MONTREAL – No matter where life’s taken Alex Newhook, he hasn’t forgotten where he comes from.
At the tender age of 14, Newhook left home to chase a dream, taking him from British Columbia to Colorado to Montreal and a few places in between. Yet, for the now 23-year-old, St. John’s, NL will always be home.
Check out the Habs forward’s insider guide to his hometown below:
How would you describe your hometown?
I would describe it as beautiful, friendly and close-knit.
What do you like most about St. John’s?
I like the people the most. I think we have that reputation of being very friendly people in Newfoundland. The people in St. John’s are great. I’d also go with the views and the water.
What do you miss the most about the city when you're away?
I think I miss the ocean the most when I’m away. Just being close to the ocean my whole life, when you’re away from it for a bit, you miss the air coming off of it and being able to drive five minutes to get to the ocean.
What's the best local treat or Newfoundland delicacy?
Fish and chips.
What is the best time of year to visit St. John’s?
July or August, for sure.
What was your home arena as a kid?
Brother O’Hehir Arena [now known as Yetman’s Arena].
What school did you go to as a kid? Have you been back there in recent years?
I went to this school called Vanier Elementary. It was a French-English school. I went back for a couple sports days in recent years to show up and hang out with some of the kids. I went back there as well with the Stanley Cup when I had it here that one day.
If you had visitors in town for a weekend, what spots would you recommend?
For restaurants, Blue on Water is one of my favorites. The Battery Cafe is really cool, there’s a cool little lookout down there. For bars, The Trinity Pub is fun. One of our family friends owns that, so we head down there sometimes.
