Taste of Calgary 2009

Vegetable Empanadas
JC Latin Taste Inc (Gluten Free)
403-667-4745


Alberta BBQ Beef on a Bun
Fourth and 4th
4th Ave and 4th Street SW
403-233-8500

As if my family and I have not had enough time on the road lately we decided that in our quest for good food we should attend the Taste of Calgary. The three hour round trip from Banff proved to be worth it. The weather held out with clouds and chilly wind at lunch time and some nice warm sunshine by dinner. There was no charge to attend the festival and $2 parking all day in the lot so we were able to enjoy both lunch and dinner there and we were able to run errands in between. If you have never attend this sort of smorgasbord the way it works is that you purchase tickets and then spend them at each booth. The tickets were .75 a piece. We bought 40 tickets for $30 at both lunch and dinner. And we also brought along "Uncle" Casey, since we are always happy to have third "parent" around who can lend another set of eyes, shoulders for carrying, and additional fun to the mix. I believe that Casey bought 25 tickets at each "meal". In the end we visited 16 restaurants' out of 30 and sampled 23 delicious items. Each item ranged in "price" from 3 - 6 tickets or $2.25 - $4.50. There was also live music in the beer garden which offered drinks from 17 bars. My husband did go in for a quick brew and said there was a "lively party in there". This area was fenced off from view so it was still a great atmosphere for families and party animals alike. There was even a small marketplace that showcased everything from handmade wares to imported treasures from India and Latin America. All in all it was well worth the trip to be able to sample so many foods from all over the world in one place in one day. There was something for everyone including my 3 year old and my vegetarian self. And I even bumped into a friend whom I have not seen since she moved from Banff to Calgary! Alana McGregor, used to work for Park Radio in Banff and she once interviewed me about my commitment to use recycled materials in my art work. You can read more about that in this post. She now works for Country 105 in Calgary. It was great to see her! And I must admit to being a bit envious after she told us there was enough food to feed an army in her booth. When you have the power to talk on-air about the restaurants at the Taste of Calgary the world is your oyster. Lucky girl! Now let's get to more food...


BBQ Beef Rib
Ric's Grill
1436 - 8th Street SW
403-269-7427




Curry Chick Peas and Potatoes
Ginger Beer
Jamaican Patties in Beef, Chicken, and Vegetable
Carribean Choice
2235 Centre St NW
403-230-1880


Banana Split Mini Melts Ice Cream
403-537-1045


Pad Thai
Ruan Thai
1324 - 11 Ave SW
403-262-7066


Korokke - Curry Mashed Potatoes - MY Favorite thing at the festival
Shibuya Izakaya
449 16th Ave NE
403-807-8881




Salt and Pepper Ribs
Wild Rose Bison Burger
Brewsters Brewing Company (5 locations in Calgary)


Rare Milk Chocolate Cheesecake
Chicago Chophouse
664 - 8th Ave SW
403-265-3000


Graham Cracker Crusted Calamari - MY Second favorite item, although my friend, Alana, said their Three Layered Bruschetta is amazing.
La Vita Bella
401 - 12th Ave SE
403-264-6046


Adorable Kitty, a tribute to my friend, Serena :)


Belgo Signature Smoked Brisket with Pineapple Mustard
501 - 8th Ave SW
403-265-6555


"Uncle" Casey, playing the third parent


Roast Lamb on Pita with Tsatziki
Also had the Spanakopita
Pegasus
1101 - 14th Street SW
403-229-1231


Apple Strudel
Australian Canadian Society and Club


Sweet Chili Chicken Wings
Sura Korean
2320 4th Street NW
403-569-1454

Calgary Leads the Country in HATE Crimes

I hate that! I mean, I guess I can't really say that I am surprised. Not to be stereotypical, but maybe there is something to stereotypes sometimes. In this case, rednecks and cowboys are so predictable. I am originally from the states, and Texas is comparable to Calgary in many things, including oil, cowboys, and racism. Of course I am not saying that everyone from Texas or Alberta is racist, that would make me pretty stupid. It would be like saying that because I am an American, I love George Bush, Walmart, war, racism, celebrities, consumerism, and going to church so that I can pass judgement on others. Whoops, did I just say that?

Here is part of the article...
CALGARY - Calgary has the highest rate of hate crimes in the country - three times the national average - according to a new report from Statistics Canada.

The study, which surveyed Canadian police services covering 87 per cent of the country's population, found 892 hate-motivated crimes in 2006 - less than one per cent of all incidents reported to police that year, at a rate of 3.1 incidents per 100,000 people.

In Calgary, the rate was 9.1 incidents per 100,000. Race or ethnicity was the most often-seen motivation in all cities, but particularly in Calgary where 73 per cent of all hate crimes were related to a person's skin colour or country of origin.

You can read more here:
http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=8376375f-5fa1-4384-9bcf-686fcc394af2

Funding for Alberta Midwives NOW

Today, Andre, Quin, & I went to Calgary to participate in a protest. Actually I would call it more of a rally. It was an event to protest the lack of funding for midwives in Alberta. I have always secretly wanted to be an activist, and this was my kind of rally, upbeat and positive.



I read about it in the local Banff weekly, The Crag and Canyon. May 6th is the International Day of the Midwife. A local woman, named Ulrike, planned this rally because she had her first child with the help of a midwife, in German, at no cost. Much like us, when she moved to Banff, she found out it would cost $3,250 to work with a midwife. She had her second child in Banff, at the Mineral Springs Hospital, with a doctor.



We had our daughter in Quebec, at a birthing centre, with two lovely midwives, at no cost, and it was the best experience we could ever hope for. Throw in on of my best friends, who was not only our doula but who was our chiropractor, and it was more than we could have ever dreamed. We moved to Alberta, the richest province in Canada, and found out that not only would we have to pay $44 a month, each, for our health care, but that if we wanted a midwife it would cost us over $3,000. Alberta is the only province in Canada that regulates midwives but doesn’t fund their practice. It is ridiculous when it has been proven that midwives save the province money, while providing women and men a safe, nature alternative to what has become the traditional, over medicalized North America way of birth.



These issues are something we are familiar with and are close to our heart. We are willing to pay the out of pocket cost if we have a second child because we believe in midwives. However, we would like to see the government fund this. In order for that to happen, in order to make a change, our voices need to be heard. I was thrilled when Andre read the same article, pointed it out to me, and said we should go to this rally. It is important that we be there. And if Ulrike, can arrange this whole event, while breastfeeding her 1 month old son, then we could certainly be there.



It was well attended by both the media and the public, the weather held out and even got sunny at the end. We marched once around the block, and I got extremely emotional, seeing all these people coming together to make their voices and beliefs heard. I will never forget it. Quin seemed quite happy to be there, she even commendeared someone's sign and held it for a long time. I think it was the flowers ;)

Morag - The Great One

Ok, so I FINALLY finished a participatory art project called the Dollar Store Doll Makeover Challenge. I say finally because poor Morag was staring at me in her "Before" state from several areas (I kept moving her) in my studio. I found out about this challenge while teaching a photography course in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico in January. I was doing a search on Polaroid submissions and this challenge came up. I was thrilled because it is based in Calgary, with participants from all over the world. I picked my doll from 100 on the site, and received her soon after I got home. She was sent to me for free in exchange for me making her over, photographing her on Polaroid in her "before" and "after" states, and writing a bit about her life. The images and story are sent back to the Secret Society of Analogue Art, posted to the site, I keep Morag.



I love the concept of participatory art projects. Over the course of this project I have exchanged several emails with Pamela Klaffke, who is the brains behind the project, and the whole Secret Society. I feel the same rush that she does about putting a concept out there and seeing how it evolves and what it becomes, when so many are involved. She is doing all this without a grant, which is huge since it cost her $9 just to mail my doll, which cost her $1, to me in Banff, which is pretty much up the road from Calgary (Canada Post sucks for shipping within our own country, don't get me started...). I feel I have met a kindred spirit (I love the internet) whom I can get to know since she lives close by. I plan to submit work to her creepy wonderful and review of meats projects. Pamela has me inspired to create my own challenge.



So back to Morag. I chose Morag because she seems a bit sad, a shy wallflower. I turned her into an art photographer who likes to take tasteful, nude Polaroids... LOL! Here is Morag, before, and after, in a dress made of stash fabric and a Polaroid and tulle, and a wicked collar, also made from a Polaroid. The text reads like this:

"For years, I had put myself on the shelf, so to speak... I was surrounded by creative people and the tools to be creative myself, but I was content to let fear hold me hostage. One day, I could hear the voice of my grandmother, who used to tell me when I was small, that my name was Scottish for great one. Tears filled my eyes when I remember how she had told me no to let being small get in the way of my being great. I got down from the shelf. I have decided to live up to my name."