JAKE DE PAUL: GARDEN CAFÉ RELOCATES TO SIXTH AVENUE >>>

You can tell the moment you walk into the new Pinwheel Catering’s Herban Cafe that this is a place where people linger, where they come with newspapers and laptops in the morning, drink coffee and eat sandwiches or scones until well into the afternoon, and enjoy pot pie and wine before a show. Today, the second day of business in the former Ezell's Famous Chicken on Sixth Avenue in Tacoma, a girl was curled up on one of the benches reading; an empty mug on the table looked long since finished. Another table, which resembles what you might find on an outdoor patio, played host to a family of four planning their day.  Myself? A delicious, gourmet ham and brie sandwich, deep mug of corn chowder with big potato chunks, a glass of Cuvee Monster Red and a chocolate oatmeal cookie sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Unlike recent restaurant openings, Steve and Gretchen Nogler, former owners of Sumner's Garden Cafe, opened this small café without pretense. Bathed in neon orange inside (it works), the inviting spot offers organic treats such as a melt-in-your-mouth prime rib dip, hearty pot pie, revolving pastries, fancy-sounding sandwiches, rustic white bean cassoulet, 10 salads including a roasted duck and spinach choice, 3,000 miles from Buffalo wings, rotating wine and beer choices, coffee and tea beverage bar and five dessert options on the blackboard.

Oh, I'm pleased to announce they have a roll-up door for sidewalk dining.

LINK: Pinwheel Catering’s Herban Café for complete menu, hours and slide show of its transformation.

FILM
Juno
Very smart, very funny and then very touching; it begins with the pacing of a screwball comedy and ends as a portrait of characters we have come to love.  Ellen Page in an Oscar-worthy performance as a pregnant 16-year-old who decides to keep the child.  With J.K. Simmons and Allison Janney wonderful as her parents, older and wiser than most parents in teenage comedies.  And Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman as the would-be adoptive parents, and Michael Cera, shyly winning as Juno’s boyfriend.  Screenplay by Diablo Cody, directed by Jason Reitman; the best movie of 2007. (PG) Four stars â€" Roger Ebert

[Century Olympia: 12:25, 2:50, 5:15, 7:50, 10:25; The Grand Cinema: 4:20, 6:35, 8:50; Lakewood Cinema 15: 11:40 a.m., 3:10, 6:35, 9:40; Lakewood Towne Center 12: 2:50, 5:05, 7:15, 9:30; Regal Martin Village 16: 11:40 a.m., 2:10, 4:40, 7:10, 9:55; Regal South Hill 6: 11:50 a.m., 2:20, 4:40, 7:10, 9:40]

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

[Century Olympia: 1:55, 7:10; The Grand Cinema: 6, 8:40; Regal South Hill 6: 3:50, 6:40, 9:25; Yelm Cinemas @ Prairie Park: 12:35, 3:10, 6, 8:40]

MORE FILM: On local screens today.

MUSIC
Rockaraoke
If you give Tacoma a microphone it knows what to do with. That much is proven night in and night out at karaoke joints all over town. Now, give Tacoma a microphone and a live band, and you have Rockaraoke at Jazzbones every Monday night. Fun is always had by all, and booze is consumed at an alarming pace. The $1 High Life pints and $4 Jäger bombs might have something to do with it.  Fun. â€" Suzy Stump

[Jazzbones, 9 p.m., no cover, 2803 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.396.9169]

MORE MUSIC: In the clubs tonight.

BOBBLE TIKI: GEWGAW, MCCAIN, SEAN COSTELLO >>>

THE DAILY WORD
Learn it, use it, spell it
Gewgaw \G(Y)OO-gaw\, noun:

A showy trifle; a trinket; a bauble.

USAGE EXAMPLE: After noticing that his “9” button didn’t work, he couldn’t download ring-tones, and it took five minutes to send a text, Bobble Tiki began to wonder if the fancy pants phone he’d dropped three hundred bones on was anything more than a shiny, overpriced gewgaw.

THE MORNING NEWS

SEATTLE: Frozen eggs

TACOMA: Six man showdown

CAMPAIGN ’08: The oldest candidate

GRAMMYS: Kanye and Winehouse win big

HUSTLER OF CULTURE
You can stand atop the mountain and scream your naked desires to the universe or shed that synapse epilepsy and hug the South Sound today with your fellow man:
 
MUSIC: It’s Monday, meaning there’s not a whole lot going on tonight. If you tore it up all weekend, perhaps tonight is as good a night as any to take a break. Perhaps not. Bobble Tiki recommends Rockaroake tonight at Jazzbones. Hosted by Bria McCoy, there’s a reason Rockaroake Monday is Jazzbones’ busiest night. It’s because it’s fun, and the drinks are super cheap. It’s a winning combination.

MORE MUSIC: What’s on tonight
MONEY TALKS: Sound Investment

THREATS AND PROMISES COLUMN
Bobble Tiki’s Threats and Promises column runs every week in the Volcano. This Thursday Bobble Tiki will be examining Sean Costello’s show coming up at Jazzbones. Bobble Tiki’s a slacker and hasn’t written a word yet, but promises another excellent column come Thursday. For now, check Costello out here.

Breakfast with Bobble Tiki runs six days a week now. Deal with it.

STEPH DEROSA: I HEART CUPCAKES >>>

Cards, candy, flowers, a fancy dinner, get your date nice and drunk, you know-the usual Valentine's day ritual.  After the drunkenness, or before the cards and candy, I have devised another option for you to swoon your date and possibly get them under your spell just a little bit faster:  the cupcake.

It's simple, and it's original.  There's nothing to it.  Look, I'll even tell you where to go and how many pennies you need to dig out of the water fountain in order to buy one.

hello, cupcake
Reina Miller is baking up some tasty Valentine themed cupcakes at hello, cupcake, such as a chocolate-raspberry cupcake topped with raspberry cream cheese frosting, and decorated with a cute heart.  Awwwww!  So cute!  All for just 195 pennies.  If you'd like to team it up with one of their way-cute gift boxes, make that 295 pennies.  These are available at its downtown Tacoma location through Feb. 16.

Indulge Cupcakes
Jen Quaschinik mixes up the perfect cupcake at Indulge Cupcakes.  All cupcake flavors with all icing flavors will have some sort of Valentine decorated alternative.  Flavors include, but are not limited to: chocolate, vanilla, red velvet, carrot cake, and its friendly cousin the chocolate-carrot cake.  These are available through Feb. 14, but if you call ahead she'll whip some just for you.  All cupcakes come in a Valentine decorated box for a total of 250 pennies.

MATT DRISCOLL: WANTS HIS TV BACK TO NORMAL

TV is about to make a comeback. Based on widely circulating reports, the writers' strike that has turned the tube into an uninspiring, rarely entertaining wasteland of reality shows and reruns is nearing an end. Any day now we should receive word that the strike has officially ended.

I, for one, am going to be happy to finally have my TV back.

Once the writers finally do make it back to work, it's not as though TV will instantaneously go back to normal. Here's a look, thanks to the NY Times, at what you can expect once TV returns to normalcy.

MATT DRISCOLL: IS ALL ABOUT THE BLOGOSPHERE >>>

Check it out. Kill Rock Stars, one of the labels that helped make Olympia the town it is today, has a new blog. You can find it here. It's worth a peek.

SUZY STUMP/JENNIFER JOHNSON: LOVE FOR SALE >>>

Yes, another Valentine’s Day approaches. Obvious expectations on this “special” day include the following: grumpy singles, unsavory public displays of affection, overly excitable girlfriends, an arsenal of disgruntled Hallmark employees, and, of course, lots and lots of chocolate. But before I go on, let me anticipate a few of your nagging questions. First, yes, chocolate is indeed an aphrodisiac! And, no, it’s not alright to buy her (or him) the Snicker’s Family Pak and call it a night. I hate to break it to you, but that’s just not worthy of your Valentine.

Right. Now, here are a few worthy suggestions:

Chopstix will be serving a three-course meal for $25 per person Valentine’s Day.  Ladies drinks will be $3. 2702 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.627.7555.

Mandolin Café doles out the French champagne and chocolate cake during the SubTonics show Valentine’s Day night. It’s $10 per person.

Here are a few South Sound restaurants where romance can simmer.

Equilibrium women present a cool V-Day party.

The Red Hot. The place with the perfect name for Valentine’s Day. While the beer bar with hot dogs (or is it a hot dog bar with beer?) may not seem like the most romantic place to take a date, it will be the most unpretentious of Tacoma’s options Thursday. First, Adam Sandler’s The Wedding Singer will roll on the big screen for the weekly movie. Better than that, some new menu items will get their turn in the spotlight. After the free flick is over, get into the groove with classic KISS tunes. And the best we saved for last: Corina Bakery, the bakery Tacoma has a crush on, is providing miraculously free cupcakes. Oh my.

Yes, Eroica Trio is classical music. Yes, its three chicks. Yes, they are hot. No, I will not make out with you. There are no synthesizers, no special effects, no back-up band, dancers or light show to distract you from how uninspired so much mainstream music has become. Classical and straight-forward instrumental music reaches right into the soul. By performing works of Beethoven, Godard, Brahms, Bach and the like, these three talented women, Erika Nickrenz, Susie Park and Sara Sant'Ambrogio, present music of the past for appreciation today. Have you had your soul touched lately? If not, check out Eroica Trio at the Pantages Thursday night.

BOBBLE TIKI: ANODYNE, RANDY QUAID, TIGHTWAD TUESDAY >>>

THE DAILY WORD
Learn it, use it, spell it
Anodyne \AN-uh-dyn\, adjective:
1. Serving to relieve pain; soothing.
2. Not likely to offend; bland; innocuous.
Noun:
1. A medicine that relieves pain.
2. Anything that calms, comforts, or soothes disturbed feelings.

USAGE EXAMPLE: Shortly after dropping out of the 2008 Presidential Campaign, Mitt Romney retreated to the back of the Mitt-mobile and took five or six bong hits â�" an anodyne both for the pain of defeat and pain in his checkbook.

THE MORNING NEWS

SEATTLE: Randy Quaid is fucked up

TACOMA:  Puyallup is fucked up

CAMPAIGN �08: The Clinton campaign is fucked up

SPORTS: Jim Zorn is fucked

HUSTLER OF CULTURE
You can stand atop the mountain and scream your naked desires to the universe or shed that synapse epilepsy and hug the South Sound today with your fellow man:

MUSIC: Yesterday, Bobble Tiki complained it was Monday and there was nothing to do. Today, Tuesday, one day closer to the weekend, and there's still not much to do. It is Tightwad Tuesday at Hell's Kitchen, a Weekly Volcano sponsored event, so Bobble Tiki's boss would probably appreciate it if he mentioned that. And it is Loud and Local Night at Maggie O-Tooles. But, in all honesty, Bobble Tiki foresees spending another night on the couch in his sweat pants. Thatââ?¬â?¢s just the way Bobble Tiki rolls sometimes.   

MORE MUSIC: What's on tonight
FORUMS, BITCH: Check-em out

THREATS AND PROMISES COLUMN
Bobble Tiki's Threats and Promises column runs every week in the Volcano. Yesterday Bobble Tiki told you he'd be covering Sean Costello's show coming up at Jazzbones this week. Bobble Tiki lied. He changed his mind and will now be covering Team Unicorn Records and their party at Bob's Java Jive this weekend. Bobble Tiki hopes he hasn�t disappointed anyone, but feels confident in the decision. Bobble Tiki will not be losing any sleep over the matter.

Breakfast with Bobble Tiki runs six days a week now. Deal with it.

ART
Remembered Light
U.S. Army Chaplain Frederick Alexander McDonald may no longer be with us, but he lives on through his memories and shards of glass he collected during World War II. These stained glass pieces from sanctuaries damaged or destroyed when the war wreaked havoc on Europe, and McDonald’s personal recollections come together in a breathtaking exhibit on display at the Washington State History Museum. 

Remembered Light: Glass Fragments from World War II, The McDonald Windows features 25 windows in diverse media including ceramic, silk screen, vinyl and glass created by 13 international glass artists. These stunning works of art reflect the despair and the hope, the destruction and the renewal Seattle-born McDonald experienced as he traveled through Europe with General Omar Bradley’s 12th Army Group from 1944-45. â€" Jamie Forsythe

[The Washington State History Museum, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.,  $6-$8, 1911 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 1.888.BE.THERE, www.WashingtonHistory.org]

MORE ART: In the galleries and museums today.

FILM
There Will Be Blood
Daniel Day-Lewis in a virtuoso performance as an obsessed loner, starting with nothing and becoming a California oil tycoon, in a live dominated by greed, duplicity, hatred and loneliness. Paul Thomas Anderson's epic is ambitious and relentless as the study of a human monster. Magnificent visuals created by cinematographer Robert Elswit and set designer Jack Fisk. A debatable ending, and its reach exceeds its grasp, which is not a dishonorable thing. Rated R. Three and a half stars. â€" Roger Ebert

[Century Olympia: 12:55, 4:35, 8:05; The Grand Cinema: 4, 8; Lakewood Cinema 15: 11:25 a.m., 2:55, 6:20, 9:50; Longston Place 14: 11:20 a.m., 2:50, 6:30, 9:55; Regal Martin Village 16: 11:35 a.m., 3:15, 6:50, 10:20; Yelm Cinemas @ Prairie Park: 2:10, 5:20, 8:35]

MORE FILM: On local screens today.

ROCK
Quitzow
Quitzow is a cool name for a band. Don’t bother looking it up; you won’t find it in any dictionary. It’s Erica’s last name. Playing a brand of medium-fi electro pop, Erica Quitzow is a solo performer who is as whimsical as she is talented. Think PJ Harvey meets Todd Rundgren and you’ll have a vague point of reference to ponder. But the New York-based artist (note I said “artist”) has also drawn comparisons to Siouxsie Sioux and Lori Anderson because of her inventive style. â€" Tony Engelhart

[The Royal Lounge, 8 p.m., no cover, 311 Capital Way N., Olympia, 360.705.0760]

MORE MUSIC: In the clubs tonight.

STEPH DEROSA: PARKING FIASCO >>>

I think it's the decorative balls hanging from the ceiling that are my favorite part of the Mandolin Cafe bathroom. OK, wait¬" there's also the black wainscoting and the rock-replicate sink. This bathroom is pure fun when you add into it the high speed, skin shaking G-force hand drier. The mini-me and I can get a line formed outside the door with how long we take to stop and play with the drier. As I soak in the Mandolin bathroom, I capture my thoughts on how time changes with people, place, and things.

I've seen the Mandolin grow, change and develop. I was there before the beer and wine, before the huge magazine rack (remember that?), and before the little bands played in front of the fireplace for tips. Mandolin is in my heart, and in my fondest memories.

With all the cool coffee shops sprouting inside the entrepreneurial garden of Tacoma, I've discovered other places to get my fix. Admittedly, I don't really sit and drink coffee much anymore. When kids, Brad Allen, and probation officers start becoming part of the equation, it gets harder to be in one place for too long. Although, when my cousins said they would meet us last Sunday for coffee, the first place I suggested was Mandolin. I hadn't been there in so long!

I knew not to park alongside the building. It would be turmoil getting out of the spot, so I opted for a street-side parking spot. Oh, but no, my husband convinces me otherwise. He informs me that next to the building-side spot there is a No Parking sign¬" thus keeping that spot open¬" thus giving me a wider turning radius when it was time to exit. (Damn engineer!) Once again, as irritating as it is, and as much as I fucking hate it, Damon convinces me to go against my own plan and thoughts in order to do what he wants. Grrrrrrrr!

Inside, I'm ready for coffee, and I'm ready for some breakfast. I remember they used to have scones, pastries, ham and cheese croissants, and some other yummy breakfast options. Well, not anymore. I managed to find the very last bran muffin (These things are amazing), but had to fight off Damon for its possession. I don't get it, the place was almost empty, and it was only 9:30 a.m. Where were all the Sunday morning breakfast munchies?

The service was great; I met some really cool employees, learned more about the Friday night wine tasting, and had no problem finding a table for all of us to comfortably fit. I should mention: The coffee was beautiful and excellent, as always. The Mandolin Cafe gradually filled up to its expected Sunday morning capacity, and I was happy.

As we were leaving, I noticed that Damon's plan to have the empty No Parking spot had been foiled. Yes, someone was parked there. There was no way I could get out of the spot. I burst my way back into the Mandolin Cafe, and asked the manager-looking person to help me find out who was parked there. No, she said: I had to go around and ask on my own. Are you fucking kidding me? I went around and asked, went back outside, then went back in and asked around again. As I was just about to blow a mental gasket, a lady walks in, looks at me and says: Oh, are you looking for me? I'm parked in that spot. But I can park there because I'm the owner.WHAT?!?! You mean, you heard me ask for help, let me run around for about 10 minutes, go in and out twice, and the whole time¬" it was YOU?!?Yeah, but the sign says No customer parking, that's not me. I'm the owner.

Look, I'm only allowed 600 words here for Toilet Tales, or else I would bitch and moan for another 200 more or so. But I think you get my point: times may change, but my tolerance level for stupid shit will always stay low and on guard.