Five cool things to do this week (May 17 to 23)

1. Meet for high tea

Period pieces like Downton Abbey and The Great Gatsby have had us glued to a motion-picture screen, immersed in the lives of the rich and famous during an era when proper etiquette went further than just elbows off the dinner table. Why not raise a pinky and have a sophisticated afternoon of tea and crumpets.

The Gatsby Mansion, Victoria BC

The King Edward, Toronto ON

The Cole Harbour Heritage Farm Museum, Halifax NS

2. Go to the zoo

Headlines have read fuzzy with the announcement of the Toronto Zoo's recent addition to the family; meet Er Shun and Da Mao, two very sweet looking pandas at the exhibit opening this weekend. More for monkeying around?  On the west coast, enjoy an adult only "Behind the Scenes" event with the Calgary Zoo's gorillas.

May 18, Gorilla Behind the Scenes, Calgary Zoo

May 18, Panda Exhibit Opens, Toronto Zoo

Looking ahead: May 25, Granby Zoo Opens, Quebec

3. Watch the fire show

Lights; get your camera ready; action!  There are only a few times a year that our sky above blazes with a display of colorful beauty — Victoria Day is one of those times!  Grab a blanket, a canister of hot chocolate, and take a trip to this year’s fireworks displays! Top picks: Catch the breeze at the waterfront show in Nanaimo; with three days to choose from you can't go wrong at Queen Victoria Park in Niagara Falls, or run to the beaches in Toronto for the 15-minute long spectacular, spectacular!

May 17, 18, 19 at 10pm, Queen Victoria Park, Niagara Falls, Ontario

May 19 at dusk, Downtown Waterfront, Nanaimo, British Columbia

May 20 at 9:45pm, Ashbridge's Bay Park, Toronto, Ontario

4. Take a day of rest

Every few months we will tell you that there is nothing cooler than putting your feet up.  This long weekend, let time stop for a few hours in your backyard next to the smell of the perfect burger on the grill, and get through the book list you've been meaning to check off.

5. Get discofied by Daft Punk

The interweb is already a-buzz about the latest Daft Punk record, Random Access Memories, and it hasn't officially come out yet.  Thanks to a pre-stream on ITunes, we can tell you it deserves the praise it has been getting from music critics. Electronic layered with a jazzy disco vibe, this record will have you moving and shaking and likely dropping dress sizes. So, dust off the disco ball, and "Lose Yourself to Dance."