Clarification: My son, Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, was really baked Friday afternoon. The open letter below has a mistake. Apparently, Babblin' Babs Bistro's permit delay isn't the city of Lakewood's doing. The delay is rooted in inspection issues. Pineapple Upside-Down Cake has been restricted to his refirgerator.
Best,
Golden Pound Cake
Dear City of Lakewood,
For the love of everything delicious, please grant my boss his freakin' building permit so he'll stop driving me crazy. Chef William Mueller cooks. He doesn't sit around. He doesn't run errands. He doesn't watch television. He doesn't weed the garden or wash the car or shop for fabric. He makes Bodacious Biscuits!
Looks like Rep. Graham Hunt (R-Orting) made the list with his list, if the list is about freshman legislators who sponsor bills that creat certified lists of veteran-owned businesses.
As more servicemembers transition out into the civilian workforce there will continue to be a need for corporations and businesses to hire veterans, unless of course that veteran wants to own their own small business, like the opportunity being offered through Seattle-based Veterans Promise Coffee.
According to statistics on VPC's website, it is estimated that 250,000 veterans will be transitioning out of military service and entering the civilian job market and small business community every year through 2031.
Well, now we have some good news. Gaydich has just signed the lease for Rocket Record's new location at 3823 sixth Ave in Tacoma, just down the road from his current location. Opening day will be Saturday, June 1.
But I'm ahead of myself, before we can celebrate the new location, we have to celebrate Record Store Day - an industry-created "holiday" meant to draw attention to the endangered species of brick-and-mortar record stores. At Rocket Records it's a triple-whammy with Record Store Day finds, an in-store live performance and deeply discounted moving sale items - up to 40 percent off.
Heavy-hitters Mico De Noche, Valis and Argonaut will send Gaydich off with style. I'd like to see the MMA students when they hear Argonaut's "The Battle of Pig Hill" blaring through the wall.
Anyway, plenty of reasons to get down to Rocket Records this Saturday people. Just make sure you bring your friends, earplugs and cash.
Rocket Records, Saturday, April 20, 3 p.m., all ages, no cover, 3843 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.756.5186
The Phoenix Inn is a downtown Olympia staple. It's the go-to hotel for Weekly Volcano staffer to stumble in after the Best of Olympia party. It also has delicious, fresh-baked cookies in its lobby.
The hotel will undergo a huge remodel this May - one that includes adding a bar and restaurant.
"We plan on remodeling the whole hotel - corridors, rooms, pool, everything," says Janine Condit, general manager. "It's going to be the same feel, just an updated renovation." Condit says rooms will have larger layouts, there will be more conveniences, but no more spa suites - there will still be spa in the pool area.
Condit tells me the bar and restaurant will serve smaller breakfast, lunch and dinner items and bar food and that they will have grab and go morning specials like scrambles and paninis.
What about the fresh baked cookies? Condit assures the staff will still serve guests the coveted treat.
A quick check on the coming bar's liquor license confirms the rumor. PRESS NW is the business name on the application, filed by Aimbridge Concessions, Inc., which does business as the DoubleTree, the full service hotel owned by Hilton Enterprises, with more than 325 locations spread over five continents.
No matter who owns the hotel, a bar in the lobby spells trouble for Volcano staffers needing shut eye after the Best of Olympia party.
For seven years, Rocket Records has sat on the corner of Sixth Avenue and Proctor in Tacoma. With fliers plastered to the walls, and sweet Bruno, the shop dog, spending time at Rocket Records was more like walking into a buddy's house - one that just happens to have an awesome assortment of music and merchandise, including music from local bands.
Sadly, Rocket Records current location is on the chopping block. Owner Steve Gaydich has until April 30 to move out.
When probed about why, Gaydich says, "I don't know and I don't care. I'm out of here." A new tenant will move into the Rocket Records location, as an expansion on a mixed martial arts academy next door.
Gaydich says he is meeting with a realtor this week for a location a few doors down, and that he hopes to have a moving sale, and not a going out of business sale.
"I'm an onry son of a ...," says Gaydich. "I want to stay around here."
Rocket Records is more than a record store, it's also been a cool all-ages music venue to see such bands as Before Cars, Stone Axe, Bacchus, Kramer, CFA and many others.
Big Wheel Stunt Show will play a free show at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 6 as a promotion for its latest vinyl release. Also, a big event is planned as a final show for this location of Record Store Day, April 20. While names aren't confirmed, expect some loud and heavy local favorites.
