Halifax - Little Europe Bistro

Little Europe Bistro is located in the Hydrostone in Halifax and is another place I've eaten at when I've been here before. The decor may look a little tired but the food is quite good and a little less than the better looking places to eat in the block.

I had the spaghettini portofino (spaghettini, prosciutto, boccocini, basil pesto). Initially it seemed like there was not a lot of sauce and the initial bite of some slightly fried procciutto was a little salty. After a bite of the sauce and pasta I realized that the amount of sauce was perfect and the saltiness of the prosciutto was balanced by the other ingredients. To go with the meal I had an Italian Chianti that was nicely bold.

For dessert I had baklava and it was delicious and a perfectly sweet end to my last meal in Halifax.

Moncton - Cora's Restaurant

This past Sunday I went to a place I had heard about but had not gone to, Cora. I was there with my Mom, Sister and Aunt and we all definitely enjoyed the experience.

Cora started in Montreal, Quebec, in 1987, redefining the breakfast experience. It was started by a woman named Cora Tsouflidou and it grew so quickly her family was brought on to help run them. It has grown to an impressive 130 locations from Halifax to Vancouver and is planning on expanding to the Untied States.

I had a mango-banana smoothy and it was very fresh and delicious! For my main breakfast I had the crepe-omlette and the taste combination was excellent. Cora stresses having fruit with her meals so many had a bowl or half a plate of it to round out your palette in the morning. My body agreed as it took in the fruit goodness.

So if you're looking for a great breakfast place, check out Cora's. They also serve lunches too that have a fruit and vegetable theme.

Summer Weddings

This past weekend I attended the wedding of my Cousin. It was fortunate that the timing of myself being out here on a course coincided with this event.
The service and reception was held in the same place, similar to the wedding of my wife and I ten years ago. It makes things so much easier for the guests. The only difference with ours is that we had the pictures taken before the service. That way we led right into the food after the service. In my cousin's case we had to wait for almost two hours but it gave me a chance to catch up with my Father's side of the family.
The bride (the cousin getting married) did many of the decorations including the cake pictured above. They also had a unique idea of having a candy table with many treats to fill a bag with. It was a much better ides than the piece of wedding cake that was popular 10 or so years ago. The event also took place in the hall I used to go to when I was young for Sea Cadets, so that was a nice bonus.
We left early as my sister, the driver, was getting tired but I was told the next day that the event went till 2am and fun and dancing was enjoyed by all.

More weddings should focus on the celebration of the event and not on the attempt at making it better than Prince Williams and Kate's soirée (or Prince Charles and Lady Di in my day). Too much is spent and too much debt incurred to make it "the day" that it becomes a dream compared to the rest of your life. If you are spending over $5000 on everything, its too much. Make it smaller, more intimate. Create your own decorations. Go with local caterers that include everything in their price, per person at the event. A dependable DJ who knows your taste and the taste of the people attending.

Add fun to your wedding and above all, get ready to laugh at the errors and pitfalls leading up and during it because there will be some.

Halifax - il Mercato restaurant

I read about the il Mercato restaurant in some reviews on the interwebs and thought that I'd give it a try. Overall it was an excellent food experience and is authentically Italian and brought back memories of the trip myself and my wife took to Italy last year.

I started with a wild mushroom soup that had a good blend of different varieties of fungi. I did add a little olive oil to it to give it that Italian feel. For my main I had the lamb pappardelle pasta which was the highlight. Lots of shredded bits of lamb, pasta cooked perfectly and good spices added. The only distraction was the cold plate it was served in. In most places my wife and I ate at in Italy, they had warm plates to keep the food warmer on the table for longer.

I also ordered an Italian red to go with the meal and I thought it went well. I'm not the wine expert, my wife is. I'm more of a cider, fruit wine and mead kind of guy (occasional stouts) but those don't go with Italian food.

For dessert I ordered the lemon sorbet and it was refreshing and delightful. They said it was homemade and I cannot debate that. Reminded my of the ones in Italy.

As I said at the beginning, I said that I had a great food experience at this establishment but there was two items that did not make it a fantastic restaurant experience.

1. After I was seated by the front-person I was given a menu by one of the waiters and he told me that he would be my waiter and that he would return. Another waiter came over once I was done with the menus and wanted to take my order. I indicated that I thought I was being served by the other fellow, who looked to be working hard behind the bar getting other things for other customers but on reflection the new waiter acted like he did not want to hear that. I didn't appreciate that kind of sharking of customers.

2. When I was paying with my credit card and using the remote payment device, the waiter was eying my every action and the screen. I realize that some do not know how to use those devices but I did not appreciate that kind of spying. I also don't like the subtle psychology in the act in order to get a satisfactory tip.

The food was good enough for me to come back but if the same thing happened next time I would be more vocal about my objections. I also sent an email to them in order to address the two above items so that they can be resolved for future customers.

So all in all, a great place to go for great Italian food in Halifax. There's also a movie theatre across the street to combine a dinner and a film.

Halifax - Hamachi at the Hydrostone

I have admired the establishment of restaurants and shops at the Hydrostone in Halifax for many years. I always make it a point, when I'm in the area, of eating at one of the restaurants in this block. This time I chose the Hamachi restaurant.

The Hamachi is a Japanese food place and is part of local chain of five under the Hamachi banner. Oddly, I have only eaten at this one but that is mainly because it is quite close to where i stay when I'm in town.

I ordered the deluxe sushi combination with McAuslan oatmeal stout and the fried sesame ice cream for dessert. The deluxe started with the traditional miso soup (nothing fantastic or bad) and the green salad with ginger-like sauce. The sauce was quite nice and sparked the taste buds for the meal to come. The sushi itself was fresh and flavorful. It also hit the spot. Sometimes you just have to try your seafood in the raw to contrast from the cooked.

The stout I'd had before and it went very well with the meal. The beer is from Quebec and their apricot beer is tasty too, even though I don't like apricots.

The ice cream was something i'd read on the internet so i had to try it. It was different but on reflection, it would be better just as ice cream.

The service was very good and they left me alone with my book and was very willing to allow me to space out my meal to make it easy on my stomach.

All in all I liked it before and still like it now.

Wind Farms

I'm concerned about our planet and the direction its going. I'm also concerned about blindly going for the first idea that comes across my vision. That's why I had mixed opinions on Wind farms after speaking with some friends and relatives on this trip.

On the plus side they consume no energy once made and installed, it diversifies energy production from fossil fuels, does not generate physical pollution, cost per megawatt has decreased as technology increases, and costs taxpayers due to the tax breaks provided to the companies that provide them.

On the minus side they can interfere with bird migration (mitigated with smooth pylons and installing outside of migration zones), is dependent on the wind (duh), produces noise for those close to the windmill (and produces a sympathetic vibration detectable for those further away), and lowers property values.

The image above is a wind farm on the isthmus between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia on the VIA train. There are many more wind generators than is pictured. When I was staying at my friends in Sackville, you could hear a slight whooph-whooph noise which was more pronounced in the car. The glass in the car, which is just a very slow moving liquid, would be sensitive to different frequencies and thence accentuate the sound. Perhaps if some sort of wind buffers were created a certain calculated distance from the windfarm, on the ground at an angle to break up the low frequency sound, it would make local residents more open to windfarms. The buffers could look like small low hills with flora and such to make the area nicer as well. Just a thought.

Overall I lean on the for-wind-farm side as long as proper care is made for placement. A wind farm (for sci-fi gaming) or windmill (for fantasy) would also make a good terrain piece.

Parrsboro NS - Bare Bones restaurant

If you are ever in Parrsboro Nova Scotia, try Bare Bones! We ate there after the Gem and Mineral show and some time on the beach. The setting is quirky and heavy in the nautical theme...great combinations. I had the pasta special, linguine with scallops and bacon in a Pernod sauce and it was heavenly. All my friends agreed that we would come here again if the chance came.

Edit: This resteraunt is closed now.

Nova Scotia - Parrsboro (Gem and Mineral Show)

Some friends and I went to Parrsboro to go to the Gem and Mineral show that is held there once a year. It is the premier show of its kind on the North American Atlantic Seaboard.
The events were numerous with many experts on hand to astound young and old with the nature of our Earth and the secrets it holds both on the surface and beneath it. There was also a large dealers room with many bargains and eye-catching jewelry.
The town itself is doing much better than 10-20 years ago. My friends have been here from time to time and the area is picking itself up after many decades of the exodus of the young. The Fundy Geological Museum is a treat  as I remember from years past. There is even a great restaurant that has newly changed hands in the past year, Bare Bones.
Nearby Joggins has exceptional fossil remnants in the cliffs at the seaside if you can stay in the area for a bit.

