Caputo's Market - Foodie Extravaganza ... Seriously.

Since I have moved to Utah, I have heard about Tony Caputo's Market & Deli - an Italian market in Salt Lake City but the time and space continuum did not allow for a visit until recently. 

And what a visit it was. 

I wanted to pack my bags and just live there.  I could sleep in the Cheese Cave, right?  Yes, I said CHEESE CAVE ...

"Cheese Cave: Caputo's state of the art cheese cave is one of only a handful in the country. Many complex systems are set in place to replicate the perfect environment for aging cheeses.  It allows Caputo's to offer over 200 perfectly fresh farmstead cheeses. Cheese fanatics are welcome to drool as they peer through the huge glass wall into the cave."

 

If you look very closely, you can see the imprint of Queen Bee's nose on the glass.  The guy at the counter was great as we picked a few ounces of a number of cheeses so we could try as much as possible - this is what we bought:

Fontina Val D'Aosta, Quicke's Cheddar, Humboldt Fog (a goat cheese with a line of ash), Scoparolo (a combo of pecorino & goat cheese), Juni (with Juniper Berries!), Beehive Promontory and Beehive Cheddar (of course, I had to get the Beehive cheeses!), and Grotte Caputo.  A feast to be sure but what would a feast be without meat to complement my carnivorous palate ...

Off we went down the line to check out the salamis and meats ...

Capocollo, Genoa, Felino by Creminelli and Sopressata  all equal HEAVEN. 


And where does all the YUM come from?  "In House Salame Maker: With over 14 types of proscuitti and dozens of salami, including those made by the house salame maker, Cristiano Creminelli, Caputo's can claim the best cured meat selection in Utah and, possibly, in America. Cristiano's family has been hand making salame for over 400 years and their salumificio (salame shop) was named best in the entire region of Piedmont in 2006. In 2007, he came to Caputo's to make all natural salame with all natural Utah pork."

We continued our shopping by perusing the selection of chocolate ... yes, chocolate ... shelves of it and from some of the most delectable chocolatiers in the world.  We scooped some real caramel and then trooped over to the Deli because there was no way that we were going to make it all the way home without eating something!

I grew up in an all Italian neighborhood in the northeast so I am seriously picky about Italian food and sauce.  So when I say that Caputo's had the best meatball sandwich that I have had since I left the South Philadelphia area ... I mean it.  I would go back just for the meatball sandwich - it was that good.  We also tried the best pasta salad which was fresh and delicious and was able to tide us over as we drove back to Provo.

We chopped some apples and pears, gathered crackers, grapes and bread and set out all of the pieces of Paradiso from Caputo's - Our Feast ...

Our hands down favorite cheeses were the Grotte Caputo, Quicke's Cheddar, Fontina val D'Aosta and Beehive Promontory.  All of them were delicious!  The Juni with the juniper berries is a very unique taste and was the least favorite - definitely an acquired taste.

Everyone had a different favorite with the meats but the Sopressata gained a slight lead.

The Beehive Blog pronounces Caputo's Market ~ The Bee's Knees! 

We cannot wait for our next visit to Caputo's - they now have three locations so change it up and run, don't walk over to Caputo's and create your own Foodie Extravaganza meal!  If you are out of area, call them and ask about shipping ... it is worth it.  And don't forget to tell them that you read about them on the Beehive Blog!


Caputo's Market Main Site

Say Hi to Caputo's on Facebook

Tweet @CaputosMarket

Communal in Provo also serves Caputo's products so you can always sneak a fix in!  Here is the Beehive Blog review on Communal!

 

Bingham Canyon Mine - Cool Salt Lake City Day Trip

We spent part of our day in the center of the earth ... well kind of. OK ... we spent our day in the largest open pit excavation project on Earth.  The same open pit excavation that can be seen from the Space Station which does not really register until you are standing at the Visitor Center at the Bingham Canyon Mine (aka the Kennecott Copper Mine) and looking into that open pit.  The mine has been in production since 1906, and has resulted in the creation of a pit over 0.75 miles (1.2 km) deep, 2.5 miles (4 km) wide, and covering 1,900 acres (7.7 km²).

Although it struck me as a bit surreal and a bit creepy, the boys loved it.  The Visitor Center offers a nice little mini museum and a brief movie discussing the history of the Bingham Canyon Mine and talks about the current day operations.  Which are huge.  Huge like the PIT.

We were there on Sunday and everything except the little gift shop was open.  You pay at the gate and then make your way up the winding road about 3.5 miles to the Visitor Center that is perched on the edge of the open pit.  Massive trucks make their way up and down the teeny (to my paranoid and vertigo powered perception) roads that hug the inside of the mountain and provide access up and down.  Excavation is continuous.

