The old and the beautiful
Tara MacDonald and Justin Inglis got a lot of crazy looks when they decided that a stripped bare, yellow- shingled, 150-year-old house near Hubbards was their dream home. “It would have been way easier to tear it down. People told us, just start from scratch,” says Inglis about the then-derelict building on the Aspotogan Peninsula.…
Centre stage
Avril Brown runs Prep Home Staging in Halifax. For more tips and tricks, find her at prepstaging.com and @prepit. 1. There are many cost effective ways to prepare a home for sale. De-cluttering is huge and doesn’t cost a thing. Look at each room with a buyer’s eyes—taking a picture of the room helps with…
Flipping fantastic
A lot can change in five months. That’s how long it took photographer Candace Berry and her husband David Bryant, a carpenter, to take a neglected and rejected house in the north end and turn it into stunning home that sold before it even went on the market. It started with Bryant’s dream of teaming…
Homes Halifax 2014
Click here to view the digital flipbook.
A space odyssey
“New and old don’t actually mind being next to each other—a lot of people think they do,” says Halifax architect Alec Brown. He’s talking about a kitchen and common space renovation he did at his own Harvard Street home that wasn’t as much about adding to the area as it was re-imagining it. “We didn’t…
Let there be light
A glance into Mary Stephen’s west end kitchen is kind of like taking a big, deep breath of fresh ocean air. It wasn’t always that way, with its dark royal blue cupboards and big old “conversation piece” stove but the rest of her beautiful 1940s home had strong bones begging for a kitchen update. Stephen,…
One relove
Suzanne Hickey and Steve Anderson know potential when they see it. The pair met about a year-and-a-half ago, connecting over a shared interest in home style that quickly became more than just a hobby. Anderson is a graphic designer-cum-carpenter, with a love for building furniture. Hickey took an interior design degree “just for fun” while…
Great estate
I’m not sure if I’m ready to buy just yet, but it’s definitely on my radar. At what point should I start searching and chatting with an agent? I find the sooner that buyers start talking to me about their dreams of home ownership, the more I am able to help them out. Even if…
Broker fixes
First things first: What’s the difference between me going to my bank and going to a mortgage broker? When you’re making a huge life decision, you want someone that holds your best interest as their priority. Just as you wouldn’t shop in a store that sold one pair of pants in only one size, the…
Keep it clean
How do you think clutter and disorganization affects day-to-day lives? Being organized, although challenging at times, enables the homes to function more efficiently and productively. Having a system in place that works frees up your time and money to enjoy life as opposed to wasting time looking for something that you know you have, somewhere!…
So hot right now
“The New York chair is another trend where the shape and proportion are very important, as is the mix of materials with metal and fabric,” says Attica’s Suzanne Saul, using these Saba Italia chairs—and their flippable cushions— to illustrate a style she’s onto. Citing a Trend Bible post about shape and proportion replacing surface interest,…
Nova 7 heaven
As soon as you finish reading this sentence you should probably start running to your nearest liquor store. Like, right now. Today, Thursday April 10, marks the release of the 2013 vintage of Benjamin Bridge’s incredibly popular and incredibly drinkable Nova 7. It’s here, everyone! Chin chin! This delicious and unique, pink-tinted summery wine ($24.99…
Jumpin’ Jesus
It might have been a stroke of divine intervention that led to playwright and actor GaRRy Williams writing his latest work, Jesus Is A Faggot—or maybe just a writing workshop, but either way, it’s divine. Williams batted around the idea at the Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre Colony in Sackville, NB, fleshed things out for a…
Driver’s Mea Culpa
To the man walking his two dogs back from the Common across on Robie Street last Sunday: Thank you for the reminder of good driving conduct (wait until the pedestrian has completely crossed the street before going forward). Although I originally found your extra comment—”Relax!”—a little overblown, I later realized that I could use more…
Almost Amos
I’ve been creeping in the windows of 2445 Agricola Street over the past six months, watching the transformation of the former KPC Ltée and waiting for Amos Wood Mouldings & Millwork to arrive. With the helping hands of MRB Contracting the building’s now beautiful enough to reflect what’s inside: the wall coverings, siding, flooring, countertops…
And They Called It Kitten Love
Oh little kitten, I love you so much. You are my muse. You fill my life with music, laughs and cuddles. You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever known and when you are happy my whole world brightens up. I picked up some nip and yarn. Let’s have some fun tonight! -Big Kitten
Halifax Hate Hipster?
