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What I observed New Year’s Eve at the packed El Toro in downtown Tacoma was that drinking in a group can be a highly dangerous undertaking. First, as each member of the League of Liberal Libations arrived, there was an evaluation process of his or her appearance. People typically want
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Happy New Year to all! Of course I am assuming it will be. I’m writing this on New Year’s Eve while out of town and probably the only person in Tacoma not going to First Night. Large groups of non-drinking people scare me, so I avoid them by hiding in
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Electronic music has gone through a major revival in 2007. Artists like Justice, MSTRKRFT, Digitalism, Boys Noize, and Crystal Castles have made electronic mainstream again with crossover hits and remixes. However, as new and fresh as these groups sound, they are almost all paying homage to Daft Punk. It’s fitting
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I was trying to get to I Love Bento, because it was a rainy, cold night that required a fast infusion of green tea, warm miso soup and some raw fish. Maybe some sake, too. And definitely a hit of wasabi. Since I firmly believe that a good winter funk
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You’ve driven by so many times that the large building has ceased to exist. You know it’s there, but it no longer registers. A large neon sign reads “Spaghetti Dinner” or “Prime Rib Special.” The parking lot is mysteriously and consistently half full or better. Captain Nemo’s in University Place
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Some artists wallow in their past accomplishments while others flourish and continually push their creativity. It’s a gamble, and the results are always chancy when changing direction from a proven formula. Northwest singer/songwriter Carrie Akre has reinvented her sound on more than one occasion, and the appraisal has been a
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I had a soft spot for the movie “The NeverEnding Story” when it played in theaters in 1984. I had just returned from a three-year tour in South Korea and saw the film time and again that summer and fall as we settled into our new duty station. I found it
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Learning how to control voltage changed my life,” says sonic alchemist Daniel Farrell. Farrell, also known as Myello Electronics, is a sound artist — and a whole lot more. He sculpts waveforms, tones and resonances like Pollack sculpted splattered paint into nearly perfect geometric forms. While he considers himself a
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“Jersey Boys” This Broadway hit is on tour through the nation and portrays the story of early days of Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi. This is the story of how a group of blue collar boys from the wrong side of the tracks became one of the
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THE RV Bigger is better There’s nothing more American than a recreational vehicle. Here’s a car that’s literally as big as a house, equipped to the nines with every sort of modern amenity you can think of, a brazen gas-guzzler ready to tear giant swaths of land apart, highway by scenic highway.
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Was 2007 a good year for readers? It seems so, according to local bookseller sweet pea Flaherty. Flaherty (whose first name, sweet pea, is written in lower case letters) has been selling books at King’s Books, 218 St. Helens Avenue, for about 4 years and previously worked for one of
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Slap on your body Trojan and lube up the Purell, we’re jumping head-first into South Puget Sound’s official list of unofficial dive bars. Who made up this official list? Me. Who’s going to risk life and limb to explore and grade the insides of these bars? Me. Who will do
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With a dual guitar assault, rambunctious rhythms, and fever pitched vocals, the Shackeltons take the punk attitude of the Clash and combine it with shades of garage, grunge, and hard-core for a sound which is familiar and fresh at the same time. The Chambersburg, Penn., quintet of Mark Redding (vocals),
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Barefoot Studios has closed its Dome District space and moved — a little to the east. Now housed at the former home of Art on Center at 1604 S. Center St., the eclectic teaching and performance enterprise run by husband and wife teaching team Jim and Josephine Zmolek has re-opened
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If you can’t think of three more endearing recent family movies than “My Dog Skip,” “Babe” and “Millions,” then here’s another title to add to the list. “The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep” is based on a book by the author of “Babe,” made by the director of “My
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27 DRESSES: “Knocked Up” and “Grey’s Anatomy” star Katherine Heigl is a perennial bridesmaid whose own happy ending is nowhere in sight. (NR) – BW Lakewood Cinema 15: Thurs 7:30. Regal Martin Village 16: Thurs 7:30. ALIEN VS. PREDATOR: REQUIEM: One of the many reasons
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’Twas a few evenings before Christmas and all through the city, everyone yearned for a Lavender L’mour and a ditty. The spicy fried calamari from Matador was devoured with nary a care, and the Monsoon Room’s vibe beckoned us, which isn’t that rare. Children tucked in, dreaming of loot, and
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This last year in fashion has seen some interesting things, both on the runway and in our own neck of the woods. In my opinion, as far as fashion goes, local designers Lisa Fruciante, Daniel Blue, Jooley Heaps, Marilyn LoSavio, and many, many others are “where it’s at.” Even if
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Annette B My trip to Hawaii was imminent. I needed a bathing suit cover but didn’t want the traditional generic wrap-style sarongs that Target and other mainstream stores sell. Annette B clothing boutique offers hip clothes for full-figured women, those expecting a baby and those who have just had one. Since
