I walked through the venerable doors of Massey Hall for one of NXNE's most anticipated shows, head reeling with anticipation. A veteran of countless shows here, I knew exactly what to expect at this: acoustic perfection. And that's exactly what we got when Jason Pierce (aka J. Spaceman) unceremoniously took to the stage with his band Spiritualized.

One of the great things about seeing Spiritualized live is that you never know exactly what you're going to get. Is he going to bring a gospel choir? Is he traveling with the horn section? Is he going to strip it down to bare essentials? Will he play deep cuts? Fact of the matter is, I'm happy with any of those scenarios and it's obvious that the faithful that have gathered here on this warm Thursday night are as well.

Pierce got down to business, opening the show with "Here It Comes (The Road, Let's Go)," an as yet to be recorded track with a slow build that throws back to his days in Spacemen 3. A fitting beginning to an evening filled with touchstone moments from the band's back catalogue.

Not here in support of any album in particular, Pierce was left in the enviable position of choosing material he wanted to play as opposed what he needed to promote. Though most would argue that he's never particularly been concerned with that - always unpredictable with his set list, at times neglecting the crowd's want of anthems like "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space" or something even deeper like "Lay Back In The Sun" off 1995's Pure Phase.

As with all Spiritualized shows, Pierce played the silent partner as his music did the talking. Barely addressing the crowd with so much as a "hello," he laid out 60 minutes of swirling sonic bliss. Pierce barely looked up from his seated position, introducing shoegazer posture to new sedentary levels.

Pierce still has a pulse as demonstrated by monster rockers like "Hey Jane" and my personal fave, "Electricity" off the band's landmark Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space. "Come Together," also from said album, was as perfect as I've ever heard him play.

The most unexpected moment of the night came with "Shine A Light" from the band's 1992 debut, Laser Guided Melodies. With two backup singers adding to that track's ample drone, Massey Hall was awash in soul. My only regret is that there weren't more people who managed to grab tickets to be there to testify.

Thanks to MiO for sponsoring our coverage of NXNE 2014

Writing by Evan Sue-Ping, photos by Irina No

The top movies about Toronto bands make for perfect summer viewing - after all, it is outdoor festival season. These 10 legendary Canadian flicks have something else in common - they're all documentaries (or, in one case, a hybrid of a doc and a fictional narrative). But they still skip from punk to folk, from eccentric geniuses to comeback kids. There's something here for music fans of any stripe.

Here's a rundown of my picks for the top movies about Toronto bands.

Anvil: The Story of Anvil
The difference between Anvil and Spinal Tap is that Anvil is real. This 2008 rockumentary by screenwriter Sacha Gervasi (The Terminal) charts the rise, fall and rebirth of dysfunctional Toronto heavy metal band Anvil. After an initial flush of success in the late '70s and early '80s, Anvil fell into obscurity. The film chronicles a revival of sorts for the band when a fan books them for a European tour. The Story of Anvil is funny and poignant with so many twists it's almost unbelievable. Superb.

Escarpment Blues
Concert docs are a dime a dozen, but Andy Keen's film of Sarah Harmer's 2005's I Love the Escarpment tour adds a thoughtful dimension. Harmer was promoting PERL, Protecting Escarpment Rural Land, a conservation group she co-founded to stop quarry development on the Niagara Escarpment (Harmer's hometown is Burlington). The film deftly intercuts between Harmer performing onstage and publicly debating the issue in places like community hearings.

Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould
Hands down, Glenn Gould is the most eccentric musician Toronto ever produced. He was also the most brilliant classical pianist of his time. This 2009 doc by Michele Hozer and Peter Raymont gathers rare performance footage, private home recordings, diary excerpts and interviews from Gould's close friends and lovers (including his mistress), some of whom have never spoken about him publicly. It's a fascinating exploration into the psyche of a musical genius.

Jane Bunnett: Spirits of Havana
Toronto soprano sax player and flautist Jane Bunnett takes a musical travelogue through Cuba. This doc from 2000 is pure heaven if you love Cuban music. Bunnett and husband/trumpeter Larry Cramer generously showcase Cuban players including the rumba group Los Munequitos de Matanzas, singers Bobby Carcasses, Amado Dedeu and Ernesto Gatell, pianist Guillermo Rubalcaba, tres player Papi Oviedo, and percussionist Tata Guines.

The Last Pogo&The Last Pogo Jumps Again
Colin Brunton's legendary 1978 short film, The Last Pogo, is a snapshot of the last punk show at the Horseshoe Tavern. It features The Scenics, The Cardboard Brains, The Secrets, The Mods, The Ugly, The Viletones and Teenage Head in their snarling glory. The 2013 sequel by Brunton and Kire Paputt is an exhaustive history of the Toronto scene running over three hours. Altogether, the Pogo films are essential for chronicling Toronto's punk scene - which (American) rock historians have long ignored.

The Last Waltz
As punk rose in the mid-'70s, the Woodstock generation entered middle age. The Last Waltz immortalizes The Band's marathon farewell show in San Francisco on American Thanksgiving 1976. Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Muddy Waters and Bob Dylan were among the many guests who joined The Band onstage to say goodbye to the road. There are too many highlights to mention here, but the finale with Dylan is especially moving.

Neil Young Journeys
There have been several Neil concert films over the decades, but this one, by Jonathan Demme, is the most personal. Demme follows the Toronto-born legend as he reminisces about growing up in Omemee (the "town in north Ontario" he immortalized in "Helpless") and Toronto as he drives to Massey Hall. There in May 2011, Young put on a pair of solo electric shows at Massey Hall. Several powerful performances from his then-new album, Le Noise, are intercut with Neil's on-camera memories.

Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage
Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn's 2010 documentary is the authoritative film about Toronto's most successful heavy rock band, Rush. It charts Rush's beginnings in the early '70s as an indie progressive rock and traces their rise as an international phenomenon. Concert clips and interviews with band members, their families, fans and managers abound. McFadyen and Dunn specialize in heavy metal docs, and they've served Rush well.

This Movie Is Broken
Bruce McDonald's "rockshow romance" as written by Don McKellar follows longtime friends spending a final day together before she moves to Paris. They wind up at the July 11, 2009 Broken Social Scene gig at Harbourfront, but what happens after that is frankly confusing. The thin narrative is intercut with smoking versions of "Almost Crimes", "Fire Eye'd Boy", "7/4 (Shoreline)", "Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl" and "Bandwitch" performed by a full complement of BSS members.

Writing by Allan Tong / Still from Anvil: The Story of Anvil

Free events in Toronto this week are, thanks to World Pride, the best kind of rainbow - a free rainbow. Parties, screenings, performances, readings, hangs, and parades dot the city like some wild witch opened a new bag of Dollarama glitter too fast and now we're never getting that stuff off the floor and every dog that comes to visit is licking sparkles off the floor and giving sparkle kisses for days - to to mention what else comes out the other end. That's Pride for you, though.

Here's how to have the sparkliest time ever for free in Toronto this week.

Blue Coffee Reading Series
Blue Coffee Reading Series #7 will feature Niki Koulouris, Rudyard Fearon, and JC Bouchard. Be sure to toss a couple of bucks (for more scientifically engineered blue coffee?) to the performers who wow you. Monday, June 23, 8pm, Magpie Taproom (831 Dundas St. West).

POETRIX - World Pride Poetry Night
Get lit for Pride with an open mic and readings by Debra Anderson, Kirk DeMatas, Akhaji Zakiya, and more. Monday June 23, 8pm, Glad Day Bookshop (598A Yonge Street).

ACTING UP - ACTING OUT - World Pride Performances
Glad Day Bookshop wants you to enjoy Pride for free this week all week - this time with theatre, music, and magic performances. Tuesday June 24, 7:30pm, Glad Day Bookshop (598A Yonge Street).

The TALLBOYS TUNE UP Patio Party for Bike Month 2014
Quote Tallboys: "The city won't give us a patio, so we're taking over Steam Whistle's beautiful beer garden for the biggest and baddest Bike Month Jam!" What's up with that, Toronto? Don't you like patios? Zip your bike over for live music, burgers, and beer - plus free bike safety checks and minor tune ups. Wednesday June 25 6pm, Steam Whistle Brewery (The Roundhouse - 255 Bremner Blvd).

THE CITY'S IN FLAME! Film and Video at Toronto Public Library
Musician/photographer Don Pyle will screen Will Munro's Dirty Load (2007), The Troublemakers (1990), I'm Not In Love (2011), An Afternoon at New Rose with the Viletones (1978) and many more. Wednesday, June 25, 7pm, Fort York Branch of Toronto Public Library (190 Fort York Blvd.)

Youth Pride BBQ 2014!
This free BBQ is open to youth ages 16-29. Kid Named Greg DJs, plus there will be prizes, food, a photo booth, and other programming. Wednesday, June 25, 2-4pm. Central Toronto Community Health Centres (168 Bathurst Street).

Maylee Todd at Shops at Don Mills
The Shops at Don Mills are running a ton of free programming right now, and best of all Maylee Todd will perform this Thursday. Check out our profile on Maylee Todd here. Thursday, June 26, 7pm, Shops at Don Mills (1090 Don Mills Road).

Starry Night
It's a drag party under the stars! RuPaul's Drag Race finalists Adore Delano, Courtney Act, Bianca Del Rio, Darienne Lake will be hanging out. Saturday, June 26, 7pm, Cawthra Square Park (519 Church Street).

Movies in St. James Park
Head to St James Park for The Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert - plus a free drag cabaret. Thursday, June 26, 8pm, St. James Park (120 King Street East).

Soundhackers Meetup
NAISA's free monthly meet up for audio geeks is Thursday, June 26 at 7pm. The Naisa Space (601 Christie St, #252).

LIFT OFF! Festival 2014
Cahoots Theatre Creation Space on Queen East present a three day mini-fest of performances, readings, workshops, and more. June 27-29, Cahoots Theatre Creation Space (388 Queen Street. East)

WORLD PRIDE: Green Space LIPSTICK JUNGLE
Post Dyke March (also free!) thousands of lesbian, trans and gay marchers will head to Lipstick Jungle for a banging outdoor dance party. DJs include Kim Ann Foxman, Francesca Lombardo, and Tizi. Saturday, June 28, 1pm, Green Space On Church (519 Church Street).

Pride Parade
Whether you're marching, floating, or cheering from the sides, the annual Pride Parade starts 1pm on Sunday, June 29, 2014 at Bloor and Church. Find a map here. Rob Ford will return to town on the 30th, naturally.

Alterna-Queer @ WorldPride Toronto
Post Pride Parade this party includes Lydia Lunch, plus Hervana, DJ Steve Rock, Zoo OWL, Unfinished Business, No Pants Society, PANTYCHRIST, Judy Virago and Igby Lizzard Trash Cabaret and more. It all goes down at Alexander Parkette outside Buddies in Bad Times Theatre (12 Alexander Street) from 2:30-11pm.

• Elvis Mondays at the Drake
• Foosball Battle Royale, Monday, Disgraceland
• Art Gallery of Ontario free evening, Wednesday, 6-8:30pm.
• IFOA Weekly, free for supporters, students, & youth under 26, Wednesday, Harbourfront Centre
• Skin of My Nuts Comedy Show, Thursday, Sonic Espresso Bar
• Canadian Opera Company's Free Concerts series
• While nearly all art galleries in the city are free to enter, it's worth noting The Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (MOCCA) is always PWYC.
• The ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) offers discounted tickets on Fridays ($10).

