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The Coast | News, events, restaurants, concerts and Burger Week for Halifax, Nova Scotia
Home of the Best of Halifax Reader's Choice Awards, the award-winning independent newspaper covers the Halifax news, politics, events, concerts, movies, restaurants, and nightlife scene.
I read the Loves all the time hoping someday one will be from someone who noticed me on a bus or at the grocery store and wished they’d said something. Many of these are clearly written about my friends or people I know who get noticed in a “missed connections” kind of way and maybe it’s…
Dear HRM politicians and staff: The Willow Tree intersection at Robie and Quinpool needs a roundabout! Having five streets with stop lights makes for a complete nightmare. Fix this. —Midnight Idler
Today I was let go from a terrible job, however I was still an emotional mess. My Macpass fell from my windshield due to the heat and I couldn’t find it fast enough. The toll employee was not the most understanding person. But then YOU offered to pay for my toll. Thank you for showing me…
Thank you, kind stranger, for picking up my wayward house key and tying it to a light post on Windsor Street the other day! There were only a couple of places it could have been dropped, so I was worried someone had kept it for evil. Thank you <3 —Library Bug
Do all jackass drivers in this province get a driver’s permit, regardless of incompetency and stupidity? I drive, walk and use my bicycle in good weather. I’m 63, and I have seen/experienced my share of close calls and collisions. While cycling in a bike lane in Halifax (during daylight) over the Labour Day Weekend, a…
I just had a cheat day from my diet and boy, was it a mistake. After clean eating for a few weeks, I bought a bag of potato chips. OMG what a sodium bomb! I feel my blood pressure rising with every bite. Why is there so much sodium in everything these days? I bought cheesies…
Almost two years after asking staff to figure out what Halifax can do to make the city more electric-car friendly, HRM’s environment and sustainability standing committee will see what’s being proposed. The report, which will be discussed by the committee and then passed forward to regional council as presented or with specific amendments on Thursday,…
Why the FUCK does it take so damn long to get a PayPal into my account? It’s 2019. We have the technology to put a man on the moon but we can’t get a bank transfer to happen instantly? For fuck’s sake! Banks are so annoying, I should just keep my money under my bed…
You were driving us on the route #7 down Robie Street towards downtown at around 10:30 Sunday night, and you stopped at the bus stop in front of the Esso at Young and Robie. You then got up and walked towards the back of the bus, and politely woke up the guy to let him…
I would like to dedicate this bitch to arrogant, entitled, think-your-shit-don’t-stink hospitality owners. Owning a restaurant doesn’t make you special or above the rest of us humans, so fuck you. Owning a restaurant doesn’t give you the right to yell at staff, so fuck you. Owning a restaurant doesn’t give you the right to force…
Once a team of healers needed some bored people to help them have a building and keep the lights on and health care and living wage for trauma-response workers. After the bored listed their volunteer role on their CVs, a bored member said: “Why should we believe those workers? They say their caseload reflects violence…
10 Things I Hate About Taming of the Shrew By Gillian English Perhaps you were also in grade 11 when the 1999 film 10 Things I Hate About You came out, one of many Shakespeare adaptations for teens popular at the time. Perhaps you also watch it every few years with your friends and talk…
Same Boat presents: New Wave By Same Boat Same Boat bills its sketch comedy show, New Wave, as “like a seventh installment of Shrek if Kids in the Hall wrote it.” While invoking KITH sets a pretty high, nigh unreachable, bar, that’s a pretty apt description of Wave’s mixture of absurdity and exuberant vulgarity. In…
Great Kettle for the People By Troy Ginter I wanted to like Great Kettle more than I did. Fussy old ladies speaking in that Maritime accent about what makes the best cup of tea makes me homesick. For those of us who grew up in certain rural Maritime towns at certain times, it is an…
