Terms of Endearment at Tacoma Little Theatre

Tacoma Little Theatre begins its 103rd Season, “The Start of Something New”, with Terms of Endearment, adapted by Dan Gordon and based on the book by Pulitzer Prize-winner Larry McMurtry and James L. Brooks’s screenplay of the Oscar-winning film. Terms of Endearment is directed by Blake R. York (The Pillowman).   

Though Emma is often exasperated by her highly-opinionated mother, Aurora, they talk every day about their problems, from Aurora finding unexpected love even as she becomes a reluctant grandmother, to Emma’s struggle in her troubled marriage. But when they need one another most, will they be able to find courage in each other? This funny and touching story captures the delicate, sometimes fractured bonds between mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, and lovers, both old and new.

Tacoma Little Theatre’s production of Terms of Endearment features Stephanie Leeper as Aurora, Anastazja Quinn as Emma, Scott C. Brown as Garrett, Derek Mesford as Flap, Danielle Locken as Patsy/Doris/Nurse, and Jay Lurvey as Dr. Maise. 

Terms of Endearment will run Friday, September 10, through Sunday, September 26, 2021.  Friday and Saturday showings are at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2:00pm.  Terms of Endearment is recommended for ages 12 and up.  

Tickets available and information for the full COVID-19 protocols please visit www.tacomalittletheatre.com/covid.

There will be a special “Pay What You Can” performance on Thursday, September 23, 2021.  Tickets for that performance are only available in person or over the phone.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,

Airhouse Adventure Park Heads to Auburn!

Where can insurmountable amounts of fun and adventure be found in Western Washington? In Auburn, that’s wAir! Coming very soon to the Fieldhouse in Auburn is the third location of Air Adventure Park—wAir Adventure Begins!

The adventure park already has two locations in the Midwest, Ohio and Colorado, and now has graced Washington State as its third. Each location is different when it comes to which attractions they feature, but all are equally entertaining and physically interactive. The goal of these decked-out indoor parks is to immerse
communities in safe, sanitized, next-level fun.

After signing a waiver, guests can buy a pass that is priced by age and the number of hours they wish to spend at the park. Just a few of the attractions that guests will find at Airhouse Auburn include the jousting Battle Beam or the wildly colorful climbing structures where you try to reach new heights (while wearing a harness!) Fly through the air on the Racing Zip Lines down a 40-foot line and check out the elaborate, skill-required Ninja courses. The classic Main Court lets guests bounce gleefully on over 1,500 square feet of trampolines! Each attraction aims to get your blood pumping and help you gain some air! If you aren’t feeling like indulging in a game of Xtreme Dodgeball, a pass for the featured Arcade is also an option.

Right now, Airhouse Adventure’s main concern is safety. Each visitor must sign a safety waiver before embarking on their journey of fun and the park undergoes a rigorous cleaning schedule to make sure all equipment and areas are sanitized; that way adventurers can enjoy themselves without any worry.

The exact date of Airhouse Auburn’s grand opening this fall is still pending, but the Director of Operations is confident that the arrival of the new Airhouse Adventure Park will bring employment opportunities and strengthen the Auburn community, while offering a whole new entertainment experience.

For Additional Information
theairhouse.com

NATALIE BENSON

Filed Under: Escapes, Fall 2021 Tagged With: , , ,

Nathalie Bajinya’s Future Is Bright

Nathalie Bajinya has been fascinated by textiles and fashion design from a very early age. She once cut up her mother’s dress to fashion into her own clothing designs at age four.

Originally from the Congo and orphaned at a young age, Bajinya learned to sew while living in an orphanage in Kenya. Excelling at the craft, fashion design quickly became a lifelong passion.

Today, under the label Undeniable Bajinya, Bajinya translates her sewing and design skills into exquisite one-of-a-kind garments and accessories in her Lakewood shop, Undeniable Bajinya.

Home to couture gowns, wedding dresses, and custom-tailored fashions, Undeniable Bajinya’s signature designs are vibrant cotton and wool dresses and jackets that combine French fashion with African colors and American styles.

A rare talent, Bajinya can look at a swath of fabric and intuitively know what design will best highlight the fabric’s motif or drape. “When I look at fabric I see something that is telling a story,” says Nathalie.

