text:
25 years ago, all the rage. Now, along with photinia and nandina, disfavored and disdained. Mine is in full bloom. Contrary to widespread belief, the blooms are quite odorless. It is now perhaps in its 13th year, somewhat taller than my roof. It has never obliged me to uproot a single volunteer. It is well-formed and sturdy, the result of keeping it pruned to a single trunk until 7 ft. tall. It gets by nicely on the same amount of water the turf grass gets. In the fall, it is spectacular. I just picked up another one, 9 ft. tall, $44 at BigBox. Wish I had room for more. |
Follow-Up Postings:
I wish mine had taken lessons from yours on having odorless blooms, Whitecap, as the blooms on mine STINK. They are beautiful while in bloom, I just try to stay as far away from them as possible during that time. |
Mine is in it's 26th year and beginning to decline. When we moved to our area, the new HOA (not the nasty kind - just a loose association) voted to make the Bradford Pear the neighborhood tree, so as many homeowners as could, planted one. Over the 26 years most were taken out by high winds - ours may be the only one left because it had a pecan tree windbreak to the southwest of it and an oak to the north. It's been a beautifully shaped tree for us, although now it is getting spindly and has lost some branches high up in the canopy. I would plant another, being mindful of the fact it needs wind protection. The blooms don't smell bad on ours either. |
I got to talking to my mom, who taught me to garden from very young childhood, about "trash trees". She said that there really is no such thing. It's the right tree in the right place. She also mentioned that MOST ornamental trees, including edible fruit, do not live much past 25, no matter what the kind. She pointed out that not all plants live a zillion years like Oaks,Pecans, and Cypress. I personally don't care for Bradford pears and I do think they stink. So I don't plant them in my garden. If you like Bradfords plant them and enjoy! Don't worry too much about what others think. After all it's just an opinion, you're not growing narcotics or something. Know in around 20 or so years you'll have to replace them. |
Perhaps my olfactory mechanisms, like my knees, just aren't what they used to be. I suspect, though, that there are some bootleg clones of the Bradford out there that do not have the same characteristics as the original cultivar. I haven't looked deeply into the subject, but it's my impression that the Bradford, bred to be sterile, can become fertile through cross-pollination with certain other ornamental pears, producing plants with undesirable traits (thorns, for instance.) This had led to the Bradford being condemned as "invasive" in certain areas. Who knows. Groups undertaking to spread "awareness" of "invasive" plants do not, in my opinion, gain in credibility through close association with groups seeking grants for the removal of said plants. Perhaps one productive use of the Bradford would be to provide shade while waiting for live oaks to mature, instead of using those awful cottonwoods and Arizona ashes. As for the odor, one can always sniff before buying. |
The ornamental pears in my area have become fertile. On the one hand it's a pain with the fruit and thorns. On the other hand, it's kind of amazing that mother nature finds a way to produce fruit for animals. Kind of like, "Look a FRUIT tree with no FRUIT! We must fix this right away!" Here's an article that explains why they become fertile without getting too complicated. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Ornamental pears becoming fertile
Pace Ms. Phillips, I haven't noticed any "thorny wild stands" of Bradford pears in Central Texas. |
- Posted by midnightbirdgirl Zone 7 (My Page) on Mon, Mar 7, 11 at 17:44
We have two and they don't smell at all, good, bad, or indifferent. Nothing. But we are taking them out this year. Trees should have a purpose. We are replacing them with real fruit trees. |
Mine got taken out last year. It didn't turn into a snowball in the spring because the leaves popped out at the same time. It didn't turn a pretty color in the fall. It just was there. I blame the latter on it being planted under a red oak, so it didn't get enough sun, but that could just be me making excuses for it. I wouldn't plant one because they're all over the place and really have too weak of a branch structure for Texas weather. Plus, I have a problem with planting a tree that has a short life. I don't want to have to cut it down later, or worse PAY to have it cut down. |
It further occurs to me that, notwithstanding how it may perform in Florida or elsewhere, properly characterizing a plant as "invasive" in Texas requires, at a minimum, a demonstration that it is capable of surviving a Texas summer without supplemental watering. I do not believe this can be said of the Bradford pear. The last plant I bought was a mahonia. On my property, it has no conceivable purpose. I think I will allow it to stay anyway. |
- Posted by lou_midlothian_tx z8 DFW Tx (My Page) on Mon, Mar 7, 11 at 19:18
It's terrible tree for shade tree. For ornamental tree, it's fine. Every year, I see bradford trees split in half after severe spring thunderstorm only to see that they have to start all over for shade. It isn't just in Texas. Go over to Tree forum and they will go rabid over it. |
- Posted by copingwithclay Texas 8B (My Page) on Mon, Mar 7, 11 at 20:49
Midnightbirdgirl, instead of going through the trouble of taking out your mature Bradford pears and replacing them with little fruit trees, there is a better mousetrap to consider.Bradford pear trees make a great rootstock to graft sticks from fruit-producing pear trees. Very good quality pear trees that can grow fruit in your area would be'happy' to have some of their twigs grafted onto your Bradford branches. If you wanted to try this, grafters on this forum would coach you, and web sites offer very good help. If unwilling, then maybe your local county extension agent could help. Please don't waste the mature Bradford w/o considering this possibility. I bought 5 fairly large Bradfords for this purpose of grafting on them with high quality pear graftwood. All 5 are growing well with their new branches. |
I don't want for shade. At last count, I had 6 large oaks, a couple of old mesquites, and a huge magnolia. The Bradford cannot compete with them, but neither can they with it. |
I will grant you that, if you allow a Bradford to grow willy-nilly, the result will be a structurally weak tree. The true test is how one properly shaped will perform. As for the "Gurus," they deliver themselves of many pronouncements which owe little to personal experience and direct observation--a case in point being the notion that photinias swoon from fungal disorders as soon as they are placed in the ground. Just drive around any Central Texas neighborhood and see how many diseased ones you can spot. |
Whitecap, a gardening friend and I were driving through a neighborhood yesterday that had beautifully pruned and shaped Bradfords, and they were stunning. I am assuming they had them professionally done as they were very uniform in shape. |
Actually, Bradford pears naturally grow to that stunning shape. That's what made them so popular when they were first introduced. But, after about 20 years, if they survive the winds and ice, they do tend to decline and they lose that lovely shape. |
I hate the smell of them as well. A neighbor has a line of them along his privacy fence in the backyard. And all the little white petals get tracked in the house. :( |
Neil Sperry lists five other cultivars of Callery Pears. Perhaps some are more odoriferous than the Bradford. I don't think a sturdy shape comes naturally to the Bradford. I had to butcher mine for several years to maintain it to a single trunk until it got 6 or 7 feet tall. At that point, the branches assumed a more vertical angle. On Henderson Pass Road, in San Antonio, between Thousand Oaks and 1604, there is a long row of them, along the street. They were there 20 years ago, and I would guess they are a good 25 years old. It pains me to look at them, every time I pass that way. They were allowed to branch out vertically, only 3 or 4 feet from the ground. Still, there they are, ancient and intact. We don't get any ice storms down this way, of course. |
- Posted by maden_theshade 8 - Austin (My Page) on Sun, Apr 3, 11 at 0:00
I used to really dislike the Bradfords...until I bought a house with one. It is one of the first trees to leaf out and shade our back yard. Just wish it were on the West side instead of the East side! I can never figure out the smell thing. We have Bradfords at work and some years, they do seem to smell. And then this year, never noticed any odor. I've yet to notice an odor on the tree in my yard. It's odd. And you know, those clever squirrels will eat anything, including the false fruits on my Bradford. :-) |
- Posted by texan_grower(email@example.com) onMon, Apr 18, 11 at 18:44
I don't mind them really, except they are so commonly planted they are kind of boring. There are three of them in my yard (planted by previous owner). They are the largest nicest trees on the lot, so they aren't going anywhere, but I don't think I would choose to plant them myself. |
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Halifax & Nova Scotia |
It was at first visit for this Torontonian.
I have made 25 trips to NS since Aug, 1997: 1 by air, 1 by rail, 23 by road. Last trip: June-July 2013. Length of last stay: 31 days.
Comments on the site? Leave a message.
I first visited Halifax and Nova Scotia in the summer of 1997 when one of my daughters began studies at Dalhousie University. Since then I have visited many times, always with increasing fondness for the unique atmosphere of both the province and its capital city. Torontonians sometimes ask me what I like about going down East, so what follows here is an attempt to describe the charm.
As viewed from Citadel Hill, 2010. |
As viewed from Dartmouth Waterfront,
2013. |
Click the film reels to see other film clips of Halifax.
xxx |
July, 2009: Regeneration at Point Pleasant Park is starting to show! |
Travelling to Halifax from Toronto:
air - 2 hours:
The Halifax International
Airport is one of eight "major" airports in the country.
Finding a direct flight to Halifax is possible from most airports in
Canada, and from several international points as well. The airport is
situated about 30 km NE of the city, and shuttle service to your hotel
can be arranged upon arrival. You can choose from limousine service
(about $45 one way), cabs (about $35 one way) and shuttle
bus which drops passengers off at most of the major hotels in
the Halifax-Dartmouth region ($18 one way). If you are planning to rent
a car, make your reservations early as cars are sometimes just not
available. A nonstop flight from Toronto takes 2 hours, 2.5 hours for
the return.
By train - 28 hours: VIA Rail runs "The Ocean" from Montréal to Halifax, now reduced to 3 times a week. Total time on the rails from Toronto is 28 to 30 hours. You must change trains in Montréal. This change can sometimes be a simple as crossing the platform, but it's more likely that you will have to go upstairs to the station and join the queue for the Halifax train. Expect to be in Montréal for an hour or two. If the number of passengers exceeds VIA expectations, this train change can be quite tiresome. Checked baggage will be transferred for you. I strongly suggest sleeper accommodation, and I guess VIA does too as their brochure describes The Ocean as "a B&B between Montréal and Halifax." On the whole, the scenery is better by road. The train goes through everybody's backyard. You will miss the St. John River Valley because the tracks take you through New Brunswick by way of Campbellton, Bathurst, and Miramichi. The Skyline Car is great so long as it's not full of kids throwing popcorn. VIA staff often forgets to turn off the dome lights at night, making it impossible to see out. Dinner on board The Ocean is wonderful. |
By car - 20 hours (exclusive of food and rest stops): The Canadian route (1885 km)? Or the US route (1840 km)? One night on the road? Two? Or more? The Canadian route: It's the most straightforward route from Toronto. Whenever possible I opt for a relaxed pace with 2 overnight stops. To avoid congestion in both Toronto and Montréal I prefer to leave Toronto on a Sunday. Montréal is really the only serious obstacle on the Canadian route. Monday to Friday wait times at the Montréal bridges can be considerable during peak traffic times. There are a number of ways to pass through Montréal. I have often simply remained on Highway 20 (401 becomes 20), following it through Dorval into Montréal, and then crossing the St. Lawrence on the Champlain Bridge. This tends to be a slow route, but it does afford a spectacular view of the Montréal skyline as you travel along the shore of the St. Lawrence after exiting the bridge. On this route you have to watch carefully for the signs to 20 East (Québec) because the route requires a few turns. If you let your attention lapse you can end up going to the U.S. or even back over the bridge. A more straightforward and sometimes faster (albeit less scenic) route through Montréal is Highway 40. You will have an opportunity to take 40 as you are approaching Montréal on 20. Follow 40 to the Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine Tunnel. A caution: at peak traffic times you may find this tunnel claustrophobic and suffocating. Keep windows closed against fumes and avoid the center lane which is for trucks. Exiting the tunnel you are on 20 and bound for Québec with no turns required. If tunnels are not for you, just stay on 40 East. Outside Montréal, Highway 40 becomes an excellent divided highway running along the north shore of the St. Lawrence. It is somewhat more scenic than the exceedingly bland 20 which parallels 40 on the south side of the river. It is also about 20 km longer, and you will need to watch the signs in Trios-Rivières as there are some turns. If you opt for 40 you will need to cross the St. Lawrence at Québec on the Peirre Laporte Bridge instead of in Montréal, but it is a much easier crossing than any of the options in Montréal. The following map of Montréal may help: Toronto to
Québec City is a fairly relaxed day 1 drive. If
you wish to visit
Québec I
suggest staying in or near Lévis, on the south shore.
Accommodation there is less expensive than in Québec City,
you will probably arrive in time to take the ferry across the St.
Lawrence for dinner in old Québec. A recent discovery is the Hôtel
Bernières (535 rue Aréna, at St.
Nicholas, Québec, 418-831-3119, 1-800-749-3119, email:
firstname.lastname@example.com). Conveniently located alongside Highway 20,
only 1 km from the Pierre Laporte Bridge, the Hôtel
Bernières offers rooms that are
superior to the Comfort Inn at Lévis and at much better
prices. And the garden-like setting is very relaxing. Another 200 km
east of Québec City is Rivière-du-Loup, which is
approximately halfway on the Canadian route. If you want to drive the
trip with only one stopover, then make Rivière-du-Loup your
day 1 destination. I suggest the Motel Boulevard Cartier (80 Boulevard
Cartier, 418-867-1830 -- take Exit 507). It is clean, reasonably
priced, and attached to a St. Hubert Restaurant. If you prefer more
upscale accommodation there's a Comfort Inn directly across the road.
From Rivière-du-Loup head south on the mostly 2-lane 185 to
Edmundston, New Brunswick. Put
your watch ahead 1 hour to Atlantic time
when you cross into New Brunswick.
From Edmundston drive the new 4-lane
and very scenic St. John River Valley route (Highway 2) to Fredericton,
an excellent spot for a day 2 stopover if you are ready. If Fredericton
is too far then I recommend the Auberge Près du Lac at Grand
Falls or the Econo Lodge at Woodstock. In Fredericton, the Silverwood
Motel / Thistle Family Restaurant
(take the Mactaquac exit to 102) was always
my favourite place to overnight, but as of 2010 the Silverwood has
changed owners. I have not yet evaluated its new identity.
Regardless, the Mactaquac
exit is a good choice as it will take you into Fredericton via the old
highway, 102, also known as the Woodstock Road. It is a
drive, a very pleasant route. To rejoin Highway 2,
right onto Prospect Street and follow the signs. To go into
downtown Fredericton, follow the Woodstock Road. Once
can always get back to Highway 2 by taking Regent Street uphill until
you see the interchange. Of course,
if you really want to punish yourself, you can
drive Toronto to Fredericton in one day. Leaving at 6 a.m. Toronto
time, and allowing for the 1-hour time zone loss, plus minimal time out
for meals, you will likely get into Fredericton about 9 p.m. local
time. A 10 a.m. next day departure from Fredericton will put you in
Halifax by mid-afternoon. Take a break at Fredericton! Go for a walk on the extensive river trails, enjoy an ice cream at the riverside lighthouse, and cross the St. John River on the world's longest pedestrian bridge. Entering Nova Scotia from New Brunswick, take Trans Canada Highway 104 to Truro, then take NS Highway 102 to Halifax. I suggest entering Halifax via the Hammonds Plains Road exit. Turn right at the lights when you run out of road and then follow the Bedford Highway into the city. This route gives you a great view of the Bedford Basin and the McKay Bridge. S 2009 Update: A Montréal Merry-go-around – The Road Less Travelled: If you wish to avoid Montréal entirely, there is a way to do it and still remain in Canada. The route offers a relatively peaceful mix of 2 and 4-lane highways. It does pass through some towns; however, given the time consuming traffic chaos in Montréal, I would say this route adds only about an hour to the overall journey. Going this way you will miss Montréal entirely by passing to the north of it. From Toronto, drive 401 East to Lancaster, which is just east of Cornwall. At Lancaster, take Highway 34 North (Exit 814 on 401) and drive to Hawkesbury. At Hawkesbury, cross the Ottawa River to Québec, and drive a short distance north on Québec 344. Go past Highway 148 to Highway 50. The fact that 50 has been extended to meet 344 may not yet have found its way onto your road map. Drive 50 East to Highway 15. Do a short jog north on 15 and connect with Highway 158 East at St-Jérôme. Now you will follow 158 East all the way to 40; however, as you approach Joliette, watch for a small, easy-to-miss sign that marks a turn for the continuation of 158. Continue east on 158 and then join 40 East at Berthierville (Exit 144 on 40 West if you are returning this way). You can then drive east on 40, crossing the St. Lawrence on the Pierre Laporte Bridge at Québec. If you have time, and wish to enjoy quiet roads for a while longer, try crossing the St. Lawrence on a ferry near Berthierville. To do this, give the exit to Highway 40 a miss, and continue a very short distance on 158 to the river at St. Ignace-de-Loyola. Then cross on the ferry to Sorel-Tracy. From there take 132 East, and then pick up 122 East (just after Yamaska) and follow it to connect with 20 East at Drummondville. I found that there is no significant difference in distance between this route and taking the Pierre Laporte Bridge. Although possibly somewhat slower, it is peaceful and more interesting. The ferry trip takes about 15 minutes, and one of the two boats in operation leaves every half hour from either side – cost is $7.50 one way for car and driver. Have a look! By the way, if you overnight at Hawkesbury you can easily make Edmundston, or even Fredericton, NB, the next day. ************ The US route: There are several advantages: you avoid the traffic of Montréal; it is a more peaceful and slower journey; it is very picturesque in places, especially in Vermont; there are more opportunities for shopping as the route winds through many towns; fuel prices are generally somewhat better than in Canada. The are also disadvantages: you must have some American money; you may need extra medical insurance in case of accident; there are border crossings to manage -- a passport is now a very good idea, especially if you were not born in Canada; "Peaceful and slow" can actually be frustrating if you are in a hurry, and even if you are not. REDUCE SPEED AHEAD signs are everywhere, and if you see a construction sign in Maine saying PAVEMENT ENDS you know you are in for a rough ride. The route takes you through four states (New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine). It becomes the main street of several towns. On the highways, almost all of which are winding 2-lane roads, the speed limit is 55 mph. But nonetheless the route has its charms. I recommend crossing to the US at Cornwall, well short of Montréal. You can also cross at Montréal by following the signs to the US -- take Highway 15 -- but to me one of the main advantages of taking the US route is avoiding the traffic chaos in Montréal. If you leave Toronto just before noon, you can easily arrive in Burlington, Vermont, in time for a leisurely patio dinner on the Church St. Mall. After you cross the bridges at Cornwall, take Highway 37 to Malone, NY. Turn left at the lights in Malone and take 11 North – it runs north for only a short distance before heading east. From here there are a couple of possibilities, depending on your time and inclination. (1) You could follow 11 North to 9, then take 9 South to Plattsburg, continuing on to Port Kent where you can cross Lake Champlain to Burlington, Vermont, on a car ferry. It's a very pleasant voyage and brings you right into downtown Burlington. In Burlington I recommend dinner at any of the numerous restaurants on the Church Street Mall. The Anchorage Inn, located at 108 Dorset Street, South Burlington, VT 05403, 1-800-336-1869, is a reasonable place to stay. (2) A second possibility would be to follow Highway 11 North to Rouses Point. Then take 2 South through the islands of Lake Champlain. This is a very scenic route. Leave Highway 2 at Interstate 89 South to drive the last 10 miles into Burlington. From I-89, take the South Burlington Exit (14 E) which exits onto Williston Road. For the Anchorage Inn, drive Williston to Dorset Street, turn right. The Anchorage Inn is on the left shortly after turning, just past Barnes and Noble. Leaving Burlington, take the scenic I-89 South to Montpelier, then it is Highway 2 all the way to Bangor. Watch out for signs pointing to Highway 2. It is particularly easy to lose Highway 2 in St. Johnsbury. A good place to stop for lunch is Welsh's Restaurant in Gorham, New Hampshire. It's located on 2 which is Gorham's main street, on the left side. There is easy parking in front. At Bangor I now believe that the best plan is to take Highway 9 straight across to Calais. Tank up in Bangor as Highway 9 is almost completely without services. On the map, the Highway 1A/1 loop running to Calais from Bangor through Ellsworth, Hancock, and Machias looks like a scenic coastal route. It is not. The ocean is almost never visible, and the countryside is bland. If you do opt for this route, and it is time for a stop, I found the Ellsworth Motel, 24 High Street, Ellsworth, Maine 04605, (207-667-4424) offers good value. NOTE: As of 2010, The Cat, running from Bar Harbour, Maine, to Yarmouth, NS, is no longer in operation. No matter which route you take, you will be crossing to St. Stephen, New Brunswick, at Calais, Maine, and then following Highway 1 to Saint John, NB. Driving to Halifax from Saint John you have two choices: (1) Take the shortcut across the Bay of Fundy to Digby, NS, on board the Princess of Acadia. Bay Ferries paints an idyllic scene: "So, instead of checking your mirrors, you'll be able to check out the seabirds that soar overhead. Instead of being strapped into your seat, you'll be able to roam free on the decks looking for whales and dolphins. Instead of hearing groans from the back seat, you'll hear your family's laughter as you enjoy your adventure on the high seas." Yes, it is indeed a very pleasant 3-hour voyage, but you will be lucky to see any whales. I have sailed the Princess of Acadia twice. The first time there was dense fog the whole way. The second trip was beautiful, but no whales. Nevertheless, I do prefer this way of arriving in Nova Scotia. Once in Digby, Halifax is only 3 hours away, a smooth ride on the 101 through the Annapolis Valley, Wolfville, and Windsor. The alternative (2) is to drive from Saint John to Halifax via Moncton, Amherst, and Truro, and certainly this is a pleasant drive on excellent roads. |
Flower power on Birmingham Street, Halifax.
