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PERMANENT LIPSTICK: East West Cafe

South Sound adventures at clubs,resturaunts, and my favorite hangouts

Ginger Knoxx

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Wednesday, Feb. 23

MS. DANI YELL and I tried out the newest installment of EAST WEST CAFE in Proctor District.  The wine was good if a little spendy, but the flavor of the food made up for it.  The décor is well thought out too. Across the street, I spotted ALFREDO, OWNER OF CAFÉ EUROPA, staring over at the packed new restaurant with his own quarter-full place behind him. Never fear Alfredo, people always flock to the "new place" but then return to their favorites.

Saturday, Feb. 26

GOLDEN WEST SALOON's DRINKS rank number four on my list of Tacoma's best and win overall in the categories of alcohol amount and taste. BARTENDER SHERRI was flying around the bar making drinks for the entire place during the SPLENDID VENGANCE rock circus.  Splendid's crowd was making her sweat, but she kept smiling and joking the whole time. Sherri is a model bartender and not just because she didn't blink when I ordered two vodie talls at a time. VOLCANO WEEKLY MUSIC COLUMNIST MATT DRISCOLL and the EDITOR OF THIS FINE RAG both showed up and became partners in crime. Our highlight was the CHUBBY BUSINESSMAN who was so thrilled by the over-the-top performance of Splendid Vengance that he was pumping his fists in the air and WAVING THE "HANG LOOSE" hand symbol. I had to take a moment and act on my humanitarian impulse to help this poor buzzed bastard. I sat down with him and curled his thumbs in to make TWO CHUBBY DEVIL HORNS.  The man needed help, so call me Florence Nightingale.  We popped next door to the OPAL TAVERN, which should bear the motto: "Where country singers go to die."  They even have a bumper sticker behind the bar that reads, "Dicks Halfway Inn."  The karaoke books were 70 percent old country, and the singers were 70 years old with the exception of CIN FROM LAST OF OUR TRIBEC, ROB ZUNASTI OF ATOMIC OUTLAWS, his lovely blonde girlfriend, Jennifer, and their entourage. Apparently this is where they go when they want to hide from the paparazzi, screaming fans and just have a chill night singing some old tunes.

On the other side of T-town, HELL'S KITCHEN was hopping. If the amount of spilled booze is an indicator, everyone there was having a blast. We arrived just in time for MURDOCK'S set, which left me feeling revved up and ready to go. With their singer being so supa' fine, I'd bet every girl was registering HOT.  THE DAY BROTHERS showed up halfway through Murdock's set. I wonder if Kevin's band, TOP HEAVY CRUSH, will be on the upcoming compilation CD with the BUCKWILDZ, CROSSBONES and others?

Sunday, Feb. 27

THE PARKWAY TAVERN has stellar SOS. They put finely diced peppers and jalapeños in it. I find this very tasty, but I'm sure SOS purists will not. JIM-O and  GUNNER provided hilarious banter over brunch.  So we were sitting there finishing coffees when JEREMY SILAS AND ANGELA walk in.  I thought Angela was engaged to Adam, so I was shocked to hear that she and Silas are dating. Amazing how drastically things can change in a matter of months.

Random thoughts

I gotta give some serious props to the guy who took his date to MAGOO'S ANNEX LAST VALENTINE'S DAY. A staff member passed on the scoop that the sloppy drunk girl ended up passed out in the bathroom for 45 minutes and then couldn't understand what the big deal was. Way to go ANONYMOUS GUY for sticking around and seeing her home!

Since moving last weekend, I have come to a few realizations.  The most glaring one is the fact that I have too much stuff and should have had a moving sale. Next is that I am not as strong as I think.   And lastly the most favorite realization of all: I GET TO HAVE A HOUSEWARMING PARTY!!!  Housewarming parties have to be the consolation prize you give yourself for having to go through the terrible hell that is and always will be moving.

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