Often made with distinctively colorful and elaborately designed African wax print fabric – commonly referred to as the “wax hollandais,” “ankara,” or “kitenge” – Undeniable Bajinya’s unique designs encompass innovation, artistic creativity and the consumer’s choice to celebrate life through their clothing.

Recently featured on King 5 Evening, the segment thoughtfully shared Nathalie Bajinya’s journey, showcasing her love of fabric and her passion to design and sew beautiful garments.

In May, with only two weeks to prepare, Undeniable Bajinya featured twelve of her original designs during Africa Fashion Week Seattle in Redmond, Washington.

Without patterns, Bajinya designs, sketches, and crafts each of her beautifully unique fashions from customers’ measurements. She says there is nothing like a dress made exactly to your measurements.

“Back in my country, you don’t buy a dress from a store, you go to a tailor,” Bajinya said. “We don’t have that here in
America. Everyone should have access to custom garments that fit perfectly, not just famous people.”

For Additional Information
Undeniable Bajinya
6405A Steilacoom Blvd. SW, Lakewood
undeniablebajinya.com

KELLY LENIHAN

Filed Under: Design & Style, Fall 2021 Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Yoga Offers Health and Wellness Benefits to Seniors

Gentle Yoga classes offers many benefits to seniors or those with mobility concerns. “It has been wonderful to watch our seniors build a sense of community, improve their health, improve flexibility and balance, and build strength. Additionally, seniors can experience higher rates of depression and anxiety. If you’re a senior, yoga can be a game changer for your health,” says Alicia Barrett, owner at Tuladhara Yoga.

Safety should be the number one priority in any physical exercise including yoga. Yoga, like any exercise, can come with risks, so being led by a certified experienced instructor is critical. It is also important to be cleared by your doctor to practice yoga.

Benefits of practicing yoga as a senior include:

Yoga improves flexibility and joint health

Flexibility and joint mobility is not about reaching your toes, but about creating a suppleness in the body that will prevent injury and strain over time. When you are flexible, you are less likely to get injured doing basics tasks like bending over to pick something up.

Yoga improves balance and stability

A lack of balance is the number one reason seniors give at Tuladhara Yoga for wanting to try yoga. Certain yoga poses, such as tree pose, are beneficial and can improve balance, which leads to less falls and better focus and stability.

Yoga can improve respiration

Yoga and exercise can improve respiration. Breathing exercises in particular can help improve lung capacity.

Yoga can help reduce depression and anxiety

Yoga classes, especially those geared toward seniors, are calm, relaxing and restorative. Yoga involves focusing on the breath and slow movements, which can help trigger your parasympathetic nervous system, bringing us into the “rest and digest” phase of stress relief.

Going to yoga class is fun and can build a sense of community

Sometimes we forget that as we age, we lose our friends and loved ones and therefore a sense of belonging and community. A yoga class is a great way to make new friends, stay connected, laugh and have fun with others.

Filed Under: Fall 2021, Wellness Tagged With: , , , ,

Defining Space in an Open Floor Plan

An open concept living room, dining room, and kitchen by nature blurs the lines between each area or room. The best way to define your space is to determine how you want to use the space.

Consider Traffic Flow

Once you have defined your circulation paths, also consider how you want to use the room. For more definition, incorporate a focal point in each adjacent space. These standout elements capture the eye while improving how the space works.

Furniture

Creating a furniture layout in an open floor plan can be overwhelming. Arrange your furniture away from the walls. Anchor your furniture and conversation areas with a large statement piece like a coffee table and use a rug to complete the look.

Storage

What helps to make these spaces work is to have proper storage and thoughtful planning. These open spaces work best when you have adequate storage and defined smaller areas like an efficient laundry room, home office, home gym or an “amenity room” (also called a “plus room”).

Cohesive Color & Elements

When designing an open concept living room, consider the entire area, because you can see all your elements at the same time. Make sure they relate in some way. By using elements like color, texture and wood tones, you can repeat these to create layers and make your space feel cohesive. Our rule is three colors in a space. This also applies to textures and wood tones. If your style is more sophisticated than whimsical, you will want to add texture to a monochromatic space, with high contrast neutrals and layers of texture. If you are looking to create a high-end custom feel, use different custom wall coverings in different areas for added definition.

Create Intimacy with Lighting

Use a statement chandelier. Consider the light fixture but also how the light illuminates specific areas. If the lighting is versatile and visually interesting, it can help make a bright and spacious interior feel cozier and more intimate with strategic lighting.

