Spew

Wine and free movies

The New York Times reported last year about a new trend that may find its way to bars in the South Sound — it’s called movieoke, and it combines karaoke with clips from popular movies. Would-be actors take the stage, microphone in hand, and act out a scene from their flick of choice, all the while the script scrolls by on a teleprompter and the movie plays on the screen behind the actor.
I perform movieoke every time I drink wine with my television.
“You talkin’ to me?”
“Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?”
“Ah, hon, ya got Arby’s all over me.”
Anyone?  Anyone?
When I heard Winestyles Wines and Gifts and Wine Bar screens free movies at its Pearl Street location you can imagine my glee.
Well, do ya, punk?
There will not be a handsome man representing an unpronounceable vineyard in a country I can’t quite pinpoint to make me realize how little I know about wine — and the etiquette. I will not spit it into the bucket after swishing it around like Listerine. Nope, I’m going to swill and chat up the movie.  If you’re hoping to relax, sip and take in “Brokeback Mountain” Saturday at Winestyles — forget it, sister.
“Don’t try and fool me no more, Ennis. I know what it means. Jack Twist. Jack Nasty. You didn’t go up there to fish.” — Suzy Stump

• WHEN: April 15, 7 p.m., “Brokeback Mountain”; April 19, 7 p.m., “Sex and the Single Girl”; April 22, 7 p.m., “Hud”; April 23, 2 p.m., “Raisin in the Sun”; April 26, 7 p.m., “Working Girl”; April 29, 7 p.m., “Houseboat”; April 30, 2 p.m., “From Here to Eternity.”
• WHERE: Winestyles Wines and Gifts and Wine Bar, 2665 N. Pearl St., Tacoma.
• PRICE: Free
• INFO: (253) 756-1922

If these walls could talk

You practically swoon when a waiter walks past you with triple-layer chocolate cake. You have to inhale a few times before you even bring your fork near a plate of anything drizzled in warm chocolate, and the scent of brownies baking means an automatic smile. Sure, it’d be great if cocoa could tickle our noses constantly, but who wants to walk around smelling like a Kit Kat? Now, thanks to the folks at Food Is Art in the UK, we can have our cake and . . . er . . . smell it, too.
For about $4,500, Food Is Art will build an "interactive and edible" chocolate room for you, complete with chocolate chandeliers and sugar wallpaper.  Wonka would freak (or does Charlie Bucket and Grandpa now run it?). — Suzy Stump

Concrete Garden

The City Of Tacoma's downtown public plaza next to the Courtyard by Marriott on Pacific Avenue will open next month, according to a city insider.  The outdoor gathering spot will feature a grassy knoll perfect for outdoor concerts and enjoying a summer lunch.  The other 11 months bring an umbrella. — Ken Swarner

Free tickets

Call the Weekly Volcano today to win a pair of tickets to see Poncho Sanchez at Jazz Alley April 20, or tickets to the NW Regional BMX/Skate Championships in Tacoma April 28-31 at Thrill Zone.  Call (253) 584-1212 now.  Operators are standing by.

Egg-citing

Certain traditions adapt themselves as time travels on. Take the Easter egg hunt. It was fun when you were a kid — watching your parents crawl around, trying to hide a bright pink egg behind a sprinkler head. And there was always the added joy of finding one (hopefully unbroken) three months later. But now you’re a parent, and well, it’s lost its charm. Or has it? The lovely folks at the Puyallup Rec Center Tracy Aviary host an Adult Flashlight Egg Hunt Friday night. You can now have an egg-ceptional (no, really, ceptions of eggs) time hunting for the eggs hidden on the Puyallup Rec Center ball fields.  Maybe someone will even paint your face.  Friday, April 14, 10 p.m., 18 and older, $3, Puyallup Rec Center Ballfields, 808 Valley Ave. N.W., Puyallup, (253) 841-5457. — Suzy Stump

Dynamic jazz duo

Bumping up the cool factor
HG Bistro & Lounge
The Wilshire Trio, April 14, 8-11 p.m., no cover, 1618 E. Main St., Puyallup, (253) 845-5747. Reservations are recommended.
Alfred’s Cafe and Bubble Room
Mike Nelson Trio, 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.  every Friday and Saturday, no cover, 402 Puyallup Ave., Tacoma, (253) 627-5491.

