WEDNESDAY, JAN. 14 2014 >>>

1. At the age of 22, violinist Benjamin Beilman has made a name for himself, winning several major prizes, including first prize at 2010 Montreal International Musical Competition. He is the recipient of both a 2012 Avery Fisher Career Grant and a 2012 London Music Masters Award. His numerous accolades have thrust him onto stages across North America and Europe as a soloist with the Edmonton Symphony, L'Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal; and the Kansas City Symphony as well as the Tonhalle Orchestra in Switzerland. See the phenom perform at 7:30 p.m. in the Washington Center.

2. The "Bohemian Boudoir" opens today at the Museum of Glass. Highlighting more than 40 glass crystal perfume bottles and bedroom accessories, hand-crafted in the Bohemia region of Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic) in the 1920s and 1930s - home to more than 600 companies creating glass items for the boudoir. Objects in the exhibition exemplify the creativity and technical prowess of Czech craftsmen. Doors open at 10 a.m.

3. This second free lecture in a series of symposia focuses on the role of leadership and the importance of international political perspectives in shaping relations between the United States and the Asia-Pacific will go down from 4-6 p.m. at Philip Hall on the University of Washington-Tacoma campus.

4. Charles Goodrich - author of three books of poetry including A Scripture of Crows - will be the feature reader at Olympia Poetry Network's gathering at 6:30 p.m. in Traditions Café. An open mic will precede the featured reader.

5. Lyon Pride will host Hempfest tryouts featuring Amanda Hardy, Twang Junkies, Dumbpop and Under Sin at 8 p.m. in Jazzbones.

LINK: Wednesday, Jan. 14 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

Whether we owe it to Prometheus or the aliens who built the pyramids, somewhere deep in our reptilian brains there is a reflexive sense of awe that gets triggered when we are presented with a list of winners. Operation Homefront today announced the 155 semi-finalists - representing all five service branches - for the 2014 Military Child of the Year Award. This year marks the sixth year Operation Homefront has presented the award, which will be given to one outstanding military child from each branch of Service - Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard - who overcome the challenges presented by deployments and relocations and set an example for others to emulate in their communities through leadship, resilience and a commentment to excellence.

According to Military Child of the Year Award hype," each semi-finalist will be interviewed by Operation Homefront staff, and award recipients will be chosen by a committee including active-duty and retired military personnel, spouses of senior military leaders, veterans service organization leadership, teachers, and community members."

Sure enough, our eyes lit up as we scrolled through the list looking for Washington state awesome kids. Guess what? We found several.

Air Force

• Ronald M. - Age 17 - Spanaway, Wash.
• Soliel S. - Age 17 - Oak Harbor, Wash.

Coast Guard

• Connor B. - Age 14 - Bothell, Wash.
• Mackenzie G. - Age 14 - Ranier, Wash
• Zachary G. - Age 13 - Ranier, Wash.
• Jacy M. - Age 8 - Port Orchard, Wash.

Navy

• Nathan C. - Age 13 - Oak Harbor, Wash. 
• Daniel K. - Age 14 - Lake Stevens, Wash.
• Jasmyn M. - Age 17 - Oak Harbor, Wash.

Yup, shutouts for local Army and Marine Corps.

Winners will be announced in March.

After 10 years, Babblin' Babs Bistro is moving from its 900-square-foot location in Tacoma's Proctor District to a 3,500-square-foot location on Gravelly Lake Drive in Lakewood.

"We're going for a full new look," said chef and co-owner William Mueller. "We'll have state-of-the-art equipment, and we'll be changing up some of the menu."

Some of the bigger changes include a grab-and-go area with lattes, soups, salads and sandwiches, such as the hot ham and brie or West Indie chicken curry sandwich. Mueller said the bistro will also bring in lunchtime entrees with big twists, such as spinach and jicama salad tossed in warm papaya vinaigrette and topped with grilled shrimp, pineapple and pancetta.

"Our concept has always been we don't make anything you would make at home. If you want pancakes, you can just stay home in your fuzzy slippers," said Mueller with a smile in his voice. "We are going to continue to be that place for unique urban eating."

Why the move?

While plans for 28 Proctor Holdings LLC's five story mixed use development was headed for the spot Babblin' Babs once created Bodacious Biscuits, Mueller admits that Babblin' Babs Bistro had outgrown the space, and that he and his wife, Shannon, who runs the business with him, are looking forward to the move.  

"I think being in Lakewood is going to be better for several reasons," Mueller said. "The traffic is heavy; we'll have more visibility and way more fun as a restaurant because we'll actually have staff. We're just excited to be in a city that wants us."

