WEDNESDAY, DEC. 4 2013 >>>

1. There is the sometimes perilous aspect of holding a discussion in a room full of folks who have had a couple. People feel inclined to yell weird stuff like ‘I've done Jager! I've done Jager!' But it's that kind of energy that makes the Broadway Center's Think & Drink. Part of the Center's yearlong Free For All focus, Immanuel Presbyterian Church Tacoma and Humanities Washington team up two panelists and moderator/KPLU-FM business and labor reporter Ashley Gross for a discussion on holiday shopping and the American consumer culture at 7:30 p.m. in Engine House No. 9's upstairs room. As far as audience members go, if you can handle your alcohol without being a complete asshole, we totally suggest drinking your face off. Drink, drink, drink, drink - because the amount of money you will spend this holiday season will be depressing.

2. Stretch your legs and your mind today through Dec. 8 as Columbia Bank celebrates its 20th anniversary by sponsoring free admission to the Tacoma Art Museum, Washington State History Museum and the Children's Museum of Tacoma. That's lovely of them.

3. Spark: a Burning Man Story is an engaging documentary that gives audiences a rare behind-the-scenes look at Burning Man - a week-long annual art exhibition/party/socioeconomic experiment held in the Black Rock Desert in northern Nevada. While on the surface it may appear to be nothing more than a bunch of hippies living it up in the desert, Burning Man is a monumental undertaking, requiring months of planning and the combined efforts of hundreds of people to pull off each year. The film screens at 6:45 p.m. at The Grand Cinema. Read Jared Lovrak's full review of Spark: A Burning Man Story in the Movies section.

4. You're in denial, but the signs are hard to ignore. Shops are draped in red and green; cocktail parties - your calendar, and you can't button your skinny jeans anymore. Yep, it's the holiday season. As they say, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, which is why you'll be singing at the top of your lungs at the Saint Martin's University and South Puget Sound Community College's "Ring in the Season" holiday concert at 7 p.m. in the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts. The Department of Washington American Legion Band joins the two Thurston County institutions for a lively Christmas pops concert with multiple choral groups, holiday band music and a carol sing-along. Hark you sing!

5. At The Brotherhood Lounge, aerialists are about to take flight again. The re-vamped team is ready to amaze audiences with its color brand of trapeze, beginning at 8 p.m. Creativity never ceases and performances range from naughty to funny to just plain beautiful. The shows are free and tips are encouraged. New this year is a dance party to follow, with grooves by DJ Fir$t Lady. If you've ever been to one of the Broho's impromptu dances parties at past aerialist events, then you know about the twerking, pumping and shaking that goes on. 

PLUS: Holiday Events Calendar

PLUS: South Sound Holiday Command Center

LINK: Wednesday, Dec. 4 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

TUESDAY, DEC. 3 2013 >>>

1. Did you ever wonder where all that rainwater goes, once it runs down that grate in the street? In Tacoma, it’s headline news with the Pacific Avenue Streetscape Project and its fancy green storm water infrastructure. In larger cities the infrastructure are often vast tunnels, an arcane and idiosyncratic series of interconnected waterways vital to a city’s daily functions, but invisible and forgotten by its citizens, save for a handful of construction and maintenance workers. At 2:40 and 7:50 p.m., The Grand Cinema will screen Lost Rivers, a recent documentary about urban underground waterways around the world.

2. One of the Pacific Northwest's leading Native artists, from a family long associated with The Evergreen State College, is the subject of a richly illustrated new book, A Totem Pole History: The Work of Lummi Carver Joe Hillaire. Lummi elder Pauline Hillaire writes about her father's legacy as one of the most influential Coast Salish artists of the 20th century.  The book includes photographs of Joe Hillaire's most significant totem poles, along with essays from contributors on Coast Salish art history, pigment technology, oral history, intercultural relations and the central role of art in Coast Salish life. Lummi/Haida carver Felix Solomon, editor Gregory Fields, and others associated with the publication will present images and readings from the book and its accompanying video and audio CDs at 3 p.m. in Seminar Building Two, Room C1105, at The Evergreen State College.

3. Olympia author Peter James Neff will read from his newly published collection of inspirational poetry, Prayers to Live, and answer questions about his poetry and artwork at 6 p.m. in the Tumwater Timberland Library. Neff, a young man with Down syndrome, lives with his parents, goes to work every day, volunteers in his community and takes an active role in his church. He is a prolific poet, responsive to each joy, sorrow, friend and everyday experience in his life.

