HEAD TO THE BACK >>>

Tucked into the back downtown Tacoma's vintage clothing store urbanXchange is a brand new place to hang out. The space once called The Den as well as Tahoma Tea and Co. now is called the Tacoma Tea Room. Just like The Den, it will host music. Just like the Tahoma, is will serve tea. It's a bastion of recycling the old into the new. It's remodeled and ready for you ... today.

The Tacoma Tea Room opens today with a grand opening event running from 1-10:30 p.m. If you hear tea room and think of dainty tea cups and doilies, think again. This tea room is more industrial than elegant. Instead of porcelain, expect mason jars. Instead of lacey table cloths, expect giant wire spools refinished by hand. Old '80s and '90s stereo speakers serve as seats. Lights in mason jars dangle from the ceiling? It has them.

"We like to have the theme of the place be ‘restoration,'" says owner Benjamin Wolters. "We're hoping to encourage a lot of creativity and community and be a place where people can make friends and just hang out."

But, of course, what is a tearoom without tea?

"Our teas are unique because we blend our own," says Wolters. "We use herbs and teas from Mountain Rose Herbs in Eugene, Oregon. We also feature five favorites from Market Spice."

To go with their teas, they also serve up an array of cookies, muffins and tea biscuits. They strive for their teas and baked goodies to complement the seasons - expect fruity and bright flavors in the warmer months, warm and cozy in the winter months.

Tacoma Tea Room plans to offer several tea blends today, including apple rosemary yerba mate, community garden, hibiscus lime, and cinnamon vanilla chamomile.

Live music will mark the opening day of the Tacoma Tea Room. Solo artists will perform through the afternoon. At 6 p.m. Shogun Barbie, Shebear and Thee Samedi will make your tea time one to remember.

TACOMA TEA ROOM, 10 A.M. TO 7 P.M. MONDAY-SATURDAY, 10 A.M. TO 6 P.M. SUNDAY, OPEN LATER WHEN HOSTING LIVE MUSIC, CASH ONLY, 1932 PACIFIC AVE., TACOMA, 253.572.2477

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.

Cryptatropa Bar Olympia - Downtown. Dark Disco, with Philip Grass, Citymouth, Jffry Dhmr, Komakatt. 10 pm. NC.

Harmon Tap Room Tacoma - Stadium District. Bog Hoppers, Stoned Evergreen Travellers. 9 pm.

Le Voyeur Café and Lounge Olympia - Downtown. Glass Elevator, Alex's Hand, Tri-Anglr. 9 pm.

Live Room Sumner. Oaklawn, Fall City, Just Cuz, Audentia. All Ages. 8 pm.

Louie G's Pizzeria Fife. Champagne Sunday, The Frosted Hearts, Dave Hannon, Torre. All Ages. 8 pm.

• With a rotating cast of contributors and performers over the past seven years, the core of Champagne Sunday is the creative brain of Jessi and Jared Fredeen. Jessi's huge, soulful vocals could star on Broadway, on tour with Garbage or in your church choir. Her voice - which draws comparison to Chrissie Hynde and Ani Difranco - ranges from a hushed lullaby to a soaring celebratory wail. Jared, armed with a James Taylor-ish voice, David Gilmore guitar skills and a passion for raw music, can rock star pose when Jessi goes big, then float on a cloud when she takes it into the ethereal edges. As the duo's recent release Heaven Knows proves, you can add Champagne Sunday to any bill, and it works. Unless you are the others bands on the bill, then you'll have to go to work. - Ron Swarner
  

Lucky Eagle Casino Rochester. Randy Linder. 9 pm. NC.

Morso Wine Bar Gig Harbor. Steve Kim Quartet. 8 pm. $8.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District.Wes Sp8, Stewie Crockett, Jarrod Paul Bramson and Emily Madden. 9 pm.

