Winter Wonderland

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It's a winter wonderland outside. The snow has been relentless all day and shows no sign of stopping. Travel around the city seems to be getting difficult as the white stuff starts to pile up again. Spokane Public Radio has you covered on all the closures and up to date information on the storm. I know I will be rejoicing about all the snow once this latest system moves through the inland northwest. If you're planning to take a trip up to the slopes, like I am, instead of listening to all your buddies' play-lists for the hundredth time, turn the dial to SPR. The station can be heard at all the ski resorts around Spokane. Can you guess the location of where this picture was taken and where you're also able to listen to SPR?

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Back to Reality

Hope you had a relaxing and enjoyable Thanksgiving. I know Verne was excited to be at the station for the holiday, playing many of his favorite songs. Even though I was quite a distance from Spokane, it was great to be able to listen to Spokane Public Radio on the Internet at kpbx.org. I have to say, Verne’s weather updates caught me off guard, considering there was no snow before I left for the week. When he mentioned that Spokane would receive large amounts of the white stuff and the high temperature for a few days would be below freezing, I was ready to book another vacation to somewhere warm. Today is Monday, and normally time for another picture of the week. Tomorrow I will post a photo since today I am still making my way back to Washington. The correct answer to last week’s picture was the Monroe Bridge. Stay cozy and happy holidays.

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Turkey Time

Picture Courtesy: Conner Discoll

With Thanksgiving less than a week away, it’s becoming apparent that people are already catching the holiday fever. In the past, I laughed at all the people fighting to get out of town during the half week holiday we call Thanksgiving. Now I laugh no more since I am one of the 42.2 million people who will travel more than 50 miles from home this year, according to AAA. From my experience, it can be a hassle to travel during that time, so this year I developed a new strategy to avoid the long lines and the boycott of full body screening on Wednesday. Leave a week early.

All those times I went to class even though I was sick or was exhausted from battling friends in video games late at night have paid off. Having no absences in my classes, I was able to escape with my teachers none the wiser and finally enjoy some quality living at home in Denver. Sure, spending the extra time with the family is great, but it’s the home cooked meals and not eating instant noodles or fast food that makes the trip worthwhile. 

Today will be the last post for several days and, since it is Monday, I have posted a new picture of the week.  Take a guess and leave a comment by clicking directly below the post on the word, "comments". Several people posted some great guesses to the picture last week, but unfortunately they were not the location where the picture was taken.  The answer to last week’s picture was Mission park. Have a great Thanksgiving and Black Friday. I know I will be sleeping in after a good Thanksgiving meal. 

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Verne the Next Food Network Chef

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Last Friday, during halftime of the Gonzaga basketball game, I was flipping through television programs and came across the Food Network: a channel I refuse to watch ever again. After several minutes of observing the host create an effortless and delicious dish of crème brulee. I sat there with a craving for the dessert – but with none of the ingredients.
Have you ever heard of the story of Stone Soup? The kid’s story about soldiers returning to their homeland from the Napoleonic Wars who are in search of food in the midst of winter and face the grim reality that they don’t have food or a place to stay? The soldiers developed a plan to deceive the residents of a town by making “stone soup.” Without any initial ingredients except for a stone, the crafty soldiers convince the villagers, one by one, to find ingredients to add to the community pot.

Arriving at Spokane Public Radio today, I was reminded to the Stone Soup tale. During the winter on Wednesdays, the lobby is filled with the aroma of cooking soup, instigated by Verne, who grabs left over ingredients from the station’s cupboards, and many of the staff who bring in ingredients to add. By the time Verne is done with his broadcast at noon and he has made the announcement on the intercom that the soup is complete; almost every chair in the lobby is filled with staff, volunteers, and guests partaking in the cuisine. After several hours slaving away at my internship duties today, the soup acted as a comforting motivator, especially on a cold day. Today’s soup was, Italian Wedding Soup, a blend of beef and vegetables and was delicious. You could of thought Verne may have worked for the Food Network at one time…

Unlike during Friday’s basketball game, it was great this morning to be nourished with soup at the ready. It is no wonder that college students consume so much instant noodles. In the future, I will have to employ the “Stone Soup Strategy” on my friends and family, except next time it might be crème brulee.
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Where in the City is Evan?

