Tag Calgary
Take Back the Night proceeds to seize the evening
Tomkins Park was lit up with over 200 people holding candles as the annual Take Back the Night protest gripped Calgary’s 17th Street. Over 10,000 women and children checked into women’s shelters last year (not including those turned away), and the crowd turned up September 22nd, 2009 in solidarity against domestic violence. As the children ran along the back of the crowd, they didn’t know the gravity of the statistics being mentioned during the evening.
Fall is here: the Hull Estates fountain is drained
Update: The Hull Estates fountain is no more Downtown Calgary doesn’t show a lot of signs of fall besides chillier winds and a few trees turning gold before shedding. a pretty summer view is the Hull Estates fountain, which got drained just a few days ago. A minor d-spot, it’s just a block away from the Lougheed House.At night, the fountain glows a striking gold. If you’ve never seen it before, I’d highly recommend walking down 12th Avenue SW and checking it out - it’s best after 11PM!
My Bucket List
Looking for some direction this weekend, I stumbled upon the concept of writing a bucket list. A bucket list is a list of stuff that you want to do before you die - it doesn’t have to be huge things, just stuff that would make you feel good or accomplished. I’m going to keep this list on-going, and make sure it stays up-to-date and append any good ideas that should happen to wander along.
Calgary Greyhound Station - WTF?! It's... a video arcade!
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).
Calgary International Airport - An unexpectedly intriguing attraction
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?
Hot Wax - Sounds Like a Sunnyside Delight
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.
Connaught Park a nice d-spot to chill out
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.
Century Gardens - A Little Slice of Heaven
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.
One less d-spot: Gerry's 24 Hour Restaurant has closed
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 Pride 2009
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.