OH CHRISTMAS WEED>>>

Last week a man in Germany was arrested after police found him in possesion of a 6-foot-tall marijuana plant in a Christmas tree stand and strung with lights. According to the AFP, "When asked, the hashish fan told the perplexed officers that he had intended to add more decorations to the 'tree' and place the presents under it, according to tradition."

A LOOK AT THE GOODNESS IN STORE IN PRINT & ONLINE >>>

Before we check out for the week, off the celebrate the holidays with family, friends and copious amounts of eggnog and candy canes, here's a look at this week's Volcano music section - on the street and online today.

REV. ADAM MCKINNEY'S BEST LIVE MUSIC MOMENTS OF ‘10

PWRFL POWER: June 11, The Squawk Box

A man and his guitar, sitting in a folding chair. A virtuoso, keeping his head down and doing his job. Those moments when he rises to his feet as the music takes control. You had to be there. - Rev. Adam McKinney

A LOOK BACK: THE YEAR IN TACOMA HIP-HOP

This year, 2010, was a busy year for Tacoma hip-hop music. Many different individual artists and groups released and promoted good music and built their fanbases. However, there was no clear-cut top artist, and therefore I didn't feel compelled to spout 500 words of my own opinion about who had the best 2010. -  Zach Powers

DISARMED TO THE TEETH: CODY FOSTER ON HIS BAND'S BOXING DAY REVENGE

Sunday at The New Frontier Lounge, veteran local hardcore trio Cody Foster's Army will be playing one of their "disarmed" acoustic sets. The early show (starts at 7 p.m.) also includes Looking for Lizards and Rich Bundy, and has a post-holiday wallet-sparing two-for-one entry policy. I caught up with CFA mastermind Cody Foster to find out more about the gig, and his band's plans for the New Year. - Jason Baxter

PLUS: Hell's Kitchen Customer Appreciation Night, Mighty High, Randy Oxford Band

SECOND HELPING >>>

Ali Kashi, the man behind Cheers South Hill Grill, Greek Café, Blue Olive Ultra Lounge, Bella Vita, Lipstix and several other restaurants (and strip joints) we can't remember, will open another Cheers Bar and Grill in the former McCabe's American Café spot at 2611 Pacific Ave. He told us the new Cheers Bar and Grill Downtown will be similar to the one in South Hill in terms of the menu and style - even sharing the same management.

Kashi has his sights on a March 1, 2011 opening.

In the downtown Tacoma Rumor Mill: There's a new Mediterranean restaurant coming to the former Sea Grill spot, and a wine, cheese and meats shop will open on St. Helens.

IT'S GO TIME >>>

You mapped it out: disappear into the basement with your Sailor Jerry Rum and eggnog and wait this holiday madness out. But now Saturday is staring you straight in the face. Your guilt hurts like a mofo. Time to slap some O Holy Crap! on your face and buy local gifts for the fam and friends.

This will not be an easy task. It's beginning to look a lot like panic out there.  You'll need some extra holidays spirits flowing through your veins to make it through. I suggest loading up on these two local libations:

Pomegranate Martini at Hotel Murano Lobby Bar

Lobby Bar bartender Kristina has your back the next three days. She'll be delivering cocktails fireside from 4 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. tonight and 4-9 p.m. Christmas Eve and Day. The Murano offers a list of creative winter cocktails, including coffee drinks, for $10 and less. The lobby is decked out for a modern Christmas, including a giant white Christmas tree.  Kristina's go-to holiday drink is a pomegranate martini with Ketel One Oranje, pomegranate juice, Triple Sec and muddled oranges. The ingredients are shaken and poured into a sugar-rimmed martini glass. It's fantastic.

Nutty Monk at Crown Bar

The weather outside may be frightful, but inside the Crown Bar on Sixth Avenue, things are always warm and cozy. And a mug of their Nutty Monk ($8.50) can be a downright delightful nightcap after a marathon-shopping excursion. To make this traditional holiday treat, the Crown bartenders combine Jameson Irish Whiskey, Bailey's Irish Cream and Frangelico Hazelnut Liqueur with fresh coffee. The result is a strong, warm drink, served in a glass coffee mug and garnished with whipped cream and an orange rind. Then kick back with Dino, Chelsea and the crew next to their fireplace among what can only be described as a Christmas garland explosion. The Crown will be open today from 5 p.m. to close and Christmas Eve 5 p.m. to around 10 or 11 p.m.

LINK: Happy hours!

FRIDAY, DEC. 24, 2010 >>>

1. Christmas Eve is typically reserved for plenty of things - baking cookies for Santa, wrapping last minute gifts, sitting alone drinking the pain away - but there's nothing that says seeing Kim Archer at the Hub can't be on that list. With a timeless vocal delivery only matched by her engaging stage presence, Kim Archer and her band have been pleasing live music fans in our area since 2004. Show some Christmas love tonight at 9:30 p.m. to one of the hardest working performers currently making the rounds in T-town.

2. Artist Monika Proffitt's Forest of Souls has constructed an underwater, fiber-optic light sculpture that illuminates the cascading pools at Tollefson Plaza, as part of Spaceworks Tacoma.

