November 2018 Tacoma Living Local

November 2018

LIVING LOCAL

The Oregon Coast

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Northwest Living pg. 10

Kickoff!

TACOMA IN FOCUS the house that rotary built

A TOAST TO CELEBRATING THE

HOLIDAYS TOGETHER Create a cozy new holiday tradition with fun, food and inspiration!

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Feeling Good is Good to Feel

Relaxed?

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THE TEAM MARKETING

DESIGN

Senior Vice President Sales & Marketing | Julie Reed 253.273.8524 | julie@livinglocal360.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Tacoma Regional Marketing Manager Tamara Williams | 253.244.2445 tamara@livinglocal360.com

Bring Your Ideas to Life!

• Flooring • Counters • Window Fashions • Other Finishes

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EDITORIAL

Senior Editor | Content Manager Jillian Chandler | jillian@livinglocal360.com Staff Writers Patty Hutchens | patty@livinglocal360.com Colin Anderson | colin@livinglocal360.com

OPERATIONS

Managing Partner | Kim Russo Executive Director | Steve Russo Director of Operations | Rachel Figgins

Proud To Partner With

Creative Director Design Director | Graphic Designer Graphic Designer

| Whitney Lebsock Maddie Russo | Donna Johnson | Darbey Scrimsher

Nikki Luttmannm, Anneli Fogt, Gabrielle S. Kasindi, John Apostol, Bri Williams, Caitlin Waltzer, Marguerite Cleveland, Troy Louis Chandler

TACOMA LIVING LOCAL MAGAZINE

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To submit articles, photos, nominations and events, email us at events@livinglocal360. com.

Tacoma Cover Photography: Phil Tillman | IG @illuminatedphilth Real Cover Photography: Jillian Michaelson Living Local magazine is published monthly and distributed freely throughout the Pacific Northwest and Inland Northwest; Tacoma, Edmonds, Gig Harbor, Bonners Ferry, Sandpoint, Dover Bay, Coeur d’Alene, Hayden, Rathdrum and the Spokane Valley.

Opinions expressed in articles or advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher.

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PUBLISHER’S

Note

TRADITIONS - THEY ARE WHAT MEMORIES ARE MADE OF IT’S THANKSGIVING TIME, which also marks the beginning of the holidays.

Ushering in the season filled with shopping, holiday parties and spending time with family, Thanksgiving is a time to reflect; a time to give thanks for all that we have been blessed with.

Personally, I love Thanksgiving because it represents so much more than a day of reflection. It means coming together as a family to carry on traditions that have been established throughout the years.

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Whether it is participating in an early Thanksgiving morning fun run, getting together with friends and family to play a game of football or simply working together in the kitchen preparing cherished family recipes, families often have their own traditions that they look forward to each year. And if you are a Dallas Cowboys or Detroit Lions fan, well there is always the guarantee of a pro football game on Thanksgiving Day to cheer on your favorite team!

There are some families whose tradition is to volunteer at a local shelter, soup kitchen or other venue that is putting on community Thanksgiving dinners for those who are less fortunate, homeless or alone. It’s a wonderful way to teach children the importance of not only being thankful but of giving back to your community.

As you go forward into the holiday season, remember to carve out time for those important traditions. And if you find you don’t really have any specific traditions, now is a great time to start!

After all, traditions are what memories are made of.

Steve Russo

Steve Russo Executive Director steve@livinglocal360.com Creating | Connecting | Living Local

253.752.7000 x126 melinda@graylumber.com

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Live Where You Play.

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Contents

pg.52

10

Get Featured

Join our Facebook page Northwest Living for a chance to see your photos, recipes, ideas and more!

14

Essentials

The latest tips and trends perfect for your home and lifestyle

32

Health & Lifestyle

Tips and informational articles about living a healthy, active lifestyle

42

Experience Proctor

The Beloved Blue Mouse Theater: Historic landmark continues to bring the community together

20 Life & Community 48 Travel & Leisure Are You Looking to Travel Abroad? Tacoma Rotary #8 has an offer for youth that’s hard to refuse

22

Good News

Lincoln City: A late fall getaway to the Oregon Coast

54

Food & Drink

A Vision Realized: Much-anticipated Community Center opens its doors

Thanksgiving is around the corner! Check out these autumn recipes great for entertaining.

28 In Focus

58 Arts &

The House That Rotary Built: Habitat for Humanity, Rotary partner to build home for veteran

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Entertainment

Calendar of great local events, music, sports and shows!

pg. 22

WE’VE GOT A REBATE FOR THAT.

pg. 60

54 | 38

(253) 502-8363 MyTPU.org/Rebates

pg. 48

TACOMALIVINGLOCAL 13

ESSENTIALS

What to Buy Where?

BY NIKKI LUTTMANNM, DESIGNER

T

echnology is becoming a bigger part of our lives every day, whether we want it to or not. One of the most common ways technology has affected our lives is how we purchase things.

However, online purchasing can be a slippery slope. For example, need a new mattress? A sofa? There are lots of online pop-ups just for that purpose. But, with a mattress or even a sofa, how do you know how it will feel? Is it supportive?

Does it work for your bad back? There are certain things that just need to be tried before you buy, and I call these “inperson” purchases. After all, you will be sitting or sleeping on this item for years to come. If it is uncomfortable, smells weird or is just plain wrong, the purchaser is often stuck with it. The online store may offer free returns, but the purchaser is responsible for the return shipping. And shipping a sofa

14 TACOMALIVINGLOCAL

across the country may be cost-prohibitive, to say the least!

In the flooring industry, it is common for us to hear that someone found their dream flooring cheaper online. That may be true, but the buyer must beware. For example, the price per square foot might be less, but there may be hidden costs associated with shipping, etc. Also, if there is an issue, will the online store honor the manufacturer’s warranty?

Often, the warranty is rendered void if the product is purchased through an online vendor.

Other issues you might face include shipping logistics. Say you purchase 1,500 square feet of tile for your new home.

You found a great deal online and have even done your due diligence, ordering yourself a sample first to make sure you like the actual color and texture. Then, a delivery driver calls;

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You'll never know until YOU try! the tile is scheduled for delivery. Do you have a shipping dock or a forklift? Are you on a dirt road? Are load limits in place? And, if they manage to get it to your home, how will you get it out of the truck? You are now the proud owner of two pallets of tile (weighing in roughly at a ton apiece) in the back of a delivery truck. We’ve had more than one call from a homeowner in distress who has faced that very situation.

And the final, best reason to purchase something in person is because you know the dollars will stay in our community. Shopping local supports not only the owners of the business but the people who work there. And by shopping local, our dollars go to work in other local stores and into the community itself—to our churches, our schools, our nonprofits and community groups. And after all, isn’t that what made us all fall in love with this area in the first place? We live in a wonderful, giving, colorful, eclectic community. And you can’t buy that on Amazon.

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Bringing your purchase home the same day is way more satisfying!

It’s not the good life, it’s the best life!

Welcome home to Harbor Place!

From morning to night, you’ve got friends to meet up with, activities to share and a beautiful environment around you.

From fine dining, to sunny courtyard lunches, our chef prepares meals meant to be savored.

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ESSENTIALS Keep your fire burning longer,

for less

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(BPT) - NAVIGATING THE INS AND OUTS OF MEDICARE can be an intimidating experience if you're not familiar with certain terms.

Medicare Part D, which helps cover prescription drugs, has its own terminology. Medicare Annual Enrollment runs from October 15 to December 7, so now is the time for a refresher on key words to inform your coverage decisions for 2019.

Deductible, copay and coinsurance - A deductible is the amount you pay out of pocket in a given year for eligible prescription drugs before your plan's coverage kicks in. The deductible can vary from plan to plan. Some plans charge a copay each time you fill a prescription.

With coinsurance, you pay a set percentage of the cost of the drug instead of the flat fee associated with a copay.

Formulary - Part D plans are offered by private insurance companies, and each plan has what's known as a formulary, a list of the prescription drugs covered under the plan.

"When considering a Part D plan, review the formulary to make sure your medications are covered," said Kent Monical, senior vice president for Part D at UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement.

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Drug tiers - A Medicare Part D plan's formulary is made up of tiers, depending on the cost of the medications. The lower tiers generally include preferred generic drugs, and many plans cover these medicines with low or no copay or coinsurance.

Higher tiers generally include brand-name drugs and specialty medications and tend to have higher copays or coinsurance. Talk to your doctor to see if the brand-name prescription you take can be replaced with a generic version.

Preferred pharmacy network - A Part D plan may designate a preferred network of pharmacies, and if you use these pharmacies, you can save money on prescriptions.

"Make sure the plan offers access to pharmacies that are convenient for you," Monical said.

"Some plans also have mail-order pharmacy benefits, and you may be able to get prescriptions delivered to your home for a lower cost than purchasing from a retail location."

