Kicking It!

I’m taking a break this week from my usual reviews of junk stores, tea shops, and book peddlers and going on a trip to Idaho. But this isn’t a normal trip; this is kick a** trip. (Trying to keep this blog family-friendly.)

Let me give you a little history.

One of my favorite holidays is KAG weekend. (Known to the rest of the world as President’s Day weekend.) KAG is an acronym for Kick A** Girls. Three of my friends and I earned this appellation in a painful game of paintball many years ago. It was the first time for all of us, and we were unaware of just how fast and hard those paint pellets hit. We turned up in T-shirts, shorts and sandals. The 11 or so guys we were playing with arrived in heavy jeans or army fatigues with gloves, hats and jackets. Did we back down? Cower in fright? No! “Once more into the breach” became our battle cry. By the end of day, it was hard to discern where the paint splotches ended and the bruises began. Our eleven male counterparts dubbed us “Kick A** Girls.”









About a year later, I received an invitation from two of my former women-at-arms to join a third friend up at a cabin in Idaho’s Island Park over President’s Day Weekend. There would be snowmobiling, skiing, junk food, and piles and piles of snow. But I’m not much of a winter sports enthusiast, despite my Utah upbringing. Funds were tight that year, so I initially declined. However, after some cajoling, I agreed to venture north to the frozen wasteland of Idaho.

I’d never been on a snowmobile before. I couldn’t believe the speed! After a few tentative starts, I ventured out on my own. Within an hour I had grown tired of flat open fields. I was ready for something big! Hitting the hills at high speed was a big mistake. I ended up catching so much air that when I crashed back to the seat, I bounced off again and over the front of the snowmobile. I lay there in the snow, thinking, “I can’t believe I’ve lost the use of my limbs in Idaho.” I did finally stagger to my feet and remount my snowmobile which I drove slowly and humbly, back to the cabin.



But I wasn’t finished with rookie mistakes. The next day we took off, caravan-style, for another open field. The snow was incredibly deep and fresh. Yep. You can see it coming. I had gotten so far away from my friends that they were just little black specks zooming around at the other end of the field. That’s when I plowed it under. I just buried that thing in the fresh powder. By the time my friends saw my predicament, I’d been digging around the machine, yanking, huffing, puffing and pulling, all to no avail. All three friends left their snowmobiles parked at the side of the road (they weren’t stupid enough to venture out into that virgin powder) and started trudging through thigh deep snow to get to me. There’s not a one of us over 5 feet 6 inches. First, friend A collapsed, still several yards away. Soon after Friend B tripped and was lost to view. Meanwhile, I’d thrown myself down in the snow in exhaustion. Friend C, looked around in a panic and shouted “I can’t carry you all!” We did succeed in digging out the snowmobile. All four of us were streaming with sweat by the time we got that thing back to the main road. “You know what,” Friend C gasped. “We kick a**!”

That was 11 years ago, and I can’t imagine a winter without our annual KAG trip. We did miss one year, and I’m convinced it cast a dark shadow over the entire year. A lot has happened since our first trip. One friend had it unofficially written into her wedding vows that her husband would accommodate all future KAG weekends. And he has. Two children have been born. Jobs and men have come and gone. But some things have remained the same, like sisterhood and the ability to kick a**.

Sowing the Seeds of Love

The Planted Earth
440 South State Street
Orem, UT 84058

I’ve appreciated all of your comments, including the ones that have come in via email and Facebook, about some of your best and worst V-day presents. I had forgotten about Luge the Gorilla; thanks for reminding me, Mom. The Ten Thousand Villages prize, however, goes to Marie for her great idea cutting out simple hearts and using poems and then delivering them to her girlfriends. I’m going to steal your idea, Marie. One common theme I noticed in many of the comments is that there are too many wonderful women out there who are not being celebrated. So I love the idea of spreading a little love and appreciation to the girlfriends in your life.

