Experience the Calgary art scene with our Fall Gallery Guide
Here at Battistella we are super passionate about the arts scene in Calgary. Our city is thriving with a rich arts culture and, at any given time, there are many wonderful experiences just waiting to be discovered; you just have to know where to look. But, sometimes that can be tricky.
Wrapping your head around all the galleries and arts events can be overwhelming, so we pulled together our Fall Gallery Guide to help you get your feet wet. Art doesn't need to be intimidating, it can be fun and easy! Follow our guide to get out there and explore everything Calgary has to offer; you’re sure to be inspired!
Gibson Fine Art
102, 628 11 Ave. S.W.; 403.244.2000, gibsonfineart.ca
Showcasing contemporary fine art for purchase, Gibson Fine Art consistently presents a wide array of talented artists at public exhibitions and private events. The gallery provides a platform for emerging and well-established artists who work in a range of media and over 50% of the collection comes from regional artists here in Alberta.
Whether you are out for a walk and just want to pop in to see what’s new, or you are in the market to buy, representatives are knowledgeable helpful. They can assist with art placement recommendations, help order and supervise art commissions, or simply guide you through your visit to the gallery.
Exhibitions:
October 22 - November 5, 2016
Rowan Hill & Sarah Kidner
November 12 - November 30, 2016
Caroline Stanely
December 3 - December 31, 2016
Holiday Group Show
Trepanier Baer
105, 999 8 St. S.W.; 403.244.2066, trepanierbaer.com
Located in the Beltline, the 3,000 square foot Trépanier Baer Gallery focuses on contemporary art from Canadian and international artists that is available for purchase.
In addition to representing well known mid-career and senior artists such as Vikky Alexander, Eric Cameron, Chris Cran, Christian Eckart, Ron Moppett, Carol Wainio and Evan Penny, the gallery maintains an active and successful program for the presentation of young and emerging Canadian artists’ work.
The gallery has launched many careers and staged first exhibitions of works by now critically acclaimed artists Martin Bennett, David Hoffos, Chris Millar, Luanne Martineau, Graeme Patterson, DaveandJenn and Ryan Sluggett to name a few.
If you want to check out some high-end art, this is the place to do it!
Exhibitions:
September 15, 2016 - October 22, 2016
Aujourd'hui Encore – Part I featuring Vikky Alexander, Shary Boyle, Lyse Lemieux, Luanne Martineau,Meryl McMaster, Nadia Myre, Beth Stuart, and Carol Wainio
September 15, - October 22, 2016
Introducing Ambera Wellmann
October/November
Ron Moppett
November/December
Ryan Sluggett
Don’t miss: Ron Moppett: Every Diamond Dream
Opening and ADAC Gallery Hop & Talk with Ron Moppett and Nancy Tousley
When: October 22, 2016 at 11:45 a.m.
Where: Trepanier Baer (105, 999 8 St. S.W.)
Esker Foundation
4th Floor, 1011 9 Ave. S.E.; 403.930.2490, eskerfoundation.com
Esker Foundation is the largest privately funded, non-commercial contemporary art gallery in Calgary. The Foundation seeks to connect the public to contemporary art through relevant, accessible, and educational exhibitions, programs, and publications. Free to the public from 11-6 most days, the space is a great location to spend an afternoon taking in some Calgary art.
In addition to the main exhibition space, the Project Space invites emerging and established artists to develop new, responsive projects that explore important contemporary issues. These exhibitions are visible to the public 24 hours a day.
Exhibitions:
September 17 – December 18, 2016
Jasmina Cibic: Tear Down and Rebuild
September 17 – December 18, 2016
Larissa Fassler: CIVIC. CENTRE.
Alberta College of Art and Design (ACAD)
1407 14 Ave N.W.; 403.284.7600, acad.ca
Along with ACAD’s two professional galleries, the Illingworth Kerr Gallery and Marion Nicoll Gallery, there are nine student-run exhibition spaces, and numerous pop-up exhibitions on campus throughout the year. These gallery spaces bring the campus to life with the work of professional artists and designers.
In addition to providing emerging artists with experience planning exhibitions and events, showing their work, and allowing them to network with peers, the student-run galleries offer the public many free opportunities to access art in the city.
Don’t miss: Fall Show & Sale
First Night Fundraiser
When: Thursday, November 17 from 5 to 8 p.m.
Where: ACAD Main Mall (1407, 14 Avenue NW)
The First Night Fundraiser is an exclusive viewing and sale of ACAD student work, along with exceptional company, inspiring conversation, and exquisite refreshments. Proceeds from your $25 ticket purchase directly supports ACAD students with programming.
Show + Sale Weekend Market
When: Friday, November 18 from 12 to 7 p.m. + Saturday, November 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: ACAD Main Mall (1407 14 Ave. N.W.)
Check out what Calgary’s emerging young artists have created during the school year. This unique public art market invites you to view and purchase over 3000 pieces of handmade works. Whatever your preferred form, you’ll find it here: paintings, photographs, drawings, prints, ceramics, glass, fibre, jewellery, sculpture and more!
Entrance by Donation. All proceeds support the ACAD student body.
Contemporary Calgary
117 8 Ave. S.W.; 403.770.1350, contemporarycalgary.com
Contemporary Calgary began with a collaboration of visual arts partners and, over the years, grew into a wide-reaching institution passionate about engaging Calgarians with art. Through exhibitions, speaker series, and outreach and education programs, Contemporary Calgary hosts exciting events throughout the city, making art fun and accessible for everyone.
Contemporary Calgary’s main location can be found in the iconic Centennial Planetarium, itself a work of art, and features modern and contemporary art.
Exhibitions:
September 14 - November 06, 2016
Zimoun
September 22 - November 12, 2016
Performing the Landscape
Don't miss: Look2016 and Factory Party
Look2016
When: Saturday, October 22 6 PM - 1 AM
Where: Centennial Planetarium (701 - 11 Street SW)
Rub elbows with the who's who of the Calgary art scene. Look2016 is an evening of artistically-infused celebration featuring an exciting live art auction, installations by some of Calgary's most inspired artists, and headlining appearances by celebrity guests. SOLD OUT
Factory Party
When: Saturday, October 22 10 PM - 1 AM
Where: Centennial Planetarium (701 - 11 Street SW)
A revival of Andy Warhol’s infamous NYC parties at his Manhattan studio named “The Factory,” this party is known for curating some of Calgary’s most exceptional visual artists and live music acts in one space for a spectacular experience. ONLINE TICKETS SOLD OUT but it’s not too late to grab a hard copy for $30 at Our Daily Brett, Bar Von der Fels, Understudy or the Bridgeland Luke’s Drug Mart. Or, go early to get tickets at the door.
