It’s a little drier and warmer out there than Utahns are used to at the beginning of December. Instead of gazing at majestic mountains bathed in a fresh coating of powder, people along the Wasatch Front and Back are staring up at a scoured patchwork craggy rocks and paltry snowfields in the peaks. But old man winter’s lackluster effort hasn’t stopped resorts in the Wasatch from firing up the lifts, and Snowbird joined the action on Dec. 1, throwing a Birdstock party to celebrate the beginning of their 50th season.
While conditions weren’t the famed deep powder of Little Cottonwood Canyon, the Bird did serve up some 3,000-vertical-feet of top-to-bottom skiing via the Tram as well as the Gadzoom and Little Cloud chairlifts. That’s nothing to sneeze at after a snowy October gave way to a heinously warm and dry November leaving little natural snow of note anywhere but the highest elevations. The resort supplemented the skiing with good vibes courtesy of DJ supplied tunes, swag giveaways, contests and a retro 70s theme that’s a throwback to the mountain’s early days.
Powder? Not so much. Smiles? Plenty. Photo courtesy of Snowbird.
Of course, Snowbird isn’t the only show in town as resorts throughout the Wasatch have had the snow guns going full blast whenever it’s been cold enough. Park City Mountain now has both base areas open, though each offers a single ribbon of snow for skiable terrain at this point. Snowbird’s Little Cottonwood neighbor Alta has been going strong for a week with surprisingly good skiing conditions considering the meager season totals, while Big Cottonwood mainstays Solitude and Brighton are also open for business. Further south, Brian Head hasn’t skipped a beat either.
Models show winter may finally be arriving early next week to ward off the dastardly high-pressure ridge that’s skunked much of the early ski season. That’s good news, but instead of sitting home with our fingers crossed, we might as well head to the mountains to warm up the legs so we’re ready when the snow starts falling. I snuck out for a few decidedly mediocre turns this morning and was quickly reminded any time spent skiing is better than time spent sitting inside.
If drought conditions persist further into the winter, we’ll consult our meteorologist friends for a more thorough analysis, but I’ve been assured by trusted University of Utah trained weather nerds we don’t have anything to panic about. Yet. In the meantime, get out there and enjoy what little snow there is. Birdstock is a great example of how we can enjoy skiing without turning to jaded powder snobbery when the conditions aren’t ideal. I’ll see you on the slopes.
It’s a familiar tale. Bright-eyed youngsters come here to ski and end up staying in Utah. But not every ski bum who found their way West grows up to become the head cheerleader for Salt Lake City. Kaitlin Eskelson, the new CEO of Visit Salt Lake, came to Utah from Wisconsin when she was 22 and parlayed her love of the mountains above the city into a career inspiring the world to discover SLC.
And, in another familiar story, she took the job in March of 2020—yes, that March—starting a new job whose main purpose is to bring conventions and visitors to Salt Lake en masse.
“The pandemic forced us to pivot on behalf of the business community and really focus on providing support services for the small business who depend on the visitor economy,” she says.
To that end, Visit Salt Lake became a resource helping members in navigating the red tape to find assistance for weathering the lockdown, providing webinars and advice for the local business community.
“We went from being 100% outward facing to looking inward, finding ways to dig in and assist the community,” Eskelson says.
“We have a rich history combined with a forward-thinking future.” -Kaitlin Eskelson
Eskelson is a make-lemonade-from-lemons type of leader. She had been honing her craft, educating and preparing herself for the top spot at Visit Salt Lake for the bulk of her career. She earned a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Utah. Passionate about Utah and the people who call it home, she is a tireless advocate who has dedicated her years of study to the promotion of Salt Lake and the state of Utah as a collective gem of a travel destination.
“I think what happened was about 10 years ahead of schedule,” she says. “Meetings and conventions were already moving toward hybrid configurations with in-person and virtual components.”
To speed that transition, VSL took advantage of the downtime to build a media center in the Salt Palace to facilitate virtual meetings. Projects that were in the works continued full speed, including the construction on the much-discussed convention hotel near the Salt Palace and a full rebranding of the city’s image. The new slogan “West of Conventional” leans into Utah’s contradictions.
“We are a community of juxtapositions,” she says. “We have a rich history combined with a forward-thinking future. A lot of times in the past we’ve been apologetic about who we really are. We’re celebrating these intersections and honoring our diverse culture and history.”
As Eskelson continues to navigate the ever-changing waters ahead she likes to remind people that she can handle a challenge. Why?
“I have twins. I’m not scared of anything.”
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For many 00s kids (and plenty of their parents), the image of Will Ferrell joyfully terrorizing a Macy’s belongs in the Christmas movie canon along with the A Christmas Story leg lamp and the pathetic tree in A Charlie Brown Christmas. Now, the modern Christmas classic is getting the full Broadway treatment in a musical production at Pioneer Theatre Company beginning this Friday.
Based on the 2003 movie, Elf follows Buddy the Elf, who at 6’2” sticks out like a sore thumb among the elves at Santa’s Workshop. As an adult, Buddy the Elf learns that he is no elf at all—he is a human who was adopted after sneaking into Santa’s bag as a baby. Heartbroken, Buddy leaves the North Pole and heads to New York City to connect with his real father. Far from Santa’s Workshop, Buddy’s overwhelming love of Christmas and childlike personality confuses, annoys and ultimately wins over the cynical New Yorkers he meets.
For people of my generation—young enough to still believe in Santa when the movie came out in theaters—Elf is a permanent Christmas staple. (The movie is tattooed in my brain from countless day-before-winter-break viewings in elementary school. It still feels most appropriate to watch it on a clunky TV rolled into a carpeted classroom.) Almost two decades later, the film’s mix of self-aware humor and warm and fuzzy Christmas cheer still works—the endlessly quotable dialogue and earnest performances make the holiday movie cliches go down like candy (and candy canes, candy corn and syrup). This musical adaptation, which premiered in 2010, captures the nostalgia of the film and adds a peppy Broadway-pop score.
Alan Muraoka, Director of Elf at Pioneer Theatre Company; Photo courtesy Pioneer Theatre Company
Elf’s debut at PTC was back in 2013, where it became the company’s most popular holiday production ever. In this new production, Buddy is played by Max Chernin, who was last seen at PTC in Bright Star, with actors Antoinette Comer, Christopher Gurr, Mary Fanning Driggs and Jason Simon playing the other lead roles. Elf’s director, Alan Muraoka, has plenty of experience with family-friendly entertainment. In addition to a decades-long career as both a theater actor and director, Muraoka is best known for his role as Alan on Sesame Street. (The character was introduced in 1998 as the owner of Hooper’s Store, and Muraoka has been a cast member ever since.) This year, he co-directed an episode of the show, “Family Day,” that introduced a family with two gay dads.
Salt Lake spoke with Muraoka about Elf, Sesame Street and his career in television and theater.
Salt Lake: What can audiences expect from Elf?
Just in time for the holiday season, this show brings fun and memorable songs, wonderful humor, energetic dancing, and a great story with heart. The idea of Buddy the Elf searching for his family and a place to call home and along the way spreading kindness and joy which touches everyone he meets is the greatest message to share during this time. This is the perfect show to share with family and friends, and I am very excited for everyone to come back to the theatre to join in on the fun.
SL: Tell us about your experiences working with this cast and crew at Pioneer Theatre Company.
This is my first time working with Pioneer Theatre Company, and I am so grateful for the opportunity. Everyone on the creative staff is so welcoming and collaborative, and I appreciate it.
Our cast is filled with a combination of great local talent and NY actors, and I’m always amazed how quickly in theatre, strangers can bond and become a family. I have personal experience with several of the cast and creative staff. Our Musical Director, Tom Griffin, hired me as an actor for my first professional job back in LA back in 1983. Choreographer Rommy Sandhu and I have been acquaintances for years but have never worked together until now. One of the actors, Howard Kaye, and I did the original Broadway production of Miss Saigon back in the mid-90’s, and another cast member, Danielle Decrette and I did the National Tour of Lincoln Center’s Anything Goes back in 1989 and shortly after she gave up performing to raise three beautiful girls. This is her return to performing after many, many years.
SL: You have spent more than two decades on Sesame Street, but you also have worked extensively in theater. What excites you about working in live theater?
I love both theatre and television for different reasons, but the most wonderful and unique thing about theatre is that it is live. Anything can happen in live theatre, and so every performance is slightly different. I love how the audience actually plays a huge part in this as well. Actors feed off the energy of an audience, and so the audience is a vital piece of the overall experience of theatre.
Max Chernin in Elf at Pioneer Theatre Company; Photo courtesy Pioneer Theatre Company
SL: You have worked both behind and in front of the camera on an iconic show for children and families. What have you learned on Sesame Street about performing for this specific audience? How did you apply this experience to Elf, another kid-friendly production?
Sesame Street has taught me so much, but the greatest thing it has taught me is how intelligent and intuitive children are, and so you must always be honest with them. I always approach every show with finding the truth and honesty in the material. What are the essential heart moments? Where and how does humor come into the world? You always start there, and then find what the style of each production is and augment and heighten from there. Elf lives in a very fast-paced, almost sitcom style, but it has such a huge heart as well. So, it’s finding the balance and energy required so that both elements shine.
SL: You recently co-directed “Family Day,” an episode of Sesame Street featuring a gay couple. What did it mean to you to share this story featuring a queer family?
It is very important to me that everyone feels represented on Sesame Street, because we strive to be a world of inclusion, diversity, kindness, and love. I was very proud to be a part of this episode which shows that there are many kinds of families and that every one of them should be understood and accepted.
SL: You have now been on Sesame Street for more than 23 years. When you were originally cast, did you ever expect to perform in the series this long? What interests you in coming back every season?
My first season of Sesame Street was back in 1998, and we were celebrating 30 years on the air. In my head as an actor coming from theatre, a run of a show is anywhere from a few months to a couple of years. So, in my head I thought, “If I make it to five years on the show, that will be a great run.” So now that I’ve been at Sesame for 23 years, it’s both astounding and surreal. What makes Sesame Street so unique and special is that since we have been producing new shows for 52 years, we are able to address current issues that affect children both here in the US and throughout the world. This past year and a half is a perfect example. During the pandemic we realized that both children and families had so many questions, and so we created a partnership with CNN to host Town Hall specials about COVID where children and parents could submit questions, and a panel of experts (doctors, scientists, and educators), along with our beloved Muppets, helped provide answers and support. We also created specials in response to the necessity of the Black Lives Matter movement (Emmy-winning The Power of We), and in response to the increase of racial incidents against Asian Americans (See Us Coming Together, which premieres on Thanksgiving Day on HBO Max, PBS, and YouTube).I am extremely proud to be a part of a show that educates, entertains, and teaches children everywhere how to be smarter, stronger and kinder.
SL: You recently directed another Utah production: the world premiere of Gold Mountain with Utah Shakespeare Festival. Tell us about this production and your experience with it.
Gold Mountain was special for me because it was a culmination of seven years of collaboration between the composer and playwright Jason Ma and myself. We both felt that the show was a testament to the history of these Chinese railroad workers who helped build the Transcontinental Railroad, literally helped to create the United States of America, and then were erased from the history books. It was a labor of love, and I was so happy with the production, the actors, the designers, and that the reception from the SLC community was so warm and welcoming. We hope it has a bright future, and we are grateful that it began in the state where these two trains met back in 1869.
L-R: Annie Mautz, Austin Flamm and Max Chernin in Elf at Pioneer Theatre Company; Photo courtesy Pioneer Theatre Company
SL: Had you been to Utah before directing these two productions? How have you liked being here?
I have spent time in both Cedar City and SLC, and I have to tell you there are times that I look up at the mountain ranges with the sun hitting them in the morning and at sunset, and it takes my breath away. I was last in SLC and Ogden in 2019 when we celebrated Spike 150 with a concert version of Gold Mountain, and I was charmed by the city, the people, and the food. One of my favorite food items that is available here in the city are a pastry called a Kouign-amann, which is basically a croissant which is rolled in sugar, so it is both caramelized and buttery. My personal favorites are from Eva’s and Les Madeleines, and I’ve introduced all of our NYC actors and designers to these little pieces of heaven. I gave a bunch of them to the Gold Mountain cast and crew for Opening Night, and they absolutely loved them.
SL: Tell us anything else you would like readers to know about this musical.
For many of our cast this is their first live show back since the pandemic shut down theatres throughout the country, and so there is a sense of urgency in wanting to get in front of live audiences once again. So, we are ready for you SLC. I hope you are ready for us.
Elf will be performed at Pioneer Theatre Company from Dec. 3-18. For tickets and more information, visit their website. Read all of our theater coverage.
There is only one perfect espresso-based beverage: two shots of Ethiopian Sun-Dried Espresso tamped and layered with 2 teaspoons of raw sugar, infused with 3 ounces of fresh aerated milk and finished with a ½ inch of foam laced with strokes of caramel. Sorry, Starbuckians—those automatic machines aren’t capable of making this drink—for this one, you need to control the tamping in the portafilter.
This might not be your perfect cup, but until you spin a few miles on an espresso machine’s odometer, it’s hard to know which drink is your favorite. For those of us who don’t have the time, or patience, to discover your perfect drink, the first step is to understand espresso basics; after that, the rest is easy.
The most important part of the espresso shot is the quality of the crema—you know, that beautiful rim of golden sunshine resting at the top of the shot glass. This is where the magic happens. If you’ve experienced ordering the same drink and having it taste five different ways, nonexistent or underdeveloped crema is likely the culprit. Finding a superb barista is a challenge within itself—and for that reason, I only order my perfect cup of coffee when I know my barista is good, so when you find one, tip them well!
Jaxsen Layton of Salt Lake Roasting Co.is my barista of choice. He understands what it takes to pour excellent espresso, “For a good espresso shot, it’s extremely important to have all aspects just right, from the coarseness/fineness of the grind, the amount of pressure when tamping and the ratio of water to coffee. Once those are just right, the last thing I look for is a good consistent crema throughout the whole shot. This is my indicator of the quality of my espresso shot.”
Having located a go-to barista like Layton, you have a decision to make. Do you prefer the good ol’ roasty mc-roasted beans the corporate giants have accustomed us to or do you gravitate toward a blonde roast? If you want things sweet and creamy, go for the darker roast; if you prefer your coffee black, take a walk on the lighter side. Knowing your preference is a game changer, so order a demitasse the next time you stop in to see your favorite roaster.
Cappuccino vs. Latte
Don’t be the dud demanding a cappuccino with little foam, no matter how satisfying it is to say the word. If your favorite drink is only topped with an inch of foam or less, next time do your barista a favor and order a latte.
Feeling Too Timid to Try Straight Espresso?
Here are a few less-intimidating options:
Espresso Macchiato
A shot with a scoop of foam on top, also great with a bit of caramel or mocha on the top if you like it sweet.
Espresso Con Panna
A shot with a generous dollop of whipped cream on top.
Undertow
Pick your favorite syrup flavor and cross your fingers your barista knows how to make this. A layering of two pumps of syrup, topped with 1 oz of half and half, with a shot of espresso floated along the top. If your barista can’t float the espresso, it isn’t worth your time. The key to this one is to drink it all at once.
Espresso Affogato
A shot of espresso poured over a scoop of ice cream, usually vanilla.
Our 2021 Holiday gift guide is here! Discover unique and special gifts as well as solutions for your holiday gathering from Salt Lake magazine’s experts in finding that perfect gift for everyone on your list.
Give her Utah’s most radiant facial treatment—AVIVA WOMAN’s Micro-Infusion facial. This exclusive treatment infuses the skin with vitamins and peptides to help restore the skin’s natural glow.
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Maven Oak creates artistically inspired platters, grazing tables, platter boxes, gift cards, private workshops and charcuterie cups. Choose the platter life for your next event or gift to someone special.
Find a unique selection of botanic-inspired gifts including specialty honey and tea products, vintage puzzles, fine jewelry, designer bags, accessories, greeting cards, gardening books, home and holiday décor, fairy garden supplies and more!
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Get ready for the holidays with Salt Lake. Learn how to support local organizations fighting hunger and find neighborhood light displays.
Keep sweet is a familiar mantra among the members of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter-day Saints (FLDS, a sect that broke off from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and still continues to practice polygamy) in Short Creek. The community straddles the Utah-Arizona border, encompassing Hildale, Utah and Colorado City, Arizona. At first, “keep sweet” appears innocuous—a simple reminder to be kind to everyone. The credo, however, was also used as a tool for keeping members compliant under the will and whim of FLDS leader Warren Jeffs. Now, KEEP SWEET is the title of a new documentary about the FLDS now streaming on Discovery+.
The Short Creek landscape; Photo by 44 Blue Productions, courtesy Discovery+
“As we met these FLDS families, we started getting a lot of incredible art pieces from these kids,” says the film’s executive producer Glenn Meehan. “And almost every piece of art said ‘keep sweet. Don and Glenn, keep sweet.’ That phrase kept coming up. We saw it everywhere.”
“‘Keep sweet’ is baked into the fabric of the town, in a way. It’s about behavior. It’s about being a good person. It still has resonance there, but now, as the title of the film, like the town itself, it can now mean something other than what it used to,” says director Don Argott about the choice of the film’s title. He’s best known for directing the documentary Believer, which followed Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds as he learned about the LDS Church’s treatment of LGBTQ+ members.
KEEP SWEET takes a different approach with a wider scope than previous documentaries about the FLDS. It presents community conflicts and religious and political divisions in a fashion that allows viewers to draw their own conclusions. That will certainly make for interesting and spirited conversations around the table this Thanksgiving.
“Pray and obey” on the fireplace outside of a house in Short Creek; Photo by 44 Blue Productions, courtesy Discovery+
On its face, KEEP SWEET is a primer to the FLDS community—catching up the viewer on the 1953 raid by Arizona officials that still shapes the members’ views toward outsiders, the reign of Warren Jeffs, how he divided families and exiled anyone who could possibly challenge his influence and, primarily, how the community has changed since Jeffs’ arrest, child rape conviction and prison sentence.
However, KEEP SWEET strives to be more than that, as that sort of documentary has been done many times. (Just for starters, if you’re looking for deep analysis and painstaking research into the FLDS, polygamy, and the rise of Warren Jeffs or thoughtful explorations into how he further isolated and radicalized a community and destroyed lives, there’s the Unfinished Short Creek podcast, the book Prophet’s Prey by Sam Brower and subsequent documentary, the book Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer, the documentary Sons Of Perdition, and so many more.)
“We sat with the documentary for a while, trying to figure out what we were going to do with it,” says Meehan. “Then Don comes along. He sees this new angle to this documentary. We already had the side that was kicked out. But Don, as director, wanted to show both sides without giving our opinions.”
Short Creek house with Zion sign hanging on an archway; Photo by 44 Blue Productions, courtesy Discovery+
“People have told the Warren Jeffs story before,” says Argott, “But there is something that’s happening in this town that is not being talked about. There’s a pressure cooker there, as all these different people are existing side-by-side. And it’s a story that hadn’t really been told before.”
Rather than retread the same ground, KEEP SWEET hopes to compare the current situation in Short Creek to the American political and cultural climate at large. Specifically, the documentary portrays the divisiveness that emerges when facts are dismissed in favor of beliefs/bias and people stubbornly adhere to their own “truths.”
Before Jeffs went to jail, a documentary crew may have been run out of Short Creek by the so-called “god squad” (Jeffs’ pick-up-driving private security forces.) Now, many of the walls have come down (literal walls Jeffs had constructed around the community). “I never thought we’d be allowed to say ‘hello’ to them [FLDS members], let alone have dinner in their houses and their families,” says Meehan, who first visited Short Creek about a decade ago. “I’ve really grown to like these people so much. And really that’s what the documentary is all about. Everybody has their own truth. Everyone has their own story. And here it is. We’ll give you all of the cards and you decide where your heart is.”
A point of contention that remains in Short Creek, the United Effort Plan (UEP), a land trust, which includes hundreds of homes formerly controlled by the FLDS, is now under the purview of a nonreligious board. Under the board, some former FLDS members—who were exiled, left or escaped Jeffs’ church—have returned to their homes. Some homes have been sold to “outsiders.” And some FLDS members, still faithful to Jeffs, have been evicted for refusing to cooperate with the board’s criteria to keep their homes as they do not recognize the board’s authority.
Two FLDS girls watching the bulldozers take down buildings in Short Creek; Photo by 44 Blue Productions, courtesy Discovery+
Those faithful FLDS that still live in Short Creek claim they’ve been persecuted against by the former FLDS who now hold positions of power within the town—such as the UEP board members and Hildale Mayor Donia Jessop. They seem to fail to grasp the irony of being ousted from a community by refusing to cooperate with the people who were once exiled themselves. And therein lies the rub. Former FLDS and new residents are trying to bring democracy, capitalism and modernism to Short Creek and rebuild the lives they had before Jeffs stripped them of everything. In doing so, the FLDS feel they have been stripped of everything. Because, despite all of the evidence proving Jeffs’ crimes, they believe Jeffs to be a prophet, maligned by outsiders and authorities unsanctioned by god, comparing Jeffs to the Mormon prophet and church founder Joseph Smith. (Smith was arrested and imprisoned in Carthage, Illinois after ordering the destruction of a printing press when the newspaper revealed Joseph Smith’s practice of polygamy. Both of which he was guilty of, so, in that way, he was like Jeffs.)
Unlike Smith, Jeffs is still alive in prison, but we see Jeffs’ ghost continue to haunt the town with his influence, dividing Short Creek into faithful and “other.” And never the twain shall meet. In that way, it seems as insurmountable as the political, religious and cultural divides we all face within our own communities and families.
“When we were making this film, it was the height of the Trump administration,” says Argott. “And seeing how the country was being ripped apart, and frankly, still is, I realized [the town] is America five years from now. This is where we are headed. We are headed to this place where everyone has their own truths. Everyone has their own views of the world. But, guess what? I’m going to have to live next to this person and I’m going to have to figure it out.”
Norma Richter and one of her daughters; Photo by 44 Blue Productions, courtesy Discovery+
Meehan recounted an experience he had while driving with one of the faithful FLDS, a woman named Norma. They passed a man on the street and Norma told Meehan that man was her brother. “I asked ‘Why didn’t you wave to him?’ And she says, ‘Oh, he left the church. We don’t speak.’ And here they are living in this small town, everyone knows each other, they pass siblings every day and they don’t talk.”
In that vein, Argott compares Jeffs to someone other than Joseph Smith. “No matter what side you’re on, whether you support Trump or don’t support Trump, people have lost family members over it. And that’s something I would say is a new phenomenon living in this country. We’ve always been able to have different ideologies, but there’s something about this guy who came in, much like Warren, and really polarized everybody.”
The documentary lets both sides of the divide share “their truths” with little commentary from the documentarians. So, allow me to provide some here. Both camps in Short Creek subscribe to non-reality at times. We see the FLDS refuse to acknowledge Jeffs’ crimes. Meanwhile, some former FLDS members cling to nostalgia, painting an idyllic picture of their lives in Short Creek before Warren Jeffs. Jeffs’ predecessor, his father Rulon (a.k.a. Uncle Rulon) might not have committed horrors on the same level as his son nor restricted the freedoms of the members to the same degree, but Under the Banner of Heaven uncovered that Uncle Rulon had underage wives all the same. Some were as young as 14 and forced to marry Rulon in his 70s and 80s. Life was hardly idyllic for those girls, before or after Warren Jeffs.
Producer Glenn Meehan with some of the FLDS children; Photo by 44 Blue Productions, courtesy Discovery+
Does the image in the documentary of a divided community trying to heal itself bode well or provide hope for the future of a divided America? The filmmakers seem to think so.
Argott describes a scene in the film between one of the faithful FLDS members and a relative that had left the church. An outsider who had moved into town, Christine, in her attempt to help reunite families, had arranged for them to get together. “Lamont Barlow ends up giving Esther a hug,” says Argott. “And I feel like that’s the kind of healing that can happen, and hopefully continues to happen.” However, with his work on Believer, and now with KEEP SWEET, Argott has observed a trend when it comes to extending olive branches over religious divides. “You have to be the one to meet the religious people where they are. That’s a frustrating thing to have to deal with in general. People are going to be stubborn.”
“I have a lot of hope for the children, in some ways,” says Meehan. “They didn’t ask to be a part of this religion. They were born into it. Now, these kids have access to the internet. They have an awareness that wasn’t there before. Things are going to change. Maybe they’ll see the world a little differently than their parents.”
Here’s the official synopsis for KEEP SWEET:
Warren Jeffs was the Prophet of the FLDS, an offshoot of Mormonism. Jeffs’ demanded absolute loyalty, and instituted complete adherence to the religion, requiring strict dress codes, banishing community celebrations and casting out followers who didn’t fall in line.His controversial reign ended with a conviction for sexual assault with underage girls, landing him in jail for life. Jeffs’ downfall sent shock waves throughout the community, with some continuing to pledge their loyalty to him, while others turned their backs on Jeff’s and the FLDS religion altogether.10 years after his arrest, those left behind attempt to rebuild their community. KEEP SWEET is an allegory for the unsettling reality we are living through in America. Can we learn how to live with one another despite our different ideologies, or are we destined to live apart?
KEEP SWEET is directed by Don Argott (Believer, The Art of the Steal) and executive produced by Rasha Drachkovitch, Stephanie Noonan Drachkovitch, Glenn Meehan and David Hale for 44 Blue Productions and Don Argott and Sheena M. Joyce for 9.14 Pictures. Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 43 minutes. Watch the trailer for the documentary here. Now streaming on Discovery+.
There’s a familiar grating sound ski and snowboard edges make as they cut into early season snow. The surface—typically a mixture of manmade flakes and what’s charitably referred to as “frozen granular”—may not be the Greatest Snow on Earth splashed across the pages of magazines expounding on the virtues of Utah skiing, but there’s an undeniable joy to those first few days on the mountain, when clicking into your bindings feels like the unlikely realization of some distant shoulder season fantasy.
To put it more directly, everyone knows a mediocre day skiing is better than a great day at work. The conditions won’t always be epic, but the early days of the season are a great opportunity to experience a different side of mountain culture. The lift lines are nonexistent, the hotel ski-and-stay deals are radically antithetical to skyrocketing costs, and the pace of everything is just a bit more leisurely. It’s the perfect time for a ski road trip through the Utah mountains that doesn’t involve obsessively researching weather models or selling a prized internal organ. Load up the car and get ready to shred.
Stop #1: Ski Brighton, Stay at Silver Fork Lodge
Brighton is the first resort to open in Utah each year—both Brighton and Solitudewelcome skiers on Nov. 23—so, naturally, it’s the perfect place to kick off an early season ski trip. While many other mountains play the waiting game ramping up to the lucrative holiday season, Brighton cranks the snow guns to 11 and gets the lifts spinning as soon as possible.
New for this winter, Brighton is offering the Early Pass for maximum shreddage during those early days. For just $249, pass holders get unlimited skiing and riding from opening day through Dec. 23. That’s about the same cost as two individual day tickets, a pretty unbeatable bargain, with the option to upgrade and apply the cost to any other season pass—midweek, night or full.
Spend the night in Big Cottonwood Canyon just down the road from Brighton at Silver ForkLodge. It has a charmingly rustic character, a fantastic restaurant and affordable rates outside of peak season.
Courtesy Snowbird
Pit Stop 1: Hog Wallow Pub
It’ll only take about 40 minutes to drive down S.R. 190 and up S.R. 210 to get to the top of adjacent Little Cottonwood Canyon, but it’s worth a quick stop at the Hog Wallow Pub for some smoked wings and a brisket sandwich with a pint to wash it down. The seminal après joint has a great atmosphere and hosts live music most evenings.
Stop #2: Ski at Snowbird, Stay at the Cliff Lodge
After scratching the early season itch at Brighton, seek out gnarly turns by day and luxurious digs by night. Snowbird is renowned for its steep terrain and copious snowfall, and it’s frequently home to an early-season powder bounty that leaves other resorts envious. The Aerial Tram whisks riders up to 11,000 feet where the temps are cooler and the snowpack is deeper than at lower elevations.
Skip the pre- and post-ski canyon rush with Early Bird Stay and Ski specials, packaging lodging with lift tickets at affordable rates you won’t find during the rest of the season. Each booking includes one lift ticket per adult for each night of the stay and children under 12 ski for free. Myriad accommodation options can be booked online, including the Lodge, The Inn, or my personal favorite, The Cliff. The iconic Cliff Lodge is a mere ski boot’s throw from the Tram and has a pretty delightful spa and pool for some decadent après.
Pit Stop 2: Centro Woodfired Pizzeria
Up next is a nearly four-hour drive down I-15 to Brian Head, but head past your turn in Parowan for just a few miles for a bite at Centro Woodfired Pizzeria in Cedar City. The pies are in the running for the best in the Beehive State—I’m partial to the Dolce Diavola with whipped ricotta and a honey drizzle—making the extra minutes in the car well worth the effort.
Stop #3: Ski Brian Head, Stay at Best Western Brian Head Resort and Spa
It seems like just yesterday people were heading towards the desert for shoulder season shenanigans, and now it’s time to point the compass south again in search of snow. Topping out at 10,920 feet, Brian Head has high alpine terrain that’s heaven for anxious powder hounds. The resort makes an effort to open before Thanksgiving each year—they are currently anticipating a Nov. 24 opening—providing a surreal early-season setting to arc turns down groomers and dive into cold smoke while overlooking the red rock landscape of Cedar Breaks.
New for the winter, the resort is managing the Best Western Premier Brian Head Resort and Spa just a half mile from the Navajo Lodge base area. It’s the first lodge the resort has overseen and has really easy access to uncrowded slopes. Early season lift ticket specials are available on the Brian Head website. The earlier you buy the better the deal you’ll find, so plan your trip early.
Oh, how I wish there weren’t a need for this article. Alas, as the ski industry rapidly adopts the airline model of “always monetize everything, always,” the simple act of getting to the mountains around Salt Lake City has become the most challenging part of any day. I don’t know if the Cottonwood Canyons are shrinking or if there’s been enormous population growth along the Wasatch Front coupled with a renewed enthusiasm for outdoor sports in the wake of a pandemic—it’s probably the latter isn’t it?—but whatever the cause, ski traffic and parking are increasingly problematic.
Proposals to alleviate the issue are being bandied about, from gondolas to buses (just definitely not trains), and in the meantime parking restrictions are all that’s keeping the levees from breaking as the powderhounds flow in. While opening dates have been pushed back throughout Utah, here’s a little breakdown of the parking situation at resorts near Salt Lake City so you can be ready when the snow starts falling. We’re going to focus on the ones in the Cottonwood Canyons (and touch on Park City), since that’s generally where the issues are focused. No matter where you’re headed, leave early, be patient and pray for snow.
Free lunch at Alta is over. The resort is implementing a weekend and holiday paid parking reservation system. They say it will keep them from having to turn cars away, but also I think the resort likes to make money. The $25 per-day fee will apply not only to those who park in the resort area base lots to ride the lifts, but also to backcountry skiers and snowboarders who park at the Grizzly and Flagstaff lots. That’s a bummer for people trying to access public lands.
About 40 days of the season are subject to parking restrictions. The remaining days will be just like the free-for-all they’ve always been. What about passholders? There’s a special reservation system for Alta passholders to hold two reservation days at any time, though there is a $25 no-show fee and I’ve heard anecdotal evidence of it being a bit difficult to use. Reservations and paid parking for public land access aren’t fun, but it appears the demand has far outstripped the supply. Carpool and take the UTA ski bus if you can.
The Bird is ditching mandatory parking reservations after last season’s ParkWhiz powered system left something to be desired for many, especially late arrivals who ski after work. Free parking will be available on a first-come, first-served basis at Entry 1 (the Upper Gad Valley Lot and Wilbere Hill), the Main Lot, Chickadee Hill, the Superior Lot and the Bypass Road excluding the preferred parking area.
Carpooling will be encouraged, and those with four-plus people in a car will have access to carpool-only parking areas and discounted preferred parking in Gad Valley (both as available). Paid parking with reservations is available for $25 per day, as the $699 preferred parking season pass is sold out. The Bird is the word, but unless you show up early, off hours or with a car full of your friends you may have to pay to play.
Paid parking is back at Solitude this season. Thankfully, it’s tiered by vehicle occupancy, so if you like to ski or ride with friends it won’t be too burdensome. For four or more occupants, the cost is just $5 per day, $10 for three occupants, $15 for two and $25 for one. As of this publishing, season parking passes are still available for $275 ($150 for a midweek-only pass) which makes sense if you’re a frequent visitor. Some of the namesake Solitude is vanishing as evidenced by the scores of cars stashed along the roadway to skirt the parking charge, but at least it encourages people to carpool.
Brighton doesn’t charge for parking, but they will turn you around if you get up there at 10 a.m. on a Saturday powder day expecting a primo spot. There’s no way to ensure a spot at Brighton, so the resort recommends showing up early or late (before 8 a.m. or after 1 p.m.) to get a spot. Let’s be honest, if you’re arriving after 8 a.m. on a weekend, you’re not going to make it up the canyon anyway. Carpool with friends and adhere to the off-hour shuffle to avoid maddening traffic and the dreaded turnaround.
Park City Resorts
There is wonderful and woefully underutilized public transportation from Kimball Junction and Ecker Hill to both Park City Mountain and Deer Valley. The best option, especially when it’s crowded, is to leave your car at the park and ride and enjoy relaxing, regular bus service to whatever mountain it is you’re trying to ski. If you simply must burn your own gas, here’s where to go.
There are base areas with parking at Park City Mountain, one at the Canyons on 224 and one in town. Both are free (for now) and offer paid, preferred parking options. The base area in town fills up super early, so if you aren’t on the strict a.m. program, start at Canyons base area. Even if you want to start skiing or riding at the Park City base area, you can hop a bus from Canyons to PC. Afternoons tend to open up a bit in town for later arrivals. Carpooling is key as traffic from I-80 and U.S. 40 can be rough, especially on powder days.
There’s a huge free parking area at Deer Valley’s Snow Park base area, though it can fill up on snowy weekends and holidays. There is also a paid parking garage with very limited space at Silver Lake. Driving all the way through town can be anxiety-inducing, even if there is ample parking, so don’t be afraid to take the bus.
In the middle of this week’s episode of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, I texted another fan of the show and declared it was one of the best episodes of television I’d seen. That was maybe (definitely) a touch hyperbolic, but this really is a new peak for RHOSLC. Behind the ridiculous drama and ethical queasiness of watching most reality TV, this tense, surprising episode proves why this series can be so compelling.
This episode begins right where we left off last week. Jen said that Sharrieff had internal bleeding (a lie), left in a hurry and then a swarm of federal agents showed up to arrest her. Lisa, Jennie, Heather and Whitney are parked at Beauty Lab, stunned. Unlike most installments, which follow a loose formula with several subplots, this episode is set entirely over the course of a single day. Transitions mark the exact time and location of the cast, and the whole thing is paced like a thriller. The tone is a hybrid between a mid-reputable true crime documentary and a normal episode of the show, which makes for an odd but compelling juxtaposition. One minute you have Meredith, in a hot pink blazer, no pants and with go-go boots, enjoying an infomercial about a luxury vacation rental in Vail, the next you have grainy footage, seemingly from a doorbell security camera, of Jen’s kids walking out of the house with their hands up.
Beyond the unusually high stakes of the ripped-from-the-headlines drama, this episode succeeds because each cast member shows a new side of themselves. Even though RHOSLC is only in its second season, (the OG series, TheReal Housewives of Orange County, has a staggering 268 episodes) the cast has already started to calcify into types. Even with an ever-evolving web of alliances and rivalries, you can generally predict how most of the women will behave—Mary will throw the most unhinged party on God’s green earth, Jen will have an outburst of rage and Meredith will disengage. The cast, always aware that cameras are rolling, perform the parts. But the events of this episode are shocking and destabilizing enough to inspire some raw, surprising reactions.
Whitney, for example, is savvier than we might expect. She seems to be the first to connect that the NYPD was involved because Jen’s business was based in New York, and she somehow knows quite a lot about (legal) digital marketing. She is much more clearheaded than her cousin. Heather, who is surprisingly naive. She suggests to the group that the police were “trying to protect” Jen, because surely a full SWAT team got their handcuffs out for just a casual check-in. She keeps asking if Jen will text her back. (I don’t think so, babe!) Before learning exactly what Jen is charged with, she hopes the whole thing is a misunderstanding about “paperwork.” True, watching a police department’s worth of federal agents come looking for your friend would be disorienting, but Heather certainly is lacking in the street smarts department.
Lisa is in a tough situation because, unwisely, she decided to be Jen’s #1 defender and friend ever since the end of last season. In one of the most unbelievable moments in an episode full of them, Whitney finds out the specific allegations against Jen from reality TV blogs and gossip sites as the group drives through the middle of nowhere. (I *hope* Reality Blurb wins a Pultizer for Breaking News Reporting TBH.) In real time, they learn that Jen is charged with fraud, Stuart is implicated too and that she could face up to 30 years in prison. Lisa and Heather burst into tears and join Whitney for a group hug, while Jennie calmly sips her drink. Jennie is too new to have deep connections with anyone besides Lisa, and she is hilariously not going to pretend otherwise. Before the bus even leaves the parking lot, Jennie raids Jen’s snacks, correctly guessing that Jen won’t be coming back for her Mint Milanos and Life Savers. Mostly, she seems mildly irked that her new friend’s massive fraud scheme has spoiled a perfectly good girls’ trip.
The two other Housewives going to Vail, Mary and Meredith, wisely skipped out on the party bus and get to travel in relative peace. Meredith, in particular, is having a great time drinking champagne alone in the stupidly big ski mansion. She’s having so much fun, in fact, that she hasn’t been reading any headlines or texts about Jen. Lisa FaceTimes her, and when she learns the news, she says, stone-faced, “Honestly, I’m not surprised by this.” She feels validated that her longtime suspicions about Jen were correct, and openly gloats before basically saying “I told you so.” “The good news is, while everything else is falling apart around us we do have a beautiful house here,” Meredith says before blowing a kiss. How’s that for the magic of positive thinking?
The demise of her longtime enemy gives Meredith a real chance to shine, and she milks the opportunity. Sometimes in Season 1, Meredith was too reserved (and emotionally mature) to stand out, but this episode, she decides to put on a show. When Mary arrives, Meredith greets her while luxuriating in a bubble bath. She and Mary gossip in the bathroom, and Meredith continues to emphasize that she is not surprised by the arrest. (Mary, for her part, mostly says she’s sad for Jen, except for the times when she says that Jen had it coming.) “The FBI doesn’t get involved unless there’s facts,” observes Mary Cosby, Esq. “Unless there was, like, an insider who gave them the information,” says Meredith, before quietly looking away.
I won’t speculate if Meredith did, in fact, tip off the federal agents. The show, and maybe even Meredith herself, is certainly leaving plenty of breadcrumbs to suggest this possibility. What I do know is that Meredith is really leaning into her performance. She clearly chose to film the conversation with Mary in the bubble bath (I am hoping…PRAYING…that the camera crew doesn’t have bathroom privileges without permission,) because she wants to prove just how relaxed and unbothered she is by Jen’s downfall. She stays in the tub until the rest of the cast arrives, her hands getting pruney for the sake of the bit. This woman is looking camp right in the eye!
The gravity of Jen’s arrest (almost) unites everyone, mostly because they are distracted from the petty bullshit that would have animated a more normal trip. Still, the Housewives find time to eye each other suspiciously and wonder aloud if anyone knows more than they’re letting on. Jennie finds it strange that Whitney is a sudden expert on the legality of direct marketing. Whitney questions why Lisa calls literally all six of the attorneys on her payroll. And, most suspiciously, Lisa stage whispers, “I think Meredith might know something” in a phone call to John. In the last two episodes, several Housewives revealed that they quietly knew rumors about Mary’s church, and once again, it’s clear that anyone paying attention to Jen’s lifestyle knew there was something fishy going on. Heather says that even after an hour of conversation, she didn’t understand Jen’s job and concluded that her business was at least “unsavory.” Whitney questioned how Jen made so much money, and a damning montage shows Jen’s lavish spending. Mary claims she “never saw nothing good” in Jen. (K.)
In the episode’s final scene, the women gather over a fancy dinner made by a private chef—Heather says “Today has been insane. So stressful. But it surprisingly hasn’t cut my appetite at all.” When everyone debriefs together, the allegations start to fly. Meredith says she has security footage of Jen’s employee stealing something from her jewelry store. She also brings up a rumor that Jen is “red-flagged” at Louis Vuitton for always paying in cash. (“Being red-flagged at Louis Vuitton would be far worse than the feds knocking at my door,” Lisa says.) Then, Heather remembers that Jen took an Uber from her house late at night, but mysteriously exited the car at an intersection half a mile away. This leads Lisa to suggest that Jen is meeting up with another guy. (How does Lisa know this?) Soon, every detail of Jen’s life starts to feel suspicious. Whatever is going on, Whitney observes, “If we do not share what we know, we are in danger.”
If you haven’t noticed, the missing piece from this episode is Jen herself. Besides brief footage of her leaving the U.S. District Court, she is entirely absent, but for the rest of the season, she is still contractually obligated to have cameras follow her most personal moments as she tries to defend herself against very serious allegations of fraud. It’s her lawyers’ worst nightmare, and voyueristic fans’ dream come true.
Random observations:
Every episode, Heather cements her status as the most funny-on-purpose cast member
There is a medically alarming amount of candy and Cheetos on the party bus, which I both fear and respect.
Mary is awfully sanctimonious about Jen’s morality considering the allegations against her church. There is a 100% chance her incoherent monologue about reaping and sowing will be used against her before the season is over.
If the skull and crossbones weren’t ominous enough, the all caps “YOU CAN DIE” was meant to be. The warning—printed on the orange gate separating avalanche-controlled terrain within Park City Mountain boundaries from uncontrolled backcountry terrain on adjacent forest service land—is a blunt statement about the hazards of skiing and snowboarding in the backcountry, especially for those without the requisite knowledge and equipment. The appeal of untracked powder leads many, heedless of caution, to head out anyway, and, after two fatal avalanches just weeks apart in January 2021, Park City indefinitely closed backcountry access gates at the resort. The popular gate atop the Ninety-Nine 90 Express chairlift remains permanently closed, though the gate atop the Peak 5 chair will reopen.
The move irked some backcountry skiers and riders who had long used the resort’s chairs to chase untracked powder just beyond the ropes. Others felt the move was warranted, as throngs of unprepared people having easy access to avalanche terrain—in full view of and just steps from the chairlift—seemed a recipe for disaster.
“We have made the decision to reopen the resort exit on Peak 5 for backcountry access, and to permanently close the exit at the top of Ninety-Nine 90. While both exits access the same area, the Peak 5 exit requires more hike-to effort, preparation and intention to reach the terrain,” Park City Mountain COO Mike Goar said in a prepared statement released in August.
The issue came to a head during a particularly tragic avalanche season in Utah that saw six skiers and snowboarders killed, including two along the Park City ridgeline after exiting the Ninety-Nine 90 gate. The snowpack’s persistent instability was cited as a cause, but, even in years without compounding stability issues, accidents happen. There have been nine fatalities along the Park City ridgeline since 2000, and ease of access is almost certainly a contributing factor. Significant avalanche paths are mere steps away from the top of the Ninety-Nine 90 chair. Many lead directly back into the resort, doubling down on the convenience. From Peak 5, accessing the ridgeline requires using specialized climbing skins, or a superhuman appetite for nightmarish postholing up hundreds of vertical feet of snow.
“The Peak 5 gate encourages more responsible use both because of the increased effort it requires and the lack of a visual from the gate itself to the terrain it accesses,” says Chris Tolli, a longtime backcountry skier who frequents the Park City ridgeline. The change isn’t a panacea, however. “There’s still a lot of avalanche terrain people can get themselves into quickly,” warns a Park City ski patroller who spoke about the topic on condition of anonymity. “Often all it takes is seeing someone go through the gate and people will get excited to follow.”
Backcountry skiing and riding carry inherent risk, and eliminating every accident is impossible. But if moving the gate could mitigate some accidents while enabling people to access national forest land like they have for decades, it’s worth a try.
