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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.
[Image-1] I say this as an out and proud lesbian…..WTF is with all the rainbow crosswalks? One crosswalk to show support is wonderful but not necessary, the rest are a total waste of money. Why don’t we save that money and put it towards LGBT+ youth homelessness or trans rights or any one of the…
I am glad so many people are enjoying this game and getting exercise et cetera. I’ve nothing against the game or the players who are crushing it. I’m just SO SICK of hearing about it. I caught a Voldemort today! Today my Piglet hatched! So mind-numbing, ugh. —Rock On
To the person in my apartment who keeps calling me “scuffy:” Yeah, I do scuff my feet, but I do have a name and there is a lot more to me than that. It just hurts even more that your kid thinks this is funny and thinks my name really is scuffy. Most of us teach our kids…
[Image-1] I don’t understand how creepy dudes stay popular in this city. We all know this shit about them, yet folks continue to frequent their stores or shows and remain friends with them. Can we PLEASE have a zero tolerance policy for men who we KNOW are sexual predators?? They shouldn’t be allowed in our…
When you screamed in all our ears at your excitement for the drag queens but then just as loudly BOOO’ed the participants you didn’t like, I think you were missing the point of the event. Inclusivity is what those events are all about and if you feel the need to shriek your disapproval for the…
To the lowlife at the Pride parade who decided to light a cigarette two feet from our toddlers and a newborn then loudly proclaimed, “We were here first, suck my dick!” when I politely asked he move it away from them: Had it not been a community event with my kids, I would have reacted with…
Who decided that Griffin Pond in the Public Gardens should be infested with ugly plants and eternal scum? This pond used to be lovely relatively clear body of water. Now it’s a sludge pit of slime. Brilliant. —A Griffin Pond Lover
[Image-1] You got on the Halifax-bound ferry with me Saturday afternoon, sporting the most badass Uzumaki tattoo on your right arm. I was having a total shit day and seeing that made me cheer up and grin like an idiot. Your style is rad, keep rocking. <3 —Plaided Shadow
[Image-1] “Halifax just landed one hell of a city manager,” says five-term Moncton councillor Pierre Boudreau. “It’s going to be impossible to find another Jacques Dubé…Halifax has landed a jewel.” Dub City’s former city manager was announced today as HRM’s new chief administrative officer. Dubé replaces former CAO Richard Butts, who left city hall at…
This weekend is the 24th annual Nova Scotian Artists Studio Rally, inviting regular Joes to take a look inside creative spaces across the province—a chance to see where blacksmiths, weavers, woodturners, potters, stain glass artists and painters flourish their talents. Every year, the producers of the project create a guide to discovering fine art and…
[Image-1] Two weeks back, The Coast published an article looking at the future of the old Spring Garden Road Memorial Library. Hours after publication, the province demanded an immediate correction. The story came about because one downtown HRM council candidate has been pitching the idea of selling the public property to commercial interests. I interviewed Dominick…
[Image-1] The shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy is occurring mainly at the power plant level. But what about transportation? Can we significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by switching to cleaner fuels? Or is this just an attempt to keep 20th century technology chugging along while trading one set of environmental problems for another?…
[Image-1] A secret map that may hold the future of the Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes park will be released to the public, but it’ll take a few more weeks to see the light of day. Halifax regional council unanimously voted on Tuesday to defer the release of map “3A” and its relevant materials until August 31,…
[Image-1] Hey friends. I get it, your job is not the best. Probably either temporary or something you are doing on the side. I always leave a 15% tip on delivery (not 20 as I am usually charged for the delivery anyway), But listen…I don’t want to hear you complain about how busy you are.…
Let’s give ’em their own lane. There needs to be some right-of-way. Multiple times I have gotten off the bus that was stuck on North and busted my ass to get to work in the sun and still been late. Our bus system frustrates me, I want my $2.50 back. —SweatyPissedNLate
I’ve known for a while you’re a CD I would’ve cared for you enough to accept you for who you are; however you didn’t accept me for who I was. —Judge me not: Leo
[Image-1] I can’t believe it’s almost been one year, cutie!! You want some of this?!! I still get excited to see your texts every day, your big smile and your great big hugs are the best. Baby I love you. Here’s to many more texts and smiles and hugs (and kisses!! 🙂 xo —Kiss You…
The Jimmy Swift Band walked the line between rock and electronica (or, as they often call it, “rocktronica”) from the late ‘90s until their official breakup in 2011. When they announced their last hurrah tour in 2014 (crowned with a prime slot at Evolve festival), fans figured they’d seen the last of the Halifax-based musicians.…
[Image-1] UPDATE: According to its Twitter account, Halifax Transit has altered its plans and cyclists towing child trailers “MAY” board ferries until further notice. Two-wheeled electric scooters are still banned. An updated announcement is scheduled for Wednesday. “Transit will work with stakeholders and community to develop other solutions that meet regulations and are safe for…
In just a few short months, when the humidity has broken, the fall wind will ring with the sound of rowdy concert goers: leaves will crunch beneath their Converse as they prance to the next show, revelling in the joy that is Halifax Pop Explosion. The beloved fest just announced its second round of 2016…
[Image-1] Today I’ve read two news stories about people not practicing common sense while out swimming. In both cases emergency services had to be called to rescue the poor sap who swam out too far. Those services cost us taxpayers thousands of dollars each and every time they are used, nevermind putting those rescuers at…
To the cyclist I cut off on the corner of Edinburgh and Dublin St, I’m sorry. It was my fault. I did a rolling stop and didn’t see you. I have been on your end of this type of mistake, and I am really sorry. —No Excuses
[Image-1] Thank you to the lovely woman who saw me struggling to keep my dress in check during a particularly windy walk home from work last Thursday on Barrington. You offered me a bobby pin to keep my dress closed at the bottom. A small gesture that made my day! —Private Panties
[Image-1] In response to the recent string of sexual assaults involving taxi drivers, on Monday Halifax Regional Police took the unusual step of releasing a breakdown of similar incidents that have occurred in the last five years. “We’re providing context so citizens can make informed decisions about their personal safety, and also outlining the police…
The ever-growing Mezza Lebanese Kitchen restaurant chain announced this morning that after 10 years in business, its fine dining, eat-in location on Quinpool Road will close its doors on August 1. Get your Mediterranean fixes while you can! The closure of Mezza (6386 Quinpool Road) marks an even tighter focus on the brand’s mega popular…
Kate Beaton, a Nova Scotian comic artist, received a Will Eisner Comic Industry Award at Comic-Con in San Diego on Friday. The prestigious award, considered to somewhat of an Oscar in the comic world, was granted to Beaton for the “Best Humor Publication” category, in recognition of her latest book Step Aside, Pops: A Hark!…
I’m delighted we have a Jazz Fest but did someone decide to reorient the speakers this year or just crank up the volume? I live in the Dartmouth Cove area and the evening performances sounded like they were in my back yard. This was never a problem in past years. What gives? —Sleepy all week
Axe! Axe! Quick, boys! – An ecstasy of fumbling Adjusting the baggy trowsers just in time, But someone still was yelling out and stumbling And flound’ring like a geezer in fire or lime.- Dim through the misty panes and thick green light, As under a green sea, I saw him drowning. In all my dreams…
[Image-1] This love goes to the brilliant, smiling blonde who always buys a gluten-free almond chocolate chip cookie from my food stand. —Heartwood Admirer Related Stories
[Image-1] I am stoked that you’re out having a fun time with your pup and not just keeping it locked up inside but I am begging you to show a basic level of respect. Being a dog owner doesn’t mean you can just act like a total piece of shit. Two tiny things you can…
[Image-1] Halifax’s logo is staying on some of your community signs, Dartmouth, but at least it’ll be smaller and harder to read. An information item headed to council next week says the chief administrative office and HRM’s corporate communications are developing new applications for the municipality’s pervasive branding that will “better reflect brand values and pride of…
[Image-1] It’s largely too little, too late now, but an information item before city council says HRM wouldn’t have been able to stop Rob Steele’s parking lot proliferation even if it tried. The report originates from a petition signed by more than 1,000 community members that was brought to council back on May 10. It…
Harmony-driven, folk-pop vocal group Dark for Dark returns to Halifax tonight. They’re touring on the heels of dropping their newest album, All Dressed. Dark for Dark, comprised of Rebecca Zolkower, Jess Lewis and Melanie Stone, formed in 2012, and All Dressed is their second album. These sweet honeybees will whisk away the work week’s stress…
Pride Week only has a few days left, so let’s make ’em count with Pride festivities, diva-themed brunches, outdoor exploration and, of course, THE PARADE. 10. Queer Contra Dance. Saturday, July 23, 5-9pm Not your typical dance, this event eschews traditional gender roles, offering a binary-free, queer-friendly atmosphere. Bring something to the 5pm potluck and…
[Image-1] It was spring of 1972 when Anne Fulton stumbled upon a poster that read It’s Time for Gay Liberation. That rallying cry appealed to the budding lesbian activist—Fulton was 20 then, maybe 21—and she went to the meeting the poster advertised. This gathering would turn out to be vital, for both Fulton and, more…
Q I’m writing from Germany, where I am being heartbroken and not knowing how to go on. I’ve been seeing a guy for a couple of months and slowly falling in love with him. “Peter” has always been very open to me about himself, his failed relationships and his commitment issues. He talks frequently about…
Constance Ledbelly is a doormat—albeit a brilliant, passionate doormat. The problem is, she doesn’t recognize her own brilliance and passion. In Ann-Marie MacDonald’s award-winning comedy Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet), that changes when Constance is sucked down the rabbit hole (or in this case, through a waste basket) into the middle of two Shakespearean tragedies.…
A mess of pottage I have been contemplating the plans of the Archbishop to sell the lands adjacent to the St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica for high-rise development. The land in question, at the Spring Garden Road corner of Barrington Street, includes the old boys’ and girls’ school buildings which now house the Archdiocesan offices and…
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Cancer (Jun 21-Jul 22) Capricorns may be the hardest workers of the zodiac, and Tauruses the most dogged. But in the coming weeks, I suspect you Cancerians will be the *smartest* workers. You will efficiently surmise the precise nature of the tasks at hand, and do what’s necessary to accomplish them. There’ll be…
“What I wanted to do was make a film that reflected the modern Newfoundland,” says the writer-director Stephen Dunn, whose festival darling debut feature Closet Monster opens this week. “I love Newfoundland cinema—we have incredible filmmakers and voices—but I had never really seen a representation of what it’s like for a young person right now…
Samson Learn is calling from the road, somewhere between Montreal and Ottawa. While he talks, the engine hums dully in the background. Learn has been travelling for just over four weeks. On a storytelling odyssey passing through our national artery, the Trans-Canada highway, Learn explains he’s attempting to redefine Canadians’ perceptions around the word “trans.”…
Sam Cash is working hard to remember what life was like before it became so damn complicated. As the Toronto-based singer-songwriter (and leader of Sam Cash and The Romantic Dogs) explains, he’s been thinking a lot about certain feelings from his youth, ones he doesn’t want to let go: “I basically try to get back…
My first experience at a Basque restaurant was in Barcelona, at the end of a rambling walk through El Born. A couple of barrel-aged voices, low and thick with fermented bravery, bounced off the curve of the narrow alley. Upon rounding the bend, we found two hoary old men, Garnacha sloshing around their glasses as…
Emily Lawrence and I meet for our interview on a particularly summery-feeling afternoon. The heat is radiating from the sidewalk as we make our introductions. Soon, under a candy-blue sky, the meeting becomes an impromptu mini-picnic, complete with melting ice cream and sweating iced coffee on the Common. It’s fitting for the subject matter as…
Dear Kate, Pride Week is winding down in Halifax and your excellent film, Ghostbusters, opened as it was beginning. A lot of people had not seen you before this very high-profile movie, despite your outstanding work and near-iconic Justin Bieber impression across the last five seasons of Saturday Night Live. “It’s her first film!” I…
Two women lock eyes across a crowded room. Soon, one approaches the other and lightly touches her shoulder… Sounds like a scene from a bad movie, or, at the very least, not something you’d expect to find behind glass in a library. Not according to Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU) librarian Meg Raven. As she…
The promotion of Tel Aviv tourism at Halifax Pride continues to raise debate, but a member of the Atlantic Jewish Council says the Queer Arabs of Halifax and other concerned groups are misinformed about his organization’s presence at Pride. Last week, the Nova Scotia Rainbow Action (NSRAP) project launched this petition, declaring solidarity with Queer…
The Outport Magazine has got LGBTQIA Atlantic Canadians covered. Starting out in 2013 as a short monthly publication, serving the St. John’s, Newfoundland area, the magazine expanded its coverage to include all of the Atlantic provinces this year. Today, Outport is an online lifestyle magazine—CEO and publisher Josh Eddy says it made the format switch…
On the first day of Halifax Pride week, Ky Greyson arrives at a coffee shop sporting a huge smile, freshly dyed cotton candy hair with matching pink eyebrows, and black leggings that read “unavailable.” He’s bursting with enthusiasm when he asks me what gender pronouns I prefer. Although some people don’t like labels, Greyson finds…
We love pride week so much it brings little rainbow hearts to our eyes. But while it’s easy to get caught up in celebrating the beauty of love and wearing multi-coloured things, Rad Pride, an “alternative, political queer pride” organization, is quick to remind us all one key thing: “The first pride parade was a…
[Image-1] Halifax’s Pride festival is finally here, but not everyone is celebrating. The 11-day long festival kicks off today, arriving in the wake of the Pulse nightclub shooting last month that left 49 people murdered in Orlando, Florida, and a surge in protests across the United States and Canada against the use of police violence.…
[Image-1] Rhett Slutler spent the first year of drag learning the rules: Don’t show your tape. Make sure you’re not using a song that has too high of a voice in it. Make sure you’re using the right amount of socks in your pants. Then they started performing non-binary drag, moving beyond the strict binary…
