2021 in Review

A NOTE:

2021 started off in Seattle and ended in Utah. It’s been wild and I am still trying to wrap my head around it and figure out what’s next for our life.

A few highlights from a year full of change and inbetweenness.

Bucket List Achievements

🏜️ I finally made it to Arches/Moab! After a near lifetime of being from Utah and never having seen them. They lived up to the hype! It felt like nature’s amusement park as Tim pointed out all the different areas to me “there’s Panoramic Point!”

👶🏼 My nephews know who I am and (I think) like me + we adopted another honorary niece and nephew ♡♡

💎 I got my nose pierced, something I have wanted to do since I was wearing stick ons sophomore year of high school. It was extra special because I went with Michelle, Rudy and Vay for a legit “piercing party”

💸 Started my first 401(k) account!

Memorable Moments

💉 Getting the COVID vaccine

🏈 Going back to Logan for the first time since graduation and revisiting the memories, catching a football game, seeing friends and being nostalgic

👙 Discovering a nearby hot spring and highlight of Utah life so far

🍫 Dressing up as Willy Wonka for Halloween

🏨 Staying in two inspiring hotels in Seattle: The State Hotel for our anniversary staycation and The Graduate for our return visit in the fall

The Year in Food

🍳 Clark’s Sunday brunch hashbrowns made in a cast iron and seasoned with smoked paprika were the highlight of many of the past weekends

🥐Judge rules: Tulie Bakery is the best place in Salt Lake

🥂 In a moment of birthday magic we stumbled into a tiny speakeasy bar and had the best off the menu drinks and Indian street food snacks
🍕 Bar del Corso in Seattle is still hands down the best woodfired pizza and their margherita makes me emotional

🍹 Cocktail of 2021: whiskey sours with an amareno cherry and a red wine float

🥞 A post spa day brunch with my sisters where we each ordered two entrees and honestly it was the right amount of food

🍷 The mindblowing wines at Light Sleeper and our server’s enthusiasm and eloquence describing them to us is something I don’t think I will ever forget

🧀 Overall I would have to say it was the year of the cheeseboard in this family

Favorite Listens & Reads

📻 Music:

  • I finally “finished” or at least culled, named and shared a handful of playlists I’ve had going in the back of my brain for years

  • Most loved: Sylvan Esso, the only concert I’ve been to since COVID

  • Live jazz winter days at Chophouse Row + summer nights at Caputo’s

  • New Favorite: Sufjan Stevens A Beginner’s Mind

  • Top 5 Songs (Not According to Spotify):

    • Parcels - Exotica

    • Frequency - Sylvan Esso

    • Stay High - Brittany Howard

    • Cimmerian Shade - Sufjan Stevens

    • Completely Not Me - Jenny Lewis

📚 Books I Read & Liked:

  • The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood

  • Maybe You Should Talk to Someone - Lori Gettlieb

  • Shrill - Lindy West

  • Extra Bold - Ellen Lupton

📰 Articles & Poems:

Creative Projects

🔮 Created a brand and collateral for my new and dear friend Elise’s 30th birthday magical secret society themed celebration

🐾 Created a brand and website for a pet goods company that launched this year

🎒 T/A-ed a class at the School of Visual Concepts for the program I went through

🏢 Super exciting new project in the works for Major Studios, launching next year!

👽 Projects I’m most proud of from Cosmic: Mynt Systems, Wind Harvest, EO Hub

 
Nelle Clark