Nova Scotia For The Holidays

[existentialcrisis]

I couldn't decide where to put this, or whether to create a seperate thread for my food pics, but here it is! My trip to good 'ol Nova Scotia ... the first thing I noticed, as the plane was landing in Halifax, was fog - almost forgot about fog, and a strange humidity that could be felt in the plane before it even landed. All of this made me quite giddy! I couldn't believe the climate change!

I had worked late the night before and hadn't slept before catching my plane, so by the time I arrived I was quite exhausted. Didn't stop me from having a meal with my family at The Five Fishermen. This is when I tried my first oyster, and there was also a salad bar and a mussel bar included. I ordered the sablefish, since I'd never eaten this fish. Unfortunately I can't remember what was served with it ... I think celeraic mash and mushrooms and other vegetables?


For dessert I shared a platter of Nova Scotia cheeses with my dad, and we both enjoyed the "Port Trio", which featured a Newfoundland "Port" which was surprizingly tasty!

The next day I met up with a friend and we toured around Halifax, mostly to pubs and restaurants... starting with a sushi lunch at Sushi Nami Royale. (I apologize for the shadow, I accidently uploaded the wrong photo).





We wanted to visit Alexander Keith's grave, but the cemetary was locked up for some reason


I miss the joys of 24hr video rental stores with 4 floors and various drop-off locations... love this place.


Used to live just down the way, in this apartment building.


An example of gentrification in Halifax's "hood" ... this street is called Gottingen St., but playfully nicknamed "Got-a-Gun St.) Soon enough, the nice condos and businesses will drive up the rent and the low income housing projects will be moved, almost like how Africville was plowed down and its residents relocated decades ago.


Stopped in here for some goodies.


Picked up some jugs of beer from my favorite Halifax brewery.


My favorite cafe...


Citadel Hill





And right across the street.... The Halifax Ale House! I used to know some of the Citadel "soldiers" and staff and I'd cash in on their staff discounts on wings and beer here.


The next thing I noticed about Nova Scotia was how often I would interact with people. We went to this bar and enjoyed a couple Irish Car Bombs, then overheard a couple guys we had apparently inspired, discussing the possible invention of a "Halifax Car Bomb". We talked with them at length and eventually agreed upon a recipe (more on this for anyone who is curious)... but the point is, in Halifax you can just go up to random people and butt into their conversation and this is normal and welcomed. I wouldn't do this in Calgary.


This theme for this bar is the Trailor Park Boys, which is a national hit television series based in Halifax (yes, we are proud). The bar is actually owned by one of the show's actors/creators.


Celtic music at The Old Triangle Irish Pub.


This one's for the Food Abomination thread! The Halifax Donair! (yes... I ate most of it... my companion settled on some dolmads).


After a couple days in Halifax, I was off to the south shore for Christmas with the family. Christmas Eve dinner was my request: Atlantic salmon and scallops in a ginger maple sauce.


Christmas morning breakfast: smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel with champange and orange juice.


Phew... more to come...

I should probably actually get to work, since I'm ... at work.

[Deleted]

This is great Existensia,a wonderful slice of life from a true native,all the better. I have a ton of questions,but will hold off for now,so as to not distract you from your work ,and I have a busy agenda today and would like to ponder over for a bit before I pounce.Thanks for this. Great pics. Now I want your breakfast...


P.S. I did not realize that your first oyster was a fried oyster,thought you could skate by on this didn't you by casually slipping it in here? Nice try.

[existentialcrisis]

Nope, not a fried oyster, C! It was as fresh as the sea! There is no picture of it on here, though there does exist a video of me slurping it back...

[Deleted]

OK,good! Phew... I saw mention of fried oysters in here and thought otherwise.Would love to see this video!! Everyone trying their first oyster should be chronicled.!

[existentialcrisis]

I don't do much of what can properly be called "work" at this job, so I'll continue with the thread. I almost forgot to include another Maritime booze-soaker-upper I enjoyed, garlic fingers with donair sauce:


The place I ordered from, Xtreme Pizza, has sub-par food, but the good pizza joint said I'd have to wait 2 hours. Xtreme has always been reliable, friendly, open really late and will deliver across the city so I've given them lots of business.... besides, check out this variety:


Back to the south shore.... My parents and I went for a nice walk throughout Lunenburg.



