Category Archives: WA State – Pierce County

Kalakala, is it sinking?

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Kalakala by Gexydaf
Kalakala, a photo by Gexydaf on Flickr.

The newspaper yesterday talked about how the Kalakala was in danger of sinking because it is taking on water. I had just asked my husband last week if the vintage ferry boat was still at the port. We had gone to see it years ago and hadn’t heard much about it since.

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/03/26/1600781/dreams-for-art-deco-ferryboat.html#storylink=misearch

I have no idea about the financial feasibility of restoring this ferry, which is in pretty bad shape, but I’ sure wish it could be brought back to its former glory. It was spectacular!

The website for the ferry has abundant information about it. http://www.kalakala.org/index2.html

I took a couple of shots from where it is docked and then went across the way to photograph it from across the Hylebos Waterway.

 

For a photo of the Kalakala when it was in Tacoma in the 1940s, see this webpage from the Tacoma Public Library.

http://search.tacomapubliclibrary.org/images/dt6n.asp?un=4&pg=1&krequest=Kalakala&stemming=On&phonic=&fuzzy=&maxfiles=5000

Gibson’s Frozen Yogurt

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Gibson's Frozen Yogert by Gexydaf
Gibson’s Frozen Yogert, a photo by Gexydaf on Flickr.

Gibson’s Frozen Yogurt opened on Valentine’s Day 2011 in the Stadium District and tonight after dinner we went there to celebrate the beginning of Spring Break. It was fun and delicious and not very expensive, so what more could we want?

Dear daughter and I sampled almost all of the flavors before going with the French Vanilla, Chocolate and Cookies & Cream. Then we added Hot Carmel, Hot Fudge, Strawberries, Maraschino Cherries, Gummy Bears, M&Ms, Walnuts, Whipped Cream and Rainbow Sprinkles (not all items were on both servings!). Then we sat down to eat some serious tastiness. The place wasn’t very crowded when we got there, but by the time we left, it was packed. And both the employees and the customers seemed to really be enjoying themselves. I was glad to see the crowd in hopes that Gibson’s Yogurt is here to stay!

UpdateL 6.16 Sadly Gibson’s was not here to stay. The store closed earlier this year.

http://www.gibsonsyogurt.com/

  

Science and Art Institute (SAMI)

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SAMI is a Tacoma Public School located in the lovely Point Defiance Park. The facility itself isn’t much to speak off, though there are some nice artistic touches. SAMI’s website says “The Science and Math Institute creates an inclusive high school learning community that provides integrated, inquiry-based experiences utilizing our natural and community resources, combining science, mathematics, and the arts.

The Science and Math Institute opens in the fall of 2009 as Tacoma School District’s newest public high school for students beginning their ninth grade year. SAMI will grow into a full four year high school with the 2009-2010 freshmen class.”

http://www0.tacoma.k12.wa.us/schools/hsx/sami/

Starbucks, always reliable

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by Gexydaf
, a photo by Gexydaf on Flickr.

Today’s new place is the Starbucks at the corner of Sixth and Pine (601 Pine Street, Tacoma). It looked much like all the other Starbucks, warm and comfortable. The service was friendly and fast and the coffee especially good for some reason. The breakfast roll was warmed and very delicious. There is a reason that Starbucks has a following.

http://www.starbucks.com/

Update 2/2015 This location has closed, which surprises me since it was always busy when I went.

 

Need a bunny? Go to the Humane Society

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A darling little pup was wandering near a busy street and my husband took him home for safe keeping for the night. The dog was obviously somebody’s loved pet, but I didn’t find any signs or see anybody looking. So today I took him to the Tacoma Pierce Co. Humane Society, so that he can be reunited with his rightful owner.

The Humane Society does good work and I respect them for it. There website is here: http://www.thehumanesociety.org/

Note, although I took a photo of a darling rabbit, it is only a good pet if you are ready for the responsibility. If you’re not ready for bunny ownership, then buy a delicious chocolate rabbit for Easter!

 

Tacoma Vietnamese Alliance Church

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Today I made a quick stop at this interesting neighborhood church. The Lincoln District has an international flair, with an emphasis on Asian Countries. The informational sign is in both English and Vietnamese.

While there does not seem to be a dedicated web presence for this particular church, the Tacoma Vietnamese Alliance Church, there is a website for the Alliance Church in general. I enjoyed reading their quote “The Alliance is a unique missionary denomination—a maverick movement into whose soul the Head of the Church breathed “Go!” from the very start. —L.L. King, C&MA President (1978-1987)”

http://www.cmalliance.org/

There are three other Alliance Churches in Tacoma.

The Past Along South Tacoma Way

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South Tacoma Way has some spiffy public art. Today I stopped to admire this mural located at 5438 South Tacoma Way which features scenes from the strips past and present. The mural is on the Heritage Bank Building. Although that is the name of building, it is vacant with Heritage Bank is down the street at 5448 South Tacoma Avenue.

To see more photographs of the property both before and after the mural, go here.
http://www.tacomaculture.org/arts/murals.asp

    

D.O.A.

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by Gexydaf
a photo by Gexydaf on Flickr.

After work today a group of us stopped at a relatively new place called D.O.A. (Dirty Oscar’s Annex) at 309 Sixth Avenue. We each got an appetizer and had a scrumptious fest! There was beer battered asparagus (my favorite), flat bread. two kinds of chicken wing, potato wedges and fries. All this wonderful food was very reasonably priced.

Here is a recent review
http://www.weeklyvolcano.com/entertainment/spew-blog/2011/01/dirty-ocars-annex-opens-in-tacoma/

Dave’s Meats & Produce

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Dave's Meats & Produce by Gexydaf
Dave’s Meats & Produce a photo by Gexydaf on Flickr.

I made a quick stop at Dave’s Meats & Produce just as they were closing up today and was impressed with what I saw. Fresh produce, wonderful looking meat and lovely flowers. I’ll be back!

1312 North I Street
Tacoma, WA 98403
(253) 280-9999

 

Headstart offices at Madison may move

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IMG_9470.JPG by Gexydaf
IMG_9470.JPG a photo by Gexydaf on Flickr.

The Old Madison School at 3101 South 43rd St., Tacoma, WA has apparently been at 3102 South 43rd at some time in the past.  According to Tacoma Public Library “The six-room school, designed by architects Hill & Mock, was completed in October of 1924 at a cost of approximately $35,000. It had replaced two portable buildings on the same site. The school doubled in size in 1957 and improvements made in 1967 and 1979. Madison is no longer an elementary school but currently houses Headstart and Early Childhood Education programs.” That information, as well as a historical photo of the building can be found here http://search.tacomapubliclibrary.org/images/dt6n.asp?un=1&pg=1&krequest=Madison+Elementary+School&stemming=On&phonic=&fuzzy=&maxfiles=5000

Currently the administrative offices for Headstart are located in the Madison Building. Headstart is a preschool program designed to promote school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children through the provision of educational, health, nutritional, social and other services to enrolled children and families.

Currently there is a proposal to move the Headstart offices to the building currently housing Bryant Montessori and to vacant the Madison Building.