• Wes Sp8 (aka Wes Speight, natch) strikes me as a ravenous consumer of pop music. Though he nonchalantly identifies himself as a singer-songwriter, he seems eager to experiment with just what the term means. From song to song, he tests out different personas of the classic singer-songwriter - whether showing off the swagger and oppressive distance of a Jim Morrison, the chilly command of an Ian Curtis, or the rough, masculine soul of Greg Dulli. As a singer, Speight possesses a soulful voice, which he bends and distorts to fit whatever effect he's going for. Though he plays with a band, it's hard to say if he'll be going solo this evening. The night is dedicated to singer-songwriters, including members of Trees Without Leaves and the delightful solvents. It'll be interesting to see which Wes Sp8 ends up emerging. - Rev. Adam McKinney
  

The Olympia Ballroom Olympia - Downtown. The Polyrhythmics, AKA, The Heart Hurt Goods. All Ages. 9 pm. $10.

Rock the Dock Pub & Grill Tacoma - Downtown. Ghost 211. 9 pm.

The Spar Tacoma - Old Town. Reggae Night. 8 pm.

Swing Wine Bar & Cafe Olympia - Westside. Vince Brown, Greg Ruby. 8 pm.

Tacoma Tea Room Tacoma - Downtown. Grand Opening Party with Shogun Barbie, Shebear and Thee Samedi. All-Ages. 6:30 pm.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Skinny White Samoans. 9 pm.

Vinum Tacoma - Downtown. Lil Ripp and guests. 9 pm.

LINK: More live music tonight in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

SUNDAY, FEB. 3 2013 >>>

1. Unlike other parties, which regularly occur in gathering places of all shapes and sizes, Super Bowl parties happen almost exclusively in the home. The television as a necessary party apparatus partially explains this phenomenon, though there’s never enough couch space, and Aunt Mary's Mexican layer dip always makes you feel strange later. Plus, no one has a television large enough to see around Phil’s fat head. Therefore, we suggest you leave it up to the professionals and ante up to a bar where testosterone swirls in the air, hoots and hollers fill the room and someone else makes the barbecue ribs and cocktails. Here's a list of some South Sound digs serving up specials during the big game.

2. The exhibition Andy Warhol's Flowers for Tacoma at Tacoma Art Museum will end next Sunday. Have you seen it? You should. Weekly Volcano arts critic Alec Clayton says if you thought you knew Warhol you may be in for a big surprise. There are many pieces in this show that I had never before seen, not even in reproduction. Read Clayton's full review of Andy Warhol's Flowers for Tacoma in the Visual Arts section at weeklyvolcano.com.

3. America’s Largest Antique & Collectibles Show will cram the Puyallup Fair & Events Center with 300 booths featuring antiques and collectibles up to 1970 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

4. Willian Hellman's The Children's Hour's daring, few-holds-barred script was a Broadway sensation in 1934 - so much so, in fact, that New York state authorities were willing to forgo a ban on one of its key themes. Two headmistresses who own and operate a private boarding school are accused of having "unlawful sexual conduct," with, as you might expect, disastrous effects on their lives. The catch is they're accused by a student, Mary Tilford, known to have a shaky regard for the truth. There's every reason to believe Mary's lying, and her rich, influential grandmother overreacting, until another student, Rosalie Wells, corroborates her story. The Lakewood Playhouse stages the last production of this show today at 2 p.m. Read Christian Carvajal's review of The Children's Hour in the Weekly Volcano's Arts Section.

5. Steve Cooley & The Dangerfields will fill Johnny's Dock Restaurant and Marina with rockin' blues beginning at 5 p.m.

LINK: Sunday, Feb. 3 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

MONDAY, FEB. 4 2013 >>>

1. For years, the Greta Jane Quartet played every Monday at the Royal Lounge. The quartet is back at The Royal tonight at 8 p.m. "Quartet of what?" you ask, as yet unhip to Ms. Greta Jane Pederson's jazz combo featuring Cary Black, Vince Brown, and Andrew Dorsett. In your world, jazz is the Pandora station your boss makes you listen to at work. Well, prepare to get schooled! In the Quartet's nimble hands, jazz was powerfully sexy, just the thing to settle a body down after another manic Monday. Imagine a snifter of Maker's Mark and pretty ladies in cocktail gloves. That's right, cocktail gloves! It'sour  fantasy, damnit! Anywho, happy days are here again - at least for tonight.

2. The latest show at the University of Puget Sound's Kittredge Gallery is a fascinating installation that may prove difficult to describe. It is called "Kukai," and it is a collaborative project between digital media artist Robert Campbell and ceramic sculptor Yuki Nakamura, who previously worked together for an installation called "Floating Plaster/City Motion," a multimedia installation comprising video, audio, and cast sculptures for the New Works Laboratory, a program between 911 Media Arts Center and the Henry Art Gallery at University of Washington in Seattle. The current installation is all about light and sound - mostly light. Check it out between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Read Alec Clayton's full review of "Kukai" in the Weekly Volcano Arts section.

3. If you've noticed we're pushing local breweries lately, you've caught us. We can't stay away from local beer. Plus, there's something about a local brewery that screams perfect date night. A couple pints of lager, a couple side salads, a doggy bag for the happy couple. ... Powerhouse Restaurant and Brewery in Puyallup offers a pasta and pint combination every Monday that's easy on the wallet. Buy pasta off the menu and get any one of Powerhouse's seven beers free of charge.

4. Wouldn't you love to know if your spouse was cheating? Or find out what Fido has been doing in Heaven all these years? Thank Goddess for psychics, and thank your lucky stars for the Psychic Buffet, 5-9 p.m. every first Monday at the Urban Onion Restaurant in downtown Olympia. See your future a little more clearly thanks to area clairvoyants and mediums, Tarot card readers and energy healers.

5. Jho Blenis and Shelly Ely will fill The Swiss with blues beginning at 8 p.m.

LINK: Monday, Feb. 4 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

TACOMA READS TOGETHER 2013 >>>

Tacomans looking to join a book club but can't find others who are interested need look no further than their own Tacoma Public Library. I was reminded of this fact searching for the Super Bowl with the remote. Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland's face popped up on the television. Mayor Strickland and Head Bookworm Erik Hanberg were lounging in TV Tacoma's Cityline chairs while host Amanda Westbrooke explored their reading habits. Westbrooke finally eased the audience's tension allowing the annoucement of R.J. Palacio's Wonder as the 2013 Tacoma Reads Together book - the 12thbook since Tacoma educator Patrick Erwin spearheaded the program in 2001 as a way to bring the community together after 9/11.

Hanberg, appointed chair of Tacoma Reads Together in 2010, approached Mayor Strickland with Willow as the book his committee recommended as this year's community reading initiative. The New York Times best seller prompts readers, young and older, to think about how they treat others. Hanberg explained to the Cityline audience the book recounts a year in the life of 10-year-old August, as he grapples with a huge change in his life: he's entering public school for the first time. But Auggie has one thing that other kids don't have: a severely deformed face. Mayor Strickland, who has the final say, gave the thumbs up. In fact, so did Westbrooke, who shared with the audience she home-schooled her child.

With the plethora of books depicting kids as brutal survivors, Wonder celebrates choosing kindness, which is refreshing.

Moderated book discussions and other events will be scheduled around Wonder, including an a free book talk and signing by author R.J. Palacio at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 6 at the Tacoma Public Library Main Branch in downtown Tacoma. Keep an eye on the Tacoma Reads Together website for updates.

Tacoma Reads Together history

2012 - Shoeless Joe by W. P. Kinsella

2011 - The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind by William Kamkwamba

2010 - The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett

2009 - Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver

2008 - The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien

2007 - The Pact by Drs. Sampson Davis, George Jenkins and Rameck Hunt

2006 - The Crucible, a play by Arthur Miller

2005 - Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley

2004 - How the Garcia Girls Lost their Accents by Julia Alvarez

2003 - Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

2002 - To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

LINK: Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland's 2013 State of the City address

LINK: Erik Hanberg writes books

LIVING LIKE A KING >>>

This weekend was the weekend of excellent breakfast. Since our floors were being ripped out due to water damage, we're living out of a suitcase at my mother-in-law's house on Sixth Avenue (thanks Chi Chi!).

