Family Activities in Utah County (pics)

March 8th, 2010

If you’re looking for fun things to do with your family in Utah County this spring and summer, here are a few pictures that may give you some ideas.

Bridal Veil Falls is a great place to go hiking, biking, or a simple park and walk.

We also went to a fun family activity on Provo Center Street last summer where they had lots of fun activities for kids, including the pictures below ScalesandTailsUtah.com. They came with reptiles from all over the world.

Since Utah County is “Happy Valley”, there are definitely a lot of fun things to do with family.

What are some of your favorite things to do as a family in Utah County?

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Provo Utah McDonalds Gets an A

March 5th, 2010

Price:
Kid Friendly:
Food Quality:
Cleanliness:
Promptness:
Location:

1225 S University Ave
Provo, Utah 84601

Yesterday, on my way to work, I decided to stop by the Provo Utah McDonalds across the street from the Provo Towne Center Mall.

There were multiple things I was impressed with:

1. Can You Say FAST? In comparison to other fast food restaurants in Provo, Utah, the McDonalds was AMAZING. I don’t think it took more than 3 minutes to go through the entire drive through and I wasn’t even the only car there.
2. Friendly Employees: Both the ladies I spoke with, the first at the money window, and the 2nd when I got my food, were very friendly. They said things like, “Have a great day!” “Thanks for coming – see you again.” I know, I know, these aren’t really new things but both these ladies seemed to be really sincere instead of mono-tone robots.
3. Fresh Fast Food: yes, my Egg McMuffin and hashbrowns were both hot and crispy. I know McDonalds is one big system but not all McDonalds are cut out of the same cloth.

One other side note that I didn’t experience on this occasion but have in the past is their cleanliness. The employees seem to take pride in keeping everything spot free.

McDonalds in Provo, Utah definitely get’s a big

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BYU Basketball is #13 in the Polls!

January 18th, 2010

The BYU Cougars climbed in the national polls. The 18-1 Cougars are now ranked No. 13 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ poll and No. 14 in the AP Top 25 poll; a jump from No. 17/18.

How’d they Do It?

This past week the Cougars defeated Air Force (67-49) in Colorado Springs, Colo. and Colorado State (91-47) at home. We had the opportunity to go to the Colorado State game with over 20,000 other avid Cougar fans! What a blow out!

Texas is No. 1 for a second week in The AP poll; North Carolina hangs on at No. 24. Can you believe BYU is ahead of North Carolina and Wisconsin? I can’t wait to tell my in-laws all about this!

The Longhorns (17-0) moved into the top spot for the first time in school history last week. They stayed there Monday, receiving 57 first-place votes from the 65-member national media panel.

North Carolina dropped from 12th to 24th after losing lost two games last week and three of four. The Tar Heels are below 13th for the first time since February 2006.

Joining the rankings are No. 20 Northern Iowa, No. 21 Ohio State and No. 23 Mississippi State.

This week, BYU hosts Wyoming on Wednesday and then go on the road to face San Diego State Saturday.

Here’s the latest from ESPN rankings:

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The Best Burger in Utah County

December 2nd, 2009

By: Mindika Thiebaud

In the last year or so Utah County has seen an influx of new trendy burger joints. I’ve been shocked by the hype and excitement. I personally would never stand in line for 24 hours or sleep out in the cold for a burger; no matter how delicious I thought it would be. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a food lover, but let’s be real folks!

Fortunately for me, I think the best burger in Utah County doesn’t come from one of the new joints on the block. In fact its home has been a staple of the county for more than 20 years; a Utah icon, a family & friend tradition. Even better, I’ve never had to wait more than 5 or 10 minutes for it. Drive through, take out or sit down, Burger Supreme located on University Parkway in Provo, reins supreme!

Their burgers are thick and juicy. Made from fresh, never frozen beef, delivered daily. They’re charbroiled, which in my opinion is the only way to have a hamburger, then piled high with fresh toppings. Their fries are thick, but not too thick, crispy and like heaven dipped in their original recipe fry sauce. But it doesn’t end there. Variety is always key for my family.

We love options, and Burgers Supreme delivers. From the Guacamole Burger, Western Burger, Gyro Sandwich, Teriyaki Chicken, salads, shakes…you name it, the options are plenty. They have also started catering. This last summer we were lucky enough to have them cater our huge neighborhood 4th of July bash! Deliciousness delivered!

Now I’ve heard many loyal patrons of above mentioned trendy joints, argue tradition, nostalgia, etc…etc… for their love of a burger. I get that! I sympathize with nostalgia, but when it comes to taste bud satisfaction there’s just no contest. Burger Supreme takes the buds every time.

Mindika Nordfelt Thiebaud is a local food blogger. Her love affair with food and cooking began as a child when she got her first “easy bake” oven. She grew up as an Air Force Brat traveling the world with her family, experiencing food and cooking from all parts of the globe. She did however spend every summer of her life in Utah visiting family, and feels as though Utah has always been her home. She moved here 17 years ago to attend college and has never left.

Mindika is married to Arnold Thiebaud. They have 1 little girl, Reese, who is 1 year old and they are expecting their second child next summer.

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Shoga Japanese Sushi Restaurant

September 18th, 2009

Shoga A Modern Sushi Bar and Restaurant

The Best Sushi Restaurant in Provo Utah.

Shoga Restaurant and Sushi Bar fresh sushi is the best way to describe this hidden gem in the Utah county dining scene. After trying all of the competitors for the last several years of living here, My dining companion and I were lucky enough to “stumble in” after a trusted recommendation.

The decor is modern simple and quaint, this quiet sushi bar tucked “literally” behind the Chevron on the corner of State and University Parkway.

This little Japanese Restaurant and Sushi bar is fantastic place to have a quiet date with your wife, ( my favorite dining companion) ever time we have visited the experience has been positive, the servers friendly and prompt and we usually sit at the bar and are able to talk to the Owners.

These two sushi chefs (owners) are fantastic, the seafood is the best I have had in the area. Fresh is the term that comes to mind as fresh as it can be in Utah flown in daily. I have visited other sushi restaurants and the tuna is several days old, not here this is spot on every day (This has been consistent with four visits over the course of 45 days) Below you can sample some of items at Shoga Restauant and Shushi Bar.

Menu Items

Shoga serves a core menu of soups, salads, noodle dishes, Don-Buri, teriyaki meats, steaks and of course a wide variety of sushi rolls. The best part of the menu is “Shoga Special Rolls” my favorite “The Shoga Special Roll” and “Black Eye Roll Unagi”

Shoga Special Rolls

Seaweed and Chuka-Ika

Japanese salads.  This salad just rocks, great flavor and the seaweed has the perfect texture $4.25

The Shoga Special Roll

This roll is a monster, a full meal, absolute flavorful built from Tempura, green onion, avocado, and hamachi. Topped

with fresh tuna, crab salad, cilantro, and bell peppers, with house sauce and sesame oil $13.95

Black Eye Roll Unagi,

Cucumber, shishito, topped with spicy tuna, black tobiko and unagi sauce $11.95

Mango Tango Roll Unagi,

Avocado, bell peppers and cucumber, topped with mango and unagi sauce $10.95

Dessert

Mango Coconut Mousse

Layers of spiced sponge, mango and passion fruit mousse, topped with honeycomb and mango glaze $5.95

Consistancy Quality Specials

Shoga currently offers these specials

(check the website for updated specials for lunch and dinner )

Current Specials Sushi Lunch Special 2 Traditional rolls 1 Miso soup (until 3:00 p.m.) $9.75

Sushi Happy Hour Buy one Specialty roll, get one Traditional roll for half price! Mon-Wed after 4:00 p.m.

