ACTOR ROB PATTINSON PLAYS THE PIANO. YOU'RE WELCOME. >>>

You can hate me or unfriend me or whatever, but I love the Twilight series. Edward and Bella and Jacob and sparkles and blood and fast cars are all magic to me. I know I'm not the only one out there who feels this way.

Dorky's Bar Arcade in Tacoma knows there are many who live for Twilight's gleeful decapitations and fang-on-fang showdowns. That's why last week the downtown Tacoma bar + arcade focused its weekly trivia session - Trivia for Dorks - on the vampire melodrama.

Held every Wednesday at 8 p.m., Trivia for Dorks is a free, all-ages affair with such prizes as gift certificates to Dorky's. Sure, prizes are nice, but even better is dropping your win at your next round table D & D discussion.

"I generally write questions about the kind of pop culture people really nerd-out about," says Nathan Ketzner, host and a glasses wearing nerd-extraordinaire. "I think my busiest night was when I did all Star Trek questions."

This Wednesday the categories will be Nintendo, Animal Friends/Sidekicks, The Walking Dead TV show/comics and Superheroines. Oh Emmett Cullen! I forgot that teams could earn bonus points for correctly identifying the theme.

DORKY'S BAR ARCADE, TRIVIA FOR DORKS, 8 P.M. WEDNESDAY, 754 PACIFIC AVE., TACOMA, 253.627.4156

TEARS OF FREAKIN' JOY >>>

This past July, Chris Wedes, better known as TV clown J. P. Patches, lost his battle with cancer at the age of 84. On television from 1958 to 1981, Wedes delighted generations of Puget Sounders with his zany antics and a style that was irreverent yet gentle.

The Weekly Volcano hasn't been the same since. We still mope about our leaky office, pouring the last little splash of flat Tab into our Boris S. Wort coffee mugs, adjusting our collection of Ggoorrsstt the Friendly Frpl lunchboxes, dusting off our Swami of Pastrami Pez statues and wondering what to do with the rest of our lives.

Then we wandered into Metropolitan Market in Tacoma's Proctor District (2420 N. Proctor) for our daily pocket stuffing of free cheese.

Holy Patches Pals! The entire Met Market staff is dressed as characters from the J.P. Patches show for Halloween. Met's floral designer Anna Stahl – dressed J.P. – pulled 14 outfits together for the staff.

If you are a Patches Pal, drop by for a hug.

FUTURE THINGS ARE COMING >>>

There's a special relationship between the late great Andy Warhol and the City of Tacoma - a relationship that may not make T-town look too good, but we're making up for it.

In 1982, we had a shot at a Warhol flower design on the roof of the Tacoma Dome. It would have been the largest Warhol installation in the world. But the artist's proposal was rejected by seven short-sighted officials who couldn't see what they had in hand because their heads were up their rears.

Recently, City of Tacoma's Arts Administrator Amy McBride has been corresponding with the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh and the Warhol Foundation in New York, and now the next best thing - maybe even a better thing - is coming to town.

This November, in celebration of the 30th anniversary of Warhol's proposal for Tacoma, the artist's flowers and vision for the Dome are coming to Tacoma Art Museum. The show Andy Warhol's Flowers for Tacoma will be on display Nov. 3 through Feb. 10, 2013. The exhibition celebrates more than 100 works by Warhol.

"Tacoma Art Museum is proud to bring this extensive body of Warhol's work to the Puget Sound," says Stephanie A. Stebich, director of Tacoma Art Museum. "The exhibition offers insights into Warhol's career that are rarely seen in the Northwest."

The exhibition will include Warhol's audacious floral proposal for the Tacoma Dome consisting of a brightly colored flower that would have covered the Dome, as well as paintings, studio photographs, and almost a dozen screen prints from his vibrant Flower series, which is based on a photograph of hibiscus flowers by Patricia Caulfield. The exhibition traces Warhol's ongoing interest in floral imagery from the early 1950s through 1986.

"This exhibition offers visitors a rare opportunity to explore in-depth a little-known component of Warhol's career and to re-imagine the city of Tacoma through his vision," says Rock Hushka, director of curatorial administration at Tacoma Art Museum. "The exhibition will show how one of the most influential American artists engaged with Tacoma."

