News around town.
Farewell Toby Hemenway
We were eager to tell you more about the Permaculture Design lecture and workshop we announced last month for February.
Venerable instructor Toby Hemenway, author of the first major North American book on permaculture, Gaia’s Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture and, in 2015, Permaculture City (Chelsea Green Publishers) was going to teach us how to turn our underutilized outdoor spaces into food forests.
Sadly, instead we report that on Winter Solstice, 2016, Toby passed away. He was 64 years old. He died at home of pancreatic cancer.
Last month, we published “Becoming Pattern Literate: How pattern literacy can unlock some of nature’s deepest mysteries,” adapted from a chapter of the book he was working on at the time of his death.
We are very sorry for everyone’s loss. GBdJ
Sage’s Cafe returns to its downtown roots
Sage’s Cafe will open its doors this month on First South at the site of the former Canton Village.
Sage’s was located on 900 South near the TRAX station for the past three years and for 14 years prior to that on 300 East at 500 South.
Restaurateur Ian Brandt says the new place is significantly larger, a feature he’s ready to make the most of. The menu is being revamped but will retain old favorites. He describes the decor as “antique meets modern.”
Vertical Diner, another of Brandt’s endeavors, has moved to the 9th South location. On its former site on South Temple he’s opened Vertical Pizza, Salt Lake’s first plant-based pizza parlor.
Sage’s, 368 E 100 South. Vertical Diner: 234 W 900 South. Vertical Pizza: 2280 So. West Temple.
The CASL is safe
Locals of the Salt Lake art scene were met with red tape mid-December when an art warehouse in Sugar House was cited as unsafe to occupy. Fortunately, the Fire Marshall and the building owner were able to quickly resolve the infractions and the building was reopened the same day.
Scrutiny for alternative art spaces has increased since the devastating fire that killed 36 people last month at a warehouse in Oakland, California. The Ghost Ship, as the warehouse was known, was home to painters, musicians, tattoo artists and designers. In addition to providing shelter and an art studio, the warehouse was often used as an event venue. On December 2, the party guests possibly didn’t know the warehouse wasn’t permitted for either a living or event space and that no sprinklers or smoke alarms were installed.
In response to this loss, the Salt Lake Fire Department seems to be taking precautions by making sure similar warehouse spaces in Utah are safe and in compliance. The Jenkstars, who rent space in the warehouse, were happy to report that the Fire Marshall was appreciative of what their group brings to the area and that neighbors are “pro-creative artist community.”
The Jenkstars are a collective of artists, permaculture pioneers and upcycle engineers. They host a monthly event in their section of the warehouse called Sustainable Living Art Music. The S.L.A.M. is open to anyone interested in sustainable living, art, music and technology. Hopefully the tragedy in the Oakland will only continue to improve the collaborations between artists and fire departments with the purpose of strengthening our communities. —Lauren Singer Katz
Jenkstar CASL, 2225 South 585 East
– Lauren Singer Katz