Bloomfield brings in Artscape
On my Nuit Blanche trip to Toronto I visited the amazing Artscape Wychwood Barns, an old streetcar repair barn transformed into a cultural community centre with affordable residential housing and a farmers’ market. The Master Plan for the Bloomfield Centre, which was passed by council in September, follows a similar mixed-use model. Wychwood Barns, best…
“What if they gave a war and no one came?” Peter MacKay won’t allow it!
Peter MacKay’s FaceBook page will not allow any “comments”. How clever, that he just allows so-called “fans” to adore him on FBook. I wanted to post the following (in the spirit of John Lennon) “Remembrance Day. What if they gave a war and no one came?” Won’t allow it!—Terry Pulliam
Is Luggage ever NOT on sale
No matter what time of year or what store, for some reason luggage always seems to be 50-75% off. I noticed the same deal in two other Provinces recently. WTF? Why is it always luggage? This has been going on for so long why don’t they just drop their prices ffs.—markup much assholes?
Windsor st War Zone
Fuck the construction workers that don’t give two shits about the people that live on the streets they dig up. You don’t give two sweet fucks about it because you don’t live here and don’t have to wake up to dingbats like yourself waking us up after we just got off a night shift so…
Taxi Drivers
Why is it that every time I get into a taxi and ask them to crank up the heat, I am either completely ignored or I hear some lame mutter of an excuse? HRM taxi drivers should be accommodating their passenger, not themselves! :(—Vladimir
Applause for Pectoral Perfection
To the guy who works at Mary Jane’s: I would just like to compliment you in a rather odd fashion. You see, for a while now I have seen you around here and there and was always facinated and in great admiration of your pecs. You can tell those didn’t just happen on their own,…
HRM Solid Waste Dept
Just wanted to show some love for the solid waste department of HRM. My green bin got a broken wheel and was rejected last collection day. I called HRM to ask about getting it repaired and spoke to the friendliest woman who put in a repair request right away…which is free! Unfortunetly, on the HRM…
coffee shop
Last Sat you finally decided that your coffee makers needed to be cleaned…about fucking time!! The coffee is supposed to be fresh tasting! To the owner of this place….your managers suck….you never have enough staff….this morning at 6:15am there was 1 poor girl working….as far as this company’s standards go,this store falls flat…you need more…
You sure made the bus go faster!
To the stupid girl with the red purse on the 1 to mumford Monday during rush hour – You are an idiot. You consciously got on this bus, and then when it started taking too long, you hummed and hawed and stomped your foot and said ‘seriously?!’and acted like a total sulk loud enough for…
Explain to me , sure there’s an idiot out there.
Okay , some of you bitchers got absolutely nothing to do and comment on every bitch. Do you really think your opinion is useful ? Yeah, we got the right to express ourselves , thanks to our soldiers who most of you won’t take a moment on the 11th to give thanks. Same fucking idiots…
Starving for fairness
Why do grocery stores and restaurants throw away perfectly good food? Why don’t they save it and donate it to a company or charity who can give it to those who need it? Is there even such a company in Nova Scotia? Seriously, if there is, I want to know. Why are we okay with…
Do Not Enter
So if you haven’t noticed, it’s COLD & FLU SEASON. Please don’t go to the pub or bar if you’re sick. Especially the incredibly obvious sicky hitting on us Friday night. Sneezing then offering your hand out to shake, hell no. Leaning in to tell me your name while you suck back your mucus. Nasty.…
Re: H1N1 vaccination & the military
I have read the original post mentioned in the title, and all of the posted comments, and I’m still amazed that people can be so ignorant. I’m not referring to the ignorant as in slagging someone, I mean the kind of ignorant that comes from not having clue one what your talking about. And what…
Stealing food from the foodbank?? Really?
If you live in my building, I’m betting you don’t need to go to the foodbank for food – seriously there are much cheaper places to live. So why did you steal the food that was left in the lobby for collection by the foodbank? Because you’re a low-life, that’s why. And I hate you.—Losing…
Oh Baby
so this bitch goes to the person who was working the canteen at a certain Christmas event last weekend with over 450 vendors. My daughter in law, myself and 7 month old gradson went on Sat. It was a great show enjoyed it bought lots of stuff, so after a few hours of walking time…
Students are clearly more deserving
Turning 21 (and not being a student) I lost my parent’s health benefits I also lost my family Doctor when I moved to Halifax All that I am asking is that I find a walk in clinic or a Doctor willing to write me out a simple prescription for acne medication. I hadn’t had acne…
The Gideons take to the streets: Oxford Street double album release this Friday at the Khyber
Free love with the Gideons The Gideons bid you all farewell this week (well, there will be one last New Year’s bash for you to drown your sorrows at), but they aren’t leaving you empty handed. They have a limited 150 copies of their vinyl only double LP, Oxford Street, the band is also giving…
Check out these Nova Scotia Music Week winners!
If you see any of these people on the street, give them the ol’ chest bump. Good work! Bell Aliant Entertainer of the Year: Charlie A’CourtAlbum of the Year: Joel Plaskett – ThreeFemale Artist Recording: Jenn Grant – EchoesMale Artist Recording: Joel Plaskett – ThreeGroup Recording: The Stanfields – The StanfieldsNew Artist/Group Recording of the…
Zuppa Theatre release The Music Room Sessions
The Right Honourable Rich Aucoin will play a song or two on Friday This Friday at 7pm at the Music Room (Tickets are $35, which includes CD. For tickets/info please call 489-9872 or email info@zuppatheatre.com), Zuppa Theatre Co. are throwing a big party to release their Poor Boy CD into the world. “The CD, The…
Nova Scotia Music week slideshow and winners
Coast photographer Scott Blackburn took a little road trip to Yarmouth for Nova Scotia Music Week. And now that we see his photos, we’re really regretting missing the awards and showcases (and the Frenchy’s, apparently. Umm, $4 Frye boots?) The weekend in photos: Awards presented at the Music Nova Scotia Gala Awards Show:Bell Aliant Entertainer…
Keep up the good work, Police.
“A facebook friend: loves when her boyfriend stalks her to pull her over with lights and sirens just because he think’s it’ll be hilarious” Good to see the police putting their time to good use. Like pulling their girlfriends over for shits and giggles. —JEALOUS
Money Hungry Retailers
I see it every year and every year it pisses me off. On November 1st, the Halloween crap hit’s the 50% off shelves and the Christmas crap is strewn as far as the eye can see. Would it kill a certain Super-duper grocery store chain to let the lone veteran with his/her little tray of…
way to go
To the douchebag who cut the line of the fuel tank at that pool hall in Sackville, causing 600 litres of furnace oil to spill into the Little Sackville river, way to go moron. That place is a pain in the ass for our community but the furnace oil is an even bigger pain in…
Link bus terminal, not sheep pen
I often take the #159 back to Portland Hills, maybe a few times a week. I can’t help but feel like I am going to have a heart attack every time I am on it with the way people rush to get on and off that bus. There’s always a heard of 9-5’rs and suits…
Halifax Emergency
To the lovely paramedic who made our visit to the emergency room so much nicer just by asking if we were ok, telling us what to expect and even offering us some water during a long wait. Sincerely, thank you.—waiting with a mask on
Ardmore Tearoom
I drop by the Ardmore from time to time for breakfast and I’m always happy to slide into a booth and be served by the pleasant people who work there. The place feels real and unaffected by all the big box franchises that Americanize and homogenize the majority of our eateries. It’s nice to be…
You wanna bitch about smoke?
