Idea of East recording studio closed its doors on September 1 after 10 years in business at 3250 Barrington.“It’s been a fabulous place to do work,” says owner Laurence Currie. “But after 10 years the building is being turned into condos, and there’s not a lot you can do about progress I guess, if you want to call it that.” Currie, who has recorded tons of east coast music acts (from Sloan’s platinum record One Chord to Another to the Jimmy Swift Band’s entire catalogue), wants to expand his horizons. “I’m embracing new technology and I’m making a studio without walls,” says Currie, who plans to move this fall. “I’m going up to Toronto to see if I can establish a second home base. I’d like to do more travelling and work with artists in other regions and it will let me do more of that. I’m also still going to be working with people from here, with technology being what it is. It spreads me out a little bit which is nice after 10 years of being in one spot.” Note to bands: If you want to get in touch with Currie regarding your old tapes, he can be reached at 429-4332 for three weeks or laurencecurrie.com at any time.
No sweat
SuperSlow Zone, a new fitness facility, opens this Saturday above Pete’s Frootique on Dresden Row. The first of its kind in Halifax, SuperSlow Zone specializes high-intensity, low-force exercise. “It’s not a gym,” says Ryan Lee, SuperSlow’s lead strength trainer. “It’s a professional facility that offers safe and effective exercise.” SuperSlow focuses slow-mo style—whereby you take 20 seconds to complete a repetition you would habitually complete in a quarter of that time. And unlike standard gym practice, “We don’t rest,” says Lee. “We do one set until reaching temporary muscle failure. We aim to reach temporary muscle failure in less than three minutes. Through that we reach a threshold where the body says ‘I’m not strong enough, I need to make more muscle,’ as opposed to pounding on it with forces of high volume exercise.” SuperSlow Zone hosts an open house on Saturday from 11am to 3pm.“Ultimately,” says Lee, “it’s not about how much exercise you do, it’s how little exercise you need to do to promote the changes that you want.”
Foxy lady
Foxy Moon Hair Gallery at 2393 Agricola celebrates one year in business this Monday, with new photos on display by owner, hair stylist and photographer Evyeneia Manolakos. Manolakos features a new artist in her salon/gallery every month, but this will be the first time since opening that she’s shown her own work. The photographs are primarily figurative, inspired by the drop-in life drawing sessions Manolakos holds in Foxy Moon every Monday night. “It’s been great, moving into the north end has been fantastic,” says Manolakos. “A lot of people from the neighbourhood have helped support me.” As for struggles, Manolakos says the hardest part was figuring out how to get her business started in the first place. Once she got through all the government forms, however, the nine-year hair industry veteran has been coasting on a sea of curls. “My philosophy on hair is to work with hair how it wants to be,” says Manolakos, “not to fight what hair wants to do, how it should sit.”
Envy frenzy
Envy is now open in the Halifax Shopping Centre, featuring a number of the same clothing lines as available at the Envy location in Park Lane mall, as well as a few new ones.“It’s very brand name-oriented, you know, designer lines,” says manager Kim Moores. “That’s what our difference is from stores like Pseudio. And it’s more along the lines of a boutique store then a GAP or a Club Monaco, so I think it’s boutique-y for the Halifax Shopping Centre.”
Loyal royals
Loyal Shop Talk readers have been regularly inquiring about the former Royal Bank building on Queen and Spring Garden. We now know an American Apparel and a Starbucks is going in front. But we don’t know why the construction has stopped. In trying to find out, we contacted RBC for an update because its ATM in the back of the building is looking like it’s in limbo too. The floor is covered in wobbly boards and scuffed tiles, the walls are patchy, and garbage and construction-related dust crowd the corners. The rep we spoke with was very pleasant, and told us to contact Trish Vardy in community relations. The number we were given for Vardy went to the voicemail of Cindy Ratford. We’ve left a message for Ratford, but have yet to receive a call back. We’ll let you know when the construction on your fave corner will back up and running.
Etc.
There’s a new Orange Julius at Mic Mac Mall where PretzelMaker used to be on the ground level. And Music World has moved from the third floor down to the first, next to the NSLC. ... Doraku restaurant on Dresden Row is rumoured to be re-opening in December, but we have no word as yet on when (or if) La Cave will re-open on Spring Garden. Lastly, Shop Talk apologizes for mixing up the name of Peepshow Girly Boutique, 1717 Barrington, last week. We’re so excited about having a new boutique downtown, we kind of lost our heads.
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