Ashtanga Yoga Halifax open house
To celebrate their new studio space at the Creative Crossing, Ashtanga Yoga Halifax (5781 Charles Street, Studio 2, ashtangayogahalifax.com) is hosting an Open House this weekend, June 3, 4 and 5. All weekend classes are free, including a Friday 5:30pm-6:30pm practise followed by a reception, an intro to Ashtanga at 10-11am Saturday, Yin Yoga at…
Judge issues ruling on controversial insurance case
May Ocean’s wrecked Volkswagen A Nova Scotia judge has issued her ruling on an auto insurance case that was the subject of a Coast cover story in 2009. In a decision released today, Supreme Court Justice Deborah Smith finds that both May Ocean and Raymond Patrick Sullivan share a portion of the blame for a…
New gag order at City Hall
I was kicked out of a city meeting Tuesday. I had heard that Waye Mason was going to address the Stadium Committee, so I wanted to hear what he had to say, and what the committee members were thinking. In typical backwards fashion, the city is trying to wedge a business model into a stadium…
Torso Plays in Korea
Ian Chiasson Sato Yuki and Kinki Iori (foreground) Last Sunday (May 29) South Korean noise fans got a wee taste of Halifax when Torso (aka Sandy Saunders) played a show at a bar called Strange Fruit (love that) in Seoul (he was in the city to visit some friends). He was joined on the bill…
Another Cat Killing Reckless Driver
A big F*&% YOU to the jerk who hit that cat on Windmill Road yesterday at quarter to 5. You didn’t bother to help out, you just hit him (driving too fast) and kept going. He belonged to someone, you know. That was about the most traumatizing thing I’ve witnessed in my life and wish…
Cellphone Satisfaction
On Monday, May 30th, I made two trips into a cell phone provider on Spring Garden Rd. I was astonished by the way that people were treating the workers. On more than one occasion I could hear that a phone call ended with the person on the other line hanging up on the employee who…
Clothing is Not Optional
Metro Transit’s website says passengers are required to wear a shirt or top and footwear while traveling on Metro Transit vehicles. But, what that teenage girl was wearing on the #80 this morning was not clothing. It was barely enough cloth to cover her cottage cheese ass cheeks and on her front end it looked…
Enjoy the Gardens
I know that this is a done to death bitch, that everyone complains about it, but seriously can someone, anyone, explain to me why I can’t sit on the grass in the Public Gardens? On this first truly nice day of the year, I couldn’t resist the beautiful lush grass and decided to live on…
Timmy’s moved out of ferry terminal
Though regular ferry commuters have probably already cottoned on, the rest of you might not know that this week the Tim Horton’s that used to be in the Halifax ferry terminal has moved out to the corner of George Street and Lower Water, the former home of the licenced Perks. Does this mean that the…
Blue Eyed Boy
Guy at the music store with the lip piercing, you’re so attractive just trim your hair a little so we can see your beautiful face! —Awe
Soccer Encounter
I realize there are one too many of these missed opportunity loves but… I was playing soccer (part of the green team) out in Burnside on Tuesday evening when you complimented a shot I took. From the depths of my imagination all I could muster was a “thanks” but if you ever read this I…
For the Love of a Cat
A big thank you to all of you who helped out when we witnessed the cat being hit by a car yesterday on Windmill. The man with the shovel, the ladies in the cars with the bags and gloves and the lady who knew the owner and went to go get her. And to all…
Book of Joe sees a year
Congrats to Book of Joe, a cafe/bookstore/vintage nook at the Harbourview Market in Dartmouth, on enjoying a year in business. Book of Joe has also partnered with Fancy Lucky Vintage to bring vintage fashion to the market, which has earned it a favourable comparison to the late, lamented Barrington Street fashion destination Junk & Foibles,…
Centre for Art Tapes in the Roy
As we mentioned last week, the Centre for Art Tapes has moved out of its digs in the CBC Radio Building at Bell and Sackville. Here are more details: The new location is the Roy Building, 1657 Barrington Street. Suite 220, with a new phone number: 422-6822. Hours are Tuesday to Friday 9:30am to 5:00pm…
Maritime Heart Centre charitable (and tasty) opportunity
The Maritime Heart Center is releasing a charity cookbook of heart-friendly recipes from a bunch of Spring Garden-area restaurants, including Onyx (5680 Spring Garden Road, 428-5680), Saege (5883 Spring Garden Road, 429-1882) Moda Urban Dining (1518 Dresden Row, 405-3480) Estia (5518 Spring Garden Road, 429-8331) and Fid Resto (1569 Dresden Row, 422-9162). The book, entitled…
Two Lovely Ladies
Last night was great. Feels like I’m playing my cards right, after all. —Man in the Middle
