All of the lovers of the world will be locking lips today for this lustful holiday, and I have some recommendations on a place that will be perfect for couples and singles alike:

Duke’s Chowder House! Every other Thursday (including tonight!), Duke’s is offering Live Hot Jazz Night, which features one of my favorite things: gypsy jazz.



These Thursdays allow you to rock back and forth to the jazz that’s at the proper volume to allow you to still whisper sweet-nothings in your lover’s edible ear. This sort of music is the kind that’s perfect for all ages, and it also pairs nicely with Duke’s nautical feel and water views.



The jazz musicians that perform are Jesse Turcotte (my buddy who is commonly known through his bartending gigs at Duke’s and Jazzbones) on bass, Josh Hegg on guitar, Jim Char on guitar, and Tim Hegg on trumpet and fleugel horn.



The management at Duke’s would like to offer these gypsy jazz sessions every week, but they need just one thing to do so: YOU, and your friends and loved ones, too.



The gypsy jazz will run from 9:30 p.m. to midnight tonight, and what rules is that at just 10 p.m. the Duke’s happy hour menu kicks into gear until closing. This menu includes $4.50 Duketails like the blueberry lemon drop, raspberry vanilla kazi, imperfect scratch margarita, cosmopolitan and the cucumber mojito (which I HIGHLY recommend.) House wines go for $3.50, well drinks are $2.75 and draft beers are also a measly $2.75.



Even better, the Duke’s happy hour appetizers will also be a nice accompaniment to your grooving experience. For just $4.95 you can get dangerously killer prawns, Dungeness crab dip, chicken quesadilla, calamari steak strips, steamers and coconut hula prawns. YUM!



But jumping back to my days when I was a card-carrying 206er, I must say that if you haven’t tried Duke’s award-winning clam chowder that I first tasted at Duke’s Alki location, you really haven’t lived. Best of all, this delectable chowder is only $3.95 for a cup and $5.95 for a bowl. You can also add a sourdough bread bowl for $1.95 (another move that I recommend).



One of my favorite things to do during my Seattle days was to rollerblade along Alki and stop into Duke’s for that yummy chowder. I’m so grateful for the fact that Duke’s moved in and I can do this same thing here in Tacoma on the gorgeous Ruston Way.



And now that Duke’s is offering gypsy jazz every other Thursday (try it tonight or Feb. 28), the deal and the deals are that much sweeter.



[Duke’s Chowder House, 3327 Ruston Way, 253 752-5444, dukeschowderhouse.com/]