WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2011 >>>

1. Tonight check out the kick-off concert of the summertime Music In The Park series at Sylvester Park in Olympia. The Music in the Park series is sponsored by the Olympia Downtown Association and scheduled every Wednesday night through August. This week the Afro-Cuban goodness of Ocho Pies graces the stage.

2. The Skurfs rock Le Voyeur in Olympia tonight. Or, if that doesn't tickle your musical fancy, find the Volcano's extensive live local music listings here.

3. It's another Wildstyle Wednesday at Gruv Lounge on Tacoma's Sixth Avenue.

4. The Gig Harbor Green Farmers Market fills up Skanskie Brothers Park today with nearly immeasurable goodness.

5. Drop in on Applini's Two Clean and Sober Club in Puyallup tonight for some of the best bingo around.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music tonight in the South Sound

This week...

Thing: Tacoma Food Co-Op

Many: Things going on

Thing #1: Membership

Thing #2: New store

Thing #3: Fun events

No, this is not: The Cat in the Hat

Written by: Dr. Seuss

Although: I have the same complexity

Of: A nonsense children's book

To read this week's full column click here.

tacomafoodcoop.com

Opening soon at 3002 Sixth Ave., Tacoma

IT HAPPENED IN TACOMA THIS WEEK >>>

It's Friday afternoon, which means it's time for another installment of Zach Powers "Tacoma Week In Review" column. While you have been leaning against your office building with an aluminum reflector soaking in the rays, Powers has been holed up in a dark cave this morning pounding out this fodder so you may have talking points for your bridge game tonight.

This week, Powers touches on the Tacoma-Pierce County Board of Health's ban on e-cigarettes, Tacoma Police's bar blitz Saturday night and awesome East Tacomans. To read Powers' column, click here.

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2011>>>

1. The Metro Parks annual Outdoor Challenge is right down your alley. Starting at 11 a.m. today at Owen Beach at Point Defiance Park, teams of two adults and family teams of four will battle for supremacy in a bevy of outdoorsy and just plain absurd challenges. Cross-country skiing, golf ball chipping and adult dress up will all be in play. Be warned, and be ready.

2. Today, Tacoma and Fircrest upstart team Toxic 253 will engage in their second bout ever, taking on the Ft. Lewis Bettie Brigade Team Bravo at Wheelz Skate Arena. Did we mention there'll be a beer garden? Sold.

3. Today at Freighthouse Square and the Harmon, and in the evening at Stonegate Pizza, the 8^th annual Tacoma Jazz and Blues Festival will offer exhibitions of all the South Sound has to offer in jazz and blues. Familiar names like Little Bill and the Bluenotes and Jerry Miller will make their expected appearances. Closing out the festival will be Rich Wetzel's Groovin' Higher Jazz Orchestra. Or, if this isn't down your musical alley, find the Volcano's extensive South Sound live local music listings here.

4. Born in Everett, currently a resident of Portland, and birthed on blues-worn stages up and down the West Coast, Curtis Salgado is the type of musician you don't get a chance to see every weekend. Luckily for all of us, today Salgado will do his thing at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts in Olympia.

5. Today, Rock the Dock Pub & Grill's two-year anniversary party will offer live tunes by Tim Hall and Zero Down. Find details here.

Thing: Raw food

Place: Caffe Dei

Includes: Veggies

Not: Animals

Nor: Sushi (darn)

Mainly: Vegan

Must try: Kale chips

Tasty: Yes

Healthy: Yes

Friendly: Yes

I am: One of those three things

Which one: You guess

To read this week's full column click here.

FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2011 >>>

1. Check it: the University of Puget Sound's Symphony Orchestra and the Adelphian Concert Choir, the University Chorale, and the Dorian Singers will bust out an evening of material by Shostakovich, Chopin and Beethoven tonight. The free concert - which is open to the public - will also feature pianist Duane Hulbert and two top student soloists on violin and piano.

2. At Bates' annual Health Fair, the entire community will have a chance to learn more about the magic of yoga, the health benefits of therapeutic-quality essential oils and the joy (and overall wellness?) that comes from possibly winning a $100 Fred Meyer gift card. According to hype, the first 350 people will receive a gift bag full of health-related items. The yoga workshop will run from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and mats will be provided.

3. Want to see Spiro Manthou in a pair of high heeled shoes? Today's your chance (we think - most politicos participate). Today marks the annual "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes" event, designed to raise awareness and community conversation about sexual assault and gender relations. Sign in starts at 11 a.m. and the walk runs from noon to 2 p.m. downtown.

4. Dude, are you f***ing s***ting us? Severus returns to Hell's Kitchen tonight! This one is going to be epic. To browse the Volcano's entire, extensive South Sound live local music listings go here.

5. Johnny Clegg, billed as "one of South Africa's most celebrated sons," is headed to Tacoma tonight, bringing his guitar, career full of hits and genre-bending style with him. The songster behind "Great Heart," "I Call Your Name," "Scatterlings of Africa," "Take My Heart Away" and more, Clegg comes to the Rialto under the umbrella of his Spirit is the Journey 30th Anniversary Concert.

THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2011 >>>

1. Josie Emmons Turner will be reading her work at her first public poetry reading as Tacoma's new poet laureate during a free event at the bellaballs btudio (747 S. Fawcett Ave., Suite B) tonight at 7 p.m. Emmons Turner will be joined by three former Tacoma poets laureate and special guest poets.

2. Dry Ink will rock the 4th Ave Ale House in Olympia. Or, if that’s not your musical cup of tea, check out the Volcano’s extensive live local music listings for the South Sound here.

3. Eleanor Murray will perform at the Olympia Farmers Market today at 11 a.m. So far the sun is shining. That’s all we’re sayin’…

4. Honestly, is there anything that doesn’t sound awesome about the Beginning Tai Chi and Qigong class at Frontier Park in Graham? It’s every Thursday, from 7:30 – 8:30 p.m. Wear loose, comfortable clothing and shoes, yo.

5. Go here and vote for the sexiest South Sounders you know. It’s all part of the Weekly Volcano’s Sexy Issue 2011.

THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011 >>>

1. Kellogg's Disney Princess Fruit Snacks do not actually taste like princesses. They also don't taste like artificially flavored strawberry, grape, orange, and cherry. We don't know which is worse. What do they taste like? We spent a lot of time thinking about this while sucking on them. We haven't come to any conclusion, except we now need a spring cleanse. Dr. Karen Hurley of Federal Way Naturopathy says we can start to feel better by detoxifying from the rich, calorie-dense foods and emotional highs and lows we tend to consume during the winter season. Thanks Hurley, you're awesome. Hurley will lecture on the subject at 7 p.m. inside Marlene's Market & Deli in Federal Way.

2. A terminally ill, single-parent struggles to find a home for his autistic 21 year-old son in the Chinese film Ocean Heaven screening at 6:30 p.m. inside the Blue Mouse Theatre as part of the Tacoma Sister Cities International Film Festival.

3. Christian Brotherhood Academy in Tacoma's Hilltop neighborhood  will screen the critically acclaimed movie Waiting for Superman at 7 p.m.. After the movie, they'll discuss the film and why Christian Brotherhood Academy is so awesome.

THIS HAPPENS TOMORROW: The Dockyard Derby Dames will host a Dance Party featuring Jello shots, prizes and rockin' country by Sammy Steele Band at 9 p.m. inside the Gruv Lounge on Sixth Avenue.

4. Menopause The Musical, an uplifting 90-minute production that includes parodies from the '60s and '70s and '80s, will hit the Washington Center stage at 8 p.m.

5. Photon Pharoah, Rockwell Powers and Rusty Cleavers perform at 9 p.m. inside The New Frontier Lounge in Tacoma.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LONG TIME IN THE MAKING >>>

In what will come as joyous news to all followers and supporters of the upstart Tacoma Food Co-op's attempts to secure a permanent storefront location, the TFC announced today via official press release that they've reached a lease agreement with Neighborhood Market (3002 Sixth Ave.) owner John Loesch. The Tacoma Food Co-op's next challenge will be raising the $300-$400,000 needed to actually open the doors.

No word yet on when the Tacoma Food Co-op's new physical locale plans to open.

The official press release is below ...

Read more...

WAITING ON WORD ABOUT THE SIXTH AVE MARKET >>>

As we've reported before on SPEW, the Tacoma Food Co-op is currently trying to purchase retail space for a long-sought-after physical location - specifically, the 6th Avenue Market in Tacoma near the Red Hot and O'Reilly's Auto Parts. In February, the Tacoma Food Co-op made a goal of reaching over 400 members (it had just over 300 to start with) - a drive designed to raise $10,000 in earnest money to help acquire the 6th Avenue Market location.

Today, the Tacoma Food Co-op updated members and supporters on the progress in an official press release. In a demonstration of the support the co-op has within the community, the goal of surpassing 400 members was met easily in just three weeks.

However, while the necessary $10,000 earnest money was secured by the Tacoma Food Co-op, John Loesch, current owner of the 6th Avenue Market, is reportedly still mulling his options.

An official Tacoma Food Co-op press release below:

Read more...