LILACS to the Spokane Valley Council for limiting yard sales to three a year. We’ve all driven by homes holding perpetual yard sales, with tables of clutter in front, gaudy lawn signs and traffic in and out all day. Three a year seems like a reasonable number, and they could partner with another homeowner, possibly getting it up to six or nine. But the never-ending outdoor store setups need to stop.

LEMONS to the State of Washington Dept of Licensing for not adopting the REAL ID act, which requires a birth certificate as proof of identification when obtaining a driver’s license. Because our licenses aren’t strong enough as proof of ID, residents of Washington and five other states will require Enhanced Licenses if you want to fly anywhere. Passports are a good substitute, but why can’t our state just get with the program and be consistent with the other states? No one wants to see people getting turned away at airports.

LILACS to the Spokane Park Board for opening up Indian Canyon Golf Course to cross-country skiing. The beautiful course is a winter wonderland, and will help more people enjoy the beautiful setting. The board is also considering grooming trails in other great spots such as Riverside State Park, Palisades Park and the Finch Arboretum.

LEMONS to the AMC Theatre chain for eliminating small popcorn and small drinks. Now they only offer gargantuan medium and large sizes. Some of us don’t want to pig out on 2,000 calories of popcorn that either gets eaten or more likely, mostly wasted. In an age when cities are calling for smaller portions on soft drinks and consumers are clamoring for more choices. It seems like a poor move, especially considering that even the small sized items’ prices have huge markups.

LILACS to Rob Brewster for bringing a unique concept to Spokane: a Food Hall. It will be located under the arched ceiling in the old Crescent store, the promenade that separated the two sides of the store, where the big clock was (and is) and extending all the way to Riverside. A food hall is nothing like a mall food court that usually features only fast food. The food hall will feature artisan and gourmet fare, not terribly different from the concept in place at Saranac Commons or at Melrose Market in Seattle. We’re looking forward to new lunch options and to seeing a long dead space put to good use.

LEMONS to dating app users who misrepresent themselves as single and available. It’s a complaint we’re hearing more and more often from people who are looking for love but are mostly encountering players. It might be a good idea to do a quick and free online background check on anyone before setting up a meeting.

LILACS to the new Maryhill Winery tasting room in Kendall Yards for hosting our February magazine release party. We love how quickly they’ve become involved in the community and how forward thinking they are. With a Mardis Gras theme, the party will be a Par-Tay(!) on February 15. Do register on our website, as only registered guests will be able to attend.