Early this week Carl Emberson and team were up in Calgary where a Garden Party with over 40 Punta Mita Residents fans and family took place at The Deane House in Calgary – The confluence of the Bow and Elbow rivers, at the heart of Blackfoot territory and known as Moh’Kinsstis, was significant to Indigenous peoples who came to hunt, camp and cross the river. It was also the site where the North West Mounted Police built their fort in 1875, creating the foundation of the city of Calgary. Captain Richard Burton Deane, Fort Calgary’s last serving NWMP Superintendent, had a house built there for his wife in 1906; it was later purchased by the Grand Trunk Railway to serve as the office and station master’s house, then moved across the river to its current location facing 9th Avenue—such a major undertaking at the time, the project was featured in a 1930 issue of Popular Mechanics. Since then it has been a boarding house, art gallery and restaurant (owned by the city); it’s been closed since 2012, awaiting its next chapter. Surprisingly, the Deane house was spared any damage in the floods of 2013, but flooding at the historic River Café on Prince’s Island slowed the project down for proprietor Sal Howell, who had been in conversation with Fort Calgary about transforming the Deane House, a place with historical significance that fit with her dedication to local, regional and Indigenous cuisine. That is Deane House.
Over 40 guests attended the event hosted by River Café’s Sal along with Carl ; Sabine & Marcelo from Punta Mita – it was the warmest day of the season in Calgary, Chef Matthias served up a fusion of his cuisine and flavors of Punta Mita from his past visits down to Punta Mita, while Deane house mixologists prepared delicious Margaritas – all in all the garden party was one to rememnber with friends of the past and news friends – all part of that special Punta Mita magic.