Avenue Calgary September 18

CITY| LIFE| STYLE| CALGARY

SEPTEMBER 2018 | $4.95 AVENUECALGARY.COM

GREAT FALL LOOKS Fashion finds perfect for now ARTS VENUE GUIDE

Where to see live music, theatre, dance and comedy

LUXURY CONDOS

Why the penthouse is still the topseller

GET ON YOUR BIKE

4

mountain towns with hills that thrill

RISKY BUSINESS

Meet Theatre Calgary’s fearless artistic director

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F E AT U R E S

contents SEPTEMBER 2018

avenue

CITY| LIFE| STYLE| CALGARY

SEPTEMBER 2018 | $4.95 AVENUECALGARY.COM

GREAT FALL LOOKS Fashion finds perfect for now ARTS VENUE GUIDE

Where to see live music, theatre, dance and comedy

LUXURY CONDOS

Why the penthouse is still the topseller

GET ON YOUR BIKE

4

Meet Theatre Calgary’s fearless artistic director

PM# 40030911

55

ON T HE COVER

Fall fashions to get you ready for the season.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JASON ENG PAGE 82 Burberry wrap dress, $2,295, and caramel-leather trench coat, $4,495; and Prada gold wire-frame sunglasses, $590, all from Holt Renfrew.

Building Interest A look at some of the buildings and structures in Calgary that have garnered architectural awards and how these award winners contribute to a more liveable city.

By Käthe Lemon and Victoria Lessard

46

60

64

If you play the real-estate game, luxury condos might be closest thing there is to a winning bet in Calgary. Here’s why that’s a good thing, even for homebuyers in the lower price ranges.

What’s new and exciting in the city’s postsecondary institutions right now, from mentalhealth programming and initiatives to ACAD’s debut as a university. Plus, a chat with outgoing U of C president Elizabeth Cannon.

Cruise into autumn with rich textures, warm colours and bold designs inspired by the runway looks for the season.

Hot at the Top

By Jessica Barrett

School Dazed

By Christina Freudenthaler 24

avenueSEPTEMBER.18

mountain towns with hills that thrill

RISKY BUSINESS

FALL FASHION

ON THE COVER

AvenueCalgary.com

25

D E PA RT M E N T S 30 EDITOR’S NOTE 32 CONTRIBUTORS 106 WORK OF ART

contents SEPTEMBER 2018

79

Dining Tasty tidbits about the dining scene, including a new brewery where the food goes way beyond bar snacks, a roundup of restaurants where plants are the premier ingredients and a look at the impressive art collection at Teatro.

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ARTS V ENUE Detours GUIDE How one Calgary illustrator is bringing yesterday’s popculture classics to life for today’s kids, plus, a Beltline café with quiet hours for reading and a special section about theatre, dance, comedy and music venues in the city in anticipation of the arts season ahead.

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Decor

Fall is an ideal time to take a mountain-biking road trip. Get inspired by epic trails in these four destinations, each paired with a locally brewed beer to toast the end of the ride.

After nursing a crush on one particular Calgary neighbourhood for three decades, a retired Calgary couple finally lands their dream home.

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Stephanie Nychka is an elite-level freestyle BMX rider gunning for a spot in the 2020 Tokyo games.

She’s also a mother of three and an entrepreneur.

On-trend wall coverings inspired by this month’s featured home.

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Do Calgary in comfort and style this season with these urban fall fashion essentials.

Locally handcrafted earrings, artisan concrete decor, Asian antiques and a 17th Avenue S.W. nail salon that turns your nails into tiny works of art.

Workout

74

Profile: Stafford Arima As Theatre Calgary kicks off its 51st season, there are high hopes for the new artistic director, who will be piloting the established company through a lineup that ranges from highrisk to no-risk fare.

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96

Mountains

Fashion + Function

Get the Look

New & Noteworthy

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This is not an offering for sale. Such an offering can only be made with a disclosure statement.

E. & O.E. AvenueCalgary.com

27

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

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 Editor Andrew Guilbert Assistant Editors, Digital Content Alyssa Quirico, Alana Willerton Staff Photographer Jared Sych Production Designer Rebecca Middlebrook Editorial Interns Hadeel Abdel-Nabi, Matthew Coyte, Tina Shaygan

S U B S C R I P T I ON S

Top 40 Under 40 Intern Christina Freudenthaler

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Digital Intern Vanessa Nim Fact Checker Alex Rettie Contributors Karen Ashbee, Jessica Barrett, Aldona Barutowicz, Kara Chomistek, Elizabeth Chorney-Booth, David Dean, Jason Eng, Christina Frangou, Kait Kucy, Victoria Lessard, Jessie Li, Citlali Loza, Katie Matson, Mateusz Napieralski, Karin Olafson, Andrew Penner, Katherine Ylitalo, Maddison Zapach Print Advertising Coordinator Erin Starchuk, production@redpointmedia.ca Sales Assistant Robin Cook, rcook@redpointmedia.ca

A DV ERT I S I N G I N QU I R I E S Phone: 403-240-9055 x0 Toll Free: 1-877-963-9333 x0 advertising@avenuecalgary.com AvenueCalgary.com

Director, National Sales Lindy Neustaedter Account Executives Elsa Amorim, Melissa Brown (on leave), Jocelyn Erhardt, Deise MacDougall, Anita McGillis, Caren Mendyk, Chelsey Swankhuizen Production Manager Mike Matovich Digital Advertising Specialist Katherine Jacob Pickering

Published 12 times a year by RedPoint Media & Marketing Solutions. Copyright (2018) by RedPoint Media & Marketing Solutions. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher.

Audience Development/Reader Services Manager Rob Kelly

Canadian Publications Mail Product Agreement No. PM 40030911.

Avenue is a proud member of the Alberta Magazine Publishers

Printing Transcontinental LGM Distribution City Print Distribution Inc.

Association, abiding by the standards of the Canadian Society of Magazine Editors. Visit albertamagazines.com.

Paid circulation is audited by the CCAB. REDPOINT MEDIA GROUP INC. President & CEO Pete Graves, pgraves@redpointmedia.ca Executive Assistant and Operations Manager Terilyn Lyons, tlyons@redpointmedia.ca Business Development Strategist Anita McGillis, amcgillis@redpointmedia.ca Client Relations Manager Sandra Jenks, sjenks@redpointmedia.ca Events & Marketing Coordinator Rebecca McDonald, rmcdonald@redpointmedia.ca Controller Cheryl Clark, cclark@redpointmedia.ca Accountant Marienell Lumbres, mlumbres@redpointmedia.ca Office Manager Anna Russo, arusso@redpointmedia.ca

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avenueSEPTEMBER.18

*Building rendering is artist’s interpretation only.

Architectural elements may vary from rendering shown.

1 + 2 BEDROOM CONDOS 2 + 3 BEDROOM LUXURY SINGLE LEVEL RESIDENCES COMING FALL 2018 TO UNIVERSITY DISTRICT

REGISTER TODAY FOR PRIORITY ACCESS

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AvenueCalgary.com

29

EDITOR’S NOTE

Survive and Thrive

G E T AV E N U E O N YO U R TA B L E T! To get the tablet edition, go to

F

or more than a year, the economists have been telling us that the recession is over.

All of the economic indicators are up, and Alberta’s GDP growth in 2017 was 4.9 per cent. And yet, we all know that we’re not back in the boom times.

In a boom-bust city, there’s little recognition of this period that is neither boom nor bust. It’s what in other cities passes for normal — slow steady growth. Here, it feels like stagnation. And yet, despite that feeling, there’s so much going on in every facet of city life here.

One part of the economic recovery that is closely watched by many is the price of real estate.

This past spring, Sotheby’s predicted that the luxury real estate market in Calgary was poised for significant growth. Jessica Barrett’s story on why you should care, even if you’re not in the market for a million-dollar apartment-style condo, starts on page 46.

September is Culture Month in Alberta and also the launch of the arts season. Check out our guide to the City’s performing arts venues in this issue and go to AvenueCalgary.com for

30

avenueSEPTEMBER.18

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

details about events or to sign up for our newsletters on what to do in the city.

This season also sees several new faces at the helm of Calgary’s performance companies including a new CEO and general director at Calgary Opera (Keith Cerney), a new artistic producer at Alberta Theatre Projects (Darcy Evans) and a new artistic director at Making Treaty 7 Society Mii-Sum-in-iskum (Justin Many Fingers).

Theatre Calgary has both a new executive director (Jon Jackson) and a new artistic director (Stafford Arima). I sat down with Arima to find out where he hopes to lead Theatre Calgary, now

Correction: the story "Your Guide to Local Spirits" in the August issue of Avenue included an interview with Christina Mah, bartender at Klein/Harris about the restaurant's Tiki Horse cocktail. The article misquoted Mah describing the drink and misspelled one of the ingredients.

The cocktail is a tiki-style drink that includes peach falernum.

in its 51st season. While he’s relatively new to Calgary, having lived in New York from 1997 to 2017, his open and welcoming approach and willingness to take risks make him seem very much at home here. That story starts on page 74.

In this issue we also cover some of the news at Calgary’s post-secondary institutions, take a look at fall fashion trends with local model Sarah Abt, and get a taste of restaurant updates.

We’d love to hear from you about the direction the city is going and what you’d like to see happen in this not-quite-boom, but certainlynot-a-bust time.

Photograph by Jared Sych; hair and makeup Citlali Loza (Artists Within); jewellery supplied by Brinkhaus. For information turn to page 100.

avenuecalgary.com/tabletedition.

R E A LTO R S W E LC O M E

AvenueCalgary.com

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NEXT ISSUE

October

2018

CONTRIBUTORS JASON ENG Jason Eng is a Calgary-based commercial photographer with a focus on fashion, lifestyle and portraiture.

He graduated from ACAD with a bachelor of design in 2008. Primarily specializing in campaign and editorial work, Eng thrives in a collaborative on-set environment, whether he’s photographing a brand such as Hugo Boss or a local independent designer. You can see more of his work at jengphoto.com.

JESSIE LI AND KARA CHOMISTEK Jessie Li and Kara Chomistek are co-founders of PARK, an organization that has grown to include styling services, a production house, a not-for-profit and a store.

Their committed appreciation for storytelling through beautiful and meticulously executed imagery can be seen in both their professional and creative portfolios, from commercials, to advertising campaigns, to events and beyond. To learn more about the PARK creative community visit ourparkonline.com.

Winter is coming and there’s no time to lose when it comes to planning the perfect mountain adventure.

MATEUSZ NAPIERALSKI Mateusz Napieralski is a multidisciplinary designer working across illustration, animation and graphic design. After working for a number of design studios, he established his own practice, Gust of Wind Studio,

THE HIGH PRICE OF SUCCESS

in 2015. Napieralski works predominantly for clients from the advertising, education, tech and arts and cul-

In the wake of a number of high-profile

ture sectors. In his work, he likes to play with geometry,

suicides and a growing unease about the

bold shapes, bright colour palettes and endless layers.

strain that high-powered careers put on

He splits his time between design work and educating

executives and entrepreneurs as well as

others at Alberta College of Art + Design.

their families, we look at the personal toll of professional success.

HUSTLE, HUSTLE

MADDISON ZAPACH Born and raised in Calgary, Maddison Zapach is an avid

Whether it’s the marketing executive

skier, skater and tobogganer who is currently pursuing

starting a brewery or the banker with

a bachelor of commerce degree from the University of

an Etsy shop, everyone seems to have

British Columbia. Her other interests include amateur

a side hustle these days.

Spanish filmmaking, dirt biking, musical theatre and grammar-policing. Zapach spends her summers working at a family retreat centre located on Keats Island, B.C., where she has been endorsed for “singing silly camp songs” and “being insufferably loud when necessary” on her LinkedIn profile. She aspires to someday sell a successful screenplay.

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Mountains photograph by Eric McRitchie; Jessie Li and Kara Chomistek photograph by Jared Sych

M O U N TA I N S W I N T E R GUIDE

ON THE WEB

e q s†udio

Lunchbox Theatre photograph by Benjamin Laird

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ONLINE EVENTS CALENDAR Plan your fall with our searchable database full of events from the upcoming fall arts season.

AvenueCalgary.com/Calendar

/avenuecalgary @avenuemagazine @avenuemagazine

Stop mullion it over already!

Time is running out! Shape our city’s future by inscribing your New Central Library window.

Purchase your window by September 21st to ensure installation for opening day on November 1st.

mylibrarywindow.ca 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 AvenueCalgary.com

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DETOURS

An illustration by Kim Smith from the kids’ book based on the movie E.T., the Extra-Terrestrial.

Pop-culture Storytime

A

lot has changed since the 1980s and 1990s. Advancements in technology allow today’s kids to experience the world through different media than their parents did. But as so many classic books become movies, a Calgary woman is bucking the trend and turning classic movies and TV shows into storybooks.

Kim Smith is the official illustrator for Quirk Books’ Pop Classic Picture Book series.

Her children’s book treatment of Home Alone, released in 2015, has sold more than 100,000 copies. Since then, Smith has also brought to life such modern classics as Back to the Future, E.T., the Extra-Terrestrial and The X-Files, and has a Buffy the Vampire Slayer book coming out

this month. “The Buffy project was fun because I loved the show in high school. It felt like I was doing fan art,” says Smith.

As a fan of many of the source materials, Smith incorporates things she loves into her illustrations — Buffy’s necklace from season one or E.T.’s distinct lighting scheme, for example.

As Smith knows, a picture is worth a thousand words — and in the case of her books, some of those words are in French. The rights to the Home Alone book have also been sold in Albania, Latvia, Hungary, Macedonia, Russia and Serbia.

Along with bridging a culture gap, the books also play a unique role in overcoming a generational gap, particularly if the source material is a bit scary in parts. “Parents are hesitant to intro-

duce their children to something like E.T. because it freaked them out when they were young,” Smith says, though this isn’t always the case. “A secondgrader came up to me and said, ‘I’ve seen all four X-File movies!’” she says. “I was pretty shocked.”

But the kids aren’t the only ones showing up for pop-culture storytime. “Even adults who aren’t parents are getting excited about the books,” Smith says. “I think it’s the nostalgia factor.” Aparently director Steven Spielberg has gotten in on the action. “Someone showed him the E.T. book,” Smith says. “He sent my publisher a signed copy, which they gave me!” —Maddison Zapach To see more of Kim Smith’ work go to kimillustration.com.

35 AvenueCalgary.com

DETOURS

Readers at Société Coffee Lounge.

do to

this month

CA R N I VAL CIRCLE

cinema and the newest addition to

SEPT. 8

Cineplex Eau Claire, 200 Barclay

Now in its fifth year, this renamed

Parade S.W. and Globe Cinema,

family-friendly event in the Currie

617 8 Ave. S.W., calgaryfilm.com

the program, youth-oriented films.

neighbourhood is not your typical of food trucks, a local-artisan

FE S T I VA L DOORS OPEN YYC

market and three stages of live

SEPT. 22 AND 23

music, attendees can cheer on

This is the first year that Doors

wiener dog races and learn cool

Open YYC is taking place over

circus tricks.

two days instead of one, giving

circlecarnival.com

Calgarians more opportunities to

carnival. In addition to a fleet

tour the spaces of participating

Curating a Quiet Café

36

avenueSEPTEMBER.18

SEPT. 11 TO 29

The Calgary Horticultural Society,

Alberta Theatre Projects’ 2018-

Fiasco Gelato and the non-profit

2019 season opener transports

Roots 2 STEM are just a few of

audiences back to Queen Eliza-

the venues allowing you to peek

beth I’s pre-coronation years

behind the curtain.

following her father’s death

Various locations, doorsopenyyc.org

throne. The thriller by Canadian playwright, director and actor

tions and City of Calgary facilities.

Heritage Inn International Balloon Festival.

Kate Hennig is a sequel to ATP’s season opener from last year.

Martha Cohen Theatre, Arts Commons, atplive.com

RAC E BEAT BEETHOVEN SEPT. 13 Honens laureate Luca Buratto.

The Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra playing Beethoven by the Bow River sounds like an

M U S IC HONENS FESTIVAL

idyllic outdoor concert, but it’s

AUG. 30 TO SEPT. 8

Calgary running race. Partici-

This festival is anchored by a

pants run eight kilometres while

triennial international concert

the CPO plays and afterwards,

piano competition. Festival goers

there will be a free concert.

