January 16th, 2010 - Calgary, AB @ Pengrowth Saddledome

[AC]

So what's the plan for Calgary dudes?

AC

[jarmo]

If there's any interest, I'm sure we could decide on a pre-show location.




/jarmo

[Backslash]

Rose & Crown is a good location... I'm not a huge fan of the food or the atmosphere, but you can't get much closer to the Dome.  Might be hard to get a table for 5 or 6 pm on a Saturday.

I can make a reservation, how many people we looking at?

EDIT:  I slept on it and it came to me all of a sudden; The Unicorn.  I've been there a few times; service, drinks, and food are better than Rose & Crown imo.   The selling point is it's 2 blocks away from the C Train, which gets us to the Saddledome in less than 5 minutes.  Even if it's -30C we won't have to walk outside more than 3 minutes.  Location is Stephen (8th) Ave. and 2nd St. SW.  Menu is here: http://www.theunicorncalgary.com/docs/Unicorn%20Menu.pdf

[jarmo]

Just agree on and name a place. I'll put the info in the first post.


I'll try to be there as well, depending on my schedule...





/jarmo

[Backslash]

Just agree on and name a place. I'll put the info in the first post.


I'll try to be there as well, depending on my schedule...





/jarmo

Well the wife and I have agreed on The Unicorn.  Others are welcome to join us.   The more the merrier. 

[jarmo]

Added the info to the first post. 



/jarmo

[AC]

Too bad about the meeting place. I can't convince anyone I'm going with to go to that part of town (or that bar in particular). It's a ghost town on Saturday's on Stephen Ave Mall. I still suggesting hitting up something on or just off of 17th Ave where there's some action. Even if you can't reserve/get a table it's all good to stand and have some ambience! 

The Rose & Crown is a huge step up from The Unicorn. There's also some really cool places from (and including) Melrose Bar all the way down to 4th Street SW.

AC

[jarmo]

So the place suggested is too far away from the venue?





/jarmo

[Backslash]

Jarmo,  R&C is no closer than the Unicorn when you factor in that you'd have to walk from there vs. transit from the Unicorn.  I think AC is just looking for a more lively scene than I am. 

Too bad about the meeting place. I can't convince anyone I'm going with to go to that part of town (or that bar in particular). It's a ghost town on Saturday's on Stephen Ave Mall. I still suggesting hitting up something on or just off of 17th Ave where there's some action. Even if you can't reserve/get a table it's all good to stand and have some ambience! 

The Rose & Crown is a huge step up from The Unicorn. There's also some really cool places from (and including) Melrose Bar all the way down to 4th Street SW.

AC

Fine... I don't care where, I just want a brew with some fans.  Jarmo, sorry for all the commotion, change it to the Rose & Crown.  I'd rather stand and eat shitty appetizers with a few fans than just have a quiet dinner for two with the wife at the Unicorn before going to see GNR. 

No need to bother making a reservation, either.  My only concern is that, isn't the R&C a restaurant type at dinner time?  If that's the case, would they let us just stand around?  If they don't, there are lots of other places to go, as AC says.  Melrose is great, but again, that's a sit-down type place at that time of day.

And after the show, when everyone's all good and liquored up, I recommend hitting the Red Mile again.  especially for some Tubby Dog.     Who doesn't love a hotdog that's wrapped in bacon, then deep-friedand topped with chili, hot peppers, sauteed onions, ham, eggs, and cheese?

[jarmo]

So neither place is a pub?

 



/jarmo

[Backslash]

So neither place is a pub?

 



/jarmo

They're both pubs, just not in the traditional sense, I suppose.  Jarmo, I don't know what your definition of a pub is, being that we are from different parts of the world.

I'm a Newfie, so to me, a pub is like an Irish pub.  You go in, sit down, buy a few pints and eat a few appetizers, while talking loudly with buddies over great music or a sports game on a big screen.  The Unicorn is more of this kind of pub.  The Rose & Crown is like this too, but they focus more on their food around dinner time.  At say 8 pm, they are more of a pub. 

Some people call a pub a place where you pay a cover to stand around drinking and try to pick up women on the dance floor while a DJ plays shitty techno music.  A lot of other places on 17th are like that.

Long story short, they're both pubs.  One just concentrates more on food than delivering a pub experience at dinner time.

[jarmo]

A pub is what you find in the UK!



So yeah, a place where they serve food, but that's usually not why people go there.


Some have TVs, quiz machines, pool tables...


Disco? Nah....

Unless you start a drunken dance!




/jarmo

[Backslash]

A pub is what you find in the UK!



So yeah, a place where they serve food, but that's usually not why people go there.


Some have TVs, quiz machines, pool tables...


Disco? Nah....

Unless you start a drunken dance!




