My Fair Lady, the classic rags-to-riches Broadway revival, opens with the Zions Bank Broadway at the Eccles and runs from Nov. 12 to 18, 2023, at the beloved Utah stage, Eccles Theater.
The story reached classic proportions and found commercial success since its adaptation from George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion, first in 1956 as an award-winning Broadway musical, to be followed by the1964 film starring Audrey Hepburn as Eliza Doolittle and Rex Harrison as Henry Higgins.
The plot, featuring themes on class, morality and compassion, sees the erudite but arrogant phonetician Henry Higgins cracking that he could make a grubby Covent Garden flower girl sound like a duchess. Eliza Doolittle, the grubbiest flower girl in the market, takes him up on his challenge.
And here begins the journey. Under Higgins’ tutelage—through months of bullying, coaxing and repeated speaking drills—Eliza emerges in a thrilling metamorphosis. The story of Eliza Dooittle’s transformation from an ill-mannered, thick-accented “guttersnipe” has resonated with audiences across the globe for decades.
But this revival isn’t a nostalgic replay of a frothy film or theater piece. It represents an effort to make this lovely fantasy more relevant to modern sensibilities. The revival by director Bartlett Sher aims to fashion My Fair Lady as less of a rom-com with more social critique. Sher carefully avoided changing any lines in the final scenes of the script but changed the traditional stage direction (which we won’t spoil) to reflect Eliza’s newfound sense of self and free agency.
The Lerner & Loewe musical score is a compendium of classics, familiar and exhilarating. Who among us can’t sing along with the lyrics of songs such as “On the Street Where You Live” or “I Could Have Danced All Night”?
Lincoln Center’s production of Lerner & Loewe’s My Fair Lady is the winner of five Outer Circle Awards and was nominated for ten Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival, among other awards. The production premiered in the spring of 2018 at Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theater.
What: My Fair Lady
Where: The George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Theater
I once met someone at a party who said, “I come from a gin family.” It sounded so novel—or at least something that would be the opening line of a novel—and I had to know more. Intrigued, I asked him everything. His family has been distilling gin for generations, and he grew up using it for everything from toothaches to cleaning cuts.
While I did not grow up in a “gin family,” I figured I could find a way to incorporate more gin into my life. And so was born the gin-brined turkey recipe I go to every Thanksgiving. If you are brining your bird anyway, why not add gin? It is aromatic, with a hint of juniper and fresh citrus. And it’s the recipe I am asked for the most often when the holiday’s approach.
Gin-Brined Turkey
Ingredients:
12–14 lb turkey, thawed (you CAN scale this recipe up or down based on how many people you have coming to dinner and if you want leftovers)
½ teaspoon each of fresh rosemary, thyme and sage, finely chopped
For the Pan, AKA Future Gravy:
1 cup turkey or chicken stock
Optional aromatics: celery, garlic, carrots, bacon, onions, herb stems—whatever you want to flavor the broth as it cooks
Maybe a shot or two of gin
Photo by Lydia Martinez
Method:
1. In a large working bowl, combine gin, water and salt. Stir with a wooden paddle to dissolve the salt. Add the honey and stir to dissolve as well.
2. Add all the aromatics to the brine: thyme, rosemary, sage, juniper berries, whole pepper, lemon, lime, apple and garlic. Make sure the fruit and the garlic are slightly crushed so that they will release their flavor.
3. Put thawed turkey in a brine bag and then in a food-safe large bucket, ice chest, cambro, or big working bowl. Pour the brine over the bird. If you use a brine bag, seal it and put it in the fridge. If you have the bird in an ice chest, pack it with ice. You want it to be cold but not frozen.
4. Let the bird hang out in the brine in the fridge for at least 24–48 hours. The longer it hangs out, the more “gin-y” it will be. Four hours before you are going to roast the bird, remove it from the brine. Rinse, pat dry with paper towels, and place in the roasting pan. The roasting pan with the bird inside will go straight back into the fridge, uncovered, to dry out the skin.
5. Bring the turkey out of the fridge at least an hour before you roast it—your turkey will turn out the better for it if it does not go into the oven cold.
6. While the turkey is hanging out in the fridge drying out, make an herbaceous compound butter to slather under the skin. Whip together room-temperature butter with fresh herbs (and even a splash of gin if you’d like) and let it sit to the side. You want it very soft before using it.
