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Calgary Herald
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
Parker: Gatsby's bringing Roaring '20s-style fine dining to The Oliver in downtown Calgary
When the Luca Restaurant opened in The Oliver, it quickly became recognized for its upscale dining environment and its premium Italian fare. On May 22, The Fleetwood Group will welcome diners to another venue in The Oliver — Gatsby's. Article content Gatsby's is an intimate dining establishment that can best be described as ultra fine dining offered within the age of top service. The décor reflects the era of seeking new wealth, pleasures and changing societal norms that F. Scott Fitzgerald captured in his famous novel, The Great Gatsby. Article content Article content A reflection of the quality is in its House of Hazelwood Scotch. Phil Keene, director of Hazelwood, says Gatsby's is the only restaurant in the world accredited to exclusively offer The Old Confectioner's 44-year-old aged, walnut coloured Scotch whisky. Article content Generations of the Gordon family have carefully laid down stocks of whisky for personal occasions and personal consumption for almost 100 years. For the first time, this once private collection is being offered to those outside the immediate family, in small batches hand-selected for release. The youngest Hazelwood available in the Launch Collection at Gatsby's is 39 years old. Article content Article content On the same floor as the cocktail bar are just two tables with chairs for eight guests, and down the elegant stairway you will find seating for another 26. Article content Intimate and exclusive for sure, as Gatsby's has its own kitchen where Fleetwood's culinary director Michael Dekker is pleased to introduce Gatsby's chef de cuisine, Asher Wilson. Article content Born in Calgary, Wilson moved to Toronto to attend university for his degree in political science, but working during his studies as a busboy, he enjoyed the hospitality industry. Article content After further studies in sustainability and environmental stewardship in Copenhagen, Wilson worked for a time in an urban farming project in Canada but then decided his passion was in the restaurant business. He took an apprenticeship and joined La Banane, a Michelin Guide Restaurant in Toronto, as a line cook. Article content He worked his way up to be chef de cuisine during the time it was judged in the top 100 Canadian restaurants. Article content His brand-new kitchen at Gatsby's is small but well designed, incorporating a Japanese charcoal grill. Wilson and his five staff intend to explore Canadian cuisine with a French influence, seasonally inspired with the best ingredients from farmers across Western Canada.
Scottish Sun
09-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
I went to the American city that's the bourbon capital with unusual museums and the world's biggest baseball bat
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FANCY a holiday in Louisville, Kentucky? First, learn to say it right. Is it Louie-ville, or maybe Loo-uh-vul or simply Luh-vul? Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 Louisville is where big-city buzz meets small-town charm — and has blissfully crowd-free streets Credit: Getty Say it wrong and a Kentuckian will correct you. Say it right, and they'll probably still correct you. While we can't guarantee you'll nail the pronunciation — which definitely features a silent S — we can tell you where to eat, drink, explore and sleep in the city of horse-racing, baseball bats and bourbon. WHY SHOULD I GO? Louisville packs big-city fun with small-town Southern charm — without the tourist hordes of Nashville or New Orleans. As the bourbon capital of the world, it has more than a dozen distilleries within the city limits. It also features the historic Kentucky Derby racetrack. And now is the perfect time to visit the city as 2025 marks 100 years of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, partly inspired by the author's boozy nights with mobsters at Louisville's Seelbach Hotel. STREETS MADE FOR WALKING? Most of Louisville's highlights are walkable, with ten to 15 minutes on foot between the major sights. 6 Stroll through Waterfront Park, which traces the edge of the Ohio River Credit: Getty The city has a bus system, but Ubers are affordable and easy to use. For a stroll that will take in most of the sights, start on Main Street's Whiskey Row, a stretch of 19th-century buildings now home to top bars and restaurants. Then head east to NuLu (New Louisville), a once-industrial district now a hub for galleries, indie boutiques and everything from Cuban to Yucatan food. From there, loop back west via Waterfront Park, which traces the edge of the Ohio River. The overlooked Florida winter sun destination with theme parks and historic cigar neighbourhood You'll get sweeping views across to Indiana. The park is expanding this year, with new sections connecting downtown to the up-and-coming neighbourhood of Portland, just west of the city centre. 6 Baseball fans can swing by the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, where the world's biggest baseball bat leans against the building Credit: Alamy ANYTHING FOR THE BUCKET LIST? The Evan Williams Bourbon Experience is the place to get a handle on Kentucky's most famous export. The five-storey-high bourbon bottle out front sets the tone, and tours end with a guided tasting in a sleek underground bar. Just a few steps away is the KMAC Museum, a contemporary art museum where the descriptions actually help you understand what you're looking at. I popped in between distillery visits and found it fascinating, though that might have been the bourbon talking. Baseball fans can swing by the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, where the world's biggest baseball bat leans against the building. You can also catch Minor League team Louisville Bats from April to September. For something a bit more offbeat, look out for Louisville's disco balls. During the 1970s and 1980s, the city made nearly 90 per cent of America's mirror balls. 