To Travel is To Live

For two years I have seen the signs indicating a haunted house within the community of Douglas Glen yet have never managed to check it out.  This year, I began walking by the house which hosts the attraction, watching the owners building and setting up their garage and converting it into something that was proving to be very intriguing.  Sitting outside their house throughout the year are often two older-style hearses, which, honestly, are something I would absolutely love to own!  These people are truly Halloween fanatics and I was eager to support their efforts this year. After running out of candy (yes, we suck) and turning off our lights, Bryan and I ventured out on the lovely Halloween night to visit the haunted house.  I was expecting it to be fairly busy but as we rounded the curve in the street, the sounds of excitement and Halloween ghouls floated towards us, enticing us and drawing us near.  The cars were lined up for blocks on either side of the str...

One day last week, an email arrived from one of the many promotional companies I subscribe to advertising tickets to the TELUS Spark Adults Only night.  The featured theme was CSI, a night of insight into the world of forensic tools and techniques used to solve crimes.  I love anything that deals with forensic science, most notably, forensic psychology (or, really, any forensic information I can find on neuroscience, psychiatry, illnesses of the mind, or general behavioral traits in criminals), and decided this might be an interesting evening out with Bryan.  Apparently, TELUS Spark offers Adults Only nights once per month on the 2nd Thursday of each, offering up different themes, opening up the exhibits to the more 'grown-up children' out there, and even offering up a bar.  Previously, the mere thought of visiting Spark, an attraction identified as one where children can play with science and learn about how things in our world work, gave me shivers as I imagined...

After a brief summer hiatus, our group gathered together on the weekend for September's installment of our dinner club.  This month, Thai was chosen as the theme, and we settled on the restaurant only after we had our numbers in - Khao San Thai Kitchen on 17th Avenue SW.  When we called to make our reservation, they told us they couldn't reserve for larger than 10 due to the size (and popularity) of this small restaurant.  That's understandable as they had a line up out the door from 7pm onwards, and they probably can only seat 40-50 people, with the patio open.   Our wait staff were outstanding, with only a minor mix-up over our separate bills at the end of the evening.  With 10 people requesting more drinks, add-ons and other items at various times, often while the waitress was trying to concentrate on another task for someone else at the table, we all were very impressed that we received our orders quickly and without issues.  The staff seemed ve...

Each month, I eagerly await the next issue of Avenue magazine here in Calgary because there is always some excellent article (whether long or short) on a fairly new restaurant on the scene.  My favorite issue this year was their ranking of the top restaurants in Calgary, based upon a few different categories (Best Patio, Best Cocktail, Best for Late Night, etc.).  Topping out the Best Overall list was Alloy, a relatively hidden dining spot on 42nd Avenue SE.  For those who aren't familiar with the city, this is land of the trades and strip mall, with companies like ABB and random home or commercial services adorning the corridor.  It's not exactly a place you would expect to find a high-end restaurant.   However, I like Alloy's style:  They found a rather plain-looking building with a wrap-around parking lot, shielding patrons from the busy street.  Upon entering, you can easily forget how atypical this location is for such an establishment....

Ox and Angela, a relatively new Spanish-style tapas restaurant and lounge (it opened in 2011), has repeatedly popped up in my Open Table searches and I finally was able to experience the establishment.  Chosen as the place for dinner before our evening out at the Jubilee, Bryan and I arrived quite early, avoiding dinner crowds and taking advantage of the empty outdoor seating area.  Like most restaurants along 17th Avenue, Ox and Angela overlook this busy corridor but don't have a lot of space to offer their patrons.  There are two small patios, each capable of holding roughly 10 people. On such a beautiful evening, it was great to sit outside and people watch while we ate our meal. Tapas are not new to us, but we sometimes have difficulty deciding on how many plates to order and on which ones we both might like.  (I'm finding that bacon or ham products are becoming more prominent in many dishes, which is disappointing.)  So, to make things easier for both Bry...

