A PASSION FOR PARK CITYby Madelyn Miller
SHOPPING
I found some very unique and surprisingly well-priced items. I would start here if looking for gifts or souvenirs. I just wandered into Rugged Elegance. I found a wonderful Lucite and metal wind chime with birds and beads. ($55) It was a big hit when I got it home, so it ended up staying inside without ever getting near any wind. The artist who created it, Morag, also makes one-of -kind window ornaments, ($17) I thought they would look nice as a pendant. The only real bargains in Park City are at the outlet mall. The man I went with wasn't really interested but agreed to meet me back at the car in an hour. He wasn't just late, he wanted to stay at least another hour. I always give double points to a mall that makes a non-shopping guy want to stay longer.
DINING
My favorite meal was at Chimayo, a very distinctive Southwestern restaurant. They have imaginative, authentic Southwestern cuisine blended with a progressive French style of cooking. The place is casual and fun and deservedly very popular so be sure to make reservations The bisque of acorn squash with a toasted pumpkin seed pesto is not to be missed. Then try the queso fundido with oven-dried tomatoes and chorizo. Luckily, I went with three very compatible friends, so we all shared and got to taste lots of different things. I almost hated to share my barbecue chipotle-tamarind spareribs served with green chile mashers and homemade onion rings. But then I might not have been able to taste the loin of venison wrapped in a crust of herbed pueblo flatbread. For dessert there were several delicious options. I went for the Chocolate Lovers Special: three ice creams--white, milk and dark chocolate served in generous amounts over a homemade chocolate chip fudge brownie and coated with hot fudge sauce. I loved it. Even though my lover wasn't there to share it. What a good excuse to go back. The most elegant meal I had was at Goldener Hirsch Inn. Nested mid-mountain, it is just a short drive from historic Main Street. They serve continental cuisine in a warm country inn setting. The five onion soup deserves at least as many stars. Don't miss the tea and honey glazed Muscovy Duck served with scallion cakes, baby carrots and won bok. Desserts looked delectable, but I was just too full to try them. I volunteer to go back to complete this assignment. I am not the only one who wants to go back. The restaurant was rated the #1 ski resort restaurant by Conde Naste Traveler. Another award winning restaurant is Grappa. It is nestled into the green hillside at the top of Main Street. The newly redecorated hundred-year-old historic building is reminiscent of a warm, rustic Tuscan farmhouse. Wine Spectator loves the restaurant. So does Dirona (Distingusted Restaurants of North America.) And so do I. I know you will love the bisque of butternut squash. Then try the crab fritter with fresh cabbage salad and homemade sweet onion rings. You'll have to choose between fricassee of Utah rainbow trout and paillard of veal with crayfish, chanterelles, pancetta and asparagus (and they have many other wonderful choices) This is also a romantic place to come for dessert and after-dinner drinks I would have gone to Zoom just because Robert Redford owns it. A cozy kind of place with dramatic photo enlargements covering the walls, this restaurant combines comfort food with trendy. Start with the grilled chicken Satays (the portions are generous, which is not true of everything served at Zoom.) The Oriental Chicken Salad with spiced peanuts and papaya was refreshing and light. My hungrier companions ordered a grilled tomato, caper and basil pizza with melted ricotta pizza and I was glad they shared .If I get back again, I want to try the ten spice salmon with steamed rice and Chinatown stir fry. I heard all about Lakota before I even got to Park City. In fact, I stopped for a few days in Salt Lake City and that was the place everyone was talking about. Named for the native American tribe, this three-star restaurant serves regional cuisine. Great pizza and pasta. SLEEPINGThe Angel House Inn is an absolutely Heavenly place to stay. Each charming room has carefully chosen antiques and appropriately placed angels in almost every corner. And you don't have to love angels to love the Angel House Inn. You will enjoy the gourmet breakfasts and yummy appetizers served with wine every evening. If your lucky, the friendly hosts will have some of their gang over during cocktail time and you will get to meet a few of the locals. HANGING OUTPark City must be a politically correct place. Both the Clinton and Gore families visited this year. Geoffrey Katzenberg and Charles Gibson have homes in Park Cities. And Alan Alda, Ann Archer, Neil Armstrong, Rosanna Arquette, Burt Bacharach, Kevin Bacon, Norm Bangerter, Carol Bayer Sayer, Shari Belafonte, Corbin Bensen, Jeff Bridges, Nicholas Cage, Kate Capshaw, Johny Carson, Lynda Carter, Wilt Chamberlain, Mary Chapin Carpenter, James Coburn, Joan Collins, Billy Connolly, Tim Conway, Kevin Costner, Tom Cruise, Tim Daly, Tony Danza, Dana Delaney, Depeche Mode, Danny DeVito, Angie Dickenson, Robert Duvall, Stein Eriksen, Linda Evans, Sherilynn Fenn, Jane Fonda, Gerald Ford, Mary Fran, Dennis Franz, Julio Gallo, Jake Garn, Steve Garvey, Gil Gerrard, Wayne Gretsky, Guns & Roses, George Hamilton, Tom Hanks, Cindy Harrell-Horn, Margaux Hemingway, Dustin Hoffman, INXS, Kate Jackson, Janet Jackson, Peter Jacobsen, Bruce Jenner, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jeffery Katzenburg, Danny Kaye, Michael Keaton, Evel Keneival, Larry King, Tom Kite, Michael Landon, Nicolette Larson, Rod Laver, Julian Lennon, Sugar Ray Leonard, Art Linkletter, Rob Lowe, David Lynch, Kelly Lynch, Madonna, Henry Mancini, Ann Margaret, Cheech Marin, Marsha Mason, Marc McEwen, Reba McIntyre, Elle McPherson, Rick Mears, Steve Miller Band, Robert Mondavi, Joe Montana, Demi Moore, Eddie Murphy, Bill Murray, Rosie O'Donnell, Mark O'Meara, Al Pacino, Jimmy Page, Arnold Palmer, Gwyneth Paltrow, Amanda Pays, Rhea Perlman, Brad Pitt, Robert Plant, Sidney Poitier, Markie Post, Priscella Presley, Prince Andrew of Monaco, Victoria Principal, Dennis Quaid, Kenny Rankin, John Ratzenburg, John Ritter, Joan Rivers, Cliff Robertson, David Robinson, Dennis Rodman, Mimi Rogers, Wayne Rogers, Axel Rose, Isabella Rossalini, Wynona Ryder, Vidal Sasson, Forest Sawyer, Arnold Schwartzenegger, Willard Scott, Cybil Shepard, Nicolette Sheridan, Yakoff Smirnoff, Harry Smith, Jimmy Smits, Sissy Spacek, Bruce Springsteen, Jill St. John, Craig Stadler, Sylvester Stallone, Ringo Starr, David Stern, Steve Miller Band, Oliver Stone, Barbra Streisand, Danny Sullivan, Keiffer Sutherland, Alan Thicke, Cheryl Tiegs, John Travola, UB40, Tracey Ullman, Robert Urich, Robert Wagner, Joe Walsh, Diane Weist, Bruce Willis, Rita Wilson, Steve Winwood, Steve Young, Neil Young and Paula Zahn have been spotted enjoying this delightful place. Rumor has it that Brad Pitt was here a few years ago, but you'll have to come and see for yourself who you can spot. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON PARK CITY Kimball Art Center Rugged Elegance Seasons Body Retreat Chimayo Goldener Hirsch Inn Grappa Zoom Roadhouse Grill Lakota Angel House Inn courtesy of Dan Campbell, Mark Maziarz, Deer Valley Resort and Madelyn Miller |
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TM
I know that if you ask the rest of the world to describe Park City in one word it would either be snow or ski. But if you ask me that question, it would be either shop or eat.
Park City has some wonderful art galleries. The best place to get the pulse of the art scene in Park City is to start at the Kimball Art Center, a combination gallery, exhibition hall, store and art education center. In addition to the great places to look, you can actually work there. There are complete ceramic, photo, painting and jewelry studios. It is a non-profit community art center whose slogan is, "the more you look, the more you see." 
But the best thing I bought in Park City was a massage at Seasons body retreat. It is a ski-in, ski-out day spa. They have some of the best treatments I have ever found (and my body really gets around) I am mentioning them in this shopping category because you have to plan to get a treatment (Alpine Glow was my favorite) and you will want to take home some of the terrific products.
Because I am a window shopper and fantasizer, I always try to preview menus of the restaurants in town. The Park City Menu Guide makes this easy, but I wish they also included the prices so you had some idea of what you might be getting into. Food is not inexpensive in Park City, but there is a wonderful variety and some top choices.