WEDNESDAY, AUG. 6 2014 >>>

1. As we wolfed down fresh wild blueberries, we couldn't recall the last time we ate any fruit quite so flavorful. Eating a blueberry still warm from the sun was like tasting one for the very first time. Its essence goes straight to our heads. And everyone knows blueberries are loaded with antioxidant compounds that travel through the body reducing free radicals that can lead to cancer and other age-related diseases. We were pumped to hear Pacific Lutheran University brought back its berry festivals, specifically the Blueberry Festival today from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The berry festivals are a summertime tradition at PLU; each monthly lunchtime concert focuses on one delicious berry and features summery desserts and free live music and entertainment, which features folk-rock musician and PLU alum Peter Benjamin. Bonus: local farmers and community groups will be onsite promoting community-supported agriculture, sustainable communities and local food. We no longer have to jump a certain fence to gather wild blueberries ... although, the price was right.

2. We gotta spent this paragraph of copy convincing you that spending your Wednesday afternoon combing downtown Tacoma for clues, answering trivia, and completing challenges while snapping photos is as unbelievably rad as we both know you know it is. Downtown On the Go Walk Tacoma Scavenger Hunt asks you to begin the hunt between 4:30-5:30 p.m. at the Social Bar and Grill, then use public transportation and your feet to take you to destinations scattered across downtown before meeting back at the Social Bar and Grill for food, drinks and prizes at 6:45 p.m. This is pretty much as close to a purpose that one can hope to find in an uncaring, noncasual universe, and the very notion you'd need encouragement is ridiculous. But, it's free and there is no need to pre-register.

3. With a rotating cast of contributors and performers over the past seven years, the core of Champagne Sunday is the creative brain of Jessi and Jared Fredeen. Jessi's huge, soulful vocals could star on Broadway, on tour with Garbage or in your church choir. Her voice - which draws comparison to Chrissie Hynde and Ani Difranco - ranges from a hushed lullaby to a soaring celebratory wail. Jared, armed with a James Taylor-ish voice, guitar and a passion for raw music, can rock star pose when Jessi wails, then float on a cloud when she takes it into the ethereal edges. Catch them at 6:30 p.m. for a free, outdoor show in Old Town Park.

4. Peter Finn, The Washington Post National Security editor and one-half of the team that wrote The Zhivago Affair: The Kremlin, the CIA, and the Battle over a Forbidden Book, will speak at the Olympia Timberland Library from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. Finn and his co-author, Petra Couvee, bring to light a story that has stayed behind the historical scenes for decades, a cold war drama in which Russian novelist Boris Pasternak's literary masterpiece, Dr. Zhivago, became a pawn of two super-powers.

5. If you want to get a party started, start it off with The Brown Edition. Self-described as "all the soul, funk and jazz your ass can handle," the Brown Edition's music keeps listeners happy because it keeps them glued to the dance floor. The band pushes the funk forward; he also reveres those who came before them. Lead singer Miguel Pineda is fiercely serious about the music that he loves. The entire band is a who's who of Olympia's jazz and funk scene. Bassist Thomas Pell tackles the meatier end of the, uh, funk stick, and it's just sick. Get into the groove at 7 p.m. at Sylvester Park in downtown Olympia.

LINK: Wednesday, Aug. 6 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

TUESDAY, AUG. 5 2014 >>>

1. As the last month of summer begins, it's time to step outside your air-conditioned oasis and take some time to appreciate your neighborhood. Or as this practice is referred to around the country, National Night Out, the one evening a year in which law enforcement, citizens, business owners and local officials come together to heighten crime awareness and build community morale. But more than that, NNO is a time when neighbors can come together and celebrate while enjoying free bitchin' entertainment. The Bridge, the new cooperative parish of the United Methodist Church at 56th and South Puget Sound, will host a street party, food, games and the musical stylings of Jason Kertson, Strangely Alright, Sleepy Pilot and Antihero from 6-10 p.m. Crime prevention and live music? It's a win-win situation!

2. Feed your brain at 1:40 and 7 p.m. when The Grand Cinema screens Decoding Annie Parker, an educational film about the proactive choices some women are making regarding breast cancer.

3. Pack your snacks, blankets and lawn chairs and head to Peoples Center for a free outdoor screening of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 at 5 p.m. Movie sponsor Click! Network in partnership with Metro Parks Tacoma are also bringing in jazz musician Michael Powers. So really expect clear skies with a good chance of awesome jazz.

