Torontoist loves a long weekend, but Labour Day has always felt bittersweet since it signals the beginning of the end of summer. Autumn doesn’t technically begin until September 23rd, but the city becomes a different place after Labour Day. Students return to school, other folks return to work, and don’t you even think of wearing white. Just remember that Labour Day is for you. Fire up the BBQ and crack open a cold one.......

The grand dame of Toronto's performing arts venues, the Royal Alexandra Theatre, celebrates its 100th birthday tomorrow. To mark the event, the Mirvishes have organized a free open house from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., during which you can go on a self-guided backstage tour, eat free grub at the BBQ in front of the theatre (weather permitting), or catch a tribute performance from the original members of the 1969 Canadian cast of Hair.......

It's that time again—dance, feet, dance. After a scrumptious BBQ or a cat-like nap, pick your bones up and head over to the Gladstone Hotel where A Man Called Warwick and guest DJ General Eclectic will be turning up the big tunes for all the lovely peoples. Best bet is to always arrive before eleven to make sure you get through the doors without a wait.......

The second annual Canadian Redneck Games will be held this Saturday in Minto, Ontario. The Games came about after the residents of Minto decided to combat their image problem and rev up tourism by reclaiming the pejorative term "redneck" and giving it new meaning. According to the Canadian Redneck Games website, a Canadian redneck is someone who "lives in a rural area," "works hard for their money," and "likes to have a good time." And......

We may be tired, we may be deaf, we may have caused permanent damage to our livers, but boy did we have a great time at this year's NXNE. The music we heard, the BBQ's we crashed, and the people we met were all part of why this is such an amazing festival. We can't wait for the next one, although we will probably need about 360 days to recover from this year. Saturday......

It's Thursday, which means it's the first day of North By Northeast and the end of our previews. In the final installment of our NXNE recommendations, we'll guide you through the best that Saturday has to offer. And, if we may say so, Saturday has a lot of good stuff to offer. Before heading out, you may want to fuel up at the 2nd Annual Back Lot BBQ put on by Six Shooter Records. It......

It's NXNE Eve! One last chance to get a decent sleep before you find yourself staggering home at 4 a.m. for three nights in a row. Before we get to our picks, there are a couple of special Friday happenings that we feel the need to tell you about. First off is the East MEATS West BBQ happening at Global Village Backpackers (460 King St. W.) from 1–7 p.m. Presented by Kelp Records, Saved By......

Chances are if you are a pervert, an intellectual, or a writer, then you are very familiar with the works of Chuck Palahniuk. The author of "Invisible Monsters", "Choke", and the cult classic "Fight Club" will be in town tonight to sign copies of his new book, "Rant: The Oral History of Buster Casey." Palahniuk has earned a reputation as being an eccentric, a nihilist, and a genius. Playboy has refused to publish some of......

This Victoria Day weekend, two things will be on the minds of many Torontonians—beer and BBQ. The weather is good, you’re hanging with your friends, and you just want to kick back and chill with a cold one and a burger. You may have heard about what BBQing can do to your health and the environment, but let’s face it, it’s hard to resist the smoky aroma wafting from your neighbour’s backyard. Don't stress yourself......

Torontoist is fascinated by eviction notices. Torontoist is also fascinated by eerily-glowing things. And so it was that the mysterious yellow beacon inside the former Hot Spot Café at Bloor and Walmer drew us towards the sign posted in its window, which proclaims: Notice to Tenant You are hereby notified, that a Warrant has been duly issued to Cluckberg, Gruntstein and Lowenthal LLP in accordance with the Commercial Tendencies Act, B.S. 1877 and pursuant......

Everyone must be getting ready to hibernate for the winter...not as many shows this week and nothing of great interest announced recently. However, the live acts that are playing this week are pretty damn good, if we may say so. Royal Wood is at the Cameron House every Monday evening, and is the perfect choice if you're looking to chill out with a good friend and a glass of wine. Tuesday night, head to......

Even as the stores sport back to school sales (which depress us, even now), summer lingers on your friends the -ists. This week's collection of links provides some of the best, worst, and oddest bits of summer fun. So, bring your laptop up onto the roof, make yourself an umbrella drink or ten, and enjoy this week's choice posts from across the Gothamist network. Torontoist (where it's 75 degrees F as of this writing)......

