Friday before the long weekend — get out tonight

Morning. It's 16°C out there, mostly cloudy, and you've got a solid 13 hours of daylight to work with — the UV's running high at 6.0, so if you're heading outside for lunch, don't skip the sunscreen. Sunset's at 7:35 PM, which gives you plenty of evening if you're thinking about catching live music tonight.

Nothing major holding up your commute this morning, so you're good to go the usual way.

On the local front: McMillan, the advertising agency that's been around the 613 for 30 years, is closing after a merger deal with a U.S. firm fell through — a lot of familiar faces heading out the door. On a heavier note, two suspects in the Perth park murder case have been upgraded to first-degree charges. And here's something that'll probably surprise you — the city's actually projecting an $11.16 million year-end surplus, which is a big swing from the $38.59 million deficit they were sitting with halfway through the year.

If you're thinking dinner, there's some real momentum happening in the food scene right now. Ruby's just opened in the ByWard Market with elegant small plates and a serious wine program — worth a look if you're in that mood. Over on Somerset, there's Arlo, which started as a pandemic wine bar and has quietly grown into a proper restaurant over six years, and Kozhi, a new fine-dining fried chicken spot that just opened on Somerset West. Both worth putting on your list.

Tonight's where it gets good. You've got five solid live shows: Jackson Dean at the Bronson Centre at 7:00 PM, Houndmouth at History Ottawa at the same time, and Moustafa Hagag doing an Arabic set at Algonquin Commons Theatre at 7:30 PM. Pick your mood, grab someone, and get out before the long weekend fully kicks in. It's the kind of Friday where you either catch something live or you sleep through the vibe — might as well go.

The long weekend's already started, honestly. You could coast through this evening or load up on something to remember. Either way, you're good.

Have a good one.