Lisbon By Night

Rated this place:

802 Dundas St W #A, Toronto, ON, M6J1V3

My Fave T.O. Resto: This cozy upscale restaurant tucked in the second floor of a short building has absolutely no pretension about it. It's exquisite seafood savoir faire ranges from the exotic like kingfisher to stingray and swordfish to the more classic palettes such as the French-prepared sardines that would make any seafood lover swoon would delight. Perfect for candle-lit romantic dates or milestone celebrations.

AIDS Candle Light Vigil

Rated this place:

519 Church St., Toronto, ON, M4Y 2C9

Remembering the brave: Pay homage to one of the more touching events at Pride: the AIDS Candle Light Vigil celebrates in 25th anniversary to remember and celebrate the lives of strong and brave people who have help shape the HIV/AIDS movement. Light a candle and participate in the vigil as Juno Award winner Billy Newton Davis and activist Shari Margolese co-host the event.

Artwherk!

Rated this place:

317 Dundas St. W., Toronto, ON, M5T 1G4

Queer art wherks the AGO: The multi-disciplinary art and performance festival becomes the first event in the Art Gallery of Ontario's history to be included as part of its pride programming. Organized by four collective members, Artwherk! - in its fifth year - provides space for emerging queer and trans artists each year for Pride. This year features a plethora of performances from agent provocateur cabaret artist Ryan G. Hinds, Amai Kuda and dance troupe Ill Na Na with exhibitions by artists from photographer Kevin Charlie, illustrator Luis Cisneros, James Ian Morgan, Dan Botterill and more.

AX: Saint + Sinners

Rated this place:

315 Queen St. E., Toronto, ON, M5A 1S7

Shake your pom poms: Going strong in its ninth year, AX is one of the few pride parties that many gay boys of all races frequent. Its community beginnings paired up with crowd-pleasing tunes from household DJs namely Quinces and Alex whose brand of music is nothing short of infectious as well as drag performers like Daija Vue and Chanel that are branded as the ones to watch out for make an excellent night to start any Torontonian's Pride Festivities.

Blockorama 11

Rated this place:

George Hislop Park, between Charles St. E. and Isabella St., east of Yonge, Toronto, ON

Blackness Yes: The small George Hislop Park where Blockorama resides in during Pride cannot even accommodate the few hundred people that mill for extravagant "realness" as voguers (not the Madonna-types) would say with delight. This year is no different from previous years except of course with a more stellar line up of afrobeats and old school love from DJs Carma and Memphis Sugar to the more drag diva divine-ness of Michelle Ross and Mandy Sapphire that only Miss Whitney Houston can only dream of.

Fruit Loopz Pride Youth Stage

Rated this place:

12 Alexander St., Toronto, ON, M4Y 1B4

Fruit Loopz: With over 30 acts of different backgrounds and discipline, this by youth for youth event is a playground for grassroots and groundbreaking youth performers aiming to take center stage in the few years to come at the Alexander Parkette on the campgrounds of Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. It's youth-oriented, alcohol-free, no cover, wheelchair-accessible, and it even has ASL interpreters, what more can you ask for?

Harbourfront Centre

Rated this place:

235 Queens Quay W, Toronto, ON, M5J 2G8

i heart harbourfront: Part art gallery, part concert arena, part exhibition place, this multi-purpose space receives a ton of traffic year round from gallery showings, hipster concerts, tourists and even dance parties. Its grounds also hold various ethnic festivals to satisfy not just your multicultural know-how but one’s culinary palettes. One secret not many Torontonians know about the Harbourfront Centre is its free wi-fi.

Windsor Arms Hotel

Rated this place:

18 St. Thomas St, Toronto, ON, M5S3E7

La creme de la creme ...: Pristine luxury with the usual army of hotel workers prepping weddings, film festival events, fashion parties, galas and performances is what this exquisite venue is known for. Complete with a piano lounge and a spa, la crème de la crème of any industry can be seen here dining with cocktails of course.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• martinis
• weddings

Casa Loma

Rated this place:

1 Austin Terr, Toronto, ON, M5R1X8

Casa Loma: The castle's old medieval exterior has been romanticized in several Hollywood productions including a Harry Potter film, Chicago, and X-Men. It has also served as a backdrop for countless spring and summer weddings. The space itself has luxurious halls and rooms that is more Anglomania than Canadiana, and it definitely serves as one of Toronto’s premiere tourist spots.

