Features
All the telltale signs of an Olympia spring are here. The cherry blossoms are in bloom, the Evergreen students have come out of their damp dorms and the Olympia Farmers Market is gearing up for another year of food, music and fun. Opening day is Thursday, April 4 and produce vendors
Features
With farmer's markets winding down and outdoor gardens dying away, the idea of fresh, wholesome produce may seem unattainable during winter months. Maybe you'll browse the produce aisles at your local grocery store, looking for something organic and edible, but chances are the quality won't be up to par, and
Music
In the spirit of former Weekly Volcano editor Matt Driscoll, who often wrote about Tacoma's gritty surf rock band Girl Trouble, I'm going to straight up call the band "quintessential." Quintessential in helping get Sub Pop and K Records on the map, quintessential in pioneering Northwest music and quintessential in the
Music
Ben Union sounds like they should be on the radio. Crisp, poppy, groovy. But at the same time, they sound like they should be kept a Tacoma secret. While Ben Union has gotten radio play, toured the west coast and played for 15,000 people in the Tacoma Dome, they encompass a
Music
Cameron Clearwater, vocalist and guitarist for indie grungers Electric Falcons, is all blonde dreadlocks, black T-shirt and tattoos. His Chihuahua, Bergie, is always at his side. Drummer Jordan Taylor has long flowing hair and is often caught with bright white sunglasses on his head and prescription glasses on his face. And bassist
Music
Music is therapeutic. People need it. It carves out pain, explores pathways of inspiration, exudes primal intentions and words never do it justice. Take the Tacoma band Death By Stars, for example. The music the band produces hits those sweet spots in the psyche that can only be reached by an
Features
A couple of the region's top coffee roasters will square off this weekend in the America's Best Espresso Contest at the 20th annual Coffee Fest in Issaquah. Madrona Coffee Roasting in Tacoma and the Olympia Coffee Roasting Company are among 32 competitors in the Western region. The Coffee Fest runs Friday through
Explore
Brightly colored chunks of glass, frit (crushed glass), stringers, spaghetti noodles, copper foil and shimmery dicro glass. This is the buffet of creativity from which visitors to the Tacoma Museum of Glass's fusing workshop get to choose. Participants can choose to make a tile that can be used as a coaster
Music
There's been a lot of buzz about the closing of longtime Tacoma rock club Hell's Kitchen. Now, the buzz is about Lonnie Reed and his partner, Meranda Fritz, re-opening the venue as The Loch's. Reed is the former booking agent for Hell's Kitchen, and has had his hand in the Tacoma music
Features
It was Saturday night and Grandpa's Soda Fountain and Ice Cream Parlor in Olympia was packed. A group of teens huddled near the granite counter tops, debating between hard and soft ice cream, an older couple enjoyed a waffle cone at an intimate table and families with young children eagerly
Music
It seems like all the best bands know just how to mix the tried and true methods of the icons of their genre with their own brand of freshness and intrigue. A Leaf is one of those bands. Hailing from Tacoma, A Leaf is Chris Bridges (guitar), Nate Daley (vocals/guitar), Stephen Demuth
Features
When it comes to personal connections, Tacoma Food Co-op gets it. Recently voted Best Ecologically Friendly Green store by Weekly Volcano readers, the co-op is getting ready to celebrate its first birthday at its home on the corner of 6th Ave. and Junett. "It's about meeting the smile behind your food,"
Stage
She has built nearly 20 sculptures in her four-year career, including tiki men surfing waves, a medieval-themed display where a dragon is wiping out a castle - complete with damsel in distress, she's done a rodeo clown theme and even a "sand bar" starring an octopus bartender, floozy fish with
Music
For 30 years K Records in Olympia has been an integral part of the music scene here in the Pacific Northwest and around the world. From the people that released Beat Happening, Kimya Dawson, Karp, Fitz of Depression and so many others, K records presents the seventh annual Helsing Junction Sleepover
Music
The Deltan Club in Tacoma will rock this Saturday, as a trio of bands and a DJ will add flavor to the stage, each sound different from the next. "We wanted a unique show, we wanted a smorgasbord," says Ray Hayden, promoter and musician. The show will start at 7 p.m. with
Features
"For steaks, my personal preference is the New York, because the marbling dispenses throughout and makes it nice and tender," says Cassie Weber, butcher at Western Meats in Tumwater. "And I cook everything on the BBQ. It just tastes better." Weber has been with the company for seven years, following in
Check It Out
Looking for kid’s music? Sure, you can peruse your local record store, but why not check out Wind Up Here, a family owned specialty toy store in Olympia? A small, but wonderful selection of kid’s CDs graces the countertop at Wind Up Here. From Johnny Cash Children’s Songs, to Caspar
SouthSoundland
Pick- your-own farms are awesome. You are able to get into nature, support your local economy, and give your body a healthy treat. Beginning mid-July, the season for beans, green cucumbers, pickling cucumbers, slicing squash and summer zucchini fruits is in full swing. Duris Farms in Puyallup offers all those
Check It Out
Downtown Olympia offers a handful of antique stores, each with its own flavor, each fun to explore. The newest addition to the treasure hunt, Peacock Vintage, opened its doors July 7. From Olympia City Hall, you can see the Peacock painted on the side of the building located at 512
SouthSoundland
Have you heard of wish necklaces? A friend of mine recently gifted me with a beautiful wish necklace. With delicate tobacco silk thread and dainty little dragonfly charm, the necklace was delivered on a card that has a mushy love note of friendship. It’s the cutest thing ever. The idea is