Discover hidden gems a stone's throw from the hustle and bustle of Calgary

For those who call the area home, the MD of Foothills is a welcome reprieve from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Comprised of rolling hills, golden wheat fields, leafy woodlands and mountain vistas, the 3,600-square-kilometre area south of the Calgary city limits surrounds the towns of Okotoks, High River, Turner Valley and Black Diamond as well as the village of Longview and Eden Valley Indian Reserve.

Echeverias proving popular for summer nuptials

Two out of two brides have asked me to help them find the same plants for their wedding this summer.

OK - it's true - I only know two brides-to-be, but I was surprised they both inquired about the same plant. My niece Ayla and the daughter of my university roommate , Kendra, asked me about succulent plants for their big days.

New rules will see spending capped, more people on art jury

The City of Calgary is making changes to its public art policy following a controversial $471,000-project Mayor Naheed Neshi has called "awful."

Under the old policy, the city's "per cent for public art" was calculated at one per cent of the total capital project costs for City capital budget projects over $1 million. The new policy will see the same spending level for projects under $50 million, dropping to 0.5 per cent on projects in excess of $50 million.

Mayor Nenshi addresses city's secondary suites battle

* Part two of a three part series on secondary suites in Calgary

It was one of the biggest issues heading into his first campaign.

It came up again during his second successful run at office.

Rental crunch, rising housing costs highlight value of secondary suites for first-time homebuyers

Like many buyers, Karen Coyle had a checklist when shopping for her first home.

Near the top of that list was the option to add a secondary suite.

"I wanted to make sure I bought a house I would be able to afford without the help of the income from the suite," said Coyle. "But I also wanted to buy a house that could easily be suited, so that I would have a buffer in case mortgage prices rose."

We all crave a little more colour in your lives, especially as summer approaches

Making the leap to adding colour in your home can be a small commitment or a fairly large one depending on your comfort level. I'm going to show you five great ways to add a pop of colour to your interior without painting the walls.