Esacpe To Sacramento

February 2016
Salt Lake City, Utah - Sacramento, California

We had quite the unplanned adventure over Valentines Day weekend this year. The week prior the air quality in SLC had gotten worse due to a very nasty inversion that was happening. We spent two full days exploring Park City just to get out of the valley and get fresh air. The difference between the valley and just 20 minutes on the other side of the mountain was night and day. I felt great in Park City, but at night when we were home, I would take a nose dive.  I was keeping my eye on the numbers, but by body had enough. I started to get sicker and sicker and knew I could not handle one more night in the valley.

Ruth's Diner

July 2015
Ruth's Diner, Emigration Canyon, Salt Lake City Utah

I first read about Ruth's Diner in our Utah Curiosities book. After I read the fascinating and amusing story about Ruth, I just knew we had to check this place out. Check out Ruth's history here....she totally cracks me up.

Temple Square

July 2015
Temple Square, Salt Lake City Utah

For our anniversary we decided to stay close to home and celebrate by exploring the city we live in. There was a chance Chris would have to go away over our anniversary, so we started to celebrate early. I was feeling AMAZING that week and wanted to go go go...but Chris, being to wise man he his, made me pace myself and we explored our city safely and smartly.

At The Zoo

In April, Chris and I went on a little adventure at Utah's Hogle Zoo. The zoo is literately minutes away and in a fun location. We originally planned to meet up with friends from Oregon that were driving through, see the zoo, and come back to our place for lunch. We were half way through the zoo when our friends called and said they had some unexpected car trouble right within the city limits. So we finished up as we walked back through and left to rescue our stranded friends. We ended up seeing everything expect the reptile house (which is perfectly fine with me.)

Gilgal Sculpture Garden

We have been laying pretty low these days. Enjoying Spring and Chris's extra surprise days off. We are also still avoiding "mold hits" and working hard at making progress with my illness. 

A few weeks ago we made a quick trip to Oregon for a friend's wedding. But, lately we have been sticking close to home and exploring the local sites when able. 

Enter Gigal Sculpture Garden. I first read about this place in a fun book called Utah Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Other Offbeat Stuff . It sounded a little odd...but interesting. Months later I realized that we live very close to this hidden park and drive by it on the way to pretty much wherever we go. The garden/park is hidden between two houses on a relatively quiet street...just before Trolley Square. This garden/park definitely is a bit quirky (and you will see why), but when you learn the history behind it...its rather impressive. The man who owned the land and created the garden was visionary, passionate, devout, and impressively creative. I am sure he raised a few eyebrows in his day, but he kept working on his sculptures. 

Here is a little tour of the garden from our point of view. You can read all about it and what each sculpture means here - Gilgal Sculpture Garden.

Our First Two Weeks Cooking

July 2014 - Salt Lake City

Cooking with one (borrowed) stainless steel pot and one cast iron pan is awesome...but difficult if I want more than two dishes. Last night for example: Chicken Curry w/Rice. Simple right? I started the rice, brown rice. I mixed up the sauce and placed it our recently bought and one and only baking dish. Then decided that the chicken would take forever to bake in the oven. I took out the chicken and started to cook it in the cast iron pan. The rice is finished – put that in our recently purchased glass storage container (Den Mother, you have forever spoiled me!)  Rinse out the pot and put the green beans in to cook. Chicken is cooking and I add the sauce. This is working out lovely. But....Chris is working on a baked oatmeal for breakfast the next morning. He needs to melt some coconut oil. We have no little pan and no microwave. In the oven it goes. We dance in our tiny kitchen – cherishing our happy moments of carefully coordinating pots, pans, and the use of our one spatula.

You Got Mail

Salt Lake City, July 2014

Growing up, getting the mail was a big deal. My brother and I would race down after “it”came and tried to get there first and be the one to carry “it” up to the house. It was a sacred daily ritual. When a holiday came – we would morn. Up until I moved away (and when I am back home) I cherished my walk down to the mail box. I love that walk!

The Ghost of Jeeves

July/August 2014, Salt Lake City

Our first apartment building was built in 1909. Each unit is super unique and each one different than the other, just like it's residents. When we first walked in when an employee was showing us studios...I stood speechless. 

"Lydia The Tattooed Lady"

(What to do in order to fit in with the 20something crowd in our neighborhood)

July, 2014

Portlanders are very vocal about being and staying weird. SLC folks are quiet about it. They are unique, hip, kinda “Portlander” but different. The look – hipster/grunge. Sun kissed with really really nice hair. The men – many are very well groomed and could be models. Maybe they are? The women – hipster, vintage, some rather punkish, some very Jess from New Girl. Many have tattoos.