The donut hole - The majority of Part D plans have a coverage gap known as a "donut hole."

For example, in 2019, you enter this donut hole once your out-of-pocket costs (including deductibles, copays and coinsurance) for prescription drugs reach $3,820. While you're in the donut hole, you will pay a percentage of the cost of the drugs. Once your out-of-pocket costs reach $5,100, you exit the donut hole and pay a smaller coinsurance. But, the days of the donut hole are numbered. Beginning in 2019, the maximum you will pay in the coverage gap for a branded drug is 25 percent of a drug's cost. For generic drugs, it is 37 percent.

To learn more about Medicare or Medicare Annual Enrollment, visit UHCOpenEnrollment. com.

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TACOMALIVINGLOCAL 19

LIFE & COMMUNITY

Tacoma Rotary #8 has an offer for youth that’s hard to refuse

Are You Looking to Travel

Abroad?

BY TAMARA WILLIAMS PHOTO BY KIRA OCHS

Tacoma Rotary #8, in partnership with Rotary International, would like to give the youth in our community an opportunity to participate in the ShortTerm Exchange Program (STEP).

PHOTO BY ERIC MARDONES

F

or those who are fortunate enough to journey abroad, the lucky traveler ignites a lifetime thirst for travel.

Learning about different cultures and people from around the world—their customs and traditions, discovering exotic foods, experimenting with languages not their own, engaging in world-relief programs or simply living within a family structure in an exchange program—often has the effect of wanting to know more, do more and, in many cases, give more in the knowledge that we of the human race are all connected, even if we are oceans apart.

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Tacoma Rotary #8, in partnership with Rotary International, would like to give the youth in our community an opportunity to participate in the Short-Term Exchange Program (STEP). Students who apply and are accepted will spend four weeks with a host family in another country, returning to the U.S. with their host family brother or sister to spend the next four weeks as host brother or sister in their family home.

If interested in applying, students must have a 3.0 GPA and will be asked to fill out an application with a local Rotary that will be

submitted to the district STEP coordinator.

After initial interviews and final acceptance, students will be asked to fill out a countryof-choice form that includes the following countries: Austria, Finland, Slovakia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Ecuador, Germany, Mexico, Taiwan, England, Hungary, Netherlands and Turkey.

Your first step is to apply. To learn more about the program, you can visit RYE5020.org.

Your Story is Our Story.

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TACOMALIVINGLOCAL 21

GOOD NEWS

A Vision Realized Muchanticipated Community Center opens its doors

BY COLIN ANDERSON PHOTOS COURTESY OF RUSS CARMACK | METRO PARKS TACOMA

22 TACOMALIVINGLOCAL

M

etro Parks Tacoma Spokesperson Hunter George recalls meetings he held with middle schoolers in East Tacoma. It was two years ago when George stopped by local schools with drawings and renderings of what was to become a new community center for the Eastside.

“When they saw the pool they absolutely lost their minds,” laughed George.

The kids were excited, but their smiles quickly turned to shock when he informed them that the pool wouldn’t be ready for another two years, an eternity for a young mind. Those two years have now passed and just before opening day, these meetings were still at the forefront of George’s mind.

“They looked so bummed, so to see their faces when we open up will be absolutely incredible,” he said.

The wait is over and the much-anticipated Eastside Community Center is now open to all. While many agencies worked together to make the project happen, it was the “don’t take ‘no’” determination of a grieving mother that lead to the beautiful new center that stands before you today.

Shalisa Hayes was driving with her son in 2011 when he asked her what it would take to build a community center in the Eastside because he didn’t feel there was a safe place for young kids to hang out. Just a few weeks later, her son Billy Ray was shot and killed at the age of 17. The conversation they had in the car that day stuck with her, and after the funeral Shalisa set out on a mission to make his idea a reality. It began as a carwash fundraiser in Billy Ray’s name that raised $700. From there Shalisa lobbied city officials, nonprofits and large organizations, and eventually the $42 million 55,000-square-foot facility was no longer an idea but a reality.

“What it took was a strong-willed person bringing us all together and getting us through the many hurdles,” said George.

The Eastside Community Center is a truly impressive work of cooperation between many agencies. Metro Parks Tacoma, the school district, city housing authority and Boys & Girls Club all pooled their resources to bring the facility to fruition. Each brought its own assistance to the table with the housing authority receiving federal tax grants, the school district providing the land and Metro Parks being tied into the build.

TACOMALIVINGLOCAL 23

While many agencies worked together to make the project happen, it was the “don’t take ‘no’” determination of a grieving mother that lead to the beautiful new center that stands before you today.

“I can’t think of another example where we have had so many big partners together at one table,” said George.

“This will be an exciting learning experience for any student,” said Arts Coordinator Molly Schryver.

With a long list of board of directors, commissioners and managers from each partner all having a say, there was a lot of compromise that was made, but all were motivated to see the project done right.

Schryver and co-worker Chris McCallister are joined by two lead engineers, so someone will always be on site to help out. Classes include Audio Recording, Pro Tools 101 and Podcasting 101, with more on the way come January 2019.

The result is a beautiful state-of-the-art community center that is now being used as a model of what can be accomplished at conventions and presentations across the nation. The group took huge amounts of input from the community, meeting with any group that would have them, sending out online surveys, hosting group discussions and is now proud to open the doors to the Eastside Community.

Walking through the front doors, the first thing you’ll notice is a café and large space for people to relax. There is an adjacent lounge with free WiFi and a few computers for public use as well. The massive pool is front and center and includes common features like lap lanes and a whirlpool but also a vortex, drop slides, aqua zipline and a climbing wall above the water.

There is a full-size gym to shoot hoops and a fitness area with all the equipment you would need for a full-body workout. Childcare and meeting rooms are available on the second floor as well as one of the more unique rooms—the recording studio.

The state-of-the-art studio features the latest recording and software technology as well as keyboards, guitars, drum sets and top-of-the-line microphones.

24 TACOMALIVINGLOCAL

The space can be rented in 30-minute windows for up to an hour and a half at a time.

The lower level includes a classroom for a wide range of activities, a large social hall and brand new kitchen as well, which will soon be the center point for cooking classes featuring a variety of cuisine.

“This (the Eastside) is the most diverse area of Tacoma, so we are excited to have various cultures share their delicacies with each other,” said George.

Use of the Wi-Fi lounge, outdoor patio and indoor track are free and open to the public. There are day-use fees of just $5 and monthly memberships that are built on a sliding scale so no one will be excluded from enjoying the center. With the added space, the local chapters of the Boys & Girls Club can now double the amount of children they have in after-school programs; a safe place for kids of the Eastside to be as envisioned by young Billy Ray. “It’s everything to have this here; a place where they can be active in an environment that is safe,” said George.

Bring the Family!

FREE Horse Drawn Carriage Rides through downtown and waterfront - Saturdays after Thanksgiving from 11-3 Meet Father Christmas 11/23 - 11/25, All Saturdays 11-3 pm, and all Sundays 12-3 pm through Christmas

Ladies’ Night in Lil’ Norway

Wednesday, Nov 7th

Fall Shopping Event in Historic Downtown Poulsbo SHOP • SIP • SOCIALIZE

Jule Fest & Scandinavian Bazaar 12/1 at Sons of Norway- "Watch as Vikings escort the Lucia Bride and Santa Arrives" Starting at 4:30 pm For more information on times and dates: HistoricDowntownPoulsbo.com Shop Small Saturday - Nov 24 Shop & Support LOCAL Businesses

PHOTOGRAPHERS AND PHOTO SUBMISSIONS

Send all submissions and inquiries to Donna@livinglocal360.com

TACOMALIVINGLOCAL 25

Ex

Good Things Come In Small Batches

Ice cream shop bringing smiles to University Place

BY JILLIAN CHANDLER | PHOTOS BY EFFIE'S PHOTOGRAPHY

Bliss Scoop Shop 3556 Market Place West University Place, Washington 253.327.1061

“ICE CREAM MAKES PEOPLE HAPPY!” SMILES THERESA. “WE ALSO LOVE THE MULTIGENERATIONAL ASPECT OF ICE CREAM IN THE WAY THAT IT BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER. THE SMILES ON THEIR FACES SAY IT ALL!”

F

irst opened in Fircrest in October 2017, selling ice cream in pints on Uber Eats and from their vintage ice cream trailer and tricycles, Bliss Small Batch Creamery opened their brick-and-mortar Scoop Shop at the Village at Chambers Bay in University Place in October of 2018.

Sisters and co-owners Theresa Fouquette and Stacie Leaf are committed to using only the very best natural ingredients that are free from any artificial dyes, flavors and preservatives. In addition, they offer a variety of options that are dairy free, egg free, gluten free and nut free.