/jarmo

Sounds like you want the Atlantic Trap and Gill, which would be my first choice.  Of course, being an East-Coaster, I'm biased, and people from Calgary don't really like the bar.  It's close to a transit station, again 5 minutes from the Saddledome by train.

We're turning this into the Hamilton debate. haha...

I'm open to anywhere though, if AC is set on the Rose and Crown, I don't mind.  The venue doesn't matter, as long as the beer is cold and the company is good.

[jarmo]

The venue doesn't matter, as long as the beer is cold and the company is good.

Yeah!




/jarmo

[AC]

So the place suggested is too far away from the venue?





/jarmo

It's definitely not convenient to walk to the venue from the Unicorn. Like the person said you would take a train. Anything off of 17th Ave SW is walkable to the venue.

AC

[AC]

Jarmo,  R&C is no closer than the Unicorn when you factor in that you'd have to walk from there vs. transit from the Unicorn.  I think AC is just looking for a more lively scene than I am. 

Too bad about the meeting place. I can't convince anyone I'm going with to go to that part of town (or that bar in particular). It's a ghost town on Saturday's on Stephen Ave Mall. I still suggesting hitting up something on or just off of 17th Ave where there's some action. Even if you can't reserve/get a table it's all good to stand and have some ambience! 

The Rose & Crown is a huge step up from The Unicorn. There's also some really cool places from (and including) Melrose Bar all the way down to 4th Street SW.

AC

Fine... I don't care where, I just want a brew with some fans.  Jarmo, sorry for all the commotion, change it to the Rose & Crown.  I'd rather stand and eat shitty appetizers with a few fans than just have a quiet dinner for two with the wife at the Unicorn before going to see GNR. 

No need to bother making a reservation, either.  My only concern is that, isn't the R&C a restaurant type at dinner time?  If that's the case, would they let us just stand around?  If they don't, there are lots of other places to go, as AC says.  Melrose is great, but again, that's a sit-down type place at that time of day.

And after the show, when everyone's all good and liquored up, I recommend hitting the Red Mile again.  especially for some Tubby Dog.     Who doesn't love a hotdog that's wrapped in bacon, then deep-friedand topped with chili, hot peppers, sauteed onions, ham, eggs, and cheese?

Tubby Dog is great.

I think the Rose & Crown is pretty good all times of the day. That time of the day might be "slower" anywhere I guess. Definitely slow on Stephen Ave on the weekends, if not a ghost town. Melrose is pretty hopping all day on Saturday's as it is the "trendy" place to go in Calgary. On the bar side it's usually pretty busy and if the weather holds up as nice as it is right now it's going to be packed. But packed is good if you want ambience. We're thinking of hitting up some sushi on 4th street for dinner and then going out for beers after that. There's also the James Joyce if someone wants a "real" pub...haha. Post what the final decision is and I'll get my peeps to come with (try anyway).

Cheers,
AC

[AC]

The venue doesn't matter, as long as the beer is cold and the company is good.

Yeah!




/jarmo

At the end of the day this IS all that matters. Will let you guys all decide and will look for the "final" place closer to the show.

How are we going to recognize each other? haha.

AC

[AC]

Here's a link showing the walking distance from Melrose (farthest good place on 17th Ave S.W.) to the Venue:

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=730+17+Avenue+Southwest,+Calgary,+AB+T2S+0B7+(Melrose+Cafe+%26+Bar)&daddr=MacLeod+Trail+SE+to:MacLeod+Trail+SE+to:51.038432,-114.058267&hl=en&geocode=FZbGCgMdUE0z-SHDJzPVNIWMyClz7_8KH3BxUzGuvGHMtJub-g%3BFejICgMdjpoz-Q%3BFejICgMdjpoz-Q%3B&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=3&sz=17&via=1,2&dirflg=w&sll=51.039134,-114.056454&sspn=0.005984,0.010761&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=17

Here's a link from the Rose & Crown:

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=rose+and+crown&daddr=MacLeod+Trail+SE&hl=en&geocode=FVfKCgMdJ2gz-SFNoIdR865iASkZzQs9HHBxUzEjcDEf0a6lkA%3BFejICgMdjpoz-Q&mra=ls&dirflg=w&sll=51.039208,-114.056454&sspn=0.005835,0.010761&ie=UTF8&ll=51.03933,-114.065037&spn=0.011671,0.021522&t=h&z=16

So it's a pretty close walk. Most people from the Flames games and concerts go the 17th Ave route to the Saddledome.

AC

[rhiad]

Hey everyone! I was able to purchase a floor ticket! So, if anyone (or you know anyone) that wants a seat ticket, let me know. Buy me a shirt at the show and the ticket is yours! See all of you soon

[prairie]

I'm in for the pre show.

prairieboy,