Today in Toronto there is only one thing to obsess about: the Pokemon Go Canadian release party at the CN Tower. The world's most popular app officially became available in Canada yesterday so know your map and get playing.

For more events, click on over to our events section.

• Pokemon Go Canadian Release Party (CN Tower)
• Jane Jacobs Prize 2016 Ceremony (401 Richmond)
• The Julie Ruin (Lee's Palace)
• Jerome Hill's Film Portrait Screening (Gladstone Hotel)
• The Hollowbodies w/ Aaron Mallin (The Burdock)

Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO Toronto events section.

Photo by Lori Whelan in the blogTO Flickr Pool.

This Japanese BBQ joint might be a familiar name around the world but here in Toronto this global chain recently opened its first location.

Read my profile of Gyu-Kaku in the restaurants sections.

This week on DineSafe, Chinese restaurant Tasty House got shut down for failing to prevent an insect infestation, failure to prevent gross unsanitary conditions and failure to protect food from contamination or adulteration. Lots of other familiar restaurants are also on this week's list with conditional passes.

See which Toronto restaurants landed on DineSafe this week.

The Boulevard Cafe (161 Harbord St.)
Inspected on: July, 11 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 3, Significant: 2)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Drupati's (1085 Bellamy Rd.)
Inspected on: July, 11 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 6 (Minor: 3, Significant: 3)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Mother's Dumplings (804 Danforth Ave.)
Inspected on: July, 11 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 2 (Minor: 1, Significant: 1)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Grasshopper (310 College St.)
Inspected on: July, 12 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 2, Significant: 1)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Paramount Fine Foods (253 Yonge St.)
Inspected on: July, 12 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 6 (Minor: 3, Significant: 3)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Origination (421 Dundas St. W.)
Inspected on: July, 13 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Significant: 3)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Tasty House (240 Alton Towers Crcl.)
Inspected on: July, 13 2016
Inspection finding: Red (Closed)
Number of infractions: 4 (Significant: 1, Crucial: 3)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to prevent gross unsanitary conditions. Operator fail to prevent an insect infestation. Fail to protect food from contamination or adulteration.

Sashimi Island (635 College St.)
Inspected on: July, 15 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 6 (Minor: 2, Significant: 3, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Employee fail to wash hands when required.

Note: The above businesses each received infractions from DineSafe as originally reported on the DineSafe site. This does not imply that any of these businesses have not subsequently corrected the issue and received a passing grade by DineSafe inspectors. For the latest status for each of the mentioned businesses, including details on any subsequent inspections, please be sure to check the DineSafe site.

If you've been to Toronto bar and nightclub Early Mercy, you've probably noticed the hipster-fied portraits of historical figures, like Ghandi, Abraham Lincoln and J.F.K.

Early Mercy's designers PD Labs gives local artist Zimmo Lu artist credit for these quirky pieces. But if you've encountered them before, you'll know they look quite similar to Israeli illustrator Amit Shimoni'sHipstory series.

As the Toronto Star reports today, Shimoni's rep Yair Osheroff originally tried to work out a licensing deal with the King West hot spot. He's now gotten a local lawyer, as the Star writes, and might sue.

If you're into Shimoni's work, and want to adorn your walls with hip-looking world leaders, you can shop his collection locally at Nuvango.

Photo by Jesse Milns.

Pokemon Go is finally out in Canada! But even before it hit our local app store, Toronto PokeMasters were out in full force all weekend trying to catch 'em all.

Many ventured towards the water because the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal has numerous Pokestops in a relatively small area. And, many of these stops had lure modules on, filling the lakeside space with lots and lots of Pokemon.

While it may look like everyone's absorbed in their phones, many are crediting the game with getting people active and outside. Some are exploring new parts of the city thanks to Pokemon and others are making new friends.

Regardless of what you think, the game is just lots of fun. And here's how some PokeMasters enjoyed the weekend by the lake.

Ok literally everyone on the Toronto waterfront is playing #PokemonGO right now. It begins... #PokemonGOcanada

— James Brereton (@JamesLBrereton) July 18, 2016

A video posted by Alex Dyck (@alexd553) on Jul 12, 2016 at 4:53pm PDT

Photo by @kc_edge on Instagram.

Maybe you wanted to go on an exotic vacation this summer to beautiful Vietnam, a cultured country with a rich history...but couldn't scrounge up the cash. An evening getaway munching on "shaking beef" surrounded by brickwork and antiques imported from Hanoi should cure your wanderlust.

Read my profile of Lan Restaurant in the restaurants section.

Yesterday marked the launch of Pokemon Go in Canada. While some Torontonians may have already been playing for a week, others finally joined in on the fun - and crashed the servers temporarily.

With the official Canadian launch party at the CN Tower tonight, the Pokemon Go craze is showing no signs of slowing down in the 6ix. Not only are people hooked but some of our local businesses, markets, museums and amusement parks are getting in on the Pokemon action.

Here's a round-up of how some Toronto businesses responded to the launch of Pokemon Go as see on Instagram.

And here they come! #pokemongo enjoying some #unionsummer eats and treats ☺️☀️👏

A photo posted by torontounion (@torontounion) on Jul 16, 2016 at 10:16am PDT

This guy multitasking catching #pokemon and ordering #dumplings at the same time though✌️#pokemongo #viewsfromthetruck

A photo posted by feasTO (@feastoronto) on Jul 16, 2016 at 9:01am PDT

A photo posted by Dufflet Pastries (@duffletpastries) on Jul 15, 2016 at 8:26am PDT

A photo posted by Fish'd by EDO (@fishdbyedo) on Jul 15, 2016 at 8:22am PDT

Breaking News @dutchdreams is a PokemonGo stop. #Pokemon #pokemongostop #toronto #icecream #thebesticecreamintoronto #416 #dutchdreams #fun #homemadewafflecone #familybuisness #games

A photo posted by Dutchdreams (@dutchdreams) on Jul 12, 2016 at 6:58am PDT

Even #Pokeman knows where to get the good eats. #pokemon #pokemongo #pokego #pokemango #gottacatchemall #FrontStreetFoods #frontstfoods #eatTO #eattoronto #torontofood #torontomarkets #tastethesix #tastetoronto #blogto #tofinest #goodeatsTO #torontopatio #torontomarkets

A photo posted by Toronto Market Co (@torontomarketco) on Jul 14, 2016 at 3:40pm PDT

Surprise, surprise: #PokemonGO have great taste in art galleries. 📷 treynox #PokemonAGO

A photo posted by Art Gallery of Ontario (@agotoronto) on Jul 12, 2016 at 2:00pm PDT

Do you think I could catch that Zubat? 🦁 #TOLionCubs #PokeTOZoo #PokemonGO

A photo posted by Toronto Zoo (@thetorontozoo) on Jul 15, 2016 at 9:47am PDT

#pokemongo Gotta eat them all! #Pokemon #pikachu #gottacatchthemall #thesix #toronto #selectbakery #customorder

A photo posted by Select Bakery (@selectbakery) on Jul 17, 2016 at 10:10am PDT

The DFA are a little spicier today #heatwave #ember #sneakydees #toronto

A photo posted by Sneaky Dee's (@thesneakydees) on Jul 14, 2016 at 9:35am PDT

Photo via @loqtm.

The 2016 Rogers Cup runs from July 23 to 31, and features a stacked field for this year's tournament. All of the top 10 seeds on the ATP Tour are registered to play at the event, and while there's uncertainty surrounding Rafael Nadal's wrist injury, we're guaranteed to see some of the best players in the game on court in Toronto.

Here's what you need to know about the 2016 Rogers Cup in Toronto.

The Players

As a Masters 1000 event, the second most prestigious category behind the grand slams, the Rogers Cup typically features a strong field. This is only fitting given its history as the Canadian Open, our national tennis championship.

This year, the field is particularly strong, thanks in part to the Rio Olympics which begin on August 5. This will prove an important pre-tournament for those players headed to Rio, and may witness the return of Rafael Nadal, who's been injured since the French Open but will likely want at least one tournament under his belt before heading to South America.

The Rogers Cup is also scheduled to be Novak Djokovic's first tournament since he was knocked out of Wimbledon in the third round by Sam Querrey. It will be fascinating to see if he's returned to form after that stunning upset.

