A RIVER & SOUND REVIEW ONLINE JOURNAL

A River & Sound Review just went live with the first issue of its new online journal. Visit their website to read poems, fiction, humor, and essays by established and emerging writers, many of them local.

MR. MARIO'S SECRET CIRCUS

Saturday was the final show of this season of Mr. Mario's Secret Circus. Once again, it was hosted by King's Books. The show was a smorgasbord of entertainment—juggling, music, dancing, face painting, storytelling, corny jokes, audience harassment, audience participation, two different versions of Chinese plate spinning by two different performers, magic, and various other shenanigans.


(1) Fred the Juggler concentrates rather intently on his pins.


(2) Fred the Juggler juggles while Mr. Mario "distracts" with a muted trumpet "tune."


(3) Hilda Gabby Girl tells the story of Jack and the Beanstalk. Jack happens to play on the Boston Beaver baseball team. They are soon renamed the Boston Beans as his magic legumes help them start winning games.


(4) Ladybug the Clown dances with audience members—first the Peanut Butter & Jelly song, followed by the Chicken Dance.


(5) Members of Studio 6 Ballroom boogie to a swing dance number.


(6) Magician Louie Foxx pulls what he calls a crusty old red handkerchief out of his pocket. The magic begins!


(7) An audience member waves a giant wand (this wasn't the largest one) over a trick to make it work. Coins danced around, items changed spots with other items, a real rabbit appeared on stage, and a drawing spoke to the audience. He was a great act to end the season.

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Mr. Mario's Secret Circus returns in October 2009.

WHITE RIVER DISC GOLF COURSE

Troy's Work Table bookended the Memorial Day weekend with rounds of disc golf at White River in Auburn.


My ninth disc golf disc—a Disc Golf Association Powerdrive Gumbputt putt & approach disc. Opaque yellow, 164 grams.

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On Friday, TWT played a shabby 73 from the red tee pads (on a par 54 course). Ugh!

Hole 1 - 4
Hole 2 - 5
Hole 3 - 3
Hole 4 - 6
Hole 5 - 4
Hole 6 - 5
Hole 7 - 5
Hole 8 - 3
Hole 9 - 4
Front nine - 39 (+12)

Hole 10 - 3
Hole 11 - 3
Hole 12 - 3
Hole 13 - 6
Hole 14 - 3
Hole 15 - 3
Hole 16 - 5
Hole 17 - 4
Hole 18 - 4
Back nine - 34 (+7)

Total - 73 (+19)

I had trouble with trees again. I also didn't play as strong as I normally do on some of my favorite holes.

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It was nice to be able to take the Gumbputt into round play and see what it can do. It's rubber-like plastic and flexibility meant that when it hit something, then it immediately flopped to the ground. This worked well on holes where my putter tends to roll away. It did not work well where it would brush a branch. It would grab onto the branch or leaf and head straight for terra firma. However, I now have a better idea of how it plays and when to play it.

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My tenth disc golf disc—a Latitude 64º Sinus SP putt & approach disc. Opaque yellow with silver foil stamp, 173 grams.

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Tonight, TWT played a not-so-hot 37 from the red tee pads of the back nine holes (on a par 27). Sigh...

Hole 10 - 3
Hole 11 - 3
Hole 12 - 4
Hole 13 - 5
Hole 14 - 3
Hole 15 - 4
Hole 16 - 5
Hole 17 - 4
Hole 18 - 6
Back nine - 37 (+10)

I actually don't feel too bad about this half round. I know what I did wrong on the three holes that I had trouble (13, 16, and 18). Each of them involved trees or shrubbery and trying to recover. I used good problem solving skills to get back onto the course and headed toward the basket. Hole 13 meant recovering from two consecutive tree shots and then approaching and putting the basket like I should have. Hole 16 meant recovering form a bad second shot and shooting through bushes I had avoided (for the first time ever) on my tee shot. Hole 18 meant recovering from two consecutive tree shots and then throwing a nice thumber over bushes, which allowed for an almost perfect long putt, where I hit the pole. The Sinus rolled away after hitting the pole, which meant another medium putt, whereupon I hit the top of the basket and bounced away, but you "get the picture."

