How will you adorn yourself this fall?

While the coming season's key fashion statements seem buried under a heap of end-of-summer sale merchandise, there's a sense of anticipation in the air along with that nearly imperceptible nip.

Get a head start Sunday night when The Monsoon Room hosts its Fall Equinox Getdown, and judging from its last equinox party, people turn out looking their best.

The party will kick off Sunday night at 8 p.m. with the Afro-Cuban combo Little Boat performing live while guests sip on the Monsoon Room’s new fangled drink concoctions, nibble on snacks and check out the folks sashaying through the hip joint.

DJ d:fi will fill the gaps with drum ‘n’ bass grooves. â€" Suzy Stump

You want freebies?

Third Thursday Art Walk consumes downtown Tacoma Thursday, Sept. 20, 5-8 p.m. It allows art enthusiasts into the museums free and serves up some fancy new treats like the brand spanking new Helm Gallery, which looks to be bringing an intriguing blend of avant-garde and accessibility to the art scene.

Walk through the standard venues and see some new sights Thursday, like the new works at the Sanford & Son Middle Floor Gallery by familiar names James Hume and www.myspace.com/jeff_olson">Jeff Olsen, who’ll be on hand from 5 to 9 p.m. for an artists’ reception.

Embracing the change of season, Gallery Madera will present "Change," featuring works by Karen Luke Fildes and Rae Belkin, as well as sculptural wood turnings by Milo Mirabelli and Christi Mirabelli. Tacoma singer-songwriter Mary Win will be on hand with musical entertainment during the artists’ reception there from 5 to 8 p.m.

Also opening Thursday, Tacoma Public Library’s Handforth Gallery will bring a new exhibition pairing Joni Joachims with Katie Carnell. While Joachims’ work features unnoticed T-Town, Carnell’s features an intriguing format â€" seven inches by 10 feet â€" telling stories about Irish immigrants fleeing famine. â€" Jessica Corey-Butler

Dear Joeseppi’s Italian Margarita,

First, let me tell you that I’m a huge fan of yours. I love your Amaretto floater. And that splash of lime of yours adds freshness. As my friend, your pint glass container always seem to be there when needed â€" the perfect post-work cocktail, a warmer on a rainy Sunday afternoon, and you’re even around to help me through family gatherings. However, lately I’ve been wondering about your intentions. While I want to believe that you have my best interests at heart, I feel that your influence has led to some unwise consequences:

1. You give me excess hope while watching Mariners’ games in Joeseppi’s bar. I love the flat screen, the fireplace, and server Tom is extremely professional. However, when I sip you I believe in the Mariners, and I think that’s wrong.

2. Now you know I love Joeseppi’s Italian grub, but why do you suggest that I eat the bread with that seasoned butter, plus a Chop Chop salad, an entire five-layer lasagna dish, tiramisu and a sandwich to go from the deli. I’m a big eater, but I think you always take me too far.

3. Unless you’re subtly trying to tell me that I need to do more balance work, I see no need to hammer the issue home by causing me to knock owner Joe Stortini’s baseball memorabilia off the wall. Similarly, it should never take me more than 45 seconds to sign my credit card receipt.

In closing, Italian Margarita, I have enjoyed our friendship for some years now and would like to ensure that we remain on good terms. However, in order to continue this friendship, I ask that you carefully tell me no after three. I will look for an answer no later than Thursday 4 p.m. on your possible solutions and hopefully we can continue this sweet and sour partnership.

Your biggest fan,
Brad Allen

[Joeseppi’s Italian Ristorante, 2207 N. Pearl St., Tacoma, 253.761.5555]

Improvisation isn’t always pretty. A guitar solo, a drum solo or a fire-and-brimstone vocal delivery can be captivating one moment, incomprehensible the next.

During the Battle of the Air Bands Saturday, Sept. 22 at Cans in downtown Tacoma band members will ride the improv roller coaster before judges and the crowd. 

The prize?  Five hundred dollars.

What will it take to win?

Two things.

“Whatever you're playing â€" feel it and sell it to the crowd,” offers Kim Archer of the Kim Archer Band.

Second, you need to enter your air band.  To enter, e-mail the club here.  Bands can’t exceed five members and will be judged on appearance, synchronization and showmanship.

