FUTURE THINGS ARE COMING >>>

Summer movie blockbusters have been flinging scary monsters our way ever since a certain shark showed us his jaws 35 short years ago. The natural human inclination to have a monstrously good time seems to go into overdrive when summer comes. Something about sunshine, warm temperatures and cool water makes us all go a little crazy in pursuit of relaxation.

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DINING NEWS, NIBBLES AND BITS >>>

Tacos!: Senora Lucia Shelley hosts a Mexican taco class tonight at 6 p.m. inside the Bayview School of Cooking in Olympia. The cost is $45 a person. Reserve your spot at 360.754.1448.

Happy Hour: Toscanos Café and Wine Bar hosts a happy hour today from 3-6 p.m. that includes discounted appetizers, $6.95 scratch margaritas, $5 wine pours and $2.50 draft beers. More happy hours can be found here.

Drinking Outside A Bowling Alley: Tower Lanes on Sixth Avenue will serve $2 drafts on its outdoor patio from 4-7 p.m. today.

Future Things Are Coming: The Harmon Brewery & Eatery (1938 Pacific Ave., Tacoma) will celebrate its 1,000^th batch of beer with an all-day party Saturday, Aug. 7 hosted by long-time owner Pat Nagle. Festivities will include free T-shirts to the first 100 people, $3 pints, a special food menu, complimentary samples of the 1000^th brew, a meet and greet with the brewers from 3-5 p.m. and live music from 7-10 p.m.

Food Matters: Vitaminwater proves tragically short on vitamins.

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

LINK: Join the Nosh League

The Weekly Volcano follows B & C-list celebrities so you don't have 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.

Today, checking in with...

Spencer Pratt!

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FUTURE THINGS ARE COMING >>>

Lord knows Tacoma has plenty of empty spaces. Luckily, it also has plenty of artists. In a moment of pure genius, Spaceworks Tacoma was created - an effort to revitalize T-Town's barren spaces with art of all kinds, from installations to creative enterprises to artist residences and pop-up events.

Thursday, July 29, Spaceworks Tacoma kicks off with a block party, said to include walking tours, food and drinks, spoken word, films and live music.

Score.

[Downtown Tacoma, Thursday, July 29, 4:30-8 p.m., free and open to public, Ninth and Broadway, Tacoma]

LINK: Spaceworks awesome blog

NEW FILM SERIES COMING TO TACOMA >>>

A friend of mine saw Inception last week, and it surprised her how many in the crowd bolted for an exit as soon as the credits rolled. I guess after two-and-a-half hours inside a time-bending, gravity-defying dreamscape, a few minutes of slowly crawling text feels a bit anticlimactic. Maybe the sight of those uniform columns of names severs the illusion too quickly, so off we go.

It takes a slew of highly skilled artists to pull off that elusive movie magic, and The Grand Cinema makes a consistent effort to shine a light on those individuals hidden behind the camera. Every year you get the 72 Hour Competition and Tacoma Film Festival; this summer, get ready as the theater brings you a one-of-a-kind event, entitled "25 New Faces of Independent Film Showcase." Last week Filmmaker Magazine released its annual list of rising talent in the indie world. As the only venue in the nation doing this, The Grand will devote a whole week (Aug. 20-26) screening recent works from these head-turning filmmakers.

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 2010 >>>

1. The Weekly Volcano's Best of Tacoma 2010 issue – in amazing 3-D - hits the streets tomorrow. To celebrate, we'll be throwing a massive Best of Tacoma 2010 Premiere Party tonight at 6 p.m. inside Masa (on the deck, too!). The shindig includes $1,800 in door prizes, free Weekly Volcano T-shirts, DJ Darren Selector, emcees Doug Mackey and Kris "Save Our Sonics" Brennon, games, Steph DeRosa's 3 Drink Minimum live (!), plus your first chance to pick up the Best of Tacoma 2010 issue – a day before it's on the streets. Also, editor Matt Driscoll will probably have too many margaritas and say something embarrassing.

2. The Summer Business Expo loaded with opportunities to network will run from 5-8 p.m. inside the Soccer Center in Tacoma - without any opportunity to watch Steph DeRosa perform "3 Drink Minimum" live as she will at the Best of Tacoma 2010 Party at Masa.

3. The Food For Thought Book Club will meet at 6:30 p.m. inside the Garfield Book Company to discuss cookbooks, recipes, watch cooking demonstration and daydream about being at the Best of Tacoma 2010 Party at Masa where they could drink discounted Hurricane drinks.

4. Danny Vernon's Illusions Of Elvis show will be staged outdoors at 6:30 p.m. in Steilacoom's Pioneer Park. You will not hear music by South Sound bands as you will at the Best of Tacoma 2010 Party at Masa.

