HOW TWEET IT IS >>>

Whether you've been on Twitter since its beginnings in 2006 or you're a Twitter neophyte, you know keeping up on important tweets can be overwhelming. If you follow everything and everyone that you find interesting, you can end up with hundreds and hundreds of Tweets showing up in your feed on a daily basis.

Don't despair. Every Saturday the Weekly Volcano shares important and pointless Tweets from South Sound Twitter accounts, and sometimes beyond, so you may stay on top of health and hick updates - and the latest action on the streets.

Have you tried our new specials yet?Mesquite Grilled Swordfish?Yes please!

— Asado Cucina(@asadotacoma) January 5, 2013

Memo to self: when @safeway checker shouts out for a calculator, that's a bad sign

— Walter Neary (@wtneary) January 5, 2013

Eric Davis nears the turn around during this morning's inaugural Tacoma Runners 5K Run at Point Defiance Park flic.kr/p/dHVhNu

— Rob McNair-Huff (@RobMcNairHuff) January 5, 2013

This is by far the most hick thing I've ever been a part of... #tacoma #monsterjam

— Ainsley O'Keefe (@ainsleyokeefe) January 5, 2013

as seen in the high school library I was at today #tacoma twitter.com/boxhounds/stat…

— Pam (@boxhounds) January 5, 2013

@patrickdempsey so happy for you & Tully's....wish you could bring back my favorite Tully's in Old Town #Tacoma

— Jena Marks (@paintmarks) January 5, 2013

Police (about 5 cars) + UW #Tacoma security are on the scene of an attempted assault at 19th and Pacific.

— Andrew Sorensen (@AndrewX192) January 5, 2013

I love Tacoma, but I tell people in other states that I'm from Seattle. It's just easier that way. #Tacoma

— Justin Hayes (@jhayesfunny) January 5, 2013

Evergreen hosting a @tedx event Feb 25. Speakers must apply by Jan 18. bit.ly/RxhbHa. #olympia. @evergreenstcol

— Evergreen MES (@EvergreenMES) January 5, 2013

Not bad for our first try at a panorama shot. #Tacoma, you're beautiful. ow.ly/i/1kBuI

— Bates Tech College (@BatesTechnical) January 5, 2013

Tacoma News Tribune: Lincoln High student charged with threatening to shoot up school bit.ly/Vo67u8 #tacoma

— The News Tribune (@tacomaupdates) January 4, 2013

After almost 16 months, union picket in front of downtown #Tacoma grocer appears to be over: bit.ly/10ZAc9f

— Kathleen Cooper (@KCooperTNT) January 4, 2013

Tacoma Shift Happens 2013 will be held on Monday, January 28th!It is FREE to attend ...Please RSVP at the... fb.me/2djdvz6uv

— Tacoma Shift Happens (@tacomashift) January 4, 2013

@brosage Mekong is Olympia’s most amazing Thai place and I am on a self inflicted New Years diet. No bad Pad Thai for me…

— Mathias Eichler (@einmaleins) January 4, 2013

Tacoma News Tribune: DUI emphasis patrol nets 543 arrests in Pierce County bit.ly/WbVFnA #tacoma

— The News Tribune (@tacomaupdates) January 4, 2013

The Murray Morgan Bridge wasn't open for New Year's, but should be in time for its 100th anniversary. exit133.com/7315/murray-mo… #Tacoma

— Exit133 (@exit133) January 4, 2013

Hey #Tacoma, are there any gyms around here that aren't ridiculously expensive like the Y? Bonus points for not too beefcake-filled...

— ¡Jamie!(@ThriceJamie) January 4, 2013

Lino Tagliapietra's exhibition at the @museumofglass closes this Sunday! Don't miss out on this incredible art! bit.ly/MBjjsE

— Tacoma Regional CVB (@TravelTacoma) January 4, 2013

Is University Place WA near #tacoma full of rich white people and secret societies? One YouTube user says yes: patch.com/A-0MrV

— Enumclaw Patch (@EnumclawPatch) January 4, 2013

Shorter version of earlier tweets: very frustrated with @intercitytransi schedule & how it doesn't connect up with amtrak schedule.

