Tacoma

Unasuming. Enjoyable.

my dream to see all of chihuly’s glassworks there, including the bridge of glass, the museum of glass… the chandliers, ikebanas… everything chihuly and colours over there.

I was born at Madigan Army Hospital while my dad was stationd at Fort Lewis. I grew up in LA. Then when I joined the Air Force, they sent me to McChord AFB. I got out in 1983 and haven’t been back since. I want to go back with my wife and kids and see how much it’s changed. I wonder if you can still smell the “Tacoma Aroma”?

The dusty old jewel of the South Puget Sound. Tacoma has beautiful old buildings, cramped antique stores, ice-skating ducks and a general blue-collar charm that you just won’t find in Seattle. Yeah, I said ice-skating ducks. Plus, there are polar bears at the zoo. There are no polar bears at the Woodland Park Zoo! Tacoma has a bad rap just because it smells bad but that’s fine with me. Just more for me to love.

I guess its ok if you go to the dome but a lot of crime and not just car jacking a lot of gang and murders. I would not reccomend it.

I live 7 miles away have gone here every single Saturday almost for 7 years. I love this city.

I second the guy who likes MSM. Hot pastrami on dark rye. Delicious. Tacoma actually has lots of great little restaurants. You’d never know it by driving through on I-5, but Tacoma is a really livable city and is quite cute.

Great weekend escape from Seattle. The downtown/waterfront area is very nice.. The museums are great, especially. Actually the entire waterfront area going west over to tiny Ruston, WA is really nice. Great view of Rainier on the right day. Great deals on antiques/junk. Amazing old architecture in downtown. Quite underrated.

Things degrade in the “wow” factor as you walk up the hill past the Tacoma Public Library, though. (Dare I say, things get a bit sad too.)

I haven’t been all over Tacoma. But I’ve been to amazing little oases here and there, like Bob’s Java Jive or the Emerald Queen Casino… It’s this Brazil/Twin Peaks element to Tacoma that I admire.

I’d be happy to look for recommendations for other things to check out (provided they are accessible by bus, or they are great enough such that I can convince friends to drive to them and back.. heh heh.)

EDIT: So I was here for a full weekend this time, for the first time in a few years, and I have to say the city is trying really hard to revitalize the city. Everyone here is not only nice, but exceedingly and almost apologetically nice - often stating that they’re not “quite there” yet - which seems to sum up the current attitude of the city. “We’re working on it.” At this rate, comparing now to 2003, Tacoma will be a great destination in 2010.

I’ve also had a chance to check out more of the city, and I really like the 6th Ave. area. I now definitely plan to come back and explore some more.

The only problem now is not the city’s fault as much as a perception problem from the outside. It’s a slight chicken-egg problem: there are still not enough people around the some of the revitalized parts of Tacoma, or even the traditional old neighborhoods. It still feels somewhat like a ghost town. While Tacoma may still have some crappy neighborhoods, so does Seattle, or any major city in the state. The jokes about Tacoma really don’t apply anymore, and I’ll certainly be doing my job to counteract anti-Tacoma snobbery, if it’s deserved.

Unfortunately, the city is mostly all closed on Sunday, which doesn’t help. :( Outside Sunday, I think the city is certainly worth a visit now more than ever.

If visiting I highly MSM Deli on 6th street. Yes, it looks like convienace store(it is) but the guys behind the counter make best sub sandwiches in the whole world. PLACES TO GO: Point Defiance Park, Meusem of Glass, Waterfront, Tacoma Narrows Bridge. Watch out for Tacoma Aroma.

it’s so very industrial/commercial/blah.