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The Locals Guide to the Best Record Stores Near Tacoma, Part II

For those that spend their time with earbuds, headphones, or high-quality speakers, this month includes both Jazz Appreciation Month and Record Store Day. Whether youve already got shops you visit routinely to satisfy your music needs or not, our neighborhood has more than its fair share of local stores that each bring something important to the table. Last time, we highlighted two of them; today, weve got two more! Drastic Plastic Records Tacoma For those looking for something thats a little more down-to-earth but still has a wonderful selection, Tacomas Drastic Plastic Records is a great place to visit. Though they also sell smoking pipes, real locals know that theyve got some real gems in store. If youre someone thats a little overwhelmed by crate digging, youll likely be happy with their commitment to quality over quantityand the fact that so many records are sealed. Records here are usually between five and ten dollars a pop. Even though this store isnt as big as some other shops nationally, youll still want to give yourself fifteen minutes or half an hour to take it all in when you visit. And where else are you also going to find sports cards and leather jackets while youre shopping around? You can read more about them over here . Rainy Day Records Olympia Olympias Rainy Day Records has a kind of vibe thatll make you feel right at home. With just as much memorabilia as there are records, and even a living and breathing movie rental service, its easy to see why people around town have grown so fond of this place over the years. Actions speak louder than words, and keeping a business like this up and running since the 1970s shows youre doing something special. From top-forty hits to more niche musical tastes, reasonable used records, and sales on new records, this store has some of everything. Youve got to visit this record spot at least once while you live in the Pacific Northwest. If you can think up a genre or artist, chances are theyve got it in house. You can read more about their story over here .

The Locals Guide to the Best Record Stores Near Tacoma, Part I

For music lovers and audiophiles alike, this month is home to both Jazz Appreciation Month and Record Store Day. Whether youve already got places you frequent to satisfy your crate-digging urges or not, our neighborhood has more than its fair share of mom-and-pop stores that each bring something important to the table. In this post and the next, weve decided to highlight a few of our favorites near our apartments at Nantucket Gate. Hi-Voltage Records Tacoma While Record Store Day is typically focused on vinyl records, Tacomas Hi-Voltage has a large selection of both vinyl and CDs on deck including cassette tape releases both new and old and reel-to-reels. Whether you want to dedicate some time crate digging to see what used and forgotten treasures have ended up here or find your new jam, this is a great place in town to start. So far the reviews both by word-of-mouth and online have been pretty glowing. While some record stores can get a bad reputation for being know-it-alls, the staff here are as knowledgeable as they are approachable and friendly. You could even bring by some of your old records to trade in for something new. Because of their reasonable prices, your dollar is bound to go far here. You can learn more about them over on their website . Turntable Treasures Tacoma For those that are new to listening to vinyl altogether, Tacomas Turntable Treasures is the perfect place to get a new or used turntable thats right for your apartment. Because of their well-versed help, youll be up to speed on the warmth of that sound in no time at all. But dont worrytheyre just as known for their equipment advice as they are for their diverse record selection. If you scan through their reviews online, youll see some pretty tech-related endorsements mentioning specific terms about their help with equipment. Its known to many as a great place to go to get started on or rekindle your love of records. Whether youre into classical, folk, jazz, or rock, theyve got something for everyone. You can learn more about them over yonder .

Its Always Worth the Drive to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

Though early spring sometimes has trouble finding the Pacific Northwest, this is the month when the flowers of this beautiful season are in their finest form which is why so many local flower festivals are in bloom this time of year. Though there are plenty of parks and vendors in town that will be showcasing different flowers, a drive up north will bring you to some breath-taking views of fields and fields of technicolor dreams. Were here to highlight another nearby spring flower festival for the residents of our apartments at Nantucket Gate in Tacoma. Skagit Valley Tulip Festival An Overview and Introduction Since the 1980s, this festival has drawn crowds of thousands because of the immersive and expansive spectrum of colorful tulips on display. Though it was designed more as a driving tour, over the years the organizers of the festival have slowly added festivities that run alongside and complement the spirit of this impressive spectacle. To help accommodate all the visitors people from over fifty countries last year volunteers put in over a thousand hours of service to make it all go as smoothly as it does. Dont let the crowds deter you! The imagery is breathtaking and worth it to see at least once while youre living in the area. Other Information Because its a bit of a drive, wed recommend taking advantage of as many attractions up there as possible. Their festivals website is furnished with lots of things to get you started, including pictures of the tulip fields and tulip maps, lists of restaurants and places to stay the night, and even other events that are running in tandem with the festival on their calendar . Anacortes and La Conner are two nearby cities that are worth exploring before or after you take in all the tulips. And if youre going to make a weekend of it, the ferries to the San Juan Islands are within arms reach.

Why the Daffodil Festival Is the Real Daffo-Deal

Sometimes early spring heroically finds its way to us here in the too-often overcast Pacific Northwest. This is the month when the blossoming flowers of this light-hearted season are in their finest formwhich is why so many local flower festivals are in full swing this time of year. There are plenty of parks and vendors in town that will be featuring lots of different flowers, along with some local and time-honored festivals that showcase the history and significance of certain flowers in our community. Well be highlighting two of the bigger spring flower festivals in the state for the residents of our apartments at Nantucket Gate in Tacoma. Pierce County Daffodil Festival History and Overview While the tulip festival celebrates flower bulbs in their natural habitat, the more-local daffodil festival takes a slightly different but still oh-so-spring approach with a decadent and triumphant community parade that celebrates the blooming flowers that helped revitalize the community in the 1920s and 1930s. Although daffodil farmers have decreased in the area since its glory days and the flowers are now are more well-known for being grown in larger quantities up north, this festival continues to be a celebration that rivals the Washington State Fair is this neck of the woods. Noteworthy Events The daffodil parade takes the cake as the main event, featuring marching bands, music, hundreds of floats decorated with freshly cut and colorful flowers, and so much more. The festival also features events like a daffodil marathon, daffodil queens and princesses, tea time, and a few other events that rotate and correspond with one another. You can read more about the festival on their website to see whats in store this year and whats been involved in the past. And you can even read a little bit more about other spring-themed events in and around town by heading over here . Come back next time for information on the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival!

Spring Green Recipes

March is finally here, which means that spring is getting ready to serve up its sunny-side-up vistas in the land of stubborn grey and mostly cloudy skies. While spring organization sprees, and swapping out winter gear and decoration, are usually a part of anyones plans this time of year, the promise of sunnier days means fresh local produce to reintroduce to your home-cooked meals. Below, weve included a few recipes you can give a try this spring to welcome the season with open armsand open stomachs. Spring Orecchiette Pasta + Burrata Orecchiette pasta is named for the ear-like or cup-like shape this delicious pasta haswhich makes it the perfect vessel to hold more of the fresh and delicious ingredients that are part of this recipe. A real focal point of this dish is the creamy burrata, which is essentially fresh small mozzarella balls with a creamy center. With fresh spring peas, grated cheese, and lemon zest on top, this is a beautifully gourmet and tasteful way to ring in the reappearance of the sun. You can find what youll need to make it all over here . Grilled Asparagus Subs Subway or your favorite local sandwich shop will always be there, but making this spring-infused grilled asparagus sub sandwich at home is a real game-changer. While the swanky restaurant owner that came up with this recipe smokes his asparagus in a different way, chipotle and smoked salt are what bring the secret flavor to this dish. To find out how many scallions, sherry vinegar, olive oil, and the rest of the ingredients youll need, you can head over here for all the details. Lemony Mashed Pea Toast Last but not least is this lemony mashed pea toast recipewhich is a lot better than it sounds for all the spring pea haters out there. Robust garlic, kosher salt, olive oil, fresh chives, and pepper all come together in a food processor after simmering together on the stove to bring out their very best flavors. Spread over some toasted ciabatta bread, this is a great way to add a dash of green to your day. You can find everything youll need to make this dish come to life over here .

World Poetry Day

March is home to plenty of things as iswhether thats wearing green to avoid getting pinched, the first day of spring, or a day of hidden colored eggs, theres lots to take in and appreciate. But this month is also home to world poetry day. Whether youve always had a soft spot for prose, or have always wanted to crack into the meter and rhyme, youve got lots of local options and resources. Heres where you can go to stock up on books and talk about it with new friends. Poetry Clubs You can either start your own poetry club in your apartment with friends, or you can join one thats already meeting up locally. Tacomas Kings Books has one such club that meets in the bookstore. For a list and example of what they usually like to explore, you can head over here to see what they read and talked about last year. If thats not your cup of tea, you can also look for poetry clubs on book club websites like this , ask local bookstores, or the library in town. Online discussion groups are also always an option for the more introverted. For those looking to start their own book club, heres a list of tips you can reference. Starting Point Settling on the first book of poetry can be hard if someone doesnt do it for you, even with the help of a group. Wed recommend utilizing your favorite bookshop to tailor something to your experience level and interests if youre starting your own group. You can also utilize poetry lists from magazines, or explore theme poetry lists on websites like this or this .