STEPH DEROSA: ART WINE STRUT MUTT >>>

Last night was a busy night for me.  After ripping my electrician a new asshole for being such a turd in the process of building our home, I was in mode for a much-needed night out in Tacoma. 

Stadium Art & Wine Walk
Friends backed out on me left and right at the last minute yesterday for the Stadium District’s 1st Annual Art & Wine Walk.  I had no problem going it alone though, seeing as how I’d endeavor the inevitable “stop and chat” with many people I knew throughout the walk.  I enjoyed every minute of the process, and learned a few lessons a long the way.

Parking seemed to be somewhat of a challenge, but after driving around Stadium a few times, I managed to score some rockstar parking behind Stadium Video.  After the initial opening crazy rush, the line went smoothly inside the Stadium High School Theater where people were pointed to whether they had a pre-paid ticket or not.  Lesson learned: It does not save time, save money or save you a spot when you buy a ticket in advance for this event.

I was starving.  The pamphlet said “hors d’ouvres.”  I looked on the handy-dandy map and found there was only one stop of the 19 that served hors d’ouvres.  ONE.  There were people everywhere and I could only imagine the madhouse that would be with the one plate of cheese and crackers and a mob of hungry wine walkers.  Plus I just wasn’t into walking a huge few blocks out of the path of wine to Titus Chevrolet for a cheesy hors d’ouvre.  Lesson Learned: Wine is more powerful to the mind than food.

Ranko’s was my first stop and first taste of wine.  I found it creepy sipping wine in a drug store aisle next to hydrogen peroxide and band-aids, but I managed to overlook the aesthetics and enjoy the pour.  Lesson Learned: This was going to be the only stop I attended where the actual winery reps were present.

Stop after stop I saw familiar faces and tasted mediocre wine.  When I asked each “pourer” questions about the wine, they had no answers for me and had no knowledge of what they were pouring.  They were store, and they were just doing their job.  The most knowledgeable stop along the walk of course, was the stop at Tacoma Wine Merchants.  Lesson Learned: Wine is not only more powerful than food, but sometimes more powerful than art.  I don’t remember seeing art in this store.  I’m sure there was, but I was too busy sipping.

I was able to enter places I had never been in, like Colwell Banker and the Tearoom. The Tea Room!  I can’t wait to go back.  Did you know they serve lunch?  Be expecting a full report some time this next week.  Lesson Learned: There was just as much jewelry on display and for sale as there were paintings and pottery in this 1st Annual Stadium District’s Art & Wine Walk.

I see great things in the future of Stadium District’s Art & Wine Walk.  Kudos goes out to all that showed up and supported the Tacoma community, the Stadium District businesses, and Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital.

Strut Your Mutt
After about two hours of perusing the Stadium District shops, I hightailed it out of there in order to attend the Strut Your Mutt benefiting the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts and the Humane Society of Tacoma and Pierce County.  My husband dropped off my daughter and we easily purchased prime last minute tickets at the door.  Only a few hundred tickets were sold, barely filling up the theater.  Our friends Elizabeth and Annika Huffines eventually caught up with us as we settled into our seats.

The evening opened up with “Who Let the Dogs Out” blaring through the speakers.  Ordinarily I would’ve thrown a temper tantrum and demanded a song change, but there really was no better place for this tune to be played.  Cute dogs in cute outfits walked by cute little girls began crossing the stage and walking the catwalk.  This was fun, and our girls loved it.  Ah, yes, we were ready for the cuteness in all its glory.

About 10 minutes later, the first act ended.  There were 14 acts total.  By the third act the novelty had worn off for all of us.  It was the same dogs, the same people, and it looked like the same costumes. (They all start looking alike, really the do.)  I can show you two or three pictures, and you’d be able to see what the entire show looked like.  It was like watching NASCAR.  We were just waiting for a crash or something to happen in order to make it exciting.

We were too starving, the girls were getting restless, and it was only act five out of 200.  So, we jumped up and headed down to Fujiya.  Our night ended perfectly with some sake, sushi, and the 9 p.m. sun setting over Broadway as we gazed out the window from our booth.

Thank you Tacoma for giving us so much to do and for being so beautiful.