4. Need a holiday season boost? Join the Pacific Lutheran University community at 5 p.m. for its annual lighting of the tree in Red Square. There will be singing of carols, sipping of hot cider and Pres. Anderson will throw the switch.

5. Every Tuesday, Maxwell's Speakeasy serves two chef's choice appetizers and two house wines or draft beers for $15. Chef Slater and server extraordinaire and wine pro Kent Bolden sample wines weeks in advance, mull them over, discuss possible pairings, sample more, then create an awesome dining experience.

PLUS: Holiday Events Calendar

PLUS: South Sound Holiday Command Center

LINK: Tuesday, Dec. 3 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

TURKEY DAY, NOV. 28 2013 >>>

1. With the family Ultimate Frisbee season behind us, you may have thought your opportunity to bond with your family on the basis of poor athleticism and a bad team name was over. Not so. The annual Norpoint Turkey Trot takes flight Thursday morning. Jog, trot - hell, even go on stilts - to the Center at Norpoint and run your tail feathers off. The event is stuffed with holiday activities and features a 5k chip-timed run, a 2-mile non-timed run/walk and a Kids' Trot for ages 3 to 10. The sponsoring body, Metro Parks Tacoma, asks you bring your entire family, turkey costumes and $45 on the day of race. Better run, turkeys.

2. Homelessness, hunger and despair are a daily and painful reality for thousands of men, women and children in Pierce County. The Rescue Mission, in operation now for more than 100 years, has been serving the Tacoma-area homeless community by providing meals, shelter, drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs, education and job-training skills and other programs. Help this long-standing organization give folks in need a hand up at Thanksgiving. Check rescue-mission.org and The Rescue Mission's Facebook page for the latest updates on what's needed for the holiday meal. As of this mid-November, kitchen staffers are looking for turkeys, hams and roast beef as well as these extras: flats of mushrooms, any fresh produce, canned fruits and vegetables, potatoes, cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, fruit pies and stuffing mix. Looking to lend a hand? Check out the volunteer information on the site. Help is needed year round.

3. Matthew McConaughey plays Ron Woodroof, a grimy, shady, homophobic, substance-abusing horndog in 1985 Texas who learns he's HIV-positive and procures unapproved means of treatment in the film Dallas Buyers Club, which screens at 11:30 a.m., 2, 4:30 and 7 p.m. at The Grand Cinema. McConaughey's masterful job of portraying one of the more deeply flawed anti-heroes in recent screen history reminds us why he became a movie star in the first place. We start out loathing this guy and learn to love him. Jared Leto disappears into the role of a transgender drug addict and Jennifer Garner is Ron's empathetic doctor.

4. Holiday lights from the comfort and warmth of your own car? Need to keep the kiddos in awe of holiday wonder while not lugging out the stroller? Put away the umbrellas and rain boots, because here's an easy-peasy way to see some stunning light and holiday wonderland displays right in our own backyard. Take a driving tour of Fantasy Lights in Spanaway Park, where carloads of travelers can see more than 300 stunning displays of lights and whimsical and imaginative animation over a two-mile stretch of Spanaway Lake. The light turn on from 5:30-9 p.m. Tune in to a special holiday radio station for a little holiday music to add to the mood.

5. It's not Thanksgiving without a trip to a casino. Wally & The Beaves will rock the Muckleshoot Casino at 5:30 p.m., and the Emerald Queen Casino hosts Asia Fest featuring Ho Le Thu, Don Ho, Huong Thuy, Trinh Lam, Nguyen Ngoc Ngan, Mai Tien Dung, Bao Thy at 7 p.m.

PLUS: Holiday Events Calendar

PLUS: South Sound Holiday Command Center

LINK: Thursday, Nov. 28 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

Back in 2005, I was a projectionist at The Grand Cinema. It was a heady time of passionate discussions on music and film, and it was the time when I was most steeped in difficult and adventurous art. Somehow, I stumbled across as film called Oldboy - a classic of extreme Korean cinema. Oldboy is impeccably stylish, darkly comedic, viscerally violent, and staggeringly emotional. It's pulp filmmaking elevated to high art.

It was such an eye-opening film that I endeavored to convince my friends and co-workers to seek it out, but I was met with stubborn refusal. "Sounds too violent," they'd say. At the time, my co-workers were embedded in a world of quirk and indie lite, though I suspect that they also just got kick out of getting me worked up. When a polar-bear-and-Bjork-loving friend accidentally ended up watching it, the review wasn't great, so to this day I have never succeeded in spreading the gospel of Oldboy.

Cut to 2013 and Oldboy's inevitable American remake. Justin Lin was originally attached to direct, but he thankfully became too busy with the Fast and the Furious franchise to be bothered, so what we find ourselves with is a Spike Lee joint.

On the surface, everything appears to be in its right place. A drunken lout (this time played by Josh Brolin) wakes up to find himself imprisoned in a motel room, where he is then held for many years before finally being released without explanation. From then on, the freed man is sent on a journey for revenge, to find out who kidnapped him and why. Even the infamous hallway fight scene seems to have been recreated.

The question that will never leave my mind is a plaintive "Why?" Why bother doing this? The Oldboy of yore is propulsive enough to win over any subtitle averse moviegoer, yet America had to get its grubby little hands all over it. I respect Spike Lee quite a bit as a director, and perhaps this will turn out as well as Scorsese's Americanized version of Infernal Affairs (AKA The Departed), or the perfectly adequate Americanized version of Let the Right One In (dumbly shortened to Let Me In).

But, until then, I'll just have to wait and throw my movie-nerd hissy fit until I finally get the chance to see our new Oldboy, arms huffily crossed.

See Also

A Nerd Alert has been issued for this week

TUESDAY, NOV. 26 2013 >>>

1. Located alongside the Tennessee River, Muscle Shoals, Alabama is the unlikely breeding ground for some of America's most creative and defiant music. At its heart is Rick Hall who founded FAME Studios. Overcoming crushing poverty and staggering tragedies, Hall brought black and white together in Alabama's cauldron of racial hostility to create music for the generations. He is responsible for creating the "Muscle Shoals sound" and The Swampers, the house band at FAME that eventually left to start their own successful studio, known as Muscle Shoals Sound. Greg Allman, Bono, Clarence Carter, Mick Jagger, Etta James, Alicia Keys, Keith Richards, Percy Sledge and others bear witness to Muscle Shoals' magnetism, mystery and why it remains influential today in the film Muscle Shoals, screening at 2:30 and 6:45 p.m. in The Grand Cinema.

2. Rosemary Adkins, author of a new memoir, Reflections of Mamie: A Story of Survival - a heartrending account of her life that took 16 years to write - will sign and discuss the book at noon in Orca Books. Her message to other victims is to "share your story" with someone you trust and if you are able, "shout it out" to other victims, showing them how you overcame and got help.

3. The South Sound has its share of geeks. We should know. Our office D&D room is full of them. Heck fire - we every post a weekly Nerd Alert on our blog. When local book geeks aren't tinkering with gizmos that can scan books at 2,000 pages an hour, they're reading them, including Deadpool, Vol. I: Dead Presidents by Brian Posehn & Gerry Duggan. Said geeks will gather at 7 p.m. in King's Books to discuss the chemical reactions to control moisture when cooking turkeys, as well as Posehn and Duggan's book about an overly patriotic ex-Shield Agent, who is also a necromancer, resurrects all our nation's Dead Presidents in order to fix the nation's problems. Unfortunately, the Dead Presidents' solution is to wipe the slate clean with the blood of the American people who they feel have forsaken its dream. S.H.I.E.L.D. dispatches Captain America to confront the issue and things turn bloody.

4. Full Moon Radio plays grunge/pop/punk rock with crystal clear lyrics that are moving and edgy, executed with the feminism and integrity of three superbly powerful women. Catch the band with The Ground Up and Red Red Red at 9 p.m. in The Brotherhood Lounge.

5. The 1230 Room probably has you at "free taco bar," but you also may be interested in the downtown Olympia club's new Tuesday deep, tech and progressive house night "The Deep End." It launches at 9 p.m. with drink specials, no cover and resident DJs Alex Bosi, Evan Mould and Chris Paro.

LINK: Tuesday, Nov. 26 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

EVERY WEDNESDAY: TRIVIA NIGHT AT MECONI'S

Wednesdays, Rev. Colin hosts the best trivia in town at Meconi's Pub & Eatery. Best known as a legendary local karaoke host and curator for the Tacoma Cult Movie Club, Rev. Colin is a fount of knowledge, and his trivia nights are as challenging as they are wonderfully absurd. Even if the night didn't offer cash prizes for the top three competing teams, it would be worth it for the spirited gameplay and the left-field questions.

The key to a great pub quiz is to combine general knowledge questions with intuitive questions and ridiculously difficult ones. Rev. Colin has mastered this mix and emerged with a trivia night that is as infuriating as it is addictive. On several occasions he has threatened to bring back a particularly unpopular category in which he gargles a tune and asks you to name it. Pray that you don't find yourself at Meconi's when that happens.

TRIVIA NIGHT, 8 p.m., Wednesday, Meconi's Pub & Eatery, 709 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, no cover, 253.383.3388

SATURDAY, NOV 30: SING-A-LONG-A GREASE

There once was a dark period (commonly referred to as the 1990s) where movie musicals were relegated to the outskirts of Hollywood, banished from bringing smiles to the faces of nerdy film-lovers everywhere. Gone were the days of brightly colored bubblegum confections such as Grease. Finally, Moulin Rouge and Chicago came along to help repopularize movie musicals, and Glee sealed the deal.

"Wait a second, turns out we love musicals!" exclaimed a fickle and easily influenced movie-going public.

As a movie, Grease has always been a breezy and charmingly empty-headed thing. It's like a big, goofy dog that wants nothing more than to run and circles, chase cars and slobber all over your face. As such, it's particularly suited to the phenomenon known as a sing-a-long. Come in costume, sing along to "Sandy," and experience what could quite possibly be the most wholesome act ever committed by man - which only gets more wholesome with the 68th Annual Holiday Tree Lighting, which immediately follows the film. It's enough to give you cavities.

SING-A-LONG-A GREASE, 3 p.m., tree lighting follows, Pantages Theater, $18-$26, 901 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.591.5890

THURSDAY, DEC. 5: RIFFTRAX LIVE: SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS

There's a whole generation of comedy nerds who were raised on the rapid-fire joke machines of The Simpsons, Monty Python and - for those of use who woke up early on Saturdays - Mystery Science Theater 3000.

Partially responsible for creating an entire genre of laughing at bad movies, the guys of MST3K explored film's dusty basement and emerged with an absurdly high quality of jokes per minute. Though MST3K eventually went off the air, Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett continued their quest to make fun of C-movies with projects like Cinematic Titanic and, most recently, RiffTrax.

In celebration of the holidays, RiffTrax will beam into theaters around the country to eviscerate one of the mothers of shabby movies: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. This '60s film is a classic of bad movie aficionados everywhere, and it lands firmly in the wheelhouse of the RiffTrax fellas.

RIFFTRAX LIVE: SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS, 8 p.m., Century Olympia, Westfield Capital, 625 Black Lake Blvd. SW, Olympia, $12.50, 360.943.0769

See Also

Judging By The Trailer

MONDAY, NOV. 25 2013 >>>

1. Monday is typically a black hole for nightlife. Sure, if you run a sports bar, you'll do well during football season, but for most eating and drinking establishments, it's just dead, dead, dead. The folks at The Swiss seem to have found a solution and, oddly enough, it's one that has been the bane of many other venues: live music. Since the beginning of time, The Swiss has hosted live blues every Monday. Factor in the free pool on Mondays and now Tuesdays are a black hole for you. The Crazy Texas Gypsies will be in the house this week. Founded in 1999 by vocalist and guitarist Kenny Williams and bass player and vocalist Kevin Fraser, this rockin' blues band has opened for ZZ TOP, Ted Nugent, Kenny Wayne Sheppard, The Ford Brothers and many others. With the addition of drummer Billy Barner and keyboardist Doug Skoog in 2012, the band is crazy good.

2. How do you escape the pressures of the holidays, like, really quick? Bundle up, drop your packages in the trunk, pinch your cheeks until they glow and strap on a pair of silver skates, Hans Brinker, for a glide across the frozen expanse at Tollefson Plaza. The Franciscan Polar Plaza, located on the corner of Pacific Avenue and South 17th Street. The covered outdoor rink is about half the size of a hockey rink. It will have real ice and hold about 150 skaters at a time. It's open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

3. Holy Midnight Express! It's a Turkish night at the Acme Grub Cage as the Tacoma Cult Movie Club rolls in at 7 p.m. Tonight, it's more Turkey for the money (free) for this pre-Thanksgiving holiday celebration as the TCMC indulges in movies from Turkey, including the Turkish Star Wars. As always, admission and popcorn are free. Don't forget it's 21+ only, and make sure you indulge in those great drinks and the fabulous raffle drawing.

