Charmed

Last week a friend asked me how I liked living in Spokane with that sort of snark that indicated he doesn’t think so highly of the city. To be honest, I also was not very impressed when my brother moved here three years ago. Since then, I’ve warmed up to it though. Chalk it up to looking on the bright side, being highly adaptable or just being easily pleased, but somehow I end up appreciating the town or city where I live. I think home just has a way of charming me. So Spokane, here’s some things I’ve grown to love about you.

• I love your river and my proximity to it. Whether it is a quick study break to gaze at the water from the bridge by school, running along Centennial trail on Upriver Dr., or enjoying Riverfront Park, you’re my little “get-away.”
• Locally-owned coffee shops: the Rocket, Madeline’s, Rockwood Bakery, Sharpe Coffee House :)
• Jimmy John's sandwiches- yum yum
• Laying in Manito Park in the sunshine
• There's refugees here [more on this later]
• The view of the city from the 5th floor conference room where I had my original UW interview and where I sneak up to to study (only after 5 though- it really is a sneak)

(My little sitting spot- a five-minute walk from my house. Usually at some point during my thinking time, I dream up what this building is, what it was, or what it could be...any ideas?)

And just for fun... here's a little taste of what I've appreciated about my previous hometowns too. Chances are we've lived together in at least one of these three places.

Cheney

• I lived so close to Safeway and Starbucks, it was quicker to walk than drive. AND I felt so green walking my groceries home in my reusable bags
• For some reason, I always liked going to the post office
• Spring concerts on campus in the sunshine
• Sitting in my chair in front of the low window in our apartment with a view of the "wetlands"
• Bobby Ulrich's PERFECT lawn ...but mostly the two little boys who would play on it with me
• The out-skirts-of-town running trails I didn't discover until spring

Pullman

• Ferdinand's, Ferdinand's ice cream, the 2-foot by 3-foot story book about Ferdinand the cow in the viewing room, Ferdinand's grabbers... you get the idea
• Indoor running track at the REC
• Sella's calzones
• Creme de Menthe mocha cremice by Hillside (thanks Allyssa for the introduction freshmen year)
• Lookout points: top of the library, hill with the Planetarium on Olympia Ave., 12th floor of Webster (one of the plus sides to all those hills!)
• The Daily Grind