Buffalo Stalking on Antelope Island

This past weekend was supposed to be a cool trip to Arches Park and Moab but due to the weather reports of snow at high elevations and the lack of a 4 wheel drive, we decided to stay local.  Antelope Island was the destination and I have a new hobby - Buffalo Stalking!

Although the day was cloudy and a bit rainy, there were enough peeks of sunshine and blue skies that we thought we would make the trek to Antelope Island.  From Provo, it is about 85 miles.  The clouds made for great backdrops of the scape of the island which is extremely primitive and natural.

 
The lady at the gate before we crossed the 7 mile, 2 lane road to the island advised us to head to the ranch to see the wildlife if they were out and about.  Wildlife includes 550-700 bison that roam free, pronghorn and bighorn sheep, mule deer and antelope.  We only saw buffalo but we saw a good number of the herd.

We spent about 4 hours driving and exploring the island.  We stopped to admire the buffalo and, if they were close enough, we did get out on the trails to get some pictures ...  slowly.  carefully.  and not getting toooooo close because they are HUGE.  HUGE.  and they can run fast.  really really fast.

So when I say Buffalo Stalking, I mean because the buffalo let me.  for which I am eternally grateful because they are awesome!  There is something breathtaking and iconic about seeing them in the distance and up close.

We witnessed some sparring along the side of the road and no one really had the urge to hurry the buffalo off the road.  A buffalo traffic jam ensued which was highly entertaining!

Everyone enjoyed the day - we took tons of pics - and we spent some time in the Visitor Center watching the movie and checking out the exhibits.

The Beehive Blog nominates Antelope Island as the BEE's KNEES!  and my new completely favorite place in Utah.

For more pictures - I will be adding to my Flickr:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/shaktiwomyn/

What is your favorite place in Utah?             

Tweetup at The Golden Door Spa in Park City

In the season of tricks or treats, this is definitely a TREAT!
Beehive Blog tweets with the Golden Door Spa in Park City and they have some lovely treats going on this Thursday, October 21at a very special (and uber relaxing) tweetup. No costumes needed, although I am sure they have fluffy robes for dress up!

Golden Door Spa Park City is having a Winter Housecleaning 50% Off Sale Tweetup (Twitter meetup, Twitter account not required to attend)! They're cleaning house to make room for new products for the winter season and offering 50% off select Golden Door, Tara Spa Therapy, Ling Skincare and SpaRitual products. Plus, Golden Door Spa therapists will offer complimentary neck/shoulder & hand/foot mini massages, and will be serving passed wine, cheese and crackers.

Where?
Golden Door Spa at the Waldorf Astoria Park City
2100 West Frostwood Drive
Park City, UT 84098
Phone: 435-647-5555
Website: http://www.parkcitywaldorfastoria.com/golden-door-spa/

When?
Thursday, October 21
6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Why?
Fabulous luxury spa products for a great deal (holiday gift ideas!); Meeting and mingling with your fellow Park City Tweeps; and Complimentary snacks and mini massages at the luxurious Golden Door Spa.  Does it get better than this?  Only if it is a whole spa day!



Products on Sale *while supplies last*
Golden Door products including Botanical body moisturizer and oil, Confidante Cleanser and Toner, Hydrating Gel, Imbue Antioxidant Moisturizer, Imbue Milky Cleanser, Oily Skin Treatment cleansers, and more.
Tara Spa Therapy products including, Balancing Bath & Diffuser Oil, Balancing Aromas, Bindi Body Oil, Rejuvenation Travel Kit, Finding Balance Gift Box, Herbal Face Serum, Jet Lag Recovery Travel Kit, Kapha Facial, Loving Aroma sets, Loving Bath & Diffuser Oil, Muscle Soother aroma, bath and gift boxes, Chai neck pillow, Pitta Facial, Rehydrator Lotion, Sleep Gift Box, Stress Relieving Gift Box, Sun Therapy Kit and Skin-Cell Regenerator Complex.

Ling Skincare products including Clearlight lotion, Facial Refining Tonic for Dry Skin, Freeze Serum, Moisturizing Facial Masque, Oxygen Plasma Potion and Pure Squalane.

SpaRitual products including bath salts with wildcrafted Indian frankincense, Affirming Scrub Masque, Instinctual Organic Bath Salts with ginger essential oil, multiple shades of nail polish and cuticle softner/remover.

ahhhhhh ... what a brilliant idea for a tweetup!
Time to pamper ourselves before the holidays carry us away!

Golden Door Spa Park City - @GoldenDoorSpaPC on twitter & on Facebook

Waldorf Astoria Park City - @WaldorfParkCity on twitter & on Facebook 

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shhhhh it is a wordless Thursday but I took it on Wednesday!

this week has been nuts.  truly.  In a good way and in a crazy truly nuts way.  In the good way, I have my Mom and my nephew here from Florida for several weeks.  It is awesome.  In the truly crazy nuts way, a dumpster crashed through my window Monday night and the weekend was back to back and I had to prep for company and work ahead even though I am behind and sigh.  SO.  here is my wordless Wednesday.  on Thursday.  but I took it on Wednesday so it should count.  right?  right.

  

Deals of the Summer - Shopping Tales

I love to shop and I love deals.  And being on a serious budget does not mean that you can never shop again, it just means that you have to be more creative.

"Deal" includes many things for me: a great price, a great find and sometimes, even paying full price for a particular treasure.

Provo has not been a huge haven for deal shopping - I imagine Salt Lake has some great finds but I rarely get up that way (looking to change that soon)!  I look for deals in thrift stores, any kind of re-sale shops and some of the big chains too: Marshal's, Target, Pier One ... my deal alert is always on.  Online deals are awesome too - Amazon, Overstock and even craigslist are some of my favorites.

Here are some of my favorite summer deals/treasures that I found:

OK - this was the deal of the century, practically.  I have a slight bag, purse obsession and a slight Louis Vuitton obsession.  Marry the two and I am tickled LV!  Imagine my delight/surprise/shock at finding this at DI ...

I was wandering past a huge stack of purses and the logo caught my eye.  First response was - No WAY!  Second response was to fondle it, stick my head in it and smell it and then clutch it as if someone was going to jump out and take it away from me.   Paid $15 and I saw it online for $200-$400!

My second favorite deal of the summer was made for The Beehive Blog - Beehives, Beehive Blog - right?  Then let me introduce you to the Beehive cookie jar!

  Too cute - perfect for the table and this was found at Pier One for $24.95 original price but I got it at 20% off the day I was there. 



Pier One always has great stuff and I love to search through their discount shelves so the other purchase that I made that same day was inspired by Giada on the Food Network.  She was doing a show on having a cocktail party for friends and served this amazing roasted cauliflower couscous salad.  She served the salad on this great tray with wonton spoons and guests could just take a wonton spoon that was already full of yummies.

 
I got the tray for $5 and the spoons were 75 cents each at Pier One.  Great idea for serving any yummy mouthful at a cocktail party!

My final deal of the summer (although summer is not over yet!) was this great little find in a thrift shop on State Street here in Provo.  There is only a tiny sign in the window and I missed it many times going by.  One of my favorite homemade dishes is my Thai curry and I make the paste by hand - the tools required are a mortar and pestle and a hand blender is like the topping on the curry.

 
The box was open but everything was new inside and worked like a charm.  So for $15 we are on our way to a yummy Thai Curry!  Want the Thai Curry recipe?  Click here to see it on Foodies Unite!



Deals make me happy and everyone deserves to be happy - right? 

Ok, Beehivers and Bloggers - what was your best find of the summer?  Share!

Chapters Quality Used Books in Orem

I am a book nerd.  I love everything about books and the first place I check out in a new area is the bookstores.  Not the Borders and Barnes and Nobles (although I like them too) but the USED bookstores because that is where you find the treasures!

Upon moving to Provo, I was tickled to find Pioneer Books right on Center Street with their floor to ceiling stacks of books in every imaginable category.  I spent several hours on several afternoons going through shelf after shelf at Pioneer Books.  I was a bit dismayed to find that they had left their location on Center Street when I went to stop in a few weeks ago.  My dismay turned to cheers when I discovered that they had changed to Chapters Quality Used Books and had moved to Orem and a new location on State Street.

So for all of you bibliophiles that believe treasures are found in huge stacks of used books - Check them out!  Their selection of Utah, History and Religion is particularly awesome!       

Chapters Quality Used Books
858 S. State Street Orem, Utah