Do you want everyone to know about your kinda random free or pay-what-you-can event? Submit it to our event section. (You can also submit your for-money events here, greedy-pants.)

Photo: Mauricio Calero

Photo by Jeremy Gilbert in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Today in Toronto gloomy folk ghoul Amen Dunes is in town to play Silver Dollar with Alex Calder, Wicked Witches, and Milk Lines. Early Monthly Segments at the Gladstone will screen work from the creator of their namesake, Robert Beavers. Speaking of Beavers (sorry), there's a stacked drag show at the Beaver (check out our full pride previews here and here). At Daniels Spectrum, ReelHeART is back with a global, all cultures, "no-niche" film fest from June 23-28. For more events, click on over to our events section.

• Music: Amen Dunes (Silver Dollar)
• Film: Early Monthly Segments (Gladstone)
• Party: House of Filth Family Edition: World Pride (The Beaver)
• Film: 10th Annual ReelHeART International Film Festival (Daniels Spectrum)
• Lit: Blue Coffee Reading Series (Magpie Taproom)
• Art: In Your Pocket: Shame (Videofag)

Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO Toronto events calendar or contact us directly.

Photo: House of Filth

This Week in Music rounds up the latest news, releases and concerts coming to Toronto.

NXNE lifts radius clause, admits it was just messing with CMW all along
NXNE announced the lifting of the radius clause (which didn't allow any band playing NXNE to play in Toronto 45 days before the festival, and which they have strictly enforced) moments before the beginning of a filler Interactive panel I was involved with criticizing the festival for said radius clause - and at least a dozen other concerns (more on that tomorrow).

The announcement was worded thus: "CMW and NXNE Team Up To Build A Stronger Music Community- Radius Clause Lifted," proving NXNE director Christopher Roberts was dishonest to Chart Attack when he claimed the radius clause had nothing to do with CMW. Turns out it had everything to do with the competing fest, and NX didn't care who it trod on in its quest to dominate the local music scene. Remember that next year when you're deciding if you should spend your hard earned cash on a wristband or, say, several amazing DIY shows and the records on the merch table.

We'll be rounding up our highlights and lowlights from NXNE tomorrow.

Polaris Prize long list announced
The Polaris Prize list of a year's worth of Canadian albums showing artistic merit is out and it's pretty predictable - if you're a music journalist or you've been paying attention to Canadian music this year. Jokes have been flying re: Toronto's dominance of the list, with Drake, Austra, DIANA, Fresh Snow, BADBADNOTGOOD, Odonis Odonis, Bry Webb, PUP, AroarA, Owen Pallett (still ours, sorry MTL), The Strumbellas, Yamantaka // Sonic Titan (half ours? totally ours?) and even The Darcys (hair flip!) all making the list. Plus Jessy Lanza and Shad, because Hamilton and London are our snuggle buddies. Stream the nominees on Songza here. The short list will be announced July 15 at The Drake Hotel.

DETH Records sampler
The Kensington Market gutter goth scene has organized, and SINS' DETH Records contains the 50-shades-of-black, NSFW ooze these digital witches have been brewing: Toronto's back alley dark electronic is not your grandma's stuffy goth. (To lighten the mood, talk to DETH about cute baby animals and you will not be disappointed.) SARIN, Distraksjon, Human Performance Lab, S!NS, Vierance, HUREN, and more are riding the coldwave on the only compilation that matters this summer. Bring on the sunshine.

New Toronto songs & vids

Distraksjon - Occlusion
NSFW. NSFW. NSFW. Distraksjon's video for this DETH Records comp single features a regular day in a local factory basement sex dungeon. Just kidding, somebody better call ghost busters before we all end up with goat heads, severed hearts, and robotic intestines. I'm putting this first because, full disclosure, there's a 3D-scanned cameo clip of director Nathanial Addison cutting my eye out with a knife in this video. The things I do for you, Toronto.

ABP - Scarborough Kids
Hip hop duo Airplane Boys dropped an entire album for free last week and one of its strongest tracks "Scarborough Kids" is their next single. The black and white, neighbourhood traversing video knocks on "Lovers in a Dangerous Time"'s door but shares the block. Scarborough is officially cool - catch up, Etobicoke.

Austra - Habitat
This new video from holographic-fog goths Austra for the culty title track of their new ep Habitat (stream it here) is one of their strongest yet - some definite My Own Private Idaho vibes here. Pop music needs more sexy songs about brothers, yeah?

Stella Ella Ola - Peter Sellers
This song is about having cameras and making films - and hey, you can make pretty much anything out of cardboard. Toronto Island is looking pretty good, and so is this Wedge(circa when that was a thing)-ready indie vid.

This week's hot tickets

Pride
Pride runs until June 29 and the parties and performances will be non stop until the closing ceremonies which will feature Tegan and Sara, Rich Aucoin, and more. Check out our list of Pride Parties here.

Beck / June 27 / 7pm / Sony Centre (1 Front St. East) / $50-80
Opinions in my friends pool are divided on the quality of the new Beck album Morning Phase. I must have been born a little too late, because people having opinions on Beck strikes me as fishy.

Digital Dreams / June 28 and 29 / Flats at Ontario Place / 2 pm / $220
Via our dance writer Benjamin Boles: Even if you're a veteran dance music snob, you still have to admit that there are some great acts mixed in with the mega-festival cheese at this year's Digital Dreams. Where else could you see names like Danny Tenaglia, Deep Dish, Art Department, Justice, Victor Calderone, Nicole Moudaber, Green Velvet, Andy C and more all playing at one event?

Local hot ticket

A PSYCHIC EUPHORIA
Little Ghøs† of The RGB Collective is hosting this party at Smiling Buddha that is so psychedelic that I can't really relate it to you properly without us both candy flipping and promising to always be connected in a corner of the Buddha basement first. STÜKA (noise/drone/industrial), CHOBO (yeah, BB writes for us), Petra Glynt (yeah, I write about her every week) and more are upstairs. What's going on downstairs? I'm not sure what writing is, your face is a butterfly.

Recently announced concerts

• SSION / July 3 / AGO
• SINS / July 12 / Silver Dollar
• Ought / July 25 / Silver Dollar
• Constantines / Oct 2 / Danforth Music Hall
• Banks / Oct 3 / The Phoenix

What we got up to this week

• Spiritualized cherry-picks wide catalog at Massey Hall
• This is how to throw a party on the Toronto Islands
• The top 5 shows to see at the Toronto Jazz Festival 2014
• Why Buzz Records are buzzing at NXNE (and beyond)
• Hedley wins over Drake at 2014 MMVAs
• Rick Ross an unapologetic shill-out at the Kool Haus
• This Toronto concert venue is also an epic house party

Digital Dreams photo by Brian Morton

Amongst its literary holdings, the Toronto Public Library houses a massive number of audio recordings and written sheet music. Spread across the city's many libraries, the TPL's music collection doesn't often get the love or attention it deserves, but that could be set to change thanks to a motion to create a dedicated space to showcase the library's key holdings. A Toronto music library could take shape as a complete repurposing of one the library's existing 99 branches or as a dedicated space in a branch that will otherwise function as normal.

It's an exciting idea, but library staff don't appear to be on board, citing the costs affiliated with the creation of a dedicated space. Although Michael Foderick, chair of the Toronto Public Library Board and the person behind the motion to have staff explore the notion of Toronto music library, told the Star that "we can safely say we're going to move forward with this idea in one form or another," library staff favour a more promotional approach, one which highlights the TPL's musical holdings and online streaming options.

It's an intriguing debate to have, particularly given the degree to which so many personal music collections have been digitized and migrated to the cloud. Staff would like to see the library's efforts directed toward the creation of a "virtual music library" in favour of a bricks and mortar space. That certainly sounds smart, but one wonders if the two ideas are mutually exclusive. A dedicated space for the TPL's music holdings, even if it's just housed within a portion of an existing branch, could pair very well with efforts to highlight the the library's digital offerings.

What do you think? Is a Toronto music library a good idea?

A new urban intervention from Labspace Studio traces the former route of the Don River prior to its being straightened at the end of the 19th century. As natural as the river might look in some areas, its entire path south of Bloor is completely artificial thanks to channelization efforts over a hundred years ago. Named Don Was Here, the project, which is part of the No.9: Eco-Art Festival at Todmorden Mills, places markers along the old passage of the river from Lake Shore Blvd. up to Pottery Rd. along one of the most popular bike paths in the city.

It's not the most visually stunning project I've ever seen, but it is an intriguing historical exercise. When you encounter a marker, it signals that you are standing where the old river used to run. It's remarkable just how much this diverges from its current course in many cases. Work to straighten the Don commenced in 1886 as part of efforts to reduce flooding and tap the Don Valley's economic potential (a straightened and dredged river could accommodate boat traffic in what is now the Port Lands and allow for a rail corridor to be installed alongside the waterway). In the absence of reminders like this one, it's virtually impossible to get a sense of what river was once like.

So next time you're out for a ride or walk down the Lower Don Recreational Trail, keep an eye out for the Don Was Here markers. You might be surprised where you find them.

Don Was Here launches today and runs through the summer. Be sure to check out the accompanying interactive website.

Located just off West Queen West, this brand-new boxing gym encourages you to lay a whooping on B.O.B. - a rubber dummy created for boxing practice. (They might be a little on the creepy side, but you can feel the benefits of practicing your kicks and punches against something with real-world resistance.) When you're not putting a boxing glove to rubbery face, their classes will put you through a killer workout.

Read my profile of Big Hit Studios in the fitness section.

The Toronto Wine and Spirit festival returned for its sixth year at Sugar beach featuring a snippet of some of the city's finest food and drink offerings. A mix of independent and big brand food and booze vendors, the selection of items on which to imbibe were wildly diverse with many hidden gems to be found. Walter Caesar mix, a thicker and spicier take on Clamato, fits this bill. Ditto for the new Brickworks small batch slow ferment cider (delicious) and Saucy Pierogis pulled pork offering.

Take a tour of these tasty offerings in our photo gallery.

Want to travel the galaxy without the hassle of space-suits and meals in a tube? You could always side-scroll through a to-scale map of the solar system, but if you're looking for something a little more active, a Toronto artist has turned some quiet west-side streets into a scale rendering of our own little planetary system, which you can explore at a nice, leisurely stroll.

Walkable Planets, a project created by visual artist Jode Roberts for the 100 in 1 day festival, is composed of a series of signs stretching from Grace and Bloor (the Sun) to Gore Vale and Queen (Neptune - sadly for solar-system completists, no love for Pluto). You can walk the whole solar system in 2.2 km; at that scale, the Sun would be the size of a hula hoop.

To take the journey yourself, check out this map on the Jane's Walk website, take your protein pills, and put your helmet on.

Photo via Walkable Planets website.

The best Vietnamese restaurants in Toronto are reason enough to bow your head, if only to make it easier when slurping up silky noodles from bowls of fragrant broth. The culinary gifts are hardly limited to pho - the most famous dish is just the tip of the iceberg. There's fresh and fried rolls, grilled specialties, savoury pancakes, rice cakes and a rainbow of fruit smoothies. As long as you like cilantro, there's a whole lot to love.

Here are the best Vietnamese restaurants in Toronto.

See also:

The Best Pho in Toronto
The Best Banh Mi in Toronto

Top photo by Not Peppermint in the blogTO Flickr pool.

With World Cup in full swing, Brazilian culture has come to the forefront of Toronto's collective attention - though there are more than just sports bars that deserve recognition. We surveyed the city to discover that there's a lot more to Brazilian culture than steakhouses and soccer. The list below culls the best restaurants, cafes, dance venues and festivals to get a real taste of what this Latin American giant has to offer in Toronto.

Here is a guide to Brazil in Toronto.

RESTAURANTS, BAKERIES AND CAFES

Mata Petisco Bar (1690 Queen St. West)
Newly opened in Parkdale, this Latin American snack bar leans towards Brazil while nodding to neighbouring countries. Try the burger made of Picanha (a favourite cut of meat) and wash it down with Caipirinha cocktails chilled with coconut water ice cubes.

Sabor Brasil (1702 St. Clair Ave. West)
This Corso Italia restaurant is home to authentic Brazilian standards coxinha (chicken rolls), kibe (ground beef rolls) and Frango com queijo e mandioca (cheese covered fried chicken served with fried cassava).

Braz.1.L (7 Maitland St.)
This Brazilian snack bar in the Church Wellesley Village is known for its pao de queso - cheese buns made with cassava starch - (50 cents) and frozen acai bowls ($10) topped with granola, guarana syrup and fruits.

Rio 40 (1256 St Clair Ave. West)
A taste of Brazil in the heart of Corso Italia does Brazilian staples like feijoada, a baked black bean with smoke meat stew, as well as a fusion of Portuguese and Italian dishes. Try the frango com catupiry, a pizza topped with tomato sauce, chicken, oregano and house-made Brazilian cheese.

Caffe Brasiliano 849 Dundas St. West)
A stalwart on Dundas West known for strong coffee and a daily roster of Latin comfort foods.

Brazil Bakery (1554 Dundas St. West)
This popular Dundas West bakery is a reliable source for specialty coffees, sandwiches, salads and desserts like queijadas (custard tarts) and and bolos de arroz (rice flour cupcakes).

STEAKHOUSES

Copacabana (230 Adelaide St. West)
Two Toronto rodizios and one in Niagara are a meat lover's paradise where all-you-can-eat barbecue is paraded around the restaurant and carved table-side until you tell the waiters to stop.

Rodeo Brazilian Steakhouse (95 Danforth Ave.)
Another example of an ACYE steakhouse on the Danforth that offers a prix fixe for $40 on weekdays or $50 on weekends. Help yourself to the salad bar or wait as over a dozen cuts of meat are offered to each table.

Touro Churrascaria (125 York Blvd.)
This massive Richmond Hill restaurant does both rodizio and Brazilian brunch. In addition to the meat-heavy menu, try visiting on a Thursday when seafoods are on special too, including grilled swordfish kebab, jumbo prawns, bacon-wrapped scallops and more.

GROCERS

Nosso Talho (1326 Dundas St. West and 1042 Bloor St. West)
On Dundas West, this butcher claims allegiance to Portugal, though Brazilian expats will find imported goods and familiar cuts of meats used in traditional dishes.

Segovia Meat Market (218 Augusta Ave.)
In Kensington Market, this Latin American butcher is known to carry Brazilian bonbons and serve up comfort foods like feijoada.

SPORTS BARS

Brazilian Star (1242 Dundas St. West)
In Little Portugal this Brazilian bar and grill boasts a lovely back patio furnished with picnic tables. Inside is an ideal spot to watch sports events while snacking on fried cassava or pastel (Brazilian empanadas).

Novo Horizonte Sports Bar (1430 Dundas St. West)
Also in Little Portugal, this sports bar where fans of team Brazil congregate. If cheering works up an appetite, try the Brazilian hamburger, fully loaded with strips of bacon, a fried egg, ham, chicken, cheese and all fresh toppings like lettuce, tomato, corn.

DANCING

Lula Lounge (1585 Dundas St. West)
The dancehall is home to live salsa, jazz, Brazilian, African and world music, though they book everything from classical to punk. Look for their salsa dancing and dinner packages on Friday and Saturday nights.

Mana Bar & Lounge (722 College St.)
While not specifically Brazilian, the nightclub hidden in the basement of The Mod Club hosts rioplatense nights on Saturday nights, featuring a cross-section of Latin styles including cumbia, cuarteto, salsa, merengue and bachata.

Touche Martini Bar (669 College St.)
The restaurant and martini bar hosts Banda Zé Fua, Brazilian folk dance music on Thursday nights and Brazilian samba jazz on Fridays.

Bavia Arts (898b St. Clair Ave. West)
A hub for Brazilian culture, this studio lists Brazilian drumming, African drumming, Samba bateria drumming, Afro-Brazilian dance, and capoeira on its programming and classes schedules.

FESTIVALS

Brazil Fest
Founded in 2003, The Toronto International BrazilFest (BrazilFest) attracts over 30,000 people to its annual summer showcase of Brazilian culture, featuring the best food, arts and entertainment from the Brazilian community.

BRAFFTV
The Brazilian film and television festival takes place annually in the fall. The display of Brazilian culture in film screenings encompasses a curated showcase of films both submitted for competition and invited as well as Bra-zoo-kah (films by Brazilians living abroad), and Brazil Through Foreign Eyes (films by non-Brazilian filmmakers about Brazil).

Brazil Film Fest
Dedicated to Brazilian cinema, this showcase takes place over four days each year to
showcase a selection from the new wave of Brazilian filmmaking, including fiction features and documentaries.

What did I miss? Bolster this guide to Brazil in Toronto in the comments.

Top photo by Black Tux in the blogTO Flickr pool. Additional photos by Jesse Milns and Irina No.

The force of geek culture is strong in Toronto year-round, but the warmer months hold a special kind of magic. That's probably because summer vacation is what turned many of us into nerds in the first place: While the other kids were outside swimming and getting tans, the rest of us were lounging in air-conditioned comfort, sinking entire blissful, idyllic weeks into fantasy novels, video games and D&D campaigns. Now that we're older, and moderately more grown, we can recapture some of that magic with a summer's worth of conventions, performances and gaming (and we've finally got the disposable income to back all this stuff up).

Here are 10 fun ways to geek out this summer in Toronto.

Visit Fan Expo
Like a dead superhero, Toronto's biggest con returns right on schedule to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre Aug. 28-31. Joining convention faves Stan Lee, William Shatner and Bruce Campbell on the roster of celebrity guests are Firefly's Nathan Fillion and a slew of Walking Dead cast members. Personal con-going advice: Don't get the balloon animal guy to make you a balloon Chthulu, or a couple dressed in Star Trek redshirt uniforms will give you the cut-eye after you poke them with the tentacles one too many times in the concessions line.

Party at Atomic Lollipop
Smaller, cuter, louder, sparklier: Atomic Lollipop is the Chibiusa of conventions. Set to take over the Ontario Science Centre on July 11-13, the con/carnival/party promises "massive battles, bouncy castles, geeky speed-dating, video gaming, nerdy burlesque, fire spinners, and crazy interactive events." If you'd like to walk away from the weekend with a new skill (in addition to some T-shirts and giant plushies), they're offering crafting activities, DJ lessons, and even an intro to aerial acrobatics. Brb, going right now to sign up for Hogwarts For Muggles class.

Discover a new TO-designed video game
Toronto is home to an impressive roster of indie game studios - and there's no better time to get acquainted with your friendly neighbourhood developers. Capybara Games' comedy-action shoot 'em up Super Time Force and Longbow's historical real-time strategy game Hegemony Rome: The Fall Of Caesar were both released for download just last month. Next up: Drinkbox Studios launches the "super turbo championship edition" of Guacamelee on July 2. (Want to check out more indie game studios all in one place? They'll be converging at the Stage Select gaming expo June 28.)

Watch some nerdy bands
On August 29 and 30 at the Horseshoe Tavern, it'll be out with the faded black T-shirts with band names on them, and in with the faded black T-shirts with binary code jokes on them, as Nerd Noise Night 2 presents two evenings of performances from Canada's nerdiest musicians. Expect raps about time travel and Snake Eyes from More or Les and Wordburglar, and exactly what's advertised from Nerds With Guitars. (While you're waiting for August to roll around, keep tabs on GeekBands.ca, a newly launched portal for Canadian purveyors of nerdcore/chiptune/ukelele songs about cranky vampires.)

Join a tabletop RPG game
Go back to those glory days in the garage with your Dungeon Master's Guide and your 12-sided die. If you're looking for like-minded folks to launch a game with, or if you're new to tabletop games and want someone to show you the ropes, the Toronto Area Gamers Meetup page is quite active, with new postings going up constantly for casual board game meetups and long-running campaigns. Meanwhile, Bloordale's Dueling Grounds has various games and meetups happening regularly in their game room; check their site for events. Don't forget the Mountain Dew.

Check out some nerd burlesque
Somehow, among a certain demographic, the appeal of a sexy C-3PO never, ever seems to wane. Nerd Girl Burlesque starts the summer off right with a performance at World Pride, before continuing their excellently-titled Tassels and Tabletop series with a Clue-themed show on July 18. Look out for Red Herring's annual sci-fi-inspired Babes In Space showcase to pop up at the end of August (they will be the droids you're looking for).

Visit a new board game cafe
The popularity of Toronto's breakout board game cafes - including Snakes and Lattes and its boozy cousin, Snakes and Lagers - has led to a wave of similar spots opening up in the city. The newest additions include Bampot Bohemian House of Tea and Board Games, a cozy Harbord St. spot that will serve you loose-leaf tea and light snacks while your friends get served at Catan, and Markham's Chit-Chat-Play, which offers great coffee and gelato (and, oh yeah, a selection of 300 games).

Take in some theatre and comedy
This year's most overtly nerdy pick at the Toronto Fringe Festival: Ask Lovecraft, which sees the legendary horror mastermind resurrected to answer audience queries, offer some advice, and read some light poetry (spoiler alert: it will probably not be light poetry). On the comedy side, see summer blockbuster flicks get skewered by improv troupe The 404s (yep, as in "file not found"), or watch Joss Whedon's Serenity get dismantled at Comedy Bar.

Get suited up
Dressing up as your favourite fantasy character: A time-honoured nerd tradition. (Were we not once all the kid on Halloween with the super-obscure costume nobody else recognized?) In addition to the aforementioned conventions, a perennial magnet for hardcore cosplayers, masked marauders in search of a good party can hit up Heroes and Villains on July 19 (start picking a side now). If you're looking for more opportunities to wear that hand-made Iron Man suit, check out this Facebook group for regular updates on cosplay-friendly events.

Play a Toronto-inspired board game
Gaming and civic issues: Two very different, very nerdy fields of interest. In the centre of that Venn diagram, you'll find a couple of brand-new GTA-friendly entries into the board game market. Defend a fantasy-world version of the TTC subway from killer snakes in Subways and Serpents, or make the already-delightful Cards Against Humanity even more regionally offensive with Cards About Toronto, featuring cards like "Signal problems at track level" and "CAMH" (ouch). (There's also Cards Against Toronto Real Estate, if you're really uncool.)

Thanks to Growers Cider for sponsoring this post.

For more fun things to do this summer, check out our Toronto Fun Guide.

The Distillery is set to be transformed into a giant outdoor patio as part of a Bacardi-led festival designed to bring a taste of Havana to Toronto. Yes, a corporate takeover, this is - but one that comes with plenty of Cuban music, food, cigars and, yes, rum galore. While one suspects that the transformation will feel a little contrived, it's still a promising idea. The Distillery is already a busy place on weekends in the summer, and providing additional outdoor seating and entertainment is likely to make the area feel like a giant party.

Known as the Bacardi Festival Libra, the three day festival will make the entire brick-lined former industrial area a licensed patio. No word yet on free giveaways, but fingers crossed that this brand takeover Cuban Festival comes complete with some samples. Parents - this might be the weekend to leave the stroller occupants at home. Day drinking can make people rowdy.

The events takes place Friday, July 4th from 2 pm to 11 pm, Saturday, July 5th from 11 am to 11 pm, and Sunday, July 6th fromt 11 am to 5 pm.

The top sporting events in Toronto this summer draw from a diverse array of athletic pursuits, from car racing to rugby to the beautiful game. While Toronto's most popular team is hitting the links this summer, there are plenty other athletes out there who are ready to entertain and amaze. Soccer fans in particular should be excited with TFC's upcoming friendly against Tottenham on the way, but also the Under 20 Women's World Cup set to make a stop at BMO Field in August. Other highlights include the Honda Indy, the Queen's Plate, and the star-studded Rogers Cup. In all, it's set to be a busy summer for sports fans in Toronto.

Here are the top 10 sports events to watch in Toronto this summer.

Toronto Argos homeopener
The Toronto Argos had a solid season last year, but after finishing first in the Eastern Division, their hopes of a repeating as Grey Cup champions were dashed by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Eastern finals. The team will kick off its 57th season on Saturday July 5th against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Better rest your voice until then so you're ready to belt out Arrrggoooooos in long drone every chance you get.

Pan Am Test Events
Along with the major infrastructure projects affiliated with the Pan Am games, there's going to be a ton of world class athletes and competition in Toronto next summer. For those dubious at the importance of this impending event, the city will host a number of test runs this summer to drum up excitement for next year's games. Highlights include beach volleyball, triathlon, and trampoline gymnastics.

The Queen's Plate
One of the country's premier horse racing events, The Queen's Plate is an occasion to dress up and recall just how popular an exciting these races were back in the day. And while the race itself only lasts a few minutes, the idea is to drink and gamble! In other words, it's just good fun to get out to the track. This year marks the 155th anniversary of the event, which is one leg of the Canadian Triple Crown. July 6th - ticket info here.

Canada vs. England Rugby Test Match
Head to Lamport Stadium to check out some international rugby action on July 5th, as Canada takes on England. Alas, the last time Canada square of against the Lionhearts, the team was trounced 64-4. But, hey, at least fans got to watch some skilled rugby players. Perhaps this time, the boys can keep it more respectable. Check here for ticket options.

The Honda Indy
The Honda Indy always announces its presence in Toronto with a huge caravan of team trucks down Yonge St. followed by ear-popping practice laps. If you've never seen IndyCar racing, it's actually a spectacle worth taking in. Yes, the fuel consumption is maddening, but watching professional race car drivers manoeuvre through corkscrew turn is rather phenomenal. The combination of power and precision is very much lost when watching on television. This year will feature another doubleheader, with races on both Saturday and Sunday. July 18 and 19. Ticket info can be found here.

TFC vs. Tottenham Friendly
Toronto FC has built up a rabidly loyal following over the last five years, but there's nothing quite like seeing the European stars come through town to test the team's mettle. TFC will butt heads with Tottenham Hotspur F.C. on July 23rd in what will be an extra interesting friendly on account of the fact that it's the first time Jermain Defoe will square off against his old team. The Spurs are still one of the finest teams in the Premier League, so it will be intriguing to see how our local boys (at least by team affiliation) stack up against them.

Toronto Premier Cricket League
The GTA's cricket scene might not get a whole lot of main stream coverage, but the Markahm Fair Ground gets positively packed for tournaments like the the Mega Blast Knock Out Tournament (June 29th). There are a host of special tournaments to check out over the summer, including the All-Star event on July 27th. For the full 2014 schedule, check out the Toronto Premier Cricket League's website.

FIFA Under 20 Women's World Cup
The best up and coming female soccer talent in the world will come through Toronto this August as part of the Under 20 Women's World Cup. Taking place across the country, the tournament touches down locally for a group action and a portion of the quarter finals in August. Unlike the main tournament, Canada is a competitor in this event (and a good one), so fans can cheer on the home team at BMO Field starting on August 5th. Ticketing information can be found here.

Blue Jays Bobblehead Day
This August 24th game against the Tampa Bay Rays may or may not be of much significance on the field (the Jays currently lead the AL East while the Rays are in the basement), but if you've always wanted a bobblehead, here's your chance. At this point in the season, the Jays have already given out R.A. Dickey and Jose Reyes dolls, so let's hope you're a Mark Buehrle fan because that's who's on offer to the first 20,000 fans who arrive that day.

Rogers Cup Tennis
Here's your chance to watch one of the best generations of men's tennis talent there's ever been. Barring injuries, you can expect to see Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, and, of course, the ever slick Roger Federer. The early August date makes Toronto a perfectly timed tuneup for the U.S. Open, so the field at the Rexall Centre is typically very strong. August 2-10th. Ticketing information available here.

Thanks to Pure Leaf for sponsoring our summer adventures. For more things to do this summer, check out our Best of Summer page.

Photo by Chris Fizik in the blogTO Flickr pool

Photo by Freaktography in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Parking in Toronto is seen, by and large, as a complete and total nightmare. Having a reliable monthly spot eases that sting somewhat (well, maybe not as far as your bank balance goes, but you can't win 'em all). If you're looking for a place for your car to call home, a new Toronto-based startup may have the solution.

WhereIPark acts as a handy broker between space-seekers and those with surplus parking spots, offering easy-to-navigate listings (no classifieds-trawling required). Renters can browse through a map to find spots near them, or scroll through a list. Once you've found a spot, you submit your desired rental start date, and if the owner confirms, payment is handled through a secure credit card transaction.

The site, which got off the ground last week, currently lists 30-plus available parking spaces in Toronto, from a $45 spot at Roncesvalles and Wright to $300 for a space at Yonge and Eglinton. Look for more as the project gets rolling.

Photo by torontocitylife from the blogTO Flickr pool.

This is the second week running for closures on DineSafe, as an insect infestation shut down Westwood Place Burgers this week. Also on the list? David's Tea and Tattoo - neither of which sell food. Both got yellow-carded for dishwasher problems (among other things).

Here are the rest of this week's delinquents on DineSafe.

Hunter's Pizza & Burgers (2574 Birchmount St.)
Inspected on: June 16, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 6 (Minor: 4, Significant: 2)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Tattoo (567 Queen St.)
Inspected on: June 16, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 2 (Significant: 2)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

The Sandwich Box (67 Richmond St. West)
Inspected on: June 16, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 6 (Minor: 2, Significant: 3, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4 C (40 F) or colder.

One of A Kind Pasta & Grill (746 Queen St.)
Inspected on: June 17, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 2 (Minor: 1, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operate food premise maintained in manner adversely affecting sanitary condition.

Westwood Place Burgers (1391 Weston Rd.)
Inspected on: June 18, 2014
Inspection finding: Red (Closed)
Number of infractions: 2 (Significant: 1, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to prevent an insect infestation

Whelan's Gate (1663 Bloor St. West)
Inspected on: June 18, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 4 (Minor: 3, Significant: 1)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Ali Baba's (126 Peter St.)
Inspected on: June 18, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 6 (Minor: 2, Significant: 3, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4 C (40 F) or colder.

David's Tea (336 Queen St.)
Inspected on: June 18, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 2, Significant: 1)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Amato Pizza (429 Yonge St.)
Inspected on: June 19, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 2, Significant: 3)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Aroma Espresso Bar (383 Spadina Rd.)
Inspected on: June 19, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 6 (Minor: 3, Significant: 3)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

HomeSense stores in Toronto get a fair amount of traffic from GTA residents looking to furnish their homes without dropping a small fortune. You can always go the Ikea cheap and cheerful route, but if you're looking to add a little more personality, just head to HomeSense and grab that Union Jack-patterned beanbag.

Being an offshoot of the similarly-hit-and-miss Winners, not all HomeSense locations are created equal. Some carry more dishes and kitchenware, while others put a higher emphasis on linens and bath items - and, if you venture out of the downtown, you might find a decent selection of furniture. With their inventories changing constantly, there may be no such thing as a truly bad HomeSense - but they vary widely in terms of reliability, cleanliness, organization, and customer service.

Here are the best and worst HomeSense stores in Toronto.

BEST

Leaside (957 Eglinton Ave. East)
Bring a car if you're going shopping because this location is one of the biggest in the GTA. If you're looking for something to sit on, this is the store to check. There is a huge selection of chairs, settees, chaises and ottomans in this location, as well your choice of bird cages, sheets and plates. It's clean and well-organized. Basically, you're spoiled for choice.

Stockyards (75 Gunns Rd.)
Our unscientific survey of blogTO Twitter followers placed the new Stockyards store as a new favourite. This is one of the newer stores, so it's fairly clean, and the selection is vast and well-curated. Bonus points for good customer service.

Queensway (1840 The Queensway, Etobicoke)
It's big, it's spacious, and fans say it has a great selection of items such as bath towels and those little extras like vases. It's kept clean, and shoppers say the customer service is very helpful and accommodating.

Lakeshore (1865 Lakeshore Rd. West)
The Lakeshore HomeSense has great customer service, isn't crowded - even on weekends - and has a huge selection of everything, especially china. Like most stores in the GTA, it's pretty big and light, allowing for shoppers to wander through the aisles.

Dixie Road (4141 Dixie Rd.)
Looking for a present? Then this is the HomeSense you'll want to hit up - ditto if you want cute accessories for events or just to add that extra oomph to your home. It has a selection of vases (good for weddings), glasses (perfect for parties), and lighting to help create a mood.

WORST

Spadina (80 Spadina Ave.)
This downtown store, located - oddly - in an aging hub for contemporary art, is pretty love-it-or-hate-it. Depending on who you talk to, the store has absolutely nothing to offer - or a great selection of rugs and bedding. Whatever your take on the inventory, though, the customer service isn't great at this location.

Yonge (195 Yonge St.)
This two-storey location is a bit hit-and-miss, but is filled (to the brim, sometimes to the hindrance of your shopping experience) with home-related knickknacks. There isn't much furniture for sale at this location, but it is a mecca for cushions, food and cookware, if that's your goal. A downside: store is a little on the haphazard side, and has been described by shoppers as untidy and cluttered.

Scarborough (50 Ashtonbee Rd.)
The Scarborough location is an older store, but it still has a few die-hard fans who like the inventory - especially the pet supplies. It's clean and well-organized, but the customer service could be a bit better.

Heartland (6075 Mavis Rd.)
This store is crammed with stuff - either a selling point or a drawback, depending on your shopping style. It's recommended that you check out the entire store as stuff may not be categorized properly - a common issue with most HomeSense stores.

Oakville (2341 Trafalgar Rd.)
This HomeSense is integrated with Winners, their parent store. The HomeSense part of the store has the usual home furnishings and kitchen tools but you do have to dig to find the good stuff. Some of the furnishings do need to be touched up, but that's usually the deal for a deal.

Agree? Disagree? What is your favourite HomeSense store and what was your best buy? Tell us in the comments.

Writing by Renee Sylvestre-Williams.