Olympia Memes is more than a Facebook page. It's fast becoming part of Olympia's philanthropic fabric with one foot still firmly planted in the page's quirky sense of fun.

Case and point: the Meme Yourself Costume Party. Olympia memes asks its followers to dress as their favorite meme and come prepared to win prizes - if their costume rocks hard enough. Prizes include a wine-tasting party, dance classes, a snowboard and various gift certificates.

"I am hoping to see some girls rock the ERMAHGERD get up, maybe a Grumpy Cat rendition or two, Scumbag Steves, Bad Luck Brian's ... and then there's always the wide selection of Rage characters," says Olympia Memes' publisher. "If anyone is stuck they can always do a search online for meme costume parties or go to meme generators like quickmeme.com to look around for inspiration."

The party will raise funds - $5 cover charge and a raffle - with 100 percent of the proceeds benefitting SafePlace Olympia.  

"It's a sad fact that we need a place like SafePlace, but I know that because of this one organization, lives have been saved," says Olympia Memes' publisher. "Almost every conversation I have ever had where SP was mentioned, almost everyone has known at least one person that has had to use their services. They have had a huge positive influence on our community."

The Meme Yourself Costume Party will be at 8 p.m. Thursday, April 18 at Big Whisky Saloon in downtown Olympia. The event is 21+ only. The Big Whisky will spin tunes, with line dance lessons at 8:30 p.m. and the mechanical bull will be plugged in.

If you're lucky, Olympia Memes' mysterious publisher might show up out of disguise.

BIG WHISKY SALOON, THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 8 P.M., $5, 425 FRANKLIN ST. SE, OLYMPIA, 360.357.4721

THURSDAY, APRIL 11 2013 >>>

When Chris Titus performs April 11-13 at the Tacoma Comedy Club, you might hear a lot from the voice in his head. His fifth stand-up special The Voice in My Head, dropped on his website. For $9 you will discover his worst screw-ups for an hour and 45 minutes. Titus calls it the "Church of the Epic Fail," where every bad decision IS the religion." Catch him live at 8 p.m. in downtown Tacoma.

3. Today marks the end of the first week of the inaugural Olympia Restaurant Week - the celebration of Thurston County's culinary scene happening April 7-18, Sundays-Thursdays. Ten Thurston County restaurants are serving special $25 three-course dinners, with some eateries offering a three-course lunch menu for $15.

4. Maxwell's Speakeasy and Lounge in Tacoma joins delicious forces with 21 Cellars and Wingman Brewers to present a pairing dinner tonight. Nibble on local cheeses, produce and meat while sipping on locally concocted vinos and brews. Tickets are limited, so call 253.683.4115.

4. MediaLab, the award-winning student run organization at Pacific Lutheran University, hosts the primer of their latest documentary Beyond Burkas & Bombers: Anti-Muslim Sentiment in America at 7 p.m. at the PLU Studio Theater. The film will be followed by a small reception and panel discussion.

5. Reading by NW traveler, Artist Trust fellowship winner and participant in the San Miguel Poetry Week in Mexico Peter Rudwin will read his poetry at 7 p.m. inside the Gig Harbor/Peninsula Library.

LINK: Thursday, April 11 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

JUST DO IT >>>

It's time for a confession dear readers. It's been three weeks since my last outdoor adventure. Sure I've talked about little hellions, err darling children, at the Nature Center and kidnapped a dog, but I haven't really adventured. I haven't been out freezing my buns off last minute camping or trying to get lost in the woods. I've been handicapped by a little issue I like to call the great ankle fiasco of 2013. One of my great loves is rock climbing and the Edgeworks Climbing gym feels like my second home. A few weeks ago, I fell in the gym doing something silly and sprained my left ankle. It has proved to be anything but simple to fix and has been quite the impediment to my outdoor enjoyment. But I'm at the end of my rope. Without some kind of adventure I start to go stir crazy. And that is what I want to discuss with you today.

It all started a few years ago. I found myself very stressed out and feeling anxious. A spontaneous trip to Paradise at Mount Rainier came as a revelation. I felt this incredible sense of peace. I was awed by the beauty of the mountains and the natural environment seemed to put my stress in perspective. I always liked being outside and enjoyed natural beauty but this was different. After this I started hiking and seeking out activities to recreate this feeling. This was the beginning of my "addiction."

I started small. Tromping through the woods at Point Defiance or going for walks at the beach. But soon it wasn't enough to get my fix. Next came the weekend hikes. But it wasn't until I took the plunge that I really discovered it had become a necessity for me. I attempted to climb Mount Rainier. I'd always said it was on my bucket list, but we all know how that is. I mean how many people actually check the items off their bucket list? I had no idea what I was getting myself into. It was the hardest ting I've ever done. Anyone who has suffered altitude sickness can relate when I say the first night I spent at Camp Muir was an experience I never wish to repeat. But I pushed my boundaries and came back a better person for it.

So dear readers this is my challenge to you. I encourage you to push yourself. Don't run out and try to climb Rainier next weekend. But whatever you've always wanted to do, try it. Make the time. Take the kids on that Foothills Trail bike ride. Or run 5 Mile Drive on a Saturday morning. Believe me, after a late Friday night dragging your hungover behind out of bed is really hard. But I've never regretted getting out, and after the first grumpy hour I always enjoy it. There are some great running groups in Tacoma and plenty of charity causes to join for almost any activity: 5Ks, triathlons, climbing, bike riding, whatever floats your boat.

I hope my weekly exploits aren't just entertaining. I hope they show you new things to do in our corner of the world, and maybe inspire some adventures of your own. I'm getting desperate for some adventure so expect some hilarious exploits as the great ankle fiasco of 2013 and I come to a mutual understanding about how this summer is going to go.

LINK: Scenic Beach State Park

ONLINE CHATTER >>>

Yesterday's comment of the day came from Carbon in response to Ken Miller's post about Dream Act House Bill 1817 - affordable college education for immigrant kids - on our Town Hall Tourist blog.

Carbon writes,

1817 should be opposed because it rewards and encourages illegal immigration. We need to stop the cycle of illegal immigration by removing all incentives. Handing out free college money is obviously an incentive. 1817 should be opposed by everyone who supports the rule of law.

FRIDAY, APRIL 12 2013 >>>

1. On the off chance you've never seen the movie Reservoir Dogs, here's the gist: a crime boss named Joe Cabot and his adult son, "Nice Guy Eddie," hire six thugs under pseudonyms to pull a diamond heist. The heist, which we never see, goes utterly sideways, and the thieves reassemble at their hideout to ascertain what went wrong. They decide there's a snitch among them, guns are drawn, guns are fired and it all gets rather bloodily Jacobean. Theater Artists Olympia Director Pug Bujeaud stages the screenplay with no intermission. Performances alternate between all-male and all-female casts. The female cast hits Olympia's Midnight Sun Performance Space at 7:30 p.m. Read Christian Carvajal's full review of Reservoir Dogs in the Weekly Volcano's Arts section.

2. The Gray Sky Blues Music Festival will invade downtown Tacoma tomorrow after the Daffodil Festival Grand Floral Parade. For those who anxious to dive into the blues should hit Uncle Thurm's BBQ joint in Tacoma's Lincoln District at 6 p.m. A special pre-festival performance by young L.A. blues band The Chase Walker Band will go down.

3. The Tacoma Rainiers opens their home season at 7 p.m. with a game against the Salt Lake Bees, complete with fireworks. That's fine and dandy, but the big news is Rainiers officially welcomed The Hub as the club's exclusive in-stadium pizza provider. Dubbed “Pie On The Fly,” the signature Artisan-style pizzas The Hub perfected at their neighborhood pub in the Stadium District will take up residence on the first-base side of the Cheney Stadium concourse today. Play ball!

4. The University of Puget Sound's Adelphian and Dorian singers will, er, sing African-American spirituals, including Moses Hogan's "The Battle of Jericho," at 7:30 p.m. inside Schneebeck Concert Hall.

5. Singer-songwriter Elizabeth Hummel and her rock folk band will perform a fundraising concert for the Washington Toxics Coalition at 7:30 in the Olympia Ballroom. Hummel is no stranger to bringing current issues and politics into her music when the cause moves her. In 2002 she organized "Open Stage for Peace" in Olympia to give artists a stage to share poems and songs in response to the threat of war.

LINK: Friday, April 12 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

THE LOWDOWN ON WHAT'S UP THIS WEEKEND >>>

WEATHER REPORT

Friday: Showers tonight, hi 50, lo 39

Saturday: Showers, hi 50, lo 39

Sunday: Showers, hi 50, lo 37

>>> FRIDAY, APRIL 12: STORIES OF BEING DOWNTOWN

Tonight, bear witness to the amazing Playback Theatre as they delight audiences with their one-night performance of Stories of Being Downtown.  Sounds intriguing already. This is in collaboration with Olympia's Downtown Ambassador Program. And remember folks, Playback Theater is a form of improv where the group or audience members tell stories to be enacted. Sounds awesome. - Nikki McCoy

• Traditions Cafe, 7:30-10 p.m., 300 Fifth Ave. SW, Olympia, 360.705.2819

Read more...

Comment On This Post

SATURDAY, APRIL 13 2013 >>>

2. Spring Zing is a festival of performances put on by the Associated Students of the University of Puget Sound and the Proctor District merchants. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Proctor District expect free horse drawn carriages rides, four food trucks and at least two main stage performances including LeRoy Bell and his Only Friends, as well as the awesome Proctor Farmers Market.

