City Weekly February 6, 2025

LOCAL COUPLES ON FINDING LOVE, AND GOOD COCKTAILS, IN SALT LAKE CITY.

BY ARICA ROBERTS

By Arica Roberts

S AP

BOX

Clean Energy

In Logan, during a vote at our City Council on January 7, many residents rose up and opposed participation in a fossil fuel power plant.

When I spoke at the City Council meeting, I cited Fervo Energy as a reason to say “no” to the fossil fuel contract. No less than Donald Trump’s current pick for Secretary of Energy, Chris Wright, is the CEO of Liberty Energy, which in 2022 partnered with the geothermal startup, Fervo Energy, and which at this moment is at work on the 400 milliwatt Cape

Station enhanced geothermal energy project located in Milford, Utah. It broke ground in September of 2023 with an initial grid connection expected to be up and running by 2026, and operation at full capacity to follow in 2028. Utah Geological Survey estimates that Utah has 49,400 megawatts of clean geothermal potential.

Is geothermal energy a sure thing? I think it’s a far better risk to take than committing ourselves to a 40-year contract that has no off-ramp from an obsolete technology.

We humans absolutely depend upon a stable climate for our existence. But how much is it going to cost us to clean up our greenhouse gas emissions? That’s the wrong question. How much are we going to make in developing clean energy?

Say you own a big box store and you install solar panels, batteries and EV charging stalls. You are going to make money hand over fist. That’s the way we need to think about clean energy.

CHARLES ASHURST Logan

“Paths to Parenthood,”

Jan. 30 Cover Story

Thank you for this cover article. For many, having a family is a huge emotional, financial and physical challenge, but it is rarely discussed in the public. And, even then, not all of the options are discussed. Egg donation, embryo donation, surrogacy and adoption help so many amazing humans have the family they so strongly desire.

PANTRYPRODUCTS Via Instagram

“La Migra,” Jan 30. Private Eye

No politician is interested in finding real solutions. It costs $10,000 of taxpayers’ money to deport each illegal. Why not offer illegals $8,000 each to self-deport? I just saved America $22 billion.

In parallel, why not impose severe fines or prison time across the board for employers of illegals? Who will cross illegally if there is no work for them?

Asian countries have basically eradicated illegal drugs due to imposition of severe punishments, such as long prison terms or

death. They don’t have to resort to political tactics like raising tariffs that only make their own people miserable.

SPENCER M. PESIK Via Facebook

I hope the economy collapses. So sick of Trump worship in Utah.

SHARON PORTER MARTINEZ

Via Facebook

“Labor

Pains,” Jan. 30 Online

So backward. [Lawmakers want to] limit the bargaining ability of actual community responders, while decreasing the sentences for sex offenders?

ISHARECOVERYANDSCULPT Via Instagram

Teach them the power of unions and strike. Let the whole system burn down.

PEACHY_COOL_ARROW801 Via Instagram

Care to sound off about a local concern? Write to comments@cityweekly.net or comment on our social media. We want to hear from you!

THE WATER COOLER

What are your hobbies?

Bryan Bale

Skipping ads on YouTube videos. Adding things to my online shopping carts and not buying them. Making lists of three.

Wes Long

Reading; nature walks; going to movies with my siblings.

Kayla Dreher

I like to lay in the sunshine, doodle, make coffee, listen to music, do handstands, walk around in the forest, drink fancy cocktails, etc.

Sofia Cifuentes

Reading, painting, drawing, photography, all crafts, hiking, camping and relaxing to enjoy my coffee while watching birds through the window!

Scott Renshaw

Hobbies are for people who don’t love their jobs.

Benjamin Wood

Mountain biking, busking and backcountry camping.

Eric Granato

Houseplants and radio-controlled scale trucks.

Katharine Biele

Who has time for hobbies? Most of them have fallen to other duties. But when I have time, I do play bridge—not well, but I play.

BY CHRISTOPHER SMART

OPINION Capital Conundrum

Iwas working the night shift at The Salt Lake Tribune on Feb. 23, 1986, when police-scanner radio traffic grabbed my attention. It was something to do with a possible abduction.

Maureen Hunsaker—a 26-year-old wife and mother— had been kidnapped from a gas-and-go where she worked late hours. Two days later, her body was found in Big Cottonwood Canyon tied to a tree, her throat slit.

Shortly thereafter, Ralph LeRoy Menzies was arrested on an unrelated charge and, when he changed into a jail jumpsuit, Hunsaker’s driver license was found in his street clothes. On March 8, 1988, Menzies was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to death.

Now, 37 years later, the state of Utah is still trying to determine if he should be executed.

I’m not a capital punishment advocate, but every time I hear his name my blood boils. He murdered a young woman for no reason and put her young family through hell, from which there would be no closure or reclaiming what should have been a rich life.

Presently, the 66-year-old Menzies is said, by his defense attorneys, to be suffering from dementia and should thus be spared the death penalty, because he is not competent to understand the sentence. Third District Judge Matthew Bates could make that determination in the coming weeks.

As a reporter for Salt Lake City Weekly in October 1999, I watched another killer, Joseph Mitchell Parsons, be executed by lethal injection. In August 1987, he stabbed

30-year-old Richard Lynn Ernest—who had picked him up hitchhiking—nine times at a rest stop near Cedar City.

Members of Ernest’s family also witnessed the execution, but it didn’t bring them any peace. At a news conference afterward, they were furious that Parsons died so peacefully, while Ernest, no doubt, suffered greatly.

Parsons had stopped the appeals process, because he could no longer bear to live in a small cell on death row for 23 hours out of each day. I always thought that was a worse punishment than execution.

In Utah, a convicted killer can file numerous appeals and may have a number of public hearings before the Board of Pardons and Paroles. With high-profile cases and media coverage, the families and friends of murder victims often suffer their loss over and over again.

That was the case with the family of one of the men killed by Ronnie Lee Gardner. In October 1984, Gardner shot and killed Melvyn Otterstrom, 37, at a bar, because he didn’t want to leave at closing time. In April 1985, Gardner shot and killed Michael Burdell, 36, in an unsuccessful escape attempt. He was sentenced to life in the first homicide and got the death penalty in the second.

Not long before Ronnie Lee Gardner’s execution on June 18, 2010, I interviewed the widow of Melvyn Otterstrom and his son, who was 2 years old when his father was killed. Although 25 years had passed, both were shaken to the core. During that time, Gardner made headlines often and they had to relive the horror of Otterstrom’s murder.

This country has a history of meting out capital punishment unevenly.

In one of Utah’s most notorious cases—the so-called “Hi-Fi Killers”—Dale Selby Pierre and William Andrews, two Black airmen at Hill Air Force Base, sought to rob Ogden’s Hi-Fi Shop in April 1974.

In the aftermath, Carol Naisbitt, 52, Stanley Walker, 20, and Sherry Michelle Ansley, 19, were dead, two others were seriously injured.

Pierre forced the victims to drink drano and also tortured them; he raped Ansley repeatedly.

The men were tried together and both got the death penalty, although Pierre did the killing and torturing, while Andrews stood by.

By contrast, in December 1990, white men Von Lester Taylor and Edward Deli broke into a cabin near Kamas shortly before the owners returned. Beth Potts, 72 and Kaye Tiede, 49, were shot dead. Rolf Tiede, 51, was shot in the head but survived.

They were tried separately. Von Lester Taylor, the triggerman, was sentenced to death. Edward Deli got life imprisonment.

According to an October 2023 Gallup poll, 50% of Americans believe the death penalty is applied unfairly.

There’s no doubt Ralph LeRoy Menzies murdered Maureen Hunsaker in cold blood. The question is why, after all these years, hasn’t the state of Utah executed him? Another question is, should the state execute anyone at all?

With a sentence of life without the possibility of parole, killers like Ralph LeRoy Menzies and Ronnie Lee Gardner would be locked away with much less hoopla, media coverage and court costs. The families and friends of murder victims would be spared much of the emotional and psychological impacts that Utah’s system can thrust upon them.

Twenty-three states have abandoned the death penalty; the federal judicial system has not. I have no sympathy for Menzies, but he is no longer the person he was in 1986. Is it just to execute someone after decades in custody?

Is it justice for the victims’ families when the killer’s sentence is not meted out in a timely fashion?

We should all ask ourselves this question: Is justice delayed justice denied? CW

Private Eye is off this week. Send feedback to comments@cityweekly.net.

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HITS & MISSES

BY KATHARINE BIELE | @kathybiele BY BRYAN YOUNG

HIT: Batter Up

After two years of gnashing teeth, Salt Lake City has finally come out with a plan for Smith’s Ballpark—sort of. It will preserve a portion of the ballpark grandstand, creating “an entertainment venue with creative spaces and retail,” said Mayor Erin Mendenhall. That means some kind of mixed-use urban space with a community park. Maybe a “festival street” with lots of music, concerts, farmers markets and, oh, that longed-after greenspace. It could be a whole lot of other things, too, depending on who ends up designing and developing it. The neighborhood, predictably, has mixed reactions—mainly because it’s a concept that hasn’t yet landed. How will it compete with surrounding businesses, and what can residents expect from the density? Maybe it will all be revealed before the bones of a deteriorating ballpark collapse.

MISS: Women’s Work

It is truly unfair to womanhood that Republicans march out their female legislators to propose laughable bills meant to forward a social agenda. The most recent—HB158—comes to us from Provo Republican Rep. Lisa Shepherd, a former judge for the Miss America Organization, who starts her first term in the Legislature with a message for the world: You’re not welcome here and we’re not going to listen to you. Her bill, “State Sovereignty Amendments,” is all about putting your fingers in your ears and chanting: “Nah, nah, nah.” Listen up, international organizations, you do not have “any power, jurisdiction, or legal authority in this state,” it says. Of course, this falls in line with the president removing the United States from things like the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Accord. A lineup of right-wing women commented about how important the bill is, even as some lawmakers wondered if it would prevent the governor from heeding international research. “If we as a state want to wallow in our ignorance, then we should pass this bill,” another commenter responded. Apparently, we do.

MISS: Access Denied

After lawmakers delayed making appointments to the State Records Committee, a bill now being considered could abolish that committee in favor of an individual appointee. The Legislature has been chipping away at the Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA) for the three decades since it was created. A few years ago, there were 83 exemptions to the law that classified records as protected, a KSL report said. Frankly, these exemptions are attempts to allow government to work in the shadows and deny public access. Most recently, cases involved release of the Attorney General’s calendar and release of the criminal report on Tim Ballard, accused of human trafficking. Spanish Fork Republican Sen. Mike McKell is contemplating downsizing public access, while media attorney David Reymann notes that the system will be less accessible and more expensive. CW

Cutting Through the Noise

With the current hellscape our country is descending into, we’re often told to focus on our local politics and community. Sometimes, it’s too overwhelming to look at the nation and think there’s anything meaningful we can do. Sometimes, the state level feels impossible, too.

Between the current regimes in the White House and Utah Legislature, sanity, good governance and kindness are on vacation for the foreseeable future. That leaves us with hyperlocal government. We focus on our city.

Salt Lake City has a pretty good track record of trying to do the right thing, but they’re often as hamstrung as the rest of us. Imagine trying to pass city measures, knowing you’re going to draw the ire of the Legislature? And if you get just a little too bold, they’ll call a special session to undo it even faster?

City officials do their best. Yeah, City Weekly and residents hold them accountable. They aren’t perfect. They make mistakes. But they are, generally, good people who do their best and are not actively malevolent. If only we could say that about all levels of government right now.

Worse, it’s difficult to know what to believe. I scroll social media, or I watch local news, and even newscasters have no idea which tier of government handles what issues. I see the city blamed for county programs. The county gets blamed for state efforts. The state blames the city for everything.

Take homelessness: I see folks drastically misinformed about what the city is doing—or what the city even can do—commenting with their full chest. How do we inform people better and with the right information?

It’s fine that people are angry about things like homelessness—they should be. But they need the right information. They need to be angry at a topdown system that allows homelessness in the first place. Anything Salt Lake can do with its limited budget and tightly-controlled legal authority is a band-aid compared to the real issues, which stem from unchecked capitalism and worsening wealth disparity.

