looking forward

Once the ski season kicks into gear, H and I will pretty much put everything else on hold, skiing every weekend until the snow is gone. The converse of this is that when the snow is finally gone, we’ll have all this free time to fill.  In anticipation of this, I’ve started making lists* of as-yet unexplored things that we can dive into come springtime.  Here's some of what you'll see here in future posts:

• Red Iguana – home of the best mole on the planet (I may not be able to wait much longer for this one)
• Caputo’s (Italian) Market and Deli – the SLC version of Miccucci’s
• St. George, Utah
• Mount Timpanogos and its accompanying caves
• Nine Mile Canyon
• Mormon Tabernacle Choir Rehearsal – apparently they open their Thursday evening practices to the public
• The Beerhive
• The Bayou
• Logan, Utah
• Exploring more state parks
• Skyline Drive
• Green River, Utah
• The Beer Nut - since we're blowing our life savings on beer, we might as well get back to making it
• Red Butte Garden
• Lake Powell - houseboats for rent!
• Jordanelle Reservoir
• The Golden Spike National Historic Site

*H is a spreadsheet addict while I am a notes and lists addict, with little scraps of paper all over everywhere, each inscribed with Very Important Things, of course.

just one thing so far

We've been out here in SLC since early October, learning our way around, finding things to do and places to go.  So far there's only been one thing that I've missed/preferred from back east: the grocery stores.  I've tried 'em all out here: Smith's, Dan's, Albertson's (now Fresh Market), even Ream's, which has got to be the worst name for a grocery store ever.

Food prices seem expensive out here - although with my Smith's customer card I tend to get $10-12 off each shopping session - variety seems a little limited for some products and the produce is in poorer shape than you would expect, seeing how we're closer to the growing centers (California, the Midwest) than Maine is.  Dan's has the best deli counter and garlic bread and Ream's has 2-L of Diet Coke for $0.67.  When pressed, I guess I like the Sandy Fresh Market (f/k/a Albertson's) the best, but I mostly think these stores are set up foolishly.

For example, at Smith's, you push your cart up to the check-out station but you don't unload the groceries.  The clerk has to unload the groceries and scan them, and it seems to take twice as long as it did back east.  Pluswhich, at Hannaford I unloaded my own cart, sorting the heavier items first so the bagger would pack them into the sturdiest canvas boat-n-tote bags. 

Also, recently I made lasagne (a very big deal since I pretty much never cook anything that messes up a pan very much).  You need ricotta for lasagne so off I went to Smith's where, on autopilot, I bypassed the fancy cheese section by the deli and went to the back of the store to the dairy department.  Milk, juice, eggs, sour cream, yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese ... no ricotta.  I doublechecked: still no ricotta.  Totally annoyed, I paid for the rest of my groceries and then went to the nearby Fresh Market.  Dairy section:  milk, juice, eggs, sour cream (including a Mexican crema I'm intrigued by), yogurt, cottage cheese ... no ricotta.  You have got to be friggin' kidding me.  I went all the way across the store to the fancy cheese section by the deli.  No ricotta.  On my way back to the dairy department, I found yet another refrigerated section with prepackaged deli meats, that processed American "cheese," cream cheese ... and ricotta.  Now, while I was grateful to finally find the ricotta, I was flabbergasted that these supermarkets have THREE separate dairy-ish/cheese locations (I'm assuming that Smith's is set up the same way).  Back east there are only TWO: fancy cheeses by the deli, and then all the rest of the dairy products.  Much easier to find the ricotta there.

One of the paralegals at my new job gave me the names of a bunch of smaller, local markets to check out (Liberty Heights Fresh Market at 1290S 1100E, SLC; The Store at 2050E 6200S and 4695 So. Holladay Blvd., both in Holladay; and the Winter Farmer's Market on Saturdays at Caputo's Market and Deli, 312W 300S, SLC) but I haven't managed to get there yet.  I really don't have the inclination to shop at five different stores for the regular weekly shopping - for specialty items, sure, or if I didn't work Fridays and had a little more time.  I just want a good, sensible, easily-navigable supermarket, which is apparently a little too much to ask.  Hannaford, I apologize for not appreciating you more.

let it keep snowing

Yesterday's weather:

• 20 inches at Brighton and Solitude
• 17 inches at Alta
• 19 inches at Snowbird
• rain in the valley

And now it's snowing a little down here this morning, just enough to whiten things up.  That is the best kind of winter weather - snow on the mountains and not on my driveway.  Plus, I think we'll get to ski next weekend.

tour guides

Just two months into our new Utahn lives and we’ve already hosted our first houseguests from back east: H’s parents, L and P. They flew in last Friday, coasting down into sunshine and blue skies here in the Salt Lake Valley. Of course, those blue skies weren't to last:  although the weather has been clear and dry for the last several weeks, once our guests arrived so did the snow, which ended up curtailing some of our planned activities.  And by "planned" I mean "H created a spreadsheet itinerary complete with drop-down menus that can be customized for every visitor."  I know no one who knows him thinks I'm kidding.

