Near the intersection of Union and Center Street is one of the best lunch deals in town. Open since early April, The Melon Seed Deli & Frozen Yogurt has sandwiches, salads, homemade soups, frozen yogurt and more, all at prices that made me do a double-take.

No pre-made, soggy sandwiches and wilted salads here.  At The Melon Seed, expectations are exceeded with fresh, local produce, and items made to order. On a recent visit, their pastrami sliders ($4.95/two, $5.95/three), were a delightful melody of hot pastrami, mustard and pickles on toasted Tacoma-made Baker Boys rolls. The premium salad ($3.95) is an entrée-sized serving with your choice of up to five toppings, including deli meats, cheeses and vegetables. The spring mix was crisp, and toppings plentiful, all for no more the cost of a latte.

Unlike other local frozen yogurt shops, The Melon Seed prices theirs by size, and not by weight. A small with toppings will set you back a mere $2.95, all the way up to a large with toppings for $4.95. The deli's friendly staff and colorful, fun interior are a bonus.

MELON SEED DELI, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 3807 S. Center St., Suite D, Tacoma, 253.279.0029

When we think of art, we think of many things. Art brings us emotion, thoughts and ideas, appreciation and imagination. However, one of the most important things art can do is to create connections between people and bring an entire community together - particularly in the spirit of support and love.  

In the South Puget Sound, there's an opportunity to participate in this very type of an art project while welcoming our Servicemembers back from serving overseas.

Sunday, Sept. 15, the city of Lakewood - in cooperation with the 4-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT), the Lakewood subchapter of the Association of the Unites States Army and a host of community partners - will throw a Raiders Welcome Home Celebration and parade for the 4-2 SBCT after its 9-month deployment to Afghanistan.

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As if the Dockyard Derby Dames' matches weren't frenetic enough already, the Dames will be switching up their teams for Bout 4 Saturday, June 1 for what is likely to be one of their craziest games ever. Abandoning their usual uniforms for a night, the Femme Fianna and The Trampires will be all mixed up and instead adorned as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles facing off against Smurfs. The Hellbound Homewreckers and Marauding Mollys are going to be shaking their teams up too, but with a bit of a twist; they're going to let two DYDD super fans pick the teams.

The Dames have set up a post on their Facebook page where fans can comment their monetary bids, and the top two bidders will get to pick their teams out of both the Homewreckers and Mollys like kids picking kickball teams on the playground. The top bidders will even get to co-captain their teams with an official captain of their choice.

All this chaos will be happening at Rollin' 253, a relatively small first time arena for the Dames, which will surely add some extra intimacy and lunacy to the atmosphere.

Tickets are $12 for general admission and $25 for awesome VIP privileges. The doors open at 5 p.m., and the Dames start rolling at 6. If you consider yourself a true fan of the Dames, you should definitely consider bidding at www.facebook.com/dockyardderbydames or emailing your bid to bratcapone187@gmail.com.

DOCKYARD DERBY DAMES SEASON 7, BOUT 4, 6 p.m. Saturday, June 1, Rollin' 253, 2101 W. Mildred St., Tacoma, $12-$25, 253.292.2324

WEDNESDAY, MAY 29 2013 >>>

1. The Grand Cinema teaches science in a different way: First it secures a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the Coolidge Corner Theatre Foundation to pair films with lessons in science. Next, it invites notable figures from the world of science, technology and medicine to give introduction lessons using those long pointer sticks to tap the screen while nodding their heads. Each film is used as a jumping off point for the speaker to reveal current scientific research or technological advances, providing the perfect combination of entertainment and enlightenment - even for the most science-phobic culture vulture. Then, of course, everyone watches the film, paying close attention to key factor brought to light by the big brains before the screening. Science on Screen kicks off at 6:45 p.m. with Dr. Jim Gawel, professor of Environmental Engineering and Environmental Chemistry at the University of Washington Tacoma, who will discuss how the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens completely changed the ecosystem and chemistry of Spirit Lake. Afterward, he'll grab some popcorn and watch Alien with the audience. Read Pappi Swarner's full feature on Science on Screen in Northwest Military's Music & Culture section.

