For a few days of unbridled fun, Calgary offers a range of experiences just perfect for reconnecting with friends. Eat, shop, laugh, and indulge at these city standouts.

1. FOR A CELEB CHEF VEGAN OMAKASE SUSHI EXPERIENCE

Tokyo-trained chef Darren MacLean, a finalist on Netflix’s The Final Table, presents the most exquisite dishes in his restaurant Nupo. Book the six seats at Nupo’s sushi bar for an intimate and highly interactive dinner with MacLean guiding you through each course and ingredient.

2. FOR A STYLISH STAY

The Dorian Hotel is playful, artsy, and absolutely luxurious. There are nods to Oscar Wilde in the art around this Autograph Collection hotel and even a copy of The Picture of Dorian Gray in every room, which makes for a brilliant theme, there’s a 27th-floor restaurant and bar with epic views out over the city, and a fabulous hotel gym complete with Peloton bikes.

3. FOR AN EDUCATION IN SOMETHING SWEET

The Macaron 101 classes at Ollia Macarons and Tea are super fun. You get to make the macarons step-by-step and taste the quirky flavours — including savoury macarons like blue cheese, pear and pecan, or fig balsamic — that this cute store makes by the thousand to sell in their shopfront or ship throughout the city.

4. FOR AN UPGRADED PEDICURE

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At Distilled Beauty Bar and Social House in the city’s trendy Marda Loop ‘hood, you can get possibly the best organic pedi of your life while being served cocktails and small plates (with plenty of vegetarian/ healthful options). Or there are manis, facials, brow services and all manner of beauty treatments to enjoy.

5. FOR COCKTAILS ON THE DOWN LOW

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Located down a basement stairway in Chinatown, and so well hidden you may well wonder, “Is this it?” after walking by three times. Paper Lantern is an underground tropical Vietnamese cocktail lounge serving expertly shaken cocktails like the Pandam Pain Killer, made with house syrups and super fresh ingredients. Delicious small bites are street food style and made by the owner’s mom out back. Everything is delicious, and it’s such a fun room.

6. FOR A MEMORABLE NIGHT OUT

At the start of the show, Carly of Carly’s Angel’s warns the audience that this isn’t RuPaul’s Drag Race, and “If one of us old queens does a deathdrop call 911, it wasn’t intentional.” Carly has been performing at this same location in historic Inglewood for almost 25 years, and the two-hour show is a classic drag riot with salacious lip-synch routines and gently mocking audience participation.

7. FOR BUYING AND BROWSING

All along 9th Ave SE in Inglewood, the city’s oldest neighbourhood, you’ll find fab boutiques. The Next Page is a huge, dreamy indie bookstore with a pay-what-you-can cafe, new books upstairs, and a used-book basement with a secret cinema set up that screens old movies. Purr is an essential stop for streetwear and designer clothes (they have a fab line of Calgary neighbourhood t-shirts), as is Cody & Sioux modern Western wear, and Stash Needle Art Lounge which sells fun craft kits, yarns, and patterns.

8. FOR A LATE-NIGHT MUNCH

Despite Class Clown looking very much like someone’s 70’s basement bar rumpus room, it opened just over a year ago and serves up the most delicious hand-ground burgers made with the best Alberta chuck and brisket. Be sure to order a basket of their crinkle-cut fries smothered in house-made cheese sauce, Coney sauce, and crushed Hawkins Cheezies. Class Clown also has an impressive wine list, draught craft beers, and cocktails.