Before the weather changed over on Saturday morning, we all jumped in the car for tours of Little and Big Cottonwood Canyons where, as expected, the dramatic canyon walls elicited many oohs and aahs from the out-of-towners. We also learned from a friendly parking attendant at Snowbird that “no dogs allowed” in these two canyons means “no dogs at all – even in your car” and he warned us that if the sheriff saw us with Becky – who was very much enjoying her car ride – we’d get a ticket. So for the ride down LCC and both the up and the down trip in BCC, we had to keep the poor dog shoved down and out of sight … and it’s a good thing we were warned, because we saw three separate sheriff-mobiles in BCC.

The next item on the itinerary was supposed to be a tour of downtown SLC but H thought we’d go off-book and drive west on I-80, out towards the Saltair (a seedy concert venue raised over the ruins of a gorgeous wooden Victorian spa/hotel on the shore of the lake), so L and P could see the Great Salt Lake. Of course, it started sleeting and snowing just as we reached the freeway, so not only could we not see the lake at all, but it was also terribly treacherous driving (see previous post).

Once we got safely back to town we drove through downtown, the U, the library and the Sugarhouse neighborhood, looping around to end at Trolley Square for a beer at the Desert Edge brewpub. The friendly young bartender, a Midwestern transplant, offered up his favorite ski areas when asked: Snowbird, Snowbasin and, for much back-country fun and no crowds, Powder Mountain. After that refreshment, we walked through a very crowded and cold Temple Square which was just spectacular with all the Christmas lights. 

Sunday morning we got to Ruth’s Diner by 8:00 a.m. in order to avoid the crowds; it was snowing a bit as we drove up there and the weather must have kept the folks in bed, because the diner wasn’t packed even as we left. (Ruth's was a big hit, of course.)  After breakfast we continued through Emigration Canyon, hoping to take a back road to Jeremy Ranch which traces a portion of the Mormon Trail but the back road was closed for the winter. So we took the highway to Park City and, by the time we got to the eastern side of the Wasatch Mountains, it had stopped snowing. We toured the Olympic Park and all three ski areas, and drove up and down Old Town in Park City. It was early enough that it wasn’t crowded with people at all, but it was too cold (5 degrees!) to comfortably walk. Next we toured Snowbasin, then continued down into Huntsville, hoping to stop in for a beer at the Shooting Star Saloon.  Note: the Shooting Star doesn’t open until 2:00 p.m. on Sundays. So on we went to Ogden and beers (rosemary porter - weird) and snacks at Rooster’s on Historic 25th Street.  After that we decided we'd logged enough hours in the car for one day and headed straight home for football, card games and H’s homemade chili.

I went back to work on Monday and H had some prior commitments in the morning, but the three of them (and Becky) made it out to Antelope Island in the afternoon.  The bison were there, by the hundreds, swarming the road and surrounding the truck.  This got B a little agitated, I am told.  After work, I met them all at the Hog Wallow - which P proclaimed as his favorite watering hole out of the many we visited.  On Tuesday, the three of them had breakfast at the Other Place, ran some errands and did some shopping so L could take home a memento.  They swung by Porcupine in the afternoon to take advantage of the $2.50 pints, then we dined at Hopper's (good beer, less than good food) to celebrate the last night.

Even with the storm raging its way across the country, L and P managed to snag an earlier flight out of SLC and an earlier flight out of Chicago for home.  When they called that evening, they told H that they talked about their trip the whole flight back.  I hope that means they had fun, because we're already planning to go to southern Utah the next time they come out.

utah drivers

I'll have a post up soon about H's and my recent stint as SLC tour guides, but first a word about Utah drivers.  Now, I'm not going to go and make any huge sweeping generalizations here, but:  this past Saturday was the first major snowstorm of the year and by the end of that day alone, the Utah Highway Patrol reported

• 150 car accidents in Salt Lake and Utah Counties
• 90 car accidents in Davis County
• 60+ car accidents in Weber County
• and 15 car accidents in Box Elder County

We had another storm yesterday, just in time for the morning commute and it's my understanding that greater Salt Lake City racked up yet another 100+ accidents.  That's incredible to me.  Is it just because the population density is so high here that statistically so many people are going to smash up?  Here's the thing: it's not like this snow thing is new to Utah.  They get it every year, a lot of it.  I am amazed as to how people can completely forget their winter driving skills from one year to the next.  Just because you have four-wheel drive doesn't mean you'll stop any better on ice.

