Sanderson-Related things to do in Utah

[Aryanath]

Hello friends. I'm going to Utah in a couple of days. My trip isn't specifically Sanderson related (though I'll be seeing the Shattered Plains, sort of, in Canyonlands, and I can't help but think he was inspired by the topography of his state) but as a fan, it would be nice to see if there's anything to do related to Sanderson in Salt Lake City. I have a free day there on Thursday, and while there are no events, I wonder if there are stores, exhibits, or lectures pertinent to Sanderson that I can go to. Much appreciated. Thanks! 

[Ammanas]

I think to understand Sanderson and the influence its had on his writings one must understand his religion. I see it permeate all of his books. There will be lots of opportunities for that in Salt Lake City. I'm not saying this to push religion upon you; it could be purely academic if you wish.

Also it seems he is always tweeting or facebooking about leaving signed books at Utah bookstores...you could look at past entries and see if you can pick one up.

[Aryanath]

Thanks! I'm def planning to check out the Salt Lake Temple, and maybe BYU. Religion is always interesting, and I like how Sanderson treats religion in his books. Are there any Cosmere-themed bars, stores, or restaurants in SLC as well?

[Ammanas]

20 minutes ago, Aryanath said:

Are there any Cosmere-themed bars, stores, or restaurants in SLC as well?

It's been a few years since I have visited and I don't recall any, but I'm sure we have some locals that could be more helpful. If there isn't any there should be. It there was a Cosmere restaurant or comic/game shop I think it would be a real money maker! 

I've never looked into it, but I see posts all the time on this site about the byu cosmere club. That's in provo, I dont know when they meet but it would be a great opportunity to talk to fans. Sorry I couldn't be more help.

[Green Hoodie Mistborn he/him]

You could try to get into the BYU library and read Dragonsteel

 

[Ammanas]

3 minutes ago, Green Hoodie Mistborn said:

You could try to get into the BYU library and read Dragonsteel

 

I heard that has a massive hold list. Were you able to read it? Perhaps I heard wrong...

[Green Hoodie Mistborn he/him]

No, I tried to ILL it once, but I don't think my local libraries are part of the ILL group that has BYU as I was told it's unavailable a couple times

[Sunbird she/her]

Hello, Utah resident here! Unfortunately there aren't any Sanderson museums or restaurants or things like that, but I can suggest a few places where you might find signed books.

1. If you're getting to Utah by airplane and landing in the Salt Lake airport, stop by Simply Books in the C gates (Terminal 2) and ask the booksellers if they have any signed copies. That's Brandon's favorite place to "Brandalize" when he travels.

2. On your free day in SLC, you may want to check out 2 bookstores: Weller Book Works and the King's English Bookshop. They both host signings with various authors on a fairly regular basis, and it's only about a 10-minute drive between the two.

Weller Book Works address: 607 Trolley Square, Salt Lake City, UT 84102

King's English address: 1511 South 1500 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84105

As for BYU Cosmere Club, we meet on BYU campus down in Provo (about an hour's drive from Salt Lake when the traffic is cooperative) and are still deciding when to hold the next meeting. I'll go grab a link to the thread about it so you can join the discussion.

EDIT: @Aryanath Here's the link to the page of the BYU Cosmere Club thread where we started talking about scheduling the next meeting:

 

Edited June 27, 2017 by Sunbird

[Aryanath]

Thank you @Sunbird, much appreciated! 

[Sunbird she/her]

Just now, Aryanath said:

Thank you @Sunbird, much appreciated! 

Happy to help!

[Aryanath]

One more related question, friends! What are some good spots to eat at in Salt Lake City? Any specialties in the local cuisine....bison?

Edited June 29, 2017 by Aryanath

[Ammanas]

I know they love their fry sauce in Utah  (basicially a mixture of mayo, ketchup and maybe some spices) and have them at several restaurants; the only state where I have seen people have this concoction. If I remember correctly from the beginning Utah has been a cattle town so I am sure there are some good steakhouses. For a more specific answer @Sunbird will have to be your guide. 

Edited June 29, 2017 by Ammanas

[Sunbird she/her]

There are definitely some awesome steakhouses and BBQ places, but because I live about an hour away from SLC I'm not super familiar with the ones in the city.

That said, I can recommend some chain restaurants that are likely present in Salt Lake. Winger's is sort of a sports bar type place that specializes in wings and burgers, and I know for a fact you can try fry sauce there. (They might have bison burgers on the menu as well, but I'm not sure.) Another chain I like is called Sizzler. They offer steaks, seafood, ribs, chicken, soups/salads, and give you rolls with honey butter to snack on while you wait for your meal.

Right near Temple Square there's also The Lion House, the name referring to Brigham Young's nickname "the lion of the Lord" (for his outspokenness in defending Mormonism in the early days of the Church). I've only been there once, but it's a bit of a novelty experience when you visit Salt Lake. They have sort of a little buffet with things like salmon, green beans and other veggies, corn bread, meatloaf, and Lion House rolls, which are somewhat famous because they're delicious.

I hope this is helpful!

[Sunbird she/her]

Oh! Just realized I forgot to mention two other awesome BBQ/steakhouse places. I don't know if they're present in SLC, but Wallaby's and Bam Bam's BBQ are both fantastic.

Wallaby's is, naturally, Australian-themed, and they have burgers, brisket, pulled pork, chicken, and some fun and interesting sides other than the standard French fries. Cheesy mashed potatoes (except they call them smashers), Mac n cheese, garlic mashed potatoes, bagged chips, I think green beans too... Plus a variety of different sauces on the tables so you can sample whichever ones you feel like.

At Bam Bam's you can order meat by itself, priced by weight, or get a combo with a side and drink. (Some of the combos are sandwiches here as well.) They also have brisket and pulled pork and I think chicken too. Oh and ribs. For sides there are bagged chips and I'm pretty sure cole slaw is also an option. They've got BBQ sauces out on the tables like Wallaby's.

[+Slowswift]

23 hours ago, Aryanath said:

One more related question, friends! What are some good spots to eat at in Salt Lake City? Any specialties in the local cuisine....bison?

The Red Iguana is great if you like Mexican.

13 hours ago, Sunbird said:

Right near Temple Square there's also The Lion House, the name referring to Brigham Young's nickname "the lion of the Lord" (for his outspokenness in defending Mormonism in the early days of the Church). I've only been there once, but it's a bit of a novelty experience when you visit Salt Lake. They have sort of a little buffet with things like salmon, green beans and other veggies, corn bread, meatloaf, and Lion House rolls, which are somewhat famous because they're delicious.

Yes! The Lion House is excellent.

[Aryanath]

Thanks everyone, we had a great time! Checked out Salt Lake City, Park City, Moab and the parks near it (and I can def. see how Sanderson may have been inspired by them), and got a signed Mistborn in the airport. 

[liseg13 she/her]

On 6/28/2017 at 11:18 PM, Aryanath said:

One more related question, friends! What are some good spots to eat at in Salt Lake City? Any specialties in the local cuisine....bison?

I know you're already back @Aryanath but if anyone else is going to SLC you've got to check out a bar called Lucky 13 for their burgers and fries!! They smoke all their meats in house and are just absolutely amazing.

I wish there were some Sanderson themed shops in the area. I'm going in a couple weeks to visit family and it would be so fun if there were a cosmere store to go to!!!