3. Big Brother is watching. He peers out from the walls of Fulcrum Gallery. In this instance "Big Brother" is the brother of artist Nicki Sucec, whose show at Fulcrum is a homage to her brother and a testament to the variety and creativity that can be unleashed by taking a single image or idea and pushing it to the limit. Sucec's show, Shuffle, is on display from noon to 6 p.m. at Fulcrum. Read our review of this show here.

4. If you didn't get all the holiday adrenaline out of your system fighting for your life during the holiday shopping season, lace some jingle bells into your sneakers and make a run for it today at the Just For Fun, Jingle Bell Run at 1 p.m. in Wright Park. The 5k run or walk costs $10 to participate. Bring non-perishable food for the food bank or old running shoes for the mission. The first male/female finishers will win shoes from South Sound Running.

5. Comedian W. C. Fields once quipped, "Never work with animals or children." Fortunately, Tacoma Little Theatre ignored his admonishment and stages Annie at 2 p.m. TLT not only chose a classic story, they put together a cast that is great to watch. This cast is so good, in fact, they received a standing ovation on opening night. Read our full review of the show here.

(6. Donald Glause is spinning tonight at the Gruv Lounge and Nightclub. We're not suppose to advertise this, but to hell with that.)

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

BANDITO BETTY LOU WHO LEAP OF THE DAY >>>

"Attention all you folks sipping wine under Tivoli lights inside Cork! I'm the mutha elfing Foursquare Holiday Mayor of this Sixth Avenue wine bar now!" screamed Bandito Betty Lou Who – our very happy friend who leaps for us on Spew. "Hey owner (Saint) Nick! Drop the two turtle doves and pour me a giant glass of jamm(ies) Cab! I've earned some serious good juice!

Read more...

GIVE TO A LOCAL CHARITY >>>

‘Tis the season for giving, and whether you're getting free drinks or just some feel-good cheer, there are plenty of reasons to be generous this month. Here are just a few local organizations offering means to help others out this season:

• Tacoma Community House
• Lindquist Dental Clinic for Children
• Olive Crest
• Emergency Food Network
• Catherine Place
• Mary Bridge Children's Foundation
• United Way/Project:U
• Santa Silvia/Mary Bridge
• Thurston County Food Bank
• Fisher House
• Lakewood Area Shelter Association
• CenterForce
• Tacoma Goodwill
• Rebuilding Tacoma South Sound
• Habitat for Humanity Store

BANDITO BETTY LOU WHO (SECOND) LEAP OF THE DAY >>>

"Tessa threatened my life if I didn't leap at Masa. And since she's a Dockyard Derby Dame ... I'm the mutha elfing Foursquare Holiday Mayor of Masa Comida Mexicana now!" screamed Bandito Betty Lou Who – our very happy friend who leaps for us on Spew. "I'm going to take major hits off Masa's new orange Fanta soda gun and cross the street and leap all over Asado's ass too. I own the Xgroup restaurants!

P.S. I have one more jump tomorrow - and it will be AWESOME!

Read more...

SANTA DAY, DEC. 25, 2010 >>>

1. Looking for something to do that doesn't involve sitting around Aunt Maureen and Grandpa Fred? The Top of Tacoma Bar and Café has you covered. The venerable Swampy Draws (or Swampy Claus, as the case may be) will be on stage tonight - getting things rolling at about 9 p.m., according to Top of Tacoma's Jamie Kay Jones - who also promises photo ops with the Christmas-themed swampy one. It doesn't get much better. Well, ther'e a punk show at Hell's Kitchen too.

2. Natalie Portman, in the performance of her life, plays Nina Sayers, a ballerina in a top company at New York's Lincoln Center in the grisly fantasia of ultimately transcendent beauty flick, Black Swan. Sayers lives in a perpetual state of nearly losing her shit - not that she'd mind, as long as she attains an artistic perfection she can't yet imagine. The film screens at 12:35, 3:15, 6:05 and 8:30 p.m. inside The Grand Cinema.

3. The Temple Beth Hatfiloh presents a sing-along to the film Fiddler On The Roof at 6:30 p.m. inside the Capitol Theater in Olympia. Dress up like Tevye, Golde and the other characters and try to grab prizes during the costume contest. Bring a clean warm winter coats and blankets for the homeless.

4. The Lyon Pride Music annual Christmas party will invade the all-ages D4 venue in Sumner around 7 p.m. Scheduled to perform are Corson Swift, Ruthless, Blue Helix, Crzae 8's, Hakm and Jay Rush and DJ Reign.

5. Mighty High performs at 10 p.m. tonight inside Doyle's Public House. In case you've been trapped in a smoky den with only Cool Ranch Doritos^TMfor sustenance, here's the long and short of Mighty High: They have a tendency to totally jam out; they lean in a dub-y direction; they have a song called "Medicinal Melodies." Let's meet up in the parking lot for a pre-show hackey-sack sesh (short for session).

LINK: Movies starting times

BANDITO BETTY LOU WHO LEAP OF THE DAY >>>

"Out of the chair Mayor Marilyn Strickland! I'm the mutha elfing Foursquare Holiday Mayor of Tacoma now!" screamed Bandito Betty Lou Who – our very happy friend who leaps for us on Spew. "OK, my first executive order ... wishing you, Tacoma and the entire South Sound a very happy holidays!"

Check out all 26 leaps here.

Read more...