Glenbow Museum
130 9 Ave. S.E.; 403.268.4100, glenbow.org
Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Glenbow has spent the last half-century bridging the connection between art, culture and the world around us. Glenbow's collection represents Western Canadian art and culture, both as a repository of important cultural history but also as a living record of contemporary life in this part of the world. With over a million objects, documents, photographs, and artworks, G
lenbow is one of the largest museums in western Canada.
While you are there, be sure to check out the photo archives of Calgary communities. The museum traces the legacy of Calgary and Alberta both pre- and post-oil; very interesting to reflect on our roots!
Exhibitions:
September 22, 2016 - Jan 8, 2017
Bill Viola: Walking on the Edge
June 18 - Spring 2017
Power in Pictures: The Outside Circle and the Impact of the Graphic Novel
October 22, 2016 - January 29, 2017
1920s Modernism in Montreal: The Beaver Hall Group
October 22, 2016 - February 5, 2017
Rough Country: The Strangely Familiar in mid-20th Century Alberta Art
October 22, 2016 - February 26, 2017
One New Work - M.N. Hutchinson: The Last Longest Day
Don't miss: Launch Party
Launch Party for New Exhibitions
When: Friday, October 21 7:30 PM - 10 PM
Where: Glenbow Museum (130 - 9 Ave S.E.)
Of course, this guide is just a snapshot of what Calgary has to offer. Stay tuned to our Facebook page and Twitter account, where we will share upcoming events and exhibitions we think you might like.
We would love to hear what your favorite spots or events are!
Happy art exploring!
Erin @ Battistella
Photo credits in order of appearance: Trepanier Baer, Trepanier Baer, Trip Advisor, ACAD, Avenue Magazine, Glenbow Museum
Light and Flow - Good Vibes Make This Condo Perfect for Downtown Life
Ready to begin your East Village adventure? The corner one bedroom plus den plan is the perfect launch pad for your busy downtown life.
Designed with 519 sq ft of interior space and up to 263 sq ft of additional balcony space (only available on wrap-around balconies; only two homes remaining), I love this plan because it has achieved the perfect balance of flow and division of space. Whether you are running in for a quick outfit change before an evening event or catching up on a TV series while meal prepping for the week, moving within the space is made effortless and easy.
Kick off your shoes and enter the unit, storage and laundry follows to your right leading you into the kitchen while, to your left, the bedroom and bathroom sit side by side.
Nine-and-a-half-foot-high ceilings maximize volume, storage, and interior design possibilities, and the large windows fill the space with tons of natural light and let you peer out over your new East Village playground.
The living room stretches out in the northwest corner of the unit, surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass that runs the entire length, including throughout the den and bedroom.
Back down the hall, the bedroom gives you plenty of size for your cozy queen bed. Tons of windows help you rise and shine, and the closet comes with a pre-installed organizational unit and space-saving sliding doors.The grey-toned, linear kitchen sits immediately adjacent to the living room, making it easy for you multi-task in the kitchen or grab a quick brew from the fridge while you kick-up your feet for the night. Full-sized appliances, including five burner stove and convection oven, 19 cu.ft fridge, dishwasher, and front-load stacking washer and dryer, keep the space functional and save you time.
The bathroom is right next to the bedroom, meaning fewer steps as you rush to get ready for work in the morning (that third snooze was totally worth it), and your morning routine is made easy with a full-sized tub and shower, and tons of storage for your beauty regime (because who really #wokeuplikethis).
Not least of all is the cleverly placed den. Tucked beside the living room, running along the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, this den easily makes the plan one of my favorite layouts. Large windows fill the den with light, making it perfect for a home office, an artist space, a yoga studio, or a temporary guest bedroom; whatever you use if for, you’ll have plenty of space to breathe.
Although the layout and flow of the plan are among the reasons it hits top marks for me, there are so many other features present in INK that make these homes perfect for inner-city life.
- Industrial interiors with exposed concrete ceilings and visible ductwork and pipes, juxtaposed with high-gloss cabinets that create contrast and bring the drama
- Rooftop garden with gas fireplaces and glass enclosed space for all-season use
- Repair room perfect for tuning up bikes or skis, or working on larger DIY projects
- Secure bike room with racks
- Pet washing station to help keep Fido’s mess out of your suite
- Interactive, locally sourced, original art in lobby and common areas
- Message panels at each suite entry, so you can leave chalkboard notes for neighbours, friends, and family
- Nine secure underground visitor parking stalls
I can imagine so many different lifestyles fitting comfortably into this home and I am always excited to meet customers who love it just as much as I do!
Want to find out more about this plan and the only two remaining wrap-around balconies? Give us a shout at 403.452.9268 or visit us at our East Village sales centre for more information.
Erin @ Battistella
Real Estate Investment Mistakes to avoid: Resale vs. Pre-Construction Condos
Whether you are a new or seasoned investor, finding a property worth your investment can take a great deal of time and research. Among the many factors to weigh, deciding between resale or pre-construction can be challenging.
Toronto real estate guru and founder of truecondos.com, Andrew la Fleur, recently posted a podcast discussing just that; resale vs pre-construction condos for investment purposes.
In the podcast, Andrew talks about the "why" behind pre-construction condo investing and answers many of the most common objections to investing in pre-construction condos such as, "Isn't it better to buy resale and get income right away?" and "Aren't houses a better investment than condos?".
I want rental income right away
It is extremely hard to find positive cash flow properties in the resale market today. If it was easy, then everyone would be doing it; but that's not the case.
There are three issues here; firstly, you are paying a massive premium when you are buying resale. Remember, the person you are buying it from paid much less in pre-construction than the price that you are paying them today. You are paying a massive premium over what price you could have bought that unit for.
Secondly, there are a lot of inflationary pressures. Buying a cash flowing asset, like a pre-construction condo, is a fantastic inflation hedge. Prices are going up in the market constantly; every year prices keep going up due to these inflationary pressures; including rental rates. When you purchase pre-construction at a certain price, the value of that asset goes up over time before it is built, as does the amount of rent that that property can generate.