I. Hipster is a vague term (you say hipster, I say why?). II. There are a lot of “groups” of people who dress the same, it’s a signifier to other like-minded people (politicians do it, punks do it, geeks freaks and bros do it, and so do you). III. The “grain” only runs one way.…
Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows
About time! I was minutes away from throwing everything I own into a backpack and hopping on the next flight to Australia. But just when I was giving up on NS, the sun and beauty reminded me of why I’m here. -Good Morning, Starshine
Procrasti-nation
Why must everything be so damn entertaining! I just have a measly 500 words between me and freedom. I know, I should be working on it now instead of writing this bitch. But I can’t because there’s paint drying in the next room. -Finals Upset Cosmic Karma
Take a Hint
I HATE it when people strikeup a conversation with you and you are wearing headphones. It’s one thing to ask a question or give information, but to start blathering on about nothing at all is SO annoying I can barely stand it. I don’t want to talk to you. I’m secluding myself in music for…
Happiness Comes First
Thank you for a beautiful year. Thank you for being so receptive of my ideas and helping me realize my potential, for being so open with your heart and teaching me how to better protect mine. I will always love you because you are one of the most uniquely beautiful people I have ever had…
Ireland 32 gets a new owner, name and menu
“I was just trying to cut down my coffee bill,” laughs Steve Maly, manager of The Trail Shop (6210 Quinpool Road) and the new owner of its neighbour Ireland 32 (6220 Quinpool Road). Self-proclaimed as the cafe’s most regular customer, Maly’s taken over the reigns from Noel Gallagher (not this one) who opened Ireland 32…
March Madness Day 16: Upworthy vs. Coffee News
This is it. Take a good hard look at what you’ve done. Upworthy is the BEST of the new media and Coffee News is the TOP OF THE HEAP of old media, according to you. This is what you like. This is what you read, and this is how you get your news and learn.…
Ghostface Killah in Halifax April 25 at the Marquee
This is very exciting. Underdog & JAE Entertainment announced that Ghostface Killah is coming to town in mere weeks. April 25 at The Marquee. While I regain a normal breathing pattern, here are a few things for you to watch:
Artceleration tonight!
Art has the power to change lives, and that’s what Haligonians are going to see at Youth Art Connection’s Artceleration concert tonight at BridgeCAT in Dartmouth. The event will showcase the numerous young adults in Halifax that have worked with YAC founders Ryan Veltmeyer and Ann Denny on building and marketing their passions. “What we…
Just Stay Home
To the customers who sit in restaurants for three hours, receive attentive service and then leave a terrible tip—just stay home. I am a firm believer that you have the right to tip whatever you want when at a restaurant, but if you have been served for three hours and are even told there’s no…
Girl Wearing Black Sweater With Camera and Tripod
Hey, this is a long shot, but figured I’d try. Our eyes met on bus no. 10 around 9:15PM on April 7 at South Park and Rhuland. I was wearing a black pea coat, dress pants and black shoes. You were wearing a black sweater, carrying a big camera and tripod in your backpack. I…
REPEAT ON REPEAT
If I have to listen to you complain about the shitty men you’ve dated/are dating one more time I’m going to implode, then explode and then collapse into a black hole. You keep dating the same type of guy—music dude, hangs out in bars, pretends not to care routine. Really? Are you stupid or just…
Thank You Debit Guy
To the sweet guy working at McDonald’s on Portland St.: Thank you so much for bringing my debit card to me after I stupidly left it in the machine. I know you had better things to do than hunt me down. You made my day! -Miss Scatterbrain
March Madness Day 15: Upworthy vs NYT.com and New York Times vs Coffee News
The penultimate showdown is upon us. It all comes down to this. Tomorrow the game changes, finally we’ll have New Media and Old Media going head-to-head. The last two weeks will seem like little spats compared to our final fight. Crank the 2 Unlimited and catch up on all the good times you missed here.…
Music video premiere: The WAYO, “Undone”
Shot by BADFUNmedia’s Pat Campbell and Mat Barkley, the video for “Undone” is as chill and hypnotizing as The WAYO itself. “We did it with no real budget, just a few favours from friends who could lend some equipment and a pasta dinner the band cooked us all,” says Campbell. “Aww,” says I. Upcoming WAYO…
Stop. Just Stop.
