TUESDAY, DEC. 18 2012 >>>

1. There isn't a need to bring dessert to your favorite Tacoma City Councilmember today. During tonight's Tacoma City Council meeting, at 5 p.m., Dec. 18 will be declared Brown & Haley Roca Buttercrunch Day in celebration of the Tacoma company's 100 years in business. That's right, The Tacoma confectioner - home to the Roca family and the Mountain Bar - celebrates its centenary this year. Brown & Haley produces, solely in America, more than 2 million pieces of Roca buttercrunch each day and ships this "made in Tacoma" treat all over the world." 

2. Spanaway has some similarities with Texas. For one, Spanaway likes to go big - in the drive-thru line, and when it comes to holiday light displays. In its wattage-chowing 18th year, Fantasy Lights offers oohers and ahhers a night of blinking and glowing bliss from 5:30-9 p.m. The two and a quarter mile long parade of lit-up scenery has its own peculiar sense of majesty, and it goes without saying that it's the perfect treat for a family to soak up the holiday spirit.

3. Usually when you go to the casino you just lose money - but tonight could be different. Danny Vernon's Illusions of Elvis will be at the Red Wind Casino this evening. Travel out to Yelm and have a great time with the King's likeness, starting at 6:30 p.m.

4. The Fighting Ground by the award-winning author Avi has been banned in many school districts. The book chronicles a 24-hour period in the life of a 13-year-old boy during the Revolutionary War. Parents complain the book, which was written in 1984, included several profanities uttered by some soldiers. Avi has won the Newberry Medal, one of the most prestigious honors in children's literature. Tacoma's Banned Book Club will discuss the book at 7 p.m. inside King's Books.

5. The Christmas Revels is a show, a Puget Sound tradition, a high-spirited, silly and serious, variety show that takes on Christmas in a way unique to other holiday performances.  The Revels combine folk traditions and a bit of historical appeal with choirs and community performances, dance and drama. It hits the Rialto Theater's stage at 7:30 p.m.

LINK: Tuesday, Dec. 18 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

BOOK RELEASE >>>

What story were you told about how babies are born?

This is the question local author Rebecca McCarthy posted on her Facebook page to facilitate a conversation about sex. 

"Out of the mother's tummy, I was puzzled how I got there."

"From a seed of some type."

"The cabbage patch."

"Mom and dad rolled around naked and tickled each other."

"The stork."

These are some of the answers, and a few of the many reasons McCarthy wrote her new book, Writing the Diaphragm Blues & other Sexual Cacophonies. 

McCarthy has organized an online launch party for her book Wednesday, Dec. 12 at noon. Yes, 12-12-12 at 12 p.m. The online launch includes a Google hangout, live streamline from Youtube and Facebook.

There are no barriers on who can be there," she says. "From Mississippi to Japan, all areas can participate."

Choosing to do an online launch is significant to McCarthy because she feels like it's a safe place for people to say what they want. 

"To use social media at that moment in time is important," she says. "We're usually talked at, or we react. It allows woman to talk about these things without feeling unabashed. It's a resource."

The book rolls humor, playwriting, sophistication and science into an accessible book for everyone.

"You can't speak for all woman," says McCarthy, "but can speak about your own experiences and open the door for other woman to speak about theirs."

Rebecca McCarthy is a writer, educator, artist and roller derby skater with Tacoma's Toxic 253 League. She holds a PhD in Comparative Studies from Florida Atlantic University. Her published works include the influential Origins of the Magdalene Laundries: An Analytical History (2010), which traces women's plight in the laundries from the Middle Ages to modernity.

You can also add author of a compelling perspective on modern sexuality.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 28 2012 >>>

1. No one knows for sure when the first Paleolithic cave-dweller stuck a wholly mammoths tail in crushed-up berries and began painting stick figures on the wall of his rocky abode, but you can bet the market value of the neighboring caves instantly went up. Nothing gentrifies a neighborhood, for better or worse, like the addition of a group of freewheelin' artists. Join Arts Leadership Lab from 6-8 p.m. at The New Frontier Lounge for a panel discussion and question and answer time exploring what live/work space is, some of the issues and benefits related to artist live/work spaces, how it can be done sustainably and affordably, ways to use/reuse Tacoma's current architectural assets, and other related topics. Want to inject a little life into your urban blight? Bring in a bunch of artists.

