Good Eats in Tacoma :-)

So, if you thought of Tacoma at all before, you probably just thought of it as that city south of Seattle or north of Olympia, not really a destination, no art, no sights, no places to hang out & enjoy a delicious meal, among interesting people or in an interesting atmosphere. Yes, Seattle & Olympia both can boast of great attractions & destinations, art & delicious food, but you probably already knew that. Tacoma has some hidden gems waiting to be discovered by anyone willing to stop & have a look around. Today I thought I'd talk about some of the fun & tasty destinations to check out around the historic shipping port known as Tacoma, Washington.
Let's start with ‘breakfast‘ treats:

Legendary Doughnuts: Amazing, delicious doughnuts in decadent flavors to start your morning off right (or hey, who says it has to be morning food. Treat yourself to a bit of decadence, whenever you feel like it). Buy a dozen & save some for later or cut them into smaller pieces & create a sampler, so you don't miss any of the scrumptious flavors, you'll be tempted to eat them all at once! 6th Ave Tacoma, WA

Inside Legendary Doughnuts

Sasquatch Cinnamon Rolls: Gigantic cinnamon rolls (& little ones too), in different fun flavors every day, macaroons  of many sizes & flavors, delicious lefsa (my favorite), plus many other treats. You never know exactly what you'll find here, but you can be sure it will be delicious. There's plenty of vintage memorabilia & silliness to look at & keep your attention, while you enjoy your treats & the company. They open a little later in the morning, but it's worth the wait or you can take your treats home & try to save them for the morning. Freighthouse Square, Tacoma, WA (bring cash, they can not currently accept credit cards)

Inside Sasquatch

Little Jerry's:  A little retro diner based on Seinfeld. Serves breakfast & lunch, American fare with cute Seinfeld related names, Seinfeld memorabilia & episodes of Seinfeld streaming throughout the day. You can sit inside or out at a little diner style table or you can sit on bar stools at the counter. There's also a small annex that serves espresso. In Fern Hill, Tacoma, WA

At the counter in Little Jerry's

Olive Branch Cafe: Serves breakfast, lunch & pastries (sandwiches & cafe fare) in a beautiful, quiet atmosphere.  Great place for a business lunch. New location inside Freighthouse Square, Tacoma, WA

One of the main attractions in the Olive Branch Cafe is the tea cabinet , from which you can  pick  from a huge selection of teas to be perfectly brewed in one of these ingenious mugs. Sit & relax in this lovely place, watch the trains go by & enjoy something new or something more classic from their fine selection of teas, chat with the friendly staff or book a tea party for a special occasions & events.

Not a complete list, just a small sampling of what Tacoma has to offer, in historic & interesting little areas around town. Go out & explore, let me know what gems you find. Next time: Lunch (my favorite meal). SAM

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays, everyone! No matter what holiday you may celebrate, I wish you a peaceful & joyful time :-)

Peace, SAM

Tacoma Summer: Every Day is Exactly the Same, Seven Days

Tacoma summer: Every day is exactly the same, seven days

Center Photo: Wright Park, Tacoma, WA, Outside Photos: Tacoma, WA

Day 1. Sunny, Warm, Light Clouds
Day 2. Sunny, Warm, Light Clouds
Day 3. Sunny, Warm, Light Clouds
Day 4. Sunny, Warm, Light Clouds
Day 5. Sunny, Warm, Light Clouds
Day 6. Sunny, Warm, Light Clouds
Day 7. Sunny, Warm, Light Clouds

So, yes, almost exactly the same...

http://www.unknownmami.com/category/sundays-in-my-city

Fahrenheit 451: A 'Review'

Near the original Emerald Queen Casino, Tideflats area, Tacoma, WA by Shelley McElhiney*

How does one review a classic? A 'banned' book? A controversial book, even now, more than 50 years after its first publication? I don't think you can or maybe shouldn't, but it should be discussed & thought about, so here are some random thoughts & answers to a few questions:

• What was the book about? The book is about burning books (Fahrenheit 451 is the temperature at which books burn), but more than that it is about destroying independent thought, about the pursuit of happiness through ignorance, about allowing technology to take over our thoughts & lives, something that Bradbury wrote often about, one of his favorite topics. It starts as the story of a fireman, not the kind of fireman we see today, who puts out fires & saves buildings & libraries, but the kind of fireman who starts fires, destroying 'dangerous' books & subversive literature, saving the public from old knowledge that might make them sad & unhappy, unable to carry on with their mundane lives, in the face of wars that they know little to nothing about, saving them from the knowledge that they are wasting their lives on meaningless frivolity & mundane tasks
• Did you like or dislike it? I loved it, which is up from my original feelings. I originally read this as a child & I liked it, but there were depths that were lost on me, not because I couldn't read the words, the text & even some into the subtext, but because I hadn't experienced enough to read into the depths & richness of the novel.
• Who was your favorite character? Most were interesting, who should I pick? Clarisse, the catalyst that changed Montag's perceptions, his reality? Faber, the old man who helps Montag after he realizes that the world is not what it once seemed? Montag, the main character, whom I disliked immensley, at the beginning, but who moves toward redemption, in the end.
• What was your favorite part? What was your least favorite? My favorite part is not a part at all, but the subtle progression of the themes, throughout the novel. Least favorite, maybe the scene where Montag reads bits of poetry to the women who have gathered with his wife, for an evening. The women represent the worst of the society that has formed, lead by the 'pictures' of their 'families' that stream through their homes, on an almost constant basis, pictures that take the place of reality & thought. What bothers me, is that the women in the novel & this scene in particular, seem to be more reliant on their 'families.' This probably has more than a little to do with the era in which the book was written, where few women worked outside the home.
• Have you read any other books by this author? Many
• Would you read any others because of this book? I have & probably would again,
• Were there any situations or characters in the book that you identified with? How? I identify with Clarisse in that she can't help thinking outside the box. This is where creativity & inventiveness live. The box is often synonymous with stagnation & oppression. In the book, her way, her families way leads to both freedom & danger.
• Did you like the book from the beginning or did it take you a while to get into it? At first, it was difficult to get into, Montag's character was not likable & the reality he lives in is frightening
• Would you change anything about the book? No, I don't think would. 
• Would you ask the author a question if you could? What would you ask? I'm not sure what I would ask Bradbury, such a prolific & interesting writer.
• Would you recommend this book to other readers? Yes, definitely!
• What surprised you the most about the book? The depths of the storyline & characters
• What is the significance of the title? Would you have given the book a different title? If yes, what is your title? Fahrenheit 451 is the temperature at which books burn & fire plays a huge role in the novel, I couldn't think of a more perfect title. First published in Galaxy Science Fiction, in a shorter version, under the title "The Fireman," I think the change to "Fahrenheit 451" is a far more provocative title. 

Have you read "Fahrenheit 451?" Was it recently? Did you re-read it later? How have your perceptions changed? SAM

*Original photo by Shelley McElhiney, all rights reserved

55 Book Related Questions

Inside The Nearsighted Narwhal, independent bookstore, 6th Ave. Taoma, Wa by Shelley McElhiney*

I thought that today I would share with you my answers to the "55 Book Related Questions" swap in the Carpe Librum group on Swap Bot. It's always interesting to read how each one of us answers these questions, how we're similar & how we're different, even how we differ each time we answer the questions. How would you answer? I know I have slightly different answers each time, so here are my current answers to our "55 Book Related Questions:"

1 Favorite childhood book? I'm not sure, I loved books: Horse books like Black Beauty, etc, there was a great series of fairy books that I discovered at a school library, each book was a different color & they were fairly old, I was in 4th or 5th grade & I loved them, I read an anthology of Ray Bradbury stories & Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke, these got me into science fiction & related genres...

2 What are you reading right now? Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, I'm reading it for a book club. I read it long ago & I'm glad I've revisited it, as an adult, there's such a different perspective you have as you get older.

3 Do you go to a library? If so, what do you currently have checked out there? If not, is there a reason? I haven't gone to a library in many years, maybe not since college. I've worked in a couple of bookstores & it was easier to get books there. I also like to keep most books & with libraries, I have to give them back :)

4 Do you collect any authors/series or certain types of books? I love Neil Gaiman works & I have collected a few Haruki Murakami books. Also, Chuck Pahulniak & Christopher Moore. I used to collect sci fi books & have a huge collection of those, but lately I've been reading more modern lit & non fiction.

5 Do you have a yearly goal on amount of books you want to finish? No goals, just read what sounds interesting, when I can

6 Do you have an e-reader? I can read books on my tablet, but I don't have a dedicated e-reader.

7 Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once? I'm generally reading several at once.

8 Do you have a blog where you post about books? Do you follow any blogs about reading/books? Which ones? I have a blog, but it's about everything & occasionally about books or little stories I've written. I have followed a few blogs on books, but I can't remember any names right now. My blog is Random Stuff by SAM on Blogspot.

9 Least favorite book you read this year (so far in 2014)? Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin, it was meandering & long, though the language was beautiful.

10 Favorite book you’ve read this year (2014)? Maybe Fahrenheit 451, even though  it's a re-read.

11 How often do you read out of your comfort zone? I try reading new things that look interesting on a regular basis, but if they don't engage me, I stop. I've never been able to finish an actual romance or western.

12 What is your reading comfort zone? Modern literature, non fiction, sci fi/fantasy

13 Do you read for enjoyment or to gain knowledge? I do both & the most enjoyable books I've read have generally been one that I've learned something from.

14 Favorite place to read? At home, I find it hard to get into reading when there are other people around.

15 What are your thoughts on book lending? I don't mind it

16 What are your thoughts on pirated books? The same as pirated music, the original authors, artists & writers should be the ones who earn something from their work

17 What are your thoughts on "Banned" books? I don't think books should be  banned as no one should be able to dictate what another person can or can't read. Books with 'difficult' subjects should be openly discussed

18 What are barriers you have to reading more? (work, family, ect) All of the above: Work, family, etc...

19 How many books have you read in the last six months? 3 or 4

20 What makes you love a book? Books that have something to say & say it in an engaging way

21 What will inspire you to recommend a book? If it was well written & I think that the other person will enjoy it

22 5 of your top read genres Literature, Science Fiction, Non Fiction, Classics, Humor

23 5 authors you read a lot Haruki Murakami, Neil Gaiman, Christopher Moore, Kafka, Calvino

24 Do you read non-fiction? Biographies? Yes, I enjoy both (if they're not to dry, if it's interesting enough of a subject to write a book about, it should be interesting enough to write the book so someone will want to read it...)

25 How many times do you read a week?  I read sporadically, unless I'm reading for a book group, so I can go a week or more without reading anything that is not on-line.

26 Do you feel you read better with or without noise? I used to read while listening to music, but I don't like to read around people who are talking (It's really hard to read at work, during breaks)

27 What influences your book choices? Book blurbs, cover art, recommendations

28 Favorite reading snack? Kettle Korn

29 Do you literally judge a book by its cover, title, or author? Sometimes...I don't generally pick up books with creepy or gory covers or covers of traditional romance novels

30 What is the longest book you have ever read? The shortest? Maybe "Gödel, Escher & Bach" for the longest, not sure about the shortest, I can't remember any titles right now.

31 How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews? I don't mind it, if it's done in a constructive, 'the book just wasn't for me' way

32 Do you make up stories, or ever think about an alternate ending for a book because you want to? Occasionally I think of ways I think the book could have ended better. I've only created original stories, I haven't written any fan fiction or alternate endings, except in school

33 Most intimidating book you’ve ever read? House of Leaves

34 Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin? I was nervous to begin Winter's Tale, because it was so long & I wanted the author to get to some point, rather than just reading meandering descriptions of things.

35 What book do you try to steer people away from? Any Harry Potter book, even though the movies were thoroughly enjoyable & the books were written for a young audience, many adults enjoy them. I'm not one of those adults, I thought that a lot could have been cut from the first book, without affecting the storyline & they just got more & more verbose from there.

36 What book do you recommend most to others? Fight Club, but it's definitely not for everyone

37 Do you ever re-read books? Yes, sometimes. I am re-reading several books through the book club that I read as a child & I'm glad that I have

38 Favorite fictional character? Tyler Durden

39 Favorite fictional villain? Cruella DeVille

40 Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation? I'll bring most anything that I'm reading on vacation.

41 The longest I’ve gone without reading. Several months

42 Name a book that you could/would not finish. The Harry Potter books

43 What distracts you easily when you’re reading? People talking

44 Favorite film adaptation of a novel? Fight Club, practically word for word the same as the novel

45 Most disappointing film adaptation? Most film adaptations are bad, since they don't match your imagination or the author's intent. I can't think of any specific titles right now. The only thing I can think of is Judge Dredd, which was not a novel, originally but a great British comic strip/series of graphic novels socio/political commentary, no romance involved. The film turned it into a boring, but strange romance. Sylvester Stallone did at least look the part...

46 The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time? A couple hundred dollars, during our Borders employee holiday discount events.

47 How often do you skim a book before reading it? Almost always

48 What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through? There has been no point made, just lots of descriptive language

49 Do you like to keep your books organized? I like to, but they aren't...

50 Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them? I usually keep them

51 Are there any books you’ve been avoiding? I avoid romances, westerns & rarely read mysteries

52 Name a book that made you angry. An Ann Coulter book, also Rush Limbaugh books. It's ok if you're conservative, but these two seem like they are trying to insult others who do not believe the same things they do & their evidence often leads nowhere. (I don't hate others that like these writers, but they are not for me)

53 A book you didn’t expect to like but did?  Clan of the Cave Bear, it was presented as more of a romance series, but Jean Auel did a great deal of research that made these books fascinating

54 A book that you expected to like but didn’t? The Harry Potter books

55 Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading Christopher Moore books, so funny

I hope you enjoyed reading my answers & thinking about your own...SAM

*Photo by Shelley McElhiney, all rights reserved.

Storytelling Saturday: Objects that tell Tales The Sun King

The other day, we were lucky enough to stop by a little Tacoma, right of way park, where they were just finishing up the installation of the Sun King sculpture, which had been stored away, far from public view, since the 2006, just waiting to come back into the light & shine upon the city:

Installed in such a way that there is a different view from every angle

This is the side that faces the main street & the side with the most detail

Commissioned in 1976, by the city of Tacoma for $37,000 the Sun King sat in front of the Sheraton Hotel until the Sheraton was made into the Murano, the Sun King was stored away in 2006

Where the statue is now set up, gorgeous views of the sun can be seen as the sun sets, between the parts & carvings of the statue

The Sun King by Thomas Morandi

The 'newest' in a long list of thought provoking art that can be seen throughout our little city...

Have you stumbled on any interesting art in your city?

*All photos the property of Shelley McElhiney, all rights reserved.

Walk Tacoma: Brewery District

On Wednesday we attended the Walk Tacoma Tour #4: Brewery District, for a little glimpse into the history of Tacoma...

Start of the walk: Standing on the UW Tacoma Campus stairs

Ghost Sign on one of the UW Tacoma Campus many repurposed historic buildings. These are the original building signs that have been uncovered, but not removed or repainted, to preserve their antique character

The next campus building to be repurposed. The UW Tacoma campus is comprised of original, repurposed buildings & new structures designed to blend in with the historic area.

Our first stop was by the old railroad tracks that still run between the campus buildings

More ghost signs along our walk... This building has been many things over the years, including a coffee shop & an auto clearing house.

Old Tacoma Brewery District area...

Brick building at our last stop in the Brewery District

Now filled with micro breweries, Tacoma was once a very large part of of the brewing industry, before the advent of refridgeration. The Northwest had the perfect environment for brewing, after refridgeration there was no need to brew in specific environments, it could be done anywhere & the industry suffered in the Northwest. Microbreweries have breathed new life into the area & the industry.

Walking back toward The Hub (one of Tacoma's micro breweries, restaurant & gathering place) where the tour ended in a beer tasting for those who wanted to attend.

Hope you enjoyed this little tour. I think there are three more of these planned, in different areas of Tacoma, a great way to get a little excercise & learn a bit more about this city. SAM

Does your city have anything like this?

*All photos the property of Shelley McElhiney, all rights reserved. If shared, please share with credit to Shelley McElhiney & this post. Please contact for any other desired usage.

Happy Pi Day :)

Taken inside Earthwise Architectural Salvage Tacoma shop. Image by Shelley McElhiney, all rights reserved.

MMM, Pi...

Storytelling Saturday: Objects That Tell Tales "Locking Up Love"

Locking Up Love:

This is a tradition at Chambers Bay Park, here in Tacoma. Someone, years ago, decided to 'lock up' their love, declaring its permanence on the long pedestrian bridge that leads to the beach area of the park (I don't know if it's really known who was the first or if their love has survived as long as the lock placed here) & others followed suit. Each lock symbolizes a love story of a different kind: some are couples, some are family, there are even locks here that are for the love of a pet...Each story is different & I'm sure each has a different ending, some are enduring, others transitory, some have ended in pain, some in great happiness, some commemorate the loss of a loved one, remembered always, here & in the hearts of those left behind, some symbolize a new marriage or the anniversary of an eduring one. No matter what the story told, each was left here to tell the tale & commemorate the days' symbology & each is beautiful, in its own way...SAM

Since Valentine's Day is near, what love stories have you come accross recently?

*Photo is the property of Shelley McElhiney, all rights reserved. Please contact for any desired usage.

Every Day is Exactly the Same

So...not exactly the same, but most of our winter has been like this: fog, rain, wind, cold. This is a seven day project, one photo taken each day, for seven days in a row, from the same location, showing seven days of our wet, winter weather.

Day One: Not everything is brown & dead here, even in winter, we have a fair amount of green, like these ferns in my yard
Day Two: Foggy & Cold, front yard
Day Three: Foggy & Cold, back yard
Day Four: Budding Branches, Cherry Tree, Signs of Spring?
Day Five: Rain on my window
Day Six: A Bit of Sky among the clouds (this was in the morning, before the clouds unleashed their daily downpour
Day Seven: Bulbs starting to come up, Day Lilies, More Signs of Spring? Maybe I'm just being hopeful...We often have our coldest weather in February (hopefully not in the teens, like last month) & sometimes snow...

Hope you enjoyed these seven days in Tacoma, Washington & that there are signs of Spring in the air for you! SAM

(For any of you wondeing about the Storytelling Saturday, I will be making this a monthly feature & attempting to add a space for you to share any interesting storytelling objects you've stumble accross)

*All photos & text the property of Shelley McElhiney, all rights reserved, please contact for any desired usage.

Great News

Hi everyone! Today I'd like to share some great news :) I've got some of my things in Twist n Pout, a sweet little shop owned by Marie Friddle, that's just opened in Sanford and Son Antique Mall, located in downtown Tacoma. I'm so excited, it's my first forray into local 'brick & mortar' stores & there's more to come!

Twist n Pout flapper style store front: All sparkly & shiny (I love sparkly, shiny things)

My Silk Skinny Festival Scarves, on a repurposed embroidery hoop display. The scarves are made from repurposed remnants of the garment industry, hand crocheted  in all kinds of great colors.

Little samsstuff wallets & bags, in a repurposed teaa box display, hand crocheted & hand embroidered. The crocet wallets are made from natural yarns, repurposed silk, vintage, repurposed buttons & fully lined in repurposed & vintage fabrics. The embroidered bags are repurposed found bags & embroidered in my own designs.

I love the floor don't you?

A built in cabinet, inside the shop

A detail of the shop facade

Inside the shop (aren't the dress & the ladder amazing?)

Stop by & check out this wonderful little shop, quickly filling up with upcycled, recycled & repurposed goodies (some of them mine :) SAM

Storytelling Saturday: Objects That Tell a Tale

So, this week my object is a huge object: the Kalakala, a local ferry boat with quite a past, from one of the most unusual ferry boats in the area, to cannery in Alaska, to tourist attraction & later declared a possible water hazard, to a thing of beauty & decay, a well travelled object with many hidden tales:

The Kalakala: What stories are yet to come?

Follow the link to read more about the Kalakala's checkered tale. How about you? Seen any interesting 'objects' lately? What tales did they tell? SAM

*Photo the property of Shelley McElhiney, all rights reserved.

Storytelling Saturday: Objects that Tell a Tale

I found these awhile back, at Sanford & Sons Antiques, in downtown Tacoma & I thought they were so beautiful, with their vintage/antique style & patina, that I had to get them. To me, they tell a beautiful, mysterious tale of the past: of historical style & fashion, of creativity & vintage industry, of social conventions & societal norms. I love the beautiful details of such utilitarian objects. I wish I knew more of their story: who used them? What did they make? What were they like & how did they come to use such beautiful objects?

Beautiful tools, from different eras

The condition is not perfect, particularly on the bakelite pair, but the beauty shines through

Most of the gold leaf is missing & there is rust, not sure whether or not I want to do anything to these, though

Aren't the details on these beautiful? 

Even the backs are lovely

Can't you just picture the seamstresses that used these, their clothes, their hair & shoes? Maybe they clipped a stray thread or two as they headed the door or maybe they sat by a window, sewing their wedding trousseau ...

How about you? Have you stumbled across any interesting old objects, just brimming with a story or two?

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays to everyone :)

Discovered lounging about in an antique shop window, Tacoma, WA...

*All rights reserved by Shelley McElhiney. Feel free to share with credit back to Shelley McElhiney & this blog. Please contact this blog/Shelley McElhiney fo any other desired usage.

Tacoma Art Studio Tour

Recently, we went on a mini tour of some Tacoma's artists studios, to see the places they work, meet them, hear about their process & a bit of their individual artistic journeys. This has always been one of my favorite things to do, even if I can only do these things through a book. Every year, artists in Tacoma open their studios to the public, so we can view how they work & even meet & talk to them. We only got to a few this year, but every one was fascinating, in it's own way.

Sign in front of the studio of paper artist, Holly Senn 

Our first stop was paper artist Holly Senn who sculpts forms, inspired by nature, out of old library books:

Paper wasp nests made for the Jupiter Hotel installation. She was inspired to make these by the impermanence of hotel spaces mirrored in the impermanence of wasp & bee nests. 

Honey combs, for the same hotel installation

A bit of natural inspiration

Some of the forms (covered in plastic wrap) used for small pieces, like birds nests. She forms her sculptures using strips of paper lightly coated in glue, many of them require forms, some do not.

Our next stop was the studio of photographer Victoria Bjorklund, complete with a little gallery of several of  her recent series, a vintage bakelite viewfider slide show, a transfer demo (so easy!) & a fascinating view into her newest work involving Poloroid cameras & I phones. How do you transfer an image using Purell hand soap, you might wonder, if you knew that's what we used as a medium? This involved transparencies, a small piece of balsa wood, a roller & the soap. The balsa wood (you could use almost anything for the base) was thouroughly coated in a small amount of Purell, the transparency placed on top, with your finger, rub a little around the edges to secure. Take the roller & roll across the image, numerous times, to transfer the image, pressing down enough enough to get all of the image (don't worry too much, I didn't get all of my image transferred, but it had a nice, weathered look ). Interesting transfer technique that I would like to try some more of.

After this, we went to Throwing Mud Gallery, a pottery studio, shop & workspace where classes in pottery making are taught.

Throwing Mud Gallery window, Art Bus parked in front 

Gallery owner Mark Hudak, potter & instructor throwing a vase

Studio kilns

Tile bits & pieces in a gallery doorway

Lastly (almost) we stopped by the studio of Jessica Spring of Springtide Press filled with fascinating machines, type & fun stuff (I so want a small printing press!), where we were allowed to print samples of our own on great little old presses:

One of the great old presses in the studio that we got to practice on

A small portion of the drawers & drawers filled with type

A more industrial machine & a small sample of the studio's work

Inks & tools on the wall (plus a great 1950's calendar)

Old school 'printing' ;)

Later, we stopped by Tinkertopia, a great little shop for artists of all kind, filled with   conventional & non conventional materials of all sorts for recycling, re-purposing, just waiting to be given a new life & a new story to tell.

Dinosaur inside Tinkertopia

And finally, dinner, yum!:

Delicious pizza (& humungous brownies) inside Abella :)

A fun & interesting way to spend a day!

*All images the property of Shelley McElhiney, all rights reserved