Sundance shopping: Main Street in Park City offers a bounty of stylish boutiques - Salt Lake Tribune
So if you read my post below about the great deals I researched online before I went you will see that I should be a professional shopper. Check out the article link above and look how their picks match mine!!!
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Keep the Belles Hopping
Traveling with friends can either strengthen the friendship or break it. As belles we find it important to remember to take precautions to make traveling together enjoyable and fun! When traveling with friends make sure to keep these things in mind: flexibility, patience and selflessness and compromise.
Flexibility is key when traveling. We are five different belles with five different personalities and interests. Without flexibility our belle hopping escapades would quickly come to an end. I think it is important to meet, email, talk on the phone before the trip and state each person's expectations before leaving. It is best to put this in writing so that it can be referred to during the planning of activities before arrival. Often you may want to try something new, like skiing on our Sundance trip and everyone agrees to this activity, but there might also be an activity that you just aren't interested in that you might want to sit out such as a movie that you just aren't interested in seeing. Remember that when you are on a trip with friends there will be activities that you should all do together so you should be flexible but at the same time you should express what you want out of the trip and have that heard and included in the plans. For the Sundance trip we planned many together activities like the Snowed Inn dinner, shopping, movie watching and skiing. This was the result of listening and planning based on everyones' wants! By being flexible we were all able to enjoy activities that we wanted.
Patience is a virtue! How true that statement is -- especially with the belles! Remember that not everyone is like you and that usually is a good thing because it takes all kinds to make the world go round right??? So, when you are traveling with that friend that has the need to take a picture of EVERYTHING be patient! When you are all ready to go and one friend needs to apply that last layer of hairspray for the perfect touch -- be patient!! When you are a light sleeper and go to bed early and your friends need to pass by you for a glass of water, shower, etc -- be patient!!! Try to keep in mind that most likely if you are being patient with your friends they are most likely being patient with your need to look up everything and be two hours early just in case :)
Selflessness and compromise make traveling with the belles a success! I can honestly say that we wouldn't work as a group if any one of us had to have our way all the time. It is all about compromise and giving of self. Sometimes you want to do it your way -- we are all like that! There are those that naturally seem to insert their thoughts and tend to lead the group in one direction but remember to be honest about your feelings. Remember to give and take with your friends. Treat everyone as you would want to be treated. The golden rule is imperative!
So, traveling with friends is about building relationships, sharing in fun times and trying something new! It is important to check your egos at the door of the plane. Remember that you are with your friends because you love them and want to spend time with them. Most of all, remember that the trip is about strengthening the relationships with others and not tearing them apart. Be like the belles and try traveling with friends keeping these ideas in mind.
Flexibility is key when traveling. We are five different belles with five different personalities and interests. Without flexibility our belle hopping escapades would quickly come to an end. I think it is important to meet, email, talk on the phone before the trip and state each person's expectations before leaving. It is best to put this in writing so that it can be referred to during the planning of activities before arrival. Often you may want to try something new, like skiing on our Sundance trip and everyone agrees to this activity, but there might also be an activity that you just aren't interested in that you might want to sit out such as a movie that you just aren't interested in seeing. Remember that when you are on a trip with friends there will be activities that you should all do together so you should be flexible but at the same time you should express what you want out of the trip and have that heard and included in the plans. For the Sundance trip we planned many together activities like the Snowed Inn dinner, shopping, movie watching and skiing. This was the result of listening and planning based on everyones' wants! By being flexible we were all able to enjoy activities that we wanted.
Patience is a virtue! How true that statement is -- especially with the belles! Remember that not everyone is like you and that usually is a good thing because it takes all kinds to make the world go round right??? So, when you are traveling with that friend that has the need to take a picture of EVERYTHING be patient! When you are all ready to go and one friend needs to apply that last layer of hairspray for the perfect touch -- be patient!! When you are a light sleeper and go to bed early and your friends need to pass by you for a glass of water, shower, etc -- be patient!!! Try to keep in mind that most likely if you are being patient with your friends they are most likely being patient with your need to look up everything and be two hours early just in case :)
Selflessness and compromise make traveling with the belles a success! I can honestly say that we wouldn't work as a group if any one of us had to have our way all the time. It is all about compromise and giving of self. Sometimes you want to do it your way -- we are all like that! There are those that naturally seem to insert their thoughts and tend to lead the group in one direction but remember to be honest about your feelings. Remember to give and take with your friends. Treat everyone as you would want to be treated. The golden rule is imperative!
