SUZY STUMP: GO! >>>

The big wheels keep on turnin’ down at City Hall. And County Hall. And Chamber of Commerce, er, Hall. And … never mind. A bunch of people in suits want you to steer your mean machines over to Tollefson Plaza to kick off their On the Go! reduce congestion-reduce parking challenges-get you off your ass program. To lodge the thought of walking and biking and sharing rides in downtown Tacoma, officials will offer lunch, downtown walking maps, knowledge, coffee and tea, music, prizes, self-worth, bus information, downtown plans, a life, information on the Scoot Car and much more.

It’s a Schwinn-Schwinn situation for everyone.

[Tollefson Plaza, Wednesday, Oct. 1, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., South 17th and Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, 253.627.2175]

LINK: ViVA South Sound arts and entertainment calendar

STEPH DEROSA: PICK THEN DRINK >>>

It’s October, dammit, and I say it’s time for pumpkins. Pack everyone into your hoopty and spend a day out this weekend with the family. Head out to the Sumner/Buckley area to Maris Farms and yee-haw it up with fall festivities. Having an extensive kiddie activity area, pony rides, haunted woods, live entertainment, concession stand, pig races, huge jump pillow, corn maze, hay rides, and face painting â€" Maris Farms rivals all others. It doesn’t matter who you are or what age you declare yourself to be, everyone needs to take their shoes off and experience the majestic corn room. Moms, I’m looking at you.

After you’ve had enough of the horse dung and mud, strip off the rain boots, take a break, and grab some grub at Riverside Pub and Eatery in Sumner. The food is down-home delicious and the drinks are big and stiff, just like any mom would love. Especially after a day with the family, you’re going to need chilled toddy to make the upcoming holidays a bit more tolerable.

[Maris Farms, 24713 Sumner-Buckley Hwy., Buckley, 253.862.2848]

LINK: ViVA South Sound arts and entertainment guide

STEPH DEROSA: TACOMA NORDSTROM GALA SEPT. 30, 2008 >>>

Nordy’s got me drunk last night. I’m not gonna lie. While most every other “media” person has given you the boring, obvious report of how the new Tacoma Nordstrom store is bigger, shinier, more selection, blah blah, blah â€" this social girl is just now rollin’ out of bed from treating last night like a party. I need some Pepto, stat!

Upon our arrival, Brian Townsend (Tacoma Mall Nordstrom’s store manager) was called to give JCB and me a personal, guided tour. He was so proud of his new baby; you could see it in his eyes. I asked him how he was feeling inside, and he was obviously very relieved, “It’s like planning a wedding. All that time, and that day is finally here.”

As we made our way across the expansive, shiny floors we heard a voice call, “Daddy! Daaaadeeeee!” Mr. Townsend looked at us, smiled and said, “That’s my daughter and her boyfriend.”

“Daddy? Can I have these shoes? Look how cute they are! They match perfect! Please?”

“Just one! One pair only!” he replied.

My mind immediately started playing “Damn, it feels good to be a gangster.” I was envious. I would love to have all Nordstrom’s shoes at my disposal. Mr. Townsend was letting his daughter have a pair of shoes because remember: this is a special occasion, like a wedding.

The most brilliant move in Nordstrom’s Opening Gala planning was putting free drinks in between the two things that attract women the most: shoes and makeup. That is damn brilliant, Nordy’s, damn brilliant. I dropped a pretty penny on some Mac makeup after a T-Town Tini, that’s for sure.

JCB and I had fun making jokes about some of the shoes. Sorry Nordy’s. There were simply too many to like them all. That’s what you get for trying to please everyone, Nordstrom’s. Although we did think Matt Driscoll already had a pair of these gold, shiny kicks.

Mojitos flowed like the Puyallup River. Minus the Salmon. One after the other, the Mojitos came to us. Constantly. At times we double fisted. Yes, we got lit. I palled around with my hilarious friend Jessica Corddry for a bit, who does nothing but instigate trouble.

We liked all the cute waiters. A lot. One had a black eye, and we thought that was extra hot. Corddry found out it was from playing Rugby. Oh, man, even hotter. Then friend Allison Swarner pointed out that Rugby players hug a lot while playing the sport. Sweaty, dirty, grunting men piled up on each other? I just about had to excuse myself for a moment alone.

It was at that point the poor Rugby-playing waiter ran away from us.

But seriously, look how cute the waiters were.

The Dudley Manlove Quartet jazzed up some amazing ’80s covers that set the tone of our evening, making it all right. JCB quickly realized there were five men in the quartet, and that if she Googled “Dudley Manlove Quartet” she’d probably run into a few porn websites.

I had a blast running into and hanging out with the Swarner ladies, a ton of Tacoma bloggers, Jennifer Colley from Posh Home, my girl JCB, and Jessica Corddry. What a fantastically good time we had. Thank you, Nordy’s! And thank you to the Gala’s benefactors, Tacoma Art Museum and Museum of Glass, for being a part of what makes Tacoma cool.

LINK: More gala photos on the Photo Hot Spot

MATT DRISCOLL: WHAT A WEEK >>>

To battle a $4.3 million deficit in 2009, Thurston County announced earlier this week that the county might be forced to lay off and/or not fill vacancies for 50 jobs â€" and raise sales tax. Perhaps the most startling aspect of the announcement, however, was the list of additional proposed cutbacks, including doing away with all jail treatment and education programs.

Good thing the fundamentals of our economy are strong, eh bubba? Otherwise a sane person might start to think we’re all headed to hell in a penniless and hungry hand basket.

If our meter we run in the Weekly Volcano rag every week rated Thurston County instead of Pierce County, I'd give this a minus 2.

TONY ENGELHART: ANGELA REED >>>

Angela Reed is not a folk singer, even though she leans toward the genre lyrically â€" think Sarah McLachlan meets Melissa Ethridge as she blends acoustic rock with an updated sound that is in step with the mainstream. The 20-something songstress is inspired by such artists as Joni Mitchell, Ani Difranco and Jeff Buckley, but doesn’t sound like any of them. Rather, she takes elements from each and creates her own unique sound.

Born with a naturally beautiful voice, her range is vast as she croons through her originally penned material. Whether performing as a solo act or with her band, Reed’s shows are akin to an intimate gathering of friends.

On the Seattle-native’s sophomore studio effort, Undertone, Reed paints personal narratives of her life with an openness that borders on confessional.

Catch her tonight at the Mandolin Cafe.

[Mandolin Cafe, 7 p.m., donation, 3923 S. 12th St., Tacoma, 253.761.3482]

JAKE DE PAUL: SQUEEZE ME? >>>

It’s time for some folks to roll out the cider press in anticipation of the first golden drops of autumnal tonic. Tain’t nothing like a gallon or so of fresh cider to clear the constitution.

It's also time to check out the food stories in this week's Weekly Volcano:

Ken Swarner waxes apples and apple squeezes here.

My brother and I review the Organic Comfort Food Cafe in Puyallup here.

Sandee Glib discusses breakfast for dinner here.

And the weather is turning so head inside for a meal here.

JOHN HERBERT: WHAT WOULD JACK KEROUAC DO? >>>

God help us … the 23rd annual Tacoma Fall RV Show will shine a spotlight on the latest and greenest RVs available to enhance the modern explorers’ lifestyle with more than 100 makes and models at the Tacoma Dome, through Oct. 5.

On deck is the 27-foot-long SolTrekker, dubbed “the most eco-friendly motorhome in the universe.” The fully functional RV runs completely free of fossil fuels and uses solar power for heating, lighting and interior power needs. Run on biofuel, the SolTrekker is nearly self-sustainable and uses a combination of solar panels, high efficiency insulation, greywater recycling, rainwater and other methods to become a mobile “green building” showroom. Alongside the SolTrekker will be hundreds of other, less eco-friendly RVs.

[Tacoma Dome, Thursday, Oct. 2 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday, Oct. 3-Saturday, Oct. 4 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 5 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., $6-$8, 2525 E. D St., Tacoma]

LINK: ViVA South Sound arts and entertainment calendar

RON SWARNER: TACOMA FILM FESTIVAL >>>

Film buffs are faced with an embarrassment of riches in upcoming days - and, no, we're not talking about release of High School Musical 3: Senior Year and Saw V later this month. Two whopping film festivals touch down in the area soon, one in Tacoma beginning today and one just a short hike down the road in Olympia next month, and they're promising to challenge attendees - notions of filmmaking and film-festival organization.

The Weekly Volcano slapped the Tacoma Film Festival on its cover today with a complete schedule through the festival's end date of Oct. 9.  Check it out here.