Gem Theatre & Scoops from the Past

We read about this new little ice cream shop that just opened in Panguitch, Utah. So, on our way home from Cedar City, we took a detour to go check it out. It was totally worth the extra few score miles we put on the car.

Scoops from the Past ice cream parlour is actually in front of the Historic Gem Theatre. The Theatre was in ruins and a couple from Las Vegas bought it and spent money to rebuild. Now it is a quirky little oasis in the middle of small town Utah. Stop on by next time you go down that way.

Jill enjoying her double-scoop of homemade ice cream


Me and Dave enjoying the view from the VIP seats - they only cost $2 more than the regular ticket and you get to sit in the nice leather seats of the balcony


I think this was one of the ancient projectors once used in the theater


An old calendar advertisement from 1958 says that the Gem was showing Merry Andrew with Danny Kaye on July 13-14. (This darling movie just came out on DVD and I would like a copy of it for my birthday coming up next month. Please let Dave know since he doesn't often read my blog. Thanks!)

Utah Shakespeare Festival 50th Anniversary

We took our annual trip down to Cedar City this month and Played! We saw The Music Man, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Romeo and Juliet. We're going back down in October to catch Noises Off! and The Winter's Tale (which is my absolute most favorite play from the Bard so I have to make a return trip).

Here are some of the highlights...

Masquerade


Pay no attention to Dave's crazy eyes.


Jill looking very Persian


My knight in shining armor :)


As part of the 50th Anniversary celebration there are several exhibits around town featuring artifacts from seasons past and an amazing collection of old publications on loan from London. Dave is leafing through a book of some of Shakespeare's plays that is at least 200 years old.

Utah State Capitol

I have finally seen the renovated Utah State Capitol and it is beautiful! Seriously one of the prettiest buildings in Utah, especially when you know a little about its architecture.

Vera is standing on skylights that take in the light from the rotunda and filter it down to the ground level.



Here the docent is explaining about the Butterfly Marble found on several walls in the main rotunda area.



I remember having a family picture taken on these steps when I was a kid and we came to see the capitol.



Isn't Jamison a great photographer?



One of the beautiful white lions that guard the east entrance.

Free tours of the capitol are given daily on the hour and last about 60 minutes. Click here fore more details.

Continuing Education

Dave has been at a three-day dental course sponsored by Ultradent this week in Salt Lake City. The founder of Ultradent opened up his home to all attendees and their families the other night for a Western-themed party.


We filled up on fabulous food,



danced to a great band (Charley Jenkins and friends),



and ordered Sprites at the open bar -- though they definitely served much harder drinks.


I also met Dave's uncle Kelly for the first time and found out that Dr. Craven and I are 2nd cousins once removed on the Hinckley side.

Dave may not like all these continuing education courses he has to attend too much but I sure do have fun (remember St. George in April and now this). Can't wait to see which one he goes to next!

Independence Day

Dave and I had a fun-filled holiday weekend. We enjoyed a concert in the park, fireworks, a parade, four barbeques, a pool party, s’mores hot out of the fire, family, and two water balloon fights.

Serious fun!

Family Time

Triple Chocolate Cupcakes

Dave decided to make cupcakes the other day from a cake mix in the cupboard he has been eyeing since I bought it. Duncan Hines Triple Chocolate Decadent Cake. This comes with the the typical chocolate cake mix and then you add in a fudge and chocolate chunk goodness - triple chocolates!



So Dave worked at his task while I read the newspaper and when he finished he proudly came over to tell me that they were in the oven. But, he said, he didn't add in the fudge and chocolate chunk mixture because he tasted it and it was gross. So he left it out, making instead a single chocolate decadent cake. I chided him for not putting it in and tried to figure out how to use it -- you just can't waste good chocolate like that.

When the cupcakes came out of the oven I cut large holes in several of them, spooned in the second and third chocolates, covered them with some cherry frosting I found in the fridge and topped them off with a maraschino cherry. They were adorable and very good -- triple chocolate and double cherry. Yummy!

A quiet weekend down south

I spent the weekend in St. George, again. This time I went down with my mom and aunt and left Dave at home. While Dave reverted to his days of bachelorhood -- falling asleep on the couch with all the lights and tv on -- I enjoyed my quiet, relaxing few days in the sun. I went to bed early, took a walk every morning, worked out in the gym, went on a couple of free tours, read a book, and just breathed. I really need to take time to breathe more often.


On Friday we went to the Jacob Hamblin Home and the St. George Tabernacle. The sister telling the story of the Tabernacle was so adorable we stayed through two tours just to hear her retell the history of that beautiful building.

The next day we discovered that the Biggest Loser Resort at Fitness Ridge in Ivins gives free tours at 12:30 Monday-Saturday. We called to let them know we were coming and headed on over. They showed us around the facility, the workout rooms, pool, and kitchen. It was awesome to see what they do there. I might even want to vacation there some day -- hopefully, not because I have to but because I want to. :)

Random Happenings

We have been busy the last few weeks but I don't have any pictures, and we all know how I hate blogging without pictures.

* We laid sod in our backyard, a whole 144 square feet of it!

* We ate a hot breakfast at the annual Woods Cross Memorial Day Celebration in the cold rain. Then ran to RC Willey and took the second to last $25 coupon they were handing out at the door. Just in time!

* I took the young women to the temple to perform proxy baptisms and the next day we all went swimming at the clubhouse in the cold wind.

* After coordinating a big, stressful event in the Tabernacle, I stayed in my pajamas the next day until 1:30 and then only left the house when Dave insisted we go out for dinner.

* I made a YUMMY chocolate cake with avocado. Check out the fabulous recipe at Joy the Baker, from whom I also stole the picture. I didn't have enough fruit to make bright green frosting but the cake was still super good!

* And tomorrow I start poking myself for round 3. Cross your fingers and toes that it all works this time!

Scotty Update

Check out Scotty's latest adventures on his blog!