4. Ever since the Westside Tavern won the Tournament of Burgers and Hana Klimek was named Server of the Week, the real estate agents representing Olympia's Westside have been inundated with inquiries. The Westside is happening, but that's not news to those who live up on the hill. If you want proof, drop by the Tuesday West Olympia Farmers Market from 4-7 p.m. In addition to an awesome selection of local vendors, this season features live music, raffles and special events. Drop by for fresh produce, baked goods, pastured poultry and meats, flowers, veggie starts and crafts.

5. Folksy, folk-writing folk hero John Denver - born Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. - died Oct. 12, 1997, when the experimental plane he was flying crashed into Monterey Bay off the coast of California. Tonight at 6:30 p.m. in the Red Wind Casino fans both casual (which way to the slots?) and rabid (dude, "Rocky Mountain High"!) will cheer on Ted Vigil - born Ted Vigil - as he pays tribute to Denver - both visually and musically.

LINK: Tuesday, Aug. 5 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

THURSDAY, JULY 31 2014 >>>

1. You know who looks great for her age? Washington. Yeah, I said it: Washington. For 125; are you kidding me? This state doesn't look a day over 80! At 6 p.m., three experts in what it means to be a Washingtonian musician will come together for a brisk, metaphorical slide show at the State Capital Museum Coach House. Lois Maffeo is an Olympia musician and writer who's been a theater manager for the Olympia Film Society and served on the Olympia Arts Council. She'll be joined by Calvin Johnson, who moved on from adolescent volunteer work at KAOS-FM to founding media outlet K Records in 1982, and by Sub Pop co-founder Bruce Pavitt. Read Christian Carvajal's full feature on the 25 Years of Music in Washington lecture in the Music and Culture section.

2. Three beer-tasting events in the South Sound tonight. The pFriem Family Brewers out of Hood River, Ore., celebrate their first anniversary with kegs of Rye Lager, Dunkel and their IPA at Pint Defiance from 5-7 p.m. Per Pint Defiance, expect a bitchin' raffle. The Topside Bar & Grill in Steilacoom hosts Alaskan Brewing Co. beginning at 6 p.m. Expect four Alaskan beers on tap including Icy Bay IPA, a food pairing, giveaways and prizes until 9 p.m. The Puyallup River Alehouse is going old school, pouring Rainier, Olympia and Pabst Blue Ribbon for $2.50 each. The downtown Puyallup's gathering spot will host its first Cornhole competition during the Throwback Thursday from 6-9 p.m. 

The Garden-Raided Bounty farm, or GRuB, hosts a carnival from 6-9 p.m. featuring games, vaudeville entertainers, raffles, min-auction, food vendors, local artisans dunk tank and more.

3. Lakewold Gardens, the 10-acre estate with its carefully maintained plantings, will host the some of the Northwest's finest classical musicians when the Second City Chamber Series presents "Berlin and Brazil in Tacoma" (Lakewood?), featuring pianist Jairo Geronymo performing works from his native Brazil and new home Germany with violinist Svend Ronning and cellist Richard Treat at 7:30 p.m.

8. Barleywine Revue is just awesome. The band writes and performs contemporary, relevant bluegrass and Americana music while paying homage to the traditions that have come in generations before ... think Bill Monroe meets Bill Withers. Oh man, that's fresh! Catch the band at 8 p.m. in The Swiss Restaurant & Pub.

LINK: Thursday, July 31 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

WEDNESDAY, JULY 30 2014 >>>

1. There are times when our music picks write themselves, which is helpful as some of us drink. This is one of those welcome moments, because Jazzbones is having one stunner of a week. It began with crooners Color Me Badd Saturday - hell, yes, they still wanna sex you up! - followed Sunday by Georgia rapper Warren Anderson Mathis, better known as Bubba Sparxxx. Save room on your musical plate, though, for Igor & The Red Elvises, a mind-blowing rockabilly combo whose members hail from former Soviet states (or, in one case, the Minnesota gulag) but met in California, with Psycho 78 at 8 p.m.

2. The Swiss hosts Military Appreciation Day, a.k.a. Warrior Wednesday, a fundraiser for Pat Tillman Foundation (Official) with portions of every Jack Daniels sale going to charity. The downtown Tacoma restaurant will have $5 drink and food specials for those with military ID.

