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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.

Mar 10
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How fast can you ski while sitting?

By Outdoors

In 2015 Ravi Drugan earned a bronze medal in Mono Skier X. You read that correctly, he competed in the official X Games and won that medal while sitting on a single ski.

Sitting vs. Standing

Ravi Drugan, LW-12-2:
Alpine Skiing

“The real difference is that your waist becomes your suspension. It requires more upper body strength, but it’s still a ski, and it still has two edges. I do monoskiing, but I compete in boardercross. I don’t really care if I’m called a skier or a snowboarder. I just like sliding down the snow. It gives you your mobility back. I feel equal with most able-body people on the snow.”—Ravi Drugan

I met Ravi this past weekend at a fundraiser for the National Ability Center (NAC) which is based in Park City and knew very little about its history or influence with adaptive sports and recreation for the disabled. To be honest, fancy-schmancy wine-tasting dinners are a little out of my budget, but the Red White & Snow Vintner Dinner was meant to be a lot more than just that. Very classical French cuisine was served by Chef Franck Peissel which was then paired with wines from the Cristom Vineyards in Oregon.

Our Vintner, Tyler Olbres from Nellcôte, described that while he attends several fundraising Vintner-type events, NAC stands out because of the ways in which it changes the lives of those like Ravi, who at the age of 15 lost both of his legs after an accident. Prior to his double-leg amputation, Ravi had dreams of someday competing in the X Games as a skateboarder. Ravi explained that at 18 he was given the opportunity to try monoskiing on Mt. Bachelor in Oregon and excelling quickly was invited to Park City with the NAC to train with their High-Performance team. With the Utah powder going sometimes up to Ravi’s shoulders, the rest became boardercross X Games history.

Adaptive sports go beyond alpine skiing, the NAC program includes pretty much everything recreationally indoor and out, such as climbing, camping, hiking, horseback riding, water sports and biking, covering all levels of disabilities and physical impairments.

Take a moment to watch Ravi in action.

 

 

Mar 05
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The Play List: 5 Ways to Cut Loose on Weekdays.

By City Watch, Lifestyle

5 o’clock doesn’t always mean the end of a workday (thank you technology), because work can and will follow you home. And, we know you’ve got your weekends covered, but what about those weekdays? Instead of sitting to veg in front of the t.v., maybe you’re in the mood for something different? To break your rut, we’ve got a few weekday evening ideas for you to escape the grind.

How to properly sign-off:

cinco de mayo Kentucky derby

“Thanks for your email but unfortunately, I am out of the office on official business. I really can’t say more than that. It’s official. It’s business. And that’s that.” —Ryan Reynolds

  1. Monday Multi-Gym Passes

Workout routines get, well, routine and BORING. And for those seeking more options, there is a new game in the fitness world. Move aside memberships that limit you to one fitness facility, I mean, even if (and that’s a big IF) they can offer climbing, yoga, CrossFit, tai chi, a pool, a cafe and a weight room under one roof, what if you want to work out somewhere else? Maybe your yoga buddy has another spot?

These students found their way to The Point Pilates via ClassPass.

Welcome to a “new” age of multi-class and facility passes. Its kinda like having an open gym relationship to a very wide range of gym and class options. Currently, there are two of these passes on the market in Salt Lake—ClassPass and Freeplay. So check them out and kick the tires on a new place to work out.

2. Tuesday at the Central Book Exchange

A chance to be wooed, go on adventures and explore new lands that exist outside of our 9-to-5 corporate prisons. We’ve got satire, romance history and what reading list wouldn’t be complete without a zombie novel? If you haven’t visited the Central Book Exchange in Sugar House you’re in for a treat, because beyond a huge assortment of books, they are sold, bought and exchanged. You’ll most likely come nose-to-nose with me there. Central Book Exchange, 2017 S. 1100 East, Sugar House, central-bookexchange.com.

3. Wednesday Jazz at the Rabbit Hole

It’s 7:00 pm on a Wednesday evening but it might as well be midnight in The Rabbit Hole: The gas lamps flicker, barely lighting the dim corners. It’s an apt atmosphere for jazz, and impresario Kelly Salmans (he’s the guy with the white hair and the appropriate beret) makes sure everyone knows this is a listening room. No background music here—you’re supposed to focus with your ears and usually whoever is playing compels that attention. Cocktail servers slip silently between the comfy couches, booths and tables and takes your whispered order—the excellent bartenders mix top-notch cocktails. Downstairs in Lake Effect, The Rabbit Hole is one of a kind in Salt Lake. 155 W. 200 South, 801-285-6494.

4. Thursday Spiking at the Sandbar

Opening in early 2018 with five indoor/four outdoor sand volleyball courts, SandBar is open six days a week—80 or more games are played in a typical day. The SandBar has a schedule of leagues that run as 8-week sessions (2v2 men/women and coed, 4v4 coed only), ranging from open to recreational. And they serve food and beer too! 680 S. Redwood Road, North Salt Lake, 801-631-4160, sandbarslc.com.

5. Friday Bowling—Spare Time

Sign the kids up to bowl for free at one of eight local spots at kidsbowlfree.com. Once registered, you can take the kids for two free games during the Kids Bowl Free hours determined by your alley. Kids must be between 2 and 15, and not all centers include shoes with free games. If you’d like to show off your perfect form, buy a family pass, which allows four adults to bowl for free during KBF hours.

 

Mar 04
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What you should know about the Coronavirus.

By Lifestyle

Wash your hands people. You should be doing this anyway, but you can skip reading the rest of this article because that is about the best advice we can give you right now. The increasing hype about the spread of COVID-19 and new cases appearing in the US daily has medical masks, bottled water, hand sanitizer and soap disappearing from most retail shelves (and moon pies soon enough). And along with the news of the coronavirus, is also a lot of misinformation. Although a virus doesn’t really care, it’s got one job (to find a host and make you sick) and knows all our dirty habits.

Advice for prevention from the CDC:

Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Stay home when you are sick.

Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

The CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.

Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of facemasks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings.

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

 

A cough, rubbing one’s eyes, picking your nose, a virus can be transmitted onto the hands without much trouble. What happens once it’s on our hands? It really depends. If not washed off, it travels with you and will multiply and go wherever you do. Another way a respiratory virus spreads is if an infected person sneezes or coughs close to you, and you breathe in some of those viral particulates. The disposable medical masks won’t do it. In truth, surgical masks were designed to protect patients from the doctors, and could possibly prevent the spread of a virus once you have been diagnosed.

As of March 3, 2020, in Utah of the 17 people tested for COVID-19, fifteen have been reported as negative, and two are still pending. The report is that “The deadliest outbreak of the virus in the U.S. has been in Washington state, where six patients had died as of Monday afternoon. More than 3,000 had died worldwide, with nearly 90,000 confirmed cases.” That’s considerably less drastic than the percentage of those who died from the Ebola outbreak (90%) in 2014-16 and the COVID-19 death rate is estimated at around 3.4%, but still, wash those hands.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has also provided us a global map of all the confirmed COVID-19 cases and information such as traveling, prevention, symptoms and treatment.

Just for kicks, I’ll pass along some advice from my 83-year old father, and while he’s not a doctor has been around enough to know a thing or two about life. My dad says we should have a stockpile of ibuprofen for fever and those “aches and pains” flu-symptoms, enough food and provisions for a few weeks and of course a few treats on hand, you know, the stuff you like to snack on when you’re not feeling good (ginger ale, chicken soup, or moon pies).

If we catch it or if we avoid it, it never hurts to have extra of what you’ll need. Let’s not get too crazy (yet) about the COVID-19, because chances are we’ll survive it.

 

Mar 02
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SLC talking: It’s all about national politics today. So vote.

By City Watch

National politics aren’t part of our editorial coverage as a rule.

“I want you all for a moment to think about our history as a nation and how real change has taken place. It has never taken place from the top on down, always from the bottom on up.”

