The Pacific Northwest has some of the most amazing hikes anywhere, but you don't have to venture out to the Olympic Peninsula to find awesome scenery. Tacoma is a great city to find urban hikes - many with quintessential Northwest scenery and a place to grab a snack or a meal en route.

Narrows Bridge

The second Narrows Bridge was built with a walkway across it. As long as you have no qualms about heights, this is one of the best urban hikes in the entire region. From the bridge, you can see the Puget Sound stretching out beneath you and sometimes even spot boats or sea lions passing below. Park at War Memorial Park just off Sixth Avenue, walk through the park, cross Jackson Avenue, and follow the walkway onto the bridge. Be aware, once you're on the bridge, you're in for the long haul. There are no bathrooms or snack stops.

Location: War Memorial Park, just off Sixth Avenue and North Skyline Drive

Swan Creek County Park

This urban treasure is often a path less traveled, especially if you venture deeper into the forest trails attached to the park. The main entrance is located along Pioneer Way, but there are unmarked entrances just off 56th and Portland Avenue and behind McIlvaigh Middle School. The trails span miles through quiet woodlands and offer a good workout as some parts are steep. Trails are unpaved. For easier hiking, stick to the park area around the Pioneer side.

Location: 2820 Pioneer Way E, Tacoma

Tacoma Waterfront

Tacoma's waterfront is a popular place to walk all year round. The terrain is flat and paved and the views of the Puget Sound are expansive. There are also several restaurants located along Ruston Way. Parking lots are located at the beginning, middle and end of Ruston Way.

Location: Ruston Way, Tacoma

Downtown Tacoma

Downtown Tacoma is the perfect place to see a mix of the arts, the water, and have ample places to enjoy a meal. Park at the Tacoma Art Museum or on the street along Pacific and wander between the art museum, Union Station, Washington State History Museum, Bridge of Glass and Museum of Glass.

Location: Tacoma Art Museum, 1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma

ONLINE CHATTER >>>

Today's comment of the day comes from J Laboe in response to Steph DeRosa's Person, Place or Thing post on The Art of Crunch Biscotti will be famous. J Laboe isn't the first to claim Tacoman Ronda Hamlin's biscotti are already famous, but J Laboe is the most recent.

J Laboe writes,

Love the Cranberry. I don't dunk, but my husband does. I send it out at Christmas to friends all over the country. We get ask where we get it and I tell them. You will find it in KS, TN, AK and WA. Working on the rest of the states now. ...

THING: Mom's Buttery Soft Toffee

AKA: Heaven's toffee

I just: Named it that

Because: This toffee

Proves: There is a God

Toffee made by: Momi Bowles

Since: 2009

Only: Seasonally

Beginning: September

Ending: February

You're going to hate me. I just know it. That is, if you don't already hate me for the many various reasons one might develop a disliking for my abrasive and often tacky charm.

I've known of Momi Bowles and her UH-MAZE-ING handmade toffee - which goes by the name Mom's Buttery Soft Toffee - since 2010. I'm sorry to just now be telling you about it.

I'm also sorry to tell you that Bowles' toffee-making season ends at the end of February.

I swear, I haven't been trying to keep this toffee secret all to myself. It's more of a keen example of my extreme laziness. Read my full feature on the toffee here.

THING: Best pizza ever

Historically: Speaking

Place: The Cloverleaf World Famous Pizza

Most popular pizza: Monster

Number of Monster pizzas sold: 9,398

Total number of pizzas sold: 74,679

Every crust: Handmade fresh daily

Only one thing could keep me away from The Cloverleaf prior to 2004, and that was the smoke. I couldn't afford awesome pizza and shiny quarters for the laundry machines. I hated the way we all smelled after exiting a wonderful night at The Cloverleaf.

Thankfully, The Cloverleaf's new owner as of 2004, Debbie Manke, had the balls to take a customer poll - then backing it up by becoming a completely non-smoking establishment when her customers responded.

Read my conversation with Manke here.