"We're going to blow the roof off," says Gaydich.
The Weekly Volcano will keep you posted on the outcome of Rocket Records' fate. In the meantime, go see some live music and buy some records. Bruno will appreciate it.
Hundreds of coffee-starved citizens in Olympia's South Capitol neighborhood and beyond are eagerly waiting for tomorrow, their knuckles white around their crappy cup of coffee in anticipation.
Customers aren't the only ones excited about the grand opening of the company's third location, the owners and baristas have been spotted brewing coffee and entertaining would-be customers on the sidewalk in front of the new store, half freezing, half basking in the sun as the northwest shifts into spring.
And like the season's gifts of new growth, expansion and well being, Olympia Coffee Roasters will gift the community with a place to gather, grow, and finally have a decent cup of joe.
For some people, an Asian grocery store can be a bit of a mystery - a misunderstood landscape of often unfamiliar prepared foods and ingredients that can be a little daunting to approach. However, getting past those insecurities to explore these specialty stores can introduce you to new culinary delights and hidden sweet and savory treasures. Such is the case in the newly opened H Mart, a Korean grocery on Lakewood's South Tacoma Way. The 40,000 square foot location is the perfect place to begin your Asian market shopping experience.
With a well laid-out, spacious floor plan filled with abundant fresh fruits and vegetables, meat and seafood, housewares and dry goods, H Mart appears on its surface to be your typical grocery store. On a recent trip there, however, I found a mix of delicious and curious Asian delights to keep my palate guessing. Fresh turmeric (which I've never seen before), kimchi of various sorts, ready-to-eat eggs marinated in soy sauce, bonito flakes that resemble wood chips used for making dashi (Japanese soup stock), frozen flavored mochi, savory shrimp crackers and gorgeous, delicate enoki mushrooms were some of my favorite finds.
The staff is helpful and approachable when asked where and what certain things are.
The prices are some of the best I've seen in the area as far as fresh fruits and vegetables go.
For experienced Asian market shoppers and newbies alike, a pleasurable shopping experience overall.
H MART, 8 A.M. TO 9:30 P.M. DAILY, 8720 SOUTH TACOMA WAY, LAKEWOOD,
Last December, right after Christmas, Tacoma lost a whole lot of awesomeness when Tricky's Pop Culture Emporium closed down after six years of ensuring Tacomans had plenty of pop culture goodies to purchase. Hair was torn with great sorrow. Tears were shed.
But ... Tricky's is coming back! Next Monday, April 1, Tricky's will reopen at 17 Tacoma Ave. - a mere few blocks from the old location, but now with no leaks and with much more space. Tricky's will have twice the space to be exact, which means twice the awesome.
"I'm right there on North Tacoma Avenue so I'm right on the street, as opposed to the armpit of Tacoma where I used to be," says owner Eugene Kirk. "In addition to more stuff, I have partnered with Northwestshirts.com to be Tacoma's exclusive provider of the coolest new T-shirts and apparel. The additional space means that Tricky's will get just a little bit weirder."
The new Tricky's - trickier? - will have more wall space where Kirk intends to highlight local pop culture artists.
"I'll have a marvelous window display with which to delight and confuse Tacomans," he adds. "New to this location will be a toy boneyard, where random toy parts and accessories will be located."
Expect a soft opening April 1. Kirk doesn't expect to be all the way ready, but will be ready enough to take your money.
Sad news, indeed. The Weekly Volcano would like to thank co-owner Gay Landry and crew for all the good times, for supporting our rag, for hosting our Nosh League and for serving one tasty Monte Cristo Sandwich, among other delights. We will miss you Gay. We wish you the best.
Affairs Cafe's closing does leave a hole in our Tournament of Sandwiches. Affair was schedule to battle Nordstrom Cafe Friday, March 22 in the "Specialty" sandwich region. Checking the rules book, Section 43 states, "If a sandwich drops out for any reason, the next highest vote getter during the seeding process will be added to the vacant spot. In other words, Lakewood's Moon Rise Cafe's Monte Cristo Sandwich received the 65th most votes by Weekly Volcano readers during the February seed voting. Therefore, Moon Rise Cafe's Monte Cristo Sandwich will face off with Nordstrom Cafe's Braised Short Ribs Sandwich Friday, March 22.
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