The Weekly Volcano bets the men out there are happy the Victorian Country Christmas opens this morning at 10:30 a.m. We're sure the reminders from the better halves have been tiresome that the largest Christmas festival in the Pacific Northwest was coming up. By the way, if guys are forced to watch the Red Hat Day fashion show Thursday, and sit through the Cinderella Scholarship Pageant Showcase, the show organizers could at least provide a few amenities. The Weekly Volcano's official recommendation is a keg every 15 feet, just to keep up morale. And if alcohol is deemed too negative an influence on children, how about the strolling carolers dressed a little more like Victoria's Secret models?

3. Parents and Friends for Tacoma Public Schools will meet at 6:30 p.m. inside King's Books. The meeting's agenda will include a review of election results and how they may impact education, explore areas of interest to form committees and learn more about the Tacoma Public Schools' Bond campaign.

4. The University of Puget Sound will host an open figure drawing session from 6-9 p.m. in Kittredge Hall 201.  The session is free and open to the public. 

5. Author Aaron Dixon will discuss his new book, My People Are Rising: Memoir of a Black Panther Party Captain at 6 p.m. inside Orca Books. Dixon dedicated his life to the struggle for change, founding the Seattle chapter of the Black Panther Party in 1968 at age 19.

LINK: Wednesday, Nov. 28 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

BEAN THERE, DONE THAT >>>

Northwesterners love coffee as much as Sasquatch, flannel and karaoke. In fact, Coffee houses in the Pacific Northwest are as omnipresent as slot machines are in Vegas. They line the streets vying for your attention. They beckon you to sip its brews, utilize its Wi-Fi and commune with friends and associates. Many Northwesterners opt for a mega-chain stop due to its overwhelming convenience. Others believe chains are too cookie-cutter and "normal." They opt for the independently owned variety with lots of TLC and personal touches poured into the setting, local art, cozy ambiance and hip entertainment - interesting enough to observe once you drink your coffee.

Artist Marsha Glaziere muses on the latter in her book, Eclectic Coffee Spots in Puget Sound: Paintings, Photographs, Musings, Recipes. The book beautifully captures Pacific Northwest coffee shops with paintings and prose inspired by her coffee house visits over a four-year period.

Friday Nov. 30, Glaziere will be visiting one of our favorite local coffee shops, A Rhapsody in Bloom Florist and Café Latte on Sixth Avenue, to sign her book and chat coffee.

The book includes paintings of the Olympia Roasting Company in Olympia and Tully's Coffee in the historic Bostwick building in downtown Tacoma.

A coffee table book may be just the inspiration you need to revisit old favorites or discover new roasted bean potions. Or, it's an awesome gift for the holidays.

RHAPSODY IN BLOOM FLORIST AND CAFÉ LATTE, FRIDAY, NOV. 30, 5-9 P.M., FREE ADMISSION, 3709 SIXTH AVE., TACOMA, 253.761.7673

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TRUTH IS STRANGER THAN FICTION >>>

The worlds of comic books and music sometimes merge together, and there have been a few bands and artists through the years that have often had their own comic book or comic series, such as KISS, Megadeth, Static-X, Eninem and C.F.A.

C.F.A.?

Yup, the Tacoma rock band and Ripple Music recording artist Cody Foster Army has a 42-page, independently released comic book chronicling the band's superhero alter ego and its exploits in the City of Destiny titled Cody Foster Army and the Smelter's Curse. Penned and illustrated by fellow musician Potter — who performed in the '90s band Poppa Wheelie with C.F.A. bassist/singer Cody Foster - captures the band on a comedic sci-fi superhero adventure through destruction where bravery and overcoming selfishness is its only hope for survival.

Tacoma artist and author Potter will lead the band through two more adventures down the road.

Cody Foster Army and the Smelter's Curse is available for the Android and iPad at Indy Planet Digital. Indy Planet also offers a print version. 

A number of limited edition, signed and numbered copies are available through the band or at Rocket Records, Poison Apple and Peterson Bros. 1111 in Tacoma.