My Sunrise
Dearest Aeris, every morning I wake up you are the first thing I see, you are so beautiful my love. You mean everything to me. I am truely so very lucky because no matter how long and terrible a day can be, I always know I’ll be coming home to see your beautiful smile, and…
A Little Love Along the Way
No matter how many of you I lose contact with, for whatever reason, I will always love you all. I wish I could be everywhere at once. —Zully
Patio Girl
You were the beautiful, dark-haired woman in a black top and jeans with your friend on the patio of a Spring Garden Road restaurant Monday evening, and (I think) eyeing me one table over; I was with my friend (not on a date). I thought of sending a drink or a note, but am sadly…
Thank you Downtown Halifax
I have recently been bicycling often to get back in shape and enjoy the outdoors. It has been years and years since I have driven a bicycle so I am still a little nervous and sometimes shaky. I just wanted to say thank you to all of the pleasant drivers and pedestrians who put up…
I Love My Family
You’ve been there for some of the hardest parts of my life and also the best. You are my father and I love you. You were even there to wipe up my tears after my car was keyed. Thank you for always being there and being able to be calm in the crisis-type moments. I…
Conference: the city should regulate sex work
It’s not a scene you see everyday: A former sex worker is sitting at a table, sharing her experiences of violence in the sex trade with a law enforcement officer and a nun over coffee and cake. Free and uninhibited discussion flows back and forth, as all parties try to think of ways to reduce…
Bartender Beauty
I had a great time swapping bird shit & puking stories with you Saturday night. I didn’t want to get all awkward at the end of the night so I wrote my # down on a piece of paper when Patrick Swayze asked us to leave. A) I hope you got the # B) I…
Awesome Postie Love
Dear postal delivery guy: You are awesome. You deliver my weird and heavy things without complaints, and you always have a cookie for my little pup! She is spoiled now for anyone carrying a shoulder bag because she wants some lovin’! Thanks for knowing I moved one address down so I didn’t have to redirect…
Tunes At Noon Wants You
halifax.ca frolic in the grass fancy Tunes at Noon – the newly-revitalized summer lunchtime concert series at Grand Parade — is now accepting applications from interested musicians. The mini-concerts will take place every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from noon to 1pm and run from July 13 to September 12. On the HRM website, guidelines stipulate…
Drugs are Bad Mkay
Why the fuck, in 2011, with all the information and facts we have on drugs (specifically narcotics, prescription, and designer drugs), would you fucking idiots continue to take this shit? I figure I am at least average, if not slightly above, on the intelligence scale. But for the life of me I cannot understand this…
Two Men, Two Cows, Two Guns now online
Starring the inimitable John Dunsworth, check this out for a laugh.
Auditor general’s concert loan report delayed a week
City auditor general Larry Munroe and his staff finished writing their report on the concert loan scandal last week, but it still is not public. Typically, Munroe makes his reports public via his website, without any prior direction or communication with politicians. That’s the point of his office, of course: to provide an independent examination…
Halifax loves Stickler Chocolates
Trevor Curwin and Miriam Stickler have relocated from San Francisco to Halifax, bringing with them artisanal chocolates: Stickler Chocolates (sticklerchocolates.com, 999-7484), are made out of their new north end home by chocolatier Stickler, who learned her craft in New York and San Francisco. Her handmade batches of filled chocolates, buttery sea salt caramels, and more…
Lazy Bully
This bitch goes out to one lazy ass bully that is living under the same roof as myself and my bf. You might be the landlady’s bf but it doesn’t give you the right to tell me what I can do in the house. Yes, I am out of work (recently hired) but does that…
Going Postal
Canada Post: Who needs it? It’s time that they got rid of the post office and the lazy whining bastards that work there. All they ever do is complain about how bad things are while raking in the big bucks and sitting on their fat do nothing asses. What alternatives do we have to the…
Halifax theatre maven, Mary Vingoe, receives Order of Canada
Actor, playwright, director, bazillion threat Mary Vingoe deservedly received the Order of Canada on Friday. Governor General David Johnston presented Vingoe with Canada’s highest honour, in medal-form. Vingoe co-founded Parrsboro’s Ship’s Company Theatre and Dartmouth’s Eastern Front Theatre as well as Nightwood Theatre in Toronto.
Rogue Bus
What’s the matter with bus #51 in Dartmouth? I catch the dockyard bus in the morning, it is never on time, either late or too early, sometimes, like last Friday it doesn’t come at all. If you call Metro Transit they can’t seem to find it. —Wish I Had a Car
Conference Consequences
Seriously, you needed to damage at least 5 cars the other night in various parking lots around the university? I imagine you probably won’t even get caught. I really didn’t need the couple thousand dollars damage you did to mine. I guess I should be thankful you didn’t beat the windows out like you did…
Satisfy My Soul
I cannot deny the magical chemistry between us and the intensity of meeting your gaze. You are kind, generous, intelligent, physically perfect and steady. Your presence allows me to look forward to the next day and time hastely flies when you are near. Such energy rarely occur and can only reflect an ethereal bond. I…
Maple Gallery now in Bishops Landing, Del Sol moves
The store that sell colour-changing-in-sunlight t-shirts, Del Sol is moving down near the Seaport Market, opening just adjacent to the Seeds Gallery (1099 Marginal Road). June 4 is the opening there, and I have it on good authority there’ll be cupcakes. In the former Del Sol space in Bishop’s Landing is Maples Gallery (1475 Lower…
Dutch Mason Blues Fest Gears Up
Joanne Shaw Taylor There’s been some pretty ace summer festival announcements this year in Nova Scotia and environs, and Truro’s Dutch Mason Blues Fest is no exception. The lineup so far includes Los Lonely Boys, Robert Randolph (listed as one of Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time), the Eric Clapton-endorsed Gary Clark Jr.,…
Brightest Red to Blue
Playwright Graham Percy explores love and friendship as well as art and madness in Brightest Red to Blue. Loosely based on the life of nineteenth century poet and artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti, the story is both eerie and witty—-The Corpse Bride meets Blithe Spirit. Jeremy Webb as the tortured and bitter Rossetti plays well off…
Turnstile Pottery Spring Sale this weekend
Turnstile Pottery Co-op (2733 Agricola Street, 431-2529) is hosting their annual Spring Sale. It runs Saturday June 4 and Sunday June 5 from 11am to 5pm. The pottery studio is managed by artists through membership, providing classes, workshops, and retail sales to the public. Turnstile’s current membership boasts ceramic artists from across Canada, including Nova…
The Cost of Life
I hate money. There is so much stress involved with it. Lacking it makes life difficult. The more you make the more you owe. The government rips you off with high taxes then gives all the breaks to only the big earners. It breaks up relationships, it creates emotional and physical ailments. There is never…
Windsor Exchange Morning Drivers
Dear drivers coming from Joseph Howe Drive and the Bedford Highway during the morning rush hour between 8:30am-9am: I know you are rushing to get to work, and you drive this every day… so do I. However, those white lines painted on the road are there for a reason. SOLID white lines mean do not…
Luke and Jock get rejected
Being in a musical comedy duo is tough work. Especially in this age of insta-fame via the internet and reality TV. Everyone and their pet are comedians online. But Halifax comedians Luke and Jock are making a liability into a career, by being rejected from big name reality TV shows. Luke Conrad, 30 and Jonathan…
Right on Red
Dear fellow drivers, I am one of you. However, I work downtown and do use the sidewalks on a regular basis. Please let me remind you of the rule about being able to turn right on a red light: You MUST YIELD to pedestrians and no matter what, you still need to STOP because it…
Move it or Lose it
It grieves me to say that I have really lost it when you get into any crowded situation where a group of arseholes have to stand in a group and either gossip or just stand there STUNNED in the entrance of a venue, doorway or other through-fare just drooling in a retarded (NOT meaning mentally…
Statue Dolts
To those who just stand motionless when a bus approaches. Please just indicate if you do not want that bus. How many times have I been on a bus and see it pull up, stop, open the door, only to have you stand there like a frozen piece of art. If you don’t want it…
Poor Employed People
Oh my goodness, you poor employed people that have had it so good for so long. Getting paid for sitting on your asses is no longer going to happen. You entitled brats. How about pulling your heads out of your asses and appreciate the fabulous jobs you have or I can easily find those who…
Gouging
I was lucky enough to snag a hotel for the upcoming U2 concert in Moncton but am really pissed off about the gouging going on. I had to commit to a three night stay minimum in a flea bag hotel for almost $900. Unreal. If I check out early I still have to pay the…
My Bicycle
If it wasn’t for you, bicycle, I wouldn’t have met the lovely stranger Timothy at Critical Mass, the one who actually knows what a darkroom is and the one who I shared my clementine-peeling tricks with. And thanks to your bicycle too, or you wouldn’t have been at CM! I hope to see you Thursday.…
Bouncer
To the bouncer with tattoos who came and talked to me Saturday night, I got you to ask if another employee had a girlfriend… and I should have been asking if you had a girlfriend! I am stupid and I apologize. You seemed like a super nice guy. —Stupid Girl
Musicians of Halifax
Guitarists – Grow some ears and make sure you have a good tone. Calm it down with the distortion, you sound like garbage. Stop being so self-serving and play with some taste. Bass Players – They’re called quarter notes, learn how to use them. And in case you didn’t know, you need to keep the…
Another Transit Love
To the girl who was on the #1 Sunday afternoon after 2 with red hair, fair skin, pin-up style, and a leopard print dress with heels… You are gorgeous! I wanted to give you the compliment but transit is sketchy and I know what it’s like, as I am a fellow female and there were…
