Archive for August, 2011

CALL TO ARTISTS: Green Art Fundraising for Green Calgary

Green Calgary announces a call to artists for their inaugural Red Wine, Blue Cheese, Green Art celebration – Calgary’s first-ever Environmental Art Fundraising Gala and Marketplace. Green Calgary is a dynamic, nonprofit urban environmental organization with a mission to empower Calgarians to create healthy homes and communities through environmental education, products and services. Art and design can also have unique abilities to engage, inspire, and move people toward a healthy environment and a peaceful, sustainable world. Our idea is a twin celebration of local sustainability—a celebration of the connections between art and the environment by showcasing environmentally-themed work by local artists and showcasing the achievements of Green Calgary.

The Red Wine, Blue Cheese, Green Art events take place November 3 to 5, 2011, The two-stage celebration will be focused not only on raising funds for Green Calgary through the auctioning of work by local artists, designers, and artisans at the Gala, but will also offer an opportunity for artists to showcase and sell other artwork at the subsequent Marketplace. There will be 500 tickets available for the Gala, and we are anticipating approximately 2,000 shoppers over the two days of the Marketplace.

The Red Wine, Blue Cheese, Green Art Gala will take place on Thursday, November 3 at Hotel Arts, featuring silent and live auctions of a wide variety of artworks by a diverse group of local artists, live entertainment, celebrity guests, a strolling menu featuring local and organic ingredients, and a large audience with a strong interest in art and the environment. Artists and patrons will have an opportunity to meet and talk to each other.

The Art Marketplace will take place over the two following days (5:00 to 9:00PM on Friday, November 4 and 11:00AM to 5:00PM on Saturday, November 5) at Hillhurst United Church.

Visit www.greenartyyc.org for more information, the official call to artist and the prospectus

Deadline for Submission: September 25, 2011

Get ready to be blown away by the latest hair sensation to treat your tresses! Blo Blow Dry Bar is the first of it kind to open up in Calgary. Blo doesn’t do the typical hair cuts or dye jobs – it instead offers ready-to-go hair styles in a “blow, dry and go” fashion.  Clients can choose from a variety of styles from the sexy razor-straight “Executive Sweet” to the rocker-chic inspired “Sex, Hugs and Rock & Roll”.  The salon will be open 7 days a week and is perfect for the busy girl who’s on her way to lunch or on her way down the aisle.

The grand opening is this weekend on August 27 &28 and Blo is rolling out the pink carpet for the affair. Make an appointment to experience firsthand some cotton candy, pink champagne and $21 blo outs (regular price $35). Your hair will thank you.

Blo 1st Street Bar
1317 1st Street SW
blofirststreet@blomedrycom
403.264.2569

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

I’d heard fantastic things about Brasserie Kensington, and its sister restaurants, Winebar Kensington (the “original”, located just below Brasserie Kensington), AKA Winebar (which serves up a decent, classy brunch) and Muse. My perennial brunchmate Tiffany had gone a few times before for supper and drinks, so we decided to check out what their brunch menu was like.

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If you are looking for an evening of sophisticated labels and luxury designs, look no further than PARKLUXE, the latest fashion outing from the fabulous team at PARK. For high-end fashion lovers, this is an opportunity to see local designers that are making their fashion mark in the city and across North America. Designers showcasing at the event include Caitlin Power, Lara Presber, Bridget Bergman,  and Anne B. Accessories. If you have never seen these collections in person, it will surely be a visual feast for the style-savvy.

Tickets are selling quickly and are available online at www.ourparkonline.com. A select number of tickets will be available at the door.  Get yours soon as this is one event you will not want to be fashionably late for.

PARKLUXE – Friday August 26, 2011
Jamieson Place Winter Garden, 308 – 4th Avenue SW
Doors open at 6PM with an opening reception, fashion show at 7.30PM and 8.15PM

General admission tickets $25 each, VIP seating $35 each.
PARKLUXE is an 18+ event, and guests are recommended to arrive slightly earlier as doors will close when the show starts.

The New Market Collective Video Booth from Shot at The Dark on Vimeo.

FUSE IS COMING! AUGUST 27th!

Celebrate the experience of fresh culture in Calgary! Sponsored in part by Calgary Arts Development, FUSE Fresh Local Culture Fest is FREE for everyone; so dive into the creative expression of local love!

