Categories: Links From the Show
December 18, 2007
Jewel of Utah named America's vainest city. From today's Ramble:
Lifelong Steeler's fan's ashes spread on the field at Sunday's game/ Here's your year-end bonus, now go spend it on someone else/ Forbes breaks down the vainest cities in America — congrats, again, Salt Lake City/ Kaka, you're so dreamy on the soccer field
I am a native SLCer now living out of state... in my opinion, SLC is the ever expanding city suffering from a major invasion of Californians. Over the past five years since my absence, the city almost has no green space left, the sacred canyons and national forests are being sold to developers, and housing prices have nearly doubled. However, the housing prices still pale in comparison to LA. Could it be that Californians are moving in to SLC with money to burn? They're making small fortunes on their California homes, moving into SLC and importing their plastic values. So... therefore, it would appear that SLC is the most vain city, when in fact SLC is just a new suburb of LA.
SLC is the most vain city? That does go a long way towards explaining Mitt Romney...
Mitt isn't from SLC, period. He's from Michigan, and also Massachusetts can claim him. In fact, when Mitt lived in Utah (for his college education), he likely lived in Provo.
Ack! I just read the forbes report... and it did not separate reconstructive surgery from elective plastic surgery. This makes sense as the University hospital has the most amazing burn center: http://uuhsc.utah.edu/burncenter/ "Serving the largest geographical area of any burn facility in the country."
I still believe that the influx of wealthy retirees, Californians, etc. have influenced the vainest city status. This is not the pre-2002 SLC, where I grew up.
Now I am really spamming, but another reason that SLC may have received this status: Park City. (A ski haven for rich out-of-staters.) They most definitely would have to go to SLC for such elective plastic surgery.
NPR thanks our sponsors
The Bryant Park Project concluded broadcasting on July 25, 2008. Show and blog archives dating back to the show's beginning are still available on this Web site.
The Bryant Park Project started as a blog in the summer of 2007 and ended as a radio show and online community in July 2008. Read our frequently asked questions and discussion rules.
Comments
Discussions for this story are now closed. Please see the Community FAQ for more information.