Nathan Phillips Square

Rated this place:

100 Queen St. W., Toronto, ON, M5H2N1

Nathan Phillips Square: One of the most visited sights in the city, Nathan Philips Square is home to many high-profile Toronto events like L’Oreal Fashion Week, jazz concerts, and a very crowded New Year’s Eve bash. During the summer, it’s a pit stop for visiting tourist trying out Canadian delicacies (i.e. poutine) and for young lovers taking a breather on the benches from the hot sun. However, iceskaters crowding the platform are a usual sight during the winter. The good thing is: Events set in here are mostly free with the few exceptions.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• jazz
• concerts

The Suites at 1 King West

Rated this place:

1 King Street West, Toronto, ON, M5H1A1

1 King West: What once was a bank building now resides a coverted space made up of half-condominium and half-hotel. The historic building offers downtown chic accommodations although their suites are much smaller compared to other hotels in the vicinity. Its amenities though trumps any suite space, which includes a members-only private club in the massive bank hall (hotel guests can also access the space), and a vintage car service that sadly has been removed.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Drinks
• martinis

Yonge-Dundas Square

Rated this place:

40 Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON, M5G2C2

Dundas-schmundas square: The controversial square located in the corner of Yonge and Dundas Sts. has had hasty beginnings as a Times Square copycat and quickly relinquished its spot as a community outdoor space due to the vast corporatization and non-friendly by-laws of the square. Yet during the hot summer months, it’s an outdoor market and at times it hosts concerts for Torontonians and tourist alike. Kids are seen running in zig-zags on the fountains, while nearby Ryerson students are chain-smoking at the available seats.

Le Meridien King Edward Hotel

Rated this place:

37 King St. W., Toronto, Ontario, M5C 1E

King Eddie: The old grandeur of the King Eddie, situated blocks from the Financial District and north of St. Lawrence Market, can still be felt today with its massive suites and high ceilings that even most boutique hotels don’t really have. The who’s who of politics from British PM Margaret Thatcher to the reigning princesses of pop-culture like Britney Spears have also stayed at the 37 King St. E. address. New Year’s Day brunch here is no word of a lie, fabulous. Yet it is advised to book reservations weeks in advance.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• brunch
• hotel

Cosmopolitan Hotel

Rated this place:

8 Colborne St., Toronto, Ontario, M5E1E1

Very cosmopolitan indeed: The first time I’ve graced the Cosmo Hotel was for a Calvin Klein men’s perfume launch and I was brought to the two-floor designer penthouse spread carefully constructed by the Designer Guys. Overlooking the city’s Financial District, it reminded me more of a rock star pad with a forward design aesthetic. Its Shizen Spa is also one of the most gabbed about in Toronto.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Spa
• hotel
• suites

Lee's Palace

Rated this place:

529 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON, M5S1Y5

Lee's Palace: Equal parts concert space and dance nightclub, Lee’s brings me back to the memories of my youth: With parties like the alternative glam-rock club-gay Vazaleen (now defunct), which brought out the drag queen in me wearing a seven-inch platform shoes, and of course the long-running and ever-popular Dance Cave that gave free admission to students carrying a valid form of student identification. Cheap beer also brought massive flocks of students and turned this venue into more than an Annex frat party.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• parties

The Social

Rated this place:

1100 Queen St W, Toronto, ON, M6J1H9

Social: This well-known hipster-haunt of Queen St. W. often draws line-ups not just on the weekends but is also the place to be for young university students eager to party on Mondays and Wednesdays. Its wooden patio-like interior weeds out the pretention but not the fashion and music quotient. World famous DJs MSTRKRFT would often play here during the week without charging cover a few years back.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Nightclub
• beer
• Drinks
• dancing
• parties

C N Tower

Rated this place:

301 Front St W, Toronto, ON, M5V2T6

Pride of Toronto: The once mighty CN tower has fallen second in the race for the tallest free-standing structure. Yet the iconic tower is still held deeply and proudly by Torontonians and Canadians alike. Regular admission gets you into a screen-enclosed scenic view of the Toronto Islands, Lake Ontario and the city’s downtown core, even overlooking parts of Etobicoke and Scarborough. If you want a more unobstructed and a romantic view of the city, perhaps try scoring a reservation at the posh 360 resto for brunch, lunch or dinner.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Restaurant

Bata Shoe Museum

Rated this place:

327 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M5S 1W7

More than shoebox goodness: Named after the well-heeled shoe business empire of the Batas, this unique museum is one of the few in the world that exhibit exclusively shoes. The building located on the southwest corner of St. George and Bloor Sts. symbolizes a shoe box about to be opened, and museum-goers are offered not just fantastic footwear to salivate over but also the intricate histories on why addicts go crazy over boots, stilettos, clogs and more.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Footwear

Circa

Rated this place:

126 John St., Toronto, ON, M5V2E3

Circa eh circus ...: The opening of Circa drew in club kids both old, new, and even the retired ones. Former NYC club king Peter Gatien transformed the old Sega Playdium and Lucid nightclub space into a 50,000+ square feet of an ultimate nightlife experience, complete with cool technologies and marrying art and design in a party space. Circa unfortunately have seen better days with many local and international acts playing the venue in its earlier days. Today it is still a pit stop for newbies experiencing their first big club in the city.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Drinks
• martinis

Riverdale Farm

Rated this place:

201 Winchester St., Toronto, ON, M4 X1B8

Riverdale Farm: This scenic property located blocks east of Parliament St. is a tranquil little place populated by friendly farm animals of goats, donkeys, sheeps, geese, rabbits and more. It also sites ponds, greeneries and a barn. Some mornings, workers prepare fresh bread in a wood-burning oven. Overall, Riverdale Farm is a nice escape from the city and great for outings like walks during first dates in the spring and summer.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• dates

Rogers Centre

Rated this place:

1 Blue Jays Way, Toronto, ON, M5V 1J1

Rogers Centre: The home of major sports, concerts and exhibitions started off with shoddy financial backing before turning the old Skydome into the corporate sounding Rogers Centre. The home of the Blue Jays offers a “tour experience” with a one hour, fully guided behind the scenes tour that includes a pit stop to the Blue Jays Hall of Fame, Luxury Suites, a Press Box and more. Admission varies by age.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• baseball

Wrongbar

Rated this place:

1279 Queen West, Toronto, ON, M6K 1L6

Wrongbar: In the last couple of years, Parkdale has been experiencing an identity transformation. With several openings of more upscale restaurants and boutiques, bars and lounges were next to follow. An addition to the area is Wrongbar, populated by west-enders, who don’t necessarily need to cross parks or ride streetcars for hips club spots and party night outs. Concerts and its Wednesday night party called “Hump Day Bump” pack fashionable crowds into this venue.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Nightclub
• Drinks
• concert

Xtra Gallery

Rated this place:

491 Church St., Toronto, Ontario, M4Y2C6

Xtra Gallery: Situated in the reception area of Canada’s queer and trans newspaper, Xtra!, its gallery is community-run and exhibits established and up-and-coming queer and trans artists. Experimental and obscure pieces usually dominate the walls, and thematic subject matter and group works are also shown here.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• art
• exhibitions

Straight

Rated this place:

553 Church St., Toronto, Ontario, M4Y2E2

Straight: Owned by the same business partners as 7 West, Straight is one of the classier martini lounges in the Village. This three-floor bar-lounge is attended by the queer and trans community’s young, pretty and polished, and the bartenders suitably reflect its clientele. DJ staples like Deko-ze bring a very loyal house-electro crowd year-round.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Lounge
• Drinks
• martinis
• Music
• Club

McMichael Gallery

Rated this place:

10365 Islington Ave, Kleinburg, Ontario, L0J1C0

Great Canadian art: Nestled in the Kleinburg area just north of Etobicoke, the McMichael Gallery is a hidden gem full of Canadian contemporary artists and sculptors including the celebrated works of Emily Carr, The Group of Seven, and many First Nations and Inuit artists. The 85,000 square foot facility also includes a theatre and a gallery shop.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• art
• exhibitions
• canadian