Many ingredients used at Bliss are sourced locally. The honey used in their Honey Vanilla, Honey Lavender and Peach Honey Habanero flavors comes from Honey’s Healthy Hive in University Place. Only Oatmeal Cookies supplies the oatmeal cookies they use in their Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookie ice cream and their pre-packaged ice cream sandwiches. Crumbly Bits provided her amazing Pear Apple Ginger Crumble that they then put into their Cardamom Apple Pear flavor ice cream.

“We love coming up with new flavors, and we especially love collaborating with other local producers to create our flavors,” says Theresa. “We are working on collaborating with several others for additional flavors. The flavor creation

26 TACOMALIVINGLOCAL

possibilities are endless! That is what makes ice cream so much fun!”

During their teenage years, both Theresa and Stacie worked together at Baskin Robbins—their first “real” job. And as Theresa says, “It was an amazing experience!”

Theresa and her husband Dave have lived in Fircrest for the past 11 years, and their children have grown up in the community. Stacie and her family live in Marysville, where she makes the drive down to Tacoma several days a week. “The distance and our differing work hours kept us pretty disconnected in life before we started this new adventure together,” says Theresa. “It has been so great to finally do life together regularly.”

The success that Bliss Small Batch Creamery and Bliss Scoop Shop have seen has been a family effort, with grandparents, parents, spouses, children and friends all playing a major role and providing encouragement throughout the process. Theresa and Stacie also credit their past employers “who provided us the opportunities to learn the skills that have helped us push forward with confidence toward our goal.”

At Bliss Scoop Shop, a majority of their employees are teens from five different local high schools “experiencing their first real job.” As Theresa says, “We love the opportunity to be able to pour into the next generation and hopefully provide them with skills and experience that will carry with them throughout their lifetime!”

When it comes to what the sisters find most rewarding about the work they do, it’s bringing smiles to their customers’ faces. “Ice cream makes people happy!” smiles Theresa. “We also love the multi-generational aspect of ice cream in the way that it brings people together. The smiles on their faces say it all!”

Bliss Scoop Shop is open Sunday through Thursday, 11am to 9:30pm and Friday and Saturday, 11am to 10pm. You can also bring Bliss to your next event! Whether it’s a birthday celebration, wedding, promotional event or holiday party, pick up pre-packaged treats or let their trained staff serve your guests from their classic tricycles and vintage trailer.

And remember, good things come in small batches.

TACOMALIVINGLOCAL 27

R

ental prices in Tacoma have climbed at a faster rate than anywhere else in the nation, and South Sound residents are feeling the crunch.

rent increases and the fact he was approved for only a $150,000 loan put that dream out of reach. The average home price in Tacoma in April 2018 was nearly $350,000, according to the Tacoma News Tribune.

Median rents rose nearly 9 percent from 2016 to 2017—to $1,785 per month, an April 2018 Tacoma News Tribune article indicates.

It was the largest increase of its kind in the nation. In recent months, more studies conducted by real estate research firms have shown similar trends. In June, KOMO News reported that four of the five neighborhoods nationwide with the fastest-rising year-over-year rent increases were in Tacoma, according to a Zillow report. In October, the Tacoma News Tribune reported that the rental price of a two-bedroom apartment in Tacoma is the same as in Washington, D.C.

But then he attended a real estate class and heard about Habitat for Humanity—an international organization that both builds and refurbishes homes to create affordable housing. He met with the local Tacoma/Pierce County Habitat branch, filled out an application and was approved to become a homeowner.

For Louis, a 69-year-old retired U.S. Navy veteran and Tacoma resident, it’s all too much. In the two years he has lived in the state, the rent for his one-bedroom apartment increased $175 per month—from $875 to $1,050. He moved here from Chicago with hopes to buy a home—it was the main goal he set for himself after leaving the Navy in 1970—but the

28 TACOMALIVINGLOCAL

“Habitat was a blessing,” he says. “With Habitat, an average-income citizen can buy a home.”

Habitat’s Tacoma/Pierce County branch has built or refurbished more than 270 homes since its inception in 1985. Funded by donations, sponsorships from private companies and organizations, and government programs and grants, the organization’s local branch continues to build between 10 and 12 homes each year. Tracey Sorenson, Habitat Tacoma/ Pierce County’s community engagement manager, said that currently the

TACOMA IN FOCUS THE HOUSE THAT ROTARY BUILT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, ROTARY PARTNER TO BUILD HOME FOR VETERAN

BY ANNELI FOGT PHOTOS COURTESY OF TACOMA/PIERCE COUNTY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY AND ANNELI FOGT

organization has 20 approved applications from families and individuals awaiting homes, and demand has gone up drastically in recent years.

“It used to be we waited for a family to build a home, but that’s not feasible now,” she says. “We build homes first and then match a family to them.”

Recently, Habitat’s efforts have been focused in Lakewood’s Tillicum neighborhood, which is bordered by American Lake to the west and Joint Base Lewis-McChord and Interstate 5 to the east. Twenty-two new Habitat homes have been built there since 2011, and multiple others are in progress, including Louis’ 900-square-foot home.

The home is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Tacoma (Rotary #8), which raised almost $80,000 for the home’s construction during its annual spring auction in April—that is in addition to $150,000 raised for Rotary #8’s general fund, from which it awards college scholarships, provides grants to local and international community service organizations, and funds community service projects of its own. Ground was broken on Louis’ homesite in the 15000 block of Portland Avenue SW in July, a

foundation was poured in August and construction began in September.

The home should be completed shortly after the first of the new year, Tracey says.

This local partnership between Rotary and Habitat for Humanity was Mark Anderson’s idea. Mark is the former president of Rotary #8—the eighth oldest Rotary club of more than 35,000 worldwide—and headed the 250-member club from July 2017 to June 2018. Each year, Rotary #8 presidents are given the opportunity to fund a project of their choice.

These can range from supporting literacy programs by building and installing Little Free Libraries to providing clean water in India, or, in Mark’s case, building a home for a local veteran. Mark is also a veteran of the U.S. Navy and said he has always enjoyed the work Habitat for Humanity does.

“I wanted whatever we did to be about family,” he said. “It was great to not only raise money to sponsor the house but to get the opportunity to work alongside others shoveling dirt, swinging a hammer and seeing things built.”

TACOMALIVINGLOCAL 29

Get involved:

To find out more about the Rotary Club and Rotary #8, visit Rotary8.org and click on “How to Join.” To find a Rotary branch in your community, use the Rotary Club locator tool at My.Rotary.org/en/search/club-finder.

For more about the Tacoma/Pierce County branch of Habitat for Humanity, visit TPC-Habitat.org and click on the “What You Can Do” tab.

Mark said a total of 30 local Rotarians and their family members volunteered their time to build the home over the course of four Rotary build days. The volunteers worked shoulder-to-shoulder with Louis, who is also required to invest his own sweat equity into the project in the form of 200 volunteer hours.

“These homes are not a giveaway,” Tracey said, explaining that Habitat homeowners make a down payment and monthly mortgage payments in addition to contributing volunteer hours. Families or individuals are eligible to receive Habitat homes based on need, the applicant’s ability to pay at least $1,000 per month and their willingness to contribute the sweat equity. Applicants who make between 30 to 80 percent of the area median income are eligible.

“We don’t have a whole lot of veterans applying for Habitat because most veterans are overqualified, meaning their income is too high. But every now and then, like in Louis’ case, it works out,” Tracey said. “Rotary wanted the home to go to a veteran or the family of a veteran. We were really glad we were able to make that happen.”

The home in Tillicum is representative of a larger, international cooperation between the two organizations. The local partnership

30 TACOMALIVINGLOCAL

between Mark and Tracey began in July of 2017. At the time, neither knew that three months later Rotary International would announce that it was partnering with Habitat for Humanity International in an effort to “facilitate collaboration” between local Rotary clubs and local Habitat for Humanity organizations. As a result, Habitat gained access to Rotary’s 1.2 million members across 200 countries and regions.

“The values of our organizations are so closely aligned, and the desire to help others runs deep for both groups,” Habitat for Humanity International CEO Jonathan T.M. Reckford said in an October 2017 statement. “So many Rotarians have worked alongside Habitat and the knowledge, experiences and connections that are so strong in local Rotary clubs will make them valuable Habitat partners in many communities worldwide.”

Mark said he was thrilled to hear the news of the partnership because it highlighted the importance of what Rotary #8 was trying to achieve.

“Rotary’s motto is ‘People of Action.’ We’re all just working alongside each other toward a common goal of helping the community,” he said.

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HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

CBD vs THC

Recreational and Therapeutic Properties and Effects of Cannabis

By Gabrielle S. Kasindi, Writer, Editor and Mary Mart Blog Contributor MOST PEOPLE ARE FAMILIAR WITH CANNABIS, but not all are aware that cannabis flowers contain compounds known as cannabinoids.