Old buildings, those with a rich and exciting history, fascinate me; Inglewood is full of beautiful pre-WWII mansions, elegant merchant shops, and even a barn!  I simply love wandering around this tiny community and imaging the lives people led when they occupied these buildings almost 100 years ago.  I'm especially intrigued by the ghost stories that continue to entertain and draw people to Inglewood, and have a personal goal to visit each haunted site that I read about in books or through tours.   My desire to go to Rouge for dinner has weighed not only on the A.E. Cross house ghost stories, but also on the fact that the house is absolutely gorgeous from the outside plus the nature of the restaurant owner to grow and serve his own produce right on site!  Situated on the corner of 12th Street and 8th Avenue SE, this restaurant still occupies six city blocks, an astounding feat in Calgary's desire to rip out community parks and recreational facilities to jam ...

A lot of people haven't even heard of the Blue House Cafe in northwest Calgary.  And you may have even driven past the tiny strip mall on the corner of Northmount and 19th Street and not noticed the nondescript sign for this gem.  Tucked into the furthest corner of the mall, overwhelmed by the flashy outdoors shop with it's brightly colored clothing and accessories, Blue House Cafe, at first glance, appears to be just another attempt at a neighborhood restaurant.  Aside from the fish in its logo, you may not even guess that Blue House Cafe serves some of the freshest, most authentically tasting seafood in Calgary.   Through word-of-mouth, I heard that Blue House Cafe was an amazing restaurant with great decor, ambiance and food.  My first visit did not disappoint, so my second visit more recently was filled with high expectations.  We included an additional person in our reservation, informing him how he would be fully satisfied and impressed with t...

On most Friday evenings from September through June, people looking for a place to dance to music from big band era jazz to current Top 40 hits can swing by the regular, yet informal, west coast swing dances held in Calgary.  Hosted by a great group of friendly, experienced dancers, these events are meant to help people enhance their west coast swing skills and keep on dancing - as any dancer knows, this is what is most important! Everyone is welcome, no matter what their experience.  In fact, what draws newcomers into this group and makes them members for life is the welcoming atmosphere and the lack of judgement by their peers.  Everyone is there to enjoy themselves, and most people are willing to help beginners out with their techniques and steps without criticism.  Dancers who have competed in west coast swing across the world attend, as do local instructors.  The music is diverse and there will be at least one song that is easily recognized by every atten...

Traveling is about the journey, the experiences, and new adventures.  To me, this doesn't always mean I need to leave my city (though it sure is fun to get out in the world and really immerse myself in different cultures and situations). Sunday nights are usually pretty laid back for us, and I have taken to going out for dinner so that I don't need to spend my evening cleaning up my kitchen before the start of another work week.   Originally, our plan was to visit Famoso, but the line-up at the door was too much for the people I was with, so we headed to San Remo in Mackenzie Towne.  I've eaten here twice before and thoroughly enjoyed the experience each time.  I recall the food being authentically Italian and the ambiance being muted, comforting, and cozy.  You could really relax in this restaurant, although the decor and menu does indicate a more upscale expectation.   It was surprising, then, that the menu last night seemed smaller than nor...

Always on the hunt for a new experience, friends joined us last night to try out Xocolat , a relatively new Mexican restaurant to the Calgary food scene.  Located on 11th Avenue SW near the popular King and I Thai restaurant, Xocolat is refined elegance in an open concept dining room.  Surprisingly, for a Thursday night, the place was practically deserted, but perhaps the word has not yet been spread about this gem.   Or, perhaps, people haven't noticed it driving or walking by.   Xocolat's sign is stylish and simple, yet, because it's relatively small compared to neighbouring adverts, and because it's not lit up or designed to stand out, it was very easy to pass by their front door.  They need to place some lighting behind it or impose a more eye-level (and eye-catching) sign to draw customers in.  Outside was an Erdinger beer sign with the name and specials written in chalk - not exactly an accurate advertising scheme for this intima...