10 Years of Stoneground

At this point, the location of Stoneground really shouldn’t be a secret.  But since it’s tucked away downtown on the second floor of an older building, one that overlooks the Salt Lake Library and a Trax station, it is easy to drive straight by without ever seeing the large rust-colored sign.  In June, Stoneground celebrated its tenth anniversary.  And while this is an incredible feat for any restaurant, it is even more impressive when you consider the eatery’s humble beginnings and the adversity it has faced over the past decade. … read more

Pro Fitness for Pro Gym-Avoiders

While physical fitness certainly has its benefits, a lot of people (including this writer) have a number of negative connotations about ‘going to the gym’ and the stereotypes of persons that embrace their gym memberships and workout routines.  So, the occasional bike ride to the bar or sporadic day on the slopes is about the extent of exercise I experience in any given year. In efforts to tackle my fear of the more muscle-bound of us, I head towards Vitality Fitness – a unique gym hidden inside a commercial park in west Sugarhouse. … read more

Picture Me Rollin’: Mark Judd

Mark Judd doing an ollie on his skateboard.

I met Mark Judd a long time ago but it was back in the day of Connections. I saw him skating in a competition there and he was throwing bangers on the rails and shredding the park harder than anyone I had ever seen. He was pure energy. “I got like fifth place, but I thought I should have gotten better,” Judd recalled. I agree he should have. After that contest was over I knew he was a lifetime ripper. … read more

Movin’ On Up to the Westside

The rush for westward expansion is alive and well in the Salt Lake Valley. Cheap land is available by the acres. You could think of places like West Valley, Rose Park, Kearns, West Jordan, Riverton and Herriman as the Louisiana Purchase: big, fertile land just waiting to be exploited by some rich white man. The exploitation of land, however, has an unexpected side effect. This side effect is advantageous for a skateboarder. … read more

Princess Kennedy: Dr. Princess of Avondale

On Easter, my friend DJ JORY, who just moved to town from San Francisco, introduced me to his friend Dennis Reynolds. Reynolds and his friend Robin Ballard are the creators of a  homemade soap opera called Avondale. My interest was sparked when Reynolds told me they were interested in having me appear in an episode—even more so when I was told that they filmed Avondale in the Pleasure Palace. … read more

Gallery Stroll – July 2010

Mary Toscano's cigar box from the 2009 Box, Paper, Scissors Show

Who needs the Kayo Gallery? It might seem like a peculiar question given the popularity of Kayo, but an appropriate one for the patrons of this month’s Gallery Stroll. The Kayo Gallery is in need of an immediate cash infusion to stay alive for the next twelve months. Sales from the July show will be the deciding factor on whether Kayo will remain in business for another year. … read more