While most of us view leap day as just another work day or extra time to catch up on laundry, this quadrennial event used to be celebrated with great fanfare in Spokane. In the early 1900s, leap year balls were held at the old Spokane Hotel, the Manito Golf Club and the Davenport Hotel. Standing in the Hall of the Doges at the Davenport, with its crystal chandeliers and celestial murals, one can almost imagine how grand those celebrations must have been. Stories found in the Spokane Chronicle tell of leap year dance parties attended by hundreds in 1916, hosted by various women’s social clubs. Ladies in fine gowns with silk gloves and men in coats and tails danced to eight-piece orchestras surrounded by palm trees and trailing vines/Kristen Harrington, SR. More here. (Kathy Plonka SR photo: Samantha Hammond shows off the Red Petticoat at Bardenay Restaurant and Distillery in Coeur d’Alene)

Question: How do you mix your favorite type of cocktail?