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Local Sports Bars to Catch March Madness

March and basketball are a real thing of beautyand the massive madness of college basketball competition deserves to be experienced with friends out on the town. Since even the loftiest of homes can only house so many big screens at once, heading out to the local sports bars can be a great way to make sure you dont miss out on any of the action. Below, weve decided to outline the best places to catch all the cant-miss games with your family or friends. Loose Wheel Bar + Grill Locals know how important atmosphere and a friendly staff are to any game experiencewhich is precisely what makes Loose Wheel fit the bill so well. Whether you need a reliable place to watch a game while you chow down on wings, pizza, onion rings, or burgers, fair prices and delicious food meet together at this downtown crossroad. You can check out their menus in both locations on their website, along with their available beers and upcoming events. They even offer kegs you can take home in case the bar is a little too crowded for your taste. Cheers Bar + Grill Pacific Aves Cheers isnt the same as the one that used to be on the show, but the modern atmosphere does well at honoring its namesake. With lots of screens to catch all the games, you wont miss out on much. Whether youre looking for a place to play a game of pool, angus burgers, buffalo chicken wraps, street tacos, or chips and salsa, theyve got it all. You can check out what they offer on their menu over here, as well as any updates on upcoming events at their locations. North End Tavern Proctor Aves North End Tavern is one of the better hang-out spots in town because of their reasonably priced food and daily specials, down-to-earth vibes and atmosphere, and offerings of local brews on tap. Whether youre in the mood for wings, waffle fries, or even egg rolls while you keep tabs on all the games, theyve got what you need in an underrated environment. Even their cuban sandwich gets noteworthy reviews. You can preview some of their menu over here. Though theyre not as established outside of word-of-mouth, those that have been in the area enjoyed their experience.

Time-Saving Spring Cleaning Tips

The advent of spring brings almost instant joy and relief because of the promise of a little bit more sunshine and being that much closer to summer. And after a long and cold northwest winter, theres bound to be clothing and items to go through that have seen better days. So, with that newfound spring energy, here are a few time-saving tips to help you get through spring cleaning that much easier this year. Donation Bin Going through your apartment all at once is doable, but it might also seem pretty daunting if youve got a busier schedule. Instead, having a dedicated bin that you try to place one item in each dayuntil its fullcan make it a little easier to carefully evaluate what you can do without. You could even set aside a box in each room. That way, whenever you have a second in each room, you can cut down on the clutter before you grab something to drink or a book from your bookshelf in the living room. Kitchen Countdown This is for those that only have a few minutes to spare. The next time youre boiling water, or popping popcorn in the microwave, try to clean as much of your kitchen as you can until your water is simmering or the popcorn is ready. Even if youre only able to wipe down the counters, or sweep the kitchen floor, youll be surprised and impressed with how much you got done in just a minute or two. If you have more time to spare, you can try this if youve got something thatll take longer in the stove. The best part about self-imposed stop times is that you know when you get to stop cleaning. Bathroom Zen If youve got just a few minutes, thats enough time to use a multi-surface wipe to disinfect most of the surfaces in your bathroom. And if youve got around an hour, you can de-moldify the bathroom floor and any neglected nooks and crannies with this non-bleach approach. If youve got some extra time after that, you can usually throw your shower curtains in the wash to help prevent mildew and mold build-upunless it says otherwise on their instruction tag. Go ahead and throw in your bathroom mats and towels while youre at it to get even more done (dont forget to check their tags, too).

St. Patricks Day Drinks

March and St. Patricks Day are star-crossed lovers forever, which means that this month is as ripe with an opportunity to appreciate another exhilarating culture that enriches our community as it is an excuse to wear all green without getting scoffed at, or to duck into your favorite pub to share a strong stout with family or friends. If youre looking to celebrate at home, here a few things you can make thatll bring the holiday to life. Green Apple Ginger Martini For those that often dont veer into the fruit-flavored drink territory, this one is a little more up the alley of purists. Instead of neon green artificial flavors, this spirited martini relies more on the real thingslices of tart apple and tart apple juice, a bit of fresh lime, and ginger-infused vodka to bring together something as characteristic as it is refreshing and vibrant. You can find out how to make this green cocktail come to life over here . Cucumber Lime Punch Taking a page from the lime that works so well in the previous idea, this cucumber lime punch is just as calm and cool as it is punchy and energizing. And while the recipe for this one doesnt include any spirits, you can easily add in some of your favorite to the mixor drink it without. Youll just need some lemon-lime soda, ice, cucumbers, frozen limeade, and limes for garnish. Find out how to make it over here . Green Fizz Cocktail For those that are into the fizz but are in search of some different flavors, this one is right up your alley. Youll just need a cored green apple, melon liqueur, a kiwi, vodka, and seltzer. Sweet and memorable, this drink embodies the confident culture of the day. And it only takes a few minutes to whip together. You can find everything youll need for this fizz wonder over yonder .