7. Preheat your oven to 450. Once the turkey leaves the fridge, the skin will look dry and almost leathery. This is just the look you are going for. Gently work the skin up and separate from the breast of the turkey, starting at the back cavity. Go slowly so that the skin doesn’t tear. Once the skin is loose from the breast, you can work in a thin layer of compound butter under the skin. This will help with moisture and flavor. You can also rub the exterior of the skin with olive oil, salt, and pepper to flavor the skin. It never hurts to stuff some aromatics inside the bird—I put an apple, a lemon, and an onion inside my bird—all halved or quartered.
8. A final step before adding the turkey to the oven is to prep for future gravy. Add aromatics to the bottom of the roasting pan—celery ribs, onions and carrots—which serve to flavor the drippings. Add turkey or chicken stock to the base for flavor and basting. Add a couple of shots of gin as well to flavor the broth and future gravy.
Roasting Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C).
2. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack set inside a roasting pan. Here you may truss the bird if you want.
3. Roast the turkey in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
4. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C).
5. Continue roasting the turkey for approximately 2 to 2.5 hours, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (without touching the bone) registers 165°F. (74°C).
6. Once the turkey has reached the correct internal temperature, remove it from the oven.
7. Tent the turkey loosely with aluminum foil and let it rest for about 20-30 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, making it easier to carve and more moist and flavorful. Make the gravy, finish up the sides and get ready to eat in the meantime.
Note:Cooking times may vary depending on your oven’s performance and other factors. Always use a meat thermometer to ensure that your turkey is cooked to the proper temperature.
Gin Gravy Recipe:
1. When the turkey comes out of the oven, remove all the drippings/broth from the roasting pan, leaving any aromatics behind. Remove the fat from the top—either skim it off or use a fat separator. Set 4 tablespoons of the fat aside.
2. Add enough turkey or chicken stock (unsalted) to bring the total amount of liquid to 3 cups. In the meantime, toast 4 tablespoons of flour in a dry skillet over medium-low heat until it smells toasty. Nothing ruins gravy faster than a raw flour taste. Remove from the heat when the scent changes, as it will burn quickly.
3. Put 4 tablespoons of the fat into a skillet. Add the 4 tablespoons of flour and cook over medium heat, constantly whisking, until the two are combined, smooth, and starting to turn golden. Add a shot of gin. Or two. The alcohol will cook out, and the juniper flavor will stick around.
4. Pour the broth in slowly, whisking all the while so that you don’t get lumps. Simmer and stir until that magic moment when gravy appears out of simple ingredients. Taste for salt and pepper. (Usually, with a brined bird, you won’t need to add salt.) Serve hot with your ginny bird.
Shalandrea Houchen moved to Salt Lake to dream. After living in big cities like Los Angeles and New York, she developed a blended skillset of artistry and education that created a robust community. In 2019 Shalandrea created What’s Ya Vibe, a community-based organization that curates everything from workshops to activations to gallery shows. Shalandrea describes the ethos of the organization best— “What’s Ya Vibe is literally a check-in, a moment to ask yourself, how are you doing?” she says “It’s about bringing people together and unifying through art and wellness.”
After a few years, Shalandrea decided it was time to relocate. “Put simply, I came here because I needed to be in a place where I could afford to dream as a black woman living in America,” she says. Her ambition didn’t miss a beat. In just seven months What’s Ya Vibe has already collaborated with UMOCA, Oasis Cafe, Lost Acorn Gallery and Tea Zaanti to connect with a Salt Lake audience and share her knowledge of modern POC artists. “I’m used to being celebrated and celebrating my culture, so I just continued doing what I’m used to doing.” All of Shalandrea’s efforts can be broken down into What’s Ya Vibe’s three integral pillars: Workshops, Murals and Interactive Design. Shalandrea collabs with Workshop SLC and other various galleries to offer public workshops like their weekly Creativity N’ Vibe meetup, in which various local artists lead a free art class. Everything from paint to pressed flowers are provided, depending on what class is being led that day. What’s Ya Vibe also offers private workshops, perfect for team-building activities or birthday parties.
Shalandrea levitates at an exhibit. Photo courtesy of What’s Ya Vibe.
