Get your buns to Hello Cupcake: It's open again until 6 p.m.

That is all.

Well, folks, we did it again: Hello, Cupcake is closed until 4 p.m. today because of "overwhelming customer support."

Cole, who went (a day late, ahem) a few minutes ago, called in to report the news.

Also, Cole, who is usually the one calming me down, threatened to boycott.... This won't happen, I can assure you. (And if it does, more for us!)

I talked to the owner yesterday and she said they were still working out the supply and demand kinks. She said they baked way too many cupcakes yesterday -- and it ended up not being enough! I won't hold it against anyone -- especially if they're responsible for selling me delicious baked goods.

No thanks to Niki (hi, Niki!), I finally made it to Hello, Cupcake today. Pacific Avenue taunted me with its noontime traffic but I snagged a parking spot not far from the darling shop – complete with pink bicycle and cupcake sandwich board outside – and found half a dozen folks inside grinning maniacally and white-knuckling the signature pink boxes.

I stepped up and ordered my baseline cupcake, the yellow with chocolate frosting, to go. I meant to take that cupcake home and have it after a sensible lunch.

Instead, I hunkered in my front seat and devoured that cupcake like Sherman through Georgia, right in front of God and Pacific Avenue. Kinda like this:

To be honest, I liked the frosting more than the cake. But judging as how the little guy lasted 3.5 seconds, I'm calling it a success.

Huzzah!

Next time you're in the need of a velour footstool, I know the spot: 19th and Sprague. Feast your eyes on these puppies:

Bow chick-a-wow-wow. Oh, Sorry. I meant, Photo by Craig Sailor.

That is all for now: I need to fulfill my deadline requirements or I'm toast.

... but I just went to Hello, Cupcake!(!!)

I had the coconut cupcake with buttercream frosting. It was delish. They have an orange patent leather chair in the back corner next to a bookshelf that's called the Kelly chair. Is that cute enough for you to forgive me for not bringing you back a cupcake?

It's just that I was in a big hurry and they were running out of select varieties and I just thought ... I should save this moment. I should let you come to Hello, Cupcake, see the adorable T-shirts (the kids sizes are the best, but I think an XL might fit ... especially if we don't indulge in too many cupcakes!), and experience the most adorable waitresses in the cutest aprons ever for yourself.

So, please forgive me. I've included a photo of the cupcakes. I can assure you the whole time I was eating the light-as-air buttercream, I was thinking, "If only this were Kelly in my place."

xoxo,

Photo by Craig Sailor, cupcake by Hello, Cupcake, guilt by association.

I am at work. Which means I am not at Hello, Cupcake for the soft opening. (And by "soft," I mean the ethereal clouds of buttercream frosting captured brilliantly here by Mr. Freitas.)

Not that I'm bitter.

Nay, I am only planning my plan of attack. Let me remind you, fair reader, that I am no cupcake lightweight. I have supped at the greatest: Citizen Cupcake in San Francisco, Trophy and Cupcake Royale in Seattle, Corina in our Grit City.

Full report to come.

It's so on.

Me at Citizen Cupcake last year. I haven't smiled since.

Lookie what I found, with the help of Marketing Director Cathy Brewis:

I'd like to thank a most savvy reader and an equally savvy marketing director for this moment. And to Laura Gentry, who took this photo and instructed me to look "surly."

Turns out, then-Marketing Director Dinwiddie Fuhrmeister (note the updated spelling... again!) had these made. No one is sure how they were distributed, but we (we meaning Cathy) found this one in a dark corner of the basement, where Cathy had stowed it for archiving purposes.

A most savvy reader sent me a link to this gorgeous dress, for sale on eBay:

This photo borrowed from the eBay seller here.

Yes, that's a dress with old News Tribune front pages on it. It sold for $333 earlier this week to someone in Greece who goes by sxies66. For the record, their eBay feedback is excellent.

Is it too much to think that, in six to eight weeks when they receive the dress, Mr. or Ms. sxies66's stock will rise?

I think not.

These dresses are dated Sunday May 18, 1969. They were bought at an estate sale of a man that worked for the Tacoma News Tribune paper. I don’t know if you had to order them or if every paper had one in it that Sunday but my guess is there are not too many out there like this. They were made by Kimberly Clark, of paper towel fame. They are 97% cellulose and 7% nylon. Sadly they are not in perfect condition. The one on the right is in great shape in front with only a spot of yellowing by the under arm, it is not really noticeable unless you are looking for it.... The paper fabric is still sound and not brittle. They are size small and are 37 inches long and 22 inches across the hem.

