WEDNESDAY, OCT. 20, 2010 >>>

1. The Tacoma Dome opens its doors at 11 a.m. so you can buy It's Beginning to Smell a Lot Like Christmas Tree fragrance at the Tacoma Holiday Food & Gift Festival.

2. The Peninsula Art League's eighth annual open juried art show opens today. Drop by the Gig Harbor Civic Center and check out the more than 85 paintings by local and regional artists from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

3. A reception for Keely Willoughby's whimsical parasite paintings will be held from 5-8 p.m. inside the Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital in Tacoma.

4. Author Cherie Priest will discuss her new zombie-ridden alternate history book, Dreadnought, at 7 p.m. inside the Garfield Book Company. This third book of hers follows a Virginia nurse who travels to Seattle when she receives a telegram bringing bad news, and it promises to expand the thrilling Clockwork Century universe into entirely new territory.

5. Your Girlfriend's Favorite DJ spins at Masa's College Night beginning at 10 p.m.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

TUESDAY, OCT. 19, 2010 >>>

1. In celebration of its 75th anniversary the Tacoma Art Museum presents a screening of the 1935 (45, 55, 65 ... hey, it's 75 years old) classic film Top Hat at 7 p.m. inside The Grand Cinema.

2. The Banned Book Club gathers at the Tempest Lounge at 7 p.m. to discuss the book, The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer, over cocktails.

3. Bowling is a game devised for drinkers. You get up, you roll a ball, you sit down. You pound some beers and watch other people do the same. Then you repeat this cycle, all while wearing stupid shoes and knocking stuff down. It's like alcoholic heaven. The Chalet Bowl sweetens the deal every Tuesday from 6-11 p.m. with $2 games, $2 shoe rentals, $2 food items and $2.25 Rolling Rocks.

4. The 4 Tissimos Saxophone Quartet perform at 7 p.m. inside the Mandolin Café.

5. DJ Omar spins at 10 p.m. inside Jazzbones.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

SIXTH AVENUE WELCOMES PASTICHE AND GRUV >>>

A couple new businesses will open on Sixth Avenue catering to the dance crowd - young and old.

First, a new wine bar called Pastiche is scheduled to move into the other half of the former Il Fiasco space (Beyond The Bridge Café occupies the left side) Monday, Nov. 1. The owners bring 20 years of wine experience with them to the 2715 Sixth Ave. spot, as well as tapas for lunch and dinner menu. However, what caught our eyes is the large dance floor. Pastiche will host bands performing music from the '30s and '40s. Could cool jazz full of blaring horns, brushes on snare drums, wicked and suspicious-sounding reeds, and perhaps the coolest basslines of the 20th century come to Tacoma on a regular basis? We pray.

Second, Jason Rim's Gruv Lounge and Nightclub is on target for a soft opening Friday, Oct. 22 in the former Hell's Kitchen space on Sixth Avenue. I toured the joint last week with Gruv manager Calvin Murphy, who launched his DJ conglomerate Ocean Grooves in the same space in 1999 when it was the 6^th & Proctor Bar & Grill (after the popular Central Tavern closed in the same spot).

I'm happy to report that Rim and Murphy bypassed the glitzy nightclub motif for more of a fancy industrial environment: gray walls, steel accents and not a drape in sight.

Murphy, barely able to keep the smile off his face, guided me through the two private karaoke lounges, the clean(!) bathrooms, the remote-control LED lighting system - which includes 35 lights that can completely change the interior color - the wraparound video screen below the elevated DJ booth, and the large seating area where Hell's Kitchen pool and pinball room stood.

In regards to the music, Murphy plans on brining in popular national-touring DJs, as well as host Puget Sounds' DJ talent pool. Los Angeles DJ Uberzone will join local DJs dAb, Jason Diamond and Mr. Clean for the club's official opening Friday, Oct. 29. Admission will be $10. And a 6^th & Proctor Bar & Grill Ocean Grooves reunion will take place Saturday, Nov. 6 when Donald Glaude, Omar and dAb spin in the same spot they did 11 years ago. That night, which will be a Halloween bash, will be off the hook.

SATURDAY, OCT. 9, 2010 >>>

1. Stadium Thriftway hosts its infamous Lobster Drop beginning at 10 a.m. The bad boys of the ocean floor will be on sale for $9.99 a pound - cooked or live - while supplies last.

2. Tacoma Art Place celebrates Arts Crush will a full day of free visual art workshops for adults and children in a variety of media and techniques; members work for sale, refreshments, and a raffle of artwork, services and TAP membership from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

3. Speaking of Arts Crush, Madera Architectural Elements opens up its showroom from 6-9 p.m. for the area arts festival hosting the free-ambient, roots and nujazz music of the Gnostic Scribblers.