— Elaine Nelson (@epersonae) January 4, 2013

how much does being a gym rat pay? ...that lifestyle is looking very appealing

— chad (@olybuzz) January 4, 2013

Port Steilacoom Distillery Vodka and Gin is at the cabana. Come and try a Rangoon Gimlet #tacoma twitter.com/TacomaCabana/s…

— Tacoma Cabana (@TacomaCabana) January 4, 2013

John & Johanne Hewitt bit.ly/X3pmdw of NeverNeverLand, wrote this book in the 1970s (tnx to Steve Dunkelberger). twitter.com/CallaghanPeter…

— Peter Callaghan (@CallaghanPeter) January 3, 2013

Watch the sunshine of the last few days give way to clouds... feedtacoma.com/webcams/?cam=n… ...via our #Tacoma Narrows time-lapse webcam. #farewell

— FeedTacoma.com (@feedtacoma) January 3, 2013

Those were some genuine crack heads with face tats, helped push start my car! #Tacoma #CrackHead

— Tyler Zemanek (@ZemanekTyler) January 3, 2013

Tacoma News Tribune: Tacoma's Blue Mouse Theater raises $75K needed to stay open bit.ly/VClIW6 #tacoma

— The News Tribune (@tacomaupdates) January 3, 2013

The #Tacoma transit tsunami is a year away. Will our leaders let it wash away 30+ years of transit progress? piercetransit.org/press.htm

— Chris Karnes (@TacomaTransit) January 3, 2013

I should probably open my Christmas presents soon.

— Kenny Coble (@kennycoble) January 3, 2013

Beautiful frosty morning in Tacoma...be careful on your commute, it's slick in some places.#tacoma #piercecounty

— David Curry (@DavidgCurry) January 2, 2013

Tacoma News Tribune: Fiscal cliff disaster avoided: Congress staves off tax hikes bit.ly/VrKDMw #tacoma

— The News Tribune (@tacomaupdates) January 2, 2013

Ahh love coming home to #Tacoma for #Gibson's #froyo @ Gibson's Frozen Yogurt instagr.am/p/T9wWeVANPP/

— Jessica Martin(@JessicaKM2) January 2, 2013

S/O to @donnellrawlings He KILLED it last night in #Tacoma Can't get #Unchained theme song outta my head! See this man's standup Twitter!

— Meredith (@Mere253) January 1, 2013

i've always wanted a taco ma or be in ta coma but i guess i'll just settle for bein in #tacoma

— Nicci Guizzetti (@Grizzmanetti) January 1, 2013

Well, Tacoma, you all had a chance to see my chiseled abs at 8am today, diving into the Sound. My six-pack gets smaller in the cold.

— Daniel Rahe (@danrahe) January 1, 2013

Tacoma News Tribune: Man shot charged with Tacoma burglary after hospital stay bit.ly/VVPLah #tacoma

— The News Tribune (@tacomaupdates) January 1, 2013

Follow the Weekly Volcano on Twitter. Because otherwise we're coming to your house, and while we will bring wine, we will not, under any circumstances, take off our shoes.

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

C.I. Shenanigans Tacoma - Northend. KC Brakes presents pop folk rock night. All Ages. 7-10 pm. NC.

Doyle's Public House Tacoma - Stadium District. All Night Yard Sale. Jesse Turcotte's birthday show featuring All Night Yard Sale his Gypsy/Latin/jazz/junk thang. 9:30 pm. NC.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. The Missionary Position, Deborah Page. 8:30 pm. $7.

• The idea of soul and rock becoming increasingly intermingled and on the mainstream radar, with bands like The Heavy and the Black Keys, is one that I've wrestled with over the past couple years. Of course, the issue of credibility and appropriation are always going to be present in the discussion, but to my ears the bigger issue is something much more intangible - a bristling that comes up my back, and I can't help but picture Blueshammer from Ghost World. Better than the large part of rock bands incorporating soul touchstones, The Missionary Position manage to emerge relatively unscathed from these comparisons. Their combination of alt-rock, post-grunge influences and '70s soul flourishes is tasteful and seemingly completely sincere, which helps a great deal in avoiding that bristling feeling. - Rev. Adam McKinney

Le Voyeur Café and Lounge Olympia - Downtown. Soccer Babes, Statue & Cowboy. 9 pm.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Santee. 8 pm.

