The Davenport Hotel

My digs this week are some of the most elegant I've ever enjoyed. I have been provided a room at the historic Davenport Hotel, in downtown Spokane.

It is named for Llewellyn "Louis" Davenport, who came to Spokane in 1889 at the age of 20. He opened a restaurant, and became very successful. The hotel that bears his name was opened in 1914.

Closed in 1985 and revived by local entrepreneurs Walt and Karen Worthy in 2000, it has been restored to breathtaking beauty and vibrancy.


The lobby and atrium are luxurious, and the many services in the hotel (including the pool, below) are first-class.


My room (below) is among the most comfortable I've ever stayed in. I like the terry cloth robes that are provided. And the complimentary soft chocolate peanut brittle. And the recliner. And the free wireless internet. And the--well, you get the idea.

I couldn't ask for better accommodations, and would rank the Davenport among the top few hotels in which I've had the pleasure of staying.

O'Doherty's

I arrived in Spokane around noon, and after the kind folks at the Davenport Hotel (which I'll blog about tomorrow) let me check in early, I headed out to find a place for lunch.

I ended up at O'Doherty's, an Irish pub across the street from Riverfront Park.

The walls and pillars inside the pub are plastered with dollar bills, each with a name or initials on it. I asked the bartender to explain, and he said that anyone who gets up to sing in front of the crowd earns the right to place their name and money among the others. I decided to save my voice...and my money.

I took a table outside and enjoyed the day and the traffic....and the shepherd's pie the server recommended (below).

It was quite good, and the service was friendly.

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Grapefruit Brûlée

Maybe it doesn't sound good to you, but I had to try the Pink Grapefruit Brûlée listed on the menu at Max's, the excellent hotel restaurant at the Mirabeau Park Hotel here in Spokane Valley. It promised a pink grapefruit (bet you couldn't guess that part), peach liquor, caramelized sugar, and basil chiffonade.

I liked it. Light. Sweet. Tasty. Thought you should know.

Max's at the Mirabeau

I had a great day here at the ACW Conference in Spokane Valley.


One of the pleasant surprises today is the top-notch dining provided in Max's, the restaurant here at the Mirabeau Park Hotel. The squash soup and salad in the photo above was not what I ordered, but Beverly let me take a photo of her plate. It looked so good.

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Welcome to Spokane

It took just two cars, two planes, and three airports to get from scenic Hamilton, Ohio, to Spokane, Washington today. But both flights were on-time and trouble-free, and I even managed a few winks on the first leg. I will be speaking tomorrow and Saturday at the American Christian Writers Conference here in Spokane Valley, and then Tuesday through Thursday next week at The Salvation Army's Cascade Divisional Officers Councils in downtown Spokane.

My home-away-from-home these next three nights is Mirabeau Park Hotel and Convention Center in Spokane Valley. It's a sprawling complex of guest rooms, meeting rooms, restaurant, pool, spa, and more.

Though it's never easy to be away from the lovely Robin and my kids and grandkids, I'm looking forward to a blessed and fruitful week. If you're in the neighborhood, stop on by!

Chick-Fil-A and Play

What a fun evening the lovely Robin and I had with our grandchildren, Miles and Mia.

We shared dinner at the Chick-Fil-A on Tylersville Road, all the while anticipating all the great fun to be had in the PlayPlace attached to the restaurant.

Once they finished their meals, they were released on the unsuspecting play area, and had a blast. For Miles's first twenty minutes or so in the playthingy, I never saw him. I thought it had swallowed him. Turned out, the top story of the thing had an "airplane" cockpit type area, that he flew to Timbuctu and back.

The photo above, by the way, depicts the face Mia makes when she says "Cheese" for the camera. Her face-modeling career is off to a slow start.

When playtime was over, we got ice cream and balloons and made our way back home, where we went potty, got into PJs, washed up, and brushed teeth before Crappaw read Barnaby's Book of Buttons and I Love You This Much prior to lights out. So fun.

Nafi's Springwood Cafe, Kenosha, WI

It's a tradition of fairly recent vintage, but that's how they all start out, isn't it? This morning on our way out of Kenosha following the wedding of Vince and Amanda Montemurro, we gathered with family at Nafi's Springwood Cafe for a late breakfast.

Though not everyone was able to make it, those who did enjoyed coffee, comity, and comfort with companionable companions. As is our wont. Well, most of us, anyway.

My steak and eggs were very steak-and-eggsy, and a tasty conclusion to our visit. We got on the road around 12:30 (Eastern time) and were home at 6:10. It was a great visit and is, as always, great to be home again.