NEW TASTE IN TOWN >>>

Phone your beer buddies. All of them. Harmon Brewery Company has built a space where folks can gather around long tables and drink beer, eat pizza, watch the game and gab away.

Tomorrow the Harmon Tap Room (204 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma) opens its new production brewery in Tacoma's Stadium District. Pat Nagle and partner Carole Holder have been working hard for months to build a production facility for their Harmon beers that doubles as a dining and retail space in the spot that once housed Stadium Bistro.

I had the opportunity to tour the facility yesterday during a "family and friends" opening. In a nutshell, it's a slick (Rusty George Creative revised their corporate logos, bottle labels and tap handles) tasting room that seats 50 - on two giant communal tables, six or seven beer barrel tables and a couch area - where beer enthusiasts can sip on Harmon's Point Defiance IPA (India Pale Ale) and Browns Point ESB (Extra Special Bitter) and their other brews while throwing back paninis, pizza and salads. During breaks in conversation or the game, patrons may watch brewers Mike Davis, Bill Lundeen and Jeff Carson craft beer through huge windows. The Tap Room pizza with spicy sausage, black olives, red onions and a delicious buttery crust will be my game buddy.

Down a long walkway, between the production room and the long, open kitchen, sits a game room with two pool tables, pinball machines and a lounge area.

In the future, and quite possibly its flagship feature, will be an outdoor beer garden in a vacant lot next door. The large, European-style beer garden - designed by artist/architect/brewer Robert Horner - will house native plants as well as Northwest hops provided by hop grower Joel Attaway.

Nagle, managing partner at both the Harmon Brewery & Eatery on Pacific Avenue and The Harmon Hub, which sits above the Tap Room, had a permanent grin on yesterday. And with good reason. He and his partner just expanded their beer production operation in a beautiful space that will, no doubt, be a gathering spot for many folks.

LINK: More Tap Room photos in the Photo Hot Spot

MONDAY, MAY 24, 2010 >>>

1. The Barefoot Collective hosts another 8@8 where eight local artists receive a maximum of 8 minutes to test drive their works in progress followed by feedback from the audience. It takes place at 8 p.m. inside Tacoma City Ballet Studio B in the Merlino Arts Center.

2. The 36th Annual Student Art Exhibition shows from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Pierce College Fine Arts Gallery in Lakewood.

3. As part of the State Capital Museum's Spring Lecture Series: Stories of Washington Women and Settlers, Patricia Larson and Sandra Nisbet reprise their performances as the Co-Respondents from noon to 1 p.m. The Co-Respondents performed, researched, and created programs based on women’s history and literature, and performed all over Washington and the U.S. for several years during the 1970s and 1980s.

4. Jay Mabin and Pound 4 Pound fill The Swiss with blues beginning at 8 p.m.

5. Jason Diamond spins reggae every Monday night at 9 p.m. inside O'Malley's Irish Pub in Tacoma.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

WINE WITH A VIEW >>>

"Wine bar" has always seemed like a contradiction in terms to me. Don't get me wrong, I love wine and drink it avidly - perhaps with more avidity than discernment. It's just that putting the word "wine" before "bar," threatens to undermine the whole vivid set of expectations we have for bars. If I may quote from It's a Wonderful Life, when Nick the bartender verbally slaps George Bailey in his alternate universe: "We serve hard drinks in here for men who want to get drunk fast, and we don't need any characters like you hanging around." THAT's a bar.

Morso, which opened Friday, May 21, at the head of Gig Harbor's bay next to Water to Wine retail shop, doesn't label itself a "wine bar" as part of its name or paste it in its printed materials, yet it feels like a wine bar. First, it serves wine cocktails such as Chambosa, Morso Fresh, Belly of the Bay and Bay Breeze - all ringing in at $5 a pop. The last two taste similar to a vodka peach and vodka cranberry, respectively, yet are wine based. Second, its bar resembles a bar as it installed an Enomatic on the back bar, which dispenses wine directly from the bottle in one-ounce pours while keeping the freshness intact with inert argon gas. The bottles could have been uncorked for weeks yet maintains that freshly opened taste.

