Arts
Lights, camera ... what's that humming noise? Tacoma-based producer Jason Ganwich frowns in the direction of a noisy cooler chilling beer at the Tempest Lounge at Ninth and MLK Jr., location of a recent shoot of the artistically challenging and thought-provoking series, The High Bar. An effort to stop the humming
Music
MAIA SANTELL AND HOUSE BLEND >>> FRIDAY, DEC. 23 Maia Santell and House Blend perform their traditional holiday jazz and blues show at Jazzbones this Friday. They play an upbeat brand of R&B with a little jump blues and big band jazz thrown in for a party second to none. Santell has
Music
Something about the BreakLites calling their new album RAPFACE - all caps, accompanied by an illustration of a vicious animal with the title clenched in his teeth - seems weirdly incongruous when compared to the music the BreakLites make. The packaging is so aggro that when you finally hear what
Food Matters
CHRISTMAS EVE Pacific Grill (1502 Pacific Ave., Tacoma) hosts a Christmas Eve featuring a special menu from 5-8 p.m. Reserve your spot at 253.627.3535. CHRISTMAS EVE The Hub (203 Tacoma Ave. S., Tacoma) hosts a Christmas Prefunk Party Dec. 24 featuring $2 Harmon pints and an ugly sweater contest with cash prizes awarded
Food Matters
Under new ownership since August, most of the changes at Maxwell's Restaurant & Lounge have been internal. Replacing Vivian Irish, Maxwell's new executive chef, Leslie Westphal, comes most recently from the Tacoma Club, where she was also executive chef. Westphal puts out much of the same menu as her predecessor. The
Listings
BLUES Charlie's Sports Bar and Grill Olympia - Downtown. Blues Jam with Blues Attitude. 9 pm. NC. Midtown Grill Bonney Lake. Wednesday Night Blues Jam. All Ages. 7-11 PM. Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Wednesday Sessions, featuring Nolan Garrett Trio. 8:30 pm. NC. COMEDY/GAMES Pints & Quarts Pub Westside Olympia - Westside. Bingo. Win prizes.
Listings
ACOUSTIC/FOLK/CELTIC O'Blarney's Irish Pub Olympia - Eastside. Irish Sessions. Live traditional Irish music. 7:30 pm. NC. Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. Mike Lazor. All Ages. 6 pm. Tugboat Annies Olympia - Westside. Open Mic Night. 9 pm. NC. Olympic Club Hotel and Theater Lewis County. Slow Roller. All Ages. 7 pm. NC. BLUES Stonegate Pizza Tacoma
Listings
BLUES Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Blues Monday. 7 pm. NC. The Swiss Tacoma - Downtown. Chris Stevens & The Surf Monkeys. 8 pm. NC. COMEDY/GAMES Willoughby's Restaurant and Lounge Yelm. Bar Bingo. 7 pm. NC. Harmon Tap Room Tacoma - Stadium District. Tap Room Trivia. $50 cash prize for the winner of
Listings
COMEDY/GAMES Capitol Theater Olympia - Downtown. Fiddler On The Roof Sing-Along, with costume contest. Please bring a warm coat or blanket for the homeless to donate to Temple Beth Hatfiloh. All Ages. 6:30 pm. WORLD BEAT Tenampa Tacoma - Central. Arrendadores.10 pm. Emerald Queen Casino Tacoma - Eastside. Christmas Asia Fest, with Lam
Listings
ACOUSTIC/FOLK/CELTIC Washington Center for the Performing Arts Olympia - Downtown. He Is...: A Night of Acting, Music & Celebration. All Ages. 4 pm. NC. JAZZ El Gaucho Tacoma - Downtown. Sandy Harvey in the Piano Lounge. All Ages. 6 pm. NC. POP/ROCK/METAL Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Drummer Vs. DJ, featuring Switch Vs. Wiggles. 9
Listings
ACOUSTIC/FOLK/CELTIC The Spar Olympia. James Coates. 8 pm. NC. Harbor Greens/Forza Wine Bar Gig Harbor. Jennifer Lind Christmas Concert. 7 pm. NC. BLUES Dawson's Bar and Grill Tacoma - South. Tim Hall Band. 9 pm. COMEDY/GAMES Tacoma Comedy Club Tacoma - Downtown. Comedian Adam Norwest. 8 pm & 10:30 pm. $15. Grit City Comedy Club Tacoma -
Listings
BLUES Dawson's Bar and Grill Tacoma - South. Billy Shew Band Open Jam Session. 8 pm. NC. The Junction Sports Bar and Grill Lewis County. Blues Jam. Hosted by Blues Attitude. 8 pm. City Hall Saloon and Eatery Enumclaw. Taco Thursday Live Blues Night. 5 pm. Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Taco
Guides
Babblin' Babs Herb Spice Blends Make eating at home more exciting in 2012 >>>Chef William Mueller of Babblin' Babs Bistro takes the guesswork out of knowing which herbs, spices and seasonings to use when cooking with his signature line of herb-spice blends. Instead of using salt, sugar, MSG or other less
Guides
The Tacoma Rescue Mission gathers donations and hosts special events each holiday season, but what the Rescue Mission does is not limited to the holidays. All year round, the Rescue Mission helps Tacoma's homeless and needy populations. The Tacoma Rescue Mission is a non-profit that has been working with the area's
Guides
"Holiday drinks are the comfort food of cocktails," says Olympia bartender Katie Rains. With her long red hair and bright smile, Rains - a fixture at Cicada Restaurant & Lounge - exudes warmth and festivity. As we chat, she is animated and excited about her craft - creating alcoholic delights. She
Guides
Fiddler on the Roof - back again this year at the annual Dec. 25 sing-along at the Capitol Theater - was released in 1971 and is set in 1905, but some of its themes have never felt more topical. In one scene, Perchik, the student revolutionary (played by the late Bert
Guides
Cheryl Evans dances around her answer when I ask for her official title at United Way of Pierce County. "Let's just say I'm the coordinator in the volunteer center. My official title is too official. I'm here to help people," she informs me. An employee with United Way of Pierce County (UWPC)
Guides
This first sentence took me ten minutes to write. For 10 amazingly beautiful minutes I stared at my notes while daydreaming about Celebrity Cake Studio's butter cream frosting, German chocolate cake and holiday cookies. It certainly didn't help that while I sat and chatted with Odette D'Aniello, Celebrity Cake Studio's co-owner,
Guides
First Night Tacoma is the perfect way to celebrate the end of the world. If the world survives the evening, First Night may just end it anyway with its lineup of fire performances. And if the world does end? "No better reason to hang out with friends, listen to great music
Guides
Just in case the doomsday predictions are correct, and this is your last New Year's Eve on Earth, let's suppose life is about harmonious balance, the yin and yang, the Obi Wan versus Darth Vader. Where, then, would one find the proper vessels to achieve a New Year's goal of striking