Even less are aware that our own bodies produce compounds similar to cannabinoids through what is known as the endocannabinoid system. This system regulates relaxation, eating, sleeping, forgetting and protecting, and allows cannabinoids to interact with our bodies and minds by activating cannabinoid (or CB) receptors. Although there are over 100 cannabinoids, two—THC and CBD—have been more thoroughly studied than others, giving a glimpse into the many recreational and therapeutic properties and effects of cannabis.

Perhaps the most well-known of the 100-plus cannabinoids found in cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. By activating CB1 receptors, thus reducing the release of neurotransmitters, it famously produces the “stony” high for which the plant is known. This high effect has been known to be beneficial to mood and creativity and can also carry therapeutic effects such as anti-nausea or pain relief.

On the other hand, over-consumption of THC can lead to building a tolerance, diminishing its positive effects. This happens when CB1 receptors are reduced and weaken from repeated activation, which can lead to problems with sleep and memory. Although more research is needed to know how exactly to gain therapeutic benefits from THC without over-activation, THC tolerance can be reduced through abstinence, and its negative effects can be tempered by combining it with other cannabinoids.

While THC activates CB1 receptors, cannabidiol, or CBD, blocks these receptors and activates CB2 receptors. This not only produces antiinflammatory and neuroprotective effects, but it also counteracts the negative effects of THC. Moreover, it has therapeutic benefits ranging from preventing anxiety to preventing seizures. Aside from interacting with the endocannabinoid system, low doses of CBD can activate serotonin receptors. High doses can activate other receptors, possibly accounting for its antiepileptic and anti-cancer properties.

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HEALTH & LIFESTYLE CONTINUALLY DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH

THIS NOT ONLY PRODUCES ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND NEUROPROTECTIVE EFFECTS, BUT IT ALSO COUNTERACTS THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF THC. MOREOVER, IT HAS THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS RANGING FROM PREVENTING ANXIETY TO PREVENTING SEIZURES.

34 TACOMALIVINGLOCAL

Long-term consequences of CBD remain to be assessed, but it has minimal side effects (e.g. exhaustion) and is well-tolerated by both adults and children. In fact, the Stanley brothers of Colorado produced a strain of cannabis very high in CBD and very low in THC in order to treat young children suffering from epilepsy.

One of these children—Charlotte Figi—went from having 400 seizures a week to zero to one a week after starting treatment with the CBD oil, without having to continue taking pharmaceutical drugs.

CBD’s anti-cancer effects have also been shown through Rick Simpson curing his and others’ cancers with a concentrated cannabis oil. Since then, a cancer research lab at the Technology Institute of Israël has not only confirmed anti-cancer properties but has also found particular strains can affect specific cancer types. They are currently using a database to track

which cannabinoid ratios work for which conditions to ensure consistency when using cannabis for therapeutic benefits, which will have profound effects on what we know about cannabinoids and how we can use them.

Both CBD and THC carry benefits and side effects, and used in the correct ratios and amount can have tremendous results beyond recreational use. In fact, the idea of using cannabis as medicine goes far back in history, including in the U.S. prior to prohibition.

However, cannabis currently needs to be rescheduled in order for more clinical testing to take place. As of 2016, the DEA has allowed any institution to apply for rights to grow cannabis. There have been continual efforts to reschedule and declassify cannabis with no grounding.

The best way to help our country move toward a more cannabis-friendly future is to continually do your own research, keep up to date with cannabis law, share your knowledge and get involved. If we allow it, we can restore cannabis back to its former glory and revolutionize how we approach medicine.

253

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HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

6 Tips for Winning Over Picky Toddlers

BY JOHN APOSTOL, MD, FAAP, PEDIATRICS NORTHWEST, P.S.

G

etting young children to eat a balanced, healthy diet can be a definite challenge. But it’s important to remember that as you help your child learn healthy eating habits for life, the foundation of healthy eating outweighs the challenges by far. Nonetheless, it can still be a difficult phase, so here are some ways to ease you through this trying season.

1. Minimize meal time distractions.

Turn off the television, clear toys from the dining table and implement a "no phone at the table" rule to help everyone focus on the family conservation and their food.

2. Set a good example.

Eat together as a family as often as possible and eat a variety of healthy foods yourself. You are your child's best role model; let them see you enjoying healthy foods and they will follow.

3. Don't force your child to clean their plate.

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Instead, avoid the power struggle by encouraging them to try at least two bites of everything on their plate.

4. Think about how you brand it.

Food becomes more approachable with a fun name attached to it. Think "pinwheel

sandwiches" rather than turkey and cheese rolled up in a tortilla, "pink fish" rather than salmon or "miniature trees" rather than broccoli.

5. Get your child involved.

Encourage them to help you shop for healthy food at the grocery store, then let them help wash and prepare the fruits and vegetables. Being a part of the process makes kids more interested in the end result on their plate.

6. Let your child have a say by giving them choices with limited options.

Questions like "Milk or water with dinner?"

"Purple cup or green cup?" "Superhero plate or Mickey Mouse plate?" keep your child feeling like their input matters while also keeping the conversation focused.

It’s important to remember that as you help your child learn healthy eating habits for life, the foundation of healthy eating outweighs the challenges by far.

COLDWEATHER SKINCARE Nurturing your skin during the chilly months

BY BRI WILLIAMS, RN, BSN

W

e hate to say it, but the days are getting shorter and winter is fast approaching. While living in a winter wonderland has endless benefits (we are surrounded by an abundance of natural beauty, and there is no shortage of fun outdoor activities), the drop in temperature means cold, dry air with lower humidity levels outdoors and heat sources indoors, all of which leave our skin dry, itchy and parched. Now is a great time to develop a routine that will leave your skin hydrated and glowing from now until the first blooms of spring.

The first step to healthy skin is a healthy diet, and winter is an important time of the year to increase your intake of healthy fats. Foods rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (walnuts, salmon, avocado and olive oil to name a few) help to restore moisture to dry skin and protect against free-radical damage and oxidation. It is also important to increase your water intake. Drinking half your bodyweight in ounces daily, as well as decreasing alcohol and caffeine consumption, will ensure you are well hydrated from the inside out.

While enjoying the great outdoors, make sure to protect your skin with clothing and sunscreen.

Yes, sunscreen. Even in the dead of winter our skin is vulnerable to the harsh UV rays of the sun, even more so at higher elevations where there is

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE less atmosphere to filter the harmful UV rays, and around snow due to the reflection of the sun’s rays. It is recommended to use a sunscreen with either zinc oxide or titanium dioxide for the best protection and reapply every two to three hours.

A day spent out in the cold leaves most of us longing for a quick warm up. While a long hot shower is what we crave, limiting your time in a warm (not hot) shower will help to maintain the natural oils on your skin. Your skincare routine should include a gentle exfoliating scrub that contains a mild glycolic or lactic acid, or a wet washcloth, to remove dead skin cells two to three times a week. This will allow your moisturizer to be more easily absorbed. While looking for a body moisturizer, choose a product that contains lanolin or ceramides to help your skin hold on to moisture. A great ingredient to hydrate your face without clogging your pores is hyaluronic acid and, as a bonus, will help to plump the skin for a more youthful appearance. Oils, such as squalene and lapis, are also great choices for hydrating your face.

Dry skin doesn’t have to be something you suffer with throughout the fall and winter season. A healthy diet, protecting your skin and nurturing it with the correct skincare products will keep your skin healthy and glowing all year long. Make dry and itchy skin a thing of the past.

THE FIRST STEP TO HEALTHY SKIN IS A HEALTHY DIET, AND WINTER IS AN IMPORTANT TIME OF THE YEAR TO INCREASE YOUR INTAKE OF HEALTHY FATS.

TACOMALIVINGLOCAL 37

Make a Local Impact All Year Shopping locally has domino effect in the community

BY PATTY HUTCHENS

38 TACOMALIVINGLOCAL

I

t is the time of year when we start making our lists. What gift should we purchase for those special people in our lives this holiday season? After all, we want something that will be different from the rest; something that truly reflects the love we have for someone.

This year, while making those lists, think about how you can also influence your local economy. And then consider making it a habit not just during the holiday season but year round. There are a few campaigns that have already been encouraging people to do so, and this is the story behind an impact of two of those.

The 3/50 Project One such way to boost the local economy is by taking part in the 3/50 Project whose mission is “saving the brick and mortars the nation is built upon.”

The concept of the 3/50 Project is simple: Pick three. Spend 50.

Save your local economy.

Organizers encourage people to choose three independently owned businesses that they know they would miss if they were to suddenly close down. Commit to spending $50 each month at one of these stores, whether it is a local health food store, gift shop,

restaurant, salon or clothing store, and locals will be doing their part to make a significant impact on their local economy.

According to those behind the 3/50 Project, for every $100 spent in locally owned independent stores, $68 returns to the local community through taxes, payroll and other expenditures. On the contrary, if you spend your money at a “big box” store, only $43 stays local. And for online spending, well, it’s a big zero.

