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Jen Hill

Former Salt Lake Magazine Associate Editor Jen Hill is a SLC transplant from Bloomington, Ind. As a blogger and feature writer, Jen follows the pulse of the community with interests in urban agriculture, business, fitness & beauty and anything that allows her to get out of the office and into the mountains.

May 28
Love0
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Somebody to Lean On

By Lifestyle

It’s been hard to gauge the level of my emotional wellbeing these days. One determining factor is how many times in a 24-hour period I call my sister in Florida. If it’s once, that’s a relatively good sign. If it’s three or more, that’s something different altogether. During the quake, the quarantine, the threat of job and general life insecurity, I’ve leaned on the support of her and many humans I trust, for venting, validation, constructive feedback, and problem-solving.

There really is nothing to replace it, real-time human connection is almost always the most valuable tool in times of crisis. But it has to be with the right person, with someone who possesses skills in communication and has access to resources. And what if you don’t have that?

Need Help? Call the Lifeline. 1.800.273.TALK

Need Help? Call the Lifeline. 1.800.273.TALK Speak to a Licensed Clinician

 

Anonymous • Free • Local

As our common thread during this time, we all have experienced loss and the feelings that accompany that loss. Utah’s culture poses unique challenges when met with adversity. Many who were raised to believe those bad things happen because of bad behavior. And our mental health climate reflects some of those beliefs. We don’t always have a person who can provide a neutral and professional stance when presented with the issues we are facing.

While my sister in Florida isn’t up for grabs, the state of Utah created a new effort to support us, in acknowledgment and in support of the many of us who are needing it. Live On is a statewide effort to prevent suicide by promoting education, providing resources, and changing our culture around suicide and mental health.

If you or someone you are concerned about are in need of help, it’s out there.

For more information, visit: https://liveonutah.org/

May 27
Love0

The Red Flags of Online Dating

By Community

Ajayi’s neighbors reported to detectives that on June 19, 2019, a “horrible smell” was coming from the suspect’s backyard. After forensic analysis of the burned area, the worst outcome was confirmed: Mackenzie’s charred personal items, as well as female human tissue matching her DNA profile, were found.

It’s another looking for love “meet up” gone horror story. As the weekend Salt Lake news announced a woman, 25-year-old Ashlyn Black of Layton, was brutally murdered by her online Tinder date. But wait, this isn’t the first time a local woman has been killed by an online encounter.

It was only last year when Mackenzie Lueck, a 23-year-old senior at the University of Utah went missing and was found dead by a blunt instrument trauma to the head, her dismembered remains burnt with gasoline and hidden in the deep woods.

Let’s circle back to our last issue, as we took a closer look at the risky behaviors associated with sugar babies or those who agree to meet up in exchange for money. We interviewed Mackenzie Lueck’s close friend, and discussed the red flags involved in meeting up through dating/arrangement sites in our feature, “Lover for Sale.”

Writing about Mackenzie was one of the most difficult and emotional features I’ve ever experienced—often stopping to cry, rage, or talk to someone to let off steam (ask my co-workers). And as a mother of five daughters, writing it meant something more to me than just sharing a mysterious murder story—it felt personal. My hope is that its message will inform, protect and ensure those who read it will be the wiser.

Dating apps don’t screen out creeps, criminals and lowlifes—they exist to make money, and no one is behind the scenes at Tinder challenging responses or running criminal background checks (unless you pay for it). And no one with a criminal record is going to volunteer that information either.

Lover For Sale: Why are smart women and men risking their lives for cash?

A quick google search turns up lots of sugar daddy/baby sites; the premier one seems to be SeekingArrangements.com (SA.com). Sugar baby sites like SA.com market to students, because they are the ideal candidate and in-demand—young, attractive and always in need of more money.

Surprisingly common, a “sugar baby”— is an individual (female or male) who collects money in exchange for social and semi-sexual related meet-ups. “The fact is that people don’t really talk about it and women are constantly blamed,” Mackenzie’s friend explains, “Society believes that victims like Kenzie deserve to be tortured, raped and murdered because they were stupid.”

