Todays’ show is about The Lorraine, a building, #620 and has always been my favourite building in Calgary, I’ve always wanted to live here, only had the opportunity once years ago to visit it and it was…disappointing. BUT this article written by Heidi Klaassen for The Sprawl (an undefended local journalism platform) right here in Calgary wrote the story that I believed and still believe is why I love The lorraine…
Heidi Klaassen is a born and raised Calgary writer of fiction and non-fiction. She works for the Alexandra Writers’ Centre Society and her eco-friendly label, Hekkal & Hyde. She lives in Calgary with her husband, sons and rescue chihuahuas.
When I reached out to Heidi about producing this article she’d written, she was thrilled and in turn reached out to The Sprawl for their permission – which they granted. Heidi is an author and is shopping her current novel around for promotion she also belongs to and works at the Alexandra’s Writers’ Centre who support local creative writing through learning and shared experience.
If you’re from the Calgary area and know this building, do you have any stories to share? When I mentioned I was in this building once, I was back in 2015 or so, I was there for a meeting and was so excited. When you enter in the Lobby true to Heidi’s story the floor is black and white checkered tiles, the wood and structure takes your mind back into a fairy tale of Beauty and the Beast with it’s opulent wood work. I was meeting an architect, and was so awe struck that I got to be in The lorraine that I can’t even remember what the meeting was about!
Upon closing I sure hope you loved this story as much as I did and thank you to Heidi for letting me share her story. Heidi has quite the talent, not only does she write – articles like this one, fiction and non-fiction novels but she also runs an incredible eco-friendly artisan bags shop on etsy, these are hand made (they say made by ‘two hands’).. bags, clutches, napkins and more…
I perused her site and found a couple of adorable items
1) reusable snack bag – sandwich bag – hand printed with a rustic heart bag – this bag is shown with fish crackers toppling out of it, a modelled print fabric and is just perfect to slip into your handbag or your kiddo’s lunch price $13.
2) reversible fabric napkins – who doesn’t love a nice cotton napkin, I LOVE them, $48 dollars for a set of six in a variety of of prints and options polka-dots, flowers, abstract so many options to choose from
Well I think I’ve covered my theme in whole EAT – we will take a set of 6 reversible napkins please READ – this tasty article about the lorraine – CREATE as some of you know I love a good sewing project – between these handmade bags, napkins and clutches of Heidi’s we can check off all of the boxes.
The next week, it’s a recap of the last 99 shows, an intro to the show, a snippet for each episode and I’m squeezing in 20 shows per episode..If you’ve missed any over the years this will be a great recap. I had so much fun looking back, I’ve remastered these also
Thank you for hanging with me throughout all 99 shows…
Well 2020 has been a year of changes, growing and getting back into my personal growth. It’s been a long year, having been laid off at the end of January 2020, then covid erupting, learning how to be a teacher – can I add this to my resume? Diving into Audio Books as a side gig turned serious gig. EATing – READing and CREATing at every possible turn, with DiY projects – cooking and consuming books veraciously – to keep my sanity.
This has been a year of incredible life marks, that will forever change me and you too likely. Let’s celebrate my 100th show!
So if you’re new this show, thanks for stopping by as this will be a great introduction for you and my style of show…if you’ve been with me from the start, these snippets shall take you back…some 3 years ago.
Todays show is a collection of snippets from my first 20 episodes and the variety that the listeners have come to love, a haunted wedding location, safety, intruder, warden, expatriate, foodies, inventions, investigations and more.
To keep you entertained London my 9 year old daughter will be taking over the microphone and providing you with show titles and details for parts 1 and 2…
Episode 4 – Bowling Anyone? Alarm Clock & Beer Tidbit A great family night of free bowling at Craft Brewery – my 6 yo (at the time) waking by alarm clock – she still isn’t a morning person – and the best beer tidbit slash benefit in beer pouring you could ask for – is in this episode – take a listen (artwork updated)
Episode 5 – Intruder in Mount Pleasant No need for me to even read these show notes, my 6 year old and I caught a burglar in our garage robbing us, stealing our things, sitting in my car…touching my stuff, Take a listen!
Episode 6 – Broadcasting for Corrections INTERVIEW: My first guest is my step-sister Janice and discussing her incredible job in communications, writing and public relations, we get personal about her car accident that took her out of grade 8, our parents meeting and her career involvement.
Episode 7 – Interview with a Warden From the interview in Episode 6 with Janice, this interview is with her fiancé This interview shows the kindness of this warden and even tho the people we are speaking of (they may have something hidden in a hole in their body and not being their ears) are still people, they still matter, maybe what they did was unsavoury but that was their action not their whole character. This was a two part episode.
Episode 8 – Expatriate in Quatar Born in Calgary Well I was at my parents for Christmas so I did a whole slew of interviews and my dad in his quiet ways shared his story about working as an expat overseas, and about being born right here in Calgary – what a lifetime of travel my dad, Michael has conquered. This was a two part episode.
Episode 9 – Calgary Tower vs Wellingstons vs The Keg If you are from Calgary and Western Canada these 3 places are a must stop for food. The as I compare my 3 favourite places…which one do you think comes in at the top? Sky 360, Wellington’s of Calgary or The Keg?
Episode 10 – I’ve been Summoned…have You? I have always wanted to be on jury duty, since my dad was on jury duty when I was in my teens – the victim of his jury duty case was a girl named Valerie…here’s my (almost) story of Jury duty!
Episode 11 – All Hail The Ceasar & Ginger Beef Did you know the Ceasar cocktail made with Worcestershire sauce, vodka and Clamato juice along with Ginger beef – sliced thin ginger beef in a candied ginger coating – were created in Calgary…here’s the deets!
Episode 12 – Q & A between Mom and 6 year old Daughter By far a show that’s gone down in our history as a family, we loved making this episode and have wanted to do more – something that is worth doing with your kids – so hilarious. Also remember at the top of the show – this is where most podcasts flounder – episode 12 and I’m still grooving!
Episode 13 – Thrifty Princess Consignment Interviewing the store owner at the time was so fun! How she got into owning this great consignment store and the haunted happenings within the store itself. Did you know there’s a hole in the dirt wall beneath the store that….take a listen
Episode 14 – Enjoying Summer in Calgary This episode is kind of like an ode to Calgary and what it has to offer up! Village Ice Cream – try the 2 hills Earl Grey – in a back alley with great views to a container market – you cannot miss have having a bulldog at Julio Barrio’s – well used to have one, as this place didn’t make it through Covid!
Episode 15 – Investigating Calgary in the 1970s I was looking for a great story about Calgary so…I went old school and headed to the Library with daughter in tow…I found these two cases which btw are my top two listened podcasts of all time…this episode is the sneak peak on these.
Episode 16 – New Show Music – Auditions – InterView This episode I sort of own this podcasting thing more & more…first my professional produced music by a local Artist Jason Schnell (he’s also my hubby’s cousin) then I audition for a drama production called Girl in space – received the nicest rejection letter & I narrate for a another podcast called Forgotten News – stories from Long ago I’m a guest on another Calgary show called Mess Hall Podcast – food and good convos
Episode 17 – InterView with Jason Schnell – TASCAM 40 The guy that wrote my original show music and our Q and A InterView style- if he could interview or meet anyone he would pick, Jesus – listen here to find out why? (Artwork updated)
Episode 18 – Calgary Cold Case 1976: Patsy McQueen & Eva Dvorak This is my top viewed blog and podcast of all…this is a Calgary, Alberta Cold Case story from 40 years ago, date 1976. 2 girls 11 years old go missing, bodies found – and it’s still cold – listen to this clip – there’s a follow up show in progress (artwork updated)
Episode 19 – Turk + Valerie, 17, yellow, furniture The Significance of Anniversary’s even from the Governor General in Canada, meaning of gemstones, colours and more specifically the number 17 -my favourite number. And our 17th Anniversary, yes I call my husband Turk (artwork updated)
Concrete @ The Glenbow MuseumTwo Minute Tuesdays Cover Art…
Todays Two Minute Tuesday we are looking at Calgary Street Art. Welcome back to Valerie’s Variety Podcast, with your host me, Valerie Moss todays show is short and sweet. I’m calling these Two Minute Tuesdays or TMT’s. As I’ve been doing more and more research for my episodes and working full time, it doesn’t leave enough in the kitty to record and produce timely, so instead of releasing less often I’ve decided to do these short spurts in between the full episode segments. Let me know what you think. My focus as always will be Calgary, this great city, and all that’s captured within it.
Did you know the concrete murals on the side of the Glenbow museum facade are by artist Robert Oldrich. These are made of cast cement. The thoughts behind these are reflective of our city, cowboy hat, oil derrick, and our infamous chinook arch. Robert came to our great city and mixed his sand and water creations for us to enjoy, more of his work is plastered on other buildings like: Bishop Grandin High School, the previous location of the Calgary Central Library and others. He immigrated to Calgary in 1951 from the Czech Republic he past away in 1983 in the USA leaving many pottery, printmaking, mosaics and sculptures behind for all of us to enjoy – thank you Robert.
Thanks for listing to our TmTs on the Vsqared podcast. the intro and outro for this podcast is recorded by London Moss and the music I chose today is true Heart Procussion…if there’s something about Calgary or someone in Calgary that you’d like to know more about send me a note text or email to Valerie@ValerieMoss.ca
