WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 2011 >>>

1. If you need something to shake the mid-week doldrums, check into Wednesday Sessions at Jazzbones, tonight with Air Stream Safari. Or, if that's not your musical cup of tea, find the Volcano's extensive live local music listings here.

2. Tacoma's Classic Book Club meets on the second Wednesday of every month - which just so happens to be today. The action starts at 7 p.m. at King's Books, and this month's classic is Bound For Glory by Woody Guthrie.  Or, if you're looking for something else, browse the Volcano's comprehensive arts and entertainment calendar here.

3. It's Free Bingo Night at Applini's Clean and Sober Club in Puyallup. Who doesn't love free bingo?

4. Wednesday  night at Masa in Tacoma means College Night. According to the hype, "Your Girlfriend's Favorite DJ spins," and there's no cover for the ladies before 10 p.m.

5. Vote for Tacoma's best baristas, politicians, bloggers, bartenders and local businesses in the only 253 "Best Of" issue that matters. The Volcano's annual Best of Tacoma issue publishes July 28, and this year's readers' poll launched last week. Let your vote be heard now! Find all the details here.

SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 2011 >>>

1. Marilyn Monroe was gorgeous and glorious, incandescently burning the candle with animal sensuality at one end and vulnerable innocence at the other. It's the former that caught the eye but the latter that drew us closer. There's been no one before or since possessing that perfect blend of guilelessness and carnality, and it was with her almost to the end. At 7 p.m. Pastiche wine bar throws a Marilyn Merlot party in honor of Monroe's June 1 birthday. The Sixth Avenue spot will host a male and female Monroe look-a-like contest, and pour Marilyn Merlot, which celebrates its 25^th anniversary.

2. The Mother Earth News Fair makes its West Coast debut this weekend at the Puyallup Fairgrounds from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. It's a family-oriented sustainable lifestyle event that features dozens of practical, hands-on demonstrations and workshops from the leading authorities on renewable energy, small-scale agriculture, gardening, green building, green transportation and natural health.?You can also taste samples of organic beverages in our beer and wine garden (nice!),  participate in a silent auction, check out the latest alternative energy vehicles, experience small-space living and score deals from vendors hucking sustainable lifestyle products and services, including books, tools, seeds, crafts, organic foods, clothes, solar gadgets and more.

3. Revisiting craft projects culled from how-to books from the 1960s to the 1980s, the Telephone Room Gallery asked 16 artists to explore three randomly assigned projects taken from these books as part of the "Assignment Crafty" show, which opens with a reception from 5-9 p.m. Check out the contemporary perspectives on fish printing, bottle gardens, rock creatures, Ojos de Dios and more.

4. With just a few lyrical brush strokes, Lennon, McCartney, and their mates made us mourn the lonely death of Eleanor Rigby, taste the strange bittersweet kiss of the girl who came in through the bathroom window, and wonder what life would feel like were we living in a yellow submarine. Jo emery Ballet School will bring the Fab Four storytelling life in a Beatles-inspired contemporary piece as part of its annual showcase "Dances with Dancers" at 7:30 p.m. inside the Pantages Theater. Artistic Director Jo Emery will also lead her students and the Tacoma Performing Dance Company through in a Moulin Rouge production and Alice in Wonderland.

5. Tacoma's Urban Art Festival  - the free, all-ages event that showcases Tacoma musicians and artists - will be reaching new heights this year when it commences stretches it over two days - June 25-26 - and brings it back to downtown Tacoma, this time along the Thea Foss Waterway. Organizers are busy finalizing the arts and bands. However, they presently have fundraising on their minds, including the one at 9 p.m. inside The Spar in Old Town Tacoma.  Expect Ava D'Jor, Funny Face Fanny (singing on the bar as well as performing) and Polly Puckerup from the Gritty City Sirens burlesque troupe, as well as DJ Suga Jones spinning '80s New Wave.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Wine tastings!

WE'RE A BIG BOY NOW >>>

The Weekly Volcano's "personal" Facebook page is closing in on FB's 5,000 friends limit. Holy wow is right. We've started a "fan" page, which will allow us to compile as many friends/fans as technologically possible. If you're on FB and dig the Volcano's posts, quips, discoveries and news breaks – as well as content that doesn't appear either online or in print – go to facebook.com/weeklyvolcanofanpage and please "like" us.

Bonus: To make you really "like" us, we will enter those who "like" us before 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 8 into a random drawing for a free one night stay for two in a King Deluxe Room at the Hotel Murano. You will need to redeem the room before June 30, 2011.

The new Weekly Volcano Facebook page will also be your guide to exclusive Weekly Volcano events, promotions, blogs and photos.

Thank you!

LINK: Like us

THEY DO IT FOR THE KIDS >>>

Thing: Free wings, baby!

Place: Sparks Firehouse Deli

Located: Across from Sparks Stadium

In: Puyallup

Given to: Local high schools

In pursuit of: Fundraising

And: School spirit

Sparks also has: Awesome pizza

Goes with: $5 happy hour pitchers of beer

Which makes for: A cheap date

To read this week's full column, click here.

[Sparks Firehouse Deli, 621 Fifth St., Puyallup, 253.840.3354]

DUMB CRIMINALS DOING DUMB THINGS >>>

Puyallup is an interesting place. I heard a guy on the radio recently hypothesize that over 60 percent of the male population in Puyallup, on any given day, is wearing a sports jersey of some sort. He's probably not far off.

Despite its few drawbacks, Puyallup is also the type of place where real family love can blossom-the kind of relationships worthy of Hallmark cards, crocheted tapestry messages and Walton-style warm feelings in your heart.

Or something like that.

