Walkie Talkie Blog
Jazz dances in the evening air and the smell of blossoms intoxicate (or maybe it's the wine). Now in its third year, the annual Summer Garden Party at the Conservatory has proven to be a delightful evening showcasing a Tacoma gem. "It's a fun social time for people to come and
Walkie Talkie Blog
WEEKLY VOLCANO'S FOODIE GROUP >>> Often regarded as the melt-your-face-off bastard child in the liquor family, moonshine (or just "shine" if you're cheeky) will have its softer side shown at the Dirty Oscar's Thursday, Aug. 11, when the Weekly Volcano's foodie group Nosh league gathers at 7 p.m. Served in the
Walkie Talkie Blog
NEW PLACES FOR A CUP OF JOE >>> Market Street Coffee Company opened quietly June 22 and put smiles on faces by declaring the following Saturday "Free Coffee Day." Owner Linda Fiscus's son, David Williams, and daughter, Michele Dunn, take turns manning the coffee bar. Market Street Coffee occupies half
Walkie Talkie Blog
SUSTAINABLE LIVING IN FEDERAL WAY OF ALL PLACES >>> A short trip up Interstate 5 North and a brief jaunt west off the South 320th Street exit, the Federal Way Farmers Market springs up each Saturday morning at 9 a.m. As is to be expected when the sun shines, people come
Walkie Talkie Blog
GLUTEN FREE >>> "You do not have chronic fatigue syndrome, the flu or mono. You have a gluten intolerance. That means no more pasta, among other things," the doctor said as he handed over a photocopied explanation. Jessica Rawley, who I met in an aisle at Marlene's Market, related this recent
Walkie Talkie Blog
YEARLY COMMUNITY ARTS FEST HAS ARRIVED >>> Music, laughter, loud conversations: if I close my eyes, the way a Grateful Dead show parking lot sounded comes to mind. On any given day, a constant mix of noises from bars, businesses and foot traffic floats in my windows. I live
Walkie Talkie Blog
ESCOVEDO STEPS IN >>> Jobs can be like marriages at times. When they don't work the ending can be ugly and drawn out, or irreconcilable differences can be cited and the two parties can simply move on. The second scenario describes the case with the very recent departure of general manager Brandon
Walkie Talkie Blog
THE TIME IS NEAR >>> A friend referred to the Tacoma Food Co-op event we attended last night as "Natural-food-hippie-palooza." The humorous description is fairly on point. Natural food enthusiasts, supporters of the co-op and those seeking information gathered at Bluebeard Coffee and Cork Tuesday, June 28. Event attendees roamed freely
Walkie Talkie Blog
ART AND COMMUNITY ACTION CONTINUES TODAY >>> Tacoma's diversity, both in its people and in its creative talent, is showcased at this weekend's Urban Arts Festival. Now in its seventh year, this year the two-day summertime event is being held on the Thea Foss Waterway in a new(ish) park and
Walkie Talkie Blog
FUN AND EATS CAN COME AT A HIGH PRICE >>> The Taste of Tacoma is considered both a bane and a boon. The influx of people to the small town of Ruston has been a cause of stress and less-than-friendly feelings between festival-goers and homeowners. Parking spaces become more valuable than
Walkie Talkie Blog
IT WAS A WIN >>> You've heard the murmuring, the dissension in the ranks, the Negative Nelly's with their crappy attitudes, the broken record of wrist-slitting rhetoric ... "Gas Prices are high". Boo! "All the fun stuff is in Seattle". Hiss! "There's a cover charge? But it's Tacoma!" Whine! "Someone should do
Walkie Talkie Blog
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE WHILE RECOGNIZING THE PAST >>> What began over a decade ago as a jazz club featuring original music by local musicians (no cover charge and a casual menu of burgers and pizza) has since morphed dramatically. In its prime, Jazzbones Restaurant & Nightclub presented Tacoma with performances
Walkie Talkie Blog
NEW TACO-TRUCK-STYLE SITDOWN DINING BY TCC >>> Tacoma's newest Mexican restaurant serving taco-truck style fare opened quietly in mid-May across from Tacoma Community College. In the building that formerly housed Labor Works and Taco Bell, owner Pedro Gusman opened Taqueria El Sabor. El Sabor is an order-at-the-counter operation with a drive-thru.
Walkie Talkie Blog
LOCAL GOODNESS >>> Currently, a dozen vendors and two hot food stands make up the South Tacoma Farmers Market, which is held in the Heritage Bank Parking Lot at South 56th Street and Washington Street on Sundays through Sept. 25. More vendors are expected as the season progresses. Still in its
Walkie Talkie Blog
PHO FIX IN DOWNTOWN T-TOWN >>> After months of being teased by pictures of Sriracha hot sauce -- and then a daily countdown on Facebook -- the wait is over. Pho 701 Bistro & Bar on Pacific Avenue passed Health Department inspections last week and opened quietly today at 10
Walkie Talkie Blog
BAR FOOD BUT BETTER >>> Through my 15-year stint in the hospitality and live music industry I've come to regard cooks and chefs, and even bartenders at times, as I do some musicians: They have songs they've written and never performed live for an audience. Much of the time, they're the
Walkie Talkie Blog
FIRST PEEK >>> Tacomans have been enjoying vino and tasty treats at Cork! A Wine Bar on Sixth Avenue for more than three years. Mid 2009, it came under ownership of Nick Coughran. Be it wild hair, whimsy or well-thought plan at wine world domination, Coughran has opted for a change
Walkie Talkie Blog
LOTS TO EAT AND EXPERIENCE >>> Thursday is one of the busiest days of my week, from sunrise to sunset and then some. Yet I carve out time for the magic that starts early in the morning and lasts until late afternoon every Thursday on Broadway in downtown Tacoma at the
Walkie Talkie Blog
TASTY STRETCH >>> A few storefronts on Sixth Avenue currently have that Christmas gift look going. Though wrapped up tight, there are definite signs of life in three well-known spots. Medi's, which the Weekly Volcano wrote about in the spring, is a family-friendly Italian fare (read: pizza) casual dining establishment brought to you by
Walkie Talkie Blog
FROM FARM TO TABLE >>> Eating green has awareness and education at its core. To some, eating green means growing fresh herbs in a personal garden rather than driving to a store and purchasing a dried version in a plastic container delivered by semi-truck from a dozen states away. To others,
