Servin’ It Up, Tacoma Style—A Cook’s Tour Returns!

My friend Rachael is a doer. And a helper. She does and she helps, no questions; she just works hard, has fun, and grows her heart even bigger. She cares about her community passionately. So, when Rachael gives her rally cry, “…hey this is great, do this!” You listen.

Rachael gives me the inside scoop on some great fundraisers. And it’s not just your usual fundraising; it’s fresh, it’s real, it’s fun, and it’s all about Tacoma. And she’s at it again! Go Rachael go!

Junior League of Tacoma is going for the gusto in their fourth year of “A Cook’s Tour.” Think about this Tacoma lovers and patrons: you get a personal escort to five of Tacoma’s most beautiful homes, you meet local chefs extraordinaire and get the inside scoop on being a Tacoma foodie (and trust me, you can be a foodie in this town with great pride and fervor). Decorating tips and other secrets to being totally fabulous are all within grasp. The best part? Your dollars do good things in supporting the good works of the JLT, with proceeds going to the JLT literacy programs -- Adopt A School, the Family Lecture Series partnering with the Tacoma Public Library and numerous one day projects to support the literacy of children in our community.

For fifty bucks, you aren’t driving, (shuttles deliver you and yours from Annie Wright School at 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM, and 4:00 PM); so you can kick back, be a lookie-loo, ask questions, and dream out loud. Hey, sounds good to me! (Plus, I’ll let you in on a secret: I am volunteering as docent this weekend in one of the MAGNIFICENT homes for the Tacoma Historic Homes Tour—this house is ALSO going to be part of the Cook’s Tour. Ooo La La! Folks, you are going to LOVE this. I’ve decided I’d just live in the kitchen. Seriously. It’s that incredible)!

Tickets are limited and because this event happens soon on May 10^th (Mom’s Day alert! Mom’s day alert!), get on it and get your tickets today. Call 383-1030 or visit jlttacoma.org to do your thing.

Cheers!

Cool Stuff, Free Stuff, Food and Stuff: All The Right Stuff!

I love charity auctions, especially silent auctions. It's a fun game of shopping, gaming, strategy, and giving. I also love prizes, drawings, and surprises. Toss in some fantastic food, awesome wine, beauty buzz, high energy, and nice folks, and you have the event I attended Wednesday night.

Beauty, Bags & Bordeaux...A Girlfriend's Gathering was amazing fun and proceeds for this event supported the kiddos at Mary Bridge Children's Hospital and Health Center. I blogged about this celebration in March (click here to read all about it), and thanks to you, the event was a sold out affair. Put on by the friendly, ultra helpful and high energy Chambers Creek Orthopedic Guild, and hosted by Cascade Eye and Skin Centers in University Place, we were treated to a great night. Mom and I started with a glass of sparkling French wine and complimentary paraffin hand dips to make our hands silky soft. We perused pretty jewelry, glasses, and great products offered at the center and other local businesses (lots of little samples of the beauty products were dispersed which I adore!). We noshed on yummy food and desserts and sipped some terrific wines. We each bought little mini purses party favors and they had prizes in them. So for a small donation, you got great stuff. Mom and I were really lucky; I won a pretty watch and lip glosses and Mom got a moisturizer and a pretty designer scarf! The silent handbag auction offered something for everyone literally. It was great fun. I got a kitschy purse shaped like a boston terrier and a little sequined goldfish clutch (that my daughter prompted abducted). Mom won a couple of purses she just loved.

Aside from the retail therapy, we learned a lot about our skin and how to take care of it. The Cascade folks were really terrific and their facility is gorgeous. I also got to bump into a lot of folks I knew and it was fun chatting and catching up. All of this for the entry fee of thirty bucks. And the proceeds helped our South Sound kids. Now that you can't beat!

I'd like to thank everyone involved in this event. Your hard work paid off! And hey, just sign me up for next year too. I am ready!