Blog Posts

Tacoma Restaurants

This week the Trellis on Orchard Blog is going out to eat! In this post, we are featuring a few of our favorite restaurants in Tacoma, WA. We hope that you get the chance to get out of the apartment for a night out at one of these restaurants this month. We’ve included everything from seafood to bar food. Hopefully you find something that fits your tastes. Top of Tacoma Bar & Cafe 3529 McKinley Ave E, Tacoma, WA Roderick Pruitt III : “ I can't say any more than what people probably already have. The prices are absurdly low for the quality of food. They could have charged me Triple for the last two years I've had there for just the place then I would have smiled while I paid it. Very infrequently do I come across an establishment that so seriously takes pride in the quality of food and service they deliver” Marzano Italian Restaurant 516 Garfield St S, Tacoma, WA Tess Koning : “It's the only place in the area where we've find fresh pasta and truly amazing ingredients. Haven't had a bad thing here yet. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Beware the dessert tray: once you see it, you can't avoid eating off of it!” The Fish Peddler Restaurant and Market 1199 Dock St, Tacoma, WA Ann Marie Marana : “Great place to sit outside a have lunch. Casual atmosphere and great waitstaff. Never have to wait for a table or someone to take our order. I think I've had most on the menu. Lol. Crab cakes, Razor Clam Chowder, Crab Melt, Pan Fried Oysters--all amazingly delicious!” Vuelva a la Vida 5312 Pacific Ave, Tacoma, WA Alicia Phillips : “Large portions of authentic-tasting Mexican cuisine. Pollo enchiladas comes with a side of carne asada. Open kitchen allows for customers to observe the preparation of their meals. I brought my uncle here, and he loved the pollo mole (Mexican chocolate). 5 stars for taste and service!” Savor Tacoma Creperie 1916 Pacific Ave, Tacoma, WA Andrew Zacharczyck : “Friendly employees, casual atmosphere, and very yummy food. So far I have tried four different crepes and they have all been great! When I tried the strawberry crepe , labeled as a "sweet crepe" I was worried that is would be super sweet. Thankfully it wasn't, just enough sweetness to balance out how fresh the strawberries tasted.” What are your favorite restaurants in Tacoma? What should we order off the menu? Leave us a comment and let us know. Thanks for reading!

Apartment-Friendly Decorating

Decorating an apartment can be pretty difficult. There are rules and restrictions, and it’s also difficult to know just where to start. In this post, the Trellis on Orchard Blog has five apartment-friendly decorating tips for our residents to use and enjoy. These tips are just meant to be starting points—feel free to expand on the tips we give you and go crazy (just make sure your decorating efforts are apartment safe, of course)! Plants Let your space breathe a little. Plants add instant color to a room, and they’re easy to incorporate into any style of decor. Use fresh cut flowers to change the feel of your space each week, grow herbs in your kitchen, and grow succulents and cacti in the living room and bedrooms. Rugs Rugs add instant warmth to any space. Whether you’re embracing a white, faux-fur look or decorating with crazy colors and patterns, a rug is the perfect finishing touch for any room. Rugs can help tie an entire room (or theme) together. Washi Tape Change up your apartment’s look frequently by using washi tape. Washi tape can transform any wall into a work of art. We recommend using geometric patterns, varying colors, and different images to create a wallpaper-like look. Tapestries Tapestries are another great way to liven up your walls. Tapestries come in all different sorts of shapes, patterns, and sizes. You can have a view of the Sahara, Paris, or even the ocean with the right tapestry. Bedding Bedding is an easy way to change the look of any bedroom in your apartment home. Use bedding as the centrepiece of your theme. Bedding should compliment the room, express your personality, and, of course, be comfortable! We hope that you have fun decorating your Tacoma, WA apartment this month. Thanks for reading; we’ll see you next month!

