Spokane, WA

The day after Thanksgiving is both Black Friday, when people get up before dawn for crazy bargain shopping, and it’s Buy Nothing Day, when folks try to skip out on consumerism by spending zero dollars. This year my family and I did neither and headed for an afternoon at Spa Paradiso. Spa Paradiso is one of the best spas in the Inland Northwest. It’s right in downtown Spokane in the basement of the elegant Davenport Hotel. I called earlier in the week and arranged body treatments for my mom, sister and me. Spa Paradiso offers massages, manicures, pedicures, facials, body treatments, and they have a hair salon. My family and I all ended up picking body treatments. I’d never had one before, but was delighted to find that it’s relaxing, fun, great for the skin, and apparently releases toxins. Read the rest of Rejuvenate at Spa Paradiso »

I absolutely LOVE bowling….however, I am pretty much the worst bowler of all time. I think my highest score ever was a 120. Fortunately, I did not let the fact that I was so un-skilled at bowling stop me from having a great time with my friends.

We all went to Lilac Lanes, located at 1112 E. Magnesium Road. I had been here numerous times before, but not since I was 21. When we got there, we realized it was cosmic bowling, which made us even more excited! We bought a few lanes for our group, and all got ourselves some alcoholic beverages- because everyone knows that bowling when you’re a little bit tipsy is the funnest idea ever! I managed to get a score of 110, which I was pretty pleased about. My friend, Bob, (a terrible bowler as well) even got to use the bumpers! Read the rest of Lilac Lanes: bowling, family fun center, dining, and casino! »

I ran into an old friend I had met while a student at Spokane Falls. We decided it had been far too long since we had hung out, we decided then and there to make plans for lunch out of fear of us going another long span of not seeing each other. “How about that place next to Rock City Grill? What is it‚Ķ Sawtooth?” he suggested. “Sure,” I eagerly responded. The food had always smelled good when walking by the restaurant located in Riverpark Square, and for some reason I hadn’t obtained an excuse to venture in before. And so our lunch date was set, and it couldn’t have come at a better time too. Not only was food delicious, but the restaurant is currently all decked out for Christmas‚Äîsetting a joyful and pleasant atmosphere throughout. Read the rest of Catching Up & Feeling Festive at the Sawtooth Grill »

Inevitably there are places that stick out like a sore thumb; a liquor store next to a cathedral, or a prison next to a high school. Although I’ve seen both of these contradictions (my high school was right next to our county jail), none have made me so happy as the sore thumb I found in Spokane. Righteous Rags and Records on 1307 North Hamilton, is hippy sheik with all the records, tapes, posters and vintage clothing to prove it. So the question remains, why does it sit almost at the heart of a private, conservative, Catholic college such as Gonzaga?

Because I myself am often the sore thumb in the crowd, I decided to stop by the store. What I found was a most pleasant surprise. Open since the early 90s, the store and it’s owner have humbly made a living selling the cool, groovy and unique to whoever passes by. Unfortunately in this district, those that pass by are few and far between. For me, it could be a home away from home. Read the rest of Retro Music and Posters at Righteous Rags/Records »

I was downtown this afternoon running errands and had to run into City Hall (808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.) I am glad I did because I had forgotten that they have an art gallery in the lower level. I decided to take a peak downstairs and see what the were showing this month. This month they are showing paintings by Rick Garcia, Robert, Kraut, Charlie Schmidt and Marvin Smith. Read the rest of Take a Break from the Hustle & Bustle at the Chase Art Gallery »

Chances are, you’ve driven past it. You know what I’m talking about; the antique store with statues of bald eagles, lions and dogs bigger than a car. The antique store that holds some of the largest and most unusual things you’ve even seen, but have never taken the time to appreciate. Well the time has come. It’s time to visit the old, the giant and the bizarre at Northwest Ruins.

The antique store is located on 104 E. Mission Avenue, and is recognized as both Northwest Ruins and Ruby Street Antiques. The store has tempted travelers the city over as they make their daily commute to and from the North side of Spokane. Being one such traveler myself, I feel curious and mystified each time I drive past the store, getting only a quick glimpse at the treasures is has to offer. Read the rest of Monstrous in size and amount at Ruby St. Antiques »

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A friend from Seattle called and said she was in Spokane for the evening and wanted to know if we wanted to get together for dinner. She had heard that Percy’s Cafe Americana on 10512 E. Sprague Ave. in the Old U-City Mall, was a good place to eat. I had not eaten there in years so we were game.

We arrived at Percy’s and the bar was full, but the restaurant was only partially full. Since we had our son with us we were seated in the restaurant. After looking at the menu I knew we made right choice. I decided on the Blue Cheese Burger, my son got the Chicken Nuggets and Fries and my husband ordered the Bacon Cheeseburger. Our friends had salad, pasta and chicken. Read the rest of Dinner with Friends and Family at Percy’s Cafe Americana’s. »

Throughout the summer, I read an intriguing advertisement. The advertisement offered a walking tour of “the historic Brown’s Addition” for $15. Now as exciting as this sounded to me, I wasn’t about to pay $15 dollars for someone to take me on a walk. So instead of paying for the guided tour, my boyfriend and I took our own.

My first love of Brown’s Addition came when my two good friends moved into apartments on Riverside. Their apartment is adorable, something straight out of San Francisco, chic, old and conveniently close to downtown. But it wasn’t their apartment that really got to me; it was the houses surrounding it. Read the rest of Stroll through Browns Addition’s Historic Mansions »

I like to go into Auntie’s Book store often during my breaks from work to browse through any newly added books, or just to sit and relax. I hadn’t done much but peak into the doorway of Pottery Place Plus, until my grandfather’s birthday starting edging closer and closer. I decided to go ahead and browse around the local art store to see what I could find. I was certainly glad I did. Read the rest of Pottery Place Plus is Much More Than Typical Mugs and Saucers »