Ghosts a No-Go, but wait, there's more!

I arrived at Capitol Theater tonight, 6:45, only to be greeted by a "cancelled event" sign. Not cool, Ghost Investigators. Not cool. So, I tried, unsuccessfully, to find the new location of the former Elizabeth Tea Room's steak and mushroom pie. I eventually settled for "pommes frites" at a Belgian waffle stand. There was a busker playing a Swedish violin--something I'd never heard before--that made the whole cancellation worth it. It was heavenly.

But the best news of all! (Drum roll please.) Ballet West is going to let me sit in on a dress rehearsal for Dracula! I'm so excited I can hardly stand it! I can't wait to bring you the inside scoop. I feel just like Jill Krementz!

You know, Jill Krementz?

Photo journalist and author...wrote "A Very Young Dancer?"

Hunting Up Some Halloween Fun

We're already half-way through October and I'm already behind schedule. However, I did double duty at Witches' Night out this year (attended both nights), and I made my own chapeau for night 2.










Also on my schedule for the remainder of this month:

Utah Symphony's Spooky Symphonies October 24-25 (come in costume!)
The Haunted Canyon experience on the Heber Creeper
Ballet West's performance of Dracula

And tommorrow night, I'm going to learn about local spooks from none other than the Ghost Hunters of Utah with the Wasatch Paranormal Investigators. Their presentation is actually part of "Dracula Fest," a series of activities put together by Ballet West in conjunction with the debut of the ballet. October 18th at 7:00 p.m., paranormal fans will gather at Capitol Theater to hear local legends and some recordings made by the Ghost Hunters of Utah.

(While I wouldn't class myself as a "fan" of the paranormal, I have watched several seasons of the X-files*, and I love an unexplained mystery.)

One more, non-Halloween event you should know about. The King's Singers will be performing with the Utah Symphony on Oct. 28 and 29. I became a fan when I was 20 and a roommate introduced me to their version of "A New Day."

Do you have any suggestions of Halloween activities in the valley that I've missed? Or maybe just a really great Halloween house I ought to drive by? Leave a suggestion in the Comments.

*my friend bought me a Scully doll at a garage sale! She comes with a stretcher and a body in a bag! How cool is that?

Happy Autumnal Equinox

September 23 was the Autumnal Equinox and Saturday was the Wasatch Gardens Pumpkin Fest. In other words, Fall is here! Despite the warm temperatures, I'm de-fuzzing my sweaters and digging out my scarves.

With October just a week away, I'm already making a list of all the Halloween haunts I've got to hit. But I'd like some suggestions from you. Any Halloween-themed activities going on in Utah Valley and SLC that you'd like me to visit and blog about?

Meanwhile, here's a little challenge: photos taken at locations across Utah and Salt Lake Valleys. Can you name the shop and/or site? A prize for the person who gets the most correct.


















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Away To Me

Soldier Hollow Classic: Sheepdog Championship & Festival

Soldier Hollow, Heber Valley, Utah

September 2-5, 2011

http://www.soldierhollowclassic.com/tickets.htm

Once a year, the Olympic venue at Soldier Hollow hosts world-class athletes of the canine variety. It’s the Soldier Hollow Classic….and it is a sight to behold.

If you’ve seen the movie “Babe” (or watched any Welsh television) then you know what I’m talking about. Except—and let me be perfectly clear about this—the Sheepdog Classic involves real live dogs and no animatronic talking pigs. No pigs at all. Sorry. However, there is actually a movie in the works about this event.

Make no mistake, this ain’t no beauty pageant. These dogs are tough and smart and amazingly skilled. (Okay, and beautiful too.) Dogs and their handlers come from all over the world to compete here. It’s mesmerizing to watch them work.

Can you really spend an entire day watching dogs run around herding sheep? Yes. Yes, you can. If you need a break from the competition, the venue also hosts a range of food vendors (many of them serving locally sourced lamb), craft vendors, and a petting zoo. Various entertainments and dog-training demonstrations run throughout the day. It’s a very kid-friendly event. (But leave your family dog at home, please. No spectator dogs allowed.)

Bring binoculars and/or a zoom lens for your camera. The course covers a large area running at least half a mile up into the hills.

There is plenty of parking at the venue, but expect an additional charge. Stadium seating is available. You may also bring chairs or blankets and sit on the graded dirt areas; that’s what we do since it gets us a little closer to the dogs. Stay for the medals ceremony and you get a Scottish bagpiper brigade as a bonus.

Preview the action here.

P.S. I owe my discovery of this event to my sister, a Heber Valley resident. Thanks, sis!

Tell Me a Story

Timpanogos Storytelling FestivalThursday-Saturday Sept. 1-3, 2011
Mt. Timpanogos Park in Provo Canyon
www.timpfest.org
Everyone loves a good story. Little known fact: the first cave drawing is directly related to the phrase, "you should have seen it; it was THIS BIG!" While the desire to be entertained is universal, I think Utahans have a special place in their hearts for story. It's a fundamental part of our cultural heritage. Maybe that's why the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival is one of the largest in the country.

Approximately 26,000 people from across the country (and the world) make the trek to Utah for the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival. In 2005, the city of Orem designed the Mt. Timpanogos Park in Provo Canyon to accomodate the ever-increasing crowds. Timpanogos attracts world-renowned storytellers. That's right, we get the best of the best like Donald Davis, Bil Lepp, and Charlie Chin.

Every Labor Day weekend, my "KAG" compatriots fly in to Utah and we attend the festival together. I have laughed until I've cried, and cried when I've experienced carthasis in a story. I have been transported to different cultures, different countries, even different worlds.

This is a can't miss opportunity for families. I've sat in tents and watched children transfixed by a single voice, not an electronic device in sight. Because, in the end, I believe everyone wants to hear a story...humorous, informative, fantastical, nostalgic, spine-tingling, inspirational.



