Starboard Port

***Sunday (Hour 59 – 75ish)***

Sunday morning we woke plucky, hungry and, upon dumping all the receipts and moths from our change pouches, …poorer.

A brisk long walk to Dirty Oscar’s Annex (2309 6th Avenue), and they filled our bellies for $5 each. Two eggs (yum), potatoes (great but salty), a biscuit (dry and meh, but I hope we just caught them on an off day. I love me some damn biscuits.) and really damn good homemade jam. They have an extensive menu (I’m trying the Cap’n Crunch-crusted French toast next) and make their own moonshine (badass), so I shall return once my change pouch is fat again.

On the walk home, we stopped by Bluebeard Coffee (2201 6th Avenue), whose logo should be enough to sell anyone. Their coffee is tasty and simply-prepared, and their giant tables are asking to be covered with spread out books and notebooks.

I think I have a crush on my coffee cup.

A leisurely walk home, a shower, a rest, and your indefatigable explorers were ready for more. A path through Wright Park (S. 4th St. & S. G St.) led to the W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory. For a $5 suggested donation, we browsed the Halloweeny “Wicked Plants” exhibit of dangerous and deadly growing things, mixed in with their standard crop of exotics, peeling off layers of clothing as the delightfully sticky 80F temperature caught up with us.

I don’t remember if this was a “wicked” plant. Just in case, don’t eat it, OK?

After our tropical adventure, we made for Gibson’s Frozen Yogurt Shoppe (8 N. Tacoma Avenue) to acclimate. I know I’m late to the game, having been in the frozen Alaska pioneer lands until recently, but I love this business style. You choose how much and what flavors, add on whichever of the 30+ toppings you please (why not almonds, rainbow sprinkles and bacon?) and pay for the whole shebang by the ounce. Genius.

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Ice cream lunch finished, we poked around the outskirts of Stadium High School ((111 N. E St.) you may recognize it from “Ten Things I Hate About You.”) and settled on a pint at the Harmon Tap Room (St. Helens Avenue & S. 2nd St.). Little did we know that every damn thing at the Tap Room is 50% off clearance bargain price on Sundays. Dear lord, it is dangerous. After a few rounds of ½ price pints, dinner time had sprung up, and we couldn’t deny the siren song of pesto and potato pizza. On subsequent visits, we have tested their menu to be pretty solid throughout.

Don’t pretend you’re not impressed by these prices, T-Pain.

In conclusion, we walked, drank, ate, spent, danced and enjoyed ourselves…quite a lot in 75 hours. But you might not come to Tacoma and see what I saw at first glance. There are hobos, box stores, prostitutes, grit and train noise. There are also artists and chefs,  beautiful historic buildings, loving renovations and lots of new construction. It is a dynamic little city where people don’t seem to take themselves too seriously but are proud to be Tacomans. I think I’ll stick around a while.

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Ye knowledgeable Tacomans/Tacomaphiles, all suggestions for continued exploration warmly welcomed…

{Pardon the abrupt halt in storytelling. I have been frantically attempting to fit many adventures into the too-brief period between fisheries. Now then – no more excuses;  back to my debaucherous introduction to Tacoma town.}

***Saturday (Hour 36 – 58)***

Slowly spooling back up to speed after a big night on the town, we made it out of the house by lunchtime and boldly chose to eat raw fish.

Two Koi (1552 Commerce St.) gave us nice people and beautiful rolls at fair prices (The nice people weren’t at fair prices. They were employees and presumably not for sale. Had they been, I’m sure the price would have been agreeable.). Days later we would return for their $20 all-you-can-eat lunch feast special, but that’s a different adventure. My $12 Rainbow Roll (not pictured) was superb, but they didn’t seem to have the orange ika (squid) salad I miss so much from Little Tokyo in Sitka.

The fish seemed not to fight too violently with Friday’s residual booze, so we topped it all off with cake and frosting at Hello Cupcake (1740 Pacific Avenue).

I’m no dessert fiend, so I can’t comment on comparative quality, but I like cake. Cake is good. And they have assorted teensy wee ones. Back in my Barbie-hoarding days, however, I would have given my left, lacy, fold-over sock to celebrate a birthday in their a-god-damn-dorable back room.

Continuing down Pacific Avenue, we browsed the cherry-picked thrift treasures at Urban Xchange (1932 Pacific Avenue) and the brand-spanking screen printed goods at Bleach (1934 Pacific Avenue). Bleach’s Tacoma anchor hoodie went straightaway on to my birthday wish list.

