Big Day Downtown Halifax 2014 part 2

So, continuing the adventure on my Big Day Downtown, I took a friend to lunch at Scanway's new downtown location on Grafton Street, next to Drala. They've opened a bright cheery rustic cafe with open brick ,lots of light and a view of the kitchen.

Wonderful breads, frozen treats and lunches available

 Check out their Mac and Cheese sammie!

 Of course they still have sweets too:)

 We opted to eat upstairs and enjoy summer alfresco dining while we still can.
Up, waaaay up.

 They have a large patio with a view over "Pizza Corner."This was our table!

 Ever see a non-tipping glass? It won't fall over:) We tried haha.

 The menu had some salads and lighter fare and all the sandwiches were $7.50 My pal ordered the lobster roll and said it was great!

I had them make a special one for me. I'm a vegetarian who doesn't eat cheese. So, voila! Toasted garlic rosemary bread with grilled peppers ,onions and a jicama cabbage apple slaw! It was delicious:)
There were some amazing desserts and boozy milkshakes on offer but we decided to stop while we were ahead. Nutella &Myers Dark Rum, Apple Pie &Bourbon, Blueberries & vodka, Kahlua& crushed Florentines....you get the picture. Apologies to the lady who was mid mouthful when I snapped this. Those Sundaes looked great!

Off to the HalifaxWaterfront next. That's Theodore the friendly tug boat and one of the Dartmouth ferries in the background.

 I was told to go to the Lost Cod Clothing Co. and get something made for myself. We joined the throngs of people enjoying the sun and made our way to the little shack.

They have reclaimed old Nova Scotian business logos and will put one on any item you choose from their store! Very cool. I picked an apron I can use for painting in and had an old apple company logo put on it. See? You can order online too.

 Had a lovely chat with this lady. A regular fixture on the waterfront:)

Then we strolled  to Historic Properties.These are great new chairs that just appeared here this summer. Love their colours.

Find out where we visited next in part 3:)
Part 3
Part 1

Big Day Downtown Halifax 2014 part 1

It's that time of year again! The Big Day Downtown event, sponsored by the Downtown Halifax Business Commission. A group of bloggers are given a prepaid Visa card and asked to go out and explore the downtown core and then share our experiences. This year it was people's choice and I visited places based on recommendations :) This city has a lot to offer! First stop was Trident Cafe and Bookstore at 1256 Hollis Street.

 I loved it here! Used books and coffee:)

 It is the little touches...
Trident cafe roasts their own coffee in a 900 pound coffee roaster from Germany called Lola.

 There's a little room in the back where you can bag your own roasted beans to take home as well as a few more tables where you can sit, have a quiet brew and enjoy free wifi.
Lots of character in this little spot. I loved it!

Next up is a tiny restaurant called Shiraz. It is right next door to Trident at 1240 Hollis Street. I've seen it many times but never really paid much attention to it.

Shiraz is located in a former taxi dispatcher hut and is as tiny as it gets:) Open from 11am to 9pm 7 days a week. Dishing up Halal Persian food. I had just had a coffee next door so was not able to try anything. I did purchase a veggie samosa that I took home and it was yummy.

I did speak to a chap eating a delicious looking curry and asked him if he was enjoying his meal. He responded enthusiastically that it was very good and he eats here at least 3 times a week! I also saw a couple of people drop by for takeout while I was there.

This tiny little place is run by a husband and wife team who are very friendly and want to make you feel at home.I will definitely be coming back to have a proper meal!

Halifax is full of character and there are loads of places to try. I've yet to eat at Stories restaurant in the Halliburton House Inn, a gorgeous historic boutique hotel. Another place to put on my list!

 I've been to Drala before but it was suggested to me so I thought I would pop in again.

 The words on the door ring true! It is a gorgeous gift store on Grafton Street.
Full of delightful things for the home and spirit.

A Tibetan word, "drala" means "without aggression". When you invoke drala, you begin to experience basic goodness reflected everywhere - in yourself, in others, and in the entire world.

  Just about everything in the shop I wanted to take home at least one of!
You would be hard pressed not to find a gift for someone in here.They really have something for everyone. I purchased the purple and blue scarf! Now I have to decide whether to give it away or keep it:)

This is a flowering tea. Isn't it wonderful? It comes as a dried ball of leaves but pop it into a teapot and watch it unfurl into something beautiful.

To be continued:) 
 Part 2
 Part 3

Summer moments...

A Sunflower maze! Butterflies, bumblebees and the summer wind. 

Morning sun, screen door. Perfect start to the day.

Flash Bogo Sale

 

Flash Buy one Get one FREE sale!!!

Pop over to my ETSY shop AliceinParis.etsy.com

Buy a print or two or three and in the "notes to seller" let me know which one/s you would like for free:)

Thanks so much! 

August 1st

Yum, caramelized coconut cupcake from Wild Leek, a lovely little vegan restaurant owned by a pal of mine. This post is a bit of an experiment. I am writing it on my iPhone and have no idea what it will look like on a regular computer. There are some limitations too, I can't link to Wild Leek and I have no idea how large the picture is. Oh well, that's what experiments are all about..... exploring the possibilities. I bet there's an app for this. 

End of July

Well here it is July 31 exactly 31 days since I broke my foot. It has been a hard slog for me. I am usually very active and this has forced me to spend a lot of time on the couch reading and sadly, becoming a Netflix junkie. My latest find is Grand Hotel. A wonderful over the top at times, drama from Spain similar to Downton Abbey. It is subtitled but after a few episodes I am not even aware I am reading and have convinced myself I understand every word they are saying. Click here to see some pics from it. Romance, intrigue...it has it all! Soooo good:)

I've also just finished a 16 x 20 commission. the client wanted a blue painting featuring her cats Clementine and Mr. Meowgli. Contact me if you are interested in one for yourself or a gift. (The top picture is Hollis Street in Halifax)

Auction ends July 11

I`m auctioning this wee painting on my facebook page.  6 x 12 x .75 acrylic on canvas.  The picture was taken with my iphone and is a bit blurry but actual painting is clear. Bidding started at $50.

Bites and Broken Bones

What is the Universe trying to tell me? On May 25th just after this gentle woodsy picture was taken, I was walking back to my car after a lovely hike and was attacked and bitten by a German Shepherd! Ouch! It was scary. The owners were there and quickly got the dog in control.

I went to the hospital, got a tetanus shot was bandaged up and sent home. It was pretty bad, flesh was torn and I was laid up for a week and then in discomfort for 4 more with several doctors visits and another hospital one. I got the go ahead to start walking just weeks ago and then....on July 1st went sailing and just before I took this picture....I had taken a bad fall. Really bad and hurt my hand and foot. Little did I know it was broken! (no alcohol was involved:) Sheesh.

So I now have a cast and crutches. Another 4-6 weeks of healing ahead of me, perhaps 8. I see Ortho next week so I might be able to ditch the crutches. I've been doing a lot or reading and Netflix watching:) Unfortunate thing is I am self employed and I still have to earn my living. Ah the joys and downfalls of self employment.

My daughter brought home some of my painting supplies from the studio so I am starting to do a few smaller works here. Healing bones is tiring work:) My energy is a bit lower than usual. Oh and did I mention that I can't drive until the cast comes off.....sigh

Halifax is quite a hilly city so when I am a bit stronger it should make for some interesting maneuvering.

I'm going to use this quiet time to get to work on some children's book ideas I have had kicking around for a while. Maybe that's what I am supposed to be doing and needed to be brought to a halt to get started haha. We shall see how inspired I get......
(these photos are all instagrams, I'm aliceinparis1 over there, you might have to have an instagram account in order to see it)