If you’ve noticed some strange bicycles around Ogden lately, you probably have Mark Johnson to thank. Johnson, a jiu-jitsu instructor who taught English at Ogden High for 21 years, has been building custom bicycles out of old parts and other salvage for his new company, UpCycle: Bikes and Boards. “My buddy was making bikes out of old bikes so I bought a couple from him. I’ve … [Read more...]
A Well-Designed Kitchen is the Soul of a Home
A kitchen is both the soul and nerve center of a house. It connects the family through cords of communication and cuisine. The Doyle family home in Holladay makes it a centerpiece as well. The house’s open floor plan draws you toward the large space with its expansive center island, open shelves, and abundance of natural light. It is hard to imagine the house without this … [Read more...]
A Clear Identity Crisis: Clearfield Master Plan Promotes New Business and Services with Vision 2020
Clearfield City has seen more than its fair share of negative press. Searching for Clearfield on Utah’s major news sites yields stories of crime, the city buying a trailer park out from under residents, and city officials demanding that a woman remove an artistic statement (a VW bug in a tree) from her own property. While there is a positive side to each of these … [Read more...]
Huntsville’s Nuclear Option: At Huntsville’s Atomic Chalet, You Can Sleep, Ski, and Swim
Wes Welch, owner of Huntsville’s Atomic Chalet, jokes that he is in the business of selling sleep. The bed and breakfast, surrounded by trees on a quiet peninsula on Pineview Reservoir, is an ideal place to escape the noise and worries of your life and catch up on some much-needed rest. At the same time, the Chalet is a base camp for all sorts of recreation, including … [Read more...]
Drive Down the Stairs: Grand Staircase-Escalante by Foot, Raft and Drive-In Movie
Utah’s national parks, known as “The Mighty 5,” are internationally-recognized destinations for hikers, climbers, campers, and roadtrippers. Until recent political attention highlighted their existence, our national monuments received less notice. If seeing all the tweets and headlines about Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument made you realize you had no idea what it … [Read more...]
Power to the People: How Enterprising Mormon Pioneers Electrified Utah
When the Mormon pioneers arrived in Utah they found an inhospitable desert. A few decades later, Utah was a major transportation hub with flourishing communities and electric lights illuminating orderly streets and fruit trees. So how did these destitute refugees create a prosperous, modern society in a matter of years? You can get some insight into this phenomenon by … [Read more...]
Desert Hive Supply: Ogden Firm Puts Beehives in the Beehive State
Are you interested in natural sweeteners, supporting local farms and gardens, wearing a big hat, and saving the planet? If so, you should look into beekeeping. And the first place you should look is Deseret Hive Supply in Ogden. This beekeeping supply store has everything you need to get started and be successful as a hobbyist beekeeper. I spoke with owners Vic and Annessa … [Read more...]
Best Ogden Ice Climbs
Utah is a hub of outdoor recreation at any time of year. But if you aren’t into skiing, what can you do once all that “greatest snow on earth” starts to fall? With the right gear, climbing season doesn’t need to end. Utah is full of ice climbing routes, and if you’re in Ogden, you have some in your own backyard. This is not a comprehensive guide to these routes. Ice climbing … [Read more...]
Ma and Paws Bakery
More and more nutritionists are pushing the importance of eating natural, raw foods and avoiding processed products. Megan Kilpatrick, owner of Ma and Paws Bakery in Salt Lake, says the same principles apply to your pets. Her store features “Quality natural, holistic, organic and raw foods, supplements, and fresh bakery treats” along with other supplies for your dogs and cats. … [Read more...]
The Red Balloon Toy Store
When Yamil Castillo bought The Red Balloon Toy Store 28 years ago, he had no experience in toys or running a business. But something about the toy store with a “store closing” sign on the front drew him in. He said, “It was scary because I was going to school full time, working full time, and starting a family.” He was also working on improving his English and said, “I felt … [Read more...]