Weekly Volcano Blogs: Walkie Talkie Blog

Posts made in: May, 2013 (62) Currently Viewing: 1 - 10 of 62

May 2, 2013 at 4:05pm

Mother's Day: When cookies do good

It's like Christmas inside this box.

YO MILKMAN! >>>

As typical of Mother's Day, many businesses will provide special dining opportunities for that special lady in your life. One such business is Smith Brothers Farms. Smith Brothers Farms is the modern day milkman delivering farm fresh eggs, milk, cheeses and other locally sourced products from the Pacific Northwest right to your door.

This month they are holding a promotion in honor of Mother's Day - a portion of proceeds of featured products will be donated to benefit the YWCA to honor moms in need. Featured items are both of the baked variety of course, because as we know all moms like to bake right?

Add an order of Erin Baker's cookies or Seattle Bagel Bakery four-pack and a donation will be made to the YWCA. You can also use those milk and eggs that have been delivered straight to your door to concoct a little something up by hand for your mama.

To celebrate mamas and all that they do, their nurturing ways and you know giving you life and all it's best to not forget that Mother's Day is on Sunday, May 12.

Check out ordering details at smithbrothersfarms.com.

Filed under: Benefits, Food & Drink, Holidays,

May 6, 2013 at 6:16am

5 Things To Do Today: One F band, MayFest, free cheesecake, Malhotia Unit and more ...

One F will take you on a ride tonight at Le Voyeur in Olympia.

MONDAY, MAY 6 2013 >>>

1. It's Monday. Yesterday's awesome weather is still on your mind, and in about eight hours, you're going to be facing the eternal first-night-of-the-workweek dinner dilemma. We dunno about you, but hell no, we're not going to come home and start slicing and chopping and stirring and dirtying four pans on a Monday night. Yet there's the voice in the back of our heads reminding us that we ate out three times over the weekend, and the tired, drag-ass part that just wants to slouch on the sofa with a bowl of something. Don't do it. Head to Olympia for a chill dinner then hit Le Voyeur at 10 p.m. to see San Francisco's One F band. Gigging since 2006, One F has been described as listening to "Dinosaur Jr. vs. Pink Floyd, while being refereed by Pavement." One minute they're soothing with sincere balladry; next minute they're all-out rocking. We're so there. You?

2. The flowers at Lakewold Gardens are going nuts. It's an explosion of color and fragrances. There's not better time to visit as the Lakewood garden celebrates MayFest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through May 12. Check out the displays, exhibits and activities in the Wagner House. Smell a flower. Enjoy life.

3. It's Military Spouse Appreciation week on Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The Cascade Community Center will give spouses a free slice of cheesecake with purchase of lunch through Friday.

4. The OverDrive Digital Bookmobile - a 74-foot semi-truck and trailer equipped with computers and mobile devices - will be parked outside the Tumwater Timberland Library from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors can navigate the Gadget Gallery, Audiobook Alley, the eBook Experience, Digital Catalog and Video Lounge and learn how to access the library's digital titles for free.

5. Composer/guitarist Joe Mailhot, bassist Erich Hahn, saxophonist Scott Reed and drummer Mo-weee Mailhot, aka Malhotia Unit, will fill The Royal Lounge with original jazz tunes inspired by John Coltrane, Sun Ra, Albert Ayler and Jimi Hendrix beginning at 8 p.m. Special guest Charles Adler will contribute spoken word to this performance.

LINK: Monday, May 6 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

May 6, 2013 at 10:09am

Eat This Now: Carnitas de Cerdo

We dare you to order the five star version of La Fondita's Carnitas de Cerdo. Photo credit: Jackie Fender

Tacoma's Proctor District, though quaint in size, plays home to a plethora of dining options. Not one restaurant trumps the other; rather they are all different experiences. You have Thai, Italian, New American and Mexican cuisine all pocketed among the other destinations.

One of my favorite dishes is of the Mexican variety - the Carnitas de Cerdo ($13.95) served up at La Fondita.

La Fondita has a swank and funky Dia de los Muertos atmosphere about it with maroon walls, alternating between pops of color and macabre like shrines along the walls. Its menu is chock full of authentic Mexican dishes accompanied by a nice selection from their lounge. Rather than hide their lounge away in a nook the establishment is essentially sectioned into two halves with two separate doors residing next to each other.

Read more...

Filed under: Food & Drink, Tacoma,

May 7, 2013 at 7:02am

5 Things To Do Today: 6th Ave Farmers Market, "The Revolutionary" WWII film, immigration author and more ...

The 6th Ave Farmers Market opens today for the season. Photo courtesy of Facebook

TUESDAY, MAY 7 2013 >>>

1. For those green-thumb-challenged folk who haven't quite got growing seasons down, the 6th Ave Farmers Market opens today at 3:30 p.m. Learn to grow a secret garden of your own and see it blossom. Not a gardener? Well then just visit the world's most productive gardener, the farmer, and pick up a bunch of their "fruits of labor" until 7 p.m. at Sixth and Pine in Tacoma.

2. The Grand Cinema continues its Tuesday Film Series with screenings of The Silence, the story of 13-year-old Sinikka who vanishes on a hot summer night. Her bicycle is found in the exact place where a girl was killed 23 years ago. The dramatic present forces those involved in the original case to face their past.See it at 1:40 and 6:55 p.m.

3. Sidney Rittenberg toured China during WWII, witnessed the birth of the People's Republic of China, got to know the Republic's founding fathers, and subsequently spent 16 years in solitary confinement. His documentary, The Revolutionary, screens at 3 p.m. in Tacoma Community College's Building 2 Auditorium, followed by a presentation at 4:30.

4. "My father's mother, Abuela Evila, liked to scare us with stories of La Llorona, the weeping woman who roams the canal and steals children away. She would say that if we didn't behave, La Llorona would take us far away where we would never see our parents again.My other grandmother, Abuelita Chinta, would tell us not to be afraid of La Llorona: that if we prayed, God, La Virgen and the saints would protect us from her. Neither of my grandmothers told us that there is something more powerful than La Llorona - a power that takes away parents, not children. It is called the United States." ... So begins the prologue of The Distance Between Us, as Reyna Grande, a 4-year-old with a fractured heart, says goodbye to her mother in Iguala, Mexico. Tonight, author Grande will discusses her immigration memoir, The Distance Between Us, at 7 p.m.inside the Olympic Room at the Tacoma Public Library Main Branch in Downtown Tacoma.

5. On any night of the week at 9 p.m., one can meander past the main bar in Olympia's China Clipper Club Cafe, to the back room where a disco ball, stage, stellar PA system, extensive song list, savvy DJ and lively, often tipsy, crowd scribbles on tiny, colorful paper then waits ... for Clipper Karaoke.

LINK: Tuesday, May 7 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

May 7, 2013 at 8:48am

First Bite: Art House Cafe in Tacoma's Stadium District

Art House Cafe's pizza is its signature dish for a reason. Photo credit: Adrienne Kuehl

I recently visited Stadium District's newest eatery, Art House Café, for dinner and drinks. Having been open for a little over a month, I was looking forward to trying the locally sourced menu with most everything made in-house.

The goal of co-owners Lucia and John Armstrong and chef/co-owner Dustin Joseph to create a relaxed, fun environment was certainly achieved. The interior is light and airy, and a nice mix of traditional and modern, with an open kitchen that makes you feel right at home. The counter looking onto the kitchen was an enjoyable place to dine.

We started with cocktails. I ordered a Pimm's Cup, which I was pleased to see on the menu, and was told they were out of Pimm's. Fine. I then ordered the local berry and mint margarita, but it had a good deal of debris settled at the bottom, and could have used a good straining, as did the lavender lemon drop my dining partner ordered.

The in-house marinated olives ($4) were a nice-sized portion and full of flavor, as was their signature item, the pizza. With a crisp crust and oozy Brie cheese, the sun dried tomato and pesto pizza ($12) hit the spot. There were some misses, however. The roasted beet salad ($9), lacked flavor and was awkward to eat. The pan roasted tri tip ($12) on the small plates menu was actually a large plate, needed seasoning and was inelegantly sliced, but had delicious potatoes on the side.

As with most new restaurants, Art House Café has some work to do, but shows promise. With sticking points that are easily remedied, I look forward to giving their breakfast and lunch a try in the near future.

ART HOUSE CAFÉ, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, 111 N. Tacoma Ave., Tacoma, 253.212.2011

Filed under: Food & Drink, Tacoma,

May 8, 2013 at 6:17am

5 Things To Do Today: Erica Freas, Kareem Kandi Band, Scrabble Rabble, Trivia for Dorks and more ...

Erica Freas plays Northern in downtown Olympia tonight. Photo courtesy of Facebook

WEDNESDAY, MAY 8 2013 >>>

1. Erica Freas, Your Heart Breaks, Rae Spoon and Ivan Coyote perform at 8:30 p.m. inside the all-ages venue Northern in downtown Olympia. According to Weekly Volcano all-ages columnist Rockford Rowley, Freas' "delicate acoustic guitar and punk-yet-soothing vocals instantaneously impress. Upon further listening, her sophisticated songwriting and thoughtful, heartfelt lyrics also become apparent.

2. The Kareem Kandi jazz band is a talent-heavy bunch that stumps for the power of repertory while also planting a flag for originality. At least once a month it grabs a Wednesday at The Swiss for a night of open mic jazz. From 7-10 p.m. is such a night.

3. Word Nerds! Scrabble is back at King's Books! Chill. You're good with words. Seriously. Get it together! This is Scrabble Rabble at 6:30 p.m. inside King's, remember? It's all in good fun. Now piggyback off that free U to form QUAT - that's 14 points without the double-word score. Word!

4. Dorky's Bar Arcade in downtown Tacoma hosts Trivia for Dorks every Wednesday night at 8 p.m. Weekly Volcano scribe Krsitin kendle has the scoop here

5. Play bingo with those not just killing time before the Grim Reaper calls their number. Every Wednesday at 9 p.m. inside The New Frontier, bingo players are treated to a rather boisterous evening of number-calling. The music rocks, the prizes are craptastic and there's something very satisfying about yelling "It's not a tumor!" when B-9 is pulled from the hopper (Schwarzenegger anyone?). Sessions are free with $2 margaritas during bingo. Every Wednesday night is also Taco Night with $1 beef, $1 black bean and $2 chicken in soft or crunchy shells.

LINK: Wednesday, May 8 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

May 9, 2013 at 6:39am

5 Thngs To Do Today: Spaghetti feast, young authors tour, Oly Mountain Boys and more ...

Louie G's Pizzeria in Fife will serve bottomless bowls of spaghetti tonight.

THURSDAY, MAY 9 2013 >>>

This summer Music and Art in Wright Park will, once again, shake the lawn bowlers at Wright Park in Tacoma's Stadium District. What began in 1993 as an awesome outdoor rock concert is still an awesome outdoor rock concert, only now with more art. Last year 2,500 lounged in the sun and soaked up Girl Trouble, Humble Cub, Walking Papers, The Plastards, The Jilly Rizzo and many other bands. There's no reason this summer's MAWP won't be equally awesome, unless there's no money in the bank. Unlike most summer outdoor rock concerts, there are no advance tickets for MAWP. The whole dang thing is free. However, like most worthy events, it's expensive. Therefore, festival producers will host a spaghetti feast and the musical stylings of the Original Rich Bundy and special guests from 4-8 p.m. at Louie G's Pizzeria. It's a family friendly, slurp fest. 

2. New York Times bestselling author Margaret Stohl, co-author of the Beautiful Creatures series, will discuss her new novel, Icons, which tells the story of four very special teens who could be humanity's only hope after Earth is taken over by aliens at 7 p.m. inside the University Place Library. She will be joined on the YA Icons Tour with local favorite Marissa Meyer, author of Cinder and Scarlet, Leigh Bardugo, author of the Grisha Trilogy and Kimberly Derting, author of the Body Finder novels.

3. The Oly Mountain Boys will perform at 8 p.m. inside the historic Spar Cafe in Olympia. The band proclaims its mission is to "reinvigorate the bluegrass genre by bringing the original bluegrass sound of the 1950s to a new generation of fans." We believe them, especially after taking a listen to the passion guitarist Chris Rutledge, mandolin player Derek McSwain, banjo player Tye Menser, bassist Phil Post and fiddle player Josh Grice get down with.