4. Freighthouse Square's Black Lake Haunted Asylum has made it into its third year of operation with a twisted re-enactment of an old Black Lake Asylum legend.  As you slowly traipse through the asylum's dark maze, following closely behind a zombified escort, anticipation can almost overwhelm you.  Check it out from 6-11 p.m.

5. DJ Mauro ups the fog machine, hypes the crowd in Spanish and spins his unique mix of Latin-infused music beginning at 9 p.m. inside the South Hill Mazatlan restaurant.

LINK: More suggestions in our Weekend Hustle and Prefunk

LINK: Tacoma Film festival is on!

LINK: New concerts go on sale today

LINK: Taste wine

FRIDAY, OCT. 8, 2010 >>>

1. Vice President Joe Biden will hold Democratic Sen. Patty Murray's hand in the air during a get-out-the-vote rally at the University of Washington campus in Tacoma. The rally will take place around 10:30 a.m. on The Grand Staircase between Jefferson Avenue and Pacific Avenue. The vice-president is expected to arrive between 11 and 11:30 a.m.

2. Tacoma's resident from outer space Adam The Alien gathers his buddies from local comedy improv groups The Tokens, Norman Tweeter Productions and Small Change for a 6 p.m. improvaganza inside Tacoma's Amocat Café.

3. Seattle poet Nancy Dahlberg anchors the Distinguished Writer Series poetry open mic at 7 p.m. inside King's Books.

4. The Second City Chamber Series kicks off its Masterpiece Series concerts at 7:30 p.m. inside Annie Wright's Kemper Theatre featuring The Europa Chamber Ensemble and clarinetist Cindy Renander exploring the music of the Jewish diaspora, as well as the music of contemporary Israel.  There will be a touch of klezmer music (natch).

5. In the grand, and unusual, tradition of skinny English boys bopping about in even skinnier ties to American soul and jazz music, local DJs offer a night of soul, funk, jazz and rare grooves inside the Tempest Lounge under the tag Rare Groove. Back in the day, Brits loved obscure American soul records almost as much as they loved mayonnaise and cucumber sandwiches. Beginning at 9:30 p.m. DJs celebrate this phenomenon by playing authentic, obscure soul, funk and jazz records. It's the kind of music that would have been heard at all-night parties in Manchester or Blackpool back in the day. Bring your own skinny tie.

LINK: New movies open today

LINK: Concerts go on sale today

MONDAY, OCT. 4, 2010 >>>

1. The World Championship of Sand Sculpting had been held in Harrison Hot Springs British Columbia for nearly 20 years, but this year it moved to Federal Way. It has drawn top-notch sand sculptors from around the globe to compete in the yearly sand showdown, which is held in a parking lot near the Gene Juarez Academy and 24 Hour Fitness from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. And it's been extended for another week, ending Sunday, Oct. 10.

2. The artwork of Carolyn Burt and the jewelry of Joni Joachims is on display at the Proctor Art Gallery from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

3. With the approach of Christmas causing him to feel lonely in life and love, Robert Malone (Academy Award Winner Martin Landau) braves the wintery snow to arrive home from his job at the grocery store only to find a stranger (Academy Award Winner Ellen Burstyn) standing in his home in the film Lovely, Sill, which screens at 2:15 and 7 p.m. inside The Grand Cinema. What begins as an odd and awkward encounter quickly blossoms into what appears to be a romantic late life love affair that takes us on a heartfelt and wonderful journey, which takes an unexpected turn.

4. DJ Darren Selector spins Tacoma indie rock and underground hits at 6 p.m. every Monday at The New Frontier Lounge.

5. Karaoke with a live band continues Monday nights at Jazzbones beginning at 9 p.m.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

FRIDAY, OCT. 1, 2020 >>>

1. Here we go again. For the 39th time. Olympia Arts Walk. It's a madhouse of art, music and performance arts of all types. Arts Walk turns all of downtown Olympia into a very crowded and festive art gallery and performance space. Professional artists, amateur artists, students from elementary school through college, musicians, storytellers, and performers of all types show their stuff in galleries, cafes, barber shops, tattoo parlors and on the streets from 5-10 p.m. Be sure to catch the Silent Art Auction inside the Capitol Theater, as well as these highlights.

2. Throughout the month of October, you'll receive discounts - and help support the Breast Cancer Resource Center - after you purchase a $10 hot pink bra pin at participating Sixth Avenue businesses. The kick-off event featuring pink chick merchandise and pink hair extensions happens at 5:30 p.m. inside Cork! a wine bar located at 3012 Sixth Ave.

