Tacoma, Washington…cultural center. No it's not an oxymoron…the town many people have written off as an industrial suburb of Seattle has transformed its downtown with cutting edge museums on every corner. Outdoor art displays compete with views of Puget Sound and construction cranes outnumber ship masts, as new lofts spring up next to historic red brick buildings with turn of the century advertisements painted on their sides.
Culture vultures will be pleased to know that Tacoma's three major museums, the Art Museum, Museum of Glass and History Museum are within easy walking distance, just across the street from the University of Washington. Linking them is the Chihuly Bridge of Glass outside the historic Union station.
Tacoma's favorite son, Dale Chihuly, an internationally known glass blower, is behind much of the international attention focused on the city. After a car accident in the late 1970's left his vision impaired, he has relied upon a team of artists to enact his ideas, making his complicated, fragile tableaus even more remarkable. The American version of Christo, he creates massive art glass displays, including a recent exhibit at Kew Gardens in London that broke attendance records. The British exhibit was temporary, but fortunately much of his artwork is on permanent display in Tacoma including unusual public spots, like a bridge and a train station.
Union Station, a beaux art former train depot, that is now a federal courthouse, was designed by Reed & Stern, the architects who created New York's Grand Central Station. Built in 1911, it used to boast a women's fainting room complete with an ironing board. Today it's decorated with more than 3.5 million dollars worth of art donated by Chihuly. When you enter the lobby, the first thing you'll notice is the riot of colors reflecting from a chandelier. Hanging from the 90- foot-high dome ceiling, 1200 seashells, made of industrial strength glass, sway in the wind. On the far wall, a huge stained glass window is an optical illusion. The window looks like orange floating flower inside the station, but when you're walking across the Bridge of Glass, be sure and turn around to see a different stained glass illustration.
The pedestrian-only Bridge is a grand gateway to the waterfront. A walk across this span is a brief lesson in Chihuly's artistic progress; from the 109 jewel-toned glass creations in the 80-foot long Venetian wall, to the overhead Seaform Pavilion with 1,500 pieces. and the 20 foot high glacial blue twin crystal towers. (For an inexpensive memento, buy a rock candy replica of the towers at the Tacoma Art Museum gift shop.)
The Bridge ends with a sweeping concrete stairway leading down to the Museum of Glass. After reviewing the history of glass in the lobby, visit the “hot shop”, the best show in town. Local and visiting artists alike create glass artwork as an emcee with a microphone walks back and forth explaining the process and a big screen projects their activities. A 90-foot tall-coned ceiling ensures that visitors and glassblowers won't sweat it, despite the heat thrown off three glowing kilns. The hot shop has periodic sales in a tent outside the museum, where you can get great bargains on unique vases, glasses and jewelry. The museum also has a children's area where budding artists can create their own masterpieces using simple materials. When I visited, children (and my husband) created magnets by cutting up magazines and gluing them onto clear glass buttons. If all that activity makes you hungry, stop by the Blue Olive, a slick, urbane spot with a deck overlooking the harbor, perfect for sampling one of their legendary martinis.
Walk off your lunch by trekking to the Working Waterfront Museum, where you can admire historic vessels as you watch craftsman build and restore boats and canoes. Children (and adults) will love the toy boat-building corner. Another sign that Tacoma has come of age was the award to hold the recent Tall Ships festival here. More than a million people attended the parade of sails and subsequent ship tours and parties. Those in the know enjoyed dinner at Altezzo Ristorante in the Sheraton Hotel with views of Mount Ranier and Commencement Bay. This penthouse restaurant has perfectly prepared salmon and a sheltered deck, called the Vertigo Lounge, that's popular with the yuppie crowd after work.
Walking back across the Bridge of Glass will lead you to the Museum of Art which houses an impressive display of Chihuly's work. Be sure and notice the interior stone garden at the center of the building. With over 600 hand-chiseled paving stones from China, the garden resembles a wave and is designed as a neutral spot to rest your eyes between exhibits.
Next door, the History museum features a model railroad depicting the Puget Sound area in the 1950's, the golden age for railroads. The Museum also houses the largest collection of Pioneer, Indian and Alaskan artifacts on the Pacific Coast.
For a living museum, drive ten minutes outside Tacoma to historic Gig Harbor. If this charming maritime community looks familiar, it's not your imagination. Nestled in a cove of South Puget Sound, this idyllic town is the backdrop for many movies and a thriving artist's colony.
Don't miss the Ebb Tide gallery, a cooperative of local artists selling everything from jewelry to original watercolors to colorful glass wind chimes. The Keeping Room offers free wine tasting and a great selection of local varietals. In the second weekend in June, men who dress up like Marylyn Monroe get a free bottle of the Marilyn Merlot, a wine bottle with the blonde star on the label.
For dinner, the locals hang out at Tides Tavern, a funky cottage with a great selection of beer and pub foods like lightly fried calamari, burgers and tender grilled salmon, all served on paper plates. It also wins the award for the best bathroom view, with a waiting chair overlooking the harbor. Gig Harbor is only a ten-minute drive or a half hour boat ride away from Tacoma, but if you want to stay overnight, there are houseboats for rent.
If you're not a culture vulture, don't despair; there are creative outlets for all tastes in the area. Despite the death of grunge, the music scene is alive and well. While we visited, jazz great Charlie Musselwhait performed at the Primo Grill. Kids and adults will enjoy the natural Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, which is known for its hands-on fun. Guides walk around the zoo with animals on a leash, children can feed the goats and sheep, and even the games are designed to simulate wildlife play, with kids sliding like otters and swinging in rope chairs like monkeys. Be sure and get a up-close view of the walruses changing colors as the temperature rises.
The weather can be inclement in Tacoma but with its new status as a museum Mecca, let it rain. You'll be busy inside.
Details
(All are located in Tacoma unless otherwise indicated)
Altezzo Ristorante
Sheraton Hotel
1320 Broadway Plaza
Tel: 253.591.4155
Blue Olive
1715 Dock St.
(253) 383-7275
Courtyard by Marriott
1515 Commerce Street
(253) 591-9100
www.marriott.com
This brand new hotel is in a great location close to the University of Washington, museums and downtown.
Ebb tide gallery
A cooperative 22 local artists,
3106 Harborview Drive
Gig Harbor
253-851-5293
THE KEEPING ROOM,
owners Bruce and Linda Gair.
7811 Pioneer Way,
Gig Harbor
(253) 858-9170
Email: bogair@aol.com
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
www. Pdza.org
Tacoma Art Museum
1701 Pacific Avenue
www.Tacomaartmuseum.org
Union Station
1717 Pacific Avenue
(253) 572-9310
Working Waterfront Maritime Museum
705 Dock Street Tacoma
www.frontmuseum.org
253-272-2750
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| Mid county Post Vol XIV Issue 24 |
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