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Click here to view our interactive 2019 Best of Tacoma guide.
Online Newspapers
A stroll through a record store can be a therapeutic experience: shuffling through the bins, soaking in evocative album art, feeling the weight of the vinyl as you pick up a record to examine, all while hearing some great music being spun by the passionate employees. At the end of
Online Newspapers
When it comes to novel, communal activities to engage in at a bar, karaoke sure gets a disproportionate amount of attention; while it's true that karaoke's a grand old time, these days I'd happily pass over a night of karaoke in favor of some lively bar trivia. Spawned in the
Attractions
One of the many best things about Tacoma is the LeMay - America's Car Museum (ACM). Located next to the Tacoma Dome, the museum is a celebration of America's love affair with the automobile. "The museum is magnificent," Renee Crist, Curator of Collections, said. "The ACM is a jewel here in Tacoma." This
Outdoors
Kim Archer is one of Tacoma's most popular soul singers, but that's not why we interviewed her for this issue. Rather, she doubles as the organizer of your pick for family-friendly venue, the Old Town Park Summer Concert Series, now in its sixth year. That all-ages series runs from the
Outdoors
Funding formats for a new, soccer-specific field next to Cheney Stadium are under scrutiny and in the news at the moment, as the public-private dollar debate gets underway in earnest. While all of that is being hashed out, Tacoma already has a dynamic and exciting professional soccer scene in place
Music
With the launch of McMenamins Elks Temple in May, downtown Tacoma saw the re-opening of a civic landmark and now enjoys a unique, boutique hotel and an eclectic mix of new restaurants and bars within the historic building. The city also gained a much-needed new live performance space. The ornately detailed,
Stage
They might be plays and they might be short stories or works in progress, but whatever they are, the dramatic readings in Tacoma Little Theatre's Off the Shelf series are likely to be shows you'll never see anywhere else, or perhaps previews of shows you might get to see in
Features
Never in world history has there been a better time to be a hardcore foodie. Educated by thousands of hours of globe-spanning food TV and toting enough celebrity cookbooks to overfill a library, we race into cuisines that would've scared American diners away before the debut of Iron Chef America.
Features
Whether you're on the prowl for the perfect ambiance to make eyes across the table or just want to grab some reasonably priced, exceptional grub, Asado has been chosen by the people as the best for both! It's a rare matrimony, Best Date Night and Best Happy Hour together, as
Features
When Peaks and Pints declare themselves as "a craft beer taproom where brew nerds can wave their geek flags," they mean it. Peaks and Pints is a beer lovvas paradise. It's like the Narnia of brews with 13 cooler doors that lead to more than 650 craft beers and ciders.
Features
With the Proctor District ever evolving, it seems pretty obvious that the people's choice for Best New Restaurant would just happen to reside there. Considering Seattle-based Cactus Southwest Kitchen and Bar has been curating and executing Southwest-inspired cuisine for nearly three decades, by the time they set their sights on
Online Newspapers
You've spent all spring working out in the gym, trying to stay in shape enough to hike, bike and kayak as soon as weather permits. And now that summer is finally here, you're ready to put your body to the test. So, where do you head to first? Climb Tacoma, that's
Online Newspapers
Sometimes the very thought of joining a tour group evokes visions of people in Hawaiian shirts, Bermuda shorts, and socks with sandals. I myself am often a quick "no thank you" when the suggestion arises. However, Pretty Gritty Tours in Tacoma has changed how I view a tour through historical
Outdoors
As a newbie to the Gritty City, the story of Johnny Meaker gradually unfolded for me. It began with a visit to a hole-in-the-wall burger dive and my comments on the great seasoning sprinkled on the fries. The short-order cook waxed poetically about Johnny's seasoning, a local concoction which brings
Outdoors
It's hard to envision now, but there was a time when the terms like "quaint," "chic" and "trendy" would not have been used by visitors to Tacoma's Sixth Avenue. Over the decades, "the Ave" has gone through many different phases, from its very early days as a genteel and proper business
Features
The Thurston Chamber Foundation's 8th Annual Olympia Brew Fest is fast approaching and goes down Aug. 3, 1-8:30 p.m. This summer hops and malts fueled celebration features over 30 handpicked Northwest breweries hauling in over 60 sippers. Tickets are $25 in advance, and $30 day of, and include a commemorative
Reviews
ANNOUNCER: The McKinley Hill Neighborhood of Tacoma is a hidden gem just across the freeway from the bustling downtown. Known more for its eclectic residents and quaint shops, it hasn't traditionally been the "go-to" for dining in town. However, Dusty's Hideaway has converted a house into what they hope to
Arts
There are certain characteristics shared by most if not all juried art exhibitions that are particularly noticeable at top-quality shows such as those held annually at South Puget Sound Community College and Tacoma Community College where many of the same artists show up every year. Such shows have a plethora
News Front
Air Force Reserve citizen airmen are selected every year to attend Developmental Education courses boarded through the Reserve School Selection Board (RSSB A&B), Reserve Developmental Education Designation Board (RDEDB), and Enlisted Developmental Education Board (EDEB). The boards are held quarterly over a five-day period at HQ Air Reserve Personnel Center, Buckley