I first attended the Youth Project as an in-the-closet teen. Through a hilarious (in retrospect)…read moremix-up, I had my mom drive me 30 minutes to Halifax, lied about why she was driving me to Halifax, asked her to kill two hours of her precious time and not ask too many questions because "God, Mom!" all to discover I'd arrived on the wrong night for the boys' group. The Youth Project helped me connect with other kids my own age who understood what I was going through. The advice and assistance of those a few years older than me made the transition of coming out and living out much easier. I recently had the good fortune to visit the Youth Project as an adult and they are still offering great support and services to LGBTQ* kids.

After filling an Indian cuisine void, in my belly and in my soul, a precarious dash across the…read morestreet took me into a small Sally Anne. The store was adequately shelved with various wares and clothing for all occasions. Andrew and I perused the wracks, only to discover that inflation has taken hold of even the tiniest of thrift shops. Long sleeve cotton tees that once went for an irresistible $2.99 now wear tags demanding $4.99. I shall not participate! Okay, I probably will, but I don't want the Value Village fate of sky rocketing prices to be the new norm in used clothes shopping. I found a couple of pieces I so desired, but wasn't willing to cough up half a tenner for a simple shirt - call me cheap, but that's where I'm standing. The book / cassette / VHS area was pretty fun, with carts loaded with random junk and the odd treasure. In the end, no purchases were made, but a fun jaunt was had. I do like this location and endorse it as a reasonable place to shop. Just doesn't expect ample, libidinous deals from the days of yore.

Of all the Salvation Armies on the HRM, the Cole Harbour store is the smallest, yet still mighty. I…read morefind they often have good quality items, regardless of the cramped location. Solid selection of glass ware, dresses and jewelry. It might just be the neat freak in me, but it really bugs me that there is ALWAYS at least one cart full of items to be shelved just hanging out outside their sorting doors, against a rack of clothing, blocking it all. Drives me crazy. I always think this place should have a larger selection of frames and paintings/ prints, but alas, they don't. All that to say, I don't usually venture to this little location unless I'm in the area.

Margaret's House is a picturesque house sitting at the corner of Wentworth and Ochterloney across…read morefrom Two if By Sea. At first look, you wouldn't know what it is. But I've lived nearby long enough to appreciate their amazing work in the community. Quite simply, they give people a decent meal. That is a fantastic fact when you realize they've been around for over 20 years. I've had friends who have volunteered here and everyone's been quite impressed with their experience. It's easy to assume that the only people who need help getting a decent meal are the very poor. But that belies the fact that there are many 'working poor' who can just barely afford to survive. I'm glad to see the House has been getting some renovations and improvements lately; a new courtyard and improved accessibility. Thanks for all your hard work to the volunteers.

I eat here daily and it is impossible to express how much I appreciate the place and people. The…read moremeals are really excellent! (it is way better than some places across the Harbour, although they DO have good soup). Not only that but the people ,staff and clients, are wonderful too. I think we are a family-yep a FAMILY is what we are. Thank God for people who care AND act on it! G

I love shopping at this store in particular. So many new…read moreitems added daily. It's quite exciting to shop here. I always leave with a few more gifts/treasures. The prices are very reasonable for the quality of the items the hard working staff have selected. The staff is always friendly and helpful. I have moved from the province now it I always spend a few hours in the store when I return for a holiday! Happy shopping! Aurora

I heard they were having a half off menswear sale so I got to the store as early as I could. Had…read morenever been before. It's not the cleanest or most organized store in the world, but the potential bargain finds are unparalleled. I got a whole bunch of nice t-shirts, mostly designer brands, for under $3 (quite a few were a dollar or so). Since it's almost summer, now is also the time to get the lowest prices on winter wear. I got two brand name trendy light winter coats for $6 each and they both looked brand new. One of them retails new at well over $150..so I feel I got good value for money. Much better prices than at VV that's for sure. Highly recommend!

Psychedelic dance parties with records spinning and projected oil art dripping across the walls;…read morelive music blazing while sweaty bodies jump and bump to the solid beat; inspired local art adorning the walls while patrons peruse, chatting and poking about: This is the Khyber. Everything and anything cool as dirt and art related. The space is amazing. Climbing the stairs you feel like you could be in any city, about to embark on a secret night. You'll see smiles, wild dance moves, great style and a lot of happy people on any given night at the Khyber. It's my favorite space in this city. If you're into a scene that's a little off the grid, check it out - if nothing else, you'll admire the historic nature of the building and the amount of life that one old place can house.

The building has a few weird rooms where you can check out live shows. Weird in the sense that it…read moremay feel like you're a big empty white room. Or it may be a big white room with very strange art on the wall. There is a pretty cool group of bands that frequent the Khyber and typically they put on fun and energetic shows. There is something special about catching a secret show there at 2 a.m. If you're a Joel Plaskett fan, be sure to check the place out so you can understand the album "Down At The Khyber" a little more. Be sure to bring cash for beer. The fridge usually is stacked with local Propeller beer, my favourite beer in the city. A lot of people work hard to keep the place going and it is vital for the Halifax arts scene. Definitely a place worth visiting and spending some money to help out.

Contacted them to surrender a Cat, who's owner has been Hospitalized and is never coming back home…read more The house was sold, the New Owner is allergic to cats. These people can not be bothered to answer their phones. It also appears to be that they are selling Animals on Facebook for a serious profit! (A violation of Facebook Policy, and a Violation of Nova Scotia Law) If you have an Animal you need to surrender, don't waste your Time Contacting these people!

If you're considering purchasing a pet, before you go to a pet-store, you should first check out…read morethe Bide Awhile Animal Shelter. The Bide Awhile provides a temporary shelter for many homeless cats and dogs, both young and old, until the shelter is able to place them in proper homes. Unlike pet-stores, Bide Awhile isn't lookng to make profits, instead, its main concern is always the well-being of the animals. Of course, there is a reasonable adoption fee for all the animals, but this cost goes towards medical shots and other pet essentials. Bide Awhile has a unique set-up, in that, when you go in to see the kitties they're all in one gigantic playroom. At any one time, there can be 40 or more cats inside. Customers and guests are invited into the room to get to play with the cats and get to know them, before making a purchase decision. The adoption process itself can be quite rigorous, in that you must first fill out various adoption papers and wait for your references to be approved - which can sometimes take several days. Keep in mind though, that while this process can be quite frustrating, it is all being done in the animals' protection, to ensure they go to good loving homes.