Mueller said the bistro will still serve the best of breakfast and lunch. It will likely stay open later and offer dinner service Friday to Sunday.

Opening date for the new location is still six months out, so Mueller suggests following Babblin' Babs Bistro on Twitter and Facebook for updates and photos.

BABBLIN' BABS BISTRO, 11126 Gravelly Lake Dr, Lakewood, 253.761.9099

See Also

Chef Mueller's line of spices

The mystique of what servicemembers do after deployment is no longer secret. And the activities have nothing to do with playing volleyball in jeans and T-shirts before jetting off in a hot-rod motorcycle to make out with Kelly McGillis.

After traveling over so many time zones, servicemembers just want to sleep. For days.

The Army & Air Force Exchange Service want servicemembers to wake up and smell the deals. The organization is hosting a yearlong Homeward Bound campaign to honor those who serve.

"We understand the hardships and sacrifices military families go through," said the Exchange's Chief of Staff Col. Thomas Ockenfels in a release. "2014 will be a year to celebrate the return of so many. The ‘Homeward Bound' campaign is our way of saying ‘thank you' to service members, and their families, for everything they have done and continue to do."

To kick off the year, shoppers can enter the Ashley Furniture giveaway through Feb. 6. Three winners will receive a room of furniture valued at $1,500 each. To enter, shoppers can "Like" the Exchange on Facebook and follow the contest rules.

Here's hoping a bed is part of the package, and you "Like" it.

This just in...

International superstar, Katy Perry, will kick off the North American leg of her highly anticipatedPRISMATIC WORLD TOUR on June 22^nd in Raleigh, North Carolina.  The 46-city tour is presented by Goldenvoice, a division of AEG Live.   She will be touring in support of PRISM, which debuted at number one on The Billboard 200 and remains in the Top Ten three months after release.  The platinum album has given Katy her biggest ever single with "Roar", while "Dark Horse" just became her lucky 13th Top Ten hit on The Billboard Hot 100.

One of the 46 cities Kay Perry will visit is Tacoma with a Sept. 13 date at the Tacoma Dome. Tickets will range from $20.50 to $118 at Ticketmaster. No word when the tickets will go on sale.

Dear lord, it's another one. A scant two weeks following the release of Paranormal Activity's fifth perfunctory installment, The Marked Ones, a nation finds itself faced with the grim reality that there is yet another limp found footage movie to capitalize on our apparently continued fear of demonic possession. At least, this time around, the title's a pun, which is always more than welcome.

Let's start with that title, since that is surely what the writers did. Oh, how I would've loved to have duct-taped a camera to an oscillating fan for that pitch meeting.

"I don't know, what if it's about a demon baby and we called it Devil's Due?"

"Fred, you're a genius! Get me salmon pages by Monday!"

As for the trailer, well, it's exhausting. That's it. The main feeling I came away with after those two minutes was just pure exhaustion. Boy meets girl, boy films girl, boy never stops filming girl, reviewer wonders how they can ever approach anything even close to a normal life if one half of the couple just never stops filming stuff, girl gets possessed, girl gives birth to wretched freak of nature, blah blah barf.

A big upside to making these chintzy found-footage movies is that you save so much money on production costs that you can afford to do bullshit promotional stunts like setting loose an animatronic devil baby on the streets of New York to needlessly punish passersby for being compassionate. But what kind of assholes would endeavor to do a stupid and mean-spirited thing like that? Only the worst kind of person!

Ah, well, that settles that, I guess.

See Devil's Due in theaters! It's made by people who hate good samaritans and also babies and definitely cinema as an art form and oh why not they probably also think that global warming is a myth!

See Also

A Nerd Alert has been issued for the South Sound

GRAB A CUP & AND READ THE MORINING REPORT FOR 1.15.14 >>>

The Senate Intelligence Committee singled out Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, of exhibiting poor leadership and insufficient planning in their report on the Sept. 2012 attacks on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi.

Lt. Gen. James O. Barclay III, Army G-8, says soldier level could drop to 420,000 by 2019.

The head of the UN body tasked with removing and destroying Syria's chemical arsenal says the process has been slowed down by security concerns.

Even in the darkest, deadliest days of Iraq's War, you'd find people still hopeful it would all work out.

Sustainment costs are eating away at Army aviation and new approaches are needed to rein the costs in.

Thirty-four intercontinental ballistic missile launch officers at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., have been implicated in cheating on the ICBM launch officer proficiency test.

Vice Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. John F. Campbell discusses SHARP and Army restructure.

