PARK CITY LIFE

LIFE ON THE OTHER SIDE

PHOTO OFFSET BEIR CO

LOCAL BREW FROM A LOCAL CREW

BY TONY GILL

THE WORD “CRAFT” is an oft overused descriptor for breweries, but it couldn’t be more apt when applied to Offset Bier. The brewery produces a handful of beers right here in Park City, ranging from modern, experimental hop-focused brews that highlight creative recipes to traditional European-style lagers that emphasize meticulous brewing processes. Conor Brown and Patrick Bourque wanted to provide a space in Park City where people could enjoy a product of their community in the heart of their community. Stop in to the new taproom for small-batch, locally produced beer that will blow away any misconception about Utah brewing culture. 1755 Bonanza Dr., 435-659-7517, offsetbier.com

Above: The Poe from the St. Regis Deer Valley’s bar (right).

APRÈS ROUNDUP

Park City après shines whether homegrown or highfalutin

BY TONY GILL

IS IT JUST ME, or does that first sip of a frosty après beverage rival the gloriousness of the day’s first powder turn? Refreshing, gratifying and a touch indulgent, the post-ski beverage is the capstone to a job well done on the slopes. When people claim they’re “just here for the après,” it’s difficult to blame them.

Après means many things to people in Park City. For some, it’s pitchers of affordable macrobrew while still wearing ski boots. For others, it’s an opportunity to sample the craft of local brewers and distillers. And, of course, there are those in search of a fashionable cocktail to match their chic skiwear. We’ve done the hard work seeking out Park City’s best après drinks. Flavors and attitudes run the gamut, so whether adorned in flannel or fur you won’t feel out of place. Tip one back, tip your bartender and enjoy.

THE SPOT

ST. REGIS DEER VALLEY

2300 Deer Valley Dr., 435-940-5700, marriott.com

THE DRINK The Poe (Hennessy, lemon juice and hot pumpkin sage chai tea)

WHAT TO WEAR Moncler puffy coat and Tecnica moon boots

THE STORY Master mixologist Gabriela Diaz Torres devised the Poe to resemble the hot, fragrant drinks Torres’ mother would make with fresh pumpkin from the garden. It’s a gorgeous-looking cocktail that’s right at home in the luxurious St. Regis Deer Valley bar just steps away from the resort’s finely groomed corduroy. A hot cocktail at the tail end of a chilly day enjoying the snow is a perfect example of living your best life.

PHOTOS COURTESY ST. REGIS DEER VALLEY

PHOTOS COURTESY HIGH WEST AND OFFSET BIER CO

THE SPOT

HIGH WEST SALOON

703 Park Ave., 435-649-8300, highwest.com

THE DRINK High Country Single Malt

WHAT TO WEAR Woolrich flannel, new Carhartt dungarees and Danner hiking boots

THE STORY High West perfectly represents Park City’s melding of mountain luxury with a rustic, western façade. Their new, limited-release High Country Single Malt matches the mood. Single malt blends are finished in Oloroso sherry barrels creating layers of complex flavors that are the product of meticulous dedication to detail. Still, the end product is a sipping whiskey best enjoyed atop a bar stool on an uneven, rough-cut wood floor.

THE SPOT

OFFSET BIER CO

1755 Bonanza Dr., 435-659-7517, offsetbier.com

THE DRINK

Dopo

WHAT TO WEAR Well-loved Flylow bibs and a cotton T-shirt from your favorite indie rock band THE STORY We already introduced you to this truly micro craft brewer in our opener. You have to come straight to the source to sample Offset Bier’s creations. “The Dopo, which is Italian for "after,’ is our house hoppy beer. It’s aromatic but light enough for you to have a couple after skiing,” says Offset founder Conor Brown. The taproom was designed specifically for locals to enjoy a beercentric après. The taproom is open daily from 4 to 8 p.m. and the beer is literally named “after.” How can a thirsty crew of skiers not appreciate that little detail?

Left: At the base of Park City’s Town Lift, High West is the world’s only ski-in, ski-out distillery. Below: Park City Brewing.

THE SPOT

PARK CITY BREWING

1764 Uinta Way, parkcitybrewing.com

THE DRINK

Powder Buoy Pilsner

WHAT TO WEAR Come as you are

THE STORY The name is the same but everything else has changed. Park City Brewing is back with new owners, new brewers and all-new recipes in a new location. Jeff Tito is the new head honcho, boasting experience from Rolling Rock (which his family owned) and Heineken. “We’re bringing a focus on consistency and repeatability in our processes to craft brewing because we owe it to our customers for things to taste just right,” Tito says. Their five core beers are brewed in Park City and are named for the community. The Powder Buoy Pilsner is a drinkable, lightly hopped après beer that references the NOAA buoy off Kauai that portends big storms in Park City. The brewpub is kid-friendly, making Park City Brewing the perfect family après spot.

THE BIG CUT UP

Redistricting further divides Summit County and dilutes its influence

BY TONY GILL

LEGISLATIVE BOUNDARIES SOUND boring. Get about two sentences in talking about them, and most people’s eyes will glaze over. Hey, you. Wake up, please. See what I mean? That dull veneer is kind of the point because it keeps people from paying attention to something that matters a lot: representation in government. As happens every ten years, legislative districts were redrawn in late 2021. Summit County was split between four State House districts (4, 23, 59 and 68) and two State Senate districts (3 and 20). The County was also split into two Congressional Districts at the federal level (the first and third). Summit County residents of all stripes should be miffed as the community’s influence will likely be diminished.

“It’s certainly worse than before, but we’ve been gerrymandered for 10 years in Summit County,” says Summit County Democratic Party Chair Katy Owens. “It just represents a further effort to dilute the voice of Summit County voters.” Owens’ counterpart, Summit County Republican Party Vice-chair (acting as temporary chair) Karen Ballash did not respond to requests for comment.

Without question, winners and losers emerge after each round of redistricting. However, in this instance, it seems the will of a majority of Utah voters was deliberately subverted and Summit County is in the crosshairs of the skewed redistricting effort. A statewide ballot initiative in 2018 passed by 7,000 votes asking for the creation of a non-partisan commission to draw political boundaries. In drawing the new boundaries, the Utah Legislature completely ignored the recommendations and maps created by the independent commission.

“The commission was very open and transparent, taking feedback from public meetings and posting maps during the process,” Owens says. “The legislature dropped their map on a Friday night at 11 p.m. and voted for it on a Monday without any public input. It was clearly drawn as incumbent protection.”

So, what does redistricting mean for representation? It’s difficult to pin down exactly, but Summit County appears to be in a representative black hole. “We don’t have a single representative who lives here in Summit County despite how populous the county is and how influential it is to the state’s economy,” Owens says. “But some people do argue that we have numerous people in the legislature who could advocate for the county and a single representative may not have much bargaining power,” she concedes.

For the next decade, Summit County will be represented in small slices. Time will tell how the community will be impacted, but in the meantime, it’s difficult to argue with voters who feel slighted.

THE FEDERAL SPLIT

Voters in Park City are now part of the third congressional district for the first time since the 1990 census. Unincorporated Park City voters including residents of Snyderville, Jeremy Ranch, Pinebrook and Summit Park remain in the first district, splitting what has been a relatively cohesive voting bloc in two. Leaders of both political parties have long held the county would hold more influence if included in a single district.

ILLUSTRATION BY SCOTT PETERSON

The Greatest Show on Snow

HOME SNOW ADVANTAGE

University of Utah to host NCAA Ski Championships in Park City

BY TONY GILL

WHAT’S THE BEST ATHLETICS TEAM in Utah? It’s not the ever-consistent Utah Jazz, the miracle-playoff-run Real Salt Lake or even our beloved Ducks-decimating, Rose Bowl-playing Utes football team. Nope. It’s the University of Utah ski team, and it’s not particularly close. The two-time defending NCAA National Champions call the Greatest Snow on Earth their home turf, and this year the U of U is hosting the 2022 National Championships at Park City Mountain and Soldier Hollow from March 9-12.

Head Coach Fredrik Landstedt enters his fourth year coaching the Utes with a pretty unimpeachable record. Teams he helmed won national titles in 2019 and 2021, and the Utes have won all but one meet they’ve participated in since Landstedt took over. Only the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the cancellation of the 2020 NCAA Championships, derailed the Utes’ run of dominance during Landstedt’s tenure.

“Hosting the championships in Park City, we definitely feel we have a bit of home field advantage,” Landstedt says. “Most other teams compete here once or twice a year, but we feel very comfortable because we get to train here at Park City and the Utah Olympic Park.” If home cooking weren’t enough of an advantage, the Utes are returning every skier from the 2021 title team. A couple of skiers wouldn’t have been available in 2022, but in response to COVID, the NCAA provided an additional year of eligibility for student athletes.

The NCAA Ski Championships are a co-ed, combined event, with every school able to qualify three men and three women

Sydney Palmer-Leger

for two alpine events—giant slalom and slalom—and two Nordic events— individual classic and mass start freestyle. Because all three athletes’ scores count, scoring at the NCAA Championships is typically tighter than at regular meets where six skiers compete with only the three best scoring. “We have a very strong team, and we expect to be in the mix to win. But we’d love the community to come support us and give us an extra edge,” Landstedt says.

A number of the student athletes on the University of Utah Ski Team were vying for spots in the Olympics, and as of publishing several will have indeed competed for their countries in Beijing. Park City is a skiing-obsessed community, so help show the state’s best athletes we have their back as they compete for a third consecutive NCAA title. Don’t forget to bring your cowbell. utahutes.com/sports/alpine-skiing

PHOTOS COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF UTAH

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS SCHEDULE

Wednesday, March 9: Giant Slalom at Park City Mountain Thursday, March 10: Individual Classic Nordic at Soldier Hollow

Friday, March 11: Slalom at Park City Mountain Saturday, March 12: Mass Start Freestyle Nordic at Soldier Hollow

MARK MILLER SUBARU

Trekking through the great outdoors is, oh so much better when you can do it safely and in style. It’s no secret that it seems the Subaru was basically built for Utah’s top tier terrain, and Mark Miller Subaru is the hometown outfitter to get you set on your adventures. Ninety-seven percent of Subaru vehicles sold in the last 10 years are still on the road today, and it’s not like Utah landscapes take it easy on them.

From the depths of our slot canyons to the heights of mountain peaks, the safety, reliability and dependability of a Mark Miller Subaru never waivers. Mark Miller Subaru is the best kind of neighbor any Utahn could ask for: kind, generous, helpful and always looking out for your safety. The dealership is a small, family-owned business in its fourth generation of family ownership. The formula for success is the same today as when they opened in 1953: Stellar customer service, haggle-free competitive vehicle pricing, and care for the community. The sales staff doesn’t work on commission. They are just sincere people with a transparent approach who work to make sure you get all-wheel drive, safety controls and options for your outdoor driving experience, all while supporting charity through the “Love Promise” Program. The Mark Miller Subaru “Love Promise” works with local nonprofits to support their work and strengthen the community. Since 2010, they’ve donated $2.6 million to charity. “We’re going to invest in our community regardless, but reincorporating as a Benefit Corporation is our proclamation to the world that being a good corporate citizen is part of our DNA,” says CEO Jeff Miller.

3535 S STATE STREET, SALT LAKE CITY, UT | 888-859-6198 | MARKMILLERSUBARUMIDTOWN.COM 10920 S STATE STREET, SANDY, UT | 888-237-5075 | MARKMILLERSUBARUSOUTHTOWNE.COM

SORREL RIVER RANCH & SPA

It may be a little unfair to other states that “The Great Outdoors” is actually synonymous with the Moab area, but we aren’t saying we feel bad about it. Actually, quite the opposite, we love it so much it’s on our license plates, people. Moab is a destination unlike any other, so why not experience it in a unique way? You don’t have to take the same vacation photos as the millions Moab visitors, right?

Don’t worry, it’s not a mirage, it’s an actual luxury in the desert surrounded by some of the world’s most famous, scenic red rock landscapes. Oliver Gibbons, general manager, says the ranch allows guests to immerse in nature, and enjoy activities you can’t usually get in Moab. “You’re not doing the typical tourist experience,” Gibbons says. World-class dining, private excursions, it’s all at your fingertips and the best part, Utahns? It’s family-friendly. When can you find luxury that the kids can also enjoy? Sorrel River boasts a petting zoo on top of an endless list of activities for junior ranch wranglers including equestrian adventures. If all of the hiking, biking, and outdoor beauty seems overwhelming, then just get off the grid. Garden and cooking demos are also offered on the ranch but squeeze those in between a little rest and relaxation while enjoying views for days. “We go beyond luxury and create unforgettable experiences. At Sorrel River Ranch, you are on an expedition, you really are an adventurer.”

NOMINEES NOMINATED BY

MANOLI & KATRINA KATSANEVAS OF MANOLI’S MIKE BLOCKER OF TABLE X

Nohm: Rare and risky

MANOLI’S HAS BEEN open for six years but Manoli and Katrina Katsanevas have been cooking for more than a decade. Manoli started working in a family restaurant at age 13 and his wife, Katrina learned to cook at home. Manoli’s menu takes traditional Greek dishes and adds presentation and influence from France, Spain and Italy to create flavorful Mediterranean cuisine.

“We’re both Greek, but we didn’t just want to go the traditional Greek route,” Manoli says. “We put the emphasis on local, fresh, simple, healthy, just really good Mediterranean food. One of our biggest inspirations is just seeing how much our customers enjoy our food, and how that can make an impact in their lives and change their day. That’s why you get into the business, to feed and please people.

When people have a really great dining experience, it changes their mood,” Katrina says. “We’re very big about being in the present, being in the moment. We emphasize shared plates, so it’s about being there, in the moment, with each other, with the people that you love.”

DISHES NOT TO MISS.“My favorite is the octopus,” Manoli says. “I love the octopus, and our pilaf—homemade lemon rice—is very comforting. Those are probably two dishes that I could eat every day. The octopus is also my favorite thing to make.”

“My favorite would be our Garides—a grilled shrimp served over polenta,” Katrina says. “And I’ve always loved Dolmades (grape leaves served with rice, herbs, tomato, house Greek yogurt). I could eat those at 2 a.m. right out of the fridge.”

ONE COOL THING. “We do a killer brunch on the weekend,” Manoli says. “We bring Greek inspiration to traditional brunch dishes”

Manoli’s // 402 E. Harvey Milk Blvd. (900 S.) #2, SLC, 801-532-3760, manolison9th.com

‘WHY I LOVE MANOLI’S’ “Manoli introduced himself to me right after we opened Table X. I love that his menu has so much traditional Greek flavor presented in a simple, modern way. It’s a unique concept for Salt Lake. As a chef/ owner myself, I wish I could get out more and enjoy Manoli’s food. I always respect, admire, and relate to people that not just own their business but also work in their restaurants every night and lead by example.”

WHY DOES MANOLI’S DESERVE TO BE RECOGNIZED IN THE 2022 DINING

AWARDS?“Manoli and Katrina work so hard and have always been gracious and kind in welcoming us to the SLC food scene years ago. We’ve enjoyed doing events, collaboration, and charity dinners with them and they set a great example of what local restaurant owners should strive to be.” — Michael Blocher of Table X

Table X // 1457 E. 3350 South, SLC, 385-528-3712, tablexrestaurant.com

House smoked salmon, crispy potato feta cake, herbed Greek yogurt, fried capers

NOMINEES

WALI & MIRIAM ARSHAD OF AFGHAN KITCHEN

NOMINATED BY

FRANCIS FECTEAU OF LIBATIONS INC.

Nohm: Rare and risky

WALI ARSHAD CAME to the United States from Afghanistan and surprise, surprise discovered that there weren’t any good Afghan restaurants in Utah. He opened a small restaurant with his partner chef Naheem Amel. And set out to introduce Utah to the cuisine of his country.

“I always tell people that our cuisine is in-between Indian and Iranian,” Wali says. “Afghans think Indians use too much spice and Iranians use too little. We are right in the middle.”

I have learned that preparing food is a work of art,” Wali says. “When a customer leaves happy it motivates me more. I had never been to culinary school and didn't know how to cook. My wife trained me and together we built a menu that we love. Hospitality is key in our culture. If you come to my home I’ll give you a feast.”

DISHES NOT TO MISS. “The lamb shank, Qabili Palau, is our most popular dish but we serve everything family style so everyone can share and try it all.”

ONE COOL THING. “My vision for this restaurant is that you come here and feel like you are dining in Afghanistan and you get a sense of our cultural sense of hospitality.”

Afghan Kitchen // 1465 S. State St., SLC, 801-953-1398. 3142 S. Main St., South Salt Lake, 385-229-4155. afghan-kitchen.com

‘WHY I LOVE AFGHAN KITCHEN’ “I discovered Afghan Kitchen as just a random quarantine meal choice. I didn’t understand the menu but I thought, ‘what the hell.’ It was a random confluence of hunger and curiosity.

Lamb Shank Qabili Palau — Fall off the bone lamb shank, slow-cooked to perfection and served with seasoned aromatic basmati rice topped with caramelized carrots and raisins. (Qabili palau, also known as Kabuli palau is Afghanistan's national dish.)

