Blog Nova Scotia - Christmas Haul, Stocking Stuffer Edition

As time tends to do this time of year it got away from us, so we are late posting our final Christmas Haul video with recommendations for local Nova Scotia stocking stuffers.

Blog Nova Scotia - Christmas Haul, Food Edition

In our second Video Blog we look at the local food items we have purchased for our friends and family.

Christmas Haul - Wine Edition

Merry Christmas Blog Nova Scotia Readers, this holiday season we wanted to feature some of the amazing Nova Scotia Products we have available all year round and that would make great gifts.

CHRISTMAS GIVING.. GOING LOCAL

So this year we've decided to go local for our Christmas gifts.. so our gifts give in more ways than one. We'd like to keep our gifts under 30$ so that they are affordable for everyone but we're not limited to that price. Wondering if anyone has any suggestions? We feel it's important to support local businesses and keep our communities thriving. We'd like to ensure that local businesses through out the whole province are covered so we'd love to hear your ideas. Please leave a comment, email or tweet us your suggestions. You can also let us know if you have any plans to go local too... 
Thanks!! 

This Fish

It's dinner time...and do you know where your seafood came from? Being from Nova Scotia, it's never something I put much thought into. The lobster, came from uncle Donnie's brother in law, the mussels from the brother in-law's cousin, the crab, why the cousin's girlfriend's father from up in Judique of course. Now as an adult living on my own, away from those connections, it's something I've started thinking about.

While I don't subscribe to the 100-mile diet,I do try to eat locally when ever possible. I like knowing where my food comes from. I use the term "where" loosely. I know the fish I buy comes from Nova Scotia. Could I tell you the where or how it was caught? Nope.

 Thisfish, an initiative of Ecotrust Canada, lets you do just that. Fisherman and seafood business on the east and west coasts are able to tag their catches with a unique code that allows  the consumer, to learn a little more about their seafood. Once you enter the code on Thisfish, you get information on the "who/what/where/when and how of  your dinner. Currently 200 lobster boats in Atlantic Canada and several west coast fishing industries are participating in Thisfish.

I first learned about Thisfish, back in October when a friend's haddock dinner came with a code. Being of the crackberry generation we quickly brought up the site. We learned that the haddock on her plate had been caught Oct 1. Near eastern Georges Bank and processed in Middle West Pubnico. My friend is originally from Digby and has always raved about the seafood from that area of the province. She was right, it was delicious. A big thanks to Martin d'Entremont, Inshore Fisheries ltd and A.C. Covert Distributors and the chef for a great piece of fish.

Canadian Pickers in Sou’West Nova.

GASP!! We totally forgot that last night’s episode of Canadian Pickers featured them in Barrington Passage, Shelburne Co. and small place called Stanburne, just inland from Bridgewater. Who by the way are called Cash Cowboys outside of English Canada according to Wikipedia..

It's not the first time they've been here but..

Full Steam Ahead

Full Steam Ahead... with Full Steam Coffee, roasted in Guysborough, Nova Scotia. The coffee certified organic, fair trade and not to mention delicious. As of right now the coffee is available in Guysbrough at the Skipping Stone Cafe, Bakery and Gift Shop as well as at Pete’s Frootique in Bedford and downtown Halifax in the HRM. They are also usually at the Antigonish Farmers Market on Saturdays. This weekend you can stop by Pete's in Bedford for a free sampling. 

#CityHarvest Happening this Weekend in Halifax

It’s all falling into place.... because it’s fall... get it. Yeah okay, so puns are not my forte... but eating and shopping are!! And I love free yoga classes.

All things you can do at this up coming weekend October 27^th & 28th at CityHarvest event/ festival thingy (??) happening in Halifax 

It’s put on by I Love Local (HFX) Business CommunityGroup that helps promote local businesses in Halifax.... Yes, yes, I know.. Thank You, Captain Obvious. It’s an Event that helps showcase things that local businesses have to offer. Here are some of the things we are excited about....

Matt Mays Has A New Video...

With the True Blood wolves and Jesus stuff....

"Take It On Faith" is his new single and we love the video and can’t stop watching!

We cannot help but spread the love for the Cole Harbour native and his music by sharing the vid. We're not sure if you love it as much as Cocaine Cowgirl or more...  

He's also got an up coming show at the Halifax Forum on Thursday, November 15th. Tickets are $30 and available online at Ticketpro here! 

GOING LOCAL .... FOR V-DAY!

Noggin Farms & Gourmandise Ave, Halifax Seaport Market

Sure... it’s super easy to go local for Valentine’s Day if you take your lover out to eat at a local restaurant and buy them roses or whatevs from the local florist. Not that there is anything wrong with following typical Valentine’s traditions but it’s also kind of boring. We decided we'd just mention some Made in Nova Scotia ideas for the big V-Day to get you started so you could show your lover that you’re thoughtful, creative and...  locally minded to get that romance mojo flowing. 

If you’re single, don’t worry, I’ve got something for you and maybe a few of your fabulous single friends in a post this week!  And by this week, we mean probably tomorrow... 

Now, Valentine’s Day is just under a week away so let’s start with the best part of V-Day....

And The Nova Scotian Juno Nominees 2012 Are..

The Juno nominations are out and here is how our province’s musical talent made out this year... 

Would You Like Some Wine With That Cheese?

The secret is out. We have wine. Delicious award winning wine. Surprised? Don't be. With our mild climate and nutrient rich soil, growing conditions are perfect for grapes. Which is why we've been making wine since 1611 and I dare say we've gotten pretty damn good at it. Practice makes perfect after all. 

With over 2 dozen wineries each offering their own distinct brand, things can seem overwhelming. Don't worry about wine snobs, we're friendly and like to share. Which is why every year, you can find various tours, tastings and festivals throughout the province.

Starting February 2 -12 The Ice Wine Festival (award winning icewine!) will be taking place in varies locations throughout the province. For full schedule see here. This year over 40 events will be held, varying from the traditional wine and cheese pairing to winery tours by snowshoe.   Kids? No problem, how does a toboggan rides down a 1000 foot hill with a horse-pulled sleigh to meet you at the bottom and bring to the top again, sound? On a budget? Take in one of the amazing prix-fix menu  being offered during the festival.

Coffee In Nova Scotia 522.. it’s 902 522

My Friends know never to speak to me until I have had my coffee. No coffee... No nice!

I’m not one of those coffee snobs... but I do know the good from the bad. And if that coffee comes from a Nova Scotia Roaster then it makes it all the better.

One day last summer as I was strolling through my local Sobeys, a bright shinny copper bag caught my eye. Not just any bag, a coffee bag. I said to myself “Self, this is coffee in a shiny bag.... just what every girl wants”

The shiny bagged coffee is from Nova Scotia 522, a gourmet coffee roasting company located in Aspen, Nova Scotia. Yes! I said Aspen, Nova Scotia. It’s just past Melrose.....near Sherbrook, Eastern Shore.

In The Dead Of Winter

Winter. That's right, I said the "w" word. When you think winter in Nova Scotia, what comes to mind? Snow, dark cold nights, blinding storms? What about music? Did you know that every year during the last weekend of January, a music festival is held?

In the Dead of Winter was founded by Heather Gibson, Jill Barber, Rose Cousins, Jenn Grant and Amelia Curran. Over the years, the organizers have changed but the goal remains the same. Bringing together various acoustic artists to help showcase their genre and give them the chance to perform to a wider then normal audience in a professional setting.

This year's festival is going to be taking place from January 25 - 28 at various venues throughout Halifax. While the festival does welcome all ages, please note that some venues are 19+. For additional venue and ticket information please see

While I would love to take in all the shows, this year I'm limiting myself to artists who's work I'm unfamiliar. Some shows I hope to check out are:
Breagh MacKinnon

Mo Kenney 
Dinah Thorpe
Repartee
Modern Men
The Moonshine Ramblers
These Hands


Is there anyone else in the line-up I should look into?

#PODCAMPHFX 2012

We were so excited to attend this year’s PodCamp Halifax that we’re kinda sad that it’s already over.

 It blows our minds how well it’s put together and ........all by volunteers. 

The organizers and sponsors deserve a big round of applause. There was at least 3 sessions per time slot that we would have loved to attend at any given time. Not all was shiny and bright throughout the day. There is still room for some improvements, the biggest being the no wifi connection in the big theatre room and the spotty internet in the library space. I hope it’s a lesson learned, don’t deny social media nerds their wifi connection because they get very angry and tweet about it!!

