Kelsey Landry

My piece about Kelsey Landry, a local filmmaker who started off as a film student and personal assistant who now owns her own production company and directs her own films.

Tell the world on your own lawn!

Here's how you tell him you know he's cheating, honey.

Just don't let it on my lawn, next time.

Single smugness

I'm sitting on my comfy, red couch enjoying the summer breeze with the living room door open and Nilla Wafers in hand when I hear a car screech to a stop outside my house. Traffic noises aren't uncommon, I live on a busy street. But the screeching, almost crashing sounds caught my attention. Hell, it was more interesting than actually writing anything today.

I leaned forward to look out the door and saw a couple I don't know. The woman was tall and beautiful. She had black hair and was wearing a blue dress. I assume she's Japanese because when she started yelling she had a thick accent and I only caught some of her words including "lie" and "cheat," which she screamed at a tall, beer-bellied middle-aged white guy in a Hawaiian shirt. He was soft spoken so I didn't hear his defense.

But after five minutes of listening in on their argument (I couldn't help it, she was yelling) my skills of deduction are telling me this guy cheated on her for years and when she confronted him about it about a month ago he denied his cheatin' ways only to continue sleeping with another woman. He chose today to confess his adultery. What an idiot! Seriously, honesty is the best policy. The rules from kindergarten will always be true.

Now, I'm enjoying the smug feeling of singlehood. What? It doesn't happen very often.

Wine, Dinner and Film

Diva's Cupcakes is hosting a film night and everyone's invited for the price of a $30 ticket. The films will be great.

Here's the full article.

http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-14955-Salt-Lake-City-Indie-Movie-Examiner~y2009m6d26-Divas-free-film-festival

Enjoy!

Dairy Keen is King

Dairy Keen in Heber, Utah is crazy. This little town is full of crazy coolness. I've heard lots of good things about Dairy Keen. I was excited to have the opportunity to stop by this little hamburger shop. The place is full of trains; on the ceilings, on the walls, outside, inside, everywhere for kids and big kids. They even have a Harry Potter train on display.

My brother Troy had the banana split and the chicken club sandwich. He loves their chicken club and always gets it. Unfortunately, he regretted ordering the banana spilt instead of his usual German chocolate shake.

About those shakes, that is some good ice cream. I don't know what Dairy Keen does, but their ice cream is thick, creamy and delicious. Anyone out there know if it's made nearby so I can buy some?

I had the strawberry shake. The strawberries were fresh and yummy. And the ice cream? I know I mentioned this before, but SERIOUSLY. GOOD.

I also had the Train Burger. The Train Burger is one of their signature items and is pretty much a ham-topped burger. It was way more meat than I was expecting, but still yummy. The ham is deli-sliced and salted while the hamburgers are made by hand. There's something about uneven edges on my burger that just makes my tummy happy.

Dairy Keen is a great local spot that has received lots of national coverage. If your ever in Heber, go ahead and stop by. Of course, I would love to check out some of their other local restaurants.

Just because there aren't people doesn't mean it isn't good

We were seated in the small back room with traditional Japanese furnishings. The other birthday guests were nervous about being in the seemingly empty restaurant they had never heard of, but once we settled in and made our order John took care of the rest.

I tried the mermaid sushi roll, which was new. It had yellow tail, salmon and mussel with green tabiko. It was a little slimier in texture than I would've liked and for that I'll blame the mussel. The flavor was great and it had just the right amount of tabiko to give it some pop. Plus, the way it looks on the plate you can totally see why it's called the mermaid roll, the green tabiko is rolled on in a circular pattern than the rolls are laid out to look like a fish tail it's pretty nifty plating.

The terriyaki chicken and beef dishes looked and smelled delicious and were great for the non-seafood people in the party. They were served huge portions with tons of veggies so all the men and women were happy with the dish. The birthday girl said the steak her husband ordered was very good.

I also tried the dragon roll it was pretty good, but not my favorite--no particular reason it just lacked pizazz. I had a California roll and realized once again how I don't really like crab all that much. Then I had the sunshine roll and remembered it was one of my favorites at Sapporo. Janelle loved the sunshine roll including the plating with the lemon slices on top. She also said that with sushi it makes sense to eat the lemon rind or else you miss some of the flavor. I would have to agree, the sunshine roll is so delicious because of the lemon.

Some of the fish seemed a little off. It may have been because we were there on a Thursday, but the birthday girl's husband was overheard mentioning the fishiness of his shashimi. I believe it was salmon and yellow tail.

When we stopped to say hi to John, he totally remembered us and apologized for not realizing we were in the "special" room. We will definitely be seeing him again on a Friday when the fish is fresh. Oh and next time we'll be at the bar.

Summer time is coffee time

My professor told me her favorite drink was coffee was in the summer. I thought it was a total oxymoron hot coffee in the summer? Yeah, right.

Turns out, she like to freeze milk ice cubes (I guess that's what you would call them) and put them in her coffee in the morning. I haven't tried it yet, but I did finally try an iced coffee from Sugar House Coffee.

I've always been a little nervous about iced coffee. I don't know why, something about the cold of a drink usually served hot seemed really off-putting to me. Lately, it's been so nice and summery, I decided to just go for it and try cold coffee.

I had an iced karmel sutra latte from Sugar House. It was delicious! I already knew I loved the karmel sutra, but iced was just as good as hot. Looks like I have a new summer wake up drink.

Tomorrow: milk ice cubes and coffee.

I'm published

My first article for Examiner.com about Salt Lake City's independent film scene. Please be a doll and read it. Go here!

Loren, we need more deliciousness!

After beer there's always room for barbecue. Following Sunday's Brewfest Harry, Erin, Laura, Ava and I made our way to Sugar House Barbecue for some yumminess. We were able to sit our on the back patio and our server was Loren, one of Salt Lake's best waiters. He is so amazing I remembered him from my last visit to the barbecue over a year ago.

The man is incredible! He endured three drunken girls and their alcoholic friend very well. He even remembered it was Erin's birthday and brought her a free dessert that was big enough to share. He also answered my questions about the menu and let us move inside once it cooled down outside.

I ordered the 1/3 rack of pork ribs with Greek potatoes and beans. As for the ribs, they were great. They had a nice, smoky crust on the outside and were soft on the inside. I thought they were a little dry, but with the house barbecue sauce it was so delicious it didn't matter. The house sauce is spicy, sweet and sour so all the flavors roll across your tongue. It's not the barbecue sauce I expected, but I still enjoyed it.

The potatoes were so good I felt inspired to make my own version at home the next day. Just dice some potatoes with the skin on toss with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and Italian spices and cook until soft.

The grilled beans were way yummy and I can see why they are one of the most popular sides at Sugar House Barbecue. I'm not usually a huge fan of beans, even though I've been eating more of them lately. These beans were sweet, soft and flavorful.

Everyone else definitely loved their food, too because we all cleaned our plates. Harry said, "That was good. Where's dessert?" Harry and other men I've eaten there with seem to agree, Sugar House Barbecue doesn't serve enough barbecue. Sugar House Barbecue does serve a smaller portion than most restaurants. For me it just means I actually eat everything. I think the portion sizes are fine at Sugar House Barbecue because one meal is exactly enough to fill me up.

However, to each his own. If you go to Sugar House Barbecue, plan on spending around $15 per person on the entree. And if you bring a big appetite, you might want to order twice. Oh and do yourself a favor and ask for Loren.

Noodles, again.

During my last weekend at Sundance, I spent a little more time with fast food.

James and I went to Noodles & Company on University Parkway in Orem. As always the food was consistent. Yay! Fast food chains.

I tried the Parmesan Crusted Chicken for the first time and was surprised by the richness of the crust. It was really yummy for a drizzly day of moving stuff. I also had the Pasta Fresca with cavatappi noodles. I didn't like the fresca as much as their Penne Rosa, but it was worth trying something new.

I definitely could use more vegetables in my pasta. I felt a little cheated by the lack of tomatoes and spinach in my pasta. I don't know if they always serve such a small amount of greens with their pasta, but this girl wants more.

As always with Noodles I was impressed by their speedy service. The consistency of their food means nothing remarkable happens so I have nothing remarkable to say. So thanks for bringing a decent consistency to the fast food scene Noodles. I'll always be grateful for you when I don't know where else to eat.

I found new love

Now that sunshine is back, my new love is beer. Yes, beer!

For Erin's birthday, we went to the Grill on the Hill at Snowbird where three ounce beer samples cost a dollar, but admission is free.

I enjoyed $14 worth of local beers. Including some new ones.

My favorite new beer discovery is the Desert Edge Brewery's Anniversary Amber Ale. The Desert Edge is located at Trolley Square in Salt Lake City. I'll be stopping by to check out their food. The other brews they had on tap weren't nearly as sweet and smooth, but still a decent beer.

My favorite new brewery is Hoppers in Midvale, Utah. Sadly their beer is not available in stores. The bar tender informed they're looking at a bottling line in the next six months. So watch for their Pale Morning Ale and Orange Honey Hefeweizen. Ava and I are already planning a future trip to their brew pub in Midvale, perhaps a student loan payment victory beer?

I also liked the Moab Brewery's Deadhorse Ale. It was a little bitter, but I know what I'll drink next time I'm in town. They also served anoter Ale and a Pilsner. The Scorpion Ale was a little more bitter than the Deadhorse. I didn't try the Pilsner, but was told it was one of their more popular beers.

Bohemian Brewery from some place (I completely forgot which country in Europe) had a Bloch which was way to heavy and bitter for me. I also tried their red brew. Again, I've forgotten which type of beer it was. The red was much smoother, but not something I'll go out of my way to find. Bohemian gets props for their tagling, "Serving blonds, redheads and brunettes daily." Instant love!

I also had Uinta's Cutthroat again. A nice beer I've always enjoyed, but Uinta only served brews I've tried before so I stayed away from their booth for most the day.

Squatter's was again serving their Polygamy Porter, which is a great beer. It's dark enough I feel like a real beer drinker, but smooth enough I can actually drink it. The opposite of Captain Bastard's Stout from Squatters.

I also had the Chasing Tail Pale Ale again. It's a nice ale that goes down easy. I especially like the brightness of this brew.

After sampling so many beers I have to retract my love of Squatter's Hefeweizen a little, it's more bitter than a few other hefe's I tried, but still a nice brew from a local pub. My new love is their Summer Ale. It's a nice citrusy drink that goes down smoother than Corona. Plus, buying it will support my local economy.

If you didn't make it to Snowbird's Brewfest, try Oktoberfest in the fall. The local beer scene just keeps getting better. And hopefully by then I can bring Hopper's beers home.

Provo food time, hold on to your tummy

Another day in Provo meant another day of fast food for me. Wes, James and I went to Apollo's Burgers. This was my first visit to the Utah chain and one of very few I will make in my lifetime.

Apollo's was kind of gross. The open counter only shows off the uncleanliness of the kitchen. I ordered the cheeseburger combo just so I could upgrade to onion rings. The cashier said Apollo's won't allow you to order a kids' meal and substitute anything for the french fries. Apollo, take a hint from your big-time competitor Mickey D's: give people options.

The burger was pretty good. I was pretty happy with the grilled burger with lots of cheese and toppings. For fast food, it was good. The onion rings were just off. I'm not sure what went wrong, but the onion was undercooked, the breading bland and it tasted like the inside of the freezer. I don't know what happened, but they are possibly the worst onion rings I've ever had.

Then I went to the bathroom and I almost lost it. I've been in gas stations with cleaner bathrooms. It was disgusting. I really hope it was just an off day and they were understaffed. If I ever go back to Apollo's Burgers it sure won't be there Provo location.

The lesson here is to only order my favorite deep-fried side dish at the Soup Kitchen. Oh Provo, when will you have good food?

The Owl Bar

In my time at Sundance, I've discovered the locals bar. The Owl Bar at the Sundance Resort is very cowboy. The building is a rebuilt cabin with tons of black and white photos of Robert Redford and other celebrities who made Westerns back in the day.

The waitresses are pretty awesome. They are very friendly and super chill. Plus, there's no cover charge on weekdays. And underagers tip: they appear to only check the idea of the person buying. Not that I'm encouraging illegal activities.

Now for the negatives, the price tag. A glass of beer on tap will run you $5 at the Owl Bar, which is a pretty hefty price for a 3.2% alcohol pint of Squatter's. A shot costs about $7.50 and I'm scared to even look at the cocktail list.

Next up for complaint, the food. The bar serves food from The Foundry Grill. The Grill is beyond overpriced a steak entree runs at about $37. I only ordered the cheese fries appetizer for $8.50 it was good. Nice hot, melty goodness.

I also tried the macaroni and cheese appetizer for $9.50. It was okay, but went a little bit more the way of traditional mac and cheese from home than I expected. It also came out of the kitchen so hot, I burnt my mouth a little. True, the waitress warned me, but it was still scary.

I love the atmosphere of the Owl Bar, they play amazing music and have a great staff. So here's my advice take a day trip to Sundance and pack a picnic basket. Enjoy a beautiful hike and eat by one of the many waterfalls in the area. Than finish off your day at the Owl Bar before heading home.

Enjoy your day in the Old West!

Wedding Food Trends

I mean really?! You're giving up the cake?! http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/17/dining/17wedd.html?_r=1&em

I can't believe it.

Props to Heartless Dolls for tweeting this.

It's all in the roux

I attempted to make mac & cheese the other day. I thought a nice comfort food with bacon bits would go nicely with the drizzly weather these days. And it did sort of.

Unfortunately I didn't mix the flour in the bacon grease quite right so I ended up with a grainy roux. In my efforts to solve the grainy problem, I cooked the sauce for just a few minutes. The longer I let the sauce cook the grainier the roux seemed to become.

I'm not really sure what I did wrong so any advice or insights into how to fix my current roux problem please let me know.

I ended up with a thin, grainy cheese sauce, lots of bacon bits and overcooked pasta.

*Sigh* My cooking mojo has left me. Maybe I'll try something new. Any ideas?

Learn to fake it until you make it, honey!

Really, is it that hard to fake it?

After Ava, Erin and I went to Blue Plate Diner at 2100 South 2100 East, Ava sent me this link to Bad Service.Reading these stories made me feel an itty-bit better about our experience, but come on.

Blue Plate was so busy this Sunday afternoon we waited for a table. The wait wasn't too long, but it was a little weird to be asked to wait. The hostess (who I believe is the owner's wife) handed me three menus and asked us to follow our waitress to the back booth that had taken ten or so minutes to get cleaned after all we got to watch while we waited.

We followed Jasmine back and sat down. She wandered off then came back a few minutes later to ask what we wanted to drink. Her first words to us were, "What would you like to drink?" All three of us ordered coffee and water.

A few minutes later we all had water, but I had no coffee. Apparently, when I asked for coffee she didn't hear me. Now I pride myself on being a good customer. I've worked in the restaurant business and I always tip well. I really believe that if I treat my server well, they will treat me well. Obviously, Jasmine has a different ideology. I was bugged that I had to ask twice for coffee, but I tried to not make a big deal out of it.

Many minutes later (Erin had time to choose what she wanted even), Jasmine made her way back to take our order. No smiles, no helpful-ness just "What do you want?" Seriously, what happened to piss her off so much that she couldn't even pretend to be cheerful for the five seconds it takes to write down an order?!

Our food came out fairly quickly and was good. But in the hour or so we spent eating Jasmine checked on us once and another waitress refilled our coffee after Erin asked for more. The second waitress also managed to make a hugely inappropriate joke at the same time about not having enough coffee for Ava.

Awesome! Because when you have a table of three unhappy people making a joke about not seeing we need something is golden.

I've eaten at Blue Plate often enough to know that this level of terrible service is most likely a fluke. But I'm upset enough by the experience that next time I want breakfast in the afternoon I'll go to the Park Cafe or try Finn's on 1700 South. Sorry, Blue Plate you gotta earn my love.

Nostalgia for a dollar

I just spent a dollar on mint lemonade.

Never again, in my life will I attempt to drink mint lemonade. I blame children and childhood. I was walking home and two adorable little girls were selling lemonade outside their house. They had a super cool stand set up and wore matching aprons, plus one of the girls was holding a chicken like she was a cat. How is any adult going to say no to that cuteness?

The girl-without-the-chicken started screaming they had lemonade and cupcakes while I was still across the street. When I finally got to the girls, I asked for a small lemonade. I saw the cupcakes and decided my own homemade mess was probably safer for my stomach.

They were out of small cups, but I felt bad remembering my lemonade stand days and waiting forever for one kind soul to buy a cup of KoolAid lemonade. So I pulled out a bill and said it was okay. I asked for a large and was given a red plastic cup half-filled with mint lemonade. The mixer of the lemonade was proud to inform me of the mint concoction as she held onto her chicken, who apparently told her it was the best lemonade in the world. Sorry kid, the chicken lied.

I took one very small sip and wished them luck. It was only the memories of watching adults throw lemonade out on the corner that held me back from tossing the cup of yuck out. I walked all the way home before throwing the beverage down the sink. Mint and lemonade are two flavors that do not mix.

My only consolation is that my money went towards a good cause. May those girls and their chicken have better money management skills than me.

More Sundance

Hi everyone,

I'm too emotionally drained to talk about food.

I've been eating out a lot. Somehow spending 13 hours a day away from home just makes me want to gorge on grease than go to sleep. Of course, that's after my requisite TV and Internet time.

On a food side note: Blue Plate Diner waitresses are awful on a busy Sunday afternoon and homemade sauces are only as good as the roux you make. Longer posts to come later.

Talk soon,
Krista

Drinking in Utah County

Where to get a margarita in Utah county?

It's a tough question to answer, but the answer seems to be Chili''s. Y'all know I don't like chains, but apparently that's all they have on University Parkway. Last night, the other Sundance interns and I went to dinner at Chili's.

Two good things, one: Presidente Margarita and two: The bar. I know that might sound redundant, but let me explain.

Utah County has a disgusting amount of children. I love my nieces and nephews. Children I don't know frighten me. When we walked in, everyone insisted we sit in the bar area. Our waitress Amber Rae was very friendly and a decent waitress. She seemed a little unprofessional and immature--most the staff appeared to be in their late teens so I was happy to have a waitress who could legally bring me alcohol.

The Presidente Margarita was nice and smooth. A little weak, a girl like me could always use a little more liquor. And like all Utah restaurant cocktails cost about $7.

The chicken fajita I ordered is really a bland quesadilla. It cost about $9 and came with fries. I will never order this again. I may not have been that hungry, but the fajita was past disappointing.

So if you ever find yourself in Orem, you can drink at Chili's. Good luck getting buzzed!

Sundance

I met Robert Redford.

For the past two days, I've been working at the Sundance Institute Director's Lab. The lab's are catered so I've been eating mediocre restaurant food for two meals each day. Beyond increasing my rum cake addiction, catering brought me Bob.

Yep, that's what people who know him call him. Secretly, I call him the Sundance Kid, but I try to keep the girlish giggling to myself. Yesterday the Sundance Kid came to lunch while I was there. And he's totally cool!

The Sundance Kid introduced himself to all the new people (that's me!). It was amazing! So while the food itself was a little disappointing. The Sundance Kid is as amazingly awesome in real life as he is on film.

That's all for now folks!

The Park Cafe

Hash browns a.k.a Park Potatoes and more coffee than anyone could possibly drink at one meal. The breakfast fare at Liberty Park is a great hangover cure, even if the servers hover.

Patrick, Erin and I went to The Park Cafe on 600 East 1300 South for a breakfast/lunch meal. The Park is only open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. The menu is limited to breakfast and lunch items.

The only dish you need to worry about is Park Potatoes. These hash browns are so delicious. They remind me of the kind my mom used to make with grated potatoes and bacon grease. The Park has mastered the right level of crispy goodness to soft potato.

I also ordered the grilled cheese sandwich, which was a waste because after all the potatoes I didn't have room for the grilled cheese. Of the few bites I did take, it was good. But didnt' match the yumminess of the potatoes so I was disappointed.

Erin loved her huevos rancheros even though they didn't have chorizo and instead came with breakfast sausage that was ordered as a separate side. Patrick loves the chili at The Park and it's one of his favorite breakfast spots. I think we were all very happy with our food.

Our server was friendly, knowledgable and overly helpful. For some mysterious reason the bus boy and our waiter both refilled our coffees and waters about every ten seconds. I asked for a lot of coffee and water, but my glass was never less than three-quarters full. And my creamer, sugar with coffee beverage became coffee with creamer and sugar far too quickly. I kind of like to be left alone with my friends when we go out to eat. I never thoguht I'd say this, but the wait staff is too helpful.

For grilled cheese with Park potatoes and coffee my bill came to just under $6. For the food, it was well worth the price, but please leave my coffee alone.

Clear the Air Challenge

Good karma, here I come!

Yeah, baby. I just joined the Utah Clear the Air Challenge. And I know this is kind of ironic since I have never owned a car and average driving someone else's vehicle less than once a month. But I could really use the karma.

So I'll be keeping up with my usual taking of the bus and walking lifestyle. But hey, it's for a good cause. Now I have a "reason" to not buy a car, I'm just environmentally conscious. Secretly, I'm hoping for karma in the form of a job, but other niceness will do.

Come on goodness!

Welcome to the Grove

Oh. My. God. Is that a sandwich? I dare you, to not say that when you first see a sandwich from The Grove Market on Main Street and 1700 South-ish.

Sasquatch, Ava and I made our maiden voyage to The Grove Market because whenever I've gone by on the bus this little deli is packed. There are always people sitting outside on the tables and occasionally the line goes out the door and onto the small patio.

The afternoon we went the deli wasn't especially busy, but The Grove wasn't quite what I expected either. I had envisioned it to be a deli, which it is, but it's also a market. The little shop is packed to the gills with Ute memorabilia and other sports gear exploding off the shelves. The market has pretty much everything you would need, including a ridiculously vast selection of olives and hot sauce.

A full sandwich from The Grove will set you back about $10. A little expensive I know, but the sandwich is of such gargantuan proportions you are actually buying two separate sandwiches. There are not many people in this world who can eat an entire Grove sandwich in one sitting--Walt, don't even try.

I ordered the avocado, tomato sandwich because I was feeling like salad. Packed between two slices of thick French bread were avocado, tomato, lettuce, pickles, cheese, salt, pepper, mayo and mustard. The sandwich was so big it was somewhat intimidating.

I loved the pepper and pickles. The avocado all squished out so I ended up eating half my sandwich more like the salad I'd thought about ordering. Because of my problems with holding the sandwich together I'll probably ask for the bread rolls next time instead of slices.

I really enjoyed my sandwich and would love to go back to The Grove. However, Ava says the sandwich is too expensive for what you get and there is way too much mayonnaise and mustard. Sasquatch was somewhere between Ava and I. She really liked her sandwich, but also said her sandwich had too much mustard on it.

So my suggestion is order a half sandwich on a bread roll and ask for less condiments. I have no idea if the boys who look like they dropped out of Brooklyn will deliver, but they seem like nice kids. After all, it doesn't hurt to ask.

Phew! Potato Skins

This weekend was a little crazy so I put off blogging for some sleep. First things first, potato skins.

Hardware:
Cutting board
Knife
Skillet
Wooden spoon
Cookie sheet
Fork

Software:
4 T. vegetable oil
4 T. Kosher salt
4 russet potatoes
6 strips of bacon, diced
1/2 C. Cheddar cheese, grated
3 green onions, sliced
1/2 C. sour cream

Instructions:
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly was the potatoes in cold water. Next, coat the potatoes in vegetable oil and Kosher salt. Place in the oven an let cook for approximately 30 minutes. Turn the oven temperature up to 425 degrees until the potatoes are done cooking about 20 minutes. The skins should peel away from the potato.

While the potatoes are cooking, dice the bacon. Place the bacon in a cold skillet over medium heat. Let the bacon cook until brown, using the wooden spoon to spread the bacon evenly. When the bacon is cooked, place on a paper towel covered plate and let the grease drain.

Remove the potatoes from the oven. Cut the potatoes in half. Using your fork, fluff the inside of the potato. To fluff the potato, stab the fork in straight down and turn. Top the potato with the bacon bits and cheddar cheese. Return to oven, until the cheese melts about 5 minutes.

Remove the potato skins from the oven., top with sour cream and scallions. Serve hot and enjoy!