Author: Sharon Yeo

Sharon is an Edmonton-based blogger who has been writing about food since 2006.

Food without a View: The Copper Pot

On Tuesday, Mack and I joined my fellow board members and their spouses at The Copper Pot for our belated appreciation dinner. It was originally supposed to happen last December, but was pushed back due to scheduling conflicts.

Unfortunately, the view on this spring day out of the restaurant’s stunning panoramic windows wasn’t any better five months late, as the grey clouds and rain (although needed) cast a shroud over the otherwise scenic Legislature and Ezio Farone Park (I thought I had taken a photo of the view during my previous visit, but no dice).

The Copper Pot had divided our private party of thirty into three separate tables at the back of the restaurant. And although the restaurant was never full over the course of our stay, all of the tables lining the expansive windows were occupied at one point or another – not bad for a mid-week evening.

Instead of a wholly fixed meal, we were provided with at least two options for each of the four courses. Given the state of the weather outside, some of the choices were made for me – the soup of the day (instead of salad), a mini beef Wellington (instead of bruschetta), a duo of sea bass and halibut and a flourless chocolate cake for dessert.

Service was exceptional. Given the server assigned to us worked alone (apart from when our plates were being delivered), he did an amazing job catering to our needs. From filling up water glasses (mine was never empty, and I am like a fish at the table) to juggling multiple drink orders to never requiring any assistance on who a dish was destined for, he did not miss a beat. Bravo.

On the food side of things, some dishes were better than others. My starter soup of the day, a creamy wild mushroom, was silky with a pleasing depth of flavour, but really could have been warmer.

Wild Mushroom Soup

The beef Wellington was a disappointment – chewy and overdone, I probably should have just unwrapped it to savour the puff pastry and the black current demi. I definitely had bruschetta envy looking at my neighbour’s dish.

Mini Beef Wellington

My entrée was a mixed bag. While the fish was well cooked, accompanied by a tomato pesto I couldn’t get enough of, the butternut squash risotto was under seasoned, and gummy in places. With Mack’s entree, in spite of the fact that his steak had been inordinately charred, it was cooked to the requested doneness. Still, Mack noted it was an at par steak, no better.

Sea Bass and Halibut Duo

New York Steak with a Cognac and Horseradish Reduction

The meal-ending flourless chocolate cake, however, was delicious. Rich, with great chocolate flavour, Mack and I both detected a slight nuttiness as well. When we asked our server what the cake contained however, we were told that the flour had been replaced by cornstarch and not ground nuts as we had suspected.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

While the food was inconsistent, between the service and the view, I’d still recommend The Copper Pot as a special occasion restaurant – I know I’ll have to come back once things have greened up a bit. Thanks again to the staff for organizing a great night.

The Copper Pot
101, 9707 110 Street
(780) 452-7800
Lunch: Tuesday-Friday 11am – 2pm; Dinner: Tuesday-Thursday 4-9pm, Friday-Saturday 4-10pm

Supporting Aspiring Chefs: Chefs in the City 2010

With the public’s current fascination with reality television and competition-style shows, the High School Culinary Challenge fits right in, and capitalizes on that interest and thirst for fast-paced, cutthroat battles.

The High School Culinary Challenge began in 2009, an initiative of Shaw Conference Centre Executive Chef and Canadian Culinary Federation Edmonton President Simon Smotkowicz as a means of promoting the field of culinary arts as a viable career for high school students to consider. In February of this year, 39 students in teams of 3 each competed for two scholarships for post-secondary tuition, uniforms, books and knives. The two winners received the invaluable opportunity to mentor with chefs that work in some of the best kitchens in the city over the course of three years, including Red Ox Inn, Sage at River Cree Casino and Resort, and L2. For a field that relies on teaching and learning on the job, the chance to study with award-winning local chefs will provide a remarkable start to a young person’s career.

To fundraise (and promote) High School Culinary Challenge, Chef Smotkowicz has organized Chefs in the City, taking place on April 30, 2010 at the Shaw Conference Centre. Half the funds raised will go towards scholarships for next year’s challenge (the other half will go towards Culinary Team Canada). As expected, it will be a sumptuous evening of food and wine. The five-course paired meal will be as follows:

Reception: Sautéed Alpaca Loin Medallions, Warm Caramelized Fennel, Onion Compote, Toasted Pine Nuts.

Reception: Maple Wood Grilled Whole Lamb Loin with Pemberton BC Gold Pommes Maxim, Natural Jus and Honey Roasted Yam Foam

First Course: Lobster-herb Press, Seared Scallops, Pea Ravioli with Sautéed carrots, Irvings Farm Bacon and Vanilla Froth

Second Course: Pan Roasted Duck Breast and Venison Tourtiere with Confit Rhubarb Salad, Asparagus, Sauce Soubise and Duck Jus

Third Course: Local Saskatoon Berry Sorbet and Wild Cherry Chip

In addition to the dinner, guests will also have the opportunity to watch and chat up local chefs in action at six different stations, preparing dishes using the best produce and proteins area farmers have to offer (of course, the food ogling is a given).

Station #1: Shane Chartrand of L2 Grill

Galangal Spring Creek Ranch Beef Tenderloin

Sour Orange Sauce with “Moo Shu Style” Short Ribs, Salsify Crème and Crispy Leeks

Station #2 Sonny Sung of Sorrentino’s

Poached Bison Short Ribs with Porcini Mushroom And Truffle Emulsion

Slow Roasted Smoked Nature’s Green Acres Nouveau Beef Tenderloin, Foie Gras, Amarone Foam

Confit Ginger, Wild Fennel and Parmigiano-Reggiano Pate À Choux

Station #3 Paul Campbell of Cafe de Ville

North American Style Bison Short Rib with a Petit Waygu Striploin, Torchon, Alberta Wild Rice and Morel Risotto, Vegetable Medley. Balsamic Glaze

Station #4 Paul Shufelt of Hundred Bar & Kitchen

“Steak n’ Eggs” Grilled Pine Terra Farms Striploin, Soft Poached Egg, Braised Kickin’ Ash Buffalo Short Rib & Riverbend Gardens Potato Hash, Irving’s Farm Fresh Smoked Bacon & Ancho Pepper Hollandaise

Station #5 David O’Connor of the Sutton Place Hotel

Chocolate and Ancho Chili Crusted Spring Creek Ranch Filet Mignonette with Confit of Bison Short Rib, Shiraz Poached Potatoes with Roasted Root Vegetables

Station #6 Michael Brown of The Westin

Classic Wagyu Beef Tenderloin “Wellington” and Buffalo Short Ribs

Fine Morel Jus, Sautéed Root Vegetables, Creamed Potatoes and Wild Alberta Blueberry Yogurt Tart

The farmers supplying the products will be on hand to talk to the guests as well, making Chefs in the City seem like a grander version of Madison’s Grill’s Farmers’ Market Dinner.

I am fortunate enough to have been invited to this event, but there are still some tickets available if you’re interested in supporting aspiring chefs. It should be a great night!

Chefs in the City 2010
Shaw Conference Centre
Tickets $175 +GST
Reception @ 6:30pm, Dinner @ 7:30pm

Take ‘N’ Bake Revolution: Papa Murphy’s

Who knew there was a pizza revolution taking place right underneath our noses? Forget frozen pizzas or even delivery, it seems the new movements is towards fresh-made pie, to be baked right in your home oven.

Though grocery stores have offered deli-made pizzas for years, businesses that specialize in take ‘n bake pizzas are relatively new to Edmonton. Papa Murphy’s opened its first shop in the city back in 2007, and now have six locations in the Edmonton area (their eventual plan is to expand to a total of 17 stores).

Papa Murphy’s trumpets their commitment of using always fresh, never frozen ingredients. Moreover, in an effort to set themselves apart from the likes of Pizza Hut, Panago and Domino’s, they emphasize the fact that their carryout pizzas will be hot out of your oven.

Armed with a 2-for-1 coupon, Mack and I stopped by the Papa Murphy’s around the corner from the Italian Centre South on our way home on Saturday, eager for an easy dinner option after a long day. It was empty, though in their defence, it was after 7pm. We were faced with twenty options, not including the possibility of a custom order. Pizzas ranged in price from $9.99 for a medium cheese pizza to $22.99 for a family-size double-layered grilled chicken and bacon-stuffed pizza. We decided on a more restrained choice, a medium Papa’s All Meat (mozzarella, ham, salami, pepperoni, Italian sausage, ground beef, provolone, cheddar) and a medium Rancher (mozzarella, ham, pepperoni, ground beef, onions, provolone, cheddar), both priced at $13.99.

Papa Murphy’s

Our pizzas were assembled right before our eyes, Subway-style, complete with a sheet of reheating instructions. My favourite line on the guide: “Please bake before eating”.

Assembling our pizza

Ready to take home

The staff were friendly, though our question about freezing a pizza seemed to throw them off – there was no way Mack and I would be able to eat our way through two pizzas at one sitting. The staff person said it could be done, but warned us to thaw it thoroughly before baking it, to prevent a soggy, uneven crust.

Fifteen minutes in the preheated oven back at home, dinner was ready. We had baked the pizza on the included tray, opting to see how well it worked. No surprise, it didn’t hold a candle to the result on a pizza stone, but was better than using a conventional baking sheet. The pizza also wasn’t overly greasy, and contained a solid amount of both toppings and cheese. All in all, it was a tasty pizza.

Papa’s All Meat, ready to eat

Though we enjoyed the pizza, I’m not sold on the take ‘n’ bake concept. Sure, it’s great that the toppings are fresh, and it could be convenient to pick up a pizza on the way home after work, but if I was looking for a quick fix, I’m fairly certain I would prefer calling for delivery, particularly if it would only end up costing me a few dollars more (and, well, I like Panago). That said, given the increasing number of Papa Murphy’s locations in the city, it looks like take ‘n’ bake has found some fans in Edmonton.

Papa Murphy’s
10431 51 Avenue (5 other locations in Edmonton and area)
(780) 476-7272

Food Notes for April 26, 2010

Though some of the network shows are drawing to a close, I’m happy that the second season of Top Chef Masters began airing on Food Network, and, well, that The Hills and The City begin their new seasons this week! Anyway, on to this week’s food notes:

They’re no Fat Franks, but they hit the spot

  • There has been lots of development on Whyte lately! As Jim pointed out a couple of weeks ago, Nhon Hoa’s third location (10154 82 Avenue, 780-757-9988) has now opened in the space formerly occupied by Bubble Juice, next to Flirt Cupcakes. Looks like Vietnamese subs might be finally reaching mainstream status in Edmonton.

Nhon Hoa (3)

  • Chris noted that Cafe Beirut, a Lebanese bistro, is forthcoming on Whyte (10812 82 Avenue, 780-988-8821). A few doors up, Press Cafe & Bistro (10846 82 Avenue) will be moving into the space vacated by Scottish Imports.

Press Cafe & Bistro (and if you guessed that this was again taken from a bus, you are right!)

 

Sarah’s too-cute Belua Designs monsters

 

Beautiful tomatoes from Gull Valley Greenhouses

Lovely bell peppers also from Gull Valley

To Century Park (and Beyond): South LRT Grand Opening

It was a blustery day for the grand opening of Edmonton’s two newest LRT stations, Southgate and Century Park, not unlike a year ago when McKernan/Belgravia and South Campus first opened to the public.

To Century Park!

Mack and I attended the two ceremonies this morning, complete with government dignitaries, obligatory speeches, and celebratory bagpipes. It was obvious Mayor Mandel was proud and excited about the completion, and ever-keen to share the success with his fellow City Council members. He also acknowledged the patience of those who live in the area, triumphantly declaring that construction was now over! And though Premier Stelmach didn’t specifically announce any funding dollars today, he did indicate that he is keen on working with local officials to continue with the LRT expansion.

