Imagine Tacoma – Getting Clocked

Vote for Tacoma as Art Destination (Tue Jan 6, 10:48 AM by Derek Young) ~ Go Tacoma!

Tacoma has been on many lists. One of those lists in recent years has been American Styles’ list of city arts destinations. We were #17 last year in the mid-sized city category behind Miami, Providence, and Rochester. I think we can do better this year. Maybe not Bufallo (#1) or New Orleans (#5) better … but we can still move on up. Can you help?

Cities and towns across the country are competing to be named the Top Arts Destinations by readers of AmericanStyle magazine. Voting is open now and continues through January 31, 2009. The annual readers’ poll showcases the nation’s small, medium and large cities that roll out the red carpet for art tourists and cultural travelers.

In addition, one lucky voter will be selected at random to receive a $500 travel gift certificate for participating in the poll.

So … it’s time to vote. Let’s pull away from Cincinnati!

Link to SurveyMonkey

Link to AmericanStyle

Glen Phillips of Toad the Wet Sprocket at Urban Grace (Tue Jan 6, 09:46 AM by Derek Young) ~ Rock It

Once upon a time, back in 1993/1994 or so, I saw Toad the Wet Sprocket at a small club in Seattle. It was a great show and I always wanted to see them again. Yet, it never happened. Well …

Now, singer/songwriter Glen Phillips from Toad the Wet Sprocket will be performing a solo show to benefit the School of the Arts and the community work of Urban Grace Church. Matt Bishop of Hey Marseilles will be opening.

The show is January 30 at 8pm. Tickets are $20 for general admission or $25 for Gold admission, which gets you a seat in the front five rows (limited availability).

Tickets available via Brown Paper Tickets

Link to Glenn Phillips’ Myspace

Link to Urban Grace

Julie Anderson to Become Deputy Mayor? (Mon Jan 5, 11:56 AM by Derek Young) ~ A New Year

The News Tribune is reporting that Tacoma City Councilmember Spiro Manthou’s role as Deputy Mayor ended with the New Year and City Councilmember Julie Anderson is next in line for the position. A resolution appointing Anderson is on Tuesday’s City Council agenda.

It is slightly more complicated. As you may recall, Anderson’s name is on the Pierce County Democrat’s short list for Pierce County Auditor. Interestingly, independent of that selection bickering process, Anderson has already filed to run in November for the PC Auditor seat. This will be a busy year for Ms. Anderson.

Link to The News Tribune

Style Annex at Urban Xchange (Mon Jan 5, 10:59 AM by Whitney) ~ How Do I Look?

Embellish and Urban Xchange have teamed up in a new venture. The “Style Annex” is celebrating its grand opening today, inside of the newly expanded Urban Xchange. Tristan, the young barber extraordinaire, will be working out of there Friday – Monday 12 – 7. He’ll be offering everything from Kevin Murphy products to cuts to styling. Prices are simple. $20 for most everything.

In honor of the grand opening today you can get: FREE styles 2-5pm, $10 haircuts all day, FREE Kevin Murphy hair product samples, and 10% OFF already low priced products and tools.

Sounds kinda neat.

Details
1934 Pacific Ave
253.572.2280

Will Ruston Remain Solvent? (Fri Jan 2, 12:20 PM by Derek Young) ~ The Drama!

The News Tribune is reporting today that the owner of the Point Defiance Cafe and Casino has offered to settle his lawsuit with the Town of Ruston.

If you may recall, the town raised gambling taxes from 3% to 12%. This effects affects the one business that so happens to be the largest employer in the town. So what has this meant for the casino? Lower revenues, fewer jobs, a higher tax bill, and a $9.6 million lawsuit against the town. The settlement offer would apparently set the tax rate at the same level as the casinos in Fife – effectively doubling the bill from the once-upon-a-time rate.

The catch-22 is that the town raised the gambling taxes in order to keep the town solvent. So … How much longer will there be a Town of Ruston?

Link to The News Tribune

Exit133's Top Stories of 2008 (Wed Dec 31, 11:48 AM by Derek Young) ~ Happy New Year!

In just a few hours, we’ll be dressing up, gearing up, and celebrating the New Year at First Night. However, first we wanted to provide you with some mindless entertainment. With the end of the year comes the inevitable end of year lists. Here’s our version. Enjoy!

Exit133’s Most Read Stories of 2008
As measured by unique page views, not including front page only readers, RSS reads, etc. It only counts if somebody clicked into the story.

1. Sonic Coming to Tacoma (7041 views)
2. DB: Buying Local (5517)
3. Breakfast in Tacoma (5070)
4. Imagine Tacoma: Set The Chihuly Bridge Free (4827)
5. One Last Day for Stadium Bistro (4656)
6. Commencement Bay Coffee in Trouble (4602)
7. Shakabrah Java Closing Its Doors (4431)
8. Crosscut Writes About Russell (4410)
9. Looking to Own a 6th Ave Restaurant (3900)
10. Craig Ueland Resigns from Russell (3867)

Exit133’s Most Emailed Stories for 2008
As measured by the use of the email form on each article page.

1. New Offices and a Drive-Thru on Ruston Way
2. Hanna Heights Shifts to Apartments
3. Suite133 A Co-Working space
4. Craig Ueland Resigns from Russell
5. Welcoming Cork

Thank you for a wonderful 2008. We’ll see you in 2009.

Tacoma's Hotel Murano on the Today Show (Tue Dec 30, 04:07 PM by Derek Young) ~ Shiny

The Today show had a feature this morning on art hotels. Included in the show was our very own Hotel Murano. Check it out:

Check out that glass!

Link to Hotel Murano

Almond Roca vs. Aplets and Cotlets (Tue Dec 30, 08:27 AM by Derek Young) ~ Sweet

Are you ready for a little cross-mountain smack talk?

It would seem that State Representative Mike Armstrong (R-Wenatchee) is the sponsor of a bill that would make Aplets & Cotlets the official Washington state candy. He tried the same thing a few years ago and received a negative reaction from the fans of Tacoma-made Almond Roca. Now, it’s not that our beloved Roca hasn’t tried either. A bill that would’ve named Almond Roca the official state candy appeared and died in 2001.

This year it’s Aplets & Cotlets turn. Have an opinion? Let your elected leaders know!

Link to the Wenatchee World

Via the TNT

Link to Run Late for First Night (Mon Dec 29, 03:20 PM by Derek Young) ~ Don't Miss Hi Jack!

We just received word that Sound Transit will be running Link until 1:00 am in support of First Night Tacoma on Wednesday evening. This should, hopefully, make it a bit easier for y’all to park and get around.

We will see you at First Night, right?

Link to Sound Tranit

Foss Waterway Park Boat Float by April (Mon Dec 29, 12:58 PM by Derek Young) ~ We're Excited!

The Foss Waterway Park is one step closer to real. Back in November, the City Council approved a contract to build a kayak float on the Thea Foss Waterway. Over the weekend, the TNT provided a few more details for the story:

The new float, which will replace a derelict float on the east side of the waterway beneath the Highway 509 bridge, will include a 12-foot by 85-foot pier and a low-profile launch pad that will accommodate everything from rowing shells and kayaks to dragon boats and outrigger canoes. It’s scheduled to be completed by the end of April.

Time to get the canoe ready.

Oh … and just in case you weren’t sure, this is the same site we’ve discussed extensively in the past.

Link to The News Tribune

Previously on Exit133

Photo by Les Squires

WSDOT Kickes Off I-5/SR 16 Project (Mon Dec 29, 11:03 AM by Whitney) ~ Dirt Moving

WSDOT isn’t wasting any time getting started on the next huge project in Tacoma. No we aren’t talking about the Murray Morgan Bridge. We are talking about the replacement of the I-5/SR 16 interchange. WSDOT says:

This project eliminates one of the worst bottlenecks in Pierce County. Backups develop due to the weave between southbound I-5 vehicles and northbound I-5 vehicles entering westbound SR 16 and exiting at Sprague Avenue.

Separating these sets of vehicles on dedicated bridges with their own ramps to Sprague Avenue eliminates the conflicting movements, increases safety and relieves congestion.

If you would like to see the ceremonial moment that starts the next traffic nightmare when the first shovels hit dirt, join our Washington State Secretary of Transportation, Paula Hammond, and other public officials next week at the official groundbreaking.

Details
WSDOT Atkinson Staging Lot
1907 South Tacoma Way
Wednesday, January 7, 10 a.m.

Arts Project Funding Awarded (Mon Dec 29, 10:13 AM by Whitney) ~ Art!

The Tacoma Arts Commission announced the award of $50,000 in 2009 Arts Project funding to 20 different Tacoma organizations. The awards went to support of public outreach projects in the fields of music, dance, theater, poetry and the visual arts. They range in value from $1,000 to $4,000 and went to a broad section of our arts community.

Funded projects range from the production of a teen musical to a guerilla art project, from traditional Cambodian dance and urban hip-hop classes to poetry readings. Something for everyone.

We saw a few friends on the list, King’s Books, Tacoma Art Place, Tacoma Farmers Market, and the elusive Monkeyshines project.

I can’t wait to see these events happen in the new year.

We're Back! (We Think) (Mon Dec 29, 10:12 AM by Whitney) ~ Snooze?

Oy vey. The Exit133 crew is shaking our collective head and trying to rid ourselves of the snow-holiday-celebrating induced hangover that has caught up with us. Now that we don’t have to trudge through 4 feet of snow to get milk from the grocery store or frantically wrap gifts until 2am, we’ll be getting back to our regular business of posting about Tacoma.

We’ll be catching up on all the stories we’ve missed in the last week or so. Don’t mind us if its old news. Also, if we missed anything that you think is important or interesting, please send it along via the contact page.

We hope your snow filled holiday was as enjoyable as ours.

Hi Jack at First Night Tacoma 2009 (Fri Dec 26, 03:17 PM by Derek Young) ~ 2009 What?

Now that Christmas is just about done and the snow is beginning to melt (it is melting, right?), it’s time to start thinking about New Year’s Eve and First Night Tacoma. Well, in the midst of First Night will be a special little spectacle – HI JACK.

WHAT: HI JACK is a performance art event designed for community involvement.

WHEN: HI JACK: From 8:30pm until 10 pm on December 31st, the community is invited to create musical instruments using recycled plastic vessels, tin cans, sticks and gravel- which we will provide. At 10 pm a live performance will include a dancing duo, a railroad barker, a freight container, recorded music, costumed actors and a giant puppet springing from a jack-in-the-box if the drumming audience makes enough noise (music). 2009 mystery objects will be launched at the finale, providing souvenirs for spectators.

WHERE: Between 7th and 9th on Broadway in Tacoma Washington.

WHO: Created and produced by the Figure Head Roll team (leader Lynn Di Nino), Pacific Fusion Productions, L & M Artworks, and Exit133.

WHY: Tacoma loves a spectacle, and as artists, we can’t resist creating one, involving our arts community of over 100 volunteers and countless musical-instrument-making audience members.

WHAT WE ASK OUR AUDIENCE TO BRING: A homemade/recycled musical instrument and a piece of toast.

SPONSORS: The Gintz Group, The News Tribune, David Sweet, REI, The Port of Tacoma, David Mackey, Solid Waste Management and Frank Terrill.

Are you up for some fun and spectacle? We’ll see you out there! (Don’t forget the toast)