Charles Smith is not your average winemaker. For one he’s Food & Wine’s 2009 winemaker of the year and scores in the high 90’s with Robert Parker (if you buy into that whole thing). His labels feature skulls, skeletons and kung fu kicking girls. He’s got a mop of hair that would make early Jon Bon Jovi jealous and, sometimes, he reveals more than the complexity of a wine at his tastings.

“Unfortunately not every event I’ve been able to keep my clothes on, but for the most part, it’s been pretty good,” says Smith from his winery in Walla Walla, Washington.

“I guess somebody flips a little switch in my head and says: ‘Now it’s time to pull my pants down.’”

His reasoning behind throwing a party rather than a stuffy tasting is that we all grew up with rock ‘n’ roll and … Read More

Does Calgary live up to its billing of Cowtown? Um, I guess today it does.

Driving home for lunch I watched as a bull bolted from it's makeshift pasture beside the Erlton LRT station across Macloed Trail. One shocked pedestrian wasn't quite sure what to do, smartly placing a streelight pole between himself and the large, confused beast. Imagine what was going through his head.

As one Stampede protective services staffer ran across Macloed and the bull made its way for the greener pastures of luxury condos bordering the river, police started to arrive.

The bull was last seen stuck while trying to climb onto the terrace of the condo buildings. The worst part, I left my camera at the office, damn it. Other pedestrians, perhaps a little … Read More

Dear CJSW,

Please turn 25 every year from now on and throw a big music party.

Love,

Drew

I looked around, a big, dorky smile on my face. As I panned over the crowd, I realized I wasn't the only one glowing from the sheer fun of what was going on at Olympic Plaza. Smiling faces were everywhere and everyone was dancing — teenagers, parents, hipsters, hippies and electro music freaks. Calgarians, hundreds of them, were dancing.

For those of you who missed Snowblower last night (part of the High Performance Rodeo), well, too bad for you. Olympic Plaza was almost full, in the middle of January, and under the gaze of city hall, in what felt like the start of better things to come in Cowtown.

In 1995 I packed my bags and left Calgary, vowing never to return. It took ten years, but I eventually made my way home and found a city that had grown … Read More

Calgary is pretty spoiled when it comes to improv. Loose Moose started the global phenomena that is theatre sports right here. Our improvisors can stand alongside some of the best.

And some of the best just hit town. The Pajama Men (Shenoah Allen and Mark Chavez ) opened their 5-day run as part of the HIgh Performance Rodeo last night at Lunchbox Theatre. If you can still get tickets to this performance, get tickets to this performance. It's hilarious.

It's a chaotic humour that Canadians, especially those who grew up with the Kids in the Hall, should enjoy. Allen and Chavez constantly push each other's buttons, trying to derail and outshine the other. Some of the best moments come when they succeed.

Set on a train, with a recurring set of … Read More

Marsha Ellen Meidow, a well known advocate for homeless women and director passed away from an aneurysm on January 6.

There will be a memorial and fundraiser for funeral expenses held at The Republik on Sunday, January 10 starting at 4 pm.

The family is asking guests to bring food for a potluck and any photos they may have of Marsha. Artists are being asked to bring their work for a silent auction to help the family pay the expenses of the funeral.

Those who wish to contribute their talent can contact Charity at 403-613-1383.

Our condolences go out to Marsha's friends and family, especially Tank Standing Buffalo, a man who has been through more than his share of pain in recent times.

RIP Marsha

 ****UPDATE****

Xtra confirms that this story isn't accurate. They were told differently by Virgin Mobile, but it's confirmed. Calgary Transit never placed the ad in the first place.

****UPDATE ****

There is some confusion as to whether CT did in fact pull the two men kissing ad. Waiting for confirmation from source quoted in Xtra story.

I don't want to say Calgary is a hick city with a homophobia problem. That wouldn't be fair. But Calgary is a hick city with a homophobia problem.

For gay pride, Fast Forward Weekly ran a cover with two men kissing. That week, I was constantly replacing the cover in our boxes spread through the centre city. Someone (or multiple people) was removing the paper in the front of the box, cleansing it of the image. It was also the least … Read More

This subject line in an email made my morning.

"Your lovestick won't get tired Heat in your firm meat Supercharge lovegun."

Best. Poetry. Ever.

 … Read More

Here's something for those who like to look for secret clues. The people that study imgaes of the Pentagon and theorize that a cruise missile, not a plane, slammed into the buildling on September 11. Yes, here's my conspiracy theory of the day.

Renderings of the East Village plan, as reported in Fast Forward Weekly (September 17) reveal a familiar shape to the King Eddy/National Music Centre design.

Almost directly in the middle of the image, across from the first tower facing the train tracks. That building looks an awful lot like this:

Cantos will be announcing the winning design next week, but they already know who won. Did they share that information with the design team behind the master plan of East Village? Who knows, but I've had a … Read More

Wordfest announced its lineup on August 25 and, once again, it's a great mix of local and international talent.

Shani Mootoo, Wayson Choy, Wil Ferguson, Roland Pemberton (a.ka. Cadence Weapon), Zoe Whittall, Lorna Crozier, Hal Niedzviecki, graphic artist extraordinaire Seth and manga/Haida mashup master Micheal Nicoll Yahgulanass are among the Canadian highlights.

There's also the big names: John Irving (almost a Canadian) and Douglas Coupland. Appearing before the lauch of the fest, Margaret Atwood will host an evening at Knox United Church and after the festival, Rex Murphy hits town.

Phwew. And those are just some of the Canadians (and Irving).

Rukhshana Khan, Mathew Skelton, Miguel Angel Arenas, Joan London, David Huerty and many … Read More