City Weekly July 13, 2023

SOMETHING FROM NOTHING

By Thomas Crone

S AP

BOX

@SLCWEEKLY

@SLCWEEKLY @CITYWEEKLY

Accommodate This

In 2019, Gerald Groff quit his job, then sued his employer for causing him “much anxiety and distress” by expecting him to show up for work and, a fter various attempts to accommodate his absenteeism (more than 24 m issed shifts in two years), disciplining him when he didn’t.

If he’d sued because working on Sundays interfered with his enjoyment of a particular brunch buffet, or his ability to keep up with the pro

football season, we’d likely have never heard his name.

But Groff’s grounds for action were that a personal friend of his—an invisible friend whose very existence is hotly debated, but whose supposed opinions Groff values very much— doesn’t want him to work on Sundays, so his case made it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

On June 29, that court ruled that employers must provide “religious accommodations” to employees, unless doing so “would result in substantial increased costs in relation to the conduct of its particular business.”

T he costs, substantial or otherwise, increased or not, aren’t really the problem. The problem is the treatment of such “accommodations” as an entitlement or right at all.

W hile it’s a stretch to say that we live in a free society these days, we do live in a society where we at least

still enjoy the freedom to choose our employers. We can refuse any job we don’t want to do. We can quit any job we don’t like.

Employers should be similarly free to hire people who are willing to do a job, and to fire people who decide that they’re no longer going to do that job—even if those people claim that their very special invisible friends don’t want them to.

The First Amendment forbids Congress to make any law “respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” There w as never any question that Gerald Groff was free to exercise his religion as he chose.

Yes, he had to choose between his religious beliefs and any number of jobs that weren’t consistent with those religious beliefs.

If he’d been a Muslim or a Jew, for example, he might have avoided jobs

that involved cooking pork (or, as with his version of Christianity, working on certain days of the week). As a Hindu, jobs relating to the slaughter or preparation of beef would have been a poor f it. And so on, and so forth.

But we all have to make such choices, don’t we? Unlike Groff, most of us don’t go to court to get our religions unconstitutionally established in law as trump cards that employers must “accommodate.”

But maybe we should, since according to the Supreme Court, Gerald Groff’s sense of entitlement supersedes the First Amendment.

THOMAS L. KNAPP

William Lloyd Garrison Center for Libertarian Advocacy Journalism

Care to sound off on a feature in our pages or about a local concern? Write to comments@ cityweekly.net or post your thoughts on our social media. We want to hear from you!

THE WATER COOLER

If you had a chance to introduce cannabis to any Utahn, who would it be any why?

Benjamin Wood

Mike Lee is fresh on my mind for being the last person on earth to find out that Ben & Jerry’s ice cream is woke. I think everyone would be in better shape if he was couch-locked.

Katharine Biele

I’d give it to Rep. Chris Stewart to hopefully help his wife during her illness. When my husband was dying, the doctors said it would help with not only pain, but anxiety and of course depression. Rep. Stewart should see how it can help with a person’s quality of life. And he might try it himself, even though non-medical use in Utah remains illegal to this day.

Pete Saltas

Richard Oborn, Utah’s director of the Center for Medical Cannabis. That would be a good start.

Wes Long

The folks at Utah Parents United. They could stand to mellow out.

Kelly Boyce

Every police officer, so they can actually experience something that they’ve been misinformed about their whole careers.

PRIVATE EYE

BY JOHN SALTAS @johnsaltas

Deja Vu I

thought all was good with me handling this summer’s heat until this past Sunday, when I drove to my mom’s house to help with yardwork. I’m pretty sure that if she weren’t 95 years old and also prone to hot temperature misfortunes, she would have done the work herself.

There was a time that, even after the work was done and seeing two large truck dumper beds full of debris from her yard, she could have managed to flex her muscles and do it alone. But not Sunday.

So, there I was at 8:30 in the morning armed with only two snippers and a lawn rake. I began working in my little corner of her yard. Three hours later, I was sick as a dog. Not any dog, but that dog you see in the middle of nowhere. The dog with his long tongue banging the highway, wobbling down the road, with cuts and scratches.

It was so bad that I dropped a couple F-bombs while casually talking to a pre-teen relative. Flushed sick or not, I shouldn’t have let that happen.

So, I drove home, which was dumb. It isn’t a far stretch to determine that if I couldn’t control my tongue, I also couldn’t control an automobile on I-15.

There are gaps I won’t fill in—like yes, I drank water; yes, I sought shade; no, I didn’t think the heat was that severe. But it was, apparently.

The next day, Monday, I had an unrelated doctor’s appointment. Almost 24 hours after my Sunday F-bombs, my blood pressure was 99 over 60. That seems low to me, especially considering I’m on high blood pressure medication that in 20 years hasn’t gotten my BP to even normal levels, let alone a reading like that one.

But today? Ahhh, I feel like a new feller. Drove into work, had a few meetings and drank some coffee—did you

know coffee has healing effects on persons with certain liver diseases? Well, it does—so, drink up.

After several meetings, I left around noon to drive home. But unlike my typical custom of driving directly south from our office, I diverted onto 200 South from which I figured I’d just turn south down West Temple, Main Street or State Street.

I had a bit of déjà vu right there. Oh, yeah—in the 1980s and 1990s, the city ripped up Main Street at least three different times with sundry beautification plans and Trax buildouts. Remember the beautiful new kiosks on Main, with the telephones and newspaper racks mounted in them? Garbage. Remember the chessboard tables? Yeah, all gone.

But at the time, the city was paying top-dollar-bydamn to improve our aesthetic downtown core so that people would return to spend money there like drunken sailors, just like in the olden days.

And they did come, but not due to kiosks or chesstables, nor for new trees or shiny bricks. They came because then-Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. and then-Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson both worked at different angles to release Utah’s hospitality industry from the dual shackles of insanity and too much government intrusion. That’s what did it, not some city beauty pageant.

When COVID began and wreaked its own havoc downtown, our politicians and business leaders were asking public help to keep our hospitality industry afloat. Order out. Tip more. When COVID “ended,” the pleas to help the industry dried up as said politicians moved on to saucier rally cries like being or not being “woke.”

Meanwhile, not all of downtown did recover. Many lunch spots in the central core are nowhere near pre-COVID levels of revenue as workers are not in any rush to return to office environments. Sure, those shiny new apart-

ments seem to be filling up, and that helps with nightlife, but it’s hit and miss.

Conventions are coming back, but not even the Outdoor Retailer show has moved the needle far for businesses not anchored to the Salt Palace or nearly so. In the past, conventioneers walked many blocks from their hotels past scads of restaurants and clubs to get to a seminar.

They no longer need to. When cities say they need this or that to grow a city, they don’t really care which entity of this or that pays the taxes to support it. Honestly, is there a person in city hall who gives a fig about how a sandwich shop is doing on Main Street when, two blocks away, there are bigger hoagies to fry?

That’s why there’s little hue and cry to support the businesses along 200 South that are getting rolled over as construction crews—what are they even building, anyway?—have been moving dirt for what seems like a decade. Is it bothersome to anyone else that while politicians boast about Utah growth and strong economies, that iconic businesses like Johnny’s on Second on one side of the street and the historic Gallenson’s Guns and Ammo on the other are getting their butts kicked?

Their particular stretch of 200 South looks like downtown Baghdad. Several businesses there have said they won’t survive or must move, which won’t matter a whit to city officials. They know that when construction ends, a new business will take those spaces over. It doesn’t matter to a city who pays the taxes, just that someone does.

That’s when a city really suffers. When it loses its soul. When it doesn’t do enough to help the little guys on any single stretch of road. That’s an old tale on 200 South, which has had its soul ripped out multiple times. It’s déjà vu all over again, even making this Greek afraid to cross lanes at 400 East for a Crown burger. CW

Send comments to john@cityweekly.net

HITS & MISSES

BY KATHARINE BIELE | @kathybiele

MISS: Elephants in the Room

If it’s a given in Utah that a Republican will win statewide office, then voters need to know their Republicans. The upcoming election will decide who represents the state’s 2nd congressional district—probably for a long, long time. Do voters even know if they are in CD2, since it was gerrymandered? If they are, then the latest news from the GOP convention is that Celeste Maloy (who?) was elected as the nominee— sort of. Former Utah Rep. Becky Edwards has now gathered enough signatures to get herself on the ballot, but she is equivocating over why she voted for Joe Biden instead of Donald Trump, who losing convention candidate Greg Hughes thinks is delightsome. Edwards promises to toe the party line in the future and says, no, she’s not a “RINO.” Meanwhile, Maloy had to scramble to get on the ballot after not voting in two elections and registering GOP only after she was nominated. Maybe voters should be concerned about how much candidates value voting and democracy, even if Republican winners are certain.

HIT: Church and State

Rep. Brian King, D-Salt Lake City, was having none of the nonsense. To be clear—King is a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints. The Salt Lake Tribune ran a cringeworthy front-page story on the intersection of LDS doctrine and the U.S. Constitution, which faith leaders say was “divinely inspired.” The story detailed how LDS leaders embraced a group called “Why I Love America,” which purports to connect morality and religiosity. “You can’t have a moral people unless you have a religious people,” said Tad Callister of LDS bonafides. King went on a Twitter screed, calling it “exclusionary thinking,” and reminding that many Founding Fathers disdained religion. Oh, and the First Amendment prohibits the government from establishing a religion. May we suggest reading Ben Sheehan’s book—OMG WTF Does the Constitution Actually Say?

MISS: Gun Shy

If it weren’t so damned funny, it would be tragically sad. Gov. Spencer Cox twisted in the wind as he tried to make sense of gun violence in America. Cox spoke out on CBS’ Face the Nation when asked why the state’s “impulse” to ban dangerous things for kids does not extend to firearms. He deftly turned to suicide as the major cause of gun deaths, and said they’re working in a bipartisan manner on—yeah—mental health and locking up guns. CBS noted that 16 bills passed last session increased access to guns. Yeah, yeah, but it’s a Second Amendment issue, Cox insisted, and we’re working on mental health—so rather than banning guns, ban kids on social media. And as for trans kids: “It’s impossible to get unbiased information out of the United States right now on this issue,” Cox said. So, apparently we need better studies from somewhere else because it’s all about mental health.

BENJAMIN WOOD

Happy Trails

For the past year, urban explorer Bryant Heath used this space to zoom in on some of the incredible details that make our city great. Those details are often so commonplace—speed limit signs, holiday decorations, alley murals—that a typical person is likely as not to overlook them.

Unfortunately, Heath is a busy guy and will be stepping away from this column. On behalf of City Weekly, I want to thank him for his contributions, which are among the top-performing articles on our website. I would also encourage readers to continue following Heath on Instagram at @slsees.

While I can’t match his positivity, I’m more than capable of obsessing over street minutiae—like the noxious “death curb” (my words) at Main Street and Central Pointe Place that finally met its demise after years of complaints.

