Utah is the home of
Mormonism, and it's what it is best known for. "
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" (I'm not kidding, that is the official name) currently controls everything that happens in Utah and the world as a whole (or tries to). Once when a local radio station poked fun at Utah culture the
LDS church pitched a fit over one
billboard.
The most common comment about Utah is: "It's a great place to live, except for the people." It's true, Utah has everything from the high mountains of the north to the red
sandstone buttes of the south.
The common attitudes in Utah are as follows:
1- If you ignore it then it isn't really there. This is why Utah has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the nation and the highest Prozac use. They don't call it happy valley for nothing!
2- Life should be like a 1950's sitcom, like "Father Knows Best." In other words, mom is supposed to stay home with the kids and cook. Dad goes to work and every one goes to church on Sunday. This is why I wanted the sign at the airport to read "Welcome to Utah, set watch back 50 years" for the 2002 Olympics.
3- If you are not Mormon then you are a heathen, burn in Heck.
There are rules in Utah too:
1- No swearing (including Hell, you have to spell it out "H-E-double hockey sticks")
2- No drinking
3- No revealing clothing, must be below the knee even for the guys
4- No peircings
5- We are Utah, resistence is futile, you will be assimilated!
Utah does have some of the best skiing in North America though. Warren Miller has filmed here a few times and Utah is the second most popular place to film movies, second only to California.
Which brings me to another point, no matter how bad a problem is in Utah (especially Salt Lake City) people excuse it by saying "it's worse in L.A." which it isn't.
Utah does have a few redeeming qualities, you just don't want to live here long enough to know what they are, so far the best thing in Utah is The Pie Pizzeria near the University of Utah.
Utah has designated an official something for everything you can think of - ranging from cooking pots to snack foods.
From the Utah website: http://www.state.ut.us