My first taste was a party in my mouth! It’s easy for Central Asian cuisine to blur from region to region but this was distinctly different from its regional neighbors. I love the authenticity here. I had never tasted anything like it, there was a depth to the cuisine and it survived the transit of takeout. I eat there three-four times a month and love the mantu dumplings and the Borani Banjan. It's as if the eggplant was made into edible silk. Qorma E Murgh is a chicken dish that many would confuse with Indian tikka masala but there's this fresh gingery lift to it that blows my mind and the balance!”

WHY DOES AFGHAN KITCHEN DESERVE TO BE RECOGNIZED IN THE 2022 DINING

AWARDS? “The Arshads are wizards who clearly love their native land. Afghan Kitchen brings a new and necessary element to the SLC culinary landscape. It’s like discovering a new color or a new sound.” — Francis Fecteau of Libation Inc.)

Libation Inc. // libationslc.com

NOMINEE

MIKE BLOCHER OF TABLE X

NOMINATED BY

ANGIE FULLER OF OQUIRRH RESTAURANT

Nohm: Rare and risky

TABLE X HAS evolved over the years. Started by a team of chefs who came from traditional, fine dining restaurants on the East Coast, Nick Fahs & Mike Blocher has recently gone to a single tasting menu. While Nick focuses on the restaurant’s bakery (now selling directly to customers) Mike sources food locally, much of it from the restaurant’s own garden.

“Last summer we started seating in the garden area,” Mike says. “You’re next to the plants you’re enjoying, and in the winter we’re working to preserve the excess of what we grow so you’re always going to get flavors from the garden.”

The duo uses the bakery to experiment with fermentation, pickling and other preservation techniques in the restaurant’s tradition of continuing to explore and learn.

“We try to push the boundaries of the food scene here but we don’t overmanipulate,” Mike says. “We use a small number of ingredients for each dish and present it to catch your eye. There are no parameters except that there is definitely not a burger on our menu.”

DISHES NOT TO MISS. The restaurant’s tasting menu means there isn’t a dish you can miss, although there is both a vegetarian and omnivore lane to choose from. Each evening’s tasting, either five or seven courses, with optional wine pairings, is built with seasonal ingredients in mind designed to create an experience.

ONE COOL THING. Table X has always had house-made bread and butter on the menu. But during the pandemic, the bread operation has grown. They started making and selling bread wholesale to other restaurants and recently opened a storefront bakery where you can buy loaves and bread-forward pastries directly from the restaurant.

Table X // 1457 E. 3350 South, SLC, 385-528-3712, tablexrestaurant.com

‘WHY I LOVE TABLE X’ “I love that they’ve gone to a tasting-menu-only format. Just to be like, ‘this is our menu tonight, let us feed you.’ That’s something this city has had since (Viet Pham’s) Forage. It opens people’s minds and that’s really important. We share a commonality with Table X in that we want to cook with as many seasonal products as we can. Farm-totable isn’t anything new but Table X thinks in terms of putting the best, freshest ingredients on the plate. It takes extra effort but it elevates all of us supporting the local growers that we all use and by showing people just how good food can be.’”

WHY DOES TABLE X DESERVE TO BE RECOGNIZED IN THE 2022 DINING

AWARDS? “First of all and probably most important, the food is good. It’s thoughtfully prepared and served beautifully. But I also see Table X trying to help set apart Salt Lake’s dining scene. They are part of a community of restaurants that are convincing people that there is great food here.” — Angie Fuller of Oquirrh Restaurant

Oquirrh Restaurant // 368 E. 100 South, SLC, 801-359-0426

Farro Verde; savoy cabbage, calabrian chili, dried olive, house capicola

NOMINEE

ANNY SOOKSRI OF TEA ROSE DINER, CHABAAR BEYOND THAI & FAV BISTRO

NOMINATED BY

LAVANYA MAHATE OF SAFFRON VALLEY

Nohm: Rare and risky

IN 2006 ANNY Sooksri opened Tea Rose Diner in a still, she admits, hard-to-find location in Murray. She says she set out to make the food she grew up with helping her grandmother and aunts cook at home.

“When I came to Utah, I felt like many ethnic restaurants set out to make food for Americans,” she says. “That’s not what I like. I’m stubborn so I make food I like for those who like it too.”

The result is three restaurants including Chabaar Beyond Thai and Fav Bistro. Everything is made from scratch, the way she learned as a child helping her grandmother.

“We don’t take any shortcuts,” she says. “Everything is cooked fresh. I come from a country where everything is fresh. When I first came here, I saw broccoli in the freezer and I thought what is that? I’d never seen it before in my life”

“Before I started my restaurants, I used to work at the post office. I worked hard but there was no appreciation for my work. Now, even though the restaurant business is hard, I am a part of a family. My customers and staff are my family. When people eat my food and love it, that is worth more than anything you can pay me.”

DISHES NOT TO MISS. “We make our pad thai in an upscale Thai way, and fold the noodles into the egg. It’s kind of like an omelet, very pretty. My cooks hate it because it’s very hard to do. You have to be able to make it fast enough so it doesn’t stick to the pan but not too fast or it gets too hot and crumbles.” food in Utah,” she says. “No joke. I tell people to order the mild spice (level) if you’re not used to very spicy Thai food.”

Tea Rose Diner // 65 E. 5th Ave., Murray, 801-685-6111, bestthaifoodinutah.com Chabaar Beyond Thai // 87 W. 7200 South, Midvale, 801-566-5100, chabaarbeyondthai.com Fav Bistro // 1984 E. Murray Holladay Rd., Holladay, 801-676-9300, favbistro.com

‘WHY I LOVE FAV BISTRO/CHABAAR

BEYOND THAI/TEA ROSE DINER’ “Just imagine you are thousands of miles away from your home and decide to make this home yours and then share your home with the people who live here. I can relate to that and I recognize Anny for her work in educating local taste. Every time I eat at one of her restaurants, the food is delicious and you can see that it’s made with pride. (The chicken rice is the best!) She has a good way of introducing new foods to Utah. She showcases Thai cuisine in a way that is not intimidating and I understand what a challenge that is.”

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WHY DOES ANNY SOOKSRI DESERVE TO BE RECOGNIZED IN THE 2022 DINING AWARDS?

“She cooks from her heart and years of experience. She is constantly working and looking for creative ideas to keep everything fresh and innovative. She also takes good care of her staff and demonstrates mutual love and respect for everyone.” — Lavanya Mahate of Saffron Valley

NOMINEES

ANDREW & ANGIE FULLER OF OQUIRRH

NOMINATED BY

SCOTT EVANS OF PAGO GROUP

Nohm: Rare and risky

ANDREW AND ANGIE Fuller have always known they wanted to open a restaurant together. Andrew worked in the back and Angie worked out front and where some people use restaurant work on the way to something else, they never wanted to leave.

“We both knew that’s what we wanted to do for the long term,” Andrew says. “We both were working really hard, long hours and decided that if that was going to be our job, we might as well be doing it for ourselves.”

Oquirrh opened in 2019 with Andrew’s artfully nostalgic menu coming out of the kitchen and Angie’s ideas about hospitality and service in the front.

“We want Oquirrh to be Oquirrh,” Andrew says. “The only way to do that can be having me in the kitchen almost every night and a service experience that comes from having Angie in the building.”

The result is a cozy, welcoming and unpretentious restaurant that offers a living room vibe.

DISHES NOT TO MISS. Although Oquirrh’s menu is not fixed, one staple that Andrew and Angie just can’t shake is his elevated take on the chicken pot pie—a delicate puff pastry filled with a decadent confit, fennel mirepoix and mushrooms. It comes and goes on the menu but the restaurant's loyal following always lobbies for its return.

ONE COOL THING. A seat at Oguirr’s small bar up offers a front-row seat to experience the Fuller’s idea of hospitality. Angie is upfront, chatty as she hustles the evening’s service along and Andrew occasionally emerges from the back to wipe his brow and take a break. Although there’s not a bad seat in the house at Oquirrh, if you’re in a small group, try the bar.

Oquirrh // 368 E. 100 South, SLC, 801-3590426

‘WHY I LOVE OQUIRRH RESTAURANT’

“Drew was the Chef de Cuisine at Pago on 9th & 9th before we went on to Oquirrh. The menu at Oquirrh is unique, balanced and well-executed. Drew's food is creative and playful yet relatable. There aren't any excesses on the plate that don't contribute to the dish. Drew has found the balance between plating beautiful dishes and executing the dishes perfectly. Too many up-and-coming chefs rely on plating alone and miss seasoning, texture, temperature. His experience and palette allow Drew to innovate with precision. An example is the milk braised potatoes. It’s a dish you can eat every time you visit. It showcases Drew’s ability to transform humble ingredients into complex, elevated fare.”

WHY DOES OQUIRRH DESERVE TO BE RECOGNIZED IN THE 2022 DINING

AWARDS? In my opinion, the best restaurants and chefs push the market through their creativity and execution.

His talent behind the stove is apparent, he has worked in great restaurants in Utah and beyond. The menu offers items not available elsewhere and all

Cabbage smoked on the Traeger: Fermented fall squash “Romesco,” squash tear honey and sage.

NOMINEE

MILO CARRIER OF ARLO RESTAURANT

NOMINATED BY

STEVEN ROSENBERG OF LIBERTY HEIGHTS FRESH

Nohm: Rare and risky

MILO CARRIER HASN’T stopped cooking since he was 16 years old, his wife Brooke Doner explains. “His mom was very egalitarian with chores,” she says, chuckling. “If Milo cooked he didn’t have to help clean up.” Their restaurant Arlo opened in the space where Em’s used to be on Capitol Hill in Salt Lake and now has become a city and neighborhood favorite.

“I went to college at the U, floundered around there for a while, before I realized I wanted to pursue culinary school,” Milo says. “I moved to San Francisco and worked there for six years but eventually came back to Salt Lake City with the idea that I wanted to open my own restaurant.”

The couple started in SLC with pop-up events and catering, including a series of “Caterpillar Dinners” in unlikely locations like the foothills of SLC and empty warehouses. At Arlo, Miles gets to explore his ever-changing concept of cuisine, with a seasonal menu that never stays the same from month to month.

“For me, Arlo is non-linear and not stuck in time,” he says. “We’re always looking for new influences and are open to all cuisines. Arlo is whatever it is today and whatever it will be tomorrow, at the same time.”

DISHES NOT TO MISS. “It’s maybe a weird concept but our favorite dishes are what are on the menu now,” Brooke says. “It’s always changing based on what’s available locally and how Milo develops a dish. We’ll start out at the beginning of the week with a dish and by the end, he will have tweaked it into something else. In a month, we’re bored of it and it's on to something else.” ONE COOL THING. Arlo expanded its patio and heated dining options in a quick response to the pandemic. They’re continuing to expand the terrace and outdoor dining options.

Arlo Restaurant // 271 N. North Center St., SLC, 385-266-8845, arlorestaurant.com

‘WHY I LOVE ARLO RESTAURANT’ “I had heard that Em’s on Capitol Hill had been re-envisioned and opened as Arlo. I was impressed to see the creativity of each dish is exceptional. Ingredients are carefully sourced, of high integrity, and possess flavor and texture that are superb. There is So much thought in each and every plated dish. Now, I eat there two to three times each month. The Cuban Pork Shoulder on the brunch menu blows me away. I feel like I’m in Miami at a Cuban friend’s house.”

WHY DOES ARLO DESERVE TO BE RECOGNIZED IN THE 2022 DINING

AWARDS? “Milo has been developing and growing his repertoire for this opportunity for many years—working in SLC, San Francisco, and many other places to hone their skills. Chef Milo is attentive to every detail in the dining room and terrace. When out of town guests arrive in Utah, we dine at Arlo.” — Steven Rosenberg of Liberty Heights Fresh

Liberty Heights Fresh // 1290 S. 1100 East, SLC, 801-583-7374, libertyheightsfresh.com

Pacifico Sea Bass with New Potatoes, Piperade with Castelvetrano Olives and Refried Peas Winter Citrus, Safflower Petals, and Some Nice Herbs Lemon Fish Broth

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NOMINEE

DAVID CHON OF NOHM

NOMINATED BY

RYAN LOWDER OF THE COPPER ONION

Nohm: Rare and risky

DAVID CHON, THE owner of Nohm, started working in restaurants when he was 16 because he discovered he could make money at a young age. He also discovered food. He went to the University of Utah and studied architecture but kept coming back to restaurants. He joined a family friend in the business and then, as he says, “it all clicked.”

“From there I decided I wanted to own a restaurant and started focusing on techniques. I went back to Korea and Japan and worked at restaurants. I would run out of money, come back and go again learning and perfecting my knowledge of these two cuisines.”

Nohm, a Korean word that means people, is not, however, a Japanese-Korean restaurant. It is both, concurrently.

“Our main goal was to do either this or that,” he says. “We serve Korean dishes and Japanese dishes but we don’t try to combine them.”

DISHES NOT TO MISS. Nohm is emphatically not a “fusion” restaurant. This means your tabletop could see a steaming hot bowl of Japanese Oden, a brothy stew of fish cakes, stuffed shiitake, marinated egg and braised daikon, alongside a selection of meats on skewers prepared the traditional Korean way.

ONE COOL THING. Nohm’s menu is succinct and to the point, like its chef-owner. David challenges diners with simple, exacting preparations of food that may sound unfamiliar but rewards the curious with the pleasing sensation of discovering something new.

Nohm // 165 W. 900 South, SLC, 801-917-3812, nohmslc.com

‘WHY I LOVE NOHM’ “David is doing something that’s needed in this town. He has a hand in everything in the kitchen and you can tell. It’s one of the best restaurants in the state. Hands down. He’s doing something that people aren’t familiar with here. He could easily take his concept and American-ize it, but he’s hell-bent on what he’s doing. I lived in the East Village in New York when David Chang opened Momofuku and it took a while to get traction. Nohm reads like that to me. With David Chom, you have a guy with a vision and he’s not changing it. You gotta admire it. Because that’s the way the food culture here is going to change.”

WHY DOES NOHM DESERVE TO BE RECOGNIZED IN THE 2022 DINING AWARDS?

“Because his food is really good, and he’s not adjusting for Utah’s midwestern tastes. That’s rare and it’s risky. He’s willing to wait it out and get traction for what he’s come up with. People need to discover Nohm and David’s dedication.” — Ryan Lowder of The Copper Onion

The Copper Onion // 11 E. Broadway, SLC, 801-355-3282, thecopperonion.com Copper Common // 11 E. Broadway, SLC, 801-355-0543, coppercommon.com The Daily // 222 S. Main St., SLC, 801-297-1660, thedailyslc.com/

ASHiNGTON

ISLAND HOPPING IN THE NORTHWEST

BY TONY GILL

HE FERRY RIDE LASTED a little more than 20 minutes after leaving Point Defiance, but the misty breeze had me feeling as though I was crossing an endless sea. Clearly, I’ve been a landlocked captive in Utah if the short crossing of Puget Sound’s south end had me feeling like I was Shackleton with a sextant, but I’m unashamed to admit how pleasant the ride was. After disembarking on Vashon Island, I hit the pavement and started turning the pedals aboard a moderately loaded bicycle with an illfitting frame bag and a cranky derailleur. The faintly rural vibe of the quiet tree-lined streets felt lightyears away from the relative metropolises of Tacoma and Seattle, buzzing with activity just across the sound.

I’d set out with few plans other than to cycle around Vashon, stopping intermittently at various locations around Maury Island—an island within an island connected to Vashon by a causeway—and Vashon’s downtown, which is comprised of a single four-way intersection with an unlikely concentration of delightful food and drink establishments. On the route I was immersed in the classically moody Pacific Northwest atmosphere with a moist haze—never really rain, but never not rain—that’s a refreshing respite from the, at times oppressive, aridity characterizing much of the Intermountain West.

Washington’s alchemy of natural beauty and distinct culture, defined by seemingly indulgent food and drink at every turn and an influential music scene that very much soundtracked my youth, overwhelms, inviting you to lean in, breathe deep and enjoy. Embrace it.

THE SOUND OF NORTHWEST HISTORY

Vashon Island was named for James Vashon, a Royal Navy Admiral who, as far as I can tell, never visited the area but served as superior officer to George Vancouver, who commanded the Pacific Northwest expedition in the 1790s. Vashon, it should be noted, went on to marry Sarah Rainier, the sister of his former shipmate Peter. One needn’t be a geography or history scholar to decode the region’s naming conventions while recognizing the absurdity of doling out monikers for people obliquely related to “great discoveries” made some 10,000 years after native inhabitants, including the Marpole, Salish and S’Homamish, called the land home. After European settlement came some logging and then a 50-year stretch where Vashon became an island of endless strawberry fields, farmed primarily by Japanese Americans until the population was forcibly relocated to internment camps during WWII. Suburban development has squeezed the commercial farming out of Vashon, but the island is still home to many independent growers and an annual strawberry festival hosted each July. Like the other islands dotting the sounds throughout Washington’s coast, Vashon has a turbulent history but is nevertheless a stunning place. It’s a community and escape wholly distinct from the mainland just a short ferry ride away.

PHOTO JASON HUMMEL PHOTOGRAPHY / WASHINGTON TOURISM ALLIANCE

WHAT TO DO

Bike touring around Vashon Island requires a bike, obviously. If you’re not like me and didn’t bring a disheveled touring bike to ride around Vashon, you can stop in at Spider’s Ski and Sport (17624 Vashon Hwy., 206-4087474, spidersportsvashon.com) to rent a bike. If you are like me and brought a poorly maintained relic in need of some love, Vashon Bikes (9926 SW Bank Rd., 206-999-1551, vashonbikes.com) will get your bike in tune. Starting from the southern end of Vashon, I headed northeast towards the causeway near Portage to Maury Island. Maury is named for an American naval officer on the 1841 Wilkes Expedition who later went on to raid Union ships on behalf of the confederacy, but don’t let that anecdote distract you from the gorgeous undeveloped shoreline. Locking up my bike at the Maury Island Marine Park, I hiked the Maury Island Viewpoint Trail, a leisurely two-mile jaunt through forest and wildflowers to the water. I saw neither bald eagles nor whales on the hike, but many are luckier than I. There’s an orca tracking website, orcanetwork.org, you can use to see if there have been recent orca sightings in the area, too.

Back in the saddle, I pedaled a short distance to the Point Robinson Lighthouse, an iconic 19th century structure on the easternmost point of the island overlooking the sound. The lighthouse, with its overtly New England aesthetics, sits on a 10-acre park and marine conservancy where the former keeper’s dwellings are offered as weekly rentals. From there I settled in for a ride up towards Vashon’s main drag for a stop at the

Vashon Maury Island Heritage Museum

(10105 SW Bank Rd., Vashon, 206-463-7808, vashonheritagemuseum.org). Inside, the island’s history, both its complex human machinations and fascinating natural origins, is explored in nuanced detail and depth. The extent of the riding combined with the

Ruby Brink

alarming amount of food and drink I consumed—more on that later—meant I cut short my circumnavigation of Vashon and turned in for the evening. In the morning, I headed to the island’s North Terminal and took the Fauntleroy Ferry to West Seattle. Any semblance of rural vibes evaporated as I rode to Alki Beach, which is a little slice of southern California beach life, replete with volleyball, rollerblading and the like. After soaking up a bit of Seattle semi-sun I rode around West Seattle, which is chock full of hipster-adjacent niceties you’d expect in Seattle from bohemian coffee shops to indie record stores.

The Lodges on Vashon

WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK

The coffee culture percolating through the Northwest is hardly a secret, and the birthplace of specialty coffee is located right in the center of Vashon Island. The Vashon Island Coffee Roasterie (19529 Vashon Hwy., 206-463-9800, tvicr.com) serves some of the finest artisanal coffee you’ll ever taste in a historic building made of old growth island fir. The building was previously owned by Jim Stewart, who’s known as the grandfather of specialty coffee, for being the first person to roast artisan coffee in Seattle and for starting what would eventually become Seattle’s Best Coffee right from that building on Vashon. Though the SBC logo still adorns one side of the building, the roasting inside is unique and innovative as ever. After a caffeine infusion to get going, head over to Snapdragon Bakery and Café for brunch (17817 Vashon Hwy., 206-463-1310, vashonsnapdragon.com). The pastries are incredible and massive, and the rotating menu of wonderful vegetarian cuisine changes daily with creative options like a spinach and arugula pesto omelet with a yogurt dill cucumber sauce or a beet Rueben

PHOTOS COURTESY THE LODGES ON VASHON & RUBY BRINK

PHOTO JASON HUMMEL PHOTOGRAPHY / WASHINGTON TOURISM ALLIANCE with house made sauerkraut, roasted beets and gruyere on house focaccia. For a different experience later in the day, try the Ruby Brink, a combination bar and whole animal butchery (17526 Vashon Hwy., 206-408-7795, therubybrink.com). Artisan meats and cocktails don’t get any better than this. The bar features a variety of local beers and craft cocktails to choose from. The oak-aged sour from Propolis Brewing Wild Ales is outstanding. The menu consists of delectable items like humbly named braised beef meat and noodle—which has beef, a soft boiled egg, noodles and local vegetables in a 24-hour bone broth—and house-made chicken liver mousse on toast. And yes, there is an outrageously good butcher shop on site for your home chef needs.

WHERE TO STAY

Stay within striking distance of the water at the Burton Inn and Spa (24007 Vashon Hwy., 206-910-4520, burtoninnvashon.com). The Inn, which is just a short walk from the Quartermaster Marina right on the sound, has a handful of charming rooms and even a glamping tent for those looking to dip their toes into experiencing the famous PNW weather. The Inn also has a spa and guitar lessons every Wednesday for people of all skill levels.

Crash a little closer to the action at The Lodges on Vashon (17205 Vashon Hwy., 206-641-4717, lodgesonvashon.com). Chic, minimalist 570-square-foot lodges are scattered across the property which also features communal geodesic domes and an open-air pavilion. The Lodges are pet friendly and a stone’s throw from downtown Vashon’s restaurants, breweries and shops.

Once back on the mainland, enjoy a classic Seattle experience by staying at the Ace Hotel (2423 1st Ave., Seattle, 206-448-4721, acehotel. com). Just a short distance up S.R. 99 from West Seattle and Alki Beach, The Ace Hotel has deluxe rooms as well as more economical shared bathroom options all featuring west coast bohemian-lite trappings like painted exposed brick and artwork from Shepard Fairey (the artist who designed the iconic Obama “Hope” image). It’s the perfect home base to explore Seattle’s historic Belltown neighborhood.

ROAD TRIP 1

MOUNT RAINIER MOUNTAIN ESCAPE

Mount Rainier is a fixture of the Pacific Northwest skyline, and the mammoth 14,411-foot active stratovolcano is the perfect centerpiece of adventure. Explore the outdoors on foot, on skis and from horseback, all while indulging in some local cuisine and culture along the way.

1 / Hike Pinnacle Peak Loop Trail

Kick off exploring the Rainier region with a hike on the Pinnacle Peak Loop Trail. The three-mile loop includes an observation tower providing remarkable views if the weather is cooperating. Even if it isn’t, the spring wildflowers won’t disappoint.

2 / Eat at Il Siciliano Ristorante Italiano

Refuel with authentic Italian cuisine prepared by the Brancato family, which relocated to the Enumclaw from Italy in 1995. The Porcini Sacchetti is outstanding.

3 / Horseback Riding with Echo River Ranch

Mount up for a guided horseback ride through gorgeous timberlands

Mount Rainier surrounding Echo River Ranch. Guides will shower you with local naturalist knowledge, including on available foraging tours for wild mushrooms and berries.

4 / Explore Federation Forest State Park

Boasting a landscape blanketed with old-growth Douglas fir, Sitka spruce and western hemlock, Federation Forest State Park’s hiking trails are the perfect place to lose yourself in the immense evergreen labyrinth that defines the region.

5 / Visit Wapiti Woolies Outdoor Shop

World-famous mountaineer Ed Viesturs—the only American to climb all 14 8,000-meter peaks—had his pick of the litter for outdoor gear, but chose only one hat, from Wapiti Woolies. Visit the home of the legendary headwear and leave with a unique hat of your own.

6 / Stay at Alta Crystal Resort

Turn in at the Alta Crystal Resort for a little rest amid adventure in the mountains. The resort is the closest lodging to Mt. Rainier National Park and has shuttle service to the lifts at Crystal Mountain. Enjoy the hot tubs and chalet-style suites you expect at a mountain retreat.

7 / Shred Crystal Mountain

Arguably the best skiing and snowboarding in the Northwest is at Crystal Mountain. 2,600 acres of terrain and stunning views of Rainier are a recipe for great times on the slopes each spring.

ROAD TRIP 2

UNIQUELY PACIFIC COUNTY

Connect the dots with visits to iconic attractions down Washington’s coastal beaches. Hidden gems, roadside hits and quirky curiosities await on an evergreen journey through oceanside villages.

1 / Washaway Beach

Explore one of the fastest-eroding places in the Western Hemisphere at Washaway Beach. The beach, planned as a luxury destination in the 1800s, loses 150 feet per year to the ocean and had a clam cannery, a lighthouse and a Coast Guard Station, all of which fell into the sea. The ocean is relentless.

2 / Tokeland Hotel

The oldest hotel in Washington, the Tokeland is a house of history. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 and sits adjacent to the stunning Pacific seashore.

3 / Wildlife-Heritage Sculpture Corridor

When driving through the town of Raymond, the streets come to life, lined with silhouetted sculptures of deer, bears and other wildlife. Unexpecting drivers will do double takes, so best to take it slow and enjoy the art installations along the way.

