MICHAEL SWAN: THIS JUST IN >>>

The News Tribune is reporting that Russell Investments is moving its headquarters from Tacoma to downtown Seattle. Read the full story here.

JAKE DE PAUL: FOOD MATTERS >>>

99 Bottles: The Federal Way beer store celebrates 9.09.09 by pouring Stone Brewing’s Belgian-Inspired Vertical epic Ale 09.09.09.

Wine Deals: A bunch of restaurants offer half-priced wine tonight. Drink your Russell blues away.

RIP Cupcakes?: Slates says the cupcake bubble will burst.


Today’s South Sound Special

Eight dollar wine day, 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., The Seven-Oh-One, 701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.2240.

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

MATT DRISCOLL: MY PREDICTION FOR THE WEEK >>>

Touching stuff is fun.

So is letting other people touch your stuff. (Just ask George Michael. Wham!)

But all joking aside, Pierce County’s Sprinker Recreation Center will give kids of all ages the chance to “Touch a Truck” on Saturday, Sept. 12. And we all know how much kids love trucks â€" so this one should be a winner. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. kids in attendance at Sprinker will have an opportunity to climb on fire engines, hop in dump trucks, not to mention get behind the wheel of bucket trucks, tractors, military vehicles and more.

Prediction
After letting their 3-, 5- and 7-year-old boys touch all sorts of trucks at Sprinker’s Touch a Truck day â€" from big-ass farm tractors to super cool fire engines â€" the Smith family, from Spanaway, will decide to take a lovely stroll through Spanaway Lake Park on their way home. Unlike their experience earlier in the day at Sprinker, however, after stumbling upon a suspicious looking mattress in the woods both Smith parents will be heard screaming to their children, “Oh my god! Don’t touch anything!”  

For more predictions this week, pick up the new Weekly Volcano rag tomorrow.

JENNIFER JOHNSON: VARSITY GRILL SCORES FIREFLY >>>

Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka has made its way to Tacoma. The Varsity Grill in downtown Tacoma is now serving this delicious new vodka, which is quite tasty with a squeeze of lemon and a dash of peach schnapps.

Ask a Varsity Grill bartender for a Kentucky â€" a Manhattan done southern style: half shot of Sweet Tea Vodka, full shot of Makers Mark bourbon, ice and then shaken hard. With a twist of lemon for taste and eye appeal, this unique cocktail is served straight up in a rocks glass. A martini glass is much too formal for this sweet sipper.

Beside Sweet Tea Vodka, Firefly also makes lemon, peach, mint and raspberry flavored vodkas.

For the full effect, sip said drink in front of Varsity Grill’s dueling piano show Thursday, Friday or Saturday nights. There isn’t a cover charge.

[The Varsity Grill, 1114 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.627.1229]

What other creative Firefly Vodka drinks are being served in the South Sound?

JAKE DE PAUL: TACOMA RESTAURANT ONLY LOCAL PARTICIPANT SO FAR? >>>

Pacific Grill sent the Weekly Volcano a press release stating its participation in the Share Our Strength’s Great American Dine Out, a week-long national restaurant event. From Sept. 20-26, 2009, thousands of restaurants, including Pacific Grill, will join together to raise funds to help end childhood hunger in America. 

I pulled this from the press release:

MICHAEL SWAN: THIS JUST IN >>>
 
Gov. Gregoire’s people just sent this to me:

SIMON MOON: TAP PRESENTS INSPIRED ELEGANCE TOMORROW >>>

It’s back. Inspired Elegance, that is, a design collection produced by local fashionistas and Tacoma Art Place. This recently-revealed, rapidly-created collection of designer dresses will be resurrected at The Robert Daniel Gallery, along with 28 postcards featuring the beauty and the reality of Tacoma.

Produced in collaboration with Tacoma Goodwill’s Workforce Development Program, Tacoma Art Place and Picture Tacoma, this event will provide a chance to meet the Inspired Elegance design teams, and find some inspiration yourself.

[Robert Daniel Gallery, Thursday, Sept. 10, 5:30 pm, $10 suggested donation, 2501 S. Fawcett Ave., Tacoma, 253.756.5544]

LINK: Previously on Spew

MICHAEL SWAN: EMPTY CONDOLENCE >>>

I yanked this off the News Tribune's Political Buzz blog:

MICHAEL SWAN: THURSDAY, SEPT. 10, 2009 >>>

1. Tacoma guerrilla letterpress entity Beautiful Angle invites you to bring your chair theme guerilla art to Tollefson Plaza at 4 p.m. to be a part of a flash mob art project SIT IN.

2. Top Chef cooking demonstration featuring contestant C.J. Jacobsen plus DJ LuLu Spice and Friends will spin at the Tacoma Farmers Market from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

3. Produced in collaboration with Tacoma Goodwill’s Workforce Development Program, Tacoma Art Place and Picture Tacoma, Inspired Elegance will provide a chance to meet the fashion design teams, and find some inspiration yourself from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at The Robert Daniel Gallery.

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: Local movie starting times

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

MATT DRISCOLL: SUGAR BEATS AT THE JIVE TONIGHT >>>

Music on the “experimental” side isn’t always easy to listen to. Sometimes, you have to “really want it,” as my old junior high football coach used to say â€" and that’s more than many music listeners are willing to give. Understandable, really â€" that’s why people likeMiley Cyrus exist.

Experimental music isn’t easily digested or compartmentalized. That’s the point. Most people don’t like to be challenged.

Local wonder Sugar Beats, one of a small crop of Tacoma acts reverberating within a PNW experimental scene that’s strong in Olympia and pervasive in Portland, knows this all to well. And they don’t seem to give a shit â€" which is good. The band manages to glide a course rich with boundary bashing, yet not intolerably “experimental” â€" which is also good.

Check the band at Bob’s Java Jive tonight, or on Saturday, Oct. 3 at the New Frontier if you bungle your first chance.

[Bob’s Java Jive, with Finding Fiction, Pete Stewart, Sept. 10, 8 p.m., 2102 S. Tacoma Way, Tacoma, 253.475.9843]