Tag Archives: Ann Narcisian Videan

Burger phenom: Hudson’s Hamburgers

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Bob, Codi and Cutter help occupy the 23 counter stools available at Hudson’s. ©2011 ANVidean

One special Coeur d’Alene memory I somehow neglected to work into my Rhythms & Muse novel (half of the story takes place in the Idaho town) is Hudson’s Hamburgers. The joint is known worldwide for serving up – for the past 100 years! – a limited menu of simple, fresh, delectable burgers in a storefront on Sherman Ave., the town’s short main street!

I happened to grow up right next door to the Hudson family in the Fairway Hills neighborhood. Patriarch Roger was the fry cook in my day, but his sons Steve and Todd were in training on weekends. Now, they run the place.

I have very fond memories of conversations with the Hudson boys while sitting at their counter. How many times I watched them form my burger, grill it up on that savory grill, slap on the cheese, rapidly slice up thin slices of onion and pickle to place on the grill-toasted bun. The best part about a Huddy burger is the hot mustard and/or special sauce you squirt on yourself once the server plops your small plate in front of you. My mouth is watering right now, just thinking about the juicy goodness of that first bite.

It’s not a true trip to Coeur d’Alene without standing in line at least one, or two, or three times, at Hudson’s to enjoy a perfect “cheese, both” (i.e. cheeseburger with both onion and pickle). If you’re ever there in Cd’A, do not miss it. Any wait is totally worth it!

Check out this a great little historical PBS video about the local institution,  providing a number of fun facts, plus interviews with Roger and Todd.

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Rhythms & Muse novel and music CD:

Coffee CommuniTea: Rocket Bakery On First, Spokane, WA

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Today’s Cup o’ Tea
Rocket Bakery On First

Rocket Bakery On First. Photo by Nathan on Urban Spoon

Perks (what I really like!)
• Great open-air space
• Free Wi-Fi
• Located in a charming old brick building in downtown Spokane, within walking distance of Riverfront Park (site of 1974 World’s Fair)

Share a cuppa (the stories)
• Locally owned bakery and coffeehouse with nine neighborhood locations in the Spokane area, since 1992.

What’s Brewing (coffee, tea, food)
• All baked goods made by scratch with only wholesome ingredients
• Wide selection of delicious food choices
• Good tea selection and specialty drinks

The Grind (what I would change)
• More accessible Wi-Fi (I couldn’t get on during my second visit, perhaps because of a an over-protective firewall?)

Percolation Factor (the activity/environment/energy/service)
• Lots of activity from loyal, local patrons.

The Grounds (location)
1325 W. 1st Ave.
Spokane, WA
509-747-1834

Tea Times (hours)
Open daily 6 a.m.-6 p.m.

Yelp rating:
4 stars

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I love connecting people and ideas, so I’ve been creating small villages my entire life. Really, what better places can writers and musicians find to create “village” than independent coffee/tea shops? I wrote most of my Rhythms & Muse novel in coffee/tea venues, so it seemed natural to create this blog. Whether you came here to find a new favorite hangout, or suggest a spot not yet not posted, may you find Coffee CommuniTea exactly to your taste!

Dare! Find a small-town main street offering more than Coeur d’Alene’s.

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While my family visited Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, we spent quite a it of time in Downtown Coeur d’Alene, the lively little town which sets the scene for more than half of my Rhythms & Muse novel.

In addition to its most beautiful City Beach at the west end of downtown, Cd’A’s seven-block main street, aka Sherman Ave., offers a plethora of great experiences:

  • Hudson’s Hamburgers, with it’s 100-year legacy, is a destination for the most delicious, juicy burgers worldwide!
    (I very much regret I couldn’t find a good way to include Hudson’s iin Rhythms & Muse. Those burgers are one of my favorite reasons for visiting Cd’A. A point of interest: the Hudson family, including current proprietors Steve and Todd, lived next to my family in Fairway Hills the entire time I lived up there.)
  • Calypsos Coffee & Creamery, a great coffee venue right off Sherman on Lakeside Ave., where I held my book signing.
  • A number of charming retail shops, including:

    Looking west down Sherman Ave. from 5th St.(?) ©2011 ANVidean

    • Gallery Northwest, filled with lovely unique artwork crafted by local artists
    • Summers Glass gorgeous dichroic glass jewelry and art, beads, and more
    • Possibilities wine and gift-basket shop
    • Coeur d’Alene Chocolates, a family-owned shop with the most beautifully delicious treats I’ve ever seen.

      The sandy City Beach at the west end of Sherman Ave. offers a pristine view of the towering Coeur d’Alene Resort, and Tubbs Hill. ©2011 ANVidean

  • The Coeur d’Alene Resort, a lovely destination towering over the north end of Lake Cd’A right at the foot of downtown, with a  marina and one of the largest boardwalks in the world. It’s connected via skywalk to an indoor shopping mall featuring mid-to-high-end restaurants and shops.

