Berit Tomten, my best adventure friend ever, is trying to make it as a driver on the U.S. Bobsled Team. She called me up to be the brakeman for her week-long driving school at the Utah Olympic Park. I, of course, said yes!
Archive for the Utah Category
Berit Goes to Bobsled Driving School
Posted in Bobsled, Friends, Utah on December 28, 2011 by Vanessa PierceWhy is Warren Miller the best ski film of the year, every year?
Posted in Movies, SheJumps, Skiing, Utah on October 18, 2011 by Vanessa Pierce
A packed Abravenal Hall in SLC
Imagine all of your ski friends at one party—well that happened last Friday at the Warren Miller world premiere in Salt Lake City. It was a bona fide reunion of athlete and PR and media friends. I was there to support my best friend and SheJumps co-founder Lynsey Dyer. I’ve lost count of how many Warren Miller films she’s been in—five, six, not sure, but she’s a pretty lucky girl.
Warren Miller over the years hasn’t been known for it’s ski porn shots per se, but is the one snowsports film company that has been able to cross the ski/snowboard only demographic and reach mainstream America. Those are the movies I grew up watching, back then there was no TGR, MSP, etc. I love Warren Miller for it’s humor, corniness, and how the brand has always represented skiing from the grassroots—a place and emotion that middle America can relate to, not just hard-charging ski bums. Warren Miller captures the true fun of skiing, not just lines that the bad-ass pros can ski, but most anyone and that’s why it’s truly the most authentic film of the year.
Pre-party entertainment
That being said, it is somewhat sad how Warren Miller Entertainment has slightly shifted from its grassroots to a sponsor-driven film company since the one and only Warren Miller ended his run as narrator and visionary behind the films. The movies feel very sponsor driven, in a very obvious, product placement way. But don’t they all? Money makes the film world run, and no ski film company is immune to that. However, the Warren Miller movies still aim to keep that humor and fun that the legend Warren Miller conceived. I will always love Warren Miller films regardless of the nay-sayers, and even my own critique. Warren Miller Entertainment makes skiing fun at the most basic level, and that’s what skiing is all about after all.
I was so proud of my friend, Lynsey, for her segment. She was fortunate to go with her sponsor First Ascent to India to ski with guide Lel Tone. The two ladies skied beautiful lines in the heli-accessed backcountry, but in true Warren Miller spirit they also spent time teaching the locals how to ski at Gulmarg ski area. That above anything else makes Lynsey happy, as she sure loves to spread the ski love wherever sher goes—especially to kids and the less fortunate.
The rest of the movie was entertaining, and got me excited for the ski season. I’m sick of sitting at my computer.
The movie, paired with a fun pre-party with all of my ski friends, and an after party sure made for a memorable night. The movie is now on tour across the country. This weekend it’s showing in Park City. Lyns is back in town and we’ll paint the town red after the shows if you want to join. Check out the film tour schedule here: http://www.skinet.com/warrenmiller/ —Vanessa Pierce, SJ co-founder
Best bar in Utah?
Posted in Bars, Utah, Writing Clips on October 18, 2011 by Vanessa PierceI recently got to hang out with one extraordinary bar tender in Huntsville, UT, and write up a story for OnTheSnow.com. Check it out:
Carol Conway has been slinging brews, burgers, and tall tales at Huntsville, Utah’s Shooting Star Saloon for 30 years. The short, stout, nice-as-spice bartender gets lost behind the bar at Shooting Star, but she isn’t short on personality. If you act cool and laid back, she will tell you tales of Utah’s Wild West—how the bar went from a trading post with mountain men drinking whiskey in the basement to it’s current state as an après ski watering hole for skiers and riders from nearby Snowbasin and Powder Mountain.
The saloon is notorious for its “our way or the highway” attitude, a stuffed St. Bernard, ghosts and the $12,000 worth of dollar bills pinned to the ceiling. The building was built as a trading post in the 1850s, turned into a saloon in 1879 and served liquor and beer throughout Prohibition. It wasn’t until 1992 that Utah law restricted the saloon from selling booze—now it’s just a beer and burger joint, but a darn good one.
The bar accepts only cash but don’t expect to grab a few dollars off the roof. They’re all signed by past patrons. Photo By Ryan Thompson.
As sweet as she is, Conway is the keeper of the strict Shooting Star Saloon policies. Case in point: A male customer comes up to the bar to pay, handing her a credit card. “Sweetie, we don’t take cards,” she said. “Cash only.”
It boils down to this: If you think you’re special, put a sock in it. Conway doesn’t care.
“It’s not rude, it’s not arrogant, a cash business is a good business,” she said.
If you ask for a vegan meal—you’re in the wrong place. The bar opens at noon and closes at nine. Even if you’re Jack Nicklaus, you have to abide by the strict hours—Conway once shooed him away after coming by after hours to have a swill.
Conway says big wigs will come in and spread money out on the bar and say, “What does it take to keep the bar open past nine?” That doesn’t sway her. “We do things our way, and if you fit, you fit and if you don’t, you find a place that fits you better… [because] everyone is important here, it doesn’t matter who you are.”
The saloon has had seven owners, all have taken an oath to keep it the way it is—the philosophy, character and the Wild West feel. That’s part of the deal. In fact, the first owners are known to haunt the place—likely keeping Conway honest. After all, she’s the only bartender at the joint—works seven days a week even when the wait for burgers is three hours and 150 people are jammed in the building during high season. She likes the ghosts, they don’t creep her out one bit, they just add more ambiance to the place… like it needs anymore.
