Wednesday warmth and live music—pick your night

Morning's 18 degrees—warmest in a stretch—so leave the jacket at home if you're heading out early. Mostly cloudy through the day, UV sitting at 4.0, which means you'll want sunscreen if you're spending real time outside. Sun doesn't drop until just after 8 tonight, so you've got nearly 14 hours of decent daylight to work with.

Commute looks straightforward. No major delays flagged, so you should be fine getting across town the usual way.

Few things worth knowing as you move through your day: the federal government's facing some real pushback over its remote work and vaccine exemption policies after recent labour board rulings. Separate story—third remains found in the Smiths Falls investigation, so that's still unfolding. And if you work in tech here, the news isn't great: Ottawa's dropped to 14th in North American talent rankings as job growth stalls. Worth keeping an eye on if that's your world.

On a brighter note, Westboro's losing Brassica after less than three years—if you haven't had their banoffee pie yet, tonight might be your last chance. Little Bones is drawing crowds with upscale tacos and tequila cocktails if you want to stay in the neighbourhood, or head to Little Italy, where the restaurant scene keeps getting better—16 standout spots now. And if you haven't tried Arlo on Somerset, it just made the exclusive 50 Best Discovery guide. First Ottawa restaurant to land there.

Tonight's got real options. Deep Purple and Kansas are at Canadian Tire Centre starting at 6:45—solid classic rock if that's your speed. Soccer's on at Ottawa Stadium at 3:30 (and yes, that's a weird start time, but the Mud Monsters are in town). If you're more into the indie or alt side, Letlive and others are playing Rum Runners at 7:30, or catch Big Country and China Crisis at the Bronson Centre at 7. There's also Rock of the 80's at the Bronson if you want to stay local and nostalgic. With sun not setting until 8, anything outdoor is still doable—just bring a light layer.

Have a good one.