Okay, so after wandering around the Broadway Farmers Market and loading up on the best and freshest local produce and meats around, you might be wondering what exactly you will do with all that yummy goodness. Market organizers are there to get you started. Each Thursday, they present a local chef who will demonstrate a few delicious cooking ideas, using ingredients that just possibly might be in your grocery bag. Hang out with the best and pick up a few pointers! Here’s what the near future holds:

July 10: Marlene’s Deli

July 17: Primo Grill

Eat Up!

- Dale

Looking to fill your evening in a lip-smacking, honest-to-goodness, stick-to-your-ribs kind of way? Head down to Cheney Stadium this summer for their monthly live music series Blues, Brews and BBQs . The music’s all that – and the barbecue won’t be bad either.

The event will be held once a month throughout the summer. Next up: on July 25, Nick Vigarino will take the stage to offer up his high energy, danceable blues guitar stylings. For dinner, a no-host bar and the music show, tickets are $45 for one show. Tickets for the music and one drink are $20 each. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.tacomarainiers.com or call (253) 752-7700.

- James

Much as we’d like to, The Looking Glass can’t keep you apprised of everything happening in the bustling local arts scene. Fortunately, one of our local news agencies has picked up the ball. The News Tribune now publishes “GO Arts,” a daily arts blog. Artists live frantic, often unpredictable lives. “GO Arts” intends to stay ahead of the game, covering what’s happening, what’s not, who’s in town and who’s getting out of Dodge. As its mission statement says, “GO Arts” will tell you “what’s new on the walls, stage, screen and streets of Tacoma and South Puget Sound.” I, for one, intend to bookmark that one.

–Dale

A new “Welcome” sign is being redesigned for our neighbor to the West, the town of Ruston. Another great community in our neck of the Puget Sound, Ruston celebrated its centennial in 2006. You can check out a proposed design here. They’re looking for comments on it, so check it out and have your say or forever hold your peace. Or you can let us know what you think on our new Facebook page. (wink, wink)

–James

This, dear reader, is an awesome list. I challenge you to come up with items 86-100. In the meantime, here are a few of my favorites:

9. Sled down South Seventh Street.

22. Buy a book at King’s Books, go read at Wright Park, and then spend an hour at Stadium Video searching for the perfect movie and pick up dinner at Frisko Freeze on your way home.

32. Hang out at the Urban Art Festival at the end of June.

35. Walk the Rhododendron garden at Point Defiance on a rainy day.

36. Catch a film you’ve never heard of at The Grand Cinema.

71. Stare at Mount Rainier, downtown Tacoma and the North Tacoma cliffs during a sunset while sipping champagne at the Cliff House.

79. Make out in the Kissing Lounge at the Hotel Murano.

–James

In its annual readers’ poll “Top 25 Arts Destinations,” American Style magazine is quietly influencing the way we look at urban life. The great news is, Tacoma made the list for mid-sized cities! Our town is ranked 17, and I can’t help thinking that our little roadhouse made a contribution. Woo-hoo for the City of Destiny!

–James

Just last year, our friend Josh posted his nostalgic memories of Point Defiance Park’s Never Never Land. At the time, a few structures, including the well-known statue of Humpty himself remained. But since then, even that has disappeared. As Kathleen Merryman reported in her News Tribune column, almost all of the final remaining structures have been demolished.

Kerryman writes, “All that’s left standing of the original attraction are the Old Woman’s Shoe and a pile of giant concrete books. If I had a dozer, I’d put them out of their misery.” So much for sentimentality. By her own admission, the columnist isn’t from these parts. No kidding.

A few photos from the park’s best years are posted online. Go here and scroll down to the bottom of the page for a slide show. And if you want to see what the storybook scenes looked like just prior to their annihilation, you’ll do no better than to drop by Tacoma Gnome’s blog.

–Dale

A benefit for Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital is being held on June 7th. The Stadium District is sponsoring its Art and Wine Walk. Drop by 19 local businesses and sip Washington wines while enjoying the work of local artists. $25 ticket price includes 10 tastes (you can get more for one dollar each), appetizers and a commemorative glass. Get info here.

–James

Once upon a time, at the historic bebop jam sessions in New York and New Orleans of the 1930s and ‘40s, you could see greats like sax legend Charlie Parker swinging alongside newcomers, old-timers, has-beens and never wases. That was the beauty of those jams. You never knew where the next surprising talent would come from. That’s what the Tacoma Urban Arts Festival is like. It’s free, it’s all ages, and it gives artists specially discounted booths to encourage them to make the leap from talented amateur to pro. The music line-up also gives an inside track to newer musicians.

Date: June 29
Time: 12 p.m. to dusk
Where: Fireman’s Park at 803 ‘A’ St.

Although the website was unavailable last time I checked, try clicking here for more info.

–Dale

Not too long ago, Wright park went by another nickname. The park, which had fallen to neglect and incursions from unsavory characters, was known as Fright Park. Now, a multimillion dollar restoration project has turned all that around, and this public space is a real jewel. Here are a few of the improvements, noted at Tacoma Daily Index:

– Refurbishing the iconic maiden and lion statues donated to the park by Clinton Ferry in 1891 and prominently placing them at the park’s entry ways

– Initiating Master Plan designs to re-establish the long view corridor which historically ran through the center of the park

– Relocating the basketball court from the center of park to a more visible location for improved safety

– Adding 97 trees and rerouting pathways to protect the root system the park’s Champion Sugar Maple

– Renovating the 1930’s brick restroom constructed by the Works Progress Administration (WPA); retaining the historic exterior of the building while modernizing the interior for safety and efficiency

– Renovating the Bowling Green and horse shoe pits that have been part of the park for nearly 80 years

Good Stuff,
–James