Photo by Montse @omweddingstorytelling

Were you wooed by Random Acts’ romantic gesture at Calgary Farmer’s Market on Valentine’s Day?

Stay in the loop. Win at trivia. Wow at parties.

Written by Nathan Iles

A Walk Through Bridgeland

Written by Jess Arcand
Illustrations by Amber Solberg

Bridgeland is more than just bridges! Packed with quirky shops, errands in Bridgeland unfold gradually, with choices that feel considered rather than rushed. While shopping in Bridgeland, it’s easy to make purchases that feel useful and strengthen community connections.

This philosophy is built into Luke’s Drug Mart, our first stop on our walk. Alongside prescriptions and everyday essentials, Luke’s places Canadian-made and local products front and centre, clearly labelled and easy to find. Come in for elevated essentials and browse selections from Plant while you’re there, where an asparagus fern or tropical peperomia comes in around twenty dollars, pot included. Candles from Milk Jar Candle Co. are priced at $39, higher than a big-box option, and are designed to burn cleanly and last longer. The vinyl racks, essential for any music lover, showcase local artists and labels, including Chad VanGaalen’s Flemish Eye Records.

Continuing a few blocks uphill, knowledge is shared over good coffee at Bike and Brew. An iced americano is $4, similar to chain prices, but the real value is in the weekly workshops. For $20, cyclists can learn how to fix a flat tire or handle their own mechanical repairs, skills that save more than they cost. Inspect the colourful and comprehensive map of cycling routes in Ward 9 to inspire your next adventure.

Midway through the walk, with our bag a little heavier, a recharge at Bluestar Diner is on the menu. The diner has built a loyal following not only through its ties to local suppliers such as Zora’s Lemonade, Micro YYC, and Empire Provisions, but also through daily specials that make dining out more accessible. Taqueria Tuesdays feature $4 tacos; Pasta and Wine Thursdays offer $20 pasta dishes with half-price bottles; and Date Night Saturdays offer two diners a full evening for $100, including wine, a starter, two mains, and a dessert. Even the atmosphere is surprising: more “Tuscan villa” than a “greasy spoon.” Like several stops on this walk, Bluestar uses local roasters Fratello’s Coffee, reinforcing how neighbourhood businesses support one another in delicious ways.

Between stops, public art turns the walk into an informal gallery. Works such as Michelle Hoogveld’s abstract compositions or Sergey Rutin’s tribute to the Kullar family tell stories of resilience and the neighbourhood’s response to harm. They offer a reason to engage with the places we’re moving through, using Calgary’s Public Art Guide to learn about each mural. 

The same spirit carries through the Bridgeland Riverside Community Association, which hosts plant swaps, pop-up markets, and seasonal events. Many are free or low-cost, making it easy to show up and participate. 

The value of a trip like this is not only in what you bring home, but in how connected you feel to the place you are walking through. So get out there and explore your neighbourhood!

Step outside your comfort zone

Written by Nathan Iles

At home: A family craft night might be just what the doctor ordered if you’re looking to have some fun and save some moolah. Grab some supplies from a local shop like Grasby Art Studio in Bowness, pick up a pizza if everyone is peckish, and follow along with an episode of Bob Ross’s The Joy of Painting on YouTube. There are 200+ free episodes on there, ready to make your evening a happy little accident.   

In Your Community: Now that you’ve warmed up that brush, take it out into the community and make some new friends. There are paint nights all across the city that offer a far hipper vibe than your high school class-room, from Blacklight Paint Nights at Raw Canvas to “Paint and Sip” events at local bars and breweries.  And don’t worry about how “good” your art is: no one is going to be Van Gogh after a few pints of Velvet Fog.

Dachshund-lab mix Bowie braves the snow at Tom Campbell.

What is this, anyway?

Randomly Validating is the newsletter of Random Acts by ATB, a new way to connect to our communities with no catch, tricks, or guilt trips. From free pet photos to meal deliveries, we pop up in the spaces you use every day to provide relief and maybe even get a genuine, “Huh, that was cool!”

Some clues to where we’ll be this month:

• Look for us under a big roof surrounded by fresh produce and local crafts on March 21

Want to learn more about Random Acts? Have some friends who need a little Random Validation? *Game show chanting* Click. That. Button! */chanting*

P.S. Random Acts is by ATB, but there’s no catch. We won’t suddenly flood your inbox with promos, though we may occasionally send you things we think you’ll like.