Cool Things Utah

Dinosnorzzz

2007-05-02T19:17:00.000-07:00

A. I love dinosaurs. I always have
B. I love Thanksgiving point.
C. It reminds me of yesteryear in Geology class. Oh man good times.
D. You can dress up like a dinosaur!

(who knew i could ever be tan?)

But the best thing that you can do there is...Dinosnorzzz!!!!

A Brief summary:

Sleep under the belly of a Brachiosaurus or the mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex, tour exhibits, watch a movie, participate in a series of paleontology classes, and enjoy snacks, breakfast, and other activities.

Thoroughly Modern and Hilariously Funny

2007-04-20T15:46:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday night I ventured out to Hale Centre Theatre in West Valley City for opening night of Thoroughly Modern Millie. My friend (and fellow blog contributer - please see the sidebar) Michelle Blake starred as Miss Dorothy where the cast had the entire audience tapping their toes and laughing out loud to this four tony award winning musical. The Hale Centre Theatre lends itself to a magical experience for everyone involoved - theatre in the round gives you a great seat no matter where you are in relation to the stage. But I honestly don't think I've had this much fun at a show since I saw Wicked on Broadway. The music is fantastic, the cast is superb and the story will have you rolling in the aisles. In short, if you're in Utah, you need to see this play. Running through June 9th.

Timpanogos Caves

2007-04-05T09:41:00.000-07:00

My geology class went to Timp Caves back in the day. It was one of the most awful hikes with one of the best rewards. Ye olde knees were not happy with the insanity of the insane incline a mile up and then the trek down. But I'll tell you what, the ice packs were worth it. I'd go again in a second.

So, go my friends. Hike the cave and see the Heart of wonderment (I can't remember the real name of it, it involves some legend about a Native American woman. You need to get the guide named Nancy, if you don't then wait til she's there. I'm telling you it's not the same without her. I think she's been living in the mountains for about 40 years or something. Plus I remembered her name after 3 years; what does that tell you?

It's open Mid May to Mid October. So don't go bounding over there quite yet. But bound once Mid May hits you like a belly flop on a still pool.

To Do This Summer: Hike Lake Mary Under a Full Moon

2007-03-23T09:25:00.000-07:00

In the winter, Lake Mary appears much like the rest of Brighton resort: frozen and covered in snow. But in the summer, this short hike provides a respite from the buzz of the valley. Looks like we've got a full moon on June 1st AND June 30th (blue moon!) -- any takers?

Coming Up

2007-03-22T11:48:00.000-07:00

Lots of cool things are quickly approaching in Utah:

3/24 - Rex Lee Run - up for a 5k or 10k? Join thousands in Provo this Saturday at 9:00 am to run for a cure.

3/24 - Holi Festival - you've been enchanted by the Regina Spektor video, and now you get to make it your reality. Meet at the Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork at 4:00 pm to join in the color festival marking the official arrival of spring.

3/30 - JPL concert - we know and love him from American Idol. Now he's coming to Provo. See him at Velour with David Hopkins and Randi Olsen.

Aristos

2007-03-15T07:34:00.000-07:00

Awesome eats of the week!

ARISTOS is an incredibly delish Greek restaurant in Sugarhouse. I guess I really like Sugarhouse because all my favorite places to eat are there.

The price range is from $9 to $13 per entree. Which may be a little more pricey for Utah but is perfect for a New York night out. I went with a group of 5 for dinner before seeing Everything Is Illuminated a couple years ago on the reccomendation of my friend Britta who lived in Sugarhouse growing up. I reccomend the stuffed peppers. They were light but filling. You really can't go wrong with anything you order there.

You can check out the menu on their website.

Enjoy!

Metaphor: Tree of Utah

2007-03-04T09:08:00.000-08:00

Now I realize that this is completely random, but I think it fits within the "Cool Things Utah." Seeing as how this "tree" is cool and called Tree of Utah and is only found in Utah, it seems appropriate.

I've always wanted to go and see this masterpiece of randomness but I never made it out to see it whilst I was living in Utah. Maybe someday I'll make a point t travel to see it.

A Little History: Swedish artist Karl Momen created the 87-foot high tree between 1982-1986. He financed the project himself to bring bold color and beauty to the stark, flat, salty landscape. The sculpture is made of 225 tons of cement, almost 2,000 ceramic tiles and five tons of welding rod, and tons of minerals and rocks native to Utah.

You can't miss it because it's right on the side of the road.

Directions: I-80 West, Wendover, UT [Show Map] Directions: North side of I-80, 25 miles east of Wendover, NV; 95 miles west of Salt Lake City. Hours: Daylight, no stopping.

MAZZA

2007-02-18T06:53:00.003-08:00

Yummy restaurant of the week!

My friend Amy found this place a couple years ago up in Sugarhouse in Salt Lake. It's one of my favorite places to go eat because everything up there is small and quaint.

Mazza is some of the best Middle Eastern cuisine that you will ever have, anywhere. It's better than a lot of places I've been to in New York. I like the overview from city search. It give you a good idea of what you're getting. But totally ignore the use rating.

I recommend getting the sandwich combo because you can have one or two sides combined with your yummy sandwich. It's great to go with a group of 4, any more won't fit because the place is super small. You can all share the sides you choose.
Top Fave Eats:

Falafel
Shwarma
Kafka

Top Sides:

Hummus
Basmati Rice
Mujaddara

I also recommend that you get their house limeade. It's just spectacular!

What are you waiting for? GO!

Kilby Court

2007-02-17T19:06:00.000-08:00

If you like finding new music and you love small venues then Kilby Court is the place for you. I've been there a few times and it's the perfect place to dance and enjoy your favorite local band or smaller up and coming bands. Rilo Kiley has played there as has Death Cab. I highly recommend going. They also have a Myspace page which is nice because then you can get updates fairly frequently.

Give it a go!

Springville Art Museum

2007-02-10T21:58:00.000-08:00

The Springville Art Museum. Although many are aware that this place exists, few have actually made the effort to make a visit. The museum is actually fairly well-known for its impressive Russian collection. Even better, the entry fee is a voluntary donation, so if you only have 50 cents, you're good to go! There are some other good temporary displays that rotate through. Here are just a few samples from the Russian Collection:

Tower Theatre

2007-02-10T15:16:00.000-08:00

I am going to start contributing to this lovely blog in an effort to enlighten people on the awesomeness that is Utah!

I know it seems crazy, but there is a lot Utah has to offer.

My first suggestions for fun times is the Tower Theatre in Salt Lake. It is an old theatre with wooden folding chairs. There is a balcony and a curtain. It's gorgeous. I saw Goonies there a couple years ago as part of their on going midnight showings. Those are really fun, but totally exhausting. If you have the energy do it.

The Broadway Center Cinemas is a little newer and has all the movies that are tougher to find in Utah than bigger cities like Los Angeles and New York.

Check it out!
Old School Tower Theatre

Tower Theatre facts

1. The Tower Theatre, built in 1921, is the oldest movie theater in the Salt Lake Valley which is still in operation today. It was the first air-conditioned movie theater in the city.

2. The theater originally had a facade that resembled the Tower of London, but this was removed in 1950.

For more historical information click here.

You can find movie listings and directions for the Tower Theatre and the Broadway here.

Destination: Spiral Jetty

2007-02-07T17:48:00.000-08:00

The Spiral Jetty is a monumental earthwork by contemporary artist Robert Smithson. Completed in 1970, the jetty stretches 1500 feet into the Great Salt Lake where it spirals in a counterclockwise pattern. It's about 65 miles north of Salt Lake City. Directions can be found here.

welcome.

2007-02-07T15:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Cool Things Utah. As I explained on my blog, Cool Things Utah is meant to be a resource to find interesting and unique things to do in Utah that you can't do anywhere else. It could be a great hike, a fun restaurant, an interesting museum, a play, a concert, some great real estate... you name it. I've traveled enough to realize that there are treasures everywhere, you just have to look for them. I'm convinced that Utah has got a few of its own. CTU will be the ultimate insider's guide to one of the coolest states in the west.

If you'd like to become a blog author, leave me a comment and I'll set you up as an active contributor.