DINING IN THE SOUTH SOUND LIVE NO ONE ELSE >>>

ANNOUNCER: Housed in Gig Harbor's historic Garden Clubhouse, JW Restaurant opened in mid-spring to patron praise and media attention-naturally focused on the restaurant's New American dishes with a twist. Managing Partner Jason Winniford and Chef Justin Goodfellow have kept value-pricing in mind at this dinner-only dining establishment. Joining Jason De Paul this week is food and lifestyle writer Jennifer Johnson. The pairing is natural, as the two have dined at JW both separately and together over the last few months. Jake De Paul is spending time with his family ... or something.

To read this week's full review by Jennifer Johnson and Jason De Paul click here.

[JW Restaurant, 4107 Harborview Drive, Gig Harbor, 253.858.3529, jwgigharbor.com]

This week ...

Thing: Plain white buns

Place: Barrel No. 51 BBQ truck

Located: In a parking lot

Corner of: South 23rd and South Cedar, Tacoma

Used to be: Tacoma Central Theater

Now: A church

Which: Makes me giggle

Because: Both movies and churches will empty your pocketbook

Speaking of money: Barrel No. 51 takes CASH ONLY

Go online and purchase: Any one of their homemade sauces and rubs

At: barrelno51.com

Click here to read Steph DeRosa's full column.

[Barrel No. 51 BBQ and Catering, open Monday-Friday, 12 - 5 p.m., truck parked in the parking lot of Destiny City Church, 3102 S. 23rd St., Tacoma]

LINK: MORE PERSON, PLACE or THING with Steph DeRosa

THE TIME IS NEAR >>>

A friend referred to the Tacoma Food Co-op event we attended last night as "Natural-food-hippie-palooza." The humorous description is fairly on point. Natural food enthusiasts, supporters of the co-op and those seeking information gathered at Bluebeard Coffee and Cork Tuesday, June 28. Event attendees roamed freely between the two businesses and chatted up vendors while enjoying samples of gluten free breads, organic chocolate, all natural cookies, muesli, dips and spreads, Mad Hat teas ... you name it. Many featured products were those that will be for sale at the co-op. Music played, prizes were raffled off, kids ran about.

Most importantly, perhaps, organizers, vendors and co-op volunteers were on-hand for this "face-to-face with the community" opportunity. There was a lot of chatting, nodding, discussing and information being shared.

As Tacoma resident Crystal Gordon tasted vegan dips and baked tofus from Small Planet Organics of Vashon Island, she smiled. "I've had these before," she tells me, "just not around here."  Comments like this were repeated by others as they relaxed into the idea that products previously considered hard to find would soon be sold just down the street.

Former gallery owner Robert Stocker bought gluten-free brownie and bread mixes from Sevierly Good for his son. "Whenever I see good stuff, I grab it," he says. "My son can't have gluten and that limits what he gets to enjoy."

Ever the skeptic, I tried it out for myself and was very surprised at the texture and taste of the brownie sample. Thumbs up. I noticed two sets of pricing on some products; one regular and one discounted by roughly $1 or ten-percent for co-op members.

Maria Sevier of Sevierly Good says she's not sure what the actual discounts will be in the co-op, but she was extending a rounded 10-percent discount to members at last night's the event. Good to know membership does have a tangible, financial benefit beyond voting privileges and a newsletter. Of course, Tacoma Food Co-op vice president Casandra Gorell  points that out here.

The Tacoma Food Co-op has been in the works since 2006. From the outside looking in, it seems like it's been a struggle for TFC to raise funds, a struggle to find a location, and a struggle to get members. If TFC was a band, the first album would be titled Struggle.  You can read some of our coverage of the process here, here and here.

The culmination will come when the building at 3002 Sixth Avenue in Tacoma that currently houses Neighborhood Market opens its doors as the TFC on August 1.

Get your cloth shopping bags together, folks. The time is nearly upon us.

More information can be found at www.tacomafoodcoop.com

SHE HITS THE T-DOME ONE MORE TIME TONIGHT >>>

In honor of Britney Spears' stop at the Tacoma Dome tonight ...

I know a couple people whose taste in music I trust that claim the new Britney Spears record, Femme Fatale, is actually not that bad. I can't claim to have ever paid Ms. Spears much attention over the years (though "Toxic" remains an unfuckwithable pop jam), and I'll always remember her most for her perspective on the possibility of time travel, as elucidated in the YouTube clip "Britney Spears Stoned," which has garnered over 1,501,542 views. Here is a partial transcript of her exchange with then-boyfriend Kevin "K-Fed" Federline:

SPEARS: Like, can some people-have you ever seen Back to the Future? Is that possible? To time...travel...speed?

FEDERLINE: Mm-mn.

SPEARS: Yes it is, Kevin.

FEDERLINE: OK, but not that we know of.

SPEARS: Maybe people can do that and I think some people are ahead of us.

FEDERLINE: Well, maybe. But they would never tell the world. They wouldn't tell nobody shit. Can you imagine? How many people would go back and try and change shit?

