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This is BY FAR Tacoma's best waterfront restaurant. Food is fabulous -- you truly won't find a better lobster bisque -- and service is impeccable. I'm a real fan of the pan-fried crab cakes with...
This is BY FAR Tacoma's best waterfront restaurant. Food is fabulous -- you truly won't find a better lobster bisque -- and service is impeccable. I'm a real fan of the pan-fried crab cakes with Thai chili sauce. Don't want to drop a bundle on dinner? Stop in for lunch and enjoy the awesome water views. The Lobster Shop is our favorite place to take out-of-town visitors.
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Grant Center for the Expressive Arts is the only elementary school in Tacoma where the expressive arts are addressed on a daily basis.
Dance, drama, music and the visual arts are used as...
Grant Center for the Expressive Arts is the only elementary school in Tacoma where the expressive arts are addressed on a daily basis.
Dance, drama, music and the visual arts are used as strategies for teaching the core curriculum. Reading strategies are taught in dance class. Students learn about fractions by writing music and geometry in art class.
The staff is energetic and supportive. Staff and parents team up to teach dozens of free before- and after-school enrichment classes including ballet, guitar, tap, yoga, hiking, gardening, running, chess, writing, and so much more.
I can't think of a better primary school for my child.
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The Children's Museum of Tacoma is smallish but offers tons of terrific educational programming and hands-on exhibits. There are always art projects, dress-up clothes, a playhouse, and so much more....
The Children's Museum of Tacoma is smallish but offers tons of terrific educational programming and hands-on exhibits. There are always art projects, dress-up clothes, a playhouse, and so much more. Older kids can experiment with gravity, friction and movement as they drop balls into a variety of tracks, My kids' love the grubby garden where they can 'harvest' carrots, potatoes and more ... the area has a little produce market and cafe area where kids children can pretend to serve lunch to their parents.
On rainy NW afternoons, I LOVE being able to take my kids to the museum ... they have fun, the place is safe, quiet (even when it's busy it's nothing like a sane day at Odyssey!) and staff is super friendly.
Admission is $5 for adults and kids 1-12. Under 1 is free ... and there are special deals on the 1st Friday of every month and late afternoons. Memberships start at $60 and are a great investment for families that need out-of-the-house playtime.
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My husband and I live just a few blocks from Frisko Freeze, so the aroma of greasy food is almost always in the air. This is a drive-up restaurant specializing in all things fried -- plus ice cream,...
My husband and I live just a few blocks from Frisko Freeze, so the aroma of greasy food is almost always in the air. This is a drive-up restaurant specializing in all things fried -- plus ice cream, malts and sundaes. The food is not spectacular -- nor is service all that fast -- but this place holds a special place in the hearts of many residents who grew up stopping for a burger with friends. It's a good, old-fashioned drive up that's worth a stop.
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I had driven by this little sandwich shop for five years before a chef friend of mine told me it was one of his favorite lunch spots. "They only make sandwiches," he told me. "But the sandwiches are...
I had driven by this little sandwich shop for five years before a chef friend of mine told me it was one of his favorite lunch spots. "They only make sandwiches," he told me. "But the sandwiches are great." He was right. The staff efficiently fills hundreds and hundreds of sandwich orders each day, so ingredients are fresh and everything is made to order. My hubby loves the 9-inch Italian and I prefer the veggie sandwich on wheat. Diners can add drinks (the deli is located within a mini-mart that carries a huge selection of beer, juice and soda), chips, and more. There are spots to sit but atmosphere is lacking, so we prefer to carry out.
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Kids grow like weeds. That's why I was thrilled to find Other Mothers, a quality resale shop located along Tacoma's busy 6th Avenue. The shop carries gently used infant, toddler and children's wear...
Kids grow like weeds. That's why I was thrilled to find Other Mothers, a quality resale shop located along Tacoma's busy 6th Avenue. The shop carries gently used infant, toddler and children's wear -- much of it brand name. There's a small selection of second-hand maternity wear, toys, books, cribs, and more. Better yet, the shop will buy your good used kids' stuff -- either for cash or store credit (they'll give you a higher dollar value if you take store credit). Selection is best for young children, but I continue to find good buys for my kindergartner.
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We have two cocker spaniels -- which means we go to the vet A LOT. Columbia Veterinary Hospital has a terrific all-female staff that provides expert care to all types of small animals. I appreciate...
We have two cocker spaniels -- which means we go to the vet A LOT. Columbia Veterinary Hospital has a terrific all-female staff that provides expert care to all types of small animals. I appreciate that the vets here offer options for care and work to educate owners so we can make the right choice for our situation. The staff has a good relationship with specialists who are available for consultations or special surgeries. Everyone here treats my dogs with respect and affection -- that means a lot.
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Learning Sprout specializes in teaching supplies and caters to teachers -- but I LOVE to shop here for gifts for my children and others. Why? Games built to endure the wear and tear of 25 first...
Learning Sprout specializes in teaching supplies and caters to teachers -- but I LOVE to shop here for gifts for my children and others. Why? Games built to endure the wear and tear of 25 first graders can certainly withstand use by my children. ALSO, many of the staff members here are teachers so they can easily and expertly point me toward books that address my children's needs or likes. Learning Sprout carries a large selection of Thomas the Tank toys, science kits, and puzzles and toys from manufacturers including Ravensburger & FX Schmidt, Melissa & Doug, Lamaze, and Fractiles.
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Outdoor pools are a bit of a rarity in the Pacific Northwest. Thank goodness for the Titlow Pool, part of the MetroParks Tacoma pool system. The pool, located in Tacoma's west end, is open annually...
Outdoor pools are a bit of a rarity in the Pacific Northwest. Thank goodness for the Titlow Pool, part of the MetroParks Tacoma pool system. The pool, located in Tacoma's west end, is open annually from mid-June to the end of August. The outdoor, Olympic size, 50-meter pool, has a minimum depth of 3 feet and a maximum depth of 10 feet. There's a separate wading pool for little kids and lap lanes are open during all "open swim" times. It's clean, lifeguards maintain control, and shower facilities are adequate. A single swim for an adult is $3.50 (2.50 for kids 5 to 17). Punch cards are available at a savings.
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The Museum of Glass is a terrific space in which to view art -- but you can't go expecting to see lots of glass. Exhibits rotate and there are times when there's nary a breakable vase in sight. BUT...
The Museum of Glass is a terrific space in which to view art -- but you can't go expecting to see lots of glass. Exhibits rotate and there are times when there's nary a breakable vase in sight. BUT visitors can always see some of the most awesome glass art around by walking from the museum across the "Chihuly Bridge of Glass." The museum has a fantastic hot shop in which patrons can almost always sit and watch glass artists at work. The gift shop is worth a stop and the cafe offers quality lunches!
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