For example, if you purchased a condo in 2010 or 2011 and you rent it out today, a few years later, the rent that you can get today on that condo is much higher than the rent you could have got 4-5 years ago. The price that you paid for that unit 4-5 years ago for that unit is much cheaper than the price you would pay for that today. So, when you are buying something pre-construction, by the time that it is finished, you are in a very good cash flowing position (in most cases) because rental rates have increased significantly over time. Also, you are in a very good equity position because the value of that asset, the price of that asset, has also gone up tremendously over time.
Finally, on wanting rental income right away, there is nothing wrong with wanting rent right away, but with that rental income comes management, comes taxes to pay, and comes time and effort to spend on getting that income. When you are buying pre-construction, you don't have to do anything; your money is in the market, you're taking advantage of that inflation hedge and equity is growing, and you won't have to think about it for a number of years.
I don't want to pay closing costs
You still pay the closing costs. Keep in mind, someone already paid the closing costs and they are, no doubt, accounting for them in the price of the resale unit. People will not sell at a loss unless forced to. 95% of the time when someone is selling they are accounting for all those costs and trying to make a profit.
Closing costs are constantly going up; this is another inflationary pressure. Closing costs are essentially taxes imposed by different layers of government on real estate transactions and particular on new properties that are being built. You might think you are avoiding these closing costs, but you will pay them eventually; these costs will be passed along to you in the resale market.
I want to be able to see what I am getting in-person
You may think you need to see it, touch it, feel it before making your decision, but why? You should have an investor's mentality first and foremost; you are never going to live there. This is purely a financial decision, a logical decision.
Part of the pre-construction investing game is the existence of risk and reward. Pre-construction might not be for everyone, if you need to see it and touch it, it's probably not for you.
Isn't resale cheaper?
Most of the time, yes it is because the average resale property is old. When you are talking about a commodity like condos, something that is newer is going to cost more. However, the older product will cost you more to maintain and will generate a lower retain income, and it will have a higher depreciation rate. Just goes to the old adage 'you get what you pay for.'
"The goal of every condo investor should be to find the diamonds in the rough, and if you can do that you are set and you will do very well with your investments." - Andrew la FluerCheck out the full 30-minute podcast here: Why Invest in Pre-construction Condos (fast-forward to 20:45 to listen to the four objections, debunked).
Visit us at the sales centre in East Village to find out how a pre-construction investment property at INK could be right for you. We have numerous resources and third-party studies analyzing how each unit will cash flow, and we can help you find the right fit for your investment portfolio.
Questions? Call us at 403.452.9268.
Erin @ Battistella
Laval St. Germain hits the halfway mark and Battistella pledges donations
With winds and weather favouring his journey, our ocean-bound hero, Laval St Germain, is weeks ahead of schedule. This week he hit the halfway mark and sent his fourth update from the cabin of True Blue, his trusty ocean rowboat.
We wanted to help Laval reach his fundraising goal of $20,000, so for each sale made at INK while he is on the water, we are making a donation to the Confront Cancer Ocean Row. Live in INK and help fight cancer. Confront Cancer Ocean Row donations will help fund clinical trials through the Alberta Cancer Foundation.
Catch up on Laval's exploits in his blog post below and follow along with his live updates on Twitter at @lavalstgermain!
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July 24, 2016
Only ten days since my last update, but with one milestone made - geographic halfway point. This was located at 034 11' .670W, crossed that point at about midnight my time (UTC-2 or Calgary time +4, I am now +5) on the morning of the 19th. No fanfare, no celebration, just a realization that the North Atlantic has allowed me to get this far, now just need to sneak across the same distance.
Much like topping out on some of the more difficult peaks - no elation, no sense of completion, just the sober realization that you are only half way and the tough stuff is now starting. I have a deep respect for mountains and my own insignificance amongst them. Since I have not crossed an ocean before, I assume, and maybe more so, that the same holds true for the sea. I do know that me, the boat, electronics, etc., now have the accumulated wear and tear of the first 2500 km of wind and waves.
Have had favourable winds for days and days, really such incredible good fortune. As I type this, I am still in a west wind pushing me at over 4 kts. Had quite a gale back on the 19th into the 20th, big waves and super rough. The waves looked like row after row of dark grey bungalows careening at me from behind (I always face backward) and had many near knockdowns and some big hits from breaking waves, but my little boat True Blue kept me safe. We would surf obliquely down a wave at high speed, then yaw violently in the trough, the gunwales on the low side digging into the wave, white water floods the entire deck, the boat groans and shudders under a roar of spray, I would fling myself to the high side of the cockpit to try to prevent a capsize, but she would then somehow shake off the waves, and just stand up out of the roiling white surf and off we'd go again, over and over thru the day and night. Sometimes the only parts of the boat above water were the stern and cockpit. Very impressed with this boat, but no sleep on 'gale nights'. I have been fortunate to have had the weather at the beginning of the crossing start rather gently and then gradually get more and more challenging. This way I could get a real feel for or acclimatize to the sea and the boat, and what our capabilities were.
The worst storm started July 12 and lasted a few days. The bungalows in that one were mixed with the odd two-story houses..some with attached garages, not recommended. In retrospect, that gale was powerful enough that I should have just deployed the sea anchor and let it pass me vs running with it. Those were a few days where I was right at the limits, with many knockdowns, near capsizes and little sleep. That added fatigue makes for poor decisions and slow reaction times, but True Blue and I made it thru, and with astonishing distances covered: I believe we did one 24-28 hr run of close to 155 nm and a few 24 hr runs of 120 nm or more. I see one journal entry from the 13th: "....I'm writing this in a gale doing 5.7 kts pitching and rolling like mad..." I would regularly see 6 kts on those days, not rowing. That big gale and the gale that followed made up hundreds of miles of bonus distance covered, I wish I could say it was all my rowing! I can see now that the sport of ocean rowing, is dictated by whether you are prepared, the boat is tough enough and most critically whether the winds are favourable. If you have those three and some luck, you can get a speedy crossing.
Oh, finally bathed after waiting only 38 days. Thinking I'll now see more marine life without the ocean rowing bouquet emanating from me.
Have had a few controlled passes with ship traffic, but made radio contact with them all, so no excitement, no white pyrotechnic flares in hand, no drama. On the subject of being acclimatized to life at sea; I was sitting in what I considered relatively rough seas, but not nearly the worst I'd been in, when I asked a passing ship for his wind direction and wind speed, his reply: "WNW at 37 knots (70k/h)" That is classified by Admiral Francis Beaufort (Royal Navy in 1805), as a "Force 8 Gale with 18-25 ft (5.5 - 7.5 m) waves..." That explained the ride and my speed...not to mention the hot Fratello coffee burns on my legs from spills. (Prefontaines, call your lawyers)
Very little marine life last 10 days, just a few porpoises, and a pod of whales yesterday, thrashing about in the waves about 150m behind True Blue, really made a racket and churned up the sea. I do hear porpoises on quite a few nights thru the cockpit floor. Have been seeing a lot of what I think are Portuguese Man (Men?) of War, jellyfish. Curiously these really became numerous as I passed 1000km north of the Portuguese islands of the Azores. One so close that it passed between my hand and the boat as I as I was rinsing out my coffee cup two days ago, happy it missed stinging me (or it woulda been another: Prefontaine, call your lawyers). I will need to confirm that this is the correct species when I return, but they have a distinct violet and pink translucent inflated 'sail' that protrudes above the waves. Brian Keating, if you are reading this, let us know please.
Birdlife has decreased, which seems logical since I am so far from any land. The only birds this far out are terns, fulmars and petrels. Petrels have this peculiar habit of soaring very low over the waves with a one or both legs hanging limply below their bodies skimming the waves. They only do this when gliding mere centimetres above the top of the water, any higher and their landing gear is completed retracted, safely 'up and locked'. They apparently get their name from St. Peter and walking on water, although flying above the water seems like the more noteworthy miracle to me.
Had a very funny run-in with a bird on the night of the 19th in a gale. Lying awake in the cockpit I suddenly hear and feel a tremendous BOINGGGGG as if a giant guitar string had been plucked right above my head, this was followed almost simultaneously by an even more tremendous SQUAWK?!? (yes, question marks were audible and if I had feather emoticons, the word SQUAWK would be surrounded in feathers). Obviously, something had run beak-on into my antenna array above the cockpit. The sound of this was cartoon-like and reminded me of sound effects from Bugs Bunny or the Roadrunner. I am obviously suffering from some type of isolation psychosis because I am still chuckling about it! Simple pleasures after 40 days alone, but still better than conversations with a volleyball.
Beautiful little terns are using or trying to use True Blue as an aircraft carrier, usually aiming for the flat surface of the aft solar panels. Amusing to watch them line-up like a Navy jet on the pitching and rolling stern of True Blue and the at the last second execute a go-around/missed approach, join downwind and then make sometimes several attempts before landing. Once they land they seem genuinely surprised and have this startled look of "Holy s**t I made it!? What the...why is this mostly naked skinny bearded guy staring at me with that stupid grin??"
At my going away fundraiser, people purchased food, and Janet has written on the bags of freeze-dried food, the names of the people donating the meal. Always fun to see who bought me dinner. So far I think Delaney is trying to get me fat with the number of meals I've eaten with her name on it. I'm blaming this on her being pregnant and wanting me to have the bigger belly when I get back. My Mother In-law, Adrienne and a fellow pilot, Bill Rodgers, are also guilty, and super generous, of supplying a lot of meals (who says pilots are cheap?) Giant thanks to all who bought me a meal...or four, very kind of you.
Apple Music on my iPhone suddenly dropped about 90% of my downloaded music, just suddenly happened five days ago, first world problems I figured. My surviving playlist consisted of The Dudes, DoJo Workhorse, Matthew Good, Bon Iver, Ben Howard, Elle King, Heartless Bastards, Reuben and the Dark, Fleet Foxes and Band of Horses, that's all I had left, but still great music. 'Had' being the operative term. I realized after 38 days that I had my Mac laptop safely stowed deep in a waterproof locker (I thought Janet had taken it back home), found it, fired it up and recovered my music and better yet, had dozens of unplayed podcasts on my Mac: Houston, we do not have a problem. Finished all of my remaining CBC Ideas podcasts, what a great program, never tire of that show. Now I'm on to French language pods, need to try to get my french back. Embarrassed by how weak it is now. Was even writing out my verbs one day during a gale.
Janet has been emailing me the 'messages in a bottle ' from the fundraiser at Fratello. Some very funny...and some unprintable stuff, but have had me laughing as I read them.
Had one good buddy tell me I am like a space monkey from the early days of the US space program, out here in my 'capsule'. I think that's better than the dogs the Soviets used, so I'll take it as a compliment, and until day 38 the smell was decidedly monkey.
Jim in Mission Control tells me solid west winds for several more days, if these continue it will surely be an extremely fast crossing. Having said that, a long way to go and I'm sure the North Atlantic has a few more trials and tests for me before it lets me sneak across. I found a great poem on this very topic, with an even more auspicious spelling of the word breast:
When the wind is from the west
All the waves that cannot rest
To the east must thunder on
Where the bright tree of the sun is rooted in ocean's breast.
~Rumann son of Colman
(a translation from 8th Century Gaelic)
I'm still in that very cautious 'descent from the summit' mode, taking nothing for granted until all objective hazards are behind me and True Blue is tied securely to that dock in Brest. Jim has all the info on Twitter @JamesRedeker and even has the odd meteorology lesson there.
Special hello again to my buddy Korey, and who I blame for me doing this trip. Korey is finally commencing radiation treatment in two days. I was getting so frustrated by the delays, that I threatened to have Korey tied to the radome (the nose) of a 737 and have the weather radar turned up. This threat worked, he is starting soon, and won't need our AMEs/Mechanics (Aircraft Maintenance Engineers) at the airline to administer treatment, plus they would then insist on being called the doctor. All kidding aside, I really have Korey, Erin and their kids, in my thoughts out here and we are in near constant email contact.
Peyton Supergirl Best, I see the drawing of you every day as I exit and enter the cockpit and think about you. When I start to feel sorry for myself, I just think of the stories about how tough you are, that stops my complaints cold. I really hope you are having a nice summer with your family. I'll come to visit you with Staff Sergeant Perka when I get back to Alberta. Keep fighting hard!
