Lurie puts up his dukes

"City of Calgary has starring role alongside Samuel L. Jackson in boxing film"
Director Rod Lurie has relocated the setting of the movie Resurrecting the Champ from LA to Denver just so he could film in Calgary. This was on the advice of Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain). Lurie says he will be back filming in Calgary if he can because
“Normally speaking, you shoot at least 12 hours a day and this crew is working with such efficiency they’re getting me out at nine, 10 hours.

“I think it’s really part of … the Canadian work ethic. ‘Get the job and get the job done without complaint,’ which I love."

Rod we'd love to have you back!
Lurie puts up his dukes

Take Out from Baba Ka Dhaba (East Indian)

A long time ago our friend Harj, told us about a little hole in the wall restaurant on 17 ave SE that served good East Indian food. Tuesday night we were on our way home from the Globalfest orientation and we hadn't had dinner yet. So we decided to finally try Baba ka Dhaba for some takeout. (Harj warned us it isn't really a sit down dinner kind of a place.)

Located in a tiny strip mall we walked into an oven like atmosphere full of delicious smells. There are a few tables with people eating from styrofoam plates and a counter to the kitchen where you order. We walked up to the counter and asked for a menu. They gave us a sheet of paper and pointed at the daily specials. We asked about butter chicken and he pointed at the daily specials. Tuesday is Nihari or Mixed Daal (beef or vegetarian) How many people he asked? Two we said and we would like some naan bread. Potato bread too he said. We agreed. Turns out our biggest choice is how many people and how hungry we were.

While we were waiting for our food 2 people came in who were also at the Globalfest orientation. They also asked about butter chicken, the answer came back, Friday is butter chicken, today is Nihari. Our order came, a medium sized tub of beef in sauce, a piping hot naan, and a potato bread with dips in little KFC gravy tubs. The total was $8. (5 for the meat, 2 for potato bread and 1 for naan) At home we dug in, delicous and spicy (probably mild for a seasoned east indian palate)

Wednesday night and all of a sudden it's late and we haven't gotten anything out for dinner. So it's back to Baba ka Dhabi. Tonight is goat curry, pakore curry (vegetarian) and chicken pilao (chicken and rice) with kheer (rice pudding) We opt for the goat curry, chicken pilao, potato bread, and naan. Our order comes up and he tells us they ran out of chicken so no charge for the container of deliciously spiced rice. So again our bill is $8. What a great place, every main course is $5 and your biggest choice is how many servings.

Baba ka Dhaba - 3504 17 Ave SE 207-5552 Be prepared to eat what they serve you, the way they spice it and you will have a great meal for a little price. Oh and take it home to eat.

Leighton Art Centre

Leaving the Millarville Farmers Market, I spotted a sign saying "Art Exhibit Today" with an arrow pointing north. Well after lunch and shopping in Turner valley, we decided to explore the beautiful foothills in search of the serindipitous.

Do you know that lost feeling you get when you are in unfamiliar territory and the signs are far and few between? Well there are only two signs at the turns in the 15 or so kilometres between Millarville and the Art Centre. The thing that kept us going was the beauty found around every bend in the road.

When we finally arrived at the end of the paved road that deposited us at the Leighton Art Centre Gallery and Museum, we wondered if it was open. There was a sign for a wedding and the only cars besides ours was the wedding party's. In front of us as a non descipt little white house. Well here goes nothing and we walked in.

Inside there are paintings everywhere, and as you walk to the back you reach the living room/museum and you see why A.C. built here, wall to wall foothills and Rocky Mountains. A landscape artists nirvana.

The Leighton Art Centre is open Tuesday to Saturday 10-4, closed Holidays. Worth the drive just to see the views around every corner and to fantasize about having a mansion on the top of a hill. Hang in there and check the map on the website, because signs are small and few and far between.
Leighton Art Centre, Gallery & Museum driving directions

Millarville Farmers Market

Well we finally did it, we got up and out of the house early enough on a Saturday morning to make it to the Millarville farmers market. I say early enough because the market is only open from 8:30 to 12 Saturday mornings June to October. The market is about 30 km south of Calgary, so leaving at the ungodly hour of 9:30 allowed us a couple of hours to explore the market. This is the motherlode of outdoor farmers markets with over 160 vendors in an outdoor country fair type setting.

This being the August long weekend and a sunny day, it was packed. Since it was after 10 and many people had already come and gone, we were able to park right in front. (hint if you follow the crowd be prepared to walk.) We entered and made our way through the crowds of eager shoppers. There seemed to be equal numbers of food and craft vendors, so we hit the food type places, where most had samples of their wares.

We purchased a 4 lb bag of nice greenhouse tomatoes and then spied someone with a large basil plant in her bag. She directed us to a booth at the back of the market where they were selling many different varieties of basil and other herbs. We asked if they had any Thai basil (our favourite) and she said she was sold out except for one that had wilted in the cold, which she was reluctant to sell. We said that we would take it off her hands for a discount which she then offered to us for half of their normal $4 price. On the way out we purchased some kamut bread from one of the many bread vendors and a snack of a wee loaf of chocolate zuccini cake.
http://www.millarville.ab.ca/farmers_market.htm

After leaving the market we opted to continue south to Turner Valley and lunch at a place called Coyote Moon, a local coffee/breakfast/lunch place. We had some mocha's and an omlette, very tasty. Standing in line we realized we knew the fellow in front of us from somewhere. Turns out it was Ron from Longview who collects antique radios and had purchased a old Eaton viking radio/record player from us last year. He invited us to join him and his companion Irene and we had an interesting eclectric conversation over coffee and breakfast.
All and all a good morning. See the next entry for our visit to the A.C. Leighton gallery on the way home.

A great find: Purple Perk

We found a wonderful spot the other day. On 4th Street, in the Mission Area.

It used to be a coffee shop called the Planet (or was it the "Daily Planet") that blew smoke rings everytime the door opened. You could not step foot inside without thinking you had spent a few hours inside of a bar. (Calgary is one of the few major cities left that has not yet imposed a global no-smoking ban. Kinda makes you wonder who is paying our city aldermen...)

Well, smoke rings no more. The whole place has had a make-over. The only thing I recognize is the bulletin board on the back wall of the restaurant.

It has a new menu, great coffees, and wonderful old fashioned coffee/mocha milk shakes. The clerk warned us that we might want to share. It was huge. Remember the kind from the old days where they give you the tin mixing cup with the remaining shake? I was stuffed. We promised each other we would share next time we went.

.... which we did tonight.
.... but they weren't quite as generous.
.... however, it was still delicious.

Dinner at Jonas' Restaurant

We recently ate at Jonas' Restaurant. I believe that is pronounced "Yaw-nish".

We had read about it previously, but had never been there. We were feeling in a bit of a celebratory mood, and decided on something different.

Firstly, eating right downtown Calgary for dinner is decidedly uncongested compared to downtown dining at lunch-time.

Secondly, meter parking is free after 6 pm. (after 5 on Saturdays, and free all day Sundays). While there may be slightly fewer choices in venue since some of the downtown locations are only open for breakfast and lunch, the ones that are open are great scores.

The servings, as you can see, are very large. I had the Chicken Paprikash served with home-made Dumplings. It is very similar to a dish my mom makes, which is why I chose it. My mom's has a bit more depth to the sauce, I'm not sure exactly what was missing perhaps some heat (no one cooks like mom), but it was excellent none-the-less.

Art had Wiener Schnitzel from pork with home-made potato... the potatoes were prepared had dill and butter and ? That was fabulous as well. He helped me eat my dish, and we took one of his schnitzels and a heap of potatoes and enjoyed it just as much for lunch the next day.

Both dishes were $11.50. And I will be returning. Perhaps with my parents when they visit next month.

Looking for good food? Get yerself out of the burbs and into downtown for dinner!

Categories: CheapEats, Dining, Entertainment, CalgaryRestaurants,