Is There A Saying About Lemons? Spokane

I’ve been efforting deeper insight into the reality of Spokane. Too often I may have let the aspects that challenge me override the positive side of my home city. Lemons have a positive aspect. I noted a few days ago, I have a more positive view of Spokane now than I had when I left at the end of April. I hope that a part of that is opening myself up to more positivity.

As we continue to navigate Spokane, both on foot and by car, there appears to be less trash abandoned in public spaces than before. In particular downtown, other than a couple of sectors where underprivileged accumulate, has been very well tended with regards to trash on the ground. I also have found downtown to be non-threatening. Now, if only I could find where it feels vibrant. I have written a lot about cities in Europe that have large plazas with spaciousness for people to wander and mill about, but also numerous cafes, bars and restaurants with uncluttered table seating.  Friends and families gather for hours sometimes, they talk and eat and drink. Their conversations are not in conflict with others near them. We experienced a couple versions of this last night.

Near the downtown fire station on First Avenue is the Brick West Brewery. It is a huge complex that takes up most of a full city block. There is a half block area of outside patio and lawn that slopes down to an outdoor stage. On Thursdays they have live music, no charge. The inside of the brewery is also large with two floors. We went there to listen to the country influenced band. They have a pedal steel guitarist, in my opinion the king of west Texas country music instruments is the pedal steel guitar. It was a hot day so we bought a crisp IPA to share and sat outside listening to the band for about an hour. We did not speak to many people, but it felt good to be in a densely populated space.

We proceeded to walk  about half a mile to Coeur d’Alene park in Browne’s Addition. They have had music in the park there on Thursdays for a very long period of time. Last night was Soul Proprietor, a ten piece band from Spokane that has been together for 30 years. They play in the style of Tower of Power, a 50 year old Bay area soul funk jazz band. About a decade ago we had a condo directly across the street from CDA park and frequented the Thursday concerts. Last night was the largest crowd I remember seeing for one of the concerts. I believe a conservative estimate is 500 people. The music was loud and funky. At times the area in front of the band had 60 -100 people doing the dance thing. We were a couple of them. Once again, it felt good to be in the middle of a crowd.

We walked back to the Brickyard and listened to some more country music. by then it was about nine o’clock but the area was still crowded. Earlier in the post I mentioned the gathering spaces in Europe. Though both Europe and Spokane had space with a lot of people, there is a difference. In Europe, what we experienced was spaces with people that were focused on hanging out conversing. Here in Spokane that also happens. The difference, at the bar, was the level of intensity. At least half of people in attendance were standing; with a beer in their hand. Conversation was a lot louder, almost competitive. At the park, though there were hundreds of people in close proximity, there was not a lot of conversation. Music was loud! So, there was a lot of listening. Different kinds of experiences. So far, we preferred Euro style. I believe you could find that atmosphere here in Spokane or other U.S. cities. But, where we were in Europe it was the norm.

Tonight, in our effort to give Spokane a fair shake we went out again. From the beginning of my time here in Spokane 21 years ago I have supported local wineries. One of those is Barrister winery, the joint effort of two Spokane attorneys. Tonight was their 25th anniversary. Barrister is a large space in the heart of downtown directly adjacent to the railroad tracks where reportedly sixty trains a day travel past. A lot of the city turned out to celebrate. Inside was loud with a rock and roll cover band playing. It was quieter on the patio, the trains did not stop running for the celebration. Outside was more of a European style experience with people involved in conversation and sipping wine. We were able to find people we know and participate in some of those conversations.

After a couple of hours we walked half a block to a couple of art galleries we have supported for a couple of decades. One of them, Trackside, is a pottery studio where over the years we have become friends with one of the proprietors, Chris Kelsey. We had a wonderful time looking at the new wares and reminiscing with Chris.  After that we walked across the street to the Brick West Brewery in order to feel and compare the energy to what we experienced last night. Once again the brewery was alive and crowded.

There is a point I am trying to make with this post. I have been a harsh disappointed critic of Spokane for quite a few years.  I am trying to let my opinions now be formed by objective and subjective reasoning. I feel that in the recent past I had become too harsh, perhaps preventing me from judging Spokane fairly. Hopefully, traveling has helped me be more open to clarity, and not just in reference to Spokane. Already, I see there is a lot of physical scenic beauty here. I have enjoyed people. I am going to keep seeking the good here, after all this is where I am, and I like good things.