@howtoplaywithzachfaie By Zach Faye I watched the first instalment of the incredibly earnest and possibly sinister Zach Faye’s Instagram livestream and I’m not quite sure what it is yet but I did it while eating a burrito from the comfort of my bed so I am already sold. A tale about a man and his…
Halifax Fringe 2019 is here. That means over 350 performances, over 55 shows, over 11 days, in 10 venues across the city. The 29th annual festival kicked off last night with the always popular Opening Night Sampler, held at the Neptune Scotiabank Stage and hosted by Cathy Jones and Bill Wood. Over the coming days,…
Today marks the starting gun of the 29th annual Halifax Fringe Festival, with venues large and small all over town being taken over by indie theatre of all stripes. While you probably already have your plan of attack marked on your Fringe guide (see our listings if not), a case for different plays is made…
It’s Fringe’s opening weekend and the Halifax Urban Folk Fest lineup is stacked, as Labour Day and summer’s swan song draws nigh. Halifax Wanderers FC vs. FC Edmonton Monday The perfect cure for Labour Day’s end-of-summer blues? Watching an outdoor sport—like soccer at the Wanderers Grounds. more deets The Other Mozart Saturday, Sunday, Monday With…
$4 drinks and half-price apps after 8pm East Side Mario’s, 5287 Prince Street Go for the free bread and salad, stay for the cheap drinks and appetizers. You’ll never leave. Craft beer Sundays Your Father’s Moustache, 5686 Spring Garden Road Take a break from slugging Vitamin O (Oland’s) and Keith’s on Sundays and taste your…
Y ou can’t go very far in this town without bumping into a donair of one kind or another. Cousin of the doner kebab, and friend to boozy crowds after the bars close, the donair is a true Halifax original. Although its basic recipe of grilled spiced meat, sticky sweet sauce, diced onions and tomatoes,…
When his friends began avoiding the music festival scene due to one too many negative experiences on the dance floor, long-time festival-goer James MacDonald knew it was time for change. In 2017 MacDonald floated the idea of what it would be like to have a point person attend shows with the sole role of facilitating…
Canada has generous immigration programs for international students—on paper. Officially, students can work in Canada for up to three years after graduation, and then, if they wish, become permanent residents with ease. The reality is different. The Canadian immigration system is a labyrinth of tiny rules that are constantly changing. Tripping over any one of…
If you’re new to town, you may notice that Nova Scotia recycles and composts more than some other provinces. A 2012 study by the Conference Board of Canada actually ranked Nova Scotia first among provinces for waste generated per capita, at 386 kg per year. What goes where? If you download the Halifax Recycles app…
On my first day at Mount Saint Vincent University, I did not know what to expect. I walked into my first class in a pair of white boots and a winter coat I had never worn before. Coming from Lagos, Nigeria, I had never worn so many clothes and still felt cold. It was ridiculous.…
T his year during orientation week, some Dalhousie nursing students, faculty and staff will be learning about Naloxone—a temporary antidote to opioid overdose—in a special workshop and training on September 5. The program is led by Martha Paynter and Brianna Richardson, both PhD nursing students at Dalhousie, in partnership with Direction 180—a community-based methadone clinic…
[IMAGE-1] S o you’ve moved into your dorm, or apartment that you likely share with four or five of your friends. You’ve smoothed out the wrinkles on your IKEA duvet, tacked up your overpriced pop-culture poster and stocked your fridge with water. You look around your new kingdom with pride and new-found independence. This is…
There’s not much the board and staff at Avalon Sexual Assault Centre agree on these days. Tension has built since last fall, and came to a public head this spring, with a union certification vote and closure of the organization’s wait list—a list that had survivors of sexualized violence waiting up to two years for…
WHAT’S IT LIKE LIVING IN A SMALL TOWN? It’s fine. I mean, all they have for public transit is about four buses that run once an hour. No subway. And no Uber. Seriously. The taxis are like Ubers because they’re just a bunch of regular cars with a little light on top, they don’t have…
