Romance on the Rooftop

Provo Rooftop Concert Series: Meaghan Smith & Mindy Gledhill

I am—not so secretly—a vintage girl at heart. I love to look back at history through rose-colored glasses that give it a velvety patina of nostalgia. Things seemed simpler and more decent. That’s an illusion of course—as anything viewed through rose-colored glasses will be. My grandmother and grandfather would have pointed out that their survival in the 1930’s and 40’s was anything but simple.

I’ve been doing some reading, lately, about the plight of the British citizens during World War II. I’m embarrassed not to have known about the incredible deprivation and starvation these islanders faced. And I’m amazed at their resiliency and determination.

There’s a single phrase that has been popping up in design and décor a lot lately. “Keep Calm and Carry On.” You can find it on wall hangings, pillows, postcards, and even tissues. The phrase was initiated by the British Ministry of Information in 1939. Distinctive red posters were printed with the slogan in white block letters. They were meant for distribution across the British Isles to boost the morale of citizens during World War II. However, very few were actually distributed.






















In 2000, one of the original posters was found at Barter Books, a second-hand bookstore in Northumberland. The phrase has taken on new meaning in current world-wide recession, and the slogan is getting much more attention that it ever did originally.















Even though I know that earlier eras were also filled with the worry and strife of life, it inspires me to know that people who endured hardships greater than mine did more than just survive; they thrived. And that means I can too.






















All of that rambling has set the stage so that I can announce a new love: the music of Meaghan Smith! Her voice is as clear as a bell, and it has a sort of nostalgic poignancy. In her whimsical illustrated bio, Meaghan says she’s really into the music of the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s, and you can definitely hear that vintage sensibility in songs like “If You Asked Me” and “A Little Love.”






















“Here Comes Your Man” fulfills all kinds of lazy summer day fantasies for me. (Check out the video and you’ll see what I mean.)

Here’s the great news! Now you can see Meaghan Smith live—on a rooftop. And as the extra scoop of ice cream on top of the Sundae, appearing with Meaghan is another favorite of mine, Mindy Gledhill! Meaghan and Mindy will be appearing as part of Provo’s Free Rooftop Concert Series.

When: Friday, June 3, 2011 8:00 p.m.
Where: On the roof of the Provo Town Square parking terrace

The concert is free. Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets or chairs to sit on. You can arrive as early as 6:00 and visit the food and craft vendors in the marketplace direction below the venue (in the Provo Town Square Courtyard).

Meaghan recorded a special tune just for Provoans which you can listen to here.






















Vintage darlings.

It's Not the Destination, It's the Journey

I remember being a college student at BYU and living near the south end of campus. There was a bagel/sandwich place near the old location of El Azetca (you old Provoans know what I’m talking about) that featured local bands on weekends.

I remember going there Friday afternoon for a sandwich before my evening shift waiting tables. I saw Swim Herschel Swim. I went there on a first date with a guy who would be my boyfriend for a semester. We saw an amazing female singer who was trying to raise money for her mission. I was young, I was hip, I was broke…it was all part of being in the Provo alternative music scene.

I took that stroll down the 20-year corridor of memory last Friday night when I decided on a whim to go to Velour in Provo and see what the local college bands had to offer. I had been ironing shirts and watching a re-cap of the royal wedding. But I had an epiphany standing in front of the T.V. clasping my spray bottle. I was middle-aged, I was broke, but damn it…I was still hip. (Or at least hippy.)

I didn’t know where Velour was, but I vaguely remembered there being a club somewhere on Center Street. Well, it isn’t there. It’s on University Avenue. Nothing a little call to 411 and more couldn’t resolve.

Velour was small, hip, and non-alcoholic, much like me. I spotted my friends fairly easily and slid into a seat next to them. When had the bands gotten so young, I wondered. Did they let high school kids in here? The woman seated on the other side of me turned slightly, and we had one of those “don’t I know you?” moments. Sure enough, she and her husband and I had been in a singles ward together. She couldn’t have been more than 4 or 5 years older than I, if that.

“That’s my son,” she said proudly, pointing to the bassist on stage.

Her son?

I am old enough to have given birth to the musicians on stage! Or at least one of them.

I suddenly felt dirty for having noticed how cute the drummer was.

But the evening wasn’t ruined for me. Far from it. While I was no longer the young thing swaying on the dance floor, I felt that my 20-odd years gave me the privilege of anonymity. I sat back and people watched. And I enjoyed myself. And when my younger, hipper friends took off before I did, those extra 20 years had given me the self-assurance to stay seated, listen to the next set, and enjoy being a part of the scene.

So music lovers! If you’ve managed to stay with me thus far, I give you the act you all came to see: The 2011 Season of Downtown Provo’s Free Rooftop Concert Series! The season kicks of this Friday, May 6th at 8:00 p.m. with Fictionist and Paul Jacobsen and The Madison Arm. Concerts take place on the roof of the Provo Town Square parking terrace. Admission is free.

Fictionist is one of eight bands nationally competing to be the first unsigned band featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. Paul Jacobsen and The Madison Arm has been featured at the Telluride Bluegrass Troubadour and Folks Fest among others. The concert is being brought to you by CJaneRun.com and Vivint.

I’ll be there. I hope you will be too. You can read more about the event here. Or visit their Facebook page here.

Easter at Bluff Fort

This past weekend, I pre-packed an Easter basket, checked out a book on tape from the library, and drove down to Bluff, Utah in the southeast corner of the state. Bluff’s first annual Easter egg hunt was being held at the old Bluff Fort.

I took off Friday afternoon and arrived at the Desert Rose Inn & Cabins in Bluff around 10:00 p.m. Let me just give a shout out, quickly, to the Desert Rose. Wonderful. Beautiful rooms with old-fashioned quilts on the bed and Navajo art on the walls. Decks outside had seating for guests to enjoy an amazing view of the Bluffs. The original Hole in the Rock pioneers wish they’d had large, air-conditioned rooms with internet and ESPN waiting for them when they arrived.















I first became acquainted with Bluff Fort through the Hole in the Rock Foundation, a non-profit historical preservation society working to preserve the history and share the legacy of the Hole in the Rock pioneers. I admit, five years ago, I’d never heard of them. But recently they’ve been getting a bit more attention. Author Gerald Lund wrote a historical fiction novel, The Undaunted, set against the backdrop of the grueling Hole in the Rock trek, and LDS Apostle Jeffrey Holland has recounted the amazing tale of Stanford and Belle Smith at a couple of stake and regional conferences.


Not familiar with the story? It involves an intrepid band of pioneers attempting to settle in the Four Corners area to establish good relations with the local Native Americans tribes and bring law and order to a lawless corner of the state. It also involves lowering an entire wagon train 1,000 feet through a narrow slit in the sandstone wall of a cliff. And that’s just part of their harrowing adventure. You can read more about the Hole in the Rock trek here.

The pioneers finally established a settlement in an area surrounded by remarkable sandstone formations; they named their settlement Bluff Fort. Only one of the original cabins still stands, but the Hole in the Rock Foundation has rebuilt the fort including reconstructions of the old meeting house and 14 log cabins, each one built to commemorate one of the original settler families. There is also a visitors center, a hogan, a teepee and numerous covered wagons, including one of the original wagons to come through the Hole in the Rock.

Visitors can tour each of the cabins and go inside the meetinghouse. The visitors center even has pioneer costumes, and tourists can dress up and pose for pictures on the covered wagons. Bluff Fort is located along highway 191. They receive thousands of visitors every year, many from countries as distant as Denmark, Japan, Australia and France. Guests really get a hands-on historical experience. One French tourist left this comment in the log book: “We love this little town. Very interesting for us, it’s better than western movies!”



Easter weekend, Bluff Fort held their first annual community Easter egg hunt. It was a wonderful mix of locals, tourists, and hundreds of candy-filled eggs along with other treats hidden all around the fort. The festivities concluded with a community pot luck lunch.

Bluff Fort is amazing. It combines history with breathtaking scenery; it makes a great mini-vacation or weekend getaway. I so many photos that I overloaded my memory card, but you can go see beautiful, high-quality images of the fort at their Facebook page. Be sure to click “Like.”

See Us on Studio 5!

Monday, April 18th, was a big day for "Been There, Done That." The blog was featured on Studio 5! (Channel 5, 11:00 a.m. MST)

You can watch the segment by clicking here.

Hosts Brooke Walker and Darin Adams could not have been more friendly and helpful. That goes for all of the stage and production people at Studio 5. A special shout out to producer Mallory for putting it all together and my friend who helped me with the props, what I should say, transportation and moral support.

Studio 5 asked me to pick five shops that were "hidden gems" that sparked my creativity. It was hard to limit myself to just five, but ultimately I chose three shops I've written about previously (Central Book Exchange, Beehive Tea Room, and Planted Earth) and two I have yet to feature on my blog (Decades and Elemente).

I provided Studio 5 with photographs for the segment. As a matter of face, I inundated them with photos. They couldn't use all that I sent them, so I thought I'd post a few here. I had a couple of models show off some vintage clothing I got at Decades, and you can see their pictures below.

"C" looks gorgeous in an Asian inspired silk jacket with vintage pillbox purse, and "A" is fresh-faced and adorable in vintage sweaters. And super hip "girls" model vintage eye wear from Planted Earth.

Uganda Exhibit and Fundraiser

April 15, 6-9 p.m. 15th Street Gallery, SLC (1519 S. 1500 E.)

I have a friend who has carried rocks up a mountainside in Nepal to build an elementary school. She’s accompanied shipments of books and computers to Cambodia and created revenue-generating partnerships for widows and orphans in Uganda.



She knows how to party…

…and so when she tells me the party is Friday, April 15th, 6:00-9:00 p.m. at 1519 S. 1500 E. in Salt Lake City (15th Street Gallery), I’m there. This Friday seven local artists are joining forces with Berr Beads and a children’s art project organized by Trent Alvey in cooperation with Asayo's Wish Foundation to put on an art exhibit and fundraiser with proceeds going to benefit orphans in Uganda being sustained by Asayo’s Wish Foundation.

Ugandan children have created dolls with fabric and native elements like seeds, twine, etc. which will be for sale with 100% of the proceeds going back to Asayo’s Wish.

You may have seen gorgeous, colorful paper bead necklaces being carried in boutiques and shops like Shade. These “Berr Beads” (Berr means “good” or “I am well”) are hand rolled by widows and single mothers in Kaberamaido, Uganda who have joined together to create a self-sustaining cooperative. Berr Beads will be having a blow-out sale at Friday night’s fundraiser with 100% of the sales going back to economic development programs for the widows.


















Finally, local artists Susan Beck, Justin Diggle, Steven Larson, John Sproul, Trent Alvey, Jenevieve Hubbard, and Lenka Konopasek have contributed works of art with 20% of the sales going to support Asayo’s Wish Foundation.

A highlight of the night will be an address from Sarah Asayo herself. Sarah’s story is remarkable. Uganda has been torn apart by decades of civil war, disease, violence and poverty. When Sarah was a girl in Uganda, her family lost their father and their home. The family moved from place to place, sleeping on floors and going days without food. They were some of the fortunate ones in that they eventually made their way to London and created a new life. Sarah was able to get a university education and eventually move to the United States. Now she works to provide for impoverished orphans in Uganda who face some of the same life-threatening circumstances that she did.

You do not want to miss this opportunity to hear from a remarkable survivor and humanitarian.

SPARK

SPARK
restaurant/lounge
86 N. University Ave.
Provo, UT
www.sparkrestaurantlounge.com


I’m a jeans and T-shirt kind of girl. Flats as opposed to stilettos. But I’ll let you in on a secret. I’ve got an array of red lipsticks at the back of a drawer. Sometimes I like to imagine that I’m an exotic orchid instead of a gerber daisy. In that spirit, I decided to take a break from second-hand booksellers and tea shops and visit SPARK restaurant lounge in Provo. Yes! Provo has a sleek and chic lounge with a delicious menu, hip vibe, and alcohol-free mixed drinks.

Friday at noon I put on a pair of dark wash jeans and silver flats—my attempts at glamour—and set off on my own. I’d actually tried to talk a few friends into going with me, but it turns out most people have something to do during the day. And if I waited to go somewhere until I could be accompanied…well, I’d never go anywhere at all.

I was surprised to find the place relatively empty. A waiter sat me in a corner, flat up against a wall, out of sight. Was it unseemly to show up for lunch on your own? She asked me if this seat was all right, and not wanting to be demanding, I assented. Note to self: when restaurant is filled with open, airy seats, be demanding! I have no one but myself to blame.

I ordered the Oxblood to drink: blood orange puree, Rockstar, and cucumber. Excellent! I had a basic chicken sandwich that was anything but basic. It came on a hot bun, crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. The chicken was marvelously flavored and the greens were covered with a lovely, sharp, fresh Parmesan. My sandwich came with a side of chilled strawberry soup. Heavenly!

The desserts looked fabulous, but I was too full to give them proper attention, so I made a note to go back another time. My only complaint was that the wait staff seemed a little bored and inattentive. True, it’s hard to stay motivated on a slow day (I “waitress-ed” my way through college), but that’s all the more reason to make the few guests present feel like royalty rather than an inconvenience. However, this observation is based on a one-time experience. I look forward to visiting SPARK again and putting them to the test.

To all of you college-age guys reading my blog (cue crickets), this is definitely a place to impress a date.

More Favorites Including Mindy’s Newest Music Video

Thanks for sharing your favorite things with me. I want to make sure everyone knows about them.

“Vitamin D, a functional sewer line, and Jimmer Fredette.”

“Sunshine in a time of coldness.”

“Grapefruit-flavored Perrier water, Texas-shaped tortilla chips, tostada compuestas, and peach-flavored gummy penguins. None of which can be found in the state of Utah, if they could they would most likely no longer be my favorite.”

“Mountain High Original full-fat plain yoghurt. (The pretentious "H" is what makes it taste so good.) Williams Sonoma Winter Forest lotion.”

“My favorite thing is doing something I enjoy but rarely get to do. Today, it was play catch. Other days, it's to see my awesome sister-in-law.”

Now, one of my quests is to find grapefruit-flavored Perrier. Jimmer is making all of Provo’s dreams come true, and our freak bouts of March sunshine are providing a little vitamin D. One of DCB’s sister-in-law’s favorite things to do is eat Indian food with DCB and spouse. I’m still trying to wrap my head around plain yoghurt (even with an “h”). Sometimes milk cultures freak me out. But I understand that gourmands highly recommend Mountain High Original.


One of my favorite singers has posted a new video! Check out Mindy Gledhill’s music video here. Readers of this blog will probably recognize the Ice Castles at Midway in a few of the shots, and Utah Valley Magazine readers will recognize Stephanie Nielson.

You can see Mindy's photo diary of the video shoot here.