Submerge yourself in the spectacle at Shaw Millennium Park from 12-6pm on Saturday August 27th to see amazing emerging artists, musicians, dancers, skaters, and extreme parkour performers.

Music performances by: Transit, Samantha Savage Smith, Bring Fire, Jocelyn Alice, Francis Cheer, Forest Tate, Sons of Boey, DJ C-Sik and MORE!

Don’t miss the Source’s Clover Bowl Skateboarding Competition with $1000+ in prizes, Market Collective’s artisan fair tent, the collaborative mural, and the EMMEDIA video-’zine dome. Dancers will be competing for cash prizes as the DJ’s drop beats. Feature events + workshops by No Limits AFC, the Good Life Bike Shop, The Bass Bus, Light + Soul, and Rawkit.

Music performances by: Transit, Samantha Savage Smith, Bring Fire, Jocelyn Alice, Francis Cheer, Forest Tate, Sons of Boey, DJ C-Sik and MORE!

Spread the word! FUSE Fest 2011. Free summer fun.

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

B. and I went to Q Haute Cuisine a few weeks ago. It wasn’t an anniversary, a birthday, or any other special event… we just had a LivingSocial deal to use.

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YYC Coffee Disloyalty Program is a Calgary based program that works to encourage Calgarians to explore our city’s great local coffee community. For more information on the program click here.

We’re excited to present DEVELOP, a new intiative under YYC Coffee Disloyalty to foster community and encourage cafe culture in Calgary.

The concept is simple.

We want to further DEVELOP the emerging cafe culture in Calgary by encouraging Calgarians to be a part of this vibrant community. We see local cafes as the cultural centers of most neighbourhoods. Why? They are places where you create new friendships, build new realtionships and grow new ideas; while finding out about community events, art projects and live music shows all by spending time at your local, independent coffee house.

This is where the photography comes in. We are looking for any and all Calgarians who love to pick up a camera and hear a shutter click. The DEVELOP Photo Project encourages Calgarians to shoot their favorite disloyalty café in a way that truly captures its culture and personality.

Each of our ten cafes embody a unique personality that is all its own. We want Calgary to see your favourite disloyalty cafe through your eyes. Your photos will be featured in a gallery event, on our new website, on various social media platforms and featured here on Calgaryisawesome.com

To learn more and to submit your photos visit http://www.yycdisloyalty.com

Whether it’s film, digital or instant. Grab a camera, go explore, send us your favourites.

Calgary Folk Music Festival 2011 from Shane Yuhas on Vimeo.

“Every year Alyssa and I, along with an entourage of friends and family, take in the Calgary Folkfest. Last year I compiled my photos together and created a video. The great people of Calgary Folkfest asked if I would like to do it again this year and sponsored my way. Here is a small peak into my experience at the Calgary Folk Music Festival.” —- Shane Yuhas

You can find more of Shane’s photography at www.shaneyuhas.com

Calgary Folk Music Festival – the best part of summer – www.calgaryfolkfest.com. Mark your calendars – next Folk Fest is July 26-29, 2012!
FOLK FEST!  YYC!  – Video by Calgary photographer, Shane Yuhas

Get your tummies ready! Calgary’s tastiest festival is taking center stage this week down at Eau Claire Market from August 11 – 14, 11AM – 9PM daily.  This year’s Taste of Calgary will continue to offer delicious samples from local restaurants around the city. The menu will feature cuisines from 15 different countries as well as urban-style fare from establishments such as Ric’s Grill, Halo and more.  8 new restaurants have been added to the lineup including some sure-to-be favorites Bubblemania Café, Pacific Hut, and Shiraz Persian Cuisine. To make the most of your sample tickets, festivalgoers will be able to partake in “two ticket tasters” menu items from many of the vendors on hand. Once you’ve satisfied your taste buds with food, make sure to partake in a few wine, beer and spirits samples as well. The beer garden has also added new liquors to the mix with Chinook Arch Meadery and Multiculture Bevco on hand for the festivities.

In between all your nibbling and snacking, you will be able to take part in the Ford Fun Zone and do some rally racing and car karaoke, visit Hellmann’s interactive food display on the Real Food Movement, and enjoy live entertainment from some great local artists.

For more information on Taste of Calgary, visit www.tasteofcalgary.com or check out our review from last year’s event.

Taste of Calgary
Eau Claire
August 11-14, 2011
11 AM – 9PM daily