Folks are getting news from memes and Facebook posts, from their most unhinged and least-informed friends. And it’s only going to get worse, thanks to the hard-right turn of platform owners, who are deactivating factchecking and moderation. How do we convince folks to get off these platforms and to shut off Fox News?

The algorithm hates it when you’re informed. It loves when you’re outraged and misinformed. Remember that the next time you’re doomscrolling and get upset about something you see and try to correct someone.

Instead, get involved. Keep it local, and trust that your local community has your interests at heart. They might screw up, but they aren’t trying to screw you. They’re trying to run a city. Let’s start there and work our way up. Maybe from there, one day, we can get the state Legislature straightened out and trying to help Utahns, too. CW

TRUE TV

Sci-Fi at Sea

Space may be the place, but some of the best sci-fi series happen underwater.

BY BILL FROST comments@cityweekly.net

Sci-fi is usually associated with the vast unknown of outer space, but the vast unknown of Earth’s oceans is far more compelling—95% of it remains unexplored! Who knows what’s down there? Many a movie has been made about the mysterious dangers of the sea, and that’s not even counting the roughly 6,000 shark-related flicks produced by the Syfy channel in the 2010s.

TV series, on the other hand, are a smaller school of fish. Here are a few oceanic sci-fi shows to dip into.

The Rig (2023–2025; Prime Video): When a North Sea oil rig off the Scottish coast becomes enshrouded in a thick, impenetrable fog, the crew—including Iain Glen (Game of Thrones), Martin Compston (Line of Duty) and Emily Hampshire (Schitt’s Creek)—soon realizes this is no naturally-occurring haze. They then discover that their drilling has released an ancient parasite from the ocean floor, and it’s not happy about it. The Rig’s claustrophobic suspense morphs into full-blown terror over its two taut seasons.

The Triangle (2005; Peacock): Three-part miniseries The Triangle originated from the serious era of Syfy, back when it was still Sci-Fi Channel and mostly shark-free. A shipping company hires a team of experts to investigate the Bermuda Triangle, and not just because it keeps swallowing up its vessels. The experts—a journalist (Eric Stoltz), a meteorologist (Michael E. Rodgers), an oceanographer (Catherine

Bell) and a psychic (Bruce Davison)—uncover a military conspiracy that makes for some satisfyingly deep-nerd sci-fi.

The Swarm (2023; The CW): The Swarm, a staggeringly expensive co-production between Germany, Belgium, Italy and Sweden, aired with little fanfare on The CW in the U.S.; ecological disaster doesn’t play like it used to in ’Merica. The “swarm” here is a riled-up army of sea creatures, including orcas, that is attacking fishing boats and tourist cruises. Are they out for revenge against humans? That’s clear, but The Swarm seems to be holding its other soggy cards for a second season that may never come.

Seaquest DSV (1993–1996; Peacock): In 1993, Seaquest DSV predicted that all of the planet’s resources besides those on the ocean floor would be depleted by 2018, the “near future” setting of the show. Like an underwater Star Trek, the Seaquest DSV (deep-submergence vehicle) and Captain Nathan Bridger (Roy Scheider, cashing in his Jaws cred) work to keep the peace between undersea and topside nations. The series veered wildly from Spielbergian schmaltz to stilted sci-fi, but it’s still a fun ’90s throwback.

Surface (2005–2006; Prime Video): It was a weighty sci-fi series that NBC chose to market with a cute CGI sea monster and star Lake Bell in a bikini—it’s a wonder that Surface lasted 15 episodes. The series follows a marine biologist (Bell), a teen (Carter Jenkins) and a fisherman (Jay R. Ferguson) as they each encounter mysterious sea creatures that may be the products of governmental genetic engineering (X-Files alert). Puerto Rico is (presciently?) annihilated in the finale, as is much of the East Coast.

The Last Ship (2014–2018; Max): Years before he played a menacing psycho on Euphoria, Eric Dane starred as a good-guy naval captain in the sprawling sci-fi series The Last Ship. The title refers to the

A&E

USS Nathan James, a destroyer at sea whose crew of 218 has been spared from a viral pandemic that’s killed 80% of the world’s population—ouch, more prescience. An onboard paleomicrobiology doctor—you know, like every warship has—races to find a cure as The Last Ship sails into action-thriller territory.

Sealab 2021 (2000–2005; Adult Swim, Max): One of Adult Swim’s first shows, Sealab 2021 began as a joke, editing footage from Hanna-Barbera’s craptastic ’70s cartoon Sealab 2020 into satirical nonsense.

Like Space Ghost: Coast to Coast before it, the trick worked perfectly for late-night stoners. The crew of the undersea research fa-

cility Sealab are all uniquely incompetent, the 52 short episodes are largely devoid of plot, and the overall tone is textbook “problematic” in 2025. Blaze up and enjoy.

Stingray (1964–1965; Prime Video, Tubi): APF Films was responsible for several creepy AF puppet shows in the 1960s, including Thunderbirds, Supercar and the undersea adventure Stingray. This weird series chronicles the 2064 adventures of the World Aquanaut Security Patrol (WASP, of course) as they police oceans and tangle with the human-loathing Aquaphibians. Stingray was the first British TV series to be made in color (or colour), adding an extra sheen of “ick” to the proceedings. CW

The Rig

CITY WEEKLY

DRIVER WANTED

Salt Lake Acting Company: The Robertassey

Salt Lake Acting Company has established quite a relationship with Pulitzer Prize-nominated playwright Kathleen Cahill over the years, from producing her play The Persian Quarter in 2011 to premiering the dance-theater hybrid Silent Dancer in 2019. So it was a natural for Cahill to workshop her play The Robertassey as part of SLAC’s New Play Sounding Series in April 2019, and a natural follow-up to that involvement in the play’s development that SLAC now gets to offer the world premiere of The Robertassey.

The odd title is a portmanteau for “Roberta’s odyssey”—the Roberta in question being a woman who travels to Dublin for the purpose of leaving the ashes of her departed alcoholic father, which whom she had a strained relationship, in the city of his birth. There’s just one small problem with the plan: The suitcase that contains her father’s ashes has been lost in transit. That’s only one part of the comedic odyssey that ensues for Roberta as she seeks not just to find the lost ashes, but to find herself, as she tries to understand how the legacy of her relationship with her father has impacted her life and relationships, mixed up in a meeting with plenty of colorful local residents.

The world-premiere production of The Robertassey at Salt Lake Acting Company (168 W. 500 North) runs Feb. 5 – March 2, with performances Wednesdays through Sundays (showtimes vary by date). Special sensory, open-caption and ASLinterpreted performances are also available. Tickets are $45 at saltlakeactingcompany.org. (Scott Renshaw)

theESSENTIALS ENTERTAINMENT PICKS,

Complete listings online at cityweekly.net

FEBRUARY 6-12, 2025

Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock Live

Beyond being an innovative and influential artist, the late Jim Henson was a visionary who took the art of puppetry to new heights and not only helped revolutionize children’s entertainment, but created entertainment that could engage and entertain audiences of all ages. After developing his Muppet characters for the much-heralded educational television series Sesame Street, he went on to share his puppet creations as part of the first season of Saturday Night Live before developing his own sketch series, The Muppet Show, and ultimately garnering two Emmy Awards for his efforts.

One of Henson’s final projects involved creating the HBO series Fraggle Rock, a children’s fantasy-comedy about the adventures of new characters in an underground world. Although Henson passed away prematurely nearly 35 years ago, the show’s legacy lives on, through reboots, revisits, rebroadcasts and touring shows featuring the beloved Fraggle friends Gobo, Red, Mokey, Wembley and Boober. This production provides an opportunity to follow along as they set off on a journey to find the legendary Celebration Stone, a source of magical power feared to be lost forever. The life-size characters, spectacular set designs and extraordinary special effects add to the enjoyment. Then there’s the VIP experience, including photo ops, show souvenirs and an opportunity to meet some Fraggle favorites. What parent wouldn’t be proud to watch as their youngsters indulge a Fraggle fascination? Live at the Eccles presents Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock Live on Thursday, Feb. 6 at 6:30 p.m. at the Eccles Theater (131 S. Main St.). Tickets cost $25.50 - $47.50 at saltlakecountyarts.org. (Lee Zimmerman)

Utah Symphony: Disney’s Beauty and the Beast in Concert

There are few examples I would offer for what I consider “perfect cinema,” but I know what one of them would be: the ballroom sequence from Disney’s 1991 masterpiece Beauty and the Beast. Everything that precedes and follows that moment is wonderful as well, telling the story of a bold young woman and the cursed prince who fall in love accompanied by charming supporting characters, glorious animation and the classic songs of composer Alan Menken and lyricist Howard Ashman. But nothing compares to what happens once the initial strains of the title song begin, with Angela Lansbury’s gentle, wise vocals evoking the miracle of a new relationship being born, and that true love isn’t just flowers and chocolates, but “finding you can change, learning you were wrong.” Accompanying the sweeping perspectives accomplished by an early CGI assist, it makes for a breathtaking work of art. Now imagine getting the chance to experience that scene, and all the rest of this beloved film, with the Utah Symphony performing Menken’s score live to the screen. Audiences all over the country are embracing the experience of watching classic films with audiences again, and it becomes even more special when an orchestral score is swelling in the legendary acoustics of Abravanel Hall. Utah Symphony performs its accompaniment of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast for two performances only, Friday, Feb. 7 and Saturday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. nightly. Tickets are $16.50 - $107, and availability is most limited for Saturday at press time. Visit utahsymphony.org to purchase tickets and for additional event information. (SR)

MAKE IT A DOUBLE

LOCAL COUPLES ON FINDING LOVE, AND GOOD COCKTAILS, IN SALT LAKE CITY.

BY ARICA ROBERTS COMMENTS@CITYWEEKLY.NET

Mark May and Kevin Northup’s love story began in 2012, three years before the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. And the two men met at Brigham Young University, where being in a same-sex relationship was grounds for expulsion.

May had graduated, but Northup was a current student. While attending campus meetups of the group USGA (Understanding Same Gender Attraction), they both participated in an “It Gets Better” video that went viral, showing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender adults sharing their stories of coming out, survival and the promise to youth that even if they are bullied for their sexual identity, it does, indeed, get better.

“It completely threw me out of the closet,” May said. “I got so much overwhelming love and support. It just gave me confidence … made me feel better. And so then I started interacting more with social things.”

After the video, May and Northup’s lives became more intertwined as they went on group activities with other USGA members.

After several interactions, it was during a long weekend celebrating Pride Month in Salt Lake City in June of 2012 when they began falling in love.

They danced together at the clubs and walked together, along with Northup’s mother, in the Pride Parade. They escorted Northup’s mom back to her hotel, and she said, “Make good choices” in typical Mormon-mom fashion.

Back at May’s place, he said: “Guess what? I’m making piña coladas.”

Northrup had never had a drink, but he said “sure” and drank plenty after that. They both laugh at the memory.

But things quickly became more complicated. “I had a roommate who was going to report me to the Honor Code,” Northup recalled.

It was an emotional time. The roommate’s threat pushed Northup to leave

BYU. Northup transferred to the University of Utah and eventually moved in with May that December. With the academic sacrifice came the personal and spiritual implications of leaving BYU, he said.

Marriage equality was not yet the law, but May proposed to Northup on Salt Lake City’s Capitol Hill. More than a decade later, they are still united.

Like the memory of that first piña colada, one of their favorite pastimes is bonding over cocktails. On their honeymoon in Mexico, they were introduced to caipirinhas, the famous Brazilian cocktail. It consists of three simple ingredients: cachaça (a spirit derived from sugar cane), lime and sugar.

“It’s a perfect drink,” May enthused. “It’s sweet, it’s sour, it’s boozy, it’s refreshing. It’s got a nice, unique flavor, something you can’t get from any other drink.” And their recommendation for a good caipirinha in Salt Lake City? Under Current, at 270 S. 300 East.

