RON SWARNER: ONE CITY. 30 DAYS. WHAT WILL YOU DO? >>>Did it work? Were you duped?

Were you calmly and methodically and rather nefariously led to believe that maybe, just maybe, the Weekly Volcano did indeed have a janitor named Art, and we paid him extra to review art in places of work around the Sound South?

The truth is as sad as it is revolting: You have been lied to, perhaps like no other time in South Sound history, in a more carefully orchestrated and widespread effort than any media organization has managed to attempt in the past.

Actually, it wasn’t that careful â€" the main problem behind the idea.

I couldn’t let the dreadful blog concept continue, especially after yesterday’s review of Santa art.

I apologize for subjecting you to such nonsense.

Art is gone, but not the art.  We’ll continue to give you daily highlights of the wonderful cultural event that is Art at Work: Tacoma Arts Month 2009.
 
Art at Work Month: Wednesday, Nov. 4

November 2009 marks the eighth anniversary of Art at Work: Tacoma Arts Month. There is something for everyone to enjoy throughout the month: lectures, music, dance performances, readings, workshops, theater performances, visual art exhibits and more.

Here are today’s highlights:

The Regency String Quartet performs at 8 p.m. inside Pacific Lutheran University's Mary Baker Russell Music Center.

University of Puget Sound students stage Thornton Wilder's The Skin of Our Teeth at 7:30 p.m. in their Norton Clapp Theatre.

Learn darkroom basics at Tacoma Art Place from 6-6:45 p.m.

There are many more events today. For a complete Art at Work schedule, click here.

MICHAEL SWAN: LOG INTO YOUR CALENDAR >>>

Make No Little Plans, a Luzon building memorial art show, will grace the Logical Diagram Gallery in Tacoma for two days in December.

Proceeds will benefit Historic Tacoma.

For more information contact Claudia Riedener at 253.274.0655 or by e-mail.

[Logical Diagram Gallery, Dec. 17 5-9 p.m., Dec. 20 noon to 5 p.m., 301 Puyallup Ave., Tacoma]

Photo: Burnham and Root, Uprooted, mixed media by Lynn Di Nino. Photography by Tom Holt Photography

PAUL SCHRAG: THE HEDGE >>>

Dr. S. Aaron Hegde has a redream. What the hell is a redream? Well, you remember the American dream? It's the one where everyone in the world was invited to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the land of the free - mostly the freedom to pursue dreams.

But a crippled economy has changed the game for many.

Hedge will share how this economic nosedive is affecting the dreams of undocumented workers - who contribute billions of dollars every year to our economy.

[Saint Martin's University Harned Hall 110, Friday, Nov. 6, 4 p.m., free, 5300 Pacific Ave. SE, Lacey, 360.438.4332]

LINK: More details here

PAUL SCHRAG: POETRY IN TACOMA >>>

Tacoma has a lot to say about a lot of things, but we don’t always say it all that poetically. It’s how we roll.

That said, there are at least 77 local wordsmiths that defy that notion. They even put together a book, and a sizeable one at that. Hell, it’s an anthology â€" In Tahoma’s Shadow: Poems from the City of Destiny.

For those who don’t know, Tahoma is Mt. Rainier, and it casts a shadow over the City of Destiny â€" one of Tacoma’s most popular nicknames.

Poetic, huh?

That’s just the start.

Check out King’s tomorrow night for the last scheduled reading from poets featured in the anthology.
 
[King’s Books, Thursday, Nov. 5, 7 p.m., free, 218 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.8801]

MICHAEL SWAN: THURSDAY, NOV. 5, 2009 >>>

1. One of the most fun pub parties in Tacoma makes its annual appearance tonight at the Harmon Brewery and Restaurant when the all-ages Pray For Snow bash kicks off at 5 p.m. with the human jukebox Steve Stefanowicz back again plus ski resort and equipment prizes and giveaways. Proceeds will benefit Mary Bridge Child Abuse Intervention program.

2. The Pierce County Arts Commission doles out Margaret K Williams awards to Candi Hall, Barbara Lee Smith, David Craig, Lyn Di Nino, and Linda Danforth for being so bitchin’ cool in the county arts scene at 6:30 p.m. inside the Tacoma Art Museum.

3. The Sound We Make and Whiteout â€" considered the greatest plays ever written by Nick Stokes â€" will be staged at 7:30 p.m. inside Tacoma's Old City Hall for a pay-if-you-can preview performance.

4. It’s pay-what-you can tonight at 8 p.m. for the Lakewood Playhouse’s Tuesdays With Morrie show.

5. Dave Roberts plays a free show at 8 p.m. inside Doyle’s Public House.

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: Local movie starting times

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

RON SWARNER: FOOD MATTERS >>>

Art At Work Includes Food: The Asia Pacific Cultural Center will host a class on how to make Korean kimchi tonight from 6-8.

Politics And Poppers: Tacoma’s Drinking Liberally gang will hang out at The Hub beginning at 7 p.m. to discuss local election results over shots.

Plan Ahead: Chef John Edwards will teach a class on How to Cook a Thanksgiving Dinner Wednesday, Nov. 11, 6 p.m. at the Bayview School of Cooking in Olympia. The school will also teach a Cranberries Beyond Relish class Nov. 15. Reserve your space at 360.754.1448.

Food For Thought: The 13 most influential foodies this year, as named by Chow.

LINK: Weekly Volcano’s Eat & Drink section

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

LINK: South Sound Happy Hours

LINK: Wine and beer tastings

JOSE S. GUTIERREZ JR.: THE KAOS BLOCK PARTY HELLA HYPE SHOW >>>

A dope hip-hop show is truly a treat.

Oh, here's one: DJ La Pointe has created one dope hip-hop show tonight to "hype" KAOS-FM's new Monday-Friday hip-hop programming - BLOCK PARTY. The Royal Lounge in Olympia will open its doors to this hella hype show featuring Harlem's own Zulu Nation OG and son of Afrika Bambataa, TC Izlam. 

TC Izlam is regarded as the father of the hip-step movement, an off-shoot hybrid of hip-hop, electronic and funk music.  The world-renown DJ will rock the show and make way for Olympia standout MC, Afrok along with female duo Canary Sing (Seattle), E-Real from legendary Tacoma representatives Black Anger, poet supreme Rajnii Eddins along with DJ La Pointe and me, LUVVA J, hosting the gig. 

Read my Live From I-5: Hip-Hop in the 25360 column for more information on KAOS-FM's new hip-hop programming.

[The Royal Lounge, Hella Hype Hip-Hop Show, Thursday, Nov. 5, 8-11 p.m., $5, 311 Capital Way, Olympia, 360.705.0760]

MICHAEL SWAN: ONE CITY. 30 DAYS. WHAT WILL YOU DO? >>>
 
Art at Work Month: Thursday, Nov. 5

November 2009 marks the eighth anniversary of Art at Work: Tacoma Arts Month. There is something for everyone to enjoy throughout the month: lectures, music, dance performances, readings, workshops, theater performances, visual art exhibits and more.

Here are today’s highlights:

Watch Hot Shop Visiting Artist Patricia Davidson from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. inside the Museum of Glass.

The 22nd Annual Margaret K. Williams Arts Awards will be presented at 5:30 p.m. at the Tacoma Art Museum.

The poets in the anthology In Tahoma's Shawdow: Poems from the City of Destiny will read their work at 7 p.m. inside King's Books.

There are many more events today. For a complete Art at Work schedule, click here.

JENNIFER JOHNSON: POPPY SEED CAFE CHANGES OWNERSHIP >>>

The Poppy Seed Cafe - a sunny, one room café in Fircrest - feels warm and inviting. Mouthwatering aromas of coffee, hot chocolate, waffles and hash browns permeate the air. Ahhhh.

Visibly, you wouldn't know original owners Darin and Shelly Adams had recently sold the cafe to Nicole Rowsey and Arsenio Harris. Last Saturday at noon, for example, saw the small café at 95 percent capacity - the ownership transition must be going well. 

The breakfast and lunch menu features enticing scrambles, Belgian waffles, biscuits and gravy, homemade salads, soups, panini sandwiches and more. My lovely vanilla hint Belgian waffle was lightly crisp outside but deliciously soft inside. Chicken fried steak is a tour de force. Poppy Seed's uses light, crisp breading that complements the classic dish rather than masking flavorful meat. Thick and chunky sausage gravy was plentiful without being a drowning pool.  Hash browns and cubed potatoes were lightly fried - no soggy grease mess here. Scrambles were full of fresh ingredients - sundried tomatoes, spinach, artichoke, and onions.

Plus: Service was prompt, the food hot and good, and prices were fair. Starting Nov. 8 the Poppy Seed Café will be open seven days a week.

Minus: Coffee was extraordinarily hot, but is that really a minus?

[The Poppy Seed Cafe, 616 Regents Blvd., Fircrest, 253.460.4101]

LINK: Previously on Spew

JOE MALIK: SLOUCHING TOWARD UTOPIA >>>

I heard last week that the Liquor Control Board (LCB) and Tacoma PD worked together to shut down a party thrown by a group of under/overground show organizers. These folks throw some of the best arts events in Tacoma - consistently and proudly.

From a legal standpoint, it sounds like everything happened by the books. The proverbial state knows what it can and can't get away with. There probably won't be a lawsuit. And there will probably be more underground shows like the one that got shut down.

Let's just move on, shall we?

No.