Something for you to consider August 31, 2007

Everyone likes a challenge!

 Why not try this one? David Suzuki is in the view of MANY scientists, a hack. While this may or may not be true I do believe in the necessity of what he does (I was forced into this as a young child and frankly I don’t think I’m all that worse off for it). Regardless, it is worth taking a look at, we all have our environmental vices, but, I think frankly it’s much more important to do SOMETHING rather than nothing. (this has been written in my plush corporate office at a multinational oil company = vice, taking the bus to and from work every day = good, walking as many places as possible = good, flying to vancouver = vice, recycling and reusing everything I see fit = good, publishing this note on my blog = good).

 At the very least I’m trying to break even

 xx

L

Occupied August 30, 2007

Well…

 Do I REALLY need to excuse myself? It was the summer, I’m on holidays and I really honestly and truely cannot blame work for a change, laziness is possibly the culprit, combined with my jet set life style (multiple trips to Vancouver makes me jet set, I swear). However the weather here in Cow-town has really started to turn. The crab apples on the trees behind my house have turned a fantastic shade of red and walking to the bus in the morning now requires a coat and scarf.

 Zac and I have been putzing around Vancouver a bit, we’ve had a bit of a difficult time being apart, but, we’re absolutely and over the top excited about him getting his new condo (which is lovely i might add). We have also eaten at some incredibly gorgeous restaurants which I have started the writing process on. I am incredibly jealous of Zac’s lifestyle but hopefully things will work out and I’ll be able to visit him more often than not.

So yes, you will get some blogging. I’m getting myself back into writing, slowly but surely.

Aida’s on 4th St. May 23, 2007

Before I left for Maine a couple weeks ago Zac and I decided it was time to celebrate an anniversary and have a nice day of relaxation, entertainment and food.

We both agreed that it was time to try Aida’s on 4th street. I personally was looking to beat my previous bad experiences with the restaurants on the Street and as Aida’s has been so highly praised by friends and the people on Chowhound I decided it had to be the restaurant to break the curse!

After a mix up with the booking, ie both of us making two reservations for exactly the same time on exactly the same day (hmm can you tell we were eager?). We were set and the day of we took in a movie and the strolled down the street on this very sunny (yet windy) day. We were starving, but it was alright as the meal was fantastic.

The decor of the place was a little sparse and though they are trying to go with a Lebanese, North African theme it doesn’t quite work. I do love the ceiling though as they have one of those fantastic old tin ceilings which are really pretty.

We came in just before a gigantic group was seated, we could tell it was someone’s birthday so we made a point of trying to get our orders in before the mad rush that the group of 30 or so people was going to create in the kitchen. We opted for four dips with pita bread as a starter and these were very tasty, hummus, a zesty roasted red pepper dip, tzatziki type of dip and another dip that had the same texture as the hummus but with significantly more kick. It was VERY tasty and I loved it. I would have preferred that they serve fresh homemade pitas, but then I’m sure there wouldn’t be any free refills and that would have sucked!

We both ordered significantly different mains, I chose a grilled chicken breast with vegetables and rice and Zachary had the meatballs in a pomegrante sauce with couscous. These again were very tasty and the portions were huge. I couldn’t finish my chicken so it ended up being my lunch at work the next day. It was superbly spiced with lemon, thyme and garlic and was incredibly moist and flavourful. Unfortunately there was confusion in the kitchen and instead of couscous Zac’s meatballs in pomegranate sauce was accompanied by rice. He didn’t complain and I’d like to think this mix up was solely because of the large group that had come in a bit later than us and who’s meals were starting to arrive (the wait staff seemed incredibly stressed).

For dessert we had sweet Turkish coffees with this gorgeous caramelly tiramisu. If I had been clever I would have remembered to keep the name of it but at that point I was in a sugar and carb induced daze and as such it will remain that incredibly tasty dessert that we had at Aida’s until I go back and prod the waiters for some idea of what they put in it!

The food was inexpensive and fantastic quality. I was quite happy with this experience and it seems like the third time’s the charm with my disappointing experiences on 4th!

Aida’s
2208 4th St SW
Calgary, AB T2S 1W9

Capo (Italian at it’s height in Calgary) May 22, 2007

About a month ago a couple of the ladies at work took me out for Lunch for Administrative Professional’s day to this lovely restaurant .

The reviews and ratings I have read of Capo in Inglewood have raved about the flavours that Guiseppi Di Gennaro has been putting together after leaving Il Songo and starting his own restaurant. Not to mention the pasta, this is THE restaurant to go to in Calgary at the moment and I feel very lucky that the ladies chose it!