2. Pierce College Theatre blasts off on a rock-and-roll flight to Return to the Forbidden Planet, a family-friendly musical that tells the story of mad scientist Doctor Prospero who unknowingly jettisoned into space with his infant daughter, crashes into D’Illyria, the Forbidden Planet, and the adventure begins. The play features a 35-member cast of Pierce students and community members, a live band and professionally designed costumes - at 7 p.m. on its Fort Steilacoom campus.

3. Weekly Volcano readers voted the Top of Tacoma Bar and Cafe the best bar in Tacoma. This was due in no small part to its well drink Wednesdays. Two dollar well drinks after 7 p.m. Are you kidding? That's, like, riding the train to funkytown for only eight bucks. Yes, please. The kitchen stays open to midnight. Choo, choooo!

4. Champagne Sunday brings its powerful, honest, edgy and refreshingly original rock music to Cork Wine Bar at 8 p.m.

5. Play bingo with those not just killing time before the Grim Reaper calls their number. At 9 p.m. in 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?).

LINK: Wednesday, May 29 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

Paint Tacoma-Pierce Beautiful, an organization devoted to repainting the houses of low-income homeowners, is currently recruiting a merry band of volunteers to repaint houses this summer. The organization will be recruiting more than 1,000 volunteers from in and around the Pierce County area; high schools, service groups and neighborhood councils are invited to volunteer. Donation-funded food and barbeques will be available to all volunteers.

"Volunteers may sign up for as little as a one day shift or multiple days," says Megan Shea, the community mobilization specialist with Associated Ministries, PTPB's sponsoring agency. "We only require that they be at least 16 years old and have a desire to paint."

In particular, the organization is short on homeowner applicants from Lakewood, and urges Lakewood homeowners whose houses are in need of a paint job and whose incomes fit the requirements displayed at www.paintbeautiful.org to complete a homeowner application. Despite claims of already-passed deadlines on the website, the deadline for homeowner applications has been extended until the organization has a sufficient number of definite eligible homeowner applicants. Homeowners who apply for the service and are selected will be allowed to choose the color of their house.

PTPB wants to implore all those with generous, charitable souls out there to visit their website and fill out either a crew or an individual application. Crew leaders will be chosen once volunteers are broken up into groups. A volunteer orientation will be taking place 5:30-7:30 p.m. Monday, June 10.

For anyone who is unable to participate personally but still wishes to contribute to the cause, donations can be sent directly to Amy Alison at Associated Ministries or www.paintbeautiful.org. Any additional application information will be on that website.

For those of you who cut off traffic at the sight of a garage sale sign, who lurk up to a yard sale at 7:55 a.m. when the sign clearly says 8 a.m. and who get sweaty palms at the prospect of an estate sale, this blog post is for you.

Here's a look at upcoming sales in the South Sound:

Flea Market of Thurston County: Falling on the third full weekend of every month from January to June, then again in October and November, this flea market has a modest but plentiful 30-plus vendors with typical flea market fair. Antiques and collectibles, furniture, books, crafts, garden accessories, architectural salvage, hobbies, jewelry, sporting goods, stamps, coins, tools, toys and used merchandise are ripe for the picking. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 22, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday June 23, Thurston County Fairgrounds, 3054 Carpenter Road in S.E., Olympia

Lewis County Fairgrounds Community Garage Sale: Head just south of Thurston County and have access to more than 200 vendors at this sale. From hard to find electronics to quirky antiques, Lewis County is know for its colorful characters - sometimes you gotta go a little off the beaten path to score the goods. Saturday, June 1, 2555 N. National Ave., Chehalis

Lacey Community Market: Every second Saturday during July, August and September, kick the treasure hunting up a notch by attending this market that not only features the usual ware, but also incorporates market goods like food vendors, honey makers, smoked salmon and homemade gifts. More than 80 vendors pack into Huntamer Park. Live music is also part of the fun. July 13, Aug. 10 and Sept. 14, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., College Street and Seventh Avenue, Lacey

Funky Junk Sisters: Voted "Top Traveling Vintage Market" in the United States by Flea Market Style magazine, these two sisters bring their fun and kitschy collection back to the Puyallup Fairgrounds. Friday and Saturday, June 21 and 22. 110 9th Ave., Puyallup

Happy hunting!

