Oh, what do we do in the summertime?

By: Amberly Asay

Summers in Provo are some of the most fun summers ever.  There are so many things to do and so many adventures to have.  I suggest making a list of 50 things you want to do this summer.  There are also many day trips that you can make to National Parks.  Gather your friends into a car, all pay for gas and then you are set.  Write them all down and put them in a mason jar.  Every couple of days pick one of the slips of paper and make sure you do the event that week!  Below I have gathered some great and fun ideas:

There are 8 Utah Restaurants that are worth the trip try to visit most of them, especially when you are traveling to different state parks: http://www.newscastic.com/news/8-utah-restaurants-worth-the-trip-1337644/

THINGS TO DO

1. Visit the "Up House" in Herriman, Utah
2. Canyoneer the Subway at Zion National Park
3. Swim in the Crater at the Homestead
4. Visit the Four Corners! (Where Utah, New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado all meet) 
5. Visit Bryce Canyon 
6. Visit Arches National Park 
   
7. Visit the Kennecott Copper Mine 
8. Dress up like Safari Guides and take a trip to the Hogle Zoo
9. Go and float down a river and then soak in some warm water by visiting Lava Hot Springs  
10. If you want to be really ambitious visit every Utah Temple!  This will not only be a memorable experience for you and your friends but also be spiritually strengthening
11. Find someone with a boat and visit Lake Powell!  Or just go to Lake Powell and enjoy the water
12. Take a trip, and be a part of history by visiting the Anasazi Cliff Dwellings 
13. Take a trip to Cedar City, and go back over 400 years by attending the Shakespeare Festival . You will not only be entertained, but you will take part in a really fun celebration.
14. Probably one of the most popular things to do in our community, attend the Twilight Concert Series! Admission is only $5, and all events are held in Pioneer Park.
15. Take a nice relaxing drive through the Alpine Loop.
16. Join Carrie Underwood and enjoy the Stadium of Fire.
    
17. If you thought Drive-In Movies were gone, then you are wrong!  They are still in West Valley and a great date or group activity. 
18. Cool off at Seven Peaks- Provo's Water Park.
19. Rock climbing is available to people of all ages in Provo.  There are several indoor facilities as well as many outdoor routes in Utah County.
20. Be sure to visit Bridal Veil Falls.  It's a breathtaking double cataract waterfall.  Great for hiking, and there are even some bike trails. 
21. Eat a snow cone! Thankfully Provo has many shacks which offer such treats. 
22. Want to have a fun date roasting treats but don't want to make a fire?  No problem just light some candles and roast fruit snacks (which crystalize very nicely) and candies over the flame.  
23. Visit one of Utah county's reservoir or lakes.  You can go swimming or fishing.  You can purchase your fishing permit at Wal-Mart or online.
24. Hike the Y! If you hike it around twilight, you can watch the sun set and see the city below light up.  Remember to bring a flashlight or headlamp for the hike back down.
    
25. Go to the Mormon Miracle Pageant- June 19-21 and 24-28
26. Wishing you were spending the summer near an ocean?  Don't worry here in Provo you can have the beach.  Just go to the Provo Beach Resort for surfing, ropes courses, arcade games, virtual golf, bowling, croquet and much more. 
27. Want to become more cultured and learned over your summer holiday but don't want to go to school?  Don't worry!  The Springville Museum of Art offers several free concerts, tours and relaxing days in the sculpture garden. 
28. Dive into the depths of the sea by visiting the NEW Living Planet Aquarium in Draper.  They just opened March 25 and are a fun activity for people of all ages. 
29. Get an individual annual pass to Thanksgiving Point.  For just $55 (the price of one decent dinner date), you can get yourself free admission to the gardens, museums, and Farm Country for the whole year.  Then, every time you bring a date, you only pay half price for your date's admission and nothing for your own, which makes for some inexpensive dates with a fun and often romantic atmosphere.  There are additional benefits like discounts on food and retail purchases, discounts on classes, early admission to the TGP gardens, early notification for classes, events, and other programs, a passport that gets you free admission to hundreds of museums nation wide, and the opportunity to support a local community cause.   
    
    

All Things Mango

By: Amberly Asay

Summertime is here and it is time for delicious mango recipes!  We have gathered a few links to mango food ideas for you to check out before you go and create your own amazing dishes.

1. Chicken Mango Tacos
2. Mango and Yogurt Smoothies
3. Make your own dried mango
4. Grilled Tilapia with Mango
5. Mango Salsa
6. Fish tacos with mango salsa
7. Chicken and Mango Kebabs 
8. Mango pancakes

Cinco de Mayo

By: Amberly Asay

Cinco de Mayo is upon us, and there are a lot of really fun things that you can do in order to have a great party.  We have gathered some great ideas and recipes.  But the most important thing is to have many different types of salsa and to have lots of friends!

Big hats and mustaches for a photo booth. 
Parties these days tend to have a photo booth.  You can't just go to the party. You have to go and have proof that you were there.  Putting mustaches on a stick and providing big sombreros will help set the mood for your party pics.

Homemade Piñata - Or you can just buy one
What would be a party without a piñata? It is really easy to make and it can be loads of fun for you and your friends.

What you'll need:

• Flour
• Water
• Salt
• Balloon
• Newspaper
• Colored tissue paper
• craft glue
• design accessories

Directions:

You'll need enough flour to be able to mix 5 parts of water for every 1 part flour.  Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in am medium saucepan.  Mewanwhile, in a separate bowl, mix 1 cup of flour with 1 cup of water until the lumps are gone.

Once the water is boiling, add the separate flour/water mixture to the pot and stir constantly with a silicone spatula while it boils for about 3-5 minutes.  The mixture should be smooth and thick like glue.  you can add more flour/water in small amounts if needed to achieve desired consistency.    Add 1-2 Tablesppons of salt to help prevent mold and stir.  Remove from the stove and cool.  Once it's at a comfortable temperature you can use it for your paper mache piñata! 

Use your homemade paste to glue strips of newspaper to the balloon until it is covered all over with the paper mache.  Let it dry.  When it is dry, you can cut a hole in it and pop the balloon leaving the cavity free to fill with candy and toys.  Fill it up, plug the hole.  Then use your favorite craft glue to attach colored tissue paper to your piñata, and decorate it however you like.  You can embellish your design with things you have around the house or add crafty bits like rhinestones, glitter, and buggy eyes.  Remember to add a hook, wire, or some means of attaching the piñata to a rope.

Mexican Parfaits- 7 layer dip
Lots of people know how to make the delicious 7 layer dip, but here is an even better idea.  Make the 7 layer dip in individual parfait cups.  That way everyone can get one and you won't have to worry about double dipping!  You will need: refried beans, olives, salsa (or pico), cheese, sour cream (mixed with taco seasoning) and guacamole.  In each cup but the ingredients down in order.  A layer of beans,  a layer of sour cream, a layer of guacamole.  Then sprinkle cheese over the top, add your pico and top with olives.  Then you have your delicious Mexican parfaits and an easy clean up for you!


Mexican "Unfried" Ice Cream 
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream
5 cups coarsely crushed corn flakes
2 Tbls butter, melted
4 Tbls sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.  In a large bowl, combine corn flakes, butter, sugar and cinnamon.  Mix well and spread on the baking sheet.  Bake for 5 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp.  It amy help to stir it around or turn it once while baking.  Remove from oven and cool.  In a 9x13 casserole dish, spread 1/2 of the corn flake mixture evenly across the bottom.

Open the cardboard ice cream box and lay it flat.  Cut ice cream into seven slices that are almost one inch wide.  Lay the slices in the pan to cover the entire pan.  As the ice cream will soften a bit in the process, use a knife or spatula to smooth the pieces together.  Cover the ice cream with the remaining corn flakes mixture and pat it down.  Cover the ice cream with the remaining corn flakes mixture and pit down.  Cover the pan with tinfoil and freeze for 2-3 hours until firm.  Serve with honey on top.

Foods to eat to survive finals.

