36 hours in Calgary tantalizes the senses
A new gen of chefs couple with microbrewery boom and a thriving arts scene
The construction cranes that pierce the downtown Calgary skyline and nearby neighbourhoods suggest a boom on the Alberta prairie.
In fact, in the past two years, sagging oil and gas prices have crimped Calgary’s economy, which is now showing signs of recovery. Projects underway before the slowdown, including the music museum at Studio Bell, have charged the city’s cultural scene. A new generation of chefs is championing Alberta-grown-andraised foodstuffs, and a relaxation of liquor production laws in 2013 has led to a boom in microbreweries.
Banff-bound visitors commonly land in Calgary and head directly to the national park, about a 90-minute drive west. But Calgary also champions the outdoors, with extensive recreational paths, world-class Olympic facilities that are open to the public and a penchant for open-air cafes even in winter when, occasionally, the chinook winds sweep in.
FRIDAY 3 p.m. Music Appreciation Arrive at the Studio Bell ($18) admission, home to the National Music Centre, in time to catch the 3 p.m. demonstration of its silent-movie-era organ.
The music museum approaches its subject from multiple angles spanning the purely visual — recently, k.d. lang’s vintage-inspired costume collection — and the science of sound. Interactive exhibits teach visitors to play the drums, guitar or piano and conduct a touchless theremin instrument.
The fifth-floor bridge that connects the two wings of the museum, designed by the architect Brad Cloepfil, features a “Solar Drone” installation that gathers solar energy from roof panels to play its ceiling-suspended series of piano sound boards. When you leave, peek through the groundfloor windows to spy the RV-based mobile studio once owned by the Rolling Stones. 5:30 p.m. Chefs and Cocktails Calgary’s Beltline, a gentrifying neighbourhood just blocks south of downtown, is destined to expand yours. Some of the city’s most creative chefs and bars have addresses here.
Start with a fancy cocktail — try the rosy mezcal-sloe-gin Other Woman ($13) — in a swanky setting at Proof.
Then walk a block to Ten Foot Henry, a hardy vegetable-focused restaurant with a bustling dining room and a cheeky cartoon namesake. The open kitchen turns out robust dishes that recently included roasted gai lan broccoli in tahini ($13); a Spanish style tortilla made with yams ($10); and scallops with smoked prosciutto ($29).
For small plates and natural wines, hit the retro charmer Pigeonhole from the chef Justin Leboe where past menus have included heirloom tomatoes with local peaches ($15) and lamb bacon atop toast ($12). 9 p.m. Eclectic Avenue The stretch of Ninth Avenue Southeast running from Studio Bell through the neighbouring Inglewood district has been labelled the Music Mile for its clubs.
At least two of them stage live music nightly, including the blues-centric Blues Can. Nearby, Ironwood Stage & Grill programs everything from bluegrass and jazz to Bruce Springsteen tributes, socially conscious folk music and nationally touring acts. Paintings and photographs of music stars line the walls bracketing the raised stage, and elevated banquettes offer uninterrupted sightlines.
SATURDAY 9:30 a.m. Snow Biking With some 500 miles of multi-use pathways, Calgary claims to have the most extensive urban recreational network in North America, and Calgarians cycle in all seasons, including winter.
Make like a local and arrange to have a fat-tire bike, designed to ride in the snow, delivered from Nomad Mobile Gear Rentals ($60 for one day). For a scenic ride from downtown, cycle the paths that follow the city-bisecting Bow River. A series of pedestrian and cycling bridges crosses it, including the tunnel-like Peace Bridge, designed by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. Noon Special Rations Work up an appetite for lunch at Deane House. The retrofitted 1906 home, originally part of the frontier outpost Fort Calgary, is now under the management of the team behind the acclaimed River Café in Prince’s Island Park. The menu champions contemporary Canadian cuisine, drawing on local ingredients in seasonal dishes that recently included hangar steak tartare with puffed barley ($17), cured Alberta trout with beets ($14) and duck confit pirogi ($21). Tables fill sunny wraparound porches, and interior rooms channel the wild yonder in landscape paintings, mounted animal heads and a chandelier made of branches. 1:30 p.m. Artistic Licence Public art animates Calgary’s downtown, and Jaume Plensa’s gigantic wire-mesh head “Wonderland” is a popular selfie stop.
For a more thoughtful exploration of contemporary art, make your way to the Esker Foundation (free) on the fourth floor of an Inglewood office building. The privately funded, noncommercial gallery, named for the ridge left behind by a retreating glacier, aims to stimulate discussion on contemporary affairs via three shows staged each year. Winter shows survey the coloor effects explored by the artist Kapwani Kiwan- ga (through May 6) and the fantastical beasts created by the duo known as Dave and Jenn (through April 29). 2:30 p.m. Indie Shopping Across the Elbow River from downtown, Inglewood makes a funky first impression, and its collection of independent boutiques maintains that vibe. Troll for locally made ceramics and wood-turned bowls at Galleria Inglewood. Among several resale shops, Antiquaire Boutique assembles good-condition vintage apparel. Shop Purr Fine Clothing & Accessories for retro-inspired looks, the Uncommons for wearable sleeping bags and the Silk Road Spice Merchant for herb blends.
Lodged in a former stable, the Livery Shop stocks clothing and accessory brands with rustic character, including Brixton flannel shirts, Fjallraven backpacks and the shop’s own Camp Brand Goods T-shirts. 4:30 p.m. Beer Break Since December 2013, when the province dropped its minimum production levels, microbreweries have exploded in the city. Eighteen are now plotted on a new map available free at many breweries.
While in Inglewood, take a break with a refreshing Dandelion’s Blonde or a fruity This Must Be the IPA ($5 pints) at Cold Garden Beverage Co. The 2017 newcomer occupies a garagelike industrial space with thriftshop couches and wooden tables in view of the brewing tanks. 6 p.m. Three-in-One Dinner New construction is filling the redeveloping East Village near the river. But one prominent historic address, the former Simmons mattress factory, has been saved and now hosts three acclaimed restaurants.
Try them all by dining at one, Charbar. Here the chef Jessica Pelland butchers animals, ages steaks and cooks them on an Argentine-style wood-fired grill. This is a steak house that meat-averse diners can embrace, with loads of vegetable options, including a charred and raw vegetable salad ($14), best ordered with a side of Sidewalk Citizen sourdough ($6) from the neighbouring bakery. Grilled “asado style” steaks (market price) come with beef fat fries. Start with a spicy rum-citrus Boxspring cocktail ($13) and end with an espresso ($5) from Phil & Sebastian Coffee Roasters, another Simmons tenant. 7:30 p.m. Arts in Common Calgary may be most associated with cowboys, thanks to its 10-day summer rodeo, the Calgary Stampede, but its actors, dancers and musicians contribute to a thriving performing arts scene over the rest of the year.
Though influential groups, including Lunchbox Theatre and the Alberta Ballet, perform elsewhere, the Arts Commons complex of theatres downtown makes handy one-stop cultural shopping. Resident compa- nies include the polished Alberta Theatre Projects, staging new works and, often, those by Canadian playwrights, and the innovative One Yellow Rabbit Performance Theatre.
SUNDAY 10:30 a.m. Endless Brunch You may spot local chefs and restaurateurs browsing the Calgary Farmers’ Market, especially if you’re in the company of Karen Anderson, owner of Alberta Food Tours.
The Calgary-based cookbook author offers a series of culinary tours in the province, including the Sunday Brunch and a Calgary Farmers’ Market Tour ($55). The event starts with Yum Bakery savory pastries, salads and Fratello Analog coffee procured at the market and served at the neighbouring J. Webb Wine Merchants shop. Next, a prandial promenade around the food stalls allows you to sample Better fruit Popsicles, Sylvan Star Gouda cheese and Lund’s Organic Farm seasonal produce, among many satiating stops. 1p.m. Olympic Homage Calgary held the Winter Olympics in 1988, and has continued to use the competition’s venues, which are a training draw for medal hopefuls. Several Olympic facilities are open to the public, including the bobsled run at WinSport park.
More accessible is Olympic Plaza in the heart of downtown; it was built for the games as the site of the medal ceremonies. In winter, the reflecting pond becomes a free skating rink, attracting Katarina Witt and Brian Boitano imitators (skate rentals cost $12 for up to two hours).