Calgary Illuminates Creative Spaces

It was an evening of transformations: a snowy field into a political statement, an abandoned, ramshackle theatre turned trendy restaurant and hub of cultural activity, an industrial lot used to make bricks became an iconic urban green space, and most notably, a bunch of notoriously wordy designers turned succinct, witty, persuasive showmen - and women. This was Calgary’s first Pecha Kucha night.

The concept is deceptively simple. A dozen presenters take the stage, one at a time, and present 20 slides for 20 seconds each. First conceived and launched in Tokyo six years ago, Pecha Kucha was an attempt by architects Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham to foster creative - and concise - dialogue between designers. Now, over 200 cities have hosted Pecha Kucha nights around the world.

At the upscale Velvet Restaurant in Calgary’s Grand Theatre - also the subject of artistic director Mark Lawes presentation that evening - well over a hundred guests mingled before the 7:00 pm performance began. The audience was a who’s who of Calgary cultural elite, including former president of the Epcor Centre for the Performing Arts Colin Jackson, former alderman Madeleine King, former city council hopeful Naheed Nenshi, co-owner of Beat Niq Jazz Club Connie Young, president of Calgary Arts Development Dr. Terry Rock, and well-known blogger-provocateur D.J. Kelly.

The evening’s presenters made an equally lofty line-up, including Toronto’s Joe Lobko, Tim Jones and Billie Bridgman alongside locals Jeremy Sturgess, Andrew Mosker, Erik Olson, Scott McTavish, David Scott, and Bill Chomik. The charming Karen Ball, director of community investment for Calgary Arts Development, played master of ceremonies.

The theme was “art spaces” - well chosen for its number of talented representatives in the city, and for its timing. Calgary Arts Development, which hosted the Pecha Kucha, is currently in the “heavy lifting” stages of redevelopment in the city’s core. They are part of the revitalization of Olympic Plaza, now called the ‘cultural district’, and plans are underway to carve out new spaces for creative and cultural tenants elsewhere.

At the Pecha Kucha, there was much talk of how a creative space develops and why. Bridgman talked about doing ‘as little as possible’ with old buildings in Toronto before turning them into vibrant, garden-ridden live/work spaces for artists. She pointed out the importance of light in each loft apartment, and illustrated why the designers would group bathrooms and kitchens together at the back of the space, in order that the artist living there could have maximum flexibility and illumination. Mosker talked about the international design competition launched by his organization, the Cantos Music Foundation, in order to find an architectural vision for a national music centre on the site of the old King Edward Hotel. The competition - an effort brought to life with the help of former Art Gallery of Alberta director Tony Luppino - remains in adjudication.

The next Canadian Pecha Kucha nights will be:

September 30 in Montreal, at the Société des arts technologiques
October 2 in Edmonton, at The Myer Horowitz Theatre
October 23 in Waterloo, at The Button Factory, and
December 2 in Calgary, again at The Grand.

Published in National Post on September 19, 2009

Insider's Guide to Canada: Prairie Power Couple

Flanked by the Rocky Mountains, the corridor between Edmonton and Calgary is known as The Western Tiger, an area lush with ranchlands, dramatic skyscapes, and frequent petroleum tanks symbolic of the region’s booming economic growth. A scenic drive, maybe, but for Ann Lewis-Luppino and husband Tony Luppino it’s the three hour commute they face on a weekly basis. And they know all its secrets.

“But you must go into the mountains,” Ann says breathlessly, “We love to visit Banff and Jasper - there’s no place like it in the world.”

“And Dirt Willy’s,” Tony adds wryly, “About forty kilometers outside Edmonton you drive off the highway onto a dirt road and stay in your car - this is important - stay in your car and honk the horn. I guess it’s because of the dogs. Then Dirt Willy comes out, and the dogs become quite friendly, and you can buy all kinds of fowl right from his farm; pheasants, quails, turkey, whatever you like. He’ll clean and dress it for you, and there you go - you’ve bought your bird right from Dirt Willy!”

