When I heard we would be reviewing The Pie I got excited and nostalgic for memories of driving to the underground pizzeria near the U. I had no idea that there were other locations, and we met in South Jordan.

Walking in it seemed that great care was taken to replicate (or at least resemble) the ‘underground’ look of the downtown location, with the graffiti-esque décor. The other thing I noticed was that it was HOT in there. Add the fact that we sat in the area upstairs, and it made for a really warm evening. I really like the long booths; plenty of space with no crowding, even for a bigger party.

Sitting upstairs made a few things inconvenient, like having to go downstairs to pick up the food, and to refill the drinks. Speaking of drinks: this was my first experience with a Coke Freestyle machine, which is essentially a soft drink fountain with a touch screen, giving you the ability to not only choose your drink, but also add flavor, equaling over 100 flavor possibilities. Pretty great, except that The Pie only had one machine, so the wait to refill your drink was always long.

The food itself was good. I’m pretty sure The Pie is a classic and traditional favorite among many locals, but I thought the pizza was just okay. We didn’t get a cheese pull-apart, which is what everyone said is their favorite thing, so I’d like to try that sometime. Instead we had garlic/cheese bread.

Overall, I think The Pie in South Jordan is an enjoyable place for a social night out. Go with your friends, or for a family night out, and have a slice!

Holly Reed is the brains and the brawn behind Spotted Owl Soap.  She’s also a girl who knows her soap (and lotion, and body butter, and lip balm).  She understands the chemistry behind it.  She gets giddy when she explains it to you.  And, she tells you exactly what’s in it.

The best part?  After she tells you what’s in it, you’re not afraid to let her borrow one of your mixing bowls, like Sassy Kim did.  I also heard a rumor that Holly licks a bar of soap from every batch to make sure that it’s safe to use.  You know…kind of like licking a 9-volt battery to see if there’s any “juice” left in it (but with less chance for electrocution).  Serious dedication, no?

This fall we’re making the holidays simpler. We’re busy creating several gift sets for all budgets plus, now through December 15 we’re offering free custom gift wrapping for every order over $10.  At checkout time, just tell us who the gift is for and for what occasion. We’ll ship something that looks like you personally slaved over it.

Spotted Owl Soaps has gift options to fit any budget, including 3 different options under $5.

What’s in it for you?

Holly is giving all Sassy Scoops readers 15% off using code “SASSY15″.  This discount can be applied to everything but gift cards and the already discounted gift sets.  (Try the whipped shea butter and thank me later.)

Spotted Owl Soaps is also offering one lucky reader a gift set of her very own (lotion, salt, 2 soaps, lip balm).

To enter this giveaway, leave a comment below telling us which which product from the Spotted Owl Soaps store you’re most excited to try.

Additional entries:

1 entry ~ “Like” SassyScoops on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you did.

1 entry ~ “Like” Spotted Owl Soap and Body Products on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you did.

1 entry ~ Follow @SassyScoops on Twitter and leave a comment telling us you did.

1 entry ~ Tweet about this giveaway with @SassyScoops and a link to this post and leave a comment with a link to your tweet.

1 entry ~ Update your Facebook status with a link to this giveaway and leave a comment telling us you did.

Giveaway ends Friday, November 11th.

All SassyScoops winners are notified via email.

Spotted Owl Soap online: http://www.spottedowlsoap.com/
Spotted Owl on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Spotted-Owl-Soap-and-Body-Products/109146739152147
Spotted Owl on Twitter: http://twitter.com/spottedowlsoap

Have you heard of The UPS Store Utah?  If you drive around our great state the likelihood is you have seen that classic sign.

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you see The UPS Store?  You think packing and shipping needs, right?  I know that was my original impression of what they did.  But man, oh man…was I ever WRONG.  The UPS Store Utah does so much more than just being a one-stop shop for your next package.  One thing I was right about: the bubble wrap.  Oh, that glorious bubble wrap to help with that shipping.

• Ship just about anything you can imagine.  (They even custom make boxes if necessary.)
• Do you need something packaged? The UPS Store Utah is the place to go.  (Those custom boxes again.)
• They can ship by US Mail when it’s the best option for you.
• UPS has a database that will help track your past recipients so you don’t have to.

Now that you have dreams of popping every last bubble let’s get back to focusing on everything else the Sassies learned about The UPS Store Utah.  They are a full-service printing center for your personal and business necessities.

• Business reports and presentations
• Spiral-bound picture books
• Color calendar (with adorable pictures of your family or you favorite cat or whatever you want)
• Business cards
• Posters and collages
• Laminating, binding and special papers
• One store even prints paper back books
• Special projects or ideas can also be accommodated

Do you need an address for your home-based business?  Do you need a place other than your home to ship packages to?  Well, The UPS Store Utah has you covered with their mail boxes.

• Private mailboxes are like a P.O. Box but they use a street address.
• Protects identity.
• Keeps business and personal mail separate.
• Call in to check on mail or packages.
• Can receive shipments from USPS, Fed Ex, and of course UPS.
• Sends texts or email when your packages arrive.

The UPS Store in Utah also has a great number of supplies and extras to help make it your one stop shop.

• Greeting cards
• Stamps
• Packaging supplies
• Markers
• Sharpies
• Fax services

Check back later this week for a “printastic” offer from participating The UPS Store Utah locations.

Keep up on all the latest news from The UPS Store Utah by visiting them on:

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Web (also find your local store)

I am the kind of person who loves to go to dessert at places that boast both sweet and savory treats like decadent gelato in more flavors than your pallet can even comprehend and a perfectly cooked waffle with just enough crunch.

Dolcetti Gelato was a goldmine for people like me who bounce between sweet and savory treats at one dessert sitting.

Who is behind this culinary wonder? Meet Elizabeth and Mark England.

Elizabeth and Mark England are married partners whose travels inspired them to bring the taste of Italy back to Utah. They set to work learning the purest methods from the world’s finest gelato makers, finding the most premium flavors and ingredients to craft custom recipes. In 2006 Elizabeth & Mark opened Dolcetti, Utah’s only authentic artisan gelato, located in Salt Lake City. It wasn’t long before the gelato created a local buzz, prompting the opening of a second location in Park City, and the addition of their product to the menus of many fine restaurants.

That said, it’s no surprise Dolcetti uses only the highest quality ingredients, surprising and fresh flavor combinations (the salted caramel gelato blew my mind!) and all their recipes are from scratch.

Worried about your waistline? Don’t be! Gelato contains one 1/3 the fat of ice cream without losing any of the rich, silky texture you look for in a frozen treat. Dolcetti Gelato also offers sorbetto which is a dairy and fat-free alternative to their gelato.

And, they are easy on the eyes! Their quirky decor is refreshing, entertaining and beautiful. But don’t take my word for it; you can check them out at one of their two locations in Utah:

Dolcetti Gelato

900 South 900 East (9th & 9th)
Salt Lake City, UT
801-485-3254

&

1476 Newpark Blvd.
Park City, UT (at Kimball Jctn.)
435-615-6728

Dolcetti Gelato on Facebook.

Dolcetti Gelato on Twitter.

What did the Sassies think of the flavor combinations and atmosphere? Stay tuned for more details on our trip to Dolcetti Gelato.

The Sassies had a fabulous time trying all the baked goodies from Red Riding Hood’s Basket. You know you’re eating delicious, good-quality food when you are about to throw up and yet you still can’t stop eating the brownies or truffles.

We were so engulfed in eating the yummy things, we didn’t even notice when the basket caught on fire and almost burned Jen’s house down! We didn’t know hot cakes were on the menu!

I personally love to bake and would be delighted to take one of Stephanie’s baking classes. I had an opportunity to see her in her element, in her culinary kitchen, and it was very clean and well organized. I’m always a fan of seeing where people cook so I can judge for myself that good standards are being practiced. I am very judgy.

The Sassies could not get enough of the peppermint brownies. Stephanie said that her peanut butter brownies were still in the experimentation stage, but I can safely say that all the Sassies would not only give two thumbs up, but a toe and a kneecap, as well.

I also loved the fact that you could tell the items were baked with good, organic ingredients and not with preservatives. I did have that weird aftertaste that a lot of baked items leave you with.

There has been a bit of controversy over our opinions over the cookies, as you can see by the comments on our review post. Many of the customers of Red Riding Hood’s Basket love the cookies and wouldn’t buy them from anyone else. The cookies were the least favorite item in the basket, so really the only way to settle the debate is for you to try them yourselves and form your own opinion!

GIVEAWAY!!!

One (1) lucky SassyScoops.com reader is going to win a CHEESECAKE valued at $30, flavor of your choice.

The flavors are: Chocolate Midnight, Mint Panache, Original, P-Nut Butter Cup, Pumpkin, Snickers Bar, Toffee Caramel (you can see pictures here.)

Entering is super easy. Just leave a comment on this post.

You can earn EXTRA entries too:

1 entry ~ “Like” Red Riding Hood’s Baskets on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you did.

1 entry ~ “Like” SassyScoops on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you did.

1 entry ~ Tweet about this giveaway with @SassyScoops and a link to this post and leave a comment with a link to your tweet.

1 entry ~ Update your Facebook status with a link to this giveaway and leave a comment telling us you did.

Happy entering! This giveaway will end on Saturday, April 30th at midnight MST.

All SassyScoops giveaway winners are notified via email.

When the Sassies invited my handsome husband (my words, not theirs) and me to go see Salt Lake Acting Company’s The Persian Quarter on Valentine’s weekend, we said yes without hesitation.  (Well, there was a little hesitation while we made sure we had a babysitter.)

We love plays and don’t get out enough to see all the many plays that are going on in Salt Lake City.  And we’ve never seen a play at the Salt Lake Acting Company so we were excited to go test it out!

First of all, I loved the little theater at 168 West 500 North.  It looked like it used to be a church building or something similar.  Whatever it used to be, I just loved the charm.  Modern is always nice, but old, quaint and extra touches of character in a building always feels more intimate.  One more bonus:  the seating had ample leg room, something the giant in me always appreciates.  I didn’t even have to stand to let people walk by!

And then the play (The Persian Quarter): WOW!  We really loved it.  We had no idea what it was going to be about ahead of time, so we read through the synopsis of it in the Playbill (is that even the right word?) and got a good understanding of the Iranian culture and the 1980 American hostage situation the play portrayed.

I was a little worried I would be bored because while reading through the Playbill (again, am I using that word right?), I noticed there were only four actors in the whole play.  Hey, I’m a 21st century girl!  I need entertainment in order to stay focused!  But the actors were amazing and so professional.  The play had no action and very little in the way of props—it was mostly dialogue, but the dialogue was captivating, interesting and so very well delivered.

We will definitely keep The Salt Lake Acting Company on our list the next time we find the time and money to go see a play!

Now YOU can go see a play The Salt Lake Acting Company; here are the details on their next show:

April 13 through May 8, 2011

“SLAC presents Circle Mirror Transformation by Annie Baker. A new play that took the New York theatre world by storm, Circle Mirror Transformation is a beautifully-crafted comedy in which four lost New Englanders enrolled in a community acting class open up their lives with terrific detail, clarity, and poignancy.”

More details and where you can buy tickets here: http://www.saltlakeactingcompany.org/this-season/circle-mirror-transformation

Here’s the scoop on our guest Sassy. We’d consider it a real treat if you’d visit her super sweet blog!
…
Becca

I am a whirlwind of activity—in my mind anyway. That place sure is busy. I have the best of intentions to keep a clean house, cook delicious dinners, learn to dance, become fluent in Spanish and German, get my Masters degree, and travel the world. Instead, I spend my days exploring Salt Lake City with my 2 year old, teaching piano to a multitude of (i.e. TOO MANY) wonderful kids, practicing the piano, reading, writing, and missing my husband while he is away at work (why can’t we just be rich and hang out together all day?). Most recently, I became a reporter for the Sugar House Journal and am currently adjusting my schedule to accommodate that new adventure! You can read more about me and my whirlwind of activity on Thrilled by the Thought.

So what did the Sassies think of Swirly Girls Gourmet Bakery on SoDa Row in Daybreak? Read on to find out!
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QUESTION

What was your first impression?

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THE SCOOP

Camille: LOVED the bright pink and blue colored walls. It just feels high on energy and sugar. Plus, the staff is very outgoing and friendly.
Emily: So very bright and cheerful and colorful! It might be the happiest bakery I’ve ever seen!
Kristina: The bakery was cute and modern. There wasn’t a lot of inventory left, but the owners said that they couldn’t keep the baked goods from flying off the shelves!
Stephanie: I loved how absolutely adorable the decor was. Then I saw the baked goods and wanted to eat them all!
Vanessa: I loved how the bright colors just popped late at night when I drove past their place. The colors are such fun and the owners seem to be just as fun and nice.
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QUESTION

What did you like the most?

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THE SCOOP

Camille: {coming soon}
Emily: The fact that they have an exclusive European baker that makes his own pastries, croissants, etc is pretty impressive. They looked fantastic, but I didn’t get a chance to try one.
Kristina: My favorite thing was their white chocolate raspberry bars. They were like a Snuggie for my mouth. I also had the opportunity to try the Ham and Cheese croissant, which was also excellent.
Stephanie: The peanut butter chocolate brownie was so yummy. And that says a lot because I am not the biggest fan of chocolate.
Vanessa: My husband was really impressed with the cinnamon roll and cupcake. I thought the cake was so soft and airy and light! I also really liked the eclair, lemon bar and raspberry bar. Also the customer service, owners and atmosphere of the bakery, not to mention everything is priced really really well.
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QUESTION

What didn’t you like?

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THE SCOOP

Camille: I tried the white cake and cake truffles. They just didn’t jump out as anything different than something you’d find in a grocery store. I’m hoping the cupcakes boast of more flavor!
Emily: I wasn’t a fan of the cake bite truffles. They were a bit too mushy and slightly off for my taste. I tried a few flavors and wasn’t much of a fan.
Kristina: I wasn’t a fan of their cake bites. They tasted rather bland. Also the tables had attached chairs, which means that if you are more on the fluffy side, it would be very difficult to sit in them.
Stephanie: The seating. It was not suitable for someone with a more “ample” figure.
Vanessa: I don’t know if we just got a bad batch of the cake bites but they were pretty awful; I think they need to redo the recipe. I also was not super impressed with the sugar cookies, brownies and truffles. Also didn’t love the seating—not too comfy.
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QUESTION

Would you refer Swirly Girls to a friend?

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THE SCOOP

Camille: Probably, if they were out in that area, I’d suggest they stop by and check it out.
Emily: I’ve already told my sister about it, and my daughter wants to visit after seeing the fun photos. Plus Swirly Girls does custom cakes, so that’s another reason for recommending!
Kristina: I would. I don’t know if I would recommend all their items, but I liked enough of the their items to recommend them. They are also in a cute location.
Stephanie: Yes and no.
Vanessa: Yes and no. The lemon bars and raspberry bars are really delicious AND unique so I would tell them to try thos, but there are so many other things I think need tweaking and reworking, I wouldn’t recommend the bakery entirely.
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QUESTION

If you could only send out one tweet about the business, what would you say?

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THE SCOOP

Camille: Finally, Daybreak has a bakery! Satisfy your sweet cravings at the Swirly Girls bakery! #Utah
Emily: Stop by Swirly Girls bakery for a cinnamon roll, slice of cake or sweet treat to go! #daybreak #utah
Kristina: {she’s still not on the Twitter}
Stephanie: Swirly Girls in Daybreak is a fun bake shop with lots of charm and goodies galore.
Vanessa: You MUST try the lemon bars and raspberry bars at Swirly Girls, super cute bakery and those two items are unique & a must try.
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CHECK OUT THEM SCOOPS!

Here is the official SassyScoops.com rating for Swirly Girls Gourmet Bakery on SoDa Row in Daybreak.

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Atmosphere	Family friendly	Location
Prices	Quality	Service

…

Return to SassyScoops.com on Friday for our follow-up post on Wabi Sabi! We will have a yummy PROMOTION & GIVEAWAY for our readers!

Disclaimer: The Sassies were given a sampling of Swirly Girls Gourmet Bakery’s menu items in exchange for a review. How could we say no to dessert?

A few of the Sassies had the recent opportunity to visit and review the new Blue Lemon restaurant location in the downtown Salt Lake City, City Creek Center. Many people have experienced the delicious “fast casual” style of the Blue Lemon location in Highland, and now many of us not lucky enough to live in Utah County can experience the delicious menu items right in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City.

The new Salt Lake City location opened in May of 2010 and boasts a large, open, modern feel. The restaurant is directly across the street from Temple Square and has lots of floor to ceiling windows, which make people watching (and judging, of course), easy and fun.

Blue Lemon prides itself on being “green” and environmentally friendly. Now, normally this would definitely turn me off, as I often try to make it my mission to destroy the earth, but the food was so delicious, and combined with the unique design of the building, I had no time to worry if eating there was going to make me a better person.

Blue Lemon also is set up cafeteria style, so you get your food quickly but with food and menu items that make you feel like you are eating in a gourmet, fancy restaurant, which is great because I’m not really classy enough to get into those places. I felt right at home at Blue Lemon, minus the eating on my couch in my Snuggie.

Lychelle, the gorgeous owner of Blue Lemon, told us she originally started the restaurant because she and her family were eating out a lot and had a difficult time finding healthy restaurants that also offered quick service. What started off as a hobby quickly turned into a full time business. And if I can get Lychelle’s flat stomach and gorgeous hair, I will quickly begin a regimen of eating only Blue Lemon cupcakes while watching The Biggest Loser.

Blue Lemon offers several different appetizers on their menu, and their Artichoke-Spinach Cheese Dip definitely topped the list. I may have enjoyed it so much that I stole the giant tub of it in the walk-in cooler and put it in my purse. They also offer several seasonal soups, and appetizer side salads.

They offer several sandwich options, including the Lemon Grilled Chicken BLT, a Turkey Burger, and Sassy Vanessa’s favorite, the Chipotle Pineapple BBQ Brisket. I had the pleasure to try the Blue Lemon Steak Griller, with gorgonzola cheese on top, served with garlic mashed potatoes. It was one of the best steaks I have had in a long time. They also offer Fiery Fish Tacos Fajita Style and Fresh Black Bean Ravioli. Everything we were served was so amazing and fresh, if Edward Cullen had the option of eating Bella or the Citrus Seared Atlantic Salmon, he would go for the salmon.

Blue Lemon also has a great in-house bakery, which serves sugar cookies with a great cookie-to-frosting ratio, several different flavors of cupcakes, cakes, brownies and seasonal treats. The City Creek location also serves coffees and hot chocolate.

You can find Blue Lemon at their Highland location, their City Creek location in downtown Salt Lake City, and on their website, Facebook, and Twitter.

NOW for the part you have been waiting for . . . the HUGE GIVEAWAY!

One (1) lucky SassyScoops.com reader is going to win a $25 gift card to Blue Lemon, which can be used at either the Highland or Salt Lake City locations.

Entering is super easy. Just leave a comment on this post for your chance to win.

You can earn EXTRA entries too:

1 entry ~ “Like” Blue Lemon on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you did.

1 entry ~ Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your tweet.

1 entry ~ Facebook about this giveaway and leave a comment telling us you did.

3 entries ~ Blog about this giveaway and include a link to your post.

Happy entering! This giveaway will end on Friday, January 28th at midnight MST.

All Sassy Scoop giveaway winners are notified via email.

So what did the Sassies think of The Emporium at Thanksgiving Point? Read on to find out!
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QUESTION

What was your first impression?

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THE SCOOP

Camille: If my home was decorated like this, there would be issues because I’d never leave! Very posh, comfortable and classy styles.
Emily: Why do I not shop here more often? Look at all the fabulous decor, clothes and holy crap! Look at those turquoise cowboy boots!
Quinn: Have always loved Thanksgiving Point and the Emporium is such a fun place to wander, searching for unique treasures.
Stephanie: It smells so wonderful in there! I swear all of my first impressions have to do with smell.
Vanessa: Beautiful! It is jam-packed full of great ideas, products, gifts for special events but without feeling cluttered or like you are completely lost.
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QUESTION

What did you like the most?

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THE SCOOP

Camille: I love that they offer cooking classes, and a variety of them as well (including how to make the best cupcakes)! And that kitchen is amazing!
Emily: Besides those fabulous cowboy boots? I loved the kitchen—I am definitely going to take a cooking class or two!
Quinn: I loved the environment, decor and the fabulous clothing variety.
Stephanie: I really liked how open the space felt. The high ceilings really help it seem bigger. And of course everything in the Emporium. It is like a decorating dream.
Vanessa: All the wonderful ideas they put together that you can either buy or make a spin-off item from. Also the selection…it isn’t the “same-old same-old” and you can tell a lot of thought goes into every item they decide to stock.
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QUESTION

What didn’t you like?

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THE SCOOP

Camille: The prices of the furniture/decor/clothing in the shop were a bit higher than what I could afford with my allowance.
Emily: Probably the prices. The boots I wanted were over $200 (typical but still hard to swallow) and some of the clothing was WAY out of my budget…but I was still tempted!
Quinn: The baby section felt a little chaotic and the clothing prices were higher than I usually buy. It would be nice to have a moderately priced clothing line there, too (maybe it was there, but the Emporium is so full that I couldn’t see it).
Stephanie: It was hard to tell what was for sale and what was just display. If I didn’t know almost everything there is for sale I would be really confused. Also, if you have young children it is very “bull in a china shop”-ish.
Vanessa: I shop a lot of boutiques and really am fine with paying “boutique” prices, although I think Thanksgiving Point Emporium is still a bit too high. Also I went in a couple of days after and a couple of the staff were incredibly rude. There are a couple of ladies on their staff that are actually quite snotty and rude. Can I say that? I just did.
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QUESTION

Would you refer The Emporium at Thanksgiving Point to a friend?

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THE SCOOP

Camille: I would, especially for the gardening tips and cooking classes (as long as they brought me along with them).
Emily: Yes, especially for the cooking classes. They are affordable and I’ve heard rave reviews! Plus The Emporium is a great place to window shop during a girls’ night out!
Quinn: Absolutely. I think the Thanksgiving Point Emporium is a fun place to spend time with girlfriends, mom or sisters (notice how I didn’t say husbands… *wink*).
Stephanie: Yes. It is somewhere you could just wander through for hours with an old friend.
Vanessa: Oh yes I do! I take friends and family to just hang out and browse all the shops. It really is a fun place to go. I really want to try one of their cooking classes soon.
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QUESTION

If you could only send out one tweet about the business, what would you say?

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THE SCOOP

Camille: Improve your style and cooking skills, check out the @thankspoint Emporium in Utah County!
Emily: Cooking classes, fashion, decor, old-style candy…@ThanksPoint has it all!
Quinn: Check out Thanksgiving Point’s Emporium for truly unique finds and a fun girls’ shopping excursion.
Stephanie: If you love whimsy and magic you will love @thankspoint Emporium.
Vanessa: The Emporium @ThanksgivingPoi is beautiful, looking for a place to window shop or find the perfect unique item for someone? Then go!
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CHECK OUT THEM SCOOPS!

Here is the official SassyScoops.com rating for The Emporium at Thanksgiving Point.

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Atmosphere	Family friendly	Location
Prices	Quality	Service

…

Return to SassyScoops.com on Friday for our follow-up post on The Emporium at Thanksgiving Point!

Disclaimer: The Sassies were given a family pass and a tour of Thanksgiving Point in exchange for a review. We had a grand ol’ time!

The Sassies have been busy reviewing local Utah places for over a year and a half! We have featured close to 70 local hot spots so far on SassyScoops.com.

One thing we’ve noticed is when we get together and chat about the places we’ve reviewed, we often share how we returned with family or friends and our second impression was completely different. Sometimes we come out feeling disappointed, and other times we have a wonderful experience that turned the local spot into a new favorite.

This week we thought we would share our opinions of places we’ve reviewed—and then returned as a regular customer (sometimes a third or fourth time).

We would love to hear your input as well! Did you visit any of the places we veeviewed and have a similar or completely different experience? Share in the comments section below!

Shirley J is a line of products you can use in your home cooking and we went to their test kitchen to try them out. We took a bunch of their products home to try as well. What did we think after using them for a while?

