253 Magazine June 2022 Issue

JUNE 2022

Local Real Estate Market Trends Plus...

June Events

Washington Beaches

Around the sound

The top 13 to visit this summer

Outdoor Living

Concerts in the Park

Adding ambiance to your backyard

Line up for 2022 at Skansie Brothers Park

Places That Put the “Taco” in Tacoma!

The power of Windermere. The personalized service of Windermere Chambers Bay.

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June Events Around the Sound

Concerts in the Park Line up for 2022 at Skansie Brothers Park

Washington Beaches The top 13 to visit this summer

Outdoor Living Spaces Places That Put The “Taco” in Tacoma!

Local Real Estate Market Statistics

The return of Music in the Park

summer series of concerts at Skansie Brothers Park for 2022 June 28 – Soul Searching recreates the legendary sounds of #1 hit artists Aretha Franklin and Elvis Presley for audiences all over the Pacific Northwest.

July 5 – Good Co re-imagines today’s dance music by taking the sound and style of the past and flipping it on its head, traversing Funk, Pop, Electro Swing, and everything danceable.

July 12 – ABBAGraphs recreates the pop magic of ABBA’s chart-topping, classic pop hits of the 70s and early 80s, plus top hits of the disco era.

July 19 – The Profits – the popular Gig Harbor-based cover band plays danceable hits from across several genres.

July 26 – The Paperboys – music from a freewheeling blend of influences from Celtic and bluegrass, Mexican son jarocho, brass bands, and Canadian roots, called everything from Cajun slamgrass to worldbeat.

Aug 2 – Mark Hurwitz and Gin Creek – A two-time nominee for Best Band by the Washington Blues Society, with a style including blues, as well as roots rock, New Orleans funk, and soul.

August 9 –The Beatniks – a beloved favorite, Gig Harbor’s own Beatniks perform 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s music with unparalleled energy and passion.

August 16 – Abney Park – a mix of Gypsy Rock, EDM, Electro Swing, Industrial Dance, and Western music.

August 23 – Nate Botsford – Country recording artist Nate Botsford and band bring the party with recognizable hits that span genres and original songs.

August 30 – Sounds Like Dolores – the quintessential party band plays a diverse song list of energetic rock, pop, and country dance music from the 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s.

arrive by land or by boat at Skansie Brothers Park for the 6:30-8 p.m. performance.

Top Beaches to Visit this Summer in Washington LONG BEACH

LA PUSH

RUBY BEACH

A 28-mile-long sand spit that lies directly north of the Columbia River estuary.

Primary beach access points in Long Beach are off 10th St SW and Bolstad Ave; a 0.25-mile boardwalk links the two entryways.

With the dramatic waves, La Push is popular with surfers and sea kayakers. It is a small fishing village at the mouth of the Quillayute River and home of the Quileute tribe.

Remote and isolated.

A 73-mile stretch of wilderness along the coast.

Remarkable for its redtinged sand and pebbles, Ruby Beach offers views of Destruction Island and its lighthouse.

In Seaview, take 38th Place, just south of Highway 101.

12 miles west of Forks on Highway 110

Just 45 miles from the Hoh Rainforest, and is accessible from Highway 101.

WESTPORT Westport is famous for its deep-sea fishing, rugged surfing and isolated beachcombing possibilities.

Toss in a crab pot, do some charter fishing the marina and boardwalk are fun to stroll along. At 107 feet tall, the Grays Harbor Lighthouse is the tallest in Washington State.

Take WA-105 S to Montesano St S in Westport

WATMOUGH HEAD One of the best beaches in the San Juans. Visit for the fishing, whale-watching, beachcombing, sailing, hiking, cycling, paddling, crabbing, clamming, philosophizing and memorable, psychedelic sunsets.

Watmough Head is located in the San Juans on Lopez Island

OCEAN SHORES Constructed in the 1960s on a scenic stretch of shoreline, that had been a cattle ranch for the previous 30 years, is the most popular costal region in WA. Golf, dunebuggy riding and gambling at the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino, kite flying, canoeing, and razor clamming.

