Why stereotypes continue to exist
I’m so sick of this bullshit where Halifax’s lower income areas—such as the north end—continue to be vilified whereas the south end (AKA wealthier area) is consistently portrayed as the land of rainbows and butterflies. Case in point: I was on the CBC website this morning checking out the NS news. The headlines: “Halifax sleepwatching…
Paper Beat Scissors surprise show tonight
Tonight at Gus’ Pub, European jet setter Paper Beat Scissors jumps out from behind a curtain and surprises everyone with a secret show featuring a lot of cool instruments. “It’s gonna be a very special show with a seven-piece (bassoon, euphonium, violin, guitar, bass, drums) PBS lineup in preparation for NSMW,” PBS’ Tim Crabtree says.…
BREAKING NEWS: SAP announcement will be made tomorrow
The leadership of the union representing provincial SAP workers is meeting with officials of the provincial finance department this afternoon. The meeting was called by the finance department, and the union’s assumption is that they’ll be told the SAP work will be outsourced to IBM. SAP workers themselves tell The Coast that they’ve been summoned…
Just take the f’ing money
I’m getting really fucking sick of the lip I’m catching from cab drivers who (in some cases) refuse to take my debit card as a form of payment at the END of the ride. I get that your employer adds the $1 service fee on, and they collect the money (not you) but that’s no…
How is it a good day if no one’s scared of me?
You asked me why I was wearing a suit and tie since you couldn’t see anyone else wearing one. I should’ve just told you it’s because I’m a playboy philanthropist and don’t always know how to fit in… —The God Damn Batman
Halloween is over at the service counter
To the fucking complete bitch who “helps” people when they need to sort out the skullfuckery called a bridge pass, go fuck yourself, you snotty cow. It is infuriating to see these shitbags sitting behind a counter being condescending just because they work for a government agency. Call my wife a liar once more and…
We are over!
Nothing is there anymore. We’re not getting back together. The love, the tuppy feeling, that spark is long gone. Stop calling me. It’s been three months. Get over it and find someone else! —Moved On
Magazine Hill
Will somebody in this city or province figure out how to build another road to Bedford and Sackville, besides magazine hill, maybe they could follow the new trail from Burnside. While they are at it, might want to start on that new bridge because after next year’s experiment no one will trust the MacDonald. The…
The Best Of
How can you print that the murder of a man is only the third worst thing to happen to Halifax this year behind the mayor and a bus strike? So a gay activist getting murdered by a not criminally responsible man gets bronze place? And a man doing a job, albeit not well, gets second…
New council sworn in
Correction: Justice Heather Robertson was not appointed by John Savage. Rather, she was appointed by the federal minister of Justice on the recommendation of a federally appointed commission. Robertson was, however, a family friend of then-retired premier John Savage. Original article: Out with the old council, in with the new. Tuesday evening saw an anti-climatic…
Ela! on Argyle closes
Argyle Street has lost one of it’s sturdy bookends. Ela! Greek Taverna (formerly Opa) announced today they’d be shutting down their downtown location, effective immediately. That’s right, sadly there isn’t even time for one last souvlaki. A statement posted on the restaurant’s website explained that the closure of the Argyle and Blowers resto would allow…
Mr. Osbourne
My life as been hell even more so lately. At certain times, I start feeling sorry for myself then the pity turns into hurt feelings for the way you dropped me. I genuinely care for you in despite of the self hater or sucker I must look like, I miss you terribly. I know you…
Bye!
It was really nice working for you guys. I especially liked that you messed up my pay not once but twice in a row. $13 per hour ain’t a whole lot in the first place, especially for the shit i have to put up with. You guys are the cheapest cheapskates I have ever had…
The Herbaliser and Teenburger make use of those Halifax zombies
Keep that Halloween feeling going with The Herbaliser’s third single from their latest album There Were Seven, “March Of The Dead Things”, featuring Halifax/Toronto duo Teenburger (Ghettosocks and Timbuktu). Directed by filmmaker Caley MacLennan and featuring a killer cast of local zombie enthusiasts pulled together “viral flash mob” style in a matter of hours, the…
Learn your shit, Canada
Why does everyone seem to think Remembrance Day is a day to thank war vets? That is NOT what it is about. It is a day to remember and pay tribute to soldiers who died, not soldiers who survived. That is what Veteran’s Day is for in the States. When surviving war vets show up…
Love’s destruction
Love destroyed forever comes with it a time to mourn what was but I think that it is welcome for each of us. Your hate came early and displayed every time you turned away from an offered olive branch. Mine came much later but is now just as strong. Was it really love then? Or…
Another example of shitheadness
To the guy riding the #14 bus Friday night, you’re a disgrace! My brother was visiting the city from rural Cape Breton, and while he usually takes his truck he decided to take the shuttle. At around 4pm or so, we decided to go visit our sister in Woodlawn and hopped on the #14. My…
Hobo With a Shotgun Comics
The folks at Strange Adventures (5262 Sackville Street, 425-2140 and 101 Portland Street, 444-2140) have teamed up with local artists to produce the Hobo With a Shotgun comic book, inspired by the Jason Eisener-directed film of the same name, which was filmed in Dartmouth. Strange Adventures manager Dave Howlett adopted the script for one of…
Coffee and a walk?
I know we just met, and I’m not one of those “OMG I LURVE YOU” kind of people after such a short time. Trust me. I’m just happy being around you, having fun with you and having your help and support when I’m in a cross roads at life. Plus the sex is fantastic. You…
Are downtown Christmas decorations up too soon?
Christmas decorations were put on downtown street poles early last week, days before Halloween. We asked the Twitterverse what they thought of that decision, and the response was an overwhelming “TOO EARLY!” Most respondents said the Downtown Halifax Business Commission should’ve waited until after Remembrance Day, “out of respect for the veterans,” and we jokingly…
I still really like you
I still have a crush on an older guy, but I dunno how to ask him to hang out because it’s probably inappropriate in some weird way. I message you but it wasn’t so great, but I dunno how to say what I really want to say. If you think you know who this is,…
Uptight and judgmental
Why are so many people outraged that my sister and I are sleeping with the same guy? What is so disgusting about it? We’re not in bed with him at the same time, like in a threesome. THAT would be disgusting. Even if he fucks her earlier in the day, then comes to my place…
Dear creepy crossworder
Going out on a limb here, thinking I know who you are. Just let it be known that an apology is not necessary. I also quite frequently get lost staring at you…whenever I get the chance that is. PS: Be careful…BBC, especially redheads. —Sincerely, Firey Beard Enthusiast
Kearney Lake parking lot public fornication
Seeing multiple condoms, dirty diapers and fornication residue like tissue, lube and condom wrappers at the Kearney Lake riverside parking lot, prompted me to write this letter. I will just have you classless people, who are the offenders of this repulsive littering know: A SCHOOL BUS STOPS THERE IN THE MORNING! Do we have to…
Dear sandwich boy… I mean guy
We met in July while debating the benefits of wraps versus straight up bread at a grocery counter. I laughed and you asked for my number. You got it and texted shortly after. We met for coffee (where you mocked my complicated drink) and you asked to see me again. I told you that my…
Shut it
Put away your fucking smartphone and pay attention to your kids! Even when you haven’t seen them all day, you can’t keep your fucking eyes and fingers off the phone, you just sit glued to it, barely acknowledging their existence when they talk to you. I see how sad they are when you ignore them…
To friends
Thank you. For always having my back, even if you don’t have a stake in my battles, for talking me up every time I feel like I’m at my lowest, for listening to me gush and fall in love, and then listening to me bitch and complain when that love turns sour, for always coming…
Pick up your shit
Three months. Three pretty OK months…some amazing fucking sex, and some pretty mediocre sex. Now I am done with you. If you can’t be convenient, neither can I. Please pick up your toothbrush asap…it kind of disgusts me every time I open my bathroom cabinet. —Meow
HalComix
Hi we met at HalCon and talked about getting a comix jam going in this city again. I gave you my email so you should email me. Let’s do this! —Survivor
Stop honking, moron
To the moron who kept honking at me as I tried to make a left turn on Spring Garden Road on Saturday evening: There was a line of traffic coming toward me. I certainly wasn’t going to drive into oncoming traffic to accommodate your rage. And I can’t pass through them like a fart on…
Bad ass on the 20 Herring Cove
To the girl with the bad ass bacon tattoo on your hand, we ride the bus together quite often. I think you have the most charming smile. Last night on the bus, a very very annoying teenager decided to use his Blackberry as a boombox. You politely offered him your headphones. He laughed. You politely…
Howe have we let it come to this?
With regard to joining Canada, Joseph Howe warned “Confederation with Canada would, if adopted, deprive the people of Nova Scotia of the inestimable privilege of self-government, and of their rights, liberty and independence, rob them of their revenue, take from them the regulation of trade and taxation, expose them to arbitrary taxation by a legislature…
Cross crossing
Pedestrians, I am one too, get off your freaking phone when you’re crossing at a crosswalk. Don’t walk along staring at the thing, as though there is no external world, look around and make sure you aren’t about to get hit by a car or that you aren’t holding up 12 other people while you…
Ended before we began
Did we meet at the Halifax Jazz Fest this summer? Did we dance to Charles Bradley? I don’t know if you’re the same girl as the Jazz Fest girl but I sure think about her a lot… I guess this is just another time I’m thinking… —Hangin’ On the Citadel, One Sunny Afternoon with You
Fabulous female!