In other words, perfect.

Have any good summer vacation stories? It probably won't match the one from Patrick Carlisle, a Pacific Lutheran University student-turned-impromptu-air-marshal during a Horizon Air flight last weekend.

The Big Blog writes:
As the plane was ascending, a 22-year-old California woman reportedly put a flight attendant in a headlock and told her, "If anyone's going to die on this flight, it's going to be you," Carlisle said.

Carlisle and UW student Scott Handlin detained the woman as the plane made a U-turn back to Sea-Tac, where the woman received a one-way ticket to see a phsyciatrist.

I just want to draw everyone's attention to Derek's post about the happy hour auction for Rock Zombie, a movie that is sure to please all fans of both rock and zombie genres.

Anyhow, I'm drawing your attention to it both because it sounds rad and I was supposed to blog about it earlier this week but dropped the ball ... because I was too busy writing about how we've droped the ball as a blog ... kind of a theme in my life. Ah well.

Young Frankenstein the Musical is finally out of previews and ready to be ripped apart or praised by critics (here's Alec Clayton's review). It's technically been playing in Seattle for a couple of weeks while they've worked the bugs out of the show, but it officially "premiered" last night.

It's playing at the Paramount for another week and I recommend you try and see it before it heads to Broadway if only for this reason:

Highest ticket price in Seattle: $100
Highest ticket price on Broadway: $450

Get out there and get your car washed for free at a few Brown Bear Car Wash locations today. And, FYI, I'm blaming all you cheapskates if it starts raining by the end of the day.

The Brown Bear Car Wash company is celebrating its 50th anniversary today with free car washes at selected locations. In Tacoma and Pierce County, that includes:

• 3002 S. 38th St., Tacoma

• 13204 Pacific Ave., Tacoma

• 10913 Bridgeport Way S.W., Lakewood

• 5950 Sixth Ave., Tacoma

In related news, I've always thought the bear in the Brown Bear logo is terribly adorable.

Next time someone suggests "flash-mobbing" a restaurant on their first day, I'm going to have to suggest shifts. I went to Mary's today (along with everyone else, who you can read about from Kevin's post) and it seems we caused a bit of a line.

But I'm still full. Like no-thanks-to-dinner full.

I'll leave the food criticism to Ed, but I can say that I was excited to find that every burger comes with the choice of a vegetarian patty (or salmon or chicken).

I used to say the unofficial slogan of Tacoma was "Tacoma, where there's always somewhere to park." I kid because I love. (And really, our slogan might not last much longer in the face of development).

But the point is, this is the kind of city where you can meet some cool kids at the coffee shop, get invited to a bonfire in an old bathtub in somebody's backyard, be politely told by a jolly fireman to put out said fire, then retire to the living room to watch reruns of "Northern Exposure."

We've got heart.

So I was excited and proud to see a new DIY venture advertised on fliers around town. I am now MySpace friends with PitchPipe Infoshop, a radical library and Internet hub that also is hosting movie nights and other good things.

A bit more info, courtesy of their profile page:

We are a nonprofit, collectively run radical lending library and community space.

The infoshop includes a community lending library focused on gender studies, people of color issues, and anarchism, computer(s) with internet access, coffee and tea, organizing and meeting space, skill sharing, movie nights, conversation and ideas, and hopefully much more.

Our location and contact information: 617 South 17th St (corner of S 17th & S G St)
Tacoma, WA
pitchpipeinfo@riseup.net

Regular hours are Fridays 12-4pm and Saturdays 4-7pm. We hope to expand our hours soon.

We can always use donations of radical nonfiction books and zines, good fiction, bookshelves, and money. You can check out some of our inventory at http://www.librarything.com/catalog/PitchpipeInfoshop

They note, "you don't have to be 'radical' to come to the infoshop." But I would like to think we're all pretty radical – in the Jeff Spicoli sense.

So has anybody been yet?

We’ve been remiss. Which isn’t as fun as being drunk and also less conducive to writing the GritCity posts you’ve come to rely on for updates on bread made by ex-cons and where to look at C-list stars. We haven’t even found an excuse to write about fanny packs lately, our bread and butter.

But we want you back. Yes you, our one reader. We apologize. And, just so you don’t think we forgot about you, whatever your name was, we offer these excuses.

From Laura: I’ve been stuck in I-5 traffic on my way home to Seattle for two weeks. Actually, there’s been no traffic. I’ve been sitting in the middle of the interstate hoping for some traffic though. It’s been BRUTAL!

