Browsing “Local Business”

Chow Down in Cowtown explores some of Calgary’s most awesome eats with Ceci n’est pas un food blog.

Añejo and Xocolat are bringing high-end Mexican cuisine to Calgary, but what about the hole-in-the-wall taqueria? El Charrito on Edmonton Trail has that covered.

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Janine Vangool in the Uppercase Office               Photos by Amy Jo Espetveidt, Quadrophonic Image

Name: Janine Vangool
Occupation: Publisher / Editor / Designer, Uppercase Magazine
Website: uppercasemagazine.com 
Twitter: @uppercasemag

We’ve heard it a million times before – print is dying, it has no place in a digital age and physical publications are going the way of the dodo. Blah. Blah. Blah. But, trust me, once you’ve held an edition of Calgary’s own Uppercase Magazine, the argument clearly null and void. The feel of the paper, the gloss of the ink, the smell of the press (or in the case of Issue 17 the cherry scented scratch and sniff cover) – it’s plain to see each issue is a work of art.

And that doesn’t even cover the beautiful layout, stylized images or mesmerizing content.

Uppercase is Janine Vangool’s sweat, blood and tears. Her passion for design excellence has garnered an international following, a strong and growing subscriber base and, most recently, is up for two National Magazine Awards – Art Direction for an Entire Issue and Magazine of the Year  – being presented this Friday in Toronto. The coveted crown for Magazine of the Year is given to the magazine that “most consistently engages, surprises and serves the needs of its readers.” Other nominees are Corporate Knights, Cottage Life and Urbania making Uppercase the only Western Canadian magazine up for the award.

We sat down with Janine last week in their beautiful Art Central office and she gave us a closer look at what goes on behind the scenes at this stunning magazine.

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Chow Down in Cowtown explores some of Calgary’s most awesome eats with Ceci n’est pas un food blog.

Helloooo from Hong Kong! B. and I were supposed to make our way to the Philippines today, but unfortunately B. had to fly back home for a family emergency and I’m here spending a little more time with my family.

The Philippines is probably the least well-travelled South Asian country. Even guidebooks boast of pristine, white beaches that have yet to be discovered by tourists. However, it is becoming a more popular destination thanks to growing Filipino populations in the West, and the promise of amazing diving (if you’re into that) and the aforementioned quiet beaches.

Since food is a huge priority for us when we’re travelling, B. and I tried to do a bit of research in Calgary before we left. Enter Pacific Hut.

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Blip. Bloop. Bleep. These are the sounds that greet you as you enter Dick & Janes. A Tetris arcade machine isn’t what you would normally expect inside a clothing store, but in D&J’s, it works. This charming boutique on 17^th Avenue is the lesser known sister of rockabilly fave Blame Betty, but has just as much spunk and moxie. Offering fresh and modern clothing and accessory alternatives, you can find anything from colored jeggings to lomography cameras to rabbit ear picture frames. “The Dashboard Jesus figure is really popular,” says Megan Erickson, social media and store manager for Dick & Janes. “People like to buy them to put in the car2gos to share with others.” Now that’s just awesome.

In general, the whole store is an awesome utopia. In every nook and cranny are colourful dresses, tops and other fashion finds (and stuff for the guys too). There are also endless knick knacks to choose from too. “We like to sell things we enjoy and that we also think our customers will enjoy such as quirky items like Mac-n-Cheese band-aids. We like things that make people laugh and are functional too so you’re getting your money’s worth,” says Megan.
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Chow Down in Cowtown explores some of Calgary’s most awesome eats with Ceci n’est pas un food blog.

Happy Mother’s Day! Where are you taking your mom to brunch today? For some reason, Mama T associates the word “brunch” with “buffet”, so I’ve taken her to Belgo a couple times now to avoid the hotel buffet crowds (and prices!) Mama T is out of town, so I’ll be celebrating with her in Hong Kong next week, but if you’d like to do something a little less traditional with your mom, give Mango Shiva‘s brunch a try.
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There are so many new restaurants popping up in Calgary, it can be hard to know where to take your tastebuds. 17^th Avenue in particular, has become home to a number of new restaurants, bars and pubs. Two relatively recent additions to the scene are Roosevelt (which was revamped from one of my favourite haunts, Classic Jacks) and 80^th & Ivy. Both locations are part of the family-run Group 933 (which also offers more bier haus options with its 1410 and 1600 brands). “17th Avenue has grown to become the heart of our city. We have found that there is great opportunity for us to be a part of the YYC energy in this area,” says Blair Bullied, Group 933’s marketing rep.

Each restaurant is full of great energy and ambience, but in very different ways. 80^th & Ivy is a casual fine dining concept that harbours an earthier feel while Roosevelt favours a modern-diner style with classic menu options with a twist. Both commit to local, fresh ingredients which really stood out to me when I sampled their menus. “We really work as a team and as a family in everything that we do. This has been translated through to the product we are producing, and Calgary can tell. Calgarians are smart, authenticity is key,” Blair explains.

What exactly do these new restaurants offer then? Check out these side-by-side photo comparisons and see for yourself!

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We’ve partnered with the folks behind the new development at Bridgeland Crossings to take an intimate look at this awesome Calgary neighbourhood, the people, and the homes themselves.

It’s one thing to live in a great neighbourhood, it’s another thing to have great neighbors too. Bridgeland is a community that has tons of restaurants, services and amenities just a quick stroll from home. Need your morning caffeine jolt? Want fresh homemade meals on-the-go? Looking to unwind and find your zen with a yoga session? It’s all nearby when living at Bridgeland Crossings. Plus, homes are much more affordable here than in downtown – and you are just a 4 minute C-Train ride away.

There are just a few of our favourite businesses that help make Bridgeland awesome.

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Chow Down in Cowtown explores some of Calgary’s most awesome eats with Ceci n’est pas un food blog.

Disclosure: Several Calgary is Awesome editors were invited by Muse to a free media showcase dinner. We were not obligated or compensated to write this post. Opinions are 100% our own.

Last month, a few of the editors from the Calgary is Awesome team were invited to Muse to see how the restaurant has changed since new co-owners Stephen Deere and Heather Wighton and executive chef JP Pedhirney (formerly of Rouge) took over earlier this year.
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Nic Choquette-Levy and Eric Limacher of Engineers Without Borders Calgary

Calgary has more engineers per capita than any other Canadian city.  As such, many of my friends and other peers are engineers… and that means I’ve heard my fair share of self-deprecating engineer jokes (E.g. “You know you’re an engineer when your IQ is bigger than your weight”).

Aw.  Here at C.I.A. we love our local engineers, and this week we spent some time with a group of them who are volunteering their time to make Calgary a better place.

Nic Choquette-Levy and Eric Limacher are both engineers, and they play a leadership role in the Calgary chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB).  On Wednesday, April 24, they co-hosted a community event on “the Social Impacts of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR),” which brought together local EWB members, Calgary CSR experts, and some other curious participants.  C.I.A. spoke to Nic about what he and Eric are up to, what EWB does in Calgary, and what sort of help they need from the Calgary community.

C.I.A.: What are you doing with EWB in Calgary?

Nic: A number of us in Calgary have done development projects with EWB overseas.  However, here in Calgary we’ve been looking for ways to be more involved in our community.  The series of Calgary events we’ve organized about corporate social responsibility (CSR) is part of our attempt to help our members understand what sorts of social issues are facing the companies in our community.  Once they understand these issues, we hope that we can also give them some insight and tools that they can apply it in their work.

Our long-term aim is to enable more effective CSR initiatives from Canadian companies, especially those that work in developing countries. (In other words, we’re seeking to influence the Calgary and Canadian corporate community, and not just our members). While we have some experience in on-the-ground projects in African communities, we’re hoping to learn more about how companies here approach CSR and the systems that drive and influence their approach.

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The third annual Why?Race will take place on Saturday May 11, 2013. Why?Race is a day-long team race through Calgary’s downtown core, Amazing Race style. The race is BeCause’s most popular event to-date, offering participants a perfect opportunity to learn about our communities social issues while having a lot of fun with teammates – and rivals!

The event’s format calls for teams to race across the city, stopping at 25 road blocks along the route. At each road block, teams must complete either a team-building, educational or research challenge before they can advance to the next challenge and move closer to the finish line.

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