For those (like me) who aren't exactly early risers, and won't be making it out to a Stampede Breakfast at 7 a.m., here's a lunch BBQ that sounds good, and supports a really good cause.
The 2nd Annual John Petropoulos Memorial Fund Stampede BBQ goes from 11 to 2 on Saturday, July 4, 2009.
John Petropoulos was a young Calgary policeman who died in an accident in 2000 while investigating a crime. The Memorial Fund was started by other police who were in his recruit class. Its goal is to improve workplace safety. And that's a great goal. No one should get hurt or die because they go to work one day.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Where the Pancakes Are, Stampede Breakfasts
Thanks to Are You Gonna Eat That? for pointing out two Stampede breakfast finders:
FlapJack Finder - Brilliant, simple. Has a map. Searchable by date. Has addresses for Stampede breakfasts. Has recipes for making your own pancakes. Yahoo!
Stampede Breakfasts.com - Easy to use list, also searchable by location and dates.
These two lists are not identical.
On FlapJack Finder, I couldn't figure out how to find the date of a breakfast once I found it on the map, so I guess you have to go through the date search function one day at a time.
On Stampede Breakfasts.com, there is a way to sort the list by quadrant of the city, but you still see a list of all four quadrants, so be sure to read through all the pages until you find the quadrant of interest.
I'm not complaining, just explaining that you have to do a little digging on these sites. It's worth it. Stampede Breakfasts are fun.
FlapJack Finder - Brilliant, simple. Has a map. Searchable by date. Has addresses for Stampede breakfasts. Has recipes for making your own pancakes. Yahoo!
Stampede Breakfasts.com - Easy to use list, also searchable by location and dates.
These two lists are not identical.
On FlapJack Finder, I couldn't figure out how to find the date of a breakfast once I found it on the map, so I guess you have to go through the date search function one day at a time.
On Stampede Breakfasts.com, there is a way to sort the list by quadrant of the city, but you still see a list of all four quadrants, so be sure to read through all the pages until you find the quadrant of interest.
I'm not complaining, just explaining that you have to do a little digging on these sites. It's worth it. Stampede Breakfasts are fun.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Marching Bands Make Me Cry
"Calgary Stampede Marching Band", by Frank Maurer on Flickr, from Calgary Stampede 2008Thank you, Frank, for sharing this.
This little story came to mind while I was writing Insider Tips on How to Watch the Calgary Stampede Parade.
My first visit to Calgary was back in the Middle Ages when our high school band came to perform in the Calgary Stampede Parade. Our red and white uniforms looked a lot like the official Calgary Stampede Marching Band, very much as they do in this picture. The white shoes were really hard to keep clean in the Stampede Parade marshalling area because, although the parade route itself is well-maintained and the horse manure is swept up before it gets cold, that's not how it was backstage in the hour or two we spent waiting for the parade to start. Fresh and deep.
But it was a fun trip, and playing in the parade was a fantastic experience. Up until then, I'd been in a lot of parades, but they were tiny compared to Calgary.
The band was a huge part of my life in high school. Thanks to our music teacher and band leader, Mr. Gregg Arnason, we travelled and performed as very few school bands in those days, and even now, ever do. When I think back to what he achieved with an ordinary band from an ordinary town, I'm overwhelmed. As an adult now myself, I don't know how to even begin to take some 50 or 60 kids from Canada on a three-week tour of Japan, but he did it. And much more.
I went through most of my twenties without going to many parades. Well, none. How many single, childless twenty-somethings do you see at the typical Santa Claus parade, anyway? It wasn't until after having children that I went to a parade again, and this time it was the Calgary Stampede Parade. Oh, it was all fun and games watching the horses and the clowns until... the plinkety plink of a distant glockenspiel should have had me on guard. The rat-a-tat-tat of the snare drums should have been my clue to run. But I couldn't escape it. The band came closer, my lower lip began to quiver, my eyes began to water, and it was all I could do to keep from sobbing.
Heaven knows what crazy neural pathways have wired my tear ducts to my band ears, but there you go. I cannot watch a marching band go by without crying. It's a curse.
Insider Tips on How to Watch the Calgary Stampede Parade
Yahoo! Friday, July 3, 2009 is Calgary Stampede Parade Day. Most downtown businesses take the morning off, and tourists mingle with locals to enjoy the official kick-off for The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Here's how to have an enjoyable Parade watching experience.
The official Calgary Stampede website information about the Parade shows the exact route (4.5 km or about 3 miles) in downtown Calgary. If you're not from Calgary, take a look at it. The Parade goes west on 6th Avenue SW from 3rd Street SE to 10th Street SW. Then it turns and goes 3 blocks south on 10th Street SW, from 6th Avenue to 9th Avenue. And then it goes east on 9th Avenue SW to 4th Street SE, where it ends. Most people watch on 6th or 9th Avenue.
The Parade starts at 8:55 a.m. and ends about noon. It takes about two hours to pass any given spot on the route.
Tip 1: Go Late.
Ignore everyone who says to get there early. Instead, plan to arrive downtown around 9:30, after the Parade is underway. That way, your whole time will be spent watching the Parade instead of waiting for it. A lot of people clear out before the Parade ends, and although there will still be crowds along the route, they won't be as thick as at the beginning.
Little kids have trouble staying engaged with the Parade for the full two hours, not to mention waiting time if you go early. However, one of the most popular things in the Parade, believe it or not, is the cavalcade of fire trucks at the end! So latecomers will have something to talk about, don't worry.
Tip 2: Don't Drive, Use Calgary Transit From the North
The best way to get downtown for the Parade is to use Calgary Transit. Check out their website for transit routes and fares. You need exact fares but you can buy transit tickets in advance from vendors all over town, including Safeway and Calgary Co-op. Here's a link to the list of Calgary Transit ticket vendors. It is much easier to use the books of tickets, but remember to validate your ticket before getting on the C-Train, or to ask for a transfer when boarding a bus.
After 7:30 a.m. on Parade Day, the streets downtown are essentially closed. Unless you know exactly what you're doing and have a personal, reserved parking spot, don't even think about driving.
Now here's an even better tip. No matter where you're coming from, if you have the choice, try to get on a C-Train in the north and leave your car at the C-Train station up there. Why?
After the Parade ends, the action shifts to the Stampede grounds. For the full 10 days of the Stampede, every south-bound train will be full of people going to the Stampede and southerners going home from the Stampede. You will be downtown when the Parade ends. It is much more pleasant to ride the train out of downtown to the north, especially to the northwest, because you are moving away from the Stampede grounds right away. Consider Brentwood, Dalhousie or even the new Crowfoot station. Be prepared to pay for parking. The current rate is $3.00.
Tip 3: Toilets are Hard to Find
Sad, but true. Calgary is just not a great place for public toilets, I'm afraid. During the Parade, some of the shopping centres will probably be open, and those are good places to look for a toilet. Find the food court area and expect to see washrooms not far away. Another choice is to go to a restaurant and purchase a meal. Otherwise, don't expect to be allowed access to private facilities. The office towers usually have security systems preventing people walking in off the street, so don't bother trying to find a toilet there.
It's difficult, but not impossible to find a toilet downtown during the Parade.
Tip 4: Find a Place to Suit the Weather
You will know before leaving home what the weather will be like on Parade morning. It's usually hot. The forecast for this year (as of Tuesday afternoon) is for "a mix of sun and cloud, chance of showers, high of 22°C." That's warm, but not sweltering hot. Usually the showers happen later in the day. So, check the weather on Friday morning, and if it's sunny, wear a hat and use sunscreen. Stand on the shady side of the avenue to stay a little cooler.
Tip 5: You May Still be Able to Get a Bleacher Seat
Some private organizations sell bleacher seats for the Parade. Some of these are listed on the Calgary Stampede's official website, under "Bleacher Seating." The best one sounds like the Rotary Club's because it includes a Stampede breakfast. Yummy. It also has facilities for people using wheelchairs. However, it may already be sold out so act fast.
Tip 6: Don't Bring a Lot of Stuff
Dress for the weather, bring no more than a light snack and a drink of water in case of emergency hunger or thirst, and don't burden yourself by carrying a lot of stuff.
Tip 7: Be Friendly
Calgarians are proud of the Stampede and of the Parade. We are also friendly people. I've had some great Parade chats myself, including meeting a couple from France, and another year, a family from Japan. This is the time of year when everyone is at their most hospitable.
Tip 8: Dress Cowboy
If you have a cowboy hat, wear it. Blue jeans are always good Stampede wear, though if it's a really hot day, I personally prefer shorts. Ladies often wear denim skirts at Stampede. If your cowboy boots are well broken-in, wear them. If not, spare your feet and wear your normal comfy walking shoes. If you don't have cowboy clothes but you want to feel part of the Stampede, you can get a cheap straw cowboy hat and put a red bandana around your neck, and you'll fit in.
Tip 9: It's Not Easy for People Who Use Wheelchairs or Have Trouble Walking
There are many people who use wheelchairs and get around zippity zip. You know who you are, and you know I'm not talking about you.
For people who are less athletic and not so accustomed to the wheelchair, or who have trouble standing for a long time, or walking a lot, the Parade might be something you prefer to watch on TV. It's not that you aren't welcome, but you might not be comfortable. Don't worry, there are many Stampede activities where you will find it easier going.
Tip 10: Don't Rush to Leave Downtown
Here's an insider secret: one of the nicest times to visit downtown Calgary in the summer is on Parade Day after the Parade is over. Why? Everyone else is rushing home or down to the Stampede grounds! You can find a seat and a lunch or snack at one of the indoor food courts if you want a break from the weather, or just want to sit down for a while. The stores and offices downtown all have Stampede decorations painted on their windows, and many have displays of western things – chuckwagons, boots, hats, and lots of bales of straw. It's fun to see this.
Downtown also has a couple of great western wear stores in case you're in the mood to cowboy up. Both Riley & McCormick and Lammle's Western Wear have stores in the 200 block of Stephen Avenue Mall (8th Avenue SW). These are the real thing. And as you may notice, that end of Stephen Avenue Mall is where you will find a fine collection of Calgary's historic buildings. It's a nationally designated Historic District.
On a nice day, a trip to Prince's Island makes a pleasant, quiet stroll after the Parade excitement. There are fast food vendors in the Eau Claire Market building (by the bridge to Prince's Island), and the nearby YMCA also sells food. Often there are hot dog vendors around, especially on sunny days.
After the crowds have left the city centre, you will find the trains and buses much less crowded and your ride back home has a reasonable chance of being a calm one, especially if you take my advice and avoid taking a C-Train going south. I would say that if you leave downtown an hour or two after the Parade ends, the northbound trains should not yet be packed with people leaving the Stampede grounds (See Tip #2).
Here's how to have an enjoyable Parade watching experience.
The official Calgary Stampede website information about the Parade shows the exact route (4.5 km or about 3 miles) in downtown Calgary. If you're not from Calgary, take a look at it. The Parade goes west on 6th Avenue SW from 3rd Street SE to 10th Street SW. Then it turns and goes 3 blocks south on 10th Street SW, from 6th Avenue to 9th Avenue. And then it goes east on 9th Avenue SW to 4th Street SE, where it ends. Most people watch on 6th or 9th Avenue.
The Parade starts at 8:55 a.m. and ends about noon. It takes about two hours to pass any given spot on the route.
Tip 1: Go Late.
Ignore everyone who says to get there early. Instead, plan to arrive downtown around 9:30, after the Parade is underway. That way, your whole time will be spent watching the Parade instead of waiting for it. A lot of people clear out before the Parade ends, and although there will still be crowds along the route, they won't be as thick as at the beginning.
Little kids have trouble staying engaged with the Parade for the full two hours, not to mention waiting time if you go early. However, one of the most popular things in the Parade, believe it or not, is the cavalcade of fire trucks at the end! So latecomers will have something to talk about, don't worry.
Tip 2: Don't Drive, Use Calgary Transit From the North
The best way to get downtown for the Parade is to use Calgary Transit. Check out their website for transit routes and fares. You need exact fares but you can buy transit tickets in advance from vendors all over town, including Safeway and Calgary Co-op. Here's a link to the list of Calgary Transit ticket vendors. It is much easier to use the books of tickets, but remember to validate your ticket before getting on the C-Train, or to ask for a transfer when boarding a bus.
After 7:30 a.m. on Parade Day, the streets downtown are essentially closed. Unless you know exactly what you're doing and have a personal, reserved parking spot, don't even think about driving.
Now here's an even better tip. No matter where you're coming from, if you have the choice, try to get on a C-Train in the north and leave your car at the C-Train station up there. Why?
After the Parade ends, the action shifts to the Stampede grounds. For the full 10 days of the Stampede, every south-bound train will be full of people going to the Stampede and southerners going home from the Stampede. You will be downtown when the Parade ends. It is much more pleasant to ride the train out of downtown to the north, especially to the northwest, because you are moving away from the Stampede grounds right away. Consider Brentwood, Dalhousie or even the new Crowfoot station. Be prepared to pay for parking. The current rate is $3.00.
Tip 3: Toilets are Hard to Find
Sad, but true. Calgary is just not a great place for public toilets, I'm afraid. During the Parade, some of the shopping centres will probably be open, and those are good places to look for a toilet. Find the food court area and expect to see washrooms not far away. Another choice is to go to a restaurant and purchase a meal. Otherwise, don't expect to be allowed access to private facilities. The office towers usually have security systems preventing people walking in off the street, so don't bother trying to find a toilet there.
It's difficult, but not impossible to find a toilet downtown during the Parade.
Tip 4: Find a Place to Suit the Weather
You will know before leaving home what the weather will be like on Parade morning. It's usually hot. The forecast for this year (as of Tuesday afternoon) is for "a mix of sun and cloud, chance of showers, high of 22°C." That's warm, but not sweltering hot. Usually the showers happen later in the day. So, check the weather on Friday morning, and if it's sunny, wear a hat and use sunscreen. Stand on the shady side of the avenue to stay a little cooler.
Tip 5: You May Still be Able to Get a Bleacher Seat
Some private organizations sell bleacher seats for the Parade. Some of these are listed on the Calgary Stampede's official website, under "Bleacher Seating." The best one sounds like the Rotary Club's because it includes a Stampede breakfast. Yummy. It also has facilities for people using wheelchairs. However, it may already be sold out so act fast.
Tip 6: Don't Bring a Lot of Stuff
Dress for the weather, bring no more than a light snack and a drink of water in case of emergency hunger or thirst, and don't burden yourself by carrying a lot of stuff.
Tip 7: Be Friendly
Calgarians are proud of the Stampede and of the Parade. We are also friendly people. I've had some great Parade chats myself, including meeting a couple from France, and another year, a family from Japan. This is the time of year when everyone is at their most hospitable.
Tip 8: Dress Cowboy
If you have a cowboy hat, wear it. Blue jeans are always good Stampede wear, though if it's a really hot day, I personally prefer shorts. Ladies often wear denim skirts at Stampede. If your cowboy boots are well broken-in, wear them. If not, spare your feet and wear your normal comfy walking shoes. If you don't have cowboy clothes but you want to feel part of the Stampede, you can get a cheap straw cowboy hat and put a red bandana around your neck, and you'll fit in.
Tip 9: It's Not Easy for People Who Use Wheelchairs or Have Trouble Walking
There are many people who use wheelchairs and get around zippity zip. You know who you are, and you know I'm not talking about you.
For people who are less athletic and not so accustomed to the wheelchair, or who have trouble standing for a long time, or walking a lot, the Parade might be something you prefer to watch on TV. It's not that you aren't welcome, but you might not be comfortable. Don't worry, there are many Stampede activities where you will find it easier going.
Tip 10: Don't Rush to Leave Downtown
Here's an insider secret: one of the nicest times to visit downtown Calgary in the summer is on Parade Day after the Parade is over. Why? Everyone else is rushing home or down to the Stampede grounds! You can find a seat and a lunch or snack at one of the indoor food courts if you want a break from the weather, or just want to sit down for a while. The stores and offices downtown all have Stampede decorations painted on their windows, and many have displays of western things – chuckwagons, boots, hats, and lots of bales of straw. It's fun to see this.
Downtown also has a couple of great western wear stores in case you're in the mood to cowboy up. Both Riley & McCormick and Lammle's Western Wear have stores in the 200 block of Stephen Avenue Mall (8th Avenue SW). These are the real thing. And as you may notice, that end of Stephen Avenue Mall is where you will find a fine collection of Calgary's historic buildings. It's a nationally designated Historic District.
On a nice day, a trip to Prince's Island makes a pleasant, quiet stroll after the Parade excitement. There are fast food vendors in the Eau Claire Market building (by the bridge to Prince's Island), and the nearby YMCA also sells food. Often there are hot dog vendors around, especially on sunny days.
After the crowds have left the city centre, you will find the trains and buses much less crowded and your ride back home has a reasonable chance of being a calm one, especially if you take my advice and avoid taking a C-Train going south. I would say that if you leave downtown an hour or two after the Parade ends, the northbound trains should not yet be packed with people leaving the Stampede grounds (See Tip #2).
Friday, May 29, 2009
The Basics of Calgary's Grid System
To get around in Calgary, it helps to understand a few basics of how the city is laid out.
Calgary's Grid System and Numbered Streets
Calgary is divided into four quadrants: NE, NW, SE and SW. These are pronounced as full words ("North-east, North-west, South-east, South-west") but written as abbreviations.
For most of the city, the dividing line between North and South is the Bow River. However, the Bow River makes a turn and goes south beside Deerfoot Trail. After that, Memorial Drive is roughly the dividing line. Between Deerfoot Trail and 30th Street East, there are some SE addresses in Mayland Heights and the Meridian Industrial Park, that are actually north of Memorial Drive.
The dividing line between East and West is Centre Street. In the far North, Centre Street turns into Harvest Hills Boulevard for a while, and then back into Centre Street. In the South, Centre Street is not a very conspicuous street, but Macleod Trail is, and in some places it's the actual dividing line. (Downtown, Centre Street is a major street and it's very easy to find – the Calgary Tower is at one end of it, and the Centre Street Bridge is at the other.)
In the SE and SW, for addresses close to the East-West dividing line, it's worth finding out exactly which side of Macleod Trail the place is.
Streets vs. Avenues in Calgary
Streets run north-south. Avenues run east-west.
Generally, for the grid system, house numbers are odd on the west side of a street and on the south side of an avenue. Even numbers are on the east and north sides of numbered streets and avenues.
Downtown and in the older suburbs with numbered streets and avenues, this is really easy. In the "named" areas, there is a hierarchy of street names, which I'll talk about later.
Calgary's Grid System and Numbered Streets
Calgary is divided into four quadrants: NE, NW, SE and SW. These are pronounced as full words ("North-east, North-west, South-east, South-west") but written as abbreviations.
For most of the city, the dividing line between North and South is the Bow River. However, the Bow River makes a turn and goes south beside Deerfoot Trail. After that, Memorial Drive is roughly the dividing line. Between Deerfoot Trail and 30th Street East, there are some SE addresses in Mayland Heights and the Meridian Industrial Park, that are actually north of Memorial Drive.
The dividing line between East and West is Centre Street. In the far North, Centre Street turns into Harvest Hills Boulevard for a while, and then back into Centre Street. In the South, Centre Street is not a very conspicuous street, but Macleod Trail is, and in some places it's the actual dividing line. (Downtown, Centre Street is a major street and it's very easy to find – the Calgary Tower is at one end of it, and the Centre Street Bridge is at the other.)
In the SE and SW, for addresses close to the East-West dividing line, it's worth finding out exactly which side of Macleod Trail the place is.
Streets vs. Avenues in Calgary
Streets run north-south. Avenues run east-west.
Generally, for the grid system, house numbers are odd on the west side of a street and on the south side of an avenue. Even numbers are on the east and north sides of numbered streets and avenues.
Downtown and in the older suburbs with numbered streets and avenues, this is really easy. In the "named" areas, there is a hierarchy of street names, which I'll talk about later.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Enjoying the Calgary Stampede Parade (Short Version)
The Calgary Stampede Parade is on the first Friday of the Stampede, in the morning.
Here are some tips to make your Parade experience as much fun as possible.
Update: After writing this, I got more ambitious and wrote a little more detailed list, with a few extra tips I thought of later.
Here are some tips to make your Parade experience as much fun as possible.
Update: After writing this, I got more ambitious and wrote a little more detailed list, with a few extra tips I thought of later.
- Don't drive downtown. There are street closures for the Parade all morning. Take the C-Train, a bus, whatever works.
- Go late. Just because some people want to be at the Parade at the crack of dawn, doesn't mean you have to. The Parade starts at 8:55 a.m. and is about two hours long. The route is 4.5 km (about 3 miles). It takes until about noon for the end of the Parade to reach the end of the route. If you catch a 9 a.m. C-Train, there will be next to no one on it. You can walk to a viewing place on 9th Avenue SW (the end part of the Parade route) and still see an hour or two of Parade goodness.
- Don't carry a lot of stuff. Dress for the weather, but leave the lawnchair at home. If you get tired of standing to watch the Parade, walk around a bit.
- After the Parade, don't be in a big hurry to leave downtown. The C-Trains will be full. It's a nice time to stroll over to Prince's Island, get an ice cream cone, watch ducks, and just relax. The downtown restaurants and food courts will be open for lunch.
- Be friendly. You can meet people from all over the world at the Parade. It's fun to chat and compare notes about your travels.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
The Westin Calgary
Good things about the Westin:
Right downtown, great for business, connected to just about everything via the Plus 15 system.
Tip: Look for weekend and off-season specials at all of the downtown business hotels, as sometimes there are surprising deals, particularly if you can arrange your trip at the last minute. I see that on the Westin's website now they're offering a promo where you pay your birth year as the room rate for part of your stay. Hmmmm, that's one way to separate the wheat from the chaff.
The Westin Calgary is one of the city's best business hotels. It hosts a lot of conferences and major events. I haven't eaten there in a while but the food was always good when I was a regular.
There are some famous parties there during the Stampede (often charity fundraisers, not cheap but the tickets are very much sought-after).
The Caesar (vodka and Clamato juice, a twist on the Bloody Mary) was invented here.
My story about the Vancouver Canucks (well, one of them) in the lobby in 1990 might surprise you a bit. It was sort of surreal.
The Westin Calgary
320 - 4th Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
T2P 2S6
Phone: (403) 266-1611
One of the Starwood brand of hotels and resorts.
Right downtown, great for business, connected to just about everything via the Plus 15 system.
Tip: Look for weekend and off-season specials at all of the downtown business hotels, as sometimes there are surprising deals, particularly if you can arrange your trip at the last minute. I see that on the Westin's website now they're offering a promo where you pay your birth year as the room rate for part of your stay. Hmmmm, that's one way to separate the wheat from the chaff.
The Westin Calgary is one of the city's best business hotels. It hosts a lot of conferences and major events. I haven't eaten there in a while but the food was always good when I was a regular.
There are some famous parties there during the Stampede (often charity fundraisers, not cheap but the tickets are very much sought-after).
The Caesar (vodka and Clamato juice, a twist on the Bloody Mary) was invented here.
My story about the Vancouver Canucks (well, one of them) in the lobby in 1990 might surprise you a bit. It was sort of surreal.
The Westin Calgary
320 - 4th Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
T2P 2S6
Phone: (403) 266-1611
One of the Starwood brand of hotels and resorts.
Vancouver Canucks at the Westin Hotel, Calgary (1990 or so)
It's not that all my Calgary hotel memories are this old (like my story of seeing the Queen at the Palliser), it's just that I think of them when certain hotels come to mind.
So here's a story that happened at the Westin, one of Calgary's top-end downtown business hotels.
Not being a hockey groupie, I'm not sure whether all the NHL teams stay at the Westin when they come to Calgary, but I suspect a lot of them do.
Sometime long ago, around 1990, I was a speaker at a business conference at the Westin. There was a dinner and I must have ducked out early, because I remember being almost alone in the lobby except for two other people. One was the bellman. The other was carrying a stuffed armadillo.
We don't see many armadillos this far north. None, in fact.
So, while I was trying to see the armadillo without staring, I completely missed noticing the guy carrying it. It was Igor Larionov, a Russian superstar centre who came to Canada in 1989 and played for the Vancouver Canucks for three years. Like I said, I'm not a hockey groupie. The bellman filled me in later. The Canucks had just played an exhibition game in Texas and had obligingly stopped over in Calgary for a beating by the Flames on the way home.
That is probably the most interesting thing I've seen at the Westin. And that's no small claim. For several years, my office faced the hotel and I was regularly treated to Calgary's own version of Ugly Naked Guy on the Road.
So here's a story that happened at the Westin, one of Calgary's top-end downtown business hotels.
Not being a hockey groupie, I'm not sure whether all the NHL teams stay at the Westin when they come to Calgary, but I suspect a lot of them do.
Sometime long ago, around 1990, I was a speaker at a business conference at the Westin. There was a dinner and I must have ducked out early, because I remember being almost alone in the lobby except for two other people. One was the bellman. The other was carrying a stuffed armadillo.
We don't see many armadillos this far north. None, in fact.
So, while I was trying to see the armadillo without staring, I completely missed noticing the guy carrying it. It was Igor Larionov, a Russian superstar centre who came to Canada in 1989 and played for the Vancouver Canucks for three years. Like I said, I'm not a hockey groupie. The bellman filled me in later. The Canucks had just played an exhibition game in Texas and had obligingly stopped over in Calgary for a beating by the Flames on the way home.
That is probably the most interesting thing I've seen at the Westin. And that's no small claim. For several years, my office faced the hotel and I was regularly treated to Calgary's own version of Ugly Naked Guy on the Road.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
The Fairmont Palliser Hotel in Calgary
The Palliser (now the Fairmont Palliser, but everyone just says the Palliser) is Calgary's old CP Rail Hotel. It's attached to the west side of the Calgary Tower.
The Canadian Pacific Hotels were the grand old ladies of Canada's railroad heyday. The Banff Springs, the Chateau Lake Louise, the Empress in Victoria, these have always been beautiful places to stay, chosen for their locations, and fitted out in top-notch elegance.
The Palliser is gorgeous, has great food, is located downtown within walking distance of everything, and is really Calgary's only fine old hotel.
I love it, and so does Queen Elizabeth. In fact, I saw the Queen at the Palliser Hotel in 1990 and she looked very well-rested.
Nuff said.
The Fairmont Palliser Hotel
133 - 9th Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
T2P 2M3
Phone: (403) 262-1234 or
Toll Free: 1 866-540-4477
Fax: (403) 260-1260
Email: palliserhotel@fairmont.com
The Canadian Pacific Hotels were the grand old ladies of Canada's railroad heyday. The Banff Springs, the Chateau Lake Louise, the Empress in Victoria, these have always been beautiful places to stay, chosen for their locations, and fitted out in top-notch elegance.
The Palliser is gorgeous, has great food, is located downtown within walking distance of everything, and is really Calgary's only fine old hotel.
I love it, and so does Queen Elizabeth. In fact, I saw the Queen at the Palliser Hotel in 1990 and she looked very well-rested.
Nuff said.
The Fairmont Palliser Hotel
133 - 9th Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
T2P 2M3
Phone: (403) 262-1234 or
Toll Free: 1 866-540-4477
Fax: (403) 260-1260
Email: palliserhotel@fairmont.com
I Saw the Queen at the Palliser Hotel in 1990
Queen Elizabeth looks so familiar. Well, no wonder. I've been licking the back of her head for years, until e-mail put a big damper on letter-writing. But still.
In 1990, Her Majesty visited Calgary. Not being on the guest list for any of the official functions, I waited for HM to call me up for a little girlfriend dog-walking time. Still waiting.
My friend Pat was in town for a conference, staying at the Palliser Hotel. So, that's where we had dinner, in the least hoity of the hoity-toity restaurants there. (And I say this with great envy of those who eat there often.) It was lovely.
