The Finca Pintxos Bar is a bit like the baby brother to Finca - with a focus on a true Spanish-bar food.
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2023 Union Scholarship Celebration
Sept. 14, 2023
A. Ray Olpin University Union Building at the University of Utah
Photos by Ryann Combe & Téa Schmid
The A. Ray Olpin Union at the University of Utah held its 13th annual Scholarship Celebration at the University Union on Sept. 14, 2023. The theme for this year’s event was, “Vibrant Community.” The event was both a celebration of this year’s scholarship recipients and a fundraiser to raise funds for future recipients. The scholarship program helps students who are doing amazing work in their respective communities and who help to create an inclusive community on campus. This need-based scholarship program assists extremely deserving students who otherwise might not have the opportunity to continue their education.
Damn These Heels Queer Film Festival Opening Night Party
Oct. 12, 2023
Pierpont Place
Photos by Maya Dehlin
Utah Film Center celebrated the 20th Anniversary of its Queer Film Festival, Damn These Heels, with an opening night party on Oct. 12, 2023. The event, held at Pierpont Place in Salt Lake City, brought together attendees after the screening of the festival’s opening night film, A Run for More, a compelling documentary chronicling Frankie Gonzales Wolfe’s city council campaign. Among the highlights of the evening were engaging and meaningful conversations about LGBTQ+ stories and films, as well as the opportunity to meet special guests Miss Coco Peru and Frankie Gonzales Wolfe.
Empty Bowls
Sept. 15, 2023
FKR Architects Salt Lake City Headquarters
Last September, Catholic Community Services of Utah and FFKR Architects hosted Empty Bowls, an annual event. Artist-designed bowls—provided by Utah Clay Arts, Utah Association of Woodturners, Art Haus, and Iron Desert Arts—are sold to raise funds for St. Vincent de Paul Dining Hall. Maglebys, Goldman Sachs and Ogden’s Own Distillery contributed food and libations to the event.
Assistance League’s Women of Distinction Luncheon
Sept. 30, 2023
Cottonwood Country Club
Photos by Lars Erickson
Last fall, the Assistance League of Salt Lake City announced its Women of Distinction Award. Since 1993, the Woman of Distinction Award—named after Karen Schmitt Johnson, a long-time member of the Assistance League’s Consociates Auxiliary—has recognized a woman in the Salt Lake City community for her service, education reform, professional accomplishments or civic leadership. This year the League recognized Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera. For more information visit alslc.org.
The Lodge At Blue Sky Celebrates: One To Watch Award Of The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2023
Sept. 5, 2023
|The Lodge at Blue Sky
Photos by Venue Communications
The Lodge at Blue Sky, Auberge Resorts Collection, celebrated the global win of the Lavazza One To Watch Award as part of the inaugural World’s 50 Best Hotels awards 2023. Located 35 minutes from Salt Lake City airport, The Lodge at Blue Sky offers luxury as nature intended. The luxurious resort’s 46 rooms and suites are positioned along the contours of the creek or in harmony with the hillside slopes outside of Park City. Visit here for more information: aubergeresorts.com/bluesky.
Catholic Community Services of Utah’s 2023 Humanitarian Awards
Nov. 7, 2023
The Little America Hotel
Photos by Kearstin Fernandez, CCS Communications Director
Each year, Catholic Community Services of Utah’s Humanitarian Awards Dinner aims to bring together and honor community members who have partnered with the agency’s work of providing help and creating hope. This year’s honorees included Paul and Ruth Cherecwich, Jeanne Audiss, FFKR Architects, and Saint Thomas More Catholic Church. Also among those recognized were Anna Neumann and Teresa Hislop as our 2023 Volunteers of the Year and Kyle Mortensen as CCS Employee of the Year.
CALL FOR PHOTOS
We welcome your photos of recent social events around Utah. Please send high-resolution photos (.jpg format) to magazine@saltlakemagazine.com with the subject line “Social” and a package of images and event/caption information in a file transfer service we can access. Submissions must be accompanied by names and a description of the event (who, what, when, where, why).
St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, and Salt Lake City is gearing up for a festive celebration filled with food, drinks, and fun events. So whether you’re looking to attend a parade, grab some authentic Irish food, or cook up a feast at home, there are plenty of options for everyone to enjoy.
