Inlander 02/18/2021

FEBRUARY 18-24, 2021 | FEEDING YOUR HUNGER SINCE 1993

CHEAP

EATS

21 Things to Eat in 2021 —

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page 14

COVID-19 AND PEOPLE OF COLOR 6 A FARMWORKER’S PLIGHT 10 HOT NEW MUSIC COMING IN 2021 38

2 INLANDER FEBRUARY 18, 2021

INSIDE VOL. 28, NO. 19 | COVER DESIGN: DEREK HARRISON

COMMENT NEWS COVER STORY CULTURE

5 10 14 28

FOOD FILM MUSIC EVENTS

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he pandemic has kept restaurants guessing — especially as our understanding of COVID-19 has evolved — but at least this much has stayed consistent: People still love tasty food at surprisingly good prices, a category of dining that we like to call CHEAP EATS. Find 21 things to eat in 2021 on page 14.

Speaking of restaurants, food editor Chey Scott examines how some businesses have reinvented themselves in ways they would have never imagined (page 32). In Comment, we’re featuring a new local columnist, Jac Archer, who writes about health, pregnancy, COVID-19 and why so many people of color have reservations about the medical community (page 6). In News, staff reporter Wilson Criscione has the story of a farmworker contracting COVID, having a stroke and then being stiffed benefits that the state believes he’s owed (page 10). In Music, staffers Dan Nailen and Nathan Weinbender pick the most anticipated albums of the year (page 38). And in case you’ve grown winter-weary, contributor Will Maupin recommends three cannabis strains to get you through these last dark days before spring (page 43).

— JACOB H. FRIES, editor

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FEBRUARY 18, 2021 INLANDER 3

What can you give this week?

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES ANIMAL LOVERS NEEDED - SPOKANE HUMANE SOCIETY Volunteers are needed immediately to join the Spokane Humane Society team at its adoption center at PetSmart on the Newport Highway. Your primary responsibility is for the health and well-being of the animals. This means you will play with them, feed them, clean up after them and assist customers. You must be willing to make a weekly commitment for at least six months and treat that commitment like you were going to a job. The animals depend on you! Five-hour shifts are available every day of the week. To learn more, contact Axton Riker at axton@ spokanehumanesociety.org.

VOLUNTEERS WANTED - CHAS Help keep traffic flowing smoothly at the CHAS COVID-19 testing center at the Spokane Arena. Volunteers are needed to help with traffic control, answering questions and other duties. Morning shifts run from 8:30 am-12:30 pm. Afternoon shifts run from noon-4 pm. The drive-through testing site is open seven days a week. To volunteer, call 509-444-8888, ext. 26601, or email communications@chas. org. You can also sign up online through Volunteer Spokane’s website. volunteerspokane.org

EVENTS AND BENEFITS TREE AND SHRUB SALE - SPOKANE CONSERVATION DISTRICT The Spokane Conservation District (SCD) teaches and facilitates sustainable land use and conservation practices. You can support its work through its Spring Tree and Shrub Sale, happening now. The sale offers a variety of native trees and shrubs for conservation purposes such as wildlife habitat, windbreaks, hedgerows, reforestation and stream enhancement, as well as simply for home and garden projects. You can shop the online store, or if you’d like a printed order form mailed to you, please send your name and mailing address to treesale@sccd.org. sccd.org

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COMMENT STAFF DIRECTORY PHONE: 509-325-0634

NOW THAT WE’VE MOVED TO PHASE 2, DO YOU PLAN TO DINE OUT?

Ted S. McGregor Jr. (tedm@inlander.com)

CHARISMA NALDRETT: Yes, we love eating out, and I feel pretty safe doing so. There is lots of space required between us and other diners. I always wear a mask and take other precautions. I won’t live in fear, and restaurants need our support.

Takeout isn’t cutting it for them.

PUBLISHER

J. Jeremy McGregor (x224) GENERAL MANAGER

EDITORIAL Jacob H. Fries (x261) EDITOR

Dan Nailen (x239) MANAGING EDITOR/ARTS & CULTURE Chey Scott (x225) FOOD & LISTINGS EDITOR

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Wilson Criscione (x282), Daniel Walters (x263), Samantha Wohlfeil (x234) STAFF WRITERS

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Normally, we ask our question of the week of people we randomly encounter on the street. But with the coronavirus pandemic, we instead asked our followers on social media to share their thoughts.

It’s cold outside come warm up at Hank’s!

DENECE GOERTZEN: Unfortunately, no. I will not feel comfortable dining out until I am fully vaccinated. I have been trying to support local restaurants by ordering takeout as often as possible.

ERIKA PRINS SIMONDS: I feel comfortable outdoors in a tent that has two full sides open, or indoors with a garage door open. Since it is a bit too cold for me to do that now, I’m ordering ungodly amounts of delivery and takeout.

ANDREA LAPLANT: Nope... I don’t feel it’s socially responsible to be dining out when the pandemic is still raging. When the weather is warmer and we can dine outdoors (and not in a tent), then we might, especially if we are vaccinated. In the meantime, we will continue to support local by ordering takeout.

HADLEY MORROW: I’ve been supporting my local businesses through takeout. I’m probably spending more on average dining out than I did monthly pre-pandemic. I do want to support local businesses, and I’m grateful for the ones who have invested time in safe and simple takeout methods.

LAUREL HENDERSON: No, not yet.

We aren’t eligible for vaccinations yet. We will continue getting takeout about once a week to support local restaurants. I look so forward to sitting down in a restaurant again and being served food. But that can wait.

A little longer.

JAN FRIES: I will be dining out on March 5, which is two weeks after my second shot, and the first day I am fully vaccinated. I can hardly wait!

RENEE BEAL: Absolutely! I will wear my mask, follow the mandates and wash my hands! Support our local businesses! n

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More White people are getting vaccinated per capita than non-White people, particularly Black and Hispanic people.

We Don’t Trust You

YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

The real reason that people of color are hesitant with doctors — and the COVID-19 vaccine

BY JAC ARCHER

“Y

us.”

ou won’t catch me taking that poison.”

“You can’t trust what they give

“I’m super nervous about it.”

“I just don’t know…”

In every racial affinity group I’m in — from my BIPoC relationships group to my chat group for Inland Northwest Black folks — I hear the same anxieties being expressed over and over: Black and Brown people are wary, or outright do not trust the COVID-19 vaccines.

I say “vaccines” plural, because there are currently two vaccines being administered and three more currently in clinical trials. More than 48 million doses have been administered in the United States, yet there is a stark vaccination racial gap. More White people are getting vaccinated per capita than non-White people, particularly Black and Hispanic people. There are many reasons for this, including relative rates of poverty and access to health care. One reason, however, has nothing to do with access and everything to do with the broken trust between the medical establishment and people of color.

The conversation is happening loudly in

every Black space I’m in, yet news coverage and discussions in White spaces continually misrepresent the issue. “Black people are afraid,” they say. People of color are painted as “nervous,” “underinformed” or otherwise subject to a fear born of ignorance about new medicine. This framing totally misses the point of what we’re saying. To governments, health agencies and the medical establishment: You have abused our bodies for as long as we’ve been here, and we do not trust you to heal them.

I

’m eight months pregnant.

My pandemic pregnancy has encouraged me to social distance strictly, so I don’t see friends in person. I don’t often find myself in shops or grocery stores. I bounce almost exclusively between the hospital, the apartment I share with my spouse and my partner’s home. It’s quite nice in some ways. When I do go out, everyone is so touch-averse that I never encounter unwelcome belly pats. Few people see me outside my

home, so I don’t have to bear unwanted scrutiny of my pregnant body, assumptions, unsolicited advice or comments. If anyone tries my patience in digital space, I can silence them with the click of a mouse.

But it hasn’t been an easy pregnancy. I’ve had health difficulties that went unexplained for months. For a while my schedule was ruled by appointments with a rotating cast of OBs, midwives and specialists. For weeks my body shook, sweated, overheated, tingled, and did things that were unusual even in the tumultuous context of pregnancy. For weeks I fielded contradicting hypotheses from health care professionals and armchair diagnoses from well-meaning friends. And at each appointment, I made sure to bring the one thing I believed would ensure they would take me seriously: one of my White, male partners.

In my gut I knew I could be readily brushed off as a nervous parent catastrophizing every nuance of their first pregnancy, but an able-bodied White man with skin in the game? No one would write off his child. No one would ignore him.

I made the decision never to speak with medical personnel alone. When I made this decision, I wasn’t thinking of the Tuskegee experiment or the theft of Henrietta Lacks’ cells. I wasn’t thinking about how modern gynecology was built on the medical torture of enslaved Black women by J Marion Sims, how the pill was developed by using Puerto Rican women as guinea pigs, or even how Black and Brown women have been targeted by government and public health entities for forced sterilization programs that started in 19th century and have lasted into the current century.

“At each appointment, I made sure to bring the one thing I believed would ensure they would take me seriously: one of my White, male partners.”

I could have been, but I wasn’t.

I was thinking of every time a medical professional has brushed me off, told me my symptoms were a product of my own bad attitude, or hand-waved them away as a mental health issue (as though mental health is a less valid or important treatment pathway). I was thinking about the thousands of Black birthing parents currently dying at disproportionate rates in the United States, even when poverty and education are accounted for. I was thinking of my baby. If I could help it, they wouldn’t be subject to medical prejudice before they were even born, and I’d leverage my relationships to make sure of it. Naïve? Perhaps. But it’s the best I have.

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Helping to advance Huntington’s Disease research in the Inland Northwest

P

ersonally, I am satisfied with the relative safety of the COVID-19 vaccines, and I will get it at the first opportunity. I’ve spent some time reading up on the research and testing process, why it seemed to be developed so quickly, and the massive international effort that brought it to the public. I’m also grateful to the hardworking medical professionals treating COVID-19 patients and assisting in the vaccine rollout across the country.

That said, if governments, medical professionals and health agencies want to see more Black and Brown people vaccinated, they need to recognize their contemporary complicity in the problem. They need to drop the doe-eyed wonder at Black suspicion and own up to their role in forming it. Start by saying, “We’ve screwed up. We acknowledge that medical spaces are historically and currently violent and unsafe for you. We will work with you to fix it.” n Jac Archer (they/them/theirs) is a local activist, community organizer and educator in the fields of diversity, equity, civic engagement and sexuality. Jac has a passion for institutional policy and making difficult concepts easily accessible.

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Please call: 509-960-2818 to learn more about these trials, or visit FEBRUARY 18, 2021 INLANDER 7

COMMENT | FROM READERS GLEN ROSSER: How about tearing down the hideous car dealerships and build a downtown core with condos? There is an abundance of parking lots that could serve as future sites. With more people living in the downtown core, there will be less reliance on needing to attract frustrated commuters that cannot find parking right by the mall.

DARIN ANDERSON: Like they’re going to let the pandemic end.

BECKIE SHELLY: Open up and move out the tent cities. The city will be great in no time.

Key components are in place for Spokane to take the next step. YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

Readers respond to Michael Allen’s column last week arguing that Spokane could boom after the pandemic if we make some changes now, like adding parking downtown, supporting events and decentralizing homeless services:

TOM SANDERSON: I don’t think there is anything wrong with throwing things up against the wall and seeing what sticks.

But some of these ideas ignore some facts.

I’m sorry the author can’t park in front of the mall when he wants to. If he’s already complaining about walking two or three blocks to get somewhere, I don’t know what two more lots further away from the center of downtown is gonna do for him.

BRANDON MILLER: Yeah the miles and miles of vacant office buildings surrounded by homeless people reek of self-improvement.

Or is that despair?

CRAIG HEIMBIGNER: Spokane does not nurture or incubate new events, it crushes them with a laundry list of expenses and the active opposition of the Spokane Visitor &

Convention Bureau that covets all the hotelmotel tax money for events for itself.

JEREMY THORNTON: Right, that’s how Hoopfest, First Friday, Bloomsday, Mozart in the park, and the hundreds of other community events have all done so poorly.

BLAISE BARSHAW: It’s interesting about parking. The first thing is we need two huge parking lots on the opposite sides of town in a town where walking a couple of blocks (and paying a couple bucks) is an “inconvenience.” But later says they’re a “fan” of public transit. Which way is it?

MERI LOUISE: I agree that there are things that make Spokane great, but ... we can’t ignore the problems our city has. We have people who are dying outside in the cold.

Dying. Drug addiction is so rampant that people are openly injecting drugs on the sidewalks. You can’t just sweep that aside and pretend like those things aren’t real.

TERRY PARKER: Most of the “reinventing” involved large sums of public lucre from taxpayers transferred to the already well-heeled to serve their interests and not ours. I have no doubt the same will happen post-pandemic.

SHELLEY ARENAS: The idea that Spokane will “emerge from this pandemic” anytime soon is quite optimistic. Maybe someday… n

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One of many apple orchards along the Columbia River in Washington.

CAST OUT EMPLOYMENT

COVID-19 nearly killed a Washington farmworker.

Now, the farm won’t pay his worker’s compensation

BY WILSON CRISCIONE

W

hen Laura Munoz said goodbye to her husband, Eduardo, in August, she thought he’d return home to Mexico in three months.

She trusted that the fruit farm that hired him — Washington Fruit and Produce — would protect Eduardo from COVID-19.

Instead, he got a case of COVID that will cripple him for life.

And when Laura flew to Spokane to care for her husband, she thought the company would — at the very least — provide the workers compensation that Eduardo legally was entitled to for catching COVID-19 on the job.

But to this day, she hasn’t seen a penny.

“I don’t know how they can sleep at night, knowing the situation we’re in,” Laura tells the Inlander, through a translator.

10 INLANDER FEBRUARY 18, 2021

Eduardo, 38, worked for Washington Fruit under the federal H-2A program, which allows foreign agricultural workers to obtain a temporary visa and live in employerprovided housing. On Oct. 11, days after he told Laura that one of his housemates had COVID-19 symptoms, Eduardo had a stroke that paralyzed the right side of his body, leaving him unable to talk or walk.

Washington Labor & Industries has twice directed Washington Fruit and Produce to pay for Eduardo’s medical bills, time loss and other benefits that he’s entitled to under the industrial insurance act. But Washington Fruit and Produce has failed to pay those benefits, arguing it is not clear that Eduardo contracted COVID either at work or in employer-provided housing.

Eduardo’s case is just another example illustrating the inhumane way farmworkers are treated, says Jennyfer

Mesa, founder of Latinos en Spokane, an advocacy group that connected Laura to resources as she cared for her husband in Spokane. Two other farmworkers — a 37-year-old from Mexico and a 63-year-old — died from COVID-19 in July while working for a different company, Gebbers Farm, in Washington. That farm was fined $2 million by Labor & Industries for COVID-19 rule violations.

“I see it as modern-day slavery,” Mesa says of companies that refuse to honor commitments to foreigners legally working in the United States.

L

abor & Industries conducted hundreds of agriculture inspections on companies last year, finding violations at 130 of them as of November.

