Opera and audience meet for brunch

Can something still be considered a city’s “best kept secret” if 300 people know about it? That’s a question some regulars of the Calgary society circuit are asking after last Sunday’s Opera Brunch at the trendy Hotel Arts.

Guests included the Honourable Mr. Peter Lougheed and his wife Jeanne Lougheed, Harold and Marilyn Milavsky, Pat and Sherrold Moore, Andrea Brussa, George Leitch, Bill Kerr, Iris Richards, Denise Dunn McMullen of Brunet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP, and David Tavender of Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP.

“It’s an extraordinary event,” says Mrs. Moore, “I can remember when it was just a handful of people at the Palliser Hotel, many years ago. It’s really grown.”

As it grew, the brunch moved to The Petroleum Club, where attendees would regularly squeeze into a roundish, multi-tiered room to feast on a formal brunch and listen to cast members from the upcoming production sing a piece of their choosing. This was the first week for the event to be held in the even more spacious Hotel Arts.

“It’s kind of interesting to see the singers in their civilian clothes just get up and sing something they like,” says Mr. Moore, “It gives you a different feeling for them as a performer and an artist. After this brunch, when you then see the opera, it’s like you know them a little bit.”

Indeed, the affair remains an intimate one, despite the impressive ticket sales. Many guests are long-time patrons of the Calgary Opera, and friends. Tables of eight are positioned around the room, with enough privacy to be cozy yet the proximity of a private dinner party. At the front of the room, well-spaced between the two long buffets, is a grand piano and circular stage. After guests have their fill of a mouth-watering breakfast buffet, the performance begins.

Calgary Opera’s next production will be Strauss’ play-within-a-play comedy, Ariadne Auf Naxos, opening January 31. Nine members of the cast individually performed selections from that opera and others, including The Marriage of Figaro, Romeo and Juliet, and the French-Canadian musical Notre Dame de Paris. Mezzo-Soprano Rebecca Hass sang a hilarious piece in English, lamenting the fate of the Alto singer who rarely has a chance to “wear the prettiest dresses and make out with the lead male” on stage. The performances were all brilliant and engaging, wrapping the audience in their melody and plot lines.

“We have one of the most adventurous opera programs in Canada,” says Grant Reddick, an actor and theatre coach for the Opera. He will appear on stage in An Ideal Husband in March.

Apparently, that edict applies on and off the stage. The Calgary Opera website lists some helpful etiquette tips for first-timers, including a suggestion to remove your cowboy hat so people behind you can see the stage. Reddick seems happy that the opera is attracting a diverse following.

“Calgary is a very permissive town,” he says smiling, “People here are very supportive and encouraging of the arts.”

Published in National Post, January 24 2009

That's a Wrap for Alberta Film Industry

Mere days before the Alberta Film and Television Awards nomination deadline, movie people from across the province were hitting the dance floor, tossing back free cocktails, and engaging in shameless self-promotion at the annual industry fundraiser.

The 2009 Alberta Wrap Party took place last week at Calgary’s Aero Space Museum. The former hanger filled with vintage planes provided a perfect backdrop for this year’s theme – Take to the Skies. Thankfully, the food was well above typical airline standards. Cal-B-Que, the largest supplier of on-site catering to local production companies, provided a happy assortment of fresh oysters, sushi, pot stickers, cheese and veggie trays, and deserts. The Afro-Latin sounds of local band Cumako sent everyone’s shoulders a-shimmy.

The last few years have given this industry good reason to celebrate. Canadian productions like Passchendaele and Freezer Burn, as well as American films like Brokeback Mountain, Santa Baby, and The Assassination of Jesse James have been filmed here.

Chris McRae and Michael Gibney reminisced about working with Ang Lee and Heath Ledger on the set of Brokeback Mountain. “They were just great guys,” says McRae, who helped Ledger learn to drive a stick-shift for one scene. After years in the industry the pair has recently opened The Window, a production studio and backlot. Business – and the parties that go with it – is still thriving, they say. After a few glasses of wine, they were ready to head to an after-party hosted by the Trailer Park Boys.

Jeff Brinton of Alberta Film Commission says that “good locations, great crews, and attractive financial incentives” make this province hard to resist. But Craig McNeil, the LA-based producer behind Jenny McCarthy’s 2006 hit Santa Baby, had only one blunt word for it – “Money.”

“Money, money money,” McNeil repeated in jovial tones, adding, “Not only is this the most affordable place to make a movie, but the people are great. And the landscape is also very diverse.” His next project, Santa Baby 2, is currently in production, transforming the clean streets of Calgary into lower Manhattan.

Film financing has not been such a cherry issue for everyone lately. Rumors have circulated that Minister of Culture Lindsay Blackett would re-consider funding films critical of the province after a shortened version of Alberta-made documentary Downstream was nominated for an Oscar this year. The film explores the cancer rate among Aboriginal communities just south of major oil sands developments. Randy Bradshaw, a producer of the film who attended the Wrap Party, would only say that he’s “proud and excited” by its success.

Proceeds from the Alberta Wrap Party will be donated to the Alberta Screenwriters Initiative, and the Performing Arts Lodge in Calgary and Edmonton.

One might be surprised by a thriving community of creative, showy, over-the-top types deep within the Conservative heartland, mingling daily among the straight-laced and unpretentious citizens. But as the year wraps up, the economy turns down, and the glamour of award season begins, let us resolve to embrace their homegrown style of entertainment – and provocations – like never before.

Published in National Post, January 17, 2009

The good, the bad, and the beautiful

She was sexy, talented, mysterious, and tragic. But Marilyn Munroe was also a woman of flesh and blood, now brought back to life in two exhibits and several multi-media performances at the Glenbow Museum. A spectacular VIP opening to the collection was held on the 2cd floor of the museum recently, where guests sipped champagne and nibbled on delectable hors d’oeuvres. It was a flashy affair for a world-class exhibition.

Among those in attendance were Olympic medalist Mark Tewksbury, owner of Axis Contemporary Art Gallery Rob Mabee, prominent businessman Harold Milavsky, political scientist Dr. Donald Barry, economist Dr. V. Nallainayagam, artist Chris Cran, Deputy Premiere of Alberta Ron Stevens, and actress Chester Lees, who plays the sixties starlet in a production called Memoirs of a Glamour Girl, showing until February 19 at the Glenbow. President of the Glenbow Museum, Jeffrey Spalding, who was recently awarded the Order of Canada for “his contributions as a champion of Canadian artists”, was also there.

The evening began with guests milling around platters of antipasto, artichoke dips, and hot samosas. Bartenders were poised at each end of the crescent shaped room, complimentary drinks at the ready. Party chatter ranged from the recent proroguing of Parliament to the Glenbow’s reinvigorated exhibit schedule. After a good bit of mixing and mingling, resident art curator Monique Westra gave a guided tour of the exhibits.

The larger exhibit is Marilyn Munroe: Life as a Legend, a collection of over 300 photographs and paintings, including Andy Warhol’s famous silk-screens. We see her stunning beauty, but also a reflection of her voyeuristic audience. Here she is as we want her to be - a perfectly lovely and iconic figure, made even more desirable by her transition from mere mortal Norma Jean to a celebrity stubbornly out of reach. The exhibit has travelled throughout Europe and the United States, and was originally assembled in Hamburg, Germany.

On the other end of the room is Some Like It Haute: The Costumes of Marilyn Munroe. Her most famous gowns hang on adolescent-sized mannequins, giving semblance to her famous 22-inch waist but failing to replicate her generous curves. Here one gets the sense of her physical presence, and the world in which she lived. While the context is important, particularly for those interested in the 1950’s and 60’s (a series of photographs called “Happy Birthday Mr. President” brings that famous performance, and her relationship to Kennedy, dramatically into the room), we also get the sense that she is timeless.

She symbolizes “the good, the bad, and the beautiful” in our society, says Ken Lima-Coelho, “This is a show about how an iconic person was constructed and how she been de-constructed ever since.”

Monique Westra will give another guided tour of the collections on February 5, and an exclusive art auction called mARTinis with Marilyn is scheduled for February 18. Rare photographs of Marilyn Munroe (clad only in a silk sheet), taken by Canadian Douglas Kirkland, were also on display and for sale at AXIS gallery.

Published in National Post, January 10 2009

CAPP welcomed at CCAB gala

Unusual were the subjects of conversation (and congratulations) at this gala. Party chatter explored First Nations as economic and political players, the isolating reality of Northern life, and inspiring young talent on reserves. Unusual, perhaps, but not surprising for the annual Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business [CCAB] gala dinner, held in the Calgary Hyatt recently.

As at any posh business-formal affair, a cocktail reception preceded the three-course dinner. Hors d'oeuvres were laid out across the room, including a duck-confit rillette drizzled with truffle oil. (Yum!) The dinner menu consisted of organic baby green salad; a duo of beef tenderloin and garlic scented jumbo prawn; and chocolate truffle cake with berry compote. Tickets were $500 per plate.

Mixing and mingling were: David Collyer, president of Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP), Honourable Pearl Calahasen, MLA for Lesser Slave Lake, Chief Jim Boucher, chairman of Fort McKay Group, Harry Wilmot, president of ATCO, Marc Theriault, vice-president of production for Syncrude, John Young, manager of Aboriginal affairs for Petro-Canada, Jessica Saunders, program and planning advisor for Aboriginal affairs at Nexen, Kris Johnsen, business development coordinator for Suncor, Torger Rod, a vice-president with StatOil, Beth Diamond, president of National Public Relations, Nick Javor, senior vice-president at Tim Hortons, Chief Morris Monias of Heart Lake First Nation, Chief Reg Crowshoe of Piikani Nation, Harold P. Milavsky, chairman of Quantico Capital Corporation, and Ontario-based legal strategist Bill Gallagher.

Fourteen-year old vocalist Akina Shirt provided a moving introduction to the evening by singing our national anthem in Cree. Adrian Goulet of Ghost River Rediscovery followed with a striking welcome drum song. Several speeches were made, along with the presentation of $157,000 from BMO Capital Markets to a scholarship fund for Aboriginal youth.

It was clear that business, not government, was the key to success for many guests. The formal speeches did not touch on what a 2006 Economist article called the “spectacular failure of overall aboriginal policy” in Canada, nor the recent UN directive for Canada to investigate the disappearances of more than 500 Aboriginal women. Instead, the affair focused on economic potential, and achievements.

“Industry recognizes its responsibility to raise the bar on environmental performance and contribute to the well-being of the communities where we operate,” said Collyer in his keynote address. He also mentioned the value of unconventional oil supplies, and suggested refining the consultation process between industry, government, and First Nations.

During the event, Chief Keyna Norwegian chatted with Peter J. Young of Sodexo, who is working with her Northern community to build a truck stop near the MacKenzie pipeline project. She reviewed several companies before settling on the current partners, chosen for their record on Aboriginal affairs. The project will ensure food prices go down and employment goes up, she says. Executives from Norterra Inc. were also smiling. The company is wholly owned by the Inuvialuit of the Western Arctic and the Inuit of Nunavut, who together created five corporate holdings including a lucrative air cargo company. Much like those companies, the gala was an inspired and unqualified success.

Published in National Post, December 13, 2008

FYI: This article was published one week after Chipewyan First Nation in Northern Alberta requested a judicial review from the province, on the grounds that industry did not consult nor provide adequate impact assessments before developing oil sands project on Aboriginal land. Also that week, StatOil shelved an oil sands project worth aprox. 4 billion dollars and ATCO laid off 400 employees in Calgary. Both companies were prominently represented at the gala. The author was unaware of these events until after submitting the article.

Strombo shows sass at Bob Edwards gala; Vine and Dine introduces new wine pairings

Writers and thinkers were celebrated at a recent luncheon honouring the legacy of Albertan newspaperman Bob Edwards. The annual event raises money for Alberta Theatre Projects, a company that produces relevant, engaging plays and supports emerging talent. The Bob Edwards Award is presented every year during an afternoon gathering of approximately 300 people. This year’s recipient was CBC host George Stroumboulopoulos.

Other diners included local billionaire Brett Wilson; City Alderman Brian Pincott; MLA and two-time climber of Mount Everest Dave Rodney; award-winning author Andrew Nikiforuk; director of WordFest Anne Green; director of development for Calgary Opera Helen Moore-Parkhouse; Talisman lawyer Heidi Schubert; poet Richard Harrison; and Laura Wershler, executive director of Sexual Health Access Alberta.

While the setting was typical – Hyatt’s Imperial Ballroom – the menu was not. The signature multi-grain raisin bread arrived with an antipasto style selection of cured meats and Camembert cheese. Directly following was a mouth-watering salade niçoise, complete with lightly seared tuna and a healthy dose of marinated artichoke hearts. For desert, quark cheese with mixed berry compote and chocolate shavings was served.

By far the most irreverent of gala functions (Bob Edwards, deceased in 1922, was the master of ceremonies thanks to some local talent with a fake moustache and believable Scottish brogue), it was no surprise that Strombo would try to shake things up.

“It’s great when you are celebrated for the same shit you got in trouble for in high school,” said Stroumboulopoulos, who praised artists and national news services. “I’m really happy to be here at this fancy gala with all you ordinary Canadians,” he added.

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Recognized expert in hospitality Linda Garson filled Rajdoot Restaurant before leaving the continent last month. The Vine and Dine founder was chosen as one of six Canadians to partake in a special tour of Chilean and Argentine vineyards. She will return to host several wine tastings and appreciation courses.

At Rajdoot, six courses were offered with a perfect pairing for each. Garson is much revered for giving her guests a sneak peek of wines new to Canada. This time around, two beverages made their Canadian debut – Gnarly Head Cabernet Sauvignon, a jammy, easy-to-drink Californian, and Tuaca, a potent brandy-like liqueur from Italy with hints of vanilla and orange. The favorite pairing among guests was royal korma (a saucy vegetarian dish made with pistachios and almonds) served with Hugel Gentil, a sweet but smoky German-style French wine. Rajdoot’s signature butter chicken was also a big hit, paired with Lagarde Blanc de Noir – “not a little girl’s rosé,” claims Garson, “It’s rosé for red wine drinkers.”

Not surprisingly, the modestly priced affair ($50 per person) regularly attracts out-of-towners and business travelers. Guests included Ontario-based Aurele Gingras, Vancouver-based Margie Killin, and Bowden-based Rob Heerema, along with locals Marci Witham of Horizon North, Shannon McDougall of Coca-Cola, Trina Lewis of Deloitte & Touche LLP, Rob Onodera of BonVida Wines, and connoisseurs JoAnn and Norm Shannon.

The next Vine and Dine event takes place December 8th at Ruan Thai Restaurant.

Published in National Post, December 6, 2008

CEO of the Year: Harold (Hal) Kvisle

It was a scene straight out of Hollywood last week, as taxis and stretch limousines pulled up to red carpet at the Calgary Fairmount Palliser Hotel. Corporate and media executives, dressed in tuxedoes or dripping with diamonds, poured into the hotel’s Crystal Ballroom for the 19^th annual CEO of the Year Award gala. Hal Kvisle, president and CEO of TransCanada, was this year’s honouree.

Full sized provincial flags and velvet rope separated ordinary hotel guests from the gala ticket holders. A champagne reception allowed many to commiserate and congratulate, while post-dinner liqueurs in the Oval Room saw guests linger late into the night. Senator Marie Poulin provided a bilingual grace before the three-course meal. The menu included oven roasted prawns and seared scallops with candied parsnip risotto, Alberta prime rib, and a velvety chocolate delight with raspberry coulis. Guests paid $895 per plate. Musicians and a contortionist performed on small stages around the ballroom during the meal.

Overall, the mood was jovial, and guests had good reason to be giddy. Earlier in the day a discounted royalty rate for new oil sands projects had been announced, making it more affordable for energy companies to invest in the region. It was certainly the most common topic of conversation, but hardly unrivaled. Rajeev Aggerwal and his colleagues at SNC-Lavalin extolled the virtues of carbon capture and storage technology, and marveled over the Masdar Initiative, a bold international foray into sustainable technologies based in Abu Dhabi. Gail Asper was passionate and persuasive about the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, captivating many guests with great charm and leaving them with a star-shaped pin signifying her cause.

Prestigious guests included the honourable Peter Lougheed, publisher of National Post Gordon Fisher, Alberta’s minister of finance Iris Evans, Alberta’s minister of energy Mel Knight, deputy premier of Alberta Ron Stevens, partner of Caldwell Partners International Anne Fawcett, managing partner of Deloitte Alan MacGibbon, executive vice-president of SNC-Lavalin Jean Beaudoin, vice chairman of Canadian Natural Resources Murray Edwards, chairman of Royal Bank and EnCana David O’Brien, industry executive advisor at Kern Partners Ltd. Dave Pearce, vice-president exploration of Cinch Energy Brian McBeath, and Gail Asper, director of CanWest Global Communications. Ten business students from across the country were also present; each the recipient of a Futures Fund Scholarship, worth $5,000.

A video presentation highlighted his leadership qualities as a consummate deal-maker, good communicator, and visionary. Barry Jackson, chair of TransCanada and director of Nexen, said he is responsible for “one of the most remarkable turnarounds of any organization in the energy sector,” growing assets from 19 billion to 30 billion dollars since 2001. He’s also served as chairman for Mount Royal College, and currently sits on the board of the Nature Conservancy of Canada and Bank of Montreal.

Mr. Kvisle delivered an amiable, pragmatic speech. He thanked his family, including his two daughters in attendance, his board members, and the former CEOs of TransCanada.

Published in National Post, November 29 2008

Junior Achievement has major benefit

It was business unusual for many of Calgary’s top executives this month, at a gala dinner to support Junior Achievement. The evening focused on the legacy of three visionary leaders: Edward Galvin, James Palmer, and Donald Taylor, all of whom were inducted into the Calgary Business Hall of Fame that night. CBC’s Peter Mansbridge flew in from Toronto to act as master of ceremonies.

A cocktail reception preceded the dinner and induction ceremony, which took place in the Hyatt’s Imperial Ballroom. Prominent figures included Arlene Dickinson, president of Venture Communications, Richard George, president of Suncor, Michael Mezei, president of Mawer Investment, and Gretchen Bell-Dinning, daughter of past laureate Max Bell.

The evening held a number of surprises. Our national anthem was sung beautifully by Connie Gibbens (performed a capella when the background music unexpectedly failed); earnest teenagers made up a significant portion of the evening’s guests; there were four delicious courses rather than the standard three; Jim Palmer revealed himself to be a “flaming and fervent Liberal”; and Peter Mansbridge was very funny.

“When you come from a have-not province,” Mansbridge began, “The opportunity for a free meal is very exciting. Think about it – you have the Rockies, we have not. You have an abundance of oil, we have not. You have a hockey team, and we have not.”

Each honouree was given a video tribute before making a speech, and then sitting off stage for a one-on-one with Mansbridge, complete with armchairs and faux bookshelves. The brief interview was projected onto large screens around the room.

Edward Galvin, who passed away in 2005, is remembered for his beloved Lamborghini, and building two successful oil companies: Poco Petroleum, which was sold for $4.5 billion dollars in 2000, and Norcen Energy Resources, worth $1.5 billion per year at the time of its sale. Galvin’s legacy lives on through his contributions to United Way and Calgary Foundation. Don Taylor is the former president of Engineered Air, which boasts current sales exceeding $2 billion. He has also been active in the real estate market, holding 65% ownership of Three Sisters development in Canmore until recently. Jim Palmer helped to build one of the country’s leading corporate law firms: Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP. There is a public policy lecture series in his name at the University of Calgary. He has chaired the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, and supports many charitable organizations, including Calgary Homeless Foundation.

Much was heard of Junior Achievement’s efforts to mentor young people, and the number of fresh faces in conservative business attire was a testament to their success. High school teachers spoke of the valuable education their students receive from JA. One teacher said there was an increase in bathroom breaks among her grade nine students, who were found to be running into the library to check their virtual stock portfolios.

Guests enjoyed a Caprese salad, roasted tomato bisque, espresso-rubbed beef tenderloin with polenta, and lemon-vanilla Panna Cotta. With networking, inspiration, and a well-balanced meal, the Junior Achievers of Calgary are well prepared – and eager – to tackle the financial world of tomorrow.

Published in National Post, November 15 2008

Word nerds enjoy myth-breaking, merry-making

It was a week of pithy remarks and eloquently posed questions. The Banff-Calgary International Writers Festival, also called WordFest, took place at venues spanning both cities this month. Guests included three of the five shortlisted nominees for this year’s Giller Prize; Joseph Boyden, Rawi Hage, and Marina Endicott. Other best-selllers in attendance were Austin Clarke, Nino Ricci, Bill Gaston, Richard Wagamese, Sheree Fitch, Donna Morrissey, Deborah Ellis, and Ronald Wright, as well as the powerhouse behind Random House, Anne Collins.

Festival-goers uniformly shed their usual conservative business attire in favour of an upscale but casual (and even slightly nautical) look, as if taking their lead from Wordfest opener John Ralston Saul whose navy blazer, baby blue socks and double-buckle shoes sent spirited ripples of approval through his sold-out audience. However, looks can be deceiving, as authors in one panel discovered after several failed attempts at light-hearted political humour.

“Give Stephen Harper a book and he’ll use it to prop up the legs of his table,” writer Jaspreet Singh couldn’t resist joking during a panel discussion. The small audience was silent.

The Vertigo Theatre was Saul’s first stop on a national tour to promote his new book, A Fair Country: Telling Truths about Canada. The book aims to unmask the cultural assumptions underlying Canadian life, and expose a dangerously out-of-touch and elite strata of decision-makers.

Having spent a few years in Calgary, first as a young student, then later as policy advisor to Maurice Strong (founder of Petro-Canada), Saul had no hesitation weighing in on Alberta’s unique place within Canada. Of course, he had no invitation to do so, either.

“No-one has asked me about the economy yet!” he gasped, during the question and answer period following his lecture, “Well, I’ll talk about it anyway, just briefly. Canada, and Alberta, is about to be faced with the juggernaut of Europe and the United States who will see the oil sands as the enemy. This is a precarious economy, built primarily on raw goods which cannot sustain their value or quantity. And the myth that Ottawa is the enemy … is leaving this province dangerously exposed to a crises that has been brewing for some time. You have not had a sensible premiere since Peter Lougheed.”

Later in the festival, another literary heavyweight bestowed words of wisdom on politics of different kind. Anne Collins, publisher and vice president of Random House Canada, gave insight into the sometimes tumultuous relationship between editors and writers. The panel discussion included her latest protégé, Andrew Davidson. His first novel, The Gargoyle, garnered an advance of 1.2 million dollars and ignited a global bidding war for the international rights. That spectacular story had aspiring writers on the edge of their modern deco seats in the Art Gallery of Calgary, where the talk took place.

A final event under the WordFest banner takes place on October 27, when Bill Richardson will discuss his new book at the John Dutton Theatre.

Published in National Post, October 25 2008

Foodies fork over the dough for Canada’s top chef

Calgary dinner supports child nutrition,
culinary competitor

Prior to the heart-pounding, life-altering, career-rocketing event that is the Bocuse d’Or international culinary competition in Lyon, Canada’s top chefs face a different challenge: cooking for kids. The landmark Fairmount Palliser Hotel in Calgary was the scene for this years Chefs for Canada, Chefs for Kids fundraising dinner. Tickets were $200 each and sold out well before the event. Proceeds will help fund Breakfast for Learning, a program that provides children with the essential nutrients they require to play and learn actively, and to support Canada’s Chef David Wong at the Bocuse d’Or in January.

“Don’t you think Canada has the best chef in the entire world? We deserve to win this!” declared a charming and vivacious Sharma Christie, the event’s volunteer fundraising chair, “I don’t care what the economic times are! Give generously.”

Passions (for food) were running high. Banquet tables lined the inside of Fairmount’s Crystal Ballroom, where teams from various restaurants prepared tastings. As the opening remarks finished and mingling guests finally took their seats, high profile executive chefs were placing final sprigs of parsley and drops of jus on mini plates. A jazz quartet began to play and Vincent Parkinson, Chef de Mission for Bocuse d’Or Canada, invited guests to wander from station to station, returning to their own table with sample plates to compare and critique.

Autumn flavours and competing textures were prominent in most dishes. An elegant plate of oxtail confit with braised brussel sprouts, savory roast pumpkin strudel and chanterelle foam was delivered by sous-chef Steven Lepine of the Calgary Golf and Country Club. Executive chef of The Petroleum Club, Liana Robberecht, offered a unique éclair-style dish made from puffy sweet pastry stuffed with organic duck confit, and topped with savory whipped cream. The dish was paired with club smoked duck on arugula greens. On the other side of the grand room was executive chef Hayato Okamitso of Catch restaurant, with a mouthwatering lobster maki roll in mango puree and ginger miso braised beef short rib.

Guests included fashion designers Brenda Rozdeba and Barb Gudowsky, Nick Noronha and Tom Short of Rare Method, Kevin Angus of Pegasus Gas, Kenneth Hayes of Grand Banks Energy Corp, Laurids Skaarup, president of Moxies Classic Grill, Fong Seto of the Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, business pundit David Parker (formerly of Calgary Economic Development), artist Paul Van Ginkel, socialite philanthropists Sherrold and Pat Moore, executive chef of Muse restaurant Cam Dobranski, and Terry Gibson, senior vice president and portfolio manager for BMO Nesbitt Burns.

A live auction proceeded the dinner, with Paul Van Ginkel’s painting of an iconic prairie scene entitled “Chuck Wagon Cuisine”, and a seven night all inclusive stay at the Fairmount Acapulco fetching the largest bids.

Published in the National Post, October 11 2008.

A Starry Starry Night in Calgary

With fire balls whipping around her head and torso, flames licking her red sequined bodysuit, a Cirque Phoenix performer earned rapt attention from a black-tie audience at the Calgary Hyatt Regency last Friday night. The impressive display, one of several by the acrobatic team, was a welcome respite from the distressing cause that brought 350 guests together for the Starry Starry Night Gala and Auction this past weekend: type 1 juvenile diabetes.

The sixth annual gala to support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) attracted guests from every corner of the country, and the corporate landscape. Tables of ten were purchased for a donation of $2100 each, with major banks, law firms, and telecommunications companies nabbing many of them.

“This is a city that really gives back,” said marketing consultant Kelly Moi. She was accompanied by Gerry Albert, partner at property and commercial law firm Masuch Albert LLP. During the live auction portion of the gala, Mr. Albert won the right to name a star in the sky for a donation of $2600; a prize donated by the Societe Betelgeuse Ltee.

Megan Davidson, the chief operating officer of JDRF, flew in from Toronto specifically for the event. She was seated with Harold P. Milavsky, chairman of Quantico Capital Co. and an individual donor of ten years, and Bryan Haynes, partner at Bennett Jones LLP, one of the major corporate sponsors of the event. Senior vice president of TD Canada Trust Prairies Region Ron McInnis and his wife Carol Lee McInnis, both originally from PEI, attended the plush affair, as well as Telus director of product marketing Rob Tasker and his wife, Lee Tasker.

Making waves were Bob and Betty Schulz, a building contractor and owner of Commitments Lingerie respectively, who bid competitively on half the items in the silent auction and won the largest item at the live auction: a return trip to Vancouver for a salmon fishing excursion and two-night stay at the Hyatt Regency.

Guests were treated to a glittering emcee in local television personality Nirmala Naidoo, a rousing country-style performance from Las Vegas singers Mollie and Jackie, a delectable three-course meal with free-flowing wine , and a dynamic performance from Cirque Phoenix (west-coast based former members of Cirque du Soleil). Between each course and performance, bids were collected on the silent auction items and stories were told by those whose lives have been touched by juvenile diabetes. On each table was a card with a number, the story of a young life struggling with the disease, and a startling fact about juvenile diabetes. So despite the wonderful hospitality, food, and entertainment, no one could forget what they had paid for – a cure.

Published in the National Post, October 4 2008

CIFF parties on at industry bashes

Two parties, both alike in star power and local pride but not much else, were the hot tickets at this year's Calgary International Film Festival.

At the exclusive downtown Escoba, industry insiders mixed and mingled after the world premiere of 45RPM on Sunday night. Director David Schultz lent big personality to the affair, with lead cast members Kim Coates and August Schellenberg always nearby. Emmy-winner Chad Oakes, who co-produced the film, also attended.

The warm, unpretentious atmosphere, along with a substantial spread of fine cheeses and a free-flowing bar, kept industry guests happy well into the evening. While local productions and crews dominated, emerging stars from across the country brought a frisson of excitement. Vancouver-based filmmaker Jodie Martinson and Mexican writer/director Ismael Nava were both quickly beseiged by local media.

"This is how we tell our stories ... and it's so much cooler than the Hollywood machine," said tuxedo-clad actor and filmmaker Bill Baska, "Even if it's terrible schlock, at least it's our schlock!"

Most festival-goers agreed. The previous evening, a flurry of excitement had spread through the CIFF delegate lounge, staff rooms and venues. Tom Green was hanging out -- or bouncing around, to be more precise -- before the gala screening of his new film, Freezer Burn: The Invasion of Laxdale. The film was shot entirely in Alberta and directed by Calgary's Grant Harvey.

A queue of 300 people and a crowded black carpet welcomed the late-night series opener on Saturday. Cast and crew, including the hyper-friendly Green (with a trailing publicist desperately attempting to focus his energy), Mark Jenkins, Dave Brown, producer Josh Miller and director Harvey walked the carpet. Harvey said he was impressed by the festival's growth and proud of making an unabashedly Canadian film.

Freezer Burn concerns Gazcon, an oil company, which appropriates land in rural Alberta as a ruse while the aliens -- yes, aliens -- who run the company develop a hot new interplanetary vacation resort. Steeped in local references and stereotypes, the film was a crowd-pleaser and set the tone for a well-attended festival.

The after-party, sponsored by Space network and Skyy vodka, featured volunteers clad in costumes from the film, high-energy cast members and the nostalgic small town-sophisticate atmosphere of pizzeria Pulcinella. Green kept the crowd stoked by signing autographs, posing for photos, performing taste tests on random drinks (the featured cocktail -- an odd mixture of grapefruit juice, tangerine juice and vodka -- was not to everyone's taste), and simply jumping up and down. Elbow room was extremely limited -- perhaps inviting every ticket holder to the VIP after-party wasn't such a great idea, after all.

Published in the National Post, September 27 2008

Festival Round-Up: Rogers Picnic, Toronto

At a festival about indie, sub-culture music, it may seem odd to find twenty-something hipsters holding Nokia phones, in a tent decorated with the Nokia logo, sending text messages to a large screen be-deckled with the Rogers logo beside the main stage. But then again, maybe it isn't so odd. Guests of Toronto's 2008 Rogers Picnic seemed right at home with the blend of youth culture, mass communication, and cross-branding. The messages ranged from marriage proposals to requests for cocaine.

Inside the Nokia tent not even globe-trotting favorite Team Canada's Beastie Boys remixes or Let's Go To War's electro-funk could provide more than an atmospheric backbeat to the main stage performances. A loyal crowd bobbed rhythmically around "phone stations" where guests texted their most profound feelings onto the screen ahead. I need a beer, read one. Larry, I'm pregnant, read another. Unlike the energetic thousands standing on the field before them, the DJ tent crew was largely and strangely immobile until later in the evening when a "surprise guest" stepped up to the turntables. Half of the electro-funk duo Chromeo, who had been a favorite on the mainstage earlier in the day, delivered the surprise (as in surprise, he's back!) in an inspired, funky set which instantly threw an uninhibited crowd onto the dance floor (surprise number two).

The tented folks had good reason to be sedate. Frequent bursts of rain and a thick, low-hanging fog turned grassy Old Fort York into a thick, muddy mess. Not everyone's spirit was dampened, however. Organizers estimate five to ten thousand people attended this year's event. ZeroFootprint, a local alternative energy provider, offset the carbon emissions from the entire event through a tree-planting project in British Columbia. They also ensured that all the food stalls and small collection of vendors were locally-run and owned.

Cat Power and Vampire Weekend delivered the most popular - if somewhat relaxed - sets, eliciting a massive wave of cheers, beach-ball lobbing, soulful swaying, and a slew of text messages asking who the hell these people were. Power, in particular, with her ethereal voice full of soul, and a tight, bluesy-rock band to back her up, held the crowd’s full attention but never really brought the electric enthusiasm of the audience onto the stage.

The VIP area, also a beer garden, held more wiggle room and a little less mud. Thirty-somethings done with art-school cool and well into urban-bohemian chic funneled $7 beer and networked awkwardly. A mudslide was proposed and dismissed. The best place to be, it seemed, was in the thick of things with the real fans.

Published in Big Shot Magazine, August 2008