For Additional Information
Instagram @alindamorris

ALINDA MORRIS

Filed Under: Design & Style, Fall 2021, Home & Garden, House a Home, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Create your Fall Charcuterie Board

The Fall season is here, so ENJOY the best charcuterie board with your loved ones, neighbors and friends. Also, stretch yourself a bit and invite someone new.

10 oz figs
Red grapes
1 Honeycrisp apple
1 Bartlett pear
Roth Cheese, Grand Cru
Roth Cheese, Buttermilk Blue
Roth Cheese, Smoked Gouda
1/2 c chocolate hazelnut spread
12 oz dark chocolate covered pretzels
1 small baguette, sliced
8 oz blackberries
1 plumcot or other stone fruit
1 package oat rosemary raisin crackers
1 c rosemary Marcona almonds
8 oz cocoa truffles
3.5 oz dark chocolate bar
10 oz dark chocolate covered almonds
4 oz rosemary crostini rustic crackers
6 oz cured meats

Instructions

  1. In a large prepared board, place the two cheeses in the center.
  2. Place the chocolate almonds, truffles, and Marcona almonds in small bowls on the board. Fill another small bowl with hazelnut spread.
  3. Arrange the rest of the foods around the cheese and bowls on the board. Leave a whole apple, pear, or plumcot (or stone fruit like a peach) for a beautiful garnish!
Filed Under: Cuisine, Fall 2021, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,

Escape to Beautiful Walla Walla

Grab a bike and head to Walla Walla to enjoy the breathtaking landscapes while sipping on delicious wine. Home to over 120 different and unique wineries, you can cycle through Walla Walla’s beautiful vineyards and try the freshest wine right from the source without the worry of driving after tasting.

A beautiful WINERY to add to your list

Abeja Winery is located in the foothills of the Blue Mountains, at the beginning of the Whitman Mission trail. The 38-acre site provides guests a one-of-a-kind wine country experience and access to some of Washington’s most sought-after wines from the Walla Walla Valley. The backstory is as unique as the wines offered.

Biking Trails

Cottonwood Loop – A 17-19 mile trail with moderate climbs, taking you past wheat fields and farmland in the direction of the mountains.

Whitman Mission – A 16-24 mile mostly flat trail that takes you to the Whitman Mission National Historic Site.

North Wheat Fields – A 14-mile trail, mostly flat with a few gentle hills, it is a pleasant ride past vast wheat fields.

After a day of peddling between wineries, come back to The FINCH to relax around the outdoor fireplace or unwind in your modern, yet comfortable guest room – each uniquely designed. Located downtown, The FINCH is an 80-room, newly renovated hotel that is driven by community inspiration. Originally built in the 1960s, the Streamline-era architecture features an open-air design, an outdoor fireplace, and community gathering spaces that encourage guests to interact with other guests and locals alike.

The FINCH is the perfect basecamp for exploring the Walla Walla Valley by bike! The FINCH recently announced their new Tour de FINCH package. Experience the beautiful trails the valley has to offer or take a cruise down Main Street and check out some of Walla Walla’s amazing local restaurants, wineries, and shops. There’s nothing better than enjoying the beauty of the countryside by bicycle.

For Additional Information
finchwallawalla.com

LEAH GROUT

Filed Under: Escapes, Fall 2021, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,

New Orleans Cajun & Zydeco: Shake Down the House in Olympia

As we usher in the colder weather, things are heating up at the Washington Center for Performing Arts with a double bill performance featuring the best in Cajun and Zydeco music on October 29, 2021 at 7:30 p.m. BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet and Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience bring the sounds of New Orleans to Olympia. “Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler!”

For the past 40 years, BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet has been making some of the most potent and popular Cajun music on the planet. Born out of the rich Acadian ancestry of its members, and created and driven by bandleader Michael Doucet, BeauSoleil is notorious for bringing even the most staid audience to its feet. Their distinctive sound derives from the distilled spirits of New Orleans jazz, blues rock, folk, swamp pop, Zydeco, country and bluegrass. Since becoming the first Cajun band to win a Grammy with “L’amour Ou La Folie” and then a second Grammy in 2010 with “Live at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival,” BeauSoleil has garnered many accolades, including twelve Grammy nominations.