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It is all part of the process of truly learning the game.

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The Sinus SP has taken the primary putter slot in my bag. I have been practicing at home on my portable basket with it, which means that I am now starting to become comfortable with it. I like the feel of it in my hand better than my other putters, due to its groove along the side and its thin thumb pads on top—both of which allow for a better grip and greater confidence when I throw it.

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For my first "in the field" handling of the Sinus, I would have to say that it performed magnificently. I just need to practice with it some more until I am completely at ease when I throw it.

on THE TAPHANDLE

Tripel Belgian Style Ale, an Abbey Tripel by Redhook Brewery

22 ounce bottle, served in snifter, $3.41 per pint.

The color was a brilliant orange with a thin ring of white head. Very light streams of carbonation tickled the side of the snifter. There was no lacing to speak of.

The nose is of fruits, primarily pear and wine. There is also a hint of spices, vanilla, white pepper, and a faint whiff of yeast.

This tripel starts with a sweet fruitiness that begins to mellow as it fades toward a dry finish. Along the way, I could detect light flavors of leathery yeast, spices (cloves?), citrus, caramel, honey, and vanilla. Alcohol also makes an appearance here and there, although not as strong as I would expect in an ale boasting a 10.2% alcohol by volume.

A light rum alcohol flavor starts to creep in as the ale warms, which was pleasant and not at all overpowering.

This ale is complex and good. It is not the best tripel or tripel-style ale I have had, but it was very well done.

This was paired with homemade barbecued pork ribs that were grilled over charcoals and slathered in Jack Daniel's No. 7 Original Barbecue Sauce, corn on the cob dressed in butter and Johnny's Seasoning, and a green salad. The entire meal worked very well together.

This ale made for a nice reward at the end of preparing dinner for the family.

MR. MARIO'S SECRET CIRCUS

The child and I headed to King's Books on Saturday for the second to last installment of Mr. Mario's Secret Circus for this season.


(1) Boxes of many tricks—instruments on the left, juggling and magic items on the right.


(2) Hilda Gabby Girl with her rendition of "Hansel and Gretel."


(3) Makeup.


(4) Mr. Mario applies makeup and tells the kids about the history of pantomime.


(5) Pantomime meets magic trick.


(6) Mr. Mario and an audience member play a "juggling game" with wooden blocks.

IN TAHOMA'S SHADOW

Poet Tim Sherry reads his poem "At The Supermarket" to a packed house at King's Books, Tacoma

There are parts of your brain that are best nurtured and nuzzled by the written word. There are other parts so affected by the spoken word. Then there is the Venn diagram that comprises their overlap. Thursday night's reading of poems from In Tahoma's Shadow: Poems from the City of Destiny at King's Books worked all three areas—the two circles of influence and their shared common area.

I have never been to a reading where those reading their own work were so consistently strong. Oftentimes, there is a reason that the person reading is a writer—they have a great command of the language when it is on paper, but don't do so well when they open their mouth. That was definitely not the case at this reading. It was a group of strong writers who also happen to be strong readers.

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Each poet read one or two of their poems that were included in the anthology. The evening progressed as follows:

Tammy Robacker
"Once Around Wright Park"

Leah Coakely
"Maps, A Statement Against"
"Rainy Season"

Beverly Conner
"Single White Female 19 Years Old"

Terry Conner
"Adult Onset Asthma"

Brian Desmond
"The Scattering"

Sonya Hunt
"Commencement Bay"

Michelle Jones
"Psychic School"

Kali Kucera
"My Green Girls"

Lynn Martin
"April's Blue Doors"

Brendan McBreen
"Spiders" (not included in the collection)
"Will the Maker of All Things Step Forward"

Kevin Miller
"Misplaced"

Kay Mullen
"Man Flipping Sourdough Pancakes"
"Accordion Boy"

Carl Palmer
"Spout About the Roundabouts"

