Spew

Tacoma photo of the day

Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives dynamo

RON SWARNER: FOOD NETWORK BARRAGE >>>

Maggie Sanford, a researcher with the Food Network contacted the Weekly Volcano a few days ago regarding an upcoming episode of Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives centered on the Seattle/Tacoma area.

I’m a Researcher for the television show Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives, which appears on the Food Network.  I’m scouting the Seattle/Tacoma area for restaurants to possibly feature on our show, and I was hoping that you and your staff at the Volcano might be able to help me out.  If you’re not familiar with our show, we’re most interested in smaller, CHEAP, independently-owned restaurants that have excellent food; diners, drive-ins, & dives are best, of course, but we don’t care if the place is Italian, Ethiopian, Filipino, or whatever, as long as if the place looks super un-fancy, has low prices and awesome food.  I’ve checked out many of your official food recs online, but I wanted to ask you directly if you and your staff might be so kind as to give it a think and let me know your personal favorite places to eat -- and feel free to circulate the email to family and friends.  Unfortunately, I’m unable to actually visit the regions I’m scouting before we book the shoots, so the input of locals like yourselves is utterly invaluable.  For realz.
 

That's cool. We're happy to help. For realz.

And so are The News Tribune and Exit133 apparently. Researcher Maggie has done her homework. I think my mom received her email, too.

Win AC/DC tickets

BRAD ALLEN: FOR THOSE ABOUT TO DINE … >>>

In this economic climate, a cheap date might involve sharing a jug of Carlo Rossi over a couple Whoppers and Broadway LID-worker-watching in downtown Tacoma. How depress(ion)ing! But with Tightwad Tuesday every, er, Tuesday, you can dine on two tacos for $2, any beer for $2, well drinks, yup, $2 — at Hell’s Kitchen beginning at 5 p.m.

I wonder where the hell I was going with this.

On a different note: Hell’s Kitchen will be giving away a pair of tickets to the AC/DC Tacoma Dome concert during its Hell’s Belles all-ages show Nov. 29. Let me remind you that the AC/DC concert is sold out.

[Hell's Kitchen, 3829 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.759.6003]

LINK: South Sound live music and DJs tonight

Eating out on Turkey Day

SUZY STUMP: REASONS TO BE THANKFUL NOV. 27: >>>

Emergency room docs all over the South Sound. And their colleagues.

E-mail from home. Example: "Hi, Sis. Remember Margaret? She's now a man. Had some surgery."

The service industry. The people who make this city go.

The last items I’m thankful for take son extra meaning on Thanksgiving when a few of these heroes skip the giant meal with family and friends in order to serve you a big pile of grub. 

The Pacific Grill announced its hosting a Thanksgiving dinner Nov. 27 from 2 to 7 p.m. featuring traditional turkey and trimmings as well as vegetarian and nontraditional options. Give them a buzz at 253.627.3535 for availability.

What other South Sound restaurants will be serving Thanksgiving dinners?  If you know, post the scoop in our comments sections.

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

Bad sweater season

MICHAEL SWAN: SEND SUZY YOUR BEDAZZLED NATIVITY SWEATER >>>

Do you showcase your holiday spirit in the form of a felt applique Santa sweater? Red or green, bejeweled or sequined, the Weekly Volcano knows your gawd-awful holiday sweaters are on the way. Whether you're a school teacher and wear the same one every year, only pull it out for Doyle's annual Bad Sweater Party (Nov. 26), or can count on Grandma to give you a new one every season, you wear yours with pride.

Better you than me.

E-mail a photo of yourself in your ugly holiday sweater by Dec. 15 to Suzy Stump, and tell her the story behind the sweater. Please include your daytime contact information.

Flickr Post of the Day

Waste, originally uploaded by zackxf.

$3.99 steak tonight

SUZY STUMP: STEAK OUT TONIGHT >>>

Tell grandma to resist bringing Ziploc baggies in her purse tonight, as Paddy Coyne’s Irish Pub will serve $3.99 steaks tonight from 3 to 9 p.m., as it does every Monday. Quality, fun and price like this only appear in sofa-store jingles on the radio.

[Paddy Coyne’s Irish Pub, 815 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.6963]

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

Tacoma photo of the day

Fun times at Vinum

RON SWARNER: VINUM COFFEE & WINE LOUNGE >>>

Wine bars needn’t be serious or stuffy to be enjoyable. Nope — that was your father’s wine. There’s no reason why wine bars can’t be playful and fun. That’s certainly the approach of Vinum Coffee & Wine Lounge in downtown Tacoma.

Last week I dropped by Annie Kim's new business for a late-night glass of Amavi Cellars Cabernet and cheese. Manager Cliff Barnes worked the crowd as if there were a two-drink minimum — except he made sure everyone was happy.

Housed in the spot once occupied by Aroma Café at 10th and Pacific Avenue, the handsome “lounge” has been serving breakfast and lunch for five weeks; dinner and wine for three.

They keep it simple: five white pours and six reds, all less than $10; a dozen dinner entrees listed as bites but arrive as chunks. Six cheese options arrive as three for $10 or five for $14. The three cheese plate needs two people to finish. The Spanish Egg Roll ($7) should be renamed as a log — a huge helping of Mexican seasoned chicken and black beans in an Asian style wrap.

[Vinum Coffee & Wine Lounge, 1001 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.572.8215]

Chihuly at Seymour 100

RON SWARNER: CENTENNIAL GALA >>>

Teddy Roosevelt's tree is still sitting in my car. I can't believe I forgot it. I moved all weekend. Still!

