Christ Kitchen Gingerbread Build-Off 2010

Last weekend, local Spokane chefs and architects came together to raise money for Christ Kitchen. The professionals decorated their gingerbread houses in 3 hours in the Grand Pennington Ballroom as the public cheered them on! This years theme was Disney.

People were also welcome to join in on the fun for $7 to benefit Christ Kitchen. Christ Kitchen is a "job-training project providing work, instruction, discipleship, support, and fellowship for women living in poverty in the Spokane area. Through the production and sales of gourmet dried food products and catered meals, this project enables women to learn to work, to become employable and, eventually, to support themselves and their families without reliance on government programs or destructive relationships."

Thank you to all who participated and helped out to make this yet another successful event for a great cause.The Christ Kitchen Gingerbread Grand Champion is Yokes Fresh Market & Bernardo Willis Architects, PC...The Village of Agraba!
Cinderella's Castle was just 6.5 points behind (judges vote) and for the people's vote...Winnie the Pooh was on their heals too.

Watch the slideshow to see all the amazing Gingerbread Houses. Everything you see is edible! There are also some houses that our Departments at the Davenport built! Enjoy

Christmas Tree Elegance-The Trees!

Here is a slideshow and a summary of all 12 trees on display for Christmas Tree Elegance. Raffle Tickets are only $1 and you can buy as many as you want! All proceeds benefit the Spokane Symphony. The big drawing will be December 11th at 9:30pm in our lobby!