• After living and traveling in Europe for the past year or so, singer-songwriter Heater Loepp has finally made her return to Washington. As the frontwoman for indie folk-pop outfit Santee, she started turning heads with her intimate lyrics, endearingly scratchy vocals and the warm bed of instrumentation provided by the rest of the band, which now includes Joel Myers and Conor Sisk from the Speedwobbles, and Spencer Kelley from Basemint. Word is that Santee is in the Swoon Records studio working on their long-awaited debut LP. It'll be about time for a band that has garnered as much good will as Santee has. In the meantime, their return to Tacoma is bound to be a joyous homecoming, full of drunken group hugs and even drunker dancing. — Rev. AM
  

The Pig Bar at South Bay BBQ Olympia - Downtown. The Oly Mountain Boys. 8 pm.

The Red Room Tacoma - Downtown. Bad Influence, Cowardice, No Choice, Malice. 7 pm.

The Spar Tacoma - Old Town. Reggae night with Vibe Project, The Approach. 8 pm.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. Crosswalk. 9 pm.

Tollefson Plaza Tacoma - Downtown. Electric Salchow Stage at Polar Plaza: SweetKiss Momma. The Weekly Volcano presents live music at the Franciscan Polar Plaza every Saturday. All Ages. 7-9 pm. NC for music.

Traditions Cafe and World Folk Art Olympia - Downtown. Vince Brown, LaVon Hardison. All Ages. 8 pm.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Negative Inside. 9 pm.

Westgate Bar and Grill Tacoma - Northend. True Holland, China Davis. 9 pm. $5.

LINK: More live music Saturday, Jan. 5 in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

THE BRIDGE TO BOOZE? >>>

Let's hope members of the state's Community Economic Revitalization Board enjoy booze. If the board approves a $300,000 aid package to improve the streets around East D Street adjacent to Tacoma's old waterfront fire station north of the Murray Morgan Bridge, then Riverhorse Inc. will erect its distillery in the spot and pump out brandy, vodka and gin for national distribution.

According to News Tribune Staff writer John Gillie, the start up company will tell Oregon, Kentucky and Virginia to take a flying leap and relocate to Tacoma - if the improvements are made. The new facility, called Copper & Kings Distillery, could bring 50 new jobs, and a future a bar with a large deck overlooking the Thea Foss Waterway and downtown Tacoma.

Tacoma's Community and Economic Development Department, which learned of Riverhorse's interest in the site in late November, has been working swiftly to prepare a presentation for the state board, said Elly Walkowiak, a city economic development official.

Riverhorse is considering both the availability of basic ingredients for spirits production nearby and the proximity to population centers in making its site decision, Gadel said.

"We're looking for somewhere with ready access to apples and grapes. Oregon and Washington win on that score," Gadel said.

Read the rest of Gillie's report here.

SUNDAY, JAN. 6 2013 >>>

1. You know what we like? Movies. You know what we like even more? Action movies. You know what we like even more than that? Action movies and drinking! Brace yourself for the grueling week ahead by taking in a flick, a cold beer, and all the free popcorn you can stuff down your gullet at the Brotherhood Lounge's Sunday Movie Night. You'll be treated to such inherently silly filmmaking as Premium Rush, all on the Brotherhood's nine-foot-screen with surprisingly intense sound. Then hang around after the movie discuss the finer nuances of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's performance till it's officially Monday.

2. Today is the last day to bundle up, pinch your cheeks until they glow and strap on a pair of silver skates, Hans Brinker, for a glide across the frozen expanse at Tollefson Plaza. The Franciscan Polar Plaza, located on the corner of Pacific Avenue and South 17th Street ends today. Hit the ice from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

3. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. inside the Puyallup Fairground's Showplex, the Puyallup Home and Garden Show will serve up the best in home design, landscaping and decorating. Expect product demonstrations and guys in Janet Jackson headsets slinging vinyl siding. It just might be enough to inspire you to make that kitchen island or storm door a reality.

4. For every adult male that never outgrew smashing his matchbox cars into each other, the Tacoma Dome brings back Grave Digger, Bounty Hunter, Captain America and more, in (ahem, let me change to my commercial announcer voice) an OUTRAGEOUS display of monster truck POWER, watch them FLIP, JUMP and SMASH!!  The final day of Monster Jam begins at 1 p.m. inside the Tacoma Dome.

5. A big band at Stonegate Pizza on a Sunday night? Hell yes. Rich Wetzel's Groovin' Higher Jazz Orchestra will cram together on the South Tacoma Way joint's stage beginning at 8 p.m. Let's swing, baby!

LINK: Sunday, Jan. 6 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

FUTURE THINGS ARE COMING >>>

These are the eight best jazz shows in the South Sound this month.