This church is probably one of the oldest in Canada, but had to be mostly rebuilt after some jerk burnt it down one Halloween...




Lunenburg is very hilly... as is common of Nova Scotia towns, including Halifax. You can see the Lunenburg Academy in this pic, which still serves as an elementary school.




All the telephone poles in Lunenburg have some sort of artist-crafted fish or shell fish dangling from them.






The Fishermen's Memorial






Very old grave yard...




The Knot Pub - my favorite pub ever! So we had to eat here!






If anyone remembers the thread where we discussed potato skins... it was there I tried to post a picture of what I think potato skins should be. The Knot has the best potato skins and I finally have a picture. They actually use the peelings leftover from making french fries.


I had the fish cakes:


Dad had the pan-fried haddock:


Mom had my favorite: Philly Cheesesteak ... very untraditional but the best ever! Nice thick slices of steak on a garlic bun with lots of mozza and mushrooms and green peppers. No yucky sauce .... kinda looks like the kitchen made it a little over-done though.


Still more to come...

[existentialcrisis]

I know you all don't like lobster, but these were delicious.


Now for a walk through the neighbourhood, starting with the view from my parent's driveway.






On my way to the beach... that little building used to be the fire station. It's also the first place I ever voted!




This is just across the road from the beach... the pond water travels under the road and flows into the ocean. During low tide, quite the little river forms on the beach, eroding away the sand. Most of it is gone by full tide, when the water waits in a little pool for the tide to go back out.








Pretty purple seaweed. And you can see the stream I spoke of in the background.






This island used to be a place anyone could beach their boats at and picnic, or swim, or whatever. Then some rich man buys it, cuts down all the trees, and builds a big house, dock, and roads.... right in the middle of Mahone Bay. Terrible.


My sitting/thinking log.




A few more things to eat before heading back to Halifax. Big Red's Pizza! I used to make these, and I spoke of them in the pizza thread. I wouldn't be surprized to see them in the Food Abomination thread, seeing as so many of you are disgusted by the idea of hotdogs on pizza....




I couldn't leave the Lunenburg area without some German food, especially sourkraut... especially from the sourkraut plant down the street from our house.


Comes in a little carton. Can't get this out west... only the mushy stuff that comes in jars, meant for hotdogs.


Look how course it is! yummm


Served it up with Lunenburg sausage and scalloped potatoes.


Back to Halifax...




Smoked salmon apply at a new Irish pub called Durty Nellys. All the furniture, including the whole bar, was imported from Ireland. A really nice bar, and I couldn't believe how awesome the smoked salmon was!


Lamb stew with potato gnocchi.


And a perfect shamrock in my Guiness!


One last meal... (boy, do I need to go on a diet now!) From Turkish Delight: falafel, red lentil kafta and lamb kafta.


I'll finish with this: my friend's Christmas tree! Cute, in a Charlie Brown kinda way...


Fini.

[imec]

EC! Haven't had time to look at this in detail yet but wanted to say thanks before you sign off - I know I am going to really enjoy this! Fantastic work - thanks!!

[Deleted]

Halifax looks GREAT! The food looks GREAT! Your photos are GREAT! My only complaint is that you gave it all in one giant fantastic overdose instead of rationing it out to us and we are now suffering from sensory overload. Thank god the aroma of the food, the sea breeze, the salty air can't come over the internet or we'd all be dead.

[Deleted]

Thanks for the pics. EC. The beaches are real rocky arn't they?

[bixaorellana]

Oh. my. gosh.

Existentia ~~ this is fantastic. More than post cards, these pictures and explanations are like a real visit to Nova Scotia. NO WONDER you suffer homesickness!

This is what kills me about this forum -- there are so many places in the world to which I either never gave a thought or outright dismissed. Then, Port people present intimate looks at where they live or a foreign place they've loved, and a whole new way of looking at the world opens up. Now I'm dying to visit Nova Scotia. Shoot, now I even share your homesickness for Halifax, a place I've never been!

I love all the food porn on this thread, and must say that, based on your requested Christmas meal, you must come by your knack for glorious kitchen artistry naturally. It's incredible how well you all eat in that part of the world. Who knew?!

When you have time, some questions:
What is the significance of Citadel Hill?
Who is Alexander Keith?
Who were the original settlers of Lunenburg?

I'm sure I'll think of more after I go back & enjoy this trip again.

Thanks!

[lagatta]

This is wonderful! All that fish! And real sauerkraut, not that jarred stuff...

Lunenburg is beautiful - I've never been there, only to Halifax.

Our Louisiana anyporters might know that Acadia was originally centred in what is now Nova Scotia, though nowadays most French-speaking Acadians live in New Brunswick (Nouveau-Brunswick).

[imec]

Wonderful, wonderful thread EC!!! So many great pics, so much cool stuff, so much great food! I have fond memories of a lovely lobster dinner at the Five Fishermen preceded by many trips to the fantastic mussel bar and followed by a crazy late night of dancing in the club downstairs. Is that the Purdey's Wharf complex in image #6? (That's where my employer's offices are in Halifax). Also, is the Granite pub still open? Used to brew some very good ale there.

Thanks so much for this comprehensive and thoroughly enjoyable thread - a new standard has been set!

[spindrift]

Oh! I've really enjoyed learning about Nova Scotia. I'm going to look it up on Google! I love the shamrock in the Guinness! I haven't seen that before. How about all that food...the sight of it is making me hungry although I'm not sure about the doner kebab ;D
Is it really cold up there? It looks freezing. Do tell me...

Can you try and re-post the pics that are'nt showing? I'd love to see them.
Thank you!

[imec]

All the pics are showing for me. spindrift, try reloading the page and waiting for them all to load - takes a while cuz so many. Can also try right clicking on the word "image" and then select reload image.

[bixaorellana]

What Imec said, Spindrift.

[hwinpp]

Great thread, EC!
How long hadn't you been back?
Lunenburg, Gottingen Street both sound quite Teutonic, did you get a lot of German settlers in that area? Must have been to New Brunswick I guess, that'd be Neubraunschweig in German.

I can tell from the photos you took and from your captions you really enjoyed going back and seeing and visiting all your old haunts.

Thanks.

[fumobici]

Wow. Fantastic report/photo essay. Why wasn't I invited?

Thank you

[existentialcrisis]

K2 - sorry for the sensory overload.... I was feeling kinda OCD about it and wanted to get it all over with.

deyana - that particular beach is rocky.... others are white and sandy. each beach has its own character. that particular beach is a 5 minute walk from my parents house and i visit it every time I'm home, though when I lived in the south shore there were many beaches I frequented often.

bixa - big questions
1) Citadel Hill is a big fort-like thing in the middle of Halifax. The reason there aren't many tall buildings in Halifax is because the city doesn't want to block the view of the harbour from Citadel Hill, which is apparently the most visited tourist attraction in Canada (featuring working soldier actors and the whole shebang), and also a place where locals relax... just on the grassy parts of the hill. Every day in Halifax, the noon cannon fires from the hill... which has literally made me jump 5 feet into the air before I got used to it. It was built by the British, originally when they were fighting the French, and was also used against the Americans ... though it was actually never attacked.




2) Alexander Keith, Scottish born, was the mayor of Halifax several times in the 1800s and was a brewmaster. Alexander Keiths India Pale Ale is becoming one of the most popular commercial beers in Canada, though it is no longer a true IPA. People LOVE this beer. Also worth mentioning, is that the Halifax Farmer's Market is currently held in the Keith's brewery.



3) The original settlers of Lunenburg were mostly German, which is why there are two sourkraut plants as well as specialties such as Lunenburg sausage and Lunenburg pudding, which I forgot to mention in my post....


