TOO DAMN NICE TO UPLOAD PHOTOS >>>

I'm outta here. The family and I will be lost in a Key Peninsula park today. However, I do want to post a few of the photos I snapped last night at the Downtown Block Party – I'm still high on its community vibe. All walks of life converged on Tacoma's Opera Alley from 5-10 p.m. partaking in art projects, board games, photo shoots, dancing, drinking, chalking, meditating, street games and just hanging. It was awesome, to say the least.

I'll post more DBP photos tomorrow, as well as a professional batch from Steve Dunkelberger.

Have a great day everyone.

MONDAY, AUG. 22, 2011 >>>

1. The Tacoma Cult Movie Club meets for a night of sequels, shorts, trailers and kickass popcorn at 7 p.m. inside the Acme Grub Cage. Tonight's theme is Animals Gone Wild: Some Animals Have No Decency, or Where's That Bat-Shark Repellent?

2. For the second annual 25 New Faces of Independent Film Festival atT he Grand Cinema, the list has been released, the films have been chosen, and the filmmakers have been invited to come and participate. Films from 20 filmmakers will be screened over five days and, just like last year, 11 filmmakers will attend in support of their work. Today at 2:30 p.m. filmmaker Alma Nar'el's film Bombay Beach will screen. To read Rev. Adam McKinney's full feature, click here.

3. Momenti Rubati performs eloquent Latin jazz at 7 p.m. inside The Royal Lounge.

4. Mutants, aliens, technogeeks and puny humans who like to read superhero comics will gather at King's Books around 7 p.m. to discuss X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga by Chris Claremont & John Byrne.

5. Magoo's Annex hosts Micro Mondays with DJ Melodica spinning punk, post punk, New Wave, early electronica, garage and more beginning at 8:30 p.m.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music in the South Sound tonight

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Citizens Panel On Tax Exemptions: State pulp-and-paper companies, large banks and other interest groups are nervous. (News Tribune)

Hilltop Tacoma: Hanging out at Spaceworks Tacoma's one-year anniversary party. (Spaceworks Tacoma)

Battle For Tripoli: Libyan rebels are on the outskirts of the capital. (CNN)

Into The Heart: Bono was treated for chest pains and heart palpitations last week. (Rolling Stone)

Trick Or Treat?: The Lou Reed/Metallica collaboration will be released on Halloween. (Dangerous Minds)

List: The 10 best indie rock supergroups. (Flavor Wire)

Twitter: Yoko Ono is plum crazy. (Cracked)

ADD FIZZ TO YOUR MORNING >>>

I usually start my mornings with an Americano, but today I decided to forgo my usual brew and sit down to a cup of sparkling toddy at Two teaspoons Café in Steilacoom.  It's coffee, but with fizz. Check it:

• Smooth cold brew coffee
• Rich vanilla
• Sparkling water
• A touch of cream

It is a sweet sip, and the bubbles are very pleasant. The coffee isn't bitter at all. 

The 12-ounce drink runs $3.50.

[Two Teaspoons Café, 215 Wilkes St., Suite 102, Steilacoom, 253.292.0431]

LINK: Two Teaspoons Café

WHAT WILL SHE SAY ABOUT TACOMA? >>> 

The Queen of Mean returns to Tacoma's Temple Theatre for a stand up show Friday, Oct. 21. Lisa Lampanelli filled the Temple in April 2009. The 49-year-old Lampanelli is by all accounts one of the funniest, dirtiest and most irreverent comedians working today.

Tickets are $39.50 at all Ticketmaster locations. They go on sale Friday, Aug. 26 at 10 a.m.

LINK: Concert Alert

GROOVY >>>

You know that scene in Tommy where Roger Daltry climbs a mountain to the tune of "I'm Free," and then he turns into music-Jesus or something? That's pretty much what the free Downtown Block Party was like Saturday night. Only with less mountaineering.

The crowds that flowed through and around Opera Alley during the DBP were as diverse as the gathering itself. Performances and artistic expression by organizations such as Fab-5, Street Sign Project, urbanXchange, Mad Hat Tea Co., Expand Yoga, Tacoma Theater District, Ruby Collection, The Mix, Puget Sound Pizza, The Space, New Tacoma Neighborhood Council and Local Life flowed in and out and about to create a spirited community experience. Young and old played Four Square, hula hoops and board games. And the beer garden was a buzz all night. The band rocked. The people danced until the end. Admid all the craziness sat the Weekly Volcano meditation tent where folks found their center.

There really is no way to describe the energy emitting from Opera Alley that night.

The event's Facebook page stated its mission as "... honoring Downtown as a neighborhood in itself, but we'll be celebrating the growing movement of Tacomans caring for each of their home neighborhoods together. Whether you live Downtown or love it, come co-create and feel the groove."

Caring and groove were front and center.

LINK: More Block Party Photos

GIVE! >>>

So it's been a few years since any of us at the Weekly Volcano have been in college, but if there's one thing we know about 18-to-22-year-olds, it's that they love free shit. The Grand Cinema will donate 10 free tickets to the University of Puget Sound, Pierce College and other colleges for every $65 donated to the 2011 Tacoma Film Festival.

The Grand will chat donations at 253.572.6062. If you're shy, you may mail your donations to:

2011 Tacoma Film Festival
Free Student Ticket Program
606 S. Fawcett
Tacoma, WA 98402

LINK: See a film right now!

ONLINE CHATTER >>>

Today's comment comes from Stephanie Dunning in response to a Movie Biz Buzz SPEW post by Christopher Wood from late July, which focused on local filmmaker Rick Tobin.

Dunning writes,

I have read many of Rick Tobin's scripts. He has a style that makes me hold my breath and physically feel tense. I love his twist and turns, that is what makes his scripts screen worthy. He is a a family man, a friend, an awesome writer and a true lover of gore. I will be first in line to see The Resolution on the big screen!!

TUESDAY, AUG. 23, 2011 >>>

1. When we want artistically soulful, intellectually satisfying, and more visually challenging filmgoing, we'll stick with the one that's been giving it to us for years. As always, The Grand Cinema programming leans to the artier, the indie, and the auteur-embracing, and while it would be nice to see it try something riskier on every now and again, its various film series provide much-needed cinematic food for the soul. The indie film house's new Tuesday Film Series will offer an awesome film (new or classic) every Tuesday for a year, with two screenings each Tuesday - afternoon and evening. Today, Into Eternity - a film exploring the utter impossibility of storing nuclear waste for 100,000 years - screens at 1:55 and 6:30 p.m.

2. The University of Puget Sound Art Department Faculty Show features works by John McCuistion, Janet Marcavage, Mike Johnson, Elise Richman, and Becky Frehse from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. inside Kittredge Gallery.

3. Bonaventure, Olympic Wine Merchant and Paprika Catering presents Sips, Chocolate & Shoes for those obsessed with, well, wine, chocolate and shoes from 6-8 p.m. at 116 Fifth Ave. SE in Olympia.

4. Morgan & The Organ Donors will rock the Shelton Timberland Library at 6:30 p.m.

5. Geeks Who Drink Quiz Night with Quizmaster Holland Hume goes down at 8 p.m. inside Paddy Coyne's Irish Pub.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music tonight in the South Sound

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Christmas Present 2012 (If We Are Still Alive): Tacoma city engineers say the $57 million renovation of the Murray Morgan Bridge is on budget and will reopen to pedestrian and vehicle traffic in December 2012. (News Tribune)

Of Course You're Going To Win: Washington state Lottery reports sales increased 4 percent in the past fiscal year to more than $510 million. (Seattle Times)

There's A Starbucks For That: Starbucks is giving away free app downloads in its stores. It kicks off today with a free Shazam Encore app - a $6 value. Quite the deal for just a trip into Starbucks, even if you get a coffee. (CNET)

Darren Stevens Syndrome: Mad Men gets a new Bobby Draper. (Digital Spy)

Will There Be A Replacements Reunion?: Probably not. (Rolling Stone)

This Is Stupid: The Worst 50 States in America countdown. (Gawker)

This Is Not Stupid: Nerd hats! (Topless Robot)

Do Doo Do Do Do ...: The history of Mahna Mahna!(OC Weekly)