No Exit: four more shows in Calgary

Jean-Paul Sartre's 1944 play No Exit is on stage as part of The High Performance Rodeo festival.

Two of Vancouver's most innovative theatre companies: Electric Company Theatre and The Virtual Stage are set to wow another four audiences in Calgary before returning home.

It is a four person, one-act play featuring enormous talent in all its players, particularly Laara Sadiq as the sexually charged Ines Serrano, who has died of gas.

Set in Hell (represented by an anonymous hotel room), we watch as the three strangers struggle with corporeal desire in all its forms, from wanting a toothbrush or sex to needing the attention of others.

This last thing; the thing the characters covet the most - to be seen, heard, admired - and its opposite - the power to witness, observe, provoke - is where this production really crackles.

Here are three good reasons to see this play, while you can:

1) Seamless production: From the fascinating blend of live film projection and on-stage acting, to the clever lighting, score, and set design (we see, at one point, our guide the Bellhop at a desk with large piles of folders marked "said" and "unsaid") this is a captivating, 90 minute performance.

2) It's uncomfortably comfortable: Don't get too cozy. As Sartre reminds us, the more we see ourselves in the characters, the more necessary their hell becomes. This show draws you in, and then gently pokes at you .... I should say no more.

3) It's entertaining: Good art should always be entertaining, even if it's uncomfortable. This show is marked by outstanding performances from all four lead players. It is dark, funny, and most of all intriguing. Plus, the audience is always entitled to a behind-the-scenes tour after the performance, and believe me, you'll want it.

The four remaining shows in Calgary take place at the Max Bell Theatre:

Friday, January 29 at 8:00 pm
Saturday, January 30 at 2:00 pm
Saturday, January 30 at 8:00 pm
Sunday, January 31 at 2:00 pm

Tickets can be purchased through the Epcor Centre or on The High Performance Rodeo website.

Published on TheAmpersand.ca January 29, 2010

Vero Bistro hosts Vine and Dine

While thousands gathered to cheer the arrival of an Olympic Torch in Calgary last Monday, a more intimate crowd was applauding the efforts of Chef Jenny Chan.

To them, her accomplishment was no less heroic than a gold-medal winner. That night, she and younger brother Frankie Chan prepared and plated a six course meal for almost 50 people; the full capacity of her small, upscale restaurant in Kensington.

Her partner, Mike Berg, is the restaurant’s manager and one of its few servers. He and co-workers were also given big praise, having slid deftly between tables, dropping gorgeous food with polished flare.

It was a ‘Vine and Dine’ event, meaning Linda Garson, an expert in wines, paired each course with a little known wine. She explained the history of each vineyard and grape, and why the choice was perfect for each dish.

A lobster bisque was first on the menu, complete with generous portions of lobster claws and a dash of Pernod. The matching wine came from Australia: Xanadu Next of Kin Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon.

The fresh crispness of it set the salty, cream soup in perfect balance. The following courses included a Dungeness crab cake with scallops and shrimp and exquisite hand-rolled sweet potato gnocchi drizzled with a sage brown butter and balsamic reduction; its sweet earthiness was paired perfectly with smoky bits of wild boar bacon, sweet candied almonds, and sharp gorgonzola cheese.

In a rare display of bias, Garson, who is set to visit winemakers in Italy, Chile and Argentina this season, announced her favorite wine that night: Chanson Pouilly Fuisse.

“This is delicate wine making,” she said of the Burgundy-region wine, “Chardonnay doesn’t have to be bright yellow, wheaty and steeped in oak … it can be like this, the perfect blend of acidity and sweetness. There is a subtle taste of oak, but not over-powering or artificial. This is how Chardonnay was meant to be.”

The same might be said of Vero Bistro. Confident, bold and complex flavours are matched by a comfortable, unpretentious setting. There are capable servers, a more-than-full bar, some of the freshest oysters in town, and a lively neighbourhood into which guests tumble after a long night of good food. Some Vine and Dine regulars said it was the best setting they’d experienced. It was, commented one patron, as if you had gone home for a special occasion dinner and your mother had been trained at Le Cordon Bleu.

Among the guests were Don Campbell, band leader for Estelle dance orchestra, Andy MacDonald, the new manager for Rouge Restaurant, and Johann Kyser, project manager for Alberta’s 2011 Solar Decathlon project.

Published in National Post on January 23, 2010

Sexy clown act sells out in Calgary, heads to Toronto

Audiences in Calgary have been lining up to date this clown: Mimi, French from France, funny.

Rebecca Northan, a classically trained actress and comedienne, created Mimi (and became Mimi) for a short, naughty piece in the Luminato Festival's Spiegeltent'ntavern last year. Now, what started as a ten-minute cabaret show, has become a wildly popular, fully improvised 90-minute work of art called "Blind Date." Sold out during its first run at Toronto Harbourfront Centre, the show is now on stage in Calgary as part of the High Performance Rodeo.

With only four shows left, tickets in Calgary are hard to come by. Previous shows during this month's festival have been sold-out. Blind Date returns to Toronto on March 3, 2010 for a five-day run at The Harbourfront Centre.

The premise is simple: Mimi, a Parisian clown, is stood up by a blind date. She waits, then becomes impatient and hauls someone on stage from the audience.

How does she choose them? "The same way you pick someone you're going to date," she says, "It's just a feeling, a chemistry."

What follows is a true blind date, with all its inherent absurdities, sexual tension, and akward attempts to impress, on display for a full audience to see. Northan, who has done everything from Shakespeare to street performing, says she never takes a paid, seated audience for granted. Neither does she ignore the uncomfortable feelings of her guest.

"Wearing a clown nose reminds everyone that it's just for fun," she says, "The guys [from the audience] are usually pretty nervous, and I just gently remind them to relax. After all, that's the most interesting thing in the world; just watching someone be themselves."

Blind Date shows in Calgary January 22 and 23, at 7:30 pm and 10:00 pm in Lunchbox Theatre.

Harbourfront Theatre in Toronto will produce the show March 3 - 7, at 7:00 pm in The Brigatine Room.

Published on The Ampersand January 22, 2010

This is My City: Homeless Make Art, Stake Claim in Calgary

A series of performances and exhibits this week will showcase the artistry of Calgary's homeless.

This is My City began last year, as a municipal-led program engaging homeless citizens in art-making. Theatre, photography, music, and visual art instruction was introduced at local drop-in centres and shelters by artist-mentors. Now, those creative expressions and more will be on display as a part of High Performance Rodeo, a month-long festival of the performing arts.

"Theatre is a self-esteem builder and a communication builder," explains Aviva Zimmerman, an artist-mentor and the project coordinator for This is My City, "Those are skills anyone should have; to look someone in the eye and speak clearly, to be confident in their ideas. It also feeds the soul. Art provides meaning for our lives and creates a sense of community."

Good art has long been a powerful ally to Calgary. While cowboy hats and oil rigs have become iconic symbols of this boomtown, a thriving - and expanding - cultural sector has provided space for dialogue and diversity. Giving voice to those who are most often silenced, or simply silent, is a driving force behind this project too.

"It was never meant to be a solution to the problem," Zimmerman explains, noting the disparity between Calgary's "paved with gold" image and the "overwhelming number" of people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

It will, though, draw some much needed attention and validation to a growing population in crisis. "It's overwhelming to see hundreds and hundreds of people who are in misery," adds Zimmerman, "Especially in one of the richest cities in a country with such a high standard of living. It is a crises in evey major urban centre in Canada."

This is My City includes the interactive "Power Play," whereby members of the audience may step into a role and attempt to change the show's conclusion. There is also a free art exhibit at the Epcor Centre and Glenbow Museum, a musical performance of the Land's End Chamber Ensemble and The Drop-in Singers at the Grace Presbyterian Church, and a showcase cabaret of various performers tomorrow, January 20 at the WR Castell Library. The week ends with a free symposium on art as a form of social justice, led by the Right Honourable Michaelle Jean and her husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond.

A full listing of This is My City events can be found at www.hprodeo.ca/2010/this-is-my-city.

Published on The Ampersand, January 19 2010

High Performance Rodeo Round-Up

Month-long festival of performing arts kicks off in Calgary

The High Performance Rodeo is a four week festival of music, theatre and dance. It is a place where emerging artists may showcase their work, and established shows find an eager audience. Here, you can see what good art is supposed to be - provocative, entertaining, and insightful - and, sometimes, art that is just the opposite.

The festival opened with a celebration of the highly unusual. Calgary’s Epcor Centre became the scene of a musical-circus-burlesque midway. Indie bands played while artists and art-lovers alike mingled. Cocktails were served in a velvet-draped lounge. While an “H1N1 Kissing Booth”, pornographic puppet show, and glass-walker kept the masses entertained on the midway, multiple shows were taking place around the city.

The most highly anticipated was Tubular Bells, a collaboration between Alberta Ballet, Honens Piano Competition, and the Bergmann Piano Duo. Choreographed by acclaimed local dancer Yukichi Hattori, the piece is set to an adaptation of a 1970’s rock-instrumental album. It was performed live by four internationally renowned pianists, on stage with the ballet company. It has been over a year since the show was performed here.

According to Michael Green, the festival’s curator, the mix of emerging and expected performances continues to grow the audience. “There is a demographic that will rush out and see anything that’s new,” he says, “And then there are those who look for something that’s established; that audience, in Calgary, is ripe, ready, and raring to go.”

“The High Performance Rodeo audience is the most sophisticated in Canada,” Green says, “There hasn’t been another festival - like this one, running for so long - anywhere else in the world. This audience is used to seeing very inter-disciplinary, challenging work. The kind of stuff you don’t see everyday is the mainstay of this festival.”

The hot tickets for next week include performances from Vancouver, Mongolia, and Calgary’s urban under-belly.

Electric Company Theatre from Vancouver is bringing Jean-Paul Sartre’s No Exit to stage beginning January 27. The show blends live theatre with live film, shot behind-the-scenes and shown on giant screens on-stage. An interactive tour of this mysterious set is included with a ticket.

Tono, a cross-cultural dance show which features live throat-singing, will start January 28. The show features performers from Canada, Mongolia and China. It will be a part of the Cultural Olympiad in Vancouver this winter.

Perhaps most important and unusual is This is My City, a sub-festival of performances based on a year-long project by the City of Calgary to engage homeless citizens in artistic expression. There are short plays based on the personal stories of homeless Calgarians; there is a concert by The Drop-In-Centre Singers and the Found Sound Orchestra; there is a unique exhibition of artwork by the homeless; there is a musical performance by the Land’s End Chamber Ensemble of Marcel Bergmann’s latest composition, written specifically for this event; and finally, there is an open, free symposium led by The Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, and her husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond, on the power of art to promote social justice. The ‘Art Matters’ and ‘This is My City’ Symposiums take place all day at the Glenbow Museum on January 24, 2010.

Published in National Post, January 16 2010

Choklat Snobs Keep it Simple

Holiday Hootenany Preceeds New Year's Indulgence

There are only two places in Canada that make their own chocolate, according to Brad Churchill, and one of them is in Calgary. It’s called Choklat, and every Monday the public is invited behind the counter of Churchill’s shop to see just how the magic happens.

Last week, a small crowd gathered at 7:00 pm for the ‘Choklat snobbery tour’ in Inglewood. They were greeted by a warm cup of rich drinking chocolate, piled with whipped cream, and sweet smells wafting through the room. In less than thirty minutes Churchill gave a run-down of chocolate’s history; from cocoa as currency in the 15th century to the thick, spicy hot chocolate made by Spanish explorers in the next, to the innovations by a British Quaker named Mr. Cadbury, an Italian traveler named Mr. Ghirardelli, and two Swiss men called Henri Nestlé and Rudolphe Lindt which slowly formed what we now know as common, edible chocolate.

“For hundreds of years the art of making chocolate has been surrounded by this mystique, this air of mystery,” Churchill told his little group, “I’m breaking that wide open.”

A self-proclaimed “red-neck from Alberta,” Churchill has tried to purge his practice of the pretention often found in other confection stores. There is no elaborate packaging here, just the simple foil wrapping with smart turquoise lettering. Even the shop’s name - Choklat - is to this end; “I figured I would spell it phonetically and just be clear about what people are getting,” he explains, “It’s just that - real and simple.”

The tour includes an education on cocoa beans and their suppliers, and then a walk-through of how the chocolate is made. Churchill has managed to nurture relationships with small growers in Venezuela and has the distinct advantage of a family member in the freight business. This means his shop has access to rare, hand-sorted, good quality beans. He roasts them, separates the shell from interior (called “nibs”) and refines them with sticky fresh vanilla beans, cocoa butter
and sugar. The result is five pure and distinct chocolates from five unique cocoa bean types.

They are sampled alone, relative to a Lindt bar, and finally paired with desert wines, champagne, and sherry. One combination, a particularly well-aged sherry with the slight dried-fruit notes in the dark Cayuga cocoa, has been known to make some guests weep.

While Choklat and its decadent behind-the-scenes tour have gained in popularity, Churchill is already looking at the next step. He wants a larger space to begin with, one with a seating area where patrons can relax while indulging in a brownie or cup of hot chocolate. A Willie Wonka style chocolate waterfall and river has also crossed his mind.

A good introduction to the New Year, Choklat’s ‘snobbery tour’ followed on the heels of several holiday parties in Calgary. The Canadian Energy Pipeline Association (CEPA) had its fête at Centini’s Restaurant, where several Alderman were spotted including Druh Farrell who was asked by the M.C. if she wanted to start her bid for the mayor’s seat immediately. Lorraine Royer of Global Public Affairs, US Consul-General Laura Lochman, and Enbridge executive Art Meyer were also present. The Lougheed House hosted its annual design and décor
event. This year featured rooms decorated by Janet Farnham, Kevin Gray, and Charlene Threatful. Among the guests was Joe Lougheed, a lawyer with Fraser Milner Casgrain and son of former premier Peter Lougheed. He was taking guests through his great-grandmother’s old bedroom and explaining how she might have lived.

Published in National Post on January 9 2010

An International Christmas Feast in Calgary

Vine and Dine Gives Perfect Holiday Pairings

Christmas came early in Calgary, as over one hundred excited guests gathered on the 35th floor of International Hotel and Suites to celebrate the holidays with fine wines and food from around the world. Vine and Dine, the popular food and wine club hosted by Linda Garson, organized the event.

The menu featured six small courses, each paired with wines from a different country. First there was Portuguese bacalhau da consoada - poached cod with egg and cabbage - matched by Casal Garcia Vinho Verde. Vinho vedre literally translates to ‘green wine’ and speaks to the youthfulness of this blend, which is bottled without aging and meant to be drunk right off the shelf. The wine comes from the north of Portugal. It is fresh and slightly bubbly, a perfect balance to smoky, earthy flavoured food. Then a taste of Chilean sea bass arrived, with a sample of Botalcura Chardonnay/Viognier. The highlights of the meal were yet to come, though, in the form of a succulent braised wild boar belly from Italy and French-style smoked duck breast with toasted pistachio nuts. Those were paired with Masi Campofiorin and Coudoulet de Beaucastel, both full-bodied reds. Typical Canadian holiday fare was provided in the form of turkey with gravy and stuffing, paired perfectly with Gray Monk 50 Red from the Okanagan Valley.

Although she had not tasted any of the dishes prior to the event, Garson was pleased with the pairings. The menu was created especially for the occasion, in partnership with the multi-cultural talent of the hotel’s kitchen staff.

“None of these are available on the typical menu,” explained Carrie Larose of International Hotels, “We wanted to show that the hotel can really provide whatever you want for catering or functions. We also want to provide food that is not typically found in Calgary - or hard to find - and cater to that niche.”

Guests ranged from regular Vine and Dine attendees, like Heidi Wiebe and Wendy Walters, to pure vino-philes like importer Jocelyn Morgan, to culinary adventurers like Ann and Jim Murphy, who are set to travel through Southeast Asia with local food critic John Gilchrist next month. Their trip is organized through the University of Calgary, where Gilchrist teaches, and will include a two-day workshop on ‘Food and Culture’ at the campus before a two week trek through Thailand and Cambodia.

A large and jovial group of sixty-five patrons dominated one side of the room. They were managers of Boston Pizza franchises, enjoying a company Christmas party in high style. Dennis and Betty Bailey, owners of several Boston Pizza restaurants in the Calgary area, were among them.

After each course, there was a draw for two prizes: a bottle of one of the wines sampled, and a gift bag including chocolates and other treats. The majority of the randomly awarded prizes went to the Boston Pizza crowd. After dinner, the tables of the ballroom were cleared to allow dancing late into the evening.

Published in National Post on December 12 2009

Canadian Council of Aboriginal Business in Calgary

The Canadian Council of Aboriginal Business [CCAB] was in Calgary last week for their annual gala dinner. It has been twenty-five years since the organization was founded. Earlier this year, an anniversary party was held in Toronto, where John Ralston Saul was the keynote speakerand Rick Mercer delivered a pre-taped welcome address.

In Calgary, the celebration focused on economic development and the success of private-public partnerships. “Alberta is a dynamic place to be, and to learn about sustainable partnerships,” says Clint Davis, president of the CCAB. “This province is an economic driver for the country, and you’re also talking about a strong First Nations community, politically.”

Held at The Westin Hotel, guests mingled around hors d’œuvres and an open bar before sitting down for a full four course meal. Salad and soup were served before a turkey and lobster duo, which was finished with a seared berry desert. The food was paired with excellent selections of wine from Nk’Mip Cellars, Canada’s first Aboriginal owned and operated winery. It is found deep in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia.

While networking was high on the agenda, the gala was also the launch pad for the CCAB mentorship program. The initiative partnersAboriginal entrepreneurs with experienced leaders in Canadianbusiness. Applications will be accepted as of January for partnerships in Ontario, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

“It’s a fascinating time in Canada as it pertains to the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal business relationship in this country,” says Davis.

He points to the increasing number of young, urban, educated Aboriginals in Canada as a timely remedy to labour shortages. Davis adds that other factors in the growth of Aboriginal influence include a “groundswell of support for corporate social responsibility” which further connects Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal business communities, roughly five million dollars in investment capital from settlement claims, a panache for entrepreneurial activity, and the legal ‘duty to consult’ before developing on traditional Native land.

While yet another First Nations community in British Columbia - the Gitxsan of Hazeltown - considers giving up their rights under The Indian Act, Davis says change continues to come quickly. “There’s no doubt that The Indian Act in and of itself is a barrier to economic development,” he says, “[Relinquishing it] certainly has an impact on how government and business works together. But I think it’s a very good thing. It builds capacity within the community, and it opens up more opportunity to attract investors."

Those who attended the Calgary gala included: Treaty 8 Grand Chief Arthur Noskey of Loon River First Nation, Woodland Cree Chief Joseph Whitehead, director of education for the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation Dr. Noella Steinhauer, Jess McConnell of
ConocoPhillips, Maria MacAulay of Enbridge, Vicki Reid of EnCana, and Bonnie Veness of Suncor.

Published in National Post on December 5 2009

Rosenberg Talks Risk at Teatro

David Rosenberg was the guest of honour at the latest Salon Speaker Series event in Calgary.

The theme for this season is Risk and the Global Economy. It’s a topic with which Rosenberg, who left Bank of America-Merrill Lynch in New York to join the Canadian firm Gluskin Sheif earlier this year, is intimately familiar.

After a champagne reception and impressive three-course meal at the posh Teatro Restaurant, guests settled in for the main event. Salon speakers are requested to make opening comments, unscripted, for approximately 30 - 40 minutes before taking questions from the audience. The generous portions of lamb with caramelized root vegetables had barely been cleared, the mouth-watering array of sweets hardly explored, when Rosenberg launched into his monologue.

Dubbed the ‘double dip guy’ by at least one guest (because of his two-pronged recovery forecast), Rosenberg prompted a rush of murmurs with his opening: “You have to make your bets against the consensus,” he proclaimed, “The consensus gets it wrong about eighty percent of the time. But maybe this year is one of those times the consensus actually gets it right … right now the consensus is on some sort of v-shaped recovery.”

He was quick to win over his audience and declare his intentions.

“I am a financial market economist,” he said, “I’m a Wall Street guy and I’m a Bay Street guy. I’m here to talk about how to take the economics…what it means for your investments, and how to stay out of trouble. It’s about how much risk you want to take on, in order to get your return.”

True to the evening’s theme, Rosenberg’s talk centered on risky endeavors. First there was the Obama-Bernake analysis. Calling the United States economy a “fiscal train wreck,” he predicted that the sanctioning of a low dollar would boost their economy, promote exports, and protect balance payments. Then there was full-blown derision for the equities market, which he claimed “as a culture is dead”.

A director of Gluskin Sheif and regular Salon Series patron, Wilf Gobert, agrees on both counts.

“What he’s saying is that people are so focused on equities as the only investment,” Gobert said, “But the reality is that there are a lot of different investments available, including gold and bonds. And the attractiveness of alternative investment has grown, as a means of diversification in asset risk.”

Unsurprised by much of what Rosenberg had to say, Gobert says the economist “can be bullish at times,” citing his optimistic perspective on commodities (and therefore commodity equities) but agrees with his assessment of the American dollar.

“He’s bearish on currency because it’s the only major policy lever left in US government to try to stimulate their economy,” Gobert said.

And what does this mean for Canada, and more to the point, Alberta?

“Like all exporters in Canada, a low US dollar hurts the oil patch,” explains Randy Pettipas, president of Global Public Affairs and a regular guest of the Salon Series, “Your expenses are in Canadian dollars and your revenues in US dollars. It's worth noting though, that historically as the US dollar weakens the price of oil rises providing some compensation.”

Other guests at the function included D’Arcy Levesque of Enbridge, John Cordeau, Q.C. of Bennett Jones LLP, Dave MacInnis of Chevron Canada Ltd, Mark Kryzan of Shaunessy Investment Counsel, Jim Palmer of Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP, Wouter Raemdonck of Total E&P Canada Ltd, David Bercuson of the University of Calgary, and Nicholas Kohler, Calgary Bureau Chief for MacLean’s Magazine. Rudyard Griffiths, co-founder of the series, skipped the event to be with his wife and new-born baby in Toronto.

Published in National Post, November 28 2009
Photo by Adrian Shellard.

Calgary Spies with the Geminis .... A Film Studio?

The 24th Annual Gemini Awards for Excellence in Canadian Television brought top industry talent to Calgary last week for a series of meetings, galas, and a glittering award ceremony, broadcast across the country. Held in a different city each year, this is the first time The Geminis have come to Calgary.

On-screen talent Brent Butt of Corner Gas, Arlene Dickinson of Dragon’s Den, Erin Karpluk of Being Erica, and Tom Jackson, most famous for North of Sixty, mingled with the behind-the-scenes folk who make it all happen, like local acting instructor Karen Ryan, Calgary film commissioner Luke Azevedo, Vancouver producer Ed Hatton, and Tom Cox, executive producer of SEVEN24 Films. While out-of-towners were kept entertained, local industry got a huge boost from their provincial ministry.

It’s taken almost three decades of planning, bargaining, lobbying and hoping, but a permanent, full-service film studio and post-production centre seems to finally be on the horizon in Calgary. During last week’s haze of Gemini Award parties, Alberta Minister of Culture and Community Spirit Lindsay Blackett unveiled an “agreement in principle” with the owners of Canada Olympic Park to buy a piece of their land and build a 75,000-square-foot facility there. The agreement comes less than two weeks after plans for a Canadian Sports Hall of Fame on the same site were announced. The province has promised $10 million to the Hall of Fame, and indicated partial funding support for the estimated $26 million studio development. At another function, Blackett also revealed $800,000 in new provincial grants for creative projects.

“For us it’s amazing”, says Azevedo, “It’s more than just sound studios: there is potential for sustainability, there are plans in place to allow us to link with post-secondary, to help create a training grounds, to help us become the diverse economy that we always talk about. Although we’re in a downturn economy, this is one of those things that will help us recover on a global scale. In my opinion, without a sound stage it’s also very difficult to grow our industry to where we want it to go. And since 80% of the work is done in the Southern quadrant of the province, we do need to facilitate that. This property will allow us a quick transition and a quick build.”

The Glenbow Museum, Westin Hotel, and Teatro Restaurant were all venues for hot ticket parties last week. After the funding announcements were made at the museum, insiders mingled, munched and mused across the street at the Women in Film and Television Alberta (WIFTA) party. Guests dined on scallop ceviche, fresh oysters, seared duck breast, and pork belly appetizers while a seemingly impromptu drum circle and live jazz provided entertainment.

Marni Fullerton, the recently elected president of WIFTA, says the timing was perfect for both a party and the new grants announcement. “We wanted to sort of ‘present’ Alberta, as the rest of the industry from across Canada descended,” she says, “[The funding announcements] are a really positive sign that Alberta is serious about long term development and sustainability in film and television in this province, and I applaud Lindsay Blackett for taking that initiative.”

Big winners at the next evening’s gala award ceremony included The Rick Mercer Report for best comedy, Flashpoint for best drama and best direction, and The Dragon’s Den for best reality series.

Published in National Post November 21, 2009
Photo by Adrian Shellard

Saskatoon: A new heart for the old west?

Canada West Foundation, a forty-year old think tank headquartered in Calgary, has opened a new office in what their senior economist has called “the top-performing province in the country” - Saskatchewan.

At a dinner in Saskatoon’s Delta Bessborough hotel, Premier Brad Wall and local mayor Dean Atchinson were joined by high profile guests from the Western provinces including former Attorney General for British Columbia Geoff Plant, former Saskatchewan Minister of Finance Janice MacKinnon, former Manitoba MLA and current president of the Business Council of Manitoba James Carr, former Alberta MLA and current chairman of The Western Financial Group Jim Dinning, Member of Parliament for Blackstrap Lynne Yelich, and Cameco Corporation’s Gary Merasty.

Calgary-based PetroBakken (a PetroBank company) was a lead sponsor of the event. Two weeks ago, in the small town of Kerrobert Saskatchewan, the company unveiled a homegrown technology called “Toe-to-Heel-Air-Injection” or THAI, designed to recover heavy oil in an efficient and sustainable way. The province’s Premier and Minister of Energy were on hand for the project’s announcement, which they claim will make major strides in extracting the estimated twenty billion barrels of heavy oil under the province, while preserving other valuable resources like water and natural gas.

Saskatoon berry wine was poured while Jim Gray, outgoing chair of Canada West Foundation, provided the opening remarks. “Think of the great assets of this province,” he said, “We have energy, food, and water. Then think inside of that triangle: We have technology, we have innovation, we have the people, and we have the quality of life. That’s your future, in Saskatchewan. It’s a marvelous future, and well deserved.”

The premier was introduced by CEO of Petrobank Energy John D. Wright. Guests from Alberta - already fearful of a shrinking competitive advantage at home - squirmed in their seats as Wright praised the “excellent leadership” and economic strength of Saskatchewan.

“I want to share with you that Petrobakken, and our parent company PetroBank, see Saskatchewan as the province for investment in Canada,” Wright said, “From the communities in which we work to the halls of the legislature; we’ve been welcomed with open arms. There couldn’t be a better place to do business in our experience. We will invest all that we can into this province.”

Wall picked up the praise, even adding fuel to the fire with a slide show depicting the Calgary Stampeders taking hits from the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Slogans like “You don’t stand a chance” over pictures of the football teams appeared on a large screen. Taking a more serious tone, the premier talked at length about the disparity between economic power in Western Canada and political power centralized in the East. Calling upon the National Energy Program, the musings of John A. MacDonald, and the notion of ‘easy money in the oil patch’, Wall framed his comments with “the disconnect; the lack of understanding between fellow citizens in the same country.”

“Some would say you’re not paranoid if they really are out to get you,” Wall said.

Charged with provoking debate and testing “national policies against regional aspirations,” Canada West Foundation certainly had good fodder for its opening in Saskatchewan. The premier went on to talk about the limits on a cap-and-trade scheme in the province - “We know we have to pay our share,” he said, adding the money must be re-invested in environmental technology in order to be “on in Saskatchewan” - and the growing alliances between the Prairie provinces in Canada and those in The United States.

Jack Vicq, former associate dean for University of Saskatchewan, will head up the new office in Saskatoon.

Published in National Post, November 14, 2009

A Sunday at the Opera: Manon opens Calgary's season

Calgary Opera gave its patrons a sneak-peak of its season-opener last Sunday, as the cast of Manon performed recital-style in The Petroleum Club. The first of three “opera brunches”, the event allowed guests to feast on an expansive buffet before company members took the stage one at a time to sing a song of their choosing. On the menu were: eggs two ways, Belgian waffles, toast, three types of salad, fruit (strawberries, raspberries and lots of melon), bacon, sausage, potatoes, grilled veggies, brownies, cookies, cakes, croissants and more. Tickets were $65 per person.

Bob McPhee, the CEO widely credited with keeping Calgary Opera financially stable through uncertain times, acted as master of ceremonies, first introducing accompanist Gordon Gerrard. In September, Gerrard was awarded the Enbridge Arts Award for Emerging Artist at the Mayor’s Evening for Business and the Arts, an event which McPhee co-chaired with Jim Stanford, former CEO of Petro-Canada .

M.C. McPhee also welcomed special guests in the audience: artistic director of Edmonton Opera Brian Deedrick was in attendance, having been appointed the stage director for Manon, as well as vocal coach Michael McMahon, resident conductor of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Mélanie Léonard, and former Toronto Star music and dance critic William Littler.

Matthew Cassils, a baritone from Montréal and a new member of the Emerging Artist Development Program, opened the show. Then came the widely celebrated Peter McGillivray, who sang “Avant de quitter ces lieux” from Faust. Michelle Minke, Lauren Phillips, and Michel Corbeil all gave charming performances. The two stars of Manon, however, certainly stole the show.

American tenor Richard Troxell has joined the cast as des Grieux, the handsome and impetuous horseman who falls in love with Manon at first sight (and in the first act), and compels her to dodge life in the nunnery in favour of eloping to Paris. At the brunch, Troxell opened with an amusing story of bear-sighting in Alberta before launching into a heart-breaking version of “Oh, Danny Boy” - proving he could sing Happy Birthday and have an audience in tears. Nathalie Paulin, who plays Manon, sang “La Vie en Rose” while pulling McMahon from the audience for a brief dance. Paulin and Troxell have both performed with l’Opéra de Montréal (Troxell as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly Poulin as Mélisande in Debussy’s Pélléas et Mélisande), in addition to appearances around the world. For the finale, the singers performed a duet from Carmen, leaving no doubt their version of lovers in Manon will be phenomenal.

Calgary Opera’s Manon begins November 21; the next opera brunch will be held in January with the cast of Mark Adamo’s Little Women.

A Worthy Romp in Calgary

It was everything you’d expect from a night out with the girls: candy, drinks, gossip and make-overs. Pink décor overtook the usual dark-and-trendy vibe of Calgary resto-lounge Belgo; professional hair and make-up stations greeted patrons, while a mobile spa awaited them further into the fete. There was even a semi-secluded area with plush couches and big screen TV called ‘the man cave’. Girlish glee aside though, there was something heavy weighing on the minds of party-goers last week: breast cancer. The ultra-feminine, hipster-oriented affair was one of many hosted by Rethink Breast Cancer across the country, designed to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research.

Founded in 2001 by MJ DeCoteau (who attended the recent Calgary event), Rethink Breast Cancer has become one of the nation’s leading sources of information and inspiration for women under forty. DeCoteau was featured in MacLean’s Magazine as one of their “10 Canadians who made a difference” and in Chatelaine as one of the ten women they’d like to see run the country. The organization was also noticed by Marketing Magazine for their innovative communications strategy. Rethink events, like last week’s “Rethink Romp” at Belgo, are designed to be appealing, approachable and accessible for young women because traditional medical literature is often the opposite.

Alongside parties in Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto (including a breast film festival at the Royal Ontario Museum in November) Rethink has partnered with retail and fashion brands like Joe Fresh, Roots, Gap and Telus to deliver attractive fundraising merchandise. The organization’s style and results are what prompted Calgary chair Tasha Westerman to get involved after she struggled with the disease and won.

“I was looking for something that was young and hip,” she says, “Something where women could talk about what matters to women, like fertility and appearance, and that would reach out in a supportive but fun way. The experience [of having breast cancer] can be very isolating.” Westerman got in touch with DeCoteau, and together they put together the first Rethink event in Calgary.

An impressive silent auction had party-goers betting and bargaining late into the evening. Items included a Gold’s gym membership, a weekend get-away to Banff Park Lodge, WestJet round-trip tickets to a location of your choosing, and a fabulous basket of chocolate, cheese and other treats. Money raised by Rethink Breast Cancer directly supports young medical researchers in their professional and academic development, family and youth support programs, and BreastCancerNowWhat.ca, an informative website for breast cancer patients.

Guests of the romp included public relations guru Jason Krell, stylish editor of VitaminDaily.com Malwina Gudowska, Wax Creative copy-writer Stephanie Bialik, Calgary Economic Development’s Sarah Cott, Telus’ Rick Salahub, Vice President of Exploration for Trident Resources Mike Finn, and Souzan Basmahjian of Long View Systems.

Published in National Post on October 31, 2009

The Posties: Long, Involved Process by Steve Murray

Published in National Post, October 24 2009
Read "The Posties" By Clicking Here

Fashion and Feng Shui in Calgary

Holt Renfrew, a mecca of labels and luxury in Canada for 170 years (Yes, 170 years! In 1837 it was created as a hat shop in Quebec before becoming the Queen’s “furrier” in 1886 and finally Holt, Renfrew & Co. in 1900), has replaced its store in Calgary with one three times bigger. Among the boutiques newly available in the 151,000 square foot space are Tiffany & Co, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Hermes, which hosted its own launch a few days after the mother-ship’s opening.

Media tastemakers from across the country flocked to the city for a celebration of beauty and branding at the new Hermes store, just inside the 4th Street entrance to Holt Renfrew. Champagne circulated while Guillaume de Seynes, executive vice president of Hermes and Jennifer Carter, president of Hermes Canada, delighted in sharing stories of the brand’s history.

In keeping with the evening’s theme of “The Great Escape”, guests were shuttled in a limousine or by stylish cruiser bicycles to The Opera Room in Teatro Restaurant for an intimate dinner. There, Bastien Bicharzon, just weeks after his move from Paris to Calgary, was introduced as the new store’s manager. Guests enjoyed a four-course meal including lobster, beef tenderloin, a selection of fine cheeses, and seared wild strawberries with lemon thyme sorbet.

A sweetly sophisticated Vineland Estate Vidal Ice Wine was circulating just as the affair became a kind of high fashion hoe down, with Hello! Canada Magazine editor Ciara Hunt and Avenue Magazine editor Kathe Lemon standing on the dinner table to reach classic Hermes scarves hanging off the giant globe lamps above.

A round of fluorescent green shooters were ordered and passed around. Meanwhile, Tanya Kim of entertainment news show eTalk Daily, Christopher Sherman of Fashion Television, and Hunt plied local writers for information on the best locale for line-dancing and other things cow-town. Nathalie Atkinson, style editor for The National Post, Karen Ashbee of FASHION, Malwina Gudowska of VitaminDaily.com, Shelley Youngblodt of Swerve Magazine, and Bill Brooks were also in attendance. At the end of the night, each guest was gifted with a souvenir Hermes bicycle helmet and a piece of gold-embossed porcelain bearing the iconic jumping horse of its Cheval d’Orient collection.

Earlier this season, style in the home was the focus of another event, this time spanning four days. The Calgary Home and Interior Design Show took place at the BMO Centre in Stampede Park. High profile presenters included Bryan Baeumler, host of popular television show Disaster DYI, Alykhan Velji, a Calgary-based designer soon to be launching a new signature line of rugs and home furnishings, and Mag Ruffman.

For those unconvinced by scarves and showrooms, a new book about how to build a healthy, happy home was released this month at a small yet bustling function in Okotoks. Alberta author Dawn Hankins teaches Feng Shui at Mount Royal University in Calgary. Her new book, The Forces Behind Feng Shui: A Companion to Energizing Your Life, gives pragmatic advice for those seeking a positive, peaceful and prosperous environment. Among the tips are: add a touch of red into your décor to boost your financial abundance and enthusiasm for life; de-clutter your front door and make sure it is well lit to invite positive energy; and make sure the foot of your bed is not facing the bedroom door for a good night’s sleep and a feeling of security.

Published in National Post on October 17, 2009

Movie Madness for Mavericks: CIFF at Ten

The parties were a little more modest, and a little less crowded than last year. There were more directors than cast members (read: celebrities) present, which is a good thing according to executive director Jacqueline Dupuis. The Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF) is about the filmmakers, she says, unlike Toronto’s marketing blitz and Vancouver’s mass-appeal programming. Every speech, interview, media piece, or private conversation alluded to the festival’s financial status.

Yet these signs of the economic times hardly prevented success on CIFF’s ten year anniversary, but rather narrowed the focus to what was most important: a record number of submissions, over a dozen well programmed series of truly international films, industry panels on the future of film, and a $25,000 cash award to a ‘Maverick’ filmmaker. And there were still plenty of free drinks to go around.

The opening and closing galas were held in the same location: a large section of downtown’s Eau Claire Market, which was sectioned off with billowy white curtains, flanked by a stage at one end and the white canvas FASHION / American Express / CIFF photo-op backdrop at the other.

The opening film was Crackie, a Newfoundland tragi-comedy starring Mary Walsh and Meghan Greeley, who was in attendance with director Sherry White. White and Greeley participated in a post-screening question/answer session, moderated by local reporter Nirmala Naidoo.

Then came the Rock n’ Roll Red Carpet Party, which followed John Chester’s new documentary about photographer Robert Knight, whose expert eye and relaxed demeanor has earned him privileged access to some of the greatest rock performers of our time, from Mick Jagger to Robert Plant. The party took place at the Barley Mill, across from Eau Claire Cinemas, with both Knight and Chester in attendance.

Toronto’s Ryan Noth, Geoff Morrison, Luke Bryant and Sarah Lazarovic were in town to premiere two movies - NPP: Gros Morne and No Heart Feelings. The documentary-cum-art-project called National Parks Project: Gros Morne is a city-specific experience which combines stunning footage of our national parks (in this case Newfoundland’s Gros Morne) on the big screen with a line-up of local musicians who perform a live soundtrack to the images. No Heart Feelings, a very funny film about a group of twenty-somethings in the big city, held its after-party at the Uptown Theatre’s Marquee Room, where cast member Steve Murray (also of The National Post) was in attendance. Director Lazarovic was the first ‘visiting creative’ to earn a free hotel stay at the newly renovated Nuvo Suites, which along with Calgary Arts Development is offering one complimentary stay per month for artists visiting Calgary.

Damien Chazelle, jazz drummer and Harvard grad, was one of the ten emerging filmmakers to earn the title Maverick. His beautiful black-and-white musical film Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench was celebrated with live jazz and a hopping after-party at Beat Niq Social Club. Chazelle also participated in an industry panel on “the art of filmmaking.”

At the closing gala last week, Chris Chong Chan Fui was awarded the coveted Mavericks prize for innovation and excellence in filmmaking, for his film Karaoke. Theatre actress and director Karen Hines took home the award for Best in Alberta short film for her work on A Tax on Pochsy. Among those mixing and mingling at the party were David Lee Miller, director of My Suicide, Juliet Garcias, director of Be Good, Ian Day, Tyler Fraser and Scott Townend of the locally-made short film Greenwash Gang, Spencer Estabrooks, director of the Western zombie flick Dead Walkers, Geraldine Byrne of WADE Canada, and Dr. Terry Rock, president of Calgary Arts Development.

Published in National Post October 10, 2009

Saints and Scoundrels on Wall Street

The Salon Speakers Series has opened its 2nd season in Calgary’s Teatro restaurant with author and New York Times business writer Joe Nocera. The theme this year is Risk and the Global Economy.

Some things at the Salon Series don’t change: the outstanding quality of a three-course meal at Teatro, for example, or the introductory remarks from a local business icon (in this case Jim Palmer, founder of Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP), or the name-dropping within thirty seconds of the speaker’s remarks (last session we heard Bill Kristol’s scathing review of Al Gore’s company; this time we heard about Mr. Nocera’s casual visits to T. Boone Picken’s living room). On the other hand, some regular guests (it is an invite-only affair) have noticed some marked differences. In his introduction, Mr. Palmer, whose firm is also a title sponsor, pointed to the rather conservative nature of last year’s speakers and implored that the audience “be okay with some thinkers that are slightly to the left.”

Nocera’s gift, as a speaker and a writer, is story-telling. Energetic and knowledgeable, he spoke about the tension, the vacuum and the free-fall on Wall Street and in the White House after the collapse of mortgage lenders Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac. He described scouring for information, trying to figure out what would happen next. “They had no idea,” he said, “As the debate over Freddie and Fannie was going on, that AIG was just a few days away, then Lehman Brothers, Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch … it’s like all five heads of the family, in mafia terms, falling like a deck of cards.” Then he took questions.

In his book, Good Guys & Bad Guys, Nocera unravels the narrative of big business from the early ‘80s until today, giving the reader an up-close-and-personal look at how major deals close, companies grow or falter, and ultimately how a few personalities have dramatically shaped the American fortune. The book is compelling and accessible, deftly turning high finance into a good story. His descriptions of Wall Street in the mid-1980s (a chapter called “GaGa Years” is particularly good: “The scent of the market is powerful here, intoxicating,” he writes, “All around me I can see the blandishments of money, the seduction of wealth, the lure of financial security.”) are riveting. Oh, the heady climb before the fall.

For such a prolific insider, it’s a surprise that his writing didn’t offer forewarning of last year’s economic tumble, but boy can he explain it well today. And his prediction for the future? “People want to know if this will happen again,” he said, “And the answer is yes. It is inevitable that as people forget the downside of risk, they risk again, and ultimately fall into national - in this case international - insanity.”

While the question and answer period focused mainly on domestic economic recovery plans, Nocera did have a few awe-inspired comments for China (“It’s impossible not to be dazzled by China’s economic rise.”) who along with India and Brazil was given increased sway over the activities of the IMF only days prior and which, not incidentally, owns a significant portion of American debt.

Guests received a signed copy of Nocera’s book courtesy of Enbridge; other sponsors included Bennett Jones, Vendemmia International Wines, Global Public Affairs, and The National Post.

Published in National Post October 3, 2009
Photos by Adrian Shellard

Calgary International Film Festival

A daily blog
following the films, parties, and general antics of this year's CIFF for The National Post

Published on The Ampersand, September 25 - October 4

National Music Centre fit for a king

Plans were unveiled last night for the Cantos National Music Centre in Calgary; the results of an eight month global design search and competition. Opened in March 2009, the contest was narrowed to five architecture firms by July, each of whom presented their vision to a public audience at an event dubbed Designs on Calgary. The competition was then moved to a jury made up of artists, architects, and Senator Pamela Wallin.

The new institution will build upon the historic King Edward Hotel (affectionately known as the 'King Eddy'), a legendary house of blues that was shut down by public health authorities in 2004 after falling into serious disrepair. Located in a construction-riddled, slightly seedy part of town, hopes for a revitalized neighbourhood and national koodos are pinned on the multi-million dollar development. Cantos expects up to 120,000 people will visit the centre annually within two years of its opening.

In its new life, the King Eddy will house multiple performance spaces, a museum, educational programs, and play an iconic role in the city's skyscape. It will also serve as the new offices for Cantos Music Foundation.

Allied Works Architecture, an Oregon-based firm known for its landmark performing arts spaces across the United States, will partner with local architects BKDI to design, develop and construct the new centre.

The concept behind the design is building as instrument, a theme picked up by the other competitors as well. A secondary inspiration is the Western landscape, in particular the canyons, mountains and hoodoos of Alberta.

Andrew Mosker, executive director of the Cantos Music Foundation, which spearheaded the competition and re-development, said Allied Works and BKDI were the firms that "jived most" with his staff and "best understood and paid homage to the legacy of the original King Eddy."

Published on The Ampersand, September 24 2009

Calgary's Cultural Capital

Three years ago, Maclean's magazine dubbed Calgary a “cultural capital”, a moniker which has been internalized and proudly reiterated by our city's citizens ever since. It was a relief to some to be recognized for something other than oil and wealth, and a source of intense satisfaction to many to be mentioned in a national (i.e. Toronto-based) publication. Finally, people took notice. But the magazine, and the country, noticed something else - “Some Calgarians wish the hype would go away” wrote Anne Kingston; they worried about losing something authentic as the city boomed.

Today, the city’s cultural and fine arts communities are feeling something different. They are adamant that the high quality of cultural experience in the city has deep local roots, and is growing organically - and rapidly - every day. Despite being on the waning side of the boom and bust cycle, the arts and culture communities have seen sustained growth. And what's more, it's not imported shows and touring exhibitions begging for attention, but the high level of homegrown talent, risk-taking and adaptability.

“Cultural capital” may not be something we are, but something we have.

Read Entire Article Here -> www.avenuecalgary.com
Published in Avenue Magazine, September 2009

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

Festival Season Winds Down; "Culture Month" Ramps Up

The sun was shining on the 13th annual Taste of Calgary Festival this year - literally. Postponed by rain early in the month, the popular event took place in late August, bringing hundreds of foodies and vino-philes into the bright and sunny Eau Claire Market plaza just hours before dark clouds rolled in.

Thirty restaurants ranging from the trendy Belgo to the delicious Ruan Thai set up kiosks around a bustling beer tent. Samples of local Brew Brothers beer were served alongside more obscure Eastern European brands and the ubiquitous Big Rock.

Samples of food and drink were sold for between $0.75 and $4.50. Entertainment under the big top included Cumako, the upbeat afro-latin band featuring flute, saxophone, drums, trumpet and bass, country singer Shane Chisholm, and the Rick Climans Jazz Group.

It has been a busy summer for festival-goers, who poured in to events centered on blues, jazz, rock, folk, and alternative music, among other things. It appears the Alberta arts scene, however, was simply preparing for a month of full-blown creative celebrations.

September marks the first annual Culture Month in Calgary, coinciding with Alberta Arts Days, and initiative out of Minister Lindsay Blackett’s office. Over the next few weeks city-slickers can expect a windfall of artsy parties, free concerts, film premieres, fashion shows and award ceremonies. Highlights are sure to include the first ever Calgary PechaKucha night on September 14, where a medley of creative people will design, present and speak about twenty slides for twenty seconds each, for a total of approximately six minutes. Conceived in Tokyo, this event now takes place in 230 countries around the world, from Capetown to Copenhagen and now Calgary.

“Like many world-class cities, Calgary has a thriving arts community,” said Mayor Dave Bronconnier at a press conference early this week, “Culture Month gives us the opportunity to showcase why Calgary was once again named the most cultured city in Canada.”

Other highly anticipated events include a free performance by the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra on September 7, and the ArtCity Festival of design and architecture from September 11 - 20.

While the arts community is celebrating, though, a loyal stalwart of culture in the city may be fading. Beat Niq Jazz Club and Bistro, a long time staple of music and food lovers alike, has announced that it may close due to financial uncertainty. Owners Robert and Connie Young have planned a three-day gala fundraising during culture month, Sept 8 - 10, with the goal of keeping their original culture club afloat.

Published in National Post on September 5, 2009

GlobalFest Brings French Feast to Laurier Lounge

“There is a small brotherhood of pyro-musical designers around the world, so they all kind of know each other,” explained Ken Goosen, carefully bringing the broad-brimmed glass to his nose and inhaling deeply. His wife, Barb Goosen, sat next to him, pondering the two glasses of deep red wine on the table before her. The conversation paused and all together they smelled, swirled, sipped and looked at the ceiling in concentration.

Before the talk of explosives and orchestration could continue, Linda Garson, founder of Vine and Dine, was on the microphone and strolling from table to table. “Which wine is Canadian, and which one is French?” she asked her audience. Close to fifty guests glanced at each other and their glasses tentatively. It was the last uncomfortable moment before the GlobalFest French-Canadian Wine Dinner went into full swing. Soon guests were cajoling, cracking jokes, betting, guessing, and even looking for hints after tasting each round.

The event, co-hosted by Vine and Dine and GlobalFest, took place at the cozy yet upscale Laurier Lounge. Three mouthwatering courses were presented to each guest, seated at tables of six to eight, and each arrived with two glasses of wine expertly poured (and paired). Guests knew that one of the wines was a Canadian - Tinhorn Creek - and the other French, but their labels were hidden and patrons were challenged each round to determine which was which. Those who guessed correctly throughout the evening were awarded VIP Passes to a night at GlobalFest.

The festival is a two-week, multi-faceted celebration of diversity in Calgary, which ends with an immense firework finale on August 29. Held primarily in Elliston Park, it encompasses traditional dance performances, cultural pavilions, music and food from around the world, a film festival, a human rights forum (which this year featured former Governor General the honourable Adrienne Clarkson among others), and an international fireworks show sponsored by Trico Homes.

The best in “pyrotechnics choreographed to music” from Canada, Mexico, Spain, and China were showcased this week. According to Goosen, a co-creator of the festival, the fireworks are not only world class, but one-of-a-kind. The first piece of music was prescribed to the team by festival organizers, ensuring that a new spectacle would be created just for the occasion. The remaining music must be largely from the team’s home country.

An evening of fine food and wine at the Laurier Lounge is certainly out of pace with the rest of the festival, but a perfect fit when it comes to spirit and taste. Canada’s pyro-musical team comes wholly from Quebec this year, making the French feast a natural tie-in.

Guests devoured a wild game charcuterie platter which included elk salami, dried muscox, venison prosciutto, bison pastrami and a blueberry-cranberry compote. This was paired with two Pinot Noirs - a Joseph Drouhin Laforet and the Tinhorn Creek Pinot Noir. The second course was a large helping of succulent braised bison with classic “squeaky cheese” poutine and a colourful parcel of grilled vegetables. This was paired with Rothschild St. Emilion and Tinhorn Creek Merlot. Finally, a sweet, delicate, melt-in-your-mouth pear tarte tatin wth maple syrup coulis paired with a Canadian Icewine and the Chapoutier Beaumes de Venise.
Published in National Post on August 29, 2009

Little Festival with Big Heart Wraps 3rd Season

Not many church parties offer a dress code of black leather, fishnets and bleach blonde wigs, but it was all part of the fun this month during the 3rd annual Calgary Fringe Festival.

The fledgling theatre festival closed on August 8 with a gala performance of Rocky Horror Picture Show, starring Brad Duffy, followed by a festival-wide wrap party in the basement of Inglewood’s Lantern Community Church. Wild style and provocative prose aside, the fringe is not just about “pushing the envelope” says festival director Michele Gallant. This year, thirty-six percent of patrons were over forty-five years of age, and over fifty percent had university degrees or some higher education.

“I was surprised by the audience during our first festival, in 2006,” says Gallant, “I thought they would be younger and more interested in cutting edge stuff. But I’ve learned since then that university professors - and that demographic more generally - really enjoy the fringe festival. They’ve seen these types of festivals before, and know what to expect. They tend to meet for drinks, see a show, go for dinner somewhere and see another show. It’s an evening for them, an outing, something unexpected. I think they also love to support the arts so directly, as one hundred percent of the profits go directly to the performers after each show.”

‘Making an evening’ out of the Fringe Festival is something Gallant and her team have worked hard to promote. For the second year in a row the festival was held in Inglewood, a historic, artsy neighbourhood bordering the downtown core. The five venues were all within walking distance and most performances ran about an hour long, encouraging patrons to ‘hop’ from one show to the next.

The festival also collaborated with local merchants to launch an outdoor component during the opening weekend. That helped to make a “visual impact” on passers-by, she says, and encouraged community-building. Eventually, Gallant hopes the festival will take place equally inside and outside, like it’s more established counter-part in Edmonton, but for now she is “over the moon” with the results of this year’s attendance.

Over eight thousand patrons showed up to see shows ranging from Inviting Desire, an erotic journey into female fantasy delivered by Oregon’s Eleanor O’Brien, Tonya Miller, Tori Padellford, Allison Tigard, Mary Rose, and Emily Wisteria, to the Calgary-based comedy Crystal Ball which follows the haunted mishaps of a struggling theatre troop.

The festival’s after-party was also the scene of recognition for outstanding performances and professionals. Tom Cutherbertson, a venue supervisor, was awarded the “longest commute” medal for his daily journey from Red Deer. Cuthbertson took time off work, dedicated long hours, and declined an honorarium in order to help the Calgary Fringe Festival succeed. Gallant says the support of so many volunteers is both heart-warming and not unusual.

“There’s a lot of sharing that goes on between festivals,” she says, “Edmonton Fringe Festival, which has been around for twenty-seven years and is the second largest in North America, has helped me so much with ideas, networks, and sharing their experience. We like to think having both festivals gives the artists a good ‘Alberta circuit’ to look forward to every year.”

The Edmonton Fringe Festival wraps up on August 23. Meanwhile, Calgary audiences can look forward to the Fringe Rewind in February, when audience favorites from past year’s Calgary Fringe Festivals will be re-launched at the Arrata Opera Centre.
Published in National Post on August 22, 2009

Green Cities Prepare for Copenhagen: ICLEI in Edmonton

Big change starts small. That’s the idea, at least, behind the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI), an organization made up of representatives from over one thousand municipalities around the world. Six hundred of them arrived in Edmonton recently for a multi-day conference on topics ranging from wastewater treatment to public engagement. Their mandate stems from a United Nations program called Agenda 21, adopted in Brazil at the 1992 Earth Summit and designed to allow participation by non-state actors in policies affecting the global environment.

In Edmonton, the purpose was clear: radical and rapid change is needed, they said, and local governments must push for it at December’s UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. Yet creating and presenting a unified voice for local governments is not really what ICLEI does. Their mission is twofold: it acts as an association to share best practices, research, and support networks among sustainably-minded cities, and it organizes local programs and policies which feed into global climate goals.

So what can be achieved at a local level that will affect the big picture? For ICLEI president David Cadman, also the Deputy Mayor of Vancouver, the answer is varied. He points to Ontario’s recently adopted feed-in tariff which he claims will “stimulate you as the individual to put in solar panels, or a wind generator if you have a farm somewhere.” And the top-down incentives and responsibilities don’t stop there.

“We need to steward our fossil fuels - our oil, our gas, our coal - for a much longer time, because much of those resources are going to be key to this transformation,” he says, “The absolute key, though, is moving toward energy efficiency.”

ICLEI has a vociferous advocate for local governments in Mr. Cadman. Major emissions come from cities, he reasons, and cities are growing rapidly. This is where the big changes will occur; must occur.

Cadman will be roaming the hallways at the Copenhagen conference, just as he has done at the previous climate change summits in Bali and Poland. Their presence represents millions of citizens worldwide, he says, naming the organizations with which ICLEI is working, including United Cities and Local Governments, Canadian Federation of Municipalities, C-40 (an association of the world’s largest cities chaired by Mayor David Miller of Toronto), and the World Mayors Council. The top-down policies Cadman advocates on a local level will be the same he proposes from the ground up in Copenhagen, where ICLEI will mingle with global heads of state and federal ministers.

“ICELI has been following the negotiations on a post-Kyoto agreement,” Cadman says, “What we’re trying to do is have local governments working closely with national governments. We’re all on the same page. We know what we want - a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas by 2020 and an 80% reduction by 2050”

The conference began at 9:00 am each day with keynote speakers (including Toronto’s Adam Fenech of Environment Canada, Mathis Wackernagel of California’s Global Footprint Network, and Alex Wong of the Davos World Economic Forum global industries sector) and wrapped up around 7:00 pm in break-away sessions for mayors, CEOs, and city staffers. There were multiple social functions as well, including a reception at city hall hosted by Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel, and a dinner and dance at Fort Edmonton. A concurrent conference for academic researchers took place, also in the Shaw Convention Centre, and attracted well-known authors Dr. Mark Roseland of Vancouver, Dr. Peter Newman of Perth, Australia, and Dr. Yvonne Rydin of London, England, among others.
Published in National Post, August 8 2009