🏥 Bravo to the Regional

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SJ Today
February 28, 2025

Good morning Saint John, this is SJ Today and we’re officially less than 4 weeks from the first day of spring. 🐝

Here’s the lowdown for the day:

  • Regional Hospital among best in Canada 🩻

  • Get some frustration out this weekend 🔨

  • Where to enjoy the end of Taco Week 🌶️

Let’s get it!

-Geoff Walsh, Publisher

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NEWS NOTES

🏥 Saint John Regional Hospital Named One of Canada’s Best

Big shoutout to Saint John Regional Hospital, which just earned a spot on Newsweek's World’s Best Hospitals 2025 list, ranking #40 in Canada! With a score of 71.59%, it's officially among the top hospitals in the country, which is no small feat, especially when there are over 1,000 hospitals in Canada. The ranking is based on expert recommendations, patient satisfaction, and hospital quality metrics, putting our local healthcare heroes in some pretty stellar company. Of course a hospital can only be as good as the people that work in it - so, high fives to the incredible team at the Regional! 👏

🏆 Top Clicks of the Week

You clicked, you read, you shared—here’s what had everyone buzzing this week:

Monday: hatch+parley’s locally made doors approved by heritage board (IG)
Tuesday: Explore NB’s resident tourism survey
Wednesday: Rothesay’s wastewater upgrade
Thursday: Full list of ECMA nominations
*Nothing in this section is sponsored, just things you need to know. We’ll always let you know if items are sponsored.

LOCAL BUSINESS

💥 Broken Pieces Rage Room Reopens!

If you’ve ever wanted to take a baseball bat to an old car (legally), your moment has arrived. Broken Pieces Rage Room, owned by Julie and Ken Hebert, is back - bigger, and angrier than ever, reopening this Saturday, March 1, at their brand-new location at 10 Tim St. 

Julie & Ken tell us the space features two extra-large smash rooms, a soon-to-be multipurpose event room, and, wait for it…the chance to absolutely demolish a real car for just $15. Stressed out? Bad day at work? Just really hate that one printer? Suit up, pick a weapon, and let it all out in a controlled, judgment-free zone. 

Bonus: You can bring your own soundtrack, so whether you rage to Metallica or prefer smashing plates to Careless Whisper, no one’s judging.

Protective gear is provided, but you’ll need to wear closed-toe shoes, so leave the Crocs at home (unless you really want to smash those too).

FOODIE FRIDAY

🌮 Taco Time in Uptown: A Weekend Game Plan

It’s Uptown Taco Week, and while my inner taco maniac is screaming, “Try them all!”, let’s be real—I don’t have the stomach (or the time). So, with just three days left, I’m zeroing in on these must-try tacos that have had me salivating all week.

Abuelita’s – This one’s a no-brainer… Abuelita’s has been serving up delicious tacos and killer margaritas since they opened this fall, so Taco Week is just the cherry on top. But not to be limited by usual greatness, they’ve added a couple of specials that sound too good to pass up:

  • Chipotle Chicken Tacos (X3) | $22 | Avocado crema, shredded chipotle chicken, pico—served on a corn tortilla. Basically, all the flavours you love, wrapped in one perfect little taco.

  • Fusion Taco (X3) | $22 | Get this: Beef Bulgogi meets kimchi slaw, topped with sour cream. A cross-cultural taco mashup? Yes, please.

Gahan House – Alright, not your traditional taco spot, but sometimes you gotta throw convention out the window and go for the crunch. Gahan House is here to bring that crunchy goodness with their Taco in a Bag. And when I say "bag," I mean a bag of nacho Doritos. Here’s what they’re serving:

  • Taco in a Bag | $13 | Nacho Doritos, taco-seasoned ground beef, shredded cheese, tomatoes, green onions, iceberg lettuce, taco lime sour cream. Basically, it’s like a taco, but better because it’s served in a chip bag (crunch fans rejoice).

  • BYOB Taco | $11 | Feeling adventurous? Bring your own bag of chips! Whether you’re into Cool Ranch, BBQ, or something wilder, Gahan’s got you covered. Your chips, your rules.

MIX Resto Bar – I’ve said it before and will say it again, the mezzanine level at Brunswick Square is one of my favourite places in the city! And one reason is that MIX is an underrated gem, but their Taco Week menu is about to make it your new favourite spot. The star of the show being these Birria Tacos that sound amazing:

  • Birria Tacos | $19 | Tender slow-cooked beef in a rich, spicy consommé, wrapped in tortillas with cheese, cilantro, and onions, served with a side of savoury birria broth. This is what taco dreams are made of.

They’ve got a few other exciting options, like a Duck Confit taco and a vegetarian-friendly Pakora Taco—so there’s something for everyone.

Now, I’m off to stuff my face with tacos. Catch me at these spots or check out the menus from all participating restaurants to find your little piece of taco heaven this weekend.

*Nothing in this section is sponsored, just things you need to know. We’ll always let you know if items are sponsored.

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EVENTS
What’s Happenin’

Looking for fun ways to support a great cause in our region? Well, you’re in luck! We’ve got a couple of events coming up that’ll let you give back while having fun and being social!

💚 100 Women, 3 Charities, and a Whole Lot of Giving

Get your charity nominations in before March 5 at 10am, when 100 Women Who Care Greater Saint John will draw three lucky organizations for their next big giving night on March 11 at the Delta Saint John. Those selected will make their pitch for support, with the crowd ready to rally behind a great cause.

Doors open at 4:45pm (bar’s open), with a pre-meeting social at 5:30pm before things officially kick off at 5:40pm sharp. Bonus: MIX Restaurant is offering 15% off meals for attendees, because generosity pairs well with good food.

🎲 Retro Roulette - 80’s Casino & Dance Party

Take a trip back in time at Retro Roulette, hosted by the Boys & Girls Club of Saint John on Saturday, March 22 from 7pm to midnight at the Kent Theatre.

Enjoy a cashless casino, tasty bites, cool prizes, and the ultimate throwback vibes, all while grooving to the beats of Canadian music icon and neighbourly local, Maestro Fresh Wes.

Tickets are $30 for the casino and dance party (includes $20,000 in casino money), or you can join the dance party only for $20 starting at 9pm. This 19+ event supports the free community programs that BGC Greater Saint John offers to kids and youth in our area.

Got an Event to Share?

*Nothing in this section is sponsored, just things you need to know. We’ll always let you know if items are sponsored.

LOCAL PICS
WHERE WERE WE WEDNESDAY? 📸

📍 This week we were ice fishing at The Shacks at Renforth. Good fishers? Nope - managed to reel in a single smelt in three hours. But we were lucky to get out before the temps warmed up. Congrats to Scott Vair for guessing correctly! Check in next week to see if you know where we are.

Tag @sjtoday.ca to get your photos featured!

*Nothing in this section is sponsored, just things you need to know. We’ll always let you know if items are sponsored.

SIDE NOTES

Today’s Tides 🌊 

Low Tide

5:40 AM(Fri 28 February)

0.66 m(2.17 ft)

High Tide

11:48 AM(Fri 28 February)

8.37 m(27.46 ft)

Low Tide

6:05 PM(Fri 28 February)

0.34 m(1.12 ft)

Low Tide

5:40 AM(Fri 28 February)

0.66 m(2.17 ft)

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Thanks!

Thanks for reading SJ Today - If you found it useful, share it with someone that works at the Regional! 🩺

-Geoff Walsh - Publisher

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