Back talk
To the editor, Recently, new superintendents were hired to manage our apartment building, and they just happen to be black. Before they’d even moved in, some tenants were spouting racial epithets in reference to them. These bigots almost seemed to enjoy mocking them by spewing out all the old stereotypes. Our new supers turned out…
Sunday shocking
To the editor, Having noticed posters around town regarding an anti-Sunday-shopping demonstration this past weekend, I thought I might throw in my own two cents. I truly feel for those people who have found themselves disillusioned by the sudden demise of their idyllic Sundays, where no one works and there is rest and relaxation for…
Sunday shocking
To the editor, I fully agree with Susanna Fuller’s comments in The Coast (“Sunday mourning,” October 26). With the introduction of Sunday shopping, we have indeed lost something special and we should take a moment to mourn. Not only have we lost the many quiet luxuries once enjoyed on Sundays, it seems we have also…
Sunday shocking
To the editor, I’m quite sure the most irritating thing for many of your readers is another letter on Sunday shopping. So here goes. Although last week “SOAP” and “Anonymous’s” letters were fascinating in their logic and clarity, they may have missed two small points. “We” did vote and we voted no. And I’ve lived…
Pet project
To the editor, I was dismayed that the public voters and readership of The Coast awarded Pets Unlimited the Best Pet Supply Store (“Best of Halifax,” November 2). I was further alarmed by the text awarding Pets Unlimited this vote by promoting breeding of exotic pets by the public: “If your chinchilla needs a mate….”…
Peninsular pollsters
To the editor, Surely you meant 2006 Best of “Peninsular” Halifax Readers’ Poll? You could do some of you peninsular Halifax readers a favour by printing a map to some outdoor locations within Halifax Regional Municipality they have obviously missed. Crystal Crescent Beach is pretty, but can hardly compare to the majesty of Martinique Beach,…
Kim Jong-il communication
To the editor, This letter is in response to David Prior’s sarcastic letter, “Crowd control” (November 2), regarding the police presence at the October 28 rally protesting Canada’s involvement in Afghanistan. I regret to say that I’m unmoved. I suppose that his brain has been clouded by the common fantasy that Canada is a country…
Violence in the streets
Halifax, we need to talk. Mayor Peter Kelly is hosting a violence summit in the wake of Damon Crooks’s murder, with invitees including representatives from the police, downtown businesses and the tourism industry. Mayor Kelly told me he’s heard from over 300 people since Crooks, a US Navy sailor, was stabbed on Argyle Street early…
HOT DOG!
In case you need to keep up on the wild, wild world of HOTDOGS
Indie film takes a big hit
I knew her because she was Sassy’s favourite writing, directing actor. I’ve never seen anything she’s done, save an apperance in annoying Rosanna Arquette’s otherwise dope documentary about women in the movie business, Searching for Debra Winger. She was one of Hal Hartley’s discoveries. She wrote and directed five films — the latest, Waitress, stars…
42 Ks in 42 Days
Sorry about taking so long to write this blog. Work has been ridiculous (the final days before a conference tend to be hectic) and I needed a couple of days after the marathon to decompress and let the whole experience sink in. I don’t want it to sink in too far, though, or I’ll forget…
Letters to the Editor
Having noticed posters around town regarding an anti-Sunday-shopping rally in parade square this weekend, I thought I might throw in my own two cents on the neverending debate. I truly feel for those people who have found themselves disillusioned by the sudden demise of their idyllic Sundays, where no one works and there is rest…
42 Ks in 42 Days
I have officially decided that this will be my last blog before the marathon. It’s not that I don’t have plenty to say about many important topics – I could talk all day about the cultural significance of Weird Al’s latest album – it’s just that I won’t be running until the marathon and won’t…
Pot shots
I loved your advice to PROP. I am a 25-year-old woman with a healthy sex life, thanks to pot. I have a hard time relaxing and being comfortable with my naked body (although I’m attractive), but smoking weed alleviates my anxiety so I can get down. I don’t smoke every time I have sex, but…
Your On Patrol video companion
So, the Environment and Labour staffers over at 5151 Terminal Rd. think they can just leave their lights on willy-nilly, do they? Wasting electricity, would they? Leave switches unflipped, dare they? Well, we’ve got news for them. Big news. Video news. Here’s the building lit up like a Victorian Christmas tree until about 10:30 at…
The beat goes on
The local arts scene was dealt a sizable blow in October with the passing of Matthieu Keisjer, the guiding force of DrumFest, about to throw down beats for its eighth year. This year’s event, which is being produced by Keisjer’s son Jonathan, has been turned into a tribute to its late founder. The line-up includes…
In the Red1
It’s been four years since The Rascalz released an album and eight since they pushed Canadian hip-hop toward commercial viability by refusing a Juno to protest being excluded from the televised portion of the awards. Now releasing material independently, Vancouver MC Red1 is coming to Halifax with a purpose. The Red1 Love Tour’s national campaign…
Squared away
The Nova Scotia Liquor Store in the Scotia Square Mall has not only changed locations, it has had a facelift, too. The store is still located near the food court, but has moved into a brand-new space across the hall. As for the new design, Rick Perkins, vice-president of marketing and communications for the NSLC,…
Bidding war
If you’re from Glasgow. If you know someone from Glasgow. If your parents are from Glasgow. If you’re going there for a visit. If you’re going there for forever. If you find a way to post this column on a Glasgow message board. If you have any kind of Glaswegian connection—any at all—please pass along…
Satirical Sunday
To the editor, I enjoyed the letter from one of your readers last week about the loss of peaceful Sunday mornings. At first I found it confusing, until I realized it could only be intended to satirize the level of debate on Sunday shopping. Then I realized the brilliance of the letter. The writer’s description…
patroller.patroller
To the editor, Regarding Andy Mehner’s letter “Malfunction junction,” October 26, regarding my letter “Street patrol,” October 19, I’d just like to say, “Good on ya.” I didn’t consider circumstances that may or may not affect the Municipal Malfunction Ticket section of The Coast. But it would be nice if there wasn’t even need of…
Crowd control
To the editor, This past Saturday, a crowd of people met at Parade Square to protest against the Canadian participation in the invasion of Afghanistan. The majority of the crowd consisted of mature intelligent adults plus a dozen or so children. Initially I was nervous in the presence of such a “powder keg” in our…
Best Hairstylist
Right before Alexis Klenck won last year’s award for Best Hairstylist, she was also featured in Flare as a hair hero. This year, she travelled down to Minneapolis to receive “boot camp training” on becoming a hair- colour instructor for the yummy-smelling Aveda line. But don’t worry, your favourite stylist says her new responsibilities won’t…
Best Veterinarian
Hospital manager Mary-Clare McLaren can list plenty of reasons why this full-service vet is so popular with Haligonian pet owners. It’s accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association, which means the clinic is carefully inspected tri-annually. There’s ultrasound, orthopedic and radiology equipment for sick pooches, pusses and other pets. Dr. Carnegy is a regular visitor…
Best Photographer
For Shaun Lowe, a two-time winner as Best Photographer, there’s pleasure in experimenting with new techniques and subjects. This year, the self-taught artist started shooting more portraits, even a few weddings, but he hasn’t abandoned his ethereal photos of the natural world. Lowe, who started photography as a hobby, also had his first solo exhibition…
Best Car Dealership
Volkswagen’s awesome ad campaigns prove that you’re still paying attention. “They’ve really captured the quirkiness of the customers. People even wait for the new ads to come out,” says Hillcrest’s sales manager Griffin Rafuse. Sure, those crash ads for the new Jettas might scare ’em in the door, but we’re staying for the award-winning customer…
Best Street
It’s no coincidence that your favourite place to check out the crowds is also your favourite street in the entire city. Where else can you buy underwear, designer jeans, a pewter seagull, the latest Guns & Ammo, a jug of maple syrup, a new toothbrush, then wash it all down with hand-cut fries and a…
Best Optical Store
“Glasses are now looked at more like an accessory than a necessity,” says Gaudet staffer Carol Lee. Often people will purchase a couple of pairs that can accent various outfits. Here’s a free fashion tip from the Best Optical Store: This season, we’re giving up the rectangular look for rounder, softer and bigger frames. Think…
Best Retail Clothing Store (Men’s)
At D2 and Dugger’s, dudes can expect the best of both worlds. Upstairs at Dugger’s, Mister Classic will find casual and formalwear like Boss and Canali that will follow from the boardroom to the bar. Downstairs at D2, Mister Funkster will be happy with the selection of casual and clubwear from designer lines such as…
Pawn shop blues – Page 4
“Peat, I said I’d do it for you! Both my grandfathers were barbers, you know.” I move toward him, raise my hand to riffle what’s left of his hair. He flinches away. “I know,” he says. “I just wanted it done. Anyhow, who does who think they’re kidding?” “What?” I say, thrown off by the…
Best Hotel
According to the Westin’s customer-service policy, sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name. “Using our guests’ names is huge,” says the hotel’s director of sales and marketing, Sandie Currie. “The initial welcome is really what sets the tone for your visit.” That use of names trickles down through every part of the…
Best Retail Clothing Store (Women’s)
From those cheeky grins on the mannequin heads to the gingham-style tablecloths that adorn various tables, Biscuit General Store is as sweet as pie. And so is the clothing. It’s the perfect place to find a one-of-a-kind gift, but really, we go to Biscuit to shop for ourselves. Find an outfit that won’t embarrass you…
Best Theatre Production
You might say that the success of Metamorphic Theatre’s first production was in the cards. Marion Bridge was written by our Best Playwright and directed by our Best Actor. Presented around the province and at the Atlantic Fringe Festival, the three actors—Amanda Jonz, Samantha Madore and Jennifer O’Brien—are convincing as sisters coping with their mother’s…
Best Comics Store
You know you’re doing something right when Billy Bragg gives you a shout-out at the Marquee and then returns to the store a few years later. In September when the politico singer came to town he visited Strange Adventures once again. He’s a smart man, that Bragg. But owner Calum Johnston says enough about how…
Best Actor (Male)
It’s safe to say that you’re a Canadian legend when there’s a bar named after you. Don Cherry should look out—there’s a new watering hole in hoserville, thanks to Mike Smith, AKA Bubbles of Trailer Park Boys, now the proud proprietor of Bubbles’ Mansion. Apparently you can even nosh on deep-fried goodness right out of…
Best Pet Supply Store
When you want to treat Poochiekins to a new leather bomber jacket or stroller, it’s Pets Unlimited. If you need a Betta to match your sofa, or a new habitat for your soft-shell crab, it’s Pets Unlimited. If your chinchilla needs a mate or your pet mouse needs a snake, it’s Pets Unlimited. Get it?…
Best Local website
A random, unscientific scanning of the halifaxlocals messageboard noted the following topics of discussion: celebrity crushes, Nickelback bashing, Nietzsche, Sunday shopping, faulty music equipment and bad pick-up lines. More than just local music listings and posters, halifaxlocals.com, a three-time winner, is the local music scene’s ideal time-waster, job-finder, rant-reliever, arts-reviewer and gossip-monger. 1st runner-up reality-check.ca…
Best of Halifax party
Our annual awards. Nov 2nd, at Rain.
Best Laundromat
Bluenose Laundromat once again cleans up in this category. “Laundry is laundry,” says owner Maria Zelios, “but you need a place where people want to stick around and chat.” The Windsor Street institution had a brush with fame when they took in 11 bags of towels from The Rolling Stones’ crew during their September 23…
Best Use Of Empty Lot At Spring Garden & Queen
Reading is good for you. And if there was a shiny new library in the empty lot at Spring Garden and Queen, you could go there and read about about why putting a parking lot on an urban green space is a really stupid idea. 1st runner-up Green space 2nd runner-up Parking lot
Best Professor
One of the few courses where you’ll find both Chaucer and Stephen King on the syllabus is Steven Bruhm’s first-year Intro to Literature. “The students love it,” the expert in gothic literature laughs. For several years Bruhm has been researching the relationship between contemporary videos such as Michael Jackson’s Thriller and medieval dances of death…
Best Computer Store
Co-owner Jeremy McNeil says that the meat and potatoes of Greenlyph are computer component parts and custom-built systems. They also have a mean online selection too, where you can buy all sorts of fun stuff from the comfort of your own bed. But don’t be afraid of being bullied or treated like you’re stupid like…
Best Independent Bookstore
A monumental year over in the Hollow, as your favourite bookstore changed hands from long-time owner and bookaholic Mary Jo Anderson to fellow printed-word addict Heidi Hallett. “The last eight months have been so incredible,” says Hallett. “I just love it. It’s what I’m meant to be doing.” Behind the scenes, the Frog Hollow crew…
Best Festival/Best Free/By Donation Event
They say you can’t get anything for free, but for some random pocket change, you might get a mime or a juggler to perform for you at the Halifax International Busker Festival. Buskers aren’t for everyone—there isn’t a technical name for a busker-phobia, but if you suffer from a fear of statues or people pretending…
Best Travel Agency
If you’re looking for a vacation that involves a little more than refilling your plastic coconut with pina coladas, you should try the Barrington Street branch of Travel CUTS. Agency manager David Moore says the store specializes in long-haul travel to places such as Africa, Asia and the South Pacific. “It’s the way we like…
Violence in the streets
Are you scared to walk the streets? Is the city getting out of control? What can be done about it? We invite you to continue the conversation here.
Best Manicure / Pedicure
“Stephanie has wonderful taste,” says Malcolm Norton. High praise coming from the boss and owner of Halifax’s Best Salon, Thumpers. Norton says Garrett’s perfectionist attitude results in the best-looking gel nails in the city. “Her nails are really natural,” he explains. “She has a light touch, otherwise the gel nails end up looking like talons…
Best Use of Taxpayers’ Money
Does anyone else find it freakin’ disturbing that female snails are growing penises thanks to chemicals in the Halifax Harbour? Or that each day the harbour takes in a shitload of wastewater—the equivalent of a 20-storey building? We should thank our lucky stars every time traffic gets rerouted on Lower Water during the construction of…
Best Second-Hand Bookstore
John W. Doull is an oasis built out of words and pictures. Mountains of used books pleading, “Please pick me up. I have an interesting plot and believable characters. And my spine has already been cracked.” From hard-to-find antiquarian and rare titles, to used copies of recent bestsellers, Doull is your man. Plus, you can…
Best Corner Store
Who are the people in your neighbourhood? Sesame Street has Mr. Hooper’s Store. Cornwallis has Joe Thomeh Kwik-Way. The Kwik-Way has been around for 30 years, almost as long as Hooper’s has been in business, although the beloved Kwik-Way has a lot more stuff on the shelves. And it’s open later. And you probably won’t…
Best Author
Lesley Choyce makes me tired. With more Best of Halifax wins—“Wow, I think I’ve won every single year, except for when Alistair MacLeod won, and he never lived here”—and more books published than anyone we know, the prolific author added a few more to his impressive list of over 60 titles. Skunks for Breakfast, Choyce’s…
Best Spa
“We get results,” says spa manager Lauren Holley. I guess so. This is the Park Lane spa’s ninth win in nine years. It could be because of Summit’s focus that they’re at the top peak of the city’s spa services. Holley says that Summit does a lot of facials and all of the advanced skin-care…
Best Public Washroom
How many of you actually leave the blackjack table? Sure, the Casino’s loo is fancy and god bless ’em, it’s very clean, but what happens when you’re crossing your legs on the other side of town? Lucky for you, there’s thebathroomdiaries.com, an international registry of over 8,000 public washrooms, rated for cleanliness, safety, accessibility and…
Best Massage Therapist
Head and neck specialist Michael Butt is preparing for “whiplash season,” as he refers to the icy winter months. He also keeps busy year-round with referrals from dentists and doctors for temporo-mandibular joint issues (that’s jaw joint to you). You’re keeping the city’s Best Massage Therapist busy by sitting in your car, or at your…
Best Use of Taxpayers’ Money
Does anyone else find it freakin’ disturbing that female snails are growing penises thanks to chemicals in the Halifax Harbour? Or that each day the harbour takes in a shitload of wastewater—the equivalent of a 20-storey building? We should thank our lucky stars every time traffic gets rerouted on Lower Water during the construction of…
Best Playwright
Anyone who was in the audience this July during Daniel MacIvor’s one-man production of Cul-de-sac—his play about how a single violent act can affect a group of people—left with goosebumps. It wasn’t just that MacIvor was convincing while performing nine (nine!) characters, it was the strength, compassion and humour of the writing, which may be…
Best Halifax Member Of The Provincial Legislature
“Well, I was re-elected,” says your favourite MLA about her biggest accomplishment this year. And we’re excited about that because we like the stuff this MacDonald stands for—she founded a great program G.E.M., which helps young inner-city women excel in school. She’s working closely with the Imagine Bloomfield group to ensure the building, vital to…
Best Cartoonist
Political gaffs are MacKinnon’s currency. Lucky for this award-winning political cartoonist, government is rich in fumbles. So how’s Harper doing? “He comes across as bitter and confrontational, so he makes a big inviting target.” Rodney MacDonald? “Intentionally or unintentionally, Rodney’s been making way more waves than I think he expected to…I don’t think any of…
Best Place To Buy Condoms
For over eight years, Venus Envy has been answering all those questions you would never ask your mom. “Still, people are just discovering us. They come in and say, ‘This is great, how long have you been here?’” laughs manager Maggie Haywood. Focusing on healthy sexuality rather than on getting off, Venus Envy offers more…
Best Movie Theatre
What is it about the Oxford—our city’s rep cinema stand-in—that appeals to our collective imagination? The classic date-movie theatre was shrunk down to hamster-size for Jesse Owens’ short film Copain de paix. It was the setting for an issue of the Oni Comics series Local by Brian Wood and Ryan Kelly. It has hosted red…
Best Mechanic Shop
Tom McDonnell has some pretty sound theories as to why his service centre once again ranks as best in the city. “It’s amazing,” he says. “To be honest, I think it’s because our names are over the door and we’ve been in the business 32 years in a downtown location.” McDonnell admits that no one…
Best Retail Record Store
Not only can you buy your favourite music at your favourite retail record store, if you’re lucky, you might catch the band on Sam’s stage. Over the past year, there were in-store appearances by Scribbler, Amelia Curran, Old Man Luedecke, the Just Friends crew and more. “Now local bands are coming in to talk to…
Best Activist Organization
All bike lanes lead to the EAC. Well not really, because there aren’t enough in the city, but they should. Your perennial choice for Best Activist Organization celebrated a big year—it turned 35 and instead of having a mid-life crisis, renovated a gorgeous new home, which is being used to demonstrate how anyone can turn…
Best DVD Store
Sometimes it’s not enough to rent the Deadwood box set, or watch Seinfeld on TV three times a night. (“That’s gold Jerry, gold!”) Or maybe you really miss Scott Baio from Charles in Charge. Regardless of reason, sometimes you need to own your favourite series or movie, to pour through the special features and prove…
Best Place To Study
On a recent job posting for a Dalhousie University Killam Library circulation clerk, the position called for a shelving heavyweight who could sort and put away about 2,500 books a day. Wow. That sure is a lotta call numbers to remember. Not to mention all the other books, newspapers, microforms, maps, photos, government documents and…
Best Gallery
It was a year of firsts for the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. Under the leadership of director/curator Jeffrey Spalding, the provincial gallery opened a branch in Yarmouth. They hired David Woods as the Associate Curator of African Canadian Art and acquired a painting by Edward Bannister, in a belated homecoming for the 19th century…
Talking points
“With words we rule,” declared England’s Benjamin Disraeli. The Tory PM’s 150-year-old notion is popular these days as Steve Harper and his pal George Bush spout misleading slogans to hide their antiquated, anti-people actions. Want to allow big polluters to let their emissions rip? Want to scuttle the Kyoto Accord on cutting greenhouse gases? Well,…
Best Naturopath
Our Best Naturopath is so busy, she barely has any time to talk. “There’s a huge demand for naturopathic services or complementary experts in the field,” says Sarah Baillie in between appointments. As more and more people seek out alternative medical attention, Baillie’s practice is bustling with perimenopausal and menopausal women, plus those who come…
Best Yoga Instructor
One of the many reasons why Robert Webber, who has his Ph.D in political philosophy, is so popular with the Lululemon set is because he’s found ways to help people find a connection to yoga. Which is why his studio offers workshops for writers, riders, golfers, swimmers, curlers and soon, one for those searching for…
Best Female Theatre Actor
“She’s a warm talented, intelligent performer,” is just some of the gushing praise that Neptune’s assistant artistic director, Devon Elke, gives to one of the “pillars of the theatre community.” She can sing, she can dance, and in Mary Ellen MacLean’s hit Velocipede, Irving proved she can do it all while riding a bicycle. Back…
Best Member Of Parliament
Your favourite member of parliament wants you to know she’s touched and flattered you voted her the best once again, especially because Alexa McDonough has to spend so much time in Ottawa as the NDP’s foreign affairs and international development critic. “I don’t get to spend as much time on the ground, personally and politically,…
Best Cartoonist
Picnicface throws a proverbial pie-in-the-face into the Halifax comedy scene with their packed-out improv Sunday nights at Gingers. But don’t think Kyle Dooley, Mark Little and friends are relying on yer pop’s ancient stand-up techniques. “We’re younger and we write to a younger sensibility. It’s both progressive and ridiculous,” says Little. A typical show rates…
Best Halifamous Person
There’s nothing la-de-da about your pick for the Best Halifamous person. And there’s little mystery as to why you love this hometown rocker so much. Joel Plaskett makes the cut because he’s so darn nice. He sings some darn catchy tunes. Okay, maybe a little bit because he’s tall and easy to pick out of…
Spry eyes
What do four short films about a disappearing brook, a haunted house, a quest for hidden art and a host of community heroes have to do with one another? Location, location, location. All are centred in and around Spryfield—the sometimes urban, sometimes rural borough of HRM located just past the Armdale Rotary along the Herring…
Best Optometrist
For 16 years—13 of them at his own practice —Gaetan Lang has been servicing the eyeballs of the Bayers Lake and Fairview communities. In fact, some of his wee patients, whose first glasses he helped fit, are now in college. “It makes me feel older,” he laughs. Lang says patients either visit him for preventative…
Best Activist
These days, activist Chris Arsenault finds writing a column for New Brunswick’s weekly, Here, more politically useful than sitting in meetings. Covering political hot topics, Arsensault has found a new venue for communication that won’t land him in jail, as he was in 2001 after protesting at the finance ministers’ meeting before the G8 sessions…
Best Second-Hand Clothing Store
Calling on the busiest time of the year for Junk and Foibles—right before Halloween—it’s madness! “We think zombies are awesome,” says Sarah Dunsworth, who dressed up as a dead bunny (ignore it, PETA members), “but we really like it when people come in with their own creative ideas.” Creativity reigns in this store year-around, as…
Best Real Estate Agent
More than just an active community member and a fantastic advertising campaign—she’s the one with the shirtsleeves rolled up, polkadotted kerchief in hair, ready for business—Rosie Porter is a multiple Best Real Estate Agent winner, buying and selling around her hometown Dartmouth. And if her comprehensive website is any indication, Porter will hold your hand…
Best Place To Study
On a recent job posting for a Dalhousie University Killam Library circulation clerk, the position called for a shelving heavyweight who could sort and put away about 2,500 books a day. Wow. That sure is a lotta call numbers to remember. Not to mention all the other books, newspapers, microforms, maps, photos, government documents and…
Best Tailor
For the past six months, Lillian’s has been run by Kim Nguyen, who says that the most important thing in this tailor shop, besides making you look spiffy, is the service. More than just taking in a waist or lowering a hem, Lillian’s is also an important part of all those Hallmark life occasions—in the…
Dear Pete
Dear Peter MacKay, On behalf of the membership of Hotheads Anonymous, it is my privilege to welcome you to the ranks of our hard-working organization. Let’s tackle the elephant in the room. You’re not exactly anonymous, are you? You’re a member of the House of Commons, and Foreign Affairs Minister at that. We nevertheless feel…
Best Physiotherapist
As co-owner, along with wife Maxine, of Therapeutic Approach Yoga Studio and Health Centre, Michael Munro combines the best of both healing worlds: He’s a certified interdisciplinary yoga instructor and a registered physical therapist. Munro treats “pretty much anything people get in life,” for those who have a particular interest in incorporating yoga into their…
Best Activist
These days, activist Chris Arsenault finds writing a column for New Brunswick’s weekly, Here, more politically useful than sitting in meetings. Covering political hot topics, Arsensault has found a new venue for communication that won’t land him in jail, as he was in 2001 after protesting at the finance ministers’ meeting before the G8 sessions…
Best Radio Personality
BJ Burke is dedicated. His alarm clock goes off at 4am so he can be on the air every weekday morning at 5:30. You often see him out at night hosting gigs or community events. And he’s not a big coffee drinker. So is he Super-radioman? “It’s the two-sleep routine,” he says before his first…
Best Flea Market
Don’t believe those rumours that flea markets are going the way of the dodo because of Sunday shopping. They’re doing very well, thank you very much. According to Penhorn organizer Rob Rock, flea markets have been part of Nova Scotian culture for about 30 years now, and a little detail like mall openings won’t get…
Best Dance Company
Halifax Dance’s artistic administrator Tim Keenan says that technically, Halifax Dance is not a dance company, but a non-profit organization dedicated to the movement arts, with a membership of over 1,400 pairs of dancing feet (that’s 2,800 feet!). But with three dance companies in residence—Gwen Noah, Mocean Dance and Verve Mwendo—plus loads of classes for…
Best Place To Buy Condoms
For over eight years, Venus Envy has been answering all those questions you would never ask your mom. “Still, people are just discovering us. They come in and say, ‘This is great, how long have you been here?’” laughs manager Maggie Haywood. Focusing on healthy sexuality rather than on getting off, Venus Envy offers more…
The wow of Steve
If you have been alive in Atlantic Canada in the past three decades, you know Steve Murphy. You know he anchors the six o’clock news five nights a week. You know he wears glasses and a dark jacket on the air. You know he co-hosts Christmas Daddies, the annual telethon that raises funds for disadvantaged…
Best Computer Repair
Don’t let the name fool you: PC Medic now serves Macs—the first new Atlantic Canadian company to become officially certified in ten years and, according to manager Mike McCleave, all you Mac people out there are loving it up. McCleave thinks those Apple commercials, the ones that pit the uptight PC dude with the Mac…
Best Athlete (Female)
Adrienne Power is so fast that those of us who get winded running for the bus are still eating her dust. But we hear that the five-time gold medallist at the Canadian Inter-university Sport Championships is doing well in her new gig with the RBC Olympians program. Can’t wait to see you in Beijing, 2008,…
Best Male Theatre Actor
“I don’t really think of myself as an actor,” Anthony Black laughs. “I would find it hard just to act. I get bored easily, but everything I work on informs other things, and acting makes me a better director.” Last year Black had no time to be bored: In February his independent company 2b Theatre…
Best Second-Hand Record Store
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Take the glorious deep sound of crackling vinyl. According to Taz’s Robert Lawrence, it’s the younger crowd of 16- to 25-year-olds that are buying the music of their parents. Mom and dad rocked to The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan and Pink…
Best Jewellery Store
If diamonds are a girl’s best friend, you can write B.F.F. beside Fireworks Gallery. Not only does the store carry precious stones in a variety of interesting settings, but about 90 percent of their jewellery is made by Canadian artisans, including locals Peter Lawrence, Dorothée Rosen, Chris Shute and Alison Simmie. Manager Leslie Lawrence and…
Best Public Space
Oh my god, the Public Gardens are so, like, 1749. That’s when the first Halifax Public Gardens, a block away from its current location, became the fashionable place to stroll and observe the flora. Lucky for us, classics never go out of style—the Gardens are still your favourite spot to have your wedding photo taken,…
You got served
Service is a hot topic among those who eat out. Everyone has a horror story and everyone has had great experiences, but unfortunately, it’s the horror stories that are more likely to be repeated and passed on. As someone who eats out a lot, I have a tale or two of service nightmares, and handful…
Best Real Estate Agent
More than just an active community member and a fantastic advertising campaign—she’s the one with the shirtsleeves rolled up, polkadotted kerchief in hair, ready for business—Rosie Porter is a multiple Best Real Estate Agent winner, buying and selling around her hometown Dartmouth. And if her comprehensive website is any indication, Porter will hold your hand…
Best Athlete (Male)
Wikipedia lists more facts about this uber-young hockey star than we’d uncover researching him the old-fashioned way, so why bother? According the website, his best friend is Jack Johnson. He likes the band 3 Doors Down and actors Vince Vaughn and Eva Mendes. He always puts his equipment on right side first and no one…
Best Councillor
No one could ever accuse four-time winner Dawn Sloane of lacking in the enthusiasm department. “I wake up happy every day knowing I get to do this job,” she says. Celebrating the defeat of the Midtown development—Sloane was the only councillor who voted against it—she says that after travelling to New York, Toronto, London and…
Best New Building
Opened in the fall of 2005, one of the best things about this Dalhousie University building, besides its open airy five-storey atrium, is its attention to environmentally sound design. Kenneth Rowe has low-flush plumbing, recycled-material use, lighting occupancy censors, operable windows, thermal insulation and a water-source heat pump. Rick Mercer would be proud. Or he…
Best Musical Instrument Store
Over the past year, you may have noticed changes at your favourite musical instrument store, both inside and out. “The exterior tiled wall had become an interesting blackboard for taggers,” says Musicstop manager John Parker. Staying one step ahead of the Sharpies, the store commissioned an artist to create a mural that brings visual music…
Best Sex-toy Shop
For over eight years, Venus Envy has been answering all those questions you would never ask your mom. “Still, people are just discovering us. They come in and say, ‘This is great, how long have you been here?’” laughs manager Maggie Haywood. Focusing on healthy sexuality rather than on getting off, Venus Envy offers more…
In between
Ray Bonneville likes his space. “There is nothing quite like being out here on the open road; the fresh air, rolling countrysides, big sky…it all feels like home to me,” he says. “And here in the Maritimes, there’s plenty of that to make me feel like I belong.” Speaking from his hotel room in Lunenburg…
Best Dentist
“Everyone loves Daniel,” laughs Daniel D. Daniel. And he’s right—shortly after finishing school at Dalhousie, the dentist moved to Calgary, emerging quickly as one of Cowtown’s hottest mouth-shops. Six months after opening his local dentistry practice last year, Daniel was voted first runner-up in our readers’ survey. Perhaps it’s his focus on elective dentistry that…
Best Drag Queen
In last year’s Best of Halifax we bade farewell to Ben Dover, who was leaving for Toronto. But lucky for us, this year we’re happy to shout, “Welcome home!” At the Pride festivities on the Common, the city’s fave Drag King performed an unusual number—the catchy Paul Simon tune, “You Can Call Me Al.” “It’s…
Best Theatre Company
Creatively and financially, Neptune Theatre, king of the Best Theatre category, had a stellar year. “To Kill a Mockingbird really touched a lot of hearts,” says Devon Elke, the theatre’s assistant artistic director. “It was also entertaining but it raised a lot of questions too.” Elke says that Neptune, under the leadership of Ron Ulrich,…
Best Shoe Store
You’ve come a long way, baby. At least in the fashion shoe department, thanks to KAS Footwear. And those sweet Campers with the pink stitches. And those Steve Maddens… sigh…oh right, when owner Sonia Felix opened KAS two years ago, she brought in lines she knew and personally liked. “A wide array of stuff at…
Best Dancer
MuchMoreMusic is running old episodes of the totally awesome ’80s TV show Fame, where all these crazy talented kids dance, act and sing all over cars and cafeterias. Cory Bowles would have been amazing on that show. He’s an actor who’s also a dancer. Or is he a musician who’s also a choreographer? Don’t try…
Best Independent Filmmaker
Thom Fitzgerald is what we like to call a mover and shaker, but not for the reasons you might think. It’s his ability to rattle our perceptions and truths with his art—most recently with 3 Needles, which examines the personal and the political realities that AIDS has on a group of seemingly unrelated characters. In…
Running with Scissors
Personal cinema is in desperate shape. Amid the faceless, streamlined norms of moviemaking, films that carry legitimate human experience must be encouraged. But this counter-equation has resulted in a sheltered narcissism. The screen puts up with self-promoting artists. This deluded faith that one’s egotism will help others has resulted in everything from Tarnation to Super…
Best Doctor
Although Mark Stender sees similar problems and illnesses in both students and his patients who are not students, he says that often there’s a separation in the underlying issues. “I treat every individual uniquely,” he says, “but often a student, getting ill either physically or mentally in the quick span of a semester, is dealing…
Best Drag Queen
Nothing, not even a brain tumour, can keep our returning queen from performing for her fans. Diagnosed in August, followed by many rounds of chemo and radiation, LaRude says, “Physically I feel great. It’s been a slow upward climb but my pain is completely under control and the other symptoms have all receded to manageable…
Best Antique Store
Whether you have a penchant for leopard-skin ottomans or blue-glass bottles, chances are you can find it at Urban Cottage. It’s the perfect place to start decorating a new apartment with character, or replacing your milk-crates with adult furniture. (Dudes, listen up good. Chicks think decorated apartments are totally hot.) Avid collectors and browsers love…
Best Furniture Store
There’s a new face on Barrington and it sure is pretty. All those sleek lines and clean designs. Three-time Best Furniture Store winner Attica moved on up from their old space on Granville to the bright, airy former UpCountry location. “It’s been fabulous,” says Suzanne Saul, who owns Attica with her husband Chris Joyce. “We’re…
Best Dancer
MuchMoreMusic is running old episodes of the totally awesome ’80s TV show Fame, where all these crazy talented kids dance, act and sing all over cars and cafeterias. Cory Bowles would have been amazing on that show. He’s an actor who’s also a dancer. Or is he a musician who’s also a choreographer? Don’t try…
Best Place To Read A Book
Oh my god, the Public Gardens are so, like, 1749. That’s when the first Halifax Public Gardens, a block away from its current location, became the fashionable place to stroll and observe the flora. Lucky for us, classics never go out of style—the Gardens are still your favourite spot to have your wedding photo taken,…
Best DVD Rental Store
Not only does Video Difference play the best tunes of any video-rental store in town, it has a gumball machine on the counter and paintings direct from the wonderfully wacky mind of Mitchell Wiebe. Not to mention the incredible selection of boxed sets and the thorough documentary section, which, according to owner Tom Mitchell, takes…
Best News Anchor
Sure, CTV Atlantic anchor Bruce Frisko makes an appearance in Matt Mays’s new video for “When The Angels Make Contact,” but does he have his own fan-run t-shirt and underwear line like Steve Murphy? Is he on the cover of The Coast? Can you read a story about the F-Man on page 14? No sir,…
Best Second-Hand Furniture Store
Whether you have a penchant for leopard-skin ottomans or blue-glass bottles, chances are you can find it at Urban Cottage. It’s the perfect place to start decorating a new apartment with character, or replacing your milk-crates with adult furniture. (Dudes, listen up good. Chicks think decorated apartments are totally hot.) Avid collectors and browsers love…
Best Place To Take Out-Of-Towners
Imagine how impressive the waterfront will be once all the dirty doo-doo is cleaned out of the harbour. Waste management gruesomeness aside, exciting things are happening down at our waterfront that should impress tourists—and locals too. NSCAD recently unveiled architectural plans for a new 70,000 square-foot open-concept campus with an impressive black zinc and glass…
Best Real Estate Agent
More than just an active community member and a fantastic advertising campaign—she’s the one with the shirtsleeves rolled up, polkadotted kerchief in hair, ready for business—Rosie Porter is a multiple Best Real Estate Agent winner, buying and selling around her hometown Dartmouth. And if her comprehensive website is any indication, Porter will hold your hand…
Best Tattoo Artist
Would you get your hair cut by a comb-over like Donald Trump? Well, the same goes doubly for permanent tattoos. You obviously like what you see on Andy Ferrier, because you once again voted him Halifax’s Best Tattoo Artist. Whether you’re going to Ferrier for a tiny ankle ornament or the full shebang sleeve, you…
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY
Get insecure, Pisces, says Rob Brezsny.
Best Fitness Instructor
Tracey Kornblum is a firm believer that if you teach a fitness class, anyone—“from a first-timer to a triathalon trainer”—should be able to participate, as long as the instructor communicates properly. Putting her mantra where her mat is, Kornblum is still teaching all the moves, sometimes modified, even though she’s eight months pregnant. Admittedly, it…
Best Newspaper Writer
You’re certifiably Halifamous when there’s a band named after you. And you’re not even dead. Although Stephen Cooke prefers to stay on the writer and fan side of the local scene, he does enjoy the musical prowess of Stephen Cooke and the Respected Halifax Journalists. Don’t worry, Peter Duffy and Marilla Stephenson aren’t on back-up—the…
Best Bike Store
It’s been a busy year for Dave Schuhlein and the Idealbikes crew. Schuhlein suggests that business has gone up 150 percent, not surprising considering that they do on-the-spot repairs or next-day fixer-uppers. And they keep up with all the latest components and products. Plus, there’s that warm and fuzzy feeling you get from supporting a…
Best Sporting Goods Store
Behind MEC’s indoor climbing wall lies the mecca of sporting goods, camping gear and exercise wear. MEC team leader Mike Cogdon says throughout the year there are plenty of reasons to drop by for a browse—there’s evolving merchandise in every department, even for those insane winter campers and paddlers who just can’t just enough of…
Best Place To People Watch
It’s no coincidence that your favourite place to check out the crowds is also your favourite street in the entire city. Where else can you buy underwear, designer jeans, a pewter seagull, the latest Guns & Ammo, a jug of maple syrup, a new toothbrush, then wash it all down with hand-cut fries and a…
Best Local Film
Atom Egoyan might want to rethink his next film. Turns out Canadians love spending their movie bucks on criminal hosers bred on booze, burgers and break-ins. Trailer Park Boys: The Movie, born right here out of writer/director Mike Clattenburg’s warped noggin, is a certified Canadian phenom, bringing in $1.3 million on its first weekend. So…
SAVAGE LOVE
Dan Savage says it’s all about quality, not quantity.
Death speak
A new word will have to be invented for what this is. “Mockumentary” brings to mind This is Spinal Tap and the subsequent comedic work of Christopher Guest. Gabriel Range’s Death of a President in no way resembles those films. If anything, this is hard science fiction, looking into an imagined future to reexamine our…
Best Hair Salon
Hair today, gone tomorrow. Bad puns aside, running a successful salon is a tricky business—trends change, stylists move, clients disappear. Thumpers owner Malcolm Norton thinks the salon’s longevity and multiple wins for Best Salon come from a combination of a loyal clientele and “good stylists, plus everyone really likes what they’re doing.” The salon is…
Best Salesperson
“That smarmy little bastard could even sell me comic books, and I’m the owner,” says Calum Johnston about multiple-year winner Mike Drake. Nice. But don’t be mistaken—it’s hardly a Glengarry Glen Ross scenario at your favourite comic book store. All of the Strange Adventures staff stand behind their product. “We have faith in what we’re…
Best Camera Store
Manager Daryl Clarke says that you can’t seem to get enough of those digital cameras. Now you can pick one up at Carsand-Mosher that’s 10 megapixels. That’s dope. He just wishes that you would bring more photos in to get printed. “It’s funny, we’re taking more pictures than ever before, but we’re getting less printed.”…
Best Actor (Female)
You can take the girl outta Halifax, but you can’t take the hometown out of this wee actor. Earlier this year when Ellen Page was promoting her psychological knee-crosser Hard Candy, she chatted about what she left behind. “I miss riding my bike and going to Bob and Lori’s for a sandwich, Ko-Doraku and my…
Best Newsstand / Magazine Store
Even with over 5,000 titles on their shelves, Atlantic News staffer Angela Carlsen is still amazed that they get requests for new ones. “There really is something for everyone,” she laughs. High-brow readers rely on Atlantic News for the new Economist, New Yorker, Macleans, Harper’s and Vanity Fair (depending on who graces the cover). Those…
Best Tattoo / Piercing Joint
Tattooing is an art. So it makes total sense that the best tattoo studio in the city should have a gallery in its front lobby. Just don’t expect any Robert Batemans or Matisses hanging on the walls of Utility. Just like the unique custom-design work the tattoo studio is known for, look for some eclectic…
Best of Halifax
This is the 12th annual Best of Halifax survey, so you might know the drill: Thousands of readers vote in over 100 categories, and we present all the winners.