Morgan Perry
"Slice"
"Ten" (not included in the collection)

Mike Robinson
"On 509"
"Baby Dragons"

Beth Richardson
"Flags"

Emilie Rommel Shimkus
"Gulfport, Before the Mission Workers Arrive"

Erin Sanchez
"Ours"
"Demand"

Tim Sherry
"Dream Ballers" (not included in the collection)
"At the Supermarket"

Brittany E. Short
"Everyone Has a Poem About the Sea"
"Chrysalis"

Jessica Uhler
"Poem"
"Under the Skin"

William Kupinse
"Point Defiance"

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Even though each poet read well, some of them really stood out for me or took me to places that I didn't expect to go.

Beverly Conner's poem was so powerful and meditative in the face of death—her daughter's, and, by implication, that of each of us—that I was stunned. If I had been speaking, I would have been struck dumb.

Bryan Desmond was the strongest performer of the evening, in my opinion. He recited his poem, keeping eye contact with the audience. His reading was intense and sublime. His words and his gaze penetrated into deep places.

I can't quite explain what moved me about Michelle Jones's poem. I think it was the relationship with her mother, captured in all of its complexity in only a few lines. Here was joy and sorrow and a tinge of craziness, all perfectly measured and mixed.

Kali Kucera's reading voice was what I imagine comedian Dennis Miller would sound like reading poems. I loved the cadence of his delivery.

Brendan McBreen's two pieces were filled with humor that masked truths that we would rather not name aloud. But he did, and it worked well.

Carl Palmer's poem about roundabouts pushed the comfortableness of repetition to the breaking point without being too much. And his humor played perfectly against the seriousness of those he satirically skewered.

Emily Rommel Shimkus brought her roles of "actress and vocalist" to the stage. Her reading was invigorating and forceful. I could have listened to her read for quite some time.

Erin Sanchez read well. She also recited her second poem, "Demand," with a fervor that bordered on being a wee bit scary. I couldn't quite believe that she could recite her poem with that much passion, at the pace that she did, and not falter somewhere. (But then I have never personally liked to memorize verse, my own or others. That is partly because I am not very good at remembering the lines.)

I really liked Tim Sherry's reading, although this is another that I find difficult to explain why. I think it was because he didn't strike me as the kind of guy who would read, let alone write, poetry. (I realize this is completely unfair to him, as well as others who I would "stereotype" as not "being" poetry people.) Regardless, he had a wonderful presence that put me at ease and really made me believe in what he laid out before me.

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I now greatly look forward to reading the rest of the poems in the anthology.

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A second reading of poems from the anthology, with a different group of poets, takes place at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday 28 May 2009 in the Olympic Room of Tacoma Public Library's Main Branch.

KING'S BOOKS HELPS YOUR POCKETBOOK

The following arrived in my inbox.

KING'S BOOKS

Recession-Busting SALE!
30% Off Everything in Store
May 21-24

(That's Thursday through Sunday.)

Come down for this special Memorial Day Weekend Sale. 30% off everything in store. Does not include Special Orders or Gift Certificates.

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More information about King's Books can be found on their website.

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King's Books shows you some love. Show some back. Support your independent bookstore.

THE HUB

Yesterday, the wife, the child, and I made our way to Point Defiance Park to hang out with what felt like half of Tacoma. We happened upon a parking spot and then walked around in the sun and warmth of the afternoon. We played Frisbee, watched the Rhododendron ferry make its run between Point Defiance and Tahlequah, walked down to the waterfront, threw rocks into Puget Sound, played on the "big toys," wandered through the Rose Gardens, and hiked around.

Afterward, we headed to The Hub, sister restaurant to The Harmon, for food and refreshment.


Chili-Chocolate Ale, a Spice/Herb/Vegetable Ale by Harmon Brewery & Restaurant

16 ounces on tap at The Hub, served in shaker glass.

This was my "warm up" pint prior to the meal. It was a beautiful and brilliant light brown fading into ruby red. There was no head, no lacing, and no detectable carbonation.

The aroma was of chocolate, vanilla, pepper, and spices.

The flavor began with an intense earthiness that would best be described as what the smell of a field of young and tender stinging nettles after a brisk spring rain has just ended would taste like. This slowly morphed into chocolate and a light smokiness. A chipotle heat slowly crept in as the finish lingered.

I realized that I could "change" the flavor depending upon how much beer I imbibed with each drink. Sips meant more stinging nettles. Full mouthfuls meant more chocolate, more smoke, and more heat. I opted for the latter.

This was an interesting ale that I would definitely try again, if it was paired with the right food.


Point Defiance IPA, an India Pale Ale by Harmon Brewery & Restaurant

16 ounces on tap at The Hub, served in shaker glass.

This pint greeted me with an orange and amber body, a finger width of fine white head, and some lively carbonation. It left a fair amount of lacing behind.

The nose was floral and orange zest. There may have even been a few spicy notes.

The palate was lively. The main citrus flavor of this particular IPA tended more toward the orange side of things, with a slight tartness and a hint of tangerine. There also seemed to be quite a bit of pineapple in its flavor profile. I tend to like IPAs that are more grapefruit-influenced, but this was very good for one that was orange-influenced.

This was also a great ale to accompany my hamburger.

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I ordered The Hub's Cinelli Burger. It was a 1/2 pound beef patty dressed with lettuce, tomatoes, pepperjack cheese, and chipotle mayo, all of which was held between two buns and piled high with pepperoncini. It was spicy, but not too spicy. And the IPA cut some of the heat that was present to make for a meal that was excellent.

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Then it was back into the gorgeous spring weather of the Pacific Northwest for more wandering.

PARALLEL UNIVERSE PUYALLUP RIVERWALK TRAIL

Is there a parallel universe Puyallup Riverwalk Trail? If so, it may look something like the images below.

I walked back from Sumner along East Main Avenue, taking pictures of things that caught my eye. Some of these things I notice every time I drive along East Main


(1) The transition between worlds—Mt. Rainier/Tahoma.


(2) Virtual Police.


(3) I love the graphic layout of the front sign for Kibbey's Battery Service. I used to believe that the sign contained a misspelling of "batteries." Now, however, I am not so sure. "Batterys" may stand for BATTERY Service. It's unlikely but probable. (Still, let me have my small dream.)


(4) "Swim now... Pee later..." 'Nuff said.


(5) A field of dandelions gone to seed and waiting for a good swift wind.


(6) Another field of weeds, this one filled with yellow flowers that I am unable to identify.


(7) A stretch Hummer parked at Daffodil Bowl.


(8) Stacked concrete pipes behind chain link fencing.


(9) A 1947 Ford.

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Even though there were plenty of things to fascinate and tantalize in this parallel universe, it was fraught with a greater portion of danger than our universe's version of the Riverwalk. This was mostly due to sidewalks that simply ended to be continued on the opposite shoulder of five lanes of speeding traffic with no crosswalks for approximately a mile of roadway.

Our universe's Riverwalk allows for the safety of travel on foot, with the added bonus of a perceived, if momentary, escape from the world of commerce, advertising, and automobiles.

Their universe's Riverwalk allows for a Chocolate Mousse Royale ice cream cone from Baskin & Robbins to be enjoyed on the way back home.

WINNER: parallel universe Riverwalk by a slim margin.

PUYALLUP RIVERWALK TRAIL

Troy's Work Table walked the Phase III of the Puyallup Riverwalk Trail yesterday evening, making a round trip from Puyallup to Sumner. This section of the trail is wooded and verdant. The Puyallup River is just to the east of the trail and can be heard more often than it can be seen, even though it is mere feet away.

The occasional anomaly will change the scenery, such as (1) the decorative painting of the parks department warning walkers and cyclists of warped asphalt due to the January 2009 flooding or (2) the marshy ponds and grassy meadows of adjacent wetlands. But what if there were a parallel universe Puyallup Riverwalk Trail?