Main events for the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival start Thursday night and run throughout Saturday. You can purchase tickets for single events, entire days, or the entire weekend. I find the weekend pass to be the best bargain. That lets you in to two days of storytelling at Timpanogos Park and two nights of hilarity or horror (depending on whether you go to Laughing Night at the SCERA Shell or Shivers in the Night at park.

A Navajo friend of mine told me her father used to take the kids outdoors at night in the Arizona desert and tell them all of the legends of the constellations and how the world came to be. The sharing of stories is primarily a oral tradition in the Navajo culture, and she's she worried that the stories arefading away. While I'm all for writing things down, I believe that everyone could benefit from practicing the art of telling and listening to a story.

In addition to the storytelling tents, the festival is packed with life musical performances, puppet shows and excellent food provided by prominent local restaurants. I'm looking forward to indulging in a little grilled pineapple from Toucano's as well as a breadstick from Magleby's.

Visit the official Timpanogos Storytelling Festival website for a schedule of the weekend's activities, ticket prices, and a list of the featured performers.

Parking for the general public is not available at the park. The festival runs shuttles every 15 minutes from parking lots in Orem and Provo. Click here to see the shuttle locations.

A Book Lover's Lament

This morning I stopped by Pioneer Book where I loaded up on four art/photography books, a DVD about Henry J. Eyring, and a set of old radio mysteries on CD to listen to in my car. Outside the store, several local authors had booths and were selling their wares and meeting fans, so I picked up another book from an author I know, Tristi Pinkston.

This past month I have had my car in for repairs twice, so I did experience a moment of guilt as I stared at my bulging book bag. But I had calculated the cost in my head, and I have stew and salmon patties in my freezer at home, so I’ll still be able to eat until pay day.

I love books.

Then I went to a new bookstore where I bought a copy of a new book that a friend of mine has illustrated…

…and I bought one more book that caught my eye.

Even now, I’m sitting at the Barnes & Noble café, typing out this entry.

I have a sickness, people!

This is not a cry for help. (I can stop any time I want.) It is a cry to arms! Our bookstores are failing! The news of Borders bankruptcy caused me to drop my head into my hands and groan, “Oh, how are the mighty fallen.” Then I promptly went to pick the carcass by loading up on three of the discounted paperbacks from my favorite mystery series.

Now I admit to being a part of the problem. Larger booksellers like B&N and Borders are faltering, in part, because of online bookstores and the fact that retailers like Walmart and Costco order NY bestsellers by the boatload and sell them cheaply. Yes, I love that I can find obscure books on Amazon. And I bought “The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society” at Costco (where, incidentally, I also got an excellent herbed cheddar).

But the cruelest blow of all happened in Kansas City, KS (my home away from home). The “I Love a Mystery” bookstore is closing its doors! Aack! My favorite genre!

This time, it’s personal.





I realize that I usually feature Utah-based businesses. But today, I’d like to use the entry to lovingly eulogize one of my favorite retreats.

The “I Love a Mystery” bookstore specialized in…mystery. The interior of the bookstore looked like it could have been the library in which Colonel Mustard was caught with a lead pipe. Mystery “artifacts” were scattered throughout the store: a deerstalker’s cap, a calabash pipe, a dagger, or a skull. The store sold both new and used, every author of note. (And some not.) There were chairs for sitting and a tea cart.

You can find any mystery author of note there. I first discovered “The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency” series at “I Love a Mystery.” Last year, I did Christmas shopping there. Every year, my book club has Christmas party and we each bring a favorite used book to gift—white elephant style. In anticipation of the event, I went to “I Love a Mystery,” to get the first books in two of my favorite series: the Thomas and Charlotte Pitt series by Anne Perry and the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters.

Although I’m only in Kansas City about once a year, I’m on the email list for “I Love a Mystery.” That’s how I got the devastating news. So, I’ve put on my black arm band and had my moment of silence.

And so I finish my eulogy with these words: 40 % off all new titles, 50% off all used titles, vintage and signed editions brought out daily. Everything must go.

Flour Girls and Dough Boys

35 N. Barrat Avenue
American Fork, UT 84003
801-763-9232
Mon-Thur 7:30am-7pm, Fri 7:30am-8pm

There is a wonderful treasure, tucked away on a side street in American Fork. You wouldn’t even know it was there if it wasn’t for a sign out on the main road with an arrow and the words “toasted sandwich and homemade soups.”

I’m talking about Flour Girls and Dough Boys, of course! Let’s go there together. I’ll point out all the things I love as we go along. First off, how great is it that it’s just slightly off the beaten path? As we enter, I point out the various kinds of chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Then I redirect your attention to the floor which is tiled in orange white checks.

However, your attention has been wholly taken up by the gorgeous array of baby cakes and cupcakes in the display case to the left. Hungrily, your gaze rakes over the shortbread chocolate chip cookies, the muffin tops, and the pumpkin chocolate chip bars with cream cheese frosting. Behind the counter, the racks are filled with baguettes, alpine sourdough, sunflower honey oat, and focaccia.

















Let’s stay for lunch. I’ll have the chicken, avocado, panini. I can see you’re torn between a meat pie or the turkey and brie sandwich on cranberry walnut bread. I’ll also have a cup of the Tuscan sausage and white bean soup which is packed with vegetables, so I’ll feel good taking a couple of large, soft ginger cookies home with me.

Everything at Flour Girls and Dough Boys is made from scratch. Heavenly!

Thanks for joining me. Your company is a pleasure anywhere, but the aroma of freshly baked break makes it a perfect outing.

Flour Girls and Dough Boys also has a dining area tricked out with some fun stuff for kids. So next time, bring’em along.