Spring-Themed Reading Suggestions

Springtime is just around the corner. And because all that extra sunlight and all those blooming flowers bring a newfound energy, that means better weather to go exploring locally, and energy to do some deep seasonal cleaning. But with the changing of seasons might come a desire to curl up with a good book in the sunlight coming through your window. Below, weve outlined a few books set in spring that will help you do just that. Leaves of Grass For those that are looking for something to celebrate national poetry month, Walt Whitmans Leaves of Grass was an electric breakthrough in prose and stands up in its remarkable ability to describe feeling even today. Though each season makes an appearance here, spring and summer make the most striking and lasting expressions. Youll be able to connect with and fall in love with the earnest and optimistic colors and experiences of the season with this book. You can grab a copy of it at the Tacoma Public Library, your favorite local bookstore, or online. And you can read more about this seasonal masterpiece over here . The Botany of Desire Have you ever wondered whats behind the evolution of different plants that are a part of our everyday lives? Michael Pollans Botany of Desire answers that question by looking at the world through the metaphorical eyes of four different plants, exploring our relationship with our environment. Perhaps the most compelling thing about the book is its ability to suggest that perhaps plants have evolved to our needs, but also push us to evolve for their own benefit. You can read more about this great non-fiction page-turner over here . A Room with a View The jubilance that accompanies spring can have an intoxicating influence on us Pacific Northwesterners after so many seemingly uninterrupted overcast months. While that usually just shows up as high energy and optimism, this book exploresthrough comedythe way spring and characters set in this twentieth century victorian story open themselves up because of their experiences therein. You can read more about this classic by E.M. Forster over here .

Making Chocolate from Scratch Part II

February is a month so star-crossed with chocolatein part because it bears a holiday devoted to love and chocolate-laden valentines. But while its definitely easy to buy some of your favorite store-bought or artisanal chocolates to show your love or appreciation to friends or family, making your own batch from scratch can leave be all the more memorable. In two posts, well outline how to pull it all off. Refining the Cocoa Once the nibs have been separated, youll want to grind up the result of the previous step as much as you possibly can. In lieu of other expensive processing equipment, a coffee or spice grinder will do just fine. Measure out the sweetener you want. For example, about 40 G of your sugar and 60 G of nibs will work out to be a sixty-percent dark blend. Add the sweetener first and start grinding it down, and then add the nibs once the sweetener is superfine. Make sure to grind up the mass for about five minutes. Stop in one minute intervals to let your grinder cool and to mix in the parts of the mass that are sticking to the bottom and sides. Conching the Chocolate Once youve mixed up the chocolate, youll want to melt it down in your mortar and pestle. Wed recommend putting the mortar and pestle into the oven at a lower temperature for a few minutes, or using a hairdryer to warm them up enough to melt and mellow the chocolate out. Mix it up until it melts, and, more importantly, until the chocolate gets the taste you want. Normally, this step takes hours. But mixing that long by hand is impractical. Even devoting ten or fifteen minutes will improve the overall taste of the finished product. Stop every five minutes or so to taste to see if you need to keep conching or not. Once it tastes the way you want, you can pour it into molds or onto parchment paper to harden and use or give out later.

Making Chocolate from Scratch Part I

February is a month so star-crossed with chocolatein part because it bears a holiday devoted to love and chocolate-laden valentines. But while its definitely easy to buy some of your favorite store-bought or artisanal chocolates to show your love or appreciation to friends or family, making your own batch from scratch can leave be all the more memorable. In two posts, well outline how to pull it all off. Chocolate Checklist Before you begin, youll need to make sure you have everything you need. First, youll want to make sure you have cocoa beans from a company like this. Youll also want a solid sweetener like raw sugarbut be sure to stay away from liquid sweeteners like honey. Depending on what you want to try, you can also include spices like chili powder or cocoa butter to thin out the finished product. As far as actual equipment goes, youll need to make sure the following are on hand: Food processor Perforated baking sheet Hairdryer or heat gun Mortar and pestle Bowl Roasting Beans For the second step, youll need to roast the beans. Start with something near one-hundred grams and put them in a roasting pan in your oven. Start at a high heat around 450 F to both sterilized and separate the bean to make it easier to work with later. But youll want to decrease to a lower temperature, somewhere around 250 F, after a while to prevent the beans from burning. Use both your ears and nose to ensure you get the result you need. Once the beans crack, you can reduce the temperature until the beans get to a brownie kind of smellafter their initial vinegary smell. Then, take the roasted beans out and let them cool. Winnowing Nibs After the beans have cooled, youre ready to separate the good bits from the bad. The faster option works by placing your beans into a ziploc bag and rolling over them with a rolling pin. Be sure to do a thorough job hereyou really want to crack the beans to help separate the papery-thin covers in the next step. Once youve done that, you can place the cracked beans in a bowl and use a hairdryer to blow away the thin outer layers, which should leave behind the inner parts. Agitating the bowl in this step can make things go a little faster. Wearing goggles and doing this outside or above your sink can make it easier to clean-up after. Now youre ready for the last two steps in outlined in our next post!