And that's where the "bar" references stop. Morso, which roughly means small plates in Italian, is a handsomely decorated restaurant with a knowledgeable friendly staff, innovative gourmet cuisine with a spectacular view of Gig Harbor, especially when they open their huge patio. Owned by business partners Steven Lynn (Water to Wine owner) and Stephanie Huddleston, Morso is a casual drop-in wine bar that serves wine discoveries paired with flavors of the season. Locally acclaimed chef Jeff Bishop (Il Fiasco, Brix 25, Merende) leads the kitchen that serves beautiful crostini, cheese, salads, flatbreads and meat dishes. The small plates are priced between $5 (crostinis) and $14 (fish dish), but the preparations will change regularly. A "kitchen notes" sheet arrives with a menu, which diners select what they desire with checkmarks. For example, if you check the $13 duck, you'll currently receive "slow braised duck leg, creamy French lentils, sweet marsala-crimini pan reduction." That preparation could change at any moment according to seasonal choices, what arrives "fresh" or Bishop's mood. I'm hoping the $12 steak salad option - "Tender flat-iron steak cooked to perfection, peppery baby argula, friend quail egg, Worcestershire vinaigrette" remains on the menu until my next visit.

I give props to Morso bartender Ben Hollander, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America just outside Napa, Calif. All the owners, managers and Chef Bishop were on site the night I visited, yet they sat back and let Hollander explain the wine, food and business, which he did magnificently. Hollander knows his wine, and can talk food and wine pairing with ease, in a professional, yet relaxed manner.

Morso

5-10 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 5 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, 5-9 p.m. Sunday
9014 Peacock Hill Ave., Gig Harbor, 253.530.3463

LINK: More on Morso and Water to Wine in our Restaurant section

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Iranian officials report that three American hikers accused of being "spies" after wandering into Iran last year may be swapped with Iranian prisoners. Why couldn't they have just hiked the Pacific Crest Trail trial like normal hippies?

Fifty-seven new mummy tombs were found in Egypt.

A 53-year-old Chinese computer science professor has been jailed for three and a half years for holding orgies.

Creativity linked to mental health

Bill Clinton got rear-ended.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak declared strong retaliatory measures today against North Korea for torpedoing a navy ship. This can't turn out well.

A shoplifter gets life in prison for flashing his gun at Walmart.

It is possible for a man of vision to break a board over his head:

FOOD NEWS YOU CAN USE >>>

Now Open: The Harmon Tap Room opens today at 11 a.m.

One-year Anniversary: SAX on Sixth Restaurant and Lounge celebrates its one-year-anniversary this weekend with drink specials, a special menu and entertainment.

Future Things Are Coming: Once a year the Parkway Tavern opens its taps to imported beer for a mini fest they call USA vs. Belgium. The battle goes down Saturday, May 29 beginning at 5 p.m.

Food Matters: "Luke, I am your pancake."

LINK: Restaurant coupons

LINK: Wine and beer tastings, dinners and events

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

LINK: Send us your restaurant and lounge news

The Weekly Volcano follows the people you're too embarrassed to >>>

Just like most good, new-age, social media applications, Twitter allows people to share and be privy to once personal, almost wholly pointless information about peoples' lives. It's seemingly endless. While Twitter is mostly full of everyday, ho-hum people - just like you and me, sharing info about what type of oatmeal we ate for breakfast and where we get our hair cut - Twitter is also a magnet for the moderately-famous.

Stars of yesterday, illiterate millionaire athletes, former cast members of Saved By the Bell - you can follow them all, intimately, on Twitter.

But, you've got standards. We get that.

That's why we'll do it for you, in a feature we like to call Weekly Volcano Twitter Stalker.

This week, checking in with...

Apolo Ohno

Today: Apolo Ohno rubs it in fat people's faces

"Cupcake action." TweetDec, 9:47 a.m.