FE S T I VAL HERITAGE INN INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FESTIVAL

can watch emerging pianists

East Village RiverWalk, runyyc.ca

SEPT. 26 TO 30

actually the backdrop for a new

compete throughout the week

Make the 45-minute drive to High

The Hockey Sweater set to live

FI LM CALGARY INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

piano music and a night where

SEPT. 19 TO 30

petition flights for the Canadian

you can hear concert musicians

Every year, CIFF brings out

Hot Air Balloon Championships

playing in a more casual venue.

thousands of cinephiles to watch

from the ground and check out

The festival wraps up with an

approximately 200 feature and

glowing, lit-up balloons during the

afternoon chamber music con-

short films. Genres represented

Night Glow event.

cert in Central Memorial Park.

include films made in Alberta and

heritageinninternationalballoon

Various locations, honens.com

Canada, documentaries, world

festival.com

and take in a range of free and ticketed events that include an accessible concert, a reading of

River for the largest hot-air-balloon festival in Western Canada. Festival attendees can book a flight on a hot-air balloon, watch com-

Société photograph courtesy of Société Coffee Lounge; Honens photograph by Monique de St. Croix; Heritage Inn International Balloon Festival photograph by Emma Lockyer

Société Coffee Lounge is at 1223 11 Ave. S.W.

businesses, charitable organiza-

and her brother’s rise to the

T

ucking into a cozy café with a good book and a latte is one of life’s simple pleasures, particularly on chilly fall and winter evenings. But readers can sometimes find themselves at odds with other customers who are there to socialize.

Société Coffee Lounge in the Beltline has addressed this by establishing quiet reading hours.

Société owner Huy Kha says the idea for quiet reading hours was suggested by one of the café regulars following a trip to Portland and Seattle, where it is common.

“I was on board as I’m a big reader myself,” Kha says. “It was something we wanted to try out in the café one night a week — come in for an hour and a half, no talking, just reading or studying, just to get a moment of quiet.”

Kha says an interesting aspect of the quiet hours is how the no-talking scenario actually encourages the clientele to be more social. “I noticed a lot of people reading similar books — a lot of fantasy and science-fiction. And it’s nice, everyone having conversations about the books afterwards,” he says.

Quiet reading at Société Coffee Lounge is reserved for the colder seasons and reading hours will resume this month on Monday nights. “It’s such a loud world these days,” Kha says. “It’s nice to have a little time to yourself.” —Tina Shaygan

T HE AT RE THE VIRGIN TRIAL

Openings BEER REVOLUTION Beer Revolution’s second Calgary location in McKenzie Towne has 24 beers on tap and 12 kinds of thin-crust pizza with toppings ranging from Vietnamese braised short rib to Montreal smoked meat.

180, 4307 130 Ave. S.E., beerrevolution.com

ETHAN ALLEN Relocated to Deerfoot Meadows, this interiordesign store spans 8,000 square feet and has in-house designers to help with furnishing your home.

400, 33 Heritage Meadows Way S.E., 403-258-2346, ethanallen.com

MADE BY MARCUS The local ice cream maker has opened a second shop in Hillhurst. Order a scoop of one of the seasonal flavours or some soft serve in a brown-butter waffle cone, or go for an exquisitely garnished sundae.

221 19 St. N.W., madebymarcus.ca

226 - 12100 Macleod Trail SE 403-453-2005 @moŎymariescalgary

Miniso.

Hello Friends, I would like to invite you to my very first season as Artistic Director at Theatre Calgary –

A Season of New Beginnings.

This year is bursting with engaging and captivating stories that I promise will open your minds and hearts to the power of live theatre. Join me for three World Premieres, a classic tale, a Broadway musical, and family favourite A Christmas Carol. I look forward to meeting you at the theatre and sharing my Season of New Beginnings with you all.

MINISO Chinese retailer Miniso’s first Calgary location is bursting with well-priced electronics, stuffed animals, skincare products, homedecor items and more.

11420 Sarcee Tr. N.W., 587-619-4244,

Honour Beat

The Scarlet Letter

Mary and Max: A New Musical

Billy Elliot The Musical

ByTara Beagan

miniso.ca

OWEN’S LANDING The Landing Restaurant Group’s first location Photograph by Jeffrey Gregorius

in Western Canada serves everything from brisket mac ’n’ cheese and fish tacos to sausage picante pizza and lobster fettuccine.

308 4 Ave. S.W., owenslanding.ca

Music and Lyrics

by Bobby Cronin

Book by Crystal Skillman

BOOM X

By Phyllis Nagy Adapted from the novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Book and lyrics by Lee Hall Music by Elton John

Subscribe today for as low as $200 and enjoy five plays for the price of four, plus 20% off your tickets for A Christmas Carol.*

Written, Directed, and Performed by Rick Miller

ZCREW CAFE Grab a coffee or sit down for brunch at this new 40-seat cafe in Victoria Park.

401 11 Ave. S.E., zcrewcafe.com 2018/19_Advertising_Avenue_1/3Square.indd 3

AvenueCalgary.com 37 2018-07-24 11:43 AM

DETOURS

Large-scale Venues

BY Matthew Coyte, Andrew Guilbert, Karin Olafson AND Tina Shaygan

ARTS COMMONS

spaces, from the Jack Singer Concert Hall, Max Bell

I T’ S A DATE Where To Eat Nearby

Theatre and Martha Cohen Theatre, to the smaller

Anatolia Turkish Food

Big Secret Theatre, Engineered Air Theatre and

237 8 Ave. S.E.

Motel. The Jack Singer seats 1,197 and is the home

Centini Restaurant

of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. It also hosts

& Lounge

contemporary music concerts, awards shows and

160 8 Ave. S.E.

events such as the National Geographic Live! series.

Teatro Restaurant

The Martha Cohen Theatre is the only courtyard-

200 8 Ave. S.E.

This multi-venue arts centre along the southern edge of Olympic Plaza is home to six performance

A RTS VE NU E G U IDE

Veni, Vidi, Venues

shaped Georgian-style theatre in Calgary, meaning audiences are never far from the stage despite a seating capacity of more than 400, while the 190-

The number of events in the city on any given night far outnumber the reasons to stay home.

Rather than attempt to list what’s going on in the world of theatre, dance, music and comedy, we decided to round up the places where things are going on, and what you might expect there, along with other helpful tidbits to get you out and about and doing stuff in Calgary.

seat Big Secret Theatre is home of experimental performance troupe One Yellow Rabbit. Arts Commons has its own underground parking with access from northbound Macleod Trail and the City Hall CTrain station is just two blocks away.

205 8 Ave S.E., 403-294-9494, artscommons.ca

SOUTHERN ALBERTA JUBILEE AUDITORIUM

Alberta Jubilee Auditorium (a.k.a. “the Jube”) is one

I T’ S A DATE Where To Eat Nearby

of the largest performing arts facilities in the city at

Hexagon Board

160,000 sq. ft. The multi-tiered auditorium seats

Game Cafe

just over 2,700 and hosts productions by Alberta

200, 1140 Kens-

Ballet and Calgary Opera as well as Broadway

ington Rd. N.W.

Across Canada musicals. The Jube has also seen an

Red Ember Japanese

impressive list of musical acts on its stage, includ-

Cuisine

ing Johnny Cash, Miles Davis and Queen. Though

609 14 St. N.W.

there are two parking lots on site, the wait times to

Winebar Kensington

get in and out of the ACAD parkade on the eve of a

1131 Kensington

big performance will make you wish you had taken

Rd. N.W.

One of two concert venues created to celebrate the Province’s 50th anniversary, the Southern

the CTrain, whose SAIT/ACAD station drops you right near the main entrance. jubileeauditorium.com

STAMPEDE PARK

a cornucopia of performances and events. The most

I T’ S A DATE Where To Eat Nearby

famous venue on the grounds is the Scotiabank

Cardinale

Saddledome, where big-name music performers play

401 12 Ave. S.E.

to crowds of up to 19,000. The Dome’s predecessor,

Deane House

the Stampede Corral, hosts shows with audiences

806 9 Ave. S.E.

in the 6,000-capacity range, while the smaller Boyce

Zen 8 Grill

theatre is where you’ll typically see touring comics

421 12 Ave. S.E.

When it’s not hosting the greatest outdoor show on earth, the various venues at Stampede Park welcome

such as Gabriel Iglesias. —M.C. and A.G. 1410 Olympic Way S.E., venues.calgarystampede.com,

38

avenueSEPTEMBER.18

Jack Singer Concert Hall at Arts Commons.

scotiabanksaddledome.com

Photograph courtesy of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

1415 14th Ave. N.W., 403-297-8000,

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39

DETOURS

Dancer Catherine Hayward in the DJD Dance Centre

PUMPHOUSE THEATRE

historic pumphouse (hence the name) contains two

I T’ S A DATE Where To Eat Nearby

performance spaces — the 315-seat Victor Mitchell

Cassis Bistro

Theatre and the 65-seat Joyce Doolittle Theatre.

2505 17 Ave. S.W.

Community theatre groups such as Morpheus can

Hayden Block Smoke

be found here and the smaller space frequently

& Whiskey

serves as an incubator for emerging artists. Since

1136 Kensington

1984, Pumphouse has also operated a youth-drama-

Rd. N.W.

day-camp program. Parking is available on site.

Pulcinella

2140 Pumphouse Ave. S.W., 403-263-0079,

1147 Kensington

pumphousetheatre.ca

Cres. N.W.

Pumphouse Theatre is tucked between Bow Trail and the Bow River, west of downtown. The redeveloped

THEATRE JUNCTION GRAND

the mid-2000s after being purchased by the Theatre

I T’ S A DATE Where To Eat Nearby

Junction Society. However, the society currently

Cactus Club Cafe

faces a funding and staff crisis, leaving its future un-

317 7 Ave. S.W.

certain. The larger Flanagan Theatre has 230 seats

Local 8th Avenue

that retract into the wall, allowing for great flexibility

310 8 Ave. S.W.

of use. The Grand also has a smaller studio perfor-

Workshop Kitchen

mance space and a stylish lobby restaurant, Work-

+ Culture

shop Kitchen + Culture. Theatre Junction Grand is

608 1 St. S.W.

The Grand’s history goes back over a century, though the building underwent a huge renovation in

Theatre and Dance Venues DJD DANCE CENTRE

one block north of the CTrain, which is good, since street parking is often scarce around show time.

jazz-dance performances, often accompanied by

I T ’ S A DAT E Where To Eat Nearby

live music, in the theatre space within their Victoria

Cafe Koi

VERTIGO THEATRE CENTRE

Park headquarters. The DJD theatre is remarkable

1011 1 St. S.W.

Located across the hall from Lunchbox Theatre,

for its row of large windows along the north-facing

Native Tongues

the Vertigo Theatre Centre contains a 346-seat

side. Hidden behind black curtains, the space is a

235 12 Ave. S.W.

theatre and a smaller black-box studio with seating

I T’ S A DATE Where To Eat Nearby

standard black-box theatre, but with the curtains

Yellow Door Bistro

for up to 180. Resident company Vertigo Theatre

Saltlik

parted, the audience can look out at the surround-

119 12 Ave. S.W.

performs mystery genre productions ranging from

101 8 Ave. S.W.

ing city-scape. (The company took advantage of

comedic farces to dark thrillers. The Vertigo the-

Sky 360 (Calgary

this unique feature for its 2017 production of Juliet &

atres are also used by the Shakespeare Company

Tower)

Romeo by performing one part of the dance outside,

and the children’s-theatre company Storybook

101 9 Ave. S.W.

lit by car headlights.) The 230-seat theatre is also

Theatre. (See Lunchbox for parking and CTrain

The Oak Room

equipped with a sprung dance floor which provides

information.)

Lounge at the

a unique “4D experience” where the audience can

161, 115 9 Ave. S.E., 403-221-3708,

Fairmont Palliser

sense the performance in their seats. If you’re driv-

vertigotheatre.com

133 9 Ave. S.W.

Decidedly Jazz Danceworks (DJD) has a professional company that does high-energy, physical

608 1 St. S.W., 403-205-2922, theatrejunction.com

parking off of Centre Street.

WEST VILLAGE THEATRE

111, 12 Ave. S.E., 403-245-3533, decidedlyjazz.com

With its alley entrance and small lobby, you might not large stage (36-feet-by-39-feet). The 83-seat venue

I T’ S A DATE Where To Eat Nearby

is home to three theatre companies: Calgary Young

Donna Mac

People’s Theatre, Green Fools Theatre and Ghost

1002 9 St. S.W.

to the theatre company of the same name, which

I T ’ S A DAT E Where To Eat Nearby

River Theatre. Shows at West Village range from

Ke Charcoal Grill

does one-hour, one-act, midday shows. The flex-

Charcut Roast House

children’s theatre to experimental puppetry that is

& Sushi

ible seating provides a range of viewing options —

899 Centre St. S.

definitely not for kids. The theatre has seen $160,000

1501 15 Ave. S.W.

the improvised serial soap opera Dirty Laundry, for

One18 Empire

in renovations since 2014, including a new lighting

Monki Bistro

example, likes to have the audience in close to the

820 Centre St.

grid and speaker enclosures. Street parking can be

1301 10 Ave. S.W.

stage. The adjacent Palliser Parkade has overnight

Ruth’s Chris Steak

found on 19 Street S.W., 11 Avenue S.W. and 12

parking for $6 and daytime parking for $16 and the

House

Avenue S.W., while the Sunalta CTrain Station is just

Centre Street CTrain station is two blocks south.

294, 115 9 Ave.

a few blocks to the east.—M.C. and A.G.

160, 115 9 Ave. S.E., 403-265-4292,

S.E.

2007 10 Ave S.W., 403-242-7118,

expect the West Village Theatre to have such a

LUNCHBOX THEATRE Lunchbox Theatre is a 105- to 115-seat black-box theatre adjacent to the Calgary Tower. It’s home

lunchboxtheatre.com 40

avenueSEPTEMBER.18

westvillagetheatre.com

DJD photograph by Ema Peter/DIALOG

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41

DETOURS

Comedy Venues

LOOSE MOOSE THEATRE Loose Moose is an improv training and performance company whose roots in the city date back to 1977. Notable Loose Moose alumni include Rebecca Northan,

BROKEN CITY

members of the Kids In the Hall

Every Monday night, Broken City,

and the FUBAR guys. The com-

a live-music venue and bar on

pany’s current theatre is southeast

11th Avenue S.W., transforms

of the Stampede Grounds at

into one of the best comedy clubs

Crossroads Market, just a few

in the city — Zach Galifianakis

blocks in either direction from

famously dropped in one time

the “barley belt” craft brewer-

and took the stage. With a $5

ies of Inglewood, Ramsay and

cover charge and $4.25 highballs,

Manchester.

BELLA CONCERT HALL, MOUNT ROYAL UNIVERSITY

Broken City is also one of the

1235 26 Ave. S.E., 403-265-5682,

This elegant venue within the Taylor Centre for the Performing Arts at

most accessible comedy venues

loosemoose.com

Mount Royal University has hosted classical and contemporary music

in Calgary (just make sure you

Bella Concert Hall.

Venues at Post-secondary Institutions concerts, theatrical performances such as Making Treaty 7 and literary

show up early). And if it’s warm

YUK YUK’S CALGARY

superstars such as Indian-Canadian poet Rupi Kaur. The layout offers

enough, there’s a rooftop patio for

Located on the second floor

great views of the stage from almost any seat and the hall has also been

pre-show food and drinks.

of the Elbow River Casino,

recognized by the City of Calgary for accessibility with removable arm-

613 11 Ave. S.W., 403-262-9976,

Yuk Yuk’s is one of the most

rests on the seats, washrooms on every level and hearing-aid devices.

brokencity.ca

well-known comedy clubs in

taylorcentre.ca

THE COMEDY CAVE

every Wednesday where you

THE GATEWAY, SAIT

The Comedy Cave hosts perform-

can discover your new favourite

SAIT’s student bar has hosted bands such as July Talk and The Arkells.

ers Tuesday through Sunday

comedian (or tighten your own

Prepare to stand for most of the show and consider leaving your coat

and also offers dinner-and-show

set). There’s a public parking lot

in the car, as coat-check isn’t always available. There are daily food and

packages for large groups. You

on the south side of the casino,

drink specials but the bar can get hectic during performances, so go

can make reservations in advance

and it’s a short walk from the

early if you’re intending to get something to eat.

but your spot is only guaranteed

Stampede CTrain station. Make

saitsa.com/gateway

for up to 45 minutes before the

sure to show up early if you don’t

show. The Comedy Cave also

want to share a table with others

enforces a two-drink- (or $7.50)

— though that’s sometimes part

MACEWAN HALL AND MACEWAN BALLROOM, UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY

minimum-per-person rule. Order

of the fun. —T.S.

Mac Hall and MacEwan Ballroom are the University of Calgary’s primary

your food before the show begins

218 18 Ave. S.E., 403-258-2028,

live-music venues. MacEwan Ballroom is the older of the two and has

to avoid the rush.

yukyuks.com/Calgary

a capacity of approximately 1,000, while MacEwan Hall is part of the

1020 8 Ave. S.W., 403-287-1120,

newer MacEwan Conference and Event Centre, and has a capacity of

comedycave.com

approximately 1,800. Both venues generally offer a limited cash bar (the nearby Den & Black Lounge at the U of C have cheap drink specials on

THE LAUGH SHOP

Thursdays, but avoid them if you don’t want to be surrounded by intoxi-

Located within the Blackfoot

cated students). On-campus parking ranges from $8 to $24, or you can

Hotel, the Laugh Shop hosts

arrive by CTrain at University Station.

performers Thursdays through

macewancentre.com

Saturdays in its 300-capacity well-known marquee act with

ROZSA CENTRE, REEVE THEATRE AND UNIVERSITY THEATRE, UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY

locals and emerging perform-

These three U of C venues are where you’ll see theatre, dance and

ers as the openers. The Laugh

musical performances by students from the U of C’s school of creative

Shop has partnered with the

and performing arts (the annual Alchemy Festival of student work is a

hotel to offer dinner-and-a-show

great way to experience the arts on a budget). The Rozsa Centre also

packages. The location is not

stages professional classical music concerts on a regular basis. The

particularly transit-friendly, though

University Theatre has an upstairs area with couches for pre- or post-

room. Shows usually include a

there is plenty of free parking.

5940 Blackfoot Tr. S.E., 403-255 6900, thelaughshopcalgary.com 42

avenueSEPTEMBER.18

show hangouts, while all three venues are just a short walk from food Comedian Brendan Schaub at Yuk Yuk’s Calgary.

outlets on the U of C campus. —T.S. ucalgary.ca/facilities

Yuk Yuk’s photograph by Third Eye Arts; Bella Concert Hall photograph courtesy of Mount Royal University

the city, with an open-mic night

AvenueCalgary.com

43

DETOURS

DETOURS

space that is also used for art

a nightclub and the hyper-branded

shows and other events. Musi-

sports bar Flames Central, to

cians such as Martha Wainwright

name a few. Now, it is back to

and Tanya Tagaq have played

being a concert and event space.

Festival Hall.

Look for the names of performers

1215 10 Ave. S.E.,

on the marquee out front.

calgaryfolkfest.com

219 8 Ave. S.W., 587-393-6993, thepalacetheatre.ca

Music Venues

THE HIFI CLUB Co-founded by local DJ/producer

THE PALOMINO

duo Smalltown DJs, this dance

The music in the Palomino’s

club opened in 2005 and has

basement covers everything from

since hosted big-name DJs such

punk to rock to roots with the

as Diplo, Jamie xx and Steve

odd dance party. On Fridays and

This Quonset-style building on

Aoki. The HiFi also presents

Saturdays, there is often live music

the eastern end of Inglewood’s

bands from time to time, and has

upstairs, too. The Palomino is

9th Avenue S.E. has blues and

seen the likes of Frank Black and

right on the train line, so it’s easy

roots musicians on stage seven

Joel Plaskett on its stage.

to arrive if you don’t drive.

days a week, a mix of locals

219 10 Ave. S.W., 403-263-5222,

109 7 Ave. S.W., 403-532-1911,

such as Tim Leacock and visiting

hificlub.ca

thepalomino.ca

IRONWOOD STAGE AND GRILL

STUDIO BELL

The Ironwood is an all-ages ven-

home of the National Music

ue in the historic Garry Theatre

Centre, which has a Performance

Long a popular spot for indie

building in Inglewood with seating

Hall with tiered seating and

bands to play, Broken City is

for around 140 (reserve your

retractable walls. The hall is

where you’ll find the weekly

spot and the cost of the show

where you’ll see performances by

“Rockin’ For Dollars” night, in

is added to your bill). A range of

NMC musicians in residence as

which local acts take the stage

artists and genres perform nightly

well as intimate concerts by local

to earn a shot at a cash jackpot.

at the Ironwood, but there is an

and touring musicians. Studio

613 11 Ave. S.W., 403-262-9976,

emphasis toward folk and roots

Bell also encompasses the King

brokencity.ca

music — the iconic marquee has

Eddy, a live-music venue in the

featured names such as Ian Tyson

restored space that formerly

and Art Bergmann over the years.

housed a blues club of the same

The popular local act Prime Time

name. —A.G. with files from

This warehouse-turned-nightclub

Big Band also performs a regular

Karin Olafson

has two dance floors as well as

weekend brunch show.

850, 851 4 St. S.E.,

a back patio and hosts resident

1229 9 Ave. S.E., 403-269-5581,

403-543-5115, nmc.ca

and visiting DJs as well as hip-

ironwoodstage.ca

THE BLUES CAN

bands like Mississippi Heat. thebluescan.com

BROKEN CITY

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COMMONWEALTH BAR AND STAGE

hop artists and other music acts.

731 10 Ave. S.W., 403-247-4663, commonwealthbar.ca

DICKENS PUB

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44

avenueSEPTEMBER.18

MIKEY’S ON 12TH AVENUE

Studio Bell in East Village is

JJ Shiplett performing at the King Eddy.

Mikey’s closed its Sunalta location earlier this year and is now based

Located on the far west end of

out of its Beltline location. The

downtown, this rumpus-room-

venue has blues and roots music

style pub has rock, punk and

every day (resident players include

metal shows as well as regular DJ

Steve Pineo and Tim Williams)

nights and there’s a separate area

and serves lunch, dinner and a

if you want to play pool or darts.

weekend brunch.

1000 9 Ave. S.W., 403-233-7550,

918 12 Ave. S.W., 403-452-8060,

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Hot

Demand for luxury condos with price tags over $1 million is small, but strong and growing, which may be good news for the rest of the real estate market.

We were greeted by an excited Labradoodle named Tobey, but the jumping dog was about where the resemblance to your typical family home in Calgary ends.

The high ceilings in the loft-like space highlight the high-end features, such as quartz countertops and marble tile. The generous galley kitchen, full dining room and formal living area give the impression of anything but a cramped condo. There

BY Jessica Barrett is plenty of space for the extra features, such as a PHOTOGRAPH BY Jared Sych glass-walled wine cooler big enough to be a child’s bedroom that Clarke-Davidson, who is related to the owner, said is his pride and joy. We breezed up two flights of stairs, past the master bedroom and through sliding glass doors to the suite’s crown jewel, a 2,000-sq.-ft. wrap-around terrace directly overlooking the Elbow River. On the terrace is an outdoor living room, a fireplace and a pergola with roll-down windscreens to keep things cozy on blustery days. There’s supposedly even a patch of artificial turf out there for Tobey the dog, though the terrace is so expansive I couldn’t see where. nne Clarke-Davidson met It’s because of unique features available in the me at the main lobby of The building, said Clarke-Davidson, that suites at The River in a bit of a hurry. I was late, and she had to leave for River held their value through the worst of the another appointment a few minutes later. But it was recent recession, even setting real estate records in no worry for the realtor with Sotheby’s International 2016 when two suites sold — one for more than Realty Canada whose whirlwind tour of the luxury $5 million and the other for nearly $8.4 million. condo building, completed in December 2015, Most recently, a street-level townhouse in the dereflected her intimate knowledge of velopment sold for $1.7 million. the upscale development.

Sale prices like that are the reason “IT DOES GIVE CONClarke-Davidson has worked on The River came up again and FIDENCE OVERALL the project since 2011. She has had a again when I began researching WHEN YOU SEE BUYfront-row seat for its evolution from ERS PUTTING LARGER the luxury real-estate market in a single-family home and two small DOLLARS DOWN AND Calgary. The fact that these condo apartment buildings in Mission to a MAKING THE DECISION units could maintain their value 38-unit luxury building overlooking in the face of a downturn speaks TO PURCHASE.” the Elbow River where the average to the growing demand for this − Anne Clarke-Davidson, suite is between 2,700 and 3,000 realtor, Sotheby’s particular style of high-end housing. square feet and sells for about $3.5 Indeed, by some measures, million. We took a quick peek at some of the buildluxury apartment-style condos have emerged as one ing’s amenities: a gym stocked with over $100,000 of of the strongest (if tiniest) housing sectors in a city equipment (including exotic pieces like a vibration still feeling the pinch of an economic downturn. It’s machine), a catering kitchen, guest suite and boarda fact that may make little sense to those Calgarians room, and then headed up to one of the penthouse still shaking off the effects of the recession. And yet, units, a 5,000-square-foot home slated to go on the a report from Sotheby’s in March posited that Calmarket this year for about $7 million. gary’s luxury home market could be poised to grow

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even faster than those in Vancouver or Toronto.

All that has left many wondering if the activity among luxury buyers is a bellwether signaling greener pastures ahead. Do the rich know something the rest of us don’t? The answer depends on whom you ask.

“I think it does give confidence overall when you see buyers putting larger dollars down and making the decision to purchase,” said ClarkeDavidson. “These are smart people who love living in Calgary and are confident investing in it. That says something.”

Ann-Marie Lurie, chief economist with Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB), was much more circumspect, however. While it’s natural to get excited about a spike in sales, particularly given Calgary’s fledgling economic rebound, she cautioned not to attach too much significance to what wealthy buyers are doing — in part because they comprise such a small segment of the market.

Yes, sales of luxury homes, defined as those over $1 million, did increase by about 45 per cent in the first two months of 2018 compared to the same time last year. But, according to CREB, which tracks resale numbers (but not the sales of new builds), that accounts for only 92 sales of detached luxury homes in the first two months of 2018, versus 65 the year before. “You’re not dealing with really big numbers,” Lurie said, noting homes valued over $1 million account for roughly four per cent of Calgary real estate overall — not enough to have a measurable impact on the rest of the market.

To take the shine off even more, if you expand the view to the first five months of this year there was actually an 11 per cent decline in detached home sales at the top end of the market, Lurie said, with 274 sales this year versus 307 in 2017.

Meanwhile, benchmark house prices in tony neighbourhoods like Upper Mount Royal, Elbow Park and Bel-Aire have seen a general decline in prices since their height in 2014, although they’ve started to stabilize over the past year. The opportunity to get more bang for your buck as a result of those declines is likely a big reason for the temporary boost in high-end home sales, said Lurie, noting that, like the rest of the housing market, the sector is currently facing an oversupply. “There’s just still more supply than demand in that market right now.”

That said, there is one segment of Calgary’s luxury housing market that seems to be experiencing a real, if tiny, boom: apartment-style condos. “It went from three last year to 13,” said Lurie with a laugh.

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While Lurie emphasized she doesn’t see this as a trend, others do. It’s certainly not a lot, but the gains made in this sliver of the housing market may indicate a shift developers and investors would do well to pay attention to.

••• ary-Ann Mears, the managing broker for Sotheby’s in Calgary, was careful to correct me when we met in her office across from Tomkins Park on 17th Avenue S.W. Luxury, she said, is not about a price point, but about lifestyle.

“You can have a home in Mount Royal listing for $900,000 or $1 million and that’s land value,” said Mears. “So it’s truly the finishings of the home and the lifestyle that equate it to luxury.”

Luxury condo developers are betting that those willing to pay more than $1 million to get the luxury lifestyle will increasingly seek it in the low-maintenance lifestyle afforded by high-end condos.

M

TOP RIGHT The River exterior.

MIDDLE and BOTTOM Interior and terrace images from one of The River condos.

“IT’S TRULY THE FINISHINGS OF THE HOME AND THE LIFESTYLE THAT EQUATE IT TO LUXURY.” − Mary-Ann Mears, managing broker, Sotheby’s

D E TA C H E D HO M E S B EN C H MA R K P R I C E

The River photography by Sona Visual, supplied by Sotheby’s

UPPER MOUNT

ROYAL 2014 $1,416,050 2015 $1,368,975 2016 $1,312,275 2017 $1,380,125

According to data from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), luxury condos increasingly comprise the very highest end of Calgary’s housing market. Of the 65 new apartment-style condos worth over $1 million absorbed (meaning those purchased and occupied) in 2017, 51 were worth more than $1.45 million, the highest price bracket the CMHC tracks for all housing types. January and February of 2018, the most recent months for which data was available at press time, saw 18 new apartment-style condos in that price range absorbed.

A generation ago, many people in this city equated luxury with land — and lots of it — to raise families on acreages on the outskirts of the city or in large stately homes in mature neighbourhoods. But Mears said the idea of luxury is changing. And fast.

Driving the shift is a wave of wealthy emptynesters looking to simplify their lives without sacrificing quality. They want to live in the centre of town and have the flexibility to spend their winter months in warmer climates without worrying about the maintenance required of singlefamily homes.

“They’ve cashed in and now they want a lockand-leave lifestyle that gives them amenities, whether it’s a pool, a workout room, things that they don’t have to go anywhere else for — and is walkable,” said Mears, who was herself preparing to trade in her $1 million home in Bearspaw for a smaller footprint downtown. “I’m months away from being an empty-nester,” she said. “I’ve lived out in the country since the kids were babes, and I work downtown. The thought of moving into a condo downtown and [having] a short commute to work is very appealing.”

And while the number of luxury condos in Calgary is still very small, that’s precisely what’s about to make it the most desirable form of housing in the city, as more and more Calgarians of similar age and economic means seek the same thing.

ELBOW PARK MAYFAIR $1,353,667 $1,267,983 $1,173,917 $1,168,583

$1,073,892 $1,085,333 $1,089,050 $1,148,733

“There’s going to be a shortage of luxury condominiums to buy, because no one’s built enough of those,” said developer Brad J. Lamb on the phone from his office in Toronto.

Despite a perceived glut of condos on the market in Calgary — there were more than 6,500 reportedly under construction as of May — Lamb said the city is in for an abrupt change some time in 2019.

While real-estate markets in other parts of the country have been on an upward trajectory since the global economic downturn in 2008-2009, Lamb said growth in Alberta was cut short by the collapse in oil prices in 2014-2015. While his own 6th and Tenth development downtown was not yet selling during the most recent recession, another project by Lamb Development Corp., The Orchard slated for Victoria Park, was cancelled due to sluggish sales. “The whole market just evaporated for new condos,” said Lamb.

The stunting of the real estate market also caused other developers to cancel or pause projects, Lamb said, which now has the market primed for a substantial rebound, that, when it hits, will hit with a vengeance.

“A city like Calgary can’t experience no growth for four or five years without supergrowth afterwards,” he said, anticipating the oversupply of downtown condos at all price points to be handily absorbed, and then some.

Top of the list for house hunters will be luxury suites with larger floor plans, he believes.

“It’s totally underprovided for in Calgary,” said Lamb, adding that the city isn’t alone in that respect. “There’s not enough of it in any Canadian city. It’s the most undersupplied because it’s the most risky to develop.”

According to Lamb, the economics of condobuilding heavily favour the smaller units that are more appealing to investors. Financing rules in Canada prevent banks from lending money to developers on speculation, so most projects are required to pre-sell around 70 per cent of the

BRITANNIA

BEL-AIRE BAYVIEW

$1,416,192 $1,428,767 $1,396,325 $1,368,217

$1,687,958 $1,140,142 $1,680,683 $1,148,733 $1,556,392 $1,119,242 $1,591,800 $1,115,267

“WE'VE HAD ABOUT FIVE SALES IN THE LAST THREE WEEKS TOTALING OVER $8 MILLION. IT'S LIKE EVERYONE JUST WOKE UP AND HEARD THE MUSIC.” − Grant Murray, senior VP, sales, Concord Pacific

building before breaking ground. That leads to long waits for buyers — up to five or six years in some cases from purchase to move-in.

Luxury buyers, those Lamb said are generally in their 50s, 60s or 70s and looking to spend between $1 million and $4 million on a home, aren’t often willing to wait that long. “But investors will, because investors only care about return on their money.” As a result, most developers concentrate on mid-range products that are easy to rent or resell. “That’s why you see in every city in Canada, in the high-rise market, condominiums that are 400 sq.-ft. to 1,000 sq.-ft. and 75 per cent of them are below 700 sq.-ft.,” Lamb said.

The few luxury units, typically one or two penthouse or sub-penthouse suites, usually sell at the very end. In addition, most cities have few locations zoned for the kind of high-rise developments luxury buyers want: sites in mature, central neighbourhoods with good views and easy access to amenities. And satisfying the desires of sophisticated buyers who often want customized finishes is an additional challenge. It all makes building luxury products a losing proposition for most developers, Lamb said.

“If you do an all high-end building you need to have your head examined.”

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Rendering of a suite within The Concord, a luxury condo development in Eau Claire.

“I’m kind of looking forward to simplifying things, so that was really the appeal,” he said.

With their kids now grown, Tomalin-Reeves and his wife are the epitome of the wealthy empty-nesters spurring movement at the top end of the market, in part, he said, because their demographic isn’t compelled to wait for property values to reach pre-recession levels in order to finance their next home. Nor do they typically have trouble meeting the requirements for the new mortgage stress test, which has reduced what buyers of more modest means are able to borrow.

A partner at Ignite Strategic, the boutique real-estate consulting firm behind projects like East Village, Tomalin-Reeves said he shares the conviction that it won’t be long until the rest of the housing market begins to show signs of strength. “The empty-nester market in Calgary is more stable, so they are able to buy for lifestyle.

The young-professional market here is still a little bit nervous with the new financial stress tests and things like that, but I suspect within the next two years that will become the norm and the youngprofessional market will start coming back.”

When it does, realtor Jim Sparrow hopes it will extend to the detached houses soon to be vacated by people like Tomalin-Reeves. The mortgage stress test may not be hitting downsizers, but those looking to upgrade to single-family homes by edging into the $1-million-plus range have been hit hard by the new rules, Sparrow said. “It’s taken 20 per cent to 30 per cent of buyers out of the market.”

The uptick in luxury detached sales documented during the first two months of the year was likely enabled by mortgages that had been approved before the new rules came into place, Sparrow said. “Then March came along and that’s

“THE EMPTY-NESTER MARKET IN CALGARY IS MORE STABLE, SO THEY ARE ABLE TO BUY FOR LIFESTYLE. THE YOUNGPROFESSIONAL MARKET HERE IS STILL A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS...” − Jeremy Tomalin-Reeves, partner, Ignite Strategic and Concord condo owner

when the pre-approvals that had been done prior to the stress test basically started to roll off.” That month saw an 18-per cent decline in detached sales over $1 million compared to the previous year. April fared even worse with a 35-per cent decline over the previous year, and May saw a 29-per cent decline.

“There’s still a lot of people in the $700,000 range who aspire to have a bigger home,” said Sparrow. Pushing over the $1-million mark means more space, nicer finishes and better location, but whether buyers in this bracket will be able to figure out the financing to take the leap in this new lending landscape remains to be seen. “Only time will tell if it will even out,” he said.

A levelling out of Calgary’s economy, and hence its real estate market, is likely the scenario we’re headed toward said Todd Hirsch, vice-president and chief economist at ATB Financial. “Flat is the new up.”

Despite a lingering sense of gloom among certain sectors in the city, Calgary’s economy has largely recovered from the recession, Hirsch said. Job growth is steady, but a return to prosperity here won’t look like the meteoric gains made in 2013 and 2014. Rather, we’ll see gradual

The Concord rendering supplied by Concord Pacific

Grant Murray, senior vice-president, sales for Concord Pacific, understands the sentiment, even though the building he’s currently selling in Calgary, The Concord, overlooking the Bow River in Eau Claire, is just that: all high-end.

“The smallest unit we have is about 1,060 sq.ft.,” said Murray referring to the west tower of the project, a 105-unit building selling for an average of $1,050 per square foot. When we spoke in May, the building, which will be move-in ready next spring, was nearing 80 per cent sold.

Because Concord Pacific is one of Canada’s largest developers — the company does between $2 billion and $2.5 billion in sales each year — Murray said the Vancouver-based developer can afford to weather economic storms isolated to certain projects. Despite the recent downturn, Calgary’s status as one of North America’s most livable cities makes it a sound investment for the company, Murray said. And with sales picking up at The Concord this past spring, he’s bullish about the city’s economy.

“We’ve had about five sales in the last three weeks totaling over $8 million,” Murray said. “It’s like everyone just woke up and heard the music.”

The Concord’s 113-suite east tower launched sales last month. The developer has also secured the site of the former Sears location at North Hill Centre and has plans to develop 12 high-rise towers there, with sales likely opening in about two years.

“I’m usually a pretty good read on the market, so I think we’ve got some definite momentum heading forward,” Murray said.

Buyers that have been attracted to The Concord are mostly owner-occupiers willing to spend between $900,000 and $8 million, said Murray.

Luring them aboard, even in lean times, came down to offering features they can’t find anywhere else. In addition to larger floor plans and private outdoor terraces, The Concord’s amenities are designed to take the edge off of downsizing, Murray added. For instance, the development offers garages with nine- to 13-foot ceilings that can fit up to four vehicles, an undercarriage car wash and private elevators.

It was those extras, combined with Concord Pacific’s reputation as a developer, that convinced Jeremy Tomalin-Reeves and his wife to purchase a 1,500-sq.-ft., two-bedroom-plus-den condo in The Concord for $1.2 million. Downsizing from their 6,000-sq.-ft. Springbank home is going to be a challenge, Tomalin-Reeves admitted, but perks like additional storage for his eight bicycles and the ability to travel for months at a time without worry, make it worth the adjustment — and the wait.

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51

strengthening of sectors that will give rise to a more diverse economy as well-paying industries such as technology, logistics and transportation, tourism and even recreational marijuana take root. Hirsch said it’s encouraging that the luxury housing market, although small, is receiving more interest. “It’s a reflection that people have more confidence in the long-term viability of Calgary.”

Back at The River, Anne Clarke-Davidson had some advice for those looking to make a good investment to go along with that long-term vision: “To me, if you’ve got a 10-year hold, right now, I would be buying larger floor-plan condos.”

$1,925,000 Beltline 2,302 sq. ft. 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms

$2,450,000 Eau Claire 3,229 sq. ft. 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms

What $1 Million (or More) Gets You in Calgary’s

BOTTOM image courtesy Concierge Auctions; MIDDLE image supplied by Rachelle Starnes of The Starnes Group; TOP image supplied by Hripko Nelson & Partners.

RESALE (FROM MLS)

$4,688,888 Victoria Park 6,030 sq. ft.

2 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms plus 3 half-bathrooms

LUXURY CONDO MARKET VERVE CONDOMINIUMS

NEW BUILD CONDOS 52

avenueSEPTEMBER.18

THE GUARDIAN Victoria Park $1.4 million to $2.4 million (depending on selected floor plan).

1,716 to 2,619 sq. ft., 2 bedrooms.

Amenities: social clubs, garden terrace, fitness studio and workshop.

AVLI ON ATLANTIC Inglewood $2 million 3,000 sq. ft., 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms.

Amenities: Guest suite, library/meeting space, bike wash, bike storage, storage room and workshop.

Verve rendering supplied by FRAM + Slokker, The Guardian image by Chris Amat supplied by The Guardian, Avli rendering supplied by Avli.

East Village $1.4 million 1,600 sq. ft., 2 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms.

Amenities: garden, cabanas, exercise room, party room, lounge, terrace and Jacuzzi.

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2215 12 AVENUE NW $2,699,900

C4195614 Rarely does a lot of this size and calibre come to market.

A triumph of Mid-century architecture perfectly situated on one of Calgary’s largest lots with lush grounds and expansive views. Endless opportunities with renovating the existing residence, building a new masterpiece or possibly subdividing the land to suit two estate homes, (100.5 x 233 lot). With over half an acre of ridge living the current owners have made this home into an enclave of pristine living space showcasing pride of ownership with a touch of retro modern flare. This classic layout holds generous proportions with a gracious flow to each room boasting mudroom, large front foyer, restored European kitchen, five bedrooms, four bathrooms, rec room with classic wet bar, games room, formal living and dining rooms.

450 BROOKSIDE COURT $1,599,900

C4194666 Located in the esteemed neighborhood of Watermark, this stunning residence has a premier aesthetic inside and out that will leave you breathless. A family home located on a quiet culde-sac and boasting 4,786 Sq Ft of total developed living space, coupled with a walk-out basement and spacious balcony above, on looking a sprawling and lush sunny SW back yard using the rocky mountains as it’s backdrop. The main floor encompasses your own private office space, an elegant living room with a 9’ coffered ceilings, and a remarkable custom gourmet kitchen fit for a chef that flows to a large reserved dining area. Upstairs, the master bedroom contains a massive walk-in that your biggest fashionista couldn’t fill, and an alluring 5 piece bath.

The basement level continues to impress you with a combined rec room and full wet bar, leading to your very own theater.

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BY Käthe Lemon AND Victoria Lessard

The conversation about Calgary has shifted from how to make this into a “world-class” city to focusing on how to continue the work of building this into a great place for locals to live.

Strong architectural design is helping get us there.

O

ver the past decade, Calgary architects and builders have created an ever-increasing number of significant buildings and spaces — significant not only in scale, such as the Bow Building or the East Village Masterplan, but also in concept. These works have moved the conversation about the city forward. No longer can it be said that Calgary has no interesting architecture.

The City of Calgary’s Mayor’s Urban Design Awards (MUDA) started in 2005 as part of a program that the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) offered to cities across Canada. The biennial awards offer cities a chance to adjudicate architectural pieces that they then send on to the RAIC for the National Urban Design Awards (NUDA) in the alternating years.

Since then, Calgary has expanded its own awards program to include additional categories that David Down, City of Calgary chief urban designer, city wide urban design, says reflect some types of standout design in the city that weren’t part of the RAIC program.

“It’s about recognizing design excellence across the city,” says Down.

“Some of what we’ve done is to broaden [the MUDA] to recognize spaces across the city. The development community thought it was too downtown focused and our intention was to get more entries from a broader range of building types.” So, while the NUDA program tends to favour large civic buildings and public spaces, the Calgary MUDA include categories for city-edge development, housing innovation, conceptual design and a people’s choice award for both buildings and civic spaces, among others.

Despite what the name implies, the MUDA winners are selected by a jury, not by the mayor. Nevertheless, the awards have been criticized for supporting urbanization causes, such as higher density, that the current mayor supports, and for awarding too many of the City’s own development projects. “We do get accused of awarding too many of our own projects,” says Down. “But we are careful to draw the jury members from various areas — the community, fine arts, media, architecture, landscape.”

Overall, the intention as Down sees it is to widen the conversation about what good architectural design is. “If the jury always chooses those projects that push the boundaries of the rules, it sends a message to the City and developers and to the community,” he says. “It sends a message that we have higher expectations.”

And these days, Calgarians’ expectations are very high.

“It has become a given that if you don’t have great design, you’re not on that list of great cities,” says Walker McKinley, one of the principals of local architecture and design firm McKinley Burkart and a recent inductee into the RAIC College of Fellows. Designing architecturally significant buildings can attract business, not only to a particular firm, McKinley says, but to the city in general. A welldesigned city is one people are proud of and want to live in.

Down agrees and points out that good design is beneficial not just because it’s nicer to look at. “Better design increases walkability.

Increased walkability increases health — it isn’t just about beautiful libraries and civic spaces. Better design is better on every level — usefulness, functionality, attractiveness and I don’t just mean beauty, I mean aspects that will attract people to use it,” he says.

The following award-winning pieces of architecture are great examples of just that — beautiful buildings and spaces that don’t sacrifice function for form. —K.L.

55 AvenueCalgary.com

GREAT CITY, GREAT DESIGN:

New Central Library City of Calgary, Snøhetta, Dialog Design

PEOPLE’S CHOICE — PUBLIC SPACE:

Bowness Park Rehabilitation

Mayor’s Urban Design Award Winners

2017

Winners of the local biennial awards program are sent on to the National Urban Design Awards in the alternating years.

CIVIC DESIGN PROJECT: CITY EDGE DEVELOPMENT:

Great Plains Recreation Facility

City of Calgary, Marshall Tittemore Architects, MacLennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects

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C-Square

CMLC, the marc boutin architectural collaborative inc., Scatliff+Miller+Murray

Library photograph by Jared Sych; Bowness Rehabilitation photograph by IBI Group; Great Plains Rec photograph by Shai Gil; C-Square, Crossroads Garden Shed and East Village Junction photographs by Calgary Municipal Land Corporation; cSpace photograph by Dave Willicome; Studio Bell photograph by Jeremy Bittermann; Grow and Village photographs by Turbulent Arch; Arrive at Bowness photograph by Phil Crozier

City of Calgary, IBI Group, Lorne Simpson James Reid

URBAN ARCHITECTURE:

King Edward Arts Hub & Incubator

HOUSING INNOVATION (TIED):

Arrive at Bowness

cSpace Projects, Nyhoff Architecture

Attainable Homes Calgary, Hindle Architects

Grow Rndsqr, MoDA

Village Rndsqr, MoDA

URBAN FRAGMENTS:

PEOPLE’S CHOICE — BUILDING:

CMLC, 5468796 Architecture

Allied Works Architecture, Kasian Architecture

Crossroads Garden Shed

Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre

COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT:

East Village Junction CMLC, Nyhoff Architecture AvenueCalgary.com

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Glacier Skywalk.

Award

Worthy In addition to MUDA, local architects and buildings are winning awards nationally and internationally.

Here are a few outstanding examples.

Chief Crowfoot School Gibbs Gage

Chief Crowfoot School showcases the ways architecture can infuse identity and culture into every detail of a building. In 2017, Chief Crowfoot School received the Jury’s Award for an outstanding and compelling component of a project, in the category of New Pre-K to 12 Learning Environment, at the Association for Learning Environments’ (A4LE) Pacific Northwest Regional Awards. The A4LE awards focus on the relationship between design and constructive educational experiences, and an important element of the awards is community. The awards celebrate designs that stem from the communities in which they are located. It is easy to see why Chief Crowfoot School received the prestigious Jury’s Award — Gibbs Gage infused the culture and identity of the Siksika Nation into every detail possible in the school, from the placement of the entrance to the colours used in each hallway.

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Chief Crowfoot School photograph by Jason Dziver; Skywalk photograph by Robert Lemermeyer

Chief Crowfoot School.

PAST L OCAL W I N N ERS O F THE N U DA St. Patrick’s Island Park CMLC, sustainable development, 2016

Glacier Skywalk

Sturgess Architecture

The Bench Project

The Glacier Skywalk is a feat of design, engineering and construction

anonymous, community initiatives, 2016

that shimmers above the Sunwapta Valley near Jasper. This stunning work of architecture has received numerous accolades — 17 to date.

The Landscape of Memory: Poppy Plaza

The most recent award to be lavished upon the project is a Governor General’s Medal in Architecture in 2016. This prestigious award aims

the marc boutin architectural collaborative inc., civic design projects award, 2014

to promote Canadian architecture by celebrating the work of its architects. However, the award also has a more philosophical bent — it aims to emphasize the role architecture plays in creating and sustaining culture and history in Canada. This is not the first time Calgary-based

East Village Master Plan

Sturgess Architecture has received this honour — the firm also won a

Broadway Malyan with Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, urban design plans, 2012

Governor General’s Medal in Architecture in 1997 for the Yukon Visitor Reception Centre, in collaboration with FSC Manasc Architects. Much like the landscape that surrounds and inspires it, the Glacier Skywalk creates feelings of awe in the viewer, and it is easy to imagine visitors being similarly inspired in the many years to come.

The RiverWalk Master Plan Stantec Consulting Ltd., urban design plans, 2010

Shane Homes YMCA at Rocky Ridge GEC Architecture

Even before winning a number of accolades, the striking form of Shane Homes YMCA at Rocky Ridge was superlative on a couple of mea-

Shane Homes YMCA at Rocky Ridge.

sures: at the time it opened it was the largest YMCA in the world and it had the largest timber roof in North America. The building in the northwest community of Rocky Ridge has won a number of awards including the 2017 Best in BIM Award at the CanBIM Awards and most recently the 2018 Award of Excellence at the Prairie Design Awards.

GEC Architecture describes its goal in creating the facility as reinventing what a recreation space is “supposed” to look like by creating an open space and evoking the surrounding landscape. The rise and fall of the undulating roofline both mimics the surrounding foothills and allows for different ceiling heights in different areas of the interior. When standing on YMCA exterior photograph by Michael Walsh; YMCA Interior photograph by David Troyer

the main floor, visitors can see across almost the entire facility. —V.L.

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SCHOOL

60 avenueSEPTEMBER.18

BY Christina Freudenthaler ILLUSTRATIONS BY Mateusz Napieralski

DAZE As the school year begins, we look at what’s new in some of the city’s post-secondaries, how they’re funded, how local schools are spending provincial mental-health funding and why it still makes economic sense to get a graduate degree.

Alberta College of Art + Design

$105,000

ACAD created a student wellness coordinator position accountable for developing the campus mental-health strategy and is piloting a peer mentorship program and an Indigenous peer mentorship program.

$75,000 $310,000

Ambrose University Did not respond to requests for information.

$280,000

Average Total Annual Income of 2013/14 Graduates

$60,000 $40,000 $20,000

High Certificate Diploma Applied Master's Doctorial School & Bachelor Degree Degree

Mount Royal University This funding will be focused on training and awareness on campus. For example, Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training and Lock Zone, which teaches students how to recognize an overdose and what to do.

Southern Alberta Institute of Technology

$475,000

SAIT hired a mental health promotion specialist and a case manager to help research best practices related to health promotion and to coordinate supports for students.

$75,000

SMU drafted St. Mary’s University a comprehensive five-year mental health strategy, added a full day per week of personal counselling and offered mental-health literacy training for faculty and staff.

$165,000

Banff's funding The Banff Centre will go toward hiring a mental health and wellness strategist to assist in developing an institutional strategy as well as an Elder in Residence to support Indigenous learners.

$1 million

University of Calgary The U of C formalized collaboration with the Distress Centre and Wood’s Homes for after-hours support, enhanced peer support and increased the number of psychologists and social workers available.

Mental Health Equitable Funding The province will provide nearly $2.5-million each year for three years to universities and colleges in and around Calgary.

0 ,00 00 5,0 $7

05

$1

■ ACAD ■ Ambrose University ■ Bow Valley ■ MRU ■ SAIT ■ St. Mary's ■ Banff Centre ■ U of C

0

,00

10

$3

$1,000,000

$280,000 $475,000

$165,000

T

$80,000

0

$25.8 million

in new funding to nearly increase and improve mental health supports for post-secondary students across Alberta. Of that, nearly $2.5-million a year for three years will go to universities and colleges in and around Calgary. While the funding will be used for multiple initiatives at each school, here is how the funding breaks down and some of the most notable initiatives.

In addition Bow Valley College to on-campus positions, BVC launched online video counselling to provide counselling access for regional and online learners.

he provincial government has extended the post-secondary tuition freeze for a fourth year while it conducts a fee review.

Alberta’s tuition is now lower than the national average. Undergraduate tuition at the University of Calgary, for example, is $5,385.90 per year and the first year of a thesis-based masters degree is $5,593.50 and each year thereafter $1,627.38. Despite the tuition freeze, getting a diploma or degree is still pricey — especially when you factor in books, living costs and lost wages while in school — leading many to wonder whether it’s worth it.

According to the Alberta Advanced Education Graduate Outcomes Survey Class of 2013/14, on average, Albertans with more advanced education do make a higher annual income and do tend to work in their field. The report states that the 2013/14 graduates from Alberta’s publicly funded schools had an employment rate of 92 per cent at the time of the survey in December 2015, and 90 per cent felt their job related to their education.

The biggest bang for your education buck is a master’s degree — approximately two more years of education above the undergraduate degree netted the 2013/14 grads an average of $27,000 in additional annual income. But more education only earns you more up to a degree (see what we did there?); the average PhD graduate earned less than those with a master’s.

$100,000

In June 2017, the provincial government announced

$75,000

Following the Dollars

Mental-Health Funding

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61

What would you consider a snap shot of your accomplishments as president?

Anything the president does, you do with a team of people and you do in concert with the community, but I would say what I have been proud of over the last eight years is the university [now] has a very clear sense of its strategic direction and vision. The Eyes High strategy has not only been adopted by the university, it was developed by the university community, [and] we’ve actually put it into action.

We were really able to create a clear narrative and a clear line of sight between what we do and how it fits into our vision, and I think that’s appreciated on campus, but it’s also appreciated in the broader community, that they see really how we’re trying to define ourselves and what our identity is … If you don’t have a sense of where you’re going, it’s really hard to get others on board.

I think married to that is having a strategy and putting it into action.

But as the saying goes, “culture eats strategy for breakfast.” I think we’ve worked very hard on campus to develop a strong campus culture.

And that’s important, too. Because a strong campus culture enables you to really live and breathe and deliver on your strategy.

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Elizabeth Cannon, vice-chancellor and president of the University of Calgary (U of C), has an extensive and impressive resume. She has been a part of the U of C community since she became a transfer student in 1982. Finishing her bachelor of science in engineering in 1984, she worked in the private sector for about a year before returning to the university to do her masters and PhD. When she finished her PhD in 1991, a national program that encouraged more women to become faculty in the science and engineering fields was in place and Cannon credits it with securing her a position at U of C. Working her way through teaching, research and various roles within the university, Cannon became a department head in 2004, the dean of engineering in 2006, and the university’s president on July 1, 2010.

On Dec. 31, 2018, after serving in the role for more than eight years, Cannon will step down as president.

What would you like to be remembered for?

I’m “of ” the University of Calgary. I’ve been a student here, I’ve been a faculty member here, I’ve had various administrative roles. I’ll always be a member of the University of Calgary family and I’m really proud of that.

To really have come through the ranks of the institutions and really have the privilege of being able to lead it at a very exciting time.

During your time as president you were faced with some difficult challenges such as issues surrounding funding from Enbridge.

How did those challenges affect your approach to your job?

Universities are very complex, not only in their structure, but in the range and diversity of stakeholders. There are always going to be issues that you’re going to face as an institution and as the leader of the institution. What’s really important is that you’re very grounded in strong values — your personal values and a strong sense of where you want the institution to go — and that your leadership style and approach really is there in the good times and the tough times.

What would you say to your critics?

I think we are in a culture and society, unfortunately, where critical voices certainly tend to outweigh some of the positive, and I think that’s unfortunate in any institution in any role. But you just ask people to step back, hopefully take a second look and really try to understand the big picture before perhaps being entrenched in a certain point of view, which often comes I think without a) the knowledge and b) the accountability for the position they take.

What is your favourite memory in all of your time at U of C? I think it was the 50th anniversary on April 29, 2016 — to have the privilege of being president when an institution turns 50! We had a fabulous celebration where the community really came out and it was a true celebration. The level of pride in the institution, from the community, from people on campus was so heartwarming and so authentic. To be able to not only watch, but participate in that was fabulous. And of course that kicked off a wonderful year of celebrations, of visioning for the future and just a lot of fun.

Your contract expires in June 2020 but you’ll step down at the end of this year. Why did you decide to step down as president a year and a half early?

I feel very good about where this university is right now. If you look at our benchmark, if you look at the level of community support that we enjoy, it’s really tremendous in so many ways — in time, talent and treasure.

I feel that we’ve got strong leadership right across the university, we’ve got a great strategy and terrific community support. So, I think I can step back knowing that the university is in great shape with a very strong future ahead of it, and it’s a great time to pass the baton to somebody else who can carry the university to the next step.

Elizabeth Cannon photograph courtesy of University of Calgary

Q & A

with Elizabeth Cannon

U N I V ER

Tech hub A

number of new programs and announcements have made it clear that Bow Valley College is making IT and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) a priority. Earlier this year, Bow Valley and IBM established the first Canadian hub for the IBM Skills Academy at the college. The IBM Skills Academy is a new academic professional technical certification program that prepares students for careers in IT and builds local capability consistent with international standards. The agreement has an initial term of three years.

This past spring, Bow Valley also started offering two certificates for drone pilots: the unmanned aircraft system (UAS) very small & small limited (rural) pilot certification and UAS small complex (urban) pilot certification. These certificates prepare students for the incoming regulatory changes proposed by Transport Canada, and for Canadian industry’s technology shift toward safe, effective and efficient operations.

The courses are designed to provide the student with all of the federally required knowledge to become a Canadian UAV pilot recognized by Transport Canada and to know how to legally operate drone aircraft in Canada.

But perhaps the most notable news at Bow Valley is that Dr. Misheck Mwaba, — who became the vice president, academic, in September of last year — was appointed to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

NSERC is an agency of the Government of Canada that provides research grants to post-secondary students and post-doctoral fellows across the country. NSERC’s governing body is composed of 18 distinguished Canadians and advised by various standing, and advisory committees that are guided by a peer-review process. The terms of these appointments are staggered between two and three years’ duration.

With Mwaba’s appointment on the council, Bow Valley will play a part in determining funding for research and innovation in natural sciences and engineering.

WHAT FUNDS A POST SECONDARY INSTITUTION IN CALGARY? ■ Tuition

■ Grants (Government of Alberta, federal & Other)

■ Services & Products

■ Other (Donations, Investments Income, Misc.)

ACAD

24.6%

70.6%

Bow Valley

30.2%

56.8%

9% 4%

MRU

31.6%

50.2%

13% 5.2%

SAIT 29% St. Mary's 42% U of C 17.2%

3.3% 1.7%

55%

6% 10%

28% 3% 59.10%

26%

9.6% 14.2%

SITY

ACAD to Become a University Four years ago, the Alberta College of Art + Design (ACAD) presented a sustainability and growth funding proposal to the Province. In 2017, that proposal was rejected. Following that, news leaked calling the institution’s sustainability into serious question.

And then, on March 1 of this year the Province announced it would grant ACAD university status.

“It’s about time,” said Daniel Doz, president and CEO of ACAD, who pointed out that the school has been granting degrees for more than 20 years and that it was the only remaining art school in the country that was not a university. “I’m glad we’re getting the recognition of the university status.

People seem to focus just on the sustainability [of the institution] but all these pieces impact each other.”

The change in status means that ACAD will be able to set up a General Faculties Council (GFC) similar to those in place at other universities in the Province. Once established, the GFC will expand the existing academic oversight at the institution, ensuring ACAD’s programs continue to meet provincial, national and international standards.

“In terms of how we teach, what we teach [and] who we are, it doesn’t change because we’ve been in fact operating as a university. That was part of our argument when we put that [proposal] forward three years ago,” said Doz. ACAD’s sustainability issues will also be mitigated by this because it gives ACAD the recognition it needs to be funded differently from other institutions in the province.

In order for the school to officially become a university the provincial government must amend the PostSecondary Learning Act. The proposed changes to the act will be brought before the legislature and ACAD’s new name will be revealed this fall.

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Fall Lines

Autumn brings bold designs, luxe textures and warm tones as the weather cools.

64

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Jason Eng

avenueSEPTEMBER.18

•

STYLING BY Kara Chomistek and Jessie Li (PARK) MODEL Sarah A. (MODE MODELS)

•

MAKEUP AND HAIR BY Katie Matson

(THE VAULTE AGENCY)

OPPOSITE PAGE Alice + Olivia necktie blouse, $380, Derek Lam 10 Crosby burgundy bell-bottom trousers, $445, and black-leather pageboy hat, $575; studded booties

by Alexander Wang, $1,210, all from Saks Fifth Avenue; California Signal hexagon wire frame glasses, $639, from Brass Monocle; Emma earrings, $35, by CoutuKitsch; bangle $109 by Kate Hewko.

Teal velour fit and flare dress, $295, short faux-fur coat, $395, studded cross-body purse, $478, leather diva platform sandal $198, all Michael Michael Kors; blue tights, $11, from Simons.

AvenueCalgary.com

65

Nonie drop-waist maxi dress, $960, from Shear Luxury; Steve Madden slouchy knee-high boots, $350, from Town Shoes; Talee earrings, $65, from The Bamboo Ballroom.

66

avenueSEPTEMBER.18

Tweed jacket, metallic wide-leg pants, earrings, brooch, tights and shoes, all from Chanel. Available for order at Holt Renfrew.

AvenueCalgary.com

67

Single-breasted jacket, $1,160,

by Marc Cain; red beret, $25, from Simons; earrings, $35,

by CoutuKitsch.

68

avenueSEPTEMBER.18

Stella McCartney patchwork wool cardigan, $1,640, The Row dusty-rose cashmere sweater, $1,550, Calvin Klein 205W39NYC red-and-white-plaid skirt, $1,100, and Dorateymur red-leather boots, $795, all from Holt Renfrew; red tights, $11, from Simons; ring, $130, by Kate Hewko.

AvenueCalgary.com

69

UNTTLD burgundy Sarah dress, $950, from Shear Luxury; Etro printed bag, $1,515, from La Chic; earrings, $26, from Zara.

70

avenueSEPTEMBER.18

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Marc Cain Sport zip-up top, $555, and black pleated skirt with stripe detail, $410, from La Chic; Stuart Weitzman boots, $698, from Holt Renfrew.

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avenueSEPTEMBER.18

FA S H I O N S O U R C E The Bamboo Ballroom, 814 16 Ave. S.W., 403-454-1088, bambooballroom.ca Brass Monocle, The Core, 403269-7616, and 806 16 Ave. S.W., 403-228-9191 Chanel Boutique at Holt Renfrew, The Core, 403-232-6240, chanel.com CoutuKitsch at The Livery Shop, 1130 10 Ave. S.E., 403-453-7711, theliveryshop.com Holt Renfrew, The Core, 403-269-7341, holtrenfrew.com Kate Hewko Concept Store, 106, 908 17 Ave. S.W., 587-356-1229, katehewko.com La Chic, Bankers Hall, 403-269-4775, lachiccalgary.com Michael Kors, The Core, 403-2644981, CF Chinook Centre, 403-5370093, and Southcentre, 403-2251943, michaelkors.ca Saks Fifth Avenue, CF Chinook Centre, 403-440-2100, saksfifthavenue.com Shear Luxury, 1412 9 Ave. S.E., 403-455-2010, shearluxury.ca Simons, The Core, 403-697-1840, simons.ca Town Shoes, The Core, 403-263-1997, CF Chinook Centre, 403-255-5270, CF Market Mall, 403-288-1034, ts.townshoes.ca Zara, CF Chinook Centre, 403-538-2357, CF Market Mall, 403-202-0520, zara.com

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PROFILE

BY Käthe Lemon PHOTOGRAPHY BY Jared Sych

Stafford The new(ish) artistic director of Theatre Calgary has created a balanced portfolio of risky and rewarding shows for the company’s 51st season.

Arima

S

tafford Arima describes this part of his life as act two. “That’s in a Shakespearean five-act structure,” he notes. “Act three is one more adventure, act four is retirement. The fifth act, to me, is the next life.” But between all of that and now we have act two, in which Arima, who will turn 50 next March, is performing in the role of the artistic director of Theatre Calgary.

Although Arima has been with Theatre Calgary for more than a year now, because of the timelines of the theatre world his first season with the company essentially had him overseeing works chosen by former artistic director Dennis Garnhum. Theatre Calgary’s 51st season will be the first that Arima has put together — not only here, but anywhere, as his work up to this point has been mainly as a director.

Born and raised in Toronto, Arima is the only child of two second-generation immigrants, a Chinese-Canadian mother and a Japanese-Canadian father. His introduction to the world of the stage and to musicals, in particular, can be credited to his mother, Daisy, who dragged him, at the time an unwilling 11-year-old, to see Evita while on vacation in Los Angeles. In his re-telling at least, it’s a straight line from 11-year-old Stafford being won over

by Patti LuPone’s “Don’t Cry for me Argentina,” through to a bachelor of arts in theatre studies at York University, followed by jobs with Canada’s two major musical-theatre companies of their era — Livent and Mirvish Productions.

Arima left Toronto for New York in 1997 and was based there for the next 20 years, directing primarily musicals both on and off Broadway, as well as throughout the U.S. and

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in London, where his work on the West End production of Ragtime earned him an Olivier Award nomination for best director. Between his leaving Toronto in 1997 and coming to Theatre Calgary in 2017, Arima worked in Canada only once, directing Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris at Stratford in 2010.

“Stafford is a person who has been underlooked by Canadians,” says Globe and Mail theatre critic J. Kelly Nestruck. “I was quite interested that he would be repatriated.”

That being said, it’s worth noting that at least one Canadian artistic director had reached out to Arima on two occasions to direct productions of Cats and Mary Poppins, though Arima wasn’t able to due to scheduling conflicts. That artistic director was Garnhum.

At first glance Arima and his predecessor seem to be stylistic opposites — Garnhum all poised and suited corporate polish and Arima all Zen-Bohemian flair. This is, of course, an oversimplification of both men and their work. For example, Theatre Calgary staged nine world premieres during Garnhum’s 11 years as artistic director, setting the stage for Arima, who has programmed three world premieres for this season alone.

“During Dennis’ time, he was able to elevate the excellence of what we were presenting on the Theatre Calgary stage,” says Margo Randles, a Theatre Calgary board member for the past eight years and the current board chair. “We had stretched the audiences here and we knew that [pushing the audience] was the direction to go.”

Working with the recruitment firm Searchlight, the board asked Arima to apply for the artistic director job.

“He really understands the components of making excellence

“I HAVE, KIND OF THROUGH OSMOSIS, FELT COMFORTABLE WITH RISK IN MY LIFE.” −Stafford Arima

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1992

PROFILE

Graduated York University and received the Dean’s Prize for Excellence in Creative Work.

1990 to 1995

Worked for Livent.

2003

Directed the West End (London, U.K.) premiere of Ragtime. The production received eight Olivier Award nominations, including Best Director.

2012

Directed the “revisal” of Carrie off Broadway, nominated for five Drama Desk Awards.

2015

Directed Allegiance, starring George Takei, Broadway.

2013 to PRESENT

Artistic Advisor for Broadway Dreams.

Career Timeline in the theatre,” says Randles. “He just has such great gravitas — his understanding of the theatre is just so rich.” She notes that Arima also brought together the rest of the board’s wish list: a creative leader who could be trusted to maintain the balance of established and new works and lead the company toward national and global recognition.

That list might have also included “strong constitution,” as there is inherent risk in producing the kinds of new theatrical works that can give a company like Theatre Calgary the kind of recognition it seeks. “I’m walking into a company that has been financially stable for a good number of years — like really, really good. I’m coming in and saying, ‘let’s do three new works,’” Arima says.

“I think on some level there wasn’t fear, but there was definite robust discussion. It was really important for me to make sure that in the portfolio there was a diversification of risk.”

Arima’s childhood taught him a thing or two about risk. His father and mother worked as a commercial painter and a money market trader, respectively, but they also loved gambling and enjoyed going to Las Vegas. They owned race horses at various times and even won a quarter million on the lottery. While he himself doesn’t gamble, Arima has inherited his parents’ intestinal fortitude for risk — especially financial risk — as anyone who has made their living for 20 years working in theatre in New York probably needs.

“I have, kind of through osmosis, felt comfortable with risk in my life,” he says. “There was a risk to try to make it in New York and there was a risk to leaving a ‘comfortable’ world of being a freelance director and come all the way to Calgary, taking a job I had no direct experience in.”

In Arima’s accounting of the current Theatre Calgary season, the risk breaks down like this: high risk, Honour Beat, Mary and Max — A New Musical; medium risk, Boom X; low risk, The Scarlet Letter; no risk, Billy Elliot The Musical, A Christmas Carol. The highest-risk pieces are both world premieres from lesser-known sources.

Part of the risk in developing new work is the sheer cost of creating it — the time and resources it takes to create something from scratch. “The board understands it is necessary to invest in new 76

avenueSEPTEMBER.18

SINCE 2017

Artistic Director, Theatre Calgary.

THEATRE CAL GARY ’ S 2018-2019 SEASON Honour Beat Sept. 4 to 29 Mary and Max — A New Musical Oct. 16 to Nov. 10 A Christmas Carol Nov. 29 to Dec. 23 Boom X Jan. 15 to Feb. 9 The Scarlet Letter Feb. 26 to Mar. 23 Billy Elliot The Musical Apr. 9 to May 11

play development to maintain relevance and be reflective of our society,” says Randles. “It takes time, money and focus.”

Another risk with new work is that audiences are less likely to buy tickets to something they don’t recognize — and the less they recognize (the story, the playwright, the director, the actors) the less likely they are to come. “I firmly believe that any theatre on the planet has the capacity to introduce new works and new voices on their stages. The choice is whether we do that or not,” says Arima. “I enjoy comfort, but I also enjoy the importance of introducing the new work and the new voice and for us to create the opportunity to maybe have the next West Side Story.”

For Theatre Calgary, with only one very large stage and theatre space to use, it can be difficult to mitigate those risks. One way is to create “newish” works, or new adaptations of things audiences are likely already aware of, such as Theatre Calgary’s new adaptation of The Scarlet Letter.

Likewise, Boom X, is “new-ish” in the sense that it’s a sequel to Boom, Rick Miller’s one-man show, which sold out its run at Theatre Calgary in 2016.

Honour Beat though, a new work by Calgary Indigenous playwright Tara Beagan, hits all the risk factors head on. Though her debut work won Best New Play in the independent division at the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts’ Dora Awards in 2005, Beagan is comparatively

unknown to audiences, the work itself is new and the subject matter may sound difficult to some (two grown sisters confront one another over their mother’s deathbed).

But as with financial risks, the biggest risks are also where the biggest potential rewards lie — to create an impact nationally and globally, to be the originator of new work that may get significant recognition and even to gain a new local audience.

“From the perspective of what is interesting or important work that theatres can be doing, new work is probably the most important,” Nestruck says. “Starting off with Tara Beagan’s [Honour Beat] is obviously a very big statement that Indigenous work is important, local work is important and this is stuff we should see on a big stage.”

It is very intentionally the goal of the board to gain national and even global attention for Theatre Calgary through big-statement productions such as Honour Beat. According to Randles, Mary and Max, which Arima developed in conjunction with an artistic team from New York, is the company’s other big statement this season. “We have an artistic vision to stand globally in the world,” Randles says, “and the artistic director really has to hone that vision.”

Beyond Arima’s expertise with large stages like Theatre Calgary’s from his work on and off Broadway, Nestruck also points to the strength of his perspective. While Arima says he never felt like it was a factor in his work in the U.S., Nestruck notes that Arima is the first Canadian of Asian descent to direct on Broadway and is one of very few visible minorities ever to helm one of the country’s regional theatres. “This is an era where we’re really looking for leaders who can create an inclusive atmosphere,” says Nestruck. Randles echoes this sentiment: “[Stafford is] a collaborator; he’s very inclusive.”

The early indicators are that the risks are paying off — season ticket sales are strong and Nestruck, who hasn’t reviewed a Theatre Calgary show in some time, notes that he will likely be out to review Honour Beat.

For Arima though, the risks are only worth it in pursuit of good storytelling that impacts audiences. “I’ve always been interested in stories that have the capacity to provoke, to reveal and heal and to engage an audience,” he says. “I think that there’s no crime in that word ‘entertainment.’ I think that you can be entertained by works of art on any level that aren’t necessarily frothy and fluffy.”

And while he is still new to the role of artistic director, Arima seems to have found his own balance of show and business — creating a bold season on Theatre Calgary’s big stage while ensuring the continued stability of a company with a reputation for mixing in some new pieces while not risking the house.

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FOOD & DRINK

BY Elizabeth Chorney-Booth, Alana Willerton AND Katherine Ylitalo PHOTOGRAPHY BY Jared Sych

Play With Your Food

F

PIN-BAR

ew things evoke pure, euphoric nostalgia like the feeling of pulling back a pinball plunger or watching a classic arcade machine light up. That’s the idea behind Pin-Bar, the new grown-up playground on the corner of 17th Avenue and 4th Street S.W. The bar boasts 18 modern pinball machines — most of them carrying pop-culture themes ranging from golden oldie bands like Aerosmith and AC/DC to newer-school themes like Game of Thrones — as well as five classic arcade video games.

While the games are clearly what’s drawing customers through Pin-Bar’s door, operating partner Arlen Smith (who many Calgarians

know from The Palomino Smokehouse) also wanted to incorporate a food element near and dear to his heart: classic American sandwiches.

Inspired by trips to iconic sandwich spots like Philippe’s in Los Angeles and Primanti Bros. in Pittsburgh, Smith packed the menu with unapologetic takes on French dip, Cubano and breakfast sandwiches as well as a section of cheeky “Fat Sandwiches” including “The Wizard,” a ciabatta bun stuffed with coleslaw, crinkle-cut fries and what Smith claims is the best house-made pastrami in the city.

Each pinball machine is fitted with a cup holder large enough to safely accommodate

The Wizard sandwich at Pin-Bar is made with house-made pastrami and comes topped with crinklecut fries and coleslaw.

AvenueCalgary.com

79

NEW S

FOOD & DRINK partnered with Alberta ranch Benchmark

HORIZON MALL FOOD COURT OPENING SOON

Angus to create its own product line

The multicultural mall in

called Modern Benchmark. Expect to see

Balzac will be home to 500

a lot more of Modern Steak as it opens

mini-stores and will feature

a second location this fall and a butcher

a multicultural food court

shop with a café in spring 2019.

with 26 vendors.

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MORE MODERN STEAK Modern Steak in Kensington recently

a full pint glass, as Pin-Bar has plenty of brews on tap, but it also offers a number of cocktails and a range of non-alcoholic drinks. The latter is important since Pinbar makes a point of being family friendly.

Kids are welcome until 4 p.m. Thursday to Saturday and are especially encouraged on Sundays until 8 p.m. when the bar offers unlimited play for $10 per individual or $20 per family, helping to seed a love of pinball in a generation immune to the pull of ’80s nostalgia.

501 17 Ave. S.W., 403-930-8175, pinbaryyc.com

YOU WANT A SIDE OF PAC-MAN WITH THAT? THREE MORE PLACES WITH RETRO ARCADE GAMES. BOOGIE’S BURGERS Open since 1969, Boogie’s Burgers has always traded on vintage charm, but both the original Renfrew location and the new Marda Loop Boogie’s have upped the fun factor with a decent slate of arcade favourites. Each location boasts different games with choices like Galaga, Street Fighter and Donkey Kong.

908A Edmonton Tr. N.E., 403-230-7070 and 2129 33 Ave. S.W., 403-454-2902; boogiesburgers.com

HOME & AWAY A sports bar for people who think they don’t like sports bars, Home & Away has plenty to keep customers entertained, including a selection of sports-themed games like Skee-Ball, Pop-A-Shot, table hockey and an NBA Jam arcade game.

1331 17 Ave S.W.; 403-455-9789; homeandawayyyc.com

TUBBY DOG For over a decade Tubby Dog has been Calgary’s castle of kitsch, with its selection of wacky hot dog toppings and Happy Daysmeets-John Waters decor. The hot dog joint’s collection of ’80s video games (Space Invaders, BurgerTime, Double Dragon) is complemented with a selection of newer pinball machines. —E.C.B. 1022 17 Ave. S.W., 403-244-0694 80

avenueSEPTEMBER.18

ICE CREAM CRAZE

URBAN PEDAL TOURS ARE ROLLING ALONG

Made by Marcus opened a sec-

Alberta-based company Urban

ond shop in Hillhurst last summer

Pedal Tours offers a unique way to

and Yann Blanchard (Yann Haute

check out Calgary’s local breweries.

Patisserie) is set to open a soft

On the company’s two-hour brewery

serve and chocolate shop called

tours, participants travel from spot

Berlingo. You can also get soft

to spot on the eye-catching multi-

serve at Alforno Bakery & Café,

rider bike, grabbing a drink at three

Sweet Relief Pastries and Mono-

different breweries. —A.W.

gram in Britannia.

urbanpedaltours.com

Bubble and squeak at Dandy Brewing Company.

Microbreweries

W

THE DANDY BREWING COMPANY

ith dozens of new breweries opening across the province, local spots like Calgary’s Dandy Brewing Company are setting themselves apart by putting as much thought into their food as their beer.

When the restaurant and attached brewery opened its new flagship location in Ramsay this past April, chef Merritt Gordon joined the team to create a food program to complement the beer. Having previously worked with Rouge, The Eden Restaurant at The Rimrock Hotel in Banff and Au Pied de Cochon in Montreal, Gordon crafts elevated yet approachable snacks such as oysters, pickled eggs, rollmops and chicken-liver toast for Dandy. The larger plates, which are intended to be shared and paired with beer, include sweet-potato ceviche, beans on toast, beef tartare and the Dandy hot dog, topped with daikon slaw and crispy shallots and served in a steamed bun.

Gordon’s creativity extends to the weekend brunch menu, too. It features staples like a classic eggs Benedict and a plate of eggs, ham, baked beans and tomato, but there are also more unique dishes — think fried-green-tomato breakfast sandwiches, lamb and green-garlic stew and bubble and squeak, a British dish that Dandy tops with poached eggs. Pair your meal with one of the up to 20 beers on tap and you’re in for a delicious — or should we say dandy — dining and drinking experience. —A.W.

NEW AND COMING-SOON BREWERIES ’88 BREWING COMPANY This recently opened brewery has up to

THE ESTABLISHMENT BREWING COMPANY

18 beers on tap in both its upper and

The team behind the Establishment has

lower-level taprooms. Stop by on a Friday or

won more than 130 home-brewing awards.

Saturday night to try New York City-inspired

They’ll be pouring a range of beers, from

pizza from Noble Pie’s pop-up kitchen.

barrel-aged sours to European lagers and

1070, 2600 Portland St. S.E., 88brewing.ca

hoppy ales, in their 40-seat taproom opening later this year in the Barley Belt.

CABIN BREWING COMPANY

4407 1 St. S.E., establishmentbrewing.ca

Opening this fall, Cabin Brewing Company’s

Cabin Brewing Company mug.

50-seat taproom is a Scandinavian-minimal-

MARDA LOOP BREWING CO.

ist space with family-cabin-inspired decor

Marda Loop finally has its own brewery,

elements. Pair Cabin's IPA, pale ale or one

complete with a 48-seat taproom, French-

of the rotating brews with a New Zealand-

fry bar and charitable initiative. Designed by

style meat pie or some soft pretzels.

Make Design Lab, the brewery has an early

505 36 Ave. S.E., 587-966-9696,

1900s-inspired look. —A.W.

cabinbrewing.ca

3523 18 St. S.W., mardaloopbrewing.com AvenueCalgary.com

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FOOD & DRINK

BEST BETS FOR PLANT-BASED EATING BRIDGETTE BAR With an emphasis on fresh and shareable food, Bridgette Bar offers vegetable-based share plates and salads that can complement larger meat dishes or be enjoyed all on their own.

Plant-based Dish Cashew-based “cheesecake” with a cocoa-pecan crust, topped with seasonal fruit.

739 10 Ave. S.W., 587-319-6827, bridgettebar.com

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Cashew "cheesecake" at Bridgette Bar; Henry salad at Ten Foot Henry; mushroom tourtiere at Donna Mac.

THE COUP As Calgary’s poshest veggie-vegan restaurant, The Coup’s cheeky takes on salads, mains and plant-based cocktails make meatless eating glamorous.

Plant-based Dish Char “coup” terie, an animal-free charcuterie board with macadamia nut cheese, lentil sausage, nuts, jellies and pickles.

924 17 Ave. S.W., 403-541-1041, thecoup.ca

DONNA MAC There’s always at least one all-plant entree on the menu at this casual-chic neighbourhood restaurant, which changes its menu regularly to reflect the seasons.

Plant-based Dish The brunch menu’s mushroom tourtiere, which is both vegan and gluten-free.

1002 9 St. S.W., 403-719-3622, donnamacyyc.ca

OAK TREE TAVERN This friendly bar in Kensington accommodates vegan guests with plant-based

TRENDI NG

Plant-Based Dining

O

ver the last few years, Calgary has seen an influx of “vegetable-forward” restaurants — places that don’t necessarily take a full-on vegan or vegetarian approach but recognize that many people are choosing to moderate their consumption of meat and dairy in the name of both nutrition and environmental responsibility. Since the word “vegan” can come off as severe and suggest a complete lifestyle buy-in, the food world is instead embracing the idea of “plant-based” eating — that is, focusing on food that was once rooted in the ground.

Coupled with a shift toward sustainable and local produce, plant-based dining can be a challenge in the fall and winter months, but the ingenuity of Calgary chefs means diners can expect to dig into bowls of creatively dressed grains, pulses and noodles, savoury sweet-potato, squash and sunchoke dishes, and pickled and preserved summer bounty at this time of year. With entree-sized salads, tasty power bowls and veggie burgers that actually taste good on so many menus, even meat eaters are choosing to order plant-based options, both for the good of their own health and the deliciousness of the food.

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versions of some classic pub grub.

Plant-based dish Vegan chili with beans, chickpeas, corn and veggies.

124 10 St. N.W., 403-270-3347, oaktreetavern.ca

TEN FOOT HENRY Vegetarians and carnivores can dine together in harmony with a selection of ultra-flavourful vegetable small plates, usually featuring seasonal preparations.

Plant-based Dish The signature Henry Salad with baby lettuces, radish, tahinimiso dressing and crispy shiitake mushrooms. —E.C.B. 1209 1 St. S.W., 403-475-5537, tenfoothenry.com

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www.canadaoutdoorkitchens.com AvenueCalgary.com

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FOOD & DRINK

Feast Your Eyes

T

eatro takes pride in sourcing the best local ingredients. Consider the artworks as ingredients in the restaurant experience. They contribute to the environment of opulence, in the spirit of gesamtkunstwerk, the architectural concept of “allembracing art form.” Grand space, fine art, good service and excellent cuisine all work together.

Owner Dario Berloni began selecting art for the restaurant when it opened in 1993, with an impeccable eye for a particular contemporary aesthetic that complements the heritage BeauxArts architecture of the Dominion Bank Building.

Berloni continues to be a strong supporter of Calgary’s cultural community. The diverse paintings, drawings and prints are by some of Calgary’s best artists and during this 25th birthday year, the restaurant has resurrected a scholarship program for students from the Alberta College of Art + Design. —K.Y.

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CHRISTIAN ECKART, ANDACHTSBILD 722 (1990) Top right

RICHARD HALLIDAY, CONSTELLATION SERIES #8 (1994) Above, left

23-karat gold leaf on gel medium on birch, pine and poplar Berloni wanted a work by the rising international art star, and with advice from his friend, gallerist Yves Trépanier, he scooped this iconic work as one of the first major purchases for the restaurant just shortly after it was featured in the pages of the German magazine, Stern.

Oil stick on acrylic on canvas Richard Halliday was an influential teacher and the department head of drawing at the Alberta College of Art + Design for many years. The Constellation Series of elegant black-and-white canvases brought him deserved national acclaim at the end of his career.

CHRIS CRAN, UNTITLED (2006) Above

Oil and acrylic on canvas Chris Cran is an internationally respected local artist. This portrait has special pizzazz with some quintessential Cran ingredients: theatrical allure, black and yellow graphic punch, and a surface technique of dragging a wide brush through oil paint in overlapping swirls, producing a texture that catches and plays with light like a vinyl record.

For more images and information on the Teatro art collection, go to AvenueCalgary.com/teatroart

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Come enjoy the season with us!

Book your holiday party with alloy.

220 - 42 avenue s.e. | 403 287 9255 @alloyrestaurant | events@alloydining.com alloydining.com

Ride Fernie, British Columbia this September & October. Over 100 trails just 3 hours from Calgary.

Book your stay from $90/night 86

avenueSEPTEMBER.18

tourismfernie.com

#ferniestoke

M O U N TA I N S

Frisby Ridge trail, Revelstoke, B.C.

Revelstoke photograph by Bruno Long courtesy of Tourism Revelstoke; Mt. Begbie photograph by Darryn Shewchu

BY Andrew Penner

FABULOUS FALL RIDES Some say that September is the best month for mountain biking. These four destinations have trails that are worth taking a road trip to ride.

A

sk any seasoned mountain biker and they’ll tell you that riding in the fall is about as good as it gets. The weather is cooler, the leaves are turning and the trails are firm and fast. It’s the pedal-powered equivalent of a no-wind day on the links or surfing the perfect wave — recreation from another realm. Cap off your ride with a thirst-quenching craft brew (or two) and, well, now you’ve got a day for the ages.

Hyperbole aside, you and your biking buddies could stay local when it comes to getting some autumn trail action, but with winter just around the bend, you might as well throw the bikes on the roof rack and get out of Dodge.

Revelstoke, Fernie, Crowsnest Pass, Panorama; all offer world-class mountain biking within a half-day’s drive. Here are a few of the best spins (along with some recommended post-ride suds) to make the most of the season.

Revelstoke With more than 150 kilometres of single-track trail, including some of the best alpine riding in North America, we may as well call Revelstoke the “Moab of the Monashees.” Indeed, mountain-biking culture has infiltrated this fun-loving mountain town. While the legendary Frisby Ridge trail is, by many accounts, the ace of spades in Revy, there are countless other options for a heart-pounding spin.

Located on the west side of the mighty Columbia River, the Mt. MacPherson trails afford numerous loops, links and fast-and-flowy options. Flowdown, a classic downhill flow-trail (as you might have guessed from the name) is about as much fun as you can have on two wheels. If you love the rollers, jumps, dips and dives, this six-km out-and-back trail is a must-do.

BEER PAIRING Voted Brewery of the Year at the Canadian

enjoy its delicious beers at numerous

Brewing Awards in 2017, Mt. Begbie

pubs and patios in town, including Craft

Brewing is a wily veteran when it comes

Bierhaus and The Village Idiot. As for Beg-

to British Columbia’s beautiful beer scene.

bie’s greatest gulp? If you ask most locals,

While Begbie’s brand-new digs just east

that would be the High Country Kölsch,

of town near the Coast Hillcrest Hotel are

a 4.5-per cent German-style beer that’s

certainly worth checking out, you can also

infinitely crushable.

AvenueCalgary.com

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M O U N TA I N S

Lazy Lizard trail, Fernie, B.C.

Fernie

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BEER PAIRING Not surprisingly, Island Lake Lodge has plenty of chilled Fernie Brewing Co. bevvies to get you mentally prepared for the fast and flowy descent back to town.

(And, yes, you should probably just have one.) Each and every pint of liquid courage from Fernie Brewing is oh-so-tasty, but the sentimental favourite has got to be the Project 9 Pilsner, named for a notoriously tough local trail.

Fernie photograph by Mike McPhee; Fernie Brewing Co photograph courtesy of Fernie Brewing Co.

Fernie is a mountain biker’s dream (yes, it’s that good). There are more than 110 trails to ride — the vast majority of which are of the single-track persuasion — at seven different riding areas. If my math serves me correctly, that would lend itself to a week of riding in a different area each day. Numerous loops can be done right from town, making for ideal logistics for both the ride and the post-ride watering-hole session.

As difficult as it is to single out the perfect fall ride in Fernie, intermediate riders will not go wrong with a heart-pounding pedal down Lazy Lizard, a seven-km, machine-built trail that twists and turns through the old-growth forested area east of town. The trail incorporates plenty of bridges and berms and serves up views of Island Lake and the Three Bears peaks. Numerous scenic lookouts — not to mention the opportunity to have your highlight-reel lunch on the patio at Island Lake Lodge — make this one of the most memorable rides in the Rockies.

Big Bear trail at York Creek, Crowsnest Pass, Alta.

Crowsnest Pass

Crowsnest Pass photograph by Christine Missenghers; Old Man River Brewing photograph by Standout Photography; Panorama photograph courtesy of Panorama Mountain Resort; Original 83 photograph by Jess De Groot

Former World Cup downhill mountain-bike racer Karey Watanabe is the owner/operator of Sweet Riders, a mountain-bike instruction and tour company whose mission is to “spread the love of mountain biking in the Crowsnest, and beyond.”

Watanabe calls the Pass area (which encompasses Blairmore, Coleman, Bellevue, Hillcrest and Frank) a “hidden gem” for mountain biking. One blast down Buck 50, a downhill flow trail built in 2016 at the local Pass Powderkeg ski area to commemorate Canada 150, will certainly open your eyes to the potent possibilities of this underthe-radar region’s trails.

You can definitely make a day of riding at Pass Powderkeg, which has a network of 20 trails, but there are plenty of other places to explore, too.

The York Creek area features 21 intermediate and advanced trails, and should be on every serious rider’s to-do list. The sweetest ride, if you’re not squeamish about steeps, is the difficult, highlytechnical Big Bear trail, which serves up soaring views of the valley as it tumbles down rock slabs, gullies and tricky loose terrain. In other words, bring your A-game.

BEER PAIRING You can’t go wrong with a beer and “The Burger” (when it’s this good, you don’t need a highfalutin’ name) at The Rum Runner in Coleman.

However, if you want a local tap, dart over to nearby Lundbreck, belly up to the bar at the tiny, rough-around-the-edges Oldman River Brewing company and re-hash your adventure over a pint of Oldman River Pale Ale. Sweet caramel malt and stone fruit combined with a healthy dose of hops make this copper-coloured brew a thing of beauty.

Panorama Panorama Mountain Resort is a pedalling paradise. For downhill daredevils, the lift-accessed bike park is definitely a top draw, offering dozens of fast lines with machine-built berms, banks and bridges. Director of mountain sports Jason Simpson and his talented team of trail builders have created some of the fastest, flowiest trails in bikedom. A rip down Let it Ride, Mercy Me or Rocking Horse will definitely make you feel alive.

However, if you really want to live, do the ultimate Panorama pilgrimage — a rip along the Hopeful Trail at the summit. It takes a couple chair lift rides and a quick grunt up to the ridge to access one of the premier alpine trails in North America; the epitome of high-altitude cross-country cruising. All in all, the Hopeful Experience ($55 for two trips to the summit) yields 11.7 kms of riding and a mind-boggling 1,218 metres of vertical descent.

Mercy Me trail, Panorama Mountain Resort, B.C. BEER PAIRING: It’s written in the cross-country constitution: if you complete two epic rides in one day you are entitled to at least two delicious, locally crafted beers on a sun-soaked patio to celebrate your accomplishment. The barkeep at the go-to pub in Panorama, the T-Bar & Grill, will be pleased to pour you a couple of Original 83 Honey Ales from Invermere’s Arrowhead Brewing Company, a dark-amber honey-brown ale made with honey from the brewery’s property. Yum. Or, if you prefer, you can bomb down the hill from Panorama to Invermere to Arrowhead’s taproom. There, you can try a pint of Loud Mouth Soup, a killer double IPA made with, in Arrowhead’s own words, “a sh$t ton of malt and a sh$t ton of hops.” Clearly, this is a beer that is not for the faint of heart. But, then again, neither is mountain biking.

AvenueCalgary.com

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avenueSEPTEMBER.18

WORKOUT

BY Christina Frangou PHOTOGRAPHY BY David Dean

Stephanie Nychka

The mother of three is an iconic figure on the local BMX scene, pushing herself to greater heights and bigger airs in her drive to compete on the world stage.

T

onight, like most nights, B-Line Indoor Bike Park is packed with regulars airing over box jumps on their BMX bikes. The riders are mostly males in their teens and 20s but for one — Stephanie Nychka — a 38-year-old mother of three with a blond ponytail whipping out behind her.

Nychka has long been a force in slopestyle mountain biking, a discipline that features a downhill course of big jumps and other features, with contestants judged on style, amplitude and choice of line. Now, she’s on a new quest: to compete at the highest level internationally in BMX freestyle, an adrenaline-fuelled mix of tricks and jumps on a course similar to a skateboard park. BMX freestyle has long been part of the X Games, but the event AvenueCalgary.com

91

WORKOUT

will have its Olympic debut at the Tokyo Summer Games in 2020, and Nychka aims to be there.

“I have this opportunity do something amazing.

It’s like all the stars have lined up,” she says.

Nychka grew up in northern Alberta, a skinny kid who excelled at sports. In high school, she thought she had found her thing in volleyball and went on to play for the University of Alberta women’s team, a legendary squad that has been memorialized in the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame.

When Nychka’s roommates in Edmonton introduced her to mountain biking, however, volleyball fell to the side. She loved everything about it: being outdoors, the adrenalin rush. Nychka’s crew was into freeriding — piloting bikes with big suspension systems down steep terrain filled with stunts and drop-offs. The bigger the drop, the more gnarly the terrain, the more she relished it.

At the age of 23, tragedy struck when her fiancé died suddenly of an aortic aneurysm. In her grief, she poured her heart and soul into mountain biking full-time, dangerously willing to take risks in a sport where brazenness is often rewarded.

And she was rewarded — with accolades and attention, but at the expense of scars and broken bones. “I made bad decisions, but at that point I didn’t care,” she says. “I wasn’t trying to die, but I didn’t care if I hurt myself. I felt so alone.”

Nychka eventually moved to Whistler and from there to Portland, Oregon, continuing to compete in slopestyle mountain biking while

studying to be a chiropractor. After graduating, she moved to Seattle. In 2005, she severely injured her back while attempting a backflip.

During her recovery, she launched Slope Sistair — the first women-only slopestyle event.

On a trip home to Alberta in 2010, Nychka met her now husband, Chris Thompson, and made the decision to move to Calgary to be with him. They married and had three kids in five years. Nychka also started a personal concierge service, Lifestylists, which she still runs today.

Throughout, she kept riding at the highest level, but found herself feeling stuck. In her style of mountain biking, riders tend to get little industry support and recognition compared to elite-level cross-country or downhill racers. Being a mother made it even more difficult (Nychka knew of no one else carrying a breast pump to competitions). She sparked a small controversy when a mountain-biking website posted a photo of her competing while seven months pregnant.

“I’ve always ridden until around eight months, coaching, dirt jumping and downhill, because I know what I’m capable of and can easily ride within my limits — and most importantly riding my bike makes me gloriously happy,” she said in an Instagram post, in response to the criticism.

(She’s @rideslikeamother.)

Last fall, a friend suggested Nychka enter a BMX freestyle World Cup event in Edmonton.

If there is a way not to break into BMX, this

“THIS IS SOMETHING THAT GIRLS CAN DO JUST AS EASILY AS GUYS. I DON’T THINK THERE ARE ANY PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS; IT’S MOSTLY MENTAL — THE WAY WE TEACH BOYS ALLOWS THEM TO LIVE A LITTLE MORE RECKLESSLY.” 92

avenueSEPTEMBER.18

might be it. Nychka bought a used BMX off Kijiji from an 11-year-old boy. She didn’t realize until the event that the bike was too small — her handlebars sat noticeably lower than any other competitor’s though Nychka, at nearly five-feet10-inches, was among the tallest. While she had plenty of experience riding in mountain-bike parks, she had never ridden on the kind of features used in freestyle BMX. On the start line, she directed a stream of questions to a fellow competitor, including: “Do I go now?’”

“On television it looked like I was having fun, but I was clueless,” she says.

Nychka came seventh out of eight, but the experience left her feeling that she had the potential to do well in BMX. This feeling was amplified when B-Line Indoor Bike Park opened in Calgary last October. Without the park, there would be no Olympic dream, says Nychka.

That said, Nychka has no coach and few resources for learning new skills, relying mostly on other riders at the bike park to show her things.

Three or four nights a week, she hits the park to work on new tricks. Earlier this year, she landed her first backflip — the first she has attempted since her back injury 13 years ago.

Though she still takes big risks, Nychka says she rides smarter now. “I’m more calculated. I’m not going to do things that I know there’s a chance I’m not going to be successful at,” she says.

Off the bike, Nychka cross-trains at a local Goodlife gym, lifting weights a few times a week.

Her diet, she laughs, leaves much to be desired.

She lost weight after giving birth to each of her kids, so to keep up her strength, she turns to high-calorie foods like pastries, pasta and pizza.

Overall, Nychka says she’s most proud to be a role model for women and girls, especially her own six-year-old daughter. She coaches male and female riders of all ages in BMX and mountain biking, but says the average age of her students is 25 to 35 years old. The women in this age group, in turn, go on to attract younger women to a sport that has long been dominated by men.

“I want to show people that this is something that girls can do just as easily as guys,” Nychka says. “I don’t think there are any physical limitations; it’s mostly mental. The way we teach boys allows them to live a little more recklessly.”

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Fashion + Function

BY Leah Van Loon

LOWER TEMPERATURES DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN FASHION AND FUNCTION. DO CALGARY IN COMFORT AND STYLE THIS SEASON WITH THESE URBAN FALL FASHION ESSENTIALS.

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SUNGLASSES let you maximize your enjoyment of the disappearing daylight with protection provided by a modern holographic/mirrored lens. $495, at Chinook Optical, 813 49 Ave. S.W., 403-2521961, chinookoptical.com

An Allsaints Balfern

LEATHER BIKER JACKET is a wardrobe staple that can double as fall outerwear and transition into a fashionable indoor jacket when the snow flies. $695 at Nordstrom, CF Chinook Centre, 587291-2000, nordstrom.com

ultimate fabric for all seasons, and in an OVERSIZED CHUNKY KNIT by I Love Mr. Mittens, it becomes your favourite fashion piece. $675 at Leo Boutique, 810B 16 Ave. S.W., 403-410-9236, leoboutique.com

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Glasses and pants photography by Jared Sych

Durable and warm, wool is the

Durable canvas and leather make this Want Les Essentiels UNISEX BACKPACK lightweight, weather resistant and great for your commute. $550 at gravitypope, 1126 17 Ave. S.W., 403-209-0961, gravitypope.com

A must-have for fall, the

Camouflage is usually de-

PBI CAMP HOODY by

signed to help you disappear

Canada Goose is as comfy as

but the stylish print on these

a sleeping bag, and if it helps

made-to-order sporty camo

you nap on the CTrain, even better.

PANTS by local designer

$645 at Canada Goose,

Kaadiki stands out in a crowd.

CF Chinook Centre, 587-355-8058,

$370, kaadiki.com, @kaadiki

canadagoose.com

(on Instagram)

An Akris Punto TURTLENECK is the perfect piece for

Stay ever vigilant for those unexpected bliz-

layering under anything — even

faux fur-lined, waterproof and stain-resistant,

another sweater. The soft fabric

they give you form plus function.

ensures maximum comfort.

$398 at Browns, Southcentre, 403-278-5929,

$440 at La Chic, Bankers Hall,

plus four other locations; brownsshoes.com

zards with Artica LEATHER

BOOTS —

403-269-4775, lachiccalgary.com

AvenueCalgary.com

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A Home for the Ages A redesigned mid-century bungalow in a dream neighbourhood only took the homeowners a few decades to find.

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DECOR

BY Karen Ashbee PHOTOGRAPHY BY Jared Sych

LEFT Interior designer Aly Velji of Alykhan Velji Designs took inspiration from the rug from HPR Gallery for the rich colours and textures of the living-room palette.

The burnt-cedar stools work as seats, side tables and sculptural elements.

Several accessories allude to the couple’s love of travel, including a monk’s bowl from Bangkok.

ABOVE The open-concept main floor offers several seating areas, making it an ideal space for large family get-togethers.

ABOVE RIGHT Other than changing out the lighting over the island, the Kourys did not alter the kitchen, as designed by Liveable Spaces, which features a Caesarstone countertop, natural stone backsplash and oak flooring.

F

or Michael and Jennifer Koury, finding the right house wasn’t necessarily about downsizing, but rightsizing. They didn’t necessarily need less space, but rather a specific configuration that would work right away, as well as in later years.

They wanted a home that was not only a welcoming haven where they could host large family gatherings but that would also work layout-wise for them in retirement. The Kourys’ wish list included a self-contained main-floor living space as well as an open-concept separate living area for overnight guests, plus room to build a studio.

They made their dreams reality three years ago when they bought a renovated mid-century bungalow with a walk-out basement. The location in the heart of Foothill Estates, a small sub-district within the central-northwest community of Collingwood, was the icing on the cake.

“We always loved this neighbourhood because of its larger lots, mature trees and proximity to downtown,” Michael says.

“In fact, we had looked at a property here many years ago, but with three children and us in the early stages of our careers we just couldn’t afford it.”

Although both Michael and Jennifer are now retired, the opportunity to buy in Foothill Estates came while they were still working down in Houston, Texas. “The plan was always to return to Calgary,” says Michael. “We’re from here, so it’s our home.” The couple are avid skiers and also own a recreational property in Fernie, B.C., which was part of what drew them back to Calgary.

The almost 4,000-square-foot mid-century home was originally acquired and renovated by master craftsman Pawel Lewandowski of Liveable Spaces Ltd. When the Kourys bought the home, they retained Lewandowski to further customize it to their specifications. The underground garage was relocated to the front of the house both for aesthetic and practical reasons. The move freed up the lower level for more living space and the backyard for a studio.

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FAR LEFT Unique accessories such as a vintage lamp and baskets from Ten Thousand Villages mounted as art create visual interest in the media room.

Because the Kourys had sold all of their furniture before they moved to Texas, the home needed to be furnished from the ground up.

Enter Aly Velji, principal designer at Alykhan Velji Designs, a master of blending a variety of design styles with unifying patterns and textures. Although Velji had come highly recommended to the Kourys, like any business transaction, Michael ran a competitive process.

“I had no idea at the time that he was a famous personality,” Michael says, laughing. “It was 98

avenueSEPTEMBER.18

a combination of the ideas he brought to us, the look of his website, and the fact that he gave us a fixed bid.”

Velji helped the Kourys create a modern-yetinviting feel that didn’t look like it had all been purchased in one go. Using a colour palette of navy, indigo and burnt orange, Velji unified the large open space and created continuous flow.

“You don’t want to jar the eye by using multiple colours in every room,” says the designer, on his rationale for using one palette throughout.

TOP The double doors to the media room can be closed for privacy or opened when entertaining large groups to allow conversation to flow to the nearby dining room.

ABOVE Designer Aly Velji stands in front of the feature wall painted

by Interiors to Inspire. Look closely and you’ll see it depicts Fernie, where the homeowners have a recreational property. A resin platter by Martha Sturdy sits on the baby grand piano Michael Koury bought as a retirement gift for his wife.

DECOR

LEFT The custom seating in the main bedroom created

by Calgary-based Red Eight Workshop is the perfect spot to curl up and read. Grasscloth wallpaper in a warm pearl-grey adds a touch of glamour.

TOP The main bedroom has a custom king-sized bed created by Red Eight Workshop, dressed in handsome neutral bedding. Sheer drapery completes the serene look.

Velji also added warmth and sophistication to the space by marrying a mix of styles, particularly in the living room, where rustic cedar stools and a Persian rug are paired with comfortable midcentury chairs (upholstered in the signature burnt orange) and a modern coffee table. Custom pieces such as the dining-room table made by Izm out of Edmonton, not only fit the space but also impart a unique look.

However, it is the inventive feature wall by Calgary-based Interiors to Inspire that really

anchors the main floor. “Michael and Jennifer were [considering] a large-scale piece of art but they trusted us when we suggested a custom treatment,” says Velji.

The resulting statement piece is a feature that the Kourys love and that also unites their two homes. “If you look carefully, you can see Fernie: the ski runs, trees, the rock face and the colours of the mountains,” says Michael. “The stars aligned when we found this place. It just took 30 years, that’s all.”

ABOVE Custom wallpaper from Eskayel in swashes of blues and whites, creates a bold look in the upstairs powder room.

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DECOR

SOURCE

TIPS FOR UNIFYING AN OPEN-CONCEPT HOME

EDITOR’S NOTE PAGE 34

1. Choose a signature colour

4. Transform empty corners into

palette and use different

visually interesting spaces by

variations of it throughout to

staging pretty vignettes using

maintain a cohesive look.

plants, pots and accessories.

2. Use patterned area rugs to

5. Repeat materials, such as

define conversation zones

natural stone and wood,

within a larger space.

through-out the home to

3. Add layers of warm colours

create flow.

and inviting texture with plush

6. Incorporate a mix of lighting,

seating, velvet accent pillows,

including overhead pendants

woven throws, luxurious fabrics

as well as lamps dressed with

and cozy bedding.

shades.

ABOVE The sectional sofa

by CF Interiors easily accommodates the entire family for movie night.

RIGHT Velji designed the custom screen dividing wall to separate the sitting area from an adjacent fitness studio space.

1 00

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18-karat white-gold limited-edition diamond-pavé earrings, $12,820; 18-kt white-gold limited-edition diamond-pavé locket, $15,905, on 18-inch whitegold chain, $390. All available from Brinkhaus, 823 6 Ave. S.W., 403-269-4800, brinkhaus.com

DECOR PAGES 124 TO 128

Contractor Liveable Spaces Ltd., 403-703-5275 Interior design by Aly Velji, Alykhan Velji Designs, 403-617-2406, alyveljidesigns.com Living-room sofa and red chairs custom made

by Red Eight Workshop, 934 55 Ave. N.E., 403-219-8885, redeightworkshop.com Black stools from Pomp and Circumstance, 1204 12 St S.W., 403-244-4211, pompandcircumstance.ca Rug from HPR Gallery, 1206 20 Ave. S.E., 403-262-5323, hprgallery.com Standing lamp from Domicile, domicile.ca Coffee-table top by Icon Stone + Tile, 521 36 Ave. S.E., 403-532-3383, iconstonetile.com; base by Mtharu, sumersingh.com Painting by Rob Zeer, facebook.com/zeer.art/ Kitchen chairs custom made by Room B Design & Manufacturing Inc, 7, 4380 76 Ave. S.E., 587-350-8212, roomb.ca Flos pendant lights from Light Form, 1925 10 Ave. S.W., 403-508-9980, lightform.ca Dining table by Izm (Edmonton), izm.ca Red dining chairs from Restoration Hardware, Southcentre, 403-271-2122, restorationhardware.com Nelson saucer white pendant light from Light Form Credenza from HomeSense, multiple Calgary locations, homesense.ca Baskets (mounted on wall) from Ten Thousand Villages, 220 Crowchild Tr. N.W., 403-270-0631, tenthousandvillages.ca Sofa from McArthur Fine Furniture and Interior Design, 67 Glenbrook Pl. S.W., 403-246-6266 and 141 Gateway Dr. N.E., Airdrie, 403-960-1030, mcarthurfurniture.com Vintage lamp from Reclaim to Fame, 8, 5510 3 St. S.E., 403-465-2235 or 403-999-6845, reclaimtofame.ca Custom wall mural by Interiors to Inspire, Bay 6, 4623 Manilla Rd. S.E., 403-243-7433, interiorstoinspire.com Bathroom wallpaper Medina-Cyrrus by Eskayel, eskayel.com Main bedroom suite wallpaper from Crown, crownwallpaper.com Headboard custom made by Red Eight Workshop Bedside lighting from HomeSense Rug from HPR Gallery Seating custom made by Red Eight Workshop Basement sofa and ottoman from CF Interiors, 38 Heritage Gate S.E., 403-515-0011, cfinteriors.ca Chinese screens, side table and altar table from Wu & McHugh, 3, 9727 Horton Rd. S.W., 403-475-8814, wuandmchugh.com

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1

4

2

5

Wonder Walls

Six eye-catching wall treatments inspired by the home of Michael and Jennifer Koury.

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1. Custom wall treatment by Interiors to Inspire, 6, 4623 Manilla Rd. S.E., 403-243-7433, interiorstoinspire.com 2. Namaste by Candice Olson fabric-backed vinyl wallcovering from Metro Wallcoverings, 40, 2151 32 St. N.E., 403-245-9191, metrowallcoverings.com 3. Helleborus by Farrow & Ball wallpaper from Maria Tomรกs, 6501 Centre St. S.W., 403-454-6051, mariatomas.com

6

4. Stream Weave by Thibaut Grasscloth Reserve Collection wallpaper from Walls Alive, 1328 17 Ave. S.W., 403-244-8931, wallsalive.com 5. Wild Flower wall stickers by Rocky Mountain Decals, rockymountaindecals.ca 6. Edie by Romo hessian-style vinyl wallpaper from The Heather Company, 2711 14 St. S.W., 403474-5852, theheatherco.com

Interiors to Inspire wall treatment designed by Amanda Hamilton at Native Tongues Taqueria photograph by Janis Nicolay; Stream Weave photography courtesy of Thibaut; Namaste photography courtesy of Metro Wallcoverings; Wild Flower wall stickers photography courtesy of Rocky Mountain Decals; Helleborus BP 5606 photography courtesy of Farrow & Ball; Edie by Romo photograph courtesy of Romo

GET THE LOOK

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103

N AIL ART AT E S MÉ BE A U TY B A R Beyond the standard manicure and pedicure services ($35 to $90) at Esmé Beauty Bar, the skilled aestheticians will create miniature works of art on your fingertips for an additional $5 to $20. Bring in inspiration images if you have something in mind or simply let the talented team create something just for you — from a marbled look, to abstract art with gold foil, to colour blocking. And keep an eye out for their mani/ pedi deals that save you up to $35.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY

BY Kait Kucy

Local Finds Le Lou Ula Le Lou Ula, is a multi-disciplinary brand creating everything from fine gold and silver jewellery, to ceramics, to non-toxic vegan nail enamel.

try this

Esmé Beauty Bar, 825 17 Ave. S.W., 403-264-5355, esmebeautiful.com

Founder Bramble Lee Pryde recently moved her studio to Calgary after studying in British Columbia and Australia, where she earned her diploma in metalsmithing. The Facade Ear Threaders ($95 to $110 each) feature an outline of a face in profile that threads through a lobe piercing, creating a dangling piece of art. Each threader is made by hand, so each piece is one of a kind. Available in 14-karat gold fill or sterling silver, they add an instant state-ment to your outfit.

Available through lelouula.com or at Fieldstudy, 102, 1812 4 St. S.W., 587-356-2134, fieldstudyshop.com

Wu & McHugh

Ryspot Design

The Wu & McHugh showroom in Haysboro holds a world of Chinese salvage

Edmonton-based Ryan Spotowski, the designer behind Ryspot Design,

and antique treasures. Owners Miki Wu and John McHugh have a passion

is the third generation in his family to work with concrete, which he sees

for hunting out architectural pieces and furniture from Northeast and Central

as more than just an industrial material. Rather, he considers it the perfect

China that can be used as design or home-decor elements. One of their

medium for creating beautiful home decor and furniture pieces. “I enjoy

best-selling pieces is the Scholars Bench ($199 to $500 depending on age

that concrete comes alive for a very short period of time when you can

and condition). These benches are generations old and have been broken,

do anything with it,” says Spotowski. “It’s like photography, where you’re

repaired, replaced and rejigged for the demands of daily life over the years.

physically creating something in a very short period of time, but with a

“We love the rustic untouched look of the elm wood,” says Wu. “We are

more tactile product.” The Concrete Terrazzo Mountain Mirror ($90) was

big fans of wabi-sabi and are true believers that the beauty of many of our

inspired by the beauty of the sun setting over the mountains and is crafted

pieces can be found in their imperfections. This is why we choose not to

using upcycled countertops to provide the pieces that are suspended in the

restore or refinish the pieces we find. We want them to show their age and

concrete terrazzo. “The mirror allows the user to be that beautiful sun over

that they have been witness to a lot of history.”

the mountains and to reflect on themselves,” says Spotowski.

Wu & McHugh, 3, 9727 Horton Rd. S.W., 403-475-8814, wuandmchugh.com

Available through ryspot.design

1 04 avenueSEPTEMBER.18

Life’s short — Eat. Drink. Celebrate.

Title Sponsors:

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CURATED BY Katherine Ylitalo

Little Moses (Part Two)

T

he Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium is one of the primary performing arts venues in the city. But many don’t realize that it is also a significant art gallery space, showing works from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts collection.

1 06

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Calgary artist Geoffrey Hunter’s Little Moses (Part Two) is part of the collection on display at the Jube. When asked about his process, Hunter replied: “I let the paintings tell me what to do.”

In Little Moses (Part Two) he depicts the ground as an ancient shade of yellow, dark-yellow lines forming a loose, tangled pattern that spills off the edges. The linear network continues into the central section but in black, suggesting a shadow. Five squiggles in dark grey, lighter grey, red and blue with cadmium yellow float free.

Hunter works in series, evolving one from another. For the background, he salvaged images from Enlightenment-era thinker and art

critic Denis Diderot’s Encyclopédie, a book that appeals to Hunter’s fascination with history and his penchant for borrowing and repurposing. The squiggles were born digitally; Hunter doodled on a touch pad then captured the image, produced slides, projected, traced and finally painted the lines with precision.

Hunter graduated from the Alberta College of Art (now Alberta College of Art + Design) in 1986, where his principal teachers were Don Kottmann, a “painter’s painter,” and Alan Dunning, a conceptual artist engaged with hypertext. Hunter drew from both, developing a keen understanding of the principles of design and an idiosyncratic approach to digital technology and information links. The title of this work refers to a song on Smithsonian Folkways Anthology of American Folk Music, a pioneering collection of the earliest recorded American music. The lyrics of the song draw from the Biblical origin story of Moses: before it was dark, she opened the ark, and found the sweet infant was there. Themes of loss and renewal permeate this painting on many levels.

Photograph courtesy of the Collection of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts

TITLE: Little Moses (Part Two), 2007 ARTIST: Geoffrey Hunter MEDIUM: Oil and acrylic on canvas.

SIZE: 137.2 centimetres by 122.1 cm by 4.4 cm.

LOCATION: First balcony walkway, Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, 1415 14 Ave. N.W. NOTE: Other paintings from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts Collection at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium include Dry Bones (second balcony lobby) and Blue Garden (first balcony walkway).

Hunter is represented in Calgary by Newzones Gallery of Contemporary Art and also has paintings on permanent display in the north and south campuses of Bow Valley College.

WORK OF ART

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REGISTER FOR SHOWHOMES OPENING THIS FALL LIVEINSILVERADO.COM

FROM THE 500s

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This is not an offering for sale. The Developer reserves the right to make changes and modifications to maintain the high standards of these homes. Prices are subject to change without notice. E & O.E. AvenueCalgary.com

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Photo Michel Gibert, for advertising purposes only. Sculpture : www.thierrylaudren.fr, Éditions Zulma. *Conditions apply, ask your store for more details.

French Art de Vivre

Préfixe. Corner composition in leather, design Sacha Lakic.

Curling. Cocktail Table, design Arnaldo Gamba.

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