3. The Puget Sound Partnership's Science Panel will meet from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Commencement Bay conference room at the Center for Urban Waters. The panel includes some of the top scientists in the Northwest and advises the Partnership's efforts to develop a science-based comprehensive plan to restore Puget Sound. These meetings are open to the public and all are welcome to address questions or provide comment about the regional effort to restore and protect Puget Sound. We imagine the whole ordeal is like the montage scene in a Hollywood movie, in which a schlubby male is transformed into a veritable Renaissance man as the clock ticks from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. You arrive dehydrated from the night before and leave looking for a "green" Chardonnay and someone to discuss Xenobiotics in the Urban Water Cycle.

4. Thurston County Fair starts at 10 a.m. and provides five days of activities including musical entertainment, home arts demonstrations, 4-H and FFA events, rides for kids of all ages, and the always-fabulous fair food. A little history: The first Thurston County Fair was in 1871 and was located where the present day 4th Ave Tavern is. The event was a way to support agriculture and immigration in Thurston County. The fair has grown over the past 130 years and has jumped from location to location, including the now Tumwater Safeway and Lacey Post Office, before settling in to the present day fairgrounds in 1958. Bonus: The fabulous Artesian Rumble Arkestra headlines the grand opening ceremony at 5 p.m. tonight.

5. A couple of beer tastings are going down tonight. The Puyallup River Alehouse hosts Schooner Exact with beer, giveaways and prizes from 6-9 p.m. Jhon Gilroy with specialty beer importers Merchant du Vin will hang at 99 Bottles from 5-7 p.m. Pick his brain, drink his beers and enjoy a $2 happy hour.

LINK: Wednesday, July 30 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

Sure, there are spouses groups for Joint Base Lewis-McChord husbands and wives looking to integrate into the local community, make friends or learn more about how to navigate within the military world. There are resources galore, and yet sometimes spouses may want to connect and get together over a different topic than military resources. Spouses may simply want to get together and talk about shared interests - especially if those shared interests are something that maybe not everyone out there relates to.

For this exact reason, Monica Rice blazed a new trail and recently formed her own group - the JBLM Geeky/Nerdy Spouses, a Facebook group open to spouses of both genders so long as they identify as geeky and/or nerdy. After spending some time with the general spouse groups, she thought others out there might want to connect on all things geeky like she did.

"I'm still pretty new to the military lifestyle and haven't made many friends with spouses," says Rice. "Also, because of my passion in computers and programming, I don't have many lady friends with those same interests. I knew I couldn't have been the only woman with what I think are pretty niche hobbies, so I wanted to reach out while simultaneously forming a small network wherein all members could talk about their favorite passions without feeling like an oddity."

Read more...

WEDNESDAY, JULY 23 2014 >>>

1. With a timeless vocal delivery only matched by her engaging stage presence, Kim Archer and her band have been pleasing live music fans in our area since 2004. Archer's powerful voice a la Janis Joplin and Chaka Khan gelled nicely with the sonic buzz of the guitar and groove from the backbeat. Archer commands the stage playing her own original songs rooted in old school soul, funk and classic rock, sultry blues and ballads while remaining a master at giving choice cover tunes the "Kim Archer treatment, such as the crowd pleasure "Shaft." The 7 p.m. show has moved from Sylvester Park to the Washington Center due to the rain.

2. Moss + Mineral is an easy-to-overlook design store tucked away in a small space on Ninth Street near a bail bondsman in downtown Tacoma. They show art and photography by some of the area's best. Featured through July are works by Carlos Taylor-Swanson (fine woodworking); Claudia Riedener (ceramics); the design team ofAdrienne WicksandJeff Libby (fine woodworking); Holly Senn (sculpture) and Harriet McNamara (photography). Read Alec Clayton's full review of "Natural Spectacle: Art + eco-Furnishings in the Music & Culture section, then check it out at Moss + Mineral from noon to 5 p.m.

3. Farmers markets come in all sizes, shapes and vibes, but the atmosphere of the new Sunset Market is definitively about fun. Right off the bat, it turns the tables on the usual early-morning affairs we're used to by hosting its vendors in the evenings, from 3 to 7:30 p.m. - a Puyallup version of Tacoma's 6th Ave Farmers Market if you will. The Sunset Market focuses on local farmers, growers, processors, artisans, downtown merchants and food vendors accompanied by live entertainment, demonstrations and more. The farmers' party continues every Wednesday through Sept. 17.

