Date Archives: December 2022

The Spokane Public Library is one of the top public library systems in the Pacific Northwest. Living in Spokane gives you access to a tremendous variety of library resources at a number of large and well-attended locations. Books, e-books, videos, lectures, and various educational events are available.

No matter what you want from your local library, the Spokane area has it!

There are currently five active branches within the network of Spokane public libraries. In addition, two existing branches are getting renovations. These two branches are expected to open for service again in early 2023. Then there'll be even more options! Our real estate agents certainly look forward to it.

Let's take a quick peek at local Spokane library branches and their programming:

• Shadle Public Library – 2221 West Wellesley Avenue, Spokane, WA 99205
  Open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on most days, Shadle Park Public Library is one of several local libraries that has just completed an exciting round of renovations. With its new meeting spaces, a children's play area, and a demonstration kitchen, it has become known as a terrific place to go to learn basic cooking skills from local chefs. There is also a "Maker Studio" where you can discover 3D printing and much more.
  
  
• Liberty Park Library – 402 South Pittsburg Street, Spokane, WA 99202
  Liberty Park Library is home to a beautifully curated art collection as well as free meeting spaces, a play space, and designated quiet areas for study. It is known for a wide range of teen-focused events held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, including things like Anime Club, Dungeons & Dragons, and a Virtual Reality demonstration. Weekday mornings are the time for Preschool and Toddler Storytimes.
  
  
• Hillyard Public Library – 4110 North Cook Street, Spokane, WA 99207
  Hillyard Public Library is located directly on the campus grounds of Shaw Middle School, but there is a separate entrance member of the public are welcome to use. It is one of a growing number of great Spokane libraries equipped with 3D printers. Hillyard Public Library hosts events for kids, teens, and adults, with visits by experts from the Alzheimer's Association and other authorities on healthy living.
  
  
• The Hive – 2904 East Sprague Avenue, Spokane, WA 99202
  The Hive is all about arts education. Central to its unusual mission is its especially large public event space, which spans four different rooms – three of which can be combined to seat nearly 100 guests. Signature programming includes Open Studio Wednesdays, which take place from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00. Participants in the Spokane Artists in Residence program give talks and demonstrations at this time.
  
  
• Central Library – 906 West Main Avenue, Spokane, WA 99201
  Central Library is right in the heart of downtown Spokane and has a truly breathtaking view of both the Spokane River and the iconic Monroe Street Bridge. One of its most beloved amenities is the sprawling River Rumpus Children's Playspace, a hub for events focused on the unique needs of young children. A business lab is also present and welcomes talks from local executives as an entrepreneurship incubator.

Contact us to discover more about Spokane, WA, real estate.

Wishing You All the Joys of the Season

When eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York's SUN newspaper, the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial on September 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history's most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials, as well as on posters and stamps.

DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.'   Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

VIRGINIA O'HANLON
115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET

***** 

VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little.

In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

Looking for some fun and exciting things to do in Riverfront Park this December? Our real estate agents have you covered. Many Spokane homes for sale put you within minutes of this bustling hub of the city's social scene. There's always something new to see and do, especially around the holidays. And the surroundings are truly beautiful!

Let's take a look at some December Riverfront Park events you won't want to miss:

• Riverfront Market – 574 West North Howard Street, Spokane, WA 99201
  Found at the Spokane Pavilion on Wednesdays, including December 14 and December 21, Riverfront Market is one of the most popular events around Riverfront Park. With an eclectic assortment of all kinds of local vendors, live musical performances, and delicious food, it's a lovely way to spend a day. What a perfect opportunity to wrap up your holiday shopping with gifts you can't find elsewhere!
  
  
• Skate for a Cause – 720 West Spokane Falls Boulevard, Spokane, WA 99201
  Taking place at the Numerica Skate Ribbon, a popular Spokane ice skating rink in Riverfront Park, this year's ultimate Skate for a Cause held on December 14 will benefit the Spokane Parks Foundation. Guests will strap on their skates for an amazing time between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., with all ages welcome. Whether you're new to the ice or a pro, you'll find a friendly environment with rental skates available.
  
