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Category Archives: Session

Cattle Drive at Trail’s End

12 / 7 / 1812 / 7 / 18

Trail's End Ranch, AlbertaWhen you live in Calgary, chances are you know a rancher. If you’re lucky, you’ll be invited out for a ride. I’m fortunate enough to be friends with Rachel Herbert, who raises grass fed cattle just south of Nanton, AB, for her poetically named premium beef business, Trail’s End Beef. So when she invited me out to ride savvy Suzy, we had some farm chores to do. And since it was hunting season, Rachel sported a safety-chic orange vest…Trails End Beef… and so did I. I also wore a pair of chaps I hadn’t used in a decade, but my style was more Michelin Man than Wild West, thanks to the need to stay warm.Trail's End RanchOn this particular day, we had a mission. These calves were weaned the week before, so now it was time to move them to the farm for the winter, where Rachel and Ty can keep an eye on them.Trail's End RanchRachel’s hubby and quintessential cowboy Tyler mapped out our moves…Trail's End Ranch… while Suzy and Jet always seemed to know exactly where to be to get the job done.Trail's End RanchBeing in the saddle for hours was easy in this custom-made cutting saddle by Vic Bennett.Trail's End BeefFirst we moved the calves out of their pen, over the hills. My job was to stay in the back and encourage stragglers to get moo-ving. Trail's End RanchThen it was time to take this show on the road! Rachel spent years on the hunter-jumper circuit, but being a cowgirl is in her DNA — she’s a fourth-generation Alberta rancher. Those cows better get moving before Jet decides to give their butts a love bite.Trail's End RanchThe grass on the side of the road was looking mighty delicious to the calves, so I had my herding work cut out for me… but I managed to snap one more photo while we were on the move. Way up ahead, on Turbo the roan, Tyler was ready to stop any cars that came along. Trail's End RanchMission accomplished! But Suzy lingered a little longer, just to let those cows know who is boss.Trail's End RanchRachel works the chute, and without that safety vest we finally get an opportunity to see her flawless cowgirl style, complete with vintage scarf. And those fringed chinks! Those are shorter chaps, for y’all who are not up on cowboy lingo. I didn’t know either.Trail's End RanchIt was a novelty to be on a horse with such a lustrous mane, compared to the ponies I usually ride. Besides the cattle we also caught sight of a moose, loping across the ridge. Not pictured here, but emblazoned in my memory forever.Trail's End RanchRide ’em cowgirls. Thanks so much for an amazing day, Rachel and Suzy! Blue Besos

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Sneak Peek at Netflix show featuring Calgary chef!

11 / 19 / 18

Who’s the Calgary chef (and the only chef from Canada) in Netflix’s new show? Plus a tour of a brand new Bel-Aire mansion, a local film hoping for an Oscar nod, Grant Fuhr on the red carpet, one of Teatro’s hot spots is now open for lunch, and the cutest video you’ll ever see of the pandas at the Calgary zoo. All in this edition of BBTV Update! Blue Besos

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Hermes Saddle Test Drive

6 / 18 / 18

Come for the ride as I test drive an Hermes polo saddle… custom-made, bien sur! 

Blue Besos

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Kevin Hart & Other Cool Things Happening in Calgary right now

6 / 7 / 18

The title of this post kinda totally gives it away, but guess who’s coming to Calgary? There are still tickets left for Kevin Hart’s Irresponsible Tour, which has sold out in many of the other stops. Plus I’ll give you a tour of a $2.4 Million in Altadore and reveal the flower power of Fleurs de Ville at Cross Iron Mills. Enjoy the video!Blue Besos

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The Latest from Blue Besos TV!

5 / 31 / 18

In this update I showcase a cool time-lapse of WestJet’s new low-cost carrier, Swoop, getting branded in bright pink, delicious moments from Chef Meets BC Grape — the Calgary edition — as well as the 1000-mile diet (yes, you read that right) of the Calgary Zoo’s new pandas. Besos

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BBTV Update – Celebrities Swarm Calgary

4 / 16 / 18

Swarm may be too strong a word, but why be beige when I can be over-dramatic? Major celebs are heading our way, and I’ve got the deets you need, like the When and Where. Tune in to the latest edition of BBTV Update. Then head to YouTube and subscribe to BBTV with Tiffany Burns!Blue Besos

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The Inaugural BBTV Update

4 / 3 / 18

Hey folks! It’s almost official… my new YouTube channel is just about ready for its close-up. In addition to the BBTV Stories you’ve already seen, BBTV will also feature a regular Update on arts, entertainment and anything lifestyle that you should know about. No “if it bleeds, it leads” here. So it makes sense that this first edition should include a story on the new pandas in town. Because who doesn’t love pandas?!Blue Besos

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Duran Duran hits the stage in Calgary

7 / 13 / 177 / 14 / 17

Subscribe to BBTV on YouTube for all the latest videos on Calgary’s Lifestyle Channel!Blue Besos

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Designing for Dining: Find the Sex in the Room

4 / 29 / 17

Food x Design panel at The LoftIf you’ve been cooking three squares a day on the home front for the past few years, perhaps you haven’t noticed — Calgary has been caught up in a foodie revolution. A hot new eatery seems to open every month downtown, on 17th, in Inglewood or in other cool YYC hoods. And it’s not just culinary art that creates the experience — interior design is also a prime part of the food mood. So when I was invited to a panel discussion of four of Calgary’s busiest restaurant interior designers, moderated by Jennifer Hamilton of Avenue Magazine, I couldn’t resist.

Amanda Hamilton's The LoftFood x Design was held in The Loft by Amanda Hamilton, an intimate space at the Guardian Towers in Victoria Park. Packed with design fans, savvy PR specialist Lara Rogers found a spot on the stairs.

Amanda Hamilton, Kate Allen, Sarah WardOn the left, Amanda Hamilton, who recently did the interior of Native Tongues, told us she’d loved restaurants ever since she was an Earl’s girl. Kate Allen, center, known for her work on Bridgette Bar, Model Milk and Anju, said, “At the start of a project, the designer should be mostly listening.”

Talk quickly turned to costs. For everyone who likes to blame the designer for going crazy with expensive details, Amanda said,  “I think designers get a bad rap for blowing budgets.”

On the right, Sarah Ward (Nash, Proof, Cluck and Cleaver) credited Chef Michael Noble for changing her financial outlook on design. “Prior to working with him as  designer, I didn’t realize the impact of how my design affected the bottom line. You have to be careful of applied costs down the road.”

Sally Healy (pictured below), the designer behind Our Daily Brett and the now-shuttered Borgo Trattoria and Capo, was quick to chime in: “It affects us too. Cuz if they go broke like some of my restaurants have…”

Can you spot the Una owner?Sally’s spicy quips kept the audience laughing, including Pizza Una and Ox’s bearded owner, Kelly Black.

Sally Healy, Calgary DesignerThe boldest of the bunch, Sally’s the type of designer who can make you believe in a project from sheer force of personality. One of her top priorities when starting a new design? “You have to decide where the sex in the room is.”

Sally Healy, Calgary DesignerAlthough Sarah Ward had a cautious outlook on design costs before the engineers weigh in (“We don’t know what it costs until we know what it costs,”) Sally disagreed.

“Once a client gives their wish list, I do have a pretty good idea of what it’s going to cost.”

Practical words from a woman in purple-accented platform shoes. Love it! Blue Besos

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7 Ways to be More Optimistic

3 / 19 / 173 / 19 / 17

Turn that frown upside down  Maui best beachIt’s been long and brutally cold winter in Calgary this year. As the calendar officially flips to spring tomorrow, the snow and ice here aren’t quite ready to leave . A recent house-bound week of -30 temps makes me want to flee to Hawaii, but too many work commitments mean sifting through old vacation photos instead. With a long-term outlook that calls for more chilly days ahead, my personal level of optimism matches the temperature.

 

For a little spring training in harnessing the power of positivity, I turned to Dr. Sanam Hafeez, who frequently appears on CNN and Dr.Oz. She’s a NYC-based licensed clinical psychologist and teaching faculty member at the prestigious Columbia University Teacher’s College. These are her suggestions for turning that frown upside down.

Maui hibiscus1. Focus on the good.

“Keep a daily appreciation or gratitude journal. When you focus on all the things to be happy for in your life, then more great things come. Think generally. Use your senses. What do you appreciate seeing, smelling, touching, tasting, listening to? Write it down. Within a few weeks you’ll train the mind to pivot to an appreciate thought when a negative thought comes,” explains Dr. Hafeez.Big Beach, Maui2. Make plans.

Making plans to see relatives, a new exhibit or to travel gets our mind moving forward, toward something positive that we can be hopeful and optimistic about. Dr. Hafeez suggests making plans to do 3 things per month for the next 3 months. “Choose things that you know will bring you joy and then go do them! Feeling excited about what is coming and talking about how fun it will be keeps us optimistic,” says Dr. Hafeez.lava and coral, Maui3. Control what you can, delegate the rest! 

We get pessimistic and worry about the worst possible outcomes when we realize that we can’t control every detail. This leads to anxiety and an even stronger feeling of having to control conditions, and even others. According to Dr. Hafeez, this is a trap. “Figure out what needs to get done. What actions you can take. Then let go of anything else that is beyond your control with faith that everything will turn out fine. Envision the desired outcome,” advises Dr. Hafeez.Swimming with turtles, Maui4. Limit your news watching and avoid it before bed. 

“There is a very common pattern I see people falling into,” says Hafeez. “People awaken and immediately reach for their smartphone for headlines. They then turn on the TV news as background noise. They listen to news in their cars, have news alerts going off on their phones all day, catch the evening news and then the 11pm news before bed. No wonder they’re less optimistic! What you choose to look at will impact your mood. Remember, good news doesn’t get ratings,” she adds.Maui Wowee5. Don’t snooze. Instead, just breathe.

When the alarm goes off give yourself a few minutes to just lie there, eyes closed focused on your breathing. Breathe in counting to 4 and then breathe out. Do a mental scan of your entire body from head to toe thanking your cells for restoring you as you slept. “Deep breathing is a form of meditation and in the morning, you have a small window of opportunity to decide what kind of day you want it to be,” says Dr. Hafeez.Wine with a view, Maui6. Distract yourself with something that requires focus.

Pick something you truly enjoy doing and do it daily. It can be painting, coloring, yoga, a 20-minute walk or jog, listening to music and dancing around your living room. “When you are fully engaged in something, you can’t ruminate — which leads to pessimism,” explains Dr. Hafeez.Maui sunset7. Make feeling good top priority.

When you commit to feeling good, you instantly start to think more optimistically. According to Dr. Hafeez, when you’re mindful of your own negativity and shift to a better feeling – positive thought – you feel powerful. You’ll feel like you can conquer anything when you can master your own mindset.

Sounds like a recipe for springing into spring! I’m going to try these tips on for size. You?

Blue Besos

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Foodie, fashion addict and polo player. Join me as I check out the latest boutiques, restaurants, hotels and happenings -- in Calgary and beyond!

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