3. The Broadway Center opens its season with Cirque Mechanics' Boom Town, whichbrings together a number of great circus performers and tosses them onto a stage filled with 19th century mining equipment upon which they flip, twirl and twist about. Trust us: it's awesome. Taking audiences on a trip to the 1860s "small frontier town" of Rosebud, where two "ambitious saloon owners" are battling for the gold rush-fueled patronage of the townsfolk. The Cirque Mechanics explosiveness starts there at 7:30 p.m. inside the Pantages Theater and only gets better. 

4. Poet Chloe Bonnett headlines the Speak Your Soul open mic at 8 p.m. inside The Den Tea Bar. Donations go toward the Fund for Women & Grils.

5. DJ Broam and Chronie Diego will drop the latest in electro pop beats at the First Friday Dance Party at the Tempest Lounge beginning at 9 p.m. 

REMEMBER: 253Heart Film Festival is tonight

LINK: New movies open today

LINK: Concert go on sale today

THURSDAY, SEPT. 30, 2010 >>>

1. It's community arts appreciation day at the Tacoma Farmers Market on Broadway from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tacoma musician Deborah Page will perform at 10:30 a.m.

2. Megan Peters leads a group knitting sessions from 5-8 p.m. at Tacoma Art Place. Group knitting is always free for members and those with a day pass. First time visitors also can join once for free. You can be a beginner or expert, just as long as you're not one of those roughian sewers.

3. King's Books presents an engaging presentation on the history of banned books with Laura Ferri from Seattle's Book-It Repertory Theatre at 7 p.m. as part of Banned Books Week. Puyallup Public Library encourages folks to drop by between 6:30 to 7:30 and read excerpts from their favorite banned book.

4. The Thursday Beer Runners will kick off a 3-mile jog from the West End Pub & Grill at 6:30 p.m. only to return to the joint and put the calories back on with endless pints of beer.

5. DJ Toner spins vintage rock and soul beginning at 8 p.m. inside The Brotherhood Lounge in downtown Olympia.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

TUESDAY, SEPT. 28, 2010 >>>

1. The last 6th Avenue Farmers Market runs today from 3:30-7:30 p.m. Stop by Sixth and Pine and hug your favorite vendor goodbye.

2. The offspring of Northwest Garden Guru Ed Hume, James Hume, typically specializes in acrylic on canvas, but for his latest exhibit, Not Painting Flowers, showing from noon to 5 p.m. at the Sandpiper Gallery, he's abandoning typical crutches and going all out. Inspired by a trip to Paris, and the "fleeting masterpieces" Hume saw from street artists in the Metro, Hume says, "With my new work I'm breaking all my old habits and experimenting with stencils, spray paint, Photoshop and even my iPhone." Read the full story here.

3. Tuesday Read-In from 5-7 p.m. at Last Word Books is your chance to sit, read, drink tea and argue politics.

4. The Broadway Center presents another happy hour season preview/sneak peek thingy from 5:30-7:30 p.m. with a glimpse behind Cirque Mechanics Boom Town. As you sip dollar drinks inside the Pantages Theater you'll witness feats of strength and the latest mining fashion. If you hang for the whole happy hour you'll have the opportunity to win two free tickets to see Jo Dee Messina or Eileen Ivers.

5. Big Wheel Restaurant and Lounge hosts a College "Nite" beginning at 8 p.m. featuring $2 beers and $2 wells and a DJ spinning all vinyl.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

MONDAY, SEPT. 27, 2010 >>>

1. The 31st annual training conference of the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture gathers near the Point Defiance Park Rose Garden from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to demonstrate the use of a crane to remove a tree, the rescue of workers from an aerial lift truck, climbing techniques and pruning techniques. Equipment vendors will also be on site, representing products such as chippers and stump grinders. 

2. BIG: an exploration, featuring artwork by David Hodge, Chris Sharp, Anne Haley, Phil Roach, Judy Harvey, Karl Krogstad, Chuck Gumpert, Christopher Mathie, Alexis St. John, Ryan Molencamp, Marsha Galziere and Mauricio Robalino, is on display from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. inside the Handforth Gallery at the Tacoma Public Library's Main Branch.

3. Jesse Clark McAbee lectures on "Tall Timber: The Nikkei Experience in Washington's Lumber Industry" at noon inside the Washington State Capital Museum in Olympia. This presentation, through vintage photographs, oral histories, ephemera and historical documents highlights the story of the thousands of Japanese immigrants who worked in Washington's timber industry prior to World War II.

4. Robert Duvall plays a backwoods hermit who figures his time is coming, and enlists the local undertaker (Bill Murray) in planning a big funeral send-off that he will pay for himself and enjoy while he's still alive in the flick Get Low screening at 2, 4:25, 6:40 and 9 p.m. inside The Grand Cinema.

5. Rebel Monday/Industry Night featuring DJ Jason Diamond spinning roots reggae begins at 9 p.m. inside O'Malley's Irish Pub on Sixth Avenue.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound