Pretty Waves and Lobster

My Halifax bucket list is slowly growing – which is fantastic, but even better I’m crossing things off as fast as they come to me.

I saw pictures of Point Pleasant Park, and the next day I went to see the glorious beauty the photograph portrayed. I had the Wednesday off and my cliché brain though, ‘What better time then the present.’ T’was amazing. I had yet to see any rolling waves in Halifax, and that day I got the chance. The ocean is one of my favourite things…

 

Check out pictures, here.

I had decided I should probably check out Dartmouth while I am here. I ended up doing that too, the same day- however, THAT was completely by accident. I hopped on the wrong bus and crossed the MacDonald Bridge… twice.

I said I wanted to try a small array of seafood, (and by small I meant as little as possible while still actually putting forth an effort.) I’m not a fish eater, however, I did bring myself to try lobster. On Saturday I came home these guys on the table…

 

Surprisingly, it wasn’t awful. It was rubbery though, which kind of turned me off. I felt like I was chewing forever. The garlic butter made up for its spring texture though. Mmmm. I’d give it another shot if the opportunity strikes.

Bars, food, ocean… oh my.

In the past week, I got to experience quite a bit of what Halifax has to offer. Thursday I got to experience my first St. Patty’s day in the East Coast. The bars were pumping by the time I was done work at 6:00 p.m. I attempted to celebrate the Irish holiday, with plans to drink beers at Pogue Fado, but when I got there the bouncer wouldn’t accept my ID. Disappointed, I headed home. But that wasn’t the end of my night. Remember how I said Durty Nelly’s could be my ‘go-to’ bar? Well it was. I ended up there for the night.

The rest of the weekend was just as busy with friends visiting from Ontario. Friday we met at Theodore Tugboat, and went for lunch at some pub near the water. At night we went to this place called, Club Soda, which I can honestly say I will never go again. While the company was great, it wasn’t my scene. The night ended with Pizza Pizza and a Halifax cab ride home.

 

Saturday, I had my first luncheon at the mall, and quite a tour of the city on the Metro. I’m realizing that the bus routes run a very backwards, rural route. But it was a nice view of the scenery none-the-less.

At night we went to Toothy Moose, which is a bar I was hoping to check out. We got there around 11:30 p.m. but apparently that is early in the East Coast. So we went to check out Alehouse, which I was told I would really enjoy. I did. It had a great live cover band and drinks weren’t hard to come by. The servers were dressed in old Irish duds and people were entertaining to watch. Having it be our third night out, however, we were getting pretty tired. Since the bars are open till 3:30 a.m., they were just getting crazy by the time we were ready to leave.

Sunday is the day that was most exciting. I got to cross Peggy’s Cove off my Halifax bucketlist! It was stunning! I love lighthouses and the ocean so I was in photographer mode the entire time. It was freezing there, but it hardly fazed us. We grabbed a hot drink after and headed home in time for dinner.

Kenzie’s nanny invited us over and we had a home-cooked meal.It was the first I’ve had since I arrived in Halifax. The drive from her house was mildly entertaining, laughing at the ‘bird streets.’ The names were, “Canary street,” and “Eagle Street;” the whole area was named after the flying singers.

Monday was time to say goodbye, which I actually had no intention of doing. I ran into the girls at Saint Mary’s University. (I was there on a story, they were there touring.) It was my first time there- what a gorgeous campus.

Is Durty an Irish name?

I have yet to make it out to the Seahorse Tavern, to check out their live entertainment, but I did get a chance to check out an authentic Irish Pub.

You’re thinking, “Authentic, my ass – you’re in Halifax,” but much of the city’s population is of Irish decent. (Almost, one in four Nova Scotians; that’s over 200,000 people.) Imagine what tomorrow will be like, celebrating St. Paddy’s day!

Durty Nelly’s is the first Irish pub I went to, last Saturday. I listened to acoustic guitar player, Dwight D’eon and fiddler, Adam Driscoll. They played a hellava choice in music, including, John Mayer, The Verve and some real Maritime’s music. It was the Heart and Crown, of Halifax – but better. And the beer was more accessible.

 

At the night’s end, I wasn’t ready to leave but I think I got ripped off because of the spring-ahead time change. I could see this bar as a potential ‘go-to,’ but let’s face it, it’s the only one I’ve been to so far. If it is any indication of how the rest of my Halifax experience is going to go, things are looking fantastic!

First day on the job…

Today was my first day at The Coast. Although working for nothing has never really been on my bucketlist, graduating with a degree is- and placement is apart of that.

I don’t think I could ask for a better start. The publication is great and the people are very welcoming. I was surprised at how laid back and relaxed everyone is.

I expected things to be more complicated, but it was easy to adapt to the funky atmosphere. I’m really glad I’m decided to be apart of the team.

I worked on a newsy story that you can read here.

I also had my first experience walking the streets alone, and taking the metro. The weirdest thing happened. You know how they say pedestrians have the right away? Well in Halifax, they really mean it.

People can strut right through the streets without waiting for the lights to change, as long as they walk at the crosswalk. Drivers just stop. I was waiting for the flow of traffic to stop so that I could cross the street, and a woman just stopped and waited for me to walk by. I was astonished.

As a driver, I would find that so frustrating.

People really are laid back here.

From the capital to the coast

So much for the whole Ottawa bucketlist…

I’m not completely giving up, but I’m putting it on the backburner for a while.

I just arrived in Halifax this morning, and already it has been an adventure. Between scary turbulence, settling in, and walking the downtown streets, I’m ready for a nap- but not before I fill you in on the route this blog is about to go.

I’ve decided to farther my posts, beyond that of the Capital and continue on to the Coast.

 

Although I’m visiting the city for an internship, I’m also here for the cultural experience.

I am starting a new list of things to do, while I’m in the East. Along with seeing Joel Plaskett, The Novaks, and Molly Rankin, I have a small number of other items that have been recommended to me, mostly by friends. Here it is:

-Seahorse Tavern (supposedly great live entertainment.)
-Check out a band called: Single Hill
-Cows (Ice cream)
-Lower Deck (again, more fantastic live music)
-The Dome (and some more live music)
-Alexander Keith’s brewery tour
-Go to a beach
-Buy a pirate souvenir, or meet a pirate.
-Try a small assortment of seafood
-Visit Peggy’s Cove

If you’ve been in the area, give me something to check out. Great art. A fun pub. The best pizza… anything goes in my bucketlist.