Syn city
I walked into my favourite restaurant in Halifax on Saturday night and was pleased to see that the diners of Halifax don’t pay attention to the negative commentary of your food critic. As I entered SYN on Blowers I was greeted with the aroma of wonderful food and the great soundtrack of dining (laughter, glasses…
Letters to the Editor
Dear Coast, My name is Chris Arsenault and I am a freelancer working with the Chronicle Herald, CBC, THIS Magazine and other outletts around Canada. I wasn’t sure who is the proper person to pitch to, so figured I’d try this. I am Sending a story about a recent tour of NS by a Colombian…
Letters to the Editor
Dear “Resident of Sodom & Gomorrah (Love the way we bitch ~ Burning Sensation); I too live in the area of Dartmouth where the “Dear Resident” flyers were handed out door to door. I took the same stand you did, by writing a letter supporting Sensations to the Utility and Review Board, responsible for determining…
Improvapalooza
“Can I have an occupation please?” “Loser principal!” “I think I heard ‘California surfer!’” You could be re-enacting your favourite Simpsons episode—or, more likely, contributing to any number of brand spankin’ new skits—this weekend at the annual Atlantic University Improv Challenge, happening March 24 and 25 at King’s Alumni Hall. Organizer Daniel Rosen promises this…
Dispatches from the road
Many of our busiest touring acts are out on the road, and a pair checked in this week. Wintersleep was reached resting in Ottawa following South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, where, affable bassist Jud Haynes reveals, the band met a musical hero. “We met Thurston from Sonic Youth. Loel snuck him into a sold-out…
Go to Hell
Hell’s Kitchen is re-opening below the Marquee Club next Friday night just in time for the Junos. Long-time Seahorse Tavern manager Dana Boulton is in the midst of re-locating himself and his staff from the once punk, now posh Seahorse to Hell this week. “They changed the format of the Seahorse downstairs and made it…
Yanking our chains
Last week, perhaps in an effort to make downtown Halifax look more presentable for the crowd of Juno-goers about to descend upon our city, the municipality sent out an order to remove any derelict bicycles located near the ultra-touristy Historic Properties. Following city orders, a crew promptly set to work rounding up bicycles in the…
It’s a living
Dear Wallace Ryan, In response to your letter to the editor, published March 16, it seems that you are very misinformed about the seal hunt, so let me enlighten you with some facts: There are 4,000 licensed sealers between Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Labrador, PEI, Magdalene Island and Quebec combined, who fish snow crab or lobster…
The power of suggestion
To the editor, Nova Scotia Power Inc. has partially gotten their way, by achieving a rate increase of 8.9 percent. On the other hand, our elected officials proudly announce that their efforts have “saved” the downtrodden 4.1 percent on their power bills. Another $25 every two months merely adds to the pressure of a “budget”…
Like, vote
Dear Lezlie Lowe, Many thanks for articulating so clearly the cringe and irritation factors of Promo Girl! (“Cringe festival,” March 16). Yes, I definitely vote for her as Most Irritating Canadian. At first I thought CBC had hired an American AM radio announcer or cheap furniture advertiser, and I used to turn the radio off…
Unplanned parenthood
“So, what did you learn in school today?” I asked little Johnny as we lounged in the rec room munching popcorn and quaffing Moose. “Well, I learned that Tommy Douglas is the Greatest Canadian because he brought us universal medicare,” said Johnny as he cracked another brewski. “And I learned that Stephen Harper is the…
Inside communication
On the evening of January 25, 14 women squeezed into the uncomfortably warm waiting room of the Planned Parenthood Metro Clinic on Quinpool. They came to learn a few things about themselves—for instance, where their cervixes are located. Savayda Jarone’s fertility awareness workshop was filled to capacity, a common occurrence during the two and a…
Circular logic
The HRM plans to convert the Armdale Rotary to a roundabout and add a third, reversible lane on Chebucto Road in order to improve the efficiency of the rotary. Andrea McQuillin, a homeowner in the area, says, “I think this is short-sighted. I don’t even think it’s a solution,” adding she and her neighbours would…
Claiming the games
Question: what does Halifax have on its Commonwealth Games bid checklist that the other cities vying for the 2014 games don’t? Answer: a blog. www.Halifaxnoway.com is a Halifax anti-games site with links to local and national news stories and editorials that flip the bird at the Commonwealth Games. Unaudited Halifax bid figures, planning secrecy, nonexistent…
Where goes the neighbourhood?
Wednesday, January 11, 2006, 8pm The sound of a staple gun punctuates air already thick with paint and cigarette smoke. In one corner of the cavernous room, Jenn and Jessica, both clad in orange rubber gloves that stretch up to their elbows, work together washing down chairs and stacking them. Over by the bar, Dave,…
Family business
In a world where everyone’s cousin is in a garage band and their roommate is a DJ, music alone is not enough. Every act is searching for the elusive hook that will separate it from the crowd. For Akron/Family, finding theirs has been a mixed blessing. But no one ever said starting your own religion…
V for Vendetta
Those who bought George Clooney’s Oscar speech statement that Hollywood is ahead of the curve by showing the world what issues it faces ought to love V For Vendetta. It addresses the freedoms of “the little people” with a ruse of sophistication that only the socially empowered can provide—enforcing obvious sentiment in simple-minded terms. It’s…
On the house
Names change and owners change, but some establishments are able to keep right on going without any indication of the behind-the-scenes turmoil—is Henry House such a restaurant? It’s certainly seen its share of change: Henry House, so named because it was the home of William A. Henry, a father of Confederation, eventually becomes the Granite…
Savage Love
Dan Savage kicks ’em when they’re down. But not without reason.
Free Will Astrology
Prepare for a season of introspection, Capricorn, says Rob Brezsny.
All the small things
Last Saturday, the Shearwater Aviation Museum was home to a number of craft much smaller than its usual big birds. The Eighth Annual Model Makers Showcase & Contest was on. Downstairs, folks were showing off their handicraft, which ranged all over the historical time line. They sat at tables with models, tackle boxes of tools…
Girls talk
The funniest scene in the Shediac, New Brunswick-shot comedy These Girls takes place between leading man David Boreanaz and one of his three female co-stars, Holly Lewis. Boreanaz plays Keith, the local weed dealer, who is being blackmailed by Lewis’ character, the cheery, teenaged Lisa. She wants him to deflower her, “deflower” being a word…