TUESDAY, NOV. 20, 2012 >>>

1. It's Tuesday and that means The Grand Cinema unleashes another special film as part of its Tuesday Film Series. Today at 2:15 and 6:50 p.m. The Grand will screen Stars In Shorts, a collection of short films featuring famous faces, including Judi Dench, Kenneth Branagh, Colin Firth, Keira Knightley, Julia Stiles, and Lily Tomlin.

2. Yea, like you're going to have an arts month and not include one of the longest running open mics in the state. Art at Work Month continues in Tacoma. And the celebration shines a spotlight on the Victory Music Open Mic, which pulls out the microphones from 7-10 p.m. inside the Antique Sandwich Company.

3. A principled lawyer who defends both a black man against trumped-up rape charges and his children against the evils of prejudice in the Depression-era South. Sounds like a read right up the Banned Book Club's alley. The club will discuss To Kill a Mockingbird at 7 p.m. inside King's Books.

4. With a 90-minute set featuring around 20 of Diamond's hits – ranging from his early work for television shows, such as The Monkees ("I'm A Believer") to songs from his movie "The Jazz Singer" – Neil Diamond tribute band The Diamond Experience will rock the Red Wind Casino from 6:30-9:30 p.m.

5. Pretty Old take cues from the delicately driving and melancholy pride of bands like the National as well as the spark and verve of punkier groups like the Weakerthans and Jawbreaker - from whom Pretty Old derived their name. The Seattle three-piece is one that was clearly raised on punk, yet remains comfortable to bust out a sadly shuffling ballad or two. Catch the band at 10 p.m. inside Le Voyeur.

LINK: Tuesday, Nov. 20 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

MONDAY, NOV. 19, 2012 >>>

1. Author Jamie Ford will drop by the Tacoma Public Library's Olympic Room at 7 p.m. to explain why he didn't follow his great grandfather into the Nevada mining business but rather decided to write awesome books about commitment and enduring hope, such as his debut book, The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.

2. In September, roughians busted into Olympia's all-ages music venue Northern and stole a mess load of equipment. QB, also known as the awesome Quality Burrito, will donate a portion of its food sales today to Northern. Go eat in the name of music.

3. Artist Victoria Bjorklund has her Modern Relics vintage photograph show hanging at The Swiss in Tacoma. It's bitchin' cool.

4. Minilla Smiles - which is saxophonist John Croakin, drummer Jeff Busch, guitarist Phil Lawson and bassist Steven Luceno - will perform the music of Hermeto Pascoal, Jobim, Guinga, Edu Lobo and other Brazilian musicians at 8 p.m. inside Olympia's Royal Lounge.

5. For those who haven't attended DJ Melodica's Monday Showcase at Magoo's, it's basically a way to ease into the week, nibble on $2 hot dogs and sip $3 pints, and enjoy the best in classic punk and garage rock, as well as the latest indie tunes, spun by Melodica and his guest DJs. Tonight at 9 p.m. the guest DJs come in the form of DJ Wiggle Sass and DJ Meow Mixx.

LINK: Monday, Nov. 19 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

FUTURE THINGS ARE COMING >>>

The equation is simple. Tacoma is for Lovers is a community group dedicated to presenting artists craft fairs to promote and appreciate our awesome local artists. King's Books is an awesome local bookstore that loves to host local arts events. Together, they will combine their artsy prowess to produce the Tacoma is for Lovers Craft Fair this weekend. The fair will feature arts and crafts spanning from jewelry to letterpress prints and beyond.

"I love and rely on the Tacoma is for Lovers Artist Craft Fair - not only does it jumpstart my holiday shopping and help me discover all sorts of amazing locally crafted goods, but I have also made friends and found new artists who are doing incredible work in Tacoma," says co-founder Katy Evans, who also coordinates the Tacoma Cash Mob.

Speaking of the Cash Mob, King's Books' website has a cash mob on its events calendar ... meeting nearby ... Nov. 17 ... at 1 p.m. Curious.

"There MAY be something different this year and it MAY be related to the Tacoma Cash Mob occurring at 1 p.m.," says Evans. "The cash mob is meeting across the street in the Rainier Room in the Landmark Convention Center. That's some suspicious proximity!"

In addition to an entirely theoretical cash mob that you could theoretically join, the Tacoma is for Lovers Artist Craft Fair welcomes new artists such as Chick Knigge, Tracie Bonjour and Little Green Cards. Fingerprint Confections will also be at the fair. Fingerprint Confections created the original Caramel Loves handmade caramels, and now offers bacon, lavender, coconut, sea salt and gingerbread caramels.

