Curated by Paul Hardy

10 / 24 / 1510 / 24 / 15

How much better can life get for Paul Hardy? Calgary’s internationally renowned fashion designer can now add museum curator to his list of couture accomplishments. I caught up with him last night at the VIP opening reception for his new exhibit, Kaleidoscopic Animalia, which opens at the Glenbow today. Through a feat of accidental iCamera magic, his head appears to almost float away from his dark-colored clothes, in a dramatic echo to brain beside him, culturally influenced by animals. Also available on a scarf in the gift shop — the kaleidoscopic brain, that is, not Paul’s head.Even though Paul was double-booked, expected at a party at his own studio (which tend to be fabulous) he took time out to give a Kaleidoscopic personal tour. The displays are a mashup of his original designs and artifacts he found languishing in Glenbow’s vaults. As the museum’s Artist In Residence this year, he had special access.You’ve got to see the exhibit in person to experience the true hustle of a Bay blanket bustle. Anyone who knows their Canadian history realizes those blankets weren’t originally a branding brainwave — they were all about the fur trade.My fave is “Homestretch,” which sent me off into a trippy polo fantasy. But Paul told me it was inspired by the Run for the Roses, aka the Kentucky Derby, in which the winning horse is draped in a blanket of roses. Besides being inspired by the mannequins, the exhibit reminded me of the opulent department store window displays that seem to be nearing extinction. Grouped around themes instead of strict museum sorting by date or place of origin, the creativity is easy to consume, yet complex in meaning. In Everything Isn’t Black and White, Paul delves into a time when the Haida created argillite art for Europeans, in reaction to a declining sea otter trade.

Everyone is welcome to the Launch Party tonight, with admission by donation and a specially curated cocktail to celebrate. Congratulations, Paul!

Bee Lovely in Your Own Skin

10 / 19 / 15

With the October days strangely warm, I’m still sneaking in a few rides at the Calgary Polo Club. But coming soon, dry winter weather threatens leathery skin … like an old saddle!

I’m bee-ing proactive by stocking up on Bee Lovely Body Butter by Neal’s Yard Remdies. Organic honey and orange oil soften the skin while smelling divine, with bonus karma points. The recently launched product line ties in with NYR’s international campaign to save the bees.

Literary Death Match III

10 / 14 / 1510 / 14 / 15

Wordfest is back, and with it, one of my favorite nights of raucous, intellectual battle: Literary Death Match. If you don’t have your tickets yet, get them now: LDM is back in Calgary for the third time tomorrow night. To celebrate the upcoming war of words with ensuing hostile hilarity, I am reposting my interview with host Adrian Todd Zuniga on his “Deadly Style” from his last visit to Cowtown.

“What is going to be healthy and delicious, and also make me happy?”The host of Literary Death Match is starving. Maybe not quite to death, but definitely in that just-got-off-a-plane and made-it-through-customs kind of way. Yet Adrian Todd Zuniga is not the type to order off a menu without some intense Q&A.

I get it. We’ve met at Joey’s Eau Claire, just around the corner from the Westin, the Wordfest hotel of choice, so I can do some grilling of my own. Once Adrian finishes his blackened basa, I want to know — what will he be wearing tonight as 4 authors face off onstage?A cornflower blue suit. Of course.

Literary Death Match is a traveling word circus. With Adrian as its ringmaster, no staid, snooze-inducing readings are allowed on his world stage. The show, which visits dozens of cities a year, is Def Poetry Jam meets American Idol (minus the meanness) meets Double Dare.

The Los Angeles-residing, Missouri-born author and screenwriter created LDM eight years ago. This is his second visit to Calgary. Being a man of style, he abhors being seen in the same outfit twice.

“I rotate through suits. It’s very important for me not to wear the same thing in the same city. It would be lame.”Last year Adrian wore a red velvet smoking jacket, which bookended nicely with 2013 competitor Todd Babiak, no slouch in the wardrobe department himself. See my style feature on Todd here.

Besides making sure he didn’t lame out with a suit repeat, Adrian didn’t feel comfortable wearing a bow tie back-to-back with his last appearance in Calgary. Also important to note: “I don’t wear bow ties on dates. I think it’s too much of a statement. I think I’m a more subtle gentleman on that front. But I do wear suit jackets to pretty much everything.”Even while our interview cuts into his pre-show quiet time, he has the rumpled flair of someone out of a Robert Doisneau photograph.

Like “The Kiss” sans a girl to kiss. Which is confirmed when Adrian volunteers, apropos of nothing, “I haven’t kissed a girl in Calgary yet.” Later that night, onstage, he mentions he is single.The downside of his fashion daring can have drawbacks. Like when he told his friends his new suit was the ultimate in Don Draper. They said, ‘You mean the Pete Campbell suit?’

Luckily, the Sterling Cooper doppelganger apparel on stage at the GRAND couldn’t derail the momentum of the 2014 Death Match. In fact, the cornflower shine only added to the intrigue of authors Michael Crummey, Ann-Marie MacDonald, Alison Pick and Matthew Thomas being rated on literary merit, performance and intangibles.

LDM is normally judged by a panel of three, but the only way to compensate for a last-minute cancellation by Mayor Nenshi was to bring in two backups. From left to right at the black table: comedian Chris Gordon, author Carrie Shyder, Olympic hero Mark Tewksbury and author Johanna Skibsrud. I will totally name favorites: even though Mark claimed he wasn’t a literature type, the author of three books was hilarious and enthusiastic. Ginger Jesus, aka Chris Gordon, was a close second, and as he made very clear, sponsored by Hudson’s Bay.

The evening ended in a race to ring the bell, to identify classics from one-star Amazon ratings. Lone stars, as Adrian aptly put it.

“I believe the way you dress is a compliment to the people you are with,” says Adrian. “So I’m sorry that I’m basically saying, go fuck yourself, by what I am wearing today.”

Don’t worry, Adrian, I’m not taking it personally. And thanks for this candid with the cows, by the way.

Kidding! Great to see you! Literary Death Match marches on to Austin, London and San Francisco next. I have no doubt Adrian’s closet can support the world tour.

Crediting the Creator

10 / 13 / 1510 / 13 / 15

It’s cool when your photos get noticed. It’s even cooler when a publication asks your permission before it uses them, and offers to pay. This candid I shot while chatting with Jimmy Pattison (about his big Christmas tree star in the BPs, among other things) at the opening of Nordstrom Calgary caught the eye of Canadian Business Magazine…… who enlisted illustrator Alvaro Tapia Hidalgo to adapt it for an October 2nd story by Jim Sutherland, who was my first editor ever during the old Vancouver Magazine days. Nice story, Jim! And awesome illustration, Alvaro! Although I was digging the lavender plaid Jimmy was going with in the photo. He has some stylish moves, many of them tartan.Ripping stuff from the ol’ Interwebs has become so pervasive that many peeps out there don’t seem to realize that the person (or organization) who worked hard to create that content owns it. I appreciate it when credit is given where it is due. Like with my photo of this vehicle wrap on the streets of Calgary, to stick with the tartan topic. It resonated with super-cool British artist and author Toby Leigh, who’s so obsessed with fake Burberry he’s publishing a book on it. And of course, I support that! Delighted that my pic will be included, Toby. Especially because you asked.

Piero’s Purses

10 / 12 / 15

Pieoro Guidi’s purses have arrived in Calgary, with cocktails and canapés at Teatro’s private Opera Room. Because where else would you launch a collection of Italian handbags?In Louis Vuitton-meets-Little-Prince style, the Magic Circus collection offers Calgarians a whimsical take on handcrafted status bags.Melissa Grassi, of the Soundsaround family stores, first fell in love with Piero Guidi’s creations twenty years ago. Now she’s following her heart, bringing them to Canada. Vancouver and Calgary are the first to get their circus on. For those who prefer to skip the trapeze, she’s also offering the Lineabold collection — sleek leather and nylon Prada-esque understatement all around. Find them both at a pop-up shop at the Devenish Building on 17th Ave. Benvenuto to Calgary, Piero!

Makin’ the Kaiken

10 / 7 / 15

When Kaiken comes to town, they don’t mess around. Like Madonna, the Argentine wine is currently touring Canada. Last night, the vintner laid out a long table of nibbles at Vine Arts in Calgary, to assist with the consumption of mucho vino tinto.But first, Aurelio Montes Jr had some ‘splaining to do. Because, as you may have noticed, his wine’s name doesn’t match his family moniker. Kaiken was inspired by the Caiquenes that soar over Patagonia between Argentina and Chile. Following the flight path of those wild geese, Aurelio’s padre, the Chilean-born Montes Sr, migrated to the Mendoza region himself to make vintages that combine Argentine passion with the Swiss-like work ethic of Chileans. Not that I’m encouraging sweeping stereotypes here.

Turns out there’s more to Argie wines than Malbec. So much so, that Aurelio’s winemaking talk was entitled More Than Malbec. Here are my notes as we followed along, tasting from left to right.

Kaiken Ultra Cabernet Sauvignon. Soft, easy sipping. “It’s a cooking wine,” said Aurelio. But for him, that’s not a derogatory description. Because it’s for cooking. Like, feeling good about what you’re doing at the stove, hot stuff.

Ultra Malbec. Another easy drinker, although a bit bigger. However, not as many tannins as you might expect from a Malbec.

Terroir Series Malbec. The middle Malbec, not available in Calgary, unforch, is the party Malbec, according to Aurelio. “This one is for your friends who like to drink a lot, but know their wines.”

Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. Aurelio advised us to “smell the uncooked meat” with this one. Which, for an Argie who allocates two pounds of meat for every dinner guest over age 15 (who will each arrive armed with their own personal knife), is high praise. I don’t know if I smelled the early stages of asado, but it tasted lovely.

Reserve Malbec. Aurelio suggested pairing with salmon, or pork. “Not a big boy wine,” he said. But I think I’d be happy enlisting it to slosh down my Alberta beef-influenced carnivorous tendencies.

Aurelio’s talk of terroir turned into an impromptu geology lesson when he explained the boulders in his vineyards were left their by ancient rivers, not glaciers. Hint: you can tell because they’re round.

There was a lone wolf white, that started sweet but ended serious, apparently the ultimate escort to conger eel. However, after five reds, my tastebuds were committed to el rojo.Señor Montes handed out my favorite type of loot bags. And, just like any other rock star on tour, his Sharpie was ready to roll. Great grapes, Aurelio — muchas gracias!

Wearable Philanthropy

9 / 21 / 159 / 21 / 15

Simon and Gabby had a busy day of polo planned on Saturday, but they were happy to take a few moments to help spread the word about a Toronto-based initiative making the world a better place — through fashion.The Fabric of Humanity offers ethical employment for those in the apparel industry, from as far away as Columbia and Mongolia. And gives us a chance to wear our hearts on our tee.Fresh off a Kickstart fundraising success, in which 82 backers pledged $20,588, the Fabric of Humanity will be helping apparel industry workers in Tado, Columbia create their own co-operative and invest in professional sewing machinery.So when you don a Fabric of Humanity tee, you’re doing more than just making a change of clothes. You’re wearing clothes of change! Show your support in style here.I always have time for a little snuggle with Simon…… but soon it will be game time on the field behind us at the Calgary Polo Club. Time to get ready. Oh, and the players who oppose Team Blue Besos today? FYI, the charity stops with the T-shirt.

Hermes Pops Up at Spruce Meadows

9 / 15 / 159 / 15 / 15

Spruce Meadows may be a show jumping facility of international acclaim, regularly hosting the world’s best equestrians — but it took Hermes to get me there. I was glad it did, because not only did I get to salivate over my fantasy saddle, but I met a local rider who is making his mark on the world’s show jumping stage.My first stop was a white tent in the plaza near the West Grandstand. Inside, Hermes saddle maker Nicolas Cornebois had come all the way from Paris to demonstrate his craftsmanship on the item that every horse-mad girl with a weakness for luxury brands covets. Aka: moi.

The press release calls him a Master Saddle Maker, but Monsieur Cornebois demurred, telling me it wouldn’t fly with his colleagues back in France. Talented and humble.Meanwhile, salesmen swooped in with equestrian-themed scarves to swooning shoppers.The mercurial Cheval Fusion from this year’s Spring/Summer collection caught my eye.But the Hermes pop-up shop devoted most of its space to items for the horse enthusiasts attending the Masters CSIO 5. If your pony’s been hinting they’d like a tack upgrade, this was the place to take that carrot to the next level.

While many of us associate Hermes with high fashion for humans, the brand is still very connected to its roots as a 19th Century saddle and harness maker. Although I can’t help but give a thrifty heads-up: my secret source at the orange H tells me the $60 glycerin soap isn’t that different from what is available at the dollar store.However, Hermes isn’t above a little collab in the horse department. The historic brand recently worked with Freejump to develop these quick release stirrups…… which I saw in action a short time later …… in the Hermes branded warm-up ring.Romain Duguet, a Swiss riding superstar, is no stranger to Hermes. Not only is he sponsored by the company, he won the Grand Prix Hermes in Paris in April.The custom-built jumps mark the first time Hermes has partnered with Spruce Meadows. Obviously making Romain and Otello du Soleil feel right at home.Then came Ben. Perhaps in preparation for this moment, but more likely because the photogenic Ben Asselin is an amazing rider, Hermes’ most recent recruit is a hometown hero — who also happens to have the ultimate hometown advantage. Not only is 21-year old Ben from Calgary, he is the son of Canadian Olympic riders Jonathan Asselin and Nancy Southern… whose family owns Spruce Meadows.Ben’s horse, Plume de la Roque, makes Hermes gear look good. From quilted saddle pad to branded ear bonnet.Ben and Plume enter the International Ring at the Spruce Meadows Masters.Even though Plume sailed over this fence in the sizzling heat of Friday’s competition, Ben didn’t make the top twelve in the overall standings. (Romain placed 11th).However, the Hermes sponsorship makes Ben a winner in my books. Meanwhile, newsflash: Hermes also makes polo saddles. What do you think, Simon? Should I try one?

There’s An Ecco In Here

8 / 21 / 158 / 20 / 15

ECCO, the Danish footwear company, rolled out their tastefully understated grey carpet this week for their new store at Chinook Centre, featuring street wear styles so suave you’ll forget that they’re also… comfortable.Retail Division Manager Ron King prefers not to use that word. “Comfortable conveys the wrong image,” he says. Ie — these are not your grandma’s shoes. In from Toronto to help launch the store, he shows me the super-lightweight, super-soft leather that signals ECCO’s core craftsmanship.Watch out CTV Calgary. Bob Sumner is considering a new career in shoe modeling. And who thinks jumping up on new yak-leather benches is socially acceptable? But you can tell from the lack of raised eyebrows that it’s standard fashion blogger behavior — when one is amped up about ECCO’s just-launched Soft 7 leather high-tops. Light as a feather!

West Elm Branches Out To Calgary

8 / 20 / 158 / 20 / 15

It’s here! After months of anticipation, Calgarians will no longer have to stalk West Elm online. The fourth Canadian bricks-and-mortar location has sprung up just off the 17th Ave shopping district — part of the recent revival of Mount Royal Village. Maybe this means the nearby bizarre public toilet that costs a quarter and is used by no one will soon be flushed from the hood. As usual, I digress.The urban-loft-warehouse style space opened in the Blue Besos preferred manner: with a party! Catering was provided by the delectable Nicole Gourmet. If you were lucky, your glass was topped up by the marvelous Marlene McCarthy, who is also marvelous on the Calgary polo field, the site of many other fantastic parties.Back to the shopping. The Brooklyn-based West Elm is a sister store to the Williams-Sonoma and Pottery Barn empire, so it is essentially all kinds of hip for your home. On the local front, it’s partnering with Calgary artists and craftspeople for unique in-store items. Welcome to the neighborhood, West Elm!