St George Utah Blog - Utah

Ernesto’s Mexican Restaurant

I am always looking for Mexican food since I can no longer go to my favorite Mexican Restaurant - El Matador in Bountiful, Utah.  A friend suggested Ernesto’s Mexican Restaurant.  This restaurant is a locally-owned family business in a strip mall at 929 West Sunset Boulevard in St. George, Utah.  If you are driving around, you may not notice it.  Ernesto’s is a great place relax and eat delicious food. 

This is the mission statement at Ernesto’s:  We are committed to the spirit of hospitality and enriching relationships in a wholesome environment.   Their core values are to deliver a positive experience that exceeds expectations, deliver the freshest, best tasking Mexican food and to strive to enhance a culture of integrity and…

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Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area

Trail Tuesday took me out to the middle of the wilderness in the Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area.  There are a couple of hikes from the developed campground, picnic/day use area, but you can also just explore the area and make your own hiking path.  The recreation area is close to the Interstate, but you don’t even notice it after you leave the road.  Soon you are surrounded by colorful, beautiful cliffs and rocky canyons.  The Virgin River runs right through the area.  I read that you should keep an eye out for bighorn sheep, but I didn’t see any this trip. 

There are two wilderness hikes: 

•          Virgin River Gorge Nature Trail
•          Sullivan Canyon Trail. 

The Virgin River Gorge Nature Trail is extremely short.  You…

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Recycling Center in St. George

I recently moved from the Salt Lake City area to St. George.  A moving company packed up our belongings and moved all of our items down to Southern Utah for us.  We have spent the last four months unpacking our belongings and moving into our new house.  When we finished unloading everything, we had hundreds of boxes in all shapes and sizes to recycle. 

I went online and got mixed information.  Some grocery and home improvement stores in the area said that they recycle boxes on their websites, but when I called about it, they knew nothing about a recycling program.  Finally, I called Rocky Mountain Recycling Center.  They told me to bring any boxes I had to their recycling location and they would gladly recycle the boxes for us, at no charge. 

…

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Rowley’s Red Barn in Washington

My dad lives up in the Ogden area, but he owns a condominium down here in St. George.  He visits often and spends most of the winter months down here in the sunshine away fro the snow.  He recently came to town and invited me to join him on an outing for ice cream.  We ended up at Rowley’s Red Barn in Washington.  I ordered a scoop of cold banana nut ice cream, on a hot day, and it was delicious.  Then I had a wonderful time walking around the Red Barn – Country Spoon Store – to see all the things they had to offer. 

They have jams and jellies, fruit concentrate, dried fruit, chocolate covered fruit, nuts and mixes, candy, popcorn, juice and gift baskets.  They also have a large selection of…

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Utah Shakespeare Festival – Cedar City

The Utah Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City, Utah begins on June 29, this year and it goes through October 21, 2017.  Cedar City is about 54 miles north of St. George on I-15.  The Utah Shakespeare Festival is a Tony Award-winning, professional theatre located on the Southern Utah University Campus that presents plays from Shakespeare and other playwrights every summer/fall in three theatres at the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Center for the Arts.

The website offers information for first-timers who want to attend.  It tells how to get tickets, how to plan your day, where you can park, what happens if it rains, what you should wear and other really good information for anyone who is new to the festival.  It also provides lodging information if you want…

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Bella Marie's Pizzeria

I have been driving by the Bella Marie's Pizzeria ,right off of Dixie Drive at 1487 South Silicon Way in St. George, Utah, for several years.  I have always wanted to try the pizza there because I have heard it is delicious.  The website boasts “homemade, made from scratch and cooked to order fresh Italian food!”  They also state that they have the “most authentic, original, New York think crust, brick oven pizza in St. George, Utah.”  I would agree with this statement after eating pizza from Bella Marie's Pizzeria last night!

We ordered a “to go” regular Pepperoni Pizza and a gourmet Grilled Chicken Alfredo Pizza.  The pizzas cost a little more than we would usually spend for a pizza, but they were well worth it.  The pizza dough is hand made…

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Volcano Country - Veyo, Utah

I have never been to Veyo, Utah, even though I have heard about it from several people.  My brother told me I needed to go to the Veyo Pool, several people told me about the volcano there and I heard numerous St. George residents mention the delicious pies you can buy in Veyo.  Veyo is located in Washington County.  The 2016 census showed a population of 515 for Veyo.  I couldn’t find much factual information about Veyo, Utah or the Veyo Volcano, but Wikipedia says that some in the community say that Veyo stands for the acronym of “Virtue, Enterprise, Youth and Order,” while others say the town got its name from a town in Spain referred to as La Pena which means “rocky outcrop.” 

I set out to visit Veyo for myself by way of Gunlock Reservoir.…

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Kayenta - Ivins, Utah

Trail Tuesday took me on a unique adventure this week to Kayenta, in Ivins, Utah.  I had heard about a peace garden in the area and I set out to find it.  I found what I was looking for, but it actually is the Desert Rose Labyrinth, located just off the main highway, in the Kayenta Area.  Kayenta is about 12 miles from St. George.  I drove from St. George out through Santa Clara on Old Highway 91, but you can also take Pioneer Parkway to this beautiful community. .  

I found out that the Desert Rose Labyrinth was built by the residents of the Kayenta community in the spirit of peace and unity.  It opened in the fall of 2004 and visitors are welcome to walk the labyrinth from dawn to dusk, daily.  The Desert Rose Labyrinth is an eleven-circuit…

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Three Falls, Gould's Wash – Hurricane

Trail Tuesday took me to Hurricane, Utah this week. I explored the hike: Three Falls, Gould’s Wash, with access from downtown Hurricane. There are three waterfalls in Gould’s Wash.  I hiked to the lower waterfall which was very easy and approximately 1.5 miles long. There was no water present, but the hike to the lower fall was a surprisingly beautiful hike. The hike follows a small, dry riverbed up into a canyon that has some really interesting structures in it. The canyon walls are pocketed with caves and holes. The lower waterfall runs over smooth rock and is about 25 feet tall. You can see the middle fall from the lower fall, but you can’t see the upper waterfall. 

If you want to climb to the middle and upper waterfalls the hike becomes…

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Desert Landscaping Tips for St. George Residents

As we approach summer, it's important to consider landscaping for the heat. The hot, dry climate creates a unique situation for growing vegetation and creating a welcoming yard. Use these tips to grow your St. George garden.

Choose the right plants

Research what plants will work well in the summer heat. Buy seeds that are meant for the desert and plants that can withstand the climate. Plant flowers that are native to the area like autumn sage and columbine. Different types of cacti can also add the look and charm you want. Use this article to help you pick some vegetation for your yard.

Treat the soil

Desert soil is tough and sandy. If you want to plant a vegetable garden or or other vegetation, you’ll need to lay down the proper soil.…

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