Best Western, Chocolate Lake + Slide Show
Super 8
Dartmouth: Detailed
Review & Slide Show
Memoriam: The Halifax Wandlyn / Bayview Motor Inn
Peggy's Cove Lighthouse |
Peggy's Cove Harbour |
Point Pleasant Park |
Point Pleasant Park Stump Art |
Point Pleasant Park Squirrel |
Halifax Farmers' Market |
Creative Crannies |
GUS the Tortoise |
All tied up in Halifax! |
Pier 21:: Gateway to Canada |
Tall & Ugly! |
A mix of old and new |
Iron-Eating Trees on Citadel Hill! |
MacDonald Suspension Bridge |
Halifax Public Gardens |
The Halifax Buskers Festival |
Lucknow Street, Halifax |
Harbourside Market |
Hydrostone Market |
Seaside Retirement |
Halifax Homes Image Gallery |
Frog Pond Image Gallery |
South Park Street, Halifax |
Oxford Theatre, Halifax |
The Signs of Good Food are Everywhere! |
Wild Iris, Briar Island, Digby Neck |
Jazz Festival |
Point Pleasant Park
Lodge |
Balancing Rock on Long Island |
Gallery photos by John Tomlinson
Webcams aren't noted for great photography, and yet this image recorded on Dec 6, 2010, by the Boardwalk webcam at Cable Wharf is quite etherial. |
What to do IN &
Bring your walking shoes to Halifax! Virtually everything is within walking distance. But it's a very steep climb up to the Spring Garden Road area from the waterfront, so you may want to plan ahead to avoid repeated ups and downs. | |
The Halifax Waterfront: A public boardwalk extends along the Halifax waterfront and passes many points of interest such as the Historic Properties, a designated Heritage Canada site which comprises three city blocks of restored waterfront warehouses that were originally built in the late 1700s and early 1800s to store privateer treasures. The treasures they now house include elegant specialty boutiques, eateries, and a market. Take the ferry from Halifax to Dartmouth and explore the Dartmouth waterfront. The Halifax-Dartmouth ferry is the oldest saltwater ferry system in North America and is an inexpensive way to view both waterfronts. Further along the boardwalk are the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic and the Cable Wharf -- so allow lots of exploration time. Thw Halifax Regional Municipality web site provides an excellent 2 - 3 hours walking tour of the waterfront and downtown areas. |
The Frog Pond: From the Armdale Rotary in Halifax travel Purcell's Cove Road for 1.4 km; turn left onto Dingle Road, and then go left again. There is a parking lot at the end of the road. Another parking lot may be found at 2.2 km along Purcell's Cove Road. Look for the parking lot on the left just before the frog pond. The Frog Pond Trail is part of Fleming Park, a 95-acre park with two major walking trails through four natural habitats: second-growth woodlands, a heath barren, a saltwater habitat, and the frog pond. Also in the park are a sandy beach and the Dingle Tower, with bronze lions at the foot. The park was donated to Halifax in 1908 by Sir Sandford Fleming, creator of Standard Time Zones, designer of Canada's first postage stamp, and engineer for the Canadian Pacific Railway. The Dingle Tower was dedicated in 1912 to commemorate 150 years of representative government. |
Halifax Public Gardens: Located on Spring Garden Road at South Park St.: Rare example of a formal Victorian public garden surviving intact and relatively unspoiled in the heart of a modern city. Many floral displays, mature trees, statues and fountains. The 17-acre park is enclosed by a wrought-iron fence with a magnificent set of ornamental gates. Responsibility for the original garden (N.S. Horticultural Society, 1836) and a civic garden (1867) was assumed by the city of Halifax in 1874, and the gardens were brought together by Richard Power, who created the present design in 1875. |
Point Pleasant Park: From Spring Garden, take Tower Road to Point Pleasant Drive. Point Pleasant Park is one of Canada's finer urban parks, and there's no better place for a walk along the water on a balmy day. This 186-acre park occupies a wooded peninsular point, and it served for years as one of the linchpins in the city's military defense. You'll find the ruins of early forts and a nicely preserved Martello tower. Halifax has a 999-year lease from Great Britain for the park, for which it pays 1 shilling -- about US10¢ -- per year. You'll also find a lovely gravel carriage road around the point, a small swimming beach, miles of walking trails, and groves of graceful fir trees. The park is located about 1 1/4 miles (2km) south of the Public Gardens. No bikes are allowed on weekends or holidays. Source: Frommer's Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, 4th Edition. You should also be aware that in the summer of 2000 it was discovered that the park is threatened by an infestation of Brown Spruce Longhorn Beetles with the result that there are now some bare patches where infected trees have been removed. There is some debate about the seriousness of the beetle threat. After your walk, don't forget to get an ice cream at the Point Pleasant Variety Store, corner of Tower and Point Pleasant Drive. (Read the text of the official Park brochure.) |
The Dingle Tower: Located in Sir Sanford Fleming Park. The park is named after one of Canada's great renaissance men. Fleming created Standard Time zones, designed Canada's first postage stamp, and was a chief surveyor for the Canadian Pacific Railway. He donated the park's 95 acres to the city in 1908. Its extensive waterfront and hillside trail system lead through four distinct natural habitats. Rising above the park is The Dingle Tower (1912), built to commemorate 150 years of representative government in Nova Scotia. The 10-storey stone tower is open in summer and fall, and offers spectacular views of the Northwest Arm and surrounding area. To get to the top you will have to climb five flights of regular stairs, plus one flight of spiral stairs at the bottom and another at the top. The regular stairs hug the walls of the empty interior space. If heights bother you, just stay next to the wall and keep focused on the stairs. Once you have climbed all the regular stairs there is a full floor, from which the second spiral stairs ascend. At the top, there is a good view; however, it is obstructed by a wire mesh barrier which keeps people in, and pidgeons out. The observation deck has undergone a renovation and is no longer dingy and graffiti-ridden. A supervised salt-water beach, children's playground, and canteen are other attractions here. If you feel like walking, the park is connected by trails to the Frog Pond. | |
McNabs and Lawlors Islands Provincial Park: The park is located at the mouth of Halifax Harbour; it comprises all of Lawlors Island and most of McNabs Island. Fort McNab National Historic Site of Canada is operated by Parks Canada and is situated on McNabs Island. Visit the McNabs Island at your own risk. There are NO emergency facilities or telephones. The old forts, wharves, and other ruins may contain hazards. McNabs Island is accessible by commercial or private boat from Halifax, Dartmouth, Eastern Passage, and Purcell's Cove. The trip takes about 25 minutes from downtown Halifax, or 10 minutes from Eastern Passage. Several ferry and charter boat companies offer drop-off and pick-up service, as well as group charters to McNabs Island. Rates and times vary. Lawlors Island is located opposite MacCormicks Beach in Eastern Passage. The island is mainly forested and supports a colony of Great Blue Heron and many Osprey. Deer are often seen grazing in the fields on the island. Lawlors Island was farmed for nearly 100 years until 1970 when it was acquired for use as a quarantine station and hospital. Lawlors Island is not open to visitors. Devils Island is a small island at the mouth of Halifax Harbour. Once home to 19 families, the island is now uninhabited. Devils Island is privately owned and not part of the park. To read more about the history of Devil's Island, use your public library's online magazine database service to find an artticle in the Aug/Sep 1998 issue of The Beaver / Canada's History: Title: "Devil's Island," by: Kate Langan, The Beaver, 00057517, Aug/Sep98, Vol. 78, Issue 4. The Friends of McNabs Island Society is a registered charity established in 1990 to protect and promote the islands for use as parkland. The Friends maintain the island trails, and organize island events and clean-ups. |
Spring Garden Road: There is everything you want on Spring Garden Road: restaurants & sidewalk cafes, bookstores and a library, a university, parks, and a Victorian garden known as the Halifax Public Gardens. At the Public Gardens, along the outside of the surrounding wrought iron fence, artisans display and sell their work. You'll also find shops, offices and services in abundance. The Spring Garden area is the heart of the city! |
Dalhousie University: Dalhousie University was founded as a non-denominational institution in 1818 -- with the help of booty captured during the War of 1812 -- by the Earl of Dalhousie, at the time Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia. But, the university did not function as such until the 1860s, when it was reorganized. The first degrees were awarded in 1866. Dalhousie University is located in the south end of Halifax. It occupies more than 60 acres of lush grounds in a primarily residential area and is only a few blocks from the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and the city centre to the east. DalTech, also referred to as the Sexton Campus, occupies land in the hub of downtown Halifax, about six blocks away from the main campus. Walk to the top of University Avenue and explore the campus, not forgetting to visit The University of King's College which has a main entrance off Coburg Road near Oxford. King's is the oldest English-speaking Commonwealth university outside the United Kingdom. |
Mount Saint Vincent University: MSVU has a huge and architecturally very interesting campus located on the Bedford Highway. Only a very small portion of the campus is visible from the road. Be prepared to climb, but a walk through this campus is worthwhile. There are woods, and a creek, and a duck pond -- all on the campus. I walked along something called the Freda Wales Trail which affords a real tour of the campus. There's even an art gallery you can visit. |
Saint Mary's University: The Saint Mary's Campus is located in South End Halifax and is well worth a tour. Saint Mary's is proud of its heritage as the oldest English speaking Roman Catholic university in Canada. The university traces its earliest beginnings to 1802 when the Reverend Edmund Burke, later Bishop Burke, initiated instruction for young men at the Glebe House, located on the corner of Halifax's Spring Garden Road and Barrington Street. 1802 is the first of many key dates in the university's history. Some of the significant benchmarks in Saint Mary's early history include 1841 when the Nova Scotia Legislature bestowed the degree granting charter to Saint Mary's, 1940 when the Jesuit leadership began, and 1970 when the university became a public institution. |