“They have cachaça and the bartenders do an amazing job,” Northup said. May and Northup raved about a farmer’s market series that Under Current hosted over the summer. Bartenders would shop for an ingredient at the downtown market, then three different bartenders would each construct a cocktail featuring that ingredient.

The series saw cocktails built around fresh strawberries, peaches, apricots and tomatoes. Their favorite was a dirty martini modeled on caprese, with tomato and basil.

“Drinking cocktails has been a very enjoyable addition to our lives, but it’s because we do it responsibly. And I think that when you’re celebrating, it’s fine,” Northup said. “But we have rules, like you don’t drink on weekdays and you don’t drink when you’re sad. And I think that really worked well for us—as that made it a celebratory drink.”

“... And,” May added, “it keeps it that way.”

Mark May and Kevin Northup met at Brigham Young University, where they participated in a viral “It Gets Better” video.

mutual friends.

Continued from page 17

Lockdown Love

During the strict social restrictions of 2020, Azalea Jain and Ossilot Skyhaus (“Zale and Ossi”) found love at an unexpected time.

They were both living in Florida and attended a close-knit get-together, in which each of the guests had tested negative for COVID-19 to ensure a safe game night.

Jain noticed Skyhaus from across the room, then noticed him again at a second get-together. But finally, a third game night was the charm and, once Skyhaus got a good look at Jain—and her Scrabble/ Catan skills—he asked her on a date. They’ve spent every night together ever since.

For their first date, Skyhaus drove Jain to his favorite Mediterranean restaurant and took their orders to-go.

“In the car ride, he asked me to sing a song I knew all the words to, then he would follow,” Jain recalled. “I rapped Lil Wayne; he sang Mac Miller. And then we watched the sunset from the top of a parking garage as we ate our food.”

Afterward, they went to Peabody’s Bar & Billiards in Tampa, Florida, to get a little competitive. They each won a game of hoops while Skyhaus drank Moscow Mules and Jain drank vodka and water with extra lime.

In April of 2022, they relocated to Salt Lake City for Jain’s work. Over the past three years, they have enjoyed hiking and the one-of-a-kind nature that Utah offers.

Additionally, they’ve met an amazing group of friends through the local nightlife.

Skyhaus DJs under the name “Sandori” and they jointly run a music collective called Incorrekt, where they’ve thrown a few of their own events, including a “cave rave” (which, yes, is a rave in a cave).

Their first spot trying drinks in Salt Lake City was at the Seabird Bar in The Gateway. They would walk from their first apartment downtown and or-

der “The Verde,” which included a stem of rosemary. Now, they typically frequent A Bar Named Sue on Highland Drive. The small dive bar is famous for its billiards, darts and karaoke, which reminds them of their first date at Peabody’s in Florida.

At First Sight

Long distance relationships suck. Janet Medina and Michael Valadez know all too well the unique difficulties of maintaining this type of relationship: Medina lives in Salt Lake City and Valadez lives in Denver.

They met in SLC in 2013 through a mutual friend, after Medina had moved here from Guadalajara, Mexico, and Valadez had moved here from Denver to attend university. Valadez still remembers the first time he saw her.

“She was wearing a red dress, I remember, and I had a red couch,” Valadez said. “She was sitting on the red couch in a red dress. I was immediately attracted to her.”

They used to frequent the now-closed Club JAM, where they would order AMFs (“Adios Mother F-ker”)—a drink designed to get your money’s worth in alcohol. AMFs include a bit of vodka, a bit of gin, a bit of rum, a bit of tequila, blue curacao, sour mix and lemon-lime soda, with lime wedges and a cherry to top it off.

To be fair, they noted that they were in their early 20s at the time, when hangovers didn’t hit as hard. Now, at a more sophisticated age, they have enjoyed The Red Door for dirty martinis and Whiskey Street for classic burgers and booze.

But their favorite way to spend time together is by playing video games, which works conveniently in their long distance relationship.

“We play games a lot, virtually. There’s a lot of time we’re spending together that I don’t think we compartmentalize as, like, ‘hanging out as a couple’,” Medina explained.

While at home gaming, together but apart, Medina said she likes to make a Negroni Sbagliato, which includes Campari, sweet vermouth, prosecco and an orange peel garnish.

Blind Date Success

Lara and Jarred Finn met City Weekly at Bohemian Brewery to share the story of their first meeting. It was 2019 at a house party with mutual friends, who were busy playing matchmaker.

Jarred remembers when he first laid eyes on Lara.

“We were all having some drinks, and then Lara shows up, and it was like it was one of those moments that literally took my breath away, you know?” he said. “She was—yeah—just 10 out of 10. Like, a million out of 10.”

From Lara’s perspective, she remembered showing up with low expectations.

Aware her friends were aiming to set her up, she walked in, saw Jarred and thought to herself: “Oh my God. I hope it’s that guy.”

After some liquid courage, Jarred finally approached Lara, and they ended up talking all night long. Fast forward to 2023, they got married and are still deeply in love as ever.

For couples who aren’t cocktail gurus, but have an open mind, Lara and Jarred Finn suggest a “Last Man Standing” at Ivy & Varley.

It’s a mix of London dry gin with rye, fernet, campari and an orange twist for garnish.

Jarred recalled the presentation involved—the bartender capping a cloud of smoke and trapping it in with the drink. Seeing it made, he said, sells it.

“Where has this been my whole life?” he recalled thinking. “Because for me, it was always like, ‘why am I gonna pay $20 for a drink?’”

Over a round of German food and beers, they clink glasses in a “Cheers!” to their love. CW

A zalea Jain and Ossilot Skyhaus were living in Florida when they met at a COVIDera game night with

Video games help Janet Medina and Michael Valadez to stay connected while living in separate states.

Jarred Finn says his breath was taken away when he first saw his nowwife Lara.

COURTESY

DÉLICE FRENCH BAKERY AND CAFÉ

“People are looking for more of an experience when they dine out”—

DIG IN

BEST OF UTAH CHEF TYSON PETERSON ON THE POWER OF A GOOD MEAL.

BY BRANDI CHRISTOFFERSEN COMMENTS@CITYWEEKLY.NET

Tyson Peterson, head chef at Mar Muntanya, said he’s noticed a new energy around eating and drinking in the city.

“People are looking for more of an experience when they dine out,” he said. “Since the pandemic, I believe we have all been craving a connection to one another. Sharing a meal and a cocktail are the perfect way to engage and connect.”

Connection and sharing are particularly desired as we approach one of the busiest date nights of the year: Valentine’s Day. In the past, this “day of love” was all about romantic couples expressing their affection for one another. In more recent years, however, it has become a time to honor all those we love and care about, including friends and family.

“Galentine’s” and “Palentine’s” are now part of the modern zeitgeist and, on February 14, entire groups gather together to celebrate.

“Mar Muntanya is largely about that,” Peterson said. “After all, tapas style is all about sitting down and sharing everything.”

Mar Muntanya is located on the 6th floor of the Hyatt Regency hotel in downtown Salt Lake City. When Peterson was given the opportunity to open the new restaurant, two and half years ago, he jumped at the chance.

“The entire concept and menu are inspired by the flavors and culture of Northern Spain,” he said.

Mar Muntanya means sea and mountain, which perfectly blends the contrasts between the two worlds into one cuisine. Its small plates are sized and portioned for sharing and allow for experimentation. Patrons reportedly love the experience.

Tapas comes from the Spanish word meaning “to cover.” Its origins date back to the mid-13th century, when, as legend has it, King Alfonso X of Castile, known as the “wise one,” passed a decree that all taverns must offer a small portion of food with every glass of wine to help reduce the effects of alcohol.

These small bites were referred to as tapas, as they were often placed over the top of the drink. Eventually, these tiny plates evolved into a fully designed cuisine. It was while working as the executive chef for numerous establishments throughout the United States that Peterson first fell in love with tapas-style dining. A Utah native—and a 2024 Best of Utah winner—Peterson said he was excited by the opportunity to construct Mar Muntanya’s tapas menu with local ingredients, spices and flavors.

“It’s so fresh and creative,” he said. “Growing up, we would have these huge Sunday dinners and every meal was family-style. This type of dining perfectly complements tapas style—everyone shares everything.”

According to Peterson, that is what Mar Muntanya is all about —sharing an experience. In fact, each menu item has a story behind why it’s included on the menu. Every server has a “food bible” and can explain why the item was selected and what it means to the person that chose it.

An example of this is the ever-popular Campfire Elk Loin, which was inspired by Peterson’s memories of hunting in the Wasatch Mountains with his father.

“The dish has hints of blackberries and sage which is another callback to the mountains,” he said.

It’s things like the food bible that show the time and commitment that has been invested into the restaurant. You can feel all the love and energy that goes into every dish.

“Mar Muntanya is about the experience, and how lucky am I to get to be a part of it?” Peterson gushed.

One of these special moments occurred soon after the restaurant opened. A newly engaged couple came to Mar Muntanya to celebrate. They ordered a bottle of wine and shared numerous items from the menu.

Peterson visited with them at their table—known as a “table touch”—and they toasted to their future.

“The couple came back a few years later to recreate the moment,” explained Peterson. “So we got the same bottle of wine and duplicated their same dishes. They were so grateful to get to experience those memories and feelings all over again.”

Peterson hopes to create magical dining experiences for everyone that visits the restaurant. But he said that he’s opted against a special Valentine’s menu this year, as the restaurant’s standard service already invites patrons to select their own combination of small plates.

“Each couple can create their own unique tasting menu,” he explained.

But Peterson does have some Valentine’s Day suggestions.

“We have little bites that you can start with, some crudo and sashimi style selections that are sexy for sure,” he recommended. “Our raw oysters are the perfect aphrodisiac.”

The restaurant has also partnered with Alpine Distilling and created two collaborative cocktails.

One is inspired by the James Bond Vesper Martini and highlights Alpine’s Persistent Vodka. The other is the spruce tip gin and tonic, which features Alpine’s spruce tip infused gin.

“It’s been amazing working with Alpine and realizing the differences between tongue flavors and nasal flavors. It’s interesting to pair different cocktails with different plates and to experience the end result.” CW

Tyson Peterson, Mar Muntanya head chef and a 2024 Best of Utah winner.

“When you don’t have to check with anyone about what to do or where to go, life gets so much more interesting.”

—Cat Palmer

LOVER, DATE THYSELF

WHETHER YOU’RE SINGLE FOR VALENTINE’S OR JUST IN NEED OF SELF-LOVE, TRY MASTURDATING.

BY CAT PALMER COMMENTS@CITYWEEKLY.NET

Alright, let’s get real for a second. Whether I’m in a relationship or flying solo, one thing is for sure: alone time is non-negotiable.

I’ve got teens, a spouse, and a business to run. And let’s face it, life is exhausting. Sometimes, it feels like I need a nap just to keep up with all the people who need a piece of me.

So, years ago, I started an #iMasturdate project. And guess what? I’m here to tell you—dating yourself is the best thing you can do for your soul. And yes, I really do mean dating yourself.

I started traveling solo when I was a teen, and I realized that when you don’t have to check with anyone about what to do or where to go, life gets so much more interesting.

You meet people, you explore places at your own pace and, best of all, you answer to no one but yourself. It’s freedom in its purest form.

Now, if you’re wondering what “masturdating” means, let me break it down for you: it’s all about taking yourself out, enjoying your own company and

not feeling weird about it. I’m talking about solo trips, solo dinners, solo everything. Look, it’s 2025—you are the best company you’re ever going to get. Case in point: I’ve become such a pro at solo travel that Delta, without even asking, will upgrade my seat like I’m some kind of VIP. Seriously, they’re like, “Oh, she’s alone? Let’s make this experience extra nice for her.” Bless them. And you know what? I love it. I get on a plane; I don’t have to ask anyone what they want for snacks; I don’t need to check if anyone else is okay with the itinerary; and I can do whatever I want in the city I’m visiting. That’s a level of freedom most people can only dream of. But to be clear, I don’t even have to be in a foreign city to enjoy this. Whether I’m in Paris, Amsterdam or some random small town, I always make sure to carve out a few days for me, myself and I. And trust me, it’s just as much fun as the rest of the trip.

I still remember one of my most iconic “masturdating” moments: I had a sunset meal by the water, sipping on

a lovely wine, eating a delicious dinner and just soaking in the moment. It was magical. Honestly, I’m not even sure if the view was more impressive than how damn good I felt about myself.

Here’s the plot twist—this isn’t just some feel-good trend I’ve been riding alone. I’ve inspired others to get their own “masturdating” groove on.

One woman, who follows me on social media, took a page from my book and realized she was seriously missing out on life. She travels for work all the time, but she was stuck in the “room service and Netflix” routine. (I’m talking meals in her hotel room, isolated from the world.)

One day she decided, “screw that,” and started exploring restaurants on her work trips. She ventured out, she ate at nice spots, and you know what? She found that dining alone wasn’t weird—it was liberating. It opened up her world, and she no longer felt embarrassed to be just with herself.

I was so proud of her for taking that step. Honestly, that’s the kind of selflove I’m here for.

But it’s not just about the big things like travel or fancy dinners.

One thing I really hope my kids remember is that I treated myself to flowers every week, without fail. It didn’t matter what our budget looked like, I made sure that my home always had fresh blooms.

I did it for my mental health and just to feel special—because I am. Buying flowers for yourself is one of those small, yet powerful acts of self-care that instantly makes your life better.

If you’re new to this, start small. Take yourself out to a movie you’ve been dying to see. It’s not like you’re going to be chatting with anyone anyway, so why not enjoy the flick in peace? Or, if you’re feeling extra fabulous, dress up and hit a play, a musical, or a concert.

You know that outfit sitting in your closet that you rarely wear? Yeah, now’s

the time. Go wear it, own it and get your “I’m royalty” vibes on.

Maybe you’re not the theatrical type? Fine, I get it. But you know what’s just as good for your soul? A day at the park, just you, a cozy blanket, a book and a picnic. Pack your snacks, slather on some sunscreen, and just relax.

And if you’re feeling like a total boss, hit up a spa for a day of luxury. I’m talking about those places where you can soak in a bath, get pampered, and just forget the world exists. It’s the ultimate “me time,” and trust me, it’s worth every penny.

Now, for my fellow early risers (or anyone who’s secretly fantasizing about morning peace), imagine: a full breakfast at your favorite neighborhood café. You’re not waiting for anyone, you’re not answering anyone’s questions about where they want to sit—you’re just there, enjoying your time.

And for all my single moms out there (I see you, and I know it’s hard), listen to me: carve out some time for yourself. Find that class you’ve always wanted to take. The University of Utah has night classes, your neighborhood might have a pottery workshop—every artist’s Instagram is full of fun workshops. You deserve it.

For the ultimate “masturdater,” there’s one thing you have to do: take yourself dancing. I’m talking about hitting the dance floor with zero cares. And guess what? You get to leave whenever you want. No one’s waiting on you, no one’s holding you back. If you want to do an ‘80s night, a drag show, or just vibe to your favorite tunes, go for it. No judgment, just pure joy.

Whether you’re married, single, a parent, taking time for yourself isn’t optional—it’s essential.

So, let me leave you with this thought: Masturdating isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. You are the best company that you’ll ever have. Make sure you treat yourself accordingly. CW

COMBATING THE LONELINESS EPIDEMIC THROUGH HUMAN TOUCH

BY ZACH ABEND COMMENTS@CITYWEEKLY.NET

Alyssa Rose and I were lying on her king-sized bed on a Wednesday afternoon in her apartment. We were holding each other and chatting about ourselves. After an hour of cuddling, I got up, thanked her, and went home.

Rose is a professional cuddler and holds people for a living.

“Touch is good for your well-being,” Rose said. “It raises oxytocin and lowers stress hormones.”

WHERE MODERN FLAIR

In 2023, Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, then U.S. Surgeon General, issued a report declaring that loneliness and isolation were at epidemic levels in the United States. COVID-related social-distancing and the widespread use of social media in lieu of human interaction have both contributed to this state of affairs. Some people are starting to counter this epidemic through cuddling.

Over the last 10 years, cuddle parties and one-on-one cuddling have increased in popularity. Organizations like Cuddle Party, Inc., Cuddlist.com, and CuddleComfort.com provide listings of providers who will cuddle with you for a fee as well as information on cuddle parties in your area. There are also unaffiliated cuddlers who advertise on their own.

Here in Utah there are dozens of professional cuddlers who will hold you for a fee. I found Rose through her website—wildrosehaven.com. We spoke on the phone a week before I went to see her. Rose said her interest in cuddling was sparked by a conversation she had with a friend a few years ago who didn’t have time for a relationship and said he missed cuddling.

“I have a very warm and nurturing and comforting energy,” Rose said. “I enjoy connecting to people and giving them what they need. People want to be held and seen and heard. It’s just goodness.”

Rose’s clientele are primarily men although she works with women as well. About half are married or in relationships. In some cases, they don’t want to cheat on their partners but aren’t getting the attention they need at home.

“I don’t judge them,” Rose said. “I provide a service of healing and comfort and care.”

She sees a fair number of single men who are busy and don’t have time for dating. A lot of her clients are going through therapy or going through changes in their relationships.

My experience cuddling with Rose was intimate even though it was platonic. There is something about being held in someone’s arms that can be deeply comforting and yet very vulnerable at the same time.

For someone who isn’t partnered, or is in a dead bedroom relationship, cuddling with someone might fill a real void.

For those who want to explore cuddling services before committing to holding someone for an hour on their own, there are cuddle parties, like the ones hosted by Will Clarke.

Clarke, who has been cuddling professionally for about a year, hosts cuddle parties in Salt Lake

“People want to be held and seen and heard,” says Alyssa Rose, a professional cuddler.

“Communication, Connection and Consent are the three C’s,” —cuddle party host Will Clarke.

and Utah Counties. He emphasized the paramount importance of consent in the cuddling world.

“The purpose of the parties is to teach people how to connect properly,” Clarke said. “Communication, Connection, and Consent are the three C’s”.

Clarke believes that American culture is both oversexualized and also deeply lonely. “You can have sex and still not have a connection moment,” Clarke said. “There is a lot of trauma from our culture because of loneliness and isolation.”

The way Clarke described cuddle parties sounded like a cross between speed dating and a sleepover. The first rule, according to Clarke, is the pajamas stay on the entire time. A cuddle party is not a place for sex and Clarke screens the potential attendees.

The parties are usually at the host’s home although they can be held at hotels or commercial spaces. Clarke said he has everyone do what he called a “nonexercise.” Each person asks the person next to them a question and, no matter what that question is, they have to respond to it with a “no.” This is done so that everyone can feel comfortable saying no.

The first 30 minutes consists of socializing and serves as an ice breaker. Then there is a welcome circle when the facilitator goes over the rules for the party. After that, there is open time for freestyle cuddling.

The parties can go for as long as three or four hours. Clarke described people who lose track of time cuddling as being in a “cuddle coma.” The last 30 minutes of the party are dedicated to a closing circle.

Some people will cuddle with the same person the entire time and others will switch partners in the middle.

According to Mary Sorensen, Executive Director of Cuddle Party, Inc., there are two purposes for cuddle parties. One is to offer you a space to get the touch you need. And, just as importantly, it gives you communication and empowerment tools in a healthy way.

“That communication piece is so important to bring to all your connection in the world,” Sorensen said. “How do I say no. How do I receive no. Practicing those things where it’s lower stakes makes it easier. Touch is the medium we practice these things in.”

Of course loneliness, and our corresponding human need for physical contact, are as old as humanity itself. Dr. Sam Carr, who is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Bath in the Department of Education who researches human relationships, said we shouldn’t try to ‘cure’ loneliness.

“I think feeling lonely is actually a part of everyone’s life journey and we’ll do more good by learning to acknowledge it, allow it, share our stories of it,” Carr said. “There’s a lot of literature about how ‘contact comfort’—the unique feeling of connection and comfort we get from physical touch—is fundamentally important in alleviating loneliness and making us feel safe and secure. So, it’s not new in terms of it being a fundamental human need.”

Given the stranglehold social media has on our culture, and how isolated many people are, we will need all the help we can get. CW

Continued from page 26

That’s a Wrap

Wrapping a Sundance Film Festival with a weird vibe

BY SCOTT RENSHAW scottr@cityweekly.net

There was a weird vibe, at both Park City and Salt Lake City venues, for much of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. And perhaps that was because people were talking a lot about stuff besides the actual movies.

Certainly, given the generally-left-leaning demographic of the festival crowd, a lot of that weirdness had to do with the chaos emanating from the White House during the first weeks of the new/old administration. But it was also the ongoing sense of uncertainty over the future of the festival, as the question of whether it would remain in Utah beyond 2026—or end up moving to either Colorado or Ohio—was left unanswered. In nearly any other year, the first thing someone would ask when striking up a conversation in a pre-screening line would be, “So what have you seen that’s good?” In 2025, that question tended to be, “So what do you think will happen with the location?”

There wasn’t even the usual industry news to chatter about, as the prospect of several multi-million-dollar distribution deals being announced during the festival felt like an artifact of another, pre-COVID time. Among the only major acquisitions announced during festival week was Train Dreams, a period epic purchased by Netflix. The adaptation of a novella by Denis Johnson from director Clint Bentley and his co-writer Greg Kwedar followed Robert Grainier (Joel Edgerton), a traveling laborer and logger in the early-20th-century Pacific Northwest, and told a beautiful story about discovering connections in life. It was also the kind of epic, gloriously photographed by Adolpho Veloso, that seemed ideal for a theatrical experience. While Netflix has certainly chosen to go theatrical with some of its higher-profile features, it felt likely that it would mostly end up showing on small screens.

Still, people did ultimately talk about movies as well—and in the traditional way of festivals, a lot of that talk was about the crowd-pleasers. In the U.S. Dramatic Competition, that meant , an affecting oddball comedy about

two men meeting in a bereavement support group for people who have lost twin siblings; in the U.S. Documentary Competition, it was André Is an Idiot, a wonderfully eccentric character study about a man trying to show the world the importance of getting your colonoscopy screening after his own likely-terminal cancer diagnosis.

And then there was The Ballad of Wallis Island, a quirky British comedy where you could feel nearly every beat coming from a mile away, but nevertheless managed to squeeze every drop of potential out of its premise and its cast. Adapting their 2007 short film, director James Griffiths and co-writers Tom Basden & Tim Key set up a terrific idea: Eccentric millionaire Charles Heath (Key) hires fading folk-music star Herb McGwyer (Basden) for a private concert on the remote island where he lives, the latter being unaware that it’s also going to be a reunion with his one-time professional (and personal) partner Nell Mortimer (Carey Mulligan). The bulk of the humor is built on the awkward interactions between Charles and Herb—and between Charles and literally everybody else, as it turns out, as though he needs to use every syllable he’s had bottled up with nobody else around, usually to make absurdly strained attempts at wordplay. That delightful performance anchors something that turns into a wildly entertaining intersection between Plains, Trains & Automobiles and Inside Llewyn Davis.

In one interesting thematic development, many of the festival’s best films turned out to be meta-narratives, playing with the idea of how storytellers can manipulate you. On the documentary side, that notion was found in the fantastic Zodiac Killer Project, British filmmaker Charlie Shackleton’s video-essay chronicle not just of his own failed attempt to adapt a lawenforcement officer’s memoir about investigating California’s notorious serial killer, but of all the now-cliché trappings of the “truecrime” documentary genre. It was also on display in Predators, which addressed the legacy of NBC’s To Catch a Predator series about sting operations catching prospective pedophiles, and asking what it is audiences actually got from the experience, as opposed to the high-minded claims of the show’s creators.

Perhaps most effective at applying layers of storytelling was Peter Hujar’s Day, from Sundance veteran writer/director Ira Sachs.

