Posts tagged: Travel Alberta

This is a RE-POST.  Technology as you know can be a benefit or a curse…  So in case you missed this the first time.  🙂
Nutmeg is not directionally challenged (that she will admit) although it is possible that she may not always consider the directions exactly.  She was pretty sure that she knew exactly where to find this market.  Well not quite – after battling rush-hour traffic and circling the whole of Market Mall she realized that the Google Map instructions would have been helpful… In any case she arrived and it was fun despite the cold weather. (more…)

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Alberta Farmers Markets, Alberta Organic Produce, Northland Village Market Calgary, Travel Alberta

Bearspaw Farmers Market is only open on Sundays (11am to 3pm – see note) from June to October. Cinnamon, Nutmeg and the Market Dog (Jade) went for a drive to check out this market on Sunday.  (more…)

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Alberta Farmers Markets, Alberta Organic Produce, Bearspaw Farmers Market, Calgary Area Markets, Food Markets in Alberta, Travel Alberta

Market day in Banff is Wednesdays (8am to about 4pm).  Ginger and Nutmeg decided to ride to Banff, from Canmore, on the path that is officially called the Banff Legacy Trail. Although, his Royal Highness The Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex officially opened a completed section on July 24th, the rest of the trail is not technically opened as there are five bridge sections yet to be finished.  If the current level of bike, roller-blade and foot traffic is any indication the trail will be very well utilized. The Banff Legacy Trail is a significantly safer option than riding on the shoulder of the TransCanada.

The Banff “market” is located at Bumpers as you first enter the town and that is the good news, as there is no need to drive down main street.  Currently, the market is essentially one vendor, Glen and his tractor trailer from BC.  Regardless of the limited choice in vendors, there is a wide variety…

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Alberta Farmers Markets, Banff National Park, Food in Banff, Travel Alberta

This market is very new on the Calgary scene, it opened on July 7th  (note the spelling on the sign…shy a few letters).   Nutmeg is very excited about the potential for this market, it is centrally located, particularly for those in folks who live in the Southwest.  The Kingsland Farmers Market is located at 7711 Macleod Trail South in the old Shaw GMC location.  The Kingsland Market is open 4 days a week: Wednesday through Friday from noon until 6:30pm and on Saturdays from 9-3pm.  There is site is work in progress, as they are converting the old car showroom and auto body shop into a permanent indoor location for the vendor stands.  So when the weather turns back to winter for good, the vendors will be inside, for now they are outside in the parking lot.  There are about 20 vendors currently with a mix of produce, prepared meals and baking.  Merchants include some that can be found…

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Alberta Farmers Markets, Alberta Organic Produce, Calgary Area Markets, Kingsland Farmers Market, Travel Alberta

Canmore has lots of choice in restaurants, although not much ethnic variety beyond sushi and a few restaurants with Asian influences (please let Nutmeg know if anyone ever goes to the Chinese restaurant…she does not think so).
The Aroma Cafe is now located on Canmore’s Main Street (it used to be co-located with Zonas on 9th Street) and likely has to pay crazy Canmore retail rent as a result of their new location.  They have a warm, casual interior with a combination of table seating, banquets and a small shaded patio.  Ginger, Nutmeg, CardaMOM and Montreal Steak Spice ventured over for a Sunday morning breakfast.   The drip coffee is decent and hot.  The breakfast options include the usual fare along with Mexican influenced breakfast burritos, huevos rancheros, Mexican scrambled eggs and your choice omlettes – all dishes come with sides of very decent crispy potatoes, spicy green tomatillo sauce and black beans.  The service is attentive yet not too overbearing…

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Aroma Cafe, Canadian Rockies, Canmore, Mexican, Restaurant Reviews, restaurants, Travel Alberta

As you might have gathered thus far, Nutmeg loves good coffee or to be more specific, espresso.  Thankfully, Canmore has some good options in this regard.
Mountain Mercato is located on Main Street in Canmore. This storefront is a few things; deli, coffee shop, specialty food store and a place for a light meal.  Recently, Mountain Mercato expanded their location and created a seating area inside as well as additional street-side patio seats.  Nutmeg has pretty much avoided this place as it is quite pretentious for Canmore.
However, Nutmeg is also insanely curious when it comes to food, retail and of course coffee.  So she decided to head over for a latte after yoga this morning.  The inside expansion has been well done, the seating is very bistro style and well appointed, it looks like it belongs.  The service bar has been expanded allowing for more barrista space.  The outdoor patio seating is awkward as it is essentially two sections separated…

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Canmore Restaurants, Mountain Mercato, Restaurant Reviews, Travel Alberta

The Crossroads Market in Calgary is a year round facility, open Friday to Sunday 9am to 5pm.  The current location at 1235 – 26th Avenue SE, was once a Canada Packers Building…quite fitting for a market.  The indoor/outdoor space is a significant 100,000 square feet. There are over a hundred merchants of “antiques and crafts”  – Nutmeg’s take on this section… JUNK.  Once you get past the old vinyl records and velvet art there is a solid stable of indoor food stands that offer some variety to the somewhat bland Calgary grocery stores. (more…)

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Alberta Farmers Markets, Alberta Organic Produce, Calgary Area Markets, Crossroads Market, Travel Alberta

Thursday is market day in Canmore, for the summer months only.  New this year, the town closes off the blocks between Main Street (8th) and 10th Street on 7th Avenue.  This central venue in front of the Civic Centre, creates a great pedestrian friendly community gathering place.  The market starts around 8am, “Canmore time“, and runs until about 4pm.  Last Thursday, was one of the three days of summer that Southern Alberta has experienced this year, it was a sunny, cloudless 26 degrees Celsius – perfect for market going. (more…)

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Alberta, Alberta Farmers Markets, Canadian Rockies, Canmore, Organic Produce, Travel Alberta

Nutmeg loves the Crazy Weed Kitchen in Canmore.  The food is consistently good with a strong Asian influence.  Signature starters include; Vietnamese pork meatballs and salt and pepper calamari.  Nutmeg’s favorite main course is the red curry seafood bowl and Ginger loves the fettuccine with chorizo, big shrimp, grilled vegetables and creamy tomatillo and chipotle sauce.
The Crazy Weed can only be described as eclectic.  It is located on Railway Avenue in Canmore, after a move from Main Street a couple years ago.  The building was purpose built for the restaurant, with high ceilings, a green roof that looks a bit shaggy, a design that creates essentially two main dining areas, great mountain vistas and a casual deck.  The decor is simple with white walls and splashes of color in the seating.  The atmosphere is busy and the appearance of unfinished “projects” (art that is still to be hung, herb planters that are still waiting to be finished) seems to…

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Canmore Alberta, Canmore Restaurants, Crazyweed Restaurant, Restaurant Reviews, Travel Alberta

In Calgary, our true farmers market season is painfully short.  There are thankfully some reputable “local” producers, who supply some great produce during the spring and summer months.  It is a joyous occasion when Nutmeg sees the start of the local tomatoes from Gull Valley Greenhouse or Paradise Hill Farm. (more…)

Recipes & Travel:
Alberta Farmers Markets, Alberta Organic Produce, Calgary Area Markets, Travel Alberta