TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2011 >>>

1. Memoirist, poet and spoken-word artist Michelle Tea will visit Olympia today with her Sister Spit literary tour - and a free workshop at Timberland Library aimed at helping writers learn more about the art of writing about themselves. Find all the details here.

 2. In Olympia, great all ages action is always within reach at Northern. Facts are facts. Tonight, Marlo Eggplant performs as part of an eclectic bill - which is bound to be interesting. If you're looking for more musical ideas try the Volcano's extensive live local music listings.

3. 1022 South invites one and all to celebrate the delicious and exotic drink destination's two year anniversary today, starting at 4 p.m. As 1022 is one of the hippest, and coziest, places in town, you can bet seats will be prized possesions. Plan accordingly.

4. Want to see Steph DeRosa giggle for 15 minutes straight? Try bringing up Taco Tuesday at Kamel Toe Bar & Grill. It works every time. Even better, Taco Tuesdays at Kamel Toe also feature an open-mic comedy hour. We're hearing via the Facebook that Kamel Toe Bar & Grill is closed ... like CLOSED. Seeing as it's too early to contact anyone who freequents (or used to frequent) Kamel Toe, it's hard to verify.  ...

UPDATE: The Kamel Toe Bar & Grill's Facebook page confirms the bar is closed. Shed a tear, Tacoma.

5. Itching for some blues, but the Gray Skies Blues Music Festival is still almost two weeks away? C'mon! Get out there! Rafael Tranquilino Rockin' Blues Jam at Stonegate on Tuesdays always delivers. The action starts at 8:30 p.m., and there's no cover.

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2011 >>>

1. Paul McCartney used to be in a band before he went solo, something called the June Bugs, or the Millipedes. Anyhoo, a tribute band calling themselves Wings N Things will perform the music of Sir Paul at the all-ages Louie G's Pizzeria in Fife beginning around 8 p.m.

2. Tamara Murphy, an author in the collaborative first book TENDER: farmers, cooks, eaters, will sign the book, and demystify how to create great tasting food easily and, in most cases quickly, from 4-6 p.m. at Metropolitan Market in the Proctor District.

3. We can think of no better spot to hold an artist reception than at a wine bar that serves gourmet food. Such is the case from 6-8 p.m. when Linda Jacobus smiles before her show at Morso Wine Bar. Check out her dramatic use of natural light in her oil paintings and tip back a few glasses of the grape that Miles Raymond would no doubt enjoy.

4. Before some performances in Tacoma involving piano players, the audience has a good four or five drinks already downed before the show begins. And, during the performance, wobbly audience members will stuff cash into a tip jar. These two events most likely will not happen during the Puget Sound Piano Trio's 7:30 p.m. performance in Schneebeck Concert Hall at the University of Puget Sound, which showcases the talents of internationally acclaimed cellist and new faculty member David Requiro, and celebrated artists Duane Hulbert, piano, and Maria Sampen, violin. Although hearing Ludwig van Beethoven's "Kakadu" Variations, Opus 121a, Nicholas Omiccioli's Piano Trio No. 1 (2008), ?Gaspar Cassado's Piano Trio in C Major , and Johannes Brahms' Piano Trio in B Major, Opus 8 performed well certainly warrants a couple bucks in a violin case.

5. The Dockyard Derby Dames will host a Dance Party featuring Jello shots, prizes and rockin' country by Sammy Steele Band at 9 p.m. inside the Gruv Lounge on Sixth Avenue.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Movies open today!

ONE LESS CORPORATE BOX TO BROWSE >>>

When it comes to book shopping, there's nothing I like more than an awesome local bookstore. King's and Tacoma Book Center have consumed oh so many of my dollars over the years.

But when it comes to book browsing, well, it's tough to beat the kind of scale you find at the giant cube that is Borders by the Tacoma Mall. I've spent hours sifting through travel books to everywhere or sitting in a corner of the food section drooling over recipe ideas. And then there's the time spent standing baffled at the sheer number of Star Wars books that have been written since I gave up trying to read them all. ...

So it's with no great feeling of tragedy, but still a touch of sadness, that I learned of the Tacoma Borders' imminent demise. With the Gig Harbor store already on the way out, Tacoma-along with Federal Way-was added in a second wave to the official closure list last Thursday.

Proceedings begin today with the commencement of the requisite inventory clearance sale, and most newly-axed stores are targeted for late-May closing.

So long, Borders. You were a giant, corporate box, but I liked wandering around in you anyway.

TUESDAY, MARCH 22 >>>

1. The topic of today's workshop at the Tacoma Public Library's Main Branch is "Introduction to Blogs." This is important people. You must learn how to blog. If Jason didn't have a blog, how would we know that this Pi Lambda Phi-er is a student at University of Virginia, currently enrolled for 17 credit hours (including Discrete Math II), and a RA to boot? Or how would you know what "Janna in a Tight Hat with Me" or "Earwhore and Hippeeeeeeee . . ." on the pics page look like? Clearly, everyone needs to get in on this blog thing. As Homer Simpson once said, "Ooh, they have the Internet on computers now?!" See you there at 1:30 p.m. Advance registration required at 253.591.5666.

