Blog Posts

Tacoma Art Bus Tour

There is so much art in the worldhumankind is bursting at the seams with amazing ideas and creative ways to express them. Galleries, cafÃ©s, museums, parks; were building venue after venue to display all of the beautiful, thought-provoking artwork weve made. The number of art galleries in Tacoma alone is enough to base an entire tour off of . . . which is exactly what someone went and did. Duchess of Downtown Tours hosts a special tour of Tacoma on the third Thursday of every monththe Art Bus tour. The Art Bus spends the day driving from gallery to gallery around the city, exploring the wonderful and amazing art that the city has to offer. Check out their description from their website: One day in 2010 we all realized that Third Thursday Artwalk wasn't really walkable because our galleries were too far apart. We decided to make it easier on art lovers and we pooled our money and rented a bus to take people around to the participating galleries. The galleries chip in for the bus, and we get our compensation from the ticket sales. And that's what we've been doing ever since! Now we're just showing off - we added onboard games, prizes, VIP bags, celebrities and different types of tours like Community Gardens, Small Boutiques and Artists Studios for example. We're always dreaming up new tour destinations. Before we knew it we were the #1 Touring Company in Tacoma (it doesn't hurt that we're the ONLY touring company in Tacoma!) If the Art Bus sound like your kind of adventure, then check out their website here . The next tour will be in mid-November, so youll have plenty of time to schedule in the time. Dont miss the chance to have experts guide you through all of Tacomas best art!

Running Trails around Tacoma

For a runner, one of the best things about western Washington is the temperate winter weather. In many other states runners are forced onto cramped indoor tracks come November or December, but not here. With weather that tends to hover somewhere between 38F and 45F through even the coldest parts of winter and rarely drops any slippery snow underfoot, its a runners paradise. But it gets even betterwith the beautiful scenery in and around Tacoma, running outdoors can be a peaceful and uplifting way to relax and exercise. Often, when Im looking for somewhere to run, I check out everytrail.com , a site where people can post their favorite trailscomplete with directions, maps, and descriptions of what youll see along the way. Plus, each trial has its length, the approximate time needed to complete a hike or run, and a difficulty rating listed, so you dont have to worry about planning for a relaxed jog and instead finding yourself on an excruciating hike! To get you started, here are a few of my favorite trails within a short drive from Tacoma: Lower Coal Creek Trail : Easy, 2.2 miles long, requiring one to three hours. Wildside Trail : Easy, 1.1 miles long, requiring an hour or less. De Leo Wall Trail : Moderate, 1.5 miles long, requiring an hour or less. Poo-Poo Point via Chirico Trail : Moderate, 4.7 miles long, requiring one to three hours. Before you go out, make sure that youre prepared for your trip: Wear good running shoesthis should go without saying, but all too often people neglect their feet. Even if youre planning on a laid-back walk, wear some good running shoes with solid support. Your feet will thank you for years to come! Stay hydratedget plenty to drink throughout the day before you leave, and be sure to take a water bottle with you. It might not be warm out, but that doesnt mean you cant get faint and dehydrated. Make sure someone knows where youll bethese trails should be safe, but you can never be too cautious. Better yet, take a friend along; good company and peaceful jogs go together like peanut butter and jelly. Dress on the warm sidebetter to be too warm and have to tie a sweatshirt around your waist than to be too cold and unable to do anything about it!

Point Defiance Zoo Aquarium in Tacoma

The achievements that humankind has attained are truly remarkableour ability to create, to invent, and to adapt our environment to our needs is unparalleled. Its difficult to stand in a city, to look at the intricate workings of the machines that carry us from place to place or the complex designs of the computers in our pockets, and not be impressed by our many creations. However, living as we do in the society weve built, we rarely get the opportunity to witness, understand, and experience the other creatures with which we share this world. Fortunately, there are opportunities to experience wildlife around us, and one of the best in Tacoma is the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. The PDZA was first built in 1905; since then, it has expanded to include hundreds of animals in numerous exhibits. Attractions include the Asian Forest Sanctuary, which houses tigers, elephants, clouded leopards, and other Asian animals; Rocky Shores, which serves as home to horbor seals, Pacific walruses, sea otters and puffinscreatures of the coast; Arctic Tundra, whose denizens include muskoxen, reindeer, polar bears, Arctic foxes, and other cold-weather animals; the Aquariums, which house various creatures from the Pacific Ocean, such as rockfish, octopuses, and various sharks; an artificial tide pool; a Magellanic penguin habitat, and a Red Wolf conservatory. In addition to all these exhibits, PDZA also features a large kids zone, featuring dozens of fascinating creatures from every animal kingdom, play structures, and a petting zoo. The Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium hosts frequent evens, including discussions with the zoo keepers, animal feedings, and an upcoming costume-and-pumpkin event. Guests are also invited to adopt animals, allowing them to support animal care, wildlife conservation, and education programs at the zoo. For information on prices, hours, and a full calendar of events, check out their website here .

