City Life
Selecting Tacoma’s Art
B2
TACOMAWEEKLY.com SECTION B, PAGE 1
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2013
SUPER SUPER
BOWL BOWL SUNDAY SUNDAY
Tacoma Weekly gives its picks for best places to eat, drink and be merry PHOTO BY ERNEST JASMIN
FACE OFF. Diehard 49ers fan Marisa Johnson and Tim
Hoban, a local performer who impersonates Baltimore’s Edgar Allan Poe, stare each other down at O’Malley’s Irish Pub, which is sure to be a hot spot on Super Bowl Sunday.
S
ure, there will be an undercurrent of melancholy this weekend given the horrific events that unfolded in Atlanta recently. (Stupid Falcons kicker.) But still, there is not a much bigger day for partying than Super Bowl Sunday. While it is technically not a holiday, the Super Bowl is our annual excuse for drinking beer all afternoon, scarfing down mountains of Buffalo wings and paying way too much attention to TV commercials that we normally fast forward through. Hey, look! It’s that talking investment baby again! The big game, pitting the Baltimore Ravens against the San Francisco 49ers,
THE LIBERTY THEATER
(116 West Main Ave., Puyallup): If bigger is better when it comes to Super Bowl Sunday, then Puyallup’s Liberty Theater has the competition beat. The 20-by-40-foot movie screen will serve as a projection backdrop for the game. The historic theater will be offering prize drawings and other entertainment throughout the day. Premium seating is available at $250 per table, with each table seating eight. Tables will include two pounds of hot wings, bottomless soda glasses and coffee cups, hummus and veggies and three all-youcan-eat buffet stations with prawns, salads, tacos and ingredients for building your own hot dogs. More info: (253) 845-5105 or www.thelibertytheater.com.
THE RAM INTERNATIONAL
(3001 Ruston Way in Tacoma or 10019 59th Ave., Lakewood): Known as a sports bar through the entire season, the waterfront Ram International will have specials on its Imperial pints, Jack Daniels and Bacardi shots, margaritas and its signature drink-as-a-meal Proud Bloody Mary concoction. The main sports screen in the bar spans 10 feet for easy viewing. More info: (253) 756-7886 in Tacoma, (253) 584-3191 in Lakewood or www.theram.com. – Steve Dunkelberger
CHEERS BAR & GRILL
(2611 Pacific Ave., Tacoma): There is not a bad seat in the house at Cheers, with plenty of TVs, booths, tables and – best of all – arcade-style games to fill the time in between multi-million dollar commercials. Arrive early to stake out a table, and all through the game the bar will offer $8.50 Bud Light pitchers. The bar’s huge food menu includes everything from MacN-Jack-battered fish and chips to a decent selection of
kicks off at 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 3, preceded by inevitable hours of coverage that CBS will give us on the battle of the Harbaugh brothers and quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s tats. You can catch all that anywhere there is a working TV set, but your game day experience will be greatly enhanced by the right setting. With that in mind, we surveyed the Tacoma Weekly staff on some of the hottest places to catch the game, assuming you are not throwing your own Super Bowl party. Here is what we came up with:
wraps that will go a long way. Game on! More info: (253) 627-4430 or www.cheersdowntown.com.
THE LOOSE WHEEL
(6108 6th Ave., Tacoma, and 715 River Rd., Puyallup): Now with options: one in Tacoma (6108 6th Ave.) and the newly opened Puyallup Pit Stop (715 River Rd.). For those of us who really could not care less about a Super Bowl played by any team but the Seahawks, Loose Wheel offers more than 60 pull-tab games, pool tables and plenty of arcade games, in addition to the 42 HD TVs. And with 23 beers on draft and a huge menu, Loose Wheel is a great option. Sunday specials include happy hour prices from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., and chicken and jojos for $8.95. And they will have $2.50 pints on game day. More info: (253) 301-1647 in Tacoma, (253) 848-4444 in Puyallup or www.theloosewheel.com. – Kate Burrows
HARMON TAP ROOM
(204 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma): The Tap Room was already a trendy destination for fans of the Harmon’s tasty craft brews. But it may also have one of the best-kept secrets not being exploited by local sports fans. The venue boasts a 12-foot projection screen in the back showroom, which was nearly empty for most of the 49ers-Falcons game the weekend before last. On game day, the venue will have happy hour prices all day, discounted pints, wells, mimosas and Bloody Marys and giveaways for hoodies, growlers and other swag at the end of each quarter. More info: (253) 212-2725 or www.harmonbrewingco.com.
2’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB
(2403 6th Ave., Tacoma): The stiff drinks contribute to a rowdy
game-day atmosphere at one of Tacoma’s most beloved dives. And local celeb Kris “Save Our Sonics” Brannon has been known to show up when the ‘Hawks are on the tube, though he will likely lack his usual arsenal of flags, poppers and air horns this weekend given the tragedy that took place in Atlanta recently. On game day load up on $3 cheeseburgers, two for $2 tacos and a host of adult bevvies that will be on sale for $2 to $3. More info: (253) 627-9403. - Ernest Jasmin
EMERALD QUEEN CASINO
(2024 E. 29th St., Tacoma): The EQC will have a big place to watch the big game in their I-5 showroom at the Tacoma location. The television set is quite big as well – a 40-foot, high definition screen. There will also be a big-time buffet, sports boards and cash prizes given out for each quarter of the game. Dave “Softy” Mahler from KJR AM 950 will be on hand with prizes to give away. Must be 21 and older to attend. More info: (253) 594-7777 or www. emeraldqueen.com.
BACKSTAGE BAR AND GRILL
(6409 6th Ave.): Known as a rock music nightclub, the Backstage is a good place to watch a sporting event. The spacious venue has several televisions in various places, creating good viewing angles throughout the club. Owner Joy Hutt is a 49ers fan and the food and drink specials reflect this with all prices ending in 49 cents. During the game well drinks will be $2.49. Food specials include corn dogs for $1.49 and baskets of chicken strips and fries for $4.49. Prizes will be given out during the game, with a number of glasses and other objects with a sports theme. More info: (253) 564-0149. – John Larson
THE THINGS WE LIKE ONE MEDITATION IN THE CONSERVATORY
“Visions of Nature” through March 29. All paintings are for sale. Pacific Gallery Artists consists of local artists working in several mediums. Artist reception and awards are on Feb. 9, 1-3 p.m. Come meet these creative souls and share in some refreshments. 1919 S. Tyler St., Tacoma. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Saturday. For further info: http:// pacificgalleryartists.org.
FOUR
FIVE
PIER PEER
MORE GREAT SONICS NEWS
Sponsored jointly by Foss Waterway Seaport and Metro Parks, these popular programs are a great way to see the sea life in your area. Bring the family for an aquatic nighttime adventure as you explore hundreds of mysterious life forms below the docks with experienced naturalists. See and touch creatures brought up from the deep by local divers. Afterward, go inside to warm up, drink hot cocoa and talk about what was seen. Dress for the weather – the docks can be wet – and bring your own flashlights. Life jackets will be provided as well as scoops to catch sea creatures. It takes place on Feb. 2. Pre-register to reserve your spot at www. metroparkstacoma.org.
Tacoma garage-rock legends the Sonics have played a local show about once every two years since they emerged from a 40-year hiatus in 2007. But thankfully, they’re not making us wait that long this time, following their homecoming show last July at the Pantages Theatre. On Feb. 2 they’ll team up with grunge godfathers Mudhoney to rock Showbox at the Market, 1426 First Ave., in Seattle. Doors open at 7 p.m., and you’ve gotta be 21 or older to attend. Few if any tickets remain, but the day of show list price is $30. Call 1 (888) 929-7849 or visit www.showboxonline. com for further details.
THREE Commune with nature through meditation and gentle yoga in the W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory. Yoga instructor Megan Zaback will be your guide for eight 90-minute sessions, 5:30-7 p.m.: Feb. 3 and 17, March 3 and 17, April 14 and 21. No experience necessary, and accessible to all. Wear comfortable clothes! Suggested donation $10. Call (253) 591-5330 to reserve your spot.
TWO VISIONS OF NATURE Tacoma Nature Center is featuring paintings by the Pacific Gallery Artists entitled
SIX DANCE LESSONS IN SIX WEEKS This two-character comedy opens as an aging (but still formidable) woman hires an acerbic dance instructor to give her lessons in St. Petersburg Beach, Fla. Antagonism between a flamboyant man and the wife of a Southern Baptist minister gives way to profound compatibility as they swing dance, tango, foxtrot and cha-cha while sharing the greatest gifts of loyalty and compassion. Stars Sharry O’Hare and Micheal O’Hara. Rated ‘R’ for adult language and situations. Plays through Feb. 10 at Tacoma Little Theatre. Visit www.tacomalittletheatre.com or call (253) 272-2281.