WEDNESDAY, JULY 17 2013 >>>
1. For those with more savory-driven palates, dessert sometimes arrives as an afterthought - something sweet only enjoyed if there's room. But today, downtown Tacoma's collective sweet tooth pulls culinary confections front and center to indulge in a tour of the utmost decadent treat: the Sugar Walk. See the sweet side of Tacoma by joining Downtown On the Go for a 1.1 mile walk, sponsored by TWOKOI Japanese Cuisine, beginning in Tollefson Plaza at 17th and Pacific, and head to the Dome District, with a ride back on the Link. Participants will learn about Tacoma's rich history in candy making from historian and author Ron Magden. Along the route, participants will also be able to sample some of Tacoma's finest candies and baked goods. The walk event is free and there is no need to pre-register, simply show up at noon.
2. While it's easy to quantify Oly as just a hippie, college town - that's only partially true. A large portion of the population is proudly blue-collar. The most amazing part of all of this is the two demographics - shoeless hippies and hardworking grunts - come together every year for Lakefair, meshing farmer tans with hacky sacks, and creating a fairly unique event disguised as just another summer festival. Think carnies, cotton candy, live music, volleyball, fireworks and all the usual trappings - Olympia style. It runs from noon to 10 p.m. around Capital Lake and Heritage Park, Fifth and Water Street, in downtown Olympia.
3. When William Friedkin submitted his controversial thriller Cruising to the MPAA in 1980, the board demanded that he cut 40 minutes of footage if he wanted to avoid an X rating. The director reluctantly snipped, the film was released with an R rating, and the rest, as some might say, was history. Enter James Franco and documentarian Travis Matthews, who've decided to recreate what they think said footage might have looked like - and the result, Interior: Leather Bar. Despite its billing, there's only 10 minutes or so of footage that takes place inside the bar, and if you're looking for gay porn, you'll find it here, at 6:45 p.m., in The Grand Cinema.
4. You've heard it many times: Practice makes perfect. Doyle's Public House in Tacoma's Stadium District lives by this adage. Every 17th of the month, the watering hole hosts St. Practice Day, a trail run at its annual, massive St. Patrick's Day party. It's a warm-up, if you will. Naturally, rebellious Celtic band Bog Hoppers will provide the soundtrack. Practice starts at 8 p.m. Don't be late or the coach will yell at you.
5. Saxophonist Kareem Kandi's sound 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 to Dawson's Bar & Grill's new Wednesday jazz night at 8 p.m.
LINK: Wednesday, July 17 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area
