WEEKLY VOLCANO: ART INSTITUTES BEST TEEN CHEF IN AMERICA COMPETITION >>>

If you think you're the country's best teen chef, it's time to enter the Art Institute's Best Teen Chef Competition. The contest is open to high schoolers graduating in 2010 with a GPA of 2.0 or better; applicants must sign an entry and release form by Feb. 5, and then submit their recipe entries by Feb 26.

The winner will get a full-ride scholarship to the art institute of his or choice â€" the closest to us is in Seattle â€" and will also get to be an “Intern for a day” at the Food Network kitchens in New York.

Local cook-off competitions begin April 17, 2010 and the nationals, held in Houston, will be on May 15.

RON SWARNER: GO LOCAL >>>

If you have a superb eye and a high tolerance for dust mites, vintage-store shopping can be a great experience. What's not to love about discovering hidden gems and one-of-a-kind pieces and creating a look that's completely your own? Also, there's just something about vintage clothes â€" tattered or not, you just don't know where they've been or, more importantly, who's been in them.

Cheryl Gorsuch has opened SAGE, a vintage store inside Sanford and Son Antiques in downtown Tacoma, which she co-owns with her husband, Alan.

WEEKLY VOLCANO: What’s up with SAGE?

CHERYL GORSUCH: SAGE is a result of my buying/collecting clothing over years. I started putting out racks of clothing items a couple of years ago for $3 to $10 bucks each item.  One rack, then two, three, four â€" then ‘poof’  â€" a store.  

Alan said he was going to "build me some walls" to hang some stuff and make me unpack my attic. Alan can do a.n.y.t.h.i.n.g., and he knows that I love Art Deco so he gave the 'walls' an Art Deco flare.

VOLCANO: Why did you wait so long?

GORSUCH: Alan wanted me to open my own clothing shop 20 years ago, but how the heck would I have done that when we were out of the country buying antiques every 10 weeks for two weeks for 15 years and having antique auctions every two weeks? Geesh. ...

VOLCANO: Yeah, dumb question. Why the name SAGE?

GORSUCH: I have always had the idea of a label with the name SAGE. SAGE means green, wisdom and taste â€" well,  buying clothing that is gently worn or vintage is 'being green' and smacks of wisdom to me.

VOLCANO: What about ‘Taste’?

GORSUCH: That's just apparent if you're shopping downtown. 

VOLCANO: Tell me about the clothes.

GORSUCH: I have a lot of classics â€" plus some ’70s, ’80s funk.  I carry ’40s, ’50s elegant dresses, lots of vintage hats, a small section devoted to gentlemen â€" mostly ’70s and ’80s â€" and some ’60s Mad Men style, and of course contemporary fashion.

I hope that the client base will be anyone who is into fashion, saving money, and saving the planet by not filling up the local landfills with made in China Walmart crap.

[SAGE, 743 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.272.0334]

MICHAEL SWAN: DEPARTMENT OF COOL >>>

The 2009 Art Slam, which featured 58 South Sound visual and performing artists and 14 spoken word performance inside the Rialto Theater Nov. 18, is now available for free public viewing on Click! ON Demand. Click here for Click!

Small print: You must have a Click! cable receiver to access ON Demand. Go to “Video on Demand”, click “Free Click! Local”, click on “TacomaArt & Culture”, and then select “2009 Art Slam”, grab some popcorn and chill.

MICHAEL SWAN: THE HOLIDAZE - ONE PANEL AT A TIME >>>

No matter where you go each year around the holidays, the holiday spirit bombards you from all sides - comic book stores are no different. For years comic book writers and artists have deviated from the normal story lines to dedicate an issue or two to the holidays.

The first Christmas issue I ever bought happened to be the first issue of Uncanny X-Men I ever read as well. Issue 143, titled Demon, was released in 1981. It featured X-Men member, Kitty Pryde, alone in the Xavier mansion on Christmas Eve. Pryde battles a seemingly unstoppable demon that comes down the chimney. (On the back of the comic is a full-page ad for a set of 132 Roman soldiers for $2.98, a great stocking stuffer!)

Inside the pages of The Amazing Spider-Man, Peter Parker and wife Mary Jane are evicted just in time for Christmas, but all's well by the end - Spider-Man even receives a little help from a sidewalk Santa who knocks the bad guy out cold. Nice.

Not to be left behind, Superman got into the gift giving in 2001. What does one superhero give to another on Christmas? You find all the answers here as Superman visits each member of the Justice League to give them a simple and sometimes funny gift. Each time Supes visits a new member of the JLA it is drawn by a different artist making it a holiday jam session.

This year's holiday comics have arrived at Comic Book Ink in Tacoma. CBI owner John Munn says he has plenty that will cause many comic fans' storage boxes to bulge fatter and fatter like Santa's belly-o-jelly.

"There are wonder holiday specific comics such as Bruce The Blue Spruce and It Ate Billy On Christmas," explains Munn. "Plus, just as Die Hard is a "Christmas movie," there are so many comic book stories that take place DURING Christmas."

Daily, through the end of the year, you can fill up a "short box" for $70 at Comic Book Ink. Munn is also running a Back Issue Blow Out Sale through December.

[Comic Book Ink, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, 1625 E. 72nd St., Tacoma, 253.761.4651]

MICHAEL SWAN: HELP OUT FIRST NIGHT TACOMA >>>

So, how many Americans do you think hate their jobs? If Office Space is any indication, the rough estimate would probably be around 95 percent, eh? Imagine 95 percent of humanity burying their dreams, staring at a corporate fax machine all day and secretly wanting to die.

Cheery, isn’t it?

If you hate your job, why not call in sick and help out First Night Tacoma. Justin Mayfield is looking for some painters to paint a giant canvas behind the main stage for First Night this year. And he needs painters fast.

Apparently, there is some money available â€" sooooo that might be considered work, which throws a wrench into my nifty intro.

Also, in case you didn’t know it already, the theme of First Night is: The Year of the Tiger/Vision Tacoma â€" just in case you are protesting anything with the word "Tiger" in it.
 
If you found any interest in anything I wrote, contact Justin at 253.330.6932 or by e-mail at justinmayfield@gmail.com.

MATT DRISCOLL: WINGIN' IT >>>

Yes, it's true - here at the Weekly Volcano we are friends with Roxanne (Murphy). You may need a last name to identify her, but we certainly do not (although we have called her by other names upon occasion).

This Saturday, the day after the Christianized and/or commercialized world celebrates Christmas with presents under the tree, overcooked turkeys and awkward family get-togethers, Doyle's Public House in Tacoma will help Roxanne celebrate her birthday - which is Dec. 26, for those playing at home - with a rock show worth its weight in stocking coal.

Tacoma's Goldwing, a slay first, ask questions later band of T-town troublemakers corralled by Rory Turner (who, now that I write this I realize I identified with a bogus last name a long time ago in a blurb that made the print version of the Volcano - journalistic excellence at its finest!), will share a bill with And Those Who Were Dragged. The night after Christmas show starts at 9:30 p.m.

In preparation for Saturday's show at Doyle's, I was able to catch up with Turner this week to get his thoughts on Goldwing's place in Tacoma, the importance of Roxanne's birthday, and which member of the band is closest to Robocop.

Here's what Turner had to say. This interview will post in two parts - with the second installment hitting Spew on Wednesday, Dec. 23.

WEEKLY VOLCANO: First of all, how'd you guys get roped into playing Roxanne's birthday at Doyle's? I do believe parties involving Roxanne are consistently rated in the top by the respected bi-monthly publication Party Digest. Is Goldwing prepared?

RORY TURNER: Actually Jesse from Doyle's came to us with the show. We felt like if we played the day after Christmas, no one would have an excuse to not go and get totally drunk with us. Roxanne happened to be the first person I told about the show and she said, "That's my Birthday!" and here we are.

