This week’s person to know is Matthew Fox, the editor of TorontoLife.com.
What does a typical day look like for you?
St. Viateur bagel. Soul-shattering ride on the 501 (seriously, the TTC is the worst thing about living in Toronto). Read as much news as possible on my iPhone to see what the city’s key narratives are that day. B Espresso Bar coffee. Assign stories to Torontolife.com’s contributors. Meet with other Toronto Life editors to discuss how the magazine and Web site can work together. Edit edit edit edit. Lunch (with any luck at Splendido, Sukho Thai, or another of Toronto’s amazing downtown restaurants). More editing, meeting, writing and discussion (I think I type the word “Toronto” about a thousand times per day). Back on the dreaded 501. Evenings are filled with any combination of theatre (Tarragon’s a personal favourite), drinks (the patio and stout at the Beaver make life worth living), dinner (Nota Bene, Foxley, Xam Yu, Golden Turtle, Black Hoof, Mengrai Thai are obsessions right now), gym and family.
What lies in store for Torontolife.com?
Toronto Life is just unveiling its redesign, and that includes the Web site. Expect everything to be slicker and easier to navigate. One of my big goals for 2010 is to establish new ways for users to access our huge database of reviews. Our stuff is more useful and authoritative than the Yelps of the world, so I want Torontonians to be able to find it. Mobile apps are forthcoming, too.
What are the biggest changes, you’ve seen, to the Toronto dining scene?
Ossington and Harbord and Queen East are evolving nicely, and very much changing centre of gravity in Toronto’s dining scene. The neighbourhood phenomena, though, is the result of a different, bigger trend—one in attitude. About three years ago, everyone just decided to relax. Now, neither diners nor restauranteurs believe that great food needs to come in a posh setting and with high price points. (Hell, just look what happened to Splendido.) Between that and the local food movement, more Torontonians are eating out, and they’re getting much better food when they do.
A place in Toronto you’d be proud to take people to:
Hanlan’s Point on a sunny Sunday afternoon. After that experience, no one could think Torontonians are prudes.
What do you see as Toronto’s next great neighbourhood?
It all depends on one’s definition of “great.” In Toronto, “great” usually means “where I can make the most money on a real estate purchase,” so, in that case, I’d say The Junction. The Junction appears to be the next Leslieville. Of course, Leslieville appears to be the next Bloor West Village, which appears to be the next Beaches.
A Toronto resident who’s making a positive impact on the city:
Rob Ford, because the world needs laughter. But seriously, Scott Griffin for re-vitalizing publishing Toronto with Anansi and bringing the country closer together through literature. If I had that much money, I’d give it to poets too.
What’s the next big event for you in the social calendar?
Toronto Life is throwing a huge party to celebrate the release of the re-design. After all the hard work that the staff has put into this project, this party is going to be a colossally fun reward.
June 30, 2010
People You Should Know
People You Should Know: Matthew Fox
This week’s person to know is Matthew Fox, the editor of TorontoLife.com.
What does a typical day look like for you?
St. Viateur bagel. Soul-shattering ride on the 501 (seriously, the TTC is the worst thing about living in Toronto). Read as much news as possible on my iPhone to see what the city’s key narratives are that day. B Espresso Bar coffee. Assign stories to Torontolife.com’s contributors. Meet with other Toronto Life editors to discuss how the magazine and Web site can work together. Edit edit edit edit. Lunch (with any luck at Splendido, Sukho Thai, or another of Toronto’s amazing downtown restaurants). More editing, meeting, writing and discussion (I think I type the word “Toronto” about a thousand times per day). Back on the dreaded 501. Evenings are filled with any combination of theatre (Tarragon’s a personal favourite), drinks (the patio and stout at the Beaver make life worth living), dinner (Nota Bene, Foxley, Xam Yu, Golden Turtle, Black Hoof, Mengrai Thai are obsessions right now), gym and family.
What lies in store for Torontolife.com?
Toronto Life is just unveiling its redesign, and that includes the Web site. Expect everything to be slicker and easier to navigate. One of my big goals for 2010 is to establish new ways for users to access our huge database of reviews. Our stuff is more useful and authoritative than the Yelps of the world, so I want Torontonians to be able to find it. Mobile apps are forthcoming, too.
What are the biggest changes, you’ve seen, to the Toronto dining scene?
Ossington and Harbord and Queen East are evolving nicely, and very much changing centre of gravity in Toronto’s dining scene. The neighbourhood phenomena, though, is the result of a different, bigger trend—one in attitude. About three years ago, everyone just decided to relax. Now, neither diners nor restauranteurs believe that great food needs to come in a posh setting and with high price points. (Hell, just look what happened to Splendido.) Between that and the local food movement, more Torontonians are eating out, and they’re getting much better food when they do.
A place in Toronto you’d be proud to take people to:
Hanlan’s Point on a sunny Sunday afternoon. After that experience, no one could think Torontonians are prudes.
What do you see as Toronto’s next great neighbourhood?
It all depends on one’s definition of “great.” In Toronto, “great” usually means “where I can make the most money on a real estate purchase,” so, in that case, I’d say The Junction. The Junction appears to be the next Leslieville. Of course, Leslieville appears to be the next Bloor West Village, which appears to be the next Beaches.
A Toronto resident who’s making a positive impact on the city:
Rob Ford, because the world needs laughter. But seriously, Scott Griffin for re-vitalizing publishing Toronto with Anansi and bringing the country closer together through literature. If I had that much money, I’d give it to poets too.
What’s the next big event for you in the social calendar?
Toronto Life is throwing a huge party to celebrate the release of the re-design. After all the hard work that the staff has put into this project, this party is going to be a colossally fun reward.
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