Washington Fruit says it passed all its inspections with

no COVID-19 violations, but Labor & Industries says that’s not exactly true: A Washington Fruit worksite in Plymouth, across the Columbia River from Umatilla, Oregon, was fined $1,500 on Oct. 29 for not implementing a distancing plan at housing sites, and a site in Yakima was cited a week later for not providing masks at no cost to employees.

And Eduardo’s situation suggests that — even if all the rules were followed — a number of cases may have been missed simply for a lack of testing.

In an email to the Inlander, Katherine Ryf, Washington Fruit’s human resources director, notes that at no time did Eduardo test positive while on the farm. She says Eduardo and two other Washington Fruit employees were told to self-quarantine by Anovaworks Clinic due to COVID-like symptoms in September, then cleared to work by Sept. 29. On the day of his stroke, Oct. 11, none of Eduardo’s housemates had symptoms of COVID-19 — though she didn’t specify if they did at any other time shortly before or after.

She writes that while it’s possible Eduardo became infected in employer-provided housing, it is “irresponsible to say so until a credible contact tracing process is completed.”

But it’s not just that Eduardo didn’t test positive on the farm.

In fact, he wasn’t tested there at all. This is despite the company acknowledging that he was told to self-quarantine because of COVID concerns. And the two other employees told to selfquarantine at the same time? They weren’t tested either, Ryf says.

This lack of testing might complicate Washington Fruit’s desire for a “credible” contact tracing process, but Ryf says the company is continuing to this day to do contact tracing in Eduardo’s case.

She also says the reason Eduardo and others weren’t tested is because they simply refused.

Eduardo’s situation suggests that — even if all the rules were followed — a number of cases may have been missed simply for a lack of testing.

Eduardo is unable to speak, due to his stroke. But Laura, who spoke regularly with Eduardo over video chat during that time, disputes the company’s timeline and the reason Eduardo was not tested.

Laura says that just a couple days before his stroke, he had told her over a video call that one of his five housemates had been taken away for isolation because he had COVID-19. And she agrees that Eduardo and other employees refused to get tested.

But that’s because, as she recalls, they were told it would cost $200 to get a test. Eduardo was asymptomatic until his stroke, so he decided against it.

“Anytime he asked to see a doctor, he would be charged,” she says. “So he never got tested.”

When asked about this, Ryf acknowledged that some employees were charged fees by a medical provider before getting tested, but the company says it later “sought and achieved reversal of these fees.”

Carmen Hargis-Villanueva, an attorney with Northwest Justice Project representing Eduardo, says the lack of testing shouldn’t matter too much to his claim. Because he worked long hours during the day, and he lived in employer-provided housing, it’s more likely than not that he contracted COVID-19 at work, she says.

In that case, it’s the responsibility of companies like Washington Fruit to help take care of Eduardo and his family as he recovers from an injury, she says. Under the state’s workers compensation law, injured workers should receive time-loss payments as they recover from injury along with coverage for medical expenses. Hargis-Villanueva estimates Eduardo’s medical bills are somewhere in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. ...continued on next page

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Labor & Industries either handles these claims directly or — as in Eduardo’s case — has oversight of claims if a company is self-insured. The state generally allows workers compensation claims for COVID-19 if a worker’s job is high risk and there’s a documented or probable work-related exposure.

A majority of COVID-19 claims have been filed by health care workers or first responders, and more than 80 percent of those have been allowed, according to state officials.

confirming the doctors’ suspicion: The stroke was caused by the virus, according to medical records.

It inflicted heavy damage, paralyzing the right side of his body, robbing him of his ability to speak or walk.

Laura flew to Spokane, but she still couldn’t see her husband for weeks as he bounced between Providence Sacred Heart and St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Center, undergoing multiple brain surgeries.

When she finally did see him, 40 days after his stroke, the doctors weren’t sure he was going to survive, she says.

Meanwhile, Laura had nowhere to stay and no money. Providence provided her with some housing for 12 days. A social worker from the hospital called Mesa, with Latinos en Spokane, and Mesa offered to let Laura stay at her home briefly.

Then, Nikki Lockwood, a Spokane Public Schools board member who’s on the Latinos en Spokane email list, offered to take her into her own home. Lockwood Laura Munoz (left) flew to Washington to help care for her husband, Eduardo, says her own grandfather who suffered a stroke paralyzing half his body. COURTESY OF JENNYFER MESA was a farmworker from In Eduardo’s case, Labor & Industries told Mexico who, after being kicked out of the U.S. a Washington Fruit — and their insurer, Eberle Vivfew times, eventually became a legal citizen. Plus, ian — that his claim filed on Dec. 15 was allowed. she had been preparing an extra room in her home That should cover his medical treatment and in case someone needed help during the pandemic, payments for time-loss benefits under the workers so she was happy to host. compensation law, Hargis-Villanueva says.

Eduardo was finally discharged from the hospiSo why hasn’t Eduardo seen any of it? tal, just days before Christmas, and with nowhere Ryf, in the written response to the Inlander, cites to go. Latinos en Spokane, with help from Spokane “procedural aspects” of the workers compensation Immigrant Rights Coalition, scraped together as program. She says Eduardo has been paid all of his much money as they could. They set Laura and “earned wages,” along with sick leave and COVID Eduardo up in a hotel, got him a wheelchair and paid time off through the state’s new food-worker eventually helped them return home to Mexico. paid-leave program.

Mesa says she’s happy her organization and The company says its protest of Eduardo’s other community members could step up and workers compensation claim — a claim filed while help. But it shouldn’t fall to volunteers to support Eduardo was half-paralyzed in a hospital and his families in these situations. wife couch-surfed in a strange city while trying to “He’s not an undocumented person — he’s paycare for him — is “simply a matter of process.” ing taxes, coming in to work for many years. He provides; he feeds us,” she says. “The least we can hen Laura video-called her husband on do is take care of him when he’s going through an Oct. 11, she wasn’t expecting him to be emergency.” sick. Thus far, he had had no fever or When the Inlander interviewed Laura and cough or any other symptom.

Eduardo, they were back home, surrounded by Eduardo answered her call that day. But Laura their family. Eduardo couldn’t talk, but he smiled knew something was wrong. He was incoherent, and gave a Laura recalls. Part of his mouth was drooping, and “thumbs-up” in LETTERS then he wasn’t able to talk. Not knowing what else an expression of Send comments to to do, she screamed. gratitude for all editor@inlander.com.

She kept screaming. It was all she could do. who have helped She just hoped that somebody — anybody — could him. But he still hear her voice, 2,500 miles away. needs regular treatment. He won’t be able to work.

Eventually, somebody in Eduardo’s living quarAnd while he’s slowly getting better, doctors say he ters heard Laura’s screams and came to help. They may never be the same. called 911. He was taken to Othello Community Laura, meanwhile, can’t stop thinking about Hospital with stroke symptoms and a fever, then what would have happened if nobody heard her transferred to Providence Sacred Heart in Spokane, screaming, or if — when she arrived in Spokane where he had emergency surgery. Doctors tested with no money and no idea where to go — people him for COVID-19, which can elevate the risk of hadn’t helped her. a stroke, even in young people. The first test came “I constantly ask myself that question,” she back negative, but another test came back positive, says. n

W

12 INLANDER FEBRUARY 18, 2021

FEATURING NATIONAL NEWS FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES

HELP IS ON THE WAY The flood of people who lost their jobs during the pandemic has severely depleted Washignton state’s UNEMPLOYMENT insurance trust fund, which is what pays people’s benefits when they have been laid off.

To replenish the trust fund when it is low, the state’s unemployment system is set up to automatically increase taxes on businesses. Companies that lay off lots of workers end up paying more, since their former employees go on to claim a larger amount of unemployment benefits.

But state lawmakers have largely agreed that this system wasn’t built for a once-in-a-century pandemic, and the emergency fix that Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law last week does a lot to curb that problem. Business tax bills this year will be reduced considerably from the notices that went out in December. On average, businesses will pay only about $10 more per employee in 2021 than they did in 2020, according to one legislative analysis.

(CROSSCUT)

The National Guard and Capitol Police in D.C.

U.S. AIR NATIONAL GUARD PHOTO

CAPITOL COPS SPEAK OUT Over the last several weeks, ProPublica has interviewed 19 current and former U.S. CAPITOL POLICE OFFICERS about the assault on the Capitol. The interviews provide the most detailed account to date of a most extraordinary battle.

The enemies on Jan. 6 were Americans: thousands of people from across the country who had descended on the Capitol, intent on stopping Congress from certifying an election they believed was stolen from President Trump.

They had been urged to attend by Trump himself, with extremist right-wing and militia leaders calling for violence.

Many of the officers were speaking to reporters for the first time about the day’s events, almost all anonymously for fear of retribution. Combined, the information makes clear how failures of leadership, communication and tactics put the lives of hundreds of officers at risk and allowed rioters to come dangerously close to realizing their threats against members of Congress.

(PROPUBLICA) NEXT STEP FOR TRUMP? Lawmakers fresh off the impeachment acquittal of former President Donald Trump are issuing growing CALLS FOR A BIPARTISAN COMMISSION to investigate the administrative and law enforcement failures that led to the mob attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6 and recommend changes to prevent another siege.

Such a commission appears to be the primary remaining option for Congress to try to hold Trump to account for his role in the assault. Top lawmakers have quashed the idea of a post-impeachment censure of the former president, and the possibility of barring him from future office under the 14th Amendment, which prohibits any official involved in “insurrection or rebellion” from holding office, seems remote. Lawmakers in both parties have called for a commission modeled on the panel established after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. (NEW YORK TIMES)

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P A E H C S T EA 14 INLANDER FEBRUARY 18, 2021

The Grinder from Gander & Ryegrass DEREK HARRISON PHOTO

21 THINGS TO

EAT IN 2021

From burritos to smoothie bowls, sandwiches to sushi, everything here is under $15

E

ach year, the Inlander team sets out on a tasty mission for our annual Cheap Eats issue: Find and recommend as many affordable menu items as possible from restaurants across the Inland Northwest. As costs continue to rise with time, these issues become more challenging to put together. But there will always be loads of locally owned places that consistently outshine typical big-chain fast food in every way: price, freshness, flavor, quality of ingredients and convenience. Sometimes, you just have to look a little harder to find them.

While the following 21 staff-tested recommendations are a mere snapshot of the amazingly affordable eats to be found around Spokane, Coeur d’Alene and beyond, we know there are many more waiting to be discovered by us, and you.

Drop us a line at food@inlander.com to share your favorites for us to scope out next time.

In the meantime, enjoy these “cheap eats,” all less than $15, and please continue supporting our local food and drink purveyors who need your business more now than ever.

— CHEY SCOTT, Inlander food editor

FEBRUARY 18, 2021 INLANDER 15

Big Mo uth-watering Flavors.

CHEAP

EATS

Mon-Sat 12-7 • 12501 N Division

Re-Happy Hour | 4-6pm every day $4 Craft Beers • $5 House Wine $6 Repub Snacks Popcorn Cauliflower • Repub Fries Himalyan Sea Salted Pretzel • 1/2 Roasted Avocado Nachos

“21 THINGS TO EAT IN 2021,” CONTINUED...

TACOVADO: BREAKFAST BURRITO

$8

1620 N. Ash St., 420-5708, tacovado.com The first bite of the breakfast burrito from TacoVado lets you know this won’t be your ordinary burrito experience. The tortilla, too often overlooked in burritos, is chewy and flavorful. You get a taste of the egg, which is perfectly salted and — unlike some inferior breakfast burritos — won’t overwhelm each bite with a mound of yellow mess. And then there’s the meat. You can choose between carnitas (shredded pork), adovada (red chili pork), barbacoa (shredded beef) or chili verde (beef with hatch green chili). I usually go with the barbacoa, if for no other reason than I tried it once and liked it and I haven’t looked back. The avocado and melted cheese balance the flavor out, softening each mouthful into something heavenly. Here’s a tip: Add some queso for $1. When I added queso, the burrito artist said, “Nice,” as if I’d stumbled upon a secret only the most seasoned breakfast burrito lovers would know. (WILSON CRISCIONE)

PIZZA RITA: TWO SLICES + DRINK LUNCH SPECIAL $5

(208) 457-3610 • 120 E 4th Ave, Post Falls, ID 83854

16 INLANDER FEBRUARY 18, 2021

502 W. Indiana Ave., 5511 N. Wall St., 201 N. Pines Rd., pizzarita.net As one of Spokane’s largest pizza chains, Pizza

Rita has been a staple of the local “cheap eats” scene since its opening in 1989. The locally owned pizza joint is well known for giving out free fountain drinks with carryout orders, and for their promise of being the best price in town by accepting any competitor’s pizza coupons. But their lunch special stands out: You can stop by any location at lunch and grab two slices of pizza and a pop for just $4.99.

(DEREK HARRISON)

STELLA’S CAFE: DIRTY FRIES

$8

19 W. Main Ave., 290-5927, stellastogo.com While many of us might worship Guy Fieri’s trailblazing sense of hair care and fashion (or not), we can all agree the dude knows his way around tasty comfort food. So it was no surprise that when he pulled his Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives convertible up to Ruins’ door a few years back, he found his way to sing the praises of Chef Tony Brown’s dirty fries. During the pandemic, Brown moved the dish to Stella’s in Saranac Commons, but the appeal remains the same: Delicious, crispy fries covered in a house-made aioli, salsa verde and melt-in-your-mouth pork shoulder. The dirty fries are priced like a side, but they easily make a meal — and a damn good one at that. (DAN NAILEN)

appy hour

daily 3-5:30 | tuesdays 3-close Dirty Fries from Stella’s Cafe DEREK HARRISON PHOTO

Lorem Ipsum

dine in takeout delivery cater ing 10 n post spokane cochinitotaqueria.com 509.474.9618

4 Great Locations! den CDA • Post Falls • Hay

GANDER & RYEGRASS: THE GRINDER

$10

404 W. Main Ave., 315-4613, ganderandryegrass.com If you’re pining for the return of chef Peter Froese’ tasting menus, the sandwiches at Gander & Ryegrass offer interim satiation. During the pandemic, the Italian-inspired fine-dining restaurant shifted to an abbreviated takeout and delivery (through Treehouse or Uber Eats) menu, and the stars of these daytime-only offerings (11 am-3 pm) are definitely the sandwiches. Using this simple yet versatile vehicle, Froese and his team showcase the exquisite flavor combinations that G&R has become known for since opening in late 2019.