Yes, you are SO cool with your trendy beard, trendy beer, trendy cut and trendy boots. Get over yourself you dink. You’re probably a cool guy, but you’re covered in a veil of bullshit. Oh, you’re a musician you say? Who cares. I’m trying to enjoy my trendy beer without having to listen to your…
Here are your ECMA winners!
There were so many winners they had to trickle in slowly to avoid a flood of exclamatory golden treble clefs, but trickle in they did—here’s a complete list of the lucky recipients from this year’s East Coast Music Week gala. Stray thoughts: 1) Good to see Seamus O’Regan doing things. 2) The award for best…
March Madness Day 14: NYT.com vs. Al Jazeera & Town Crier vs. Coffee News
Only two more sleeps and this whole thing ends for another year. We’ve been through so much together. What have we been through, exactly? Click here and remind yourself. If you’re more of a visual person than a words person, first of all, congratulations on clicking this post, and second of all, here’s a helpful…
Trends A La Carte
When did Halifax become so trendy? The burger joints, the “gastropubs,” the big beards with short hair on the side and long on the top, all the hipsters waiting to be told what they like and dislike. Why now? Or are we eternally doomed to be followers? Small city complex? Do you ever look around…
Men Will Never Know
My ideal Mother’s Day gift would be for every man to understand what it is to be a mother. To live in constant fear of losing you. To live in constant fear that you will be hurt or someone will hurt you. I’d love for the world to stop smoking around children, move out of…
Sweet Baby Bunnies
Ranch Women: Tween years till forever?! We best be eating eggs bennies at Lady Marmalade10 years from now! Hopefully at that point we’ll have working dishwashers and will be nostalgic for the times we shared in this lil’ green house. -Your (Procrastinating) Lover Downstairs
Beautiful
I have liked you since the very first day I met you almost a year ago now. I’m so excited we are hanging out now and feel like I fall harder every time I see you. One day I’ll tell you how I feel, but for now you should know you are beautiful and an…
Back To Work
Dear nurses, Glad that strike wasn’t a total waste of everyone’s time. I guess it wasn’t important enough to finish. I wonder if you would have accepted a pay cut and no more overtime to afford more staff so you wouldn’t have to work so hard sometimes. You might be busy some days but the…
You Had Me At Merci
OK, no, I don’t speak French. But there you were, as I was going into the store with my child. I noticed you coming out of another store and felt the butterflies in my stomach. I thought you and your friend were going to keep going, but no, you decided to go into the same…
Hoping You Soon Decide
Wishing you would give me a sign as to your decision. So much to share but respecting the boundaries. Just need to know one way or the other. It is your choice now. -Hoping You Truly Consider
Cheetah Print Tattoo Boy
I never in my life met someone I find more attractive then you, from your many tattoos to your beautiful smile or mutual love of Val Village and yard sales. I met you a few months ago and you slowly soaked into me. I know I didn’t text you as much as I should have,…
Crocodile Tears
I could have vomited as I watched you on the news this evening crying crocodile tears. would you have cried those same tears for my sickly elderly dad should he have died as a result of lack of care by your striking nurses? -You Lose. He Is Still Alive
Dry Skin
I fucking hate my dry skin so much. I never used to get it. What’s a manly cream? My elbows are dry, my knees and all these itchy dry spots. My family doctor at the walk-in clinic said try the over-the-counter kind. I don’t think I can say the name but it’s crap, total crap.…
Greasy Bastards
So I live out west now (big deal, I know) and had come back to Halifax for two weeks. I absolutely love this city but I could not believe how many shops and pizza places actually have an extra charge on them. It was only between 40-65 cents each time, but it was on seven…
Mind Your Own
Why can’t people mind their own damn business when it has nothing to do with them? -Keep Your Nose Out of It
Very Unusual
As of late, my bum has been hurting more than usual. I don’t know if I should expect blood? -Just Me
The Real Idiots
Who the hell wants a CB section anyway? Who the hell would pay for it either way? Three devices equals 30 articles, so eff off with the prompts cause it will never happen. -Ain’t Paying for What’s Free
Uncomfortable Subject
He’s your brother, not your boyfriend! Stop creeping everybody out. We all starting talking about your freaky flirting behind your backs, but it got so bad we started having to talk to your faces. Nothing changed. Why are you both so weird? Why does he pull you onto his lap ALL THE TIME and tickle…
