The ten days of fun start on September 10 and end on September 19. You can pick up amusement ride bracelets at a deep discount through the close of day September 9 at the Fair Office (at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center, 404 N. Havana St. in Spokane Valley). At just $22, the bracelets are good for one day of unlimited rides. Individual ride tickets are $1, and each ride costs three–five tickets, so the pre-purchase bracelets are an excellent deal. Bracelets are available after the fair has started as well, but they cost a bit more. Discount pre-fair admission tickets are also available at the fair office through September 9.

In addition to thousands of exhibits, the 2010 Spokane County Interstate Fair will offer plenty of free entertainment including the ever-popular pig races, International Lumberjack Show, and Mutton Bustin’, where kids 6 years and under try to stay on a bucking sheep for six seconds. Performances at the Grandstand, which you can purchase tickets for through TicketsWest, include the PRCA Rodeo, country star Clint Black, ABBA the Music (ABBA tribute band), and the hard rock band Hinder. There will also be dozens of great shows for free with admission at the North Stage, everything from a hypnotist to country gospel music. Check the website for the full entertainment schedule.

Of course, there will also be plenty of fair food to celebrate the end of bathing suit season with, so bring your appetite! You can count on all your old favorites, such as elephant ears, deep-fried ice cream, fresh fudge, pecan rolls (my personal favorite, which I eat exactly once per year), kettle corn—and those are just some of the desserts!

See you at the fair!

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All food is served with injera, a spongy flatbread that has such a mild, neutral taste that it doesn’t not interfere with the rich, fragrant flavors of the entrees. No utensils are used. You simply tear off a piece of injera and scoop the food up with it. But the bread makes a perfect eating implement, so you don’t need to worry about your fingers (or shirt) getting messy and sticky. While highly flavorful and full of rich, Ethiopian spices, most of the dishes are mild to medium on the heat scale. The menu features a variety of melt-in-your-mouth meat and vegetable dishes cooked in tasty sauces to perfection so that each bite is infused with flavor.

For appetizers, I highly recommend the spicy fried chick peas, a wonderful Ethiopian answer to the standard bowl of nuts at the table, and the beef sambussas (crispy triangles of dough surrounding a beef and spice mixture), which disappeared fast at our table. If you are new to Ethiopian food, try the vegetarian or meat combination platters, which each come with a few different entrees and feed two people. The selections lend themselves well to sharing with others at the table for a satisfying, communal meal in a friendly atmosphere. The yaterkik alicha, split peas cooked with onions, peppers, and herbs, is amazingly good, as is the doro we’t, a spicy stew-like dish of succulent, tender pieces of chicken simmered in a thick berbere sauce with garlic, ginger, cardamom, and onions, topped with hard boiled eggs.

Queen of Sheba is open Tuesday through Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Sunday 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Reservations are a good idea for Friday and Saturday nights; call 509-328-3958.

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Downtown Coeur d'Alene Street Fair. Copyright 2010 Coeur d’Alene Downtown Association.

Every summer for the last nineteen years, Sherman Street in the downtown lakefront district of beautiful Coeur d’Alene, ID, has turned into a giant street fair for one sunny weekend. The Coeur d’Alene Downtown Street Fair features over 250 vendors of all kinds of arts, crafts, food, and other wares plus entertainment galore. Around 40,000 people attend the family friendly fair, which runs concurrently with two other big events in the city. It is handicap and stroller friendly so that everyone can feel welcome and comfortable. Hours are Friday and Saturday, 10:00 to 8:00, and Sunday, 10:00 to 5:00.

Also in downtown Coeur d’Alene, check out A Taste of the Coeur d’Alenes, in the city park, with food booths from some of the finest restaurants in the area. This is a great way to sample some of those nice restaurants you have been wanting to try! You can also enjoy great free live music in the park while you relax in the large, grassy sitting areas.

Just a short walk away, or a short free shuttle ride that comes every thirty minutes if you are tired from walking around the street fair, is Art on the Green at the old Fort Sherman Grounds on the North Idaho College Campus. This event, in its forty-second year, brings together 135-plus artists, a variety of performers, over 500 volunteers, and 50,000 visitors for a celebration of art, creativity, and friendship. You can browse a large marketplace of original artist creations or try your hand at creating some of your own art in the hands-on sections for both children and adults, instruction provided. Two stages will showcase jazz, salsa, and Celtic music plus performances by the Lake City Playhouse, the Coeur d’Alene Opera, the Arte Flamenco Dance Theatre, and much more. Hours are Friday, noon to 7:30, Saturday, 10:00 to 7:30, and Sunday, 10:00 to 5:00.