Area jazz lovers are rejoicing as we usher in another month of tasty jazz at two locations to consistently give them their fix. HG Bistro & Lounge in Puyallup and Alfred’s Cafe and Bubble Room in Downtown Tacoma offer jazz each weekend. After Red Kelly’s venue closed and we lost the man himself, the Tacoma area seemed to dry up in the lounge jazz department, but HG Bistro is quickly making a name for itself by stepping up its entertainment and providing a spot where a well spent romantic evening can be had over dinner and cocktails. The Wilshire Trio shines with a micro cast on keyboards, upright bass and soul drenched vocals April 14.The following Friday sees exceptional jazz singer Greta Matassa in the house. With her incredible talent range showcased doing scat, tributes to Billy Holiday and Ray Charles or well loved standards, Matassa is a showstopper and just can’t help it. If the hair doesn’t stand up on your arms, you might want to check your pulse. Area music veteran David Keys closes out the month with a trip up and down his keyboard accompanied by guitar, percussion and vocals. This piano man has been known to dip into blues and funk, spicing up his jazz.
Getting their feet wet in the music department, the folks at Alfred’s Cafe and Bubble Room offer up the Mike Nelson Trio each weekend. This solid act consisting of guitar, percussion and stand-up bass performs straight-ahead jazz, jazz standards and classic bossa nova. Fans of the deep hum, thump and rumble of a stand-up bass will be delighted; watching Nelson on guitar is like catching a skilled cake decorator in action. It looks cool, and you’re sure you could do it, but something tells you it’s harder than you think. The gentlemen even manage to incorporate a little blues flavor. Their tender ballads are brought out as well, much to the delight of couples leisurely dining and softly chatting under an amber glow cast by gold chandeliers. The trio incorporates many different types of music into their show beginning at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, making for an eclectic musical experience that is easy to enjoy in Alfred’s laid-back lounge or the main dining area. — Jennifer Johnson

Review: Viva Mexico!

The Weekly Volcano foodies dropped in on Viva Mexico, the new Mexican restaurant in downtown DuPont.  All rhetoric aside, it was some of the best "Americanized" Mexican we've had in years.  The quesadilla was "oh my Gawd, good."  Look for more restaurants to arrive in DuPont in the coming months.  The rumor is that the corner near Starbucks on Center Drive has been purchased by a "family style" restaurant.  Stay tuned. — Jason de Paul

Mystery cafe

When Weekly Volcano Headquaters USA vacated from the Lakewood Towne Center a year ago,  we left as an entire wing of the center lay practically vacant.  The Liquor Store was gone.  La Palma was gone.  Starbucks had nearly moved to its new location. People openly wept in the streets.  Now, after a facelift, things are coming back to life on Main Street, including a new restaurant soon.  Marked with only a sign stating "Breakfast and Lunch Cafe," the new eatery is taking up shop in the old La Palma site.  We'll keep you posted. — Jason de Paul.

Science!

Whoever says science is for freaks and geeks who can mentally compute the velocity of their own pee is a big fat liar.  NPR science reporter Ira Flatow offers science for us morons too.  Flatow demonstrates what happens when you put a handful of Mentos candy into a bottle of diet soda then gices a scientific explanation.  Science! — Suzy Stump

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

So, without throwing any huge words around that no one would know how to deal with, and would decrease my edge factor considerably, I know this chick who’s pretty cool.  In fact, I think she’s all right.
We were listening to the new Yeah Yeah Yeahs CD the other day, Show Your Bones, and it doesn’t get much better.
I ask her for 100 words on why the new disc kicks ass. This is what she gave me:

• “What’s your crime?” Yeah Yeah Yeahs singer Karen O begs. I say, Sweet Karen O, my only crime is the obsessive-compulsive breakdown of my day into 39-minute segments since I bought Show Your Bones. I’ve thrown away my watch, and keep time by the constant repetition of these 11 tracks. I’d like to say my addiction is to the wickedly subtle drumming or the wailing guitar riffs, but I know my weakness — oh, Karen, Karen O. She tenderly slays her prey, and buries it with a kiss and a scream: “My dear, you’ve been used / I’m breaking the news.” Enough said.

Indeed. Enough said.
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, April 25, 8 p.m., all ages, $22.50 at Ticketmaster, Paramount Theatre, Seattle. — Matt Driscoll