So I’m a Cougar
Who cares? Am I robbing the cradle? Nope. My man is an adult. I’m just a little older. Fuck off and let love reign. We’re talking about 12 years, not 20 or 30. Am I wrong? I don’t know, but I love him, and that drowns out your mouth. -Deal With It Or Not—He’s Still…
Ten great things about that Black Sabbath show
An incredible amount of excitement, denim vests and weed smoke filled the Metro Centre last night for Black Sabbath (with opener Reignwolf). It was a magical night, the general mood being exuberance and devil horns. Only saw one poor lad in a Dal sweatshirt being led out by security (right before “Iron Man”, no less!…
Getting Home Early Is More Important To You Than My Life
We all know about the multitude of crosswalk accidents that occur in the HRM every year. This year we’ve even gone so far as to put up signs on buses asking both drivers and pedestrians to be careful when it comes to crosswalk safety. These signs only serve to frustrate me, because I walk across…
U Pathetic Slacker
It’s a long shot that the delivery guy who made my day is going to read this, but the exercise is fun so here it goes. You come to the loading bay of the company I work for, throw the dozen or so parcels on the ramp of the loading dock and, after I throw…
March Madness Day 13: Upworthy vs The Daily Show and New York Times vs Information Morning
It’s the Final Four, and thank god for that because I’m losing my voice from all this cheering. I know a tournament like this—in which New Media and Old Media battle using exciting weapons like headlines, ledes, leaks and op-eds—welcomes a more polite, golf-clap involvement from fans like you but don’t hold back your passion…
Oh, a simple “fuck you” will do
I worked for you because I believed in what you did and thought your food to be delicious. I quickly learned you were a hack who stole all of “your recipes” (pretty much to the letter) from a more successful restaurant you had worked at previous. You worked us like dogs, paid minimum wage (for…
Loving the possibilities!
Twisted and turned in more ways than I have ever imagined. This is what you do to me and pretty sure you realize that. Just be aware that the more you twist me, the more I expel energy that has had months to accumulate. Forwardness has nothing on pent-up energy. Just so you are aware.…
I’m Glad My Cat Bit You, He Obviously Has Better Judgment Than I Do
You were my best friend. I loved you more than I loved myself, and gave so much of my being to you. When you were kicked out on the street, I took you in to live with me for free. When you were broke and hungry, I fed you and gave you money. When you…
You Make My Life Like A Movie
From our first kiss after singing “Singing in the Rain,” to slow-dancing to the sound of the wind, each moment with you has been as perfectly executed as the most classic film. I love the magic we seem to constantly find together as dearly as love you my Sweet. -Kitten
The Last 5 Years
Love on the rocks in The Last 5 Years The construction of the two-character musical The Last 5 Years is both clever and confusing. Half the scenes are told from the point of view of Cathy (Becca Guilderson) while the other half are from the perspective of her husband Jamie (Taylor Long). Cathy’s arc traces…
Turdling
You know when you take a huge shit in a coffee shop washroom, and there’s a little turdling that won’t flush down? I hate waiting for the tank to refill so that I can flush again. -Flush
Fucking crispy chicken sandwich
Those fucking idiots on the crispy chicken sandwich commercial: Nobody holds a fucking chicken sandwich like that. And it doesn’t crunch like that, it’s a fucking soundtrack. And they aren’t even eating it. It’s all done by food artists. You never get a fucking sandwich that looks like that. Bunch of arseholes. -PK’s Mom
Glowing soul
We have been consistently hanging out for the past five months and I still get butterflies whenever our eyes meet. I can’t help but feel overwhelmed with good energy when we talk about plants, eat burgers or while stargazing. I don’t know how you feel about me but I have overwhelmingly fallen for you. I…
So much appreciation
I lost my wallet (with way too much important stuff in it) and I got it back! And it was all thanks to a peach who put posters up for me and gave me money/food, a stranger who turned it in to the police and a handsome police officer who hand delivered it to my…
Estia to close on Monday
After five years of serving up Greek goodies, a great brunch and an atmosphere that could transport you to a sunny spot on the Mediterranean, Estia Restaurant’s (5518 Spring Garden Road) owners Maria and Peter Katsihtis announced today that they’d be closing their resto as of Monday, April 7. (function(d, s, id) { var js,…
Figured it out yet?