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Hey! Hope everyone had a terrific weekend even though it’s been gloomy outside for the last several days. Today is Monday, and that means time for a new picture of the week. Last week’s picture was taken on the Gonzaga campus, and featured the granite fountain. It was brought to my attention though that there are similar fountains throughout the city. This week’s picture will include a riddle: Where can kids pretend they are astronauts launching into space, but are restricted by the number of chain links? Take a guess and feel free to post a comment by clicking the word comment below this post.

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Note to Self: Guitar Instead of Sax

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Guitar Hour today featured Jay Hildebrand playing live in the studio. After a quick listen while taking pictures, I found myself trying to refrain from making an impulse guitar purchase. This wasn’t the first time a musical instrument has tempted me. In the fifth grade, I started playing the alto saxophone after I heard the song, “Havana,” by Kenny G. All I can remember is buying a sax at DJ’s music box in Denver, and the owner telling me that the majority of kids quit after the first year of playing. I told him that I was an exception and that I would be the next great sax player. I showed him! After two years of playing in the school band, I quit and never picked up the instrument again. Watching Jay today, it was obvious that he has a passion for playing from the quality of the sound he creates. I’m sure he never had the temptation to quit. In hindsight, maybe I should have started on the guitar? Catch Jay’s show tonight at 8pm in the Whitworth Music Building, it should be an inspired performance.
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Picture of the Week

Take a guess at this week's Picture

Re: Picture of the Week

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Daylight-Savings Time has arrived. The first several days after adjusting your clocks can be a confusing time. In honor of daylight savings, the picture of the week will be pushed back until later today. Several people commented that last weeks picture was difficult. The location of the picture was from Silver Car Collector Auctions, just down the street from the station.
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Ahoy Mates!

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Hey, it’s Friday! The last several days have been great weather-wise. Saturday just might be the last great fall day before the storms roll in. So, while you’re out and about, drop by the Spokane Masonic Center Auditorium at 1pm to see KPBX’s FREE Kids’ Concert. Tom Lewis will be performing shanties and telling sailing tales. Bring the whole family - it is a must ‘sea!’

Election Day

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"The country's 24-hour politico-pundit-perpetual-panic conflictinator did not cause our problems, but its existence makes solving them much harder," John Stewart

It probably is a cliche at this point in the election to say that I am sick of all the negative election coverage. Flipping through cable television channels the last several months it was impossible not to witness attack ads and talk show hosts bashing candidate's and propositions. Since I'm from Colorado, living in Washington, election season is a unique experience that has its trade offs. I can't vote here, so I've tuned out the local coverage, and at the same time, I haven't kept up on the issues in Colorado. Since turning 18, I have only voted by mail. While the last presidential election energized everyone to vote, I'm not as motivated this election cycle. It wasn't until I started hanging out at Spokane Public Radio that I remembered why I liked to vote. Unfortunately, I missed the mail-in ballot deadline.

Election day at SPR is a stimulating time. Every hour at the station, staff members are commenting about election results. The news department is getting prepared for a long night of partying. Actually, they will be asking tough questions at the local Democrat and Republican election centers. In the news department no side is safe, considering the brief time I stopped by their office, they were making jokes about how the local Democrats are meeting at the Lincoln Center. Wasn't Lincoln a Republican? The station tries to remain unbiased during elections and does not support any candidate, unlike Glenn Beck or other cable television show hosts.

Last weekend the "Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear" MC-ed  by John Stewart, the host of the "Daily Show" was regarded as a success after tens of thousands of people turned out to proclaim that they are tired of the bickering in politics and the biased opinion of cable television pundits. While standing in front of the steps of the Capital Building, Stewart said, "The truth is, we work together to get things done every $%#* day. The only place we don't is here, or on cable TV-but Americans don't live here or on cable TV"

During the election, employees and volunteers at SPR may not agree on issues or candidates, but for the most part everyone still works together to ensure that programming and news is professional.
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Picture of the Week

It has been two weeks since the last picture of the week. Several people commented that the Riverfront Mall escalators were too easy of a location for the last picture. This week hopefully will be a little more difficult. Leave a comment by clicking on the comment link below this post to let other's know how well you know the city of Spokane.