Noted musician and writer Dave Bidini penned a quick 'things to see and do in Toronto' for the NYT. I'll offer my alternatives where appropriate.

The full story is here.

6 p.m. Friday - Have a drink at the Paddock.

Not a bad idea. That joint at Bathurst and Queen has a classically beautiful '50s look to it (many a movie scene has been shot in it), but it's not my first choice of summer bars (for that reason I would also rule out Cameron House on Queen W. just west of Spadina, which loses much of its ambiance when natural light gets in).

I would tell a visitor who is staying downtown to perhaps check out the Black Bull's patio on Queen West and Peter St.

The rooftop patio at the Drake Hotel is supposed to be quite nice. Me, I mourn the passing of the Bamboo in the heart of the once-hip downtown Queen W.

8 p.m. - Kensington Market

While the Market holds many charms for me, it's more of an afternoon hang-out. That being said Bidini's recommendation of the Supermarket Restaurant and Bar (on Augusta about a block south of College) is an excellent choice by all accounts (shame-facedly, I must admit I've not patronized it yet).

Apparently it shifts dramatically from resto to bar by about 10 p.m.

He mentions Graffiti's (Baldwin and Kensington) and The Last Temptation (Kensington, one block north of Dundas) as two grungier alts. True. Be aware the manager of Graffiti's is a cliquey prick. The Temp has cheap prices and almost always inspired choices in music. But another joint to consider is Amadeus, a lively Portuguese resto with a fine patio.

Brad the organic ice cream guy's cones are definitely worth a try, and I love the Moonbeam coffee shop.

But again, those are better in the afternoon.

10 p.m. - College St. W.

My nabe!! While he is correct in recommending a pop-in to Soundscape Records, a phenomenal shop, I can't take his recommendations seriously when he doesn't mention the Cafe Diplomatico patio -- one of the city's most popular.

Little Italy (College between Euclid St. in the east and Shaw in the West) is Patio Central in this city. There are many great bars period. He doen't mention Souz Dal or Wild Indigo, to name but two (there's about 80 resto-bars in the Little Italy area). I like the martinis at the College St. bar. The Midtown and Ted's Collision and Body Repair are fine local establishments, and I go for a pint at Southside Louie's at least once a week. Andy Poolhall is endearingly eccentric, if you want to shoot some stick, and its neighbor Ciao Edie is another mixed-drink mainstay (Warning: It has no beer; on Sundays it has a  "Here Kitty, Kitty" night. Figure it out).

A great late-night ice cream experience can be had at the Big Chill (College W. and Manning, north side). What I like about it, besides the fantastic ice cream, are the light boxes, which are simply boxes with holes cut in them and wildly-coloured translucent plastic giving the light some texture.

For live music, try the Orbit Room or the Mod Theatre (and sometimes Revival).

Latin bar Convento Rico has live shows (with female impersonators; don't say you weren't warned).

If you like karaoke, skip out on College and go to the Gladstone Hotel (Queen W. and Dufferin). There are also some Vietnamese karoake joints along Ossington, but if you go in for whatever crazy reason, don't snicker over anyone's bad singing. People have been shot over such etiquette breaches (I'm not making this up).

If you're up really late (after 2 a.m.) and still want to dance, try the Matador at Dovercourt and College (about a 10-minute walk west from the heart of Little Italy). And if you're on your way back downtown, drop into the Film Zone, near Dundas and Spadina.

10 a.m. Saturday - Brekkie

Dave recommends the Swan and the Mildred Pierce. Both are fine joints.

A few other recommendations: Mimi's (Bathurst and Queen) is one of the more unique restos in T.O. that does great breakfasts, but it's run by a moody bitch , and if you go there enough, you will be mistreated at some point ("there's a reason why Mimi has her own place," one of her friends once told me).

Aunties and Uncles (College W. and Lippincott) and Simply Delicious (Dundas West and Grace) are both terrific. So is Easy at Roncesvalles and Queen W.

In the east end of downtown, consider Le Petit Dejeuner or the Patricia -- or skip both and go for a peameal bacon sandwich in St. Lawrence Market and just graze from there!

If you're any kind of a foodie, no trip to Toronto is complete without visiting this grand market.

11:30 a.m. - Toronto Islands (and alternatives)

Dave recommends blowing off most of your day at the Toronto Islands. The islands are nice, but I would suggest doing some gallery hopping along Queen West. A great place to grab tea or lunch is the Red Tea Box on Queen W. -- a very hip place.

The Beaches in the far east end are a big draw for many Torontonians. You can sit in the sand, swim on a good day or play beach volleyball (watch for hypodermic needles!). I hate to come back to the topic of ice cream, but I can heartily recommend the Nutty Chocolatier.

Another option is going to Cherry Beach or hiking up the Leslie Spit.

Finally, another breakfast option is the Canary (located in a wasteland near the Distillery District). The Canary also appears in a lot of movies. And from there you can easily wander amongst the 19th Century splendor of  the Distillery District. Lots 'o art and shops. Frankly, no modern tour of Toronto would be complete without a stop there.

7 p.m. - Adult supper

How much do you want to spend? Toronto has some world-class restos. Susur is a place where you can easily drop hundreds of dollars, but have a meal you'll be talking about for years afterwards (if you have the palate for it; if not, a Quizno's and a McDonald's are available a few blocks to the west). Ultra is a very chic supper club at Queen W. and Peter. Canoe is a 51st floor restaurant with a highly  regarded menu. For a great supper patio, try Allen's on the Danforth. A place with great atmosphere is Gio Rana's Really, Really Nice Kitchen, way out at Queen East and Leslie. If you like Cuban food tapas-style, try Julie's at Dovercourt just north of Argyle.

If you want to trade sophistication for multi-cultural charm, go to Little India on Gerrard St. East. I would recommend the Lahore Tikka House or the Barbecue Hut. Little India is a very colourful sidewalk scene in the summertime.

10 p.m. - A drink at Wayne Gretzky's

Don't do it!! It's a charmless tourist trap. Bidini threw it in there because he's a hockey nut. While he mentioned perogies, if that's what you want, go to Roncesvalles Ave.

Actually, if you're here early enough in June for the NHL playoffs to be still going, and the Leafs are in, you want to be at the Monarch (Clinton St., two blocks south of College). It's a great hockey bar.

For a downtown drink, I would go to the rooftop lounge at the Park Hyatt (Avenue Rd. and Bloor). A fantastic view of the skyline. There are several jazz clubs: The charmingly seedy Rex Hotel, the Montreal Bistro and the Top o' The Senator, to name a few.

If you have a rockabilly soul, head west to the Cadillac Lounge, on Queen W. just past Dufferin St. It has some wild burlesque shows from time to time.

Latin-o-philes should try the Lula Lounge on Dundas St. W. -- an easy walk from Julie's if you want to make a theme night of it.

Folkies and roots-music lovers can go to Hugh's Room (Dundas W. just south of Bloor). They do dinner as well as music.

11 a.m. Sunday - Hockey Hall of Fame

Again, if you're a hockey nut, an excellent suggestion. If you're not, I suspect you know what to do.

If you're casting about for chow, consider going for the Jewish brunch at the Free Times Cafe on College W. near Major (north of Kensington Market). In the market just south of Free Times, El Trompo does a great Mexican breakfast.

For gourmet dim sum, try Lai Wah Heen (Chestnut and Dundas W., just north of city hall). However, if you're adventurous and have more time, consider going out to Markham or Richmond Hill. There are some fabulous dim sum palaces out there.

1-2 p.m. - Antiquing

Dave recommends this for the afternoon, and he recommends the north building of the St. Lawrence Market. It's a possibility. Keep in mind the food market is closed Sundays.

Another to consider for either Saturday or Sunday in this time slot is Harbourfront, which has free concerts and other events running all summer.

You could also consider a boat tour of the Toronto Islands.

Other options include the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Royal Ontario Museum and -- depending on whether you have kids -- the Ontario Science Centre. The kids might also like the Toronto Zoo.

The CN Tower is kinda cool -- once. :)

That would be your Toronto weekend.

Got tips of your own for out-of-towners looking to visit -- or locals looking to break out of their routine? Leave them below.