When asked what about flowers attracted Warhol, Hushka says, "I think it was a handful of things. First, like most people, I think he really liked flowers because they were beautiful, fragile, fleeting, and ubiquitous. On a conceptual level, I think he was interested in testing the idea of the ‘sameness' of images. A flower image was no more important than a soup can, an electric chair, or a celebrity like Marilyn Monroe. I believe he was interested in seeing if he could make any mundane photograph (especially one that was randomly suggested by Henry Geldzahler) into a work of art the same way he did with the soup cans and the celebrities. Lastly, I think he soon discovered how many different variations he could make within fairly limited parameters. It's all so fascinating." 

Flowers for Tacoma will further cultivate art and culture by raising awareness about Warhol's proposal and the growing interest in realizing his vision. Advocates of the project, known as Citizens to Install Andy Warhol's Flower on Tacoma Dome, are trying to raise awareness about the significance of Warhol's proposition and the opportunity it provides for Tacoma. Learn more about them at www.Facebook.com/WarholonTacomaDome.

This exhibition is organized by Tacoma Art Museum, with the acknowledgement of the generosity of The Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh.

Related Programs and Events

Print It!

• Saturday, Nov. 3, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Celebrate the opening of Andy Warhol's Flowers for Tacoma by creating screen prints inspired by Warhol. Cost: $35 ($25 for members)

Adorning the Dome

• Saturday, Nov. 3, 2 p.m.
• Amy McBride, City of Tacoma arts administrator, discusses Warhol's 1982 flower design submission for the Tacoma Dome and the current, renewed movement to put the design on the dome. Cost: Free with museum admission.

Hop Art Ale

Saturday, Nov. 3, 3 p.m.

• Join the unveiling of Hop Art Ale, a hand-crafted brew inspired by the Andy Warhol exhibition and specially created by the Harmon Brewery.

New Year's Eve Bash: Studio 54 at Tacoma Art Museum

Monday, Dec. 31
Ring in 2013 in Studio 54 style at an Andy Warhol-inspired celebration. Cost: $150 for Studio 54 Platinum VIP; $100 for Studio 54 Gold VIP; $50 for Studio 54 Pass

LINK: Alec Clayton reviews local art shows

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Tacoma City Council Laptop Thief: Tacoma Police have photos! (News Tribune)

One Flew Over The Garfield Elementary School: The padded walls at the Olympia school have been removed after complaints. (News Tribune)

Good News: The 96-acre site at the northeast end of the Port of Tacoma's Blair Waterway could become the destination for long unit trains carrying bulk commodities destined for export. (News Tribune)

Mad Cow: South Korea curbs beef sales. (CNN)

Mitt Romney: He's effectively took the Republican Party helm. (The New York Times)

America's Best Cities For Hipsters: We're surrounded. (Huffington Post)

Crown Crust Pizza: The horror. (YouTube)

It's About Time: A synchronized collage of every zoom in Stanley Kubrick's 1980 horror masterpiece, The Shining. (Strangewood)

Coming Soon?: The cardboard disposable digital camera by Ikea. (Design You Trust)

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Sorry Eatonville Roughians: Your police force is still active. (News Tribune)

Tacoma Scores $7.2 million For Point Ruston: Gov. Chris Gregoire signed more than $1 billion in public works spending. (News Tribune)

Tacoma Drinks: More than 165 state liquor stores were auctioned off, with the highest single bid for a store on Tacoma's Pacific Avenue. (News Tribune)

Reality TV Taking Its Toll?: The number of immigrants coming from Mexico to the U.S. has steeply declined while the number of Mexicans leaving has increased sharply. (CNN)

Fashion Rules: 29 trends you need to try before you die. (Refinery 29)

Surprised There Wasn't More: FOX's 25 worst shows of the past 25 years. (Zap 2 It)

Ride The Snake: 5 memorable TV drug trips. (Hollywood Reporter)

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

How Many Tacoma Fire Department Personnel Does It Take To Rescue Two Dumbass Beachcombers?: Two engines, three ladder companies, tech-rescue rig and five staff members, as well as two medic brigs. (New Tribune)

What Happens If You Pull A Gun On a Fircrest Police Officer?: You'll get shot. (News Tribune)

Fircrest Vs. University Place: It's all fun and games until you want to improve the roads until you try to charge traffic impact fees for developments. (News Tribune)

Find The Stolen Guns Game: Although the game involves crimes. (News Tribune)

George Zimmerman: He's been released on bond. (CNN)

Obama Power Play: With Republicans blocking his agenda, the president has been using executive powers to enact measures on the environment, education, drug shortages and recess appointments. (The New York Times)

Cats Vs. Dogs: Finally, an answer on which is better. (Buzz Feed)

Old Spice: It's trying to make "smellf" happen. (Time)

