Attractions
Just 45 minutes south of JBLM, Great Wolf Lodge Grand Mound is home to a family-friendly indoor water park. Whatever your thrill tolerance, you'll find it here -- from waves and water cannons to a take-your-breath-away plunge into a giant funnel. While Great Wolf Lodge is a full-service resort, its main
Military Life
Retired military spouse Susan Krogh turned her love and talent for parties into a successful party planning and catering business, Just Call Susan Party, in 2015, when she found herself an empty nester after her youngest child moved out. "After a few weeks self-pity, I picked myself up and started to
Military Life
Walking into the Medical Mall at Madigan Army Medical Center (MAMC) for the first time can be intimidating -- first you must navigate the revolving doors, then maneuver around the crowds at the pharmacy and then wonder "where do I go now?" Luckily, volunteers like Dean Pace wearing cheerful red
News Front
You may not believe me when I say there are more ways to celebrate St. Patrick's Day than just by finding a stiff drink -- but trust me, there are. Joint Base Lewis-McChord's Family & Morale, Welfare & Recreation (MWR) is offering an alternative to the standard drinking smorgasbord this
Music
It's the natural state of being to be mystified by the universe -- not in a "the flap of a great bird's wings must be creating this thunder we're hearing!" sort of way, but in an innate curiosity that draws us to explore. Sure enough, the more we explore about
Arts
Olympia's newest coffee shop art venue is a tiny shop on Franklin Street nestled between Dumpster Values and Old School Pizza. Bar Francis is a place that you could easily walk right past without knowing it is there. But if you walk right past this month you'll miss some fascinating
Stage
At long last, the hugely popular The Art of Racing in the Rain has been adapted for the stage and may now be seen in Olympia at Harlequin Productions. As director and Harlequin co-founder Linda Whitney explains it, "The Art of Racing in the Rain was adapted from Garth Stein's
Stage
Thurgood Marshall was a great man, but make no mistake: he was human. This, along with highlighting the many accomplishments of his life, seems to be the central thesis of Thurgood, a one-man show that had a life on Broadway with Laurence Fishburne, and is now being staged at Theatre on
Stage
And one and two and ball change, kick. Each year since 2010, dance troupes from all over Western Washington have come together to show off every little step they take on one expansive stage, The Washington Center. Organizing the 2018 Olympia Dance Festival program is Ken Johnson, artistic director for
News Front
If the proverb is true that laughter is the best medicine, then perhaps a smile could go a long way for a child with a serious or chronic condition. For McChord's Pilot for a Day program, the hope is to spread a smile across the face of a participating child for
Military Life
Most military homes are a reflection of the many duty stations, both in the U.S. and abroad, where the families have lived. At each new station, we add items to our home to remind us of our time at that location. With winter dragging on, it's time to start thinking
News Front
Senior and junior leadership from Field Artillery Squadron, 2d Cavalry Regiment, hosted an equipment modification discussion with Brig. Gen. Michel-Henri St-Louis (Canada), Deputy Commanding General for Operations of I Corps at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and representatives from General Dynamics Land Systems Feb. 22 at the FA headquarters. The main topic of
Military Life
For the third year in a row, the local community is invited to contribute to the Military Care Package Supply Drive. Maggie Connors, a military spouse and financial advisor, is the energy behind the drive; the DuPont office of Edward Jones where she works is the sponsor. "I have to say the
News Front
More than 150 wounded warriors from the Air Force, Army, Great Britain and Australia gathered last week to officially open the fifth annual Air Force Trials at Nellis Air Force Base. The Paralympic-style event features wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, archery, shooting, track, field, cycling and swimming competitions, where participants vie for
News Front
The role of the military spouse is one of selflessness and courage. It's a job that does not pay or come with any awards. It often means early mornings, late nights, and frequently going weeks and months without a partner nearby. It regularly includes playing both mother and father roles,
Archives
In the name of the mighty Odin, what this movie needs is an audience that knows how to laugh. Laugh, I tell you, laugh! Has the spirit of irony been lost in the land? By all the gods, if it were not for this blasted infirmity that the Fates have
Archives
Mr. Magorium is 243 years old, he informs us. He has possibly survived so long by being incapable of boredom. Life for him is a daily adventure, which he shares with the children who pack into his magical toy store. And let’s talk about the toy store first. If the
Music
When I first started attending local music shows, I was intimidated by how chummy and established everyone was. The bands were elevated entities, but also fluidly mingled with the audience in boozy after-parties. Venues would spring up in unexpected places, only to invariably shutter after a little bit -- usually
Reviews
ANNOUNCER: While Jackie tends to other things this week, Dutch goes solo and takes his cravings for Mexican food south this week. No, not that far south ... just as far as Olympia. Partnering the success of Don Juan's in Tenino, the Olympia location near Mud Bay has proven to
Arts
"The 2018 Annual Student Art Show at University of Puget Sound" presents the best work from the last two academic years of UPS art classes as chosen by the juror, Tacoma artist Anida Yoeu Ali. The show includes pieces by everyone from first-year students to seniors. The quality of the