Vitamin J Jazz Jam Session

Avid jazz fan and performer Ron Smith continues his Vitamin J Jazz Jam into the New Year. During the Seahawks game today at Traditions Café in downtown Olympia, pianist Brian Kinsella, bassist Steve Luceno and drummer Craig Cootsona provide the core for beginning to advanced level players and singers. 2:30 p.m.

Rich Wetzel's Groovin' Higher Orchestra

Rich Wetzel's Groovin' Higher Jazz Orchestra has been popping up in local bars and restaurants, introducing folks to jazz of years gone by, as well as a few current numbers. Lately, the big band has put more emphasis on the jazz-rock fusion, some hot Latin jazz and some big band rock tunes from Chuck Berry and James Brown. That said, Maynard Ferguson hovers above the band like Obi-Wan Kenobi. Wetzel and crew visit The Royal Lounge's Monday Jazz Series Jan. 7. 8 p.m.

Kareem Kandi Band

Saxophonist Kareem Kandi's sound alone is enough to clear the room of contenders. It is vast, big enough to house the entire Guinness Pint Club at Doyle's, the whole Tacoma School of the Arts music program and half the holdings of the Tacoma Art Museum's Warhol exhibit. Size is not per se of much value if it isn't personal, unique, sacrosanct. Kandi's sound is virtually unrelated to the roomy traditions of soul saxes, honking saxes or deep-chested boudoir ballad saxes. It derives from the classic, free, often enthusiastic tradition of Joshua Redman as filtered through Dexter Gordon and Sonny Stitt, all of whose shadows can be traced-Redman in Kandi's funky organicism, Gordon in his dynamic harmonics, Stitt in the intensity that coats his every note with a Gritty City finish. Kandi has been hanging with organist Delvon Lamarr and drummer Adam Kessler, which has added groovy innovation to Kandi's sound. The Kareem Kandi Band heads back to The Swiss Jan. 9 for another Wednesday open jam session. 7 p.m.

Vince Brown

Many associate the banjo with The Beverly Hillbillies - or rather, bluegrass pioneer Earl Scruggs strumming its theme song. Vince Brown certainly knows his way around a bluegrass banjo, but he also explores jazz with his banjo, which isn't a big leap from progressive bluegrass. Blending bluegrass, folk, jazz, and other genres, Brown is considered one of the South Sound's foremost banjo virtuosos. The upbeat Brown - who adds his talent to Hot Club Sandwich, Tune Stranglers, Greta Jane Quartet, and plays and teaches guitar, banjo and ukulele in Olympia - strums everything every Wednesday at Swing Wine Bar & Café. 6-8 p.m.

Lance Buller

Trumpeter/singer Lance Buller, who is a reincarnation of Louis Prima, transcends boundaries, transcends styles, is very honest and sincere as a musician and digs high-energy swing songs. He's a showman. Yet, he's all business. And his business is first-class jazz. Catch Buller and his band every Friday at Maxwell's Restaurant & Lounge. 7 p.m.

McTuff

Hammond organist Joe Doria and his veteran crew guitarist Andy Coe and drummer D'vonne Lewis - with regular guest saxophonist Skerik - cross the barriers of jazz with powerful keyboards, rhythmic drums, screaming sax and sometimes fuzz-distorted guitar. Improvisational and funky with a whole lotta swagger, the band's epic jams knock the mind into the far reaches of a 1970s version of space and then butt into an uncontrollable groove. The Seattle band drives down Marine View Drive for a stint at the "Jazz LIVE at Marine View" series Jan. 13. 5-7 p.m.

Steve Luceno

This Olympia Latin-American jazz progenitor has added his guitar talent to many a project over the last 40 years, including the beloved Ocho Pies as well as Obrador, Bert Wilson, John Stowell, Joe Baque and Dennis Hastings. Luceno is a bona fide master of his art form, and Washington Center deserves some Latin seasoning, which will not be in short supply Jan. 18 when Luceno, John Croarkin, Phil Lawson and Drew Gibbs enter the Black Box Cabaret Jazz Series. 8 p.m.

Climate Change

It wouldn't be wrong to call them a band of accomplished sidemen, but guitarist Tarik Bentlemsani (Brown Edition), guitarist Ariel Calabria (Rebirth), drummer Michael Olson (Ocho Pies) and vocalist Dennis Hastings sound unmistakably formidable as co-leaders in this feisty pop/jazz collective. Climate Change drops in on the Waterstreet Café's Late Night Series Jan. 25. 9:30 p.m.

