Faces of the INW: Mikayla Hoffman

BY ALYSSA AGEE

Mikayla and I sit down in the soft velvet chairs at Emma Rue’s and sip on lattes as we chat about life, Bubble Tea, and living through cold Spokane winters on coffee and pastries. You can find her online at her IG handle, @mikaylahoffmanrealestate

Name and Age: Mikayla Hoffman

Hometown:

As a young child my parents were medical missionaries, so I have lived all over the world. I was born in Nebraska but lived in Papua New Guinea, a short stint in Wisconsin, and went to Lewis and Clark right here in Spokane for high school.

How long have you lived in Spokane?

Over 12 years

Current Neighborhood:

Manito Park

How do you pay the bills and what’s your passion project/side hustle?

I’m a real estate agent by day – and night – and weekends. My side projects include dabbling in DJing and campaign volunteer work.

Where do you take out-of-towners when they come to visit?

Spokane has some great coffee shops that I love to take them to, and we always recommend People’s Waffle for breakfast. First Avenue Coffee has such a WOW factor! I love it there.

I like to plan a shopping day when we have guests in town–specifically local and sustainable shops. We start at Fringe and Fray then hit Boulevard Mercantile and definitely have to go to Global Neighborhood Thrift. Global has an incredible vintage room with incredible iconic t’s. If you want to see every single Bloomsday t-shirt, then you need to hit them up. They have every single one on the wall. At this point we’re starving, so I have to take them to lunch and the options are endless! I’d recommend Chowderhead or Cochinito as great spots to revive us.

What is your favorite treat and where do you find it in town?

My favorite treat is actually an amazing cocktail. For an extra special treat I’ll sip on something from Emma Rue’s. I also really enjoyed a beverage in the basement at Lucky You Lounge before they closed this past summer. I have a lot of incredible memories of concerts at Lucky You.

You love coffee and cocktails, anything else you enjoy imbibing?

It’s all about the Bubble Tea craze that has overtaken Spokane. I spend all my money right now on Boba tea. I can think of half a dozen spots around town to grab a great Boba tea, so you’re not limited by location. For starters you can head to Kendall Yards and The Tea Boba Bar or if you’re on the north side there’s Boba Bubble. BocoPop in Liberty Lake is super fun because its staff is amazing. I think the new kid on the block for Boba teas is Uoni over by Gonzaga University.

Do you cook at home much?

Home? What’s that? Ok, JK, but for real – with small kids and a more than full-time job, who is ever at home?

I do make a mean batch of homemade popcorn in a big cast iron-lidded pot. I start with a good coating of oil on the bottom and turn it to medium-high. Then slather it with butter and high-quality salt. Don’t wander off to do a load of laundry while making this. You will regret it.

I also love slow mornings at home where I can make toast. A loaf of locally made bread makes this a treat. If you’re a Spokanite then there’s a good chance you have already tried The Grain Shed. You can never go wrong with their loaves. I, however, have a deep love for The Lucky Lady Bread Co. Stacie Kearney is the one-woman show behind Lucky Lady Bread. Her sourdough is the perfect toast vehicle.

You’ve lived in Spokane for a long time, what do you think is missing or we could be doing better?

If you’ve lived here any length of time then I am sure you have fond memories of the White Elephant. It was the store that had it all. You could buy everything from toys to guns–very Spokane. I think on a far more serious note, Spokane is missing some honest conversations about its past. Our history has a darker side from over one hundred years ago when the indigenous people were killed and their land stolen. The destruction of their homeland has resulted in a deep disconnection to our natural surroundings and the wisdom those communities could offer us if we would listen and engage. The loss of the Salish language is an example of that. The first step to restoration is education and understanding the history of this region.

You’re raising kids here. You’ve chosen Spokane as your home. Why?

It’s the people. We love our friends and family here. I love getting to meet new people through my work and community outreach. This is a friendly city with a small-town feel to it. And it’s the trees. I mean, need I say more? The trees. They’re incredible.

How does food contribute to community building?

Eating a meal together forces us to sit down, turn off our devices, and connect. Humans have natural limits but we so often are trying to push those boundaries. Sitting down to feed ourselves is an opportunity to reset and come back to ourselves. If we can ask questions of what we put in our mouths, “where did this come from? Who grew it?” then we rebuild our connection to the greater community around us and bring intention to our eating habits.

Favorite locally grown produce?

Spokane has amazing tomatoes and zucchini. I also always have to pick up fresh herbs. This year U Harvest Microgreens has incredible sprouts and pea and sunflower shoots. You can keep them on the counter for a few days and harvest them for salads. It’s so incredible how good it feels to eat vegetables that were just recently picked nearby.

Do you regularly attend any local farmers markets?

I love the Saturday market. It just recently moved to Brown’s Addition in Coeur d’Alene Park. This is my go-to farmers market for produce. I can get my weekly grocery shopping done here.

I find when I go to the Perry Street Thursday Market I just end up buying slices of pizza or a Banh Mi sandwich and eating it in the park. They always have a great selection of food trucks at Perry Street. I forget to actually buy any veggies. I go home with a full belly and an empty grocery bag.

Recipes