Among the many options, you’ll find a shrimp po’ boy, mortadella, and rotating weekly specials like muffaletta (all for $10-$12, a serious bargain), but my favorite so far is the Grinder. A sturdy housemade bun cradles layers of shaved meats (copa, capicola and salami) topped with slow-roasted tomatoes, fresh greens and cicciola, a pork shoulder spread. (CHEY SCOTT)

THE CROWN & THISTLE PUB: POTATO LEEK PIE

$12.50

107 N. Fourth St., Coeur d’Alene, 208-758-8357, crownandthistlepub.com What could be better on a cold winter day than warm, creamy potato and vegetable filling topped with a golden, flaky pastry crust? I recently ordered the potato leek pie to go, and reader, I was AMAZED because when I got home to Spokane 40 minutes later, this thing was still warm! The magic is in putting the hot pie filling into foil inside of the to-go box, then topping it off with a perfectly cut-to-size piece of buttery pastry topped with pepper. All the comfort of a pot pie with the crunch you only get from puff pastry. (SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL) ...continued on next page

Green and Capone’s on the s Golf Course at Ponderosa Spring

North Idaho’s BEST Sports Bar caponespub.com for Menu, hours and more info

CDA • 751 N. 4th • (208) 667-4843 | Ponderosa Springs Golf Course 1291 N. Galena Dr • (208) 664-1101 POST FALLS • 315 N Ross Point Rd • (208) 457-8020 | HAYDEN • 9520 N. Government Way • (208) 762-5999

FEBRUARY 18, 2021 INLANDER 17

DAILY LUNCH SPECIALS! • 2 piece fish n chips • Reuben w/fries • Guinness Beef Stew • Chicken Pot Pie • Shepherd’s Pie $ 9.99 11am-3pm M-F eHouse Delivery through Uber Eats and Tre 509

719 N MONROE ST. • SPOKANE •

CHEAP

EATS

Spokane

326-7251

$10

BYOB (BUILD YOUR OWN BURGER)

AT HUCK’S ON MONROE!

926 S. MONROE

“21 THINGS TO EAT IN 2021,” CONTINUED...

EL PAISA: CHILI VERDE

$9

1801 Lincoln Way, #2A, Coeur d’Alene, 208-930-4210, orderelpaisaid.com Very little has changed since this North Idaho eatery opened in 2011, and although prices have crept up a bit, they’re still reasonable considering how much food you get. And considering how good it is: mostly variations on chicken, beef or pork, the latter having inspired a near devotion to their “barbacoa” style sweet pulled pork. New year, new dish, however, so it was time to try chili verde. That’s chunks of tender pork in a spicy green sauce, accompanied by delicately flavored rice and hearty beans (black or pinto) that were flavorful and just fork tender. Spicy enough to get your attention, but not overwhelm you. Combo plates include chips and chunky salsa fresca, so plenty to share with a friend.

(CARRIE SCOZZARO)

Bison Burger* peppered bacon habanero honey sauce caramelized onions pepper jack cheese & of course all the crisp veggies to really make this thing CRUNCH mouthwatering

TOP OF INDIA: SAMOSA CHAAT $8 AND CHICKEN SOUP $6

* These are just delicious suggestions.

BYOB baby!

CALL-IN OR TO-GO ORDERS & CURBSIDE PICKUP AVAILABLE Go to huckleberrysnaturalmarket.com to view our menus

OPEN 7AM - 10PM • SENIOR & AT-RISK SHOPPING - TUES, WED, THURS, 7AM-9AM

509-624-1349 REAL FOOD, GREAT BEER, FINE WINE AND HAND CRAFTED SPIRITS

11114 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley, 927-0500, topofindiarestaurant.com For fans of Top of India’s popular lunch buffet (still on hiatus), the takeaway lunch specials definitely appeal at $13 for dishes like tikka masala or chicken korma, plus naan and rice. But when you want to try a bit of this and that, try a handful of side orders like chaat. A mashup of flavors and textures, it’s a traditional Indian snack with layers of crunchy, spicy, savory and fresh. TOI tops a crispy vegetarian samosa (stuffed pastry) with spicy, fork-tender garbanzo beans called chana. On top of that: piquant tamarind chutney and mint chutney, which meld into the samosa nicely. Freshness in the form of cilantro, onions and chopped tomato finish the dish. The only thing missing would be a dollop of cooling yogurt, although you can also tone down the spice level when you order. Pair the chaat with soup — their chicken soup has a bright, lemony flavor — for a filling and healthful meal. (CARRIE SCOZZARO)

SUSHI SAKAI: LUNCH SPECIAL $9.95

509-473-9455 21 W Main SaranacPub.com

18 INLANDER FEBRUARY 18, 2021

818 W. Riverside Ave., 413-1232, sushisakai.me A friend who works nearby tipped me off to this steal of a lunch deal in downtown Spokane. For just $9.95 you get a healthy scoop of rice, a side salad, and your choice of two things from a list of appetizers, entrees and sushi. Try the chicken teriyaki and the spicy tuna roll, as I did. Or, get a roll and two pieces of nigiri. Or, get two fried gyoza and some chicken katsu. The list of options is so extensive you could try a different lunch every week for years and never have the same combination twice. The deal is offered from 11 am to 3 pm daily. (SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL)

Advance To

COCHINITO TAQUERIA: HAPPY HOUR TACO PACK FOR TWO

$22

10 N. Post St., 474-9618, cochinitotaqueria.com An essential go-to for frugal diners everywhere, and not just on Tuesdays: tacos. Since the pandemic has impacted its ability to serve dine-in customers, Cochinito Taqueria downtown has been slinging some major deals to lure customers to order takeout. (Not that we needed any begging.) Currently offered daily during happy hour from 3 to 5:30 pm, and for takeout only, this special deal gets you a filling, flavorful and super affordable three-course meal. Best of all, it’s plenty of food for two, or a second meal later for one. For $22, pick any four tacos — Pro tip: You should definitely mix and match; but our favorite is the 20-hour carne asada — from Cochinito’s regular menu, plus housemade chips with either queso or salsa, and four churros for dessert with chocolate or caramel dipping sauce. Add a cocktail or drink to-go to truly bring happy hour home. (CHEY SCOTT)

DÉGAR’S REEF TACO: REEF TACO OR BURRITO $11

$6.75

12501 N. Division St., facebook.com/degarsreeftaco Colorful, health-conscious and hearty describe the menu at DéGar’s Reef Taco, a new independent fast-casual spot opened in mid-2020 by a former Taco Del Mar franchise owner in the Wandermere area. Operating currently as a drive-thru-only spot, DéGar’s offers a concise yet varied menu of tacos, burritos and burrito-style protein bowls that’ll fill your belly

MEAL SPECIAL

for a bargain. The signature Reef is a honking, 12-inch tortilla tightly packed with fresh, beer-battered cod and red cabbage, and topped with housemade tartar aioli and spicy-sweet salsa. If you’re not ravenous, you can get the Reef in taco form ($6.75). DéGar’s goes way bigger than your average street taco, and this one boasts a full piece of cod with all the same toppings, cradled inside double-layered corn tortillas. (CHEY SCOTT)

POKE EXPRESS: BUILD-YOUR-OWN BOWL $11/SMALL; $13/LARGE

1509 N. Pine Rd., 12208 N. Division St., 113 W. Indiana Ave., pokeexpresspokane.net We all love customizable food, but can it get any better than build-your-own poke? Time for us poke lovers to get creative, as bowl combinations are limitless. Start with your choice of brown or white rice and selection of a small (two scoops) or large portion (four scoops) of spicy or non-spicy protein. If you aren’t a fish fanatic, you can still enjoy poke, just opt for chicken or tofu. Topping time! Some popular bowl additions include sweet corn, sweet onion, jalapeno, onion, cucumber, seaweed salad, edamame, avocado, ginger, carrot and the list goes on. If you feel inclined to add a sweet touch, garnish your poke with diced mango or pineapple. Now that you’re nearing the end of the ingredient counter, it’s time to sauce and top your bowl. For a spicy kick and crunch, I recommend the finishing off with some spicy mayo and crispy onions. (NATALIE RIETH) ...continued on next page

2 FOR 1 TUESDAY

Best French Dip in Town!

Order online at illinoisave.com for pick up and curbside pickup

We serve delicious New York style pizza and Italian pastas.

Mon-Sat 11am-10pm Closed Sundays Served in NY since 1962!

829 E Boone Ave Suite A

(509) 960-7949

CURBSIDE PICKUP

Order Online! 25% INDOOR SEATING • OUTDOOR SEATING McClainsPizzeriaSpokane.com

OPEN Sun-Thu Noon-8pm / Fri-Sat Noon-9pm MONDAY SPECIAL Pizza • Calzones • Growlers $5 off 18” pizzas Bottled & Can Beer

10208 N Division • 509-368-9045

$ 99 REUBEN & FRIES 11 Serving home style breakfast & lunch from 7am - 3pm

Order Online UncleRustysDiner.com

OP E N F OR DINE IN (25%) & TAKE OUT Build-Your-Own Bowl at Poke Express DEREK HARRISON PHOTO

1412 W, 2ND AVE, SPOKANE • 509-474-9214

FEBRUARY 18, 2021 INLANDER 19

CHEAP

EATS

“21 THINGS TO EAT IN 2021,” CONTINUED...

GARLAND SANDWICH SHOPPE: THE GARLAND DAGWOOD $13

3903 N. Madison St, 326-2405, garlandsandwich.com You really can’t go wrong with anything on Garland Sandwich Shoppe’s menu of fresh ingredients between slices of delicious bread. But a glutton like me always leans toward the Dagwood, a longtime diner staple that’s appropriately named for an omnivorous comic strip character and will never leave you feeling hungry. It’s a sandwich of extremes: You get turkey, ham and roast beef, layered with swiss, provolone and cheddar, and the lettuce, tomato and onion adds a needed bit of crunch. This version of the Dagwood is one hefty handheld, and it’s really a bargain at just $13. (NATHAN WEINBENDER)

DI LUNA’S: VEGGIE HASH

NEW NAME • SAME OWNERS • SAME GREAT FOOD

KENDALL YARDS

1333 W SUMMIT PARKWAY, SPOKANE

OPEN FOR DINE - IN 11AM - 9PM DAILY / 509 - 389 - 0029

HAPPY HOUR

DAILY 4pm-6pm

$

5 DRINK SPECIALS

$

5 TAPAS

CRAFT COCKTAILS. LOCAL FOODS. BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND TAPAS.

317 e sherman ave. (208) 930-1514 @HoneyEatery #EatINW

20 INLANDER FEBRUARY 18, 2021

$11.50

207 Cedar St., Sandpoint, Idaho, 208-263-0846, dilunas.com When I first moved to Spokane, a weekend jaunt to Sandpoint proved a perfect getaway. It’s close enough that the drive isn’t bad at all (and it’s a pretty one, too), and the town is charming and walkable. A chance

stumble into Di Luna’s for breakfast made the eclectic little cafe a regular stop whenever I’m in town, and while you can’t go wrong with anything, the veggie hash became my go-to thanks to its super-fresh mix of red and sweet potatoes, onions, sweet peppers and greens, all slathered in a perfect hollandaise. Even better? Take Di Luna’s suggestion to add bacon to the mix for $3. It’s crazy I know, but bacon somehow makes veggie hash even better! (DAN NAILEN)

IRON GOAT BREWING: GOCHUJANG PORK BURRITO

$10.25

1302 W. Second Ave., 474-0722, irongoatbrewing.com Near the start of the pandemic, the kitchen at Iron Goat Brewing started whipping up unique burrito specials. The success of the specials led them to later add three burritos to the regular

DAY 2-5pm HAPPY FOOD HOURS EVERY dine in only menu: the gochujang pork, banh mi and chicken tikka masala.

These massive wraps are incredibly tasty and filling, sometimes lasting me two meals. They’ve become a go-to order throughout the last few months. Specifically, the gochujang pork burrito is almost a weekly dinner for me. It’s loaded with gochujang (Korean chili paste) braised pork, a fried egg, jasmine rice, kimchi, American cheese, green onion, cilantro and gochujang aioli. If you’re thirsty, you can take up Iron Goat’s beer crowler (32 oz.) and burrito special for $18. (DEREK HARRISON)

UMI KITCHEN AND SUSHI BAR: FRIED RICE

SMALL PLATE APPETIZERS CALAMARI…….$6.75 CHICKEN QUESADILLA ….$6.75 RCG BURGER….$7.5, add cheese $1, fries $1 BUFFALO WINGS $1.75 EACH CHICKEN SATAY…..$6 STREET TACOS (ground beef or chicken, 3)..$6.50 SWEET POTATO FRIES….$5.50 ITALIAN NACHOS….$7.50 PECAN APPLE SALAD….$4 GRILLED CAESAR SALAD ….$4 JUNKYARD RIBS…..$7.50

$14

1309 W. Summit Pkwy, 368-9372, umispokane.com Umi Kitchen and Sushi Bar’s sushi is fantastic, but if you’re anything like me, sushi rolls aren’t quite enough to satiate your ravenous maw at those times when your stomach feels as empty as your wallet. I have two words for you: fried rice. At $14, Umi’s “fried rice” menu option may not seem like a cheap eat at first, until the massive bowl comes out, and you realize that no matter how deep your craving is, there’s enough fried rice to satisfy you.

The expertly cooked rice is the best part of an Umi sushi roll, so why not dig into an entire bowl that makes the rice the star?

(DANIEL WALTERS)

BRUCHI’S: BRUCHI’S BURGER

All regular size pizzas from the menu $13

HAPPY DRINK HOURS EVERY DAY 2-5pm 14 oz domestic drafts……$3.00 22 oz domestic drafts…$4.75 14 oz micros …$4 Well drinks… $4 House wine… $3.5 0 mimosas $3.5 $7 martinis

$4.20

707 W. Main Ave. (plus five other area locations), 474-0014, bruchis.com Look, there are only so many options for a quick and tasty lunch.

You can grab a sub sandwich somewhere, but maybe you’re all subbed out. You can get fast food, but, ugh, do you really want McDonald’s again? Enter Bruchi’s. Of course, they have subs and cheesesteaks if you so choose, but I’m going to recommend something a little bit cheaper: the Bruchi Burger. It’s incredible value for a quarter-pound patty with pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and the game-changing Bruchi sauce. Add cheese for a quarter and bacon for another 75 cents. For my taste, it’s a clear step up over some fast food burgers, but it’s the same price. And you don’t even have to go out to get it — you can order online and have it delivered right to your face. (WILSON CRISCIONE) ...continued on next page

UNIQUE ITALIAN AND AMERICAN FOOD, FULL BAR, GREAT PATIO, 13 TV’S

2911 E 57th Ave | Open Tue-Sun 2-8pm | (509) 455-4400 | rockcitygrill.com

FULL BAR, BEER & WINE Small Plates Menu Iron Goat Brewing’s Gochujang Pork Burrito DEREK HARRISON PHOTO

7 Burgers to choose from

New lunch and dinner small plates!

Dine In or order for pick-up at drive-thru window

509.448.0887

2013 E 29th Ave., Spokane

Tue-Sat 12PM till 8PM • Last Reservations available at 7PM 7PM • RestaurantsSpokaneWa.com FEBRUARY 18, 2021 INLANDER 21

CHEAP

EATS

1318 W. 1ST AVE, SPOKANE

279-2334 www.watts1903.com The Zegg breakfast sandwich from the Ultimate Bagel DEREK HARRISON PHOTO

“21 THINGS TO EAT IN 2021,” CONTINUED...

THE ULTIMATE BAGEL: BREAKFAST SANDWICH

$6.50

1217 N. Hamilton St., 487-4630, facebook.com/theultimatebagel Bagels are a breakfast essential, but when transformed into breakfast sandwiches, they ascend to a whole new level. The Ultimate Bagel near Gonzaga serves a variety of bagels that can be enjoyed on their own, or

CHEAP EATS HAPPY HOUR

featured in some of the best breakfast sandwiches in Spokane. You can choose any of their delicious bagels (plain, sesame, poppy seed, garlic, whole wheat, onion, Everything and more) as the base for many sandwich options that feature eggs, cheese and Canadian bacon or sausage. Our favorite is the Zegg, which includes avocado, cheddar, pork sausage and an egg broiled on your choice

of bagel. Don’t forget to pair this meal with a cup of coffee to be fully fueled for the rest of your morning. These sandwiches smell so good you won’t be able to resist eating them on the way home. (SPENCER BROWN)

TASTY BUN: BUNS

$3.50 EACH

829 E. Boone Ave., tastybun.com Located near Gonzaga’s campus, Tasty

Dinner To-Go!

3pm to 6pm & 9pm to close daily

In compliance with the updated “Open Air Seating”, existing sanitation and social distancing guidelines

• Hummus & Chili Grilled Pita $6 90 • MAX Cheese Fries $790 • Flat Top Sliders $890 • Sweet & Spicy Honey Glazed Wings $990 • MAX Draft Beer $390 • $5 select wine by the glass • $6 90 Bloody Mary • $5 House Well Drinks

Located at: Mirabeau Park Hotel • 1100 N Sullivan Rd • Spokane Valley 509.922.6252 • maxatmirabeau.com

22 INLANDER FEBRUARY 18, 2021

Lighter portions of our Cobb salad, chicken and spinach pasta salad, and chicken curry for $7.95 and see what else is in store!

(509) 458-5234 | 421 S Cowley, Spokane | feryscatering.com

Serving the Spokane area for over 30 years!

Bun is the perfect place to stop for a filling, affordable and — most importantly — tasty meal for students or Spokane locals. Tasty bun flavors include: fusion-style pulled pork with caramelized vegetables and spices, sloppy joe, Swedish meatball with gravy, a vegan bun with ginger-infused barley, mushroom, onions and carrots, and, for breakfast sandwich enthusiasts, an egg, bacon, sausage and cheese filled bun. When your tasty bun(s) are ordered, they’re warmed to ensure your fillings of choice encased in the soft, steamed bun are ready to eat. Tasty buns are simple, yet flavorful, and the perfect cozy meal for a chilly winter day. (NATALIE RIETH)

SPOKANE BREAKFAST COMPANY: THE MILE HIGH BURRITO $7.49

315 W. Sprague Ave., 494-4399 Talk about a pivot: When live entertainment was put on hold, the Spokane Comedy Club transformed itself into a milkshake emporium over the summer. And now that the weather has gotten colder, they’ve rechristened themselves again as Spokane Breakfast Company. The menu leans heavily toward breakfast burritos, all of which are available in tortilla-less bowl options and run less than $9, from the taco-inspired Machete to the barbecue saucefilled Lone Ranger. I opted for the Mile High, a mix of cheesy scrambled egg, ham, peppers, onions and hash browns, all tied together with the slight sweetness of salsa verde. Spokane Breakfast Company delivers throughout the day, but it’s a great way to kick off your morning. (NATHAN WEINBENDER)

3 NINJAS CURBSIDE AND CATERING: BBQ QUESADILLA $8

1198 W. Summit Pkwy., 768-3613, facebook.com/mobilespokane 3 Ninjas — a popular Asian fusion food truck — branched out to a brick-and-mortar joint a few years ago, serving up their mix of fire wraps, beef bulgogi tacos and “Buffalo Sandos” from a small spot in Kendall Yards. Blessedly, they’ve remained open during the pandemic, allowing you to swing by and pick up one of my favorite choices, their BBQ quesadilla. It comes stuffed with caramelized onions, bell peppers, candied jalapeños, cheese, sriracha and, of course, barbecue chicken. Perfect for takeout or delivery for when you don’t have time to make lunch. (DANIEL WALTERS)

WELLNESS TREE JUICE: SMOOTHIE BOWL $8

1025 S. Perry St. and 1028 N. Hamilton St., wellnesstreejuice.com After a long workout, or for a healthy way to kickstart your day, a smoothie from Wellness Tree Juice is definitely the way to go. With locations in South Perry and near Gonzaga, Wellness Tree offers several options for those seeking a healthy snack or refresher. While the smoothies taste amazing, the juice bar’s smoothie bowls are the best of both worlds, combining a smoothie base with some extra healthy treats. For just $8 you can pick any smoothie off the menu, add granola and three toppings.

While the combinations are nearly limitless, our favorite is the Healthy Start which has cold brew coffee, peanut butter, oats, banana, date, vanilla bean, honey and cinnamon, creating a caffeine fix inside a full meal. These bowls do a body and your taste buds good for a reasonable cost. (SPENCER BROWN) n

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FEBRUARY 18, 2021 INLANDER 23

r e g Bur e d i u G IN THE

Name another dish more universally revered than the burger. From its humble beginnings as a staple of diners and drive-thrus, the burger is such a part of American cuisine it’s made its way from brown paper bags onto $20 plates in fine dining restaurants. That sheer diversity in price, toppings and the patties themselves — from your basic frozen variety to a deluxe blend of the finest chuck, brisket and sirloin, or even a meat-mimicking plant stand-in — perfectly sums up why we love burgers so. Stopping at the drive-thru late at night for a basic burger topped with American cheese, ketchup and some measly pickles can be just as satisfying as going all out for an award-winning chef’s take featuring Japanese Wagyu beef, aged cheddar and gourmet sauces and condiments. The burger is the quintessential everyone’s meal; it’s comforting, it’s familiar, it’s everywhere, and you can eat one anytime.

THE BACKYARD

west central | backyardspokane.com 509-822-7338 Voted Best Burger in Spokane!

Chef Joe’s Backyard Burger

Barnwood Social

The Backyard Public House has quickly become a favorite watering hole for the West Central and Kendall Yards patrons. With a relaxed, warm, at-home vibe, it’s a hot spot for industry folks enjoying a libation and top-notch pub fare on their days off. Our regulars will tell you this is one of the best meetup spots in town. Chef Joe’s Backyard Burger is built to impress with a 1/2lb of fresh beef locally sourced from NW Cattle Farms, seasoned and grilled to perfection and finished with American cheese, caramelized onion, tomato, live bibb lettuce, and fresh-made daily buns from Alpine Bakery. We can’t wait to meet you at your new favorite hangout!

east SPOKANE | barnwoodsocial.com 509-315-9855 Your new favorite hangout on Spokane’s east side!

Barnwood Classic American

24 INLANDER FEBRUARY 18, 2021

There’s a new king burger in town! Barnwood Social Kitchen and Tavern’s location is an old favorite with new ownership serving the SCC, Hillyard, Dogtown, Northwood, and Beacon Hill communities. And we’re excited to be here! We’ve given our dining room a facelift, and Chef has mastered the menu, providing options for the whole family to enjoy. This American-style burger has all the traditional fixings and comes with a side of Spokane’s best review fry sauce.

Well known for a quick work stop lunch break, Barnwood is an excellent source of local drink specials, featuring the new Brick West Brewing Co., as well as endless entertainment from pull tabs to trivia & bingo nights as well as many other future events to be hosted in our space. Open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner service, Sat & Sun breakfast.

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE INLANDER

 Get the Backyard

Burger for $8 every Monday from 5:00-close!

 Winner of Spokane’s

Best Trivia Night - Look for the comeback soon!

 We have one of the

best business lunches in town - Give us a call!

¾ Weekend breakfast

with one of the best (and biggest) Chicken Fried Steaks in town!

¾ Unique menu with

hits like the “Mac & Cheese Egg Rolls”, and the “Monster Mac Cheeseburger”!

¾ Outdoor patio

opening soon!

charley’s grill & spirits

downtown | charleysgrill.com 509-328-8911

Cheeseburger & Fry Basket With Beverage $7.50

The Zag Burger Swiss Cheese, Hickory Smoked Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, Frizzled Onions, Guacamole & Garlic Aioli.

Established in 1978 Charley’s has been proudly serving Spokane for 43 years. Our “Cheers” ATMOSPHERE features A full-service bar with Happy Hour Specials … $4.00 wells, $6.00 martinis and local craft beer specials from

The Zag Burger

3p-7p….(Sam, Diane, Carla & Woody are watching over us!!!)

Our menu features locally sourced hand-crafted burgers charbroiled to perfection, signature sandwiches, main dish salads and “In House USDA Steak Special” at moderate prices.

cosmic cowboy grill

We serve great PNW beef that is so juicy and flavorful that we had to pair it with a Tuscan bun to hold the whole thing together. Plus, you get to pick your burger side at Cosmic Cowboy Grill so if you want our famous Charred Brussels Sprouts or a half version of our award-winning salads go right ahead.

BLUES BURGER – 1/3 pound PNW beef patty, house-made onion strings, blue cheese, and Cosmic steak sauce on a Tuscan bun.

Blues Burger with house-made onion strings

D. LISH’S HAMBURGERS

NORTH SPOKANE | dlishs.com 509-323-7130

So, what’s so great about D. Lish’s? We’ll tell you!

First and foremost, D. Lish’s burgers are NEVER frozen. Why? Because it tastes better. There’s not even a freezer in the restaurant! Fresh beef, fresh veggies, made-to-order fries... it’s a difference you really can taste. Secondly, our sauces and signature D. Lish’s seasoning are all made in-house each day. Our ‘Special Sauce,’ tartar, and ranch are meticulously handmade the same way they have been since 1998. Next time you’re craving a burger, don’t settle. Upgrade to a D. Lish’s burger and taste the difference.

DOWNTOWN SPOKANE | durkinsliquorbar.com 509-863-9501 A natty upscale diner with an intimate basement bar…

From the restaurateur family who brought Spokane Casper Fry and Madeleine’s Cafe, Durkin’s is named after early Spokane liquor tycoon Jimmy Durkin. A curated menu of small plates, salads, sandwiches and traditional plates, complimented by a refined selection of craft cocktails, drafts and wine.

Widely proclaimed as one of the best burgers in the region, the Durkin’s Burger ($16), features two 4 oz. Ground Chuck Patties, Durkin’s Cheese, Shaved Pickles, Red Onion, Dill Mayo, House Bun, Fries & Aioli.

Durkin’s Burger

Fries & Beverages To Go $28.00

 6 oz USDA Sirloin,

Texas Toast & two sides Special $15.00

 99¢ 10 Barrell

Pub Beer with food purchase

 Pair your burger with any of our gourmet sides

 Beyond Burger

meatless patties and gluten free buns available.

¾ ALWAYS fresh, never frozen!

D. Lish’s Double - Double Meat, Double Cheese, All Flavor!

DURKIN’S LIQUOR BAR

 Four 1978 Burgers,

coeur d’alene | cosmiccowboy.com 208-277-0000

BURGER MONDAY: Any burger for $9.50 after 3PM on Mondays.

D. Lish’s Double

 Original 1978

¾ Family-owned local

favorite since 1998!

¾ The ONLY ‘half-fast’ food restaurant in town!

 Open Tuesday-Saturday  Open for take-out and curbside pickup: Place Order: 3-8 pm Pick-up Order: 4-8 pm

 Dine-In hours: 4-8pm Tuesday-Thursday, 4-9pm Saturday.

Limited Seating

$4 Add-On Bacon. $1.50 Add-On Egg. ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE INLANDER

FEBRUARY 18, 2021 INLANDER 25

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

NORTH SPOKANE | 509-928-2921 Spokane Valley | 509-927-2840 www.fiveguys.com

Over 250,000 ways to make a Burger.

Five Guys serves well done, juicy burgers. Every item is fresh and handprepped daily. There are no freezers at Five Guys so nothing is ever frozen.

Customize it your way and enjoy a great burger at Five Guys.

 Customizable

Milkshakes! Try a Strawberry Cream, or Chocolate Banana Milkshake today.

 Everything is made to order.

 Flavorful burgers and hand cut fries.

Best place for Burgers - Five Guys

INCREDIBURGER & EGGS

DOWNTOWN SPOKANE | incrediburgerandeggs.com 509-443-4215

for all ages

The most love you’ll find between two buns!

It’s OK if you fall in love with our burgers. Dude, we get it. We put a lot of love into our handpressed burgers, egg sandwiches, fries, tots and adult beverages — all made with as many locally sourced ingredients as possible. So your beef crush makes sense.

The Twins

LAGUNA CAFE

 Incredishakes

SOUTH HILL - SPOKANE | restaurantsspokanewa.com 509-448-0887

 Boozy Shakes for adults 21+

 10 Beer taps  Breakfast served all day  Salads  Poutine  Vegetarian options  Cocktails, Beer, Wine available To Go

It’s topped with Provolone cheese, bacon, pesto aioli, avocado, lettuce, tomato. Very California!

 Appetizers To Go, try our

We invite you to experience our stylish and comfortable atmosphere. Enjoy meals on our patio — a fun place to sit and soak up some sun, or talk and laugh the night away with family and friends. Serving lunch and dinner daily.

 Six layer Dark Chocolate

Laguna Shrooms

Cake and other Desserts To Go

You bring the conversation, we take care of everything else.

Laguna Burger with Seaside fries & baby green salad

Poole’s Public House

NORTH SPOKANE | 509-413-1834 poolespublichouse.com SOUTH HILL | 509-368-9760

Poole’s Burgers are ½ Pounders!

We serve 100% locally-sourced Cattle Company beef brisket blend! This is definitely not the standard 1/4-pounder other restaurants serve! You can substitute Chicken Breast or Veggie Patty at no extra charge. Served with any of our sides and your choice of Brioche or Sourdough bun. Make it a full pounder for $3.50 extra. Holy cow!

Scottie’s Favorite Hottie

26 INLANDER FEBRUARY 18, 2021

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 Happy Hour:

Half-Off ALL alcoholic beverages from 3-5pm Monday through Friday!

 Saturday and Sunday

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Bloody Mary’s and Mimosas are just $4!

remedy kitchen & Tavern

South Hill | remedycrc.com 509-443-3730

 Rooftop patio opening

Elevated, wood fire bistro on the South Hill!

Remedy’s Brick Oven Bistro Burger

A juicy, handmade, cooked-to-order Angus ground chuck patty with fresh locally sourced ingredients... Throw in a touch of wood fired flame for that brick oven flavor and you have this incredible American classic! There is only one Remedy when you’re looking for the best meal on the South Hill. Providing tremendous provisions, elevated cocktails, extensive wine options and a great selection of rotating craft draft beers for the South Hill community -- including family-friendly options -- Remedy is guaranteed to have a new favorite dish for everyone. We look forward to seeing you soon. Come check out the rooftop patio! Open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner, breakfast on Sat & Sun.

Roger’s Ice Cream & burgers

CoEUr D’Alene, ID

CoEUr D’Alene, ID

Post Falls, ID

1224 E. Sherman Ave. 2420 Government Way 403 N. Spokane St.

208-930-4900

208-930-4274

208-773-6532

Fresh, Nostalgic, American Comfort Food.

Rogers Ice Cream and Burgers is a local family owned fast casual restaurant. Everything at Roger’s is made to order from scratch the old fashioned way.

Roger’s Made to Order Double D Burger

Our burgers are made with fresh 100% Country Natural Beef. It is a local coop of Pacific Northwest Ranchers & 3rd party GAP certified to be naturally & sustainably raised with no antibiotics or hormones ever. Our homemade french fries and kettle chips are hand cut daily from Idaho potatoes and fried in rice bran oil.

HAYDEN, ID 8833 Hess St. 208-772-6205

RogersIceCreamBurgers.com

soon for sunshine sipping and weekend brunch!

 Private banquet space and catering available for any event!

 24 Rotating taps to

keep your thirst quench with all the best local drafts!

Established in 1940.

Over 17 flavors of hand-dipped ice cream plus old-fashioned shakes and malts in any flavor.

Seven Time Winner of Inlander’s Best Of Reader’s Poll!

ice cream

8

& burgers 9

south hill grill

south SPOKANE | SouthHillGrill.com 509-536-4745

Monday - Sunday

South Hill’s Hidden Gem! Come to South Hill Grill for breakfast, lunch, happy hour and dinner. Our diverse menu satisfies every taste, from American classics, like burgers and tots to the freshest sushi on the South Hill!

It’s like two amazing restaurants in one! Visit us at 2808 E. 29th Avenue.

Jalapeño Poppin Burger

 Open 8am to 9pm

JALAPENO POPPIN BURGER Fresh, hand-pressed half pound patty. Comes with bacon, pepperjack cheese, pickled jalapenos, red onions, tomatoes, lettuce and garlic aioli on a brioche bun, topped with a jalapeno popper.

THREE PEAKS KITCHEN + BAR

AIRWAY HEIGHTS | spokanetribecasino.com/dining 877-786-9467

Your Favorite Meal Is Waiting!

OPEN 11AM – CLOSE We’re grilling up all your scratch-made favorites at Three Peaks Kitchen + Bar! Whether you’re craving a juicy burger with fries or all your favorite brunch selections like huckleberry pancakes or a fresh-cooked omelet, we’ve got something to satisfy your appetite! Plus, draft beers are only $2, all day, every day.

All promotions exclusive of tax and gratuity.

 Prime Rib Dinner served Saturday and Sunday starting at 4:30pm.

 Monday - Thursday

Daily Specials. New appetizers and entrees featured weekly.

 Happy Hour Nightly $2 Drafts, All Day, Every Day.

 Daily Lunch Specials  Large patio for dining outside.

 Family-friendly with

kids’ menu available.

Hickory Burger ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE INLANDER

FEBRUARY 18, 2021 INLANDER 27

VISUAL ARTS

DARK COLORS

Takuichi Fujii’s Self Portrait, 1935

New MAC exhibit reflects on one of America’s darkest chapters through the work of artist Takuichi Fujii

BY NATALIE RIETH

P

ainted with brushstroke layers of red, orange, yellow and green, and defined with black outlining, Takuichi Fujii’s vibrant watercolor illustrates a confined bus setting. The painting is simple in design, yet profound in emotion, as passengers express a collective sense of exhaustion, fear and uncertainty. The heavy artistry of Fujii’s painting marks a pivotal life event: the beginning of three years of incarceration.

The Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture is now showcasing Witness to Wartime: The Painted Diary of Takuichi

28 INLANDER FEBRUARY 18, 2021

Fujii. The new exhibit highlights the illustrated diary of Japanese artist Takuichi Fujii, created during his three years spent in an incarceration camp in southern Idaho.

Witness to Wartime is a traveling exhibit organized by Curatorial Assistance Traveling Exhibitions and originally curated by Barbara Johns, art historian, curator and author of The Hope of Another Spring: Takuichi Fujii, Artist and Wartime Witness.

Fujii details sketches of daily camp routines and activities, and the exhibit displays Fujii’s diary for visitors to

observe, and provides a visual slideshow, allowing those viewing to feel as if they are personally flipping through the pages of his thoughts, descriptions and illustrations.

“That’s his vocabulary, his thoughts, his pictures and his sketches, and he was loyal to it,” says Valerie Wahl, MAC collections curator. “It becomes this really unique and touching personal account of what happened and what it was like to be someone in that situation during the uncertainty of the World War.” Fujii eventually reproduced and developed his

memories in over 130 watercolors, painted in natural, earth-toned colors. Fujii’s watercolors capture landscape views, personal experiences and daily life spent in the camp.

Although a majority of the exhibit consists of Fujii’s watercolors, Witness to Wartime also features oil paintings completed before his internment, sculptures and abstract expressionist paintings, a style he had experimented with toward the end of his life and career.

Beyond viewing the diary and Fujii’s entries, Wahl suggested that those viewing with a fast pace or limited time frame should direct their attention toward Fujii’s watercolors. She says that absorbing visual elements of his watercolors alongside each diarybased description is an integral objective of the exhibit.

“I am particularly drawn to some of the landscapes,” Wahl says. “In the diary he talks about feelings of fear and anxiety, and as I look at the images and read his words it is really easy to imagine what it would be like to be in this unfamiliar, but also stark and barren, [scene of life]. They are really out there in the middle of nowhere; he compared it at one point to being in the Pacific Ocean.”

Original curator Johns says Fujii’s oil paintings are another important element of Witness to Wartime.

+

Puyallup, orders from General DeWitt (1 of 4 versions) “The few oil paintings from the 1930s give a quick picture, if one wants to go quickly, of what he was doing,” Johns says. “I think those drawings begin to give the characterization of Fujii’s intent, characterization of the drawing, a lot of watercolors then replicate images.”

For those interested in Fujii’s work beyond his years in incarceration, Witness to Wartime displays his experimentation with abstraction, including a series of abstract expressionist paintings in which he utilized striking black and white gestures.

An important theme of Witness to Wartime is the relevance Fujii’s diary and artwork holds in America today. On the exhibit wall, a stenciled caption titled “Words Matter” informs viewers of the importance of refraining from descriptions such as “evacuation,” “assembly” and “relocation,” and opting for the word “incarceration,” as it most accurately represents conditions experienced by Fujii and other Japanese Americans.

“These people were Americans, and they were incarcerated based on their race, not anything else,” says Wahl. “In current times it seems like a bit of a cautionary tale to look at history and not want to do things that we regret later, because I think this an embarrassing chapter in American history.” n

Find National and International News on inlander.com every day, now powered by The New York Times

Witness to Wartime: The Painted Diary of Takuichi Fujii • Through May 16 • Monday-Sunday 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. • Ticket purchase required in advance, $15 adults • Visit northwestmuseum.org/exhibitions/current-exhibitions for more information.

FEBRUARY 18, 2021 INLANDER 29

CULTURE | DIGEST

Board Game Bonanza AMERICAN HUSTLE I love a good fraud story, and the new docuseries The Lady and the Dale tells a whale of a tale that gradually reveals unexpected complexities. It centers on Liz Carmichael, who rose to prominence in the midst of the 1973 oil crisis with the prototype of an eco-friendly, three-wheeled car that she swore would revolutionize the auto industry. But the so-called Dale turned out to be the latest in a string of Carmichael’s grifts — although she never stopped claiming that the car was legit — and filmmakers Nick Cammilleri and Zackary Drucker entertainingly unpack her dubious career while sensitively exploring her role as a trans woman in the public eye. All four episodes are now streaming on HBO Max. (NATHAN WEINBENDER)

D

BY CHEY SCOTT

uring a much-needed break over the holidays, my partner Will and I committed to playing one new board game a day. It was a welcome break from screen time, and we’d received several new titles as gifts, many released this past year. In this golden age of tabletop games, these are my top three recommendations for your next game night.

THE ISLE OF CATS By far my favorite on this list, The Isle of Cats is a mustplay for all cat lovers like myself, and those who simply enjoy artistic, smartly designed games. Across five rounds, two to four players (there’s also a solo mode, and an expansion for up to six) are tasked with rescuing colorful cats from a mysterious island before the evil conqueror Lord Vesh arrives. Using resource cards drafted at the beginning of each round, players lure cats to their boats and must then group them, Tetris-style, while aiming to complete the game’s point-scoring objectives. An easier “family mode” cuts out some of the more complex mechanics to appeal to young and casual gamers.

THE BUZZ BIN

THIS WEEK’S PLAYLIST There’s noteworthy new music arriving in stores and online Feb. 19. To wit: THE HOLD STEADY, Open Door Policy.

One of America’s best bands, and the songs revealed so far are solid.

MOGWAI, As The Love Continues. If dreamy soundscapes are your thing, Mogwai has your jams.

TASH SULTANA, Terra Firma. The Aussie artist can play more than 20 instruments, and they took over festival stages after their first album came out. This sophomore effort shouldn’t disappoint. (DAN NAILEN)

30 INLANDER FEBRUARY 18, 2021

DUNE: IMPERIUM Get hyped for Dune’s forthcoming film adaptation from Denis Villanueve with this incredibly flavorful strategy board game set in the world of Frank Herbert’s seminal sci-fi saga. Through a combination of deck building and worker placement, players lead one of the Great Houses of the Landsraad and set out to build political alliances, dispatch “agents” to outwit their rivals in politics and battle, and, of course, harvest spice, all to score victory points. At a glance, this game looks complicated, but Dune: Imperium’s mechanics are precise and sleek. For those wondering, the upcoming film’s cast are depicted on their character cards.

THE CREW: THE QUEST FOR PLANET NINE At its core, The Crew is a simple trick-taking game; players play cards from their hand to try to win “tricks” based on a set of rules or goals, like in Bridge, Spades or Hearts. But there are two big twists: The Crew is cooperative, but you can’t talk to each other. Playing as astronauts across a series of 50 mini-missions, The Crew is all about timing, as each mission specifies which tricks need to be won first, second or last, and sometimes by which individual player. Missions increase in difficulty as the game progresses, yet during each one, players have a single opportunity to share information by revealing one card from their hand to help the team complete the task at hand. Sometimes frustratingly challenging, other times deceptively easy, The Crew is a great pick-up-andplay game that can be replayed over and over. n

SWEET SOUNDS If you’ve ever loved a harmony-rich group — whether your era is Jackson Five, New Edition, Backstreet Boys or BTS — consider music doc Streetlight Harmonies a mustsee. Streaming on Amazon Prime, the 2020 film dives deep into ’50s-era doo wop music, and explores both its roots in slave fields and gospel tents and its influence on future pop stars like Justin Timberlake and En Vogue.

Interviews with an impressive array of originators and some incredible archival footage will have you delving into artists like Little Anthony and the Imperials and the Drifters before the end credits roll. (DAN NAILEN)

WILLIE’S WISDOM I started reading Me and Sister Bobbie: True Tales of the Family Band expecting lighthearted tales of music-biz debauchery courtesy of Willie Nelson and his sister (and longtime piano player) Bobbie. Instead, the book is much deeper, a meditation on family courtesy of musical soulmates raised in poverty in rural Texas. The Nelsons explore religion and spirituality, romantic love, and the trials of making a living as a musician. Of course there’s plenty of laughs, too, whether explaining Willie’s only LSD trip or the reason he had to fire a gun at an obnoxious relative at a family barbecue. And both write insightfully about the power of music in a way fans of any genre can enjoy. (DAN NAILEN)

FESTIVAL DU FRAN Fran Lebowitz isn’t on Twitter — in fact, she doesn’t have a computer or a smartphone — but she’d certainly be a master of the form. Look no further than Pretend It’s a City, a sevenepisode series on Netflix. It’s a showcase for the irascible writer’s withering observations about so many things: art, literature, education, politics, feminism, society’s ills and inconsistencies, and the pleasures and perils of living in the Big Apple. Directed by fellow New York icon Martin Scorsese, who previously profiled Lebowitz in 2010’s Public Speaking (and who spends most of the series just out of frame, cackling at his friend’s witticisms), the show is a breezy monument to a prickly public figure. (NATHAN WEINBENDER)

CULTURE | WORDS

Thug Life My first time… watching action monstrosity The Expendables

BY DAN NAILEN

T

here was a period during the 1980s when the movie business was utterly dominated by action flicks and and dude-heavy audiences that loved

them.

Seemingly every weekend saw the arrival of another explosive entry to the filmographies of Sylvester Stallone or Arnold Schwarzenegger or Bruce Willis. If it wasn’t one of the A-listers, it was the B-team putting out flicks that passed through theaters quickly but set up shop on cable for years: Chuck Norris, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Charles Bronson. Yes, it was a very pale genre in addition to being male-centric, save for the occasional Eddie Murphy comedy-action entry like 48 Hours.

If you were someone who loved big booms, destructive car chases and ridiculously over-the-top gunplay, it was a great time to be alive. And if you were too young to realize how low-key (or blatantly) racist, sexist and otherwise asinine plot-wise most of the movies were, all the better! It takes a certain baseline of maturity to learn these things, and figure out that dialogue like “Why don’t you stick around?” — delivered while impaling an extra to a tree — is not really that funny.

I was a teenager in the ’80s and firmly in the demographic ready to eat up however many sequels of Mad Max or The Terminator the Hollywood powers wanted to serve up. By the end of the decade, though, I was heading to college, and my tastes were shifting toward more artsy fare and indie flicks, camp classics and genuine ones. Most of the action stars of the era saw their stars dim in the ’90s and beyond, or they shifted into more “serious” roles like becoming governor of California.

Stallone in particular kept churning out action mov-

The Expendables take their action with extra cheese. ies even as his audiences waned, filling his resume with flotsam like Demolition Man and Daylight. Eleven years ago, though, Stallone came up with an idea so simple it’s kind of genius: Why not pack as many old action stars and as many younger action leads as he could muster into one movie? Separately, movies of his ilk weren’t doing that great, but if you packed as many famous faces into 90 minutes as you did creative killings, maybe you’d have something.

It totally worked. The movie Stallone directed and co-wrote was The Expendables, a throwback co-starring next-generation (to Stallone at least) action stars Jet Li and Jason Statham. And Stallone’s Rocky IV foe Dolph Lundgren and a semi-lucid Mickey Rourke. And UFC star Randy Couture and pro wrestler “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. And Terry Crews and Eric Roberts. And, secretly at the time, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis.

There was a time in my life when I would never miss such a movie, and yet I did 11 years ago. This despite The Expendables being a legit box-office hit in 2010, earning more than $100 million in the U.S. and more than a quarter-billion dollars worldwide, spawning two sequels.

I recently sat down to watch The Expendables to see if I could rekindle a love for big, dumb, superhero-free action movies, and if Stallone’s late-career effort held up to “classics” like Cobra and Tango & Cash. (OK, if not classics, at least we can agree they’re fun viewing? Anyone?

Bueller?)

It starts with some promise as gang leader Barney Ross leads his team of mercenaries on a mission to save some hostages from Somali pirates. Yes, Stallone beat Tom Hanks to a pirate movie by two years. His crew includes characters with names like Yin Yang (Li), Hale Caesar (Crews) and Toll Road (Couture). There’s the requisite gunplay and quick quips to let us know this crew 1) means business when it comes to kicking ass, and 2) is thick as thieves, able to crack wise on each other’s personal predilections.

The team flies away from their successful mission in a plane piloted by Stallone and Statham and marked with Global Wildlife Conservancy labels. Nice cover for a bunch of hired killers! They reconnect back home in New Orleans (and that city has never played less of

a role in a movie than this one) at the tattoo shop of a guy named Tool (Mickey Rourke at his Mickey Rourkeiest, all mumbles and ripped shirts and stringy hair. Of course there’s a woman half his age draped all over him.

Sigh). Soon they’re hired by a mysterious rich guy named Church (Willis) to head to Vilena, an island in the Gulf of Mexico, and find out what an American named James Munroe (Eric Roberts) is doing monkeying in the local politics.

It turns out Munroe is ex-CIA using the local army to protect his cocaine operation, and Church is current CIA using the Expendables to do his dirty work and kill the rogue Roberts, who just oozes sleaze as only he can, delivering lines like “being rich is very good. It allows people to be the real asswipes nature intended them to be.” If you’ve ever wondered what “chew the scenery means,” watch an Eric Roberts performance.

Most of the movie is the big showdown between the Expendables and the island’s army, and there’s at least some creativity in the action sequences. At one point, Terry Crews throws a small bomb in the air, and Stallone shoots it with a rifle in the perfect spot to send it flying to destroy a helicopter. Another scene has the team dumping fuel from their plane on a soldier-covered dock, then firing a flare to ignite an inferno of torched extras.

Everyone gets a scene or two to do what they do best. For Li it’s martial arts. For Couture and Austin it’s hand-to-hand combat. For Stallone it’s being the hero in charge (did I mention he wrote and directed the movie?).

All the action is set to a soundtrack of classic rock like Creedence Clearwater Revival and Mountain, the two female characters are the very definition of the movie’s title, and the politics are confusing for sure. The main takeaway is both the CIA and the ex-CIA dudes are bad.

So why did so many Brown soldiers on the island have to die?

Silly question, I know. It’s because in these types of action movies, a lot of people need to be shot, torched, blown up, beheaded or otherwise incapacitated to keep us watching. And I did keep watching, through all 103 minutes. Did I watch the sequels? No. But if you enjoyed the cheesy action flicks of yesteryear, you could do worse than watching the Expendables sometime. n

FEBRUARY 18, 2021 INLANDER 31

A honeysuckle rose latte (left) Marooned cocktail jar (back) and a Rind & Wheat jalapeño cheese scone, pink madeline and jalapeño cheese danish at Hey Y’all.

COVID-19

Perpetual Pivots With dining regulations in constant flux, business owners and chefs are getting creative to reach customers

BY CHEY SCOTT 32 INLANDER FEBRUARY 18, 2021

L

il’ Sumthin’ Saloon, a tiny, Westernthemed cocktail bar in downtown Spokane, celebrated its grand opening on New Year’s Eve 2019.

COVID-19 shut down the U.S. economy just three months later.

At the time, mid-March 2020, owner Kryston Skinner and her partner Austin Estrada thought they’d be closed for just a few weeks and soon back behind the bar. Skinner remembers thinking it would actually be a welcome break after their successful and busy debut.

Almost six months later, however, in early September, Lil’ Sumthin’ was still closed and unable to open because the bar didn’t sell food.

So the couple pivoted, adding gourmet hot dogs and pre-made cocktails to their to-go-only menu. The bar’s size is too small to justify opening at limited capacity.

Now, nearly a year after the initial pan-

YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

demic shutdown, Skinner and Estrada have reinvented the business again for what’s now its third iteration. Earlier this month, they rebranded and reopened as Hey Y’all, a coffee shop that also offers art, gift items and cocktails to go. At this point, they’re not sure if Lil Sumthin’ will return to its initial, pre-COVID format. There are too many unknowns at play.

“The to-go cocktails didn’t work for us,” Skinner says. “I don’t feel like it’s a market in Spokane, and even as a consumer myself, I want to get out of the house. Don’t get me wrong, I love the option of drinking at home and having drinks delivered, but I want to create an in-person experience in a safe way.”

The financial losses that Lil’ Sumthin’ accrued during those months of to-go-only sales, paired with last spring’s complete two-month shutdown, proved to be an untenable long-term option. ...continued on page 34

Take out, and take 20% off.

Every STCU credit card comes with Passport Unlimited® for instant savings at restaurants and other businesses. Use your card to pay, and get 20% off takeout orders at many local restaurants.

Passport works for you. Apply for your card and find participating merchants at stcu.org/passport.*

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FEBRUARY 18, 2021 INLANDER 33

FOOD | COVID-19

Chef Tony Brown is incorporating meal kits and grab-and-go items into his business model.

YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

“PERPETUAL PIVOTS,” CONTINUED...

“This gives us a chance to flex more with creativity and expression, reinventing the whole thing and starting over, making Hey Y’all more art-centric,” Estrada says.

F

requent business model shifts due to ever-changing restrictions on public gatherings have become commonplace among the region’s independently owned restaurants and bars this past year.

Late last week, Gov. Jay Inslee announced that most of the state, including the Eastern Washington region, would move to Phase 2. The change was welcome news to most restaurants, which can now serve customers indoors at 25 percent capacity with other safety practices in place. But with only a few days to prepare, food service workers were again scrambling, while others opted to further postpone reopening because a quarter of normal operations is not cost-effective.

One of those operators on the fence about reopening some of his establishments is chef Tony Brown.

Brown just finished tearing out the 20-foot mahogany bar inside his creative upscale spot Eyvind, which opened in late 2019. He’s swapping out the bar for a row of deli cases.

“It’s going to be kind of grab-and-go. I’ll be doing salads, sandwiches, pastas and whatever, but I’m also going to experiment, and we’ll have a menu of available meal kits,” Brown says.

The first meal-kit recipes are for roasted chicken with harissa and Persian rice, bucatini carbonara, and kimchi fried rice. Customers can find updates on new menu items and ordering by following Brown’s restaurants (Hunt, Eyvind, Ruins, Stella’s Cafe) on social media and online at ruinstogo.com.

34 INLANDER FEBRUARY 18, 2021

Meanwhile, at the much smaller Ruins, Brown’s sister-in-law is setting up a pop-up-style vintage clothing shop in the dining room, since 25 percent capacity of that space would only allow nine diners at once. Ruins’ kitchen will remain open to serve grab-and-go food.

For Brown, the challenges have him thinking far beyond merely surviving until life can return to a semblance of normal.

“We’ve now had time to think about what we want to do moving forward,” he says. “Some of us have been doing this for a long time, and have had time to think about making things more personalized and streamlined. I’m doing this so I can have a bit more control over the food, and over labor. If this works, it’s kind of ideal for me. I’ve kind of always wanted to stand behind a deli case and wear a little paper hat. I like explaining and talking about what I do.”

While he can’t yet say if Eyvind’s new format will be permanent, Brown is concerned that many people who’ve not dined out for a whole year will exit the pandemic with new habits.

“Once we’re open full bore, masks to the wind, I think there are going to be a lot of people who are like ‘We saved $300 this month because we didn’t eat out as much, and we like to sit around and cook,’ which is great,” he says. “But how do I reach out and grab those people because now they’re no longer coming out once or twice a week to my restaurant?”

B

ig changes during the coronavirus also materialized for another local culinary professional who recently left his post as executive chef to launch a food truck.

Chef Steve Jensen gave notice to Hotel Indigo’s Magnolia American Brasserie last week and is getting ready to debut his new project, Borderless Kitchen and Coffee, in the next two months.

“I helped get Magnolia up and running, but we were only open for four of the last 12 months,” Jensen says.

“I’ve always wanted to do my own thing, and to be my own boss, and with all this extra time on my hands I started looking into all the different options.”

Jensen settled on a food truck for its flexibility and somewhat “pandemic-proof” operating model. He plans to serve a concise, rotating menu of globally inspired cuisine that includes everything from Cajun-style andouille sausage rolls and bao buns to Philly cheesesteaks and teriyaki bowls.

“I want to have things from all over the world and the country,” he says. “It’s all kind of street-food themed but done in my own style, and all from scratch, making it a little more special but keeping it super affordable in the $8 to $15 range.”

Jensen plans to use the venture to give back to the community by supporting local nonprofits Big Table Spokane and the Jonah Project. He’s also looking forward to the flexibility that comes with being a mobile kitchen, and setting his own hours so he can spend more time with his fiancee and two young sons.

“This is something I’ve thought about before a bunch of times, but I never had the time to put a lot of energy and research into it because I’ve worked so much the last 16 years,” Jensen says. “This is a way I can help take care of my family and keep doing what I love, but not worry about having a dining room and restrictions.” n cheys@inlander.com

FOOD | TO-GO BOX

Cue Phase 2 Eastern Washington restaurants move to 25 percent indoors, plus some new spots in North Idaho

BY CARRIE SCOZZARO AND CHEY SCOTT

W

ashington Gov. Jay Inslee announced last week that most of the state would, as of Sunday, Feb. 14, move to Phase 2 of the Healthy Washington reopening plan. Among the five regions to advance for meeting at least three of the four statetracked metrics on COVID-19 transmission and hospitalization is the nine-county East region that includes Spokane, Stevens, Pend Oreille and Whitman counties.

The change means restaurants and bars serving food can now seat customers indoors at 25 percent capacity, in addition to seating guests at that rate on patios and in other approved outdoor structures. Other rules stipulate that alcohol sales end at 11 pm and tables can seat no more than six people from up to two households. Restaurants must continue to follow other elevated guidelines for sanitation, table spacing and mask wearing among staff and guests; the latter must wear masks when not actively eating or drinking.

After the announcement, several local eateries took to social media to share that they were finally reopening after lengthy closures, including some closed since November and others even longer.

Among those returning is CASPER FRY in South Perry. After an 11-month hiatus the Southern-inspired restaurant is easing back in with two pop-up dinners on Feb. 19 and 26 before opening its dining room and debuting a new menu March 4. Another is OLD EUROPEAN, which has been closed since mid-November but reopened this week with a limited menu for dine-in and takeout.

(CHEY SCOTT)

VERACI IS NOW VERSALIA PIZZA

Don’t be confused when you see the new name and logo for Kendall Yards’ wood-fired, Neapolitan-style pizza spot — it’s still serving up the same great thin-crust pies so many know and love. What was formerly Veraci Pizza is now Versalia Pizza — a change made to distinguish it from Veraci’s original Seattle location, which remains open but is no longer connected to the Spokane spot.

In a post announcing the change, Versalia owners Seth and Laura Carey wrote: “Our new name is 100-percent family-related and contains the initials of each one of our family members. This business has always been a big part of our family, and now we are all represented in the name.”

The couple say they don’t plan to make any major changes to the restaurant’s popular menu of pizzas (long live the Brussels and bacon!) and other Italian-inspired eats. The restaurant’s accompanying mobile pizza oven also remains part of the Spokane brand. The cart’s summer 2021 farmers market schedule has also been posted at versaliapizza.com. Under the newly announced Phase 2 guidelines for Eastern Washington, Versalia is open for limited indoor dining and continues to offer delivery and takeout. (CHEY SCOTT)

NEW TO NOSH IN NORTH IDAHO

Same cup, different drink. Before it was CK Barrel Room, the cozy space adjacent to Collective Kitchen

Different name, same delicious pie: Veraci is now Versalia Pizza.

Public House in Coeur d’Alene was The Filling Station on Fifth. Seating a dozen patrons and featuring a modest selection of local and regional wines and craft beer, CK Barrel Room is the latest iteration from chef-owner Jason Rex, whose kitchen turns out the treats served in the barrel room.

Look for $15 flights and weekly specials on bevs and bites like charcuterie, bacon-wrapped figs, crab cakes and Brussels sprout hash.

After Rokkos Teriyaki moved out of Coeur d’Alene’s Riverstone complex (it’s now downtown at 322 E. Sherman Ave.), PHO LE 1 moved in. Located at 2360 N. Old Mill Loop, Pho Le replaced the space’s red walls and monster graphics with white-on-white and light colors, potted plants, and a casual, upscale interior.

The menu features traditional beef pho, like the special combination with tendon, tripe, meatball and rare beef in a fragrant broth, or try a variation called hu tieu made with rich pork broth (versus beef or chicken).

Hearty entrees include com tam dishes of steamed “broken rice,” or fragments of long-grain jasmine rice, all

YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

accompanied by some kind of savory meat protein like shredded pork or beef spareribs. Teriyaki and vermicelli dishes, fried rice, and a few specials round out the menu.

Things are looking up for the couple who recently expanded their popular southern Idaho steakhouse to the Panhandle. TETON HOUSE POST FALLS is owners Leo Hancock and Danielle Dexter’s third run as restaurateurs after opening Teton House in Menan, Idaho, followed by a short-lived sister place in Blackfoot, Idaho. Teton House replaces the former Post Falls Steakhouse (prior to that it was Moon Dollars) with a meatand seafood-forward menu found in classic American steakhouses.

Standard menu items include mouth-watering prime rib, a smoked chicken sandwich, and fish and chips, plus daily specials like king crab legs and bacon-wrapped prawns. Bonus: Sunday brunch — eggs benedict, bread pudding French toast, steak and eggs — and full bar because sometimes a bloody mary is what’s called for.

(CARRIE SCOZZARO) n

FEBRUARY 18, 2021 INLANDER 35

REVIEW

LOST IN AMERICA

Frances McDormand finds her home on the road in Chloé Zhao’s low-key masterpiece Nomadland

BY NATHAN WEINBENDER

C

hloé Zhao’s Nomadland is a film of small moments set against the vast expanse of the American West, where people who feel abandoned by conventional society have created their own self-contained, always roaming communities. It isn’t really an epic, at least in the traditional sense of the word, but it feels like one, and it’s dealing with themes of displacement and aimlessness that are a distinct part of this country’s DNA. This is Zhao’s third feature, following 2015’s Songs My Brothers Taught Me and 2017’s The Rider, and they form a remarkable triptych of stories about people on the fringes. In adapting a nonfiction book by Jessica Bruder, Zhao seamlessly merges documentary-like authenticity with scripted drama, here putting award-winning actors like Frances McDormand and David Strathairn alongside real people with no acting experience. It’s the kind of approach that could go wrong in so many different ways, but it never feels like an exercise in dramatic manipula-

36 INLANDER FEBRUARY 18, 2021

tion or cheap exploitation.

McDormand plays Fern, who we first meet as she’s picking through boxes in a storage unit, leaving most of the contents behind. She’s childless, her husband has died, and she has moved out of a Nevada town that was decimated when its manufacturing plant shut down. Even its zip code no longer exists. She works at an Amazon warehouse during the Christmas rush but moves around the rest of the year, living out of a van that she’s retrofitted into a home on wheels.

The movie doesn’t follow a clear-cut narrative arc, instead unfolding like a series of vignettes as Fern bounces from one short-term job to another and bumps into other wanderers along the way. She works at a roadside shop that sells rocks and gems, in the kitchen at Wall Drug in South Dakota, on the maintenance staff of a campground.

Strathairn is the only other recognizable actor in the film, playing a man who is also traveling alone and who has

clearly fallen in love with Fern. But she holds him at arm’s length, even when he decides to give up the nomad existence and invites her to finally settle down with him.

What’s perhaps most subversive about Nomadland is that it never treats Fern’s itinerancy as a coping mechanism for the tragedies in her past, or as a pathology to be cured. The movie resists the easy narrative route of giving her a stable home and a conventional love interest as a means of somehow fixing any of her perceived problems. There is a sadness at the core of the film, and the sense that the American economy has left behind so many capable and hardworking people. But Fern also encounters beauty and compassion and genuine friendship on the road. She’s a wanderer, either by nature or by circumstance, and that’s what ultimately gives her peace.

There aren’t many working actors as unfussy as McDormand is on-screen, and there’s never a moment where we don’t completely believe the person we’re look-

ing at is completely authentic. So much of the film involves her simply listening to other peoples’ stories, with Zhao’s camera holding on McDormand’s face as these folks who have become her support system talk about the losses and challenges that inspired them to embrace the so-called itinerant lifestyle.

Nearly every scene in Nomadland has the immediacy and spontaneity of real life. We look on as Fern and two of her friends go to an RV show and walk through motorhomes that are mansions compared to their cramped domiciles. When one of their fellow nomads dies, everyone stands around a campfire and throws rocks into it, a symbolic gesture of remembrance. A box of Fern’s old dishware gets broken, and we see remnants of her past life in a pile, shattered on the ground. The film also deals with the nittygritty details of living on the road — how to cook and sleep and go to the bathroom in a van, and what happens when you’re in the middle of nowhere and have a flat tire or a medical emergency.

NOMADLAND

Rated R Directed by Chloé Zhao Starring Frances McDormand, David Strathairn Streaming on Hulu Feb. 19

Nomadland is also incredibly perceptive about the nature of time and chance, how someone you might brush past without a thought can one day become a major player. But it’s about so much more — about economic anxiety, about people relying on the land and on each other, about the complicated process of grief.

Fern has found herself on a never-ending road, a rural cul-de-sac that she just keeps circling, and that seems to be the reality for so many people in our country. And yet they’re not totally hopeless. The film may be set in the campgrounds, trailer parks and truck stops that have long been symbols of lost souls and dead ends, but in this film, they also represent a certain kind of freedom. n

A weekly email for food lovers Subscribe at Inlander.com/newsletter FEBRUARY 18, 2021 INLANDER 37

ROUNDUP

Listening Ahead From Lorde to Willie Nelson, we pick some of our most anticipated album releases of 2021

BY DAN NAILEN & NATHAN WEINBENDER

Willie Nelson’s That’s Life

38 INLANDER FEBRUARY 18, 2021

A

fter many album delays in the early days of the pandemic, artists picked up the pace in delivering new music once they realized fans would be stuck at home for a while. Here are some of the prominent releases coming in the next few months, including the ones we’re most excited about:

WILLIE NELSON, THAT’S LIFE

(FEB. 26)

even though they’ll play anywhere from arenas to state fairs to casinos, they’re not a band coasting on their old hits. They released three albums in 2016-17, and they were strong additions to one of the best catalogs in the business. This new one will be their 20th studio album, and on the first single “Light Up the Fire,” vocalist Robin Zander still sounds great. If you’re thinking of picking up a new Weezer album in 2021, maybe give these power-pop pioneers a listen instead. (DN)

The grim truth is that, at 87, Willie Nelson is not going to be around to give us new music and concerts a lot longer. But his first set of Frank Sinatra songs, Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor — you know, 2018’s My Way, was a potent and pleasing set of jazzy Lorde — is only 24, and I find myself atwitter at the covers, and I imagine this second edition of Willie’s thought of what she’s going to deliver with her third tribute to Ol’ Blue Eyes will be just as winning. Nelalbum, rumored to be arrivson’s always had a way with ing this year. I bought her picking killer covers, tackling MORE UPCOMING ALBUMS 2013 debut Pure Heroine on a everything from Cole Porter lark, entranced by the single and Bing Crosby to Ray Feb. 26 — Alice Cooper, Detroit Stories “Royals” and after finding a Price and Bob Dylan in ways March 12 — Valerie June, The Moon deal to download the whole that made their songs his and Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers album for a buck. Money own. Dylan is a pretty good March 19 — Lana Del Rey, well spent, but it was the comparison, having released Chemtrails Over the Country Club follow-up in 2017, Melodrama, his own Sinatra tribute in March 19 — Loretta Lynn, Still Woman Enough that made me a real fan. The 2015, but I’ll take Willie’s March 19 — Ringo Starr, Zoom In songs were leaps and bounds versions. His voice is one of March 19 — Sting, Duets better than those on her dethe all-time distinct instruApril 30 — Teenage Fanclub, Endless Arcade but, and she showed a sonic ments in American music, curiosity that marked her as and his longtime Family May 7 — Weezer, Van Weezer someone with the potential Band gives the Sinatra tunes May 14 — Juliana Hatfield, Blood to be relevant for years to just the right amount of May 21 — Gary Numan, Intruder come. The clips of her live swing. (DAN NAILEN) shows on that tour I’ve (FEB. 26) seen likewise showed someone interested in pushing Little Oblivions will mark Memphis-based singer-songartistic boundaries in exciting ways. Bowie-esque, writer Julien Baker’s first full-length solo release since perhaps. It makes me excited to hear what direction her 2017 breakthrough, Turn Out the Lights, and it’ll be she goes on her third effort. (DN) interesting to see what kind of sound it adopts. We’ve gotten some hints: Baker has put out two singles from Over the course of five solo records, St. Vincent, aka the album — “Faith Healer,” released back in OctoAnnie Clark, has defined herself as one of the most ber, and “Favor,” dropped just last week — and they intriguing musicians working today. Her last two suggest a tone and style akin to boygenius, Baker’s records, 2015’s St. Vincent and 2017’s Masseduction, terrific collaboration with Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy showed her fully embracing an eccentric, synthDacus (who also appear on the “Favor” single). The drenched approach that has earned her comparisons sound is fuller and more experimental than the spare to legends — from Kate Bush to Bowie to David Byfolk of her earliest releases, which makes this an rne (who collaborated with Clark on 2012’s Love This intriguing next step in the career of one of the most Giant). But simply drawing a line from St. Vincent’s exciting young artists working today. (NATHAN style to her influences is too simplistic an exercise in WEINBENDER) describing her quirky musical personality, which is so (MARCH 26) much more approachable and emotionally vulnerable I can’t lie: I haven’t given Suzi Quatro much thought than it first appears. She’s a true original. (And don’t since I stopped watching Happy Days reruns years ago get me started on those slithering guitar lines!) In (she played badass bass player Leather Tuscadero).

December, Clark tweeted that her newest album was But reading Kathy Valentine’s book about life in the “locked and loaded,” but a release date has yet to be Go-Go’s reminded me just how influential Quatro announced. Keep your eyes peeled. (NW) was to young women rockers back in the ’70s and ’80s. Here’s the thing, though: Quatro never stopped SZA’s 2017 album Ctrl was one of the most thrilling writing and recording. She just found more success debuts of recent years, a bracing portrait of anxioverseas than in the U.S. Listening to some tracks of ety, sex and heartbreak that the New Jersey-based this new one, I’m not sure why that is. The Michigan singer-songwriter had been tweaking for two years. native is in fine, rocking form at 70 years old, deliverIt received some of the best reviews of the year, ing seriously effervescent ear candy full of solid riffs and earned her a coveted support spot on Kendrick on songs like the title track, “Hey Queenie” and “Do Ya Dance.” I find myself searching for old-school rock Lamar’s DAMN tour. Her perfectionism has reportedly created tension with her label Top Dawg, which often, and I’m looking forward to this one to deliver.

SZA claims has delayed the release of a Ctrl follow-up (DN) that’s already in the can. But late 2020 brought two (APRIL 9) new SZA singles — the Ty Dolla Sign collab “Hit DifNeed another reason to curse the pandemic? As busiferent” and the sun-dappled Christmas release “Good ness for touring musicians has ground to a halt, we’re Day,” both of which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard missing out on what might be the final years some of R&B charts — and they’re reportedly tracks from the the best classic rock bands have left to do their thing. now-mythic second album. Will we get the full album Cheap Trick is the definition of “classic rock,” and in 2021? Only time will tell. (NW) n

LORDE, TBA

JULIEN BAKER, LITTLE OBLIVIONS

ST. VINCENT, TBA

SUZI QUATRO, THE DEVIL IN ME

SZA, TBA

CHEAP TRICK, IN ANOTHER WORLD

FEBRUARY 18, 2021 INLANDER 39

Catch Atari Ferrari as David Bowie during Baby Bar’s virtual concert

MUSIC ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE

Even though Valentine’s Day was last weekend, love is still in the air. Baby Bar’s virtual concert series gets into a romantic mood with Friday night’s LoveStream, an evening of music and poetry hosted by local actor and comedian Danny Anderson.

The evening features a group of Spokane artists covering some legendary performers’ most romantic tunes — Atari Ferrari as David Bowie, BaLonely as disco mavens the Bee Gees, Cathedral Pearls as Wilco, TK-421 as punk rockers Dillinger Four, and Jeff Peterson crooning as Chet Baker. DJ duo Twin Towers will also be on the ones and two, and poets Chris Cook and Devin Devine will read some of their work. The LoveStream event is also a benefit for Planned Parenthood, with all ticket proceeds going toward the organization.

— NATHAN WEINBENDER LoveStream • Fri, Feb. 19 at 8 pm • $10 • Streaming at babybarneatoburrito.veeps.com

40 INLANDER FEBRUARY 18, 2021

MUSIC STRANGE STREAMING BREW

OUTDOORS GREEN THUMBS UP

Dead Meadow Levitation Sessions • Sat, Feb. 20 at 5 pm • $3.98/ stream, $9.98 for ticket plus a download of the show • Online; details at sp.knittingfactory.com

Cabin Fever Virtual Gardening Symposium • Starts Wed, Feb. 24 at 7 pm; weekly classes through March 19 • $50 • Online; register at mgfsc.org • 477-2181

Washington, D.C.’s Dead Meadow has been delivering a sinister brew of heavy psychedelia, sludgy blues and prog-metal for more than two decades now; Black Sabbath-y but younger and American. In fall 2020 the band recorded a show under a structure called The Pillars of God in a remote California mountain retreat, and the resulting 70-minute film covers the band’s deep catalog and sounds great. The gig is going to stream this weekend as one of the Knitting Factory’s Levitation Sessions, and it’s a pretty screaming deal at less than $10 a ticket, and that includes an audio download of the show. It’s an early one for the Pacific time zone, but a little majestic noise might be just the way to kick off your Saturday night.

— DAN NAILEN

While last year’s annual spring gardening symposium was forced to cancel due to the newly arrived threat of COVID-19, organizers with the Master Gardener Foundation of Spokane County had more time to plan for a virtual format in 2021. Held online across three weeks, the 2021 Cabin Fever symposium kicks off with professional horticulturist Karen Chapman’s keynote presentation “How to Create Captivating Gardens.” Then, throughout March, participants can attend any of the symposium’s 12 online classes, as well as log in to weekly Friday chats with each week’s speakers. Classes cover topics ranging from container gardening to getting rid of your lawn for drought-friendly landscaping, and from pruning to deer-resistant garden design. Find the full class schedule online.

— CHEY SCOTT

GET LISTED!

Submit events online at Inlander.com/getlisted or email relevant details to getlisted@inlander.com. We need the details one week prior to our publication date.

VISUAL ARTS MEETING OF THE MINDS

The Spokane Public Library is hosting a special virtual meet-and-greet with local artist Tracy Poindexter-Canton as part of its celebration of Black History Month. Poindexter-Canton recently had her work displayed in a solo exhibition at the Liberty Building featuring pieces from her “30-Day Quarantine Art Challenge” in which she created a mixed-media collage daily for 30 days.

Poindexter-Canton has also been recently featured via her series To Shalimar inspired by Toni Morrison’s novels. Both collections are being displayed again during this virtual exhibition via Zoom. The event also includes a discussion between Poindexter-Canton and local poet Stephen Pitters about their artistic collaboration in which Poindexter-Canton created a collage in response to one of Pitters’ poems. A Q&A session with both artists takes place after the discussion.

— SPENCER BROWN

+

Meet the Artist: Tracy Poindexter-Canton • Tue, Feb. 23 from 4-5 pm • Free • Online; details at events.spokanelibrary.org/event/4860864

VISUAL ARTS GIRL POWER

For the month of February, Terrain Gallery is showcasing the work of Margaret Albaugh in TOMGIRL. As a photographer, Albaugh focuses on personal projects, documentary work, visual poems and environmental portraits.

Albaugh created the concept of TOMGIRL as a personal expression of her frustration with societal gender norms, as both a woman and mother of two daughters. As shown through the images she captured in TOMGIRL, Albaugh is motivated by the diversity of emotion that photography captures. Albaugh has drawn from her own observations of how patriarchal ideas of women have shaped the actions of her daughters, and she aims to advocate a new mindset for viewers that challenges gender norms, especially those who are raising next-generation children.

— NATALIE RIETH

Find National and International News on inlander.com every day, now powered by The New York Times

TOMGIRL • Through Feb. 27; gallery open Thu-Sat from 6-8 pm • Free • Terrain Gallery • 304 W. Pacific Ave. • Also online at terrainspokane.com

FEBRUARY 18, 2021 INLANDER 41

young Burger King drive-through employee with the great hair who complimented my mom on her Nirvana t-shirt. You made her day!

I AM SORRY I am so sorry for your pain. I feel. What I’ve brought upon you. Please know it was never what we intended. I am sorry.

give gifts). You can dress them up nicely with pretty ribbons. Other positive uses could include starting a nice warm fire in your fireplace (if you have one). Use the paper for packing material when shipping something. My mom used to bake a lot of cookies, and she would cool them on sheets of newspaper. If you or a friend

“

LOVELY LUNCH LADIES Cheers to the friendly and kind lunch ladies at Glover who took the extra time to make a vegetarian lunch kit for my daughter. Thank you!

JEERS RUB THEIR NOSE IN IT Have you ever noticed how much dog poop there is on the Centennial Trail? I often see people walking their dog(s) along the trail and allowing them to defecate anywhere they’d like without the “person” picking it up so that others don’t have to smell it and/or walk in it. It seems to me like these people are dumber than their dogs. When I was young I remember someone saying it was easy to train their puppy to avoid crapping inside because they rubbed their nose in it while teaching the dog to go outside (preferably on their own property). Since these mouth breathers watch as their dog(s) poop, they obviously are too stupid to realize this is bad because the defecrap is in the way of walkers, strollers and runners. So, here is a suggestion. First offense, tell the stupid person to clean up their dogs shart. Second offense, fine the idiot enough money to make it hurt. Third, rub their nose in their dog’s hot poop pie. Who am I kidding?

