With a new baby in tow, we aren’t doing much traveling this summer but we did get our fix with a few short stay-cations. Last week we drove just a few minutes and checked into pure extravagance, the Grand America hotel. This being one of our first nights away from home with a new baby, it was also nice to know we were only a short drive away if we forgot anything. Our minds at ease, we fully relaxed, feeling as if we were miles away in some exotic destination.

The Grand America makes you feel like you are somewhere dreamy, somewhere new and distant, somewhere not-Salt Lake. Just look around, all of the details from the flourished iron railings on each patio, to the fountains, gold frames, and extravagant chandeliers, all of these are definitely giving a boost to what you think of when you imagine Utah travel.

The first thing we did after arriving was change into our swimsuits to sit by the pool.  Sipping on cocktails, and getting updated in the latest issues of our favorite magazines, we enjoyed being poolside for at least a few hours.

A bonus for us was that we could stay in a suite with a kitchen, so we could make a couple meals inside and enjoy the peacefulness of being alone. For dinner that evening, we made an easy vacation meal, Apricot and Almond Couscous Salad, you can find the recipe on the Vintage Mixer blog.

Also, the accommodations came with everything we needed for a baby, so we could leave all of the baby gadget we just acquired at home (crib, baby bath, rocker, and they even provide a stroller!).

A trip to the grand, would not be complete without one of La Bonne Vie, the hotel bakery, French macarons. And you should have a few… our favorites were the pistachio, salted caramel, and vanilla. Oh and we had some white chocolate pistachio dipped strawberries too. It was, in fact, a vacation, even just for a day!

Food-wise, the real extravagance came from the Garden Cafe for lunch the next day.  We devoured a beautiful Peach Salad topped with granola, yogurt, and honey (a brilliant lunch-take on the fruit and granola we all enjoy for breakfast!). We also grazed the buffet, finding it hard to choose with all of the well prepared dishes. Some favorites were the trout, mediterranean pasta saladd, and of course the bread pudding with caramel sauce.

We found Grand America to be the perfect getaway close to home. Spoiled and full, we returned home in a matter of minutes!

More goodies at La Bonne Vie

Not long ago, we had the incredible pleasure of taking our Portuguese Waterdog Henry (we’re pathetic) to stay at the Hyatt Escala Lodge at the Canyons Resort.  For the most part, if you know Park City, you’re probably not surprised that some places around there allow dogs.  Parkites love their dogs and as a result, where possible, they’re treated like humans…lucky for us.

The Hyatt Escala Lodge is perched on in the middle of the resort allowing for great views no matter where you look.  They hotel itself is a sight to see, fitting nicely in the Canyons mountain town vibe.

The Canyons Resort area has a way of taking you out of the everyday hustle and calming you down (except during Sundance where that whole town defines ‘hustle and bustle’).  On this day, we were content to move slow and enjoy the view from our room.  When we did decide to leave, we had plenty of options for coffee, snacks, adult beverages and even a little shopping.

I’m about 99.9% sure that dogs aren’t allowed on the furniture at the Escala.  Rest assured, after we took a few dozen photos of Henry’s curious head, we pushed him off IMMEDIATELY.

At the entrance of the Hyatt Escala Lodge, you’ll find a great restaurant – Escala Provisions Company, which throughly enjoyed both the food and the chef.

The staff was kind and hospitable, the room was clean and welcoming.  It was the kind of room that you could stay in all day and not feel like you’re missing out.

Are you looking for good lodging at Canyons Ski Resort this winter?  We’ve got a few suggestions for you.  The Sundial Lodge is a great family-friendly hotel in the middle of a lot of great shops and, of course, restaurants.  In fact, in 2012 they dropped $2million on more than 100 rooms at the Sundial to ensure a great experience.  And that they did.

It’s the type of place you go to for a week and never get in your car.  Everything is within walking distance.  Think Vail Village, only better because it’s in Utah.  They even have an incredible fine dining Kosher spot called Bistro.

What restaurants are within walking distance?  The Farm, Bistro (the only Kosher restaurant in the area), Slopes, Escala Provisions and more.  There are great places for adult beverages – The Farm in particular has a great wine and cocktail list.

Of course, the best part is the ease with which you can start your day on the mountain.  Wake up, walk out, have breakfast, put on your skis and go.  If you want to go straight to the slopes, there are lots of places to eat on the mountain even you observe a kosher diet.  Bistro has places all around the mountain with pre-packaged Kosher food.

If you’re sticking around for a week, take the day off from the mountain and stay in your room, watch movies and snack.  That’s typically what I do.

We’re crazy about Utah, as I’m sure you know by now if you’ve followed SLC Foodie even for a short time.  We like it so much that we even prefer to take our vacations within the state.  Park City is a short drive up Parley’s but feels a million miles away.  If you need to get away from the hustle for a night or two, come up to the Canyons and stay at Sundial or something like it.  It’s a great special occasion getaway.

We’ve found a hotel in Salt Lake City that lets us bring our dog, Hotel Manaco.  Yes, we’re that pathetic.  We travel from time to time and always lament that the places we stay don’t allow little Henry to join us.  We wanted to do an in-town getaway but didn’t want to ask our friends again to stay with Henry, thus we went on our hunt.

It never occured to me that dogs rarely experience elevators (at least Salt Lake City-based Portuguese Waterdogs).  We loaded Henry up in the elevator and went to the 9th floor window facing the great Walker Building.  I imagine the elevator was a disorienting experience for a dog.  Henry was somewhere between a standing and sitting position the whole, but never completely either one.

If you’re coming to Utah for Sundance or Alt Summit or skiing or Outdoor Retailers and you are bringing your dog, go to Hotel Monaco.  We really loved it and so did Henry.  Disclaimer, dogs probably aren’t allowed on their furniture, Henry jumped on the bed as I was taking the photo.  It’s his fault, not mine.

That night we stayed in with Henry, ordered room service and watched Downton Abbey.  Not a bad night.