Classic Cafe' (Deer Park, WA)

To contact us Click HERE
Just north of Spokane is a little town called Deer Park, and on a recent rainy day, I got to drive there with some friends.  The drive was so pretty.  Our destination was to be a little cafe/coffee shop that we had just heard about, called the Classic.  It is located at 502 S. Main Street.



The place was packed, but not at first.  Apparently, a lot of folks thought it was a nice spot to visit on a rainy day.  They have both indoor and outdoor seating and a drive-thru window.
 At the Classic Cafe, they serve breakfast, ice cream, sandwiches of all kinds, soup and coffee/espresso type of things.  In addition, there are lots of flavors for shakes and Italian sodas too.
Some of us in my group of four had lunch.
This is chili... served with these really interesting "garlic rounds."
Two of us shared a spinach Greek Wrap.  Yum!
Here is only half.

Wraps are served with chips and a pickle, though I read in the menu that you can substitute a small salad for the chips if you'd like.  This wrap was delicious.
We also had coffee, (no photo) and we sampled some treats which we shared.

Below you see the Monkey Bread and an Espresso Brownie.


See the t-shirts on the wall?  Apparently, they make a humongous breakfast platter that they challenge individuals to "master," and whereupon mastering you are entitled to flaunt the feat with a T-shirt.  Our lovely waitress informed us that she had tried it once, and only once.... because it was really really big, but she did it!


  

"nYne"... Bar and Bistro

To contact us Click HERE

It's a short menu.... 



and a busy night spot.  









The food is good, the crowd- eclectic, and friendly.   Tonight we dined at "nYne." 232 W  Sprague.

When he was telling me about the place he found on-line, Geo described it as being... possibly, a "Ladies Sports Bar."  I was suspicious! 

 "But there would be dancing!"

"Dancing?"  in a "Ladies sports bar?"  Really?

Funny, though I am a lady,and I enjoy dancing with Geo, I am not into bars or even a big fan of sports!


At first, walking by, it was rather crowded... and it was not even a bunch of ladies, (BTW) there were lots of assorted people talking, laughing, eating, drinking, and it was so lively I began to suspect it was a hang out where everyone knew each other already. I immediately figured I was too old  for that scene and would pass, but Geo thought different.  The man taking money at the door he was talking to, was personable enough.  He said something about the bands being really good, that they were playing, Alternative "Folk/Rock." 


I appreciate Folk music, and so I forgot my apprehension for feeling older (than most) and  in we went. Geo had, after all,  planned to go and check out this spot....found it as a place to go downtown to hear some live music, eat some dinner.... maybe dance and experience our favorite city that we call home.   And, for the record, there were all ages of people in this place.

Bands playing were Holly McGarry, Cathedral Pearls and Terrible Buttons.  (Never heard of them before.  You?)

The food on the menu... it was mostly burgers. was resonably priced, which could be one reason why he chose this spot to try.  But there were some other items.  I say, reasonably priced;  but there was however,  a 5.00 cover charge to enter the place....(for the bands.)

We got a table, but then it started to get crowded  There was not table service either, it was actually less a restaurant and definately a bar.   We ordered our food ... and iced tea with the bartender at the bar.  The food was delivered to our table.


We ordered what turned out to be a beautiful (and very tasty) flatbread and hummus platter,










some sliders,












...and two kinds of wraps.  There was a Veggie and a Tuscan Chicken Club.  Our Veggie came tasting fresh and salad-y and the Club, had to be one of our favorite wrap sandwiches we have eaten yet.  We even liked out multi-grain chips.  It is quite possible that we were just super hungry after having walked four miles downtown before eating here, (that was Geo's plan as well,) but even if that's the case, I can say it that we thought the food was fresh tasting and quite good!

One could shoot some pool here at nYne...











mingle with friends,

or listen to the bands that eventually took the stage.
So what about those bands?  How were they?

Interesting. Creative.

Holly was cute, friendly to talk to, and her music was kinda blue-grassy... country/folk and "airy."   We decided that though it was not loud enough for us to hear the lyrics we liked it.  It seemed to have little variety in style, but we liked her voice and it was nice background music to listen to as we took- in "the scene" and while we ate.

We only heard a little of the Cathedral Pearls playing.  I thought it creative...  "a bit Sirenic" (as in the greek mythos kind of "sirens" who called to those sailors on the sea.) It was also  a bit loud, (of course,)  kinda folksy, and some of it was quite dance-able, as proved by the now lively crowd  assembled on the indoor alley-like basketball half-court that alternately serves as a dance floor.

Cathedral Pearls at  nYne

When we left, people were dancing and having a good time while the Pearls played.  I tried to get a good photo of the band.

The last band, "Terrible Buttons," was the main band that was to play.   We missed it completely.  (Fro Yo was calling.)  

My guess is that they were, ..... "terrible!"
(Get it?)
Actually, I was listening to them a little on the web.... as I was typing this today.  Ever hear of "Horror Folk?"  That is one way that they describe themselves.  


Horror?  does the music lament horror or invoke it?  You have to wonder.

Weird.


Pardon my commentary here, but some of us, me... for example, have actually had enough horror this weekend.  I am still in recovery.  I am fine actually, because I believe God is good, and that HE saves people from that horrible darkness, death and despair, through Jesus Christ, but still I am recovering from the most recent news on TV to hit my heart.  You see, I am saddened grieved in my heart that people in this world are hurting.  I, and probably you too were affected to hear the horror that some people are in right now in Aurora Colorado., where a gunman, during a midnight showing of a movie senselessly killed injured and maimed a bunch of people without provocation or remorse.    


Sad story.
Fodder for a folk song?  Maybe.  Hopefully one that doesn't glorify the horror or encourage one to live in the darkness that would perpetrate such a deed of darkness.

I say, let there be light!



 So, as for the "horror folk" music, I am not certain exactly what it is, nor what is it supposed to be, and I probably wouldn't like it and was glad I missed it...  But we did like our food at....  nYne.

Anthony's

To contact us Click HERE

Anthony's... at Spokane Falls.

One lovely summer day, while walking the bridge in Riverfront Park with some friends, we spotted it...Anthony's.  One friend said, "Oh, wouldn't it be lovely to sit under those umbrellas outdoors and watch the rapids on the river?" Well, all present agreed and the next thing we knew, we had an outing planned for lunch at Anthony's.  

Anthony's is located at 510 N. Lincoln, in downtown Spokane.  Their specialty is seafood.    I just learned that Anthony's is a chain of restaurants and while each is said to be unique, there are 22 of them.

I have often heard people talk fondly about this place and was kinda excited that finally I would get to go and see it for myself.

It was a great lunch, although even before making group reservations I had reservations... for the reviews I had read on the internet about this place were not exceptionally flattering.  I did feel better when I asked one man in the parking area how his lunch was.  He answered saying,  "Great!  I had the fish."

I laughed.

The place was busy and parking was a hassle.  I thought that they had valet parking, but they only have valet parking for dinner, although their webpage that I looked at did not tell me this.  It simply said, 
"""Anthony’s at Spokane Falls offers complimentary valet parking while dining at the restaurant."   
So, we had to spend a lot of time looking for a parking spot.  If your there for lunch and you do not park in their lot... the only parking around is parking you have to pay for.  It's a downtown thing, you know.

We had a large group and they had sat us indoors.  This was actually fine for us because we did go outsides and it was a rather hot day and it was cooler indoors.  But so much for sitting under one of those little green umbrellas overlooking the Spokane river for lunch.   We did go outside afterwards and enjoy the spectacular view.

Now for lunch....  did I mention, "It was great!"?

This is a soup bowl and salad... clam chowder.

 Fish Taco and Chips.. with salsa.
 Shrimp Alfredo....

 Chicken Caesar
Here is a beautiful salad.


 and did i mention, "It was great!"?

We also had some desserts.  Anthony's other specialty is peaches.  Pictured below is ice cream and cobbler.... both featuring fresh peaches.


And, if you are looking for that view...S P E C T A C U L A R !

Rice and Spice (Seattle)

To contact us Click HERE

This one is not local to Spokane.  Sorry.   Rice and Spice can be found in both the Seattle and Bellevue areas.  We went to the one in Seattle.  The address is 101 John St and it was good Thai food!    We found this place while walking around one day.



But even more than yummy... it was a work of art!  This deep fried basil was an original for me.

It was also definitely rice and spice!  The coconut milk soup was great.

Chairs Coffee

To contact us Click HERE
Chairs...
           ...is a little coffee shop near the downtown area  It is on Indiana just west of Division St on the south side of the street.  I was tipped off by my ds to go and give this place a try.  I did, and it was great.  The buisness as well as the coffee has a bit of a political flavor to it... (or is it religious?)  Interesting it's a bit of both... but this is America, land of the free... home of the brave.  We Americans actually have freedom to to do such things...

Got to love that!

that reminds me, I love the concept of taking and ordinary thing and celebrating it, as the owners have done here with "chairs."  There are chairs... all over the place... even taking the place of the letter "h" in the name.  Clever!

Chairs is located at 113 W. Indiana.  See their webpage at  www.chairscoffee.com.  

The coffee was great and the food delicious!  The people working there were helpful and as nice as could be!  

Needless to say, it was a great little coffee and lunch stop for me and a friend that day.  










We ordered coffee and lunch but simply gazed at the desserts.... 







 and we decided to sit outside on a sunny day.




Our sandwiches came with chips or salad.  We had one with chips and one with salad.  One was turkey and the other veggie.




 Current promotions (9.12.12) include:

- Happy Hour! 8am-9am & 2pm-3pm get $0.50 off your drink Monday-Friday!

- Ride the bus to Chairs! Show your valid bus pass or transfer ticket and get 10% off your order!- Ride your bike to Chairs! Show your helmet (promoting safe bike riding) when ordering and get 10% off your order!- Bring your own drink cup and get $0.10 off your drink!

Art offered for sale by local artists is a feature of the wall at chairs.

It's a rather creative place...