Let’s not say goodbye – let’s say…no, wait, let’s say goodbye.
Many of us know and love Whyte Avenue’s Luzzara Coffee Bar. Not only is the shop, operated by our friend Sarah Jackson, home of some of the best coffee in the City – it is also a hub for folks in the area to mix and mingle. As anyone who has been to Luzzara knows, it’s basically impossible to get a coffee there without meeting someone new.
So obviously, it was really a buzzkill when Sarah announced earlier this month that she would be closing up shop. The role both she and Luzzara have played in revitalizing East Whyte Avenue is not to be understated. Certainly, Sarah is on to bigger and better things – but until then, we want to commemorate the role of this beloved coffee shop in our community. So we’re going to do a one hour live webcast from Luzzara on its last day of operation (on our Livestream Channel, from noon-1 pm).
Here’s where we need your assistance. We’ll happily provide the livecast – but we’d like you to take a second and contribute a little something. Do you know Sarah? Did you frequent Luzzara? Will you miss it being gone? Did you always plan to go there but never get the chance? Take a second, flip on your webcam and record a message (you can send large files through YouSendIt.com) – or send a drawing, a letter, an animated gif – perhaps compose an original song, etch a piece of glass, perform a monologue, create a scrapbook or carve something from sandstone. Basically, just help us fill an hour of time, and help us thank Sarah for providing us with so much excellent coffee and conversation.
We expect this finale to rival all the greats – Lost, Cheers, So You Think You Can Dance Canada 2010 – and we can’t do it without you. Send your submissions to submit@theedmontonian.com, or come down to Luzzara at noon this Sunday to be on our show.
Vote it up
Just days before the federal election, we’ve got a few other places you can make your voice heard.
SEE Magazine’s Best of Edmonton is done tomorrow at midnight, so you don’t have much time left to choose the best of everything about Edmonton.
They’ve even got a blog category this year, which means they’ve covered just about everything. (We’re honoured to be nominated along with such fine gentlemen bloggers as Dave, David, Ken and Mack.)
We want you to vote with your heart, but if you’re looking for write-in candidates we have a few to recommend:
Vote for Wunderbar for best beer and best bar (they have so many beers, and so much local brew!)
Vote for Luzzara for best coffeehouse
Vote “Chad and Colin from CJSR’s Makin’ Whoopee” as best radio personality (because they are awesomesauce)
Also vote:
CJSR as best station because they play more Edmonton music than anyone (CKUA is also good times)
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Vue Weekly’s Golden Fork Awards are happening right now too. So you can head over there to let the rest of us know the best places to eat.
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A friend of the edmontonian, A.O.K., is trying to win a music video. So, vote for Omar.
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You can also nominate people under the age of 40 you think are pretty cool, or doing pretty cool stuff in Edmonton, at Avenue’s Top 40 Under 40.
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After all of that, also remember to vote in the federal election on Monday, May 2.
This Week’s Events
Hey gang, as mentioned earlier today, we’re busy, busy, busy with the new TV show and will take just a little step back from the website this week. We’re still around, stuff will still get posted, but you might just have to occasionally leave a message at the tone.
So, in case I don’t get to it on a regular basis, here’s some exciting and fun stuff going down in Edmonton this week:
The Citadel Theatre has two plays on right now. The Three Musketeers (in the MacLab theatre) and Rick: The Rick Hansen Story (in the Shoctor Theatre). Also in theatre, Pervert is running at the Varscona Theatre.
The Mayor’s Celebration of the Arts is tonight.
Wednesday you can check out what some of Edmonton’s software smartypants are up to at DemoCamp 14, at the U of A…Ryan McMahon and the Company Damn, and Doug Hoyer, play the Haven Social Club…Big John Bates is at New City…And Wednesday is also Awareness to Down There-ness Day (for the Underwear Affair), so expect to see some underwear.
Thursday, Old Ugly’s Concert Series continues at Leva (CJSR is also a sponsor) with DoT (Phil Holtby) releasing his first album, Miss Teviak…and F&M play Accent European Lounge with Jenie Thai…
Friday…Weird Canada Presents: DUZHEKNEW + Cousins + Service:Fair + The Group Sounds, at Wunderbar…Latitude 53′s new exhibits – Noxious Sector’s “Of Brains and Magnets” and Jinzhe Cui’s “When Dreams Lighten the Reality” – begin their stay at the artspace…and check YEG Live for more concert listings.
The NHL playoffs begin this week, so expect some extra mid-week company at your local sportsbar. (Yes, Oilers fans, there is hockey beyond April. I know it’s getting hard to remember that.)
Donate to CKUA. The Alberta-wide radio network is in the middle of its spring fund drive, so keep Alberta radio Albertan (and indie, and eclectic).
Vote for CJSR’s Chad and Colin – hosts of the Tuesday morning show “Makin’ Whoopee” – as best local radio personality(ies) in SEE Magazine’s annual Best of Edmonton. Also vote for Wunderbar and Luzzara wherever you can because they’re great Whyte Avenue businesses that didn’t make the SEE cut.
February 17: Edmonton
With the return of the cold, I think it’s fitting to begin today by talking about snow.
One of four City snow storage sites is being closed to the public. I had no idea I could just dump my snow at these sites. Speaking of snow…Councillor Kerry Diotte wants an independent review of Edmonton’s snow clearing policy and plans. Changes appear to be coming to how Edmonton does snow removal.
A couple of guys guilty of a Water Act offence previously are going to be paying out $200,000 for their latest offence.
A human trafficking case didn’t end up at trial, with people charged pleading out to lesser crimes.
The busy days continue for Edmonton homicide detectives.
Maybe the Edmonton Police Service will ask for more permanent staff in Homicide. The City could always use their new alcohol bus ads to pay for that.
On the beat. The university campus beat. Speaking of the U of A…the school’s president held a “State of the University” address this week, discussing with students the hopes, dreams, and challenges at the university.
The downtown Greyhound station is reviewing its door policy after locking out a teen who says he was robbed and couldn’t get back into the station, even with a security guard on the other side of the glass.
This op-ed says Edmonton’s downtown can’t be busy after the workday. I shall agree to disagree.
We now shall continue. (more…)
Scooter Sale
Whyte Avenue’s loss could be your gain, Edmonton.
While not always on Whyte Avenue, Top Gear Scooters has been on the southside for a number of its eight years. They of the Scott McKeen election scooter and the Edmonton Oilers ride. But the boys on the bikes are calling it a day, heading into that sunset on their Vespas.
The shop, however, is full of scooters (brands include Vespa, Piaggio, and Aprilia) and gear. So you better get your discount pants on and head on down tonight (6-8pm). The scooters must go. Stuff like helmets, jackets, hoodies and more will be on sale. (And we know you do love a sale, Edmonton.)
As for Top Gear leaving Whyte, I feel fairly confident it will be replaced by something hip, cool, and original. The building also houses Luzzara coffee (run by the lovely Sarah Jackson), and the fun and unique Beauty Parlour.
It it becomes another Subway I’m going to scream.
A whole lotta Wednesday
The sun is shining (at least, as I type this sentence), the temperatures are reasonable, and Edmonton is ripe for adventure. Good thing there are plenty of options for your Wednesday night.
You can check out Ice on Whyte, which is ever so much more fun when it’s the Long John Index isn’t off the charts.
DemoCamp’s back, at the University of Alberta (Telus Centre), with new startups and entrepreneurs talking about their tech projects.
Sarah Harmer is at the Starlite Room tonight. The show is sold out. You can still get tickets to tomorrow night’s show (also at the Starlite).
National Treasure is playing Wunderbar, with Joe Nolan.
And, if you’ve thought about hanging some art around your home or office, but don’t know the first thing about collecting art, you can check out an information night at Luzzara. The coffee shop will have help from The Paint Spot to inform you about buying art and how to look like you know a thing or two about a thing or two.
New Year Events
If you can get out of bed this weekend, there are things to do. Even on New Year’s Day itself. (For New Year’s Eve see our previous post.)
Whyte Avenue’s fun, local coffee shop, Luzzara, has a New Year’s Day party (12-3pm).
As with every January 1, there’s a New Year’s Day levee at Government House. Meet the new Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta!
If you’re looking for a little music, try the Salute to Vienna at the Winspear Centre.
The Oilers are home on New Year’s Day night (hosting the Flames, no less), while the Oil Kings play Sunday afternoon.
Also Saturday night, Wunderbar’s got Energetic Action and Jazz (the band, not the genre of music).
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We gave Gregg Beever the holidays off. I hope he’s enjoying our generous holiday bonus.* So, here’s what I could find for movies that open this weekend.
Director: Derek Cianfrance
Writers: Derek Cianfrance, Joey Curtis, Cami Delavigne
Stars: Ryan Gosling, Michelle William
This is a crazy movie where Gosling and Williams play a couple, over decades. The movie jumps around between different points in their lives. Weird stuff.
Director and writer: Mike Leigh
Stars: Jim Broadbent, Ruth Sheen, Lesley Manville
Another couples movie. What’s up with that for the holidays?
After the holidays, when we’re all back to working five day weeks, there are more movies coming out. Some of them even look decent. (more…)
Live Morning Headlines
Today’s Headlines put together live from Luzzara on Whyte Avenue…thanks to Sarah for all the coffee.
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I mentioned, yesterday, how we’re into the pile of year-end stories and look-backs. Here’s one with Edmonton’s fire chief. And the new year will bring us a new police chief.
If you’ve been hanging around this website much in 2010 you probably don’t need me to point you to a story about this being a great year for local music (because we go on and on about all kinds of bands and artists we like). But I’m doing it anyway.
Those last few 2010 wraps are all from the Journal. And the paper’s reporters are talking about their favourite stories of the year.
Over at the Sun, it’s time to check in with Alberta’s own maverick MLA, Dr. Raj Sherman.
The Sun’s also got a look at the 2010 homicide rate (which hopefully will not jinx us before the end of the year), with about the only criminologist I ever see quoted in Edmonton news.
In the new year there will be a higher damage threshold for car crashes. That means police won’t have to attend to as many crashes, because they will be considered “minor” if under $2,000 damage. It also means you won’t have to report those smaller collisions.
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There have been a number of stories about Alberta’s syphilis outbreak in the last year or so. Now there’s a recommendation to put condom machines in all bar bathrooms.
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A family is preparing to take care of an orphaned baby girl, after a crash outside of Edmonton on Christmas Eve. There should be details on a trust fund soon, but right now the family would like people to donate to STARS if they want to do something immediately.
Live from Luzzara
Come on down to Luzzara and meet this blue fish. Yes, it's wearing a tiara.
You know, it’s been some time since we tried out the whole live on the Internet thing. You never know when we’ll actually need to use those “skills” for something important, so it’s time for some live Internetin’.
This morning I’m taking a page out of Sally’s book e-book and broadcasting live from a coffee shop while doing stuff. Lucky for me (and probably you) I’m at Luzzara, which is a great little shop on Whyte Avenue, with the always-bubbly, super coffee-knowledgeable Sarah Jackson. Luzzara’s a hub of east Whyte and you don’t know who will stop in…
Also, I’ll be putting together today’s Headlines while broadcasting, providing you with spectacular video of me typing and copying links. Yeah, I know what you like.
You should be able to watch the “show” at the top of this post in an embedded video player (try refreshing the page if it’s not there) or at our livestream.com page. Drop us a comment, tweet at us, or join the livestream chat and I’ll do my best to talk with you while this all goes down.
Fast, Football, Festivals, Free, and Fantastic
Longboarders are going to have to be brave to tackle the race through our river valley. Yikes!
As for our headline…when the alliteration shoe fits…
This weekend sees the end of another year of fringing. But, fret not, the 29th Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival lives on in our hearts.
Oh, and in these holdover plays.
Hope this smoke clears out because there are a few outdoor movies this weekend. Finding Nemo (another F!) is playing tonight at the Valley Zoo. (Oops! It was last night. Thanks for the heads up, Mike.)
Movies on the Square is back too, with Diary of a Wimpy Kid tonight, and Fantastic Mr. Fox Saturday night. Stony Plain has an outdoor movie too.
It’s Free Cookie Friday at Luzarra. Get over to Whyte Avenue and buy a coffee so you can get a cookie. That caffeine and sugar will only help you start the weekend better.
The tune-ups are done and the Prairie Football Conference is into the real stuff this weekend. The second-best team in the country, the Edmonton Wildcats, begin their season home to the Regina Thunder. Sunday at Clarke Park (beside Commonwealth Stadium).
The winless Edmonton Huskies also begin the regular season this weekend. They’ll take anything they can get after going 0-8 last season. They host the Calgary Colts Saturday night at Clarke.
This is actually quite a decent level of football if you can’t bear to watch the Eskimos embarrass themselves anymore. Tickets are also reasonably priced.
Another non-Eskimos option is the Edmonton Capitals. Tonight’s game is also chock full of diabetes info, courtesy of the Canadian Diabetes Association. (The Capitals are ALSO showing a movie outside, after their Saturday game. It’s The Rookie.)
DEDfest is back to scare the crap out of you, and generally make you squirm.
DEDfest may get you thinking about Hallowe’en, which may get you thinking about fall, which may get you thinking about farmers harvesting their crops, which leads me to mention the Corn Maze is open.
Let’s dip into the ShareEdmonton calendar for some fun.
Clearer air would also help the participants in the Edmonton Dragon Boat Festival, happening at Louise McKinney Park.
As mentioned earlier this week, Saturday is the Canadian Derby at Northlands. It’ll be all fancy hats, fast horses and…bikini girls…
Hawrelak Park’s got the blues. Dun, dun, dun da, dun…The Edmonton’s Labatt Blues Festival…Dun, dun, dun da, dun…
Don’t forget you can always seek shelter from the smoke in a nice, cool movie theatre. Gregg can tell you what’s likely worth your money.
And on Monday, we’ll be celebrating our first year alongside another one-year-old, The Unknown Studio. Come on out to Wunderbar, throw us a toonie, enjoy some fine beer, and hear life-affirming passages from celebrity autobiographies. Party pants not required.
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While messing up the Finding Nemo showtime I also forgot to mention The ARTery’s kick-ass weekend. The Get Down is playing Friday night (there’s still time, it’s still good) and Saturday is an artists’ garage sale/pancake breakfast/bbq/block party. Told you it was kick-ass.
