Winter 2015

After an hour-long drive up Parowan Canyon, Alina Standford (a hiking enthusiast and intrepid camper) turned onto a rickety dirt road just west of Brian Head. The headlights of the car pushed through an ocean of dust with ease, but seemed to lose strength when put up against the looming dark of the night. A graveyard of pine trees stretched endlessly up on either side of the road and obstructed all view of the valley. The road winding up the mountain seemed to never end, but Alina continued with determination. Then, suddenly the tree line broke and gave way to a rocky, cold landscape. Stepping out of the car, Alina went to the edge of the peak—and looked up.

“That is so cute! But there’s no way I could do that because I’m too tall.” Or so Wyoming native Valina Eckley thought when she encountered lolita fashion in the Harajuku district of Tokyo, Japan.

Sure, hostels are a great way to travel. They’re cheap, easy to find, and safer than couch surfing. But hostels can also be shady—there’s no knowing who’ll be sleeping in the bunk next to yours. That being said, staying at a hostel can still be an enjoyable, comfortable, cheap, and safe experience if you consider these simple do’s and don’ts.

Millman is a member of the Explorer’s Club, an organization that promotes field research. Photo by Edward Faulkner cc

Coconut, fruit of the “tree of life,” is a super food. Although coconut trees grow only in tropical and subtropical regions, this tasty treat has reached every corner of the globe. Coconut is sold in many forms, from fresh coconuts to pressed coconut oil to shredded coconut, and it tastes delicious in both sweet and savory dishes.

Exterior view of MonstroCity, entrance to the City Museum.

Illustration by Chris Schmutz. All rights reserved.

Photo by Baron Reznik. cc

Stephanie Bahr BentleyStaff position: Managing editorMajor and minor: English major and editing minorHometown and state: Beaverton, OregonCareer goals: Save the world. It might be through editing or writing. I haven’t quite figured that part out yet.Favorite book: Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt VonnegutFavorite vacation experience: When I was 8, I wanted to have an adventure so I gathered up some things in a bag and headed out the front door. The neighbor boy anted to tag along. We ended up playing in the dirt in my backyard. What a grand adventure indeed.Favorite quote: “The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.” (Thomas Paine) Hayley BirdStaff position: Assistant art director and social media team leaderMajor and minor: Journalism major and editing minorHometown and state: Peoria, AZFavorite book: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty SmithFavorite vacation locales: San Diego and SeattleFavorite vacation experience: Traveling to England with my family when I was in fourth gradeDream travel location: Australia or Italy Kenna BlaylockStaff position: Assistant art director and social media team memberMajor and minor: English major and editing minorHometown and state: Brigham City, UtahI never ever leave home without: At least one tube of chapstickDream travel locations: Japan and KoreaTravel requirement: I absolutely have to bring at least two books with me.Favorite parts of editing: I love helping writers achieve their highest potential, as well as taking a step back and looking at the big picture to find strengths and assess weaknesses. Caroline Bliss LarsenStaff position: Art director and web team leaderMajor and minor: English language major editing and English literature minorsHometown and state: Westminster, MarylandCareer goal: I aspire to edit and design books of fiction in an office with lots of shelves, a large-screen iMac, and a giant window with a view.Favorite vacation experience: Seeing world-famous Irish dancers up close in a pub in Kilkenny, Ireland . . . and saving a sheep with its head stuck in a fence in England. And basically everything I did in the British Isles!Dream travel location: España, ¡para practicar mi español y vivir la cultura! Naomi CleggStaff position: Copyeditor, senior designer, and social media team memberMajor and minor: English teaching major and editing minorHometown: Netcong, New JerseyCareer goals: I want to teach junior high English!Favorite vacation experience: I climbed an active volcano in Guatemala.Favorite book: The Things They CarriedI never leave home without: Wallet, phone, keys (it’s a mantra I recite now)Favorite quote: “In the depths of winter, I found there was within me an invincible summer.” –Albert Camus Sarah JuchauStaff position: Assistant managing editor and member of advertising teamMajor and minor: English major and a minor in editingHometown and state: Highland, UtahCareer goals: Teacher at a juvenile detention or correctional facilityFavorite books: To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee; Crime and Punishment, by Dostoyevsky; and Paradise Lost, by John Milton (I never can pick just one.)Least favorite part of editing: Being edited :)Favorite vacation locale: AmsterdamFavorite vacation experience: Traveling with my family in Israel last summer was a fantastic experience. We ate as much street food as we could and only got sick twice.I have never: Scuba dived Ellice TanStaff positions: Copy editor, advertising director, and Facebook managerMajor and minors: Linguistics major and editing and music minorsHometown: Salt Lake City, UtahFavorite quote: “We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.”Career goals: To be an editor, a mom, and a lifelong travelerDream travel location: Somewhere with far-off places, daring sword fights, and magic spellsI have never: Seen a prince in disguise (I think), but it’s on the list. Kate ZellerStaff position: Senior editor and web team memberMajor and minor: Communications major, Italian and Editing MinorsHometown and state: Portland, ORCareer goals: Work in magazines, hopefully outdoor and travel magazinesFavorite book: Jane Eyre, by Charlotte BrontëFavorite part of editing: Favorite part of editing, coming back to a finished product after a while and recognizing how far it has come from the beginning.Favorite vacation locale: ItalyFavorite vacation experience: Backpacking EuropeOne vacation necessity: Duct tapeDream travel location: Antarctica. I have wanted to go for as long as I can remember. There is something so mysterious and moving about it. I love to travel to places that widen my perspective, and I feel like Antarctica would be one of the best places to do that. It is so remote and so disconnected from the modern world. Going to Antarctica would be an experience, not just a vacation, and I love experiencing new things and help me better understand the world.Other interesting travel tidbit: I don’t want to jinx myself by saying this, but as of now, I’ve never been robbed while abroad, and I spent about two years in Italy if you add all of my time there into a lump sum. I’ve been very lucky, butalso a little paranoid, which has helped. Suzy BillsStaff position: Editor in chiefHometown and state: Glendale, ArizonaFavorite part of editing: I love helping authors communicate their ideas clearly and in an engaging wayFavorite vacation locale: IrelandOne vacation necessity: a trail to run onI never leave home without: chapstickOther interesting travel tidbit: I’ve traveled to Alaska and Ireland to run marathons. Thomas CallStaff position: Editorial advisor Jessica ReschkeStaff position: Design adviser Laura JacksonStaff position: Social media adviser Marvin GardnerStaff position: PublisherHometown and state: Grew up in Duncan, Arizona, and Provo, Utah. I currently reside in Pleasant Grove, Utah.Career: Before becoming a professor at BYU in 2005, I worked for 28 years as a full-time editor and writer for the Ensign and Liahona magazines, both of which are distributed worldwide. For more than half of those years, I was managing editor of the Liahona.

“Religious buildings, more than any other type of structure, are a unique window into the heart and soul of man. They tell of people reaching for something greater than themselves,” says Grant Herron, a master’s student in architecture at the University of Michigan.

Photo by Tomash Devenishek. cc

Owned by Jason Christensen.In Lewis Carroll’s well-known tale Alice in Wonderland, Alice comes across many fascinating creatures and odd happenings. Toward the end of her adventures, Alice comes to converse with a caterpillar and says, “I’m not myself, you see.”

Photo by Björn Lauer. cc Meet Indonesia Indonesia’s diversity, beauty, and uniqueness make it a virtual guarantee that the only thing you’ll dislike about the country is leaving. Choosing from more than 18,000 islands can be overwhelming, so start with Sumatra, Java, and Bali—three of Indonesia’s most popular islands.

Photo by Sara Marlowe. cc

By Stephanie Bahr Bentley

Snow is melting. Flowers are blooming. Birds are chirping. And roller coasters are racing. Spring is the perfect season to take a trip with family or friends to a theme park. If you’re not sure which park to choose, or even which parks are near you, take a look at some of the best lesser-known theme parks across the country.