Weekly Volcano Blogs: Walkie Talkie Blog

Posts made in: January, 2008 (126) Currently Viewing: 21 - 30 of 126

January 6, 2008 at 9:46am

Sirens?

Anyone know why I have been listening to sirens in North Tacoma all morning? â€" Brad Allen

UPDATE: Never mind â€" it's an apartment fire on Hilltop.  Thankfully, no one was hurt.

Filed under: News To Us, Tacoma,

January 6, 2008 at 10:06am

Raw news

Every once in a while â€" and far too infrequently â€" a restaurant comes along that I can get really excited about.

Samaurai's Japanese Steakhouse in Spanaway.

Jerry and Debbie Halsey will open the 10,000 square-foot Samaurai's Japanese Steakhouse at 19321 Mountain Hwy. E. in Spanaway on Thursday, Jan. 17.  According to their press release it’s so not Spanaway.  Designed to be old world Japan, the bar is a red-glowing temple that sits in the center of the restaurant with the illusion that it’s floating on water.

There will be 14 teppanyaki grills including a private section if needed for parties.

Jerry and Debbie, please, please, please hire chefs with personalities! â€" Jake de Paul

Filed under: Food & Drink,

January 6, 2008 at 2:02pm

Behind the scene of Urinetown

Consider this a peeee view.

Tacoma Musical Playhouse is staging a Behind the Curtain! free presentation of “Urinetown”  at 7 p.m. tonight. Grab a look at the world behind the show about a New York-sorta city as it struggles with flushing issues after a 20-year drought o severe that the city government has banned all private toilets. That means citizens must use public amenities, which just happen to be regulated by a single company that charges admission.

The production goes into regular showings this week with plays running at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. on Sundays through Feb. 3.

The production takes place at the Narrows Theater located at 7116 Sixth Ave.   Tickets are $23 for adults, $21 for students, seniors and military and $16 for children 12 and under.  Student rush tickets are $16 opening weekend. Call 253-565-6867 or visit their Web site for more details. â€" Steve Dunkelberger

January 6, 2008 at 2:14pm

Dinner with DeRosa

It’s no secret how much fun I had at First Night last week. I may come off as some crazy girl, and I am pretty senile, but I really have no particular interest in getting drunk and trashed. I’m getting too old for a hangover, and being a mom gives you no time to just lie around a recoup for a day. So First Night was right up my backstreet alley.

Dinnerfirstnight16 While I was at Sanford and Son’s Antiques I ran into three of the best dressed people I saw that evening. If I was Suzy Stump, these girls would’ve been my “Whatcha Wearin’?” But I could only dream of being as cool as Suzy Stump, so these girls â€" Alexis Schlegel, Nicole Allen, and Harlie Jane Carter â€" are merely invited to my Dinner with DeRosa. Not only were they wearing the coolest skirts ever that one of the mom’s made them, but they were most excited about seeing The Elephants and the Grand Shorts. I can’t wait to hear what they thought of everything, and to try and mold these girls into mini-Steph DeRosa’s over dinner. Watch out Tacoma, these girls are your future eclectic leaders. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Last week I stopped by The Red Hot with some friends to help re-decorate the bathroom. And by re-decorate I mean color some hot dog pictures.

Dinnersueandajax16 I was happy to meet some new people, and make some new friends. It was also interesting to see what images people come up with, and how the imagination develops over processed meat and a few beers. Two very talented art students showed their stuff and impressed everyone in the joint. Sue and Ajax were visiting from USC and Brandeis where they are seniors, and home visiting for the holidays. Check out their pics! Holy Toledo, Batman!

All of the pictures will be up for display in the Red Hot bathroom sometime this next week. Again, consider yourself warned. I know in my “Richard Simmons as a hot dog” picture I had some of his privates hanging out of the little drawn-on gym shorts. I had to do it people. It’s a friggen’ wiener for christsake.

Dinnerjaymarchello16 And then there was Jay. Jay Marchello is someone who is going to shake up my dinner table and leave us all changed by the end of the meal. According to what he tells us, he’s broken hundred’s of bones in his body while skateboarding, has hung out multiple times at Rob Dyrdek’s house, and schmoozed with Big Black. I can’t wait to hear the stories. I love the show “Rob & Big.” Hell, I’m an MTV reality show whore, I’m not gonna lie. My secret is to DVR the shows so I can fast forward through the 10-minute bullshit commercial breaks.

Dinnerdezzjaydonnie16 I certainly hope that Jay brings his girlfriend, Dezz, to dinner. She’s an artist at Supernova Hair and Tattoo. She was patient, kind, and full of spunk. It was very, very nice to meet her. I hope to see more of her if not at the dinner table, then around town. And while he’s at it, I hope he brings his brother from another mother: Dirty Donnie. He seemed pretty quiet, so I would like to have more time to get to know him.

Have a good week, Weekly Volcano readers, and cheers to all shows with season premiers in January. It’s gonna be one helluva DVR’d month.   

Mangiamo! â€" Steph DeRosa

Filed under: Food & Drink, Steph DeRosa, Tacoma,

January 6, 2008 at 3:18pm

Poster of the Day

Poster1608 Although Ezekiel38 left Fort Lewis and the Army for Chicago the hip-hop artists still comes flies back to T-town for shows at The Swiss and Hell's Kitchen.  He has his bags packed again for a show at The Swiss Thursday, Jan. 10. 

Check him out on MySpace. â€" Brad Allen

Filed under: Poster of the Day, Tacoma,

January 7, 2008 at 7:12am

It's on today!

Volcanoblastart VISUAL ARTS
Elaine Faaborg
Faaborg, I’m told, is an octogenarian. That in itself is fairly fascinating. But her art should be recognized for its intrinsic value, not because the artist has been on this earth a long time.

Faaborg’s collages â€" made mostly of materials traditionally associated with women’s crafts and including any old thing she can find around the house â€" have a homespun look and are beautifully designed, although some are a bit too cute for me.

According to Shari Hart from Tacoma’s Community & Economic Development, Faaborg “is an artistic gem. She finds and defines beauty in ordinary and unusual found items.  Her artwork will draw you into layer upon layer of created pieces, collaged with a variety of materials and repurposed elements” including “the magic of old metal computer tape incorporated into beautiful weavings, embellished with square glass tiles and the beauty that can be created from old magazines.” â€" Alec Clayton

[One Heart Café, Elaine Faaborg, through Jan. 31, 604 Fawcett Ave., Tacoma, 253.722.2940, www.oneheartcafe.com]

MORE ART: Tour local galleries and museums.


FILM
"Atonement"
An event on the lawn of an English country house is misinterpreted by a 13-year-old girl, and leads her to a wicked lie that destroys all possibility of happiness her herself, hr older sister (Keira Knightley) and her sister's lover (James McAvoy). Begins in sheer happiness, ventures through the horror of the war in France and London, ends in darkest irony. One of the year's best films, a certain best picture nominee. Rated R. Four Stars. â€" Roger Ebert

[The Grand Cinema: 6, 8:40; Longston Place 14: 12:20, 3:10, 7:20, 10:10; Regal Martin Village 16: 11:45 a.m., 2:30, 5:15, 8, 10:50]

MORE FILM: On local screens today.

January 7, 2008 at 9:37am

Concerts on sale this weekend

Live Nation is back after the holiday break announcing three concerts that go on sale Saturday:

On sale Saturday, Jan. 12, 10 a.m.
Jonas Brothers Everett. Feb. 5 8 pm. #29.50-$49.50 (Everett Events Center, 866.332.TIXX).
The Music Of Led Zeppelin Seattle. Feb. 22 8 pm. $25-$65 (Paramount Theatre, Ticketmaster).

On sale Saturday, Jan. 12, noon
Marilyn Manson, Ours Seattle. Feb. 18 8 pm. $36.50-$46.50 (Paramount Theatre, Ticketmaster).

Calm down, The Music of Led Zeppelin is not the actual band but rather conductor/arranger Brent Havens' orchestra playing Zepp tunes amped with a live rock band and blistering vocals. â€" Brad Allen

Filed under: Concert Alert, Music,

January 7, 2008 at 12:34pm

Ready to kick glass today

Melissa G. Post began her new job today as curator for the Museum of Glass. Her principal responsibilities will include researching and organizing exhibitions; contributing to the scholarship of glass as an artistic medium; developing and establishing the Museum’s permanent collection; and overseeing the Visiting Artist Program. 

Post left her post as assistant director of the Center for Craft, Creativity and Design in Hendersonville, N.C., to take the Museum of Glass to the next level. Post also held positions at the Mint Museum of Craft + Design in Charlotte, N.C., and the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, N.Y.

Welcome to Tacoma Melissa. The Weekly Volcano is pumped about the upcoming Lino show. â€" Michael Swan

Filed under: Arts, Culture, Tacoma,

January 8, 2008 at 3:02am

Toilet Tales: The Grand Cinema

there are some really great things that can give you a genuine feeling of community in Tacoma. I immediately think of the Thursday Farmers Market, First Night, and seeing a movie at The Grand Cinema, amongst others. I think it's safe to say that the film pickers at the Grand don't pick duds.

Aside from the critically acclaimed movies the Grand has to offer, there's the ambiance of it all. You know what I'm talking about: small theater, traditional seats, non-profit-essence, volunteer-run, homemade popcorn smell, quaint bathroom type of ambiance. Ah, the bathroom. I can only imagine the history of it all. I definitely know how it feels to make history. Or rather, how it feels to be historic. (Read: OLD)

There are the times I've been shopping, the song Material Girl by Madonna comes on, and the 18-year-old sales person asks me if I've heard this new tune. Or the time the Safeway cashier asked me what a dive bar was. (Yes, I was talking about dive bars while shopping at Safeway. What? You don't?) My 20th high school reunion is coming up, I cringe at teenage drivers, and yesterday my husband asked me to look into getting a breast lift. So you know what I do to make myself feel younger? Everything and anything. Call me crazy, call me immature, call me a bitch. I really don't give a shit. And my in-laws hate me for it, but oh well. They're not the ones I have to sleep next to at night, so there.

One huge thing my in-laws hate, more than my tattoos, is my obsession with live music. I'm not lying, and I'm not exaggerating, they HATE it. They've actually told me they will not baby sit the mini-me if it's so we can go see a concert or show. Yes, heaven forbid my husband and I have a common interest, and that we go see live entertainment together. It's the devil's music! We're going to HELLLLL!

Last summer I was at a show at the Gorge. One of the girls I was with gets a text from one of Robert Randolph's guys. (Robert Randolph and the Family Band opened the show.) It's for us to meet them in the VIP area immediately after the show. So as we are just hangin out with olRR, you know like all cool people do, I begin to get slightly irritated at how fans can act. Do people realize how stupid they look begging for an autograph or picture? It's a look of desperation, and quite frankly I wanted to kick someone in the knee. I am here with Robert Randolph, and you are bothering him, so F-off, people.

So then RR takes us back to the tour bus. My stomach sinks, my heart goes nuts, and as excited as I was to be experiencing this, I felt old. I felt like a groupie. I enjoyed it, but it felt weird. OK, it felt weird until they gave me a little mood-enhancement-smoke and asked us if we were ready to go to a party.  Ummmmm, yeah? Are you kidding? Sure, I followed RR through what seemed like a maze in a mile of white trailers, tour busses, around corners, and finally up a ramp and through some metal doors. Oh. My, Gawd. I was at an mutha-f***ing kegger on the mutha-f***ing stage of the Gorge Amphitheater. It was a view I will never forget, and a feeling I will never get rid of. In that single moment I forgot to feel old, and took the time to soak it all in.

I finish up in the Grand Cinema's bathroom and remember to take the time to soak up my current surroundings at the theater. Next time you are there, take the time for yourself to look around you. Notice the history, absorb the feeling of community, and learn something from it. Be a part of one of the things that makes old Tacoma stay young.¬" Steph DeRosa

Filed under: Screens, Tacoma,

January 8, 2008 at 7:09am

It's on today!

Volcanoblastart FILM
No Country for Old Men
Regards a completely evil man with wonderment, as if astonished that that such a merciless creature could exist. He is Anton Chigurh (Javiar Bardem), who travels Texas and kills people with a cattle stun-gun. He is one strand in a plot involving a drug deal gone bad. Another is a sheriff (Tommy Lee Jones) and a third is a hunter (Josh Brolin), a poor man who comes across $2 million in drug money. A masterpiece based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy, written, directed and edited by Joel and Ethan Coen. As good as their “Fargo,” which is saying something. Rated R. Four Stars. â€" Roger Ebert

[Longston Place 14, 2:55, 9:50, $6.50-$9.25, 13317 Meridian Ave. E. Puyallup, 253.770.3456]

MORE FILM: Playing on local screens.

SHOW
Elvis’ Birthday Bash
There are two Elvis Presleys: Jailhouse Elvis and Vegas Elvis. Don't confuse them.

Jailhouse Elvis sang purdy gospels for his mama.

Vegas Elvis ate 14 cheeseburgers, washed them down with half a bottle of pain killers, and shot the crap out of a 21-inch Panasonic color TV with a .45 caliber pistol because he thought he saw Ringo waiting in the wings on the set of Merv Griffin.

Tonight, Danny Vernon, this best Elvis we have in this state, will tackle both Elvis eras in celebration of the King’s birthday. Ray Anthony will join Vernon as the Richie Valens. â€" Brad Allen

[Emerald Queen Casino, 7 p.m., no cover, 2024 E. 29th St. Tacoma, 253.594.7777]

JAM
Billy Farmer
A gifted guitar player, Farmer plays acoustic with a folk style, electric in a Chicago blues stomp style and knows his way around the Delta, too.  His arsenal of strings includes a reliable 12 string, Dobro, mandolin and banjo. When he needs a little oomph, Farmer plugs in his Les Paul or Stratocaster. Farmer is a master of mimicry and can imitate everyone from Jagger to Cash.  Farmer leads the Tacos & Jams Open Mic tonight. â€" Tony Engelhart

[O’Callahan’s, 7:30 p.m., no cover, 15610 92nd St., KPN Key Center, 253.884.9766]

MORE MUSIC: In the clubs tonight.

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