Category Archives: WA State – Pierce County

Franciscan Polar Plaza

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The Franciscan Polar Plaza at Tollesfon Plaza in Downtown Tacoma is pretty cool It is the joint effort of Franciscan Health Care, The City of Tacoma, the Tacoma Art Museum and many other contributors. Mostly what I noticed while there is just how much fun everyone was having! There were young couples, kids with their parents and adults acting like kids. Plenty of folks fell, but they got back up laughing (ok, the kids laughed a little more than the adults). A couple of the skaters were pretty good, but most were obviously new to this, Some got around the rink by hanging on to the railing!

http://www.polarplaza.org/

Rankos Pharmacy

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Rankos Drug at 101 North Tacoma Avenue in the Stadium District has been around since the late 1930s and operated along Pacific Avenue from the late 1920s. The buildings original owner occupant was Gray Goose Coffee Shop & Confectionery. Rankos is family owned and independent and in addition to the pharmacy it has a small post office and an interesting assortment of gift items. I picked up a darling stocking stuffer for dear daughter and some cough drops.

Their website has some wonderful historic photos that are worth a look. http://www.rankospharmacy.com/

German Pastry and Coffee Shop in Lakewood

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The German Pastry and Coffee Shop at 6108 Mt Tacoma Dr SW, Lakewood, WA 98499 is not the same thing as Hess Bakery and that confuses me. They both specialize in German Food, but have different strengths. Both of them are located in a brick building is known as European Square. Each of them has a sign on their door that says they are not affricated with the other. Well, OK. I’ll just go back and do Hess Bakery some other time.

The German Pastry and Coffee Shop has display cases and metal racks for tasty treats. I got two bags of cookies and two pieces of pastry, all for takeout. What I tasted at home was yummy. Maybe next time we’ll have lunch. I love the décor. There is one almost full wall mural of an alpine scene and many large jigsaw puzzles that have been framed.

 

Walgreens is now open

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The Walgreens at 4315 Sixth Avenue has previously been the site of a small strip center. (See entry http://blog.firsttries.com/?p=1128). The store is next to a drive though Starbuck and while the construction was under way, it was really difficult to partake in a coffee fix! But now that the Walgreens is open, the two uses seem to be sharing their common ingress and egress without too many difficulties. The store is extra clean and the employees welcoming.

UPS was a good experience

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UPS


I hate mailing boxes around the holidays. I hate the crowds and the waiting and the cost. I hate that I’m always sending when it is questionable about if the box will make it there in time. But there I was again.

After work I sat in the car and made sure that all of the presents were in the boxes I found and taped them up. I was thinking I’d go to the UPS on South 38th near the mall, but then I remembered there was a UPS in Green Firs Shopping Center in University Place. Worth a try. I drove past the Post Office on South 27th and there was a line to get into the parking lot to get in line to mail boxes. Wonderful (that was sarcasm). Onward to UPS. When I got there the lot was crowded, but I found a space pretty quickly. I went in and there were only two workers. Each one had a customer and there was one other lady in front of me. I couldn’t believe my luck! I was in and out in under 10 minutes and shipping was less then I expected. I checked online and both boxes are due to be delivered by Tuesday. I could have spent an extra $25 to have them delivered on Monday, but no need. I celebrated by going over to Trader Joe’s for some holiday goodies to share. I’m so glad the shipping is over. Next year I’ll do it earlier for sure and I’ll definitely go back to UPS in Green Firs!

City Blocks for Serious Fun

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Yesterday I stopped at Freighthouse Square for dinner before I went off to a class. While there I stopped at City Blocks, which is at 440 East 25th Street, Suite 46, Tacoma WA 98402. Their facebook page says that they are the “The world’s only public LEGO Commercial Art Studio”. Indeed when I visited they were happy to show me the Lego custom pieces they were working on and they were pretty cool! More info can be found on their Facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/cityblocks

 

Tacoma Narrows Bridge

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Narrows BridgeApproaching the Narrows BridgesNarrows Bridge from Titlow BeachThe best view may be behind youTacoma Narrows Bridges
Tacoma Narrows BridgesTacoma Narrows BridgesTitlow Beach looking at the Narrows BridgeZoo Lights

Over the years I’ve taken a bunch of photos of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, which spans the Tacoma Narrows strait of the Puget Sound connecting the City of Tacoma with Gig Harbor in Pierce County and other points on the Kitsap Peninsula. The bridge, which is now actually a pair of bridges, is part of Highway 16. The older of the two bridges was constructed in 1950 and the newer, westbound bridge was built in 2007. The original bridge was known as “Galloping Gertie” and opened in 1940, collapsing four months later.

A webcam of the bridge can be found here:
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/tacoma/sr16_tacomanarrows_east.htm

Gandy Dancer

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At the corner of East Main and 3rd Street just off of the downtown area of Puyallup is Gandy Dancer by sculpture Jim Mattern. In doing a little research, it appears that the art piece had been in Port Orchard or that there are two of them. I’m betting on it having been moved. It is part of the Arts Downtown project. The sculpture features a rail worker and is well placed next to a rail line.

The Elks Are Moving

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Elks Lodge #174 has sold (is selling?) their property at Union Avenue and South 23rd Street (1965 South Union) to Walmart. The existing 76,000 square foot building had a construction cost of $1.5 to $2 million and was dedicated in 1965. At that time it had the highest membership of any elk’s lodge in the U.S.

A photograph of the dedication can be found here (thanks Tacoma Public Library!) http://search.tacomapubliclibrary.org/images/dt6n.asp?un=3&pg=1&address=1965+and+SO+and+AVE+and+UNION&stemming=&phonic=&fuzzy=&maxfiles=

The building will be demolished and a Walmart Superstore (the largest of the Walmart floor plans) will be constructed. The Elks will have a new, modern lodge constructed at a different location. The original elks building was constructed on Broadway Avenue and is proposed to be converted into a McMenamins.

www.tacomaelks.com

Retail Stand Alone

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The freestanding building at 602 North Pearl use to be where I dropped off film (remember film?) to be developed. Flash One Hour Photo had the nicest people working there and one hour development. I think it was bright yellow. Of course their business declined as we all went to digital and I’m guessing that is why they closed.

Later it was a home design store (Tacoma Interior Market) , a check cashing place and most recently a spot to get new counter tops. Now it has some furniture in it, but it looks vacant.