Deer Park, WA Part 2 from 8-7-24 to 9-10-24

 

Our Palm Creek across the street neighbors were coming to Spokane so we met up for a fun filled day.  We started with breakfast at the locally renowned Franks's diner.  The plates are super large so it's no wonder they go through so many eggs and hashbrowns!! Yes, it's in a converted rail car.

Rob made reservations for the four of us to tour the Buck Knives factory in Post Falls, Idaho.  Don't we look great in our safety glasses!! From the hands of a young Kansas blacksmith in 1902 to the pocket of next generation hunters of today, Buck Knives has been building knives that carry a Forever Warranty!  We bought some steak knives.  Rob and Becky bought the whole kitchen set but with the elk handles!!

We planned to stop at Arbor Crest Winery for lunch, but it was not yet open.  So, we took a quick walking tour around the beautiful grounds and enjoyed the spectacular view!

We went to the Van Gogh exhibit.  It's fascinating to see his masterpieces projected 360 degrees around the room. 

We retried an old favorite restaurant, Twiggs.  It was excellent as usual!  We ordered the Moroccan beef and the bacon bourbon siders.  You can see the details on the menu on the bottom right.  Every time we go, we remember the most amazing waitress.  She took the orders from about 12 of us with substitutions and additions without writing one thing down.  Everything came out perfectly!!

Before going to our third Broadway show Mark found an excellent restaurant called Satay.  The loaf of bread (bottom left) was brought out first - what looks like icing is garlic butter.  It was amazing!!  We got three fun appetizers.  Back plate is Stuffed mushroom spoons - mushrooms, garlic, spinach, parmesan crisps, and siracha aioli.  You just put the spoon in your mouth and enjoy!  The second plate is Lobster and Seabass Wontons - hand stuffed fried wantons, scallions, Thai basil, sweet and sour and Asian slaw with lobster and seabass.  The first dish is bacon wrapped water chestnuts.  We were full but we just had to try the dessert - a Salted Caramel Snookie (top left) - warm salted caramel cooking, chocolate run glaze, butter pecan ice cream, whipped cream and bakers' candy.

One more musical to add to this year's selection was "Little Shop of Horrors."  It was great fun with a zany story and excellent music.

A new event for us was the Swinging Doors 2 Person Mixed Scramble Golf Tournament.  They have a super senior category if your combined ages are 140 or above.  So, Mark and I entered the super senior category.  We were placed in the first flight because our handicaps were at a lower level.  The first day we did not play as well as usual, so we thought it was a loss.  The second day we just played to have fun.  After play, a couple in a newer golf cart was teasing us about racing to the pro shop!  We lost that race.  But, when we went to the Prime Rib Dinner at the sponsor, Swinging Doors restaurant, they were seated next to our table.  Donna and Bret came over and we had a great time.  We even scheduled a golf outing at their home course, Indian Canyon.  You can see the lines titled Costello/Perrie

You can't begin to imagine our shock when we came in second place in the first flight of super seniors!

But then we fell off our seats when we found out we won $200 for second place!!

The icing on the cake came in when we won a "skin" for a birdie score on hole 15.  That added another $97 to the winnings for almost $300 win in the tournament!

I signed up for the Deer Park book club.  One of the books we read was written by one of our member's son.  Here Laurie is introducing her son, Jack Stewart.  He went to the US Naval Academy and served 23 years as a fighter pilot.  He is also a graduate of the US Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN).  He shared with us the difficulties in writing a book and getting published.  As many of you have suggested I edit this blog into a book I asked him if there were people looking for content as I would give this away for free.  But sadly, he did not know of anyone like that.

We went to Avista Stadium to see the Spokane Indians, the farm team for the Rockies!  The score was tied after nine innings.  New rule is, after a tie, the next inning starts with a man on second base.  It gets the game over quickly.  Sadly, the Indians lost in the tie break.  But the mascots were fun to watch, and the kids loved them.  We were most amazed that you could buy a hot dog for $4!!!

Remember the couple we met at the Swinging Doors Tournament - Donna and Bret.  We met them at Indian Canyon and played their beautiful but difficult course.  We had played it years ago for the Alzheimer tournament where you played silly games.  It was not real golf.  It was fun to play with this great couple on their home golf course!

It's been three wonderful months of lots of golf and aquafit but it's time to head back towards Arizona with some interesting stops.  We loved passing the Sunflower fields on our way into Spokane.  Spokane Falls is definitely a local landmark.  This is one magnificent sunset view from our coach.  And a very sad goodbye to Michele, Robin and Becky, the persistent aqua fit regulars to join me for great aqua fit exercises! Patti Wilson had already left for the season, but she was always with us in spirit!

That's it for Deer Park, now it's time to head to Anacortes, WA.