VOLCANO: Little Baby Jesus' birthday, or Roxanne's - which is more important?

TURNER: I'm fully convinced that Roxanne is real. So I will have to go with her. Unless we're talking about Big Baby Jesus, A.K.A Ol' Dirty Bastard. Then, still Roxanne.

VOLCANO: Explain Goldwing's motives to those in Tacoma and beyond that don't already know. If this band had a mission statement, what would it be? I've never seen Goldwing open up for Vanilla Ice at Station 56 - so are you guys really doing everything in your power to "make it"? Have you considered more ballads?

TURNER: We talked about doing some ballads. Our drummer, Rusty, is Asian, so we're going to experiment with Pi/8 timing instead of the traditional 6/8 you'll find on hair metal, "Every Rose has a Metaphor" type songs.

MICHAEL SWAN: TUESDAY, DEC. 22, 2009 >>>

1. A 16-year-old girl (Carey Mulligan) is the target of a sophisticated seduction by a 35-year-old man (Peter Sarsgaard).  Could have been shabby or painful, but the luminous Mulligan makes it romantic and wonderfully entertaining in the film An Education screening at 2:30, 4:45, 7:10 and 9:15 p.m. inside The Grand Cinema.

2. Tentwentytwo South offers half-price wine from 4 p.m. to midnight.

3. The Hub hosts Trivia Night with cash prizes at 6 p.m.

4. Open Jam Night featuring Tim Hall & Real Time begins at 7 p.m. inside the Summit Pub.

5. Saxophonist Kareem Kandi hosts an open jazz jam at 9 p.m. inside Sax on 6th.

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: Local movie starting times

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

WEEKLY VOLCANO: BECAUSE “SERIES” IS OUR MIDDLE NAME >>>

We're posting a South Sound store window daily through Christmas to give you a quick jolt of holiday spirit. Ho, ho, ho!

On the 22nd day of Christmas we drove by: Hair World at 8516 S. Tacoma Way in Lakewood.

LINK: Drive-by Holiday history

JAKE DE PAUL: IT'S COOL >>>

If you appreciate everything you've got, doesn't it stand to reason that with a couple choice enhancements (e.g., breast implants, or breast implants), you'll love it even more? Of course you will - case in point, Hell's Kitchen.

We wandered inside this morning for a FEEL of its new downtown Tacoma digs (928 Pacific Ave.), set to open New Year's Eve with a free show. Weekly Volcano editor Matt Driscoll will elaborate on its improved music stage and bar setup on this blog soon. The club's enhancements rock.

Food-wise, Hell's Kitchen will go big and open it up - a much larger kitchen will be exposed to diners who may sit at a counter and watch the action along the cook's line - a la 13 Coins (I'm hoping for captain's chairs). Out of the box, the menu will be similar to the one offered on Sixth Avenue. The club plans to expand the menu down the road. Hell's Kitchen will also offer an inexpensive lunch option for the downtown workforce in the future. No timetable has been set. Its popular Tightwad Tuesday - $2 beer, $2 tacos, $2 wells - will continue.

Last, it will enhance its happy hour, making it a perfect spot to show off your luscious rack after work.

SUZY STUMP: TOO MUCH MONKEY BUSINESS >>>

Hmm, what to do Christmas Day? Whether or not you celebrate Christmas, stress is always in season, and I dare ya to say you couldn’t use a healthy dose of silliness ’bout now.

Run over to Stadium Video next to Stadium High School in Tacoma’s Stadium District and load up on The Marx Brothers, Abbott & Costello, and the Three Stooges. Grab a helping of Duck Soup (1933), and see Groucho and the gang ham it up in what the AFI calls the funniest film “made before 1959.”

Stadium Video opens its doors every single day of the year â€" yes Christmas, too â€" from 11 a.m. to 11:03 p.m.

[Stadium Video, 29 N. Tacoma Ave., Tacoma, 253.572.1190]