Saturday night a seedling from the red oak Teddy Roosevelt planted in front of the W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory in 1905 was given to every guest at the Centennial Gala — the fancy party celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Conservatory, the opening of Chihuly at Seymour 100 and a few birthdays including Benjii Bittle, deputy executive director of the Broadway Center. I rubbed shoulders with Tacoma dignitaries inside giant tents filled with treats from Sea Grill, wines by McGavick Winery & Wine Styles, and beautiful Chihuly glass.

I need to run out to the car and plant that sucker.

View Centennial Gala photos I snapped at the Weekly Volcano Photo Hot Spot.

C.R. Roberts from The News Tribune covered yesterday's public opening of Chihuly at Seymour 100. The Trib's art critic Rosemary Ponnekanti paints a pretty picture of the exhibit, too.

LINK: ViVA South Sound arts and entertainment calendar 

 

Best vampire?

SUZY STUMP: ISN'T HALLOWEEN OVER? >>>

Since I actually had a life then, I never saw the Nov. 6, 2001 debut of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer musical episode ''Once More, With Feeling." Nor have I seen a rebroadcast. Only if plied with enough alcohol will I admit to watching a few episodes during the show's seven-season run, but then, as now, it always seemed to me like warmed-over Ann Rice meets 21 Jump Street. There are much better vampires anyway.

The vampire thriller Twilight hits theaters this Friday.  But how does Twilight's blood-sucking Robert Pattinson measure up against Wesley Snipes?  Keifer Sutherland?  Bela Lugosi? Buffy’s victims?

Time for a clever movie Web site marketing scheme.

Sixteen iconic movie vampires face off beginning today on Spout.  Each day you vote.  The winners survive to the next day.  Losers are mopped into a bucket of blood.

Vote each day here.

Results are announced and polls reopen each day at 10 a.m. EST.  The ultimate movie vampire will be announced this Friday, Nov. 21 at 10 a.m. EST.  

Dinner with DeRosa

STEPH DEROSA: TRASHING AND PRAISING DUPONT >>>

Used to live in DuPont. Hated it. As we traveled up I-5 today headed north from the coast, we approached the DuPont exit. Mr. DeRosa requested a swing-by to our old cookie cutter DuPont house. There was nothing inside of me that wanted to return to the old neighborhood, nor run into the snobby, self-serving, and nosey neighbors. When we lived in DuPont some five or so years ago, we had two cool families as neighbors. The rest were duct tape the beer can holder, pop open a can of Bud Light and start mowing the lawn with a beer at 7 a.m. type of neighbors. The let your kids skateboard across my flower bed at midnight even though your child is only 7 years old type of neighbors. Even someone like me, being from Texas, who’s seen the trashiest of neighbors — I still think my old neighbors were garbage and ohmygod I need a drink I’m getting so worked up about this.

Ok, got a glass of wine. Enough about them — let me save those stories for a future Toilet Tales. Moving on.

So I asked Mr. DeRosa to drop me off at one of the three strip shopping centers upon DuPont’s entry so that I may walk around and mentally ridicule every shop as I passed by. He wanted to go look at our old house, but all I wanted was to fester. So for Dinner with DeRosa this week, I invited the very few kick-ass DuPont people I found in my strip shopping center escapade.

I detest how “Corporate America” Starbucks can be. They apparently have a “policy” that does not allow any employee to have their picture taken with a Starbuck’s uniform on. Seriously? What harm would I have caused by taking your damn picture and talking good about you? You know what, Dupont Starbucks? I would’ve been nice to you had you let me take your picture, but now all you’re going to get is bashed. Hoorah for the Indie coffee shops! Pat Brown from Satellite Coffee or Rachel from Black Water will let me take their picture any day I want.

There are two Starbucks in DuPont. Is that really necessary? Is it also necessary to have at least two Teriyaki places, two nail places, an H&R Block, a check-cashing store, and a tanning place but NO GROCERY STORE? Those poor DuPont citizens. Give them a damn grocery store already. Quit draggin’ your feet, DuPont City Council. Don’t worry, DuPont people, my neighbors may have been assholes, but the rest of you — I gotchore back. Store! Store! Store!

Great, now I’m even tenser than before. I need more wine, and a massage — STAT. Anyone? Anyone?

My first guests for this week’s Dinner with DeRosa are Amanda and Brianna from Farrelli’s Gourmet Wood Fired Pizza. I’m hoping they’ll bring my favorite salad, Phil’s Creation, and Mr. DeRosa’s favorite Pizza, the Meateater. Crazy thing is Amanda was one of the two cool neighbors I had. She and her amazing family lived directly next door, as a matter of fact. Amanda used to baby sit for me, and her mom was someone I considered a friend. I really liked them, and I hope to catch up with Amanda during my imaginary Dinner with DeRosa.

Flickr Post of the Day

Tacoma Station, originally uploaded by tiffs pictures.

Tacoma photo of the day

The Battlefield Band

TONY ENGELHART: LOVES CELTIC TUNES >>>

The Battlefield Band is to Scotland what the Chieftains are to Ireland. That’s right, authentic Scottish music — bagpipes included. The members of the quartet were each inspired by Celtic music and the music of their homeland. Playing a hybrid of traditional Scottish tunes with originally penned material, the Battlefield Band has created quite a stir in the world music scene. While they do incorporate some synthetic sounds into their work, for the most part they play acoustically with instruments like the fiddle, guitar, flutes, bodhran and accordion. With nearly 30 recordings dating back to 1977, the band has seen its lineup change over the past 30 years, but still retains their passion for the music. Their latest, 2006’s Dookin’, was another stunning example of the band’s versatility as they once again invited special guests to contribute their talents to the project.

The Battlefield Band will play two shows at Traditions Cafe in Olympia. The first is tonight, and the second is Tuesday, Nov. 18. For a full Battlefield Band US tour itinerary click here.

[Traditions Café, 7 p.m., all ages, $15-$20, 300 Fifth Ave. S.W., Olympia, 360.705.2819]