Since I take the surface roads, my commute on Tuesday morning was messy and extremely slow but not terrifying or life-threatening.  I plan to stick to my route, and stick to my slow and steady/easy on the brake routine.  It worked for me in Maine and I see no reason that it can't work for me here too.

happy

According to a recent poll taken by researchers at the University of Cambridge in England, Utah ranks #1 as the happiest state in the nation.  The researchers "analyz[ed] data collected from more than 350,000 individuals who were interviewed between Jan. 2 and Dec. 30, 2008 as part of the Gallup Organization's Well-Being Index. The index includes six types of well-being: overall evaluation of their lives, emotional health, physical health, healthy behaviors (such as whether a person smokes or exercises), and job satisfaction."  Out of a possible 100 points, Utah scored 69.2.  My old state, Maine, scored 65.5 (ranked 29 out of 50).

I knew H and I had been smiling more than usual, but now it's been scientifically proven!

two month utahnniversary

Last night after work H and I went to the Porcupine to celebrate being in Utah for two months.  (B went too, and stayed in the car because the Porcupine is in Cottonwood Heights; she was happy about the car ride and, since she sat in my seat while I was in the bar, I was happy to come back to a warm seat.)  Two months!  On the one hand, it seems like we've been here forever since we're settling into a routine, both of us working, busy on the weekends.  But on the other hand, it's only been two months!  And we've got so much more to do and explore - we feel like we've hardly explored SLC itself, much less the everything around it.  We're so glad to be here.

Since H's parents arrive tomorrow for a visit, posting may be a little light here for the next few days.  Rest assured, however, that I will duly record and report back our adventures in tour guiding for our first visitors from back east.

Two months!

it's a dog's life

Since H and I are thinking that where we'd like to live permanently is here along the east bench (where we live currently), I was poking around on various city web sites, just checking stuff out.  I went to animal ordinances pages specifically to find out about licensing B once we get a permanent address and was interested to see that most cities had specific "animals in vehicles" rules.  Here's a sampling:

SLC:  It is unlawful for any person to carry or confine any animal in or upon a vehicle in a cruel or inhumane manner including, but not limited to, carrying or confining such animal without adequate ventilation or for an unusual length of time.

Okay, that's all reasonable and understandable.

Cottonwood Heights:  [Exactly the same as SLC, plus] Persons transporting an animal in the open bed of a vehicle must physically restrain the animal in such a manner as to prevent the animal from jumping or falling out of the vehicle.  It is unlawful for any person to allow a vehicle to be used as a shelter or housing for pets.

Again, pretty reasonable although B would happily live in the car if we let her.  Last winter she spent pretty much every workday out in H's truck: she's got such a thick coat that the cold wasn't an issue, plus it meant she got to go somewhere instead of staying home.

Sandy:  NO, you may never leave an animal in your vehicle.  Even if the windows are rolled down a few inches, the interior temperature will continue to climb.  Dogs and cats do not sweat and quickly become distressed in a hot environment.  Every summer there are animals that were left unattended in vehicles that expire from the conditions during their owner's absence.  Our Animal Service Officers have been instructed to take a zero tolerance stance on this issue.  If you leave an animal unattended in a vehicle you will receive a citation.  In cases where our Officers are unable to locate the owner of the vehicle in a timely manner, they will force entry into the vehicle and impound the animal, placing it in protective custody.  You would not leave an infant in a vehicle unattended and you should use the same common sense with your pets.  Your dog will forgive you if you leave [her] at home while you run your errands.  [Emphasis mine.]

Wow.  "Zero tolerance" makes me read that as "not even in the winter time" which, as a former Maine resident with a former Maine dog who went everywhere with her in the car, strikes me as a little overzealous.  I get it - if that's the rule, then no one can argue with it - but B will totally NOT forgive me for leaving her at home while I run errands.  Guess I have to find a non-Sandy grocery store to patronize from here on out.

different room, different view

I was totally wrong.  Not only did H not complain about the previous post, his feelings were a little hurt that I didn't include the photos of his office as sort of a compare-and-contrast.  My bad, H, my total bad.

So here is H's office (note that it has even less colorful decor than mine):

And here is his view:

Which is markedly better than the view from his old Maine office:

a room and a view

H will complain that this is another throwaway post but in an attempt at full disclosure, I thought I'd share photos of my new workspace.

So here is my little office (I'm working on getting the computer moved to the right so my back isn't to the door):

And here is the view out across the hall: