32. Utah

Month: May 2017

Location: Salt Lake City

For everyone who believes that all the people they meet are inherently good, well I have news for them.  You will meet some awful people in your life and perhaps even be let down by those whom you trust; making you question your beliefs.  For all those people, I suggest they visit Salt Lake City to know that for every disappointment, there is hope.

One of the best approaches to a city

One of the best decisions that I made was to come to Salt Lake City during daytime, because the approach from the air is just spectacular.  The city and its vicinity – which looks lush green from the air – are cradled inside a valley, surrounded by ice-capped mountains on all sides.  It truly is a gorgeous sight.  I took a cab to my hotel and as soon as I arrived, I knew that this was going to be good.  I don’t know how I had managed to get the deal that I did, but ‘The Grand America Hotel’ looked as luxurious as hotels get.  Not only was it the tallest building in the neighborhood, it was splendid on the inside, with sprawling hallways and high ceilings.  It was one of the fanciest hotels that I have stayed in during these travels.  But there was more to come.

My fantastic hotel

Typically, the “check-in” for all hotels is at 3 pm, whereas I tend to show up much earlier than that.  However, only once have I been turned away for arriving early.  Today was the second time, though they did say that another room was available, but would be $50 a day extra.  Well, I wasn’t paying that and so told the lady at the desk that I would be back later and asked if there was place that I could leave my bag for the day.  As I was taking out some of the critical things like batteries etc., another lady asked me if everything was okay.  I told her that my room wasn’t ready, or rather that there was a room, but they didn’t want to give it to me without an extra charge.  She told me to wait and then went over to have a chat with reception.  Very soon, I was offered not only the room, but also “chocolate chip” cookies.

And that's my terrace!

The first unique thing was that I was given a key – not a key card – as means of entry.  The entry to the room itself was through 2 sets of doors and when I say room, I mean a suite, with a large terrace – not a balcony, a terrace.  Plus the view was that of the mountains.  Not too shabby at all.  I came down and explored the hotel before going out and it had all sorts of amenities, including a shopping area which had a toy store and a “French Patisserie”.  I got my bearings and set off for my brunch at a place called ‘Pig and A Jelly Jar’.  Salt Lake City is organized as a grid with every block being numbered by the 100’s on all 4 sides.  So as far as navigation is concerned, it should not be a difficult proposition, but I still took a couple of wrong turns.  It was a nice day and with the backdrop of the mountains, it was a pleasant walk for the 1 mile that I had to cover to get to the restaurant.  It was a local place which was not too big, though their portions certainly were.

The "Flight" exhibit at 'The Leonardo Museum'

Being well fed, I set off for the afternoon and the first stop was a place called ‘The Leonardo Museum’. The museum describes itself as a place where visitors can explore the connection between science, technology, art and creativity and so naturally, I was curious.  The first level had an exhibit called “Flight”, which was all about the history of man’s quest to fly, with a lot of information on the Physics behind it, as well as a giant plane through which people could walk through.  I saw a few families in there and the kids seemed more interested in things that they could touch rather than reading about the pioneers of aviation.  It was a good exhibit, much more elaborate than the one I saw in Wichita last month, which had been more locally focused.  The second floor was where things were more interactive and there were several activities that one could do such as testing your brain, eyes, hearing etc.  One particular demonstration was where you put on a headphone and tried to speak into a microphone while your voice was fed back to you through those headphones.  It is one of the most disorienting feelings that someone can have.  There were other creative ways of teaching kids about our senses as well as exhibits on aliens and astronomy.  I for one was impressed.  As far as the “art” component was concerned, along the walkway between floors, there were some fascinating sculptures and hangings made out of a material that looked like paper, but was responsive to stimuli.  I am sure I studied this in my past life as a scientist.

