Blog Posts

Meeker Days Festival in Puyallup

Summer, with its warmer weather, is the perfect time of year for festivals and other outdoor events. It seems like every week and weekend brings with it another celebration and opportunity to get outside for a good time. This weekend is no exception: the annual Meeker Days Festival will be held right here in Puyallup from the 17th through the 19th, not far from Willow Hill. The Meeker Days Festival is Pierce Countys largest street festival. A 15-block area of historic downtown Puyallup will be devoted to the event starting Friday the 17th at noon. There will be four entertainment stages with various displays and performances going on, including one stage devoted specifically to childrens entertainment. Over two hundred craft and commercial vendors will line the streets, with a wide variety of unique shopping opportunities. Two food courts and a beer garden will offer all sorts of dining and drinking options. Other events include inflatable rides, educational exhibits, an antique tractor display, tractor pull races, classic car shows, and the Farmers Market. Oh, and dont forget the battle of the bands, the Downtown Gets Down street dance, and the Lil Miss Meeker Pageant. The festival will run Friday the 17th from noon to nine in the evening, Saturday from ten to nine, and Sunday from ten to five in the evening. It will be centered at Pioneer Park here in Puyallup. Attendance is free, though of course food and some events will not be. For more information on events, pricing, directions, and the like, check out the Puyallup Main Street Association website here . Have a fun time at the festival this weekend, and come back to let us know how it went in the comments!

Americas Car Museum Summer Events

Cars have been a huge part of life in America around the world for over a century now. They serve as tools, transportation, and entertainment, and their influence has pervaded our entire culture. For any residents of our Willow Hill apartments in Puyallup who love a great automobile, there is an excellent opportunity less than half an hour away: Americas Car Museum. According to their website , the museum spotlights Americas love affair with the automobile. ACM is designed to preserve history and celebrate the worlds automotive culture. The spacious facility houses up to 300 cars, trucks and motorcycles from private owners, corporations, and the LeMay collection. In addition to their exhibits, ACM hosts regular events that car aficionados might want to check out. Heres a few events coming up this month, with descriptions from their website. Click on the links for dates and other info. Race Night at ACM Put your racing skills to the test every second Thursday of the month in the Speed Zone at ACM! Our CXC racing simulators are linked together to provide a realistic racing experience against other drivers. Compete on famous tracks such as: Darlington, Daytona, Dover and more! Race Nights are open to members, friends and the general public! Teams are also welcome to join in on the fun. Hoods Up for Fathers Day Once a year we open up hoods to display over 100 years of automobile power. We will have modern conventional and high powered engines on display as well vintage and early experimental engine power. See how cars were powered without computers! We have selected nice variety to have on view to make Dads day extra special! Drive-In Movies at ACM Join us for car-themed Drive-In movies on ACMs Haub Family Field where the cars are the stars! Grab dinner at our picnic concessions and watch in your car or from a blanket or chair, either option will give you a great view of the 40-foot outdoor screen! The Drive-In movies have proven to be very popular, so be sure to arrive early to reserve your spot! Parking for the show starts at 4:30pm, with showtime at dusk (around 9pm). This Drive-In movie is FREE to the public, but does not include Museum admission.

The Best Bike Shops Near Puyallup

May is home to both National Bike Month and National Bike-to-Work Week, so theres really no better time of year to saddle up and explore the open bike-friendly roads than this spring-weathered month. Whether you have a bike of your own or not, youll likely need to visit a bike shop to get things tuned up and in working order. Below, we highlight some of the better shops in the area for residents of our Willow Hill apartments in Puyallup and why locals love them so much. Old Town Bicycle Though part of a local chain, they run it with the integrity youd expect in any other local shop. And that consistency and structure is one of the reasons theyve been voted as one of the nations best bike shops. Their service is pretty remarkable. Locals have brought in cracked rims before for repair and were given a loaner rim to get around while the regular rim was out of service. Whether youre looking for tubes for a bike stroller or trailer, want competitive prices, need advice on upgrading components like new pedals or chains, or want your bike fitted to you to increase performance, Tacomas Old Town Bicycle is the place to do all that and more. You can read more about them over here . Defiance Bicycle Fawcett Aves Defiance Bicycle is all about preserving a down-to-earth vibe youd find in your friends garage. Whether youre looking for a custom-built bike with custom-built wheels or just need a regular tune-up, this is the place to go. Regulars know theyve got a solution for everything, and they even feature used parts in case youre looking for a bargain fix. Commuting is something theyre also known for locally, so expect to find the perfect helmet or pannier bags here if youre thinking of biking to work every now and then. You can read more about their hip shop over yonder .

Creative Burger Recipes for National Burger Month

May is National Burger Month, making it is one of the most appropriate times to chow down on a juicy patty with a side of fries. But you deserve to try something a little more unique than your average burger. Below, weve highlighted a few different burger ideas residents of our Willow Hill apartments in Puyallup can try out this month. Goat Cheese & Avocado Lamb Burger Look, its not every day you have flavorful lamb burgers, so why not make things a big deal with goat cheese and avocado? Slices of red onion, fresh sprouts, cucumbers, and whole wheat buns make everything come together in a special way. Prep time and total cooking time should only take about fifteen minutes at most. You can see how to make these tasty wonders over here . Bahn Mi Chicken Burgers Vietnamese bahn mi sandwiches are where its at, and bringing those ideas to the flavortown of burgers is a pretty winning idea. With grated ginger, cilantro, soy sauce, green onions, garlic, sriracha for the spicy sauce, and a runny sunny-side egg on top, theres plenty to love about this burger. Prep and cook time comes out just over half an hour, but its worth the work. You can find what you need to make it over here . Chile-Stuffed Cheeseburger Making lamb burgers is one way to impress, and fusion ideas like bahn mi chicken burgers are another but stuffing a cheeseburger with chile goodness? Thats almost unfair. Though its made with melted cheese and roasted peppers, dont let this gourmet idea fool you it wont take you more than half an hour to make. So grab your pepper jack cheese, ground beef, and all the other toppings listed here. You cant go wrong with this one .

The Point Defiance Zoos Educational Adventures

May boasts plenty of spring-bound events and entertainment, but its also home to Endangered Species Day which puts a shining light on conservation efforts to help beautiful animals both near and far thrive. Locally, you can support conservation efforts and learn more about endangered animals by visiting the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Below, we highlight how residents of our Willow Hill apartments in Puyallup can do just that. Tiger Conservation Poaching and hunting have caused the once-thriving population of tigers to dwindle in size. Now, only two larger groups of sumatran tigers exist in the wild. Due to the efforts of organizations that are helping to reduce human-tiger conflicts, the recent numbers of tiger deaths have gone from fifteen a month to zero. Visiting zoos alone help contribute to those efforts, but you can also learn more about making specific donations over yonder . The zoo also features these majestic animals as part of their on-site exhibits, which you can learn about here . 96 Elephants The tusks of elephants are a lucrative commodity because of their ivory, which sadly leads to about ninety-six elephants a day dying from poachers. Within the next twenty years, elephants could be extinct altogether if this continues. To help with the cause, you can donate specifically to help save elephants and rhinos over here . Like the tigers above, the zoo features beautiful elephants as part of their exhibits. You can learn more about these breathtaking creatures by reading about them over here . Red Wolf Project Back in the 1970s, red wolves had nearly disappeared from the world altogether. Just one decade later, there were only about fourteen pure red wolves in existence. These wolves were brought to the Point Defiance Zoo. Because of the zoos efforts, there are now over two-hundred red wolves in existence with some being reintroduced to the wild. Though that doesnt come without its own set of challenges. You can support the Red Wolf Project by reading about it over here , and you can learn more about these graceful animals by visiting their animal fact sheet page .

Celebrate Comic Book Day in Puyallup

May is home to Free Comic Book Day, which happens on the seventh of this month. So what better time of the year to celebrate and fall in love with comics than now? Whether you havent explored comics since you were a kid in a fort with a flashlight or are looking for something new for your already-extensive collection, weve highlighted a few comic book stores for residents of our Willow Hill apartments in Puyallup to get you started. Fantasium Comics & Games Federal Ways Fantasium Comics has a little bit of everything for everyones tastes. They feature a large selection of traditional comics, more long-form graphic novels, and even a healthy amount of board and card games to add to your entertainment mix at home. The carpet and wood help make this local establishment feel homely, but its also a tidy ship if there ever was a ship full of comics. Paula is well-known to patrons for her knowledge and for creating an approachable and relaxing environment. Chances are whatever youre thinking of is here and if its not, theyll order it just the same. You can read more about them, browse their new comics, and check out their upcoming events by visiting their website . Atomic Comics For those that want a healthy mixture of all things new and old when it comes to comics and graphic novels, youll find that intersecting road between Nostalgia Road and Contemporary Lane at Tacomas Atomic Comics. With a bright, organized, and welcoming atmosphere, even so-called non-geeks will feel at home here. Come armed with a few of your favorite genres of stories, or characters in your favorite books, and expect to leave with a long list or an armful of reasonably priced comics. Youll also find some interesting toys and collectibles here. Their website is under construction, but you can read more about them over here .