Shopping for dinner at Dirt Willy Game Bird Farm and Hatchery is all part of the weekend routine, along with hiking in neighbouring Elk Island National Park where bison, moose and other wildlife roam freely. Closer to home - well, one of their homes - in Edmonton, the couple tred lightly down the stairs of their condominium, across the bridge, and into the River Valley parklands where a vast open space and hundreds of riverside trails allow their pet dog Cara to wander happily off-leash. The area encompasses twenty-two parks along with major attractions like the Muttart Conservatory, four unforgettable glass pyramids housing an impressive range of international plant-life, and Edmonton’s Valley Zoo. It’s a spot to spend 3 hours or an entire Saturday, they say. In the evening, when there is no festival or holiday to keep them from a romantic, firework-gazing rooftop picnic, they head to the Fairmont MacDonald Hotel (Jasper Avenue and 100th Street) for a comfortable but upscale meal on the garden patio.

Both Ann, president of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, and Tony, former executive director of the Art Gallery of Alberta in Edmonton, have busy schedules during the week, filled with visiting artists, black tie functions, gallery openings, and concerts, all on top of regular day-to-day office work in their separate cities. Newly married, they were introduced by Edmonton’s Mayor Stephen Mandel years ago when Ann worked for the Alberta Ballet, travelling between the two cities solo. Now, they are each comfortable in either space and their favorite spots in both towns have merged into one giant ball of enthusiasm for the province.

In Calgary, Ann prepares for each season with a trip to Ooh La La clothing boutique (1575 7th Street SW), a hidden gem located close to both the bustling 17th Avenue district and the quiet, tree-lined streets of Mount Royal, the city’s wealthiest neighbourhood. Chris Wells, owner of Ooh La La, is a close friend and trusted advisor.

“Chris is the best person to dress someone,” Ann explains, “Because if something doesn’t look good on you she’ll say ‘Take that off!’” She holds up a Moschino jacket, made of gold silk and a few ruffles, while the woman in question frowns.

“It matches your dress perfectly,” Chris says thoughtfully, “But I’m not sure about the colour for you.” Her expert eyes scan the store, taking in the numerous items she’s freshly picked off the runways of Milan and New York. Many of them have not even been priced for retail sale yet. Chris picks up a cream coloured skirt with a Kandinsky-esque pattern of orange circles and the two confer quietly. They’ve agreed. It’s perfect for the office and a concert, says Ann.

When not shopping, working, or attending concerts and galas, Ann frequently plays hostess to guest musicians from around the world. She eats with them at Teatro Restaurant, Catch Restaurant and Oyster Bar, and Centini Restaurant and Lounge, all located within a block of the CPO’s concert space and on the cusp of Stephen Avenue, a pedestrian-friendly walkway of shops and eateries. She takes them to see the finest in local galleries at Trepanier Baer and Doug Udell. And finally, she advises them to tuck in at the trendy Hotel Arts, the popular Hyatt Regency, or the historic, luxurious Fairmont Palliser Hotel.

One her favorite places to eat in Calgary is The Living Room, where contemporary fusion cuisine is served in a sleek-but-cozy environment. The restaurant is located along 17th Avenue, just a few blocks south of the downtown core, and therefore saved for more intimate occasions with girlfriends, family guests, or rare ‘he and she’ time when Tony is in the city.

Back in Edmonton, Tony also has two routines: one solo and one reserved for couple/weekend time. A collector of rare books and lover of all things literary, he can spend hours alone in the Rutherford and Bruce Peel Special Collections Libraries at the University of Alberta (112th Street NW and 89th Avenue NW, near University Station), reading art magazines and touring the old book collections. Appetite whetted he often strolls to Audrey’s Bookstore (Jasper Avenue and 107th Avenue) where knowledgeable staff can find anything you’re looking for and authors frequently pop in for a public reading. He eats lunch at Zenari’s on First (10117 101 Street NW), where the quick, casual service and perfect paninis and pasta (“I’m fussy about pasta,” he says firmly, “And theirs is good.”) satisfy the lone traveler. Professional and personal interest alike propels him again and again to his favorite galleries: Bear Claw Gallery for contemporary Aboriginal art (10403 124th Street), Peter Robertson Gallery (10183 112 street), and Agnes Bugera Gallery (12310 Jasper Avenue), also home to a collection of Canadian contemporary works. These are just a few of the attractions available to those in Edmonton’s “gallery district” (www.124stbrz.com) along 124th Street in the heart of the downtown core.

In the evenings, Tony seeks out excellent wine lists and comfortable atmosphere. “The one thing that drives me crazy about Edmonton is how early all of the restaurants close,” he says incredulously, “The city still needs to develop those places for grown-ups who want to stay out after 11:00 pm. People over 30, over 40, over 50 do stay out that late, you know.”

There are a couple of restaurants that suffice, he admits. The Hat Resto-Pub offers gourmet burgers and a good selection of scotch, beer, and other libations, and is open from lunch time to late night snack time. Originally a greasy spoon, this chic newly renovated eatery was opened in 1912 as The Silk Hat making it the oldest pub in the city. Other favorites are: The Hardware Grill, Sorrentino’s Restaurant for its extraordinarily friendly staff, extensive wine list and fine Italian cuisine, Wildflower Grill because “they do that high cuisine fusion thing exactly right” and boasts a sommelier who can match any meal with a perfect, inexpensive wine, and Tony’s Pizza Palace - a place “in the middle of nowhere, but with the only truly New York style pizza in Edmonton” he says … and it’s open until midnight on Fridays.

Since resigning from the Art Gallery of Alberta on May 27, Tony is in full-out moving mode, saying goodbye to his favorite haunts and trying to bring as much of them as he can to his new home with Ann in Calgary. Together they are regulars at Tu Gallery (10718 - 124 Street), filled with one-of-a-kind furniture and sculptures, and Dwell Modern Furnishings (10549 124 Street), where much of the Italian high design lighting has become a part of their décor.

Whether in Calgary or Edmonton, the Luppinos like to eat well, often hosting dinner parties that run much later than most restaurants are open. They’ve just discovered a fabulous place for local produce and fine Canadian cheeses at Blush Lane Organic Market, just off 17th Ave and 85th St SW in Calgary. While Mercato Gourmet Foods will usually provide anything else they need, Tony admits he’s going to miss his go-to markets in Edmonton.

The Italian Centre Shop on 95th Street in Edmonton is the only place to buy fresh produce he says. “It doesn’t look perfect, but when you roast those peppers or eat those fresh tomatoes, the taste is incredible.” Loyal to the original location in Little Italy, Tony says the new store on 104a Street is also charming, and is home to a tempting bakery. “Everything is fresh,” he says, “Fresh when it’s in season in Italy, I mean, that’s when they bring it over to Alberta. The fruits, vegetable, salamis … I don’t even know how to say it in English. It’s the Italian way.”

As the warmth of the summer months begin to soothe their hectic schedules, the power couple look forward to more time outside, and together. The Calgary Folk Festival in Prince’s Island Park July 23-26 is high on Ann’s list, along with the Calgary Jazz Festival, which begins this week.

Meanwhile, their careers are always on the radar. A mere month ago Ann and Tony hosted the Mountains, Music & Masterpieces weekend at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. Forty of their fellow art and music lovers gathered for seminars on Beethoven and the Group of Seven between indulgent, beautiful meals overlooking the spectacular emerald waters. Their restless minds have already begun planning the next event, perhaps to be held in the autumn, perhaps with a literary theme. Until then, their enthusiasm for arts and culture continue to reign in the heart of the city.

Published in National Post, June 20 2009