Transportation and Getting to Utah:
There is no better way to begin your vacation or business trip in Utah than to have Park City Transportation/All Resort (www.parkcitytransportation.com or http://www.allresort.com, Toll Free 800.637.3803) waiting for you at the airport. Upon our arrival at Salt Lake City Airport on our direct non-stop $200 round trip flight on Delta, a sharp dressed representative attentively waited for us with a professional sign in hand displaying our name. We were escorted directly to a luxury SUV, a Lincoln Navigator, for our magic carpet ride up to Park City.
The driver was extremely knowledgeable of the area, professional and courteous. We were offered bottled water during the ride as the air is very dry — it’s important to Park City Transportation for all of their customers to be comfortable while they’re soaking up the warmth form the heated leather seats. Right on cue, the driver called our resort destination 10 minutes prior to arrival so that the hotel can prepare for a seamless check-in.
Park City Transportation has the ability to customize your ride whether you’re a small or large group. In addition to an SUV there are also luxury sedans, stretched limousines, vans and premium motor coaches. Be sure to have Park City Transportation get your next trip rolling in the right direction with a perfect first impression of the beautiful state of Utah.
Lodging:
Montage Deer Valley
February 10, 2013 – February 13, 2013
Every detail is perfected at Montage Deer Valley (www.montagedeervalley.com / 9100 Marsac Avenue, Park City, UT 84060 / 435.604.1300) and it starts off with ground transportation contacting the front desk 15 minutes prior to arrival so that guests can experience the most seamless check-in process a hotel can possibly offer. Montage Deer Valley staff immediately escorts you right to your room while describing all the hotel services at your fingertips. They run your credit card on a hand held device for incidentals and patiently show you how to use the television controls and the like. The hotel is proud to have never checked in a guest at the front desk and values the ever so important first impression, a refined greeting making everyone feel like a special guest.
Montage Deer Valley is a world-class ski-in/ski-out resort strategically nestled in the pristine Wasatch Range just 36 miles east of Salt Lake City. Deer Valley caters to the more affluent skiers looking for runs that exclude boarders while offering ski valets, fine dining, boutique shopping and top notch spa treatments – Montage masters these amenities and more.
The designers of Montage Deer Valley put in a great deal of thought in order to create a western mountain craftsman-style resort, fitting for the Wasatch Range and its history. Although the architecture is something to marvel over, the most important ingredient of this successful resort is its careful selection of employees – all staff is well trained and guided by an impressive management team. Recruiting for this facility includes international representatives abroad, prominently in Argentina as many Argentines posses a warm, friendly demeanor and come from a vibrant ski culture, a formula that Montage values.
The Montage brand has also carved out a market for on-site residents that enjoy the lavish perks of a 5-diamond resort with alpine views. Montage Deer Valley boasts 154 deluxe guestrooms and more than 66 suites and residences. All accommodations feature a gas fireplace, scenic views, state-of-the-art technology, in-room safe and high grade furniture, bedding, linens, among other lavish amenities you would expect from this top tier estate-like facility.
After a long day of skiing there is nothing closer to heaven than experiencing a treatment from Spa Montage, an alpine inspired oasis with exceptionally trained spa therapists and wellness artisans. Their customized approach helps you discover your own unique needs. The menu includes a wide range of signature therapies, facials, wellness programs, enhancements and a serenity suite for couples and small group events. Additionally, there is a Salon Montage and Kim Vō Salon for manicures, pedicures, makeup and hair styling.
The indoor/outdoor pools and spas may be enjoyed year-round for lap swimming, recreation and just plain relaxing. The fitness center has state of the art equipment stocked with towels and bottled water. There are also great fitness classes designed for skiers such as yoga, pre-ski and after ski stretching, bootcamp and Pilates.
The onsite outdoor outfitter, Compass Sports, has a knowledgeable staff of ski valets to assist with your own personalized ski package. You are greeting by a ski valet the moment you step into Compass Sports as they begin the process of inputting your answers to a series of questions on a hand held iPad. Minutes later the ski valet is buckling up your ski boots and pointing you outside where you will find your skis and poles waiting for you just a stone’s throw away from the nearest lift. Compass Sports provides lift tickets, books lessons, waxes skis and warms your ski boots. In addition to locking up any of your personal items that can be retrieved immediately upon return, there are also complimentary cookies, bottled water and hot cider for the cold, parched skier. It’s a very smooth turnkey operation where there is no room for improvement.
Montage Deer Valley also offers transportation valets that frequently shuttle guests to the nearby shops and restaurants on Main Street, Park City in their fleet of Mercedes Vans and SUVs. The Montage brand is held is such high esteem that Mercedes Benz, at no charge, supplied all of the resort’s Vans and SUVs as part of their marketing campaign. A test drive of the SUVs can be arranged with the hotel for those that may be interested in purchasing a Mercedes or for those that are just curious of the vehicle’s performance on the mountain roads.
The culinary experience is second to none featuring a well-balanced selection of eateries and fine dining. Enjoy cuisine from the hotel’s restaurants while relaxing on the deck of the Alpine Pool – a great place to watch people ski as you lounge around the heated pool. Daly’s Pub & Bar, the hotel’s gastro-pub, is perfect for the family serving brick-oven pizzas, potpie, and shepherd’s pie along with other classic pub dishes. Enjoy Daly’s local microbrews, wine and spirits while bowling, playing billiards, darts and vintage arcade games. Daly’s is also a great place to check out televised sports while the kids play Wii in the arcade room.
Vista Lounge and Terrace does a superb job creating a spacious, fire-warmed terrace where guests make themselves comfortable on estate-like furniture, order cocktails, wine taste, throw back the best international beers all while enjoying nightly live music and Asian-inspired cuisine such as phở. Within Vista Lounge is Yama Sushi, a seasonal dining venue open in the winter season from December 20th onward. Yama Sushi prepares customized rolls and sashimi along with the finest seafood, sake and beers. The chef will periodically mix up the set course menu to include delicately seasoned lamb chops and Thai soup.
Apex is the hotel’s signature restaurant; an American grill offering an impressive breakfast buffet with made to order omelets, fresh fruit, breakfast meats, bagels and the like. A hearty lunch menu is followed by a refined dinner menu and ambiance frequented by locals and visitors alike. Additionally, guests may take advantage of in-room dining or private dining for groups and special events.
There is no better place for corporate seminars, annual meetings and weddings as Montage Deer Valley has over 50,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meetings space – (Interactive Floor Plan: http://www.montagedeervalley.com/park-city-meeting-space.php). Meetings and events are supported by the resort’s executive business center, audio-visual department and an event concierge.
If you enjoy world-class service, top rated ski slopes, impeccable amenities and specialized hospitality then you must experience Montage Deer Valley.
Skiing & Dining in Park City area Utah:
What can I say except between the convenience, amount of snow, variety of mountain resorts, lodging and fine dining, Park City area consisting of Deer Valley, The Canyons and Park City can rival any other place in the country and even internationally. I met many people from Europe that come all the way here because of what I mentioned.
Let’s start with Dining. Our top dining selections are the following:
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The incredible Seafood Buffet in Deer Valley. A staple in the area for a long time, you will find fresh sushi, cooked to order dishes including tuna, chilled shrimp & crab, steamed clams, fried calamari, hot fish items, salads, soups, side dishes and plenty of desserts to name a few. If you are seafood/fish lover, Do NOT miss this place. Location: Snow Park Village – base area
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Dining Type: Seafood – American – Contemporary
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Business Hours: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Open Thursday through Monday, 12/13/2012 – 4/6/2013
The Zagat Restaurant Guide lists Deer Valley’s Seafood Buffet in ‘America’s Top Restaurants’ and after one visit, you’ll understand why. Seafood Buffet offers a grand feast of crab legs, Pacific white shrimp, house-smoked salmon, fresh oysters, glazed scallops, seared ahi tuna and so much more as the menu changes weekly. Savory prime rib, roast duck, a variety of salads and hot appetizers are also offered nightly. Be sure to save room for visits to the dessert bar, where house-made confections will satisfy even the strongest sweet tooth.
Deer Valley is proud to support sustainable fishing methods.
Located on the plaza level of Snow Park Lodge..
Phone reservations are accepted from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. daily.
Please note: menu selections and prices may change.
Prices
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Adults $64
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Children (11 years and younger) $34
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Prices do not included beverages, tax or gratuity
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Another great place in Deer Valley is the Mariposa Fine Dining restaurant. They have switched to smaller tasting plates instead of bigger entrees to give customers a variety and chance to sample quite a few dishes. Some of our favorites included the burrata cheese salad with heirloom tomatoes, shrimp ravioli, beef short ribs, lamb and bison meat dishes. Location: Silver Lake Village – mid-mountain
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Dining Type: Fine Dining
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Business Hours: 5:45 – 9 p.m. Open Tuesday through Sunday, 12/7/2012 – 4/6/2013
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Rated the #1 restaurant in Utah in the Zagat Restaurant Guide, The Mariposa’s intimate setting including crackling fireplaces sets the mood for an extraordinary dinner at Deer Valley’s premier dining establishment. Savor The Mariposa’s tasting menu, dining the way chefs love to, exploring and tasting as many of the offerings as you desire. Each menu item is a tasting size portion, allowing you to enjoy multiple selections. Four courses are suggested plus a dessert, but the choice is yours. Should you desire a more traditional à la carte dinner of heartier portions and fewer courses, every item may be scaled up, doubled or tripled in size. Vegetarian specialties and gluten-free options are available. To complement your meal, pair wines from our list, which consistently receives the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. Wine pairings are suggested below and may be ordered as three-ounce tastings or five ounce wines by the glass.
Two must visits in Park City are a wonderful place with beautiful décor and a romantic vibe called Wahso. It is part of the Bill White restaurant group as we also dined at the delicious Sushi Blue grill and sake house serving some of the freshest sushi and tasty dishes just outside of Park City. Any of the sushi and specialty rolls are great as well as the chicken pho and seared scallops.
www.sushiblueparkcity.com/
Washo is a local favorite and we can see why. The appetizers were off the charts and our top choices were the steamed Chinese buns, tempora soft shell crab and grilled octopus that was very unique and tender. We loved the roasted beet salad with feta, almond and lime vinaigrette before moving on to the main dishes. They have a wide variety from miso black cod to Kurobuta pork short ribs but don’t miss the roasted diver scallops and lamb chops, which were our favorites. The green beans are the side dish recommendation. The staff and service were outstanding and the executive chef Matt McMillen and Chef de Cuisine Chris Griffin are very talented and creative. They even offer just about every dish gluten free upon request. We loved the private booths, which were very nice and intimate.
Yama Sushi at the Montage Hotel in Deer Valley was maybe the most incredible restaurant we dined at with a fabulous variety of sushi, meats and other items. You can have a great dinner while listening to some nice live music in the restaurant. YAMA SUSHI is a stylish seasonal dining venue featuring the freshest sushi and sashimi in an intimate setting adjacent to Vista Lounge and Terrace, overlooking the Empire ski runs.
Custom rolls and sashimi are the order of the day at Yama Sushi. Translated from the Japanese word for mountain, Yama Sushi serves the finest seafood along with sake flight pairings and beers from around the world. The ski runs of Empire mountain serve as a picturesque backdrop to enjoy live entertainment and inspired Asian fare.
The SKIING in the Park City area is some of the best in the world. There are 3 large resorts within about 15-20 minutes of each other that offer a ton of great terrain and runs.
Deer Valley is the most luxurious and does not offer snow boarding. This top notch resort has a wide variety of trails and diversity besides being well-known for their many groomed runs that are mostly blue and double blue with high speed chairlifts that access great runs. Try Ruby, Silverlake, Quincy, Silvestrike, Northside and Lady Morgan off the one side of the mountain. Don’t miss Sultan, Sterling and Wasatch with Stein’s Run being my favorite of the whole mountain. I went off the beaten path and found some incredible runs and advanced terrain off the Empire Express with black and double black diamonds. Orion and Magnet are great runs if they are groomed. Check out the daly chutes and bowls off that chair for more extreme skiing. Deer Valley has it all and it is more of a family friendly resort compared to the others while being the most prestigious.
Park City may be the most popular due to the city and famous Sundance Film Festival. I found so many great trails and tree runs off the hidden path and couldn’t get everywhere in the one day I was there. I had a blast there and would highly recommend it. A wide choice of all types of terrain including some of the best tree skiing I have been in without being too dangerous. Take the town gondola right to the resort and head up payday to start your day. Bonanza, Crescent, Motherlode, Thaynes, Silverload and King Con offer some fantastic blue and black runs. If you want more challenging stuff, head to McConkeys and the Jupiter lifts. You cannot go wrong here and on busy days, go for the fast tracks pass, which allows you to beat a lot of the crowd by paying a fee. Tubing and Snowmobiling are two great activities offered in Park City so between everything, you will have a blast here.
The Canyons is by far the biggest and most spread out. They have free shuttle service from Deer Valley and Park City Thursday-Sunday. This enormous resort keeps getting bigger and better. There are a variety of fabulous trails all over and all types of skiers and snowboarders can find places they love there. The Orange Bubble express is a great ride higher than the red pine gondola while being the only heated seat chairlift in the US. Some of my favorite runs tombstone express and peak 5 lifts with a long ski cruiser trail on harmony passing by many beautiful homes. If you are looking for something more challenging, try the apex ridge, saddleback express and ninety-nine 90 express with many black and double black runs. Some other fun or important stuff at the Canyons includes first tracks on Tuesdays & Saturdays with a former Olympian as your guide; Zip Tours running 9am-2pm; Child Care Center; Ski and Snowboard School and Rental Shop and Spa Services besides many on mountain and resort village dining. More at www.canyonsresort.com
Attraction- Utah Jazz Basketball
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Energy Solutions Arena, Salt Lake City, UT
Utah Jazz fans exuded a buzzing energy as they filled up the seats at Energy Solutions Arena. The favored Oklahoma City Thunder were in town to challenge a tough home team used to playing at an elevation above 4,300 feet – not quite Denver altitude, but enough to give the Jazz a slight advantage. The Thunder came in on a four game winning streak, each win by a margin of over 20 points, but they were out hustled, out rebounded and straight out outplayed by the Jazz bench. The Jazz’s reserves outscored the Thunder’s reserves by 24 points, leading the way to a Jazz route over the Thunder, a final score of 109 to 94.
The game was close through 3 quarters before the Jazz pulled away in the 4th quarter triggering head coach Scott Brooks to bench Durant and Westbrook at the 5:23 mark when the Jazz went up by 21. The Thunder lost their composure early as center Kendrick Perkins was whistled for a technical foul for mouthing off to one of the officials and later received a flagrant foul on Al Jefferson. You might expect that from Perkins, but Durant also received a flagrant foul, the first of his career.
Predictably the highest scoring from the Thunder came from Durant, 33 points, and Westbrook, 22 points and the Jazz were lead by Al Jefferson, 23 points, and Paul Milsap, 18 points. Derek Favors was the high scorer off the bench for Utah while Earl Watson did a fine job defensively on the speedy guards of Oklahoma City.
