February, 2011

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Only Two More Chances to See Zags Women’s Basketball This Season!

Thursday, February 24th, 2011

The Gonzaga Bulldogs Women’s Basketball team plays their last two home conference games this week, after already claiming their seventh straight West Coast Conference (WCC) regular season title with a 103-59 victory over the University of San Francisco. The team, which just made No. 23 in the USA Today ESPN Top 25 Coaches’ Poll this week, is currently an impressive 24-4 overall and 12-0 WCC.

Thursday, the Bulldogs will play the second-place team in the WCC, St. Mary’s College Gaels. Saturday, the last game of the season, will be against the University of San Diego Toreros. The Zags do not intend to rest on their laurels by any means: senior point guard Courtney Vandersloot wrote in her “Talking Hoops with ‘Sloot” blog “we want to make sure that we continue to hold the momentum going into the WCC tournament. We take pride on keeping what our future holds in our hands rather than in the hands of the NCAA committee. We want to control our own destiny and we do that by winning the tournament.”

Vandersloot was named West Coast Conference Player of the Week on Monday, her fourth WCC Player of the Week honor this season and the twelfth of her career. She has been named one of the top twenty candidates for the John R. Wooden Award, the nation’s most coveted college basketball honor. She leads the nation in assists per game and became the first player since 1995 and the fourth overall player to pass out 1,000 assists when she handed out nine in Gonzaga’s 73-59 win over Pepperdine University on February 13.

If you want to catch this amazing team live, tickets can be purchased through TicketsWest at 800-325-SEAT, www.ticketswest.com, any TicketsWest outlet, and the McCarthey Athletic Center Ticket Office. Thursday’s game offers specials for participants in Spokane’s mentoring programs, community youth organizations, and Dads/daughters.

Posted in Events, Family, Spokane, Sports | No Responses »

Spokane Readers Unite for the Big Read March 4 through April 17, 2011

Wednesday, February 16th, 2011

What’s better than reading a really good book? Sharing and discussing the experience with others. That is the idea behind Spokane County’s third Big Read series: encourage as many people as possible to read the same book and come out for numerous public discussions and other events related to the book. Big Read 2011 is hosted by Eastern Washington University’s Get Lit! Programs and features the book The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien. This collection of stories about soldiers who served during the Vietnam war in one American platoon is considered one of the finest books ever written about combat. The Big Read 2011 is connected to the Get Lit! Literary Festival (O’Brien is a headliner at the festival) and the book was chosen because it exemplifies this year’s festival theme of “Telling the American Story.”

The Big Read begins on March 4 at 5 p.m. at Spokane City Hall chambers with a reception hosted by Spokane mayor Mary Verner. Other Big Read events include an art exhibit on “Telling the American Story” at the Chase Gallery, a stage adaptation of The Things They Carried written and performed by Eastern Washington University’s Theater Department, a Wednesday night film series related to the 1960’s and/or wars in general, and numerous readings and discussions. Click here for a complete schedule. The grand finale event will be an evening with Vietnam War veteran Tim O’Brien and Iraq War veteran and poet Brian Turner during the Get Lit! Festival on April 16th at the Bing Crosby Theater.

Most events are free; tickets for the evening reading with Tim O’Brien are $15 and available through TicketsWest.

The 13^th annual Get Lit! Literary Festival runs April 13–17 at numerous venues in Spokane, WA. This year’s headliners are Sam Kean, author of the best seller The Disappearing Spoon; Sena Jeter Naslund, author of Ahab’s Wife; Nancy Rawles, author of My Jim; Tim O’Brien, author of The Things They Carried; Matthew Dickman, author of All-American Poem, and Ani DiFranco, Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter. Go to the festival website for a complete schedule of events.

Posted in Art, Events, Family, Live music, Nightlife, Shows, Spokane | No Responses »

Beyond A Fancy Dinner: 10 Romantic Valentine’s Day Dates in Spokane

Thursday, February 3rd, 2011

Tired of doing the same old thing for Valentine’s Day? This year, surprise your sweetheart with a date that is a little different and decidedly Spokane, WA. If you are single, grab a friend or just treat yourself and celebrate SAD—Singles Awareness Day, which is generally recognized as falling on either February 14 or 15. Do you have other great ideas for Valentine’s Day that you don’t see here? Please post a comment below and share with other readers!

Ice skating outdoors at the Ice Palace: Remember John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale in Serendipity? Ice skating on a beautiful winter night is very romantic. Take your date on a stroll through lovely Riverfront Park to one of the nation’s best outdoor ice rinks, the Ice Palace, on Saturday or Sunday before Valentine’s Day (the rink is closed on Mondays). The rink is open until 10:00 p.m. on Saturday and until 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. Warm up afterward with a hot beverage at the Davenport Hotel and tour the grand, historic landmark once referred to as Spokane’s living room.
Saturday Night Salsa at Simply Dance
Dance lessons: Dress up (or not) and learn sizzling salsa moves at Simply Dance Studio on Saturday, February 12. The drop-in lesson runs from 8:15–9:15 p.m., followed by dancing until 1:00 a.m. to try out your new moves. The lesson and dance are only $5. If you like it, you can come back for more as Saturday Night Salsa happens every week.
Wine, chocolate, art, and acoustic guitar: the perfect combination for an evening all about love. Jonathan Nicholson, a Spokane native who plays “soothing and introspective guitar,” will give a romantic performance on Saturday, February 12, 6:00–9:00 p.m. at Avenue West Gallery (122 S. Monroe Ste. #103). Wine and chocolate will be served at this dress-up event, and you need an invitation from the gallery to reserve your place. Just call them at 509-838-4999 between 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday to claim you spot.
Romantic symphony music with roses and chocolate: The Spokane Symphony is putting on a special Valentine’s performance of “Romantic Chopin and Schumann” with guest pianist Orion Weiss, whom the Cincinnati Enquirer has called “a talent . . . so natural, genuine and exciting you can hardly believe your ears.” Add a long-stemmed rose and a small box of Bloem chocolates to your ticket for an extra $10. Two performances are available: Saturday, February 12 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, February 13 at 3:00 p.m. The home of the Spokane Symphony, the Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox, couldn’t be more romantic, as it is a gorgeously restored art-deco theater that opened in 1931. Buy your tickets online, at the Fox box office, or by calling 509-624-1200.
Wine tasting and candy: You can’t go wrong with good wine and delectable Valentine’s sweets! The Spokane Winery Association presents ValenWine weekend on Saturday, February 12 and Sunday, February 13, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Download your map of the eighteen member Spokane wineries and grab your sweetheart or a fellow wine or chocolate lover and sample award winning, local wines and sweets.
Dinner and dancing at Corbin Senior Center: If you are looking for a more mature crowd to celebrate Valentine’s Day with, come enjoy an Italian buffet dinner followed by dancing at the Corbin Senior Center (827 W. Cleveland) on Sunday, February 13 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $17 per person or $30 per couple in advance or $20 per person at the door. Call 509-327-1584 for more information.
Go skiing while supporting a good cause: Hitting the slopes together is a great way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, and if you ski at Mt. Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park on the weekend before the holiday, you will also be sending some love to the Inland Northwest Blood Center. On February 12 and 13, $5 from every lift ticket sold will go to the INBC’s Summer Donor Awareness Program. To add to the fun, Groove Patrol, Spokane’s wonderful funk/rock/jazz band, will play in the lounge on Saturday.
Brick House Massage and Coffee Bar
Couples’ massage with truffles and candlelight: If you really want to spoil your sweetheart for Valentine’s Day, book a “Dipped in Chocolate Special” at the Brick House Massage and Coffee Bar. Two side-by-side treatments are available at a discounted price ($144.99–$244.99). Both packages include side-by-side full body massages, lattes, and truffles! Call 509-891-1999 to book your treatment ahead of time.
Dinner theatre in a Victorian setting: The Lion’s Share, a creative center located in a large Victorian house at 1627 N. Atlantic, is offering a candlelight dinner plus live performances of loves songs and a play called Frame Up, a romantic comedy, for only $35. The event runs February 11–13 at 6 p.m. Call 509-327-1113 for reservations.
Just get away for the night! One of the sweetest ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day is to simply get out of the house, leave the kids with a sitter, and enjoy each other’s company without the pressures of housework, family, etc. Stratford Suites, Spokane’s best lodging value, makes it easy and affordable with the Valentine Rendezvous Package. Package includes a luxury suite with full kitchen, a dozen roses, chocolate truffles, a bottle of wine or Martinelli’s, and a $25 gift certificate to the nearby Rusty Moose restaurant. This deal is perfect for finishing off your evening or for staying in and cuddling while watching a 50-inch hi-def. television. Complete package is $149 per night. Reserve by calling (888) 705-8877 or (509) 321-1600 or email frontdesk@stratfordsuites.com.