Minneapolis resident Cindy Baxter is the driving force behind the 3/50 Project. She is the former owner of a successful retail store and is now a retail consultant and professional speaker with a mission to strengthen independent brick-and-mortar businesses.

Baxter shares that she feels an obligation to pay forward the knowledge and expertise she has gained throughout the years.

With a simple blog post back in 2009, following a week of news reports focusing on how consumer spending drives the economy, Baxter’s post suggesting the principles behind the 3/50 Project propelled people into action. Only a week later, she was handing out free flyers to businesses, and by the end of that month she had launched her website, The350Project.net.

Today, businesses can register and receive free marketing tools from the 3/50 Project at no cost. If you are a local business owner,

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TACOMALIVINGLOCAL 39

Small Business Saturday It was not too long ago when our economy was struggling and in the midst of a recession. For small businesses, that struggle was especially difficult.

American Express sought to find a way they could help support those locally owned businesses that do so much to keep the local economy strong, funneling the money spent back into the communities they serve.

It was in 2010 when American Express launched Small Business Saturday. On one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, American Express’s campaign was aimed at bringing more holiday shopping to small businesses around the country. It was only one year later when the Senate unanimously passed a resolution supporting Small Business Saturday, and by 2012, all 50 states were participating.

Now, eight years later, the campaign is going strong as more and more businesses are taking part in the quest, displaying Small Business Saturday signs in their windows and bringing people in who may not normally shop there.

A report commissioned by American Express and the National Federation of Independent Businesses reports that in 2017 an estimated 108 million

40 TACOMALIVINGLOCAL

On one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year, the Saturday after Thanksgiving

“

go ahead and check it out. You will be surprised at the impact such a simple concept can have!

“

As the holiday season approaches, think small, think local and feel good about the fact your shopping experience is helping your hometown. consumers shopped or dined at local independently owned businesses on Small Business Saturday. That number translates into approximately 43 percent of all Americans.

And while we often think of Small Business Saturday and shopping local as being benefits to the business owner, the benefits to consumers are also significant.

When one chooses to shop in his or her locally owned stores, they are not only saving themselves time by not traveling to other destinations, but they likely are also saving money.

Traveling out of town for one’s shopping needs requires the cost of gas, time away from home or work and, depending upon where you go, could also mean a higher sales tax. If you are an Internet shopper, you may save time but not always money. After all, those shipping costs can quickly add up.

And you may not realize it but making a conscious effort to shop locally as much as possible is also a benefit to friends and neighbors.

Small-business owners are known for their contributions to the many nonprofit agencies that in turn help our community members. In fact, statistics show those locally owned and operated stores are two-anda-half times more likely to donate to nonprofit agencies than the large chain stores.

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY

Small-business owners are the ones who take the money they earn and reinvest it into their community with their own purchases of goods and services. Can the same be said for the big box stores? By shopping at locally owned stores you are not only helping to stimulate the local economy, but you may likely be helping other people in the community who rely upon several of our nonprofits during the down times in their lives.

As the holiday season approaches, think small, think local and feel good about the fact your shopping experience is helping your hometown. And while you are at it, maybe make a New Year’s resolution to continue the practice all year long.

TACOMALIVINGLOCAL 41

Experience PROCTOR 2611 NORTH PROCTOR STREET

BY CAITLIN WALTZER

In a little pocket of Tacoma sits an antique jewel known as The Blue Mouse Theater in the Proctor District. Neither flashy nor glamorous, this unassuming historical monument has been called the “beating heart” of the district. The true spirit of any location is defined by the values of people who live there. Tacoma clearly prizes its flourishing artistic scene, which is why this particular site has evoked adoration from city natives for nearly 100 years. Though the venue has been through three incarnations before finally reclaiming its original name of “Blue Mouse,” 2611 North Proctor Street has consistently brought a unique sense of community to Tacoma, where it has come to represent a place of time-honored family tradition and artistic connection.

42 TACOMALIVINGLOCAL

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TACOMALIVINGLOCAL 43

The Beloved Blue Mouse Theater

Historic landmark continues to bring the community together

By Caitlin Waltzer

1923 was a banner year. King Tut’s tomb was unearthed,

Yankee Stadium hosted its first home game, Warner Brothers was born, the first issue of “Time” magazine was published and John Hamrick founded The Blue Mouse Theater. The locale’s presence in the neighborhood has seen roughly five generations of Tacomans come and go.

Upon pulling open the polished wooden doors and stepping into the softly lit foyer, the energy emanating from the walls feels palpably venerable. One can nearly taste the richness of history fusing with the popcorn butter and melting through the 95-year-old wood-and-brick framework. Like a village grandmother, The Blue Mouse is always there to offer familiar comfort, a treat or two, and a story, sharing communal memories that reflect the many lives of her numerous grandchildren. She has witnessed the evolution of film from silent movies to the “talkies,” and as Granny rapidly approaches her centenarian birthday, she shows absolutely no signs of slowing down.

It is rumored that the name Blue Mouse was inspired by a lounge in Paris that featured the latest films. In fact, Hamrick opened several venues in the Northwest under the same name, some of which hosted Vaudevillian acts. Local papers sang praises, and people showed up to fill the 450 seats for the theater’s debut screening of the silent film “The Green Goddess.”

In 1932, the theater was sold and renamed The Proctor Theater. Jerry Culpepper, a Proctor native and owner of Culpepper Books, was 7 years old when he first attended the venue. That afternoon in 1958 was the beginning of a weekly tradition that has lasted a lifetime. He cherishes his childhood memories of attending movies there with friends.

“In junior high it was the place to go on Friday nights.

Everyone went. It was just what you did. It was a whole culture,” he says. “It didn’t even matter what the movie was.” He remembers picking berries to sell with his friends in order to earn money to go. “One dollar was enough for a ticket, popcorn and soda.” His lifelong passion for film was sparked during this time. “I think BMT (Blue Mouse Theater) brings a lot. Proctor has gone through times when it wasn’t so prestigious. It has struggled like anyplace else. It meant a lot to me as a kid to have that weekly thing.”

In 1972, the building was sold again. In 1980, it was renamed and remained the Bijou until the building was put up for sale in 1993. Unlike bigger chain theaters, The Blue Mouse sparks a shared sense of ownership and pride amongst the Proctor-born. A mere mention of it (under any of its names) brings a shine of adoration to the eyes of both the young

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The Blue Mouse sparks a shared sense of ownership and pride amongst the Proctor-born.

and the young at heart. This is precisely what inspired the formation of The Blue Mouse Associates, a committee who decided to buy back the building and restore the theater to its original Blue glory. Sue Evans, who has managed The Blue Mouse for more than 20 years, came on board a year after the associates purchased it. “They didn’t buy it to put money in their own pocket—it was strictly to keep the community theater alive.”

Although the exact purchase cost is not recalled, Sue estimates that it was somewhere around $140,000. “When the owner sold it back in 1993, she didn’t care what happened to the building, she just wanted it sold,” says Sue. “The investors stepped up and bought it because they didn’t want it to become another parking garage. This is the core of the neighborhood.”

Roughly another $60,000 in initial costs went into post-purchase revival work, as the building proved to be in very poor condition. “It didn’t have a heating system. It didn’t have anything. Even the concession stand had to be ripped out and replaced.”

Sue herself has organized and overseen much of Blue Mouse’s rejuvenation since then, from personally moving and steam-cleaning 450 donated seats to large-scale fundraising. “In 2012, I put together a kickstarter that ran 57 days. It raised over $85,000. I did stories on television, ‘Evening Magazine’ and radio shows. It went viral.” Heartwarmingly, donations came from all over the world, and enough was raised to convert the theater to a digital platform, buy a new projection system and update the acoustics. Two other huge achievements occurring on Sue’s watch include the official registry of the theater as a historical landmark and the longrunning success of bi-monthly screenings of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

Prior to its Blue Mouse debut, “Rocky Horror” had “been a running staple in Tacoma for more than 40 years,” produced by the T-Town Trannies.

They lost their venue in 2000. Led Lawless, the then casting director,

46 TACOMALIVINGLOCAL

contacted Sue to ask if The Blue Mouse would be willing to permanently take on the show. “At that time we were struggling. So we reached out to 20th Century Fox and asked. They were happy for us to take it. Halloween of 2001, Rocky opened to a sold-out show with the T-Town Trannies as the Shadow Cast. The first year of running Rocky put us in the black,” said Sue. “Seventeen years later, we still have a full Shadow Cast. They call themselves The Blue Mouseketeers. We have a show every second and fourth Saturday of each month.” Sue is affectionately known as Mama Rocky by the cast members, as this treasured neighborhood tradition continues to be faithfully preserved under the roof of The Blue Mouse.

Jazmine Renee, local performer and regular Rocky Shadow Cast member, believes that The Blue Mouse Theater is an important artistic landmark as well as a historic one. “I strongly feel that BMT offers artistic opportunity to many in our community. It creates an atmosphere that not only brings artists together in a familiar context but also appeals to multiple crowds— it has something for everyone. Not to mention low ticket prices and great popcorn! Plus, so much of what they offer goes toward supporting other places in the community. The Blue Mouse makes me feel proud to be a Blue Mouseketeer, and also proud of my city.”

And what does the youngest generation of Tacomans think of The Blue Mouse Theater so far? According to 7-year-old Andrea Falchetti, “The mouse lights are cute and the screen is really big. Even though I’ve never had the candy, it looks delicious. The people are also really kind. I don’t know if it’s important, but it sure is great!”

The heart of an average mouse beats up to 840 times per minute and has a lifespan of up to three years. But what of a Blue Mouse? Perhaps that lies in the unified heartbeat of an entire community, sharing nearly a century of cherished memories.

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TACOMALIVINGLOCAL 47

TRAVEL & LEISURE

A Late Fall Getaway to the Oregon Coast Lincoln City’s Finders Keepers and Art Glass make a great theme for your trip STORY AND PHOTOS BY MARGUERITE CLEVELAND

L

ate fall is a wonderful time of the year to visit the Oregon Coast. The summer crowds are long gone and the area settles into a slower pace. Midway down the coast, Lincoln City makes a good centrally located base for all the seaside has to offer. When planning a getaway, it’s fun to design a trip around a theme. When visiting Lincoln City, it has to be the renowned Finders Keepers project and art glass.

Finders Keepers Lincoln City’s Float Fairies are busy this time of year as they scurry to hide a super drop of the beautiful glass floats the town is well-known for before the Thanksgiving Holiday week. The Float Fairies are volunteers who pass a screening process, are sworn to secrecy and much like a superhero they remain anonymous. Each year they hide more than 3,000 floats on seven miles of beach from Roads End on the north to Siletz Bay on the south as part of Lincoln City’s Finders Keepers program. During the holiday week from November 22 through 25, they will hide an extra 50 floats.

Finders Keepers began as a way to mark the millennium. A local artist recommended the idea of hiding the glass floats, and Lincoln City sponsored the project. The first season took place in 1999-2000 and was hugely popular. The Finders Keepers project is a perfect mix of history, art and the outdoors. Searching for glass fishing floats has long been a popular pastime on the Oregon Coast when floats can wash ashore from as far as Japan. Art glass is a great medium for capturing the beauty of the area. For the 2018 season, eight different art studios make the brightly colored glass floats, and each are signed and numbered. Add in a nice stroll on the beach and you have a perfect activity.

Learn about the history of the area at the North Lincoln County Historical Society Museum. The museum is in the midst of the Historic Taft District of Lincoln City. After visiting the museum, the district is an interesting area to explore with shops, restaurants

48 TACOMALIVINGLOCAL

THE OREGON COAST IS JUST WHAT YOU NEED TO RELAX AND REJUVENATE BEFORE THE HOLIDAY SEASON, AND YOU CAN’T GO WRONG MAKING LINCOLN CITY YOUR BASE.

and art glass. Your stop at the museum is to view the spectacular collection of Japanese fishing floats donated by Jim Watson and Nick Simpson. The glass floats were used to hold up fishing nets and range in size from a few inches to 2 feet in diameter. There are many unique examples of floats made in Japan for their fishing industry. Somehow they made their way all the way to the Oregon Coast by wave and ocean currents. Many an Oregon native has combed the coast hoping to find one of these treasures.

Nearby is the Lincoln City Glass Center. Stop by to just watch the talented artists working with the challenging molten glass or try your hand at glass blowing yourself and make your own glass float. The whole process is very interesting and even children can participate (height restrictions).

The center also has a shop where the artists have exercised their creativity with a large variety of art glass. Insider Tips: Make a reservation and know that glass art takes 24 hours to cool down so allow time to create your piece and pick it up the next day. The center can also ship your piece to you.

The SW 51st Street Beach Access is nearby and a great place to start your search for a glass float. There are some basic rules when you embark on your hunt for art glass. Floats are hidden above the high tide line and below the beach embankment. Float fairies hide the glass globes every day rain or shine, and they are placed only during daylight hours throughout the day, not just all at once. If you are lucky enough to find a float, call

541.996.1274 or text FLOATS to 24587 to register it. You will receive a Certificate of Authenticity as well as information about the artist who made it. During your trip to Lincoln City, plan a number of searches at different locations; you have 7 miles to choose from.

Other Activities You won’t be bored spending a few days in the area. Begin your Christmas shopping at the Lincoln City Outlets or some of the many unique stores and shops that are along Highway 101. Make sure to stop at the Christmas Cottage, which has been a visitor favorite for 45 years.

The store carries over 25,000 ornaments from around the world.

The Lincoln City Culinary Center offers a variety of classes during the month of November. Relax and watch a demonstration class while learning about local foods or take a hands-on class. The center also offers custom classes. With enough notice they can arrange a class for you and your family. This is a good experience for extended family groups, a girls’ trip or a get together with your friends. Chef Donna Riani is tons of fun, and she knows how to find local experts for interesting culinary experiences.

Siletz Bay is the place to crab, clam and fish. The bay is much calmer than the ocean, and everyone will enjoy the many sea birds and sea lions that frequent the area. Bill Paterek is a local resident expert. and although he

TACOMALIVINGLOCAL 49

BEACH CRABBING IS MUCH EASIER TO DO THAN FISHING, WITH A QUICKER REWARD. THERE IS SOMETHING SO SATISFYING ABOUT YANKING IN A TRAP AND FINDING IT FULL OF CRABS.

50 TACOMALIVINGLOCAL

The Specifics EXPLORE LINCOLN CITY – OREGONCOAST.ORG

WHERE TO STAY Chinook Winds Casino Resort – ChinookWinds.com

WHERE TO EAT Vivian’s Restaurant – 1115 SE 1st St, Lincoln City, Oregon, 541.994.3367 The Wildflower Grill – TheWildFlowerGrill.com Kyllo’s Seafood and Grill – KyllosSeafoodAndGrill. com Rogue River Steakhouse – ChinookWinds.com/dining

THINGS TO DO Crabbing on Siletz Bay – CrabMax.com Lincoln City Glass Center – LincolnCityGlassCenter. com North Lincoln County Historical Museum – NorthLincolnCountyHistoricalMuseum.org Lincoln City Culinary Center – OregonCoast.org/ attractions/culinary-center

Life is good at the beach only offers his free clinics during the spring and summer months, you can tap into his expertise at his website CrabMax.com. Learn how to use a folding crab trap by watching one of his videos. You can purchase his traps at local stores or online. His website also has links to all the websites you will need regarding “the rules” and local tides. Beach crabbing is much easier to do than fishing, with a quicker reward. There is something so satisfying about yanking in a trap and finding it full of crabs.

Where to Stay Lincoln City has a variety of Mom-and-Pop beachfront hotels, fancy resorts and chain hotels with many options to choose from and most are on the beach, near the beach or a short walk to the beach. The Chinook Winds Casino Resort is an out-of-the-box choice for a family stay, but it is a surprising family friendly option. Non-smoking rooms are available, and the suite building is located well away from the main casino building and is ocean front. The junior suites are equipped with an oceanfront balcony, fireplace, microwave and refrigerator, and have plenty of room for a family stay. There are stunning sunset views of the Pacific Ocean from the room’s spacious balcony, and a long stretch of beach provides miles of peaceful walking. Located across the parking lot is the Play Palace, which offers safe childcare for children 3 through 11. This is a nice option if you want to enjoy a meal without the kids. At $17.95 for four hours per child, it is a bargain.

Where To Eat Lincoln City’s dining scene is very eclectic. I love off-season because you find where the locals eat. Don’t miss breakfast at Vivian’s Restaurant and Bob’s Barbeque (but locals just call it Vivian’s). This hidden gem is tucked on a side street just past the “D” River Bridge. Enjoy your breakfast with views of the world’s shortest river. The Wild Flower Grill cooks made-toorder, and the food is well worth the wait. I am still thinking about the delicious white chocolate and huckleberry cheesecake. If you like seafood you will want to have dinner at Kyllo’s Seafood and Grill. Delectable dishes are made with fresh locally sourced seafood and grass-fed beef.

The crab-stuffed halibut is a culinary masterpiece of halibut stuffed with Dungeness crab and ricotta, topped with a garlic sauce and garnished with wild large gulf shrimp. Plan ahead; they don’t take reservations, and you may have to wait—but oh so worth it. The Chinook Winds Casino’s premier restaurant is the Rogue River Steakhouse located at the top of the casino with 180 degree views of the Pacific Ocean. Their bone-in ribeye steak is one of the best I’ve ever eaten. The newly remodeled eatery definitely provides an upscale dining experience.