Shoga Where: 374 E. University Pkwy., Orem

Hours:

11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday,

11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday,

2-9 p.m. Sunday Prices:

$4-$20 Info:

801-802-8388

www.shogarestaurant.com

Shoga is a laid back environment there is no white table cloths the staff is friendly unobtrusive nor intrusive. The Chef’s, (Owners) are easy to talk to and they have fun, it is obvious they enjoy their business and do a great job managing the quality of the seafood.The menu even though covers the basic core items expected at a restaurant with a specific type of cuisine, the special part of the restaurant is in the signature dishes and special items, a few of which are listed above. Visit Shoga Restaurant and Sushi Bar, and enjoy.

caio!

Monty Cassel

Restaurant Pros

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What I Learned About Memory Foam Mattresses

May 2nd, 2009

I’ll be honest with you, I have never thought about buying a memory foam mattress until recently spending a few nights on one at a friends house.  I’ve seen the commercials about memory foam, and of course have heard some of the “good” and “bad” things about them, but have just always been happy with my old spring mattress and didn’t really think I could get a better night’s sleep just from getting a better mattress.  Well, I was proved wrong…dead wrong!

The mattress I had the pleasure of sleeping on was a memory foam mattress made by Rocky Mountain Mattress.  Because I enjoyed it so much, I have been doing some research to see how their mattresses might compare to others on the market and have run into a lot of industry terminology that confused me at first.  So let me explain a few things:

1.  What is a 4lb. or 5lb. foam?  The pound rating of a memory foam speaks to how dense the foam is or how much a cubic foot of it weighs.  The higher the pound rating or density, the more supportive the foam will be and the longer it will last.

2.  What is the ILD of memory foam?  ILD refers to how firm the the memory foam is – ILD measures the amount of force, in pounds, required to indent a 50″ inch disc into a 15″x15″x4″ memory foam sample and make a 1″ indentation.  Typically softer ILD’s range between 12-18, medium firm ILD’s range between 20-28, and anything over a 30 would be considered firm.

Once you know these elements you can probably shop around pretty knowledgeably, but just knowing the pound rating and ILD isn’t enough.  I have spent a lot of time on the phone talking to different sales reps with different companies and have also found that the reps at Rocky Mountain Mattress have been the most helpful and educated when it comes to speaking about a memory foam mattress, in my opinion.

So without having purchased a memory foam mattress yet, I wanted to offer this review of Rocky Mountain Mattress because their mattress I slept on was extremely comfy, and their staff has been exceptional.

Once I make my purchase, I’ll offer another review after having slept on my mattress for a few months.

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Bombay House Indian Restaurant in Provo Utah

February 13th, 2009

Price:
Kid Friendly: 
Food Quality:
Cleanliness:
Promptness:
Location:

Bombay House Cuisine of India
463 North University Ave
Provo, Utah 84601
(801) 373-6677

The other night, while my family was soaking up the sun in Phoenix, Arizona, I had the chance to stop in at the Bombay House Indian Restaurant in Provo Utah!

If you haven’t tried the Bombay House on University Avenue in Provo, YOU MUST!  Not only is the food extremely authentic (“…minus a bit of spice” says owner Daniel Shanthakumar, who you’ll always find greeting customers with a happy smile), but it’s clean, very well decorated, and a great price for the quality dining experience.

What to Order Your First Time: Chicken Cocunut Kurma – this boneless chicken cooked with coconut milk, onions, garlic, ginger tomatoes, cashew nuts and spices is TO DIE FOR!  In addition to the Cocunut Kurma, you have to get Garlic Naan Bread.  My mouth waters…

Timing is everything!  My wife and I have been to the Bombay House a few times now and have realized one thing – either call ahead or plan to wait for a bit.  During the week isn’t bad at all.  But come Friday and Saturday night, the Bombay House in Provo Utah is hopping with customers.  It’s well worth the wait though, and the service is very timely once you’re seated.  I’ve only taken kids there once.  I give it a “Smiley Face” for kid-friendliness, mainly because there’s music playing so children wouldn’t be a big distraction.  Because the food is quite authentic, kids may not have the biggest selection so just be aware. Parking can be a bit tight so be prepared for that too.

The Bombay House Indian Restaurant in Provo, Utah is a definite must and one of the “Hidden Treasures in Happy Valley!”

Tell Daniel we recommended it the next time you visit!

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Macaroni Grill in Provo, Utah

February 3rd, 2009

Price:
Kid Friendly:
Food Quality:
Cleanliness:
Promptness:
Location:

Macaroni Grill
4801 N University Ave # 50
Provo, UT 84604

There are so many quality restaurants in Provo, Utah anymore.   It’s hard to know where to go with all the options to chose from.

Today 14 business friends and I went to Macaroni Grill in Provo, Utah for a high quality “quick lunch”.  Unfortunately, there was nothing “quick” about this experience.

I know, Macaroni Grill isn’t supposed to be an “In and Out” joint, but let me share with readers some interesting statistics that I took note of while patiently waiting:

• Arrived at Macaroni Grill – 11:55 a.m.
• Bread and Oil served to lunch party – 12:05 p.m.
• Drinks orderd – 12:10 p.m.
• Orders taken – 12:20 p.m.
• Side Salads served – 12:45 p.m. (50 minutes total to get a side salad)
• Refill of drinks – I don’t recall this happening, although some say it did.
• Orders finally arrive – 12:55 p.m. (some of our party had to leave so their orders had to be brought in boxes)
• Free Chocolate Cake for entire party, of which some of us didn’t have time to eat – 1:10 p.m.

Like I said at the forefront of this Provo Utah restaurant review, the Macaroni Grill has always been one of my favorite places to eat.  I totally recommend the Chicken Scallopine with Angel Hair pasta.  However, if you are looking for a quality lunch and are in a time crunch, Macaroni Grill may not be the best pick.

What’s your experience?  Where do you recommend for a nice, quick lunch in Provo, Utah?

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The Pita Pit in Provo, Utah

November 3rd, 2008

Price:
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Location:

The Pita Pit in Provo, Utah
1240 N University Ave
Provo, Utah
(801) 356-7482

The Pita Pit in Provo, Utah has got to be one of the best places I know of to find fast, healthy food that is to-die-for-good and really fills you up.  My personal favorite at The Pita Pit is “The Aloha”, a savory blend of teriyaki-grilled chicken, ham, and pineapple with all the veggies you want and, of course, I top it off with plenty of tzatsiki sauce.  Even my husband, who groans at the healthy suggestions I often give for eating out, is sold on this one.  This pita is stuffed with all the good stuff and leaves you feeling stuffed…but without the greasy hangover.

The only warning I’d give is that it can get pretty crowded.  If the parking lot is full, you may be waiting around for quite awhile.

At around $7 per person, you definitely get your money’s worth at The Pita Pita – an innovative and delicious fast food restaurant in Provo, UT.  And they know how to treat their customers.  Last time we were there, they made a small mistake on my husband’s order, and quickly offered him a $1 off coupon for our next visit.  Isn’t it those small gestures that leave you feeling warm and fuzzy?  You’ll definitely leave The Pita Pit in Provo, Utah feeling warm, fuzzy, and satisfied.

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El Azteca Mexican Taco Restaurant in Provo, Utah

October 31st, 2008

Price:
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Food Quality:
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Location:

(See Key for Rating Break Down)

El Azteca Mexican Taco Shop

46 West 1230 North

Provo, Utah

375-9690

El Azteca Mexican Taco Shop is conveniently located right off Bulldog and University Avenue in Provo, Utah.  The price is around $7 for a good size meal that’s filling.  They have free refills on drinks too!  It’s a great place for kids with booth seating to keep things closely knit .  It’s fairly clean – the salsa area was a bit cluttered but this can be expected. The promptness was probably our favorite thing about El Azteca in Provo.  We had barely sat down to wait for our Mexican food and our number was called (probably 5 minutes max).  The workers were friendly and seemed happy to be there – which is a plus too.

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