The sparse exhibits of the 'Utah Museum of Contemporary Art'

Next door to the museum is the ‘Salt Lake City Public Library’ and it was an impressive building, built into what looked like a small shopping arcade. What made it attractive was the architecture, which allowed for a lot of natural light to come in.  I walked through the building briefly and then proceed towards ‘Utah Museum of Contemporary Art’, which was a bit of a walk, but with the numbered streets, wouldn’t be too difficult to locate. I did find the place and it was…well, small.  There were 2 halls with sparse exhibits and the entry was on a “suggested donation” basis.  I was the only visitor in there and after a short stop; I was done with my museum related activities for the day.  Now it was time for the main event.

The evening commenced

I had planned visits to some cocktail places and in fact had a list.  But since I was done way ahead of time, I stopped at a place which I had seen earlier, called ‘Bourbon House’, and I guess the name gives it away.  I walked down to the basement level and into a place which was just as a Bourbon saloon should be - wooden interiors and full of whiskey.  There was some “Kentucky Derby” related stuff going on TV and I heard the locals discuss the derby which was tomorrow.  I had a cocktail there and left for my next place which was nearby, called ‘Whiskey Street Cocktails and Dining’ – a definite theme was emerging this evening!  Before coming over here, I had discussed with one of my colleagues, who knew the city, about the more “temperate” culture that people in Utah have towards drinking.  Well, based on the crowd and the number of drinking establishments that I saw, that theory was definitely out of the window!

Continuing...

‘Whiskey Street Cocktails’ was very different than the earlier establishment, being less stuffy and more open, leading to a vibrant ambiance.  Plus, based on the quality of the drink that I had, these folks certainly knew their cocktails.  As I emerged from this place, twilight had taken over and with the backdrop of the mountains; the place had assumed an enchanting environment.  It was without a doubt a wonderful evening to be outside.  The next place was on a side street, though there was nothing secretive about it.  Called ‘Good Grammar’, it had a lot of people in there celebrating “Cinco de Mayo”, which I had forgotten was today.

...And then some!

I stayed there for a brief while and then continued on to the next place – as can be seen; I had done my homework and mapped everything out.  It was called ‘Under Current’, and when I arrived there, I saw a dining room, but no bar.  Upon inquiring, I learnt that this place was called ‘Current’ and the place I was looking for was next door – though I would have thought it would be in the basement since it was called “Under Current”.  As I sat at the bar, the gentleman next to me told me that the bartender was the best in the city when it came to “craft cocktails” and looking at the menu, I believed him.  I struck up a conversation with the folks next to me, so much so that I was invited to a birthday party later that evening.  Another successful visit, making friends with the locals!

The fantastic view from 'The Roof Restaurant'

The next stop was a place called ‘Bar-X’ and walking towards that place; I saw that the city had truly come alive with a lot of people sitting outside enjoying the weather.  The interior was more like a “dive bar”, but the cocktail was fantastic.  I still had some time to kill before my dinner reservations and so stopped at a place called ‘Beehive Pub’ for a local brew and was pleased to see something that all brewpubs shout adopt – an ice line where one can place the beer glass to keep it chilled.  I had seen it before and find it to be a brilliant convenience.  I came out of the pub just as it was getting darker and continued to one of the tallest buildings in downtown, the top of which had a restaurant named, well, ‘The Roof Restaurant’. As I had looked for places to eat, this was a name that had come up in several lists.  The catch was that this was a buffet place and I am not too keen on that.  However, the promised that this wasn’t your regular buffet, with the quality of the food being top class, especially their dessert bar.  Plus, they promised that this would be one of the best views of the city.

It was a beautiful night

I took the elevator to the roof and was seated, not quite at the window, but close to it.  And yes, the view was fantastic; not just because of the mountains in the distance, but also because what was closest to us, the ‘Mormon Temple’.  It is by far the most impressive building in the city, with magnificent architecture, accentuated by the lighting that shown upon it during nighttime. It gave the building a surreal look and as I was gazing at it, I struck up a conversation with a couple next to me and we talked about my visit and they gave me some pointers.  The dinner was really good and the desserts, as advertised, were great.  The server kept pointing out that there were two stations – on either side of the piano player – and each had different selections.  I was lucky to sample some from a single side and then after a walk around the dining hall to see some of the other sights – like the ‘Capitol’, it was time to leave.  Since it was a beautiful night, I walked back to my hotel, passing by some of the drinking establishments which were full of folks for whom the evening was just getting underway.  I arrived at my hotel and as much as I wanted to stay for a nightcap, I was tired and so went up to my huge room, to find that the maid had left “macaroons” on my pillow.  Some places leave mints, this place does French pastry!