On the homepage of SA.com it announces a student incentive, “Using an .edu email address earns you a free upgrade!” It’s fair to say that college is expensive and many students are seeking a quick way to earn extra cash. Obtaining a background check on a prospective sugar daddy/momma is an option, but it costs extra. Who pays for these criminal background checks? Sadly, the “baby” does. And many babies take their chances, like Mackenzie, and opt-out because of the added cost ($30) associated with it.

A background check on Ajali supplied evidence that could and should have persuaded Mackenzie to decline his invitation. His record showed two previous criminal charges.

Several of the top free dating app platforms don’t screen for convicted sex offenders, either. The Criminal Justice Institute (CJI) ran an analysis tracking 150 incidents that involved sexual assault associated with dating apps. According to this study, “Most incidents occurred during the app users’ first in-person meeting, in parking lots, apartments and dorm rooms.” And, “Most victims, almost all women, met their male attackers through Tinder, OkCupid, Plenty of Fish or Match.” The Match Group owns them all.

In response to Mackenzie’s murder, SLC District Attorney Sim Gill stated, “We are facing huge systematic and cultural barriers when it comes to sexual assault victims. Blame is often attached to the sugar baby, not to the offender. There is stigma and shame that we need to confront head-on. In Utah, on average, only twelve percent of those who are victims of sexual assault will report that crime to law enforcement. My message for victims is that we believe you, we see you, and it is not your fault.”

To read the entire article, go here: https://saltlakemagazine.com/lover-for-sale/

May 01
Love0
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Mother’s Day Gifts: What Moms REALLY Want

By Community

From where I stand on the motherhood continuum, Mother’s Day is every day. While superheroes are considered fictional, consider this, who else would place their head on a chopping block, fry it up in a pan and do your dirty work? It could be a friend, possibly your partner, but almost always, it’s your mom. Adopted, biological, an aunt, a grandma, perhaps a guy played the mom role for you, no matter. This is not meant to guilt, but to nudge you toward a more proactive approach to Mother’s Day gifts. We asked SLmag staffers (some who also carry the title of mom) what moms REALLY want for mother’s day gifts.

#1 Do something WITH them. Duh.

#2 Empty the Dishwasher. Put things away and here’s a stretch, possibly reload, don’t throw her nice china or knives in there (they need to washed by hand). Place a post-it note with some cute words like, “D.O.N.E. <3″—or—”Hey Mom, it’s about time I did this ;).”

#3 Get her car washed with the works. If your mom will allow, borrow her car, fill up the tank and take it to the wash, all those deep encrusted goldfish crackers, and lingering sour milk spills be gone.

#4 Do yard work. OMG, you would think we asked you to commit a crime to pull a weed, mow the grass or plant something new. Run on over to Cactus and Tropicals on 2700 South and browse their amazing indoor and outdoor plant selection. Flowers like geraniums and petunias keep blooming all summer long and love full sun, and while they don’t smell like roses, they will brighten up your mom’s front porch, and she’ll think of you every time she admires them. Cactus and Tropicals, 2735 S. 2000 East, SLC, 801-485-2542.

#5 Do the Laundry. Do it right as well. No mixing reds with whites unless she loves pink! Pull out the delicates and don’t throw them into the dryer… we could go on and on here, use your common sense: sort, fold, hang. —Megan Bartholomew, Utah Style and Design Web Editor.

#6 Make a meal (and DO those dishes). You may not be a Michelin-starred chef, but there isn’t one in Utah anyway. And if you don’t want to cook, you’ve got plenty of options! Just check out some of the many recipes we have on our site! Click here.

#7 Give her the day off. Her special day doesn’t end with that breakfast you made her. For once, why not leave her alone and hold off on asking for favors?

#8 Frame a special photo. Take an existing one or have them printed at Costco or Walgreens, SLmag’s Exec Editor, Mary Malouf loves to find re-cycled frames.

#9 Plan an event. It doesn’t have to be big, but something the two of you can do together and enjoy. A hike up to City Creek, a weekend trip to Bryce, a pedicure.

#10 The CARD (we like the ones you make yourself). If your mom is like me, I am a sucker for a handmade, handwritten “mama I love you” note. We hold onto these documents like rare, prized possessions, don’t miss out on this. Penmanship is a dying art, and custom lettering and calligraphy are fun ways to make a card uniquely yours.

BONUS: Chocolate. Maybe you don’t know what sweet, savory or salty treat is your mom’s favorite, but find out and give it to her. Hint-hint: Caputo’s has an amazing selection of fair trade chocolate that is sure to please!

Subscribers can see more. Sign up and you’ll be included in our membership program and get access to exclusive deals, premium content and more. Get the magazine, get the deals, get the best of life in Utah! 

Apr 15
Love0
Houseplants

Mark this Date! WCG’s 2020 Plant Sale is ON

By Lifestyle

SLmag is possibly Wasatch Community Garden’s number one fan (and please—challenge that). With every bleeping thing and event getting postponed or canceled indefinitely, this big question was weighing heavily on our minds: “What about WCG’s Annual Plant Sale?”

Those 1000’s of seedlings and heirloom tomato plants need places to grow, and we need them now more than ever. But before you fly into a panic, be assured that the folks at WCG are as resilient as they get. They’re gardeners after all. Last year they rose from the dust literally after their storage shed blew up and they still sourced our plant starts. The Green Team Farm is now referred to as “The Green Phoenix Farm” because of it. Here are the tentative plans, so keep posted on their site for updates, online ordering starts Thursday, APRIL 30th, 2020 with pick-up dates: May 6-10, 2020.

WCG’s Best Little Plant Sale (re-imagined)

Pick up times being planned for May 6-10 (subject to change)
9 am – 5 pm (subject to change)
Green Phoenix Farm
622 W. 100 South, SLC

wasatchgardens.org

What they are offering:

  • Huge variety of tomatoes, including dwarf varieties
  • A large selection of annual vegetables, and organic herbs
  • Seed potatoes and onion starts
  • Curbside pick up or delivery option (for an additional fee)
  • WCG is working to accept SNAP EBT benefits (food stamps)

And as always, your purchase supports WCG’s community garden and education programs.

Grow something, enjoy life and be well SLC!!

 

Salt Lake magazine has been part of this community for more than 25 years—we share your pain, we celebrate in your successes and we make every effort to support local businesses and keep us all connected. But we’re a small local business too. You can help us help you by subscribing or advertising online or in print. Call 877-553-5363 ext. 233 or e-mail subscriptions@saltlakemagazine.com. Or contact saltlakemagazine.com/advertise/

Apr 01
Love0
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The Pandemic 15—You got this.

By City Watch

You’d be lucky to have my Aunt Margaret as a friend on Facebook. Why—you ask? Honestly, she’s the best thing on social media. Most recently, she brought this timely question to our attention: “Do you think most people will gain more weight or lose weight in the next 3 months?”

Aunt Margaret, it is a valid question. “The pandemic 15” you all know is a thing, like “The freshmen 15″—meaning the pounds you’ll gain during your quarantine.

Are you a stress eater? Not allowed to leave the house? Sounds like you could use a diet right now. Isn’t it true that high stress and elevated cortisol levels can lead to bad health stuff, even weight gain? Rather than prohibiting certain foods or food groups, let me suggest a portion-control method that I’m pretty sure is unprecedented.

Like stacking Jenga blocks, balancing foods upon a grapefruit is a challenge you’ll be determined to win.

The balance on a grapefruit method.

Growing up, my mom was almost always on a diet, she was a Weight Watchers lecturer, and participated in most fad diets or ate those foods which promised weight loss. As a kid, it was hard and weird to me, as I never thought of her as overweight, she just said she was. 🙁 But those fears of gaining weight were inherited and have followed me my whole life, as they have many of us.

So, while I’m all for a healthy weight and lifestyle choices, I decided to veer off the diet pathway a bit, be a little kinder to myself and not so extreme about that right now. As a “should I eat” determiner, I chose to balance the food I wished to consume on a grapefruit, inspired by “The Grapefruit Diet” which was a real trend at some point (my mom ate quite a lot of them). Like stacking Jenga blocks, balancing foods upon a grapefruit is a challenge you’ll be determined to win. For example, I wanted that gluten-free apple pie so badly, I ended up sticking it on with tape. All is fair with this method, make your own rules, and most importantly enjoy what you choose to eat.

It’s April 1st, and wishing you all the best SLC, no foolin’!

Do you enjoy reading our posts? We hope to keep supplying them. Consider a subscription to Salt Lake magazine today.

 

Mar 29
Love0
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Don’t pop open that jar of pasta sauce, do this instead.

By Eat & Drink

Whew! And congrats. By stopping short on your plans to pop open that jar of pasta tomato sauce (Prego, Ragu, or 365 Whole Paycheck), I’ll walk you through a stovetop skillet cream sauce to serve up with penne that’ll 5.8 rock your world, sorry, be really delicious.

You can make this sauce vegan, vegetarian or with meat—it’s entirely up to you. As a plant-based substitute for the half and half, I’d go with organic soy milk, simply because it tolerates heat a little better than other kinds of plant-based kinds of milk and it’s creamier IMO. Nutritional Yeast is a great vegan substitute for Parmesan. Along with sausage, you could consider throwing in some other veggies into the skillet: sliced bell pepper, peas, mushrooms, cauliflower or fresh spinach.

Quick Bechamel Sauce with Sausage and Garlic

You too can make a delicious and satisfying sauce in minutes on your stovetop.

  • 1 12 oz. package organic chicken or vegan sausage, sliced and quartered
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 3 TB. EVOO or butter
  • 1 c. half and half, or milk of choice
  • 1/2 c. dry white wine or reserved pasta water
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (depends)
  • Cracked black pepper
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Chopped fresh parsley or basil
  • 8 oz. prepared pasta of choice (penne or farfalle work well)
  1. In a hot skillet, saute in EVOO or butter sliced sausage with the garlic until browned and add in other veggies.
  2. Lower the heat, add in wine or reserved water from the pasta.
  3. Stir into the skillet the milk of choice, bring to a simmer but do not boil, add in parmesan, red pepper flakes and salt to taste.
  4. Now, pour the prepared pasta into the skillet. Let the pasta absorb some of the sauce as it thickens.
  5. Serve in bowls, garnish with parmesan cheese, black pepper and fresh basil/parsley.
  6. VOILA!!

 

Do you enjoy reading our posts? We hope to keep supplying them. Consider a subscription to Salt Lake magazine today.

 

Mar 27
Love0
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Got Kids? Advice to the Working-from-Home Parent.

By Lifestyle

How do you explain social distancing and quarantine to a two-year-old? That’s the current challenge of Jeanine Miller, full-time staff and art director for Salt Lake magazine who even without the COVID-19 restrictions is constantly juggling the demands as a parent and employee. She explains, “It’s been especially hard with Lauren because being two, she doesn’t understand. She continually asks about friends and daycare and doesn’t get it.”

“It’s been comforting to be home through all this with them. As long as this is going on, it makes me feel good that I can be there for them.”—Jeanine Miller, Mom and Art Director SLmag

Her son Ethan, who is 7, seems to be able to better understand the situation. She shares that he continues to be active, as they schedule regular outdoor time and he loves to ride his bike in the driveway. “Ethan is saving up his money for a real basketball hoop,” and for now, he pretends and shoots baskets into their recycling bin. “He loves school and misses his teacher a lot,” Jeanine shares, “After being told it could be another month out, Ethan just cried.” 

To keep on task with her work assignments and kiddos, Jeanine borrowed and created her own stay-at-home scheduling idea off of Facebook. Even awake at 6 a.m. the scheduled official “day” starts at 9 a.m.

It goes something like this:

  • 9 a.m. Teeth, clothes, hair, breakfast.
  • 9-10 a.m. Outside time, or if that’s hard, allowing them to play inside.
  • 10-11 a.m. Academic time with no screens (academic time with screens is allowed at 3 p.m.) Reading, practicing handwriting. 
  • Noon-12:30 Lunch While Lauren goes down for a nap, Ethan cleans up, including his plates. 
  • 1-2 p.m. Nap for Lauren/Ethan reads. His current favorites include the “I Survived” series, Dogman, and anything about the Titanic.
  • 3 p.m. Academic time with screens and various school assignments which Ethan is familiar with and likes to do. Sometimes they have log-in issues, with multiple steps they can be confusing and can take a while to figure out. 

Jeanine also gets creative with teaching, such as demonstrating math and fractions while measuring in the kitchen, counting a jar of coins, practicing multiplication with play-doh balls, she’s continually coming up with “everyday life” ways to trick them into learning something.

Who keeps track of time? Ethan does, Jeanine shares, “He likes the responsibility of keeping us on the schedule and does it well.”

Do you ever break “the schedule”?

Screen-Time Zombie?

Many parents deal with the issues and guilt associated with our kids and screen-watching during this time home.

“I notice that if he’s on too long, he becomes weird personality-wise, like a zombie and doesn’t respond, which leads to me raising my voice and getting more annoyed.”

“Last Friday, I let them watch a movie for a little fun. Usually, our free time is only in the evening. Or I’ll allow a little extra screen time.” One problem Jeanine shares that if she’d allow it, Ethan would be on a video screen all day.

Even with a weekday at-home schedule in place, I asked Jeanine what she found most challenging, personally. She explained that time-efficiency is about the most difficult aspect for her, working strange hours and piecing them in as they are available. With Jeanine’s partner at his work most of the week, on weekends she’s still taking time to catch up, “Boundaries feel blurry because every day is starting to feel the same, I’m starting to realize you have to step back and take time off for yourself.”

And along with that, when does Jeanine take time for herself? “Finding time for yourself is hard, being a non-stop mom, teacher and working. I’ve been working out more, and we’ve started running together, after this I might be in the best shape of my life.” She is staying connected through virtual Bible study classes and checking in with other moms who give each other reassurance that you’re not alone. “It’s been hard, but after all this, I hope we look back with more gratitude and remember how we got through this together.”

Be well SLC, and be well Miller family, thanks for sharing with us.

And please remember, Salt Lake magazine is a small local business too. We’re doing everything we can to keep you up-to-date on the local businesses you love and how they’re faring in these difficult times. We’re also doing everything we can to add some fun and color into your quarantine. To subscribe to SLmag, go here.

Mar 26
Love0
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FREE Curbside Youth Meal Program—Pick Up Locations

By Lifestyle

Utah Community Action Curbside Pickup Locations
Mondays – Fridays | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Lunch items for kids

James R. Russell (JRR): 1240 N American Beauty Dr., SLC 84116
Palmer Court: 999 S Main St., SLC 84111
South Salt Lake (SSL): 2825 S 200 E, SLC 84115
Kearns: 5361 S 4220 W, Kearns 84118
Copperview (CCC): 8446 S Harrison St., Midvale 84047
Catherine C. Hoskins (CCH): 6447 W 4100 S, West Valley City 84128
Magna: 8275 W 3500 S, Magna 84044
Wendover: 1007 Skyhawk, Wendover 84083

And what about our kids? Local government officials, the United Way of Utah, other relief organizations, such as Utah Community Action and volunteers like you have stepped in to help them.

For those who are mindful or need this to support their families, we want to spread this good news. The Utah Community Action program has announced FREE curbside pickup meals for ALL CHILDREN 18 AND UNDER at 10 now 8 Head Start locations in Salt Lake and Tooele Counties. This service is now open to the community and not limited to only Head Start families. For more information on UCA’s updated services, visit www.utahca.org.

Two updates April 3, 2020, from UT Community Action communications coordinator, Kate Conn:

“The first is that we’re now at 8 locations, with the Grantsville and Tooele locations removed due to alternatives available very nearby. The second is that we’re no longer able to accept volunteers per county and city guidance. We are still welcoming donations for baby essentials (wipes, formula, baby food, etc.). Currently, Magna is the most utilized. Yesterday alone that site distributed over 300 meals.”

Mar 23
Love0
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A puppy gives advice on how to cope.

By Arts & Culture, City Watch, Lifestyle

Today was no ordinary Monday. I wanted to treat it like it was though. The waking a.m. pee followed by a warm washcloth to my face. With ritual coffee in hand, I moseyed into the living room braless and in my PJs.

My mistake was reading something on that damn Facebook.

It’s that anxiety thing. I was starting to feel strange (well, half-on crazy). My brain fuzzy, heart beating fast, lack of focus. Then came my morning work call with lead Editor, Mary Malouf and being at home, decided to head to the back porch and sit in the sunshine. After that, I regained a bit of composure and realized my small actions (standing in the sun, talking to a friend, avoiding social media) made a big difference. No matter what your age, health concerns or fitness level, we need to support our mental well-being through all of this. How do you do deal with stress?

We could have consulted the human experts, but here’s a different perspective: an almost 4-month old French bulldog by the name of Ari. She is a puppy, and while this is not all relevant, her ears alone are enough to drop your stress levels down a notch.

ARI is:

  • the perfect social distancer and stays at home, pretty much all of the time and cuddles only with her direct-homies.
  • eats a very specific diet and doesn’t seem to mind it.
  • gets plenty of fresh air and exercise, goes out in her fenced backyard and doesn’t use TP.
  • likes her comfy bed and takes frequent naps.
  • she’s just LOVE, in the biggest most unconditional way.

Thank you Portia Mila and family for sharing her with us!

Be well SLC!!

And please remember, Salt Lake magazine is a small local business too. We’re doing everything we can to keep you up-to-date on the local businesses you love and how they’re faring in these difficult times. We’re also doing everything we can to add some fun and color into your quarantine. To subscribe to SLmag, go here.

 

Mar 11
Love0
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Caring for Your Baby Chicks

By Adventures, City Watch

Welp. You did it now. You went to the local IFA and impulsively bought a couple of cheep-cheep chicklings with dreams of collecting from them the most delicious organic, cage-free eggs from your own urban homestead. And of course, you know what you’re up against, google and YouTube made sure of that. You’ve bought the top-rated water feeder, the heater for the water feeder, pine shavings (because it’s way better than straw) for the coop, a heat lamp and a big bag of organic chick feed. Congrats.

Congrats. And I really mean that.

Congrats on becoming parents to an investment that is rewarding and ongoing. Chickens are the best.

And while the chicken suppliers at IFA do screen for females, by chance you may have collected a baby rooster—which isn’t an issue now, but most certainly will become one as they develop their vocal skills and bug your neighbors. (Trust me, they’ll tell you.) This is not a happy part of this post, and finding a home for him might be difficult. ?

One thing is for sure, other than the food and water basics, our urban little chicks need protection. Protection from the elements, from themselves, from a blockage in their backside and from predators. Predators can be the dog next door, a rummaging raccoon, or a raptor at the ready to wring their little necks. Until your little ones are big enough to be locked up tight every evening in a coop, we recommend keeping them in a fully-protected area or brooder, like a big box under a roofed structure (with air vents). Water is a must, and with an accessible depth but not so deep they can drown in it. A heat lamp should keep the water and the chicks from freezing until their down feathers develop, but anything that heats up is also a fire hazard, and chicks are known to jump, climb and even get some air time, so make sure the lamp is secure and out of reach.

As a wonderful resource, we discovered that the west-side Roots Charter High School is posting on IG tips to keep those chicks alive and healthy.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/B9iLYq8BAiB/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet