Tag: St. John’s

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Jerry In Black (JIB)

For all I rave about the Wonderful World of Whiteway, one thing we don’t have is the Avalon Mall with its new Imax theatre (to be honest, that’s probably one of the reasons why people like to have getaways here!). So when we have a rare St. John’s day, like we did this past week because The Berry and I both had meetings in town, we try to catch up on the latest flicks.

So we saw Men in Black, which was great – no Avengers, but enjoyable in a different way.

Today is a gardening day, followed by an auction for Eastern Health in Carbonear with Clifford and Shirley George, and Lisa Day. I love my ‘retirement!’

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The Real Coronation Street

For some it’s a guilty pleasure, for others it’s a nightly ritual, but practically everyone has heard of Coronation Street, the long-running British drama.  But did you know we’ve got a leg-up on the Brits, with our very own Coronation Street, in St. John’s, just a few minutes from my place here. And since I’m in the middle of my weekly (and likely last, for awhile now) sojourn in town, it seemed like a good time as any to show it off!

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Spring in STJ

I took these shots yesterday on the oldest street in North America. It was 9 am and nearly 20 degrees in April – I needed someone to slap me to see if I was dreaming. This has been the best April I can remember, no matter where I’ve lived – and that has included down south, so that’s saying something. I feel truly blessed with all the sunshine (today’s rain be damned), and I’m sure my fellow Newfoundlanders feel the same!

Today’s grey skies notwithstanding, the trees are budding, the flowers are coming up, and the grass is turning green. This is awesome – people have been out in their short sleeves. Gotta love it!

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No So ‘Boring’ Park

Yesterday was bright and sunny in St. John’s, where we’re back for a few days, so I took advantage of the weather with a trip Bowring Park. I couldn’t count the number of times I took my girls here when they were little, for picnics and to feed the ducks. They didn’t know how to pronounce it so for them, we were always going to “Boring Park.”

Of course it’s anything but boring, especially on days like yesterday when everyone was out it tee-shirts and smiles. I’m pretty sure we’ve had more sunshine in the past month than we did all Spring last year – hopefully a harbinger of nice seasons to come.

I have two hidden spots in Bowring Park where I like to take picnics and feel like I’m hiding out in the middle of the city. Everyone needs a quiet space where they can escape – do you have any in St. John’s? I’m always on the lookout for more!

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Office Space

If you’re looking to find me on my St. John’s days, this is the first place you should look – Coffee Matters, my favourite coffee shop and place of business! For the ambiance and strong coffee, it gets my vote every time – even though an overzealous manager got the chain in hot water (so to speak) not too long ago. The owner resolved the issue quickly though, which I’ve learned is the most important thing to do in business, and I’ve never had anything but great service there.

But of course, we’re back in Whiteway for the next few days,  so this will be my office. I like both, but the view is better here! When given the choice, do you prefer to work from home, or get out of the house for a bit?

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One Ocean; Two Views

If you’ve been reading this blog for awhile (almost two months going strong!) you know that The Berry (Laurelyn) and I are splitting our time between the cottages and our apartment in St. John’s. So yesterday we traded this view of a boat anchored near Shag Rock (taken by our friend and Whiteway neighbour Albert Legge, whose stunning shots I’ve also posted here and here)…

…for this view of slightly larger boats in St. John’s Harbour, with Signal Hill in the background. Either way, I know I’m blessed to be so near the ocean, like most of us on this island!

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The Rooms with a View

I spend a lot of time on this blog celebrating Whiteway and Heart’s Delight and our new little paradise we’re building out there, because it’s new and we’re so excited about it. But I still come into St. John’s most weeks (where I am currently), and sometimes when you’re used to a place it’s easy to forget about its good points. St. John’s, of course, has many. Here I am outside of one: The Rooms, which is not only a world class museum and a must-see for any visitors to the city, but also perfectly located to give some of the best photo-ops of the city. If it’s not too windy, you can even go out on their balconies, where I got these shots.

Something else I always recommend is checking out The Rooms Cafe (you don’t need to pay to go through the museum if you’re just eating). Not only is the food divine, big windows offer a panoramic view of the city. Whenever my daughters are in town, we always hit it up. Here’s my youngest and oldest, Kathryn and Adrienne, having fun there one Christmas.

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STJ Day

Although I now hate to leave Whiteway, who can complain about coming back to St. John’s, this ancient city – and hiker’s paradise. I can’t wait til the weather gets a little warmer and we can hit the famous East Coast Trail. These shots are from the Signal Hill area.

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Come out for Clifford

From March 16 – April 7, Whiteway’s own Clifford George will be displaying his work in an exhibition entitled “Presence of Absence” at the Christina Parker Gallery in St. John’s. If you’re in the area, you should head over to the opening reception tonight, from 5:30-8:00, where there will be live music from Boyd Chubbs and Charlie Crocker, and a recitation from John Warren. Clifford will be in attendance. So much Newfoundland talent in one space!

We’ll be there tonight, then heading to O’Reillys for some Paddy’s Day green.

We’re lucky to have met Clifford and his wife, Shirley, since moving out here. They are truly good, welcoming people, and we’re lucky to call them friends. They even offered to help us with our Valentine’s Day Special by taking guests out on a sleigh ride (video here).

Clifford’s brother, Wayne George, is also a noted artist and sells wonderful items at his store, Shag Rock Arts & Crafts, a quick ride from the cottages. You can see some of his lovely items for sale here.

And just in case a fancy art exhibit sounds too intimidating, believe me: Clifford is a salt-of-the earth guy who doesn’t take himself too seriously! (not sure of the context one this one!)

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St. John’s Week

Although being born in Torbay, I’ve been a townie my whole adult life. And I love St. John’s – not many cities in North America are so unique or have so much history. Here’s a shot my daughter took on her last trip home.

That being said, I can’t be happier that today is not only the middle of the regular week, but also the middle of my ‘St. John’s week’ – the 3 nights we spend in town. We still have business here, but, thankfully, The Berry (my pet name for Laurelyn) has rearranged some things at work so we can spend more time in the Wonderful World of Whiteway.

Meaning, tomorrow we head back to Ocean Delight. What a delight.