Oops. Birthday passed, hoodie received. Why do I look so guilty?

We ended our Pac. Ave. tour at the Harmon Brewing Co. (1938 Pacific Avenue) where you can get a $6 brew ski (heh) sampler of their micro beers, killer nachos ($5 at happy hour) and clams (in case our stomachs weren’t puzzled enough).

Brew. Ski.

The world’s most adorable clam

And to compensate for the day of worthy indulgences, we walked hard. First, we crossed the Bridge of Glass, filled with strange, fantastical glass thingies (and yes, that’s the best word I can think of).

Strolling along the romantic waterfront, we peeped into the glamorous condos and lofts. We jagged up to Broadway where storefront windows of empty and in-construction buildings are being used as low-cost display space for local art (coordinated by Spaceworks Tacoma).

Audra Laymon print

Our exertions ended at the Tempest Lounge (913 MLK Jr. Way) where we refueled with beer but mostly sat slack-jawed, watching “Cujo” for the first time ever on the teevee over the bar. The sound was off, but it didn’t matter. Holy crap. The movie ended, loud but friendly strangers shared cookies with us, the DJ began to play moody electronic music, and we continued our journey.

Again we stopped at 1022 South (1022 South J St.) and, feeling adventurous, ordered the Apothecary’s Cup (bartender’s choice). With such a vast selection, it’s a brilliant idea, but going forward, I think I will request mine by flavors – not by liquors. We had a remarkable drink, served in a martini glass, that tasted like creamy, liquor-y Earl Grey tea. A request for a gin base came back as a gin/coffee flavor mix that didn’t work no matter how many chances we gave it. But that is precisely the fun of it. Tens of established drinks are printed on the menu for the less daring.

As the small room filled up and became intolerably loud, we slooooowwwlllyyyyy closed our tabs (Seriously. Bring cash or patience here.), doffed our caps and made a surprise move toward home.

Sometimes even original gangsters need to rest.

Looking out this window always reminds me of beer

Despite living in Tacoma, WA for two months (exactly today!), my fish shipping summer schedule of 100-hour work weeks meant all of my T-town observations came from the windows of my home office. I could have been on house arrest with an ankle tracker without noticing any real change to my schedule.

If you don’t think this sounds like the adventurer you know, it’s because this time of year is the wang to my chung. Ebb and flow, boom and bust, hustle then flow.

But last weekend, a hurricane of hobo couch drifters swept into town, promptly ending my recluse season with unforeseen fervor. Thus I present to you – the 75 hours (Thursday afternoon – Sunday night) that made this gritty little city feel like home.

Portrait of some couch drifters

***Thursday (Hour 1 – 11)***

Presented in chronological order

*Tacomans* – Unlike other places I have frequented, not everyone is a transplant. And thus far, people seem to be non-snotty, helpful and hard-working – all things I admire very much.

Galanga Thai (1129 Broadway) – So far, so delicious on everything I have ordered (which, to be fair, is only green curry and drunken noodles), and I am kind of infatuated with their appetizer fresh/spring/salad rolls (super fresh mint/basil/cilantro and a peanutty dipping sauce? Yes. F yes.).

1022 South (1022 South J St.) – Much ballyhooed and rightly so. It looks like a dark chemistry lab library, and the food and cocktail flavors are unequaled. I had feelings for my cheese sandwich that are probably illegal. On Thursday lady night & daily happy hours, select cocktails are $5 which is a bargain for the quality. On this crowded night, we shared a table with some Tacomans who befriended us and entertained us the rest of the night.

Fancy booze

Parkway Tavern (313 North I St.) – Beautiful old wooden furnishings, a fine beer selection and ceiling beams decorated with tap handles all in what looks, at first, to be a neon-bejeweled home on a residential street. If I were not so rich in sweatshirts, I would buy their tree zip-front hoodie.

 Hank’s Tavern perhaps also called Corner Bar (?) (524 North K St.) – for some reason (booze), we started calling it Shank’s Stabbern, but it was neither shanky nor stabby…at all. With a friendly barkeep, 50-cent pool and cold beer – we had no choice but to drink our appreciation then stumble home merrily at last call.

~In the next installation – more food, more bars (Come on. What did you expect?), a super market, raccoons and more!~