A Mosaic of Flavours

I managed to drag L, kicking and screaming, into a wine bar. Not just any wine bar, either, but the one I happened to be customer numero uno - the first person to walk in the door back on December 15 - Mosaic, on Argyle Street in downtown Halifax.

This place does not have a full menu, relying instead on letting their talented chef play with food, and you to snack on it until you suddenly realize you are full, and have spent probably more than you would on a meal.

OK, I loved the little burger thingies, the french fries, and just about anything we tried, and so did L.

That evening was a total success. They even let me wear my ball cap into the place, though I did take it off at the table.

The wines by the glass are numerous, and well chosen.

A couple of weeks later, I returned, this time with four of my friends, who were a lot more critical than L and I were. The liked some things, dissed others, and generally felt they paid more than they should have for the enjoyment. Thankfully, they liked the bottle of wine I chose for them (Ksara Couvent).

I dunno - order food you like and enjoy it. Eat with your fingers. Laugh out loud. Sit outside and watch the beautiful people go by (I saw Oliver Bone out celebrating his recent qualification for the Beijing Olympics...)

And wear your ball cap.

You CAN judge a book by its cover!

Inside, it's full of shit.

I can't resist it, I know I already went on about this building, but my predictions are coming true.

My good friend and mentor PK always says:

"Bad design costs no more!"

That ugly stupid treatment plant they built to welcome visitors to our downtown core needs to be torn down and rebuilt. It is not as if it'll treat very much anyway!

Here is what they say on their web site:

The look...

The exterior design of the Halifax wastewater treatment plant(WTP) has been a major focus of the Halifax Community Liaison Committee(CLC), the group elected by area residents to help integrate the WTP into the community. Earlier this summer, 2005, the Halifax CLC, working closely with architects from contractor D&D WaterSolutions Inc. and HRM staff, emerged with a design for the exterior facade of the plant. This design is an integral component of the overall Harbour Solutions Project that will see this new facility successfully integrate into the community and HRM.

Never hire architects from a wastewater contractor and never let municipal staff design anything! There is a reason these people are working where they are.


On the good side, I have to admit I like the great series of single family style homes recently built along the east side of Gladstone Street to front on the new Gladstone Properties development. A fine mix of modern materials, old, successful Hali-typical designs, and some non repetitive mix of details, even the odd duplex thrown in with care.

What's behind it looks like Mississauga, and we all know what I think about THAT place.