4. Cooper Point Public House in Olympia will be hosting Hood River darlings Double Mountain from 6-9 p.m. Expect Kolsch-In Cologne, Homestead-Orange, Lil Red Pils and the newly-released Clusterf#ck. Remember when Cluster was the dominant hop in the U.S. brewing industry? Read up on Clusterf#ck here.

5. Forget light and low-carb beers. The Tacoma Runners have a better method for fighting fat: They run then drink beer. They're the classic drinking group with a running problem. The problem is, REI has called them out to double their running this week. Apparently REI has a new bitchin' truck they want to show off, so they called the Thursday running group and convinced them to gather for a special Wednesday night run and drink. No problem, the Tacoma Runners are in, and will meet at the Parkway Tavern at 6:30 p.m. for a 3-mile jaunt with their new REI buddies followed by craft beers back the Tacoma tavern. Tomorrow night's 3-mile run and beer outing will be at the Chalet Bowl in the Proctor District - same beer time.

LINK: Wednesday, July 23 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

FRIDAY, JULY 18 2014 >>>

1. Made up of looped samples of '60s soul and bubblegum songs, the music of the Los Angeles-based TV Girl then incorporates hip-hop beats and blissed-out indie pop vocals, creating what amounts to a kind of factory-tested ideal for summer soundtracks. Everything is nostalgic and new with TV Girl, with the result coming out as a neo-futurist ode to the cyclical nature of popular music. Oh, and it sounds really great. Read Rev. Adam McKinney's interview with TV Girl in the Music and Culture section., then catch the band with Brothertiger and Globelamp at 8 p.m. in Olympia's all-ages venue Northern.

2. As part of its 20th anniversary, Dick's Brewing Co. has brewed Dick's Midnight Ride, a robust, Northwest-style CDA bursting with Cascade and Centennial hops, and balanced with a rich dark malt profile. Think rich, dark and malty like a porter with a hop profile. Drink it today when it's released to the public. Dick's taproom is open from 3-7:30 p.m. at 3516 Galvin Road in downtown Centralia. 

3. Gleeful children dashing after saltwater taffy shot from a "candy cannon" is just one of the experiences in store during Fort Nisqually Living History Museum's Family Fun Night from 6-9 p.m. Families are invited to bring their own picnic dinner to the Fort, located in Point Defiance Park, and join in games, dancing, and relay races with the Fort's re-enactors. 

4. Wow, Laura (comma included) delivers breezy indie pop while also taking time to inject it with jarring shifts in time signatures and halting uses of stop/start dynamics. Catch the band with iji at 8 p.m. in the Half Pint Pizza Pub.

5. "Whip It," "What I Like About You," "Safety Dance" and you're-goddamn-right "Don't Stop Believin'" are a few of the songs on the Spazmatics' set list, so grab your skinny tie, brush up your Robot, and pull up your Members Only jacket sleeves. One of the hottest '80s cover bands in the country will play with Mr. Pink at 8 p.m. in Jazzbones. They are so choice.

LINK: Friday, July 18 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

It was a day for having fun, meeting new friends and finding help.

That's the focus of the 446th Airlift Wing's annual Family Day symposium and picnic. With an emphasis on fun, it was a mix of kid's games, a tasty barbeque lunch and a morning of hearing about support programs for families.

"It's one of our ways to say thank you," Lt. Col. Anna Sullivan said. "These families put up with so much."

About 3,200 people, from parents to grandparents to kids, took part in the day for reservists at Heritage Hill on McChord Field, July 12.

There were three pieces to the event. In the morning, there was a spouse flight around Mount Rainier in a C-17. Then there was the education piece in the morning that worked as a conduit, connecting families with helpful programs from health care to counseling to employment.

The free picnic, which was catered by Dickey's Barbecue, and games, which included a bouncy castle, paper airplane throw, ball toss through a hoop, jewelry making, putt-putt golf, ping pong and volleyball, put the fun into the event.

"This is also a good way for all the families to get together," Sullivan said.

