a saturday in downtown halifax

I had every intention of sharing this day with you a month ago, but somehow, an entire month has passed, and doing so had completely escaped my mind. This was from the beginning of September. We had decided to take the boys for the night into the city. We had some errands to run, so we booked a hotel room, not far from the Public Gardens. We ate pizza in bed and stayed up late watching a movie. Then in the morning, we picked up breakfast and brought it to the gardens. We ate while the boys ran up and down the paths and flung quarters into the fountain. We walked the historic district, then went down to the farmer's market at the port. I even managed to pop into a new (to me) shop downtown while the boys swam back at the hotel before check out. It was a really lovely day. While I love living in a smaller town, I also love that the city isn't too far away - for days just like this. I thought I would share how I love to spend a Saturday in the city.

The Public Gardens are always a favourite. There's something about the quiet in the midst of the bustle of the city.

It's the perfect place to start the day. Grab a coffee and a pastry, and take an hour to wander. Watch the ducks as they nest along the bank of the pond, then head along the alley of trees towards the main gate. When your coffee is finished, wander down Spring Garden Rd, towards the waterfront. When you reach Queen St, pop into 31 Westgate for a quick look around.

Finding this was such a wonderful surprise! There's just so much to admire.

From there, continue to head down Spring Garden Rd. We walked through The Old Burying Grounds and then around the Government House.

Having been founded in 1749, there are so many historic homes and buildings in this area. I love wandering around these blocks.

On Saturdays, down at the Seaport, which is just a few blocks further, there's a farmer's market year 'round. A Saturday market is something I just love.

If you had the rest of the afternoon, I recommend continuing your walk up around Queen Street. There's a great book shop called Schooner Books, not mentioned a couple streets of charming old homes.

Because we don't get to the city very often, we usually head out in the afternoon, as the ride home generally requires a stop at Costco. But there are a few breweries to enjoy in the city, as well as a number of great places to go for dinner. Or, if you're really adventurous, you could make the drive out to see the sunset at Peggy's Cove, which happens to be a very doable 45 minute drive away. 

I'm looking forward to heading back again this winter. Maybe for a little Christmas shopping this time, to see the city all decorated and lit up. But really, every time we head back, we discover something new, and that's what makes our time in the city feel so special.

a historic five-sided row house

The other weekend, we spent a night in the city. Halifax isn't too far from us, but with everything going on lately, we've sort of avoided going since spring. While we do have everything we need locally, the city is always an interesting change of scenery. So when we couldn't put off going any longer, we decided to give ourselves lots of time to explore. One of my favourite things to do is walk around and see the historic buildings. The British settlers arrived in 1749, so it's a city that has a rich history, and therefore an abundance of beautiful old architecture to admire. Of all of the old homes I walked past, 1597 Dresden Row was my favourite.

Built in 1835, the Bollard House is a five-sided home that was designed to fit the small, irregular plot of land it sits on. It's one of the oldest wooden houses still standing in the city and has become a local landmark. Bordering three streets, it faces Citadel Hill ( the old fort) and is only a few blocks from the Public Gardens. It's said that it's unique shape resembles that of the stern of a ship, which is fitting given it resides in the city who's port was known as the gateway to North America. 

I just think it's completely peculiar, and reminiscent of something you'd stumble upon down some cobblestone street in London. I can only imagine what it must look like inside. There's probably a triangular closet or a sitting room with five walls. I'm sure for years it's owners have probably fretted over sofa placements and trying to create symmetry where it simply wasn't possible. That, or they completely embraced it's uniqueness, and lived out their days in their cozy five-sided house on the corner.

Just look at that profile! It's out of a storybook.

There is a tiny garden around the back, completely with two large apple trees. There are three separate entrances, one with a charming little portico, and the other two, each with a pair of narrow doors instead of one larger one. There are plenty of windows, most of which open out instead of sliding up, and the two chimneys have the most beautiful brass flues.

While we did spend a decent amount of time walking around a few neighborhoods, there are so many other's that I'm looking forward to spending more time in. I'm sure there will be other homes I fall in love with, but I think I'll be hard-pressed to find one quite as interesting as this one!