Rumination on a global (inter-temporal) mass conspiracy, or two stoned burnouts mumbling to one another in a dressing room? You decide.

It's worth noting that this whole weird k-hole ("K-Fed K-hole?") conversation stems from Spears' concern that life is passing her by too quickly ("It's all the partying," Federline says). Not long after this clip was filmed, she'd suffer a genuine mental breakdown, a tragic, well-publicized freak-out that nearly cost Spears her empire. Now, years later, she's back on course to be a worldwide phenom-maybe not the shining star she once was, but no longer the wincing embarrassment she'd become. The public is terminally forgetful and quick to forgive. They say "time heals all wounds." That's the real secret of timetravelspeed.

OH YEAH! >>>

Remember that time we devoted an entire cover story to recommending things for Britney Spears to do in Tacoma?

ONLINE CHATTER >>>

Today's comment comes from Mike R in response to our recent review of JW Restaurant in Gig Harbor.

Mike R writes,

Nice, cleverly written review! Jake better watch out or Jennifer may become a permanent replacement. Can you say Wally Pipp? Or better yet, maybe Jennifer will take me along next time - I'd be more than happy to drink the complimentary wine that she turned down. :)

THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2011 >>>

1. The written word - especially in ink and paper physical form - just doesn't draw like it once did. Facts are facts. Instead of hiding its head in the sand and pretending this isn't the case, the Tacoma Public Library has been taking matters into its own hands - scheduling a multitude of fun and multi-sensory entertainment options at libraries all over town. Thursday, comedian Bill Robison - known for his physical antics - makes an appearance at the Wheelock Library at 11 a.m.

2. The name of the show is Under Pink Skies, but the skies above the lush and colorful foliage in the Nina Weiss landscapes at Mavi Contemporary Art are orange and lavender and a steely blue-gray - not just pink. Check out the show from 2-7 p.m. Read Weekly Volcano art critic Alec Clayton's review of the show here.

3. Not so long ago, "women's bike" strictly referred to step-through frames. Times have changed. Bicycle manufacturer Giant will show women their latest road, mountain and cyclocross models from 2-8 p.m. at Tacoma Bike. To demo a bike, bring your helmet, shoes, pedals, driver's license and credit card.

4. Comedian Craig Gass is no stranger to the Northwest, so it's not terribly surprising to see him scheduled to throw down the laughs Thursday at The Royal Lounge in Olympia at 9 p.m. Well-known from Stern and countless TV appearances, not to mention an incredible knack for impersonations, Gass was raised by deaf parents and has a deaf sister, so he grew up imitating the voices he heard on television. Seems to have paid off. Dude's funny.

5. Tacoma's annual Out in the Park gay pride festival hits Wright Park is coming Saturday, July 9 to Ninth and Broadway downtown. That's too long of a wait for gay-friendly bar The Mix. They're hosting a pre-pride bash called Rainbows Over St. Helens at 9 p.m. featuring DJ Excellent, special performances and Bois in underwear - hosted by the fab Miss Gay Washington 2011-2012 Taylor London Couture.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Happy hours!

MUSICAL GOODNESS COMING AT YOU IN PRINT & ONLINE >>>

It's Thursday, trash day at the Driscoll house, and the day of the week that you, Gentle Reader, are presented with a brand-spanking new issue of the Weekly Volcano.

Like every week, today's new Volcano includes the best music section you'll find in the South Sound (along with all sorts of other badass stuff).

Here's a sneak peek at the musical goodness coming at you in print and online ...

NIGHT BEATS

Night Beats are unf***withable road warriors, psych-rock workhorses, a meeting point between Tacoma-centricity and the great scary beyond where other local bands fear to roam. They revere psychedelia and early rock 'n' roll, and aim in some way to pay homage to those sounds, while also forging a vision of their own. ... - Rev. Adam McKinney

JOHN CROWN

John Crown loves to drive, and does so for a living as a garbage truck driver in Kent. "Driving is my crutch," he says while rolling in his green 2002 Chevy Trailblazer. "I got this car in November and it had 82,000 miles on it. It's June and it has 109,000. I just drive, man."

He also likes to talk, an entertaining and opinionated Twitter chatterbox with no filter. But the Tacoma-based rapper considers some things sacred.

"I don't mean to be a dick," he says, pausing his upcoming debut full-length, Coffee & Beats. "But I hate it when people talk over my verses." ... - Joe Gustav

OLYMPIA INDEPENDENT MUSIC FEST

Olympia Independent Music Festival is designed to be just that - independent. No frills, no gimmicks. Just a group of talented unsigned bands playing for free.