WATCH THE PARADE
One of the most exciting events of the St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Salt Lake City is the St Patrick’s Day Parade & Siamsa. The parade takes place on March 16th, starting at 11 am, at The Gateway. The free family-friendly event is a great way to kick off the holiday and get into the festive spirit. Taking place at the Olympic Plaza and inside at 16 N Rio Grande, guests can enjoy live entertainment, vendors and traditional Irish food and drink specials. in This year’s theme is ‘Celebrating Irish Hospitality’ celebrating diversity in the Irish community.
SALT LAKE CITY HAS A DIVERSE RESTAURANT AND PUB SCENE. MANY ESTABLISHMENTS OFFER SPECIAL ST. PATRICK’S DAY MENUS AND EVENTS. HERE ARE SOME OF THE MOST POPULAR SPOTS TO CHECK OUT:
Lucky 13
Come for a big ol’ burger, stay for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Lucky 13 is hosting an entire week of festive specials for the holiday, like their Lucky Irishman Burger and Guinness pairing. The event runs from March. 13 through the 17th so there’s plenty of time for you to get your Irish on.
135 W 1300 S
The downtown brunch fave is hosting a weekend-long St. Patty’s celebration featuring food and drink specials. The restaurant/bar hasn’t released all the details yet, so stay tuned!
55 W 100 S, (801) 895-2846
Piper Down is a popular Irish pub in Salt Lake City, known for its lively atmosphere and delicious food. Their three-day St. Patrick’s Day celebration includes live music and entertainment and a special menu featuring Irish favorites like bangers and mash, and corned beef and cabbage.
1492 South State St, (801) 468-1492
Bewilder Brewery typically offers Irish-inspired beers on tap for St. Patty’s day, although they haven’t announced this year’s specials. Of course, all your favorite classic Irish food items.
445 South 400 West, (385) 528-3840
La Caille is hosting a traditional Celtic celebration in their Grand Atrium on March 15. Guests can enjoy the melodies of Irish band Callanish alongside food and drink provided by La Caille. Free entry, food and drink available for purchase.
9565 Wasatch Boulevard, (801) 942-1751
Park City’s most famous Irish pub, Flanagan’s, offers a selection of traditional pub fare—including shepherd’s pie, corned beef & cabbage, and bangers n’ mash—that will fill you up. Wash it down with an Irish coffee or Guinness Draught. Their St. Patty’s day fun includes live music, giveaways, raffles and fun. Flanagan’s is first-come-first-serve so prepare to face a crowd.
438 Main St, Park City, (435) 649-8600
Callanish is back at Feldman’s Deli. Head on over after the parade and grab a sandwich and some Irish tunes!
2005 East 2700 South, 801-906-0369
Leprechaun Inn
Tucked in the corner of the Ivy Place Shopping Village is your classic Irish pub with great food and drink options for your St Patrick’s Day celebration.
4700 South 900 East, (801) 268-3294
Flanker is hosting a St. Patrick’s Day brunch this year complete with Irish food and drink specials. The Gateway locale is the perfect spot to settle in before or after the parade and listen to some lively tunes from Finch and the Magpies.
6 North Rio Grande St, (801) 683-7070
Bar Hops
St. Patrick’s day is a prime opportunity for bar hopping with your pals, and if you want to take the guess work out of planning a route, there are plenty of experts to turn to. Organized by various party-planners, St. Patty’s Day bar hops typically include all your favorite dives and sports bars downtown that will be hosting live entertainment, raffles and more. To join, simply purchase a ticket (which typically includes drink tickets, and waives the inevitable cover fees) don your best green attire, and belly up to the bar with other the throngs of green-beer imbibers! The routes are self-guided, so you can come and go at your leisure, but you’ll probably end up making friends with the other bar hoppers and all travel as one big glob of green and orange revelers.
The routes are released the week of St. Patrick’s Day, learn more info here!
IF YOU WANT TO COOK UP YOUR OWN IRISH-INSPIRED FEAST AT HOME, SALT LAKE CITY’S LOCAL SHOPS HAVE YOU COVERED.
Beltex Meats is located in the Liberty Wells neighborhood and is known for its commitment to sourcing high-quality, sustainable meats. They offer a variety of cuts of beef, pork, and lamb, as well as sausages and cured meats. For St. Patrick’s Day, Beltex Meats offers corned beef brisket, perfect for making corned beef and cabbage or a classic Reuben sandwich.
511 East 900 South, 801-532-2641
Mrs. Backers has you covered for your Irish Soda Bread to accompany your homemade corned beef & cabbage or Shepard’s pie.
434 East South Temple, (801) 532-2022
The beautiful thing about coffee culture is that it is ever-evolving, and there’s plenty of it to go around in Salt Lake City. Hopping over to the New World, Cuba has long had a rich tradition of coffee. Executive Chef and Founder of Fillings and Emulsions, Adalberto Diaz, or Chef Al as he is known, talks about how his grandmother originally made coffee in Cuba. “When I was born in Cuba, my grandma made coffee with a fabric percolator. It was a very thick linen,” he says. “She would boil the coffee just like Turkish coffee, and then she would pour it through the conical fabric [to remove the grounds]. She brewed it to be very strong. But back then, we didn’t have the new little Italian percolators,” he adds.
Cuban coffee is still just as strong, with Cubanos embracing the Italian stovetop Moka pots at home to make espresso. “We love our coffee very sweet compared to other places,” Diaz says. “We have no problem adding in sugar. Like a lot.”
A primer on Cuban-style café
Café Cubano—if you’ve been to any Cuban coffee place in Miami, this is the coffee you expect to get at the walk-up window. “We like the crema you get from an Espresso machine,” Diaz explains. “But in Cuba, most people don’t have espresso machines, so we used to get the crema on top by getting the first drops of coffee that come out into a little metal mug, and with a spoon, we basically scrape brown sugar against the walls of that little carafe to create a foam with the coffee and the sugar. Then, you add the rest of the coffee to that. So you get this sweet coffee foam with the coffee in it.” The Café Cubano is strong and sweet and has a beautiful layer of foam. Coming in at a few ounces, it packs a punch in terms of strength and sweetness. It will wake you up and have you kicking if you aren’t accustomed to it.
Photo Credit Adam Finkle
The Colada—a slight variation of the classic Cafecito (aka “lil coffee”). The same sweet jet fuel arrives in a bigger cup or a small pitcher with a stack of thimble-sized cups. This is the afternoon beverage of choice for meeting, passing, sharing and talking. It is made for sharing, and if you try to drink it solo, you may be up for 24 hours straight.
Cortadito—this translates as a “little cut,” as in cutting either the strength of the coffee or the flavor profile. “I wouldn’t be able to tell you if the word ‘cut’ is about cutting the strength or the bitterness of the coffee,” he says. “I think that’s lost in time, but we definitely use the word “cutting” to refer to adding a little condensed milk or steamed milk to the cup.” At Fillings and Emulsions, they add a thin line of sweetened condensed milk with a double shot of espresso. It is sweet, but not nearly as sweet as a Café Cubano.
Café con Leche—the description on the Fillings and Emulsions website says it best, “Double shot of espresso tops a full glass of milk made from our condensed milk. It can be made with steamed milk, but that is just a latte.” The point: if you want a latte, order a latte.
Note: In keeping with the way Diaz’s grandmother made it, Café con Leche isn’t just coffee with milk. “Café con leche for me, since I was born, it’s café, and it’s sweet,” he says. “It was always made with condensed milk, or you had to add the milk and then add the sugar. So café con leche without sugar wasn’t café con leche at all.”
In Cuba, we drink coffee like water
You can get all three types of Cuban Coffee at Fillings and Emulsions. And you should expect only the best coffee experience. Their coffee is a blend of Brazilian, Ethiopian and Columbian coffee. It is roasted locally by Eric Hammond at Twin View Coffee, a small micro-roaster. “Eric is a friend of mine,” says Diaz. “And we get fresh roasted coffee at least twice a week. The coffee is very, very fresh. Our coffee has so much crema, and it’s beautiful and delicious. It pays off to have a micro-roaster taking care of you.”
So, what to get with your coffee? “A croissant,” Chef recommends. “Or if you have a café con leche, get a piece of baguette with butter and dunk that in the coffee. You don’t need anything else. We call that café con leche y pan con mantequia.” And that is an everyday Cuban breakfast.
