Not too long ago, we’d never dream of eating outside in the winter. Hot food instantly turns cold along with your fingers, toes and nose. Can you say unpleasant? But with all of the new rules surrounding Covid-19 safety like limited seating or full-indoor closures, resort restaurants have been forced to get creative or lose their businesses.
No indoor dining, you say? We’ll do you one better and offer really expensive indoor-outdoor dining for your vacation pleasure. How’s that for finding a silver lining to the Covid-19 ski season circus? Enter tent, yurt, igloo and dome dining. Even old gondolas find a new home this winter.
Colorado Dining Cabs
In Steamboat Springs, Mountain Tap Brewery has taken three, bright purple gondolas and repurposed them with electric heating, Bluetooth speakers, twinkly lights and room for up to six friends to safely dine and drink.
Telluride also has set out 20 newly refurbished, heated, ventilated and socially distanced buckets. Up to eight guests can sit on plush seats, and order from 12 different restaurants around the plaza.
At Aurum Food and Wine in Breckenridge and Steamboat, you can climb inside a yurts, bundle up with quilts and lanterns and feast on a special chef’s multi-course meal.
Vail, Colo., restaurants have also gotten into the game by adding heated tents and igloos.
Utah’s Yurts Igloo and Dome Dining
Courtesy of Stein Eriksen Lodge
Speaking of igloos, Alpenglobes are all the rage in the Beehive State. The Utah-based company designs these clear domes to offer diners a 360-degree, panoramic view from posh spot like the deck of the Stein Eriksen Lodge and Butcher’s Chophouse in Park City. It’ll cost you $200 for 90 minutes but what’s that kind of money compared to the company of good friends and family on vacation. Plus you get adjustable heating, Bluetooth music dimmable chandeliers, mountain views and cocktails.
The Wasatch Brew Pub at the top of Main Street in Park City erected their own cool little igloos to serve Covid-conscious diners. Each dome seats up to eight people and reservations are required.
And at the bottom of Main, you’ll spot another Alpenglobe for whiskey fans. The High West Distillery’s Nelson Cottage . The eight guests not only get those panoramic views, heat, and ventilation but variable mood lighting as well. They won’t be able to dine off a full menu but can get sips and snacks.
The Yurt Village at The St. Regis Deer Valley is quite the spectacle over at the hotel’s “Ski Beach.” Three custom-made yurts feature mahogany lattices, plexiglass for stargazing and radiant heat. They are themed based on the 2002 Olympics events that were held at Deer Valley (Aerials, Moguls and Slalom) and seat eight for a gourmet mountain meal.
All of these unique dining spectacles come with a high pricetag, demand and limitations. Most can seat only 6- 8 guests and are booked up well in advance. There is also a food and beverage minimum ranging from $200 – $400 (depending on the date and time) plus tax and gratuity. But getting engaged, having a birthday, only taking one vacation during a pandemic? If you can score one just once, it might be totally worth the splurge.
I’m getting on a plane tomorrow. I’m terrified. The Covid-19 pandemic isn’t even close to being over but, you see, three months ago we thought the ‘moment’ would pass. We jumped on a deal to fly to Boston for less than $200 and a no questions asked cancellation policy. We figured since we always visit Ryan’s family in the summer, this craziness would be over by July and we could get back to business as usual. If not, we could cancel. I never considered Covid-19 Travelers’ Remorse.
Well, it’s not back to normal and we didn’t cancel. Ah, the price of one’s life; or the fragile human ego believing it won’t be enslaved by a virus. Summer is travel time; contagions be damned. But, please, don’t use us an the example. Traveling right now is the stupidest thing you could do.
Stay-at-home orders are once again spreading as fast as the disease, with states/cities implementing two-week, self quarantines for travelers. I don’t know about you but I’m not interested in a three-week vacation where most of it is spent in lock down like the one in Hawaii. Currently, Massachusetts and Utah have no restrictions but with the sharp rise in cases in the beehive state it wouldn’t surprise me to come home to a quarantine.
Will you get on a plane or even roadtrip this summer? And once you get to your destination, can a hotel really be any safer than that plane? According to an article on POPSUGAR, “This risk comes from interacting with fomites — objects or surfaces that are likely to carry infection — or interacting with infected people. The risk in a hotel environment could come from interacting with hotel employees, such as front desk staff or housekeeping staff, or with other hotel guests.” There’s the public you pass on the stairs, the elevator, the restrooms, business centers, gyms, pool and dining areas. Free breakfast? Fogedaboutit. Then there are the little danger zones you might miss – that doorknob, tv remote, alarm clock button, pens you used to sign in with, the railing, the elevator button.