The Tacoma Film Festival

Theres nothing quite like a great moviea well-done film can stretch your mind in directions youd never considered going and fill it with interesting new ideas, can make you laugh and cry and then laugh again, can pull your emotions to new heights and depths. And there are so many movies; if youre just catching the major films that come out in national theatres, youre missing some of the best filmmaking available. Fortunately for you, the Tacoma Film Festival has you covered. Established in 2006, TFF is a celebration of independent film mirroring the diverse and eclectic sensibilities of Western Washingtons second largest city. Including live action, documentary and animated short and feature films from the Pacific Northwest and all over the world, TFF prides itself on showcasing the connectedness of local, national, and international film. This years festival will include over 100 different films, all screening publically in Pierce County for the first time ever! Screenings will be held at four different venues: The Grand Cinema, The University of Washington-Tacoma, Tacoma Community College, and The Museum of Glass. In addition to an intensive week of film screenings, TFF 2014 will host a variety of interactive events including dozens of post-film filmmaker Q&A discussions, workshops led by local filmmakers, dinner and movie events catered by some of Tacomas favorite Restaurants, and more! Make sure to check out the opening night film and mixer: a screening of the highly anticipated romantic comedy Laggies, starring Keira Knightley, Sam Rockwell and Grace Moretz. Acclaimed Director Lynn Shelton is a Seattle native and filmed Laggies in her hometownmaking Laggies both a local and major indie feature film that fans of coming-of-age comedies are sure to enjoy! Immediately following the screening join filmmakers, festival sponsors, and local cinephiles for the Opening Night Mixer, where youll enjoy a cash bar and music by a local DJ while celebrating the kick-off TFF! TFF runs from October 9th to the 26thcheck out their website here for ticket prices and a full schedule of all film screenings.

Using the Fitness Center at Your Community

When was the last time you used the on-site fitness center at your community? If you are a regular user, kudos to you. If its been awhile, you may want to start using this great amenity. Granted, sometimes it is difficult to get motivated to start, or to keep going day after day, week after week, month after month. But, the payoff of looking and feeling better is worth the effort it takes. Here are some tips for getting the most out of the gymn: Tip #1 Set a regular time for exercise. Try several different time frames to figure out which one works best for you; then make a commitment to do it according to your schedule, and do your best to be consistent (and if you miss, just start again the next time). And if youve ever tried the form a habit in 21 days, you will want to read this article about how habits are actually formed. Tip #2 Create a routine that challenges you, but isnt too difficult. And it might be a good idea to check with your doctor before starting an exercise program. This article at WebMD provides a good overview of appropriate questions to ask. Tip #3 Track your progress so you can see how often you are exercising, and the results of your hard work. Whether you use a Fitbit, or simply jot down every time you exercise in a notebook, simply keeping track can help you to maintain regular exercise. Tip #4 Set up a support group and/or find a buddy to exercise with. Someone, being accountable to someone else for showing up to exercise can be the perfect motivator. Reporting to a group can give us a place to share our exercise triumphs and tragedies. Find your own cheering team. Tip #5 Take the time to learn how all of the machines work. Using the exercise machines properly can make a huge difference in how effective the exercise you do actually is. After your workout, you will be ready to hit the pool and relax! Please share a comment about how starting a fitness program has impacted your life.

Making the Most of Your Storage Space

Getting our apartment organized is a common goal many of us have. The question is not whether to do it, but how to do it. There is wisdom in having a place for everything, and keeping everything in its place, figuring out where that place is though can be a challenge. Today we will be sharing some tips for getting a handle on getting organized. Tip #1 First things first. Make a checklist of your closets, drawers, and other storage containers. Use it to go through them one at a time. Figure out what exactly you have, and where it currently is stored. Does the storage place make sense? Is it with like items? Could it be placed in a kit? Does it require any sort of special storage? The answers to these questions will help you determine the best place to keep any given item. Tip #2 As you are working to organize a closet or a set of drawers, pull everything out and sort through it all. Create three piles: Throw Away, Donate, Keep. Once the items are segregated into these three categories, go through the Keep Items and ask yourself these questions: Do I really love it? Do I really need it? And for clothing, How often do I wear it? Your answers will help you determine whether to keep it or to put it in the donate pile for someone else to enjoy. Tip #3 If you have sentimental items that you cant justify keeping, but you are loath to get rid of, contemplate taking a picture first, and then getting rid of the original. Tip #4 Decide on an organizational strategy. Do you need additional totes to organize all of the toys or your hat collection? Use some sort of system to identify contents (a certain color or label), Think outside the box, or borrow creative solutions from others. Pinterest has a multitude of ideas for organizing your home. Tip #5 Remember you dont have to do the whole house in the next two days. Take your time to go through all of the stuff. It will be worth it when you can find anything at a moments notice. Now sit back and enjoy your newly organized home. Perhaps ended up with a lot of To Donate items, maybe you can host a mini swap meet at your clubhouse. Directions for how to do it can be found here . Please feel free to post your favorite organizing tips in the comments.