Day 4

This holiday season we are exploring all the great places to shop downtown Tacoma. We are doing 12 Days of shopping and hopefully encouraging you to come downtown to see these places first hand. On Day 3 one of the places I visited had already heard about Duchess of Downtown. I also ran into a friend who said there was something on the Day 1 blog that she intends to go and buy so my plan seems to be working! On Day 4 we proceed down Broadway between 11th and 13th Street to visit the following places:

• American Art Company
• Travel Leaders
• Restaurants on Broadway
• Mad Hat Tea Company

American Art Company 

When I first entered American Art Company I had to say hello several times and walk to the very back of the store to find the attendant. In the back where I found her I spied what appeared to be a custom frame shop. Throughout the gallery there were paintings and some amazing sculptures. Though it was a bit pricey for my budget the quality was definitely there.

http://www.americanartco.com/

Fireworks by Leon Applebaum. $4200.00 or $420 over 10 months.

Finding Balance by Timothy Leonard. Steel plate and paint fired glass. $5,800.00 or $580 over 10 months.

Travel Leaders

If you really love someone, you'll send them away. Or maybe take them away. Travel Leaders has amazing deals on travel packages. You should definitely pop by or give them a call and tell them what your gift budget is. You might be surprised how far you can get on a modest sum of money. You could also give a gift certificate that your loved ones can use toward the travel package of their choice.

http://www.travelcenter4u.com/

There are a ton of great cruise packages available.

Hawaii is always a good choice.

Disneyland!!! Need I say more?

Restaurants

After all that drooling over travel brochures you'll probably be hungry. While you're getting a bite to eat you might consider restaurants gift certificates as a gift or stocking stuffer option. Everybody's gotta eat, right? Japanese? Mexican? Chinese? Yes please! :)

http://www.shanghaihouserestaurant.net/

http://www.eltorofamily.com/

http://fujiyatacoma.com/

And last but not least, one of my favorite downtown spots:

Mad Hat Tea Company 

http://www.madhattea.com/

You can literally tell the owners (Maureen or Tobin) what ails you and they will mix a special blend of tea especially for you. Everything is fair trade, organic, hand harvested and sustainably produced. I have a tea for when I'm sad (Happy Daze Tea), a tea for when I'm crampy (Mad Woman Tea), a tea to make my teeth healthier (Brooks Dental Happy Tooth Blend) and one I just love the taste. It's called AJS Blend made especially for me by Tobin. It is very fruity and steeps into a lovely red tea. A friend who shall remain nameless got one for constipation. I don't recall the name of that one but Maureen would know. She knows everything. She's like Tacoma's maternal goddess.

 My sources tell me this is the very best tea pot for loose leaf tea. You steep the tea in this and then when its ready you hold it over your cup and press the button. It pours directly into your cup like magic.  

The smaller steeper here is the one I have. It works like a charm. 

We should all have more tea parties, don't you think? I'll bring my barbies and you bring your GI Joes.

And then I found this. YOU'RE WELCOME!

During the holiday season Mad Hat hosts an art/craft show where people can find hand made gifts for under $25.00. Here's a little commercial we made for it. Its called the Cash Flow Show: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150413291632724

By Judy Gilbert. $18.00

One of the hottest trends in exercise and a gift that will entertain children for HOURS is the hoola hoop! These are handmade by Katy. Small $13.00. Large $15.00. You'll have to be creative on how you wrap it though if you want it to be a surprise. The shape is a dead giveaway.

Paintings by one of Tacoma's most beloved artists: Laura Eklund.

Pins by Fred. (see Fred in the commercial above)

OK kiddies. I hope you enjoyed this excursion. Be sure and mention Duchess of Downtown if you visit any of the stores we've covered so far. If you need to catch up, here's a link to previous days:

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3

FYI - Now you can shop locally and be rewarded - Bring your receipt from any Tacoma+ business, and you'll be thanked with a free skate rental at the Franciscan Polar Plaza. Pick up a Tacoma+ map onboard Tacoma Link to find participating businesses, or look for their 'Be Downtown' window clings. Offer is limited to the first 250 people; one free skate rental per receipt. http://www.bedowntowntacoma.com/

Also - As a thank you to shoppers and diners for shopping local and supporting downtown there will be free two-hour parking in the pay station zones Monday, December 12 through Friday, December 23. As you know, parking is free in the downtown after 5 pm weekdays and all weekend. The meters will also be free on Monday, December 26 all day. There will be signs on the pay stations. The pay stations will still be monitored for time limits and can be ticketed beyond the two-hour time. We want to discourage employee parking in the pay station zones so that spaces are open for patrons.

XOXO,
Duchess of Downtown


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