“Loved the test kitchen and still think of how professional they were! I have not used the items from the gift basket they sent home with me basically because I didn’t love the taste and feel unmotivated to learn more ways to use them.” –Guest Sassy Rebecca

“I continue to use some of the products. I do struggle with using the universal sauce. The recipes are too bland. Has anyone else had great success?” –Guest Sassy Sharon

“I have used a few of their products like the Slow Cooker Beef seasoning and the Pizza and Pasta seasoning and really enjoyed them. I tried the Universal Sauce and just couldn’t get it to a point I like it.” –Sassy Stephanie

Mmmmmm! Smashburger! Remember our review night when we brought along our whole families and pretty much had the place to ourselves? But what about when we went back for more smashfries? Here are our takes on our follow-up visits:

“We have gone back to Smashburger a few times. My husband goes fairly often with his co-workers. They love it. The burgers and shakes are always tasty and I like that they bring you your food. It has always been pretty busy when we have gone, but it is still fast which is great. We had to visit the restroom (big surprise with a three-year-old), which can be scary at public places. I was happy with the cleanliness at their peak lunch time.” –Sassy Michelle

“I have been to Smashburger a few times since our first visit and loved it! I crave their mushroom swiss burger with a side of fried pickles and smashfries. (Yes, I order both and don’t often share.) The service is quick and the food delicious. My husband wasn’t a big fan because he felt it was a bit pricey and wasn’t very filling. Perhaps it was because he’s used to a side like fries coming with your sandwich? Who knows. I still think he was off his tastebud rocker! My picky-eater oldest still talks about the smashfries and shakes!” –Sassy Emily

“I asked for half of the sauce and the burger was much more manageable. The service was okay; a couple of the employees seemed to have been paying more attention to chatting then doing work tasks.” –Sassy Stephanie

“This isn’t one of my favorite burger places. I think some of their menu items are good, like their fries, but they put WAAAAY too much sauce on their burgers. I felt like I was getting mayonnaise with a side of hamburger. That poor cow died for nothing.” –Sassy Kristina

“Listen, Smashburger, I love you and I think about you way too much. You do still put on too much sauce, which is no problem. I just ask for you guys to put on less. The food is still uh-mazin’! But the customer service was not nearly as good as on our review night.” –Sassy Vanessa

San Gelato Cafe is where we hosted another one of our Girls’ Nights Out and had a review night. A few of us have been back for more than just gelato. Here’s our take:

“I took my girls and met my sister at San Gelato soon after our initial review. Though the girls’ pizza meal deal that day was a good one—and the pizza was tasty—my sandwich wasn’t nearly as well put together or stacked as it was the night of our review. And the night of our Sassy Girls’ Night Out, my “French Dip” was more like a ton of bread with a few slices of packaged roast beef. I was not impressed. The gelato is always super tasty but I think the priciest around.” –Sassy Emily

“I have been to San Gelato on numerous occasions. I really love their gelato. However, their food is very overpriced and the portions are small. It seems to get more expensive every time I go in. The staff and owner are always very friendly. Also, it’s out in Daybreak, and it’s not easily accessible for me.” –Sassy Kristina

“San Gelato still has darn fabulous gelato and I crave a couple of their sandwiches like no tomorrow. I still think their prices need to come down $1 to $2 OR their portions (maybe even the sweet potato fries) need to be larger. I love the atmosphere and the seating, although a couple of the employees (on more than one occasion) have not been terribly friendly or helpful” –Sassy Vanessa

“The service was great. The employees are always very kind and helpful. However, the food I purchased on the two subsequent visits was not as well prepared as when we did our review.” –Sassy Stephanie

Over the Top Gourmet Cookies…do you remember that review? Cookies with chopped candy bar inside? What could be more perfect than that! But when we went back with our kiddos or friends, was it that perfect?

“My son and I swung by Over the Top Gourmet Cookies for a little treat. I told him he could choose any cookie he wanted. You should have seen his eyes light up at all of the candy-laden options. He got an M&M cookie of course. I still wish they served them hot, but 15 seconds in the microwave does the trick with my favorite S’more cookie!” –Sassy Michelle

“After our review night I brought home the leftover Over the Top Gourmet Cookies to my husband and he was quickly a fan for life. He goes there every now and again with my kids and they love them, although when I went back for the first time they tasted horribly un-fresh. But I might have just caught them on a bad day!” –Sassy Vanessa

“I’ve swung by Over the Top Gourmet Cookies a couple times and my family has declared me the best mom ever. I can still taste the yummy cookie that has the toasted coconut on top and other goodies inside. My kids love the mini versions of their popular cookies. Delicious! (And most of the ones I buy don’t make it home!)” –Sassy Emily

“After the review night I knew this place would be a family favorite and IT IS! We go back a lot as a family and get the “mini” cookies. They taste just as good as the larger ones and are really affordable.” –”Retired” Sassy Evonne