He adapts the transcript of an interview conducted on Dec. 19, 1974 in New York, when photographer Peter Hujar (Ben Whishaw) followed up on the request of his friend, writer Linda Rosenkrantz (Rebecca Hall), to chronicle in detail what he did the previous day, The conversation itself is lively and frequently amusing, performed with a wonderful familiarity by Whishaw and Hall, but Sachs frequently inserts reminders that this is a filmed re-interpretation, adding to the distance and artifice already present in a transcript of a recording of a memory, with Hujar himself noting his tendency to lie. And there’s something particularly thrilling about Sachs’ use of Mozart’s Requiem in D minor, which somehow gives an epic, Ulysses-like feel to the idea of one day in any human life. It’s history, it’s character study, it’s 100 percent cinema, and it’s so much more than two actors reading a transcript.

Perhaps fitting for a festival taking place during a tense moment, some of the best films were also filled with tension. That was certainly true of If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Mary Bronstein’s darkly comic psychodrama about a mother named Linda (Rose Byrne) whose life is a whirlwind of colliding crises: dealing with her daughter’s mysterious gastrointestinal illness without any help from her husband; living out of a hotel room after the roof of their apartment caves in; coping with the drama in the lives of her patients as a therapist. Byrne’s performance makes the most of all her skills, as both dramatic and comedic actor, finding the places where every parent falls short and taking them to pitches that often inspires cringes. But the neatest filmmaking trick involves the way Bronstein opts to portray Linda’s daughter—or more specifically, not portray her, keeping the child’s face hidden in a way that captures how Linda’s own problems make it impossible for her to see her daughter as a person, rather than just one more problem to be solved.

And then there’s the greatness on display in the Iranian/Turkish psychological thriller The Things You Kill, which manages to combine tension with that aforementioned sense of metanarrative. Writer/director Alireza Khatami follows a Turkish academic named Ali (Ekin Koç) who begins to suspect that his mother’s death, seemingly the result of a household accident, could have been caused by his father. Along the way, Ali befriends Reza (Erkan Kolçak Kös-

tendil), the new worker on his small farm plot, and it’s no coincidence that those two names together make up the filmmaker’s name; trying to reconcile dueling parts of your psyche is a lot of what’s going on here. But Khatami ties that in to cultural ideas of manhood, their accumulated impact over generations, and how terrifying it can be to wonder if you’ll become the same kind of person your parent was. In a Sundance year that left fans with unanswered questions, it was fitting that its best feature was tied up with the idea of uncertainty. CW

FEBRUARY SPECIAL SCREENINGS

Salt Lake Film Society “Presenting Black Cinema”: As part of Black History Month, the Broadway Centre Cinemas (111 E. 300 South) offers three special titles, with each one running Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Beginning Feb. 9 is Basquiat, the 1996 film biography of celebrated artist JeanMichel Basquiat; Feb. 16 brings the previouslyunreleased 1999 Annihilation of Fish by independent filmmaking pioneer Charles Burnett, starring the late James Earl Jones; and Feb. 23 is a return of the Oscar-nominated 2024 drama Sing Sing slfs.org

Sign o’ the Times: The 1987 concert film by Prince—directed by Prince, David Hogan and Purple Rain’s Albert Magnoli—celebrates the Purple One with concert footage from his 1987 European concert tour, intermixed with music videos and other curiosities. The screening at Brewvies Cinema Pub (677 S. 200 West, Suite D) is part of KRCL’s “Music Meets Movies” series, with the screening on Thursday, Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door, 21+ only. brewvies.com

The Inn Between: Sundance stalwart documentary director Ondi Timoner (DIG!, We Live in Public) took as her latest subject the Salt Lake City-based facility providing hospice care for the unhoused. The Utah premiere of the film will also feature a moderated Q&A featuring KUER’s Doug Fabrizio, staff from The Inn Between and remote participation by Timoner and producer Morgan Doctor. The screening takes place Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. at the Salt Lake City Main Library’s Tessman Auditorium (210 E. 400 South), free to the public with RSVP. utahfilmcenter.org

Peter Hujar’s Day

The Things You Kill

Sign o’ the Times

Doing Right By Menudo

West Valley Carnitas starts a new chapter in Taylorsville.

BY ALEX SPRINGER comments@cityweekly.net @captainspringer

Though I am still acquiring a taste for skewered intestines and tripe tacos, I like to think that my palate has evolved to the point where I embrace offal wherever it can be found. During a visit to West Valley Carnitas, I got the opportunity to put this culinary conviction to the test.

My visit to West Valley Carnitas wasn’t necessarily planned–the restaurant that was originally on my list was unexpectedly closed, so I drove around until I chanced upon this local carnitas shop. It’s been in operation since 2013, owned and operated by Roberto Aguilar and his son Ivan. What made my visit even more serendipitous was the fact that West Valley Carnitas has only been in this Taylorsville location for a few months. The restaurant and its menu have undergone some serious changes from what its online presence showcases–the new West Valley Carnitas has almost exclusively shifted its focus to carnitas. At the moment, it’s unknown as to whether or not the restaurant will bring back items like birria and tortas.

So what does it mean to specialize in carnitas? What does it mean to dedicate your craft to those glorious chunks of pork shoulder that are slow-cooked confit-style in pork lard? In short, it means doing the Lord’s work.

I’ve enjoyed my fair share of carnitas, and am grateful for its prevalence at our

local Latin joints. West Valley Carnitas whips up enormous batches of the stuff that can either be purchased in family packages ($38) with tortillas, rice and beans, or it can be devoured onsite in tacos ($5) or burritos ($10). The restaurant space is large–Ivan Aguilar was on duty during my visit, and he explained that the additional space was ideal for the quantities of high-quality pork that the restaurant produces.

Once I got a look at the solid operation that West Valley Carnitas was running, I decided to order a carnitas taco and a bowl of menudo ($15). From a menudo rookie’s perspective, a place that had this much reverence for prepping its carnitas would be a good spot to give the traditional stew a whirl.

The tacos at West Valley Carnitas are not prepared on the silver dollar street taco tortillas–they’re big and come packed with an enormous helping of carnitas. I dressed my taco up with the provided onions, pico and cilantro before giving the whole thing a squirt of lime juice and a drizzle of salsa verde. You get all the excellent flavors of street tacos here, but there’s just so much more to go around that you’ll kind of rethink your whole relationship with those dinky little guys.

West Valley Carnitas is also whipping up its own corn tortillas, and you get a double stack with each taco–each one is definitely a two-tortilla job. The taco garnishes are all perfectly fresh, but it’s the carnitas that make you pause for reflection. I’ve had some great carnitas around town, but I’ve also had a lot that arrive totally dried out or overly chewy. West Valley Carnitas has definitely secured a place with the great ones as each bite was the epitome of melt-in-your-mouth goodness. The homemade tortillas were also excellent–they’re soft but possess the tensile strength necessary to contain all that pork.

The menudo is also picture perfect

when it arrives. West Valley Carnitas provides diced onions, cilantro and lime with each bowl, and these should definitely be tossed into the mix. It’s a beautiful thing to see the vibrant green of the cilantro contrast with the fiery crimson of the menudo broth. Each bowl of menudo is served with a small stack of tortillas, which are excellent for sopping up any broth that might be left over. The menudo here is mostly meat–cartilaginous morsels of tripe as far as the eye can see. It really is a gorgeous looking plate of food, and the smoky aromas of the broth were enough to help me forget about the negative experiences I’ve had with meat of the intestinal variety.

For starters, the tripe is great. I’ve had some rough experiences trying intestines and stomach before, but this stuff has been prepped to perfection. Spooning up each bite with that luxurious broth and letting the fire of all that chili oil warm you up on a cold day makes me understand why menudo is commonly prescribed as a hangover cure. It’s got everything you need to wake yourself up from a night of debauchery–lingering heat, a bold flavor profile and plenty of meaty stomach bits. While I would recommend both the carnitas and the menudo to anyone who was paying this place a visit, they’re by no means the only items on the menu. Fans of tacos de cabeza ($5) can indulge that special craving for head cheese, and the menu includes plenty of traditional sides like rice ($4) and pinto beans ($4). At the moment, I would say West Valley Carnitas is at its best when it’s whipping up big family portions of their famous pork, but popping in for a comforting bowl of menudo or an overstuffed taco definitely doesn’t hurt. CW

2 Row Brewing

73 West 7200 South, Midvale

2RowBrewing.com

On Tap: Piney Peaks “West Coast IPA”

Avenues Proper 376 8th Ave, SLC avenuesproper.com

On Tap: Steamy Wonder Rye Steam Ale

Bewilder Brewing

445 S. 400 West, SLC

BewilderBrewing.com

On Tap: Belgian Pale Ale, Cosmic Pop IPA, Lord of the Ryes Stout

Bohemian Brewery

94 E. Fort Union Blvd, Midvale

BohemianBrewery.com

On Tap: Cali ‘Steam’ Lager, ‘BrewSki’ German Pilsner

NEW: ‘I.P.L.’ India Pale Lager draft and ‘Czechulator’ Doppelbock (9% ABV)

Bonneville Brewery 1641 N. Main, Tooele BonnevilleBrewery.com

Chappell Brewing

2285 S Main Street

Salt Lake City, UT 84115 chappell.beer

On Tap: Playground #13 - Hazy Pale with Lemondrop and Sultana

Craft by Proper 1053 E. 2100 So., SLC properbrewingco.com

On Tap: Steamy Wonder Rye Steam Ale

Desert Edge Brewery

273 Trolley Square, SLC DesertEdgeBrewery.com

On Tap:  Ay Curuba! Curuba Sour

Epic Brewing Co.

825 S. State, SLC EpicBrewing.com

On Tap: 2024 Big Bad Baptist Imperial Stouts

Etta Place Cidery

700 W Main St, Torrey

www.ettaplacecider.com

On Tap: Wassail Cider, Pineapple Passion Fruit Session Mead

A list of what local craft breweries and cider houses have on tap this week

Fisher Brewing Co.

320 W. 800 South, SLC FisherBeer.com

On Tap: A rotation of up to 17 Fresh Beers!

Grid City Beer Works

333 W. 2100 South, SLC GridCityBeerWorks.com

On Tap: Cask Nitro CO2

Helper Beer

159 N Main Street, Helper, UT  helperbeer.com

Hopkins Brewing Co. 1048 E. 2100 South, SLC HopkinsBrewingCompany.com

On Tap: Friendly Introduction Pale Ale

Kiitos Brewing

608 W. 700 South, SLC KiitosBrewing.com

Now with a full bar license & draft beer cocktails!

On Tap: Fonio - 100% gluten free beer; Schwarzbier

Level Crossing Brewing Co.

Offset Bier Co

1755 Bonanza Dr Unit C, Park City offsetbier.com/

On Tap: DOPO IPA

Ogden Beer Company

358 Park Blvd, Ogden OgdenBeerCompany.com

On Tap: 11 rotating taps as well as high point cans and guest beers

Park City Brewing 1764 Uinta Way C1 ParkCityBrewing.com

On Tap: El Jefe - Hefeweizen

Policy Kings Brewery 223 N. 100 West, Cedar City PolicyKingsBrewery.com

Prodigy Brewing 25 W Center St. Logan Prodigy-brewing.com

On Tap: 302 Czech Pilsner

Proper Brewing/Proper

Burger 857 So. Main & 865 So. Main properbrewingco.com

On Tap: Steamy Wonder Rye Steam Ale

Proper Brewing Moab 1393 US-191, Moab properbrewingco.com  On Tap: Blizzard Wizard Hazy Pale Ale

SaltFire Brewing 2199 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake SaltFireBrewing.com

On Tap: Psycho Killer Juicy Pale Ale

Salt Flats Brewing 2020 Industrial Circle, SLC SaltFlatsBeer.com

On Tap: Winter Amber with notes of Vanilla and Brown Sugar

Scion Cider Bar 916 Jefferson St W, SLC Scionciderbar.com

On Tap: Highpoint Alpenglow 6% ABV

Second Summit Cider 4010 So. Main, Millcreek https://secondsummitcider. com

On Tap: Imperial 8.2%

Shades Brewing 154 W. Utopia Ave, South Salt Lake ShadesBrewing.beer On Tap: Fresh Hop IPA (with homegrown local hops)

Shades On State 366 S. State Street SLC Shadesonstate.com

On Tap: Six Wheat Under Hefeweizen; Black Cloud Lager

Strap Tank Brewery, Lehi 3661 Outlet Pkwy, Lehi, UT StrapTankBrewery.com

On Tap: Redeemer Rauchbier, God of Thunder Roggenbier

Strap Tank Brewery, Springville 596 S 1750 W, Springville, UT StrapTankBrewery.com

On Tap: Candy Cap English Mild

TF Brewing

936 S. 300 West, SLC TFBrewing.com On Tap: Strata

2496 S. West Temple, South Salt

LevelCrossingBrewing.com

On Tap: Rising Hope White Peach IPA

Level Crossing Brewing Co.,

550 South 300 West, Suite 100, SLC LevelCrossingBrewing.com

On Tap: Fresh Hop Little Suss

Moab Brewing

686 S. Main, Moab TheMoabBrewery.com

On Tap:  Arnie (Co-Lab with 2 Row brewing): cream ale base with Lychee black tea and fresh pasteurized lemon juice.