South Salt Lake City is actively and inexplicably hostile to active transportation and has made decisions for its built environment that—intentionally or not—kneecap cycling as a legitimate travel option. The most obvious of these choices surround the S-Line Streetcar, where a companion trail disappears for one block between State Street and Main Street, reappears for one block between Main Street and West Temple and then disappears again, sending users on a meandering and inconvenient detour to 300 West around (but not into) the Central Pointe Trax Station.

To make matters worse, South Salt Lake opted to place a hard curb in front of the final segment of the S-Line Trail—a textbook example of safety-bycommittee deciding it makes sense for people to cross the street twice sideways in order to move forward. Every natural instinct of someone biking west on the S-Line Trail leads them to simply continue ahead, where they slam headfirst into a curb that’s intended for “safety.”

I first tangled with Central Pointe Place on a 999 ride in 2019. It was dark— but not that late—and the curb was hard to see and even harder to predict. Both of my tires popped instantly and I was thrown over my handlebars.

Once introduced, I watched Central Pointe become a rite of passage for local cyclists to first encounter and subsequently loathe. People were moved to take matters into their own hands, often painting warnings and calls for city leadership to “Remove This Barrier.”

Apparently someone noticed, because the curb was demolished this summer and cut into a direct-access ramp (above photo). Unknown is whether this is just a one-off or if it portends more improvements by South Salt Lake, like adding a bike lane to Central Pointe Place or finally extending the trail into Central Pointe Station—thus making car-free travel to Sugar House considerably more practical for mainstream Utahns. CW

A new curb cut allows cyclist to directly access the S-Line Trail at Central Pointe Place in South Salt Lake.

New Abnormal

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood finds Salt Lake Acting Company and writer Olivia Custodio again trying something different.

BY SCOTT RENSHAW scottr@cityweekly.net @scottrenshaw

Last year, writer Olivia Custodio created something new to her own creativity that was also new to Salt Lake Acting Company’s tradition of summer productions. This year, she and SLAC are trying something new again. And this shifting approach just might be the new abnormal for SLAC in the summer.

After decades of productions focused on satirizing politics and mores on the local and national level with parody songs and broad comedy, SLAC turned to Custodio for a more character-based take under the newer SLACabaret banner. For 2023, Custodio’s A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood appears with a humorous take on beloved public television programming—and a new designation simply as “SLAC’s Summer Show.”

“What they learned last year was that the term ‘cabaret’ made people think of a singing recital,” Custodio says. “This was an attempt to have people realize it might be something different.”

This particular “something different” moves away from some of the character arcs Custodio introduced in the 2022 show focused on multi-level marketing companies. The framework introduces a fundraising drive for the “UBS” public television service, with sketches built around shows like Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood and Bill Nye the Science Guy. “We’re playing off really iconic PBS characters,” Custodio says, “our own version of them, like ‘who is Mr. Rogers if he’s in Salt Lake City.’”

It’s definitely an adult show not intended for children, though, both in terms of subject matter and in terms of the comedy. Custodio understands the possibility for audiences expecting something that has

already been done in the musical Avenue Q, but she’s aiming for her own thing. “Obviously wanted to stay away from anything Avenue Q-adjacent, because it’s brilliant,” she says “We only have three puppets total. … We have cutaways to all the iconic shows, that each tackle a specific thing— one that addresses our housing crisis, one that addresses our environmental crisis— through the lens of an educational experience, like we’re kids again.

“We have moments in the show where kids realize the gravity of the situation; the line of “children’s show” is definitely walked very finely. If anything, the challenge for me has been, ‘This is really dark, how do I not go so hard on these issues.’”

That challenge of tone extends to the songs, which do continue at least one SLAC summer tradition of musical parody. In this case, songs familiar from those beloved shows often served as the jumping-off point, though Custodio had to choose carefully. “I wanted to incorporate some of the best-known songs from PBS,” she notes.

“How do I play on this sense of nostalgia? How do I play with something so simple in this format? … Those Mr. Rogers songs

are so beautiful and sentimental. You don’t want to stop the momentum of a comedy with something that slows it down.”

Another challenge, when dealing with a show that features topical humor, is what to do when the world throws you a last-minute curveball, as happened last year when the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade came down just a few weeks before the summer production’s premiere. “This year, because of the structure, and because of the idea I had for which iconic shows I wanted to use, I put it out into the universe, ‘Please don’t go to hell,’” Custodio says. “The news never stops, and it is that game of, how do I leave enough space?”

Topical humor, song parodies, even the post-COVID return of the stage-side tables that bring audience members right into the energy of the show—in some ways, it sounds like a SLAC summer show from 20 years ago. Yet Custodio believes that there’s an ongoing opportunity for the format to try different things, and be the right show for the right moment.

“Last year, my hope was that people could see themselves on stage, or rep-

resented,” she says. “This year, what I hope they can take away is a moment of laughter in a time that is very hard for different reasons, and feel motivated to really engage with the community and make things better, and not get complacent and put their blinders on. I hope it’s a motivating reminder of all the things weighing very heavily on Utah’s shoulders, but that we all roll up our sleeves and get to work.”

As for whether she’ll have something else new to offer if invited to return again for next year’s show, Custodio laughs, “I never feel like I have anything to say. Then I’ll have an idea in the car and think, ‘This would be funny. It could be a show.’” CW

SLAC’S SUMMER SHOW: A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD Sale Lake Acting Company 168 W. 500 North July 12 – Aug. 20 $41 saltlakeactingcompany.org

JOSEPH BRANCA

SLAC’s A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

The Sting & Honey Company: Snow White

Back in 2018, for the premiere of The Sting & Honey Company’s production of Snow White, writer/artistic director Javen Tanner described the origins of the show as inspired by a production of The Winter’s Tale, and Tanner’s realization that certain tropes permeated fairy tales. “A girl goes out, gets lost, goes through some big experience,”

Tanner said. “I looked at Shakespeare’s romances and tragic comedies, and they all had this ‘lost daughter’ character. That piqued my interest.”

While many elements of the Snow White story familiar from the successful Disney version are part of Sting & Honey’s Snow White—like a magical mirror, and a dangerous woman threatening our heroine from within her family, in this case an aunt rather than a stepmother—the all-ages-appropriate show doesn’t include one of the most familiar components: dwarves. “In the history of the story of Snow White, we’re used to her being among dwarves,” Tanner says. “But it’s been told many ways—with dragons, with soldiers. I turn [the dwarves] into satyrs. … The Dionysian ritual connects us to the wilder part of being human, unconstrained by rules. I definitely see Snow White’s experience as a coming of age. She has to find the strength to face evil.”

The Sting & Honey Company’s production of Snow White comes to the Eccles Theater’s Regent Street Black Box (144 Regent St.) July 14 – 29, with performances Thursday – Saturday at 7 p.m., and matinees Saturdays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12 - $20; visit arttix.org to purchase tickets and for additional event information.

(Scott Renshaw)

RAIN TANNER

Summer happenings in Draper

Marcello Hernandez

Selection as a cast member of Saturday Night Live has generally proven to be a great launching pad to comedy stardom and all-round notoriety. For Marcello Hernandez, however, being chosen for the 48th season of the show was merely the latest achievement in a trajectory that began when he started performing stand-up at age 18.

7:00pm

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For tickets and more info: www.DraperAmphitheater.com

A prolific comedian, writer and actor, he frequently references his combined Cuban-Dominican heritage while out on tour, opening for the likes of Dave Chappelle, Colin Jost, and Gilbert Gottfried, among the many. He’s also the host and creative director for @ onlyindade, a Miami-based TikTok channel with over a million followers. In addition, he’s tallied multiple appearances on Telemundo’s Acceso Total and NBC’s 6 in the Mix

Given his broad comedic abilities, it was hardly surprising that Hernandez was named a “Just For Laughs New Face of Comedy” in 2022. Although he’s currently based in New York City, he remains a proud native of Miami, and as he stated when making one of his many appearances on SNL’s “Weekend Update,” he’s also prone to boast about being an unabashed “Short King.” Hmmm, we’re not sure what that actually implies, but regardless, height hardly seems to matter. At this point in his comedy career, he’s already standing tall.

Marcello Hernandez appears at Wiseguys Gateway (194 S. 400 West) at 7 p.m and 9:30 p.m on Friday, July 14 Saturday, July 15. Tickets for this 21+ show cost $25, or $50 for VIP and post-show meet & greet. Visit wiseguyscomedy.com or phone 801-532-5233. (Lee Zimmerman)

Utah Cann

The reality of American cannabis culture has long since moved past the stereotypes of the 1960s and 1970s, built on notions of protesting hippies and stoner surfer dudes. Use of cannabis for medicinal and recreational purposes has been increasingly normalized, up to and including Utah’s own 2018 ballot resolution in which a majority of the state voted to allow cannabis dispensaries for specific purposes. It’s in that spirit of ongoing normalization that City Weekly has created and continues to sponsor the Utah Cann expo, highlighting local vendors, art and more connected to the cannabis community.

This year’s event includes an exhibit hall featuring more than 50 vendors showcasing cannabis-related products and services, as well as craft and art creations. Several live entertainment experiences are also on tap, including DJ sets by Salt Lake-based music and expression collective Jaguar Occult, as well as local music acts Strange Familia, Talia Keyes, Native Leaves, Mavi Blue Moon and Kengo James. New for this year is the unique “Silent Disco” experience, in which each participant will be given a set of wireless headphones to choose their own DJ-curated music experience, and your own personal volume level, or even choose to go music-free if you prefer to interact more easily (and with less background noise) with friends and other attendees.

The 2023 Utah Cann expo takes place at Dreamscapes in the Shops at South Town (10450 S. State St., Sandy) on Saturday, July 15 from noon – 8 p.m. The 21+ event is $10 - $20 per ticket; visit utahcann.com to purchase tickets and for additional event information. (SR)

Something From Nothing

Get to know the Republic of Zaqistan, a micronation enclaved in Utah’s west desert.

BY THOMAS CRONE | comments@cityweekly.net

Sculptor Zaq Landsberg came across one of those elusive “Big Ideas” in 2005. After it arrived, he invested his time and his money and then more of his time into it. And today, the project he created is still a part of his life.

What would become The Republic of Zaqistan started with Landsberg’s hearing of a plot of land for sale in the desert west of Salt Lake City. Interest piqued, he bid on the land for $610 on eBay and in August of 2005, he visited the site of his new country for the first time, dubbing that trip the “First Expedition.”

A few months later on Nov. 19, National Independence Day was declared for Zaqistan, a member of a micronational community that’s sprung up in varying degrees of seriousness since the late 1960s. A recent resurgence has helped refuel Landsberg’s relationship to his self-titled nation—one that has a state flag, a seal, an anthem and no small amount of global press attention.

“I have a vested interest in it, of not wanting it to look like garbage, decaying in the desert,” Landsberg said.