For more information on Cans, visit their Web site.  â€" Brad Allen

THE DAILY WORD
Learn it, use it, spell it

Arrogate \AIR-uh-gayt\, transitive verb:
1. To claim or seize without right or justification; to appropriate.
2. To claim on behalf of another; to ascribe.

USAGE EXAMPLE: With guns drawn, and stupidity abounding, O.J. Simpson and some dudes he met at a “cocktail party” burst into the Las Vegas hotel room, set to arrogate the sports memorabilia Simpson claimed was his. Shortly thereafter, the Juice was arrested. Before attempting to arrogate his “belongings,” perhaps Simpson should have tried to arrogate a little common sense.

Stupid, OJ.

THE MORNING NEWS

BURMA: Not monking around.

CHINA: Shanghai surprise.

BEES: Balling to death.

HONG KONG: Forehead grew.

HUSTLER OF CULTURE
You can stand atop the mountain and scream your naked desires to the universe or shed that synapse epilepsy and hug the South Sound today with your fellow man:

MUSIC: If ever there was a day of the week meant for $1 PBRs, it’s Wednesdays. Getting drunk for cheap in the middle of the week is pretty much the only thing that gets Bobble Tiki through to the weekend. Luckily, Hell’s Kitchen realizes this. Every Wednesday score $1 PBRs, and this week catch Six Pack Remedy â€" a new-to-the-Tacoma-scene punk band with an affinity for the finer things in life â€" mainly beer and power chords.   

MORE MUSIC: What's on tonight.

THE ARTS: Plan your fall season.

DISH: Where do you want to eat tonight?

FILM: The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters.

Please be Bobble Tiki’s friend here.

Breakfast with Bobble Tiki runs Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.  Deal with it.

The Dockyard Derby Dames will hang out at Doyle's Public House Saturday to help tap the Oktoberfest  kegs.  The girls will be on wheels with raffle tickets and sharp elbows.

They are gearing up for their Bout 3 Sept. 29 at the Tacoma Soccer Center.  See below. â€" Suzy Stump

The theatrical version of the 1970s “Gilligan’s Island” is playing at Puyallup Actors’ Theatre Group for a one-weekend run. The big question is will the opening theme song include the Professor and Mary Ann? â€" Suzy Stump

[Liberty Theater, Sept. 21-23, 12:30 and 6 p.m., $25-$35, 116 W. Main, Puyallup, 253.864.8116]

Rosemary Ponnekanti wrote a bitchin' piece on The Helm gallery opening Thursday for Third Thursday Art Walk. â€" Suzy Stump

Van Halen will tour 40 cities with the band's original frontman David Lee Roth for the first time in more than 20 years.

Van Halen will play Seattle's KeyArena Dec. 3, 2007.  Tickets go on sale Saturday, Sept. 22 at 10 a.m. at Ticketmaster outlets.

The 2007 lineup will include singer Roth, guitarist Eddie Van Halen, drummer Alex Van Halen, and Eddie's 15-year-old son Wolfgang on bass.

The band last toured in 2004 with Sammy Hagar, grossing nearly $40 million. â€" Brad Allen

Singer/songwriter Jim Page is a Northwest treasure who has been gratifying socially conscious audiences for more than 35 years and has been praised by many critics and contemporaries as being prophetic, compelling and compassionate.  Whether playing solo acoustic or in an ensemble, Page’s music speaks to the common man living in these desperate and uncertain times.

He will perform a rare Tacoma concert tonight at A Rhapsody in Bloom Florist & Café.

Page was born amongst the palm trees of Palo Alto, Calif., and at age 15 he began playing guitar.  With Dylan and Guthrie serving as inspiration, he began writing politically charged anthems about the social issues of the day.  In 1970 Page made an East Coast trek to New York before packing his guitar and heading for the friendlier city of Seattle.  He sang his songs on the streets of the Emerald City for spare change but was constantly harassed by the authorities.  So began his first political mission: to change the laws for street singers in Seattle. He won. 

Page has released 17 albums since 1976. Each disc takes the listener on a journey, sometimes satirical, sometimes serious but always thought provoking.  One of Page’s most celebrated recordings came post 9/11 with 2002’s Collateral Damage, on which he performed alone, trying desperately to make sense of that tragic day. â€" Tony Engelhart

[A Rhapsody In Bloom Florist & Cafe' Latte, 7 p.m., 3709 Sixth Ave., Tacoma 253.761.7673]