I wanna bitch about the people that, for lack of a better explanation – seem to marinate themselves in a bathtub full of colognes and/or perfumes. SERIOUSLY… If you wanna come down so hard on smokers – you should come down just as hard on ANYBODY that wears any sort of scented product. They can…
Nevermore
You dressed up as my favorite poet, took me home and told me about your life; the good, the bad, all of it and listened intently as I told you about mine. Those mundane details and the way you held me were exactly what I needed that night. At another time and in a different…
Move on
Don’t you have a more recent ex-boyfriend to stalk and verbally abuse yet? It’s been years and you can’t stop slandering him, you think your posts and classified ads are anonymous? Everyone knows it’s you – you’re just making a fool of yourself.—Anonymous
roads
Horrible roads. I hate the fucking roads, half the drivers couldn’t tell their ass from their head, the cyclists want the best of both worlds and the university students are like little retarded lemmings running off a cliff. It’s the only place where in one day you can have some jackass scratch your car while…
Long Distance Love.
Hey Haligonians, I just wanted to thank you for having the most amazing people ever. Because of one citizen in particular I have a future to look forward to. That means marrying and then living in Halifax with the most amazing person ever! So thanks for being radd and producing awesome people. I hope to…
who? Doctor…
whats up with all those Doctors immunizing they’re non-risk kids and friends??? in south end Halifax???? i’m not so surprised…just sickened…—me
No justice for petes sake!
I noticed a certain downtown boutique style grocery has a sale on. They have a 1lb bags of coffee beans on sale for $7.99. Its fair trade and organic coffee. The usual price is $9.99 so a pretty good deal right? The only catch is the “1 lb” bag has 340g stamped on it, and…
Tammachat returns to the south end for a textile show
Mahone Bay-based textile company Tammachat, a fair trade social enterprise organization that works with rural weavers in Thailand and Laos, is having another show of its products this weekend. Consider it a fair trade holiday gift show of eco-fashions for you and your home, taking place at the Universalist Unitarian Church (5500 Inglis Street) on…
Button Pushers
Yes it does say push to cross they have them on just about every major crosswalk in HRM BUT pushing it ten thousand times or slamming it repeatedly does not hurry up the lights. They are on a timer idiot, they don’t have a sensor that says it’s cold or rainy and they don’t care…
Be a Hero
Maybe you have emotions or needs that make you frustrated, angry or violent, have you ever considered talking to a trained counselor that deals with issues such as yours. If you have the guts to be violent or abusive have the guts to go to counseling this will show everyone you are capable of loving.…
Thank you for caring
I want to thank everyone who cares for ourselves, others and the world in everything we do. I want to thank everyone for going to work so we can have the wonderful services we sometimes take for granted. I want to thank everyone for staying the course and getting their education and training so they…
Dalhousie Parking
I’m sick to death of not finding parking on campus. I pay for a permit but that only earns me to the right to hunt for a spot. I have to plan my life around parking. I get stressed if there is someone driving slow in front of me on my morning commute in case…
Horrible Pizza Experience
Tonight, I had the worst pizza experience in Halifax. We ordered a medium mexican pizza with a medium garlic fingers and small nachos. This was advertised on their website for $19. When we called and placed our order, the man who answered the phone told us the price went up to $22. We weren’t too…
Shoppers Drugmart on Almon
Thanks to the person who found my student card and gave to the cashier. And thanks to the cashier who recognized me from my card picture. I didn’t even know I had lost my card and I need it, since it’s also my bus pass. I’ll say it again: Haligonians are really nice!—Dal Student
Sense-free?
Halifax is infamous for being “scent-free.” When will people learn, I wonder, that “scents” are not limited to perfume, shampoo, and deodorant? I am referring to the stink of SMOKE. If you’re coming into a movie or a play or a classroom or a bus or whatever, please don’t smoke right beforehand. It’s so gross…
I wonder if you can hear…
To all of you obnoxious car drivers who feel the need to “share” your music with the rest of the world while going from Point A to Point B. Turn your fucking music down! Nobody gives a flying fuck about what kind of music you like, how loud your stereo system is or what kind…
Well done man, well done
To the fuck stick in the red Dodge Caravan who STOPPED on the bridge to clear your wipers,you’re a fucking idiot. Stopping on the bridge, rush hour in a snow storm to clear your wipers is idiotic. Obviously you never learned any common sense or courtesy. —Bullet
Wanna win? Send us your favourite CDs, DVDs and games of 2009
On November 26 we reveal our critics’ top picks for top CDs, DVDs and video games of the year, and we want you to get in on the action! Comment to this post with your picks (for all, or any category), and you will become eligible to win this amazing book (and some boss runner-up…
Two If By Sea Cafe
Thank you so much for opening up in a convenient area of Dartmouth. You are a greatly needed resource in a long neglected part of town. Here’s to many more weeks of prosperity! Keep the fantastic coffee and scrumptious pastries coming.—Coffee Lovers of Dartmouth
Thieves
You know what? fuck you and your douchebag friends for breaking and entering, and fuck you for hanging out while no one was home, and fuck you for taking things. To be honest, I WISH I was home, and I WISH I caught you red handed. Karma’s a bitch you lowlives. —built up rage
p.s. i love you, Halifax
Dear Halifax, It sure has been quite the ride! These past four years have flown by, really. So many memories, so many parties, so many crazy nights, so much heartbreak, so much love, so much laughter, so many tears! When I look back at my time in this one-of-a-kind, one helluva city…I do not regret…
Thanks
To the person(s) who broke into my car in Clayton Park last night: Thanks for stealing that $10, I would have just blown it on something useful like lunch. Also, a big thank you for taking that broken GPS off my hands. It was a gift and I didn’t have the heart to throw it…
so you aren’t happy!
OKAY seriously all i want is to sleep..but all you do is keep crying and whining to your boyfriend that your unhappy..for gods sakes your so loud i can hear you through my wall!SHUT UP….your driving me insane..youve been crying hmm i think 2 hours now..thats gotta be a record..just please can ya talk this…
Don’t you hate friends?
Yeeah. I know shes your best friend. But I’m your boyfriend. and I love you both, but well her, not nearly as much. She’s more like family love, like i-fucking-hate-your-guts-sometimes-when-you-piss-me-off-but-I-have-to-love-you kinda love. except wait. she doesnt do shit for me. she just kicks me, makes weird noises, and is the third wheel. exept not really,…
I love the Bitching Section
The Coast Bitching Section.—Brent
Friendly Flu Folks
A Huge Thank You to the people both paid and especially volunteers, who are staffing the Flu assessment centers. The commissionaires at the the forum were hillarious. A big Get well soon to the little guy with his Mom and her friend, going in to his second week of yuckiness.—Big Red H1N1
Remember the verb
It’s Veterans Week and I’d like to thank Elegant Touch Salon on Quinpool Road. They have a Remembrance Day display and it’s nice to see active remembrance. In today’s 24/7 digital age it’s easy to be engrossed in our own lives and I appreciate the time they took to be taking action and helping us…
this is not high school!
To the row of girls who sit behind me in geography ….. SHUT THE FUCK UP!! every day of this semester you come in late, tap your feet on the back of my chair, and constantly talk about who you texted, who was drunk, who wore what … I DON’T FUCKING CARE! must you sit…
Sweater Savers
To the guys at If Only Surf Shop… THANK YOU!!! I forgot my sweater at your shop and you kept it for me for weeks! I have been living out of a suitcase for over two months now and, with snow in the forecast and it being my warmest sweater, am delighted to have it…
Popularity Contest
I’m not sure how much of a bitch this is but I just find it funny how most of the popular kids in Junior High and High School actually amounted to nothing once done High School. I bumped into way too many from My High School that have no ambition nor did they end up…
DaPoPo’s marvelous month-long Live-In
November. Summer days are far behind and endless winter is just around the corner. It’s enough to make a person want to hole up in a nice cozy living room until spring arrives. Well, DaPoPo Theatre is offering a creative and affordable antidote to those blues and blahs: a month long “Live-In” at The Living…
Best Book
“Made of wet boots and rain and shiny black ravens on chimney smoke lanes,” sang Tom Waits in his song “November.” We recommend you dig out Waits’s Black Rider album to spin while you dig into Steve Vernon’s book—published by Nimbus—on the darker corners of our seaside town, the restless spirits that stalk our old…
Best Gallery
Taking back its crown, the big boy on Hollis Street is at the top of Coast readers’ minds again. Top of our mind is the Jean-Pierre Gauthier show opening December 20. The Sobey Art Award-winner is bringing his *Machines At Play* kinetic sculptural work to the AGNS, an installation that takes cables, wires and electrical…
Amy Jones’ book launched
I’ve got my hard-earned bucks down on Amy Jones as being our next-generation Lisa Moore (not sure why anyone needs to be the next anything, but that’s what we do). Originally from Halifax, the winner of the Metcalf-Rooke Award and the CBC Literary Award for Short Story is launching her first book of short stories,…
Toronto embraces Propeller Bitter
We may not know much, but we knows our beers. In this week’s NOW magazine, Propeller Bitter, now available in Ontario LCBO stores, receives four-star praise for being a “very satisfying, traditional, finely carbonated, soft, fruity ale with a lip-smacking dry finish.”
A one-dimensional Doll’s House
Nora (Bryn Robins McLeod) is a flighty little bird, a feather-brain, or so says her insufferably paternalistic husband Torvald (Blake Pendergast). Their marriage is based on the premise that Torvald is the provider and Nora is the eye-candy. The dramatic tension comes from Nora’s yearning to be more, and from a potentially damaging secret that…
Fine for Litter
I recycle. I compost. I do a neighbourhood clean-up each spring. Patiently, I pick up the garbage that blows from my neighbours’ untended yards into mine. I call the city when something needs to be tended to in the neighbourhood (even though after many visits to view the problem, it doesn’t usually get fixed). So,…
No Bitches for Two Days
WTF, I know that maritimers love to fuckin’ bitch. I doub’t that Halifax has been a utopia these past two days. So get bitching pls. My day at work is unbearable if I have nothign to do whilst goofing off.—Get yer bitch on.
You can’t touch this!
To the “gentleman” who lifted up my girlfriend’s skirt on Barrington a few weeks ago, I don’t care how many drinks you had to make you think that you had the right to do that. I love how someone’s privacy and your etiquite flew out the fucking window after a few too many at the…
Shut up. NOW.
Like, Omigod! Shut UP! Seriously. Shut the FUCK up. People don’t get it. They think they need to fill up every second of their lives with pointless words that don’t even contribute to making a point, they don’t lead up to something deep or profound, they don’t even have a punch line at the end.…
Hello Pylon it’s me, Hole!
To the hole on the corner of barrington and duke street, where in the hell was the pylon that should have been covering you. Thanks so much for not having a cover, it felt fantastic to land on my knees, on monday nov2, profanity flying out of my mouth, all because you were left wide…
Lovin it all!
Lots of love to share: First to the organizers of the Samhain ritual on Saturday night – Thank you very much for putting it together once again – As a solitary pagan in this city its great to be able to come together in public and celebrate our ‘special day’ ( Which is the Celtic…
People who generously Give us Asthma in our Apartment Buildings
Wow. Please next time you consider lighting up in a large apartment complex, try and think of the lives you are shortening other than your own. I am 20 and have been healthy and active all my life–NOW I HAVE SYMPTOMS OF ASTHMA due to the fact smoke enters my apartment from your disgusting tarred…
As If crime isn’t dangereous enough….
So what I’m female. I can do as well as you. I work out, eat well, and can take a lick just like you. I need back up just like you. I may get hurt just like you. I know how to properly fire and clean my firearm just like you. So why purposely put…
when it’s fresh it’s the baker’s best!
There were a lot of things I knew I’d miss about Nova Scotia when I ventured off to Onterrible – the ocean, the character of the architecture, the farmer’s market, etc. to name just a few – but this is a shout out to BEN’S BREAD. There isn’t much I wouldn’t do for some of…
Not Another Swine Flu Bitch
So I read in the Chronically Horrid yesterday that the Halifax Regional School Board is cancelling exam exemptions because they don’t want students coming to school if they’re sick… Apparently if kids have a high attendance rate (less than 6 unexcused absences per term), many schools allow them to choose one exam per semester that…
Halitown
Dear Halifax, You are the city for me. Although I am three provinces away from you, I adore you and the province you live in. I love your ocean and salty air. I love your independent stores and shows and the unique Maritime greetings. I love your known strangers on Spring Garden and your casual…
Rose
Still filled with joy from the Rose Cousins CD release on Sunday night. Thanks, Rose.—Fan
Love at the Mall
Whomever found my HMV bag in the washroom at the MicMacMall and turned it into the lost and found, thank you for not keeping it for yourself!—Forgetful washroom user
Best Second-hand Furniture Store
“We’re just a year older and deeper in debt,” says John Beatty, owner and operator of the popular antiques and furniture store. He’s joking about the debt, we think. “Business is booming,” he confirms, which he says is largely due to the store’s policy of ensuring there’s a change-over in inventory every 90 days through…
Best Antiques Store
“We’re just a year older and deeper in debt,” says John Beatty, owner and operator of the popular antiques and furniture store. He’s joking about the debt, we think. “Business is booming,” he confirms, which he says is largely due to the store’s policy of ensuring there’s a change-over in inventory every 90 days through…
Best Thing To Happen In Halifax In The Past Year
OK, there were plenty of concerns in advance of the show: the cost, how the Common would look, all of that. But Saturday, July 11 was a perfect summer day, and, in case anyone had forgotten, the man was a Beatle. The biggest community love-in of the summer gathered to sing along with “Eleanor Rigby,”…
Best Twitterer
A public relations grad from Mount Saint Vincent, Oostveen has a double-barrelled Twitter feed—one for professional reasons and one personal. For two years she was the marketing and communications officer for the Nova Scotia Archives, which includes tweets about the Archive website. “I’ll go on there a couple times daily, I’ll pick a couple photos…
Truro’s Instruments make rare appearance
Truro’s INSTRUMENTS makes a rare appearance on Thursday, November 5 at The Paragon Theatre (with The Lodge and Dreamsploitation). Described as a “reclusive post-rock trio,” the group is set on making each show special. “We are really intent on doing things on our own terms,” says J LaPointe. “In a lot of cases that means…
Some assembly required for The Box
Richard Kelly has original sin on his mind in The Box. An expansion of a Richard Matheson story, and subsequent Twilight Zone episode, this science fiction tale deals with absolutes of greed and compromise. A couple (Cameron Diaz and James Marsden) is delivered a box containing a machine. As they’re told by the disfigured man…
Worst Thing To Happen In Halifax In The Past Year
We’re not sure what’s worse, the actual failure of the sewage treatment plant that—at the date of this writing—remains out of service, or the lack of transparency in the mayor’s office regarding the analysis of the plant’s shutdown. Thanks to pressure from the public and media, they’re being a little more open about the ways…
Sara Angelucci’s family ties
From a long, narrow and reverberant corridor in the Loyola Building at Saint Mary’s University, visitors cross a threshold into the gallery’s quiet plain. First conscious of the evaporation of sound, gallery-goers are met by a strong but silent visual: a triptych on a table called “Questions She’ll Never Answer,” the introduction to a show…
Grand Parade ready to remember
The cenotaph at Grand Parade should be ready in time for Remembrance Day, says city spokesperson Shaune MacKinlay. “But it’s up to the veterans’ group if they are going to have their ceremony,” says MacKinlay. “They’ll inspect it and make a decision in a few days.” During a routine maintenance of the structure this summer,…
Malware on reallivestreetshit.com.
[image-1] What’s wrong? Malware on reallivestreetshit.com. Who’s responsible? Jimmy Melvin Jr. REMARKS Intrigued by all the hype about Melvin’s site, reallivestreetshit.com, we were warned by Google that “Of the three pages we tested on the site over the past 90 days, one page resulted in malicious software being downloaded and installed without user consent.” Melvin…
Best Politico Waiting in the Wings
As we all know, Darrell Dexter didn’t include him in the cabinet when he went into office in summer 2009. Given Howard’s experience with the environment—Epstein is a former director of the Ecology Action Centre—his absence is a real shame. At some point in the coming months there’ll be a shuffle, and when it comes,…
Best Theatre Impressario
“Impressario” is a term that doesn’t really resonate with Shahin Sayadi. He just does what he does, pursuing his muse. “I appreciate the coverage and the recognition,” says Sayadi, modestly. His theatre company, OneLight, has earned its recognition. It’s been operating since 1999—Sayadi’s wife Maggie Stewart is OneLight’s managing director—and will soon launch its ninth…
Singing A Christmas Carol’s empty praises
Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is so familiarly engrained that another telling must bring something new to the table. The 3D motion-capture version runs through the motions, except for one detail: It’s visually beautiful. Even working in animation (this follows The Polar Express and Beowulf), director Robert Zemeckis’ technical direction brings a sophistication to classic storytelling…
Don’t glamourize crime
Does printing a how-to guide which promotes dressing up for Halloween as a local criminal create a culture of acceptance of criminal behavior (“City dress codes,” October 29)? I dunno. Maybe someone at The Coast could call the Vancouver Sun, which often glamourizes gang activity, and ask them. I thought that The Coast was more…
Best Fashion Trend
“One of the things we were really trying to encourage with this is that local doesn’t mean second rate,” says Brandt Eisner. He’s the designer and assistant director at Argyle Fine Art who organized Off the Cuff, this summer’s local designer competition. Its intent was to give more exposure to local designers and help people…
Best Sign We’re Almost on the Radar
Call us the Chowder Belt. Yeah, we’ve had a few high-profile Boomer icons play in town in the recent past, including KISS, Elton John, Paul McCartney and Neil Young (twice), with Art Garfunkel coming soon. But what we’ve really noticed is how we’ve become such an essential stop for those working musicians whose shine is…
New Sobeys development an atrocity
I had my first glimpse of the new Sobeys development planned for north end Halifax in a recent newspaper feature. At first I thought it might have been inspired by Soviet East German architecture, but then I thought perhaps it might have been a project of a kindergarten class. Whatever the source of the inspiration,…
Best Booster of Cold Water Surfing
Becoming one of the world’s most published surf photographers doesn’t happen without a massive passion for your subject, one that extends beyond the traditional. Yassine Ouhilal, known as Yassy to his friends, lives in Nova Scotia and has surfed since he was a teenager, but is originally from Montreal, where he studied film for years.…
Best Reason to Put a Roof Over Argyle Street
OK, so maybe it was worries about the weather that drove them into the Metro Centre this year or maybe it was a few of the Argyle Street businesses who asked for too much money to shut down for a Thursday night in September. Whatever the reason, the Metro Centre as a party venue had…
Where to get toasty with toddies
The time has changed, it’s often below 10 degrees outside and getting off work means walking out of the office and into darkness—while it’s not winter yet, it sure friggin’ feels like it. Aside from hibernating under the covers, you can avoid the wintry weather by heading to one of these bars and warming your…
Tories hijack Halifax’s recession
If anyone doubts that Conservatives are politicizing the spending of economic stimulus money, they need only look at how stimulus money is flowing through HRM. Halifax council held a rushed meeting the afternoon of April 28 to come up with ways to spend $87.75 million in stimulus money. Mayor Peter Kelly, who is a member…
Track & Trace, Zachariah Wells (Biblioasis)
Zachariah Wells (reading this Thursday with Wayne Clifford and Amy Jones, 6pm at The Company House) frequently tunes to the world in winter, searching out its subtleties with heightened sense, a pursuit implied by title, design and illustrations by Seth. The PEI native’s rural settings are recognizably Maritime, and the power of the landscape to…
Take a look at The Men Who Stare at Goats
Goats tells the story of the US military-sanctioned new-age-inspired New Earth Warriors. Led by Bill Django (Jeff Bridges in full aged-hippie mode), the film follows their idealistic origins as a sun-salutating, psychic army, to their eventual disintegration and disgrace at the hands of Kevin Spacey’s clairvoyant Judas. (There is, apparently, one in every group.) George…
Best Activist
And this is very much as it should be. Duckworth died in August 2009, but before she went she saw a century pass and did a lot of good work with her time on the planet, including founding peace organizations such as the Nova Scotia Voice of Women. She was the first women in Halifax…
Anti antigens: the H1N1 refusers
Rachael Smith-Bakhache won’t be dragging around her kids for H1N1 shots this week. And not anytime after that, either. “It’s my choice,” says the 38-year-old mother of two. “And I don’t think I have to stand up and tell you why it’s my choice.” But she will, if you ask. And explaining why her family…
Best Host
Outside Laura Dawe’s North Street house there’s a chalkboard, livening the neighbourhood with the regular truisms she writes upon it. “Someone described it as analogue Facebook updates,” says the Edmonton-born, Ontario-bred, fourth-year Dalhouse student. The “community outreach” started with Dawe collecting plastic figures to create a shrine, a plastic garden of sorts out front. “People…
Best Activist Organization
The EAC is a hive of constant activity. Here’s just a sample of what they’ve been up to in the past year, provided by Charlene Boyce Young, in charge of development and outreach: “We are running a second year of the Green Mobility Grants program thanks to Conserve Nova Scotia’s support, helping sustainable transportation projects…
You gotta make the move
Q I’m a 20-year-old girl, and I’ve been dating my boyfriend, who is 23, for two years. From the get-go, he has known that I am bi, and like most straight guys, he’s happy to be with a girl who likes girls. The thing is, I am too shy to go out and hit on…
Best Place Crying Out for Public Art
It was recently announced that Oklahoma City will be receiving a bronze statue of Angelina Jolie, nude, breastfeeding her twins, as sculpted by Daniel Edwards. You know, we’re not suggesting something similar for Halifax, but wouldn’t it be awesome? The fact of the matter is that this town is in dire need of public art,…
Best Councillor
“The city is abuzz” with positives, says Sloane. They include being able to secure funding for Centennial Pool and keeping local schools open—including St Patrick’s-Alexandra—HRM by Design (“whether you like it or not,” she says, laughing) and the potential for affordable, mixed-use housing. Moving forward she’s going to work towards the getting the master plan…
Adoration
Adoration is the latest entry in writer-director-Canfilm icon Atom Egoyan’s career-long treatise on technology, fiction and identity. And, like so many Egoyan offerings before it (Exotica, Ararat, Where the Truth Lies) the film is a non-linear, exquisitely structured, interesting and ultimately antiseptic puzzle that treats grief and the search for identity as intellectual exercises. This…
Best Effort to Keep it Real
Here’s a story about how even when things don’t quite work out, a lot of good can come of powerful intent. Lee-Anne Poole used to be the event coordinator for Halifax Pride and she worked for filmmaker Thom Fitzgerald as a festival producer and in administrative postions. In theatre she’s studied and taught at Neptune…
Best Drag Performer
Rouge Fatale came off a triumphant summer helping put together Pride here in Halifax and now will be appearing on regular Sunday evenings at Menz Bar. All bow down before the new Ms Menz! “I’ll be doing mostly comedy,” says Fatale, “musical, the old-fashioned drag thing.” She says she plans to get the audience really…
Best Crossover
Bowles was our Best of Halifax cover star in 2005, when he won Best Dancer in the readers’ poll. He’s always been something of a local hyphenate, well known for his regular appearances as Cory in Trailer Park Boys and for his dancing and choreography with his company Verve Mwendo. He’s also a musician. “I…
Best Member Of The Provincial Legislature
Was it just us or did the city collectively exhale when the NDP swept to power this past June? It may be less fun to mock premier Dexter than it was RodMac, but now the provincial political complexion has changed to a shade of tangerine, are our expectations even higher? Well, they should be. We…
Best Political Cartoonist
Editor’s note: With his latest Best Political Cartoonist win in 2009, Bruce MacKinnon was elevated to the Best of Halifax Hall of Fame. We reserve our Hall of Fame—-a special honour that retires both the winner and the category they won in—-for the iconic figures, people who have owned their title year in and out,…
Best Member Of Parliament
Everyone respects and likes the NDP’s Megan Leslie, even people who don’t share her political views. It’s because she’s young, bright and she’s representing us in Ottawa with a lot of character. In case you think we’re biased, consider that in May of 2009 Leslie was voted Rookie MP of the Year in *MacLean’s* magazine…
Chéri
Oh, to live in a time when debauchery was its own excuse. Like the 1970s, or fin-de-siecle Paris, where this story—adapted from a pair of books by French novelist Colette—is set. Frears and screenwriter Christopher Hampton are reunited with star Michelle Pfeiffer, all of whom shone in Dangerous Liaisons in 1988. Pfeiffer’s Lea is a…
Sin Nombre
Sin Nombre portrays a fictionalized version of Central America’s harsh political reality. El Casper (Édgar Flores), a young romantic and member of the gang La Mara, joins paths with Sayra (Paulina Gaytan), a strong-minded young woman fleeing to the United States via freight train. New director and writer Cary Fukunaga provides no shortage of brutality:…
Best Professor
Barker teaches three excellent-sounding courses this year, on top of being the chair of the Dalhousie University theatre department. At King’s she teaches a third-year course, Opera & The Idea of Enlightenment, looking at opera from the 17th through the 20th century. Then there’s Modern Theatre, another third year course. New this year, Dramatic Theories…
Indifferent Turks
The air is warm and smells rich and spicy in Cafe Istanbul, and the small restaurant is cozy and comfortable. There is an instrumental version of Lionel Ritchie’s “Hello” playing. Pan flute, I think. Not exactly what I expect at a Turkish restaurant, but in a way it sets the pace—I’m not going to get…
Slayer
ZOMG NEW SLAYER. Listening to this and I am back in junior high wearing all black and pretending I am better than everyone, when in reality I am totally jealous of my friend’s Amiga and will punish his level 26 mage with my sadistically nerdy dungeon-mastering ways. (Magic missile this, you better-computer-having jerk.) Twenty-six years…
Most Important Local Issue
Like a lingering bad smell, this issue hasn’t gone anywhere. This time last year we were congratulating ourselves for the multi-million dollar Harbour Solutions Project which was already cleaning up hundreds of years of sewage in the harbour and marveling at Peter Kelly’s swimsuit. But we all know how that’s turned out. Silver: Public transit…
In This Style
You can almost taste the angst from the opening of In This Style’s debut </sarcasm>. While these Dartmouth prog-rockers deliver a hefty helping of the teenage delicacy with lyrics like “hate is beauty,” the real treat is when they move from heavier chords into melodic, angular riffs. It’s then that the music effectively translates more…
Shambala shindig
The fourth Shambhala Congress is upon us. Yes, upon us. All of us. Because Shambhala Buddhism has been a central part of the culture of Nova Scotia since its founder, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, decided in the mid-’80s that Halifax was the most spiritually congenial place on earth to bring teachings on compassion. “It’s been what…
Three Sheet
A spirited, thoughtful MC, Expedyte’s verses can get wordy at times. Occasionally he sounds hurried, behind the beat. But he nails it on, for example, “Norm Now.” Vanessa Furlong delivers throughout the album, particularly “Blood Whale” and “How it Goes.” Halifax’s Three Sheet has got something. They’ve got a human beatbox, EMC, but no kit—that…
Whatever Happened to School Flu Shot Clinics?
The Second Wave is upon us and so is a newly diagnosed condition – “H1N1 psychosis,” an overwhelming fear of catching the flu. First diagnosed last week at the Montreal Children’s Hospital, it seems to be spreading everywhere. Long line-ups at community clinics, the vaccine supply shortage, and recent shifts in our H1N1 response strategy…
Best Public Space
The Victorian green space remains a gorgeous retreat within the city, from the magnificent wrought iron of the gate at Spring Garden and South Park to the geese, ducks and swans floating through the gentle waterways. Through the summer’s warmer days it’s a popular spot for wedding photos, though we know people who like to…
An Education unsettles
An Education certainly has enough achievements to boast about, namely the star-turn from Carey Mulligan and Nick Hornby’s expertly crafted screenplay. But director Lone Scherfig can’t lift the fog from the creepy undertones of its central relationship. Mulligan’s clever yet sheltered schoolgirl, Jenny, is romanced by the seemingly urbane (and grown up!) David (Peter Sarsgaard).…
Real people roles
The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which left over a million people displaced and a quarter of a million dead, created some unanswered questions for Halifax filmmaker Rohan Fernando. For his 2007 NFB documentary, Blood and Water, Fernando followed his uncle Anton to Sri Lanka a year after he lost his wife and daughter in the…
Monsters of Folk
The hilariously named Monsters of Folk consists of indie-rock superstars M. Ward, Jim James (My Morning Jacket), Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis (both from Bright Eyes). Many have already compared MoF to the Traveling Wilburys, and it’s appropriate since both bands are folk-rock supergroups, but a more notable point is that the Monsters, like the…
Don’t be taken by The Fourth Kind
To convince everyone that The Fourth Kind is more than a movie (it’s the truth, or something), actress Milla Jovovich introduces herself by her real name, stating that she’ll be using her thespian arts to honour alien-abductee Abbey Tyler. Separating performers from their subjects is a relevant idea in an era where some viewers are…
Best Wifi Spot
There are a lot of reasons why a coffeehouse such as The Wired Monk would win Best Wifi spot. Consider location, windows facing both Hollis and Morris Streets. Consider loungability, sipping your cup of java for extended periods while you fingers enable browsers, write dissertations, answer emails. Consider atmosphere, a friendly staff, organic slow-roasted coffee,…
Best Medal Hope at the Olympics
Australian snowboarding star Torah Bright just “threw down a double cork.” That’s shredding lingo for a double backflip, which is practically unheard of in female snowboarding, writes 24-year-old Dartmouth-born snowboarder Sarah Conrad in an email from the other side of the world. “To put it in perspective, there aren’t many guys trying this trick yet,…
Golden Idlers
The Idlers want to make one thing perfectly clear: They may play reggae, but they’re not here to lecture. “With entertainment and politics, it’s a fine line,” says the group’s guitarist, Paul Schiralli-Earle (who boasts an uncanny ability to speak from St. John’s, play with a baby and cook bok choy at the same time).…
No Great Mischief has legs
If you’re lucky enough to possess an imagination, David S. Young’s stage adaptation of Alistair MacLeod’s beloved No Great Mischief will take you on trip from the Highlands of Scotland to the depths of Kirkland Lake. For the price of a theatre ticket and in only two hours, you’ll visit the storm-swept Canso Causeway, the…
Best Comedian
“How peculiarrr,” writes Mark Little in an email upon hearing that he’s been voted Halifax’s Best Comedian again this year. He’s had a good 2009: he won a Yuk Yuk’s competition and the Just For Laughs Homegrown Competition. He’s been working with his Picnicface cohorts on a variety of projects, including a screenplay called Roller…
Best Car Dealership
It is a new green world: the popular vehicle on the O’Regan’s Toyota Halifax lot is the redesigned Prius for 2010. It’s all in the small details: the new Prius has new styling, outstanding fuel efficiency, more horsepower, more standard features and a lower sticker price than the previous model, starting at $27,500. Silver: Hillcrest…
Best Camera Store
“There’s still the mystery that is digital,” says manager Daryl Clarke, which poses the question, if it is a mystery that scares Carsand Mosher customers or compels them to buy. “Video and digital SLR cameras are a new trend,” he assures us. “And there are some cool [still] cameras that have great video features. There…
Best Esthetician
We couldn’t speak to Angela Bishop directly because she was on her honeymoon—congratulations!—but we did speak to Remedy Spa manager Nicola Hancock, who described Bishop as “friendly and really good with clients.” Bishop has been at Remedy for eight years, plenty of time to build a loyal following, clients that have become her friends over…
Atlantic Canada’s 100 Greatest Books launches tomorrow
Compiling best-of lists requires sweat and courage—-you’re never going to make everyone happy. Modelled after Bob Mersereau’s comprehensive The Top 100 Canadian Albums, Trevor Adams and Stephen Patrick Clare embarked on the challenging task of culling Atlantic Canada’s 100 Greatest Books (Nimbus), from an amazing list of over 2,000 titles voted on by 700-plus authors,…
Goodbye Dio Mio, Funtastic we hardly knew ye
We’re very sad to report that longtime gelato cafe Dio Mio (65-5670 Spring Garden Road on Brenton, 492-3467) has closed as of November 2. Their Dartmouth location is still open as of this writing. Please watch this space for more information as we get it. | They said they were here for the long haul…
Best Trivia Night
The T-Room is a regular hang for Dalhousie engineering students who make up the bulk of the trivia masters on Friday nights. From 9:30 until midnight you’ll find Stan Selig and Thomas Craig holding court and stumping the punters with two rounds of 20 questions. “We take the best of different trivia nights around the…
Best Student Hang
The Gorsebrook remains the place to be if you are a student at St. Mary’s University, having won the Best Student Hang honour many years running. “We still have amazing open-mic nights,” says Brianna Koski, who manages the place with Ryan King. She adds that Thursday theme nights are still popular—including “Anything but Clothes,” “Blackout…
Best Place To Drink Alone
Why does Tom’s regularly take this category? Maybe because it feels like a neighbourhood bar smack in the middle of the city, and if you are in the middle of a blues-fueled binge no one will bother you if you perch on one of those chairs by the window or in a booth at the…
Best Place For A First Date
Hey honey, did you see John and Joanie down at the ‘Shoe last Saturday night? You didn’t? That’s because the place is a labyrinth of nooks and crooks, designed and lit in such a way that maintains a certain kind of intimacy and privacy. The stellar menu (the nachos have been elevated to the Best…
Best Karaoke Night
“Most people like songs that were recorded before they were born,” says Karaoke King Mimi Andriopoulos, explaining that good karaoke is synonymous with singing the classics, even though he gets a lot of new songs in stock all the time. And what’s the most popular choice at Bearly’s right now? “Don’t Stop Believing,” the early-’80s…
Best Place To Dance
The continuous popularity of this establishment over time is astonishing—not because it’s not deserving, but because there is so much competition for dancing, socializing and picking-up across the city. Still, Reflections reigns supreme over the scene, winning three categories last year and four in 2009. Maybe it’s the inclusive nature of the place, the kind…
Best Pick-up Bar
The continuous popularity of this establishment over time is astonishing—not because it’s not deserving, but because there is so much competition for dancing, socializing and picking-up across the city. Still, Reflections reigns supreme over the scene, winning three categories last year and four in 2009. Maybe it’s the inclusive nature of the place, the kind…
Best Party Venue
The continuous popularity of this establishment over time is astonishing—not because it’s not deserving, but because there is so much competition for dancing, socializing and picking-up across the city. Still, Reflections reigns supreme over the scene, winning three categories last year and four in 2009. Maybe it’s the inclusive nature of the place, the kind…
Best Gay Bar
The continuous popularity of this establishment over time is astonishing—not because it’s not deserving, but because there is so much competition for dancing, socializing and picking-up across the city. Still, Reflections reigns supreme over the scene, winning three categories last year and four in 2009. Maybe it’s the inclusive nature of the place, the kind…
Best Yoga Studio
Open for a year, the hot yoga place has been winning over the people of Halifax in droves. It turns out they’re especially popular with students and a few prominent musicians in town, including Jenn Grant. They recently finished a 30-day challenge, getting clients to do yoga every day for a month, and soon the…
Best Travel Agency
Going into the winter, travel agent and branch partner Rachel Arsenault says that the usual sunny destinations that can be reached directly from Halifax are being booked up quickly: Cuba, Mexico, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, as well as Disney World in Florida. “Lots of Vegas,” too, she adds. The glitzy appeal of Sin City…
Best Tattoo / Piercing Joint
Despite the enduring popularity of the tattoo parlour and art gallery—new shows go up on its walls regularly—they still take walk-ins when they can fit them in. They’re also seeing their piercing service grow, with brand new jewellery available to fill that nipple piercing you’ve been craving, which can be done by one of the…
Best Tattoo Artist
The ever-popular Best Tattoo Artist in Halifax isn’t as busy as you might think at the moment. “I’m not booked up as normal this year, which is kind of nice,” he says, chuckling. What does keep him busy are bigger, more challenging pieces. “I think a lot of people are getting more extreme tattoos, more…
Best Tailor
Richard Daniel, who runs the family business with his parents Vilma and Raad, says that the slowdown in the economy and a concern about staying sharp at work has seen his custom-made shirt business climb 30 percent this year. “People are stepping up their performance and the way they look, ” he theorizes, as the…
Best Spa
“We’ve been in our new location for two years and are loving it,” says owner Linda Brigley. “We have a fantastic team of people in the hair salon and in the spa.” The focus of Spirit is to bring in innovative new treatments and services to Halifax, including organic facials, lash extensions and the best…
Best Sporting Goods Store
As you might expect, MEC is busy preparing for a a long season of the white stuff. “Our new snowsports has all arrived,” says manager Suzane Couture. “That includes all the winter clothing, too.” Apparently, it’s a lot to deal with. “We’re overwhelmed with bringing out the winter stock.” Clearly, they need some help. Head…
Best Shoe Store
KAS would like to make it clear that women who want fashionable footwear don’t have to break the bank. “Stuart Weitzman has a kick-ass, over-the-knee black leather boot for $750 or you can get the Steve Madden version for $140!” writes KAS owner Sonia Felix in an email. “We try to make fashion accessible to…
Best Sex-toy Shop
People are looking for higher-quality sex accessories, says Venus Envy owner Maggie Haywood, who reports her business has had an excellent year, despite the recession. She calls them “luxury sex toys,” often made of silicon or glass, “very well and attractively designed, and often rechargeable,” she says. One of her most popular items is the…
Best Second-hand Record Store
“There’s a lot of interest in vinyl and it’s growing all the time,” says James Donnelly, manager at Taz. He’s seeing more reissues of older records than ever—from artists as diverse as Slim Harpo, Marvin Gaye and The Ramones—as well as new albums pressed on vinyl, which included the recent album from Pearl Jam. “People…
Best Second-hand Clothing Store
The mostly-consignment boutique has seen its stock increase dramatically this year with having taken over the second floor of its building, formerly the Clotheshorse space (which can now be found next door). “The nice thing about consignment, the turn-over is extremely high,” says owner Maureen Court. “You never really know from day-to-day” what will be…
Best Second-hand Bookstore
If you love books and have never been in Doull’s, treat yourself. It’s the kind of place where if there isn’t enough room on the shelves for new stock it gets stacked on the floor, providing towers of words to hide behind, to get comfortable with and to explore. And while new books are amazing,…
Best Salesperson
Strong is a recurring name in this poll over the years, largely due to the popularity of her business, Wildflower, consistent thanks to the enduring freshness of the contemporary women’s fashions, gifts and accessories on offer, as well as Strong’s sense of style. Did you know that sense of style earned her Best Dressed (Female)…
Best Retail Sign
The art-school past and creative passion of Freak Lunchbox co-owner Jeremy Smith shows up in the look of his store every day. He and his wife Erin (who also own Peepshow Girly Boutique next door) came up with the concept long before opening the business. They arrived from Toronto, where Jeremy spent five years at…
Best Record Store
In the cut-throat world of music retail, CD Plus has done well. Starting off as a mail-order company, then operating dozens of retail locations across Canada, it’s also an online store, too. The Barrington Street location stays vital with a staff that knows its stuff, and a nice cross-section of stock, from indie to jazz.…
Best Women’s Clothing Store
Johanna Galipeau sees new stuff come into her store weekly, but only a few items, keeping the stock selling quickly. “It’s constantly new and fresh,” she says, focusing mainly on dresses, both business and casual styles. She also is proud of local designer Katrina Tuttle’s Sweet Pea Collection, a line that is only available at…
Best Men’s Clothing Store
It’s the double-barrelled approach of Duggers and D2 that keeps it winning this category: Like the beloved mullet hairstyle, it’s business in the front and party in the back. (Well, except that it’s business on the ground floor and party in the basement, but you know what we’re getting at.) Dugger’s has everything you need…
Best Real Estate Agent
Rosie the Realtor has owned this category for some time, instantly recognizable for her image branding as she is for her work as one of the busiest real estate agents in Halifax. “I love what I do and it shows,” she explains on her website, rosiep.ca. “Let me share this feeling with you by giving…
Best Pet Supply Store
The business calls itself “Canada’s Healthy Choice for Pets,” with locations in Bedford, Dartmouth and at Bayers Lake, carrying brands such as Nature’s Harvest, Natural Balance, Wellness, Holistic Blend, Home Made 4 Life, Healthy Paws and many more, including dog health supplements. Or pick up a few accessories, everything from beds to bones, creates to…
Best Optical Store
We had a personal experience with the fine folks at Gaudet recently. We needed a new pair of prescription sunglasses, so we brought in an older pair with good lenses but broken frames. They tried to find new frames to fit the lenses, but nothing quite worked. Then they kindly suggested a number of other…
Best New Store
Oh, the weeping with joy that was heard around the city when this mammoth international fashion outlet arrived. Next to Ikea, we can’t think of another business so desired here in town. Interesting coincidence that they were both founded in Sweden. Silver: Morrigan LeFay’s Mystical Gifts Bronze: Carbonstok
Best Musical Instrument Store
Now firmly ensconced in the local scene—the Canada-wide instrument supply business scooped up The Music Stop last year and has two more locations in Dartmouth and Bedford—they’ve made their presence felt. “The rental rates that L&M offer are way groovier than anyone in the business across Canada… it’s been really busy, man,” says Johnny Parker,…
Best Mechanic Shop
Even though Tapley has a fairly narrow range of automobiles he works on, Coast readers have recognized his specialized gift. “I’m strictly European cars,” he says, working on mostly BMWs, though he does service a few Ferraris. He’s been in Bedford for five years, but he started his career as a mechanic at a Volkswagen…
Best Massage Therapist
Hailing from Stellarton, Nova Scotia, Collier has been working as a massage therapist for just two and a half years, but clearly she’s making a big impact with her powerful digits. “I like to heal people,” she says. “To make people feel better. I’m interested in becoming a nurse. This is my first step.” Her…
Best Manicure / Pedicure
Part of the enjoyment for women of getting a manicure or pedicure at Remedy is the social opportunity. “We have an open concept spot,” says manager Nicola Hancock. “We can book up to four at a time. People make friends and get into a big conversation. It’s a really good time.” And guys do it,…
Best Jewellery Store
With 27 years of experience at Fireworks, manager and buyer Leslie Lawrence knows how the business works. “This year was trickier,” she says, referencing the economy, of course. “The one thing with the Maritimes, we’re always in a recession,” she says, chuckling. “It’s what makes us great comedians.” Lawrence says she has met and spoken…
Best Independent Bookseller
“It’s the time of year when we’re being flooded with new releases,” says manager Mike Hamm, predicting that Margaret Atwood and Alice Munro, the grand dames of Canadian fiction, will lead the charge this season with their new novels. There’s great interest in the new John Irving book as well, and the world’s most famous…
Best Hotel
It was a big deal for the city and it was a really big deal at The Lord Nelson. We’re talking about The Cute Beatle’s visit. “It was pretty cool,” says Carol Parrott, the Lord Nelson’s director of sales, who was a little star-struck when Paul McCartney arrived to stay at her hotel this summer.…
Best Hairstylist
“I’m out of the rat race,” says Brenda Stone from the tranquility of her own salon, a studio space right next to Woozles that she shares with one other stylist and an aesthetician. After 14 years as a stylist, she’s figured it out: it’s the quiet environment that appeals to her customers, and running her…
Best Hair Salon
They must be running out of space on those immaculate Thumper salon walls for plaques from Best of Halifax readers’ polls. Owner Malcolm Norton at first isn’t even sure what to say about his crack team of stylists, so he goes with a truism. “One of the things I’ve always said: happy people make creative,…
Best Home Accessories Store
Attica is the dream of NSCAD grads Suzanne Saul and Christopher Joyce, who have taken their keen eye for design over the years to fill four floors with the best in handmade and manufactured furniture and home accessories. “Business has been good this fall, and our sales are up from last year, so we’re really…
Best Furniture Store
Attica is the dream of NSCAD grads Suzanne Saul and Christopher Joyce, who have taken their keen eye for design over the years to fill four floors with the best in handmade and manufactured furniture and home accessories. “Business has been good this fall, and our sales are up from last year, so we’re really…
Best Flower Shop
Neville, once known as Neville MacKay—he says he gave up the surname one year “for lent” and never went back—is the owner of My Mother’s Bloomers, and spends part of his year travelling and observing business trends. “What’s happened is we’re going in a full circle,” he says. “We’re getting a retro-modern look.” He describes…
Best Fitness Instructor
A former Best of Halifax winner reclaims his crown. “We’re doing a lot more stuff for corporations,” says Sherrington about what has kept him busy since he last appeared in our pages. “Fitness for companies, boot camps and fitness on site.” The boot camps are especially popular: He and his colleagues will go to an…
Best Eco-conscious Store
So, you wanna buy a gift for your special someone over the holidays and you’re concerned about the environment. How about fair trade Christmas ornaments from Peru? P’lovers has gourds, silk elephants and cotton sheep. How about Canadian-made clothing? Or something from the popular Green Pan line? Or maybe you need to pick up some…
Best DVD Rental Store
The price to purchase DVDs has gone down as Blu-Ray picks up speed, but it’s hard to imagine that the enormous library of film available in DVD format at Video Difference is going to switch over anytime soon. That said, they do have Blu-Ray available, along with the city’s best selection of TV box sets.…
Ticket sales for the English Beat have been put on hold
“PLEASE NOTE THAT SALES FOR THIS EVENT HAVE BEEN PUT ON HOLD. MORE INFORMATION WILL FOLLOW.” All right, all right, Ticketpro. You don’t have to shout. The English Beat concert is scheduled for November 26 at the Paragon Theatre.
Best Corner Store
Joe Jr helps out his parents with their store that has been on the corner of Cornwallis and Maynard since the late ’70s. It’s a family operation, with four kids—three girls and a boy—filling-in when they can, though they all have their own careers, too. Joe Jr worked there this summer while the folks were…
Best Tech Store
Co-owner Jeremy MacNeil sings a familiar song with so many shops this year: sales are a little down. The good news is that the popular computer store’s service business has spiked, and it’s not because the products are being manufactured with less quality control, MacNeil assures us. “Everyone is feeling the squeeze of the economy…
Best Computer Store
Co-owner Jeremy MacNeil sings a familiar song with so many shops this year: sales are a little down. The good news is that the popular computer store’s service business has spiked, and it’s not because the products are being manufactured with less quality control, MacNeil assures us. “Everyone is feeling the squeeze of the economy…
Best Comics Store
The beloved comic store on Sackville has been called the best of its kind on Canada, nay, the world. “Now we want to look like it,” says owner Calum Johnston. This means a rearranging of stock, sales to clear out some back issues, bookshelves replacing spinning racks and eventually, new flooring, all to create what…
Best Bike Store
The heart of downtown is in this bike store, where you can pick up a new or reconditioned bicycle for $100 and up. With a 90-day warranty you can put the thing through its paces and bring it back if it doesn’t meet your standards. The store accepts donations of bike parts, and as their…
Best Audio Store
Everyone knows that Peak Audio is where you go for your high-end audio systems. These days a chunk of their business is concerned with home-automation. We’re talking recessed panels hiding controls for everything from lights to audio-visual equipment to hot tubs. Drop by their showroom for a demo and turn your home into a sexy…
Best Visual Artist
A locally based designer, White loves “all things colourful, retro and metal” and has worked with Toyota, VH1 Latin America, MTV, Wired magazine and Armada Skis. He’s currently working with Reckless Love, a hard rock band from Finland, developing their identity and CD design for their upcoming album on Universal, and has also been approached…
Best Male Theatre Actor
After a lot of moving around, Webb has decided to stay put in Halifax. “I love it here. I love performing and creating. Why the hell would anyone want to be anywhere else?” The multi-talented creative hypheante won a 2008 Merritt Award for playing Iago at Shakespeare By The Sea. He also wrote and produced…
Best Female Theatre Actor
In the past twelve months LeBlanc-Crawford has seen her theatre company Zuppa put on the widely adored Poor Boy, a short play called Very Secret Ceremony and she co-directed (with Alex McLean and Ben Stone) The Fairy of The Lake at Dalhousie’s Theatre Department. In 2010, expect to see a new work from Zuppa tentatively…
Best Movie Theatre
Whatever complaints Halifax cinemagoers might have about the local monopoly enjoyed by Empire Theatres—including the peculiar choices to restrict certain movies to the suburban screens instead of bringing them downtown—that Empire’s kept the Oxford going deserves a lot of kudos. The last single-screen cinema in the area, the Oxford has retained the quality of a…
Best Website
If a hunk of code could blush, it would. We very much appreciate that people like the website. It went through a rebirth early in 2009 and came out bigger and better, with more information and plenty of places for readers to comment on everything from our stories to local businesses and restaurants. And it’s…
Best Short Film
Jason Shipley’s Blood Shed is a gory horror/comedy short film that has played in festivals around the world. An abridged list: Adelaide, Huntington Beach, Varazdin, Lisbon, Barcelona, Cleveland and Strasbourg. It will finally screen here in January with Peter Jackson’s Dead/Alive as part of the reborn Thrillema genre cinema program. Watch The Coast for more…
Best Radio Show
“Being vital and interesting and of-the-day is what we’re all about,” says Diane Paquette, producer of Radio One’s*Information Morning,* hosted by Don Connolly and Elizabeth Logan. “We explore the topics people want to hear about.” That includes hard news stories of interest to both Haligonians and the rest of the province, as Information Morning is…
Best Newspaper Writer
“It’s been a crazy year,” says the ever-popular arts and entertainment reporter for the Chronicle-Herald. He rattles off a list of festivals and shows he enjoyed—In The Dead of Winter, Stanfest (“to see Sarah Harmer come out of hibernation”)—movies—Inglourious Basterds, District 9 (“It was a good year for genre movies”)—and indie releases—York Redoubt, The Got…
Best Filmmaker
Jason Eisener Eisener is armed and ready, with the full-length Hobo With A Shotgun, set to shoot in April. “Starting to realize this is actually really happening, which can make me very nervous at times,” he writes in an email. “But we’re shooting it here in Dartmouth and Halifax and the tremendous support of my…
Best Film
Given the huge Canadian success of the first TPB movie, it makes all sorts of sense that a sequel would be in cinemas. You have to give them credit, Countdown to Liquor Day is one of the best sequel titles of all time, and any movie that unleashes John Dunsworth is OK by us. His…
Best Male Film / TV Actor
Yeah, sure, he’s a celebrity thanks to Trailer Park Boys, but Mike Smith has the best of both worlds. As soon as he puts on those Bubbles glasses and hangs out with his buddies Robb Wells and John Paul Tremblay he’s a superstar, but as soon as he takes them off, he’s anonymous. No one…
Best Female Film / TV Actor
After a lull where we didn’t see the Oscar nominee, now Ellen is everywhere, even in the streets of Halifax (there were frequent sightings over the summer—it’s good to know despite her Hollywood schedule she still gets to come home once in awhile). She starred in Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut Whip It and will soon…
Best Festival
The 2009 edition of Jazzfest was a huge blast, says executive director Sarah Watling. “It was definitely resonating with people,” she says, name-checking Belle Orchestre and The Bad Plus as just a couple of the highlights. “Opening with Kenny Garrett was an amazing night for fans,” she adds. Looking forward, 2011 is the 25th anniversary…
Best Halifamous Person
After a lull where we didn’t see the Oscar nominee, now Ellen is everywhere, even in the streets of Halifax (there were frequent sightings over the summer—it’s good to know despite her Hollywood schedule she still gets to come home once in awhile). She starred in Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut *Whip It* and will soon…