Last week, I spotlighted a store that is perfect for free-spirited Valentines whose yoga mats were woven by fair trade artisans, who have their own compost piles, and might even have dreadlocks. (You know, who you are.) This week, I want to spotlight a business for the more traditional Valentine, someone who appreciates a cameo and a silver-backed brush, and loves a good funky vintage find.

As a matter of fact, I first learned about Planted Earth from a friend of mine who sports dreadlocks. Planted Earth is a wonderful antique and floral shop located at 440 South on State street in Orem. I have been a long-time fan of this store. I have a bookshelf, several vintage hats, some vintage mirrored trays, and some unique drawer knobs—all obtained from Planted Earth. And that’s just scratching the surface.


Home décor
Furniture
Fresh flowers
A large selection of vintage jewelry
Antique books
Vintage clothes
Linens
Outdoor furniture
Chandeliers

I like to give unique gifts with special meaning to the recipient, and Planted Earth is one of my go-to’s.

I have two “honorary” nieces. If I could claim them as my daughters, I would. When they turned 10 and 12 years-old, I gave them each a shopping trip with me at a destination of their choice. (There was a price limit involved.) Both picked the Planted Earth. I loved indulging my “Alice in Wonderland/Anne of Green Gables” side as much as they did.

Ten Thousand Ways to Say I Love You

Ten Thousand Villages
1941 S. 1100 E.
Suite 1945
Salt Lake City, UT 84106
801-485-8827

There are 10 days left until Valentine’s Day, February 14th, and for many, this is the trickiest gift-giving day of the year. Whether the message you’re trying to send is ‘I love you truly, madly, deeply’ or ‘I noticed you across the quad,’ the underlying sentiment is the same: you matter to me.

When I was a student at Brigham Young University, the BYU bookstore used to go nuts on Valentine’s Day. I expect it still does. One service they used to offer was encasing your gift inside of a helium balloon. I still have visions of helpless teddy bears trapped in airless prisons. Talk about a metaphor for a suffocating relationship!

But I’m not the hardened Valentine’s cynic that my previous observation might imply. My best Valentine’s Day memories consist of simple gestures: an unexpected rose delivered to my work place or a homemade breakfast.

So fear not Valentine’s Day shoppers. I’m here to tell you the best places in Utah and Salt Lake Valley to shop for unique, inventive and non-schmaltzy Valentine’s Day gifts. (Tip: my readers of the fairer sex may wish to subtly refer their masculine counterparts to this blog entry.)

I can’t think of a better place to start your Valentine’s Day shopping than in a city called Sugarhouse. Ten Thousand Villages is a fair-trade foreign import store located on 11th East 1941 South in Sugarhouse. You’ll find home décor, jewelry and accessories, textiles, chocolates, cards and books from India, Korea, the Philippines, Africa--38 countries in all. Everything is handcrafted and fair trade, which means the artisans in each country receive a fair price for their wares.













Jewelry, scarves and handbags are all unique and beautiful. The jewelry ranges from sweet simple pieces as low as $12 to intricately-crafted works of art created with semi-precious stones. Picture frames made from diverse materials like bone, fabric, wood and newspaper also make great Valentine’s Day gifts.

Some of the most delightful items in the store are in the children’s section. There are hand-sewn dolls and animals in brilliant fabrics, beautiful painted blocks, and books that tell about lives of children around the world. I was particularly taken with a CD of international Sesame Street songs.















Candles, tablecloths, pieces of art and sculpture, exotic chocolate, cards…you can’t by a cliché gift at Ten Thousand Villages. Every piece is a unique way to say “you matter to me.”

Not that I’m knocking the traditional approach. Flowers are never wrong.

EVER.

But do you really want to venture anywhere near a flower shop on Valentine’s Day?

What is the best/worst Valentine’s Day gift you’ve ever given or received? Share your V-day tragedies and triumphs in the comments section. The person with the most striking story will get a gift purchased at Ten Thousand Villages.

