One of the best views of Spokane is from the airport lounge waiting to leave. Wow, that doesn’t sound very nice, but Spokane just doesn’t do it for me. I was here for only 3 days, but it’s not the kind of city I would want to live in. I can’t explain it exactly, but it just feels like a northern, industrial East Coast city with no personality. It just didn’t have ‘character’ of so many western towns which are more modern and designed well; just seems like everything was thrown spitter-spat and wasn’t a clean city either. It also didn’t seem to have the friendliest people I’ve met. Anyway, fortunately my work was quick and on Thursday I finished up half a day and headed for the Spokane airport. As US Airways only had two flights a day, I couldn’t get an earlier flight than my 3;10pm nonstop to Phoenix.
My flight to Phoenix was about 2 1/2 hours and actually had a meal, although not exactly the best First Class dinner I’ve ever had. 
I was in row 2 (of 3) and when they got to me there was only one meat entree left, which my seat-mate in 2F got. I ended up with the manicotti, which being a high-carb dish would not have been my first choice. After looking at the minuscule piece of meat my seat-mate had (literally the size of my thumb, but also had ‘lobster mac and cheese’, he said I must have gotten the better deal with a salad and manicotti. And paired with some cheap red wine, it was ok for being free, but not a fine-dining First Class meal that’s for sure. US Airways, soon to be American, has already made changes to the meal service and not for the better unfortunately.
Anyway, I landed in Phoenix and gathered my luggage and took the airport shuttle to the Hilton Phoenix Airport where I stayed for the night. 
I really like this airport, and DOS and I stayed here recently when we had to overnight here due to a missed connection in Phoenix on our way to Napa. The rooms have balconies overlooking the courtyard and palm trees which is nice. 
I stopped briefly by the Concierge Lounge before it closed for a quick brewski, and then went to the restaurant downstairs for dinner and another brewski, starting my vacation early.
I am flying home in the morning to Orlando, but then DOS and I are flying to Hawaii on Saturday.
As I had an 8:55am flight in the morning, I went to bed by 10pm, excited and ready to fly home, to only fly back west for vacation.