Handy Guide: 12 things being sold on eBay because they kind of look like Jesus. (The Awl)

Finally, The Answer: Why do we say "Ye Olde" something-or-other when we want to sound Old English? (Neatorama)

It's Official! The gays prefer Adele to Lady Gaga according to a very scientific Gaydar poll. (The Sun)

China Knuckles: It's for the girl who wants to be chic and eco-friendly while still being conscious of self defense. (Who Killed Bambi)

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Downer Downtown: Organizer of Twilight Criterium moves Tacoma bike race to Proctor District because of streets and chilly business owners. (News Tribune)

Booze Bidders: The winning bidder or bidders of the online auction of state-run liquor stores will be announced Monday morning. (News Tribune)

Section 57 Of The British Terrorism Act In Action: Terrorism suspicions lead to three arrests at Heathrow. (The New York Times)

RIP: Levon Helm. (USA Today)

Martha Stewart: She has a new cooking show on PBS. (Grub Street)

DogTV: Man's best friend wants cable. (Time)

Fat In Foods: Seven eats with more fat than a stick of butter. (Huffington Post)

Must Watch: Golden Balls contestant wins with most ballsy move ever. (Gawker)

Squeeze This!: A cultural history of the accordion in America. (Pop Matters)

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Tacoma Takes The High Road: Cheney Stadium Sustainable Stormwater Project is actually cool. (Weekly Volcano)

Checking In With Wily Washam: Pierce County Ethics Commission says Pierce County assessor-treasurer Dale Washam used public resources for campaign purposes in an effort to unseat county Prosecutor Mark Lindquist. (News Tribune)

Oh Lovely: Anders Behring Breivik, who admits killing 77 people in Norway last summer, used the video game Modern Warfare 2 as training. (CNN)

Oh Lovely II: India successfully launched a missile with nuclear capability and a 3,100-mile range, giving it the ability to strike Beijing and Shanghai. (The New York Times)

Pulitzer or Peabody?: Colbert and Huffington debate. (Poynter)

Families And Flying: Should airlines offer children-only seating areas and flights? (Huffington Post)

Which Cities Are Setting Music Trends?: Not the ones you'd think. (Time)

Because 50 Isn't Enough: 53 reasons why we need a new Star Trek TV series. (Huffington Post)

Record Stores: Popular musicians come clean with their favorite records stores. (Pop Matters)

Got 99 Cents And Love Craft Beer?: There's an app for that. (Craft Beer App)

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Today In Oh This Is Quite Lovely: Team Dickwad hold South Tacoma woman at gunpoint, then ransack her home. (News Tribune)

Washington State Budget Cuts: And by cuts, we mean 1,266 more full-time jobs in state government. (News Tribune)

Tacoma City Council: It will grab money raised by 2009 and 2010 bond sales and spend it on theater, pool and bridge repairs, Hilltop public-housing renovations and walkways. (News Tribune)

Syrian Cease Fire: Not really a good thing as President Bashar al-Assad is tightening his grip on the country during the decrease in violence brought on by U.N. demands. (CNN)

The "Leap List": Ryan Leaf's list of things to do before possibly heading to prison. (Daily Weekly)

Creepy Finance Guy: He has spreadsheet of Match.com 'prospects.' (Jezebel)

Muppets Sequel: It will be a caper with new characters. (MTV)

Mission To Lars: New Metallica film to be released in June. (NME)

Fascinating: What it costs eight women writers to live in New York City. (The Awl)

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Screw You Concrete: The City of Puyallup to buy nearly 9 acres of wooded land that's part of the Maplewood Springs watershed. (News Tribune)

Exit 133 Will Be Closed at Night: WSDOT show you how to navigate the closure. (News Tribune)

Thank You Bill And Dr. Jo Harding: Tornado warning system had helped prevent a higher number of fatalities over the weekend in the Midwest. (The New York Times)

Ballsy Write Offs: Fancy dresses, boob jobs, body oil ... (Neatorama)

Rad Rides: The best BMX bikes of all time. (Cool Hunting)

Finger Foods: Tony food sculptures that look good enough to eat. (Buzzfeed)

By The Book: David Sedaris, the author of Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk, on his reading habits. (The New York Times)

Oh Gees: Robin Gibb is in a coma after contracting pneumonia. (USA Today)

Did You Miss Radiohead's Set At Coachella? It's on YouTube. (Pitchfork)

Female Version Of Entourage: HBO will let you in on the secret lives of Girls. (Zap 2 It)

Happy Monday!