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The Best Ways to Romanticize Your Salt Lake Life

Posted on September 22, 2023   |   Updated on September 30, 2025
Terina Ria

Terina Ria

I joined lead producer Emily Means and producer Ivana Martinez on the City Cast Salt Lake podcast to talk about the best ways to romanticize your life. Turns out, it’s all about slowing down, doing the things you love, and connecting with people (or cats) in your community.

🏙 Grocery Stores & Hot Girl Walks

My most romanticized Salt Lake City day is very food-centric. Ideally, I'm going to a specialty grocery store. A few weekends ago, I went to a pop-up hosted by a variety of local food vendors. That, to me, is ideal! Getting a little treat and then following it up with a hot girl city walk. I feel most romantic when I'm by myself strutting my stuff in downtown SLC among the tall buildings like Mary Tyler Moore.

🛼 Roller Skating

Ivana Martinez on skating in the park: “My friend was like, let's go roller skating, let’s go to Liberty Park. And you could smell the rain in the air, and nobody's at the park, and it's twilight. We both lace up our skates and we're going around the park with our headphones in and it's a beautiful moment.”

🥕 Farmers Market

Emily Means on the perfect SLC day: “My husband and I rode our bikes down the 300 S. protected bike lanes to the farmers market at Pioneer Park. And once we get [there], the most Salt Lake thing happens to me, which is I run into someone I know and strike up a conversation immediately. Then I bought some Utah peaches and got to talk with a farmer from Brigham City. Then, I sipped a latte from Carlucci's on the patio at Caputo's, where I also ate a hot pastrami sandwich, and just stared lovingly into my husband's eyes and said, ‘This is the most beautiful, perfect day I've ever had.’”

✨ Small Lake City

Ivana Martinez on Small Lake City: “I love this city and for me, one way that I get to really enjoy  it is by running into people that I know. For example, getting to know the family who runs my favorite breakfast spot in the Avenues, and getting my breakfast burrito, and then saying hi to the cashier who knows my name.”

🐈 Neighborhood Cats & Public Transit

Emily Means on petting your neighborhood cats and riding the train:  “I have two recommendations, they are also not for everyone, but maybe you'll find joy in this — pet your neighborhood cats. I used to walk around Liberty Wells just petting cats, block by block. There are so many there. So I love talking with them. I don't know, it just brings me a lot of joy. I also love riding the train. It’s a little slice of life in Salt Lake City, and people are talking with each other or they're trying not to talk to other people. And I'm just sitting there happy as a clam watching it all go down.”

How do you romanticize your Salt Lake City life?

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