Starling Travel

I’m always fascinated by restaurants that name themselves after a city. Big Apple Pizzeria is one of those places that focuses on how “New York” their pizza is. Having never been to New York, pizza is something that I equate with my hometown, Salt Lake City, so having them brag about being like New York pizza isn’t really an enticement to me.

Good food is, though.

We went to Big Apple to try out their original “Bender”. In their own words:

“A Bender is Big Apple Pizza’s own original creation. Your choice of meat and cheese is heated on pizza crust then topped with onion, green pepper, lettuce and tomato and then folded over to create a delicious pizza bread sandwich.”

When I read that description off the menu that had been left on my windshield out loud to Mike, we decided to go to Big Apple the next day. We HAD to go on a Bender…

Since there were no pictures of a Bender, I had to ask the guy behind the counter about it:

“Is it messy?”

“Messy?”

“Yeah, is it going to drip?”

“Yeah, it will probably drip.”

He should have just told me that I wouldn’t be able to eat it with my hands. It’s definitely a knife and fork meal, so don’t order it and expect to be able to eat it on the run in your car. That being said, it is worth every second you spend at the table with your knife and fork. Food this good shouldn’t be eaten on the run.

To top off the meal, we ordered their cannoli:

“Your menu said you have cannolis?”

“Yeah, which do you want, chocolate or normal?”

Mike and I looked at each other and I answered, “One of each.”

We have been driving up to Park City for our cannolis because we haven’t been able to find a good one down here. The ones from Big Apple were a little too sweet for my taste. I prefer the marscapone to be a little more savory, so we’ll still go up to Park City for cannolis, but there is no where else where we can get a Bender.

It’s a Salt Lake City Original, and that’s something to brag about!

Big Apple Pizzeria

Where (Two Locations):

2939 East 3300 South, Salt Lake City, Utah Google Map Phone: 801-485-4534

7206 South 900 East, Midvale, Utah Google Map Phone: 801-568-9095

This sandwich board stopped my power-walk home from the gym dead in its tracks. I stopped my chronograph and grabbed my camera out of my bag. I started taking pictures and looking for the cafe.

Across the way from the raw food bar and next door to the oxygen bar, sits Great Grains Cereal Bar. You can walk in and have a bowl of cereal. That’s all they sell is cereal. There is a chain of these specialty cafes called Cereality, but Great Grains has nothing to do with them. They are a home-grown cereal bar, just like we like our quirky restaurants.

When you walk in, you’re confronted with a long line of cereal choices. You can purchase a big bowl or a small bowl and you get to mix your cereal from your favorites.

They also have a selection of hot cereals for a total of twenty to choose from. You can top your cereal off with a wide variety of fresh fruits and flavored milks. There are so many choices, I can almost feel my mind locking up right now.

If your brain does lock up at all the choices, there are some suggestions on the wall to spark your imagination. Depending on your toppings and bowl sizes, a good bowl of cereal will probably cost you between 1-3 dollars.

They also have juice, coffee and hot chocolate for your drinking needs (not to mention the wide variety of flavored milks). You can sit down with a hot cup of coffee and a bowl of Raisin Bran with mango flavored milk.

When my sister told me about the Cereality in Chicago, I wanted to try the place out. I was jealous that they were going to Chicago without us. Here we are, the crazy Metropolitan trends are coming to our town today. We have our own cereal bar, who needs Chicago?

Where: 2148 S. Highland Dr. Salt Lake City, Utah Google Map Phone: 801-485-6300

I drive past the Purple VW almost every day. On the front lawn of the house, there is a sculpture of a bird and the big purple Volkswagen bus is usually parked out front. I finally checked out the website.

• PurpleVW.com

If you are interested in travelling, the Purple Nomad has travelled far and wide in his Purple VW, with the pictures to prove it. If you are interested in art, the Purple Nomad has art for sale on his website. If you are interested in freedom of speech, he even has his thoughts about that, too.

Mostly, I enjoyed the travel collage. I love to see that familiar vehicle in so many other parts of the world. Next time you’re feeling a little of the wanderlust, check out this website and enjoy the photography.

Where: Approximately 850 South 700 East Salt Lake City, Utah Google Map

We’ve been to The Oasis Cafe dozens of times. It was Sunday morning and we had planned on going to Market Street Grill, but I was feeling sick to my stomach and I didn’t think the scent of fish would be the best thing for me.

“Where should we go?”

I shrugged my shoulders, “How about Dee’s?”

Dan crinkled his eyebrows, “How did we scale down so quickly?”

We all laughed and I suggested The Oasis Cafe. Soon we were heading there. I really only suggested it because I wanted the ginger tea that they serve. I thought it would soothe my stomach.

We were surprised because the menu for the Weekend Brunch is completely different than the evening menu. Suddenly, we had no idea what to order and we all had to make a decision. Fortunately, the cafe was really busy that morning, so we had a few extra minutes to decide.

This is the entree that sparked the picture taking. The presentation on Dan’s crabcakes was so beautiful that the camera came out of the purse.

Stacey ordered Eggs Benedict with Salmon. Considering that we had come to Oasis to avoid fish, it was interesting that the two of them still ordered fish. Stacey didn’t like the flavor of salmon with the hollandaise sauce, so she took it off and ate the parts separately. I tried not to look at her entree because the tea hadn’t quite cured my stomach yet.

I ordered the grilled brie sandwich on cranberry-pecan bread. It was absolutely delicious. It was the perfect mix of savory and sweet. The usual tangy flavor of the brie was dampened by the melting. It flowed between the slices like a thick, gooey honey and smelled like the sweetest butter you have ever encountered. The salad that came with it had jicama and carrot spears with spinach. It was crisp and sweet.

Mike ordered the chicken gyro. I had already clicked pictures of everyone’s food and his patience was at an end, so you’ll have to imagine the red sauce and pita. It was all wrapped in a paper, but it was still a messy meal that made Mike lick his fingers clean.

Our brunch at the Oasis Cafe was an enjoyable way to spend our Sunday. Next time you’re in Salt Lake City, make sure you plan a meal at the Oasis.

Where: 151 S. 500 East St. Salt Lake City, Utah Google Map Phone: 801-322-0404

The Utah Museum of Fine Art has an exhibit right now called, Frida Kahlo through the Lens of Nickolas Muray. Nickolas Muray was a famous photographer who lived in the United States. Frida Kahlo was a famous surrealist painter who lived in Mexico. They were introduced by friends when Frida traveled to New York with her husband, Diego Rivera. The subsequent love affair seems unfathomable to me.

I toured the halls of the museum reading Frida’s letters, trying to understand her willingness to have such an open affair with a man while still married. According to the rumors, Diego also had many affairs. They had an “open” relationship forty years before there was a name for it.

All of this is new to me. I was never taught anything about Frida Kahlo in school. I don’t know if it was because she was a woman, a socialist or an artist. My public school education was very light on the arts. I concentrated on things I thought would get me a job. I think I might have enjoyed school a little more if I had heard about this torrid affair and seen the loving photos of an artist.

The beauty of traveling is going to museums in other cities. Check the schedule for the art museum in your city and see if this exhibit is coming your way. It’s worth the time and you will feel as if you had a mini vacation in your own town.

Where: The Utah Museum of Fine Art 410 Campus Center Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0350 Google Map Phone: 801-581-7332

Click here for a detailed biography of Frida Kahlo:

• Frida Kahlo – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Click here for Frida Kahlo Quotations:

• Quotations Weblog » Frida Kahlo through the Lens of Nickolas Muray Exhibit

Even though the Sundance Film Festival is over, our city hasn’t recovered. The banners for the festival go up long before it starts and come down long after it’s over. Here is an article from Associated Press about the parties at the festival.

• Happy News – Fighting to get into Sundance parties – by Associated Press

They noticed that the parties are exclusive and the celebrities are guarded and hidden as much from the gawking crowds as possible.

“If Groucho Marx were at the Sundance Film Festival, he might be moved to say: ‘I wouldn’t want to attend any party that would have me as a guest.'”

As a local, I enjoy the crowds that come to see the films. Every encounter we’ve had with them have given us the impression that the people who attend are nice folks. We welcome you to our town. Come join the party we call “Life in Sugarhouse!”

My first memory of going to Park City for dinner was at Main Street Pizza & Noodle. Even though I grew up in the Salt Lake Valley, I had never gone to Park City in my life. On one of our dates, Mike took me up to Park City to have Pizza. I remember nothing about the food that night. I was just amazed that he would take me to an entirely different city to go to dinner.

Mike had worked at Albertson’s as a teenager and he opened the Park City store up there. He learned the places for good eating while he was working up there and he was so proud to show me something new.

Fifteen years later, we still regularly go up to Park City just for dinner and Main Street Pizza & Noodle is one of our favorites. The last time we went up there, we shared a stromboli. The prices might seem a little high for the casual atmosphere of the restaurant, but the food is worth the price and they give generous portions. That one stromboli was enough to easily feed both of us.

If you want some quick food that’s made fresh and delicious, Main Street Pizza & Noodle is the place for you.

Where: Main Street Pizza & Noodle – Park City, Utah 530 Main Street Park City, Utah 84060 Google Map Phone: 435-645-8878

So, you decided to extend your stay in Park City after the Sundance Film Festival? If you didn’t plan on staying, you might not have brought your skiing or snowboarding gear with you, but you can rent it at Jans Mountain Outfitters.

• Jans Mountain Outfitters, Park City Utah

Mike and I don’t ski, so we can’t tell you if the prices were good or not on ski equipment, but when we went in there for some green goo to fix a mountain bike flat tire, they were more than helpful. Not only did we get the green goo, we got a free map of trails of the area and friendly advice from the employees. We were really impressed with them and there was none of that elitist attitude that some mountain bike stores can have.

Jans Mountain Outfitters have two locations:

540 Main Street Park City, Utah Google Map Phone: (435) 655-3032

This location is on the main strip in Park City, so it’s easily accessible, but it is a small store and didn’t have what we were looking for.

1600 Park Avenue Park City, Utah (pictured above) Google Map Phone: (435) 649-4949

This location is huge, but it’s a little further from the Park City action. It had everything that we needed to equip our mountain bikes and be on the way.

Exit 126 on the I-80 freeway is only about twenty minutes away from Park City.

There, you will find the quaint neighborhood of Sugarhouse and a couple of hotels guaranteed to be MUCH cheaper than the condos in Park City. The reason Mike and I are able to visit Park City so often is because we live in Sugarhouse, just a few miles from the greatest snow on earth.

If you prefer the consistency of a nationwide chain, you can stay at Homestead Studio Suites. It is close to the freeway entrance, so all you need to do is jump in your rental car and drive less than your daily commute to The Sundance Film Festival. The rooms include a kitchen and wireless high-speed Internet access.

Where: Homestead Studio Suites Hotels – Sugarhouse 1220 E. 2100 S. Salt Lake City, UT 84106 Google Map Phone: 801-474-0771

If you prefer the more homey atmosphere of a locally run inn, then Sugarhouse Village Suite Inn would probably be your choice. Across the street from Sugarhouse Park, it is also just a street away from I-80, so the commute is minimal. These units also have kitchens.

Where: Sugarhouse Village – All Suite Inn 1339 East 2100 South Salt Lake City, UT 84105 Google Map Phone: 1-888-577-8483

Sugarhouse has a lot of offer the Sundance Film Festival attendee for a much more reasonable price. There is the Sundance Catalog Outlet Store right next to Wild Oats. Additionally, there are a few venues in the Salt Lake area, so Sugarhouse is the happy medium between Salt Lake and Park City. Staying in Sugarhouse might be so inexpensive that you can stay a couple of extra days and enjoy the ski resorts without the crowds.

I love to sit outside in the summer at Butcher’s Chop House. It’s usually a little chilly in the evenings, even in the summer, but the propane heaters and the French Onion Soup keep me warm. They even let you bring your dog if he’s well-behaved (ours is not). From the patio, you can watch the hikers and mountain bikers ride the Town Lift up the mountain. It’s a relaxing activity after a hard day riding.

If you come to Park City for the Sundance Film Festival, however, the patio area will be covered in a thick blanket of snow. I can’t tell you how disappointed I was to see my usual table under that snow. It looked like cream-cheese frosting on my chair.

The food of course, is just as excellent in the winter as it is in the summer and the delicious scent of meat emanates from the doors. I usually make a meal of appetizers, so I can’t say that I’ve actually had any of their entrees there. The prices are extremely reasonable and the portions are large. You can see their website and menu here:

• Butcher’s Chop House & Bar – Park City, Utah bar & restaurant

Butcher’s Chop House is an excellent place for dinner or lunch. If you are lucky enough to come during the summer, ask for the patio, it’s the best seat in the house.

Where: 751 Main Street, Park City, UT 84060 Google Map Phone: 435-647-0040