North Idaho’s Best Kept Secret, Coeur d’Alene 

On Tuesday Feb 3rd Tom and I enjoyed a terrific Tuesday here in Coeur d’Alene.   We woke up early, to participate in Denny’s nationwide free Grand Slam Breakfast.   We arrived at 7:10 am and were lucky to sit by two of our good friends, Steve and Leann that had braved the cold, icy morning to join in the American event.   The service was excellent, the food was hot and tasty and the customers and staff were both enjoying a fun morning with their fellow folk. 

After the breakfast I ran over to the DMV and at 7:45 am on a Tuesday morning I was the only one there.  No need to grab a ticket.  The employees were friendly and helpful and I enjoyed a congenial conversation with Lorie, a seasoned DMV employee, while I renewed my license.  The DMV office can be relaxing if you go at the right time! 

Later in the day my husband and I attended a free NIC Jazz Ensemble concert that was amazing.  The band gave us over an hour of toe tapping tunes that delighted both young and old in attendance.  The special guests, Al and Gary Gemberling dazzled us with trombone, trumpet and scat performances that were a touch of New Orleans on a summer night.  Dan Bukvich pounded out an amazing percussion performance that included ice scrapers, shovels and chains.  

A standing ovation was immediate after the final number.  There was no other choice.

In fact a standing ovation goes out to Dennys, the DMV and NIC Jazz band for making life better on a cold wintry day in North Idaho’s Best Kept Secret, Coeur d’Alene.