Jan 31, 2013

Winter night to remember

By: Amberly Asay

The weather outside is frightful, but as we have learned from our favorite Christmas Song, we can make it delightful with these fun and simple ideas.  You can start the night out right by making your own homemade snow ice cream.  Make sure the snow is clean (don't use yucky inversion snow) and have a fun time.  One of our favorite recipes is from this site: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/snow-ice-cream-recipe/index.html

After you have eaten your snow, it is now time to go and play in it.  It is typical to build a snowman, but change it up this time and build an upside down snowman.  Not only is this activity fun for you, but it will be sure to make whoever walks past it giggle. 

To add some more fun, go around to cars covered in snow and draw faces on them.  Mimic the faces of Disney's Cars, and do two big upside down U's and put a dot in either one of them.
http://pinterest.com/pin/234046511856794499/

Jan 28, 2013

Cocomotion

By: Amberly Asay

With the freezing temperatures we have been experiencing, it is now more necessary than ever to be the proud owner of the Cocomotion.

Mr. Coffee's Cocomotion automatic hot chocolate maker makes hot chocolate easier than ever before.  Simply poor in milk or water (depending on how creamy you like it) and hot chocolate mix.  Put the lid on and press the start button. 

The Cocomotion begins to heat the milk to just the right temperature and whips up frothy cups of hot chocolate and similar beverages in minutes.  You can even add crushed up peppermint to your mixture if you like peppermint hot chocolate.

You can purchase a Cocomotion from Wal-Mart, Sears or Amazon.

Jan 23, 2013

Phantom of the Opera


By: Amberly Asay

The Phantom of the Opera is a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the French novel Le Fantome de l'Opera by Gaston Leroux. It is considered by many to be the greatest musical of all time and is the longest running show in Broadway history.

The musical takes place in nineteenth century Paris and is a story of passion, lost love and new love.  A masked figure lurks in the cells of the opera house and strikes fear into all those who inhabit it.  He falls in love with a young soprano girl and forces her to make an impossible choice, one that will change their lives forever.

The show is directed by Tim Threlfall and runs January 16-Febuary 1, 2013 in the De Jong Concert Hall at BYU's Harris Fine Arts Center.  Click here for a schedule of the show:
http://arts.byu.edu/calendar/index.php?month=1&year=2013.

Jan 15, 2013

The Greatest Snow on Earth

By: Amberly Asay

Utah is known for having the greatest snow on earth, and with all of it's skiing and snowboarding resorts, it can be the perfect winter vacation.  Utah has 14 ski resorts, seven of which are less than an hour away from Salt Lake City.

You can find ski-in, ski-out accommodations right at the resorts or stay in nearby cities with nightlife, restaurants and entertainment. Most resorts offer spa services to end the perfect day. Many resorts are open for all seasons and during the summer and fall.  They offer hiking, biking and other activities.  

For more information about the different resorts, visit: www.utah.com/ski/resorts

Salt Lake Resorts: Alta Ski Resort, Brighton Ski Resort, Snowboard, Solitude.
Provo Resort: Sundance.
Park City Resorts: Canyons, Deer Valley Resort, Park City Mountain Resort.
Northern Resorts: Beaver Mountain, Powder Mountain, Snowbasin, Wolf Mountain.
Southern Resorts:  Brian Head, Eagle Point.

The Freeride Academy is BYU's official Ski/Snowboard Club.  With over 400 members, the Freeride Academy is the largest club on campus!  Their mission is to build the ski and snowboard community at BYU while providing access to the resources you need during the off-season.

There are many benefits for being a member of the Freeride Academy:
-FREE ADMISSION to all events hosted by FA. (discounts admission to events they collaborate with others on)
-Top-quality club t-shirt.
-Discount season passes (before deadlines)
-Hangtime Orem: $5 for two hours the first time you show your card, $10 for 2 hours every time after that.
-Lowes Xtreme Airsports: $5 for one hour on weeknights, $7 on Fri-Sat
-Bluehouse Ski: 10% off wholesale prices at bluehouseskis.com (contact FA)
-Niche Snowboards Proform: 50-60% off! (contact FA)
-Board of Provo Discount Night Access
-Outdoors Unlimited: 30% off all rentals
-Parks Sportsman: 40% off all rentals and services (waxing, tuneups, etc.)
-Jib Kids discount (contact FA for more info)
-Cinematic Ride Co: Members only discount (contact FA for more info)
-Access to Zimride: FA rideboard to connect and carpool with other club members
-Info on relative local deals and events


Check out their Facebook page for more information:
https://www.facebook.com/freerideacademy

Glitter Gandles

By: Amberly Asay

The holidays are over, but the need for decorations are still ever present.  This fun craft will keep your house looking wonderful regardless of the season.  Simply take a candle stick and cover it in adhesive spray glue.  Then roll it in glitter (do it on brown paper so the glue doesn't get stuck to your table) and set up to dry.  Once it is dry, light the candles and enjoy the sparkles.

For January: Try a dark blue, light blue and silver glitter.
Valentines: Pink and red glitter.
Easter: Pastel purple and pastel green glitter.

WARNING: Be sure to read the instructions on the adhesive can and exercise appropriate caution.  Never light the candle until the adhesive is dry.  Some adhesives and vapors are flammable. 

Jan 11, 2013

Sundance Film Festival

By: Amberly Asay

For one week out of the year, Utah experiences a Hollywood-induced culture shock. For 10 days, Park City is flooded with actors, directors and hundreds of movies. Many people go to catch a glimpse of someone famous, and skiers love this time of year because the slopes are empty.
Each year the Sundance Film Festival selects 200 documentary, dramatic and short films. The town is filled with live music, discussion panels and celebrity parties.

Many people know about the Sundance Film Festival but have never attended and would not know where to begin if they did. Luckily there are some simple steps to make the trip a success.

How to buy tickets
Tickets may be purchased online at sundance.org/festival. There are three options: festival passes, ticket packages and individual tickets. The festival pass gives you options to see all screenings — just show up 30 minutes before the show, and be in your seats 15 minutes early — and available passes range from $2,000 to $2,500. Ticket packages come with a set number of tickets and two festival credentials, and all ticket packages for this year’s festival are sold out. Individual tickets are the leftovers from the packages and can be purchased for $15, and these have not yet sold out. For these options you must register between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. and you will be randomly assigned a time slot to purchase tickets.


Transportation
Hundreds of people fly into the Salt Lake airport at this time. There are shuttles set up from the airport and Salt Lake to Park City,  but for locals it is simpler. Driving from Provo to Park City takes about 50 minutes. There are also several parking lots around the theatres where a $15 fee is charged to park. These parking areas are within walking distance of the theatres. A map with specific instructions of shuttled parking lots can be found at sundance.org/festivalmap.

What to wear
Although Utah has hit a dry spell, it is important to remember it is cold outside, and even colder in Park City. Plan on wearing warm clothes: boots, coats, gloves and sweaters. There will be movie stars, directors and screenwriters walking around so it is a good idea to bring a couple of nice outfits for gala events or for attending the clubs.

Spotting celebrities
Celebrities will be all about the town — going from premieres to interviews and parties all day long. The best place to spot them is on Main Street, so hanging out there is popular; also follow the paparazzi — they don’t usually spend time taking pictures of non-celebrities. You could also hit the slopes; Utah is known for its skiing, and celebrities like to take part in that too. The final thing you can do is attend panel meetings, even if it is just to see them enter and leave.

Restaurant guide
There are many places to dine in Park City. Main Street is filled with all sorts of different cuisines. Don’t be afraid to try new options and branch out. There are also several fast food restaurants and markets around if you are trying to eat cheaply. Restaurant guides are available online for all price ranges by googling “Park City restaurant guide.”

Follow these suggestions, and your Sundance Film Festival will be more than a success and definitely turn into a journal-worthy experience. Above all, remember to just have fun, and soak in the atmosphere.

Jan 10, 2013

Prevent Water from Over-boiling

By: Amberly Asay

A watched pot never boils, but an unwatched pot can go from boiling to overflowing rather quickly.  In order to prevent this from happening place a wooden spoon over the top of the pot.

The wooden spoon will pop the bubbles, prevent it from boiling over and give you the time you need to turn down the heat.  Do not use a metal spoon, because the metal will get too hot and will burn you.