Seaside Cottages

 Seaside cottages are what I prefer. This beach is one that my relatives on my Mother's side have had a cottage at since the 1970's. Its grown from a few small cottages with outhouses to some very large houses that are lived in all year round with phone and cable lines...and indoor plumbing. The shoreline was larger but constant water erosion and higher water levels have taken away around 50 feet of shoreline. About ten years ago many cottage owners had shore protection installed (hemlock railroad ties or stone) and this has worked.

The bridge above is Confederation Bridge going to Prince Edward Island from New Brunswick and is an impressive drive. You can't see over the side unless you are in a large vehicle. When I was young it didn't exist so we took the ferry across. It lights up at night but not enough to distract from the stars. As you can see by the above two pictures, its an impressive place to stay.
I have many great memories of the times spent at this cottage and this may skew my opinion of whether lake or seaside cottages are better. To that I say bring on the lobster, mussels, and clams!

Nova Scotia - New France (1892-1912)

 

Driving down 22 km of paved road, 11 km of dirt road and 6.5 km of logging road (low riders beware) are the ruins of New France. It was a community established by the French aristocratic Stehelin family. They had some land cleared away, a mill built and houses (with sidewalks) constructed. There was also a small structure beside the mill that was able to generate electricity. At night it powered streetlights and gave the nickname to the community....Electric City. The local Mi'kmaq peoples thought it quite amazing and observed the community light up at night, especially as it was the only electricity 30 years before it was established elsewhere in the county.

The Stehelin family entertained people from all over and the community was a blend of French European, Mi'Kmaq, Acadien and Black peoples.

The picture above is the entrance. The trails are accessible to bicycles but much better on foot, as the ruins are overgrown on the sides of the roadway. It is not wheelchair accessible, unless you have an off-road one. There are picnic tables and overturned garbage cans in the grass parking lot near the entrance.

 This is the initial pathway and reflects the general state of the area. The main industry that was here, as it is now, is logging. One of the two main reasons it was abandoned was the desire for the male children to seek out life outside the community. The other, and most important one, was the sudden decrease in the price of logs. There was also a fire that burned a portion of the railway that was built by the family to ship logs to nearby Weymouth.

After the site was abandoned by the family, the buildings fell into disrepair and were looted and vandalized often. There were reports of spirits and ghosts in the area but this was mostly hearsay. In the 1950's, a paper company tore down all the structures. You can see some ruins here. It looked like there were actual signs (or at least posts to put up signs) here and there to describe buildings and sites of interest but there are not. We used a book written by Paul H Stehelim (although ours had a newer cover) as a guide, as there is a handy map inside.

 Here is the wine cellar. They were aristocratic after all.

 I like the solidity of the foundations at the same time as the raw power of nature.

 Another view of the wine cellar.

 Here is a view of the magnificent lake.

 Another lovely view. I can see why they picked this spot. The site was bought by Irving but now is owned by the province of Nova Scotia.

 This is the big house where the family slept. They had servants who were schooled in the European way of things.

 Another view of the big house.

 And another.

 These were some smaller buildings as seen from the road. As you can see it does take some careful looking to notice them if you aren't paying attention.

 The foundations of a large building.

 This is the river bed that would have housed the mill and powerhouse.

 An old bridge that is falling into disrepair. Please excuse the blurriness of the photo.

 Just after the bridge is a walking path that takes you near the casino would be. It was not a place of gambling but rather the classic use of the word as a place of relaxation. Here it was a beach house that also stored the sailboat and iceboat. If you don't want to take this nice meandering path, the roadway is just up the hill and on the right.

 A picture taken on the pathway.

 This is the sand on the beach. Very coarse and contains lots of quartz.

 This is a view on the beach towards where the New France community would be. A person canoing on the lake would never know it today.

 Somewhere around here would be the casino. It is used as a campsite but is quite messy with some garbage and camp stove propane tanks here and there. Hopefully the province tidies up the site and places sign-age on the bare poles that were made for them.

 Another view of the lake. I like the tall trees on the island. Its just begging to be rowed out to.

This is the pathway on the way back from the beach. There were frogs that jumped in the various pools as we were walking out.

All in all an interesting and forgotten area in Nova Scotia history. An interesting site with pictures of the structures as they were is here.

UPDATE: I received an email from Harold Carroll, the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources Director of Parks and Recreation:

"Thank you for the information. When the province acquired the lands in question it did so as a means to protect the heritage aspect with the understanding that no resources were available to provide any maintenance and or improvements to the site.  Local people are from time to time removing some of the garbage on a volunteer basis and we greatly appreciate that help. Interpretive signs did exist but were removed by the previous landowner as they were their property and not suitable for posting under a new landowner.

There are no plans for the area at this time."

 

Its unfortunate that the signs that were there by Irving could not be kept, with stickers on top of the Irving signs. I'll try to see if they can donate them back.

UPDATE 2: I emailed Irving the above email and its been forwarded to the VP of Communications. Here's hoping for signage!

UPDATE 3: I was contacted by Annapolis Valley Vacations to put something up on their site. Here it is. Check it out if you are in the area for places to go and things to do in this area of Nova Scotia.

Annapolis Tidal Power

This facility was built in 1984 to harness the power of the severe tides that occur four times a day in the Bay of Fundy. The power plant has the most stories of any building in Annapolis Royal but nine of them are below ground because they house the turbine. It generates 80-100 Megawatts a day but more were not built after this one in the same design. That's because the act of dumping a lot of earth to block a river to store water to make electricity harms the environment more than you would think. The banks nearby have eroded, the passage of fish is no longer as free as it was and two whales got caught in behind the dam and one died. Even Nova Scotia Power is looking to other ways to generate power using the tides that don't harm the environment.

I went here shortly after it opened and even though it wasn't the best of outcomes, it is a step towards developing renewable energy.

Nova Scotia - Port Royal

Port-Royal was the name given to the French colony founded in 1605, near Annapolis Royal in Nova Scotia, Canada. The male colonists traded furs with the Mi'kmaq peoples. It was inhabited until the British raided and burned it down when the colonists happened to be away. The colonists spent the winter with the Mi'kmaq until a French ship picked them up the next year. It was never reestablished in the same spot but relocated to where Annapolis Royal stands today. Click here for my post on Fort Anne, the British name for the French Fort in Annapolis Royal once they took it over. The picture of the fort was drawn by Samuel de Champlain in 1612.

This fort is not the original structure. It was built by local shipbuilders and is a fantastic structure that, though built 1939-1941, will last for generations more.

The front of the structure is simple, impressive and effective. Although, as mentioned before, not if you don't leave anyone behind. The only entrance is seen in the picture above.

These crests are in two places on the site. The top one is the crest of the King of France. I assume one of the other two represent the noble who founded this trading post, Pierre Du Gua de Mont. I don't know what the other one could be.

Another interesting person on the trip was Mathieu da Costa, the first registered black man in North America; although his presence in Port -Royal has been in dispute. He was a multi-lingual explorer much in demand by the French and Dutch.

Here is the trading area. Mi'kmaq would enter into the fort and come into this room, the first on the right hand side. They would exchange their furs for manufactured goods, many examples of which are behind the "till".

Here is an actual beaver pelt. It was incredibly soft.

This is the view once you enter the fort, looking to the left. The first room is the administration room.

This is the center area.

This view is straight ahead. Just to the right is an open fortified area with a raised area for looking or shooting over. The French colonists had an extremely friendly relations with the Mi'kmaq peoples because they respected their territory and independence. They helped the French in their many wars with the British.

This is the room beside the trading room, connected by a door, and used to store the furs, goods and contains a cellar to keep goods cold that need to be.

This would have been de Mont's room where the second example of the crests are. He would have conducted business and relaxed here and slept upstairs.

There are a series of rooms with double bunks, a fireplace, desk and dressers. They would have been for senior members of the port.

Here is the apothecary's bedroom and place of work.

Here is the chapel. Mi'kmaq Grand Chief Membertou converted to Catholicism in 1610. He also made an agreement with the Jesuit priests who baptized him that his peoples could choose Catholicism or Mi'kmaq traditions. This helped to cement relations between the French and Mi'kmaq peoples.

Here is a machine that makes shapes in wood with a leather strap moving back and forth over the wood at relatively high speed. Pretty cool. Would also help keep you busy during the long winters.

Here are the common barracks with lots of bunk beds.

It also provides a convenient hole to shoot through and give air circulation.

Here is the main dining area. It is also the place where the order of good cheer was founded to combat "land sickness" or what we now know as scurvy, by de Champlain. It was done from the Fall until March weekly and was a combination of theater and food...dinner theater! It has been reestablished and you must be invited by an existing member.

Here is a raised area off of the dining room. It has many small cannon.

Here I am aiming it at potential foes.

This is the view of the other area of the fort and the front entrance.

The bakery.

 The kitchen prep area.

 The kitchen cooking area of the same room.

 The windows use animal skin or vellum. Very romantic but effective.

 The blacksmith's room.

If you're in the area of Annapolis Royal and/or Digby, visit Port-Royal. Here is the Parks Canada website.