LET'S DRINK TO THE MURRAY MORGAN BRIDGE! >>>

Back in December I had a sit down with Harmon Brewery co-owner Pat Nagle to discuss local brews and his desire to collaborate with local businesses. Harmon has united with Dry Fly distillery, 21 Cellars and the Grocery Outlet. In celebration of the reopening of the 11th Street Bridge - renamed the Murray Morgan Bridge - Nagle continued his collaboration efforts, brewing an Eleventh Street IPA - with the blessing of the city of Tacoma and JayRay Advertising - and offering the brew to numerous downtown hot spots such as The Swiss, Office Bar and Grill, TwoKoi, The Mix, Puget Sound Pizza, Meconi's Pub, The Social Bar and Grill and Rock the Dock Pub, just to name a few.

Nagle took the bridge celebration a bit farther with his new beer, incorporating 11 different hops and bumping it to 100 IBUs (bitterness measurement) to represent the 100th year anniversary of the bridge. IPAs tend to be very high in IBUs, which is desirable by hopheads who enjoy that fuzzy tongue feeling.

"The City of Tacoma, along with JayRay Advertising and the Pierce Co. Chamber of Commerce, are putting together a christening of the bridge on Valentine's Day, Thursday February 14th," Nagle states in a release. "The goal is to have as many downtown retailers as possible participate by putting together an 'offer' for Valentine's Day that will tie into the 11th St. Bridge celebration."

The offers poured in. As part of Murray Morgan Bridge Week Feb. 11-16, downtown Tacoma businesses will offer discounts, as well as carry the Harmon Eleventh Street IPA as I previously mentioned. The list of participating businesses can be found at tacomachamber.org.

The official rededication ceremony begins with the Light the Bridge fun run/walk at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14. Light the Bridge organizers ask all participants to wear headlamps and/or carry flashlights or glow sticks. Advance registration is required.

A dedication ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. Feb. 15. The event will take place near the bridge at the intersection of 11th and A streets.

THURSTON COUNTY GOT CUPCAKIER >>>

"My soul has had enough chicken soup, now it wants cupcakes." - Princess Cupcake, administer of cupcake-forum.com.

Princess Cupcake, we agree.

That is why we're happy to announce the city of Lacey has just climbed a few notches on the coolness ladder, bringing in downtown Olympia's cupcake queen, Cecilia Mikler and her successful business, Bonjour Cupcakes. The shop celebrated a soft opening Wednesday, Jan 30.

"We wanted to bring our goodies to a new market," says Mikler. "There's nothing like this in Lacey."

Bonjour specializes in gourmet and exotic cupcake blends; producing from-scratch cupcakes that make the sweet tooth swoon. Gluten-free options are available too.

Last week I sampled a divine chocolate chipotle mini cupcake. The first bite bursts with chocolate, followed by a slow creep of earthy spiciness of chipotle, making the cocoa of the next bite savorier. I also tried a blueberry lime mini. I have to say; the frosting is my favorite part - light as air and not overly sweet. 

The Lacey location is just as cute as downtown, with a shabby-chic feel, nice music, kids' tea play set and eating area and family board games.

They also have a bigger and more private space for larger parties. Wise since baby showers, cake-decorating parties and birthdays are popular at the cupcake shop.

Speaking of parties, Bonjour will have a grand-opening celebration at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb 9. The Oly Rollers derby girls will be in the cupcake house helping with giveaways such as Bonjour cupcakes, T-shirts and derby bout tickets. The Thurston County Chamber will also perform an official ribbon-cutting ceremony. 

Sounds fancy - just like anything pertaining to cupcakes should. 

BONJOUR CUPCAKES, 10 A.M. TO 7 P.M. MONDAY-THURSDAY, 9 A.M. TO 9 P.M. SATURDAY, 11 A.M. TO 5 P.M. SUNDAY, 730 SLEATER-KINNEY ROAD, LACEY, 360.489.0891 / 609 CAPITOL WAY S., OLYMPIA, 360.515.0564

THIS IS REALLY A JOB >>>

Area woman Aunt Mary marked a new level of commitment to her marijuana habit by grabbing her bong, "Ol' Frederick Greenmeister," and filling out the paperwork to be Washington state's pot consultant. Yesterday, during her break at the licensing department, Aunt Mary joined the sea of ponytails and flannel at a briefing in Tacoma hosted by the Liquor Control Board. The agency is looking for an advisor who knows weed, inside and out, and could assist in developing regulations.

The 37-year-old feels her nightly ritual of smoking several ounces of marijuana and then microwaving a turkey pot pie gives her cred for the new position.