Plenty of Love
I wanted to send some love out to the girl who wrote me on a dating site with a very lovely compliment. You told me you never ever write girls but came across my profile and said I have the most fantastic face of life, that you were jealous and thought you would pay me…
Travel Mentality at Home
When I travel solo I am able to find the ability to talk to people without being shy. I meet the most amazing people and have great stories to tell when I come home because of this. I’ve been making a conscious decision to try to be more open to talking to strangers at home…
The Amazing View
I saw your advertisement for improved living space saying this and that is better…The funny thing is I have lived here for the past year, so I am thinking, “Are these guys on crack?” I wait for the elevator for 15 minutes! Your clothes are still wet after three attempts in the dryer but it’ll…
You are My Family
Every season that comes around reminds me of being in love with you. I can’t breathe when we fight, and in the heat of the argument all I want to do is kiss you. I never thought I would love a girl, but I was in love with you the first time your eyes looked…
Excellent Start to Bike Week
So, I got drunk and locked my bike to my friend’s bike and then lost my keys. Drunkenly steering and macgyvering two bikes through the north end last night would’ve sucked a lot worse if it weren’t for you, a mysterious man, who came along as I passed through the Quinpool intersection, and you carried…
Limbo
I just wanted to thank you deeply for ending the limbo we were in. I waited for you to make a move… and it never happened. Honestly it felt like a slap in the face at the time. I missed you at first, but just my luck… I’ve met someone wonderful who is really into…
To Make a Pretty Girl Smile
Attention to the lady with the big beautiful eyes and the short beautiful shorts! So, you were on the bus the other day, as you undoubtedly remember, sitting in front of me. The seat next to me was horribly crowded by someone who goes by the name black Lug. A. Gge. looking out the window…
Exercise Junkie
To the sexy, tall, thin girl in my aerobics classes. I love how you move and your smile is intoxicating. We’ve spoken a few times and I find you’re so pleasant to talk to. Also, your taste in fashion is impeccable. Alas… I fear our age difference is too great. Sigh… —Older But Interested
Blockbusters closing
We’ve seen the signs on the wall, and the deals in the DVD bins. Blockbuster Video is closing its central Halifax locations, including the peninsular stores at 1119 Queen Street and 6024 Quinpool Road and also ones on Herring Cove Road and Wyse Road in Dartmouth.(For now, the other remaining stores in the HRM will…
O’Neill Cold Water Classic has some pretty classic problems
Earlier this week, I wrote a blog post criticizing city council’s decision to spend $145,000 in support of the O’Neill Cold Water Classic surf competition. Since then, I’ve learned more about the event, and more reasons why citizens should be even more concerned by the expenditure. Canadian Surfing Association has no legal standing First is…
CBC wrong about Nova Scotia having “highest taxes in Canada”
CBC reporter Paul Withers CBC anchor Tom Murphy peered sternly into the camera during the six o’clock TV news on Tuesday to deliver the day’s top story: “Confirmation tonight of what many Nova Scotians have long suspected,” Murphy said with a knowing shake of his head. “We pay more in taxes than anywhere else in…
Ideology vs Fiscal Responsibility
The U.S. Pentagon’s top acquisition official, Undersecretary Ashton Carter, has warned that the F-35 cost-per-aircraft will be almost DOUBLE what we’ve previously been told and the budget overruns are continuing to mount. The critics, foreign and domestic, were correct on that score. Even Republican U.S. Senator John McCain has criticized the program saying “No program…
Broken Tumbox
Dearest north street deli counter worker: How close do veggie and chicken sound? Not very fucking close now DO THEY. When I say veggie samosa I most certainly do not mean chicken. My veggie belly and heart are in shambles and YOU are to blame! Not trying to be a veg-head prude… just pay more…
Dear Prime Minister No Soul
I still hate you. I’m still watching. I’m still making a list of all the ways that you are a disappointment, and it’s ever-growing. Please don’t destroy my country beyond repair. Better yet, just resign. I’ll bake you a thank you cake or something. Just GTFO ASAP. Srsly. —Socialism is the Only Way
Get Transfixed Tonight
You may remember Matt Samways from the great, dead Truro noise band PIG. Tonight at Lost and Found he’ll be debuting a new project with Ian Phillips called TRANSFIXED. Basically he takes the parts I actually like about industrial music – hollow vocals and chugging tempos – and spreads them on a soft, minimal sound…
Don’t Stand in the Doorway
Take a hint from Bob Dylan, and don’t stand in the exit doorway of the bus, blocking the path for seniors, shoppers and parents trying to get off the bus at their stop. I’ve seen you doing this time and time again, even though there are plenty of seats available. I could understand it if…
McMoms
To the McMoms who sat in the corner at the Quinpool fast food restaurant and chatted while your kids ran wild around the place, screaming and annoying other patrons: They’re your kids, look after them! Their racket and disruptive behaviour went unnoticed by you until one of them fell off of a chair and split…
Art Student Experiences Miracle
To the whole-heartedly amazing girl who returned my lost sketchbook, you are really a saint. My book was left on Barrington on a busy Wednesday afternoon and was returned to me the next day. I had a years worth of work in it, and was ready to give up hope for finishing my semester with…
Ms. Band Master
You were like the breeze when you sat beside me on the bus. All I could do was compliment you; I had to do it quick! “I love your jacket.” I said, grinning when you smiled and turned your blue, eyes on me and said, “Yeah, I get a lot of compliments on it.” Thank…
