Calgary is a city that is gifted with an ultra-modern urban center that feature high-rise buildings interspersed with scores of entertainment spots, dining establishments and shopping malls. The outskirts of the city however reveal a rustic, almost Old West atmosphere that invites comparisons to Dallas in the United States. Make no mistake though; Calgary is a city that is uniquely all its own as a closer look will bear out.
If you are looking for a place to stay in Calgary for the long term, you may want to take into consideration just how long you are planning to stay. If you are planning to stay for 5 years or more, buying a house is probably the best option for you; otherwise you would be better off renting. Some real estate analysts are predicting a market crash by early 2008, and prices are expected to go down about 20%. Of course you may not have the luxury of waiting. In any case, if you do decide to buy a house, try not to stretch your budget too much and take the time to research all possible options before taking the plunge.
On the higher end of the price scale, you can check out Rideau Park, Bel Aire, Mount Royal and the Britannia districts. A bit lower down the ladder are the Eagle Ridge, Elbow Park Glencoe, Roxboro and The Slopes districts. Finally, the Mayfair, Lakeview Village and Pump Hill districts offer more affordable housing potions.
Calgary offers an almost bewildering of dining options in all price ranges. Whether your tastes run from the quick bite on the go, or to a more genteel outdoor café experience, or even if you want to splurge on a luxurious and intimate dinner for two, Calgary can deliver.
Chopsticks, which is located beside Petro Canada Gas, offers a wide array of mouth watering sushi dishes. While the interior itself is not quite that authentic, the place more than makes up for it with its menu that covers the range from the familiar to the adventurous.
JaroBlue is currently making a name for itself for its casual atmosphere and delectable tapas selections. Featuring a rotating menu that changes according to the best local ingredients of the day, JaroBlue will surely have something to please everyone.
Sometimes only a thick, juicy steak will do, and for that there is Halo Restaurant. The menu is surprisingly moderately priced which is all the more impressive given the enormous servings. They also offer tuna steaks, seafood and a variety of non-beef meat dishes.
Noon Urban Bistro offers diners a charming dining experience that is both cozy and inviting, and they are also known for their extensive menu of gourmet entrees.
Finally for the intimate, candlelit dinner for two that we mentioned earlier, Escoba is hard to beat. They offer wine by the glass, so feel free to sample from the extensive wine list.