the whole is greater....

They say the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts. lately it seems to me that in some cases, if you focus on the parts, you will see something a lot greater than the whole. This can surely be said for a city.

In the case of Spokane there is a lot of beauty that is missed if you look at the things around it. for example, one of the best things about our city is the turn of the (20th) century architecture. All the brickwork and beautiful Craftsmans. In some neighborhoods which have fallen into disrepair, if you really look at the individual buildings, you can see that even the most worn down neighborhood has its beauty.

Stay tuned this weekend when my boy and I journey into some new old neighborhoods armed with our camera phone and a sense of adventure.....

Coeur D'Alene Lake, Coeur D'Alene , Idaho. Just some quick pics to help get in the mood for the upcoming warm seasons.....

The snow is gone

SO the snow is gone now, and save a few flurries here and there, we can't expect it to return. Now is the time to start thinking about what we will do when our Avista bills aren't taking up all our budget.

For me, that means planning my garden for the spring. for my husband, it means swimming and vacations coming up. Stay tuned for a summer of road trips.......

today's stroll downtown....

Spokane is actually a great place to go for a walk IF you have a destination. we are definately a car culture in this city, which is unfortunate. since we finally got a car last year, there has been something missing in my life. I know what it is.

I lived until I was almost thirty with no car. I either walked or bussed anywhere I went. not easy here, as our bus system is depressing, but tahts another blog. since we got a car i drive almost everywhere. recently, i started having sundays off work, and me and my son decided to take that day to go on foot adventures. we live in the North Central neighborhood so its not difficult to decide where to go. Downtown of course. we have been doing this for three weeks now and its great. we see everything from natural eyes. not speeding by in a car. we dont need a destination.... we just go where our feet take us. we stop and chase the ducks in Riverfront park, take coffee at the 4 Seasons, window shop, maybe take lunch, and walk back home. This is an activity i suggest for anyone.

Spokane does have beautiful parks, and many of them, and while there are not a lot of foot friendly neighboorhoods there are a few. Garland, Downtown, and Brownes Addition are noteworthy. here are some pictures of what we did today.

Of note: we did pass by a new business on North Howard St. It is called Cretin Hop. Its an all ages club. they have regular shows (concerts, for those who dont know the punk scene) , coffee and wi-fi, or so the door says. they were closed today so i couldnt check them out. I would welcome a review by a reader, if anyone is interested. They are located at 1317 N Howard St.

Oriental Market

Oriental Market's only drawback is the location. Hidden in an industrial neighborhood in Spokane, surrounded by XXX video stores and small factories and repair shops. Don't let the name fool you though. While there is definitely an Oriental emphasis, this little market is a treasure trove of culinary specialty items, and the poor location is justified by the low prices.

You will find a section here for Indian and Arab foods and spices, including an amazing deal on bulk spice jars such as cumin, coriander, and paprika. There are curries and chickpeas and pickles you will never find in a regular grocery. there is also a selection of frozen meats, including halal meat for Muslims, one of only two places in Spokane to buy it, and hard to find meat like duck or goat.

There is a miscellaneous shelf which holds Italian, South American, and other condiments. my favorites are a great price on capers, and a hard to find Achiote paste, a south american condiment used to make chicken and other dishes.

And of course, there is a plethora of foods and teas from China, Japan, Vietnam, Korea, and more. there are all kinds on non perishables as well as fish, fresh produce, and fresh noodles. a real treat is the chinese long beans, lemongrass, and a variety of rare vegetables. They also get a shipment of fresh chow funn(wide rice noodles) every wednesday, but if you want them, you had better hurry, they sell out almost immediately.

The service is great as well, the people are friendly and helpful, and will always offer up advice when you are trying something new.

I give this store five stars.

Oriental Market is located at 3919 E Trent Ave in Spokane, WA. phone is (509) 535-3936