SUZY STUMP: BRING A BOX OF CLOTHES TO THE FAIR STARTING TOMORROW >>>

No matter how amazing a piece of clothing is, sometimes it just isn’t right for you. If you’re anything like me, you probably have tons of items of clothing that don’t fit right. When you have more useful clothing than you know what to do with, have the heart and donate it.

Goodwill will set up donation stations in the Gold Parking lot at the Puyallup Fair Sept. 17-20 during Fair hours.
 
“Even a single box of clothes can help make the difference in supporting our job training and placement services,” said Terry A. Hayes, CEO, in a press release. “Donors know they’re helping people go to work while enjoying the fair.”
 
According to the release, donors will receive a coupon good for 50 percent off breakfast or lunch at the Neighborhood Bistro or one free coffee drink at Goodwill’s Coffee Buzz. The Bistro and Coffee Buzz are located in Goodwill’s new Milgard Work Opportunity Center, which opened Sept. 14 at 714 S. 27th St. in Tacoma.
 
For information about donation locations, stores or services at Goodwill, visit their Web site here or visit the Puyallup Fair Web site.

RON SWARNER: LABOR DAY WEEKEND IN TACOMA >>>

Spending Labor Day weekend enjoy the sights, sounds, tastes and smells from our own backyard:

Sonja Clothes to Live In
2701 N. 21st St., Tacoma, 253.272.1565

Hours this weekend: Today 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Eight years ago Tacoman Sonja Silver â€" "Fed up with potshots from the media" aimed at her beloved Tacoma â€" created her infamous “Gritty Tacoman” T-shirts. Her definition of "gritty" means: courageous, brave and plucky â€" which accurately describes the City of Destiny’s prideful locals. She sells the shirts â€" for women, men, children and dogs â€" out of her North Tacoma store Sonja Clothes to Live In for $18.

SUZY STUMP: TODAY’S HAPPY HOUR DISCUSSION TOPIC >>>

Today’s Happy Hour Suggestion:

The Swiss Pub
1904 Jefferson Ave., Tacoma, 253.572.2821

Happy Hours: 4-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday

Food Specials: $5 plates â€" deep-fried chicken breast tenders, fish taco, grilled skewered prawns and crispy calamari rings. $4 plates â€" calamari rings, olive tapenade and crispy tater tots

SUZY STUMP: OSCILLATOR X HITS TACOMA TOMORROW NIGHT >>>

Just in time for the recession, decadence is back: at least musically in Tacoma tomorrow night at The Robert Daniel Galley.

Iâ��m talking late â��80s Euro-dance parties â�" the final days of the Me Decade. When Aqua and Real McCoy came onto the scene. The final days before the communally minded DJs of the â��90s, who slumped anonymously behind a gaggle of ravers, cranking whatever bassline would deliver the crowd into throbbing bliss while wearing nothing but fluorescent tape on their nipples or sporting an expensive haircuts that made them look like stylish mental patients.

I�m talking about the days when the audience actually watched the artists while sampled Soft Cell.

Tomorrow night Robert Stoker and Angela Jossy are throwing a party that will transport me back to the late â��80s, bringing out my Eurotrash Girl. Their Electro-Pop Art Party will combine the Pop Art movement â�" a la Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons and Roy Lichtenstein â�" albeit interpreted through the minds of local talent, with the energetic, poppy electronica of Portlandâ��s Oscillator X, who come fresh from their concert in Europe at the Arcade Dance International Championships in Amsterdam with their customized light show and air-powered confetti launchers in tow.

I caught up with Jossy for the scoop on tomorrow night�s happening.

SUZY STUMP: Why an Electro-Pop Art Party?

ANGELA JOSSY: I think pop music and pop art make nice bedfellows; plus electro-pop music is all the rage these days. The party will be electro-decadent with electro-drinks, electro-dancing and lots of electro-love. Be prepared for a very intense light show coming from two different stages while being bombarded (in a good way) by electro-beats.

STUMP: Sounds electro-fying.

JOSSY: Plus Deborah Page. She�s a last minute addition.

STUMP: Electro-alternative-atmospheric-folk!

JOSSY: She�s a local treasure. And it�s not very often you get to see a national act like Oscillator X in such an intimate environment for such a low price. Their song �Dynamo� is a recognized hit across the globe. These guys are total pros when it comes to entertainment. They have a computer synchronized light show, costumes, block-rockin' beats and even air powered confetti launchers. The last time I saw a show this well orchestrated was when I saw Polyphonic Spree at the Showbox. I am so excited to see this show.

STUMP: Tell me about the art.

JOSSY: The art in this show will be modern but have pop art influences. Local artists Cara Jennings, Desiree "DTA" Flerchinger, Brett Carlson and Juliette Ricci and others will show. I also heard that Thorax O'Tool might be showing as well.

STUMP: Can I expect to get my Warhol on tomorrow night?

JOSSY: Anything goes at these art parties. I'd suggest clothes that you feel comfortable dancing in because even if you aren't normally a person who dances, you might not be able to resist this music. I'd like to see people decked out in full Studio 54, Andy Warhol funkified garb with sequins, feathers and faux fur but I don't want anyone to feel they can't come because they don't have an outfit. Basically the best rule of thumb for parties like this is wear something that expresses your individuality and makes you feel like your best, most shimmery, glamorous and beautiful self â�" or jeans and a T-shirt. Itâ��s all good.