4. New York Times bestselling author Captain Luis Carlos Montalvan, with his service dog "Tuesday," will give a talk and sign copies of his book, Until Tuesday: a Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever who Saved Him, at 8:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 25 at the Olympia Timberland Library. Montalvan is a 17-year veteran and former captain in the U.S. Army, where he was awarded the Combat Action Badge, two Bronze Stars, the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal for Valor. Books will be available for purchase from the nonprofit organization, Northwest Battle Buddies. The library is at 313 Eighth Ave. SE in Olympia.

5. Every Monday at 9 p.m. Jazzbones is packed to the brim with college kids. Party types. The type that wear tight shirts and trucker hats. Throngs of Chad Fratguys and Sarah Sororitysisters swarm the bar, line up for the bathroom and dance to the Rockaraoke - live band karaoke. The Rockaraoke band is skilled, too. Expect $2 PBR drafts, $3 Sinfire shots, $4 Smirnoff flavor vodka bombs and a lot of students home for the holiday.

PLUS: Holiday Events Calendar

PLUS: South Sound Holiday Command Center

LINK: Monday, Nov. 25 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

Note: Unfortunately, I am not able to do a proper review of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, due to a crippling bowling accident that has left my hands in a state unfit for typing. Rather than hiring a typist to take dictation (as I've done for this preamble, at quite an expense), I'll instead reprint this ill-fated instant messaging conversation between my precocious 14-year-old cousin, Jeneva, and myself.

Jeneva: OMG COUSIN ADAM!! Have you seen the preview for the new HUNGER GAMES?

Adam: What? There's another one of those? I'll take a look. Oh, and HELLO, Jeneva. Kids...

Jeneva: WELL? What do you think? Wanna see it with me opening day??

Adam: I mean, I never saw the first one. Mostly this trailer just seemed like gobbledygook. Am I getting it right that there's a character named Marvel played by an actor named Jack Quaid? Good lord.

Jeneva: BUT IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL I"M CRYING COUSIN ADAM WHY ARE YOU SUCH A JERK?!

Adam: OK! Calm down. I mean, it looks fine. I like Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Donald Sutherland and Woody Harrelson and all that.

Jeneva: Who?

Adam: Never mind.

Jeneva: KATNISS IS SO PRETTY.

Adam: I guess so. Why is she still fighting in the Hunger Games? Didn't that end in the first one?

Jeneva: I thought you said you never saw it! HAHA.

Adam: I didn't, I just...

Jeneva: HAHA.

Adam: Stop it.

Jeneva: OMFG YOU SAW THE HUNGER GAMES AND YOU'RE A GROWN MAN WITH NO GIRLFRIEND AND A JOB THAT'S NOT EVEN REALLY REAL!!

Adam: Wow, that's really mean and accurate.

Jeneva: You probably forgot you saw it because you drink too much and you should have gone to college and your haircut looks stupid and everyone knows that you're a fraud.

Adam: What?

Jeneva: HAHAHA.

Adam: ...

Jeneva: Cousin Adam...?

Adam: I don't want to see this movie with you any more.

Jeneva: NO! Come on, I was just joking.

Adam: I can't believe I paid for your archery classes. YOU WILL NEVER BE KATNISS EVERDEEN. This Internet chat is over!

See Also

A Nert Alert has been issued!

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 20 2013 >>>

1. The kind of light psychedelic pop created by Fruit Juice is eminently invigorating in its giddy goofiness. With their glammy energy and commitment to sunny, falsetto harmonies, Fruit Juice at times resembles Of Montreal. Smack in the middle of a brightly poppy journey, an underwater spoken word interlude busts in and ushers the listener down a rabbit hole of brain-warping textures before emerging on the other end just as boisterous and driving as before. Elsewhere, Fruit Juice recalls the pastoral beauty of Village Green-era Kinks, or the sly experimentation of John Lennon. It's a swirling fish bowl of paint illuminated against a wall in an endless configuration of shapes and colors, and it all eventually congeals into a surprisingly consistent vibe of wackiness and devil-may-care subversion - all with pleasantly glassy-eyed sheen. Catch the band with I Like Science at 10 p.m. in Le Voyeur.

2. Irish glass engraver, designer and tutor Eamonn Hartley will be working in the Hot Shop at Museum of Glass from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. as part of the 2013 Visiting Artists residency program. His work is currently on display in Museum of Glass' newest exhibition, "CAUTION! Fragile. Irish Glass: Tradition in Transition," which explores the Irish glass industry and the impact of recent factory closures on artists, tradition and personal identity.

3. The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation's "Foundation of Art Award" has been recognized as one the most notable art awards in the South Sound region. To celebrate the sixth anniversary of the Award, the Foundation is hosting an exhibit featuring the 12 talented artists that were nominated in 2013 at Fulcrum Gallery, from noon to 6 p.m. The exhibit will also unveil the commissioned artwork created by the 2013 winning artist, Shaun Peterson.

4. Rob McKenna, former attorney general for Washington, will lecture at 6 p.m. in the Norman Worthington Conference Center as part of the Leadership Lecture Series hosted by the Saint Martin's University's School of Business.

5. Come watch and listen to Tom Hornbein discuss the greatest Himalayan climb in American mountaineering history. The film High and Hallowed: Everest 1963 tells the story of Willi Unsoeld and Hornbein's pioneering ascent of the West Ridge of Mt. Everest, and examines the risk and adventure that drew them to the summit. Filmmakers David Morton, Jake Norton and Jim Aikman will join Hornbein onstage after the film to discuss the film with the audience. Discover how Unsoeld and Hornbein conquered the mountain at 7 p.m. in the Washington Center.

PLUS: Joe Roasti performs songs off his new CD at 7 p.m. with China Davis at Jazzbones.

LINK: Wednesday, Nov. 20 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

TUESDAY, NOV. 19 2013 >>>

1. Let's face it. Tacoma's gay-friendly bar The Mix has seen plenty of vibrating, undulating, circling and pulsing. At 7 p.m. patrons of the downtown Tacoma joint will experience all of that, only with even more tutus. Tonight's performance is part of The BareFoot Collective's modern dance series out of the black box. The group aims to take dance into public spaces around Tacoma. The road show will be 30 to 40 minutes long and will incorporate improvisation, contemporary, dance-theatre and hip-hop works.

2. Our Nixon is the latest from director Penny Lane. Consisting entirely of archival footage, this award-winning documentary chronicles the Nixon administration from the beginning all the way to its shameful end. Throughout Nixon's presidency, Chief of Staff H.R. Haldeman, Domestic Affairs Adviser John Ehrlichman and Special Assistant Dwight Chapin obsessively recorded their experiences with the President on Super 8 home movie cameras. Their shared compulsion eventually spanned more than 500 reels of film; film which the FBI seized during the Watergate investigation and then subsequently kept hidden away from the public for 40 years. Catch the film at 2 and 6:30 p.m. at The Grand Cinema.

3. Rivers have been widely regarded as the sustenance of life, forever renewing the fertility of land. Rivers are also more than a source of water. They are the start of cities and countries that bring people together. A river is thus a metaphor for all-embracing, merging of cultures from around the world. Gregory Wilson knows the power of rivers. He is the author of Dead Portraits in a Living Room, a collection of poems exploring the intersection of diverse cultures using a river and meeting of rivers as a metaphor. As part of its Caribbean Writer series: Dialogues on identity, Immigration, and Art, the University of Puget Sound hosts the poet and educator who grew up in Jamaica and graduated from The University of the West Indies in Mona, Jamaica, for a discussion, exploring cultural unity in the Caribbean and central America at 5:30 p.m. in the Rasmussen Rotunda at the Wheelock Student Center.

4. Brian Johnson of Better Cocktails at Home concocts compelling potions and films it for youtube. It's awesome. From 6-8 p.m. Johnson will leave his home and sling cocktails at Tacoma Cabana. Grab your phone and film him making three original recipes including Bathysphere (gin, Benedictine, lime, tiki bitters), and two favorites including the Last Word (gin, green Chartreuse, lime, Maraschino), all ringing in at $8 a pop.

5. The Lakewood Historical Society celebrates its 15th anniversary with a lecture on the Legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers by Jackie Jones-Hook at 7 p.m. in St. Mary's Episcopal Church.

LINK: Tuesday, Nov. 19 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area