One of my favorite bridges, the Tacoma Narrows, is our little slice of the Golden Gate. And, of course, its new section just opened. Yes, I was among the first to walk across the new section last week—along with 50,000 other people. Which reminds me. I got my picture in the Tacoma Weekly! Woo! I’m the guy in the white T-shirt and khaki shorts.

Ciao,

Josh

Okay, so it’s my bad. I missed the Twentieth Birthday Bash for Freighthouse Square, which was last Saturday, the 21^st. I can make it up. They’re jumping on the day-of-the-month trend that seems to be taking hold of communities around the country and hosting a “First Fridays at Freighthouse Square” series of events that includes live music, food and fun. Can anyone tell me about the August 3^rd headliners, The Protektors? Country rock is all I know for sure.

Cheers,

Dale

Freighthouse Square recently turned twenty years old, and I feel the need to talk about my feelings. The Square has always occupied a special place in my heart. With its mix of local business and its distance from the hub of the city—it’s literally on the wrong side of the tracks—Freighthouse Square shouldn’t exist. But where else can you go to find bottles of your parents’ jug wine, Legos, slot cars and enough kitsch to fill a Winnebago all under one roof? It reminds me of those mountain flowers that jut out of the rocks above the timberline. A scruffy thing of unexpected, audacious beauty. Let’s keep the flame alive. Put your hands together and give up the love for Freighthouse Square.

Best,

Josh

There’s nothing like getting to Friday and scrambling for activities to keep your kids occupied over the weekend. Hey, I know what it’s like. I have nieces and nephews. So, if you’re a dad or a mom, or you think you might be one some day, you should check out the Tacoma Mama website. It’s packed with a family activity calendar, networking opportunities and more. And if you’re tired of the glares you get from other restaurant tables every time your little one makes a coo or a gurgle or a primal scream, be sure to check out the site’s family-friendly dining out guide. This is a great site for Tacoma locals and visitors alike!

-

Uncle Josh

Maybe it’s true that Western Civilization as we know it going the way of the dodo and the $.29 cheeseburger. But one thing we’re getting right is our treatment of pets. Here at the Hotel Murano, we’re totally pet friendly. If you show up here with your canine partner, just ask me or Dale or anyone else at the front desk about pet-related activities (or practical matters, like, where, uh, to walk your dog), and we’ll help you out. And if that isn’t enough, you should stick around town and participate in the Top of Tacoma McKinley Street Festival and its Animalocity Pet Parade on August 11. If you’re feeling really creative, you can create a water bowl and enter it in a juried art contest. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Dugan Foundation, which helps local animals with their birth control needs and other issues.

peace,

Josh

So, I’ve got this buddy, his name is Lance, and he does what I do, but at the Hotel deLuxe in Portland. And, like me, he’s got a blog about the Hotel deLuxe. (Provenance Hotels, which gives us our paychecks, owns both of these establishments.) He’s also a movie buff and is compiling a list of films that have been shot in Portland. Well, Tacoma is no slouch in that department, either. I was flipping through the cable channels the other night and ran across the Sylvester Stallone movie Get Carter. Sure, everybody’s been talking about 10 Things I Hate About You, which was also filmed here. But if you’ve ever fantasized about racing down any of Tacoma’s steep streets at breakneck speed, check the Stallone movie out. You’ll see 15^th Avenue in a whole new light.

Drive safe everyone!

Josh

Since I’m the one who actually turned Josh on to one of my favorite haunts (Varsity Grill), I thought I should step in here and mention their latest addition to the Tacoma dining scene. That would be Cans, down at 100 SW 9^th Street at Pacific. They’ve got canned beer from all over the world from places like our own Washington (Rainier), Wisconsin (Pabst Blue Ribbon) and Ireland (Guinness). But the gimmick is that they serve good, cheap eats in a clean, laid back atmosphere. Plus, there’s a stuffed and mounted moose head on the wall.

Brian

Okay, Dale, so I’m not a big Agatha Christie fan – a la Murder on the Orient Express. My point of reference tends to be Alfred Hitchcock, who loved to film scenes on trains at least as far back as The Lady Vanishes (1938). But now I’m thinking about North by Northwest, and what may just be the sexiest scene in Hollywood history (at least, in which everybody remains fully dressed). Eva Marie Saint starts her seduction of Cary Grant over a white tablecloth supper in the dining car and then finishes in her private berth. Hoo-boy! I just have one question: if I ride the Grandluxe, will I meet a mysterious blonde, too?

Josh

Josh mentioned all the ways you can get to Tacoma. Here’s the latest – and most posh route: Grandluxe Railways (formerly American Orient Express) has announced that it will be adding Tacoma to its route, which includes other stops around beauty spots in the western half of the United States. Think: Champagne, 5-star dining and real beds on a restored classic train. Not sure if your ticket price includes a visit from Hercule Poirot, though. Nevertheless, I just have two words to say here: All aboard!

Then again, if you want to stay closer to home, The Spirit of Washington Dinner Train has announced that it will soon begin departing from Tacoma. The train will depart from Freighthouse Square and amble out Lake Kapowsin in Eatonville for its regular four-hour round trip excursions.

Dale

Dale signing on here. After those kind words, I feel like I’m my own tough act to follow! But there are a few interesting developments that I want to let you in on so you can be in the advance guard on Tacoma’s renaissance. First off, Capers, which residents have loved since it opened about five years ago, now has a sister space, down at 701 Pacific Ave. It opened on June 26^th to rave reviews. Be sure to stop in for the best turkey sandwich I’ve had in recent memory.

Dale