The office of the secretary of defense has directed the US Navy to limit its overall buy of littoral combat ships to a total of 32 ships, foregoing 20 more of the small, fast and controversial warships.

Former US defense secretary Robert Gates said Britain no longer had the complete spectrum of capabilities, meaning its relationship with the US military was shifting.

The nominations for the 86th Academy Awards were announced this morning, and the snubs were as notable as the honors.

Mathematician calculates how to survive the first 30 minutes of a nuclear war.

It's true, the French really don't care if you cheat on your spouse.

Good news! The original Batman series with Adam West is finally coming to DVD!

Soon we'll be able to stream The Simpsons, but of course there's a catch.

Oh, those kooky Japanese!

THURSDAY, JAN. 16 2014 >>>

1. Dr. Jamie Brooks grew up in Lakewood, graduating from Bellarmine and later from the University of Washington, first in dental hygiene, and later from the school of dentistry. She practiced in Gig Harbor and then in Olympia before deciding with her husband to create a new practice in downtown Tacoma, Brooks Dental Studio, in 2008. Inspired by her aunt, Lisa Kinoshita, Brooks included exhibition space in her sleek, modern office. Today, another artist’s works will grace the space. An open house will be held for Chandler O’Leary's "You’ll Like Tacoma" show from 5-7 p.m.

2. Stanley and Seafort's (115 E. 34th St., Tacoma) offers a three-course meal deal with its popular prime rib in the spotlight accompanied by soup or salad and dessert for $35.95 through the month of January.

3. We can scarcely imagine hiking all day long, day in and day out, for six months. Or four months. Or even a month. This is what "thru-hikers" on the Pacific Crest Trail do, year after year, and have been doing since the trail was conceived by Clinton Churchill Clarke in 1932. They train, plan, pack, practice, and finally hike all 2,663 miles of this trail that extends from California's border with Mexico to the U.S.-Canada border on the edge of Manning Park in British Columbia. Tahoma Audubon Society's first program of the year will be a free presentation by Gus and Elena Wimberger about their adventures while hiking the length of the Pacific Crest Trail this past year at 7 p.m. in the Tacoma Nature Center.

4. "Tell It Like It Tiz!" is an anthology of comics and stories created by elders at the Marie Smith Center (MSC), an adult day center in North Portland, Oregon that serves seniors who are functionally or cognitively impaired. Portland writers and illustrators Nicole J. Georges and Marc Parker will read from and talk about the book at the Olympia Timberland Library from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m.

5. Every Thursday night at Puget Sound Pizza, the Volcano's music critic Rev. Adam McKinney hosts a karaoke session showcasing a Tarantino-like mix of downtown denizens seriously singing Bill Withers and glasses-wearing gals squawking out punk rawk, plus appearances by local rock stars, beginning at 9 p.m.

LINK: Thursday, Jan. 16 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

Ready for some football this weekend? The USO Northwest is ... and its also ready to host a Seattle Seahawks viewing party for Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldiers, airmen and families who want to watch the local team take on the San Francisco 49ers for the NFC Championship.

"We have a great relationship with the Seattle Seahawks, you could say we're each other's 12th Man. The USO Northwest is proud to cheer them on in this playoff game and we look forward to sharing our 12th Man spirit with those who come to our viewing party," said Meaghan Cox, USONW Communications and IT lead.

Admission is free and there will be food and drinks available throughout the game at no cost. The Seahawks and 49ers rivalry will be showcased on all three large televisions and there will also be a raffle each quarter, giving away prizes like iTunes gift cards, Halo Reach games for XBOX 360 and other DVDs.

The party will start 30 minutes before kick off at 3 p.m. Sunday in The Shali Center, which is in Building 1183, next to the passenger terminal, on McChord Field.

Former U.S. Secretary of Defense and 2011 Liberty Medal recipient Robert M. Gates has been all over the news. His latest book, Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War - a strikingly candid account of his experience serving as secretary of state under both President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama - has been causing a stir. After some contents of "Duty" were reported last week, the media used the words "bombshell" and "White House betrayal."

Today, Gates said Britain's defense spending cuts could limit its ability to be a full partner with the United States in military operations.

What will he say next?

You could hear it first hand when Gates speaks at the Seattle Town Hall Series Feb. 13 in the Great Hall. The former head of the Pentagon will discuss how he juggled multiple wars abroad, as well as the political realities at home. His talk also will focus on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, national security, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and the mission to capture and kill Osama Bin Laden.

ROBERT GATES TOWN HALL, Thursday, Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m., Great Hall, 1119 Eighth Avenue, Seattle, $5, 206.652.4255