4. You could learn swing's Africanist cousin, blues dancing, at 9 p.m. inside the Olympia Eagles Ballroom. Blues dancing derives from the so-called "Black vernacular" of Southern dance styles and includes such moves as the Lindy and the irresistibly named "Funky Butt." Worst case scenario: you have two left feet but get to listen to Nina Simone.

5. The Engine House No. 9 is housed in a firehouse built in 1907 and still retains some of original firefighting artifacts. Purchased by the X Group, the force behind Asado and Masa, there's new excitement with better food, a whiskey bar, more craft beer from head brewer Shane Johns and a shuffleboard in the side room. Rev. Colin hosts karaoke two nights a week, including tonight at 9 p.m. He possesses a wealth of oddball musical knowledge and a disarming ease for calling everyone "baby."

LINK: Thursday, May 9 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area


May 9, 2013 at 10:09am

Macklemore vs. Point Ruston

Geese strut like they owned The Waterwalk at Point Ruston. Photo credit: Whitney Rhodes

Raise those hands, this is our party

We came here to live life like nobody was watching

I got my city right behind me

If I fall, they got me. Learn from that failure gain humility and then we keep marching

Above are lyrics from Macklemore's song "Can't Hold Us." Our Outdoor Addict columnist Whitney Rhodes dropped this verse in her column about strolling The Waterwalk at Point Ruston, which posted this morning in the Military Life section at northwestmilitary.com.

First a gorgeous tile mosaic octopus will greet you and a few steps in is an arbor with benches positioned perfectly to frame Mount Rainier. But it seemed everyone had the urge to show off on such a beautiful day. We had just reached the ferry when out walked some geese like "what up? I got a big flock!" Not even a curious dog could put a dent in their strut. They were rollin' in hella deep in their big ass coats like they owned the place.

Yup, Rhodes goes street in this week's column, which is a great read.

Here's the video for Macklemore's song Rhodes mentions. Enjoy.

Filed under: Outdoor Addict, outdoors, Music, Tacoma,

May 10, 2013 at 6:50am

5 Things To Do Today: Midnight Salvage Co., 72 Hour Film Festival, The Super 8 and more ...

Midnight Salvage Co. play their last show tonight. Photo courtesy of Facebook

FRIDAY, MAY 10 2013 >>>

1. Tonight at Jazzbones, Midnight Salvage Co. will be playing their last official show - and releasing their sophomore album, Neon Lights. A year ago, the band holed up at Seattle's Egg studios with veteran producer Conrad Uno (Mudhoney, Presidents of the United States of America, Young Fresh Fellows), unbeknownst to the band members that a year later guitarist Brason Alexander would be blazing to sunny Cali, bassist Dustin Lau would be headed to The Big Apple and their University Place practice space would meet a wrecking ball. Drop by Jazzbones at 8 p.m., enjoy opener China Davis, take it Midnight Salvage's shot of whiskey infused roadhouse Springsteen and grab yourself a piece of musical history.

2. 72 hours is not a long time. The teams competing in this year's Grand Cinema 72 Hour Film Festival - a yearly Tacoma institution - know this all too well. Recently, frenzied packs of Tacoma filmmakers dashed around T-town, hurriedly capturing on film all the entries that will make up this year's manic, competitive filmmaking celebration - set to go down at 7 p.m. inside the Rialto Theater. Who will win? How will all the "mandatory elements" - including the use of a superstition, a flashlight, the writing or sending of a letter or message and the line "That wasn't what I was expecting" - be worked into all of the entries? Find out tonight. Read Cassady Coulter's full feature on the 72 Hour Film Festival in Northwest Military's Music & Culture section.

3. Distinguished writers, poets, playwrights, short story writers, and people who scribble on cocktail napkins will step up to the mic from 7-9 p.m. as part of the Distinguished Writer Series and Open Mic at King's Books. Aging hippie poet Risa Deneberg, author of The Lives You Touch Publications, will take lead.

4. Ballet Northwest’s production of The Sleeping Beauty includes professional sets, lavish costumes, 75 local dancers and guest artist Iyun Harrison, formerly of Dance Theater of Harlem. See the twirls at 7:30 p.m. inside The Washington Center.

