One of my favorite summer fun programs for families is Kids Bowl Free. Kids can join the program for free and bowl up to two games per day during the summer at six Utah locations: All Star Fun Centers in Sandy, West Jordan and Tooele; Orchard Lanes in North Salt Lake;  Miracle Bowl in Orem; and Sparetime Family Fun Center in Roy.

Free game coupons are delivered weekly by email. Parents can get in on the fun by purchasing a summer pass for $24.95. Shoe passes are also offered at many centers for around $20.

Free bowling is a great way to beat summer boredom and summer heat, without spending a lot of money. Check out these links for more ideas:

Summer Day Camps for Kids

SLC Things to Do With Kids

Free Things to Do

Photo by Thomas Northcut

Cinco de Mayo, May 5, commemorates the Mexican army's victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, and more importantly celebrates Mexican culture and heritage in the United States. Salt Lake City residents can pay tribute to Mexican culture at these events this weekend:

• (Re)Affirming Visions by Veronica Perez at the Gallery at Library Square:  Veronica Perez employs a keen command of colors to portray historical images and a unique brand of iconography rooted in her own Mexican and Indigenous culture. Saturday, May 5, 2012, artist talk 3:30, reception 4 p.m. Veronica's artworks will be on display at the gallery until June 15.


• Salt Lake City's Frida Bistro will host a Cinco de Mayo party from 7 p.m. to midnight, with a four-course menu for $30 per person, plus live music, dancing, a cash bar, and a bodega with artisan booths.


• The Park City Hispanic community will celebrate Cinco de Mayo from 5 p.m. -9 p.m. at the Yard Event Center on Kearns Boulevard. The event, will feature food, a cash bar, live music, dancing and a silent auction, and will also collect donations for local food banks. Admission is 15 cans of food or $15 for adults and 5 cans of food or $5 for children under 12.


• Enjoy Mexican fare and help save an endangered species with "Cinco de Rhino," sponsored by Rubio's and Hogle Zoo. Dine in or take out at all Salt Lake Area Rubio's locations, and and Rubio's will donate 20% of the purchase price to the American Association of Zookeepers' efforts to save all five species of endangered rhinos.


• Come watch one of Mexico's (and the world's) favorite sports as Real Salt Lake takes on the New England Revolution Saturday, May 5 at 7 p.m. Be at the gate between 6 and 6:45 to receive a $5 concessions voucher.


• Remember the Alamo as the Utah Jazz take a stand against the San Antonio Spurs in the third game of their best-of-seven playoff series, Saturday May 5 at 8 p.m.

Salt Lake City May Events

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Image: "Seeds of Resistance" by Veronica Perez

The Beehive Tea Room at 12 West Broadway is a cozy, nostalgic getaway and a great place to relax with a pot of tea or other favorite beverage. It's a place I love to visit, just to take a break or to catch up with friends.

The Beehive Tea Room serves more than 30 varieties of tea, plus beer, wine, smoothies, sodas, juices, hot chocolate, steamers, salads, soups, sandwiches, appetizers, pastries, and English passties (meat and vegetable-filled turnovers). They also offer afternoon tea service by reservation. The real star of the show at the Beehive Tea Room is the decor, with upholstered chairs, carved wood, antique artworks, wall murals and lace curtains to evoke the elegance of a bygone era.

Read the Full Review: Beehive Tea Room

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Image courtesy City Home Collective

Reservations are filling fast for Salt Lake's favorite Mother's Day brunches! A relaxing weekend brunch is a great way to spend time with Mom, whether you prefer a grand buffet like Little America, an intimate plated brunch like Franck's, gorgeous gardens at La Caille, or a mountain getaway like the Homestead Resort. Mother's Day 2012 is Sunday, May 13.

For those who prefer a Saturday option, The Harvest Restaurant at Thanksgiving Point will serve an elegant Mother's Day buffet brunch May 12 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.  The buffet includes this salmon recipe from Chef Jason Merryweather:

Seared Salmon Salad with Avocado and Pineapple

Salad components:

• 1 lb. mixed greens
• 2 medium ripe avocados (diced)
• ½ medium Pineapple (diced)
• 1 medium cucumber (peeled and diced)
• 1 lb. grape tomatoes
• 4 or 5 portions salmon filet
• 1 T. olive oil

Combine first five ingredients in a large bowl. Heat up large saute pan over medium heat. Season salmon with salt and pepper. Add olive oil to the pan, place salmon skin side up and cook halfway. Turn salmon and cook until done.

Citrus Vinaigrette:

• Zest and juice of 1 lemon, 1 lime and 1 orange
• 1 T. sugar
• 1 c. olive oil
• 1 t. diced shallots

Combine citrus, sugar and shallots in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper if necessary.

Toss the salad and ingredients with the citrus vinaigrette reserving 2 T. for the salmon. Split the salad into four pasta bowls. Place one warm salmon filet on each salad and drizzle reserved vinaigrette over the salmon.

Salt Lake City Mother's Day Brunches

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Image by Inti St. Clair.