There was information on programs that covered airmen and family readiness, military family counseling, fitness and employer support for those in the Reserves. There were symposiums on 13 different programs, which included Air Force Aid Society, Hero 2 Hire and the Wingman Tool Kit.

Another program was Yellow Ribbon, a congressional mandate that has a mission to tell reservists about employment and connect them with potential employers. It's for pre- and post-deployment. To attract families to Yellow Ribbon, an expense-paid trip to Disney World for the reservist's family is offered.

"It's bait," Sullivan said.

The objective is to find employment for the reservists.

"If they work here, they stay here, and we don't have to get other people, that helps keep everyone happy," Sullivan said. "We want them to be happy and employed. Lots of the programs are good to our people."

Representatives from these different programs gave presentations to show the resources available to them.

The day was also about reservists getting a chance to bring their family to the picnic and introduce them to co-workers.

"Typically, we're coming out one weekend a month or coming out on our annual tour," Sgt. Minnette Mason said. "What we do each year is set up an event that is family friendly."

It was mission accomplished. The food and games, which was coupled with a beautiful sunny 90-degree summer day, was certainly crowd-pleasing.

"Today is about the families of our reservists," Mason said. "It gives the airmen a chance to come together and get to know the families. They're the ones who allow us to do our job."

Michelle and Daniel Faust stood in a long line with their children waiting to get a hearty barbeque lunch.

"It's fun, but the lines are a little long," said Daniel, a reservist in the 446th Airlift Wing.

The lines were about 300 people deep. Michelle was among the 40 spouses who took the airplane ride in a C-17 around Rainier in the morning.

"It was a wonderful day," Michelle said. "It's a fun, fun day. It gives you a chance to connect with the other families."

Tacoma's Art on the Ave really underscored how, at our cores, we really just are animals on the hunt for our next place of gratification for all our cravings, hungers (Grub Crawl, corn dogs), hobbies (art projects, pole dancing), thrills (carnival rides, palm readings), and addictions (yes, drinking in the sun can be considered an addiction when half the year is spent in pissy weather). And like most simple creatures, no matter what degree of civilized they may be, when we hear great music, we can lose our cool, which we lost many times including Amadon, Rust on the Rails and Nolan Garrett, to name a few.

Yesterday one of the busiest streets in Tacoma was Sixth Avenue - a nine-block span between North Junett and Sprague - where from noon to about 7 p.m. the free, family-friendly event offered food vendors, artists, roller derby girls, one drone, bands and herds of people stopping every five yards to chat with someone they know.

Though body paint and roving packs of teenagers often lead to a damn good time, the Weekly Volcano has a strict "no sticky kids" policy - so we stayed clear of the "Cirque du Tacoma" carnival area at Jason Lee Middle School. Not surprisingly, our day was spent soaking up the 89-degree weather in and out of vendor booths and beer gardens - listing to the bands on the neighboring stages and catching up with friends.

The 16th annual Art on the Ave housed five stages and more than 120 arts and crafts vendors. Here is a tiny portion of what we enjoyed. ...

LINK: 253 Weekend festival action for Saturday July 12

Moving a little slow today? My guess it's because of all the dancing you did yesterday.

Day one of 253 Weekend, at least that's what I'm calling it, is in the books. Too many events and activities to enjoy in the 253; I witnessed a few. Somebody stole toilet paper from one of the Out in the Park port-o-potties! I don't even want to think about the karmic payback the thief incurred for that one.

The music? Awesome. From a marching band playing the "Star-Spangled Banner" followed by Steve Stefanowicz cranking Jimi Hendrix's version opening the Tacoma Old Town Rhythm and Blues Festival to Stephanie Anne Johnson getting her freak flag on at Out in the Park to the raucous one-two punch of C-Leb & the Kettle Black and Perry Acker moving the entire population of Gig Harbor at the 7 Seas Brewing anniversary party, it was an epic day.

Below are a few snapshot from the Old Town Rhythm and Blues Festival, Out in the Park, Harmon Brewing's putt-putt golf tournament and 7 Seas Brewing's fifth anniversary bash. I left the camera at home during The Mix's street party because of ... you know ... dancing.

Tell us what you saw, tell us what you heard yesterday. Tell us what you'll be ripping down doors to catch today.

SEE ALSO

Weekly Volcano photographer J.M. Simpson dropped by yesterday's Lakewood SummerFest