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Issue date: 5/18/06 Section: Arts & Entertainment

Staggered through
"Irish" Tacoma, looking
for the perfect sip. Had
a reasonably forgettable syrah
at Katie Downs (3211 Ruston
Way), then on to Doyle's (208
St. Helens Ave.), where my
first Cosmo was nice but uninspiring.
Then the chick bartender
muddled me a Cosmo
that knocked my socks right
off my feet. Later, we went
on to Magoo's Annex (2710
N. 21st St.), where I opted
for a Bud Light. Amazingly,
I had a hangover upon waking.
And where was that debit
card, anyway?
So what's all this "hipster"
stuff, anyway? Went to
the Blackwater Café (747 So.
Fawcett) and saw it. Don't
get me wrong, I sort of knew
there was this whole postpunk,
slightly-less-tattooed,
some-brand-names-showing,
but with a growing social consciousness
and appropriationof-
past thing going. But until
walking into the Blackwater,
I never felt it tangibly. Not
only did I feel it, I wore it,
for about half a hip (and loud)
hour. And oh yeah, she did
coffee art in my cup-pretty
much the prettiest leaf I've
ever seen rendered in foam.
Not quite hipster, but trying
for hip: It appears Cucina!
Cucina! (4201 South Steele
St.) is making some changes:
gone are the suspended
bicycles and other Italian
accoutrements, and it looks
like color-block painting (red,
gray, black) will replace the
swirly stuff.
The menu
seemed different
as
well, with
a focaccia
($4.95) that
was not as
yummy as it
used to be,
and a Monroe
salad
($10.95) that
was huge
and yummier
than the
Caesar salad
ever was. An
impossibly
hot chick
served us
with a smile,
though a bit
slowly (it
was superearly
shiftchange
time.) One word of
note: the absolutely lovely
Sangria goes down entirely
too smoothly and too quickly.
And if you haven't yet
gone, WHY NOT? Commencement
Bay Coffee Co.
(2354 S. Jefferson Ave.)
Has amazing panini sandwiches
and is working up a
series of entertainments that
will cater to those of us with
families who aren't quite anywhere
near "hipster" (though
it has a hip, Tacoma-Revival
vibe.) Surrealist postmodern
"only in Tacoma" moment:
Observed at the Proctor Farmer's
Market: Boy in kilt, with
Army t-shirt and bagpipes,
milk jar at foot asks "pay the
piper." Passing kilt-boy, a
septuagenarian Harley couple
resplendent in leathers and
skull-and-crossbones head
kerchiefs mount their Harley
and roar away.
Because I do all my own
stunts (dishwashing, floor
mopping, laundering) my
hands need love. Found the
best product ever, at L'Occitane
(pronounced "Loxitan", more
or less) I discovered it at the
Pacific Place store, in Seattle
(though you can get it online,
http://usa.loccitane.com) It's
L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand
Cream, ($25) and is thick but
not greasy, smells lovely, and
has the chichi factor of being
Provencal.
(Just so you know, Jess
dines on her own dime, or
that of her significant other.
All opinions are her own, and
not solicited by the establishments
or entities mentioned.
Though, she does want to
hear what you, her readers,
are drinking, eating, seeing.)

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