Pack your picnic baskets and Yeti tumblers of Cuba Libre cocktails for an enchanting evening of Cuban and Afro-Cuban sounds of the Buena Vista Orchestra. I don’t know about you, but I’m going to brush up on my Salsa moves (my aging hippie hips are going to need a little refreshing!)
The Buena Vista Orchestra, under the direction of famed Cuban-trombonist, composer and arranger Jesus “Aguaje” Ramos, features key players from throughout the history of the famed musical ensemble. The legend continues with an exciting new stage production coming to The Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre on Monday, September 9, 2024.
This fantastic tour blends all the various Cuban musical styles that gave birth to Latin Jazz, Salsa and many other popular forms of music. The lineup for the inaugural Buena Vista Orchestra tour includes Ramos alongside other original members from the famed Buena Vista Social Club including Luis “Betun” Mariano Valiente Marin (congas, bongo), Emilio Senon Morales Ruiz (piano), and Fabian Garcia (bass). Rounding out the cast are Lorena Lazara Ramos Diaz (trombone, vocals), Aldo Isidoro Miranda Alvarez (vocals), Geidi Chapman (vocals, guitar), Antonio Remigio Rubio Borayo (timbal, percussion), Andy Abad Acosta (keys), Rogelio Ricardo Oliva Orelly (emcee, vocals).
Jesus Aguaje Ramos & his Buena Vista Orchestra aims to keep the arts, music, and culture of Cuba alive with a colorful show featuring a repertoire pulled from their greatest hits, many of which were composed by Ramos, and deep-dive cuts, including music from the Grammy-winning, self-titled Buena Vista Social Club album, released in 1997 and enshrined into the Grammy Hall of Fame this year. You may remember the band from Wim Wenders’ 1999 academy award-nominated documentary of the same name. To date, The Buena Vista Social Club and related projects have global sales of over fifty million, making it the biggest selling Cuban music project in history. Some compare it to world music’s equivalent of The Dark Side of the Moon.
I can’t think of a better way to spend a late summer night than dancing to the sounds of Havana. I don’t want to waste a moment of the warmth and sunshine we have left. Snow will cover the mountainside soon enough. Till then, ¡A Bailar!
Who: Jesus “Aguaje” Ramos and his Buena Vista Orchestra featuring original members of the Buena Vista Social Club Where: Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre When: Monday, September 9, 2024 Info and tickets: https://redbuttegarden.org/concerts/
The Hootenanny II is a wildly fun, theatrical variety show featuring over 24 local musicians decked out in cosmic cowboy gear. We’re talking Darth Vader burlesque, an otherworldly banjo orchestra, new takes on ‘80s classics, and a whole new perspective on acoustic music. The Commonwealth Room is putting the “fun” back in fundraising by hosting this special night on Friday, September 6, 2024.
Building on the success of last February’s Cosmic Hootenanny at The Commonwealth Room, The Hot House West Septet and Pompe ‘n Honey are back with a new set of musical friends. This spirited jamboree includes Josie-O and The Big Six, a local supergroup that closed out this year’s Ogden Music Festival with a magical set. Other staple bands from the Salt Lake City music scene include The Elderblossoms and Theoretical Blonde. All of the members of these bands are core constituents of Hot House West 501(c)(3), a local nonprofit that is dedicated to creating experiences of connectedness, learning, and joy through the language of acoustic music.
All ticket sales and any proceeds from swanky and special merch sales, and items sold at the evening’s silent auction will go directly towards supporting Hot House West programs and events. This is our opportunity to hear some great music by local performers and help to build Salt Lake City’s musical community.
This gala is for people who love acoustic music. It’s our chance to feel good while supporting a great cause.
Here’s a link to our preview of the Cosmic Hootenanny back in February.
Who: Trash Moon Collective Presents: Cosmic Hootenanny II
What: A fundraising musical gala featuring Hot House West Septet, Josie O and The Big Six, Pompe ‘n Honey, The Elderblossoms, and Theoretical Blonde.
It’s predawn, the Saturday after Labor Day—the dewy chill of fall prickling the air. A gaggle of middle-aged, spandex-clad women hops into two Sprinter Vans, hauling bikes, bags and coolers. We crank the tunes for what appears to be a ’90s-greatest-hits road rally.
SLC residents Sara Bateman, Emily Waltman and author Heather Hayes near the top of Strawberry Canyon in Idaho. Photo by Snake River Photo and Rachael Sharp
“And I still…haven’t found…what I’m looking for…!” We wail along off-key to the U2 track between bursts of laughter while we hang out the windows to cheer on our teammates. This is our annual adventure on the nation’s longest one-day amateur bike race, LoToJa, a grueling test of physical and mental stamina.
The 203-mile LoToJa (Logan to Jackson) ride welcomes cyclists of all levels to ride through three different states from Logan, Utah to Jackson Hole, Wyo., as single divisions. The tour of autumnal splendor finishes at the base of the Teton mountain range and, along the way, residents from Preston, Idaho to Star Valley, Wyo. create lawn-chair cheering sections complete with clanging cowbells. They’re rewarded with a view of professional riders competing to win, and the rest of us who are just aiming to cross the finish line.
A LoToJa Sisterhood
I love my LoToJa sisters. Shortly after I became comfortable on my bike, I started looking around for other women with a shared love of cycling. Slowly my tribe emerged and the rides began. We didn’t know it yet, but we needed each other. These women would help me in ways well beyond physical fitness.
LoToJa relay team members celebrate after a long and satisfying race day. Photo by Snake River Photo and Rachael Sharp
Our number grew from five to 15. Out on the open mountain road, we had the chance to figure ourselves out, one ride at a time. We may not have found all the answers, but we’ve woven an impenetrable fabric of trust and friendship. Cycling became our chance to unpack our lives—all without direct eye contact and judgment. Our conversations have forced me to pull my bike over dozens of times to wipe misty tears from my sunglasses, and other times I’ve giggled so much I’ve had to pull over for…other reasons. We’ve worked through raising infants to sanity-sapping teens, explored career paths and personal aspirations and sought each other’s advice on everything. I’ve grieved with friends who’ve lost loved ones, who’ve received unwelcomed diagnoses or battled through emotional trauma. Sweating together, pushing each other and being each other’s cheerleaders is worth the effort to squeeze training rides between work, weddings and summer swim meets with the kids. It all culminates in our LoToJa weekend.
LoToJa riders compete individually and in relay teams. The fastest riders finish in under 9 hours. Photo by Snake River Photo and Rachael Sharp
The big day arrives
Relay riders nearing Teton Village in Wyoming. Photo by Snake River Photo and Rachael Sharp
As race day approaches, we ladies divide into multiple teams—some planning to ride 150 miles and stay on through multiple legs, while others plan for 30 miles and complete only one leg. Either way, as relayers, we’re glad to hop in the car and give our bikes (and backsides) a break at intervals during the ride. While we aren’t tackling the same challenge as the hundreds of cyclists who individually ride the entire 200+ miles, I think we have a lot more fun.
Some in my group ride the relay race every year, others drop in and out with life’s ebbs and flows. We sneak training rides in during the early hours but sometimes we deliberately duck out midday to dodge responsibilities. However we manage, we’ve made spending time on our bikes together a priority—even if we don’t end up training quite as we’d intended.
While LoToJa, for us, remains festive and relatively low-key, a decade of participation has strengthened my resolve to improve and push myself a little more each year. That resolve has helped me turn 30 miles into 50 miles, then 75, then well over 100. Who knows, maybe someday I’ll try the full race like those lady beasts who fly past us each year out on the course. I’m usually happy to admire their athletic prowess from a distance, but one never knows. I’ve learned never to say “never.”
LoToJa Towns Show Love
Every year, cyclists and support vehicles pass through more than a dozen small towns en route to Jackson. Residents warmly welcome racers by volunteering at feed zones and cheering them on.
The race passes through Logan, Richmond, and Cove, Utah; Franklin, Whitney, Preston, Mink Creek, Liberty and Montpelier Idaho; Smoot, Afton, Grover, Thayne, Star Valley, Etna, Alpine, Hoeback and Jackson Hole Wyo.
Whose Crazy Idea Was This?
In 1983, avid cyclists David Bern and Jeff Keller of Logan dreamed about a Utah race to resemble the difficulty of a one-day European classic. They convinced seven friends to enlist in their race, which started outside Sunrise Cyclery—Keller’s bike shop. The route has evolved over 42 years to cover more terrain, conquering three mountain passes through scenic Utah, Idaho and Wyoming highways. Now, the 200+ mile race attracts 1,500 cyclists that range from top-level licensed racers to weekend warriors competing in full-distance, tandem and relay team categories. The start line is still located in front of the little Logan bike shop, the finish line is located in Teton Village in Jackson Hole, Wyo.
The musical legacy of Willie Nelson is in good hands. Lukas, his son, has ushered his family’s music into the 21st century. On Wednesday night at Red Butte Garden, he and his band, The Promise of The Real (POTR), shined in all their Austin-sound glory. The show was a country-rock delight!
Nelson’s vocals sounded eerily like a younger version of his famous father, particularly on two opening songs, great honky-tonk numbers “Sticks and Stones,” “Every Time I Drink, ” and a fine rendition of Willie Nelson’s “Bloody Mary Morning.” He clearly showed us that he inherited his father’s remarkable songwriting gene (if one exists) with, “Fool Me Once,” “Just Outside of Austin,” “Forget About Georgia,” and “Carolina” from their self-titled 2017 record. Nelson then gave the band a break and performed a three-song string of solo acoustic tunes including a stunning rendition of Pearl Jam’s “Just Breathe.”
Talia Keys at Red Butte Garden. Photo by Sam Crump.
Earlier this year the POTR announced their hiatus (a kinder term for break-up) leaving Nelson to fly solo after the string of already scheduled summer shows. The Red Butte Garden show was a late add-on and billed as “Lukas Nelson Live in Concert.” I assumed that Nelson would form a new crew. So, I was elated to see the POTR take the stage alongside him on Wednesday night, allowing me and other Utah fans to catch one of the band’s last performances together.
The band ended their remarkable 16-song set with “Find Yourself,” a terrific duet they recorded with Lady Gaga. But, this version featured the Red Butte Garden choir (us) singing her part. After a short pause the band came back out for a stirring three-song encore starting with “Set Me Down on a Cloud” followed by “The Awakening.” They sent us home humming “Something Real,” a tune that started off with a drum and bongo solo and finished in a spirited classic rock crescendo, Nelson’s guitar accenting a driving fiddle.
Lukas Nelson at Red Butte Garden. Photo by Sam Crump.
Talia Keys opened the show with half-a dozen numbers. She started us off with her rendition of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins “I Put a Spell on You.” Her version has all the macabre of the original, and adds a modern flair. Keys is no stranger to opening for Lukas Nelson and POTR. She toured the country with the band in the past. A special moment came when Keys sang “Let Your Matchstick Burn,” a song she wrote in tribute to a beloved local disability activist Psarah Johnson who passed away in 2022. Keys ended her set with her latest single, a whimsical cover of The White Stripes “Seven Nation Army.” Keys announced a new album is planned for next year. Stay tuned!
I’m going to miss these perfect outdoor summer evenings at The Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre once the cold, canyon winds move us indoors for a long winter hibernation. ‘Till then I’ll relish in the few shows left.
Who: Lukas Nelson and The Promise of The Real w/ Talia Keys What: Live in Concert Where: Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre When: Wednesday, August 28, 2024 Info: https://redbuttegarden.org/concerts/
“I began bartending in 2004 at a crab house in Baltimore, M.D. My penchant for rambling led to a diversified intro to the industry, stretching from Maryland to Washington—dives and pool halls to craft cocktail and wine bars. I finally found roots in Seattle where I spent over a decade immersed in the Pioneer Square and Capitol Hill scenes. I’m now the lead bartender at Good Bar at the Local Eatery & Bar in downtown Salt Lake City.”
The Local Eatery & Bar, Trenton Thornley—Sweet Down in the Fire. Photo by Natalie Simpson, Beehive Photography. The Local Eatery & Bar, Sweet Down in the Fire. Photo by Natalie Simpson, Beehive Photography.
Cocktail: Sweet Down In The Fire
It’s a sweet and smoky riff on a bourbon sour with a High West Bourbon base and a farm-to-glass focus with bell pepper and peach juices, Heirloom Tomato Beet Tarragon Foam, as well as habanero and jalapeño peppers and local raw honey for a Hot Pepper Honey Syrup.
Recipe: 1.5 oz High West Bourbon 1 oz Yellow & Orange Bell Pepper Juice 0.5 oz Yellow Peach Juice 0.25 oz Lemon Juice 0.75 oz Hot Pepper Honey Syrup (recipe below) 1 dash Tobacco Bitters 3 dash Peach Bitters Heirloom Tomato Beet Tarragon Foam (recipe below)
Prepare Foam and set aside. Combine all ingredients except Foam in a shaking tin. Add ice and shake. Strain into a chilled rocks glass. Spoon Foam over top of drink to taste.
Tomato Beetroot Tarragon Foam: 0.5 oz heirloom tomato juice 0.5 oz raw beet juice 0.5 oz tarragon simple syrup (see below) 0.5 oz aquafaba
Combine all ingredients in a mixing tin. Dry shake (no ice) for 10 seconds. Add ice to tin and shake for 10 more seconds. Double strain into a double-shot glass. Let rest to allow the foam to separate.
Hot Pepper Honey Syrup: 1 cup local honey ¾ cup water 2 habanero quartered 5 jalapenos sliced
Bring all ingredients to a boil then simmer for 10 mins. Strain out seeds and peppers. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
Tarragon Simple Syrup: 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup water 5 sprigs of fresh tarragon
Dissolve sugar in water over medium heat until boil. Turn off the heat and stir in tarragon sprigs. Remove from heat and cover; steep for 10 minutes. Strain out tarragon with a fine strainer. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
About the 2024 Salt Lake Magazine Farm-To-Glass Cocktail Contest
Eighteen bars from across the state present delicious cocktail creations and compete for the best in Utah. This year’s contest cocktails shine with all Utah has to offer, embodying the farm-to-glass ethos by incorporating the bountiful range of Utah’s native herbs, homegrown produce and locally distilled spirits. Celebrate the bartenders’ hard work throughout September and October by visiting participating bars, trying their unique cocktail concoctions and voting for your favorite on saltlakemagazine.com.
“I have been the lead bartender at KITA, Pendry Park City’s signature Japanese-inspired steakhouse and sushi bar, for two years, serving as the creative mastermind behind the restaurant’s creative cocktail menu. I started bartending as soon as it was legal, on my 21st birthday in Longbeach, Indiana. I’ve always had a passion for learning and creating.”
KITA’s Jack Schulz, Post Hill. Photo by Natalie Simpson, Beehive Photography. KITA, Post Hill. Photo by Natalie Simpson, Beehive Photography.
Cocktail: Post Hill
An unexpected and unique blend of flavors that come together to create a delicious and beautiful cocktail, perfect for relaxing after a fun day in the sun. A vanilla-infused vodka-based cocktail, balanced with carrot and lemon juice, garnished with herbaceous parsley, and topped with spicy ginger beer.
Recipe: 1.5 oz Five Wives Heavenly Vanilla Vodka 1.5 oz Carrot Juice 0.50 oz Lemon Juice 0.50 oz Simple Ginger Beer Carrot Curls and Parsley
Combine into a rocks coupe and shake, Hawthorne strain over ice. Top with Ginger beer.
About the 2024 Salt Lake Magazine Farm-To-Glass Cocktail Contest
Eighteen bars from across the state present delicious cocktail creations and compete for the best in Utah. This year’s contest cocktails shine with all Utah has to offer, embodying the farm-to-glass ethos by incorporating the bountiful range of Utah’s native herbs, homegrown produce and locally distilled spirits. Celebrate the bartenders’ hard work throughout September and October by visiting participating bars, trying their unique cocktail concoctions and voting for your favorite on saltlakemagazine.com.
Bartenders: Crystal Daniels, Arnold Hsu, Caine Wenner, Dylan Huff and Clifton Reagle
“We are submitting as a group because it is the same way we develop drinks for our menu. Certain members take a leadership role in the development of a drink and spearhead its creation, but everyone is involved in the process to help us provide the best experience for our guests. Our crew has over 50 years of combined experience in cocktail creation.”
Bar Nohm, Liquid Luxury. Photo by Natalie Simpson, Beehive Photography. Bar Nohm, Liquid Luxury. Photo by Natalie Simpson, Beehive Photography.
Cocktail: Liquid Luxury
This Cocktail is rich in texture and seasonally flavored. We used a Korean Rice Wine called “Makgeolli” to create a foam that sits on top of the drink and worked down using Sugar House Rye to create a “Manhattan Inspired” cocktail, featuring a Mulled Wine Syrup, Waterpocket Snow Angel, Cocchi Americano and Meletti Amaro. The foam garnish is topped off with dried plum blossoms from Frog Bench Farms in Salt Lake City.
Recipe: 1 oz of Sugarhouse Rye .5 oz Iwai 45 .5 oz of mulled wine syrup (see below) .25 oz Waterpocket Snow Angel .25 oz Cocchi Americano .25 oz Meletti Amaro
Top with Makgeolli Foam (see below) and dried herb/flower of your choice.
Makgeolli Foam: Place Makgeolli and Oloroso Sherry in a saucepan and reduce to burn off alcohol. Combine with Sugar, Soy Lecithin, Foam Magic, Vanilla Extract, and Pinch of Salt in a blender and blend on low till combined. Place mixture in ISI container and charge.
Mulled Wine Syrup: Combine Shacksbury Yuzu Cider and La Valentina Montepulciano in a saucepan and reduce to burn off alcohol. Combine with honey clove, cardamom, cinnamon, anise, orange zest and juice and blend until combined. Strain through cheesecloth to finish.
About the 2024 Salt Lake Magazine Farm-To-Glass Cocktail Contest
Eighteen bars from across the state present delicious cocktail creations and compete for the best in Utah. This year’s contest cocktails shine with all Utah has to offer, embodying the farm-to-glass ethos by incorporating the bountiful range of Utah’s native herbs, homegrown produce and locally distilled spirits. Celebrate the bartenders’ hard work throughout September and October by visiting participating bars, trying their unique cocktail concoctions and voting for your favorite on saltlakemagazine.com.
“I have worked at Log Haven since I was 16 years old. I have been bartending there for eight years. I also have tended at several bars in downtown Salt Lake City. Currently, I am also bartending at Italian Graffiti. I have enjoyed the Wasatch all my life, skiing, climbing and hiking its many canyons.”
Log Haven, The Knaughty Pine. Photo by Natalie Simpson, Beehive PhotographyLog Haven, The Knaughty Pine. Photo by Natalie Simpson, Beehive Photography
Cocktail: The Knaughty Pine
The Knaughty Pine is an elaborate riff on the Ramos Fizz, featuring Beehive Jack Rabbit Gin, Hive Brandy Co. Pear Brandy, Waterpocket Notom Amaro and a house-made pine nut orgeat. It evokes the scent of the forest, has a fizzy nut flavor, but also has a creamy texture from the egg white.
Recipe: 3/4 oz. Beehive Jack Rabbit Gin 3/4 oz. Hive Brandy Co. Pear Brandy 1/4 oz. Waterpocket Notom Amaro 3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice 1 1/2 oz. pine nut orgeat Egg White from one egg
Shake all ingredients with ice, strain, dry shake, (no ice). Strain into a Collins glass with a splash of soda water. Top with soda water to form a dense foam cap. Garnish with a few honey-roasted pine nuts and pine sprigs.
Pine nut Orgeat: Soak 3 cups of pine nuts in 3 cups of water for at least 2 hours. Blend, then finely strain. Add 1 cup Wasatch Organics wildflower honey, a few dashes of orange blossom water, 1/2 oz. rose water, a dash of ground clove, nutmeg and cinnamon. Mix well.
About the 2024 Salt Lake Magazine Farm-To-Glass Cocktail Contest
Eighteen bars from across the state present delicious cocktail creations and compete for the best in Utah. This year’s contest cocktails shine with all Utah has to offer, embodying the farm-to-glass ethos by incorporating the bountiful range of Utah’s native herbs, homegrown produce and locally distilled spirits. Celebrate the bartenders’ hard work throughout September and October by visiting participating bars, trying their unique cocktail concoctions and voting for your favorite on saltlakemagazine.com.
“I have worked 10+ years in beverage from bar back to beverage director.”
Tupelo, Sopa De Pollo para el Alma. Photo by Natalie Simpson, Beehive Photography. Tupelo, Sopa De Pollo para el Alma. Photo by Natalie Simpson, Beehive Photography.
Cocktail: Sopa De Pollo para el Alma
In Oaxaca, Mexico, they had a tradition of making a scrambled egg chicken soup that is fed to the agave farmers before heading out to the fields to help nourish them for a hot day—with hot soup no less. In Oaxaca, there is also a saying, “Para todo mal, mezcal. Y para todo bien, tambien.” Or, “For everything bad, mezcal. And for everything good, mezcal, too.” So this cocktail—with Wahaka Espadin mezcal, Waterpocket Temple of the Moon Gin, Ransom Dry Vermouth and a savory touch of reduced chicken stock brine—was inspired by that tradition.
Recipe: 1.25 oz Water Pocket Temple of the Moon Gin .75 oz Wahaka Espadin .5 oz Ransom Dry Vermouth 1 bar spoon of Reduced chicken stock brine 2 Dashes Fee Brothers Celery Bitters
About the 2024 Salt Lake Magazine Farm-To-Glass Cocktail Contest
Eighteen bars from across the state present delicious cocktail creations and compete for the best in Utah. This year’s contest cocktails shine with all Utah has to offer, embodying the farm-to-glass ethos by incorporating the bountiful range of Utah’s native herbs, homegrown produce and locally distilled spirits. Celebrate the bartenders’ hard work throughout September and October by visiting participating bars, trying their unique cocktail concoctions and voting for your favorite on saltlakemagazine.com.
“I’ve been bartending downtown for the past five years making specialty cocktails and curating menus.”
Cocktail: Hibiscus Gin Sour
An herbal and bright cocktail with Dented Brick Gin at its base and Hibiscus-infused simple syrup for a touch of sweet, citrus and silky egg white foam to provide those classic sour cocktail elements.
Recipe: 1.5 oz Dented Brick Gin 1.0 oz Hibiscus Simple Syrup (below) .75 oz Lemon Juice .50 oz Egg White
Shake all ingredients without ice. Add ice. Shake and double strain into a coupe glass without ice. Garnish with a lemon peel.
Hibiscus Simple Syrup: Heat 2 cups sugar, and 2 cups water in a pot until sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from heat, add 1 cup of dried hibiscus leaves and steep in syrup for 10 mins. Let cool. Strain. Enjoy.
About the 2024 Salt Lake Magazine Farm-To-Glass Cocktail Contest
Eighteen bars from across the state present delicious cocktail creations and compete for the best in Utah. This year’s contest cocktails shine with all Utah has to offer, embodying the farm-to-glass ethos by incorporating the bountiful range of Utah’s native herbs, homegrown produce and locally distilled spirits. Celebrate the bartenders’ hard work throughout September and October by visiting participating bars, trying their unique cocktail concoctions and voting for your favorite on saltlakemagazine.com.
