This Is A Fine Town

I read it with my own eyes:

"Ogden has become Utah's little sweetheart.

I have a lot to say about Ogden, myself, but I know it's pretty much been said by bigger and better sayers: National Geographic, The Salt Lake Tribune, The Wall Street Journal, New York Times. They have all written about "...the adrenalized adult's version of Disneyland," in some form or another. So good for Ogden.

I like it for some other reasons, too, not the least of which is this Star Noodle dragon, a photographer's dream of a sign. As with a lot of people, Ogden and I go way back. I wasn't born in Ogden and I'm not a native Utahn. Got dragged here with my family when I was a kid, but not even to Ogden. Syracuse, actually. Onion fields, flooded ditches and Stimson's market were our playgrounds, then, until we grew up a little and found ways to get into town on our own.

Got our vinyls at Woolworth's, hot dogs at ZCMI snack bar, ham salad sandwiches at Kiesels on the corner and suede moccasins at Cross Western Wear. We tried on clothing at Auerbach's, but didn't buy much there. A little too rich for our blood at that time. We were lucky to find peasant blouses to fit our budget in the Bon's basement.

We still have the Egyptian, but we went to more movies down the street where we watched "The One and Only Genuine Original Family Band," "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," "Camelot" and (still a favorite of mine) "To Sir With Love" at the Orpheum.


Then I grew up, moved away, came back, moved away, came back, moved away-away, came back...well, who's counting? I'm here now. I've been through some growing pains with Ogden and have developed a nearly sentimental loyalty to the place.









I'm developing this grab bag blog just to chronicle snap shots (literal and literary) of places and things, people and surprises about living in this cradle of the Wasatch. For fun. Because I want to.