You wake up, and it's in the air. This is the day, the day to celebrate the best of Spokane; To take it all in, and live life to the fullest. Only the best will be good enough today. You deserve it.
What better way to kick off your morning, than with a steaming cup o' Joe from your favorite local corner shop, Dutch Bros. Nay-sayers might claim Oregon isn't quite close enough to be considered local, but come on... They have nipple-lids! Don't be a snob here.
Breakfast, of course, takes place at Frank's Diner, because average food tastes one hell of a lot better when eaten in a train car. It makes perfect sense, you dreamt of being a train conductor since you were a child, and will gladly brave the two hour wait to live those dreams while wolfing down on their Omelette a la SysCo. Très bien!
After a light fare for breakfast, the next logical step is a hamburger. And when you think good burgers in the Inland Northwest you think Red Robin. Oh, it is a toss up -- the It Kid, 5 Guys, is calling your name -- but you prefer choice with your burgers: Pink or not pink? It's a question to keep you up at night.
Azteca for lunch? Or maybe something less intimidating -- those Aztec pyramids could very well have been built by aliens -- like Anthony's? You know how you like your fish: Frozen and warmed up in a microwave.
Then: The crown jewel. Dinner. But where to go? Clinkerdagger hasn't changed their menu for 37 years, and you don't really like change, so that might be good. But then again, Savory has burst onto the scene, making dishes so out of this world that even the manager can't believe they're the best new spot in town. Decisions, decisions, and certainly something you ponder while noting that none of the best chefs work for either restaurant.
The choice, of course, ends up being simple. Clinkerdagger also has the best dessert, and as the sweet tooth you are, how can you go wrong? Answer: Clearly you can't.
That evening, as you slumber off to sleep, you come to the realization. You are Spokane, and only the best is good enough for you. As your eyes slowly shut, you dream of what tomorrow will bring: A big plain steak from Wolf Lodge Inn.
Author's note: We don't hesitate to throw The Inlander under the bus, so credit where credit is due: Including a "Good Answers" pick from the readers was a good idea, as they were often more interesting than anything from the voters.