2. You know where you want to be. Home. Home. Why can't you just stay at home? Oh yeah. That's where the kids are. Well, that's no good. Sanity's short and thin enough as it is. Well, you could always send them away. Excellent! Take back your home. Ship 'em off to the Children's Museum of Tacoma's Happy Hour from 3-5 p.m. for half the price of admission.

3. Whether you're into washboard abs or a long set of stems, a summertime beach typically doesn't disappoint in the eye candy department. One problem: the Northwest isn't overflowing with warm, beach-bod-scoping locations. Especially in March. Thankfully, The Beach Tavern fills us with enough alcohol to help us forget about those sunny days and beach bodies that are so far away. The Beach's Tipsy Tuesdays feature alternating drink specials - past favorites like shots of Jose Cuervo Gold for $3.25 and Three Olives Grape Vodka for $4.25 really rocked the house.

4. Sami Al Jundi was sentenced to 10 years after a bomb he made and intended to use against Israeli police killed a friend. Al Jundi's sentence included plenty of torture, but also an "extraordinary metamorphosis from militant to a passionate advocate of nonviolence," according to the press release. It's all captured in the book The Hour of Sunlight: One Palestinian's Journey from Prisoner to Peacemaker, by Al Jundi and writer Jen Marlow. At 6 p.m., Marlowe will be at Orca Books in Olympia to discuss her work.

5. You've eighty-sixed all meat from your diet for more than a decade now. (OK, barring the occasional crab cake.) And if your family - your own flesh and blood, people - refuses to acknowledge your dietary whims, why should a perfect stranger? Herein lies the challenge of being a high-maintenance food-lover. Screw family and strangers, you need to mingle with your own kind. Join the Vegan Book Club, coordinated by The South Sound Vegan Meetup Group at 7 p.m. inside King's Books. The book club is open to anyone interested in a vegan diet, vegans and vegan-curious alike. The book for March is Mad Cowboy by Howard F. Lyman. No animals were harmed or eaten in the writing of this blog post.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

MONDAY, MARCH 21, 2011 >>>

1. Filmmaker Russ Meyer more often than not had to deal with obscenity charges, outcries from feminists and objections from stuffy-ass critics who called Meyer and his fans "demented hillbillies." But as a filmmaker, Meyer was more of a tease than the women who starred in his films. The Tacoma Cult Movie Club will celebrate Meyer and his genius at 7 p.m. when they host "Happy Birthday, Russ Meyer (Show Us Your Tits!)" mini-film fest at the Acme Grub Cage. As at all TCMC events, they'll be plenty of shorts, trailers, commercials and popcorn.

2. The Washington State Capital Museum hosts "After Suffrage: Voting Washington Women Change History," a special lecture by Shanna Stevenson, Interpretive Women's History Consortium program coordinator for the Washington State Historical Society. The noon lecture will look forward from the Washington Women's Centennial in 2010 and will discuss how women's right to vote affected the political and social agenda in Washington, particularly from 1910 to 1920. 

3. Weekly Volcano's Alec Clayton is the best art critic on four continents. He's slowly earning notoriety on the others. Clayton is also a damn fine novelist. Comic Books Ink hosts a 7 p.m. staged reading from Clayton's latest novel Reunion at the Wetside featuring the talents of local actors Dennis Rolly at "the author," Chris Cantrell as crime reporter Harry Drews, Jim Patrick as Jim Bright, and Jennie Jenks as Alex Martin. A Q&A and book signing will follow the reading.

4. Traditions Cafe and World Folk Art in Olympia hosts the Uke & Singalong featuring Steve Einhorn, Kate Power at 7 p.m.

5. Dana Nicole, back in Tacoma after hanging out on Maui for four years, sings and performs covers and originals on the piano every Monday at 7:30 p.m. inside The New Frontier Lounge.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2011 >>>

1. If you're as hung-over as we are, you may well need something to balance you out on this day after St. Patrick's Day. Try a bit of yoga, maybe? Or, just try listening to writer Claire Dederer talk about yoga (and life) in Olympia.

2. Dukesbay Production's Java Tacoma: Episode 37, Ashes to Ashes, Cup to Cup is an ode to Tacoma and the unintentional (though very intentional here) humor and dramatic storylines of daytime TV ... which also plays off an undying adoration for everyone's favorite caffeinated beverage. Written by Curtis B. Swanson and directed by Randy Clark, Java Tacoma: Episode 37 is the first work to hit the stage in what is planned to be a yearly installment of this series. You've got two last chances to see it - today or tomorrow.

3. Beyond the Bridge Café on Tacoma's Sixth Avenue is the extended living room for musicians and musicians-in-the-making every Friday night during its all-ages open mic. People - ranging from members of the silver haired set to tweenies - read, surf the Net, chat or kick back with a beer or a mug of joe and listen to music strum and holler from the stage. Check it out tonight. Or, click here for the Volcano's comprehensive live local music listings.

4. Sometimes the best possible therapy is blasting someone with a paintball gun. Are we right, or are we right? In this spirit, try checking into Freak Fridays at Tacoma Tactical today.

5. It's "Family Night" at Edgeworks Climbing in Tacoma - meaning your family of scalers can meet other families of scalers. Awesome.  

MONDAY, MARCH 14, 2011 >>>

1. According to King's Books, "It's Pi Day! March 14th aka 3/14 aka 3.14 is Einstein's birthday and a scientifically-proven reason to eat Pie!" Hard to argue with that. In celebration, everyone making a purchase over $3.14 will receive free pie on a stick ... while supplies last.

2. Hip-Bone will fill The Swiss with blues tonight - starting at 8 p.m. Click here to check out the Volcano's extensive live local music listings.

3. Stuck in Chehalis? Bummer. Lucky for you, though, the Matrix Coffeehouse welcomes Chingado, Assassinators and Generation Decline tonight for an all-ages show.

4. The DODO show kicked off at Mad Hat Tea Company over the weekend - to rave reviews. It runs through April 30, but why wait? Today would be an excellent opportunity to see what everyone is talking about.

5. Technology is crazy shit, yo. For example, tonight at the Capital Theater in Olympia, the film Race to Nowhere will be shown - which looks at the pressures of our education system on children. But that's not the crazy part. What takes the cake is the Q&A scheduled with filmmakers after the showing ... via Skype. Check it out at 6:30 p.m.

WAKE UP! >>>

Today is not just any Sunday. Daylight Savings Time began at 2 a.m., and you probably didn't turn your clocks ahead before you went to bed. Which means you are late for church (if you go to church).

Books to the rescue!

From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church of Tacoma, the Tacoma Lesotho Connection and the Micah Project will sell hardbound and paperback books for $1 per inch. It's in a church, so that counts, right?

CDs, DVDs, VHS films, art, maps and games are on sale too. Not sure about the inch thing on those items.

All proceeds go toward construction of the St. Camillus Orphanage and home based care center in the Mohale's Hoek region of Lesotho, Southern Africa.

Grab a couple books and you're good to go until we can "fall back" once again.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2011 >>>

1. Hey, poser! Did you know the New Frontier Lounge hosts Rock and Roll Bingo every Wednesday? It's true! Check it out tonight!

2. OK. So maybe you like bingo but don't want to get all drunk and shitty and pathetic. We can understand that (though it'll never stop us!). If this sounds you, perhaps the all-ages free bingo night at Applini's Two Clean and Sober Club in Puyallup is your cup of tea ... literally. Find out tonight with action starting at 6 p.m.

3. Pining for some grownup music? Pastiche on Sixth Avenue in Tacoma hosts John Phillips & Gary Crooks at 6 p.m. For the Weekly Volcano's comprehensive live local music listings, go here.

4. It's the first Wednesday of the month, which means it's time for Story Time With Leroy at the Tacoma Art Museum - for the kiddies, of course. Do we know exactly who Leroy is? No. Does it matter? Not really. The guy will read stories to your kid for a whole hour, 11 a.m. - noon. And the books are picked by ARC volunteers and based on current exhibits at the museum.

5. How do you appeal to the "Tweens" these days? Try putting "OMG" in the title - literally. That's the tact the Lakewood Pierce County Library has taken with its "OMG Teen Gaming Club," which meets every Wednesday from 3-4:30 p.m.

TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2011 >>>

1. Had a chance to check out Backstage Bar & Grill on Sixth Avenue in Tacoma yet? You might want to change that, and tonight might be the perfect night as Lynch Mob with George Lynch, Atomic Outlaws and Sin Circus all take the stage. Here's the Volcano's comprehensive list of South Sound live local music listings.

2. Drop in for Irish Sessions at O'Blarney's Irish Pub in Olympia tonight for live, free, traditional Irish music starting at 7:30 p.m.

3. Get smart with trivia nights all over the South Sound - from the Hub, to Paddy Coyne's to Farelli's.

4. It's time for the Tuesday "Read-In" at Last Word Books on Fourth Avenue in Olympia. Come, "sit and read, drink tea, and argue politics every Tuesday," according to hype - which makes it much like every other awesome-ass day at Last Word, only officially sanctioned.

5. Finally get that mutt in line with dog obedience training at Sprinker Recreation Center in Tacoma. It's a beginner course that goes down every Tuesday - registration and a fee are required.