Have hipster men figured out yet that the “hipster” style is for females? It’s a sad state in our culture because men are becoming women. -River Bob
Video of the day: Cousins, “Mess”
Right in time for lunch, Cousins’ newest video, for “Mess”, off the upcoming The Halls of Wickwire (May 13 on Hand Drawn Dracula), for your viewing pleasure. Directed by Neal Moignard, a dog eats a tongue in it. Now you have been warned. Related Stories
March Madness Day 12: OpenFile vs. Al Jazeera & Live at 5 vs. Coffee News
What glorious mirage is this? A fun, light-hearted poll to greet your Thursday morning coffee-and-waste-time-until-boss-walks-by-desk ritual? You’re not dreaming, sister. We’re rolling along with March Madness and doing little else until this thing is through. Old media battle new media in a disturbingly grisly fight until a final winner is crowned. So mote it be.…
Tim Outhit
2014 grade: B 2013 grade: B- 2012 grade: C+ 2011 grade: C+ 2010 grade: C- 2009 grade: C Phone: 490-5679 We’ve noticed two changes in Tim Outhit over the past year. First, he gave up his job at NovaKnowledge. Or maybe NovaKnowledge doesn’t exist any more, it’s hard to tell—Outhit says he doesn’t know either.…
Judge Bitch
I pick you up at sunset in an ’86 IROC-Z blasting eight new excellent tracks by Judge Bitch (Dartmouth’s Adam T. Burke). Stallone, already in the car, growls that Gridiron is metallic and prismatic synthwave with dark and evil throwbacks. This is Judge Bitch’s third release on France’s arcade-retro Aphasia Records and speed-chase jams “Anaconda” and…
Stephen Adams
2014 grade: D 2013 grade: B- 2012 grade: D 2011 grade: D 2010 grade: D 2009 grade: B- 2008 grade: C- 2007 grade: B- Cell: 497-8818 Steve Adams has been a staunch supporter of closing the landfill on schedule, and for that he deserves major props. After Reg Rankin, it’s been Adams who has been…
Mike Savage
2014 grade: B+ 2013 grade: A- 2012 grade: N/A Phone: 490-4010 There’s a view of the role of municipal government to be merely fixing the potholes and cutting the grass in parks. From this point of view, social issues are better left with the province: As enshrined in the “service agreement” of the 1990s, the…
Mac Demarco
Sleazy genius-boy Mac DeMarco returns with the follow up to his wildly successful breakout album, 2. This collection, rather than being a “difficult third album,” sees DeMarco breezing effortlessly into more mature territory. Sonically, the songs are expectantly weightless and roomy; replete with plenty of clean, chorused guitar work. Lyrically, DeMarco’s usual cheekiness is subdued…
Welcome to the 2014 City Council Report Card
Two years ago marked a major shakeup at Halifax council. The Utility and Review Board reduced the number of councillors from 23 to 16, and long-serving mayor Peter Kelly had finally stepped aside, making room for Mike Savage to take his place. Meanwhile, chief administrative officer Richard Butts, who was hired in 2011, was cementing…
Carleton Stone
Cape Bretoner Stone took his act to Toronto and got some sheen from producers Jason Collett (Broken Social Scene) and Howie Beck. The most BSS-sounding track is “Signs of Life,” with thundering drums, gentle horns and tendency to run long. Some touches, like prominent looped handclaps on the title song, run counter to the east…
Efendy’s on fire
Efendy quietly opened on Dresden Row late in 2013. Its dining room will feel familiar to anyone who spent time in the late, great Fid. The banquette is still tucked into one of the walls, while the other is a bold red with a chalkboard menu and a little shelf where a single bottle of…
Joe Driscoll & Sekou Kouyate
Hip-hop and African artists fire up their games to create a unique, arresting alloy. Driscoll is a US-born, UK-based rapper and beatmeister. Guinea native Kouyate steps out from his family band, Ba Cissoko, to drive the kora into new dimensions. His instrument, a West African harp, benefits from varying degrees of tension and amplification. Kouyate’s…
Black Sabbath’s lucky 13
“I don’t know if I have any ancient tone secrets,” says Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi on the phone from London. “But we basically went in and did it like the early days.” Iommi’s discussing the recording of Black Sabbath’s latest album, 13, with producer Rick Rubin. “He saw us doing the album basically like the…
Kyp Harness
