Salt Lake City?

[El Tejon]

Member of my club was accepted for his residency (internal medicine) at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.  He will begin in June of 2006.

He will be with his girlfriend who will be attending the University of Utah's School of Law in August.  What recommendations can you make for:

1.  Living arrangements.  Hoods to be near work, hoods to stay away from.  Anything close to the hospital?  Close to the University?

2.  Dealing with the Utah BMV.

3.  Things to avoid doing in SLC.

4.  Things to do in SLC.

Thank you.

[K Frame]

I've never been to SLC, but several friends who have have all told me that if you want a good cup of coffee, you have to bring it with you...

[Fly320s]

Skiing, mountain biking, hiking, general outdoorsing kind of stuff.  Whether he wants to do any of that is up to him, but it is all good around there.  This season, the mountains have received of 40 feet of snow.  The valley is pretty bare, so driving in SLC is no problem.

It's a good sized city and it has all of the normal amenities of a city it's size.  I don't know about the coffee, but all of the big chains are there: Starbucks, etc.

[El Tejon]

Mike, his religion forbids such stuff as meat and coffee so that won't be a problem fitting in with the Mormons.

Fly,  SLC "good sized"???  It's only 180K, that's tiny compared to Indianapolis so he's worried about such a move, but I say it will be good for him to get out of the big city.  Besides, finding a place to shoot will not be the hassle it is here!

What is stressing him out is the living arrangements.  He's working steady and trying to get things lined up to move.  Any natives comment on where to live?

[Marnoot]

There should be plenty of affordable housing geared towards students in the immediate vicinity of the university/hospital area. Even if he had to live farther out, the intra-city commuting isn't too bad, depending on the area. Although admittedly it's a nightmare in some areas.

Also the area around the university is a relatively decent area; most of the areas to avoid living in are further west of there. True that Salt Lake City itself isn't too big, but most people think of Salt Lake as more the whole Salt Lake County area, which is about a million in population. I've heard people complain about lack of things to do in the area, but just about anything anyone could want to do can be found. Some of it's just harder to find than in other areas.

[Silver Bullet]

Here's a fun place to eat in Ogden, a bit north of SLC:

http://www.dexonline.com/servlet/ActionServlet?pid=viewypad&businessRecordID=-fksvo42ufv7raa0meehe4l2r3&headingID=2915&from=yahooYP

It's a steakhouse, where each table is done up like a prairie conestoga wagon, with all the "wagons" positioned in a circle around a desert campfire, and with a starry "outdoor" night scene overhead.  Doggie bags have Wile E. Coyote.  Good steak and fresh-baked bread.

[crt360]

There's a designer that makes jewelry out of live roaches in SLC.  I just saw it on the news.

[Fly320s]

and... I can recommend the Red Iguana for mexican food.  It's on North Temple, a block west of the interstate (I-5?).

[Standing Wolf]

As big cities go, Salt Lake City is cleaner than the vast majority.

[Jamisjockey]

1.  Living arrangements.  Hoods to be near work, hoods to stay away from.  Anything close to the hospital?  Close to the University?

The best living for the U is in the area known as the Aveneues, but the cost of living there is a little high.  Depending on his situation, though, he could get a modest house or an apartment less than 15 minutes from the U.  You said its he and his GF, so that would be my recommendation.  As a plus, the area around the U and SLC is the least 'mormonish', so he won't have as many problems, such as being ignored by his neighbors like he's a leper.
He could also choose to live anywhere near the Trax line (from about 5400 S. and south) and ride the train to work.  Otherwise, suburban options put one about 30-45 minutes from the U.  
Avoid the following:
Rose Park
South Salt Lake
West Valley City Granger district
Parts of Murray, Taylorsville, and Kearns are pretty iffy, but there are nice areas available in those cities as well.
The most bang for the buck is generally found in West Jordan, however, the commute to the U will blow, especially if he works banker's hours.

2.  Dealing with the Utah BMV.

Huh?

3.  Things to avoid doing in SLC.

Dying in an avalanche, or getting lost in the Uintas Mountains.  

4.  Things to do in SLC.

SLC has all the trappings of modern city life.  Theatre, pro B ball, soccer, Arena football and all the standard stuff.  The outdoors are almost unrivaled, with skiing, mountain biking, hiking, backpacking, ATV riding, hunting and flyfishing...If he's an outdoorsman, he might not leave.  National parks that are unrivaled, and tens of thousands of square miles of National Forest lands.
Desert shooting, or woods shooting is about 1 hour from SLC, but we have a nice public range (http://utahshootingsports.com/leekay.htm), and a few private ones around.
SLC itself may be only 180k, but its surrounded by suburbs (mostly S and W).  Something like 90% of Utah's population lives along the 15 corridor from Ogden to Provo.

Getting around is a little different here, the streets are numbered on a grid that starts at the Mo temple downtown.  Starting from there, going south, the East West streets are called 'south' and the number's get higher the further away you get from the temple.  Once you get it figgerd out, its pie and you can't get lost.

Mike, his religion forbids such stuff as meat and coffee so that won't be a problem fitting in with the Mormons

The mormons look down thier noses at us gentiles.  

and... I can recommend the Red Iguana for mexican food.  It's on North Temple, a block west of the interstate (I-5?).

Damn skippy.  (it's just off I15 and No. Temple).  For pizza, "The Pie" is the place.  Ah Sushi is the sushi bar to beat, too.


Good website to browse for housing is
www.utahrealestate.com

Let me know if I can answer any specific questions for him, feel free to give him my email address
jamisjockey@yahoo.com

[El Tejon]

BMV=Bureau of Motor Vehicles

[Jamisjockey]

BMV=Bureau of Motor Vehicles

Ah....DMV out here.

http://dmv.utah.gov/
SL county requires Safety, emissions, and insurance.  On newer cars, Safety and emissions is every other year.
DL info
http://driverlicense.utah.gov/

More info for him:

http://www.saltlakecityutah.org/relocate.htm
http://www.skiutah.com/
http://www.go-utah.com/
http://www.utah.edu/
Newspapers:
http://deseretnews.com/dn
http://www.sltrib.com/
http://www.slweekly.com/

[El Tejon]

Jamis, thanks very much.  I thought there might be car hassles out there as we are fairly unregulated out here.

[Marnoot]

The mormons look down thier noses at us gentiles.

I'd thought you better than to stoop to over-generalizations. Are there Mormon a-holes? Certainly. But what you're doing is the same thing you're accusing "us" of. There are those in our religion that generalize that everyone who is not a member is X, Y, and Z; which results in them "looking down their noses."

This attitude is idiotic and those people seriously need to rethink their views. But you saying that all Mormons are like this is no different, and no better. I live in an area of the valley where church membership is a little more sparse and my neighbors on all sides are not Mormon. They all ignore me on a daily basis. Often they don't even bother to return a wave hello when they're looking right at me. Should I generalize that all non-Mormons are looking down their nose at me?

[Jamisjockey]

Sorry to torque you off, but that's been about 80% of my experience here.  Its different standing on the inside looking out, then to be the outsider looking in.  It may be a generalization, but I didn't form that opinion overnight, either.  And yes, my wife and I have LDS friends.  And some of them have the same opinion.

Jamis, thanks very much.  I thought there might be car hassles out there as we are fairly unregulated out here.

The emissions standards aren't very high, not like Kalifornistan's.  Pretty much any car in good working condition should be fine.

[Marnoot]

I think we can agree then, if on nothing else, that that's certainly the case with some but not with all. I mistook your comment for a "100% of Mormons are like this" comment. You also make a good point about things looking different from the inside out. I do think the attitudes you've encountered say more about a large proportion / majority of people of a single religion in an area than it does about the group itself, generally. My brother has had a similar experience to you when he was living in a predominantly Baptist area in the south. Upon finding out he was "one of those Mormons," his neighbors and a lot, if not most, of the people he dealt with in the area took a decidedly unfriendly and sometimes downright rude attitude with him.

It's a shame that alot of people take such elitist attitudes towards those of other faiths/races/etc. But such people will always exist. Nothing we can do but try our best to take the high road ourselves.

Anyway, back on topic, SLC can be a fine place to live. If your friend has a proclivity towards outdoor recreation, it's an especially good area. The benefits of a bigger city, but with the outdoors not more than a short drive away. JamisJockey's advice on areas to avoid living in is spot on in my experience.

[Jamisjockey]

I forget Magna.  Its generally a shithole and should be avoided.
I think your buddies best bet is going to be something in SLC proper, close to the train line, which would be a phenomonal way to commute to the U.

I do think the attitudes you've encountered say more about a large proportion / majority of people of a single religion

Thats generally been my experience.  Its just a matter of which local religion is running a particular area.  
Some areas here are worse than others, with no rhyme or reason.  I've had friends fit right into a neighborhood without a problem, and other's completely ignored.  I do gotta say its probably easier here being non Mormon then to be a semi-faithful mormon.......us gentiles don't have any pressure or expectations

[El Tejon]

Then a follower of Ganeesh should fit right in and fly under the radar.