Every now and again a person needs a weekend “off.”

I took one last weekend, since the significant one was home in-between schooling obligations. 
Which actually meant, paradoxically, more work and busy-busy time for me than the weekends I’m working.

Hmm, what’s up with that?

Of course the weekend also meant fine dining and arts and entertainment galore,
just not the kind of fine dining and arts and entertainment that I typically enjoy (with a few exceptions.)

As I had some work I had to do in the morning of our first day, I lucked out of missing a trip to Odyssey I, a  kiddie wonderland in University Place that basically is set up like a habitrail for small two-legged individuals, in addition to having arcade-like games a’ la Chuck E Cheese (but no beer.)

Our first night dinner together, at Red Robin, sort of set the tone for what the rest of the weekend’s fine dining would entail, though you couldn’t really observe the tone over the din.

Day two involved a trip to the SuperMall to get wee one some new togs; she picked out her tooth fairy toy (the glittery magical thing left her a tenner â€" no fair, I shouted â€" I only ever got quarters, when I was even left any money at all) and rode a cat on the carousel; we headed north to the Westfield Mall (is it the Southcenter Westfield? I have no idea how that private branding malls things works anymore) to hit fine dining #2, the Rainforest Café. Our “safari” had to wait 50 minutes for a seat, which was situated in the prime real-estate “trail” to the restroom, and the meal was…um… fine. (truth: my salad-limp.  Cheese sticks? Soggy. Yellowtail Shiraz? Overpriced, but fine.)

That night, the significant one and I met up with good friends at Paddy Coyne's, where my steak salad was great, and where my wine was, once again, fine.

Kulture Lab, after dinner, was good fun, but I guess the boys in our party wanted to check out extreme death fighting (Ultimate Fighting? I don’t know) on cable; we were home early, since the Significant One was still, physically, set to Eastern Time.

The next day was mellow, with time at the park riding her park for the wee one while I got to launder clothes.  Note to homemakers all over: Georgia mud, once set, does not readily come out of ACUs. 

As a show of his appreciation, the man took us to Carl’s Jr, where I ate quite possibly the largest burger I’ve ever seen in my life.  With a salad and diet lemonade, since I was calorie conscious or something.

More laundry, and re-watching Flushed Away while drinking cheap pink wine spritzers ended day three, while a headache began day four.

He worked, we spent more family time together later in the day, and I cooked a tenderloin, French fingerling potatoes with European-style butter and hand-picked rosemary, and asparagus and mushrooms, all procured by Dave's Meat and Produce (except for the rosemary â€" that was courtesy my unkempt garden).

It was a fine, peaceful end to a not entirely peaceful weekend, but sometimes the odd weekend of rest makes you appreciate that even when rest is available, it’s often not the chosen option. â€" Jessica Corey-Butler

What can you say about a band who's sold a quarter of a billion (yes, that's billion with a "b") LPs? Bob Marley's band keeps the international superstar's legacy alive by performing the Tuff Gong's hits, including "War," "Who the Cap Fit," and "Exodus." Led by Marley's right hand man, bassist Aston "Family Man" Barrett, The Wailers will lively up themselves June 24 at Tacoma's Pantages Theater.

Tickets are $32 and will go on sale Tuesday, April 3 at 11:30 a.m. online or by phone at 253.591.5894. â€" Brad Allen

Looks like Winfield's Twisted Cue Club ran into liquor license problems and will not open Sunday, April 1.  Stay tuned. â€" Jake de Paul

It’ll soon be time to face the not-so strange changes for Café Divino, Pour at Four, and the coming soon (pending permit) DeCaterina’s restaurant in Puyallup, which will open in the former location of the Puyallup From the Bayou.

Current Pour at Four chef Matt Brandsey will be moving on to chef at DeCaterina’s, a new venture set to open in early April.

Moving on from the chef position at Café Divino to the chef position at Pour at Four will be Howie Bursinger.

“(Bursinger) will work off of Matt’s (menu) then start working on a spring and summer update.  That will be Howie’s baby,” explains Mark Merrill, who owns Pour at Four with his wife, Susan.
Merrill says they’re pleased to bring Bursinger and his extensive background on board.

“Howie’s worked in Florida and across the U.S.,” says Merrill.

And last but certainly not least in the South Sound musical chef game is Café Divino.  Owner Jana Zimmerman just hired a new chef who’ll bring some female chef power to the table.  Crystal Haefel trained in France and served as a personal chef for two years, moving on to cater and work in a private school setting.

Initially, Haefel will work off of the existing menu, but will, per Zimmerman, “develop more in the future as far as specials.” â€" Jessica Corey-Butler

[Café Divino, 2112 N. 30th St., Suite D, Tacoma (Old Town), 253.779.4226]
[DeCaterina’s, 328 S. Meridian (anticipated opening early April), Puyallup]
[Pour at Four, 3814 N. 26th St., Tacoma, 253.761.8015]

Don Robertson of Idol Management in Tacoma sent the Weekly Volcano a killer video shot the last day of the 3 Inches of Blood/Cradle of Filth tour.  The footage shows Joey Jordison sitting in on the drum with 3IOB as they perform their new song, "Trial of Champions," from the new record Jordison produced that hits the streets June 26 on the Roadrunner label. â€" Brad Allen

So there I was, downtown, wandering around UWT, looking for a restaurant/store that was Coco something or other that a little bird told me was there.

I couldn’t find it.

So there I was, downtown, looking decidedly elderly and unstylish amid all the SOTA fashionistas, but reveling in the sunlit, crazy-cool campus energy.

So there I was, downtown, hungry as a bear waking from hibernation.

So there I was, downtown, like some kid in a candy store, overwhelmed by dining choices.

Rock Pasta?  Nah, too many carbs. Spaghetti Factory? Carbs, lots of ‘em. TwoKoi?  Not in workout garb, thanks.  Grassis? Ditto previous not.  Hot Rod Dogs? Tempting, but  then there’s that double wide butt I’d like to minimize. Renaissance Café? Hmm.  Possibility.  May come back.  Starbucks?  Not for lunch, not today. Taco Del Mar? Remember the butt? Subway? Meh.  Indochine? Hmm.  Spring rolls would be nice.  But in workout garb? Ew.  The Swiss? Hmmm.  Tempting, tempting, tempting cubed.  But if I have food there, I will have wine, or beer, or wine and beer, and really? It’s, like, one in the afternoon.  And I’m a responsible worker-bee and parent.  El Gaucho?  That’s funny. And not open for lunch, though a steak would be super nice.

There’s the car, so I’m off to try another institution of higher learning.  The mother in law has told me about a neat little place she found on her amblings by the University of Puget Sound, through Harned Hall and in the very scholarly courtyard.

So there I was, in North Tacoma, soaking in the sunshine and smart-rays of a campus atmosphere.

Mmmmmm.

The Oppenheimer Café, an all-glass building with sweet light fixtures and posters to remind you to go to the Hawaiian social at the SUB, made me happy.  Foods were priced in dollars and points.  A curried Waldorf salad wrap with an iced non-fat latte sounded like the winning lunch ticket to me; I wandered back to my car (parked on Greek Row, where once again I felt geriatric and un-hip though hippy) and scarfed my food as I drove to my next worker-bee destination.

True, the tortilla had the texture of leather, and the curry was remarkably subtle, verging on nonexistent.

But dang, it went down easily, and the atmosphere, and all my walking, made me feel wicked smart. â€" Jessica Corey-Butler