The MacDonald Bridge: Take the pedestrian walkway across to Dartmouth! You'll get great views of the Halifax waterfront and Canada's East Coast Naval facilities. The bridge is high and vibrates slightly, so you may want to set aside various phobias for the duration of the walk! |
Citadel Hill: It's a stiff climb from the Town Clock up to the fortress, but worth every puff. Even if you don't take the inside tour there's a wonderful view from the top. Constructed between 1828 and 1856, the Halifax Citadel is an impressive star-shaped masonry structure complete with defensive ditch, earthen ramparts, musketry gallery, powder magazine, garrison cells, guard room, barracks, and school room. During the summer months, you can ask a soldier's wife what life was like, watch 19th-century kilted soldiers drill on the parade, listen to the sound of bagpipes, sample a soldier's fare in the restored coffee bar, brush up on the past with a guided tour, visit the Army Museum or view the "Tides of History," a 50-minute audio-visual show on the history of Halifax and its defences. A number of regularly scheduled events, such as the firing of the noon gun -- synonymous with lunch hour in Halifax -- make the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site an exciting place to visit. You might need a full day to explore Citadel Hill, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Canada. Guided tours are offered and there are often special events during the summer months. Fees vary depending on the season. |
The Canadian Navy, present and past, is everywhere in Halifax. Start on the waterfront with the Acadia. CSS (Canadian Survey Ship) Acadia was launched in 1913 at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in England. She was the first vessel specifically designed to survey Canada's northern waters, the only ship to serve in the Royal Canadian Navy during both World Wars, and only vessel still afloat to have survived the Halifax Explosion in 1917. She was retired in 1969 after 56 years of service, and in 1982 became a floating museum ship, part of the collection at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic on the Halifax waterfront. If you happen to be in Halifax on Canada Day, check the waterfront for Navy vessels open for touring. On July 1, 2006 the HMCS (Her Majesty's Canadian Ship) Halifax was moored at the waterfront and open to the public. The Halifax is a "City Class" Multi-Role Patrol Frigate. Twelve of these helicopter-carrying frigates were launched in the early-to-mid 1990s. They combine anti-submarine, anti-surface and anti-air systems to deal with threats below, on and above the sea surface. They are named after Canadian cities: HALIFAX (330), VANCOUVER (331), VILLE DE QUÉBEC (332), TORONTO (333), REGINA (334), CALGARY (335), MONTREAL (336), FREDERICTON (337), WINNIPEG (338), CHARLOTTETOWN (339), ST. JOHN'S (340), OTTAWA (341). Looking at Halifax from the bridge of the HMCS Halifax gives a unique perspective! For a great view of Canada's East Coast Naval Shipyards, just walk out a short way on the pedestrian walkway of the MacDonald Bridge. |
The South End: Start at Spring Garden Road and walk south along South Park Street. Here you will see many types of architecture, a few high rises, mostly houses, many converted into flats. Continue on South Park to the corner of Inglis Street. Here South Park Street switches names and becomes Young Avenue. This switching of street names in mid stream is an idiosyncrasy of Halifax. Continue south along Young Avenue and you will view some of the very best, older homes in Halifax. At the end of Young Avenue is Point Pleasant Park, with 186 acres of natural parkland. The park is very hilly in some areas yet the walking and wheeling trails are well tended, hard packed with some light gravel. Go into the park either from the end of Young Avenue or turn left and head down the hill; it's a good walk but you will find another entrance to the park that will take you to the mouth of the harbour and Black Point Beach. The water is cold and the beach is not accessible but walk along the shoreline past the beach and you will get a real feel for the harbour and park. |
There are many motorcycling enthusiasts in Halifax. The place to check out the iron horses is Ferry Boat Lane.
Nova Scotia Biker News: Coming from the Halifax Regional Police Deptartment
Ardmore Tea Room, Halifax |
Halifax has the usual North American assortment of franchised restaurants: Tim Hortons, Harvey's, Swiss Chalet, McDonald's, East Side Mario's, KFC, Second Cup, etc. If you must have fast food in Halifax, then Quinpool Road between Oxford and Robie is the place to go. I recommend Subway, Wendy's, or Perks. Smitty's Family Restaurant, at Tower and Spring Garden, serves reasonably priced meals in a pleasant environment, and you get air miles. Here's a site that lists many restaurants in Halifax: The Coast. Some of the restaurants in the haphazard and personal listing below, as noted in red, have gone out of business, but remain listed here for nostalgia's sake. |
• Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner • Local Breweries |
Ardmore Tea Room | 6499 Quinpool Rd – quaint, breakfast is good, service may be "relaxed." |
Esquire Restaurant |
The Esquire Family Restaurant, 772 Bedford Highway -- bright, clean, easy parking, friendly service. Personal favourite, especially for breakfast, late 90s - 2012. I had a very disappointing dinner experience, in respect to both service and food, at the Esquire in 2013. But this restaurant enjoys considerable popularity for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so I'm willing to try again. |
Montreal Grill | Montreal Grill & Catering: Great homemade food at a great price! Located at 5151 George Street, Bank of Montreal Tower, B3J 1M5, Tel 902-425-5900, across from Murphy's. Open 5 days a week, Monday - Friday, 6 a.m. - 5p.m. Personal favourite 2011 - 2012. |
• Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner • Local Breweries |
Atlantic Superstores |
There's always a good variety of fresh sandwiches available, and usually a pleasant area in which to sit and eat. My favourite is the Barrington Street store where neighbouring Cornwallis Park provides a great picnic spot. The locations at the Bayers Lake shopping complex and on Quinpool Road are also great, offering particularly good wraps, and pleasant eating areas. Personal favourite late 90s - 2013. |
Bud the Spud |
Parked outside the library on Spring Garden Road – chip wagon extraordinaire. Bud the Spud, otherwise known as Bud True and his wife Nancy, have fried up fresh hand-cut fries from jumbo P.E.I. potatoes for the last 23 years. Their chip wagon, Bud the Spud, has a reserved spot on Spring Garden Road in front of the library. Discontinued 2009. See CBC News report on the loss of this Halifax icon. BUT, during my 2010 trip I found Bud the Spud reborn. The same chip truck is now being operated by new owners. |
Chickenburger, Bedford |
The Chickenburger, 1531 Bedford Highway. Follow the #2 highway to Bedford and The Chick is on the right, across from Sunnyside Mall. Open for over 40 years, the retro decor isn't the only sign of the past: homestyle burgers, thick milkshakes, fresh fish, and the signature chickenburger, with its tender pieces of bird and warm bun, speak to a time when life was sweet, simple and downright tasty. Reviewed by The Coast. Personal favourite 2009 - 2012. |
Daily Grind Cafe | Formerly "The Daily Grind Newsstand & Cafe" at 5686 Spring Garden Road, but now relocated to 1479 Birmingham Street – order from counter: excellent sandwiches & soups, very pleasant and relaxing eating area complete with chandeliers and fireplaces. At the old location you passed through a great selection of books, magazines, and newspapers on the way to the food, but the new facility has no such literary element. This spot was personal favourite, and the very first place I ate in Halifax in 1997. It came under new ownership as of 2009. Sadly, the "jazz players," like the books, are gone, but in 2012 I scored a really excellent egg salad sandwich on a croissant at the new location, so... Personal favourite 2012. |
Harbourside Market |
1869 Upper Water Street in the Historic Properties -- located on the waterfront boardwalk – The Harbourside Market offers a decor of warm wood-tones, a loft with microbrewery vats nestled among the heavy roof beams, indoor and outdoor (harbourside) eating areas, and a marché-style assortment of foods. Captain John's Fish Company or Loaf Leaf N' Ladle are good choices in my experience. I found the chickenburger at The Burger Gourmet to be tasty but disappointingly small. Discontinued 2009. Only Loaf Leaf N' Ladle remains, the whole waterside area outside and inside having been taken over by a pub called Hart & Thistle, which I have not tried. There are still shops at the Harbourside Market, but the loss of its affordable eating area with free view is unfortunate. |
Ma Belle's Cafe |
44 Ochterloney Street, Dartmouth. Open 7 days a week, Sun - Wed 8 to 5, Thu - Fri 8 to 8. The food at this English Tearoom is marvellous, whether you are having breakfast, lunch, or high tea. Three days a week it is also an excellent choice for dinner. Omelettes are splendid! From Halifax, take the Dartmouth ferry. At the Alderney Landing ferry terminus, exit at the north end (by the market area and liquor store) then cross Alderney at the lights and proceed a very short distance uphill on Ochterloney. Also a great place to eat if you are staying at the Super 8 in Dartmouth. Personal favourite 2013. |
Nixie Cafe & Tearoom, Goodwood | This
restaurant was
formerly Golda's, and as such a longtime personal favourite, but it was
reborn as the Nixie Cafe in 2010. I had lunch there in 2010 and
the food seemed to be
every bit as good as formerly. Located at 816 Prospect Rd.,
333, Goodwood, N.S., Phone: 902-876 2200, Regular Hours: 8 - 4
Tuesday to Sunday, closed Monday. Summer Hours: 8 - 8 every
of the week. This is an excellent spot to eat if you are
to or from Peggy's Cove. Using St. Margaret's Bay Road it can
reached from Halifax in about 15 minutes. Personal
favourite 2010. Discontinued 2012. Sadly,
this site is no longer a restaurant. |
Perks Coffee Ltd. | Among
Halifax's most popular coffee shops, these locations
offer hot drinks to perk you up and cool ones for a sunny day. The menu
includes soups, sandwiches, bagels, gourmet coffees, and desserts.
Several locations around the city: 1781 Lower Water St., 902-429-9386
6098, Quinpool Rd, 902-429-1856. Personal
favourite, 2006 -
2011, especially the Quinpool Road location. Discontinued 2012.
All Perks locations have now disappeared or have
been replaced by Tims (waterfront) and Second Cup (Quinpool). |
Sobeys | Like the Atlantic Superstores, Sobeys supermarkets maintain a selection of sandwiches and salads, along with an eating area. I have enjoyed several excellent lunches at the Mill Cove Plaza location, 961 Bedford Highway. Personal favourite 2009 - 2012. |
• Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner • Local Breweries |
Armview Restaurant & Lounge |
7156 Chebucto Road, at the Rotary -- A competent
family restaurant offering good food in generous
quantities. The Armview's fries are particularly good. A personal favourite 2011 -
2012. Sadly, an unhappy note for 2013: food remains good, but service was
disappointing. On a bill of $13.80, after tendering a 20, I was
asked, "Do you need change?" That change, $6.20, if left, would have been
a tip of 45%. The question should never have been asked, and my
change took forever to arrive. A server should always say, "I'll be right back with your change." |
Brewdebakers | 612 Windmill Road, Dartmouth -- Casual family restaurant located in the middle of a full-service brewery. Recently taken over by SAS Restaurants. Food and service are first rate. A personal favourite 2000 - 2011. |
Bearly's House of Blues and Ribs |
1269 Barrington St. -- If you are looking for upscale furnishings and decor, don't go. The theme is pub basic. But if food and music are priorities, then you will be happy. Bearly's doesn't really get going until about 10 p.m. when the live music is underway, but even at 5 p.m. you can get a great meal. Watch out for the stuffed bear, located inside above the main door. A personal favourite 2001 & 2012. |
Fireside | 1500 Brunswick St. -- casual dining in comfortable rooms with four fireplaces. It's something of an underground den, very cozy. A personal favourite 1997 & 2012. |
Freeman's Little New York | 6092 Quinpool Road -- Casual dining, specializing in pizza, finger foods, burgers, and donairs. Great for pizza but I have been disappointed in other menu selections. |
Granite Brewery/Ginger's | The Granite Brewery & Ginger's Tavern, 1662 Barrington Street. I haven't tried the Granite since its move from the location that is now Henry House; however, food at the Granite was always great and of course they brew a number of fine beers which they continue to supply to Henry House. The Granite's Toronto location at Mt. Pleasant & Eglinton is a personal favourite. The Toronto location still going strong, but Ginger's Tavern has been discontinued in Halifax. The Granite's Halifax brewery operation, however, continues at 6054 Stairs Street between Robie and Kempt where beer may be purchased. Granite Brewery products are among the beers offered at the The Maxwell's Plum & Lion's Head Tavern. |
Henry House | Henry House was built in 1834 in the suburb of Halifax. It has a side hall plan which is typical of the houses built in that period. The use of ironstone and granite is relative of the style of many Halifax residences of the early 19th century. The masonry of the gable wall and surrounds are British in character. For twenty years it was the home of William Alexander Henry the Father of Confederation. Three levels of The Henry House have been restored to create a restaurant, a pub and a private dining facility. The Henry House offers 5 English-style ales that have been brewed at the Granite Brewery in Halifax. They are top-fermented, unpasturized ales which are brewed with all natual ingredients, including award winning Old Peculiar Ale. 1222 Barrington Street, Telephone 902.423.5660. Personal favourite 2005. |
Jim's Family Seafood Restaurant | 243 Bedford Highway, 90-443-6112. Jim's has an extensive menu. I can vouch for the lasagna, and also for the excellent view of the Bedford Basin from the dining area nearest the water. Personal favourite 2009 - 2011. |
Lakeside Grill, Chocolate Lake Hotel | 20 St. Margaret's Bay Road, 1-877-559-7666. This is usually a quiet and relaxing place to eat, with an absolutely splendid view of Halifax's well-hidden Chocolate Lake. Food quality and variety are good, prices comparable to downtown waterfront restaurants. On your way in you may see Cocoa, the hotel's resident Chocolate Lab hostess. Personal favourite 2009 - 2012. |
Lion's Head Tavern | 5833 Sullivan St. in North Halifax, near the Hydrostone market. Very much a PUB, but with good food at reasonable prices. The all-you-can-eat spaghetti night is a particularly great value. The only disappointment is that the baked potatoes come foil wrapped, an environmental and culinary no-no. Personal favourite 2009 - 2012. |
MacAskill's | Dartmouth
Terminal Bldg., 88 Alderney Dr. – great view, great food,
upscale – "From any table within our dining room, experience
the most
spectacular view of Halifax Harbour and savour the most superb seafood
in Metro. Our kitchen professionals continue to create a variety of
seafood specialties, using only the freshest seafood and produce
available. For those who prefer an alternate, MacAskill's offers
choices in pasta, steak and poultry that will satisfy both the
traditional and the adventurous in culinary preference." Enjoyed an excellent
graduation celebration dinner in here in 2001. MacAskill's closed in 2012 and has reopened as a second location of The Wooden Monkey. |
Maxwell's Plum |
I have had two excellent meals at The Maxwell's Plum, both in 2013, using coupons provided with event tickets, such as the Tattoo. I highly recommend this restaurant, and suggest making use of any event ticket coupons you get. They are good value. Both food and service are excellent. And they really do have over 60 varieties of beer available. Personal favourite 2013. |
Murphy's On The Water | 1751 Water St., Cable Wharf ( 420-1015) – international, sandwiches, salads, lobster, chicken, pasta, burgers, fish & chips, steak. I recommend the seafood casserole. Personal favourite 2008 - 2009. |
Rogue's Roost | Rogue's Roost Ale House & Micro-brewery at 5434 Spring Garden Road is an affordable eatery with excellent food. I can vouch for the pan-fried haddock which is accompanied by nicely done vegetables, a rare nutritional treat for the traveller depending on restaurant meals. See also brewery information below. Reviewed by The Bar Towel; see below. Personal favourite 2009 - 2013. |
Salty's | You'll find Salty's at the end of a 19th century wharf, known as the Privateers, in Halifax's unique Historic Properties shopping area. Review by fodors.com: "This restaurant overlooking Privateer's Wharf and the entire harbor gets the prize for the best location in the city. Request a table with a window view. The Salty Dog Bar & Grill on the ground level is less expensive and serves lunch outside on the wharf in summer. Reservations essential." Tried in 2008. |
Seasons Bistro & Wine Bar | Atlantica Hotel, formerly the Holiday Inn Select – 1980 Robie Street, located at the corner of Quinpool Road and Robie Street. Panoramic view of the historic Halifax Commons. Not tried since the late 90s. |
Stayner's Wharf | 5075 George Street -- This used to be a Pizza Delight, but it has been renovated, emerging as Stayner's Wharf, and offering really excellent food plus entertainment at reasonable prices. Check out the regular Thursday night jazz feature. An open-air courtyard is open in summer. Stayner's Wharf is a personal favourite; the food is always top notch. Personal favourite 2001 - 2008. Prices at Stayner's have risen significantly. |
Thirsty Duck |
5472 Spring Garden Road – Casual, friendly and affordable. Home-style cooking, imported and microbrewed beers on tap. Saturday and Sunday brunch. Outdoor rooftop patio. The Thirsty Duck underwent extensive renovation in 2006 and was reborn under new management. I have not yet visited for a meal, but a look inside reveals a very much spruced up space. Discontinued 2009. Reopened as Minstrels Gastropub, also discontinued 2009. |
Tom's Little Havana Cafe | 5428 Doyle Street, off Spring Garden Road (902) 423-8667. Tom's has more of a New Orleans feel than a Nova Scotian feel. This unusual restaurant is actually linked via the washroom passage to Rogues's Roost, but is a separate establishment as far as I know. Atmosphere is unique, making you feel as if you are in some sort of illicit opium den, but in a pleasant way. Fantastic crab cakes. Personal favourite 2009 - 2010. |
Tomasino's | 5173 South St. – cozy atmosphere, gourmet pizza, pasta, salad. A personal favourite 2002. In 2009 I tried to have dinner at Tomasino's, but had no luck. I arrived early, at 5 p.m. and had the place to myself. I ordered a beer and spaghetti, and settled in for what turned out to be a very long wait. After about 45 minutes, during which time there had been several assurances of imminent food arrival, I gave up and went to the bar, suggesting I just pay for the beer and we call it quits. They did apologize, citing a huge take-out order by way of explanation, and I was not charged for the beer. I will give them the benefit of the doubt and try again next time. Discontinued 2010. It reopened in 2011 under the name "Tomavinos" but is closed as of June 2012. A note on the door reads, "The original is coming back. Will be open soon." We shall see. |
Waterfront Warehouse | 1549 Lower Water Street (425-7610) – specializes in seafood – interesting warehouse atmosphere complete with much overhead machinery still intact. Outdoor deck. Personal favourite late 90s. Not tried recently. |
Wooden Monkey | 1707 Grafton Street, 902-444-3844. My meal at The Wooden Monkey in the summer of 2010 was a disappointment. I had the pork tenderloin, and although the food quality was good, I found the quantity to be quite inadequate. I pointed this out to my server, but was offered only regrets. I left still hungry, and with a considerably lighter wallet as this restaurant is not inexpensive. |
• Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner • Local Breweries |
Granite Brewery | Reviewed by The Bar Towel: The Granite Brewery in Halifax is the sister pub to the Granite in Toronto. The original pub is the Halifax location, founded by Kevin Keefe (brother to Ron, the proprietor of the Toronto location). Due to this close relationship, the beers from the two pubs are very similar. The Halifax Granite offers a selection of beers that Toronto beer connoisseurs will be familiar with: Best Bitter, Best Bitter Special, Peculiar, Ringwood and Keefe's Irish Stout. This is a great little pub, and worth visiting. The Granite started in Canada at Henry House, 1222 Barrington St., and still provides beer to the Henry House restaurants. The Granite now flies its flag at 1662 Barrington Street. |
Garrison Brewing Company | Independent Micro-Brewery. Located on-site at the Brewery, the Garrison cold beer store offers fresh bottled product & party kegs, as well as T-shirts hats, hoodys, & great glassware. The cold beer store is open Monday through Thursday from 10:00a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Friday & Saturday 10 a.m.- 8:00 p.m., Sunday 12 noon to 6:00 p.m. Additionally, Garrison beer is available at most NSLC stores, specialty liquor stores around Nova Scotia, at the Saturday Farmers Market, and at select NB Liquor stores.Located at 1149 Marginal Road (across from Pier 21), Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, B3H 4P7, Phone: (902) 453-5343, Fax: (902) 453-4672. |
Propeller Brewing Company | Propeller offers cold beer 7 days a week. Hours: Monday to Friday 9 AM until 6 PM, Saturdays 10 AM until 6 PM, Sundays from 12 PM until 6 PM. The Propeller cold beer store is located behind the brewery at 2015 Gottingen Street. Enter off Portland Place, near the Marquee. Brewery tours & tasting are by booking only. For more information and to book a tour, call 422-7767. The Propeller Brewery has also created four unique and all-natural sodas: Root Beer, Ginger Beer, Orange Soda and Vanilla Cream -- available at select merchants throughout Nova Scotia. Produced in the style of old fashioned sodas from days gone by, Propeller Sodas are all-natural, caffeine free and made without preservatives using the best ingredients with Propeller's usual high standard of care. |
Rogue's Roost | Reviewed by The Bar Towel: "Rogue's Roost Ale House & Micro-brewery (5434 Spring Garden Road) is a very unassuming pub, located in an office building that fronts onto Spring Garden Road, one of Halifax's main downtown streets. The pub is quaint, with a long bar and a number of tables that look out onto Spring Garden. The brewtanks are located at the end of the establishment, and are viewable through large glass doors and windows. Many walls of the pub are decorated by nautical maps of Nova Scotia. Rogue's Roost offers a number of unique home-brewed beers: Rogue's Red, Bulldog Brown, Raspberry Wheat, Cream Ale, Oatmeal Stout and IPA. Seasonal brews include Peated Porter, Pale Ale, Barley Wine, and Imperial Stout. Rogue's Roost is an excellent brewpub which should be at the top of any beer lover's to-do list during a trip down east." |
The Point Pleasant Grocery Store, on Tower Road right across from Point Pleasant Park, is THE place for ice cream in Halifax, especially afer a walk in the park.
The friendly couple who own the store have been serving up Farmers ice cream for 28 years. Sadly, as of 2011, the store is up for sale.
Atlantic Jazz Festival | A major event on the Canadian music scene, the TD Canada Trust Atlantic Jazz Festival Halifax is Atlantic Canada's largest music festival with over 450 local, national, and international performers delighting audiences for nine days every summer in mid July. Line ups of performers are announced in late spring. The Festival Tent (outdoor stage) is located at the corner of Spring Garden Rd. and Queen St. There are other venues around Halifax, from soft seat theatres to intimate clubs and bars. |
Dalhousie Arts Centre | Rebecca Cohn Auditorium -- Home to Symphony Nova Scotia -- Showcasing local, national, and international talent. |
Home of the Nova Scotia International Tattoo and many other events. Watch the official online video of Tattoo performances! Watch my clip from the Canada Day pereformance, 2009. |
Movies in Halifax | Empire Cinemas: Bayers Lake, Bedford, Dartmouth, Imax, Oxford; Park Lane 8, Penhorn 5 (Dartmouth) |
1593 Argyle Street -- Internationally recognized for excellence, Neptune Theatre is one of the oldest professional regional theatre companies in Canada. Offering evening and matinee performances featuring drama, comedy, musicals and much more to delight all audiences. |
Shakespeare by the Sea | Plays in the Park -- from July to September, just minutes away from downtown at Point Pleasant Park, you can spread your blanket and enjoy a production by Shakespeare by the Sea, the company voted best small theatre company two years in a row. |
6 Parkhill Road, 477-2663 (From the Armdale Rotary take Purcell's Cove Road to Parkhill, just past the Frog Pond) At The Pond Theatre, the Theatre Arts Guild (TAG) presents community theatre at its very best. TAG is Canada's oldest continuing operating community theatre group. |
Bayer's Lake Business Park | Take the Bedford Highway to the lights at Bayview Rd. (just past the Bayview Motor Inn). Turn left at the lights, climb the hill, and then turn right onto Lacewood Drive. Follow Lacewood which will become Chain Lake Dr. until you see the big box stores emerge. Bayers Lake Business Park has witnessed spectacular growth since its development in the mid 1980s. Its location at the junction of Highways 102 and 103, its immediate proximity to the rapidly developing Clayton Park area, and its closeness to the Downtown Halifax (approximately 10 kilometers) have contributed to the success of the Bayers Lake Business Park. Over 580 acres (236 hectares) in size, Bayers Lake Business Park is one of the major concentrations of light industrial and commercial activity in Greater Halifax. In particular, warehouse retail "superstores" or "box stores" have recognized the value of Bayers Lake Business Park's strategic location, including Costco, Walmart, Kent Building Supplies, Staples, Future Shop, Zellers, Chapters and Sears to name only a few. |
Halifax City Farmer's Market | 1496 Lower Water Street -- Billed as North America's oldest farmers' market, it does date back to the 1750's. Housed in a historic refurbished brewery, its vendors offer baked goods, meat, fish, produce, arts and crafts. Musicians entertain customers. Open every Saturday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. This market is a MUST! |
Halifax Shopping Centre | 7001 Mumford Road -- The Halifax Shopping Centre has over 150 stores plus food court. If you have to visit a mall this is one of the better ones -- not usually crowded. Take Connaught to Bayers Rd. for easy access. |
1869 Upper Water Street -- Indoor -- The Historic Properties are located on Halifax's waterfront and represent Canada's oldest surviving group of waterfront warehouses. The restored buildings dating back from 1800 to 1905 now offer unique specialty shops and boutiques, excellent restaurants and bars, a boardwalk and entertainment. The Historic Properties are open year-round. |
5515-5547 Young Street -- The Hydrostone Market is a collection of shops and boutiques. It sits in the heart of the North End's Hydrostone Community, which rose from the ashes of the Halifax Explosion. |
There's a somewhat interesting gift shop on the second floor, but the real shopping opportunity at Pier 21 comes with the arrival of the cruise ships. Whenever a cruise liner docks the large warehouse adjacent to Pier 21 fills with area craft merchants. |
5657 Spring Garden Road -- Indoor -- The focal point of the mall is a central three story court, with generous plantings, a fountain, and skylights. |
More than 180 businesses invite you to explore Quinpool Road, Halifax's one-stop shopping, service, dining and entertainment district. This central street in the heart of Halifax has family businesses and major retailers, plus plenty of parking and easy access by foot, bus or bike. Shopping on Quinpool Road can be quirky. Where else could you buy tropical fish model cars, underwater gear and a grand piano in such proximity? But the street also serves everyday needs. It's home to Canadian Tire, an Atlantic Superstore, independent grocery stores, clothing stores, major banks, bakeries and gas stations. There are professional and business services of every stripe, and a major hotel. Dining on Quinpool Road has an international flavour, but it is also Halifax's fast food stretch with McDonald's, Wendy's, KFC, Subway and a dozen family-run eateries serving pizza, hamburgers, and Nova Scotia's popular donair. Quinpool Road is known for its bright neon lights that come alive after dark, turning the street into an entertainment district, for dining out or eating on the run, for taking in a movie at the fabulous "Art Deco" Oxford Theatre or grabbing a video and heading home. |
5640 Spring Garden Road -- Indoor -- Good selection of shops and services from home decor to fashion. Enjoy the Garden Market on the lower level for fresh produce and gourmet cuisine. If you are looking to buy original Nova Scotia art, check out the Painter's Palette Art Gallery. The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia also has original art for sale. |
1595 Bedford Highway, Bedford -- Indoor -- An interesting mall, as malls go, but be sure to go on a Sunday (10 to 5) when most of the stores are closed! On Sunday local arts and crafts vendors move into the walkways and the shopping becomes a lot more interesting. This mall is also known for Pete's Frootique, quite possibly the most entertaining produce market in North America. As well as rare and unusual produce and food products from around the world, you will find Steve Dooks, resident musician, belting out favourite songs and providing topnotch piano entertainment Thursday and Friday afternoons, as well as all day Saturday and Sunday. |
Click on the "Welcome to Downtown Dartmouth"
sign for slide show:
Ochterloney Street Rhododendrons |
Outlook to Lake Banook from Prince Albert Road |
Explore Fisherman's Cove at Eastern Passage, Gateway to McNabs Island |
Picturesque Fisherman's Cove at Eastern Passage, a destination in itself and jumping off point for McNabs Island.
STrips to McNabs Island, June - July , 2010
My awareness of the city's
islands developed gradually. From Point Pleasant Park and
other places on the Halifax and Dartmouth sides of the harbour, one
cannot help noticing the islands, and wondering about them.
Islands have a strange fascination. Fiction abounds
island environments. At the sublime end of the island
there is Shakespeare's The
Tempest, with Prospero's
magical island; at the ridiculous end I suppose TV's Gilligan's Island comes
most strongly to mind. In between, the list is
Daniel Defoe's tropical island refuge in Robinson Crusoe,
Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure
Island, Jules Verne's Mysterious
Island, the island of William Golding's Lord of the Flies,
Agatha Christie's and Ian Fleming's evil island settings for And Then There Were None
and Dr. No respectively,
TV's Fantasy Island.
One could go on and on. If McNabs Island has not
provided the setting for a famous work of fiction, no doubt its time
will come, for its past is certainly checkered enough to provide the
required mystique. Meanwhile, it is a siren call to folks
like me
who simply want to satisfy a curiosity about that great mass of
unspoiled green that sits invitingly out there in the harbour's mouth.
Halifax visitor information services make no secret of the fact that
McNabs Island is a Provincial Park, open to all, and yet, as the
proprietor of a store I visited in Fisherman's Cove put it, McNabs
Island is "Halifax's best kept secret." The Halifax
Herald feels the same
way. Most visitors to the
area, and even many Haligonians, never get there. Considering
that I made twenty-two trips to Halifax before landing on McNabs, I am
in no way being critical of those whose feet have not yet touched its
shores. In fact, the major charm of the island is its lack of
human population. Unlike Toronto's groomed and prettified
island – we Torontonians pretend we have three islands
McNabs is mostly wild. There are no cars and no pavement,
only a
rough and tough path, wide enough to be called a road, which runs the
approximate three mile length of the island, plus a number of hiking
trails. The Friends
of McNabs Island Society publishes
an excellent map of the island, and with it are warnings about the lack
of services there: no food, no drinking water, no phones, no
shelter, no supervision, no transportation other than your own
feet, and pit toilets only. You must leave no garbage.
of course, unless you have your own boat, there is no scheduled way of
getting there. All of this means that anyone who has a mind
visit McNabs must do some preparation, and make some transportation
arrangements. It is not as simple as jumping on the Dartmouth
Ferry. It all tends to conjure up fears of being cast away.
What if no boat appears to take me off? What if I
have an
accident? After all, those Sirens of mythology called sailors
their doom!
Of course, as with most challenges, once you seriously attack the
difficulties they fade away. Years ago I had joined the
of McNabs Island
Society in anticipation of an eventual visit to the island. I
determined that on this trip I would actually get to McNabs.
picked a sunny day, drove out to Fisherman's Cove, and poked
around, hoping to find a ferry operator, Mike Tilly or Steve Taylor.
A much better plan is to phone ahead: Mike Tilly (465-4563),
Steve Taylor (465-6272). On arrival I could find neither of
ferry operators. I phoned Mike
Tilly who said he could take me within the hour, right after he
finished lunch. True to his word, and within an hour
of the call, I was seated in his boat, receiving his very
interesting "pre-flight" safety orientation. I
enjoyed his tongue-in-cheek terminology; oars became "manual propulsion
devices." With a shout of, "Hold on to your bonnet," we were
at speed. I hadn't realized that the shore I was seeing from
Fisherman's Cove was actually Lawlors (Mike insists on the "s") Island,
and was mildly surprised when we veered around and headed farther out.
But McNabs quickly appeared, the whole pleasant journey
only a few minutes. Mike beached the boat and I jumped
Finally, I was on McNabs.
OK, I'll confess there was a moment of panic when Mike motored off,
leaving me alone on the beach, holding my map,
looking for the break in
the grass which he promised would lead to the road, trying to remember
all that he had said about
finding my way to the other end of the island, and all I should try to
see along the way. Going all the way to the other end of the
island had not actually been my plan. I was just going to
timidly around for a couple of hours (dropping breadcrumbs to find my
way back) and then leave from the drop-off point. But now
was no choice. Mike would be waiting at Ives Cove, at the
end of the island, in about three hours, and if I wanted to get back to
the mainland I supposed I'd better be there too! In truth I
dramatized this a bit. There is good cell phone service on
McNabs. Both Mike Tilly and Steve Taylor are accommodating
guys who look after
their passengers well. If you get into trouble or want to
make a
change in plan, all you have to do is call. Just make sure
phone is charged before going, and remember to record your captain's
phone number!
I got to the north end that Friday with no problems and saw so much of
interest, so much natural beauty. I took hundreds of photos,
explored Fort Ives, discovered the Teahouse and other ruins, walked the
beach, and followed some trails. Then, just over a
later, I came back and did it all again, arriving
and spending more hours on the island, seeing more. And yet I
have scratched only the surface of what McNabs has to offer.
Visiting the island will be at the top of my list for future
trips to Halifax, and I will hope to get the official tour offered
by students working for the Friends of McNabs Island Society.
McNabs is a gem, surprisingly undisturbed in spite of its
proximity to Metro Halifax. Occasionally one sees something
of place, like the three derelict vehicles I noticed on my first visit,
their windshields smashed, the grass growing tall all around them.
But on my second visit I found those same vehicles being
hauled along the road towards Garrison Pier to await removal by barge
to mainland wreckers, their absence leaving McNabs a little more
pristine. For a harbour island, there is generally an absence
shoreline junk, and that, I am sure, is thanks to the wonderful efforts
of the Friends of McNabs Island Society, whose work I applaud most
sincerely. I now feel I must plan a visit for a time when I
help with the Society's
McNabs Island cleanup.
My hope for McNabs is that it will stay unspoiled by over visiting.
Let it remain a bit difficult to access, a bit daunting to
casual tourist. You can bet that, given a chance, someone
try to put an amusement park there, like Centreville in Toronto, or a
zoo, or who knows what other "attraction." And of course
government plans need watching too. Millions being invested
restoration may translate into changing the way the island is used.
Governments tend to expect return for dollars spent, and they
don't always plan wisely. Perhaps we should all hope that
never does find fictional fame, or any other kind of fame for that
matter. The price would almost certainly be a destructive
I am encouraged, however, that McNabs enjoys the benefits of
having good Friends.
Explore the Lighthouse Route to: Peggy's Cove, Mahone Bay, Lunenburg, Liverpool, Yarmouth |
A visit to Peggy's Cove is a MUST. You can combine it with Mahone Bay and even Lunenburg, but it will be difficult to do justice to all three is a single day. The best way to travel to Peggy's Cove is by boat. Look for a charter or whale watching tour out of Halifax harbour. The Peggy's Cove Express used to run tours, but I believe that specific service has been discontinued. The folks at Peggy's Cove Express advertised whale and dolphin sightings during the trip, and indeed they did go out of their way to spot marine life. I have done the trip 3 times and the whale sighting has been disappointing – just the tail of one large whale – but at one point we were surrounded by leaping dolphins for quite some time. Even if you do go by ocean, you will want to do the drive as well, possibly venturing into places like Terence Bay and Prospect on the way (well worth the detours). By car, just follow the signs westerly from the Halifax Armdale Rotary. The Rotary is at the head of the North West Arm not too far from downtown Halifax. Drive out on St. Margaret's Bay Road for 3 kilometers (1.6 miles) and then turn west on Prospect Road (333) for about 40 kilometers (25 miles) all the way to Peggy's Cove. It will take longer than you think because the road twists and turns, making it virtually impossible to pass. Just relax and enjoy the drive, keeping in mind that route 333 can be dangerous. There are many roadside crosses, memorials to folks who were in a hurry.
If lunch is on the agenda, I suggest the Nixie Cafe & Tea Room. You will find it in Goodwood, less than 7 km from Halifax on 333. If hunger doesn't strike until you arrive at the Cove, then the Sou'Wester Restaurant is a good choice; I recommend the salmon burger. As you explore Peggy's Cove, do heed the warning about climbing out on the rocks. Many tourists have actually been killed by being too adventuresome.
In Mahone Bay, try the Saltspray Café and Chowder House. Food doesn't get any finer than a Saltspray seafood casserole or chowder, followed by a large piece of fresh strawberry pie. This restaurant moved to a different location on Main Street in 2008, and in so doing lost its charming waterside patio, but the food is still great.
In Lunenburg be sure to visit the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic.
If you are returning to Halifax, you might want to go via Highway 103, especially if it's getting dark. The 103 is a fast expressway that will return you quickly to Halifax from any of the destinations along 333.
Explore the Evangeline Trail to: Annapolis Royal, Digby & the Neck, Weymouth, the Acadian Shore, Yarmouth |
[From Wikipedia]
Route 1 in Nova Scotia (also called and
marked as the Evangeline Trail (from Mount Uniacke) runs from
Bedford to Yarmouth via the Annapolis Valley. It was known
for many
years as "the Post Road". The route runs parallel to (and in
places has been replaced by) Highway 101, which bypasses all towns
where Route 1 is the main street. The highway is 323
kilometres (201
miles) long.
In the Halifax Regional Municipality, Route 1 starts in Bedford at the
intersection of Rocky Lake Road and the Bedford Highway on Highway 2,
.It is known as Sackville Drive, and is the main street through the
community of Sackville. The road continues northwest through
Uniacke to Windsor, where it meets the Avon River. Route 1
follows the
west bank of the river through Hantsport. At Avonport, Route
1 turns
west through the Annapolis Valley, following the south bank of the
Cornwallis River through Wolfville, New Minas and Kentville.
Bypassing the town of Berwick to the south, Route 1 meets the Annapolis
River at Aylesford, and runs along the river's north bank through
Kingston, Middleton, Lawrencetown and Bridgetown. The road
crosses the
Annapolis River at Annapolis Royal (on the Annapolis Royal Generating
Station), and runs along the southern coast of the Annapolis Basin
through Upper Clements and the former site of CFB Cornwallis.
Route 1 joins up with Highway 101 at Deep Brook to cross the Bear
River, then splits apart to loop through the village of Smiths Cove,
across from the town of Digby. Route 1 joins up at the
western end of
this loop, with Highway 101 assuming Route 1's former alignment along
St. Mary's Bay. A new controlled-access segment of Highway
101 is
proposed for this area; and it is assumed Route 1 will be re-signed
along this stretch if completed.
At Weymouth, Route 1 re-appears, and continues south along the coast
through the Municipality of Clare to its end in downtown Yarmouth on
Main Street at the ferry terminal to Bar Harbour Maine where it meets
the Highway 3 .
Stamp: Halifax harbour. Denomination: 13-cent ultramarine. Issued: 15th November. 1938. Designed: The Canadian Bank Note Company, Limited, Ottawa.
Here are some sites that focus on the history of Halifax: |
Is Halifax separate from Dartmouth and Bedford? |
Like Toronto, the municipalities in the Halifax area have undergone amalgamation. "Metro Halifax" now includes both Bedford and Dartmouth but most people still use the old names. |
Is there Sunday shopping in Halifax? |
Sadly, yes, as of October 2006. Most shops don't open until noon. The Sunnyside Mall in Bedford still has a craft market Sunday mornings, although during my 2008 trip I noted dimished vendor participation. |
How can I email my friends from Halifax? |
Go to the Halifax Regional Library on Spring Garden Road where you will find free public internet access. They will ask you to become a member, but the application process is fast and you'll come away with a nifty plastic HRL library card. Signup is for 30 minute sessions. |
Does it rain all the time in Halifax? |
No. But pack your rain gear, especially in spring and fall. Rain is not uncommon and often comes in the form of a fine mist mixed with fog and "sea smoke" on the water. Halifax rarely experiences the hot and muggy weather that often plagues southern Ontario. Bright sunny days are plentiful enough. |
What is the traffic like? |
Normally not bad, but Halifax does have serious morning and afternoon peak traffic periods. The Halifax peninsula is like a bottle, with everyone trying to use a limited number of roads that pass through the neck. The Bedford Highway is especially troublesome, and I recommend avoiding it for heading into Halifax in the morning and exiting the city in the late afternoon. Also, the Lacewood Dr. / Chain Lake Dr. access to the Bayers Lake shopping complex can become a bumper-to-bumper parking lot on a Saturday. |
Do I have to go over one of the bridges to get to Dartmouth? |
No. You can drive around the Bedford Basin in about 20-30 minutes. The distance is approximately 25 kms. Follow the Bedford Highway to Bedford, and then exit onto Dartmouth Road. Look for the right-hand exit to Windmill Road, and follow Windmill right into downtown Dartmouth. To come back just retrace your route or hop across one of the two bridges. (Bridge toll is $1.00 each way.) |
Why do cars stop when I stand at the curb? |
Believe it or not drivers are actually waiting for you to cross! This is a hard concept for Torontonians to grasp, but there is still considerable road courtesy in the East. |
What is the Northwest Arm? |
It's really a part of the harbour. If you take a harbour tour by boat you will be able to explore the arm which is home to yacht clubs and some of the city's premier real estate. The Arm is a huge recreational asset for Halifax and the reason the city is a peninsula. It is so named because it points in an almost perfect northwesterly direction. |
Why are directions so confusing in Halifax? |
Like the Arm, the Halifax Peninsula is distinctly northwest in bearing, with the result that very few directions may be given as exactly north, south, east, or west. In general, consider that Point Pleasant Park is at the south end and the MacKay Bridge is north. |
Why do roads in Halifax change their names so often? |
That's one of those ultimate philosophical questions that has no answer this side of the divine, but it's certainly true that Halifax roads have serious identity problems. You can rely on Robie St. and Barrington St., but many other roads have multiple personalities: South Park St. becomes Young Ave., Chebucto Rd. becomes North St., Quinpool Rd. becomes either Cogswell St. or Bell Rd. depending on which fork you take, University Ave. becomes Morris St., Kempt Rd. becomes Lady Hammond Rd. which becomes Duffus St., and on it goes. Have fun and keep the map handy. |
Why do I always seem to find myself in the left turn lane? |
Well, Halifax is a peninsula, and as such it has very limited space. Perhaps the lack of dedicated left turn lanes is a space saving measure? In any case, if you travel in the left lane be prepared to move right before an intersection, unless you want to spend eternity turning left! |
Is Halifax bicycle friendly? |
There is only one road with a designated bike lane that I have seen, that's aside from the one on the MacDonald Bridge. The steep hills make cycling downtown a real challenge. Bikes are allowed in Point Pleasant Park except on weekends and holidays. A bike helmet is mandatory in Halifax. |
What is the transit system like? |
Not bad at all, but as with any transit system you will wait for busses. Get a route map from the tourist centre on the waterfront or at the ferry terminal. In July and August you can ride "Fred," a free downtown shuttle bus that makes regular trips between the Casino and Pier 21. Just hop on! |
Can I drive the Cabot Trail in one day from Halifax? |
No. It's too far. I suggest first taking a day's drive to Antigonish, with an overnight stay there, perhaps at Whidden's Campground. In spite of the name you don't have to camp. There are fully equipped trailer homes for rent at not much more per night than a motel room. |
And how do you pronounce "Antigonish" anyway? |
Antigonish is pronounced with the emphasis on the last syllable: Anti-gon-ish. Locals blur the "t," making it more like "Annigonish." |
So can I drive the Cabot Trail in one day from Antigonish? |
Yes, but it takes all day. Leave by 7 a.m. and drive north to the Canso Causeway which links Nova Scotia with Cape Breton -- by the way, it's the world's deepest causeway, rising 66 meters from the Strait of Canso floor. You can drive the Cabot Trail clockwise or counter clockwise, but it is really only the portion of the road that runs along the western shores where you will find the truly spectacular scenery. Some parts of the drive, particularly through the Cape Breton Highlands National Park, are reminiscent of the Rockies -- winding roads, engine challenging inclines, descents that are liable to toast brake linings. A major difference is in the terrain: rolling rather than jagged, and covered in deciduous trees that explode with colour in the fall. On the western coast, there are spectacular shoreline views every few miles, and lots of places to pull off for pictures. |
Do I have to go home the way I came? |
Certainly not! Try driving to Digby and taking the ferry to St. John, New Brunswick. Or drive to Caribou, NS, and take the ferry to Wood Islands PEI. |
Request a brochure from Nova Scotia

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Phil Stiles had four hits and batted in three runs for Riverside in a 12-1 win over Burlington Township in Rancocas Valley League baseball Saturday.