LINK: 2013 Best of Olympia voting open

MONDAY, JAN. 7 2013 >>>

1. Rich Wetzel's Groovin' Higher Jazz Orchestra has been popping up in local bars and restaurants, introducing folks to jazz of years gone by, as well as a few current numbers. Lately, the big band has put more emphasis on the jazz-rock fusion, some hot Latin jazz and some big band rock tunes from Chuck Berry and James Brown. That said, Maynard Ferguson hovers above the band like Obi-Wan Kenobi. Wetzel and crew visit The Royal Lounge's Monday Jazz Series at 8 p.m.

2. Dale Croes, wet archaeological site specialist, talks about a 10,700-year-old Northwest Coast wet site discovery on small Ellen Island in southernmost Haida Gwaii, off the west coast of British Columbia at noon inside the Washington State Capital Museum.

3. Director Roger Michell’s Hyde Park on Hudson supposedly chronicles the momentous first meeting of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Britain’s King George VI, but all that’s just background noise. Really, the movie is about how FDR’s dowdy distant cousin, Daisy Suckley (Laura Linney), had a schoolgirl crush on the commander-in-chief.? Hyde Park on Huson screens at 2:05, 4:15, 6:50 and 9 p.m. inside The Grand Cinema in Tacoma.

4. "In the Family centers on one of the notable performances I've seen — if, indeed, it is a performance. ... This is his first feature, and may signal the opening of an important career." So wrote Roger Ebert of Patrick Wang, the writer-director and star of a drama whose plot could scarcely be more topical in these parts: A gay parent in Martin, Tenn., faces losing his son when his dead partner's sister files a custody challenge.In The Family screens at 6:30 p.m. inside the Capitol Theater in Olympia.

5. The Olympia Area Square Dancers will be offering a free Introduction to Square Dancing class with a 10-week set of lessons starting at 7 p.m. inside Lac-A-Do Hall, 1721 46th Ave. NE in Olympia. 

LINK: Monday, Jan. 7 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

FUTURE THINGS ARE COMING >>>

Photographer Michael Kenna is known for his landscapes - bold but tranquil black and white photos of everything from cityscapes to nature, from industrial places to well-known landmarks. What links all his works together is a sense of peace, often achieved by intense study of each subject or location.

To put it plainly, Kenna's photography is really pretty!

Kenna's Memories and Meditations: A Retrospective of Michael Kenna's Photography exhibition opened at Tacoma Art Museum in October - the first of a two-part exhibition - and the first U.S. retrospective of his work in nearly 20 years.

Friday, Jan. 11 part two of the exhibition will fill TAM with a second wave of meditative beauty, which will be on display through March 24.

Saturday, Jan. 12 at 2 p.m., Kenna will be at TAM for a book signing and presentation. Learn about his work and artistic approach first hand. The cost to attend is $15, or $10 for members and $5 for students, and includes museum admission.

TACOMA ART MUSEUM, THROUGH MARCH 24, 10 A.M. TO 5 P.M. WEDNESDAY-SUNDAY, $8-$10, 1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.4258

LINK: Reviews of recent South Sound art exhibits

SPICE WITH FRIENDS >>>

It's 8 p.m. on a Sunday night when I walk into Trago Mexican Kitchen and Cocina Lounge in Olympia's Capital Mall. The ambiance is nice - warm earthy tones and lots of candlelight. Around 20 people spread across the lounge - a handful saddled up to the bar. It definitely doesn't feel like I'm hanging out at the mall. 

Across the room I spot Jeff and Abbie Rose - who own Paisley's Cafe, as well as Metro across from Trago - sitting with their employees. The table is one martini and one plate of nachos committed. I'm in.

To properly review a new food and drink joint, you have to try the cocktails. Unfortunately, since my New Year's Eve escapades in downtown Oly, I've been on the wagon and intend to ride it for a while. Team Metro agrees to drink for me.

Trago Mexican Kitchen opened its doors Friday, Dec 23. The Roses have a theory on why the last two restaurants - a Sushi Go Round and some kind of seafood buffet - didn't make. They believe the restaurants' open-floor plan felt like a cafeteria. Trago, which has big sister locations in Seattle, has re-configured the space into half lounge/half dining area, with plenty of coziness and curves.

The wall that separates the space is less of a wall than an aesthetically pleasing defining area where a candle-lined arched window and the see-through brick fireplace add to the atmosphere.