I’ll be doing future posts to provide additional details on some of these distinctive hot spots, so watch the blog.

Do you have a Cd’A story or photo to share? Comment below, or send your .jpg image to me at avidean@videanunlimited.com and I’ll post it in the future.

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Rhythms & Muse novel and music CD:

One of America’s most beautiful downtown beaches

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My family just returned from a too-short visit to the beautiful northwest. We hung out in Spokane, WA, and Coeur d’Alene, ID, for a week… seeing friends, tracking down old haunts, and visiting places and activities mentioned in my Rhythms & Muse novel.

Lake Coeur d’Alene    ©2011 ANVidean

One lazy afternoon, we strolled the Centennial Trail through the City Park, soaking in sights like this one. But what’s so uber cool about this…? Downtown Coeur d’Alene is just about two blocks to the east of this scene.

Can you see why lovely Lake Cd’A certainly served as high inspiration for a major portion of my novel? Who wouldn’t want to spend time near this blue water?

Do you have a Cd’A story or photo to share? Comment below, or send your .jpg image to me at avidean@videanunlimited.com and I’ll post it in a future blog.

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Rhythms & Muse novel and music CD:

Coeur d’Alene Trivia from Rhythms & Muse, part 3

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We’re nearing the date of my Rhythms & Muse novel and music CD signing at Calypsos Coffee & Creamery, 116 E. Lakeside Ave. in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. (4–7 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2011). Excited! I’m so looking forward to seeing plenty of my friends there…including you?

Just for fun, these trivia questions are based on places and activities in Cd’A, and Spokane, Wash., especially during the 1970s. All the items are mentioned in the book. Do you know the area? How many answers can you get correct?

Cd’A Trivia Questions, part 3

15. What’s the name of the marina surrounded by one of the world’s longest floating boardwalks and with easy access from The Coeur d’Alene Resort?

16. How wide and long is the Coeur d’Alene Boardwalk?

17. When did the Cd’A Resort open?

18. Although the Lake City is now northern Idaho’s center for healthcare, educational, media, manufacturing, retail and recreation, the three main industries in the mid-1900s were…

19. Are there really cougars near Cd’A Lake?

20. Fireworks are set off over Cd’A Lake from a barge. Is the rumor that the barge catches on fire every year actually true?

21. What 23-mile-long improved path stretches in either direction from the City Park?

Answers in comments below.

See Spokane Trivia.

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You can find these and more Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and Spokane, Wash., references in my Rhythms & Muse novel and music CD:

Coeur d’Alene Trivia from Rhythms & Muse, part 2

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The back cover of Rhythms & Muse features a Lake Cd’A photo taken by the author. ©2005 ANVidean

A significant portion of my Rhythms & Muse women’s fiction novel takes place in 1970s Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and Spokane Wash., so it seemed natural to create a trivia blog entry or two about some of the places and activities mentioned in the book. Do you know the area? How many answers can you get correct?

Cd’A Trivia Questions, part 2

8. THE 1970s local hangout after ball games and music concerts was a wooden structure with tall slanted windows, just around the corner from downtown Coeur d’Alene. Do you recall its name?

9. The sledding scene in the novel was inspired by a favorite hill just up from where the author used to live off the Cd’A public golf course. What’s the name of this neighborhood?

10. Student musicians would travel to this city, home of the University of Idaho, to compete in “State” where judges rated their talent/skills.

11. You’ll probably need to have been friends with the author to know this one, but what color and make was the family car Ann drove during high school?

12. What is the name of the 17-acre public park named located just west of downtown Cd’A?

13. You can go for a 2.2 mile hike right from downtown Coeur d’Alene in a 164-acre urban wilderness area. Named for a German immigrant who was Coeur d’Alene’s first Justice of the Peace, this area is called…?

14. Hundreds of bird species are found in Northern Idaho, including majestic bald eagles. What other bird-of-prey, known for building nests on top of lake pilings, is prevalent in Cd’A?

Answers in comments below.

More Cd’A trivia (part 3).

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You can find these and more Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and Spokane, Wash., references in my Rhythms & Muse novel and music CD:

Rhythms & Muse book signing in Coeur d’Alene, ID

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The back cover of Rhythms & Muse features a Lake Cd’A photo I took in 2005.

I’m so excited to return to Coeur d’Alene in August for a signing of my Rhythms & Muse novel and music CD at Calypsos Coffee & Creamery, 116 E. Lakeside Ave. from 4–7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2011.

