Tag Archives: mall

Snow Flake Lane, Bellevue Square

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So I say to my dear husband, “let’s go up to Bell Square on what is probably the most hectic shopping weekend of the year” and oddly he agreed. Neither of us are big mall people, but he likes to see the upper end merchandise so he can later look for it at estate sales and I wanted to see Snow Flake Lane. At 7 each evening there is a show with singing and dancing. The night we were there, there was a Seahawk, #72, Michael Bennet. The Snow Queen was blowing bubbles with her wand, so I figured that was the promised snow. But then snow flakes appeared in blue and green on the walls of the shopping centers, so I figured that was the snow. But then it really did snow! Well, maybe they were fine bubbles, but it looked like snow and it was cold enough for snow, so snow it was. The children were delighted! The streets were so very crowded, but everyone was in high spirits. We spent sometime afterwards in the mall to give the parking lot a chance to clear out. Really it was a lovely evening.

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Thanksgiving 2016, the mall wasn’t completely closed

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Our kitchen is not huge and we had three people cooking a Thanksgiving feast there, so I finished my part and took off for a Starbucks and some fresh air. I often drive over to the mall on Thanksgiving. It’s pretty close and I find the empty parking lots soothing. But this year the JC Penney’s lot was nearly full! And people were inside and others were rushing toward the entry doors.

So while I like many of the stances that Penney’s has taken over the years, I’m not to sure about this being open for at least part of Thanksgiving. I sincerely hope their employees are getting overtime. Judging by the crowded parking lot, it is probably worth Penney’s time to be open, at least financially. The rest of the mall appeared to be closed (and thus soothing!). And Best Buy across the street had folks lined up, many had tents. But also folks inside. Not sure what was happening there. It was about 3:30.

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Zagg at the Tacoma Mall

imageI don’t love going to the mall, but today was the day since I had a crack on the protective screen on my phone. It was a Zagg protective covering and when the phone folks sold it to me they said I could have it replaced for a minimal cost if it should break. It cracked at a jaunty diagonal. Since I tend to avoid the mall, I put off getting it fixed. But the lady at the Zagg kiosk was really nice and it only took 20 minutes and there is a Starbucks right there. And it was kind of fun to watch all of the mall patrons walking around. What an assortment they are. There were the parents dragging their tweans around buying school clothes, teen girls with little pink Victoria Secrets Bags, a couple of businessmen in suites, the mall security folks on their Segways and moms with strollers.

L&L, The Original Hawaiian BBQ

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I had never had Hawaiian BBQ before and wondered how it was different from Texan BBQ. Apparently L&L’s BBQ is “fusion of Asian and American dishes prepared with a unique island flare”. The L&L BBQ is located at 4502 S. Steele Street #161A in the Tacoma Mall. Both dear husband and I had bowls, his chicken and mine beef. They were served with rice and veggies, There was so much food, that we have enough for another delicious meal each.

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Federal Way Farmer’s Market

imageFederal Way has a pretty righteous farmer’s market located in the parking lot next to Sears at the Federal Way Commons. It has a nice mix of farmers and crafts people and this Saturday there was also a safety fair going on with a fire truck and police dogs.  I enjoyed some delicious fish tacos (2 tacos for $8) and homemade lemonade from The Frying Dutchman and bought two pair of earrings (2 pair for $5!). For more information, check out their website.

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Jamba Juice, Tacoma

13280448213_2168ef5d70_bJamba Juice in the Tacoma Mall is really pretty good and relatively healthy. Dear daughter and I stopped this afternoon. She had a strawberry banana drink and I had the Aloha Pineapple drink. It was our first time to visit any Jamba Juice, but apparently there are another 800+ locations we could investigate in 26 states. The chain began in 1990 and has gone through several changes over the years.

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What the Pho Xpress

9102847651_652c62bb7b_bSometimes I think we have created demand for an entire category of restaurants because the word Pho sounds like…. well, you know. What the Pho at the Tacoma Mall is relatively new. The employees were charming  (seriously, they were very nice) and the food was plentiful and good.

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The French Bakery

8730778846_1b0975620f_b(1)Today I visited The French Bakery at 909 112th Avenue NE (the Crossroads Mall) in Bellevue. I had an excellent iced Ameriano and a raspberry cookie. There are two other French Bakeries, both in Bellevue.

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Thorp Fruit and Antique Mall

8695128683_64ac7f4cc4_b(1)Practically every time I go through Ellensburg, I stop at the Thorp Fruit and Antique Mall at  410 Gladmar Road, Thorp. We usually stop for a coffee drink and maybe some cheese or a sweet. The lower level is full of local produce and specialty items and the upper level has antiques. The family run business began in 1944.

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Sears at the Tacoma Mall

SearsSears is located at the Tacoma Mall at 4502 S Steele St #100, Tacoma. Information about Sears is here. Tacoma Public Library’s Northwest Room says that the mall’s original four anchors were J.C. Penney, the Bon Marche, Nordstrom and Rhodes Department Store. I was a little surprised that Sears wasn’t on the list. The Bon was Tacoma Mall’s first tenant.

Tacoma Public Library has a wonderful photo of Tacoma’s original Sears at the corner of South 13th Street and Broadway circa 1950. It can be seen here.