Salt Lake City: Static, Sweat, and Slightly Broken Dreams
okay, so i’m pretty sure i’m running on fumes and lukewarm coffee. 1178560… that’s the timestamp on my brain right now. 1586388145. doesn’t mean anything, really. just… a number. i landed in salt lake city yesterday, and honestly? it’s… a thing. the air’s thick, like a damp towel, and the sun’s beating down like it’s personally offended by my existence. the temp’s hovering around 23, feels like 22.6, min 23.26, max 23.26. pressure’s 1013, humidity 37. sea level 1013, ground level 1005. sounds like a science report, right? it is a science report. a slightly depressing one.
i checked the weather - i just checked and it's...there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. mostly just hazy and vaguely threatening. i’m staying in this little Airbnb near downtown, which is basically a converted garage. it’s charming in a ‘slightly unsettling’ way. the walls are thin, and i swear i heard someone arguing about taxidermy last night.
found a decent taco truck - ‘el sol’ - down on 200 south. seriously, the best al pastor i’ve had in ages. someone told me that they use a secret marinade involving ghost peppers and pineapple. i’m skeptical, but i’m also hungry. check out Yelp for more: https://www.yelp.com/.
spent the afternoon wandering around temple square. it’s… imposing. like a giant, white marble suggestion of something important. i didn’t go inside, honestly. too much history, not enough sleep. i did, however, stumble upon a group of guys playing bluegrass - surprisingly good. they were arguing about the merits of different banjo tunings. it was… a lot.
heard a rumor from a guy at the taco truck - he was pretty hammered - that the city council is trying to ban street art. apparently, some rich developer wants to turn everything into a ‘luxury experience.’ ugh. seriously? i’m here for the grit, not the gloss. if you’re into that kind of thing, check out some local murals on Instagram.
found a cool record store called ‘vinyl vortex’ - it’s crammed full of dusty classics and weird indie stuff. the owner, a guy named Silas, looked like he hadn’t slept in a decade. he gave me this incredibly cryptic recommendation: ‘listen to krautrock. it’ll fix everything.’ i’m taking his advice.
neighbors? well, there’s this family across the street - the Millers. they’ve got a golden retriever named Gus who stares at me constantly. and this older woman, Mrs. Henderson, who waters her petunias at 6 am every morning. she gives me the side-eye. if you get bored, Provo and Ogden are just a short drive away.
overall vibe: slightly melancholic, surprisingly energetic, and definitely weird. i’m not sure what i expected from salt lake city, but it’s not this. it’s… a lot. i’m going to find a bar and drink something strong. and maybe listen to some krautrock.
check out TripAdvisor for some hotel recommendations: https://www.tripadvisor.com/. and for more local events, hit up this community board: https://www.saltlakelocal.com/.
seriously, the tacos. el sol. don’t miss it. and maybe invest in earplugs.
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