Just a few, unrelated-to-anything observations as an outsider that has only spent 5 days in St. John's in 30 years:
We liked the downtown quite a bit. The obvious comparisons that spring to mind is Halifax... similar architecture (other than your cuter houses), hilly as heck, but not quite as "deep"... once you get off Duckworth/Water, you're into the houses. That's not a bad thing, the downtown is nice and dense; you can walk the whole thing rather easily. There are TONS of opportunities for more businesses and shops... I have no idea if that's because stuff has left to the burbs/edges (probably?) or some other reason. Lots of potential.
I can't comment on whether or not it's busier/less-busy than it used to be, and we never stayed out later than 8pm (so only saw George St. before it "got going") but Duckworth/Water seemed pretty "sleepy". About on par with Moncton (which is pretty sleepy). Some nice shops and lots of good restaurants and pubs, interspersed with some rather dodgy looking ones; but you get that everywhere.
St. John's was MUCH more sprawly, overall than I expected. For some reason I was expecting the core to be a bit larger. When we took a few taxis across town (had to run to the mall, airport, etc) and some day-tours (Cape Spear, Petty Harbour, Flat Rock, etc) I was surprised at how nigh-impossible it was to tell where the city "stopped". Looking at the map, I can see why. Moncton definitely has sprawl issues, but I think St. John's might be a bunch worse... it's like a giant crescent. I know this kind of thing just happens, but it was really weird driving around in it.
The scenery was great, but by far the best part was the people.
![Smilie](images/smilies/smile.gif)
So friendly and down to earth. The fashion was... interesting. Let's just say you've got a lot of very self-confident ladies, and that's a good thing, I think.
![Big grin](images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
Lots of dresses being worn at the mall, that kind of thing. Had great conversations with the restaurant wait-staff, tour-bus driver and Metro Link driver, who chatted us up whenever we were waiting for hop-ons at the regular stops throughout town.
It drove my wife (S. Ont born) absolutely bonkers that though I've been to NL only half a dozen times in my life (and the last time to St. John's was 30 years ago) that I'm considered a Newfoundlander by the locals because I was born at the Grace back in '72. Bus driver asked if she'd been "screeched in" and she said she would if I would, and the driver said "he don't have to." LOL.
Love those folks!