Well, it looked like many of the rest of you kid-totin’ gritty Tacomans were already there, but if you missed it, the new 6th Ave Farmer’s Market started yesterday on Pine Street off of 6th Ave, and it’s a good one!
We weren’t sure what to expect, with two already thriving Farmers markets going in/near the North End (Proctor and Downtown), but this little 2 block extravaganza is my new favorite. OK, it’s closest to home, so I’m a little biased, but it did not hurt that we could have a beer at Engine House #9 (one of our old favorites) and fill Reilly up on mini corn dogs and fries before heading home, either.
There were LOTS of great plant/nursery vendors, several flower stands, berry, produce and cheese stands, AND a really rockin’ girls (like 12 year-old) band! I did not catch the band’s name, because I was too busy shopping and chasing Reilly — but I wish I had because they were GREAT. (If anyone knows who these girls were, please post a comment. I’d like to find out more about any gigs and give them a little formal recognition. They were cool.)
The market is Tuesday afternoons (3:30 to 7:30) July 15 to September 30. The space is tight and it was a little hard to navigate with a big stroller (we had our jumbo jogger), so travel light if possible. See you there!
There’s one weekend left to make it up to Leavenworth for Oktoberfest. If you’ve ever been to Germany and are missing it, this little Bavarian-style village will satisfy your taste without the airline expense! We caught the tail end of the first weekend of Oktoberfest and had a really great family outing. (more…)
At Corina Cake Bakery, the answer is a resounding Yes! No matter how hard you are trying the rest of the time to model and teach your child good eating habits, throw caution to the wind at least once, as we did on Saturday, and just go have a big, huge, delicious piece of cake for breakfast. It’s too good to regret. (Okay, and not EVERY weekend, though it’s a tempting thought!) This would also be a great afternoon or evening stop for a special treat, and the cakes are great for special occasions. (more…)
After a trip to the zoo, or on a rainy morning when you need a place to go for a good coffee where you can talk to your friends and ignore your kids (OK I’m kidding - relegate them to the background, anyway), head to one of the most kid-friendly cafes we know - the Antique Sandwich Company on Pearl.
The menu for lunch is a little on the granola side, but it’s great healthy food for kids of all ages and they make a mean PB&J. Reilly shared a chocolate milkshake with his Grandpa there that was delicious. He insisted on eating it out of the tall old fashioned milkshake glass, of course, not the small paper cup we provided.
But the real draw here is the small stage toward the back filled with toys, and the laid back atmosphere. The kids have a nice time playing and the adults can have a nice chat or read a paper or just be for a moment. They have some open-mike and musical events here, so there may be times when it’s less convenient to bring children, but we have never run into trouble.
Until last weekend, we mostly went in late mornings for coffee. Our lunch last weekend was really nice - Reilly played by himself while the adults sat and talked a few tables away, then we all ate together when the food came and he went back to playing when he was done so we finished our meals in peace.
I wish more places had a little play area like this - makes for a real parental rarity - a relaxing meal!
We finally made it to Puget Sound Pizza for breakfast, or as the locals call it, PSP. Up until a couple of weeks ago I thought they were only a pizza and pasta place for work time lunches and dinner. Been there plenty of times with co-workers; loved the pizza, hated the seating. But fortunately, the seating issue has been improved. PSP has finished construction of their lower level, and if you’ve never been, or haven’t been in awhile, I hugely recommend a dinner, lunch or breakfast visit soon. The lower level now adds about 10 more tables (one large corner both) and about 1/2 dozen seats around a full service bar. Yes, beer, cocktails, the works.
Anyway, back to breakfast. I’m always a sucker for the eggs and toast type breakfasts. They have a whole range of prices, from 4.50 for 2 eggs, an awesome biscuit (or toast I assume), and even awsomerererrr potatoes; to 7.50 for the same, plus meat and a pancake. One complaint from my wife though, who ordered decaf…no decaf…only the straight stuff.But everything else was great. Apparently it gets pretty crazy later in the morning, we got there a little after 9:00 and had a large choice of tables.
I also went there for lunch the other day and talked myself out of the pizza to try the meat ball sub, very tasty! I foresee many future visits to PSP.
When we first moved here, we lived near Titlow Beach Park, and we discovered back then the joys of dining at Steamers Seafood. I loved it most in summer on warm evenings when you could sit at the window and watch the sun reflect off the water. So with the recent taste of spring, we decided to enjoy the weather and headed back to our old neighborhood to show Reilly one of our old favorites. (more…)
So Ruth and I decided we needed to start our restaurant tour of Tacoma. Please excuse us if we repeat some info that has previously been talked about on some of the other local blogs. I thought we’d start with a couple of our favorite Mexican restaurants. (more…)