5. Hell's Kitchen hosts the Puget Sound Mixtape Vol. 1 Release party at 9 p.m. featuring live performances by Rockwell Powers, Josh Rizeberg, MC Gigahertz, J.Bre, Darxiide, $krilla, Greg Double, Whikid, The Realest, AKA, Adonis Delirious, Golden Brown Ent., Mac Wayne, Dru Filthy, Uncle Moo, AR Mastermind, Gamble and D.Rocc - but certainly no free Weekly Volcano T-shirts, which we'll be giving away at the Best of Tacoma 2010 Party at Masa.

LINK: Did you hear there's a party tonight?

ANOTHER ROUND OF CHASTITY BELTS >>>

Remember last summer's chastity belt art show at Mineral gallery in Tacoma? We do.

Well, loosen those, er, belts, as another group of Northwest artists will take up the chastity belt challenge, crafting contemporary versions of this historical, er, or hysterical accessory. Access Denied: the Second Annual Exhibit of Chastity Belts by Artists, is scheduled to show Saturday, Aug. 14 and Thursday, Aug. 19 (Third Thursday Artwalk) inside Mineral. Owner Lisa Kinoshita says this year's show will have more belts.

The show will run concurrently with Boudoir, a vignette of bedroom furnishings, in Gallery 301 next door.

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Drummer Simon Kirke of Bad Company is 61.

>>> SOUTH SOUND SPECIFIC

The Thorne Mansion was built on American Lake between 1909 and 1911. Now a bitchin' bed and breakfast, it was once considered one of the most beautiful estates and gardens in the nation, and often attracted illustrious people of the early 1900s.

>>> NEW WORD FOR THE URBAN DICTIONARY

blewberry / bloo-ber-ee / verb

To blow shit up in a park called Blueberry.

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CONGRATULATIONS JASON LARCHE >>>

One hundred and ninety artists competed in the 2010 Tacoma Film festival Poster Competition. Many were of the whimsical nature, but the judges chose a classical design (see above). Rachel Marecle, director of community development for The Grand Cinema, just confirmed that Jason Larche won. A press release will be sent out later this week.

The Tacoma Film Festival will run Oct. 7-14 at The Grand Cinema and other downtown Tacoma venues.

Congratulations Jason.

UPDATE: Here is the official press release:

Tacoma, Wash. - Holy Moly!  After looking at 195 poster submissions the Grand Cinema is proud to announce the winning poster design for the 2010 Tacoma Film Festival by graphic designer Jason Larche (see attached design - not absolute final design, working on a few adjustments).   

It was no easy task selecting this year's winning poster.  Entries were received from all over the world (Istanbul, Germany, Colombia) and the talent was incredible.  Thank you to the panel of judges along with our loyal Grand Cinema patrons for giving us your feedback that ultimately led to the winning choice.

"The poster is clean, simple and does a good job of mixing film and Tacoma," says Philip Cowan, Grand Cinema's Executive Director.  "With so many talented entries it was really difficult choosing just one winner."

Thank you to each and every artist who submitted a design.  The Grand Cinema is very lucky to have such great supporters that are willing to share their talent.

About the Artist
Jason Larche is a  25-year-old graphic designer and illustrator based in Norwalk, Connecticut. He graduated from Syracuse University in 2008 with a degree in Communications Design, and chose to pursue a career in branding and packaging. He has always had a great appreciation of film, and hopes to further his involvement in the industry.  Visit Jasonlarche.com to see more.

About the Design
My goal with this design was to boldly announce the festival by establishing a reputable and contemporary look. I wanted to convey Tacoma's character in a classical manner through a high-contrast color palette. It was important for me to show my appreciation of traditional film in what has increasingly become a digital art form.

About the Tacoma Film Festival
The 2010 Tacoma Film Festival begins Thursday, October 7 with the Opening Night Reception at the Annie Wright Great Hall followed by the Opening Night Film at the Annie Wright Kemper Theater.  The evening begins at 6:00p and the film will start at 7:45p.  Films will continue through Thursday, October 14 playing at the Grand Cinema, Tacoma Art Museum and the Tacoma School of the Arts.  The official Tacoma Film Festival program is scheduled to be ready by Thursday, Sept. 16.  For more information visit www.TacomaFilmFestival.com.

FUTURE THINGS ARE COMING >>>

The Weekly Volcano popped its head into The Office this morning to check on the progress of downtown Tacoma's new bar and grill - located in the former spot occupied by the Italian restaurant Merende at Eighth and Pacific Avenue. The word is this fancy sports bar-ish hangout will open some time next week.

Expect gourmet burgers and pizza that won't drain your bank account.