By: Amberly Asay

Finals can be a really rough time for all students, and it can be even more difficult if you are not putting the right foods into your body.  We have identified four state of beings that you might get in during finals and the foods you can eat to make you feel better!

SLEEP PROBLEMS
Cherries - The melatonin in cherries helps increase sleep time and improve sleep efficiency. For best results drink cherry juice one hour before bed.  Cherries can also ease gout and combat cancer.

Walnuts - Full of melatonin and tryptophan that improves your quality of sleep. The antioxidants included in walnuts also help protect the body against diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's and type-2 diabetes.

Kiwi - Is high in vitamin C, potassium, antioxidants and fibre.  Studies have found that eating a kiwi before going to bed improves the quality and quantity of sleep.  It can also boost the immune system, respiratory function and improve heart health.

POOR CONCENTRATION

Leafy greens - are full of Vitamin E which have been proven to improve your mental focus and help protect your brain cells from damage.  Some leafy greens include: romaine lettuce, kale, collard greens or spinach.

Whole grains - Eating a whole grain cereal for breakfast helps you stay more focused compared to eating refined carbohydrates or sipping breakfast.  Whole grains can also help you lose weight and reduce sugar cravings.

Sardines - Contain omega 3 fatty acids which give the brain a boost while improving concentration and memory.  It also helps cholesterol.

FATIGUE
Raw chocolate - and cocoa can boost energy and help brain function. Fatigue is a common symptom of a magnesium deficiency in the body. Stay away from processed chocolate because it isn't as healthy as cocoa.  It also treats irritability!

Red pepper - Contains iron and help increase the body's heat production and intake of oxygen. High in Vitamin C.

Oats - rich in calcium, magnesium, Vitamin E and Vitamin B, potassium and protein, so they give you a great boost! Start the day with a bowl of porridge and beat the tiredness you feel in the morning.


RELIEVING STRESS
Mushrooms - great source of vitamin D and proven to help improve your mood and boost your energy.

Dark chocolate - Eating 1.5 ounces of dark chocolate a day for two weeks has been proven to lower stress level.  The magnesium content can help treat depression, menstrual cramps and irritability.

Nuts - stress runs you down which leaves you sick.  Almonds, pistachios and walnuts boost your immune system.  A handful of plain nuts will do the trick!

Avocado and Banana - these fruits are loaded with potassium, a vital mineral for keeping blood pressure low.

Easy Holiday Cupcake

By: Amberly Asay

The holly and the ivy,

When they are both full grown

Of all the trees that are in the wood

The holly bears the crown

Holly is a traditional Christmas decoration that has been around for a while now.  We have a cute idea that will make holly a delicious Christmas treat!

Simply make some white cupcakes with white frosting.  Get those red cherry balls (You can get them from the Dollar Store or Maceys) and the mint leaf candies you can buy in bulk.

Place on your cupcake and enjoy this delicious treat!

Grinch Themed Party

By: Amberly Asay

Christmas parties are one of my favorite events and I love having certain themed Christmas Party.  A lot of people struggle getting into the holiday spirit, just like the Grinch.  So to help them get out of their "bah-humbug attitude" through a Grinch Themed Christmas party!

For dinner serve roast beef sandwiches and Grinch Floats (Green Sherbet and Sprite).  You can change the bulbs in your lamps to green bulbs to help create a Grinchy ambiance. Watch "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," and eat whoville candy.  This party will definitely be a night to remember.

Christmas Lights

By: Amberly Asay

Looking at Christmas lights is one of my favorite activities during the holidays.  I love the look of the
soft, glowing lights on the white, powdery, fresh snow.  With Christmas music softly playing in the background, it can be the perfect holiday night.  Bringing some hot chocolate on the drive always helps with the mood.

However, if you just want a car full of friends looking at the beauty, you can make it more of a competition.  Create a Christmas Scavenger Hunt and the winner can be crowned your own, "Holiday Cheermeister".

Can you find?

A snowman?
Mickey Mouse?
A reindeer with a red nose?
A twinkly wreath?
A penguin?
A snowglobe?
Snoopy?
Icicles?
A dolpin?
3 deer together?
Colored lights on a tree?
Blue lights?
Nativity Scene?
The Grinch?
Santa?
Green lights?

Red lights?

Spooky Pretzel Treats

By: Amberly Asay

Halloween is approaching, and it is time for everyone to start putting together their Halloween tricks and treats.  Pretzels are a cheap and tasty treat. Here are some fun ways to spice up your pretzel treats a night with friends or when you're enjoying a cherished quiet night away from the crowd.

Bone Pretzels
Buy stick pretzels, mini marshmallows and white chocolate.  Put a marshmallow on either side of your pretzel stick to make a good femur-ish shape.  Melt your white chocolate, and cover the pretzel and marshmallows in white chocolate.  Put them on wax paper, and let them cool.   The resulting bony treats are as delicious as they are spooky.

Witches Brooms
People love Reese's peanut butter cups, especially the mini ones.  Buy some mini cups and place them upside down.  Then place a pretzel through the top, and magically you have some deliciously tasting witches brooms.


Candy Corn Pretzels

Do you like the look of candy corn, but not the taste?  Well, for this recipe you can get cute looking pretzels that are delicious as well.  Get some white chocolate, and melt it down.  Separate it into three different bowls, and make white, orange and yellow chocolate (use food coloring).  Then, dip the pretzels in your three candy corn colors.  Cover the pretzels in colored sprinkles and let them cool.

Rainbow Cake

By: Amberly Asay

Summer is here ,and there are many fun recipes and cute ideas that can be implemented during this warm season.  One of my favorites is the rainbow cake.  All you need is two white cake mixes and some food gel coloring.  Not food coloring, but gel food coloring.

Make your cake mixes and separate them into six different bowls.  Take your food gel, and place into each bowl: green, blue, purple, yellow, orange and red.  Mix the food coloring in the batter.  Place each color of batter into its own cake pan.  Cook each cake for fifteen minutes, or until it is done.  Let all of the layers cool before frosting with cream cheese frosting.

Immediately after frosting your cake, be sure to cover it with rainbow sprinkles.  The most effective way to frost and sprinkle it is by frosting two layers together and then rolling it in a pan of sprinkles.  Do that with the three different cake layers and then stick it all together. 

The Easter Bunny is Coming to Town

By: Amberly Asay

Easter is approaching, and it is time to get out our eggs and dye them!  Do you remember when you were little and used those pastel colored dyes?  This year, dye your eggs with some natural rich colors.

Step inside your pantry, open your refrigerator, survey your garden, or go to the store to pick up dye bath materials.  Fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices, partnered up with a bit of vinegar, provide all of your raw materials. The dye bath agents you select will be based on both what color you’d like to achieve, and how deeply you want the color to appear. The rule of thumb is to use more dye bath material and infuse longer to achieve the deepest colors.

Here are some good foods to use:

Spinach=Pale Green 

Orange marigold leaves=Pale Yellow

Cranberries=Pale Purple

Blueberries=Blue-Purple

Raspberries=Lavender

Pomegranates=Light Red (juice or seeds)

Beets=Pale Pink

Red Cabbage=Dark Pink/Dark Blue (a longer infusing time will create a deeper colored egg)

Coffee Grounds=Dark Brown

Onion Skins=Copper

1) After you’ve selected your ingredients, place it in a large pot. Add a quart of cold water and 2 tablespoons white vinegar; bring to a boil (you’ll need separate pots for each color, so you might have to do your dyeing in shifts if you want more than four colors).  Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes

2) Add however many raw eggs you’d like to dye to each dye bath. Boil for 30 minutes.

3) During this time, use a wooden spoon or spatula to periodically turn the eggs over so as to help the dye adhere to all sides of the egg.

4) Using a slotted spoon, carefully move the eggs to glass jars, using one jar for each color. Strain off the dye bath solids and pour the infused liquid into each jar. Cover with lids and allow to infuse at room temperature overnight.

5) Remove the eggs from the dye bath. Blot gently with a paper towel or cloth. If you’d like them shiny, buff them up with a little bit of olive or vegetable oil.

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.

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

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.