The third annual — and final — Guilty Pleasures Party, held in honor of On Mag's roving reporter of good times, is at 9 p.m. July 17 at the Yakima Sports Center.

Featuring:
• United State of Electronica
http://www.myspace.com/use
• The Animals at Night
http://www.myspace.com/theanimalsatnight
• Elba
http://www.myspace.com/elba

Of course, there'll be a stack of "Hello My guilty pleasure is ... " name tags and more funness TBA.

A crisp $5 bill gets you into the party, but sorry, kids, it's 21 and older.

More than 20 folks sent in submissions for On's third annual Haiku Contest. And with this year's theme centered around downtown Yakima's revitalization, we received all kinds of haiku — some very funny, some serious — about gun banners, wine-tasting rooms, new sidewalks and even our ongoing growing pains.

Thank you to everyone who entered.

Without further ado, this year's winner is ... Gail Myllenbeck of Yakima.

Gail has a great sense of humor when it comes to downtown, and in just three lines can point out its triumphs and foibles. Here are our judges' favorites:

Banners fluttering.
Pay heed to Santa's warning:
You'll shoot your eye out.

Downtown is sleeping,
The alarm about to ring.
So open your eyes.

Sputnik-era chic
Corrugated metal hides
Yakima's proud face.

Downtown Yakima,
The Gateway to Wine Country.
Come in, we beg you.

*** *** ***

Last year's winner, Jim Flint of Zillah, came in a close second:

Born-again neon,
hipster hot spots, popping corks.
Blink hard and prosper.

Bold, rich, and complex.
Nice finish. Downtown pairs well
With good food, fun times.

*** *** ***

And the runners-up:

Lighted bins of fruit
This visual renaissance
A train runs through it.

— Larry Mattson, Yakima


Then: horses, dirt, men.
Now: grand, new, empty sidewalks.
People make downtown.

— Scott Klepach Jr., Yakima


Downtown first Friday
Short walk, cook drink, lots to eat.
Some guilty pleasures.

— Jan Haskins, Yakima


Brick streets and vino
Conceal all the poverty
In front of our eyes

— Catherine Vold, Yakima


And here's an unofficial entry from the Yakima Sports Center:



xo.
ON Mag

Did you know you don't have to buy Friday's Yakima Herald-Republic to get On Magazine? (Although you should buy the paper, newsprint lowers your cholesterol.)

Free copies of On are available at these locations:

• Allied ArtsCenter, 5000 W. Lincoln Ave.
• Bob's Keg & Cork, 27 N. Front St.
• Columbia Steppe Northwest Coffeehouse, just outside Macy's in the Valley Mall, 2529 Main St., Union Gap.
• Community Living, 421 S. 47th Ave.
• Cyclops Tattoo, 1406 Fruitvale Blvd.
• Gasperetti's G-Spot bar, 1013 N. First St.
• Golden Wheel, 9 S. First St.
• Holiday Inn Express, 1001 E. "A" St.
• Inklings Bookshop, 5629 Summitview Ave. in the Chalet Place shopping center.
• Kana Winery, 10 S. Second St.
• Nob Hill Casino, 3807 W. Nob Hill Blvd.
• North Town Coffeehouse, 28 N. Front St.
• Off the Record, 901 Summitview Ave.
• Oxford Suites, 1701 E. Yakima Ave.
• Perry Tech, 2011 W. Washington Ave.
• Santiago's, 111 E. Yakima Ave.
• The Seasons, 101 N. Naches Ave.
• The Speakeasy, 104 S. Third St.
• Susie's Bourbon Street Bistro & Bar, 1023 N. First St.
• The Visitors and Convention Center, 101 N. Fair Ave.
• The Yakima Sports Center, 214 E. Yakima Ave.

(List updated 08/22/08)