For Cubans, any time is coffee time. “We’re pretty deep into coffee. And I know for a fact my mom cannot live without it,” he says. “If my mom spends four hours without coffee, she’s already going crazy. Her next question is, ‘Is coffee ready?’ Where is the coffee?’ ‘Can I make some coffee?’ “ And don’t tell a Cuban to have dinner without coffee. It will not go over well.
If you go
Fillings & Emulsions
1475 S. Main St., SLC & 1980 W. 3500 South, West Valley City
fillingsandemulsions.com
Interested in learning more about global coffee traditions? Check out Lydia’s coverage of Ethiopian and Turkish coffee you can find right here in the Beehive State.
One of the leading questions new arrivals seek to answer is ways to locate quality medical care, facilities, specialists and health-care professionals to address their medical and wellness needs. In this special advertising section, Salt Lake magazine invites our partners in the profession to share their expertise in a range of specialties and other health and wellness options.
The Face Place: Utah Facial Plastics Delivers Transformation You Can Trust
With a sterling reputation built over 17 years of business, Utah Facial Plastics customers and staff have given the medical spa its defining nickname: “The Face Place.”
With three double-board facial plastic surgeons who also specialize in hair restoration, Utah Facial Plastics is a one-stop shop for any and all face, neck, and hair procedures. The offices in Draper and Layton hug the Wasatch Front, making it easy to visit no matter what side of Salt Lake or Davis County you live in.
Founded by Dr. Scott Thompson, Utah Facial Plastics’ entire staff for both surgical and nonsurgical services is filled with highly trained and celebrated experts from top to bottom. You might even call them virtuosos—and in Dr. Thompson’s case, you’d be exactly right. After graduating from Utah State University with a double major in premedical education and piano performance, Dr. Thompson went on to complete his medical training at the University of Rochester in New York.
After opening both Utah Facial Plastics offices in 2006, the growth has been explosive. In just the last decade, the staff has grown from a handful of providers and support staff to a roster of more than 70 dedicated professionals. Dr. Thompson’s expertise is now complemented by that of Dr. Douglas Henstrom and Dr. James Manning. Not to be remiss, the group also boasts a fabulous crew of six nurse injectors, five estheticians and one NP laser specialist for equally impactful procedures.
“It’s incredible to see what a team of professionals can achieve when they share common values and a common goal of delivering the best patient care and aesthetic results possible,” says Dr. Henstrom. “Each member works hard to exceed patient expectations and with the reputation we hold, that is a high bar that we continue to push beyond. It comes easy when there’s a common passion for what we do and our team truly enjoys working together and being part of each patient’s aesthetic journey.”
But even after building a med spa that stands out in Utah’s seemingly endless array of plastic surgery clinics, the Utah Facial Plastics professionals strive to positively affect the outside world as well. Dr. Thompson heads out on humanitarian trips each year to treat children with congenital deformities in Ecuador. That’s how he and Dr. Henstrom got connected in the first place. Dr. Manning has recently joined in on these impactful medical missions, making this philanthropy trio a well-rounded group in the cosmetic world.
“I entered the field of medicine, hoping to find ways to share my skills with the less fortunate at some point. I became attracted to the field of plastic surgery, partially because of my interest in the anatomy of the face and neck, but also because of the transformative changes that can be created reconstructively and aesthetically with surgery of the face. It has been very gratifying for me to visit different countries around the world for many years and share with those who don’t have access to these resources. I am especially grateful to my patients because ultimately they are the ones that make it possible for us to do this work,” says Dr. Thompson.
Anchored by values of caring, compassion and a mantra that “plastic surgery should not look or feel plastic,” Utah Facial Plastics truly is a place worthy of your trust.
Dr. Douglas Henstrom
Dr. James Manning
Dr. Scott Thompson
723 E. 12200 South, Draper
2255 N. 1700 West, Layton
Utahfacialplastics.com
801-776-2220
One of the leading questions new arrivals seek to answer is ways to locate quality medical care, facilities, specialists and health-care professionals to address their medical and wellness needs. In this special advertising section, Salt Lake magazine invites our partners in the profession to share their expertise in a range of specialties and other health and wellness options.
CommonSpirit health in Utah provides Olympic-level sports med treatment for all
Dr. Andrew Cooper’s sports medicine expertise has taken him all over the world, from Sochi, Russia, to Pyeongchang, South Korea, and most recently—Beijing, China.
