Dee's Licious Gourmet Cheesecakes on Wilmington in DuPont is for sale.  She's posted a sign on her door hoping for a buyer to continue the operation.  The sign says she plans to continue selling cheesecakes and bagels wholesale.  Hmmmm, makes you wonder why she'd compete with her potential buyer? â€" Jason de Paul

May 22 is the target date for the opening of Duke's Chowder House occupying the old Luciano's on the Ruston Way waterfront.  Duke's, a longtime Seattle institution, serves an excellent bar and grill menu and, of course, a mean clam chowder.  A Duke's in Tacoma is a true reason to celebrate.  The management, however, said May 22 is the target, however, shit (our word) happens so call them first at (206) 937-6100. â€"  Jason de Paul

While you were thinking up names for Britney Spears expecting child, we compiled these concerts that go on sale beginning Friday at Ticketmaster outlets.
Grab your sleeping bag and queue in line now:

On sale Friday at 10 a.m.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Auburn. July 30 7:30 pm. $32.50-$75 (White River Amphitheatre).

On sale Friday at noon
Dashboard Confessional Seattle. July 10 7 pm. $25-$28 (Paramount Theatre).
Toad The Wet Sprocket Seattle. Aug. 14 8 pm. $25-$28 (Moore Theatre).
Queensryche Seattle. Oct. 15 8 pm. $44 (Moore Theatre).

On sale Saturday at 10 a.m.
REO Speedwagon Fife. Aug. 12 8:30 pm. $30-$75 (Emerald Queen Casino).
KMPS Class of 2006 Puyallup. Sept. 19 7 pm. $15 (Puyallup Fairgrounds).

Ch-ch-ch-changes
Bob Marley Roots, Rock & Reggae Festival with Ziggy Marley, Sinead O’Connor, Sly & Robbie, Ozomatli Redmond. Aug. 4 cancelled (Marymoor Park).

With a blend of acoustic folk and a dash of country twang, Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart create a laid-back atmosphere with intelligent yet deeply personal stories of life and love.  While Earle handles lead vocal duties, Stuart's rich voice adds the perfect harmonization to the duo's self-penned fables over a dual guitar format.
Earle and Stuart were both gifted artists in their own right with solo careers when they met at a songwriters' night in Nashville in 1992.  The two were instantly aware they were each other's musical and spiritual soul mates and married later that same year.  While they performed together regularly, Earle released a solo disc in 1998, Simple Gearle, while Stuart released his debut, Songs From a Corner Stage, the next year.  They announced their husband and wife duo with the release of their first collaborative effort, Must be Live, in 2001.  Since then, they have played countless folk festivals around the world and have opened for such celebrated artists as Joan Baez, Steve Earle, Willie Nelson, Ralph Stanley, and Richard Thompson.  The couple's latest release, 2005's Communion Bread, is yet another fine example of their songwriting abilities as they once again paint intimate portraits of themselves. 8 p.m., $12 general, $8 students, Traditions Café, 300 Fifth Ave. S.W., Olympia, (360) 705-2819. â€" Tony Engelhart

SCENE OF THE CRIME by Natasha
Sometimes I like to throw on my black party dress and stilettos just to kick it snobby style - simply because I got it like that.
Whenever that mood strikes, I head for Pacific Avenue to valet my car in front of the five-star loving at The Melting Pot and El Gaucho.
I flip-flop between each establishment for dinner. I salivate like a Pavlovian dog over the Melting Pot's Wisconsin fondue and the raspberry vinaigrette salad. That's really all you need for a meal, but for me, it's all just an excuse to get to the milk chocolate fondue dessert. The cheesecake and brownie dipped in the creamy chocolate are so good that they should be illegal. What's also critical is the right beverage to accompany your experience. Ask your server to suggest a wine with flavors that tickle your fancy.
If you think the Melting Pot is too expensive, try the happy hour in the lounge seven days a week 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. and 9 to 11 p.m. That way you can get your cheese, salad, a brie plate and that sexual chocolate for half price. Nice.
El Gaucho is one of the reasons I decided to move to Tacoma. If you haven't been, you at least owe yourself a drink (they're all good) in the bar.
Every time I walk in that joint I feel like I'm stepping into a luxurious speakeasy. Everyone gets to make an entrance as they float down the stairs into the sea of white-clothed tables and the calming charm of the piano player. 
For food, give me the beef Diablo with extra bread to soak up the amazing sauce.
Ladies, don't be surprised when a member of the El Gaucho staff accompanies you arm in arm to the restroom - now that's class. Another tip for the gals: If you're tired of complete scumbags hitting on you, start drinking at El Gaucho's bar where you'll increase your chances of meeting the established man, or just some older ones who can actually afford the place.
I used to think that El Gaucho's departing mints were the most amazing invention until the hostess informed me that they're just enlarged, individually-wrapped tic tacs. I can be such an idiot sometimes.
El Gaucho's happy hour, not as righteous as the one at the Melting Pot, is from 4 to 7 p.m. then 10 to 1 a.m. Selected appetizers on the bar menu are offered at a reduced price as well as $1 off tap beers and wells.
My advice? Grab your lover or some friends and try it on for size. Life's too short, and you deserve to indulge.
Bon appétit.
The Melting Pot, 2121 Pacific Ave., downtown Tacoma, (253) 535-3939
El Gaucho, 2119 pacific Ave., downtown Tacoma, (253) 882-0009

Tell me where you like to party.

PERMANENT LIPSTICK by Ginger Knoxx
Let's be real. For anyone who isn't of Mexican descent Cinco de Mayo is just another excuse to party.  Our own Independence Day, in fact, has been reduced to that and a mass media marketing push for barbecuing tools and patio furniture (can't have your neighbors or family coming over with the same deck furniture you had last year). An excuse to take shot after shot of tequila congregating in a friend's kitchen, an excuse to make homemade salsa and pig out on fresh guacamole, an excuse to wear a sombrero in the house and shout olé at nothing in particular. No one blames you. It's not surprising that more Corona beer is sold on this one day than any other. I participated in the madness myself just with a twist: a long awaited Girls' Night on a Friday.

Friday, May 5, aka Drink-o de Mayo
In order for the Model Squad (sans GiGi) and me to get time without our male counterparts, we had to pass on attending James Hume's Cinco de BBQ bash and the Severus Party Bus trip. I arrived first at Fort Bender after traveling through the six rings of hell: cashing a check on a Friday afternoon right at 5 p.m., waiting in line to pay too much for gasoline and then waiting again to put air in a slowly leaking right tire, spending 40 minutes in Metropolitan Market to buy four items from the slowest cashier on the planet after waiting for 10 minutes for a sublime tuna steak at the seafood counter, burning holes into the backs of the eight people in line in front of me buying beer at 7-11, and last but not least - hitting every malevolent traffic light along the way. Needless to say, I almost wept with relief when I finally dropped The Italian off at Franklin Park for the bus trip. These are the days I wish I had a personal assistant to handle all of that. Renee and Ebony arrived as Miss Kate and I were admiring her retro living room. The ladies looked like an ad for Prell shampoo, lustrous black and blonde locks flowing halfway down their backs. They came bearing vino, eats and much good humor. We got started on the booze immediately. The Italian called to give me the hilarious update from the bus: The driver had taken a wrong turn, ended on the Capitol Hill side of Interstate 5 instead of going to El Corazon and got stuck on a hill without enough room to turn around. The bus wouldn't go in reverse, so the partiers did what seemed appropriate at the time - got out and pushed the humongous bus up the hill so they could get to the show, which, by the way, was awesome. Severus sounded amazing with Taproot's bassist sitting in. For those of you who were on the bus, please e-mail me the pictures 'cause this I must see! Back to Ladies' Night: Kate had bottles of Absolut Citron and tequila set out with shot glasses and limes at the ready. Chesty Meow arrived, and then the giggling started. A couple of bottles of wine down and we were on to shot, shot, shot and then silver capped Aria champagne, which is no Veuve Clique, but is good with strawberry slices in it. We skipped the flutes and drank the bubbly out of martini glasses, like the silly freaks we are. That got us talking about different varieties of bubbly, and I had to chime in about Sofia Coppola Minis at Doyle's. The minis are perfect adult juice boxes and are ride-ready.  Bluecifer picked that moment to call - trying to lure us from our residential retreat and out to Doyle's where many fab folks seemed to be congregating. Adrianne and Johanna are the new bartenders; go say hi. Many laughs and dances in the kitchen later, we unwound a bit around midnight, the tall three heading for Magoo's, which was packed and just a riot on Cinco de Mayo. Kate and I chilled on the patio and sipped more vino, savoring a fine evening without testosterone.

