Avenue Calgary July 2019

CITY| LIFE| STYLE| CALGARY

JULY 2019 | $4.95 AVENUECALGARY.COM

T H G I R E Y U P N O S tyle Y E C V AAboard R A LG A C Summertime cool on the S.S. Moyie paddlewheeler STEAK HOUSE SPECIAL Where to go for a great steak in Calgary

SUMMER FUN GUIDE

How to make the most of Calgary’s long summer days

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STAMPEDE STATE OF MIND.

Photography: Colin Way / Jason Woodhead - Flickr CC BY

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FIND US IN THE HEART OF THE CITY AT 8TH AVENUE SW BETWEEN 2ND & 4TH STREET

Summer Every Summer Has a Story...

F E AT U R E S

contents JULY 2019

O N T H E C OV E R

Aboard Heritage Park's S.S. Moyie.

Clothing information, page 37 PHOTOGRAPH BY Jared Sych

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What to do, where to go and what to bring to make the most of the long days in our shortest (and best-est) season.

Layered looks perfect for cool summer evenings, photographed on a Calgary summer classic, Heritage Park’s historic S.S. Moyie paddlewheeler.

The smell, the sizzle. Steak. You know you want it, so here’s where to get it, plus some beefy background so you’ll know more about what you’re ordering beyond “medium rare.”

Summer in the City

Set Sail in Style

By Shelley Arnusch, Käthe Lemon, Amber McLinden, Jaelyn Molyneux, Carol Patterson and Alana Willerton

DEPARTMENTS

12 EDITOR’S NOTE

What’s at Steak

By Erin Tettensor

14 CONTRIBUTORS

66 WORK OF ART

51

58

The town of Kaslo in B.C.’s West Kootenays is a place of high adventure and low-key living, all wrapped up in a lovely lakeside package oozing with historic charm.

How a design team who are partners in business and in life took a home in Marda Loop and converted it into a live-work multifamily dwelling with an in-house flower boutique.

Mountains

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48

Everything you wanted to know about attending a powwow. Plus, how Calgary could become worldrenowned for its river-surfing, a look back at the best-worst BMX movie ever filmed in Cochrane and why one artist thinks your houseplants need a vacation.

Checking in with Alex Janvier, the artist the National Gallery of Canada deemed a “Modern Indigenous Master,” while he was in Calgary to accept the first-ever honourary Master of Fine Arts from the newly minted Alberta University of the Arts.

Detours

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Decor

64

Profile

56

Workout Not only are e-bikes really fun to ride, they also make it easier for people of mismatched abilities to ride together.

New & Noteworthy The things we’re crushing on this month, including a locally designed and crafted lamp, a better baby romper, thoughtful fragrances and a wine subscription service that offers a little something extra.

AvenueCalgary.com

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avenue RedPoint Media & Marketing Solutions 100, 1900 11 St. S.E. Calgary, Alberta T2G 3G2 Phone: 403-240-9055 Toll Free: 1-877-963-9333 x0 Fax: 403-240-9059 info@redpointmedia.ca AvenueCalgary.com Facebook: Avenue Magazine — Calgary Twitter: @AvenueMagazine Instagram: @AvenueMagazine

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This is date night.

Currie is uniquely situated to provide a connection to the hustle of downtown and the amenities of Marda Loop, without sacrificing space and beauty.

Just a seven minute drive from the downtown core, Currie offers inner city living with parks, playgrounds, green space, beautiful streetscapes, and a range of housing opportunities from a variety of award-winning builders.

Published 12 times a year by RedPoint Media & Marketing Solutions. Copyright (2019) by RedPoint Media & Marketing Solutions. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher.

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Learn more about Calgary’s most exciting inner city community at

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We acknowledge the traditional territories and the value of the traditional and current oral practices of the Blackfoot Confederacy, the Tsuut'ina and Stoney Nakoda Nations, the Métis Nation (Region 3), and all people who make their homes in the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta.

Publisher Joyce Byrne, jbyrne@redpointmedia.ca Editor-in-Chief Käthe Lemon, klemon@redpointmedia.ca Executive Editor Jennifer Hamilton, jhamilton@redpointmedia.ca Senior Art Director Venessa Brewer, vbrewer@redpointmedia.ca Executive Editor, Digital Content Jaelyn Molyneux, jmolyneux@redpointmedia.ca Senior Editor Shelley Arnusch Associate Art Director Sarah McMenemy Assistant Editors, Digital Content Alyssa Quirico, Alana Willerton Editorial Assistant Colin Gallant Staff Photographer Jared Sych Production Designer Austin Jansen Contributing Editor Andrew Guilbert Top 40 Under 40 Intern Amber McLinden Editorial Interns Stephanie Joe, Nathan Kunz Fact Checkers Hadeel Abdel-Nabi, Matthew Coyte, Jennifer Friesen Contributors Sarah Francis, Hannah Kost, Kait Kucy, Koko Lee, Citlali Loza, Taylor MacDonald, Carol Patterson, Andrew Penner, Erin Tettensor, Katherine Ylitalo Land Acknowledgement Advisors Elder Edmee Comstock, Elder Reg Crowshoe, Elder Rose Crowshoe Print Advertising Coordinator Erin Starchuk, production@redpointmedia.ca Sales Assistant Robin Cook, rcook@redpointmedia.ca Director, National Sales Lindy Neustaedter Account Executives Elsa Amorim, Liz Baynes, Janelle Brown, Melissa Brown, Jocelyn Erhardt, Deise MacDougall, Anita McGillis, Chelsey Swankhuizen Production Manager Mike Matovich Digital Advertising Specialist Katherine Jacob Pickering (on leave) Digital Advertising Coordinator Silvana Franco Audience Development/Reader Services Manager Rob Kelly Printing Transcontinental LGM Distribution City Print Distribution Inc.

Avenue is a proud member of the Alberta Magazine Publishers Association and Magazines Canada, abiding by the standards of the Canadian Society of Magazine Editors.

Paid circulation is audited by BPA Worldwide.

REDPOINT MEDIA GROUP INC. President & CEO Pete Graves, pgraves@redpointmedia.ca Operations Manager Terilyn Lyons, tlyons@redpointmedia.ca Business Development Strategist Anita McGillis, amcgillis@redpointmedia.ca Client Relations Manager Natalie Morrison, nmorrison@redpointmedia.ca Events & Marketing Coordinator Angela Chios, achios@redpointmedia.ca Controller Cheryl Clark, cclark@redpointmedia.ca Accountant Marienell Lumbres, mlumbres@redpointmedia.ca Office Manager Anna Russo, arusso@redpointmedia.ca

NEXT ISSUE

Make a ring as unique as your love story

August

2019 1 Calgary’s 2 3 4 Neigh5 bour6 hoods 7 8 9 10

BEST Find out which neighbour-

hood topped our list — and get a peek inside Calgary’s worst-ranked neighbourhood as well.

G R E AT S M A L L T O W N S The towns of the Calgary region have a lot to offer. We take a look at the good things inside these small packages.

N E W M O U N TA I N COMMUNITIES The mountain towns that Calgarians love are growing. Check out what’s being built right now in Canmore, Fernie and Revelstoke.

AvenueCalgary.com

11

EDITOR’S NOTE

How to Summer in Calgary

G E T AV E NU E O N YO U R TA B L E T! To get the tablet edition, go to avenuecalgary.com/tabletedition

S

MO R E SU MMER A D V E N TU RES!

Käthe Lemon Editor-in-Chief klemon@redpointmedia.ca

We couldn’t think of a better backdrop to showcase Calgary summer fashions than this updated, historic, public cruise ship. You can find that story on page 32.

Incidentally, Heritage Park’s S.S. Moyie is a half-sized replica of the original Moyie, which was built in 1898 and used to ferry passengers from Kootenay Landing to Nelson, B.C. Now that boat serves as a museum in Kaslo, B.C. and you can read more about what to do in that delightful mountain town starting on page 51.

Maybe you need to work up some energy to do some heavy summer adventuring or relaxing.

In that case, head to one of Calgary’s famed

You can get even more information about what’s going on in Calgary this summer by signing up for our Weekender newsletter at AvenueCalgary. com/newsletters.

steak houses. Writer Erin Tettensor runs through not only some of the top spots in the city, but also the various cuts of steak that you’ll find on local menus, as well as an overview of the city’s Brazilian churrascarias.

If you need a different kind of energy, check out writer Carol Patterson’s story about e-bikes.

In addition to just being a lot of fun to ride, she notes that e-bikes might be the key to equality in your relationship (particularly if one of you is a faster biker).

No matter where your summer takes you or how you get there, we hope you find something helpful and entertaining in this issue.

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Photograph by Jared Sych; hair and makeup by Citlali Loza

ummer isn’t just a season, it’s a mindset and, when done right, it’s a verb. For those of us who summer in Calgary, the season presents some additional challenges, primarily in that the weather is unpredictable at best and unkind at worst.

Taking advantage of summer often involves a dose of flexibility and a measure of preparedness.

In this issue we explore the best of summer in the city and beyond, what to do when you’re not busy kicking back relaxing. Because really, that’s what summer is for — taking full advantage of the long days to do not much of anything at all but be out in the sun with some friends. The super summer package includes our selections for what to pack in a summer “go-bag” containing what you’re most likely to need to just pick up and go whenever the good weather arrives.

For many Calgarians, a favourite summer activity is a cruise on Heritage Park’s S.S. Moyie paddlewheeler. Last year, the Moyie was out of commission due to work on the Glenmore Dam, but this year it will be back on the water in fine style. Heritage Park will be hosting special events, including jazz evening dinner cruises and dockside brunch. While it was out of the water last year, the Moyie was refurbished.

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ON THE WEB

CONTRIBUTORS KOKO LEE

Koko Lee is a Taiwanese-Canadian freelance illustrator based in Osaka, Japan. For her illustrations, Lee combines textured calligraphy brush strokes and contemporary digital colours.

She specializes in editorial illustration for magazines, newspapers and books and branding illustrations for stores, but she is always willing to challenge herself to work on projects for different industries. In her spare time, Lee likes to solve the crimes of criminal TV dramas (before the detectives).

She also likes to daydream about creating a rival to Hello Kitty featuring her own cat, Miko.

TAYLOR MACDONALD The Buffo Pizza at Buffo.

EAT THIS NOW We take a deep dive into our favourite restaurant dishes.

AvenueCalgary.com/EatThisNow

/avenuecalgary @avenuemagazine @avenuemagazine

Subscribe to our weekly Food, Style and Weekender newsletters to get the latest restaurant and store openings, advice on what to eat and where to shop, and our picks for the best things to do in Calgary.

sign up

AVENUECALGARY.COM /NEWSLETTERS

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Taylor MacDonald is a Calgary fashion stylist who gained experience in design, production, styling and modelling during a decade abroad in the international fashion scene. She has put her expertise to good use through personal styling and commercial, marketing and editorial work. MacDonald regularly appears on television as a fashion expert and can often be seen doing trend talks around the city. She draws fashion inspiration from photography, artists and the other creatives in her life.

CAROL PATTERSON

Carol Patterson is an award-winning freelance travel writer based in Calgary who roams Canada’s back roads looking for wildlife. She loves to write for Avenue and has also contributed to many national and international publications.

Patterson has written several books on ecotourism and how to balance commercial success with space for critters. She was made a fellow of The Royal Canadian Geographical Society in 2017 for spreading the word about Canada and its landscapes.

ERIN TETTENSOR

After more than a decade with the United Nations, Erin Tettensor has returned to her Calgary roots and now works as a freelance writer. In addition to regular contributions to Avenue, she writes for a wide variety of organizations on subjects ranging from human rights to pop culture to food.

She’s also the author of seven novels from Penguin Random House and Macmillan published under the pen name Erin Lindsey. She divides her time between Calgary and Brooklyn with her husband Don and a pair of semi-domesticated Burundian cats.

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“In a city where beef is King, Caesar’s Steakhouse is a Calgary Institution.”

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DETOURS Powwow Etiquette

Photograph by Tourism Calgary, courtesy of Travel Alberta

Honour this traditional Indigenous way of community-building with these tips for proper powwow protocol.

W

ith the hammer of the drums, undulating voices of the singers and brightly coloured costumes on the dancers, many people — Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike — are attracted to the powwow. While this centuries-old practice has slight variations depending on who organizes it, the sentiment is always the same: to build community and honour old friendships.

If you want to attend, knowing what is expected of you as an audience member is important.

Powwow at Heritage Park Historical Village.

AvenueCalgary.com

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Making the Waves

DETOURS

H O W A C A L G A R Y- B A S E D T E C H C O M PA N Y WA N T S T O T U R N T H E B O W I N T O A N I N T E R N AT I O N A L S U R F I N G D E S T I N AT I O N.

Arrive On Time

What to Wear Modesty is the best policy.

Powwows aren’t Coachella, so definitely leave your bikini top at home (and do not show up in a headdress). That said, if it’s a hot day, shorts and a T-shirt are fine.

Look, Don’t Touch The bright beads, beautiful silks and feathers are a feast for the eyes, but don’t let the beauty hypnotize you into offending the dancers. It takes a lot of time and money to build a full dance outfit and each garment is spiritually tied to the dancer wearing it. You should always ask if you are allowed to touch the regalia, says Cindy Collins, the justice coordinator at the Aboriginal Friendship Centre of Calgary and a mother and grandmother of dancers. While some dancers are open to engaging with curious bystanders, others might want to keep their focus on the event.

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T Powwow at Heritage Park.

