Jun. 4, 2009 at 9:26am

The Truth About Tacoma Urban Art Festival

In the last few days I've read a lot of inaccurate info about the Tacoma Urban Art Festival.  One reporter was vague and listed the wrong website.  Another writer falsely reported that the festival wasn't even happening this year.

Allow me to clarify.

The Tacoma Urban Art Festival IS happening this year.  Saturday, August 1st, 11am-9pm (ish).  We've relocated to Jefferson Street, outside the Swiss Pub.  Since Hot Rod a Rama isn't happening this year, we've partnered with the Lifters car club and will be having a pre-1973 car show in the parking lot across from the Swiss (we're going for an "Iron vs Art" theme).  The music stage and live glassblowing will also be in the parking lot.  Up on the street, from Rock Pasta to the Swiss, there will be vendors of all kinds.

True, it's not quite the same crew running the festival this year.  Matt and Laura Eklund are working on their own projects, and Linda Honeck is preparing for an upcoming move to Cali.  However, Johanna Gardener, Lisa Fruichantie, and myself are still chugging along, trying to eke at least one more year out of the festival.

We had some technical problems with our old website (like it not working) and will have a new one up shortly.  In the mean time, any questions can be directed to urbanartfestival@yahoo.com.  We still need vendors and would be happy to have some live art as well (hint, hint... chalkies... you totally left me hanging last year...)  ;-)

Hoping to see you all at the Tacoma Urban Art Festival this year,

Mandi

comments [5]

Apr. 18, 2009 at 5:31pm

No Mail on Saturdays?

I've noticed that I haven't been receiving mail on Saturdays lately.  I remember reading a while back that the post office was considering cutting mail delivery down to five days a week, but I didn't hear whether it actually happened.  Is my mail carrier just lazy, or are they only delivering in Tacoma Monday thru Friday now?

comments [5]

Feb. 25, 2009 at 9:01am

You're Invited: SiteCrafting Interact

Family Focused

Thanks to those of you that attended our last Interact.  Off the top of my head, I remember seeing droid, Frinklin, and jcbetty at the event.  Our next open house is focused on getting out and doing something with the family.  Highlighted websites include Hands On Children's Museum, Imagine Children's Museum, Children's Museum of Tacoma, KidsQuest Children's Museum, Metro Parks, Northwest Trek, Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, and Airstream travel trailers.

For those that want to bring their whole family, Hands On Children's Museum will be providing activities for the little ones.  For the grown-ups, there will be refreshments, stimulating conversation, door prizes, and goody bags with 2 for 1 admission to some of the museums, as well as other swag.

If you're interested in attending, please complete the Interact RSVP form and let me know if you're bringing any children with you.  The event is Wednesday, March 4th from 3:30-6pm at the SiteCrafting offices: 2725 Pacific Ave. Suite 100.

Hope to see you there!

comments [3]

Feb. 3, 2009 at 9:44am

You're Invited: SiteCrafting Interact

(you don't have to buy a time-share)

Several members of the SiteCrafting team are regular (or semi-regular) contributors to Feed Tacoma.  Ever wonder what we do when we're not adding our 2 cents to the blogosphere?  Here's your chance.  Wednesday, February 4th, we're having an open house to showcase some of our sites.  The theme for February is food and drink so we'll be featuring the recently launched SouthSoundEats.com, as well as sites for Primo Grill and CrownBar. 

From the press release:

"Stop by to sample wine recommended by Kris Blondin of Vin Grotto and the favorite beers of Phillip “Knuckles” Hamilton. Try recipes from the Twin Tastes blog, and indulge in appetizers from Primo Grill and CrownBar.

The Interact is a monthly open house and showcase featuring some of SiteCrafting’s recently launched websites.  As we're not scheduling any formal presentations, stations will be set up where you can view highlights of some of this year's launched sites and meet the developers and clients behind those sites. To register for the next event, please complete our Interact RSVP Form at www.sitecrafting.com/interact.  The event will take place from 3:30-6pm and we ask that attendees be over 21.

Born as a jack of all trades web service ten years ago, SiteCrafting has grown to be one of the largest and fastest growing web development companies in the South Sound.  Specializing in custom web solutions, SiteCrafting also offers Search Engine Optimization assistance and provides a 100% uptime guarantee on all of its website hosting.  For more information, please visit www.sitecrafting.com."

comments [2]

Nov. 2, 2008 at 3:31pm

Indifference

Noun: lack of interest or concern

Woke up this morning to find one of my car windows shot out.  Same with my roommate's car and one of the neighbors' cars.  Looks like it was probably a BB gun.

