Monthly Archives: May 2012

No gift bag left behind?

Posted on May 15, 2012 | 8 comments

Back when my eldest was a toddler and took no interest in her birthday party beyond the cake, I vowed I would never adopt what I viewed as unsavoury kids’ birthday party practices. Namely:

Outsourcing
Inviting a number of children greater than my child’s age
Gift bags

This past Friday, at our daughter’s seventh birthday celebration, I realized I have broken all of my party promises. We let Avery invite nine friends to a gymnastics bithday party at the Flip Factory and handed out goody bags when it was over. These slips aren’t really a big deal since outsourcing a party is arguably easier than hosting it in-house (the entertainment is taken care of and the mess is minimized). And really, what’s a couple more friends when there’s a huge gym to run around in?

Gymnastics for an hour followed by pizza, cake, presents and gift bags.

Which brings us to gift bags. Even though a parenting trend prediction for 2012 suggested gift bags were on the way out, it’s daunting to defy party tradition and forego the little party thank-yous, especially when six- and seven-year-old girls covet them. So I stocked up on craft graft from Michaels and Jolly Ranchers from Dollarama and put together what I thought was a pretty kick-ass gift bag:

If China didn’t exist, neither would gift bags.

And yet. One little girl left her gift bag behind. Did she deem the contents unworthy? Had she and her parents vowed to eschew the tradition of gross birthday over-consumption by just saying no to the loot bag? Or did she simply forget to take her gift bag home with her?

Gift bag left behind.

I’ll never know the reason the yellow bag stayed at the Flip Factory that evening. But I like to think that, in Grade 1, my daughter’s friend took a look inside and thought, “Do I really need some lame Made-in-China crafts and teeth-rotting candy?” And then left the gift bag behind.

Should gift bags go the way of the dinosaurs or should we embrace them? Thoughts?

8 Comments

Posted in Parenting, Potpourri

Tagged Flip Factory Calgary, gift bags, kids' birthday parties

Drink of the Week: Bloody Caesar

Posted on May 11, 2012 | 1 comment

If there’s one cocktail that says Canada — or at least Calgary — it’s the Caesar. The drink was invented in Calgary in 1969 by bartender Walter Chell, who wanted to add a twist to the established Bloody Mary. The game changer? Clamato juice.

Caesars are, arguably, an acquired taste. I’ve lived in Calgary now for 15 years and don’t love them. But after trying the Bloody Caesar at the Fairmont Banff Springs hotel last weekend, I think I’m ready to re-explore this relationship. It probably has something to do with the fact they make their own horseradish sauce (you can see little bits of it floating at the bottom of the glass) and add balsamic vinegar — another twist! — but this Caesar is the best I’ve tasted. So, Hail Bloody Caesar! I’m a convert.

Bloody Caesar

1-3/4 oz Finlandia vodka
8 oz Clamato juice
3 drops Tabasco sauce
2 drops Worcestershire sauce
Lime juice (to taste)
Fresh horseradish (to taste)
Balsamic vinegar (to taste)
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Lemon wedge and celery stick garnishes
Celery salt to rim glass

Rim a hurricane glass with celery salt then pack with ice. Build the drink over ice, stir, garnish and serve. Note: The Fairmont Banff Springs kicks up the garnishes a notch by opting for a lime wedge, speared olive and a pickled asparagus spear. Like!

— Courtesy Rundle Lounge at the Fairmont Banff Springs hotel

1 Comment

Posted in Cocktails

Tagged Bloody Caesar recipe, Caesar recipe, classic cocktails, cocktails & drinks, Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel Caesar recipe

Top 5 kids’ activities in Banff: shoulder season

Posted on May 8, 2012 | 2 comments

Banff can be a fickle destination during shoulder season. Too warm for skiing; too cold to go canoeing; too wet for a family hike. I was there with Blake and the kids this past weekend for the Rocky Mountain Wine & Food festival and I wondered what we’d do to keep busy when I wasn’t sampling $295 cocktails at the Rimrock Resort. I needn’t have worried. We were fortunate to be staying at the Douglas Fir Resort — the place in town for families, thanks to an elaborate indoor playzone and two awesome water slides — but there was a ton to do off the compound down in town. Here’s a run-down of our top five:

1. Banff Hot Springs: Rain or shine, the iconic Banff hot springs is great for families. Shallow in parts, Avery and Bennett loved splashing around in the 40C waters. We loved the killer view.

Toasty warm in the pool with a snow-covered mountain in the background.

2. Sulpher Mountain: The kids liked riding to the top of Sulpher Mountain (2,281 metres) on the goldola. At the top, the 0ne-kilometre-long Banff Skywalk takes you along the mountain’s spine to various viewpoints with interpretive signs. Avery and Bennett tolerated the walk, but were thrilled to pack in to the gondola again for the ride back down.

The ride is the best part for kids.

3. Douglas Fir Resort: You’re in Banff, so you feel kind of guilty if you stay put at your hotel the entire weekend. But truthfully, I know a family who checked in to the Douglas Fir and didn’t leave until it was time to drive back to Calgary. Our kids spent a good hour climbing through the indoor playzone, then Blake took them to the water slides for a couple hours one afternoon. We could’ve easily repeated the program, again and again. Another bonus: all the rooms have kitchenettes and free Wi-Fi.

Avery slides at the playzone. Finally, the kids are old enough we don’t have to worry about rescuing them from somewhere inside the maze.

4. Banff Ave. Brewing Co.: I love restaurants where there are TVs broadcasting hockey games, the waiter brings crayons and a kid menu as soon as you sit down, and you don’t have to worry if your kids are loud or spill their food. And even if it all goes south at the Banff Ave. Brewing Co., at least you’ve got seven microbrews to choose from for sorrow-drowning.

5. Buffalo Nations Luxton Museum: This is on my list only because the Whyte Museum was showcasing art, which Avery deemed “boring,” and the Banff Park Museum was closed. Lo and behold, across the river we saw what looked like a wood fort with smoke rising from a chimney: the Luxton Museum. With more taxidermied animals than I’ve ever seen in one exhibit (there was a taxidermied wolverine! And a bunch of horses!), plus a couple tepees, the kids loved it.