WeeTube moves from wtf to lol lol lol…
Have you heard the expression “I laughed until I cried”? Well, that was me at the opening night of WeeTube, a clever and disturbing show brought to Halifax by Vancouver’s Theatre Replacement. The affable James Long and the amiable Maiko Bae Yamamoto begin by allowing the audience to choose a YouTube video to view, and…
Haligonian gets film into Toronto International Film Festival’s Student Showcase
If you’re in Toronto Tuesday, May 24, here’s an idea of something to see. The Eighth Annual Student Film Showcase from The Toronto International Film Festival is happening, highlighting work from university film programs across the country. One of the dozen entries this year is from Haligonian and Queens University grad Margaret Donahoe, a short…
Emile’s Dream and My Titanic at SuperNova
Emile’s Dream proved to be a perfect opening to the 2011 SuperNova Festival. It’s just the kind of play this festival does so well: a show that has a small cast, simple set and minimal props yet that still manages to make a big theatrical impact. Newfoundland playwright Robert Chafe has put the words and…
Cabaret Serpentine’s ADORNED shakes you
Cabaret Serpentine has one goal and one goal only: to make you swoon with the love of bellydance. You can see them manifest their destiny with ADORNED this Sunday, May 29 at Casino Nova Scotia’s Schooner Showroom. The Serpentine sisters—Laura Selenzi and Monique Ryan—showcase bellydance, Indian dance and more. But they won’t be doing it…
Though the Looking Glass
Why do people think when they are sitting in their car they are invisible to the world outside? Here are just a few things I have seen when you think no one is watching: The most common is the nose picking (sometimes eating the booger as well); another popular activity is scratching your crotch or…
Look After Your Kids
It is unbelievable how parents now days just let their kids do whatever they want. I see children open boxes in stores, throw rocks at cars, yell until they get their way, hit their parents and the parents will do nothing to correct their behavior. These same parents also seem to think their child’s behavior…
Can’t Even Wash Your Car!
I cannot believe we can’t even go to a self-serve car wash! The other day 2 masked men robbed a man of his wallet at a Sackville car wash! I enjoy spending a few minutes of my time washing my car and now I am spooked about doing it alone. WTF!? —Pissed Off in Sackville
Hello Bitcher/Lover
I know there are a lot of loves in here about LTWWB/LTWWL posters, but those have inspired me to send out some of my own love to a certain poster. I cannot names names, but from your posts, I do feel as if we could be soul mates. More than once I have read a…
Automatic Doors
I live in an apartment building that has a number of residents who get about in a wheelchair. I observed from a distance a disabled person struggling with the door in her chair. I struggle with the same door when there’s wind. When the fuck is the largest property management company in the city going…
Faith Erin Hicks and Panels for Primates 4E
Faith Erin Hicks (of Superhero Girl fame. And, you know, lots of books) loves a good gorilla. Who doesn’t? Hicks, a prolific comic artist, drew a special comic for Panels for Primates, and online charity anthology of primate comics to benefit the Primate Rescue Centre in Nicholasville, KY. The archives go back until October of…
Etiquette for Eating Out Revisited
1) Don’t dive right in. Kiss, massage, feel, finger, tease, lick around, then say hello to the little man in the boat. 2) Keep a steady pace. 3) Don’t stop. 4) Touch me during, legs, stomach, boobs, whatever. 5) Don’t say anything stupid after. 6) Don’t make it seem like a chore. 7) Don’t try…
Note Found
You hit my motorbike, knocked it over, damaged it and left a note… which was tucked very well into the side of my bike. I did not see the note until today… almost a week after the incident. Originally I thought you did not know you hit my bike or that you drove away and…
Rudeness
What the fuck is up with people who don’t return your phone calls, emails, etc. I’m in a business where communication is key and time is of the essence. So why does it take people days to return a simple phone call or pop off a quick email? —Losing My Patience
Bridge Idiots
While cycling across the bridge I encountered two separate pedestrians in the bikeway. One was a jogger, the other a regular pedestrian. What gives? Why am I dodging peds who don’t belong there? Looked to see if the pedway was closed but no, there were pedestrians over there. Do these two have a grand need…
Good Food Emporium’s last week on Gottingen
A staple on Gottingen for years, back to when it was Bob & Lori’s Food Emporium, the Good Food Emporium (2179 Gottingen Street, 422-3150)is expecting to move to new digs at the corner of Lawrence and Windsor streets, just next to the Bluenose Laundromat, next Friday, May 27. Related Stories
Paper Beat Scissors Salts the Snail
The delicate and evocative electro-folk of Paper Beat Scissors (aka Tim Crabtree) will be getting the Snailhouse treatment — Mike Feuerstack has signed on as producer of Crabtree’s upcoming album. Crabtree writes that they’ll be recording in the South Shore’s Confidence Lodge in July and finishing things up in Montreal by summer’s end. Listen to…
Quinpool Loving Bike
This was one of those things I had been meaning to write a “Bitch” about for several years: The compete and total lack of bike racks on Quinpool Rd. But then today, I see a whole bunch of shiny new bike racks have been installed! Thank you, thank you, thank you, city of Halifax, for…
Bad Karma Graffiti
You idiots who think that spray painting “Die Yuppies” on people you don’t know’s houses is in any way justified by your Coles-notes Marxism skimmings deserve every piece of bad, terrible luck that life has in store for you. You probably don’t even realize that all these new buildings you seem to hate the residents…
Left You Hanging!
Runner in blue: You ran past me on Gottigen with a huge smile and what I thought was a high five. Wish I was quicker! I was enjoying my music, my evening walk in half sun with no jacket, and entirely loving life. You made me smile even more! —Slow on the Take
Bad Beer Blues
I consider myself a pretty good judge of beer. My beer pong skills have been honed over time, I’m a champion caps player. I’ve had bitters, lager and ales at countless bars, pubs and patios in numerous countries and I say without hesitation that the ginger lager I purchased last week is the worst excuse…
Get Out of My Office
It wasn’t enough to be my friend, steal my (ex) girlfriend (cheating bitch) and generally fuck up group dynamics and force friends to choose. Now, you work in my fucking office? What the FUCK. I never want you working on my computer, you fucking skeeze. By the way, everyone in the office knows what a…
You Light Up My Life
You are a spare Metro Transit driver. Every time that I see you drive by my house you just light up my life. I don’t see you more than three times a year but when I do it is worth the wait. I think you know who you are. Sometimes you operate the nine and…
Lovely Ladies of Lakeview Avenue
A big thank you to the 2 great ladies of Lakeview Avenue in Sackville. They are out for a walk daily and never without a bag to pick up garbage along the way thrown and left by inconsiderate people. Thank you for keeping our neighborhood looking great! —A Resident
Begging for Votes
What ever happened to using social media for… well you know, socializing? I’m tired of seeing the same 2 or 3 people asking 5-6 times a day for me to like their page or vote for them. I’m to the point of ignoring them from my newsfeed altogether. They’re nice people, but come ON. Stop…
Cute Girl in a Coffee Shop
Girl with the heels at the cabin-inspired coffee shop, I can’t stop thinking about you. You are the strangest looking thing. Your eyes are too big for your face and that smile is lopsided. Your hair is enormous and unruly. Your legs are fantastic. I watched you for an hour. You read the Globe and…
Love and War at SuperNova
You might think that after seeing So…What About Love? at the Fringe in 2009, and then in a remount in 2010, I’d have tired of this charming little show. Not so. I was smitten with its first incarnation, felt a little cooler towards the second, and am in full-out, passionate love with the third. From…
I Can’t Have You
I want everything that you want. You are everything that I hold dear and respect. I could not have imagined someone as perfect as you. You are actually (no… ACTUALLY) the most beautiful, attractive person I’ve ever seen and the way you look at me sometimes makes me want to marry you and grow old…
Neighbours upset about proposed Fairview development
A proposed United Gulf development at the old Halifax West High School site on Dutch Village Road has sparked controversy. The plan includes a mixed residential and commercial complex, featuring two seven-storey towers of 100 multi-family condos set above a commercial/retail ground floor, a six-storey 60,0000 square-foot commercial building with ground floor retail, a three-storey…
Halifax council stays on green course
Halifax council Tuesday stood firm on its environmental record, refusing to weaken the pesticide bylaw and extending the recycling program. One of the first in Canada, the pesticide bylaw was adopted in the late 1990s. It bans pesticides generally, except for a prescribed list of allowable eco-friendly applications, and except by permit. But while admirable,…
Oh, the Humani-T!
My friend Laura is a vegan. When we eat out, there is a bit of a routine to it: Wooden Monkey, Heartwood, jane’s. Wash, rinse, repeat. Sure there are a few other places we can go, but those are our inevitable dinner, lunch and brunch stops. So when I heard Humani-T made it a point…
Gassing up
As I write this, a litre of gas costs $1.23 in Halifax—down from $1.34 earlier this week thanks to an intervention by the Utility and Review Board. While most experience pump rage and wilderness-type voices say it’s a good thing (which it is, long term), the spiking price of gas is the inevitable beginning of…
Bicyclists get a metre
Motorists and cyclists are about to be one step closer to sharing the road. June 1 marks the proclamation of the Bill 93 amendment to the Nova Scotia Motor Vehicle Act, which most notably includes the one metre rule. Nova Scotia will be the first province that requires drivers to allow for one metre of…
Spin city
In Amsterdam, two-wheelers rule the road. Bike bells chime more than car horns blare and narrow streets are full of weaving cyclists—couriers, tourists, cops, commuters or parents with kiddies in tow. There are nearly as many bikes as people in the city, making up 40 percent of the traffic flow. There’s no shortage of places…
Para-gone party
One of the city’s best live music venues is bidding us all farewell, and in true Irish wake fashion—they’re celebrating rather than mourning. Smack in the middle of a solid weekend of entertainment at the Paragon is this show. Over the past two years, Peter Farmer has painted over120 of the friendly faces that’ve made…
The Hangover Part II recycles predecessor
Same hangover, new city: Todd Phillips reunites the original Alan-Stu-Phil (Zack Galifianakis, Ed Helms, Bradley Cooper) “wolf pack” for raunchy comedy round two. The gang treks to Thailand, where Stu is getting hitched to Lauren, who has a “solid rack for an Asian.” After Alan roofies the crew (again), they regain consciousness in Bangkok in…
Redux, reuse and recycle
When you dream, if you dream of co-op bike shops, chances are that the images that linger behind your eyelids paint a picture of something like Bike Again!. Luckily for Halifax, Bike Again! is a real place located in the Bloomfield Community Centre (2786 Agricola Street). Find the door with paintings of cyclists on it…
On deck
From left to right: Brixton striped tee, $49, Pro Girl. Octopus purse, Wa’ou, $25, Biscuit General Store. Maison Scotch shirt, $109, Envy. Pink Martini denim skirt, $56, Twisted Muse. Boat pin, $12, Elsie’s Used Clothing. L-R: Valerie Dumaine dress, $169, Biscuit General Store. Sperry Topsiders $98, D2/Dugger’s Mens Wear. Fred Perry shirts, $118, D2/Dugger’s. Caitlyn…
Racoon Bandit
On its second album, this PEI quartet adds more layers, which tend to obscure the lyrics somebody spent so much time dreaming up. When the words do cut through—like on “Get Off”—there are shards of engaging scenario and story. “I like that you’ve got intellect not ruined by too much internet” is a sharp line…
Ann Vriend’s test drive
The road has played a pretty big role in shaping Ann Vriend’s fifth record Love and Other Messes. Not only were many of the album’s songs written while she was touring, but when she was ready to record, Vriend had full rehearsals with her bandmates and then took the show on the road. While to…
Block party
From left to right: Laptop cases, $50, Lady Luck Boutique. Blue purse, $14, Elsie’s Used Clothing. Comme toi cami, $45, Biscuit General Store. Qupid shoes, $69, Biscuit General Store. Lucy Love “Emma” blue skirt, $49. Biscuit General Store. Suede vest/skirt set (skirt not shown), $40, Elsie’s Used Clothing. L-R: “In Bloom” rings, $15 Lady Luck…
Grouper
Portland’s Liz Harris returns in fine form with a double LP of ethereal experimentation. Though not quite equalling the sublime sinkhole of her 2008 release Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill, this similar-minded set still manages to gently lull the listener into its unique world of tape warble and heavenly vocal loops. Harris has…
Free Will Astrology
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Poet Gerard Manley Hopkins coined the verb “to selve,” which is what a person does in the process of creating his or her distinctive presence in the world. Writing this column is an ongoing opportunity for me to selve, for example, because each time I conjure up a new horoscope I…
Best of Food awards party photos
See more of Angela’s work at her Flickr account.
Happy trails
To celebrate Bike Week we’re reprising our 2007 Trail Guide, pulling out the most bike-friendly trails in and around the city. To see the full guide, pop a wheelie on over to thecoast.ca/trails. Wear a helmet! BLT Trail Head out on St. Margarets Bay Road and turn into the Lakeside Industrial Park to find the…
Suck Dan’s dick, John Cummins
Q I am a bi woman happily married to a straight man, and we both “participate” in hot sexy times with other women during threesomes. It’s hard to find hot 30ish bi girls where we live, but the encounters we’ve had were for the most part excellent. Everything was great until three weeks ago, when…
Kung Fu Panda 2 “animation at its best”
Jack Black whips some animal butt as the voice of Po, the rotund Dragon Master panda, in Jennifer Yuh’s Kung Fu sequel. A vengeful peacock, Shen (Gary Oldman), invents a contraption that “eats fire and breathes metal”—a cannon—to help him conquer China. Po, yearning to discover his past (his “father” is a goose, after all),…
Little Scream
Sometimes, it seems as if the state of sound in 2011 is stronger than the state of song. Case in point: The Golden Record, the first release from Iowa-born, Montreal-based songwriter Little Scream (Laurel Sprengelmeyer). Layered and intricate, the album—featuring Arcade Fire’s Richard Perry as co-producer—oscillates between dense anthems and sparse, breakable ballads. It’s likely…
Wheel of fashion
Sometimes you just have to ignore getting your pant leg covered in chain grease or your skirt stuck in your spokes and go for gold on your banana seat. Fashion and bikes don’t always go hand in hand, but during Halifax’s Bike Week you can mix the two with abandon at two bicycle fashion events.…
Rania
Rania was an absolute treat to spot walking down Spring Garden Road. Rania’s sunny energy, incredible accessories and sequined, shimmering royal blue purse got my attention—real quick. Besides being a free spirit, Rania is a counsellor for ESL students and loves the boho look—her number one fashion inspiration/influence. She has skirts similar to the one…
Tyler, the Creator
It’s easy to buy into the Odd Future hype. But their messianic leader, Tyler, the Creator’s new solo album falls flat compared to the work of OFWGKTA’s MellowHype and Frank Ocean. The beats are boring and the lyrics are overtly offensive. That’s not to say Tyler, the Creator isn’t creative. He’s good at marketing himself,…
Natural selection
For many, considering where the fabric in our t-shirt is from is somehow less pressing than figuring out where our apples come from. The Clothing Textile Action Group aims to remind people that a crop is a crop. The group came together in 2009, when Laura Chenoweth—a local designer who works with certified organic cotton…
Dominic
Dominic, a 24-year old architecture student, never leaves home without his pocketknife (a new one for Youlookfiiine), his keys and his wallet. He says finding good denim in Halifax is next to impossible and one of his least favourite challenges. It seems like he does all right to me—paired with a classic plaid shirt and…
Wheeling and dealing
Buying a new bike can be a perplexing experience for the novice rider. My current street bike, purchased at a big box store, is flimsy and even came with the brakes installed backwards. But for $180, how could I go wrong? Well, every which way, according to Tom Eidt at Bikes by Dave (6191 Young…
NEW testament
Anna Gilkerson has switched gears. After five years of creating her own line, deux fm, Gilkerson chose to stop adding to the world’s cache of clothing and start using what was already created. From that, MAKENEW was born. MAKENEW presents edited collections of vintage clothing affordably (a Lanvin hat for $22, for instance), selling these…
Bye Bye Blackbird set visit
It’s been another grueling day of shooting for the cast and crew of Bye Bye Blackbird. The stars, teenagers Connor Jessup and Alexia Fast, are sitting around a table on set with producers David Miller and Chad Maker in an impromptu post-production meeting. Jessup is in his goth wardrobe. Fast says to Jessup, “You look…
Reunion
When it comes to our high school years, most people have delusions that they were somehow better than they actually were. It’s a natural defense mechanism, really. That is the premise of Pascal Girard’s new graphic novel Reunion—a humourous, if not slightly cringe-y account of how he convinced himself that he was a popular, cool…
James Franco and Allison Higgins bring their collaborative show to the Anna Leonowens
James Franco is coming to town. Sort of. Franco is collaborating with NSCAD University student Allison Higgins for her graduate exhibition at the Anna Leonowens Gallery. Though he’s best known as an actor, Higgins only really learned of the star through his artwork. It began with her perusal of an art gossip and party blog. She…
Passion Play
Two Oscar-nominated actors who should know better: Bill Murray, revisiting his gangster character from Mad Dog and Glory, seems to understand how silly this movie is, while Mickey Rourke plays it straight, only admitting recently in an interview that he thinks Passion Play is “terrible.” He’s not wrong. In it he’s a down-on-his-luck trumpeter in…
Evoke evolves
In her first year running the Maritime Dance Performance Group, Rhonda Baker’s main focus has been making sure the group’s 19 dancers worked as a unit. Surprisingly, with six new dancers and the first new director since 1999, teamwork and trust sort of fell into place naturally. “They’ve become a cohesive group and it really…
The Provincial Archive make history
For a band like The Provincial Archive, archives aren’t a place to keep quiet, but a place to turn up the amps. Actual archives made the perfect pairing for the Edmonton indie folk band, currently touring the country playing a mix of shows at more standard indie rock venues, and in the provincial archives of…
Good dirt
Usually people don’t care to notice the delicate intricacies of dirt, detritus and vermin, but these works by Cal Lane, Sarah Saunders and Janice Wright Cheney have managed to transform what at first glance looks like a mess into a beautiful and thoughtfully detailed scene. Curators Katie Belcher and Ingrid Jenkner brought the works together…
Vanishing on 7th Street
One night in Detroit, everyone disappears. Well, almost everyone. As the power goes, so do the corporeal forms of most of the population, just leaving their clothes and jewellery in piles on the floor. A multiplex projectionist (John Leguizamo), a TV reporter (Hayden Christensen), a healthcare worker (Thandie Newton) and a boy (Jacob Latimore) congregate…
Party time, excellent
The two inner lanes surrounding the north Common are reserved for active transportation this Sunday. Rather than look at those streets as “closed” to traffic, the Halifax Cycling Coalition and the Halifax Regional Municipality are looking at those lanes as open…wide open. Cyclists, skate boarders, roller bladers, unicyclists and yeah, you pedestrians too, are invited…
Conduit 2
The sequel to 2009’s Wii exclusive shooter, The Conduit, improves on the series in every aspect imaginable, but the game still ends up feeling dated. The story of Conduit 2 picks up right after the end of the first game, focusing on Michael Ford as he combats aliens and humans to stop a sinister plot…
Harbour Water Fest gives you the punk treatment
Halifax loves it some music festivals. But not every local band is allowed to play in them. Such was the situation with Ryley Beggs in 2010, a local punk whose folk-punk band The Official Suckers had a lack of venues and festivals to attend. “For a couple years, me and my friends had been putting…
