Looking for something to welcome your way into the new year?  ATBT (http://allthebestthings.ca/) is bringing back Hot Apple Cider, a night of local music and cozy apple cider to warm your mind and body…

Hosted by Reuben Bullock, happening at Weed’s Cafe (1903 20 Ave NW) this night will feature some great local talent.  Check out their facebook page to find out more:

Chow Down in Cowtown is an (almost!) weekly account of Calgary’s most awesome eats from Ceci n’est pas un food blog.

Just off the corner of 16 Ave and 4 St NE there is a little strip mall. On the outside, it may seem a little sketchy (especially at night because the signs aren’t lighting up properly), but with Bubblemania and Shibuya open as late as 2 AM on weekends, it is a popular hangout for all the insomniacs (particularly Asian ones) in the city.

A couple weeks ago my family and I went for supper at Shibuya (at a respectable hour), which, compared to its exterior, is a surprisingly brightly lit and modernly decorated place. Like the popular Globefish, Shibuya is an izakaya, which I’ve referred to before as “Japanese tapas”, meaning that they specialize in small dishes to share over a few cups of sake as opposed to just sushi (which would explain part of the reason why they’re open so late). I’ve heard that they make a good ramen too, but as you’ll see below, we unfortunately didn’t leave enough room in our stomachs to try it.
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Do you remember rap in the 90’s?  The well crafted lyrics that made dis-songs chart toppers . The battle of larger than life personas with flashy bling, and designer gear.  The conflict of loyalties, lines drawn in the dirt and you had to choose.  The allure of Hip-hop was that it was more of an all encompassing lifestyle, than a genre of music. And it made you feel ever so cool.

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Hey hockey fans, head down to the Pengrowth Saddledome tonight and catch Canada’s 2010 IIHF World Junior men battle it out with Finland in some pre-competition World Junior action.

The boys looked sharp in their green jerseys Sunday night beating down Sweden 6-2, as they gear up in the quest for their 6th straight IIHF World Junior gold medal.

Canada will play its first game of the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship on Boxing Day, December 26 against Latvia.

You can also catch tonight’s game and all of the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship on TSN.

Photo: Matt Manor/Hockey Canada

Photo: Splorp (Grant Hutchinson)

Representing: Tangle

http://www.flickr.com/photos/splorp/

Submit to our flickr pool for your chance to be featured on POTW!

I can’t believe I almost walked away from the second song we shot together. So here’s part two of Shot at the Dark with Jordan Klassen.

Who would you rather be, The Beatles or The Rolling Stones? This can soon be added to the list of definitive questions. Frequently asked and passionately answered, it has become a hot topic for debate. It has inspired countless blogs and even made it onto the how to website “eHow” (How to win a Beatles vs. Rolling Stones argument). But what is this question really asking? Does the answer simply classify your taste in music, or is it deeper than that?

Both The Beatles and The Stones came out of similar backgrounds in the UK to invade North America in the 60’s. The cumulative impact that both bands had on music is undeniable.

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This past weekend, we at CIA spent some time at the infamous Market Collective in Kensington asking people what their thoughts were on our amazing city. Allowing everyone to share with one another, what makes Calgary so awesome.

Thank you so much to Nicole-Irene Dyck for shooting this massive photo. Please take a look at her work, www.wordsarecameras.com, and see that she definitely does more than shoot photos of wall drawings. She’s an amazing woman with a unique gift, and am so happy she was willing to help us out.

A ginormous thank you goes to Angela Dione and Angel Guerra for allowing us to be a part of the Market Collective. These two women are doing things so great for this city, and for that they are what truly makes Calgary awesome. Angel and Angela, you will always be amazing friends.

Thank you so much to everyone who participated in this project with us. Make sure to visit www.marketcollective.ca to keep in touch with this spell bounding event.

Hey, what better way to check out two new (and great things) happening in Calgary than by going to 1511 14th Street this Saturday and Sunday.  You’ll be able to check out local designs by Cartel and get a glimpse of a sweet new venue and musical collaboration taking place in the form of COMRAD (formerly known as Commercial Radio).  See below for details….

Big ups to Calgary’s Brandon Kozun for making the cut for this years IIHF Canadian World Juniors team. Brandon is a remarkable young right winger who currently plays for the Calgary Hitmen and is also attached to the LA Kings organization.

Canada will play its first game of the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship on Boxing Day, December 26 against Latvia. live on TSN. Tune in to see Brandon and the rest of the boys make a run for their 6th straight gold medal in Saskatchewan running from December 26, 2009 – January 5, 2010.

Go Canada Go!