Ledger

Issue date: 1/26/06 Section: Opinion

Nick Przybyciel

It seems that everywhere I go lately, I can't escape talk of the massive renovation going on in Tacoma. Most of it focuses on buildings being erected, streets being paved and the fact that the Theo Foss Waterway isn't radioactive-green anymore.

I'm usually guilty of tuning it all out, but something very subtle happened this weekend that has forced me to open my ears.
There were hipsters from Seattle hanging out at the raucous Tacoma bar, Hell's Kitchen.

If that isn't a clue that the times are changing, I don't know what is. For those new to the area and perhaps un-schooled in the nuances of Seattle-Tacoma relations, here are a few brief lessons to put everything into perspective:

Lesson 1: Tacoma is perceived as being very blue-collar to some of our neighbors to the north. Nothing is more socially taboo for pretentious elitists than hanging out with the working class. Vain, I know.

Lesson 2: Because of lesson one, Tacoma has historically been perceived by some ignorant Seattleites as a backwoods. No one travels to the backwoods.

Lesson 3: The stereotypes are completely wrong. Just drive down Sixth Avenue if you need proof.

With those lessons in mind, something important needs to be noted to understand why I was skeptical in the past about Tacoma's facelift. It seemed all the hype being expressed by the giddy citizenry has focused on a few new buildings showing up around the city.

However, architectural improvements aren't solely responsible for changing a city's image. A city's identity is two-fold, consisting of both aesthetic and cultural monoliths.

While improvements to Tacoma's skyline, such as the new, colossal trade center, provide unmistakable visual evidence that a renovation that is underway, improvements to the cultural landscape can be trickier to spot. Until recently, they have eluded me cometely.

But I believe I've finally found a sign that Tacoma is on its way to gaining a new identity to match its makeover.

The proof that Tacoma is emerging from its chrysalis came with an odd observation during that fateful night at Hell's Kitchen. It was there that I observed a member of a famous Seattle band making-out with someone who appeared to be his girlfriend.
Not to mention any names, but the band member in question is signed to Sony's record label. The best part - his band wasn't even playing there that night. They were there just to hang out.

Continued...

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