Beyond the big four - Djokovic, Murray, Federer, and Nadal - there's significant intrigue in the draw thanks to two Canadians. Milos Raonic's play at Wimbledon makes him look as poised as ever to win Canada's biggest tournament for the first time in his career, which would be a historic feat given that no Canadian has done so in decades.

Future star and Richmond Hill native Denis Shapovalov, who's coming off of a Junior Wimbledon win, will make his Rogers Cup debut this year. This will be a bit of a coming out party for the 17 year old, who's ranked as the second best junior in the world. It'll be a tough test against the men, but it would be great to see him win a round or two.

Watching the matches

Attending tennis tournaments is a bit different from other sports, where you can simply buy a ticket to a given match. Based on the way the draw works, would-be spectators buy tickets for sessions rather than individual matches.

In general, tournament days are divided into two sessions: day and night. For the best chance to see a wide variety of players, your best bet is to buy a day session ticket in one of the early rounds when the draw is still robust. As the tournament continues, there are less players to see, but presumably higher quality matches.

Hardcore tennis fans might opt to buy a midweek package, which grants them access to four different sessions, and would all but guarantee that they see the player of their choice. Weekend packages are already sold out, though individual tickets for weekend sessions remain.

If you're looking to do the Rogers Cup on the cheap, you can take in the spectacle of opening day on Centre Court for $20 as part of a special deal. Your seat will be near the top of the stadium, but the Aviva Centre isn't huge (11,000 seats), so you'll still have a good vantage point.

Speaking of vantage points, tickets range considerably based on the level of seating. After opening day, blue level seating (the furthest from the court) starts at $40 and goes up as the tournament gets deeper. You can spend up to $495 on premium tickets to the finals, though there are plenty of cheaper options to sit lower during the earlier rounds.

What happens if it rains?

If a session is completely washed out, the majority of ticket holders are able to exchange their tickets for a session the next day or apply the ticket price to a session later in the tournament. There are, however, a variety of exceptions to this rule, so it's best to read the fine print on the rain policy before buying tickets.

What else is there to do at the Aviva Centre?

Attending a tennis tournament usually involves spending some time on the grounds outside of the stadium, particularly if there's a bit of drizzle. When you're not in the Centre Court stands, you can check out the retail village, which features restaurants, shops, a stage, and an area for autograph sessions.

Thanks to Mayfair Clubs for sponsoring this post.

Photo via the Rogers Cup.

Choose wisely, Toronto because when you get to level 5 in Pokemon Go, Professor Oak asks you to join one of three teams: Mystic (blue), Valor (red) or Instinct (yellow). Once you pick, you're stuck on that team forever, or until you inevitably get bored of running around the city chasing Pokemon (but that'll never happen).

Luckily, the three Pokemon teams correspond quite well with the Hogwarts Houses in the Harry Potter series (sorry, Slytherin), so which one should you join? As Harry knows, that's all up to you.

Team Valor - like Gryffindor - is all about, well valor, strength and bravery. Led by Candela, Valor believes Pokemon are stronger than humans. It aims to be the very best, like no one ever was. Its mascot is Moltres and you can join in on the Toronto-related Valor fun on Facebook.

Mystic is like Ravenclaw. The blue team, led by Blanche, values brains over brawn. This cerebral crew, whose mascot is Articuno, is curious about how and why Pokemon evolve and uses logic and reason when heading into battle. If you're a team Mystic member, immerse yourself in all things blue here.

Instinct, like Hufflepuff, is often underrated - but that doesn't make it any less awesome. As its name suggests, the yellow team follows its intuition (or instinct) while searching for Pokemon and taking over gyms. Its leader is Spark and its mascot is Zapdos. Meet your fellow Toronto Instinct members here.

Each of the three groups post helpful hints and they often list information about meet ups and lure parties. If you haven't gotten to level 5 yet, get outside and catch some Pokemon.

The best wine bars in Toronto are places to discover grape varietals and regions that you've yet to try. While the wine options at the LCBO are better than ever, the wonderful thing about drinking by the glass at a bar is that an expert has done the choosing for you, and if you don't happen to like what you've ordered, you can just move on to the next option.

Here are the best wine bars in Toronto.

