Too windy today!
Cancel school! Never mind that it is actually a beautiful spring-like day outside. The forecast was for wind and everybody knows you can’t teach if its windy outside… What about tomorrow, too sunny? Not sunny enough? Humidity too high? Too low? Cripes. As far as I can interpret this madness, if the weatherman forecasts ANYTHING…
For the Racists
Ya know, racism wouldnt be such an issue if you didn’t walk around thinking everyone around you was a racist. Same with twisting other peoples words around making it seem like they’re racist. Seriously the problem with it is YOU. Just because someone says no to you does NOT mean it is because of the…
The Seventh Estate
When companies start talking about “being green,” my bullshit-detecting antennae immediately prickle with activity and zero in the greenwashing centre of, well, bullshit. And, not to be overly judgemental, but this sort of nonsense is especially concentrated in public relations, which too often latches on any feel-good phrase to promote a business, and never mind…
What’s Wrong: “Celebration Square”?
Who’s responsible? Canada Games. Remarks: PR and advertising pros insist that “branding” is of the utmost importance—companies go through extensive branding exercises to find the best name, and implement strategies at great cost to protect their brand, lest it lead to confustion. So what’s with Canada Games willy-nilly changing the name of Grand Parade to…
SXSW Roundup
I have been getting a few emails with SXSW news so I thought I would share. Sadly Long Long Long will no longer be accompanying the Halifax contingent to the festival due to a lack of funding. The band says they’re still planning on a spring/summer 90-day tour through the US (with a few select…
Terrified of Plow Drivers
Anyone hear the plow driver on the radio this morning bragging about how he stayed awake for 24hrs of plowing? In case you didn’t, he advertised that he uses MARIJUANA CIGARETTES and RED BULL… awesome. Where would one report this asshole? Why don’t they follow the same drug testing and driver log reports of truck…
City gets realistic about building a stadium
Checking what might be characterized as unbridled local enthusiasm for a bid to host the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup championship, city staff has put the possibility of building a stadium in more measured terms: make sure a stadium fits the city’s long-term recreation and facility needs, says staffer Doug Rafuse. “We need to have…
Gym Fail
So the fitness club I go to promotes tanning! They even refer to it as “healthy” on advertisements in the gym and encourage people to get “a base tan” before heading south on vacation! Shame on them! —Pale is the new tan
Halifax council OKs Bridge Terminal expansion
Halifax council Tuesday bit the bullet and agreed to spend $12.1 million on an expanded Bridge Terminal in Dartmouth. Previously, council had insisted it would stay within a $9.5 million budget for the project. The expanded terminal is to be placed on Dartmouth Common land designated as park and was situated as to come very…
Long memories, short sights
To the “owner” of the brew pub who kicked me out indefinitely for… ??? I visited a well-known South End establishment tonight for a couple of drinks and dinner. I’ve been a patron here for seven years and have experienced nothing but good service and good times. Tonight, I met up with a couple of…
Great Job, We’re Doomed
We’re Doomed won the MNS Battle to Warped II last night at the Seahorse. So that means they get three dates on Vans Warped Tour, a showcase at Halifax Pop Explosion 2011, a showcase at Molson Canadian Nova Scotia Music Week 2011, a two month digital PR campaign from Red Tentacle, and digital music delivery…
So-called “mothers”
I’m a young mother myself (early 20’s) and a lot of friends/acquaintances on Facebook have kids also. I love seeing cute candid pictures of your kids, I really do. What I don’t need to see however is a picture of your 9 month old daughter, apparently naked with her hands in your furry sex toy…
Province fails to meet half of its 2010 environmental targets
The government has failed to meet four of the eight environmental targets for 2010 established by provincial law. At issue is the celebrated Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity Act, which became law in 2007 with a unanimous vote from all three parties in the Nova Scotia legislature. EGSPA was intended as means to hold regulators…
I finally used the dictionary
I looked up the word “Moron-Of-Idiotic-Stupidity” in the dictionary today and I found the meaning: The moron that sped past me and my newborn baby on the walk home from the mail, splashing a ton of slush all over me. You make me want to do what the guy on the news did and cover…
BluePinkerton
I wouldn’t mind being your friend. —Yesterday I went outside, with my momma’s mason jar
Good Times
For all our warbling and narcissistic navel-gazing at how we think we define ourselves through philosophy, spirituality, science, art and all the other conceits we hold so dear, we starve those same ideals we believe ultimately define us. What a rapacious, base, and delusional bunch to not be able to see the truth, blinded by…
The white stuff
There is a certain early morning show which has a frequent substitute for a weatherperson who constantly refers to snow as “white stuff”. It’s not just once in a while either. Hey Pal, it’s snow, alright? We are getting 20 cm of beautiful snow. White stuff is what white stuff is, snow is snow. Call…
Unsolicited Gifts
Yes, I understand that you think sending me flowers is a romantic gesture. I understand that roses are expensive. I am flattered that you think I’m worth the expense. But, asshole, you deciding to shell out money on a virtual stranger who never, ever gave you any indication that she was interested in you in…
This is garbage
The garbage pickup wouldn’t take our compost because it froze. In the winter. Now, they won’t take our garbage because we put compost in it. What are we supposed to do? Are we just supposed to not produce any compost over the winter? —Wastoid
Shut the f*ck up!