4 / World’s Largest Oyster Shell/Oyster Capital of the World

South Bend, Washington, nicknamed the “Oyster Capital of the World,” is home to Willapa Bay where oysters are plentiful. It’s also home to a sculpture of the world’s largest oyster shell as well as plenty of wonderful oysters to dine on if you take the time to stop for a shuck.

5 / North Head Lighthouse

The North Head Light was built in 1897 to aid mariners approaching Cape Disappointment from the North. Situated at the mouth of the Columbia River, the historic relic is managed as part of Cape Disappointment State Park where marshes and oceanside tidelands create a magnificent coastline.

6 / Waikiki Beach

The beach where Lewis and Clark actually reached the pacific was morbidly named for when a Hawaiian sailor’s body washed ashore after his ship wrecked trying to cross the Colombia River Bar. Today it’s a dramatic, rock-lined cove more suitable for picnics and swimming than shipwrecks.

ROAD TRIP 3

OLYMPIC PENINSULA PARADISE

Immerse yourself in the pristine scenery of remote mountains, lush rainforest and rugged ocean beaches on the Olympic Peninsula. Discover rich local culture and enjoy farm-to-table meals that are enthusiastically paired with local ciders and spirits.

1 / Lake Quinault Lodge

The Lake Quinault Lodge is the perfect base camp to explore the Olympic Peninsula. Built in 1926, the rustic lodge’s grand scale is matched only by the natural wonders surrounding it. Immerse yourself in the surrounding lushly green forest on the 31-mile Quinault Rainforest Loop Drive around the lake.

North Head Lighthouse

PHOTOS: (TOP TO BOTTOM) JASON HUMMEL PHOTOGRAPHY / WASHINGTON TOURISM ALLIANCE; MARK DOWNEY - LUCID IMAGES GALLERY / WASHINGTON TOURISM ALLIANCE; COURTESY TOKELAND HOTEL; JASON HUMMEL PHOTOGRAPHY / WASHINGTON TOURISM ALLIANCE

Hiking Olympic National Park

2 / Olympic National Park

From glaciated peaks to oldgrowth forest to the pacific coastline, Olympic National Park is home to numerous iconic ecosystems to explore depending on your appetite.

3 / Ruby Beach

Dramatic sea stacks jut from the ocean on this coastal section of Olympic National Park. Piles of driftwood and a moody marine layer lend Ruby Beach a heavy northwest vibe.

4 / Hoh Rainforest

The Hoh Rainforest is the wettest forest in the contiguous United States. Since it’s situated within Olympic National Park, the forest surrounding the glacially created river is uniquely pristine and protected from commercial exploitation.

5 / Forks Timber Museum

The story of non-native settlement in the Pacific Northwest is entwined with the timber industry. Forks was once known as the “Logging Capital of the World,” and today a museum housed in a log cabin tells the history of homesteading, farming and logging in the region.

6 / Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge

At nearly seven miles long, the natural sand spit at Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge is one of the world’s longest and narrowest. The refuge is a birder’s paradise, a migratory stop for myriad species of birds which breed from Alaska to South America. It’s also home to high concentrations of shellfish and harbor seals.

7 / Cider Tasting Route

The country’s best hard ciders are born on the Olympic Peninsula. Stop at a trio of tasting rooms near Port Townsend—Finnriver, Alpenfire and Eaglemount—to enjoy the amazing bounty from the local orchards.

8 / Ludlow Falls

Wash down the cider with a short hike to scenic Ludlow Falls in the nearby town of Ludlow. The well-maintained trail is lined with enormous cedar trees leading to falls.

Canyon River Ranch

Ruby Beach

Hoh Rainforest

ROAD TRIP 4

YAKIMA CANYON SCENIC BYWAY

Load up one of those eponymous roof boxes and hit the road. Experience central Washington’s scenic lake and mountain vistas, dive into diverse recreation and taste the highlights of wine country along this scenic byway.

1 / Red’s Fly Shop

Stop in at Red’s for information, gear and guided trips to make the most of the world-famous

PHOTOS: (TOP TO BOTTOM) ADOBE STOCK; FISHING, JASON HUMMEL PHOTOGRAPHY / WASHINGTON TOURISM ALLIANCE; ADOBE STOCK. OPPOSITE PAGE, YAKIMA VALLEY TOURISM .

we are here

Yakima Valley wine country fishing on the Yakima River. The riverside location and deep local knowledge are tough to beat.

2 / Canyon River Ranch

Spend the night at Canyon River Ranch for luxurious accommodations right on the Yakima. In the morning head out for some more fly fishing, hike through the central Washington landscape and even try your hand at some whitewater rafting. It’s your home base for adventure on the river.

3 / Umtanum Creek Recreation Area

Springtime sees the basalt-lined canyons of the Umtanum Creek Recreation Area bursting with color as sunflowers, larkspur and geraniums come to life. A variety of trails to suit any ability level all feature incredible vistas.

4 / Ellensburg Canyon Winery

Sample the fruits of the fertile Yakima Canyon by visiting the Ellensburg Canyon Winery. Riesling, Rose, Cabernet Franc du Blanc and Cab Franc and Malbec port style wines are all available for your tasting pleasure. Each glass comes with an incredible view.

5 / Hotel Windrow

Turn in at Hotel Windrow, a boutique hotel located in downtown historic Ellensburg. The building melds modern amenities and rustic charm right in the heart of town, making it a perfect launching point for everything from fine dining and nightlife to outdoor adventure.

For more trip ideas, visit experiencewa.com.

UNDER THE

PHOTO CREDIT TK

BY JOSH PETERSEN & CHRISTIE PORTER

n adorable redheaded 6-year-old squeals in delight as she opens up her front door to discover there are puppies all over her family’s pristine (aside from a few puppy accidents) Northern Utah home. She, her 3-year-old brother, mom and dad run around in a sequence of hasty cutscenes to wrangle all of the dogs. The video then goes on to show some of the kids’ art and a neon-and-adrenaline-infused arcade party. It’s just one of the “Best Days Ever” videos on the influencer Shonduras’ YouTube channel and it has 6.3 million views. Each influencer has their own personal story and their own niche—from family vlogs to fitness to fashion to travel—but the general model is the same: building a personal brand, sharing content that’s relatable to an everyday audience while also living a life that seems a little (or a lot) more perfect than yours and, if they’re lucky enough, making a living out of it. These are the influencers of Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. And a lot, we mean a lot, of them are from Utah.

UTAH’S INFLUENCE

From the beginning, Utah women and families have been at the forefront of sharing their personal lives online. In the 2000s, bloggers rose to prominence sharing personal, of-the-minute updates about their own lives. These bloggers—some with large readerships, others with smaller networks of family and friends—found a community online. And a noticeable chunk of them were Utahns and/or members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, so much so that the term “Mormon mommy blogger” became a frequentlyused catchall.

The internet has changed significantly since the height of the blog era. As our attention has increasingly shifted toward social media, internet personalities primarily focus on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, and the modern-day influencer is more akin to a content creator and brand developer than a personal memoirist. Some of today’s most prominent influencers today were savvy (and lucky) enough to ride the tail end of the blog era and translate it to a loyal following. In 2022, many of these online creators are still, technically, bloggers, but their blogs are just one (increasingly minor) piece of their personal branding empires.

Mariah Wellman is a doctoral candidate at the University of Utah whose research focuses on social media influencers. Wellman explains that it makes sense why Utah is a particular hub for influencers. “In the LDS culture, little girls are taught to journal and scrapbook and practice a kind of memory keeping.” It didn’t take long for these women to realize the potential of digital platforms to continue these practices. Members of the Church also used social media to project a positive, approachable image of a religion that is still often criticized or misunderstood by outsiders, sharing what Wellman calls an “idealized domestic lifestyle.”

It helps, too, that the clean-cut image of many influencers matches the one ingrained in the church’s mainstream culture. “LDS women are also taught that they need to have this internal confidence, but it also should come outward. They should do their hair and their makeup. They should dress in a particular way,” Wellman says. The church also encourages women to stay at home raising children. For many Utah women, influencing allows them to make an income while staying at home—and, in a way, working—with their children. “Being able to be at home and be there for their kids and their partner while also making money for the family through blogging and through being an influencer is a huge pro for them,” Wellman says.

This traditional vision of the two-parent family—dad as breadwinner, mom staying home with the kids—is a key factor in the growth of Utah-based influencers. “A lot of the women who happen to be the most successful either started as stay-at-home moms or still are stay-at-home moms,” she says. “These are incredibly hard-working women, but they also had that luxury of not maybe working 40, 50, 60 hours a week when they were first starting.”

What exactly makes for a successful influencer?

PHOTOS COURTESY BRAD AND HAILEY DEVINE • @haileydevine on

Instagram: 262,000 followers • Brad and Hailey

Devine on YouTube: 131,000 subscribers • Founders of

Somewhere Devine (somewheredevine. com) and Holdland (holdland.com) Sure, you need photogenic kids, a decent camera and enough free time or support to share content consistently. Building a long-term connection with followers, though, requires more. For both Wellman and the creators we interviewed, one word—authenticity—was often used to explain how the most successful influencers grow a brand that connects with a large audience. But each influencer has their own definition of “authenticity” and ways of being “authentic” on social media (of all places).

THE GLOBETROTTERS

Hailey Devine calls her success with the blog Somewhere Devine a “happy accident.” From the beginning, she and her husband Bradley bonded over their shared passion for videography. “It just comes naturally,” she says. “It’s always been a part of our relationship.” As newlyweds, the Devines traveled the world filming content for companies outside of the U.S. The couple started to blog and share videos on Vimeo as a way to share their travels with family and friends. Soon, their audience grew and brands began offering sponsorships. In 2015, Hailey and Bradley quit their corporate jobs to focus on Somewhere Devine full time.

Seven years and three kids later, the Devines are in constant collaboration to run their family business. “One of us is working; one of us is making lunch and putting babies down for naps,” Hailey says, explaining their day-to-day lives. “We’re booking travel. We’re doing meetings. We’re creating content.” The couple, along with Lucy (7), Greta (5) and Pippa (1), shares their world travels with hundreds of thousands of fans. In their most popular YouTube video, a travelogue of the family’s trip to Tokyo, international travel with a toddler in tow looks like an uncomplicated dream come true. Their content combines wish-fulfillment—slickly edited snapshots of incredible places you may never afford to visit—and practical advice. Over time, their content has evolved. While they haven’t stopped traveling completely, the Coronavirus and a newborn slowed down the family’s usual far-flung expeditions, and Hailey posts about the day-to-day of motherhood with her Instagram audience. In a recent YouTube series, the family shared the process of building their new home in Utah, which incorporated design elements from Norway, where Hailey’s family is from, and England and Chile, where Bradley’s family is from.

Lucy, Greta and Pippa have been a part of the family’s social media presence literally since birth. Hailey recalls followers recognizing the girls in public before they were old enough to understand their own social media fame. Now, Hailey continues to navigate the confines of what is public and what is private in her children’s lives. “We have our family rules of boundaries of what things we share and what things we don’t,” she says. “We film all the time, but we do not share all of it.” Lucy and Greta are old enough that Hailey now asks for permission before sharing content with them online. “We’re kind of the pioneers of this new generation of raising children in social media,” she says. As a person whose job is dependent on social media, Hailey has also had to draw boundaries for herself. “These platforms are designed to be addictive,” she says. “It’s so easy to sit on your phone for hours on end and then you start spiraling.” She has limited her social media use with app timers and avoids screen time at the beginning and end of the day. “My advice to everyone is ‘get out and create and live your life,’” she says.

The Devines have founded two companies—Holdland, which sells backpacks specifically designed for creators lugging camera equipment, and a wholesale travel search engine for hotels, flights and rentals, also called Somewhere Devine. The couple also earns revenue from high-profile sponsorships, including a long-time partnership with Canon. Still, Hailey says it’s important for her to share meaningful content that authentically reflects her own life, instead of hopping on the latest trend. Before sharing something online she asks herself, “Is there a purpose behind it for me outside of the likes?”

• @huntersofhappiness on Instagram: 351,000 followers • @huntersofhappiness_ on TikTok: 1.2 million followers • Most popular viral video: 38.4 million views

The Devines also engage their followers with annual service expeditions, which are currently on pause due to the pandemic. “We feel like the best way to travel is to get to know the people and the area that you’re visiting,” Hailey explains. The first trip had 30 open slots, and the Devines were shocked when they filled up within 24 hours. “They’re all complete strangers from random places all around the world,” Hailey says. In 2019, the Devines hosted two trips, including one to Kenya. For the Devines, this has been a chance to connect with followers in a uniquely intimate way. “I have literally made so many new best friends from all over the world because of Instagram and specifically our expeditions,” Hailey says. “There’s just so much goodness within social media.”

THE DIY MOM

Several years ago, Elise Hunter started her blog as a “digital journal.” “I got married in 2012 and started a blog because that’s what you did,” she says. “That’s what everybody did.” Early on, she started sharing her personal experiences with infertility, finding a community of other moms who connected with her vulnerable discussions of a topic that is still often stigmatized. Hunter was, years later, able to have children and then wondered what to use her platform for. “If I wanted to make it a job, I had to pick a niche… and treat it more like a job than a hobby,” she says.

Initially, Hunter was thrilled to share the details of her young kids’ lives—after all, much of her audience had followed her long journey to have children from the beginning. Over time, though, Hunter grew weary of the family lifestyle content that had been her blog’s default. She felt increasingly protective of her children’s privacy, and besides, her kids disliked posing for pictures. Though her initial career was in speech pathology, Hunter had always been interested in interior design, and when she decided to construct built-in cabinets herself, she documented the process online. Her alarmed husband taught her to use power tools: “He was very concerned about me cutting off fingers or something,” she jokes. Hunter found she enjoyed learning how to do the projects, and her followers connected with it too.

Soon, a quickly growing audience watched Hunter improve her home, through trial and error, one project at a time. Sometimes, Hunter wonders why this content resonates with so many women and moms—she is the first to admit that she’s no expert. “I’m just a normal person, but I think that’s it,” she says. Hunter’s audience doesn’t need her to be an expert—they want someone to relate to.

While Hunter maintains a large following on Instagram, TikTok has been an especially valuable platform. “Influencers who jumped to TikTok were able to really grow their following at the start of quarantine and the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Wellman.

PHOTOS COURTESY ELISE HUNTER

• @thetiabeestokes on

Instagram and TikTok: 3.3 million combined followers • #redfortia: 113 million views • Dance studio:

The Vault (thevaultdance.com) Hunter started her account in June 2020, and, thanks to some viral videos, her following has grown quickly. “I still don’t really understand TikTok,” she laughs. “I’m trying. I’m not young and hip and cool anymore.” Despite her self-deprecation, clearly Hunter is doing something right. And, just like with her home projects, she has continued a DIY approach, teaching herself how to video edit and use the app’s tools. “There’s no real blueprint on how to do this job,” she says. “It’s such a new job that a lot of people don’t even realize that it could be a real job.”

Whether Hunter is talking about infertility or showing the process of building shelves, honesty about both triumphs and disappointments is a key way she connects with her audience. “It’s easier to share successes. It’s harder to be vulnerable online.” For Hunter, DIY projects have emphasized this point further, as she not only makes mistakes but shares them with strangers online. “If I’ve learned anything over the past almost 10 years of being online, it’s that people connect more over hardships than over successes.”

PHOTOS COURTESY TIA STOKES

THE CANCER DANCER

For most online creators, positivity is an important way to reach an audience. Few people, though, can match the relentless, hard-earned positivity of Tia Stokes. In the past two years, she has maintained her sunny attitude even while documenting a hellish medical journey. In April 2020, she was diagnosed with leukemia and spent a month isolated in the hospital with no visitors allowed. When she left the hospital, she learned her mother passed away suddenly. Over the following months, she contracted COVID-19 twice, received bone marrow transplants, had Graft vs. Host Disease and watched her body transform after steroid treatments.

Before her diagnosis, Stokes cared for her five kids and worked as a fitness instructor. A lifelong dancer who has performed with Beyoncé, she runs a nonprofit dance studio, The Vault, which she says has raised over $1 million for families in need in Orem and St. George. She also had a sizable following on Instagram, where she shared photos of her family and dancing videos.

Stokes says she never intended to reach so many people with her online presence—in the beginning, she just wanted to update family and friends and have a personal document of her illness. “I wanted to be able to look back and heal and remember how hard I fought,” she says. Then, her doctors suggested 15 minutes of physical activity a day during treatment. “With the energy and the wellness that I did have, I would learn a TikTok dance, and then I would get up and I would record it a few times,” Stokes says.

It was an attainable daily goal for Stokes, even when treatment drained her so much that she filmed dance videos from her hospital bed. Stokes juxtaposed raw updates about physical and mental health, grief and body image—sometimes she is visibly in tears filming the videos—with cheerful, lighthearted dances to pop songs.

On TikTok, her following grew quickly, and soon a large community offered prayers and regular messages of support. On Oct. 7, 2020, Stokes saw just how significant her impact had become. Another Utah creator, JT Laybourne, started the hashtag #redfortia, asking other TikTok users to post support for Stokes, wear red (her favorite color) and post dances to Macklemore’s song “Glorious,” which had become a ritual for Stokes during treatment. The campaign went viral, and videos posted with the hashtag have been viewed 113 million times. “I have to honestly say I am grateful for my cancer journey because it’s brought so many relationships into my life,” Stokes says.

For almost two years, Stokes has documented the day-to-day challenges of her illness. On a visual medium, followers can see how cancer and GVHD have changed Stokes physically—from hair loss to body transformation. Stokes says she has never hesitated to share intimate details about her health journey on a large platform. “I get thousands of messages from people saying how grateful they are and how much I’ve helped them through hard days,” she says.

While Stokes has found a large network of support online, she has also received cruel online comments, especially about her weight gain after steroid treatment. Stokes says it has taken her practice to not take the negativity personally, and now she shares some of these comments to speak out against body shaming. “What I love about those comments is that those are moments for us to learn from.”

Many influencers who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints share their faith online in ways both subtle and explicit. Stokes has been especially open about how her faith has helped her through cancer, and as she shares her beliefs with a global audience, some followers tell her that her story inspired their own faith in God. “I hope that people will always feel my spirit and know that it’s genuine, it’s sincere and it’s coming from my heart,” she says.

As of January 2022, her cancer is in remission, though it takes six years to be considered fully “cancer-free” after an acute myeloid leukemia diagnosis. As she recovers, she will continue to dance through cancer with the support of millions online. “I could either have happy cancer or I can have sad, depressed, miserable cancer,” Stokes says. It’s clear what kind she has.

From top to bottom: Shonduras Snapchart drawing, Shaun McBride, his daughter Adley, artwork for Adley’s Play Space mobile gaming app

THE BRAND BUILDER

In 2014, Shaun McBride joined Snapchat and made his first video under the handle “Shonduras.” He would take pictures and draw over the photos—for example, transforming a sleeping woman on a plane into a My Little Pony character. Shortly thereafter, he surged in popularity, taking part in some of the first Snapchat creator collaborations (“collabs,” as the social media elite say) and monetizing the platform. He also started posting some of his most popular videos to YouTube, where they continued to gain views. “I didn’t really know what kind of potential they had,” McBride says of his early efforts.

Soon, McBride transitioned from Snapchat collabs to travel vlogs—he uploaded a video every day for 800 days straight while he was traveling. In 2015, Shonduras had just cofounded the company Spacestation with his business partner Sean Holladay—which would become the hub for all of their future business ventures—and started a family with his wife Jenny, which meant his traveling days were over. “I can’t go create cool content, travel and tell all of these stories and spend time with my family. But, what if the Shonduras brand was a family brand?” He asked himself. McBride started posting

Influencers, both inside and outside of Utah, all have their unique interests, personalities and business strategies. What they all share, though, is an ability to relate to the audiences who follow the minutiae of their everyday lives. “Those who are able to grasp the concept of authenticity are the ones who are ultimately the most successful long-term,” Wellman says. For creators, this is a delicate balance. Sponsorships are a part of the gig for pretty much any influencer who turns social media into a career, but if branded content feels disingenuous or inauthentic, followers may be turned off. Influencers also connect with fans by showing the reality behind their picture-perfect image— to a certain point. “You can be authentic and bring out some kind of negativity, but it’s very easy to cross a boundary and you lose followers,” Wellman explains. For many creators, it’s a challenge to strike the right tone. “In the last couple of years, especially with the pandemic, the increase in realness is even more expected,” Wellman says. There is such a thing, though, as too real. “That’s what Utah bloggers do so well…They show an idealized family,” Wellman says.

Let’s be honest, there are lots of criticisms to make about influencer culture, some more valid than others. There are even websites and Reddit forums dedicated to picking apart and criticizing bloggers and influencers. Still, despite the cynicism from some outsiders, influencers and their followers are finding genuine connections online. Motherhood, especially during the pandemic, can be isolating, and Instagram can be a place where these women find other women just like them, going through the same experiences. And, as Hunter and Stokes demonstrate, many social media creators build a community for discussing difficult or taboo topics like infertility and mental illness.

Now a new generation, raised on social media, is consuming influencers’ content with a new set of expectations. Many mebmers of Gen-Z are rebelling against the manicured aesthetic that their millennial forebears created and perfected—one 2019 headline from Inc. read: “How to appeal to Gen-Z on Instagram: Be Weirder (and Uglier).” This generation, broadly, is also more interested in politics and social justice, challenging many creators who strived to build broad appeal by studiously avoiding controversial topics altogether. In the coming years, Wellman expects that influencers, both the old guard and new upstarts, will continue adjusting their content to the ever-changing online landscape. This will mean appealing to younger generations, adopting new platforms and finding creative new ways to monetize their audience. “Influencers are realizing they can’t actually rely on the platform for anything but a follower base that they can hopefully turn into consumers in another way,” Wellman says. The parameters of social media fame will certainly continue to evolve, but Wellman believes high-profile creators are up for the challenge. That’s “the good thing about influencers,” she says. “No matter who they are, I think they’re all adaptable.”

PHOTOS COURTESY SHONDURAS videos about his family’s “best days ever.” “They are all centered around the family, what we do together, our family traditions and vacations,” he says.

Making Shonduras a family brand was a transition born out of necessity, but it freed him up to pursue other opportunities and build an ever-expanding network of brands. In showing the slice-of-life family videos, scored with an almost improbably positive outlook, the Shonduras channel might look a lot like other family-focused influencers’ content, but, now, he’s able to do that while, say, building out his animation studio, Spacestation Animation, which has also launched an NFT project, Quarter Machine. It’s just one of his more recent ventures that McBride’s Shonduras following has facilitated.

One of his other ventures, Spacestation Integrations (expected to generate $19 million in revenue this year, according to McBride) is an influencer marketing agency. McBride built it to guide other influencers to do what he has done with his brand. “There are a lot of creators who have built a following, generated some revenue, and now they don’t know what to do with that,” he says. His services “free up influencers to focus on their story, creative genius and their community.” McBride and Holladay started the agency as they created another company, Spacestation Gaming, to support competitive eSports teams. They did this just before the advent of Fortnite, which put them in prime position when eSports and interest in competitive gaming surged. “We decided to do both, to see which would really take off, and then they both did.” It’s not a bad problem to have.

It’s all about timing and “taking a small opportunity and trying to turn it into a big one,” says McBride. “We created a bunch of free apps for our audience—especially the A for Adley channel,” says McBride. (That’s the YouTube channel centered on his 6-year-old daughter, Adley, who has 3.8 million subscribers.) “From there, we wanted to know if we could go deeper—so we built an animation studio, giving even more value to our audience in that way.” Now that animation studio generates its own revenue and has a team of 30 people.

McBride’s ever-expanding crew under the Spacestation umbrella also helps him meet the challenge of balancing work and family. “I had the luxury of starting a little bit older—I was 27 when I started on Snapchat and now I’m 34. So, I understood if we went slow, did this right, and built out Spacestation and all of the support before we went forward, it was going to be much longer-term than to just jump right in, film a ton of videos and get burned out.”

“When we’re filming, it’s a fun environment for the kids,” he says. “Some of the kids’ best friends are there, and after we’re done filming, we play games

The McBride Family

together, so there is very little stress or pressure on our family.” They also have the support of the Spacestation team—including dedicated editors and filmographers, so the family never has to shoot or edit their own content. “My wife and I can do what we want to do and be fulfilled and find happiness, and we’re never under the gun,” says McBride.

McBride has his own theories about why so many influencers come from Utah. “Utah has these awesome environments…and tons of families and return missionaries who went out and experienced the world— great people who have accomplished great things and have stories to tell.” And, compared to other influencer-dense areas, like L.A., Utah’s influencer culture isn’t as cutthroat. “Influencers in Utah are so collaborative,” he says. “All of us want to win together. That teamwork allows us to accomplish more than people in other places.”

And, as long as the audience continues to show up, influencers like McBride will keep showing up too, making content and building their brands. “We have an audience that loves our content, and we can build a whole bunch of brands around that,” he says. They now employ 120 people under the Spacestation umbrella, with 160 total on the payroll. To think, it all started with some fun Snapchat videos. “I haven’t used Snapchat in years,” says McBride. “The Shonduras brand has changed so much since then.”

• Shonduras on

YouTube: 3.37 million subscribers • A for Adley - Learning &

Fun on YouTube: 3.83 million subscribers • Co-founder of

Spacestation (spacestation.com) • Owner of

Spacestation Gaming (spacestationgaming. com) and Spacestation

Integrations (spacestationintegrations.com)