If you’re an Olympics buff, you’ll recognize those locations as the sites of the last three Winter Games, where Dr. Cooper has been leading the medical staff for Team USA’s freeski squad.
“Each Olympics has its challenges,” says Dr. Cooper. “I’ve been blessed to work with a lot of amazing athletes. Being a small part of their journey and success has been rewarding. The relationships and experiences have been some of my career highlights.”
But you don’t need to be a world-class athlete to work with Dr. Cooper, who is also heading up the sports med program for CommonSpirit Health in Utah. The weekend warriors, who probably feel much more comfortable on a green downhill ski run than on an Olympic-grade slope, get the same treatment from Dr. Cooper.
New to the Utah market, CommonSpirit is nodding to the area’s history while innovating the latest advancements in health care. Located throughout the Wasatch Front, the five Holy Cross hospitals derive their names from the legacy of the Sisters of the Holy Cross, who began caring for Utahns in the 1800s. Drawing upon the legacy of compassion and high-quality care, the promise today is that all patients will have access to a top-notch health care “partner,” like Dr. Cooper.
“I approach it the same on my end,” Dr. Cooper says of the switch from treating Olympians to recreational athletes. “It makes it easy, you treat everyone with respect and we all have the same value as human beings.”
Sports injuries, after all, can be stressful and frustrating whether you’re competing for a gold medal or a trip to the high school basketball state championship game. Dr. Cooper has used his expertise in both scenarios, with the same high level of care.
As the calendar goes, so come the types of injuries that need treatment, he says. “It’s interesting, I can always tell when the seasons change. I don’t even have to look at the calendar, you can tell by the types of injuries coming into the clinic.” Dr. Cooper says. “In the winter, we see a lot of snow and court-type injuries. With spring and into fall, it transitions to field sports and recreational outdoor activities.”
Few sports medicine experts can boast the experience Dr. Cooper has. Not only has he worked with the U.S. ski team over the last three Olympic Games, he is also the current Chief Medical Officer for Westminster University Athletics, and medical director for the Solitude Mountain Resort Medical Clinic managed by CommonSpirit. For years previously, you could see him on the sidelines of the Real Salt Lake games, and at local high school sporting events. He also led the charge for dance medicine for many years, working closely with Ballet West.
But if you’re just an Average Joe, having a good time on the slopes, golf course, or in a pickup basketball game, you can expect Olympic-level treatment with Dr. Cooper and his sports medicine team at a Holy Cross hospital.
“Athletes, like all of us, are just people. When they get injured, they need help understanding the diagnosis and what options they have available for treatment to get them back to their sport.” Dr. Cooper says.
“I am aligning with CommonSpirit to grow our sports medicine legacy in the Utah community. We are excited and optimistic about the future and are looking forward to where we can take our sports medicine and orthopedic division.”
Dr. Andrew Cooper
CommonSpirit Health
mountain.commonspirit.org
The murderous couple Bonnie & Clyde and their infamous story of adventure and romance have hit the stage at Salt Lake City’s Pioneer Theater Company. This version, directed by decorated and experienced actor and director Gerry McIntyre, adds a spin to the original musical. “I’ve added numbers to the show so it’s completely different than Broadway. Broadway just told the story,” McIntyre said. “No one really moved at all.” Pairing his revamped version with a Tony-nominated score by composer Frank Wildhors, Bonnie & Clyde is a celebration of quintessential American musical genres like gospel, rock & roll and blues. To see first-hand how McIntyre and the talented crew at Pioneer Theatre reinterpreted the lawless lovers’ Broadway number, I caught the show on opening night on Feb. 23rd, 2024.
The decorated cast of talented actors included PTC alumn Alanna Sanders who played Bonnie Parker, with her passionate vocals and strong acting that really made the audience feel for her character and understand her raison d’etre. “So when we were talking about casting Bonnie, it was such an obvious choice that it should be Alanna Sanders, because she’s, first of all so talented…She could do anything,” McIntyre said. “And that’s the part about diversity that I find perfect when we can cast somebody no matter if they’re a historical character, that we can still have someone who’s just talented.”