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Fireworks show in Riverfront Park, Spokane, WA

Sure, Spokane, WA has a spectacular fireworks extravaganza on July 4th, but the fireworks show is the culmination of two full days of revelry in Riverfront Park. Spokane’s 4th of July Festival begins on Saturday, July 3. All day long, you can watch live music at three different outdoor stages, including an American Idol competition with Spokane’s top ten competitors, the Spokane Jazz Orchestra, a dozen or so popular local/regional bands, and a karaoke competition. On Saturday night, don’t miss Ignite Community Theatre’s presentation of the melodrama Blazing Guns at Roaring Gulch (7:30 p.m.) followed by a showing of the film The Basket, which was filmed right here in Spokane. Roving performers will entertain you while you walk around. The shows are all free and fun for the whole family. For the complete schedule, go to the Riverfront Park website.

The historic Loof Carousel in Riverfront Park

Riverfront Park will also offer specials on day passes all weekend for the park’s many attractions including the historic Loof Carousel, the IMAX theater, amusement rides, and the Spokane Falls SkyRide gondola. Food choices will be diverse, with an international selection of food booths, and beer and wine will be available at the Boulevard Bistro. You can also browse exhibitor booths and enjoy art activities and games.

Do you have something you’ve been dying to say on stage? Sign up for a five-minute slot on the Freedom of Speech stage, which will be open on both days.

The big finale fireworks show starts at 10:00 p.m. on Sunday. If you want the best seats, you can purchase reserved seating tickets for $8.00, which includes a collectible stadium seat cushion. Tickets can be purchased at Riverfront Park’s Guest Services or by calling 509-625-6602 (there will be a $3.50 handling fee for phone transactions.) Quantities are limited and will be on sale until July 1, 2010 based on availability.

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Copyright 2010 Spokane Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau

June 20, 2010, marks the 100th Father’s Day, a holiday that began right here in Spokane, WA. Local resident Sonora Smart Dodd, who is often referred to as the “Mother of Father’s Day, was inspired to propose a day to celebrate fathers after hearing a sermon on Mother’s Day in 1909. Dodd’s mother had died in 1898, so her father raised her and her five younger brothers alone on a remote farm in Eastern Washington. With help from her pastor at Old Centenary Presbyterian Church (now Knox Presbyterian Church), Reverend Dr. Conrad Bluhm, Dodd made a proposal for Father’s Day to the Spokane YMCA. That organization, along with the Ministerial Alliance, endorsed the idea and celebrated the first Father’s Day on June 19, 1910, with sermons honoring fathers presented throughout Spokane.

The rest of the nation eventually caught on: in 1924, President Calvin Coolidge recognized Father’s Day and urged the states to do likewise; in 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed a proclamation calling for the third Sunday in June to be recognized as Father’s Day; and in 1972, President Richard M. Nixon signed a proclamation permanently observing Father’s Day on the third Sunday in June. Today Father’s Day is celebrated from Antigua to Zimbabwe in over fifty countries around the world.

Traveling to Spokane for Father’s Day? You can book your luxurious, affordable suite at Stratford Suites today and enjoy a 50 inch hi-def. television and pillow-top mattresses in every room.

Here are just a few Father’s Day event highlights in Spokane, WA:

Father’s Day 100th Anniversary Tour by Group Coordinators

Numerous options are available for a fun-filled tour that Dad will love. On Friday, June 18 and Saturday, June 19, group tours will be given for wine tasting, beer tasting, Spokane Symphony at the Fox performances, Spokane nightlife, golfing, and more. Check out the options at groupcoordinators.com/sonora-dodd.php. Reservations can be made by calling 509-455-4354 or emailing julie@groupcoordinators.com.

Dad/Daughter Style Class

Saturday, June 19, 11 a.m.
Workshop for dads to learn more about styling their daughter’s hair for picture day and special events, because mom isn’t always available.

Haute Headz
1505 N. Ash
Spokane, WA 99205

Reservations: 509.838.2280; $30 for one daughter; $5 for additional

Garage Mahal Tour

Saturday, June 19, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Take Dad on a one-of-a-kind tour that ends with a feast from Longhorn Barbeque. Sights include the oldest flying Boeing at Felts Field, the new Pullman train car museum at the Spokane County Fair & Expo Center, a behind-the-scenes tour of McKay Manufacturing, and Gary Hite’s custom motorcycle shop and museum with motorcycles by Harley Davidson, Merkel, and others spanning more than 100 years of technology.

Get your tickets at the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture or Longhorn Barbeque. For more information, go to the museum’s website.

Spokane Indians Baseball

June 20, 3:30 p.m.
The Spokane Indians will salute fathers while playing against the Tri-City Dust Devils by wearing light blue jerseys, running light blue bases, and holding a silent auction benefitting Bat for the Cure.

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Townshend Cellars

Whether you are a seasoned wine connoisseur or just enjoy an occasional glass of wine, the annual Spring Barrel Tasting in Spokane, WA is a fun way to check out the wonderful varieties of wine produced in the area. This friendly annual celebration marks the end of the winemaking season and the beginning of a new wine year. Wineries are proud and excited to share their latest creations, and people travel from near and far to try them and enjoy visiting with winemakers and fellow wine lovers. Wine tasting events will be held at each participating winery from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of Mother’s Day weekend (May 7–9).

If your mom is a wine lover, a Spring Barrel Tasting tour would make a wonderful Mother’s Day present! Husbands—treat your wife to a fun, luxurious weekend of wine tasting and stay at the beautiful Stratford Suites Hotel, where you can both relax in one of our all-leather furniture rooms, with pillow-top mattresses, full kitchens, and a 50” hi-definition television.

This year, sixteen Spokane wineries will welcome visitors and guests for sampling new wines, sampling current vintages, sampling wines still in the winemaking process directly from barrels or tanks, and talking with knowledgeable and friendly wine lovers.

Liberty Lake Wine Cellar

Participating wineries:

Arbor Crest Wine Cellars, at the National Historic Landmark Cliff House overlooking Spokane, features a number of award winning wines that showcase the quality and essence of Columbia Valley grapes.

Barili Cellars takes inspiration from the Italians, who believe wine is meant to be shared with friends and family. It is Spokane’s newest boutique winery, so come discover their second year of great wines!

Barrister Winery showcases award winning Bordeaux varietals, produced in small quantities, and limited edition wines, available to Wine Club members, in a 100-year-old warehouse located in Spokane’s historic Davenport Arts District.

Caterina Winery has been producing hand-crafted wines since 1993 in the historic Broadview Dairy building.

Grande Ronde Cellars produces single vineyard and Bordeaux Blend red wines from Seven Hills and Pepper Bridge vineyards, Walla Walla Valley appellation. Five wines have received 90+ ratings in Wine Spectator.

Knipprath Cellars, begun as a small family-owned boutique winery, enjoys a growing enthusiasm for its wines in and out of the state, which include award-winning firsts for the Spokane area, such as Washington-State Pinot noir and the first locally produced Port.

Latah Creek Wine Cellar has a stylistic aim to create wines that taste like the grapes from which they came by using traditional winemaking principles and selecting exceptional fruit. Wine Spectator Magazine has called it one of the top producers of Merlot in the State of Washington.

Liberty Lake Wine Cellars produces small lots of hand crafted red wine for those who seek out and appreciate limited edition wines. They specialize in single vineyard wines.

Lone Canary Winery wines combine the wonderful expressiveness of Washington State grapes with the depth and elegance of wines made in an Old World style.

Mountain Dome Winery produces quality sparkling wine from grapes from a variety of sources in Washington’s Columbia Valley appellation. The winery works closely with the growers to insure the highest possible quality while keeping the harvest down to less than four tons per acre.

Nodland Cellars has chosen to make very small lots of wine and to use traditional methods like hand selection of clusters, open top fermenters, and natural yeast fermentation followed by a cultured yeast fermentation to create wines with rich and opulent textures.

Overbluff Canyons is devoted to crafting world class limited production wines from the best vineyards in Washington State. Its only mission is to exceed the expectations of the most discerning wine drinker.

Robert Karl Cellars is a boutique Spokane winery producing handcrafted, premium Cabernet Sauvignon, Claret, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, and a dry Cabernet Franc Rosé.

Townshend Cellar is dedicated to producing small lots of quality wines, ports, dessert wines, and unique Huckleberry style wines. Its wines derive their distinctive flavors from extensive oak aging in small French and American oak barrels and the selection of grapes from some of the finest vineyards in the Columbia Valley.

Vintage Hill Cellars started from a passion for winemaking and sharing an experience with friends and family. It first opened its doors May 11, 2007.

Whitestone Winery has over a decade of experience growing wine grapes in the shadow of Whitestone Rock, on the shores of Lake Roosevelt. Using grapes only from their estate vineyard, Whitestone is able to handcraft bold red wines and resurrect a tradition of wine making in the region.

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While you are here in the Spokane Area check out our blog calendar of events for other fun things to do or see. Don’t forget to book your room at Stratford Suites Extended Stay Hotel if you are traveling for the Spring Barrel Tasting! Conveniently located just minutes from downtown Spokane, our spacious suites with fully equipped kitchens are the best lodging value in the Inland Empire.

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If you happen to be staying at Stratford Suites Extended Stay Hotel, Northern Quest Casino and Resort, located in Airway Heights near the Spokane Airport, is just down the road and is sure to have something to entertain you during your visit to Spokane, WA. Whether you want to listen to live music, play some poker, sip on fine wine, satisfy your craving for a great steak, smoke a cigar, dance, or shop, this is your destination!

For starters, there are six restaurants ranging from fine dining to Asian style noodles to tasty pub fare. For nightlife every night of the week, you can check out Impulse, which offers comedy, live jazz, dance lessons, and more.

The resort also features a cigar lounge, sports bar, social lounge, and a relaxing lobby fireside bar. The 46,000 square-foot casino offers over 2,000 slots and progressives, 37 table games, live poker, keno, and OTB.

If you really need to relax, indulge in a Pend Oreille River Stone Massage at the new Current Salon and Spa, a beautiful, full-service spa and salon with treatments inspired by traditional Kalispel Indian healing. You can even do some shopping at the gift store and the Logo Shop clothing store.

Coming up April 6–10, Northern Quest Resort and Casino will present Cabaret, the Broadway musical that swept the 1967 Tony Awards and has since undergone several revivals and revisions, in the Pend Oreille Pavilion. You can purchase tickets by calling the resort at (509) 481-6700 or through Ticketswest.

If you travel to Northern Quest Resort and Casino for any event, consider staying at the nearby Stratford Suites Hotel, the best lodging value in the Spokane area, with full kitchens, 50” hi-def. televisions, pillow-top mattresses, and all-leather furniture in every room. Northern Quest provides free shuttle to and from Stratford Suites.

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Copyright Madeleine's. Visit their Website.

If you’re in downtown Spokane one morning looking for a gourmet breakfast, Madeleine’s is the place to go. Look for the bright blue awnings on Main Avenue across from River Park Square Mall and experience a taste of France. Madeleine’s mainly offers breakfast and lunch, but it serves dinners Thursday through Saturday. The café itself is usually packed, but the wait will give you time to feast your eyes on the gorgeous food (a pâtisserie is a French bakery that specializes in pastries and sweets) as you anticipate savoring each bite.

On the pastry side, Madeleine’s serves sweet and savory croissants, brioche cinnamon rolls (my favorite, with a cream cheese frosting that is never too sweet) éclairs, tartlets, crème brûlée, cakes, and much more. If you want something prepared for you from the kitchen during the early breakfast hours, Madeleine’s offers crêpes, omelets, pancakes, and French toast. Add espresso to your order, and you’ll enjoy the perfect morning experience of the crème de la crème of Spokane, Washington.

For lunch, Madeleine’s offers croquet-monsieur (a hot ham and cheese sandwich), panini, quiche, potpies, lasagna, sliders, and soup and salads.

I’ve never tried their dinner, but the menu (which you can look at any time online or in the café) is mouth-watering. The best part is that Madeleine’s isn’t a gourmet budget-buster. The meals run from $6-$10, and the pastries are anywhere from $1.75-$3—not expensive for gourmet food. Dinners are more expensive, ranging from $10-$20, and Madeleine’s serves wine and beer. The menu changes daily, so you may have to come back a few times to try it all!

