Friday – Breakfast at University Place’s own Pine Cone Café. Nothing fancy — just down-home classic food with vinyl booths and a median age of 75. We ate breakfast at 11:00 AM when most of the “blue hairs” we sitting down for lunch.
We drove down to Tacoma and took the free link (train) that runs through the downtown area a few stops down to the old Union Station. Built in 1911 at the terminus of the Northern Pacific Railroad, Union Station is one of downtown Tacoma's shining jewels.
A magnificent example of the Beaux Arts style of architecture, the structure served train passengers into the 1980s but fell into disrepair as interest in railroad travel diminished. In the 1990s, the City of Tacoma bought the building for just one dollar and renovated the station into the lobby of a new federal courthouse.
Five site-specific glass installations by internationally acclaimed Tacoma native Dale Chihuly fill the station, a perfect place to start our tour.
We walked along the Foss Waterway, soaking up the last day of summer’s rays before heading into Tacoma’s Museum of Glass.
The museum’s current exhibitions include “Mining Glass”, a new exhibition that explores how the medium of glass has gained prominence in 21st century contemporary art. It features the installation and sculptural works of Wim Delvoye, Teresita Fernández, Mona Hatoum, Maya Lin, Jean-Michel Othoniel, Kiki Smith, Fred Wilson, and the late Chen Zhen.
It is the first major survey to examine how the rich and unparalleled material of glass has expanded beyond its traditional application in decorative and functional art in the early twenty-first century. The installations are organized around eight narratives that act as suggested passages to help viewers see beyond the technical matters associated with the medium. Glass may have been disregarded by twentieth century art as decorative, but today it is not simply a major medium in its own right, it is also one that opens new visions for the artists who are approaching and mining it.
One of the most incredible experiences was walking into the museum’s 90-foot steel cone called the “Hot Shop” which has become a Northwest landmark.
This state-of-the-art studio with several furnaces burning at over 2000°F allows artists to blow and shape hot glass objects, which was really amazing to watch.
After we finished at the museum we walked down Pacific Avenue and to one of my favorite cocktails spots, The Pacific Grill.
Located in the heart of Tacoma's reborn downtown, Pacific Grill is an inviting living room, serving classic steaks, chops and succulent seafood, all in the inviting warmth of a gracefully restored turn-of-the-century building (and the wine is not too bad either). Our new favorite bartender, John was entertaining as were the other patrons enjoying an early Friday “Happy Hour”. I think the three of us could have stayed their all evening.
We finished up our Friday tour of Tacoma down on Ruston Way along the waterfront checking out Katie Downs Tavern and Eatery. We tried sitting out on the patio, but a cooler and wetter front was approaching so we relaxed inside (with views of the water) and enjoyed a great evening sipping on Duck Pond Chardonnay and talking up a storm!
What a great Friday!
Stace
No comments:
Post a Comment