[The Robert Daniel Gallery, Electro-Pop Art Party, Saturday, Aug. 15, 8 p.m., $10 at Brown Paper Tickets, $12 door, 2501 Fawcett Ave., Tacoma]

MATT DRISCOLL: HAD TOO MUCH TO THINK LAST NIGHT >>>

Situated in the middle of my face, directly below my bottom lip, there’s a longstanding friend of mine simply hanging out. Been there since 2000.

My soul patch.

Over the last nine years, my soul patch and I have become inseparable. We go everywhere together, and are never pictured without one another. It’s a beautiful relationship.

So you can imagine my panic when I got word from Michael Swan â€" the Weekly Volcano’s staff writer â€" that I wasn’t the only person in love with the soul patch. Apparently, Billy Ray Cyrus feels the same way.

Quite naturally, this revelation led me down a path of self-examination. After careful consideration, I realized my soul patch and poll voting in Pierce County have quite a bit in common.

Skeptical? Click here to read this week’s Volcano editorial.

JENNIFER JOHNSON: OH PLEASE ANSWER MY DREAMS >>>

I’m being teased with the promise of two of my very favorite things in the same place. Is it sweets and skirts, frosting and frocks, cakes and coats, jelly and jewelry? It’s better than all of that, it’s Cupcakes & Coutoure â€" what I can only imagine will be a divine experience.

You laugh, but a huge sign bearing those very words has been looming over Proctor Street since last year. When I first saw the gigantic sign resting in what I had presumed was someone’s front yard, I almost caused an accident (driving while gawking is bad). The boldly swirling, cursive black lettering jumped off the stark white 6-foot by 4-foot wooden placard. Pink cupcakes adorned opposite corners. The ultimate tease of lettering spelling out Spring ’09 at the bottom has long since been burned into my fashion-greedy heart (that was a bit dramatic, I know). Each time I have driven by over the past three months, I have grinded my teeth thinking its spring right now! There’s been no noticeable change to the ordinary looking house that should be a fabulous boutique already.

In the meantime, I’ve dreamt up a delirious scenario of what I think Cupcakes & Coutoure should be like. Upon approach, the boutique door opens and a shirtless Christian Bale (American Psycho, not Batman) winks at you, reaches for your hand and divests you of coat and handbag all in one smooth twirl. Racks and racks upon shelves and trunks and display cases full of the most outrageously wonderful and, oddly, everyday wearable garments and accessories glint, shine and sparkle dazzlingly. Shirtless Christian hands you off to an equally shirtless George Clooney (From Dusk Till Dawn) with that uber hot tattoo roping up his arm and onto his neck (yeowwww). George is holding a tray of bite-size completely fat- and calorie-free cupcakes iced with miniature masterpiece paintings on top. Everything in the boutique is your exact size and every pair of pants makes your booty look like it did senior year of high school. Impossible shoes are comfortable, as you find out when Christian and George each slip 6-inch stilettos onto your feet making your legs look 4,000 miles long. At check-out, the plain non-threatening cashier tells you how lovely you look and gives you 50 percent off because you were so nice to her. The shirtless masculine wonders carry packages to a waiting limo, courtesy of Cupcakes & Coutoure, and then get in a fist fight over who gets to hand you into the backseat.

[Cupcakes & Coutoure, 2510 Proctor St., Tacoma]

JENNIFER JOHNSON: SWAPPING OLD CLOTHES FOR NEW STYLES >>>

Britney Spears blared on the sound system as I walked in. Scanning the packed store, I was easily 10 years older than all the other customers. Every third female sported a trucker hat and an oh-so-not-from-the-sun tan. Ah, the youth of America. Plato's Closet in Olympia is a buy-sell secondhand clothing store geared to teenagers and young women and men in their early 20s. This location's been open for just over a year and has obviously earned their approval.

I easily located clothes that didn’t scream “My 16-year-old dressed me today,” but that were still current and fun.

Read what I discovered at Plato's Closet on the Weekly Volcano Web site.

LINK: Rebates at the ReStore

RON SWARNER: TWO CAR GARAGE COVER SHOOT >>>

Matt Driscoll and I are afflicted with a syndrome we call "Poor Devil." Whenever we see someone less fortunate than ourselves  â€" the morbidly obese, Vashon ferry captains, Mrs. Bobble Tiki â€"  we are so overcome with pity that we find ourselves momentarily ruined. If this occurs at a bar, God forbid, we can’t even continue drinking for a few minutes until the bout of Poor Devil has passed.

I mention this because he and I are the Poor Devils right now. We gave up the chance to photograph a hot chick this morning. Yeah, I don't now what we were thinking. Instead, we turned the assignment over to a professional â€" Weekly Volcano photographer J.M. Simpson

As you will see by his shots, he nailed it.

The photo shoot was for the album cover for the upcoming split disc, Two Car Garage, that the Fabulous Wailers and the Ventures will release April 10 in celebration of their 50th anniversaries of rockin' Tacoma. Held at Austin's Pro Max at the corner of 56th and South Tacoma Way, Simpson captured Reanna Scott, stage name Fuchsia Foxxx, as she struck pose after pose.

Read more on Two Car Garage in Bobble Tiki's column posted a few week's ago on the Weekly Volcano Web site.

Matt, you Poor Devil, I think we need to rethink our priorities.

LINK: Two Car Garage Web site