In the nearly two decades that have passed since Zaqistan’s creation on Earth, a number of folks have visited. They often do so during days in which the Brooklyn-based Landsberg is in Utah, working on the art installations that dot the Republic’s otherwise barren landscape.

He’s also heard from others who’ve found it on their own time and dime, simply wanting to experience a space that’s all kinds of magical—think of

an alternate version of the Gilgal Sculpture Garden, only placed in the high desert, far from the nearest road—let alone town—and claiming some degree of national sovereignty.

Of late, Zaqistan has been back on Landsberg’s mind, and he said he’s shooting for a September pilgrimage to the site, hoping to refresh some of the art and perhaps to build a bit more. That would also allow diehard fans—some of whom claim honorary dual-citizenship in the place—an opportunity to visit the land with its pitch-perfect motto of Quispiam Ex Nusquam (“Something From Nothing”).

Landsberg said he relies on help from “homies” in Utah to repaint and fix the features and infrastructure of Zaqistan. The remote setting presents its own challenges for maintenance, he said, compounded by the practical realities of traveling between Utah’s west desert and his artistic base in New York City.

“If someone vandalizes it, I have to deal with it,” he said. “Like, how do you make this more fiendishly complicated? When the roof for the customs building blows off and into the desert, I need to find somebody who’s going to go there, either to find it and replace it, or to design something to keep it from doing that. And it’s a situation in which the roof of the customs booth is not the most important thing in terms of my art career, it’s not the thing that I’m going to sell. But that’s [still] my career. And people have a really intense connection to it.”

Micro Movement

Mike Abu is one of those people with a connection to Zaqistan as one of the aforementioned homies who occasionally assist with the nation’s upkeep. A writer and artist—and, as careful readers of City Weekly will note, creator of the Great Salt Lake Salt Drink at Junior’s Tavern downtown—Abu is a local ambassador for Zaqistan. Sporting the official title of “representative,” Abu handles things like publicity in and around Salt Lake City. He’s also organized a Zaqistani walking troop for the annual Utah Pride Parade.

If you catch him with a typewriter (or if you personally provide him with one), he can secure you a Zaqistan passport or citizenship papers, giving you membership in an international community of Zaqistanis.

“The place looks and feels as if it had been created by a modern-day Don Quixote, but, in reality, it is the product of someone who would have made an adept administrator if he hadn’t also been a talented artist,” Abu wrote in a 2015 piece for Vice. In describing the art project, he noted: “We appreciated the slight bump, maybe 5 feet tall, that [Landsberg] called ‘Mount Insurmountable,’ but most of our attention was drawn towards the imposing, robot-adorned metalwork under construction in the middle of what he described as the city center, an area that consisted of sculpture and little else.”

What draws Abu and others to the project is always somewhat personal, even idiosyncratic. That

Sculptor Zaq Landsberg founded Zaqistan on land he purchased online for $610.

COURTESY PHOTO

starts with Landsberg’s initial choices. At the very beginning of the Zaqistan project, he could have simply bought the land and created a sculpture park in the middle of nowhere. That’s one level of commitment. But in deciding to name it and go through the mechanics of creating a micronation, he tapped into a movement that’s seen some mild growth over the past few years. He found new eyes, ears and interest.

Though micronations have been cropping up since Sealand’s establishment off the coast of Great Britain in the 1960s, they’ve been arriving with increased regularity of late. In fact, a decent number of micronationalists gathered in Joliet, Illinois, during the last weekend of June—the Chicago exurb seeing an influx of folks representing micronations, mostly from the U.S., Canada and Europe (see “Head of State” on p. 23).

Among the attendees was Landsberg, who was joined by a couple of photographers and an audio team from I Heart Radio. Together, they were capturing stories from attendees for a possible podcast about the movement.

It should be said, the micronationalist convention—or MicroCon—is not to be mistaken for a get-together of sovereign citizens. Mind you, it’s a fair assumption at first glance; a lot of the folks at MicroCon’s conferences wear the garb of monarchs or paramilitary chieftains. Others, like Landsberg, wear simple clothing and don’t stress faux-diplomacy, declarations of war or the granting of medals.

In Formality

When Landsberg offered gifts to MicroCon’s attendees, they came from a suitcase full of Utah rocks, bundled into red mini-satchels. The whimsy of Zaqistan is wrapped in a different aesthetic than many of its contemporaries.

Landsberg said the effort he puts into representing a fictional nation shows how much of a “nerd” he really is, particularly when compared to the high-dollar art commissions he’s competing for around the country.

“It makes me uncomfortable—like, the point where I’m stamping the [Zaqistan] seal onto all of these miniature bags,” he said. “Economically, this makes no business sense, and I mean that.”

While his MicroCon peers make claims of sovereignty to varying degrees of seriousness, Landsberg said he’s tried to minimize the “jokesper-minute” while still keeping a healthy attitude about both his project and the broader micronational community.

“The goofiness is something that I think I’ve expunged from Zaqistan, and we deliver it with a straight face,” he said. “Not to say it’s dead serious—but the humor is deadpan.”

While Landsberg doesn’t live in Salt Lake City, he’s been through town enough over the years to know that Zaqistan’s become something of a known commodity—at least within certain circles. Whether it’s folks texting him for directions or shouting encouragement to the Pride Parade

crew, there’s enough feedback to let him know that his time, money and efforts have registered

“You’ve got to convince your homies to do something crazy,” he said. “That’s a core element of it. You can’t just copy and paste this. You’ve got to work on it, like anything.”

Landsberg mused that if a patron were to wear a Zaqistan lapel pin into a typical “hipster bar” in Salt Lake City, there’s likely to be at least one person who will give a head nod or some other form of recognition.

It may not seem like much for a nation nearing its 20th anniversary but for a micronationalist, even a micro-compliment can go a long way.

Abu told City Weekly that he stays involved with Zaqistan because he’s “stupid,” and because he appreciates the culture that has been created around the project. People who are super leftwing or super right-wing can both appreciate the micronation movement, he said.

“I like being able to not change the world, but … to give it a little push,” Abu said. “Zaq and I are responsible for keeping the project alive, and it’s outgrown us. Like, if the two of us died, Zaqistan would still exist and that’s because we created it and put in the effort. That’s an important thing.”

For more detailed information on the Republican of Zaqistan, visit the website: zaqart.com. Or, follow the micronation on Instagram @zaqistanrepublic for more frequent updates, including details relating to September’s site visit. CW

Zaq Landsberg, left, poses next to a passport applicant.

Zaqistan’s Decennial Monument, constructed in 2015.

A man celebrates his Zaqistani dualcitizenship.

Zak Landsberg, center, Mike Abu, left, and other Zaqistanis in the Utah Pride Parade.

Zaqistan’s flag features a gold giant squid on a red field.

COURTESY PHOTO COURTESY PHOTO COURTESY PHOTO

COURTESY PHOTO COURTESY PHOTO COURTESY PHOTO

Head of State

Visitors to Snooklyn, Slowjamastan, should pack lime and salt but leave their Crocs at home.

BY THOMAS CRONE | comments@cityweekly.net

Last year, Kathy Snook attended MicroCon at an old-school, off-Strip hotel called Sam’s Town in Las Vegas. There, she joined a gathering of micronationalists in a city that barely registered the presence of 100-something folks dedicated to examining the very idea of nations and nationalism.

Some of those people are intentional about rethinking the world and their place in it, while others are building art projects. A decent number hew the line between serious and not serious at all.

See: Slowjamastan.

Snook—a resident of Clearfield who works in Salt Lake City—was in Las Vegas in 2022 as a guest of The United Territories of the Sovereign Nation of The People’s Republic of Slowjamastan, a micronation located in a desolate zone of California desert near the ever-shrinking Salton Sea, only 39 miles north of the Mexican border.

Her friend—the syndicated radio host Randy “R Dub” Williams—is Slowjamastan’s founder and supreme leader, aka The Sultan. And at the 2022 event, Snook told the Sultan that she’d buy a state within Slowjamastan’s borders if she was able to win big in Vegas’ gaming rooms.

She played, and she won. Then she kept her word, purchasing the rights to Snooklyn, one of 12 microstates within the confines of the wink-andnod micronation of Slowjamastan.

There, Crocs are banned, wild raccoons are the

national animal, and there’s an actual bordercrossing station (and sometimes, a fully branded fire truck and an online gift shop teeming with merchandise options).

As physical micronations go, Slowjamastan’s got some things figured out, with an international following that’s drawn into Williams’ ... er, “The Sultan’s” ... clever and regular promotion of this remote, off-road tourist attraction.

It’s through his radio work that Snook met Williams, and they’ve held a long friendship since. As she learned more about Slowjamastan, she became more interested in the micronation movement and eventually started regularly attending events inside the actual Slowjamastan—all 11.07 acres of it.

Snook’s day job is in the medical device industry, and she works with organizations that go into prisons and teach positive decision-making skills to the incarcerated. “I do that all across California,” she said, “so it makes it convenient that I’m in California a lot.”

Snook speaks of her life as a series of happy accidents, bold moves and an interest in a host of different things. Regarding micronationalism, she said she went from zero knowledge to investing thousands of dollars for statehood in a nation that’s something of a lark—but an amazing, creative and humorous lark, indeed.

As there are 12 states within the tiny confines of Slowjamastan—each with borders and signage—

she has a notion of what her state, Snooklyn, stands for—love, manifest and create.

“I’m all about manifestation because with everything in my life, I pretty much manifested things to happen,” Snook said. “I’ve created my own life. You know, I have quite an interesting life story.”

She said that Snooklyn’s story is ultimately one of teamwork, helping each other and being kind. It’s also about free tequila.

“We like to have tequilas, so every time we’re in my state, I make sure everybody has the tequila, and we all hang out,” she said.

Responding to a request for comment on the impact of Snooklyn within the political ecosystem of Slowjamastan, The Sultan responded within minutes: “One of the biggest assets of our country is the fact that anyone and everyone can be a part of it, can have a piece of it … if they are not wearing Crocs, of course!”

The Sultan said that “Governess” Snook had done a remarkable job creating her own state, from its “glorious” flag and logo to the vision and values it espouses.

“While Snooklyn falls in line with what Slowjamastan stands for, it also boasts its own identity and attributes, much of which includes tequila,” he said. “Snookyln is a fine example of everything a state in Slowjamastan should be: fun, unique, full of surprises and Croc-free.”

CW

Clearfield resident Kathy Snook is the ‘governess’ of a microstate.

Kathy Snook, center, and Randy ‘R Dub’ Williams, aka The Sultan of Slowjamistan, left, at MicroCon.

Radio host Randy ‘R Dub’ Williams, center, founded Slowjamistan.

Wild raccoons are a national symbol of Slowjamistan.

