Author Archives: Jill Adler

X-DANCE Says NoDance to SUNDANCE

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It’s a well-known tactic to create a festival to piggyback the marketing machine that is the Sundance Film Festival. Over the years there’s been Slamdance, Tromadance, Slamdunk, and X-Dance. For the first time ever the GoPro X-Dance Action Sports Film Festival will fly solo. Get ready and get your tickets for the (pretty much) only action sports fest in the world, January 12-15, 2012. “X-Dance has reached the point where we can stand alone and not run during Sundance,” said X-Dance’s Ann Wycoff. “We wanted to have the festival over the long weekend as the timing was better to celebrate these terrific films.”

Filmmakers and athletes from around the globe will arrive at the Depot in downtown Salt Lake City (13 North 400 West; 801-456-2800 www.depotslc.com) to showcase and celebrate the best of the best in sports like skiing, surfing, mountain biking and more.
 “It truly is the best of action sports. Nowhere else will you find all of the top athletes and filmmakers under one roof,” says surfing legend Laird Hamilton, a long-time X-Dance supporter.


This year’s line-up features athletic talent like speed demon snowboarder Shaun Palmer, extreme skier Seth Morrison, aloha surfer Jamie O’Brien, snowboard medalist Scotty Lago, and downhill mountain biking madmen Gee Atherton and Sam Hill. Curt Morgan, the director/producer of That’s It, That’s All, has a new epic film this year called The Art of FLIGHT that follows snowboarder Travis Rice around the globe as he conquers new terrain. The film’s cinematography is said to be mesmerizing, shot with a Phantom and a Cineflex, the same cameras used to shoot the Super Bowl and “Planet Earth.” Top wakeboarder Danny Harf will also attend the festival to present his film, Defy. Legendary filmmaker Jack McCoy will be busy getting the Lifetime Achievement Award at X-Dance 2012 and the same time premiering his film A Deeper Shade of Blue, which explores the roots and soul of surfing from the perspective of this legendary action sports filmmaker. He’s also produced a music video called Blue Sway with Paul McCartney that will be screened as well.


Tara Dakides at X-Dance. Photo courtesy of X-Dance

The top 30 accepted films from the hundreds of submissions will be screened for the public starting Thursday, January 12. The producers, directors and many of the athletes will be on hand for Q&A sessions after the film screenings. Park at the Gateway Mall, in the lots nearby, or on the street. Tickets are available through SMITH TIX and The Depot Box Office for
$8 per film, $5 for students, $15 for a day pass, $30 for a 3-day pass, $25 for students. For a detailed list of films and events go to www.x-dance.com. They are constantly updating the site as plans evolve so please be patient.

Don’t Forget the Parties

The Opening Party on Thursday, January 12 features live entertainment and is (unlike those for Sundance) open to everyone. Tickets are also available at The Depot Box Office. Same goes for the X-Dance Awards Ceremony and Closing Party on Sunday, January 15 at 7 p.m.
Industry stars and celebrities join bands and DJs while the extraordinary VJ transforms the enormous room into a mesmerizing, wall-to-wall montage of action sports imagery. And finally make sure you stop by Swag Town at a special area at The Depot for action sports swag, the latest products and sampling from X-Dance’s favorite action sports brands.


Trailers for “Must See” X-Dance Films:

The Art of Flight: Brainfarm Prods.: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kh29_SERH0Y

All. I. Can. : Sherpas Prods: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQD5gEr76y4

Solitare: Sweetgrass Prods: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKUhGwGM3fA

Drop, My Life Downhill: Orangefist Prods: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0gbjy7CvoA

Frontier, River Roots Prods: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVT6QsRDt_M

3 Minute Gaps: Clay Porter Director: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMUfvNqKQdw

Boardroom, Markus Davids Dir.: http://vimeo.com/7643212

Walls of Perception, Poor Boyz Prods. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvXt7YSDkT8

Top 5 Reasons To See A Sundance Film

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You’ve found yourself in Park City over the last half of January. The place is overrun with a&^holes who think they own the town, there’s no parking and the few regular spots are charging $20+ per car, the restaurants are overbooked, lodging is double-priced, and it’s cold. When you’re tired of celeb-spotting you can always see a movie…..


Here are the top 5 reasons to see a Sundance Film.

5. It’ll never come out in a movie theater or even on DVD

Bad bad bad. Just because a flick makes it into Sundance does NOT mean it’s good. Out of 10 movies, four might be decent, two bearable and four downright awful. About 8000 films get sent to the Sundance offices in Park City each year. Less than three percent make it into the program. You would think with the pick of the litter, every movie would be a masterpiece. Nope. The Sundance process is extremely political, subjective and mostly about who you know or have worked with (duh), and not about excellent storytelling.

4. You can’t afford to go to one of the better, up-and-coming festivals like SXSW or IFF or Boston or Oxford or Seattle or Ann Arbor. You live within an hour’s flight of Park City, Utah, you have friends with whom you can crash, you hear Justin Bieber may be in the audience, so why not?

3. You get to hear the filmmakers discuss what the hell they were thinking when they made their movie. It’s not every day you get Cliff Notes to what you’ve watched. Pop into a premiere at Eccles, the Park City Library or the Egyptian Theater and there’s usually a panel discussion of the director, a couple of lead actors and the producer. And, trust me, when you watch a Sundance film like Perfect Sense you will want to know why the filmmaker bothered. When Uma Thurman and Minnie Driver thanked audiences for appreciating their movie Motherhood no one knew it would come and go from theaters faster than popcorn in a five-year-old’s bucket. But the actresses both looked very pretty.


2. Someone gave you a ticket or you have nothing better to do in Park City. There’s no new snow, you’ve spent a month slip-sliding on crowded groomers and the last thing you want to do today is ski again.So instead you can stand in a waitlist line, get a number, then come back at least 30 minutes before showtime, stand in line again to actually buy your ticket, then stand in the ticket holders’ line to enter the theater. Did we mention that your ticket will cost $15 without 3D or Surround Sound?



And the Number One Reason to See A Sundance Flick:

1. Because all your friends will think you’re so cool when you say, “I saw it at Sundance.”


Outdoor Picks For Outdoor Kids

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No one’s denying that unless you get your grom the ‘it’ item of Christmas whether it’s a Transformers action figure, Disney Princess Castle, iPod Touch or Justin Bieber door poster, you’re failing as a parent. But what about the other eight gifts under the tree? Offer up something more substantial this holiday with these faves for active parents and kids.

Chaco Loyalist Ecotreads


Start ’em early. You don’t have to wait for summertime and sandals to get your little explorers their own set of Chacos. The Loyalist for girls and the PedSheds for boys will take busy feet on first adventures. The suede leather shoes are built with the same arch support and long-lasting, non-marking sole that elevated the brand. $120. www.chacos.com

Kodak EasyShare Sport C123 Digital Camera


No need to worry when your little Ansel Adams reaches for the digital camera. Put an EasyShare Sport into his hands and turn him loose. For just a few dollars more than you’d pay for those cheap imitation/play cameras, you’ll actually get a worry-free camera that takes decent photos. It’s not ruggedized but it is sand, dirt and waterproof (up to 10 feet), and sized just right for tiny hands. The C123 shoots 12MP, takes AA batteries and uses SD memory cards. The controls are simple enough for a 5-year-old but bigger kids will dig the instant upload to their favorite photo-sharing websites. $55. http://store.kodak.com/store/ekconsus/en_US/pd/SPORT_Camera/productID.222433400

Exxel Outdoors Disney 5-piece kid’s camp set


A surefire way to entice kids to bag the game controller and explore their backyard is by slapping their favorite Disney and Marvel characters onto sleeping bags and tents. Sturdy fiberglass shock-corded tent poles prop up this water repellent tent while the mesh ceiling opens up the sky for stargazing. It’s meant for outdoors so don’t be shy. The sleeping bag is warm enough for summer nights and it comes with a backpack/stuffsack, flashlight and compass. $39, www.exxel.com.

Leki Drifter Vario S Ski Poles


They beg and beg and beg and it’s finally time for their first set of ski poles. Maximize your yield with the Drifter Vario S. Adjustable from 36 – 48 inches, you won’t have to buy them another pair until high school. No fumbling with straps when you use the Junior Racer S Gloves or Mitt. Now if they only came in pink…..Poles/gloves- $99/$59; http://www.thesportloft.com/

 

Motorola MJ270R Talkabout Radios


Whether they’re calling Star Command or Dad, your kids will freak having their very own walkie-talkies in their hands. Blip from up to 27 miles away and unlike cellphones, you won’t have to worry about dropping them in the snow, losing your signal or wearing down your battery. Speaking of which, rejuice the battery through a USB cable. No more bulky chargers to lug around. The radios come equipped with NOAA weather channels, a built-in flashlight and emergency alert siren. Plus you get two free, colored faceplates of your choosing. $47 per pair.
http://www.walmart.com.

Insta Snow!

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The wait for new snow is excruciating right now. We couldn’t take it anymore so Sage and I made our own… with Insta Snow!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHaOOV4dUu0&w=560&h=315]

All you do is add water and voile! Fake snow.The non-toxic powder is made of the same polymer used in gardens to keep soil moist. Sprinkle water and it puffs to look like real snow. it doesn’t melt but if it dries out all you do is spritz a little more water on it. It’s safe for kids, plants and most household surfaces (avoid untreated wood). It’s soft and fluffy to the touch but definitely don’t try to put it on your tongue (or eat for that matter).

We haven’t tried to ski on it but then I doubt one little jar would be enough for my fatties.

$11, https://www.beamazing.com/Products/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=55

Got Cravings?

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There’s a whole lot of sweetness coming to Park City this winter. First, there was the opening of Quincy’s Frozen Yogurt at Deer Valley and now Crave at Canyons. Well, it’s not exactly at Canyons but once the gondola starts spinning from the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel up to the Grand Summit the tasty bakery with the big, mouthwatering desserts will at least be the ski-in part of the ski-in/ski-out idea.

However, the luscious treats are just the icing on the cake for the latest Talisker venture.

For those of you who checked out for a bit, the Waldorf used to be named the Dakota Mountain Lodge when it opened in 2009 but as one of the sales managers explained, “Too many people were calling to ask which part of Dakota – North or South- we were located.” The boutique hotel chain rebranded for better name recognition in 2010 and partnered with Talisker this year. Inside, is a gorgeous colonial/mountain ambiance with 175 rooms ranging from singles to four-bedroom condos.


The hotel also houses the 16,000 square foot Golden Door Spa, outdoor patios with fire pits, an outdoor pool and Jacuzzi, Scoop for après ice cream, poolside specialty drinks, and s’mores, Crave and the new Slopes by Talisker.


Spaghetti and Meatball cupcakes have a berry filling and the Peanut Butter Cupcakes are filled with jelly.


Crave is the extension of Talisker’s masterful pastry chef Mary Cech. She’s making use of the digs up at the old Silvermine Adventure just before the turn onto Guardsman Pass where her team is busy crafting desserts the way chemists tinker in their research laboratories. Instead of trying to save room for a Warm Caramel Apple Cake or Chocolate Torte you can pop over to Crave some other time and go straight to the sweets.


Slopes By Talisker adds another feather in Talisker’s John Murko’s cap. That brings the total to 22 food venues he must oversee. Slopes is said to offer locally sourced ingredients and showcase seasonal flavors. Many of the dishes will be heart healthy, with some vegan and gluten –free choices. The restaurant will serve breakfast and lunch in the lounge/bar area with dinner in the rear, fine-dining space. Slopes is open for guests of the Waldorf Astoria as well as the general public but gauging by the limited seating and classiness of the area you best make reservations.


Crave will also beat out the nearby 7-11 for best coffee and rolls to go. The place is tiny; tucked in a corner just next to Slopes. You might think it’s a coat closet but step around for breakfast pastries, take-out lunch items, and house-made cookies, cupcakes, muffins and chocolates. Crave opens at 6:30 a.m.

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