Music
Music history is littered with talented artists that never quite broke through the noise to capture the public's attention - not quite has-beens, more should-have-beens. It can be incredibly difficult to distinguish yourself from the rabble, no matter how deserving you might be to have your voice heard. In the
Music
The saying goes that you have your entire life to write your first album (or book or movie or play or really any creative project) and only a year to write your second. It's through this somewhat unfair algorithm that the phenomenon of the "sophomore slump" emerges: yeah, you were
Reviews
Announcer: There was a time in Lacey that the Lemon Grass reigned supreme. One of the first finely crafted Asian places in the area, Lemon Grass presented quality ingredients in lovely dishes - hard to beat in an area littered with fast food. But on a few recent visits, things
Arts
Lynette Charters' paintings are unique, not just in her use of media - china marker over acrylic paint mixed with plaster - but in her way of painting. On wood panels, she creates fields of heavily textured globs of color that are almost if not completely non-objective, and then either
Stage
As an adult, I don't have much of an emotional connection to Mary Poppins. I had seen the film version once or twice as a child, but had largely forgotten the details, so color me pleasantly surprised at sitting down to watch Tacoma Musical Playhouse's production of Mary Poppins and
Stage
Apple Tree Productions' fifth summer of theater for children has already begun and will culminate with productions of Seussical the musical and Evita in Concert. Apple Tree's Showcase is a separate class for special-needs students. It is theater games, songs and fun, and it is free. Students can drop in
Reviews
Announcer: You can think of La Gitana as a pizza joint, but in a closer look, it's really a stylish Italian bistro that makes great pizza pie. With two locations, funky Olympia and farmy Yelm, the designers and chefs have come together to create a place that is as pleasing
Arts
Tacoma Academy of Fine Art is a relatively new private art school and gallery founded and operated by Tim Matsen in an art space with a short but storied history - former home to Lisa Kinoshita's cutting-edge Mineral Gallery and later Andrea Erickson's modernist Flow Gallery. But TAFA goes in
Music
Generation X grew up on the music of British-American rock behemoth Foreigner. We know every word to such massive hit singles as "Cold as Ice," "Double Vision," "Juke Box Hero," and "Urgent" among others. When these songs appear on classic radio, they're as enjoyable now as they were a generation
Music
Years ago, in the long-defunct Stereo Lounge (the space of which is now occupied by the Zodiac Supper Club), I saw Jeffrey Lewis perform. The tiny, intimate, boozy venue was the perfect place to see Lewis perform his offbeat anti-folk, accompanied by illustrations that he would flip through on an
Features
It rises to a height of 29,029 feet, or, as one movie put it, "the cruising altitude of a 747." Climbers who aspire to scale it must deal with climatic variations from frostbite to sunburn. Then there are the rockslides and avalanches, edema of the brain and lungs, and an
Attractions
When you think of antique stores, a few images pop into your head, none of them likely positive. The stereotype is that they're dusty, filled with old objects that seem like ancient artifacts, and they always seem to have at least one super-creepy doll hiding in there. However, times are
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Americans can ring in the 4th of July by giving back to the servicemembers who protect their independence with an Army & Air Force Exchange Service gift card. Exchange gift cards can be sent to soldiers, airmen, sailors and marines deployed to Afghanistan, Kuwait and other contingency locations to redeem through
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What part of the country is more beautiful than the Pacific Northwest? We are surrounded by a unique and exciting environment, so why not spend a night or two inside it? In Pierce County alone, there are various options for camping, and here are our top five spots to pitch
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When people live near a beautiful body of water like the Puget Sound, it can become a tradition of sorts to have parties on their boats. Maybe you've thought floating around on a personal vessel sounded cool, but there's just one problem: You don't actually own one. Thank goodness for
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At 2:30 on a recent Sunday afternoon, the Steilacoom gently nudged into the Anderson Island ferry landing. Driving off the boat, I entered a 7.7-square-mile get-a-way from the hustle of the Pacific Northwest and into history. The southernmost island in Puget Sound, Anderson Island, received its name in 1841 from Navy Capt.
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Spanning over one-and-a-half miles of Ruston Way with food, vendor booths, live entertainment, an air show and - finally - a massive fireworks show at dark, Freedom Fair is the place to be for Independence Day. You won't want for things to do at Freedom Fair, but one area that's still
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There are plenty of articles in this special section about different block parties and picnics, or where to find the best food for backyard celebration. Still, some people prefer to do things themselves when it comes to entertaining, and that includes a big barbeque cookout in the backyard. Honestly, keeping
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There are plenty of different ways to celebrate summer, from attending concerts and big festivals, or taking a do-it-yourself course of action, with a barbeque or picnic accompanied by your friends and family. Of course, for a picnic, you're going to need some ready-to-eat American goodies, and what could be
Travel
Washington beaches get a bad rap. Sure, they may not be year-round paradises of perfect, golden sand and water at a temperature that's actually tolerable, but they're unique in their own way. While you could always opt for a local, more centralized beach like Alki or Golden Gardens in Seattle,