5. There's a kind of gauzy, depressive Americana that began spreading around in the '90s, spearheaded by the likes of Bill Callahan and Lambchop - these masters and practitioners of the slow-burning, baritone-voiced folk music that reveled in cynical humor as much as poignantly expressive dirges. The Super 8 are instantly evocative of these touchstones, the vocals pointedly reminiscent of Kurt Wagner's distinctive croak and Callahan's defeated mumble, and the guitars mournfully spilling deceptively beautiful melodies from deep within that hollow body. Check them out at 8 p.m. with Gary Alan May and the Hinges inside Northern.

LINK: Friday, May 10 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area


May 11, 2013 at 9:27am

5 Things To Do Today: "Cosmosis," Spring Glass Sale, Foss Waterway Seaport reopening and more ...

Susan Botti's "Cosmosis" tells the story of a science experiment.

SATURDAY, MAY 11 2013 >>>

1. The common interpretation of composer Susan Botti's Cosmosis is it tells the story of a science experiment. The PLU University Wind Ensemble and University Singers set the science-theme poetry of May Swenson to music, answering the question: Can a spider spin a web in space? The multi-discipline, three-part performance depicts the struggles of a spider trying to construct a web without the assistance of gravity. However, if you analyze deeper, you'll discover Botti's baton actually symbolizes an alien construct, left behind by an ancient and advanced race. The baton can accelerate development of less-evolved lifeforms, as it did with the Rococo movement in France, and signal the arrival of advanced races, which happens, 263 years later, when Botti picks it up at 8 p.m. in Lagerquist Concert Hall. Oh, and Botti will be reborn as an alien. PLU science professors Brett Underwood and Justin Lytle will confirm this theory in a post-concert presentation.

2. Hilltop Artists is a nonprofit glass arts program created by the iconic Dale Chihuly designed to use "glass art to connect young people from diverse cultural and economic background to better futures." The program boasts more than 500 students a year, and each year its Spring Glass Sale acts as both a great opportunity to make its mission known, and offer chances at top-notch work to one and all. In fact, the Hilltop Artists Spring Glass Sale has become so popular that attendees are asked to start showing up at 9 a.m. to take a number, with entry starting at 10 a.m. in the order that people arrived. All proceeds go directly back to the program.

3. The Foss Waterway Seaport reopens at 11 a.m. after 18 months of closure for remodeling. The Seaport will kick off its summer season with fun family activities such as sack races, sea shanty performances and cannon fire every hour. When you're not covering your ears, check out the new awesome 55-foot high glass front wall and exhibits, which include artifacts and pictures that portray the story of the famous "Mosquito Fleet" that plied the waters of Commencement Bay. Special reduced admission pricing will be offered May 11 and 12 in honor of the opening weekend.

4. Michael Hoover, co-director at The BareFoot Collective, has created a dance piece to his love of punk music, and in particular Tacoma's Girl Trouble, the garage-punk band that has its sights on a 30th anniversary next year. As part of BareFoot's Ides of May performance May 11 at the Theatre of the Square, Hoover will describe the rockers through the motion of local dancers. In addition to Hoover's punk maneuvers, The Ides of May dance concert will include the music of Julia Massey & the Five Finger Discount and Nathaniel Dybevik, original work from Serendip Dance Brigade, the choreography of Carla Baragan of BQDanza, Serena River and dancers from PLU at 2 and 7:30 p.m. at Theatre on the Square.

5. Team "Future Bass" - DJ Broam, Bobby Galaxy, Mr. Melanin (happy birthday!), Del Brown and Najamoniq - will lay down squiggly squeaks, breaky beats, distorted hip-hop samples, wobbling bass lines, clean taps, eerie synthesized keys and some badass soul beginning at 9:30 p.m. - surrounded by projected video and live visuals - at 9:30 p.m. in The New Frontier Lounge. Bonus: The night is dedicated to Monique LeTourneau who's moving to Colorado to do Teach For America.

LINK: Saturday, May 11 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

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News and entertainment from Joint Base Lewis-McChord’s most awesome weekly newspapers - The Ranger, Northwest Airlifter and Weekly Volcano.

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