To the fucking reckless idiots who live downstairs and who are having a party at 2AM on a Monday night, you are douchebags. Stop your horrible white boy rapping about ashtrays and bitches… we can hear all of it. Having parties EVERY SINGLE NIGHT OF THE WEEK is unacceptable and I don’t pay rent to…
Your curves are frigging delicious
We both got the shite end of the relationship stick in the past. She broke my heart really bad, and you were never treated with love and respect, or knew what it was to be cherished. Guess what? You’re such a great girl. You absolutely deserve to be adored and cherished, and looked at with…
Burrito jackasses
To the ten guys in the burrito joint Thursday night who thought they were tough shit and ganged up on my friend by pulling his hair and taking cheap shots to his head, go fuck yourselves! Don’t parade around thinking your king shit of turd island, because really you’re ignorant assholes who need to grow…
Ladies and Gentlemen: No Flyers Please
It is totally misleading to “introduce” No Flyers Please, since they’ve been active in Halifax, on and off, for about four years. The group first got together when high school pals Isaac Hansen (bass) and Michelle Skelding (drums) decided to form a band. They put a post on Halifaxlocals.com and Dale Boudreau (a guitarist you…
Normally I just keep my head down and pass by…
I live near a popular mall in Dartmouth and frequently need things from the local building supplies store. I was leaving through the overhead door section with some trim, A girl about my age rang through the trim and I was half listening to the older guys in the background bantering on, and happened to…
Stupendous sushi server
To the fine waiter who told me how geographical I was yesterday for ordering the California roll and Alaska roll, I thoroughly enjoyed being geographical and hope you continue to be witty to customers because it makes a very delicious meal even more wonderful. —F fan
The Canada Games are soon here…
…kitchen table tennis, synchronized drowning & flapping, bad-mittens, wheelie basketcase ball, ring-etiquette, and artsy fartsy gymnastics. These are the 2011 Canada Games… winter sports. Bring on the real games. —JockinForSports
To My Love
You are beautiful, sexy, smart, funny, warm, loving and passionate. You are wonderful to love and make love to. Did I mention you are awesome in bed? We fit together amazingly well in every way and I can’t wait for our next “coincidence” to make us laugh. You make everything I do simply better. I…
Plenty Of Uggg
You had a good profile, decent enough picture, and our emails back and forth made me want to meet you. Oh God, what a mistake. Now I know why people complain about online dating. We agreed to meet at a coffee shop on Friday afternoon after your classes. You were 15 minutes late and said…
Ikebana’s Valentine’s special
The Ikebana Shop’s (6417 Quinpool Road, 407-0487) valentine’s offering for 2011 is a unique array of fresh anthurium, rose, carnations, greens and dried material, set in a sleek titanium-coloured metal dish. Each arrangement is handmade and one-of-a-kind, available in limited numbers, so if you’re interested, get in touch with the shop in advance to reserve…
Clayton Park restos buzz
Folks living in Clayton Park and Fairview have more and more choices to fill their bellies these days. For those with a passion for dim sum, check out Canton Garden (30 Farnham Gate Road, 406-7788). It’s been open for more than a year and doing well, a bit of a local secret that needs to…
Much less treacherous
I want to send some love to the good-spirited people I’ve crossed paths with navigating the flooded Commons. Your smiles and encouragement make it a lot more enjoyable! —Cold feet
Like… like… like
Could someone please explain to me how the word “like” has gotten so friggin’ abused as a filler during conversation? Riding the #52 home the other night, without my MP3, I happened to listen to a loud conversation between two 20 something ladies, and overcome by boredom, started counting the number of times this word…
Neo hippies
I have no problem with giving median sign-flyers money when I know they are just passing through. I know they probably just need money for food and whatever while they are in a city that is not home. I also have no problem giving money to physically or mentally handicapped pan handlers who I know…
Hippies