Seeking Sanctuary at the Beehive Tea Room with Mindy Gledhill

Beehive Tea Room
12 West Broadway
Salt Lake City
801-238-4700

In England in the 4th –17th centuries, people trying to avoid arrest could flee to a church and claim “sanctuary.” The law could not enter in to remove the supplicant. In modern times, I have places to which I retreat and cry “sanctuary.” The Beehive Tea Room is one of those places.

The premises of the Beehive Tea Room are segmented into intimate dining areas with dimmed lighting and retro furnishings. Music from the early 1900’s makes the ambiance complete. Singer Cameron Rafiti used the Beehive Tea Room as the backdrop for one of his videos which you can watch here.

The Beehive Tea Room has a vast array of black, green, herbal and fruit teas and a delicious assortment of scones, petit fours, cookies and cake. They also serve generous and healthy salads, sandwiches and soups made fresh each day. I highly recommend the shepherd’s pie and the spicy curry pasty.

The Beehive Tea Room does do a full tea service, but you’ll need to make reservations in advance. Check out their website for details about booking the tea room for events.

I myself am headed to the Beehive Tea Room for an event this Saturday (Jan. 22) at 8:00 p.m. Sublime singer and songwriter Mindy Gledhill will be performing as part of the line up affiliated with the Sundance Film Festival.










Mindy’s voice is clear, lovely, languid, wistful and joyful all at the same time. It provides sanctuary from the loud, noisy din that is everyday life. She was recently featured in Utah Valley Magazine. Turn to page 31. Check out the video to Mindy’s latest hit, Anchor, here. It’s masterful bit of film, a charming collage of vintage imagery as a modern day Alice in Wonderland pays tribute to the unnamed love that provides an anchor for her roving free spirit.

Look for me at the Beehive Tea Room this Saturday night. I’ll be the one with the pot of raspberry mint tea.

Midway Ice Castles

Midway Ice Castles
100 N. 200 W.
(Downtown)

It’s mid-January which means the Christmas lights have been taken down (or at least turned off) and the snow that previously provided winter wonderland ambiance has now accumulated in grime-encrusted piles by the side of the road. In December, cold weather meant rosy cheeks and noses. In January, it just means stiff joints and dry chapped hands. What a difference the holidays make!


So how can you put a bit of jolly into January? Two words: Ice Castles. No, not the cheesy 1970’s movie featuring Robbie Benson and a previously--and subsequently--unknown actress Lynne-Holly Johnson. I’m talking about the magnificent structures constructed by master ice craftsman Brent Christensen.



I first saw one of his structures in a vacant lot on my block when I was lucky enough to be a neighbor of the Christensens. An amazing ice palace seemed to have risen out of the ice and snow. People driving down the street would pull over and whip out their cameras.

It caught the eye of someone from the Zermatt Resort in Midway as well, and the next year, Brent and his family were invited to live at the resort while he spent months constructing and grooming vast towering pillars and palaces of ice, some towers reaching as high as 30 feet.

This year, the ice palaces have been constructed in downtown Midway behind the city buildings and the outdoor ice rink. The structures have to be seen to be believed. They’re like towering cathedrals of ice. Two of the structures have been built so that people can walk through them.

Although the structures grow organically, formed by dripping water and freezing temperatures, their growth has to be pre-planned and guided. To one side of the pathway, you’ll actually see an icicle “farm” where Brent grows the icicles that will eventually become towering pillars of ice. The structures have to be maintained as well which means Brent and his crew literally scale the structures with special climbing gear like arctic explorers.




The varying textures and colors in the ice formations are fascinating. This really is like taking a walk through a mythical landscape.

I have visited the structures in the daytime and at night. Each experience is magical, but at night the towers become almost otherworldly. I highly recommend making the trip to Midway to see the ice castles. This is an excellent family activity. And Midway is such a charming spot, it all adds up to a festive winter outing, a suitable follow-up to the holiday season.



To read more about how Brent Christensen constructs the ice castles, and to see some amazing pictures, check out his blog here.

You can also read a review by the Provo Daily Herald here.

The Tea Grotto

Tea Grotto
801-466-8255
2030 S. 900 E. #6
Salt Lake City, UT

Is the Christmas season stress getting to you? Has the inversion caused your sinuses to swell or your inner chakras to misalign? Seek soothing relief in Sugar House at the Tea Grotto on 9th East.

Each tea house you visit is a different experience. The Tea Grotto specializes in Eastern atmosphere, complete with at least three Buddha’s—one of which presides over their vast menu board. This is an herbalist’s paradise.

I chose the chamomile myself; I needed the soothing. Everyone I spoke with at the Tea Grotto was friendly and happy—customers and staff alike. It must be that Zen thing they’ve got going on.

While you’re seeking refuge from the shopping storm outside, you can do a little Christmas shopping of your own inside the Tea Grotto. Upstairs there’s a small Indian boutique with beautiful scarves, intricately woven sari’s, brightly colored Indian jewelry and amazing shoulder bags—all genuine imports.

On the walls of the Tea Grotto, you’ll se gorgeous photography by Jeremy Arndt. Pick up one of his cards and a complimentary 4x6 photo. His images of West Africa are stunning, and 10% of the sales go to charitable causes there.

Star Mill

Star Mill
147 E. 600 N.
American Fork, UT 84003
801-756-0464

Studio 5 was playing on the television in the other room while I was washing dishes in the kitchen, and I overheard the words “ junk yard” and “Christmas crafts.”

Magic words!

I dashed into the room, sudsy dish in my hand, just in time to hear the guest say “…and I got all of this great junk at Star Mill.”

A little internet research yielded an address in American Fork, and a few hours later I drove up to an old historic structure with an ancient fire truck parked out front. The eclectic assortment of windows, birdbaths, baskets, and ironwork on the front steps let me know I was in the right place.


Star Mill is far too nice to call a “junk shop.” It’s also way too rugged and real to call an antique store. (No disrespect to antique stores intended.) I prefer to call it a “treasure trove.” If I were looking for old doors and window frames for a restoration project, I’d find them here. If I were looking for a collection of old LDS titles and historical novels, I’d find them here. If I were looking for a full set of vintage china, I could find it here.

My favorite room in the Star Mill is the Jar Room. The walls are lined with large glass jars filled with bits and bobs: marbles, hinges, game pieces, springs, corks, and clothes pins.

I treated myself to some old bingo cards and a few medicine bottles. I think I’ll turn these into some creative Christmas cards.

(Note: blogger is NOT a professional crafter. Please try this at home.)

A few days later, I persuaded a friend to return with me, and I asked her to choose an odd piece of “junk” for me to present on my blog.

“But not too big,” I said cautiously, eyeing an old iron stove.


And so, dear readers, I give you…this. Whatever it is. It’s a black, iron scroll-work, vaguely bowl-shaped thingy with some kind of iron protuberance at the end. And I ask you, what shall I do with it? What can I turn this in to?

Please give me suggestions in the comments section. I’ll take the most interesting suggestion and post my…er…artistic endeavor…on the blog. Additionally, there will be a prize for the person whose idea I select.

I could create an entire photo journal of just the nooks and crannies in Star Mill. Many photographers do choose Star Mill and its surrounding property as the backdrop for their portraits. For just $40 photographers can shoot around the barn and the mill as well as the field and the lane lined with trees. The famous green doors of the Mill itself make a fantastic rustic backdrop for family members grouped on the old weather-worn steps. Or imagine a photo of your family walking down the snowy country lane. This is the perfect setting for your family Christmas photo. Just call Star Mill at 801-756-0464 to make arrangements and let them know you are coming.

Please leave a suggestion in the comments section as to what I should make with the iron piece. --Thanks