JENNIFER JOHNSON: WARM UP AT THE VANILLA BEAN CAFE >>>

A cheery red wall draws the eye while a bank of stools offers a peaceful sun-warmed perch, perfect for people-watching from the front window of newly arrived Vanilla Bean Café on St. Helens Avenue. Owners Rick and Tobe Collier are not new to the roasted bean game, having operated on Puyallup’s Waller Road before relocating to downtown Tacoma and opening Dec. 1. Like a hermit crab, Vanilla Bean now occupies one of the former homes of Black Water Café.

I stopped in Saturday to smell the air, and yep, that’s the inviting aroma of good coffee.

Vanilla Bean is supplied pastries by Upper Crust and serves hearty soups on weekdays â€" hot tomato, creamy potato and Ivar’s clam chowder. The barista working shared that more tasty nibbles “possibly from Corina Bakery will be added in the near future, since we only just opened.”

Hot and cold teas, juices, sodas, and hot cocoa are also available.

Open Monday through Friday 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

[Vanilla Bean Café, 743 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma]

RON SWARNER: FOOD MATTERS >>>

Santa Silvia: Once again, El Gaucho bartender Silvia Tapia will be holding a toy drive to benefit the children at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital. Drop by El Gaucho at 2119 Pacific Ave. with toys for the kids. Tapia will deliver all the toys Christmas morning.

Ho! Ho! Harbor Holidays: Sip. At the wine bar & restaurant will host a holiday event featuring a fashion show, appetizer bar, cooking demonstration and more today from 3-5 p.m. Reserve your spot at 253.853.3020.

Plan Ahead: The Northwest Baptist Seminary (4301 N. Stevens, Tacoma) will serve tea Dec. 11 1:30-4 p.m. and Dec. 12 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost is $18.

Food For Thought: Enthusiasts are worried that young people aren't interested in beer-can collecting hobby.

LINK: Weekly Volcano’s Eat & Drink section

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

LINK: South Sound Happy Hours

LINK: Wine and beer tastings

LINK: South Sound coupons

WEEKLY VOLCANO: MUSIC IN THE SOUTH SOUND TONIGHT >>>

Don’t know what to do tonight? Don’t worry, we have you covered.

Since Vanilla Ice flew too close to the sun with “Ice Ice Baby”, he denounced his rap career and took up hardcore music. As everyone knows, he eventually came to peace with that classic single on season 2 of the trashy/hilarious reality show ancestor, The Surreal Life. Leaving us with what? Find out tonight when Rob “Vanilla Ice” Van Winkle performs at Station 56 in Tacoma.

There is only one Dick Dale, and if you ever have the chance to talk to him he’ll be more than happy to share this with you. Tonight at 8 p.m. Olympia’s original punk-strut, ‘60s garage fueled, dash of sax band The Dirty Birds will get the chance to see this first hand â€" if they haven’t already â€" when Dick Dale plays the Capitol Theater and Jimmi Davies and Co. open things up. Don’t miss this show.

Not only will Matt Coughlin be unleashing his infectious, folksy jams on The Swiss’ stage tonight at 9 p.m. â€" which is always a sight to see, behold and even dance to  â€" he’ll be recording the action for a live album scheduled to be released sometime early next year. Even more exciting, tonight’s show will be one of the first times Coughlin’s new lineup of musicians.

LINK: More South Sound live music tonight

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

1. The Grand Cinema hosts Seattle writer, artist and filmmaker Karl Krogstad, he whose received a thousand praises and lofty titles for his fascinating film work, featuring a special showing of one of his recent efforts, The Perfect Show, at 7 p.m.

2. The Pacific Lutheran University Jazz Ensemble the 13th annual free holiday concert and live broadcast is from noon to 1 p.m. at the Mary Baker Russell Music Center on the PLU campus.

3. The Blue Mouse Theatre screens It’s a Wonderful Life at 5:30 p.m. to benefit low-income families through the Family Emergency Fund.

4. Nearly 50 hungry artists are packing into the Mad Hat Tea Company from 7-10 p.m. in hopes of making a little cash. It’s called the Cash Flow Show, and everything is on sale for $25 or less.

5. Chris Lunn's Ancient Victory's Open Mike hits the Antique Sandwich Company’s stage at 7 p.m.

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 10th day of Christmas we drove by: Crescent Moon Gifts

LINK: Drive-by Holiday history

SUZY STUMP: DON'T ENJOY GETTING MALLED? >>>

You donââ?¬â?¢t need a Cinnabon to have a positive shopping experience. Consider an alternative, if you will. Saturday, inside the Capitol Theater, Duck The Malls arts and crafts sale will be a gathering place for Olympia punks, hippies, hipsters, youngsters, oldsters, artists, Weekly Volcano-sters, crafters and folks of all kinds as an antidote to everything thatââ?¬â?¢s wrong with the hectic, antiseptic, fluorescent-lighted mall. 

More than 40 of Oly's finest artisans have worked all year to present you with artistic gifts for the holidays: paintings, lamps, hats, purses, dolls, musical instruments, pottery, fused glass and more.
 
There is no admission. Baked goods will be sold, and the movie theater concession will be open also. The Olympia Film Society will be on hand to give details on its membership.

The event also raises money for the Olympia Film Society.

Check it.

[Capitol Theater, Saturday, Dec. 12, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., no cover, 206 E. Fifth Ave., Olympia, 360.754.6670]

SUZY STUMP: TOM SAWYER THE MUSICAL >>>

You read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer as a kid. You figured out how you would explore the abandoned mine, and what adventures you would have on the Mississippi. Alas, it was not to be. If only your mother had given you an old straw hat instead of sunscreen. If only the fences had been wooden instead of chain-link. And so the suburban lifestyle once again thwarts your dearest dreams.

But. Why fret over never actually doing something when you can dream to have actually done it? And while you figure that one out, reserve your seat for Lakewood Playhouse’s presentation of Tom Sawyer the Musical, which opens Friday, Dec. 11. Comedic writer Ken Ludwig penned it.

Watch what it might be like to live and dance and sing just like Tom Sawyer did in the 19th-century South, and then head back home for your never-ending production of You, The Miserable.

[Lakewood Playhouse, Dec. 11-Jan. 17, 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, with holiday breaks, $16-$24, 5729 Lakewood Towne Center, Lakewood, 253.588.0042]

LINK: Lakewood Playhouse Web site

WEEKLY VOLCANO: COMING TOGETHER >>>

Benefits for the four tragically slain Lakewood police officers are everywhere right now - and rightfully so. With so much pain, it's only naturally for people to want to help. It aids the healing process for our entire community.

Sunday at The Swiss in Tacoma, China Davis' Ben Fuller has helped throw together what, musically speaking, may be one of the best benefits going - collecting money for the Lakewood Police Independent Guild Charity Fund and offering music from The Missionary Position, Mom's Rocket, China Davis (naturally), Matt Eklund, Daniel Blue, Voxxy Vallejo and a host of others. The event - which has a $10 suggested donation - kicks of at 3 p.m. and has snowballed into a serious happening, with even KZOK getting involved to help promote it.

The Weekly Volcano caught up with Fuller earlier this week get his thoughts on the tragedy in Lakewood and organizing the benefit at the Swiss.

The interview will be posted in two parts. Part one will post on Thursday, Dec. 10. The second part of the interview will post on Saturday, Dec. 12.

WEEKLY VOLCANO: If you can, briefly describe how this event came about. Why did you get involved, and why was it something you felt strongly about?

BEN FULLER: Like everyone else, hearing the news of this horrible shooting really blindsided me. My dad was a Pierce County Deputy for 33 years and in the back of my mind growing up I knew that something like this could happen. Also, my dad is a friend of Brad Carpenter who owns Forza Coffee, so knowing Brad really made it surreal to me. 

I actually went to the Forza website first because I wanted to donate to the families; the whole idea of nine children losing one of their parents just kills me. My girlfriend is a widow, so I know first hand what it's like for kids to miss their parent. I was about to donate, but I started thinking about doing some kind of event at that point. I emailed Brad first because I thought it might be a good idea to do coffee shop fundraisers of some kind, maybe even a CD. 

My mind was just going crazy so I started thinking about maybe doing something where the music community could contribute. I didn't figure it out right away; this event just grew very organically.

WV: Why was it important for you to have an event like this in Tacoma and at the Swiss? What purpose do you envision it serving - and who does it serve?

FULLER: The Swiss, at it's best, is a place where really just about anyone can feel comfortable. It feels like Tacoma to me; it feels like home. Everyone at the Swiss are either brothers or act like brothers, The Swiss represents family. I also think it's a great central location. 

When KZOK got involved they really wanted to move the show to a bigger venue, which ended up being the EMP. I really fought for keeping the Swiss show because I felt like we needed something in Tacoma. I like how everything worked out because the Bob Rivers Show is helping push this event, and Seattle also get'\s a great benefit out of it. The goal is to raise money for the families. If there are two shows, I think that can only be a good thing.

Check back Saturday for the second half of the Weekly Volcano's interview with Ben Fuller of China Davis.

MICHAEL SWAN: FRIDAY, DEC. 11, 2009 >>>

1. The Holiday Native Arts Fair inside The Evergreen State College Longhouse will feature hand-crafted art work in all price ranges, plus flute musician Rona Yellow Robe Walsh, children's storytelling by Bobbie Bush and more from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

2. Zoolights features more than a half-million lights â€" including the massive flame tree â€" from 5-9 p.m. at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium.

3. Robert Lashley anchors the Distinguished Writer Series and open mic at 7 p.m. inside King’s Books.

4. Ballet Northwest performs The Nutcracker at 7:30 p.m. inside the Washington Center.
 
5. Classic rock band Trix rocks a benefit for the families of the four slain Lakewood police officers at 8 p.m. inside Uncle Sam's American Bar and Grill in Spanaway.

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: Local movie starting times

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

Photo: Gordons Photography

WEEKLY VOLCANO: MUSIC IN THE SOUTH SOUND TONIGHT >>>

Don't know what to do tonight? Don't worry, we have you covered.

Bandolier writes pop songs, and we mean that in a good way. They are floating somewhere in the ephemeral songspace between 50's bubble gum and modern indie, and making a kind of music that is far too rare on much of the local scene: music made of different instruments which you can actually hear. Check them out with M. Bison, Umber Sleeping, and Hair Envelope at 8 p.m. inside Bob's Java Jive.

Tacoma's Kevin and Andy Day, of Top Heavy Crush fame - acoustic style - will open for the BulletBoys at Station 56 as part of the Freedom Records produced Rock-N-Roll Christmas beginning at 8 p.m. What if the two bands got into a fight? We pick a winner here.

Bobble Tiki is not sexy. Tab Benoit, on the other hand, is the pure definition of sexy - at least according to Mrs. Tiki, who swoons and drools every time she sees the world-renowned blues guitarist do his thing in Tacoma. This weekend at Jazzbones, she'll get two more chances to do just that - tonight at 8 p.m. and tomorrow at 9 p.m. Read up on his sexiness here.

Christopher Francis & Son's music reveals a playful pop-mastery and a willingness to strip the format down to its bare essentials. They play an all-ages show with Two Ton Boa and Magick Daggers at 8 p.m. inside northern. Read the full story here.

LINK: More South Sound show tonight