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The Caterina Winery, near Riverfront Park, is a family legacy that has spanned many generations. The boutique winery features live music on Friday and Saturday evenings and their wine selection is impressive. Lone Canary Winery crafts elegant Washington wines and showcases them in their tasting room downtown. Be sure to make reservations if you plan to visit with a large group. 

Latah Creek Winery and Gift Shop is a wonderful place to spend an afternoon out. You can eat an al fresco lunch in their courtyard, tour winemaking facilities and taste some of Washington’s best wine. The only problem is, with such a charming setting and high quality wine, one visit may not be enough. 

Arbor Crest Wine Cellars is another winery well worth visiting; the grounds and the buildings are magnificent and the Columbia Valley wines are particularly enticing. However, if you don’t have the time to make it all the way to the winery, you can at least try the varietals at their tasting room in the River Park Square Atrium.

Find these Wineries:

Arbor Crest Wine Cellars
4705 N. Fruit Hill Road
Spokane WA 99217
Map it!

Caterina Winery
905 N Washington Street
Spokane, WA 99201
Map it!

Lone Canary Winery
109 S. Scott St., B2
Spokane, WA 99202
Map it!

Latah Creek
13030 E. Indiana Ave.
Spokane, WA 99216
Map it!

River Park Square
808 West Maine Avenue
Spokane, WA 99201
Map it!

this article written by Nita Sporseen

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photo: Steam Plant Grill

Whether you are requesting a table for 2 or for 12, Spokane has so many delicious restaurants to try.

In the downtown area alone, you can enjoy the delicious food and drinks available at formal restaurants, funky bistros, laid-back pubs and chic bars.

If your preferred destination is a classy dinner-spot, try Clinkerdagger for steak and seafood served in an enchanting atmosphere. During the summer months, ask to be seated on the deck overlooking the Spokane River; the view is exquisite. For a cultured, European meal, spend an evening at Europa or the Italian Kitchen. The intimate atmosphere at Europa is overshadowed only by the desserts that their in-house pastry chef, Christie Sutton, produces to follow their exquisite meals. But don’t overlook the Italian Kitchen, which was voted the “Region’s Best Italian Restaurant” by Spokane and Coeur d’Alene Living for each of the past three years.

If a something less traditional is more your style, there are plenty of options. The Steam Plant Grill is located building that is part of Spokane’s industrial history. When you walk into the restaurant, you experience a piece of Spokane’s history. In addition to its distinctive atmosphere, the Steam Plant Grill offers delicious menu items and an extensive list of hand-crafted beers from the Coeur d’Alene Brewing Company.  Cyrus O’Leary’s is another fabulous place to dine.  They offer one of the most diversified menus in Spokane with over 100 items, a Children’s menu, and over 300 specialty drinks.

For a healthy alternative, Mizuna features seasonal menus that include vegetarian and vegan meal options. Mizuna also boasts a wine bar that is a popular weekend spot for both visitors and Spokane’s locals.

If you’d like to finish out the evening with a drink, and a pub with an old-world feel entices you, try Catacombs Pub for beer, wine and live music. If you’d prefer a trendy cocktail, unwind at Bistango Lounge. Whether you lean toward the classic gin and vermouth, a drink that is fruity and sweet, or even a martini served on fire, Bistango has something for you.

If you choose to adventure out and see the rest of Spokane, be sure to grab an espresso and a treat at Maple Street Bistro. If you have the time, go inside and drink your coffee from a mug. On the way back to Stratford Suites, try Café Neo or Tomato Street for lunch or dinner. Café Neo’s modern, welcoming ambiance and delicious soups won’t disappoint. For a family-friendly, unique Italian experience, Tomato Street consistently delivers.
 

Find these restaurants: 

Bistango
108 N Post St
Spokane, WA 99201
Map it!

Café Neo
10208 North Division
Spokane, WA 99218
Map it!

Catacombs Pub
110 S Monroe St
Spokane, WA 99201
Map it!

Clinkerdagger
621 W Mallon Ave
Spokane, WA 99201
Map it!

Italian Kitchen
113 N Bernard St
Spokane, WA 99201
Map it!

Steam Plant Grill
159 S Lincoln St
Spokane, WA 99201
Map it!

Mizuna
214 N Howard St
Spokane, WA 99201
Map it!

Maple Street Bistro
5520 N Maple St
Spokane, WA 99205
Map it!

Tomato Street
6220 North Division
Spokane, WA 99207
Map it!

this article written by Nita Sporseen

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