Heyyyyy there everybody! It’s been a while. Blue Besos has been in hibernation, dreaming of version 2.0, in the works. Meanwhile, may I introduce to you… (drumroll, please)…
… my latest labor of love, Hammer & Home, with creative content focused on home improvement, design and decor.
This is just what happens when a former news anchor gets hitched to the owner of a custom home construction company.
We’ve been hard at work on several home builds and design projects, including building ourselves a little stealth camper (although I prefer to call it a tiny home on wheels) to get through what could be another restricted year in the travel department.
We’ve documented it every step of the way (so far!) on our YouTube channel Hammer and Home. I can’t wait til we get to the decorating, because I have a whole Modern Farmhouse plan up my sleeve.
You’ll also find a generous helping of tool reviews and how-tos on the channel. Brad must have more tools than any one man on earth. And he’s great at explaining how to use them, in ways that even I can understand.
I’m also so excited to announce that we have just launched the Blog on the Hammer & Home website, focused on home decor, organization and must-have items in the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and beyond. Not to mention some in-depth looks at our favorite design stars!
The home decor blog is all about getting that luxe look for less. Just because you have impeccable taste doesn’t mean you have to spend a ton of money to get the style you’re seeking.
And I love sharing my sources. Because who would appreciate the time saved from going down endless internet rabbit holes? *raises hand*
We’re posting several blogs a week, and we even have a newsletter coming soon. You can sign up for it here.
So come on over and hang out with me at Hammer & Home!
There’s a newcomer to the dining scene in Bears Paw. One so good that downtownies may flock to the burbs in their constant foodie fervour. Once they try it, they’ll return. It’s that good. Many who mourned the closing of the Bear’s Den will recognize the reimagined location. The grand-scale Flores & Pine Grillroom and Gatherings (this full name is just the first of many mouthfuls) has many elements, that will take a time investment to describe. However, after an ineffable experience here, I’ll attempt to match their epicurean abundance in this epically long post. Ready? Let’s roll!A lofty lounge welcomes you into Flores & Pine, which is named for Flores LaDue, ‘First Lady of the Calgary Stampede’, the wife of Calgary Stampede founder Guy Weadick and a skilled roper and performer. Have a Queen B cocktail in her honor. Made with honey from the restaurant’s own hives.Step into the restaurant section and you’ll most likely find it bustling. It’s been busy since it opened this summer.If you can’t get a table, there are still several options, including this dining bar along the kitchen…… and the heated patio, which also boasts a beautiful bug screen. Can you see it? It’s just beyond the table, before the couch area.
But wait, that’s not all! There’s still the “Gatherings” element to consider. Flores & Pine has an event space ready and waiting for your next party. A wood-burning fireplace keeps the large area cozy. They’ve already hosted several weddings.
Could it be because there is a room upstairs dedicated to bridal hangout?With a loo and a door large enough for the poufiest gown. I had to put down my Queen B and revisit my dreams of a destination wedding for a moment.
But then, it was time for the task at hand: eating! On this particular evening, I was invited to a media event to introduce us city-types to this gourmet jewel of the Northwest. Of course I was thrilled to see my seat was perfectly positioned for charcuterie access.
The meal service began with a decadent approach to the Caesar salad. Just look at that bacon and try to resist.
The F&P Signature Salad is another delicious green option.
And, just in case you have special dietary requirements, Flores and Pine has a dedicated Vegan menu. And a Gluten-Free menu. None of the usual hunting for the asterisks in the regular menu.
But if you’re a committed carnivore like myself, you have many options. Starting with a perfectly medium rare rack of lamb.
The massive Tomahawk Board features dry aged Benchmark black angus, along with oodles of oven-roasted honey-glazed root vegetables. Plus fries, topped with a fried egg — just to balance out the healthy veggies.
Here’s a closer look at those house-cut fries, this time in full Poutine mode. But don’t go looking for average frites and curds. These are basted in brown butter sauce… and topped with king crab.
King Crab isn’t limited to the poutine. You can also have it as an entree, fresh from the wood-fired grill.
These perogies are a highlight of the Shareables section on the menu. Served with smoked prairie bison meatballs.
Who’s behind the new, all-encompassing dining experience in the old Bear’s Den location? The always-in-motion tech savant Mahyar Khosravi and Kristin Romeril (not pictured). A local Bears Paw resident and faithful foodie, Mahyar was motivated to make the journey to fine dining closer than downtown Calgary.
Finally, after all this food, why stop now? Try not one, but two of my favorite desserts. The Copetta tops layers of salted caramel mousse and cashew praline with homemade marshmallows.
The Chocolate Torte’s flour-free recipe with fresh berries and Chantilly cream might not make it guilt-free, but they do make this dessert absolutely divine.
Even an epic evening of eating must an end at some point. As I bid adieu to the original Bear’s Den bear, still on the wall in the special event room, I made plans to return soon. Thank you Flores & Pine for an impeccable experience!
A trip to Vancouver isn’t complete without a trip to the public market at Granville Island. But there’s so much more to do there beyond stocking up on fresh produce! Plan your perfect day with this video, and enjoy!
Hawthorn Dining Room & Bar has finally arrived in Calgary. To accommodate the new restaurant, the Fairmont Palliser revamped the old Rimrock Dining Room and gutted the Oak Room. Locals had suffered without two stalwart YYC hotel staples for months. But the word stalwart has me thinking.
It was lovely to be included in the exclusive VIP media launch, but en route to the event, I was worried. It was years ago, but I’m still traumatized by the re-do of the Hotel Bel Air bar in LA, which lost its clubby library feel in a modern makeover, with an overly generous side of Wolfgang Puck. The grand dame of Calgary hotels is one of my favorite places in town — in fact, Blue Besos features a photo of yours truly at the Palliser, on the top right of the home page.
When arrived, I was immediately soothed by the prospect of finally being able to get a drink in the lobby. Before the arrival of Hawthorn you had to walk at least 20 steps further for a cocktail.
The lobby lounge leads to an intimate bar, already a hit for both diners and drinkers.
Comfy booths come with classic marble-topped tables. The gold art deco-style lights may be the teeniest bit phallic, but they come in handy for reading a menu — overall, the lighting in the space was a wee bit dim when I was there.
Epic ceilings give the new room that grand hotel feel. They were always there, but hidden by a false ceiling during the Rimrock days.
The old fireplace survived the renovation, and is now matched with gorgeous new chairs. You know this nook is going to be a favorite destination on Calgary’s copious chilly days.
Even the bathrooms make a massive statement with bold florals. I predict many a Saturday night selfie taken in the ladies’ loo.
Charlie Beil’s 1962 mural from the original restaurant is still here. With CBC’s David Gray in front of it. Hi David! But what about the food you ask?
Try the amazing Albacore Tuna to start. The orange slices make it extra summery and light. And you’ll have saved calories for…
… the skinniest frites in Calgary! A perfect pairing…
… with a steak served perfectly rare.
The desserts at Hawthorn are art forms. Tuck into a smooth, creamy Lemon Verbena Panna Cotta with sweet nut praline.
Who says you can’t have cake for breakfast? Not the Cinnamon Toast Crunch Mille Crepe dessert. And good to know: many of the menu items at Hawthorn ring in at less than usual high-end hotel prices.
Wondering what happened to the old Oak Room bar? It’s now an event room. I had some good times there, and I’ll miss those old polo photos, but the new Hawthorn, and its lack of TV screens, is much more my scene.
I do believe I’ve found my new Calgary go-to. Well done, Fairmont Palliser. Well done.
I had the chance to eat and drink my way through Vancouver recently. Here are five fab spots to take in the scenery while you take in the calories, all with a healthy happy hour!
I’ll choose horses over hiking any day! Horses are the best way to get to Atotonilco Hotsprings, a mere 23 km from the surfing hotspot Puerto Escondido, Mexico. Join me for my ride and see the video of the hotsprings as well!
It might be “warm” in Calgary, now that we’ve finally broken into the single digits (still sub zero, mind you) but it just doesn’t really compare to Mexico. How about a little turtle action to cheer us all up? Helping save sea turtles from extinction will give anyone a boost.
When Waalflower Kitchen and Cocktails opens its doors to the public on March 5, chances are good it will be the Cocktail part of their name that will lure you in. Their approach to modern mixology brings you combinations you may have never sipped before, like this Gardener’s Tonic cocktail with butterfly pea flower. But, when asked to make a not-so-hipster Pink Lady (not pictured because I immediately guzzled it with gusto), they are ready for any #cocktailchallenge. Don’t try this at home, kids. Simply because it won’t taste as good.Look up from your glass, and you may notice there’s something… familiar about this place. The location at the bottom of Edmonton Trail, in the old Waal building (kudos on the cheeky name, Waalflower), used to be the home of Whitehall, and home to many good times. Now, with new decor and more generous approach to the space around the bar, it appears that the good times are about to return.Just when you wondered if there were any reporters left in the world of media conglomeration (perhaps you don’t, but it’s a topic I think about all too often), Calgary’s foodie media showed up in full force, ready to see if Waalflower would bring it, beyond the purple drinks. Hi Shelley!It was time for me to take my seat. And take a picture to prove my selfie-averse self was actually there.We were started off with a scrumptious creamy schmear.Lamb meatballs, meet my tummy.Tuna and smoked trout? Check.Eggs for dinner? Yes. Especially when paired with Beef Merguez Sausage en Cocotte with dates and cilantro.The barramundi with orange, arugula and caponata sauce was delicious but difficult. If you order it, be prepared to de-bone your bites. Preferably before they reach your mouth. I haven’t cultivated this mediterranean talent, and my fabulousness as a fine diner suffered during this course.Meanwhile, the roasted chicken with spinach, lemon potatoes and garlic tzatziki offers a satisfying stick-to-your bones large entree with less complications. After dinner, it only made sense to head back to the bar, where the VIP preview had reached another level. As appropriate for any party influenced by copious amounts of cocktails. CBC’s David Gray of the Eyeopener (see if you can spot him in the blissed-out blur of this action shot) had an early morning wakeup call, though, so he resisted the repeat siren call of Bar Manager JD Darnes (hunched over his next concoction on the right).Mike O’Connor, of Calgary Stampede Rodeo Committee fame, and Thomas Keeper of Tink Real Estate (and reality tv star, but that’s another story) epitomize the dichotomy of Calgary’s fashion story: you can’t go wrong with sleek city style or cowboy chic. Both are always apropos. Of course, you can never control it. Any good party anywhere always ends up in the kitchen. Welcome to the neighborhood, Waalflower! And thanks for the wonderful evening.
Puerto Escondido is one of my favorite beach towns, because it manages to have a laid-back surfer vibe with amazing restaurants. Here are my top picks for foodie food and creative cocktails on the Oaxaca Coast in Mexico.
Whale watching in Puerto Escondido? Yes, you can do that here on the west coast of Mexico, in the state of Oaxaca. And I’m thrilled to say… I did! Watch the video to see the magnificant mammals I was thiissss close to.
