2006-04-20

Utah bound (and what we will do [eat] while we are there)

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Leaving
    We are leaving the AV tomorrow afternoon. We have a motel in Cedar City. Sometime Saturday we will arrive in Provo.

Lodging
    We will be staying with Brass Clan cousins. Although depending on, for instance, the lateness of blog partying, we may end up taking up the Fobs' offer as well. And, should all else fail, there's always Stupid!

Religion
    We're thinking we will attend our old ward in hopes of meeting some lost friends. Given the turnover in Provo wards, this is a shaky goal but one we consider worth our attempts.

Restaurants
    Let's face it. Food trumps all. Here are the places we hope to hit while we are in Utah:

    Ottavio's: Patriarch of the Brass Clan had a Sicilian grandfather and visiting Ottavio's is like being back listening to the old men swap stories as the women bring in the food. We simply cannot enter the state of Utah without entering Ottavio's also, even if all we find time for is bruschetta.

    Gandolfo's: Not on our top tier of must-eats, but we loved the sandwiches when we lived there and wouldn't mind reminding ourselves of their tastiness.

    Bombay House: Mmmmm. Indian food. And, frankly, the best Indian food I've ever had. I'm going to have Lamb Saab. I just wish they hadn't done away with their 1 to 10 hotness grading scale. I found it much easier to navigate than mild, medium, hot.

    Thai Chili Gardens: We've patronized a few good Utah Valley Thai restaurants in the past, but if we want Thai this time, we'll try here. We always heard it was the best (latest testimonial) and we have always regretted missing it.

    Stan's: No question on this one--we're heading to 900 East for shakes and fries. You're certainly welcome to join us. I'm leaning towards pineapple.

    That hot dog stand just south of BYU campus in the old cellphone shack: Given the time and inclination for a tasty dog with Vietnamese chili sauce.

    Coney's: We went to Coney's exactly once and weren't that impressed. But Lady Steed is impressionable and has heard so many people talk nice about it that she has decided it is a place she misses and that we must go.

    Sugar-n-Spice: On the completely other side of this memory equation are the many and strong memories of Lady Steed's where she is eating those famous chocolate mint brownies. She has about a billion of these memories and they're all real.

    The best grocery store in the history of humanity: When she was single, Lady Steed et roommates would visit Macey's for chocolate-dipped softserv cones. Now that we've been married five years, she has decided I have earned the right to eat one too.

    I wanted, in this post, to give you tentative dates and times to meet us at the above eateries, but we're not that together yet. But you're invited to join us at each, every, any, or all. Do come.

Family
    The primary reason for our visit is to see Brother Steed walk at BYU graduation and to visit with him and his charming wife Silly Marie. We also hope to see some of my family while we're there. We should have already told them we'll be in town.... Shoot.

Friends

Other
    We're going to have to close our credit union account, hit school employees with sticks, find out if Sunfall Festival is playing, go to the temple, see the design BFAs in the HFAC, take the Big O on the Heber Creeper---whatever else we can fit in, basically.

Hope to see you there!

13 comments:

  1. Bad news: we fobbed tonight. But we should have a Fob dinner sometime. At editorgirl's house. She'll invite us.

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  2. .

    As I said, food trumps all.

    (And now I don't have to finish that new Adam & Eve chapter.)

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  3. You should go to PF Chang's as well. Yummmmm!

    When are you headed back home? You forgot that bit.

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  4. .

    Friday or Saturday. Not sure.

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  5. Wooo! It'll be good to meet ya, though I won't join you for the Bombay House, I'm the only person on earth that doesn't like the Bombay House.

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  6. While I agree with every single one of your plans to visit the greatest eating and shopping establishments this side of the Oquirrhs (to the west) and the Rockies (to the east), to me it does NOT sound like a Week of Abject Poverty. It sounds more like a Week of BIG Spending. Especially if you throw in PF Changs. If you need more free activities, you should probably go to Krispy Kreme and let the Big O watch how donuts are made (and get free ones) before dodging out of line. I've seen this, and it seems to work for the kids that do it.

    Daltonboy does not love Bombay House. One of my great disappointments. So I learned to make lamb saag at home for my sole enjoyment. If only I could get the garlic naan right . . . Thai Chili Garden is FABulous, so says DB, who served a mission in Thailand, and I heartily agree, who served a mission in Japan and know nothing.

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  7. It is good to hear your plans and we're excited to have you come.

    Save Ottavios and The Bombay House for the end of the week. I'm sure the Brass parents will help with food expenses toward the end of the week when they get here.

    As for PF changs, they aren't even close to being good Chinese food. I am sorry, but they aren't. The only Chinese thing there worth eating (and I must admit they are good) are the lettuce wraps. I've heard they have good desserts, but one who's been to China knows that DEFINITELY has no place in a Chinese food establishment.

    We may want to join you for some of the others, pocketbook willing.

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  8. .

    I would thank everyone who is pointing out how expensive we are proposing to make this trip:

    Thanks.

    Thanks a lot.

    Maybe instead of reminding us how foolish we are, you could slip us a twenty instead? Or if you have any extra gasoline lying around, that would be helpful too.

    Anyway, those lettuce things are really tasty and, authenticity aside, I do like PFChang's. Only been there once, but liked it.

    And I wonder if Daltonboy knows Queen Zippergut. I estimate she's a tad older than him, and she served in Thailand too.

    Naan.... Mmm. I hadn't thought about the naan yet. There goes another six bucks.

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  9. Can we reserve the opportunity to go to Thai Chili Gardens with you? It's near our house in Orem anyways and it's my favorite...

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  10. Just so you all know, we are saying, "Ta-Ta" to the MOnth of Poverty for this trip. Though that does not change the fact that we still don't really have the money to cover this trip, but we'll figure it out. We are after all closing out an old savings account at UCCU while we are there.

    Also, in order to keep eating out costs down, we will be trying to go to many of these places for lunch.

    I wasn't planning on going to PF Changs, were you Theric? The lettuce wraps are good, but I do not consider PF Changs a Provo specialty. Isn't there one in Vegas?

    OH and another thing! Master Fob, don't you think it would be fitting to schedule a special meeting of FOB in honor of one of the founding members?

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  11. You like pineapple-flavored ice cream stuffs, huh? So does Lunkwill. Maybe we'll crash that one. I hope you have a nice trip up here! And, of course, that it's great while you're out here too.

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  12. Good idea, Lady Steed. I hope that founding member comes to that special meeting of Fob I plan in his honor.

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  13. .

    I hope I get enough advance warning this time....

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