As we discuss what to order Trago chef Mike Beierle walks past with an interesting dessert in hand, which he intends to deliver to the owner at Tony's hair salon across the corridor. (Oh yeah, we're in the mall.) The dessert is a new creation - an avocado cheesecake with chocolate sauce and strawberry tequila sauce drizzled on top! Beierle promises to bring a slice by after it cools a bit.

Another item stopped me in my tracks: Jalapeno margarita ($8). I assign the drink to my new friend Blake (Rose's employee) who happily accepts. The danger blend is jalapeno-infused Cuervo Tradicional Silver with chunks of jalapeno and choice of lime, cranberry or strawberry puree. Blake chooses strawberry and the result is A+ - sweet and spice and everything nice.

Since we were on a spice kick, I order jalapeno rellenos, supposedly the hottest item on the menu. (Hey, I'm not drinking. I needed a kick.) The Jalapenos are stuffed with cream cheese and herbs, wrapped in bacon and drizzled with crema. It lived up to its reputation - causing sweaty palms, pink cheeks and all. By the end of the meal, I'd built up a tolerance and enjoyed the combination of savory and spice.

I need to balance out the spice - time for the cheesecake. It's rich. We all agreed it's meant for sharing. The crust is perfect. The texture is creamy divine. I'd like to see Beierle play off the jalapeno margarita by adding a touch of jalapeno to the cheesecake's strawberry tequila sauce.

Beierle says he will be expanding the menu over the next few weeks, bringing down dishes from Seattle, but putting his own Olympia twist on it.

"I want to open people's eyes to what food can be," he says. "They can come to a Mexican restaurant that's not just beans and rice on a plate."

All in all, I enjoyed Trago. Next time I will try new menu items.

The joint is packed on weekend nights. I could easily see grabbing a movie next-door at Century Theater and making a night of it. 

TRAGO MEXICAN KITCHEN, 11-12:30 A.M. SUNDAY-THURSDAY, 11-1 A.M. FRIDAY-SATURDAY, HAPPY HOUR 3-6 P.M. AND 9 P.M. TO CLOSE DAILY, 625 BLACK LAKE BLVD., OLYMPIA, 360.338.0515

LINK: 2013 Best of Olympia voting is open

TASTING NEW MENU ITEMS >>>

Let it be known The Social Bar & Grill's new cold smoked-pan roasted coho with roasted potatoes and Brussels sprouts, wild mushroom cream sauce and sundried tomato-olive pesto ($23) is outstanding. The salmon is seasoned with brown sugar, kosher salt, smoked sweet paprika, allspice and black pepper before a cold smoke with applewood. The potatoes and Brussels sprouts were roasted with a few cubes of smoked pork belly and a compound butter of fresh thyme and tarragon. So delicious! The sundried tomato-kalamata olive pesto has roasted red bell pepper and craisins. Finally, the wild mushroom cream sauce has a little bit of the herb butter, too.

You need to eat this immediately.

THE SOCIAL BAR & GRILL, 11 A.M. TO MIDNIGHT SUNDAY-THURSDAY, 11 A.M. TO 1 A.M. FRIDAY-SATURDAY, 1715 DOCK ST., TACOMA, 253.301.3835

TACOMA ARTS SCENE >>>

The Tacoma Art Walk is no more!

Wait! Don't panic. If you haven't yet heard, what was once Tacoma Art Walk is morphing into Tacoma Art Mingle - and the first Art Mingle hits Tacoma Thursday, Jan. 17. Many things are staying the same. You can still go get your art fix on the third Thursday of every month. Galleries and museums will still be out in force.

The monthly event has undergone a few key changes. First and foremost, this Mingle casts its definition of arts destinations wider than Art Walk did, beyond the museums and galleries downtown.

"We wanted to be more inclusive of what we call show spaces," says Gary Boone, B2 Fine Art Gallery owner and co-president of Tacoma Art Group, which heads up the Mingle. "These are basically opportunities for business that are not art-related to have an opportunity to show emerging artists, who are not showing in a museum or gallery. We wanted to broaden our approach, and bring to the table opportunities for our entire community."

Therefore, when you head out on third Thursdays, there will no longer be a few static locations to visit. Instead, each month will bring a new map, designed by local design students. Eventually, the map will be available in both a printed brochure as well as on Tacoma Art Group's website. This month, venues are listed online only.

The website also allows any business to sign up to host an Art Mingle event.

It's almost like Art at Work month, but every month!