Weekly Volcano's bosses ran the numbers and decided that since you'll all be drunk anyway, there's no use in turning the lights on Christmas Day. So: We'll be back Monday with more frivolity. In the meantime, thanks for reading and commenting this past year. Consider our stockings stuffed.

So "Merry" this and "Happy" that, whatever suits your fancy or your need. Just don't forget the "Ho Ho Ho" that, maybe better than anything else, keeps it all in perspective.

Oh, and Happy New Year. That's unambiguous.

WHEN CUPS RUNNETH OVER >>>

Anyone who has traveled to Southeast Asia knows it is a great place to expand one's culinary horizons. Even in a less exotic locale like Singapore, or a more impoverished region like Indonesia, the sheer variety of curries and rice dishes offered at one of the myriad "food courts" and open markets gives these countries an exciting culinary tinge.

Singaporean native Tony Wien's Café Banana Asian Bistro, located inside the Great American Casino in Lakewood, is modeled after such admiration for Southeast Asian flavors, with its "roots" in Malaysian, Thai and Indian cuisine. "Within the walls of Café Banana lie all the ingredients for an eating Oasis," Wien recently told us.

Wien is a bit of a historian when it comes to curry. He'll bend your ear for an hour discussing ancient curry trade routes, preparations and varieties.

Throw one of his exotic mango or sake cocktails, and five of his curry dishes, and we'll listen.

That's exactly what the next Nosh league will do at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 12. We'll meet for a night of curry history, dishes and exotic cocktails. Wien is also throwing in a salmon dish. That's cool with us.

As always, the price tag for the night will be $15 a person.

If you would like to join us, RSVP on the Nosh League Facebook.

Nosh League

Thursday, Jan. 12, 6 p.m., $15
Café Banana Asian Bistro
10115 S. Tacoma Way, Lakewood
253.589.4678

LINK: First bite at Café Banana

FIRST BITE AT CAFE BANANA IN LAKEWOOD >>>

In more than a decade of writing for the Weekly Volcano, I've come to depend heavily on restaurant leads from its knowledgeable readers. I can't be everywhere at once, and feedback from readers has frequently led me to restaurant gems that I might not have unearthed on my own. But in that decade-plus, I've never gotten more encouraging reviews from readers about a restaurant than I've received in the past month or so about Café Banana, the new Asian bistro where once Goodfellas Steakhouse anchored the Great American Casino in Lakewood.

Where a lot of restaurateurs would probably be happy just throwing a few posters from Thailand on the walls and a bronze Buddha in the corner, owner Tony Wen dims the lights, giving the bamboo wallpaper and Asian cultural décor a more mystic feel.

The menu at Café Banana shines with five appetizers, five curry dishes, five noodle dishes, three satays and four entrees, including a crispy red snapper. It's reasonably priced, with most dishes ringing in less than $10.

So how do you decide between the red curry with coconut milk, bamboo shoots, bell peppers and Thai basil and the green curry with coconut milk, bamboo shoots, bell peppers, snow peas and Thai basil? Well, since the flavors at Café Banana are clean and wonderful, it doesn't really matter which dishes you choose.

There are a handful of menu items I'd highly recommend such as the Massaman chicken and cashew chicken. I tend to judge Thai restaurants on their Pad Thai; I figure if that classic Thai noodle dish isn't up to par, then there's no reason to think anything else will be. Café Banana's Pad Thai ($9.95) definitely wins "Best Of" status in my book. It's exceptional.

Several curry and noodle dishes are offered as $7.95 lunch specials with choice of soup or a mixed baby green salad.

With a full bar of boozy goodies and extra-friendly service, this new restaurant is top banana in my book.

[Café Banana, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, 1-11 p.m. Saturday, 1-9 p.m. Sunday, happy hour 4-7 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 10115 S. Tacoma Way, Lakewood, 253.589.4678]

Bobble Tiki speared Christmas shopping. Not "eased it"; not "did it early."  Speared it.  In one all-night, online hurricane of holiday goodwill. A monster bag of Tim's chips and a two-liter bottle of Dew (a salute to the creators of the Net), Bobble Tiki demolished his nagging list and reclaimed the month of December for actual living - which means bingo tonight!

Lakewood Pub and Grill offers bingo each Sunday night to offer folks a way to relax with a beer and some food while they win stuff they likely don't need. Last week people won Stanley screwdrivers and glittered ornaments that sent glitter spewing when touched. Awesome.

[Lakewood Pub and Grill, 5 p.m. Sunday, free to play, 7505 Steilacoom Blvd. SW, Lakewood, 253.5682.9185]

Jennifer Langlow, Jennifer Akana and Jill Schock working the squares at the Lakewood Pub and Grill.

