Stars. That’s something most people don’t see from a corporate apartment. We didn’t until tonight, when it finally stopped snowing. It’s April. Snow.
My needs are different in a corporate place, because I actually cook. For the past three years we’ve made use of corporate places through Jim’s work and every one is different.
Since we’ve been looking in Utah for a six-month contract (if we stay longer we’ll send our stuff out from storage in TX and get our own place) we’ve seen a lot of interesting concepts.
One could be funky downtown, and luckily the owner and I are going to try to convert it to corporate given my expertise living in the UK and Utah in vastly different circumstances.
When in Utah three years ago for a major bank, we had to manufacture our own corporate housing, then the bank wouldn’t pay the rent. I had no laptop and no cell phone so had a phone card because everything outside 1/4 mile is long distance. I had to go to the office to use the computer and pay our bills because our mail was never forwarded from home. That was tough, going to the office when a major bank won’t pay the rent on time.
Our next gigs were in Scotland and London. We loved living downtown in both places and I found food to cook or takeout. I got used to the appliances after Jim, the physicist, told me I could be killed with the voltage there. One turns on the circuit for an electric kettle for tea then turns it off when tea is done, about 75 seconds. The washer/dryer is another animal altogether and shook the entire building but Christine was great as is SACO worldwide. We stayed a week at another of their places in Southwark, London.
Here we are in Utah. As we moved and drove cross-country in two cars with the dog (left 99% of our worldly belongings in storage) we decided to stay funky downtown or vacation paradise. We chose the latter.
Most corporate by-the-book places have rental furniture or really cheap, uncomfortable sofas and beds. Most still offer only a VCR! There’s a dishwasher but as you only have four plates, spoons, knives, forks and completely useless knife set (laser, no need to sharpen), I’ve had to make certain modifications.
Note to corporate apartments: NO glass cutting boards. They ruin food and knives. In Orem,when we were up at Park City at the outlet stores I splurged on a spatula and something else I needed, I forget what, for under $5. In Scotland we spent a fortune on winter weather gear (may need to do it again in Utah, at least footwear) and I bought a decent 6″ all-purpose knife and a cutting board, plus tea towels because Jim uses them as napkins/serviettes.
Now we’re in Park City and in a wonderful place. There are many dishes (very large and tough to fit safely in the dishwasher so I run a load a day for two of us). Silverware is sufficient. I have to watch that the sensitive gas burners don’t burn the food. It take a lot of time to boil a kettle for tea (thank goodness they have a kettle!) but that’s a factor of altitude. I’ve heard that at 8,000 feet above sea level water boils at 140 degrees. Don’t know yet if that’s true but actually in my knife case – yes I brought all my knives, including the Scotland one – I have an instant-read thermometer. That’s something to check out.
Maybe it’s because it’s a ski community but we have a condo with an upscale mall and movie theatre 1/4 mile away and a nature preserve 10 feet away and the geese are starting to come in, honking, at 6:31 a.m. There is attention to detail here. The colors go with the scenery, reds, greens and browns. Fireplace, views of a 2002 Olympic site, The Canyons, Park City and Deer Valley plus birds galore.
Upon entry through a knotted Alder door, about 10′ high, there is a stone entryway. Full bath/shower, coat/utility closet, and gorgeous kitchen with knotted alder cabinets and high end appliances and dishes so large they barely fit in the dishwasher.
I’ve already had to buy Jim a solid pan to make two over-medium eggs each morning because the one that is here is very lighweight and scarred by knives. I only use my own utensils, silicone spatulas that do not react to low heat and do not scratch pans.
We have two bedrooms plus daybed, and three full baths. Stackable full-size washer/dryer. We had intended to take out and store the daybed and use that space for an office but instead we’ve taken over the dining table with my MacBook, 24″ monitor and wireless keyboard plus moving and other info. Had the modem installed the other day and another day is about to start. I see Deer Valley now from my “desk” (much better than a dark corridor as I can see the wildlife).
I’d like to combine the ski resort condo with European concepts and make a turnkey solution for business and leisure travelers, short-and long-term.
Not a small goal, but it’s something I know and it may have something to do with kitchens. Thanks Devin for pointing me this way.
Cheers, good morning, the birds are coming in and skies are blue. Thanks for reading and participating. Cheers, Dee
Cooking with Dee 