KING'S BOOKS, SATURDAY, NOV. 17-SUNDAY, NOV. 18, 11 A.M. TO 4 P.M., 218 SAINT HELENS AVE., TACOMA, 253.272.8801

LINK: More events this weekend in the South Sound

FRIDAY, NOV. 16, 2012 >>>

1. As vocalist, lead guitarist and songwriter for Tacoma's Goldfinch, Aaron Stevens knows all too well the challenges of finding venues in Tacoma that serve the needs not only of musicians, but of the listener. It is Stevens' hope that Cathedrals will raise the bar for Tacoma's musical experience, nurturing the city's vibrant, but sometimes underappreciated music scene and drawing to Tacoma musicians that have found success in bigger markets. Tonight at 7:30 p.m., the historic walls of Tacoma's Immanuel Presbyterian Church will be filled with some very fresh sounds. Indie groups Drew Grow and the Pastors' Wives, Goldfinch and Pollens make up the impressive line-up for Cathedrals Tacoma: Part Three. 

2. Seattle poet and filmmaker Rose McAleese will be performing selections from her new book, Strong. Female. Character, at 7 p.m. inside Orca Books in Olympia. McAleese is a rising star in the Northwest slam poetry firmament.

3. Johannes Brahms was a German Romantic composer who aspired to be a Classicist in the Beethoven mold - to the extent that he refused to allow titles tacked onto any of his instrumental-genre works: symphonies, concertos, string quartets and quintets, piano trios and quartets, piano sonatas, etc. Any one of them is simply known as "genre" number N in "some" key, opus "some number." You listen for sound only and savor whatever mood it evokes for you. And savor is exactly what you should do tonight when the Tacoma Community College Orchestra performs music of Beethoven and Brahms, with Tanya Stambuk on piano.  The 7:30 p.m. concert is free and open to the public in TCC Building 2 Auditorium.

4. The BareFoot Collective continues its pop-up contemporary dance performances with an 8 p.m. performance inside Cork Wine Bar in Tacoma. The 30-40 minutes of innovative modern dance should pair nicely with a Cabernet.

5. Start talking about Mosquito Hawk's talent, hair, high tops and cute tooth gaps all rolled into one epic super group, and Olympia gets a little wet between the legs. The band drops in on McCoy's Tavern at 9 p.m. with Argonaut and All Hail the Yeti. It's going to be a hell ride of gut-wrenching, hair-raising, badass, mutha lovin' goodness.

PLUS: The Neo-Futurist and Tripod Slide Show events in our Weekend Hustle

LINK: Friday, Nov. 16 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

MONDAY, NOV. 12, 2012 >>>

1. Goh Kurosawa and Sharp Three will fill The Royal Lounge with compositions and improvisations of soundscapes as part of its Monday Night Jazz series. Guitarist Kurosawa is often referred to as a musical wakonyosai: a musical approach to the Western knowledge with the Japanese spirit. Nice. 8 p.m., $5, 311 Capitol Way N., Olympia

2. Every second Monday of the month Tacoma's Graphic Novel Book Club meets at the famed watering hole 1022 South to delve into another, well, graphic novel. Hence the name. Organized by King's Books, November's offering is A Drunken Dream and Other Stories by Moto Hagio, which, like all Graphic Novel Book Club selections, is conveniently available at King's. Unfortunately for the kids, you have to be 21 or older to hang with this club at 1022 South.

3. Let's tally up the score for Jazzbones Rockaraoke, shall we? A chance to sing onstage with a live band? Yes. Cheap wells? Yes. A valid excuse to drink on a Monday (repeat, Monday) night? Yes, yes and, oh God, yes. However, the 9 p.m. show receives an added bonus tonight as it's a special "Pray For Snow" Rockoarake featuring giveaways from ski and board companies and resorts. Ding, ding, ding.

4. The Jr. Hill Band will rock The Swiss beginning at 8 p.m.

5. DJs Pocket Square and John Purkey join DJ Melodica behind the turntables during the Monday Showcase at Magoo's beginning at 9 p.m. Expect $2 hot dogs and $3 pints.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound