Sundance 2008 is over!!!

Well, the Sundance Film Festival has officially come to an end :( but we sure had a great time seeing some awesome movie premiers and, of course, doing some celeb sighting! As you can see from the photos above, Park City hosted Jack Black, Quentin Tarantino, Sandra Oh, U2 and my kitten, Peep, among others... Actually, Peep did not walk the red carpet at Sundance but she acts like a princess and had a small cameo in a recent home video...see future blogs for more on this...

For more on the Sundance Film Festival check out the following links:
www.sundance.org/festival
www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=festival&jump=sundance
www.dotspotter.com/sightings.Park_City/mostrecent

Big Sports Weekend at the U!

Gymnastics, Women's Basketball on Slate

Utah is definitely a sports crazy school. Athletic events are wildly popular and an important part of the student experience. Football, soccer and volleyball kickoff the school year in the fall. And right now, several sports are in full swing. Men's and women's basketball, gymnastics, swimming, skiing, men's and women's tennis, and track and field are all in season. The athletes really get behind each other. Our soccer games are regularly attended by members of the football, baseball, softball teams (as well as many others). And our players definitely enjoy catching games and supporting their friends on other teams.

This weekend will be another sports weekend for our soccer players. Friday night is gymnastics...and, here at the U, that is a BIG deal. Our gymnastics team is the best! They have won 10 national championships and have finished 2nd in the nation each of the last two years. The meets are held at the Huntsman Center and are a blast. The "Red Rocks" as our gymnastics team is known, have averaged 13,000 people for their first two meets this year (check out the photos above). In the season opener, they defeated Georgia, the defending NCAA champs. Our players will be their this Friday night as the Red Rocks take on Minnesota at 7:00 PM.

And on Saturday, we will be participating in the Women's Sports Day during our women's basketball game against Colorado State. Our women's basketball team has a proud tradition. They made it to the Elite Eight at the NCAA tournament in 2006 and are off to a fantastic start this year...with a 17-3 record (6-0 in the Mountain West Conference). They defeated 15th-ranked Wyoming last night in a thrilling game at Laramie, Wyoming as Morgan Warburton hit a 3-pointer with three seconds left for a 60-59 win.

Saturday, our players will be at the Huntsman Center to support the team. It is Pack the House Day and the women's sports teams will be recognized for their efforts this year. Tipoff is at 3 PM. We are looking forward to a great day...

Winter Hits The U!

Well, winter is here...and what does that mean in a place that advertises itself as having the "greatest snow on earth"?...we got the obvious answer early last week when several inches of fresh powder fell from the sky. Check out the photos of Ute Soccer Field!

Now, having lived in California for the first 38 years of my life, the thought of living in a place that actually has seasons was a bit scary at first. But, I can say that the winters here are GREAT! The weather is pretty mild, with occasional snow storms followed by sunny days. The scenery is beautiful...absolutely stunning...from the city streets to the mountains just behind them and there is great fun to be had. Here is the Utah Soccer Guide to winter fun in Salt Lake City:

1. Have a camera
There are breath taking sights all around...snow covered streets, trees, lights, mountains, fields, trails. Deer come down from the mountains looking for food (we even get some on Ute Field). Be ready for some incredible scenes and have a camera ready...phone camera, digital camera, throw-away camera...doesn't matter...you'll want to capture what you'll see.

2. Have a shovel
There are sidewalks and driveway to clear...but the main reason to have a shovel is to create snowballs (for good fights) and snow men.

3. Take up a winter sport
Skiing or snowboarding...Salt Lake can't be beat...there are 7 world-class resorts within 40 minutes of our campus: Park City, Deer Valley, The Canyons, Brighton, Solitude, Alta, Snowbird. All of these have incredible runs for all levels. Park City and Brighton also have top notch snowboard parks.

If that's not your gig...try snow shoeing or cross-country skiing...there are great runs at places like Park City or Mill Creek.

4. Slide!
Looking for a great afternoon of fun at little to no cost...find a nearby hill and slide away! Tires, boogie boards, inflatable seats, saucers, even plastic bags will do. We like the hill at Sugarhouse park, just 2 miles from campus. Check out the photos...of course, going low budget means you have to walk yourself back up the hill...but it's well worth it.