TURKEY DAY, NOV. 25, 2010 >>>

1. DJ Switch will spin at Jazzbones beginning at 9 p.m.

2. Oh, sure, you could sit around this morning and watch bad football. That's what's expected of you. But why not exceed expectations? Try Gig Harbor's Turkey Trot - a 5K or 10K run or walk designed for the whole family. Kicking off at 8 a.m., giving you a chance to actually work up an appetite for the turkey and stuffing that awaits, the Turkey Trot will fill Gig Harbor's downtown waterfront with athletic show-off types, all to the benefit of F.I.S.H. Food Banks, the local Gig Harbor food bank and college scholarships.

3. Head to the movies, yo!

4. Have your kids turkey-stoked, released from school all week and spinning amok with mounting visions of sugarplums, Barbie dolls and Xbox Kinect drilled a hole through the roof yet? There's a reason Fantasy Lights at Spanaway Park will switch on the holiday light exhibits tonight from 5:30-9 p.m.

5. Moby Grape's guitarist Jerry Miller will rock the Westgate Bar and Grill beginning at 9 p.m.

DINING NEWS, NIBBLES AND BITS >>>

Best Crab Cakes: 17-year-old Dustin Buchholz's crab cakes took top honors at the Washington State Chefs Association's annual Best of the Pacific Northwest last month. Buchholz works as a dishwasher and prep cook in the Clubhouse at McCormick Woods. The Kitsap Sun has the scoop.

Beer Is Good: RAM Brewery releases its creamy, complex S'No Angel Winter Weizenbock during a special tapping at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 17 inside its Tacoma restaurant at 3001 Ruston Way.

Sandwich And Coffee: Cutters Point in Gig Harbor's Uptown Shopping Center now serves Caprese, Belltown Club, Chipotle Chicken and Roasted Turkey paninis. If you puy one now through the end of the year you'll receive a free 12-ounce drip coffee.

Cooking Class: The Bayview School of Cooking in Olympia will teach a Fettuccine Alfredo Dinner class at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 17. The class is $45. Reserve your spot at 360.754.1448.

Food Matters: Food and sex are the two things science says will reduce our anxiety. Nice.

LINK: South Sound happy hours

DINING NEWS, NIBBLES AND BITS >>>

Tequila Tasting: The Weekly Volcano foodie group Nosh League will be tasting Don Julio tequila this Thursday at Masa. Blanco, Reposado, Anejo and 1942 will be paired with goat cheese and chorizo stuffed arepas, steak and roasted yellow tomato crostini, bacon wrapped mesquite grilled dates and spiced candied pineapple skewers. The cost is $20 per person. You must RSVP on the Nosh League site here.

International Chowder Day: In celebration of International Chowder Day, Duke's Chowder House is giving free chowder to its Email Club members. To jojn, click here.

Happy Hour Back On: Doyle's Public House has reinstated its $3 Happy Hour featuring Cheese Quesadilla, Irish Potstickers, Tater Tot Nachos, Chicken Sliders, Scotch Eggs, Small Caesar Salad and Grilled cheese and Tomato basil bisque - all for, you guessed it, $3. Doyle's happy hour runs 3-6 p.m. Monday-Friday. Discover more South Sound happy hours here.

Future Things Are Coming: Brix 25 restaurant in Gig Harbor will host a Fielding Hills Winery for a four-course winemaker dinner at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 11. The cost is $85 person. Reserve your spot at 253.858.6626.

Food Matters: Cocoa farm experts suggest a single bar might one day run more than $7. Nooooooooooooooooooo!

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

DINING NEWS, NIBBLES AND BITS IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

November Bonus: Cutters Point Coffee in Gig Harbor's Uptown Shopping Center has busted out new gourmet omelet sandwiches. They'll toss in a free 12-ounce cup of coffee if you order an omelet sandwich during this month.

Voted Sticker Deal: Drop by the Varsity Grill in downtown Tacoma after 5 p.m., show them your "I Voted" sticker, and they'll knock 20 percent off your food purchases. The sports bar also plans to broadcast the election results on their multiple screens.

