A LATTE WORK >>>

Every coffee snob has his favorite barista; it's sort of like rooting for your home state football team.

Wait. Bad example since our home state teams sucked this weekend.

Anyway - how do you determine who's actually the best barista? The answer is the Latte Art Competition tonight at Beyond the Bridge Café. South Sound baristas will battle it out - pouring a perfect espresso topped by a smooth, airy layer of foamy crema art - in front of judges Angie Hill of Caffe D'arte, Pat Brown of Satellite Coffee, A.J. Anderson of Valhalla Coffee Company and Bryan Reynolds of Puyallup Forza.

Drop by the new coffeehouse on Sixth Avenue tonight and check out the crema of the crop.

Latte Art Competition

Monday, Sept. 20, 7 p.m., no cover
Beyond the Bridge Café
2717 Sixth Ave., Tacoma
253.572.9199

BRING YOUR AUTOGRAPH BOOK THURSDAY >>>

Good morning, South Sound! Schools are opening their doors this week: How's it feel to say goodbye to summer and get back on that education grind? Godspeed to all teachers, really.

Speaking of teaching, you could learn a thing or two from the artists who will gather at Kittredge Gallery Thursday night. Tacoma's best will attend the opening reception for The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation's Foundation of Art Award, 2008-2010 Thursday, Sept. 2, 5-7 p.m.Twenty-five artists over the past three years had their art judged by a panel in hopes of grabbing the $7,500 prize.  Chris Sharp and Jeremy Mangan won in 2008 and 2009, respectively. This year, the honor went to Lisa Kinoshita, Tacoma artist and owner of Mineral studio gallery on Puyallup Avenue. Her work, especially her jewelry, is stunning. Past winners and nominees, and the list is impressive, as well as the public, will gather around Kinoshita for several rounds of "She's a jolly good artist," then drink wine I imagine.

The exhibition itself includes work by the 25 nominees featuring works range from painting, sculpture, and prints to video, jewelry, and embroidery, among other techniques. Materials are as diverse as felt, Legos, found cardboard signs, and repurposed books to the more traditional media such as oil, watercolor, ceramics, and photography. The show runs through Saturday, Oct. 2. But why wait when you can enjoy the art with the artists.

Small print: The annual $7,500 award program was established by the Community Foundation in 2008 to honor professional artists living and working in Pierce County, and is made possible through a foundation fund to support the Pierce County art community. Each year nominees are selected by a panel of regional arts professionals and Community Foundation board members. The award winner then creates a commissioned artwork for the foundation. Lisa Kinoshita's commissioned piece for the Community Foundation will be unveiled this fall.

The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation's Foundation of Art Award, 2008-2010 Artists Reception

Thursday, Sept. 2, 5-7 p.m., no cover
Regular Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday, noon to 5 p.m. Saturday
Kittredge Gallery, University of Puget Sound, North 15th Street at North Lawrence Street, Tacoma
Web site

2010 PROCTOR ARTS FEST JURIED ART SHOW AWARDS >>>

The following artists won awards at last weekend's wet Proctor Arts Fest in Tacoma:

Two Dimensional

First - Daphne Nixon for "Hard Boiled Lemon & Egg Squeezer"

Second - Bill Colby for "Forestation Vista"

Third - Susan Strohm for "Family Tree"

Honorable Mention - Karen Williams for "Division II"

Thee Dimensional

First - Cheryl Gunderson for "Love Birds"

Second - Brad Stave for "Left Handed Cabinet"

Third - Lavonne Hoivik for "Trying It"

Honorable Mention - Kirk Hauptman for "Celtic Cross"

Photography

First - Peter Serko for "December Night"

Second - Daniel Suckow for "Bumper Reflections"

Third - William Harris  for "Pink Lobby"

Honorable Mention - Carla Gramich for "Lily" 

PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS

First -Cheryl Gunderson for "Love Birds"

Second - Daphne Nixon for "Hard Boiled Lemon & Egg Squeezer"

Third - Lavonne Hoivik for "Trying It"

CONGRATULATIONS JASON LARCHE >>>

One hundred and ninety artists competed in the 2010 Tacoma Film festival Poster Competition. Many were of the whimsical nature, but the judges chose a classical design (see above). Rachel Marecle, director of community development for The Grand Cinema, just confirmed that Jason Larche won. A press release will be sent out later this week.

The Tacoma Film Festival will run Oct. 7-14 at The Grand Cinema and other downtown Tacoma venues.

Congratulations Jason.

UPDATE: Here is the official press release:

Tacoma, Wash. - Holy Moly!  After looking at 195 poster submissions the Grand Cinema is proud to announce the winning poster design for the 2010 Tacoma Film Festival by graphic designer Jason Larche (see attached design - not absolute final design, working on a few adjustments).   

It was no easy task selecting this year's winning poster.  Entries were received from all over the world (Istanbul, Germany, Colombia) and the talent was incredible.  Thank you to the panel of judges along with our loyal Grand Cinema patrons for giving us your feedback that ultimately led to the winning choice.

"The poster is clean, simple and does a good job of mixing film and Tacoma," says Philip Cowan, Grand Cinema's Executive Director.  "With so many talented entries it was really difficult choosing just one winner."

Thank you to each and every artist who submitted a design.  The Grand Cinema is very lucky to have such great supporters that are willing to share their talent.

About the Artist
Jason Larche is a  25-year-old graphic designer and illustrator based in Norwalk, Connecticut. He graduated from Syracuse University in 2008 with a degree in Communications Design, and chose to pursue a career in branding and packaging. He has always had a great appreciation of film, and hopes to further his involvement in the industry.  Visit Jasonlarche.com to see more.

About the Design
My goal with this design was to boldly announce the festival by establishing a reputable and contemporary look. I wanted to convey Tacoma's character in a classical manner through a high-contrast color palette. It was important for me to show my appreciation of traditional film in what has increasingly become a digital art form.

About the Tacoma Film Festival
The 2010 Tacoma Film Festival begins Thursday, October 7 with the Opening Night Reception at the Annie Wright Great Hall followed by the Opening Night Film at the Annie Wright Kemper Theater.  The evening begins at 6:00p and the film will start at 7:45p.  Films will continue through Thursday, October 14 playing at the Grand Cinema, Tacoma Art Museum and the Tacoma School of the Arts.  The official Tacoma Film Festival program is scheduled to be ready by Thursday, Sept. 16.  For more information visit www.TacomaFilmFestival.com.

READY FOR YOUR CLOSE-UP, MR. CUCUMBER? >>>

Tacoma Farmers Market, along with Click! Cable TV, are going viral to get the word out about healthy living, food and farming.

Their contest, which deadlines Aug. 15, requires participants to create videos four to 10 minute sin length promoting local food, farming, and markets.

All submissions will be judged by Tacoma Farmers Market, Triniti Media, and Click! Cable TV! and awarded prizes accordingly under the subjects of ‘Most Creative,' ‘Most Informative' and ‘Farm Themed' states a press release.

Meant to be read very quickly aloud: The chosen short films will be shown at the markets and broadcasted on Click! Cable TV's On Demand Service. Titles must be 19 characters in length with a 200 character long description in order to be published on the network. All DVDs must be mailed to Tacoma Farmers Market at PO Box 707, Tacoma, WA 98401 by Aug. 15, 2010. For further information or questions please contact Samantha Kielty at sam@tacomafarmersmarket.com or visit tacomafarmersmarket.com.

TUESDAY, JULY 6, 2010 >>>

1. Abi Grace and Josiah Bogle will perform acoustic music at 3:30 and 5 p.m., respectively, during the 6th Avenue Farmers Market, which runs 3:30-7:30 p.m.

2. Read, drink tea, and argue politics every Tuesday from 5-7 p.m. at Last Word Books in Olympia.

3. Danny Vernon brings his Illusions Of Elvis show to the Red Wind Casino at 6:30 p.m.

4. Guitarist Steve Stefanowicz hosts Dawson's Bar and Grill's last Open Mic Night until autumn beginning at 7 p.m.

5. Longhorn Saloon hosts a beer pong tournament with cash prizes at 9 p.m.

LINK: More arts and entertainment in the South Sound

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 2010 >>>

1. Wednesdays seem to be the hottest night for the overeducated South Sound masses to prove their intellectual worth. And where do such brainiacs head? Glad you asked. Harmon Brewery and Eatery's 6 p.m. Trivia Night is hosted by Gordon Adams, Doyle's Public House Tacoma hosts Knowledge Night Team Trivia at 8 p.m., The Engine House No. 9 holds Quiz Night Trivia at 8 p.m., and Trivia Newton John commands the infamous 10 p.m. Trivia Night at Le Voyeur in Olympia. Did we miss any?

2. Original works of art by local artist Mindy Barker hang at The Hub from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

3. Today is the last day to vote in our 2010 Best of Tacoma Readers' Poll. You have a chance to win a dinner at El Gaucho and a night at the Hotel Murano.

4. This week Danno's Showcase at Jazzbones features the Moss Men and Hillbilly Jesus performing at 9 p.m.

5. Surreal Ultra Lounge hosts "I Heart House" with DJs Sticky J and dAb beginning at 9 pm.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

HAVE YOU VOTED YET? >>>

A true hipster has a deep concern for how they are viewed by their constituents. For this reason, golf is out of the question. While showing off their new tattoo and talking loudly about who they slept with that week, you might notice that the black painted fingernails digging into the can of PBR are never covered by a golfing glove. Personally, I have yet to make the turn onto 10 and look back and see a couple of dude's sashaying up to the 9th pin in uber-tight black jeans talking about how they're not hipsters.
[Allenmore Public Golf Course, 2125 S Cedar St, Tacoma, 253.627.7211]

BEST OF TACOMA 2010 VOTE NOW

Once again, the Volcano's readers' poll will be the engine that drives our Best of Tacoma 2010 issue, which hits the streets July 29. Here is a sample of the questions in this year's poll:

Best Karaoke Bar?

