10 rad things about provo & happy birthday miss gertrude stein

gertrude stein, who reminds me to strive continously to forsake aesthetic timidity

there are, in reality, more than ten cool things about provo, but here's some stuff that's happening lately--a few that i just discovered:

1)  the provo river delta restoration project.  there are some hardworking environmentalists tenaciously trying to improve our air and water quality.  even resisters are beginning to relent. 

2)  downtown gallery stroll tonight.

3) we have our own sartorialist.  provo fashion isn't as cutting edge as some other places--and julie's street fashion shots are some of my favorite anywhere, but i love that this guy is looking for it.

4) the sundance screening room.  this tiny theatre is where the sundance film festival started.  in the past few months they've featured free screenings of redford films, and they always show sundance best of fest screenings for locals.  oft times you can schmooze with r. redford himself, if he's not having one of his aloof days.

5) muse music and velour.  i don't go to these places often, feeling that it would be a little creepy at my age, but i like knowing they're there, and that provo is developing some homegrown sounds.

6) communal.  i'm gonna go out on a limb and pronounce that a resataurant without interesting vegetable sides is not worth going to.  i sometimes go for dinner here and order just sides.  not that we need the new york times to validate us, but here's a shout-out to communal in the times.  and here's a sample menu.

7)  the walden school.  i'm lucky enough to have been able to send three of my children here, and to get to teach here.  it's a truly progressive public school, and i get to teach rad classes like this food/writing hybrid and last semester's performance art class.

8) the provo orem word.  a lovely online publication showcasing the pretty deep pool of local talent.

9) amano chocolate.  this rad dude is my neighbor.  he has a real chocolate factory with vintage machinery.  he roasts his own beans, trained with jacques torres, and is the only american to win the grand prize at the royal academy of chocolate in london.  not that we need london to tell us that provo is rad.

10) tryst press letter press.  we take the word seriously around here.

i've written about this before, but i'm gonna say it again:  we've got tons of hardworking, brilliant, and talented people in provo, utah.  but we can be aesthetically timid and intellectually repressed.  i say this with all the love in the world, hoping that my people will break out and bring it a little harder.

seriously.  this is my hope and prayer.  amen.

legwear:  jeans and cowboy boots.  a provo winter classic.
inspiration:  mt. timpanogas.
looking forward:  to dinner with my man and gallery stroll tonight.

p.s.--yes.  nicki minaj.  here's what one ph.d has to say about minaj in the ever-so rad crunk feminist collective.  

p.p.s.--happy birthday, miss gertrude stein.  your tender buttons are with me always.