Calgary, Unexpected

Turns out, Cow Town is much, much more than steaks and Stampede. —Noa Nichol

stay. Sleek, stylish and central, Le Germain provides the perfect home base from which to explore Calgary’s downtown core and many eclectic neighbourhoods beyond (it’s also a mere hour’s drive from the Canadian Rockies). Among the hotel’s most-impressive features (and there are many): a plethora of stunning Canadian-made artwork carefully curated by co-president Christiane Germain; bathtubs (in the luxe apartment suite, anyway) that fill from the ceiling; open-ended check-out times (sleep in sans worry); and heavenly linen that’s available for sale at Simons, so you can take a portion of your hotel experience home. Be sure to chat with concierge extraordinaire Benjamin Phillips, who knows Calgary like the back of his hand, and take advantage of the hotel’s special Nama-Stay offering, which includes an on-site open-access yoga studio and plush Lululemon mat rentals (no charge) from the front desk.

see. While the city is easy enough to navigate by car and public transit, biking may be the best way to experience all that Calgary has to offer. Have a rental bike, complete with lock and helmet, delivered right to the Le Germain lobby by Nomad Mobile Gear Rentals (which offers custom tours, too), pick up a copy of blogger Mike Morrison’s Calgary by Bike—a must-have map that highlights routes and hot spots, printed on the same waterproof paper as Canadian currency, natch—and hit the most extensive urban pathway system in all of North America. (This year, be sure to pedal to Olympic Plaza, a few short blocks from the hotel, to take selfies with the rainbow-coloured ground squirrel figures that have popped up in honour of Canada’s 150th.)

shop. Though Calgary offers a range of therapeutic—in the retail sense—opportunities, a visit would not be complete without a stop in Inglewood. Besides being the city’s oldest, this charming neighbourhood boasts a concentrated cluster of unique storefronts. Among our favourites: Plant (possibly the chicest urban garden centre we’ve ever seen, with an assortment of living blooms and buds, gorgeous ceramic pots and planters, bird and bee houses and take-home terrarium kits); The Uncommons, where you’ll find everything from bicycles—and the aforementioned Calgary by Bike map—to beard oil (don’t miss the limited-time Canadiana back-room pop-up, featuring maple syrup and toques galore); and the ultimate men’s store, Kent of Inglewood, which is part old-timey barber (book a hot-towel shave with your choice of one or two passes), part shave shop (grooming products and straight-razor workshops, to boot), part axe and knife emporium. Like we said, the ultimate men’s store.

Psst: Get a taste of what Kent of Inglewood has to offer, by visiting its Vancouver pop-up shop (we were told by storekeepers in Calgary a permanent West Coast outfit is in the works). 4215 Main St., 604-215-1033

savour. As this story’s subhead suggests, there’s much, much more to Calgary in the way of dining than steak (although that remains a staple in the city’s food scene, and rightly so). Our visit included lunch at Deane House—a restaurant based in a heritage and, purportedly, haunted building serving up seasonal, regional plates (the garden greens salad features herbs and flowers from the on-site garden), plus a Pan-Asian supper at Foreign Concept (try the charcuterie, with honey black pepper black Angus beef jerky, Vietnamese mortadella, five-spice magret duck prosciutto, lemongrass pork belly rillettes, house apple mustard and Asian-style pickles). Another memorable meal was had at Ten Foot Henry, where a "vegetable-anchored menu" proves vegetarians are, indeed, welcome in Calgary (the bucatini is to die for, as are the tomatoes topped with fresh herbs and whipped feta, served with a side of local Sidewalk Citizen Bakery sourdough).

sip. Among several noteworthy watering holes—not to mention, a healthy community of cool craft breweries—Proof Cocktails & Curiosities stands out (and not just because its bar manager possesses the ultra-slick name of Jeff Savage). Library-like in looks, with a bottle collection to rival any longer-established lounge, Proof prides itself on mixing and pouring thoughtfully prepared drinks with old-fashioned good service. The menu, according to Savage, changes with the seasons, and features all-original cocktails (and non-alcoholic concoctions, too), some of which are years in the making. The El Santo, for example, on Proof’s spring menu, took three years to develop, and includes a deep, dark and delicious mix of mezcal, Amaro Montenegro, crème de cacao, agave syrup and—the kicker—smoke from a burning piece of the so-thought mystical Palo Santo tree.

side trip. A visit to Calgary cannot, arguably, be considered complete without a trip to the mountains. Set a course dead west on scenic Highway 1A toward the town of Cochrane and stop in at the Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary—a non-profit org dedicated to rescuing and providing a safe haven for wolfdogs (just as they sound, part wolf and part dog, to varying degrees) that have been neglected, abandoned or otherwise displaced. Take a tour, glimpse the residents (who range from elusive to curious to downright playful) and maybe even considering taking one home (eventually—the adoption process is thorough to ensure the long-term well-being of the animals). Note: don’t be fooled by Skookum, the sanctuary’s friendly official greeter—he’s pure Alaskan malamute (extra-giant, at that) without an ounce of wolf (but plenty of sloppy kisses) in him. When you’re finally able to tear yourself away, continue east to picturesque Canmore, to wander through a fabulous Thursday farmers’ market, check out local mom-and-pop shops (be sure to stop in at Canmore-headquartered Rocky Mountain Soap Co., famous for its natural beauty creations) and fuel up with a hiker bowl (kale, spinach, organic quinoa, beets, apples, cucumbers, dried cranberries, almonds and gluten-free granola, dressed your way) at Communitea Cafe. Then, make your way to Grassi Lake trail for a totally doable hike that leads to two majestic turquoise (really—the colour must be seen to be believed) lakes.