Photo Sensitivity When it comes to taking photos, Collins says to use your best judgment. Is it the grand entry with all the powwow participants dancing in a circle on stage? By all means, get your camera out and flash away. Has a dancer come off the stage redfaced, out of breath and wheezing for some water? Hold off.

Ceremonies and prayers are definite no-photo times.

Listen Up The emcee is the voice of the powwow and is guided by the arena director. The emcee will tell you everything you need to know — whether you should be standing, sitting, or when you can dance. They will also let you know which dance category is coming up and what drum group will lead.

Can I Have This Dance?

During the intertribal and honour songs, anyone can join the powwow and the emcee will let the audience know when to participate. You don’t

need special outfits or rhythm for this event — your feet and good intentions will be enough to get you around the circle.

Stay Sober “It’s not a party,” says Collins, “it’s a gathering for spiritual healing.” Alcohol and other substances take away from the spiritual effect of a powwow.

Leave the drinks at home and come ready to revere the sacredness of the gathering.

The More You Know If you like to sing and want to learn how to drum, the Aboriginal Friendship Centre of Calgary has youth and family drumming sessions on the third Wednesday of every month. The Calgary Public Library also holds a daily Elder’s Guidance Circle. What better way to get acquainted with Indigenous culture than talking to an Indigenous Elder?

—Stephanie Joe For a list of Alberta powwows visit powwows.com

here are a lot of competing visions for Calgary’s future, but one in particular stands out a bit more from the pack.

Neil Egsgard, president of the Alberta River Surfing Association (ARSA) and founder of Surf Anywhere, sees Calgary’s future clearly as an international surfing destination.

Every summer, Egsgard and other enthusiasts surf a naturally occurring wave on the Bow River beneath the Louise Bridge (a.k.a. the 10th Street Bridge). Now Egsgard has a detailed plan to construct bigger, better waves as part of the ARSA’s proposed Urban Surf Beach and River Waves project.

His company, Surf Anywhere, has created and consulted on man-made waves in Canmore, Oregon, the Czech Republic and beyond. The process comes down to two basic steps: controlling the flow of water from a high point and then shaping the way the water flows downward.

In Egsgard’s experience, when people hear about river interventions they typically have a knee-jerk reaction. “The two [main] concerns with recreational river modifications are impact on flood risk and impact on the environment,” he says. Because all the technology that the ASRA is proposing lies completely flat on the riverbed, it has no impact on flood risk, wildlife or the environment. Egsgard has already consulted with “10 or 12” different City of Calgary departments on the proposal, and he has agreed to meet certain conditions — that the devices will lie flat and remain unused during ice-floe season (November to March), high-water season (June through early July) and daily after dark.

The Urban Surf Beach and River Waves project is still a few years off (at least) from implementation. In the meantime, surfing enthusiasts can still enjoy the wave near 10th Street N.W. and keep up with the ARSA at albertariversurfing.com.

—Colin Gallant

Surfing on the Bow River.

Powwow photograph courtesy of Government of Alberta and Travel Alberta; Surfing photograph supplied by Alberta River Surfing Association

There is very little lull in a powwow, so don’t be late.

Every powwow starts with a prayer and a grand entry.

After grand entry, dancers participate in their specific categories, with the Elders usually starting things off.

Indoor powwows last anywhere from three to five hours, depending on the number of dancers, while outdoor and competition powwows can last into the wee hours. Competition powwows have prize money at the end, while traditional powwows are for communitybuilding. Everyone is welcome at both types of events.

#DINNERSERIESYYC

Still After All These Years

S

hot locally and released in 1986, the movie Rad tells the story of Cru, a young man with a dream of making it big as a BMX racer by racing the “Helltrack” and winning the grand prize of $100,000 (and

a sweet Corvette). This month, 33 years after its release, fans are holding a celebratory meet-up and ride at Rad’s Cochrane and Calgary filming locations. Like most cult films, Rad is polarizing, but its deficiencies tend to be overshadowed by its iconic status. Here are some things you may or may not know about this enduring piece of pop culture.

Rad’s critic score rating on Rotten Tomatoes is 0 per cent, while its audience score is an impressive 91 per cent. The film reportedly grossed $2 million at the box office. (For comparison, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, released the same year, grossed more than $6 million in its opening weekend.)

Main character Cru (Bill Allen) was loosely based on real-life BMXer Eddie Fiola, who was also Allen’s stunt double.

Cochrane’s current mayor Jeff Genung was an

Join us throughout the year for unique dining experiences at a selection of Avenue’s Best Restaurants.

Get your tickets before they sell out.

extra in the movie.

Lead actress Lori Loughlin was best known as Aunt Becky on Full House until she was indicted

FOREIGN CONCEPT AUGUST 22

in the massive college admissions fraud case earlier this year, eclipsing her sitcom celebrity.

Multi-sensory experience

No official version of Rad has ever been released on DVD, Blu-Ray or any streaming service.

To see it (legally) you must hunt for a used VHS copy and dig out a VCR. Last year, Mongoose Bikes sponsored a threeday celebration of the race at the centre of Rad

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by re-creating the fictional Helltrack, near Dallas, Tex. Helltrack Festival included live music, celebrity BMX athletes, vintage bikes and appearances by cast members Allen, Martin Aparijo and Fiola.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit

AvenueCalgary.com/dinnerseries

Rad was the subject of an episode of How Did This Get Made?, a podcast about movies that are considered so astonishingly bad that hosts June Diane Raphael, Jason Mantzoukas and

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Paul Scheer ponder how it’s possible they were green-lit in the first place. — C.G. For details on the 33rd anniversary celebration of Rad go to facebook.com/rad33official.

STR ATEGIC

AvenueCalgary.com

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DETOURS

OT H E R JU LY FE S T I VA LS AN D E V E N T S

do to

this month

Insider PERFORMANCE ARTIST ALYSSA ELLIS ON THE ART OF TAKING PLANTS ON VACATION.

CALGARY STAMPEDE JULY 5 TO 14

CYCLEPALOOZA JULY 12 TO 21

CALGARY FOLK MUSIC FESTIVAL JULY 25 TO 28

PACKWOOD GRAND D I N N E R T H E AT R E LEGENDS OF COUNTRY JUNE 28 TO SEPT. 1

JULY 27

PET-A-PALOOZA JULY 27 TO 28

Take in the music of legends like Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks while enjoying an

See work by Alyssa Ellis until Aug. 29 at Viviane Art Gallery, 1114 11 St. S.W.; or find her on Instagram @aanneellis 20

avenueJULY.19

all-you-can-eat buffet at this Stage West production. The show traces country music’s history from the ’60s to the present.

727 42 Ave. S.E., 403-243-6642, stagewestcalgary.com

D RAG LATRICE ROYALE: HERE’S TO LIFE!

Openings CHIX EGGSHOP

JULY 11

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Latrice Royale makes such good TV

counter-service eatery in East Village’s Alt Hotel is

that she was asked to appear on three

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and John Jackson (Charcut, Charbar).

see her like never before during this song-

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and-storytelling tour where she performs a one-woman-show about her life.

FINESSE DESSERTS

Jack Singer Concert Hall, Arts Commons,

Treat yourself to some beautifully made eclairs,

403-294-9494, artscommons.ca

lemon tarts, macarons and glazed desserts at this new French-inspired pastry shop in Kingsland.

FE S T I VA L CALGARY TURKISH FESTIVAL JULY 12 TO 14 Sample delicious foods such as doner

232, 7337 Macleod Tr. S.W., finessedesserts.ca The Next Page.

kebabs and drink Turkish coffee while you enjoy live performances at this free, outdoor celebration of Turkish culture. Attendees will also find an artisan market, demonstrations of Turkish calligraphy and more.

Eau Claire Plaza, 200 Barclay Parade S.W., 587-917-0765, calgaryturkishfestival.ca

FE S T I VA L FIESTAVAL JULY 19 TO 21 This free event celebrates Latin American

THE NEXT PAGE

cultures and heritage through dance,

Your next page-turner awaits at The Next Page,

song, cuisine and more. Young attendees

a sister bookstore to Pages Books on Kensington,

can enjoy games and face-painting in the

which recently opened in the former Hinchcliff &

kids’ zone while adult guests can cool off

Lee space in Inglewood. Order a cup of Matchstick

in the beer gardens overlooking the stage.

coffee to enjoy while you browse.

Olympic Plaza, 228 8 Ave. S.E., fiestaval.ca

1217A 9 Ave. S.E., 403-452-6550, nextpageyyc.ca

Alyssa Ellis photogrraph by Chelsea Yang Smith; The Next Page photogrpah by Alana Willerton

From embroidering shrouds for jumping cholla cacti to making ceramic tombstones for dead houseplants, Alyssa Ellis’s artistic output focuses on flora. Ellis, who lives with more than 300 houseplants, has had her work featured in galleries and been awarded residencies in Calgary, as well as B.C., Ontario and Nova Scotia.

“Everything that I do is for plants, about plants or by plants. I like to think that I have a co-working relationship with them, so the plants have to be equal partners,” she says. “I do a performance called Plant Vacations where I take plants on vacation, since a lot of them don’t get to see the world, especially if they’re houseplants. They live in one place and that place might not be the most invigorating. So I take them to the Calgary Tower, the Devonian Gardens, all these different places you wouldn't necessarily get to go as a plant. I did that performance as part of the Arts Commons Lightbox Studio, where I gathered all these plants together and we went on a tour through the Plus 15 Network.

“It was weird. There were a lot of stares while I walked through [the Plus 15] with the wagon because I dress up in this plant outfit, since I don’t want to scare the plants while moving them.

I want them to think that everything is natural and okay, because when you’re moving plants around that can cause shock.” —as told to Andrew Guilbert

SUMMER 2019.

Come Feel The Rush STANDARDBREDS. INDIAN RELAY. THOROUGHBREDS. CHUCKWAGONS.

Information and tickets

centurydowns.com

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AvenueCalgary.com

S U M ME Fun at Open Farm Days 2018.

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Summer: it’s here for a good time, not a long time.

So here are some things to do in and around Calgary to make the most of the long days of the shortest season.

BY Shelley Arnusch, Käthe Lemon, Amber McLinden, Jaelyn Molyneux, Carol Patterson AND Alana Willerton ILLUSTRATIONS BY Koko Lee

Previous page photographs by Kevin Kossowan; Silver Springs pool photograph by Jacquie Moore

FARM FUN SKIP YOUR WEEKEND FARMERS’ MARKET EXCURSION AND GO STRAIGHT TO THE FARM. or Alberta Open Farm Days (Aug. 17 to 18) more than 100 ranches and farms across the province open their gates and invite you in to see how dairy, beef, grain, spirits and more are produced.

You can pop by places such as EH Farms near Strathmore to see their woolly, heritage-breed Mangalitsa pigs. Or, if you prefer planning to popping by, you can take part in more than a dozen ticketed culinary events, including picnics, barn dances, long-table dinners and bus tours that require pre-registration.

Several of the events offer shuttle service from Calgary.

To find the farms, city folk will have to forget streets and avenues and embrace rural addresses that use township and range roads to guide you to the welcome gate. Like Calgary’s avenues, township roads run east to west, while range roads run north to south. The first numbers in the address refer to the crossroad and the next numbers provide the distance from the intersection to the driveway. For example, Poplar Bluff Organics is at 253028 Township Rd. 230, which means it is on Township Road 230 and it is 28 intervals from the intersection with Range Road 253.

When in doubt, look for Open Farm Days signs.—J.M.

F

albertafarmdays.ca

Silver Springs Community Pool.

Pool Party DIVE INTO THESE NEW AND IMPROVED CALGARY POOLS.

Brookfield Residential YMCA at Seton Opened at the beginning of 2019, this indoor facility in the world’s largest YMCA includes not only a pool, but a four-level dive tower and two deck-mounted springboards, a lazy river, two waterslides, a play area for young children and a surf simulator that’s the first in Calgary and the only one of its kind in Southern Alberta.

Drop in for $16.

4995 Market St. S.E., 403-351-5262, ymcacalgary.org

Canyon Meadows Aquatic & Fitness Centre This indoor City-run pool got some major accessibility improvements in 2017. The pool now has colourcontrast edging, aquatic wheelchairs and a permanent pool lift. There’s also a slide and diving board. Drop in for $7.90.

89 Canova Rd. S.W., 403-268-2489, calgary.ca/csps/recreation

Hotel Arts Pool Hotel Arts’ newly renovated pool opened in June. Upgrades include a wet bar with an updated cocktail menu. If you’re not a hotel guest, you can use the pool for $20 on a first-come, first-served basis.

119 12 Ave. S.W., 403-266-4611, hotelarts.ca

Prairie Winds Park Wading Pool Splash around with your little ones in the free outdoor wading pool at Prairie Winds Park. The wading pool underwent two different sets of renovations between 2016 and 2018, but is expected to finally open again this summer. The pool is less than one metre deep and includes a small area for younger children to play and a lazy river.

223 Castleridge Blvd. N.E., calgary.ca/csps/parks

Silver Springs Community Pool The decades-old outdoor pool in Silver Springs was upgraded before summer 2018. The pool is 33 m long, and has a state-of-the-art filtration system, two diving boards and a deep end that the community fought to keep.

Drop in for $7. —A.M. 5720 Silver Ridge Dr. N.W., 403-221-3885, sscacalgary.weebly.com/pool AvenueCalgary.com

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Staycation Alt Hotel.

Residence Inn

by Marriott.

STAY Residence Inn by Marriott This new hotel in the Beltline is primarily for guests who are staying for an extended time — each of the 390 rooms is a suite complete with full kitchen. The hotel also offers free grocery delivery as well as a complimentary breakfast buffet. With Westernthemed murals throughout, the design pays homage to the site’s former occupant, the Alberta Boot Company.

