UPDATE 2018: The Greyhound station is now closed
Calgary has a knack at making transportation hubs pleasant (the Calgary International Airport is a great example). Making my way through the local Greyhound station, I was amazed at how cool it was.Located at 850 16th Street SW, it has a clientele that could be described as friendly, though slightly creepy. The decor is straight out of the 70’s (prompting some ugly commentary), and it isn’t connected to a C-train line (though I believe a Calgary Transit bus makes the rounds).
Airports aren’t thought as a nice place to whittle away an afternoon. The general impression of airports is a stressful environment, one of cavity searches, lost luggage, and missed flights. However, the Calgary International Airport has such a chilled-out environment that one could mistake it as one of the many malls that pock the Cowtown landscape. When was the last time you went to the airport just to hang out?
Vinylphiles are always on the hunt for another record store that will have “that record.” If you happen to be wandering through the Kensington area, there’s a shop that’s has a great signal-to-noise ratio of music called Hot Wax. Close to The Rocket and Oolong Tea House, it’s the musical touch to the trendy little strip near the 10th Street Bridge.
They’ve got a dollar-record selection, and have done a pretty good job organizing their wares.
Calgary has perfected the art of building passive parks amidst hubbub -calm, serene areas to relax within walking distance of excitement. A little known d-spot hidden away in the south-west corner of the downtown is Connaught Park on 11th St. and 14th Ave. SW. More pretty pictures and info under the fold!Connaught Park was first designated a park in 1935, with an upgrade in 2008. Everything is still pretty new, lending a dash of freshness to the historic Connaught neighbourhood.
The Calgary downtown is full of bustle during the workday - business people running all over the place, cars ripping through the streets, homeless people pushing their shopping carts into the horizon. In the eye of the storm of activity is Century Gardens, on the corner of 8th and 8th SW. Lush greens, a beautiful stone structure with waterfalls, and statues aplenty makes this a d-spot perfect for an afternoon lounge.
As Calgary struggles to get people into the downtown, a pillar of the night-owl community has closed. Gerry’s 24-Hour Restaurant was a d-spot for late night patrons who needed a giant plate of pancakes once the bars had closed.
Known for its funky wall decor and cheap eats, Gerry’s was a great place to hang out at all hours of the day. Unfortunately, one could see its demise nearing when the restaurant could no longer afford to stay open 24-7, and switched from 7 AM to 3 PM.
Calgary is thought to be the refuge of the urban cowboy. Cowboy hats aren’t uncommon, the Stampede is always a huge draw, and oil’s the game. So on Labour Day weekend (a scheduling gamble made to avoid rainy weather, which has plagued prior Prides held in the summer), Stephen’s Avenue and Olympic Park had a Pride parade with a classic Calgary touch of BBQ sauce. More photos under the fold.
It seemed like you had only gotten home from work 30 minutes ago, and after going through your daily routine a quick glance at the clock reveals a shock: “11PM?! I’ve only had dinner, checked my email, etc.” Want all the time in the day to do what you wanted to do?
If you’re looking to save some time, you’ll need to identify the time-wasters in your day - the black holes of time that take more time than you thought it should have taken.
There’s always some kerfuffle about how people should buy local. The economic benefits are obvious, and people say they would shop local if they were given the option. Posh, clean, and busting at the seams with culture, it’s not hard to see that the Eau Claire Market should be the toast of the city of Calgary. If you haven’t made a trip over lately, you’re missing out on one of the more unique public centres.
Ever feel the despair of not having enough time in the day? Remember when you had so much time, you had to dostuff with it to keep from going bored? Do you feel like you’re on the hamster wheel of time?
You don’t have to micro-manage your life to squeeze all the joys in: just cut your commute. Maybe you’ll get 12 weeks of vacation a year out of it.