MONDAY, NOV. 25 2013 >>>

1. Monday is typically a black hole for nightlife. Sure, if you run a sports bar, you'll do well during football season, but for most eating and drinking establishments, it's just dead, dead, dead. The folks at The Swiss seem to have found a solution and, oddly enough, it's one that has been the bane of many other venues: live music. Since the beginning of time, The Swiss has hosted live blues every Monday. Factor in the free pool on Mondays and now Tuesdays are a black hole for you. The Crazy Texas Gypsies will be in the house this week. Founded in 1999 by vocalist and guitarist Kenny Williams and bass player and vocalist Kevin Fraser, this rockin' blues band has opened for ZZ TOP, Ted Nugent, Kenny Wayne Sheppard, The Ford Brothers and many others. With the addition of drummer Billy Barner and keyboardist Doug Skoog in 2012, the band is crazy good.

2. How do you escape the pressures of the holidays, like, really quick? Bundle up, drop your packages in the trunk, pinch your cheeks until they glow and strap on a pair of silver skates, Hans Brinker, for a glide across the frozen expanse at Tollefson Plaza. The Franciscan Polar Plaza, located on the corner of Pacific Avenue and South 17th Street. The covered outdoor rink is about half the size of a hockey rink. It will have real ice and hold about 150 skaters at a time. It's open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

3. Holy Midnight Express! It's a Turkish night at the Acme Grub Cage as the Tacoma Cult Movie Club rolls in at 7 p.m. Tonight, it's more Turkey for the money (free) for this pre-Thanksgiving holiday celebration as the TCMC indulges in movies from Turkey, including the Turkish Star Wars. As always, admission and popcorn are free. Don't forget it's 21+ only, and make sure you indulge in those great drinks and the fabulous raffle drawing.

4. New York Times bestselling author Captain Luis Carlos Montalvan, with his service dog "Tuesday," will give a talk and sign copies of his book, Until Tuesday: a Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever who Saved Him, at 8:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 25 at the Olympia Timberland Library. Montalvan is a 17-year veteran and former captain in the U.S. Army, where he was awarded the Combat Action Badge, two Bronze Stars, the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal for Valor. Books will be available for purchase from the nonprofit organization, Northwest Battle Buddies. The library is at 313 Eighth Ave. SE in Olympia.

5. Every Monday at 9 p.m. Jazzbones is packed to the brim with college kids. Party types. The type that wear tight shirts and trucker hats. Throngs of Chad Fratguys and Sarah Sororitysisters swarm the bar, line up for the bathroom and dance to the Rockaraoke - live band karaoke. The Rockaraoke band is skilled, too. Expect $2 PBR drafts, $3 Sinfire shots, $4 Smirnoff flavor vodka bombs and a lot of students home for the holiday.

PLUS: Holiday Events Calendar

PLUS: South Sound Holiday Command Center

LINK: Monday, Nov. 25 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area