"Sure, I might not have the five years of regulatory experience, or the preferred law degree, but ask Ol' Frederick Greenmeister, I certainly have the extensive knowledge of all things marijuana," said Aunt Mary.

After passing a law legalizing the recreations use of marijuana this fall, Washington state must set up a system of state-licensed growers, processors, retail stores and such where adults can score an ounce of heavily taxed cannabis.

"I'm not saying Mr. Greenmeister has a soul or anything like that," Aunt Mary said with a cackle. "But I mean, how cool would it be if I was allowed to bring my bong to my new office at the Liquor Control Board."

Aunt Mary then affectionately chucked the bong where its chin might be.

SOTA INTERN BLOG >>>

Today I was invited to try out Me-Ality, a machine that scans your body frame then suggests your perfect fit of clothes! The first and only one in Washington arrived last March at the South Hill Mall near Target. It's a free service and only takes 20 seconds to get scanned.

Like most scanners you can't wear metal. Me-Ality has a bucket to put your stuff in. I still suggest you don't wear too much metal jewelry or accessories as it's a pain to take off.  After you are scanned, the Me-Ality staff sends you an email with a link to its website housing a detailed list of clothes that would fit you best. They have a long list of brands such as Guess, Buckle, Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister and Levi's. Since Me-Ality is located at a mall it is only natural it will show you the clothes that would fit you there! So you can get scanned and go right to shopping.

Thanks to Me-Ality I have a nice long list of jeans that would look good on me. Jeans are not the only items they know will look good on you. They also have lists of tops, skirts, dresses, pants, intimates and sweaters - for both men and woman.

Thousands of Americans are logged into Me-Ality's shopping guides. If you have trouble finding things that fit you or are just curious about what they think you should try, Me-Ality is your stop.

SOUTH HILL MALL, 10 A.M. TO 9 P.M. MONDAY-SATURDAY, 11 A.M. TO 6 P.M. SUNDAY, 3500 S. MERIDIAN, PUYALLUP, 253.445.5163

SUPER BOWL OPTION >>>

After 10 years in the scrapbooking business and owning a successful daycare center, Andrew Brown knew it was time to pursue his hobby - smoking cigars and hanging out.

"I gained back a couple punches on my man card," chuckles Brown, whose family business, Brown & Sons Premium Cigars, passed the one-year mark in September 2012. Although, he notes, "there's plenty of women who enjoy cigars, too."

Together with his father, Kurt, and brother, Tim, as well as extended family, the Brown's opened Brown & Sons - an idea born after huddling in a barn to smoke cigars in 19 degree weather. 

Now, Brown & Sons is the only cigar and cigar accessory store in the Lacey area that offers a smoking lounge. 

"We're laid back and have fun," says Brown, "We pride ourselves on being 100 percent family owned and operated. You walk in and just know it's family."

With three televisions, including a 60-inch flat screen, the lounge is available during store hours. The lounge also serves as an event hub.

During Super Bowl Sunday, the Browns will host a taco and nacho bar, beverages and encourage potluck items. 

Brown & Sons will also host a free Customer Appreciation Day Friday, Feb. 8 with cigar company owners in the house, giveaways catered food and libations.

And, of course, there will be cigars at all events.

Specializing in boutique blends, Brown current favorite cigar is the 262 Revere. "This one hit it out of the ballpark," he says.

A close second is the San Lotano Oval, by AJ Fernandez. "It's a great smooth smoke that pairs well with any drink," says brown.

But then again, he says with a laugh, "I smoke all of them."

The Brown & Sons website has more information on blends, pricing, events and membership. The cigar shop also has a Facebook page.

BROWN & SONS PREMIUM CIGARS, 6502 MARTIN WAY E., LACEY, 360.888.4603

CAN I GET A HUG? >>>

The words I feel best describe last night's Go Local Tacoma Shift Happens 2013 event can best be summed up by Charles Dickens from his book A Tale of Two Cities: "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times." This is especially true as the city of Tacoma continues to grapple with the reality of a decimated budget, and business owners guard their marketing dollars as if it was Bimbo's Italian Restaurant pasta sauce recipe. Regardless of how much money we earn, our education, faith, ethnicity, neighborhood we live in, or types of jobs we have, nearly all Tacoma and Pierce County residents have been impacted directly or indirectly by the downturn our economy has gone through over the past four years. People are exhausted. Business owners are logging in more hours due to staff reductions. City leaders have gone through a string of stressful budget sessions. Marketing managers wrestle with social media. Consumers are trying eek out a life with less money and longer work hours.