Tree #1- Spotlight on Spokane

$1,500 Cash

Deluxe Davenport Hotel Room + $100 to spend on premises

$100 to River PArk Square

$100 to Anderson & Emami

$50 to Twigs

4 tickets, popcorn & drinks to AMC Theaters

$100 to Let the Fur Fly

$100 to Spa Paradiso

$100 to Finders Keepers

$60 to Luigis

$25 to O'Dohertys

4 Tastings at Vino!

Family Membership to Mobius Kids & NW Museum of Arts and Culture

2 tickets to Legally Blonde

2 2010-2011 full season tickets to Spokane Civic Theater

2 2010-2011 "Take Five" season tickets

2 2011-2012 tickets to Spokane Children's Theater

8 VIP tickets to Interplayers

4 VIP Tickets to Allegro

4 VIP Tickets to Spokane Jazz

4 Lawn Tickets toMozart in the Park 2011

Original Artwork from Felisa Carranza and Avenue West

Tree #2 A Zag'alicious Christmas

$750 Cash

$600 Gift Certificate for Gonzaga carpet or Flooring of Choice

42-inch Vizio Flat Screen LCD HDTV

Danforth Low Bookcase

La-Z-Boy Braxton Recliner

Marco Polo Design Necklace

Family Portrait

1 night accommodations for 2 at the Holiday Inn Express

2 tickets to Gonzaga Game

2 $20 gift certificates to The Onion or Franks Diner

$100 gift certificate to Mosaic Salon

$25 to O'Doherty's

$25 to Zag Shop

Blue Snuggie

Tree #3 A Streetcar Named Chocolate

$1000 Cash

2 Roundtrip tickets on Southwest Airlines

Chocolate Diamond Necklace

Party for 4 Making Truffles

Chocolate Pinecones

Chocolate Pearl Necklace

Boehms Chocolate Gifts

$100 to the Melting Pot

2 Tickets for Chocolate Tasting or Merchandise to Chocolate Apothecary

Bags of Chocolate Chips

Chocolate Pedicure with Truffles and Latte

Chocolate Candles

4 Tickets to Willy Wonka

Gold Wrap Chocolate Nuggets

Chocolate Luggage

Tree #4 Austrian Holiday

$1,700 Cash

Writing Desk & Chair

iPad

Crystal Gifts

Designer Tux Rental and Limo Service

2 tickets to the Symphony Concert of Choice

3 Pillar Candlesticks

Desk Lamp

Themed Accessories

Tree #5 Ice Castles

5x8 Chinese Wool Rug

Custom Framed Original Polar Bear Photo

Wine Lovers Package w/ 12 Bottle Refrigerated Cooler

$500 Cash

Shelf Unit, Waterford Crystal, Lamps & Decorative Items

Acrylic Chair

6 Weeks of Ice Skating lessons for a family of 4

Two Apres Ski or skating massages

Sled, snow globe & crystal vase

Original Paper Mache Sculpture

Necklace

Handmade quilted tree skirt

Books

2 Tickets to 2010 Nutcracker

$50 to Tinman Artworks

$50 to Agave

$50 to Peters & Sons Florists

$50 to Bruttles

Polar Bear

Snow Shovel

Soy Candle

Tree #6 The Never Ending Christmas

$2000 Cash

All Day Jet Boat Tour Hells Canyon

Custom Made Titanium Putter for Dad

Golf Foursome at Liberty Lake Golf Course for Dad

$150 Spa Treatment for Mom

$150 to Macys for Mom

Patio Table & 2 chairs

Garden Arbor & Garden book

2 Tickets to 2011 Seahawks Game

Overnight Stay at Edgewater Hotel, Seattle

$40 to Tutta Bella Restaurant Seattle

Seahawks Jersey autographed by Jordan Babineaux

Overnight Stay at Quinn's Hot Springs Resort

Digital Camera

Tree #7 Mediterranean Exploration

$2000 Cash

Aquarium with paper Seaforms

Mosaic Lazy Susan

Private Sail on Lake Pend O'Reille

Greek Photography

Travel Assistance from a Greek Native

Greek Gift Basket

$75 to Niko's

$35 to Azars

$35 White House Grill

Books

"Back of the Boat Gourmet" Cook Book

Pottery Barn Sea Gifts

Tree #8 Alice's Tea Party

$2000 Cash

32" Ultra-thin 1080p LED HDTV

BluRay DVD Player with animated DVD's including 'Alice in Wonderland' in BluRay

Kindle with Alice in Wonderland e-book

Whimsical Wingback Chair w Queen of Hearts Pillow

$250 Beauty Gift Basket

Sterling Silver Pendant with Diamonds/Ruby accents

4' Birdcage Votive Stand & wine rack

$75 to Arbor Crest

12 Red or White Roses

Croquet Set & Outdoor Playing Cards

White Rabbit, March Hare and Pink Flamingo Garden Statues

Beautiful Glass Ornaments

Alice and Friends tea Party Accessories & Vintage Treasures

$50 to Celebrations Cupcakes

4 tickets to 2011 "Mad Hatter" vintage flea market

Book-Alice In Wonderland

Tree #9 Be Jeweled & Be Dazzled

$1,500 Cash

Full Length Mirror

Chocolate Party for 4

Antique Dressing Table

Riedel Wine Glasses and Dishware

Designer Jewelry

Chandelier Table and Birdhouse Piece

Two Symphony Tickets

Velvet Chair

Body Butter Gift pack

Custom Jewelry

Mary Kay Gift Basket

$200 to Finders Keepers

Teeth Whitening

Coin Pearl Set

Dinner for 2 at Anthonys

$100 to Mosaic Salon

Dinner for 2 at Ambrosia

Christmas Tree Ornaments

Clothing Gifts

Gift Card to Makeup Studio

Themed Accessories

Tree #10 Revved Up

$1,500 Cash

Craftsman Rolling Tool Chest

Budweiser Racing Package

Chrome & Black Bistro Set

Tool starter Kit & Crawler

$80 to Perfection Tire

$25 to Jacobs Java

2 Gift Certificates for Oil/Lube

Auto Detailing

Cookie Bouquet& Certificate

$50 for Custom Christmas Cards or Shirts

2 $20 gift certificates to FASTKART

Gourmet Basket for Car Enthusiasts

"Ultimate American Cars"

Car Calendar

2 Gift Certificates for Oil/Lube

Personal Tool Chest with Essentials

Tekton 75-piece Socket Set

4 Adult Passes to a Spokane Major Race Event

Dental beauty Kit Certificate

Tree #11 The Mandatory Mulligan

Unlimited 2011 Golf: Season Pass & Cart to Twin Lakes

2 Nights Accommodations-Deluxe Suite at the Holiday Inn, C d'A

$500 Cash

One night stay and golf for 2 at the C d'A Resort

One night stay for 2 and $50 dinner certificate to Hill's Resort

4 Rounds of Golf w Cart at Avondale

4 Rounds of Golf w Cart at Highland Golf Course

2 Rounds of Golf at The Links

St Andrews Golf Flag from 18th Hole

Golf Ball Watch

3 $20 Gift Certificates to The Onion or Frank's Diner

Sun Mountain Golf Bag Pull Cart and Accessories

Golf Clubs and Balls

2 $25 Gift Certificates to Wide World of Golf

Special Golf Ornaments

4 Congressional Country Club Tumblers & 3 Vintage St Andrews Golf Covers

Tree #12 The Sky's the Limit

$3,500 Cash

iPad & Telescope

A Hot Air Balloon Ride in "Spuds"

A Remote Control Airplane

A Paper Rocket Launcher

Tree & Decorations

Christmas Tree Elegance-Fashion Show 2010

Yesterday, I was lucky enough to attend my very first Christmas Tree Elegance Fashion Show Luncheon! It was beautiful and delicious! The Grand Pennington Ballroom was transformed into an amazing stage and runway surrounded by round tables where attendees dined and watched the show.

The afternoon started with a delicious lunch created by Chef Franz and his team. We enjoyed a lovely mixed green salad with a yummy poppy seed vinaigrette and blue cheese crumbles. We then were treated to Guinness Braised Short Ribs with green beans and creamy mashed potatoes. For dessert was a heavenly creme brulee.

After everyone finished eating, the fashion show began! The production was produced by PJ & Co Models and they did a wonderful job! There were nine scenes total and all were stunning. The clothes were provided by Finders Keepers, Serendipity Boutique, Tangerine, Tuxedo Gallery, White House/Black Market, Chico's, and Macy's. The models were all gorgeous. It was such a fun event.

Check out this slideshow of the Fashion Show!

I highly recommend attending this wonderful event. There are two fashion show luncheon's left! December 2nd and December 3rd from 11:30-1:30pm. While you are there, check out all the Christmas Trees! (That post coming later!)

Pumpkin Carving Contest

Every year, the different departments at The Davenport Hotel and Tower and Hotel Lusso have a pumpkin carving contest. The competition gets pretty serious...Plotting and planning goes on for weeks. The goal is for each department to have a theme and then build their masterpieces around their theme. They then all go on display in the Historic Lobby where they are judged. The winning department receives a fun party, and of course, bragging rights!

Here are the photos of the pumpkins:

Sales & Catering

Security

Banquets

Concierges

The Tower Housekeeping

Retail Shops

Accounting

Post St Ale House

Front Desk Services

Guest Services

Human Resources and Call Center

Banquet Kitchen

Room Service

And the winner is.... TOWER HOUSEKEEPING! Congratulations and thank you for all your hard work!

Th runner-ups wereThe Banquet Kitchen and The Ale House...

This is always a fun contest, so a big thank you to everyone who participated! Looking forward to December for the Gingerbread Contest!

Pet Friendly Contest!

Did you know that the Davenport Hotel and Tower is a Pet Friendly hotel? We welcome all domesticated animals of all shapes and sizes in our hotel and guest rooms. Because we love our pets so much here at the Davenport, we want to see photos of our fans pets! Post up your favorite photo of your pet on our Facebook Page or email it to sberl@thedavenporthotel.com and you will be entered to win a free night stay at the Davenport Tower for you and your pet!

Here is the only rule:

You must use your stay between October 1st and October 31st, 2010! Happy Posting!

Here are the "Pet Rules" at the Hotel for your information:

Dear Guest,

Welcome to the Davenport Hotel and Tower! We are delighted to have you and your pet as our guests. We would appreciate your observance of thefollowing guidelines during your stay with us:

 Your pet must be kept on a leash when you are on property, unless in your room

 For safety reasons, please do not leave your pet unattended in the hotel.Should you require sitting or walking services you may contact the Concierge staff to assist you in making these arrangements.

 We regret that pets are not allowed in any Food & Beverage outlets,Health Club, Pool or any other public areas of the hotel. (This exclusion does not apply to guide dogs.)

 Any disturbances, such as barking, must be curtailed to ensure other guests are not inconvenienced.

 Please contact the Housekeeping Department to arrange a convenient time for servicing your room.

 For your pet’s potty break, we have provided a grassy area located next to the parking garage, across the street from the hotel. There is a trash receptacle, as well as bags provided to clean up after your pet.

We understand that accidents are sometimes unavoidable and if one should occur, please call our Housekeeping Department immediately so we may try to prevent any permanent damage. However, in the event that damage is irreversible, you will be responsible for the repairs that may be required.

Thank you for choosing the Davenport Hotel and Tower as your and y our pet’s home away from home!

New Specials at All of Our Restaurants!

Since the seasons are starting to change (well, not quite yet in Spokane-RAIN GO AWAY!), we at the Davenport Hotel and Tower and Hotel Lusso decided it may be time to do a little changing ourselves...May I present to you the newest Summer Specials in all of our restaurants! This should add a bit of sunshine to your day.

Starting on Monday June 7, 2010:

Early Bird Special-Available in our Historic Lobby-Fireside:

Choose a salad, entrée, and our Davenport Sundae for $15.

Served in the Fireside Lobby daily from 4:00pm-6:00pm

Salad Options

Caesar Salad

Whole leaf hearts of romaine tossed with Parmesan cheese & our house made Caesar dressing then topped with shaved Parmesan & freshly baked garlic croutons

Garden Salad

Mixed green salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, freshly baked garlic croutons, and choice of dressing

Entree Options

Grilled Salmon Filet with tovored brown topped with *

Lightly seasoned grilled salmon filet topped with our Northwest huckleberry champagne sauce

Coconut Prawns

Three large wild black tiger prawns dipped in a light coconut batter & served with sweet hot orange marmalade sauce, rice & seasonal vegetables

Lemon Cream Fettuccini

Light lemon cream sauce tossed with parsley, lemon zest & topped with Parmesan cheese

Chicken Pot Pie

Our homemade chicken pot pie is made with roasted chicken, vegetables and topped with crispy puff pastry

Teriyaki Chicken Breast

A lightly seasoned chicken breast with a ginger teriyaki sauce served over rice with seasonal vegetables

Dessert

The Davenport Sundae

Vanilla ice cream sprinkled with our homemade soft peanut brittle, drizzled with warm fudge sauce and served in a chocolate covered caramel shell

Safari Room Fresh Grill and Bar-HALF OFF in the Month of June!

All drinks are ½ price every day from 4-6pm. All dinner menus are ½ price from 6pm-Closing every day. Complimentary valet parking with purchase.

Sample Dinner Menu:

Thai Chicken Flatbread

Was $9 now $4.50

Crab Louis Salad

Was $22 now $11

Baby Back Ribs

Was $18 now $9

Southern Fried Chicken

Was $16 now $8

Grilled Rib Eye

Was $30 now $15

Miniature desserts

Was $2 now $1

Post St. Ale House NEW Happy Hour and Late Night Menu

Happy Hour 3-6pm

$2 drafts from 3-4pm

$3 drafts from 4-6pm

$2 Happy Hour Menu: Slider with fries, Fried Pickles, 6 hot wings, fried Mozzarella sticks.

New Late Night Happy Hour! 10pm-closing.

Late Night menu ½ price.

Sample:

Basket of Onion Rings $2.50

Best Ever Cheeseburger and Fries $4.50

Basket of Buffalo Hot Wings $4.50

Halibut Fish & Chips $5

Why My Mom Deserves a Night at The Davenport Contest Winner!

From left to right: Lynnelle Caudill (Davenport), Mike Forness (RMH), Lexi Lopez (winning essay writer), Adriana Lopez (Lexi's mom/Winner), Matt Jensen (Davenport)

A few weeks leading up to Mother's Day we held a little competition for all our Facebook Fans. The goal was to write a short essay of why YOUR mom deserves to stay at the Davenport Hotel and whoever won would receive a free night's stay at The Davenport for their mom for Mother's Day.

We received a lot of essays that were all beautifully written and compelling, but we had to choose one winner. This particular one stood out because of all the circumstances surrounding the essay.