Similarly, Terrance Simien , two-time Grammy award-winning artist and eighth generation Louisiana Creole, has been shattering the myths about what his indigenous Zydeco roots music is – and is not. Simien, and his talented band, has become one of the most respected and accomplished artists in American roots music today. He and his bandmates have performed over 9000 concerts and toured millions of miles to over 45 countries during their eventful career.

The combination of these two award-winning bands proves to be a real barn burner, bringing attendees out of their seats for clapping and stomping to a night of musical delights that will long be remembered.

For Additional Information and Tickets
washingtoncenter.org

MORGAN LUCAS

Filed Under: Arts & Entertainment, Community Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Alpha Romeo at Lemay-America’s Car Museum

Over 300 guests experienced the showcase of Italian design – from luxurious fashions and appealing consumer products to the rich lifestyle of “La Dolce Vita” at the opening of the new “Alfa Romeo: Born of Passion” exhibit at LeMay – America’s Car Museum on Saturday, June 26. From Grand Prix racers of the roaring thirties to today’s iconic flair and innovative technology, Alfa Romeo embodies Italian style — winning hearts, imaginations, and trophies. America’s Car Museum is proud to present one of the most significant North American displays of historic Alfa Romeos, highlighting the timeless allure of the Italian sports car marque, from Grand Prix racers of the thirties to today’s iconic flair.

Anchored by innovative technology and compelling design, Alfa Romeo has a century-old legacy of winning hearts, imaginations, and trophies. Brought to life by Fred Russell, guest curator and Alfa Romeo expert, this year-long exhibit features 21 vehicles with a new rotation slated for October. The experience of this one-of-a-kind exhibit is sure to leave you with an understanding of why Henry Ford famously exclaimed, “When I see an Alfa Romeo go by, I tip my hat.”

Filed Under: Community, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,

From Musicals to Backcountry Bayou – Live Performance is Back!

Steep Canyon Rangers

For months, the stage lights have been dark, the green rooms have been empty, and box offices have stood silent as performing arts venues were closed during the pandemic. Actors, singers, musicians, dancers, magicians and performers of all kinds got creative and offered virtual plays and performances, but they were all simply passing the time until they could be with a live audience again. Come fall we can all rejoice in the return to in-person performances throughout the South Sound. From musicals to backcountry bayou, live performance is back!

In Olympia, the Harlequin will be performing three plays in repertory this fall— Tenderly, the Rosemary Clooney Musical based on the life of Rosemary Clooney, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, and Until the Flood by Pulitzer Prize Finalist Dael Orlandersmith. At the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, Boogie from the Bayou, a New Orleans zydeco musical performance is scheduled for late October.

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

Tacoma’s offerings include Steep Canyon Rangers, a Grammy Award-winning bluegrass sextet, and the play Tribes, which won the 2012 New York Drama Critics Circle Award presented by Tacoma Arts Live. At the grand dame of Tacoma’s theatre scene, the Tacoma Little Theatre, you can find two classics: Terms of Endearment and Clue: On Stage. In Tacoma’s West End they are warming up their vocal cords and stretching out their hipscs-inspired production called All Shook Up, a modern rock ’n roll take on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

Just to the north, the Federal Way Performing Arts and Event Center will be presenting a wide array of acts including performances by Irish balladeers The High Kings, Grammy-winning guitarist and singer Robert Cray, country music singer Josh Gracin, and classic rock cover band The Hit Men.

Robert Cray

Circle the weekend of November 5 and 6 to make sure you get a seat to enjoy the feeling of shared laughter. Tacoma Arts Live will be presenting the ever-popular David Sedaris, known best for his appearances on the radio show This American Life. American comedy legend Yakov Smirnoff will make a rare appearance at the Federal Way Performing Arts and Event Center.

Before you know it, Christmas songs will be playing in every store, so take a moment to check out the holiday offerings planned for the South Sound which include A Christmas Carol (Harlequin), The Wizard of Oz (Tacoma Little Theatre), and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s Wild and Swingin’ Holiday Party (Tacoma Arts Live).

So no matter what your preference, there is plenty to pick from this fall from the South Sound’s performing arts venues. See you at the theatre!

For Additional Information and Tickets
harlequinproductions.org
washingtoncenter.org
tacomaartslive.org
tacomalittletheatre.com
tmp.org
fwpaec.org

HILLARY RYAN

Filed Under: Arts & Entertainment, Community Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
Next Page»