At 'Publik Coffee Roasters'

The next morning I stepped out on the terrace to enjoy my “macaroons” against the backdrop of the mountains.   Not a bad start to the day.  One of the things that I seek out is a good coffee shop and the one that came up in my search was called ‘Publik Coffee Roasters’.  I decided to walk to the location closest to my hotel and it was away from downtown and in a small lot which looked abandoned.  But inside a building that looked like storage facility was a coffee shop that seemed popular with the locals.  I took my “mocha” and went to the upper level which had several people as well.  Considering that this place was off the beaten path, it was impressive to the see the draw.

What a location!

The place that I had picked for brunch was called ‘Ruth’s Diner’, which was located in a canyon in the mountains.  This meant a nice ride to get there and I talked with my ‘Uber’ driver about living here and the places around the city.  The restaurant was full and as I waited, I admired the view, which gave me a feeling of being in a lodge within a “National Park”.  The interior was cozy and soon after I was seated, the brought me their famous “Mile High Biscuit” which in itself was well worth the visit.  I asked for a “Bloody Mary” and the server looked at her watch and I almost said “Its 5 O’clock somewhere”, when she responded that they start serving cocktails at 11 am.  Considering it was just 10 minutes away, I told her that I could survive till then and after placing my order, soaked in my surroundings which were extremely charming.

The gorgeous 'Red Butte Gardens'

After brunch I called an ‘Uber’ to go towards my next destination, which was ‘Natural History Museum of Utah’.  I arrived there just after 12 pm and learned that a guided tour of the museum had just departed.  The next one was going to be at 2 pm and I wanted to attend that.  So I asked them if there was anything that I could do for the next 2 hours and they told me to go to the nearby ‘Red Butte Gardens’.  I walked over to that building and was given a map which was quite good since it showed the path that a visitor should follow.  I set off on that and for next hour and a bit roamed those beautiful gardens, which wasn’t the worst way to spend some time.

The "solar terrace" at the museum

I came back to the museum and was presented with a fancy lanyard since I was going on a tour.  There was some kid’s related activity going on in the museum today and so it was crowded.  There was still some time before the tour started and so I walked about the museum, especially the outdoor terrace with its array of solar panels – though I beat a hasty retreat from a path when I saw the sign, “Beware of Rattlesnakes”.  I arrived at the meeting point and talked with the tour guide who appeared to be a nice chap.  We waited for others but soon it was apparent that I was the only person on the tour and so with the elaborate lanyard around my neck, we set off.

A typical hall inside a "Natural History" museum

We started with one of the more interesting things in the museum.  I had previously seen projections of trees on the walls and which are interactive when someone’s shadow interrupts the projection.  This one was similar, but my guide told me that the tree was also indicative of the external weather and so swayed more when it was windy and shed leaves during fall.  Now that’s creative.  The museum is quite modern and the architecture reflects that.  We walked through the different galleries, including the “Native American” exhibit as well as a “Dinosaur Hall”. He also told me about the actual lake after which this city is named and how its extreme salinity means that very lifeforms exist in it.  Before visiting the city I had inquired if the lakefront had been developed as a commercial real estate with restaurants and promenade.  Not so much!

