Fall in Utah's Wasatch Range, 2012.

En route to Desolation Lake from Big Cottonwood Canyon. 

Images from opening day, City Creek Center, Salt Lake City, by Jim Breitinger.

These are images from the new City Creek Center, which opened yesterday in Salt Lake. I am not a big shopper, but I am thrilled with this addition to our city. It's beautifully done. Over 90 shops and restaurants, including Tiffany and Nordstrom. Over 1.5 billion dollars spent. New residential towers. Stunning views of the LDS Temple and Temple Square (I am not LDS, but appreciate what the Mormon church has done to establish SLC as a cultural center--even if the culture is a little vanilla). 

It's spectacular and only a ten minute walk from my new house. 

iPhone images by Jim Breitinger/Utahredrock. 

Woman and LDS Temple:

Crowds along the revived City Creek:

Boy and fountain:

Night scene, City Creek, spring 2012:

View just to the south from new condo at City Creek Center:

One of the fountains at night:

Lights at Nordstrom:

Painting of NYC at Tiffany's:

Street performer:

Couple and friends in front of Tiffany's:

Water dancing:

The old ZCMI facade revived as part of Macy's:

The kitchen is complete!

At least mostly complete . . . here's a partial view:

I wish I'd picked a darker gray for the walls. Coming sometime in the future: stainless steel between the oven and the microwave, and tile backsplash between lower and upper cabinets.

Granite countertops installed!

Today provided one of those extremely rewarding moments of a home renovation. The cabinets, finally secure, level, and attached to the walls, were ready. The free granite my friend Leon found for me in November had been cut and prepared. The installers arrived and in about an hour they had the new counters installed. The cost was the cost of the prep and installation ($600) which seems pretty inexpensive for solid granite counters. They mounted the sink under the counter, which I didn't even think of asking for but love.

I can't stop staring at these new counters! It's the kind of finishing material that really makes a place.

If you live near Salt Lake City and have a need for granite (they also do window sills, table tops, etc.) call Harry of Distinctive Marble and Granite at 801.750.5720. These guys are great.

Next to refrigerator:

Close-up of sink:

During install:

Prepped for install: