A Downtown Renaissance? It’s an exciting time for Downtown Salt Lake City. Five high-rise buildings are poised to redefine the capital city’s skyline in 2020 with apartments, hotel rooms, office space, and retail; new bars and restaurants are opening up on every street; an influx of young professionals are moving to the area to take advantage of it all. This is on top of the … [Read more...]
The Good, The Bad, and The Pricey
The real estate market in the Beehive State is buzzing. Apartments are sprouting up across the valley; housing sales are steady despite rising prices; so-called mother-in-law apartments are now legal and being built on developed lots; the population of the region continues to grow thanks to a steady birth rate and an influx of young professionals following the burgeoning job … [Read more...]
Fear Factory and a Night of Terror
Standing outside an abandoned cement factory turned haunted house, I stood in line, waiting to be scared out of my wits. But, I pondered, why would I deliberately scare myself? The Psychology Behind Fear Factory According to Rob Dunfield, one of the founders and COO of Fear Factory, the reason is escape. “It is an adrenaline rush, a release, and an escape from reality. … [Read more...]
Camp Out—Getting the Lowdown on Campos Coffee
Not many of us, I suspect, can look back over the decades and pinpoint - right down to the minute - when a life changing moment took place. But Will Young can. He's the founder and president of Campos Coffee Roastery & Kitchen and on Saturday, July 12th, 1997 at 1:40 pm - he discovered a passion for coffee. It was in a small Sydney, Australia cafe, sipping coffee, when … [Read more...]
Dynamic Duos—Utah Chefs
Ramsay, Keller, Waters. More often than not, it’s a solitary name on a restaurant’s menu that draws the crowds. It’s easy to see why, in this industry, a singularly executed vision goes a long way toward a seal of excellence. There are always exceptions to the rule of course, and sometimes two heads are better than one. Here are two of my favorite restaurants in Utah—where … [Read more...]
Sip o’ the Week – 30 Years of Squatters
Founded in 1989 by partners Peter Cole and Jeff Polychronis, Squatters Craft Beers celebrated its 30th anniversary this past Sunday with a beer festival that took place in the parking lot adjacent to Squatters brewpub. It was a celebration of craft beers in general, not just of Squatters’ beers; and included a boatload of local breweries: Bohemian, Hopkins, Uinta, Red Rock, … [Read more...]
Fun things to do in Utah
Whether you are in the mood for beer, food, or a little bit of culture, there is no shortage of fun things to do in Utah this May. Fun things to do in Utah May 10 – 11 Red Butte Garden Spring Plant Sale. There will be an impressive selection of herbs, specialty annuals, vegetables, sun and shade perennials, ornamental grasses, roses, vines, shrubs, conifers, … [Read more...]
Japantown: Ruined, Remembered or Revived?
Attending the University of Utah in 1953 retired Third District Court Judge Raymond Uno spent much of his free time in downtown Salt Lake City in an area called Japantown, or “JTown”, practicing judo and socializing with friends. It was a stark contrast to the three years during World War II when his family was forced from California to what he calls a … [Read more...]
Emerge: Utah Dancers Tell Stories Through Gestures and Movement
"Emerge" Showcases Creativity and Talent of Downtown Salt Lake City's Repertory Dance Theatre The murmuring of the seated audience fades as the lights dim; the anticipation is heightened as the curtains slide open revealing odd rectangular silhouettes that begin to sway to the beat of a tune. At that moment, you know you’ve left your world and entered another; … [Read more...]
Taking Back Our Economy One Bar of Soap At a Time
Welcome to Riverton! Welcome to Sandy! Welcome to Bountiful! Traveling along the Wasatch Front, we see evidence of the larger problem of the American economy: homogenous central retail shopping districts. It’s like a bad radio station that only cycles through the top 10 hits. “And now for more oldies but goodies: Walmart! Costco! Applebees! McDonalds! And if you missed … [Read more...]