LINK: Other stuff to do tonight

ADD A TWIST TO YOUR SATURDAY >>>

Just in time to counter the Republican debates, it's the story depicting the hardships of a young boy in the underrepresented working class (we couldn't resist). Based on one of Dickens' most popular works, Lionel Bart's OLIVER! is the timeless tale of social oppression and government upheaval.

Please sir, can I have some more?

Warning: Production contains moments that might frighten small children, mock gunfire, acts of violence, use of non-harmful chemical smoke, lightning effects and pickpockets.  

[Lakewood Playhouse, through Dec. 23, 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, $22-$28, 5729 Lakewood Towne Center Blvd. SW, 253.588.0042]

The Weekly Volcano and Spew would like to wish you a Happy Turkey Day! We hope you and a few others huddle around what little warmth there is in a increasingly cold and uncaring universe, sipping, supping, and supporting one another - because there is nothing else worth doing.

Love each other.

Then go find some karaoke.

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

4th Ave Ale House Olympia - Downtown. Horace Pickett & Guests. 9 pm.

Amocat Cafe Tacoma - Downtown. Amocat Live! featuring the Amocat House Band. All Ages. 7 pm.

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. From The Sea, Thou Shall Kill, Flying Fortress, Big Red Sun, Aelotrope. 6 pm. $5.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. James King & The Southsiders. 7:30 pm. $7.

LakeBridge Forza Lakewood. Crimson Thread. All Ages. 7-9 pm. NC.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Wax Idols, Terry Malts, Red Hex. 9 pm. $5.

• As I'm sure we're all aware, there's a sort of renaissance happening right now with young bands rediscovering and reinterpreting the sunny, fuzzy garage pop sounds of the past few decades, particularly in California. These are bands that have the benefit of an enormous back catalogue of music to sift through and disseminate however they wish - to mix and match and come up with a composite sound, which will exist thanks entirely to the passing of time and muddying of cultural touchstones. One such band is Wax Idols, a steadily rising fixture in this California scene. Headed by Hether Fortune, a former member of contemporaries like Hunx and His Punx and Bare Wires, Wax Idols has a similarly freewheeling sound that allows the band to experiment in punk, new wave and early Goth. Fortune is adamant, however, at addressing certain comparisons. Read what she had to say here. — Rev. Adam McKinney

The Spar Olympia. Paul Mauer. 8 pm. NC.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. Murder Masquerade Party, with Sad Face, The Hardcount, Cityfaire, Angels Of Mayhem Burlesque, DJ Traxx, DJ Berry, Magician Cary Durgin. 9 pm.

Tempest Lounge Tacoma - Hilltop. Kim Archer. All Ages. 7:30 pm. NC.

Uncle Thurm's Finger Licken Ribs & Chicken Tacoma - Lincoln District. G Street Jazz Series with Hipbone. 8-11 pm. NC.

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

YOUR VOTE WILL HELP PIERCE COUNTY FAMILIES >>>

Laugh all you want, but on Election Day the Weekly Volcano likes to be near the SeaTac International Airport. If a military coup breaks out, we want to be the first to take off to another land. But, security being what it is these days, we've had a bit of trouble just hanging out and getting our drink on at the airport the last few elections. We'd rather not go into the details.

It's safe to say a military coup will not break out before today's election, which ends tonight at 9 p.m.

Emergency Food Network Executive Director Helen McGovern is a finalist for a "Harlequin: More than Words" contest. If she beats the other "real-life heroines" across the nation, she could bring thousands of dollars to needy families of Pierce County.

Each year, Harlequin Enterprises selects three women to receive the Harlequin More Than Words award from hundreds of nominations solicited from readers and the general public. Each recipient receives $15,000 to advance the work of her charity, and three of Harlequin's bestselling authors donate their time and talent to write novellas inspired by the life and work of the recipients. McGovern is a poster woman for the contest. She left her successful commercial Realtor job left to lead EFN's effort to serve those in need, especially through this time of economic hardship.

The voting phase ends tonight at 9 p.m. McGovern is currently fighting for third place.

The Weekly Volcano caught up with McGovern on this final stretch of the contest.

WEEKLY VOLCANO: What drew you to the Emergency Food Network?

HELEN MCGOVERN: It was a several month process I went through when I decided to leave the corporate world and take my skills and contacts into a more purposeful pursuit. The timing was so perfect for this transition to EFN.  David Ottey had been a force to be reckoned with and had left a strong foundation ready to move on to face the challenge. My skill set was a match for that challenge. I truly feel it was where I was meant to be.

VOLCANO: What do you miss most about selling real estate?

MCGOVERN: What I miss most is the wonderful group of colleagues I was privileged to work with on a daily basis. I still get together monthly with some of them, however it isn't the same. 

VOLCANO: What is your favorite moment so far at EFN?

MCGOVERN: One of my favorite moments was receiving a call from J.T. Wilcox of Wilcox Farms informing us that EFN would be receiving 6,000 dozen eggs.  What an amazing and generous donation. Protein is our most difficult item to obtain. Those eggs were in and out of our warehouse and into clients' homes in a matter of days.

VOLCANO: What does EFN need most?

MCGOVERN: EFN needs money. This $15,000 can be used for freight to pick up donated produce. We could have access to almost one million pounds of fresh vegetables and fruit with this money. Farmers have generously donated produce in Eastern Washington, if we can come get it.  The 56,000 pounds costs us approximately $600 in freight. 

VOLCANO: If you win and a novella is written about you, who would play you in the movie version?

MCGOVERN: I couldn't do it myself? If not me, then whoever would donate their acting fee to us can have the job. 

To vote for Helen McGovern and help thousands in need, click here.

LINK: Donate to the Emergency Food Network

SATURDAY, OCT. 29, 2011 >>>

1. After you're done stuffing yourself on those Mars bars that were supposed to end up in the kids' tummies, press stop on the Black Sabbath tape and ride your sugar rush into the cool midnight air to The Brotherhood Lounge and/or The New Frontier Lounge. Both joins celebrate Halloween tonight with DJs spinning scary good tunes. At Olympia's BroHo, DJ Ira Coyne works the Halloween Ball with a $3 cover, which half goes to Planned Parenthood. At the New Frontier, Pacific Fusion Productions presents Nightmare on E. 25^th Street featuring DJ dAb, The New Law, Mikey Z, Dyonysys and Kalex for $8, which includes a costume contest.

2. Susan Rohrer, the manager of the State Capital Museum, will lead a walking tour from 2-3 p.m. exploring famous deaths, weird occurrences and creepy history around Olympia's South Capitol neighborhood.  Rohrer says the tour, which costs $2 and is first come first serve, sticks mostly to the facts of deaths and odd occurrences, but can't help but wander into eerie speculation occasionally.

3. Former Lakewood Playhouse Executive Director Marcus Walker's passing earlier this year rocked the South Sound. Last night the community held a candlelight gathering at in front of the Lakewood Playhouse followed by a street renaming ceremony for "Marcus Walker Way" in front of the theater. Tonight at 5 p.m. is the Marcus Walker Birthday Party followed by at 7 p.m. Youth Actors Performance & Our Youth Theatre Production of Robin Hood.

4. Even though Halloween is Monday, the undead will be starting the party early as peddling and mumbling stiffs will take over the streets of Tacoma tonight. The Reaper Ride, a costumed pub crawl on bikes - a spooky peloton if you will - will begin with drinks at 7 p.m. inside The Red Hot on Sixth Avenue. Then, riders dressed as skeletons - costumes are strongly encouraged - will peddle to the next bar - which is a mystery as the bar route will not be exhumed until just before the ride.

5. In 1982, nine-time Grammy award winning band Asleep at the Wheel featured Paul Anastasio on fiddle and Dan Tyack on steel guitar. Anastasio went on to play with Merle Haggard and Loretta Lynn amongst man others, while Tyack honed his chops playing in the Sacred Steel tradition and recording with musical giants like Bill Frisell. At 8 p.m., after almost 30 years, these two masters will take the stage together again at Traditions Café in Olympia. They will be backed up by Vince Brown on guitar and Cary Black on bass.

PLUS: 3 Glorias Flamenco en Vivo and The Hound of the Baskervilles in our Weekend Hustle

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Wine tastings today

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND >>>

Lousy Lakewood Lawnmover: Dude is robbing old ladies. (News Tribune)

Attack Of The Killer Moths: Canuck Lepidoptera is effing with our cherry trees. (News Tribune)

RIP Steve Jobs: Read his obituary in the New York Times.

The Stories Behind The Stories: The Tacoma Film Festival 2011 opens today. (Weekly Volcano)

We Feel Old: Cassette tape is being removed from the dictionary. (Paste Magazine)

For Whom The Bell Tolls: Metallica turns 30. (stereogum)

Fresh Prince II?: Snoop Dogg to get a NBC family sitcom. (Deadline)

Freddie Mercury II?: Lady Gaga is in talks to front Queen. (NME)

Good Grief: Cafeterias in France ban ketchup. (LA Times)