610 10 Ave. S.W., 587-885-2288, marriott.com

PLAY BUMP Murals and Greta Arcade Bar Roasted chicken with chimichurri at Hawthorn.

STAY Hyatt Regency Calgary The Hyatt Regency in downtown Calgary completed an extensive upgrade to all of its 355 guest rooms in the spring of 2018 and also expanded and renovated its Regency Club lounge. Guest rooms now feature Caesarstone counters in the bathrooms, smart mirrors and locally crafted, tineo wood-veneer millwork. The Club lounge was expanded with more seating as well as a quiet zone for private dining.

700 Centre St. S.E., 403-717-1234, hyatt.com

PLAY Olympic Plaza and Prince’s Island Park The Hyatt is the perfect jumpingoff point for summer events taking place on Prince’s Island or in Olympic Plaza. Whether your staycation is happening during Fiestaval (July 19 to 21), the Calgary Folk Music Festival (July 25 to 28), Taste of Calgary (Aug. 8 to 11) or any time during the run of Shakespeare by the Bow (until Aug. 18), you’ll find lots to do downtown. calgary.ca/parks 24

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EAT Hawthorn This past spring, the Fairmont Palliser debuted its new lobby restaurant and bar, Hawthorn.

The sophisticated space suggests a modernized take on turn-of-the-century train travel, harkening back to the hotel’s rich history as part of the original CP Hotel chain. Fittingly, the menu also seems to exude a sense of travel with its upscale snacks, salads and mains featuring global flavours such as harissa, za’atar, hoisin and chimichurri.

133 9 Ave. S.W., 403-260-1287, hawthorndiningroom.ca

You don’t have to wait for the third BUMP Festival, which runs Aug. 29 to 31, to do a self-guided tour of the Beltline Urban Murals Project. Since it launched in 2017, BUMP has completed 15 murals throughout the inner-city neighbourhood. You can download a printable map of mural locations at yycbump.ca. Follow up your mural tour with some arcade games at Greta Bar. With more than 50 games in house you’re sure to find something you like (along with some friendly competition).

Various locations, yycbump.ca; 213 10 Ave. S.W., 403-984-6405, gretabar.com

EAT Rodney’s Oyster House What you do on your staycation is your own business, but if you’re looking for some of the reportedly aphrodisiacal powers of oysters, Rodney’s has all that and more. The happy hour special —offered from 3 to 6 p.m.

Monday to Friday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays — of six oysters and a drink for $15 is a great deal, whether you follow that with dinner or head back to your hotel.

355 10 Ave. S.W., 403-460-0026, rodneysoysterhouse.com/calgary

STAY Alt Hotel Part of the Le Germain chain, the Alt opened in East Village last November. High design meets high value at this affordable luxury hotel. The minimalist rooms are small but comfortable with high-end finishes and linens. Kids under 12 stay free and dogs are welcome, too — one dog per room with a $30-per-stay fee. There’s no set check-out time if you book directly with the hotel (dependent on demand), so you won’t feel rushed to get on your way.

635 Confluence Way S.E., 587-441-6635, althotels.com/ en/calgaryeastvillage

PLAY Studio Bell, Home of the National Music Centre On Sundays, Studio Bell, Home of the National Music Centre offers “backstage pass tours” for a behind-the-scenes look at three of the centre’s recording facilities, including the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio. Tickets are $26 to $33 each and can be booked online through the Studio Bell website.

Follow your tour with drinks and live music at the King Eddy.

850 4 St. S.E., 403-543-5115, studiobell.ca; 438 9 Ave. S.E., 403-476-1679, kingeddy.ca

EAT Charbar and Chix Eggshop It doesn’t get much better than being up on the rooftop patio at Charbar as the sun goes down over the Bow — ­ unless it’s knowing that you can indulge a bit more than usual since you just have stumble across the road to the comfort of your staycation lodgings at the Alt Hotel. Even closer to home is Chix Eggshop.

The latest from local restaurant powerhouses John Jackson and Connie DeSousa (Charcut and Charbar) is set to open inside the Alt with a menu of “fast fine diner” fare. From dawn ’til dusk your taste buds will be well rewarded in this ’hood.—K.L. 618 Confluence Way S.E., 403-452-3115, charbar.ca; 635 Confluence Way S.E., chixeggshop.com

Hawthron photograph by @bonjwing

W

ant a getaway without the hassle of actually going away? A quality staycation is what you’re looking for, friend. And you’re in luck this year as a number of new hotels have opened in Calgary and older ones have renovated to great effect. Stay, play and eat local with these great downtown options.

NORTH

Sylvan Lake

What’s there: Your classic summertime lake townbeach experience, plus Snake Lake Brewing Company, a gold medal winner for New Brewery of the Year at the Alberta Beer Awards.

EAST Wayne 147 km

159 km

What’s there: The Last Chance Saloon at the Rosedeer Hotel, a Wild West watering hole packed with antique kitsch and oddities. The last six-km into Wayne has 11 one-lane bridges, a Guinness World Record for the most bridges in the shortest distance.

Roadside attraction: The Markerville Creamery Museum, a 1930s butter creamery in the historic Scandinavian settlement of Markerville, just south of Sylvan.

SUMMER DAY TRIPS

SOUTH Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump 184 km

WEST Canmore 105 km What’s there: A bustling mountain town with gorgeous alpine scenery in every direction. Try the Canmore Mystery Towns adventure, a phone app-based cluesolving game that’s like a scavenger hunt of the town’s hidden gems.

Roadside attraction: The World’s Largest Dinosaur, a 25-metretall T-Rex with a viewing platform in its mouth. It’s at the Drumheller Visitor Information Centre (you can’t miss it).

What’s there: A UNESCO World Heritage Site with indoor and outdoor exhibits on the buffalohunting culture of the Indigenous people of the Great Plains, which involved driving herds over a precipice. The

Roadside attraction: Big Head, a stone sculpture of a giant bald head emerging out of the ground just off Main Street where it crosses the creek.

interpretive centre has a café with hot and cold food and beverages.

Roadside attraction: For those who love gazing at grain elevators, the one at Stavely is picture-perfect.

SEE WILDLIFE AT HERITAGE PARK

Pathway photograph by Jared Sych; osprey photography by Carol Patterson

S

ome of Calgary’s most popular attractions also have wild sides (we’re talking nature, not people). In particular, Heritage Park, best known as a showcase of pioneer history and Western culture, harbours numerous wildlife species.

“When you pass the Famous Five house [near the entrance] you lose sight of the city and you enter a small town that’s still at one with nature,” says Heritage Park’s public programming coordinator Ellen Gasser. “It’s like it was in the early West. You can feel what it was like to settle in those natural spaces.”

Late at night, bobcats pad through the quieter parts of the settlement and mule deer doze in the yard of historic Thorpe House, while in the midsummer, young coyotes practice their yowls near the 1880s pre-railway settlement. Moose have even been spotted in the wetlands east of the parking lot where ducks and red-winged blackbirds are known to congregate.

In the poplar trees near the Canmore Opera House, you’ll see flashes of yellow feathers — yellow warblers (sometimes called wild canaries)

were morale boosters for early settlers and continue to be a visual treat for contemporary nature lovers. Waxwings pluck berries from the mountain ash trees near the church, while Old Fort Road is a good place to look for woodpeckers. And the heritage gardens around Webster House and the west side of Calgary Town Hall 1885 are planted with species to attract butterflies and bees.

A trip aboard the paddlewheeler S.S. Moyie provides a closer look at the mergansers, ducks and geese that rest on the Glenmore Reservoir as well as the opportunity to catch a rare sighting of beaver or mink along the shore.

In fact, there is so much wildlife in the park, Gasser’s team is counting it. “We will do a species survey every couple of weeks this summer,” she says. The intention of the survey is to better identify the resident species before construction of a natural resource centre and formal nature trail at the park.—C.P. Heritage Park Historical Village is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily until Sept. 2, then weekends only until Oct. 14, heritagepark.ca

BI RD S I N B LOOM Prominently positioned on the western end of St. Patrick’s Island in East Village, artist Michel de Broin’s 24-metre-high metal sculpture Bloom resembles a giant flower with light fixtures for petals. Like most largescale public art, Bloom has fans and detractors, but one couple loves it enough to call it home.

A pair of ospreys has turned the sculpture’s tallest stamen into a nest platform and each summer these ravensized fishing hawks can be seen hovering over the Bow River, diving talons-first into the

rushing water, emerging seconds later with a fish to carry back to their home in Bloom. Ospreys are known to return to the same nest, so these feathered squatters (and art aficionados) will be a seasonal fixture of East Village for years to come.

—C.P. AvenueCalgary.com

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Go Whole Hog WANT TO HOST A PIG ROAST. HERE’S WHERE TO START.

All Seasons Pig Roast & Catering

Special Event Rentals

This Red Deer caterer specializes in whole roast pig and will travel to Calgary to serve up its fully catered “deluxe spit-roasted pig buffet” in your backyard or home.

The buffet includes roast pig with applesauce, baked potato with butter, sour cream and bacon bits, Caesar salad, barbecue baked beans, fresh baked buns and butter, pickles and dessert. Pricing starts at $27 per person for under 100 people ($26 for over 100). aspr.ca

Rare Cut by Great Events Group

Gorilla Whale

Rare Cut is the barbecue division of Great Events, one of the city's top catering services, which has been serving up party foods for more than 25 years. Order the Devine Swine package and you'll get a whole pre-roasted pig chef-carved on site to serve at least 40 guests (you can order a smaller section if you have fewer guests) plus sides. The roast pig is $15 per person for a minimum of 40 people, sides are charged in addition. rarecut.ca

L

ooking for a place to cook up some burgers and hot dogs this summer? City of Calgary parks have got you covered.

Calgary has almost 100 barbecues in eight parks that you can reserve ahead of time.

Getting a reservation and permit costs anywhere from around $68 to $695 depending on how many people will be in attendance (the highest capacity for a set-up site is 263). But, if you’re willing to risk it, you can always try and find a barbecue without reserving a spot. Barbecues that have not been reserved are available on a first-come, first-served basis, but if someone shows up with a permit for that site, you have to leave. (Reserved sites have signs to show they are reserved but, according to Calgary Recreation, staff aren’t always able to get out to the area to put them up.)

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You can check if a site has been reserved by calling City of Calgary facilities bookings one or two days before you picnic. If it’s not reserved three days ahead, then it’s open to use. The city also has more than 300 barbecues that cannot be reserved.

Whether you’re flying by the seat of your apron strings or have made a reservation months in advance, you do need to bring your own barbecue supplies — this includes charcoal or wood depending on the type of barbecue and something to light the fire. Also bring tinfoil, pans or roasting sticks to cook your food, as the grills themselves are not necessarily something you want to put edibles onto directly.

Alternately, you can bring a propane campstyle or regular-sized barbecue to a picnic site or public green space. Just don’t bring a commercial or industrial-sized barbecue, or your own charcoal barbecue as those aren’t allowed in City parks. —A.M.

On the other hand, maybe you don’t really want to hang out with and feed your 100 closest friends.

If a more intimate porcine culinary event is what you’re looking for, Gorilla Whale’s whole suckling pig dinner is for you. For $50 per person for a minimum of eight and up to 10 people, you’ll get a whole suckling pig, Japanese milk bread, kimchee, rice, pickles and a variety of house-made condiments for the table. Take note that you will need to order this meal 48 hours in advance. —A.M. gorillawhale.ca

Where to Find a Barbecue to Reserve Bowness Park 23 barbecues Edworthy Park 22 barbecues North Glenmore Park 24 barbecues Pearce Estate Park 2 barbecues Prairie Winds Park 2 shared barbecues, 1 tandoori oven Sandy Beach Park 14 barbecues Shouldice Park 5 barbecues Stanley Park 6 barbecues

How to Reserve Call or email facility bookings at the City of Calgary at least three days before the day you want to picnic.

Call 403-268-3800, option 2 Email facilitybooking@calgary.ca

Opposite page photograph by Jared Sych

BARBECUE BONANZA

If you’re looking for a more DIY pig-roast experience but you don’t happen to own a pig-sized rotisserie-style barbecue, you can rent the “Big John Rotisserie” from Special Event Rentals. The rotisserie costs $165 for a one-day rental (extra days for pick-up and drop-off can be arranged). You can pick up a whole pig to roast on it from Cut Rite Meats. Pigs vary by weight, but a 35-pound pig costs just under $200. calgary.specialeventrentals.com; cutritemeats.com

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9 6

Summer Fun Go-Bag

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STASH THESE SUMMER ESSENTIALS UNDER YOUR DESK OR IN THE TRUNK OF YOUR CAR AND YOU’LL ALWAYS BE READY FOR FUN IN THE SUN.

7

12

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2 5

1 This Rowing Blazers cap features the logo for the Hasty Pudding Society at Harvard, a group whose past members include JFK, Teddy Roosevelt and Rashida Jones. $60 at Leo Boutique.

2 Swap out your office shoes for summery kicks like these St. Agni double-strap slides. $194 at Fieldstudy.

3 The super-small and lightweight Pocket Kite promises packable fun for everyone. $18 at Lee Valley.

4 Keep plastic straws out of the Bow and Elbow by carrying a reusable metal straw for your summer sips. $3 from Canary Refillery and Zero Waste Market.

5 Sun Bum vegan sunscreen is gluten-, cruelty- and paraben-

free, not to mention reef-friendly. Plus, it smells great! $20 at MEC. 6 Spritz yourself with Wolf & Pine juicy melons hydrating mist to feel refreshed after a day in the office or the sun. $25 at The Livery Shop.

7 On a hot day when the ice cream truck only takes cash, you’ll be happy to have your emergency change purse. $7 at Recess.

8 Eat on-the-go meals in eco-chic style with bamboo utensils. $18 at The Apothecary in Inglewood.

9 Connect two Ultimate Ears Wonderboom portable Bluetooth speakers to create surround sound at your picnic. $80 each at Best Buy. 10 Keep the music playing and the pix snapping with the IO Magic power bank, which provides two full cellphone charges. $30 to $50 at London Drugs.

11 A Turkish towel is a towel, yes, but it can also be a blanket, tablecloth or shawl. $35 at Guildhall.

12 The superstylish Virginia Tote from Corkcicle is actually a cooler that holds up to 24 cans, or 16 cans plus two bottles of wine. $220 at Liz & Lottie.

For Shopping source turn to page 37.

AvenueCalgary.com

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SUMMER FOOD FESTIVALS Mexifest.

This Summer, You Should Finally Learn How To Throw a Damn Frisbee

Mexifest July 5 to 7 | $15 a day or $30 for the weekend Hosted by the Latino Folkloric Society, Mexifest includes dancers and bands, a luchador wrestling ring, artisan market and authentic Mexican food and drink vendors.

Eau Claire Plaza, mexifest.ca Taste of Calgary Aug. 8 to 11 | Taste tickets $1 each Use your taste tickets to purchase samplesized foods from a variety of vendors, then enjoy while listening to live music.

Eau Claire Plaza, tasteofcalgary.com

Brewery & the Beast Aug. 25 | $100 Individual tickets include all food and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as eight alcoholic-beverage tickets that can be used to purchase drinks from individual vendors.

Fort Calgary, breweryandthebeast.com/calgary BBQ on the Bow Aug. 31 to Sept. 1 | Free admission This event includes barbecue competitions, demonstrations and the opportunity to talk to barbeque competitors and learn about their techniques. There’s also live music, a play area for children, food trucks, a beer garden and a marketplace.

5003 16 Ave. N.W., bbqonthebow.com Moonlight Market Sept. 14 | Free admission The third annual Moonlight Market celebrates diversity through street food, artisan goods and artists.

East Village, moonlightmarket.ca 28

avenueJULY.19

You Should Also Finally Figure Out How To Back Up the Damn Trailer

F

risbee is supposed to be the ultimate in chill-out summertime fun for everyone — everyone, that is, who can make the frisbee go where they want. Some are born with the ability to throw a gentle arc that drops out of the air within arms’ reach of its intended human target. Others, not so much. There is hope, though. “Frisbee Rob” McLeod is a Calgarybased motivational speaker and frisbee ambassador who travels the world competing, teaching and breaking records (he holds the Canadian distance record for throwing a golf disk, at 712 feet), and if you take his advice, you should be able to assume your rightful place in the sacred circle of summertime fun.

First things first, says McLeod, it helps if you’ve got a good disc: “If it’s super light, if it’s really stiff, if you paid a dollar for it, it’s not a good disc,” he says. For basic catch-and-throw, he recommends an ultimate frisbee disc (they cost around $15 at Lifesport). Hold the frisbee like you’re shaking someone’s hand: thumb on top and fingers underneath. When you go to throw it, step toward your target, pulling your arm back to wind up and snap your wrist as you pull your arm forward. While throwing, make sure that the disc is flat. “The frisbee is part airplane wing, part parachute,” McLeod says. “They’ll get the most glide when the disc is flat.” —S.A.

So many fun summer activities require hauling capacity: dirtbiking, boating, quad-riding, trailer-camping. But if you can’t get to the place where you can enjoy them because you can’t back up the damn trailer, then you’re deprived of a number of the precious few summer days there are to enjoy them.

An important tip: if you are in a romantic partnership with someone who you usually rely on to back up the trailer, do NOT get them to teach you how to do it — that’s like pulling the pin on the relationship grenade. While you could sign up for professional instruction at one of the city’s truck-driving schools, for the most part, learning is a case of practice making perfect. So rig ’er up, head out to a nice, big, empty parking lot and try, try and try again until you can successfully put that thing right in the pocket.—S.A.

Mexifest photograph courtesy of Mexifest

Barley & Smoke August 15 | VIP tickets $200, standard tickets $75 This new food fest and fundraiser hosted by Divine Flooring hopes to raise $100,000 for Kids Cancer Care. As the name implies, the event will feature both local beer and a barbecue competition. Confirmed brewers involved include Cabin, Cold Garden and Trolley 5.

Tickets include grill tasting samples, brewery tasting samples, oversize lawn games and live music. There will also be a display of kids reading forts that will be later donated to Camp Kindle, a raffle and a 50/50 draw.

Enmax Park,

Ò MOB HONEY creates buzzing experiences for urban and rural communities and are leaders in sustainable agriculture.Ó

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SUMMERTIME TOURS. Learn about bees and their environmental imortance this July & August.

mobhoney.com

587-435-1854

TOURS

Put your geeky skills to good use.

Learn everything from software development and information technology to digital design and more in the School of Creative Technologies. Launch a career where things get made, and you get paid. bowvalleycollege.ca/creativetech

2711 14th St SW

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BEDDING FURNISHINGS DRAPERY AvenueCalgary.com

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Fan-o-Rama May 28 to Aug. 6 Seaman Stadium, home to collegiate baseball team the Okotoks Dawgs, claims “there literally is not a bad seat in the house.” But the stadium’s berm seating on the grass beside left field is a particularly great option for young families. Adult berm tickets are $10 each while children 12 and younger can sit there for free. And no one stresses out if your kid is loud or needs to run off some steam.

256 Don Seaman Way, Okotoks, 403-262-3294, dawgsbaseball.ca

GET THE RUN AROUND

EQUESTRIAN Spruce Meadows

SEVEN RACES TO DO THIS SUMMER

BASEBALL Okotoks Dawgs, Seaman Stadium

North American tournament July 3 to 7; Masters Sept. 4 to 8 While show jumping is the main attraction at Spruce Meadows, the equestrian facility also offers lots of free activities during the tournaments, including pony and wagon rides for children, Spruce Meadows Prairie Dogs shows, musical performances and a farmstand and maker’s market. Download the Spruce Meadows Fan Experience app if you need help navigating the grounds. For rush seating, adult tickets are $5, while kids 12 and under and seniors 65 and over get in free.

18011 Spruce Meadows Way S.W., 403-974-4200, sprucemeadows.com

FOOTBALL Calgary Stampeders, McMahon Stadium Regular season runs June 15 to Nov. 2 Going to a Stampeders football game? Go early. There’s a pre-game Multicultural Food Fest on Aug. 3 in the south practice field and tailgate parties in the parking lot on Aug. 17 and Sept. 2 and 14.

1817 Crowchild Tr. N.W., stampeders.com

Sinister 7 Ultra WHAT 161 km, 7 legs, 30 hours.

WHEN July 5 to 7.

WHERE Crowsnest Pass.

WHO Only those who are men-

tally and physically strong enough to handle climbing mountains, navigating the Frank Slide rubble and running through the wilderness in the dark.

WHY To prove that you can. sinister7.com

Vulcan Mega Bounce Run

Standardbred racing March 17 to Aug. 5; quarter horse and thoroughbred racing Aug. 31 to Oct. 27 Check out a horse race at Century Downs on a Saturday, when you can pre-book a free tour of the barns for an extra-special experience.

This year for the first time, the WPCA World Finals of Chuckwagon Racing (Aug. 21 to 25) will also take place here.

260 Century Downs Dr., Rocky View, 587-349-7777, cnty.com

WHAT 5 km, 9 inflatable obstacles.

WHEN July 13.

WHERE Vulcan.

WHO Adults and kids (42 inches and taller) who want an easy obstacle race without the mud.

WHY To speed down a 45-footlong inflatable slide. townofvulcan.ca

POLO Black Diamond Polo Club

Rugged Maniac

HORSE RACING Century Downs Racetrack and Casino

May 19 to Sept. 15 This year marks Black Diamond Polo Club’s 20th anniversary. Make the short drive southwest of Calgary for one of its many tournaments and match games and watch for free from the clubhouse or tailgate alongside the field.

Foothills No. 31, 403-230-6886, blackdiamondpolo.com

POLO The Calgary Polo Club June 1 to Aug. 25 Tailgating at The Calgary Polo Club is a key part of the spectator experience — drive right up alongside the field, set up chairs and blankets, lay out a picnic and watch for free.

306002 24 St. W., Okotoks, 403-938-0182, calgarypoloclub.com

SOCCER Cavalry FC, Spruce Meadows Fall season runs July 6 to Oct. 19 Calgary’s new professional men’s soccer team kicks off its fall season this month. Take the free Red Arrow shuttle from Somerset/Bridlewood CTrain station, or drive your own vehicle to the games. Either way, coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. suggests arriving early enough to check out the beer and food tents, music, team merchandise shop and more at Spruce Meadows lower plaza. —A.W. 18011 Spruce Meadows Way S.W., 403-974-4567, cavalryfc.canpl.ca 30

avenueJULY.19

WHAT 5 km, 25 obstacles.

WHEN July 27.

WHERE Spruce Meadows.

WHO Reasonably fit people who

want to crawl through mud, climb obstacles and lend a hand to fellow racers.

WHY Because after you jump through fire and run up the warped wall, there is a huge party. ruggedmaniac.com

Spartan Race WHAT 5 or 13 km, 20 to 25 obstacles.

WHEN Aug. 10 and 11.

WHERE Wild Rose Motocross Park.

WHO Competitive obstacle course racers who like teamwork and don’t mind getting dirty. Newbies can start with the “sprint distance.”

WHY The competition, the camaraderie and because you saw it on TV. spartanrace.ca

Run to the Taps WHAT 6, 8 or 10 km, 7 craft breweries.

WHEN Aug. 17 (night run) and Aug. 25 (afternoon run).

WHERE Various breweries in Calgary.

WHO Anyone who likes to take a beer break while they exercise.

WHY Because you get to run to a local brewery, rest, drink and move on to the next. Or because you’re in “training” for next year’s Half Corked Marathon in the Okanagan. stampederoadrace.ca

Ultra Night Run WHAT 5 or 10 km.

WHEN Sept. 6.

WHERE South Glenmore Park.

WHO Serious and casual runners

who like chip timing, glow sticks and running at night.

WHY To savour the celebratory beer at the finish-line party wearing your provided headlamp. ultranightrun.ca

Beat Beethoven WHAT 8 km, or a 50-minute CPO performance of music

by Beethoven.

WHEN Sept. 12.

WHERE Jack & Jean Leslie Riverwalk, East Village.

WHO Those who like to run to music and support the arts.

WHY Last year, it raised $13,000 for the CPO and its PhilKids program, plus there’s a swag-filled, wine-themed after-party in a tent at Fort Calgary. —J.M. calgaryphil.com

Sinister 7 Ultra photograph by Raven Eye Photography courtesy of Sinister Sports

THERE ARE SOME GREAT SPECTATOR SPORTS PLAYED THROUGH THE SUMMER IN CALGARY AND THE SURROUNDING AREA. MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THESE INSIDER TIPS.

Sinister 7 Ultra, Crowsnest Pass.

19-00371949

We’re really into 17th Ave. for street food, tasting menus and digging in.

17th Ave. is a vibrant district and we’re committed to keeping it that way. From new sidewalks, crosswalks and sitting areas, to upgrading utilities, improving intersections and pedestrian lighting, we’re making this popular spot a fun and safe place to be. Visit calgary.ca/17ave for more information.

17th Ave. is open for business. Come join us.

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Set Sail in

Style

Layered looks for evenings on board Heritage Park’s historic S.S. Moyie paddlewheeler.

AD

32 avenueJULY.19

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Jared Sych STYLING BY Taylor MacDonald MAKEUP AND HAIR BY Sarah Francis MODELS Bella O. (MODE MODELS) AND David S. (I MODEL MANAGEMENT)

Alice and Olivia knit jacket, $488, wide-leg pants, $385, and Parker cotton dress (worn as blouse), $398, all from Saks Fifth Avenue; Trippen sandals, $335, from gravitypope; scarf, $115, from Beyond Scarf.

OPPOSITE (ON HIM) Naked & Famous Denim pants, $165, Saturdays New York City shirt, $225, both from Simons; Barena jacket, $635, Oliver Spencer belt, $199, Engineered Garments scarf, $95, all from Understudy; Maison Margiela shoes, $630, from Saks Fifth Avenue.

(ON HER) Theory sweater, $291, and pants, $360, Akris vest, $6,490, all from Holt Renfrew; Trippen sandals, $310, from gravitypope; Bailey Nelson sunglasses, $145, from Bailey Nelson; yellow-gold hoop earrings, $1,480, and Roberto Demeglio bracelets, $645 to $5,950, all from Brinkhaus.

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34

(ON HER) A.L.C. jumpsuit, $514, Smythe top, $325, Manolo Blahnik shoes, $555, all from Nordstrom; Lack of Color visor, $170, from Leo Boutique.

(ON HIM) Norse Projects shirt, $159, from Understudy; Suitsupply pants, $14, from Man of Distinction; gravitypope shoes, $185, from gravitypope; Bailey Nelson sunglasses, $145, from Bailey Nelson.

OPPOSITE (ON HER) Rag & Bone dress, $730, Vince blouse, $450, Valentino shoes, $1,300, BP. earrings, $29, all from Nordstrom; socks, stylist’s own.

(ON HIM) Boss by Hugo Boss shirt, $150, and suit (only pants only shown), $717, Ted Baker jacket, $237, Good Man Brand shoes, $248, all from Nordstrom; Plainsbreaker socks, $10, from Plainsbreaker; Bailey Nelson sunglasses, $175, from Bailey Nelson.

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(ON HIM) Comme des Garçons tee, $110, Eleventy polo tee, $295, J. McLaughlin shorts, $295, Prada hat, $395, Hugo Boss belt, $198, all from Holt Renfrew; gravitypope sandals, $210, from gravitypope; socks, stylist’s own; H. Moser & Cie Venturer Small Seconds XL watch (1/100), $34,900, from J.Vair Anderson Jewellers.

(ON HER) Smythe jacket, $695, Red Valentino blouse, $395, and skirt, $695, Salvatore Ferragamo scarf, $460, all from Holt Renfrew; Lauren Ralph Lauren belt, $48, from Hudson’s Bay; Halmanera shoes, $360, from gravitypope; socks, stylist’s own; semper fidelis gold signet ring, $600, Bunz aquamarine platinum ring, $11,700, Ray Griffiths crownwork signet ring, $2,925, J. Vair Collection vintage 20-carat aquamarine and diamond broach, $21,000, all from J. Vair Anderson Jewellers.

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FASHION PAGES 32 TO 36

Bailey Nelson, 104 10 St. N.W., 403-285-9300 and CF Chinook Centre, 403-592-1500, baileynelson.com Beyond Scarf, 110, 815 17 Ave. S.W., 403-984-8888, beyondscarf.ca Brinkhaus, 823 6 Ave. S.W., 403-269-4800, brinkhaus.com gravitypope, 1126 17 Ave. S.W., 403-209-0961, gravitypope.com Holt Renfrew, The Core, 403-269-7341, holtrenfrew.com Hudson’s Bay, multiple Calgary locations, thebay.com J. Vair Anderson Jewellers, 409 3 St. S.W., 403-266-1669, jvairanderson.com Leo Boutique, 810B 16 Ave. S.W., 403-410-9236, leoboutique.com Less 17, 930 17 Ave. S.W., 403-228-9199, lessoneseven.com Man of Distinction, 115-12100 Macleod Tr. S.E., 403-523-0120; 1418 9 Ave. S.E., 403-454-3133; Unit 12B 49 Elizabeth St., Okotoks, 403-995-0616; manofdistinction.com Nordstrom, CF Chinook Centre, 587-291-2000, nordstrom.ca Plainsbreaker, The Core, 403-261-1624, plainsbreaker.com Saks Fifth Avenue, CF Chinook Centre, 403-440-2100, saksfifthavenue.com Simons, The Core, 403-697-1840, simons.ca Understudy, 1312 1 St. S.W., 403-452-7151, understudyshop.ca Check out the S.S. Moyie on a two-hour evening Captain's Cruise around the reservoir complete with live music and canapes, or the Monday morning dockside continental breakfast, which is followed by the first sailing of the week. Visit heritagepark.ca for details and tickets.

SOURCE

O N T HE C O V E R (ON HER) Maje skirt, $340, Sandro blouse, $320, sweater, $320, and sneakers, $445, all from Hudson’s Bay CF Chinook Centre; Paco Rabanne rain jacket, $430, from Simons; socks, stylist’s own.

(ON HIM) Norse Projects jacket, $650, A.P.C. sweater, $220, and pants, $315, all from Less 17; Common Projects shoes, $540, from gravitypope.

SUMMER FUN GO-BAG PAGE 27 The Apothecary in Inglewood, 921 9 Ave. S.E., 403-453-0313, the-apothecary.ca Best Buy, multiple locations, bestbuy.ca Canary Refillery and Zero Waste Market, 1225A Kensington Rd. N.W., canarygoods.ca Fieldstudy, 102, 1812 4 St. S.W., 587-356-2134, fieldstudyshop.com Guildhall, 1222 9 Ave. S.E., 403-454-4399, guildhallhome.com Lee Valley, 7261 11 St. S.E., 403-253-2066, leevalley.com Leo Boutique, 810B 16 Ave. S.W., 403-410-9236, leoboutique.com The Livery Shop, 1119 10 Ave. S.E., 403-453-7711, theliveryshop.com Liz &Lottie, 537 Riverfront Ave. S.E., 403-263-0800, lizandlottie.ca London Drugs, multiple locations, londondrugs.com MEC, 830 10 Ave. S.W., 403-269-2420; and 710, 19587 Seton Cres. S.E., 403-523-7258, mec.ca Recess, 1323 9 Ave. S.E., 587-433-4226, recessshop.ca

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t’s summertime. You’re out enjoying the sunshine, riding your bike down one of the city’s beautiful paths, getting some healthy exercise. Then you smell it: that unmistakable smudge of charcoal in the air. Or maybe you hear it, spitting away on some unseen backyard grill, its sizzling siren song making your stomach growl with longing. You try to deny it. Vegetables, you tell yourself, peddling faster. CHICKEN BREAST. But the smoke curls around you, taunting you. You know you want it, the smoke seems to whisper.

Steak. And not just any old piece of grocery store meat flung on a grill, either. No, you want the good stuff, that succulent piece of Canada Prime, charred on the outside, pink on the inside, that you get at a true steak house.

Is your mouth watering yet? Well, don’t be too hard on yourself. Beef is practically a birthright ’round these parts, as synonymous with Alberta as the prairie grasses it grazes on. Even in this age of watching what we eat and worrying about the environment, Calgarians can’t help stampeding to steak houses, especially at this time of year. And can you blame us? Alberta beef is a global brand, and with good reason.

We have the best steak on the planet and everybody knows it.

That means we’re spoiled for choice, with literally dozens of great places to get a steak.

So how do you choose, and what should you order when you get there? In this meaty feature, we’ll give you the full 411 on everything from our favourite steak houses to the best cuts. We’ll take you through some terms of the trade with the help of some of YYC’s preeminent steak gurus. And then we’ll go global, taking a tour of the city’s Brazilian steak houses, as well as a what’s what of steak dishes from around the world.

Hope you saved room, ’cause it’s gonna be a full helping.

WHAT’S AT STEAK 38

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BY Erin Tettensor RESTAURANT PHOTOGRAPHY BY Jared Sych

7 GREAT PLACES FOR STEAK

HY’S STEAKHOUSE

CAESAR’S STEAK HOUSE

The OG classic steak dinner: T-bone with green salad, baked potato, to-diefor garlic toast at Caesar's.

This Calgary institution doesn’t shy away from its old-school vibe. In fact, it’s leaning in hard.

Caesar’s is all about tradition, from showcasing the grill master in the dining room to preparing and serving your Caesar salad tableside. The restaurant prides itself on consistency, as well it should — many of its grill masters and servers have worked there for decades, and the menu features sides and starters that were crowd favourites when your grandparents dined there. Even its relationship with its High River-based beef processor goes all the way back to the beginning. That experience shines through in the execution.

Steaks are cut to order and grilled to perfection right there on the floor. The filet mignon is almost impossibly tasty, with a thick, well-seasoned crust and melt-in-your mouth centre. We asked about the seasoning, but second-generation co-owner Connie Giannoulis-Stuart was understandably coy: “It’s my father’s recipe,” she says. “He wouldn’t even tell me until a couple of years ago.”

Caesar’s doesn’t scrimp on the sides, either, offering onion soup, green salad, a baked potato, and that to-die-for garlic toast with every steak.

We went with the scampi starter (a favourite of your faithful reporter’s father’s) and the tableside Caesar salad. The emperor was pleased.

Butcher’s cut with chimichurri at Charcut.

CHIMICH URRI CHARCUT

and Willow Park Village, 110

Yes, we’re cheating a bit here since Charcut isn’t technically a steak house. But if prime rib is your go-to, then you owe it to yourself to try Charcut’s slow-roasted, charcoal-smokeinfused prime rib with roasted garlic and rosemary jus. Cochefs John Jackson and Connie DeSousa start it on the rotisserie, then finish it in a wood smoker, adding extra depth to the flavour. It’s rich, decadent and incredibly satisfying. And hey, there’s steak on the menu, too, including a grilled tenderloin and a rotating butcher’s cut with chimichurri.

We paired our prime rib with Charcut’s famous duck-fat poutine, as well as a deliciously sweet and savoury roasted squash with Padano cheese. If you prefer larger format steaks, head over to Charcut’s sister restaurant, Charbar, where you can snag a 60-to-100-day “ultra-dry-aged” porterhouse done on a wood-fired grill.

10816 Macleod Tr. S.E., 403-278-

101, 899 Centre St. S.,

3930, caesarssteakhouse.com

403-984-2180, charcut.com

512 4 Ave. S.W., 403-264-1222,

If you eat enough beef, you’re bound to come across chimichurri, a vibrant sauce that is often used as a marinade or as an accompaniement to steak dishes. Originating in Argentina, chimichurri traditionally contains olive oil, fresh parsley and garlic with red-wine vinegar, oregano and peppers.

Another fixture of Calgary’s dining scene, Hy’s has been around since 1955 (albeit with a hiatus between 2006 and 2014). While it boasts one of the city’s loveliest dining rooms, let’s not kid ourselves — you’re here for the steak, and you won’t be disappointed.

The menu covers all the steak house bases, including some old-school favourites like steak Diane (flambéd tableside in brandy), beef Wellington (topped with foie gras and baked in puff pastry) and steak Neptune (topped with crab meat and hollandaise).

There are plenty of classics among the sides, too, but also some welcome upstarts, such as fried rice and the genuinely inspired Gorgonzola macaroni.

Our hands-down favourite was the perfectly seasoned cremini mushrooms, which paired beautifully with the 22-ounce porterhouse. Like all of Hy’s steaks, the porterhouse is Prime grade and aged at least 28 days. Recently, Hy's has added a 60-day dry-aged bone-in rib-eye to the menu, which gives us a great excuse to go back and have another crack at those mushrooms.

The Core, corner of 8 Ave. and 3 St. S.W., 403-663-3363, hyssteakhouse.com

Inside Hy's.

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GREAT

LE PETIT BOEUF

In this beef-eating city, steak houses tend to be serious business: rich fabrics, dark wood, grand menus. But not so at Le Petit Boeuf, a darling light-filled French steak house in Mission, occupying the space where Suzette Bistro used to be. It’s the latest venture for owner Gilles Brassart and executive chef/ partner Dominique Moussu, whose mission was to create a casual space to share fresh, approachable and delicious French cuisine, showcasing whole-cow Alberta Prime beef.

Enter menu items like the mix grill for four, which includes côte de boeuf (a giant bone-in prime rib steak), grilled chicken, bone marrow, duck foie gras ravioli, and a choice of two potato dishes (either pommes frites, pommes purée, pommes Dauphine or gratin Dauphinoise). That platter, some great conversation and some quaffable wine is what Le Petit Boeuf is all about.

Chef Moussu’s mastery of French cooking is on full display with his “signature dish” — beef tenderloin topped with a foie gras ravioli and truffle sauce, served with mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables — seriously rich with none of the seriousness of a typical steak house.

2210 4 St. S.W., 403-802-0036, lepetitboeuf.com

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Chef Moussu's signature dish: Alberta beef tenderloin with foie gras ravioli and truffle sauce.

PLACES FOR STEAK

RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE

Sixteen-ounce ribeye, well-marbled for peak flavour and juiciness at Ruth's Chris.

MODERN STEAK

If there’s such a thing as a steak scientist, Modern Steak owner Stephen Deere might just be it. The methodical approach he brings to everything from breeding to feeding to grilling is on full display in his new Stephen Avenue location, from the Benchmark beef pamphlets at the door to the handy beef primer printed on the flipside of the menu.

Modern Steak works exclusively with three Alberta ranches — Benchmark Black Angus, Brant Lake Wagyu and Pine Haven Prime. All three have a distinct approach to raising beef: Modern Benchmark, a joint venture between Deere and Michael Munton, rancher and owner of Benchmark

Angus, raises grass-fed, grainfinished black Angus, all of it descended from Modern Benchmark’s very own bull (named “Premium,” natch), Pine Haven Prime is grass-fed all the way, while Brant Lake deals in wagyu.

Curious what the difference is? Order the filet trio, which features a cut from all three.

We did, and found ourselves arguing over our favourite. Since it was Sunday, we also treated ourselves to “The Tomahawk Experience,” a sinful 45-day dryaged bone-in rib-eye, because really, can you ever have too much steak?

107 10A St. N.W., 403-670-6873, and 100 8 Ave. S.E., 403-2443600, modernsteak.ca

VINTAGE CHOPHOUSE

Since opening its doors in 2003, Vintage has been one of the heaviest hitters on the Calgary restaurant scene, with good reason. Its chophouse cuts include all the greatest hits, and the beef is 100-per cent Canadian Prime.

Steaks are cut in-house and cooked on the grill, then seared on a flat top for an amazing crust.

Then they’re brushed with butter and finished with salt, for that extra hit of flavour.

In addition to serving Canada Prime, Vintage also features wagyu from Australia as well as a 14-ounce rib-eye of Tajima wagyu, a cross-breed of Tajima and Angus that chows down on barley for 400 days. We couldn’t decide between the New York striploin and the tenderloin, so we ordered the porterhouse, a whopping 36 ounces of amazing.

Equal parts classic and contemporary, Ruth’s Chris puts the sizzle in the steak house experience. Literally. “Our plates are heated to 500 degrees, so when the steak — finished in butter — comes out, you hear the sizzle and you smell it. It’s multi-sensory,” says Tim Collins, director of operations for the Calgary-owned restaurant.

Ruth’s Chris serves Alberta and U.S. mid-west Prime beef, and steaks are cooked at 1,800 degrees to sear in all the juices.

You can’t go wrong with ordering the tenderloin with its perfect micro-marbling, but if you’re looking to branch out, Collins suggests the ribeye, with one caveat: order it medium or medium-well.

“Most people order their steak medium-rare, but rib-eye needs more time for the fat to cook and melt.”

The motto at Ruth’s Chris is “come hungry,” and they’re not joking. The mouth-watering meat shares the stage with classic sides like asparagus with hollandaise and seriously decadent mashed potatoes, and what might be the city’s best crème brûlée. And speaking of the stage, Ruth’s Chris location adjacent to Vertigo Theatre and close to Arts Commons and the Saddledome makes it perfect for a pre-show (or pre-game) dinner — they can have you in and out in an hour if necessary.

Before 6:30 p.m. on weekdays and anytime on Sundays, you can take advantage of the prime time menu — two courses for $44 or three for $52, plus $10 glasses of wine.

Vintage also boasts an incredible list of sides. It’s hard to choose a favourite, but the charred bacon Brussels sprouts are up there. We could eat them like popcorn out of a bag, if only we hadn’t filled up on steak.

115 9 Ave. S.E. (second floor,

320 11 Ave. S.W.,

Calgary Tower), 403-246-3636,

403-262-7262,

ruthschrisalberta.ca

vintagechophouse.com

New York striploin with charred bacon Brussels sprouts at Vintage.

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WHAT’S YOUR BEEF?

Most of us have our favourite cuts of beef, but most of us also have no idea where those cuts come from on the cow. Beef is divided into sections called “primal cuts,” each with its own distinct texture. The tenderest cuts are farthest from the hoof, while firmer cuts come from the muscles that get the most exercise, such as those in the legs and shoulders. Some cuts require more effort to prepare, but in the right hands, each and every one of them can be transformed into something delicious.

7 6 8

7

5

FLANK

3

1

4

1

SIRLOIN

Lean and flavourful, sirloin is the go-to cut for a lot of steakbased dishes such as beef stroganoff and steak sandwiches.

2

SHANK

SHANK

7

The dish: Alcatra Try it at: Gaucho

8

1

CHUCK

Consisting of the neck, shoulder, cross rib and blade, chuck is one of the tougher cuts, but it’s packed with flavour. Pot roasts and stews are often made from chuck, and it yields some of the tastiest ground beef.

The dish: Flatiron steak Try it at: The Nash

2

42

BRISKET

3

RIB

This one includes crowd favourites such as rib-eye and prime rib — but we didn’t really need to tell you that, did we?

More marbling = more fat = more taste. Yum! The dish: Tomahawk (bone-in rib-eye) Try it at: Ruth’s Chris Steak House

4

PLATE

Tough and moderately fatty, brisket cuts are known to tenderize beautifully. It’s why brisket is the choice cut for Southern barbecue chefs and other cooks who use smokers and other low-and-slow cooking techniques.

Separated from the rib primal above, this cut also includes short rib and skirt steak. It’s a chewier bite, but it packs a lot of flavour, especially when it’s been marinated and nicely grilled.

The dish: Brisket (obviously)

The dish: Hanger steak

Try it at: Model Milk

Try it at: Saltlik

avenueJULY.19

5

The round tends to be lean and tough, but the upper portion, known as the rump cover, has an extra layer of fat, making it a prized cut in South American cuisines.

SHORT LOIN

You might say this baby’s a two-for-one special in that it incorporates some of the tenderloin as well as the firmer, more flavourful strip. The legendary T-bone is part of the short-loin family.

The dish: Porterhouse, (arguably the King of Steaks) Try it at: Open Range

6

ROUND

TENDERLOIN As its name suggests, this is the tenderest of all the cuts and usually the most expensive.

Though it doesn’t have the marbling of a rib-eye or striploin, it can be seared to a nice crust, and the meat melts in your mouth.

The dish: Surf & turf Try it at: Alloy

The dish: Rump steak Try it at: Pampa

SOME MORE “ADVENTUROUS” CUTS BEEF TONGUE Try it at: Shokunin (kushiyaki charcoal-grilled skewers)

BEEF TENDON Try it at: Great Taste Chinese (spicy beef tendon hot pot)

PRAIRIE OYSTERS

Try them at: Bottlescrew Bill’s (available seasonally during Stampede for the “Testicle Festival”)

Innovative orthodontic solutions and treatments designed especially for each and every patient’s unique smile.

Banker's Hall 403 253 2702 Calgary Northeast 403 248 2772 #110, 815-17th Ave SW www.beyondscarf.ca

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TERMS OF THE TRADE Certified Angus.

Canada Prime.

Dry-aged. Grain-finished. Steak-house menus can be peppered with enough jargon to confound even the most seasoned carnivore. Can’t make heads or tails of it? Fear not! We’re here to help you beef up your game.

ANGUS VS. WAGYU

Black Angus is practically synonymous with Alberta beef. A Scottish breed, Angus cattle are especially hardy, making them a good fit for cold Canadian winters. Modern Steak owner Stephen Deere likens it to wine: “It’s about planting the right grapes in the right place, and Angus are just really good for our climate here.”

“WAGYU IS In recent years, however, A HUGE MELTAngus has been getting a little IN-THE-MOUTH competition in the form of OF RICH, BUTwagyu beef. Wagyu can come TERY STEAK.” —Squawma from any of four types of JapaKavanagh, nese cattle, but its most distincVintage Chophouse tive feature is feed: wagyu cows are spoiled rotten their whole lives, feasting on barley usually until they’re fat and tender. That gourmet feed makes them more expensive, as does the time to market — where a grain-fed Angus takes about 16 months to reach your plate, wagyu can take up to three years.

But did we mention how tasty they are? “Wagyu is a huge melt-in-the-mouth of rich, buttery steak, full of flavour,” says Squawma Kavanagh, executive chef of Vintage Chophouse. And in case you’re feeling guilty about that extra fat content, apparently there are health benefits, too. “Wagyu contains a higher percentage of omega-3 and omega-6, and its increased marbling enhances the ratio of healthier monosaturated fats compared to regular beef.” We’ll take your word for it, Squawma, but you had us at “buttery.”

44

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DRY-AGED VS. WET-AGED

Though it might seem counterintuitive, your steak gets better with age. That’s because the aging process helps tenderize the meat, breaking down the connective tissue and bringing out the flavour.

Most beef is wet-aged, meaning it has been stored in a vacuum-sealed container for anywhere up to 28 days. John Jackson, chef and co-owner of Charcut reckons wet-aging works best for smaller, leaner cuts.

“We also like it for prime rib, where it cooks at a much slower rate and requires a higher moisture content,” he says.

The gold standard, though, is dry-aging. By releasing moisture, dry-aging concentrates the flavour, leaving the meat firmer and, well, beefier. The longer the meat is aged, the more intense its flavour becomes, and the more weight it loses — sometimes up to 50 per cent of the original piece of beef. That makes it a much more resource-intensive process, which is why AT 60 DAYS dry-aging is not as common.

OF DRY-AGING, YOU ACTUALLY But the results are worth it, GET A HINT OF yielding a tender, incredibly BLUE CHEESE.” flavourful piece of meat. And, —Barb Steen, Hy’s as those who work with dryaged beef know, the flavours can manifest in very interesting ways. “It’s really something special,” says Barb Steen, general manager at Hy’s Steakhouse.

“At 60 days [of dry-aging], you actually get a hint of blue cheese.”

GR

AIN-FED GR

ASS-FED

VS. They say you are what you eat, and that’s as true for bovines as for Homo sapiens. Cattle fed exclusively on grass are leaner than those that have grain in their diets. Since marbling (a.k.a. fat) is tasty, grain-fed beef tends to be more flavourful, but many diners prize grassfed beef as a leaner, healthier option — for humans, cows and Mother Earth.

Here in Alberta, cattle traditionally start out grass-fed and pasture-raised, taking full advantage of our natural prairie environment, before being “finished” on a grain-based diet. But unlike in the U.S. and eastern Canada, where “grain-fed” or “grain-finished” usually means corn, ’round these parts, it typically refers to barley. That rich, savoury barley flavour is what many consider to be the hallmark of Alberta beef. Grass or grain, Alberta cattle are getting the good stuff. “We have the best native grass in the world,” says Stephen Deere of Modern Steak. “We have the best water in the world and hands-down the best barley. The best inputs mean the best product.”

Prime VS.

AAA

AA

A

This isn’t a matter of “versus,” but rather different grades on the same scale, referring to the quality of the beef as graded by the Canadian Beef Grading Agency. At the very top of the scale is “Prime,” representing the top two per cent of all beef. In second place is AAA, followed by AA and so on. The main criterion separating these grades is fat content. “What we’re really looking for in the meat is marbling,” says Connie Giannoulis-Stuart, co-owner of Caesar’s. The more marbling, the higher the grade. “Marbling enhances tenderness and flavour and keeps the meat moist when it’s cooking, especially at high temperatures,” says Squawma Kavanagh of Vintage. Since grass-fed beef tends to have a lower degree of marbling, savvy carnivores know that a Prime rating necessarily means grain-fed or grain-finished.

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BRAZILIAN STEAK HOUSES

PAMPA BRAZILIAN STEAKHOUSE

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avenueJULY.19

The full rodízio gets you access to all the meats, plus the hot and cold salad bar. Come for the chimichurri-basted striploin, stay for the baconwrapped chicken thighs.

521 10 Ave. S.W., 587-354-3441, pampasteakhouse.com

Passadore Anderson Ximenes at Pampa.

BOLERO

GAUCHO

MINAS STEAKHOUSE

Opened back in 2007, Bolero was

Make sure to try the top sirloin

The churrasco menu has a wide

first on the Calgary scene. Come

(alcatra) and rump steak (picanha),

selection of meats, but don’t pass

hungry, because with 16 different

plus at least one type of chicken,

up the grilled pineapple (abacaxi),

kinds of charcoal-grilled meat,

lamb and pork. Oh, and the sau-

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Photograph by Jared Sych

W

e tend to think of cowboy culture as a uniquely North American phenomenon, but that’s not true. Brazil, along with its neighbours, Argentina and Uruguay, has a rich cowboy tradition built around gauchos — skilled horsemen with a reputation for courage, fierce independence and of course, a wild side.

With cowboy culture comes a taste for grilled meat, so it’s hardly surprising that Brazil is also known for its steak houses, or churrascarias, and especially for the dining experience known as rodizio, in which passadores (carvers) circulate among the tables with all sorts of tasty meats on a skewer.

Rodizio became popular throughout Brazil in the 1970s, especially with truckers. Tin-roofed shacks along the roadside offered skewers of charcoal-grilled meat to hungry truckers who could settle into plastic chairs and eat their fill. From these humble beginnings, a phenomenon was born.

These days, you can find rodizio in just about any major city, and Calgary is no exception. Though it has moved from the roadside into the dining room, the essence of the cuisine remains the same: a variety of meats served in their purest form, grilled and simply seasoned, often with just sea salt. If you’re a true carnivore, you can’t do much better. And did we mention it’s all-you-can-eat? Carvers pass by your table with huge churrascostyle skewers of steak, chicken, pork, and lamb, and they’ll keep coming until you flip over the red card on your table telling them to stop.

So, are you ready to get your meat sweat on, gaucho?

BEEF DISHES FROM AROUND THE WORLD ARGENTINA

CARNE ASADA Grilled and sliced steak, usually marinated skirt or sirloin, often served with chimichurri.

Try it at: Charbar

BELGIUM

STEAK FRITES Steak. Fries. What more do you need?

Try it at: Cassis Bistro

CHINA

GINGER BEEF Deep-fried strips of beef in a dark, sweet sauce.

Try it at: Silver Inn

FRANCE

BEEF BOURGUIGNON Stew braised in red wine (traditionally Burgundy).

Try it at: The Eden Bistro

INDIA

BEEF VINDALOO Very hot curry marinated in wine and garlic.

Try it at: Moti Mahal

ITALY

BISTECCA ALLA FIORENTINA A really, really big T-bone, traditionally grilled over wood or charcoal.

Try it at: Mercato

JAPAN

BEEF TATAKI Very rare steak seared on the outside and served thinly sliced.

Try it at: Ke Charcoal Grill

UK

BEEF WELLINGTON Tenderloin coated in pâté and wrapped in puff pastry.

Try it at: Wellington’s

USA

PHILLY CHEESE STEAK Thinly sliced beef with melted cheese on a hoagie, sometimes with sautéed peppers.

Try it at: Cowtown Beef Shack

VIETNAM

PHO Soup with rice noodles and thinly sliced beef added raw and cooked by the broth.

Try it at: Lemongrass West AvenueCalgary.com

47

PROFILE

BY Shelley Arnusch

As the inaugural recipient of an honourary Master of Fine Arts degree from the new Alberta University of the Arts, painter Alex Janvier continues the trailblazing path that began when he became the first Indigenous graduate of the former Alberta College of Art.

T

here is arguably no higher honour in the art world than being deemed a “master,” your creative output a “masterpiece.” Curators of the National Gallery of Canada felt the eminent Canadian painter Alex Janvier deserved that designation, exhibiting his work from 2016 to 2017 under the title “Modern Indigenous Master” (the show toured to the Glenbow in 2018). But then, this is an artist who, over the course of painting his Morning Star mural on the ceiling of the Canadian Museum of Civilization in the 1990s, was likened to perhaps the most famous master artist in history, earning the nickname “Alexangelo.”

Janvier has built up a weighty catalogue of honours and recognitions in his five decades as a professional artist. And this past spring, the octogenarian received yet another, when he was given the first-ever honourary Master of Fine Arts from the newly minted Alberta University of the Arts (formerly Alberta College of Art + Design) at its first official convocation ceremony in May. The honourary MFA is a recognition of Janvier’s grand artistic achievements, but also of his more humble, preAlexangelo beginnings as a student of the institution’s precursor, the Alberta College of Art (ACA). We caught up with Janvier while he was in town to accept the honourary MFA, completing a circle that began there in 1960, when he became ACA’s first-ever Indigenous graduate. The funny thing about that, he says, is it almost didn’t happen.

“See, halfway through I quit,” Janvier says.

“Disappeared. Nobody missed me.”

He had gone home. Back to the Cold Lake First Nations, Treaty 6 territory northeast of Edmonton, just a whisper west of the Saskatchewan border. Janvier was born there in 1935, and he still lives and works there today with his wife of 51 years, Jacqueline Janvier, executive director of the Janvier Gallery. His late father, a farmer and the last hereditary

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chief of Cold Lake First Nation, gave the young college dropout “the dirtiest job on the farm.” After two weeks of that, his father told him: “Go back and finish what you’ve started and don’t come back until you’re finished with it.”

So he did. And beyond graduation, Janvier has held those words close to his heart. “That’s my advice to anybody because that’s what I was given by a man who was the last traditional chief,” he says. It helps to explain how he has racked up such an impressively long list of highprofile public commissions, among them a diptych and site-specific installation at the Alberta Legislature Building finished earlier this year, and the awe-inspiring 45-footdiameter circle mosaic Tsa Tsa Ke K’e: Iron Foot Place at Rogers Place in Edmonton in 2016.

Painter Alex Janvier at the ceremony where he was awarded the first honourary MFA from the new Alberta University of the Arts.

Award ceremony photograph by Ken Heinbecker; profile photograph by Abdul Malik

Master of Art

“YOU GET UP IN THE MORNING, YOU RECOGNIZE YOUR HIGHER POWER, THEN YOU EAT YOUR PORRIDGE IN THE MORNING, OR SOMETIMES IN THE AFTERNOON — I DON’T ALWAYS GET UP ON TIME. BUT ONCE THE PAINTING STARTS, I’M SERIOUS.” —Alex Janvier

While there are scores of young artists — Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike — who would consider Janvier a sort of “art elder,” he is less inclined to take on that mantle.

“Well, I’m an artist that’s kind of getting old, that’s about it,” he says. “Eldership, it’s not easy. You have to earn that. There’s lots of responsibility. But if somebody wants advice, I do [give them advice] and that’s about as far as I go. But for the art, they’re on their own, just like I was.”

As for how he has stayed so creatively fertile well into his golden years, “well, it’s easy,” he says. “You get up in

the morning, you recognize your higher power, then you eat your porridge in the morning, or sometimes in the afternoon — I don’t always get up on time. But once the painting starts, I’m serious.”

Outside of the studio, Janvier tends not to be quite so serious. Asked if there is anything he’s working on currently, he gestures toward a half-finished fruit plate sitting to the right of his hand. “I’m workin’ on that,” he says with a chuckle. “And yeah, I’m trying to do this thing called retirement.” Another chuckle. “I can’t seem to get to that.”

AvenueCalgary.com

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M O U N TA I N S

Marina photograph by Andrew Penner; Sandon photograph by FieldandForest.co; fire department photograph by Kari Medig; S.S. Moyie photograph by FieldandForest.co

BY Andrew Penner

Kicking Back in Kaslo

Mixing alpine adventure with low-key living, this lakeside village in the West Kootenays offers an ideal escape from the urban rush.

S

nug in a sheltered cove along the west shore of Kootenay Lake, the village of Kaslo definitely leans a little left of centre. But it’s not just a place for long-haired freaky people. Outdoorsy types, artists, musicians, craft-beer enthusiasts, history buffs — anyone with an open mind and a taste for the off-the-beaten-path mountain life will take to this postcard-pretty place, where you can hear live music, ride your mountain bike, go for a paddle, ponder poetry over a pint and, well, you get the idea.

What to Do Familiarize yourself by walking around and checking out historic landmarks. Kaslo boasts two National Historic Sites: Kaslo Municipal Hall and the S.S. Moyie, the oldest intact passenger sternwheeler of its type in the world, which sits in a dry dock by the lake. Many of the Victorian buildings date back to the 1890s — the height of the silver boom. If you want to go deeper into the region’s mining history, visit the ghost town of Sandon approximately an hour’s drive westward. At the turn of the 20th century, Sandon was a city of 5,000 people with a couple dozen bars and brothels lining its muddy main drag. Today, a few ramshackle buildings, some scattered mine ruins and a cool little museum are about all that’s left.

Recreation in and around the lake is king in Kaslo and the

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT The Kaslo marina.

The ghost town of Sandon is located an hour’s drive west of Kaslo.

The Kaslo fire department is one of several historic buildings in town.

The S.S. Moyie, the oldest intact passenger sternwheeler of its type in the world, is a National Historic Site.

AvenueCalgary.com

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M O U N TA I N S

ABOVE The cedar-lined hot tub at The Sentinel boutique resort.

Where to Stay

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Cave maze at Ainsworth Hot Springs.

The Kaslo Jazz Etc. Summer Music Festival presents acts on a floating stage.

A covered bridge along the Kaslo River Trail.

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No surprise, there are no fancy five-star hotels or sprawling all-inclusives in Kaslo.

When hell freezes over Kaslo might do “big box,” but probably not even then.

Instead, charming guesthouses, lakeside wellness retreats and camping are your best bets for bedding down.

Seven km south of town on the tranquil, pine-lined shores of Kootenay Lake, The Sentinel is a quaint boutique resort with a wellness focus: “a peaceful place to recharge and reconnect,” is how the owners describe it. With a total of 10 guest rooms (seven lakeside), an amazing cedar-lined hot-tub and sauna and charm galore, this is Kaslo’s take on “extra.”

Right in the heart of town along the waterfront, the Beach Gables Guesthouse is another keeper, with beautiful lake views and themed-decor suites (including one that’s Victorian-themed). If you’re the camping kind, the Kaslo Municipal Campground, also in the heart of town, offers both serviced and un-serviced sites along the lakeshore.

Ainsworth photograph by David Gluns; bridge photograph by Andrew Penner; festival photograph by Kari Medig

beach at Kaslo Bay Park is a gem — on a hot day, this is right where you want to be. The park is the site of the awesome Kaslo Jazz Etc. Summer Music Festival held each year over the August long weekend. The festival has a unique set-up that turns the grounds of the lakeside park into an amphitheatre for a floating stage. If you love jazz, blues, progressive bluegrass, soul and so on, mark your calendar.

Paddling on Kootenay Lake — whether in a canoe, kayak, or on a stand-up paddleboard — puts Kaslo’s idyllic location into proper perspective. With the towering Purcell Mountains looming over the lake, flat-water paddling doesn’t get much better. Hit up Kaslo Kayaking & Adventure Centre for rentals, lessons and tours.

If you’re into caving, check out one of the guided tours at Cody Caves, which go deep inside a cave loaded with stalagmites, stalactites, and other unique formations. The tour base is located about an hour’s drive south of Kaslo. A post-adventure soak in the natural hot pools and awesome steam-filled cave maze at Ainsworth Hot Springs, located approximately 20 km south of Kaslo, is an ideal way to rejuvenate before heading back to town for dinner and drinks.

Hiking and mountain biking are also popular activities in the area. If you’re pressed for time, the Kaslo River Trail right in town is an awesome little stroll along a rushing river with two picturesque red covered bridges. Mountain bikers can connect to a sweet network of stunning single-track trails. Intermediate and advanced riders rave about Upper Strawberry Ridge, a rocky, technical trail high above the lake, however, it’s just one of dozens of riveting rides.

BELOW Taqueria el Corazon’s tinga de pollo tostada.

Tostada photograph courtesy of Taqueria el Corazon

Where to Eat (and Drink) Kaslo’s food scene is just what you expect, if what you expect isn’t hoitytoity fine-dining. What you will find is food that is local, fresh, organic, approachable and delicious.

Buddy’s Front Street Pizzeria is a cozy place where you can listen to live music and chow down on handstretched artisan pies loaded with fresh ingredients “grown as close to home as we can get them.”

Over at Taqueria el Corazon, local purveyors of traditional Mexican street food, delicious tacos are served on tortillas hand-made with 100-per cent organic corn flour. Try the mole poblano, an organic-chicken taco with a rich and decadent chili-chocolate sauce.

At the popular Bluebelle Bistro you can get Mexican-inspired fare in the morning in the form of heavenly huevos rancheros, which are dressed up with oven-roasted salsa and pesto potatoes. Later in the day, buddy-up to Bluebelle’s bison burger, a beauty and a beast topped with caramelized onions, feta, tomato tapenade and roasted-garlic mayo.

Whenever beer o’clock is, head to Angry Hen Brewing for some craftbrewed liquid love.

AvenueCalgary.com

53

FOREIGN CONCEPT ALTERNATIVE ASIAN DINING

From the moment you step into Foreign Concept it will be apparent that you are about to experience far more than an exceptional dining experience. You will be transported from the rigors of the everyday life.

Fresh, serene, timeless yet modern, Foreign Concept invites you to a unique Pan-Asian culture and community.

Our team of award-winning chefs play with flavours from across Asia, using locally-sourced ingredients, and modern cooking techniques. The clean, distinctive and subtle flavours honour colonial Vietnamese cooking with surprising flavours from across the continent.

1011 - 1 St. SW | 403-719-7288 | www.foreignconcept.ca

401 12 AVENUE SE | 403 264 6046 | @CARDINALEYYC | CARDINALE.CA 54

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55

WORKOUT

BY Carol Patterson PHOTOGRAPH BY Jared Sych

The Relationship-boosting Powers of E-Bikes As battery-powered assistance bikes grow in popularity, riders of mismatched abilities are rediscovering the joy of cycling together.

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N

ot so long ago, Ed Zoller would usually opt to stay home whenever his partner Hope Bishop headed out on her bike.

“I couldn’t keep up with Hope anymore,” Zoller says. But that all changed when he took the advice of a friend who suggested he try an e-bike. Also known among industry insiders as pedalec bikes (a hybrid of “pedal” and “electric”), e-bikes provide battery-powered

assistance as you pedal, up to a maximum assisted speed of 32 kilometres per hour. The more you pedal, the more the bike helps you. “You can go wherever you want and you don’t need to get off and push up hills. It got me out exercising a lot more, seeing scenery and enjoying fresh air,” Zoller says.

Mostly, he enjoys being back on the road with Bishop. “It’s a sport you can do together,” he says.

GOING G R EEN One easy way to try out an e-bike is to go downtown and give a Lime Bike a spin. Operating in the city since last fall, bright-green Lime Bikes are by-the-minute-rental e-assist bikes that users check in and

“It gave me the confidence to tackle longer and harder bike rides.

I’ve ridden more post-op than I did before the surgery.”

out of using a smartphone app.

The bikes are equipped with GPS, wireless technology and electronic locks, as well as Neoprene hand-warmers for chilly rides. —Shelley Arnusch

—Nadia Smiley, co-owner of BikeBike

Sean Carter and Nadia Smiley, owners of BikeBike, a local e-bike retailer.

The fact that e-bikes are an athletic equalizer among mismatched riders is one of the reasons sales are surging — with an e-bike, cyclists who are less fit, or those who have health issues or disability challenges, don’t have to worry about hills or headwinds preventing them from keeping up.

Sean Carter and Nadia Smiley, partners in life and in business at Inglewood-based cycling store BikeBike, say their e-bike sales more than doubled

between 2016 and 2017, then doubled again in 2018. The store also retails cargo e-bikes, which can be equipped with racks and baskets for extra carrying capacity and seating for kids. This more functional style of e-bike is popular with families for running errands as well as for going on longer rides with kids who can’t keep up individually.

Smiley, who suffers from ulcerative colitis, has also embraced e-biking. Her medical issues had previously made her apprehensive about riding beyond very short distances. She tried out an e-bike after undergoing surgery. “It gave me the confidence to tackle longer and harder bike rides,” she says. “I’ve ridden more post-op than I did before the surgery.”

Through BikeBike, Smiley has also witnessed other cyclists turning to e-bikes on account of health or disability issues. “One of our customers who’s missing part of a leg has a recumbent e-bike,” she says. “People with multiple sclerosis [who are] weak on one side find e-bikes allow them to bike with their friends again.”

Multigenerational families are also using e-bikes to ride together. Calgarian Carol Meibock first tried e-biking while on holiday in Austria with her husband Tony and their daughter. Though Carol had once been ranked fifth in long jumping in Canada, she had let sports fall to the wayside in her life. Nagging back pain from a car accident also kept her on the sidelines.

When the Meibocks’ daughter suggested a family bike ride during their vacation, the thought of

cycling the hilly alpine roads seemed daunting to Carol. It was Tony who suggested she rent an e-bike. “It was the best experience,” Carol says, “for the visual pleasure and the feeling that I can do it.”

Back in Calgary, the Meibocks have continued biking (in Carol’s case, e-biking) together. “It’s nice to feel athletic again,” she says. “On an e-bike, I’m able to blow past Tony — he’s an ex-Olympian speed skater and I could never do that before on a regular bike. I didn’t expect to get into such good shape [with an e-bike] but you’re always working. Now, on the weekend, we have our coffee and plan a bike ride; all of a sudden we have this whole new dimension to our relationship.”

Bishop is also glad to have revived this part of her relationship with Zoller. As a former 1,500and 3,000-metre runner who competed at the international level, Bishop still has a competitive fire in her that naturally extends to her cycling.

“I love the fact we can go out together,” she says.

“It has provided a challenge to both of us. We’ll be on a hill and Ed’s right beside me and it pushes me to work harder.”

Beyond working out together, e-bikes can enhance a relationship in other ways. Carter recalls a date night with Smiley and their cargo e-bike, which has a front carrier with room for a couple kids — or, in this case, one adult.

“Nadia rode in the front and partied away while I cycled her to a restaurant,” Carter says.

“We wore our best clothes!”

AvenueCalgary.com

57

DECOR

BY Hannah Kost PHOTOGRAPHY BY Jared Sych

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BELOW Clockwise from top left, Kirsten Simpson (of Leonard Development Group), Kale Bandura holding baby Elizabeth, Aaron Barnes (of Leonard Development Group), Rod Leonard and Pamela Leonard.

A HOME IN BLOOM The main floor of this home in Marda Loop has been transformed into a flower boutique styled with vintage accents.

Once a modest bungalow, this Marda Loop home has been expanded and transformed into a live-work space with a French countryside aesthetic.

R

od Leonard of Leonard Development Group has nearly 25 years of experience as a homebuilder and interior designer.

But when it came to transforming a Marda Loop bungalow into a livework space for his mother Pamela, a florist and co-owner of the family-run business Gardenia Flower Boutique, there were unique challenges neither Leonard nor his business partner and husband Kale Bandura had encountered before.

“We originally just wanted to open a flower shop with a live-work space for mom,” Leonard says (he and Bandura are also partners in Gardenia).

“But [the City’s regulations mean] you can’t do a live-work space in a family house — you can only do it in multifamily. So we had to turn it into a three-plex.”

To create enough room for three apartment suites and the flower shop, Leonard and Bandura had to add more square footage, so they removed the roof and added a second storey. They then built a detached suite in the backyard that is currently being used as an office and also a downstairs Airbnb suite designed to meet the City’s strict building guidelines. The process took six months of long hours and hard work — even for the design-savvy couple — but Leonard says it was worth it to preserve the original home, which was integral to their vision. “If you can keep an old character home that has been around for over

a hundred years and repurpose it, I think it’s way more interesting for the neighbourhood to have a mix of new and old,” he says.

This philosophy of balancing modern and vintage carries through the redesign, not only in the building itself but in the decor choices.

On the main floor, the boutique’s white walls and charcoal accents provide a neutral canvas for the flowers that cover nearly every surface, even bursting from birdcages. A chandelier strung with white beads hangs from the vaulted farmhouse-style ceiling, lending an antique warmth. Pamela does her flower arranging in the workroom at the back of the shop, a space with an unexpected splash of colour: Leonard and Bandura chose to accent the shelving, tiles and wallpaper in shades of green and added a large antique gilded mirror for an effect that is both rustic and regal.

“We wanted it to feel like a tiny little flower shop in Europe,” Leonard says.

Bandura agrees: “That’s kind of what inspired it all,” he says, “and it’s carried through the vaulted ceiling, the workroom, the wallpaper and the colour scheme. That was the goal — to be kind of French-country.”

The upstairs apartment features a modern kitchen highlighted with cornflower-blue cabinetry, gold drawer-pulls and old-fashioned lighting.

The home’s original claw-foot bath is now in the AvenueCalgary.com

59

DECOR

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Custom cabinetry painted a vibrant blue evokes a farmhouse feel in the upstairs apartment kitchen.

RIGHT A claw-foot bathtub enhances the apartment’s country aesthetic while providing a statement piece. It is one of several elements that designers Leonard and Bandura preserved from the original home.

BELOW A staircase connects the upstairs home of florist Pamela Leonard to her main-floor workplace, Gardenia Flower Boutique.

The open doorway is a deliberate choice to allow the fragrance of the flowers to drift upstairs.

upstairs apartment bathroom amidst monochromatic flooring of hexagon tiles that evoke the shape of flower petals. “We made this space a bit more country up here for mom because she has a more country style,” Leonard says.

A garden patio leads to the backyard officesuite that Leonard says they designed to look more contemporary. The detached building is small, but the space is used thoughtfully: there is no wasted space, yet it doesn’t feel crowded. White walls lend airiness and the furniture Leonard and Bandura selected is understated, but functional.

Even with a full kitchen and dining nook, the suite still feels spacious. Leonard had the sliding door custom-built, but the original frosted window panes hint at the property’s signature vintage appeal. “It adds character that you just can’t replicate with a new house,” he says.

The build was indeed an undertaking, but Leonard and Bandura’s care and attention to detail certainly paid off — the shop, apartment and office spaces each feel individual yet cohesive, and the effort to maintain the original home has created a palpably warm atmosphere. “Because it has such a charm, I think a lot of people do feel really comforted when they come in,” Bandura says. “There’s so much more to take in than just what we’re actually selling.”

AvenueCalgary.com

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DECOR

HOW TO CREATE A FRENCH COUNTRY LOOK Tips from Rod Leonard and Kale Bandura on creating a look that feels country, not kitschy.

1. Juxtapose colours and textures. Light, bright walls paired with dark moldings are a signature of this style, which embraces both rustic woodwork and delicate elements such as floral wallpaper. Don’t be afraid to combine soft and bold colours from the same palette to create depth and texture.

2. Add rustic touches.

Farmhouse sinks, claw-foot baths and hexagonal tiles easily lend a hint of country charm to bathrooms and kitchens.

Likewise, shiplap ceilings can continue the theme throughout the rest of the house.

3. Use antiques or antique-looking statement pieces to add character. Create charming focal points with furniture featuring distressed wood, such as the bench in the centre of Gardenia Flower Boutique, and vintage accents like the large gilded mirror and chandelier.

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SOURCE DECOR PAGES 58 TO 62

OPPOSITE TOP The suite in the backyard, currently being used as an office, is decidedly modern and incorporates a full kitchen with industrial bar stools, chrome appliances and contemporary lighting.

OPPOSITE BOTTOM A small table by a window in the officesuite kitchen provides a sunny place to take a break, while colourful modern art contrasts with the neutral colour scheme.

ABOVE A wire decor piece created by designer and flower shop co-owner Rod Leonard is anchored directly into the wall.

Boutique, home and suite design by Leonard Development Group, 920 38 Ave. S.W., 403-774-7224, leonarddevelopmentgroup.com Flower boutique centre table from Chintz & Company, 1238 11 Ave. S.W., 403-245-3449, chintz.com Rugs from Homesense, mulitple Calgary locations, homesense.ca Chandelier from Circa Lighting, circalighting.com Flower cooler unit custom designed by Leonard Development Group Workroom table from Chintz & Company Wallpaper from DWA Interior Furnishings Inc., 501 36 Ave. S.E., 403-245-4014, dwainteriors.com Workroom shelving custom designed by Leonard Development Group Paint colour, Vine Green, from Benjamin Moore, multiple Calgary locations, benjaminmoore.com Antique chandelier in workroom purchased on eBay, ebay.ca Sink acquired from a renovation of Inglewood boutique Fresh Laundry (now Dept.); fixture from Wayfair, wayfair.ca Apartment kitchen custom cabinetry by M & L Custom Cabinet Construction, 515 36 Ave. N.E., 403-227-8108, mlcustomcabinets.ca Countertop from Prestige Granite & Stone, 5511 6 St. S.E., 403-243-1003, prestigegraniteandstone.com Barstools from Wayfair Apartment kitchen sink and fixture from Wayfair Backsplash from Saltillo Tile Calgary, 1212 26 Ave. S.E., 403-287-2100, saltillo-tiles.com Appliances from Trail Appliances, three Calgary locations, trailappliances.com Kitchen cabinet paint colour, Admiral Blue from Benjamin Moore Apartment flooring original from the 1910 home Office-suite kitchen backsplash from Saltillo Tile Calgary Countertop from Prestige Granite & Stone Barstools from Canadian Tire, multiple Calgary locations, canadiantire.ca Cire Trudon candle available from Gardenia Flower Boutique Round kitchen table from Homesense Flooring from Nu-Way Floor Fashions, 219 50 Ave. S.E., 403-252-3551, nu-wayfloors.com Doors and windows throughout from Lux Windows and Glass Ltd., 6875 9 St. N.E., 403-276-7770, luxwindows.com

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1012 17 ave SW // cibocalgary.com AvenueCalgary.com

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PAP E RM A N W I NE

NEW & NOTEWORTHY

BY Kait Kucy

Local Finds

try this

Perfect for summer picnic season, Paperman Wine is a local monthly subscription service that delivers unique European wines — along with a few surprises each month from local lifestyle and food partners — right to your door. The monthly kits range in price from $80 to $195 per month, depending on the number of bottles you order (one to three) and the length of time you subscribe (one, three, six or 12 months). Paperman also does corporate gifting. papermanwine.com

Libertine Fragrance

Perfume has the unique ability to change your mood with even the simplest or slightest scent.

Josh Smith of Edmonton created Libertine Fragrance as an outlet for creative expression as he explored the world of product design. His lineup of fragrances ($56 for roll-on perfume oils and $120 for eau de parfum) evoke a sense of romance and connection to nature, with mysterious names like Eros Fig, Soft Woods and Witch Doctor. All Libertine Fragrances are unisex and contain high-quality aromatic ingredients.

Available at Piece on Peace, 5 Spruce Centre S.W., 403-663-9433, pieceonpeace.com

Rowe Kids When it comes to clothing for little

Rowe Kids, a Calgary-based chil-

Frey Lamp

by Husted & Zingeler

dren’s clothing company founded

With a shared interest in sculptural form and object design, local artists

by parents Barbara Backman and

Kristine Zingeler and Kate Husted have melded their creative practices

Niall Forde, has created something

in a collaboration called Husted & Zingeler. The pieces combine Husted’s

that scores big in all three. Made

wheel-thrown pottery with Zingeler’s intricate line carvings to create a

locally of soft bamboo cotton stretch

product line that exhibits the duo’s explorations of texture and carved

fleece, the Zomper ($68) is a hooded

pattern. The Frey Lamp ($1,000) base is black stoneware thrown by

romper with an ankle-to-ankle zip-

Husted and glazed in matte white with Zingeler’s Frey pattern carved into

per making it easy for quick diaper

it. “We wanted the lamps to feel contemporary but warm, like something

changes or bathroom breaks. The

worthy of becoming an heirloom,” says Husted. Each lamp is finished with

Zomper is available in sizes ranging

brass hardware, a white linen shade and black cloth cord, making it an eye-

kids, parents hope for three things: comfort, cuteness and practicality.

from three months to two years old.

catching piece for anyone looking to add artful lighting to their home.

Available at rowekids.com

Available at katehusted.com/shop/ or kristine-zingeler.com/shop/

6 4 avenueJULY.19

TILE

MOSAICS

BATH

LAMINATE & HARDWOOD

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WORK OF ART

TITLE: Herald/ Harbinger, 2018.

CURATED BY Katherine Ylitalo

ARTIST: Ben Rubin and Jer Thorp.

MEDIUM: Steel, granite, sound, sensors, software, electronics, LEDs. SIZE: The work encompasses the entire interior and outdoor plazas of its office tower host site.

LOCATION: Brookfield Place Calgary, corner of 7th Avenue and 1st Street S.W.

W

elcome to one of the most unusual, complex and engaging works of art in Calgary today.

Herald/Harbinger is located downtown in the outdoor plaza at Brookfield Place where the Calgary Herald Building once stood. Using three different forms of data-based art — audio feed, paving design and LED light display — operating on location in real time, this artwork brings audible news of Bow Glacier activity and acts as an oracle about the relationship between the shrinking glacier, the Bow River and city life. The remarkable collection of data is transformed into experiences of sound, space and light.

Information inside the south entrance outlines the components of Herald/Harbinger. But to take in the full effect, sit on one of the 16 stone benches in the plaza. You may distinguish sounds that are surprising in the familiar urban soundscape: “crack,” “ping,” “rumble,” a long low groan, perhaps a lyrical trickle of water. These strange noises emanating

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from speakers beneath you are actually collected and transmitted from a solar-powered sensor on the Bow Glacier and arrive downtown via satellite within minutes.

Light-coloured curving bands embedded in the gently sloping surface of the plaza suggest a topographical map. They indicate lines of pressure within the glacier. Visible through the south windows of the building, an overhead display of seven vertical LED light columns switch between modes that translate three sets of data: the glacier’s activity, vehicular traffic along 14 routes of downtown office workers’ daily commutes and pedestrian movement across the plaza.

Herald/Harbinger is the result of a collaboration between Ben Rubin and Jer Thorp. Artist and designer Rubin is currently director of the Center for Data Arts at The New School in New York City, a creative hub for research, art and design. You could say that Herald/Harbinger answers the question posed on the Center’s website: “What cognitive and sensory technologies

can help us grasp and feel the fabric of information around us?” The experience in the plaza of listening to Herald/Harbinger’s contemporary duet between the glacier and the city in real time can be both beautiful and disturbing.

Thorp is an Edmonton-born artist, writer and educator who began his career in Vancouver, moved to New York and now serves as Innovator-In-Residence at the U.S. Library of Congress. In an essay on the process of making this piece, he concludes, “Herald/Harbinger is a living wake. In 50 years or so the Bow Glacier will have receded up to the level of our seismic station. In the years after that, the signal from the mountain will start to grow quiet. Eventually the sounds of the ice will fade, and the plaza will again sound only with the sounds of our footsteps and the thrum of our vehicles. Until then, the Bow has a voice in the city.”

Photograph courtesy of the artists, inset photograph by Brett Gilmour

Herald/Harbinger

Welcome to your happy place.

~

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