Halifax is very conflicted about cannabis. Just days before weed was legalized in Canada last October 17, our city council passed a bylaw banning public smoking of any kind— cigarettes, blunts, vapes, everything—except in a few officially designated smoking areas. So on the one hand, local leaders are trying to kill the buzz. On the…
I have a friend for whom loading a dishwasher is serious business. If anyone decides they’re going to throw a few things in, he freezes and looks on with a terrified half-smile plastered to his face, practically quivering as he restrains himself from running over and intervening. As soon as the interloper finishes “helping”, he…
Comic Shops First priority: find a comic shop. New Comic Book Wednesday doesn’t stop just because you’re getting adjusted to dorm life. Strange Adventures (5110 Prince Street) is the downtown go-to, and Monster Comix Lounge (2089 Gottingen Street) is a haven for gaming. And a bit further of a trek from campus, but most definitely…
Nova Scotia Community College NSCC has three campuses in metro Halifax.Among all their NS campuses there are professional supports. From dedicated advisors for each program, cultural supports for Black, Indigenous and international students, learning strategists (disability supports) and registered personal and career counsellors that can be accessed through the student services office at each campus. …
Let’s be honest: sometimes politics can be overwhelming. But we’re here to introduce university students to their new home, right here in the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM). Now that you’re here, it’s good to know who you can complain to. Knowing who represents your community is an important part of being an engaged citizen, and…
Q Learning how to be a respectful roommate (and practising the skill) is the gift that keeps on giving. Learning how to respectfully cohabit is something that will serve you for the rest of your life—in relationships, work environments, really any time you need to share a space with other humans. Mastering it can be…
A survey last spring by researchers at UBC says young people hate being told to ‘just say no’. The truth is, there are drugs out there. You might meet people who do them. If you decide to try them, there are risks. Last year, 56 people in Nova Scotia died of accidental opioid overdoses. We don’t want…
Yeah Yeahs Pizza 1663 Barrington Street Opens Thu, Aug 29 Josh Nordin had a hunch when he first took a tour of 1663 Barrington Street last fall. It wasn’t much to look at then—a run-down office space with dingy carpet, cubicles, low ceilings and no bathroom—but its massive storefront windows gave him a glimpse at…
Give your residence bed a makeover Since you’re basically sleeping on a crib mattress, invest in some cushy bed stuff to help you manage the tiny twin a little better. Memory foam, a really nice pillow and a cozy comforter are a good start. Planning to share said twin with someone? Good night and good…
I vividly remember purchasing my first rice cooker. I refused to use the kitchen at my off-campus student residence (if you saw it you would too) and quickly tired of buying a slice for lunch and dinner. Once autumn rolled around, I began to pine for the meals I had back home in Jamaica; not…
1 GARLIC FINGERS, FREEMAN’S LITTLE NEW YORK You’re going to want to add this word to your ever-growing Haligonian vocabulary: Garlies. Dough, cheese, maybe bacon (if you’re like that) and definitely donair sauce work together for this ultimate comfort, a perfect carb-load for a big night or finisher to fuel your walk home. Freeman’s is…
Following this summer’s atrocious safety record of motor vehicle accidents involving pedestrians and cyclists, surely students could use some advice on how to stay alive while navigating our car-centric city. Some ideas: • Attach a pool noodle to your bicycle, forcing drivers to give you your respectful one metre of space. • Dress in glow…
Halifax North Memorial Library Pair up with a little kiddo as children’s reading support and relive all of your favourite childhood books, from Robert Munsch to the adventures of earnest Franklin once a week. French tutors are also welcome. Fill out the application on the Library’s website and drop it off in person to Lana…
Damhnait Doyle & The Halifax All-Stars w/Opening Song Circle feat. Alejandro Escovedo, Catherine MacLellan, Matthew Sweet Fri, Aug 30, 8pm Sweet The Carleton, 1685 Argyle Street Sweet $50 D amhnait Doyle is ready to reintroduce herself. The self-described “mid-level Canadian musician” has been at it since 1996, landing on Much Music in her mid-teens with…
HAPPY BIRTHDAY VIRGO (August 23-September 22) Shogun is a bestselling novel about an Englishman who transforms himself into a samurai warrior in 17th-century Japan. Written by James Clavell, it’s over 1,100 pages long. Clavell said the idea for the story sprang up when he read a line in his daughter’s school book: “In 1600 an…
Victoria Road turns into the 101. Before Catherine Phoenix told me that, every car trip to the Valley began with me fretting over maps online and on the table, trying to figure out the best way to go: Bedford, the 102 to Sackville? Now I zip over either bridge, knowing my path is clear. —JK…
QI’m a straight woman and have been sexually active for about six years. I’m in my mid-20s now and about ready to become a “man-hating feminist.” I feel like I can figure out what a guy wants in bed pretty easily. I cannot remember a single time when I’ve had sex with a guy that…
Phoebe Bridgers Tribute w/The Maes Thu Aug 29, 10:30pm Good Robot Brewing Co., 2736 Robie Street With harmonies as vast as the Outback sky, Australia’s The Maes trace a finger along the lines of ’70s folk: The new self-titled record by the now-duo of sisters Maggie and Elsie Rigby is, as Maggie puts it, “a…
Housing reality I cannot believe HRM city planners are supporting new developments that do not have parking spaces included, such as the building approved for 2440 Agricola Street (“6 Halifax developments you should know about,” City story by Catherine Turnbull, August 15). This is supposed to be “a move towards more bike- and walking-focused mobility,”…
Cassie Josephine & The Cry If I Want To’s w/Pretty Archie, Jah’Mila, Eaton McGrath & The Halifax All Stars Sat Aug 31, 2pm Halifax Waterfront Free Jah’Mila first came to Halifax to visit family and ended up staying for love. Originally form Kingston, Jamaica, Jhamiela Smith Dunn would regularly come to Halifax to see her…
T his year, for the first time since the baby boomers, youth and students are the largest voting block in Canada. All over the country young people are pushing back against the narrative that we are apolitical. Many young people like myself are becoming increasingly involved in politics and are actively organizing around issues that…
Young people have been speaking out for their rights. Many are wise beyond their years. Without the blinkers of ideology, workaday priorities and ingrained values, they can see clearly what’s happening. They’ve had to step up for their own futures because too few of their elders are willing to accept that rampant consumerism has been…
Welcome to Halifax where the sea is close and the seafarers’ affinity for merrymaking is even closer. Where there’s pints and perspiration, there’s likely this song at least once throughout the evening and for some reason, everyone knows the words. Everyone but you, that is. Fear not, for we’re here to help you look like…
A fun thing you’ll learn in your mandatory Psychology 101 course is that in your early 20s, your brain is super-soft—as impressionable as a Memory Foam mattress. You want to drink up as many experiences as life can give you—the same way a Memory Foam mattress will drink up any beer you spill on your…
Despite their name, academic advisors do more than help students choose courses; they help them have a well-rounded university experience. “The only thing a lot of students have to compare us to are guidance counsellors. There isn’t really something like this in high school, so it’s hard not to have those preconceived notions,” says Heather…
1 Fixed term leases Fixed term leases are different from year-to-year leases. Instead of the standard terms, in a fixed lease the landlord and tenant can negotiate the specific terms of their lease with a fixed end date. If a lease isn’t renewed and the tenant is still there, it automatically becomes a month-to-month lease.…
House of Eights 1717 Barrington Street, 2nd Floor houseofeights.com D ance like everyone’s watching, but like everyone watching isn’t a judgemental asshole waiting for you to slip and fall. That’s more or less the ethos at Halifax dance studio House of Eights, which encourages people of all levels of dance prowess to live their best…
