I was recently back in Calgary for my smarty pants friend’s call to the BAR. She is my very first lawyer friend and I’m so happy to have been a part of her big day. I had never heard of a BAR call and I had no idea that it was such a big celebration! Admittedly, when Natasha (my lawyer friend) sent me her tentative bar call date in April, I put “Send Flowers” in my calendar, but in August Sarah (our outstanding mutual friend) tells me there are invitations and receptions and ceremonies and that I need to catch the next seat sale to Calgary!
Fast forward to September 23rd, a fun filled day of celebrating Tasha’s accomplishment and food!
The schedule:
7am Breakfast
4pm Court House with reception to follow at Tasha’s law firm
7pm Dinner at Alloy
We started early, even though I don’t think any of us had anywhere to be. It was still dark when Sarah picked me up, I tried to take pictures of the sun coming up, but they look more like blurry UFO images (don’t worry I sent them to a lab for analysis, just in case). We met up with Natasha and Jason (refresher: you met them the last time I was in Calgary) and two of Tasha’s friends from University in Bridgeland. I clearly have not lived in Calgary for a while as I did not know that this up and coming little area called Bridgeland existed. The restaurant is called Blue Star Diner, Tasha and Jason live nearby and had noticed the gf items on the menu. ***I love that my friends and family are so aware and on the lookout for gf goods***
Hears a taste:
Blue Star Diner.
This little diner is a gem. The fresh interior, the stainless steel lunch counter, the chalkboard wall and long benches are welcoming and charming. The staff was attentive and the food was delicious. There are several, clearly marked gf items on the menu and gf buns and toast are offered as well. I never really considered Calgary an “out for breakfast place”, but this neighborhood diner has made me think Calgary might have this breakfast thing down. Please note: Calgary has always had the pancake breakfast thing down, no other city I know makes free pancakes on the back of a chuckwagon, but that is only offered 10 days a year.
What I ate:
Shitake Mushroom and Sweet Onion Eggs Benedict with GF bun
Side of Bacon
Delicious Tea (deserves to be mentioned because it was so yummy)
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Eggs Benedict with GF Buns
- Breakfast buddies
The event at the courthouse had no food, but still deserves an honorable mention. 😉 In Alberta each person who passes the BAR receives their own personal oath taking ceremony. Tasha’s principals (her bosses) present her to the court and basically talk about what a great person she is and how hard she works and what a fantastic lawyer she will be, then Natasha takes the big oath, the judge waves his magical gavel and Tasha is a lawyer!
Next stop the Firm. Natasha (love her) had ordered some food specifically for me. They had a lovely cheese plate and glutino crackers, spring rolls with extremely salty peanut sauce and skewered chicken. For dessert there were fruit plates and chocolate covered strawberries. A good pre-dinner snack.
Just a quick aside: I really like glutino crackers, they are tasty, they come in a few varieties and they definitely work with cheese. The company needs to rethink their packaging because the boxes make the crackers look a bit like cardboard. No one seemed to notice that they were gluten free!
Then to Alloy!
Hears a taste:
Alloy.
This restaurant opened in the weirdest location ever a few years ago; it can be found across from Safeway’s frozen food storage. Alloy renovated and re-purposed an old building that I never noticed. I went there once with my family, but I think it was B.C. I remember enjoying my food and when I heard Tash picked this restaurant for dinner with her closest friends and family, I knew this was a big deal. Natasha had selected a reduced menu for our very large group and I had a few options in each course, try not to drool!
What I ate:
Indian Butter Prawns with chili pepper, fenugreek and crispy papadam
Roasted Halibut with more grilled prawns, green curry risotto and lemongrass coconut cream
Cholado = fresh fruit, sweet coconut reduction, trio of sorbet
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Indian Butter Prawns
Plate of delicious halibut
My trip to Calgary was great because of this day. I’m so lucky to have been able to fly back to Cowtown and share the day with Tasha. She has worked so hard and I’m so proud to know her. Thanks for wanting me there and thanks for all the fabulous food! Congratulations!
girl verses gluten 