PTC newcomer Michael William Nigro’s charismatic performance as Clyde Barrow gave the audience a new perspective into the deranged outlaw’s psyche and how he ended up in this situation in the first place. Nigro and Sanders’ tandem performances demonstrated strong, electric chemistry in their scenes, encouraging their literal ride-or-die romance to come to life on stage.
Penny Hodson, who played young Bonnie during opening night’s performance, gave her all to draw out audience sympathy for Bonnie and her life story. Kiyan R. Wyness, who was cast as young Clyde the same night, demonstrated strong and intense vocals, emphasizing juvenile Clyde’s yearning to succeed and escape a bad situation, even if it meant breaking the law.
Other standout performances included Dan De Luca, who plays Buck, Clyde’s brother, and Gina Milo, who plays his wife, who gave a chemistry-filled and humorous (at times) performance. Similarly, April Armstrong and Marry Fanning Driggs, who played Bonnie and Clyde’s mothers, respectively, delivered a heart-wrenching performance showing a mother’s loss of her children.
The stage was alive with the electricity of the cast on stage. With musical numbers ranging from the romantic ballad that is “Dyin Ain’t So Bad” to the upbeat and hilarious “God’s Arms are Always Open” to the historically eye-opening “Made in America” the cast and ensemble sang their hearts out..
The stage and costume design really set the scene to show that these characters are in the dirty 30s, one of the hardest and most depressing times in America’s history. The interactive set, though simple, featured mugshots of Clyde, Bonnie, Clyde’s brother, Buck and his wife, Blanche, plastered as if they were wanted signs. As each of the characters experienced their big moments in the show, their respective poster would light up for added drama.. The production’s costumes were equally designed with the period and theme in mind. Like Bonnie’s gorgeous, though humble dress, which honored her beauty while staying true to the reality of economic disparity. Clyde’s outfits were more simple and rugged, really displaying his focus on the chase and his love, disregarding the less-important things in life.
Overall, this is the musical to be at for a laugh, a cry and for everything in between. The action and the drama are impressively performed by the cast, and the audience is left inspired, and maybe a little envious, of the larger-than-life adventure had by history’s most notorious couple
This show will continue to run at the Pioneer Theater Company until March 9, find tickets at Pioneer Theatre’s Website.
Femme As Folk: Book More Womxn is a new multi-genre music festival series featuring women, transgender, and nonbinary musicians every Friday and Saturday in March at Lighthouse Lounge in Ogden.
Deann Armes, founder and editor at The Ogdenite, says: “We have amazing musicians in Ogden, and Utah, but like most communities women, trans, and nonbinary artists are underrepresented. I challenged Paddy Teglia, entertainment manager at Lighthouse Lounge, to book more womxn-led bands every weekend in March (It’s Women’s History Month) and he agreed. I also wanted an opportunity to raise money for Rock Camp SLC because they are literally opening doors for hundreds of marginalized kids.”
Armes added: “We need full equality in the Ogden Music Scene, and everywhere. It should be the norm, not for just a month; this series will show that it’s possible. Now we just need the community to come out, enjoy the shows, and celebrate with us!”
Here’s the dream lineup–and worth a short road trip. I have a few shows already picked out!
- 3.1 DoomCupcake, Floatinground
- 3.2 Talia Keys & The Love
- 3.8 Somebody/Anybody, She Cock With A Vengeance
- 3.9 Pepper Rose Band, Spirit Machines
- 3.15 Carrie Myers & The Proper Way, OrcaMind
- 3.16 DJ Suzy, Che Zuro
- 3.22 Fur Foxen, The Backyard Revival
- 3.29 Ginger and The Gents, Salduro
- 3.30 Standards and Substandards, Korene Greenwood
All shows start at 8 PM, doors at 7 PM. $10 cash or card at the door. All proceeds are for the artists and Rock Camp SLC.
Listen to the Femme as Folk playlist on Spotify!
Who: The Ogdenite Presents Femme As Folk: Book More Womxn
What: Multi-genre Ogden Music Festival featuring women, transgender, and nonbinary musicians
Where: Lighthouse Lounge in Ogden
When: Every Friday and Saturday in March (excluding March 23, 2024)
Info: https://www.theogdenite.com/events
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! No, it is. The holiday period can’t hold a candle to this. Rocks are buried by the deep snowpack, the daylight hours are long, and for the most part, the notion of powder panic has evaporated until October when the diehards once again start champing at the bit the moment the mercury starts to dip. It’s like locals’ season 2.0, except the skiing is truly good this time without the ever-present threat of detonating one’s skis and knees on a post-Thanksgiving rock. It’s either late-season powder or some corn-snow-ripping fun in the sun, so keep those skis waxed and don’t lose the bug just yet.
