BOBBLE TIKI: BREAKFAST WITH BOBBLE TIKI >>>

THE DAILY WORD

Sesquipedalian \ses-kwuh-puh-DAYL-yuhn\, adjective:
1. Given to or characterized by the use of long words.
2. Long and ponderous; having many syllables.

USAGE EXAMPLE: If he was smarter, and hadn’t spent two college quarters attending WSU, Bobble Tiki just may have turned out to be a sesquipedalian scribe for the Weekly Volcano. That didn’t happen. 

MORNING NEWS

TACOMA: Remembering a really old dead cop

OLYMPIA: Thurston County Fair kicks off

SEATTLE: Cracking down on mortgage abuse

UNITED STATES: Obama's untouchable image

ENVIRONMENT: Ted Stevens indicted

JUST BIZARRE: Car meets couch

MORE STRANGE NEWS:Big ass dead whale

THINGS TO DO TODAY
FILM LISTINGS: Look here
MUSIC LISTINGS: Here’s what’s happening
SHOOT THE SHIT: Weekly Volcano forums

RON SWARNER: CH-CH-CH-CHANGES >>>

Big changes at the The News Tribune:

Last week the paper’s online editor Mark Briggs announced his departure for his own online venture.

Today, the Trib’s food critic Ed Murietta announced he’s leaving for his own online venture.

Next, The McClatchy Company promoted the Trib’s editor David Zeeck to run the business side as president and publisher.

Last, McClatchy asked the Weekly Volcano to be their best friend. We respectively declined.

KEN SWARNER: MERENDE MENU PEEK >>>

I interviewed Chef Jeff Bishop for tomorrow’s Weekly Volcano. Among other things, we chatted about his soon to open Il Trattoria di Merende in the old Vin Grotto space at Eighth and Pacific Avenue in downtown Tacoma. 

Bishop, a seasoned chef with strong ties to the area was kind enough to give us all a sneak peak at his menu. I offer you a glimpse of it below.

~ primi~

strazzopreti e faso’                                                                                         
hand rolled pasta, braised borlotti beans, pancetta, chopped herbs.
$17

cappellini al pomodoro                                                                                       
tomatoes, basil leaves, garlic, perlini mozzarella, extra virgin olive oil.
$15

linguine  vongole                                                                                                
local clams, garlic, basil, hot pepper flakes, butter, cinzano and herbed crostini.
$19

tagliatelle bolognese                                                                                           
hearty meat ragout, cream, nutmeg, parmesan reggiano.
$16

~ carne ~

barolo braised beef short ribs                                                                             
slow cooked boneless ribs, chestnut potato puree, pan reduction sauce, sautéed beet greens.
$26

rabbit and chanterelle risotto                                                                              
tender rabbit, locally foraged mushrooms, creamy goat cheese, carnaroli rice.
$22

~ dolce ~

tiramisu                                                                                                                 
espresso dipped lady fingers ,sweet mascarpone, kahula brandy whipped cream.
$7

orange saffron cake                                                                                              
frangelico whipped crema, candied hazelnuts.
$7

zabaglione                                                                                                             
Muscat wine, fresh berries, house made biscotti.
$7

caprese torta                                                                                                         
chocolate almond flourless cake, amaretto whipped cream, fresh berries.
$7

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

MATT DRISCOLL: HEAR YE! HEAR YE!

The time has finally come.

Maybe you filled out the Weekly Volcano’s Best Of survey and maybe you didn’t. But either way the super-sized, all inclusive, coolest-shit-you’ve-seen-in-a-long-time Weekly Volcano Best Of edition hits the streets tomorrow.

That’s right, yo! It’s like Christmas but better. It’s like a trip to Disney World, only not lame.

Every year the Weekly Volcano produces Tacoma’s, shall we say, best Best Of reference guide. Where’s the best burger? The Weekly Volcano fills you in. Where is the best place to buy organic produce? The Weekly Volcano tells you. Where’s the best place to buy a bong? The Weekly Volcano even tells you that.

For the total Weekly Volcano Best Of package, you’re just going to have to wait until tomorrow. But here’s a snippet of the goodness in store. 