Inside the 'Pioneer Memorial Musuem'

The skies were threatening when I left and took an ‘Uber’ to the ‘Pioneer Memorial Museum’, which is known to house the world’s largest collection of artifacts on one subject – the pioneers who settled in Salt Lake City.  As I checked in, a nice lady have me a map of the various rooms and boy, were they full of stuff!  There were 3 floors and a basement, as well as an adjunct space of two floors and they were full of artifacts.  So much so that it reminded me of one of those stores which has vintage things in various corners.  I explored as much as I could, without processing a lot and left after thanking the lady.  While it is an amazing place, there's just too much going on.

The incredible interior of the 'Capitol'

Right next door is the ‘Capitol Building’ and like the ones that I have seen in other cities, the grounds around the building were fantastic.  But nothing prepared me for the interior.  This was one of the most beautiful places that I have been in, let alone a government building.  In fact if someone would have said to me that this was the main room of a palace, I would have believed them.  With marble pillars and ornate paintings on the wall, I was glad that the building was open despite this being a Saturday.  For any visitor coming here, this should be a required stop.  The view outside the building wasn’t too shabby either.  It’s on the top of a hill, meaning one got a beautiful vista of the downtown and the mountains in the background.  The skies looked a bit threatening and so I hurried along to my next stop.

The view on my walk

As mentioned earlier, navigation in the city is easy owing to the numbering system in all 4 directions.  I had asked earlier on how they determine where “East” turns to “West” and “North” to “South”, and was told that the Temple is considered to be the center of the city and so all roads literally lead towards it.  This meant that as long as you had that in sight, you would probably find it difficult to get lost.  As I passed through the “Temple Gardens”, I noticed that there was a lot to see here and I thought about stopping by tomorrow morning.  The city was also hosting a “NBA playoff game” for their beloved “Utah Jazz” and as I passed by the arena, I saw a large crowd waiting to get inside.  Tonight would not be ideal to stay out too late.

Another "Escape Room"

I arrived at an outdoor multi-level mall and this always makes finding a place difficult.  Continuing on my travel tradition, I was going to an “Escape Room”, this time with a "pirate" theme.  As always, I was joined by a group who had come together, though this time I could feel that the vibe wasn’t as great as has been in other places.  The first mishap was when we were sent to a room to wait and didn’t know what to do.  So we opened some doors and then realized that the actor who was supposed to guide us wasn’t even there.  So we came out and went back in once they were ready.  After a brief introduction we were led into a dimly lit room which was supposed to be the pirates’ lair.  The lighting made it extremely difficult to solve the puzzles, which weren’t that easy – we had to use the same prop for two separate puzzles, which I felt wasn’t fair.  Plus our chemistry was off and it wasn’t a surprise that we failed miserably – my first failure after a moderately successful run of late.

A nightcap in 'Gibson Lounge'

I left immediately after the picture and headed to a cocktail place called ‘The Red Door’.  There wasn’t anyone there besides me and another couple, though it looked like a live music place that could get full at night.  I left after a drink and went a place beside it, called ‘Lake Effect’.  Now this was more like it.  The chairs were comfortable, the drinks splendid and the bartenders friendly.  My dinner stop was a place called ‘Pallet’, which was around the corner and known to be one of the “trendier” restaurants in the city.  It also shared a wall with one of those places which attracts youngsters who gather around and spend hours doing nothing, meaning it was a crowded sidewalk.  The dinner was good, and it was still relatively early when I returned back to my hotel.  The lobby bar was in full swing with some music and earlier in the day I had seen a nice place called ‘Gibson Lounge’.  It was a cozy bar with couches and I stopped for a nightcap before heading back to my room, where once again there were “macaroons” on my pillow.  Tomorrow would be an early morning, for I was headed to one of the more unique experiences of my travels.

