VEGAN EATING IN UTAH

was easier than I thought it would be. We ate at a few national chain restaurants - I found great menu choices at my standby, P.F. Changs.
California Pizza Kitchen and Olive Garden were kind enough to make some vegan accommodations.
Some wonderful Utah finds were Blue Lemon Bistro - that is where we had our Monterey reunion lunch, Divas - has yummy cupcakes...

Guru's Cafe - this Provo restaurant was extra special because we met Monica and Eliot for lunch there.

And one of my favorites was City Cakes - I wish we would have found it sooner on the trip.

My taste buds had a wonderful "hallelujah" moment while I taste tested sweet treats.

Maybe it's a good thing they were a late discovery because my taste buds still quiver at the thought of the peanut butter chocolate brownie - SO GOOD!!

A QUICK JAUNT

out to the Bonneville Salt Flats - NOT!
But it sure was fun!!

We had to go into Nevada to turn around.

And we never looked at the gas gauge.

We might have had the gas light come on in the middle of no where and five minutes later we might have seen a sign that said the nearest gas station was 22 miles away.

We might have said lots of prayers that were answered.

I CAN'T EXPLAIN IT,

it was just one of those nights gone giggly.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS TO DO

in Utah is visit with my family.
Stephanie and I went to see Grandma. In December she is turning 92 and we are already planning her 100th birthday party.
It is so fun to talk to her and listen to her stories. We had a great time visiting with her!
Her memory is starting to fade, so some of the stories get a little more interesting, which is fun. I'm sad about her memory loss starting - that is one of the things I'm not looking forward to when I get older. Grandma is an incredible seamstress. Even though her memories are getting a little fuzzy, her attention to detail is impeccable. She is making burp cloths for her little grand babies and the edging looks like a surger has done the work. Nope, they are hand done with perfectly spaced and height stitching. I was so impressed!

She loves maps and was showing Stephanie some villages in Scotland that we have family history in.

One of the highlights for me was looking at a book her mother had made for her. It is a wooden bound book that her mother had made and painted on and also in the inside cover. The pages all had hand drawn borders with lovely memories and keepsakes inside. It is old and in near perfect condition. What a treasure!

Aunt Lucia was able to come and visit while we were with Grandma. The conversations had me belly roll laughing!

We had a wonderful dinner with Aunt Eloise filled with interesting conversation and a lot of laughter.

And of course we went to visit Grandpa Young's grave site so Stephanie could say goodbye.

HIKING THE "Y"

I read a review that said this Provo hike was "easy but steep", which is true but a little misleading.

It is easy because it's only 1.2 miles and you follow a very well marked trail but that is the only thing easy about it for a sea-level wussy hiker, like myself....

It is STEEP with a fewer places even steeper and the 980 feet elevation gain made me feel like a pansy.

So, I have a few words of advice that I will remember for next time and might help you when you go to hike it yourself.

1. Don't go during the hottest part of the day.

2. Bring more than one bottle of water.

3. Don't bring your purse - put your camera in a backpack.

4. Enjoy the resting benches and the beautiful view while you catch your breath throughout the switchbacks.

I finally made it to the top of the "Y" and the view is gorgeous!

The"Y" is 380 feet high and 180 feet wide and is the largest collegiate symbol in the United States - the letter is bigger than the letters in the 'Hollywood' sign in California.

Who wants to go with me next time I'm in town?

MONTEREY GANG HOOKUP

in Utah.
Five of my high school friends live in Utah and I was able to see four of them on my trip.

It's been 23 years since I've seen most of them and it was SO wonderful catching up. They were amazing in the eighties and they are even more amazing now. My beautiful, inspiring, amazing friends make me smile. It was a happy, happy reunion.

I'M IN UTAH

finishing Stephanie-Palooza...

image via here

See you next week!

A DRAMATIC BEFORE AND AFTER

Purple hair.
That is one of the things my sister has always wanted and would Stephanie-Palooza be complete without her getting purple hair?
She has always had jobs where "no unnatural hair color" was allowed. We say she's been 'oppressed by the man'.
Now that she is unemployed and Scotland bound, she decided to go for it and last night her purple hair journey began.
This is my awesome hair stylist, newly engaged, beautiful sister-in-law Jill.
She took on the 4 hour task to take Steph to violet purple-ism...

My mother-in-laws sink is now the lovely shade of violet...

After three bleach jobs (one on the bottom and two on top), a whole bottle of violet, bags and pins up nostrils, 4 hours of surprise visitors saying good-bye and sneaking a look-see plus a fresh haircut, Stephanie's purple journey is complete and now she's really ready for her Scotland adventures.

BEFORE

AFTER

PS, of course were watching Glee. Rumor has it we'll be seeing John, in at least 10 episodes, yippee!

IT'S BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND NOW IT'S HERE

My baby sister is moving to Scotland!

photo via one of steph's self portraits

We're heading to Utah to finish Stephanie-Palooza and then we'll be saying "Cheerio!" at the SLC airport.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.

Explore. Dream. Discover."

-Mark Twain

I love you and I'm so proud of you Steph AND I can't wait for Larry and I to come visit you!

DINNER UNDER THE GOLDEN GATE,

Seriously, how stinkin' cool is this?!

I'd want to sit there all night and soak up the amazing atmosphere.

Jordan Ferney, won't you be my neighbor?