WINTER BEERS >>>

Thanksgiving -  cruelly sandwiched in between two much cooler holidays - has always been a bit of a letdown for me. Maybe I just had to draw one too many handprint turkeys and write too many lists of things to be thankful for when I was a kid.

I promised myself that I wouldn't write anything this cheesy, but right now I've got a deadline bearing down on me like a Mack truck and the Thanksgiving route is starting to look pretty appealing.

So as the almighty writing gods send two giant black crows named Triteness and Cliche to peck my eye-sockets clean, let us give thanks for the following: Jolly Roger 2010, Schooner Exact Hoppy the Woodsman 2009 and 2010, Avery The Beast, Lost Abbey Angel's Share, Russian River Temptation, Sierra/Dogfish Life and Limb 2, 21st Amendment Hop Crisis, Avery duganA, Bear Republic Racer X, Boneyard Femme Fatale, Russian River Pliny the Elder, Southern Tier Crème Brûlée, Southern Tier Pumking (bottles) and Stone Double Bastard.

Those are the winter beers the Parkway Tavern will pour Thanksgiving night. Obviously, I have to rethink this holiday.

[Parkway Tavern, Thursday, Nov. 24, 5 p.m. to close, 313 N. I St., Tacoma, 253.383.8748]

P.S.: The Red Hot and the Harmon Tap Room have growlers for your Thanksgivign dinner.

Thing: Emily's Chocolates

Manufactured in: Fife

Product is: A little on the pricey side

When: Shopping at local retailers

Like: Metropolitan Market

Although: You can save a buck

By: Shopping at the factory's outlet

Listen: And learn, folks

Until recently, I would only treat myself on the rare and very special occasion to a small bag of Emily's chocolate covered cashews or chocolate covered cherries - both of which would roughly cost me an upward of $7 each. Do you know what a girl like me can do with $7? Read my column here for the sweet details.

DO YOU KNOW YOUR TACOMA HISTORY ... AND LOVE FOOD? >>

Foodcaching is a new smart phone app alerting customers of awesome food deals at 16 restaurants in the greater Tacoma area. You may download the app for free on your iPhone and Android here.

The Weekly Volcano has teamed up with Foodcaching for the True Tacoman game. Every Tuesday and Friday right here on Spew, we post a Tacoma history trivia provided by the Washington State History Museum. If you know the answer, run to one of the 16 participating restaurants, come clean with answer and you'll receive points on your Foodcaching app, which you downloaded free here. We'll be running the True Tacoman trivia game through the end of the year.

The person will the most points on Dec. 31 will be crowned the True Tacoman and be flooded with various food prizes.

Friday's True Tacoman trivia answer

Friday, we posted the question: What did the indigenous people of the South Puget sound call Mount Rainier back in the day? You spent the last four days telling the restaurants listed below that is was Tacoba, Tacoma and Tahoma, thereby, scoring points on the Foodcaching app. It's much easier than actually climbing said mountain. 

Today is Tuesday, which means we post another trivia question as part of the True Tacoman contest.

Today's True Tacoman trivia question

Beginning in the 1840s and moving foward in time, the citizens of the United States who arrived in the Pacific Northwest were known to the Native Americans as:

A) Yankees?

B) Bostons?

C) Mericans?

Answer the question correctly at one of the 16 participating restaurants below and score points - besides scoring awesome food deals from the restaurants. The correct answer will be revealed Friday, Nov. 25 on Spew. Also keep an eye on this blog for bonus game points and a special invite to the True Tacoman Game Party in early 2012.

Oh, you can download the free app here.

Participating restaurants

• 1022 South, 1022 South J St., Tacoma, 253.627.8588, Facebook
• Capers Cafe & Take Home, 2602 N. Proctor St., Tacoma, 253.761.4444, Facebook
• Dirty Oscar's Annex, 2309 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.572.0588, Facebook
• Dorky's Arcade, 754 Pacfic Ave., Tacoma, 253.627.4156, Facebook
• Harmon Brewery & Eatery, 1938 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.383.2739, Facebook
• Harmon Tap Room, 204 Saint Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.212.2725, Facebook
• The Hub, 203 Tacoma Ave. S., Tacoma, 253.683.4606, Facebook
• Jake's Bar & Bistro, 215 Wilkes St., Steilacoom, 253.581.3300, Website
• Massimo Italian Bar & Grill, 4020 Bridgeport Way W., University Place, 253.503.1902, Facebook
• Marrow Kitchen & Bar, 2717 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.267.5299, Facebook
• Over The Moon Cafe, 709 Court C/Opera Alley, Tacoma, 253.284.3722, Facebook
• Pacific Grill, 1502 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.627.3535, Facebook
• The Social Bar & Grill, 1715 Dock St., Tacoma, 253.301.3835, Facebook
• STINK Cheese & Meat, 628 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.426.1347, Facebook
• Top of Tacoma Bar & Cafe, 3529 McKinley Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.1502, Facebook
• TWOKOI Japanese Restaurant, 1552 Commerce St., Tacoma, 253.274.8999, Facebook

ONLINE CHATTER >>>

Today's comment of the day comes from Melissa Bird in response to our post on Metal Mondays at The New Frontier Lounge in Tacoma.

Bird writes,

With Jason Locking (jLo) slangin drinks & cookin munchies ( the French Bread pizza is SOOO good)... Come get some!!!

That's good enough for us.

MAYBE YOU MAY HAVE A BOWL WHILE YOUR BRAKES ARE FIXED >>>

Remember all those boxes of cereal in Jerry Seinfeld's set kitchen? Bobble had more: Go Lean, Raisin Bran, Wheat Chex, Kashi, Grape Nuts. Bobble Tiki regarded Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Cocoa Puffs as "dessert cereals." (Hey, it works with wine.) A bowl eaten after 10 p.m. (and after a glass of wine) was the perfect soporific snack.

Perfect, that is, until Bobble Tiki couldn't fit into his pants.

Anyway, if you have a love for dessert cereals, stop by Simmons Automotive on South 56th Street and South Proctor in Tacoma. Obviously, the folks working at the automotive repair shop love them, too.

ALL FREAKIN' MORNING >>>

All Freakin' Night, Olympia Film Festival's all-night mini-fest of blood-injected spazzmatic anti-cinema (that always causes at least one of our major organs to fail) is just wrapping up.  Soon, the rummy crowd will file out of the Capitol Theater. In year's past, the exhausted All Freakin' Night crowd stood in front of the theater for hours - readjusting to the light, readjusting to what they saw with their naked eyes.

This year, the OFF brain trust has instigated a program to help the AFN audience return to normal life. Beginning at 10 a.m., the Artesian Rumble Arkestra - the large orchestra of musicians specializing in jazz, Balkan brass, Brazilian samba and Bollywood film music - will lead a parade through downtown Olympia ending at The Clipper for pancakes and Bloody Marys. This "Zombie Parade" is appropriate for kids, as cartoons will fill the televisions.

Breakfast will wrap up at 1 p.m. The cost is $6 with proceeds benefiting the Olympia Film Society.

For more information on the Olympia Film Festival and today's film schedule, click here.

LINK: Details on Oly Film Fest's All Freakin' Night show last night are in our Weekend Hustle

For a sneak peek at what the Artesian Rumble Arkestra can do, check the video below.

PUMPIN' IT TO METAL >>>

Henry Rollins's linebacker-like neck, Iggy Pop's negative body fat, Janet Gwen Stefani's midsection, and yes, even Lady Gaga's tight little backside. While these people may be genetically blessed with talent, good looks, and/or self-promotional genius, they have had to work hard to get their bodies into prime condition. Music and fitness go hand in hand - if you think about it, you very rarely see a portly pop star or a chubby club kid. Sure, maybe the cigarettes (and other assorted substances) help keep some of the weight off, but it takes a commitment to exercising to get a really buff bod.

Olympia über creative folks Lisa Hurwitz and Joaquin de la Puente are committed to exercise and want to prove it to the world. This afternoon, inside The Mark, they'll hold a live taping for their aerobics feature OlyAerobics. Local metalheads Vanguard will shred, live, so you may shred off the pounds. That's right. They need you to get physical for the video. Grab your leggings and half-shirts and get ready to rock your rolls off.

BONUS: Before the sweat, Hurwitz will whet your whistle with the world premiere of her new cooking show, Martha and Me.

Locals Workin' It Out is part of the Olympia Film Festival. For more information on OFF, and today's film schedule, go here.

LINK: Details on Oly Film Fest's All Freakin' Night show tonight are in our Weekend Hustle

For a sneak peek at what Hurwitz can do, check the video below.

DO YOU KNOW YOUR TACOMA HISTORY ... AND LOVE FOOD? >>

Foodcaching is a new smart phone app alerting customers of awesome food deals at 16 restaurants in the greater Tacoma area. You may download the app for free on your iPhone and Android here.

The Weekly Volcano has teamed up with Foodcaching for the True Tacoman game. Every Tuesday and Friday right here on Spew, we post a Tacoma history trivia provided by the Washington State History Museum. If you know the answer, run to one of the 16 participating restaurants, come clean with answer and you'll receive points on your Foodcaching app, which you downloaded free here. We'll be running the True Tacoman trivia game through the end of the year.

The person will the most points on Dec. 31 will be crowned the True Tacoman and be flooded with various food prizes.

Tuesday's True Tacoman trivia answer

Tuesday, we posted the question, "The British farms located on the Nisqually plains in the late 1800s focused attention on which of the following three products: A) Sheep and cattle, B) Horses and pigs, C) Wheat and oats, D) Corn and sugar beets, and E) Apples and pears? You spent the last three days presenting the answer to the restaurants listed below and, thereby, scoring points on the Foodcaching app. It's as easy as sheep and cattle, horses and pigs, wheat and oats – all the focus of those British farms back in the day. 

Today is Friday, which means we post another trivia question as part of the True Tacoman contest.

Today's True Tacoman trivia question

The indigenous people called Mount Rainier something else. Was it:

A) Tacoba?

B) Tacoma?

C) Saka'am?

D) Tahoma?

Answer the question correctly at one of the 16 participating restaurants below and score points - besides scoring awesome food deals from the restaurants. The correct answer will be revealed Tuesday, Nov. 22 on Spew. Also keep an eye on this blog for bonus game points and a special invite to the True Tacoman Game Party in early 2012.

Oh, you can download the free app here.

Participating restaurants

• 1022 South, 1022 South J St., Tacoma, 253.627.8588, Facebook
• Capers Cafe & Take Home, 2602 N. Proctor St., Tacoma, 253.761.4444, Facebook
• Dirty Oscar's Annex, 2309 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.572.0588, Facebook
• Dorky's Arcade, 754 Pacfic Ave., Tacoma, 253.627.4156, Facebook
• Harmon Brewery & Eatery, 1938 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.383.2739, Facebook
• Harmon Tap Room, 204 Saint Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.212.2725, Facebook
• The Hub, 203 Tacoma Ave. S., Tacoma, 253.683.4606, Facebook
• Jake's Bar & Bistro, 215 Wilkes St., Steilacoom, 253.581.3300, Website
• Massimo Italian Bar & Grill, 4020 Bridgeport Way W., University Place, 253.503.1902, Facebook
• Marrow Kitchen & Bar, 2717 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.267.5299, Facebook
• Over The Moon Cafe, 709 Court C/Opera Alley, Tacoma, 253.284.3722, Facebook
• Pacific Grill, 1502 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.627.3535, Facebook
• The Social Bar & Grill, 1715 Dock St., Tacoma, 253.301.3835, Facebook
• STINK Cheese & Meat, 628 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.426.1347, Facebook
• Top of Tacoma Bar & Cafe, 3529 McKinley Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.1502, Facebook
• TWOKOI Japanese Restaurant, 1552 Commerce St., Tacoma, 253.274.8999, Facebook

ONLINE CHATTER >>>

Today's comment of the day comes from "Olys finest" in response to our little blurb we wrote a while back on the new 1230 Room club in downtown Olympia.

Olys finest writes,

Super nice place clean, music was like every other club. Buff Guys trying to be like jersey shore pretty sure they were all high on something or way to drunk. so I left and went to another called the royal. More up beat and a lot better service hot ladies dancing every place I will go back there again.

Person: David Williams

Place: Market Street Coffee (1122 Market St., Tacoma)

Located next to: Smooth & Juicy

Associated with: Embellish Multi-Space Salon

They all totally want you to: GO LOCAL

As do: I

Especially when: There's free shit

Like: Drip coffee samples

At: Market Street Coffee

Every damn: Day

Who doesn't love: Free shit?

I know: I do!

David Williams' mother, Linda Fiscus, is either extremely intelligent or just really, really nice.  Fiscus is about to make her son, David Williams, co-owner of Market Street Coffee and give him the biggest and best thing he's ever claimed ownership of ... besides his life.

"I've never owned anything, so that would be pretty cool," Williams tells me. 

I call bullshit. We've all owned stuff.  It doesn't have to be expensive cars, fancy houses or an expansive field of marijuana plants. It could be anything. I quickly ask him to think of the item he's owned the longest. 

To read his reply and the rest of my interview with Williams, click here.