According to published reports on the News Tribune's Lights & Sirens blog, a man described as in his early 20s, was arrested recently after things went terribly wrong for him and the detached garage he lives in.

According to said reports, the man arrested lives (lived) in the detached garage of his grandmother's home in the 200 block of 19th Street NW in Puyallup. Surely, it takes a special kind of man, and a special kind of lasting relationship, for a grandson and grandma to cohabitate so lovingly.

To read this week's full Ragnet column click here.

SUNDAY, MAY 29, 2011 >>>

1. Check out Surreal Ultra Lounge's "All White Everything Memorial Weekend Party" tonight. It's awesome because you don't have to go to work tomorrow!

2. See what the kids in the Morgan Family YMCA's Dance Department have been working on when they bust out It's Showtime! - a dance recital performed at the Pantages Theater.

3. Loose Gravel & The Quarry will fill The Spar with blues tonight. Or, if you're looking for something else, find the Volcano's extensive South Sound live local music listings here.

4. Since the little buggers have no school tomorrow, drop into the Jazzbones Kid's Jam, hosted by Randy Oxford.

5. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Puyallup Farmers Market is in full effect. Find info on it and more in the Volcano's comprehensive South Sound arts and entertainment calendar.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2011 >>>

1. That Mad Rad show you’ve heard so much about, with SOTA, Friday Knights, QDot and City Hall also on the bill, is tonight at Hell's Kitchen, yo. Find all the details here.

2. Have yet to check out the Gritty City Sirens Burlesque troupe? Tonight’s your night at Jazzbones. The show starts at 9 p.m. and there’s no cover.

3. Bingo! It’s free bingo night at Applini's Two Clean and Sober Club in Puyallup.

4. Catch Shotgun Red and The Moonshiners tonight at Golden West Restaurant and Lounge in Tacoma. Or, if that’s not your musical cup of tea, try browsing the Volcano’s extensive South Sound live local music calendar here.

5.The OMG! Teen Gaming Club meets tonight at the Lakewood Pierce County Library. There’s no doubt you’ll LOL if you go.  But, if gaming isn’t your thing, take a look at the Volcano’s comprehensive South Sound arts and events calendar here.

DINING NEWS, NIBBLES, AND BITES >>>

Craft Beer Tasting: 99 Bottles in Federal Way hosts beer talk radio hostess and author Lisa Morrison for a signing of her Craft Beers of the Pacific Northwest from 4-6 p.m. today. Five Northwest craft beers will also be up for tasting for $3 a person.

Wine Tasting: Wildside Wines in Tacoma will pull out a bunch of wines that pair well with barbecues for you to taste today from 4-7 p.m. The cost is $5 a person.

Do The Fish ‘N' Chips: The Northwest grown fish and chips chain Ivar's is now open at 13101 Meridian Ave. E. in Puyallup.

Duke's Deal: Drop by Duke's Chowder House on Tacoma's Ruston Way, write your email address on a napkin and the follow day they'll send you a prize.  But Wait! It gets even better. You'll be entered to win: $500 Alaska Airlines Gift Card, a $250 Alaska Airlines Gift Card, a $150 Duke's Chowder House Gift Card or a $100 Duke's Chowder House Gift Card - every 3 months. Bonus: Here's a video of the Duke reading from his own menu.

SUNDAY, MAY 22, 2011 >>>

Frank Zappa once said, "jazz is not dead - it just smells funny. If that's the case, it will stink at Pierce College Puyallup's Arts and Allied Health Theatre from 7-10 p.m. Pierce College is set to put on its annual Jazz Expo - now in its 38th year. The Jeff Hamilton Trio, which includes drummer Hamilton (duh), Israeli-born piano badass A team of jazz legends, the Jazz Expo All Stars, will be the event's main draw. Led by Bill Ramsay, All Stars Jay Thomas, Tracy Knoop, Richard Lopez, Randy Halberstadt, Vineet Davidson, Chuck Kistler, and Garey Williams play works by Miles Davis from his Birth of The Cool album.

2. Teams competing in the second annual Black Lake International BBQ Competition (or BBQ By the Lake Championship) will be cooking up a beast known as the bacon bomb - a bacon-wrapped sausage or meatloaf mixture, sometimes studded or stuffed with more bacon and slathered with barbecue sauce. No joke. Associated with the Spring Garden Fair from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Columbus Park, also on the menu are live music and a beer garden. Awesome.

3. It's not easy to read when Charlie the Noise Guy is in the library. You may find yourself re-reading the same paragraph as the dude produces a variety of chain saws, buzz saws, birds, race cars, of course, a dancehall reggae band or two or three FROM HIS MOUTH. But, give it a shot when the sound effects guy hangs at the Tacoma Public Library Main Branch at 2 p.m.

4. The 3Ms - Jerry Miller, Jay Mabin and Tom Murphy - will fill The Spar in Old Twon Tacoma with blues beginning at 7 p.m.

5. Daze of Never will rock the Backstage Bar & Grill beginning at 8 p.m.

PLUS: Olympia Youth Chorus performance we highlighted in our Weekend Hustle.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Happy hours!

PLACES TO EAT POTATO CRISPS IN PUYALLUP >>>

This week ...

Place: Crockett's Public House

Located: Behind Trackside Pizza

City: Downtown Puyallup

Opened: Last month

Full bar: Yes

I drank: Beer, duh

Server: Chris

He took: Forever to bring me my beer

So: I got it for free!

Did you hear that: Free beer!

Correct, my beer was: Free!

You're jealous of my: Free beer!

To read this week's full "Person, Place or Thing" column by Steph DeRosa, including a gruesome story about her bitch step mom making her eat a pimento cheese sandwich, click here.

[Crockett's Public House, 118 E. Stewart Ave., Puyallup, 253.466.3075]