I served it up on Xmas day with some Chris Brothers of Halifax pepperoni, and a different type of smoked salmon (the cooked kind). Apparently, I am the only one that likes Lunenburg pudding, which sort of tastes like a pate, but holds its sausage-like shape.


imec - Yes, that's Purdy's Warf. My dad used to have an office there in the 80s and I have fond memories of going to work with him on the quiet weekends when no one was around and exploring the eerily silent offices and elevators. Sometime in the 90s, his company downsized and laid off many workers and shut down offices, so my dad had to relocate to Lunenburg. You've been to the Five Fishermen!? Good eh? It was actually my first time there. As for the Granite Brewery.... they used to be located on Barrington St. with a little bar called Ginger's Tavern. This was my favorite bar, but very sadly, it closed its doors last winter. The rent is too expensive on that street, and more and more businesses are closing down or relocating. The good news is that the brewery still exists, and I visited it while I was home and picked up a couple "growlers" for the holidays. The beers are also available at the Henry House, an English pub I also visited while in Halifax.

spindrift - That's how a Guiness is supposed to be served, if the bartendor is skilled enough. Nova Scotia is WARM! So warm... the temperatures barely dip below zero this time of year. I never wore mittens or a winter coat the whole time I was home (coming back to Calgary was such a shock!)

hw - yes, Lunenburg is of German origin. I am not sure about Gottingen.

Thanks for the questions and kind comments everyone!

[existentialcrisis]

Oh, I'm sorry hw... forgot to answer your question. I had been gone for about 8 months.

And imec... you went dancing at the club by the Five Fishermen? You mean... the dirty Dome?!

[Deleted]

I wrote a long reply late yesterday afternoon and lost it somehow,thought I had posted it.
The ol' vanishing thread...

This is so cool EC. After getting over all the marvelous seafood,and yes,the potato skins the way they are supposed to be (!!!!!!!),I was most taken with the shots of the water and Halifax.
One of the earliest threads here on the Port,in the Ports of Call section,is Ocean Liners. In it, I briefly describe my family's last vacation together as a whole ,on an ocean liner from NYC to Halifax. I have not been able to find the photos of it at my mother's house,so I couldn't summon up the imagery in my head properly. Until, I saw your photos did a flood of early childhood memories come back.Thank you.This was(is) a very special post for me.

[imec]

Jan 7, 2010 8:52:16 GMT existentialcrisis said:

And imec... you went dancing at the club by the Five Fishermen? You mean... the dirty Dome?!

Could be - was about 15 years ago and was with a dear friend who was kind enough to put up with my terrible dancing. Funny thing was, shortly after we got home to Winnipeg, she found out she was pregnant and my wife found out she was too a couple of days later - of course there were lots of wife swapping jokes amongst our friends. Turned out later they were in adjacent rooms in the maternity ward and gave birth within 24 hours of each other.

[lagatta]

That is hilarious. Is your daughter's "twin" a girl or a boy?

[imec]

A girl. Was quite funny... My friend came to visit us in the hospital just hours after my daughter was born - she was herself overdue and fed up at this time. I said to her "D, why not just jump in the next bed and tell em you ain't movin' till they induce you". Later that day when I returned to the hospital Mrs I told me she was actually in the next room in labour. ;D

sorry for threadjack

[lola]

EC, wonderful thread.
I love your home town. Anytime you want to get together a guerrilla force to retake the island in Mohane Bay in the name of the people, I'm with you.

The pubs look genuine. I'd have gotten the fish cakes, too; not familiar with poutines or donair sauce.

[bixaorellana]

Jan 6, 2010 15:54:18 GMT kerouac2 said:

My only complaint is that you gave it all in one giant fantastic overdose instead of rationing it out to us and we are now suffering from sensory overload.

Speak for yourself, Kerouac!

Jan 6, 2010 18:26:27 GMT imec said:

Thanks so much for this comprehensive and thoroughly enjoyable thread - [highlight=Yellow]a new standard has been set![/highlight]

Hear! Hear! Ditto!

I love the way you put this together. It really conveys your excitement at being back home and how much you wanted to embrace and enjoy everything about the place. Your decision to include food here instead of somewhere in Dockside Dining makes total sense, too, since the food was so much a part of the whole experience. You'll see Spindrift did the same sort of thing in her Planet Phuket thread.

Thanks so much for the history background and the helpful photos. It was a treat to see more of the local food, too, although now I'm craving sausage, salmon, and great beer.

Are there more pictures?

[Jazz]

Beautiful! The photos, your thoughts, the immediacy...it is personal and compelling.

[Deleted]

I wonder if existentialcrisis went back to Nova Scotia again this year.