Toronto is teeming with Pokemon Go trainers, especially now that the augmented reality game's officially out in Canada. And you can celebrate your latest catch, hatch or battle at Sneaky Dee's later this summer because the legendary bar and PokeStop is hosting GO Pokemon: A Nintendo FanExpo Dance Party on September 3.

Tickets are on sale now and they're only $5. Along with picking up some Pokemon, you can dance to tunes from 1990s and compete in the cosplay contest. You'll also be able to stuff your face with nachos. Hopefully Sneaks will also provide lures all night long.

But if you can't wait to until Labour Day weekend to party, Studio Bar's hosting Pokemon party on August 6.

Photo by Matt Forsythe

Toronto is attracting a record-breaking number of tourists - welcome to our fair city. If you're new to town or are showing friends and family around for a day, where should you go? While mainstream attractions like the CN Tower, St. Lawrence Market and the Aquarium might seem like obvious choices, there are plenty of other unique spots to check out.

Here are some essential places you need to go while on summer vacation in Toronto.

Go on a west end brewery crawl
Toronto's craft beer scene is blowing up, especially in the city's west end. Hit up the patio at Bandit Brewery, try some funky and fruity brews at Halo, catch a show at Burdock (it's a brewery, restaurant and concert hall) and explore Sterling Road at Henderson Brewing.

Dine at one of Toronto's hot new restaurants
Toronto's a haven for food lovers, so come hungry. Try something new and visit Her Father's Cider, our city's first ever dedicated cider bar. Grab small plates at the still lineup inducing Bar Raval or its newer sibling El Rey Mezcal Bar. Like your dinner with a view? Lavelle has you covered, but bring your bather too because you might want to take a dip in the pool.

Throw some axes over drinks
Axe-throwing is super popular here, but did you know it's a quintessentially Toronto activity? If uptown, head to the new BATL location near Yorkdale or make like a downtowner and saunter over to the Port Lands during one of its drop-in times. If you're the type who plans in advance you can also book out space for you and your travel buddies. BATL's now licensed so drink up.

Take a tour of Toronto's outrageous ice cream parlours
Toronto's screaming for ice cream. Get an outrageously adorned cone from Sweet Jesus or customize a soft serve creation at La Diperie. Or go all out at try a churro cone, a doughnut cone or an Instagram-worthy ice cream taco.

Work off those calories at an adult jungle gym
You're going to want to hit the gym after stuffing your face, but avoid the weights and treadmills in favour of something a little different. At Pursuit OCR you can jump on monkey bars, dive into a ball pit and generally have the time of your life while breaking a sweat (hard to imagine, I know). This obstacle course and fitness studio will transport you back to childhood while whipping you into shape.

Cross the DVP and explore Leslieville
It's easy to spend time on the west side, but your visit won't be complete without trekking to the Leslieville, the neighbourhood the New York Times once called Toronto's Williamsburg. Start with brunch at Saturday Dinette and later, refuel at one of the area's popular cafes - indulge in an Arabic coffee from just opened Hailed or take your coffee with a raw egg at Lan Restaurant.

Build your cred with a Dupont Street art crawl
Some of Toronto's best contemporary art galleries have emerged on (and around) Dupont Street. Be sure to visit Cooper Cole, Neubacher Shor, Erin Stump Projects, Katzman Contemporary and Angell Gallery.

Shop on one of the coolest streets in North America
Vogue named Toronto's West Queen West one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world for street style and earlier this summer it was named one of the coolest streets again. Shop at one of Toronto's new boutiques like Tusk or The Siista'r before resting your heels at one of Toronto's most popular parks.

What did I miss? Add more suggestions to the comments.

Photo of Bandit Brewery by Jesse Milns.

PokeStops in Toronto are what you need to find if your new favourite pastime is running through the 6ix catching Pokemon. Don't know where your favourite Pokemon spawn, check out the Pokemon Go map, or hit up one of the hottest PokeStops below.

Here's a round-up of some of the hottest PokeStops in Toronto right now.

Nathan Phillips Square
For water Pokemon, you should obviously head to bodies of water. And if you don't want to get caught up in the ferry terminal or Harbourfront madness, you can check out the reflecting pool at Nathan Phillips Square because it apparently spawns Polywhirl and Seadra.

