Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Lisa Loved Logan

Has anyone been wondering what happened to me? Something big. Something that upended my plans for this blog and my life.

I moved to Salt Lake City. I've been here for five days.

The move was unexpected and happened quickly. Early in July my husband (who was gainfully employed in Logan and accepting a new position with his company in Smithfield) was contacted about a job opportunity in SLC. He was semi-interested, but I didn't really think anything would come of it. Hence, I just chugged along posting daily on Lisa Loves Logan, house hunting in Cache Valley, and living my regular life. At the end of July things started moving quickly and Tyson was offered the job. Before I could catch my breath we decided to take the leap and change our lives all over again. In case you don't remember, we just moved (back) to Logan from Pennsylvania only a year ago. In fact, this is our 13th move together as a married couple. Lucky number 13?

Tyson started his new job this week. We put our home in North Logan on the market last week, thinking it might take a couple of months to sell. Instead we got two offers within the first few days, and we are now under contract. If all goes well, someone else will own my sweet little Cache Valley home as of September 20.

We are hanging at my parents' house downtown while we wait for our temporary rental to finish being remodeled. We are house hunting again. A whole new house hunt in a whole new area. So, move number 14 is likely to follow shortly. Hopefully it will be a few years before number 15!

I still have a post coming about Sweetly Divine, as well as one about Tandoori Oven. I hope I can still post here from time to time when I visit Cache Valley, but Lisa Loves Logan will never be the comprehensive resource I once hoped it would be. Life goes on! Thank you for reading, friends.

Cache Valley sky and mountains I won't be seeing out my boys' window anymore

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Getaways to SLC and Lava Hot Springs

Hey there, long time no post! I've been away on vacation since Saturday. We made two trips to Salt Lake City and two trips to Lava Hot Springs (Idaho). Don't ask. Well, actually, do ask! You know I'll tell! (Using as many words and exclamation points and parentheses as possible.)

We went to SLC on Saturday for the Neil Diamond concert, which was great! Old Neil actually sounded a lot better than I thought he would (I had prepared myself for the worst), and he put on a great show. After the concert we ate a laaaaaate dinner at Bayleaf Bar & Grub downtown on Main Street, the only place I could think of that was open all night besides the pancake places. It was hot and busy in there, but we very much enjoyed our fried pickles, Korean bulgogi, and fried Twinkie a la mode.

The next morning we left for a family reunion in Lava Hot Springs, ID. Though Lava is very close to Logan (the drive takes just over an hour and a half), I had never been until I got married and started going to this reunion. What a place! I'm not sure I can explain it. Let's see. It's a resort/tourist community, but very unlike, say, Park City. All the main attractions in the town are water-related and within walking distance of each other, so the sidewalks and restaurants are filled at all hours of the day with people of all ages and all body types in all sorts of swimwear. A tiny little grocery market serves the town. Accommodations have...character. Nightlife consists of bars and bingo (or in our family, card games on the motel patio). If you've never been...GO! :)

We went swimming at the city pool complex, which features four large water slides and huge diving platforms, as well as an indoor pool. We also floated the Portneuf River, which is very popular tubing. We had to skip the biggest rapids at the top because we took our two- and four-year-old sons on the big tube with us, but we still had a fun little ride and got all wet. We only got to make one pass because we missed most of the tubing day due to our other trip to SLC, which was for a final job interview for my husband. Usually we spend several hours being ferried through Lava Hot Springs to ride the river again and again.

The only water-related activity in Lava Hot Springs we skipped out on was the hot springs themselves. Too hot for our little kids! Instead we enjoyed the warm spring-fed private pool next to the reunion site.

Dining options in Lava Hot Springs have improved over the last few years. We had some decent Thai food in a converted gas station and some very good burgers and fries at 78 Main, which is a new place at the site of the old (bad) Johnny's. Tyson had the Bacon & Blue burger, and I had a chicken burger with brie and fried green apple slices. Service was great and the restaurant has been freshened up inside.

I highly recommend staying at the Alpaca Inn, and I can't recommend any other motel in town. I love the off-Main Street location, grassy courtyard, and personal touches at this place. The owners are great and the rooms are clean and fresh (somewhat of a novelty in Lava) -- and alpaca-themed! Can't beat that! The other place in town I like isn't actually in town - it's up in the mountains. It's a fun little cabin (with running water, etc.) the owner rents out by the night. It's called the Abracadabra Lava Guest Home and it's a great little hideaway.

After three trips on I-15 that weekend, we drove back through Downey and Preston and saw the most gorgeous sunset ever. Right after I reminded my husband to watch his speed now that we weren't on the highway, he got pulled over for speeding. He was given a warning and we went on our way. Seriously, watch your speed if you ever travel through there!
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...