But Marriott says they’re COVID safe!? Those “enhanced cleaning regimens” the big chains speak of are a smokescreen to lure you back into their beds. Check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Only essential travel is advised. You’re risking infection and/or spreading the virus on your return. Like a spy in a Netflix show, you’re never safe- airports, gas stations, rental car counters, and cafes. Boy, does this scenario suck for the warriors like me.
Have I succeeded in scaring anyone? If you all stay home then I can travel safely!
Wearing masks and social distancing is like wearing an expired condom- it may work; it may not. At least there’s no hotel for me. But I’m still bringing wipes, hand sanitizer and my mask, staying six feet away from the kid brother who has been out regularly partying with friends at the beach and you all can go ahead and go to that restaurant without me. I’m a cancer survivor with a normally shitty immune system. Not that I’m constantly sick but, yeah, cancer.
So, here I am about to board my Delta flight. Unlike the shitshow happening over on American and United, my middle seat will be empty and everyone will be wearing masks. This may be my first and last flight of the year. Just saying.
Here’s some interesting advice from that POPSUGAR post, if you are planning a hotel stay, “ask for a room that no one, not guests nor housekeeping staff, have entered in the past three days” so “viral copies are deactivated before you arrive”. HA! Good luck with that request.
If you live in the west, you might think that Louisiana is immune to winter but the folks of Shreveport beg to differ. Starting November 30, 2019, the first floor of Sci-Port Discovery Center will transform into a winter oasis.
A new exhibit called Sno-Port: The Science and Wonders of Snowflakes blankets the first floor of the 92,000-square-foot Discovery Center, and will include interactive exhibitions and activities. The installation includes a blizzard tunnel, “Make-a-Flake,” ice fishing, and a chair lift ride, to bring winter to visitors of the Pelican State. The interactive displays will run for 10 weeks.
Why Winter in Lousiana?
“Sno-Port is a perfect example of how Sci-Port serves as an anchor to bring the resources of our community together to provide unique educational opportunities,” said Dianne Clark, executive director of Sci-Port Discovery Center. “We’re so excited to be included in this year’s holiday activities in Shreveport-Bossier.”
Throughout the month of December, Sci-Port Discovery Center will collaborate with local organizations and businesses to host pop-up shops and restaurants. Learning Express Toys will set up a gift shop near Sno-Port that will feature a variety of snow-related toys and games. Shreveport’s Milam Street Kitchen Incubator and Community Kitchen will curate a series of pop-up restaurants during the month of December. A different pop-up being featured each week during Sci-Port’s regular hours of operation on Thursdays through Sundays.
Each immersive, interactive exhibit incorporates different fields of science, including geoscience, biology, physics, mathematics, architecture, engineering, computer science, and chemistry. Educational aspects of this exhibit directly relate to the emphasis on S.T.E.M. learning in American education.
What Does Winter in Louisiana Look Like?
Morph into a snowflake in the Blizzard Tunnel. Make a snowflake as individual as you are to hang in the sky with hundreds of other snowflakes. Grab a pole and go ice fishing in the digital ice pond. Toss a “snowball” into the snow castle windows to make the bells ring. Hang out in an over-sized igloo where you can “chill” and use your imagination to create your own objects made from foam ice blocks.
End your snowflake journey in the Sci-Port Planetarium on the Red River Rocket. Feel the excitement of take-off with the sensation of cool wind on your face as you trek your way through a virtual reality snow blizzard in downtown Shreveport and Bossier City.
The Details
Winter continues through Jan. 30, 2020, but throughout the month of December, Sci-Port Discovery Center will collaborate with local organizations and businesses to host pop-up shops and restaurants.
Tickets and times to Sno-Port: The Science and Wonders of Snowflakes are here. For more information on Sci-Port Discovery Center or Sno-Port: The Science and Wonders of Snowflakes, visit http://www.sci-port.org.
It doesn’t take long for an inquisitive visitor to Park City to hear tell of the little resort town’s storied past. The remnants surround you; of the silver mine boom and bust, the historic structures that pepper Park City Mountain and multi-colored “shacks” built into the hillsides. Eventually, history buffs find their way to the unique museums like Park City’s for a nostalgic immersion of all things turn of the century.
Museums are often overlooked in small towns but some of the most fascinating artifacts are curated by locals with a passion for everything from bullets to bugs and they can’t wait to show you around. Here are some of the more unusual collections found in Utah.
Tom Whitaker’s Cowboy Museum- Ol’ Tom Whitaker, the founder of the Heber Valley Cowboy Poetry Gathering, opens his Cowboy Museum in Midway to the public only twice a year- during the Gathering and on the Fourth of July. But if you just can’t wait to walk through time into the railroad room, Indian and cowboy room, western brothel housed in a restored pioneer cabin, then send him an email. Tom and wife Linda are happy to show you around. Even the exterior with cactuses and windmill from Iowa reflects the wild west. Free Admission 510 N. River Rd Midway next to Midway Memorial Hill. whitakers777@gmail.com.
Heber Valley CAF (Commemorative Air Force ) Wing Air Museum The Utah wing of the national non-profit aviation association exists solely to immortalize the big birds of WWII and share the past with plane buffs. The focus of this museum is on aircraft like the Boeing PT-17/N2S Stearman but volunteers will graciously tour you through displays on women in aviation and commercial aircraft as well. You can also book a ride in a bi-plane if you plan ahead.
CAF Hangar on the Russ McDonald Field, Heber Valley Airport. Open Thurs.-Sun. May 1- Oct. 31. 435-709-7269
Price Museum of speed (SLC) – For those with a thing for wheels over wings, there’s this ode to vintage race cars. The more than 30 international speedsters housed in this downtown Salt Lake City space either won or placed well in renowned events like the Grand Prix and Le Mans and date back to 1904. Ogle the 1929 Bugatti 35B Racer and 1938 Mormon Meteor III by appointment only. 165 E 600 S; Salt Lake City, (801) 906-0157.
Moab Museum of Film and Western Heritage – The west was won by John Ford and John Wayne if you ask the curators of this museum inside the Red Cliffs Lodge in southern Utah. The area served as a backdrop to cowboy classics like Wagon Master, Rio Grande, and Son of Cochise and hosted golden era stars like Rock Hudson, Henry Fonda, Maureen O’Hara and more. The self-guided, free unique museum displays memorabilia like movie posters and costumes from the early films to the present, all shot in the Moab area. When you’re done looking around, cozy up to the Castle Creek wine bar, also inside Red Cliffs, for free wine tasting from noon- 7 p.m. The museum is open 8 a.m.- 10 p.m. (866) 812-2002.
Photo by Tricia Simpson
Western Mining and Railroad Museum– The Denver and Rio Grande railroads established Helper, Utah, as a hub for coal miners and their families in the late 1800s and their story continues to be told through the exhibits housed in the Old Helper Hotel building, built in 1913. You get three stories plus the basement of railroad and mining memorabilia, as well as exhibits on the company store life and the war years. The third floor is said to be haunted. Free tours upon request, Mon.- Sat. 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Utah State Railroad Museum – This one is for the kiddos, fantasy conductors and general train buffs. Outside Union Station is a free exhibit of full-sized rare locomotives and autos including a gas-turbine train. Inside are more displays and stories of the development and construction of the transcontinental railroad. Union Station, 2501 Wall Avenue, Ogden, Utah. (Inside) $5, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Mon. – Sat.
Utah Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum– Yes, this is Utah so there must be an authentic Utah Cowboy Hall of Fame. It’s tucked inside the heritage museum amid the exhibits that honor artists, entertainers, musicians, ranchers, and writers that celebrated those true western values. Union Station, 2501 Wall Avenue, Ogden, Utah. $5, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Mon. – Sat.
John M. Browning Firearms Museum– Also inside Ogden’s Union Station is a tribute to Mr. Browning and his original firearms from mini pistols to sporting rifles. Winchester, Colt, Remington have all based their guns on Browning’s designs. Give yourself time to wander among the tremendous array of guns and family history. Union Station, 2501 Wall Avenue, Ogden, Utah. $5, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Mon. – Sat.
Art Robinson Transport Museum – When you love trucks as much as Art does, you set up five barns’ worth of all makes, models and years. This truck fancier’s paradise is a must see and houses such lovelies as a ’72 Brockway and a ’44 Mack. 875 W Main St., across US50 from the Robinson Transport Yard, Salina, Utah. 435-529-4354.
Goulding’s Trading Post Museum– This small museum in Monument Valley tells the story of trading post days, the corralling of famous western films of the time, as well as Navajo tribal art history. For anyone visiting the area, old west film buffs and John Wayne fans (they show classic John Ford films in the Movie Room), take an hour from your day for a free self-guided tour. Inside Goulding’s Lodge, 1000 Main Street Monument Valley, Utah. (435) 727-3231.
John Wesley Powell River History Museum– Ever heard of Lake Powell? Well, this compact but unique museum in Green River celebrates the explorers who first discovered and mapped the Colorado and Green rivers and canyons in Utah, and all things related- geology, navigation, environmental impacts. There are photos and interactive displays, as well as dinosaur replicas and fossil records in the basement. Admission is $6. 765 East Main Street, Green River, Utah. 435-564-3427. Open daily in the summer.
Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum– The irony for this free educational “life science” museum is that the large collection of animals aren’t alive. The taxidermied zoo impresses with full-sized giraffes and a bull elephant. There’s also a touch and feel area for kids and free weekly shows with live animals at 7:30 p.m. Open Mon.-Sat. 645 E 1430 N, Provo, Utah, Brigham Young University. (801) 422-5050
Why is it when you hit a certain age you’re expected to stop crashing on people’s floors? I prefer friends’ houses to hotels. They are warmer, cozier, and more entertaining. I haven’t seen your enchanting face in ages except on Facebook. I know guest etiquette; don’t you want to see me in person?
Of course, it’s usually cheaper to stay with friends and I am a frugal sort but that’s not the point. If I’m not staying with you, you might not see me. That would be terrible. Maybe that’s what you’d prefer. Wait, seriously? What kind of friend or sister are you??
In the summer, it’s relatively easy to make other arrangements when friends are unaccommodating. You can sleep in your car if you have to. But the gray, chill days of winter make it too damn cold for car camping and let’s be real here, winter camping is not all it’s cracked up to be. However, when the most expensive part of any road trip is that heated roof over your head you can’t blame a person for looking up old friends for a place to crash.
Ironically, “you’re welcome to stay here,” is one of those phrases thrown out by anyone and everyone much the same way a passerby utters, “How are you?” or “Guzentite.” Ninety percent of the time, they don’t really mean it.
I got called to Los Angeles last minute over a holiday weekend and my so-called friends and relatives scattered like roaches. There was not a vacant room or couch to be found. I had to suck it up and stay at a crappy motel…. for nearly $200 a night! Turns out, “You’re welcome to stay here,” really meant “we want to sound gracious but please don’t ever ask.”
WTF? Was I an awful guest? I felt like exhibited best guest etiquette – cleaned up after myself, took my hosts to dinner, brought a welcome gift, stripped the bed- but maybe I was missing something.
I took to the street and asked the masses if they could offer any advice to their future guests what would it be? Some flat out said, “Stay at a hotel.” Real helpful, Guys. Still, their responses demonstrated that I need not take empty invites personally. Most “grown-ups” just don’t want you staying in their neat and well-ordered home. Since my home is far from well-ordered I guess I love having friends visit.
More productively, here’s some guest etiquette compiled from gracious homeowners on how to be the best guest possible.
Ask For House Rules Up Front-
When your friend says (and means) that they would love to have you, not only thank them but ask for their expectations so there’s no weirdness once you arrive. This allows your host to lay down some boundaries of what you can do and when. They can make their expectations clear and you can choose if that works for you before you ever cross the threshold. Shoes off when you enter? Quiet after 9 p.m.? No surprise guests? No drinking? Is it ok to walk around in your pjs? Understand and honor those expectations.
Your Vacation Isn’t Theirs-
Many hosts hate the expectation that they have to drop everything and show you a good time. Guests assume since they’re on vacation their friends can take unlimited time off, so make sure you let your host know you’re psyched just to have a place to sleep and you can entertain yourself.
Be Tidy-
You’re not staying in a hotel where the maids enter every day to fold towels and vacuum. Put on a neatfreak hat during your stay even if you are the ultimate slob. Keep your “stuff” contained in its duffel, fold your own towels and make your bed. If you cook or use the dishes, clean them and put them away. Your goal is to make the place look like you aren’t there. “A good guest will ask if you need anything or if they can help in any way,” said Park City, Utah, host Deb Dekoff. “We allow them to help out. It makes for a nice stay for everyone.”
In addition, help with cleaning up after meals, strip the beds when you leave and bring your own towel.
Meals-
Buy and eat your own food and while you’re at it cook or treat your hosts to at least one dinner if you can. Your friends aren’t expecting anything lavish. They know you’re staying with them to save money and dining out – especially in a resort town – could cost you as much as a hotel night. Buy the groceries, make dinner for all and do all the cleanup. That’s just as good if not better than a night on the town on you.
Figure Out Your Own Transportation-
Budget for a rental car or Uber if you’re not near public transportation. Ask for the best place to park if you have your own car and respect the answer. Do not park on the driveway means don’t park on the driveway.
Bring a Token of Appreciation-
Does your friend have a thing for whiskey? Coffee? Chocolate? Surprise them with a welcome gift or send them a thank you treat after your visit. “I had one guest get me an orchid-of-the-month for three months. I loved it as I don’t have plants,” said Tammy Manassa. “Repeat guests don’t buy me gifts but take us to dinners but I don’t expect it so it’s fine with me if they don’t buy anything. It’s not about this. It’s about sharing our home with people we care and want to be with.” Still, a little gift, maybe some “real beer” if you’re coming to Utah, goes a long way when trying to keep the door open for future visits.
Animals-
Leave yours at home unless the host begs to see your four-legged baby. But do treat the hosts’ pets like they are royalty. Offer to petsit or take them on walks. “Be kind to my animals and you’re always welcome back,” said one local. If you are allowed to have your dog, make sure you pick up poop, offer to clean carpets if there’s an accident (which you better hope doesn’t happen) and replace items that may get chewed.
Kids-
Your friends are not your babysitters. If you want a night out without those chillens, hire a sitter. Even better, if your friends have kids, you be the sitter and give them a night out.
Be Entertaining-
Visiting friends should be a lively time of bonding. Don’t hide in your room and avoid those moments whether they involve cocktails and boardgames or watching a movie.
Don’t Outstay Your Welcome
Let your hosts know exactly how many days you intend to stay. No matter how awkward it might be to ask for a place for a week, it’s even worse if you say, “I just need something for a couple of nights” and you’re still there on night three. Your hosts have things to do, places to be and possible other guests to host. They need to make plans and not worry the whole time about when you are leaving. Get out of their hair when you say you will. Don’t ask for extra days once you’re there. If they offer, great but most hosts don’t want to be rude so they will say ok if you ask. You just won’t be welcome again.
If you find yourself in my position where you think you are an amazing guest and your friends just don’t see it, there is an alternative. Couchsurfing.com is a network of vagabonds and boondockers who are looking to pay it forward. They spent years roaming the globe and crashing on couches and they want to repay the favors. It’s free and it beats AirBnB if you don’t mind living with strangers for a beat. Just remember to mind your Ps and Qs. If all goes well you will have new friends to host you the next time around. And if it doesn’t you will know why as the hosts are allowed to review their guests.
And most importantly….
Repay The Favor
If some generous homeowner has hosted you- once, twice, three times, whatever- don’t be surprised when the tables are turned and they decide to come for a visit themselves. Be ready with fresh sheets and open arms. A zillion excuses like “this is not a good time,” “the catsitter has the place that weekend”, “if only you had given me more notice” tagged with “you can find another place to stay, right?” will only get you crickets the next time you ask for bed space.
Creative Thank You Gift Ideas
The best gifts are the thoughtful ones that show you “get” your hosts. A friend let me stay at her house while she was out of town but there wasn’t a single guest pillow in the place. I bought two and left them for her. Another time I noticed all of my friends’ coffee mugs were chipped and mismatched. I set them a nice set of four mugs when I got home.
Coffee-
If you’re a coffee drinker not only should you bring your own but bring an extra bag of your local java to gift. Here, there’s Park City Coffee Roaster but if you are anywhere near Hood River, Ore., or Jackson Hole, Wyo., you better bring a bag of Stoked Roasters or JH Coffee Roasters. Both delicious packs of perk.
Alcohol-
There are so many brands and labels that your hosts will get a kick out of. Help them discover your local favorite like High West Distillery’s Rendezvous Rye or Gramercy Cellars Syrah. Nothing says, “Thanks,” better than a bottle of wine or whiskey. Or a six-pack or two of craft brew like Durango’s Modus Hoperandi IPA. Just make sure your hosts imbibe.
Slippers-
One gift people love but seldom buy for themselves are house slippers. Acorn makes some of the best; you will earn accolades when presenting the fun, cozy, classic slouch boot. It’s the perfect winter gesture when you’re sitting around the fire toasting to good times. BTW, you don’t have to be right on the money with sizes but try to find out beforehand rather than guessing.
