Friday Jan. 13th 2012
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| The Villa Caffe & Imbibery |
If you don't know this already, the reason I do this blog is because I feel that supporting our local independent businesses is the best thing I can do to help our local economy (because 75% of what you spend at a local business stays and circulates in our community and local businesses are responsible for creating more jobs than large corporations), to help our environment (the less shipping long distance we do, the less car and truck pollution we will have), to help our government (not giving money to corporations sends a message that we'd rather not have our government influenced by banks and corporations) and to help build community (because small business owners are an important part of any community and since I know most of them I can tell you that they are very good people who give a lot to non-profits and community events).
OK, let's go shopping, and if you visit these places, please tell them The Duchess of Downtown sent you.
Broadway's Best Antiques
742 Broadway St., Tacoma WA 98402
PH#253-617-3509
Click here to "Like" Broadway's Best Antiques on Facebook
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| How amazing is this little couch! I had a picture of this in one of my 12 Days of Shopping blogs and I can't believe no-one snatched it yet. This is a beautiful example of the kind of quality I found at Broadway's Best Antiques. |
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| I don't know the exact moment when it started. Maybe it was when I was a kid and I watched Star Trek (the original one) with my parents. Maybe it was even earlier like when I was a small child watching Marvin the Martian, the Jetsons and other Saturday morning cartoons. All I know is I've always been a Sci-fi nerd and that's probably why these ray guns look to me like just about the coolest thing ever. One day I'm gonna have one of these that shoots actual rays. For now, before we can look to the future we gotta look to the past. Check out these collectible vintage ray guns from Broadway's Best Antiques. The collectible toy gun selection there is ginormous and very respectable from a collectors standpoint. In this picture: Hubley Automatic Disintegrator, Buck Rogers Automatic Pistol and a Chrome Plated Stratogun. All rare, all valuable and worth a visit to the store to see in person. Tell them the Duchess sent you. |
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I did a lot of walking on Wednesday and I rode 3 forms of public transportation. It was really cold out there despite the sunshine. I usually wear a hat but that day I didn't and my ears paid the price for it. When I got home, I was wishing I had one of these to curl up in front of. Check out this 1950s faux fireplace with built in electric heater. Wouldn't this be perfect for an apartment or house without a fireplace? You can buy this at Broadway's Best Antiques. Make sure you go check out their page and like it so you can see all the other awesome things they have.
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| Custom-made Space needle lamp. This is one of at least two I saw there. |
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| Really amazing hanging light fixture created from air vents. These would be so cool in a steampunk themed nightclub or restaurant. |
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| This sleek retro set looks brand new and straight out of The Jetsons. |
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| I love the simplicity of this couch. This would look good in a waiting room or a bachelor pad. Can't you just picture a couple of guys playing video games on this? |
I'll show you some more stuff from Broadway's Best Antiques next week. For now, make sure you click here to "Like" Broadway's Best Antiques on Facebook
India Mahal Restaurant
PH# 253-272-5700
Last Saturday I had Chicken Tikki Masala from the lunch buffet at India Mahal Restaurant and it was delicious! Please go there and try Sohan's amazing cooking and tell him The Duchess sent you!
I have a secret to tell you about India Mahal Restaurant. Whenever I don't feel good, like if I have a cold or flu thing going on, I get take out from India Mahal. I swear to you that food has healing properties. It works every time.
Poledello Dance Studio
715 Commerce Street, Tacoma, WA
PH#253-509-8811
http://www.poledello.com
On Monday I visited the new Poledello studio and watched an intermediate pole dancing lesson. It occurred to me that every male friend I have and quite a few female ones might envy me but I won't even go there. It demeans everything I learned that day. I have to tell you that there is a real misconception about this art-form. And yes, I use the word art-form very deliberately. I know you get a seedy visual when someone says pole dancing but its not like that at all. Its a lot more like Cirque de Solei than a strip bar. What I saw was tremendous strength training and just a sense of graceful power. Students spend quite a bit of time on the ground warming up and then go through a series of tricks that build strength and technique. Then they begin to practice a routine that it will take about 3 months to truly master. The class I saw consisted of students who had about one year of training so far. Instructor Noelle Wood tells me there is a Saturday class for more experienced dancers where they do more difficult and sometimes dangerous tricks and another class for aerial hoops and silks. She also said there is also a beginners class where women of all sizes and ages can try it but stay mostly on the ground.
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| Warming up |
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| Building core strength |
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| Hope you're not afraid of heights! |
And one day, after a lot of hard work and training, you might be able to do this:
Is that not one of the most beautiful things you've ever seen??
Clara Spa Salon & Studios (formerly Club Biella inside Courtyard Marriott Hotel)
PH#253-682-2005
Meet Rosie. She's one of my favorite people in Tacoma. She gives ridiculously perfect manicures and pedicures and she's a really nice person. Here she is giving a manicure to my friend Kim:
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| Rosie has an amazing smile. |
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| Here are my toes looking like perfect little red chicklets. |
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| Check out this big fancy massage chair. It has heat and several different types of massage on a remote control. There are 4 of these chairs there. You can't see it from this angle but the chair has a foot soak whirlpool in it. Its very luxurious. Sometimes I bring 3 friends and we all get pedicures together. |
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| This is the couples massage room. In the back there is a big hot tub. |
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| Here are some of the prices and specials. I recommend the membership. I've been a member for almost 2 years now. |
Box Top Vintage
907 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, WA 98402
PH# 253-304- 1874
Click here to Like Box Top Vintage on Facebook
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| I forgot to take a picture of her sign so I stole this photo from the Box Top Vintage Facebook page. |
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| At Boxtop you will find lots of funky eclectic clothes. The owner, Jooley Heaps, is a notorious style maven. |
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| You will also find lots of creations from local artists. |
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| And other stuff like the adult size Tutu, which I for one completely approve of. It looks great with a tiara. |
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| You'll also find cute home accessories. |
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| And a faux tattoo for any occasion. YOU'RE WELCOME! |
Blitz & Co Florist
909 Pacific Ave, Tacoma, WA 98402
PH#253-572-2327
Click here to like Blitz & Co Florist on Facebook
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| I didn't expect to see baby clothes but they have a pretty good sized selection and it all looked super cute to me. |
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| This one was my favorite. Wish they had my size. |
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| Lots of upscale home decor items |
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| They put out fresh flower bouquets daily and the store smells wonderful. |
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| SIDE NOTE: I don't know why I'm always drawn to any chickens I see. I almost went back to buy the taxidermy one at Goldie's on Broadway the other day. I felt like I needed this wooden one too. I blame Beyonce and The Bloggess. |
Signature Woodworks
PH#253-627-0805
Inside this store I saw beautiful cabinetry, fixtures and hardware. According to their facebook page they specialize in kitchen and bathroom design. They do custom cabinetry, countertops and tile. It also says that they have the largest selection of builders hardware in the South Sound area. This is one of two showrooms. They have another one in Gig Harbor.
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| They also have a lawyers office in their store. Maybe that's in case your contractor tells you he is over budget and needing 6 more weeks to complete the job. Could come in handy having a lawyer close by. |
919 Pacific Ave, Tacoma WA 98402
PH#253-222-6541
You could say these are the new kids on the block. They've only been there a couple of months and they don't even have their website up yet. Even though they have a Verizon sign in their window and they do have a license to carry Verizon products and service, this is still a locally owned business that specializes in computer repair. They even fix cell phones and Apple products like Mac computers and iphones.
My friend Kevin wrote a blog about their arrival in Tacoma. Read it here.
Oh my gosh, I actually found a phone booth in downtown Tacoma on 10th & Pacific Ave and it still had a phone in it. I wasn't willing to touch it in order to see if it had a dial tone but just seeing it there seemed worth mentioning.
Vinum Wine Bar
1001 Pacific Avenue, Suite A, Tacoma, WA 98402
PH#253-779-9901
Click here to "Like" Vinum Wine Bar on Facebook.
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| I have been meaning to check out their open mic night but I haven't made it down there yet. I heard they have a lot of good musicians. |
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| All day Happy Hour on Monday with $5 appetizers. I'm putting that on my reoccurring calendar right now. |
The Villa Caffe & Imbibery
1328 Market St., Tacoma, WA 98402
PH#253-222-4184
Click here to "Like" The Villa Caffe on Facebook.
The Villa is one of my favorite hang outs. Its also a favorite hang out for several Tacoma City Council members and other busy important types. Why? The food is great, the service is awesome and the owners are just some of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet. Also, if you think you're super smart, you might want to check out their Trivia Night on Thursdays at 8 pm. They give prizes and everything.
They have a drink at the Villa called the Mr. Tacoma. No word yet on whether or not they'll have a dessert called The Duchess.
Click here to "Like" The Villa Caffe and Imbibery on Facebook.You know you want to.
And that concludes this weeks blog. I hope you enjoyed it. I hope you tell your friends about it. I hope you visit all these cool places and tell them The Duchess sent you! And if you REALLY appreciate all this important shopping and dining research I've done for you, think about making a donation below:
XOXO,
Duchess of Downtown
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