With the Dinner is Ruined Band, Canada’s most disturbed singer-songwriter has extra propulsion behind his missives. Armageddon Blues may be his angriest, most political set, following up a bracing 2012 rant, “Lucky For You.” One can imagine Harness doing research on Toronto’s Bay Street, getting steamed at the smug suits and speculators, then writing it…
Mellow Yellow Jacket Avenger
On April 4, guitar superhero Yellow Jacket Avenger (Geoffrey Pye) will play The Seahorse exactly six years after a Seahorse show in 2008, proving that, yes, time is a flat circle. With Chris Pennell (Joel Plaskett Emergency) and Nathan Doucet (Heaven for Real), Yellow Jacket’s revolution (his first Halifax gig since 2011) also brings a…
David Hendsbee
2014 grade: C- 2013 grade: F 2012 grade: F 2011 grade: C- 2010 grade: D 2009 grade: C 2008 grade: D 2007 grade: D+ Cell: 483-0705 David Hendsbee’s biggest contribution to the commonweal this year has been to make sure HRM has a town crier. He’s been on this file since at least 2009, when…
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
The thing about Captain America is he represents the fallacy of “America,” the apple-pie-eating, baseball-playing archetype that’s as outdated as a Stan Lee cameo. So all of this critical foam about how The Winter Soldier is highly political with its internet leaks and whistleblowers is just the scum on the glass after a refreshing egg…
Protest The Hero’s welcome
The critically acclaimed Whitby, Ontario band Protest The Hero sounds like eight or nine classically trained honeybees playing fingerpick guitar solos at the same time. Sometimes one of the bees is also wailing and sometimes one of the bees is shouting or dying. The intricate, hardcore influenced brand of metal will be on display during…
Letters to the editor, April 3, 2014
Nova’s novelty Now what has happened at the Nova Centre ? It looks very much as though all levels of government have lost sight of what they said they wanted—and were prepared to put at least 355 million of our tax dollars towards. The Nova Centre has two components: a convention centre, plus two towers…
Free Will Astrology
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Aries! (March 21-April 19) In his novel The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera says that the brain has “a special area which we might call poetic memory and which records everything that charms or touches us, that makes our lives beautiful.” In the coming days, it will be especially important for you…
Bill Karsten
2014 grade: B 2013 grade: C- 2012 grade: D 2011 grade: C+ 2010 grade: C+ 2009 grade: C+ 2008 grade: C 2007 grade: C- Cell: 476-1855 Bill Karsten is in danger of becoming likable. In the past, he’s been something of an ass, but the bad behaviour seems to be behind him. He hit the…
Negotiating the terms
Q My boyfriend of three months, “Marcus,” told me last week that he is a trans man. He has performed oral sex on me and fingered me, but he never let me reciprocate and told me he didn’t want to have penis-in-vagina sex yet because to him that was a large commitment. We go to…
Lorelei Nicoll
2014 grade: C+ 2013 grade: B 2012 grade: C- 2011 grade: C 2010 grade: C 2009 grade: C- Cell: 478-2705 Lorelei Nicoll is a decent person. Lovely, really. Polite to a T. The kind of person you want as a next-door neighbour, to watch your cat when you’re away. She is never offensive or combative,…
A history of violence perpetuated
[imahe-1] I wish I could tell you who I am, and where I grew up, but I can’t. Not without risking my safety, or that of my family. The threat was clear, you see. It was right there on a utility pole, in black and white: the silhouette of a woman beating a small child,…
Gloria McCluskey
2014 grade: C 2013 grade: B+ 2012 grade: C- 2011 grade: C+ 2010 grade: B+ 2009 grade: B- 2008 grade: B 2007 grade: C Cell: 476-1667 Gloria McCluskey is a two-schtick pony. She stands up for Dartmouth, and she is hard-nosed about budgets. Each has an up and a down side. Standing up for Dartmouth…
Darren Fisher
2014 grade: B- 2013 grade: B- 2012 grade: F 2011 grade: C- 2010 grade: C+ 2009 grade: N/A Cell: 497-7166 Last year we wrote that “Darren Fisher remains remarkably silent at council meetings, and votes more or less with the crowd. He gets high marks, however, because of his constituency work, which we are repeatedly…
Waye Mason
2014 grade: B+ 2013 grade: B+ Cell: 483-7283 Waye Mason is energetic and thoughtful. Agree with him or not, there’s no denying that he’s the most engaged councillor, in terms of bringing his district’s issues to council for resolution. We could go on about Mason, but there are two things that matter most. First is…
Reg Rankin
2013 grade: I (incomplete) 2012 grade: B+ 2012 grade: C- 2011 grade: C- 2010 grade: D 2009 grade: D Cell: 499-3744 On council this year, Rankin has performed admirably. He has stood up for residents in his district, and fought hard against CAO Richard Butts’ attempt to take the front end processor out of the…
Ain’t Them Bodies Saints
Imagine if Kit and Holly in Terrence Malick’s Badlands had been caught early in their spree and Kit was incarcerated. That’s more or less the starting point for Lowery’s 1970s-set romantic drama, starring Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara as Texan lovers Bob and Ruth, separated by crime and the law. Ruth takes care of their…
Jennifer Watts
2014 grade: A- 2013 grade: A- 2012 grade: C+ 2011 grade: B+ 2010 grade: A- 2009 grade: B Cell: 497-4748 Jennifer Watts is wise. She consistently unravels complex issues and gets right to the social justice heart of the matter. Alas, there haven’t been many issues of substance to come before council this year, but…
Matt Whitman
2013 grade: C- 2013 grade: C- 2012 grade: N/A Cell: 240-3330 A lot of people dislike Matt Whitman. We get email pretty much every week from people questioning his credentials, or accusing him of electoral fraud or saying he’s part of some scary religious cult. We’ve ruled out the fraud, haven’t found anything of interest…
Kill Your Darlings
A pre-Howl Allen Ginsberg attended Columbia University in 1944 where he met some like-minded, shit-disturbing young poets and writers, including Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs, who set about changing the world. But the key relationship here is between Ginsberg (convincingly essayed by former boy wizard Daniel Radcliffe) and the painfully closeted Lucien Carr (Dane DeHaan,…
Mary Poppins
It’s been 50 years since Disney made PL Travers’ Mary Poppins really famous, and the enigmatic, “practically perfect” nanny has aged very well. Neptune does the beloved story proud, pulling out all the stops with a well-acted, gorgeously-dressed, musically-expert production. Uber-talented triple-threat performer Heather McGuigan is fantastic as the starchy yet adventurous Mary and Kyle…
Brad Johns
2014 grade: C- 2013 grade: B+ 2012 grade: C 2011 grade: B- 2010 grade: D 2009 grade: C 2008 grade: D 2007 grade: D Cell: 476-1234 There’s not a lot to say about Brad Johns this year. He shows up, he pals around, he votes with the council supermajority, he goes home. He annoyed us,…
Barry Dalymple
2014 grade: C- 2013 Grade: C+ 2012 Grade: F 2011 grade: F 2010 grade: D- 2009 grade: D Cell: 222-0740 In past years, we’ve criticized Barry Dalrymple for his ludicrous argument that Fall River, the wealthiest community in HRM, is being unfairly taxed. We’ve praised him for stewarding some important issues through the Environment and…
Linda Mosher
2014 grade: F 2013 grade: B- 2012 grade: C 2011 grade: B- 2010 grade: B- 2009 grade: C- 2008 grade: C- 2007 grade: D Cell: 476-4117 Last year, we gave Linda Mosher a high grade (for us) of B-, in large part because she successfully got her longtime pet cause, city-provided plowing of sidewalks, approved…
Steve Craig
2014 grade: B 2013 grade:A- 2012 grade: N/A Cell: 240-0441 Steve Craig was fast out the gate after getting elected, and earned an A- in his first report card. He’s still doing exceptionally well, bringing intelligence to each meeting, and diving deeply into the issues. We especially congratulate him on his work with pedestrian safety.…
Ghettosocks
The motto for Ghettosocks’ newest release, For You Pretty Things, his third studio album, might as well be let’s get weird. The Halifax-based rapper mixes odes to greasy late night gourmet and slow jams about getting sexy in a Burger King bathroom with beats that are half Contra soundtrack, half Odd Future. Ghettosocks brings along…
Russell Walker
2013 grade: F 2013 grade: D 2012 grade: F 2011 grade: D 2010 grade: B 2009 grade: B- 2008 grade: C- 2001 grade: D Cell: 497-7215 Is Russell Walker still alive? We haven’t noticed. There’s been no sign of life from the councillor for Fairview. None. The wax figurines at Madame Tussauds are more animated,…
