Children Will Listen
by MICHAEL BOWEN
Roger Welch's production of Once Upon a Mattress (at Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre through Aug. 2) is silly enough for the kids and smart enough for the grownups. But that's such cliché: "suitable for all ages." How does a middle-aged guy really know if this "Princess and the Pea" musical holds any appeal for children? By consulting someone who's an expert on the matter. Someone who's 11. Full Story
Found Sound
by ELIZABETH STRAUCH
Just about 100 miles from where Eric Anderson grew up is one of the oldest and most unusual structures in the Inland Northwest. The Cataldo Mission, or Mission of the Sacred Heart, is a unique architectural accomplishment, not only because of the celebrated cooperation between the Coeur d'Alene Indians and the Jesuit missionaries who built it in the 1850s, but also for the self-sufficient way in which it was constructed, long before we would be oohing and ahhing over sustainability. The 90-foot-long, 40-foot-wide and 30-foot-high building was made primarily of pine from the area that was cut on-site. Wooden pegs, willow saplings, wild grass, adobe and mud fill in the gaps to hold it together: Not a single nail was used. The altars were carved by hand and painted to look like marble. Chandeliers were made out of tin cans. Full Story
Pedal Power
by TED S. McGREGOR JR.
I got some cool new shoes the other day — 100 percent guilt-free, in fact. The canvas and shoelaces are some kind of recycled something or other, and the soles are made out of old tires. I think there's even some hemp in there, too. Full Story
Native Roots
by KEVIN TAYLOR
A tall Ponderosa pine with spreading limbs and massive girth stood unblinking sentinel as the world changed at its feet. Full Story
Familiar, Yet Different
by LAUREN McALLISTER
The Two-Seven Public House occupies one of those locations where others have gone before and failed. The original inspiration to turn the location into a restaurant must have caused a few puzzled looks, since it is situated in the daylight lower level of a strip mall. A trendy-in-the-'80s smoked-glass sunroom didn't help matters. So the Two-Seven faced some tough odds in transforming the location into an appealing eatery complete with outdoor seating. But the deed has been done. Gone is the sunroom. A new entrance, combined with the addition of rustic corrugated metal siding and stained wood timbers, gives the place the feel of a modern mountain lodge. Add some planter boxes overflowing with colorful flowers around a pleasant patio to shield the view of the adjacent parking lot, and voila, the Two-Seven is an inviting pub with a perfectly serviceable al fresco dining area. Full Story
Crass and Crasser
by ED SYMKUS
At the end of the final credits for Step Brothers, my first thought was, "What the hell was that?" Then into my head popped another phrase, involving either "crasser" or "more crass" — I'm not sure which is more proper. Full Story
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