CALGARY, "HEART OF THE NEW WEST"
BY CLAY LARROY
BY CLAY LARROY
There is nothing more exciting than travelling. Whether
you are going for a road trip to see something new in your own state, or
heading off to Canada for the very first time to visit a city you have always
dreamed of, there are some travel
basics that you should know. Travel in the
off seasons from November to April, to avoid crowds,
save money and enjoy temperate weather. In those months, many families with
children cannot travel due to school commitments, making many tourist
attractions much less crowded. This may also result in lower costs for airfare
and hotels. When
you are ready to plan a vacation contact me!
Shopping in Calgary
As a
shopping destination, Calgary offers visitors the opportunity to buy something
that captures the flavor of the city and country along with sophisticated
boutique products that you would expect to find in any major international
city.
Key Areas
The main
shopping district is in downtown Calgary, notably along Stephen Avenue Walk (8h
Avenue SW), a pedestrian walkway lined with historic buildings housing shops,
galleries and restaurants. For Western gear, there are Riley & McCormick
stores at 220 Stephen Avenue Walk and at the airport. Micah Gallery, Unit 112,
100 7th Avenue (Art Central) has a good selection of native and Western art.
For more
upmarket shopping, try Uptown 17th Avenue SW, known as The Red Mile, with
fashion boutiques, antique stores and Mount Royal Village - one of the city's
more high-end malls.
Away from
the skyscrapers, Kensington, just north of Downtown, is a pleasant, walkable neighborhood
with an eclectic mix of shops and cafés.
Markets
The city center’s
best known retail asset is the Eau Claire Market, 2nd Street at 2nd Avenue SW,
with an interior that houses restaurants and a small, fresh-food market, around
which are lined a variety of specialty shops and kiosks. In 2011, the Calgary
Farmers' Market moved to a new, purpose-built location at 510 77th Avenue SE.
The market offers fresh produce year-round, and is open Thursday to Sunday.
Shopping
Centers
Around
Stephen Avenue Walk, The CORE is a super-complex of shopping malls linked by
plus-15 walkways and offering over 160 stores. The range includes retail
chains, department stores and specialty boutiques. The mall's indoor park, the
Devonian Gardens, is undergoing extensive renovation, and is expected to reopen
in summer 2012.
For a
more unique experience, track down the latest gems from local artists and
innovative designers at Art Central, 7th Avenue and Fashion Central, 1st Street
at 8th Avenue.
The
Chinook Centre, south of Downtown, at the intersection of Macleod Trail and
Glenmore Trail, is Calgary's largest shopping center. It has over 250 shops, a
cinema, food court and a full-scale dinosaur model created from farm machinery
parts.
CrossIron
Mills, 30 minutes northeast of Downtown at 261055 CrossIron Boulevard, is an
outlet store designed to represent a tour of Alberta, with over 200 shops and
restaurants in themed ‘neighborhoods’'.
Shopping Times
Shopping hours in Downtown
and in The CORE are generally Monday to Wednesday and Saturday 0900/0930-1800,
Thursday to Friday 0930-2000 and Sunday 1200-1700. Suburban malls usually open
Monday to Saturday 0930/1000-2100 and Sunday 1100-1800, though hours vary.
Souvenirs
If you're searching for an
Albertan souvenir, you can pick up all manner of cowboy boots and hats, leather
goods, art, jewelry or consumable treats such as exquisite chocolate or craft
beer (try the Wild Rose and Big Rock brewery ales).
Tax Information
One thing that makes Calgary
a compelling destination for shoppers is the fact that the Province of Alberta
charges no provincial sales tax, resulting in better shopping value than in
other Canadian provinces. Nevertheless, a federal Goods and Services Tax (GST)
of 5% is charged and is non-refundable.
Dining in
Calgary
Calgary's restaurant scene
has expanded hugely in the past few years thanks to the city's rapid growth.
Calgarians love eating out, and local chefs are proving increasingly inventive
in their menus. Whether you're into burger joints or fine dining, there's a
vast array of places to choose from.
The Calgary restaurants
below have been hand-picked by our guide author and are grouped into three
pricing categories:
Expensive (over C$65)
Moderate (C$45 to C$65)
Cheap (up to C$45)
These Calgary restaurant prices are for a three-course meal for one, including taxes and tip but not drinks. A tip of 15 to 20% is customary.
Charcut Roasthouse
Moderate
A hit among locals, Charcut Roasthouse isn't just a meal out: it's
an experience. The chefs are on view - you can dine literally under their
noses. Behind you'll spy cuts of cured and smoking meats. Start off with tasty
kitchen pickles, then share small plates of spicy coppa sausage, rabbit terrine
or pork croquettes. Wash these down with a local beer or handcrafted cocktail.
Co-owner Connie DeSousa came third in the 2011 TV series Top Chef Canada.
(403) 984 2180.
101 899
Centre Street SW
Calgary, Canada
Calgary, Canada
Sunterra Market
Cheap
Walk into Sunterra Market
and you might be tempted by the ground-floor grocery store selling top-quality
fresh produce and take-away meals. Head upstairs and you can grab an
inexpensive lunch or dinner either from the counter (pizza, pasta, burgers etc.)
or in the sit-down lounge. The outdoor patio feels a million miles away from
the busy roads of Downtown and has BBQs in summer.
(403) 261 6772.
200 12th
Avenue SE
Calgary, Canada
Calgary, Canada
Vintage Chophouse Tavern
Expensive
This contemporary steakhouse in a vintage building in the business
district is a meat lover's paradise. The house specialty is the Alberta Angus
beef, although seafood, salads and tapas are also available. Diners can choose
from a traditional dining room or the more casual tavern with plush leather
chairs and booths. The 300-label wine list has been recognized by Wine Spectator magazine in its 2010 and 2011
excellence awards. Live blues and jazz at the weekend.
(403) 262 7262.
320 11th
Avenue SW
Calgary, Canada
Calgary, Canada
Teatro
Expensive
This smart Calgary
restaurant, located next to the Centre for the Performing Arts, occupies a
beautifully restored 1911 bank building on Olympic Plaza. Teatro serves modern
Italian cuisine featuring local, seasonal organic products, while all the
breads and pastries are baked fresh on the premises. There's an extensive
award-winning wine list; the wine cellar (housed in the original bank vaults)
holds over 10,000 bottles. Reservations recommended.
(403) 290 1012.
200 8h
Avenue SE
Calgary, Canada
Calgary, Canada
Silver Dragon
Cheap
This Chinatown
establishment has been around for more than 40 years. The traditional Cantonese
and Szechuan menu, prepared by a small army of Hong Kong-trained chefs,
features over 200 dishes, including delicious dim sums. You can pick your own
live crab or lobster from a seafood tank and pair it with a variety of
dressings such as green pepper and black bean sauce or spring onion and ginger.
(403) 264 5326.
106 3rd
Avenue SE
Calgary, Canada
Calgary, Canada
Home Tasting Room
Moderate
The concept of this
Calgary restaurant is to feel welcomed and at home. Wine is a big feature of
the restaurant and is served by the glass, so you can sample more than one
variety. Most dishes come on tasting plates which might include octopus, bison
or Alberta steak. Daily specials feature the best available local and seasonal
produce.
(403) 262 8100.
110 8h
Avenue SW
Calgary, Canada
Calgary, Canada
The Belvedere
Expensive
This award-winning, stylish restaurant in downtown Calgary serves
modern Canadian food made from locally sourced ingredients. Game and seafood
feature prominently on the menu. New York-style atmosphere. Elegant décor,
flattering lighting and skylights provide a stunning view of the Calgary Tower above.
The Belvedere has been rated by Wine Spectator magazine
for seven consecutive years as having one of top 500 wine lists in the world.
(403) 265 9595.
107 8th
Avenue SW
Calgary, Canada
Calgary, Canada
Boxwood
Cheap
Located in Central
Memorial Park, Boxwood is a lovely spot for lunch or cake – try duck egg and
avocado on focaccia followed by BC blueberry coffee cake and ice cream for a
treat. There's a scrummy afternoon snack menu, while dinner specialties include
rotisserie meats and healthy salads. Boxwood's sister restaurant, River Café in
Prince's Island Park, is also recommended.
(403) 265 4006.
340 13th
Avenue SW
Calgary, Canada
Calgary, Canada
Alloy
Moderate
One of the coolest
restaurants in Calgary sports a retro design, with circular white booths, Asian
décor and an oriental garden. The menu reflects Asian, Mediterranean and Latin
influence and is fresh, organic and healthy. You might taste roasted halibut with
grilled prawns and green curry risotto, or stuffed poblano pepper with
courgette, butternut squash, ricotta and mascarpone. Very popular with the
business lunch crowd.
(403) 287 9255.
220 42nd
Avenue SE
Calgary, Canada
Calgary, Canada
REFERENCE SITES:
“It is wonderful to feel the grandness of Canada in the raw.”
– Emily Carr
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