COURTESY PHOTO

COURTESY PHOTO COURTESY PHOTO

COURTESY PHOTO

Full Speed Ahead

Developers are betting big that the Granary District is Salt Lake’s next hot neighborhood.

BY BENJAMIN WOOD bwood@cityweekly.net

GRANARY—Not many years ago, there was little reason for a typical Salt Laker—let alone Utahn—to find themself in the Granary District, beyond getting lost on the way to Kilby Court or what was then called Frida Bistro.

Roughly bordered by Interstate 15, 300 West, 1000 South and 600 South, the area was once a hub for industrial activity, with businesses sprouting up around the freight rail lines that branched off of 500 and 400 West. But the railroad moved and business dried up, with the Granary falling into a decades-long period of decline and neglect.

It’s a far different picture today, and visitors will find diners enjoying pizza on the Slackwater patio or a cocktail at Woodbine, entrepreneurs and young professionals buzzing in and out of the Industry co-working space, sports enthusiasts enjoying the Granary Campus and Evo hotel or music fans rocking out at Granary Live.

Or, maybe they’re not visitors at all and instead are among the hundreds—and potentially thousands—of new residents lured in by Granary and the surrounding area’s proximity to downtown, its walkable trails and transit access, or its unique blend of brand new and very old, retrofitted housing.

“We’re moving at full speed here,” said Andrew Dasenbrock, founder of Kiitos Brewing. “I genuinely believe that even with all the changes you’re seeing now, you will not recognize this neighborhood in two years—down to the sidewalks, trees, grass, all the things that just haven’t been here for decades or maybe even a century.”

Kiitos opened in 2017—as did the nearby Fisher Brewing on 800 South—and Dasenbrock has had a front-row view to the evolution of the Granary District. While still a work in progress, he said he can’t help but be amused when customers comment on how rough the neighborhood appears, since he remembers picking up trash and discarded needles, being chased by men swinging chains and throwing rocks or dealing with open-air drug sales and prostitution near his doors.

“This is absolutely paradise compared to seven years ago, and I absolutely believe that trajectory is going to continue,” he said. “It has been two years since I’ve picked up a needle in the parking lot.”

Blank Slate

The Granary District’s already hot trajectory seems poised to shift into a higher gear, with the opening this summer of Granary Live (742 S. 500 West, SLC) and with several long-gestating infrastructure and development projects nearing their respective finish lines.

Vaughn Carrick, a partner with the company that owns Granary Live, said his team was looking for a space close to the city center that could compete with the suburb’s large outdoor venues, like Saltair and the Usana Amphitheater. “At the end of the day, the music and the talent on stage is what drives people anywhere,”

Carrick said. “But to have the luxury of being downtown—to be able to Uber, ride bikes, even walk—I think it is appealing to people who want to get out and enjoy the music but also to get out and be social.”

The venue is off to a strong start, with its inaugural season including big names like Ludacris, Shaggy and Sean Kingston, the day-long Utah Is For Lovers Festival and, in August, the Utah Beer Festival, presented by Salt Lake City Weekly (tickets on sale now!).

“There’s just kind of a cool energy about Granary that I think is going to drive more and more people down there,” Carrick said.

“We’re very thankful to be in this position and the support that we’ve seen thus far has been more than we’ve expected.”

Some of the more overt changes to the neighborhood are centered around Industry, the city-block-sized warehouse space revamped for any number of new tenants. A massive parking structure is under construction across the street, which will eventually be enveloped by additional retail, housing, plazas and landscaping.

“We are working on about 40 acres,” Industry co-founder Jason Winkler said, “some of it ourselves, and some of it in partnerships.”

Critics of urban growth often paint pictures of once-sleepy streets stuffed with car traffic and imposing apartment complexes replacing quaint bungalows. But the shift in the Granary is much closer to the strategies promoted by urbanists, with historic structures updated when possible rather than being razed, with high-frequency transit decreasing the need for car travel and with mixed-use housing and commercial investment filling in the gaps left behind by shifts in the economy.

Winkler launched the first Industry in Denver’s River North—or “RiNo”—neighborhood, a once-struggling part of that city Winkler described as “a close cousin” to the Granary.

Development trends and constraints in Denver made it clear to him that RiNo was primed to explode, and he recognized a similar dynamic at play in the former railyards of the Wasatch Front. “It’s not like we had to knock a bunch of houses down,” Winkler said. “You can’t have unbridled growth, but you also can’t be antigrowth. You have to find that balance, and I think Salt Lake City is doing that.”

Developer James Alfandre said the goal isn’t to create a brand new neighborhood but, instead, to create a thriving version of the neighborhood that already exists. He said the Granary is an example of why Utah shouldn’t fear growth, but instead should look to get ahead of it and capitalize on its opportunities to improve quality of life overall.

“That’s why we have to get the Granary right. We can show that it can be done here in Utah, it can be done in Salt Lake, we can grow in a way that plans for this growth and this housing shortage,” Alfandre said. “It’s not quite a blank slate by any means, but there’s a lot of opportunity to do something special—to fill in the missing teeth and to keep the Granary the Granary.”

Bumps in the Road

Back in the early 2010s, Alfandre was part of a group of Granary stakeholders who began pushing for change. Seeing the potential for a vibrant, mixed-income space, they began hosting formal and informal events aimed at bringing eyeballs into a forgotten part of town.

A block party was held in 2011, and organizers hung silhouettes in the windows of abandoned buildings to simulate occupancy. That block party morphed into Granary Row, which saw shipping containers dropped into the middle of 700 South along with a beer garden, small shops and a performance stage.

“At this point, we didn’t have any permits,” Alfandre said. “No one even came down there anyway so we knew we weren’t going to get caught.”

Those efforts helped get the attention of private investors, who began scooping up empty, undervalued parcels. But the street improvement envisioned by Granary Row has yet to motivate changes from City Hall.

Alfandre said the Granary is best experienced on foot or by bike, but the large streets and imposing city blocks make it challenging to get around. But that same space can be an asset, he said, if it is used effectively, a sentiment shared by others.

Industry is asking the city to effectively cut 500 West in half, while Dasenbrock is adamant that the decommissioned Union Pacific rail on 400 West be removed, arguing that its corridor could be quickly converted into a walking path or parklet.

“These humongous streets in Salt Lake City are currently a bit of an eyesore and they’re a little silly, because they’re so car-forward,” Industry’s Winkler said. “But they’re also a huge opportunity if developers and the city can work together to make them developable space, linear parks or whatever that might be.”

Salt Lake City has made major improvements to 900 South—reducing vehicle lanes and building the 9-Line trail—and added painted bike lanes to 700 South,

which helps to slow traffic and boost pedestrian activity.

But 400 West and 500 West have remained stagnant in the midst of the Granary explosion, in part due to larger ambitions for the area. The city wants 500 West for its Green Loop linear park project, while the Utah Transit Authority wants the rail on 400 West for a Trax line.

Dasenbrok said he worries about how the Granary will fare during the decade of bureaucratic battles—at best—that would precede those or other projects.

“That [rail corridor] is an absolute cancer for the Granary District,” he said. “You could put the most beautiful buildings on both sides of that and it’s just awful. Your entrance and greeting into the Granary District is a decrepit, rundown train line filled with trash.”

He also noted that street lighting and tree cover are near zero in the Granary. Private development is helping by adding lights and planting trees as new builds go in, he said, but the city needs to address the remaining deficits as soon as possible.

“We’re not going to be resting under that shade for a decade or two,” he said, “but the sooner and bigger trees go in here, all the better.”

Winkler also emphasized the need for long-term planning, saying that he and other stakeholders are perpetually looking five to 10 years into the future. The previous state of the Granary shows how dramatically a neighborhood’s fortunes can change, but Winkler described a “virtuous cycle” that can self-perpetuate under the right conditions.

“We just need to keep doing what we’re already doing—and that means continuing to build the right mix of housing, office, retail and getting some hotels in here,” Winkler said. “If you get the formula right—the right mixture of those types of spaces— you just continue to attract more and more people. And as long as you’re bringing more people with every passing month and every passing year, the area continues to get cooler into the future.” CW

A new outdoor venue, called Granary Live, adds to the draw of the Granary District.

Pink is the New Pink

Riverton’s Pink Sweets Cafe offers a plethora of European and Middle Eastern desserts.

BY ALEX SPRINGER comments@cityweekly.net @captainspringer

My daughter is going through a pretty serious pink phase. She’s got other colors that she will throw in the mix, but the kid really resonates with anything that presents that rosy blush of pink. This affection sometimes comes out when I’m scrolling through Instagram for new places to check out. When Pink Sweets Cafe popped up on my feed, my daughter couldn’t help but pause what she was doing to check out the pictures of frothy pink cupcakes and marbled strawberry cheesecakes with me. I was intrigued by their combination of European and Middle Eastern desserts, so we ended up heading to Riverton for a visit.

On the outside, Pink Sweets Cafe looks like an unassuming strip mall tenant on Riverton’s main drag of 12300 South, but the inside leans hard into both the pink and sweet aspects of its name. Every square inch of the walls are clad in artificial pink-hued flowers and strings of pink orbs attached to the ceiling play vibrantly with the lighting. Their sumptuous display of desserts dominates the Eastern wall with a little nook dedicated to their gelato menu. Marble flooring, crushed velvet chairs and a flat screen TV blasting all kinds of sugarpop hits complete the scene. My daughter was abso-

lutely losing her mind.

The sheer volume of cakes, pastries, macarons and other goodies was what had my jaw dropping. On top of their edible treats, Pink Sweets Cafe has a drink menu that includes coffee, smoothies ($5.99) and their virgin mojitos ($5.99) that can be ordered in flavors like cherry lime and pomegranate. It’s the kind of place that is tailor made for squads of gal pals to commiserate over plates of gourmet desserts and fizzy, non-alcoholic mojitos.

Though I would say desserts should be your priority at Pink Sweets Cafe, their lunch menu of Middle Eastern savory pies and European-inspired sandwiches are just as lovely and tasty as their sweets.

I tried their chicken ($6.99) and cheese ($5.99) savory pies, and thought both items were tasty. The chicken pie slightly edges out the cheese pie–it had everything I like about a chicken pot pie combined with some herbaceous Middle Eastern spices. The cheese pie is a gorgeous braided dough topped with sesame seeds, and there was a good variety of cheese inside, but I found myself wanting a bit more punch in the filling. Both pies come with a smoky, spicy sauce for dipping and this helped liven both dishes up.

Overall, I like their mojito and smoothie menu. We tried the Watermelon Smash smoothie ($5.99) and their cherry lime mojito ($5.99), and both drinks were flavorful and refreshing without relying too much on the sugar bomb that comes with most drinks of this nature. They’re gorgeous to look at–the mojito had a lime wedge, a sprig of mint and a couple cherries floating around inside–but they look slightly better than they taste.

On to the desserts, of which we tried several. Their cakes and pastries are individually priced, but there are some great Middle Eastern treats like baklava, kataifi and tulumba that can be bundled in groups of three for $5.99. Fans of

these traditional desserts will definitely find them to be textbook examples of why these sweets are adored all over the world. Excellently rendered textures, a perfect balance of honey sweetness and a subtle hint of pistachio throughout. Their menu is halal as well, so no need to worry about the thoroughness of their menu’s preparation.

Pink Sweets Cafe mainly deals in cakes–beautiful circular olive oil citrus cakes ($8.99) topped with candied lemon, and symmetrical mango mousse cakes ($10.99) layered with plenty of silky mango mousse. Chocolate peanut butter fans will also dig their Peanut Explosion cake ($8.99), which layers dark chocolate cake with a smooth peanut butter cream.

I wondered how Pink Sweets would bridge the gap between the subtle sweetness of their Middle Eastern menu and their extravagant cakes, but I was happy to see that their European desserts maintained a bit of nuance. The olive oil citrus cake is a great example of this–you get a little bit of candied lemon syrup on top, but this cake’s main draw is its fluffy texture and slightly buttery-sweet flavor. If you’re after something with a bit more richness, the Peanut Explosion is happy to oblige–the dark chocolate is deep and unapologetically bittersweet. The light and fluffy peanut butter cream helps balance things out, but this is a dark chocolate lover’s dream.

In what started as my kiddo’s gleeful pursuit of all things pink, our time spent at Pink Sweets Cafe ended up being quite lovely. This is an ideal hangout for those with a sweet tooth or craving something cool to chase the heat away–or those who simply adore being surrounded by pink flowers. CW

1048

2 Row Brewing 6856 S. 300 West, Midvale 2RowBrewing.com

Avenues Proper 376 8th Ave, SLC

avenuesproper.com

On Tap: Midnight Especial- Dark Mexican Lager

Bewilder Brewing

445 S. 400 West, SLC

BewilderBrewing.com

On Tap: Mango Goze

Bohemian Brewery

94 E. Fort Union Blvd, Midvale BohemianBrewery.com

Bonneville Brewery 1641 N. Main, Tooele BonnevilleBrewery.com

On Tap: Peaches and Cream Ale

Chappell Brewing

2285 S Main Street Salt Lake City, UT 84115 chappell.beer

On Tap: Climax Cream Ale - nitro

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

On Tap: Purple Rain - Marionberry Helles

Desert Edge Brewery

273 Trolley Square, SLC DesertEdgeBrewery.com

On Tap: Munich Lager

Epic Brewing Co.

825 S. State, SLC

EpicBrewing.com

On Tap: Experimental IPA #2

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: Irish Red

Kiitos Brewing

608 W. 700 South, SLC KiitosBrewing.com

Level Crossing Brewing Co. 2496 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake LevelCrossingBrewing.com

On Tap: Nitro Look Up!

Level Crossing Brewing Co., POST 550 So. 300 West #100, SLC LevelCrossingBrewing.com

Moab Brewing 686 S. Main, Moab TheMoabBrewery.com

On Tap: Golden Sproket Wit

Mountain West Cider 425 N. 400 West, SLC MountainWestCider.com

On Tap: Mango Tajin ( she’s a spicy #) & Cherry Noir

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

On Tap: DOPO IPA

Ogden Beer Company 358 Park Blvd, Ogden OgdenRiverBrewing.com

On Tap: Injector Hazy IPA

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

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

On Tap: It’s Complicated Sour

Proper Brewing 857 S. Main, SLC

ProperBrewingCo.com

On Tap: Whispers from Krakatoa - Helles Lager with Habanero and Mango

Proper Burger: Sour RangerBlackberry and Lemon Sour

Proper Brewing Moab 1393 US-191 Moab, Utah 84532

On Tap: Angus McCloud- Scottish Ale

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 Redrockbrewing.com

1640 Redstone Center

On Tap: Bamberg Rauch Bier

RoHa Brewing Project 30 Kensington Ave, SLC RoHaBrewing.com

On Tap: Fuzzy Pucker Peach Sour

Roosters Brewing

Multiple Locations RoostersBrewingCo.com

On Tap: Identity Crisis Session West Coast Hazy Cold IPA – the name says it all!

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

On Tap: Deep Dive Series Heffeweisen

Salt Flats Brewing 2020 Industrial Circle, SLC SaltFlatsBeer.com

On Tap: Kiss Whoever You WantPride Month IPL

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

On Tap: SCION Strawberry/ mango - 7.1%

Shades Brewing

154 W. Utopia Ave, South Salt Lake ShadesBrewing.beer

On Tap: Hellion Blond Ale, an ode to Ellie, manager at Shades on State

Live Music: Thursdays

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

On Tap: Hellion Blond Ale, an ode to Ellie, manager at Shades on State

Karaoke: Wednesdays

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

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

On Tap: Salt Lake Brewing Co. Velvet Brimley Oatmeal Stoutsteph

Squatters and Wasatch Brewery 1763 So 300 West SLC UT 84115 Utahbeers.com

On Tap: Squatters & Kiitos Collab: Ginger Rye Lime Sour, 5%

Strap Tank Brewery Multiple Locations StrapTankBrewery.com

Spirit World Saison - Grid City Collaboration Sour Saison/Wine Hybrid Utah Smog - Fruited Sour Cocktail (orange, raspberry, sweet cherry and pineapple)

Stratford Proper

1588 Stratford Ave., SLC stratfordproper.com

On Tap: Yacht Rock Juice BoxJuicy IPA

TF Brewing

936 S. 300 West, SLC TFBrewing.com

On Tap: Noční Czech Dark Lager (NABA ‘23 Silver Medal Winner)

Talisman Brewing Co. 1258 Gibson Ave, Ogden TalismanBrewingCo.com

On Tap: King Slayer-Pilsner

Uinta Brewing 1722 S. Fremont Drive, SLC UintaBrewing.com

On Tap: Was Angeles Craft Beer

UTOG

2331 Grant Ave, Ogden UTOGBrewing.com

On Tap: Golden Grant 5% ABV.

Vernal Brewing 55 S. 500 East, Vernal VernalBrewing.com

Wasatch

2110 S. Highland Drive, SLC saltlakebrewingco.com/wasatch

On Tap: Wasatch Apricot Hefeweizen

Zion Brewery 95 Zion Park Blvd, Springdale ZionBrewery.com

Zolupez 205 W. 29th Street #2, Ogden Zolupez.com

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

Body of Work

Thin is not in with this week’s ales.

BY MIKE RIEDEL comments@cityweekly.net @utahbeer

2Row - Solar Flare: We haven’t seen a new beer come out of 2 Row for a while. That’s because owner Brian Coleman and his crew are putting all of their neurons into overdrive to create their new brewery/brewpub. Stay close for news on this as its time gets closer.

For this new New England-style IPA, the body is a murky nontransparent orange-copper of average vibrance. The scent brings notes of pale malts, floral hops, tangerine citrus, onion and subtle rindy bitterness. The aromatic intensity lends itself to tanginess in the hop profile, suggesting a balanced IPA. I’m looking forward to trying it, but aromatically, it’s well executed.

The fantastic hop character melts into the tangerine fruit character, with notes of faint orange, floral hops and brightbut-vague citrus, including some really faint dried lime in there too. The presence of a pale malt sweetness keeps the balance impeccable, even if the flavor profile as a whole lacks the intricacy of the best IPAs in 2 Row’s portfolio. Hop profile is rather good, but isn’t fantastic if we’re nitpicking; the average duration and intensity of flavor isn’t as explosive as some other beers they’ve made. Still, it’s refreshing and tangy, with a well disguised ABV and an approachable medium body.

Verdict: From a brewery that has mastered the IPA style, I get this, and it is quite different. You can’t make identical beers or create something that mimics others in your portfolio. It’s a musttry for any hop-heads, and you’ll enjoy its 6.8 percent ABV as well.

Epic - Double Cross: This new ale is described as a Double Amber Ale, which kinda takes this beer into the realms of bar-

leywines and old ales, though it lacks the body of the previously mentioned styles.

From the can it pours a murky dark copper liquid, with a moderate head that has basic staying power. An ultrathin ring collar circles the surface, even leaving hints of lace. I assume this style is not supposed to yield much by way of head, however, its muddy dark cider look is not this brew’s most appealing aspect.

The nose on the other hand, is a different story. It represents a complex bouquet of aromas that can be intoxicating at times: rich and malt-forward, with toasted malts, caramel, toffee and, especially, dark molasses. Complimenting this you get a range of fruity esters, including raisins, dates and figs. The sweetness that emanates from these flavors is at times almost cloying, yet enticing. Punctuating this sweetness is a strong alcohol spice that has me inhaling the glass as I would a fine singlemalt. Finally, there are some nutty and even dark chocolate-like aromas that add to the overall complexity.

In the mouth, it’s full bodied and less chewy that the nose suggests. The toasted malts, syrupy caramel, molasses sweetness and raisins run the show. Although the flavors align with the aroma, they are a bit mellower. For one, there is a modest but significant hops bitterness that balances things out. Also, the finish is increasingly dry, whiskey/ bourbon-like, and the aftertaste has a slight spiciness from the hops. Perhaps of most significance is the 9.0 percent alcohol warming which, although not overwhelmingly boozy, plays a large role in the flavor profile.

Verdict: This brew is at times intense, and a bit of a sipper. It seems to fit well with the elements of what the brewers were trying to create, while providing great complexity.

Double Cross is in Epic’s fridges now in 16-ounce cans. Solar Flare is 2 Row’s first beer to only be packaged in 16-ounce cans, and is available now.

The best thing about buying from the breweries directly? The beers have never been warm. Ever. And that’s the way it should be. As always, cheers! CW

MIKE RIEDEL

MIKE RIEDEL

BACK BURNER

BY ALEX SPRINGER | @captainspringer

Hops on the Hill at Stein Eriksen Lodge

Starting this week, Tuesdays at the Stein Eriksen Lodge (7700 Stein Way) in Park City will host this year’s Hops on the Hill event. As you may have guessed, Hops on the Hill is all about local beer and the pairing thereof with a delicious menu from Chef Zane Holmquist. The event takes place on the picturesque Flagstaff Deck for an evening of fresh vibes, good beer and primo food. In the coming weeks, we’ll see breweries like Uinta, Offset, Wasatch, Templin Family and Level Crossing get their own spotlight. Hops on the Hill takes place every Tuesday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. until August 15.

Grub Steak Wine Dinner

The team at Grub Steak in Park City (2093 Sidewinder Drive, grubsteakparkcity.com) will be hosting a wine dinner that will showcase some of Utah’s finest food and wine. The menu has been prepared by Grub Steak’s Chef Brian Moody who has worked in tandem with Vine Lore sommelier Julia Dehring to create a four course meal that will be hard to forget. For those looking to make a getaway of this event, the Sheraton Park City will be offering discounted rooms to those who purchase a ticket for the wine dinner. The event takes place on July 15 and starts at 6:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased via Grub Steak’s website.

Uncle Hot Pot Opens

The Marmalade district recently welcomed Uncle Hot Pot (569 N. 300 East) to its restaurant ranks, and it doesn’t look like this place is messing around. As evidenced by the name, Uncle Hot Pot is all about the hot pot method–you load up on meat and veggies and cook everything up in a hot pot at your table. Where most of these places are content with ribbons of steak and a few shrimp, Uncle Hot Pot has a full smorgasbord of seafood and protein options at diners’ disposal, including giant prawns, clams and full soft-shell crabs. The Marmalade district is becoming a fun little upstart in our food scene–I’m going to need to get up there pronto.

Quote of the Week: “Cooking is a philosophy; it’s not a recipe.” –Marco

Pierre White

Destiny’s Child

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One ’s action thrills are improved by its surprisingly human hero.

BY SCOTT RENSHAW scottr@cityweekly.net @scottrenshaw

Who is Ethan Hunt? And, perhaps more to the point, does it matter?

In much the same way that the Daniel Craig installments of the James Bond series tried to navigate a space between Agent 007, immortal superhero and James Bond, man with emotions and a history, the Mission: Impossible movie franchise has weaved back and forth between whether Tom Cruise’s covert operative Hunt is a character or an icon. On the one hand, you’ve got a now-27-year history of Hunt’s personal sacrifices, losses and commitment to his teammates. On the other hand, you’ve got stuff like Alec Baldwin’s memorable line in 2015’s Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation describing Hunt as “the living manifestation of destiny,” which is about as close as you can get to defining someone as nigh-supernatural.

Do we want to worry about the fate of Ethan Hunt as a person? Or do we only just need movie-star Tom Cruise pulling off crazy stunts and anchoring ridiculous action beats?

It’s kind of amazing that Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One finds co-writer/director Christopher McQuarrie continuing to try to have it both ways, and somehow managing to pull it off. The story finds Hunt and his now-regular team— Luther (Ving Rhames), Benji (Simon Pegg) and ex-British agent Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson)—trying to track down the two pieces of a key that might be the only way

to stop an AI-gone-sentient referred to as The Entity. He’s got competition, in the form of a mysterious thief called Grace (Hayley Atwell) who just wants to turn it around for a cool fortune, as well as a killer named Gabriel (Esai Morales) who is working for The Entity, and who has a particularly nasty history with Hunt.

Throw in Pom Klementieff as Gabriel’s badass hired muscle, plus the return of Vanessa Kirby’s arms dealer White Widow from Mission: Impossible – Fallout, and you’ve got a cast of characters ready to overload a movie poster, and threatening to make this franchise as cumbersome as the Fast and Furious movies have become.

McQuarrie’s smart enough, however, to realize that nobody should steal focus from Cruise, and his wisdom extends to the ingenious decision to make the movie’s primary threat to the fate of the world not even a human—so, no need to worry about any international market getting salty over being demonized.

Mostly, though, McQuarrie has turned into an absolute master of crafting action set-pieces, and joins the John Wick series’

Chad Stehelski as dependably able to send an audience out on a euphoric high. There are great moments sprinkled throughout Dead Reckoning Part One, like a car chase through the streets of Rome complicated by Hunt and Grace being handcuffed to one another, and Hunt’s opportune entrance onto a moving train. But the giddiness-inspiring finale—involving the fate of various precariously-positioned train cars—somehow manages to top the cliffside helicopter ending of Mission: Impossible – Fallout for brilliant editing and peril built on a remarkable sense of geography. And it all works as part of something that openly announces itself as a cliffhanger for a coming-in-2024 finale, while still providing a satisfying conclusion in its own right.

Part of that satisfaction, unquestionably, comes from the ways in which Ethan Hunt is made more than a delivery system for thrills. Cruise and Atwell have a terrific instant chemistry, yet there’s also a level on which Hunt’s commitment to Grace’s safety isn’t about his unique attachment to her, but about the way he approaches exis-

tence—and his sense of duty—in general. “Your life will always mean more to me than my own,” Hunt says to Grace at one point, and it’s almost startling as a thesis statement about who Ethan Hunt is as a person, refusing to accept the potential human cost of him failing. It’s not so much that Hunt is a manifestation of destiny, as that he’s a manifestation of having a personal code dedicated to the preservation of life. That’s what’s so unexpected about where we find ourselves, seven features and a quarter-century into a franchise created to cash in on a familiar TV brand: I want Ethan Hunt to keep manifesting his destiny because his adventures are so much fun, but also because I’m shocked at how much I’ve come to like this guy. CW

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE –DEAD RECKONING PART ONE BBB ½

Tom Cruise Hayley Atwell

Rebecca Ferguson Rated PG-12 Available July 12 in theaters

Hayley Atwell and Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One

MUSIC

Local Music Spotlight

Why aren’t these songs in your library yet?

BY EMILEE ATKINSON eatkinson@cityweekly.net @emileelovesvinyl

In need of some fresh tunes? We’ve got you covered. Here are a few suggestions from local musicians that are more than worthy for any playlist.

Noah Purser, “Cold Medicine”: Provo singer/songwriter Purser dropped a new single perfect for summer. According to Purser, his goal with the song is to make everyone have a “summer of self-care.” “I came up with the idea for ‘Cold Medicine’ when I was sick in bed with COVID for two weeks,” he said. Pre-pandemic, we were all caught up with our busy, everyday lives, before all of that came to a complete halt. We all had too much time on our hands, and too much time alone with our thoughts. “I wanted ‘Cold Medicine’ to be a reminder for everyone to put themselves and their mental, emotional and physical health first and foremost,” Purser explained. “It’s so easy for us to lose ourselves in our jobs, school, relationships, etc. that we need to keep ourselves grounded in self-care and self-love.” Treat yourself by adding this track to your self-care routine.

Our Time in Space, Past, Present, Future… EP: SLC alt-rockers Our Time in Space will indeed transport you through the cosmos. In their Bandcamp bio, they talk about having a “full-dimensional, explosive waterfall of sonics,” and they definitely deliver on that promise. Their most recent release, Past, Present, Future…, is a soundtrack perfect to accompany a rocket

ship blasting off, or a swashbuckling pirate crew going into battle. The imagery of the album cover helps with these descriptions; it features a badass pirate ship below a swirling, colorful sky that looks like it’s opening up to suck you in. This imagery is fun to explore in the lyrics, titles and visuals of the EP, but the sounds are just as epic. The alt-rock feel is perfect for fans of the genre feeling hungry for more in a world where rock often takes a back seat to more popular genres. Each track is well-produced and sounds so full. There’s great variation throughout that will keep you guessing, and definitely keep you from getting bored. Slap this puppy on with your best headphones and just get lost in the sonic joy.

Sean Baker’s Recycled Stardust, “Autumn Leaves”: Baker made his epic return to music with his latest project, Sean Baker’s Recycled Stardust. Rising from the ashes and becoming one with the universe, Baker released The Purple House, a collection of songs that is very personal, and named lovingly for his home that became a safe haven after these hard few years we’ve all endured, including Baker. There’s something for everyone on the album, but “Autumn Leaves” in particular is

a good place to start. It opens strong with driving acoustic guitar and violin playing alongside. Baker’s voice is intense and the lyrics paint a beautiful visual of nature while the song builds and builds. This is a great song for fans of acoustic music, and especially for those who enjoy folk, as the string instruments come together in marvelous harmony. If you’re really into your feelings and you need to listen to someone who relates, this could be the perfect track for you.

Casio Ghost, “The Stranger”: Psychsurf band Casio Ghost have been making a splash since their debut a mere two years ago. They’ve come a long way since then, and there’s definitely no stopping them now. Their library is quickly filling up with fantastic hits that perfectly blend modern indie vibes with retro sounds. Upon pressing play on “The Stranger,” you’re transported to reverb central, and it’s amazing, as the song immediately establishes a vibe and takes you on an exciting journey. Even though Utah is severely lacking bodies of water to surf in, I think psych-surf can easily fit in with desert vibes; it could be the soundtrack for a cowboy walking into a dusty town in the middle of nowhere on his trusty steed, ready for a shootout with any-

one who crosses him. Or, maybe that’s just me. Regardless, “The Stranger” is an exemplary auditory experience that deserves to be blasted on your loudest speakers. Living in Fiction, “What is Love”: A good cover tune will make you excited to hear a new version of a song you love, while renewing your appreciation for the original at the same time. Genre-bending covers are an extra-special treat; we get to hear a beloved song in a totally different interpretation. This is what local rock band Living in Fiction have done with the classic and iconic ‘90s dance track “What is Love” by Haddaway. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn’t heard this song, and now listeners can experience a tasty rock version of the influential song. Living in Fiction’s version is so exciting because it’s so new; as each second goes by, you’re thinking, “I wonder how they’ll do this next part,” until the song is over, then you’ll immediately want to start it over again to hear how smooth it is. In place of electronic effects, you get uber-heavy guitar and vocals that have that bit of rock edge to them. Once you hear this new version, you’ll want to go back and check out the original, then return to this one. A fresh take on a classic is never a bad thing. CW

Casio Ghost TOMMY KRAUSE

THURSDAYS

FRIDAYS DJ FRESH(NESS)

SATURDAYS POKER @ 2PM DJ DELMAGGIO

SHARK SUNDAYS POOL TOURNEY HOSTED BY JARED AND TANNER

MONDAYS REGGAE MONDAY WITH DJ NAPO

WEDNESDAYS KARAOKE

TUESDAYS

By Emilee Atkinson

Disturbed @ USANA Amphitheater 7/13

AWAHAHAHA! Did you read that in the iconic “Down With the Sickness” intro vocalization? If not, go back and read it again. Now you get it! Disturbed has firmly cemented themselves into rock/metal history as one of the most iconic bands in the genre. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn’t at least heard “Down With the Sickness,” or one of the many entries in Disturbed’s extensive music library. Of course, they’ve had many more hits besides this one song; fans of the band have gotten consistent releases from the group since Y2K. Disturbed took the world by surprise with their chilling and incredible cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s legendary song “The Sound of Silence,” on Conan in 2016. Seemingly out of nowhere, this version quickly became a go-to for fans of the original and fans of Disturbed. Lead singer David Draiman’s vocals are insanely beautiful and powerful on the cover; you’ll definitely have goosebumps after listening. As far as new music goes, the band dropped a new full album last year, and so far in 2023 have put out a new single, giving long-time listeners something to look forward to. Come rock out to Disturbed on Thursday, July 13 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show range from $30 - $200 and can be found at livenation.com.

(Emilee Atkinson)

The Beach Boys @ Deer Valley Resort 7/14-15

Few bands have attained such influential and iconic standing as The Beach Boys. Once the symbol of the California Dream—complete with surf, sunshine, hot rods, hot fun and idyllic environs, they eventually progressed into worlds of aural wonder, courtesy of Brian Wilson’s technicolor dreamscapes and his desire to create what he euphemistically described as “Teenage Symphonies To God.” In the decades since, they were beset by personal tragedy, given the loss of Brian’s brothers Dennis and Carl, Brian’s own bouts with mental illness, and the fractured relationships that resulted in singer Mike Love taking ownership of the band name and touring under the Beach Boys banner. Nevertheless, it seems to make little difference to the band’s faithful followers, whose main interest is hearing songs indelibly inscribed in the soundtrack of their youth—“Surfin’ Safari,” “Surfer Girl,” “Fun Fun Fun,” “California Girls,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” and so many other essential songs born from a time when innocence and idealism were all that actually seemed to matter. With Love at the helm and Brian’s early stand-in Bruce Johnston offering added credibility, the current crop of Beach Boys —all skilled musicians in their own right—effectively replicate the band’s innovative arrangements and hallowed harmonies. Fun, fun, fun and exceptional entertainment are clearly guaranteed. The Beach Boys perform at Deer Valley Resort at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, July 14-15. Tickets cost $60 and $150 (for reserved). Go to my.usuo.org. (Lee Zimmerman)

Josaleigh Pollett, Cop Kid, Rachael Jenkins @ Urban Lounge 7/14

Are you ready for an evening of fun, incredible talent and heartbreaking music? If so, this is the show for you. This local lineup is chock full of local talent, and is happening in celebration of Josaleigh Pollett’s newest album, In the Garden, By the Weeds. This new work by the local-music staple is all about growth, caring for yourself and finding beauty in the mundane. It’s a very healing album that Pollett is excited to share with everyone. “The approach to this record is so different from anything I’ve done before,” Pollett told City Weekly in June. “This new record was really kind of an exploration in writing about the more mundane and day-to-day things, and trying to not base my ability to write a song on traumatic things happening.” Supporting Pollett is another local favorite, Cop Kid. Their latest EP dropped last year, and is definitely created by late twentysomethings, for late twentysomethings. The sentiments expressed on the album are so relatable, especially with how the world is right now. One of their most iconic lyrics is on their track “Useless,” and says “I’m a punk but I want to own a house someday / I’m sick of feeling useless.” Completing the lineup is singer/songwriter Rachael Jenkins, the queen of writing devastatingly beautiful songs that will simultaneously give you goosebumps and make you contemplate your entire existence. Come out to this exciting local lineup on Friday, July 14 at 8 p.m. Tickets for the 21+ show are $10 and can be found at 24tix.com. (EA)

MUSIC PICK S

By Emilee Atkinson

Viaje Nahual, Strawberry Cough, FËRN @ DLC 7/16

English-speaking Americans aren’t typically known for their acceptance of other languages being spoken in the U.S., despite English not being the official language of the country. That’s a soapbox for another day, but it’s all to say that learning a new language can be fun, and it’s good for your brain. Or, at least listening to music in different languages can be a fulfilling experience if you don’t have the time for a Rosetta Stone course. Vegas-based Latin-psych rock group Viaje Nahual bring a cultural flair to their music that’s unique, while still feeling familiar with their ’60s-’70sinspired psychedelic sound. “It just feels natural when we all put it together,” drummer Fernando Galarza told Vegas Weekly in March in regards to their single “Fuego.” “I have more of a background in salsa, merengue and Latin tropical jazz, but this was something new. It was a challenge I liked.”

“Fuego” was released last year, and Viaje Nahual hit us with a new trippy single this year called “WAVES” that perfectly encapsulates the retro-rock vibe that many love to look back to. It has heavy, wonky guitar effects, tons of chimes and epic computer effects. It’s a fun track for when you’re chilling on the beach or at the pool with friends. Canadian rockers Strawberry Cough join the lineup along with local psych band FËRN. Come get a dose of some epic rock on Sunday, July 16 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the 21+ show are $10 and can be found at 24tix.com. (EA)

Gary Clark Jr. @ Red Butte Gardens 7/19

My favorite thing about Gary Clark Jr.’s musicianship is how he never seems to play a song the same way twice live—he has a jazzer’s type of comping (i.e. improvisational quality), and a true bluesman’s intrinsic emotion in his playing that is simply amazing. Years of inspiration, writing and rehearsing have led Gary Clark Jr. to doing interesting things with the guitar. And for that, I listen. “The blues are relevant, you know? It’s not some throwback, something you check out in a museum,” Clark told The Guardian in 2019. “Sometimes I do feel like a torchbearer for modern blues and I’m actually proud of that, you know?” Dubbed “the future of music” by President Obama, Clark’s talent is undeniable. He can do blues, funk, jazz (including some pretty out-there weird stuff), Motown and rock, but he always puts his own spin on things that makes whatever he is playing really complex without sounding like it. His musical ingenuity comes from all over the place, and you can hear that on all three of his major-label releases. He can lay some amazing riffs down (he did an insane “All Along the Watchtower” with Dave Matthews) and if you need a good sampling of his work start out by listening to “Bright Lights,” and “When My Train Pulls In.” You will be hooked after the experience. Catch this artist at the Red Butte Garden Outdoor Concert Series on Wednesday, July 19. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $110 and can be found at vividseats.com (Mark Dago)

PJ GUINTO RICARDO

Josaleigh Pollett

Gary Clark Jr.

free will ASTROLOGY

BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (March 21-April 19)

Many astrologers enjoy meditating on the heavenly body Chiron. With an orbit between Saturn and Uranus, it is an anomalous object that has qualities of both a comet and a minor planet. Its name is derived from a character in ancient Greek myth: the wisest teacher and healer of all the centaurs. Chiron is now in the sign of Aries and will be there for a while. Let’s invoke its symbolic power to inspire two quests in the coming months: 1. Seek a teacher who excites your love of life. 2. Seek a healer who alleviates any hurts that interfere with your love of life.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

It’s high time for some high culture! You are in a phase to get rich benefits from reading Shakespeare, listening to Beethoven and enjoying paintings by Matisse and Picasso. You’d also benefit lavishly from communing with the work of virtuosos like Mozart, Michelangelo and novelist Haruki Murakami. However, I think you would garner even greater emotional treasures from reading Virginia Woolf, listening to Janelle Monáe’s music and enjoying Georgia O’Keeffe’s paintings. For extra credit, get cozy with the books of Simone Weil, listen to Patti Smith’s music and see Frida Kahlo’s art. If you read between the lines here, you understand I’m telling you that the most excellent thing to do for your mental and spiritual health is to commune with brilliant women artists, writers and musicians.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20)

The French phrase j’ajoute (translated as “I adjust”) is a chess term used when a player is about to adjust their pieces but does not yet intend to make a move. J’ajoute might be an apt motto for you to invoke in the coming days. You are not ready to make major shifts in the way you play the games you’re involved in. But it’s an excellent time to meditate on that prospect. You will gain clarity and refine your perspective if you tinker with and rearrange the overall look and feel of things.

CANCER (June 21-July 22)

The Simpsons animated show has been on TV for 34 seasons. Ten-year-old Bart Simpson is one of the stars. He is a mischievous rascal who’s ingenious in defying authority. Sometimes teachers catch him in his rebellious acts and punish him by making him write apologetic affirmations on the classroom blackboard. For example: “I will not strut around like I own the place. I will not obey the voices in my head. I will not express my feelings through chaos. I will not trade pants with others. I will not instigate revolution. I am not deliciously saucy. I cannot absolve sins. Hot dogs are not bookmarks.” In accordance with your unruly astrological omens, Cancerian, I authorize you to do things Bart said he wouldn’t do. You have a license to be deliciously saucy.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

Early in her career, Leo actor Lisa Kudrow endured disappointments. She auditioned for the TV show Saturday Night Live but wasn’t chosen. She was cast as a main character in the TV show Frasier but was replaced during the filming of the pilot episode. A few months later, though, she landed a key role in the new TV show Friends. In retrospect, she was glad she got fired from Frasier so she could be available for Friends Frasier was popular, but Friends was a super hit. Kudrow won numerous awards for her work on the show and rode her fame to a successful film career. Will there be a Frasier moment for you in the coming months, dear Leo? That’s what I suspect. So keep the faith.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

The coming weeks will be a good time to seek helpful clues and guidance from your nightly dreams. Take steps to remember them—maybe keep a pen and notebook next to your bed. Here are a few possible dream scenes and their meanings: 1. A dream of planting a tree means you’re primed to begin a project that will grow for years; 2. A dream of riding in a spaceship suggests you yearn to make your future come more alive in your life; 3. A dream of taking

a long trip or standing on a mountaintop may signify you’re ready to come to new conclusions about your life story. (PS: Even if you don’t have these specific dreams, the interpretations I offered are still apt.)

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

In reviewing the life work of neurologist Oliver Sacks, critic Patricia Holt said he marveled at how “average people not only adapt to injury and disease but also create something transcendent out of a condition others call disability.” Sacks specialized in collaborating with neurological patients who used their seeming debilitations “to uncover otherwise unknown resources and create lives of originality and innovation.” I bring this up, Libra, because I suspect that in the coming months, you will have extra power to turn your apparent weaknesses or liabilities into assets.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

It’s a mistake to believe we must ration our love as if we only have so much to offer. The fact is, the more love we give, the more we have available to give. As we tap into our deepest source of generosity, we discover we have greater reserves of it than we imagined. What I’ve just said is always true, but it’s especially apropos for you right now. You are in a phase when you can dramatically expand your understanding of how many blessings you have to dole out.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

Home computers didn’t become common until the 1980s. During the previous decade, start-up companies with adventurous experimenters did the grunt work that made the digital revolution possible. Many early adopters worked out of garages in the Silicon Valley area. They preferred to devote their modest resources to the actual work rather than to fancy labs. I suspect the coming months will invite you to do something similar, Sagittarius: to be discerning about how you allocate your resources as you plan and implement your vigorous transformations.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

I’m tempted to call this upcoming chapter of your life story “The Partial Conquest of Loneliness.” Other good titles might be “Restoration of Degraded Treasure” or “Turning a Confusing Triumph into a Gratifying One” or “Replacing a Mediocre Kind of Strength with the Right Kind.” Can you guess that I foresee an exciting and productive time for you in the coming weeks? To best prepare, drop as many expectations and assumptions as you can so you will be fully available for the novel and sometimes surprising opportunities. Life will offer you fresh perspectives.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

By 1582, the inexact old Julian calendar used by the Western world for 13 centuries was out of whack because it had no leap years. The spring equinox was occurring too early, on March 10. Pope Gregory commissioned scientists who devised a more accurate way to account for the passage of time. The problem was that the new calendar needed a modification that required the day after Oct. 4 to be Oct. 15. Eleven days went missing—permanently. People were resentful and resistant, though eventually all of Europe made the conversion. In that spirit, Aquarius, I ask you to consider an adjustment that requires a shift in habits. It may be inconvenient at first, but will ultimately be good for you.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)

Piscean novelist Peter De Vries wrote, “Sometimes I write drunk and revise sober, and sometimes I write sober and revise drunk. But you have to have both elements in creation—the Apollonian and the Dionysian, or spontaneity and restraint, emotion and discipline.” In the coming weeks, you Pisces folks will be skilled at weaving these modes as you practice what you love to do. You’ll be a master of cultivating dynamic balance; a wizard of blending creativity and organization; a productive change-maker who fosters both structure and morale.

ACROSS

1. Org. that posted “See you in court” on its website the day after Donald Trump was elected president

5. “____ missing something?”

8. Like many churches

14. Midday

15. Gandalf portrayer McKellen

16. Prefix meaning “different”

17. Band with the 2000 hit “Breathless”

19. Surround, as with light

20. Not on good terms (with)

21. Bro or sis

23. Orchard beverage

24. Beltway insider

26. Made it past the bouncer

28. Deg. for a prof

31. Fashion designer who was a judge on “Project Runway”

36. One having second thoughts

38. Pet doc

39. “Where the Wild Things Are” author Maurice

40. Available to watch, in a way

42. Old Army base on the Santa Fe Trail, briefly 43. Samuel Barber’s “____ for Strings” 44. Bartender who serves Barney and Homer

4. Open, as a bottle

5. Put on TV

6. Planet that’s home to Octavia E. Butler Landing

7. Perception

8. “That’s all ____ wrote”

9. Wrote (in) tentatively

10. “You’re very mistaken!”

11. Enjoy a book

12. Author ____ Stanley Gardner

13. It might slide or revolve

18. Leslie who played Burr in “Hamilton”

22. Drag show accessory

25. Fish that’s being reeled in

27. Perfume samples

28. Certain

tion)

48. Blueprint detail

52. Pinkberry treat, for short

53. Gush

54. Jazz legend Fitzgerald

55. Carter of “Gimme a Break!”

57. Sandy hue

59. Lover of Aphrodite

60. Blue-green hue

61. ____ buco

63. Ballpark fig.

65. It hears things

Last week’s answers

Rental Hell

Realtor.com reports that, for the first time in three years, U.S. rent prices have taken a dip downward, in large part due to cooling inflation and a steadier job market. May’s median rent was $1,739—a $3 increase from April, but an overall 0.5% decrease compared to May 2022.

Rent is expected to ease through 2023 and into 2024, but it all depends on location. Areas in the South and West saw year-over-year decreases in rent in May, but costs are rising in the Northeast and Midwest, largely due to stronger labor markets and continued affordability, respectively.

This information probably doesn’t help anyone about to be evicted. The pandemic-era rent relief has ended and, now, folks are not going to get money from the government to stay in their rentals. But don’t panic— there are agencies across the state that may be able to help. I could list them all here, but it’s easier to start by calling 211—the official information and referral nonprofit that can direct you to financial/emergency as sistance in your area.

If you have received an eviction notice to vacate your property, you do have rights. First, don’t ignore the notice, and read it carefully. Your landlord may give you an option to come up with past-due rents. Second, there’s always a deadline as to when you must move out: three business days for non-payment and 15 days if you aren’t renewing your lease.

Sometimes, your landlord may not want you to move out but needs you to fix a problem you may have caused, such as repairing a door or window you’ve broken or cleaning up the property from detritus you’ve collected. In that case, you should document the problem and how you solved it.

Promotion Specialist(Draper, UT)

Plan and prepare advertising and promotional material to increase sales of products or services, working with customers, company officials, sales departments, and advertising agencies. Monitor & analyze sales promotion results to determine cost effectiveness of promotion campaigns. Coordinate with the media to disseminate advertising. 40hrs/ wk, Offered wage: $51,397/year, Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing / Management or related required. Resume to CUPBOP CO Attn: Yeiri Kim, 12184 S Business Park Dr, #C, Draper, UT 84020

SUDOKU X

1 to

Complete the grid so that each row, column, diagonal and 3x3 square contain all of the numbers

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.

If your landlord is a putz and won’t respond to you, I’d suggest calling a mediator to help communicate between the two of you. There’s utahdisputeresolution.org for anywhere in the state and Utah Community Action (mediation@utahca.org) for Salt Lake County. In these cases, the nonprofits can answer questions and even help intervene to keep you in the property if you can come up with a plan that the landlord will accept.

As of July 5, Zumper.com reported that the average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Salt Lake City is $1,299, which is a 4% increase compared to the previous year. Rent.com reports that rents are slightly higher, with 1-bedrooms going for an average of $1,397 and 2-bedrooms at $1,771.

The ideal is that rent and utilities should only take up one-third of your income. But sadly, for some, it’s eating up 50% or more of monthly income if you’re a low-end wage earner.

Thousands of new apartments will be completed in SLC this year, so we can hope that, with more competition, rents may come down! n

WITH BABS DELAY Broker, Urban Utah Homes & Estates, urbanutah.com

NEWS of the WEIRD

BY THE EDITORS AT ANDREWS MCMEEL

Awesome!

Emerald Downs racetrack in Auburn, Washington, switched things up on June 25 with a Grandparents Race, WMTV reported. It was part of Grandparents Weekend, where nanas and pop-pops received free admittance and could participate in prize drawings. About 25 grandparents competed in the race, charging out of the horse gates toward a finish line about 40 yards away. Two of the racers stumbled and fell during the sprint, but no one was hurt. Steve Butler of Everett, Washington, was declared the winner.

For the Birds

The Cotehele medieval house in Cornwall, England, was all set to be the site of a five-day cherry-picking festival starting on June 28, the BBC reported, but blackbirds foiled the plan. Laura Jarman of the National Trust said that 80 trees were full of the fruits on June 19, but two days later “the gardener came to tell me they’d all gone ... feasted on by the very cheeky blackbirds. They’re so cute, we don’t mind too much,” she added. The site still plans to host an apple-picking event later in the year.

Government in Action

Paavo Arhinmaki, 46, the deputy mayor of Helsinki, Finland, was caught in the act on June 23 as he and a friend spray-painted graffiti in a railway tunnel in the capital city, the Associated Press reported. The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency said the cost to clean up the graffiti would be about $3,830, but it’s not clear if the deputy mayor will face charges. “I have committed a crime and bear full responsibility for it,” Arhinmaki said, calling his actions “stupid fooling around.” However, he is refusing to resign his position.

Unconventional Weaponry

Tristan Stetina, 19, was charged with fifth-degree assault (who knew degrees went to 5!) after an incident at a Mankato, Minnesota, restaurant on June 23, KSTPTV reported. Police officers were called to the business after Stetina allegedly arrived there and “began yelling and throwing Skittles at employees and customers.”

One victim said she experienced stinging on her back after being hit with one of the candies. Officers, who were familiar with Stetina, found him nearby and placed him under arrest; because he resisted, he was also charged with obstruction of the legal process and disorderly conduct.

Inexplicable

Public restrooms are a gamble on the best day, but in Columbus, Indiana, a discovery in the bathroom at Mill Race Park raised the bar: David Lancaster, part of the cleaning crew, found a dead octopus in a toilet there on June 22, with its long tentacles hanging out of the bowl.

Fox59-TV reported that Mark Jones, director of the park department, said he didn’t know how the octopus had come to be in the toilet, but it had been removed.

Unclear on the Concept

When River Forest High School in Oak Park, Illinois, underwent a cybersecurity audit, TechCrunch reported, the vendor mistakenly reset every student’s password, preventing students from being able to log into their Google account. Naturally, the school wanted to rectify the situation, so on June 23, they sent parents an email: “To fix this, we have reset your child’s password to Ch@ ngeme! so that they can once again access their Google account. We strongly suggest that your child update their password to their own unique password as soon as possible.” What could go wrong? Manning Peterson, an OPRF student’s mom, noted, “This is terribly insecure and you have just invited every single student’s accounts to get hacked.” It took the school a day to realize its mistake. It promised to send “a special password process that will be unique to your specific student.”

It’s Good to Have Goals

“Highpointing” enthusiasts seek to find tallest points in a geographic region. The hobby intrigues former Colorado resident Andrew Karr, so it’s only natural that in his new home state of Florida, he’d continue the quest. According to The Messenger, Karr has pledged to summit the highest point of every county in Florida—the flattest state in the country. He studies maps, rents kayaks and asks landowners for permission to cross their property to achieve his goal, and he’s almost there: He’s summitted 61 out of 67 counties.

Irony

Harvard Business School professor Francesca Gino, who researches dishonesty and unethical behavior, is in the hot seat with her administration for ... submitting work that falsified results. NPR reported on June 26 that several people have alleged that Gino changed data in at least four papers about her studies. She is currently on administrative leave; for her part, Gino did not confirm or deny the claims, but said she is “limited into what I can say publicly. I want to assure you that I take (the allegations) seriously, and they will be addressed.” Investigators said they found incidents of fraud spanning more than a decade.

The Aristocrats

A Brooklyn-based art collective called MSCHF created a teeny tiny handbag that sold for $63,000 at auction on June 28, CNN reported. The neon green bag, measuring less than 0.03 inches wide, is fashioned after an iconic Louis Vuitton bag called the OntheGo tote, but it was not sanctioned by the designer. It was made using technology that prints 3D micro-scale plastic parts and was sold with a microscope so the owner can see it.

News You Can Use

The Bridge of Flowers between Shelburne and Buckland, Massachusetts, draws walkers from both cities to view the flora alongside the footbridge, Mass Live reported. But now the Bridge of Flowers Committee is asking residents not to scatter loved ones’ ashes there. “It’s not healthy,” said Carol Angus, co-chair of the committee. “The gardeners and volunteers are then exposed to the human remains,” and the leaves and roots of the plants are damaged. “It’s very upsetting,” Angus added.

Recent Alarming Headline

At Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport on June 29, a 57-yearold Thai woman was preparing to board a flight when she became caught in the moving walkway in Terminal 2, The Guardian reported. The lower part of the woman’s leg was trapped beneath the belt at the end of the walkway; a medical team ultimately had to amputate her leg above the knee, and she then was transferred to a hospital to assess the chances of reattaching her leg. Airport director Karun Thanakuljeerapat offered “my deepest condolences regarding the accident” and said the airport would be fully responsible for the victim’s medical costs.

Great Art!

German artist Werner Hartl of Reichersbeuern paints stunning agriculture and landscape scenes, mostly of cows, Oddity Central reported. What sets Hartl apart is his medium of choice: diluted cow manure. Hartl places a canister beneath a cow’s rear end as it poops, then mixes the dung with water. “I use watered-down dung for the light shades ... I use dung with no water mixed in for the dark shades,” Hartl explained. “When it is wet, the ‘paint’ is a bit funky, but when it’s completely dry, it doesn’t smell anymore,” he said.

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