Tacoma, WA

Driving down a city road surrounded by buildings and concrete one wouldn’t begin to expect to see an entire wall dedicated to the art of graffiti. There is that saying, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” as is the art of graffiti. While some consider it to be an act of vandalism others see it as an art form beautiful in it’s own right and worthy of exhibition.

What an amazing way to support local farmers, get fresh produce, and enjoy the weather!

I’ve heard people rant and rave about farmer’s markets before but I never had experienced one for myself. What a treat it turned out to be!

If you think of cupcakes as just old-fashioned “comfort food”, or as the mass-produced kind in plastic containers sold by the dozens at the grocery store for fundraisers and school parties – well, think again! It’s a new day for the humble cupcake, with trendy gourmet shops that sell ONLY cupcakes – and Tacoma [...]

Today I realized that before Katie departs from Tacoma, I needed to take her to one of the jewels of this city, the Ruston Way Waterfront. Between the fabulous restaurants and scenery, we were able to spend all afternoon enjoying the sunshine and some appetizers and cocktails.

While “public art” usually brings to mind images of outdoor bronze sculptures or wall murals, the Union Station building in downtown Tacoma has a hidden surprise display of exquisite (and HUGE) glass art by the one-and-only Dale Chihuly. A native of Tacoma and founder of the Museum of Glass, Chihuly is well known [...]

If you are in need of getting a way from the hustle and bustle of the city to clear your mind, relax or stretch your legs, Wright Park can provide a little retreat that is conveniently located and easy to get to. There are multiple trails that run throughout the park but all of them [...]

It’s not just people that get tired of being cooped up indoors on rainy days, our furry friends are ready to get outdoors too. Luckily, there are two parks in Tacoma that cater specifically to dogs. I decided to take my shih tzu Mozart out to tour the local dog parks. First we went to Rogers Park on the eastside of Tacoma. While the park is small in general, more than half of it is a fenced off-leash dog area.

Whenever the sun comes out in Tacoma, I look forward to getting some fresh air. One of the best parks in the area is at Sunnyside Beach in the little town of Steilacoom. Located about 10 minutes southwest of Tacoma, this suburb has a prime location on the water.

The park has recently been renovated to include a safer railroad crossing and a children’s big toy. I am always impressed by the amount of people barbecuing, playing beach volleyball or just lying in the sand hoping to get a tan. Even if you aren’t looking for recreation, taking a walk around the park can be greatly entertaining. Watch the freight train rumble by or the local ferry drift past.

The most surprising thing about stepping into this renovated train depot near the Tacoma Dome is that it has somehow managed to become trendy and fun without having that commercialized “chain store” feeling that is all too common these days. With authentic international [...]