The Scope issue 119

chow down on the resuLTS of more than 80 categories including BEST BURGER, BEST MUSSELS & BEST BREAKFAST

BEST

2011

thescopeOFFOOD &DRINK

Raymonds restaurant swept six categories in this year’s SURVEY, including best chef, best service and best restaurant when someone else is paying.

THE SCOPE | st. john’s arts and entertainment magazine | JUNE 2011 | Volume 7, Number 5 | Issue 119 | www.thescope.ca

JUNE 2011

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I saw you twice, and I want to see you again, handsome beardo. Let’s make it happen.

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I saw you all not dancing. Don’t push past me to get closer to the stage just so you can stand in front of me in all your tallness and not even dance to prove to me that at least your rudeness brought you more enjoyment.

thescope JUNE 2011

issue 119, volume 7, number 5 Online www.thescope.ca E-mail inbox@thescope.ca Listings listings@thescope.ca Mail PO Box 1044, St. John’s, NL, A1C 5M3 Phone 709-726-8466

Publisher Bryhanna Greenough publisher@thescope.ca Editor Elling Lien editor@thescope.ca Listings Editor Nathan Downey Editorial Assistant Sarah Smellie Production Assistant Morgan Murray Advertising Sales Elaine Pond (709) 699-7299 elaine@thescope.ca Advertising Sales Lisa Cook (709) 693-5028 lisa@thescope.ca

More contributors Ryan Davis, Andrew Harvey, Adam Clarke, José González, Kelly Bastow, Michael Butler, Nathan Downey, Taryn Sheppard, Ricky King, Andrew Wickens, and Rob Brezsny.

The Scope is St. John’s arts and entertainment newspaper, published by Scope Media Inc. 22,000+ copies of The Scope are printed monthly and distributed throughout the metro area. The Scope seeks to publish a newspaper that will entertain, inform, and foster cultural development in the St. John’s metropolitan area. The Scope claims absolutely no responsibility for the refusal of the NL provincial government to fund professional sports, nor for that sunburn you got from passing out on your deck after drinking a few days ago. We encourage all our readers to wear sunscreen whenever you consume alcohol. All rights reserved. © 2011 Proudly independent and locally owned. Founded way back in 2006.

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COVER ART

Cover photo by Darrell Edwards. www.lowercasestudio.com

Back feed

torn from the electronic pages of thescope.ca

What’s happening to this place?

An anonymous Rant Farm commentor asks us to calmly take a moment and think about what is happening to our city. Of course, this opens the floodgates and they are viciously attacked by cynical internet users.

Rant by Anonymous: Dear St. John’s, Seriously. Can we talk about ‘public space’ for a second here? Can there be a place we can go that is not a store to hang out? What happened to culture and architecture and quality of life? Do we really need another giant pet store? Can we stop and think about the way we want to live instead of the crap we want to buy for just a second? And can we stop ripping on each other for not being the hottest or best dressed or most eco-conscious for just six seconds?

Comment by reality: Money talks. That’s reality. This is why developers build stores, and cultural spaces are publicly funded for the most part. If you had $20, would you invest it in a venture that could make you $100, or would you invest it in culture and make smiley faces? Smiley faces are nice, but sadly don’t pay the rent. I’m an artist, so I can appreciate the value of culture for quality of life.

Just make sure that when cultural events take place, you take full advantage. Quality of life is what you make it.

Comment by HBEEZ: No one in St. John’s is best dressed since I left.

Comment by Dump: There is no reason council couldn’t designate public space, like a public square. It could even have shops on the perimeter like in Europe. But, they’d rather squeeze in another hotel or crappy subdivision.

Comment by Anonymous: It’s worth noting that not everywhere in Europe looks like what you see on the postcards and in movies.

They’ve got plenty of suburban sprawl over there too. They also have office towers, commercial and financial districts, and even dangerous neighbourhoods. I honestly don’t understand why the hippies here are always complaining, St. John’s really isn’t that bad.

Comment by tron: My problem isn’t with the way things are, I love it here (don’t get me started on the litter though). My problem is with irresponsible development for the sake of development. It’s the cash rules everything mentality and the fact that those in

charge seem to be intent on making all these problems worse, and anyone who suggests we slow down and think about what we’re doing is branded some type of anti-development hippy. Why the hell should we settle for “really isn’t that bad” when “awesome” is still an option?

Comment by name: My issue is Stavanger Drive and the multitude of Stavanger Drive look-a-likes. Money is not supposed to be the end. It’s supposed to be the means to an end. I don’t mind if there are shops and stuff around, it just feels like there is no planning going on in the city based on giving people lifestyle choices. Sprawling suburbs of giant two-storey vinyl houses, big box stores, and pathetic public transport make me sad. I appreciate the parks, but, some kind of other pedestrian-focused urban public space might be nice – people obviously want somewhere to go. Have you seen Water Street on a sunny day? I find it frustrating that we have this vast amount of culture to draw from and we just keep making the same big box stores. I think we can do better than that.

Comment by Chris: Are you that naive enough to think that everyone wants to hold hands and sing in a park. If a huge chunk of people did not want these vinyl two-storey homes or these big box stores do you honestly think they would be so damn popular?

Comment by Swedish Flowerpot: If parks are only for people holding hands in them and singing, then I am against parks.

Comment by Dump: DT has turned into a s***hole. That’s the current state.

Comment by Steve: Downtown has “turned into a s***hole"? Wow. When did this happen? I see houses being refurbished on streets where there were boarded up houses 10 to 15 years ago. Commercial buildings that were derelict or abandoned are being renovated.

More major developments have been approved in this past year than ever before.

Cruise ship visits and overall tourist numbers have been climbing every year for a decade or more, and they ain’t goin’ to Cowan Heights.

If downtown is s***hole, I guess a lot of people like s***holes.

Speak up at goo.gl/79Ewj

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NEWS & VIEWS thescope.ca/news-views

Renter Jess Huber got a letter from her landlord saying that, as of July 1st, their rent would be $750 instead of $650 — a 15.4% increase.

Lorraine Michael, leader of the provincial NDP, thinks the province should be looking at more rent control. And that means establishing a separate provincial division to deal with rental housing policy.

Shannie Duff, City of St. John’s Deputy Mayor, would like to see tax incentives and interest rate breaks for developers who build units for low-to-mid range rentals.

Realtor and landlord Brad Stone thinks rent control legislation could work, as long as the rights and needs of both landlords and tenants are worked into it.

LOST CONTROL Rent is on the loose while the province’s economy booms.

By Sarah Smellie. Illustrations by Morgan Murray.

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pril 1st was a lousy day for Jess Huber. She had been living in her downtown-area two-bedroom apartment since December of 2009 and, despite its few problems, she had no plans to move.

Then she and her partner got a letter from her landlord saying that, as of July 1st, their rent would be $750 instead of $650 — a 15.4% increase.

“We were pretty surprised, given the problems that we'd been experiencing — mold, leaking ceiling in the bathroom and so on," she says. “The landlord didn't offer to fix those things in lieu of the rent increase. We were good tenants, we paid our rent early, we were clean, and we never asked to sublet.”

She was even more surprised, after calling government services, to learn that the 15.4 per cent rent hike was within the landlord’s right. According to Newfoundland’s Residential Tenancies Act, landlords can’t raise the rent in the first 12 months of an occupancy agreement and, after those 12 months are up, they can’t raise the rent more than once a year.

But they can raise the rent by however much they please.

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Board was disbanded in the late 1990s.

Lorraine Michael, leader of the provincial NDP, thinks the province should be looking at more rent control. She says she hears from a lot of people in Huber’s position. Ontario, British Columbia, Manitoba, and P.E.I. have all introduced fixed amounts by which landlords can raise their rents each year and Michael thinks Newfoundland could learn a lot from their programs.

“I think it’s important because the demand for rental space is so high in our cities,” she says. “We have extremely low vacancy rates in St. John’s, Corner Brook and Labrador West and, because of that, rates are going up by exorbitant rates. You obviously are going to have a law that’s going to take care of both the tenant and the landlord. For example, if a landlord has to put extra money into the property for a major repair, then they can put in an application to raise the rent more than the set standard would allow.”

That, she says, would require the establishment of a separate provincial division to deal with rental housing policy, since one doesn’t presently exist: the Residency Tenancies

Shannie Duff, City of St. John’s Deputy Mayor, sits on the mayor’s advisory committee on affordable housing. Duff says the city’s skyrocketing rents have contributed to longer waiting lists for both of the city’s affordable housing programs. But she’s not convinced that rent control is the answer for the people on those waiting lists, or for people like Huber who are just looking for housing affordability.

“The jury is out on that. There are a lot of people who seem to think that is a good idea, but there are two downsides it,” she says. “One is that it tends to discourage any new market housing, and we haven’t had any new rental construction in over 20 years. The second is that landlords under rent control do not maintain their properties.”

Instead, she’d like to see tax incentives and interest rate breaks for developers who build units for low-to-mid range rentals.

To an extent, Brad Stone agrees with her.

He’s a realtor who also owns properties which he rents out.

“If you made the stipulations too strict, it could dissuade further investment,” Stone says. “If you had a vacant property, for example, or someone just purchased an investment property, and they couldn’t set the rent themselves and had to apply to the government to set the rent — well, I can’t see that working.

And from working in real estate I’ve been in a lot of houses, and I know that some don’t do anything to their properties at all — no maintenance, these places are falling apart — and they’re increasing the rents anyways.”

All in all, he thinks that rent control legislation could work, as long as the rights and needs of both landlords and tenants are worked into it.

As for Jess Huber, who has since left her apartment for cheaper rent elsewhere, the solution is a no-brainer.

“Rent control, or even a standardization of rental increases across the province would have been a huge help.”

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I saw you, guy who expertly ejected a booger from your nose. I didn’t mean to stare, or laugh. I thought your skills were impressive, honest. I only laughed because, well, it was a little funny.

hot tickets

film

Queer City Film Festival June 17-18

Wide Open Wide is a roving exhibition of short films curated by Queer City Cinema, showcasing a variety of genres and forms that celebrate and explore queer identity, sexuality, and politics. St. John’s is one stop in a six-city tour that includes Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Victoria, Halifax, and Edmonton.

Queer City notes that five out of the six cities on the tour don’t have a queer film festival of their own. 28 films produced in locations all across Canada will be screened over the two nights of the festival. Wide Open Wide will be screened at the Eastern Edge Gallery, located at 72 Harbour Drive. Tickets are $6 per evening and the show starts at 8pm.

June 2011

Some of our picks for the month. Written by Nathan Downey.

Highbrow

Opera on the Avalon June 16-24

One of the most refined and sophisticated performance art forms, opera is a combination of choreography, orchestral accompaniment, and vocal acrobatics.

And it’s not something this old rock sees a lot of. Thankfully, Opera on the Avalon, an organization dedicated to giving young performers from across Canada the chance to mount full-scale productions, are here to help. They will be performing two operas this year—The Marriage of Figaro (you know all the music, trust me) and Henry Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, one of the first English-language operas ever written. Perfomances are at the Holy Heart Theatre. Dido and Aeneas runs from June 16 to June 19 at 8pm. Figaro gets married June 22 to June 24 at 7:30pm.

Tickets are $28 and $25, respectively, and are available at the Holy Heart box office.

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not quite as highbrow

FIRST DERBY BOUT June 18

Though it contains some of the same pageantry and theatrics as pro-wrestling, the sport of roller derby is not to be dismissed. It’s an intense female-dominated moving melee involving two teams of five rollerskate-clad vixens. Roller derby bouts, unlike wrestling, don’t have a pre-determined outcome, so they are fierce, full-contact battles for victory.

The 709 Girls—the local derby league—have been training for more than a year, and the Deliquent Dolls are finally ready to take on the Squaresville Slammers, followed by an afterparty at the Rock House. It all goes down at the Jack Byrne Arena on June 18, doors at 6:30, battle at 7:30. Tickets are $12 in advance (at Trouble Bound Studio, Ballistic, Downtown Comics, and online) and $15 at the door. Rowr.

Jazz

Duane Andrews & The Rhythm Futur Orchestra June 19

ECMA-nominated jazz composer Duane Andrews has cobbled together the Rhythm Futur Orchestra, consisting of members of his regular ensemble and musicians from the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra. The 11-piece group features viola, cello, flute, horns, guitar, and bass and will be performing gypsy-jazz pioneer Django Reinhardt’s standards and showcasing some of Andrews’ newest compositions. This show will he direction the St. John’s avant-jazz scene is headed.

Duane Andrews & The Rhythm Futur Orchestra play the DF Cook Recital Hall at 1:30pm.

Tickets are $15.

metal

Swords LP Release June 4

Local metal bannermen Swords have been at the vanguard of the St. John’s scene since 2005, with one acclaimed LP and four EPs under their belt. This month, they’re slated to release Miasma, the highly anticipated follow-up to 2009’s long player Swords.

Miasma was mastered by James Plotkin, a well-regarded producer who’s worked with such monumental bands as Sunn O))) and and the dearly-departed ISIS. The LP release show will feature Swords performing tracks off the new record. They’ll be joined by Monsterbator and Veneers. The show is at Distortion and gets underway at 11pm. Cover is $5.

I saw you wearing a bow tie and a fedora, carrying a walking stick full of different flags. I have no idea who you are, but I found myself filling in the blank about what you might possibly be up to…

your city

is now the time for a multipurpose arts centre?

I

f you are involved in the arts in St. John's, you already know about the desperate need for artist workspace.

While the booming economy is great for many, it has led to a difficult situation for those who produce something other than fossil fuels.

At the May 5th meeting of St. John's city council, they took a step towards helping out the artists around town who are struggling to find workspace. Council voted to approve $33,333 to cost-share with the provincial and federal governments a needs assessment, business plan, and concept design for a multipurpose arts centre. The next step would be to find funding from government or the private sector to fund the construction of such a centre.

The vote to approve the money was a contentious one. Deputy-mayor Duff and councillors O'Leary, Hickman, Collins and Galgay voted for the motion and councillors Hann, Colbert and Tilley voted against it. While Andrew they all professed their Harvey andrew@thescope.ca support for the arts, those voting against the motion argued that this was unbudgeted money, and it should be deferred to next year’s budget for consideration.

Councillor-at-large Tom Hann voted against the motion, stating that it would be fairer to deal with it as a part of the budgetary process. “Let's see where it will fall in the list of all the other priorities we have. Then we can determine, well... maybe we can do it, start something on it next year, or the year after, or the year after.”

Fellow councillor-at-large Sheilagh O'Leary would prefer not to wait for next year, or the year after, or the year after.

O'Leary says that “the time is now.” She highlights the importance of funding this initiative, recognizing that it is simply a step towards getting anything built. O'Leary says we shouldn't wait until next years budget, and that “there are potential spaces that could be economically retrofitted right here and now that will slip through our fingers. We have to be very, very expedient on this.”

O'Leary also points to a broader philosophical debate which lies under the surface at city hall. This debate centres around what exactly the city should be funding.

Some councillors believe in primarily supporting core infrastructure, and others to funding social and cultural programs as well.

2012 is an assessment year for property owners in St. John's. With property values continuing to skyrocket, we are sure to see this philosophical debate come to a head.

If the 2012 budget will be a pudding, that's where the proof will be. As Tom Hann says, we will need to see where funding for the arts stacks up against the other priorities of the city. Let's hope that the arts are indeed a priority, and we see more progress towards a long overdue multipurpose arts centre.

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NEWS

Read more at thescope.ca/news-views BIKES

ROLL IT OUT

After years of planning, multiple public forums, a bit of public protest, and a change in engineering firms, it’s finally happening; St. John’s is getting bike lanes. Seriously, like, right now.

“It has gone to tender at this point and they are going to start putting the lanes in,” says Jennifer Mills, Communications Officer for the City of St. John’s. “There will be bike lanes in some parts of the city and, in other parts, there will be arrows, or ‘sharrows,’ painted on the road. They’re looking at mid-summer for completion, about the middle of July.”

You can check out where all this bike laning and sharrowing will take place at www.goo.gl/sssTD. To all the kids and grown-ups out there on two wheels, we offer our most enthusiastic “Wheeeee!” SARAH SMELLIE ON DISPLAY

Re-Imagining the AIC

Volunteer arts organizations. For anyone who has ever been involved in running one, those words probably bring on panic attacks and uncontrollable sobbing fits. Copious grant applications, promotions, bookings, fundraising, and an ever-changing roster of volunteers can easily result in many, many skull-clutching all-nighters.

So it’s no surprise that when the contract for the A1C Gallery Coordinator ran out, the once-again-volunteer-run organization missed a deadline.

“We were a bit late getting the financial report in with our application for a sustaining grant with the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council,” explains Mark Bennett, Chair of the A1C Board of Directors.

“Without an employee,” he continues, “it was hard for us to maintain the gallery and stay on top of things. The board of directors were all volunteers, and the high turnover in board members meant that every experience was a new one.”

The NLAC’s Sustaining Grant would have provided the A1C Gallery with a minimum commitment of $15,000 each year, for three years. Without it, the organization can no longer afford the rent at their gallery on Clift’s-Baird’s Cove. So they’re doing some organizational re-imagining.

“There is a potential to reinvent A1C, which is pretty exciting, you know?” says Bennett.

“The gallery can change to whatever the board wants it to be, so we want to encourage people who have ideas to get involved.