IT LIST
Filthy
The band Filthy has changed a lot in the last year, becoming more aggressive in the delivery of their alternative punk and rock sound. Making it a regular thing to play at Maggie O'Tooles has earned the band a decent following. The four-piece delivers in-your-face riffs and ground out lyrics ensuring fans keep coming back. Maggie's has changed a lot in the last year, too. With the help of DJ Danno behind solid bookings, the venue has gone from a traditional Top 40 dance club to an all-around nightclub that appeals to all kinds of music and dance tastes. See Filthy with experimental punk outfit Feed The Robots and The Turks Tuesday. May 16, 9 p.m., 21+, $5, Maggie O'Tooles, 6006 100th St. S.W., Lakewood, (253) 584-3278.

Give me a wink and a kiss here. Knoxx knows.

Olympia indie rock band Stereodrive will perform live tonight on KAOS 89.3 FM's Thirsty Thursday show with Ryan Williams and Austin Potter. Turn on your stereo while you're driving around 9 p.m. â€" Brad Allen

A sign at a Lakewood Towne Center space near Applebee's announces the future arrival of L&L Hawaiian BBQ.  There were no other details.  But scraps from a Hawaiian hula skirt were rumored to be blowing in the wind. Oh poi, that was dumb. â€" Jason de Paul

www.myspace.com/volcanomattd ">So, I was walking to the bus the other day, after having just indulged in one of the jazziest herbal jazz cigarettes these experienced hands have ever twirled, and I was thinking:
"If I was going to write a sound track for something, what would it be? What deserves some music? What's crying for a theme song?"
Then it hit me.
Insects.
"Insects and small creatures deserve a sound track," I thought to myself. "If anything ever deserved a sound track, it is small creatures and insects. They need a tune or two, for hiding under rocks. The world's an unjust place until insects have a sound track."
Then I put in some Clear Eyes and got a Slurpee.
The fact remains, however, that small insects and creatures do deserve some music. Lucky for us, Olympia's a freakin' strange place, and on Thursday, May 11, at the Capitol Theatre Mirah and Spectratone will perform a set of tunes all about insects, inspired by entomologist John Henri Fabre and his set of books. The evening is for all ages and, according to the press release, will also include visual delights from film and video maker Brita Johnson.
Looks like someone beat me to it. May 11, 8 p.m., all ages, $8-$10, The Capitol Theater, 206 Fifth Ave., Olympia. â€" Matt Driscoll

The Grand Cinema is now accepting submissions for its first annual Tacoma New Talent Film Festival Oct. 6-12, 2006. According to a new release, the Grand states its theme:

• The TNT Film Festival is founded on the idea that new and emerging filmmakers should be given the opportunity to have their work shown before an audience. The spirit behind the festival is that by appreciating new talent as it unfolds, we are anticipating the future of film.

They are accepting works in the following categories: Feature Fiction and Documentary, Short Fiction and Documentary.
They encourage local filmmakers to apply, as there will be a Best Local Film prize.
Deadlines: Aug. 15, Early Submission is July 15.
For more information, check out their Web site, or contact Shawn Sylvian.  â€" Ron Swarner