OIMF was started when local prog-rock band Glass Elevator got curious about playing shows in downtown Olympia's Sylvester Park.  ... - Nikki Talotta

WAMÜ

Though their brutal, improvised maelstroms don't have much in the way of sonic equivalents' in the Seattle underground scene, WaMü could nonetheless be lumped in with a handful of other Emerald City noisemakers like Stickers and MOUNTAINSS (to say nothing of Olympia's own Malaikat dan Singa) who treat the saxophone as less an instrument of sultry-eyed, soft-rockin' seduction and more a radio for channeling the inhuman howls of self-flagellating underworld monstrosities. - Jason Baxter

DJ SLIMROCK

Holding down the scene since 1998, Slimrock has DJ'ed any type of event you can think of -- from backyard skateboard parties to private events at the top of the space needle. Impressively, he continues to build his massive vinyl collection while not getting burned out on a culture that is quickly losing interest in having a DJ at all.  While iPods and laptops are taking over for some performers, Slimrock is still out there DJ'ing for real, with no plans of stopping. He says wishes more live performers would respect the art of what he does. - Nic Leonard

PLUS: What's the Word with Josh Rizeberg: Serious Mak, Blakmic & Freeze, Leon Swanks

PLUS: Better Living Through Music - Deat Cat Hat, Slam Dunk, The Cutwinkles

PLUS: Concert Alert

PLUS: South Sound Live Local Music & Club Listings

PLUS: Bad news crap like this

BECAUSE NEW IDEAS ARE HARD >>>

This is the first week we've done this ... packaged the Volcano arts section into one of these handy-dandy hype blogs, that is. We've done it for a while, off and on at least, with the Volcano music section, but never with arts. I'm not sure why.

Quite honestly, at some point we just started to feel bad for leaving the back third of the paper out of the fun. From Christian Carvajal, Joe Izenman and Joann Varnell reviewing the action "on the boards" (I have no idea what that means), to the features of writers like Kristin Kendle,  Molly Gilmore, Joshua Swainston and Jackie Fender, to old reliable Alec Clayton and his long-running Visual Edge column, we've got more high-quality arts coverage on a weekly basis than is probably healthy in one sitting. Frankly, it might make you obese.

That said, here's a look at this week's Volcano arts section.

FEATURE - Pass it along: The Street Sign Project touches Tacoma

The Street Sign Project - a small, worldwide grassroots phenomenon started in Tacoma - takes the idea of public art a step further, to its evolutionary phase. Peppered throughout T-town, you may have noticed bits of non-defacing art that relay messages (of sorts), and perhaps unite the community at the same time.

It slaps me in the face when I least expect it:

"REALLY LOVE SOMETHING," one exclaims during my drive home from work.  - Jackie Fender

FEATURE - Origins of Fabitat: Fab-5 & Spaceworks Tacoma are at it again

Fabitat is the result of a partnership between Fab-5 and Spaceworks Tacoma - a venture that has set out to populate empty downtown storefronts with art and creativity. For three to six months, Fabitat will inhabit an old building in Hilltop. Previously a mobile program, this is the first time in Fab-5 history where teachers and students will have a central place to teach and create. Basically, Fabitat creates a home base for Fab-5's outreach. It's scheduled to open in July. - Kristin Kendle

VISUAL EDGE - Alec Clayton reviews Pink Skies at Mavi Contemporary Art

The name of the show is Under Pink Skies, but the skies above the lush and colorful foliage in the Nina Weiss landscapes at Mavi Contemporary Art are orange and lavender and a steely blue-gray - not just pink.

The colors and the sure and deliberate brushstrokes in these landscapes are like rich confections, lakes and streams and bright skies made of sugar and whipped cream.

I easily tire of landscape art. It's generally very boring and predictable. After all, who ever does anything truly original with landscape art these days? Nobody, that's who. So I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I really liked these paintings. - Alec Clayton

FEATURE - Free history: Venturing inside the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum

On a sunny Thursday afternoon a group of inquisitive patrons enters an ornate park-side building. As they do so, they ask, "What is this place?" Thomas M. Jutilla, the museum's director, gladly tells them that they have stepped into the Karpeles Manuscript Library. The visitors' eyes light up as they realize they've found something genuinely special.- Joshua Swainston

PLUS: More local theater than you can handle!

PLUS: Transformers sucks and other things on local screens

PLUS: Viva South Sound Arts & Entertainment Calendar

DID YOU KNOW?: Today is your LAST DAY to vote in the Volcano's Super Best of Tacoma 2011!! There are arts categories, you know ...

HEY YOU!! >>>

All those exclamation points mean business, yo! This is serious!

It's your LAST DAY to vote in the Volcano's Super Best of Tacoma 2011 Readers' Poll!

We wouldn't joke about such a thing. It's true.

Go here to VOTE NOW!

The Volcano's Super Best of Tacoma 2011 issue hits the street July 28 - less than a month from today. This means here at the Volcano we better kick it into high gear (just kidding ... kind of), and you better mark July 28 on your calendars. Not only will the Super Best of Tacoma take T-Town by storm on this fateful day, but the Volcano's Super Best of Tacoma Party will go down at Varsity Grill starting at 6 p.m., featuring raffle prizes, tests of strength, emcee John Munn from Comic Book Ink, superhero drink specials, costume contests and more.