The Oregon Coast is just what you need to relax and rejuvenate before the holiday season, and you can’t go wrong making Lincoln City your base.

TACOMALIVINGLOCAL 51

TRAVEL & LEISURE

A Jewel in the Crown of Seaport Towns STORY AND PHOTOS BY TAMARA WILLIAMS

T

here is no shortage of quaintness among the many port villages lining the coastal shores of Puget Sound; all charming postcards of billowing sails, salty air, crying seagulls and their own main streets filled with kitschy shops selling nautical trinkets and seashells. Among them, situated at the northernmost tip of the Olympic Peninsula, sits the Victorian maritime village of Port Townsend, where even the most unromantic of poets might weave a fanciful yarn to capture the beauty of this “Jewel in the Crown of Seaport Towns.”

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, Port Townsend was first established and recognized as a safe harbor in 1792 by Captain George Vancouver. Once a bustling seaport of promising speculation to become a major port city, failure to connect the Northern Pacific Railroad between Port Townsend and Tacoma during the Depression caused a rapid decline in the town’s population and economic growth. Today, with a robust population of just under 10,000, Port Townsend is a once-again thriving land and seaport town, welcoming visitors with a sign declaring it to be a “Victorian Seaport and Arts Community.”

Most notable for its well-preserved Victorian homes, historic waterfront and marine trade community of highly skilled, world-renowned boat builders, a walk down to the harbor becomes a weekend meanderer’s indulgence, where even a pirate ship sighting on the horizon doesn’t seem too far-fetched, and the scents of turpentine and wood mix with briny barnacles clinging to the piers. Wooden sailing vessels line the

52 TACOMALIVINGLOCAL

docks, inviting a peek into musty decks and a friendly conversation with a weathered seaman.

Spend hours strolling the curious shops and art galleries lining Main Street, stopping only to rest your feet while enjoying a late lunch in one of the many local cafes. Port Townsend invites you to putter and amble through the boatyard or take the stairs to Uptown, where a secret garden can be discovered. A simple google search of Port Townsend shows no shortage of festivals and celebrations throughout the year, drawing in those who come to be seduced by its charm. A must-see each September, and undoubtedly one of the biggest tourist draws of the year, is the annual three-day Wooden Boat Festival, put on by the Northwest Maritime Center. An amateur and professional sailor’s paradise, more than 300 boats on land and water are in port to explore, while educational seminars on “everything sailing” including steam-bending and knottying to bottom painting and understanding weather patterns, are taught by experts.

Throughout the summer Port Townsend bursts at the seams with tourists, but when the first sights of fall sneak in, foggy mists hover over the harbor, a chilly nor’easter begins to blow—spinning leaves of gold and ruby into the air and slowly, its weekend visitors begin to thin out—leaving this old salty town to get on with the business of battening down the hatches in preparation of a blustery winter ahead.

For fall events in Port Townsend, visit EnjoyPT.com.

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Art in the Woods - North Kitsap - Nov 9-11 Holiday Gift & Food Fair - Bremerton Nov 16-18 Port Gamble Ghost Conference - Nov 16-18 Fall Festival of Gems - Bremerton - Nov 17-18 Gig Harbor Turkey Trot - Nov 22 Poulsbo Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride & Visit Father Christmas - Nov 24 Jingle Fest - Bremerton - Nov 24-25 Port Orchard Festival of Chimes & Lights - Nov 24 Bainbridge Island Studio Tour - Nov 30-Dec 2 Poulsbo Julefest - Dec 1 Kingston Cove Christmas - Dec 1

Hop aboard a beautiful WA state ferry or cross the Tacoma Narrows Bridge for a scenic ride to the Kitsap Peninsula!

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Visit Kitsap.com TACOMALIVINGLOCAL 53

FOOD & DRINK

The Mourning THE DAY-AFTER THANKSGIVING BREAKFAST COURTESY OF CHEF TROY LOUIS CHANDLER Three trips to the Thanksgiving dinner feast. Three notches in the wrong direction on the belt. Three buttons undone on the pants. Three bags of leftovers that mom insists you take home. Have no fear! I am here to guide you through this gluttonous holiday without buyer’s remorse.

First off, don’t worry about all of the above. Think of your holiday body like that of a strong healthy python. You devoured a great meal that only comes around once a year.

Like the python’s belly lump, this, too, shall pass.

Now let’s get started with the first of many days of holiday leftover-inspired meals. Thanks Mom! Breakfast. I call this one The Mourning After.

SERVES 1

Ingredients: • 1 slice sourdough bread • ¼ cup cranberry sauce • 1 cup Momma’s stuffing • 2-4 slices (4 oz.) turkey meat • ½ cup Grandma’s gravy • 2 eggs • 2 tbsp. butter • Hot sauce to taste

method: • Toast the bread to golden brown. Spread cranberry sauce over bread.

• In a pan, heat up the stuffing (or let Chef Mic cook it … er … I mean the microwave). Smash the stuffing onto the toast.

• In a sauté pan, add 2 tbsp. of butter. Cook on medium-high heat until butter starts to turn brown.

(Don’t you dare let Chef Mic try this.)

• Introduce (hello!) the turkey to the browned butter and let cook for one minute. Turn and do the same.

Place turkey on stuffing.

• While the pan is still hot, add the gravy and heat.

• In a separate pan, cook your eggs as you like them.

• Pour gravy over turkey. Place eggs over gravy.

• Hit this gorgeous tower of love with some hot sauce and dig in!

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POULTER’S PIE Courtesy of Chef Troy Louis Chandler Thanksgiving leftovers, to me, are just as great—if not better—than the actual dinner. I, as many others, have been awaiting this time of year for, well, a year. In my mind, Thanksgiving dinner is just the appetizer for the week of meals to come!

Check out this holiday take on an all-time comfort classic that we know as Shepherd’s Pie.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS • ¼ stick butter • 1 Ib. leftover turkey meat, chopped small dice • 2-4 cups leftover veggies, chopped small dice • 1 medium onion, diced • 4 cloves garlic, minced • 2 cups leftover gravy • ½ tsp. black pepper • ½ tsp. kosher salt • 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar • 4 cups leftover mashed potatoes • 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (optional)

METHOD • Preheat oven to 400°F. • Sauté butter, turkey, onion and garlic over medium heat until onions are translucent.

• Stir in veggies, gravy, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper. Spread mixture into the bottom of a 2 qt. casserole dish. Spoon mashed potatoes overtop and top with cheese (optional).

• Bake 25-30 minutes or until bubbly.

Chef’s Note: If you don’t have enough veggies, you can add frozen peas, carrots and corn.

56 TACOMALIVINGLOCAL

Fenner’s

CHEF TROY LOUIS CHANDLER Winter Warm Up

Coffee

21+

Coffee drinks are a great and impressive way to end a wonderful fall night—or start one. This winter warmer has a little bit of work to it, but you will find the payoff is worth it. The deep dark rich notes of the stout ale plus the espresso, cut with the sweet acidity of the Irish whiskey, meld perfectly together and are rounded off with cream and spices. This is my favorite time of year. One of my all-time favorite caffeine and whiskey-fueled fall libations is the one and only, Irish Coffee.

This is my twist on an old friend.

INGREDIENTS:

• ¼ cup heavy cream, lightly whipped • 1 cup Guinness syrup (1/4 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup Guinness beer, bring to just a boil, stir, turn off heat.)

• 1 shot fresh brewed espresso • 1 1/5 oz. Jameson’s Irish whiskey • Dash of cinnamon • Chocolate sprinkles (optional)

METHOD: 1

In a footed glass, pour boiling water to heat then discard water.

4

Pour in Guinness syrup to just below rim.

2

Add espresso.

5

Top with heavy cream.

3

Add whiskey.

6

Garnish with cinnamon and chocolate sprinkles.

TACOMALIVINGLOCAL 57

ENTERTAINMENT

Holiday traditions!

ENTERTAINMENT

Nov. 24

Holiday Kickoff 73RD ANNUAL TREE LIGHTING

BY COLIN ANDERSON

58 TACOMALIVINGLOCAL

W

e all have our own holiday traditions.

Maybe it’s the all-day cooking marathon with Mom or kicking back and watching football with Grandpa.

Your family might go for a walk, throw a ball around, put a puzzle together or watch your favorite holiday movie after a Thanksgiving feast. For decades, hundreds of South Sound families have made it their tradition to come together with other community members for the annual Holiday Tree Lighting. 2018 marks the 73rd time the tree will light up the night sky with thousands of bright lights at the corner of 9th and Broadway. Festivities get underway at 4:30pm, and the holiday tree comes to life at 6:15pm on Saturday, November 24.

all and the unofficial kickoff of the Christmas season in and around Tacoma.