Mountain West Cider

425 N. 400 West, SLC MountainWestCider.com

On Tap: Chai Perry

Red Rock Brewing 254 So. 200 West RedRockBrewing.com

On Tap: Gypsy Scratch

Red Rock Fashion Place 6227 So. State Redrockbrewing.com

On Tap: Munich Dunkel

Red Rock Kimball Junction 1640 Redstone Center Redrockbrewing.com

On Tap: Bamberg Rauch Bier

RoHa Brewing Project 30 Kensington Ave, SLC RoHaBrewing.com

On Tap: Snow God West Coast IPA

Roosters Brewing

Multiple Locations RoostersBrewingCo.com

On Tap: Cranberry Sour, London Porter

Silver Reef 4391 S. Enterprise Drive, St. George SGBev.com

Squatters Corner Pub –Valley Fair 3555 Constitution Blvd, West Valley City squatterscornerpub.com

On Tap: Top of Main Brewery –Coalition Hellfire Chili Pepper Ale

Squatters Pub Brewery / Salt Lake Brewing Co. 147 W. Broadway, SLC saltlakebrewingco.com/ squatters

On Tap: Salt Lake Brewing Co. – Glinda’s Blackberry Sour

Squatters and Wasatch Brewery 1763 So 300 West SLC UT 84115

Utahbeers.com

On Tap: 20 beers with 12 rotating small batch releases:

BEER NERD

Passive/ Aggressive

Two opposites that are part of the same family

BY MIKE RIEDEL comments@cityweekly.net @utahbeer

This week we have two lagers that are basically the same at their core, but head off in radically opposite directions. On one hand we have an American light lager: These typically have a high amount of cereal adjuncts, like rice or corn, which help lighten the beer as much as possible. They are very low in malt, with balancing hop flavor and a light, dry body.

On the other end of the spectrum, we have malt liquors. These have higher amounts of dextrose (fermentable sugars), along with the same adjuncts that are present in the light lagers (corn and rice), to create a much higher level of alcohol that you’d normally never find in your classic lagered beer. Our two beers this week rely mainly on corn to coax them into completely different places.

2 Row - House Party: We start with the big boy: a 9.2 percent malt liquor. This is a new beer from 2 Row Brewing, and it has a very classic appearance, pouring a clear filtered-looking golden color. The pure white head lacks much retention, and there are also a lot of small carbonation bubbles visible. It smells of sweet malt and something resembling corn flakes. There is a bit of booziness here, along with some fruitiness.

The taste sort of follows the nose, but there is more of a hop presence. It tastes mostly of sweet malts, and there’s a bit of an alcohol presence. There is something else here as well that tastes a bit spicy, but I can’t quite identify what it is. The finish is clean and a touch boozy. It has a medium body and medium carbonation, and while it’s a bit sticky, it

goes down quite easily. This is a good mouthfeel for the style, definitely better than other malt liquors I’ve had, with a very slight alcohol warmth in the finish.

Verdict: Great drinkability here. I really didn’t expect much out of this beer, but it totally surprised me. It’s not just great for a malt liquor, but it is a great beer without qualification. I really like the taste of House Party, and I could see this being a good transition beer for converting people into craft beer. Plus, it really shows that not all malt liquors have to be one-dimensional.

Fisher - Longevity Light Lager: Our other lager dials in at a mere 3.9 percent alcohol. It utilizes the corn mostly for the alcohol, so that a minimal amount of malt can keep this beer looking and feeling light.

The crystal-clear color is somewhere between golden copper and white gold— nicer to look at than a typical, hyper-pale light lager—with an average amount of carbonation. There’s not much to speak of in the aroma department, but still above average for the style, with some hints of pale and amber grains, light aromas of bread and biscuits, and a faint suggestion of caramel sweetness.

There’s just enough flavor to be interesting. It’s reminiscent of their Fisher Beer, a more “traditional” lager. This has more subdued flavors that are slightly grainy, bready and lightly biscuity, with a low level of sweetness which finishes clean and dry. The light body showcases nice level of carbonation with high drinkability.

Verdict: Criticizing the light lager category is kind of like bullying the small kid: It’s easy, but you’re kind of a dick for doing it. For what it is, Longevity Light Lager is decidedly above average, as the hints of malt keep things interesting. I’d place this at the top of my list for craft light lagers, alongside Ogden Beer’s Meanwhile in Ogden lager.

Cans of House Party are available at 2 Row in Midvale, while Longevity Light Lager is only on draft at Fisher.

As always, cheers! CW

the BACK BURNER

BY ALEX SPRINGER | @captainspringer

Where to Eat for Valentine’s Day

What is that heady aroma that is wafting along the Wasatch Front? Is it…love? Yes, I believe it is. Lucky for you, I’ve got some great info on local spots that are sure to impress that oh-so-special someone in your life.

Two of Hill Top Hospitality’s (hill-top-hospitality.com) swankiest brands Urban Hill and Hearth and Hill will be celebrating Valentine’s Day with some luxurious new menu items. Urban Hill’s Valentine’s dinner menu will be in effect on February 14, and it will include a four-course dinner starting with some day boat scallops prepared with arancini, a black pepper and duck fat potato pavé with a caper aioli, some black-striped bass served with tom kha chimichurri and either a raspberry macaron or petit gâteau for dessert. Hearth and Hill’s Valentine’s menu will be available throughout the weekend from February 13 to 15, and it will include a bluefin tuna sashimi for two, oysters served with pink peppercorn mignonette, mushroom-dusted halibut with king trumpet mushrooms or a boneless bison ribeye with rosemary roasted potatoes.

Over at STK Steakhouse (stksteakhouse.com) will be sprucing up its Valentine’s menu from February 10 to February 16. Included with that glow-up will be a six-ounce wagyu filet, some wagyu fried rice topped with a fried egg, some Imperia Kaluga caviar, a chocolate marshmallow lava cake and a creamy dessert known as cupid’s cloud that comes with two shots of Don Julio 1942.

Rouser (rouserslc.com), the flagship restaurant of Salt Lake’s new Asher Adams Hotel, you can get a four-course dinner for two that comes with an optional wine pairing. The meal begins with a king crab Caesar salad, then some wild mushroom agnolotti, heading into a Chilean sea bass that crescendos into a Manhattan New York strip steak before settling things down with a butterscotch budino and chocolate ash cake for dessert. Is it getting hot in here, or is it just me?

SLC Indie

Spirit Assembly, Sunset Station, Homephone and Bliss Peak evoke the spirit of DIY.

BY EMILEE ATKINSON EATKINSON@CITYWEEKLY.NET

The term “indie” can definitely be a pretty broad category to represent music. Generally, though, indie music is defined by creative freedom and DIY style on a budget. SLC is brimming with ubertalented indie artists from all across the musical spectrum. Here are a few to tickle the fancy of any of you poly-jamorous folks out there.

Spirit Assembly: The solo project of singer/songwriter Brandon Root, Spirit Assembly is an indie-rock project that Root describes as “spacious indie grit”—a perfect description for the music. Root’s indie-rock sound is thoughtful, atmospheric and takes its time. His song “still can’t” plays at a slow tempo, but is exciting nonetheless, and the excitement comes in the form of deliberate instrumentation and echoey effects. This is a perfect track for when you’re sitting in contemplation of life and all its meaning. Or if you’re going through a tough time, the emotionality of this song is touching and will make you feel less alone. “This is a song of personal loss, and how people involuntarily attach that type of grief to songs. Sometimes in a healing way, or sometimes that connection remains raw years later,” Root said on Instagram upon the song’s release. Root also teamed up recently with Portland, Ore.-based singer/songwriter Myranda Snyder on a new demo called “Recall Airbag.” Because it’s a demo, the new track is stripped-down, but still has a lovely

introspective and meditative quality to it. Snyder’s vocals are a treat, adding beautiful harmonies that give depth to the song. “Sometimes it’s fun to throw something raw out there and see what people think,” Root said in January. Find “still can’t” on the usual places, but “Recall Airbag” is exclusively on BandCamp. Be sure to check them out!

Sunset Station: Utah’s beautiful landscape inspires in many ways. There’s a ton of visual art that depicts the towering mountains, alluring foliage and sweeping desert vistas, but plenty of local musicians also take inspiration from the gorgeous scenery this state has to offer. Indie outfit Sunset Station categorizes themselves as “SLC desert indie,” and their new single “Decoys” draws a lot from the surrounding landscape. “This song holds a piece of me—taking place in the heart of winter, when the surrounding Utah desert feels endless and the stillness acts as a decoy, hiding the quiet turbulence beneath,” said singer/songwriter Jéan Castro of Sunset Station. “It’s about what lingers in the cold and what we’re left to face when everything is stripped away. I hope it finds you, wherever you are, and that you can find something in it too.” “Decoys” is mellow with tons of reverb, and listening to it makes you feel like you’re cruising down the road on a chilly Utah afternoon. This earnest track proves hard not to listen to a few times in a row. Check this one out wherever you stream music.

Homephone: Indie-pop duo Homephone has been giving listeners dreamy, shoegazey style music since 2021, when they released their debut single “Idle Eyes.” This delightfully floaty track was a great introduction for the duo, with plenty of trippy effects and bright vocals that cut through the

MUSIC

slower pace of the music. Their first fulllength album, Mellon Collie, had more of the same qualities, expanded to show the duo’s talent and knack for this evocative musical form. Great tracks fill the album, but standouts include “Pistachio” and “Kaleidoscope Roses.” “Pistachio” is upbeat, airy and perfect for dancing, whereas “Kaleidoscope Roses” slows things down and features atmospheric effects that would sound amazing if you were actually looking through a kaleidoscope with images of roses. Homephone has also released a few music videos that are a joy to watch, with retro-looking footage, shots of beautiful trees and even a cat on a leash! What more could you need? You can stream all of Homephone’s library, including their 2024 EP Willow Tree, wherever you get your music, and you definitely should do that soon.

Bliss Peak: Singer/songwriter JaCoby Newton described his Bliss Peak solo project back in 2021 as “my chance to explore unin-

hibited creativity with my music, a space separate from myself to explore new sounds and ideas freely. … Always seeking to improve but bringing a loving awareness to the roadblocks I encounter on the path that each piece takes me through. I hope this space can provide the same for you.” Newton experiments with many different sounds, including indie rock, synthwave/rock, dream pop and more. The first Bliss Peak release was a full album called The Mountain Sound, which is another awesome nod to Utah’s lovely landscape. This album is full of airy, ethereal songs that feature plenty of synth effects mixed with live instruments. There were pretty consistent releases from Bliss Peak after that, leading up to another full-length album, 2023’s The Grand Machine. Sonically you’ll find the same vibes here, along with more Utah references in song titles like “Canyon” and “Uintah Trance.” There’s also a video for The Grand Machine track “In Line,” which includes interesting locations and is complete with lyrics from the song. If you’re in the mood for tons of ethereal effects, Bliss Peak’s music is for you. CW

Homephone

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BEST BAR IN UTAH!

