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Gayle Dowdle as Queen Elizabeth I of England
@dowdledesign is the queen of renaissance fairs and comic conventions. Dowdle began cosplaying six years ago and has been planning to recreate Queen Elizabeth I ever since. She spent as many as 700 hours constructing the ensemble. She entered her cosplay into the @fanxsaltlake 2019 cosplay contest, winning first prize. Since, she has continued to make upgrades to the royal cosplay she has created. “My dress will never be finished,” she says. 👑
The wig is actually made of Dowdle’s own hair, which she cut off before beginning chemotherapy treatments last year. She says, “When I wear this wig, I don’t feel like Gayle with cancer, I just feel like Gayle again.”
See more portraits of Utah cosplayers at the link in our bio!
Photo by Adam Finkle
Missy Moody as Giselle from "Enchanted"
@madamemoodycosplay has competed on the stage at comic conventions from Salt Lake City to New York in Giselle’s massive wedding gown from Disney’s "Enchanted." The self-taught seamstress has remade the dress five times over the course of four years, eventually wearing it to her very own nuptials. ✨
While Moody’s Giselle cosplay has been hailed as screen accurate, Moody advises, “Just have fun with cosplay. Don’t worry too much about accuracy. It’s OK to take some shortcuts.”
See more portraits of Utah cosplayers at the link in our bio!
Photo by Adam Finkle
Ryan Bielik as Caleb Widogast from "Critical Role"
“It was a demanding mistress,” @moody_kittens says of his Caleb cosplay, his take on a character from the Dungeons & Dragons live-streaming sensation turned multimedia empire "Critical Role." Bielik started cosplaying in 2013 and typically attends three conventions per year. After the pandemic, his Caleb cosplay represents a return to form: an obsessive attention to detail. Bielik plans to publicly debut his Caleb cosplay this year at @fanxsaltlake, where he will also enter the cosplay contest. 🪶
“I wanted something elegant to do—flashy, colorful. Something with a lot of grace in the costume,” says Bielik.
See more portraits of Utah cosplayers at the link in our bio!
Photo by Adam Finkle
Kimber Gabryszak as Brienne of Tarth from "Game of Thrones"
@kimber.and.connie.cosplay sets a high bar for herself. “I love to be as screen-accurate as possible,” she says. Gabryszak has always loved costuming, “I was cosplaying before I realized what cosplaying was.” But she did not attend her first comic convention until 2015. She says, “Brienne is the most ambitious character I have ever cosplayed.” Gabryszak had to learn leatherworking, for example, but by far the most difficult undertaking was constructing the chainmail. ⚔️
"I like doing villains or people with a unique appearance who might not be as conventionally pretty,” she says. “Brienne is this tough, badass, giant, imposing woman.”
See more portraits of Utah cosplayers at the link in our bio!
Photo by Adam Finkle
After 2020 wrecked even the best-laid travel plans, many of us learned to appreciate the simple pleasures of a good, old-fashioned road trip.
With retro-cool airstreams and 22 A-framed cabins near Bryce Canyon, @stayyonder is a cozy home base for your next desert adventure. Read more at the link in our bio!
Photos by @aleksdanielle
There is something about brunch. It’s the sweet spot between breakfast and lunch, with all of the best menu options of both. It’s popping a bottle of chilled champagne for another round of mimosa. It’s getting wasted with your squad at 11 a.m. Whatever it is, we love brunch.
Sunday's Best is feeding that love of brunch, from diner's breakfasts to Cristal and caviar, seven days a week. Read our full review of @brunchmehard at the link in our bio! ☕️🍳
Your next destination: the sun ☀️
Going-to-the-Sun Road passes by glacial lakes, through cedar forests and into alpine tundra in @glaciernps. We're kicking off the holiday weekend with more Big Sky adventures on our blog! Read the full story at the link in our bio. ☁️
Courtesy: @visitmontana
What is this monster? One thing for sure, it is so not gluten free.
@bricks_corner motored into town with deep-dish, Ford-150 big Detroit-style pizza, a Utah first. Read more about this Motor City original at the link in our bio! 🛻🍕
Photos by Adam Finkle
IT'S GIVEAWAY TIME!
We're teaming up with @gotbeautydotcom and @goodthingsutah to offer a $150 beauty package. Got Beauty is celebrating 30 years of business locally owned and operated by women. ❤️
Here's how you can win:
✨ Like this post and tag three friends in the comments.
✨ Follow @slmag, @gotbeautydotcom and @goodthingsutah.
✨ Enter by 5 p.m. Friday for a chance to win!
Get ready to explore a city of secrets⚡👁️
In a brand new issue of @slmag, we're uncovering the strange, obscure and unexplained stories and lore from Salt Lake City’s history, from a lost Mormon colony to a rampaging royal elephant to a sphinx with the face of Joseph Smith. Plus, we highlight outdoor gear trailblazers and continue our 2021 Travel Series in the Big Sky State.
Subscribers: look for this issue in your inbox soon. The magazine will be on newsstands Sept. 1! 📪
Meet The Monarch🦋
@themonarchogden is a collaborative studio space and marketplace for local artists and creators. We talked with one of those creators, @wildmeraki_, at the link in our bio. 🌱
Photos by @shaydesignllc
If you’re wondering if it’s worth the trip to a certified Dark Sky Park to view the Perseids, the short answer is “yes.” The long answer is “heck yes.” 🌠
It's not too late to see the yearly Perseids meteor shower light up the night sky. Learn more at the link in our bio!
Photo: Gates of Lodore in Dinosaur National Monument near Vernal; Credit: @miahwatt courtesy @visitutah
The artist ➡️ The art
@southsaltlakearts’ Mural Fest 2021 made South Salt Lake a lot more colorful this summer! Learn more about these artists and see all of this year’s murals at @themuralfest. 🎨
Mural 1: @milestoland
Mural 2: @biltslouisart
Mural 3: @mattmonsoon.art and @brooklynwild
Mural 4: @himed_stencil and @hokzyn
Mural 5: @therak.murals
📸: @stanclawson and Grayson Campbell
Trade the snowy mountains for sandy peaks. 🏂
At Idaho's Bruneau Dunes State Park, enormous dunes are the perfect playgrounds for dreamy sunsets, night sky views and a sandboarding adventure.
Check out more of our favorite Idaho destinations at the link in our bio!
There are no secrets about how @hebervalleycheese gets the milk to produce their artisan cheeses—the cows are right next door. 🐮🧀
Click the link in our bio to see all of our favorite food spots in Midway!
Today is National Watermelon Day! 🍉🍉🍉
Celebrate with easy-to-make watermelon granita, summer's coolest frozen dessert. The full recipe is at the link in our bio!
It's giveaway time!🐒🍻
We're giving away two tickets to @hoglezoo's Zoo Brew. Visit the zoo's more than 800 animals while sipping a local beer at this 21+ event.
Here's how you can win:
🐘 Like this post and tag three of your favorite party animals in the comments.
🐘 Follow both @slmag and @hoglezoo.
🐘 Enter by 9 a.m. Wednesday for a chance to win!
(Tickets are valid for any 2021 Zoo Brew event.)
After last summer, we’re all happy about the warm weather and longer days. So what are you waiting for? It’s time to get out into the sunshine, have fun and explore our beautiful state.☀️
We asked some of our advertising partners to share What’s Hot with their latest products and programs to help you go faster, climb higher, pamper yourself and adventure in comfort and style. Read more about them at the link in our bio! #sponsored
Don't be fooled: these Caribbean blue waters don't surround a distant island. In fact, they're just a road trip away.
We're continuing our 2021 Travel Series with hidden gems from the Gem State, including Hagerman Valley's Blue Heart Springs. Head to the link in our bio for more! 💎🌊
We know who we’re cheering for this week in Tokyo! 🏅
After narrowly finishing fourth in the 100m backstroke, Utah native @rhhhyan is competing in the 200m backstroke for @teamusa. Rhyan, who grew up in Herriman, has graduated from the Cottonwood High pool to the biggest competition in swimming. 🏊♀️
#olympics #tokyo2020 #teamusa
(Photo from @rhhhyan’s Instagram)