6 Go behind the scenes at Churchill Downs with daily tours of the iconic Kentucky Derby racetrack Credit: Getty They are now on show as part of the Frazier History Museum's Cool Kentucky exhibit. Churchill Downs, home of the world-famous Kentucky Derby, is a must-visit. When there's no racing, the Kentucky Derby Museum offers daily tours of the historic track. No trip to Louisville is complete without paying tribute to its most famous son: Muhammad Ali. The legendary boxer is honoured at the Muhammad Ali Center, a riverside museum that's part tribute and part interactive exhibition on civil rights, confidence and courage. It's powerful stuff — and the views from the upper floors are knockout. WHERE SHOULD I EAT? Housed in an old petrol station and garage, Garage Bar now fuels up customers with epic pizzas. I wolfed down a house-made pepperoni, then got convincingly beaten at late-night table tennis on their glowing tables. Just down the street, Feast BBQ lives up to its name. Their tater tots (those crispy little potato nuggets Am- ericans obsess over) are legendary. I recommend them piled with smoked brisket and washed down with a bourbon slushie. 6 My favourite watering hole was Down One Bourbon Bar on Whiskey Row Credit: © 2022 Kriech-Higdon, all rights reserved. I FANCY A DRINK! My favourite, for the sheer variety of bottles, was Down One Bourbon Bar on Whiskey Row. They stock more than 130 different bourbons and whiskeys and their Mexican food is great. Don't miss the speakeasy room hidden behind an old red British phone booth. Meanwhile, over at The Lucky Penny, a mirror-covered bar pays tribute to Louisville's disco legacy with drinks such as the Mirror Ball cocktail. 6 No trip to Louisville is complete without paying tribute to its most famous son: Muhammad Ali Credit: Getty WHERE SHOULD I STAY? I stayed at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Louisville Downtown. The rooms are spacious and it's well located for a night of live music in the lively Downtown area. For more character, the nearby Seelbach Hilton, one of Louisville's grandest hotels, has just unveiled a new Great Gatsby Suite decked out in full 1920s style. Even if you can't book it, take their free hotel tour (Thursday-Saturday at 4.30pm) to see the Oakroom, where gangster Al Capone played cards, and the Rathskeller Room, where Fitzgerald knocked back drinks and drew inspiration for his novel.
The Irish Sun
09-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
I went to the American city that's the bourbon capital with unusual museums and the world's biggest baseball bat
FANCY a holiday in Louisville, Kentucky? First, learn to say it right. Is it Louie-ville, or maybe Loo-uh-vul or simply Luh-vul? 6 Louisville is where big-city buzz meets small-town charm — and has blissfully crowd-free streets Credit: Getty Say it wrong and a Kentuckian will correct you. Say it right, and they'll probably still correct you. While we can't guarantee you'll nail the pronunciation — which definitely features a silent S — we can tell you where to eat, drink, explore and sleep in the city of horse-racing, baseball bats and bourbon. WHY SHOULD I GO? Louisville packs big-city fun with small-town Southern charm — without the tourist hordes of Nashville or New Orleans. As the bourbon capital of the world, it has more than a dozen distilleries within the city limits. READ MORE ON CITY BREAKS It also features the historic Kentucky Derby racetrack. And now is the perfect time to visit the city as 2025 marks 100 years of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, partly inspired by the author's boozy nights with mobsters at Louisville's Seelbach Hotel. STREETS MADE FOR WALKING? Most of Louisville's highlights are walkable, with ten to 15 minutes on foot between the major sights. 6 Stroll through Waterfront Park, which traces the edge of the Ohio River Credit: Getty The city has a bus system, but Ubers are affordable and easy to use. For a stroll that will take in most of the sights, start on Main Street's Whiskey Row, a stretch of 19th-century buildings now home to top bars and restaurants. Most read in City breaks Then head east to NuLu (New Louisville), a once-industrial district now a hub for galleries, indie boutiques and everything from Cuban to Yucatan food. From there, loop back west via Waterfront Park, which traces the edge of the Ohio River. The overlooked Florida winter sun destination with theme parks and historic cigar neighbourhood You'll get sweeping views across to Indiana. The park is expanding this year, with new sections connecting downtown to the up-and-coming neighbourhood of Portland , just west of the city centre. 6 Baseball fans can swing by the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, where the world's biggest baseball bat leans against the building Credit: Alamy ANYTHING FOR THE BUCKET LIST? The Evan Williams Bourbon Experience is the place to get a handle on Kentucky's most famous export. The five-storey-high bourbon bottle out front sets the tone, and tours end with a guided tasting in a sleek underground bar. Just a few steps away is the KMAC Museum, a contemporary art museum where the descriptions actually help you understand what you're looking at. I popped in between distillery visits and found it fascinating, though that might have been the bourbon talking. Baseball fans can swing by the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, where the world's biggest baseball bat leans against the building. You can also catch Minor League team Louisville Bats from April to September. For something a bit more offbeat, look out for Louisville's disco balls. During the 1970s and 1980s, the city made nearly 90 per cent of America's mirror balls. 6 Go behind the scenes at Churchill Downs with daily tours of the iconic Kentucky Derby racetrack Credit: Getty They are now on show as part of the Frazier History Museum's Cool Kentucky exhibit. Churchill Downs, home of the world-famous Kentucky Derby, is a must-visit. When there's no racing, the Kentucky Derby Museum offers daily tours of the historic track. No trip to Louisville is complete without paying tribute to its most famous son: It's powerful stuff — and the views from the upper floors are knockout. WHERE SHOULD I EAT? Housed in an old petrol station and garage, Garage Bar now fuels up customers with epic pizzas. I wolfed down a house-made pepperoni, then got convincingly beaten at late-night table tennis on their glowing tables. Just down the street, Feast BBQ lives up to its name. Their tater tots (those crispy little potato nuggets Am- ericans obsess over) are legendary. I recommend them piled with smoked brisket and washed down with a bourbon slushie. 6 My favourite watering hole was Down One Bourbon Bar on Whiskey Row Credit: © 2022 Kriech-Higdon, all rights reserved. I FANCY A DRINK! My favourite, for the sheer variety of bottles, was Down One Bourbon Bar on Whiskey Row. They stock more than 130 different bourbons and whiskeys and their Mexican food is great. Don't miss the speakeasy room hidden behind an old red British phone booth. Meanwhile, over at The Lucky Penny, a mirror-covered bar pays tribute to Louisville's disco legacy with drinks such as the Mirror Ball cocktail. 6 No trip to Louisville is complete without paying tribute to its most famous son: Muhammad Ali Credit: Getty WHERE SHOULD I STAY? I stayed at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Louisville Downtown. The rooms are spacious and it's well located for a night of live music in the lively Downtown area. For more character, the nearby Seelbach Hilton, one of Louisville's grandest hotels, has just unveiled a new Great Gatsby Suite decked out in full 1920s style. Even if you can't book it, take their free hotel tour (Thursday-Saturday at 4.30pm) to see the Oakroom, where gangster Al Capone played cards, and the Rathskeller Room, where Fitzgerald knocked back drinks and drew inspiration for his novel. GO: Louisville GETTING THERE: American Airlines flies to Louisville from Heathrow via Chicago, with fares from £584 return. See STAYING THERE: The Embassy Suites by Hilton Louisville Downtown has rooms from £85
Qatar Tribune
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Qatar Tribune
US embassy to showcase American literature at DIBF
Tribune News Network Doha The US embassy in Doha will take part in the Doha International Book Fair (DIBF) 2025, one of Qatar's most prominent cultural events. Through this participation, the embassy aims to share a wide-ranging selection of American literature that reflects the breadth, complexity, and evolving nature of American literature and storytelling. This year's US booth, designed to evoke the charm of a warm cabin and 'The Great American Outdoors', offers visitors a unique experience to browse more than 530 titles from over 4,200 books available in English. Selections range from classic and contemporary fiction to biographies, history, poetry, and children's books—providing something for readers of all ages and Ralph Ellison and F. Scott Fitzgerald to Toni Morrison and Suzanne Collins, the booth highlights voices that helped shape and examine narratives within American society. 'Literature gives us a chance to reflect on who we are and how we relate to one this year's Book Fair, we're proud to share a diverse range of American voices—some that challenge, some that inspire, but all that contribute to a deeper understanding of the greatness of the American story,' said US Ambassador HE Timmy Davis. Visitors to the booth can interact with Embassy staff and volunteers, enjoy book readings, and receive higher education advising. The book selection has been curated to reflect a range of stories, perspectives and genres, offering insight into American culture, values, and history.
New Statesman
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Statesman
100 years of The Great Gatsby
100 years of The Great Gatsby Your browser does not support the audio element. 0:00 / 0:00 A hundred years ago this month, F. Scott Fitzgerald published what would come to be considered not only a great American novel, but for many, the great American novel. The Great Gatsby captured the romance, illusion, and corruption of the nation that would dominate the 20th century. Over a mere 47,000 words – one eighth of a 'Bleak House' or a quarter of a 'Wolf Hall,' whichever is your preferred literary yardstick – Fitzgerald crafted a masterpiece that continues to captivate readers a century later. The novel follows Nick Carraway, a 30-year-old bond salesman recently arrived in New York, who recounts the story of a summer spent as a neighbor to the mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and witnesses the obsession that leads to Gatsby's undoing. This brief description doesn't come close to explaining the novel's magic or why we remain in its grip a century on. To explore these questions, New Statesman acting editor Tom Gatti hosted a discussion in front of a live audience at the Cambridge Literary Festival. Joining him were Sarah Churchwell, author of Careless People: Murder, Mayhem, and the Invention of the Great Gatsby, and the author and critic Erica Wagner. In this podcast episode, our guests examine what makes this compact novel so powerful and why its themes of aspiration, reinvention, and disillusionment continue to resonate with readers around the world a century after its publication. Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe Related