Background

I spent my high school years in Coeur d’Alene, and plenty of time in Spokane, Wash., which inspired the 1970s flashback scenes in the novel. Anyone who’s been around those towns for a while will recognize a number of the places mentioned in the book. Readers can find a sneak peek in my Cd’A Trivia blog entry, too.

For those who don’t know, Rhythms & Muse is a make-dreams-come-true story about a Grammy-award-winning female vocalist, Alexandra Lauren, who is living the glamorous Hollywood lifestyle and hating it. Dreams are guiding her, but she ignores them until one comes true in real life. Her dreams, and flashbacks to her senior year in high school, lead Alex to listen to her intuitions and return to Cd’A. Searching for true fulfillment, she works an elaborate scheme to try to reconcile with her former music partner and first love, Matt Roberts, and to regain the balance she’s lost in her life.

As I was writing the story of these musical characters, I also decided to create original music to accompany the book, using the music and lyrics my characters “composed.” On the Rhythms & Muse CD, I sing all five songs, and also contribute select piano and guitar accompaniment.

Did you know I…

  • Always wanted to write a novel and create music, so publishing Rhythms & Muse this year fulfilled two of my main life goals in tandem.
  • Graduated from Cd’A high school and left Idaho to attend Arizona State University.
  • Graduated cum laude in Broadcast Journalism from ASU.
  • Worked in corporate and agency public relations until starting my own marketing consulting firm in 1996.
  • Was honored by a panel of national judges honored with a Crown Jewel Award for my firm vIDEAn Unlimited, LLC (i.e. the top U.S. home-based business in 2005).
  • Specialize in developing business tribes using word-of-mouth marketing strategy.
  • Am an award-winning writer and editor.
  • Offer a bunch of interesting and valuable information on my Web site (videanunlimited.com), business-tribe blog (videanunlimited.com/biztribe), and novel blog (anvidean.com).

Did you know Calypsos Coffee & Creamery…

  • Is Coeur d’Alene’s Casual Coffee House
  • Was established by local-area natives, the Jenicek family, in 2008.
  • They decided to open Calypsos to share their love of coffee and to be involved with the downtown business district and its people.
  • Serves quality coffee, roasted onsite, in a captivating and comfortable atmosphere.
  • Is located one block from the Cd’A Resort, the Chamber of Commerce and the City Beach.
  • Great menu and services are detailed at Calypsoscoffee.com.

I can’t wait to get back to Coeur d’Alene to share Rhythms & Muse with my friends there.

– Ann

Coeur d’Alene Trivia from Rhythms & Muse, part 1

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The back cover of Rhythms & Muse features a Lake Cd’A photo. Click on image to enlarge. ©2005 ANVidean

A significant portion of my Rhythms & Muse women’s fiction novel takes place in 1970s Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and Spokane Wash., so it seemed natural to create a trivia blog entry or two about some of the places and activities mentioned in the book. Do you know the area? How many answers can you get correct?

Cd’A Trivia Questions, part 1

1. The stately old junior high building, demolished after 65 years of service in 1975 and alluded to in the Rhythms & Muse storyline, stood at what Coeur d’Alene cross streets?

2. Coeur d’Alene High School, at least in the 1970s, had a small group of singers selected from among the Concert Choir members who performed pop, jazz, and other popular songs. What was this small group’s name?

3. In the novel, the heroine Alexandra Lauren’s locker number is #77. Why is that number significant to the author?

4. The novel’s hero, Matt Roberts, lives in one of the large historic homes across from a beach, the public/private rights for which have just recently been resolved. What’s the name of that beach?

5. Is there really a “secret” meadow above the shoreline of Casco Bay as detailed in the novel – a verdant green grassy patch formed from spring run-off and surrounded by pines?

6. Inspiration for Matt’s lake cabin and his children’s music camp in the novel came from cabins owned in the 1970s by two of the author’s neighbors in Fairway Hills. What were the last names of those two families? (Hint: The cabins sat next to one another on Casco Bay directly in view of downtown Cd’A.)

7. The characters in the novel record a hit single at a famous crooner’s home on Hayden Lake. Although that blue-eyed singer did actually own a home on the lake, did it really have a built-in recording studio?

More Cd’A trivia (part 2).

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Answers in comments below.

You can find these and more Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and Spokane, Wash., references in my Rhythms & Muse novel and music CD:

Coffee CommuniTea: Enchanted Grounds, Highlands Ranch, CO

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Today’s Cup o’ Tea
Enchanted Grounds Coffeehouse and Gameporium

Ah, the treasures we found inside... ©2011 ANVidean

Perks (what I really like!)
While in Colorado recently, I visited Enchanted Grounds with my brother Paul and his son Blake. I’d describe this charming spot as the ultimate in nerdy coolness. I mean really, a coffee shop and a gaming store all rolled into one? And I thought Souvia was heaven.