The mood at last night's Shift Happens event was more somber than the past two years. Handshakes were short. A few booths weren't manned. Attendance seemed down, but it was difficult to judge with the change of environment from a warm room to a gray, cavernous hall.

That said, Shift Happens is exactly what this city needs. It's an opportunity for Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland to light a fire under our asses, to push the fact more than a 1,000 new businesses opened in Tacoma last year, to brag what our students have accomplished, to boast the city's forward-thinking and global goals, and to relay Tacoma success stories. Go Local Tacoma, the organization behind Shift Happens, knows people need to be seen and heard, respected and cared for by one another. Rebuilding community at the local level can dramatically restore human well being. That, to me, is what Shift Happens tries to accomplish. It's what is needed. I get the "shift $20 to a local business a month and it will result in millions to the local economy and more jobs." And I applaud Go Local's soon-to-be released Localist savings card. But, having everyone in one room - as large as is was - rallying around the go local concept, nibbling on each others successes brings the community together, one hug at a time, and encourages local spending. That's cool.

Congratulations to this year's Shift Happens Indie Award winners: Advocacy Champion Angela Jossy, Community Steward Justin Mayfield, and Entrepreneurial Empowerment winners Robert Bunge and Teresa Springer-Grounds.

Below is Mayor Strickland's "State of the City" address from last night's Shift Happenes event, shot from my shaky hands. "Tonight I ask you, what will be your civic contribution in 2013? Will you sit on the sidelines or will you get involved? What will be your role in making Tacoma a better city?" asks Mayor Strickland at the end of her address.

What are you going to do?

A REASON TO DRINK >>>

Why drink alone when you can get your drink on with cool cats who care about environmental issues? On the first Thursday of each month, Green Drinks invites Tacoma and Pierce County residents to do just that - hang out and chat with other green-minded individuals over drinks and snacks. The next session of Green Drinks - which will be held Thursday, Feb. 7 at The Office Bar and Grill - will focus on downtown Tacoma's Pacific Avenue Streetscape Project ... and drinks, of course.

Doreen Gavin, project manager for AHBL - the consulting firm hired by the city of Tacoma in 2011 to design the Pacific Avenue Streetscape Project - will be main entertainment at the Feb. 7 Green Drinks session. And by entertainment I mean giving an overview of Pacific Avenue's makeover and answering questions. 

In a nutshell, the Pacific Avenue Streetscape Project will deck out downtown's main drag with new sidewalks, lighting and bike lanes, as well as innovative green touches from stormwater infrastructure and rain gardens to more than 3,000 new plants. When all is said and done, downtown Tacoma intends to be a leader in urban greenness - as well as a lot prettier.

I tossed a few questions at Gavin before she got her Green Drinks on at The Office.

WEEKLY VOLCANO: Why is the Pacific Avenue Streetscape Project important to Tacoma?

DOREEN GAVIN: The Pacific Avenue Streetscape project has three main goals. First, economics. The project is designed to create an active, attractive and economically viable "main street" that encourages people and businesses to be downtown. Second, multimodal accessibility. The new sidewalks, intersection bulb-outs, crosswalks, bike sharrows, landscaping, street furnishings, artwork, catenary lighting and transit stops will improve walkability, accessibility, bicyclist and pedestrian safety. And third, but not least, stormwater improvements. The project incorporates stormwater treatment for this busy downtown corridor, which drains into the Thea Foss waterway. The waterway was designated a superfund site in 1983 and the cleanup was completed in 2006 at a cost of over $100 million to the city and its partners. The stormwater treatment facilities to be constructed as part of this project will improve the quality of stormwater generated within this corridor before it's discharged to the Thea Foss Waterway. This work adds to our efforts to protect the newly remediated waterway through source control, sweeping, maintenance and treatment projects. In addition, the Pac Ave corridor is a wonderful opportunity to showcase this treatment to the public in an innovative and interesting way. The goal is that these stormwater improvements will not only be functional but beautiful as well.

VOLCANO: It's a huge project. How are you going to structure your talk at Green Drinks?

GAVIN: My talk will focus primarily on green stormwater infrastructure and how the Pacific Avenue Streetscape Project incorporates the goals of stormwater quality treatment in Tacoma's "Main Street" through the use of rain gardens and silva cells. I will show some sketches and images illustrating what the proposed project will look like when completed. I will also talk about the goals of the project and the construction schedule.

VOLCANO: What pairs with a Pacific Avenue Streetscape Projects lecture?

GAVIN: Green beer, if available.

