BeatRoute Magazine AB print e-edition - March 2017

The NASH
beware of the Quarter Horse!
Inside the inviting expanse of the Off Cut Bar, with
its warm blue panels, natural wood furnishings and
soft glow of sunlight, there’s two large plaques on
the far wall with a collection of mug shots, crica1920s
and ‘30s, of men who roamed the rough and tumble
streets of Calgary. Inglewood, where the Off Cut is
located alongside the posh Nash restaurant, was once
the city’s rugged commercial strip and all too familiar
with the types of characters in those mug shots and
their rowdy ongoings.
When Michael Noble, The Nash’s renown chef,
first acquired the main floor of the old National Hotel
in its dilapidated state, he wasn’t deterred with the
renovation challenges.
“A designer would look at this space and say, ‘Wow,
it’s kind of awkward.’ But I saw potential and had
always wanted to have a bar. The cocktail renaissance
was happening, and the natural for me was, ‘Let’s do a
bar and put some live music in there.’”
Even before Noble was aware of the National’s
punk and blues bar history, he wanted to call the place
by B.Simm
The Nash, the nickname associated with the hotel
dating way back.
“On that first day I knew what I was going call it.
And when I was a having a bit of a fight with the provincial
heritage people, I did some digging around and
found that back in the ‘70s and early ‘80s almost an
identical sign advertising the old blues bar was on the
side of the building. ‘Holy shit, the place was actually
called that!’ So A, I got my connection with the old
blues bar. And B, I got approval on my signage.”
Noble says the decor inside “pays homage to the
history of what’s been here for decades and decades,
along with honouring old school cocktails.” One
‘notable’ cocktail on the liquor menu is the fabulous
and most dangerous Quarter Horse Jim Bean Black
Bourbon. “Yeah,” he chuckles, “every Quarter Horse
takes one leg off. After two....”
Proud that he’s connected with the past, but with
a fresh, modern spin on the food and atmosphere,
when the lights go down Noble loves the “sultry, sexy
feel that takes over.”
SIMONS OPENING
Quebec-based retailer cosies up to downtown
NORTH OF ORDINARY
stunning Artic photography unearthed by the Glenbow
If I asked you who the first professional
female photographer in
western Canada was, you’d probably
draw a blank. Being the first
of anything is enough to win you a
place in a text book, however Geraldine
Moodie’s story doesn’t stop at
her craft, the images themselves tell
a tale of what life looked like at one
of the most remote corners of our
country: Nunavut.
The Glenbow Museum reveals
North of Ordinary, the photojournalistic
account of Geraldine Moodie
(1854-1945) and her husband
Douglas (1849-1947) over time in
the original great white north. The
couple travelled the Artic together
as Douglas was senior officer in the
North Western Mounted Police
(NWMP). Geraldine was a seasoned
portrait photographer in both
Alberta and Saskatchewan, and
Douglas championed for her to be
the NWMP photographer. Unfortunately,
Geraldine was denied the job and instead the NWMP hired
another officer who was less equipped to deal with the elements and
ironically spent most of his time on a boat. Regardless of the NWMP’s
hiring blunder, Geraldine continued to photograph her surroundings,
along with Douglas, an aspiring photographer taught by his
wife. The couple’s detailed journals and photographic accounts of
the cold, culture and community that happened around them is
nothing short of an artistic time capsule.
What makes the Moodie’s story even more unique is that the artifacts
shown in North of Ordinary were only brought to light in the
last two years, before then only roughly 50 prints were available for
viewing across Canada. Zoltan Varadi, Glenbow’s Communications
Specialist, has described the exhibit as a “treasure trove” of visual and
written history not before shown to the masses. “Prior to 2015 not
much was known about Geraldine. Our archives department was
tipped off by a local historian who mentioned the Moodie’s great
grandchildren may be sitting on a cache of material.” The Glenbow
inquired, and over 1000 negatives, journals, letters and a uniform
were donated as part of the exhibit.
by Jennifer Thompson
Uncovered in Geraldine’s photos are her captivating portraits of
the Inuit people. “Geraldine would take photos of the locals and
then invite the subjects, and others stationed in the area to view the
photos on their boat,” says Varadi. In most cases the subjects had
never seen photos of themselves, and Geraldine was able to further
capture this on film. “A photo within a photo,” as Varadi describes
it can also be seen in the exhibit. “[the Moodies] would have these
photographic slide shows by lantern and created a small community
with through these gatherings.”
Although the historic account of such a remote part of our country
is fascinating, the artistry of the exhibit shouldn’t be discounted.
Geraldine was primarily a portrait photographer, while Douglas focused
on landscapes. Through out the exhibit their craft evolves and
influences each other, adding another layer to their dynamic story.
Geraldine may not have gotten the job, but she excelled at
capturing history in a distinctive way, only to benefit Canadians for
generations to come.
North of Ordinary can be seen from February 14 to September 10,
2017 at The Glenbow Museum.
Calgary’s Stephen Avenue has a distinct feel. One block away from
the city’s most effective transit options, the Red and Blue Lines
of the C-Train, the hub serves as a frontline for anyone entering,
exiting, or dwelling in Calgary’s downtown core. Fellow Canadian enterprises
Hudson’s Bay Company and Holt Renfrew already hold dominion
over the inner city department store crowd, but player three is about to
enter the game.
Simons began in Quebec City in 1889, some 138 years ago. In the time
since, the brand, also known as La Maison Simons, has opened 13 stores
- their March debut in Calgary being number 14. The Core Shopping
Centre bordering Stephen and 7th Avenues is where they’ll call 95,000
square feet home.
CEO Peter Simons says “The key for Calgary was to bring Simons to the
heart of the city in a way that pairs our contemporary style with the heritage
of a historic building,” adding that across five stories of retail space the retailer
would “[create] an exciting shopping experience where customers can explore
our branded environments; each with its own space and personality.”
Having shopped at Simons in Montreal and Edmonton, this writer can
say that the appeal lies in the options. Simons offers in-house brands, trendy
labels, and haute couture in their palace-sized storefronts. A regular at Wal-
Mart can afford “le 31,” a budget-geared property of Simons, while a fashion
week dilettante can actually try on some Maison Margiela instead of ordering
from afar. Those between the two poles can peruse of-the-moment standalone
brands and Simons’ range of lifestyle originals in tandem.
The Bay already offers affordables and semi-premium pieces, while Holt’s
in Calgary is mostly dedicated to the high end. From personal experience,
Simons seems to encompass the strengths of both while feeling distinct unto
itself, thanks to its many original lines.
What’s precarious about their opening is Simons’ aggressive proximity to
their competition. Does a city of one million with a sprawling geography have
the concentration to support a rivalry of this size in a mere three city blocks?
Let’s not forget that, while further away, American giant Nordstrom is
vying for a similar clientele at Chinook Mall, one of the city’s most patronized
shopping districts.
Trends are not data, but it’s tempting to surmise that Calgary’s abundance
(perhaps even excess) of premium department stores is a testament to our
fragile economy’s recovery.
Only time will tell. What we know now is that a domestic enterprise is on
the horizon of disrupting the status quo of premium retail in Calgary. At the
very least, it’s worth your curiosity.
Simons opens March 2017 in downtown Calgary.
rendering: McKinley Burkhart
• Colin Gallant
10 | MARCH 2017 • BEATROUTE CITY