One of the highlights of this trip:
"Music and the Spoken Word"

I got up early and after my final breakfast of “macaroons” on the terrace, checked out. I left my bag with the concierge and set off for ‘Temple Square’.  Right next to the actual Temple, is the ‘Tabernacle’, where for the past 87 years, every Sunday is a live program called “Music and the Spoken Word”.  Broadcast worldwide, this combination of classical music and an inspiring prose is the longest running uninterrupted network broadcast in the world.  And it’s open to anyone who wants to attend, provided you get there in time.  I arrived just as the choir was practicing and was led into a building which has been designed for great acoustics.  The choir was practicing and it was a magnificent sight.  The sound was great, especially with the organ and the orchestra, but what was even more impressive was the way everything was arranged, with men and women dressed in their Sunday best on either side of the organ.  Just before 9:30 am they came and introduced some of the dignitaries from all over the world, including some high ranking politicians.  Then they gave us instructions on being silent since this is a live broadcast.  For the next 30 minutes we were treated to a performance that was memorable, not just because of the music and the singing, but also the message that accompanied it.  At the end of the broadcast they asked us to stay since they had to re-record one of the songs, and no one seemed to mind.  I was glad to have been here this Sunday morning, to be a part of this historic occasion.  And it seemed like the right place to be for me.  Life will lead you to disappointments…and more than once.  But then there are occasions like this, where out of nowhere you realize that there are small miracles to be discovered every day.  Back after my 26^th visit I did a list of categories such as my favorite food, city etc.  If there ever was a category of the one thing that I am the most privileged to have attended, this would be it.

The "Temple Gardens" 

There are 2 “Visitor’s Center’s” here, each having its own museum.  I went into the “South” one and was greeted by a young woman who introduced herself as a “Sister” and mentioned that she was a missionary.  Soft spoken and polite, she told me about the place and the encouraged me attend a walking tour of the site, which would start in a few minutes.  She was one of the kindest people that I have met and I thought that they were lucky to have her as a missionary.  Very soon I would realize that she wasn’t the only one.  The museum in here told the story of Brigham Young and his follower’s settling in Salt Lake City and their long ordeal in building the magnificent Temple outside, something that took 40 years to accomplish.  I walked about the exhibits for a bit and then went outside to the meeting spot for the tour.

The model of the Temple

Two other young women introduced themselves as missionaries, who would be giving the group a tour.  One of them was from Brazil and they both had similar personalities to the young lady I had met inside.  As we walked about the garden and the exterior of the temple, they told us about how they came to be missionaries and the sacrifices they are expected to make for a couple of years.  Considering how young they are, it is asking a lot from them and no wonder it takes a certain kind of character to be a missionary.  Being outside of the “Mormon” faith, we were not allowed inside the temple, but were able to see a model of the same, and the interior is fantastic.  It had been an informative tour and I was glad that I had stayed for it.

The 'Beehive House'

A few blocks away from was ‘Beehive House’, the residence of Brigham Young.  I went in and met 2 other young ladies who asked if I would like a tour.  I said yes and soon we were joined by another family, as they took us through the house and told us stories from Brigham Young’s life.  They also told us how they came to be missionaries and once again, I could not have asked for nicer people.  After the tour I returned back to ‘Temple Square’ and visited the museum in the other “Visitor’s Center”.  It was getting well past noon and I had just enough time for lunch before leaving for the airport.  I returned back to the mall which I had visited yesterday for my “Escape Room”.  It looked deserted, barring one place which served a ticketed “Gospel Brunch” which was sold out.  Looking at the amount of securing present outside, you would think that some Royalty was dining inside!  I asked directions for a pub that I had seen on the map and after getting lost across multiple levels for over 15 minutes, I finally found the place.  After a quick bite, I was ready to close out this trip. 

It had been an illuminating visit

I walked back to my hotel to collect my bag and called an ‘Uber’ for the airport.  This had been one of the more beautiful cities that I had visited.  But that is not what’s going to make this trip memorable for me.  Unquestionably it’s the people that I met, especially this morning.  Seeing those youngsters and the way they treat others was inspirational.  People much older than them have less regard for loyalty and relationships, mainly because they are programmed to be “takers”.  But then you meet someone like these missionaries who are an embodiment of unconditional kindness.  And I promised myself that from now onward, whenever I think I am being wronged, I will think about them and feel hope in humanity.