Deer Valley Resort

Do you have a preference for Racoon, Bear, or perhaps Native American? Ski down the ‘Last Chance Run’ in Deer Valley and you’ll have your pick. Money will buy pretty much anything, and apparently that includes an entire theatrical production of wild creatures crawling about your million dollar ski chalet. Friendly or ostentatious competition? Who cares, it provides a little humor to the unsuspecting skier. A warm thank you for my Park City experience — courtesy of Park City Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau (http://www.visitparkcity.com/). #VisitParkCity

The Deer Valley Seafood Buffet is my very favorite dinner in all of Park City, offered only during ski season, with fresh fish flown in every morning from California. It’s held in the resort’s base lodge, Snow Park Lodge, which becomes magical at night with its snowy windowpanes and low lighting. Think piles of crab, shrimp, and oysters. And a full sushi bar. And a natural buffet with myriad salads, artisan cheeses, fine breads, and Deer Valley Ambassador of Skiing Stein Eriksen’s favorite native Norwegian dish, pickled herring. You could eat at the cold buffet bar all night long, but be sure to move on to the hot appetizers like lobster bisque, ribs with cilantro lime glaze, clams or mussels; and then the main entrees - a myriad of fish selections (like the scallops with ginger butter sauce ... get whatever they’re serving with the ginger butter sauce), plus rice, potatoes, fresh veggies, pasta, even prime rib and duck. A baker’s dozen of desserts from the resort bakery round out this blissful event. The BEST place to take a group, the buffet style allows everyone to go at their own pace without waiting for waiters. I make a pilgrimage to this dinner at least once or twice a ski season. Truly special.