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brian "Catzalcoatl" s.'s Profile

Photo of brian s.

"Qui me amat, amat et felem meam"

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3245 Useful, 2562 Funny, and 3229 Cool

Compliments Like Your Profile (71) You're Funny (303) Cute Pic (68) Thank You (1008) Good Writer (381) Great Lists (57) Just a Note (328) Great Photo (406) Hot Stuff (760) You're Cool (1068) Write More (84)
Location

Warwick, RI

Yelping Since

December 2008

Things I Love

math, science, cold weather, ancient music, cats, the ocean, rutabaga, distant galaxies.

Find Me In

cold, windy places

My Hometown

the ocean

When I'm Not Yelping...

pondering the duality of particles

Why You Should Read My Reviews

I go to a lot of unusual places

My Second Favorite Website

http://Astronomy.com

The Last Great Book I Read

Bringing Down the Moon

My First Concert

The Who

My Favorite Movie

Three Women, Blade Runner

My Last Meal On Earth

extreme chocolate blizzard

Don't Tell Anyone Else But...

I love cats and saying the word rutabaga

Most Recent Discovery

Medieval music

Current Crush

my wife

Recent Reviews

555 Reviews

Filter by: Location   Category
380 Jefferson Blvd
Warwick, RI 02886
(401) 738-7626

Porch & Patio Casual Living  

Category: Furniture Stores

4 star rating
 11/22/2009 12 photos   First to Review
A place that
has stuff
for the
porch and patio

This is an interesting building, one that probably had some other purpose but it's difficult to figure out exactly what the original use was. Of course it now serves as a store and showroom for Porch and Patio and actually does it quite well. There's enough room so all the stuff can be spread out into little groups that sort of simulate real ideas.

Lots of tables, chairs, gliders, and swings in different styles and prices. My wife decided she desperately needed a glider for our porch so we had a pretty good time looking around at the different options in different price ranges. I think I enjoyed looking at the building more than the actually furniture but the different styles were interesting.

When we first walked in absolutely nobody was around. Then we saw a man looking at us from across the room. He didn't say hello, just stared as if he thought we were shoplifters or about to do something horrible . Since everything in the store is huge it's hard to imagine anyone walking away with a table or swing but he definitely acted like he wasn't happy to see us. Once we approached him and started talking he was a bit warmer but still wasn't exactly friendly. Like he was just about to cure cancer or quantitize relativity and didn't want to be disturbed.

We ended up buying our glider at a good price and also bought a table. The guy at the store helped us load the stuff into my truck but was never particularly amiable.

So we got to see a cool looking building, got a nice glider and table at a good price but didn't make any friends. I was going to give the place three stars but my kitties love laying on the cool glider so much that they talked me into four.

A place that
has stuff
for the
porch and patio

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Brighton Rd
Charlottetown, PE C1A
Canada

Victoria Park  

Category: Parks

4 star rating
 11/20/2009 16 photos   First to Review
An old park
with rocks
of fire

Victoria Park has been around for a long, long time. It was officially made a park in 1873 but was used as a fort during the war of 1812 and had a long history as a cool place to launch a ship or do some fishing.

It's changed a lot during the years. Now it has tennis courts, baseball fields, swimming pools and a boardwalk. I met an elderly woman walking an even more elderly dog in the rain at the park and she told me about how the park has developed over the decades. Once just woods and a path along the water, now filled with playgrounds and picnic areas. She wasn't complaining, just telling me a truth, as if I asked her for the time.

The path by the water is now a nice boardwalk that offers great views of Charlottetown Harbor and distant views of three different lighthouses. Remains of Fort Edward, built in 1812 can still be seen and of course some old cannon are present. It seems every park or open space in Canada has an old cannon or two in it.  The woody area with a path going through it is still around although there isn't much left of Dead Man's Pond. So named because on certain nights you can see the reflection of people that have drowned in the pond staring back out at you. Or so they say.

Prince Edward Island is noted for it's cliffs and rocks of fire. The rocks are actually red sandstone and the entire harbor is lined with them. It certain light, especially at dusk, they give off a eerie glow. A beautiful contrast to the great water views.

The park definitely has changed over the years. Hopefully the folks in charge will finally feel that it is "developed" enough. And leave the rocks of fire, cannon and dead men alone.

An old park
with rocks
of fire

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45 Newport Ave
Pawtucket, RI 02861
(401) 722-2060

Friendly Restaurants  

Category: Restaurants

4 star rating
 11/19/2009 11 photos   First to Review
Friendly or
Friendly's
it's still a good
place for scream

I'll admit the main reason that I stop at Friendly's is to use the bathrooms because the crappers in Friendly's tend to be cleaner than the ones in donuts shops or the horrors you can find in gas station restrooms. This particular stop was no exception.

Unfortunately since I have the will power of a rutabaga when it comes to ice cream, I usually get talked into getting scream while I'm there. Again, this particular stop was no exception.

Friendly's or Friendly, whatever they call them, I have been to many and they are pretty consistent except for the name. The chocolate almond sundae and the banana split were just what we expected, which means very good. However, the store itself was extremely clean and even the decorations and pictures on the walls were actually interesting to look at and not just generic crap like in most restaurants.

I'm not sure if it was just remodeled or if the staff was just exceptionally attentive but the tables and floor were spotless and the waitress was exceptionally perky and funny. Entertained us with a story about a drunk who passed out in his bowl of soup and almost drown.

You can call it Friendly or Friendly's, this one is a particularly pleasant place to stop for ice cream, to use a spotless bathroom or to hear some interesting stories.

Friendly or
Friendly's
it's still a good place
for scream

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Bannisters Wharf
Newport, RI 02840
(401) 849-9900

The Newport Mansions Store  

Category: Shopping

4 star rating
 11/18/2009 6 photos   First to Review
A cool store
with a
very cool purpose

The Newport Mansions Store is a cool place to find a unique gift or to spend some time browsing. Definitely not a touristy place, no plastic junk, just lots of interesting and educational items.

Many books and prints about old Newport, especially pertaining to the age of the incredible, opulent mansions. Fascinating reading, it's difficult to put them down. I like buying books for friends, that way I can read them myself before giving them away.

Also lots of cool looking jewelry, some clothing and various historical stuff. The store seems to have a huge collection of scarves in many different colors and bizarre patterns.

A very cool place to spend some time and money while in Newport. The best part is that the purchases support the Preservation Society of Newport. A great organization that helps keeps the history of Newport alive.

A cool store
with a
very cool purpose

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Fallview Ave
St John, NB E2K 1B8
Canada

Reversing Falls  

Category: Parks

5 star rating
 11/17/2009 13 photos   First to Review
A place where
the water
doesn't know
which way
to go

Reversing Falls is the only place in the world where the tide actually overcomes the current and the water flows the "wrong way". This is because of the tremendous power of the huge tides in the Bay of Fundy that flow into the river. It only happens at high tide and the actually water flow varies at different times of the year. It 's more of a series of rapids rather than an waterfall but when it's ripping at full power the pressure of the water can actually be felt from several hundred feet away.

The best place to watch the phenomena is Fallsview Park but anywhere along the high cliffs offer cool views. Jetboat rides are also available and brave souls even kayak near the rapids..

Even without the confused water this would still be a fascinating place. The huge gorge is incredible and the power of the water during high tide is impressive. Across the river is the giant pulp mill of the J.D. Irving company, not exactly aesthetic pleasing but interesting in it's own way. Plenty of tour buses arrive at the falls during high tide but a better way is to walk from the center of St. John's along the river path. A cool way to experience a unique and impressive phenomena of nature.

A place
where the water
doesn't know
which way
to go

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56 Main St
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
(207) 288-3161

Sherman's Book & Stationery Shop  

4 star rating
 11/15/2009 8 photos   First to Review
Everyone knows
Sherman
At least
in Bar Harbor

Sherman's was built in 1886, which makes it the oldest bookstore in Maine. It's changed a bit over the decades but the basic premise of selling good stuff at a good price remains the same.

At one time the store did just about everything, including printing a newspaper, handing out local gossip and at least from one person I talked to, sold moonshine. It since has given up the newspaper and moonshine but still manages to pack a lot of stuff in it's small rooms. It doesn't have a huge selection of books, don't expect Barnes & Noble but instead it emphasizes local material on the geography and history of Maine. Local Maine authors of fiction are also displayed.

As well as books, lots of unique and humorous greeting cards, calenders of Maine, and toys and games about Maine can be found. The ubiquitous plastic lobster infest the store. A lobster theme permeates, but then that is part of shopping in Maine. It's a strange ambiance of touristy stuff mixed in with some very cool, indigenous and unique items.

One of the best things about the store are the people that work there. Always friendly and smiling. You can ask any stupid question and they will take the time to answer in a polite and useful way. If the moonshine is gone, at least the tradition of a disseminating information is still alive at Sherman's. I asked one young lady directions to a place on the other side of town and she not only gave me several possible ways of getting there, but even drew me a map on a lobster napkin. She then laughed and said when I was done with the map I could use it with lunch. Customer service from Maine at it's finest.

Everyone knows
Sherman
at least in
Bar Harbor

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87 Esplanade
Sydney, NS B1P
Canada

St. Partick's Church Museum  

Category: Local Flavor

4 star rating
 11/12/2009 17 photos   First to Review
A cool old church
with a little
something
extra

St. Patrick's Church Museum is the oldest Catholic church on Cape Breton island and was build in 1828. It's a strange combination of stone and wood built in an old Gothic style of architecture, complete with an ancient cemetery in the back. It changed a bit throughout the years, a balcony was added and some other additions inside, but the building looks pretty much as it did when it was built.

The old building continued to serve as a church until the 1950's when it was decided it was just too small. The Old Sydney Society took it over and began restoring it as part of their movement to revive the historical part of Sydney and was opened as a museum.

The church has only one room but it's certainly is a spooky one room. Austere stone walls and a open beam ceiling, with old artifacts added for color. The guy taking the toonies and loonies inside the church was pretty spooky too. Very friendly and knowledgeable but had a certain way of talking that added to the experience.

He seemed to enjoy telling the history of the church, especially the part where people restoring the church found three bodies buried under the floor. As he so eloquently verbalized, "Exactly who they are and why they were put there is now know only to God." Amen.

A small church
with a little
something
extra

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Plain Meeting House Rd
Bethesda, MD 20817

The Flintlock Trail  

Category: Hiking

4 star rating
 11/10/2009 32 photos   First to Review
A new hiking trail
with an
old mystery

The Flintlock Trail is a brand new hiking trail that was officially opened on Nov 10. It's in the Tillinghast Management Area, an almost 2,000 acre chunk of land owned by the Nature Conservancy.   The trail is in West Greenwich, Rhode Island but Yelp in their convoluted wisdom insists on locating it in Bethesda, Md.  I'm sure I will have to fight to get it changed.

It's described as a loop but it's actually several different loops and of course it is easy to get lost. But then that's the real fun of a hike. You will eventually end up somewhere.

It's an easy hike, few hills and nicely cleared trails. Mostly white pine with a lot of different hard woods thrown in. Smells really nice and is quite lovely in the New England fall. If you look carefully you will see ancient stone walls and vague impressions of old structures. Like most of this area, the land was obviously used for farming in the past. I didn't see much wildlife but I have heard that plenty of deer, beavers and otters as well as numerous birds and amphibians call this place home. With all the water around I'm sure plenty of insects also enjoy this area in the warmer months.

The woods are also used for hunting so it is a good idea, as well as the law to wear bright orange during hunting season to avoid being nailed by some myopic as well as possibly intoxicated hunter.

A nice new hiking area that is a pleasant place to spend a few hours with nature. One very enigmatic and mysterious object that we found out of the trail was an old safe. Not just a little bitty thing but a huge, very heavy safe like you would find in a bank or store. Hmmmmm. The door was ripped off and bullet marks were obvious on the front. Can't imagine how that got out here in the woods but I'm sure it has an interesting tale to tell. If it could only speak.

A new hiking trail
with an
old mystery

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Grande-Baie Blvd
Plage du Bria, QC G0C
Canada

Parc des Ha! Ha!  

Category: Parks

4 star rating
 11/9/2009 13 photos   First to Review
A small park
with a big
sense of
humor.

The Ha! Ha! Park is located on the Ha! Ha! Bay and contains the Ha! Ha! Pyramid. Obviously someone thought this place was pretty funny.

The park is relatively small, containing a few benches and tables but has fantastic view of Ha! Ha! Bay and the surrounding hills. The dominating feature of the park is the bizarre Ha! Ha! Pyramid, a huge aluminium building that was built to commemorate the devastating flood of 1996. I didn't know about the pyramid when I first went to La Baie and the sun reflecting off the sloped sides was a surprising and strange sight. It literally can be seen for miles when the sun is right and will definitely make you wonder what the hell it is if you haven't seen it before.

I could not find a way into the Pyramid but it does have a door so I suspect that it is open on occasion. I walked around the structure looking for another way in but several local people stopped to stare at me and since I didn't particularly want to spend the night in the Ha! Ha! jail, decided to move on.

I did want to know why everything was named Ha! Ha! around here so I asked one of the indigenous people. Unfortunately her English was almost as bad as my French but with much pointing, gesturing, grunting, stomping and verbalizing the words ha, ha she managed to get the idea across. The town is located on a truncated part of the Saguenay Fjord that doesn't lead anywhere. So I guess it fooled a lot of the early explorers into taking a wrong turn and then having to turn back. So many people made the mistake that the town of La Baie was born.

A unique and interesting little park that is worth visiting just for the incredible views of the water and hills, the bizarre pyramid and hearing all the local people saying Ha! Ha! when talking.

A small park
with a big
sense of
humor

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2 Kent Street
Charlottetown, PE C1A 1M6
Canada
(902) 368-6603

Beaconsfield Historic House  

Category: Museums

5 star rating
 11/6/2009 27 photos   First to Review
A cool old house
that became a
friend for
friendless women.

Beaconsfield House was build back in 1877 for James Peake, a very wealthy merchant and leading businessmen of Prince Edward Island. The house certainly reflects his wealth because it is absolutely gorgeous, with all the latest conveniences that the 19th century had to offer, including central heating, gas lighthing and running water. The Peakes even had a party that Princess Louise, the daughter of Queen Victoria attended. Real gaudy, ostentatious, high society, hooty tooty stuff.

The house is located right on Charlottetown Harbor so it has beautiful views of the water. You pay your loonies and toonies and a very friendly and knowledgeable guide gives you a tour of the house. You are then free to walk around by yourself. Of course they can answer any stupid questions you happen to have and obviously love talking about the house.

Unfortunately the economy back in the 1880's was as capricious as our present one and due to the collapse of the shipbuilding industry, Mr Peake lost all his money and only lived in the house for about five years.

The new master was the eccentric and wealthy Henry Cundall. He never married and lived at Beaconsfield with his two sisters. When good old Hank died in 1926 he left the house to the town as a refuge for "friendless young women".

So the house operated as a sort of a very elaborate and ornate type of homeless shelter for a few years. Then in the 1930's the Cundall House became a place for student nurses studying at the nearby hospital. Finally in the 1970's it was turned into the present museum.

I love poking around old houses and talking to people that enjoy old houses, so the visit to the Peake house was great. What made it even more enjoyable was when some women came in that said they actually lived in the house years ago when they were studying to be nurses. You never know what unexpected treasures you are going to find in a great old house.

A cool old house
that became a
friend for
friendless women

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4537 Compliments

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    in his defense, how many people are shopping for porch and patio furniture… More »

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11 Lists

Photo of Parc des Ha! Ha!

In the wild, wild north

Cool places, eh?
1.  Parc des Ha! Ha!
A small park  with a big…
2.  Victoria Park
An old park  with rocks…
3.  HMCS Sackville
A very cool ship  with a…
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1.  Bar Harbor Island
An island  that a town…
2.  Point Pleasant Park
A great park that has…
3.  Mohegan Bluffs
The Mohegan Bluffs are…
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