It is certainly something to see but I will admit to a slight sense of relief as we made our way out of the pit and back to civilization!  

Some cool facts about the mine:

• Bingham Canyon has proven to be one of the world's most productive mines. As of 2004, ore from the mine has yielded more than 17 million tons (15.4 Mt) of copper, 23 million ounces (715 t) of gold, 190 million ounces (5,900 t) of silver, and 850 million pounds (386 kt) of molybdenum.
• The value of metals produced in 2006 at Bingham Canyon was US$1.8 billion dollars.
•  Employing 1,800 employees and hundreds of contractors, 450,000 tons (408 kt) of material are removed from the mine daily. Electric shovels can carry up to 56 cubic yards (43 m³) or 98 tons (89 t) of ore in a single scoop.
• Today, as the second largest copper producer in the United States, Kennecott Utah Copper provides about 13-18% percent of the U.S.'s copper needs.
• The current mine plan will expire in 2019. Rio Tinto is currently studying a plan to extend the open pit 1,000 feet southward, which would extend the life of the mine into the mid-2030s.

h/t to Wikipedia - Bingham Canyon Mine 

Day Trip to Park City

Sometimes it feels like I am running at 500 miles per hour ... and still in the same place.  Family visits are joyful but stressful and there have been some challenges :) - was that PC?  The best part is getting out and about, doing day trips and indulging our rabid little foodie palates.  And indulge we have!

on the way to Park City

We had a lovely day in Park City - although I admit to liking it better in the snow :) and Empire Pass is still the place I would love to live and run my little Bloggy Kingdom ... the Montage at Deer Valley is coming along nicely and still targeting December 2010 for opening ... 35K foot spa ... HELLO!

 Lunch was cheesy goodness on the balcony of the Red Banjo - Park City's oldest restaurant and we were waited on by the current owner who is third generation.  We munched on pizza with chicken and artichokes and meatball sandwiches, sipped our black cherry vanilla and bubblegum sodas and Apricot Hefeweizen beer (which was SO good, we got some for home!) all while admiring the view down main street.  The food at Red Banjo was good and the prices were reasonable and very family friendly. 

 
It was Viper Day in Park City ... as in cars ... a bit too much on fumes and testosterone for me but the boys loved it.

And what would a day in Park City be without a visit to our favorite Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory?  Thankfully, Main Street is perfect for walking off a sugar high!

The day wrapped up with a drive home via Salt Lake, a visit into the Park City Nursery to visit their pumpkin patch and some lovely views along the way.

 All in all - Park City is a great day trip from Provo ... our next day trip is the Alpine Loop and Sundance Resort!
       

Smashing Sunday in Salt Lake City

Sunday was a smashing combo of great sites and an amazing meal - my favorite kind of day!  It turns out that Sunday in Salt Lake City is a lovely day to visit as most of the stores downtown are closed - less traffic and less people.

We started with the state capitol building which was open and virtually deserted!  Absolutely amazing building and architecture and perched high atop the valley.

After the Capitol building we went to my new MOST favorite restaurant - Wild Grape Bistro where we had an amazing Sunday brunch!  Wild Grape is a cool little place right on South Temple in Salt Lake.  The service was outstanding, the food was amazing and I cannot wait to go back!

We started with a house special bloody mary, iced coffees, kiwi lemonade and a prickly pear mimosa ...

And then we moved onto the main delights:  Crab Benedict, Shrimp & Chorizo and Grits, Open Faced Prime Rib Sandwich and Huevos Rancheros ... oh myyyyyy, I am hungry again ...

Our Server was a delight herself - Brooke - and Wild Grape Bistro is now at the head of my list for every Salt Lake visit!

We wrapped the day with a leisurely stroll through Temple Square and peeks into the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Assembly Hall.  Sunshine, good food and family ... does it get better than that?

Next weekend is MOAB and the Arches - I cannot wait!

Don't forget - I have 5 more weeks to fill with my visitors - you can win a $25 Smashburger gift certificate by suggesting places in Utah!  We are looking for more off the beaten path or restaurant or lodging suggestions - Who has been to MOAB??? 

Keep the Ideas Coming & Win a $25 Smashburger Gift Certificate!  Click Here!
   

Utah Travel Plans - Keep the Ideas Coming & Win a Smashburger Gift Certificate!

I am a relatively new transplant to Utah, having arrived here in Provo at the end of October 2009. With getting settled and a major career change occurring, I have not had much time for exploring Utah. I live vicariously through several of the Utah Bloggers and I make notes for the day that I can get out and about. Since we have family that has arrived from Florida for an extended stay of 6 weeks - yes, six weeks - the days of out and about are upon me.


I tweeted out some requests for suggestions and I am looking for some out of the way eateries and day trips. ALL suggestions are welcome and SO appreciated & you will be entered into a giveaway for a $25 Smashburger gift certificate (see details below)! My family has always been big travelers so we like off the beaten track and local restaurants.

We do have a few things planned:

•  Great Salt Lake & Antelope Island ( and we added the Great Salt Lake Shorelands Preserve thank you to @nedr3547 who works for the Nature Conservancy)
• Sunday Brunch at the Wild Grape Bistro  (@WildGrapeBistro on twitter) - now this has been a well talked about restaurant by all of the Utah foodies so we are SO excited (Thank you to @jennistokes  and @phemom for the confirmations & recommends!)
• Dinner at Communal Restaurant in Provo - realllllll Foodie Food...in Provo! (hat tip to @jet_set!)
• Weekend in Park City (looking for places to eat!)
• Long weekend to St. George & Zion & Escalante
• Weekend to Moab
• Enchanted Evenings with Spiderella and Hogle Zoo (can you say arachnophobia?  but the boys are so excited that they cannot see straight - sigh ... the things you do for love)
• Utah Museum of Natural History - we HAVE to see Utahceratops
• Temple Square in Salt Lake & This is the Place Heritage Park 
• "Celebrate the Bounty" in Salt Lake on October 21 - more foodie adventures!
• I am going to stuff my face with My Dough Girl cookies and bring even more home to eat (@MyDoughGirl on twitter)
• Bingham Canyon Mine (far be it from me to deter young boys' enthusiasm for huge holes in the ground that can be seen from space!)
• Clark Planetarium
• Provo Pioneer Museum

And some new additions to the list, again Thank You to Awesome Tweeps!

• from @PheMom who has a husband that has a COOL job at iFLY Utah which elicited more enthusiasm from the boys!
• from @TheWriteImage - stand up paddle surfing on the Salt Lake - and after looking at the site, they have full moon paddle surfing!  Just wondering about the temperature of the water & if Salt Lake has its own Loch Ness Monster lol!  
• from @jet_set - Ride out to Sundance Resort for lunch!

SO that is where we are in the planning process and as a THANK YOU to all of the wonderful suggestions, I will be giving away a $25 Smashburger gift certificate to a winner chosen at random on October 1, 2010 from @tweets and from the comments here below - make sure your suggestions are not duplicating any of the above AND make sure they are entered by September 30, 2010 at midnight mountain time.  To keep it simple, one entry per person. 

Who doesn't love Smashburger?  The Beehive Blog LOVES the Beehive Smashburger!





And while you are here, check out the Utah Bloggers Rock blogroll ----->  if your blog is not on there, let me know and I will add it!

The Beehive Blog Spends the day with Photo by Emilie

I was tickled pink to be invited by an awesome tweeter, @taunitweets, to a wonderful photography workshop by Emilie of Photo by Emilie.  We met for a four hour workshop at Emilie's lovely studio in Draper, Utah - other awesome tweeters in attendance were @twomoreseconds and @savvyveronica.

Emilie is not only an extremely talented photographer that also has an incredible sympatico with recalcitrant kiddos but she is an excellent teacher.  The workshop was on how to work from a completely manual setting on your camera and covered all of those weird and foreign settings on the camera like f-stop, aperture, iso, shutter speed, etc..  Each attendee received Emilie's workbook that is packed with hints and examples and a step by step on all of the topics covered in the workshop.  We spent a ton of time on light and all of the settings that affect how light enters your camera and affects your subject.

Armed with our newly found illumination, Emilie produced the most adorable family for us to practice on.  This was my favorite part!  I am very hands on when learning so to hear Emilie discuss the topics, look at the settings and her examples and then be able to put it into immediate practice was invaluable.

 

After working with the delightful children while Emilie coached us on poses and angles and using the light, we came back in for some more theory, this time focusing on editing the photos.  Another invaluable step.  The entire workshop progressed in a logical and enjoyable manner with great company and lots of laughs with Emilie and her sparkling personality.   

Although I have been doing amateur photography for several years, I had yet to progress to fully manual and Emilie took the trepidation out of the exercise completely!  I also tend to focus on nature photography so this was an interesting look into the world of portraits and people photography.




The Beehive Blog would like to name Photo by Emilie - THE BEE'S KNEES! 

I highly recommend the workshop for photographers of all levels.  The Beehive Blog will be alerting readers when Emilie schedules her next workshop - what a GREAT holiday gift *hint hint* - but until then ... there are tons of ways that you can take advantage of Photo by Emilie's expertise -

The Beehive Blog recommends:

• Checking out Emilie's monthly Photo Tips on her blog - See September Tip here!
• Family portraits for Halloween or Christmas!
• Photoshop Tutoring - this is one on one and the next thing that I will be scheduling!
• Action sets for Photoshop
• Texture Sets 
• Workbook by Emilie
• Pre-schedule for the next Photography Workshop with Photo by Emilie

Here is how to get ahold of the fabulous Emilie ... tell her the Beehive Blog sent you!

Photo by Emilie

801-808-3669

emilie@photobyemilie.com

Main Site: www.photobyemilie.com 

Photo by Emilie Blog  

@photobyemilie on twitter

some completion

A little over three years ago, I began a journey that took me out of country, cross country, traveling to multiple countries and just a general lack of a "home".  My life was fractured with little bits of me in Arizona, Florida and London.  I try not to be materialistic but this journey has included an incredible amount of material loss - like my library of 800+ books, family photos and other treasures. 
Simplification has certainly been the order of the day ... of necessity going from an almost 6 figure annual income, a marriage, a beautiful home and an exciting career track to barely keeping my head above water, a separation waiting for the legality of divorce, a new little home and a decimated career due to the economy.
But that is what life is all about, right?  Challenges, Joys, Sadness, Contentment, Grief - And our characters are measured by the grace and fortitude with which we weather the tsunamis of life.  I get that.  but sometimes I cannot help a bit of a whine ... or feelings of deprivation ... and then the immediate guilt that follows because so many are in far worse shape than me.
Living in Utah and restarting with nothing but a few tubs of personal items and clothing has been a great learning experience and has certainly led me to appreciate the simplicity of life that I have found here.  We have a little home but the key word is "home".  It has become a sanctuary and a place that my son and I feel safe and relaxed and ... finally ... content and settled.  PHEW.

sometimes ...

Some of my posts are transferring in ... sigh as VOX that I was so tickled to get back to is closing their platform ... bear with me friends as posts are incoming ...
 
Sometimes we need to come back to where we were, like putting on a favorite shirt or visiting a place that brings good memories.  That is how I feel about VOX *grin*.  I have spent an enormous amount of time in the big, bad blogosphere and I like it, but I felt the need to return to a space that was comfy for some more private thoughts and different sharing.

I always loved my VOX community and I was tickled pink to see so many of my favorite people are still active.  It feels lovely to step back into this comfy shirt.

It has been almost a year since I last updated and, wow, things have been crazy but in some really good ways.

I moved to Utah.  In fact, as I sit here and type, I only have to raise my glance over the top of my computer to see the Timpanogos peaks to the north and the face of the souther Wasatch front to the east.  Big, gorgeous mountains.  I moved last October.  Some friends had relocated to Provo and since Florida felt more and more claustrophobic, I decided to accept their invitation and join them.  So, Zach (the munchkin man who is now taller than me at 13)  and I packed everything we could in about 10 tubs and off we went, sight unseen, to Provo, Utah.

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

Sassy Scoops - Do you Follow the Sassies?

Since arriving in Utah, I have found the Social Media community to be fun, warm and inclusive - one of the many reasons that I love my new home state!

Some of the really fun ladies are the Sassies - they have great giveaways, awesome local features and the Sassies individually have wonderful blogs.   Connect with them at SassyScoops.com!

As part of one of their many giveaways, running through June 12, if you create a blog post about Sassy Scoops.com and add their widget to your blog, you are entered to win $100 in gift cards to support local businesses.  Can you say WIN WIN?  Enter the contest here!

Beehive Blog is all in for this and to support Sassy Scoops - some of our local best!  GO Sassies!



   

The Beehive Blog Features: Doc & Local Joints TV!

Utah has great tweeps and there are few as active and engaging as the tweep @IGoByDoc, aka Darin Berntson.  Doc is a social media maven and has been actively working with clients in the realms of internet marketing and social media over the past five years.  "I fell in love doing the ins and outs of Social Media over the last couple of years, so I decided to focus more on that rather than typical internet marketing strategies.  For me, my favorite thing is to talk to a business, and see how we can help them succeed online."
Doc's newest venture combines his love of social media, his local business strategies and another favorite - video.  Local Joints TV launched at the beginning of May with Doc and his great smile in front of the camera talking to local Salt Lake City & Utah County business owners.
Episode One was Doc talking to Smashburger in Draper, Utah and all the Beehive Blog can say is - Watch out Food Network - Utah has a rising star!


For Doc and Local Joints TV, the philosophy is "behind every business is a great story and we are here to tell them".  Doc figured that video was the best way to get these stories out.  "Local Joints TV is an everyman's version of some bigger shows but with a local feel and favor.  On our show, we are focusing on businesses that are in the food, fun and entertainment categories."

cherry blossoms

Utah Lake