THE OFFICE BAR AND GRILL, GREEN DRINKS, THRUSDAY, FEB. 7, 6 P.M., FREE ADMISSION, 813 PACIFIC AVE., TACOMA, 253.572.3222

MONDAY, JAN 28 2013 >>>

1. Go Local's annual event Shift Happens will fill the Greater Tacoma Convention Center with local businesses, celebrating and reveling in the fact that Tacoma loves all things local. Shift Happens is designed to give said local businesses a place to network, connect and grow, but also to get you - yes, you, every day citizens! - out to eat and drink local products, as well as tour booths representing local businesses. At 4 p.m., the vendor showcase welcomes in everyone to experience the awesomeness that is the local business scene. At 6:15 p.m., the main event takes to the stage, including Go Local handing out their three annual Indie Awards for this year's Advocacy Champion, Community Steward, and Entrepreneurial Empowerment. Mayor Marilyn Strickland will also round up the night with her State of the City address.

2. John F. Kennedy, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Paul Newman. Cool, cool cats. And these cool cats wouldn't suckle off the Wednesday night $1 PBR special. They went for top shelf. Single malt. They went classy. The best of the best. Fortunately for us cool cats in training, Asado of Tacoma has a weeknight happy hour that keeps the classy cocktails at a reasonable price. Every weeknight from 2:30-6 p.m. Asado offers $2 off any of the specialty cocktails and wine, as well as $3 selected food items. Not to mention $1.50 off draft beer. Because even the classiest of us crave some hops from time to time.

3. Monday is typically a black hole for nightlife. Sure, if you run a sports bar, you'll do well during the World Series or football season, but for most eating and drinking establishments, it's just dead, dead, dead. There's a darn good reason why so many bars are empty on Mondays. So how do those that remain open find ways to fill barstools on this, the most dreadful evening of the workweek? 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 at 8 p.m. Tonight, guitar legend Jerry Miller will be in the house.

4. Hey! Guess what? Rafael Tranquilino hosts an experimental jam at Stonegate Pizza every Monday night! Get in on the rockin' action tonight.

5. Beginning at 9 p.m. every Monday 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 and $4 Smirnoff flavor vodka bombs.

LINK: Monday, Jan. 28 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

HERE TO SAVE THE DAY >>>

Remember last week when you were busted for adding that hand-painted platter from West Elm to your Pinterest board during the morning office meeting?

That was embarrassing.

You best go big at the next morning meeting. You better order breakfast for the group. You better order a delicious one, too.

Here's the deal. If you're looking to wow the office or just plain tired of the same old crap, be the breakfast hero and order delivery from Pacific Grill.

Yes, you heard me right. Pacific Grill, the fine dining establishment on Pacific Avenue delivers breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. - and available for pick up until 6 p.m. Orders must be placed a day in advance but include awesome breakfast staples such as a continental breakfast ($14.95) that serves six and a variety of breakfast sandwiches ($4.75) and burritos ($5.95). And Pacific Grill even delivers must have breakfast sides such as Tabasco and avocado. Check out it's new delivery menu here.

If you are crunching numbers in Tacoma or most of Fife, then delivery costs NOTHING. If you live outside of its delivery zones the fee is a mere $10.

Now go and be the office champion. Breakfast is after all the most important meal of the day. And you could post a photo of the breakfast sandwich to your Pintrest board.

PACIFIC GRILL, 1502 PACIFIC AVE., TACOMA, 253.627.3535

YAY! >>>

Murray Morgan Bridge is the proper name of what some people call the 11th Street Bridge or City Waterway Bridge. It's that old steel bridge over the Thea Foss Waterway. Yeah, the one that has been shut down since 2007. The one that has spent the better part of 2012 under a big white tarp. The one that got tens of thousands of wire stolen from it in 2009.

And it's going to reopen next month. With a new pedestrian path. And a bike path. And an elevator connecting it to Dock Street.

Who was Murray Morgan? He was a Tacoma historian, author and columnist. He passed away in 2000.

The city of Tacoma and Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce will celebrate the bridge's opening with what they call Murray Morgan Bridge Week, which include a fun run across the bridge Feb. 14 and an officially opening ceremony Feb. 15. The city and chamber sent out a letter yesterday to Tacoma business asking them to join the fun. Part of the letter is attached below.

One of the businesses joining the celebration will be the Harmon Brewing Co. "We're brewing a special beer with 11 different hops and 100 IBUs in celebration of the bridge's 100 year anniversary," says Harmon co-owner Pat Nagle.

A list of businesses participating in Murray Morgan Bridge Week can be found here.

What will you do?