Whip It

This October Drew Barrymore makes her directorial debut with Whip It. Ellen Page stars as the disgruntled small town beauty pageant contestant who falls in love with roller derby to her parents dismay. I'm bummed that they chose to portray banked track when it is flat track that has had the powerful resurgence but whatevs. I'm still excited about the movie. Check out the trailer.

Book Review: Bad Mother

Bad Mother: A Chronicle of Maternal Crimes, Minor Calamities, and Occasional Moments of Grace by Ayelet Waldman


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Bad Mother was the wild ride that I anticipated from the reviews I read ahead of time. Reading Ayelet Waldman's writing is a bit like dragging your finger across the blade of the knife to see how sharp it is. Her insight is dead on and I loved that the fact that she lives an authentic life. She makes no apologies for her thoughts or actions. Well, that isn't totally true. Sometimes she apologizes but she rarely seems to filter her thoughts. I have a lot of respect for that ability. That insight into her psyche makes her incredibly easy to relate with. I find it appealing to read writings spoken from so deep in the heart without the sugar coating or concern about how society will react to soften it down.


Waldman writes about her attempts to be a 'good mother' and how we beat ourselves up (or let other women beat us up) for the decisions that we make. To work or stay home? Jam pack your child's schedule with enrichment activities or allow a more free form, less committed childhood? All very interesting questions that most mothers grapple with when they have young children.


I would encourage you to get your hands on a copy and open your mind while reading her book. You may occasionally cringe at what she has to say but you'll be rewarded with some terrific writing.


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Pipeline

Awesome hike up Millcreek Canyon this morning. We did the Pipeline Trail and the weather was perfect. The first mile of the trail is nice incline mostly in the shade. The trail veers to the left and the next 2 miles are flat and sunny and offer beautiful views of the Salt Lake valley. The last two miles are perfect for trail running too, just be careful that you keep your eyes on the trail (rather than your feet) because bicycles are allowed on the trail on even days.

Red Butte Garden

It finally occurred to me that to reread my ticket confirmation email today from my Red Butte Garden concert ticket purchase. I've been waiting for them to mail me the tickets and thus far, no go. Turns out that it states quite clearly on the email that I can pick them up at the Garden or they'll hold them for me at will call.


I had another appointment in Research Park this afternoon so afterward I stopped at the Garden to grab my tickets. I'd forgotten that the Indigo Girls are playing there tonight. I could hear their sound check from the parking lot. So, after I picked up my tickets I walked around the garden to get a closer look.

The music sounded terrific and I could see the line of concert-goers waiting outside the gates for the doors to open. I wished that I'd bought tickets for tonight's show. But alas, I had not. So, I wandered around until the Garden closed and took a few more pictures but missed a bunch of potentially terrific shots.

A hummingbird was hovering so close to my head while I was watching the sound check but by the time I got my camera out it was long gone. I also missed getting the shot of what appeared to be a squirrel/terrier mix. It was a damn big squirrel!

Vintage Car Show

I went to a vintage car show yesterday at Murray Park which was part of Murray's July 4th celebrations. I love old cars. I find their shapes alluring. Those old girls have so much personality. So much more than the Honda Accords and Toyota Camries of today. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the reliability and resale value of the plain Jane descendants but they are just so homogeneous. Take a look at these beauties below:

Dodge Charger

Chevy Bel-Air

VW row

Chevy Impala

rad interior of the Chevy Impala

Chevy Camaro

okay, okay, not vintage but too pretty to not include, the new Camaro!

Bowman Fork Trail

One of my favorite hikes is up Millcreek Canyon. Make a right-hand turn at the Terraces picnic area and follow the steep, windy road up to the parking lot. The trail is mostly in the shade and crisscrosses a creek several times. I love this hike for its steady but not overly steep incline.

This morning on the trail we saw a young deer standing on the trail only 50 feet ahead of us. Unfortunately, I couldn't get my camera out fast enough to attempt to snap a shot. Later in the summer this trail will have tons of butterflies and dragonflies. It's quite delightful!

This photo above doesn't give you the right perspective but this spot is a lush, green (and quite deep) gully that you come across about 3 miles up the trail. It is hard to believe that you are in the desert because it looks much more like you've landed somewhere in the Pacific Northwest.

Son of Rambow

Last night I watched an incredibly charming movie called Son of Rambow. I missed this one at Sundance and am thankful for Netflix's extensive selection of movies so that I could watch it from the comfort of my patio.

Set in England, the movie follow two boys who are loners and outcasts but forge an unlikely friendship. Additionally, the movie features charming illustrations, French foreign exchange students and a few off-beat songs from the 80s thrown in. I really enjoyed this amusing albeit quirky film and would highly recommend it.