You don’t fucking know everything, and you used to be a cool person with a good head on your shoulders. You were so smart and now you’re dropping everything so you can travel and be a farmer. Get your head out of the clouds, you need to buy your land and animals, you think that…
Ovals Suck
Maybe I’m a tad grumpy as the winter drags along. But, mostly, I am a bit sick of all of the crap coming out of City Hall and elsewhere, touting the great benefits of Ovals and Convention Centres. What bugs me is that we already have beautiful facilities, such as the dingle, Shubie park and…
Change, don’t complain
I love the way we bitch. I was watching television one lazy Sunday afternoon when a commercial came on about a charity. Immediately I switched half my attention off because I’d rather not feel guilty or slightly depressed for the life I have compared to the starving children in Africa or the abused kittens being…
Oh Dear
oh man…. You can exhale now, everyone – the “Music as a Weapon” tour, featuring Korn, Disturbed, Sevendust, In This Moment and something called a Stillwell is coming this way on April 5th at the Metro Centre. I used to jam on Life is Peachy back in the late ’90s. When you are a weird…
Bus Stop Snow Removal
It is great that Metro Transit has the snow removed around bus stops on Colby Drive. But, the idiots that did the job piled the snow on the sidewalks and left. WTF? —Wading through the slush
Warning to the little “thugs”
I was jumped last night in my front yard at 1 am by a group of 3 wannabe thugs. I hope you learned your lesson as my dog tore into your leg and arm. You could have just walked away when I told you my dog bites and I was not going to put up…
North of 60
Canada Goose parkas were built for the Canadian Arctic. They are Canadian-made, superb quality, extra-durable parkas, because they’re meant for -40° winters. As someone who is moving to the arctic soon, I have made a down payment for one of these parkas. A down payment… because they cost over $500!! So why, people of Halifax,…
Walkers and drivers
Look 50% of the time I walk and 50% of the time I drive. I gotta pay my mortgage, so I work and my work requires me to be mobile. I am equally shocked and awed at the ongoing stupidity for both driver and pedestrians. Drivers: it’s a fucking mirror use it and despite your…
Do a little research on your investment!
Dear university students, university degrees are investments. You choose to invest your money in them and you can choose where to invest. Therefore, get over yourselves and stop marching in the streets thinking that the NS government should be paying more for your investment. News flash—we live in NS… the government has no money. University…
My favourite bitch
When I first met you I was so scared and intimidated by you, I had heard some pretty nasty things about you from other people, but grown close to you and you are there for me when the same fuckies put me down, and for that I thank you for being a fabulous bitchy friend,…
Respecting Streets
I love halifax, I even love Halifax enough that I decided to make my roots more permanent and buy a house (a huge privilege that I appreciate). But it seems that a little too often I am reminded of the pettiness of our By-Law Services. It’s a lot of work to remove snow… but I…
Futile Devices
I secretly want to jump your bones, but being the well mannered cookie-baking girl next door I’ll continue inviting you to dinner and hope you make the first move. —XVII
Unimpressed
It drives me crazy when people don’t know their geography! St John is in New Brunswick. St John’s is in Newfoundland. NOT that hard to remember people! —Grr
To my girl
I love… waking up beside you every morning, visiting you at work, sipping on espresso during lazy days, our random food cravings, your absolute dirtiness, getting beyond silly with you, gaga… mmm, your smell, your touch, and everything you do. I can’t imagine my life without you, and I can’t wait to see what our…
Plow the fucking crosswalks/curbcuts
Dear HRM—You pay these guys in the little tractors to plow out the crosswalk entrances and curbcuts/corners, right? These hardworking folks need to turn around and check their work before driving off to the next corner. I went out today in my wheelchair and had to travel 3 blocks down Spring Garden to find a…
Superfriend
From AM dubstep sessions to santantic belches, I loves ya dearly. —Now I think I’ll get through the end of the world
Hospital food?
At some point in our lives most of us will have to avail ourselves of the services or should I say the right to healthcare. Anybody who has been to the hospital to even visit a relative or friend and had the luck to arrive at meal time we will be able to attest to…
Sick of Inconsiderate Smokers
Why do some smokers still think it is appropriate to light up wherever they like and blow smoke in the faces of those that choose not to smoke? First of all, it is disgusting and it smells like shit. Second of all, it causes cancer. I don’t care if smokers get lung cancer, but I…
Poor Numi
And kudos to the security guard, my friend, and two girls for hanging out while we waited for Numi’s owner to come and get her. Boy she was cold after being outside for over 2 hours. Lesson learned, don’t leave dogs outside tied up for 2 hours, and better yet, DON’T FORGET YOU LEFT THE…
Thanks For the Chuckle
Dear Guy-Going-Into-the-Garrison-Brewery-with-a-Monster-Tallboy, thank you for saying, “so that’s when my friend got rid of crabs for the second time.” You were the perfect ending to the perfect evening. —Drunk Eavesdroppers
Climbing the Tree…
You big Tree… I’ll climb you anytime. I’m proud of you Bubba. And I love you. And the way you make coffee. When are you gonna marry me? —DOX
Baby #1 on the way…
B & T, I am so unbelievably happy for you both! This child will be so loved and I know you’ll make great parents. —Your favorite cousin that lives in the Valley
Blackbird seeks cast
Writer director Jason Buxton will be shooting Blackbird in and around Halifax in April, produced by David Miller and Marc Almon with executive producer Thom Fitzgerald. Buxton is having an open casting call, looking for teenagers aged 16 to 19. “The film features many youth and will be a great opportunity for many to gain…
Newcombe’s Valentine’s
Monday February 14th Newcombe’s Ink (5187 Sackville Street, 405-7080) wants to share its love. Get your valentine tattoo flash—hearts in any style, script, or cupids—and get it tax free and at an exceptional price: On Valentine’s Day only, tattoos start from $50. Rates depend on size and colour. But remember folks, breaking up is hard…
ER Friggin’ Awesome
My Hub-Unit had a terrible fall last night and was rushed to emergency. I couldn’t believe the professionalism and the gentle, caring manner in which they helped him. They wouldn’t release him until he could use his walker, telling him that they could admit him if he chose to do so. I’m sending warm little…
Snowmobiling fine $500
Well I have an old sled that might be WORTH $500.00, but I do not have a trail pass or license and now they say that the fine by DNR will be $500.00 if they stop you without the above. I wonder if they will take the sled to pay the fine? Would they then…
E-PIN Korean Grill House lunch special
It’s an all-you-can-grill special, running from Monday to Friday, 11:30am-3:30pm, for the very reasonable price of $18.99 + tax. Make a reservation by calling 431-3839 or drop by 1533 Barrington. That includes the daily soup, edamame, four side dishes, bulgogi (marinated beef), spicy pork, teriyaki chicken, mushroom, green pepper, zucchini, steamed rice and ice cream.
Introducing: Audrey and the Agents
kate leth Growing up in Moncton, Chantal Caissie spent a lot of time listening to classic female rock singers— Joan Jett, Siouxie and the Banshees — but never envisioned herself in the same role. “I always wanted to start a band — I just never thought I could,” she says. Instead, Caissie spent years playing…
Size 0 on a DIET?!
So most recently I saw a posting on a popular website that got my blood boiling. A “friend” is about 103 pounds and about 5’3″ tall, her lastest status was, “Oh I would love to have BK but my diet won’t allow me to.” WTF DIET?? Are you kidding me?! I am not a size…
Thanks
Kudos to the staff of a shop on Quinpool Rd. working last Wednesday. The storm was just starting and businesses were closing down but you guys stayed open long enough for people to come in and grab their gear. Special mention to the girl working the cash saying she would stay open until the guy…
Quit your whining
Nobody wants to go out in a snowstorm, but can you PLEASE stop bitching and whining when your university stays open for the day?! If the weather’s so bad that you’re “risking your life” to get to class, then STAY AT HOME. The last time I checked, nobody was dragging you to school by the…
Bad luck?!
Can we please stop using this phrase to describe a series of unfortunate events!? It’s an oxymoron and should never have been coined to mean the opposite of GOOD luck. Luck can’t be bad, by definition of the word. So, fer fuck sakes stop saying it! —Luck o’ the Irish
Canada will fail to meet climate change goals
[image-1] The graph above comes from a page quietly posted on Environment Canada’s website last week, with the page titled “Canada’s Greenhouse Gas Target and Emissions Projections.” The graph shows the amount, in megatonnes (millions of tonnes), of greenhouse gases emitted by the entire country each year between 1990 and 2010, with projections forward to…
Photo-less
Thanks for leaving me high and dry a month before my wedding with no photographer. I guess shooting sluts would be more fun for a dick like you. —A pissed off bride that hates you
Saluting the Soul Patch
To all you guys with soul patches—that little patch of hair under your bottom lip is so sexy, every time I look at it I get all hot and bothered because all I can think about is you rubbing it on me. Sure I’m talking to you, but that’s all I’m thinking about. And the…
Root canals are only for the lazy
So, my blind friend can’t get free dental because he’s on disability which pisses me off. But what REALLY pisses me off is that apparently people on welfare, fucking WELFARE, DO get dental coverage. Is this true and if so, what the FUCK is up with that? Is it just that the cases of meth-mouth…
Teachers make a difference
Fuck these commercials. Teachers pay nothing toward their medical and dental, yet their union dues go toward putting these filthy commercials on air. Doctors make a difference too, so do policemen, so do bus drivers, so do fast food cashiers when you need to temporarily cure your hangover. The difference is, these groups are secure…
Right lane, or no lane at all
Every time I’m driving down Quinpool road during rush hour it drives me absolutely CRAZY when people go in the right lane and speed by your slow going left lane when they know very well that there’s going to be cars parked on the side of the road. I doubt you’re in that much of…
Eating Disorders Action Group shutting down
Today I received a note through another editor about the Eating Disorders Action Group shutting down in the spring. It is with sad hearts we are letting you know that the Eating Disorders Action group is closing due to lack of funding. Though our programs remained strong our funding opportunities had not over the years.…
Your Dog Bites
Let me just state this: your dog attacks other dogs. Okay, now let me repeat it: your dog attacks other dogs. Viciously. “Oh he is SUCH a great dog around people… I just… wow… I just can’t believe it keeps happening even after dog training and obedience class.” You read all the stories regarding Brindi.…
Tonight: Scribbler and Chief Thundercloud
Craig Currie has a pretty busy weekend coming up. The weirdo/noise musician is releasing a tape under his Chief Thundercloud moniker in a joint event with GIGAS (the psych/drone project of Nick Iwaskow) and opener Cailean Lewis this Friday at Lost and Found (6pm, free.) The tape, June Street, was produced this past summer specifically…
Men in uniforms
Love how you wear it proud. It makes me smile. Hoping I can have one of you! Makes my day! —Just a girl who loves a man in a uniform
Terminally ill
You lied about having cancer to more than one girl. You are a textbook pathological liar. You tell stories and make fake emails and profiles to make the girls you lie to feel bad for you. I am currently removing the tattoos you gave me. Hopefully for you karma doesn’t get you the way it…
Honey, it’s cold outside
You are a whorible excuse for a mother. This is your second kid and you still don’t know how to raise them. Who takes a 2 month baby out in a stroller dragging their 2 year old daughter behind them in last night’s storm? Not to mention those damn stretch pants you wore. My husband…
I’m Driving Here
PLEASE do not shovel your snow into the road!! —The road won’t make it disappear
Great neighbours
Wow! So here I am living in Nova Scotia, without a shovel. LOL. I’m used to living in apartment blocks without the need to do any of my own shovelling, but I moved into a flat last fall and didn’t buy a shovel. So far this winter has been grand for the shovel-less. Until the…
Walk in clinic my ASS!
This province is a joke! A walk-in clinic should be walk-in. We have to call to make an appointment at 8am, wait on hold for 20 mins while the “secretary” keeps two people on hold (so no one else can call to bug them) only to find out there are no appointments left for the…
Sidewalks
It doesn’t seem to matter how many times the city “threatens” to impose fines or do the work and send you the bill, many hours after a storm I find myself walking on the road as the sidewalks are never clear. Yesterday I went out in the late afternoon to find myself walking on the…
Salesman looks to shoot in Nova Scotia
Though it’s been listed as in pre-production for ages, word is the drama Salesman may be coming to Nova Scotia in the coming months. The IMDB says its writer/director is Raul Inglis, with stars Ben Kingsley and Patricia Clarkson attached.
Send them all to purgatory
I have read a few “bitch” notes over the past few months. One was directed entirely towards the juggalos who used to hang out infront of park lane mall, the other being directed towards the hippies in the commons. How these were actually printed in the paper for all to see, I am not sure.…
Students protest tuition increases
Hundreds of university students braved Wednesday’s snow storm to protest tuition fee increases announced Monday. “Students in Nova Scotia currently pay some of the highest tuition fees in the country and graduate with the highest student debt, at $31, 000,” explained a press release issued by Canadian Federation of Students. (Photos: Colin Davis and Scott…
Dude, just give me my food…
I’m a regular customer and I come in every day and order the same thing at the same time. I smile, I’m friendly and I’m easygoing. I’m probably the easiest customer you have to deal with all day. I don’t need your snide comments and eye rolls. I don’t need you asking me “well why…
Dear Frumper (friend dumper)
You frumped me and it really sucked. Being dumped by a friend is almost worse than being dumped by a boyfriend or girlfriend sometimes. Now you want to be friends again and while I’m willing to do that I wish you wouldn’t assume everything is going to automatically go back to normal. I love you…
You could have gone to uni in Ontario…
If you’re going to take to the streets to protest rising tuition fees at least have the decency to take off your Canada Goose jacket and Uggs while you’re at it. —IDS students are worthless
Cancer Sucks
Dear Cancer, please leave my loved ones alone. You are breaking all of our hearts. I know that death is a natural transition and that my pain is caused by my attachments… but you don’t let up and you don’t play fair. And I am not wise enough to know how to cope with all…
Blood on their hands…
With the opening of the new blood clinic location comes the campaign in search of people to donate. I would absolutely without a question gladly, willingly and often donate if only they would accept my blood. But, alas… I’m gay. For some reason, that makes my blood akin to pure arsenic (despite being 100% healthy).…
Gottingen Street eyesores to be removed
[image-1] Two eyesores on Gottingen Street are coming down. The former Mitchells Environmental Treasures and Derby/Diamonds Bar buildings will be torn down in coming weeks, confirms Ross Cantwell of the Housing Trust of Nova Scotia. The trust acquired both properties and is now going through the permitting process to build an affordable housing complex on…
More Money
You are the only provider of electricity in NS… I’m ONE WEEK overdue on my payment and you send me a disconnection notice effective two weeks from today… in the middle of fucking winter. Maybe power should be opened up to competition so you’ll start providing service instead of constantly appealing to a board to…
Cancer, Love and Adversity
Dear friends and family with Cancer, I love how you face your fears everyday, how you tell this truth but never lose yourself to victimhood. I love how you see everything in a new light and make each moment your own. We will continue to hope, and if we need to face the next stage…
Fuck Snow
I’ve had enough of that white stuff that we humans call snow! I hate it, it’s all I ever see. On the news, out my window, when I’m out on errand day… fucking snow! Sick to death. Fuck off snow, hello spring! —Going to bury myself in an igloo until spring
Parking Meter Friend
To the lady who I ran into as she was putting more change in my almost expired parking meter across from the Metro Centre last week, THANK YOU. I was just about to drive off, but I saw you add coins to the person behind me as well. I’ll never know why you decided to…
Beep beep beep
Kudos to these city assholes for cleaning up the snow at 3:25 in the morning, but why do they have to keep sounding these beeps and sirens every dozen seconds? Does it occur to them that this is a residential tower, not a fucking highway, which is pretty densely populated with people who are trying…
As if Christmas wasn’t bad enough…
…now they have kids at the grocery store checkouts asking for monetary donations for random causes and radio stations asking for money too. How about bagging my groceries and maybe I’ll give you some change? Or how about asking for donations to NOT play those damn Justin Bieber and Michael Buble songs? —WalletWithdrawn
Come and knock on our door
Here are some things we share in common: a mutual hatred of Gossip Girl plot holes (YOU CANNOT TEXT FROM PRISON), Justin and Brian on Queer as Folk, musicals, an appreciation for the music of Lennie Gallant, and Prince Edward Island in the summertime. You are one of the reasons that we might be living…
A Sneek Peek at the Khyber Tape
If you can’t wait until the Saturday release party to get your mitts on a copy of the Khyber Comp Tape, we’ve received the opening song on the comp, “Khyber” by Cousins, to share with you now. Listen and get pumped, and then go pump some life-giving money blood into the old building’s veins, so…
How to order for value
Everybody wants a “good buy,” whether it’s based on issues that are important to you, pinching a penny or two or just avoiding buyer’s remorse. “Value should be based on a number of factors, not just how cheaply someone can fill up,” says Taste of Nova Scotia’s Doug Townsend. “In the end, dining out is…
No way but the Highway
Halifax councillors spew a lot of pretty rhetoric about their support for downtown, but when it comes to putting hard money on the table, the real support is for suburban highways. Last week, council was told the Washmill underpass project into Bayers Lake, originally priced at $10 million, is an astounding $8 million over budget.…
Fish & chips
The Maritimes are all about seafood, and when it comes to seafood, you can’t get much cheaper than the ubiquitous fish & chips, found at thousands of chip trucks, hole-in-the-walls and even fine dining establishments. But, sadly, Halifax is losing its fish & chips mojo – even once famed establishments have degraded horribly, and far…
The letter of the day is…
You don’t think much of yourself. You complain about your weight. You don’t think I could love you. But, you make those early mornings bearable. You transform long lectures into a party. You turn my bad days into laugh riots. I’m glad you exist. —Coffee and tea
Checkout madness
It drives me nuts when you’re in the checkout at the grocery store, coffee shop, etc. and you have to wait endlessly for the knucklehead to rummage through their luggage to find the exact change. Fer fux sake, was it a surprise to you that money was required to make a purchase? Why can’t you…
Big, bad bromance in The Mechanic
Like Charles Bronson, Jason Statham is more of a type than an actor, and no current movie star is more convincing as a lethal badass whose bones and emotional range resemble granite. This makes Statham a logical choice to take over the Bronson role in this remake of the 1972 film about a hitman training…
Yeah, it’s snowing
Holy christ people, this is Canada! It snows here! Life goes on! When did Canadians become such wusses? That’s right—I called you a wuss! With the panic and hysteria around my workplace, and this city in general, you would think the weather forecast was for a 90% chance of morning apocalypse with an 85% chance…
Exit plan
It’s a familiar dream: You’re chasing a train because you need to go somewhere important, but can’t run quite fast enough. You wake up in a cold sweat with a pounding heart. Nightmares like this inspired Cornelia Hediger’s black-and-white photography collection Exit, on display February 2 to 27 at ViewPoint Gallery. The collection serves as…
Free Will Astrology
AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18) The renegade spiritual sect known as the Church of the Subgenius values one treasure above all others: not salvation, not enlightenment, not holiness, but rather Slack. And what is Slack? It is a state of being in which everything flows smoothly—a frame of mind so unfettered and at ease that the…
Where the Heart is
Ahh, the inner fan girl. One would think that after a certain period of time, the 16-year-old banshee lurking within—she with the painted, bitten fingernails, the notebook with the Led Zeppelin stickers and the tendency to scream at inopportune moments—would learn to shut up, already. One would think so. However, after two minutes of speaking…
Twilight Hotel
Their third album finds the duo of Brandy Zdan and Dave Quanbury with more miles travelled for their dark characters. On “Mahogany Veneer,” the shared road trips enhance all experience. There’s nothing like boarded-up buildings in a place like Memphis to break the spell of its history. Home is Winterpeg…I mean, Winnipeg. On “Frozen Town,”…
Minimal sexual healing
Q I read your column every week, mostly out of abstract interest. My thoughts reading your advice are usually some variation on “Wow, that’s a lot of work to do, just to have a sex life.” So reading you, I came to the conclusion that I was asexual. I liked this conclusion, as it was…
Drink rich or die trying
Now that you’ve saved your pennies feasting on affordable eats, loosen those purse strings and feed your finer tastes a liquid lunch. If you’re paying top dollar for a drink, it’s all about bang for your buck. Here are some pricier, but oh-so-worth-it drinks for those who enjoy the finer things. Jamieson’s Irish House Bar…
Ryan Adams and the Cardinals
The double album has always been one of those “Oh really now, how dare you” rock ’n’ roll statements. Hard enough to fill one disc with consistently great material? Try two. But there are several defining moments in the double-album canon, and while III/IV isn’t quite those masterpieces, it is a textbook lesson in songwriting…
Risky business in Boston Marriage
While I applaud Dartmouth Players for being willing to take a risk, I can’t help but wonder how their play selection committee thought their latest choice would be received. David Mamet’s Boston Marriage is a calculatingly shocking satire about two Victorian-era lesbians whose relationship is threatened by the introduction of a much younger woman. It’s…
A Peek inside
Halifax-based singer-song-writer Laura Peek wants to tour more across Canada in support of her sophomore record, Key, which releases at 1313 on February 4, but she has reservations about her success on the road. “It’s hard when no one knows who we are,” Peek laughs. Of course, Peek is being modest. After all, with her…
Hooded Fang
Hooded Fang Album is a slice of hipster heaven from the Toronto-based seven-piece collective Hooded Fang, led by Daniel Lee, and its laundry list of guest players. While the band is very capable of hitting the studio and cranking out an album, which comes loaded with praise from some trusted critics, it just fails to…
Shannon Brown’s sweet retreat
Shannon Brown isn’t all about the pictures, she’s a storyteller too. The Pastry King showcases a collection of sketches and paintings inspired by characters and scenes from a children’s story that she’s been working on since the summer. Brown’s quirky tale takes place in a town full of bakers who are ruled by an incredibly…
Les Jupes
This debut from Winnipeg charges out of the gate with a good mix of settings for its trump card, the moody baritone of Michael Petka Falk. He can summon at will the ghost of Joy Division’s Ian Curtis. That’s obvious by the third song, “Someone Lit a Fire Under Kruschev,” which allows one to dance…
Get A Taste of Africa
What better way to start African Heritage Month than sampling the sights, sounds, smells and flavours of Africa? A fundraiser for the Phoenix-Mulgrave Park Teens program is bringing together dance, song, drumming, spoken word and lots of delicious food for one night of cultural celebration. Authentic dishes from Nigeria, Ethiopia and Namibia and African-Nova Scotian…
Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit
Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit takes the racing series back to its roots and in most ways succeeds. Players can select from a wide range of vehicles, from a sturdy Subaru Impreza to a Lamborghini. However, it wouldn’t be fair to race cars that diverse against each other, so the vehicles are split up into…
No small potatoes for The North Lakes
These days, everything’s coming up The North Lakes. Their debut EP Cobra just earned them a Music PEI award and their single “Bravado” is climbing the CBC Radio Three chart fast. And not only have they been chosen to play an ECMA showcase in April, but they’ll also be playing their way up to Canadian…
To Khyber, with love
The idea to put together a compilation tape as a fundraiser for the much-loved centre for everything artsy came from the brain of the Khyber’s director Dan Joyce, who appointed Ryan Allen (Cold Warps, Quivers) the project’s talent wrangler. And wrangle he did. After much hard work from many Khyber-lovers, the compilation boasts 19 new…
jane’s on the common satellite lunch at Discovery Centre
The Discovery Centre (1593 Barrington Street, 492-4422) is a destination for people of all ages with science on their mind. During the March Break periods—February 11 to March 20—visitors will also be able to enjoy Jane Wright’s goodies on site. jane’s on the common (2394 Robie Street, 431-5683) will provide its Best of Food award-winning…
Seven under $7
$4.99: Pulled Pork Sandwich Boneheads BBQ 1014 Barrington street, 407-4100 “Succulicious,” that’s the only way staff at Boneheads BBQ could describe their pulled pork sandwich in one word. The fresh Kaiser bun is paired with a heaping pile of slow-cooked pork. The meat, which cooks for an average of eight to 10 hours, is smothered…
Finding value on the menu
Brooklyn Warehouse 2795 Windsor street, 446-8181 If you’re hoping to impress a dinner date without breaking the bank, hit Brooklyn Warehouse for BYOB night on Wednesdays. Most joints that allow you to bring your own bottle of wine charge a corkage fee ranging from $5 to $25, but Brooklyn Warehouse will cork your bottle for…
Mascots
Former Haligonian and Coast contributor Ray Fenwick’s latest book extends the work that he began in this city: typography-heavy painting on found book covers. The books’ loose cloth weave is clearly visible through the paintings, and even though Fenwick’s lettering skills should be studied by scientists, there’s a refreshing sense of the typographer’s hand and…
The Roommate is nothing to be afraid of
This update of Single White Female is like a catfight between two declawed kittens – bloodless and not frightening in the least. Minka Kelly is Sara, a fresh-faced fashion student whose transition into university life gets complicated by roommate Rebecca (Leighton Meester), who happens to be majoring in crazy. In Rebecca’s warped mind, BFFs are…
No faith in The Rite
Hollywood’s latest demonic possession thriller claims to be both “inspired by true events” and, in one of the most baffling writing credits in film history, “suggested by” author Matt Baglio’s book about said events. Did no one suggest to the inspired filmmakers that their script, truth-y though it may have been, was entirely redundant? Michael…
The Guardians
Male friendship has two types of rooms. Behind one door, dark and dank spaces remain; behind another, all is airy, fresh and bright. Andrew Pyper explores both states in The Guardians. Trevor, Carl and Randy return to their hometown, Grimshaw, where their old fourth, Ben, has committed suicide. Ben had spent years watching the property…
Inexpensively international
Just head to the International Farmers’ Market, Fridays between 10am and 6pm at the Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market (Pier 20, 1209 Marginal Road, halifaxfarmersmarket.com). You’ll find unexpected flavours from around the globe and an abundance of friendly vendors eager to share their favourite dish from back home. Indus 49 Rakhsana Aslam brings the mouthwatering dishes…
Wrecking Ball Breaker
Halifax is known for its recycling. In the world of wasters, we’re among the best at cleaning up after ourselves. We don’t bury all our old toys underground anymore. Half our junk is diverted through composting, recycling and shipping it to the Chinese countryside. Our municipality also has one of one of the highest recycling…
City Hall round-up
Halifax council met for 12 hours Tuesday, dealing with a handful of weighty issues, mostly by kicking them down a road a piece. First, council reviewed a consultant’s report on transit options for connecting the Bedford-Hammond’s Plains area to downtown; the report compared commuter rail, fast ferries and express buses. Bottom line: either option might…
Goo Goo Dolls “Slide” into the Cohn
Look – every so often, one of the ten people who read this blog regularly are like “Why are you so bitchy about the Backstreet Boys/Scott Stapp/David Usher/other 90s relics coming through town, you fucking cynical asshole” and yeah, you know what? It’s true. They’re easy targets. It’d be a lot edgier to rag on…