If you took a few minutes to read this blog, can I please ask that you consider spending two minutes more by clicking on DONATE at www.lavalstgermain.com or www.confrontcanceroceanrow.com? You will be helping those people out there on their far more important difficult journeys, people with cancer.
Thanks for following and once again, thank you to my family, all my supporters and sponsors for helping me get this far!
Laval
Sent from my Rannoch R10 solo ocean rowboat from the North Atlantic
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Erin @ Battistella
INK By Battistella: Inner-City Living & Urban Lifestyle
INK homeowner, Kristen, was recently featured in Condo Living Magazine speaking about why she chose INK. A proud owner of one of the larger two bedroom homes, Kristen is excited to move inner-city and start enjoying the urban lifestyle.
“I wanted to live nearer downtown and East Village is a terrific up-and-coming neighbourhood. You can already feel the youthful energy in it, and there’s more coming down the road and I can’t wait to live here," Kristen says.
Downsizing from 1,000 sq ft in the suburbs, Kristen realized she didn't need a lot of space to live the life she wanted. A frequent traveller, she wanted to free up time for trips to the mountains and journeys abroad, so she opted for a stylish, low-maintenance crash pad at INK.
We can't wait to hear what Kristen's next adventure will be on once she moves into her new home!
Find out more about why INK was such a perfect fit for Kristen in the full article here:
Visit us at our East Village sales centre to find out how a home in INK can help free up time and effort for you to do more of the things you love!
Erin @ Battistella
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More:
East Village Ink Project Puts Stamp on Micro-Condo Trend
Micro-loft development in Calgary’s East Village finding a big market
Maximizing minimalist needs: micro condos come to Calgary
Laval St Germain Gets a Surprise Visit from the Canadian Coast Guard
One month into his journey, Laval has had his share of highs and lows.
As he ventures further across the Atlantic, Laval is reflective of his experience to date and attentive to day-to-day changes like less marine life sightings and fewer traffic near-misses. Battling personal struggles of boredom, negativity, and loneliness, he sends his latest update in memory of a lost loved one.
A few chance radio connections and a surprise visit from the Canadian Coast Guard become cherished moments; providing contact and connection that, taken for granted at home, is priceless at sea.
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July 14, 2016
Here we are, one month on the North Atlantic.
I am sending this out one day early, as tomorrow marks two years since our son Richard died in a canoe accident in the Northwest Territories. Tomorrow will be a sombre, sad day and I will be in no mood for sharing thru tears.
Am I one third thru this expedition? Perhaps, but the first third has seen the full spectrum of North Atlantic conditions presented to this little boat and me.
Since my last update, there has been a real drop in the marine life sightings. A pod of porpoises and one whale, that's it. Have had two fish get thrown onto the boat in storms, one was pretty close to eating, well maybe snacking, size. Just not quite there yet in the hunger department. Would rather get a big one with my spear and then brag about it to Dr. Dono at Healng.com and Chad at Catch Engineering, two serious anglers (note the name of Chad's company).
Watermaker still finicky, only made 400-600 ml yesterday but will work on it later today if the conditions improve. I still have 10L of water in my jerry can at the moment.
Traffic near misses have also, fortunately, dropped off to zero, other than a Spanish fishing trawler five days ago, but we were in radio contact and aware of each other: "Jes, jes, iya thinks you had problems because you yust dreefting..." Nice guy, always nice to hear human voices vs only porpoises.
I also had a precious radio chat with a Newfoundland fishing boat, the Atlantic Gale, late one dark blustery night. I was running with a near gale and the Gale was 'just joggin along here' while fishing for snow crab. Just two men on a vast black ocean chatting. With only the orange glow of my radio panel illuminating my dark cockpit, we spoke of such things as his fifteen winters working in the Alberta oil-patch with the summers spent fishing the Grand Banks, whether the cod were returning, could he make a living off the seas still, kids, and time away from family, etc. It reminded me of one of those CBC As it Happens interviews that seem to stitch together and connect Canadians across great distances from disparate regions, except it was just our two VHF radios connecting us - really a snippet of genuine Canadiana, will cherish it forever.
He signed off with: "Safe journeys bye, safe journeys bye and you call if you need anything, safe journeys, over." Thank you, same to you, and thanks for the talk, out.
Had a long few days of contrary winds, where I just sat on sea anchor and slowly drifted back toward Canada in strong east winds. Crammed in this tiny cockpit for days, requires that I sometimes have to dig deep to keep positive, as I slip back over hard-won ground. Just like the watermaker takes the undrinkable and forces it thru a filter to make it drinkable, I need to take the unthinkably boring and force myself to filter out the negativity. It works, that depressing time is now 300 km behind me, and slipping further into the past.
Had a surprise visit from the Canadian Coast Guard ship, Signus, while I was drifting on sea anchor for those two plus days. The radio crackled to life on channel 16 with: "True Blue, True Blue, True Blue, this is Canadian Coast Guard ship Signus, how do you read over?"(maritime radio-telephony is a bit different than my regular aviation radio work. With a maritime transmission, you start initially with a call on channel 16 with: "You, You, You, this is Me" you then switch to a working channel (CH 16 is the emergency channel). They asked if I was ok and if I needed anything because they noticed I was just drifting thru the waves. I responded that I was okay, and then asked if they could give me a wind readout (direction and speed), she responded in a pleasant Atlantic Canadian accent: "Oh, I'd make it north by east at about twenty", to which I thanked her and then queried her on her location as my AIS showed no traffic anywhere. With a chuckle, she responded: "Just off your bow about three cables or so.." ( a cable is one-tenth of a nautical mile, or about 185 m). Shocked at this, I jumped out thru the cockpit hatch and sure enough, the ship was right there directly in front of me. I responded that it was strange I didn't see her on my AIS, she replied: "Oh, you won't see us on AIS". Which makes sense, that way they can patrol incognito. Comforting to know they were around.
Have had the roughest, wildest weather of the past month over the past two days. Gale force winds, tall breaking waves, and we suffered numerous knockdowns thru the night. Meaning the boat was knocked completely onto her side, but fortunately always returned to upright. I had confidence in this boat, but far more now after what she got me thru over the past eighteen hours. Got soaked by a breaking wave over the deck last night as I was securing everything and that then meant crawling into a damp sleeping bag with wet clothes, and strapped my body tight to the cockpit floor, but didn't sleep much at all thru the night and was not too cold.
Jim tells me about five more days of nice brisk winds pushing me to France. He has also calculated the half-way point between Halifax and Brest. I put it about 655 km dead ahead. Jim will keep you all informed via his Twitter feed @JamesRedeker as I near this major milestone.
Thanks to Kirk Bailey for the news and current affairs updates and Dave Corner for the Tour de France updates. I'm sure Janet does not miss me sitting in front of the TV early every July morning watching Le Tour live from France cheering, cursing and generally not letting her sleep.
Janet has been providing me with lots of updates from Calgary, Andrea and Eric have been great about keeping in touch. The toughest part of the trip, missing those three.
Horrible milestone for our family tomorrow and we are deeply thankful to all of our family and friends surrounding us and holding us up thru our grieving for Richard. It doesn't get any less painful, we just dearly miss that crazy kid and it will be a tough tragic sad day for all of us.
If you took a few minutes to read this blog, can I please ask that you consider spending two minutes more by clicking on DONATEat www.lavalstgermain.com or www.confrontcanceroceanrow.com? You will be helping those people out there on their far more important difficult journeys, people with cancer.
The Alberta Cancer Foundation needs these donations, we all need to help.
Thank you all for following my journey and a huge thank you to all of my sponsors for helping me get thru the first month.
Laval
Sent from my Rannoch R10 solo ocean rowboat from the North Atlantic.
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Help Laval and the Confront Cancer Ocean Row team reach the goal of $200,000 benefiting the Alberta Cancer Foundation.
Share the message, send your tweets of encouragement to @lavalstgermain, and click here to donate: Confront Cancer Ocean Row.
Erin @ Battistella
Five Reasons Why I Ditched My Car
I am about a year and a half into my car-free living experiment and I couldn’t be happier!
My partner and I had been living in a one-car household in downtown Calgary for about two years when we decided to test out the car-free lifestyle. I was biking to work throughout the summer and, apart from the occasional Costco shop or out-of-town trip, I found we didn’t really need our car anymore.
Working at INK, a transit-oriented development, I often get the chance to talk to individuals who are considering the car-free lifestyle. I love being able to share my experiences first-hand with them and help them in their decision.
Here are the top five reasons why I did it.
I never drove it
I really only used my car once or twice a week, and the rest of the time it remained parked underground. Often I found myself using it out of sheer laziness when I could have easily chosen to another transportation option.
In fact, upon further research, I realized I am not alone. According to the website reinventingparking.org, the average vehicle is parked 96% of the time!
It was expensive
Considering I rarely drove my car, the expense I incurred to hang onto it really didn’t make sense. Each month my car payment, insurance, and gas costs (not to mention maintenance and unexpected costs) were draining funds from my bank account that could have been used elsewhere.
For me, going car-free meant an annual savings of $7,107! I could think of way more fun stuff to do with that money, and I have!
Here are how my numbers stacked up:
Monthly Payment = $383
Insurance = $109.25
Gas = $100 (Average $25/week)
Total monthly = $592.25
That does not even include regular maintenance, car washes, depreciation or emergency repairs!
When I decided to write this blog, I wanted to know how my numbers compared to the average and, in fact, I found that I was even on the low end.
Edmond’s.com quotes the average car payment at $483 per month and caa.ca estimates a compact car will cost you $8,469 annually. Find out how much your car is costing you here.
Alternative transportation options
On top of the monthly expenses from a car that I never drove, I was also already investing in alternate forms of transportation like transit and Car2go. In fact, I found myself using alternate forms of transportation more than my car. Rather than pay for both, I simplified and ditched my car.
Today, my main source of transportation is by bike and, with the addition of the downtown cycle track and the river pathway system, getting from one side of downtown to the other has never been easier. It takes me less than ten minutes to bike to work and it is an enjoyable, peaceful way to start my day.
When biking doesn’t make sense one of the many other options such as Calgary Transit, Car2Go, walking, or carpooling are available. If I need to make a longer trip, I can easily rent a vehicle for a very affordable rate, sometimes as low as $15/day.
Parking
Parking in Calgary is the worst and on the days I did need my car, finding a place to park was always an issue!
As if finding a spot wasn’t frustrating enough, next came the crazy prices for parking downtown. Parking comes at a premium in Calgary and if you are working downtown, chances are you are paying an exorbitant amount for parking.
Even if I only 
needed hourly parking, finding a spot was frustrating and I often spent longer circling the block than the entire trip took. Good riddance!
On the Calgary Parking Authority website, monthly parking costs in Calgary can range from $150-500 depending on type (surface or underground), location, availability, etc. In 2014, Huffington Post listed Calgary parking rates the most expensive in Canada with drivers paying an average of $447 per month!
By going car-free and not worrying about parking, I have saved time, money, and sanity!
Green Living
Finances aside, giving up my car was a great way to go green.
I am always looking for ways to live an eco-friendly lifestyle. From organic, locally sourced produce, green cleaning products, turning the lights off when I leave the room and not wasting water; I do what I can. While I understand it is a necessity for many people to drive (for work, family, etc), I was not one of them. I was happy to give up the luxury of a vehicle and felt a sense of satisfaction in doing my part for the environment.
Here is one of the many great resources available about the green benefits of car-free living: David Suzuki - Alternatives to Driving and Owning a Car
My experience going car-free has been a very positive one. Beyond the reasons listed above, going car-free has been a huge benefit to my fitness (no more guilt for skipping the gym!) and I also feel more connected to my community, able to discovered new streets and neighbourhoods to enjoy.
Although many people were skeptical at the start, they now see my car-free lifestyle as a positive choice rather than a sacrifice, some even deciding to go car-free themselves!
Want to find out more? Come see me at the INK sales centre and let’s talk about it!
Erin @ Battistella
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More:
UC Berkeley Study: Fewer Cars, Improved Emissions with car2go One-Way Carsharing
20 Days at Sea, Laval St Germain Sends Second Update
Tucked away in his Ranncho R10 row boat, Laval St Germain continues to make his way across the Atlantic in support of the Alberta Cancer Foundation. We eagerly await his updates to find out what adventures the sea brings; from wildlife to weather, Laval's experience has been truly extraordinary. Read all about it in his second update!
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So, tomorrow is 20 days at sea in my little sturdy boat.
Best of all, that likely means I am 20% of the way across (barring any long days of contrary winds or being heave-to awaiting weather) a long way to go for sure, but as I've always done in all of my journeys; top of that next hill on the road, that next boulder on the ridge, the next five steps in the snow, that next bend in the river, then the next, the next, the next, until you are at the goal. Big journeys require me to break it down into small bits to make it manageable.
The last 24 hours has been unbelievably fast! As in I've very nearly done 100 nautical miles in that time (93 to be precise) but all thru a bloody powerful west wind pushing me at breakneck speeds. Neptune and Mother Nature are giving me a helping hand, after a few slaps early in the trip. Fast and rough, big waves and loud.
I've been watching my caloric intake carefully and only eating a substantial meal if I've earned it by a hard day at the oars, the past 24 I have not earned it. My light dinner is instant noodles, maybe with a peanut butter and jam wrap, a cup of tea and 8-10 chocolate covered almonds, more than enough on an easy day. Breakfasts never change; porridge and a cup of coffee, that's it, and I like it. Snacks during the day and a coffee or tea mid-morning. I cook on a mountaineering stove, rarely use the gimbal outside, I just hold the stove in my hand, much easier. On the stove topic, I calculated I would require a new fuel bottle every 5 days, well I was wrong, I am on day 20 and still on the first bottle! I will be shipping a lot of expensive fuel home!! Crazy how little I require out here, just a quick boil of 500 ml, pour some into the food pouch and some in my cup for coffee/tea, done. Many thanks to all of you who contributed food, Janet wrote your names on the pouches, a nice touch!
Watermaker had been causing issues, spent hours working on it, finally got thru to the guy in the UK via email who is an expert, he had some ideas that worked (kinda sorta) and other than tonight (it misbehaved again) I seem to have it figured out. It is constantly getting vapour locked, so a royal pain to get all the air out and get it going.
Every day the sea changes, it's like waking up in a different place, I figured it would be more visual monotony, but it's not, daily changes, strike that: hourly changes. The weather has been a quite varied; overcast, warm and sunny (rare), fog, wind and rain (common), and never cold, just cool and damp. Today is clear, sunny and very windy, with white foam tops on all the waves like galloping white horses.
Wildlife was plentiful in the beginning; porpoises, dolphins, whales (in the distance, normally), the odd seal and loads of birdlife, even some landing in and on my boat and getting stranded, rescued two yesterday morning.
Porpoises are incredibly gregarious and playful and gives me some company. I can hear them on some nights thru the hull of my cockpit (I sleep on a thin mat that sits on top of my immersion suit on the floor ) squeaking and chirping underwater all around my boat.
Whales have just been like passing traffic other than two occurrences where they, one night, surrounded my boat in the dark at very close range and splashed, slapped their tails and rocked my boat all the while blowing explosive blasts of air out of their blowholes not more than 1-2 metres away, it was pretty thrilling. I was a bit concerned as I was on sea anchor and pictured the whale getting tangled in the lines. The second occurrence was two days ago. I was rowing along at 8:50 am when suddenly a whale surfaced with a roar of air 2 m away, looked at me for a few seconds, dove then turned under my boat, resurfaced and as it arched it's back to dive, struck the port side of my bow with its tail fluke. Not a big impact, but certainly made me think of how easily the trip could end if a whale strikes my rudder. I captured it on video, just a calf, maybe the size of my boat, not sure on species, but think it was a grey.
Ship traffic has raised my heart rate a few times, with a Canadian Warship (as labelled on my AIS display) getting the closest. It was in the wee hours of the morning, dark and foggy when my AIS alarm woke me. I have it programmed to sound if within 12 minutes a ship will enter a 2 nm danger zone around my boat. I woke, spotted him, reviewed the AIS data and it predicted a miss of 0.444 nm, the traffic was doing 24.4 kts, fast, all other ships do 12-16 kts, I immediately got on the radio and got no response after repeated calls. I always sleep with my headlamp around my neck and I have white pyrotechnic flares that I mounted around the inside of the cockpit door frame for traffic emergencies, I can simply rip them off the wall, step outside and fire them as a last resort. Well that night, I was on deck, radio mic in one hand and flare in the other just staring into the darkness with only the sounds of the approaching warship's engine and its ominous fog horn with its low plaintive moans, it was a bit exciting. I jumped back in the cockpit to check his interception point and just then he turned about 10 deg to starboard and missed me by a mile, literally.
I have since the finally reached a ship on the radio, and he confirmed he could see me on radar and on his AIS, a Russian: "Ya, don't worry, no problem, I see you on AIS, have nice day." That was good to know, but I do see ships daily on the AIS but nothing closer than 3 nm.
Had a strong gale, Force 8 on the Beaufort Scale the other day, pretty rough, but True Blue is a solid boat and she handled it well. I had been doing a ton of study and research on storm tactics over the past few months, even sailing knots, bends and hitches, really happy I did, all have been critical. I can guarantee I am the only person any of you know who has read the Drag Device Database (nothing to do with cross-dressing).
Being a pilot, I have rehearsed my abandon ship procedure daily and even made an Abandon Ship checklist that is stuck on the wall right beside the door releases.
ABANDON SHIP
1. MAYDAY.............….....Transmit DSC & Voice
2. Long underwear..........Don
3. Neoprene socks...........Don
4. Immersion suit..............Don
Etc, etc, etc.
I sleep on my immersion suit (sits under my sleeping mat, lumpy, but safe) and pretty much spoon my life raft. I am always harnessed to the jack lines when outside the cockpit and do not leave the cockpit without my dive knife strapped to my leg (in case I get tangled in ropes if I fall overboard). There is no room for any errors out here, I have to be very deliberate and triple check everything. I am very disciplined at this procedural stuff and try to really control the risks as much as able.
I have an incredibly solid guy dong my weather and route planning, James (Jim) Redeker. Jim is the Manager, Dispatch at our airline and is a weather guru who knows me, my habits and above all he knows weather and now waves, he has made himself an expert. Jim made the call on my summit weather window on Everest, and he got it right. If he would have been wrong, I would not have summited, or worse. I also have my good friend, Darin McBeath, a fellow outdoor athlete and a passionate sailor, assisting Jim, all in all, a great Mission Control team.
Even as I type this I am in a pretty nasty sea, big waves and getting tossed around in my cockpit.
My cockpit is mildewy, my clothes are always damp, as is my sleeping bag, even my hats have mildew growing on them. I have coffee grounds spilled, soup stains, tea stains, sweat, salt water, crumbs, noodles all over, but all part of living on a tiny boat on the Atlantic. Oh, as for personal hygiene, I brush my teeth every night, that's it; no baths, no showers, no sponge baths, but will try for some bathing hopefully in the next 10 days...maybe.
Yes, my ass is sore, but that is a given, no use whining about it. Arms, shoulders, backs and hands all good. Beard is great, about a Tom Mulcair at this point, but looking pretty promising.
I am lonely, I have finished all of my audiobooks, real books, and about 80% of my podcasts. I miss my beautiful wife, she was such a great help in Halifax with the final preparations and food, and of course it is also really really tough missing a summer with the kids and our Richard is always here with me in my thoughts, pure torture.
I do know that all of our friends are looking out for our family, and that makes me grateful.
Hope all of you are doing well, hope you are all having a great summer.
Laval
P.S. Kirk and Sheila, can't wait to see pictures and hear stories about your Croatian adventures.
P.P.S. Daniel, yes, I am 'rowing like matador', as you instructed, but had no idea there was a population of maritime toreadors, seems like a just lot of bull.
Sent from my Rannoch R10 solo ocean rowboat from the North Atlantic.
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Pretty exciting stuff, and only 20% into the journey. We can't wait to find out what the next few months will bring!
You can follow Laval's progress here and read his live updates on his Twitter feed at @lavalstgermain.
Want to find out how your INK purchase can help Laval's initiative? Swing by the sales centre in East Village to get all the info!
Erin @ Battistella
More:
Calgarian rowing for cancer has a rough night on the water
Tarp Race Glory! (and Five More Reasons to Love Calgary Folk Fest)
For those who know it well, Calgary Folk Music Festival is a must-attend event. Each year the solid crew of organizers and loyal festival-enthusiasts come together to create a lively pop-up community in Prince's Island Park. This year the festival brings sunshine, music, vendors, and all around good times to downtown Calgary from July 21-24.
Music and festival culture in Calgary seem to get better and better each year. With the addition of the National Music Centre in East Village, Inglewood's Music Mile, events at Fort Calgary like X-Fest, pop-up Bass Bus dance parties, and tons of other great community events, living in INK means you will be right in the thick of it all.
A short 8-minute bike ride from INK, Folk Fest on Prince's Island is just another reason why East Village life is so amazing.
Going into my fourth year attending the festival (still a newbie - I know!), there are many reasons why I keep returning.
Escape the city
Even though Princes Island Park is smack in the middle of downtown Calgary, when you are at Calgary Folk Music Festival, you can’t help but feel like you have been transported to a festival in the woods.
Surrounded by trees, with the banks of the Bow River on either side, the festival is a peaceful refuge from the traffic and skyrises. It is truly magical. Don’t believe me? You’ll just have to go to find out...
Find new music
Folk Fest organizers continue to knock it out of the park year after year, booking an eclectic mix of big-ticket names and lesser-known gems. One of the best things about the festival is stumbling upon an artist you haven’t heard before and being blown out of the water.
From captivating, international spectacles like DakhaBraka, to all-out mainstage dance parties (hello...Thievery Corporation!), to feel-good interactive shows like Kid Koala’s hilarious crowd-wide paper airplane fight, you’re guaranteed to find something amazing.
Don’t worry about planning out your whole weekend. If you don’t know a lot of the acts, just follow the buzz. Listen to recommendations from others and go with the flow; you definitely won’t be disappointed.
Meet new friends
Sure, every festival has a beer garden, but there’s something special about this one. In all of the festivals I have been to, the vibes on the Island during Folk Fest are seriously unmatched. This place is like an episode of Cheers; everywhere you turn you are guaranteed to run into someone you know, share a beer or sangria, and then meet their friends. It’s absolutely perfect.
Heads up though, it is super easy to chill in the gardens all day and float between conversations. Rallying your crew to leave and see a show is sometimes challenging. In that case, grab a new friend for the show and rejoin your posse later, no biggie!
Eat all the things
There is a literal smorgasbord of delicious things to feast on at the Folk Fest. Come hungry because the food trucks will be out in full for
ce and you’re going to want to try everything.
Fest staples: Keep hydrated with freshly squeezed lemonade, scoop a big bag of kettle-corn to share with friends on the tarp, and hit up the BBQ or taco trucks for something a bit more substantial.
Create memories
Get ready to have sore abs on Monday; there will be laughs!
Amazing things happen when you least expect it, and Folk Fest is the perfect environment for that. The whole weekend is super relaxed; a no-stress zone for you to kick back with your besties and just hang. You’re on an island; you don’t have anywhere else to go or anywhere else to be. You’re focused on each other and that is when the magic happens.
From huddling five people under one umbrella to doubling a friend on your bicycle at the end of the night; this is what it is all about people. Embrace these four days with each other and let the memories happen.
Bonus!
See the pandemonium here: Running of the tarps at Calgary Folk Music Festival
Folk Fest has carved out a unique place in the hearts of Calgarians and this is one event you won’t want to miss this summer.
I will be at the festival all weekend, so if you need an early-morning tarp running buddy or if you want to swap music recommendations, shoot me a message at erin@battistella.ca.
And, if you want to find out how you can make East Village your launch pad for amazing events like Folk Fest, give us a shout at 403.452.9268.
Happy folk-festing!
Erin @ Battistella
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More:
Erin’s 2016 Calgary Folk Music Festival Picks
Calgary Folk Festival 2016 lineup announced
Kathleen Edwards, Cat Power, New Pornographers booked for 2016 Calgary folk festival
Twitter: @calgaryfolkfest
Facebook: Calgary Folk Music Festival
Calgary Adventurer Laval St Germain Sends Message from Atlantic
We have sponsored Calgary Adventurer, Laval St Germain, on his Confront Cancer Ocean Row across the Atlantic in support of the Alberta Cancer Foundation. He set off from Halifax in early June and, with a 4,500km journey ahead of him, set course for Brest, France.
Set up with all the latest technology, he has been able to live tweet his adventure and email us updates, so we thought we would share them with you here!
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Stay tuned to the blog as we continue to share Laval's updates and adventures, and pop into INK to find out how you can contribute to the Confront Cancer Ocean Row.
Erin @ Battistella