Saturday, taking advantage of my temporary locale, I walked to Dirty Oscar's Annex for a gourmet breakfast, specifically its chicken and biscuit sandwich special. The bird's the word: moist, tender, intensely chicken-y meat enrobed in crispy, crunchy skin. Absolutely perfect. Yet, there was more. DOA filled a biscuit-shaped hole my life with a moist, fluffy interior one - not a dry, flakey bomb. To top off this $10 treat was light gravy complete with sausage crumbles and bacon coated and a fried egg that burst into a blanket. Good call Chef Aaron Grissom with the light gravy. BONUS: The staff was on me as if I was the only customer (house was three-fourths full at 9:30 a.m.) with attentive service and playful banter.

CHICKEN AND BISCUITS: Dirty Oscar's Annex is not channeling your grandmother.

Since it was Super Bowl Sunday, I went big. Sunday morning I dropped in for my quarterly visit with Chef William and Shannon Mueller at Babblin' Babs Bistro in the Proctor District. Sipping on Madrona coffee too tasty for cream, I chose wisely with Babs' Smith & Salmon dish. When I say dish, I mean it. The Mueller's create breakfast dishes. When I say create, I mean it. They test and re-test for months with local and exotic ingredients until fully satisfied. When I say fully satisfied, I mean it. Chef William will yank a dish if it's not perfect, even if a customer has been waiting for 20 minutes. "I'd rather have them wait and dine on perfection then have them wait and never see them again," he says.

If you order the Smith & Salmon ($14), I suggest you sit in the chair as long as it takes for the dish, which was 20 minutes for me. The salmon statue was too beautiful to rip apart, so I began with the garnish - Granny Smith apples from Chelan sliced to a see-through thickness dotted with capers and egg crumbles and glistening with rosemary chive oil circled the main attraction. I scooped, folded and ate five of the 10. Refreshing. Babs' creamy potato au gratin, its magnifique mainstay and a secret recipe, piled high and wrapped with thin slices of smoked wild salmon to create statuesque art. I fully expected Chef William to hand me a headset so I could hear the history behind the dish. The salmon tasted almost like candy. The creamy potato warmed with a savory delight. So THIS is how kings begin their day, I thought, lost in a paroxysm of joy.

DIRTY OSCAR'S ANNEX, BREAKFAST SERVED 10 A.M. TO 4 P.M. FRIDAY, 8 A.M. TO 4 P.M. SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, 2309 SIXTH AVE., TACOMA, 253.572.0588.

BABBLIN' BABS BISTRO, 8 A.M. TO 11 A.M. TUESDAY-FRIDAY, 8 A.M. TO 2 P.M. SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, 2724 N. PROCTOR ST., TACOMA, 253.761.9099

FUTURE THINGS ARE COMING >>>

As far as Sundays go, the next big one drops Feb. 24. Oscar day. The day all those little-golden-statue-grubbers have been losing sleep over. You want to watch, you know you do. But. You are cool. You are hip. You are in. And, in your crowd, you do not watch the Oscars. It is not done. But, oh, how you want to.

The Grand Cinema's Academy Awards Party will include a fundraiser element this year, raising funds to help the movie theater convert to digital and continue to bring first-run independent films to Tacoma. Your ticket helps keep The Grand alive, and you will get to alleviate your social conscience while maintaining your coolness, as well as enjoy tasty food, beer and wine, participate in a costume contest and win prizes for guessing winners.

We threw a couple questions at Grand Cinema's Market Director Zach Powers, a hip guy in his own right, regarding the upcoming Academy Awards Party & Fundraiser.

WEEKLY VOLCANO: Anything new at this year's Oscars Party?

