Above: Geezers. Flanigans Restaurant. Main Street, Park City, UT.

03 September 2020

In Search of Authenticity.

Boys night out.

Above: Sunrise. Iron Canyon, Park City, UT.

04 September 2020.

In search of authenticity.

Above: Deux Magots Walkers. Old Town, Park City, UT.

04 September 2020

Searching for Authenticity Tour
Shorty's Stairs, Upper Norfolk, King's Crown loop from Wasatch Bagel. 4.5 miles. 400 vertical feet.
"Go to the woods to lose sight and memory of the crimes of your contemporaries." Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Above: Deux Magots Walkers. Old Town, Park City, UT. 04 September 2020

Searching for Authenticity Tour
Shorty's Stairs, Upper Norfolk, King's Crown loop from Wasatch Bagel. 4.5 miles. 400 vertical feet.
"Go to the woods to lose sight and memory of the crimes of your contemporaries." Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Above: Busker. Gateway, Salt Lake City, UT.

05 September 2020.

In Search of Authenticity (and not finding it here... although the busker, if not passionate about what he's doing, is getting better, likely because of innate, gifted, skill).

Go to the [urban core] to regain sight and memory of the crimes of your contemporaries. Jean-Jacques [Eveque]. — at Urban Flea Market in Downtown Salt Lake City.

Above: TIMDT work station. Park City, UT.

06 September 2020.

Above: French Onion Soup Park City, UT.

06 September 2020.

TIMDT Masterpiece.

Two times at restaurants in the last month, mouth watering, I've ordered "French onion soup" off the menu. I was a sucker each time. It seems that for many, an adequate French onion soup is a facsimile broth, topped with two or three croutons out of a Sysco truck, topped by sprinkles of feta cheese. know of French onion soup. I consumed it for the first time in August 1965, at 3:00 AM at a Paris dive in Les Halles It's not nothing, like were the two counterfeited offerings recently sampled in local restaurants. Sliced onions slow cooked in butter for ten hours; add beef broth and slow cook for another eight hours. Put broth in a heat proof bowl, lay on toasted baguette pieces, top with "a ton" of diced gruyere and bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes.Craving the real thing after two failed attempts dining out, TIMDT went the distance and made the real thing. I closed my eyes on the first bite and was immediately transported to Les Halles.

Restaurants shouldn't tee up phony offerings. If you can't do the real thing, don't attempt it at all. Reminds of all the phoney key lime pie offerings you see.

Above: Daphne. Iron Canyon, Park City, UT.

07 September 2020.

Dogs life. Waiting for stuff to happen.

Image shows either an erosion, or is it an evolution (?), of the vaunted Deer Valley upscale ethic? Methinks that, looking at this Grab and Go service, Deer Valley founder, Edgar Stern, is rolling over in his grave. Celebrated for its legendary near fine dining, ski in, buffet restaurants, Deer Vally now provides a less expensive, pedestrian, brown bag option for lunch outdoors. This feature is carried over from last year when it was implemented as a substitute for indoor dining for those living in fear of coronavirus. It seems to be popular this year as well.

And I'm thinking that Grab and Go is not just a coronavirus play. Alterra's implementation of the IKON pass has brought a cohort of skiers to Deer Valley who are drawn by the resort's top-notch reputation, but who may be less comfortable with the high prices of the resort's amenities. Grab and Go seems to satisfy some of the demand for those who don't want to pay high prices. I'm not suggesting that this is a bad thing. The financial challenges of Alterra, the new Deer Valley owner (now three years of ownership) are different than those faced by Stern. With a likely big debt load, something that Stern didn't have to deal with, no doubt Alterra is looking for new revenue sources from a broadened customer base, while carefully watching costs at the same time. So, evolution of the brand and not necessarily erosion?

Talking to a lift mate today about the Carpenter Lift having to be offloaded on New Year's Eve, I heard something, second hand, reportedly relayed by someone in Deer Valley authority who should have known better. That is, many of Deer Valley's lifts are operating beyond their depreciated useful life. It is true that we haven't seen much in the way of lift capex at Deer Valley for years other than the upgraded Homestake lift three years ago. I remember with horror the period fifteen years ago, when all of Park City's six pack lifts went kaput over one season. Park City ski patrollers that year became the best in the nation at roping down skiers off of stalled ski lifts. I hope Deer Valley is keeping its lifts at the same level of its sterling reputation for food, amenities and customer service!

Operationally, ski conditions to date at Deer Valley seem pretty good, though not as much terrain is open this year compared to the same time last year...despite the fact that last year had less snowfall ytd than is the case this season. Is Deer Valley facing some of the same labor shortage issues affecting businesses generally today?

Just sayin'. I'm having a lot of fun skiing Deer Valley this season. There is enough of the acclaimed Deer Valley grooming to keep me happy; non holiday lift lines are manageable. The employees with whom I interact... lifties, ski locker, maze control, are doing a great job in making the Deer Valley experience a good one.