3. Months and months of rain. Bad traffic. A high suicide rate. The not-so-subtle odor of pulp hanging in the air. With all of this, is it much of a surprise that Tacoma spawns some damn fine blues? "Some of the best blues artists in the country come from the Pacific Northwest," says Gary Grape, the president of the South Sound Blues Association. "We hope to show some of them to the people of Tacoma." Show they shall. The Gray Sky Blues Music Festival once again graces downtown Tacoma. The festival features over a dozen different acts playing at multiple venues. Attendees can grab a beer at one club and eat a sandwich another, all while listening to some of the best blues in the around. Read Timothy Grisham's full feature on today's festival in ithe Weekly Volcano's Music section.

4. Ordinarily, writing a short play takes weeks or even months. As it moves into production, everyone from the cast to the director to the guy who delivers sandwiches has editorial input. What began with a clear authorial vision might veer off in any number of unexpected directions. The Double Shot Festival of Overnight Plays takes a different approach: it hands its writers a theme, about which they compose a 10-minute play over a single night. Then, at 8 the next morning, these scripts are passed to a director and cast of stock actors to be performed that very night, fully memorized, at 7:30. The festival rehearses and first performs at 7:30 p.m., followed by a matinée tomorrow at 2. The shows are hosted by Capital Playhouse. More than 50 local actors and directors are taking part in the festival. Read Christian Carvajal's full feature on The Double Shot Festival of Overnight plays in the Weekly Volcano's Arts section.

5. At 9 p.m., KAOS 89.3 FM celebrates their big 4-0 at the Olympia Ballroom with AfroMassive and Kasata Sound, two groups that will get into your bones with their funk, jazz and rhythm. Read Nikki McCoy's full feature on KAOS FM in the Weekly Volcano's Music section.

PLUS: Check out the event recommendations in our Weekend Hustle

LINK: Saturday, April 13 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY >>>

The biggest show this weekend is not until Sunday, so you might actually get to spend some time at home with your family this weekend. Sunday is a busy one though. You can start off the day by hitting the Northwest MC League Graffiti Garage Cyphers. These are now at 1:30 p.m., free and all-ages. It is very organic down there on Tacoma's Antique Row. Sometimes people battle, sometimes they freestyle, sometimes there are beats, sometimes there is not. Whoever heads down there gets to create the scene for that day.

Sunday night is Shut the Stage Down 4. This is E-Dawg's fourth installment of his monster hip-hop show blowouts. This one is also at 88 Keys in Seattle starting at 9 p.m. Presale tickets are $10, $20 at the door, and a $35 V.I.P. option that includes food. There are many talented artists on the bill, as E-Dawg always packs them in; but look out for Tacoma area artists J.U.I., Johnny Solo, TDF, Kept See, Hill B and D.J. Iceman. These shows are really more like an event than a normal hip-hop show. They are crowded, and people seem to be dressed up a bit more than a normal raggedy hip-hop night. Leave it up to E-Dawg to get people out in their best fits. See ya'll there!

South Sound Sidekick series offers advice from experts living in the, well, South Sound. It posts every Friday - sometimes on Saturday. Today, esthetician and spa owner  Stacey Gravatt has some advice on skin acre for Spring 2013.

Stacey Gravatt writes,

Is your skin feeling dry and dull? Does it have a case of the winter blues? Believe me you are not alone. Winter in the Pacific Northwest definitely takes its toll on us. Chances are this blustery season may have left your skin feeling like a reptile and screaming for attention. Good news is it's nothing that a good Spring Tune up won't take care of.

Skincare 101: Facials are amazing. Fact is, there is nothing like seeking a professional to help you balance your skin and get your glow back on. Most estheticians will offer several customized options to meet your needs without busting your budget. Remember this is the only skin that you have, and it's worth spending a few bucks on.

Read more...

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT (AND TODAY) IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

Cork! A Wine Bar Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Champagne Sunday. 8 pm.

Cutters Point Coffee Downtown Tacoma Tacoma - Downtown. Gray Sky Blues Music Festival, with Malcolm Clark, Alyx Phippen. All Ages. 12:30 pm.

Doyle's Public House Tacoma - Stadium District. Mighty High Tour Kickoff. 9:30 pm. NC.

Harmon Brewery and Eatery Tacoma - Downtown. Gray Sky Blues Music Festival, with Mary McPage & The Assassins, The Chase Walker Band, The Crazy Texas Gypsies, Alice Stuart & The Formerlys. 12 pm.

Harmon Tap Room Tacoma - Stadium District. The Flying Tortugas, William Thomas Anderson. 9 pm.

Read more...