Ed. Note: The Weekly Volcano sent Olympian Red Williamson of newspinphoto.com to Sasquatch! Festival 2013. For four days in a row he submitted amazing photos from the festival. Williamson brought his wife, Rachel, and friend, Matt Guile, along. Rachel files the report below on the final day of the festival, Monday, May 27, from The Gorge.

We are wrapping up day four of our incredible weekend at Sasquatch 2013, and we're coming home feeling a little wiser. We've learned a few things - people will actually buy $3 water and $9 chicken strips, honey buckets are not full of honey and rainy skies won't deter passionate people away from a kickass music festival.

Newspin Photo team member Matt Guile summed up the Sasquatch experience nicely. "It's the epitome of mixing business and pleasure," he said. "At the best of times, work is euphoric; at the worst, you are lost in a sea of fans, artists, security guards and sun - but you are here."

Well, in our case today, the rain was pouring down without mercy. Fans around us found comfort in hot food and warm hoodies, and were packed like sardines underneath covered spaces. Our team felt grateful to spend the morning diligently working, sheltered from the rain in the media area - a space at Sasquatch that has begun to feel like our home away from home.

>>> Barr Brothers fans, photo credit: Red Williamson/Newspin Photo

>>> Wet crowd, photo credit: Red Williamson/Newspin Photo

>>> P.O.S., photo credit: Red Williamson/Newspin Photo

The afternoon arrived, and we made our way over to our first show - an energetic hip-hop set with live instrumentation. Nissim (formerly D.Black) wears a cap that, like his changed name, reflects his new journey as an Orthodox Jew, "to make music that inspires and elevates this world."

We wandered over to the Honda Bigfoot stage to see spunky, electro-pop band CHVRCHES first, then P.O.S, who really inspired us with the way he pumped up the crowd. His energy made us forget about the rain for a while with lyrics like, "This is for everybody who carries the world's weight, but stands up straight."

We were impressed again by Elliott Brood, three guys and a bunch of instruments who use music to tell historic, century-old stories. Dirty Projectors rocked us with its incredible arrangements and the duo ODESZA's live show did not disappoint the excited fans. While waiting for its sound to get sorted out, The Barr Brothers, called "the best live band in Montreal," showed their personalities by drinking and smoking cigarettes on the Yeti stage. Band members were creative with many different instruments; one moment that stood out to us was when three band members played guitar together, using a string!

>>> Barr Brothers, photo credit: Red Williamson/Newspin Photo

>>> Death Grips, photo credit: Red Williamson/Newspin Photo

>>> Elliott Brood, photo credit: Red Williamson/Newspin Photo

Theoretics' high energy, funky hip-hop show really came to life with a full band, and Death Grips' performance was rowdy and off-the-wall. As the set started, the microphone was having problems, and rapper MC Ride suddenly threw it on the ground and left the stage! For a moment the crowd wondered if he would come back; luckily for us, he did, and Death Grips put on an incredible show. Imagine Dragons headlined over on the Sasquatch stage, and rocked a sopping wet crowd full of colorful ponchos and garbage bags. Lead rocker Dan Reynolds thanked the crowd at the end of the show and said with pride and gratitude, "this might be the best festival we've ever played."

Portland duo Menomena stood out to us right away with its smooth saxophone skills, insane rhythms and personal lyrics. The crowd size over at Grieves was the largest we had seen all weekend. Grieves apologized about "hiding under a rock for a while," saying, "I had to get some shit together." The audience met him with enthusiastic approval as he started his first song. Twin Shadow brought the electric, 80s power pop and put on a swanky, lively show. Unfortunately, we left for our 4-hour drive home, back toward reality, work and responsibilities, and had to miss out on late night shows like The Lumineers and The Postal Service. However, what we heard from our sources back at The Gorge confirmed what we suspected. As we've seen so many times, the music is alive at Sasquatch 2013, and even a rainy day can't cloud our good times.

>>> Grieves, photo credit: Red Williamson/Newspin Photo

>>> Nissim, photo credit: Red Williamson/Newspin Photo

>>> Twin Shadow, photo credit: Red Williamson/Newspin Photo

Team Newpin saved one of its favorite Sasquatch interviews for last; we were excited for the opportunity to chat with P.O.S., and we found it fitting when he said, "One thing that festivals teach you is that there's room for everybody."