What’s Ya Vibe is also an excellent resource for businesses or individuals seeking out artists to create murals. “I have a Rolodex of black, brown and indigenous artists that do murals,” Shalandrea says.
Art displayed at a What’s Ya Vibe gallery show. Photo courtesy of What’s Ya Vibe
Uplifting local POC artists is at the core of What’s Ya Vibe’s third pillar, interactive design. Ephemeral multi-media shows allow the public to interact with local creatives selling their work, and awaken the audience through sensory experiences.
Shalandrea will continue to curate unique exhibits and collaborate with businesses like Tea Zaanti and Workshop SLC, but long term, she wants What’s Ya Vibe to have its own brick-and-mortar space. In the next year, she hopes to have a retail space and, eventually, a larger flagship with a plant-based cafe, community garden and shared spaces. In the grand scheme of things, Shalandrea wants to reach a global audience. “By the time I’m 113 years old, I would like What’s Ya Vibe to have a presence on every single continent, and still be a space for everyone.”
Get involved with What’s Ya Vibe by volunteering, donating or applying for an artist feature at one of their upcoming shows.
Hey, nerds! This weekend (Friday and Saturday, Nov. 10–11, 2023) Valley Fair Mall in West Valley City is the place to be if you love comic books, super heroes, gaming, pop art, collectible toys or any of that nerdy stuff. Wasatch Comic Con is put on by some of the nerdiest guys in town, who own and operate the longtime local comic shop The Nerd Store (it’s literally in the name).
If you’re having a hard time getting over the idea of a comic convention held in a shopping mall, I kindly suggest you let that go and open your mind to the possibility of meeting some cool comic book creators and then tearing into a hot mall pretzel. Lean into the mall-culture nostalgia of the ‘80s and ‘90s and slurp an Orange Julius while perusing the comics spinner rack.
Creators at Wasatch Comic Con
There’s a reason Wasatch Comic Con bills itself as a “Con For Creators.” Wasatch Comic Con has the flavor of a homegrown show, with a solid swath of local talent featured as special guests, but don’t let the hometown-vibes fool you. There is some top-tier industry talent right here at home, and they will be joined by some big name creators from outside of the state as well. Some of them are also open for art commissions, so it’s a chance to get your hands on some original art.
Matt Wilson is one of the best comic colorists in the business, with acclaimed work at large publishers like DC and Marvel as well as multiple Eisner Awards for Best Coloring, for his work on Black Cloud, Paper Girls (Image), The Wicked + The Divine (Image); The Mighty Thor, Runaways (Marvel) in 2019 and, most recently, Undiscovered Country (Image); Fire Power (Image Skybound); Eternals, Thor, Wolverine (Marvel); Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters (Oni) in 2022.
Drew Zucker is the co-creator and artist of Canto, an acclaimed all-ages fantasy series that has all-new volumes coming to Dark Horse, as well as The House (with Phillip Sevy) and Skybreaker. Zucker recently reunited with Canto co-creator David Booher for a new horror comic, The Feeding.
The creators behind the popular Image horror comic series Stray Dogs (told from the perspective of dogs) are also coming to Wasatch Comic Con—writer Tony Fleecs and artists Trish Forstner and Tone Rodriguez.
Comic and horror writer Ryan Cady is known for his work on DC Comic’s Green Lantern and Batman: Urban Legends, as well as his creator-owned series with artist Andrea Mutti, Infinite Dark and Haunt You to the End.
Among the locals, comic book artist Chad Hardin will be there—he’s most well-known as the artist for DC Comics’ Harley Quinn.
Doug Wagner writes comic books that bend toward the horror and dark comedy genres, notably Image Comics’ Plush, Vinyl and Plastic. He’s also the author of Klik Klik Boom, Beware the Eye of Odin, Legends of the Dark Knight, World of Warcraft: Bloodsworn and so much more.
Phillip Sevy is a Utah-based comic creator known for his work on The House (with Drew Zucker), Kepler (with David Duchovney) and Dark Horse’s Tomb Raider. Most recently, he’s worked on multiple titles on Marvel Unlimited, including X-Men Unlimited, as well Deadpool: Seven Slaughters for Marvel and The Headless Horseman for Dark Horse. (Editor’s note: Phillip Sevy is also an occasional contributor for Salt Lake Magazine.)
