August 1, 2020, I sent what I consider a heartfelt email to Lakewood’s Deputy Mayor Jason Whalen with a copy to my wife. My wife responded with, “Good note.” A bit later in the morning, the idea for incorporating my note in a Westside Story came to me. Sharing my thinking and experience related to […]
North End Tavern is getting a new life – in Ruston
Two years after he started work on the new home for his North End Tavern, Ron Kerns is still at it. The name is now North End on Pearl and when it’s done, it’ll be at least three times larger than its original perch in the Proctor neighborhood. The transformation has been remarkable at 5037 […]
BBQ Pete’s is still opening in Lakewood. Here’s an update
In January, I wrote about BBQ Pete’s expanding to Lakewood. At the time, an opening was estimated for the spring. And then the pandemic hit. That slowed progress, but BBQ Pete’s fans will be happy to hear they’ll likely be able to enjoy the return of BBQ Pete’s ribs sometime later this summer, if all […]
Across the Fence: German Girl in America
Submitted by Susanne Bacon. I can’t remember when I had my first encounter with the website of German Girl in America on Facebook. It might have been as early as 2014. Ever since I have been checking out the blog on the internet, and over the years, its creator, Karen Lodder Carlson, and I have […]
Old Town is getting a new restaurant in former Montamara space
Old Town Wine Skins is coming to Tacoma’s Old Town neighborhood. Late August or later is the target opening timeframe for the wine bar and small-plates cafe that will be across the street from The Spar. The eatery and bar is at 2208 N. 30th St., in the former home of Montamara Kitchen, which closed […]
Letter: When you no longer have to look where you’re going
What happened this beautiful morning, barely a ripple on the water, will probably never happen again. But what a morning, what a memory. With the oldest – and the smallest of our children – as cox, the rest of us remarked later how odd it seemed to not have to look over our shoulder. That […]
Letter: A portrait of a leader
We had gathered for our annual picnic in the park mostly to be together but also to traditionally share – in this month to remember our parent’s birthdays – our usual family lunchtime fare when as kids we were growing up: baloney sandwiches. My brother, whose birthday is this week, chewed a simple self-portrait into […]
Delish Bakery is coming to Steilacoom
Delish Bakery is opening in Steilacoom and visitors can expect a menu of pastries, cakes, cookies, cake pops, macarons, cinnamon rolls, pies, croissants and “a little bit of bread.” The bakery is the project of Lisa Holmgren, a pastry student at Clover Park Technical College who is launching a second career as a baker. She’s […]
Sake Sushi & Grill Tacoma Restaurant Review
Sake Sushi & Grill is one of those small, family owned/run restaurants you want to succeed, but they keep getting in their own way. Nearly two hours in a fine dining establishment is one thing, but Sake Sushi is not fine fining. The food is good, but . . . We sat a little over […]