COMMUNITY MATTERS >>>

Chelsea O'Sullivan has many talents. She's a talented artist, as we witnessed at Art on the Ave. She's a sexy server at the Crown Bar. She's also a participant, and mouthpiece, for the Tacoma Mural Project.

Hey, Ron. The Tacoma Mural Project group has created a 162 foot-long mural at Bergerson Terrace on South Orchard and 53rd. It's benefiting the kids at the Terrace. Tacoma Mural Project is starting to take off and we have five more murals around the city going up! - Chelsea

The mural is impressive.

Stop by the BT when you get a chance. Warning, a sign says to drive slowly with your stereo turned off.

Vinum Coffee and Wine Lounge was reviewed in the Weekly Volcano in February 2009. After a brief closure last year, Jennifer Zaskorski took over the Pacific Avenue spot. The order-at-the-counter set up features a huge hanging menu of hot and cold sandwiches, salads, soups and breakfast items. Wine, beer, cocktails, espresso, coffee, canned and bottled soda, juices and the like are offered.

Merely having wine does not a wine bar make. As the title of this post suggest, Vinum comes off as more of a sandwich shop.

In the Gorgonzola, chicken and spinach sandwich, sliced chicken breast pieces were very dry at the edges, suggesting precooking and reheating. The chicken avocado sandwich had the same issue. Only one side of the bread was dipped in egg batter and grilled on the Monte Cristo. Canned jalapenos of the variety typically used on nachos are found in the Cajun sandwich. All sandwiches were served on barely toasted white bread.

On the bright side, tomato bisque had visible herbs and a pleasant, slight sweetness. Sadly, brownie bites were very hard and vegan chocolate chip cookie tasted stale.

"It's pretty good for $8," says sky diving realtor Marguerite Giguere, my most recent lunch date, of her simple open-face caprese sandwich crowned by fragrant basil leaves and drizzled vinaigrette (pictured above).

That's the positive thing Vinum has going for it: the entire menu is under $10.

[Vinum Coffee and Wine Lounge, 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday - Thursday, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. - 10 p.m. Saturday, Closed Sunday, 1001 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, 253.779.9901]

HO HO YO! >>>

Last month we learn The Throne - better known as Jay-Z and Kanye West - would perform Oct. 13 at the Tacoma Dome.

Then Tuesday the announcement dropped that the show was canceled. Apparently, a more fitting name for the tour should have been "Clash of the Egos." It seems Jay wanted to keep costs of the tour down, while KW wanted to break out the Blue card.

Today, thankfully, the word came down the tour WILL hit Tacoma, but rather as an early Christmas present. The "Watch The Throne" tour arrives Dec. 16 with $49.50-$199.50 price tags on the gift.

Public on-sale begins Monday, Aug. 8 at 10 a.m. with tickets available for purchase at the Tacoma Dome box office, ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets or by phone at 1.800.745.3000.

LOL >>>

Pho U is now open at 3707 Meridian S. in Puyallup. That's all we know. The end.

APEPOCALYPSE NOW >>>

With the exception of some fleeting nods to fans of the Planet of the Apes series, very little exists to connect Rise of the Planet of the Apes with its namesake. Fans may giggle at some knowing references, but the film is otherwise a self-contained story, and should be approached as such.

To read local film critic Rev. Adam McKinney's review of Rise of the Planet of the Ape, click here.

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Tacoma City Council candidates Anders Ibsen and Karen Smitherman do not want giant TV screens blinking outside your living room window at all hours of the evening. (Tacoma Urbanist)

Ben's Quality Lube & Tune in Puyallup will change your oil for free if you say "Vote for John Hopkins," a Puyallup City Council candidate. Katie Blinn, co-director of elections for the Office of the Secretary of State, doesn't have a problem with that. Anybody home? (The News Tribune)

After the Stock Market dip and debt debacle, 82 percent of the country disapproves of Congress, the highest number since the New York Times began recording the statistic in 1977. (New York Times)

Celebrity broadcaster Bothaina Kamel, 49, is Egypt's first female presidential candidate. While she may not stand a chance of winning, at least she's better than Roseanne. (NY Magazine)

Men who dig Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash are called "Bronies." (Jezebel)

OMG it's a Harry Potter cookbook. Swoon. Recipe for Daniel Radcliffe to love us, please. (Serious Eats)

On a slightly less calming note, here's a trained "mushroom suit" that will eat you when you die. (Dvice)

LINK: After this news you could use a happy hour

FRIDAY, AUG. 5, 2011 >>>

1. Is there really a better way to get your weekend started than by catching Big Wheel Stunt Show and James Coates at Jazzbones? The answer is no.

2. In Olympia, the Jacob Merlin Band takes its crack at Music In the Park. The free, all ages tunes start at 7 p.m.

3. Grunge is part of history now. This explains the Experience Music Project's current exhibit, Nirvana: Taking Punk to the Masses - which includesartifacts and videos from the era and movement. Along with the EMP exhibit comes a visual history book, Taking Punk to the Masses: From Nowhere to Nevermind. Jacob McMurray, EMP's senior curator, will be at the Olympia Timberland Library today to talk about the book, which includes images and stories by such musical icons as Henry Rollins, Mark Mothersbaugh and Olympia's own Calvin Johnson.

4. Check out Toy Boat Theatre on Hilltop tonight, as Dakota's Belly, Wyoming opens at 8 p.m. Read Christian Carvajal's article on Toy Boat Theatre here.

5. SALT Records has a similar model as Dear Records, even going so far as to feature some Dear Records alums on their compilations, such as Paul Dally, Dylan Treleven and I Low. The songs are still mostly homespun and lo-fi, which was often a staple of Dear Records. But SALT Records are far from copycats. SALT Records features more upbeat pop, when they're not devoting time to droning electronica. Tonight's show at The Space, in conjunction with the Warehouse, will feature performances from some artists of the SALT Records roster, in addition to a performance from Drew Grow, of the Pastors' Wives. Read the full story here.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music tonight!

CAN YOU HELP? >>>

Feed Tacoma blogger cisserosmily posted his wife Jessica Smeall is missing. Please click here for the details or if you know where she is.

UPDATE: Good news! She's been found. Impressive showing, Tacoma.

VOTE NOW >>>

Every Friday at noon in downtown Tacoma, from spring to early autumn, professional artists and art students, Web developers and kids, stay-at-home moms and businessmen all try their hand at the dusty, colorful medium known as chalk - leaving lively traces on a park that had been slated to be fenced off and left for dead.

Of course, I'm referring to the Frost Park Chalk Off.

I dropped in on said event today, relaxing underneath the clouds, chatting with a friend and watching talented artist create wonderful works of art.

But I remind you it's a competition. Photos have been taken and posted to feedtacoma.com to be voted on. At midnight, all votes will be tallied, and a winner will be declared. Vote now.

ONLINE CHATTER >>>

Today's comment of the day comes from Chelsea O'Sullivan, in response to yesterday's blog post on the Tacoma Mural Project.

O'Sullivan writes,

I'm so happy to have been a part of the program, but without the hard work from lead artists Rachael Dotson, Jeremy Gregory, and Joni Joachims murals like this would not be possible. You guys were awesome to work for and it looks great!!!