Best of The Slice: Just a few steps from perfect

Editor’s note: Paul Turner is taking some time off. In his absence, we’re diving into the archives here at Slice Central. Today, we revisit March 31, 2011.

I’ve always liked downtown Spokane.

Sure, it’s not perfect. What is?

I made mention of panhandlers in a column last week and heard from a few readers who piled on with the now-familiar “I never go down there any more.”

To each, his own. But I have to tell you: Downtown works for me.

I was reminded of this the other day when I experienced a burst of city-center efficiency. Here, I’ll walk you through it:

Left the Review Tower and crossed Riverside to check personal P.O. box. (It’s a long story. Let’s just say I like most of the mail carriers I’ve encountered. But there was this one, years ago, who was certifiable.)

From there, recrossed the street and walked a couple of blocks to my bank to cash my paycheck. (I’d tell you the name of my favorite teller, but I don’t want to risk hurting anyone’s feelings.)

Then it was east past the hot dog vendor and across Riverside again to the seventh floor of a building whose name I can’t remember. Had something to drop off for our accountant, who I would recommend in an instant.

Then it was back a few steps and around the corner to the pharmacy on Howard to pick up a cornucopia of prescriptions. It was a good thing I had gone to the bank first.

From there, I took a right on Main and went over to Auntie’s. My mom wanted me to pick up a copy of the new book by David Brooks for her.

On my way back to the paper, I ducked into Al’s cafe in the STA Plaza to buy a newspaper. Then I decided to skip a to-go order of cottage cheese from the cozy eatery near the southwest corner of Lincoln and Riverside.

This outing didn’t take long, and it was accomplished without getting in a car.

A smaller downtown might not have offered the opportunity to do all those errands. A bigger one might not have been so easy to navigate on foot.

Sometimes that “near perfect” jazz doesn’t seem so absurd.

The movie that took the most ridiculous liberties with Inland Northwest geography: “Vision Quest,” said Joe Kramarz.

Today’s Slice question: How many upcoming Spokane-area nuptials are being referred to as “the royal wedding”?

Write The Slice at P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; fax (509) 459-5098; email pault@spokesman.com. Don’t fall for any April Fools’ antics on Sunday.