Mayor Mandel, flanked by the rest of City Council, and Premier Ed Stelmach

It was good to see plenty of people out in spite of the early start and the cold, at both Southgate and Century Park. By the time we left the event, quite the mass of people had gathered at the Community Fair.

The crowd at Southgate

Possibly the best thing about the two new stations are the electronic signs, which tell travelers when the next train will be arriving – technology that has been a long time coming to Edmonton. There is also some interesting art at the Century Park station, huge visually appealing multi-coloured globes suspended from the ceiling.

Digital sign

Leaves

What I was most looking forward to today, besides seeing the new stations, was the Community Fair. I have attended a few incarnations of it – a conference two years ago, and last year’s family-friendly fair that tied into the McKernan/Belgravia and South Campus opening ceremonies. This year’s event seemed to be forward-looking, eager to introduce citizens to the benefits of conveniently connecting more communities by train.

ETS Community Fair

We wandered between the ETS displays, free food tents and transportation displays, and wished that the band had been scheduled to start performing as soon as the opening ceremonies were done, as the weather-induced grey atmosphere definitely needed some livening up. That said, people seemed to enjoy themselves all the same.

Cupcake from Cakes by Trina

Parachute!

Mack with Punter

In anticipation of May 15, the first day of the City Centre Market, a dozen vendors, including Medicine Man Bison, Prairie Mills Bread and Walden West Food set up shop at Century Park as well, hoping to let area residents know that they are now easily connected to fresh, local goods and produce.

Get ready for the City Centre Market

Me and Maria

Potatoes from Greens, Eggs and Ham

Delectable sweet and savoury treats from Queen of Tarts

Preserves from Col’s Kitchen Delights

To end our LRT tour today, we returned north to deVine Wines, located at Bay/Enterprise Square. DeVine’s was pouring free bubbly to celebrate the new stations – how could we turn such an offer down?

Our prosecco

I was hoping more businesses along the rail line would participate in a similar manner, and to use the grand opening as a means of exposing their business to would-be customers, but perhaps that was too much to hope for. Regardless, I am eager to test out the full extension on a regular day away from the fanfare. Hurrah for more improvements to our public transportation system!

You can read Mack’s post here, and see his full photo set here.

Transcend’s New Frontier: T2

T2, Transcend’s first full retail café, will finally open to the public on Friday, April 23. Six months in the making, owner Poul Mark and his team have transformed the former pizza parlour in the Garneau Theatre building into a chic, modern space that also highlights its heritage roots.

T2

The sleek leather banquets, minimalist furnishings and clean bar contrast wonderfully with the exposed brick and reclaimed original floor. I also love the pop of lime green amidst the white walls, perhaps a nod to their roasting business. And of course, the art – classy and a link to the origin of coffee, it’s a visual reminder of Transcend’s status as a third-wave café.

Interior

Less than twenty-four hours from opening, Poul was nice enough to take a few minutes out of his busy day to chat about this exciting addition to the Transcend family this afternoon.

Counter

Customers should expect the same great coffee that they have come to love from the original Transcend. Three single-origin varieties, brewed on Clover, plus espresso-based drinks, are proudly listed on the magnetic menu behind the bar. Six loose tea varieties from Metropolitan Tea will also be offered, made using Brewts (similar to the Teavana system that I am familiar with), though Poul indicated that this may change as he learns more about tea.

On the counter

I was offered something to drink during my short stay – I gave the barista free rein (my usual drink at Transcend is black coffee) and was handed a cappuccino complete with latte art. I haven’t had a cappuccino in years, mostly because previous drinks have proven bitter and unsatisfying. I am happy to say that Transcend’s version was smooth, creamy, and without any unpleasant aftertaste. I may be a cappuccino convert now.

Cappuccino

On the food side of things, Poul made it clear that T2 is not a restaurant – their focus is on coffee. That said, they will have some light fare, sourced locally as much as possible – pastries from Fresh Start Bistro, soup from Soul Soup, and vanilla gelato from Chocolate Exquisite to make affogato. The only item they will be making in-house are liege waffles (a smaller cousin of the Belgian variety), which can be topped with everything from chocolate from Kerstin’s Chocolates to Jam Lady preserves to rosemary whipped cream.

Magnetic menu

The high-traffic location also provides Transcend with the opportunity to potentially expose a greater amount of people to their high-quality coffee and brewing techniques. Poul indicated that while cuppings will continue at the retail location, T2 will feature more drop-in sessions to teach patrons how to brew better coffee at home – for example, how to utilize a French press.

Mission

I realize their focus is and will be on T2 for the months to come, but I couldn’t resist asking Poul what might be in Transcend’s future. He didn’t rule out additional cafes (and is still toying with the idea of a wine and pizza bar) but did comment that they could only expand so much without compromising their standards, as it would become difficult to source high quality coffee at the volume necessary to serve multiple locations.

With Three Bananas, Axis Cafe, Credo and now T2, the specialty coffee scene is looking better and better in Edmonton. Congrats to Poul and the rest of the Transcend staff on the beautiful cafe!

T2
8708 109 Street
(780) 756-8882
Monday – Wednesday 7am-7pm, Thursday – Saturday 7am-9pm, Sunday 8am-4pm

Fresh Gastropub Flavours: Red Star Pub

Prior to attending the Edmonton Rush game on Friday, Mack and I met up with Thom and Lana at Red Star. A casual pub seemed to be a good spot to grab a drink and a bite to eat before taking in the lacrosse action, especially when we could just hop on the convenient LRT at Bay or Corona Stations to whisk us away to Rexall Place.

I was eager to try Red Star at some point, seeing as Chef Daniel Costa’s current standing as one of the city’s up-and-coming young kitchen stars, with recent profiles in the Journal and Parlour. I could see how his focus on elevating simple cuisine and fresh flavours could attract a loyal following.

Mack and I had expected the downtown after-work crowd to fill Red Star to the seams, but seeing as it felt like the first true spring day, most were probably filling the outdoor patio seats instead. The building that houses Red Star is also currently under renovations, the unfortunate consequence of this being that the businesses underneath are obscured by unsightly orange tarps, further screening natural light into the already dim space.

Thankfully, the exterior aesthetics didn’t seem to affect the service, or the light atmosphere inside the bar. We were greeted immediately by the server, who directed us to sit anywhere we wanted. We were promptly given food and drink menus (I loved the tag cloud-like design on the back of both of them). Red Star proudly advertises their large beer menu, featuring sixty different brews. In contrast, the food selection is limited to a dozen or so dishes, but given the advisory printed at the bottom (“This is a one man kitchen. Food is served when ready. Please be patient. Enjoy.”), that is entirely understandable. With its emphasis on local suppliers and slant towards comfort food share plates, I couldn’t help but be reminded of Sebastian Lysz’s last menu at Devlin’s. Mack and I had some difficulty deciding between the mini burgers/not sliders and the braised meatballs ($16), but ended up with the latter, as well as an order of gnudi ($16).

Food menu

We were primed to be patient for the food, but it seemed no one else in the pub was interested in anything other than drinks, so our plates arrived sooner than expected. The gnudi (dumplings made of ricotta cheese) were pillow-soft, and tossed with tomatoes and zucchini, made for a comforting, but not too heavy dish.

Gnudi

The tender, tasty meatballs, made with a blend of Pembina pork and Spring Creek Ranch beef, were the star. The greens really were the perfect accompaniment, adding a freshness that rounded out the dish nicely.

Braised meatballs

With an interesting menu starring fresh, local ingredients, how could I not be back? See you again, Red Star.

Red Star Pub
10534 Jasper Avenue
(780) 428-0825

Food Notes for April 20, 2010

Though I am loving the sunshine, we are in dire need of rain. For the farmers, and for us city dwellers who don’t want to be confronted with yet another funnel of sand and dust. On a related note, remember to help a tree out if you can!

  • A reminder that Sorrentino’s Big Garlic Night is on tomorrow, April 21. 5% of the total food sales will be going towards the Campaign for Prostate Health.
  • Southgate and Century Park LRT lines open on Saturday, and to celebrate, the City is hosting a Community Fair at Century Park. In addition to garage tours and displays, look for a City Centre Market sampler featuring a handful of vendors, including Greens, Eggs and Ham!
  • You may remember reading about the Edmonton Food Bank’s Expressions of Hunger contest (I wrote about it back in February). Voting opened a few weeks ago, and continues until April 30. Mack also had the chance to attend their spring fundraising gala last Thursday.
  • Speaking of the Food Bank, Isabelle of CBC (and The Little Red Kitchen) is in the process of collecting family recipes for a book that will be sold as a means of raising money for the Food Bank.
  • Interested in learning more about permaculture? Then you might be interested in the full-day seminars of “A Taste of Permaculture”, happening May 1.
  • There are lots of reasons to love Alberta Avenue, and you can add another to the list – their Community League offers “Homesteading the Avenue” workshops, on topics ranging from natural cleaning products to gardening.
  • Liane posted that L1, the trendy revamped lounge to accompany the Fantasyland Hotel’s new restaurant, L2, opened on April 16.
  • The Journal started a second ongoing series, focusing on local foodies with panache. Craig Jarrell, an aspiring chef who works at the Italian Centre, was profiled first.
  • Also in the Journal, a restaurant which from the review seems worthy of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Smokey Joe’s. Mack and I have to get down there, soon.
  • Vue Weekly profiled Moriarty’s this past week. Watch for a warm weather patio (which is probably out now, actually), next to Sherlock’s ever-popular outdoor seating.
  • See released their ballots for their 15th annual “Best of See” poll. Voting is open until May 3.
  • Foodie Suz announced that she will no longer be blogging about food, and instead, will be writing about her trips. Check out her new blog here.
  • This is pretty cool – a map of diners’ and critics’ choices of the best 2010 Chinese restaurants in the Vancouver area.
  • The NYT had a good read on why so many people despise cilantro with such a passion (even if the reason is the underlying makeup of the herb, everyone has something “common” they can’t stand. Mine? Watermelon.)
  • Last week, the McDonald’s board of directors announced that they oppose the use of cage-free eggs for the U.S.
  • T2 is finally ready, and is set to open on Friday. Friends and family got a sneak peek earlier this week – check out some photos here. Our own drive-by shot of their external sign is below:

 

T2

  • Another drive-by shot, this time taken on a bus. A new Mediterranean restaurant called The Oil Lamp (10247 97 Street, 780-429-0808) has opened in McCauley, just east of the Law Courts. You can see a menu on Urban Spoon.

The Oil Lamp

National Lacrosse League: Calgary Roughnecks vs. Edmonton Rush

Besides successful curlers, the only other team bringing any positive glimmer to our “City of Champions” moniker are the Edmonton Rush, our local National Lacrosse League team. They’ve been on a roll this year with their best season to date, and are even gunning for first overall in the league. Mack’s brother Thom is a huge lacrosse fan, and along with Lana, Mack and I joined them to take in the Rush’s last regular season home game on Friday.

Lana and Thom

My memory is fuzzy, but I am fairly certain I attended a game during their inaugural season in 2006, when the Rush won just one game that year. The atmosphere was decidedly different on Friday, with the 9,000+ crowd stirred to a frenzy for their team in a Battle of Alberta setting. It was also quite interesting sitting in front of a maddened six year old fan, who was screaming for the heads of the Calgary players (“Fight! Attack them!”).

Good crowd for Fan Appreciation Night

I didn’t mind the music being played during the game (like basketball) so much this time, and perhaps that had something to do with the fact that our seats were much closer to the action on Friday. More than anything, the choice of tunes seemed to re-energize the fans, whether encouraging cries of “de-fense!” or raucous cheers.

Our field-side view

The game really is fast-paced, with a possession clock ensuring end-to-end action. And though the almost full line changes when switching from offensive to defensive zones (and vice versa) were a bit jarring, these boys got game. It was amazing to see them effortlessly pass and catch the ball, and rocket them towards the goalie. Andrew Secore’s backhanded goal was a highlight for sure.

Close match

Aside from the game itself, the quarter and halftime spectacles were pretty entertaining as well. As Mack noted, everything from the post-game parties to the putting contests are branded, but if that’s what’s necessary to provide interesting segments to the audience, so be it. We were treated to a Pizza Hut-sponsored wing eating contest, a parade of vintage vehicles promoting an upcoming car show, a Delux Burger Bar shopping cart race involving giant foam fries, and of course, several dance interludes from the Edmonton Crush girls.

Wing rumble

Nice to look at, but the exhaust I could have done without

Unfortunately, the outcome wasn’t what we were hoping for. Calgary was able to tie the game late, leading to sudden death overtime which we lost, 15-14. On the bright side, the Rush beat the Washington Stealth the following night, and at any rate, will be heading to the playoffs.

Tickets range from just $17.49 to $59.50, with numerous specials available, such as the United Cycle Family Zone, which offers $30 tickets that include a hot dog and a pop. While the playoff tickets might be slightly more expensive, the Edmonton Rush are an exciting team to watch. Keep them in mind if you’re looking for something to do, or a different local team to cheer for.

Spring Gallery Walk 2010

Mack and I have lived in west Oliver, just five minutes from the Gallery Walk district, for nearly two years now, but have never taken the time to visit any of the galleries. I suppose it felt a bit daunting to just walk into the intimate spaces, all exhibiting art available for purchase. However, I knew that the Spring Gallery Walk, a twice-yearly event encouraging the public to tour the galleries, was just around the corner, so planned to go.

Gallery Walk sign marker in front of Electrum Design Studio

It was a beautiful day on Saturday, and it was great to see many Edmontonians taking advantage of this pedestrian-friendly event. Signs and festive balloons were a welcoming sight, and marked the entrances of each of the seven member galleries. Cookies and beverages were served at many sites, a nice reward for the children we saw along for the ride.

Inside Peter Robertson Gallery

The exhibits were diverse, with some galleries focusing on just one or two artists, and others that showcased dozens. Our favourite galleries overall were the Agnes Burgera Gallery and the West End Gallery, which for us, had more accessible art, and some memorable cityscapes and sculptures. Tu Gallery was also notable for featuring some stunning handcrafted furniture.

In an inspired tie-in, patrons were invited to collect stamps from each of the member galleries on a postcard-sized passport. If five stamps were collected, the bearer would be entitled to free admission to the Art Gallery of Alberta (we saw AGA Executive Director Gilles Herbert and AGA Board Chair Allan Scott pounding the pavement today).

My completed passport!

Of course, the area businesses also benefited from this event, with many patrons stopping by area shops on their way to the next gallery. We decided to celebrate the sunshine with some stellar gelato from Bueno Gelato (12325 102 Avenue).

Raspberry and banana gelato

We also stepped into Flur Designs (10260 124 Street), a lovely little floral and gift shop that has been in business for two and a half months. A clean, bright store filled with gorgeous flowers and great gifts (like Vanishing Creatures Chocolate, where the packaging can be repurposed into a floating candle display), it’s a great addition to High Street. I couldn’t resist picking up a bouquet of fresh white flowers.

Flur Designs

The Gallery Walk (and the excuse to take time to explore the neighbourhood) was a fantastic way to spend a Saturday afternoon. I’m also happy to say I feel like I wouldn’t need the pretense of the Gallery Walk to visit their exhibits in the future.

The Walk continues on Sunday, April 18 from noon-4pm – check it out if you can!