  
• DJ Night on the Ice – 720 West Spokane Falls Boulevard, Spokane, WA 99201
  Also at the Numerica Skate Ribbon is this popular Friday night event: It runs at 6 p.m. December 16, 23, 30, and on New Year's Eve. One-hour admission for adults is $9.95, while kids 3-12 pay $6.95. Children aged 2 and under attend free. Skate rental is $6.95 for all, while helmets are available at no charge. There'll be themed costumes, lights, contests, and more, so don't skip DJ Night on the Ice!
  
  
• Learn to Skate Group Lessons – 720 West Spokane Falls Boulevard, Spokane, WA 99201
  Once again, the Numerica Skate Ribbon is where it's at for Learn to Skate Group Lessons. Ever wanted to learn how to skate but felt a little bit intimidated? The experienced coaches from Lake City Figure Skating are here to help. All ages are welcome, and lessons will continue from December 17 into the new year. Be sure to pre-register on the website, and note that other locations are also available.
  
  
• Coaches Corner – 720 West Spokane Falls Boulevard, Spokane, WA 99201
  Need something a little bit more informal than the Learn to Skate Group Lessons? Stop by the Numerica Skate Ribbon on December 17 for the very last Coaches Corner of the year. At Coaches Corner, the staff of Lake City Figure Skating will individually coach emerging skaters. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., kids aged 2 through 18 can swing by for pointers. Standard admission and ice skate rental fees apply.

Contact us to discover more of all that Spokane, WA, has in store for you.

Really!

Believe it or not, fruitcake is a well-loved dessert known throughout the world. It is only in the United States that this cake is the butt of jokes, probably because they were, at one time, mass-produced for mail order and tended to be dry and of questionable age. Some say the ridicule can be traced to Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show, but research shows "fruitcake trashing" occurred much earlier in the 20th century.

Though celebrated by some as the delicious tradition it is intended to be (National Fruitcake Day is December 27), others applaud this dense loaf laced with fruit and nuts only when it is flying through the air on National Fruitcake Toss Day, January 3 (or the 7^th, depending on which website you visit).

Historically speaking, some believe that ancient Egyptians sent fruitcake to the afterlife with their deceased loved ones. We do know that they did not become common, though, until Roman times, when pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, and barley mash were mixed together.

Preserved fruit, spices, and honey were added during the Middle Ages. Sugar became a main ingredient in the 1500s in the American Colonies, and alcohol was widely used starting in the 1800s. Somewhere along the way, nuts became a staple, as well.

Today, fruitcake is served year 'round in Australia, but is generally enjoyed as a Christmas cake across Europe, India, and parts of the Caribbean.

So, will you buck the trend in the U.S. and give this recipe a try? If you don't like it, you can always save it for January 3!

No-Bake Graham Cracker Fruitcake

3/4 c. sweetened condensed milk

3 c. mini marshmallows

1/2 c. orange juice

1 box + 1 inner seal pkg graham crackers

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1 c. raisins

1 c. dates, chopped

1 c. nuts, chopped

16 oz. assorted candied fruit, chopped

DIRECTIONS

Combine milk, marshmallows, & orange juice in large bowl. Let soak 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until marshmallows soften & dissolve slightly. Crush graham crackers into fine crumbs & mix with spices. Add fruits & nuts, stir. Slowly add liquid mixture and stir by hand until well combined.

Press fruitcake into non-stick, lightly greased, or waxed-paper-lined bread pan or mold, cover with plastic wrap, and then with foil. Refrigerate for 2-3 days for flavors to combine. Slice & enjoy.

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS

Instead of the listed fruit, experiment with craisins, dried apples, peaches, mangoes, blueberries, and/or strawberries, or get crazy and use gumdrops, gummy bears, gummy worms, and/or chocolate chips. If you use dried fruit, soak it in additional orange juice (or brandy) in a glass or ceramic bowl (not metal) a few hours or overnight to soften.

View our comprehensive Spokane real estate market report for the month of November!

The information in this report is compiled from a report given by the Spokane Association of REALTORS© and to the best of our knowledge is accurate and correct.

Download the November Market Report PDF here.

Want more info about the current real estate market? Contact us today to speak to an agent. 

View our comprehensive Kootenai Country real estate market report for the month of November!

The information in this report is compiled from a report given by the Spokane Association of REALTORS© and to the best of our knowledge is accurate and correct.

Download the November Market Report PDF here.

Want more info about the current real estate market? Contact us today to speak to an agent.