Living la vida local

I've done a lot of traveling this year: California and Great Lakes in May, then the UK a few weeks ago.

But sometimes it's nice to just appreciate what you have locally, y'know?

Since the temperatures cooled down this week, I was able to run six days this week! This was mostly the usual, Wild Rose and North Canyon. There are a lot of dried-out leaves, so does that count as fall leaves? I did see some that appear to be actually changing and not just drying out. I also saw a snake that was not a rattlesnake, but it slithered away before I could take a picture.

On Thursday, though, I went on one of the trails by the Bountiful Temple, since I was in the area for church cleaning. I went on some parts that I had not been on before. And I realized why it's been more  than three years since I've gone there. The trail is steep, uneven, unshaded, and confusing. Why go there when there are so many better options nearby? It didn't help that the trail seemed to be covered in mudflows from our recent rainstorms.

This week I also tried out a brand-new barbershop on Orchard Drive in North Salt Lake. Well, it's not new, they just relocated from Bountiful. It was more expensive than I'm used to, but they seemed to know what they're doing. I usually go to Trolley Square, so the location was certainly more convenient. But I don't like dwelling on haircuts.

I have made it my goal to go to every restaurant in NSL. Two years ago, unincorporated Davis County became part of NSL. So I went to a new Asian place that serves boba drinks and sushi. I allow myself slushes during the summer months, so I enjoyed my honeydew boba slushy. I did not, however, care for my tempura vegetables.

I'll have to return for the St. Patrick's Day season, when I can have anything green, so I can have the honeydew slush again and an avocado smoothie

So now I think I just have to go to Thyme and Seasons restaurant, which is in the same area, but it sounds intimidating to me.

And three years ago, Salt Lake City unveiled "Out of the Blue," the notorious whale sculpture. I had yet to see it. So it seemed like a fun end-of-summer activity, sort of a microvacation, to go into the city just to see it. I took my dad, and I also had a shaved ice, since I hadn't had one this year and I don't have them after August.

There was a sign saying the sculpture was made by an artist named Stephen J. Kesler. My paternal grandmother was a Kesler, so it seems very likely we are related somehow. 

Travel is fun, but there are fun things to do at home!