Miniature bugs everywhere

What in tarnation are these things?

Anybody else seeing hundreds upon thousands of little blue and white, slow-moving, fuzzy bugs in the air at night lately? The entire 36th & Mason nation was swarmed by the harmless critters again last night, warranting me to get on here and ask for others’ feedback on the issue.

Interesting note: these bugs would not enter our garage, for whatever reason. It was as if an invisible barrier kept them out. Interesting thought: anyone jogging near 36th & Mason last night was guaranteed two lung-fulls of bugs.

Are they simply attracted to something near our house, or are they everywhere in Tacoma? Insect experts of Pierce County, we may need your assistance here. I’m no entomologist!

Bring on the world

Tacoma restaurants continue to improve and impress. I could have 3 squares per day at Tacoma restaurants I’ve never been to for at least a month straight right now. 5 years ago I had been to just about every relevant restaurant in town. Of course, that was before they started multiplying like rabbits on ecstasy. Whether you are looking for upscale latin, gourmet sushi, or authentic Thai food, the decision is no longer an easy one; there are now several options for each of these within Tacoma proper.

Where am I going with this?

Seattle continues its reign as Tacoma’s big cousin to the north, but little cousin is growing up fast. I was born here and have lived the majority of my adult life here as well. I don’t need stats, charts, articles or anybody else to tell me what is going on. Every day, everywhere, I see growth. The rising job markets, swirling restaurant scene, skyrocketing (still affordable) real estate, college campuses, and ever-desirable geographical location make Tacoma a no-brainer for many living in the Puget Sound region.

As Seattle continues to grow, the byproducts are more business and more people operating within a shrinking, finite supply of actual space. This effectively moves Tacoma closer and closer to Seattle. Will we be ready for it? Can we truly be the destination for multinational corporate headquarters and an unlimited supply of cutting edge employment opportunity like we were promised 10 years ago?

I hope so.

What do you think?

Train derails south of Tacoma

Train derails in Steilacoom

South of the new Chambers Bay golf course, at the McNeil and Anderson Island ferry dock in Steilacoom, a freight train derailed sometime after 3am, tearing up a section of train tracks and scattering over a dozen train cars along the shoreline below the old Rogers Mansion.

Hours later, floats were in place to contain whatever might have spilled in the Puget Sound and the area by the ferry dock was under repair. Where the track’s metal rails intersect the ferry dock car ramp, something went terribly wrong. I witnessed asphalt work being done, I believe inbetween ferry runs. I heard the ferry was running again, so they must cover their work with metal plates during the unloading and loading and then get right back after it during down times.

It was pretty impressive, at any rate, to see that the situation had most definitely improved significantly by the time I visited around 11am. Assuming nobody was badly injured, the potential for injury could have been staggering, as the whole thing appeared to have taken place in an area that could have a lot of people around, had it occurred during the day.

The overgrown bluff from which most of the wreck could be seen was less than ideal for snapping photos, but I did my best. Have a looksee:

Murray Morgan should be proud

I’ve now been to The Red Hot on 6th Ave a few times and it has been a treat each time. In order of appearance, I devoured a Murray Morgan Bridge Brat, a Destiny City Slaw Dog, and then another Murray Morgan Bridge Brat. Aside from having the best name of any brat I’ve encountered, it is the perfect snack when you’re on the go. I add cream cheese to my brat to complement the existing sauerkraut and mustard. The slaw dog was perfect as is. For 3 or 4 dollars you can’t beat it. They have a dozen or so different choices to suit a variety of tastes.

After many years, someone has finally done it. I’d always wondered why nobody had launched a Starbuck’s/McDonald’s calibre dog chain in the US, and I used to dream about opening a double drive-thru dog stand in Tacoma. I wanted to call mine Schwank’s and it was going to be awesome. The Red Hot has taken everything I had envisioned, moved it to a swank sit-down bar atmosphere, and added a bunch of beer. Brilliant.

THE RED HOT
2914 6th Ave
Tacoma, WA
(253) 779-0229

Tacoma gas explosion

Every time I leave Tacoma, something important goes down. This time it is a huge propane explosion at Atlas in the Nalley Valley. If anyone has pictures of the explosion, this Tacoma guy would like to see them. I just can’t picture a 1000 foot flame on my own. Pictures would be very interesting, if any of you happened to be photo-ready at the time. If not, any firsthand accounts would be appreciated. We are 3 time zones away and wondering what on earth happened? Propane explosions don’t happen often in Tacoma, although something about it seems fitting. Please send any info ASAP. Thanks.