So, traveling with friends is about building relationships, sharing in fun times and trying something new! It is important to check your egos at the door of the plane. Remember that you are with your friends because you love them and want to spend time with them. Most of all, remember that the trip is about strengthening the relationships with others and not tearing them apart. Be like the belles and try traveling with friends keeping these ideas in mind.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Well, I suppose I should give you a break down on movies etc.... and will do so soon, but I am still trying to process everything I saw and figure out the best way to present all of my critiques. SO, for now, I figured it would be helpful out there to talk about visiting places that only ONE person in the group has been. In Vegas, last year, I was the only "experienced" traveler to Sin City and it was fun but exhausting for me, since I had that "tour guide" mentality..... Well, this trip was probably amplified 50%. Why?? Well, we had, not only the belles, but also 3 hubbies along for the fun. Sundance is "my thing" since I spent 12 years working in "the business" and have been going to the Sundance Film Festival off and on for the past 10 years. So, my expectations for the experience are pretty high, and I feel obligated to provide the highest standard of experience for the belles traveling with me.
BUSES:
Well, the buses NEVER ran on time, and since it is just about the ONLY means of transportation for the festival, it sometimes became stressful getting the whole gang on and off of buses on time and in the right place for all of our many, and I mean MANY movies. At times, I just felt like walking, and the first night we did!
DINNING:
Dinning was a little less stressful, but trying to celeb site and find an affordable lunch / dinner can be a challenge. I just took them to the old tried and trues Pizza & Noodles on Main and Bankok Thai on Main.... both a sure bet for Celebrities and in the $15-25 range.
MOVIE WAIT LISTING/VIEWING:
Well, this was the part of the experience that is hard to convey the IMPORTANCE of pre-registering and pre-buying as many tickets as possible BEFORE you get to the festival. We only had 3 people get a pre-buying time slot, so we were VERY limited in the tickets we had going into the festival...... who cares, right? Well, everyone, except me (since I had a pass) had to get in line at 6am for a 8:30 movie..... in the freezing cold! Luckily I had a rental car, so I could drop them off and get them sausage biscuits and hot chocolate, but it was quite a morning! My suggestion to anyone interested in attending this festival is to buy as much upfront as possible... if you can swing it, buy a pass, any pass... just get something that ensures you will have SOMETHING in hand and won't have to wait list everything you want to see.
Final solution: it may be easier to visit places that no one has gone...... I know the next belle trip will be that way.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Home
Well, I got home Wednesday around 1am and am finally able to blog. I missed finishing the trip with the belles, but I had a Sweet Sixteen party to throw for my first born. I am not a big movie buff, but I loved everything we did! Doug and I were the last ones to arrive in Salt Lake. We had a nice 4 hour layover in Dallas and arrived in Salt Lake in a blizzard! Well, compared to what we get in Georgia it was!! After we got our mac daddy black all wheel drive Suburban, we headed out to meet the rest of the gang. Thanks Shannon for getting our dinner! First stop was getting the guys their ski gear for the weekend of fun! The belles left them to their own, and we set out to get to the condo before the pass ticket place closed. We had a great one bedroom condo with 2 beds and one murphy bed and one couch. Thank you Angela! I hope your neck feels better.
The guys went night skiing and we went and got tickets for some of the movies. Saturday was so much fun! I have never skied and all the belles signed up for the Never Beginner Ski class! I love to learn new things and test my athletic abilities. I went thinking I would not like to ski, but ended up almost loving it!! I will definitely do it again!! We had so much fun and I was the only one to fall 3 times! So much for my athletic abilities! Sunday Doug and I went snow tubing, but at the wrong place! It was not one I recommend, but one we got laughs out of. While I was there, I noticed the air was so crisp! You could not help but love to walk and observe all the different scenes. What a wonderful trip and the next one we take I will be there until the end!
Belle"shopping"
So, a belle's gotta do what a belle's gotta do -- and that means SHOPPING!!! We are of course away from home and we just have to see what the local scene has to offer. What we found is Main Street in Park City is THE place to shop!
I think it is important on trips to not look for the chain stores that you love for home but rather to patron the local merchants. This is definitely the best way to get the local flavor and style. You know me however, and I am the "bargain" belle so before hitting Main St. I did a little research and planning of course :) Once again I used my favorite website on this trip: www.parkcityinfo.com because it offers a tab for shopping. I had a list in hand before we even set out!
Mary Jane's was my top pick!!! This is a totally chic boutique right in the middle of Main St. and all the action during Sundance but you would never know it! The prices are totally affordable and the look is unique and defined. The perfect place for a great accessory or two and it won't break the budget. I found an adorable hat ( a necessity for the weather) and a great pair of fashion sunglasses and my total was $36. WOW!!! They also have a great website and facebook page so check it out at www.maryjaneshoes.com -- You are gonna love it!
Ok, so the other big part of my plan was to go vintage! This is a favorite past time for all the belles and a great way to save money! Two great places again right on Main St. in Park City: Changing Hands (580 Main Street, Galleria Mall) was a great find and The Xchange (350 1/2 Main St.) was another fabulous treasure! Changing Hands owner Paula Etherington had an infectious personality and was great at welcoming us to Park City. Lise found the most amazing outfit -- purse, hat, and coat -- I on the other hand found a great vintage turquoise necklace that is going to be a lasting memento of the trip! At the Xchange, Angela got into the act with a great blue fur (not a typo :)) and I found a Coach purse and North Face jacket for my daughter all for under $60. The great thing about both of these stores was that they specialized in ski wear, accessories and trendy styles. They both were well organized and up to date styles only with great timeless accessories that you could afford! At the Xchange there were lots of vintage furs also -- a love of the belles if you haven't noticed. If you visit make sure and check these out!
You can't attend the Sundance Festival and not take home a great token. My advice is to buy early and not wait! On Main Street there is a Festival store (a few others at certain theatres also) -- merchandise is brought in for this week only and in limited quantities. We all went for shirts, hats, and pullovers! Everything is themed around the Festival theme this year of Rebel -- great look and pretty good prices but quality is great! Remember that purchasing festival merchandise is contributing to the a nonprofit -- making a contribution and no tax! If you want to look at any of the merchandise go to www.sundance.org and it will link you to the online store. Check out the pictures from our group as they are posted and you will spot many of the items!
So, to say we had fun shopping is an understatement! As always when shopping with friends we shared lots of good laughs and great memories. This day was one of my favorites and know it was for all the belles!
I think it is important on trips to not look for the chain stores that you love for home but rather to patron the local merchants. This is definitely the best way to get the local flavor and style. You know me however, and I am the "bargain" belle so before hitting Main St. I did a little research and planning of course :) Once again I used my favorite website on this trip: www.parkcityinfo.com because it offers a tab for shopping. I had a list in hand before we even set out!
Mary Jane's was my top pick!!! This is a totally chic boutique right in the middle of Main St. and all the action during Sundance but you would never know it! The prices are totally affordable and the look is unique and defined. The perfect place for a great accessory or two and it won't break the budget. I found an adorable hat ( a necessity for the weather) and a great pair of fashion sunglasses and my total was $36. WOW!!! They also have a great website and facebook page so check it out at www.maryjaneshoes.com -- You are gonna love it!
Ok, so the other big part of my plan was to go vintage! This is a favorite past time for all the belles and a great way to save money! Two great places again right on Main St. in Park City: Changing Hands (580 Main Street, Galleria Mall) was a great find and The Xchange (350 1/2 Main St.) was another fabulous treasure! Changing Hands owner Paula Etherington had an infectious personality and was great at welcoming us to Park City. Lise found the most amazing outfit -- purse, hat, and coat -- I on the other hand found a great vintage turquoise necklace that is going to be a lasting memento of the trip! At the Xchange, Angela got into the act with a great blue fur (not a typo :)) and I found a Coach purse and North Face jacket for my daughter all for under $60. The great thing about both of these stores was that they specialized in ski wear, accessories and trendy styles. They both were well organized and up to date styles only with great timeless accessories that you could afford! At the Xchange there were lots of vintage furs also -- a love of the belles if you haven't noticed. If you visit make sure and check these out!
You can't attend the Sundance Festival and not take home a great token. My advice is to buy early and not wait! On Main Street there is a Festival store (a few others at certain theatres also) -- merchandise is brought in for this week only and in limited quantities. We all went for shirts, hats, and pullovers! Everything is themed around the Festival theme this year of Rebel -- great look and pretty good prices but quality is great! Remember that purchasing festival merchandise is contributing to the a nonprofit -- making a contribution and no tax! If you want to look at any of the merchandise go to www.sundance.org and it will link you to the online store. Check out the pictures from our group as they are posted and you will spot many of the items!
So, to say we had fun shopping is an understatement! As always when shopping with friends we shared lots of good laughs and great memories. This day was one of my favorites and know it was for all the belles!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
SUNDANCE 2010 - Snowed Inn
Ok..... It has taken me a couple of days to get on here and give everyone the low down on our AWESOME experience at Snowed Inn, on the mountain at Park City Mountain Resort, but I finally have gotten enough sleep to string more than three words together in a cohesive way.
So, after our ski class (which was awesome but exhausting) we made our way to the pick up spot for the horse and sleigh that we took half way up the mountain (now they did have a big blanket to cover up with, but you still definitely want to dress for the cold, not necessarily fashion) to the overlook and then to the cabin where we would chow down.... our sleigh driver Kelly was hilarious! When we got there, there was a roaring fire and homemade cider waiting on us. They had a live guitarist, who played all of the Waylon & Willie we could come up with. I had the prime rib with mashed potatoes, sirloin chili and salad.... DELICIOUS! Then triple chocolate brownies with vanilla bean ice cream for dessert. After much karoke and fun, it was back down the mountain, where we placed our lives in Lise Marie's able hands, as she was allowed to drive the team of horses down the mountain (narrowly missing a post and flipping the whole 8 of us out on the snow).
It was a fab experience, a little pricey at $79 per person, but over all worth it!
www.snowedinnsleigh.com
All of my film critiques will be next.... so tune in!!!
Monday, January 25, 2010
The Belles Have Landed
Park City, Utah may never be the same again! THE BELLES HAVE ARRIVED!!! True some of us brought our husbands out for the weekend and some of us took different flights that worked with our schedules but as of today all belles are together! Did I mention we are having so much fun?
We have seen movies, skied, shopped, dined and celebrity watched! Wow and we still have four days to go!!!
I have found that organization has been key! True, I am the "go to" belle but I think everyone has appreciated the steps we took before we got here to put together a plan and organize this trip. Before I left I printed out all our reservations, confirmations, and trip planners. I also made sure that all numbers were handy as well as a master schedule for the Sundance Film Festival. I put everything together in an expandable file folder and made sure that I kept this with me on the plane. This made finding flights, car rental, hotel reservations and ticket confirmation easy and saved lots of time.
As for organizing our days it was a snap once we put everything onto our calendar and plugged in the events. It is important to not put too many things down for one day. You want to enjoy yourself and go at a relaxed pace. You don't want your vacation to seem like work. Because of this we made sure to plan lots for "free time" for all the belles.
When you have five "belles" with five different personalities it is important to try and make everyone happy! We made sure to plan some group activities such as skiing and a sleigh ride dinner but then we also planned some flexibility for alternate activities. Remember this year we chose a film festival that is hosted by an amazing city and we wanted to make sure that we allowed everyone time to get to know Park City.
Although, I tend to be the go to belle it has been Shannon who has kept us on track. She is a seasoned festival attender and really knows the bus system and the ins and outs of the movies. She has been wonderful and I think it is a good idea when planning a group event like this to make sure you either have someone who has visited or hire a guide for the experience. It makes everything easier!
Looking forward to the rest of the week there are about fifteen more movies that we will see and lots more fun adventures to be had. I personally can't wait! Knowing that we even planned time to sit and catch up has made all the early mornings and late nights worth while. Spending quality time with the belles has been so much fun and I can't wait for the rest of the week!
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