As summer slinks away and fall comes into full glory, it’s the perfect time for an uplifting seasonal skin treatment.

How about a pumpkin scrub for tired tootsies and a relaxing pumpkin infused facial?

“It’s perfect right now because people are dehydrated after summer and need a fall tune-up,” says Stacey Weber, owner and esthetician at Spa Aneity in downtown Olympia.

“Pumpkins are high in anti-oxidants and are a natural enzyme for exfoliating dead skin,” she says.

Right now, Spa Aneity is offering a $99 special through the end of September that includes a 15-minute foot scrub and 60-minute facial, plus a $5 gift card for a pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks.

“It seems like a nice treat on us, just to make your day a little more magical,” says Weber of the gift card.

Plus pumpkins are rich in vitamins A and C and beta-carotene, so with this treatment package, you can add something a little more magical to your body, inside and out.

Spa Aneity, 613 Capitol Way S, Olympia, 360.357.6593. www.spaaneity.com

On the second Friday of each month, King’s Books hosts a Distinguished Writer Series. This month’s featured writer is Sharmagne Leland-St. John—a Native American poet, performer, artist, and filmmaker best known for her poem “I Said Coffee.” She is also a Pushcart Prize nominee and editor-in-chief of poetry ezine “Quill and Parchment.” On September 14 at 7 p.m., she will perform a reading.

After the reading, there will be an Open Mic for local, courageous poets. Sign up is at 6:45 p.m. and all are welcome, if you feel you’ve got the poetry chops.

The event is free! King’s Books is located at 218 St. Helens Avenue.

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September 15 and 16, head to Gig Harbor for a day of arts. The Gig Harbor Open Studio Tour is a self-guided tour welcoming the public in to art studios throughout Gig Harbor.

Artists on this tour are selected by a jury to ensure that they each have a high level of quality, design, and uniqueness in their works, as well as a studio set up that is worthy of being open to the public. There will be 20 studios on the tour, featuring 25 artists. Artwork media include oil, watercolor, and pastel paint, sculpture, wood, mixed media, and beyond.

The tour is completely free and self-guided. You can download a map from the website:

http://www.gigharboropenstudiotour.org/

Locations will take you on a tour of Gig Harbor as well-from the Harbor area to quiet residential nooks to studios on Fox Island. A GPS or smart phone may be a wise investment.

                Rock Tiki is so glad Monday is over. Now it's time to really party, starting with Backstage Bar and Grill on 6^th ave. First up is Switch and Wiggles, a DJ vs Drummer show starting at 9 PM. Not only is there no cover charge, but well drinks are only $1, plus 10% off entire tab with military ID, and if military mentions this website at the door, Lunch or Dinner is buy one get one free: www.backstagebartacoma.com/About-Us.html.

                Don't want to work off fat? Need more cheap food? Every Tuesday night at The Harmon Tap Room and Beer Garden is buy one get one free burgers or Fish and chips. For more information, visit www.harmonbrewingco.com/taproom/index.html.

                If you're looking for a quick way to relieve stress, Military shoot free on Tuesdays at Bull's Eye indoor range in Tacoma. For rules and authorized weapons visit www.bullseyeshooter.com/rangemain.htm.

Finally, don't forget about Ha Ha Tuesdays at Jazzbones. Host Ralph Porter will kick things off at 8:30 PM Featuring Tom Armstrong with headliner Adam Norwest. There is a five dollar cover, but at 10 PM the live DJ show begins, and the cover charge is discontinued. Check out www.jazzbonestacoma.com for more information.

This show is for those of you who want to get to the point, or get to bed at a reasonable hour, either one.

It is also for those of you who want to seriously rock. Mos Generator and Cody Foster Army (CFA) will jam out hard and heavy at the ACME Grub Cage in Tacoma. (Interesting fact: ACME has been in the same location for 82 years.)

Back to the rock. These two bands have been working together a lot lately; both have been recording with Mos’s Tony Reed and working on new releases with Ripple Records. At this show, both bands will be presenting their new full length albums months before they are released. (Which, by the way, have gotten killer reviews in the U.K.)

“It’s a really cool independent bill,” says Cody Foster of CFA, “With two hours and two bands, it’s pretty significant to rock ‘n’ roll.”

With most shows running three to five bands, this show is outside the box.

“It’s stripped down and bare bones, there is no stage and we will be running sound for each other – just trying to take the power back a little bit,” says Foster.

Don’t miss these two bands (Mos Generator is about to embark on a west coast tour.)

Saturday, September 15. Doors open 7:30 p.m., show start at 9 p.m., $5, ACME Grub Cage, 1310 Tacoma Ave S., 253.272.1892.

If you haven't been to Charlotte's Blueberry Park in Tacoma, you're missing out. Big time. Because there are free blueberries here.