Perhaps it appealed to me so much because I’m a closet gamer. I love board games and cards, video games and, especially, role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons. My family played D&D every week for years, starting with a group at Borders Books, and then moving to our living room. Our fabulous friend and Game Master Joanne kept the play creative, and rewarded smart and nonviolent decisions. It taught my kids a lot of great lessons about preparation, teamwork, strategic thinking and problem solving. Ah, but I digress…

Blake loves Batman, and I'm partial to Superman (mostly because of Smallville). ©2011 Paul Narcisian

We’d dropped into Enchanted Grounds for a short afternoon of quiet gaming and something refreshing to sip. When we first walked up to the counter, Paul says Dan to the barista, “Hey, great shirt!” He points out that Dan’s T-shirt image sported Blake’s favorite superhero, Batman.

Blake's scrumptious Batman shake. ©2011 ANVidean

We didn’t think much of it as we found a table and laid out our Harry Potter Lego game. But, when I went to pick up my delicious peppermint tea, I discovered a Batman symbol outlined in chocolate syrup on top of the boys’ chocolate milkshake. Blake loved the sweet surprise! (Not to mention sucking the creamy treat down to half full in about 15 seconds flat, at which point his Dad snagged the other half.)

My nephew Blake and brother Paul set up our game while waiting for tea and a milkshake. ©2011 ANVidean

I thoroughly enjoyed our time at Enchanted Grounds. The atmosphere feels energized, but calm. The food and drinks taste delicious. A well-stocked and roomy game-display area allowed for easy browsing. I can easily imagine playing D&D there, as the gaming tables are spacious and pretty comfortable. I especially like the broad variety of people the place attracted: not only gamer types rolling d20s (20-sided die) and pondering miniatures on maps, but families holding quiet conversations, and professionals working away on laptops.

All I want to know is why can’t Enchanted Ground be in my neighborhood? (I guess it’s so I have another great excuse to visit my lucky brother now… Yeah, that’s it.)

Barista Dan and owner Jeff Kokx. ©2011 ANVidean

Share a cuppa (the stories)
Owner: Jeff Kokx
Do you just love how that last name is spelled?

What’s Brewing (coffee, tea, food)

  • Specialty coffee and gourmet espresso
  • A good selection of teas
  • Fruit smoothies, and ice cream shakes (best in town!)
  • Sandwiches and burritos
  • Pastries and desserts
  • Even drink catering (an entire coffee and espresso bar set-up for your private party or office function)

The Grind (what I would change)
It’s Enchanted Grounds. What more is there to say?

Percolation Factor (the activity/environment/energy/service)

  • Online community:
    Podcasts
    Blog posts
  • Games, toys, puzzles and collectible card games (CCGs)
  • Plenty of seating inside and out
  • Game, club, and/or other events almost every day
  • Free WiFi and lots of power outlets
  • Beautiful decor and friendly staff (Dan was thoughtful, helpful…a real charmer!)

The Grounds (location)
8800 S. Colorado Blvd., Unit A
Highlands Ranch, CO 80126
303.470.1010

Tea Times (hours)
Open:
M–Th 6 a.m.–10 p.m.
F 6 a.m.–12 a.m.
Sa 7 a.m.–12 a.m.
Su 7 a.m.–8 p.m.

Yelp rating:  4 Stars

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I love connecting people and ideas, so I’ve been creating small villages my entire life. Really, what better places can writers and musicians find to create “village” than independent coffee/tea shops? I wrote most of my Rhythms & Muse novel in coffee/tea venues, so it seemed natural to create this blog. Whether you came here to find a new favorite hangout, or suggest a spot not yet not posted, may you find Coffee CommuniTea exactly to your taste!

Cultural trivia from Rhythms & Muse, part 4

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Here are the last trivia questions based on cultural references from my Rhythms & Muse novel. See how many you know.

Trivia Questions

22. What 1927 prose by Max Ehrmann ends with, “Be cheerful. Strive to be happy?”

23. What daily newspaper was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008?

24. What museum with three locations in greater Los Angeles exhibits primarily American and European contemporary art created since 1940?

25. What Revlon fragrance personified the independent woman of the 1970s, and was the first perfume ad to feature a woman wearing pants?

26. What American singer, songwriter, and pianist wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards? Hint: She had a recurring role as a music-store owner in the 1990s’ Gilmore Girls TV series.

27. What Apple product, according to PC World has “altered the landscape for portable audio players?”

28. One of the most popular American singers of the 20th century, this cultural icon is often referred to as “The King.”

Answers in comments below.

You can find these and more cultural references in my Rhythms & Musenovel and music CD: