from Dungeness Valley Creamery (see their email below). They are open for business and selling raw milk. Apparently, they have taken the big jump and left the milk marketing co-op and are going it on their own. If you have never tasted raw, milk, drop by and try it. It is clearly the inspiration for ice cream, and it will make just about any other milk you have tasted seem washed out and watery.

 

Dear raw milk supporters,

Thank you so much for your patience! We know how
excited many of you are about finally getting access
to wholesome raw milk. We can now say we will open on
Wednesday, April 26th! Our hours are 7:30 am - 1:00
pm Monday through Saturday.

Dungeness Valley Creamery is now certified raw by the
state and the building has been checked off by the
county! This is a big step of faith for our family
and we invite you to be a part of it! Please come and
see our beautiful new Creamery and enjoy the view of
the Olympic Mountains from the front porch. Oh yeah,
and don't forget the fresh raw jersey milk on your way
out! We are offering quarts, half gallons, and
gallons ($2.25, $3.75, $6.75 respectively). Cash and
checks only. Other local products soon to come.

Look for our products soon in the Port Townsend Food
CO-OP, Sunny Farms, Good to Go, Country Aire, and
Marlenes in Tacoma and Federal Way. We have purchased
a refrigerated truck and are able to deliver.

Also, our milk is going to Mt. Townsend Creamery to be
made into wonderful cheese (which we have tasted and
love)! This too, will soon be availabe in our on farm
store.

Thanks again for all of your support!
Sarah Brown

Dungeness Valley Creamery
1915 Towne Rd.
Sequim, WA 98382
(360) 683-0716

 

For our earlier notes on Dungeness Valley Creamery,
click here.

For more farms and wineries in Clallam County,
click here.

Keywords: milk, dungeness, farms, food, port townsend, wine, maps, tacoma, good to go, kale