The Financial District
This neighbourhood is lit up with lures. Apparently when office-workers get bored of the cubicle life, they head outside and go poke-hunting. At lunch hour, I parked myself outside of Momofuku (the Shangri-La Lobby is a Pokestop) and caught Spearows and Pidgeys with a bunch of some finance bros.

Mel Lastman Square
If you live in North York, walk up and down Yonge Street and hit Empress Walk and Mel Lastman Square. There are plenty of PokeStops, rare(ish) Pokemon and fewer people than downtown.

Sneaky Dee's
Go for the Pokemon, stay for the nachos. This legendary Toronto watering hole is also a Pokestop - is there anything better than catching Pokemon while eating nachos? Probably not.

Toronto's Village of Murals
For all you west end PokeMasters, head to the John Kuna murals on Dundas Street West between Islington and Kipling instead of venturing downtown. Apparently the area's filled with Pokestops and gyms.

Jack Layton Ferry Terminal
If you want to catch Pokemon and some new friends IRL too, this is the place to. The Harbourfront was absolutely teeming with trainers this weekend, and it looks like people are continuing to head lakeside, especially if they want to catch Dragonite.

CN Tower
Toronto's tallest landmark is also its most sought-after gym. This place attracts trainers like moths to flames and it's also home to numerous lure parties.

Guild Park
Scarborough may not be the pest place to go Poke-hunting, but this green space is probably one of your best bets.

Queen's Park and University of Toronto
There's lots of ground to cover here (if you walk around Queen Park a few times, you can hatch a 5-kilometre egg). Take a stroll through one of the prettiest places in the city and throw some Poke balls along the way.

Eaton Centre
Along with the mall, the nearby Church of The Holy Trinity is a concentrated spot, meaning lots of PokeStops, lures and Pokemon. Pick up some new clothes and fill up your Pokedex as you shop.

Add more popular PokeStops to the comments.

Photo by Tom Podolec in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Ever been strolling home at the witching hour and had a craving for some collard green poutine? Even if all you want is another drink and some fried chicken, skip the bottle of domestic and cardboard bucket and head to this slightly classier option for late night eats.

Read my profile of Three Hands in the restaurants section.

Toronto is filled with west coast imports. Some of our city's most popular new bars and restaurants - like Miku, Belfast Love, Cactus Club and the Shameful Tiki Room - all got their start in beautiful British Columbia. And the trend shows no sign of stopping as another Vancouver sushi joint gets ready to move in.

Ebisu, owned by the Kamei Group, already has two locations in Vancouver and one in Richmond, along with two other spots under different names.

This incoming sushi restaurant will makes its home in the bust Queen West neighbourhood, an area that already has lots of foot traffic. And it's taking over the former Sushi Queen space at 204 Queen St. W.

While Ebisu doesn't have a firm opening date just yet, it should have its soft launch in the third week of August.

Photo via Ebisu on Facebook

As if you needed another reason to play in the sun all day while downing delicious drinks and fabulous food, Toronto's newest rooftop patio and pool serves food as mind-blowing as its view of the CN Tower. Chef Romain Avril prepares French modern cuisine with a peppering of some of his favourite Asian influences.

Read my profile of Lavelle in the restaurants section.

"This is effing madness," yells a man as he walks through the throng of people stationed between the CN tower and the Rogers Centre. Everyone's standing around staring at their phones. Occasionally, someone screams out "Valor!" or "Mystic!" And the crowd whoops and hollers back.

There's a festive feeling in the air as Torontonians of all ages gather together to celebrate the Canadian release of Pokemon Go.

Last night's unofficial Pokemon Go release party stared out as a small Facebook event, but it grew alongside the enormously popular smartphone game, which only came out in Canada on Sunday.

Though before it appeared in our local App Store, many of us got the American version so we could start catching Pokemon too.

Unlike any game that's reached this level of popularity before it, Pokemon Go changes how players interact across time and space. In order to catch 'em all you actually have to get outside and move around. And you benefit by playing with others.

That's why massive events like last night's are so appealing - you can find more Pokemon when lots and lots of players join together and set up lure modules at PokeStops.

And while the crowd got excited each time an Eevee appeared, the whole party was more about camaraderie.

It was easy to meet people as experienced players helped newbies and enterprising PokeMasters moved through the group hawking team pins. A few cosplayers showed up and everyone went nuts when a life size Pikachu appeared.

Confused tourists holding CN Tower bags pushed their way through the mass of trainers, oblivious to the fact that a Wartortle spawned nearby.

It was easy to get carried away last night as a buffet of Pokemon popped up on my screen. But I got my fill after nearly two hours, though I didn't even realize the sun had set until I turned my back on city's preeminent Pokemon gym.

While the Pokemon Go craze will inevitably fade, it might be difficult to put the game down, especially because of its social component. Groups have scheduled meetups and dance parties until September in public spaces as well as in bonafide bars and nightclubs.

Sure, it may seem strange to watch hordes of adults chasing imaginary, digital creatures, but anything that gets thousands of Torontonians to join together peacefully can't be all that bad.

Photos by Natta Summerky

Vegans and vegetarians in Toronto have lots of restaurants to choose from, especially if they feel like junk food. But few of these dining options are upscale. That'll change when the Chase Hospitality Group opens Planta, a new 100 per cent plant-based eatery slated to open up in Yorkville this September.

Planta will take over 1221 Bay St., also known as the former Pangea space. It'll serve up breakfast, lunch and dinner and will help herbivores and healthy eaters imbibe with organic wine and freshly pressed juice-based cocktails.

Along with Chase, Nota Bene's chef David Lee is partnering on this green-sounding venture. You can visit the 165-seat Planta this fall.

WayHome may not be in Toronto, but we've adopted the Oro-Medonte-area festival as our own. And if the city feels emptier than usual this upcoming weekend, it's probably because everyone's partying at the Burl's Creek Event Ground. Gates open at 3 p.m. on Thursday, July 21 so you can start setting up before the music begins, and the ferris wheel starts spinning, the next day.

If you're new to this three-day camping extravaganza, or even if you went last year, there's lots to consider before schlepping out of town. Here's your guide to the WayHome festivities - and here's a map if you get lost!

Money
WayHome is going completely cash free this year. That means you can pay for everything via your wristband instead of carrying around (and inevitably losing) cash or cards. Festival staffers recommend topping up before you arrive - if you're worried about running out of money, you can set your wristband to auto reload. But don't fret, there will be reloading stations on site.

Food
You'll probably be cooking a lot of your own food, but if you're feeling lazy and don't want to run back to your campsite for meals, there will be lots and lots of gluttonous food options available. And to keep you going throughout the festival, there will be more coffee vendors open this year, especially in the 24-hour areas between the east and west camp grounds.

So, what can you look forward to stuffing your face with? Here's a list of the food vendors.

• Smokes Poutinerie
• Pita Pit
• The Food Dudes
• Curbalicious
• Bubbles Ice Cream
• Chevys Big Bite
• Uncle Smoke Barbecue
• The Poutine Machine
• Poutine Supreme
• Rose & Sons
• BeaverTails Near North
• Hank Daddy's Barbecue
• Friends Diner
• Heavenly Dreams Ice Cream
• Mustache Burger
• Heirloom Food Truck
• The Mighty Cob
• Music City Coffee Co.
• Chill Pops
• Rancho Relaxo
• Smoothe Operator
• Bake Three Fifty
• Come & Get It
• JP's Barbeque
• The Kind Kitchen
• Chimney Stax Baking Co.
• Bloomin' Onion
• Chipmonk's Food Truck
• Kungfu Dawg
• Pappas Greek
• Prince Edward's Fries
• Fit to Grill
• Grounded Coffee Company
• Smoothie Solutions
• Station Cold Brew Coffee Co.
• Easy Freezie
• Sub and Sandwich Factory
• Summer Time Lemonade Inc.
• The Coffee Barn
• The Saucy Pierogi
• The Ultimate Food Truck
• Tropical Temptations

If you decided to go all out and buy VIP passes, the food selection looks even better. Along with gaining access to the site's refurbished 1930s barn, you'll get to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at three mini restaurants created by the Drake: China Town, Sneaky Tee's and the Drake Diner.

China Town will feature snacks like pork and shrimp dumplings and sesame chicken wings; Sneaky Tee's will take a cue from Sneaky Dee's to serve up nachos and tacos; and the Drake Diner will dole out breakfast sandwiches, granola, burgers, pimento cheesy fries, avocado toast and kale Caesar salads.