Take US-101 N and WA-109 N

Visit the full list of the 13 best beaches in Washington

Outdoor Living Spaces As Covid-19 is still looming and the wildcard and inflationary caution causes a rise in the cost of food and gas, our summer lifestyles are forever altered. Less travel equals more time at home creating a need for outfitting your backyard with additional features.

Resort style additions are popping up in outdoor spaces in the way of hot tubs, hammocks, and cozy lounging spots. It’s all about ambiance when incorporating this trend, so don’t forget small touches like fairy lights and potted flowers.

Choosing simple updates can be the way to go.

Water Features Create a sustainable outdoor space by working with what you have.

Instead of water-guzzling irrigation systems, make the most of rainy weather with a rainwater tank that can be used to fill sculptural fountains, ponds, and other water features as well as keep lawns and gardens hydrated.

Fire Accents Fire can create a warm and cozy atmosphere, perfect for chilly nights or social gatherings yearround. There are luckily options for yards of all sizes. Larger pits can serve as the center of a seating area, while portable ones are perfect for small patios.

Grass Pavers A grass paver creates a visually appealing parking area or driveway that blends in with the surrounding lawn and other natural features, while providing a strong surface that protects the underlying grass.

Greatly improving the overall sustainability of a property.

After spending more time at home in recent years, homeowners are looking at exterior spots for opportunities to gain living space.

Outdoor kitchens continue to grow in popularity, with additions like wine refrigerators. Pizza ovens, like the one from Ooni, a favorite in Bob Vilas best outdoor pizza oven guide, are also great for cooking outside. Some may prefer to use the extra space as an outdoor den or living room, bringing traditionally indoor elements outside for comfortable gatherings. Remote work is here to stay, so home-based employees are getting creative with their workspaces. Why not set up a desk on your deck for fresh air while you work? Just make sure your WiFi signal reaches outdoors and add an overhead umbrella for shade. Working alfresco with coworkers who chirp from tree branches might make those long meetings a bit more palatable.

While makeshift workstations at the dining table or couch were common throughout the past few years, 2022 is the year of the alfresco office.

These Places Put The “Taco” in Tacoma!

If you know me, you know I’m a “Tacoma Guy” through & through. I’ve lived in the Tacoma area most of my life. Like most people that call the South Sound home, I absolutely love living here.

What you might not know about me is that I’m very much a “Taco Guy” as well. It’s a known fact in my family that I’m pretty much 100% pro taco 100% of the time.

Breakfast tacos? Yup! Lunch and/or Dinner tacos? Of course! Tacos as a fourth meal? Yes, please! And so on…

Over the years I’ve sampled tacos near and far. Chains like Torchy’s Tacos in Austin & Denver and the more traditional style Tacos El Gordo in Las Vegas are two of my favorite places to visit.

Those places are great but we’re here to talk about places around T-Town that, in my amateur taco connoisseur opinion, put the “TACO” in Tacoma!

So, without further ado, here are my top three Tacoma area taco shops…

3. Red Star Taco Bar – 454 St. Helens Ave, Tacoma An excellent downtown Tacoma spot for a top-notch Happy Hour from 4p-6p or late night from 10p-12a. A full bar and a menu full of creative taco choices. “Your Dad’s Taco” is my personal happy hour favorite.

2. Taco Street – Point Ruston Market 5101 Yacht Club Rd, Tacoma I’ve never had a bad taco at Taco Street. In fact, I’ve never heard of anyone having a bad taco at Taco Street. Even though it’s a newer place, it’s widely considered to be the best in town. The SoCal Style Carne Asada taco is worth a visit.

1. Tacos Michoacan – Taco Truck at 7718 Bridgeport Way, Lakewood (Cash only) Fantastic street style tacos and the best value around! If you like traditional style tacos, then you must visit this hidden gem located in a gas station parking lot at Bridgeport & Custer in Lakewood. Carne Asada and El Pastor tacos are part of my family’s usual order. Forget Taco Tuesday, I could eat at this place every day

B Y S TEVE SLOBO D A

MUCH LIKE PEOPLE, EVERY MARKET IS UNIQUE. SOME MARKETS HAVE VIEWS, SOME LARGE YARDS. FROM HOMES BUILT AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY TO NEW CONSTRUCTION, EACH AREA HAS ITS OWN FEATURES AND TYPES OF HOMES.

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