Music
I'll be the first person to admit that I'm not plugged into the local hip-hop scene. When I hear any hip-hop, it's usually through the blogosphere, when a group or an MC has risen through the ranks and made enough noise to get recognized by tastemakers. It's through these channels
Music
By day, Sonics Guy is mild-mannered Kris Brannon, who managed Comedy Underground Tacoma till 2013, then changed home bases to the Emerald City. Diehard champion for the Green and Gold, Brannon makes frequent appearances in vintage Supersonics gear, a sweet set of muttonchops, and an Afro that'd give Lucas Nogueira
Bars & Clubs
The Mix, Tacoma's pre-eminent gay and lesbian bar, would be a likely poll winner, so I needed a picture of its exterior for this edition. I live in Tumwater, and only get up to Tacoma every few weeks. Thus, after a Saturday afternoon appointment in Lakewood, I decided to drive
Features
The winner of multiple awards, Corina Bakery is located right next to the iconic Grand Theater at 602 Fawcette Ave. in Tacoma. Known for its hand-crafted, baked-from-scratch cakes, pies and desserts, Corina Bakery continues to garner accolades. And why not? When your menu offers not only creative and traditional cakes, pies,
Features
Tucked away on MLK Jr. Way in Tacoma, Hilltop Kitchen is easy to miss. This is really too bad, because behind its unassuming façade, the chefs and bartenders of this neighborhood icon are producing some of the most creative concoctions this side of Seattle. Featuring unique combinations and exotic ingredients, Hilltop's
Features
Don't be fooled by the exterior of the MSM Deli. Tourists and casual passersbys might mistake it for a gas station. There's little to indicate that there's a deli counter inside - and no painted windows or sandwich boards advertising daily specials. Sure, MSM Deli is a convenience store where you
Music
What more is there to be said about Vicci Martinez? After years of performing here and around the world, I think it's reasonable to say that she's established herself as an iconic Tacoma figure. Starting out performing in open mics, becoming a consummate singer-songwriter, she then moved on to the
Music
For roughly a decade, one of the most compelling live acts in Washington has been a two-piece alt-metal band called Lozen. With just drums and guitar, Hozoji Matheson-Margullis and Justine Maria Valdez composed bone-rattling, minimalist bits of stomping sound. Unimpeded by the complications of other instruments, Lozen was able to
Features
Pacific Grill is one of Tacoma's stand-out culinary gems - a hub that combines a revamped urban space, the arts, romantic atmosphere and (most importantly) delicious food. Diners at the Pacific Grill, which is located in the historic Waddell Building, are surrounded by exposed brick and just the right amount
Music
In 2007, employees at Ted Brown Music were faced with the strange problem of altruism. "People kept coming in with used instruments, asking ‘can I give this to a kid who can't afford one?'" Stephanie Howe remembers. "We didn't know what to tell them." The solution was the formation of Ted Brown's
Arts
Marketing consultant. Husband and father. Metro Parks Commissioner. Writer. Playing any partial combination of these roles would be a challenge for many, but Erik Hanberg seems to shrug off the implication that juggling these tasks might be tough. "I've always had a side project going," he reflects, going back to
Bars & Clubs
Would it surprise you to learn that the history of legal American microbreweries began less than 40 years ago? In 1978, Congress and President Carter ended the federal restrictions and excise taxes on home brewing with H.R. 1337. Dozens of new breweries popped up by 1980, and now there are
Archives
Studio 21 Studio 21 is set to end its run of “The Steward of Christendom,” a drama about the fall of one’s identity when the world changes. [Commencement Bay Coffee Co., through Sept. 23 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, $15-$20, 2354 S. Jefferson Ave., Tacoma, www.studio21theatre.com] "The Hollow” Agatha Christie’s “The Hollow,”
Archives
THE ART Art Walk It’s one of those nightmares we all have from time to time. You’re in a China shop and you take the wrong step, a small stumble, a careless turn — and then half the store collapses. Ooohhh. It’s enough to make you want to eat off paper plates
Music
Somewhere in everyone's head," wrote Miller Williams, "something points toward home." For millions of alt-country fans, the music of that poet's daughter, Lucinda Williams, is one of those things. When Mary Chapin Carpenter covered her "Passionate Kisses" in 1993, it won Ms. Williams a Grammy for Country Song of the
News Front
Some coins are worth more than money. The value is measured, not in monetary worth, but with professional significance, personal sentiment and, at times, historical relevance. Lt. Cmdr. Carmelo Ayala, department head, Naval Hospital Bremerton (NHB) Internal Medicine, started his Navy career as an undesignated seaman assigned to the Cimarron-class fleet oiler
Arts
Artist Shirley Klinghoffer is a cancer survivor; she has used her own and others' experience with this deadly disease to create haunting and touching works of art now on display at the Museum of Glass. Her large-scale installation pieces are inspired by hospital armatures used as support for women's bodies during
Stage
I fell in love with West Side Story when I first saw the movie starring Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Rita Moreno, George Chakiris and Russ Tamblyn in 1961. I was a romantic and idealistic college freshman engaged to a girl named Marie (almost like Maria, the girl in the film).
News Front
Six months into the start of the Commissary Value Brands program, patrons now have nearly 500 products available at savings comparable to low-cost private label items in commercial stores. Since the emergence of the Value Brands' signature orange label in December, the Defense Commissary Agency has elevated the savings program from
News Front
Twenty-seven senior noncommissioned officers from the 446th Airlift Wing and from around the Air Force Reserve Command gathered July 11-12 for the Senior NCO Leadership Development Course at McChord Field, here. The two-day, non-traditional course is designed to enhance the trust, teamwork and communication of senior NCOs to be better mentors
