Anyone who lived in Calgary in the 1980s will remember, probably with no little nostalgia, the Hello Calgary promotional video on Channel 2&7, back when there were only about thirteen channels. To this day I could sing the lyrics at any given time: Makes no difference where I go, you’re the best hometown I know. I heard recently that this particular jingle was used in many cities at the same time, just changing out the name, but I like to burrow back into my bubble and think that it was just for YYC. I found the original clip on YouTube and watching it evoked such a sense of nostalgia and happiness for me: the skyline, the prairies melding into the foothills melding into the Rockies, the Stamps and Flames, the old-school and problematic, but still beloved, zoo of my youth.
And now it’s time for me to say Goodbye Calgary, so I thought it was only appropriate that I tell you my favourite things about living here.
Nicole’s Favourite Things: The Goodbye, Calgary Edition
Brentwood Babe
As everyone knows, I love my neighbourhood of Brentwood. It feels like a small town; people know each other by sight, I am friendly with all my neighbours, it’s where the kids walked to school from preschool to graduation. I think it’s the nicest community in the city. The trees are big and established, there are wide sidewalks and boulevards for walking, and it is adjacent to Nose Hill, a large wild natural park.
It’s a very walkable neighbourhood; if I forget a grocery item I can walk to the local Co-Op, buy it, and be home within fifteen minutes. Speaking of the Co-Op, I love that not only do the employees know my name, but they also know my Co-Op number. Other great walking destinations that have greatly contributed to my quality of life are the library, the Pharmasave – the owner always makes sure my favourite scents of Routine are in stock – and Anna’s Nail Salon. I can walk to all three of these in a ten minute period.
Loopty Loop
Speaking of walking, I started a daily loop during Covid and have kept it up all this time – now with a giant fuzzy companion. Depending on which route I take the distance is between five and seven kilometres, winding up the hills through the neighbourhood to the offleash paths, and down again. I love to look at the foliage and garden changes throughout the year, and it’s always a great part of my day.
One of the first signs of spring in the neighbourhood is when one of the houses on my route puts out their gnomes. This couple has dozens and dozens of gnomes in their front yard, and I am here for it. Here is just a small sample:
There are so many lovely gardens in the neighbourhood, and I love watching them change with the seasons.
Food, Glorious Food
Also in walking distance is Jamesons’ pub, which I have mentioned before, and which has the most delicious Santorini bowl. I have eaten there twice this week, once on a date with my husband and once with all the Brentwood Babes, who were wishing me farewell. I had the same waitress both times, who remembered my exact order, which made me feel very much like I was going where everybody knows my name.
Not in walking distance, but something I love and have mentioned before about is Aida’s Bistro. It is the best Lebanese food outside of Lebanon, I am convinced. The Mouh sandwich is to die for; it’s (usually) worth the drive through dreadful traffic and even worse parking, and that is saying something.
Living The Lake Life
Calgary is a landlocked city, but two hours north is beautiful Sylvan Lake, where my parents reside and where I went to summer camp as a child. I am very, very fortunate to have such a gorgeous respite from the busy city at my disposal.
When I told my yoga ladies that I was moving, one of them immediately said “Oh no! What about your parents? They’ll miss you so much!” Well, thank you, I had NOT THOUGHT ABOUT THAT AT ALL. That is the hardest part of this move, of course, and while I will of course be visiting them, a nine hour drive through the mountains is quite different from a two hour drive through the prairies.
Rocky Mountain High
Speaking of the mountains, being so close to the Rockies is a really glorious thing. There are many beautiful places in the world, but I think that nothing compares to the grandeur of the Canadian Rockies.
Flower Power
Last summer we were at our house in Kelowna, when a friend of my husband asked about our home in Calgary, and if the house itself was similar to the large, newly built Kelowna one. I told him that it was a 1962 bungalow, at which point he said that he thought I’d be very glad to leave it behind for our beautiful new house. I admit that I got my back up, and told him that I have been nothing but happy in our lovely, cozy home. Sure, it’s a little short on storage space and I would like if it had more than two bathrooms, but it’s my home, and I will always love it and remember it with tenderness.