PERSON, PLACE OR THINGS WITH STEPH DEROSA >>>

Thing: Russian Piroshky
Located in: Milton
Or: Seattle
You chose: Whichever location is closer
They're both: Delicious
If you buy more than: One
I don't: Blame you
Plural form of piroshki: Still called piroshky
Don't add: An ‘S'
Trust me: I looked it up

Craig Adamowski of 99 Bottles - dude has a digestive repertoire built on three things: chicken teriyaki, cookies and beer.

So what the hell does Adamowski know about Russian meat-stuffed pastries known as piroshky? Nothing, I would presume. Nothing at all.

But a couple years ago this beer-store-owning libations buff recommended I try out a piroshky at a local restaurant in Milton. Again, I had a hard time believing Mr. Adamowski due to his history with menu limitations, plus the fact Milton houses nothing but tanning franchises, grocery stores and a historically rad place known as Dave's.

But I'll be damned if Adamowski didn't call it right.

To find out what the hell I'm talking about, click here.

PERSON: Daniel Denison

Place: Fatburger

Thing: 1.5 pound, three-patty XXXL hamburger

Price: $9.79

He added: Jalapeños

And almost added: An egg (WTF?)

Everything was: Swimming in grease

Which promptly made: Daniel ill

I think: He barely made it to the bathroom

After: Our conversation

Which unfortunately: Is usually the case

When: Steph DeRosa talks to men

As Mr. DeRosa peered over the partition separating us from Daniel Denison and his Fatburger-eating cohorts, I received a personalized play-by-play on what seemed to be the most hysterical display of greasy-hamburger gluttony ever witnessed. 

MR. DEROSA: "Oh my God, Steph, he can't even fit it in his mouth!"

ME: "If I turn around and look, will it be obvious?"

MR. DEROSA: "No. You gotta look. I can't believe what I'm seeing!"

ME: "Oh good lord, you're right!  I have to go talk to him."

To read what happened next, click here.

This week ...

Place: Mr. Jalapeño

Serving: Mexican food

Not actually: A dude named Mr. Jalapeño

Much: To my disappointment

Where: Bonney Lake

I hardly: Go to Bonney Lake

Because: It's too damn far away

I get it: If you live in Bonney Lake

But: Why would you live in Bonney Lake?

It's: Too damn far away!

To read this week's full column click here.

THIS WEEK ... >>>

Thing: Fruit-flavored rolling papers available at The Hippie House

Made by: Zig Zag and Juicy

For sale at: The Hippie House

Located: 3109 Sixth Ave., Tacoma

Co-owners: Justin Stieglitz and John Anderson

Opened: May 21, 2011

Not your: Normal, dirty head shop

Considered: The Nordstrom of head shops

If only: I could visit Santa at a head shop

Christmas with the in-laws: Would be more tolerable

To read this week's full column, click here.

This week ...

Thing: Plain white buns

Place: Barrel No. 51 BBQ truck

Located: In a parking lot

Corner of: South 23rd and South Cedar, Tacoma

Used to be: Tacoma Central Theater

Now: A church

Which: Makes me giggle

Because: Both movies and churches will empty your pocketbook

Speaking of money: Barrel No. 51 takes CASH ONLY

Go online and purchase: Any one of their homemade sauces and rubs

At: barrelno51.com

Click here to read Steph DeRosa's full column.

[Barrel No. 51 BBQ and Catering, open Monday-Friday, 12 - 5 p.m., truck parked in the parking lot of Destiny City Church, 3102 S. 23rd St., Tacoma]

LINK: MORE PERSON, PLACE or THING with Steph DeRosa

This week...

Thing: Tacoma Food Co-Op

Many: Things going on

Thing #1: Membership

Thing #2: New store

Thing #3: Fun events

No, this is not: The Cat in the Hat

Written by: Dr. Seuss

Although: I have the same complexity

Of: A nonsense children's book

To read this week's full column click here.

tacomafoodcoop.com

Opening soon at 3002 Sixth Ave., Tacoma