Future Things Are Coming: El Gaucho Tacoma hosts a L'Ecole Wine Dinner at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 12. The cost is $75 per person. For reservations, call 253.272.1510.

Food Matters: Eleven great chefs share their families' secret Thanksgiving recipes.

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

SATURDAY, OCT. 16, 2010 >>>

1. The Gig Harbor Film Festival continues today at the Galaxy Uptown Theatres. Be sure to catch Camp Unity, an award-winning documentary about Iraqi youth uniting through hip-hop, jazz, orchestra, and Broadway at an American Arts Academy in Kurdistan, at 1:05 p.m.

2. The Northwest Repertory Singers, in conjunction with Arts Crush, provide produce picking music at the Proctor Farmers Market beginning at 10 a.m.

3. Sanford and Son Antiques hosts the Tacoma Harvest Fair from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. loaded with baked goods, gourds, jam and pickled veg competitions, Most Awesome Mustache Contest, Greater Tacoma Mutt Show, Best Pansy Container Garden, Mr. and Miss Tattoo Tacoma and much more. The entire thing is rather tongue in cheek, and meant to be a fun celebration of Tacoma.

4. Painter Christopher Mathie will offer a high-energy, fast paced painting performance from 6-8 p.m. inside Mavi Contemporary Art. Twelve-string guitarist Sam Weis will keep the energy elevated.

5. The Fall Fashion Lore Runway Show (presented by urbanXchange) will go down at King's Books in Tacoma beginning at 7:30 p.m. Promising that they've been, "stockpiling extraordinary goods for a month now," and that these stylish-goods will "explode on Tacoma this Saturday night in a delicious display of style inspiration," the show will no doubt be one of the truly boffo events of the weekend. Even better, local-favorites Basemint will plug in along with Nicolas Hartzell.

LINK: Concerts go on sale today

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

DINING NEWS, NIBBLES AND BITES >>>

Weekend Of Pork: Chef Charlie McManus is cooking a pig from Cheryl the "Pig Lady" this weekend at Primo Grill. Beginning today and running through Tuesday, you may enjoy a plate of slow roasted pulled pork with fingerling potatoes and caper mint salsa verde. Primo recommends a glass of Walla Walla's Cougar Crest Dedication red blend to go with it. Oh, and don't forget their bolognese pasta!

Beet Tasting: Shawn Sheeran of New Belgium Brewing will visit 99 Bottles in Federal Way) from 4-6 p.m. today. Taste five beers for $2.50.

Wine Tasting: Water To Wine in Gig Harbor will be pouring new wines from Washington for a tasting 2-5 p.m. today.

Future Things Are Coming: Ravenous Restaurant (785 Broadway, Tacoma) will hosts a South African wine tasting dinner at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 18. The cost is $50 per person. Reserve your space at 253.5723.6374.

Food Matters: A grandmother's old-school cure-all staves off sniffles, but ranges in taste from strong to foul - and that's sort of the point

LINK: 50 local dishes you should try

LINK: Wine tastings today!

THE LOWDOWN ON WHAT'S UP THIS WEEKEND >>>

WEATHER REPORT

Friday: Mostly cloudy, hi 58, lo 38

Saturday: Mostly sunny, hi 57, lo 39

Sunday: Mostly sunny, hi 54, lo 41

>>> FRIDAY, OCT. 15-SUNDAY, OCT. 17: GIG HARBOR FILM FESTIVAL

This weekend the third annual Gig Harbor Film Festival will prove once again there's plenty of life across the Narrows by welcoming a variety of locally-made films, independents, documentaries, shorts and more to the Galaxy Theatres Uptown. Upping the ante, special guests scheduled to appear at the Gig Harbor Film Fest include Hal Linden, Karen Black and an unnamed special mystery guest that's not Hal Linden or Karen Black. Awesome!

• Galaxy Theatres Uptown, click here for times and prices, 4649 Point Fosdick Dr. NW, Gig Harbor, 253.851.3456
  

>>> SATURDAY, OCT. 16-SUNDAY, OCT. 17: REPTILE EXPO

Oh, you said herpetology? Whew. Hundreds of reptile enthusiasts gather for a series of seminars and demonstrations containing homages to cold-blooded creatures this weekend. Snakes, spiders, lizards and much more featured in more than 100 exhibits, and a variety of books and supplies, slither into the Puyallup Fairgrounds for this annual event. The main attractions, however, are the giant boa constrictors. After all, who doesn't love a good cuddle at night?

• Puyallup Fairgrounds Expo Hall, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, $7, Ninth and Meridian, Puyallup

>>> SATURDAY, OCT. 16: DONKEY CREEK CHUM FESTIVAL

For far too long, this country's notion of the fruits of the sea began and ended with fish sticks, or, far worse, Red Lobster.  But if you live in the Northwest and don't know your fellow salmon, shame on you.  You need a little schooling.  You need Donkey Creek Chum Festival.  The mature salmon are finding their way back to Donkey Creek so local environmental groups and fish enthusiasts will join together for a day of everything salmon, plus kayak races and art.  

• Donkey Creek Chum Festival, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., free, 8714 N. Harborview Dr., Gig Harbor

>>> SUNDAY, OCT. 17: LUTEFISK DINNER & BAZAAR

The Weekly Volcano will join all those who worship Thor, Odin and other Norse gods Sunday at the Sons of Norway's annual Lutefisk Dinner & Bazaar.  While loaded with crafts, games and music, we really attend the festival for the food.  We will dive in to some big slabs of yummy jellied pressed fish called Lutefisk while reading from the Rigsbula: The Lay of Rig from the Poetic Edda. Afterward, we'll take a nap and dream of large sledgehammers and cute pointy helmets and enormous women shaped like huge pomegranates belting out Wagner.

• Normanna Hall, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., $9-$18, 1106 S. 15th St., Tacoma, 253.752.8686
  

>>> WHERE OUR STAFF IS GOING

MATT DRISCOLL Editor and Longtime Weekend Hustle Procrastinator
Honestly, I'm not sold people care what the hell I'm doing this weekend. Also, I'm one hundred percent certain what I do on the weekend is far less glamorous or exciting than people probably assume. Does laundry excite you? Hell yeah! I have some of that shit on tap this weekend! Do trips to Target make you hot? Damn straight! I go to Target AT LEAST TWICE every weekend! Is it intriguing to you that, much like Seahawks fans, I have nearly every Sunday of the fall and winter ruined by an inept football team and its failings, only my team is called the Broncos? Well hot shit! It just happens to be true!

Also, if you really must know, there's talk in the Driscoll household of finally checking out the Gig Harbor Film Festival this year, and spending Saturday making fun of the Gaither Homecoming Tour stopped at the T-Dome. Happy now?

PAUL SCHRAG Senior Contributor
I am furiously editing the final draft of The Suppressed History of America, available in June from Inner Traditions/Bear&Co.; going dancing at an as-yet undecided Seattle spot; and interviewing people for a couple of potentially awesome Weekly Volcano cover stories. I will be listening to Nate Dogg and Lamb of God the entire time.

NIKKI TALOTTA Features Writer
This weekend I am in the holiday spirit. Decorating the house with cobwebs and candles, pumpkin carving, (or in my son's case, bumkin carving, 'cause he found one that totally looks like it has butt cheeks!) and my favorite - roasting pumpkin seeds. Yum! By the way, if anyone has any roasting recipes, I'd love to try something new. ...

JOE IZENMAN Music/Theater Critic
If you're looking for me or any of my co-workers on Friday evening after work, I suggest you try Dorky's Arcade. Possibly around the pinball or Ms. Pac-Man machines. Saturday night we might be found at the Creative Education Experiences auction in the Primo Grill event space. Sunday? Probably in a basement somewhere eating chips and playing Dungeons & Dragons with other assorted pillars of the community. It seems like something we'd do.

KRIS BLONDIN Food/Wine Writer
Heading to The Office (downtown Tacoma) for their official grand opening, and then to Seattle Saturday night for dinner at Peso's Kitchen. Sunday, nursing the hangover I'm sure.

JENNIFER JOHNSON: Lifestyle/Leisure Writer
Possibly attend a fashion designer's birthday soiree before Zombie Prom on Friday night - yay for fake blood! Saturday morning 16-mile bike ride (please no rain) followed by huge brunch at The Office Grand Opening party, then swing by Tacoma Harvest Fair at Sanford & Sons in the afternoon. Watch Reefer Madness at a Burien theater to end the night. Sunday, I will attempt to sleep in before going to church.

JOANN VARNELL Theater Critic
It's a Saturday night party hopper. First up - birthday dinner with a bacon wrapped sausage roll filled with bacon. Second - a vegan murder mystery dinner party circa 1950.

REV. ADAM MCKINNEY Features Writer
Friday, if I'm finally over this cold/flu/whatever, I'm going to head down to The New Frontier and try not to breathe on people so much. Tarek Wegner and Spencer Kelly (plus others?) will be DJ'ing, so that ought to be fun. Saturday, regardless of whether I'm healthy, I will be carving pumpkins with my friends before going to see Sugar Sugar Sugar at The New Frontier. Missed them the first time they came around, so I don't want to make that mistake again. You should pick up their album, Can't Get Enough. It's great.

CHRISTIAN CARVAJAL: Theater Critic
Having ventured Into the Woods at Capital Playhouse, I'm ready to spend one final weekend in The Midnight Sun, where I'm currently demonstrating the Meisner acting technique's indistinguishability from making shit up.

STEVE DUNKELBERGER Meat Market Correspondent
Well, I will be out and about for Joe's Diner at Tacoma Little Theatre and then Voxxy's birthday at Jazzbones on Friday. Saturday might bring dinner at a benefit auction to aid a young East Pierce County girl with Dravet Syndrome. The benefit at the Buckley Eagles lodge will have a special performance by Aces Up! I'll end the night at the soft opening show of the Tacoma Comedy Club.

ALEC CLAYTON: Visual Arts Critic
I'm going to a Pride open house shindig.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

TASTY NEWS IN OUR INBOX >>>

Inspired by their winemaker dinners, Morso Wine Bar in Gig Harbor now serves Pasta Putenesca, Barolo Braised Beef and Roasted chicken, as well as expanded on some of their original dishes.  Check out their new autumn menu after the jump:

Read more...

ARTS COVERAGE IN THIS WEEK'S VOLCANO:

Return of a legend: Ben Vereen is the real deal by Christian Carvajal

Disorienting space: A review of the 8th Annual Juried Exhibition at Tacoma Community College by Alec Clayton

Tracy Triumphant: Hairspray doesn't stop the beat by Christian Carvajal

Sporadically spectacular: Lord Franzannian keeps it moving by Christian Carvajal

LINK: Arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

DINING NEWS, NIBBLES AND BITS >>>

Perfect Pairing: The Red Hot hosts Jeff The Ice Cream Man for a night of beer and ice cream pairings at 6 p.m. tonight.

Brewer's Night: The 7 Seas Brewing crew will invade The Swiss tonight at ... wait for it ... 7 p.m. with awesome raffle prizes and beer. Some guy named Matt Coughlin will rock the joint, too.

Smoked Beer Night: Beach-Fore Smoked Scotch Ale from Slip Point Brewing of Clallum Bay and Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen from Mabburg, Germany, are the featured beers from 4-8 p.m. at 99 Bottles in Federal Way. Try two for $1.

Future Things Are Coming: Brix 25 in Gig Harbor presents a dinner featuring late summer crops at 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25 at Peace of the Earth Farm in Rosedale. The cost is $128 per person for the first 24 people. To reserve your spot, call 253.858.6626.

Food Matters: Menu items with 2K+ calories served at Quiznos, Chipotle, and elsewhere.

LINK: Say, do you like happy Hours?