Pat said the Queen was staying at the Palliser too. After dinner, we saw the Palliser's hand-picked crew of red carpet roller-outers rolling out the red carpet in the lobby. Hmmm.
Much waiting. Apparently Her Majesty was at a state dinner with our then-mayor, His Worship Al Duerr, and a host of other dignitaries. (Another invitation lost in the mail.)
In the beautiful Crystal Ballroom behind us, the Palliser's Crystal Ballroom specialists were just finishing polishing the silver for a big charity ball, unrelated to the Queen's visit, but with an inevitable overlap in the guest list. (Now that's one I could have had an invite to, were I not so cheap.)
We waited, Pat and I, thinking the Queen would only be able to handle so much local colour before rising to end the state dinner. Eventually, people in formal wear started coming in – walking on the Queen's red carpet, even. Turns out that another friend, let's call her Donna, was one of these lovely charity ball-goers.
Donna stopped to chat for a while, and to wait for the Queen with us.
More eminent Calgarians pranced by and then, at last, there was a bit of a buzz in the crowd by the door. The Queen? The Queen? No, it was Mayor Al Duerr in full mayoral regalia. A very nice man and a friend of Donna's.
His Worship stopped to say Hi to Donna. Donna, however, had to let him know the score, and said, "Get out of the way, Al. We're waiting for the Queen." And being such a nice man, Mayor Duerr smiled and got out of the way.
Wait, wait, wait. We were ladies in waiting, all right.
And then, every Canadian coin I've ever tossed came to life before my eyes, for it was she. A petite, in fact very short, woman passed us by on the red carpet. I could have touched her. (But wouldn't because that's bad manners.) Her diamond tiara sparkled, her queenly gown rustled, and she fairly glided with perfect posture. Regal, one could say.
The Queen looks exactly like she does on a stamp.
In 1990, Her Majesty visited Calgary. Not being on the guest list for any of the official functions, I waited for HM to call me up for a little girlfriend dog-walking time. Still waiting.
My friend Pat was in town for a conference, staying at the Palliser Hotel. So, that's where we had dinner, in the least hoity of the hoity-toity restaurants there. (And I say this with great envy of those who eat there often.) It was lovely.
Pat said the Queen was staying at the Palliser too. After dinner, we saw the Palliser's hand-picked crew of red carpet roller-outers rolling out the red carpet in the lobby. Hmmm.
Much waiting. Apparently Her Majesty was at a state dinner with our then-mayor, His Worship Al Duerr, and a host of other dignitaries. (Another invitation lost in the mail.)
In the beautiful Crystal Ballroom behind us, the Palliser's Crystal Ballroom specialists were just finishing polishing the silver for a big charity ball, unrelated to the Queen's visit, but with an inevitable overlap in the guest list. (Now that's one I could have had an invite to, were I not so cheap.)
We waited, Pat and I, thinking the Queen would only be able to handle so much local colour before rising to end the state dinner. Eventually, people in formal wear started coming in – walking on the Queen's red carpet, even. Turns out that another friend, let's call her Donna, was one of these lovely charity ball-goers.
Donna stopped to chat for a while, and to wait for the Queen with us.
More eminent Calgarians pranced by and then, at last, there was a bit of a buzz in the crowd by the door. The Queen? The Queen? No, it was Mayor Al Duerr in full mayoral regalia. A very nice man and a friend of Donna's.
His Worship stopped to say Hi to Donna. Donna, however, had to let him know the score, and said, "Get out of the way, Al. We're waiting for the Queen." And being such a nice man, Mayor Duerr smiled and got out of the way.
Wait, wait, wait. We were ladies in waiting, all right.
And then, every Canadian coin I've ever tossed came to life before my eyes, for it was she. A petite, in fact very short, woman passed us by on the red carpet. I could have touched her. (But wouldn't because that's bad manners.) Her diamond tiara sparkled, her queenly gown rustled, and she fairly glided with perfect posture. Regal, one could say.
The Queen looks exactly like she does on a stamp.
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