From Cole: Sorry I haven’t been paying much attention to you lately. It’s not that I stopped caring entirely ... It’s just that I stopped caring just a little bit. I’ll try to notice more of the quirky things about Tacoma, then I’ll try to remember them. After that, I’ll try to write them down in a digital way that allows you to magically see it on your computer’s monitor. To show you all the good I’ve been doing lately, I thought I’d highlight some recent things that weren’t my fault:
1. Lead paint in baby toys
2. The Lazy Donkey Wildfire
3. Hurricane Dean
(Hurricane Dean was Niki’s fault.)

From Kelly: I’ve been taking pictures of my cat sleeping in my laundry. Just doing your laundry is something positive. Better than crying yourself to sleep. Oh, god, don’t hate me.

From Niki, your fanny-pack wearing, ex-con-breadmaker-blogging friend: They're making me write this. I'm like Cinderella over here, mopping the floors and getting dirty looks at GritCity staff meetings when I try to steer the subject away from cats. Plus, I've been told I'm no good at apologizing. Anyway, whatever ... for that, I'm sorry. I guess.

So there you have it. From here, we fully intend to redouble our efforts. How do you redouble zero? Good question. Stay tuned to find out.

But I am!

Metropolitan Market now carries Dave's Killer Bread. You'll find it right as you walk in, near the bottom of the bread rack. You'll be able to spot it by the cartoon ponytailed man playing a guitar on the label.

Dave, of Dave's Killer Bread (and the subject of the cartoon), lives in Portland, where he sells at the Farmers' Market on Saturdays. His booth always has a crowd because his bread is delish.

But aside from making awesome bread, Dave has quite a story. Here's a snippet from his bio online:

Now, not only was I running from 5 serious felony cases in three counties, I had to hide from my connections as my horrific string of “bad luck” had transformed me from a high roller to a man on a precipice... I disconnected from my once-comfortable circle of criminals, found a pretty little exotic dancer to make my final nights bearable and stayed off the streets.

And later...

And don’t let me forget to tell you: I had another quarter-pound of meth and a .stolen .380 Glock in my car at the time.

Last time I was in Portland, I bought five loafs and Dave himself gave me a free tote bag, featuring his big cartoon likeness playing the guitar. No, it's not for sale.

Metropolitan is the only place in Tacoma where you can buy Dave's bread, but I hope that won't last long. Enjoy.

Vy & Elle, a Portland company, make a laptop backpack out of recycled billboards.

It looks like you-know-who has changed some of the billboards around town to a new message. No word on whether they recycle and, if so, when you might be able to get your patriotic laptop pack. I'll keep you posted.

My first brush with MOVE! last summer, with the lithe ballerina bods and crazy moves, was tempting enough to make me want to take a ballet class (which I did, snaring a pregnant friend along for class... sorry for that!).

Tonight's MOVE! will be a bit different, although every bit as exciting: It's a recital for the first class of students at MLKBallet, the tuition-free dance program on the Hilltop that the MOVE! shows benefit.

It's also a fundraiser, so bring your checkbooks. I promise you'll use it if Alexa Folsom-Hill or Kate Monty, two of MLKBallet's founders, get a chance to talk to you about the program.

So, here's what you need to know: The show is tonight, 7 p.m. at the Urban Grace Church, S. 9th and Market St. To RSVP, call Alexa at 206-850-9978.

To check out the program, go here.

Nick Lachey's visiting the Rainiers again on Aug. 25, but I'm not nearly as excited about it this time because 1) It's happened before and 2) There's no chance Jessica Simpson will make a surprise appearance.

But the same day, he'll be participating in the Richard Karn Celebrity Softball Game at Cheney Stadium. If you'll recall, Richard Karn played Al Borland on Home Improvement. But guess who else is playing? Tori Spelling! And suitcase holder #9 from Deal or No Deal (she's also substituted for numbers 4, 5, and 10 according to Wikipedia)! It's a virtual "who?"s who of celebrities you won't want to miss! Here's a mostly complete list of celebrity participants.

The celebrity softball game is slated to start at 11 a.m. at Cheney Stadium and features Karn, Lachey and other actors from television and movies. Tickets for that game are $15 and can be purchased through Windermere Professional Partners by calling 253-565-1189 or going online to www.windermerepropartners.com.

See this building:

Now hear this: The owners of the buildling, also the owners of Funkoma Vintage and Yung's Teriyaki, want you to paint it.

In their words:

Kenny and I have agreed and moaned about the sad state of our building --- it is yukky --- sad, because there is so much goodness inside here at 306 and 308 E. 26th St.

On Friday August 17 from noonish to 6ish, we will have exterior paint, brushes and a ladder or 2 available to folks who want to stop by and do a doodle, sign a name, roll out a wall, or add some stylistic color --- to our blank walls.

In my words: Awesome. Who said improvements to your business have to cost a lot of money?

Update: Right after I posted, I saw Kevin had done the same here. He says: First one to write "Constitutions Matter" on the building gets extra points. Good luck!

We've been talking an awful lot about signage lately, so yesterday, when I was sick and restless, I took pictures of some non-billboard signs around town.

Some are wonderful, some are not. You decide.

Some cities and towns (Sisters, Ore., which is completely western-themed, comes to mind) are incredibly restrictive about any kinds of signs. Others aren't. The question: Can we talk about billboard blight and leave out business signs? Should we?

Also, if you have signs to add, e-mail me or suggest them in the comments.

Here's a little bit of information I wish I would've known before Sunday: If you're trekking around the Chambers Bay trail clockwise and you find yourself needing to use the restroom, don't be tempted by the porta-potties at the bottom of the hill. (No hand sanitizer. Need I say more?)

A little over a mile (and one treacherous yet shaded hill) away, there's an actual brick and mortar restroom. As I did not have this information before Sunday, I can only assume that it has soap and other necessities of what we've come to appreciate as a First World restroom.

Another hint: Don't get all self-righteous about running the trail until after you've gotten up the hill.

Oh, Spew! You got me so excited...

I called Bombay Bistro and, although it sounded like there were people there, the man who answered my call said they are not yet open.

He says they'll be open in mid-August, but didn't offer a solid date.

Patience, my friends.

I hope this video works. The dance is called something like "Learn a trade, get a job ... something I forget ... retire."

From Korea via Boing Boing, the answer to Tacoma's billboard problem:

Transparent billboards!!

Here's the link.

The fund raiser/preview of the Joel Show II on Saturday night was fantastic! I'll be uploading some video very soon of the first of two solo performances by Joel Myers himself and some still images of the party so you can see what I'm talking about.

Not only did we get to see Joel perform, we got to see a dozen of his students who had just finished up a three-week dance workshop. Few of his students were able to pay full tuition, but drove all the way from Yelm (in the case of two adorable twin brothers) and beyond to learn from Joel. (Hence the fund raiser.)

I haven't studied dance and I don't know much about performance composition, but I do know that Joel's work always makes me either laugh or cry ... or both ... so there's something.

Updates soon!

In the chaos of Art on the Ave., someone apparently made away with this garbage can, named "T-Town Indigenous."

Who would do such a thing? And how could they get away with it?

Claudia Riedener would like to know. Call her at 274-0655 if you have answers.

If you don't know Joel Myers, you should make a point of meeting him.

Joel lives on the Hilltop with his lovely girlfriend, Lisa Fruichantie, another person you should definitely meet, but probably already have. They're the kind of people who are involved in so much around town, you start to wonder where they get all their energy.

If you went to Urban Arts Festival and saw the musical theater/fashion show "Shore Leave," you saw their work (Lisa designed women's clothes, Daniel Blue designed the menswear and Joel did choreography). If you saw the one-man dance afterward, you saw Joel in action. If you went to the Midsummer Soiree last weekend, you probably saw Lisa fluttering around the crowd (she was an organizer). The list goes on.

And if you want to see more, look no farther than ...

There's Joel!

You have three weekends to see him:
This weekend, catch the preview at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
Where: 747 S. Fawcett Ave, #B (Behind Black Water Cafe)
Tickets: $30 presale, $40 at the door (includes performance, food and drinks)
RSVP: 253-573-4019

Next weekend, watch MOVE! with at Annie Wright Theater on Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Tickets: $14 at the door or here.
Proceeds help fund MLKBallet's tuition-free dance training program
RSVP: 253-573-4019

OR (or AND)

The Magic in the Movement, A fund raiser for MLKBallet
When: Fri., Aug. 17 at 7 p.m.
Where: Urban Grace Church, corner of Ninth and Market
Tickets: $25 (space is limited, purchase in advance)
RSVP: 206-850-9978

It's hot. And sunny!

I wish I were going to spend the night playing tennis at Jefferson Park and splashing around in the water park there, but I'm not. Instead, I'll be running for like 3 hours. And by running I mean shuffling.

As much as I love Point Defiance Park, I need a break from running there. Going around Wright Park and down to Ruston also seems a little worn. The hill from Titlow Beach just looks painful.

Any other suggestions? I leave in two hours and am looking for something that's downhill in both directions.

Also, if anyone is interested in shuffling along, let me know. Only slow people welcome.