Donnie Strain had two hits and two RBIs, and Joe Corbett also had two hits as Riverside improved to 9-4. Jason Sabol hit a two-run triple and Jeff Briggs tripled another run home for the Patriots. Stiles had three stolen bases.


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Feel Formula Pro car with a rocket accelerator filled with a good portion of nitroglycerin increasing its speed!
Formula Racing Pro will take you to the most famous racing tracks of the world: From Monaco to Japan and from Brazil to Qatar!
Become the participant of the coolest racing team, step on gas and enjoy speed together with Formula Racing Pro!
Breathtaking driving with Formula Pro! 3D game graphics is maximum close to the reality! The game has several view modes, among them view from the pilots cabin or back view of the car.


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You are here: Home » Brands » Elevit » Elevit with Iodine Vitamin Tablets 100
ELEVIT with IODINE is a multivitamin and multimineral medicine especially designed to provide a balanced nutrient source for the unborn baby, the pregnant mother and breastfeeding women. ELEVIT with IODINE contains vitamins and minerals designed to prevent and treat vitamin and mineral deficiencies due to increased needs during pregnancy and breastfeeding (lactation). Elevit with Iodine is a once-daily vitamin and mineral supplement for pregnancy. But more importantly it is based on a formulation clinically proven to reduce the risk of neural tube defects like spina bifida by 92%.2
It also contains a range of ingredients to help meet your changed nutritional requirements throughout conception, pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Unlike other pregnancy supplements it's actually been proven with over one million successful pregnancies!
Iodine is an essential nutrient for growth and normal development of the brain. Iodine intake is particularly important for pregnant women and children.
Speak to your doctor about taking Elevit with Iodine if you have any pre-existing medical conditions.
folic acid 0.8 mg iron 60.0 mg (as ferrous fumarate) iodine 250 μg (as potassium iodide) Vitamin B1 1.6 mg (as thiamine nitrate) Vitamin B2 1.8 mg (as riboflavine) Vitamin B5 10.0 mg (as calcium pantothenate) Vitamin B6 2.6 mg (as pyridoxine hydrochloride) Vitamin B12 4.0 μg (as cyanocobalamin) Vitamin C 100.0 mg (as calcium ascorbate) Vitamin D 12.5 μg (as Vitamin D3 - cholecalciferol) Vitamin E 15 mg (as dl – α – tocopherol acetate) biotin 200 μg nicotinamide 19.0 mg calcium 125.0 mg (as calcium hydrogen phosphate, calcium pantothenate and calcium ascorbate) magnesium 100.0 mg (as magnesium oxide, magnesium hydrogen phosphate and magnesium stearate) manganese 1.0 mg (as manganese sulphate) copper 1.0 mg (as copper sulphate) phosphorus 125.0 mg (as magnesium hydrogen phosphate and calcium hydrogen phosphate) zinc 7.5 mg (as zinc sulphate)
The dose of ELEVIT with IODINE is one tablet daily. Do not exceed this recommended dose.
Do not take ELEVIT with IODINE if:
1. you have had an allergic reaction to ELEVIT with IODINE or any ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet. Symptoms of an allergic reaction include swelling, itching, rash or breathing difficulties. 2. you have kidney disease 3. you have excessive amounts of vitamin D, calcium or iron in your blood 4. your body cannot process copper or large amounts of iron 5. the package is torn or shows signs of tampering 6. the expiry date printed on the pack has passed. If you take this medicine after the expiry date has passed, it may not work as well.
If you are not sure if you should be taking ELEVIT with IODINE, talk to your pharmacist, midwife or doctor. Do not give ELEVIT with IODINE to children. ELEVIT with IODINE is only for women who are trying to become pregnant, and those who are pregnant or breastfeeding.


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Are you a teen who enjoys volunteering and helping around the community? Join Covina's T.E.A.M where teens participate in service projects and volunteer at community events each month. To be an active member, teens must attend a monthly meeting and one service opportunity each month. Attend the next meeting for more information.
City Special Events


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A supporter of the Palestinian Islamic group Hamas shows a Koran... Photo d'actualité 168408644Bande de Gaza,Conflit,Conflit israélo-palestinien,Coran,Culture palestinienne,Fête religieuse,Groupe,Hamas,Horizontal,Islam,Livre,Montrer,Religion,Spiritualité,Supporter,The International,Tête,Ville de Gaza,Youssouf Al-QaradawiPhotographer MOHAMMED ABEDCollection: AFP 2013 AFPA supporter of the Palestinian Islamic group Hamas shows a Koran, Islam's holy book, during a festival of the International Association of Muslim Scholars head by Muslim cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi on May 9, 2013 in Gaza City. Al-Qaradawi arrived on May 8, 2013 for his first visit to Gaza Strip with a delegation of Muslim scholars and warned that nobody was allowed to cede 'any part of Palestine'. AFP PHOTO /MOHAMMED ABED (Photo credit should read MOHAMMED ABED/AFP/Getty Images)


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The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) laboratory reported a positive laboratory test result for Ebola on a patient in a Dallas County hospital. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have confirmed the positive result. The patient had come from West Africa to visit family members in the United States during the previous week. He presented to a Dallas County hospital with symptoms consistent with Ebola and specimens were submitted to both laboratories for testing today. The patient is in isolation under standard, contact, and droplet precautions. Persons who had contact with the patient are being identified, informed, and monitored.
The Paris-Lamar County Health District will keep the community informed of any updated news and information regarding Ebola.
Helpful Links About Ebola:
Click here for the Centers for Disease Control Ebola Information Page
Click here for the Texas Department of State Health Services Ebola Information Page
Questions and Answers Regarding Ebola
2014 Ebola Outbreak in West Africa
What you need to know about Ebola
Ebola: What you need to know if you live in the U.S.
About the Paris-Lamar County Health District
The mission of the Paris-Lamar County Health District is to provide the best possible opportunity for good health to the citizens of Lamar County through health promotion and the prevention of disease.
Public health services for the City of Paris and Lamar County are provided by this department. Funding is derived from the City of Paris and Lamar County as well as through grants from the Texas Department of State Health Services. As a public health department most services are primarily preventive medical treatment. Services provided include pre-natal care, family planning, immunizations, care of non-emergency medical problems, screening and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases, Women, Infant and Children (WIC) nutrition program and sanitary inspections.
The staff includes a medical director, nurse practitioner, nurses, and clerical staff capable of delivering care, answering patient questions, and maintaining office service. In the event of an emergency, patients are referred to Paris Regional Medical Center emergency room.
Appointments are scheduled after patients have completed Medical History forms and the Health Care Assistance Application. These forms are located in the Info Center under Patient Forms. Immunizations do not require appointments.
Fees are determined by the local health board. Services of the Paris-Lamar County Health District are provided regardless of ability to pay, however, payment is expected when services are rendered unless prior arrangements have been made. Programs are available for low income families for reduced fees or no fees. Applicants qualify on an individual basis for one year. Applications must be renewed annually. Applications are available at the office or on this website.
We accept cash, check, debit card, VISA, MasterCard and Discover. There is a $1 processing fee for debit and credit cards.


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We have been distilling the "Original Willisauer" in Willisau, Switzerland since 1918. "Original Willisauer" is a high grade spirit distilled from cherries grown in the most beautiful Swiss orchards and in the bordering area of Alsace, France and Schwarzwald, Germany. "Original Willisauer" is always distilled in the traditional way in copper stills and then matured before bottling in Willisau.
37.5% vol.
Access to and use of this website is subject to our Terms & Conditions. © mySupermarket Limited, 2005-2015. All rights reserved.
Compare your local Tesco Original Willisauer Kirsch Kirsch Eau-de-Vie de Cerises (200ml) prices with other online Groceries stores at mySupermarket.co.uk. Get price comparison, great deals, special offers and more!
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