Music
It might be startling to realize this, but there's no particular reason to begin a new year on the first day of January. It's a week and a half past winter solstice, the shifting date on which the ancient Greeks rebooted their communal calendar, and nowhere near ancient Mesopotamians' preferred
Features
I've never been much of a holiday person. Don't get me wrong, I'm no Grinch, but you better not ask me where my Christmas tree is on Thanksgiving, and sure as heck don't ask me to go shopping right after dinner! But that aside, I am a lover of twinkling
Online Interactive Guides
A guide on local holiday shopping, events and more! Come back each week for more holiday ideas. Click here to view our interactive 2019 Holiday Guide #3.
South Sound Cinema
Welcome to another edition of Three Easy Pieces, where I explore a certain subsection of pop culture, from its birth to how it looks today. Since the holiday season is upon us -- bringing with it yet another remake of Black Christmas -- I thought I'd revisit a topic I
Reviews
ANNOUNCER: Spud's Pizza has been an east Tacoma staple for nearly 60 years, often boasting several generations of loyal customers. Known for its large helpings of pizza and salads, Dutch and Jackie head over to relive a dining foundation from their youth. DUTCH: I like the reminiscence of the place. On
Stage
Let us now sing once again (or should we say "carol?") the praises of The Christmas Revels at Tacoma Arts Live's Rialto Theater. It's a mid-December medley of family-friendly skits, songs and instrumental performances that showcase a different, though primarily European, culture each year. As it has been for the
South Sound Cinema
The Banker (Dec. 6) George Nolfi, who did such a splendid job of adapting The Adjustment Bureau and turning it into one of the great romantic films of the 2010s, is behind the camera for this based-on-true-events story starring Samuel L. Jackson and Anthony Mackie as African-American businessmen in the 1950s
Attractions
Enchant Christmas returns to Seattle's T-Mobile Park for an extravagant Christmas experience. This year, the world's largest Christmas light maze, Mischievous, will delight children of all ages as they search for Santa's missing gifts in time to save Christmas. During the event, the stadium is packed with fun things to do.
Stage
The Wind in the Willows at Olympia Family Theater offers a respite from the usual spate of Christmas stories this time of year. It is a delightful romp in the woods and trip down a river by a loveable group of anthropomorphized animals who demonstrate the power and beauty of
Online Interactive Guides
A guide on local holiday shopping, events and more! Come back each week for more holiday ideas. Click here to view our interactive 2019 Holiday Guide #2.
Stage
An Iliad by Lisa Peterson and Denis O'Hare, not to be confused with The Iliad by Homer, is a one-person, one-act play, and it is as powerful and as intense as anything you're likely to see this year. Peterson and O'Hare's An Iliad will be performed two nights only in
Reviews
ANNOUNCER: Jackie and Dutch caught wind of a new hot spot on the Ave and had to see what it was all about. Something about a patio, we all know a good one around these parts is hard to come by if you're not on the waterfront. DUTCH: I really liked
Features
While in the grocery store the other day, Michael Buble crooned over the speakers reminding me that the holiday season is officially in full swing. I mean, I know this, but there was a thick veil of doubt shrouding my vision. I have since accepted my reality check and I
Attractions
Now that the season has finally begun, with the temperature dropping, the rain (and potentially snow) clouds rolling in, leaves on the ground and an earlier-than-preferred sunset; it's time for the holiday activities to commence! One of my personal favorite activities to get in the holiday mindset is ice skating with
Features
The autumn and winter seasons are made for eating. It's the law of nature. Biology courses were never my strong suit but I think it's a thing ... right? As the days get shorter, we are trapped in a perpetual darkness, chilled to the bone, and craving for something to
Online Interactive Guides
A guide on local holiday shopping, events and more! Come back each week for more holiday ideas. Click here to view our interactive 2019 Holiday Guide #1.
Travel
Portland is about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and you can make it a day trip for holiday shopping or extend as an overnight trip to enjoy some of the city's sights, as well. The big advantage is the tax-free shopping, which saves you almost 10 percent compared to
Attractions
For the past 25 years, the Pierce County Parks has delighted thousands of families from near and far with miles of elaborate displays that can fill even a Scrooge with holiday cheer. From Nov. 28 through Jan. 1 from the hours of 5:30-9 p.m., Spanaway Lake Park will be transformed into
Reviews
ANNOUNCER: South Tacoma Way in Central Tacoma isn't exactly a destination spot for diners, as the mall up the street tends to reap the shopping traffic. The newly revamped Opal Lounge, however, may just pull some crowds south this holiday season. Adding to what was already a well known bar,
Stage
Under the direction of Lauren Love, the theater at South Puget Sound Community College has become one of the region's premiere theaters, presenting challenging and professional-level shows one after another. Witness last year's two-part Angels in America and earlier this year, Fun Home, both of which were the talk of