The tradition began in 1945 as a way for the community to celebrate the end of World War II with soldiers who had recently returned home from overseas; it has since morphed into a celebration for

If you haven’t had a chance to experience this wonderful evening, make this the year that your family starts a new tradition, and experience the joy with those who love to call this community home.

Carols will be sung and Santa will also be on hand.

Complimentary refreshments are available as well.

Stick around afterward and take in a very unique show as The Broadway Center presents Imago Theatre’s Frogz.

Tradition is what the holidays are all about, and it’s amazing to see so many in the community turn out year after year to keep one of the oldest traditions going strong. People from all walks of life and backgrounds come together as a community in celebration of the holiday spirit.

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ENTERTAINMENT

MAKE IT A THANKSGIVING TRADITION 24TH ANNUAL NORPOINT TURKEY TROT FUN FOR ALL

BY JILLIAN CHANDLER

PHOTOS BY RUSS CARMACK

NOV. 22

Before you gather with friends and family around the table This Thanksgiving, why not start the day off right by participating in the 24th annual Norpoint Turkey Trot?

“This is Tacoma’s original and largest Turkey Trot run, and it’s the perfect way to get the holiday season started!” says Caitlin Keely, recreation technician at The Center at Norpoint, Metro Parks Tacoma. She adds, “The Norpoint Turkey Trot is stuffed with holiday activities and features a 5k run, 2-mile run/walk and a kids’ dash.”

Since 1995, the race has been bringing families together Thanksgiving morning. No matter your running ability, it’s a race that anyone will have fun participating in. The morning features a 5k and 2-mile route, both beginning at the Center at Norpoint and winding through the streets of Northeast Tacoma. The Kids’ Dash takes place at Norpoint Campus, where the kids will run around the block of Norpoint and back through the finish line.

Afterward, they can enjoy holiday crafts and games in the gym while Mom and Dad finish their runs.

“In 2017, we had 1,100 people join the fun, even though it was a rainy Thanksgiving,” says Caitlin. “We are hoping for sunny skies this year and around 1,250 people to join!”

To brighten the morning up, rain or shine, all participants are encouraged to don their best turkey ensemble and enter the costume contest.

Registration and more information are available online at MetroParksTacoma.org/trot.

Register by November 18 to save $5! Day of race registration closes 60 minutes prior to the race start. Check-in begins at 7am, with the race beginning at 9. Registration for the 5k and 2-mile run is $25 through November 18, $30 November 19 and 20, and $35 on race day. For the Kids’ Dash, registration is $15, $20 and $25, respectively.

Start your Thanksgiving off right! Join in the fun at this year’s Norpoint Turkey Trot.

60 TACOMALIVINGLOCAL

REAL COOL LEAD THE WAY HOME: A FUNDRAISING BREAKFAST

November 8

NORTHWEST CHURCH THANKSGIVING FOOD OUTREACH

Homelessness is a crisis in Pierce County, and they are committed to making it a thing of the past. Join Associated Ministries for breakfast 7:30 to 8:30am at Foss Waterway and learn more about what is happening in your community regarding the issue of homelessness and affordable housing and learn how you can help end homelessness and provide hope. There is no cost to attend this fundraiser but reservations are appreciated. AssociatedMinistries.org

November 1 - 18

November 16

Help supply a complete dinner to families in need. Food donations are being collected through November 18 and delivered the week of Thanksgiving.

Monetary gifts will be used to purchase turkeys, pumpkin pies and other fresh items. Food donations such as stuffing mixes and canned goods can be dropped off at the church. To find out more and for a list of additional needed items, visit NWCFoursquare.org/ministries/localoutreaches.

CROATIA TO AMERICA EXHIBIT

November 3 The community is invited to the Croatia to America Exhibit, presented by the Slavonian American Benevolent Society at the Historic Slavonian Hall in Old Town Tacoma, Saturday, November 3, 1 to 4pm.The event is free to the public. The exhibit is a permanent installation in the Slavonian Hall and made possible by the Pierce County Historic Preservation Grant Program. SlavHall.org

GALA FANTASTIQUE: 2018 SYMPHONY TACOMA DINNER & AUCTION

Passion will be in the air as you experience the drama and mystique of Berlioz’s entrancing Symphonie Fantastique. At this year’s Symphony Tacoma’s Gala Fantastique Dinner and Auction, held at the Museum of Glass 5:30 to 9:30pm, guests will be treated to an exquisite dinner, fabulous auction and a performance by pianist Henry Kramer. Call 253.591.5894 to reserve your tickets. SymphonyTacoma.org

SOUTH SOUND WINTER BEER FESTIVAL 2018

November 10 Held noon to 6pm at the Tacoma Dome, sample seasonal favorites from 30 Washington breweries: dark imperial stouts, roasty porters, strong beers, Scottish ales, barrel-aged suprises, spiced ales, piney IPAs and many more creative brews for the season! Tickets can be purchased online at TicketMaster.com.

Admission includes a commemorative tasting glass and six 5-ounce tastes.

SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE

November 17 Symphony Tacoma’s exciting and varied premier, Chabrier’s España captures the composer’s reflections of a visit to Spain.

Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2 features rising-star pianist Henry Kramer whose playing has been described as “precise as a faceted diamond.” Rounding out the program is Berlioz’s dramatic Symphonie Fantastique which tells the story of the artist’s self-destructive passion for a beautiful woman. Tickets are priced $24 to $83 and can be purchased online at BroadwayCenter.org.

TACOMA CITY TURKEY TROT

November 22 The Tacoma City Turkey Trot is a family affair 7 to 10am on Thanksgiving morning featuring a fast 5k and kids 1k in the beautiful Proctor District of Tacoma on Thanksgiving morning. Race tee and finisher medal included in the cost of registration, and there is a family discount when registering four or more family members. Register online at TacomaCityTurkeyTrot.com.

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ENTERTAINMENT

THE GRAND CINEMA SHOWING IN SEPTEMBER 11/02 - CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? 11/06 - LIZZIE 11/13 - BREWMASTER 11/15 - DEGAS: PASSION FOR PERFECTION 11/21 - THE WIZ 11/29 - THE TRANS LIST 12/15 - A CHRISTMAS STORY

WHITE CHRISTMAS NOV-DEC THE MUSICAL 23-16

TACOMA NIGHT MARKET: NOVEMBER EDITION

November 23 & 24 This two-day event takes place November 23 and 24, 10am to 5pm both days at their new home—Alma Mater Tacoma! Come check out all the incredibly talented vendors, find amazing gifts or something special for yourself. In addition, there will be music, drinks and food. For more information, call 253.678.7628.

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Tacoma Musical Playhouse presents its holiday production White Christmas The Musical, based on the beloved, timeless film. This heartwarming musical adaptation features 17 Irving Berlin songs. White Christmas is an uplifting musical worthy of year-round productions. For ticket information, call 253.565.6867 or email boxoffice@tmp.org. TMP.org.

Check out TacomaLivingLocal.com for more events and information!

ZOOLIGHTS

November 23 - January 1 See the Zoo transformed into a colorful winter wonderland with more than a half-million sparkling lights. The holiday spirit comes aglow in this magical world of dazzling 3D animal light displays at the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium.

Zoolights runs nightly through January 1, 2019, 5 to 9pm.

PDZA.org

6TH ANNUAL GRITTY CITY GIFT FAIR

November 24 Held in Downtown Tacoma at The Swiss Restaurant and Pub 11am to 6:30pm, it’s time to get in some holiday shopping while also enjoying great food, entertainment and drink specials all day. Come support 25 hand-selected vendors who will grace the Swiss with their amazing arts and crafts. For more information, call 253.572.2821.

31st Annual A Victorian Country Christmas Festival

November 28 - December 2

A Victorian Country Festival is a five-day event held at the Washington State Fair Events Center to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year! Shop and find the perfect gift for everyone on your list, enjoy gourmet food, wine and delicious treats throughout the festival. Find out more about this year’s festivities at AVictorianCountryChristmas. com.

UPCOMING EVENTS Dec. 5 - Weatherly Inn’s White Christmas Market Dec. 8 - Magnificent Witches & Wizards Holiday Ball Dec. 8 - Santa Runs Tacoma Dec. 9 - Downtown Tacoma Market: Holiday Edition Dec. 11 - Sankta Lucia Celebration Dec. 21 - Jingle Bell Run at Wright Park Dec. 21 & 22 - Children’s Dance Theater & Prestige

Dance Studio Presents The Nutcracker

Dec. 31 - First Night 2019: Tacoma’s New Year’s Party

5TH ANNUAL 6TH AVE SANTA PARADE

December 2 This is an event the kids are sure to enjoy, as Santa will make his way down 6th Avenue in Tacoma from State Street to Alder. The event kicks off with the parade starting at 4:30pm.

Enjoy bands, floats, street vendors, music, shopping and ...

Santa! There will also be free Santa photos after the parade at Crescent Moon event stage. On6thAve.org

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