City Weekly Feb 20, 2014 by Copperfield Publishing

C I T Y W E E K LY. N E T F E B R U A RY 2 0 , 2 0 1 4 | V O L . 3 0 N 0 . 4 1

The secret lives of notorious

spermswapper Tom Lippert. By Carolyn Campbell

OT BA LLP. 24

CONTENTS

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38 14

MUSIC

COVER STORY

By Carolyn Campbell

The inside story of Utah’s notorious sperm-swapper. Cover illustration by Susan Kruithof

4 6

LETTERS opinion

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2 | february 20, 2014

FEBRUARY 20, 2014

By Kolbie Stonehocker

Luna Lune’s sister lives on through their music. COMMUNITY

57 COMMUNITY BEAT 59 FREE WILL astrology 62 URBAN LIVING

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Craft burgers, schnitzel and more at Deer Valley.

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By Bill Frost

The Americans returns; new Game of Arms flexes. 10 news 18 a&e 33 CINEMA

Cwma showcases! It’s Week 1 of the CWMA showcases, featuring DJs and bands! Visit p. 41 for full details on all five showcases.

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Letters Great Gourmandise

Ted Scheff ler gave a wonderful review of Gourmandise, a great downtown eatery [“Eyes Wide Open,” Feb. 13, City Weekly]. My daughter lives a block away, and a recent visit was filled with impeccable food and service. My wife and I have used their bakery for many party occasions and have never once been disappointed with the great selections of pastries and baked goods.

Marty Mankins Taylorsville

Utah: Enabler of Evil?

In 2012 and 2013, Utah played host to two conventions for groups overseeing the further decline of economic culture, wages and worker rights and the dismantling of national sovereignty in favor of corporate “rights.” The first of these was the 2012 convention of the American Legislative Exchange Committee (ALEC), that fraternity of corporate lobbyists and complicit representatives scheming to turn the United States into a minimumwage haven for every corporate interest imaginable. The second was the 2013 Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) conference. For both of these fraternities of privilege, no wage is too low, worker rights are a horrendous wrong and CEO compensation and corporate welfare

WRITE US: Salt Lake City Weekly, 248 S. Main, Salt Lake City, UT 84101. E-mail: comments@cityweekly.net. Fax: 801-575-6106. We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity. Preference will be given to letters that are 300 words or less and sent uniquely to City Weekly. Full name, address and phone number must be included, even on e-mailed submissions, for verification purposes. subsidies, in all their forms, are never too high. Under these “free-trade” agreements,” job exporters seem to benefit most of all. I give praise to the ALEC Welcoming Committee for their determined nonviolent disruption efforts in 2012 and the hastily planned TPP protest in 2013 in bringing public awareness to both gatherings. In 2013, Utah also played host to the Baby Killer of Baghdad, former Secretary of State Madeline Albright. When asked several years ago about the 1990s Clintonera Iraqi sanctions she was party to that resulted in the deaths of 500,000-plus Iraqi children, she calmly said it was worth it. Like Dick Cheney before her (who spoke at BYU in 2007), this international war criminal was treated as a person of honor and wisdom. And the NSA metadata cyber gulag where the U.S. Constitution went to die brings things to an even higher level. With this trend, what will 2014 see? Some counterbalance is needed.

Clee P. Ames Eureka

Developing vs. Destroying

Real-estate developers excel in commemorating what they have just destroyed: Fox Den Road, Partridge Circle, Quail Hollow Drive. How they must be salivating at the prospect of a gift of 700 acres in Draper from their friends and cronies in the legislature. Imagine Penitentiary Close, Manacle

Manor, Sallyport Square, Work-line Way, Criminal Court, Barbwire Boulevard, Rabbit Run, and Mule Hollow. On Mainline Street, quality establishments could include Four-piece Suit, Soap on a Rope, Pen & Paper, Bulls & Hogs Butchery, Cheese Eater, Fish Market, Hokey Pokey, Buy & Cell Consignments, Screws Hardware and White Money Bank, all anchored by Iron City Commissary. Find refreshments at Herbert’s Sherbets, lunch at Stir Fry, happy hour at California Cooler and dining at The Last Meal. Judicious zoning will distance taverns the Pig & Whistle and the Berkeley Hunt from Recidivism Junior High and Quasimodo Chapel. Accommodation could range from the low-end Hoosegow Hostel & Inn Mate right up to the Bluffdale Hilton. Dream of nightlife provided by the Shurtleff Chippendales at the Swallow Dive, with complaisant escorts at the Swinging Door. In case of trouble, you’ll be able to rely on Shackle Shekels, Perpetual Bonds and Lockdown Assurance. On the other hand, perhaps we should leave well enough alone.

Martin Gregory Salt Lake City

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6 | february 20, 2014

OPINION

Litter Bugs

Oh, I love trash! Anything dirty or dingy or dusty Anything ragged or rotten or rusty Yes, I love trash. —Oscar the Grouch Oscar may love trash, but I don’t. And neither does Jeff Kirschner. Actually, it is trash-as-litter that makes Kirschner and me as grouchy as Oscar. Our coping mechanism differs, however. Kirschner has created an affinity group on a website called Litterati. Mine is a low-tech cope: I pick up litter. I retrieve it from the gutter as I walk the streets of my Sugar House neighborhood two or three times a week. It is the only form of multitasking I engage in, chiefly because it is an unhurried and beneficial practice that requires no hightech skills. Picking up litter is not as remunerative in Utah as it’s in the 11 bottle-bill states, but the satisfaction I get is a better return than the nickel-a-can bounty that an empty can of beer brings in places like Boston and San Francisco. Over the years, I have gained some insights into the sociology of litter. Most are intuitive. For example, no one would be surprised to find that thoroughfares like 1300 East and 1700 South accumulate more litter than the adjacent side streets. And it would probably come as no surprise that the East High School and Highland High School campuses are so litter-centric that seagulls are drawn to the parking lots to pick through the refuse for food. On the other hand, some littering is downright puzzling. I can’t understand why some dog walkers make the effort to bag Fido’s feces and then leave the bag on the curb. Cigarette butts are ubiquitous, of course, and cigarette packages are about as common as last week’s yard-sale signs. Packaging labeled “organic vegetables”? I have never seen any. UTA bus stops are repositories of convenience-store drink cups, mostly large. If you pay attention to

65 Years One Of A Kind

BY JOHN RASMUSON

the composition of the litter Westminster College students leave on the streets near the school, you would note a preference for Pabst, Miller and Red Bull. Out-of-the-way corners of the city are trash magnets. The fence line around the abandoned Fairmont Park tennis courts is a good example. There isn’t much difference between urban and rural littering, except that the city’s trash trucks contribute to the problem. Sometimes, refuse falls on the ground as a bin is lifted and emptied. This spillage is the source of the plastic bags that float like jellyfish in the breeze. Some residents clean up the mess in the street. Others don’t. I participate in a periodic cleanup of a three-mile stretch of the East Canyon highway. Twice a year, my Adopt-a-Highway group scours the weedy shoulders of the road for garbage. Fast-food beverage containers, plastic water bottles and beer cans account for most of it, but clothing, diapers and car parts—rare in the city—show up regularly. The underlying fact is that a percentage of the population has no qualms about throwing garbage in the street. For another percentage of the population—one that includes me and Kirschner—litter is an irritant. Kirschner lives in California, where he has worked in high-tech start-ups. A year ago, while walking in a riparian nature preserve, his 4-year-old daughter complained about a box of kitty litter someone had dumped there. That was the genesis of Litterati.org and its vision of a litter-free planet. “By combining technology, social awareness and art, the Litterati is tackling this ever-escalating problem one piece of litter at a time,” the website says. The website features a Digital Landfill photo gallery to which people around the world send artful Instagram photos of litter they find. More than 25,000 photos have

been received. Because they are geotagged, the photos provide information that can be used to enlist municipalities and companies in the grass-roots campaign to eliminate litter. “Using who, what, where and when data, you can work top-down with cities to provide trash cans or work with brands to be more strategic about the packaging they create,” Kirschner says in a website video. Littering is antisocial behavior. You have to ask yourself why people do it. I figure there are two categories of offenders: adolescents whose immaturity blinds them to the consequences of their actions, and boors whose mother always cleaned up after them. Both are minorities. Fortunately, most teenagers grow up to be responsible, litter-hating adults. In Utah, littering is a class C misdemeanor, punishable by a $100 fine. You can’t toss “glass bottles, glass, nails, tacks, wire, cans, barbed wire, boards, trash or garbage, paper or paper products or any other substance which would or could mar or impair the scenic aspect or beauty of the land in the state.” I like the fact that the law is anchored in aesthetics. Litter is an eyesore. So is the Salt Lake Valley’s gauzy air. It’s frustrating that I have no measurable impact on air quality even when I ride my bike instead of driving my car. It’s not the same with litter. In two hours, I can make a noticeable improvement in my neighborhood’s quality of life. I wish Kirschner success, but I fear he will fall short. I offer a recommendation drawn from my experience of twice finding a $20 bill in the gutter. Invite the media to watch $5 bills being tucked into fastfood wrappers before being thrown in the streets around a city. Do that a few times, and you’ll create a cadre of litter-pickers just like me. CW

a percentage of the population has no qualms about throwing garbage in the street.

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Readers can comment at cityweekly.net

What’s the worst kind of litter? Colin Wolf: Stripper glitter. Bryan Bale: The worst kind of litter (and, indeed, the worst kind of trash) is anything that’s not biodegradable.

Alissa Dimick: Cigarettes. When I see people throw them on the street or out of their car, I want to pick them up and shove them in their pockets and scream in their faces.

Kolbie Stonehocker: All kinds, really. But I think lazily throwing cigarette butts on the ground or refusing to clean up after your dog are especially sucky acts. Paydn Augustine: I cannot stand seeing Coke bottles any where. That and Styrofoam anything. I can’t deal with it.

Rachel Piper: Condoms, dead animals, broken glass, rubber gloves, discarded clothing, drug paraphernalia—so, basically everything in the alley behind the City Weekly building.

Paula Saltas: Plastic bags. Especially because they can’t be recycled.

Sarah Arnoff: All litter is pretty nasty, but the worst is when I find plastic bottles, wrappers and other trash scattered around in national and state parks. It’s extremely infuriating. Pack in, pack out is not a difficult concept. Kecianne Shick: Used condoms on/around playground equipment always give me the chills. Think of the children, people! Scott Fletcher: Any street litter. Is it really that hard to walk 50 feet and find a bloody rubbish bin?

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HITS&MISSES by Katharine Biele

FIVE SPOT

random questions, surprising answers

Land Feud

CityWeekly

Plump your pout

You can’t get better entertainment than this: Cartoonist Pat Bagley and Rep. Ken Ivory of the Tea Party duking it out on Twitter over states’ rights. It all started with Ivory’s intense desire to educate those of lesser intellect than he. You know, judges and state lawyers—the stupid people. Ivory, R-West Jordan, is running a bill to offer an online course developed by the Commission on Federalism to teach about the 10th Amendment. What started as a tweet from The Left Show—“brain trust behind public lands bills wants to lecture us on the Constitution? That’s rich!”—caught Bagley’s attention: “Since been at Trib 35yrs, States Rights is code for developers getting hands on public lands for private profit.” Bagley said Ivory’s costing the taxpayers millions on the federal-lands argument. But Ivory thinks Bagley just hasn’t kept up with what the Supreme Court says about states checking federal power. Still, Ivory wasn’t willing to make a bet with Bagley. That would be unethical.

Students of the Future

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Given all the politically correct attention to education this legislative session, it will be interesting to see just how that attention translates into resources. Presumptive gubernatorial candidate Becky Lockhart wants a ton of money—$200 million—to go to electronic learning, and some suspect it’s a step toward getting rid of those pesky teachers. That would certainly save some money, wouldn’t it? Meanwhile, an important bill to further fund atrisk preschools is wending through the Legislature. There’s no doubt that catching kids early is the key to better education and fewer funds needed for remediation later on. Legislators should consider the measly $3 million bill from Rep. Aaron Osmond, R-South Jordan, before plugging students into more technology. Oh, and let’s not forget the governor’s 2.5 percent per-pupil spending hike.

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On to resolutions about moving the Draper prison. There’s never been a real debate about whether to move it; the thinking’s been done, as they say. That’s because the charge of the prison-relocation committee—despite a study that showed a $372 million negative impact on taxpayers—was to establish “a process … to issue a request for proposals for a new prison development project ... and make a recommendation to the Legislature and governor.” But two resolutions say, hey, the move is in the state’s best interest. In the end, it’s all about developers and their influence on the Hill. We’ll think about prison reform later—much later.

Ericka Clay wears many hats, both in her everyday life and the blogosphere: author, mother, wife and business owner, plus founder and editor of TipsyLit.com. Tipsy Lit is an online book club and blog where every kind of book lover and aspiring writer is invited to knock back a few and discuss literature—all while never leaving the comfort of their home. Clay assigns the books each month and provides writing prompts along the way; she also writes her own witty posts on Tipsy Lit and runs a social-media consulting agency.

COURTESY ERICKA CLAY

@kathybiele

What books do you read, and how do you pair them with booze? Since starting Tipsy Lit, my eyes have been opened to great literature in many different genres. I am a basic fiction writer, so I generally read the characters and genre that correspond to my writing. However, there are all different types of writers and readers contributing to Tipsy Lit, offering me this wakeup call outside of “general fiction”—you know, everything off the basic main table at Barnes & Noble. We actually have done a series recently called Reading Under the Influence, where you read and review a book and then pair it with the perfect drink. For example, one of our reviewers, Jessica, paired this month’s book, The Night Circus, with a glass of whiskey. It’s always nice to plan to read a book and get a little tipsy in the process.

Your blog says Tipsy Lit began because the idea of leaving your yoga pants at home was distasteful; what’s the real story? The idea for a book club started through GoodReads.com, and soon I wanted a place where I could read a novel and chat about it with fellow readers and writers, all while enjoying a drink or two. As a mom, it was hard to find the time to get out on the weekends, so the idea was to share online, and soon enough it took off. I had a following of a couple hundred on the blog after starting Tipsy Lit’s book club, but it wasn’t really taking off. So we had the idea to then move the actual book club discussions to Facebook, which is slowly starting to grow.

How many people log on to the discussions or join in the writing prompts?

As far as the book club discussions go, I anticipate about 10 to 20 people, but, hell, I would be happy with just one. I post a different writing/discussion prompt every week, and the traffic and energy all depends on the topic. The prompts vary from discussing topics from homosexuality and mental illness to things like growing old and parenting. “One & Done” was a recent discussion I started about being a parent who only wants one kid. Now that prompt was the biggest and strangest audience so far. That is one of the many things I love about the blog. It is important to have a space for these respectful comments and discussions to take place because there are too many outlets online to put each other down.

Where do you see Tipsy Lit as well as yourself in five years?

I do everything with five years ahead in mind. When I decided to start Tipsy Lit, yes it was a fun and different style of book club, but also a huge extension for readers and writers to platform. The goal in mind is to find people who can commit to what they are doing. For me, it’s trying to get my name out there as an author and also pushing my writing. Tipsy Lit, if I have my way, can help them feel like they are contributing to the site with their personal inputs.

Clichéd question: What is your favorite book and drink?

I love, love fiction, and I have a lot that are coming to mind for this question. But The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls and The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion are really wonderful books. There is something great to be said about putting a creative spin on your own life like these two do. I usually drink Cabernet, but sometimes when I am feeling fancy—though not too fancy, I suppose—I like vodka water with a twist of lemon.

Ana Bentz comments@cityweekly.net

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Why is it that exposure of the female areola and/or nipples is considered pornographic while exposure of the male areola and/or nipples is not? I read your answer to the question “Why do men have nipples?” and it seems that, physiologically, nipples are nipples. So why the different reactions? —Sheryl, Michigan

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diversity of opinion on what that bright line is. Some states prohibit exposing any part of the breast, while others ban everything below the top of the nipple or the top of the areola—nowadays a none-too-realistic standard adhered to by such backward localities as Massachusetts. West Virginia, interestingly, comes closest to nailing what in my opinion is the de facto standard, as evidenced on the red carpet at entertainment industry awards ceremonies: it permits display of “any portion of the cleavage of the human female breast exhibited by a dress, blouse, skirt, leotard, bathing suit or other wearing apparel provided the areola is not exposed, in whole or in part.” 7. For the definitive word on this subject we must turn to the U.S. Supreme Court. In City of Erie v. Pap’s A.M. (2000), the justices took up the question of whether Erie, Pa., was legally empowered to prohibit totally nude erotic dancing by women, the difference between illegal total nudity and acceptable partial nudity being that, to comply with the law, “dancers had to wear, at a minimum, ‘pasties’ and a ‘G-string.’ ” Pap’s argued that Erie was unconstitutionally infringing on its right to freedom of expression. Piffle said the court: “Even if Erie’s public nudity ban has some minimal effect on the erotic message by muting that portion of the expression that occurs when the last stitch is dropped, the dancers ... are free to perform wearing pasties and G-strings. Any effect on the overall expression is de minimis.” But never mind the strangely arousing juxtaposition of strip-club jargon and Latin. Look at Erie’s SCOTUS-approved ordinance: “A person who knowingly or intentionally, in a public place ... engages in sexual intercourse, ... appears in a state of nudity, or ... fondles the genitals of himself, herself or another person commits Public Indecency.” Nudity is elsewhere defined as including an uncovered female nipple but not a male one. Ponder the significance of that. A man walks around bare-chested and the worst that happens is he won’t get served in restaurants. But a woman who goes topless is legally in the same boat as if she’d had sex in public. That may seem crazy, but in the United States, it’s a permissible law.

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Listen, Sheryl. You know how in some cultures men can show their uncovered mugs in public but women have to wear a bag over their heads? Same idea. Now if what you’re really wondering about is the rationale behind the double standard on nipples, fine, let’s walk through it. 1. Female humans are the only primates with permanently enlarged breasts, which has led to much harebrained speculation about why. I’m not about to add to it. I merely cite my favorite theory, from zoologist Desmond Morris’s 1967 The Naked Ape (I elaborate somewhat): A. male apes mount their paramours from behind; B. female apes are only in heat at certain times; C. as a signal that the female ape is sexually receptive, her buttocks become enlarged and red; D. humans generally do it face to face, and women may be game at any time; E. any billboard of human female availability thus would logically be installed permanently in front; F. inasmuch as the female breast becomes enlarged anyway during lactation, it’s the obvious candidate. In other words, men like the female breast because, at a primordial level, it reminds them of a monkey’s butt. 2. It’s not just women’s partners who like boobs. Most women find their breasts a source of sexual pleasure—more than 8 in 10 report playing with their breasts and nipples increases their arousal. That said, while the nipple is the most sensitive part of the breast, sex play tends to involve the breast as a whole, not the nipple in particular—excessive concentration on the latter is likely to get your partner annoyed. 3. The male nipple is also a source of sexual pleasure—more than half of men report playing with their nipples increases their arousal. So the argument that the female nipple alone must be covered because it’s an erogenous zone and the male nipple isn’t won’t wash. 4. Exposure of much (as distinct from all) of the human female breast is decidedly not taboo. On the contrary, it’s the basis of entire industries. 5. For much of the world, seeing a nipple or two is nothing to freak out over, but in significant parts of the United States the unspoken assumption seems to be that, except in narrow circumstances, the exposed female nipple is the equivalent of public fornication. Absurd, you say? Keep reading. 6. Sex being the freighted topic it is, many Americans apparently need a bright line between saucy but permissible display of the female breast vs. indecent exposure. Judging from state law, there’s a surprising

rENT oNE gET oNE frEE!

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10 | february 20, 2014

Hushed Sale Sandy residents try to put brakes on construction of after-school club. By Colby Frazier cfrazier@cityweekly.net @colbyfrazierlp

A land sale, a zoning change and plans for a new 15,000-square-foot building made their way through Sandy City Hall friction-free in 2013; no neighbors protested and no council members objected. To be built is a new home for the Sandy Club, a nonprofit after-school program that is widely cherished and receives a yearly grant from the city. The club’s executive director, Linda Martinez Saville, is a 16-year veteran of the Sandy City Council. The land, currently an unoccupied acre lot, was sold to the club for $400,000. The terms of the deal, at least for the city of Sandy, were unprecedented: the city acted as the bank, holding onto the paper while the club agreed to pay $20,470 per year over a 20-year term. And city officials agreed to increase the amount of the club’s yearly grant—$105,000 in 2013—by $20,000 to make sure the payments flow. City officials had the land appraised twice, at a cost of $2,450, and in multiple interviews, it was said the land was sold for “fair market value.” But questions about fair market value may be moot, as by increasing its contribution to the club, the city essentially picked up the tab for the purchase. So far as the city’s concerned, all of its actions were properly noticed, recorded in open public meetings and executed appropriately and fairly. Yet many Sandy residents who live in the city’s historic district—where the club currently resides and also where its future home could be—say they didn’t know about efforts to relocate the club until January, when the city was preparing to put its final stamp of approval on the project. And now that they do know, some have protested the size and scale of the building and wonder how they remained in the dark as the city took action after action. Brooke Christensen, who lives down the street from the lot and opposes the plan, believes that had the city placed a sign on the site with notices about the intent to develop and meeting times and dates, it would have gone a long way toward keeping neighbors in the loop. Christensen says she asked a councilman why she and other neigh-

SANDY CIT Y

bors didn’t know, and was told she was an “uninformed citizen.” “I think they did everything to the letter of the law but they used every loophole they could find,” Christensen says. The lack of public participation in the process has been magnified by the close relationship between the club’s founder, Saville—who severed the club from the national Boys & Girls Club about eight years ago to prevent money it received from the city of Sandy from flowing to the national organization— and the city council that she has served on for nearly two decades. Though Saville and city officials say she is steadfast in recusing herself from discussions about the club, city records show this isn’t always the case. Two large hurdles had to be overcome in order to press forward with relocating the club. The first was the sale of the land. Initially, the club was to lease the property, and according to Nicole Martin, a Sandy city spokeswoman, the council approved the lease option with an informal “nod” in August 2013. In September, the item came back to the council. Another informal, and approving, nod was given. This time, Martin says, the council gave permission to city staff to negotiate a land sale, for which formal council approval is not needed. Since the discussion took place during the council’s planning meeting and no vote was taken, no mention of the land sale is present in the minutes. In an audio recording of the Sept. 3, 2013, meeting, the council chats informally about the sale. One person, who is not identified in the recording, chimes in on the price: “We’re giving them the money. It doesn’t mean anything.” A second person sums up the discussion: “Let’s just go with 400. And we’re giving them the money. And we’re getting the money back. They’re paying us the payment. And so I think if we do this and we stick with 400 I think we can all hold our heads high and say we’ve done the appropriate thing as far as the law; and it works good for them and so let’s just go ahead.” Sandy Mayor Tom Dolan recalls this discussion. In order to help the club pay for the land, he says, the city intends to increase the grant it gives the club by $20,000 in coming years. Dolan says he doesn’t feel handing the money back and forth in this manner amounts to giving city land away for free. “No, I don’t worry about it,” he says. “If we’re going to fund $125,000 a year for children who do not participate in our parks and recreation program and it keeps them safe after school, then I’m very supportive of that.”

the new site of the Sandy Club

SARAH ARNOFF

NEWS

“I think they did everything to the letter of the law but they used every loophole they could find.” —Brooke Christensen, who opposes

A sign at the proposed site of the Sandy Club advertises the Feb. 20 planning meeting. With the land sale sealed up, the next hurdle was zoning. The lot, located at 8768 S. 280 East, is in a residential zone, but has a long history of public use dating back to 1881, when the city’s first school was built there, according to Doug Wheelright, the city’s development-services manager in the planning division. Since construction of a community center isn’t permitted in a residential zone, the city set forth to amend the residential code to include the use of community centers. As Wheelright notes, it wasn’t a rezone so much as it was a permanent redrawing of the zoning law. This move, though, did require a formal vote from the Sandy City Council. Minutes from the Oct. 1 meeting show that Saville joined her colleagues in voting unanimously to change the zoning law. Martin, though, says Saville recused herself and that the minutes are incorrect. Although Christensen says it would be inappropriate for Saville to vote on actions involving her business, her main cause for concern is that a large project that will have impacts on her neighborhood could gallop through the process without her knowledge, or that of anyone else she knows. Some people in the neighborhood, though, did know. And they, too, have strong opinions about the proposed building, which the Sandy City Planning Commission is expected to approve Feb. 20.

Tim Zuver, a member of the city’s Historic Committee, says talk of relocating The Sandy Club from its current home in the basement of the city’s aging parks and recreation building (about 1,000 feet to the northeast of the new location) has swirled for years. “I’ve known about this forever,” he says, adding that he feels the opponents have “poisoned” the neighborhood with their door-to-door campaigns. But Christensen says neighbors opposed to the plan believe the club is an asset to the community and merely object to the new building’s girth, its extended hours of operation (7 a.m. to 10 p.m.), a lack of parking and the building’s 34-foot height. Many of the issues she raises were discussed during the Feb. 6 meeting and have been modified, Wheelright says. Christensen says she had to ask the city council twice for a sign to be hung about the Feb. 6 meeting. Had residents failed to recognize the project prior to the Feb. 6 meeting, Wheelright says the Planning Commission likely would have made a decision. However, heeding public outcry, Wheelright instead pegged that meeting for public comment. Though she doesn’t attend every city council meeting, Christensen says, she tries to pay attention to what’s happening in her city, and especially just down the street. “I’d say we’re fairly involved,” she says, “but not enough for this, I guess.” CW

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february 20, 2014 | 11

Booming sales of firearms and ammunition across the nation in 2013 has translated to big bucks for Utah’s Department of Wildlife Resources, which has watched one stream of federal funding it receives more than double in size during the past two years. The growing fund comes from an 11 percent federal excise tax on sales of firearms and ammunition. It has been known to fluctuate, shrinking when weapons sales are down and climbing when sales are up—as they were throughout last year. Although few prohibitive gun-control measures actually took hold in 2013, the mere talk of stricter gun controls in the wake of the December 2012 shooting in Newtown, Conn., spurred weapons consumers to buy up stocks of ammunition, which translates to big bucks going toward the federal tax. After settling at $6.6 million in 2012, Utah’s share of the fund jumped to $9.4 million in 2013 and is projected to hit $14 million in 2014. State lawmakers expressed their surprise with the fund during the DWR’s appearance in January before an appropriations committee. The DWR uses the money to conduct wildlife studies, undertake restoration projects and improve shooting ranges. In recent years, $22,174 was spent on a bear DNA study and $11,350 on a deer mortality study. Michael Canning, assistant director of the DWR, says the funds, which were established as part of the PittmanRobertson Act of 1937, lapse after two years and must be spent on wildlife-management projects. Canning says it can be tempting to fund ambitious projects that might require future spending, but since the funding source is fickle, the trick is to use it on projects that won’t sap valuable resources in the future if funding drops. “We’re trying to find some one-time projects we could use these dollars on that wouldn’t entail a lot of long-term costs to us,” he says. Local ammunition retailers and manufacturers have also felt the bittersweet effects of the buying frenzy. Barnes Bullets, in Mona, Utah, has had difficulty keeping up with demand for its high-end copper bullets.

F E N D I

By Colby Frazier cfrazier@cityweekly.net @colbyfrazierlp

Ba r nes’ marketing and product manager, Jessica BrooksStevens, says the strain at her company could be tied to a number of factors, including the company’s relatively new presence in the market (it began manufacturing new ammunition, as opposed to ammunition-refill equipment, in 2010) and the rising tides of gun ownership in the nation. “Gun owners are concerned about legislation,” she says. “I do believe that has fueled much of the ammunition purchases.” Brooks-Stevens says this run on ammunition, though keeping Barnes busy, can be frustrating. She says it’s been difficult to stock even rare calibers of ammunition. Once the popular ammo was bought up, consumers moved on to whatever else was available. “I think people had a hard time getting firearms, so then they just started stocking up on ammunition for anything they had at home,” she says. Barnes usually is able to bolster its stocks for hunting season, but when that time rolled around last year, its supplies were picked over. Handgun ammunition has been especially popular, Brooks-Stevens says. “The number of handguns that they’re selling each year in this country is absolutely astonishing,” she says. “You’re seeing a real surge in demand for anything pistol related.” At Doug ’s Shoot ’n Spor ts in Taylorsville, certain types of ammunition have been elusive, and handguns have been selling well. “Business has been good,” says Dave Larsen, a salesman at Doug’s, who compared guns to cars. If the government announced it had plans to ban the Volkswagen Beetle, Larsen says, Beetles would be hard to come by. “Just about everything right now is tough to get,” he says, noting that a thriving second-hand market has been created. A package of .22 caliber bullets that would sell in his store for $30 goes for double that online. And like the officials at DWR, Barnes’ Brooks-Stevens says that adjusting to wild fluctuations in supply and demand requires restraint. For instance, she says, investing heavily in new machines to fuel current demand could backfire at any time, since it appears much of the recent buying wave has been sparked by rumors of gun-control legislation. Sustaining a business under these conditions has proven difficult, she says, but “it’s our goal to stay in business and continue offering these products.” CW

Y S L

V E N E T A

Escalating gun-related revenues a blessing and curse for state coffers and local manufacturers.

GUNS

•

B O T T E G A

NEWS Ammo Blammo

P R A D A

the

OCHO

the list of EIGHT

by bill frost

@bill_frost

NEWS

QUIRKS

British authorities said habitual burglar Daniel Severn, 27, got his foot caught while climbing through a bathroom window of a house in Howden and wound up hanging upside down over the toilet for an hour and a half. He was found by homeowner Richard Wilson, whose wife took a photograph of Severn before her husband called police. Severn admitted trying to burglarize the residence and explained he tried to call police himself to come rescue him, but he dropped the phone into the toilet. “It would be funny,” judge Amanda Rippon told Severn after sentencing him to 28 months in jail, “if it were not such a serious offense.” (Britain’s Daily Telegraph)

n Surveillance cameras recorded Joshua M. Pemble, 23, stealing a security camera system at a Walmart in Joliet, Ill. When store security employees tried to stop Pemble after he exited the store, police Capt. Tab Jensen said he took off running but was arrested nearby and charged with shoplifting. Jensen said a charge of unauthorized use of a handicapped parking space was added after security footage showed Pemble parking in one “without a placard in his vehicle.” (Joliet’s The Herald News)

Mistaken Identity Sculptor Robert S. Davison is suing the U.S. government for copyright infringement because the U.S. Postal Service used his sculpture of the Statue of Liberty on a stamp, instead of the original statue in New York Harbor, without his permission. Davison’s replica welcomes visitors to the Las Vegas casino hotel New York New York. Davison’s attorneys contend that the post office chose their client’s image, which appeared on more than 5 billion forever stamps printed in 2011, because it was more “fresh-faced” and “sultry” than the original. (Associated Press)

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| CITY WEEKLY |

12 | february 20, 2014

Curses, Foiled Again

Gangnam Style

Eight other names considered for Wasatch Brewery’s “gay” beer, Live and Let Live:

8. LGBTQIPA 7. Marmalade Ale 6. Black & Tan & Fabulous All

Over

5. Bishop’s Other Finger 4. Emergency Motion to Stay and Drink Up

3. Bear Stout (Growlers only) 2. LezBrau 1. Governor In the Closet Lager

South Korean teenagers who can’t afford plastic surgery are turning to do-it-yourself cosmetic enhancements, using cheap tools bought online. Instead of double-eyelid surgery to give them a “Hollywood look,” for example, some teens wear glasses, costing $5 to $20, that force their eyes to stay open without blinking. Another popular item is a $6 jaw roller intended to push the jaw line into a petite, oval form. Another device promises to raise the nose bridge to give a pointed nose. It’s painful but costs only $2. “We want to become pretty without spending all the money,” 17-year-old Na said, explaining that she and her friends started ordering online after seeing Korean talk show guests demonstrate various gadgets. According to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, South Koreans are the world’s most cosmetically enhanced people. (GlobalPost)

BY ROL AND SWEET

When the Owner’s Manual Isn’t Enough

Truck driver Jeffrey Glossop, 58, was transporting a 58-ton vintage battle tank but couldn’t climb a hill outside Gold Beach, Ore., so he decided to unload the tank and drive it up the hill. Glossop had never driven a tank, but “he had the manual, so he thought he could do it,” State Police Lt. Gregg Hastings said. The tank slipped out of gear, however, then rolled back down the hill and crashed through a guardrail. Glossop tried again, crossing over the damaged guardrail and heading back up the hill. The tank again slipped out of gear, rolled down an embankment and came to rest in a stand of trees. The tank wasn’t damaged, but Glossop was cited for reckless driving. (Portland’s The Oregonian)

Punctuation Follies

England’s Cambridge City Council voted to ban apostrophes from street names, insisting that the change will clarify addresses for emergency services. “It was decided potential confusion over incorrectly punctuated street names meant we wouldn’t use punctuation any more,” council officer Nick Milne explained, pointing out that the move follows guidelines prescribed by the National Land & Property Gazetteer, where all new street names are registered. “Our understanding was that many data users including the emergency services make no reference at all as to whether an apostrophe is used or not.” The council’s new policy affects only new street names and also bans street names that would be “difficult to pronounce or awkward to spell,” as well as names that “could give offense” or “encourage defacing of nameplates.” (Cambridge News)

Big Break for White-Collar Crime The Federal Bureau of Investigation has changed its mission, according to national security lawyer Kel McClanahan, who said he noticed the change in December while reviewing a Freedom of Information Act request from the agency. The FBI fact sheet previously stated, “The primary function of the FBI is law enforcement.” Now, McClanahan told Foreign Policy, it’s, “The primary function of the FBI is national security.” FBI official Paul Bresson clarified that the agency’s mission “changed after 9/11,” and the number of FBI agents dedicated to counterterrorism doubled between 2001 and 2009. As the FBI focus shifted to counterterrorism, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported a sharp drop in the number of white-collar criminal cases investigated. (MSNBC) Compiled from mainstream news sources by Roland Sweet. Authentication on demand.

CITIZEN REVOLT

by ERIC S. PETERSON @ericspeterson

Smog Lake City This weekend, get down to the scientific nitty-gritty of pollution on the Wasatch Front by attending a lecture by Dr. Brian Moench of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment. At the Community Supported Agriculture open house, learn how you can cross fresh produce off your shopping list for the season and support local farms at the same time. The Salt Lake City Planning Commission will be meeting later in the week, so you can stop by and get an update on projects like the city’s Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan.

“Breaking Bad” in Smog Lake City Sunday, Feb. 23

As a doctor and an advocate, Brian Moench has been speaking truth to power about the troubling links between bad air and lung and heart disease, as well as, more shockingly, everything from cancer and autism to Alzheimer’s and diabetes. Moench will talk about how pollution harms health and offer a prescription for how to rally for cleaner air at this free and open-to-the-public forum. Salt Lake City Main Library, 210 E. 400 South, Fourth Floor Meeting Room, Feb. 23, 1:45-3:30 p.m., UPHE.org

CSA Open House

Tuesday, Feb. 25 Stop by this open house to shop around and learn about the dozens of local farms in the valley that you can buy shares of and, in exchange, receive weekly packages of fresh veggies, produce and eggs. It’s a small investment that pays big dividends in bringing healthy, organic greens and goodies to your table and giving vital support to hard-working community farmers. Wheeler Farm’s Activity Barn, 6351 S. 900 East, 515-491-3264, Feb. 25, 6-8 p.m., CSAUtah.org

Salt Lake City Planning Commission Wednesday, Feb. 26

See what plans the city has in the works for your neighborhood at this meeting, which will cover a number of topics including an update on the progress of the Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan and a request to take the Sugar House community garden at the Fairmont Park Tennis Courts off of the Open Space Lands Program. Speak up or be rezoned. Salt Lake City & County Building, 451 S. State, Room 326, 801-535-7700, Feb. 26, 5:30 p.m., SLCGov.com/ Planning

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february 20, 2014 | 13

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14 | february 20, 2014

MULTIPLICITY The secret lives of notorious sperm-swapper Tom Lippert. By Carolyn Campbell comments@cityweekly.net

or five years in the early ’90s, I lived two houses down from Tom Lippert, the nowdeceased fertility-clinic worker known these days for switching out his sperm and fathering one (or many) children. But even before Tom Lippert became a salacious national story, giving birth to taglines like “sperm switch,” he was a notorious figure in my community. Our neighborhood was close-knit and caring, full of families with young children, many of whom were Cub Scouts—we lived on an average, curving suburban street filled with ramblers and split-level homes. People there knew each other and interacted regularly. Parents formed carpools to share the task of driving kids to school. The local LDS Church wardhouse was often unlocked in the evenings, when groups of boys played basketball far into the night. There were always enough fun-loving children for my kids to each have several friends. Lippert was the fly in the ointment of the otherwise idyllic scene. Several neighbors remember the handmade signs he’d post on his garage. Beyond the simple “Keep Out,” there was also “No Kids Allowed” and “Condoms are cheaper than diapers.” When my 4-year-old son rode his Big Wheel past Lippert’s house, he always yelled, “Get off my effin’ property, brat!” Julie Lott, who eventually bought my house and lived by Lippert during his scariest years, from 1994 to 1999, remembers him sitting in his driveway with Greg, his so-called bodyguard and handyman, getting drunk and yelling at every kid who passed by. “He had this notion that if any kid was near his yard, it gave him the right to be abusive,” Lott says. But as loud and intimidating as his shouts

were, he kept his dark secrets locked away. While his neighbor Layne Nielson knew Lippert’s job involved “something about a lab and samples,” Lippert didn’t tell people he worked at a fertility clinic. He told some neighbors, including me, that he was an attorney. When we put our house up for sale, he said, “I’m a real-estate agent. Let me sell it.” And his deceptions had a more violent streak, too. Lott was standing in her living room one night when boulders the size of cantaloupes suddenly shattered every window that faced the street. “I felt instant cold air and thought, ‘I’ve got to get my kids out of here,’” she recalls. Later, she says, “We had cameras set up on our bunk beds. We wanted to get a record of who did this in the middle of the night.” Lott’s wasn’t the only rock-throwing incident on our street. Nielson’s panoramic front window was broken twice, and the local bishop’s front window was smashed, too. “His wife happened to be awake and she saw a man she thought was Tom, limping and running away at 2 a.m.,” Nielson says. A few months before that incident, Lippert had broken his heel, his widow, Jean, explains. Nielson recalls that neighbor Elizabeth Grannis told him she’d seen Lippert trying to access his house, which he’d locked himself out of, by pushing his large wheeled garbage can next to the gate to his backyard and climbing on top of it. He fell off the garbage can while trying to lift the gate latch and broke his heel. Nielson says that when he saw Lippert the next day, “he said that the mob was after him and that they had sent two guys to ‘rough him up,’ but that he fought them off.” Lippert consistently hinted at having grandiose hidden agendas, Nielson says; he at times mentioned that he was involved with the CIA or that he’d gone to Cuba and talked to Castro.

While we knew Lippert was strange and sometimes scary, we never knew the real Lippert, whose life was built on deception, bullying and alcoholism. None of us knew that Lippert had served two years in prison for kidnapping Purdue University student Susan Cochran in 1975. We never guessed Lippert had been a law professor by the age of 26, or that he’d lost his license to practice law because he’d been convicted on conspiracy charges after the kidnapping. Lippert had found Cochran from a “ride wanted” card she’d posted and picked her up from the campus Alpha Chi Omega house. He’d conceived of the idea of performing “love experiments” on the girl, which included locking her in a black box and giving her electroshock-therapy treatments in hopes that he’d brainwash her into falling in love with him, according to court documents. He accepted a plea bargain that reduced the kidnap charges to conspiracy on condition that he submit to psychiatric treatment for 90 days. Years later, though Nielson and Lott made several calls to the sheriff, the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office shows only one arrest record for Lippert. On May 2, 1998, at 11:18 p.m., he was arrested for “disorderly conduct and interfering with a public servant.” He never served any time for the vandalism. “He knew the law,” Nielson says. “He was a felon, but his guns were registered in his wife’s name, and Greg, his bodyguard, carried them around. Anyone attempting to trace out his web of deception and manipulation would come away baffled. This included law enforcement.” And as with the sperm-switching, Lippert was never punished for the vandalism. “The only people who ever paid were his victims,” Nielson says.

None of us knew that Lippert had served two years in prison for kidnapping Purdue University student Susan Cochran in 1975

AN UNCHANGED MAN

When I first met Lippert’s widow, Jean, who was married to him for nearly 20 years, I thought that the calm, dignified brunette, who worked as a nurse, was the sensible “straight man” to Lippert’s flamboyant eccentricity. I had no idea, and neither did anyone else that I know of, that he held her captive through fear and intimidation. In Minnesota in the late ’70s, as the time of his jail release grew near, Lippert ran a classified ad, seeking a pen pal to write to him. Jean answered the ad and they corresponded. Jean first met him after his release, when a friend of Lippert’s hosted a party for him at his house.

COURTESY JEAN LIPPERT

cal school—contributed to his increased drinking. And in Salt Lake City, he went from being oddly bizarre to frighteningly aggressive as his conflicts with neighbors escalated. When their next-doorneighbor Nielson “parked close to the property line, Tom went and slashed his tires,” Jean says. “I felt bad for the innocent victims,” she says. “They’d say some little thing and it would set him off. They might have had thoughts that I was like him or part of all his evil deeds, but I couldn’t control him or make him stop what he was doing. If I tried, he said, ‘Mind your own business. No one is going to tell me what to do.’ ” Except when she was going to work, Lippert wouldn’t let Jean leave the house unless he went with her. And he slapped her in the face all the time, she says. Standing at the top of their stairs after arriving home from work one night, she “had this feeling, almost like a voice in my head, that he was about to push me down the stairs. I asked, ‘Are you going to push me down the stairs?’ After I took the surprise out of it, he didn’t do it.”

PROUD GRANDFATHER

Top: Tom Lippert in his personal office in the Lipperts’ West Jordan home. Bottom: Lippert in his Cottonwood Heights home in the mid-’90s

february 20, 2014 | 15

“He didn’t like having children around,” Jean says. “He said they annoyed him. But he was proud of the kids he fathered as a sperm donor.” She says he was like a grandfather who was proud of his grandkids—from a distance. “He didn’t have to take care of those kids or hear them fight and scream,” she says. “They were like little trophies. If he had to have them here and take care of them, that would be a different story.” But then in 1996, the fertility clinic cut back his hours, and Lippert was free to drink more on weekdays. And when the fertility clinic closed in 1998, it ended Lippert’s final period of lengthy employment.

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In 20 years of marriage, much of it spent in quiet misery, Jean never left Lippert, for one simple reason: “I would have lived in hell, always in fear of him being right around the corner,” she says. “I wouldn’t sleep at night worrying about him breaking into the house. Or following me after work. I wouldn’t have peace.” She did think about suicide. “I felt so trapped. I couldn’t leave him and I couldn’t stand to stay.” But although she thought about killing herself, she knew it wouldn’t be an easy way out. She says she remembers thinking, “If I take pills and he finds me before I die, he will torment me and make life hell for me.’” And, she adds, “I didn’t have guts to shoot myself. I’d seen people at the hospital who shot part of their face off and I didn’t want to go around looking like Frankenstein.” She felt that he also wanted her to die. “Once he told me to take him to the airport and go back home and kill myself. Then he said, ‘You’re not going to do it.’ He argued with me for a while and then didn’t go to the airport.” She says she knew that the only peace she could ever have was if he died. “He did me a favor because he really did kill himself, drinking a gallon of wine a day.” She laughs wryly. “Maybe I should have encouraged him to drink more and maybe got rid of him sooner.” Though things were tense at home, Lippert liked his work at the fertility clinic, which lasted nine years, and got along with his boss, Jean says. He donated sperm several times over the years, but she doesn’t know how many of times he officially donated sperm and how many times he substituted his own sperm for that of the intended father.

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“He was nice looking, and he told me he was very sorry for what he did,” she recalls. “He said he was going to go straight and be a really good citizen. That he had paid the price and learned his lesson.” The two soon began dating, though his halfway house was about an hour from her home. She worked evenings, so he came over during the day. “He had to be back by a certain time, but we could spend a lot of time together during the day,” she recalls. She was a nurse, and Lippert talked about wanting to go to medical school. “He wanted to go to medical school in Wisconsin and to establish residency there,” Jean says. “So he thought it would look good if we married there.” Six months after they began dating, they married in the office of a Wisconsin justice of the peace. “He wanted me to quit my job and try to get a job in Wisconsin,” Jean says. “I had just a year to go on my LPN [licensed practical nurse] retirement, and was not going to lose that retirement because he wanted to move.” So they lived in her Minnesota home, and he drove to Wisconsin every week and came home on the weekends. She recalls that he got a couple of interviews to be considered for medical school, but was never accepted. “It was a big letdown for him.” Lippert was an only child—and a spoiled one, Jean says. “I hadn’t known him that long when he called his parents to ask for $5,000,” she says. “My mouth dropped open. I could never do that with my parents.” When he’d graduated from Notre Dame Law School, his parents gave him a brand-new Porsche. “He never had to work and save up for something he wanted,” Jean says. “He wanted everything now.” His parents took out a second mortgage on their house to accommodate one of his loan requests. “He gave them one payment and called to say he wanted another few thousand dollars, and if they didn’t give it to him, he wouldn’t make anymore house payments,” Jean recalls. “They ended up paying off that loan themselves.” In 1988, Lippert decided to move to Salt Lake City because he knew someone at BYU. He completed several pre-med classes there, with the hope of someday attending medical school, and got a job at the University of Utah’s Community Laboratory at Millcreek, later called Reproductive Medical Technologies, Inc. Still, he always yearned for his lost potential of working as a law professor. “He liked to wear jewelry—gold chains and stuff—to look important and dress the way a law professor would dress,” Jean says. “He had a lot of intelligence when he was young. I’d tell him, ‘Tom, you can do any kind of work. You have good education and a good brain. Pick something you think you might like to do and do it.’ ” Jean says that when she first met Lippert, “We would go out for pizza and he would order a glass of wine and leave half of it.” But later, she says, it seemed he grew meaner by the day, and his drinking also became more habitual. She feels that disappointments in his life—such as losing his law license and not being accepted to medi-

Jean Lippert

COURTESY JEAN LIPPERT

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16 | february 20, 2014

“He didn’t like having children around,” Jean says. “He said they annoyed him. But he was proud of the kids he fathered as a sperm donor.”

TURNING YELLOW

Never one to set low expectations, after the clinic closed, Lippert “was going to be a stockbroker,” Jean says. He “got all this information, but he never followed through. He’d get jobs for a month or so and then quit.” Without a job, he had even more time to drink, and she soon had to drive him everywhere, to work and to look for work. One job was a split shift, all the way across town. “Every single day, I took him to work in the morning, then picked him up around noon. I took him back to work at 2, then had to go back around 6,” Jean says. “He finally quit that job because he was too drunk to drive and probably drank at work, too.” Another time, booze intervened during a job at the airport. “They were cleaning out a plane and found some liquor,” Jean says. “They got drunk and he lost the job.” Angry at his boss for firing him, Lippert tried to have the last word. “He went to the airport and walked in front of a girl who was driving an airport cart,” Jean says. “He fell, making it look like she hit

him. He went to an attorney to sue the airlines and they wouldn’t even take the case. Too many people saw that he walked in front of the cart. There was that poor girl, sitting there crying.” One time, Jean remembers, a friend took Lippert to an alcoholtreatment center. “I was thinking it would be so heavenly to have him gone,” she says. “I had planned a nice night at home with peace and quiet. I was going to watch a movie and get popcorn.” But two hours later, he was back. Lippert’s drinking “got to the point where people wouldn’t hire him,” Jean says. “He would go in drunk and they could tell by looking at him.” After Lippert stopped working, she supported them both on her nurse’s salary. Tom asked her to write checks for him even after he knew the account was empty. “He would say, ‘You are going to write that check.’ I would get overdraft fees.” He was easily spending $300 a month on wine— $10 a day bought him a gallon of the cheap stuff. He liked to cook, Jean says, but was always too drunk to do it. “He would start making something and pass out in the middle of dinner,” she says. “He’d boil up some noodles, then fall asleep and never finish it.” Eventually, Lippert’s liver enzymes were sky-high and he couldn’t deny his alcoholism any longer. His skin began to turn yellow as liver disease gradually overtook him. “One day, he asked what I was staring at,” Jean remembers. “I told him, ‘Your eyes are getting yellow. You really are turning yellow.’” At age 49, he went to a hospital, then a nursing home, before he died July 6, 1999, of cirrhosis of the liver. That night was the best sleep Jean ever had. Jean says that Lippert’s death brought her peace and freedom. “I can do what I want and go where I want,” she says. “I can sleep without someone waking me up and telling me I have to drive them someplace.” She says that if she met “someone who was really nice,” she would consider marrying again. “Although at my age, it’s hard to meet anybody,” she adds. “The older you get, the fewer men there are. By the time you reach your 70s, the ones that are around have health problems.”

The current sperm-switching scandal, she says, “was kind of shocking, but it didn’t really surprise me, knowing the kind of person that he was. I was watching TV and all of a sudden his picture shows up. I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, this man just doesn’t die. He keeps coming back.’ ”

WHAT DIDN’T HE DO?

I clearly remember the last time I saw Tom Lippert. It was May 14, 1997— my son’s 13th birthday. We went to the Salt Lake County Government Building on 2100 South and State to hear a lecture from author Dave Wolverton about his latest Star Wars book. On the way in, we saw Lippert, trying to wrench himself away from two police officers who held him by the arms. We recognized him instantly despite the fact that he’d dyed his dishwater hair the color of Dijon mustard and now wore a large diamond stud in his right ear. But he wasn’t arrested that night, either. And when I asked Jean what he was doing there that night, she wasn’t sure. Even though I moved away from the Lipperts’ neighborhood, I didn’t go far. That community will always be home to me. My kids made friends there whom they’re still very close with. And I feel that the babysitters from the neighborhood who safeguarded my kids are candidates for sainthood. One of them, Tara, once tried a sort of passive-aggressive revenge against Lippert’s “no kids allowed” policy. At the time, the Lipperts had two garbage cans—one with the word “his” painted in blue and another with the word “hers” painted in pink. Tara changed my daughter’s dirty diaper and dropped it in the “his” garbage can. When I called my oldest son, who lives out of state, to tell him about the Lippert story, he laughed in surprise and asked the question that still haunts all of us: “Mom, what didn’t Tom Lippert do?” Three years ago, my second son moved back into our old subdivision, where he lives with his wife and two sons. Even though he lives there, I don’t know the stories of my former neighborhood now as well as I did when I lived there. When I drive through—which I do often—it looks peaceful. The street is quiet and the houses look calm. But you never know what goes on behind closed doors. CW

LIPPERT’S CHILDREN

Annie Branum, the beautiful young woman who shares Lippert’s DNA, also shares his fair coloring and the shape of his nose. Though her recent discovery that the father who raised her isn’t the one who sired her—it seems that Lippert traded his sperm for her father’s—was shocking and disturbing, Branum is taking it in stride. In a Texas television interview, she said, “I understand that this happened to me and there is nothing I can do to change it, so why should I live my life any differently knowing that this happened?” And perhaps she got the best of what Lippert had to offer. She’s studying astrophysics at UTSA in San Antonio—a seeming echo of the academic prowess of the young man who graduated from Notre Dame and became a law professor by 26. While reeling from the shock and trying to seek out other children who may be Lippert’s, the Branum family is moving on. Annie’s mother, Pam Branum, gives the conflict up to God. In a KUTV interview, she said, “We have really strong faith and we believe that He is going to work everything out for good. And He has, because we have her.” If you or someone you know conceived through artificial insemination at the fertility clinic Reproductive Medical Technologies associated with the University of Utah, visit LippertsChildren.blogspot.com for information on DNA testing.

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FRIDAY 2.21

SATURDAY 2.22

TUESDAY 2.25

Depictions of the world with all colors removed have often been the realm of journalism or science, but Terrel VanLeeuwen uses them for a greater artistic truth: a faithfulness to the subject matter. Color Blind—an exhibit of his works in conte crayon on watercolor paper—takes on a wide swath of subjects, from geographical locations to the grand designs of architecture, canine portraits to automobile wreckage and even a portrait of Abraham Lincoln (pictured). His technique is one of exacting precision that is quite spellbinding, but the medium implies some impressionism, and several of his landscape pieces seem slightly fantastical. For VanLeeuwen, black & white creates a mood of its own, one that allows the viewer to delve deeper without the distractions of color. In his artist’s statement, he explains that “black and white takes the viewer to the details of the subject. We can experience the shape of a rock formation, its eye-opening formidability and the sublime texture in a black & white medium.” VanLeeuwen studied at Utah State University, and besides some group shows like the 2011 Springville Art Salon, is so far underexposed in the local arts community. In the projects for this show, he says, “I have pondered, what makes the Sacred? What compels us to marvel and contemplate rock, water, animals and trees and feel the divinity that emanates from them?” The answers are bound to be deeply personal. (Brian Staker) Terrel VanLeeuwen: Color Blind @ A Gallery, 1321 S. 2100 East, 801-583-4800, through March 6; Gallery Stroll reception Feb. 21, 6-8 p.m., free. AGalleryOnline.com

In fall 2010, prompted by a growing number of media stories about gay students committing suicide, Utah actor Kirt Bateman organized a fundraiser for school anti-bullying programs. That original Different = Amazing program raised $10,000 for such programs—and as it turns out, it was only the beginning. Playwright Matthew Ivan Bennett—working with Salt Lake County educator Jim Martin and Davis County educator Denice Maedgen— collected stories from Utah children and youth about their own experiences with bullying. The contributions came in the form of narratives, pictures, poems and more, eventually becoming a 40-minute theater program featuring actors Tyson Baker and Latoya Rhodes. The world-premiere presentation on Saturday will be followed by a tour of student presentations at elementary schools in Salt Lake County and Davis County, plus a stop for public showings at Ogden’s Good Company Theatre. “Shaping them was a matter of locating the most raw, or unresolved, material,” Bennett says of turning the collected experiences into a production. “Onstage, I wanted to portray experience, not preach. … I got the same incident of bullying from different perspectives: an account from the victim, from a friend, and seemingly from someone more removed. I couldn’t ignore that. … To see a drawing by a child, with a dialogue bubble saying ‘You have ugly skin’ ... that shocked me.” The result of bringing these many stories and memories together is a powerful performance designed to remind kids of all kinds that they’re not alone, even in their most painful experiences. (Scott Renshaw) Plan-B Theatre Company: Different = Amazing @ Rose Wagner Center, 138 W. 300 South, 801-355-2787, Feb. 22, noon, free but ticket required. PlanBTheatre.org

There can only be one Iron Choreographer— and Repertory Dance Theatre’s fundraiser/creative soiree Charette is the annual arena where that crown is bestowed. This year’s event will be hosted by Sister Dottie S. Dixon, judged by a panel of local celebrities—including X96’s Bill Allred and CityHomeCollective’s Cody Derrick—and will feature choreographers Ashley Anderson, Graham Brown, Karin Fenn and Satu Hummasti entering the ring to compete against reigning Iron Choreographer Nathan Shaw. Audience members will witness the creative process as each participant receives a cast of dancers, a secret ingredient and just one hour to deliver a masterpiece. As reigning champion, Shaw has the advantage this year, just as returning Iron Chefs do against their culinary competitors. His greatest strength in returning to the field of creative battle, he says, is “my sense of humor. Oh, and my glutes.” And he has some advice to share with his competition: “Keep it funny. People do not want angst-ridden modern dance. They want to be entertained. The crowd imbibes all night long. Don’t kill their buzz.” Beyond bringing laughs, the newbies have another challenge: the serious time constraint that forces them into full-bore creative mode— without the luxury of editing. You just have to “make it and go with it,” Shaw says. “Even if it is crap, you gotta keep going!” Let the competition begin. (Jacob Stringer) Repertory Dance Theatre: Charette @ Rose Wagner Center, 138 W. 300 South, 801-355-2787, Feb. 22, 7:30 p.m., $35. RDTUtah.org, ArtTix.org

The 2000 film Bring It On, about competitive high-school cheerleading, could be summed up with the following snippet of the movie’s witty dialogue: “I don’t know what’s scarier: neurotic cheerleaders, or the pressure to win. I could make a killing selling something like Diet Prozac.” The teen romantic comedy about rival cheerleading squads was so popular that it spawned four straight-to-video sequels. Then, just as the film franchise seemed to be running out of steam, it went to Broadway with Bring It On: The Musical. It doesn’t strictly follow any of the film’s trajectories or narratives, but the 2012 production— nominated for two Tony Awards, for Best Musical and Best Choreography—is indeed inspired by the biting, competitive sass of the movies. It features an all-new storyline and a musical score that helps to deliver the simultaneously melancholy and optimistic moods of high school. And the musical really gets the highly competitive nature of high-school sports right, as well as all the raw emotions and immature social skills of teenagers trying to find their feet in a confusing world. It’s also fun to watch. The choreography for Bring It On is a unique blend of traditional musical moves with the high-flying athleticism of competition cheerleading. Add to that its comedic strengths, and this version of the tale might be even more deserving than its movie counterpart of spawning sequels. (Jacob Stringer) Broadway Across America: Bring It On: The Musical @ Capitol Theatre, 50 W. 200 South, 801-355-2787, Feb. 25-March 2, $35-$52.50. ArtTix.org

Terrel VanLeeuwen: Color Blind

Plan-B Theatre Company: Different = Amazing

Repertory Dance Theatre: Charette

Broadway Across America: Bring It On: The Musical

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Fests of Winter By Kathleen Curry & Geoff Griffin comments@cityweekly.net @travelbrigade

When the rivers running through Winnipeg freeze over, residents go out and throw a 10-day party on the ice. Celebrating its

Delta Snow Goose Festival: Delta, Utah, Feb. 21-22 Every year, thousands of snow geese migrate from Mexico to Canada, with a stop along the way in Delta, just a couple of hours southwest of Salt Lake City. You can get the experience of seeing a sky blanketed by birds as you run around Gunnison Bend Reservoir as part of the Wild Goose Chase 5K or 10K. If you want to be more directly involved, jump into Gunnison Bend Reservoir as part of the Dunk, Dunk, Goose event—bonus points for dressing up in a goose costume before jumping in. A skeet-shooting competition and a craft fair are other highlights of the weekend. DeltaGooseFestival.com

Anchorage Fur Rendezvous: Anchorage, Alaska, Feb. 21-March 2 The 79-year tradition of “Rondy” celebrates the town’s history of fur-trapping, but many people go just for events such as the blanket toss (where you can get thrown in the air or throw your friends in the air), or a street race with portable toilets on skis. Other highlights include the Running of the Reindeer—a mellower version of Pamplona’s Running of the Bulls—and

Winnipeg’s Festival du Voyageur sled-dog races that go right through the streets of town. A new event for 2014 is leafblower hockey. FurRondy.net

North Lake Tahoe Snowfest: Tahoe City, Calif., Feb. 28-March 9 Much as how Hot Tub Time Machine took a group of guys back to their favorite ski resort in the 1980s, this year’s Snowfest is hearkening back to when it started in 1982, with the theme “Bringing Back the ’80s.” Just about an eight-hour drive from the Wasatch Front and surrounded by multiple Lake Tahoe ski resorts, Snowfest is 10 days that include all sorts of events, races, parties and concerts. Highlights include a laser show and torchlight parade on opening night, and an icecream-eating contest. Many of the events also seem to include an unofficial afterparty. TahoeSnowFestival.com

Romeo & juliet Babcok Theatre February 21

John’s Pizzarelli Capitol Theatre February 22

Frozen Dead Guy Days: Nederland, Colo., March 7-9 The story behind the title of this festival taking place in a mountain town above Boulder—about an eight-hour drive from Salt Lake City—is a long one. All you need to know is it involves somebody cryogenically storing their grandpa in a Tuff Shed, and an offbeat town finding this the perfect reason to throw a three-day blowout complete with events such as coffin-racing, frozen T-shirt contests, ice-turkey bowling, brainfreeze contests, snowy beach volleyball, the Parade of Hearses and wall-to-wall free concerts. FrozenDeadGuyDays.org As long as Old Man Winter is still around for a few more weeks, you might as well party with him. CW Kathleen Curry and Geoff Griffin host the Travel Brigade Radio Show podcast.

Grant & Twain

Salt Lake Acting Company February 23 Sign-up for email updates when tickets become available:

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Festival du Voyageur: Winnipeg, Canada, through Feb. 23

45th year, this unique festival turns the French Quarter into a winter wonderland. You can explore the world’s longest naturally frozen skating trail, learn how to roll maple sap in snow to make taffy, play a game of broom ball or take refuge in high-concept warming huts that are part of an architectural competition. The ice is also home to pop-up gourmet restaurants and a fashion show, and there’s a large music scene with multiple concerts on a daily basis at a variety of venues. Grab an order of poutine (sort of like chili-cheese fries, but with grav y) and a glass of “caribou” (a fortified wine drink served in an ice glass) and find out why Canadians always seem so friendly, regardless of the temperatures. FestivalVoyageur.mb.ca/en

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This festival in northeastern China near North Korea and Russia features not just ice sculptures but complete ice towns. Everything gets lit up at night by illumination sources that range from lasers to traditional ice lanterns. It’s also a place to find gigantic snowscapes that dwarf the humans looking up at them. HarbinIce.com

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Harbin Ice Festival: Harbin, China, through March, depending on weather

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here’s still time in February to embrace the final weeks of winter and everything that’s good about the season. You can go outside and play while the sun is out for a few brief hours during the day, head to the hills for a day (or more) of skiing or even use the cold nights as an excuse to stay indoors with a blanket and a hot drink. But if your love of winter is a cause for a bigger celebration, you can also check out some notable winter festivals to visit in places both near and far. While some of these opportunities may be too far-flung to make plans for 2014, keep them on your radar as unique destinations for future years.

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Ride Along Women’s Night at the Bicycle Collective is a no-pressure way to check tire pressure and more. By Sarah Kramer comments@cityweekly.net

n 1896, suffragist Susan B. Anthony said that bicycling “has done more to emancipate woman than any one thing in the world. ... It gives her a feeling of selfreliance and independence.” Nearly 120 years later, the Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective (2312 S. West Temple, 801328-2453, BicycleCollective.org) is carrying the emancipatory tradition of the bicycle forward with its weekly Women’s Night and Queer/Trans/Femme Safe Space. Wednesday nights from 5:30 to 9 at the shop are for women and female-identifying individuals to work on their bikes, put in volunteer hours at the collective or catch a short tutorial by shop manager Meara McClenahan. McClenahan says that the nights have been seeing a steady turnout, which is partly why they’ve expanded from the first and third Wednesday of each month to weekly. On a cold Wednesday night in February, four of the shop’s six benches are occupied. Bikes are hoisted aloft, with cyclists gathering in small groups to inspect brackets and axles. A quiet samba on the radio keeps the beat between spinning wheels and shouts of joy or frustration. Alexis Smith lets out an earnest cheer after successfully adjusting her brakes. She’s a relative newcomer to Women’s Night after being invited by collective volunteer Tegan Feudale. “I figured it would be easier than going any other day because it’s a bit less intimidating,” Smith says. Feudale, who’s worked as a bike courier and pedi-cab operator, jokes that it

Bike Collective volunteer Tara Christensen tinkers during Women’s Night

has become her “personal mission” to get more women on bikes. “I feel like there are more [bike-related] opportunities for women than they realize,” she says. “The cycling world tends to be viewed as a boys club—which it’s totally not.” Catharine Scott is brushing up on the skills she’s learning at the collective’s Park Tool School Bicycle Mechanics classes. For her, Wednesday night is a “logical extension” of the Monday night classes; it fits her schedule and is a smaller, pressure-free environment to practice the week’s lessons. Volunteer Britton Hatch agrees that part of the attraction of Wednesday nights is that they’re calmer—with fewer people and more free space—than the open-shop nights on Tuesday and Thursday. There are also informal lessons on Wednesday nights hosted by McClenahan. “My idea,” she says, “is to try to and isolate one aspect of fixing bicycles that can be taught quickly.” This evening, she teaches the participants how to use sealant inside tires to prevent flats. Crystal Loya shows up with her bike in pieces. Her bike is her main mode of transportation, since parking downtown is expensive and inconvenient. Until recently, she was relying on the men in her life for bike repairs, but she’s using her first-ever Women’s Night to strike out on her own. “The boys are done with helping me fix my bike,” she laughs. People drift in and out throughout the night, but a sense of serenity and camaraderie remains constant. A few unwitting men come to the door but are politely rebuffed and invited back for the following night’s open shop. The volunteers are quick to add that their appointed night isn’t meant to exclude their cyclist brethren. Instead, they’re trying to make a little more space for female cyclists to jump in without feeling alone or intimidated. “There’s definitely a demand for it,” McClenahan says, “and that shows that it is important.” CW

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FRIDAY 2.21 Sonia Pentz & Nadia Rea Morales

An imposing mixedmedia art installation is an ideal form for presenting complex social issues. For its February exhibition, Mestizo Gallery features two such installations. Sonia Pentz’s Ithaka 12 and Rea Morales’s Zacuanpapalotls both deal with memory, migration, reconciliation and transformation. The common element is the monarch butterfly, a symbol of cultural identity in Mexico, where the insect takes refuge. The transformations the butterfly undergoes are symbolic of those ongoing in Mexican culture. For Uruguayborn Pentz and Morales (originally from La Paz, Mexico), the cultural experiences of their own backgrounds figures intimately in their work. A meet-the-artists reception will be held March 4, from 6 to 8 p.m., in conjunction with Artes de Mexico en Utah, followed by a discussion with the Mestizo Gallery’s curator, Renato OlmedoGonzález. (Brian Staker) Sonia Pentz & Nadia Rea Morales @ Mestizo Gallery, 631 W. North Temple, Suite 700, 801-596-0500, through March 14; open for Feb. 21 Gallery Stroll, 6-9 p.m., free. MestizoArts.org, ArtesDeMexicoEnUtah.org

Plan-B Theatre Company: Clearing Bombs

FRIDAY 2.21

Pioneer Theatre Company: Much Ado About Nothing It’s one of the most familiar conventions in all of romantic comedy: the lovers who profess to hate one another, spending most of the plot in claws-out combat before ultimately realizing they’re perfect for each other. William Shakespeare had nailed the concept 400 years before the contemporary rom-com in such celebrated plays as The Taming of the Shrew and Pioneer Theatre Company’s current production, Much Ado About Nothing.

Economist Friedrich Hayek achieved his greatest renown with The Road to Serfdom, which opposed excess government involvement in economic decision-making and a free-market approach to personal freedom; John Maynard Keynes advocated government intervention to moderate boom & bust economic cycles. At times, the two publicly opposed each other on key issues of British fiscal policy—but in summer 1942, the two men spent a night together on the roof of King’s College in Cambridge, assigned to extinguish German bombs that might drop during an air raid. Eric Samuelsen’s world-premiere Clearing Bombs speculates about what the two great economic thinkers might have chatted about on that dangerous night. Set at a time when the outcome of World War II was still uncertain, but scholars were beginning to contem-

plate what the world should look like when it was done, it explores differing ways of thinking about the future that emerge at the end of a crisis. (Scott Renshaw) Plan-B Theatre Company: Clearing Bombs @ Rose Wagner Center, 138 W. 300 South, 801-355-2787, Feb. 20-March 2, Thursday & Friday 8 p.m., Saturday 4 & 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m., $20. PlanBTheatre.org

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THURSDAY 2.20

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TUESDAY 2.25

Jennifer Nielsen: The Shadow Throne

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In the two previous installments in the Ascendance Trilogy—The False Prince and The Runaway King—Utah native Jennifer Nielsen introduced readers to the kingdom of Carthya, and the complex machinations involved in finding a king to unite a divided people—even if that meant creating a king where one didn’t exist. Now, in the conclusion to the trilogy, Nielsen returns to the kingdom to find what new dangers await King Jaron. And there are plenty of them. The threat from the kingdom of Avenia takes a new form when the Avenian king kidnaps Jaron’s beloved Imogen in an attempt to bring down Carthya. That means Jaron must venture out—perhaps even without those who have supported him in the past—to prevent tragedy. And he may ultimately need to make decisions that will risk his life, his country, those he loves, and his ability to keep the throne. (Scott Renshaw) Jennifer Nielsen: The Shadow Throne @ The King’s English Bookshop, 1511 S. 1500 East, 801-484-9100, Feb. 25, 7 p.m., free. KingsEnglish.com Fresh off the most recent film adaptation of the play in 2013, PTC presents the story of Beatrice and Benedick, the sparring duo who profess nothing but disdain for one another. But the romance between Benedick’s friend Claudio and Beatrice’s cousin Hero complicates their relationship—first by forcing them to be in one another’s company, then when misunderstanding threatens the planned marriage between Claudio and Hero, and perhaps even those lovers’ lives. It’s one of Shakespeare’s sharpest, liveliest comedies, with plenty of laughter before the happily-ever-after. (Scott Renshaw) Much Ado About Nothing @ Pioneer Memorial Theatre, 400 S. 1300 East, 801-581-6961, Feb. 21-March 8, $25-$44. PioneerTheatre.org

WEDNESDAY 2.26 NASA Up Close

It’s been a challenging time for NASA lately. With the deep budget cuts and the retirement

Call 801-523-7533 email: amyh@precisionhealthservices.com

258 E Winchester St, Murray (801) 305-4115 / murray@paintingwithatwist.com

of the shuttle program, the path forward for the national space program can seem a bit murky. Well, there’s always the long-promised visit to Mars. To get there, though, NASA needs not only to find one hell of a plan, but also re-imagine its hardware—redesigning and then building spacecraft and the boosters that propel them. NASA’s next rocket, called the SLS, is in the works, and Clark Planetarium is welcoming a couple of key members of those efforts—Alex Priskos, NASA’s SLS boosters manager, and NASA astronaut Dominic “Tony” Antonelli—for a special one-night event to talk about their work and cut the ribbon on the new planetarium exhibit, called NASA Exploration Systems Directorate/Space Launch System (ESD/SLS). It may not be the catchiest title, but the presentation will explore the intricate, fascinating details of the new launch system, display a scale model of the SLS rocket booster and introduce the brand-new multipurpose crew vehicle, the Orion space capsule. (Jacob Stringer) NASA Up Close @ Clark Planetarium, 110 S. 400 West, 385-468-7827, Feb. 26, 7 p.m., $2, members free. ClarkPlanetarium.org

| cityweekly.net |

| CITY WEEKLY |

february 20, 2014 | 23

| cityweekly.net |

| CITY WEEKLY |

24 | february 20, 2014

Ballot 2014 CITYWEEKLY.NET

Best of Utah vOTE ONLINE AT mEdIA & POLITICS Best TV Anchorman ————————————— Best TV Anchorwoman ————————————— Best TV News Reporter ————————————— Best TV News Station ————————————— Best Weather Reporter ————————————— Best Sports Reporter ————————————— Best Radio Station ————————————— Best Public Radio Station ————————————— Best Radio Show ————————————— Best Local Podcast ————————————— Best Local Blog ————————————— Best Local on Twitter ————————————— Best Political Movement ————————————— Best Nonprofit ————————————— Best Elected Official ————————————— Best Scandal ————————————— Best Utahn ————————————— Worst Utahn —————————————

NIgHTLIfE Best All-Ages Venue ————————————— Best Cheap Drinks ————————————— Best Cocktails ————————————— Best Mixologist ————————————— Best Dive Bar ————————————— Best Dance Club ————————————— Best Karaoke —————————————

Best Live Music Club ————————————— Best Gay Club ————————————— Best Place to Meet the Opposite Sex ————————————— Best Pool Joint ————————————— Best Pre-Concert/Game Spot ————————————— Best Post-Concert/Game Spot ————————————— Best Pub-Quiz Night ————————————— Best Sports Bar ————————————— Best Theme Night ————————————— Best Ogden Club ————————————— Best Park City Club ————————————— Best Classic Club —————————————

OUTdOOrS & rECrEATION Best Biking ————————————— Best Hiking ————————————— Best Running ————————————— Best Bowling ————————————— Best Fitness Classes ————————————— Best Outdoor Concerts ————————————— Best Outdoor Events ————————————— Best Golf Course ————————————— Best Recreation Destination ————————————— Best Skating ————————————— Best Skiing ————————————— Best Snowboarding ————————————— Best Swimming ————————————— Best Yoga Studio —————————————

VOTE NOW! VOTINg dEAdLINE: frIdAY, fEB 28, 2014, AT mIdNIgHT (Entered online, postmarked or dropped off in person)

Best of Utah issue date

march 27, 2014

Best Local Sports Franchise ————————————— Best Utah Summer Getaway ————————————— Best Utah Winter Getaway ————————————— Best Fly-Fishing Guides ————————————— Best River-Running Guides ————————————— Best Ski/Snowboard Instructors —————————————

rESTAUrANTS Best Atmosphere ————————————— Best Bakery ————————————— Best Sweets ————————————— Best Breakfast ————————————— Best Brew Pub ————————————— Best Cheap Date ————————————— Best Splurge ————————————— Best Chinese ————————————— Best French ————————————— Best Coffee House ————————————— Best Food Cart ————————————— Best Food Truck ————————————— Best Greek ————————————— Best Indian ————————————— Best Italian ————————————— Best Japanese ————————————— Best Korean ————————————— Best Late-Night ————————————— Best Mexican ————————————— Best Middle-Eastern ————————————— Best Romantic —————————————

Best Thai ————————————— Best Vegetarian ————————————— Best Vietnamese ————————————— Best Downtown SLC Restaurant ————————————— Best Salt Lake Valley Restaurant ————————————— Best New Restaurant ————————————— Best Ogden Restaurant ————————————— Best Park City Restaurant ————————————— Best Utah County Restaurant —————————————

fOOd & drINK Best Appetizers ————————————— Best BBQ ————————————— Best Beer Selection ————————————— Best Burgers ————————————— Best Burritos ————————————— Best Chef ————————————— Best French Fries ————————————— Best Gyros ————————————— Best Utah Brewery ————————————— Best Utah Winery ————————————— Best Pizza ————————————— Best Salads ————————————— Best Sandwiches ————————————— Best Seafood ————————————— Best Small Plates ————————————— Best Soups ————————————— Best Steaks —————————————

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Send to: City Weekly Best of Utah 2014 248 S. Main Salt Lake City, UT 84101

Best Sushi ————————————— Best Vegan Dishes ————————————— Best Wine Selection —————————————

gOOdS & SErVICES Best Adult Store ————————————— Best Antiques/Collectables ————————————— Best Bike Shop ————————————— Best Bike Repair ————————————— Best Clothing Boutique (Women) ————————————— Best Clothing Boutique (Men) ————————————— Best Thrift/ Consignment Store ————————————— Best Bookstore ————————————— Best Comic-Book Store ————————————— Best Farmers Market ————————————— Best Record/CD Shop ————————————— Best Pet Store ————————————— Best New Local Shop —————————————

OUTLIErS Best (Your Choice) of Logan ————————————— Best (Your Choice) of Moab ————————————— Best (Your Choice) of St. George ————————————— Best (Your Choice) of Central Utah —————————————

Write-in Best (Your Choice) —————————————

THE rULES A minimum of 10 overall Best of Utah categories must be filled out for your vote to count; ballots with fewer than 10 entries will be deleted. Ballot-stuffing and cheating are easily caught, so don’t bother. Name, e-mail and daytime phone must be included for validation and prize eligibility. Keep it local (no national chains, please). City Weekly makes the final call on all Best of Utah matters.

world burger Champions

S A L T L A K E V A P O R S . C O M

r o f e t o -V

A Cut Above The Rest fine meats · fresh seafood · private dining

10720 Holiday Park Drive Sandy UT · 801.572.5177

nin t h & nin th & 2 54 south m ai n

PERSONAL VAPORIZERS, ATOMIZERS, CARTOMIZERS, MODS, and E-JUICES

salt lake

3804 S. Highland Dr. 801-849-1323

west valley

1785 S. 4130 West

801-419-0052

A Utah Original

Utah’s Best Sports Bar!! 9 great locations to serve you www.BoutTimePub.com

...Since 1992

2013

VOTE

BEST BIKE SHOP

#1 for upscale designer consignment

801.261-0736 · jerksbikeshop.com

3 3 5 5 S. Highla nd Dr 8 0 1- 4 8 6 -112 8

4967 S. STATE ST. MURRAY

vote

Vote Us Best BBQ

Ganesh Cuisine

for best indian food in utah!

bEcOmE supErhuman aT cEnTErEd ciTy yOg a.

BEST NEW RESTAURANT

i did!!!

VOTE

3158 E. 6200 S. Holladay, UT | 801 944-5862

ciTy ErEd a cEnT Og y T bEs 014! iO 2 sTud

777 East Fort Union Blvd. • 801.569.3800 ganeshindiancuisine.com

680 S. 900 E. SLC, UT | 801-533-8746

Vote feldman's for Best nY deli!

2236 s 1300 e, sugarhouse

(near the movie theatre) 801.466.3717 www.javacollective.com

open at 6am

1s t pr i z e $ 2 5 0 , 0 0 0

vote

2005 e. 2700 south, slC

SLC LEAGuE OPERATOR: d_fROST09@YAhOO.COm @ feldmansdeli

feldmansdeli.Com / open tues - sat to go orders: (801) 906-0369

best sweets

2227 South Highland Drive, sugarhouse (801) 486-3456 | www.chocolatecoveredwagon.com

february 20, 2014 | 25

Caramel d pe ip D Apples s ie rr be w a tr S

$1 Million Guaranteed

w w w. G P PA L E A G U E . c o m

best Coffee house

| CITY WEEKLY |

any five players can Make a teaM and stay toGether

vote

GLOBAL POOL PLAYERS ASSOCIATION

Best Italian

307 W 600 S 801 . 364 - 0443

2008

2 3 5 0 E . P a rle y ’s Way 8 0 1- 474 -16 4 4

| cityweekly.net |

vote best coffee house

VOTE NAME DROPPERS

Comté France’s Most popular cheese!

Deer Valley, Old & New

DINE TED SCHEFFLER

Craft burgers, schnitzel, Raclette and more at Deer Valley eateries. By Ted Scheffler comments@cityweekly.net @critic1

Seafood in the snow: Goldener Hirsch’s delicacies include steelhead trout and Maine diver scallop

| cityweekly.net |

| CITY WEEKLY |

26 | february 20, 2014

DEER VALLEY

This January, try TWO different renditions of Comté and see why this sought after French cheese is great on a cheese board, in fondues, mac & cheese, and so much more.

Caputo’s Downtown 314 West 300 South 801.531.8669 Caputo’s On 15th 1516 South 1500 East 801.486.6615 www.caputosdeli.com

here upscale dining is concerned, Deer Valley boasts an embarrassment of riches, with venues such as The Glitretind, Royal Street Cafe, Cena, Apex, Seafood Buffet, The Mariposa and others. This ski season, I’ve visited three of Deer Valley’s best dining destinations: one old, one new and one somewhere in-between. Let’s start with the old. The Goldener Hirsch Inn & Restaurant (7570 Royal St., 800-252-3373, GoldenerHirschInn. com) was established mid-mountain at Deer Valley’s Silver Lake Village in 1990, long before all the new condos, shops and offices that surround “The Hirsch” came along. It’s a high-end (but quaint) inn, with a mere 20 luxurious guest rooms, built as an homage to the original Goldener Hirsch (“golden stag”) Hotel in Salzburg, Austria. The service and accommodations are Old-World-st yle pampering, with modern conveniences like free Wi-Fi and f lat-screen T Vs. Through the years, The Hirsch’s restaurant has had some very talented chefs at the helm, including James Dumas, Jean Louis Montecot, and Michael Showers. Still, the food there never totally bowled me over. There were hits, but also misses. Then, in 2013, Ryan Burnham—formerly of Pago and Wahso—was brought in as executive chef, along with longtime Summit and Wasatch County restaurateur Billy Williams as general manager. The transformation has been impressive. Given the Goldener Hirsch’s AlpineAustrian vibe and theme, there are certain dishes no chef can mess with, like the classic wiener schnitzel ($38) or the traditional cheese fondue ($42). What you can mess with are the accoutrements, such as serving the schnitzel with delicious herbed spaetzle, choucroute and brown butter. However, Burnham isn’t willing to stop there. Today’s menu is contemporary and innovative with dishes like the Label Rouge chicken, served with wild mushroom-leek bread pudding, baby turnips and bacon jam ($34). Or a Morgan Valley lamb shank with sunchoke risotto, wild greens and aged Sherry ($41). Yes, the food is pricey. However, you should know that servings are very generous, and no one will scowl should you choose to share dishes. One such dish is a

large-size roasted-beet salad with golden and burgundy beets, orange, fresh fennel, arugula, toasted Marcona almonds and housemade ricotta ($12). The housemade Morgan Valley lamb sausage ($17) was absolutely delicious, with housemade mustard gel, roasted radishes and heirloom carrots and carrot puree. Equally satisfying was a Maine diver scallop, seared perfectly and served on wilted Swiss chard with golden raisins and pine nuts ($19). Burnham elevates common “meat and potatoes” by serving American Wagyu beef bavette with irresistible potato-bacon rosti, creamed spinach with fresh ricotta and his rich, silk y steak sauce ($39). And, among many standout dishes, I loved the Utah steelhead trout filet on a bed of black quinoa with roasted fennel, Chioggia beets and his decadent take on Green Goddess dressing ($36). Superb service, a top-notch wine list and flawless desserts round out the excellent Goldener Hirsch dining experience. A fter a day of skiing Deer Valley Resort’s pristine corduroy-blue runs and secret powder stashes, the all-youcan-eat Fireside Dining at Empire Lodge (9200 Marsac Ave., 435-645-6632, DeerValley.com/Dining ) is the perfect way to reboot. This ain’t no Chuck-ARama, however. Deer Valley’s buffets ($58/adults, $28/kids 11 and younger) are opulent, with four-star service and food to match. Wednesday through Saturday evenings, Deer Valley’s Empire Canyon Lodge morphs into a European-st yle Alpine lodge where the food is cooked and served from Empire’s five stone fireplaces. The first stop, for me, is always to dive into a molten hot plate of gooey Raclette, melted over the wood-stoked fire. Housecured charcuterie, cornichons, freshbaked breads and steamed new potatoes are perfect accompaniments.

Next stop is usually the North Fireplace, where you’ll find hot, simmering stews like the rustic Swiss veal and wild mushroom stew, along with entrees such as grilled quail with pickled purple cabbage, beef short ribs, Utah trout dusted with almond flour and much more. The Ontario Fireplace offers tender and tasty fire-roasted leg of lamb, along with Dutch oven side specialties. The Lobby Fireplace tends to draw the biggest crowds—especially kids—with its tempting chocolate, white chocolate and caramel fondues, plus fresh fruit for dipping and a dizzying assortment of Deer Valley Bakery pastries, cakes, cookies and other treats. A very appealing wine and cocktail selection makes Fireside Dining a Deer Valley slam-dunk. Located a short stroll from Empire Canyon Lodge at Montage Resort, the newest kid on the Deer Valley block is Burgers & Bourbon (9100 Marsac Ave., 435-6041300, MontageDeerValley.com). You have four seconds to guess the specialties. That’s right: This new bar & lounge adjacent to Apex restaurant features a selection of more than 100 American bourbons and whiskeys—a showcase of the range of craft spirits in the United States—along with an array of from-scratch burgers. The latter run the gamut from a Timpanogos blue-cheese burger ($16) and the Naked (bun-less) burger with veggies and sprouts ($15) to a peppercorn-spiced Big Eye ahi tuna burger with garlic aioli ($21). We very much enjoyed a Wild Turkey burger, made not with Wild Turkey bourbon, but with organic ground turkey and homemade herb tzatziki ($15). I’d like to be able to comment on the Lux burger, but it just seemed silly to me: a burger with foie gras, truffles, Bourbon-caramelized onions and arugula for $32. My favorite was the classic burger ($15): It’s a juicy, flavor-packed blend of brisket, hangar and top round beef, topped with Gold Creek Farms aged cheddar. And it comes on a soft, buttery, perfect bun custom-made for Burgers & Bourbon by Pierre Country Bakery. It’s one bodacious burger. Who needs the Swiss and French Alps when we’ve got ski resort fare like Deer Valley’s in our own backyard? CW

FOOD MATTERS by TED SCHEFFLER @critic1

Cucina Cleans Up Best Gnocchi 2012 • Best Osso Bucco 2013

801-268-1520 • 4115 S Redwood Rd 801-943-0320 • 2477 E Fort Union Blvd Dine In ~ Take Out ~ Catering Mon-Sat 11am-9pm Sunday 4pm-8pm at Fort Union location Lunch specials starting at 5.95

The folks at Cucina Deli (1026 E. Second Ave., 801-322-3055, CucinaDeli. com) are doing their part to help clean up Utah’s air, and they’re providing an incentive for customers to join in. Until April 1, anyone who walks, bikes, hops, skips, scooters, Pogo-stick-jumps or otherwise doesn’t drive to Cucina Deli for dinner will receive one free small plate. Did I mention that Cucina is now open nightly at 5 p.m. for dinner? Dinner offerings include artichoke fries, duck carnita tostadas, a lobster corndog, duck-fried rice, bulgogi, beef bourguignon and a lot more, plus an excellent selection of beer and wine. They also have a keen sense of humor: On the wine list, White Zinfandel is priced at $3,000. Too funny.

Spanish Boulevard

MORE THAN JUST SUSHI... THE MOST EXCITING DISHES FROM ACROSS EXOTIC ASIA

Food Matters 411: teds@xmission.com

february 20, 2014 | 27

open 7 days a week dIne-In Take oUT & deLIVeR 2335 E. MURRAY HOLLADAY RD, HOLLADAY 801.278.8682 | RICeUTaH.CoM

Quote of the week: “I’m pretty sure that eating chocolate keeps wrinkles away because I have never seen a 10-year-old with a Hershey bar and crow’s feet.” —Amy Neftzger

| CITY WEEKLY |

all new location

In case you missed it, Redhot opened in 2013 at 165 S. Main (801-532-2499, Redhot-Dog.com) serving gourmet hot dogs like Snake River Farms franks, made from 100 percent American Kobe beef. In addition to a vast array of tube steaks, including a classic Chicago dog, Redhot also serves up tasty veggie dogs, banh mi sandwiches, soups and chili, salads, fresh-squeezed lemonade and much more.

50su%shiorfollfs

Hot Dog!

SUSHI BAR & ASIAN CUISINE

| cityweekly.net |

BASIL

On March 4 at 7 p.m., Boulevard Bistro in Foothill Village (1414 S. Foothill Drive, BoulevardBistroFoothill.com) will host a Spanish wine dinner featuring five courses paired with Spanish wines. Included in the evening’s menu are dishes such as grilled chicory and white-bean salad with Spanish olives, paired with Segura Viudas A ria Sparkling Pinot Noir; grilled quail with roasted tomatoes and La Rioja green sauce, with Marques de Caceres Rioja Reserva 2008; Spanish paella with chorizo, clams, mussels and prawns, paired with Marques de Caceres Rioja White 2012; and apricot liqueur-poached pears with honeycinnamon yogurt, cinnamon gelato, paired with Marques de Caceres Rioja White Satinela 2011. The price for the food and wine pairings is $65 per person. To RSVP, call 801-953-1270.

SECOND Contemporary Japanese Dining l u n c h • d i n n e r • c o c k ta i ls

18 west market street

| CITY WEEKLY |

28 | february 20, 2014

Ramen Chef trained in Japan

By Jeffrey David comments@cityweekly.net

osna is practically the definition of an authentic restaurant: obscure, beloved and delicious. You wouldn’t know that the building where Bosna is located is a restaurant unless you were looking for it. But on the inside of Bosna, which is now 12 years old, you’ll find a crowd watching soccer on a Croatian TV feed, and delicious, heavy food.

like us on

Shawarma King Middle Eastern Cuisine

725 East 3300 South Hours: Monday - Saturday 11am-9pm

| cityweekly.net |

801.519.9595

HELP NG Heavy Helpings

801-803-9434 | slcshawarmaking.com catering available

Tender beef gulas at Bosna If you’re looking for light or pretentious food, this is not the place. But you will find hearty, filling dishes, traditionally created to make cold winters and bleak circumstances more bearable. The menu features sarma, burek, grah, gulas and—the most recognizable item— cevapi. Cevapi is a small sausage made with beef, garlic and spices, sold in carts on every streetcorner in Bosnia, Croatia and Slovenia. We ordered it with pita, but it’s not the kind of pita you think of when you get a gyro. It’s thick, doughy on the inside, grilled on the outside and cooked in butter. Together, the cevapi and pita were like a spicy sausage sandwich. We also had grah (beans & beef served with bread), sarma (stuffed cabbage leaves with rice and ground beef) and gulas (beef stew served with rice or mashed potatoes). The gulas—incredibly tender beef in a hearty, gravy-like broth, loaded with herbs and spices—was profoundly delicious. It took a few pieces of bread to mop up all the broth and leftover rice. Our bill for four dishes was under $20, and we were extremely full afterward. Not only is Bosna a place to find delicious, inexpensive food, but it’s also a wonderful lesson in culture, and tasty treat that we get to experience. Lucky us. CW

Bosna

3142 S. Main, Salt Lake City 801-463-4638

BEER, WINE & SPIRITS

Uinta Basin Popping the caps at Snowbasin’s beer dinner. By Ted Scheffler comments@cityweekly.net @critic1

with chocolaty, toasted malt. It was a surprisingly good foil for the slightly sweet butternut squash soup. Wine lovers know how difficult it is to pair wine with salads, especially those with vinaigrettes. So, a butter-leaf wedge salad with Maytag blue cheese, golden beets, sweet-pea puree and buttermilk dressing was bound to be problematic. I can’t say I was crazy about the beer and food partnership, but I very much liked Uinta’s Hazel Amber Wheat Ale all by itself. It’s a seasonal beer sold in winter, very subtle on the palate with an interesting combination of sweet and sour flavors highlighted by coriander notes (sour), but not as wheaty as you might expect. An entree of slow-braised beef short rib with black-truffle mashed potatoes and au jus was rich enough, so I was glad that

The elegant Earl’s Lodge at Snowbasin Uinta paired this one with the 4 percent alcohol Bristlecone Brown Ale instead of something bigger. It’s a nutty ale in the English nut-brown style, although not as sweet and more drinkable than many I’ve encountered. Beer and dessert? Sure, why not. The Snowbasin beer dinner wrapped up with molten chocolate cake and Uinta Baba Black Lager from the Organic Line. To be honest, my taste buds were pretty blown out by the time dessert rolled around, but I loved the cake and thoroughly enjoyed Uinta’s dark, mocha-flavored homage to Schwarzbier. Stay tuned here for upcoming beer dinners. CW

South Jordan 10500 S. 1086 W. Ste. 111 801.302.0777

Provo -Est. 200798 W. Center Street 801.373.7200

open at

6am

2236 s 1300 e, sugarhouse · near the movie theatre · 801.466.3717 · javacollective.com

Gift certificates available • www.indiapalaceutah.com

the Highest Quality Coffee

| cityweekly.net |

had the privilege of enjoying a smorgasbord of Uinta Brewing beers at a very enjoyable mountainside beer dinner at Snowbasin Resort’s Earl’s Lodge in January. It turned out to be a fun and informative expedition of food and brews hosted by Uinta’s John Minahan, who guided us through the various beer flavors and styles poured that evening. It gave me an opportunity to sip a number of Uinta brews that I hadn’t tasted before, as well as to get reacquainted with some old favorites. The Snowbasin food and beverage team did a magnificent job of transforming a ski lodge—albeit a very upscale ski lodge— into a comfortable full-service restaurant with top-notch service. The evening began with hors d’oeuvres of crudités and zippy meatballs bathed in chipotle barbecue sauce. Setting up what would become a theme through the night—complementary

food and beer pairings—the meatballs, spicy with a smoky flavor from the chipotle peppers, were partnered with a limited release beer: Uinta Tinder Rauchbier. Part of Uinta’s Crooked Line of elevated-alcohol, large-format (750 ml) bottled beers, this was a classic Rauchbier: smoky, sans hop aromas, with a thick and creamy head, slightly sweet-tasting malt and good balance. It was a slam-dunk with the meatballs, and would pair well with smoked meat and fish. Chèvre is often paired at wine dinners with Sauvignon Blanc, since a crisp wine with strong acidity and a bit of bitterness helps cut through the tangy goat cheese. The same principle applied to a breaded goat cheese appetizer over sauteed kale, bacon and onions with a pomegranate reduction. Uinta chose its Hop Nosh IPA to pair with the dish; its citrus flavors and crisp hoppy zing (it’s definitely an IPA for hopheads) make the award-winning beer a clear winner with goat cheese. One of the bolder pairings of the night was beer & butternut-squash soup with crisp pancetta, fried leeks and smoked oil. What the hell do you partner with that? Well, Uinta chose a beer from its Classic Line: Dubhe Imperial Black IPA. It’s a high-alcohol brew (9.2 percent alcohol by volume) with, as the brewers put it, “an astronomical amount of hops” balanced

DRINK

the TERIYAKI BURGER

FA C E B O O K . C O M / A P O L L O B U R G E R

801-463-4800

now open sunday 12pm-8pm

february 20, 2014 | 29

11 NEIGHBORHOOD LOCATIONS |

880 e 2100 s sugarhousebbq .com

| CITY WEEKLY |

eat put o ur mo ! h t u m r u o in y

| cityweekly.net |

| CITY WEEKLY |

30 | february 20, 2014

New Vegetarian Menu (801) 485-1209

M-F 11am-9pm Saturday 12-9pm Sunday 3pm-9pm

41 West 3300 South, SLC complimentary side & drink

with purchase of a full sandwich

9 Exchange Place, Boston Building Downtown SLC • (801) 355. 2146

L L A F 50% OF ROLLS & I H S U S l d aY e V e r Y d aY ! al

REVIEW BITES

A sampler of Ted Scheffler’s reviews Gourmandise The Bakery

Gourmandise offers a mind-boggling, nearly overwhelming selection of desserts, breads, pastries, cakes and even bagels. And the rest of the cuisine emerging from the kitchen is damned good. The bakery recently received updates like a redesigned interior and a new menu of small-plate dinner specials, along with wine service that includes wine flights and food-pairing options. Each time I’ve visited, the place has been mobbed. Lunches and dinners—especially Friday and Saturday nights—are very popular. Every new day brings a featured quiche made from scratch with quality Gruyere, creme fraiche and other top-notch ingredients, and they are divine. Even more impressive to me is the new small-plates dinner menu, which is offered in addition to its extensive regular menu—although, I have to say, these “small” plates aren’t very small. I will return hungry and often to this local gem. Reviewed Feb. 13. 250 S. 300 East, 801-328-3330, GourmandiseTheBakery.com

Alamexo Mexican Kitchen

Beer & Wine WHY Wait?

and asian grill

www.aL amexo.Com

268 S. State Street, SLC (801) 779-4747 · mon - fri 11:30 am - 10:00 pm Sat 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm · Sun 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm bar menu daily 2:00 pm - cloSe

n in th & n in th & 2 5 4 sou th m ain

In 2012, I reviewed the then-new Zy restaurant, which has been resurrected as an upscale Mexican-themed restaurant called Alamexo Mexican Kitchen. Much has changed, but not renowned chef/owner Matthew Lake, who remains the heart of the restaurant. A great way begin an Alamexo meal is to order the queso fundido: Mexican cheese from Chihuahua baked with housemade chorizo, strips of green and red peppers, white onion and cilantro, served with hot corn tortillas. Another outstanding starter is the tamale de elote, a fresh-made tamale with seared shrimp and heavenly chipotle-cream salsa. The tamale is “deconstructed” and served on a bed of dried cornhusk strips—a very attractive plate presentation that’s even more beautiful on the palate. Yes, the progression from Zy to Alamexo is off to a satisfying start. Reviewed Jan. 30. 268 S. State, 801779-4747, Alamexo.com

The Rest @ Bodega M-th 11-10•F 11-11•s 12-11•su 12-9 3424 s state st, slC•801.486.8882•ichibansushiut.com

ng i c n u o n An

NOW SERVING

Breakfast! DRIVE THRU COFFEE OPEN EVERY DAY AT 6:00AM FREE WIFI

Espresso Bar and Deli

Gourmet Sandwiches • Salads • Paninis • Pastries • Hot & Cold Specialties

2108 East 1300 South (One Block Below Foothill Village)

OPEN DAILY 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM • 801.410.4677

Bodega is really three businesses under one roof. At street level, there’s a tiny convenience “store” and a diminutive beer bar. But looking downstairs from the Bodega entrance, you’ll see a half-lit “restroom” sign. That signifies The Rest, Bodega’s reservation-only, sort-of-secret restaurant and bar. You need a key to gain entry, and don’t plan to show up without a reservation. But if you can put up with the reservation runaround, you’ll be rewarded with good food—like jalapeño cornbread, crab cakes and beer-can chicken—in a fun, unique setting. Reviewed Jan. 23. 331 S. Main, 801532-4452, Bodega331.com

MovieGrille

This new Ogden spot is a combo bar, cafe and movie theater. Take a seat in one of the plush leather reclining chairs in the theater, and a server will bring a menu and take orders. The food is as good as, and in some cases better than, some of the restaurants I review. The thin-crust Meaty Goodness pizza was excellent. Other tempting dishes range from a goat cheese & pear salad to a grilled three-cheese panini and beer-battered chipotle-pepper poppers. With all that MovieGrille has to offer, I may never watch a flick in any other theater again. Reviewed Jan. 16. 2293 Grant Ave., Ogden, 801-621-4738, MovieGrille.com

2005

2007 2008

voted best coffee house

Celebrating 15 Years as

Utah’s Best Taco Stand! Buy 1 Burrito, get 1 FREE! valid Monday - Friday all day

Tacos Don Rafa 798 S. State Street, SLC info.tacosdonrafa@gmail.com Find us on

• Catering Available

GOODEATS Complete listings at cityweekly.net Featuring dining destinations from buffets and rooms with a view to mom & pop joints, chic cuisine and some of our dining critic’s faves! Sage’s Café

With Sage’s Café, Ian & Kelsey Brandt have created one of Salt Lake City’s most unique and endearing dining spaces—vegetarian or otherwise. Located since late 2013 in the iconic Jade Café building, Sage’s specialty is vegetarian, organic cuisine. And with the new location came The Jade Room, a cozy back room that offers a full bar, craft cocktails, wine, local brews, seasonal small plates and a stylish mid-century atmosphere. Sage’s is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, with latenight weekend dining and an extended brunch menu on Saturday and Sunday. 234 W. 900 South, Salt Lake City, 801-322-3790, SagesCafe.com

Wasatch Brew Pub

The Copper Bowl

La Familia

The BesT resTauranT you’ve never Been To. -Ted Scheffler, ciTy weekly

Eva

Named for owner Charlie Perry’s great-grandmother, Eva offers both tapas-style small plates and larger ones in a friendly, urban atmosphere. Like much of the food, the restaurant itself is stylishly simple. The smallish rectangular dining room feels larger than it really is, thanks to high ceilings and a smart use of space, and the service is casual and friendly. Regardless of what else you order, be sure to try the luscious, crispy fries cloaked in a mixture of garlic with fresh rosemary and Parmesan. And if you think you don’t like Brussels sprouts, you just haven’t tasted Perry’s thinly shaved sprouts, flashsauteed and tossed with cider vinegar and toasted hazelnuts. Also enjoy weekend brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 317 S. Main, Salt Lake City, 801-359-8447, EvaSLC.com

20 W. 200 S. SLC (801) 355-3891 • siegfriedsdelicatessen.biz

310 BUGATTI DRIVE 300 W 2100 S SoUTh SAlT lAkE

801.467.2890 • SUn - ThU 11-8pm fRI & SAT 11-10pm

West Valley 4591 S. 5600 W. 801-968-2130

West Jordan

Beyond Glaze

The founders of this small Draper donut shop, which has now expanded to Sugar House and Ogden, used to make wedding cakes. They now translate that same attention to detail into these delicious, fancy donuts. Beyond Glaze donuts are basically intricate icings and toppings on top of classic glazed donuts, but the flavors are terrific. Try the maple-bacon donut, sprinkled with real chunks of bacon; the caramel-apple donut; or the Key lime crumble, which has crushed graham cracker on top. Multiple locations, BeyondGlaze.com

$1 Off Fat Boy

Limit 4. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Expires 6/30/14.

7903 S. Airport Rd. (4400 West) 801-280-8075

www.AbsDriveIn.com ecial! y Sp1.39 a d r Satu rgers $ bu 9¢ Ham Dogs .7 Corn

Nielsen’s Frozen Custard

Steve Nielsen started mixing, freezing, and scooping his frozen custard in Salt Lake City in 1981. Since then, Nielsen’s has been given rave reviews by a variety of publications, including this one. Promoting a specially made custard that has less fat that normal ice cream, Nielsen’s is often packed on summer nights with an equal mix of teens and teens-at-heart. The signature treat is the Concrete, a shake-like dessert that can be spiced up with a number of different mix-ins. If you find yourself hooked, take a pint home for a late-night snack. 3918 Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, 801-277-7479, HolladayCustard.com

JOIN US FOR

BRUNCH $

EVERY SUNDAY

3 Bloody Marys & Mimosas Small-Batch BeerS

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376 8th Ave, Ste. C, Salt Lake City, UT 385.227.8628 · avenuesproper.com

february 20, 2014 | 31

For a unique dining experience, visit Park City restaurateur Bill White’s Sushi Blue, which features sushi, contemporary Asian food and a sake bar. The impressive sushi menu has a variety of nigiri, sashimi and maki rolls,

Best RueBen

| CITY WEEKLY |

Sushi Blue

Chef Ross Siragusa combines the traditions of his Sicilian grandparents with some modern culinary flair to create a cozy Italian experience. A large gluten-free menu complements some good old-school Italian comfort food like osso bucco and manicotti. Siragusa’s has locations in Cottonwood Heights and Taylorsville, so you’re never far from getting a tiramisu fix if the need arises. 4115 S. Redwood Road, Taylorsville, 801-268-1520; 2477 E. Fort Union Blvd., Cottonwood Heights, 801-943-0320, Siragusas.com

This friendly, family-owned Mexican restaurant offers many delicious Mexican and American cuisine options. Menu items range from gigantic burritos to Li’l burgers for 50 cents apiece, so there’s something for every appetite. Highlights include taquitos with fresh guacamole, the chile verde burrito (don’t forget to smother it), and the Deadly burger, made with habañero and jalapeño peppers. Top it all off with a beer and some frybread smothered in housemade “hunny” butter. 1021 Catherine St., Salt Lake City, 801- 688-3725

Siragusa’s

The Copper Bowl serves up traditional Indian food with local flavor and seasonal ingredients, all laid out on copper serving pans. Start with the surf & turf, which includes lamb boti kebab and tiger shrimp cooked in a tandoor oven. For the main course, you can venture beyond the normal picks into southern Indian dishes, such as the Frankie, which includes your choice of paneer or chicken wrapped with spiced chutney, egg and roti. There are also plenty of vegetarian options, ensuring that no one will feel left out. If there’s room for dessert, there are a variety of delicacies to choose from. 214 W. 600 South, Suite A, Salt Lake City, 801-5322322, Copper-Bowl.com

Bröst!

| cityweekly.net |

As Utah’s first brewery after the days of Prohibition, Wasatch Brew Pub should be part of any visit to Park City. Taste Wasatch’s hand-crafted brews such as Polygamy Porter, 1st Amendment Lager and Evolution Amber Ale, or take advantage of the full liquor service. The menu features pub favorites such as ale-battered fish & chips, mac & cheese, tacos and coconut shrimp. Wasatch also serves weekend brunch with menu items from Greek yogurt parfaits to fried chicken and Wasatch waffles. 250 Main, Park City, 435-649-0900, WasatchBeers.com

including signature rolls, many playfully named after celebrities. Diners with a palate for more exotic ingredients will be delighted by the Snow Dance roll: spicy tuna with shrimp tempura, avocado, cucumber and mango wrapped in soy paper, topped with spicy tako. But don’t forget to try something off the small-plates menu, like the Korean street tacos or crab cake & avocado sliders. 1571 W. Redstone Center Drive, No. 140, Park City, 435-575-4272, SushiBlueParkCity.com

oming... c is g in r p S

| cityweekly.net |

Open 7 days a week mon - sat 7am–11pm sun 8am–10pm

469 e 300 s • 521-6567

breakfast

omelettes, pancakes gReek specialties

lunch & dinner homemade soup gReek specials gReek salads hot/cold sandwiches kabobs pasta, fish steaks, chops gReek platteRs & gReek desseRts

beer

authentic new York City taste in SLC

West Side Grind

Rose Park doesn’t have quite the glut of coffee places as areas farther east, which makes West Side Grind that much more valuable. A boatload of espresso options is the main draw at this little drive-thru, but there are also Italian sodas, tasty green-tea lattes and—best of all on an early morning—service with a smile, plus a complimentary chocolate-covered espresso bean served with each drink. If you’re in need of an evening jolt, WSG has a later bedtime, staying open until 8 on weeknights. 184 N. 900 West, Salt Lake City, 801-232-2348

@ fELdmanSdELi

fEbruarY 22 - 6pm

Bangkok Thai on Main

It would be quite enough for Bangkok Thai on Main simply to dish up the splendid Thai cuisine it does. But this long-enduring local establishment also tempts customers with one of the state’s finest wine lists, winner of Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence. So, you can pair dishes such as a lobster-mango spring roll, butternut-squash soup, honey-ginger duck and the tamarind filet mignon with the perfect wine to bring out the tangy, spicy flavors. For fiery fare, try the spicy mint noodles, the massaman curry, pad ga prow, or the gang phed ped yang along with a Royal Thai rum smoothie to help put out the fire (or at least dull the pain). 605 Main, Park City, 435-649-8424, BangkokThaiOnMain.com

wine

25 Dinner &

an evening of comeDy 50 patrons only (reserved seating) if you want to tell a joke to the group, you will get a $5 discount off your meal! call for reservations now: 801-906-0369

2005 E. 2700 South, SLC fELdmanSdELi.Com / opEn tuES - Sat to go ordErS: (801)906-0369

2223 Highland Dr. Sugarhouse · (801) 487-2994

11:30-9pm Daily · Closed Sunday masalaindiangrill.com

32 | february 20, 2014

| CITY WEEKLY |

The OTher Place RestauRant

GOODEATS Complete listings at cityweekly.net

Mon-Sat: 9aM-10pM Sunday: 11aM-9pM

COMING SOON IN SPRING neW Sandy locatIon

9326 S. 700 e.

Mon-Sat: 10aM-10pM Sunday: cloSed

like father, like son

Flipping the Switch

CINEMA

Trading children becomes too matter-of-fact in Like Father, Like Son By Scott Renshaw scottr@cityweekly.net @scottrenshaw

Masaharu Fukuyama and Keita Ninomiya in Like Father, Like Son Knows and I Wish at capturing the inner lives of children in tumultuous family situations, and the best moments in Like Father, Like Son show Keita and Ryusei reacting to their transition from one family to the other, or unable, like Ryusei, to stop asking “why?” about this incomprehensible change in their lives. It’s easy to imagine a compelling drama about this scenario from the perspective of the children—from the guilt of actually preferring your new parents to those who raised you to the anguish of feeling abandoned. Koreeda, unfortunately, clings to the story of one stolid man treating the exchange of one son for another as a simple, logical business transaction—and it simply becomes too much of a psychic road block to overcome. Like Father, Like Son ultimately isn’t all that interested in what defines the parental bond. If the matterof-fact behavior of everyone involved here makes sense in Japan, something has most decidedly been lost in translation. CW

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

HH.5 Masaharu Fukuyama Machiko Ono Keita Ninomiya Not Rated

| CITY WEEKLY |

TRY THESE Nobody Knows (2004) Yuya Yagira Ayu Kitaura Rated PG-13

I Wish (2011) Koki Maeda Oshiro Maeda Rated PG

The Other Son (2012) Emmanuelle Devos Pascal Elbé Rated PG-13

february 20, 2014 | 33

Switched at Birth (1991) Brian Kerwin Bonnie Bedelia Not Rated

he sees Keita’s mere adequacy at the piano as an example of some moral failing; when he learns that Ketia’s not his biological son, it feels like an explanation he can live with. The childbirth complications that left Midori unable to have any more children makes this revelation feel to Ryota like his only chance to have the perfect son he imagines possible. And Koreeda shows some of Ryota’s complicated relationship with his own father, albeit at times through the use of too onthe-nose dialogue. Yet that emphasis on Ryota’s perspective— and on a character arc that sticks perilously close to the “workaholic learns what really matters in life” notion that has fueled a hundred cookie-cutter Hollywood fantasycomedies—still seems to take it far too much for granted that all the other principal parties will be just fine with surrendering children they’ve raised for six years. Midori frets but clearly defers to Ryota in what may be a culturally accurate example of deference, but Ryusei’s parents are just as passive, seemingly willing to go along with whatever plan Ryota decides is necessary. Nothing about this situation seems to feel genuinely wrenching or agonizing to these parents, even as they dabble in legal action against the hospital. It’s all just a contrivance to help Ryota become A Better Person™. Maybe point of view is ultimately the problem here. Koreeda has proven remarkably adept in previous features like Nobody

| cityweekly.net |

t is one of my cherished critical principles: You must grant a movie its premise. Maybe you’re being asked to believe in a series of tests that allows a sinister agency to predict someone’s every move, or that a bunch of scared kids might keep recording a terrifying ordeal while lost in the woods. But arms-folded incredulity is the enemy of fully engaging in cinema as a way to explore experience beyond your own narrow definition of how the world should work, or how you would react to any given situation. And then there’s something like Hirokazu Koreeda’s Like Father, Like Son, which left me at such a cultural distance that it was almost impossible to recover. How could I embrace a film that accepted as a reasonable premise something that violated every instinct I have as a parent? That setup involves a Japanese couple— Ryota (Masaharu Fukuyama) and Midori Nonomiya (Machiko Ono)—with a 6-yearold son, Keita (Keita Ninomiya), who receive a troubling call from the hospital where Keita was delivered. It turns out that another boy who was delivered there turned out not to be the biological son of the parents who were raising him—and that means Keita might have been switched at birth. When the Nonomiyas discover that this switch did in fact take place—and that their biological son, Ryusei (Shôgen Hwang), is being raised by another couple (Yoko Maki and Riri Furanki)—they’re faced with a decision: Do they continue with life as it has been? Or do they swap Keita with Ryusei so they can be reunited with the blood of their blood? And are you actually being serious with me right now? In fairness to Koreeda, he works hard at making Ryota’s psychology in particular feel plausible. A high-achieving architect,

NEW THIS WEEK Information is correct at press time. Film release schedules are subject to change. 3 Days to Kill (not yet reviewed) A terminally ill government agent (Kevin Costner) has a shot at an experimental treatment—if he’ll take on one last job. Opens Feb. 20 at theaters valleywide. (PG-13) In Secret HH.5 The 1867 Émile Zola novel Thérèse Raquin may have been ahead of many other, more contemporary stories in its portrayal of crimes of passion turned toxic, but it’s also hard not to think about how many other movies have explored the same territory better. First-time feature director Charlie Stratton adapts the tale of Thérèse (Elizabeth Olsen), raised by her aunt Madame Raquin (Jessica Lange), who arranges Thérèse’s marriage to her own cousin, Mme. Raquin’s sickly son Camille (Tom Felton). But Thérèse is a woman with needs, and she soon begins an affair with Camille’s friend Laurent (Oscar Isaac), leading to tragic consequences. Olsen does a fine job of conveying the explosive power of repressed sexuality finally given an outlet, and Thérèse’s relationship with Laurent convincingly disintegrates once shared secrets come between them. But Stratton’s decision to play the story as psychological thriller inevitably turns it into an attempt at 19th-century noir, and it hardly packs the style or tension of a Double Indemnity or Blood Simple. Once it’s plot-driven, rather than character-driven, In Secret feels too familiar in ways that don’t do it any favors. Opens Feb. 21 at theaters valleywide. (R)—Scott Renshaw

Movie times and locations at cityweekly.net

Like Father, Like Son HH.5 See review p. 33. Opens Feb. 20 at Broadway Centre Cinemas. (PG)

Bridegroom At Brewvies, Feb. 20, 7 p.m. (NR)

Pompeii (not yet reviewed) Historical disaster drama set against the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Opens Feb. 20 at theaters valleywide. (PG-13)

The Chaplin Mutual Comedies At Organ Loft Silent Films, Feb. 20-21, 7:30 p.m. (NR)

The Rocket HHH Oh, the quirky adorableness of it all: A young Laotian boy named Ahlo (Sitthiphon Disamoe) tries to help his family by winning the big amateur rocket-making contest, assisted by an orphan girl (Loungnam Kaosainam) and her caretaker, Uncle Purple (Thep Phongam), an alcoholic obsessed with James Brown. But there’s plenty more going on in writer/director Kim Mordaunt’s story set in a contemporary Laos fragmented between old superstitions— Ahlo had a stillborn twin, which may mean he’s bad luck—the country’s war-torn history and awkward steps into modernity as Ahlo’s family is forced to abandon their home village to make way for a hydroelectric dam project. The result is a frequently compelling glimpse into a unique cultural history, anchored by Disamoe’s convincing mix of exuberance and anger, and a few startlingly effective moments that help build everyone’s conviction that Ahlo is cursed. Even when the relationships occasionally feel underdeveloped, Mordaunt delivers a solid drama built on the irony of people surrounded by unexploded bombs thinking the terrible things in their lives are the result of anything but flawed humanity. Opens Feb. 20 at Tower Theatre. (NR)—SR

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

Angel Azul At Utah Museum of Fine Arts, Feb. 26, 7 p.m. (NR)

Instructions Not Included At Park City Film Series, Feb. 21-23 @ 8 p.m. & Feb. 23 @ 6 p.m. (PG-13) The Turandot Project At Rose Wagner Center, Feb. 25, 7 p.m. (NR) Zombieland At Brewvies, Feb. 24, 10 p.m. (R)

CURRENT RELEASES American Hustle HHH David O. Russell loosely adapts the story of the late 1970s FBI “Abscam” operation, with con artists Irving (Christian Bale) and Sydney (Amy Adams) caught by FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper) and forced to assist in a sting operation targeting corrupt government officials. Pretty much everyone here—Jennifer Lawrence, Jeremy Renner, etc.—acts to the rafters with their various accents and over-the-top personalities, while Russell swings and zips his camera like he’s doing a second-generation photocopy of GoodFellas by way of Boogie Nights. Yet it’s also kind of a hoot on a moment-to-moment basis, as the undercover operation gets more convoluted—and more dangerous—with each passing day. Leave aside Louis C.K.’s low-key FBI middle-manager, and there’s not a subtle thing to be found in all 135 minutes; it’s also hard to completely dismiss its fun brand of un-subtle. (R)—SR

Endless Love HH This new version of Scott Spencer’s novel is ridiculous and melodramatic, but for a teen romance of the moment, it’s rather sweetly demure. When David (Alex Pettyfer) says, “I watched her through all of high school,” it doesn’t even sound stalker-ish. “Her” is Jade Butterfield (Gabriella Wilde), and now that they’ve finally just graduated high school, he makes his move. Yet this isn’t even really about a romance, but about a young woman taking control of her own destiny. Jade’s dad (Bruce Greenwood) objects to the relationship because that’s what dads do, but she learns to stand up to him, and Dad learns that Jade’s life is her own. If I had a teen daughter, I wouldn’t be worried about her picking up terrible ideas about a woman’s place in the world from it. I might make her father watch, too. (PG-13)—MaryAnn Johanson

Gloria HHH Gloria (Paulina García) is smart, funny and stylish. She’s got interesting friends and an active social life on the Santiago, Chile singles scene. She’s 58 years old, with romance and sex on her mind. Can you handle that truth? García is a revelation as a woman who lives life on her own terms and doesn’t let herself get pushed around—especially not by her new beau, Rodolfo (Sergio Hernández), who can’t seem to decide whether he’s actually divorced or not. It shouldn’t be that a woman like Gloria is so unusual onscreen, but by mere dint of his chosen subject, co-writer/director Sebastián Lelio has given us something fresh and unexpected. And yet there’s no hint of gender politics in this delightful film; it’s a glorious character portrait of a vibrant person, and it’s a joy to spend time with her. (R)—MAJ

34 | february 20, 2014

| CITY WEEKLY |

| cityweekly.net |

CINEMA CLIPS

more than just movies at brewvies

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showing: february 21-27 monday 2/24

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CINEMA

CLIPS

Movie times and locations at cityweekly.net The LEGO Movie HHHH The cynicism is understandable: “The LEGO Movie? Seriously?” But Phil Lord and Christopher Miller set out to make the most entertaining movie possible based on a toy, plus a manifesto on how to create real art. The setup is like a kiddie version of The Matrix, with mini-figure construction worker Emmet (Chris Pratt) finding himself identified as the fulfillment of a prophecy to save the world from evil President Business (Will Ferrell). He joins other character figures including Batman, and yes, there are in-joke references from The Dark Knight and other pop-culture touchstones. Yet Lord and Miller remain focused on the toy’s imaginative possibilities, both visually and from a storytelling standpoint. Their movie becomes a delightful instruction manual for how to make the best creation from any brand: You’ve got to have the nerve to throw away the instruction manual. (PG)—SR

I, Frankenstein HH Everyone knows Frankenstein’s monster died 200 years ago. What I, Frankenstein pre-supposes is: Maybe he didn’t. This expensive-looking and deeply absurd genre turkey stars Aaron Eckhart as the handsome, 5’-11”, jeans-and-hoodie-wearing creature, who’s enlisted by the queen of the angelic gargoyles (Miranda Otto) to help fight a battle against demons, who want to duplicate Victor Frankenstein’s experiments and produce an army of reanimated corpses. Working from Kevin Grevioux’s comic book, director Stuart Beattie pretends the material has a chance of being taken seriously, even though it’s mostly just Eckhart stomping around talking in a growly Batman voice while CGI things impale one another with stakes. The film isn’t campy enough to be fun or smart enough to be good, but it passes by quickly and without doing any serious harm to the viewer. (PG-13)—Eric D. Snider

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit HH.5 As we reach the fourth actor to play Tom Clancy’s CIA analystturned-occasional-field-agent, what exactly defines a “Jack Ryan” movie? Not all that much, it would seem, beyond what you’d find in any other espionage thriller. This prequel/reboot/ whatever finds Ryan (Chris Pine) pulled from his undercover work on Wall Street tracking terrorist funding when there’s evidence that a Russian businessman (Kenneth Branagh, who also directed) is trying to tank the U.S. economy. It’s all fairly solid genre stuff, what with the racing to download secret data (now obligatory in tech-age thrillers), the car chasing, the trying to stop a major terrorist attack and one effectively brutal indoctrination of Ryan into the messy business of field work. But who is this Jack Ryan guy, really, and what makes him worth bringing out of mothballs? I still couldn’t tell you. (PG-13)—SR

Inside Llewyn Davis HHHH Joel and Ethan Coen’s titular hero (Oscar Isaac)—a struggling would-be folk singer in 1961 Greenwich Village—is kind of a dick. But as the Coens gradually parcel out information in their most poignant and human story yet, the character gets increasingly complicated. He’s the kind of self-righteous artist who snorts at “careerist” aspirations, yet he’s also struggling with collapsing or vanishing relationships all around him, allowing the Coens to explore grief, and how easy it is not to confront it. There are still plenty of masterful Coen moments, from tense set pieces to wonderful music, and it might still be one of the year’s best films strictly for its superficial pleasures. But it’s also a heartbreaking look at finally getting those things that are inside Llewyn Davis out, so that he can, at last, say “au revoir.” (R)—SR

Labor Day H Ladies! Single? Lonely? Get yourself kidnapped and held hostage! On Labor Day weekend 1987, single mom Adele (Kate Winslet) is shopping with her young teen son Henry (Gattlin Griffith) when escaped convict Frank (Josh Brolin) forces them to take him to their home. He proceeds to tie them up, as you do when you’re a violent felon on the run. But later, Frank makes breakfast, does handyman jobs and generally enacts a parody of husbandness. Later still, Adele starts gazing at Frank in horrifyingly besotted ways. Jason Reitman, adapting Joyce Maynard’s novel, expects that we’ll find this all terribly romantic, and the retrospective voiceover narration by adult Henry (Tobey Maguire) slathers these events in gooey nostalgia for that time when he and his mom got kidnapped and his mother fell for the guy. Stockholm Syndrome as romance? You betcha. (PG-13)—MAJ

It’s even got something to say about the ironies of modern asymmetrical warfare, and the senselessness of Western military presence in the region. The non-CGI’ed stuntwork and youare-there action of the centerpiece firefight are riveting, unlike anything you’ve seen on film before. From the perspective of real-world military work, we must be insane to let anyone, on either side of this deplorable state of affairs, endure what we witness here. (R)—MAJ The Monuments Men HH Not every war movie needs to be brutally dark, but there’s also something odd about one as jolly as this one. Adapting a true story, George Clooney directed, co-scripted and stars as an art historian who, near the end of World War II, puts together an all-star team of experts (including Bill Murray, Matt Damon and John Goodman) to track down masterpieces stolen by the Nazis and save others from the threat of destruction. The narrative pivots around the compelling question of whether saving art is worth risking lives, yet Clooney mostly ditches that idea for episodic anecdotes, generally played for comedic effect. And when the film does try to get serious, it simply feels forced. Clooney wants an Indiana Jones vibe of rollicking adventure as his crew recovers artifacts from the Nazis, but can’t get beyond turning pages in a whimsical art-history textbook. (PG-13)—SR

Inspired Guns H.5 I’m not sure Adam White’s attempt at culture-clash farce would’ve worked even without clumsy diversion into faith-affirming melodrama—but I sure would’ve preferred to see the attempt. In an unnamed East Coast city, earnest Elder Fisher (David Lassetter) takes on a goofy new companion, Elder Johnson (Dashiell Wolf), for the last week of his mission—just in time for them to get caught up in an FBI operation observing the inept mobsters to whom the missionaries are giving lessons. Much farcical misunderstanding ensues, of the kind that depends on absolutely every character being a complete idiot and interpreting the exact wrong thing at the exact wrong time. But the humor is at least energetically performed, whereas the obligatory side-trip into “can we get a baptism” sincerity stops everything in a way that’s painful even in drama, but deadly for comedy. (PG)—SR

| cityweekly.net |

Her HHHH The high-concept premise—lonely Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) falling in love with his computer’s artificial-intelligence operating system (Scarlett Johansson)—certainly taps into something zeitgeist-y about The Way We Are Now. But Her isn’t simply a fable about living virtually; it’s even more potent at exploring a complexity in relationships that often seems hard to manage, beautifully realized through the two central performances. It may not be a jaw-dropping central idea that some guys have growing up to do when it comes to dealing with women; as sensitive as Theodore is, he’s still somewhat shallow at the outset. Jonze, however, finds magic not simply in suggesting we need to get offline and deal with real people, but in recognizing that even when we’re with real people, we may still need to get a hell of a lot better at dealing with them. (R)—SR

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february 20, 2014 | 35

| cityweekly.net |

| CITY WEEKLY |

36 | february 20, 2014

to Count down

the CINEMA

year of

h! a t U f o t s e B We’re counting down the weeks until Best of Utah with a contest that honors winners from the past. UTAH’S INDEPENDEN NEWSPAPER

APRIL 3, 2008 VOL. 24 N0. 46 SLWEEKLY.COM

2008 Name this week’s

Throwback Thursday Best of Utah winner!

2008’s Best Cornish Pasties winner was here:

12 West 300 South

What was it named? Send answers to BOU25@cityweekly.net. The first three correct answers get $25, $15 and $10 to the City Weekly Store. Send an original photo of the old location for an extra $25. Visit CityWeekly.net/BestOfUtah to find out the answers and weekly winners.

Last week’s winner is:

Terry maUdsLey

who answered correctly with metropolitan as 2007’s Best splurge

coming 3.27.14

CLIPS

Movie times and locations at cityweekly.net

The Nut Job HH.5 Peter Lepeniotis expands his own 2005 short about a squirrel named Surly (Will Arnett), exiled from his community of park critters, who tries to steal a gold mine of nuts from a store that’s serving as a front for bank robbers. There’s nothing wildly creative or particularly funny going on from a character standpoint, though it’s somewhat bizarre when you realize that the plot combines Woody Allen’s Small Time Crooks and The Dark Knight, plus a barely-veiled critique of socialism. But mostly it’s just a fast-paced collection of chases and mishaps as Surly and his suspicious cohorts (including Katherine Heigl as the girl squirrel) warily work together. Avoiding eye-rolling pop-culture gags until the closing credits and subsuming the obligatory fart jokes to Looney Tunes-style mayhem is a recipe, at least, for tolerability. (PG)—SR The Past HHH.5 Asghar Farhadi writes screenplays that feel like meticulously constructed theatrical drama—and that’s no slight to his skills as a filmmaker. Ahmad (Ali Mosaffa) returns to France from Iran four years after leaving his wife Marie-Anne (Bérénice Bejo). The purpose of his visit is to finalize their divorce, since Marie-Anne wants to marry her boyfriend, Samir (Tahar Rahim), whose own wife has been in a coma for months. Farhadi drips out details about the relationships between his characters in a way that constantly shifts our sense of who might be “guilty.” Yet beyond the compelling plot mechanics, Farhadi tells another heartbreaking story about children dealing with the tragic fallout of their parents’ unhappy relationships. There’s a richness to Farhadi’s storytelling that, even when it strays towards melodrama, captures flawed people struggling to do something resembling the right thing. (PG-13)—SR Ride Along HH 2014 will definitely see movies that are worse than this— that prophecy will probably be fulfilled before the end of the month, actually—but it’s unlikely to produce any that are more formulaic and uninspired than this flat action comedy. Written by a committee and directed by Tim Story (Think Like a Man), it stars Ice Cube as gruff Atlanta cop James Payton, and motormouth-du-jour Kevin Hart as Ben Barber, his squirrelly cop-wannabe brother-in-law who goes on a ride along with him and screws up everything they touch. Mr. Cube isn’t bad as a straight man (he’s certainly no comedian), but the film relies entirely on Hart’s shtick for its laughs, and that shtick wears mighty thin. And it doesn’t help that every detail of the plot is a retread of other buddy-cop movies. (PG-13)—Eric D. Snider Robocop HH.5 José Padilha’s update of Paul Verhoeven’s 1987 film may aim for a similar vein of satire, but proves so somber that it fails to provide any of Verhoeven’s distinctive energy. Like the original, it begins with Detroit police officer Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) suffering critical injuries that make him the guinea pig for becoming a cybernetic law enforcer. Padilha and screenwriter Joshua Zetumer use the premise to explore post9/11 debates over liberty vs. security, plus jabs at corporate exploitation of a perpetual state of war. Yet those abstract ideas aren’t accompanied by the B-movie creature-feature sense of fun Verhoeven brought. That doesn’t necessarily require Verhoeven’s R-rated grossout-till-you-chuckle action in place of Padilha’s PG-13 bloodless battles. It simply requires embracing the fundamental craziness of your concept so that the allegory doesn’t bury all the genre delights. (PG-13)—SR

Theater Directory That Awkward Moment HH There’s something deeply conflicted about a movie that employs this many penis references, yet won’t show bare body parts; it’s a sex comedy made with Barbie and Ken dolls. The premise finds three New York buddies—Jason (Zac Efron), Mikey (Michael B. Jordan) and Daniel (Miles Teller)—making a pact to avoid serious relationships after Mikey gets dumped by his wife. Naturally they all promptly fall for someone, while trying to keep up the pretense that they’re still brosbefore-hos. But the occasional snippets of amusement—and the admittedly clever reference to a relationship conversation as “The ‘So …’ ”—are torpedoed by the push-pull between insight about commitment-averse guys and rom-com convention that any dog can be converted to boyfriend material. It’s all dick jokes, but the girls can convince the guys to keep it in their pants, so it’s all good. (R)—SR Vampire Academy H.5 The title may sound like an awesome late-night 1980s Cinemax entry, but this adaptation of Richelle Mead’s novel is strictly for the YA set, focusing on the friendship between a vampire princess-in-training (Lucy Fry) and her half-human bodyguard (Zoey Deutch). Gabriel Byrne shows up as a vamp elder and then beats a hasty retreat. The team-up of director Mark Waters (Mean Girls) and his brother, writer Daniel Waters (Heathers), promises much, but their collective wit only comes through in intermittent drips, most notably in the lines delivered by Deutch (daughter of Lea Thompson), who is a genuine find. Otherwise, this falls firmly in the growing pile of would-be franchises, with an ending that displays a rather optimistic belief in future installments to explain things. Even late-night 1980s Cinemax movies had a proper resolution, guys. (PG-13)—Andrew Wright Winter’s Tale H Reading what happens in Winter’s Tale will make you want to see it—but actually seeing it would be a mistake, as it’s a listless, dull, nonsensical disaster. So proceed with caution. In 1916 New York, a thief (Colin Farrell) evades his angry Irish boss (Russell Crowe)—who is also a demon—by way of a magical flying horse, then falls in love with a rich girl (Jessica Brown Findlay) who’s dying of consumption. Then it’s 2014, the thief hasn’t aged, the demon still wants him dead, and Eva Marie Saint is a 110-year-old newspaper editor. Akiva Goldsman, a mediocre screenwriter (Batman & Robin; I, Robot) making his bad directorial debut, reduces Mark Helprin’s massive novel to a puddle of incoherent magical realism, employing fantasy elements but refusing to fully embrace them. It’s weirdly, bafflingly bad. (PG-13)—EDS The Wolf of Wall Street HHH.5 Martin Scorsese turns Jordan Belfort’s memoir about excesses in the 1990s world of high finance into a brutally effective variation on GoodFellas’ rags-to-riches-to-chaos arc, following Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) from his humble beginnings through building his own brokerage firm, getting rich selling volatile penny stocks and financing a life of luxury, drugs and hookers. Scorsese takes three hours to tell the story of that empire’s rise and fall, yet it feels nimble and effortless, including plenty of raucous physical comedy. It’s also fundamentally a morality play, with Belfort becoming an analog of GoodFellas’ Henry Hill, dazzled by the extravagant lifestyle his criminality allows. This collection of great set pieces and dynamic performances begins with a familiar setup, then puts the dangerous characters threatening America not on the other end of a gun, but on the other end of a phone. (R)—SR

SALT LAKE CITY Brewvies Cinema Pub 677 S. 200 West 801-355-5500 Brewvies.com

Megaplex 20 at The District 11400 S. Bangerter Highway 801-304-INFO MegaplexTheatres.com

Broadway Centre Cinemas 111 E. 300 South 801-321-0310 SaltLakeFilmSociety.org

PARK CITY Cinemark Holiday Village 1776 Park Ave. 800-326-3264 Cinemark.com

Century 16 South Salt Lake 125 E. 3300 South 800-326-3264 Cinemark.com

Redstone 8 Cinemas 6030 N. Market 435-575-0220 Redstone8Cinemas.com

Holladay Center 6 1945 E. Murray-Holladay Road 801-273-0199 WestatesTheatres.com

DAVIS COUNTY AMC Loews Layton Hills 9 728 W. 1425 North, Layton 801-774-8222 AMCTheatres.com

Megaplex 12 Gateway 165 S. Rio Grande St. 801-304-4636 MegaplexTheatres.com Redwood Drive-In 3688 S. Redwood Road 801-973-7088 Tower Theatre 836 E. 900 South 801-321-0310 SaltLakeFilmSociety.org WEST VALLEY 5 Star Cinemas 8325 W. 3500 South, Magna 801-250-5551 RedCarpetCinemas.com Carmike 12 1600 W. Fox Park Drive, West Jordan 801-562-5760 Carmike.com Carmike Ritz 15 Hollywood Connection 3217 S. Decker Lake Drive, West Valley City 801-973-4386 Carmike.com Cinemark 24 Jordan Landing 7301 S. Bangerter Highway 800-326-3264 Cinemark.com Cinemark Valley Fair Mall 3601 S. 2700 West, West Valley City 800-326-3264 Cinemark.com Showcase Cinemas 6 5400 S. Redwood Road, Taylorsville 801-957-9032 RedCarpetCinemas.com SOUTH VALLEY Century 16 Union Heights 7800 S. 1300 East, Sandy 800-326-3264 Cinemark.com

Cinemark Station Park 900 W. Clark Lane, Farmington 801-447-8561 Cinemark.com Cinemark Tinseltown USA 720 W. 1500 North, Layton 800-326-3264 Cinemark.com Gateway 8 206 S. 625 West, Bountiful 801-292-7979 RedCarpetCinemas.com Megaplex Legacy Crossing 1075 W. Legacy Crossing Blvd., Centerville 801-397-5100 MegaplexTheatres.com WEBER COUNTY Cinemark Tinseltown 14 3651 Wall Ave., Ogden 800-326-3264 Cinemark.com Megaplex 13 at The Junction 2351 Kiesel Ave., Ogden 801-304-INFO MegaplexTheatres.com UTAH COUNTY Carmike Wynnsong 4925 N. Edgewood Drive, Provo 801-764-0009 Carmike.com Cinemark American Fork 715 W. 180 North, American Fork 800-326-3264 Cinemark.com Cinemark Movies 8 2230 N. University Parkway, Orem 800-326-3264 Cinemark.com Cinemark Provo Town Center 1200 Town Center Blvd., Provo 800-326-3264 Cinemark.com

Cinemark Draper 12129 S. State, Draper 801-619-6494 Cinemark.com

Cinemark University Mall 1010 S. 800 East, Provo 800-326-3264 Cinemark.com

Cinemark Sandy 9 9539 S. 700 East, Sandy 800-326-3264 Cinemark.com

Megaplex Thanksgiving Point 2935 N. Thanksgiving Way 801-304-INFO MegaplexTheatres.com

Megaplex 17 Jordan Commons 9400 S. State, Sandy 801-304-INFO MegaplexTheatres.com

Spanish 8 790 E. Expressway Ave., Spanish Fork 801-798-9777 RedCarpetCinemas.com

like father, like son

Flipping the Switch

CINEMA

Trading children becomes too matter-of-fact in Like Father, Like Son By Scott Renshaw scottr@cityweekly.net @scottrenshaw

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

HH.5 Masaharu Fukuyama Machiko Ono Keita Ninomiya Not Rated

| CITY WEEKLY |

TRY THESE Nobody Knows (2004) Yuya Yagira Ayu Kitaura Rated PG-13

I Wish (2011) Koki Maeda Oshiro Maeda Rated PG

The Other Son (2012) Emmanuelle Devos Pascal Elbé Rated PG-13

february 20, 2014 | 33

Switched at Birth (1991) Brian Kerwin Bonnie Bedelia Not Rated

| cityweekly.net |

Movie times and locations at cityweekly.net

Like Father, Like Son HH.5 See review p. 33. Opens Feb. 20 at Broadway Centre Cinemas. (PG)

Bridegroom At Brewvies, Feb. 20, 7 p.m. (NR)

Pompeii (not yet reviewed) Historical disaster drama set against the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Opens Feb. 20 at theaters valleywide. (PG-13)

The Chaplin Mutual Comedies At Organ Loft Silent Films, Feb. 20-21, 7:30 p.m. (NR)

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

Angel Azul At Utah Museum of Fine Arts, Feb. 26, 7 p.m. (NR)

34 | february 20, 2014

| CITY WEEKLY |

| cityweekly.net |

CINEMA CLIPS

more than just movies at brewvies

FILM • FOOD • NEIGHBORHOOD BAR

showing: february 21-27 monday 2/24

$5 Lunch speciaLs free!

zombieland (2009)

lone survivor

american hustle

FRee pooL everday til 5pm students only $6

677 S. 200 W. Slc • BREWVIES.cOM • 21+ • call fOR ScOtty’S ShOWtIMES & SpIEl @ 355.5500

over 40 BEERS

AVAILABLE!

CINEMA

CLIPS

Movie times and locations at cityweekly.net

Lone Survivor HHH.5 Title spoiler: Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell (Mark Wahlberg) was the only survivor of a doomed 2005 mission in the mountains of Afghanistan to capture or kill a Taliban leader. Writer-director Peter Berg adapts Luttrell’s true story into one of the more realistic military movies ever, one that acknowledges the powerful fraternity of soldiers without being jingoistic, and one that depicts the intensity of a battlefield without being pornographic. It’s even got something to say about the ironies of modern asymmetrical warfare, and the senselessness of Western military presence in the region. The non-CGI’ed stuntwork and youare-there action of the centerpiece firefight are riveting, unlike anything you’ve seen on film before. From the perspective of real-world military work, we must be insane to let anyone, on either side of this deplorable state of affairs, endure what we witness here. (R)—MAJ

The Dark Knight, plus a barely-veiled critique of socialism. But mostly it’s just a fast-paced collection of chases and mishaps as Surly and his suspicious cohorts (including Katherine Heigl as the girl squirrel) warily work together. Avoiding eye-rolling pop-culture gags until the closing credits and subsuming the obligatory fart jokes to Looney Tunes-style mayhem is a recipe, at least, for tolerability. (PG)—SR The Past HHH.5 Asghar Farhadi writes screenplays that feel like meticulously constructed theatrical drama—and that’s no slight to his skills as a filmmaker. Ahmad (Ali Mosaffa) returns to France from Iran four years after leaving his wife Marie-Anne (Bérénice Bejo). The purpose of his visit is to finalize their divorce, since Marie-Anne wants to marry her boyfriend, Samir (Tahar Rahim), whose own wife has been in a coma for months. Farhadi drips out details about the relationships between his characters in a way that constantly shifts our sense of who might be “guilty.” Yet beyond the compelling plot mechanics, Farhadi tells another heartbreaking story about children dealing with the tragic fallout of their parents’ unhappy relationships. There’s a richness to Farhadi’s storytelling that, even when it strays towards melodrama, captures flawed people struggling to do something resembling the right thing. (PG-13)—SR

The LEGO Movie HHHH The cynicism is understandable: “The LEGO Movie? Seriously?” But Phil Lord and Christopher Miller set out to make the most entertaining movie possible based on a toy, plus a manifesto on how to create real art. The setup is like a kiddie version of The Matrix, with mini-figure construction worker Emmet (Chris Pratt) finding himself identified as the fulfillment of a prophecy to save the world from evil President Business (Will Ferrell). He joins other character figures including Batman, and yes, there are in-joke references from The Dark Knight and other pop-culture touchstones. Yet Lord and Miller remain focused on the toy’s imaginative possibilities, both visually and from a storytelling standpoint. Their movie becomes a delightful instruction manual for how to make the best creation from any brand: You’ve got to have the nerve to throw away the instruction manual. (PG)—SR

The Monuments Men HH Not every war movie needs to be brutally dark, but there’s also something odd about one as jolly as this one. Adapting a true story, George Clooney directed, co-scripted and stars as an art historian who, near the end of World War II, puts together an all-star team of experts (including Bill Murray, Matt Damon and John Goodman) to track down masterpieces stolen by the Nazis and save others from the threat of destruction. The narrative pivots around the compelling question of whether saving art is worth risking lives, yet Clooney mostly ditches that idea for episodic anecdotes, generally played for comedic effect. And when the film does try to get serious, it simply feels forced. Clooney wants an Indiana Jones vibe of rollicking adventure as his crew recovers artifacts from the Nazis, but can’t get beyond turning pages in a whimsical art-history textbook. (PG-13)—SR

| cityweekly.net |

| CITY WEEKLY |

february 20, 2014 | 35

| cityweekly.net |

| CITY WEEKLY |

36 | february 20, 2014

to Count down

the CINEMA

year of

h! a t U f o t s e B We’re counting down the weeks until Best of Utah with a contest that honors winners from the past. UTAH’S INDEPENDEN NEWSPAPER

APRIL 3, 2008 VOL. 24 N0. 46 SLWEEKLY.COM

2008 Name this week’s

Throwback Thursday Best of Utah winner!

2008’s Best Cornish Pasties winner was here:

12 West 300 South

Last week’s winner is:

Terry maUdsLey

who answered correctly with metropolitan as 2007’s Best splurge

coming 3.27.14

CLIPS

Movie times and locations at cityweekly.net

Ride Along HH 2014 will definitely see movies that are worse than this— that prophecy will probably be fulfilled before the end of the month, actually—but it’s unlikely to produce any that are more formulaic and uninspired than this flat action comedy. Written by a committee and directed by Tim Story (Think Like a Man), it stars Ice Cube as gruff Atlanta cop James Payton, and motormouth-du-jour Kevin Hart as Ben Barber, his squirrelly cop-wannabe brother-in-law who goes on a ride along with him and screws up everything they touch. Mr. Cube isn’t bad as a straight man (he’s certainly no comedian), but the film relies entirely on Hart’s shtick for its laughs, and that shtick wears mighty thin. And it doesn’t help that every detail of the plot is a retread of other buddy-cop movies. (PG-13)—Eric D. Snider Robocop HH.5 José Padilha’s update of Paul Verhoeven’s 1987 film may aim for a similar vein of satire, but proves so somber that it fails to provide any of Verhoeven’s distinctive energy. Like the original, it begins with Detroit police officer Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) suffering critical injuries that make him the guinea pig for becoming a cybernetic law enforcer. Padilha and screenwriter Joshua Zetumer use the premise to explore post9/11 debates over liberty vs. security, plus jabs at corporate exploitation of a perpetual state of war. Yet those abstract ideas aren’t accompanied by the B-movie creature-feature sense of fun Verhoeven brought. That doesn’t necessarily require Verhoeven’s R-rated grossout-till-you-chuckle action in place of Padilha’s PG-13 bloodless battles. It simply requires embracing the fundamental craziness of your concept so that the allegory doesn’t bury all the genre delights. (PG-13)—SR That Awkward Moment HH There’s something deeply conflicted about a movie that employs this many penis references, yet won’t show bare body parts; it’s a sex comedy made with Barbie and Ken dolls. The premise finds three New York buddies—Jason (Zac Efron), Mikey (Michael B. Jordan) and Daniel (Miles Teller)—making a pact to avoid serious relationships after Mikey gets dumped by his wife. Naturally they all promptly fall for someone, while trying to keep up the pretense that they’re still brosbefore-hos. But the occasional snippets of amusement—and the admittedly clever reference to a relationship conversation as “The ‘So …’ ”—are torpedoed by the push-pull between insight about commitment-averse guys and rom-com convention that any dog can be converted to boyfriend material. It’s all dick jokes, but the girls can convince the guys to keep it in their pants, so it’s all good. (R)—SR

Theater Directory Vampire Academy H.5 The title may sound like an awesome late-night 1980s Cinemax entry, but this adaptation of Richelle Mead’s novel is strictly for the YA set, focusing on the friendship between a vampire princess-in-training (Lucy Fry) and her half-human bodyguard (Zoey Deutch). Gabriel Byrne shows up as a vamp elder and then beats a hasty retreat. The team-up of director Mark Waters (Mean Girls) and his brother, writer Daniel Waters (Heathers), promises much, but their collective wit only comes through in intermittent drips, most notably in the lines delivered by Deutch (daughter of Lea Thompson), who is a genuine find. Otherwise, this falls firmly in the growing pile of would-be franchises, with an ending that displays a rather optimistic belief in future installments to explain things. Even late-night 1980s Cinemax movies had a proper resolution, guys. (PG-13)—Andrew Wright Winter’s Tale H Reading what happens in Winter’s Tale will make you want to see it—but actually seeing it would be a mistake, as it’s a listless, dull, nonsensical disaster. So proceed with caution. In 1916 New York, a thief (Colin Farrell) evades his angry Irish boss (Russell Crowe)—who is also a demon—by way of a magical flying horse, then falls in love with a rich girl (Jessica Brown Findlay) who’s dying of consumption. Then it’s 2014, the thief hasn’t aged, the demon still wants him dead, and Eva Marie Saint is a 110-year-old newspaper editor. Akiva Goldsman, a mediocre screenwriter (Batman & Robin; I, Robot) making his bad directorial debut, reduces Mark Helprin’s massive novel to a puddle of incoherent magical realism, employing fantasy elements but refusing to fully embrace them. It’s weirdly, bafflingly bad. (PG-13)—EDS The Wolf of Wall Street HHH.5 Martin Scorsese turns Jordan Belfort’s memoir about excesses in the 1990s world of high finance into a brutally effective variation on GoodFellas’ rags-to-riches-to-chaos arc, following Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) from his humble beginnings through building his own brokerage firm, getting rich selling volatile penny stocks and financing a life of luxury, drugs and hookers. Scorsese takes three hours to tell the story of that empire’s rise and fall, yet it feels nimble and effortless, including plenty of raucous physical comedy. It’s also fundamentally a morality play, with Belfort becoming an analog of GoodFellas’ Henry Hill, dazzled by the extravagant lifestyle his criminality allows. This collection of great set pieces and dynamic performances begins with a familiar setup, then puts the dangerous characters threatening America not on the other end of a gun, but on the other end of a phone. (R)—SR