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When I first heard Lula LaFever I had no idea it was her burning up the fret board and was blown away by her tight riffs and red hot solos. A versatile artist, LaFever effortlessly bounces between light to jump jazz, sizzling blues, and rock and roll. No stranger to
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In the fall of 2002, two buskers met for the first time on Broadway Street in Seattle. Both were performing in order to raise money. Felicia Figueroa, originally from Arizona, was touring the country with her dog Tobin, and she was singing on the street corner to raise money to
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I’m sorry. I don’t have a well-written, well-conceived intro for this week’s column. I know you’ve probably come to expect nothing less than journalistic excellence from me, but I’m afraid, my friends, this week you get less. Perhaps shattering the illusion will be a good thing. Crash! I can’t be golden all
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We wandered door-to-door on that third Thursday in October, card in hand, a sort of trick or treat for Unicef minus the Unicef boxes, minus change from the individuals who rewarded our presence with samplings of wine. It was a surreal night downtown, with haphazard and uber-friendly crowds wandering from point
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Changes afoot on our favorite little Tacoma street of antiques and other hidden treasures. While the prospect of a south-bound one-way street on the St. Helens side of the Bostwick building has been announced as a potential improvement, it would appear that at least two merchants are set to close
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This past week I made my way out to downtown Tacoma to check out the boutiques. As this rag has stated many times — urbanXchange rules. I love everything in this store, from the vintage clothing to the brand names. The clothing was very different than what I would wear
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Northwest Salon and Spa worker bees Corinna Canfield and Stephanie Benson may look like they spend hours shopping for clothes and making-up, but in point of fact, Canfield confesses to putting on her makeup in her car. The salon carries Canfield and Benson’s brand — Youngblood, and also serves as the
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I have shopper’s ADHD. I flit, butterfly-like, from point to point. At the most fabulous shop I’ve just discovered, I find the shopper’s ADHD to be worse. Things, things, wonderful cool things: retro fun dresses, new but with pin-up girl styling, fabulous skirts, sizes from super small to 1X, baby clothes,
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Extensions, braids, fabulously elaborate bridal up-dos: many of these styles borrow from African-American Hair Artistry, which arguably began when Madam C.J. Walker invented products that, ironically, sought to emulate the straightened “Suzie Caucasian” hair. Years later, after the likes of the Supremes, Patti LaBelle, and others were coiffed with pieces
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OK. Tacoma, it’s time to get global. A group of local visionaries is going to make it easy by presenting the first ever World Affairs Summit April 19-21 at various locations throughout our burgeoning little burg. Organizers promise a series of compelling conversations with local and regional globetrotters, culture hounds and
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Holy coffee shops batgirl! If I see another Starbucks or Tully’s, I’m promptly moving back to Ohio. But people around the world are ditching their morning cup of joe for its herbal alternative. Although I’m not a big fan of hot beverages, unless it’s chocolate, I admit that the health
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Ice, Ice, Baby Remember when SpaghettiOs rocked and Pop Tarts were hot? Recall the era when obscenely large muffins ruled, and frozen yogurt was born? Still in mourning for the way power drink juice bars have rudely replaced Dairy Queen and its Blizzards? Remember when smoothies were hot? Oh, yeah, they
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Thursday, April 12: Singles Wine Tasting, 7-9 p.m., Sea Grill Restaurant, 1498 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.5656. Friday, April 13-Saturday, April 14: Kalamar Winery Tastings, Friday 6 p.m. to close, Saturday 4 p.m. to close, $5, Pairings Fine Wine & Bar, 3012 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.274.9463. Every Saturday: “Taste,” Pacific Grill’s wine and
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“I got drunk the day my pa went to prison And when my momma died, I just didn’t care about livin’ And I drank myself blind.” —Hank Williams III McCabe’s American Music Café is a really nice place. The drinks are reasonably priced. The dance floor is large, and there are pool tables
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Breakfast hug Since I’m always undercover, servers don’t know when I’m eating and reviewing. This lets me see the staff’s true personality. I was won over at Elmer’s Pancake and Steakhouse, a chain store of all places, with the servers’ good-natured sassing and gentle shoulder pats. I was also won over
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The big A “Amadeus,” a play about one man’s internal battle when he knows he is in the shadow of greatness, continues its run at Lakewood Playhouse. [Lakewood Playhouse, through April 22, 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, $14-$20, 5729 Lakewood Towne Center Blvd., Lakewood, 253.588. 0042, www.lakewoodplay house.org] The small A With a
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I have to admit that I didn’t have high expectations for “Robin Hood … The Legend Continues” at Centerstage Theater. I don’t know why since the theater has been on a stellar rise of late under the artistic direction of Alan Bryce. Maybe it’s the story. I’ve never been much of
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THE FILM Thea’s way With the pollen of spring in the air, my fancy turns to travel. And with travel come all the wonderful stories of rats in Paris, cats in Greece, and roaches in Spain. Does anyone else track their trips through the vermin they encounter along the way? Tonight at
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You’ve seen Zana (pronounced ZAY-na) Lee around, at most all of the major art happenings that are becoming the hallmark of our mid-sized town. You might associate her simply as Jeff Olson’s girlfriend, never realizing that she’s a talented artist in her own right. That’s because Lee generally backs away from promoting
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He kinda’ looks like the MultiCare distribution guy he is, unassuming, blending; a sort of Joe Every-dude. And then he steps up to the mic, opens his mouth, and lets out “The Freshman” by the Verve Pipe. Joe Every-dude Tim Smith can sing, and when he does, he belts it out from