Those idiots aren’t reading this. They can’t read. Also, rubbing their nose in the feces wouldn’t work because one has to be intelligent enough to understand the punishment. Hey, keep running on those river trails Spokane! Enjoy all the feces.

I SAW YOU GARLAND ROCKET BAKERY We passed each other grabbing coffee Monday morning and caught eyes. Sweet Arc’teryx jacket.

Grab your drink next time? Climb? Ski?!

IN THE PRODUCE SECTION I saw you in the produce section of the grocery store carefully squeezing the lemons, trying to find the best one. You caught my eye, and I was struck... by the sight of your nostrils hanging out above your mask rendering it so completely ineffective. As you breathed your potentially contagious droplets all over the food others may be taking to their homes that night, I couldn’t help to notice that while you may feel like a rebel who can’t be bothered to follow a basic safety rule intended to protect the most vulnerable in our society, you look like an absolute moron who can’t figure out how to put a mask properly on your face. We are so close to maybe being past the worst of this pandemic. Please keep wearing your masks in public for just a little while longer. Thanks.

CHEERS

DEAR “GUY WHO HATES THE PINCH” You wrote in saying how much you hate the Pinch being left on your sidewalk. Here is a suggestion, instead of wasting your time leaving messages and writing letters, just save the paper so you can use it as wrapping for gifts you give (if you ever

BLUE EYES I was willing to fight for you, not with you. I will always love you!... more than Dolly Parton... and you know how much THAT is. - Key of G...or C....or D. SUGGESTED HEADLINE Cheers to the

forward. I am so sick and tired of this whole gratitude, show kindness BS! It legitimately has me on the brink of a breakdown. The next car ahead of me that pays for my drink may result in a fit of unexpected rage. I could care less if you’ve got 50 pay it forwards in a row, I am not making it 51! The soccer mom behind me with her 5 bratty

people are obviously trying to tear down our Constitution, our Rights, our Public Lands, and everything else, while our climate begins to drive us to extinction. You people do nothing to save the planet for our kids. You deny the true facts of science but believe in and spread myths, conspiracies and lies. You support racist behavior, and

I am so sick and tired of this whole gratitude, show kindness BS!

move, newspaper works great for wrapping your breakables (if you save these papers, you don’t have to go to the store and steal stacks of the other free ones). Maybe you could take up origami. These are just a few ideas to think about. Moving forward, whenever you have a situation that you feel is negative, try to make a positive outcome of it. Life will be much less stressful. Isn’t life hard enough without worrying about a FREE paper on your stoop. Sincerely, Gal that LOVES the Pinch! P.S. Thank you Spokesman-Review and The Inlander for all the free wrapping paper!

WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? It doesn’t seem to matter to most Republican politicians & their constituents that Trump is a dangerous person, as he has shown us, & shouldn’t be anywhere close to running the USA. I’m reading that his tax cuts for the rich, deregulation & other traditional GOP priorities are their reasons. But what about the scumbags who attacked the capitol?

Do they fall into those categories? I asked an ordinary man why he voted for Trump; his answer: “he talks like me.” Self-serving Republicans are in the me, me, me category; “what am I gonna get out of it?” I’m up in age & have seen many politicians come & go, & I’ll tell ya the Republicans bring shame upon our beloved country.

GREAT... NOW I’M THE BAD GUY? To the Starbucks employee expecting me to pay it

SOUND OFF

1. Visit Inlander.com/isawyou by 3 pm Monday. 2. Pick a category (I Saw You, You Saw Me, Cheers or Jeers). 3.

Provide basic info: your name and email (so we know you’re real). 4. To connect via I Saw You, provide a non-identifying email to be included with your submission — like “petals327@yahoo.com,” not “j.smith@comcast.net.”

kids are going to have to pay for their own blended frap-crap and cake pops. When did it become a crime to enjoy an unexpected gift? This isn’t about good people showing gratitude. It’s about the fact that no one wants to be the a-hole. Well, guess what?

I’m the a-hole, and I am going to enjoy the hell out of my free drink.

OMG CMR! OMG CMR! You voted, once again, to a-quit Trump even though there was a mountain of evidence proving he most certainly caused the insurrection never seen before on our nation’s capital.

You could have been killed by your own terrorist followers and leader! Your fellow members of Congress and the Senate could have been killed! Pence was thrown under the bus for possible hanging by his and your own followers and you still voted to let Trump go! This is unbelievable! You could care less about anyone around you! Just like Trump! Your GOP continues to fight against real COVID relief. It is blatantly obvious to us you are one of several Members of The New Republican Cult, designed to dismantle and destroy our country. You could have beheaded the snake from your party and moved forward into better ethics and character, but instead you signed him on as your Master Leader for the future.

This is atrocious! Where are your ethics!?

What the hell has happened to You and the Republican Party!? Cathy you broke your oath of office by denying a flawless election, amongst other things. You

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NOTE: I Saw You/Cheers & Jeers is for adults 18 or older. The Inlander reserves the right to edit or reject any posting at any time at its sole discretion and assumes no responsibility for the content.

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2021

Reality

”

these despicable groups choose horrible GOP humans like you because you throw the “religious card” and “gun control” fear nonsense (God and Guns) to make it seem OK! (By the way, God would never approve of “guns and his name” in the same pathetic sentence. Stop it!) Also, if God could vote, he most certainly would Not vote Republican anything right now. Trump is mentally ill beyond a shadow of doubt, and he is extremely sexist. And You!… are a Woman, of all things! You and Your party are disassembling women rights! Trump goes down in history flames as being the worst human to lead our country into division, and you chose the same toilet to go down. You flushed yourself! You should be ashamed. It is high time you step down from office. n

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It’s Still Winter, So Chill Relax. These three marijuana strains will mellow the harsh of cabin fever

BY WILL MAUPIN

W

inter’s final days are upon us. Late February approaches, and if you’re like me, you’re eagerly awaiting spring’s arrival. If you want some help getting through these final days of winter, here are my three favorite strains for the current moment.

joint of Golden Pineapple will power you to get the job done without wearing you down.

The solo pre-roll sold by Phat Panda of Golden Pineapple is among my go-tos. It’s perfect for a Tuesday evening when you still need to pull together some loose ends while also starting to relax into a rejuvenating evening.

GOLDEN PINEAPPLE

BY PHAT PANDA

BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE

BY CASCADE CREST

A sativa-hybrid that delivers the perfect mix of uplifting energy without any jittery overindulgence, Golden Pineapple might be my favorite strain at the moment. At 19 percent THC by weight, it’s strong enough to deliver a punch of a high but not overwhelming; consuming a full joint isn’t going to be the end of your night. From my experience this is the perfect weekday strain. After a long day of work, when you’ve still got some chores to do, a

Based upon what this strain hails from, it sounds disgusting. Blueberry and cheese? Yikes.

But it’s not that. Blueberry Cheesecake is a phenomenally delicious indica. At nearly 22 percent THC by volume, this strain can knock you out, but it’s meant to be a solid couch-lock indica. If you want to watch a movie, or binge a series, or just relax on the couch for an evening, this is the strain for you. Say it’s a Tuesday and you’ve

got nothing to do. Well, this is the strain for you. It will keep you home while keeping you engaged, though also engaged to your couch, for a few hours.

GORILLA CAKE BY SOULSHINE

I can’t remember a strain recently that has knocked me out quite like this one. If I’m looking to just fall asleep, I’ll look no further than this. Gorilla Cake has proven better than melatonin.

It doesn’t deliver the couch-lock of a traditional indica, but it brings an anxiolytic, calming vibe that always makes me sleepy. It won’t knock me out, but it puts me into the state of mind to fall asleep, and happily, better than any other strain I can remember. Unlike stronger strains that knock you out, Gorilla Cake is more of a lure-you-to-sleep strain that won’t overpower your morning with groggy aftereffects. n

FEBRUARY 18, 2021 INLANDER 43

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BE AWARE: Marijuana is legal for adults 21 and older under Washington State law (e.g., RCW 69.50, RCW 69.51A, HB0001 Initiative 502 and Senate Bill 5052). State law does not preempt federal law; possessing, using, distributing and selling marijuana remains illegal under federal law. In Washington state, consuming marijuana in public, driving while under the influence of marijuana and transporting marijuana across state lines are all illegal. Marijuana has intoxicating effects; there may be health risks associated with its consumption, and it may be habit-forming. It can also impair concentration, coordination and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. Keep out of reach of children. For more information, consult the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board at www.liq.wa.gov.

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Marijuana products may be purchased or possessed only by persons 21 years of age or older. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination and judgement. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug.

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NOTE TO READERS Be aware of the differences in the law between Idaho and Washington. It is illegal to possess, sell or transport cannabis in the State of Idaho.

Possessing up to an ounce is a misdemeanor and can get you a year in jail and up to a $1,000 fine; more than three ounces is a felony that can carry a five-year sentence and fine of up to $10,000. Transporting marijuana across state lines, like from Washington into Idaho, is a felony under federal law.

Take Out Never Tasted So Good!

MUNCHIES MONDAY

The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) is compensating adults in the Spokane, Washington area to participate in transportation related research. VTTI is seeking volunteers to dually enroll in both the Pioneer study and the ADAS Washington study, which focuses on naturalistic driving behaviors of those using vehicles equipped with new technology. VTTI has conducted numerous similar studies all over the country for over fifteen years.

Please see below for the eligibility requirements for each study.

ADAS WASHINGTON STUDY The ADAS Washington study examines how people drive and make use of advanced vehicle features.

To be eligible, volunteers must: • Drive their own vehicle as they normally would • Drive a vehicle that was manufactured in 2018 or later with the following features: • Lane Keeping Assistance - automatically keeps the vehicle in the lane • Adaptive Cruise Control - maintains set speed, but also automatically slows with traffic PIONEER STUDY • Have used marijuana (cannabis) multiple times in the last 30 days • Have a smart phone and be willing to install and use a free app named HighNotes • Be willing to routinely use your smart phone to complete brief app-based surveys and submit breathalyzer and oral fluid samples yourself with easy-to-use equipment provided by VTTI All data for these studies are strictly confidential and participant privacy is protected by a Certificate of Confidentiality issued by the National Institute of Health.

Estimated participation time is up to 24 months. VTTI will compensate Spokane, Washington area study drivers, who are dually enrolled in both ADAS Washington and Pioneer, a maximum of $100 per month, with a total maximum possible compensation of $2,550 for full participation in both projects.

INTERESTED? Please contact us at 540-231-1583 or PioneerStudy@vtti.vt.edu and reference the “Pioneer” study in your message. All inquiries welcome!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT EITHER STUDY: https://www.vtti.vt.edu/adas/pioneer <IRB #19-785>, <IRB #20-205>

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STARE WAY TO HEAVEN

I’m a girl in my early 20s, and I recently started dating a guy I met in college. I’m very happy, except for one issue: For as long as I’ve known him, he’s followed Instagram accounts of attractive women with provocative photos (ranging from half-naked to entirely naked), and he’ll “like” these pics. This really bothers me; however, I don’t want to be the overbearing girlfriend. Why does he do this, and does it matter?

—Disturbed

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AMY ALKON

There’s a certain kind of man who’s drawn to the sight of half-naked pert breasts, and it’s the kind whose eyes have yet to be plucked out by crows.

This does not change when a man is in a relationship, even if he really, really loves the woman he’s with. But many women believe that the eyes of a man in love wouldn’t wander up and down other women and that being in a relationship should limit where eyeballs are allowed to travel: basically, You can’t have your cake and look at other cake, too.

Men have perhaps 15 to 20 times the testosterone women do, and this seems to play a major role in how visually powered male sexuality is. An episode of NPR’s “This American Life” featured Griffin Hansbury, who was born female and lived as a lesbian and then underwent sex reassignment surgery. Transitioning began with testosterone injections. Before starting testosterone, Hansbury would see a woman on the subway and think: “She’s attractive. I’d like to meet her. What’s that book she’s reading?” With the testosterone injections, even noticing nice ankles on a woman flooded Hansbury’s mind “with aggressive pornographic images. ... It was like ... a pornographic movie house in my mind. And I couldn’t turn it off.”

It’s important to note that Hansbury overdid it on the testosterone injections at first, giving himself two to seven times the testosterone of the average male.

So, the 24-hour porno mind Hansbury describes is probably seriously extreme compared with what goes through your boyfriend’s mind. However, a general idea of what men experience points to why strip clubs for men are big business, while the few strip clubs for women are funny business: places they go not to get turned on but to haze a bride-to-be, laughing in her face at the giant flashing plastic vagina hat they’ve made her wear.

Ask a man why he eye-humps a woman, and if he’s honest, he’ll tell you it’s because she’s hot. But there’s an underlying (subconscious) reason: “Evolution makes me do it.” Because men only get pregnant in women’s revenge fantasies, they evolved not to seek committed “providers” as partners as women do, but to prioritize physical attractiveness. We all like a nice view, but there’s more to this preference than aesthetics. The features men find beautiful in women — youth, smooth skin, pillowy lips, “neotenous” (aka childlike) features like big eyes, and an hourglass figure — are correlated with fertility and health. In other words, men evolved to be drawn to women who look like really great candidates for passing on their genes.

Men’s brains motivate them to stare at sexual eye candy in ways women’s brains do not. In brain imaging research by psychiatrist and neuroscientist Hans C. Breiter and his colleagues, heterosexual men viewing attractive female faces showed increased activation in the brain’s “reward regions”: areas involved in the anticipation of reward (also activated by food, drugs, and money). The message to the man: “That’s rewarding! Go get it!”

The good news is we are not mental robots, slaves to our urges. In most men, the brain’s “go get it!” message simply leads to more looking, not nooners with the hot-erellas of Instagram. Some women consider looking cheating, and they tell their partner he’s not allowed to eyeball other women. Chances are this doesn’t stop the looking; it just turns men into sneaks and liars and their partner into the enemy they have to keep secrets from. You don’t say that when your boyfriend’s with you he goes rude and unloving: stops talking midsentence while his eyes hike up some underdressed woman’s boobs. So, maybe you can use the strong biological and physiological basis of men’s girl gawking to keep yourself from taking his Instagram sightseeing personally.

Consider that the guy set aside another strong evolved male preference — the longing for sexual variety — to be with you. In other words, being with you means a lot to him. Sure, he still spends time browsing in the online mall of naked and halfnaked women, but browsing isn’t buying. Assess whether he seems to be a good person, a person of character, and a guy who consistently shows you he loves you and has your back. If so, your best bet might be staying out of his browser history and recognizing that a little eye-humping doesn’t mean there will be eye-penis coordination. n ©2021, Amy Alkon, all rights reserved. • Got a problem? Write Amy Alkon, 171 Pier Ave, #280, Santa Monica, CA 90405 or email AdviceAmy@aol.com (www.advicegoddess.com)

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