You were the dark-haired beauty who’s name name is almost the same as mine (S) who worked at a convenience store in Timberlea. I was the guy who flirted with you every time I came in…And I owe you a tea! I’d love to chat with you. —owlnight123
Enough is enough
You invite me to your events (but never attend mine). You encourage me to like the page for your company (but refuse to like mine). You go on and on about supporting local artists (but not me?). ENOUGH. And when I ask you what your deal is—you ignore me. Really? We should support each other,…
Up in smoke
Who the fuck do you think you are? Stop smoking at the bus stop or take that filthy habit and walk down the road about a mile! Bridge terminal especially! —IDONTSMOKE!
Bushido babe
Dear ’70s bush. I am so sorry. I realize now that I never loved you the way you deserve to be loved. I took you for granted, I grew tired of you. I thought you were tedious. I became intoxicated with the sleek, pornified look of the modern gal. I felt the weight of social…
Demand side management for dummies
What is the deal with Efficiency Nova Scotia? I’m shocked that our citizens don’t already know replacing their old inefficient light bulbs with newer higher efficiency models saves them money, had it not been for Efficiency Nova Scotia. Is Efficiency Nova Scotia’s levy on every power bill there to provide services to benefit everyone who…
Kym
This isn’t as much a bitch as much as a thank you. It’s been a couple years and I know Halloween is your favourite time so it got me thinking about you. I blocked out how many great times we had. Watching a show, riding on my bike or just laughing together. There are many…
No more brown nosing for the red nosers
No more Operation Red Nose? Well it’s about time. I never could understand why we used taxpayers’ money to provide free rides for the drunks. Hey, you wanna drink yourself into oblivion? Arrange for a cab. But I doubt you would do that since you can’t see that far ahead of yourself and your lousy…
Hey K!
Boss told me all about you. What I told you was in confidence. Not only will I never trust you again, you backstabbing bitch—I’ll be watching and waiting to bring you down. You’re the anti-feminist, smug sister. It’s on, and you brought it on yourself. —Quartet Newbie
OBEY
Hey you two cops, that were at a 15 minute loading zone—you parked when you went for Sushi on for an hour. Delivery drivers and small business owners need these spaces for LOADING and UNLOADING (hence the name “Loading Zone”). Respect the laws you enforce, this isn’t the first time I have seen things like…
Bus seats offered
I would like to submit a short BIG thank you to all the young ladies out there who give up their seats on the bus for the elderly, handicapped and people with children/children in carriages and people with a lot of parcels. I travel the bus daily back and forth to work, I have been…
Pete’s turns 20
Everyone’s favourite gourmet grocery, Pete’s, is celebrating a whopping 20 years in Nova Scotia next month, and to mark the occasion, owner Pete Luckett and company are pulling out all the stops to show us how much they appreciate our business. A lot can change in 20 years—starting off as a modest market in Sunnyside…
Waiting and waiting at the pumps
An elderly man went in to pay for his gas. When he came out he started digging in the garbage can hoping to find some money coupons BUT he did not come back to his car for at least four minutes. Finally he had seen the look on my face and he darted to his…
Homeless yuppie
Here in the silent heart, my choices make no sense to me, there seems to be something beyond me that I cannot answer, something that I should have been speaking to instead of worrying. What are Halifax landlords thinking? The rental costs of a one bedroom apartment on the Peninsula are on average ridiculous. People…
Meet the new boss: Same as the old boss
Candidate Mike Savage demonstrated shockingly bad judgement by paying himself a $10,000 monthly stipend from his campaign funds, and now critics will with justification accuse mayor Mike Savage of being part of an elite that’s out-of-touch with how regular people lead their lives, and who will have a conflict of interest every time council deals…
Helmets aplenty
I guess in Canada since you aren’t allowed to choose and pay for your own healthcare, there is the argument that going without a helmet is putting undue risk on the taxpayer if you get into an accident. I never had a helmet riding a bike as a kid. Living in a city with a…
Write a letter to Mike Savage, maybe see it in The Coast
Next week we have a cover story in The Coast about the new mayor. As part of that, I’m asking people to write 100- to 200-word letters to Mike Savage, telling him what they would like from him over the next four years. Please email your letter to me, at timb@thecoast.ca, with “Letter to Savage”…
Man, I don’t know how to tell you
But I’m sorry. Sorry for writing shit I don’t know or understand. Sorry for being unfair to someone who doesn’t deserve it. Sorry for being a chicken shit and not talking to you. I contacted one of the people involved (no more numbers under her orders) for coffee. She was kind but told me that…
Hey you… asswipe
Yeah you. Thank you for being the prime example of a shitty human being. For bailing when it became inconvenient. For being a wonderful narcissist. For blaming others for your bad behaviour. For lies upon lies. For condoning others shitty actions on your behalf. For taking what you wanted and giving nothing. Sleep easy dear,…
You suck
To the uptight girl I work with who thinks she is better than everyone, gossips about other people constantly and walks around like she’s too good to be there. NOBODY LIKES YOU. Just thought you should know. —No, Really, You Suck
Breakfast
To the two fat fucks who flew by me and gave me about half an inch of space on my bike this morning on Cole Harbour Road, there’s no rush, the processed breakfast will still be at the drive thru window when you get there. I know that your bicycles would crumble under you if…
Dishonest people
There was a Halloween party at my house on Saturday night, where I live with a several other roommates. To whoever stole my iPhone 4 from the house, I hope karma gets you. Like most people with iPhones you depend on them for certain things. I had photos that were very important to me on…
Poor pigeon
On my way to get a morning coffee today, I noticed a poor pigeon with a broken wing. Unfortunately I didn’t have a box with me, nor did I think it would be a good idea to bring him into the office. I went back to same place at lunch, and he was still there.…
Hydrostone Halloween
OK, listen, I get it. The Hydrostone neighbourhood is seen as this rich area where folks have money and as such should be giving out large amounts of candy because… well… hey. They’re rich what do they care? As new residents in the Hydrostone area “from away” (if that sinks my bitch so be it),…
Will take but won’t give
All around the world anytime there is a natural disaster and needs cleanup the United States is one of the first countries to step up and help them out. They pledge people and countless amounts of money that they do not have to try to get their neighbours back on their feet in their time…
Big changes to Hali skyline
The Halifax skyline is changing before our eyes. Whether that’s good or bad is matter of opinion, but the first significant change was nearly universally panned on social media. Over the weekend, Twitter was abuzz with word that the iconic sign on the Morse’s Teas building on Hollis Street was being painted over. Sure enough,…
Council gets schooled: St. Pat’s Alexandra school site back at the starting point
We’re back to the beginning for figuring out what to do with St. Pat’s-Alexandra School. A policy for disposing of surplus schools was developed by staff, and adopted by council way back in 2000. In theory, the policy called for a three step process: First, city departments would determine if they could make use of…
Best Male Theatre Actor
Gold Winner Stewart Legere Silver Winner Ben Stone Bronze Winner Walter Borden This is actor-musician Stewart Legere’s second triumphant year as gold-plated Best Male Theatre Actor, proving that your crush on this multi-talented man hasn’t yet abated. Nor should it, with a powerful role in Daniel McIvor’s I, Animal winning new fans at Eastern Front…
Best Activist
Gold Winner Raymond Taavel Silver Winner Megan Leslie Bronze Winner Kevin Kindred The senseless murder of gay activist Raymond Taavel in April led to an outpouring of grief, yes, but also of love when 1,000 people filled Gottingen Street for an impromptu vigil. “Standing on the very spot where Raymond lost his life,” wrote Barry…
Best University / College
Gold Winner Dalhousie University Silver Winner Saint Mary’s University Bronze Winner University of King’s College This category might’ve just been a numbers game, as Dal has the most students and alumni. But let’s let our readers explain themselves. For Dal: “I went there.” “Very respectable.” “We have engineering!” “Go Tigers!” “They taught me stuff.” “F…
Best Second-hand Clothing Store
Gold Winner Guy’s Frenchys, Dartmouth Silver Winner Elsie’s Used Clothing Bronze Winner Crimson & Clover Guy’s Frenchy’s has de-throned Elsie’s for gold as Best Second-hand Clothing Store this year, and voters say it’s for one simple reason: “It’s the cheapest!” But Lou Ellis-Browne, manager of Guy’s Dartmouth location, says people keep coming back because “they…
Best Furniture Store
Gold Winner Attica Furnishings Silver Winner Leon’s Furniture Bronze Winner The Brick Wouldn’t Attica be a great place to live? You’d have a dining room so cool that you’d be dying to host a dinner party, bathroom accessories so awesome you’d spent extra time primping yourself every morning, a home office that’d inspire you and…
Kill Shakespeare kills it
I see over a 100 plays a year, and I’m predicting that Kill Shakespeare will stand out as one of the most memorable and entertaining of 2012. It’s a live stage adaptation of Anthony Del Col and Conor MaCreery’s popular graphic novel series of the same name. Del Col and MaCreery’s writing is stylish and…
Best Twitterer
Gold Winner Lauren Oostveen, @laurenoostveen Silver Winner Breastfeeding Community of Practise, @CoP_Breastfeed Bronze Winner Allison Sparling, @allisomething A master of 140 characters, Lauren Oostveen works hard, managing or helping out on plenty of Twitter accounts (@ns_archives, @carbon_arc, @NocturneHalifax, @sailbluenoseii, @1bookns, @ns_mma, @tedxhalifax, @ns_museum, to name a few) while still crafting that personal voice on @laurenoostveen…
Best Hotel
Gold Winner The Westin Nova Scotian Silver Winner The Prince George Hotel Bronze Winner The Lord Nelson Hotel & Suites We’re not sure how locals make decisions about the best facility built primarily for out-of-towners, but we have some guesses. Maybe it’s the Westin’s practice of cutting rates during blizzards and tropical storms so downtown…
Perfect Youth: The Birth of Canadian Punk
Sam Sutherland had the unenviable task of giving a coherent narrative of the early punk scenes across Canada. The result is Perfect Youth, an almost exhaustive account of the emergence of Canadian punk rock that covers everything from Newfoundland’s the Reaction to Regina’s The Extroverts to Victoria’s Dishrags. Perfect Youth doesn’t purport to be a comprehensive…
Best Female Theatre Actor
Gold Winner Kathryn McCormack Silver Winner Stephanie MacDonald Bronze Winner Martha Irving Kat McCormack acted her way straight to gold with a busy season at Shakespeare by the Sea, including performances in Alice of Wonderland, The Merry Wives of Windsor and Titus Andronicus. And now that the weather is not as hospitable to outdoor theatre,…
Best Activist Organization
Gold Winner Ecology Action Centre Silver Winner Nova Scotia Rainbow Action Project Bronze Winner Occupy Nova Scotia The Ecology Action Centre has been around for an eternity in grassroots organization years—since 1971—and if Haligonians’ abiding love of cycling and recycling are any indicators, the EAC has been doing its job real well. Winning gold in…
Best Movie Theatre
Gold Winner and Hall of Fame inductee Oxford Theatre Silver Winner Empire Bayers Lake Bronze Winner Empire Dartmouth Crossing The best movie-going experience in town looks a little something like the first row of the balcony seats at Oxford Theatre. Seriously, the leg room alone deserves an award. That’s just one of the reasons our…
Best Shoe Store
Gold Winner Kick Ass Shoes Silver Winner John David Shoes Bronze Winner ALDO, Halifax Shopping Centre Footwear heaven exists on the corner of Queen and Spring Garden. Kick Ass Shoes, the now seven-years-in-a-row gold winner in this category, is the kind of store that’s hard to walk by. And once you’re inside, it’s likely you’ll…
Best Flower Shop
Gold Winner My Mother’s Bloomers Silver Winner Props Floral Designs Bronze Winner The Flower Shop It’s not that the fine folk at My Mother’s Bloomers are floral snobs, it’s just that they have great taste and aren’t afraid to use it. That’s why they save shop space for fancy flowers instead of carnations and baby’s…
Give it up for Timeraiser
Wouldn’t it be awesome if everyday life worked like a Timeraiser event? There’s something you really want, but you don’t have the cash to treat yourself. Then there’s this incredible organization that needs extra hands, and hey—you’re happy to share yours. It’s a brilliant model to not just get people growing their personal art collections…
Best Blogger
Gold Winner Fashion East, fashioneasthalifax.tumblr.com Silver Winner Fashionable People, Questionable Things, fashionablethings.com Bronze Winner Curtains Are Open, curtainsareopen.blogspot.ca Halifax’s favourite street style blog, Fashion East, is coming up on its first birthday in November, and they’re celebrating by hosting a big ol’ party at Lost and Found. Meghan Tansey Whitton, Krista Comeau and Melissa Dubé,…
Best Real Estate Agent
Gold Winner Marco Di Quinzio, HomeLife Atlantic Real Estate Silver Winner Rosie Porter, Royal LePage Atlantic Bronze Winner Robert Scanlan, Chalet Realty What’s a guy got to do to earn the title The Friendly Agent? “I don’t think I’m abnormally friendly, but I’m not straight-laced,” says 2012’s Best Real Estate Agent gold winner, Marco “The…
The Man with the Iron Fists
The Man with the Iron Fists is a B-movie to its core—the lovechild of kung fu and grindhouse, with a smattering of Western flare. And it’s no wonder—directed and co-written by RZA (of The Wu-Tang Clan), produced by Eli Roth (Grindhouse), and presented by Quentin Tarantino himself, this movie reeks of violence, greed, sex and…
Best Theatre Production
Gold Winner Robin Hood, Shakespeare by the Sea Silver Winner When It Rains, 2b theatre company Bronze Winner The Debacle, Zuppa Theatre Co. “We love our audience and do our best to keep them entertained and thinking,” says Elizabeth Murphy, Shakespeare by the Sea founder. And judging by your votes, you appreciate the efforts. A…
Best Councillor
Gold Winner Dawn Sloane Silver Winner Jennifer Watts Bronze Winner Sue Uteck Coast readers lost two of their favourite councillors this past election: gold winner Dawn Sloane, who lost to silver-winning Jennifer Watts, and bronze winner Sue Uteck, who lost out in a tight three-way race in the south end when upstart Waye Mason prevailed.…
Best Festival
Gold Winner Halifax International Busker Festival Silver Winner Halifax Jazz Festival Bronze Winner Halifax Pride Festival Jugglers. Dancers. Fire-throwers. Joke-tellers. Stilt-walkers. World musicians. These are the people responsible for the shoulder-to-shoulder traffic that floods the Halifax waterfront during the first week of August each summer. The crowds are crazy, the applause can be heard for…
Best Jewellery Store
Gold Winner The Vault Silver Winner Fireworks Gallery Bronze Winner Charm Diamond Centres, Mic Mac Mall After long-time gold winner Fireworks Gallery was unseated this year by The Vault, things were pretty amped up at the Spring Garden location. “It feels great,” says Vault general manager Christina Pasquet, “and maybe has something to do with…
Best Pet Supply Store
Gold Winner Pet Valu, Spring Garden Road Silver Winner Global Pet Foods, Dartmouth Bronze Winner Bark & Fitz With Bark & Fitz’s closure this past year, there’s a new pet supply store BOH champ, and it’s Pet Valu, squeezed into a ground-level storefront on Halifax’s main drag. Carrying pet food for cats, dogs, bunnies, fish…
Penny Cosmos is rich
Upon entering the cozy Parentheses Gallery your eye might first dart to the strange, textured sculptures of animal and human figures, particularly the beast that looks like it’s ready to pounce, but its the paintings in Jon Claytor’s Penny Cosmos that really pack a punch. Bold colours that pop off their dark backgrounds, sullen faces…
Best Thing To Happen In Halifax In The Past Year
Gold Winner Peter Kelly calls it quits Silver Winner Ships Start Here, getting the Irving shipbuilding contract Bronze Winner Tall Ships Nova Scotia “Peter Kelly’s face was on the cover of The Coast and the next thing you know he’s giving up being mayor,” comments a voter in the Best of survey, and we couldn’t…
Takes the cake
Misty Katterhagen grew up with a well-stocked kitchen, a local-loving father and a mother whose Christmas dessert trays belonged in a Martha Stewart magazine. With the proper tools and ingredients at her fingertips and culinary know-how in her blood, it’s no wonder she followed her love for experimentation (and desserts) to the Bonnie Gordon College…
Bad Piggies
The tables have turned on the Angry Birds—now it’s time for those bizarre green pigs to hog the spotlight (see what I did there?). And it turns out that the egg-stealing bad guys can star in their own game no problem. This time, instead of flinging, you’ll be building. Each level has you creating different…
Best Comedian
Gold Winner Cher Hann Silver Winner Bill Wood Bronze Winner Ian Black Cher Hann, by all accounts a regular laugh riot, can be found on comedy stages throughout the city or in guest spots on Flag on the Play. And if there is any possible way you haven’t seen her stand-up yet, get your shit…
Best Candidate For Mayor
Gold Winner Mike Savage Silver Winner Fred Connors Bronze Winner Tom Martin The Best of Halifax voting closed a few weeks before the city election, but Coast readers agreed that the best candidate was Mike Savage, who won the election in a landslide. A former member of parliament, candidate Savage was all things to all…
Best Public Space
Gold Winner Public Gardens Silver Winner Point Pleasant Park Bronze Winner Halifax Common The Public Gardens is one of those places that makes you feel like anything is possible—everything except walking on the grass. “It’s so beautiful, just make sure you stay on the trails,” warns one voter. “Just beautiful! Wish you could walk on…
Best Comics Store
Gold Winner Strange Adventures Comic Bookstore Silver Winner Quantum Frontier Games & Comics Bronze Winner Monster Comic Lounge Undefeated for years in the Best Comics Store category, it’s no wonder one voter calls Strange Adventures “that little doorway off the street into a world of gritty make-believe.” Open since 1993 and now with three Maritime…
Best Eco-conscious Store
Gold Winner P’lovers Silver Winner Mountain Equipment Co-op Bronze Winner Carbonstok P’lovers was created by Ann Caverzan and Liz Crocker in 1992, making this their 20th anniversary. Partially in celebration, they moved the store from its long-time Park Lane Mall location south a block to the Trillium building on South Park Street. “We’re completely thrilled…
Hello, Goodbye
If you take a peek at Dana Beeler’s blog, you’ll see she’s full of truths and isn’t afraid to share them. With the release of her new record, The Long Goodbye, on her mind she’s been revealing the stories behind her songs weekly since September, giving readers just a little insight to the experiences she’s…
Worst Thing To Happen In Halifax In The Past Year
Gold Winner Metro Transit strike Silver Winner Mayor Peter Kelly Bronze Winner The murder of Raymond Taavel Everything about the transit strike was disagreeable. Firstly, the time of year, as commuters had to battle the cold and snow through February and March. Secondly, both sides stubbornly refused to compromise, reflecting decades-old bad blood between management…
Best Mechanic Shop
Gold Winner Todd’s Southend Car Care Silver Winner Tom McDonnell’s Service Centre Bronze Winner Yuille Auto Works People love Todd’s. No one’s quite sure how long the place has been around—it’s a former Texaco station that current owner Derrick Munro bought about a decade and a half ago. But Todd’s isn’t about history. The shop…
Flight
Anyone already afraid of flying won’t be helped by the opening scenes of Flight, when disaster strikes mid-air and a harrowing crash soon follows. That anyone at all survives is attributed to the talents of veteran pilot Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington), but the hero worship turns to suspicion as questions about Whitaker’s sobriety begin popping…
Best Visual Artist
Gold Winner Nick Brunt Silver Winner Lisa Lipton Bronze Winner Sarah Burwash Nick Brunt’s artwork blends his love of our city’s bustling music scene with his colourful, unique style. And persistence for this young artist has paid off. “This city is so full of incredibly talented creatives that I feel like it’s a huge honour…
Best Member Of Parliament
Gold Winner Megan Leslie Silver Winner Peter Stoffer Bronze Winner Peter MacKay Megan Leslie has something of fairytale career. Just four years ago she was a spunky legal aid lawyer who tossed her hat in the ring to be the Halifax riding’s MP, and quickly won—not just the New Democratic Party’s nomination, not just the…
Best Place For A First Date
Gold Winner Halifax Waterfront Boardwalk Silver Winner Tom’s Little Havana Cafe Bronze Winner Economy Shoe Shop Sure, the boardwalk is prime tourist real estate, home of docking cruise ships, Cows ice cream and Americans who aren’t sure where they are, but Coast readers alike have a soft spot for the waterfront walk and the sweet…
Best Independent Bookstore
Gold Winner Bookmark Silver Winner John W. Doull Bookseller Bronze Winner Woozles Children’s Bookstore “These people are heroes of humanity,” writes one Best of Halifax voter about Bookmark. “I love them and everything they do. Indie bookstores forever!” Indeed, Bookmark has excelled in keeping a broad range of stock in a relatively small space, and…
Asteroid turf
Anne Macmillan’s interpretations of the universe blend art and science in Prospect 15. by Lizzy Hill Venturing into Mount Saint Vincent University Art Gallery feels like entering some strange laboratory—artist Anne Macmillan has meticulously arranged numbered sculptures of found rocks on vitrine-like shelves, just as one would display scientific specimens. Though seemingly ordinary, Macmillan’s work…
Charlotte Day Wilson’s perfect Palimpsest
It was only just over a year ago that Charlotte Day Wilson penned her first lyrics. If you’ve listened to any of her songs you’re probably scratching your head pretty hard right now, but it’s true. A move to Halifax from her home in Toronto acted as the catalyst for the longtime singer and multi-instrumentalist’s…
Best Esthetician
Gold Winner Katherine Hanlon, ZigZag Hair Studio Silver Winner Ashley Wittenberg, Remedy Facial Bar & Spa Bronze Winner Katie Oliver, Day Dream Esthetics Mobile Service For the second year in a row, Katherine Hanlon has been deemed Halifax’s favourite aesthetician, and there is no shortage of glowing reviews. “Amazing! Makes you feel special and she…
Best Travel Agency
Gold Winner Adventure Travel Company Silver Winner Maritime Travel, Barrington Place Bronze Winner Fraser & Hoyt Travel, Maritime Centre That’s right folks, travel agencies still exist, and at this year’s gold-winning Best Travel Agency, the Adventure Travel Company, they say business is booming. The Hydrostone travel boutique specializes in off-the-beaten-path destinations that you might never…
Cloud Atlas
Everything is connected, or maybe not, but it all looks pretty and Tom Hanks is there in the massive Cloud Atlas. Adapted from the novel by David Mitchell, writers and directors Lana and Andy Wachowski and Tom Tykwer aren’t shy on ambition in realizing their $102 million movie. A rotating repertoire of players, including famous…
Best Fashion Designer
Gold Winner Lisa Drader-Murphy, Turbine Silver Winner Kim Munson, Orphanage Clothing Bronze Winner Mo Handahu, Clutch Culture Lisa Drader-Murphy celebrates another win in this category, and that’s not all she’s toasting. This October marked Drader-Murphy’s 15th anniversary as the prolific force behind Turbine, her ready-to-wear line of innovative yet wearable pieces. Drader-Murphy did it up…
Best Member Of The Provincial Legislature
Gold Winner Bill Estabrooks Silver Winner Darrell Dexter Bronze Winner Leonard Preyra It’s not even debatable: Bill Estabrooks is hands-down the nicest and most-liked politician in Nova Scotia. Estabrooks, a former school principal, has served in the legislature as the MLA for Timberlea-Prospect 15 years. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, he recently resigned his NDP cabinet…
Best Newsstand / Magazine Store
Gold Winner Atlantic News Silver Winner Blowers Street Paper Chase Newsstand & Cafe Bronze Winner Chapters, Bayers Lake Print media is alive and well on the corner of Queen and Morris Streets! With walls of every friggin’ magazine you could possibly need and the capacity to print over 2,000 newspapers from across the planet, the…
Best Sex-toy Shop
Gold Winner Venus Envy Silver Winner Night Magic Fashions Bronze Winner Pleasures N’ Treasures, Quinpool Road Obviously Venus Envy’s colourful selection of vibrators, dildos and butt plugs, array of lubes and lotions and bevy of books, both erotic and educational, are a serious draw for BOH voters and people in general. But may we take…
The Imposter
The most bizarre story and astounding characters all happen to be true in the engrossing documentary The Imposter. Telling the story of Frederic Bourdin, a 23-year-old French drifter who in 1994 assumed the identity of a missing American teenager, filmmaker Bart Layton mixes unreliable interviews with misdirecting recreations in an attempt to understand why a…
Best Manicure / Pedicure
Gold Winner Remedy Facial Bar & Spa Silver Winner Spirit Urban Day Spa Bronze Winner ZigZag Hair Studio The spa experience isn’t just about good-looking fingernails anymore, and Remedy Facial Bar & Spa knows it. “We’ve got highly trained staff who make people feel really comfortable and we’ve got an open-concept space that is party-friendly.…
Best Wedding Photographer
Gold Winner Jeff Cooke, Jeff Cooke Photography Silver Winner Liam Hennessey, Applehead Studio Photography Bronze Winner Trevor Allen, Trevor Allen Photography Jeff Cooke is a master at making loving couples look their best. The household name in the wedding photo biz was praised big time in this year’s poll: “A creative genius!” raves one reader.…
Sharing Irving’s opportunity starts here
What is the Halifax we want? This is a question that the Irving shipbuilding contract invites and is one most politicians and news reports have missed. Instead, they’ve focused on the economic potential of the contract. Less attention has been paid to the social and cultural opportunity to reimagine ourselves. An opportunity we should take,…
Best Book
Gold Winner The Virgin Cure, Ami McKay Silver Winner At First, Lonely, Tanya Davis Bronze Winner Outskirts, Sue Goyette Ami McKay followed up her bestseller The Birth House with The Virgin Cure, a novel that was inspired by her great-grandmother—one of the first female doctors in New York. McKay takes the reader on a historical…
Best Professor
Gold Winner Roberta Barker Silver Winner Laura Penny Bronze Winner Daniel Brandes Dalhousie theatre students wanted to see Roberta Barker’s name in lights, er, print. The wise woman behind many a class, including Gender in Theatre, Stars and Stardom on Stage and Screen and Canadian Theatre, is passionate about what she does. “The key goal…
Best Record Store
Gold Winner Taz Records, Halifax Silver Winner HMV, Spring Garden Road Bronze Winner Obsolete Records There’s a special thrill you get walking into a really good record store—the feeling that you could stumble across something great at any moment. It’s even better when the workers have the High Fidelity-level passion that fuels Taz Records. “We…
Best Retail Sign
Gold Winner J&R Grimsmo Silver Winner Freak Lunchbox, Barrington Street Bronze Winner Biscuit General Store By now, the folks at eyecandy SIGNS should have their own trophy case filled with Best of awards, since they’re consistently making the signs that dominate this category. As for this year’s surprise winner that dethroned Venus Envy, J&R Grimsmo’s…
Chasing Mavericks
“We are all born from the sea,” Gerard Butler growls as a start to the pretentious myth-making of surfing biopic Chasing Mavericks. The film takes the real life story of surfing prodigy Jay Moriarty, who tamed the grammatically awkward super-wave Mavericks at just 16, and coats it all with so much moralistic spiritualism and family…
Best Massage Therapist
Gold Winner Jamie Lynn Chediac, Sore Spots Massage Therapy Silver Winner Nathan Wessel, Spirit Urban Day Spa Bronze Winner Tara Dawn Patriquin, One to One Wellness Centre “It’s a little humbling because there are so many good therapists in the city,” says gold-winning Jamie Lynn Chediac, owner and therapist at Sore Spots Massage Therapy. With…
Best Tailor
Gold Winner Daniel’s Tailor Shop & Drycleaning Silver Winner MicMac Tailor Shop Bronze Winner Alter Ego Tailoring There is such a thing as a perfect fit, and for this category it’s Daniel’s Tailor Shop. These frequent gold winners could probably wallpaper their shop in awards by now, or at least craft a sparkling gold suit…
Blues brothers
1. Secure your drawers and your status as a style icon. Dugger’s, 5476 Spring Garden Road, 425-2525, duggersfashion.com 2. Timing is everything on your big day, making this bold blue ICE watch is a must-have accessory. Halifax Watch Company, Halifax Shopping Centre and Mic Mac Mall, 455-2876/463-4853, halifaxwatch.com 3. Comfy and breathable, these are perfect…
Best Podcast
Gold Winner Geeks versus Nerds, geeksversusnerds.com Silver Winner The Citadel Cafe, thecitadelcafe.com Bronze Winner Background Noise, backgroundnoise.ca Geeks versus Nerds fairly ran away with this one, sweeping the category for your favourite podcast. The devoted team at GVN have tasked themselves with the tricky job of “defining pop culture, one debate at a time,” and,…
Best Halifamous Person
Gold Winner Ellen Page Silver Winner Fat Apollo Bronze Winner Sidney Crosby It’s a fact universally acknowledged that if Ellen Page makes a movie, Haligonians will see it. We still get a little thrill watching one of our own trot it out with the Hollywood household names, and Page never disappoints. But fame casts a…
Best Musical Instrument Store
Gold Winner Long & McQuade, Cunard Street Silver Winner Halifax Folklore Centre Bronze Winner Gig Street Music After a brief dalliance with bronze last year, Long & McQuade’s Cunard Street branch is back at the top of the podium as Best Musical Instrument Store in the city. Cue the trumpet fanfare. Not only does “Canada’a…
Tender loving
Old Man Luedecke speaks softly over the phone, making the bearded banjo-picking troubadour’s home in Chester feel very far away. He has two 15-month-olds sleeping nearby, he says, and he just got home from the west coast last night, where he was playing a show in Vancouver. “It was great, one of the best shows…
Silent Hill: Revelation
A nightmarish hell-scape of twisted, groaning fake American accents awaits you in the film that people made and put money into called Silent Hill: Revelation. Answering all those dangling questions from the first Silent Hill (don’t worry, there’s plenty of recap!), this inevitable sequel finds dad Sean Bean and daughter Heather (Australian actress Adelaide Clemens)…
Best Spa
Gold Winner Spirit Urban Day Spa Silver Winner Remedy Facial Bar & Spa Bronze Winner Embrace Spa It’s no surprise that Spirit Urban Day Spa has a collection of awards under its belt. This year, Spirit also picked up silver for Best Manicure/Pedicure and bronze for Best Hair Salon. “I have gone there for a…
Best Dog Groomer
Gold Winner Kathleen Duffey, Tailwagrrrs K9 Wellness Centre, Bedford Silver Winner Joanne Li, Bark N’ Bubbles Bronze Winner Sarah Breen, Pet Valu, Bedford What did voters have to say about Tailwagrrrs’ Kathleen Duffey, their choice for Best Dog Groomer? “She actually grooms my cat, Pumpkin, and gives her a lion cut. She does an amazing…
The Best of Halifax winners are here
When only The Best will do, you need to click here, and be whisked away to a world of wonderful.
An unruffled affair
Clockwise from the top Allure Bridals Always and Forever, Alyssa’s Bridal Brand: Lee Anne Belter Bridal Store: Felicity Bridal Mori Lee Always and Forever, Winchester’s Moonlight Alyssa’s Bridal Wtoo by Watters Felicity Bridal Maggie Sottero Winchester’s, Always and Forever
Best Web Series
Gold Winner Flag on the Play, youtube.com/flagontheplay911 Silver Winner Craigness!, facebook.com/craigness.show Bronze Winner 24 Frames Later, facebook.com/24FramesLater Flag on the Play, a weekly football/conspiracy theory/wizard-naming and shaming show taped in a north end basement, took this inaugural category just in the nick of time. “We’re pumped,” says Paul Doucette, who hosts the show alongside best…
Best Haliqueer
Gold Winner Rouge Fatale Silver Winner Floyd Blaikie Bronze Winner Fred Connors Rouge Fatale expands her reign this year, winning gold not only as Best Drag Performer but also in this new BOH category, Best Haliqueer. After an exciting year performing her show to great crowds at Casino Nova Scotia’s Paradise Buffet, she’s “blown away”…
Best Home Entertainment Store
Gold Winner Best Buy, Dartmouth Crossing Silver Winner Peak Audio Bronze Winner Glubes AVU Coast readers are stoked about Best Buy’s cheap prices and in-store credit but word is their customer service shines bright, too. One voter gives props to the massive entertainment mecca because they feel “no pressure” to buy while checking out gear…
Sky high
Gavin Gardner has a bad case of déjà vu. After touring extensively around North America on behalf of Every Child a Daughter, Every Moon a Sun, the ambitious third record from his roots-rock outfit The Wooden Sky, Gardner found himself on a five-week trip to Europe, pushing an album he’d spent nearly a year already…
Best Place To Go Running
Gold Winner Point Pleasant Park Silver Winner Shubie Park Bronze Winner Lake Banook If Halifax were New York (yeah, we know), Point Pleasant Park would be Central Park—our little urban oasis. Perhaps that’s a stretch but there are many reasons that the polls haven’t budged in this category since last year. A run in Point…
Best Barber
Gold Winner Phat Luong, Phat’s Barber Shop Silver Winner Rob Oxner, Saint Lou’s Gentlemen’s Barber Shop Bronze Winner Michael Phillips, One Block Barbershop Phat’s lousy haircuts are so good that he guarantees they’ll get his customers laid, or their money back. No one’s ever asked for a refund, so there must be something to it.…
No place like home
When it comes to love, Dave Swenson is unstoppable. A fallen tree, a thunderstorm and a downpour may have been barriers to some, but not Dave—especially not when his proposal to Christa Freeborne was on the line. His Plan C found him kneeling on their bedroom floor, reading sweet nothings from a leather-bound book and…
Best Party Venue
Gold Winner The Lower Deck Silver Winner Pacifico Bronze Winner Reflections Cabaret It’s no great secret that Haligonians like to party on a Vengaboys-style level, and with our famous bars per capita rep it’s hard to decide just where to stop the Vengabus. That’s what Coast readers are for, and this year they are leading…
Best Drag Performer
Gold Winner Rouge Fatale Silver Winner Eureka Love Bronze Winner Elle Noir “It’s just a matter of putting my cock between my legs and having fun,” laughs Jason Rose-Spurell when asked about his drag alter ego, the beloved Rouge Fatale. Fatale was created on a dare, at the Miss Gay Sydney pageant in 2003, when…
Best Computer Store
Gold Winner Apple Store Silver Winner Future Shop, Bayers Lake Bronze Winner Downtown Digital It was only a matter of time before the clean lines and futuristic look of the Apple Store would make their way to Halifax. And with all the i-defined gadgets and sleek computers that always seem a couple steps ahead of…
Best Car Dealership
Gold Winner Hillcrest Volkswagen Silver Winner Colonial Honda Bronze Winner Portland Street Honda <p?“Awesome customer service. You are a name, not a number,” comments one Hillcrest voter. And in a car dealership, you can’t ask for much else. Roy Velemirovich says the reputation is well-earned. “We’ve been around for 33 years, and we pride ourselves…
Best Place To Go Swimming
Gold Winner Long Lake Silver Winner Chocolate Lake Bronze Winner Canada Games Centre They say the water at Long Lake is some of the best in the world, if by “they” you’re talking about Coast readers and “world” you mean Halifax. Long Lake swimmers are a hearty dog-loving bunch where the pup-to-person ration is always…
Best Hairstylist
Gold Winner Heidi Rofe, Beauty Starts Hair Silver Winner David Keoughan, Breathing Space Hair Bronze Winner Teresa Fisher, Thumpers Salon In January 2011, Heidi Rofe decided to quit working for other people and opened a salon, Beauty Starts Hair, right in her Fairview home, and “98 percent” of her clients followed. Obviously, the effort is…
Wreck-It Ralph
An existential crisis finds its home in a video arcade. After 30 years of playing the bad guy to Fix-It Felix (voiced by Jack McBrayer), the oversized Wreck-It Ralph (John C. Reilly) abandons ship and ventures to other games in the hopes of a better life. He stumbles into Sugar Rush, a candy land kart…
Love you long time
Joe Nelson and Aileen Anderson’s marriage was a union nearly 12 years in the making. To his surprise, 19-year-old Joe found the love of his life bent over a mini-fridge on his first day of work at Burger King. “Lucky for me the most beautiful posterior I’d ever seen turned into the most beautiful woman…
Best of Halifax 2012
The public has spoken. Over a five-week period this fall, thousands of Coast readers voted for their favourite people, places, shops and services in the city. We counted up the results to find the top three finishers across 100 award categories, presented here in capsules written by The Coast’s Tim Bousquet, Michaela Cavanagh, Stephanie Johns,…
Best Pick-up Bar
Gold Winner The Dome Silver Winner Reflections Cabaret Bronze Winner The Palace Nightclub Some things never change. The Dome turned 30 this year, and it’s aging as gracefully as can be. Expansive dance floor, stripper poles, the best top 40 selections in the city—all the stars have aligned at our beloved downtown destination to ensure…
Best Athlete
Gold Winner Sidney Crosby Silver Winner Mark de Jonge Bronze Winner Custio Clayton You saw this one coming from 100 kilometres away, didn’t you. Sid the Kid, the pride and joy of Cole Harbour, continues to do us very proud. Not only is he a superb athlete and great role model for all of those…
Best Optical Store
Gold Winner Gaudet Optical Silver Winner Vogue Optical, Barrington Street Bronze Winner Lang Optometry & Eyewear Gaudet Optical continues to be well-loved by four-eyeses across the city for the boutique’s stylin’ frames and, of course, the whole “granting the gift of sight” thing. “FUN FUNKY FABULOUS” one voter caps-sclaimed. “Doug Gaudet makes shopping a pleasure.…
Best Corner Store
Gold Winner Jubilee Junction Silver Winner Hydrostone Groceteria Bronze Winner Joe’s Kwik-Way It only takes three words to tell why Jubiliee Junction is such a loveable neighbourhood corner store: ice cream sandwich. If we had a category for the best one of those, this south end staple would win for that too, hands down. In…
Best Place To Walk Your Dog
Gold Winner Point Pleasant Park Silver Winner Shubie Park Bronze Winner Long Lake The pooches have proclaimed Point Pleasant Park to be the best of the best yet again. Ample space for play. Off-leash luxury. Add a little water into the mix, and we’ve got the answer to the question “do dogs go to heaven?”…
Best Hair Salon
Gold Winner Thumpers Salon Silver Winner Jay Wells Salon Bronze Winner Spirit Urban Day Spa Thumpers’ stunning spectacle at this year’s Nocturne was enough to stop you in the street. Gorgeous ladies with larger-than-life hair were illuminated in the windows of the downtown salon, primped and styled for the city to see. It was some…
Savoury
Those Words Just Seem to Explain is the latest effort from Halifax four-piece Savoury (no relation), who at times bear a striking audible resemblance to The Northern Pikes, and also invoke The Gin Blossoms in the way that leader Mark Savoury delivers “Break Me.” One of the standout tracks here is “Pickin’ Up the Pieces,”…
Best Place To Dance
Gold Winner Reflections Cabaret Silver Winner Pacifico Bronze Winner The Seahorse Tavern “Cheap drinks, good DJ and a huge dance floor,” one reader says of Reflections, succinctly explaining the lure of this year’s gold winner. Add in the “comfy couches” another reader waxes poetic about and the ever-popular student Friday, and you’ve got the recipe…
Best Sports League
Gold Winner Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Silver Winner Halifax Roller Derby Association Bronze Winner Halifax Sport & Social Club Remember how awesome it was back in school when you had to take mandatory gym classes and learn everything from floor hockey to kickball? I was the kid hiding in the corner and trying not…
Best Sporting Goods Store
Gold Winner Cleve’s Source for Sports, Park Lane Silver Winner Mountain Equipment Co-op Bronze Winner Sport Chek, Halifax Shopping Centre Cleve’s has by far the broadest selection of sporting goods in Halifax, with each of its stores jam-packed with seemingly every item related to every sport you can think of: running, hockey, golf, swimming, et…
Jazz hands
Letting go takes courage. In 2000, with the support of JazzEast and the Canada Council for the Arts, jazz saxophonist David Aaron brought improv to the Khyber. Born in Toronto but based in New York, Aaron conducted quirky open performances with no set lists or prepared repertoires by local and international musicians. Eventually, he handed…
Best Staycation Spot
Gold Winner Halifax Waterfront Boardwalk Silver Winner Lunenburg Bronze Winner White Point Beach Resort “Staycation” for Coast readers means staying really, really close to home. The boardwalk is a short walk or bus or ferry trip away and provides, well, the heart of Halifax: the harbour. The Waterfront Development Corporation manages the Tall Ships Festival…
Best Tattoo Artist
Gold Winner Lydia K. Silver Winner Amber Thorpe, Adept Tattoos Bronze Winner Andy Ferrier, Utility There’s a lot to consider when getting inked, after all it’s a purchase that’s going to stay with you forever. That’s why, when you find a great artist you follow her to the ends of the earth—or at least to…
Mo Kenney
Given how deeply Kenney has charmed live audiences with voice and acoustic guitar, anticipation for her debut recording has been keen. With steady support from Joel Plaskett, the album may be an anti-climax to some, a revelation to the uninitiated. Kenney’s fondness for imaginative arrangement of these extra sonic resources should save her from the…
Braid of honour
Sweep your sweetie off their feet by showing the softer side of the traditional updo. Trish Mannette (Jonathan Neil Salon, trishmannette@hotmail.com) incorporated a braid into this relaxed-but-elegant tousled look for added softness. We bet this is the kind of ’do that only gets better as the night goes on. (Hair pin courtesy of Felicity Bridal,…
Best Film
Gold Winner Cloudburst Silver Winner Afghan Luke Bronze Winner Snow Thom Fitzgerald’s Cloudburst took your hearts with its tale of two longtime partners on a road trip to Nova Scotia to get married. Olympia Dukakis and Brenda Fricker play Stella and Dotty, a very much in-love couple who go on a Thelma & Louise-style escape…
Best Trivia Night
Gold Winner T-Room Silver Winner Rogues Roost Bronze Winner Finbar’s Irish Pub “Stan is the next Alex Trebek!” exclaimed one Best of Halifax voter in support of Friday night trivia at the T-Room. That’s Stan Selig getting praised, one half of the winning triv team. After his longtime partner-in-crime Thomas Craig moved to Calgary “following…
Best Bus Driver
Gold Winner Patrick Crosby Silver Winner Billy Georgakakos Bronze Winner Darren Cobb Patrick Crosby, 25, just started with Metro Transit in May, having moved on from a stint as an office clerk. “I’m not sitting behind a desk all day,” he says, explaining the appeal of driving the bus, which he intends to turn into…
Best Bike Store
Gold Winner Cyclesmith Silver Winner Jack Nauss Bicycle Shop Bronze Winner Idealbikes When your business lives past a quarter century, you know you’re doing something really right. Opened in 1986, Quinpool’s Cyclesmith remains a hub for master and recreational cyclists alike. “We try to cater to everyone from entry level to the very elite,” says…
Best Crafter
Gold Winner Blythe Church, Sewn By Blythe Silver Winner Isabelle Pineau, An Oddity Or Two Bronze Winner Bethany Butterworth, Bread & Butter Pottery Blythe Church makes the kind of art most of us can’t even dream up. From hand-dyed felt sculptures that are embroidered into the mirror images of the household and electronic items that…
Best Place To Volunteer
Gold Winner IWK Health Centre Silver Winner Nova Scotia SPCA Bronze Winner Feed Nova Scotia With a committed army of volunteers that’s 800 strong, it’s no wonder the IWK takes home top honours. “It’s a very rewarding experience,” says manager of volunteer services Janet Foley. “Volunteers are really appreciated by staff, families and the patients…
Best Tattoo / Piercing Joint
Gold Winner Adept Tattoos Silver Winner Utility Bronze Winner Oceanic Art Custom Tattooing This year Adept Tattoos shook things up by taking out longstanding gold winner Utility for highest honours as Best Tattoo/Piercing joint. Both shops can be found on Quinpool Road, since Utility moved from its Blowers Street location in 2010, but Adept’s award-winning…
Heart
The Wilson sisters have proven adept at re-inventing and repackaging themselves without really changing what they do. Heart was the breakthrough female rock act of the 1970s. A decade later, it answered the call for video vixens and power ballads. While the band has not been exactly dormant, “Fanatic” marks an ambitious overture beyond the…
Best Filmmaker
Gold Winner Mike Clattenburg Silver Winner Thom Fitzgerald Bronze Winner Eva Madden-Hagen Mike Clattenburg, your favourite filmmaker, broke from Trailer Park Boys’ comedy style with his direction of 2011’s Afghan Luke, a thoughtful drama about a freelance journalist in Afghanistan. But comedy is near and dear to Clattenburg’s heart—he followed *Afghan Luke up with Moving…
Best Student Hang
Gold Winner T-Room Silver Winner The Gorsebrook Lounge Bronze Winner The Wardroom Engineered for optimum fun, the gold-winning T-Room always seems to come out on top. And how could it not when, as one voter so aptly points out, it has “cheap drinks, good live shows and award-winning trivia? How can you get much better…
Best Gallery
Gold Winner Argyle Fine Art Silver Winner Art Gallery of Nova Scotia Bronze Winner Swoon Fine Art “Over the moon, we are,” says Argyle Fine Art’s Adriana Afford of the gallery’s first first-place BOH finish since 2008. The Barrington Street community-centric contemporary art space recognizes variety is the spice of life, and fills its two…
Best New Store
Gold Winner Victoria’s Secret Silver Winner Apple Store Bronze Winner J&R Grimsmo The secret’s out—people fancy a fancy brassiere. One of the newest additions to the Halifax Shopping Centre is a massive one: Victoria’s Secret overwhelms with its selection of unmentionables, sports clothes, jammies and good-smelling things. On any given day the place is packed…
Best Home Decor Store
Gold Winner Attica Furnishings Silver Winner HomeSense, Bayers Lake Bronze Winner Thornbloom Attica had its 17th birthday this summer, and Coast readers celebrated by awarding the store gold in this new category. Getting up there in years might make some sluggish, but it just gives the great people at Attica more energy—they are still going…
On saline solutions
Q So I was innocently browsing the personal ads on Craigslist and saw one from a dude who was looking to try “saline balls” for the first time. Having no idea what this was, I google-imaged it. I pride myself on being unshockable, but I was completely and utterly mortified at what I saw. Yet…
Best Radio Show
[imag-1] Gold Winner Live 105 Morning Show with Jeff and Floyd, Live 105 Silver Winner Information Morning, CBC Radio One Bronze Winner C100 Breakfast Club with Brad, Peter and Moya, C100 When they say video killed the radio star, they weren’t talking about Live 105’s morning show. There, you can lose a co-host and still…
Best Fitness Instructor / Trainer
Gold Winner Devin Sherrington, 360fit Silver Winner Matt Mombourquette, One to One Wellness Centre Bronze Winner Patrick Busby, 360fit You know you’re good at your job if you kick your clients’ asses everyday and they still sing your praises. A life-long lover of fitness, Devin Sherrington has played university football, competed as a bodybuilder, trained…
Midnight’s Children
It’s a lofty task to create a movie from a novel, and Deepa Mehta’s Midnight’s Children, even at two and a half hours, doesn’t feel complete, despite novelist Salman Rushdie penning the screenplay himself. Two boys born on at midnight on the eve of India’s independence are switched at birth: one poor, the other rich.…
Best Male Film / TV Actor
Gold Winner Bill Wood Silver Winner Glen Matthews Bronze Winner Pasha Ebrahimi They say there’s no rest for the wicked. And when they say wicked, we think they mean wicked actors. We caught Picnicface member and general funny guy Bill Wood just before he was off to make more dollars saying words in front of…
Best Comedy Night
Gold Winner Thursdays at Yuk Yuk’s Silver Winner Geeks versus Nerds at The Grawood Bronze Winner Laughter Burner Wednesdays at Bearly’s House of Blues and Ribs “Only been once, but laughed so hard I thought I’d pee myself,” comments one Yuk Yuk’s voter. And you only have to go once to know that you’ll be…
Best Library
Gold Winner Keshen Goodman Public Library Silver Winner Spring Garden Road Memorial Public Library Bronze Winner Alderney Gate Public Library Keshen Goodman has become the heart of Clayton Park, putting the “there” there, bringing sophistication to the ’burbs. The sleek design of the building, coupled with a user-friendly layout, has won big approval, so successful…
Best Women’s Clothing Store
Gold Winner Biscuit General Store Silver Winner Sweet Pea Boutique Bronze Winner Pretty Things Boutique It’s hard to walk into Biscuit General Store without being hit with a wave of serious greed. Suddenly you’ll want to re-outfit your closet, replace your tired shoe collection and decorate your boring home with quirky accessories. Whether or not…
Best Antiques Store
Gold Winner Finer Things Antiques Silver Winner Urban Cottage Antiques and Collectibles Bronze Winner The Monkey’s Paw Curio Shop Finer Things Antiques, one the gems of the north end, is a haven for lost and forgotten trinkets, knickknacks and curios of all kinds. From retro Danish chairs to *objets d’art* to furniture from the 1700s…
Best Craft Show
Gold Winner Halifax Crafters Winter Market Silver Winner Christmas at the Forum Bronze Winner NSDCC Christmas Craft Market In recent years, a host of seasonal craft fairs have popped up in our fair city. It’s like Etsy, but in real life! The inaugural gold winner of the new Best Craft Fair category, the Halifax Crafters…
Best Radio Station
Gold Winner CBC Radio One, 90.5 FM Silver Winner Live 105, 105.1 FM Bronze Winner The Bounce, 101.3 FM CBC has always held a special place in Halifax’s heart, but from Information Morning to Mainstreet, Best of Halifax voters are seriously singing CBC’s praises this year: “The most informative.” “Something for EVERYONE!” “CBC has reinvented…
Best Gym
Gold Winner Good Life Fitness, Park Lane Silver Winner 360fit Bronze Winner South Park YMCA Melissa Conrad, general manager at the Good Life co-ed club in Park Lane Mall, has the kind of energy you might not expect late-afternoon on a Tuesday, but she’s just learned that her location has won gold in our inaugural…
It’s in the bag
1. Mega moisture On a day where kisses abound, the last thing you’ll want is a pair of dry lips. With this Nova Scotia-made Pearl & Daisy balm in tow, you’ll stay smoochable all day long. Biscuit General Store | 1661 Argyle Street, 425-5436 | biscuitgeneralstore.com 2. That’s so clutch This sweet Falconwright clutch/wallet hybrid…
Best Female Film / TV Actor
Gold Winner Cathy Jones Silver Winner Molly Dunsworth Bronze Winner Cher Hann OG Cathy Jones, consistently unflappably cool on This Hour Has 22 Minutes, was the gold winner in this category, and not without some excitement on her part. “Wow! I’m totally flattered!” Jones says. “Thanks to my fans, I am encouraged by the vote.”…
Best Gay Bar
Gold Winner Reflections Cabaret Silver Winner Menz & Mollyz Bar Bronze Winner The Company House Long live Refs. That’s the resounding response we get year after year from you BOH poll voters who moonlight at this fine Sackville Street establishment. Notwithstanding its consistent performance in this Best Gay Bar category, Reflections Cabaret is celebrated for…
Best Museum
Gold Winner Museum of Natural History Silver Winner Maritime Museum of the Atlantic Bronze Winner Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 According to the comments they leave while casting their votes, readers love the Museum of Natural History for all kinds of reasons: “Costumes.” “Bees.” “Batman.” “Gus the tortoise.” Needless to say, we’re not…
Best Men’s Clothing Store
Gold Winner Dugger’s / D2 Silver Winner Biscuit General Store Bronze Winner Moores Clothing For Men, Halifax Shopping Centre If How I Met Your Mother’s Barney Stinson moved to Halifax (please, Neil Patrick Harris, pretty please?) you better believe he’d do most of his suiting up at Dugger’s. With a great selection of high-quality designer…
Up to Pars
Pars Restaurant specializes in northern Iranian cuisine, serving unique, delicious dishes with exceptional flavour. by Melissa Buote Pars is a small, family-run restaurant with a menu influenced by the typical restaurant fare you might find in Tehran, as well as the home cooking from the northern provinces of Iran that run into the Caspian Sea.…
Free Will Astrology
Happy Birthday! SCORPIO (October 23-November 21) This is an excellent time to explore the frontiers of wise foolishness. I’m hoping you will take full advantage of learning opportunities that might require you to shed your excess dignity and acknowledge how much you don’t know. Are you brave enough to disavow cynical thoughts and jaded attitudes…
Best Website
Gold Winner Fashion East, fashioneasthalifax.tumblr.com Silver Winner One to One Wellness Centre, 121wellness.ca Bronze Winner Haligonia, haligonia.ca Who knew Haligonians look so damn fine? Local photogs and style mavens Krista Comeau, Melissa Dubé and Meghan Tansey Whitton certainly did. The threesome behind street-style blog Fashion East has been snapping shots of well-dressed, fashion forward folks…
Best Yoga Studio
Gold Winner Moksha Yoga Halifax Silver Winner Halifax Yoga Bronze Winner Therapeutic Approach Yoga Studio “I just bought some really cool eyeshadow for my third eye.” The 2012 viral hit “Shit Yogis Say” could be made in Halifax, as there’s no shortage of yoga studios to suit all your yogi needs. There can only be…
I’ll Seize The Day Tomorrow
For fans of his great CBC Radio show, Wiretap, Jonathan Goldstein’s I’ll Seize the Day Tomorrow is a perfect dose of Canada’s most lovable sad bastard. The book is Goldstein’s musings and daily interactions for the year leading up to his 40th birthday. Like Wiretap, I’ll Seize the Day Tomorrow showcases his sardonic humour and…
Dear Ginger Candy
I love you more than I can even begin to describe. I love when you leave ginger candies in my boots (even though those things are disgusting). I love when you make me late for work by not letting me leave your side to shower (even though I would be late for work anyway so…
Who do I have to blow?
So I’ve been playing guitar and singing for almost 25 years and my acoustic partner has been playing longer. We’ve been jamming for over 5 years now and have a great chemistry. I’ve been out in Halifax and Dartmouth and have listened to a lot of crappy acoustic bands and wondered to myself, “How the…
Milk with that tea?
I realize it’s a company sign from years ago, but whether we drank the tea or not, the sign has been part of Halifax for decades now. And it’s not even so much that there is change, but it was agreed upon to leave the sign, period. However, some firm from Toronto that is obviously…
Bus bitches
All you people complaining about the bus, shut the fuck up. You want a good seat then get up early as fuck like me and sit on it for 30 minutes before it gets halfway through its route and you get on. I got a window seat and a seat for my bag, no one…
Cuddlefish rosehips
Holy carp! This sea is vast and wondrous and I’m so glad to have swam up next to you. You make me weak in the jellyfish. All oceanic puns intended, I’m your moonbeam fo’ life in this octopus’s garden. —Full Moon Sailor
Distracted drivers
What’s with people being rude when I point out that it is illegal to drive and text/talk on your cell phone/hold the phone in front of your face on speaker phone while driving? I’m just trying to help you and everyone around you. I’m not trying to be a jerk, it’s just that you truly…
Word watcher
CommUNITY spoken word kicks off their 2012/2013 series with a new venue and some quality spoken word (Wednesday, November 7, 6:30pm, admission by donation, Sonic Temple, 1674 Hollis Street). Featuring Native Son (Marvin Trimm)—whose material takes an objective view of social and political issues and looks through the framework of history to engage his audience.…
Creative Nova Scotia celebrates
The Brewery Market was a hive of artistic activity and abuzz with a high-energy atmosphere for the 2012 Creative Nova Scotia Awards. The annual celebration of artists, art organizations and creative communities took a detour from the traditional high-priced dinner and speeches format and instead put together one hell of a party. Nine artistic installations…
Canada’s ocean wasteland
Ah, the Maritimes—friendly folk, lobster, sea breeze and pale ale. And Halifax! Represented by the most articulate woman in Parliament, Megan Leslie. Home to a prestigious university, an affluent school with a cool name. It’s all so charming, right? NOPE. Halifax is just coffee chains, graveyards, churches. Rude old people. Dirty, rat-infested infrastructure. Sure, Halifax…
The retired should be fired…
Hey, retired people, stop double dipping into pensions, and stealing jobs from skilled young professionals. I appreciate all the hard work that you have put into your career over the years, but it’s time to pass the torch. There are many young professionals coming out with diplomas and degrees eager to make a significant contribution…
Another shooting suspect not cooperating
But our health care system cooperated to get him back on the street pretty quickly. These cowardly fucks should be dragged right out of the fucking hospital and told to go find a pharmacy, maybe they’ll sell him band aids and paper towels. Don’t cooperate? Here’s a bill. Fuck off you pathetic excuse for a…
I don’t understand
It’s been a few months since our relationship ended and I’ve seen a few girls in that time, mostly to take my mind off of you. But none of them compare. The thing is, you treated me so lousy. You were jealous and aggressive, demanding and high-maintenance. But I still miss you and I still…
Downtown at it again!!
Nice to see people are still as greedy as ever. I’ve just heard that a great place downtown is maybe closing due to landlord greed. It has been a staple on Barrington street for the last (at least) 8 years for amazing breakfast and lunches, and now, may need to shut their doors. The landlord…
Ageless
You’re nine years older than me, and my boss. But I’m still pretty much in serious like with you. —Young-ish One
You told me to write a love about you so here it is
You’re a sweet, awesome person and I love our late night poutine adventures. I’m glad that we are friends, but I’m glad we can fool around sometimes, too. I’m glad that you understand the crisis I am going through and put up with my shenanigans. I hope we have more adventures together. —Sorting My Shit…
Alright, alright, alright!
I don’t write this love to show my hidden feelings, because you already know them and share them with me. I just want the whole world to know how much I love you. You make me the happiest girl on earth. You showed me how to be strong and love myself, and hold me at…
Ended before we truly began
I am in a very difficult situation and am beyond apologetic to have had to abruptly cut you out of my life. There was a lot of potential between you and I. I think (and hope) you may have felt the same. I will always regret the loss of what could have been. I am…
Funky water
Hey, what’s up with the drinking water in the north end? For the last week or so it has been developing a smell that is making it harder to drink. The Water Commission said only that “there was a problem in the north end” (after they tried to suggest it was just a problem with…
Broken window
To the little punk ass kids who broke my car window early Sunday morning, thanks a bunch for the huge inconvenience and cost of my window repair…WTF is so god damn amusing about going around and breaking other people’s shit?!?! I would love to know! Not only do I have to pay $205 to get…
U shall not pass
So let me ask a question. Whats the deal with the U-Pass? Why should I be forced to pay for one? I don’t use public transit. Every full-time student is now required to pay $160 for a damn buss pass. It’s a great deal, and I did some research and it is apparently something the…
Paint girl
To the cute girl helping us in the paint store Sunday; was thinking about you more over dinner. We ended up getting ice cream cake. —Short Chick with Grey Hoodshirt.
Bus considerations…PLEASE!!!!
Go to the back of the bus so that others can get on the bus. Do not wait to be asked to move. Courtesy and sense people. Do not huddle next to the bus driver. People on either side of the aisle is also annoying to those getting on the bus. You are in the…
Pick up the poop, stupid
I love walking through Cyril Smith Golden Acres Park with our kid. What I don’t like is the stupid person who leaves their dog’s shit on the boardwalk. Twice this past week (different locations) and once the week before. WTF. Now it’s all over my kids new boots because he is too young to know…
Undercover douchebag
I’m so sick of being bullied by the cops in this city. In the past 4 or 5 months I’ve had two incidents where they physically harmed my friend and my girlfriend, and now last night one of them caused me to damage my car. Here’s what happened. I’m at a fast food place in…
An attitude of gratitude
I may not show it as much as I should, but I am so thankful for my life and those who are in it. I have people in my life who I know I can count on for anything, at any hour. I have people who believe it me more than I believe in myself.…
Way too much…
OK, we do live in a world that it is too easy to become jaded, that I admit. So why does it upset me when I see the obvious simply being ignored? I just picked up a supplement at the supermarket, and when I opened it, less than 1/4 of the bottle was filled. For…
Morse’s Teas sign has been painted over
Update, 2pm: Andy FIlmore, who until recently was the city’s director in charge of HRM By Design and is now the director of the Dal department of Planning, leaves the following comment on my Facebook page: There’s no story here. It being repainted exactly as it was, for future generations to enjoy. I’m waiting for…
Fortune cookie
You should know all your mutual friends warned me off of you because they were around when your last relationship ended—badly. And most of it WAS your fault. And for a long time I listened to them—I know I said I didn’t. When you would hold me in the night and say “I want you…
So sorry for staring
Red-haired goddess. We’ve never spoken, nor am I so deluded as to think we will. But before you presume the worst of me (if, that is, you don’t already), please accept my very sincere apology. I don’t mean to stare, but so rarely has my fantasy ideal been made a reality that, despite my best…
Spicy chicken and spicier ladies
To the ladies who work at a certain downtown jerk chicken dealer: You are so beautiful. Your faces are stunning and your smiles are explosive. It made my day just seeing you two. I can’t eat spicy so I haven’t tried the food yet, but my sister and boyfriend rave about it, and you two.…
Love
I love that you support local foods; I love your shop and how quaint it is; I love your jam and your lamb; and I love your enthusiasm towards your customers, you always make me feel welcome; Don’t stop being awesome. —Chipotle Bacon Lover
Missed out on a great guy because of you two!
You, my thought-to-be good friend, and your boyfriend had a party. After having no luck with men (either in person or online) for the last while, I finally met someone great. He and I were immediately attracted to one another, and even better, we clicked! We both agreed we wanted to get to know one…
Is that everything?
When I ask you if that will be everything today and you say yes that means you are done with your transaction and are suppose to be on your way! Don’t say yes then hand me the money then say and I want this, hand me the money I reply is that everything? Once again…
Dear pedestrian
You never looked up. You are still oblivious to what happened. I admit, it was my fault. It was my mistake. But you never looked up. —My Vehicle Almost Killed You
VW Jetta on Brunswick Street
I thought it was funny when you sprayed the cyclist with your wiper fluid. But when you sprayed two more cyclist within three blocks, I realized you were doing it intentionally. —You are an Azzhole
You’re hot then you’re cold
If the silent treatment is your go to way of dealing with problems, good luck ever having a successful relationship. I’ve got two words for you: passive aggressive. You can’t just ignore people you care about, and people who care about you. Grow up. I can’t read your mind. —Over It
No pets??
What is the deal with this city and all of the apartment listings not allowing pets? Not even cats? I’m a mature adult with a good paying job who happens to enjoy the company of my animals—and they’re fixed. Why can’t I have them in my own apartment? I pay you a damage deposit, so…
The old boys club
Jackie Barkhouse defeating Bill Karsten was one of the only bright spots in an increasingly bleak political landscape. I’m thrilled that Waye Mason ousted Sue Uteck, but was elated by the idea of Karsten no longer having a place on council. It is no stretch of the imagination that he would have fully supported Woodside…
Get over it #1, he has #2!
Oh me, oh my. Why is it that some women will not accept being dumped? He has moved on!!!! Why is it that you can’t do the same? Oh that’s right you’re a fucking stalker nut. It’s a shame you waste so much time running your mouth about the whole thing. You should get to…