GREAT FOOD

MUSIC PICK S

Riot Ten @ BoxPac Project 2/7

Riot Ten is back in SLC, in case you missed him last year. Texas native Christopher Wilson goes by Riot Ten because he brings a riot to a 10 every time. For those who like to headbang at the rails, be ready for his track “Rail Breaker,” which was released on Steve Aoki’s Dim Mak label in 2017 when he was just 22 years old. His hard-trap style like “Hype or Die: Ballistic” shows his signature dark and heavy sound, setting him apart even from big names in the electronic music industry with whom he’s toured like Yellow Claw, Adventure Club, Steve Aoki, Kayzo and Excision. The year 2024 was full of milestones for Wilson, as he debuted on the iconic label Monstercat with his remix of the song “RIOT” by Öwnboss and Selva last March. This show is part of his ongoing Feral Tour, and one of the first shows this year back at the 360-degree stage at BoxPac Project warehouse. Expect what the name Feral calls to mind: wild, aggressive, fierce. It’s also the name of one of his newest and heaviest EPs, which came to Wilson during a surge of creative energy while working on an intro for an upcoming festival set. This is a 21+ show brought by Mutiny Music Collective. Doors open at 9 p.m. Tickets now cost $30 for Tier 3. Buy tickets, get concert information, and get ready to party. Go to seetickets.us. (Arica Roberts)

UPCOMING SHOWS

Abstract X Dylan Owen

MUSIC PICK S

Guster @ Eccles Theater 2/8

Guster provides the very definition of what it takes to earn a populist following. Over the course of a career that spans three decades, they’ve developed a close bond with their fans and followers by virtue of their personable approach and amiable attitude. Formed while the three founding members were still students at Tufts University, the band followed the path blazed by other popular ‘90s outfits like Dave Matthews Band, moe, Phish and Widespread Panic. From their 1994 debut Parachute through to their most recent release, Ooh La La, their music has been used in any number of films and television shows, further boosting their fame and acclaim along the way. Their varied instrumental approach also brings a certain level of distinction, as the various musicians often switch things up and take turns at center stage during their live performances. Unerringly infectious, the music is rousing, robust and laced with an ample supply of offbeat humor (and an occasional kooky cover). In the past, the members of the band opened some of their own shows under the guise of the “Peace Soldiers,” and later, the “Trippin’ Balls.” At times, they’d even hide in the audience and “come on down” when summoned for their own imagined episode of The Price Is Right We’re not sure what to expect this time, but that’s the Guster luster: Ample entertainment is all but assured. Guster plays the Eccles Theater at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 8. Tickets cost $64 - $142 at ticketmaster.com. (Lee Zimmerman)

Good Looks, Josaleigh Pollett @ Kilby Court 2/10

Good Looks have been put through the ringer. The Austin, Texas-based indie rock group has gone through their guitarist being hit by a car, releases being delayed by COVID and even having their tour van go up in flames in an accident. Nothing can keep these guys down, though. Through all of that they’ve released some great music, including their album Lived Here For a While last year. “Lyrically, the songs on this album are healing meditations on family dysfunction, new relationships, and how a home can become unrecognizable,” according to the band’s site. Frontman Tyler Jordan’s primary focus on Lived Here For A While is “dissecting relationships of all kinds: familial, platonic, creative, and romantic.” “I’ve been going to therapy for 10 years,” said Jordan. “I used to think that I was destined to be in hard relationships because of the trauma that I had as a kid. I was working through all this stuff and realized I was ready to finally be in a healthy relationship.” Come check out everything Good Looks has been working on. SLC’s mystifying Josaleigh Pollett joins on Monday, Feb 10 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are $15 and can be found at 24tix.com. (Emilee Atkinson)

&Used

&Used VinylReco

VinylReco

MUSIC PICKS

Foster the People @ Union Event Center 2/11

Foster the People is a very clever band. Their pop is subtle, and while not following established trends, it still doesn’t sound quite like anything else. Last year’s Paradise State of Mind was infectious stuff; it didn’t hold itself to one genre but picked and chose the best sounds, rhythms and musicality. Frontman Mark Foster seems like he is in the right place and at the right time to invite in inspiration.

“As an artist, we’re living … in a time right now where attention span and being prolific, those two things have sped up so much that I feel like there’s an inherent pressure that if you’re not in front of people’s faces all the time, you’re going to be forgotten,” Foster told Forbes. “But, for me, as a storyteller, it’s so important to fill the well up.” Anyone who thinks Foster the People are just “okay” should try and see them live. They massively rock up the contemporary bits and stretch out the electro bits—that sense of a tightrope act keeps me attentive. Foster also boasts such a unique and emotive voice, and not many with that kind of passionate delivery can simultaneously hold a note and increase the intensity. And there is nothing wrong with creating hook-laden sing-a-long pop when it’s this good. Good Neighbors open. Catch these acts on the Paradise State Of Mind tour at The Union on Tuesday, Feb 11. Doors at 7 p.m., show starts at 7:45 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are $149 at ticketmaster.com or through vividseats.com. (Mark Dago)

Crash Test Dummies @ The State Room, 2/12

Brad Roberts’ distinctive, inimitable baritone vocals helped propel Crash Test Dummies’ “Mmm, Mmm, Mmm, Mmm” to the very top of singles charts in nine countries worldwide in 1993. Oddly enough, the song only made it to #14 in the band’s native Canada, but the Winnipeg, Manitoba group earned platinum or better for three of its albums in the Great White North. They also landed more than a dozen of their singles on the Canadian charts. Nominated for three Grammys and 11 Junos (the Canadian equivalent), the Dummies won one of the latter. Combining goodnatured melodic sense with thoughtful and introspective lyrics, the Crash Test Dummies have earned a loyal following, one that has followed the band from its 1988 beginnings through two hiatuses and into the present day. Since 2017, the band has toured with its original lineup—Roberts plus keyboardist Ellen Reid, bassist Dan Roberts and drummer Mitch Dorge—and released a single, “Sacred Alphabet,” in 2023. Crash Test Dummies come to the State Room on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 8 p.m. Australian folk/Americana artist Grayson (born Michael Edser) opens this 21+ show. Remaining tickets, if available, at axs.com. (Bill Kopp)

free will ASTROLOGY

BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES

(March 21-April 19)

The world’s largest mirror isn’t an actual mirror. It’s Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni salt flat, a vast area that’s almost perfectly flat. After a rain, a thin layer of calm water transforms the surface into a perfect reflector that can be used to calibrate observation satellites. In these conditions, it may be almost impossible to tell where the earth begins and the sky ends. I foresee metaphorically similar developments for you during the coming weeks. Boundaries between different aspects of your world—professional and personal, spiritual and practical—might blur in interesting ways. A temporary dissolution of the usual limits may offer you surprising insights and unexpected opportunities for realignment. Be alert for helpful clues about how to adjust the way you see things.

TAURUS

(April 20-May 20)

From day to day, glaciers appear static. But they are actually slow-moving rivers of ice that have tremendous creative power. They can make or reshape valleys, moving tons of dirt and rock. They pulverize, grind and topple trees, hills and even mountains. New lakes may emerge in the course of their activity. I invite you to imagine yourself as a glacier in the coming months, Taurus. Exult in your steady transformative power. Notice and keep track of your slow but sure progress. Trust that your persistence will ultimately accomplish wonders and marvels.

GEMINI (May

21-June 20)

In recent weeks, have you stirred up any dynamic fantasies about exotic sanctuaries or faraway places or mercurial wild cards? Have you delivered enticing messages to inspiring beauties or brave freedom-fighters or vibrant networkers? Have you been monitoring the activities of longshots or future helpers or unification adepts who might be useful to you sooner than you imagine? Finally, Gemini, have you noticed I’m suggesting that everything important will arise in threes—except when they come in twos, in which case you should hunt for the missing third? PS: When the wild things call to you, respond promptly.

CANCER (June 21-July 22)

Archaeologists found two 43,000-year-old flutes in Germany. Constructed of mammoth ivory and bird bone, they still produce clear notes with perfect pitch. They were located in a cave that contains ancient examples of figurative art. Some genius way back then regarded art and music as a pleasurable pairing! I propose we make these instruments your power symbols for the coming weeks, Cancerian. May they inspire you to resuscitate the value of your past accomplishments. May you call on the help of melodies and memories that still resonate—and that can inspire your future adventures! Your words of power are regeneration, revival and reanimation.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

It’s your unbirthday season, Leo—the holiday that’s halfway between your last birthday and your next. During this interlude, you could benefit from clarifying what you don’t want, don’t believe, and don’t like. You may generate good fortune for yourself by going on a quest to discover rich potentials and stirring possibilities that are as-yet hidden or unexpressed. I hope you will be bold enough to scan the frontiers for sources of beauty and truth that you have been missing. During your unbirthday season, you will be wise to gather the rest of the information you will need to make a smart gamble or daring change.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Austrian playwright Elfriede Jelinek won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2004, and Romanian-German author Herta Müller earned it in 2009. But garnering the world’s most prestigious award for writers did not provide a big boost to their book sales. In some markets, their famous works are now out of print. In 2025, I hope you Virgos do in your own spheres what they only half-accomplished in theirs. I would love for you to gather more appreciation and attention while simultaneously raising your income. According to my reading of the astrological omens, this is a reasonable expectation.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

By day, Libra-born Forrest Bess (1911–1977) worked as a commercial fisherman in Texas. By night, he created visionary paintings inspired by symbols that appeared to him in states between sleeping and waking. Other influences in his art came from alchemy, the psychological philosophy of Carl Jung and Indigenous Australian rituals. His life was living proof that mystical exploration and mundane work could coexist. I’m hoping he might serve you as an inspirational role model. You are in a phase when you have the power to blend and synergize seemingly opposing aspects of your world. You would be wise to meditate on how to find common ground between practical necessity and spiritual aspiration. Are there ways you can unite the desires of your head and heart? Of your need for safety and your longing for adventure? Of your craving for beauty and your fondness for usefulness?

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

The first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, arranged for himself to be buried after death with an army of 8,000 soldiers made from terracotta, which is a clay ceramic. Joining the gang below the earth’s surface were 770 horses and 130 chariots. For over 2,000 years, this assemblage was lost and forgotten. But in 1974, farmers digging a new well found it by accident. In this spirit, I am predicting that sometime in the next five months, you will make interesting discoveries while looking for something other than what you find. They won’t be as spectacular as the terracotta army, but I bet they will be fun and life changing.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

Author Zora Neale Hurston said, “There are years that ask questions and years that answer.” I will adjust that counsel for your use, Sagittarius. According to my astrological analysis, the first half of 2025 will ask questions, and the second half will answer them. For best results, I invite you to gather and polish your best questions in the next five months, carefully defining and refining them. When July begins, tell life you are ready to receive replies to your carefully wrought inquiries.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Hemoglobin is an iron-bearing protein that’s crucial to most life. It enables the transportation of oxygen in the blood. But one species, the icefish of the Antarctic seas, lacks hemoglobin. They evolved other ways to obtain and circulate enough oxygen in the frozen depths, including larger hearts and blood vessels. The system they’ve developed works well. So they are examples of how to adjust to an apparent problem in ways that lead to fine evolutionary innovations. I suspect you’re now in the midst of your own personal version of a comparable adaptation. Keep up the good work!

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

Born under the sign of Aquarius, Clyde Tombaugh discovered the heavenly body known as Pluto in 1930. This was years before he earned advanced degrees in astronomy. His early education was primarily self-directed. The telescopes he used to learn the sky were built from tractor parts and old car components from his father’s farm. During the coming months, I surmise there will be elements of your life resembling Tombaugh’s story. Your intuition and instincts will bring you insights that may seem unearned or premature. (They’re not!) You will garner breakthroughs that seem to be arriving from the future.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)

One of the world’s deepest caves is Veryovkina in the nation of Georgia. At its lowest, it’s 7,257 feet down. There are creatures living there that are found nowhere else on earth. I propose we make it your symbolic power spot for now. In my astrological opinion, you will be wise to dive further into the unknown depths than you have in quite some time. Fascinating mysteries and useful secrets await you. Your motto: “Go deeper and deeper and deeper.”