May 20: Apolo Ohno goes for the teeny-tiny look at Seattle Fashion Week

"Thank you Seattle Fashion Week! I had a blast. See you next year!" via Twitter for iPhone, 9:40 a.m.

May 18: Apolo Ohno applies for work at the Volcano. Wait. What?

Showing some love to local 253 artist - Rocky Sandoval who performed at the Seattle Fashion Show - http://bit.ly/bZtdoV I'm READY!" via TweetDeck, 2:30 p.m.

Tune in tomorrow for more tweets from the life of Apolo Ohno (@ApoloOhno)

ONE OF THE BEST ANNUAL EVENTS IN TACOMA >>>

Tacoma came out in strong numbers Sunday to the Broadway Center's Star Chefs on Broadway Carnevale a Venezia gala inside the Pantages Theater. The evening began with shopping, noshing and sipping in a vibrant Italian market (otherwise known as the Pantages lobby), followed by a live auction, El Gaucho dinner, opera singers, and trapeze artists in a Venetian Opera House (this time, the Pantages main stage).

Over the last four days I've attended Third Thursday ArtWalk, Tacoma Lawn Tennis Club's pool opening, Harmon Tap Room's preview party, the opening of Morso wine bar, Gayl Bertagni's Culinary Arts Scholarship Benefit at The Swiss - and Star Chefs on Broadway 2010. I'm flat out tired. I want to write 2000 words on last night's Star Chefs - which benefited Broadway Center's vital arts education programs that touch the lives of 35,000 students and teachers annually - but I can barely keep my eyes open. I want to thank each chef for knocking my socks off with their creations. How El Gaucho nailed hundreds of Chateaubriand and Australian lobster dishes is beyond me. And Master of Ceremonies Kevin Joyce was pure genius again this year.

Also, I'm thrilled that I'll be joining other couples for the beach party at the awe-inspiring home of artist Doug Granum later this summer. It was one of 18 live auction items up for bid. Joyce and his partner Martha Enson ran the auction to perfection - the perfect length of time with top-notch humor and dramatic antics.

A big thanks to the O'Connors of Tacoma for purchasing The Melting Pot fondue dessert for the table my wife, Kate, and I were lucky to occupy. I'd also like to thank Chad and Jenny Mackay of El Gaucho, also at our table, for the wonderful conversation.

Most of all I'd like to thank David Fischer, Benjii Bittle and the rest of the Broadway Center staff for creating one of the most beautiful and fun events in Tacoma.

Below are a few photos I snapped with my crappy camera at last night's Star Chef's event. All of my photos are in our Photo Hot Spot section.

The Sanford and Son co-owner Cheryl Gorsuch raised a glass of McCrea Cellars 2007 Yakima Valley Syrah to Star Chefs.

Chef Thad Lyman with Brix 25 served American Kobe cornets featuring San Marzano marinara, garlic confit and mozzarella foam.

Tammi Barber of TLB Events did an amazing job decorating and transforming the Pantages Theater into a Venetian Opera House.

Broadway Center Education Manager Nyree Martinez thanked the crowd.

Kevin Joyce and Martha Enson of Enjoy Productions ran a flawless and fun live auction.

Broadway Center Deputy Executive Director Benjii Bittle (center) was thrilled when two people paid more than $3000 each to have him cook dinner for their parties of 12.

Duo Madrona, featuring Ben Wendel and Rachel Nehmer - who began performing with Teatro Zinzanni in February 2009 - amazed the crowd.

AND ... THEY'RE OFF AND RUNNING >>>

The Grand Cinema has officially launched its Tacoma Film Festival 2010 by announcing that the poster contest is on. Here's the press release:

Here's your chance to shine as an artist and have your work displayed all over Tacoma.  The non-profit Grand Cinema is once again turning to the artistic community to design this year's Tacoma Film Festival poster.  Last year's contest saw entries from ALL OVER THE WORLD!  This year we hope to see the same participation.  The Grand will accept entries for the poster through June 23, 2010.  All entries will be displayed at the Grand Cinema and a winner will be chosen for this year's festival. 

The winning poster will receive:

•  $350
•  Two (2) festival passes to the Tacoma Film Festival
•  A joint membership to the non-profit Grand Cinema. 
•  We will also ask the winning artist to assist in creating some print ads and miscellaneous other uses of the artwork.

All entries will receive four (4) complimentary movie passes to the Grand Cinema.

As for the design, that is pretty much left to you.  It will need to say:

2010 Tacoma Film Festival

October 7-14, 2010

www.TacomaFilmFestival.com

space at the bottom for sponsor logos (a minimum of 10 logos)

DEADLINE:  Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Check out this link to see last year's winning design:  http://www.grandcinema.com/page.php?id=115

Please send entries via an electronic format (pdf, jpeg, etc.) that can be reproduced into 11x17 posters.  Please make sure the PDF is printer ready as we will be printing all the entries and showcasing them in the Grand. Please remember space for those sponsor logos.  If you want to discuss ideas with us prior to creation, we encourage you to contact Rachel Marecle, Community Development Director at 253.572.6062.

Good luck!

Please send all entries to: rachel@grandcinema.com

TUESDAY, MAY 25, 2010 >>>

1. The Tuesday night swing dance at the Olympia Eagle's Hall sponsored by local swing dance club OlySwing, with regular attendance reaching more than 100 dancers, will feature Jessica Blinn Quartet featuring Craig Cootsona on drums tonight from 7:30-10:30 p.m.

2. The film Bass Ackwards follows Linas (played by director Linas Phillips), who, at loose ends in his life after a crushing breakup with his lover, decides to drive a beat-up VW bus he finds across the country from Seattle to New York. The Hollywood Reporter calls it "the kind of introspective road film plenty of aspiring auteurs would probably like to make but few can pull off." The film screens at 6:30 p.m. with a post-film Q&A with Phillips, inside the Capitol Theater.

3. The Grand Cinema will screen the 35mm version of the film noir classic The Maltese Falcon at 2 and 7 p.m.

4. Julie Ciccarelli of the Tacoma Public Library, University Book Store's Mary Levesque and Seattle Times columnist and author Adam Woog share their favorite mysteries at 7 p.m. inside Olympic Room at the Tacoma Public Library's Main Branch.

5. The 4 Tissimos Saxophone Quartet performs at 7 p.m. inside the Mandolin Café.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

The Weekly Volcano follows the people you're too embarrassed to >>>

Just like most good, new-age, social media applications, Twitter allows people to share and be privy to once personal, almost wholly pointless information about peoples' lives. It's seemingly endless. While Twitter is mostly full of everyday, ho-hum people - just like you and me, sharing info about what type of oatmeal we ate for breakfast and where we get our hair cut - Twitter is also a magnet for the moderately-famous.

Stars of yesterday, illiterate millionaire athletes, former cast members of Saved By the Bell - you can follow them all, intimately, on Twitter.

But, you've got standards. We get that.

That's why we'll do it for you, in a feature we like to call Weekly Volcano Twitter Stalker.

This week, checking in with...

Apolo Ohno

May 12: Apolo Ohno reveals the truth about his gold medal skin... and adds a happy face.

"Ever wake up and you have a pimple out of no where? Wow....you gotta be kidding me!! Haha! Oh well. It is what it is! :-)" via TweetDeck, 1:33 p.m.

May 8: Apolo Ohno self helps.

"Quick read on the plane. It gives me even more inspiration & insight 2 reach out 2 those middle school kids." via TweetDeck, 9:25 a.m.

May 6: Apolo Ohno is, perhaps, more revealing than he wanted to be.

"Just saw the "Ed hardy guy"...I feel like i see him 2 times a week...strange...Christian something?" via TweetDeck, 5:56 p.m.

Tune in tomorrow for more tweets from the life of Apolo Ohno (@ApoloOhno)