Mel Milton is a Utah-based artist and illustrator who works in comics and animation, for publishers like Disney, Marvel, DC, Image and Nickelodeon, and produces amazing character designs.
Jess Smart Smiley is a local cartoonist and bestselling creator of more than 20 books, including Let’s Make Comics and the What Happens Next, series of interactive graphic novels. (Read Salt Lake Magazine’s profile of Smiley in our March/April 2023 issue.)
Also at Wasatch Comic Con, a handful of Utah creators who use the Beehive State and its culture for inspiration in their work. Travis Romney is the creator of “Utah’s Superman,” The Mighty Utahn, which spun out of a That titular character spun out of long-running web comic, Salt City Comics. Evan Black is the creator of The Wasatch Wonders, who keep Utahns safe from local monsters like giant mutated brine shrimp. Matt Page is the author and illustrator of the Future Day Saints graphic novel series. Chris Hoffman and Andrew Malin are local comics publishers (Velleity Studios) and creators of the comic Salt City Strangers.
There are many more guests, and I’ve not included a lot of people I probably should have. Check out the complete list of guests at Wasatch Comic Con 2023.
And More Creators
While it’s about the comics and the art and the creators, like any con, it’s also about the culture and the fans. And the perfect expression of nerd culture and fandom is cosplay, in my humble opinion. On Saturday, Nov. 11 at 5 p.m., Wasatch Con is hosting a cosplay contest, and attendees will also have the chance to meet cosplayer Joanie Brosas, whose cosplays have graced the covers of many comic books.
For those looking to show their commitment to a particular nerdy obsession—permanently, on their bodies—there will also be a couple of local tattoo artists at Wasatch Con this year. Atticus Warner and Jeremy Thompson will be on hand doing flash tattoos at the con. And, according to the Nerd Store’s Instagram, “If you want to show your love for The Nerd Store, the store will pay for your tattoo of their signature logo!”
There will also be two days packed full of panel programming with the above creators and more. Find more information on wasatchcon.com about panels, guests, admission, registration and VIP packages.
(Author’s note: Full disclosure, the author of this article is also a guest at Wasatch Comic Con, having written stories in a few comic anthologies, and some of the creators listed above are dear friends. That does not make them any less deserving of recognition and support for their work. But don’t take my word for it, meet them for yourself this weekend.)
Unique Holiday Adventures to Enjoy with Your Family
The weather outside may seem frightful to some, but with the right adventure, spending time outside over the holidays with your family can be truly delightful. There’s just something special about holiday magic in the fresh air with your loved ones. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite cold-weather adventures that you might not have considered for your holiday traditions. Think beyond the ski slopes and enjoy this winter like never before.
Fuel your adventure
As the holiday season gets closer, everyone’s schedules seem to get busier. So, don’t think of this as a to-do list; rather, enjoy some ideas about keeping the holidays fun and magical in new ways. As always, Maverik wants to make your holidays easier by providing a quick and clean stop to get you ready for your seasonal adventure. Try its fresh-made BonFire food, like a delicious breakfast bowl, steak burrito, or pizza to get you fueled up for some good, old-fashioned family fun. And while you’re at it, skip the long shopping trip and grab some Maverik gift cards good for fuel, food, drinks and snacks for those on your holiday list. You’ll give them the gift of road trip travel and give yourself more time to spend on one of these adventures.
Find the perfect Christmas tree
How could we talk about outdoor holiday adventures without mentioning this one? Think beyond a parking lot selection of trees and take your family into the mountains for a memory-making tradition that will bring you together. Stop for a quick pick-me-up with one of Maverik’s fresh, bean-to-cup coffee blends or tasty hot chocolate, then blast the holiday tunes while you enjoy a beautiful wintery drive and have fun finding the perfect tree to spruce (get it?) up your holiday décor.
Warm up in some hot springs
Sure, dreaming by the fire is a fun way to beat the winter chill, but we’ve got adventure on the brain. So, bundle up the family – but put a swimsuit on as your base layer and lace up your hiking boots to head to one of Utah’s cozy hot springs. Swing by Maverik and pick up some winter goodies to soak and snack. Depending on the weather, and your family’s hiking ability, you can choose a hot spring that’s accessible by car or by foot. Either way, you’re getting outside for some quality time together at the busiest time of the year.