I particularly love my gardens; when we bought the house I was charmed by the gorgeous big trees – a Mayday and Manitoba Maple in the front, spruce and lilac bushes in the back – but the gardens were a mess. They had, according to my neighbour, once been the talk of the neighbourhood, but after the original owner sold in the 80s, they had been severely neglected and, when we moved in, were completely overgrown with weeds. Over the years I dug new beds, planted and worked them, and I have been happy with the pops of colour all through the summer.
I hope the new homeowners love the gardens too!
Outfit of the Month
It feels appropriate that my last week in Calgary is Stampede Week! I haven’t been to the grounds in years, but I love Stampede spirit in the city, and so I dug out my boots and hat for date night.
Is it possible for fast fashion to become slow fashion? I bought this dress for about $10 at Old Navy in 2018 or so. These days I feel pretty conscious of where my clothes are made, so I don’t love the concept of buying something like this NOW, but I have it, so I’m keeping it. Plus, it’s pretty cute, and I love the sundress-with-cowgirl-boots look.
Stampede is such a funny time in Calgary. I remember back when I would work on the trade floor; my trusty colleagues would suddenly come into work with Wrangler jeans and big belt buckles, with colourful Western-style shirts, and it was a little disconcerting, to see the change from office wear to I’m A Cowboy Now. But it’s fun to get in the spirit of things, even if I don’t have any events to go to these days.
Well, Calgary, we have had a good run! Not only is this home to so many Favourite Things, but this is the home to so many of my wonderful friends. Throughout the years I have been so fortunate to have been absorbed into the yoga community, the mom community, and the Brentwood community; I am lucky to be in touch with my oldest school friends and to live just a few doors down from a very dear friend. I have friends who are my chosen family, and every single friend – whether or not I have seen them lately – has been a gift in my life. I’ll miss them all, but luckily it’s so easy to stay in touch now – and I have a beautiful new deck suitable for wine drinking when friends are passing through Kelowna!
I have quite a bit to get through in the next few weeks before I’ll be drinking wine leisurely on the deck, though, and on that note, I am taking a blog break to get moved and settled. I will catch up with all of you on the other side! Take care of yourselves, friends, and be well. xo
That is a lot to leave behind. We flew over the (American) Rockies yesterday. They are spectacular. Good luck getting settled in your new environs.
The Rockies (I can only speak for the Cdn ones) are so spectacular. Thanks Steph!
Such spectacular vistas and such a long history of spaces and people… What a blessing these decades have been to you. All the very best of luck with the final push and best wishes for a happy and fulfilling re-nesting, Nicole. I look at your smile and know it will be just as bright on the other side. XOXO
Thanks so much my friend! That’s exactly how I feel – a blessing, and an opportunity to re-nest. You always know the right words!
This is a lovely tribute to Calgary, and I look forward to your New Favorite Things posts after you’re settled in! (And yes, it may not feel like it now, but that time will come, I promise.)
There will be so many Favourite Things posts to come, for sure! Thanks!
Safe travels, Nicole! Hope it all goes as smoothly as possible.
Thanks Jamie, here’s hoping!
It’s a beautiful home and place to live, and I’m excited to get a tour like this of the new place. Good luck on all of the moving, hopefully it will be low on drama!
Thanks Colleen! I hope so too!
This was lovely to read. I’ve never been west of Ontario and I so desperately want to see the Rockies and now even more so after this post.
Wishing you the smoothest of transitions and sweet goodbyes to your beloved Calgary and warm hellos to new favourites as you settle into Kelowna.
Hugs!!
P.S. Also, you look adorable in that “Stampede” outfit, your fashion sense is stellar!
Oooh yes, you would love it, Elisabeth! It’s such a special part of the world, maybe even the most beautiful, in my humble and probably biased opinion. xo
Calgary is such a beautiful city, and it must be so difficult to say goodbye to all those memories and friends. I can tell that you really and truly loved your life there. I wish you all the best during your move and look forward to reading all about your adventures!
Your stampede outfit is SO cute!
Thanks Michelle, if it wasn’t for the long winters and the possibility of snow every single month of the year…it would be perfect! But I am going to enjoy my new city too. Wonder if it would be weird to wear my cowboy boots in Kelowna! xo
A friend once told me to bloom where you’re planted and it really sounds like you’ve had no issue blooming there. Your location sounds ideal for raising your family. I’m sure you will stay connected to your friends and I hope the next owners of your home find as much happiness as you have. Best of luck with the move and I hope the relaxing time on the deck happens sooner than you anticipate.
Yes, we bloom where we are planted! Thanks so much, Ernie!
Calgary will miss you, as will myself and the community of Brentwood! So happy for you guys. How wonderful to live in such an amazing country and be able to reside in 2 amazing provinces. All the best to you, Nicole. I will definitely be in touch for a glass of wine on your new deck!
Thanks darling, I would absolutely love that!!!
When I was back visiting my friends from high school in my hometown last month, we sat around outside and sang local jingles from our childhood. “Modernistic/simple and quick/They’re the first with experience and quality.” It makes sense to me that you looked up promotional videos from your town on the way out.
Good luck with the move! I hope it all goes smoothly! And I hope you’re able to do a favorites post of your new home when you get there!
I will do that FOR SURE! Thanks Engie!
Aren’t jingles fun? Well, mostly.
Your sweet home. I understand why you were upset when someone said that. Isn’t a home so much more than its square footage? Thank you so much for sharing this with us. I’ve never learned so much about Canada as I have from you. I can see why you love it there. I can’t wait to see your new home and how you explore it with Rex. Here’s to creating new memories! ❤️😘
Yes, THANK YOU. I still feel a little offended when I think about it. My home! The place where we were first married, brought babies home, the home of our beloved pups. Home!
I think you should come to Canada for a visit!
I will most definitely come to Canada and when I do, I will visit you. ❤️
There’s something perfect about that first home where we bring our babies home, regardless of square footage or number of bathrooms! I completely agree with you that it is a place that remains in our hearts with much tenderness and love.
All the best to you and your family as you get through the final days of the move. Wishing you ease and much grace. Take care.
Chrisoula, 100%. There is something so perfect about it, and it will remain in my heart forever! xoxo
I’m bummed that I will be in Calgary just after you have moved! But I am happy for you and maybe someday I will find myself in Kelowna. It’s nice that you are moving to a vacation destination kind of place – that increases the odds of YYC friends visiting! (By the way, aren’t airport codes the best way to refer to place? When I first started working for my mentor/former boss/now retired coworker, I kept track of presentation materials using airport codes. It threw him off at first and then he was like – this is genius!!).
There is a lot to love about Calgary from the sounds of it! I have never been but will get a little peak at it in August. I’m spending a night with my blogger friend (who no longer blogs) but I have no idea where she lives. We live in what I consider a delightful area of Minneapolis. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else in the city. It’s a very walkable neighborhood, the schools are great, there are lots of running trails, etc. It’s so us. The taxes would be lower if we moved to the boogie suburb just west of us but I can’t bear to since I love living in Minneapolis proper.
Lisa, I am bummed about it too! If I wasn’t so exhausted and burned out I would consider driving back just to see you! But, I think that may kill me. So hopefully you will find yourself one day in Kelowna!
Well, I started tearing up at “Now it’s time to say goodbye” and didn’t stop sniffling until the adorable photo of you in the boots. Such a great outfit. You are ageless, Nicole.
These photos are gorgeous, and clearly you have lived in a beautiful and supportive place that has nourished your heart and soul. I have no doubt that a large part of that is all the kindness and light you bring with you, and so I am sure you will find just as much to love in your new home. Cannot wait to hear about all of the new joys you encounter in Kelowna. Thinking of you all! Safe travels!!!!
This is such a sweet comment, thank you so much, my friend. Moving away is definitely bittersweet, but I’m looking forward to my new chapter!
Nicole, I’ve always sensed how you felt about Calgary and your beautiful home and this post just proves it. It sounds absolutely amazing. I know that you will thrive and love your new home just as much. Good luck on the move; I’ll be thinking of you often until you pop up again. xo
Thank you so much, Gigi! I appreciate the good thoughts! xoxoxo
Those mountains tho…so much for my islands!
We will miss you while you take blogging PTO, and it will be all the sweeter when we hear from you again in your new home. I’m looking forward to you “taking us there” through the blog.
The mountains are SO special and hey, it’s a long road trip but maybe one day you could make it up here!
Just judging by these photos and that outfit, I’d say you’re living a charmed life. You look amazing!
Thanks so much, Lux! I do feel like I have a charmed life!
Love the boots and dress combo– I also have fast fashion turned heirlooms (lol) in my closet. Now I can tell myself it’s ethical and not just kind of a bummer. Love all of these pictures– so beautiful.
Thanks Sarah, that is how I feel too!! If I bought something years ago and still have it – it isn’t in a landfill!
Nicole, this is making me sad! It must be so hard to leave. Your place in Kelowna must be incredible to leave all this behind. Good luck settling in, and I CAN’T WAIT to hear all about your new adventures!!!
I’m definitely at the point where I am ready to leave, though, so I’m not too sad! Now I’m getting excited because it’s so close!
It looks wonderful and I’m sure you’ll take the good vibes with you as you move on, always looking back on Calgary as a great experience, that prepared you for where you’re going now. ❤️
Thanks so much, Ally! I appreciate the good thoughts!
At my parents’ house in Virginia the other day, my Dad was watching a rodeo. Wouldn’t you know it was the Calgary Stampede! My sister lives in Montana and the rodeo is a big thing there as well. What a beautiful area you are leaving behind, but I’m also looking forward to seeing more of the place you are moving to, which also seems beautiful! It’s a lot to leave behind, so best wishes and good thoughts that the move goes smoothly and you settle in well in your new place.
Oh no way! That is so fun. I haven’t actually watched a rodeo in a long time, but the whole thing lifts the spirit of the city! Montana is gorgeous too. Thanks for all the well wishes!
Thanks for taking us on a little tour and yeah, you leave a lot of beautiful things behind. Why are you moving again? (I thought you were moving closer to family, but maybe I am mistaken if you say that you’ll be further away from your parents).
I’m leaving lots of beautiful things, but lots of beautiful things are in my future too!
You really are in one of the very best spots in Calgary! Wishing you a super smooth move!
Thanks Ariana!
What a lovely touching post Nicole! You seem to be keeping a stiff upper but I’m sure you have your moments. I was getting a little choked up on your behalf. I agree, the Rockies are the most beautiful part of Canada – and this is a beautiful country! I’ve been to Nosehill Park with my boys! In fact I was reading this with my my son who just moved home from Calgary and he said “yes Jamesons is great!” Best of luck in your move. Can’t wait to see pics of the new place.
Oh, that’s so nice! I wondered if your son was still here!
I love your mountain pics and I remembered the Hello Calgary jingle right away! It is bittersweet to know you won’t be in Calgary anymore, but as I sit here enjoying the Penticton sun, I am sure you will love it. Thank you for writing such a lovely and nostalgic post. Enjoy re nesting and I look forward to seeing the new house pics!
You’ll have to stop by for a glass of wine next time you travel out to Penticton!!
All the best wishes for a smooth and successful move! I know its a bittersweet feeling for you. <3
Thanks Stephany!
I watched the Hello Calgary video and sure enough, I did recognize the music because we had a similar Hello Cleveland ad that ran around that same time. I had forgotten all about it. It’s always sad to move, knowing what you will miss. In our old neighborhood, there was an older lady who had concrete geese statues in her porch. She dressed them up in different outfits to match the season and I’d always take my kids on a walk to see those geese, just like you liked the gnomes.
I hope all is going well with the move and I’ll see you after your break. XO
Oh, that’s so sweet, Bijoux! I just thought of when my boys were little, there was a guy down the street who was always fixing up crappy cars. We’d walk to go see them, and could kill quite a bit of time that way!
Well, you made me want to visit Calgary and your town in particular. Of course, only in the summer!
So many lovely memories that you will be leaving, but they will all be in your heart. I’m looking forward to seeing your new place and new adventures with your family.
My poor Florida flower would absolutely die in Calgary winters – summers only!!! xoxo
What a lovely post! I hope that you LOVE your new location, but clearly you had many good years in Calgary and will miss your neighborhood dearly. And being further away from your parents is going to be hard. Life is full of complexities.
I want to try to recreate that salad…it looks amazing.
That salad is amazing, thanks for the well wishes, Jules!
Hope your move goes really smoothly ! Having visited Canada twice I feel I’m practically Canadian! I loved Calgary (30 and 18)years ago. I’ve looked up Kelowna on the map. I’ll have definitely seen signs to it as we passed through Kamloops on a Greyhound bus! I also made the mistake of thinking, ‘oh it’s not far from Vancouver’, then I remembered how vast your country actually is!! I’m sure you’ll be very happy there, and won’t take long to settle in, and look forward to lots of posts about your new neighbourhood, and glasses of wine on your decking. Lots of love from Dorset U.K xxxx
It’s vast! We are about a four hour drive from Vancouver, traffic dependent. Maybe three and a half! Lots of posts to come when I have time!
The moment I stepped foot into this beautiful home, I knew it was going to be an incredible place to live. The warm rays of sunlight streaming through the large windows, illuminating every corner of the spacious rooms, created an inviting and cozy ambiance. The gentle breeze carried the scent of fresh flowers from the garden, which added to the overall charm of the place.
As I eagerly await the tour, I can’t help but feel a surge of excitement. Each room promises its own unique character, and I can’t wait to see how the decor and layout have been thoughtfully designed. From the elegant living room with its grand fireplace to the modern, well-equipped kitchen that invites culinary adventures, I am sure this house will quickly feel like a home filled with memories waiting to be made.
I have to say, you’ve truly found a gem of a place, and I can’t help but be a little envious of the wonderful home you’re about to enjoy. The neighborhood seems delightful too, with friendly neighbors and serene surroundings. The prospect of living here sounds like a dream come true.
Moving can be quite a task, but I’m sending all the positive vibes your way for a smooth and drama-free experience. With careful planning and organization, I’m confident everything will fall into place seamlessly. And besides, such a fantastic home is well worth the effort.
May this new chapter in your life be filled with joy, laughter, and cherished moments. As you settle into your new abode, may it become a sanctuary of comfort and relaxation, a place where you can escape from the outside world and create lasting memories with loved ones.
Here’s to a fresh start in this lovely home, and may it be a place of love, happiness, and fulfillment. Congratulations on your new home, and may your future be as bright and beautiful as the place you now call your own!
I believe I am commenting after a spam comment (ha) so don’t know if you will see this. But this is a lovely, lovely tribute to your beloved home, and it’s just so nice to see Calgary through your eyes. I have such a soft spot in my heart for Calgary – I spent a wonderful week there in July… 1992, I think, visiting a friend I’d met the previous summer. It was my introduction to Mars bars (mind blown!) and fly fishing and Banff and… Oh, the memories. (Her family lived in Red Deer so there was a lot of driving through the prairies!)
Red Deer is very close to my parents’ home! I’m glad you were there and you experienced it! Especially Banff!
Oh what a lovely post including photography. The vistas are incredible. Looking forward to catching up with your move. And, of course, congratulations!
Thanks so much Daria! Hope your trip goes well!