Read All Fall

This month the Trellis on Orchard Blog is celebrating reading! Reading has plenty of proven benefits, but our favorite is just how relaxing it is! This month we’re helping you pick out a good book with five different book recommendations. We’ve got it all—historical fiction, nonfiction, fiction, a play, and a mystery. The White Album by Joan Didion Joan Didion examines the wreck of the sixties with poignant and perceptive essays like “The White Album,” “James Pike, American,” “Holy Water,” “Georgia O’Keefe.” and “On the Morning After the Sixties.” Didion’s work, though no longer contemporary, still holds the bite and sting it held when first published. Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson Ruthie and Lucille are raised by their grandmother after their mother’s death. When their grandmother dies, their Aunt Sylvie steps in to take her place. Aunt Sylvie is different from the rest of the town — she doesn’t seem to have much interest in keeping house, following schedules, or maintaining a reputation. When the town becomes suspicious, Lucille and Ruthie must make a choice: do they stay together or fall apart? Ruthie narrates this tale of transience and loneliness. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr Werner is a young German boy whose gift with radios and circuitry leads him to a top Nazi school and eventually out into the army. Marie-Laurre is a young French girl whose father’s mission to protect the infamous jewel, “The Sea of Flames,” leads her out of Paris and to Saint-Malo. Their paths cross and diverge in All the Light We Cannot See . The Importance of Being Earnest John wishes to marry Gwendolen, and Algernon wishes to marry Cecily. The problem is that both women believe that their intended’s name is “Ernest,” and they refuse to marry anyone who isn’t named Ernest. The two scramble to cover their lies (coincidentally, with even more lying) in this screwball comedy. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier The unnamed narrator arrives at Manderley, an impressive country estate, after marrying Maxim de Winter, the owner and heir to the property. She is soon tormented by the memory of Maxim’s first wife, Rebecca. The neighbors, guests, and servants are all devoted to the memory of Rebecca, but no one is more devoted than the twisted Mrs. Danvers. As the mysteries pile up, the narrator begins to wonder if marrying Maxim and coming to Manderley was a big mistake. We hope you’ve enjoyed our list! Don’t forget to check out your local library in Tacoma, WA this month to see what books the librarians are recommending.

Favorite Fall Desserts

Fall is almost here! September 22nd marks the end of summer and the beginning of one of our favorite seasons, autumn! There are a lot of things to love about autumn, but we think food has to be our favorite! This week the Trellis on Orchard has five recipes to help you get ready for fall. Apple Caramel Cheesecake Recipes from All She Cooks Whip up this easy treat when you’re in a rush to get dinner (and dessert) on the table. It’s easy, uses store bought items, and will probably take you about five minutes, tops, to throw together. If you’d like to go above and beyond, use homemade granola, pie filling, and caramel. Cinnamon and Spice Sweet Potato Bread from Averie Cooks If you’re tired of the same-old pumpkin and apple bread, try this cinnamon and spice sweet potato bread. It’s sweet, moist, and delicious. This dessert is perfect for a hearty dessert, side dish at dinner, or a breakfast treat. English Apple Cinnamon Pasties from Something Swanky For something a little lighter, we’d recommend these english apple cinnamon pasties. These pasties have a light and flaky crust and a simple (and amazing) apple filling. The glaze drizzled on top of the pasties makes this dessert all the better. Pumpkin Spice Truffles from Sally’s Baking Addiction Need something sweet to snack on? We think you should make these pumpkin spice truffles. These truffles taste great, with the perfect combination of chocolate, graham crackers, and pumpkin filling. Cinnamon Streusel Banana Almond Muffins from Peas & Crayons These delicious cinnamon streusel banana almond muffins are amazing. Seriously. You’ll love the mix of nutty and sweet combined in this dessert. The texture, the flavors, the spices...you’ll love having this treat for a simple and easy fall breakfast. We hope that you’ve enjoyed these recipes and that you take the opportunity to make a couple of them this month. Thanks for reading!

Events in Tacoma

In this post, the Trellis on Orchard Blog is exploring a few events in the Tacoma, WA area! There’s a lot going on in the city this September; make sure you don’t miss out. This week we’ve got four events that we think you’ll love attending. Washington State Fair September 2 - September 25, 2016 From the website: “ Get ready to PARTY BIG at the Washington State Fair in Puyallup. For 21 glorious days enjoy delicious food, wild rides, dazzling entertainment and fun for the whole family. It's the biggest party in the state and you don't want to miss out! Beginning in 2016, the Fair will kick off the Friday of the Labor Day weekend and end the last Sunday of the month, providing an additional week of fun.” Take a Spin July 24 - September 24, 2016 From the website: “SUMMER JUST ISN’T AS FUN WITHOUT ACM’S TAKE A SPIN EVENTS! Rides in vehicles from the ACM Collection will be presented for guests to experience history in motion! Vehicles will vary and may be a selection from Antiques and pre-war Classics to the Fabulous Fifties. Perhaps a fire truck will even make a special appearance!” Puget Sound Free to Breathe 5k Run/Walk September 17, 2016 From the website: “Hundreds of local residents are joining forces to fight lung cancer, united in the belief that surviving lung cancer should be the expectation, not the exception. These everyday superheroes will be meeting at the Puget Sound Free to Breathe 5K Run/Walk and 1-mile Walk on Saturday, September 17th at Wright Park. All proceeds from the event support Free to Breathe, a lung cancer research and advocacy organization dedicating to doubling lung cancer survival by 2022. This year’s event will feature a 5K Run/Walk and 1-mile Walk. The day will also include opening and closing rallies and fun for the whole family including music from a local DJ and a kids’ craft. Special recognition will be given to top finishers and fundraising heroes. Gather your superhero squad, and join us for an inspiring day focused on doubling lung cancer survival.” We hope you choose to attend a local event this September. Local events are a great way to support the community and meet new people. Thanks for reading!