I really hate it when people do rotten things just because they can.  Just because they can get away with it, or because they find it amusing. 

comments [8]

Sep. 22, 2008 at 1:45pm

Dmitri featured in today's Soundlife

Today's TNT has an article about busking/ sidewalk performers, including insights from our own Dmitri.

All the world’s their stage

comments [0]

Aug. 26, 2008 at 9:22pm

Crafty Nerdiness

Sometimes I just can't help myself

Every once in a while I acknowledge the fact that I am, indeed, a girl.  On those rare occasions, I wear dresses and makeup, try not to arm wrestle boys, and even (gasp)... bake.  Please don't yell at me for gender stereotyping. 

However, my super secret passion is crafty things.  Crocheting, sewing (I'm really bad at it), decopauge, you name it.

Tomorrow, we're having a baby shower at work for a co-worker and his wife.  Seeing as how they've already received pretty much everything they registered for, I thought I'd get a little creative.

Behold, the SiteCrafting Onesie:

I am so tickled by this-- you have no idea.

comments [6]

Aug. 10, 2008 at 8:57am

I really hate hangovers

...which is why I'm glad I don't have one.

Thanks to my stupid internal clock, I am up waaay earlier than I would like to be.  Especially since I didn't get to sleep until about 2am.  However, it was worth it because I had an awesomely awesome birthday.

My best friend called me at 8am Saturday morning to sing Happy Birthday.  Knowing that was why she was calling, I didn't answer.  I have her "greatest hits" saved on my voicemail and will use them to blackmail her some day (especially her rendition of "Mandi" by Barry Manilow).

After putting in a few hours at the office and wandering Showcase Tacoma with Mr. Freitas, there was nothing to do but get ready for my party.

Ask anyone who knows me and they'll tell you I'm not very girly.  So I want you to appreciate the fact that I spent 45 minutes (which is 44 1/2 minutes longer than normal) styling my hair.  I put on makeup and a dress (!) and silly strappy shoes and was ready to go out and face the world. 

Which is precisely when the sky decided to break into a bazillion watery pieces and strike upon the earth with great vengeance and furious anger.  This is also about the time I realized that I'd left my umbrella at the office.  Figures.

I called my neighbor and ran over there with an IKEA bag over my head to borrow an umbrella.  As soon as I got back to my house and loaded into my car, it stopped raining.  Figures.

After a quick stop to get my toes painted, I made it over to 6th ave and into Chopstix without incident.

Thanks to everyone who showed up and paid the piano player to embarrass me.  It was great.  As I sat on the piano, I was informed that I had "Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" and was consequently serenaded by my best friend's husband, my best friend's sister's husband, and my co-worker's best friend.  After that, a few more drinks and a few turns in the photo booth rounded out the evening nicely.

Thank you all again for a fantastic birthday.  Makes the downhill slide to 30 a little easier to bear.  ;-)

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Jul. 21, 2008 at 6:59pm

How did I get so old?

There was a time, not so long ago, that my friends and I would go dancing until around 2 in the morning.  After that, we would head to Denny's for breakfast until around 4 in the morning.  Then we would go home and fall asleep around 5 in the morning.  Then we would get up around 8 in the morning for work.

A few years went by and while I wasn't going to Denny's at 2am, I could still close down a bar (provided my favorite drag queens were performing).

I'm not sure when I passed that invisible line into old-lady-hood, but I woke up one day and realized that staying up past 10pm was a big deal.   That sleeping in until 10am meant I had wasted my morning.

WTF?!?

This last weekend was a little crazier than my usual: spent the majority of Saturday at a bellydancing festival in Seattle, got home in time to change and hit a bachelorette party at the Varsity Grill (where I drank Red Bull like there was no tomorrow in order to stay awake until 1am).  Sunday was an early morning baptism (not mine) and then back to the bellydancing festival because I was performing in the afternoon.  By 6pm I was ready to call it quits and was nearly comatose on my couch by 8pm.

Monday rolled around and I'm still dragging ass.  I've been seriously contemplating going to bed for the past hour.

When did I get old?!?  I'm 25, fer Godz sake!  At what point did I start needing a day of rest to recuperate from my weekend?  I know I'm not the only one (my former club-going friends share my lament). 

When did you realize you weren't as young as you used to be?

comments [6]