West End

Tacoma to Offer Second Public Montessori Option

Submitted by Jennifer Boutell on February 23, 2010 - 9:14pm

In happier West End school news, Tacoma will have a second public Montessori option beginning next year. Geiger elementary will offer Montessori instruction for preschool, kindergarten and first grade for the 2010-11 school year, and add a grade each year thereafter. Geiger's all-day preschool program is tuition-based, $600/month for 10 months. All later grades are free.

District to Close Hunt Middle School, Make Serious Changes to Others

Submitted by Jennifer Boutell on February 23, 2010 - 5:46pm

The News Tribune is reporting tonight that the Tacoma School District plans to close Hunt Middle School, and make major changes at Giaudrone, Jason Lee, and Stewart. The changes are necessary for Tacoma to qualify for federal aid money. According to the TNT, the district may reopen Hunt after a new building is constructed with levy dollars, while Stewart and Giaudrone will lose their principals and a large portion of their faculty.

Opa! (125 Good Days in Tacoma)

Submitted by admin on February 22, 2010 - 2:40pm

Bumping up this old post to report that Opa has closed. I drove by the other day and it looked like they were going away, called tonight and found out it's now a pizza/pasta joint. Too bad! I liked Opa! but found it too scary for the gluten challenged. I wonder if the new place is any good.

(Feel free to post about it if you try it, Italian food is right out for me.)

Valhalla Coffee

Submitted by Jennifer Boutell on October 20, 2009 - 8:49pm
Picture by: 
Jennifer Boutell

The sign on the door says "Save Tacoma - Drink Valhalla Coffee" and I think there may be something to that.

...maybe it won't actually give you super powers but a 12 ounce Valhalla latte can certainly give you delusions of grandeur, for at least 20-40 minutes.

Kandle Park, New Master Plan

Submitted by Jennifer Boutell on September 28, 2009 - 3:10pm

Plans to convert Kandle Park into an urban playland have taken a big step forward, with a new Draft Master Plan, featuring a beach-entry pool, sprayground, spray pool and skate park. Under the plan, Kandle would also get an all-new playground and keep the popular community garden space as well as a large open area for sports practices or other open ended uses. My kids had the opportunity to provide their input this summer along with the rest of the kids from the Gonyea Boys & Girls Club, who can't wait to play at their new park. Here's our last post about Kandle, from 2008: Having always driven by on N 26th Street, I always thought Kandle Park was just a sports field.

Pho Linh is My Dining Room

Submitted by admin on April 21, 2008 - 12:41pm

That's what it feels like, sometimes. Littlest enables my Vietnamese food obsession by requesting "the place with the grape soda" at least once a week, and off we go.

Minji's Obsession

Submitted by admin on April 10, 2008 - 4:28pm

I have a monkey on my back. No, I'm not talking about this guy, I'm referring to a recent obsession with Minji's Pho, in the James Center across from TCC. I've been there three times in the past week, yet for some reason I've never written about the place.

Optimist Park

Submitted by admin on March 12, 2008 - 1:36pm

All the females in my house get cranky right around the third week of the month, even the littlest one. A wise man would just throw chocolate and back away slowly. My husband, who has occasional flashes of wisdom, came home last night with new dishware and money for my sagging bank account, so he's in the safe zone, for now. Anyway, he may be safe but I am fair game to the children, and they've been in rare form.

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