Yes, truly there has been room for all walks of life and all forms of expression here at Sasquatch Music Festival. Many things can't compare with this special and beautiful way that good music has the power to bring humanity together.

LINK: Many more photos from the final day of Sasquatch Festival 2013

LINK: Words and photos from Sasquatch! Festival 2013, Day Three

LINK: Words and photos from Sasquatch! Festival 2013, Day Two

LINK: Words and photos from Sasquatch! Festival 2013 Day One

THURSDAY, MAY 30 2013 >>>

1. When we learned the Sweeteners are residents of Aberdeen via Anchorage, it made total sense. Their grunge-tinged garage rock is so distinctly reminiscent of these grey, blue-collar towns - the same towns that birthed guitar-worshiping notables such as Nirvana and Modest Mouse (not to get into tricky comparisons, here). While the Sweeteners aren't as idiosyncratic as those bands, they have a certain odd swagger that accompanies their whining guitars and stuttering drums. Catch them at 10 p.m. in Le Voyeur.

2. Think running and drinking don't mix unless there's a K-9 unit involved? Not true. The Tacoma Runners - a group of T-Town pavement pounders - meet every Thursday for a 3-mile loop at a "social pace" at one of Tacoma's favorite watering holes. Tonight at 6:30 p.m. the starting and finishing line will be Terry's Office Tavern. Get to work. 

3. Death By Stars guitarist Patrick Galactic hosts karaoke at 9 p.m. every Thursday at The New Frontier Lounge. This is what Galactic has to say on the karaoke's Facebook event page: "With our virgin voyage officially in the can, we are ready to get SERIOUSLY sexy this week. Can YOU, Tacoman, gentleman/lady, person of interest, rise to the calling?! WILL YOU find it within yourself to take the leap that mere mortals cannot even contemplate? WILL YOU take the Galactic challenge?! I hope so. But more importantly, I hope you hope so too. I really hope you hope you do." Hope is good.

4. 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. Check out OlyBlues Dance at 9 p.m. inside the Eagles Ballroom.

5. The always entertaining Billy Stoops hosts an open jam at Stonegate Pizza tonight. Start your weekend a wee-bit early with a trip down to South Tacoma Way.

LINK: Thursday, May 30 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

Who says that the city to the north has all the baseball action? Right here in our own backyard, the Tacoma Rainiers AAA Baseball Club offers thrilling baseball and family fun at Tacoma's newly renovated Cheney Stadium.

With that in mind, it's not too late to get in on a special Tacoma Rainiers event for the military community. Sunday, June 9, 2013, the Tacoma Rainiers will pay tribute to servicemembers during their special "Salute to Armed Forces Day" game. All active duty, Guard and reserves, retired military, DoD, and their family members will have access to specially priced ticket packages for the 1:30 p.m. game. The $8 package includes a reserved seat and meal and the $14 package includes a reserved seat, meal and limited addition Tacoma Rainiers Camo cap. In addition, Rainier's players and coaches will be donning special military-themed uniforms when the club takes on the Las Vegas 51s. After the game there will be live post-game jersey auction benefiting the USO Northwest.

While this game is nearly sold out, the good news is that there are limited tickets still available, so don't delay. To purchase tickets and redeem the offer, visit www.tacomarainiers.com/armedforces and use the promo code MILITARY to qualify for the special discounted options made available exclusively to the military community on this game only.

NASCAR lovers and car enthusiasts near and far, rev up your engines because there's a special event motoring into town that can't be missed. LeMay - America's Car Museum in downtown Tacoma is honored to play host to the "Legends of Motorsports: The NASCAR Story Exhibit." Be one of the first to get in on the action at the general public opening 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, on June 2.

In addition to the nine-acre museum campus that boasts four floors of museum space with thousands of vehicles and artifacts, LeMay is thrilled to bring the new exhibit into the fold.

"We are really looking forward to this," shares Scot Keller, chief of marketing and communications officer for the museum. "This is the largest and most ambitious exhibit that we've done at the museum so far."

And while the exhibit is sure to satisfy the most rabid NASCAR fan, it also provides interest, imagination and history to everyone.

The exhibit begins with NASCAR creator and visionary Bill France Sr. who formed the organization in 1948. After learning about NASCAR's roots, the exhibit highlights and pays homage to the early and modern NASCAR drivers, and other NASCAR history and details.

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