Personally, if I am to stay involved, I would like to see pop-up shows in different locations and do some fun things like that to keep it going.”

Bennett believes that it is critically important to keep the A1C going. “[An artist-run gallery like the A1C] provides an interesting alternative for the public,” he says. “They’re usually free, and it’s not usually about selling the work, even though there’s nothing wrong with that.

It opens up the opportunity to introduce different kinds of contemporary art to people.

Our mandate specifically aims to exhibit emerging and established artists. There’s

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a real need for that in this city.” SARAH SMELLIE

LGTBQ

Waving Flag

“We’re interested in filling the gaps in service here for LGTBQ adults in particular, but also for parents, family, and friends,” explains Rob Sinnott who, along with a consortium of other local folks, just helped resurrect the Newfoundland and Labrador chapter of PFLAG: Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. “I help coordinate the LGTBQ youth groups through Planned Parenthood and I’m involved with Camp Eclipse, and we sometimes get calls from family members but there’s nowhere to direct them.”

PFLAG Newfoundland and Labrador held its official relaunch on May 19th at their brand-new spot at Community Connections on Cathedral Street. They’ll be holding regular meetings every third Thursday of each month, beginning at 7pm.

“We provide peer support,” says Sinnott.

“It’s a safe place for everyone to come, where everyone is respected, and of course we’ll be providing refreshments and making it a social event.”

“I always like to note,” he adds, “that PFLAG was founded by parents in the 70s and 80s. Parents have to go through their own coming out process, and it took a lot of courage to form this organization back then.”

You can reach them at stjohnsnl@pflagcanada.ca or phone then at 699-0509. Their Facebook page is at www.goo.gl/AiUBE and the PFLAG website, which Sinnott encourages you to visit, is at www.pflagcanada.ca SARAH SMELLIE

SPORTS

SKATEPARK APPROVED

A proposal for an indoor skateboard and BMX facility in central St. John’s was unanimously approved by city council at the meeting on May 16.

The proposed facility, which will consist of a retail store and a subterranean skatepark of roughly 5000 square feet, rankled several local residents and business owners in the Mundy Pond area, who cited noise, vandalism, and loitering as their primary concerns.

Entrepreneur Rob Yetman, who operates Turndown BMX, an existing indoor park on Waterford Bridge Road, met with six of these concerned neighbours on May 10 to discuss the issues.

Yetman says the meeting digressed from the residents’ noise, vandalism, and loitering concerns to complaints and arguments about how there aren’t enough street lights in their neighbourhood and similar unrelated gripes.

At the St. John’s City Council Meeting on May 16, city councilors discussed the proposal, ultimately approving it unanimously.

Yetman estimates the new facility, which will be constructed at 77 Blackmarsh Road, will take about six weeks to build, the main hurdle having been getting the go-ahead from city council. His original hope was to have the facility up and running by late June, but he’s since revised this goal to a mid-July opening.

NATHAN DOWNEY

I saw you speed past me & my road bike going uphill on your tiny BMX. In my defence, I was coming home from an overnight shift. Glad we’re both on bikes, even if you made me feel like a slowpoke.

Remember when we had just one Best of St. John’s readers survey a year? Well, we changed that.

There’s just too much that’s the Best in St. John’s to celebrate, so we divided it in two.

In January 2011, we published the results of the first Best of St. John’s Survey, focusing on shops and services, nightlife, music, and fun. And now it’s time for the second — The Best of St. John’s Food and Drink Survey.

More than 600 readers completed this online survey, and they voted with passion. They told us all about what their favorite restaurants and cafés are, what their favorite dishes are, what St. John’s needs more of, and where they order from in the wee hours of the morning.

Interviews by Sarah Smellie and Morgan Murray except where indicated.

2011

RESTAURANTS

Each of the following folks won a $100 gift certificate to Paderno Kitchen Store: Ashley Reddt of St. John’s, Kris Drodge of Town of Torbay, Kristen Higdon of Mount Pearl, Natelle Murphy of Paradise, and Rebecca Legge of St. John’s. Thanks for taking part!

General Manager Kathy Evans. “But the food helps, too. We serve wild game, and many traditional Newfoundland dishes. A lot of people like the flipper pie!”

Runner Up: Hong’s Buffet & Restaurant

Best Late Night

Best Restaurant (CBS)

298-300 Water Street, 576-2880

152 CBS Highway, Manuels, Conception Bay South, 834-4949

Celtic Hearth Runner Up: Venice Pizzeria

Best Restaurant (Beyond Downtown) Best Restaurant (port. Cove-St. Philips-Bell Is.)

Atlantica

38 Beachy Cove Rd, Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s, 895-1251 “The first thing people should expect to see when they arrive is the spectacular views of Conception Bay and Bell Island,” says Michael Taylor, Sales and Marketing at Atlantica. Looking for a few other things you won’t find downtown? “Sometimes diners can see whales, dolphins and sea otters, and sometimes icebergs,” he says.

Best Restaurant (Beyond Downtown) Runner Up: Mama Soula’s Best Restaurant (Port Cv-St. Ph-Bell Is.) Runner Up: By Da Beach

Jungle Jim’s Eatery

“Children love eating here,” says Sandra Linehan, manager of Jungle Jim’s in CBS. “We have a special kids menu in the shape of a gorilla, the kids really like the fun decorations.” For the frazzled parents, they offer gigantic cocktails, some with over three ounces of rum.

Runner Up: Seaside Restaurant

FOOd

Around the World

50-60 Commonwealth Ave, Mount Pearl, 368-3494 “Around The World Restaurant is a family, casual dining restaurant with an International flare,” according to owner Lesley Snelgrove. They take orders online, at their website! “It has been working well. Our customers submit their order online and it is ready at their convenience.”

Runner Up: Smitty’s Family Restaurant

Best Bakery (Breads)

Georgestown Bakery

Woodstock Colonial 1959 Topsail Road, Paradise, 722-6933

The Woodstock has been around for a whopping 84 years. “We kept our old-time look, so people like our atmosphere,” says

Runner Up: Yellowbelly Brewery & Public House

Best Butcher

Halliday’s Meat Market 103 Gower Street, 753-8332

286 Duckworth Street, 753-6006

Bitters

Runner Up: India Gate (lunch buffet)

290 Freshwater Road, 576-2583

Don Cherry’s

“We’ve got 12 wing flavours, but they’re 12 good ones,” says Geoff Thistle, General Manager of Don Cherry’s on Freshwater Road. “We are looking at bringing on another five flavours, but we’re still experimenting to see what’s the best.”

Runner Up: Wing N It

Atlantic Place, 214 Water Street, 722-3463

Best Chinese

Magic Wok Eatery 402-408 Water Street, 753-6907 Runner Up: City Light Buffet

Best Delivery or Take Out

Swiss Chalet Rotisserie & Grill 70 Aberdeen Avenue, 1-866-439-0439, 753-6030 193 Kenmount Road, 1-866-439-0439, 726-6849

Danny Rixon, Assistant Kitchen Manager at Swiss Chalet on Kenmount Road, makes a lot of quarter chicken dinners in a day.

“It’s definitely the most popular thing ordered,” he says. But he’s not sick of them. “I have one every day!” he says.

Runner Up: Venice Pizzeria

377 Duckworth Street, 726-0909

Runner Up: Raymonds Restaurant

Runner Up: Ship Inn Pub

Best Brunch Runner Up: Blue on Water Best All Day Breakfast Runner Up: Cora’s

246 Duckworth Street, 739-4470

Best Chicken Wings

Piatto Pizzeria + Enoteca

Velma’s Restaurant & Lounge Best Indian

City Light Buffet

Best New Restaurant

Runner Up: Duke of Duckworth

Bagel CafE

Runner Up: Extreme Pita

Brian and Kate Vallis Photo by Mark Bennett

Ches’s fish and chips are so legendary, they’re on every tourist’s Must Do list. “We sample up to seven varieties of potatoes a week for taste, texture, and sweetness to ensure we have the best chip possible,” says Jennifer Barbour. “As well, we hand-select our cod to be frozen while it’s still fresh.”

264 Water Street, 576-2264

Memorial University, Feild Hall (off Prince Philip Dr.), 737-3300

Fog City

9 Freshwater Road, 722-4083 655 Topsail Road, 368-9473 8 Highland Drive, 738-5022 29-33 Commonwealth Ave, 364-6837 Delivery, 726-3434

Runner Up: Belbin’s Grocery

Runner Up: Manna European Bakery & Deli

Best Burger

Ches’s Snacks

Best Fishcakes

Best CAMPUS EATS

Best Buffet

Best Fish & Chips

“The strangest request we’ve ever got? Eyeballs,” says Kip Halliday, like it’s no big deal. “Cow’s eyeballs, pig’s eyeballs, any eyeballs. That’s for practicing laser treatment. And medical students want pigskins for practicing sewing sutures. Tattoo artists, too, they use them practice.”

“We’re a hodgepodge kind of neighbourhood, and the breads we make are like this, too,” says Emily Sopkowe, co-owner. “There’s even a loaf [Larry’s Loaf] named after a customer who repeatedly asked for a non-sourdough stone ground whole wheat bread.”

Their specialty? “Bagels!”

470 Topsail Road, 747-8377

Best Restaurant (Paradise)

“Our most popular burger is The Bayman Burger. It’s a double patty, and it comes with mozza, cheddar cheese and onions,” says the Fog City manager we spoke to over at the Avalon Mall. “We figured the baymen eat more!” he laughs. “Ah, that’s not true, I’m just kidding around.”

Best Brunch Best All Day Breakfast

60 Hayward Avenue, 753-8099

Best Restaurant (Mount Pearl)

Avalon Mall, 48 Kentmount Road, 726-4949

Best Dessert Best Bakery (Sweets) Best Place to Feed a Sweet Tooth

Bistro Sophia

320 Water Street, 738-2060 Best Dessert Runner Up: Chinched Bistro Best Bakery (Sweets) Runner Up: Manna European Bakery & Deli Best Place To Feed a Sweet Tooth Runner Up: Moo Moo’s

India Gate

“We’ve been open for 20 years now,” says Nickie Sood, India Gate’s assistant manager. She says they try to bring their cooks from India to make the food as authentic as it can possibly be. Her personal menu favorite is the Chicken Saag Vala.

Runner Up: International Flavours

Best International Food

International Flavours 4 Quidi Vidi Road, 738-4636 Runner Up: India Gate

Best Pasta

Pasta Plus

Avalon Mall, 722-6006 428 Torbay Rd, 739-7278 The staff at both Pasta Plus locations in the province — one in Churchill Square and one at the Avalon Mall — say the New Orleans pasta is tops, for them and for their customers. Chicken, mushrooms, herbs, with “too many spices to list.”

Runner Up: East Side Mario’s

Best Pizza Pie

Pi

10 King’s Road, 726-2000 “The Genius was invented by one of our cooks, Steve Abbott,” says Pi owner Meg O’Dea about one of their most popular pizzas.

“I told all my staff to make up pizzas and I said whichever sold the most would go on the menu. The Genius went crazy! It has olive oil, garlic, spinach, Italian cheese, caramelized pear compote, bacon, leeks, and feta. It’s like a manlier version of our Fibonacci.”

Runner Up: Piatto Pizzeria + Enoteca

Best Pizza Slice

Venice Pizzeria 81 Military Road, 738-7373

“It’s the secret sauce,” says Martin Bliznakov, co-owner of Venice Pizzeria, when asked what makes the Venice slice so delectable.

“Definitely the secret sauce.”

Runner Up: Big Bite Pizza

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Best Service Best Special-Occassion Dinner Best Restaurant Wine List Best Place You Have Yet to Try Best Rest. When Someone Else is Paying

RaymondS

95 Water Street, 579-5800 Best Service Runner Up: Chinched Bistro Best Special-Occasion Dinner Runner Up: The Keg Best Restaurant Wine List Runner Up: Gypsy Tea Room Best Place You Have Yet To Try Runner Up: Piatto Best Restaurant When Someone Else Is Paying Runner Up: The Keg

Best Chef

Aqua chef Mark McCrowe Photo by Mark Bennett

Jeremy Charles (RaymondS) Read our interview with Jeremy Charles on page 12.

Best Overall Restaurant Best Mussels Best Seafood Best Lunch Specials

Runner Up: Mark McCrowe (Aqua Kitchen & Bar)

Aqua Kitchen & Bar 310 Water Street, 576-2782

If you’re a n00b looking for an introduction to seafood connoisseurdom, Aqua’s Chef Mark McCrowe can help you out. “For a beginner, I’d say it has to be fresh, for sure.

Sushi-grade tuna or some really nice swordfish is a great way to begin, due to its similar texture to a good filet mignon of beef.”

Best Overall Restaurant Runner Up: Raymonds Best Mussels Runner Up: Chinched Bistro Best Seafood Runner Up: Basho Restaurant & Lounge Best Lunch Specials Runner Up: The Pantry at Shamrock Farm

Best Place to Buy Fresh Fish

The Seafood Shop Churchill Square, 753-1153

Runner Up: The Fish Depot (Duckworth Street)

Best Restaurant for Carnivores Best Restaurant Chain Best Place for a Large Group

The Keg Steakhouse & Bar 135 Harbour Drive, 726-4534

Best Restaurant for Carnivores Runner Up: Montana’s Best Restaurant Chain Runner Up: Boston Pizza Best Place For A Large Group Runner Up: Don Cherry’s

Best Sandwich

Manna European Bakery & Deli 342 Freshwater Road, 739-6992

“I think what sets us apart is the quality of ingredients, and everything is made right here in the building. There are no preservatives; no additives,” says Jon Rusted, Vice President. His personal favourite sandwich? “Rotisserie lamb on Munich rye.”

Runner Up: The Sprout Restaurant

Best Sushi

Sun Sushi

186 Duckworth Street, 726-8688 Runner Up: Basho Restaurant & Lounge

Best Turkey Sandwich

Breen’s Deli

44 Elizabeth Avenue, 726-9040 79 New Gower Street, 753-8499 326 Logy Bay Road, 738-3737 32 Portugal Cove Road, 754-7717 Ultramar, Goobies, 542-3232 Breen’s turkey sandwiches are a staple in many diets. But what happens to business around turkey-heavy holidays? “There is a drop in business,” says owner John Breen, “and we figured we’d be down in business because of Christmas. But that only lasts a couple of days.”

Runner Up: Fabulous Foods

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I saw you CLOUD, yet again! Quit being a douche-bag and let the sun have it’s turn already!

JEREMY CHARLES

You know a chef is dedicated to A) his craft and B) local, fresh food when he grows his own Jerusalem artichokes and traps his own rabbits for the Canadian Culinary Championships... And subsequently wins a silver medal.

As head chef and co-owner of Raymonds Restaurant, Charles has been steering the food he makes toward the sustainable and the local since it opened last November.

Elling Lien got a chance to sit down and talk with him about the difficulty of sourcing local food on a cold island in the North Atlantic, and why we should be trying harder.

What were your ideas for the Raymonds menu when you set out last November?

I really just wanted to stay as local as we could. And in Newfoundland with winter on its way it’s hard to be local-local, but Lester’s Farm was still open at that point, so we got some of their veg and Mike Rabinowitz at the Organic Farm (in Portugal Cove) had a few things kicking around. My food is pretty strong French and Italian influenced, and I try to incorporate Newfoundland ingredients into classic dishes in that vein.

I also draw inspiration from the cooks I’m with. A lot of different creative minds in the kitchen coming together and inspiring each other is really fun. At the end of the day a lot of great food comes of that, so it’s not strictly my vision. I do have an idea of where my food wants to go, but it’s nice to have everybody’s input. Some things work and some things don’t, you know? We had a bit of trial and error at the beginning, but we have a pretty tight menu right now. We’re trying to turn things over as ingredients present themselves. We have organic lettuces coming in now. Mike Paterson is going to have a big crop of Newfoundland asparagus coming our way, which is pretty exciting. Probably another few weeks until they start popping up.

We work a lot with local farmers as much as we can. We try hard to source local ingredients. Howard Morrie’s lamb—I’ve been cooking with Howard’s lamb for the last four and a half years and I don’t think there’s anything like it in the world. I’ve tasted lamb all over and this is so special. We’re so lucky to have it. But it is so very little, too, you know?

It’s one of the challenges we have.

There may be a lot of small producers, but they must be quite small compared to what you might need.

There you go. I was able to buy around 25 lambs from Howard. I told him I would need that many. We’ve got a great relationship, and he only sells to a handful of people. Both his sons are helping him out too, because he’s an older gentleman and he’s not doing the best.

They raise them out on Sheep Island, this beautiful island down the Shore. It’s pretty amazing. There are no coyotes or wild dogs or other predators. And there’s a natural spring

Stephen Lee, Jeremy Charles & Jeremy Bonia of Raymonds Photo by Darrell Edwards

over there where they can get fresh water, and they eat the salty grass there. In France you’d pay a fortune for what the French call ‘pre-salée’ lamb. It’s really sought after.

When I explain to people what these lambs are doing, it’s pretty amazing. This beautiful tradition that has been on the go for so long.

He himself has been selling lamb since he was 12 years old, coming on horse and buggy to St. John’s with his lambs. It’s pretty fun to work with a guy like that who has so much history and has been doing it for such a long time. It’s fun.

It’s challenging to cook here, but I think that’s all part of it too. As I always say, and I don’t mean to be rude, but it’s easy to cook in Montreal or Chicago. Everything’s at your fingertips. I go down into my kitchen some days, and I’m like, “what do you mean there’s no parsnips or no tomatoes?”

It forces you to be that much more creative you know? To work within your environment.

We work with a lot of root veg. Turnips and parsnips and potatoes. There’s a lot of great stuff that can come from the simplest vegetables that we grow here. Pickling and curing...

You must get sick of the Newfoundland winter though? “Potatoes again?!” [laugh] I think everyone gets sick of winter.

But I love potatoes too. Fingerling potatoes. Then there are Jerusalem artichokes...

They’re just a lovely nutty root veg that just thrives here. I might even call it my favourite vegetable. You can roast them, put them in soups, purees, crisps, pickles... you name it, these things are just fabulous. And they’re a lot of fun, but most people don’t know about them. I had Mike Rabinowitz at the Organic Farm in Portugal Cove growing Jerusalem artichokes for me, and I grow some at my plot in Avondale, and I have a few other people growing them.

What comes behind your decision to choose local ingredients?

Because working in the places I’ve worked in the past... with Claude Pelletier at Mediterraneo in Montreal... they always sought after local ingredients. They’re the freshest, and they speak from where we come from. Why do you want to have carrots from China when you can have them from Lester’s, you know?

To me it’s totally bogus. Sometimes, yeah, we’re forced to be in that situation, because I don’t have carrots here, or Lester’s is done for the year... But I think going back to the farmers... Trying to push people to grow more, and trying to encourage everybody else to support local food as well. When people support local, the producers are able to grow more and feed more people.

Read more of this interview online at thescope.ca

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READERS' POLL RESULTS

presents:

TRIPLE THICkonomics

You may not be able to compare an apple to an orange, but can you compare the price of a milkshake in Labrador City to the price of one in St. John’s?

2011 Juno Award Winner

Old Man Luedecke Thursday, June 9 at 9:00pm The Ship Pub Tickets at O’Brien’s Music (Cash Only) *Limited seating available

E

Best Beer Selection

By Sarah Smellie and Morgan Murray

very year, international affairs magazine The Economist uses their Big Mac Index to compare the buying power of currencies in different countries. Unlike normal exchange rates, the premise of the Big Mac Index is that the same products in two different countries should cost the same when converted to the same currency. Using a Big Mac—a product that is pretty much the same no matter where you are—they calculate the actual purchasing power of a given currency.

The results gives an indication of whether or not a particular currency is over or undervalued. According to the last index released last fall, Canada's dollar was being exchanged for about 15 per cent more than it was actually worth.

When McDonald's milkshakes were chosen as the best in our Best of Food & Drink Readers' Survey, we called around to find the cost of large vanilla Triple Thick Milkshakes around the province and discovered the price fluctuated quite a bit. Which is weird, because they're pretty much the same no matter where you are.

So we concocted our own Milkshake Index.

Drinks

Because the currency is the same, we decided to use the term “Food Dollars” instead.

These Food Dollars are based on the regional costs of a Nutritious Food Basket (a week's worth of food for a family of four) according to the Department of Health and Community Services, the NL Statistics Agency, and regional dietitians and nutritionists (More info at www.goo.gl/b4kTA).

So what does this all mean? The Big Mac Index, using national currency exchange rates that are determined by market forces, tries to give an indication of the real value of a dollar, dinar, drachma, or deutsche mark. Our Milkshake Index, on the other hand, is trying to give an indication of the value of a dollar's worth of food in different areas.

The results tell us that it is probably best to spend your Food Dollars on foods other than a milkshake everywhere other than Carbonear and Labrador City, where it seems to make the most economic sense to have a milkshake for supper, because it’s relatively cheaper than other food.

Comment online at thescope.ca

Yellowbelly Brewery 288 Water Street, 757-3784

“All four of our beers are ales,” explains Liam McKenna, Yellowbelly’s brewmaster. “Our lightest in body, colour, maltiness and bitterness is the Wexford Wheat. Our heaviest, the St. John’s Stout, is a classic heavy Irish Oatmeal Stout.” They also make a Pale Ale and a Fighting Irish Red ale.

Runner Up: The Duke of Duckworth

Best Café Best Quick Lunch Best Coffee (Espresso Based) Best Coffee (Regular) Best Hot Chocolate

Hava Java

258 Water Street, 753-5282 So what makes a great cup of coffee? “Caring about it!” says Hava Java manager Katherine Pittman. “Sounds cliche but its true. It starts with a great bean and then it’s all about technique and the care that we put into it.”

Best Café Runner Up: Coffee Matters Best Quick Lunch Runner Up: Sappho’s Café Best Coffee (Espresso Based) Runner Up: Starbucks Best Coffee (Regular) Runner Up: Tim Hortons Best Coffee (Regular) Runner Up: Coffee Matters

Best Cheap Drinks

The Breezeway

Memorial University, University Centre There are some seriously affordable drinks at the Breezeway. “If you only have five bucks, come to Count Down The Clock with DJ Nu Rock, on a Thursday night, when we have our drink specials,” says Cahley Meldrum, MUN’s Executive Director of Student Life.

Five bones would get you three highballs or three bottles of local beer (!)

Runner Up: Bar None

the Milkshake Index

Food dollar under(-)/over(+) valuation against a St. John's food dollar, %

Paradise

Best Cocktails price of a Triplethick milkshake before tax

Basho Restaurant & Lounge 283 Duckworth Street, 576-4600 Runner Up: Martini Bar

+11.45%

$ 4.10

Bay Roberts

+8.89%

$ 4.01

Mount Pearl

+8.86%

$ 4.01

Grand Falls-Windsor

+6.84%

$ 3.89

Runner Up: Yellowbelly Brewery’s Fighting Irish Ale

Corner Brook

+6.65%

$ 3.89

Best Milkshake

Marystown

+6.49%

$ 3.92

CBS

+6.45%

$ 3.92

Runner Up: Dairy Queen

Stephenville

+4.90%

$ 3.83

Best Martini

$ 3.72

George Street, 739-9180

Gander Clarenville St. John's-Stavanger -5.23% -19.18%

+2.22% +1.06%

$ 3.72

Best Local Beer

Quidi Vidi Brewing Company’s 1982 Traditional Ale 15 Barrows Road, Quidi Vidi, 738-4040

McDonalds Various locations

Martini Bar

Runner Up: Basho Restaurant & Lounge

nil

$ 3.72

Carbonear

$ 3.49

Best Pub Grub Best After Work Drinking

Labrador City

$ 3.72

325 Duckworth Street, 739-6344

The Duke of Duckworth Best Pub Grub Runner Up: Guv’nor Pub & Eatery Best After Work Drinking Runner Up: Shamrock City Pub

Sources: McDonalds; The Scope

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I saw you wearing sweat pants, eating Mr. Noodles and listening to Bob Dylan’s “Desire” on repeat…oh wait, that was me.

READERS' POLL RESULTS Best Salad Best Veggie Burger Best Value Best Restaurant for Cheap Eats Best Restaurant (Downtown St. John’s)

The Sprout

364 Duckworth Street, 579-5485 Julia Bloomquist, co-owner of The Sprout, says it all boils down to their “combination of an incredible staff, a warm atmosphere, and high-quality food. We’ve got super affordable prices, yet top-notch quality food. All of our food is made from scratch,” she says. “Even our bread is made fresh every day in house.”

Best Salad Runner Up: The Pantry at Shamrock Farm Best Veggie Burger Runner Up: Montana’s Best Value Runner Up: International Flavours Best Restaurant for Cheap Eats Runner Up: McDonalds Best Restaurant (DT) Runner Up: Aqua Kitchen & Bar

julia bloomquist CO-OWNER OF THE SPROUT Julia Bloomquist adores food, and cooking has been a major part her life for as long as she can remember—from helping her mother prepare meals as a young child to her later work in about ten different kitchens and cooking for groups of up to 80 people in tree planting camps. When the co-owner of The Sprout Restaurant on Duckworth Street talks about food, her passion is obvious. We met up with Julia in her kitchen to get a taste of her soup and her passion for food and cooking.

took one really awesome employer who was well trained as a chef and who put full faith in me. Even though I was young he just gave me full responsibility and taught me how to make a lot of the sauces.

What sense do you rely on most when you're cooking?

I use my sense of smell more than anything, definitely. When I know onions or celery are soft enough, it's partly vision, but mainly you can smell them becoming really fragrant. And it's easier to know what fragrant means if you have a glass of wine in your hand. Even when I write down recipes, I'll write, “sauté until fragrant.” As soon as it gets to the top part of your nose, you know. When you can taste it through your nose. That's usually how I think when I'm cooking.

How do you like to cook?

When you're cooking at home, it's important to feel really comfortable and not rushed.

Even having something to nibble on or a glass of wine really helps. Also, if you cook at a low temperature, you don't have to worry about timing as much. Put your burner on low and five extra minutes isn't going to make a huge difference. Relax and enjoy the process!

Interview and photo by Ryan Davis Why are you so into food and cooking?

My family has always been interested in good food and long meals. That's probably where it started. I remember being a kid and sitting down at the table for three hours at a time.

And certainly watching my mom cook as a child was influential. As the oldest child I was naturally the one to help out. There were four kids in my family and we were raised as vegetarians, so that forced my mom to be creative with our meals. Growing up in Spain for five years gave me a bit more perspective on the importance of visual cooking and of being able to cook with very fragrant spices... onions... garlic. Things that really sizzle. I lived there until I was six but my earliest memory of seeing serious food production was when I was around three or four. I was allowed to walk with my little sister, on our own, down to the bakery. It was a tiny bakery with a wood-fired oven where they handled the bread with a long paddle. Mom and Dad would give us some money and we would go down and buy a loaf for the evening meal, and that was a big outing for us, especially going on our own. That left a pretty big mark on me.

How did you learn to cook?

I definitely learned through Mom. But then I lived on my own with some family friends when I was 16 and then I really began experimenting with cooking. I also worked as a prep cook when I was that age, at a Mexican restaurant. So that was a big influence as well. It

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I saw you all bicker and not listen to any point but your own. Now I can’t help but think, if the government is a reflection of the society, then we’re really getting what we deserve.

Montana’s Veggie Burger

Best Vegetarian Option at a Non-Vegetarian Restaurant

Montana’s Veggie Burger 80 Kenmount Road, 754-1111

Runner Up: Buddha Burger at Bitters Restaurant & Lounge

Montana’s Veggie Burger @thescopenl Twitter Review

By Elling LIen, live on May 26

6:13 PM: On the way to Montanas to taste their veggie burger, which won Best Veg Option At A Non-Veg Resto.

Will tweet review here @thescopeNL 6:19 PM: Mmm... I can taste the grease from here!

6:40 Pm: There are a handful of veg options (2-3), but vegans beware.

6:43 PM: If we weren’t eating at the bar it would have been a 25-35 minute wait. On a Thursday night! It’s packed in here.

6:44 There’s a truck stuck in the rafters. This place must get crazy.

6:46 PM: Okay! We’re in business! The veggie burgers are here.

6:47 PM: First impression: It’s gonna be sloppy.

6:48 PM: It’s nicely dressed with feta, peppers, a bit of perfectly-cooked onion, mushrooms, then burger and lettuce and tomato on the other half.

6:50 PM: A light dollop of mayonnaise with the option to upgrade with bottled ketchup, mustard and relish.

6:54 PM: Smokey BBQ-tasting patty. They’re so confident in their recipe they made it big and thick. It’s a real burger.

6:55 PM: Hold on... May have dislocated jaw.

7:08 PM: #burgerexplosion!! Definitely messy.

7:00 PM: This is definitely for vegetarians who try to fool their mouths into thinking they are eating meat. #veggiemeat 7:02 PM: This napkin is so thick I could take it to Sunshine Park.

7:04 PM: “It’s not bad. I’m glad I’m not vegetarian though.”

— My date 7:17 PM: Last bite. I feel heavy. This seems a bit hardcore for someone who sits at a computer all day.

7:28 PM: Aaand the damage. $11.95 before tax for a burger and fries.

7:38 PM: The veggie burger verdict: If I was a vegetarian and I was invited out, I wouldn’t hate you for taking me to Montanas. I give it an A for SJ.

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I saw you, cash, ruling shit around me.

Services &Special Features Best Atmosphere

The Gypsy Tea Room 195 Water Street, 739-4766

“Great atmosphere isn’t accomplished with just a few key things,” says manager Jill Hackett. “A great number of things must be involved: captivating music, the right lighting, great service, and interesting artwork. [We’re] also blessed with such a great structure with beautiful wooden beams and brick work.”

Runner Up: The Casbah

Best Farmers’ Market Vendor (Prepared)

The Waffle Lady (Emily Hunt) www.tinyurl.com/thewafflelady

“I hear people say that the waffles are really just a vehicle for the toppings,” says Emily Hunt. “People get to indulge in whipped cream, maple syrup, butter and fruit toppings and sometimes the waffle itself is secondary.”

Runner Up: Andrea Munro Cinnamon Buns

Best Farmer’ Market Vendor (Produce)

don’t have to go home and have a sleep after eating; so you can leave some energy for more important things.”

Runner Up: Oliver’s

Best Kid-Friendly Restaurant

Boston Pizza

415 Stavanger Drive, 738-5544 35 Kelsey Drive, 739-9955 The Boston Pizza staff swear that they really do like it when kids show up. “We have a lot of teachers who work on staff, so they’re usually pretty good with the little ones,” says one floor manager.

“We’ve got activity books and crayons, and every now and then Lionel, our mascot, will make an appearance.”

Runner Up: Jungle Jim’s Eatery

Best Patio

Sundance

George Street, 753-7822 Runner Up: Jungle Jim’s Eatery (George St)

Best Place to Take Out-of-Towners

Ches’s Snacks

9 Freshwater Road, 722-4083 655 Topsail Road, 368-9473 8 Highland Drive, 738-5022 29-33 Commonwealth Ave, 364-6837 Delivery, 726-3434 Runner Up: Bacalao Nouvelle Newfoundland Cuisine

Best Restaurant Washroom

Blue On Water 319 Water Street, 754-2583

The Organic Farm

“Mostly it’s a result of our ‘ninja’ housekeeper, Alhassan, who cleans it about four times a day,” says Sully Power, Blue’s manager. “A beautiful washroom can be cancelled out pretty quick if it’s not keep neat, clean, and properly stocked.”

The Organic Farm has been on the go for over 25 years, says co-owner Melba Rabinowitz. “In the late 80’s, when we opened the first Community Shared Agriculture (CSA) with the Lien Farm, we had about 30 members. (A CSA is where people sign up at the beginning of the season for a weekly supply of vegetables.)

Today, there are several farms offering CSAs, with some farms maintaining waiting lists from one season to the next.”

Runner Up: Raymonds

42 Churchill’s Road, Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s, 895-2884

Runner Up: Lester’s Farm

Best Intimate Dining

The CellaR

189 Water Street, 579-8900 Harold Brown, The Cellar’s owner, has some good advice about what to order for an intimate evening: “Something light, like halibut. And let’s avoid the garlic and make it light, so that you

Best Restaurant for a First Date

Get Stuffed

190 Duckworth Street, 757-2480 You can order a hot dog as a side dish at Get Stuffed, so we asked Isolde Neis, Get Stuffed’s manager, how lame would it be if we ordered one on a first date. She told us it would be perfectly fine. She added that it might just be the thing that secures you a second date. “It shows a little bit of humour; that you don’t take yourself too seriously,” she says. But don’t blame us if this trick doesn’t work.

Runner Up: The Gypsy Tea Room

Wayne White Photo by Darrell Edwards

Best Community Fundraising Dinner

The Pantry at Shamrock Farm

(Elaine Dobbin Centre for Autism) 70 Clinch Cresent, 722-8200 Runner Up: Hot Soup, Cool Jazz (Wreckhouse Jazz & Blues) The Pantry at Shamrock Farm is tucked up in the woods behind the Health Sciences Centre, in the Elaine Dobbin Centre for Autism, and run by the Autism Society of Newfoundland and Labrador. All the Pantry’s proceeds go back to the Autism Society and some of their employees are clients of the society. The Pantry is open for lunch from Monday to Friday and it’s usually packed.

Diners look out through big, bright windows out into the forest and down onto the Centre’s garden and greenhouse.

“We grow our own lettuce, spinach, heirloom tomatoes, herbs, and veggies,” says chef Wayne White. “In the winter it’s serene and nice. In the summer, we have a patio out the front and the birds are out—it’s like you’re not even in the city.”

The Pantry at Shamrock Farm posts the lunch menu for the following day each afternoon on their website. Check it out at goo. gl/wg4jk.

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weekend music listings

Music events on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. For more, go to thescope.ca/events

Thursday JUNE 2 Allie Duff & Maria White, Nautical Nellies Blackie O’Leary, 5:30-9pm; Steve Davis, 9:30pm-1:30am, Kelly’s Pub Carl Peters & Bob Taylor (7pm), Middle Tickle (11pm), Shamrock City Pub Craig Young (solo acoustic) no cover, Fat Cat Blues Bar Dave Panting, Erin’s Pub Des Gambin, 7pm, West Side Charlie’s-Kenmount Rd DJ Big Frank, Konfusion DJ JayCee, Turkey Joe’s DJ Mark Power, 11pm, Martini Bar Downstairs Mix Up, Hosted

by Steve Abbott, CBTGs Fergus O’Byrne (7pm); Acoustic Punters (10:30pm), O’Reilly’s Irish Pub Jerry Stamp, midnight, no cover, Bull & Barrel Karaoke, 10pm, Karaoke Kops Party Bar Karaoke, West Side Charlie’s-Torbay Rd Noise Terror, 10pm, $5, Headquarters Open House: Open mic with Jason LaCour, 9pm, The Brimstone Open Mic, 9pm, The Levee Rob Cook & Greg Tobin, Trapper John’s Pub Sherry Ryan & The Enablers (folk rock), Pilot to Bombardier (folk), 9pm, $10, The Ship Tino Borges & The Incident, 10:30pm, no cover, Martini Bar upstairs Totally Toxic: DJ Fox, 12am, $5, Liquid Night Club Unlisted, Green Sleeves Pub

Friday JUNE 3 Alex Dinn, 8pm, Nautical Nellies All Request: DJ RocketBoy, Lottie’s Place At Ships End (folk), Over The Top, Roundelay (alt/ rock),10pm, $10, Headquarters Baytown Connection (beach rock), Sea Caves (rock), Brothers Lloyd, 11pm, $7, Rock House Blackie O’Leary, 5:30-9pm; Steve Davis, 9:30pm-1:30am, Kelly’s Pub Chris Hennessey (5pm); Bill Kelly (8:15pm), The Bishops (11:30pm), O’Reilly’s Irish Pub D’arcy Broderick & Ron Kelly (5pm); Barry Kenny, Glen Harvey & Sonny Hogan (8pm); Tarahan (11pm), Shamrock City Pub DJ D-Y, 10pm, Loft 709 DJ Fox, 11pm-2am, Evolve DJ Fox, 2am-6am, Liquid Night Club DJ Nu Rock, Martini Bardownstairs DJ Scrappy, Turkey Joe’s

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Karaoke, Karaoke Kops Party Bar Kill Domain Kraft Dinner Party (Demo release show) featuring Kill Domain (metal), Endometrium (metal), Gore Puppy (hardcore), Thrones (hardcore), 10pm, $7/$5 w/a box of Kraft Dinner, Distortion Ladies Night: DJ Ohh!, Loft 709 Lone Riders, Tol’s Time Out Lounge

Sleeves Pub

Thursday JUNE 9 Blackie O’Leary, 5:30-9pm; Steve Davis, 9:30pm-1:30am, Kelly’s Pub Carl Peters & Bob Taylor (7pm), Middle Tickle (11pm), Shamrock City Pub Craig Young (solo acoustic) no cover, Fat Cat Blues Bar

singer/songwriter), 9pm, $20/$15, The Ship

Open House: Open mic with Jason LaCour, 9pm, The Brimstone Open Mic, 9pm, The Levee Rob Cook & Greg Tobin, Trapper John’s Pub Tallula, The Black Mast Brigade (ska), Those Lasers, Starla Ubiquitous (BC), Stagnant Stars (Halifax), 10pm, $5, CBTGs

The Living Daylights (acoustic rock), no cover, Fat Cat Blues Bar

Dave Panting, Erin’s Pub

Tino Borges & The Incident, 10:30pm, no cover, Martini Bar upstairs

Des Gambin, 7pm, West Side Charlie’s-Kenmount Rd

Totally Toxic: DJ Fox, 12am, $5, Liquid Night Club

The Superstars, 10:30pm, Club One

DJ Big Frank, Konfusion

Unlisted, Green Sleeves Pub

Traditional Music Session, 8:30pm, Erin’s Pub

DJ Mark Power, 11pm, Martini Bar

MissMister, Trapper John’s

Will Hunt, 10:30pm, Trinity Pub Your Sharona (originals & covers), 10:30pm, Green Sleeves Pub

DJ JayCee, Turkey Joe’s

Downstairs Mix Up, Hosted

by Steve Abbott, CBTGs Fergus O’Byrne (7pm); Acoustic Punters (10:30pm), O’Reilly’s Irish Pub Jerry Stamp, midnight, no cover, Bull & Barrel

Saturday JUNE 4 All Request: DJ RocketBoy, Lottie’s Place

Kalem Mahoney, Nautical Nellies Karaoke, 10pm, Karaoke Kops Party Bar Karaoke, West Side Charlie’s-Torbay Rd

Blackie O’Leary, 5:30-9pm; Justin Fancy, 10pm-2am, Kelly’s Pub

Noise Terror, 10pm, $5, Headquarters

DJ Big Frank, Konfusion

Old Man Luedecke (NS

DJ Wiwa (reggae, dancehall, hip hop), Loft 709 DJ Yellow, Martini Bardownstairs Dr Drake, no cover before midnight/$5, Club V Electronic Saturdays: DJ Fox, DJ Trip, no cover, Evolve Night Club Hugh Scott (5pm); Bob Taylor, Carl Peters & Pat Moran (8pm); Tarahan (11pm), Shamrock City Pub

Friday JUNE 10 All Request: DJ RocketBoy, Lottie’s Place Blackie O’Leary, 5:30-9pm; Steve Davis, 9:30pm-1:30am, Kelly’s Pub Chris Hennessey (5pm); Bill Kelly (8:15pm), Tarahan (11:30pm), O’Reilly’s Irish Pub D’arcy Broderick & Ron Kelly (5pm); Barry Kenny, Glen Harvey & Sonny Hogan (8pm); Wabana (11pm), Shamrock City Pub David Langmead (acoustic), Liddy’s Pub (Torbay)

tratchke ofday bridge ian Leth

by Dam

apr 15-may 15

TOP 5 based on web VIEWS thescope.ca/hear

Irish Session (5pm); Open mic (10pm), Nautical Nellie’s Karaoke, Hosted by Murf, Darnell’s Pub Karaoke, Karaoke Kops Party Bar La Rose des vents (Francophone Association choir) with guests Patrick Edison, 7:30pm, $5/free for children, Centre des Grands-Vents-65 Ridge Rd Lone Riders, Tol’s Time Out Lounge MissMister, Trapper John’s Pathological Lovers (alt), Lovemotor (rock), The Bloomsbury Group (folk jazz rock), Rock House Rob Cook (4:30pm); Fergus O’Byrne (8pm); The Bishops (11:30pm), O’Reilly’s Irish Pub

NUMBER ONE PIANO SONG EAST OF EMPIRE What’s in a name? Due to a tight 2011 RPM Challenge deadline, Reuben Finkle (vocals, bass), Anne Warner (vocals, keyboard), Jonah Emke (guitar, vocals), Charles Graham (guitar, vocals), Nick Wells (guitar, vocals), Tim Cuff (drums) and Dahren Sing (fiddle, vocals) named their group The Finkle, Warner, Emke, Graham, Wells, Cuff and Sing Project. But I’m happy to report that since February the band has chose the new moniker East of Empire. Now armed with a fancy new name and a stellar batch of songs the group are ready to launch into the local scene. Hopefully we’ll be seeing and hearing more live shows and recordings in the near future. www.goo.gl/sqZjs

NUMBER TWO

Sexual Saturdays: DJ JayCee, Turkey Joe’s

Mopey Mumble mouse THE BABYLON MALL www.mopeymumblemouse.com

Steve Davis, 10:30pm, Trinity Pub

NUMBER THREE

Swords (LP release) with Veneers (post-punk), Monsterbator (post-crunk), 11pm, $5, Distortion

the domestics TRAIN www.myspace.com/casualmalez

The Living Daylights (acoustic rock), no cover, Fat Cat Blues Bar

THE BURNING HELL MY NAME IS MATHIAS www.wearetheburninghell.com

DJ Sina, Konfusion

The Superstars, 10:30pm, Club One

Dr Drake, no cover before midnight/$5, Club V

Your Sharona (originals & covers), 10:30pm, Green

NUMBER FOUR

NUMBER FIVE DOG MEAT BBQ JOHNNY WAS A HERO www.goo.gl/C5NgX

I saw you walking near Duckworth St. I ducked behind a building and waited until you wouldn’t see me.

9pm, $6, CBTGs

DJ Fox, 11pm-2am, Evolve DJ Fox, 2am-6am, Liquid Night Club DJ Nu Rock, Martini Bardownstairs DJ Scrappy, Turkey Joe’s DJ Sina, Konfusion Dr Drake, no cover before midnight/$5, Club V Feng Shui Friday: Leo van Ulden & Krystle Hayden, 11pm, $5, Escape Karaoke, Karaoke Kops Party Bar Ladies Night: DJ Ohh!, Loft 709 Mainline, Tol’s Time Out Lounge Quidi Vidi Dirt Band, 11pm, Club One Recall (80s/90s classic rock), Trapper John’s Rob Cook, 10:30pm, Trinity Pub Shawn Beresford and The Solution, no cover, Fat Cat Blues Bar The Boyds, 8pm, Nautical Nellies The Dead Peasants Revolt, The Corroborators, Clocked In, Rocket Rocketship, Stagnant Stars (NS), Starla Ubiquitous (BC), 9:30pm, $6, CBTGs Traditional Music Session, 8:30pm, Erin’s Pub

Saturday JUNE 11 All Request: DJ RocketBoy, Lottie’s Place Blackie O’Leary, 5:30-9pm; Justin Fancy, 10pm-2am, Kelly’s Pub DJ Big Frank, Konfusion DJ Wiwa (reggae, dancehall, hip hop), Loft 709 DJ Yellow, Martini Bardownstairs Dr Drake, no cover before midnight/$5, Club V Electronic Saturdays: DJ Fox, DJ Trip, no cover, Evolve Night Club Hugh Scott (5pm); Bob Taylor, Carl Peters & Pat Moran (8pm); Wabana (11pm), Shamrock City Pub Irish Session (5pm); Open mic (10pm), Nautical Nellie’s Janeil, 10:30pm, Trinity Pub

Thursday JUNE 16 Blackie O’Leary, 5:30-9pm; Steve Davis, 9:30pm-1:30am, Kelly’s Pub Carl Peters & Bob Taylor (7pm), Middle Tickle (11pm), Shamrock City Pub

Craig Young (solo acoustic) no cover, Fat Cat Blues Bar Dave Panting, Erin’s Pub Des Gambin, 7pm, West Side Charlie’s-Kenmount Rd DJ Big Frank, Konfusion DJ JayCee, Turkey Joe’s DJ Mark Power, 11pm, Martini Bar Downstairs Mix Up, Hosted

by Steve Abbott, CBTGs Fergus O’Byrne (7pm); Acoustic Punters (10:30pm), O’Reilly’s Irish Pub Jerry Stamp, midnight, no cover, Bull & Barrel Karaoke, 10pm, Karaoke Kops Party Bar Karaoke, West Side Charlie’s-Torbay Rd Night Music: Featuring Bill Brennan, Pat Boyle & Mark Peddle; improvisors welcome, 9:30pm, $5, The Ship Noise Terror, 10pm, $5, Headquarters Open House: Open mic with Jason LaCour, 9pm, The Brimstone Open Mic, 9pm, The Levee Rob Cook & Greg Tobin, Trapper John’s Pub Tino Borges & The Incident, 10:30pm, no cover, Martini Bar upstairs Totally Toxic: DJ Fox, 12am, $5, Liquid Night Club Unlisted, Green Sleeves Pub

Friday JUNE 17 709, Tol’s Time Out Lounge All Request: DJ RocketBoy, Lottie’s Place Ashelin (acoustic/folk), 10pm, The Meagle (CBS)

Karaoke, Hosted by Murf, Darnell’s Pub Karaoke, Karaoke Kops Party Bar

Celtic Connection, 10:30pm, Club One

Mainline, Tol’s Time Out Lounge

Chris Hennessey (5pm); Bill Kelly (8:15pm), Greeley’s Reel (11:30pm), O’Reilly’s Irish Pub

Matthew Hornell (solo), Andrea McGuire; Reading by Aimee Wall, 8pm, $15/$10, Rocket Room Not Your Daddy’s Music featuring GreenLight, Don’t Press The Button, The Raycocks (punk), 9:30, $5, The Levee Quidi Vidi Dirt Band, 11pm, Club One Recall (80s/90s classic rock), Trapper John’s Rob Cook (4:30pm); Fergus O’Byrne (8pm); Tarahan (11:30pm), O’Reilly’s Irish Pub Sexual Saturdays: DJ JayCee, Turkey Joe’s The Crooks (alt rock), Be Alright (math rock), Thee Internet, 11pm, $10 The Dead Peasants Revolt (hardcore punk), Bridges, Of The Innocents, Stagnant Stars (Halifax), The Scuzziecats,

Charlie’s-Torbay Rd

Sweaty Little Dance Party 4: DJ Nu Rock & DJ Smilin’ Chunk (NS), 11pm, $5, CBTGs

Noise Terror, 10pm, $5, Headquarters

Tequila Rockingbirds (rock), Trapper John’s The Domestics (folk CD release), Pilot to Bombardier, $10, The Ship The Pre-Raphaelites (indie pop), Rock House Traditional Music Session, 8:30pm, Erin’s Pub

Danielle Bailey, Nautical Nellies

Blackie O’Leary, 5:30-9pm; Steve Davis, 9:30pm-1:30am, Kelly’s Pub

Mark Allen, Sojourns, Fat Cat Blues Bar

Stank Fest, The Fat Cat

Chris Kirby and The Marquee (blues), Fat Cat Blues Bar D’arcy Broderick & Ron Kelly (5pm); Barry Kenny, Glen Harvey & Sonny Hogan (8pm); Dungarvan (11pm), Shamrock City Pub DJ Fox, 11pm-2am, Evolve DJ Fox, 2am-6am, Liquid Night Club DJ Nu Rock, Martini Bardownstairs DJ Scrappy, Turkey Joe’s DJ Sina, Konfusion Dr Drake, no cover before midnight/$5, Club V Janeil, 10:30pm, Trinity Pub Karaoke, Karaoke Kops Party Bar Ladies Night: DJ Ohh!, Loft 709 Smokestack Lightning, 11pm, Nautical Nellies

Saturday JUNE 18

Open House: Open mic with Jason LaCour, 9pm, The Brimstone Open Mic, 9pm, The Levee Rob Cook & Greg Tobin, Trapper John’s Pub Tino Borges & The Incident, 10:30pm, no cover, Martini Bar upstairs Thom Coombes, Nautical Nellies Totally Toxic: DJ Fox, 12am, $5, Liquid Night Club Unlisted, Green Sleeves Pub

709, Tol’s Time Out Lounge All Request: DJ RocketBoy, Lottie’s Place Blackie O’Leary, 5:30-9pm; Justin Fancy, 10pm-2am, Kelly’s Pub Blown Wide Open (Big Wreck Tribute), The Need, Two Oceans (indie), The Ship Catch A Gay Wave: Summer Kickoff with DJ Fabian & VJ Eric, 11pm, $10, The Majestic Celtic Connection, 10:30pm, Club One

Friday JUNE 24 Alex Dinn, 8pm, Nautical Nellies All Request: DJ RocketBoy, Lottie’s Place Barcode (classic rock), Trapper John’s Blackie O’Leary, 5:30-9pm; Steve Davis, 9:30pm-1:30am, Kelly’s Pub

DJ Big Frank, Konfusion

Blue Eyed Blond (cover rock), 11pm, Club One

DJ Wiwa (reggae, dancehall, hip hop), Loft 709

Chasers, Tol’s Time Out Lounge

DJ Yellow, Martini Bardownstairs

Chris Hennessey (5pm); Bill Kelly (8:15pm), The Masterless Men (11:30pm), O’Reilly’s Irish Pub

Dr Drake, no cover before midnight/$5, Club V Electronic Saturdays: DJ Fox, DJ Trip, no cover, Evolve Night Club Hugh Scott (5pm); Bob Taylor, Carl Peters & Pat Moran (8pm); Dungarvan (11pm), Shamrock City Pub Irish Session (5pm); Open mic (10pm), Nautical Nellie’s Karaoke, Hosted by Murf, Darnell’s Pub Karaoke, Karaoke Kops Party Bar Rob Cook (4:30pm); Fergus O’Byrne (8pm); Greeley’s Reel (11:30pm), O’Reilly’s Irish Pub Sean Hoyles, 10:30pm, Trinity Pub Sexual Saturdays: DJ JayCee, Turkey Joe’s Tequila Rockingbirds (rock), Trapper John’s The Monday Nights (folk rock), Fat Cat Blues Bar Vince Gill, $82.95-$62.50, Mile One

Thursday JUNE 23 Blackie O’Leary, 5:30-9pm; Steve Davis, 9:30pm-1:30am, Kelly’s Pub Carl Peters & Bob Taylor (7pm), Middle Tickle (11pm), Shamrock City Pub Craig Young (solo acoustic) no cover, Fat Cat Blues Bar Dave Panting, Erin’s Pub Des Gambin, 7pm, West Side Charlie’s-Kenmount Rd DJ Big Frank, Konfusion DJ JayCee, Turkey Joe’s DJ Mark Power, 11pm, Martini Bar Downstairs Mix Up, Hosted

by Steve Abbott, CBTGs Fergus O’Byrne (7pm); Acoustic Punters (10:30pm), O’Reilly’s Irish Pub

D’arcy Broderick & Ron Kelly (5pm); Barry Kenny, Glen Harvey & Sonny Hogan (8pm); Middle Tickle (11pm), Shamrock City Pub Dave Langmead, 10:30pm, Trinity Pub DJ Fox, 11pm-2am, Evolve DJ Fox, 2am-6am, Liquid Night Club

music venue

directory ARTS & CULTURE CENTRE, Prince Philip Dr, 729-3900 THE ATTIC, 2 George St, 579-9632 BAR NONE, 164 Water St, 579-2110 BELLA VISTA, 26 Torbay Rd, 753-2352 BIANCA’S LOUNGE, 171 Water St 726-9016 BIG BEN’S, 55 Rowan St, 753-8212 THE BREEZEWAY, MUN Campus, 737-4743 BRIDIE MOLLOY’S, 5 George St, 576-5990 BRIMSTONE PUBLIC HOUSE, 17 George, 726-0353 St BULL & BARREL, Holdsworth Court, 579-7077 BULL & FINCH, Torbay Rd, 738-7007 CBTG’S, Holdsworth Court, 722-2284 CHRISTINE’S PLACE, 210 Lemarchant Rd, 722-6400 CLB ARMOURY, 82 Harvey Rd, 722-1737 CLUB ONE, George St, 753-7822 CLUB V, George St CROW’S NEST, 88 Water St (by War Memorial), 753-6927 CORNER STONE SPORTS BAR, 16 Queen St, 754-4263 DARNELL’S PUB, 1570 Topsail Rd 782-2440 DF COOK RECITAL HALL, Memorial University 7374700 DISTORTION, Holdsworth Court, 738-8833/685-1503 DUSK ULTRA LOUNGE, George St ERIN’S PUB, 186 Water St, 722-1916 ESCAPE DANCE LOUNGE, 371 Duckworth St, 725-7806 FAT CAT BLUES BAR, George St 739-5554 FERRY LAST STOP CAFE, 2 Loop Dr-Portugal CV 8953082 GEORGE STREET BEER MARKET, George St, 753-7822 GEORGETOWN PUB, 754-6151 GREEN SLEEVES PUB, 14 George St, 579-1070 THE GRAPEVINE, Water St, 754-8463 GRUMPY STUMP, Torbay Rd, 753-2337 HEADQUARTERS, 208 Water St, 579-2557 HOLY HEART THEATRE, 55 Bonaventure Ave, 579-4424 KARAOKE KOPS PARTY BAR, 10 George St, 726-8202 KELLY’S PUB, 25 George St, 753-5300 KRUGER’S BAR, Kelligrews THE LAST DROP, 193 Water St, 726-3767 THE LEVEE, Holdsworth Court LIQUID NIGHT CLUB, 186B Water St, 754-5455 LOFT 709, George St 351-2183 LOTTIE’S PLACE, 3 George St, 754-3020 LOWER PATH BAR, 312 Water St 579-1717 LSPU HALL, 3 Victoria St, 753-4531 MAJESTIC THEATRE, 390 Duckworth St MARG’S PLACE, Kelligrews MARTINI BAR, George St 739-9180 MASONIC TEMPLE, 6 Cathedral St, 5793023 MICKEY QUINN’S, 120 New Gower St, 739-6404 MILE ONE CENTRE, 50 New Gower St, 576-7657 MUN MUSIC, 737-4455 MRS LIDDY’S, Torbay 437-6005 THE OLD MILL, 271 Brookfield Rd, 368-1334 O’REILLY’S IRISH PUB, 15 George St, 722-3735 PEDDLER’S PUB, George St, 739-9180 PETER EASTON PUB, Cookstown Road PETRO-CANADA HALL, Memorial University PLAYERS CUE, 50 Commonwealth Ave-Mt Pearl 368-2500 351-2183 REPUBLIC, Duckworth St, 753-1012 ROCK HOUSE, George St, 579-6832 ROCKET ROOM, 272 Water St-upstairs 738-2011 ROSE & THISTLE, 208 Water St, 579-6662 SCANLAN’S, 164 Water st 738-0677 SHAMROCK CITY PUB, 340 Water St, 758-5483 SHIP PUB, 265 Duckworth St, 753-3870 SPIN, 2 George St SHARKEY’S PUB, Manuels 834-5636 THE SPROUT, 364 Duckworth St, 579-5485 SS MEIGLE LOUNGE, Seal Cove 744-1212 ST JOHN’S CONVENTION CENTRE, New Gower St 576-7657 STANLEY’S PUB, 26 Torbay Rd, 754-0930 STATION LOUNGE, 7 Hutchings St 722-8576 STAR OF THE SEA, Henry St, 753-8222 STETSON LOUNGE, 260 Water St, 753-8138 SUNDANCE, George St, 753-7822 TOL’S TIME-OUT LOUNGE, 74 Old Placentia Rd 745-8657 TOPSAIL BREEZE TAVERN, Topsail 781-0010 TRAPPER JOHN’S PUB, 2 George St, 5799630 TRINITY PUB, George St, 579-5558 TRIP IN LOUNGE, Kelligrews 834-4002 THE WELL, 14 George St YELLOWBELLY BREWERY, 288 Water St 757-3784 Do you host live music or DJs? Joining our directory is free. E-mail listings@thescope.ca

Electronic Saturdays: DJ Fox, DJ Trip, no cover, Evolve Night Club Hugh Scott (5pm); Bob Taylor, Carl Peters & Pat Moran (8pm); Middle Tickle (11pm), Shamrock City Pub Irish Session (5pm); Open mic (10pm), Nautical Nellie’s Karaoke, Hosted by Murf, Darnell’s Pub Karaoke, Karaoke Kops Party Bar

less Men (11:30pm), O’Reilly’s Irish Pub

Dave Panting, Erin’s Pub

Sexual Saturdays: DJ JayCee, Turkey Joe’s

Des Gambin, 7pm, West Side Charlie’s-Kenmount Rd

Sharona Clarke (pop/ rock piano), 10pm, free, The Brimstone

DJ Big Frank, Konfusion

Thursday JUNE 30

Julia Whitten, 10:30pm, Trinity Pub

Blackie O’Leary, 5:30-9pm; Steve Davis, 9:30pm-1:30am, Kelly’s Pub

Lindsay Barr and The Bullys (Peterborough country/ rock), Fat Cat Blues Bar

Carl Peters & Bob Taylor (7pm), Middle Tickle (11pm), Shamrock City Pub

Rob Cook (4:30pm); Fergus O’Byrne (8pm); The Master-

Craig Young (solo acoustic) no cover, Fat Cat Blues Bar

DJ JayCee, Turkey Joe’s

Noise Terror, 10pm, $5, Headquarters Open House: Open mic with Jason LaCour, 9pm, The Brimstone Open Mic, 9pm, The Levee

DJ Mark Power, 11pm, Martini Bar Downstairs Mix Up, Hosted

by Steve Abbott, CBTGs Fergus O’Byrne (7pm); Acoustic Punters (10:30pm), O’Reilly’s Irish Pub Jerry Stamp, midnight, no cover, Bull & Barrel

Rob Cook & Greg Tobin, Trapper John’s Pub Tino Borges & The Incident, 10:30pm, no cover, Martini Bar upstairs Totally Toxic: DJ Fox, 12am, $5, Liquid Night Club Unlisted, Green Sleeves Pub

Karaoke, 10pm, Karaoke Kops Party Bar Karaoke, West Side Charlie’s-Torbay Rd

FIND MANY more listings online at thescope.CA

Mick Davis, Nautical Nellies

DJ Nu Rock, Martini Bardownstairs DJ Scrappy, Turkey Joe’s DJ Sina, Konfusion Dr Drake, no cover before midnight/$5, Club V Feng Shui Friday: Leo van Ulden & Krystle Hayden, 11pm, $5, Escape Karaoke, Karaoke Kops Party Bar Ladies Night: DJ Ohh!, Loft 709 The Honeybees, Fat Cat Blues Bar The Last Night of the Proms: A gala evening of music presented by organist David Drinkell and soprano Catherine Cornick, 8pm, $15/$10, Anglican Cathedral Traditional Music Session, 8:30pm, Erin’s Pub

Saturday JUNE 25 All Request: DJ RocketBoy, Lottie’s Place Barcode (classic rock/country), Trapper John’s Blackie O’Leary, 5:30-9pm; Justin Fancy, 10pm-2am, Kelly’s Pub Blue Eyed Blond (cover rock), 11pm, Club One Chasers, Tol’s Time Out Lounge DJ Big Frank, Konfusion

Jerry Stamp, midnight, no cover, Bull & Barrel

DJ Wiwa (reggae, dancehall, hip hop), Loft 709

Karaoke, 10pm, Karaoke Kops Party Bar

DJ Yellow, Martini Bardownstairs

Karaoke, West Side

Dr Drake, no cover before midnight/$5, Club V

JUNE 2011

thescope

21

on screen

Find more reviews and movie times at thescope.ca/onscreen

posed to relate to them," she said. "Even the eggs. I think the circumstances are so common that you should be able to relate to them.

You got to have real, honest emotion grounding a story, otherwise you'll forget about it."

J

Not Over Easy

Exceeding eggspectation Adam Clarke talks to Jordan Canning about directing, writing the Come Thou Tortoise screenplay and whether stop-motion eggs are a sometimes food.

“T

RANT FARM Got an opinion? Need to vent? We want to hear from you. Submit your anonymous accusation or confession at thescope.ca/rant. Submissions may be edited for length, grammar, spelling, legal, or obscenity reasons.

One submission will be printed each month, but more submissions to Rant Farm can be found at thescope.ca/rant.

nOT ENOUGH ROAD RANTS Too many rants? I don’t think there are nearly enough road rants here. If people can’t take a second and realize that they are some of the worst drivers in Canada, both in patience and in obeying simple road rules, then we need more rants to get the point across. That licence in your wallet means that you have the right to operate a potentially deadly machine. You can kill someone by not stopping at a crosswalk, you can kill someone by driving recklessly, you can seriously injure yourself and your family by refusing the obey the simple rules that you would surely find in a driver’s handbook. Listen up St. John’s, learn how to drive.

— Utterly Disappointed

hat's a good grape. It'd be really satisfying to squish it," are the first words I hear from filmmaker Jordan Canning.

I've set up a game of Grape Escape at Snakes & Lattes, a board game cafe in Toronto, and we've made Play Doh grape avatars. It seemed a natural lead-in to her short film about sentient food, Not Over Easy.

Not Over Easy sees Karen (Republic Of Doyle's Rachel Wilson), having just kicked

out her ex-boyfriend (Aaron Poole), with two eggs: each resembling one half in the relationship. From there, the film offers a glimpse of their relationship as enacted by stop-motion eggs with drawn faces and wiggly arms.

Not Over Easy has the emotional quality of the director's earlier work, though it is still in the comedic vein of the award-winning Countdown or Canning's video for "Best Served" by The Pathological Lovers. "Even though they're all comedies and they're out there, you're sup-

DAILY SHOWINGS

the characters have Xmas tree freshners on their persons.

(Jun 24)

Call or check online for times and prices.

Avalon mall empire studios 12: 722-5775 Mount pearl empire cinemas: 722-5775 www.empiretheatres.com

Kung Fu Panda 2: The Kaboom of Doom: Jack Black returns in the role he was born to play...an obese panda that knows Kung Fu. (Jun 1) Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides: Time once more for Johnny Depp to prance around like a fop and wear glam makeup, as he and Penelope Cruz face the evil Blackbeard on the high seas.

(Jun 1) The Hangover 2: Wanna watch The Hangover, but with the setting changed to Thailand and the baby to an older man? The future is now, ‘cause that’s what they did for the sequel. (Jun 1) The Importance of Being Earnest: Ideally, one should be able to escape tedious social obligations. Ernest is exactly the sort of fellow to figure out how to do just that.

He leads a double-life. Sinful!

(Jun 2)

illustration by RICKY KING

22

thescope

JUNE 2011

X-Men: First Class: Want a new X-Men movie with no

Brett Ratner? Done. First Class details the beginning of the rivalry between Magneto and Prof X and the formation of the X-Men (Jun 3)

Beginners: Upon his mother’s death, a young man (Ewan MacGregor) learns that his father (Christopher Plummer) is gay. Before they can get close, however, it turns out Plummer is terminally ill. (Jun 6) Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer: Judy, age 8, is having a lame summer until Heather Graham comes to her rescue. Contrary to early reports, Graham is not reprising her role of Rollergirl from Boogie Nights. (Jun 10) Super 8: When a kid shoots a low-budget movie to get closer to the girl he loves, they bond in a small town.

Also, there are aliens that crash-landed. Aliens always ruin budding romances.

(Jun 10) Green Lantern: Ryan Reynolds is given a green ring that allows him to have super-powers. Well, beyond Reynolds’ natural supersmugness. Him and his magic Ring Pop must go up against sinister forces. (Jun 17) Bad Teacher: Cameron Diaz is a teacher with a habit for breaking the rules. (Jun 24) Cars 2: What’s a car’s life really like? Apparently, they get misstaken for spies and chased all-around exotic locations. Picture The Tourist, but

Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Having turned our backs on the toy line that has saved humanity’s collective butts a million times, the Transformers leave us to fend for ourselves against moonrobots. Jerks. (Jun 29) Capsule descriptions by Adam Clarke.

LIMITED RUN Friday Jun 17 & Saturday Jun 18 at 8pm Queer City Film Festival: Screened in Victoria, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Halifax and St. Johns, Queer City Cinema presents "Wide Open Wide," a selection of 28 short films and videos that play with notions of queer identity and use experimental artistic expression to propose diverse ways of looking at sexuality, politics and queer media art itself, $6, Eastern Edge Gallery-72 Harbour Dr 739-1882 Tuesday Jun 21 at 8pm Nickel Independent Film Fest: WAR & FLEECE Animation by Jim Grace of NL-CAN (4 min); LITTLE FLOWERS French film with subtitles by Vincent Biron of QUE-CAN (19 min); PASSING Drama by Jason O'Mahoney of IRE (11 min); I'M 14 AND HATE THE

WORLD Drama by Kenneth Harvey of NL-CAN (8 min); ESCAPE ROUTES Drama by Latonia Hartery of NS-CAN (17 min); WATER.MOON.MIRRO. FLOWER Experimental film

by Tianran Duan of CA-USA (4 min); WAKE Drama by Jeremy Webb & Jessica Marsh of NSCAN (16 min); SNARBUCKLED Drama by Masrk Hoffe of NLCAN (18 min), $10+HST, LSPU Hall-3 Victoria St 753-4531

Wednesday Jun 22 at 8pm Nickel Independent Film Fest: THE SUN Music video

by Jeremir Vuriez of FRA (5 min); DEADLINE Drama by Bob Pope of NL-CAN (6 min); A PURPLEMAN Animation by Hyungkee Lee of SK (13 min); LIAM BLADES Documentary

by Danny Beer of NL-CAN (4 min); BREAD & KISSES Drama by Katherin Fitzgerald of ON-CAN (13 min); ONLY IN DREAMS Experimental film by Adam Badlotto of FL-USA (3 min); CARDBOARD JUNCTION Drama by Kelly Davis of NL-CAN (15 min); HAND TO TOE Documentary

by France Benoit of NWT-CAN (9 min); THE MAN WITH ALL THE MARBLES Drama by Hans Montelius of SWE (15 min); RUNNERS Drama by Jason O'Mahoney of IRE (15 min); NOT OVER EASY Animation by Jordan Canning of NL-Can (6 min), $10+HST, LSPU Hall-3 Victoria St 753-4531 Thursday Jun 23 at 8pm Nickel Independent Film Fest: HOPE IS FLEETING Movie video by Patrick

ordan Canning's success with shorts and music videos brought her to the Canadian Film Centre to complete another short, Oliver Bump's Birthday. After its completion, Canning began writing the first draft of her first feature-length film Oddly Flowers, an adaptation of Jessica Grant's Come Thou Tortoise. "I love shorts, but they take as much energy and brainpower as a feature film," she said. "I started writing the script for Come Thou Tortoise three days ago," Canning added, "and I felt like this was the story that I've been looking for forever. It's got so many amazing characters and moments in it." The director is eager to capture both the universality of the story and the unique voice of its main character, Audrey, whom Canning likens to the titular character of 2001's Amelie.

In an earlier conversation, Canning described herself as having a "sponge brain" that constantly feeds on influences from cinema, life and music. "Doing the CFC Lab was great for that," Canning said. "There were 19 of us. 5 writers, 5 producers, 5 directors and 4 editors. It was sponge city. It's rare when you have the chance to watch other directors work because when you're directing your own film, you're the one in charge".

"I'll be lucky to keep my sponge brain," she said with Play Doh grape in hand.

Not Over Easy will be screened on Wednesday, June 22 as part of the Nickel Film Festival.

Canning of ON-CAN (4 min); FISHBOWL Drama by Lee of NL-CAN (4 min); WRECKING BALL Animation by Lyle Pisio of AB-CAN (6 min); THE AUDITIONS Drama by Marty Benoit of NL-CAN (20 min); MARV FREETELL'S WEDDING DAY Drama by Tricia Lee of ON-CAN (6 min); SWALLOWED Drama by Stephen Dunn of NL-CAN (5 min); FAMILY FIRST Drama by Jennifer Liao of ON-CAN (7 min); SEEING ALI Documentary by Martin Guerin of QC-CAN (48 min), $10+HST, LSPU Hall-3 Victoria St 753-4531

Thursday Jun 23 at 10:30pm Nickel Independent Film Fest: Late Night Horror Show: THE GAGALON Drama

by Ryan James Smith of NL-CAN (2 min); THE LAST COTTAGE HOSPITAL Horror

by Martine Blue of NL-CAN (16 min); ADVENTURES OF WHO Animation by Carlo Ghioni of QUE-CAN (9 min); SINGULARITY Horror by Shian Storm of CA-USA (10 min); TRUE NATURE Horror by Ann Rotolante of OH-USA (92 min), $10+HST, LSPU Hall-3 Victoria St 753-4531 Friday Jun 24 at 8pm Nickel Independent Film Fest: THE BATTLE OF THE BRUISED PEACH Music video by Vic Wells-Smithof NL-CAN (4 min); A TEMP AT CRIME Drama by Malcolme Johnstone of BC-CAN (8 min); RHONDA'S PARTY Drama

by Ashley McKenzie of of NS-CAN (8 min); IN HER EYES

Drama by Robert Smellin of AUS (19 min); SHARFIK Animation by Karina Gazizova of CA-USA (14 min); WATCHING EMILY Drama by Elsa Morena of NL-CAN (4 min); WHAT REMAINS Drama by Eva Madden Hagen of NS-CAN (17 min); THE WAKE Drama by Andrew Winter of NL-CAN (6 min); FOUR SISTERS Drama by Wanda Nolan of NL-CAN (12 min); SENIOR BARISTA Drama

by Marc Tetreault of NS-CAN (8 min), $10+HST, LSPU Hall-3 Victoria St 753-4531

Saturday Jun 25 at 8pm Nickel Independent Film Fest: LIVING INSIDE THE BOX Movie video by Michael Fisher of NL-CAN (4 min); BIRDBOY Animation by Pedro Rivero of SPA (12 min); VINCENT Drama

by Mazin Power of UK (7 min); THE FOURTH MINUTE Drama

by Ross moore of NL-CAN (5 min); MISSILE CRISIS Kids film

by Jaye Davidson of FL-USA (15 min); BERNARD THE MAGICIAN Drama by Megan Wennburg of NS-CAN (14 min); 8 MM FILMS tba NL-CAN (9 min); FUTILITY Drama by Wayne Bradford of AUS (11 min); KIDNAP Animation by Sijia Luo of CA-USA (4 min); IT'S NATURAL TO BE AFRAID Drama by Justin Doherty of UK (10 min); A RIVER IN THE WOODS Drama by Christian Sparkes of NL-CAN (11 min), LSPU Hall-3 Victoria St 753-4531

I saw you climbing in windows and snatchin’ people up…

on display visual art museums

GALLERIES Openings 20/20 Annual Members' Exhibit: Celebrating creative vision and the 20-year birthday of the Craft Council Gallery and the Craft Centre, 59 Duckworth St (Opening reception Sat Jun 25 from 2pm to 4pm) Arctic Photographer: Exhibition of the works of Richard Harrington, one of Canada's foremost photographers, who traveled the arctic half a century ago, capturing a vanishing way of life, The Rooms-9 Bonaventure Ave (Opening reception Thu Jun 2 from 7:30pm to 10:30pm) Christine Koch Open Studio: Summer solstice open studio featuring Koch's paintings and printmaking, free, 177 Water St-top floor 697-6820 (Sat Jun 18 & Sun Jun 19 from 12pm to 5pm) Composition: A major work by acclaimed Canadian artist Jean Paul Riopelle denoting a major transition in his career.

The exhibition explores his technique and his cultural context in post-war Quebec,

The Rooms-9 Bonaventure Ave (Opening reception Thu Jun 2 from 7:30pm to 10:30pm)

DATA-TA-DA: A solo show by Mark Adams; As part of the evolving nature of the gallery and the exhibition viewers are encouraged to bring laptops to view part of the show, The Claw Space-183A Duckworth St (Opening reception Fri Jun 27 at 8pm) Delivery: A blend of video, performance, and sculptural installation that is equal parts space exploration, camp, spiritual longing, and mummified chicken burger, Jason Penney's work is high culture meets low, a mingling of the sacred with the profane, The Rooms-9 Bonaventure Ave (Opening reception Thu Jun 2 from 7:30pm to 10:30pm) Imaginary Gift: Sandee Moore's (MB) participatory works inspired by dispensing gifts of coffee and bubbles, Eastern Edge Gallery-72 Harbour Dr 739-1882 (Opens Sun Jun 25) Inner Works - North: Showcasing works of aboriginal artists from Labrador and Nunavut that represent disting perspectives of traditional

and contemporary culture, The Rooms-9 Bonaventure Ave (Ends Aug 28)

Limited Time Offer: Beginning with Andy Warhol’s portrait of Wayne Gretzky, this exhibition gathers selections from The Rooms’ permanent collection that, in differing ways, reflect the ongoing influence of Pop Art. It's a wide spectrum of art, including work by Bill Rose, Judith Kelley, Jim Hansen, Kym Greeley and Leon Golub, The Rooms-9 Bonaventure Ave (Opening reception Thu Jun 2 from 7:30pm to 10:30pm) My Town/Your Town: An exhibition of new oil paintings by Kathleen Knowling, free, Emma Butler Gallery-111 George St (Opening reception Sat Jun 18 from 2pm to 5pm) Phytophilous Initiative/ Imaginary Gift: Through public installation works, Jesse Walker and Liz Solo explore the contradictory relationships humans have with non-human life forms, and Sandee Moore creates opportunities for audiences to engage in new and pleasurable relationships, redefining the parameters and permissions for social interaction, Eastern

on screen

LOCAL NICKEL FLICKS

A preview of local films showing in this year’s Nickel Film Fest

Edge Gallery-72 Harbour Dr 739-1882 (Opening reception Sat June 25 from 3pm to 5pm)

Richard Hamilton Reflects - Prints 1963-1974: A collection of 18 lithographs, serigraphs, prints, and collages chronicles printmaker Hamilton's extensive career as a pop art forerunner, The Rooms-9 Bonaventure Ave (Opening reception Thu Jun 2 from 7:30pm to 10:30pm)

Continuing Exhibitions Coastal Women in Pre-Confederation Newfoundland & Labrador: Documents women’s experiences in outport communities prior to 1949 by interweaving archival photographs & documents, The Rooms-9 Bonaventure Ave 757-8000 Inner Works: Selections from the People’s Collection: Featuring artists such as Anne Meredith Barry, Peter Bell, David Blackwood, Christopher Pratt, Mary Pratt, Helen Parsons Shepherd, Reginald Shepherd, Gerald Squires & Don Wright, The Rooms-9 Bonaventure Ave 757-8000 Metis Carver: Ancient Stories in Stone and Bone – ongoing exhibit by Albert Biles, Wild Things-124 Water St New Releases: A variety of new paintings including

I’m 14 and Hate the World: A young girl’s privileged life takes a surreal twist when she’s suddenly orphaned.

Enter creepy old people that would make David Lynch proud. Kenneth J Harvey, the author of the novel Blackstrap Hawco, directs. (Drama) A River in the Woods: When a band of forest children adopt a monster into their clan things get weird.

Well shot and disturbing.

(Drama) The Battle of the Bruised Peach: A sensuous music video with writing on skin and fully-clothed bathing. (Music video) Watching Emily: Young Emily and her feeble grandfather get in some trouble when mom steps out. (Drama) Snarbuckled: A cook washes up in a cauldron on a grey Newfoundlandesque island inhabited by a half-crazed lighthouse clown and masked restaurant patrons with voracious appetites. (Drama) Hope is Fleeting: Painterly,

Swallowed: This ballad tells the story of a sailor lost at sea and the lifelong suffering of the woman he leaves behind.

(Drama) Fishbowl: Parallels are drawn between life in a fishbowl and life in the CBS suburbs. (Drama) The Last Cottage Hospital: A young woman who’s had too much to drink ends up in a sketchy haunted hospital in the sticks. (Horror) Living Inside the Box: A corporate office comes to life in song. (Music video) The Fourth Minute: Insecurity in love. Sometimes a simple idea works best. Here is proof. (Drama) Not Over Easy: A couple of eggs are the stars in this break up story. (Animation) The Wake: A young guy at a wake doesn’t realise the tangle he’s gotten himself

into until it’s too late. (Drama)

The Gagalon: Painting, sets, costumes and make up converge in this creepy music video. (Music video) Liam Blades: Local rollerbladers make iconic spots around town their own, including Arts & Culture Centre hallways. (Documentary) War & Fleece: A nerdy ram invents a machine that suddenly makes him cool.

(Animation) Four Sisters: Family ties prove stronger than hate and jealousy for these very different women.

Cardboard Junction: An innocent girl deals with the bleak adult world of her mother.

The Auditions: A mature actor and an inexperienced videographer negotiate what it means to be an artist.

The Nickel Film Festival runs from June 21 to June 25. See showtimes on facing page. www.nickelfestival.com

New Works: By Gerald Squires, Esther Squires, George Horan, Julia Pickard, Sharon Puddester, Gerald Squires Gallery-52 Prescott St 722-2207 Richard Harrington: Arctic Photographer, The Rooms-9 Bonaventure Ave 757-8000

Last Chance Annual Members' Show (St. Michael's Printshop) Exhibition of print and other media, free, St. Michael's Printshop-72 Harbour Dr (Ends Jun 18) Blue: A group exhibition reflecting on the calm, sad, delicious, and profound colour of water, Annex Gallery-59 Duckworth St (Ends Jun 12) Cut & Baste: Student textile exhibit, Anna Templeton Centre-278 Duckworth St 739-7623 (Ends Jun 11) Fantastic Sea Monsters: Stories of ocean and lake ‘monsters’ have fascinated us since the dawn of time; seafarers were convinced that the oceans were the devil’s kingdom – a place of terrifying monsters eager for shipwrecks, the home of sirens, krakens, whales, sea serpents, and giant sharks, The Rooms-9 Bonaventure

Ave 757-8000 (Ends Jun 19)

New Works: Louise Sutton's new exhibition exploring landscape and her environment in oils on paper and panel, and printmaking, Leyton Gallery of Fine Art-6 Clift's-Baird's Cove (Ends Jun 19) Space and Place: Jillian Waite's encaustic art is layered and textured works on panel offering glimpses of personal memory, Leyton Gallery of Fine Art-6 Clift'sBaird's Cove (Ends Sun Jun 19) Wavelength/Linear Gesture: Through large installation works, Jonathan Villeneuve evokes the movement of a slow wave. Kip Jones delineates new spaces through the use of sweeping linear modules in a play on the subjective construction of imperceptible boundaries, Eastern Edge Gallery-72 Harbour Dr 739-1882 (Ends Jun 11) Wood: Reflections on wood from sculptor John Paul Goodyear, cabinet maker Melanie Hamilton, and drum maker Pete Stanbridge, Craft Council Gallery-59 Duckworth St (Ends Jun 12)

MUSEUMS

Signal Hill Rd 737-7880

A Tour de Fort: Interpretive panels tell the story of Fort Townsend, the 18th century symbol of England’s domination over the fishery, The Rooms-9 Bonaventure Ave 757-8000 Admiralty House Museum: 1915 navy wireless station now communications museum, 23 Old Placentia Rd-Mt Pearl 748-1124 Anglican Cathedral: Tour this grand building built between 1861 and 1905, 16 Church Hill 726-5677 Connections: This Place and Its Early Peoples: Polar bears on tundra, carnivorous plants in a bog, seabirds, sea mammals, sea life plus the people who made their lives here, The Rooms-9 Bonaventure Ave 757-8000 East Rider Motorcycle Museum: Two floors of bikes, memorabilia and biker culture, 205 New Gower St 738-3278 [here]say: A story map of Water Street: Stories and memories shared by people who live here. At each location there is a sign with a telephone number and a 3-digit code.

MUN Botanical Garden: Trails, gift shop & tearoom, 306 Mt Scio Rd 737-8590 Railway Coastal Museum: St. John’s Dockyard exhibit of model ship hulls, shipbuilding, dockyard history plus the story of Newfoundland's railway boat service & 1940's train diorama, 495 Water St W 724-5929 Signal Hill National Historic Site: Military & communications history, meet Signalman, watch film, interactive exhibits, Visitor Centre 772-5367 Talamh an Éisc: The Fishing Ground: Find out why so many people from Trepassey to Tilting describe themselves as Irish Newfoundlanders, The Rooms-9 Bonaventure Ave 757-8000 The Fluvarium: A panoramic water view under the surface of Nagle's Hill Brook. Spot fish, insects & plants in natural habitat plus interactive exhibits, 5 Nagle's Place 754-3474

Send press releases to listings@thescope.ca

Johnson Geo Centre & Park: See Signal Hill’s 550 million year old geology & specimens of NF rocks, minerals & botanical park, 175

on stage

theatre dance & Performance spoken & written comedy

Theatre A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline (Spirit of Newfoundland) Follow Patsy's climb to stardom to Carnegie Hall, Grand Old Opry and the Hollywood Walk of Fame, featuring Sandy Morris, Sharona Clarke, Bill Brennan, Frank Fusari & Paul Stamp, $59.50+ (dinner & show), Masonic Temple-6 Cathedral St (Wed Jun 18 / Mon Jun 23 / Tue Jun 24 at 7pm)

fluid, and colourful Patrick Canning creates a video to accompany his song. (Music video)

"Limbo", "Wild Roses Over Quidi Vidi" and "Cigar Maker's Court", Richard Steele Gallery-63 Harvey Rd 754-6741

ABBA: Gotta Get the Scoop!

(Spirit of Newfoundland) An offbeat musical review that takes you behind the melodies and tells the untold story of ABBA. Starring Shelley Neville, Peter Halley, Darrin Martin & Sabrina Roberts, $59.50+ (dinner & show), Masonic Temple-6 Cathedral St 579-3023 (Wed Jun 4 / Tue Jun 10 / Wed Jun 11 / Mon Jun 16 / Sun Jun 29 at 7pm) Dido and Aeneas (Opera on the Avalon) Henry Purcell's English baroque masterpiece is an intimate story of love and abandonment, directed

by Tim Albery, $28, LSPU Hall-3 Victoria St (Thu Jun 16 to Sun Jun 19 at 8pm) Hail: A dynamic story of five men, their involvement in a crime, and their struggle with the inevitable consequences, starring Robert Joy, Aiden Flynn, Brad Hodder & Brian Marler, $30/$25, LSPU Hall-3 Victoria St (Thu May 26 to Sun Jun 5 at 8pm; PWYC matinees Sat May 28 & Sat Jun 4 at 2pm) Monarita (White Rooster Theatre & She Said Yes!) When Mona becomes a mother she finds she has lost herself—and now one of the greatest friendships of her life is in danger of being lost as well, when her best friend Rita tries to break it off and

make a new life without her.

Will Mona let Rita go? Can Rita exist without Mona?

Isn’t love supposed to last forever? Directed by Sherry White, featuring Sara Tilley and Ruth Lawrence with Mark White,$15/$20, Rabbittown Theatre-106 Freshwater Rd 739-8220 (Preview Wed Jun 1 at 8pm ($10); Thu Jun 2 - Sat Jun 4 at 8pm; PWYC matinee Sat Jun 4 at 2pm)

Oh Canada...More Than Just Beavers (Spirit of Newfoundland) A musical revue featuring highlights from Canadian music superstars, $59.50+ (dinner & show), Masonic Temple-6 Cathedral St 5793023 (Sat Jun 7 at 7pm) The Marriage of Figaro (Opera on the Avalon) Mozart's masterpiece comes to life in a new production directed by Robert Herriot and conducted by Judith Yan, $25, Holy Heart Theatre-55 Bonaventure Ave (Wed Jun 22 to Fri Jun 24 at 7:30pm)

DANCE & PERFORMANCE Chopped Liver (Delivery Room) Ongoing arts and culture market sale, showcase, and performance event, free/ PWYC, Eastern Edge Gallery-72 Harbour Dr (Wed Jun 15 from 5pm to 9pm) Ignite Runway Model Competition: Representation contract and trip to Toronto for the winners, $15, Johnson GEO Centre-175 Signal Hill Rd (Sat Jun 18 at 5:30pm) Lux - The Fashionable Experience: Showcase of fashions from RW&Co., SMET, Audity Amin Collection, Laguna Beach Jean co & more, $25, Johnson GEO Centre-175 Signal Hill Rd (Sat Jun 18 at 7:30pm & 10pm)

Roller Derby Rumble (709 Derby Girls) Cruisin for a Bruisin': This rockabillythemed bout will feature the Delinquent Dolls going head to head with the Squaresville Slammers, $15/$12, Jack Byrne Arena-7 Torbay Rd (Sat Jun 18 at 7:30pm) Tango On The Edge: A social gathering to dance Argentine Tango, $5, RCA Club-10 Bennett Ave 579-5752 (Thursdays at 8:30pm)

Spoken & Written 7th-Annual Screenplay Series Public Reading: Writers work with a director and professional cast to rehearse and receive feedback.

Presented to a public audience in a staged reading, free, LSPU Hall-3 Victoria St (Fri Jun 24 from 3pm to 4:30pm) Book Club: The Universe is a Green Dragon by Brian Swimme; the new scientific story of the origin of the universe, free with registration, Mercy Centre for Ecology & Justice-101 Mt Scio Rd 7220082 (Wednesdays from 2pm to 4pm)

Cara Lewis and music by Matthew Hornell (solo) & Aley Waterman of Say Fire!, $15/$10, The Ship-265 Duckworth St (Sun Jun 12 at 8:30pm)

Sean Cullen, Mark Critch, Erica Sigurdson & Snook, it will be a free-for-all of fact and funny, $35.34, Majestic Theatre-390 Duckworth St (Thu Jun 16 at 7:30pm)

Literary Reading: Featuring Aimee Wall and music by Matthew Hornell (solo) & Andrea McGuire of The Drows, $15/$10, Rocket Room-272 Water St (Sat Jun 11 at 8pm)

Newfoundland Screech Comedy Fest: Festival Finale: Recorded for broadcast by CBC TV, the finale features Mark Critch, Steve Patterson, Sean Cullen, John Sheehan, Nikki Payne, Brian Aylward, Erica Sigurdson, Snook & Steve Coombs, $57.94, Remax Centre-135 Mayor Ave (Sun Jun 19 at 8pm)

Spring Tides Reading Series: Featuring local authors Kevin Major & Leslie Vryenhoek, free, The Ship-265 Duckworth St (Sun Jun 5 at 7pm)

Comedy Comedy for a Cause Fest (Supporting Ovarian Cancer Canada’s Walk of Hope), $25 inc free drink, Yuk Yuk's-193 Kenmount Rd 726-9857 (Thu Jun 2 at 8pm / Fri Jun 3 & Sat Jun 4 at 8pm & 10:30pm) Comedy for a Cause Fest (Supporting K-ROCK Children’s Trust Fund), $25 inc free drink, Yuk Yuk's-193 Kenmount Rd 726-9857 (Thu Jun 9 at 8pm / Fri Jun 10 & Sat Jun 11 at 8pm & 10:30pm)

Book Launch: Patrick O'Flaherty will launch his new book Leaving the Past Behind: Newfoundland Histroy from 1934, free, Benevolent Irish Society-30 Harvey Rd (Thu Jun 2 from 5pm to 7pm)

Comedy for a Cause Fest (Supporting Canadian Red Cross), $25 inc free drink, Yuk Yuk's-193 Kenmount Rd 7269857 (Thu Jun 16 at 8pm / Fri Jun 17 & Sat Jun 18 at 8pm & 10:30pm)

Book Launch: Joel Thomas Hynes will be launching his new chapbook God Help Thee: A Manifesto, The Ship265 Duckworth St (Tue Jun 7 at 7:30pm)

Comedy for a Cause Fest (Supporting Canadian Paraplegic Association), $25 inc free drink, Yuk Yuk's-193 Kenmount Rd 726-9857 (Thu Jun 23 at 8pm / Fri Jun 24 & Sat Jun 25 at 8pm & 10:30pm)

Book Signing: Meet and chat with Joan Rusted, author of St. John's: A Brief History, Chapters-70 Kenmount Rd (Sat Jun 11 from 2pm to 4pm) Literary Reading: Featuring

Newfoundland Screech Comedy Fest: Hosted by Steve Patterson and featuring a dozen comics including

Newfoundland Screech Comedy Fest: Open Mic Night: A night to celebrate upand-coming comedic talent, featuring Steve Coombs and Erica Sigurdson, $13.30, Bella Vista-Torbay Rd (Wed Jun 15 at 8pm) Newfoundland Screech Comedy Fest: Stand-up Spotlight: Starring Sean Cullen, Trent McClellan, Nikki Payne, Erica Sigurdson & Brian Aylward, this event features full sets by the comics, $35.34, Remax Centre-135 Mayor Ave (Sat Jun 18 at 8pm) Newfoundland Screech Comedy Fest: Talk About Funny Show: Hosted by Mark Critch and starring Dan Aykroyd, this event features Danny Williams, Sean Cullen, Trent McClellan, Nikki Payne & house band, $52.29, Holy Heart Theatre-55 Bonaventure Ave (Fri Jun 17 at 10pm) Newfoundland Screech Comedy Fest: The Wonderful Grand Band is hot all over again, with special guest host Dan Aykroyd, $40.99, Remax Centre-135 Mayor Ave (Fri Jun 17 at 7:30pm) Send press releases to listings@thescope.ca

JUNE 2011

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i could

full tilt

really go for a sandwich

right now

thescope.ca/Scoff 1111 Lincoln Road, Miami. Photo by Iwan Baan.

no parking

Are there creative architectural solutions to our downtown parking problems?

I

where to park all of those cars. The best we might hope for is that in the meantime we can make parking structures that actually add value to our environment. Can we become good at hiding our cars?

Cities like New York and Tokyo build automatic parking machines—parking machines that robotically sort and stack cars.

They require small areas to build on, and can make large numbers of cars disappear into the streetscape. It’s an aesthetically pleasing solution that also appeals to our childhood fascination with robots. (See last issue.)

It’s a neat idea, but it may not be appropriate for St. John’s. Robots that sort and stack cars are certainly not cheap, and building costs escalate for locations that are far from manufacturers. As well, there's the logistical problem of traffic flow: queuing cars waiting to park, and also finding a location that will ensure profitability.

Without the help of robots, some designers have re-imagined the taryn@thescope.ca design of the parking The best we might hope for for-sale Atlantic Place garage to obscure the is that in the meantime we Parking Garage into parking garage’s usual can make parking structures a new “parking only” tedious mass. Swiss zone. This will protect that actually add value to our Architects Herzog and this prime parking stock DeMeuron’s new parkenvironment. from a buyer who may ing garage in Miami wish to convert the called 1111 Lincoln garage into something else.

Road is a stand-out example of this. This While it’s great that the city wants to parking garage sits in the context of an art encourage new parking spaces, it is difficult deco-heavy Miami street. Its massive concrete to include interior parking in new buildings structure with sharp angles and open edges fit downtown. The logistics of making room for this context. Here, parking is a personal jourcars is difficult: developers and their designers ney, where ramps frame views of the city, and often struggle to squeeze ample parking into contemplative spaces connect the driver with buildings, whose small downtown footprints the ceremonial act of parking. The garage also might not allow enough room for turning houses galleries, high end retail, and cafés at radii, ramps, wheelchair accessible spots near street level. This artful approach to designing entrances, and easy street access. And for parking spaces could no doubt be used here. many urban citizens, parking spaces may be The only obvious drawback here is a potenseen as undesirable--otherwise empty space tially high cost. that could be used for something else.

More parking downtown would allow for There are also questions about the future more people to enjoy shopping, restaurants, of transportation that we must ask: what hapand nightlife, which is a good thing. And pens if cars become obsolete? Can we adapt while the problem of where to find more and re-use the structures we have built for parking spaces is a difficult one, some places parking? Does the addition of more parking have found creative solutions to the problem actually inhibit the growth of better quality of parking that actually contribute positively public transit? to the experience of a city. There’s no reason But unless something revolutionizes transwhy St. John’s can’t do the same. portation in our city in the immediate future, it looks like we are stuck with the problem of Comment online at thescope.ca/fulltilt probably don’t have to tell you this, but public parking is a major problem downtown. For people like myself, who live and work beyond the downtown, it’s often difficult to find a place to park when trying to go for lunch, run errands, or even go shopping on weekends and holidays.

Many cities are now coping with the problems caused by car-oriented planning and infrastructure, and some of them are coping well. There’s a lot we can do to make parking more convenient and aesthetically pleasing.

City hall tries its best to encourage new buildings to include sufficient parking to help alleviate some of the congestion in the downtown. They have a formula for determining the amount of parking required for new buildings: one space for every 75 square meters of gross floor area. Also, City Hall has recently moved to TARYN rezone the recently upSHEPPARD

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make your own CAT comics at thescope.ca/cat

JUNE 2011

thescope

25

I saw you wookin’ pa nub in all da wong paces. Wookin ‘ pa nub.

wha? thescope.ca/wha

A place where people ask questions, share experience and gather information about life in St. John's

Bicycling in St. John’s This May thescope.ca readers asked special guest experts Melody McKiver & Chad Brazier of St. John’s bike collective Ordinary Spokes some questions they had about bicycles and cycling.

Below are just a few of the questions and answers. Find more at thescope.ca/tag/bike-questions

JOSH ASKED: Are there any quick measures to know if your seat is at the right level?

Melody: It’s common for cyclists to have their saddles positioned too low for a proper riding position. There’s a misconception that a cyclist should be able to swing a leg directly over the saddle while standing, or be able to touch feet on the ground while seated on the bike.

A proper saddle height allows for a full leg extension at the 12/6 o’clock crank position without locking the knees. This allows the most efficient transfer of pedaling energy without being hard on the cyclists’ knees. If you feel your knees locking or over-extending, or your hips are rolling forward, the saddle is too high. A saddle that is too low will have knees coming up uncomfortably high at the top of the rotation, while never fully extending the legs.

To determine proper saddle height, place your heel on the pedal, and determine the height where your leg is fully extended at the bottom of the rotation, without your pelvis rocking forward to reach the pedals. You can do this by stabilizing yourself with a hand against a wall or with a friend helping you to balance, and pedaling backwards (unless you have a coaster brake or fixed gear, in which case take it for a slow test ride!)

Setting the saddle height with your heels on the pedals will allow for the slight bend in the knee that prevents over-extension once you start pedaling on the balls of your feet.

While you’re adjusting the saddle, you may also want to check the fore- and aft-position (back and forth). A common rule of thumb is to ensure that with the crank arms (what attach the pedals to the bike) in a horizontal position (3 and 9 o’clock), your knee caps are centered over the axles of the pedals. Avoid tilting the saddle excessively; the majority of riders are most comfortable with a saddle that’s level.

Anonymous ASKED: Why do we need bike lanes on suburban residential streets? I don’t have a problem with having them on major thoroughfares where people aren’t supposed to be parking their cars to begin with, but it’s

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absolutely unnecessary on wide, relatively low-traffic streets like Frecker Drive where people depend on having on-street parking, where it’s perfectly safe to bike on the road as it is, or even on the sidewalks, not to mention all of the trails in that area.

Melody: One can look at a map of the St. John’s Cycling Master Plan here: www.goo. gl/sssTD As you can see, the bike lanes on Frecker Drive are implemented as a part of an overall strategy to connect bicycle routes within St. John’s. Specifically, looking at the west end, Frecker Drive is the only direct route that connects to the planned segregated track for Columbus/Prince Philip.

As others have noted, it is prohibited by the Highway Traffic Act to ride a bicycle on the sidewalk, and “a person riding a bicycle upon a highway has the same rights and duties as a driver”. See: www.goo.gl/gbQbl It is municipal taxes that pay for the upkeep of roads and transportation infrastructure, and motorist-specific taxes are only allocated towards the the maintenance of highways.

The St. John’s Cycling Master Plan is well worth a read, and lays out many reasons why it is essential to develop a broad Active Transportation strategy in St. John’s. Developing bicycle (and pedestrian) infrastructure isn’t about a tax grab, but about public health, environmental sustainability, accessibility, and the promotion and protection of public space. Find the report here: www.goo.gl/DTcVI

Lolo ASKED: What are some tricks for planning a bike route that avoids hills? I like the idea of riding my bike in town but I hate hills.

Elling: It might be worth giving Google Maps a try. Under ‘Get Directions’ they have a bicycling option that keeps quieter streets and hills in mind, and I think they just recently added this for our area.

Got a question? Got an answer?

thescope.ca/wha make your own CAT comics at thescope.ca/cat

I saw you stealing my “I Saw You” ideas. Come on now, don’t kill Cee-Lo Green for me!

community

community events lectures & forums kids & teens meetings & classes

COMMUNITY EVENTS ACW Flea Market: All are welcome, Anglican Cathedral-16 Church Hill (Sat Jun 4 from 9:30am to 2pm) A Taste of Italy: Fundraising dinner for the Anna Templeton Centre for Craft Art & Design, $30, 278 Duckworth St 739-7623 (Thu Jun 23 at 6:30pm) AIDS Fundraising Walk: Terre Neuve Grannies stride to turn the tide of AIDS in Africa, in support of the Stephen Lewis Foundation's Grannies to Grannies campaign, Mews Community Centre-40 Mundy Pond Rd (Sun Jun 12 from 12pm to 2pm) Arbor Day Celebrations (City of St. John's) The City is planting trees to replace the ones that were lost during hurricane Igor; all city residents welcome to come and celebrate, Bowring Park (Wed Jun 1 at 10:30am) Athletics NorthEAST Pacers Duathlon: Running and cycling race through the Goulds, ages 15 and up welcome, $50, Ruby Line-Back Line-Goulds 685-7910 (Sun Jun 5 at 8am) Canada's Big Birthday Bash: Be among the first citizens in Canada to celebrate Canada Day, with live entertainment, barbeques, busker performances, children's programming, and fireworks, George St (Thu Jun 30) Chopped Liver (Delivery Room) Ongoing arts and culture market sale, showcase, and performance event, free/ PWYC, Eastern Edge Gallery-72 Harbour Dr (Wed Jun 15 from 5pm to 9pm) Clothes Swap: For ladies aged 12+, all shapes and sizes, $5 with bag of clothing / $10 without, Wesley United-101 Patrick St (Sat Jun 11 from 10am-4pm) Daffodil Place Dream Show: 4th-annual fundraiser, featuring a 3-course meal, large silent auction, and live music by Dan Ficken, YYT & The Masterless Men, $48, Holiday Inn-180 Portugal Cove Rd (Sat Jun 4) Friends of the Garden Plant Sale: A limited variety of garden or outdoor plants including heathers, heathers, rhododendrons, and some perennials will be available, free, MUN Botanical Garden-306 Mt Scio Rd (Sat Jun 4 from 10am to 2pm) Heel 'n Wheel-a-thon (CCFC) Come join us for a stroll, run, bike, roller skate, or any type of ride around the park, with hot dogs, drinks, facepainting and prizes, Bowring Park-Portable Classroom Area 754-5417 (Sun Jun 12 from 10am to 1pm) Hiking for Heroes: Support arthritis research in a hike from Blackhead to Cape Spear, with refreshments to follow, $10 (or free with $25 or more in sponsorship), email nicole. butt@hotmail.com for details (Thu Jun 2) NL Pet Expo: The biggest pet industry trade show in the province promoting responsible pet ownership

and adoption, $4, Remax Centre-135 Mayor Ave 738-7297 (Sat Jun 11 & Sun Jun 12)

Refugee Day Celebration (Refugee Immigrant Advisory Council) Drop down for a potluck and meet the RIAC’s team and find out what kind of work they do with immigrants and refugees, Centre for Social Justice-204 Water St 754-4122 (Fri Jun 20 at 5pm) Seniors' Day at the Garden: Garden volunteers and staff offer a variety of activities for seniors to enjoy including tours, free refreshments, nature hikes, and more, free admission for seniors, MUN Botanical Garden-306 Mt Scio Rd (Thu Jun 16) Songs of Hope and Home (St. John's Choir) Dinner show and silent auction with special guests St John's Girls and Boys Club and Anna Delaney from Out of the Fog, $30, Knights of Columbus-St. Clare Ave (Sat Jun 4 at 7pm) Spring into Summer (Canadian Progress Club) Live and silent auction featuring live entertainment and hors d'oeuvres, with a portion of the proceeds to benefit the Eating Disorder Foundation NL, $60, Dusk UltraloungeGeorge St 722-8225 (Thu Jun 2 at 6:30pm) Tely Hike Fundraiser (East Coast Trail Association) Four scheduled hikes, prizes for top fundraisers, food, speakers, and music, $40 minimum donation, Kinsmen Community Centre-8 Kinsmen Place 738-4453 (Sat Jun 4 at 8am) Walk of Hope Fundraiser (Ovarian Cancer Canada) 50/50 draws at all shows, silect auctions at 8pm shows, $25, Yuk Yuk's-193 Kenmount Rd (Thu Jun 2 at 8pm / Fri Jun 3 & Sat Jun 4 at 8pm and 10:30pm)

LECTURES & FORUMS Artist Talk: Take a tour of the gallery exhibition Delivery with artist Jason Penney as he discusses his participation in the Elbow Room residency program and tours the work he created in the studio at the museum, The Rooms-9 Bonaventure Ave (Wed Jun 22 at 7pm) Brain Injury Lecture (NLBIA) "Recovery from Concussion and other Brain Injury" will feature guest speakers Dr FB Maroun and Nick Mercer, a brain injury survivor, free, Battery Hotel-100 Signal Hill Rd (Sat Jun 4 from 11:30am to 2:30pm) Breastfeeding Support Group (La Leche League) The topic of discussion will be Baby Arrives: Family and the Breastfed Baby, babies welcome, free, Sobey's-Torbay Rd 722-5815 (Mon Jun 13 at 7pm) Cafe Scientifique: CIHR Institute of Musculoskeltal Health and Arthritis presents "It's got me under my skin: How psoriasis can make for an itchy fight", free, Masonic Temple-6 Cathedral St (Wed Jun 1 at 5pm) Canadian Architecture

Public Lecture Series: Dean Goodman of Levitt Goodman Architects leads a talk entitled "3 Community Projects", free, MUN-Inco Centre (Thu Jun 9 from 7pm to 9:30pm) Ghosts of Signal Hill: Daring escapes, murdered pirates, ghost ships, buried treasure, tragic drownings, and headless phantoms: experience them all from the creator of the Haunted Hike, $15/$10, Signal Hill (Friday nights at 8pm) (Runs Fri Jun 3 to Fri Sep 16) Hertzberg Memorial Public Lecture: Rolf Heuer presents "The search of a deeper understanding of our universe at the Large Hadron Collider: The world's largest particle accelerator," free, Arts & Culture Centre (Mon Jun 13 at 7:30pm) Inner Works Lecture Series: Join painter, printmaker, and storyteller David Blackwood as he speaks about his place in the ever-changing identity of NL and how his work in this province has evolved over the years, The Rooms-9 Bonaventure Ave (Wed June 15 at 7pm) Job Visiting Professor Public Lecture: Dr John C Vederas will speak on "Drugs from bugs and other natural sources," examining some of the current problems faced by drug discovery efforts, free, MUN-SN-2019 (Wed Jun 15 at 3:30pm) Northern Perspectives: Focusing on how changes in Inuit lifestyle and interactions with non-Inuit people have influenced art production, Mireille Eagan will address issues of identity and aesthetics while examining how the North is perceived by outsiders, The Rooms-9 Bonaventure Ave (Wed Jun 1 at 7pm) Salmon Angling Lecture: Don Hustins will speak on the history of Atlantic salmon fishing and conservation in NL from the first gentleman sportsmen to the present day, free with registration, AC Hunter Library-Arts & Culture Centre 737-3955 (Wed Jun 8 from 7pm to 8:30pm) Sea Monsters R Us: The population of this modernday monster has spread to all of the world's oceans.

Laura Park's talk addresses a number of behaviours that alter marine habitats, water quality, and ecosystems, The Rooms-9 Bonaventure Ave (Wed Jun 8 at 7pm) Words in Edgewise 20/20: 12 presenters, 20 images, 20 seconds per image=20/20, followed by a parking lot concert, PWYC, Eastern Edge Gallery-72 Harbour Dr (Thu Jun 9 at 8pm)

KIDS & TEENS Duck Feeding, Story Time & Crafts (MUN Botanical Garden) Join education staff for a story time, some crafts or a hike to Oxen Pond to feed the ducks, 306 Mt Scio Rd (Sundays from 2pm to 4pm) Going Green! (Fluvarium) Did you know that frogs

can tell us if the stream is clean? Learn how we can help our freshwater friends by going green ourselves, free (registration recommended), Suncor Energy Fluvarium-5 Nagles Pl (Sun May 1 at 1:30pm)

Meet The Critters (MUN Botanical Garden) Meet our critters, including Squirt the red-eared slider turtle, giant African snails and more. Learn about their native habitats and hear why these visitors don't always make good pets, 306 Mt Scio Rd (Sundays at 2pm) New Beginnings (Fluvarium) What is a fry? Where do tadpoles come from? Do dragonflies really live in water? Come and discover the life cycle of our freshwater friends, free with admission, Suncor Fluvarium-5 Nagle's Pl 754-3474 (Saturdays & Sundays in June at 1:30pm) World Oceans Day 2011: Family event featuring interactive booths, crafts, cake and refreshments, and more, Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre-80 East White Hills Rd (Sat Jun 11 from 10am to 4pm) Young Musicians, Open mic at Shamrock City Pub (Sundays at 2pm)

MEETINGS & CLASSES

Clubs, Groups, Free Classes & Workshops Alzheimer Family Support : Group meeting for family members of people with Alzheimer’s disease, 685 Water St (Third Thursday of month at 7pm) Annual General Meeting (Alzheimer Society NL) The meeting will also feature a public information session on driving and demention, Health Science Centre Main Auditorium 576-0608 (Wed Jun 1 at 7pm) Annual General Meeting (Anna Templeton Centre) All are invited to attend and hear a recap of the past year at the Centre, free, 278 Duckworth St (Tue Jun 21 at 12pm) Avalon Wesleyan Church: Weekly meet up in a casual atmosphere with coffee & contemporary music, free, Rabbittown Theatre-106 Freshwater Rd 576-6937 (Sundays at 10am) Bike Building Party: Come learn the basics of bike mechanics, hang out with Ordinary Folks, and eat snacks, free, Ordinary Spokes-153 Prowse Ave Ext (Sun Jun 19 from 6:30pm to 10pm) Break Down Comic Book Jam: Learn more about cartooning, develop drawing skills, show off your work and get feedback, free, Anna Templeton Centre-278 Duckworth St (Fri Jun 3 from 7pm-9pm) Capital Toastmasters: Improve self-confidence and overall leadership abilities for career and life, free, MUN Inco Centre-2014 687-1031 Caregiver Conversations: Support group for unpaid caregivers 726-2370 (Every third Monday)

JUNE 2011

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PERFECT SUNDAY by Michael Butler

KELLOMICS by Kelly Bastow

thescope

JUNE 2011

moosekleenex.deviantart.com

DAVE SPENT A FEW DAYS AT THE 6 FORT WALDEGRAVE by José González

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localfavorite.blogspot.com

elmundodejl.com

KIDDO by Sarah Walsh

sarah_sunhat@hotmail.com

FROM EARTH by Ricky King

fromearthcomics.blogspot.com

Channal: A peer support group for people with mental illness. We focus on recovery, 284 LeMarchant Rd 753-7710 (Tuesdays at 7pm & Wednesdays at 2pm) Coalition on Richer Diversity Spring Event: CORD is a group of organizations and people working in support of immigrants and their needs and interests. This spring symposium will allow members to learn about some of the issues, get information, and share experiences, free, St.Theresa's Parish Hall-120 Mundy Pond Rd (Thu Jun 2 from 9am to 4pm)

Critical Mass: A mass bike ride around downtown to assert cyclists' right to the roads and spread cycling awareness.

Meet at 6pm at Colonial Building (Fri Jun 24 at 6pm) East Coast Trail Cleanup: Plastic bag cleanup on the Sugarloaf Path section of the ECT; sturdy boots recommended, must register, meet at Robin Hood Bay-340 East White Hills Rd 576-4510 (Sat Jun 11 from 9am to 12pm)

space, materials and advice.

Free workshops, art exhibits, a newspaper and writing anthologies, stage plays and short films, Gower St United Church-basement 722-8848 (Weekdays from 12pm5:30pm)

Gardening Workshop (MUN) Sarah Crocker leads a workshop entitled "Seed selection, starting, and swapping", free but must RSVP communitygarden@mun.ca, MUN-Memorial Community Garden (Mon Jun 6)

FEASt Garden Kickoff: The Pippy Park Family Garden celebrates the start of the gardening season, Pippy Park (Sun Jun 5 from 1pm to 2:30pm)

Green Drinks: An informal get together for those who work, volunteer or have an interest in environment & conservation related issues, 7pm-9pm, no cover, The Ship (Last Wednesday of month)

Free Arts Studio (For the Love of Learning) Offering

Knit Wits: An opportunity to meet other knitters, to get

help with a knitting project, or to show off your latest creation; individuals who crochet are also welcome, free, Anna Templeton Centre-278 Duckworth St (Sun Jun 26 from 7pm to 9pm)

Mindfulness Meditation Workshops: Andrew Safer offers instruction in meditation for all young adults aged 15-35, free but must register, Gower St United Church-99 Queen’s Rd 722-8848 (Thursdays from 2pm-3pm) Nar-Anon Family Group: Weekly meetings for those who know or have known a feeling of desperation due to the addiction problem of someone close to them, 726-6191 Newfoundland Horticultural Society: Monthly meet up, St David's Church

Hall-Elizabeth Ave (First Tuesday of month at 8pm)

Ordinary Spokes Volunteer Orientation: Your chance to get to know Ordinary Spokes and become a budding mechanic; featuring snacks, coffee, and bikes, free, 153 Prowse Ave Ext (Tue Jun 14 from 6pm to 7:30pm) Overeaters Anonymous: Help is available and it’s free, no strings attached. Weekly meetings in the metro area, 738-1742 Pass It On (Refugee Immigrant Advisory Council) An educational project package for grade 6 teachers including six lesson plans presented

by Kyla Bruff, free, Centre for Social Justice-204 Water St (Tue Apr 7 at 7pm) Sing Barbershop: The Anchormen Chorus is seeking

new members, Arts & Culture Centre-Rm B rick_e_young@ hotmail.com (Mondays at 7pm)

St John’s City Council Meeting: Refer to Council Agenda at www.stjohns.ca (posted Friday afternoon), Public welcome, City HallCouncil Chambers, 4th fl (Mondays at 4:30pm) Sunday Morning Bird Watching: Early morning at the garden is a great time to see birds and other wildlife.

Tours led by garden volunteers, free admission, MUN Botanical Garden-306 Mt Scio Rd (Sun Jun 12 & Sun Jun 26 at 8am) Sunday Morning Nature Hike (MUN Botanical Garden) Explore Newfoundland barrens, boreal forest, or bog as you hike one of our nature

trails with education staff.

Learn about local plants and animals while enjoying fresh air and exercise, 306 Mt Scio Rd (Sundays at 10am)

Tenacious String Orchestra: Amateur community orchestra welcomes new members motivated by the pure enjoyment of playing together alison@ nf.sympatico.ca The Pottle Centre: A social & recreation centre for consumers of mental health services, 323 Hamilton Ave 753-2143

tire of finding the nooks and crannies of our downtown.

Everyone welcome. The group walks in all weather, Meet at Fat Nanny's-245 Duckworth St (Saturdays at 10am)

Women's Accordion Circle: Women of all ages can perform, experiment & share stories about making music, Arts & Culture Centre2nd Fl, Old Gallery 746-2399 (Mondays at 7:30pm) Send press releases to listings@thescope.ca

The Rooms: Free admission, 9 Bonaventure Ave 757-8000 (Wednesdays 6pm-9pm) Trivia Night: Rose & Thistle on Tuesdays; Bitters on Thursdays at 8pm Walk on Water: A brisk walk with enthusiasts who never

“Smoking cab with a car seat to Mundy Pond.” I saw that shit!

Conversation Cafe (RIAC) Group settings for refugees and immigrants learning English as a second language.

Chat, grab a coffee, and participate in group discussion and activities, Centre for

Social Justice-204 Water St (Saturdays from 9:30am to 11:30am)

JUNE 2011

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free will astrology by rob brezsny

for june 2011

Ω

GEMINI (May 21 – Jun 20)

In the far northern reaches of Ilulissat, a town in Greenland, the sun sets for good on November 29 every year and doesn't rise again until January 13. Or at

least that was the case until 2011. This year, to the shock of locals, sunlight broke over the horizon on January 11 -- two days ahead of schedule. Though a few alarmists theorized that this disturbance in the age-old rhythm was due to a shift in the earth's axis or rotation, scientists suggested that the cause was global warming: Melting ice has caused the horizon to sink. I expect something equally monumental to make an appearance in your world soon, Gemini. Can you handle an increased amount of light?

≤

CANCER (Jun 21 – Jul 22)

I'm not a big fan of the "No Pain, No Gain" school of thought. Personally,

I have drummed up more marvels and wonders through the power of rowdy bliss than I have from hauling thousand-pound burdens across the wasteland. But I do recognize that in my own story as well as in others', hardship can sometimes provoke inspiration. I think it may be one of those moments for you, Cancerian. Please accept this medicinal prod from the ancient Roman poet Horace: "Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents that in times of prosperity would have lain dormant."

™

LEO (Jul 23 – Aug 22)

In his 1934 book Beyond the Mexican Bay, British author Aldous Huxley observed that "the natural rhythm of human life is routine punctuated by orgies."

He was using the word "orgies" in its broadest sense -- not to refer to wild sex parties, but rather to cathartic eruptions of passion, uninhibited indulgence in

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revelry, and spirited rituals of relief and release. That's the kind of orgy you're due for, Leo. It's high time to punctuate your routine.

‘

VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sep 22)

"The great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do," wrote the essayist Walter Bagehot. Personally, I don't think that's the supreme joy possible to a human being; but it definitely has a provocative appeal. May I recommend that you explore it in the coming weeks, Virgo?

The astrological omens suggest you're in an excellent position to succeed at an undertaking you've been told is unlikely or even impossible for you to accomplish.

µ

LIBRA (Sep 23 – Oct 22)

When people unsubscribe from my newsletter, they're asked to say why they're leaving. In a recent note, a dissatisfied customer wrote, "Because you are a crackhead who makes no sense. You sound like you write these horoscopes while you're stoned on mushrooms." For the record, I not only refrain from crack and magic mushrooms while crafting your oracles; I don't partake of any intoxicants at any other time, either -- not even beer or pot. I'm secretly a bit proud, however, that the irate ex-reader thinks my drug-free mind is so wild. In the coming weeks, Libra, I invite you to try an experiment inspired by this scenario: Without losing your mind, see if you can shed some of the habitual restrictions you allow to impinge on the free and creative play of your mind.

≠

SCORPIO (Oct 23 - Nov 21)

The roots of big old trees are your power objects. I advise you to visualize them in your mind's eye for a few minutes each day, maybe even go look at actual trees whose roots are showing above ground.

Doing this will strengthen your resolve and increase your patience and help you find the deeper sources of nurturing you need.

Another exercise that's likely to energize

you in just the right way is to picture yourself at age 77. I suggest you create a detailed vision of who you'll be at that time.

See yourself drinking a cup of tea as you gaze out over a verdant valley on a sunny afternoon in June. What are you wearing?

What kind of tea is it? What birds do you see? What are your favorite memories of the last 30 years?

∑

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 21)

If you're a physicist or Wall Street broker, your assignment this week is to read the poetry of Pablo Neruda (bit.ly/NerudaSongs). If you're a kirtan-chanting yogini or the author of a New Age self-help newsletter, your task is to read up on the scientific method (bit.ly/ScienceMethod).

If you're white, be black, and vice versa.

If you're yellow, be violet, and if red, be green. If you're a tight-fisted control freak, try being a laid-back connoisseur of the mellowest vibes imaginable -- and vice versa.

It's Mix-It-Up Month, Sagittarius -- a time to play with flipping and flopping your usual perspectives, roles, and angles.

‹

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19)

Describing muckraking journalist Peter Freyne, Senator Patrick Leahy said, "He knew the difference between healthy skepticism and hollow cynicism." Mastering

that distinction happens to be your next assignment, Capricorn. Can you distinguish between your tendency to make compulsive negative judgments and your skill at practicing thoughtful and compassionate discernment? My reading of the astrological omens suggests that you will have a successful month if you do. Not only that: The universe will conspire to bring you blessings you didn't even realize you needed.

π

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18)

"There is time for work," said fashion designer Coco Chanel, "and time for

love. That leaves no other time." I under-

stand and sympathize with that perspective. But I'm going to beg you to make an exception to it in the coming weeks, Aquarius. In addition to getting a healthy quota of work and love, please do your best to carve out a few hours specifically devoted to engaging in unadulterated, unapologetic, unbridled play -- the kind of flat-out, free-form, full-tilt fun and games that has the effect of permanently increasing your levels of liberation.

∫

PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 20)

Although I myself have an intimate ongoing relationship with the Divine Wow, it's perfectly fine with me if other people don't. Some of my best friends are athe-

ists and agnostics. But I must admit that I laughed derisively when I heard that the supposed genius named Stephen Hawking declared, with the fanatical certainty of a religious fundamentalist, that heaven does not exist. How unscientific of him! The intellectually honest perspective is, of course, that there's no way to know for sure about that possibility.

I bring this up, Pisces, as an example of what not to do. It's particularly important right now that you not be blinded by your theories about the way things work.

If you put the emphasis on your raw experience rather than your preconceived biases, you will be blessed with as much beauty and truth as you can handle.

†

ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 19)

The film The Men Who Stare at Goats tells the story of the U.S. army's

efforts to harness psychic powers for military purposes. It's not entirely a work of the imagination. In fact, there's substantial evidence that such a program actually existed. As the movie begins, a caption on the screen informs viewers that "More of this is true than you would

believe." I suspect there'll be a comparable situation unfolding in your life in the coming weeks, Aries. As you experience a rather unusual departure from your regularly scheduled reality, fact and fiction may be deeply intertwined.

Will you be able to tell them apart?

‡

TAURUS (Apr 20 – May 20)

I dreamed you were a member of an indigenous tribe in what Westerners call New Guinea. You had recently begun to show unusual behavior that suggested you were developing enhanced cognitive abilities. You'd solved one of the tribe's long-standing problems, were spontaneously spouting improvised poetry, and had been spotted outside late at night having animated conversations with the stars.

Some of your friends and relatives were now referring to you by a new name that in your native tongue meant "the one who dances naked with the deities." How would you interpret my dream, Taurus? I think it suggests you could be on the verge of growing an intriguing new capacity or two.

Birthdays this month Nadya Bell, Catherine Burgess, Lisa Cook, Carol-Ann Galego, Laura Nelson-Hamilton, Marc MacKinnon, Matthew Bown, Chris Conway, Audrey King.

Send birthday info to birthday@thescope.ca

Homework Talk about a time when an unexpected visitation cracked open a hole in your shrunken reality so as to let juicy eternity pour in: Freewillastrology.com.

I saw you Great Egret in Long Pond.