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The SECOND…something…

The view from the top of the Kibbie Dome stairs...I smell awesome-ness. (Chloe Rambo)
The view from the top of the Kibbie Dome stairs...I smell awesome-ness. (Chloe Rambo)

Ok, I know...this is getting somewhat pathetic; the name just hasn't come to me yet. It will - every good name has to come eventually. (I even Googled "how to come up with good blog names", and got a great website by Chris G, creator of the NANOWRIMO...but I'm still workin' on it...)

March 13th (12-9 pm) and 14th (10am-8pm) marked the 11th Annual Home and Garden Expo, kickin' off at the University of Idaho Kibbie Dome in Moscow.  (This may sound like your standard work-gloves-wearing, home-improvement-obsessed, 'DIY', Martha Stewart-y gathering of old farts...but I am proud to say that it's just the opposite. 

This marks my 4th time attending and it gets better every time. First off, the awesome-ness of the Kibbie Dome.  You walk in, and not only can you catch the scent of amazing new cars and fresh gardening soil wafting through the bleachers, (two really great smells in my opinion), but you can also breathe in the delicious aromas of the food. Two words: delicious. Hmmm wait - ...I guess I only needed one word to describe that one. 

To get a better picture of this shin-dig, just imagine a huge college fair. Except every time you see a table full of college information, forms, and free pencils - replace it with a local business trying to do some advertising.  There were booths by Staples, ReMax, Recycling Centers, the Pullman Aquatic Center, the Schwan Food company (with free samples!) and every construction business in a 50-mile radius of Moscow.  Plus about 15 spankin' new cars from local dealers.

And a lil' sidenote: The free stuff is much much better than any college fair. (I totally scored some free sticky notes and an orange...yes...an orange as an advertising-tactic...:D) 

But back to the food. The Home and Garden Expo not only features business from your local community, large and small, but the food is local too. We had to choose from Basilio's italian food, Papa John's pizza, even a mini-espresso stand!  (Well - there wasn't any choosing with the espresso, it was a must.) I ended up grabbing some of Basilio's portable fare - it's one of my all-time favorite resturants in Pullman, WA.

My-All-Time-Tried-and-True-Favorite! (The Recommendation:) Another 12 oz. Americano for me! That mini-espresso stand was too cool to resist. And it's hard to beat a hot cup of coffee on a really cold day. For lunch I enjoyed some of Basilio's Tomato Basil Raviolini Soup - and this really does get two words: truly amazing! It was the perfect size and amount for a quick-pick me up before making my final rounds of the business booths.

Check out the Expo's Official Site (Anyone want to reserve a booth for the VOX next year?!?) I'm all in!   Here's the Palouse Expo!

Ever gone to this event? Does anyone have their own garden? Does this DIY-fest sound like a good time?

 

In 2006, then-editor Steve Smith of The Spokesman-Review had the idea of starting a publication for an often forgotten audience: teenagers. The Vox Box was a continuation of the Vox, an all-student staffed newspaper published by The Spokesman-Review. High school student journalists who staffed the Vox made all content decisions as they learn about the trade of journalism. This blog's mission was to give students an opportunity to publish their voices. The Vox Box and the Vox wrapped up in June 2009, but you can follow former staffers' new blog at http://voxxiez.blogspot.com.