Lexi Lopez wrote in about her mom Adriana Lopez. Lexi, who is 10 years old from Moses Lake, was diagnosed with cancer in February. When Lexi and her family came to Spokane to receive a diagnosis, they stayed at the Davenport and loved it and decided that once Lexi was cancer free they were going to stay once again.

Once Lexi was diagnosed, they found out that she would have to stay in Spokane since Moses Lake was too far away. Lexi and her mom moved into the Ronald McDonald House and have been there since February.

Adriana, Lexi's little sister Ali and her Lexi's Dad Brian have all made huge sacrafices to be on "Team Alexis". As Adriana says, it's the family fighting cancer, not just Lexi.

We were so moved by how wonderful Lexi's letter was and what a great supportive family she has, we decided to present Adriana with her gift certificate for free nights stay in person...and some extra gifts for her.

Here is a link to the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQUUidZdSSs

Lynnelle Caudill and Matt Jensen presented Adriana with a beautiful bouquet from our Flower Shop, an overnight stay at the Davenport and a $50 dining credit to any of our restaurants. They also presented Lexi an overnight stay to use when she is feeling better. Lexi's sister, Ali, received a gift certificate to Mobius Kids to use when they are in town visiting Lexi.

They were so excited and so well deserved. What an incredible and strong family they are and we wish the best for them.

Here is a link to Lexi's CaringBridge Page so you can read more about her: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/alexisalaniz

Here is a link to the Ronald McDonald House in Spokane-a great resource and foundation for many families like Lexi's: www.rmhspokane.org

Thank you to everyone who participated. It was truly an honor to read all the amazing entries from all of you. Your moms ALL deserve a night at The Davenport!

#SoMeT Symposium-Come to Spokane and The Davenport Hotel!

The Social Media Tourism Symposium is looking for a city and venue to hold its 1st ever conference and The Davenport and Spokane want it badly!!

Here is the 4-1-1 from #SoMeT's Facebook Page:

"The inaugural symposium will be held Wednesday, November 17 through Friday, November 19, 2010.
Mission:
The symposium will be a combination of destination marketing organizations, hotels, resorts, attractions and any other tourism related entities sharing ideas and learning more about how social media is effecting promotion within the travel industry.

What makes this conference unique is the involvement of attendees throughout the entire process. Attendees will have a voice in everything from the location to the session topics and presenters.

The symposium is managed by David Serino, founder of Gammet Interactive- an online marketing and consulting agency that serves the travel, tourism and hospitality industry."

Spokane and The Davenport would be great hosts! We are so excited we decided to take some photos of all the great places the #SoMeT attendees can hang out WHEN they hold their Symposium at The Davenport. We have complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the property, so it's perfect for all those Social Media gurus. (the logos for the Social Media Tourism Symposium are acting as place holders for the future attendees!)

The Davenport Hotel is a National Historic Building

A few sales and catering team members!

The Davenport's Porte Cachere

The Davenport Lobby

The Davenport Lobby and Famous Fireplace
"Meet me at the Fireplace"

One of our three bars on property

The Historic Lobby

The Davenport Pool

Max-The Davenport's Chief Engineer

Our Davenport Signature Store

Spa Paradiso located in the Davenport

The Davenport Signature Bed (available for purchase)

The Davenport Banquet Kitchen

Adam at The Front Desk

The Davenport Flower Shop (oldest in Spokane!)

Louis Davenport

Meg and Louis Davenport

Always at your service!

A few sales and catering team members by the Fireplace

Not pictured are our fabulous restaurants, bars, candy shoppe, conference rooms, ballrooms, coffee shops, fitness rooms and our amazing guest rooms! We also offer great happy hours, specials every night of the week (drink and food) and even wine and martini classes! Check out our website: www.thedavenporthotel.com for more photos and information about of our property.

Follow us on Twitter: @davenporthotel
"Like" us on Facebook: Click Here

If you are a fan of Spokane and the Davenport, check out #SoMeT's Facebook page and help get the word out!
http://www.facebook.com/SoMeTourism
Twitter: @SoMeTourism