Located close to the corner of S 72^nd and D Street, the blueberry park covers 20 acres of parklands managed by Metro Parks Tacoma-10 acres are covered with more than 3,700 blueberry bushes.

The park is maintained by a volunteer force. Best of all, no pesticides or fertilizers are used on the trees.

Right now, the blueberries are at their peak and will be for another couple weeks. The park is open from a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset.

In a world of books about Nirvana's demise, tragedy and after-fame, author Gillian Gaar's new book, Entertain Us: The Rise of Nirvana, is a refreshing, detailed look into the rise of the band that birthed grunge.

"The book looks at each recording and radio session, examining each song; keeping the focus on the music. Also, it looks in such depth at the band's pre-fame years. So much is known about Nirvana after they became famous," said Gaar in an online interview.

The Seattle journalist is the author of many books, including Return Of The
King: Elvis Presley's Great Comeback, She's A Rebel: The History Of Women In Rock &
Roll, Green Day: Rebels With A Cause and The Rough Guide To Nirvana. She has also
written for Mojo, Rolling Stone, Record Collector, Goldmine, and the Experience Music
Project museum, among others, and served as project consultant on Nirvana's 2004 box
set With The Lights Out.

The accomplished writer has strong ties in the northwest music community and is no stranger to Olympia.

"I liked seeing shows at the Capitol Theatre when they were "backstage," when you just went into the backstage area. I saw Sleater-Kinney there numerous times and my first interview with them was done at the Spar! I like the laidback feel of Olympia," she said.

Welcome Gaar back to Olympia this Saturday at 3 p.m. She will be sharing Entertain Us:The Rise of Nirvana  at Orca Books, located at 509 E 4^th Ave. 360.352.0123.

Today, kick back and enjoy a free brass quintet concert, courtesy of the Summer Box Lunch free outdoor concert series that B2 Fine Art Gallery hosts throughout the summer.

September 14 will be the last summer concert since, sadly, summer is ending soon.

The concert goes on at noon at Ledger Square-711 St. Helens Avenue, just in front of the B2 Gallery.

Musicians that make up the TSA quintet are: Brian Chin and Judson Scott on trumpets, Gina Gillie on horn, and Keith Winkle and Jennifer Hinkle on trombones.

Get out and enjoy the sun and warm days while they're still here!

Friday at Jazz Bones, Tone Loc is coming back to Tacoma. This is at least the 2^nd time in two years the M.C. responsible for "Wild Thing" and "Funky Cold Medina" has come to our city. The show starts at 9pm and it looks like it will be a full 80's revival, as there is a $250 80's costume-challenge. I don't want to knock BZ Productions or anything, as I'm sure this night will be fun and end-up making BZ lots of money, but can we get some real current relevant artists down here? It's a promoter's job to make a fresh-night and bring our city talented creative music. How many times are we going to see Tone Loc, Coolio, Warren G, Skee Lo, and Rappin 4-Tay come through our neck of the woods. Can I see some nonantique Hip-Hop in my town please? Anyway, enough for my rant. If you really are nerdy enough to go see Tone Loc perform "Wild Thing", it'll cost ya $13 at the door, $10 presale.

                  If you're feeling a little adventurous and you'd like to check-out some 253 talent in surrounding area-codes, take a little road-trip Saturday night and see Sky Pilot perform an unplugged-set at The Scarlet Tree in Seattle. Show starts at 9pm and is only $5 to get in. Expect more instrumentation than their usual set at this Sky Pilot show.

                  Also, head-down South to Lacey, hit the Play Pen for Sucka Free Sundays and catch Tacoma's own $krilla. I believe this show is only $3 to get in. I hit Sucka Free Sunday last week and it was incredibly crowded and cool for a Sunday night. It's definitely the other-side of Olympia; no Greeners, just a lot of green and Hip-Hop.

Wanna listen to some funk-a-delic music and shake that groove thing? Throw in some local libations from Dick’s Brewing and soul food from Buzz’s BBQ, and you’ve got Oly Funk Fest 5000.

Acorn Project, Dave BenSam Trio, The Tilted Stilts, Grains of Paradise, and a DJ that has a trunk funkin full of records for your dancing pleasure, is going down at 2 p.m. Saturday, September 29. Overnight camping on the 5-acre property is included, first come first serve, 21 and over with I.D.

“Ideally it’s for people to get out and have fun,” says Abbie Darin, event organizer. “It’s an end of the summer event to get locals out where they can stay up late and not worry about driving home.”

Acorn Project plays festivals up and down the coast, Dave BenSam Trio create a brand of music they've self titled “transmographonic zazzcore,” The Tilted Stilts are an experimental rock band and Grains of Paradise is a band with smooth, funky, reggae sounds and an interest in “grooving with the groovers.”

Oly Funk Fest 5000 will get its groove on at 4326 Shinke Rd in Olympia. (That’s off South Bay Rd.) $15 at door, $10 with costume (highly encouraged.)