A new garden

This is our new garden next to the garage, facing east. It gets direct sunlight from early morning until noon. I wanted a mix of different colourful flowers that will bloom from spring to fall.

We purchased a bunch of new perennials at Costco in Calgary:

-limelight hydrangea x 1
-red astilbe x 1 (I divided into 2 before planting)
-pink astilbe x 1
-white astilbe x 1
-dwarf arctic iris x 2

 These were transplanted from other parts of our yard:
-purple pansies
-bleeding hearts
-mophead hydrangea (a grocery store discount buy - I hope it survives!)

Inspired by other garden plans, I put together this montage!

Schnitzel SANDWICHES!

We just had dinner at that schnitzel place, on fourth avenue in calgary.  It was really good!! super friendly staff, bright inviting atmosphere, and best of all, a unique menu, inspired by an international palette. The restaurant has been open less than a week!

  I tried the 'La Dolce Vita' sandwich...all of their sandwiches are served on a kaiser bun with your choice of cutlet. I had a tasty freshly breaded deep-fried pork cutlet on a bed of rucola, sweet onions and a tangy sweet tomato sauce. Yum yum!! Jason had the 'parthenon', which had feta cheese, grilled onions and rucola as well. The flavor of this one was a little stronger. Very hearty sandwiches!! I'm going to try the chipolte sandwich, maybe with the portabello mushroom instead of pork next time!

http://www.that-schnitzel-place.com/

Our New House

Wow! It's been a long time since I've added to this blog... I'm going to rekindle this fire and start blogging about our new house! Jason and I are engaged, and we are going to move into this new house together. It is a 600 square feet bungalow, and needs quite a bit of work. We plan to redo almost everything in this house, and then move in...hopefully a couple months from now.

Here is the virtual tour of the house.

Exterior: It's very cute, has big picture windows and just needs some new paint on the trim. The stucco is a mish mash of pink, white and black stones. Vote: Would you keep the awnings (the shades over the front windows), or get rid of them?

Mary EATS: Smoked Salmon Spaghettini

Have you used the iPod Touch Urban Spoon app to find your dinner before? Niko's Bistro was what it came up with when my friends and I were looking for a place to eat last week. Friday night, and thankfully, someone cancelled...so there was room for us. Score! At least the place was popular...

The atmosphere in this Italian restaurant is cozy but modern - a long bench along one wall of the narrow dining room, dimly lit lamps for a romantic ambience...and lots of buzzing conversation - some of it sounded distinctly Italian! Score 2! Italians go to this Italian restaurant!

I ordered the Smoked Salmon Spaghettini, which was a nice big portion of pasta for $14. The fragrant flavours of the creamy tomato sauce infused with a mouth-watering smoked taste was so delicious! I really enjoyed my pasta. One of my friends ordered the lamb, and it wasn't too great - a bit overdone (well, she DID order it well done) but the taste was gamey, and not very flavourful. The penne with tomato sauce that accompanied the lamb was an absolute disaster - soggy noodles - ick! The calamari appetizer was so-so...a bit too heavy on the tomato sauce - I prefer the breaded fried calamari myself.

I'd go back just for the pasta though ;)

http://www.nikosbistro.ca/

Delicious Thai lives up to its name

Delicious Thai is a new restaurant in Kensington - it is in the same location as the old "Tibet on 10th" restaurant. They have a very extensive website - and I actually found the place by just searching "Thai restaurants Calgary" in google! The decor is simple and unassuming, but modern. The wait staff are very courteous, like in any traditional Thai restaurant. My first visit there was on Halloween, and the Pad Thai is the best I've had in Calgary! Really quite authentic - just the perfect mix of peanuts and not too much "sauce". The Chicken Green Curry was really nice too - fresh herbs and a nice melange of vegetables. A couple nights ago, I tried the Chicken Massaman curry, and really enjoyed it's peanut-based earthy flavour. To top it off, they have mango sticky rice!! My absolute favorite Thai dessert - the mango slices were a bit stringy, but that's what you can expect from mangoes in North America in this season...

Great menu, authentic tasting Thai, pleasant service and resonable prices! :)

http://delicious-thai.com/

Are you wondering why people have moustaches this month??

Because it's MOVEMBER! Help fight the battle against prostate cancer...

Olives is here!

August 3rd, 2008

http://www.olivesrestaurant.ca/

Olives opened last month, right at the beginning of Stampede. After one month in operation, things seem to be going well. Beautiful mosaics and chain mail curtains make the restaurant decor modern, with a classic twist. The light sweet fluffy appetizer bread complimented the house-marinated olives well. The sparkling water, Qvarzia, was not as good. This Italian brand didn't have enough fizz, and after it defizzed, the water tasted like crisp, Canadian tap. For an appetizer, we shared the beef carpaccio. The portion was small, but super delicious. Smooth, melt in your mouth black angus, with just the right amount of arugula bitterness, virgin olive oil and grana padano (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grana_padano) accompaniment. The house-made truffle parsnip ravioli was bursting with sweet, smooth marscapone finished with a swirl of mushroom cream sauce on a bed of asparagus and wild mushrooms. The pasta was quite sweet and almost would have made a nice dessert! The fragrant truffle oil made this dish. The halibut entree was freshly seared, arranged beautifully amidst a sea of temptingly colourful red currant brown butter and chanterelle mushrooms. Mmm Mmm!! For dessert, I could not pass up the chance to try their tiramisu. The presentation was gorgeous, with a trail of chocolate espresso beans leading to a tall glass of illy espresso tiramisu topped off with a dollop of espresso gelato. It didn't disappoint! Very smooth, and the espresso crystals inside the mixture added just the perfect amount of crunch. Now all I have to do is go back at lunch to try their paninis and espresso.

Food Heaven in Toronto

April 30, 2008

I've been in Toronto for 5 days and I'm convinced...food is waaaaaay overpriced in Calgary!! Down on King street, a chic mix of boutiques, new condo projects and outdoor orientated stores like MEC, there are a bizillion well-priced restaurants too!

 

Urban

http://www.urbanrestaurant.com

Andrea, Donna and I went to Urban, where a "Spring Fest Urbanlicious" lunch special caught our eye. 3 courses for $20!! What a deal.  The starter was a Vegetable Wellington, a creative dish with a puff pastry stuffed with red pepper and portabello mushrooms, served on a bed of lovely fresh tomato sauce and wilted spinach. So beautiful!  We had fish and chips as a main - it was ok, very crispy, but overly battered for my taste. 

The home-made fries were very nice and 

paired great with the caper tarter sauce.  On the side, we tried the portabello mushroom pizza, with a fresh soft goat cheese and pesto sauce on a crispy thin fresh-made crust.  LOADS better than the soggy pizzas at pulcinella in Calgary!  For dessert, we had a heavenly banana & blueberry cake served with fresh vanilla cream cheese mousse.

 

Sushi on Bloor

http://www.sushionblo

or.com

Tuesday night, and this two floor restaurant was PACKED!  There was a big student contingent, undoubtedly because this place is such good value for the money!  Stephanie had the Gold Vegetable Set, which came with tempura, maki rolls and the traditional soup/salad to start.  Very prompt and fresh - all for $11!  I started with a 6 piece sashimi appetizer, featuring huge pieces of salmon, tuna and yellowtail, all for $7.  I ordered the Spider Roll which features tasty crispy melt in your mouth soft shell crab and avocado....8 pieces for $8.5!! WOW!

 

ABC Bakery

somewhere in North York

yup, just the place for those flaky egg tarts.  the crust COULD be flakier, but the egg part, as Donna said, was just perfect.  Very nice egg taste and still warm when we got them! Thanks for driving us there Alvin!

 

Free Dove Chocolates

Midland Wal-Mart

LOL, I got these free samples of Dove Chocolates outside Eau-Claire market at lunch one day, and looked all over TO's convenience and drug stores for the "purse pack", which was free with the coupon that came with the chocolate sample.  Where else would I find them but Midland?!? It is about 40 mins from Barrie btw.  Thank you Melissa - good spot in the check out aisle!

 

Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon

2004 Napa Valley

Wow, this wine was so fruity - lots of ripe black fruit, like blackberries or currants!  The nose and palette matched very nicely, and it was very easy to drink for such a oaky red.  Still a bit acidic and tannic because of its age, but the fruit aroma is so great, you won't mind one bit.  Too bad we didn't have a steak lying around to go with it!

Watch Pink Floyd!!!!

Wish You Were Here Video!

Blogger is cool. Google is cool. Pink Floyd is the best. Roger Waters was flippin sweet!

Mary EATS: or in this case, drinks

July 1, 2007

It's Canada day, and the celebrations don't start til noon. The 14 year old volunteer that wouldn't give me a lick-on tattoo because it was only 11:26 said so! What were we to do!?! Naturally, we headed for the rustic comforts of the best part of Prince's Island Park....the River Cafe. My office is only a few blocks from this lively, yet tranquil restaurant, so I've visited a few times for meals. "Slow food" as opposed to fast food, is the name of the game, and the River Cafe prides itself in using locally grown, fresh, seasonal ingredients for their very "Canadian" menu. The staff are always uber-friendly and I come to the River Cafe just for the laid back, homey atmosphere. I find the quality of the appetizers and main courses are inconsistent. Most times, it is very good, but once in a while, an average dish does not justify its price tag. On this relaxing weekend however, we had already enjoyed some dim-sum and had worked up just enough room for some bubbly and dessert. The River Cafe has a HUGE wine selection... Much to our surprise, they carried the "gentle sparkling moscato" by Mionetto from the Veneto region in NE Italy. And for $30! It retails at the Kensington wine market for $17.49... that is great, considering most "fancy" restaurants have a 200+% markup on their wines. Here's another tidbit for the Oenophiles... no corkage fee on Sundays! (excluding December) The moscato was intensely floral, which matched the delicate fresh fruit and honey tones on the palate. Best served chilled, the tiny bubbles and slightly sweet flavour of the wine paired perfectly with the Lemon Tart topped with wild BC huckleberries, fennel ice cream and a toasted almond drizzle. So relaxing and delicious...you don't even realize you're getting a sunburn on the patio!

9/10
River Cafe
http://www.river-cafe.com/
Prince's Island Park, Calgary
403-261-7670

Mary EATS: Luscious Lamb

June 29, 2007

I admit it. The only reason why I chose this restaurant was for its dessert menu. Someone told me they had a trio of creme brulees! The quality of these clearly needed to be validated....besides, we needed to celebrate the sale of my house! There is a good vibe at Velvet. Super friendly, attentive staff and a funky dimly-lit contemporary interior with mirrored walls and soft benches. It was a Friday night, and we were the only ones there! Attendees for a concert at the Grand Theatre didn't start trickling in until 7:30 or so, making it a very private dining experience. The drink menu features lots of martinis with creative names, like The Producer (refreshing blend of Grey Goose L'Orange, Melon Liqueur, Galliano, with dashes of cran + orange juice) and Your Name in Lights. We started off with a baked Mushroom Pate topped with mascarpone. The earthy tones of the pate paired really well with the perfectly browned garlic crostini and the citrus intensive 2005 Seven Terraces Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand with hints of fresh apples. A nice crisp wine that is not too bland and could also stand up to the stronger taste of the Mussels, which were tossed in a slightly salty ainse broth with some veggies. Nothing great about the it, and I made the mistake of ordering more seafood with my main course - the saffron conchigliette. The shrimps, scallops and mussels tasted like they were previously frozen and the pasta was uber al-dente...ick. Thank goodness the lamb was ten times better! Direct from New Zealand, the juicy chops were perfectly pan fried with a dash of delicious fresh mint pesto. The mushroom gnocchi was a nice aberration from the all too common potato. At last! The dessert!! Well...at least the vanilla bean creme brulee was decent. The passion fruit and mochaccino varieties had a nice flavour, but the texture was terrible. Super watery, and all in all, disappointing. Velvet is owned by the same people that run Cilantro and Divino...I'm surprised the quality of the food here was spotty.

7/10
Velvet at the Grand
www.crmr.com/velvet
608 1 Street SW, Calgary
(403) 244-8400

Mary EATS: Life's too short for a quick lunch

June 28, 2007

One of my mottos is "Life's too short for a quick lunch". The Divino Wine & Cheese Bistro on Stephen Ave is the perfect little place to indulge in a delicious lunch. There is a quaint patio, and the menu reflects its European bistro influences. The Lobster Cannelloni featured an absolutely heavenly blend of chanterelles & ricotta cheese wrapped in fresh pasta baked in a smooth lobster bisque. The large chunks of fresh, juicy lobster made it well worth the $22. The Lamb Confit Melt was quite a distinctive sandwich, with layers of melt-in-your-mouth braised lamb and leeks, and contrasting sweet tones from the fig jam, balanced with the saltier cambozola cheese. YUM. Can't wait to try more from this menu.

9/10
Divino Wine & Cheese Bistro
http://www.crmr.com/divino/index.php
113 - 8th Avenue SW, Calgary
403-410-5555

Mary EATS: Room with a View

June 25, 2007

Seafood restaurants like Oceana defy the geographic boundaries of landlocked Calgary. There are many places to go for fresh seafood now! Why Oceana? It's on the main floor of the La Caille building in Eau Claire and backs on to the pretty Bow River. The interior features large comfortable upolstered chairs with a modern classic decor complete with high ceilings and warm fireplaces, making it the perfect place for a relaxing dinner. The food was decent. I recommend the New England Clam Chowder for its rich creamy texture and delicious clams. The tomato based Manhattan seafood chowder was sort of plain. Their version of Oyster Rockefellers were overpowered by the pungent Hollandaise sauce. I much prefer the fried oysters at Catch. For the main course, the Orange Roughy Fillet was perfectly grilled with a delicious Parmesan crust and hints of lemon. Not bad for $25, considering the generous portion comes all the way from New Zealand! The more local fare, a pan-fried Pickerel hailing from Manitoba was nothing to rave about. The sides and starter bread were a bit disappointing. Bland seasonal veggies/rice pilaf and boring, dry Italian bread.

7/10
Oceana
http://www.oceanacalgary.com/
#101 - 7th Street SW, Calgary
(403) 245-8787

Mary EATS: Toasted Delights

June 26, 2007

On such a sunny day, it seemed like a shame to have to sit inside! But unless you've snagged a spot by 11:30, it's nearly impossible to get on the patio of downtown Calgary's restaurants on a gorgeous summer day. It's a nice stroll along Stephen Ave regardless...People watching heaven on the weekdays at lunchtime.If you weren't looking for it, you might miss Cabernet. It has a relatively small exterior, and alas, no patio! The decor is unassuming, and a great place for an upscale casual lunch. A large kitchen prep area is stretched out across the length of the restaurant, and the hustle bustle of the place reminded me of a Montreal diner. The friendly staff were prompt with their service, and we enjoyed watching the chef prepare some home-style soups, grilled sandwiches and salads. My friend and I tried the Montreal smoked meat sandwich and an Italian panini. The thick slices of juicy, tender smoked meat were very authentic, and it was a classic Montreal sandwich down to the crisp coleslaw, fresh rye and a delicious mustard. I liked the Italian Panini even better! Grilled to perfection, and stuffed to the brim with roasted peppers, an olive puree, and delicious Italian cold cuts....all served with a hearty side of mashed sweet potatoes. And it only gets better... their prices are inclusive of GST!

8/10
Cabernet
225 - 8th Ave SW, Calgary
403-233-0564