But wait there’s more. Not only is it prime time on the slopes, but spring brings the best of après and on-mountain festivities. We’ll start at Park City Mountain, where the annual Spring Grüv gets underway for 16 days of après, live music and more. On-hill entertainment in the middle of your ski or snowboard day includes live tunes from DJ Velvet on the Public House Deck at Park City’s Mid-Mountain Lodge—by far the best lodge in Park City—every Saturday, starting March 2.
End each Saturday at Canyons Village, where live music on the main stage is the focal point of a ski beach bash. Highlights include a performance from roots-rock and southern soul maestro Anderson East with special guests Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds on March 30. Shows are free for everyone, so even if you didn’t hit the slopes you can still take the Cabriolet in your finest retro-ski regalia to join in the fun.
Music may be the defining element of Spring Grüv, but the annual highlight is the Pond Skim Competition, which this season takes place on April 6. If you have the gumption, sign up for the competition, pack your most creative costume, wax your skis or board for maximum velocity and take on the 100-foot crossing yourself. Those who prefer staying dry or desperately want to maintain their dignity can come to watch from the sidelines to enjoy the successful crossings, the spectacular wipeouts and everything in between.
Deer Valley perhaps has a reputation for being slightly more buttoned up, but they know how to après luxuriously. The resort is hosting a series of post-ski festivities including Fire and Ice Après-Ski on March 9 and 10 with Moët Hennessy and the High West Whiskey Lounge March 15-17 out of a retrofitted Airstream—both at Silver Lake Lodge—and every Saturday Brews and Tunes Après at Snow Park Lodge with live music and a rotating selection of brewery hosts. Snowboarders are welcome to join the party, even if they’re not allowed on the slopes.
As I said, it’s the most wonderful time of the year, so don’t go chasing sand and sun in the desert. Full event calendars are available on Park City’s and Deer Valley’s websites. parkcitymountain.com, deervalley.com
Thank You for Celebrating with Us!
On February 26th, we celebrated Utah’s robust and growing dining community at our 2024 Dining Awards Ceremony. We’d like to take a moment to shout out all the attendees in raising a glass to our winners and enjoying a night of fun!
no images were found
Photography by Natalie Simpson, Beehive Photo Video
A special thank you to all our sponsors, without them events like these would not be possible.
- Woodbine
- Toast
- Vinelore
- Libation
- Sugar House Distillery
- Kings Peak Coffee Roasters
- Kiitos Brewing
And a big congratulations to all our 2024 Dining Awards winners!
Our 15 Best Restaurants of the Year are:
- Urban Hill – Outstanding Restaurant of the Year
- Bar Nohm
- Tupelo
- Hell’s Backbone
- La Cevicheria
- Manoli’s
- La Casa Del Tamal
- Veneto
- Wood Ash Rye
- Wildwood
- Franklin Ave
- HSL + Handle
- Caffe Molise + BTG
- Pho 777
- Back 40 Ranch House
Our Four Restaurants to Watch Are:
- Matteo Ristorante Italiano
- Mint — Tapas and Sushi
- Chef Jon Dubois of Pago
- Chef Patrick LeBeau of Bambara
- Kita at the Pendry
Our Five Utah Classics Are:
- Valter’s Osteria
- Cucina Wine Bar
- The Copper Onion
- Market Street Grill & Oyster Bar
- Silver Star Cafe
The #RandomPink Award: Margo Provost and the Team at Log Haven
The Golden SpoonFor Hospitality: Drew and Angie Fuller of Oquirrh
The Blue Plate Award for Community Service: Lavanya Mahate of Saffron Valley
The Good Bread Award: Nick Fahs of Table X
The Spirit Award: Francis Fecteau of Libation, LLC
Photography by Adam Finkle
Hungry for more? Find all our current and previous Salt Lake magazine Dining Awards winners here! And while you’re here, why not subscribe and get six annual issues of Salt Lake magazine’s curated guide to the best of life in Utah.
