Fabricated

We partnered up with Live Cosmo Calgary last week and were lucky enough to be featured as their guest bloggers/tweeters. Make sure to check out the blog post and follow them on Twitter and Facebook if you don't already! They've got amazing local deals, and daily giveaways. We're also going to be covering some future events for them, so keep your eyes open for details about when and where!

Big shout out to Mike and the rest of the fantastic team at Live Cosmo! Thanks for everything guys, Cheers! 

The Art Gallery Of Calgary Features Bass Bus

Friday night Jason and I went down to the Art Gallery of Calgary where the guys of Bass Bus were throwing the "Calgary Collects" Party. We were lucky enough to score VIP passes to the pre-party (Thank's Gareth!) which had great appetizers, art and music. All four levels of the gallery were open to the public for viewing of rarely before seen pieces, and in the back alley Bass Bus had parked, and set up a DJ booth. It was a fantastic mix, the sophisticated atmosphere of the Gallery mixed with the laid back beats of some great musicians. There was a lot to look at; be it the art, the bus itself (If you've never seen it you're really missing out!) or any of the other entertainers which included fire dancers. It was a fantastic night, and the guys are super approachable. They spent the whole night visiting with party-goers, and it's pretty obvious they're all super passionate about supporting local artists and providing them with reasonable ways to reach new audiences. They've got a ton of great plans for the future of the bus, and I really can't wait to see it all! 

Jason (Left) and our friend Chris (Right) 

The Dong Show

(Sorry  for the delay!)

Don't get your minds out of the gutter, you read right and it's probably along the lines of what you're thinking. Chelsey and myself went to Stoneworx in Art Central for a couple art shows, specifically - the Dong show. Five local artists got their heads together and came up with an interesting concept surrounding the male reproductive organ. The notion began with the realization that art in the form of a male's anotomy is very rare and hard to come by. You see a woman's figure portraied in very sensual and artistic ways, but not a man's. Each one of them created their own take of the penis using their medium of choice. There was every style of art; photographs, paintings, sculptures, and carvings. Luckily, we scored an interview with one of the artists, Lisa Heinricks. The meduim that she is most familiar with is Acrylic, and occasionally she'll use mixed mediums like in her "Freddy Flowers" compostition. You can find her work at Stoneworx, Jerry Thomas, and Harrison (in Vancouver). Stay tuned for updates on other shows coming up!

Chinatown Festival!

Today I spent the afternoon, in the nearly 30 degree heat, enjoying the market and entertainment that the Chinatown community was putting on. I have to admit, this was by far the most different festival I've been to yet! There were so many things I've never seen before. From food, to drinks, to the entertainment, every part of today was a learning experience. There were lots of people in stands along the streets, and just as many had laid their wares down along the sidewalk for everyone to view and buy. There was different foods and small grocery markets to check out, with food I've never seen. My favorite stand was Swoon, though. They sold amazing handmade jewelry that looked so delicate and had the best collection of colorful leather bags. I wanted it all! Everything in the market area was so colorful, and the entertainment didn't disappoint either. Just as colorful, and everything I'd hoped for. For somewhere, right in the middle of downtown, there's a world of difference. If you didn't go this year, you have to next August.

I loved this sign that Swoon had up. And this is a small sampling of their amazing stand! One day, that green bag will be mine!

Salsa Fest!

Free all-you-can-eat salsa?? Say no more, I'm there! The sun was shining, the streets were jam packed and the music was very welcoming, so I rounded up 2/3 of my sisters and was ready to feast. I couldn't believe the amount of people that showed up for this event, all i could think was "OH NO! they're going to eat all my salsa!", but there was plenty to go around. You gotta love the friendly competition between all the different vendors and companies battling to the death for the best salsa in town. There was every kind that you could think of from your most traditional tomato salsa, to a version completely composed of fruit, to a salsa made from cream cheese! You couldn't have asked for a sunnier day, a greater atmosphere, a better crowd nor a vibe more exciting. I have to say, the result was a very full Ivanka! Salsa Fest, we'll see you next year!

Endless sea of humans!

Round One!

Happy Ivanka with her chips and salsa

My sisters and I enjoying the eats!

Fiestaval!

Last weekend I decided to show my younger sister downtown Calgary, since she's never been before. While showing her Stephen Ave. and hoping to show her Olympic Plaza we heard music. Out of the blue we were in the middle of a market! It wasn't until later that I realised we had stumbled upon the Calgary Latin Festival. There were amazing vendors everywhere, and food from all over. The atmosphere was amazing. People dancing, viewing the endless vendor stands and trying all of the tasty, multicultural, food. It was awesome, to say the least, to be suddenly swallowed up among the crowd. We watched the musicians for a while, and got to see some extremely talented dancers. Everyone was so happy and carefree, it was the best possible way to spend a sunny Saturday afternoon and I'm so glad my sister got a preview of the amazing Calgary culture.

Stampede Breaky

Who doesn’t love free breakfast?! Chinook Center hosted the biggest pancake breakfast in the city, feeding thousands of mouths on Saturday, July 9th. The line ups seemed forever long, but somehow I managed to surpass the crowds and land a spot right in front of The Food Network's very own Ned Bell! All decked out in Stampede gear, Ned was flipping flapjacks for everyone that attended. The live band was the perfect entertainment for dancers, loungers, young, young at heart, tourists and locals! Tones of family fun surrounded the mall; bouncy houses, fire trucks (and fire fighters!), 'horse' racing, games, balloon animals and virtual chuck wagon races! Thanks to everyone who made it out! And, to those who didn't, it's not the last one! Click here for other Stampede Breakfasts coming up!

Cowboy Breakfast

Anyone who's anyone loves free stuff. So, if you're a lover of free food, the Stampede Caravan is for you! It runs from 9am to 11am almost every morning from the 7th to the 16th. They're serving up some tasty pancakes, sausage and juice with each meal, all for free! You can check out their schedule here which has all of the Caravan locations as well. Ivanka will be covering the one this weekend, so keep your eyes open for her!



Also, be sure to check out our Facebook Page for information about the Stampede fashion show on Stephen Ave this Thursday!