Bar of course , but it ’ s also super cool to spend time at the Cold Garden tap room .

Which annual event do you look forward to every year ? Motionball is one of my favourites , and also any of the special events Cirque De Nuit puts on each year .

Where ’ s the best place in Calgary for live entertainment ? Off Cut Bar on Thursdays , Blues Can most days , and this little-known Speakeasy Garage — not even sure if you can Google that , it ’ s an invite-only kind of thing .

Where are your favourite places to shop ? Clothes : Espy ! Shoes : Shoe Closet , Luna Blue , Gravity Pope Bras / swimwear : Bratopia Food : Community Foods , the Co-op on 10th , Ramsay Farmers ’ Market .

How do you spend your leisure time ? Hanging with The Chef ( Michael Noble ), our basset hound Bruno and close friends . Walks , dinner with friends , the gym ( if in town ). Other than that , my leisure is travel !

Describe your essential tour of Calgary for out-of-towners . Inglewood shopping , arts and culture : Espy shop ‘ til you drop , Esker Foundation gallery tour , Gravity for coffee , pop into Livery Shop , head for a cold one at Cold Garden , pop up to Spolumbos for a sandwich , head to Knifewear and Kent of Inglewood , pop into Plant ( everyone needs an air terranium ), then end up for drinks at Nash / Off Cut Bar .

The Stylish Sartorialist

After beginning her career by buying , selling and researching on behalf of some of the fashion world ’ s most talked-about brands , Megan Szanik settled in Calgary to open her fashion boutique , Espy Experience . More than a retail space , Espy is known for offering shoppers access to professional styling , individually catered to aid a diverse range of style profiles and body types — not to mention a vast inventory of denim cuts .

Do you have a favourite neighbourhood in Calgary ? Inglewood !

What ’ s your favourite restaurant and what do you order when you go there ? The Nash in Inglewood — the chicken wings are insane with the Japanese steak sauce , the new carrot tartare , a whiskey sour and I always try to get someone at the table to order something with fries so I can steal a couple .

Where ’ s the best place to relax and have a drink ? I ’ m loving Off Cut

Also , Bridgeland : Shiki Menya if you can get there before they run out of ramen ! And then coffee at the bike shop ( Bike and Brew ).

East Village : stop at Sidewalk Citizen , walk across the bridge to St . Patrick ’ s Island , then pop back and head towards the Peace Bridge along the river .

What is surprising or unexpected about Calgary ? Our community ! It ’ s a small town in a big city . Everyone knows and supports everyone . I absolutely adore it and I am so grateful for a city like Calgary that supports it own .

PHOTOGRAPH : COURTESY MEGAN SZANIK

28 THE ESSENTIAL CALGARY 2018