WHEREmail

// October 2007

Dear Subscriber

This month great festivals, exhibitions and stage performances make up our October lineup of What's Hot across the nation. Also, we tell you where to hear live music in some of the country's best pubs and reveal which city has the top underground transit system in the world. Plus check out great dining contests and travel deals.

WHAT'S HOT IN OCTOBER:

Vancouver

What happens when greatness fades? Canadian playwright Daniel MacIvor explores this subject in his new play His Greatness, an imagined-but-almost-true tale about Tennessee Williams's final year. It was inspired by Williams's 1981 visit to Vancouver. At the Arts Club Granville Island, Oct 11 to Nov 10.

Toronto

See history through the lenses of the globe's best shutterbugs at the 2007 World Press Photo exhibition Oct 2 to 24. The 200 photographs highlight some of the most significant world events of the previous year—read more about it in our "Editor's Pick" article. Also, hear soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian in the Canadian Opera Company's production of The Marriage of Figaro in various performances throughout the month.

Ottawa

Frances Itani, the Right Honourable Jean Chretien and Jasper Fforde are among the literary masters taking the stage at the Ottawa International Writer's Festival from Oct 13 to 21. Meanwhile, discretion may not be the better part of valour after all as actor Roger Forbes plays Falstaff, that lovable Shakespearean rapscallion, and tells all in a one-man show. It's on at the National Arts Centre starting Oct 23.

Canadian Rockies

The Banff Mountain Festivals Oct 27 to Nov 4 at the Banff Centre (1-800-413-8368) include screenings of 50 jury-picked films, mountain arts and crafts, literary presentations, and book and travel trade shows. Speakers include Everest survivor Lincoln Hall and Polish mountaineer Krzysztof Wielicki.

Calgary

From Oct 9 to 14, bookworms can delight in Wordfest, a literary festival attracting some of the best writers of prose and poetry from around the world. Among the 72 writers in this year's lineup are Banff Distinguished author Jane Urquhart, 2006 Booker prize winner Kiran Desai and popular Canadian humourist, Will Ferguson.

Victoria

The Capital Arts Festival is a month-long celebration of professional arts in Victoria. From music to dance, theatre to the visual arts, the arts take centre stage at venues around town. Pacific Opera Victoria opens its 2007/08 season with Mozart's break-through masterpiece, Idomeneo, performed on selected evenings from Oct 11 to 20 at the historic Royal Theatre.

Halifax

Returning home to Halifax after a successful international tour, Drum is a celebration of Nova Scotian culture that you don't so much watch as experience. The spectacular stage show brings 20 musicians and dancers together to celebrate four of the province's founding cultures: black, Aboriginal, Acadian and Celtic. It continues at Pier 20 on Marginal Road until Oct 14.

Edmonton

If you want to experience a real operatic Ole! make sure to take in Edmonton Opera's production of Carmen at the Jubilee Auditorium Oct 20 to 25. Then get ready to laugh out loud when comedian, TV and film star and author/lecturer Bill Cosby shares his humorous view of the world also at the Jubilee Auditorium on Oct 27.

The WHERE List:

Best Pubs With Live Music

Whether you're into cool jazz or high energy Celtic music, our editors name some of the best places to hear live music in pubs across the country.

Halifax

The historic stone buildings of Halifax's Historic Properties once welcomed sailors and cargo from around the world. Now, they're home to raucous nightlife. Just off Upper Water Street, the Lower Deck is everything a classic Maritime pub should be: it boasts a friendly crowd, cold beer and live music. Sing along as local bands belt out Maritime standards like "Farewell to Nova Scotia" and "Wild Rover."

Toronto

For great jazz on weekends accompanied by excellent burgers, head for the Pilot Tavern, during the week or come nightfall, try Queen Street jazz staple The Rex or the white-hot-right-now Dakota Tavern that features country, bluegrass and roots music. Read more about the city's best picks here.

Vancouver

History lives on in The Yale. This former CPR bunkhouse was constructed in the 1880s and managed to survive the devastating citywide fire of 1886. For decades now it has been rocking every night of the week with the sounds of live jazz and blues.

Ottawa

You don't have to be Irish to enjoy the Maritime singalong at the Kitchen Celidah every Wednesday at D'Arcy McGees—located just around the corner from Parliament Hill. Live music on weekends too. Slainte!

Canadian Rockies

Try Banff's Rose & Crown where live music entertains seven days a week—of special note is fun-filled Monday Maritime nights hosted by Chuck Rose where everyone is welcome to sing along. Or check out Wild Bill's Legendary Saloon where bands perform most nights—Oct 9 you can hear Canadian rocker David Usher, or Oct 10 to 13 join the country band Wyatt (Wednesday's show has free two stepping and line dancing lessons).

Victoria

Enjoy the historic beauty of one of Victoria's favourite establishments at Swans Pub, part of the Swans Suite Hotel in Old Town. Featuring hand-crafted brews from the adjacent Buckerfields Brewery, an excellent selection of local art and, of course, nightly music ranging from '60s rock to West Coast blues, this is the place to kick back.

Calgary

Located in a sprawling 80-year-old house, the Rose & Crown Pub is a great place to go for a pint, with plenty of cozy rooms and nooks to relax in, as well as a heated patio to deal with those crisp fall days. It's also a hopping spot for live music, featuring both local and travelling bands every Friday and Saturday evening. The music steers towards rock, with some blues, funk and R&B.

Edmonton

For some of the best blues in the city, hotfoot it to Blues on Whyte. Located along one of most energetic entertainment and shopping stretches in the city, this grungy little pub nestled in the Commercial Hotel may not look like much, but its Saturday afternoon jam sessions are beyond fab.

TRAVEL SPECIALS

As a service to readers and our tourism partners, here's a selection of special travel deals. For more information or to book, please contact the providers directly.

Wine Pairing Weekend

Stay at Muskoka's Delta Sherwood Inn and take advantage of a wine pairing weekend package starting at $275 (CDN) per night:
Package includes:
• two nights accommodation
• breakfast each day
• wine pairing dinner Saturday night
• reception on both nights
• cooking demo on Saturday afternoon
Complimentary:
• use of 10km woodland hiking trails
• use of all on site recreational facilities (bikes, canoes, shuffleboard)
• bonfire (when permitted)
• outdoor parking

Western Canada Resorts Special

Canadian Rocky Mountain Resorts is offering a special package for residents of Saskatchewan, Alberta and B.C. looking to get away for some luxury resort living amid the beautiful grandeur of the Rocky Mountains. Rooms are being offered at special discount prices: between $45 and $90 a night at the resort hotels of Buffalo Mountain Lodge in Banff, Deer Lodge in Lake Louise and Emerald Lake Lodge, near Field B.C. Rates are per person based on double occupancy and packages are valid from October 1 to December 21. Visit www.crmr.com or call 1-800-661-1367 for more information.

(All prices in Canadian dollars. WHERE accepts no responsibility for the accuracy or availability of these packages. Please contact package supplier directly.)