7 • Culture • News

Four years ago, a group of young Spokesman-Review staffers assembled in a conference room. Their goal was to transform the paper’s weekly entertainment section into something new and vibrant that would better capture Spokane’s evolving cultural energy. On May 14, 2004, the debut issue of 7 appeared.

A lot has changed over the years. Nightclubs have opened, closed, changed names and in some cases, cleaned up their restrooms before changing their names and closing again. Innovative chefs have helped local foodies realize that there’s life beyond seared ahi. The High Holies have come and gone. And we at 7 have been doing our best over the years to help keep you in the loop.

Unfortunately, recent staff cuts have made it more difficult to continue that mission.

7th Heaven

11/21/2008 | 7 didn't just have its finger of the pulse of the local scene – it was a part of the pulse. On the cover of the first issue of 7, there was a caption that read: "Isamu Jordan swears a vibrant nightlife exists." I still think that's true and I'm proud to be have been part of 7 's role in highlighting the people and places that help shape Spokane's culture after dark.

Are you tough enough?

10/10/2008 | Beyond the usual case of rink rash there is an occasional broken rib, but ask the strong-willed women in Spokane's only roller derby league and most will tell you it's worth the wear.

And Spokane's Lilac City Rollergirls is made up of all different types of personalities. "You would think of Rollergirls as having tattoos and looking all crazy but really it takes all types. Some are doctors. Some are quiet, shy girls, some are people with no tattoos," said the Lilac City Rollergirls outgoing president, Naomi Weitz, who also is a mental health therapist.

"You just have to be willing to get knocked on your butt and get back up and keep going."

Wonderground seeks to unite artistic types

9/26/2008 | Ginger Ewing was born and raised in Spokane, but she's still not convinced she needs to leave here in order to do great things. Instead, she's trying to create her own vision for Spokane.

The Liberty Building:
100 years and counting

9/19/2008 | When Chris O'Harra and Shannon Ahern announced in 1993 that they had purchased the Liberty Building and planned on moving Auntie's Bookstore into the long-standing space, Spokane book fans cheered.

A brief history of the Liberty Building

9/19/2008 | Today, the corner of Main and Washington is stacked with books; long ago, it was stacked with lumber. It was listed as a lumber yard in 1893.

First Friday art walk

9/5/2008 | For newcomers to the Spokane art scene, and for those who've been asking for clarification, I am writing my own Webster's version of just what exactly First Friday is:First (as in #1) Friday (as in TGIF): Every first Friday of the month, downtown Spokane art galleries, wineries and alternative spaces host First Friday art walk from 5-8 p.

Meghan Daum: On a catty approach to politics

9/5/2008 | Now that the Democratic National Convention is over, have all the PUMAs gone back to their dens? Is it safe to jog in the mountains or are rabid, ravenous Hillary Rodham Clinton supporters still crouching in the chaparral, patiently waiting until November, when they'll avenge their candidate in one deadly pounce?

Is it last call for Ella's?

8/8/2008 | Saturday night was the kind of night that should be the norm at CenterStage. There was a loud birthday bash on the first floor; an even louder 20th high school reunion in the main ballroom on the second floor; Ella's Supper Club was packed on the third floor; and "Reefer Madness" was being projected on the back wall of the Fox from CenterStage's billiards-room window.

Tinman tandem: Artists holding joint show

6/13/2008 | Virginia Carter and Ilse Kilian Tan are having a joint show at Tinman Gallery. At first glance, their work appears very dissimilar. But both have deeper, spiritual meaning tied to nature and mother earth, and the roots of the two bodies of work are actually more connected than you'd expect.

Crusading for comics

6/6/2008 | When Nathan O'Brien needed a hero to help with potty training his daughter, Lanna, he called on the likes of Spider-Man and Batman. "We rewarded her for going to the bathroom with various comic-book related toys," said O'Brien, a 29-year-old comic book junkie whose daughter is named after Superman's first love, Lana Lang.

Frisky business

6/6/2008 | Butt slapping, groping and remarks about bras and breasts can be expected when you pour drinks for a living, several Spokane bartenders said. That kind of behavior has been going on for generations. That kind of behavior has been going on for generations. Before nearly 30-year-old laws drew attention to the issues, women in the service industry thought it best to endure sexually-offensive behavior for fear they'd otherwise be fired.

Please, let the band jam

5/23/2008 | If you're going out to the fray that is the Sasquatch Music Festival, or Elvis Costello and The Police, or even Pig Out in the Park, it helps to have a reminder of a few tips key to your survival.

Out of the dorm room and into the street

5/23/2008 | College life bridges growing up at home and branching out on your own. During that transition, the school meets students' needs – food, shelter, health insurance, even Internet access – particularly for students living on campus.

Hit the road

5/9/2008 | Every bike commuter has a reason. Cycling saves money, is good for your health and the environment, and can often be more convenient (and more fun) than driving. With gas prices soaring and Bike to Work week starting Monday, many people who have been thinking about riding will finally make the leap.
Bike commuting isn't for everyone. But if it's something you want to try, here are a few tips to get you started.

Does green go with this?

4/18/2008 | Over the coming week, Earth Day celebrations locally and around the world will encourage people to recycle their water bottles, switch to energy-efficient light bulbs, shorten their showers and buy organic goods.

Gen X in the spotlight

4/11/2008 | Jeff Gordinier wants to make one thing perfectly clear: He doesn't hate baby boomers. He just says it's time for them to move along.

Photographer finds solace behind the camera's lens

4/4/2008 | St. John's Cathedral isn't the typical place you'd go to for a First Friday art show, but then again Bethany Mahan isn't your typical artist.

Show us your 'BOOBIES'

4/4/2008 | If you see someone walking down the street wearing a t-shirt or button that says "BOOBIES," it's not necessarily a pervert. It's part of a promotional campaign launched by Team GiGi to raise awareness about breast cancer, at the same time raising money for the Spokane Race for the Cure.

For art's sake

4/4/2008 | Winter's over. It's time to crawl back out of your cave and witness the promise of spring. Tonight's First Friday art walk ushers in a new season: A time of growth, a new palette (anything but white! or gray!), fresh new work, some inspiration, and more than a few budding artists.

In a world of his own

4/4/2008 | You'd think that Conrad Lionel, the protagonist of Lars Brown's comic strip "North World," would be a happy guy. After all, how many people can walk into a forest, unsheathe a sword and do battle with a giant bear?

Exercise appeal

3/21/2008 | She hangs upside down from the vertical pole – no hands, just her bare legs gripping the shiny stainless steel. In her six-inch, black stiletto heels, Megan Goude begins to spin as her inverted body slowly slides down the pole. "It makes you feel sexy," says the 23-year-old, using her muscular arms to climb back up again.
Before your mind even goes there, stop. This is not a sleazy strip club. In fact, there's no nudity involved.

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