Walking into Capo was one of the most interesting experiences I’ve had with my work. There were two waiters prepared to take our coats as they ushered us to our booth. The seats we had were fantastic in a large booth which allowed you to see the entire restaurant. The ambiance was that of a classy cool with large white globe lights coming from the ceiling with muted beiges and rich dark browns being the key colours of the décor.

We ordered, opting to skip the appetizer (we were running late) and go straight to the main course. The ladies I was with both chose the tasting plate which provided three individual dishes for them to try. I on the other hand chose the Cioppino as I was in a mood for lots of zeasty seafood.

When our plates arrived one of my coworkers looked slightly disappointed, the portions were small. For me this was perfect but I could tell that one, a mother to be had been hoping for a larger portion to fill her and her growing baby up. I have always found that when the portions are small the flavours tend to be fantastic and in this respect I was not disappointed. The Cioppino was exactly what I wanted spicy and zesty with lots of saffron. The fish was beautifully cooked and was accompanied by a nice small pot of mixed vegetables. The tasting plate was also fantastic from what I can tell, including a beautiful cherry tomato salad, veal scaloppini and a penne in what looked to be a tomato sauce. The ladies loved it and there were no complaints!

Since our meal was so small we opted for desert, two of us ordered a molten chocolate cake with banana toffee ice-cream and chocolate mousse. This was again, quite small but the flavours were divine. The cake was warm and the mousse was incredibly lovely and creamy.

This was a fantastic thank you and I loved the food that was prepared. I felt completely full after eating at this restaurant. Other people might not have their appetites saited but the food was fantastic and very thoughtfully prepared. I would highly recommend this restaurant but beware of the prices it is definitely in the upper scale range and while that is good for an oil company to pay for, I know personally it would have to be a very special occasion for me to book a table here. (I would LOVE to do the chef’s table though as it looks fantastic and could be a lot of fun!)
Capo Restaurant

#4, 1420 – 9th Ave SE

Calgary AB T2G 0T5

Whats the Fuzz? (a review of the film Hot Fuzz) May 4, 2007

Well let me tell you! A new film from the lovely boys who did Shaun of the Dead worth a lookie loo? OF COURSE!

Last week we went to see this lovely parody and let me tell you, it was VERY much worth it. Absolutely completely and utterly hilarious. This film is a well thought out and witty parody of cop movies, like Bad Boyz and it lived up to my lofty Shawn of the Dead expectations.

Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) is reassigned from the rough streets of London to the small English country village of Sandford Gloustershire where he meets his partner in fighting crime PC Danny Butterman (Nick Frost). He quickly sets to work making sure the long arm of the law reaches even the grittiest villains in the village, from the under age kids in the pub to a swan on the loose, no job is too tough for the duo. But not everything is cakes and tea in this village and the two begin to follow a foul trail of grisly (and graphic) murders to the darkness that lies at the heart of the idyllic village.

Like Shawn of the Dead the wit in this film is razor sharp and the laughs don’t stop. Edgar Wright has once again created a film of comedic harmony with silly moments that make you laugh with glee to smart and witty comments that make you grin. This film is incredibly entertaining and definitely worth the 12 dollars to get in.

Unlike Shawn of the Dead, Hot Fuzz is lacking a strong story to bring it together, however the jokes are hilarious and watching Simon Pegg and Nick Frost chasing a swan is incredibly funny. Then again, when one parodies such an incredibly plot-less genre of films it may be necessary to create an equally inept storyline. If that was the intent, then Hot Fuzz delivers.

The acting is of course sublime, beyond the fantastic chemistry of Nick Frost and Simon Pegg the film rolls out some fantastic British actors. Bill Nighy is a favorite for me and I just love the fact that he is in this film, but cameos by Bill Bailey (fantastic British Comic - check out Part Troll - hokey cokey on You Tube), Jim Broadbent (Moulin Rouge, to name one of many), Timothy Dalton (Bond, From Russia with Love) and Martin Freeman (the British version of The Office, he’s a cutie pie) just increase the laughs.

So all in all, it’s very fantastic and I think you all should go see this it’s very funny and very light, simple and a great and you get to see Simon Pegg without a beard and it’s cute.

Fiasco Gellato - Taste Test #2 May 1, 2007

You must when going to Fiasco have some of the Illy coffee, it is super tasty and really worth the trip.  

 Now onto the ice-cream.

 Yesterday we met Nathan at Fiasco because we figured with the sunny weather we were due some ice-cream and people watching.

 We had some fun trying a few new flavours.

 Lauren - Peanut Butter - YUMMY this was very creamy and rich with little bits of peanut butter in the mix, it was very good but a little bit sweet. Still tasty I woudl recommend it.

