Park City

Park City is a beautiful mountain resort town nestled in the mountains east of Salt Lake City.  Darren and I love visiting there as often as we can.  Over the past couple of years, Park City has become a favorite city of ours not only for its natural beauty and artsy shops, but because it has been the location of some important milestones in our relationship:

• On one of our first dates Darren drove me to Park City to have dinner and to go on the Toboggan Ride.  It was a great date.  It was on this date that I realized how much of a true gentleman Darren is.  While walking around Park City he traded me spots on the sidewalk several times to make sure he was on my road side.  He opened doors, asked me questions about my job, LISTENED and then asked more questions, and sacrificed some of his own warm clothing to make sure his unprepared date was warm enough on the Toboggan.  I will never be able to live down, however, that despite the fact that I was enjoying the date, I fell asleep on the car ride home--for just a few minutes.  In my defense, it was a Friday night after a long week during my first year as a teacher. He's lucky I was able to maintain consciousness as long as I did.  :) 
• A little less than a year later, we decided that we wanted to take some of our engagement pictures on the old Main Street in Park City.  We met Darren's brother, Steven, there early one Saturday morning and got some great shots!

We didn't know it at the time, but this picture was taken in front of the hotel where we would stay on our honeymoon a few months later-- the Marriott Park City Summit Watch

• I knew our honeymoon would be somewhere close (either Ca or Ut) because I only had a week off of teaching and we both wanted to keep our travel plans simple.  Darren still made it an exciting surprise, however, by secretly arranging for us to stay at the Summit Watch for a week and then revealing it to me during our first dance at our reception.  The hotel was in the perfect location at the bottom of the old Main Street, so all of the shops and restaurants were within walking distance.  Needless to say, it was wonderful!

Honeymoon--old Main Street, Park City

Honeymoon--Dinner at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse

• Most recently, Darren and I ran our first 1/2 Marathon together in Park City.  Darren is naturally much more athletic than I, but he ran with and encouraged me the whole 13.1 miles.  He was even sweet enough to give me a heads up when we were approaching a race photographer so that I didn't look like I was dying too painfully in any of the pictures.  As you can tell in the pictures below, however, I was focusing too much on surviving to even think about smiling for any pictures.  The true smile came out only once--in the picture taken as we crossed the finish line!

Delicious Autumn!

Delicious autumn!  My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.  ~George Eliot

Leaves in Hobble Creek Canyon

I have been inspired by the beautiful autumn-themed posts of others to write my own post about this wonderful season.  While each season has its charms, autumn has always been my favorite.  I think it started while growing up in Redlands, CA where the summers were excruciatingly hot and fall marked the beginning of the cool, crisp weather.  My feelings for this season have only become stronger since living in Utah and New York.  The leaves change to such vibrant colors here in Utah and fall in Manhattan meant cooler weather, fewer crowds, jackets, and pumpkins on the worn steps of brownstones.

We have had the most glorious fall weekends these past two weekends in Utah.  Two Saturdays ago I started the day by riding my bike up Hobble Creek Canyon with another teacher at my school.  Last Sunday, Darren and I took a drive up the same canyon to snap some pictures of the changing leaves.  My love for this season has been born all over again.  I returned from both trips feeling invigorated--wanting to pull out my spice candles, pour some apple cider, make a carmel apple, eat candy corns, and start carving a pumpkin.  It truly is a delicious season, isn't it?

Hobble Creek Canyon

Hobble Creek Canyon

Hobble Creek Canyon