Organizers of Thursday's downtown Tacoma's Block Tie Affair had hoped that the large rooms rented for the occasion would be filled to capacity, with milling denizens chatting away with community notables, getting set to spread good urban-living-energy for the Tour of Urban Living this weekend.

Their hopes were fulfilled, and judging by the volume and happy faces at the Tacoma Club (now morphing into The View restaurant), a good time was had by all.   

Sassy day maker Anna Sayner, with her “ass me about Urban Living!” button, the gorgeous Julie Bennett, the hard-working, long-promoting, and ever-chic Patricia Lecy-Davis, and my herd of MetVet friends (YAY!! I have a date for my some-day bike tour of Tuscany!) all were present and accounted for. We’ve been talking about the optimism that’s pervading Tacoma â€" it was a tangible entity in that once-exclusive room overlooking the twinkling lights of the city.

First Vicci Martinez, then Matt Coughlin set a mellow-nice tone to the evening, which continued down the street at 21 Commerce.  Miss Natasha, Paul Schrag, Pappi Swarner and myself popped in at “Chill at the Grill,” the Pacific Grill's chic Thursday night affair featuring DJ LuLu Spice.  Next, we shifted to the Tempest Lounge, where Bender, Hume, and Loiselle commanded the post-Tacoma Film Fest party.  Teddy Haggerty made my day, week, probably, with his crayola-and-ballpoint rendition of my face.  It was like the symbolic tying together of the blocks for me, seeing new Tacoma optimism meet up with existing Tacoma fun. â€" Jessica Corey-Butler