—Bernie Sanders, (D) Senator, Vermont in SLC, March 2, 2020

But with Bernie Sanders drawing a crowd of thousands at the fairgrounds this afternoon and Amy Klobuchar drawing hundreds to the Depot last night (before dropping out of the presidential race) Utah is in the national news and it’s apparent how strong local feelings are about the 2020 Presidential election. Democrats and Republicans are fired up. Young people and older people are fired up. In Utah, Republicans are voting in Democratic primaries, Trump supporters are clashing with Trump protesters. Mormons are voting for Bernie. Republicans are disagreeing with Republicans. This is one crazy, mixed-up election.

But all sides can agree on one idea Bernie put forth: “The understanding is that no President, not Bernie Sanders or anybody else can do it alone.”

 

Our response?

Participate in Super Tuesday—go vote.Here’s what you need to know—where, when, etc.

On Wednesday, we can all go back to worrying about coronavirus. (Only one case in Utah so far.)

 

Mar 01
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Spike in Real Sand

By City Watch

While lacrosse is his preferred sport, the SandBar SLC’s founder, Cory Merrell was seeking a business idea that incorporated a sport or activity with a strong social element. Sand volleyball checked all the boxes. The first of its kind in Utah, the SandBar SLC is over 24,000 sq. ft. with five indoor regulation-sized courts. It took over 1,000 tons of sand to fill the space.

Volleyball Lingo

Carry: Players should only have momentary contact with the ball. If the palm is facing upwards and fist is open, it is considered a carry or a “lift.”

Drink: An attacking player softly taps the ball over the net to an area not being guarded.Z

Attack/Spike: An attack strategy is to send or spike the ball over the net in a way that is not returnable.

Side Out: When a team gains the ability to serve after they score or after the opposing team made a mistake.

Floater: A serve that does not spin; difficult to predict its movement.

After completing his MBA at the U of U, Merrell made his start by setting up sand volleyball leagues and tournaments at SLC’s Liberty Park. He explained, “As all available court slots quickly filled up to capacity, the need to expand and provide a year-round option became clear.” Merrell gathered the money, then selected the future home of Sandbar SLC, in North Salt Lake.

Opening in early 2018 with five indoor/four outdoor courts, SandBar is open six days a week—80 or more games are played in a typical day. Merrell plans to expand by adding air domes or bubbles to existing outdoor courts. The SandBar has a schedule of leagues that run as 8-week sessions (2v2 men/women and coed, 4v4 coed only), ranging from open to recreational. And they serve food and beer too! 680 S. Redwood Road, North Salt Lake, 801-631-4160, sandbarslc.com.

Mar 01
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Energy Drinks, Put That Redbull Down

By Eat & Drink

Need a little lift but don’t want to be buzzing at bedtime? Before you knock back a commercial energy drink with all that sugar, caffeine, taurine and heck knows what else, consider kicking back with an anti-energy drink, designed with the opposite purpose. “In a stressed-out world full of uppers and stimulants, more energy isn’t always the answer,” relays CEO/Co-founder of KAIVAI Doug Quezada. Discovering the benefits of drinking kava led their team to create a popular version. Often considered gritty and bitter, KAIVAI makes kava much more palatable, adding ingredients like hibiscus, cinnamon and monk fruit. Forego the bull. And chill.

KOMBUCHA: Kombucha is fermented tea + sugars + SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) bacteria resulting in a slightly sweet, vinegary carbonated beverage. We like: Han’s Kombucha, available at multiple locations:  Liberty Fresh, Hello!Bulk Markets, Animalia

KAVA ROOT: Kava root extract comes from a Pacific islands shrub. Its extract produces a non-alcoholic, non-addictive drink said to improve mood and ease anxiety by upping feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. We like: Kaivai. Found at: Macey’s, Fresh Market, Dans.

MATCHA: A stone-ground Japanese green tea that has 137 times more antioxidants, the amino acid L-theanine (known to enhance mood in a good way) and caffeine (works with L-theanine for added focus and stress reduction)—take that!
We like: Brass Smoothies: The Guru: Matcha, Avocado, Banana, Dates, Spinach, Coconut Water/Manna.

Feb 25
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CENSUS 2020: People, get your money.

By City Watch

2020 is more than just a presidential election year; it’s the year of the census. Simply put, the census is an attempt to calculate the headcount of every human—citizen or not—in the United States, and federally funded it is collected every ten years. There are very valid reasons why folks wish to avoid being counted or even answer their door when a census worker comes a-knockin, but undercounted areas suffer because of it. Addressing those concerns, it’s important to understand the benefit of this census and gain the resources that come with it.

2010/2020: 10 years ago and now

Minimum Wage:  $7.25 (2010, 2020)

Top 10 Hits: “Tik Tok” Kesha (2010), “Adore You” Harry Styles (2020)

President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law (2010)

Trump was acquitted by the Senate on these two counts of impeachment (2020)

 

The results of the census and money that will then be rationed to that community are huge, like in the trillions of dollars huge. And this is because almost every political and civic decision made is based upon those numbers. 

Much like voting, if you don’t get counted, you don’t count. All federal funds and programs, such as our schools, hospital, roads, the amount of money allocated to these programs are based upon those living there. The census is also a “one and done” because once conducted, that will be the determining number pulled for the next decade.

Who are the hardest to reach? Naturally the children, those in rural communities, immigrants and people of color. Declaring the census as one of her top political priorities, Stacey Abrams, who is a lawyer and former Georgia House Representative shares four points in hopes of educating and empowering those who really need to participate. These points are:

  1. This year, 80% of the census will be conducted online. This may make it more difficult for rural communities because an estimated 20-40% of those do not have internet access.
  2. The fear of citizenship question. The system can be weaponized by discounting non-citizens and artificially inflate the representation of the white non-Hispanic population, which isn’t who we are. She advises to avoid the fear of ICE, answer the census online, and to report a social security number is not a requirement. If you answer the census and someone comes knocking, you can hide under the bed knowing they aren’t from the census bureau.
  3. They’ll be able to find you, no matter. Abrams points out that if you have a cell phone or a light bill, they already know how to track you down. The census isn’t giving the federal government any information they don’t already have.
  4. Be counted, get your money. The results of this census is what will determine how much money will be allocated, from congressional leaders to every level of political power, the numbers from the census is where the juice flows to. 

When does the census take place? April 1, 2020, and we’re not joking. You can also learn more about the process and how-to-do your part here: 2020census.gov

Feb 19
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SLC Singles Bar Crawl at the Gateway

By Eat & Drink

The Saturday after Valentine’s, a “Singles Appreciation Day” (S.A.D) bar crawl was organized by the popular dating app Bumble and was held at the Gateway in downtown SLC. Starting at HallPass, we were led on a pathway bar stroll, ‘Bout Time, Dave and Busters, Seabird Bar and finally, the Punch Bowl Social.

This post, however, is not about the dating app or the places we went to. It’s about being single in SLC. And, we went to find out about singles stuff: who went, why they attended and most importantly if they were having fun while doing it.

Meet Vanessa & @Uber_Henry: A singles night out should be safe and responsible. To ensure this, we take a Lyft, and our driver made the trip more enjoyable because sitting next to her was Henry (her dog). Vanessa’s advice to SLC singles, “Someone has to make the first move or no one is going to get laid.” You heard that right, and we’re not going to judge, but is that the motivating factor behind a singles bar crawl?

 

Meet Jorge: We met up with Jorge at Bout Time Pub & Grub, who is here in SLC for a few weeks and visiting from Chile. His English teacher told him that getting out would allow him to practice, he also wants to have fun. At the bar, his preferred drink is whatever has the highest alcohol content. Back home, he is earning a degree in Industrial Engineering. Another interest, Jorge loves to dance the Bachata, different than salsa, which has its origins from the Dominican Republic.

Meet Cortney and Caitlin: Dressed up and wanting to get out on the town, these two friends learned about the event via Facebook and thought, why not? At each bar stop, a signature cocktail was created, the one they are holding was the “Bees Knees” from Seabird Bar & Vinyl Room, created by their lead mixologist Matt and made from rum, acacia honey, lemon and lavender.

Meet Amber and Ash: These two ladies came to the bar crawl for similar reasons: single, wanting to go out and meet people, and to have fun. Smiles don’t lie. And to make it even better, Ash won not one but two giveaways during the stroll, both being decent gift certificates at participating bars.

 

Meet me, my friend LeAnne and the bartenders at Seabird: Welp, unlike an episode of The Love Boat my reasons for attending the bar crawl were somewhat work-related. And luckily, my single friend LeAnne agreed to join. Beyond a signature cocktail at every stop, my “writing a post about this event” excuse gave me more confidence to ask questions and meet a ton of great and interesting singles. My take? It’s not easy being single in SLC. You’d think with technology it would be easier, but putting it out there and being real by showing up is part of the fun. And, you can’t play if you don’t.

Signing off for this SLC singles adventure. Wanna read more stories like this? Go here.

Feb 18
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Denise Hevner, Welding Tech at Highland High School

By Community

How are Utah schools faring in the constantly changing world of modern education? This new world includes school violence, more pupils than most other states (we still have the largest households in the country), multicultural classrooms and very little money.

Meet Denis Hevner, Welding Tech at Highland High School.

Vocational ED gets a bad rap when it shouldn’t.

Denise Hevner first learned to helmet up while wielding a flame torch in high school. After graduation, she worked in fabrication shops for eight years. When a high school teaching opportunity presented itself, Hevner was able to earn her teachers’ license through the state’s ARL (Alternative Route to Licensure) program. Now she’s a welding teacher at Highland High School.

With a realization that there are as many hands-on learners in today’s society as academic ones, the CTE (Career Technical Education) program can assist by training students in areas of skilled performance work.

“Right now America is short by about 300,000 welders,” she states. By teaching students to use the tools of the trade as well as the soft skills needed to gain and maintain employment, Hevner shares, “I have had many students join the industry right out of high school and many more go on to college as well as trade schools.”

“All students need a place where they can feel successful,” Hevner explains.

Feb 17
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Can you fix it? The Bicycle Collective

By Community

Yes, you most certainly can. Getting around the city on two wheels is a healthy choice that goes beyond fitness. Taking your bike instead of a fossil-fueled vehicle helps to reduce greenhouse emissions such as CO2 which right along with deforestation, is one of the leading contributors to global warming. For those who are already taking bikes or ready to take the next step to bicycle commuting, just a little south of town, on West Temple, The Bicycle Collective is definitely a resource you should be aware of if you aren’t already.

The Bicycle Collective: Tell me more…

Not only can you repair a bike or purchase a used bike at the Collective, as a non-profit, they supply hundreds of bikes to adults and kids in need each year and teach free repair classes.

2312 S. West Temple. SLC
801-FAT-BIKE (328-2453)

My bicycle is a road bike, which has very thin high-pressure tires. Versus a mountain bike with thicker more sturdy tires makes them much more susceptible to damage and requires frequent maintenance. The advantage of road bikes is that they are lightweight and clip along at a nice speed on smooth bike paths and roads.

Having the confidence and the equipment to repair bike tires has been an ongoing dilemma, and when they act up, often run over to a local bike shop and have them do the work. Last Saturday evening, headed out to meet friends and within minutes, noticed that something was up with my front tire. On closer inspection, the wheel was bulging out—not good—having one blow up before, which is not only dangerous but incredibly loud.

Before retreating back home on foot, realized that I was only a short distance away from the Bicycle Collective. And within minutes, my bike was up on a repair stand with a table of tools at the ready. With the help of a staff member Cole, he diagnosed the issue (a bum wheel) and gave me the needed replacement, tools and taught by demonstration, placing the actual hands-on work back in my court.

Wow!! With slightly blackened hands from stretching the new tire onto the wheel hub, I left the Bicycle Collective with not only a workable bike, like a right of passage, felt empowered with my tire-repair knowledge and was on my merry way.

Need another excuse to get riding? Our weather is perfect, the new Parley’s Trail is dope and smiles come to bicyclists a lot more than you’ll ever get inside a vehicle. So, attach on some reflector lights (most needed at dusk), wear your flipping helmet and get out there.

To read more SLC community-related posts like these, visit here.