Author Archives: Jill Adler

Top 10 Pet-Friendly Restaurants

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I’ve always wondered why pets are not allowed on a deck or patio at restaurants. The lame-o excuse is often ‘health code restrictions’. I recently ate at a place in San Luis Obispo where the hostess made me tie up Takoda clear on the other side of the street. Not only was I distracted from my food out of worry but he was getting himself tangled ever 5 minutes and I would have to get up and walk over to help him. Eventually, our amazing waiter rolled his eyes and said we could put him right next to us. If having a dog near you – outside; where people go to smoke, drop trash, let their kids run amock- is truly unhealthy then why have many counties in California altered their rules to allow for your best friend to hang with you while you dine?

Even in Park City- aka Bark City- restaurants are reluctant to admit it’s because they don’t like dogs and not because of some out-dated health code that they deny us our pooches’ company. Only one place that I know of not only embraces the opportunity for good karma but goes the extra mile by providing dog treats and bowls on the patio. It’s appropriately named…Good Karma! Not surprisingly, the Indian restaurant in the Prospector area is a locals’ fave, especially on warm summer mornings for breakfast. The food is delish whether you choose an omelet or a kabob.

If you know of other good doggy dining spots in Utah, please share. In the meantime, here’s a list of the top dog-friendly restaurants in America published in Petside.com. You can go to their site for detailed descriptions on what makes these establishments wag our tails.

1.    Pat Troy’s Ireland’s Own – Alexandria, Virginia

2.    Fetch Bar and Grill – New York, New York

3.    Aster Cafe – Minneapolis, Minnesota

4.    The Regal Beagle – San Diego, California

5.    The Ginger Man – Dallas, Texas

6.    Fiery Ron’s Home Team BBQ – Charleston, South Carolina

7.    Lazy Dog Cafe- Multiple Locations, California

8.    Van Dyke Cafe- Miami, Florida

9.    White Dog Cafe – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

10.    Back Bay Alehouse – Atlantic City, New Jersey

Climb 4 Life – Sept. 14-16

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The HERA Climb 4 Life is swinging back into Utah next week and if you’ve ever thought of learning to climb, meeting fellow climbers, getting your kids to climb, learning outdoor photography or just spending the weekend with a great group of people then you absolutely MUST join this event. Trust me on this one. I love events and the Climb 4 life is one of my all-time favorites. And now, the event, held every year in September to raise money for ovarian cancer research, isn’t just about climbing.


It’s three days rather than four this year and instead of holding the activities on Friday and Saturday, they’ve moved them to Saturday and Sunday to make it easier for people to attend. My first Climb 4 Life was about getting women on rocks; now it’s about encouraging men, kids and chicks to explore the outdoors along the Wasatch whether climbing, hiking or taking photos. Yep. You heard right. I’m going to be taking outdoor photos this time around. How could I resist? New this year is a component where participants can spend the time with professional photographers, videographers and trainers, tweaking their photo skills. I’m going to be splitting my day shooting and learning how to better use Photoshop to edit my pics. Olympus Visionary sponsored Jay Kinghorn will lead the weekend along with Jeremiah Watt, and Black Diamond Photo Editor Sandra Salvas will be delivering a presentation on “What Makes A Great Photograph” on Saturday. The whole weekend is just $60 and it goes to a valiant cause. The price is miniscule for what you get and – if you raise $250 in donations – you can also take part in a raffle guaranteed to net you more than that in swag. There are parties Friday and Saturday nights and a Sunday afternoon closing party. I’ve always gone solo, but you can form a team. Basecamp is the Black Diamond Equipment parking lot. You can register there on Friday night but it’s better to do it online beforehand. Once you sign up, you get a goodie bag and an itinerary that includes two days with some of the best guides in their respective fields.

If you can only spare one day, bring out the fam for a “Families with Children Half-Day Climb”on Saturday (1-5 pm). It’s $30pp and you still get the Saturday night party and a goodie bag. Children of all ages are welcome to climb with their families and the personal guide from Utah Mountain Adventures. Maybe you want to climb a little harder or you have no interest in climbing at all but you child does? Drop Junior at Rockreation Indoor Climbing Gym on Saturday for the Kids Indoor Climbing
for ages 5 – 18. They’ll climb from 1-5 p.m. for $30 per child. Parents/legal guardians must fill out a waiver, but they don’t need to remain. That’s cheaper than most babysitters! You do need to register your child beforehand to make sure there are enough participants and coaches. Contact Jessica at jessicakinghorn@gmail.com or 801-505-5273.

Finally, you can also spend two days hiking places like Grandeur Peak and Gobbler’s Knob if you would rather keep your feet on the ground. Hiking guides from the Utah adventure nonprofit SPLORE will break you into groups depending on experience, ability and interest. Again, it’s $60 and that includes everything.

Click here to see the rundown for HERA’s Climb4Life.


Snowfall Contest at PCMR

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Quick, quick, quick. You have until next week to win a pair of tickets to Park City Mountain Resort this season. The annual Snowfall Contest ends September 4. So get those calculators and Google eyes geared and make your best guess as to when PCMR will hit their first 6 inches or more. Fill out the online form. If you pick the closest day and time, you win two winter day passes. The resort will track the snow total through the National Water and Climate Center’s sensor in Thaynes Canyon.

Last year, Kirk Partridge guessed October 5 at 11 p.m. along with two others. The actual snow total was 7 inches and Kirk’s guess of 7.5 inches was the closest. BTW, another six inches fell the night before opening day, November 19, but the first official powder day didn’t come until January 19, 2012. The Farmer’s Almanac predicts another winter like last year for Utah with most of the snow falling to the east of the country but Accuweather says just the opposite. Just goes to show how impossible it is to predict the weather. It’s about as accurate and believing in your own snow dance (which btw, PCMR will be doing in November before opening day)


* In the event of a tie, PCMR will pick the person whose guess is closest to the actual total snowfall accumulation recorded at the hour it passes 6 inches.


Mountain Bling Continues

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By Jill Adler

Just because I live and play in the outdoors doesn’t mean I like to bare all. Granted, I’m not the best at accessorizing but when I find something cool, that works with my ‘style’, I’m all over decorating my neck and limbs.

I got my first Expression Ring at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. The owner/designer was in a corner of one of the gifting suites at The Sky Lodge; surrounded by power waters, and Burt’s Bee’s products. I was attracted to the luring sparkle at the CW3PR RE:treat.

Cancer was the inspiration for these stretchy, shiny, fun rings. On February 4th, 2010, Mike Kacynski was diagnosed with Stage 4 Renal Cell Carcinoma that had metastasized throughout his spine and other bones. His battle inspired his wife’s best friend Holly Freese to start Expression Rings of Hope. The rings are made with Swarovski crystals and Miyuki Delica seed beads. They retail for $45 but there are always one or two on her website for $25. A portion of the proceeds of each ring go to the Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research in Mike Kacynski’s name.


High West For SkyWest

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By Jill Adler

 

 

Whiskey and eggs, anyone? Park City’s High West Distillery is now open at Salt Lake International. When you’ve got that 7 a.m. layover or want a good, stiff one after your ski vacay to arm yourself for the return to civiliation, you can now step into Concourse E for breakfast, lunch or dinner, western and whiskey style.

 

High West Distillery and Saloon is Utah’s first legal distillery since 1870 and the expansion is the restaurant’s first since it opened in 2009. Located at exactly 7,000 feet above sea level in historic Old Town Park City, the original High West is the world’s only ski-in gastro-distillery where food is expertly paired with house-made whiskey. Visitors can enjoy contemporary Western comfort food next to High West’s hand hammered 250-gallon copper pot still in a renovated 100-year-old livery stable and Victorian mining-era home. High West’s renovation of the buildings earned the 2010 Utah Heritage Foundation Award for Adaptive Use, and both structures are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

 

“We’re thrilled we’ll be able to share our love of great food and great spirits with as many people as possible — particularly the weary travelers who pass through Salt Lake City every year who haven’t yet tried what we have to offer at High West,” High West proprietor David Perkins said.

 

The restaurant will serve up its classic cocktails like the Dead Man’s Boot and High West Lemonade. The food will feature “All Darn Day Saloon Bites” and “Crack O’ Dawn Victuals.” You’ll still have to grab your souvenir bottles of Rendezvous Rye, Bourye, Valley Tan and Campfire in Park City and pack them in your checked luggage while they work out the kinks of purchasing liquor at pre-boarding.

 

 

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