Feats of Strength: Displays of power, flexibility, agility, teamwork … throw in a few good spandex costumes and what more could a girl ask for? We love to marvel at the Peking Acrobats, and they’re putting on a show at Kingsbury Hall tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. Get your tickets here.

Roll Over Beethoven: The Utah Symphony is putting on ever-popular Beethoven’s Seventh on Friday and Saturday nights. If you’re feeling the need for an extra cultural kick, head over early for a pre-concert lecture in the First Tier Reception Room at 7:15. More info here.

In Mmmusic: Take a hit from The Editors and Hot Hot Heat at the Avalon on Saturday, or wait it out for a few days for a show with all-fun-all-the-time Mika next Friday. More info via the Music Guide.

Bell Collecting: New posters by one-time Kilby Court artist Leia Bell will be on display at the Lucky Pirate Denim Bar/Sugarhouse Coffee through the month of February. The gallery opening show is on Saturday from 7-10 p.m.

And, in closing, we’d like to remind you to mark your calendars and get your tickets: Ballet West opens up with Cinderella, starting Valentines Day.

Not only do we love V Chocolates for their perfect logo, twee packaging and reliance on that wonderful shade of blue, we love them for their products: chocolates and toffees. Ingredients typically include Belgian chocolate, creamery butter, pure cane sugar and hand-roasted nuts.

These local delicacies have made their way into Barneys, Saks, and Dean and Deluca. But you can also get them right around here, at places like Fashion Place Mall, Emigration Market, The Store and Tai Pan Trading. See a full list here.

Or, head to the chocolate factory for a tour. Just don’t expect any golden tickets or Oompa Loompas.

{Take A Bite}

V Chocolates
156 Winchester, Murray
www.vchocolates.com

Is it your year to put on the romance? To spice it up? To keep it smokin’ hot? We’ve updated our list, so you can keep putting on the charm. We aren’t and don’t claim to be relationship therapists, but we do think we can give you a hand with starting the night off right: follow the golden night-of-romance rule (the one the guy just might break), and make reservations for Valentine’s Day.

Here are some of our no-fail favorites in no particular order:

1. Fresco, 1513 S. 1500 East, Salt Lake City, (801) 486-1300. This little place, and by little we mean tiny, is the most cute and quaint spot in Salt Lake City. We love the quiet conversations and candlelight. And did we mention that the food is good? Call soon, we hear it fills up very quickly.

2. Lugano, 3364 E. 2300 South, Salt Lake City, (801) 412-9994. Big on ambiance and good service, this conveniently-located cottage serves authentic Italian. Share a plate of focaccia (with fresh basil-infused parmesan shreds) and polish it off with a tasty dessert.

3. Silver Fork Lodge, Big Cottonwood Canyon, (801) 533-9977. Resting in a scenic canyon valley, the dining room features a top-rate menu and a cozy fireplace. Order the Canyon Pepper Steak and start and/or finish off with homemade cinnamon rolls.

4. Snake Creek Grill, 650 W. 100 South, Heber, (435) 654-2133. Make a night of it and head to Wasatch County, where, behind an old-town facade, sits Salt Lake Magazine’s “Best American Regional Cuisine 2006.” It’s Zagat-rated, too. Start off with Crisp Corn Cakes with Sweet Pepper Cream. The ribs are unbeatable, too.

5. Melting Pot, 340 S. Main St., Salt Lake City, (801) 521-6358. There’s nothing like an open flame to turn up the heat. Pop in for a teamwork dinner or simply a do-it-yourself dessert.

6. Cafe Terigo, 424 Main St., Park City, (435) 645-9555. Alpine location, delicious menu, quaint atmosphere. Do not leave without sharing the bread pudding.

7. Cafe Trio, 680 S. 900 East, Salt Lake City, (801) 533-8746 and 6405 S. 3000 East, Cottonwood Heights, (801) 944-8756. Though it’s a little safe, it’s still a little special with a dessert menu that includes Toll House Pie. Yes, please.

8. Cinegrill, 344 S. 300 East, Salt Lake City, (801) 328-4900. This joint is special in a your-grandma’s-favorite-restaurant kind of way. Though we’re never quite sure what to order or if it will be memorable, we love how we feel like we’re in the 1940s upon entering the place, with its mirrored walls and checkered floor, and especially if someone’s tickling the ivory with a little jazz number.

9. Market Street Broiler, 260 S. 1300 East, Salt Lake City, (801) 583-8808. Eye-pleasing architecture and a coastal menu are the hallmarks of this Salt Lake City classic. An oldie but a goodie, we keep going back. If it’s full, try one of the Market Street Grills.

10. Epic, 707 Fort Union, Midvale, (801) 748-1300. Tasty appetizers and upscale entrees with reasonable prices. Though not as private, we love the warm atmosphere, especially a not-at-all annoying and actually-welcome guitar player who swoons patrons with covers of ’80s and ’90s love songs fit for FM 100. Try the lemon mascarpone cheesecake to finish off.

11. Michelangelo Ristorante, 2156 S. Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, (801) 466-0961. With a uniquely un-American collection of dishes, this little Italian gem has been a treat to Sugar House residents for years. It’s small too, so it’s best to call early.

12. Tuscany, 2832 E. 6200 South, Holladay, (801) 277-9919. Despite it size and popularity, Tuscany is full of appeal and charm––and includes a full-service valet; ideal for a cold night.

13. Tiburon, 8256 S. 700 East, Sandy, (801) 255-1200. Try the lobster or crabcakes as an appetizer, then step it up with lamb tenderloin. For dessert, you can enjoy creme brulee. Yum.

14. Pine, 4760 S. 900 East, Salt Lake City, (801) 288-2211. Voted Best New Restaurant in 2007 by Salt Lake Magazine, this south-city hub is packed with flavor: Uinta Hefeweizen-steamed Penn Cove Mussels with fennel shallot butter and grilled salmon….

15. The Boulevard, 2335 Murray Holladay Boulevard, Holladay, (801) 274-6999. Quaint, romantic and packed with character, this Holladay star serves up Guava Lemon Scallops and Kurobuta Pork Tenderloin.

Before you put it in ink, ask the reservation-taker what the Valentine’s Day menu will look like. You don’t want to be disappointed when your significant other’s treasured lobster bisque isn’t on the three-item menu.

Or, if you want to try something nice, easy and stay-at-homey, you can drop by Papa Murphy’s on the way home from the office and pick up a heart-shaped pizza to cook in your very own oven. Stop by the store to pick up some fresh veggies for toppings, and maybe a little bubbly, or just some bubble bath.

Any other suggestions?

Lindsey Frei is another local artist whose works we’ve been admiring from afar. Her still life paintings are fuss-free and bright, and subject matter ranges from fashion-inspired portraits and loose flowers to everyday items like shoes, ceramic mugs—even pacifiers and rubber duckies. In a series called “Alterations,” she found inspiration in an abandoned suitcase of women’s clothing.

In her artist statement Lindsey says, “I choose neutral subjects because they are often free of expectations … the beauty in painting … lies in the transformation from an ordinary thing into a specific statement with human interactions.”

Her paintings are placed in galleries from coast to coast (from Park City to Windham, New York to Carmel, California), but lucky for us, Lindsey’s work is currently showing at the Phillips Gallery in Salt Lake City through Feb. 8.

{Go See}

Paintings by Lindsey Frei
Phillips Gallery
444 E. 200 South, Salt Lake City
Open Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Sunday, Monday and evenings by appointment.

Here’s a dessert that sounds and tastes fancy. Your dinner guests will think you slaved long and hard, but really, you can whip up your Sabayon now, and dazzle them later. That’s because you can make everything in advance—have your berries washed and your ice cream scooped into tall, frosted glasses for a quick-and-easy-but-elaborate-sounding final course. Hint: this one’s a favorite at Salt Lake’s Market Street Grill and Market Street Broiler.

Download the YHO recipe card here.

You’ll need:

• 5 egg yolks
• 3/4 c. powdered sugar
• 1 c. white wine
• 1 c. Triple Sec

Instructions:

Combine egg yolks and powdered sugar in double broiler over medium to medium-high heat and stir constantly with wire whisk until fluffy. After 2-3 minutes, add remaining ingredients. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring about every 30 seconds (stirring too frequently won’t allow the mixture to heat and thicken), or until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Do not allow mixture to come to a boil. Chill, then pour over vanilla ice cream and fresh berries.

Tip: If you get lumps in your mixture, pour through a fine sieve before serving.

But what’s that you say? You’re a little wary of alcohol? Well, we thought of you too. Here’s an option two, Shirley Temple-style: it’s called Lemon Sabayon.

You’ll need:

• 1/4 c. water
• 1/2 t. grated lemon zest
• 3 T. juice from one large lemon
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1/3 c. sugar
• pinch table salt

Instructions:

Combine water, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl until frothy, about one minute. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Continue whisking until the mixture begins to thicken, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the lemon mixture and continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thick, light yellow and tripled in volume, 5-7 minutes. Remove the bowl from the saucepan, whisk constantly for about 30 seconds, then let cool and serve with vanilla ice cream and fresh berries.

Here are a few things up for grabs in and around Salt Lake City. Click on the image when you see something that suits you.

What’ll it be, angular and white? Curved and orange? Either one will keep your office spiffy and bright. You decide.

This statement-making Eames chair is $130.

This beauty is a bit on the pricey side, but it’s a Mies Van der Rohe reproduction and high-quality leather. And, get serious, it’s practically as sexy as a sportscar. And costs a lot less.

Turn your kitchen into a cottage with this PB-style fourtop.

This dining table with its stainless steel top might also make a cool worktable.

Mainly Music: One of Sundance’s only free-to-the-public parties goes down tonight at 6:30 on lower Main Street. Aside from the tunes, there’s said to be art installments by the Graffiti Research Lab at Music on Main. More info here.

Soon Enough: We told you about the handiwork of designer Suener Carnahan this summer. The Soon Collection, as its called, is straight out of Santa Monica Boulevard. FIDM-trained, Carnahan’s style is fresh, ladylike and demure; unlike anything else we’ve seen. We’re pleased to announce that the Soon Collection is now being sold at Mode Boutique in Provo. Get a little eye candy at her website. See here.

Set Sale: Kaleidoscope boutique’s winter sale continues through the end of the month and includes 30-75% off almost everything in-store; Soel kicks off a one-day-only sale on Saturday with items marked down 10-50%; and Modern Materials continues its liquidation sale though products will still be available on the website. Locals won’t even have pay for shipping, apparently.

On Exhibit: Two new exhibits at the UMFA that look interesting are Suitcase Paintings: Small Scale Work By Abstract Impressionists including Franz Kline and Morris Barazani, here through March 29, and Forgotten Splendor: Echo and Weber Canyons, exploring photographs of Utah’s “forgotten canyons” which were once called the Gateway to the West, here through April 13.

The ladies at Kaleidoscope have a little treat for those of us currently battling the winter blues. (The holidays are over and winter is here, seemingly to stay.) Their remedy has something to do with really cute clothes at really discounted prices. Summed up in one little word, it’s a sale. A big one.

Almost everything in this hip-to-the-hop boutique is marked down 30-75 percent, which means now is your chance to stock up on the best from your favorite lines. The sale only lasts through the end of the month and we’re guessing the inventory might start to run dry if you wait too long, so you best skiddle on over to the Riverwoods asap.

And, for every $150 customers spend, they’ll be entered into a drawing for a free Treesje bag. Oh glory! Now hurry up. Off you go.

{Gone Sale-ing}

Kaleidoscope Boutique
4801 N. University Avenue, #350
The Shops at Riverwoods, Orem
(801) 225-1352

Does anyone else feel like eating soup every single day? Every single meal? Baby, it’s cold outside. As such, here’s one of our favorites. As long as you have all the ingredients, this one’s cinchy. You basically just throw it all together. It’s especially good with a lots of lime. Buy plenty, and serve each bowl with an extra wedge.

You can download the YHO recipe card here.

You’ll need:

• 1 c. diced onion
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 14 oz. can chicken broth
• 2-4 chicken breasts, cooked, with broth to equal 14 oz.
• 1 4 oz. can diced chilis, undrained
• 2 cans great northern beans, white, drained
• 18 oz. shoepeg corn, undrained (often sold in 11 oz. cans by Green Giant)
• 3 T. lime juice
• 1 t. lemon juice
• 1 t. cumin seed
• 1 t. ground cumin

Instructions:

Saute onion and garlic in a little oil. Add other ingredients and simmer to blend flavors. When served, garnish with grated cheddar cheese, salsa, sour cream, green onion and avocado. Add slightly crushed tortilla chips if desired.

We’ve had paintings by University of Utah grad Chelsea B. James bookmarked for a while now. We’re partial to her still life works, with their soft color pallettes and feminine subject matter, though her landscapes are the kind we’d love to decorate our walls with, too. In her artist statement, Chelsea says, “I am intrigued by subtle shifts in value and color, yet seek a personal interpretation of the objects rather than a replication.” We’re also big fans of the titles of her paintings, like one depicting a pair of yellow pumps and a glazed donut called “Going Out For Dessert.”

You can visit Chelsea’s website or blog to see more. She’s in the process of relocating back to Salt Lake City, so we hope to see more of her work at local gallery shows throughout the year. She’s already scheduled for one group show at the Pickett Fairbanks Gallery (aka Magpies Nest) in the Avenues in Salt Lake City in May.

Welcome back, Chelsea!

YHO is on a hunt for its favorite cup of hot chocolate. We’re gonna search high and we’re gonna search low. And our tongues might get burned on multiple occasions, but we’re happy to take those hits in the blessed name of chocolate.

Stop No. 1: Elizabeth’s Bakery & Tea Shop
Location: 575 S. 700 East, Salt Lake City

Elizabeth’s seems like a good place to start, simply because we wonder if anyone is going to be able to beat it. A classic labeled mug of Cadbury hot chocolate is served with homemade whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles on top, as well as a petite Swiss Delice square. Note the heart-shaped tray.

Unlike a lot of fancy hot chocolates, this one isn’t bitter, nor is it overly sweet like the packaged varieties. As far as thickness goes, it’s on the light side but the cup is large enough to make it last a while. What we like best is the flavor: like a melted, high-quality milk chocolate bar that goes down easy. This one is good.

Have a favorite? Let us know. Send an e-mail to ali@yourheartout.com.

Here’s another oldie but goodie from the early days when you might not have been stopping by. We think this place is so much fun; you gotta get in on it. Especially with the snow that seems to fall every single day. Here’s the original post, with just a few updates:

Add a few more letters, and you’d think the little yurt-shaped buildings just off I-80 near Jeremy Ranch make up an Italian cheese factory.

To be sure, Gorgoza Park is only the big cheese of sledding hills. Its goods offer a super fun family- and date-friendly winter activity. Here, you can rent a colorful tube, be effortlessly rope-towed to the top of a pretty Summit County hill, and plunge down any of seven groomed trails (some beginner, some advanced) … and laugh like you haven’t since you were a kid on a toboggan.

All you have to do is sign your life away (OK, just a waiver), hand over $8 for one ride ($3 for kids), $19 for two hours of fun ($10 for kids), or $27 for four die-hard hours (or $14 for kids), and the rest is winter memories in the making.

Gorgoza Park is open daily from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Once the sun goes down, the lights go on for nighttime tubing. It also offers mini snowmobile rides and a “Fort Frosty” park for youngsters. Learn more here.

The park address is 3863 W. Kilby Road. To get to there, exit I-80 at Jeremy Ranch (#141) and head east on the frontage road on the south side of the freeway.

{Let It Ride}

Gorgoza Park
3863 Kilby Road, Park City
(435) 658-2648
www.parkcitymountainresort.com

More good things from Utah. Just follow the image links:

Full set of French Alphabet Letterboards / $78 / Bibitty in Salt Lake City

Vintage Australia Tablecloth / $16 / Goodwiu in Salt Lake City

Classic Bowling Letterpress Print / $125 / Athenaeum in Salt Lake City

Five Vintage Bingo Cards and Markers / $4 / Eclectic Dreams in Utah

Elephants and Balloons Bib / $7 / Freshly Picked in Salt Lake City

Floral Vinyl / $10 / Tabula Rasa in Utah

One of our resolutions, stolen from a friend, was to write more thank you notes. For little things as well as the big things, and for the formal and casual event. If we’re really going to stick to this, we’re going to need quite a few thank you cards. So we took it to the web, to see what we could find.

One of our favorite online paperies, Broadway Paper, seems to have an unrivaled selection as far as quality, taste, humor class and general prettiness are concerned. They stock stationery from favorites like Kate Spade and Crane, with lots of small vendors, too. Here are a few of our favorites:

Imagine your recipient smoothing her hand over the pressed-in dots on this one. Or the smile that will come to her face when she gets this in the mail. And it’s so easy to let little notes like this do some of the talking for you.

Now, remind us to send a thank you note to that friend whose good resolution idea we stole.

Taking Place: The Sundance Film Festival kicks up its pretty little feet starting today. Head to Park City (if you dare) for the ultimate in celeb-watching. Or bum around Salt Lake and see what films you can sneak yourself into. The film guide is here.

Strolling and Trolling: It’s the third Friday of the month, which means Salt Lake’s galleries are ripe for your perusing. Take to the streets tomorrow night as part of the Gallery Stroll, just don’t forget your parka. Participating galleries here.

The Real Deal: Holladay’s Real Deals is celebrating one year of business on Saturday from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Along with lots of screamin’ deals, you can partake in some birthday cake.

The Zep: Take heed, Zeppelin fans. No Quarter, the ultimate Led Zep tribute band is lighting up The Depot on Saturday night. Too bad their name isn’t as cool, and nevermind that reunion the originals have going on. Get your tickets here. Also up on the music docket are Sea Wolf, The Bravery and Angela Correa. Catch the deets via Lacey’s Music Guide.

Go Go Mod: Definitely check out was Salt Laker Creede has done in in transforming a Sugarhouse home into a modern work and a wonder at his blog, called Grassroots Modern. He offers up lots of tips on how to make such a transformation affordable, too. You can see the finished product here.

We’re neither nerdy enough or cool enough, but you could always opt to spend your Saturday like this. And mark your calendars, Leslie Hall and her Gem Sweaters will bedazzle Utahns in March. (Thanks, Coco!)

Salt Lake officially has its first cupcake shop. Make that its first cupcake-centric shop, and it’s pretty cute, too. After peddling her miniature cupcakes to local restaurants for a year or two, Leslie of Mini’s Cupcakes decided to strike out on her own.

The new Mini’s Cupcakes is dainty and feminine and sweet: everything you want your cupcake shop to be. This place serves up lots of fancy shmancy cupcakes, but our favorites are those with basic flavors, like the semi-new Breakfast at Tiffany’s cupcake: Vanilla cupcake with Tiffany blue vanilla frosting, topped with edible gems. It’s as cute as it sounds. And tasty, too.

{See For Yourself}

Mini’s Cupcakes
800 S. 14 East, Salt Lake City (between State and Main Streets)
(801) 556-5158
www.mini-cupcakes.com

If you’re anything like us, your heart aches for a jump across the pond. And though a late-night bout with HobNobs or an online order from TopShop can hold you over temporarily, what you really want is a stroll down London’s Oxford Street.

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that the British pound is dropping, but that doesn’t mean your American dollars can flex their muscles in Great Britain. Yet. So, in the meantime, we thought we would tell you about our favorite new tea spot, Elizabeth’s Bakery and Tea Shop, right here in the SLC.

Elizabeth’s opened a couple months ago, and was brought by the same folks who run the London Market next door. It’s the perfect place to visit whether you’re in need of a good flapjack, or a good afternoon with the girls. At Elizabeth’s, we tried scones, pastys, soup, tea, chocolate, and even Devonshire cream (sparingly). And though some things definitely suited our American tastebuds better than others, all were fun to sample simply because of their authenticity.

If you head to Elizabeth’s, we recommend the cheese soup—as long as you’re a cheese fan, to complement your afternoon tea which comes with two fresh scones served with strawberry jam and butter. Elizabeth’s serves up delicious Twinings teas. Ours were rich with honey and berry flavors, and came in the cutest English teapots.

Splurge on a plane ticket or head to 700 East as a hold-you-over. You decide. But when you’re at Elizabeth’s, you really feel like you’re there.

{See For Yourself}

Elizabeth’s English Bakery & Tea Shop
575 S. 700 East, Salt Lake City
(801) 433-1170

Salt Lake’s Language of Flowers is totally speaking our lengua. The coffee bar-meets-flower shop-meets-gift boutique puts up loads of goodies … if you couldn’t already tell from its multi-functionality—you can even drive through to get your steamer or Pellegrino soda.

Started up a few months ago, the orange-colored shop is packed with ready-for-gifting products. For examples, there are Garden in a Bag ($7.75), stone rings by local Mallory Blair ($25), yoga bags by Plank ($200), quilted zipper pouches by CindaB ($16), leather Eccolo Ltd. journals ($37.50), and glamorous Spring Street mirror compacts ($26). You’ll also see candles, mixing bowls, aprons, planter pots, stylish doormats, soaps that no lady would mind receiving. There’s even a corner stocked with soft books and toys for kids.

Also here, you can also prop yourself on a zebra-striped barstool and enjoy biscotti or a croissant with your chai or white mocha. And while you’re at it, send some flowers to your sweetheart. Language of Flowers even has streamlined stainless vases so sleek that a flower arrangement for him might go over well.

{Stop By}

Language of Flowers
2421 E. Parleys Way, Salt Lake City
(801) 582-0559
www.loflive.com

Some odds and ends from Craigslist, this week. Click on the image if you like what you see.

This playful Eames Hang-It-All is cute and interesting enough for your room, your kid’s room, or your entryway.

$1300 seems a bit steep for this Danish Modern cabinet, but in the right environment (sleek, streamlined) it could do wonders.

Paired with a high-caliber coffee table and some chic Adler-esque pillows, this couch might be your basement’s new best friend.

We love the airy and classic styling of this affordable coffee table.

This lil guy is only $12, and could be the youthful and modern token your sewing nook is in need of. If only used to stash stacks of fabric.

2007 was very good to us by way of music. Multiple musicians charmed me (and all of us) with their compelling melodies, unforgettable beats and fanciful lyrics. As you can see, there was a lot to choose from. Take it from my super-sized YHO’s Best of Oh Seven playlist, which you can preview below:

Like I said, it’s quite the list. But I daresay it’s worth a listen if you have yet to be captivated by any of these nice melodies. What were some of your favorite tracks/albums in 2007?

Here’s to hoping that 2008 is just as generous.