1. WATCH A LOCAL SPORTS GAME

Here in Utah, we’ve got a ton of opportunities to watch our great, local teams. From Real Salt Lake and the Real Monarchs to the Utah Grizzlies in Salt Lake, or college teams like the Aggies and the Southern Utah Thunderbirds, there are plenty of sports to watch throughout the year.

2. LISTEN TO LIVE MUSIC

Have you been to the Club at 50 West? Not only do they book some of the hottest names in the industry, but they’ve got a killer menu and chill atmosphere to make your date night memorable.

3. TAKE SAILING LESSONS

Uh, sailing? In Utah? Yeah, you read that right. Sailing lessons on Utah Lake for all skill levels are offered by the Bonneville School of Sailing.

4. HAVE A SPA DAY AT SNOWBIRD

The Cliff Spa at Snowbird includes a yoga studio, treatment rooms, fitness center, hot tub, salon and a rooftop pool with spectacular views.

5. GO CLIMBING

Maybe you’re not an experienced climber, so if you and your significant other would like to try indoor climbing, there are a bunch of awesome climbing gyms in Utah to test the waters.

6. TRY A POTTERY CLASS

Have you ever wanted to take up a new hobby? Red Kiln Pottery Gallery and Studio holds pottery classes, which are a great experience and opportunity to create lasting memories.

7. TAKE A COOKING CLASS

Channel your inner chef with cooking classes at your neighborhood Harmons. With their in-store kitchen and knowledgeable chefs, you can learn how to roll sushi or cook the perfect steak.

8. WALK A PAIR OF PUPPIES

Visit the animal shelter and ask if you can walk two adorable puppies. The staff may appreciate the offer (if you promise to take care of the pups), the dogs will love it, and your date will definitely think it’s the most unique date idea ever.

9. LEARN HOW TO SALSA DANCE

10. PLAY DISC GOLF

Disc golf (frisbee golf) is a legit sport, and is lots of fun. Check out the course at Rock Canyon Park in Provo for a great time.

11. GO “SKYDIVING” IN OGDEN

iFly is an indoor skydiving tunnel that’s loads of fun, no matter your skill level with adrenaline sports.

12. TRY GEOCACHING

Geocaching is best done after watching National Treasure. Use your GPS and find a set of coordinates to locate the treasure!

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How much water should you drink a day? You probably know that it’s important to drink plenty of fluids when the temperatures soar outside. But staying hydrated is a daily necessity, no matter what the thermometer says. Unfortunately, many of us aren’t getting enough to drink, especially older adults. “Older people don’t sense thirst as much as they did when they were younger. And that could be a problem if they’re on a medication that may cause fluid loss, such as a diuretic,” says Dr. Julian Seifter, a kidney specialist and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Benefits of drinking water

Water keeps every system in the body functioning properly. The Harvard Medical School Special Health Report 6-Week Plan for Health Eating notes that water has many important jobs, such as:

• carrying nutrients and oxygen to your cells
• flushing bacteria from your bladder
• aiding digestion
• preventing constipation
• normalizing blood pressure
• stabilizing the heartbeat
• cushioning joints
• protecting organs and tissues
• regulating body temperature
• maintaining electrolyte (sodium) balance.

Giving your body enough fluids to carry out those tasks means that you’re staying hydrated.

If you don’t drink enough water each day, you risk becoming dehydrated. Warning signs of dehydration include weakness, low blood pressure, dizziness, confusion, or urine that’s dark in color.

So how much water should you drink? Most people need about four to six cups of water each day.

How much water should you drink a day?

The daily four-to-six cup rule is for generally healthy people. It’s possible to take in too muchwater if you have certain health conditions, such as thyroid disease or kidney, liver, or heart problems; or if you’re taking medications that make you retain water, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), opiate pain medications, and some antidepressants.

How much water a day should you drink if you fit into that category? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Dr. Seifter says water intake must be individualized, and you should check with your doctor to be sure you’re getting the right amount.

But even a healthy person’s water needs will vary, especially if you’re losing water through sweat because you’re exercising, or because you’re outside on a hot day. If you’re wondering how much water you should drink on those occasions, speak with your doctor, but a general rule of thumb for healthy people is to drink two to three cups of water per hour, or more if you’re sweating heavily.

Tips for avoiding dehydration

It’s not just water that keeps you hydrated. All beverages containing water contribute toward your daily needs. And it’s a myth that caffeinated beverages or those containing alcohol are dehydrating because they make you urinate. They do, but over the course of the day, the water from these beverages still leads to a net positive contribution to total fluid consumption, according to an article in the 2015 Harvard Men’s Health Watch.

Of course, there are many reasons why water is still the better choice. Remember, sugary drinks can lead to weight gain and inflammation, which can increase your risk for developing diseases such as diabetes. Too much caffeine can give you the jitters or keep you from sleeping. And, alcohol intake should be limited to one drink per day for women, and 1-2 drinks per day for men.

To ward off dehydration, drink fluids gradually, throughout the day. An easy way to do this is to have a drink at each meal, as well as socially, or with medicine.

And know that you also get fluids from water-rich foods, such as salads, fruit, and applesauce.

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Salt Lake experiences all 4 seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Weather changes can happen rapidly; dressing in layers provides the best level of comfort for changing conditions, especially in the Spring and Fall. The semi-arid nature of the region makes wide temperature fluctuations possible. So a light jacket is a good idea even if you are visiting in the hottest months of the year.

Spring in Salt Lake is marked by warming temperatures in the valley while snow is still common in the mountains. Skiing usually continues at the resorts until mid-April, but in extra-snowy years has been available as late as July. Warm temperatures in the valley combined with snow at resort elevations make it possible to comfortably ski and golf on the same day.
Valley Average Highs/Lows °F : March 53/37, April 61/43, May 70/51

Summer in Salt Lake can be hot in the valley, with temperatures frequently reaching 100°F. Nearby canyons and mountains provide a refreshing break from the heat (mountain areas and canyons can be as much as 20° cooler) with perfect opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, or a picnic.
Valley Average Highs/Lows °F : June 82/60, July 89/67, August 88/66

Fall in Salt Lake is a time of transition. Nearby canyons are filled with vibrant colors as the trees prepare for winter, while temperatures remain warm enough for comfortable outdoor recreation. Evenings can be chilly and toward the end of Fall snow is typical in both mountains and valley. The Ski Salt Lake resorts have had enough snow to open as early as Halloween, with typical opening days in mid to late November.
Valley Average Highs/Lows °F : September  78/57, October 65/46, November 50/35

Winter in Salt Lake is chilly but not as cold as you might expect. Temperatures seldom fall below 0°F, but highs are typically below freezing in January. This provides the perfect opportunity to enjoy The Greatest Snow on Earth with skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and more at the Ski resorts or in nearby canyons.
Valley Average Highs/Lows °F : December 40/27, January 39/25, February 44/30

Weather Inversions

The beautiful Salt Lake valley sometimes experiences a meteorological occurrence known as an inversion. Ironically, the stunning mountains surrounding Utah’s capital city (the Wasatch Mountains to the east and the Oquirrh Mountains to the west) help create inversions when a high pressure sets up over the Western U.S., preventing storms from rolling through and basically placing a lid on the valley. Such high pressures, experienced occasionally in the winter and summer months, trap moisture and particulate produced by the daily emissions of a typical city (driving, manufacturing, etc.) in the valley, creating a mixture of fog and smog and generating less-than stellar air quality.

Equally ironic, the meteorological conditions that play a role in bringing Utah’s famous ‘Greatest Snow On Earth’ to our resorts can also hasten poor air quality in the Salt Lake valley in the winter months. Occasionally, following a stellar ‘low pressure storm’ which leaves the snow we’re famous for in the mountains and a fair amount in the city, a very strong high pressure system sets up over the Rocky Mountains and the dreaded inversion takes shape. The damp, moist air from the valley snow creates a fog-like condition, which then mixes with the daily emissions to create the poor air quality. The high-pressure system creates sun-soaked “blue bird days” in the mountains, but they fail to allow storms and fresh air to work its way through the valley until the next storm rolls through. Again, Utah’s resorts are typically blessed with storm after storm, but every now and then a high pressure sets up and an inversion takes shape.

High and low pressure systems are constantly moving, with inversions only lasting until the next storm which, in Salt Lake’s case, is typically just around the corner. A couple times a year, however, inversions can last a week or so, culminating in poor air quality. Once the high pressure moves on and breaks up, storms again flow across the West Desert and into the Wasatch, clearing the air and bringing more stunning days, both in the city and the mountains.

More Weather Information and Links 
Ski Salt Lake Snow Report – Snow report and resort opening information for Ski Salt Lake
National Weather Service – Cottonwood Canyons area forecast
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center – Weather and avalanche forecast for Utah’s Backcountry
The Weather Channel – Current conditions and 10-Day outlook
Snow Stakes – Hourly snow accumulation readings
Ski Utah – Snow reports for all Utah resorts and major cross-country areas

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The Monster Truck Insanity Tour will turn the Deseret Peak Complex INDOOR ARENA into a battleground with 2 huge shows on March 15th and 16th! Driver Autograph Pit Party each night from 5:30-6:30, showtime is 7:00 pm! Come check out this awesome lineup of monsters as they compete in tailgate dragging wheelie contests, heads up racing, and insane high flying, mud flinging freestyle! This family friendly event also includes: 30′ Tall Car Eating, Fire Breathing Robo Dragon, Monster Truck Ride Experience, Autograph Sessions, and Extreme Tough Trucks Races! Discounted Advance tickets starting at just $8 for kids, and $16 for adults, are available online at www.livealittleproductions.com! Get yours now as this event will sell out! The latest information can be found at www.livealittleproductions.com, or call (888) 490-1990!

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The garden is transformed when spring-flowering bulbs come into bloom. The days may still be nippy, but cool spring temperatures are just right for daffodils, crocus, tulips, and other spring-flowering bulbs. Here is a quick look at some of the earliest bulbs to bloom. Plant them in fall, and on a chilly day in spring, bundle up and enjoy the show. Your neighbors will thank you.

Snowdrops

— Snowdrops really don’t care about the weather. These very early blooming bulbs, with pretty white flowers dangling on delicate stems, will push http://www.viagrageneric.net/ right up through the snow. If it’s too cold to enjoy them for long in the garden, pick a few flowers for a little vase indoors. They’ll warm you right up.

Crocus

— A bright little pool of crocus is one of the most cheering signs of spring. ‘Vanguard’ is among the earliest to bloom; pretty ‘Blue Pearl’ snow crocus are also especially early. Giant Crocus vernus cultivars such as ‘Yellow Mammoth’, ‘Grand Maitre’, and the dapper, striped ‘Pickwick’) bloom a little later but still long before most other bulbs. Plant them by the dozens.

Iris

— Elegant miniature Iris reticulata are spring sophisticates. These showy little iris draw you out into the garden to appreciate their perfect form and rich color. Intense, deep blue ‘Harmony’ and pale blue ‘Cantab’ both have a bright yellow spot. They grow only a few inches tall; plant lots of them along the front walk, where you can’t miss them as you come and go.

Daffodils

— The first bright yellow daffodil acclaim the certain triumph of spring. Golden yellow ‘Peeping Tom’ blooms ahead of the pack; its long trumpet and slightly reflexed petals give it an upswept look. ‘February Gold’ is another fine early daffodil, with elegant, long-lasting flowers. The bold, ruffled yellow trumpets of ‘Dutch Master’ light up the landscape.

Tulips

— Most tulips come into bloom after the daffodils are already well into their show, but there are some exceptions. Some species tulips, and tulips in the Fosteriana and Kaufmanniana groups, are a little bit precocious. To secure the first tulip blooms on the block, plant ‘Juan’, ‘Orange Emperor’, or the bright pink species tulip ‘Humilis Helena’. Look for Single Early tulips like the yellow and red ‘Mickey Mouse’ or the heirloom cultivar ‘Keizerskroon’. It’s been around since 1750, and it’s still a winner.

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“Nowadays, there’s a common misconception that it’s simply impossible to find truly great pizza in America outside of cities like New York, Chicago and San Francisco. Well it’s time to put that to bed once and for all,” The Daily Meal reported.

To find this, The Daily Meal looked at 800 pizzerias across the country and asked a panel of experts to vote for their favorite.

Settebello wins out in Utah, according to The Daily Meal.

“Settebello really goes above and beyond in its efforts to make pizzas that are as close as possible to what you’ll find in Naples,” according to the Daily Meal.

The Daily Meal puts together a list of 100 best pizza spots across the country every year. Some states always have favorites, but others are rarely mentioned in their best-of lists. Until now.

Read more at The Daily Meal.

Some controversy erupted for The Daily Meal’s list this year. For the last four years, Frank Pepe pizzeria in New Haven, Connecticut, led the nation. USA Today placed it at the top of its nationwide list, too.

But this year it dropped to No. 3. John’s of Bleecker Street in New York secured second place, while Di Fara in Brooklyn won the top spot, according to The Daily Meal.

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With more than 250 artifacts, a new exhibit at the Natural History Museum of Utah shows the culture of the Maya through immersive environments and activities.

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Mother Teresa once said, “Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing!” It is so true. Even when you are having a bad day or things aren’t going the way you want them to, a simple smile, even from someone whom you may not know, can actually make your day better. Especially when it comes from little children ! Probably because children have the most honest and innocent smiles. They strike a chord immediately.

Such a simple thing and yet it has an effect that can turn your entire day around. And yet we are such sticklers when it comes to showing our teeth (literally)! It almost seems like we don’t smile because it requires effort!

So, today I am going to list down some of the best reasons for you to smile!

Here you go:

1. Smiling requires less effort than frowning!

Not kidding! You probably learned in school. But just in case, let me refresh your memory. It takes fewer muscles to smile, than it does to frown.  Many scientific theories have lately discounted this fact, but the truth is, why believe them?!

As far as I am concerned, smiling requires less effort, since you don’t have any mental stress or worry when you smile.

Whereas if you are frowning, you obviously are discontent with something!

2. Makes you look good

If you’ve paid attention, you must have noticed. Even someone who doesn’t have the whole Greek God look, can end up looking pretty fine with a smile!

When you smile your face automatically brightens up. Your demeanour changes and you start spreading this happy vibe around you.

A study showed, that people with smiling faces are 80% more likely to have a positive impact, on the people around them. So be it a business meeting or a date, a gorgeous smile is your secret weapon to success!

So irrespective of what you don’t wear, Do wear a Smile.

3. Smiling is contagious!

When you smile, you automatically trigger a connection with the person you are smiling at. That person, whoever they maybe, is then almost psychologically forced to smile. And just like a domino effect, smiles keep passing on.

So that’s one contagious thing that you can happily spread everywhere!

4. Good first impression

Interview tip 101. Always greet people with a smile. Even if you meet them for the first and the last time. A smile is absolutely essential.

When you smile on entering a room or meeting someone, you have a great first impression. You spread this positive aura and people feel this natural affinity to you. They may even take special note of your pleasant approach and remember you in future exchanges.

This helps a lot, especially if the person in front is someone who is influential and can be of some help to you in the future. They will remember you by face, even if they forget your name!

And even if that person is nobody important to you, it’s always nice to have a familiar face around when you are in a crowd.

5. Fights Wrinkles!!!

If you’ve ever wanted to grow old with as few wrinkles as possible, SMILE!

When you smile, the creases on your forehead automatically even out and you have lesser chance of having fine lines and wrinkles as you age.

Conversely, when you frown too much, your forehead creases too often and the number of lines on your forehead and around your lips increase.

So avoid the frown and adopt the smile!

What more could you want?? Free treatment for wrinkles!

So kick the anti-aging creams and smile it out.

Now that you know about all the benefits, you can find the motivation to go ahead and try smiling more.

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For a small fee you get to ride through the elk herd — $5 for those 9 years of age or older, or $3 for those 4 to 8 years old — all of the festival activities are free, including making bird feeders out of pinecones, and learning how to call elk and then competing in an amateur elk-calling contest.

The ranch’s visitor center will be open through Feb. 11, and sleigh or wagon rides will be offered on Mondays and Fridays from noon to 4:30 p.m.; and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Hardware Ranch accepts cash, check and credit or debit cards. If possible, please bring cash or a check to pay for the wagon rides in case internet service is down and credit or debit card payments are not available. All sales are final.

Each wagon can hold about 20 people and each ride lasts about 25 minutes. Riders must remain in the wagon for the entire ride.

The ranch is 16 miles east of Hyrum on state Route 101.

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1. You’re worried what other people will think.

You don’t want to look silly in front of other people. You’re afraid they’ll judge you. Guess what? Other people don’t think about you nearly as much as you think they do. Besides, you’re not a mind reader. You don’t know what is going on in other people’s minds. And if they are judging you for being silly and having a good time, then they’re people you don’t need to know anyway. To quote Dr. Seuss: “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”

2. You think you need to spend money.  

It’s true: Some of the best things in life are free. You don’t need to go on a pricey vacation or buy a lot of stuff to have fun. Many times it’s just being in the moment with the people you care about. And that costs nothing. Check newspaper listings or your town’s website for ideas of fun low-cost activities in your community.

3. You think you don’t have the time. 

There is always time to have fun. I don’t care who you are or how little time you think you have—you can make the time. Also, fun is found in the little moments—you don’t need to carve out your whole day. Block out a half-hour to do something you enjoy, just for the fun of it.

4. You think you need to plan it. 

If you’re a Type A planner, keep in mind that the most fun can be found in spontaneous unplanned moments. Let things happen naturally. Let yourself experience spur-of-the-moment trips and last-minute get-togethers. Be in the present moment.

5. You mistake solemnity for seriousness.  

As Jim Morrison wrote, “No one gets out of here alive.” You’ve got one life, and it’s short. Enjoy it. It is possible to take something seriously and still inject some fun and humor into it. For example, if you’ve ever flown Southwest Airlines, you’ve seen how the company takes something serious, like safety instructions, and turns it into something fun. By doing this, not only will people enjoy themselves more, they’re also more likely to pay attention. So whoop it up at your next staff meeting. (Just don’t tell your boss I recommended that.)

6. You think conditions have to be perfect.

Many fun moments occur when things go unexpectedly awry. Allow yourself to be imperfect, and to enjoy the imperfections of life. Humans are imperfect creatures, after all, and you’re one of them. Telling yourself, “I’ll have fun when…”, is counterproductive and, frankly, a real bummer. Have fun now—there’s no time like the present.

7. You think it has to be big and spectacular. 

News flash: Every day is not 4th of July fireworks, parades, and parties. You can find fun in small moments. If you think real fun only happens at big events, you’re depriving yourself of some good times. Fun is what you make it. It doesn’t need to be spectacular, by any means. Sometimes it’s found in 5- and 10-minute increments.

8. You’re bored.

There’s a symptom of depression called anhedonia, in which you no longer find interest or fun in things that previously got you excited. Also in ADHD it can be difficult to keep up novel tasks to excite the brain. On the other hand, if you’re just plain bored, that is a choice. You make the changes and opportunities in your life. Get out there and have fun.

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