ZACH POWERS: Yes, there is an entire new VIP viewing area and buffet dinner provided by our friends at Maxwell's Restaurant. We are selling two types of tickets - general admission, which is basically everything the event has always included such as snacks, open seating in the theater and access to all the event activities - and VIP tickets, which grants event goers access to the second viewing area, the full dinner buffet and two complimentary drinks.

VOLCANO: Please say there's still dessert.

POWERS: hello cupcake and Corina Bakery will be there.

VOLCANO: Is the costume contest based on characters from this year's films?

POWERS: The costume contest is always film related, and mostly has to do with the past year's films, but sometimes the costumes can be film related - folks dressing up as iconic characters or film personalities.

VOLCANO: So, 60 percent of the total films nominated for Academy Awards were screened at The Grand this past year. Can you name them?

POWERS: Amour, Bests of the Southern Wild, Lincoln, Silver Linings Playbook, The Sessions, The Master, Anna Karenina, 5 Broken Cameras, The Gate Keepers, The Invisible War, Searching for Sugar Man, Inocente, Kings Point, Mondays at Racine, ...

VOLCANO: You're going to name them all, aren't you?

POWERS: You asked. Open Heart, Redemption, Kon-Tiki, NO, A Royal Affair, Hitchcock, Chasing Ice, Adam and Dog, Fresh Guacamole, Head Over Heels, ...

VOLCANO: You are reading this off a list.

POWERS: No, I memorized it. Maggie Simpson in The Longest Daycare, Paperman, Asad, Buzkashi Boys, Curfew, Dood Van Een Schaduw, Henry and Moonrise Kingdom.

VOLCANO: Nice work Zach. What film does the Grand staff think will win best picture?

POWERS: Thanks. That's a tough question. We root for films that screened at The Grand against the rest of the field. The two films that most are predicting to win are Zero Dark Thirty and Lincoln - both of which are currently playing at The Grand.

THEATRE ON THE SQUARE, SUNDAY, FEB. 24, 5 P.M., DOORS AT 4 P.M., $30-$80 ADVANCE, 915 BROADWAY, TACOMA, 253.593.4474

IT'S TIME FOR THE SISTER CITIES FILM FESTIVAL! YAY! >>>

The 11th annual Sister Cities Film Festival is more than a film festival. It's a cultural exploration of Tacoma's sister cities, of which there are 11 located all around the world. Each Thursday beginning Feb. 7, a film from a sister city lights up the screen of Blue Mouse Theatre - complemented by bonus activities and entertainment. Each week also has its own committee responsible for said entertainment and film selection.

The festival kicks off with Tacoma's oldest sister - Kitakyushu, Japan.

"The Kitakyushu committee will be having the Stadium High School Taiko Drumming group perform," says Debbie Bingham, Sister Cities coordinator. "This will be followed by a briefing on the latest project the committee is working on - rebuilding the Japanese Garden at Point Defiance. Metro Parks staff will talk about this project and show pictures from a recent trip to Kitakyushu to study Japanese garden design."

Festivities start at 6:15 p.m. If an awesome dose of world culture isn't your thing, then get your lame self to Blue Mouse by 7 p.m. for the Japanese film, What the Snow Brings. The plot follows formerly successful Manabu Yazaki after he has lost his remaining cash on an older racing draft horse. After this failure, Manabu seeks out his estranged brother, who agrees to let him stay if Manabu works as a stable hand. The characters - right on down to the aging draft horse Unryu - are remarkably complex and intriguing. The film has won awards left and right, including Best Director and Actor at the 18th Tokyo International Film Festival.

Tickets are $10 via Brown Paper Tickets, or $80 for the full nine-week festival.

BLUE MOUSE THEATRE, THURSDAY, FEB. 7, 6:15 P.M., $10, $80 PASS, 2611 N. PROCTOR ST., TACOMA, 253.752.9500

LINK: Tacoma Sister Cities Film Festival schedule

THURSTON COUNTY GOT CUPCAKIER >>>

"My soul has had enough chicken soup, now it wants cupcakes." - Princess Cupcake, administer of cupcake-forum.com.

