Christmas in Salt Lake City
A few days after we returned from our trip to Louisville, it was time to fly out to Salt Lake City on Wednesday, December 18th. At the airport, Margot picked us up after our trip from Hartford via Atlanta.
It was the first time we saw their new 2-bedroom apartment, which was further away from the city center but closer to the ski areas, and more importantly, great hiking trails just 2 blocks away. Right after arriving, we went out to see an NHL hockey game, as Brendan had gotten free tickets from a friend. We saw the Utah Hockey Club win after a great comeback from a 2-goal deficit.
The next day, Margot was busy with work, so Paula and I explored some of the city. First, we went out for coffee at the Coffee Garden, and after a short walk and some shopping, eat lunch at the Vessel Kitchen. In the afternoon, we went for a walk in Memory Grove Park near the State House. Afterwards, we got some beers at Proper Brewing.
On Friday morning, I joined Margot, Brendan, and Moose for a run in the hills near their house. It was still frosty in the morning, and the trails were still hard and frozen, but the vistas were beautiful, across the valley and downtown.
Later that day, we did some Christmas shopping and ended up eating Swedish meatballs at IKEA.
The next day, Paula and I hiked the same route we had done the previous day. We got some great sunrise photos.
In the evening, we saw a concert of the Salt Lake City Pops in the Maurice Abravanel Hall. Afterwards, we went for some beers and entertainment in the Piano Bar. It was great fun, with two pianists playing song requests with witty texts.
We visited the Natural History Museum on Sunday and spent the whole morning exploring the origins of Salt Lake. In the evening, we went to the well-rated restaurant Log Haven for a great dinner.
On Monday, I went out on Margot's hybrid bike on some of the bike trails, with lots of ups and downs, but still managed to get 10 miles in.
The next day, Margot took us out to Antelope Island State Park, where we hiked on the trails along the Salt Lake. We saw some buffalo and visited an abandoned Mormon farm.
On Christmas Day, we unpacked our presents. Later in the day, Paula and Margot made a delicious 7-course meal, including a Bourbon / Chocolate tasting course
We woke up on Boxing Day to a snow-covered city. Paula and I did another hike on the pristine, snow-covered trails.
It was also our last day in Salt Lake City. The next morning, Margot brought us to the airport early, and we flew back to Hartford via Atlanta, arriving home in the late afternoon.