Drinks
If you're going to drink, load up your wristband or come prepared with a cooler for your campsite. Expect Molson products - the big beer company is a major sponsor - as well as Somersby and Smirnoff.

But more importantly, bring a reusable water bottle because it's going to be a hot weekend and you don't want to get dehydrated. There will be two big water refill stations; one in the main concert bowl and another by the WayBold stage.

Camping
If you want to camp out, you'll have to pay for it ($129.99 plus tax and fees, to be exact). Each site fits a maximum of six people plus one car. There's currently a small chance of rain this weekend, so if you're planning on sleeping in a tent, remember to bring a ground sheet and fly - a few tarps would work too - because there's nothing worse than a sopping wet tent.

If you don't mind shelling out the big bucks, you can book a spot at the WayCamp ($499.99). You'll get a pre-set souvenir tent, two air mattresses, two sleeping bags, a lock, a light and a spot close to the festival grounds.

RV camping is also available and if you're planning to drive, you can buy a parking pass for $69.99.

Attractions
WayHome bills itself as a music and art festival, so naturally, it also showcases visual artists. You'll be able to see installations throughout the festival grounds, including pieces by Aaron Li-Hill, Angus Watt (you know, the guy band the Medieval-looking flags), Trevor Wheatley and Nathan Whitford. If you arrive before 8 p.m. on Thursday, you'll be able to participate in the Art Walk and meet some of the artists.

And like most big-ticket music festivals, WayHome will be teeming with corporate activations. Vitamin Water's giving out free Vitamin Water, Somersby's building a treehouse, Smirnoff's bring back its house party and Reebok's setting up a ferris wheel.

Yes, WayHome 2016 will feature a ferris wheel, which will really amp up its Coachella vibes.

Music
Ah music, the real reason we're all heading to WayHome. The daily lineups been out for a little bit now, so if you want to be super organized, go create your own personal, colour-coded schedule now. LCD Soundsystem is headlining on Friday, Arcade Fire's on Saturday and The Killers will close out the festival on Sunday night.

If you're not the scheduling type, be prepared to go with the flow. Last year, I had the best time hanging out at the small WayAway Stage dancing my face off (in the shade) and discovering new bands. And remember, the music doesn't stop at 11 p.m. (well, it does on Sunday) - there's music until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday night.

On Friday, Toronto's Keys N Krates are playing WayBright, Mac DeMarco, and later, Matt & Kim will take on the WayBold Stage and Unknown Mortal Orchestra will be at WayAway.

The next night, get ready to stay up late with a stellar lineup that includes Chet Faker, Vince Staples, Major Lazer and FKA twigs.

Things you'll probably forget to pack, but really should bring

• Hand sanitizer
• Flip flops for the shower
• A rain poncho
• Sunscreen
• Fanny pack
• Water bottle
• Chapstick
• Tarps
• Ear plugs
• Portable phone charger
• But set a meeting spot for your friend because good luck getting service.

Photos by Jesse Milns, Hector Vasquez and courtesy of the Drake Hotel Properties.

Toronto police want you to stay safe as you run through the 6ix catching Pokemon. In other cities around the world, trainers have walked into traffic and off cliffs trying to be the very best, like no one ever was.

But you should probably glance up from your phone once in a while and look both ways before chasing after a wild Eevee.

"We're trying to send a message and that message is: 'Be safe.' Is a Squirtle worth your safety? I don't believe that it is," said Const. David Hopkinson to CBC News.

You should also avoid trespassing, even if you do spot a rare or elusive Pokemon. Luckily, there haven't been any major issues in Toronto. Yet.

And Sick Kids is also asking players to stop dropping lures in and around the hospital. On numerous Pokemon Go Facebook groups, members have been encouraging others to help patients catch Pokemon. And while this seems like an awesome initiative, apparently it's doing more harm than good.

Please don't drop #PokemonGo lures inside or outside @SickKidsNews. Read our message: pic.twitter.com/lNqCFBQBjB

— SickKids_TheHospital (@SickKidsNews) July 18, 2016

Photo by Natta Summerky.