always happy to see someone cares about a Lovely Tacoma...a Tacoma that works well...and why does it always take an outsider group? Why can't government employees/politicians get with the Pretty+Functional program ?
A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. Margaret Mead
oh, right.
meeting tonight...
Do It Right Tacoma
Join us the Anti-Berm group at our next information meeting. and tour. Tomorrow, Wednesday, August 26th, 5:00, 402 East 26th, Tacoma 98421 in the Dome District. Short meeting scheduled at 5:00 p.m., so it won't conflict with other evening plans.... Please join and show your support, bring friends and family members, and spread the word about this event. anyway, when I think of The Berm...I think of this...
Nasty Berm...I used to live there, I drive there all the time....a berm is nasty... Look ...
now if they would just turn it into a lovely always-maintained park...a community Pea Patch...I could support it...maybe. Long Live Post and Beam!!!
I've vowed to never do another outdoor show again..so I won't be vending there..... i really hated getting rained on... what a mess...(see Lulu's blog for a pictorial review.)
went to the Joel Dance and the Art show at the Merlino /IOOF bldg, (I helped dress the ever lovely Charlotte...) then on to drinks/pizza/Colin/Jenny at PSP........
All week, last week, Mark and I rearranged the shop, moved tons of new stuff in...(Pics later tonight)
And I guess we'll be open for short time during Sanford&Sons auction Monday evening......Read the NewsTribune for details!!!
What's new? Furniture...clothes, home design...vintage vinyl... and summer is being phased out over the next 3 or so weeks...and fall is moving in... Small furniture is being set out on the floor...later this week... smaller homes, dorm rooms and ...your camping camper or Bedouin Tent need Decor !
from my last post bemoaning the State of Destruction...I see many repeat faces in the shop and some...I've never seen in the shop...but surely out and about... I have been extremely critical of the harm the City has done to our district...because someone has to fill you in on the Whole Story, and the News Tribune has been harmful to us, slamming our district in a negative tone that borders on libel/slander...
and it was and is ONLY because a group of citizens protested loudly on what the Train People wanted to do to downtown Tacoma...that is, Build a Wall of Brutal Concrete, was the design changed to something much more uplifting... There is nothing that says Public Transit has to be Mind-Slammingly Ugly, but governcrats often go the way of Cheap and Ugly...why? They never ever went to Art School!!!
I worry that Tacoma only gets the "Happy, Happy, Everyone Is Happy" delusional side of the story....in Gentrification, Winners are picked and Losers are kicked...by Government...you need to know that those in power on the City Council and the City Manager...want Tacoma to become a white-bread sanitized UnCreative spot on the road between Portland and Seattle..... We'll never become a high-class Artful Community until we have at least one bona fide Art School, and a Law School......why? because without a body of energetic fresh weirdos (I love the creative weirdos we have but we don't have enough to make Tacoma fully satisfyingly amazing...)(Yes, I'm talking to you Folksingers In Hell, Colin and Lyn..et al...) And a Law School, with its yearly graduates of charged up Do-Gooders...will go after corruption and stupidity (Luzon Bldg.) so that it will not reign in Tacoma forever....... Museums house Art from outside Tacoma...which is why Tacoma made such a big f'n deal outta Dale Chihuly...there's no reason why we can't cultivate 10000 more talents like that.... I know we have SOTA (good start!) but an MBA school is the opposite of creativity....except for creative ways to get all your money, Bernie Madoff... **********Remember, you heard it here first....********** the lovely Sarah commented: I would hope that whenever the Elks deal goes thru and is actually refurbished, you would get a lot more foot traffic back on antique row. Trust me, I still go there. But when the Elks is shiny and new, tourists will like all the little shops and vintage wares (here's hoping).
I think some tourists don't always make it beyond the museum district and Pac Ave.
I loved Rampart from the Steve days, he was always so friendly, and love that you guys have kept it alive in your own way. Don't give up yet.
I responded: Thanks for taking the time to read and comment... I really do want more retail down here...it's so lonely! Ask my neighbors...I really do want us all to have a great success, and not just in the Capitalist way...($), but to be creative and to give Tacoma tons of fun and inspiring things to do!
So, I do hope the Elks project happens and I hope a million more businesses open up...
Sadly, our business has been decimated by the City of Tacoma. The Elks project, if it ever happens, will be at least 2 more years away. My lease is up in May 2010, and I'll go... Steve was able to keep Rampart going, with my/husband's help for part of the time, only because Steve had a very very cushy City of Tacoma job.....I find that extremely ironic.The new city manager Eric Anderson, only has one idea for Tacoma...and that is to turn Tacoma into the most condo-friendly retirement/bedroom community that exists to employ every single MBA that UWT can spit out.
Business is the enemy of Art (true fact), Art exists for its own sake. Business exists only to make money. We, are caught in the middle. I'm not rich, will never be, but I'm feeling pretty happy...and pretty creative...and that is a feeling that no amount of money can buy!! But bring some money downtown anyway, just in case...;-)
into action ! While the shop is closed down because the city of Tacoma has taken my street and my sidewalk....Antique Row is devastated right now....I'm only open Friday, Saturday and Sunday for the next few weekends....or contact me for an appointment... Spring is in a few days....the weather is warming up and I am putting the lighter weight things out....to wear and to restyle my home for Spring ! Lovely dresses....now on ebay... Hawaiian Sun Dress in a L/XL.... Vibrant floral Halter sun dresses.... Impressionist Poppies...
so you blog, eh? Wish you had your own Tacoma-Centric theme song? David Fewster has answered your call of anguish.....we know you labor in the dark....clickity everyday.....and BONUS.....he homages our beloved Exit133.......It does not get any cooler..any more Tacoma than that...... Clicky the YouTube linky and listen to David sing.....and his daughter Hannah blog.....with whiteout.....it's all very chiaroscuro....... David Fewster and song partner Heidi Fosner are the most exciting and gritty...Tacoma doomish-cheerleaders.....if you love Tacoma, you can not call your self, your bad self a real life Tacoman or Tacomawoman.....or Tacomakid until you've listened to Folksingers In Hell..... Just as you loveTeddy and bro Leonard Haggerty, artists and karaoke entrepreneurs....extraordinaire.....who have brought Tacoma to life in scratch paper and song.......these folks are the real deal........ No faux-urban pioneers....you know.......the kind that are more Fit than Grit...... Folksingers In Hell are not Sanitized For Your Protection! Though mostly child-safe...... And Fewster and Heidi sing of our dysfunctional families, drug rehab blues..sans ciggies...at St. Joes.......... So get busy...... Do you truck up to Frost Park to see/be/do The Big Chalk Off every Friday noonish? I bet you do.... So don't be a Tacoma poseur.... This is the real thing.....Like Girl Trouble........ You chose Tacoma because it isn't pretentious and the real estate prices are doable.... Folksingers In Hell and Fewster and Spawn are both unpretentious and quite doable!!! Maybe you saw them at First Night 2008......... Maybe you saw them at the recent Train Fest....... So see them now....Leave a comment.... Support the Local Arts.. GO LOCAL.... .....brought to your attention by.......a ......Tacoma blog.....
in my life........I am so bored/mad/disappointed with Tacoma. But here's a bit of gossip. True, the city, I presume, cleaned my alley, clipped the berries, picked up the garbage, pulled 99% of the floaty plastic bags (lets' Ban Them !!!)........ Now the ParkingLotZamboni is cleaning and looking funny. Crews of JD's have cleaned the streets around my Hood. Now, I wonder.....Why. Because LeMay is..........voting on something..... What was it again???? oh yeah. Temple of Old Autos. And.....many of the Potholes on STW got filled. Hey, Jake !! If you had anything to do with all the activity in my Hood. Thanks !!! if not. Why Not !!!! Since I'll be in Portland, I'll tell Jan to tell Julie I said Hi !!! And the red barn door was slid open.....at the New Frontier....... come on get busy.
Oh yeah, the Rascal Flatt's people and fans were very nice. Quiet. Polite. and Clean. Yippie. Coming soon.......Wild to Mild !! -____-____-____-____- Mmmm. what's going on? Is it kinda like......the only reason South Tacoma/Lakewood (Lakewood??) got a train station from Sound Transit, is to hook up with visitors to Ladenburg's Glutton Golf Course????? you thought I didn't notice, didn't you.
~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_ On to me. It's my blog. Last time I was in Portland.....I had a cold. I had a runny nose. I sneezed and sneezed. I had flaky skin on my red nose. And my eyes were bloodshot. So, of course, I had to meet and re-meet Jan & Jon's friends. Great. this time I"m well. And Clean!! Hopefully I'll be more attractive. And I'm closed until April 17. At Noon till 6. Third Thursday. I'm installing new shelving, and I have new art. Art. Art.