We decided this year that those of us who could attend would create our own reviews and rank each speaker according to the JediRanking System that we used last year. Thank you Wikipedia!

PS: It’s because we all can’t agree on how to rank each session

Professional Lobster Fisherman Association Meeting.

There have been more meetings from the newly formed 1688 Professional Lobster Fisherman’s Association.

I believe that the lobster industry is important to Nova Scotia and we should be all concerned with staying informed about what’s going on. I mean, it what tourist want when they come here! It’s part of our regional cultural identity. Remember the outrage when they took down the lobster cam for the winter from Nova Scotia Webcams website (Still not running by the way)? It probably affects us in more ways than we’ll probably ever know unless we lose it. Then, it’s too late.......

At 11:45 a fisherman stands up and speaks from his heart about the importance of lobster fishing is to the sense of community in the area.. it’s worth seeing.


The truth is being told and history is being made!

Here’s a link from the last one which was held in Pubnico, Nova Scotia.

PODCAMP!!!! PODCAMP!!!! PODCAMP!!!!

Sorry, Getting a little excited for this weekend ....(blushing)

Can't wait to be among all our social media tweeps

Here's a list of the sessions. We're having a hard time deciding which ones to go to. Anyone who's in the know of a heads up must see session should let us know :) Just leave a comment!!

Pizza à la Morris East

I first heard about how amazing Morris East’s wood-fire oven pizza almost two years ago. Though the restaurant has been around for awhile, I had never heard of it until a friend casually mentioned it to me while passing by on our way to another restaurant. I made a mental note to check it out as soon as I could but unfortunately, it took me almost 1 year and half to get there... even though they’re in my neighbourhood... and another 4 to write my blog post.

The décor in the restaurant has a very simplistic urban modern, art nouveau feel to it. Dark colours of browns and blacks mixed with bright reds and some greens. It’s extremely urban hipster-ish and maybe a little bit pretentious. I also found it very small with the tables almost too close together. The next table away from us was less than a foot away.... and I’m not exaggerating. It’s almost a good thing it was almost 1:45 pm in the afternoon and the table was vacant or else I feel I would have probably lost my mind... or at least been too busy eavesdropping to pay attention to my own tables conversations. 

Lobster Industry... WTF is Going On In Nova Scotia

Have you been hearing a lot about the news about the lobster industry? The  industry is the backbone for a lot of communities of Sou’West Nova Scotia and up through the Bay of Fundy. The price of lobster in Nova Scotia this season is extremely low even though the price of other seafood had been through the roof. So for the communities who are already hurting from the loss of the ferry, are struggling to make ends meet. They are getting less for their product than what the lobster is worth..

The politics are so complicated that I can’t really explain all the ends and out. It would take me three days to write a thesis on what’s going on to the lobster industry.

But... the fisherpeople are uniting!!

And the revolution will be youtuberized!! The new Association is transparent and on the internet. So if you’re interested in seeing what’s happening and why. They actually explain a lot in the meets about the history and the current situations in the markets. Here are the links to the first meeting and the second. (There was only two thus far).

PS: Language Disclaimer! They are sailors, so get over it...

PPS: Accent Disclaimer! Welcome to Sou’West Nova!

January 4, 2012

January 12, 2012

CH’s Acadian Expulsion Article

Well I guess it’s really a column but you get my point. If you haven’t read it, here’s the link.

Many of you don’t know, but I’m an Acadian. I grew up in an Acadian community, went to an Acadian school, eat Rappie Pie for Christmas. In fact, I grew up in the oldest region that still presently Acadian. I’m like, Acadian Orthodox.

I find this article to be offensive.

Now let me tell you why, I HATE being told that my Acadian heritage puts me at a disadvantage to others.

Podcamp Halifax 2012

Just a friendly reminder that Podcamp Halifax is less than 3 weeks away! It you haven’t signed up, you should do so ASAP since space is usually limited. If you don’t know what it is, it’s like Hal-Con for Social Media Nerds except in a more un-conventional way...

It’s in its 4^th year running and it gets better and better every year. The speakers are incredible and I promise you that even if you think you’re social media savvy, you’ll be blown away by the new and innovative things you’ll learn.

Sign up before it’s too late.... just go to their website {HERE} and click the sign up arrow thingy, fill out the online form and wait for your online confirmation!