The plan was to pick up a few of these infamous “boxed lunches” from Pacific Grill and bring them to my husband’s work. My plan was foiled when the nice Pacific Grill phone answerer told me they are typically ordered 24 hours in advance. I immediately responded with an “Excuse me?! Do you know who I AM?!?”



Ah, just kidding. I didn’t say that. I thanked her politely and told her I’d call back later with an order for tomorrow’s lunch. But, alas, I was totally craving that damned Pacific Grill lunch, and I had to curb my taste buds into some other flavor. I quickly realized that TwoKoi Japanese Restaurant was just around the corner, and they had some of the most mighty fine sushi I’ve ever tasted. So off I went. From sandwiches to sushi — in the famous coined words of Tim Gunn, I was going to “make it work.”



I placed my order for the sashimi bento box, bellied up to the bar, and ordered a beer to down before my meal was ready. Eventually my bladder was singing the sweet requests of a needed bathroom break, so the bathroom is where I went. A few small accents of potted orchids is all this bathroom needs to give you the feel of being at a sushi bar. While on the potty, I thought of TwoKoi’s neighbor, Tacoma Art Supply.



I needed to pick up one very last item from my daughter’s kindergarten school supply list at Tacoma Art Supply: Prang Watercolors. This was not something I could find at Target in the bins located next to the Crayola crayons and Mead spiral notebooks. This was a specialty item. The school specifically stated that the watercolors HAD to be Prang brand. Why? They say, “Because they are the best quality”. What?! It’s Kindergarten, for christsake! The farthest a kindergartener’s art is going will be either the floorboard of my car or maybe, just maybe, the side of my refrigerator. And the side of my refrigerator is nothing glamorous, to say the least. It’s overrun with calendars, notes, to-do lists, and tacky retro magnets exclaiming, “Fuck this fifties housewife bullshit!” 



So, Prang watercolors are the best, and nothing but the best for a kindergartener. Right? I became more aware of the school’s philosophy when I was called in as a parent for a special “paper cutter training.” You know, those huge paper cutters with the machete-like sword that rips through a stack of papers like it’s nobody’s business? Apparently the school feels it’s necessary to have training on how to use it. The main point of this training was “We teach your child to do quality work the first time, and that quality work matters.” So, if we as parents weren’t cutting the paper in straight, even lines, then it wasn’t setting a good “quality” example to our kids. Whoa, man. This kindergarten business is some serious shit. Fine then, quality it is.



Do people really notice the quality of everyday items? As I returned back to my Two Koi barstool I tried to think of what quality lies within my house, other’s houses, cars, clothes, and establishments. When does quality really matter? In my house, clean is as clean does. I keep the hallways clear, and as long as my family is safe from any broken ankles or communicable diseases, I deem my house clean enough. Is that not quality? Is someone coming over to my house and checking for dust? My mother-in-law might, perhaps. At what point is “quality” considered “anal”?



I then think of quality cars. Most of the time I’m just happy to have a damn ride somewhere. But what if I buy a car and it’s not a “quality” car? Say it’s a raging lemon, a real piece of shit car? Then one might have to drop a load of money to fix it, or perhaps be stranded in an unsafe environment. It’s at that point that quality might matter.



Restaurants? Um, YES, quality matters.



Clothes? I don’t know. I firmly believe that you get what you pay for in the clothing area of life. If I’m buying a shirt from Target or Old Navy, I expect two — maybe three good washes before it deteriorates. One exception to this “get what you pay for” rule is second-hand stores. Hot damn you can find some kick ass quality deals in a good second-hand store or on eBay.



When it comes to relationships, quality matters. Put aside the bullshit and the drama. Give me an unconditional, quality friendship and you have one happy Steph DeRosa. Hell, I may even hang your artwork on the side of my fridge. Right under a tacky, profanity-filled magnet.

[Pacific Grill, 1502 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.627.3535]

[TwoKoi Japanese Restaurant, 1552 Commerce St., Tacoma, 253.274.8999]

[Tacoma Art Supply, 1552 Commerce St., Tacoma, 253.444.2341]