Best Convenience Store: Choosing Tacoma’s best quickie-mart or corner store is kind of impossible. Not because there’s probably not a best one out there, but because everyone’s favorite convenience store depends on where they live. The point of a convenience store is convenience, after all â€" and no one is likely to drive, walk or ride their retro scooter across town simply because they prefer a particular 7-11. With that in mind, I must say my favorite convenience store is the 7-11 at Sixth and Alder. They have most of the things I look for from a convenience store: like Vitamin Water, beef jerky, tall boys and scratch tickets â€" plus I just really like the crew at 6th and Alder. Those people put up with more 2 a.m. shit from Sixth Ave’s spilling out drunks than most bartenders â€" and they don’t even make tips. That deserves commending. â€" Matt Driscoll

MATT DRISCOLL: THIS JUST IN (NOT ABOUT SOMEONE QUITTING AT THE TRIB) >>>

I got a text message from guitarist Kevin Day of Top Heavy Crush this afternoon to say that his band, the aforementioned THC, will be playing a last minute show tonight at Hell's Kitchen. Even more newsworthy, THC will be breaking in a new drummer. According to Day's text message, the band has found a replacement for drummer Geoff Redding â€" who left to tour with Duff McKagan's Loaded â€" and they'll hit the stage around 10 p.m.

Usually when Day text messages me he just wants me to pick up more Boones, so the news came as something of a surprise. (Just kidding, KD. You know I love you.)

LINK: Live music and DJs tonight

Thanks for the photo Mike Savola and MySpace!

SUZY STUMP: 5 THINGS TO DO TODAY >>>

9 A.M.-2 P.M.: The Chef Demo at the Tacoma Farmers Market is Chef Diane McWilliams from the Herban Café. She’s firing up Market Slaw at 10:30 a.m. in the Local Living Lounge. Plus Tree Roots In The Basement perform at 11 a.m. Hit the Market today.

6-9 P.M.: The front rooms of Fulcrum Gallery are filled with glass works by Bryan Rubino that are displayed in such a way as to be seen as two unified installations even though it is actual an exhibition of slightly more than a dozen individual works of art. Check out our review.

6:30 P.M.: The Walla Walla boutique winery Ash Hollow, which makes a rich Northwest Gewurz, pairs wine with the magic coming out of the Sea Grill kitchen. Bam! â€" $125. Call 253.272.5656 to see if there’s room for you.

7 P.M.: Dear Records welcomes charismatic  Seattle-via-Japan singer/songwriter Pwrful Power, aka Kazutaka Nomura, to The Helm gallery tonight. He's so talented that he can now add back the "o" and the "e." We’ll find out exactly how many hipsters the space can hold tonight.

8:45 P.M.: Vicci Martinez is still crazy delicious after all these years. She is a child prodigy turned professional acoustic folk/rock songster who performs compelling and soulful music that is chock-full of positive energy. Oh, and we voted her Best Singer/Songwriter in our Best of Tacoma issue, which is inserted into the Weekly Volcano today. See her tonight at Masa.

LINK: Viva South Sound arts and entertainment calendar
LINK: Live music and DJs tonight

JAKE DE PAUL: THE MORNING BREW >>>

1. Interview with Jeff Bishop of Merende. (Weekly Volcano)

2. Thirty-five easy ways to stretch your food dollars. (epicurious)

3. The drinking mag Mutineer Magazine celebrates its debut this week. (Mutineer magazine)

4. Walkability is nice, but it's not making us skinny. (Crosscut)

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

MICHAEL SWAN: WEEKLY VOLCANO'S MUDROOM >>>

Today, while hanging out with fellow Tacoma Farmers Market enthusiasts in downtown Tacoma, your best course of karmic action is to spin around and tap your ruby heels together three times and with your hand shoved in Charlie Milligan’s face exclaim there's no place like the South Sound … there’s no place like the South Sound:

BEST OF TACOMA: Our yearly Best of Tacoma issue, in which your humble and helpful Weekly Volcano staffers show some love for all the things that make the City of Destiny so nifty, hit the streets today. It’s stuffed inside the Weekly Volcano. It will appear on our Web site next week.

FOREMOST FOREIGN: Milk building does a city good.

PANHANDLING FIGHT: Pierce County Council set to square off against panhandling.

NUMBERED SPACES: A lot of negative crap went down this week.