Strap on your snowshoes
Do a family workout with a snowshoe excursion in Utah’s beautiful winter scenery. Try exploring your favorite summer trails and appreciating the view in a different season. Or head to a frozen waterfall for a stunning payoff. Snowshoeing is a great way to get your family outside – and with all that activity, you can make a guilt-free stop at Maverik for a seasonal cinnamon roll on the way home.
Chase the winter constellations
With the nights about as long as they’ll get all year, celebrate the early sunset with a family stargazing trip. Pack up your warmest blankets and make a stop for a nice cup of freshly brewed Maverik hot chocolate and a limited-time mint-stuffed cookie to get everyone in the holiday spirit. Then head out of range of light pollution and enjoy a starry night together.
Happy Adventuring
We all love a cozy winter day, but sometimes you need to get outside and make some epic family memories. On those days, head to Maverik and get the essentials for a unique winter adventure. It may take a little more effort than a holiday movie marathon, but an incredible experience together is always worth it.
Praise be, a local favorite fine dining spot is flourishing after a flooding disaster last year
“It’s raining inside the restaurant.”
No business owner wants to get that phone call. Especially not at 7 a.m., on the day before New Year’s Eve, during the salt lake city restaurant’s busiest time of year. “It was just pouring,” Manoli Katsanevas remembers he and his co-owner/pastry chef Katrina Cutrubus arriving at his eponymous restaurant, Manoli’s, just a few minutes after the frantic call from a prep cook. “Water was gushing out of the ceilings. The drywall looked like it was bubbling.”
Fortunately, their plumber and landlord quickly shut off the water, discovering that a pipe in the business upstairs had burst overnight. Unfortunately, the damage to both the restaurant’s signature open kitchen, as well as the prep galley in the basement, rang in at a cool $250K.
To add even more pressure to the aftermath of this disaster, they were recognized in January with a coveted James Beard Foundation award semifinalist nomination in the national category of “Outstanding Hospitality,” but without a restaurant open to promote that well-deserved point of pride. And, they were already slated to host onsite events and provide catering for the 2023 NBA All-Star Game in February.
“So, yeah, that was pretty nuts,” says Katsanevas with Oscar-worthy understatement. “But we have an amazing landlord, had really good insurance and a contractor who got us on the schedule right away.”
Even with these odds in their favor, Katsanevas and Cutrubus pulled a massive pivot to their plans in the interim. “Obviously, we couldn’t do any of the NBA events at the restaurant, so we rented out the Greek Church and catered out of there,” he says of their temporary base at the historic downtown Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. Between catering jobs and reupping some pandemic-era favorites like take-and-bake meals and gyros to-go, they were able to keep all of their staff through the July 2023 reopening.
And optimistically, they decided that when life gives you lemons, why not make ouzo-spiked lemonade? Along with designer Rachel Hodson, they made some strategic design choices to the ground-up remodel that kept the feel of that quintessentially Manoli’s hospitable and elegantly warm welcome, with just a little bit more of it.
More seating in the now-enclosed patio creates year-round usable space and a perfect place for hosting private events. (Don’t worry, the massive slider windows still make you feel like you’re sitting outside during a sunny Saturday or Sunday brunch.) More full-bar swagger, with expanded storage for their fabulous all-Greek natural wine selection taking center stage. And overall, about 40% more seating capacity in the still airy-feeling restaurant.
Aiding and abetting the much-lauded expansion, the Manoli’s team recently purchased a spot six doors west of the restaurant, which they’re calling Parea (Greek for “in good company”). Serving as both as the dairy and a supplemental kitchen for Manoli’s, Parea will also house a neighborhood market—specializing in their heavenly house-made Greek yogurt and cheeses, along with gyros and popular take-and-bake items like spanakopita—slated to open later in 2024.
All of which gives us, the very happy diners of SLC, even more reason to be glad that the consistently superlative dining experience of Manoli’s is back. And it’s better than ever.
Manoli’s
402 East Harvey Milk Blvd (900 South) #2, Salt Lake City (801) 532-3760, Manolis9th.com
Looking for more foodie inspiration? Discover food traditions from the families behind some of our favorite Salt Lake City restaurants, here!
Salt Lakemagazine held its 2023 Farm-to-Glass Cocktail Contest Kickoff Party at Market Street Grill’s Cottonwood Heights on Sept. 18, 2023. At the event, guests enjoyed samples from 19 bars and restaurants that entered the contest and served specialty cocktails made with local produce and ingredients during the contest. Guests also enjoyed a spirit tasting from Beehive Distillery and Sugar House Distillery and wine and non-alcoholic tastings from Vine Lore. The event, also sponsored by Toast (a restaurant point of sale and management system) and Libations (a local wine and spirits broker), was the formal kick-off for the contest.
Salt Lake magazine’s Farm-to-Glass Cocktail Contest Kickoff Party
March 15, 2023, Market Street Grill & Oyster Bar, Cottonwood Heights, Photos by Natalie Simpson, Beehive Photography. (Find more images from the event, here!)
Faith Scheffler, Whitley Davis, Brenda Gomez from Log Haven
Lorin Wilkie, Kate Merrick, Jacklyn Smith
Sam Black, Joel Aoyagi, Bijan Ghiai from Urban Hill
Morgan Fetters and Steve Paganelli from Webaholics
Randall Curtis and Tony Vainuku
Penny Lanzarotta from Casot Wine Bar
Connie Daniels, Juan Guttierrez, Rina Mackenzie, Nicea Degering
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SUWA’s Mix Tape Party
September 9, 2023, Natural History Museum of Utah Photos by Natalie Simpson, Beehive Photography
Redrock enthusiasts (L to R) David Garbett, O2 Utah Executive Director; Sharon Buccino, SUWA Board Member; Laura Peterson, SUWA Staff Attorney
Scott Groene, SUWA Executive Director; Rebecca Chavez-Houck, SUWA Board of Directors Vice-Chair & Secretary; Tom Kenworthy, SUWA Board Chair
Robert Gehrke, Sarah Dehoney, and Joellyn Manville
and 5. SUWA hosted their 1980s-themed 40th Anniversary Celebration at the Natural History Museum of Utah
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Cowboys with Heart
July 15, 2023, TAG Ranch Photos by Sparkle Photography
Javier Palomarez and Sarah Ash
Glenn and Susan Rothman
Lucy Wasmund and Anna Wasmund
Jacquelyn Pearson, Amy and Mike George, Rita Corbin, Terry Kelley and Lauren Johnson
Marcus Hanley, Rob Moore, Jestine Salazar and Braden Moore
Mike Dever and Jennifer Jackenthal
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Craft Lake City DIY Festival
August 11, 12 & 13, 2023, Utah State Fairgrounds Photos by John Barkiple
Natalie Allsup-Edwards of Hand Drawn Photo Booth, Maddison Hathaway of Madd Mongrel
Mary Ann and Caroline Jensen
Harper Haase, Belynda Magalei
Heidi and Shea Gillies of Senor Smokes Wendy Juarez of Prime Corn
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).
The restaurant business is notoriously volatile, as anyone who’s worked in food service or caught the first two seasons of “The Bear” can attest. That’s especially true in a mountain community like Park City where businesses are subject to feast and famine economics and the oscillating whims of tourist spending habits. In such an environment, the success of restaurants under the Bill White Enterprises umbrella is nothing short of remarkable. The first restaurant in the portfolio, Grappa, opened more than three decades ago in 1992. The team behind the latest addition, Pine Cone Ridge, aims to add to the successful lineage that’s come to define Park City’s fine dining identity.
Pine Cone Ridge recently opened in the space where Wahso used to be. Photo by Adam Finkle.
Chef Gudrun Thorne-Thomsen has curated a contemporary American concept fusing local cuisine concepts with influences from her past and the culture of her colleagues. Thorne-Thomsen is a veteran of Park City restaurants, having worked with Bill White restaurants for 15 years. During that time she served as the executive chef at Ghidotti’s in Kimball Junction for five years and frequently developed menus and cooked for the restaurant group’s extracurricular and special events. Now she’s channeling that creativity into Pine Cone Ridge.
“When they asked if I was interested in starting a new restaurant on Main Street with the support of the biggest, most successful restaurant group in town, I jumped at the chance,” says Thorne-Thomsen. “This is the first restaurant opening I’ve been part of. Working with so many skilled people who have different strengths has allowed us to focus intently on the menu concept knowing all the details are getting proper attention.”
Photo by Adam FinklePhoto by Adam Finkle
The cuisine at Pine Cone Ridge is a reflection of Park City’s restaurant community. “We worked from a starting point of classic American cuisine and included local ingredients, regional comfort food components and a lot of Mexican-American influences. We’re really proud of that because of how influential the Mexican community has been to Park City’s identity,” Thorne-Thomsen says. “I’ve been able to bring some of my perspective coming from New England as well with unique proteins and a lot of seafood. The Miso Chilean Sea Bass is a dish I just love. We overnight live lobster from Gloucester, Mass., which isn’t something you see a lot in mountain towns.”
The menu rotates seasonally to highlight as many local ingredients as possible, as one of Thorne-Thomsen’s aims is to feature the freshest, most local produce from the Wasatch Back. Come to Pine Cone Ridge to taste the flavors of Utah as reimagined by Chef Gudrun and some of the finest, most experienced cooks in Park City. 577 Main St., 435-615-0300, pineconeridgepc.com.
Pine Cone Ridge Chef Gudrun Thorne-Thomsen. Photo by Adam Finkle.
Local Name, Local Game
The restaurant’s name is inspired by the eponymous two-mile ridge at Park City Mountain running from Scott’s Bowl off the Jupiter Chairlift to the mid-station of the Quicksilver Gondola. Just as Pinecone Ridge serves up some of the area’s best long, steep powder runs, Pine Cone Ridge dishes out some of the area’s finest ingredients like the local lamb T-bone chops and the seasonally rotating selection of produce.
Austin-based roots rockers, The Band of Heathens, may be the greatest rock ‘n’ roll band you’ve yet to discover. On Friday, November 10, 2023, Utahns will get that opportunity at The State Room.
As a purely independent touring group who refused to sign on to corporate record labels, The Band of Heathens (BoH) self-manage, promote, and record their music. The result is an organic, mid-tempo, roots rock ‘n’ roll sound accented with a little Austin honky-tonk attitude.
No one in a gray business suit tells them what or how to play it. They sell their music and develop their ever-growing fan base the old-fashioned way—by hitting the road, playing a great live show, and gathering loyal followers one performance at a time.
I am one such convert (a Heathen in more ways than one.) In 2013, I stumbled into The State Room and caught my first BoH show. It wouldn’t be my last. I’ve also discovered a treasure trove of new “classic rock” music from their nine full-length album catalog to go along with four additional live records.
Formed in Austin in 2006, the BoH featured two lead singers and principal songwriters, Gordy Quist and Ed Jurdi. Their first record Live From Momo’s established them as a tour de force on the Austin music scene. Their first studio album in 2008, the self-titled The Band of Heathens was recorded under their own BoH Record label. The album produced the timeless Americana gems “Jackson Station,” and “Nine Steps Down.” One Foot in the Ether followed in 2009 with the BoH signature tune “LA County Blues.” They transformed Gillian Welch’s “Look at Miss Ohio” into a driving, soulful rock masterpiece. In concert, it becomes a roof-raising jam.
If I dare pick a favorite record it’s Top Hat Crown & The Clapmaster’s Son. My Heathen baptism came when they toured in support of that album. It’s bluesy, funky, rock ‘n’ roll at its finest. The certified gold “Hurricane” (which was recently certified gold, even without access to mass-market commercial radio) is a stand-out number along with “Medicine Man,” and “Should Have Known.”
When the pandemic hit and the world shut down, the BoH made the best of a bad situation. Unable to tour, which is how they make a living, they created a live-streaming variety show called Tuesday Night Supper Club. Isolated and scattered across the country, the band members adopted a Zoom-type format to make the show work. My wife and I tuned in every Tuesday night until the world began to open back up again. A pretty low-budget affair at first, the show steadily got better as the pandemic wore on and the band mastered the technology. Quist and Jurdi alternated playing each other’s songs from their home studios or music rooms. Bass player, Jesse Wilson, mixed a fancy cocktail in his living room in another segment. Okay, the show wasn’t going to win an Emmy, but we loved it. A segment called Remote Transmission featured guest artists, also isolated, joining the band performing a cover song, creatively edited by Jesse Wilson. My favorite was their cover of Lucinda Williams’ “Joy” featuring Margo Price.
With the pandemic in the rearview mirror, they took a selection of those weekly cover songs and released a full-length album Remote Transmission, Vol. 1. (I’m hoping for a Vol. 2 soon.)
The band is touring in support of a brand new record, Simple Things, a self-produced album recorded in the band’s studio in Austin. Quist and Jurdi penned a beautiful 10-song treatise about embracing life’s simple things following a difficult few years. The record starts with an up-tempo, soulful rocker, “Don’t Let The Darkness,” about not dragging old baggage into the present. With “Heartless Year” they acknowledge the trauma and loss, but also celebrate coming through it. “I Got The Time,” rocks like a Stones deep cut circa ‘72. I expect the BoH will fill their November 10th setlist with their new material alongside a selection of their classics.
Bay area singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Alex Jordan will open the evening. Jordan’s musical adventure began after college when he hit the road with a Grateful Dead tribute band and shared the stage with legends Bob Weir and Phil Lesh. As a solo artist, his music still embraces the California alt-country sound. He released his debut album The Subtle Exhibitionist in 2020. Unable to tour in support of the record, he went to work writing new material. His latest single “Queen Kerosene” just dropped. A full-length album will follow in early 2024. The State Room patrons will undoubtedly get a taste of what’s to come.
Fans of The Eagles, Rolling Stones, The Band, Hayes Carll, Reckless Kelly, The Black Crowes, Jason Isbell, or Turnpike Troubadours will want to check out this show and the BoH catalog.
The restaurant business is notoriously volatile, as anyone who’s worked in food service or caught the first two seasons of “The Bear” can attest. That’s especially true in a mountain community like Park City where businesses are subject to feast and famine economics and the oscillating whims of tourist spending habits. In such an environment, the success of restaurants under the Bill White Enterprises umbrella is nothing short of remarkable. The first restaurant in the portfolio, Grappa, opened more than three decades ago in 1992. The team behind the latest addition, Pine Cone Ridge, aims to add to the successful lineage that’s come to define Park City’s fine dining identity.
Pine Cone Ridge recently opened in the space where Wahso used to be. Photo by Adam Finkle.
Chef Gudrun Thorne-Thomsen has curated a contemporary American concept fusing local cuisine concepts with influences from her past and the culture of her colleagues. Thorne-Thomsen is a veteran of Park City restaurants, having worked with Bill White restaurants for 15 years. During that time she served as the executive chef at Ghidotti’s in Kimball Junction for five years and frequently developed menus and cooked for the restaurant group’s extracurricular and special events. Now she’s channeling that creativity into Pine Cone Ridge.
“When they asked if I was interested in starting a new restaurant on Main Street with the support of the biggest, most successful restaurant group in town, I jumped at the chance,” says Thorne-Thomsen. “This is the first restaurant opening I’ve been part of. Working with so many skilled people who have different strengths has allowed us to focus intently on the menu concept knowing all the details are getting proper attention.”
Photo by Adam FinklePhoto by Adam Finkle
The cuisine at Pine Cone Ridge is a reflection of Park City’s restaurant community. “We worked from a starting point of classic American cuisine and included local ingredients, regional comfort food components and a lot of Mexican-American influences. We’re really proud of that because of how influential the Mexican community has been to Park City’s identity,” Thorne-Thomsen says. “I’ve been able to bring some of my perspective coming from New England as well with unique proteins and a lot of seafood. The Miso Chilean Sea Bass is a dish I just love. We overnight live lobster from Gloucester, Mass., which isn’t something you see a lot in mountain towns.”
The menu rotates seasonally to highlight as many local ingredients as possible, as one of Thorne-Thomsen’s aims is to feature the freshest, most local produce from the Wasatch Back. Come to Pine Cone Ridge to taste the flavors of Utah as reimagined by Chef Gudrun and some of the finest, most experienced cooks in Park City. 577 Main St., 435-615-0300, pineconeridgepc.com.
Pine Cone Ridge Chef Gudrun Thorne-Thomsen. Photo by Adam Finkle.
Local Name, Local Game
The restaurant’s name is inspired by the eponymous two-mile ridge at Park City Mountain running from Scott’s Bowl off the Jupiter Chairlift to the mid-station of the Quicksilver Gondola. Just as Pinecone Ridge serves up some of the area’s best long, steep powder runs, Pine Cone Ridge dishes out some of the area’s finest ingredients like the local lamb T-bone chops and the seasonally rotating selection of produce.