 Zac - Grapefruit Sorbetto- Zac has a soft spot for grapefruit and so ordered this, I liked it alot but there was a VERY strange aftertaste, this could be down to two different things. 1, I had just had the peanut butter and obviously those don’t mix so well, or there was pith in the sorbetto, still it REALLY did taste like Grapefruit and Zac really enjoyed it.

Nathan - Raspberry - tasted like Raspberry! I was not at all surprised… Raspberry is one of those flavours that is always just tasty.

 So more yummy Fiasco Gellato! I’m going to try to get some of the pics from Nath as it was a gloriously sunny day and they need to be published. (plus he’s like a fancy photographer, so WHY NOT!?!?)

Happy, happy happy happy April 12, 2007

So yes I know I’ve been slacking on writing. I’ve been busy hanging out with Zachary and enjoying just doing very little other than maybe deciding what to eat, and frankly even that I didn’t do that very often!

•  There are a couple reviews in the works, I ate Momos for the first time last night and they were VERY tasty.
•  The Saturday before last I made curries and tried to stuff people with as much as humanly possible. There is still a chicken curry and a veggie curry lurking in the freezer (we managed to finish the beef off this week).
• I made the oh so lovely Banana bread for work this week (I am now an indispensable employee)
• It is sunny and I am trying desperately through the power of thought to create a body double so that my real self will run back home and laze about in the sun with the Vogue I just bought.
• I have a new boss (who likes banana bread) and I’m very happy to have him as the executive I will be assisting.
• Last satuday I made a meaty meatball sauce and we tucked into our pasta and meatballs Easter Dinner. Followed by Zachary’s sexy flambe’d berry sauce and ice cream
• THE EASTER BUNNY CAME, twice
• Check out www.ureviewcalgary.com, I don’t ncessarily always agree with what is written but it’s great to have a second opinion!

So now we’re updated I’ll get those reviews done soon and then we can head out and check out some new restos and bars! I’m itching to see what the Flames bar is like, not because I have high expectations, I’m just curious because I love the venue and I have a feeling that with one of my friends convocating it would be an excellent excuse to head over there to celebrate.

The Coup - Reason to go Veggie? March 22, 2007

Maybe not, but they still provide some seriously yummy veggie chow that doesn’t make me crave meat at great prices.

Zac is a meat-a-holic, I am open minded, but that being said, having tried the veggie route in highschool, I’m pretty concerned about the whole nutritional side of things… plus I can’t live without pepperoni pizza (and fish, and burgers, and roast chicken and sausage and pate … you get the idea).

I have wanted to go to The Coup for some time, Zac has looked at it uncomfortably and stated that after eating there we would probably need to make a trip to Tubby Dog,  up the street. For some reason having to go for supper, after going for supper, doesn’t really appeal to me but that being said last week the two of us decided that we wanted to go to the Coup.

Zac was pleasantly surprised and my expectations were surpassed.

The space is very modern and clean but quite busy. I suppose the best way to describe it is that modern funky look (think Vancouver) with greens and dark wood being the central colours (very pretty). It is a little cramped as it is such a narrow space but I thought they made good use of the space they had. Zac disagrees, but then again, my mother didn’t study interior design. 

Later on in the week they get a DJ in to spin some tunes which is VERY cool. I’m going to have to make a point of heading over there one of those times. They have street side patio as well which would be a great way to enjoy the 17th Ave atmosphere in the summer.

We were given a drinks menu and a I ordered one of the freshly squeezed juices, Zac got a dark Sleemans beer (I think). The juice was great it was a cranberry lemonade and it was tasty, there were fragments of REAL lemons in the drink and it was garnished with four floating honest-to-goodness cranberries, it was very good and refreshing I would have loved to sit on a patio and sip it’s tastiness way into the late hours of the evening.

To start we ordered a plate of their Sweet Potato Fries with a Tahini Miso Gravy. Oh so yummy. The fries were in fact baked wedges of Sweet potato sprinkled with some salt and rosemary, I didn’t mind that they weren’t crispy as I found that the smooth texture of the fry really did compliment the tahini miso gravy quite nicely. We devoured these.

Shortly afterwards came our main course, Zac ordered the Falafel Quesedilla with a side salad. It looked fantastic, fresh and green loaded with lots of thinly sliced vegetables. Very appetizing. It tasted great too although the whole wheat tortilla though VERY healthy was very chewy, I mean obviously this is because of the fact that it is WHOLE WHEAT, but still it would be nicer if you could get a bite with out having the cardboard feeling in your mouth.

I ordered the Beach-Front hot pot and it was equally colourful. An excellent hot pot, the vegetables were cooked but not soggy, they were delightfully crisp and incredibly tasty.The tofu was firm and flavourful, I really do like tofu and this tofu was great! The lemon grass coconut broth was nice and spicy, I wouldn’t have wanted it any hotter but I’m certain that someone with stronger tastebuds than I could have made a request. What really excited me about this dish was the lotus root, this is a fairly bland but crispy and nice addition to the mix of veggies. Frankly there is something about looking at lotus root that just makes me feel better about the food I’m eating. The portions were huge and Zac being the lucky boy that he is got to take home the left over veggies and rice noodles to have for his lunch.

All in all The Coup was a success AND Zac didn’t end up heading over to Tubby Dog! HORRAY! (instead we got gellato, see below)

So go to The Coup on 17th to soak up some good vibes and munch on some heavenly food!

The Coup

924b 17th Avenue SW Calgary, Alberta Canada
Ph: 403.541.1041

Nellies Kitchen - Sunday Brunch March 21, 2007

Scrumptious food and half decently good service. If you can wait in a line for at least half an hour Nellie’s is the place for you for a good Calgary brunch. 

After a day of playing rugby up at the Irish Club  for St Patty’s Day on Saturday Zac and I fancied a good breakfast of the greasy spoon variety, something half decently substantial but not far. Since we’ve maxed out our trips to the Belmont over the past few months we decided a trip to Nellie’s was in order.  

There are quite a number of Nellie’s all over the city, from the Nellie’s in the Loop to the one in Kensington the owner has created a little empire of these restaurants. For me, the ultimate Nellie’s is Nellie’s Kitchen, I think this is solely because our old High School is right across the street and it brings back memories of simpler times.

Zac and bopped down to 17th and I got in line while he picked up some coffee for us, from the evil corporation that is the Starbucks across the street and we waited, I’ve found that the key to waiting in line at breakfast places is to become quite Zen about the whole endeavour, something like “Oooom we will have breakfast when the time is right Ooooom” and, of course, not checking your watch (if you watch it, it will never boil).

Finally, after being offered coffee a couple times by one of the waitresses, we managed to get a seat at the bar. Not a bad spot, you always get a fresh and piping hot breakfast when you’re sitting at the bar and frankly that rocks.

 I had made my mind up earlier that I would have the Ukranian “Break the Fast” as I am, in fact, a HUGE fan of Kielbasa and the idea of perogies smothered in sour cream for breakfast with runny yellow yolks from poached eggs was just WAY too appealing (yes also worthy of giving myself a heart attack, but remember, RUGBY the day before, I rationalized it). Zac tried to order their Seafood scramble but unfortunately they weren’t able to make it for him and he settled for a Cody Scramble.

 The decor of Nellie’s is pretty consistent throughout all the restaurants I’ve been to. A mishmash of old toys and posters, slightly retro and slightly kitsch with a homey feeling. The bar at Nellie’s is as good as any, but ideally a table is SO much better. I always find that my legs are too long and my knees bump up on the bottom of the counter (oh the horrors when someone sticks there gum there), if you are tall you understand my pain/problems.

 Our food was brought to us quite quickly and we both tucked in. Four perogies, two pieces of sour dough (toasted), 1 quarter of a kielbasa (fried), two poached eggs, hash browns and a side of sour cream. The effect of this food was exactly what I was looking for the poached eggs were oozingly good on top of the perogies and the kielbasa was just what it needed to be, a gloriously garlicky sausage. I thought the sour dough toast was a nice touch too, exactly what I wanted. My only complaints would be that the hash-browns and kielbasa hadn’t been fried for long enough, I really wanted that nice fried crunch that you get when you have fried food, but alas, it was not to be and it was still YUMMY.

 I didn’t hear any complaints from my man so I’m assuming that the Cody scramble was indeed a success and worth a try. ALSO definitely try the pancakes, they look fantastic and HUGE. I’m getting one the next time I go; I’m usually into the savory for breakfast but my oh my the thickness and size of those pancakes made me wish I had ordered them!

The service we had here was good, probably the best I’ve had at a Nellie’s, I have a feeling that they put their best people on for Sundays, but that being said I have a feeling that if we weren’t at the bar we would have had a much slower breakfast, I wouldn’t have minded, but bear in mind that if you want something quick then it might be a good idea to go to McD’s or something that will give you something fast.

So Nellie’s a bit slow but definitely worth the wait, make sure you go on a Sunday, when they have to have their best people working.

Nellie’s Kitchen

738B - 17 Ave SW Online map
(403) 244-4616
Mon-Fri 7:30AM - 3:30PM; Sat-Sun 8:00AM - 3:30PM

HAPPY SPRING March 20, 2007

Just in case I miss posting tonight…

 

Happy Spring! 

(mind you today we’re having psycho weather, ie, ice fog, blizzard, sunshine and cloudy)

 I’m thinking I want to make easter eggs so that might just happen sometime this weekend! Yummy omlettes and pretty decorations, SHOULD BE FUN!!!