TACOMA CITY COUNCIL NAPKIN NOTES PRESENTED BY THE WEEKLY VOLCANO >>>

MATT DRISCOLL: FINAL PHOTO >>>

As you may recall Weekly Volcano scribe Chuck Dula struck a deal with a bisexual female friend of his. If he could lose 25 pounds by May 1, then said friend â€" and another female to be determined later â€" would have a three-way with Mr. Dula. That's what we called inspiration.

Chuck chronicled his weight loss efforts every Tuesday here on Spew. There were highs and lows, fats and skinnies.

He didn’t make it.

He did drop 20 pounds, which is cool.

Below you can check out the before and after shot.

LINK: 25 pounds to freedom archive

MICHAEL SWAN: FRIDAY, MAY 8, 2009 >>>

1. Last Friday, 30 local filmmaker teams were given a) a line of dialogue: “They don’t make ’em like they used to,” b) an action: washing, c) a required prop: some sort of container and d) a required element: a misunderstanding . . . and told to make a five-minute max film in DVD format. Oh, and they had 72 hours to go from start to finish, including writing, acting, producing, editing, and directing. The results of the 72 Hour Film Festival are on-screen at the Rialto Theater tonight at 7 p.m. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll wince.

2. In between the aerial acrobats the Portland-based movement theater troupe Do Jump! will fill the Pantages Theater stage with stagecraft that's a mix of magical realism, spoken word and voice-over narration, video projection and music performed live beginning at 7:30 p.m.

3. Tchaikovsky’s adaptation of Charles Perrault’s fairy tale La Belle au Bois Dormant â€" The Sleeping Beauty â€" tells the familiar story of a century-long nap for the princess and her kingdom, one handsome prince who’s a hell of a kisser, and a big old shebang of a wedding during which Puss in Boots shakes her tail on the dance floor at 7:30 p.m. at the Washington Center in Olympia.

4. Tacoma. Mix sushi with jazz by The Musig/Christensen Duo inside Twokoi Japanese Restaurant at 8 p.m.

5. Blanco Brono's last show will be tonight with The Electrolytes and Order Of The Crimson Wizard beginning at 9 p.m. at The New Frontier Lounge.

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

FRANCOIS TWITTER: BOLDY ALLEZ >>>

NEXT DAY AIR: Bloody excentrique comédie about possiblee zee world’z most stoopeed bank robberz along with ets most inept delivery homme and most imprudent drug lord. 

STAR TREK: Oh Trekkies and civilianz reejoice: Not only doez zee Star Trek extend smart thrillz and slick kickz, but et builds upon zee original'z historee while creating an entirely nouveau future.

LINK: Movee timez here

NEWS TEAM: GOOD MORNING SOUTH SOUND >>>

Special Legislative Session: “Nah,” said Gov. Gregoire.

Climb Not Just Any Mountain: Awards for Rainier bravery

The One H1N1: A junior high school student in the Puyallup School District tested positive.

Bad But Better: U.S. jobless rate hits 8.9 percent, but pace of losses eases.

U.S. Banks Stress Test: Splitsville

Hong Kong Quarantined Hotel: Yay! You can only watch Slumdog Millionaire so many times.

Hollywood: Brad Pitt is a Basterd

NEWS TEAM: WANKERS OF THE DAY >>>

Domenique Astrid Conway

Joseph Mondau

Chicago Violence

Snake Head

JAKE DE PAUL: FRIDAY FOOD LINKS >>>

More chef changes at the Herbfarm

Blind Wine Chick

Food Miles: Do they really matter?

Today’s South Sound Specials

Andrew Will Winemaker Dinner, 6:30 p.m., $100, El Gaucho, 2119 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.1510.

A Trip to Spain with Rob Windham wine tasting, 3-6 p.m., complimentary, Water to Wine, 9014 Peacock Hill Ave., Gig Harbor, 253.853.9463.

Fridays Uncorked, 5-7:30 p.m., $12, Bayview School of Cooking, 516 Fourth Ave. W., Olympia, 360.754.1448.

Wine tasting, 6-8 p.m., $7.50-$10, WineStyles Wine & Gifts, 2665 N. Pearl St., Tacoma, 253.756.1922.

Future Things Are Coming

Fred Oldfield Western Heritage & Art Center’s wine tasting event May 9.

Tacoma Wine Classic at Tacoma Community College May 9.

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

Only if a bungee cord is attached to our leg:

STEPH DEROSA: SLOW BURN >>>

Grilled Tiger Prawns with Spicy Cucumber Salsa
Maxwell’s Speakeasy +Lounge
Price: $11
Burn Factor: Three out of four Molotov cocktails

Usually I feel nothing but intense delight when cute men tease me. Add cute men teasing me with delicious food, and I want to go berserk. Add to that the effects of mass wine consumption and what you have here, people, is nothing but a disastrous conglomeration of my female hormones. Last time this happened: Broadway Center’s annual fund-raiser Star Chefs on Broadway last Sunday.

Maxwell’s Speakeasy + Lounge represented with delicious and unlimited samples of what fine menu items one could normally find on their regular menu. In this specific instance, I took a keen liking to what Maxwell’s cute men were dishing out in the form of roasted duck leg atop baby endive alongside the big burn this week: Grilled Tiger Prawns with Spicy Cucumber Salsa.

I know what you’re thinking. You see the word “cucumber” and assume the flavor to be calm, cool, and collected. FALSE. This dish is quite deceptive with its hidden unmentionable spice. I asked the cute male servers, and no, it’s not jalapeno. The flavorful fire is different, scrumptious, and a sneaky slow burn.  This is now my new favorite dish, one that I plan on ordering in its traditional form â€" as an appetizer plate of skewered prawns at Maxwell’s Speakeasy +Lounge.

Here’s to hoping those cute servers will be just as spicy as the grilled prawns they serve.

[Maxwell’s Speakeasy + Lounge, 454 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.683.4115

MICHAEL SWAN: SEAHAWKS TONIGHT AT THE RAINIERS' GAME >>>

Chris Roxx â€" he of Supernova Hair and Tattoo, former drummer of The Dirty Knockers and now a drummer of The Blue Thunder, the Seahawks drum line â€" sent us a reminder that he and his drum line will perform at tonight’s Tacoma Rainiers’ game.

As much as the Weekly Volcano loves a good drum line, and Seahawks Marcus Trufant and Bobby Engram will be roaming, the fact that the Seagals will also be there actually seals the deal.

Go Rainiers!