Engineer (Health Catalyst Inc; South Jordan, UT): Perform analysis to support client outcomes/improvement initiatives across clinical, ops, & fin domains. Telecommute permit. Min req’s: Bach in IT, Math, Stats, Analytics or rel + 2 yrs exp in tech or tech rel field + add’l skills. Send resume to Cali Parker cali.parker@healthcatalyst.com. Ref: 00063159. An EOE.

EMPLOYMENT

SelectHealth, Inc. seeks a Facets Solutions Architect in Murray, UT. Position may telecommute from any state in the US except CA, HI, IL, PA, RI, and WA. Apply at https://imh. wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/ IntermountainCareers or email resume to mary.hansen@imail.org.

Salary: $144,955$156,000/yr.

urban LIVING

WITH BABS DELAY

Broker, Urban Utah Homes & Estates, urbanutah.com

Fire! Fire!

Iwas as shocked and grieved as anyone when the Maui, Hawaii town of Lahaina was virtually burned off the map in 2023. Up until then, it ranked as one of the top 10 deadliest U.S. wildfires on record since 1871, and considered the deadliest natural disaster in Hawaii’s history, with just over 100 confirmed victims and still people unaccounted for after the disaster.

I love the islands, and I sincerely can’t imagine the heartbreak of losing family, friends and homes to this sort of thing. But now, just after the New Year, we saw again in horror as California was hit with not just massive wildfires, but even more damage than what Hawaii saw, with roughly 12,000 homes destroyed between the Palisades and Eaton fires.

What we also learned from the California tragedies was that thousands of homeowners had their home insurance cancelled months before the yearly Santa Ana winds, or their rates were raised by massive amounts that many could not afford, making them unable to renew their policies.

Cancelling insurance is now a common news item. I read that property owners are fleeing from the state of Florida because home insurance companies are also cancelling policies around the state in hurricane-prone areas, or raising rates that are unaffordable to many. Frequent hurricanes and the threat of severe weather events are becoming worse and worse around the Gulf and Treasure Coasts, and literally hundreds of thousands of residents are and have been leaving the state in the past few years, due to the result of insurance costs and HOA fees.

You may recall a condo building in Surfside, Florida collapsing in 2021. Since then, HOA fees around the state have increased astronomically and people are being forced to sell their condos and mobile/manufactured homes at huge losses because insurance companies are requiring massive guarantees and inspections from HOAs around the state.

Policies that might have cost $800 per year are now $8,000 a year or more, if you can find a carrier.

Could you get a notice in the mail that your home insurance carrier is going to drop your coverage? Sure. And it is happening here already. Folks living up against Forest Service lands with heavy brush and trees have been getting kicked out of their policies, and I know of people in the hills above Draper getting axed because they are close to fire risks.

Here’s what to do next: 1. Shop around, as there are many carriers out there; 2. Negotiate with your insurance carrier to re-establish your policy if you can make/keep and prove you have a defensible space outside and around your home from fires.

Firefighters recommend you clear flammable vegetation within 30 feet around your home and clean your roof and gutters from leaves. Sadly, Mother Nature is angry at us and these intense weather events are not going to stop. n

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ACROSS

1. Ike’s spouse

6. Caramel candy brand

10. “30 for 30” channel

14. Love, in Rome

15. Peters of “American Horror Story”

16. High point

17. Angel’s citation for forgetting an instrument?

19. Sit a while

20. Muse of astronomy

21. Wilson who played Dwight Schrute

23. Like some almonds

24. Abbreviation after a comma

26. Cessation

27. Give it ___

30. Lean meat source

31. Question of a continental country consortium’s willingness to rock the mic?

34. 2000s boy band named after a Florida city

35. Physically flexible

36. L.A. tree

39. “Clean” surface?

42. Advance, as cash

43. Farmyard refrain

45. Shabby

47. The Insult Comic Dog’s French counterpart?

50. West Germany’s official name until 1990, for short

53. Ready for action

54. “Unbelievable” band of 1991

55. “Chandelier” singer

56. Suffix after mountain

57. Parodize

59. Split in two

61. “Somebody Feed ___” (Netflix travel documentary)

63. What happens when you treat your garden hose badly?

66. Verdi opera heroine

67. Dull pain

68. Quetzalcoatl worshipper

69. “Ocean Man” group

70. Shout it out

71. “All That Jazz” director Bob

DOWN

1. Organic fertilizer component

2. Conscienceless

3. Centrist style?

4. Persian Gulf country

5. Most chilling

6. Arbiter

7. Ab ___ (from square one)

8. Hardy counterpart

9. No longer at sea

10. Bring in

11. “What if” situation

12. Keir Starmer and others, for short

13. Volleyball need

18. Feeling of sympathy

22. Notion

25. Part of a Traitor’s outfit, on “The Traitors”

28. Big party

29. Uninhibited

32. Take away the heat?

33. Reprehensible

34. Leave out

36. Shepherd’s pie veggies

37. Million or billion ending

38. Where rational thought occurs in the brain

40. Pub fixtures

41. Business school subject

44. Nabisco mainstay

46. Bit brewed in a bag

48. “No need to worry about me”

Last week’s answers

Complete the grid so that each row, column, diagonal and 3x3 square contain all of the numbers 1 to 9. No math is involved. The grid has numbers, but nothing has to add up to anything else. Solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic. Solving time is typically 10 to 30 minutes, depending on your skill and experience.

49. Workplace

50. Huge meals

51. Some Broadway jukebox musicals

52. Country on the Aegean

58. Prepare (for)

60. Auto exec Ferrari

61. “___ Patrol”

62. Move it along

NEWS of the WEIRD

It’s Good To Have a Hobby

In 2023, friends Boone Hogg and Logan Jugler found a nice stick on the side of a trail in Utah—it had “some excellent grain on it” and a “nice grip,” they said. They liked it so much, they shared a review of it with their friends, National Public Radio reported on Jan. 23. Two years later, Stick Nation has about 3 million Instagram followers from all over the world who post pictures and reviews of their favorite sticks. Some are “modded,” or altered by humans; others are “natty,” left in their natural state. One poster from Antarctica wondered: “There are no sticks here. ... I found an ice stick. Does this count?” Stick Nation allowed the submission. “This is an Antarctica stick,” Jugler decreed.

Nope

In November, high above Riedering, Germany, Friedi Kuhne and Lukas Irmler walked across a slackline strung between two hot-air balloons flying at more than 8,000 feet, United Press International reported. The two were awarded the Guinness World Record for highest slackline walk on Jan. 27. Irmler went first, calling the successful walk “a glorious moment.” Kuhne admitted, “Watching Lukas struggle on the slackline was also very intimidating for me,” noting that the balloons went up and down while they were mid-walk. “At one point we were walking kind of downhill—the next minute uphill. The tension of the line was going up and down.” He celebrated by parachuting off the line.

It’s a Mystery

The Los Angeles Times reported on Jan. 27 that police were called to a property along the Los Angeles River, where Google Earth images had captured multiple HELP signs scratched into the dirt. The land is owned by the Union Pacific Railroad, and it turns out the satellite images were captured in 2023. But a KTLA-TV news helicopter flew over the property on Jan. 27 and saw that the words were still there. Jill Micek, a spokesperson for Union Pacific, said the railroad is aware of a man who has trespassed on the company’s property repeatedly and who is responsible for the alarming messages. While she stressed that no one is in danger, the conspiracy theory community lit up with tales of underground tunnels: “The truth is in the tunnels,” one wrote on X. But LAPD is also familiar with the individual who frequents the area, and they said he “has refused housing or a mental health evaluation. He has been at the location for a few years.”

Weird in the Wild

In rural Willows, Australia, a man in his 50s suffered serious injuries on Jan. 29 when a “massive” kangaroo attacked him as he walked from his house to his car, The Guardian reported. Fortunately, a neighbor witnessed the attack and was able to call for help. Rick Underhill of the Willows Rural Fire Brigade said the man encountered two kangaroos, one male and one female, and the female ran off before the “other bastard turned around and attacked him.” He said the male roo was about 6 1/2 feet tall and probably weighed 220 pounds. Underhill warned community members to stay at home. “A lot of elderly people live in this little community, and they like to go and walk their dogs in the morning,” he said. “And that’s just asking for trouble.”

Family

Values

Two mourning sisters from Clearwater, Florida, didn’t even make it out of the church before getting into a scrape following their 95-year-old dad’s funeral on Jan. 22, The Smoking Gun reported. As Kathleen Deegan, 66, delivered the eulogy for Dr. Arthur Deegan, she reportedly neglected to mention her niece, which upset Maureen Deegan, 60. After the service, Maureen allegedly chest-bumped her older sister; Kathleen then grabbed Maureen’s hair and pulled her back. Maureen threw “strikes at (Kathleen’s) face.” Kathleen was arrested for misdemeanor battery; and Maureen was charged with felony battery because her victim was over 65 years old.

The Tech Revolution

Twelve thousand humans, alongside dozens of humanoid robots, are scheduled to compete in a half-marathon in Beijing in April, Oddity Central reported on Jan. 29. Bipedal robots from Tesla, Boston Dynamics and 1X will have to have a human-inspired appearance and be able to move on two legs. Experts say experienced human runners have the edge over robots, partially because of battery life, but battery changes mid-race will be allowed.

The Passing Parade

In the name of gender equality, Chinese influencer Zhu Miaolin is calling on her male counterparts to start wearing Adam’s apple covers, analogous to women wearing bras. The South China Morning Post reported on Jan. 23 that Zhu noted the Adam’s apple is a delicate, sensitive area that should be protected. The covers are made from wool, leather or lace and cost between 70 cents and $3. A 2020 census in China revealed that there are about 35 million more men than women, a result of the longstanding (but now defunct) one-child policy in the country.

News That Sounds Like a Joke

Fighting a cold? If you’re lucky, you can find some Progresso Soup Drops—cough lozenges that taste like chicken noodle soup. Metro News reported that General Mills announced the limited-time product on Jan. 16: “What’s a soup drop? Well, it’s soup you can suck on, of course!” A can of 24 lozenges costs $2.49, but they sold out almost immediately, before a second batch was released on Jan. 23.

Police Report

Police pulled over Elizabeth Perez of El Paso, Texas, on Jan. 24 after clocking her driving 106 mph on I-84 near Baker City, Oregon, The Oregonian reported. Why is that weird? Because Perez is 94 years old. The woman was also cited for failing to secure a child passenger, for driving without insurance and for failing to yield to an emergency vehicle.

What’s in a Name?

Before she was born—a cosmetologist from McDonough, Georgia, told the New York Post on Jan. 27—her mother wanted to name her either Tequilla Sunrise or Shaylee Shian. After the birth, her father merged the names and signed the birth documents, and Tequilla Shian was introduced to the world. Tequilla was bullied and got in trouble with teachers, who thought she was making up her name, until she started going by Shian when she was 11. As an adult, she has embraced her first name again. “I have heard the same jokes over and over again,” she said. “Kids would ask if my parents were alcoholics or if they were drunk naming me.” Interestingly, Tequilla is a teetotaler: “I myself don’t drink—people find that very funny, that the girl named Tequilla doesn’t drink.”

Don’t Try This at Home

JAMA Cardiology published a case on Jan. 22 that might put followers of the carnivore diet off their meat. The subject arrived at a Tampa, Florida hospital with yellow oozing nodes on his palms, elbows and soles of his feet, the New York Post reported. He told doctors that he was following a diet consisting of entire sticks of butter, 6 to 9 pounds of cheese and hamburger patties daily. He said his overall health had improved—he had lost weight and gained energy and cognitive functioning. But the painless ooze had started nearly a month earlier. Blood tests revealed his cholesterol level was more than 1,000 mg/dL—about five times what is considered healthy. He was diagnosed with xanthelasma, in which excess lipids ooze from the blood vessels. The report didn’t reveal the man’s fate.