Spokane is a beautiful city, with lots of old buildings displaying the architectural character of the Progressive era. The Davenport Hotel is about 100 years old. On the verge of being demolished in 1987, it was instead restored and revitalized in 2002. Walking through it is like walking through a museum. According to the brochure, it was "the first hotel with air conditioning, a central vacuum system and folding ballroom walls." And Crab Louis, named after Louis Davenport, was first served here. I love Crab Louis, and was delighted to discover its possible origin. This link has a nice photo: Crab Louie.
The English Tudor Elizabethan Room, supposedly Louis Davenport’s favorite (there are five ballrooms) is lit with the original chandeliers weighing in at 75 pounds of sterling silver each. Six of them. Impressive! And I find myself wondering who polishes them, and when they will do it again.
Of course, I’m not actually AT the Davenport, but across the street at the Tower, built in 2007, and decorated in African motif. It boasts many amenities and luxuries, including comfortable beds (the most comfortable hotel bed I’ve ever slept on), which you can take home with you, for a price of course. But despite the free dog-walking service, plush bathrobes, and free Internet access, you can’t get a complementary cuppa joe. Go figure. There IS a Starbuck’s in the lobby, but I’m not a fan. To its credit, the Tower Hotel is the most quiet hotel at which I’ve ever stayed.
I paid a visit to River Park Square, a shopping mall near the river (oddly enough, the Spokane R.) This mall goes up, in contrast to many west coast malls that sprawl in all directions. Very interesting with its glass front and criss-crossing escalators, three stories of shops, topped with a big movie theatre. Buildings in the area are connected by skywalks that offer great views of the city, high above the traffic. I took the one that connects the mall to Macy’s. As far as I can tell, these skywalks were built for Expo 74, and there’s much debate about whether they are beneficial to the City. Here’s some guys link about going to Spokane for a job. You have to scroll about halfway through before you come to some excellent pictures of Spokane, but it’s worth it.
Weddings have changed over the years, from simple one-day events to all-weekend extravaganzas, including pre-wedding rehearsal dinner and post-wedding breakfast. This is particularly nice when you’re flying in from another state. It provides time to visit in multiple settings and over quiet lunches.
Saturday afternoon, I donned my gown and arrived early for the family photo shoot. That, too, has changed, and I like it. I’ve seen some very creative stuff over the past 10 years. Kudos to all those young innovative photographers.
There is no better place to wait than in the lobby of the Davenport with its ornate chandeliers and open fireplace. But finally, the ceremony begins. Words cannot express the emotion that fills my heart when I see the lovely young bride coming down the aisle. Her Papa George would have been so happy to see her. I managed to stay mostly dry-eyed, despite delivering the prayer before the vows. Here it is.
Thank you for answering prayer and bringing Whitney and Brian together.
May they always trust in You, because You are faithful. Be real to them in good times and bad.
I pray that they would know that three-fold cord is not easily broken. And as long as You are that third strand, their marriage is safe.
Be the center of their lives, Lord, the Rock, the Anchor, the Friend they will need to navigate the years ahead. And may they have eyes only for each other, all the days of their lives.
I pray this in the wonderful Name of Jesus, the Messiah. Amen.
Today, everyone’s gone home except me. I don’t remember why I decided to stay the extra day, but here I am. Looking out the window, which I think faces south, I can see many classic old buildings, churches, hotels. The train rumbles by. And I feel lonely for the first time. It seems to me that when you are married to a fine man, you have the luxury of being alone without being lonely, and when he’s gone, so is that luxury.
So, I write my blog and prepare for my trip home in the morning. Perhaps I’ll be able to post some pictures here later on. You’ll have to check back. For now, I’m basking in the afterglow of catching up with family, cuddling great grandchildren, and drinking some very good champagne. (Thanks, Mark.)
It seems to me that when you are married to a fine man, you have the luxury of being alone without being lonely, and when he’s gone, so is that luxury. THIS strikes a chord... strummed softly on my heart strings.
ReplyDeleteI like the hot links. I like viewing the Davenport. The musical selection for their website is lovely and would be a soulful melody for this blog. I will be elated on the day my readers will hear the music I've selected to go with the blog entry. I always write to music - it moves me like almost nothing else can. Thank you for this peek into your world... and sharing your family with me. Aloha!