Best Local Hero?

Best Bike Lane?

Best Tacoma Celebrity?

Click here to vote now. You could win a fabulous prize, too.

AND ... THEY'RE OFF AND RUNNING >>>

The Grand Cinema has officially launched its Tacoma Film Festival 2010 by announcing that the poster contest is on. Here's the press release:

Here's your chance to shine as an artist and have your work displayed all over Tacoma.  The non-profit Grand Cinema is once again turning to the artistic community to design this year's Tacoma Film Festival poster.  Last year's contest saw entries from ALL OVER THE WORLD!  This year we hope to see the same participation.  The Grand will accept entries for the poster through June 23, 2010.  All entries will be displayed at the Grand Cinema and a winner will be chosen for this year's festival. 

The winning poster will receive:

•  $350
•  Two (2) festival passes to the Tacoma Film Festival
•  A joint membership to the non-profit Grand Cinema. 
•  We will also ask the winning artist to assist in creating some print ads and miscellaneous other uses of the artwork.

All entries will receive four (4) complimentary movie passes to the Grand Cinema.

As for the design, that is pretty much left to you.  It will need to say:

2010 Tacoma Film Festival

October 7-14, 2010

www.TacomaFilmFestival.com

space at the bottom for sponsor logos (a minimum of 10 logos)

DEADLINE:  Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Check out this link to see last year's winning design:  http://www.grandcinema.com/page.php?id=115

Please send entries via an electronic format (pdf, jpeg, etc.) that can be reproduced into 11x17 posters.  Please make sure the PDF is printer ready as we will be printing all the entries and showcasing them in the Grand. Please remember space for those sponsor logos.  If you want to discuss ideas with us prior to creation, we encourage you to contact Rachel Marecle, Community Development Director at 253.572.6062.

Good luck!

Please send all entries to: rachel@grandcinema.com

WIN FABULOUS PRIZES >>>

Hollywood has arrived in the greater Tacoma area, spinning off bits of Avatar-style, virtual reality technology to the world of print. The same brand of special effects that produced the billion-dollar blockbuster movie will be used by architects and engineers to design the Weekly Volcano's Best of Tacoma 2010 issue.

It will be epic.

The Weekly Volcano has spent the past 12 months dining, drinking, rockin' out, sneaking around city hall, and shopping our way across Tacoma, Puyallup, Lakewood, Gig Harbor and the other Pierce County cities - all while wearing 3-D glasses.  That's right, we have viewed the past year through funny-looking glasses.  And we are ready to throw the best of what we discovered right at your face July 29! 

The Best of Tacoma 2010 will be in 3-D. 

Of course, that means you'll need  fancy 3-D glasses to fully enjoy the breathtaking issue. Luckily, we have you covered there too. No need to search through your dresser drawers. We have the glasses, and we'll be handing them out to Volcano readers at events and locations all over the greater Tacoma area in the coming weeks and months. Stay tuned for more 3-D details.

Best of Tacoma Readers' Poll

Once again, the Volcano's readers' poll will be the engine that drives Best of Tacoma 2010. Think you know the best band, restaurant, politician, blog or thrift store? Want to help spread the word about the best bike shop, make-out spot or bar in our area? Cast your vote here. The results of our ultra-scientific survey will be published in the Weekly Volcano Best of Tacoma issue July 29, 2010.

And yes, we did say "our area" - as in Pierce County, not just T-Town. In a shocking turn of events, we've opened up the voting to all of Pierce County this year. You'll get the same Grit-City-style coverage you've come to expect from the Volcano Best of Tacoma, but our Best Of readers' poll net will be cast even further. It should make for some interesting competitions.  If you say the best restaurant is in Gig Harbor, so be it. If the best villain is in Lakewood, then vote it so.

THE PRIZE!

All ballots must be received by Wednesday, June 30 at 5 p.m. Those that arrive before the deadline will be eligible to win a $200 gift certificate to El Gaucho restaurant and a night at the Hotel Murano. The winning ballot will be chose at random. We'll announce the winner of our random drawing, as well as the winners of this survey at the Best of Tacoma Premiere Party Wednesday, July 28 at Masa restaurant on Sixth Avenue.

OK, enough blabbering. Cast your vote here.

The Best of Tacoma 2010 is sponsored by Click Cable TV.