Wow, you people really like summer. And as our biggest Inlander ever proves, what's not to like? Grab a notebook, a pencil, something cold to drink and find a comfortable spot to kick back and start taking notes. Since I get a head start every week, I've already sketched out a plan.
On June 18, around Manito Park, it's SUMMER PARKWAYS — a lazy bike ride where, under the trees along some of the South Hill's most charming streets, you mingle with neighbors.
It's exciting to see the changes to HOOPFEST — with ESPN coming, and the weekend spilling into Friday. I love the Nike sportswear tent, and we have plenty of family members' games to check out. Nice work to Matt and the Hoopfest team.
Next thing to jot down: NOTHING. Can't forget to work in a day of, in the immortal words of Napoleon Dynamite, "Whatever I feel like! Gosh!"
Oh yeah, another thing not to forget — EAT. All of us are a little blown away by how quickly the Inland Northwest has become a foodie kind of place. I'm excited to see what the team from Manito Tap House has in store at Blackbird, their soon-to-open place in the old Caterina Winery. And we've had a pizza renaissance lately, am I right? David's is back, Veraci is cooking along, Fire's Thai pizza won't quit pestering my subconscious and then there's Republic Pi on my must-try list. It's looking like a summer of slices.
I've circled two concerts to tape up on the fridge — VINCE GILL at the Festival at Sandpoint on Aug. 8 and JACKSON BROWNE at Northern Quest on July 30. Legends both.
No summer is complete without a night at Avista Stadium to watch our SPOKANE INDIANS. The recent ballpark improvements have only enhanced the pure baseball experience, just the way Honus Wagner intended. Avista will even host the league All-Star Game on Aug. 4.
Finally, some culture. CLASSICAL MUSIC outdoors can be sublime, and Mozart in the Park at Manito (July 14 and 15) is a safe bet; the Spokane Symphony Soirée on the Edge at Arbor Crest (Aug. 12 and 19) is another. The Bard himself is pitching in, as Montana Shakespeare in the Parks brings The Taming of the Shrew to Riverfront Park on Aug. 23 (and Sandpoint on Aug. 21).
Of course, that calls to mind a pithy quote you can ponder while taking in this summer of 2015: "Sit by my side, and let the world slip," the lord-for-a-night Christopher Sly says as his entertainment begins in Taming. "We shall ne'er be younger."♦