Princess Cupcake, we agree.

That is why we're happy to announce the city of Lacey has just climbed a few notches on the coolness ladder, bringing in downtown Olympia's cupcake queen, Cecilia Mikler and her successful business, Bonjour Cupcakes. The shop celebrated a soft opening Wednesday, Jan 30.

"We wanted to bring our goodies to a new market," says Mikler. "There's nothing like this in Lacey."

Bonjour specializes in gourmet and exotic cupcake blends; producing from-scratch cupcakes that make the sweet tooth swoon. Gluten-free options are available too.

Last week I sampled a divine chocolate chipotle mini cupcake. The first bite bursts with chocolate, followed by a slow creep of earthy spiciness of chipotle, making the cocoa of the next bite savorier. I also tried a blueberry lime mini. I have to say; the frosting is my favorite part - light as air and not overly sweet. 

The Lacey location is just as cute as downtown, with a shabby-chic feel, nice music, kids' tea play set and eating area and family board games.

They also have a bigger and more private space for larger parties. Wise since baby showers, cake-decorating parties and birthdays are popular at the cupcake shop.

Speaking of parties, Bonjour will have a grand-opening celebration at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb 9. The Oly Rollers derby girls will be in the cupcake house helping with giveaways such as Bonjour cupcakes, T-shirts and derby bout tickets. The Thurston County Chamber will also perform an official ribbon-cutting ceremony. 

Sounds fancy - just like anything pertaining to cupcakes should. 

BONJOUR CUPCAKES, 10 A.M. TO 7 P.M. MONDAY-THURSDAY, 9 A.M. TO 9 P.M. SATURDAY, 11 A.M. TO 5 P.M. SUNDAY, 730 SLEATER-KINNEY ROAD, LACEY, 360.489.0891 / 609 CAPITOL WAY S., OLYMPIA, 360.515.0564

DEPT. OF NICE! >>>

News arrived again at the Weekly Volcano World Headquarters. We believe we saw this press release two week ago, but it ended up on the wrong refrigerator. It's worthy news, so here you go. And the Tacoma Arts Commission pile of money goes to ... (rip!) ... 20 lucky Tacoma arts organizations.

The Tacoma Arts Commission recently awarded $50,000 in 2013 Arts Projects funding to 20 Tacoma organizations in support of public outreach projects in the fields of music, dance, theater, literary and visual arts. The awards ranged in value from $1,000 to $5,000.

"These arts and culture programs - initiated and delivered by local, grassroots organizations - demonstrate a broad and strong commitment to accessible, homegrown arts experiences," said Robin Echtle, chair of the Tacoma Arts Commission. "Many of the funded art projects exhibit uniquely 'Tacoma' sensibilities and reflect the distinct and diverse voices of our community."

Funded projects include the production of five diverse cultural and arts festivals, poetry readings and spoken word performances, contemporary and multidisciplinary dance events, a variety of music performances, two theatrical productions, visual art programs for families, urban art classes for youth, a sculptural seating element and a community-wide guerilla art project.

Funded organizations include 9th and 10th Horse Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers Museum, Asia Pacific Cultural Center, Black Student Union @ UW Tacoma, Children's Museum of Tacoma, DASH Center for the Arts, Elements of Education, Fab-5, Fort Nisqually Foundation, King's Bookstore, Local Life, Metropolitan Glass, Old Town Business and Professional Association, Puget Sound Poetry Connection, Ruston - Pt. Defiance Business District, Second City Chamber Series, Tacoma City Ballet, Tacoma Concert Band, Tacoma Little Theatre, the BareFoot Collective and the Washington State Historical Society.

The Arts Projects funding program supports high quality community projects with a strong focus on arts that are accessible and affordable to the public. Twenty-eight Arts Projects applications were submitted to the Tacoma Arts Commission with requests totaling $115,568.?? Arts Projects is one of three funding programs administered by the Tacoma Arts Commission. For a complete listing of funding programs and information about the Tacoma Arts Commission, visit tacomaculture.org.