If there's one defining quality of being a major metropolis, a "world class city" if you will, it is undoubtedly having a hockey team that despite having tons of money and a psychotically loyal fanbase can never win the championship. CORRECTION! It is undoubtedly having heaps of access to cheap Chinese food, preferably of the all-you-can-eat dinner buffet variety. Sure, you can go to any old strip mall and there's even odds there will......

It will be an eventful weekend at Dufferin Grove Park where you'll be able to promote peace, purge the old clothes, and binge on burgers! A Festival of Non-Violence will be held on Saturday from 1 until 6 in the afternoon. The day of non-violence is being celebrated worldwide to reject all forms of violent behaviour. The gathering is run by Toronto’s Humanist Movement and the event will feature music, speakers, poets, info tables,......

Restaurants: Blur Korean...

A relatively light upcoming week in shows still has some fine musical happenings to help you kill time while waiting for the apocalypse. And curiously, all on the waterfront. Harbourfront's excellent summer festival schedule continues Friday through Sunday with T.O. Twang, billed as "Toronto's first and only alt.country festival". In addition to musical performances from such excellent acts as The Sadies, Carolyn Mark, Billy Joe Shaver, Elliot Brood, Luther Wright & the Wrongs and The......

1. Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Edmonton Spruce-Grove Though her line of thought is slightly right, Rona Ambrose has has an undeniable left-of-centre appeal. This Intergovernmental Affairs Critic definitely doesn't share the same flair for fashion as Belinda Stronach, the model-like looks of Ruby Dhalla, or even the gorgeous baby-blue eyes of Jack Layton. At the same time though, is there one red-blooded human being that can deny that steely glare? The tough-girl look is in, and......

Onward with the hottest public officials of the summer, it's... 4. Peter Mackay, Conservative, Central Nova Mackay's fall from grace is well documented: First he was all "smitten," then he was crying at some farm with some dog that wasn't even his. Regardless of whether he was taking orders from Steven Harper ("hey Pete, pretend you're sad to win support!") or was actually heartbroken, Peter Mackay is still a giant-sized cheeseball. What Mackay doesn't realize,......

If the selection of Jack Layton as yesterday's number five Parliamentary hottie wasn't music to your dance, please refer to the first female selection to this week's Ist List... 4. Ruby Dhalla Liberal, Brampton-Springdale A-hem. That's Dr Ruby Dhalla to you. Not only is this Manitoban a Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine, but she's also a former Bollywood actress and runner-up in 2003's Miss India pageant. And if that wasn't enough, she is rumoured to be......

Souvent, la langue de Molière passe pour une langue passionnée et riche qui exprime parfaitement les sentiments amoureux, les plaisirs de la vie… et la bouffe ! À Toronto il est parfois ardu de déceler les lieux typiquement francophones puisqu’il est assumé que nous tous vivons dans un Canada bilingue. Dorénavant, remerciez Krizia de Verdier, éditeur en chef du guide torontois de la communauté francophone, The French Side of Toronto (aussi disponible en version......

The appeal of New Ho King Restaurant(416 Spadina) is fairly obvious; affordable, promptly served, after-hours Chinese. After a long night of throwing back beverages on College St., the mix of Hunan beef, sweet and sour chicken balls and BBQ pork admittedly make for the perfect night cap. And relative to the neighbouring Burger King or the 7-11 frozen burrito rack, the restaurant even seems like the more refined choice in the area. But one look......

You either stumble upon it or have to hunt for it, and it seems you either love it or you hate it. The unassuming Shanghai Cowgirl Diner is either a great hit or a bad miss. Lucky for us, Torontoist has had only good times at the trendy late night spot on Queen West. Open till 4am on weekends, it's a great place to stop in for a reliable meal or decent drink any......

So there we were, sitting at Phil's Original BBQ on College. There was a chill in the air, and the place was near empty. But we were warm. Plates of generously portioned pulled pork and barbecued chicken swarmed our table. And just as we set into our food, the management put on Paul Reddick and the Sidemen's 'Rattlebag,' a CD that has dazzled Torontoist since we got it for free while working the student reporter......