Toronto Through the Eyes of Gap Adventures Founder Bruce Poon Tip

Posted by Sarah Kelsey
Filed in People
November 8, 2009
Bruce Poon TipBruce Poon Tip is founder of Gap Adventures, a widely successful adventure travel company based out of Toronto. Not only has Poon Tip made a name for himself and his company at home and overseas, he's helping spread the word that Toronto is not only a great place to live, but is also a city to seek adventure. Last week I caught up with the busy traveler just before he hopped on a plane for another adventure-plotting business trip.

Toronto Through the Eyes of Matt Galloway

Posted by Sarah Kelsey
Filed in People
November 5, 2009
Matt GallowayMatt Galloway is a fixture on CBC Radio. As host of the station's daily drive-home program Here and Now, he spends his afternoons - and yours - unpacking what's happening, what's developing and what's need to know in the big T.O. Be it hot button political or civic issues or an upcoming cultural event, odds are the colloquial and approachable host knows about it and is already on-air with the person responsible for it.

So who better to chat with about what it's like to live in Toronto. From actively supporting local musicians and restaurants, to his love of the Toronto FC, Galloway is a guy who's openly passionate about our city.

Toronto Through the Eyes of Adam Giambrone

Posted by Sarah Kelsey
Filed in People
October 25, 2009
adam giambrone torontoA quick Google search of Adam Giambrone turns up hundreds of hits about his political career: he was elected to council when he was just 26; he's a former president of the federal New Democratic Party; he's the chair of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC); he speaks several languages; and he's toured the world as an archaeologist. All that and the guy's in his early thirties.

With a municipal election on the horizon and some city residents tweeting about Giambrone as their dream mayoral candidate, we decided to take a few moments to catch up with the busy city councillor to talk about growing up in Toronto, why he loves the TTC and whether he's really considering a run for David Miller's chair.

Toronto Through the Eyes of Ashleigh Dempster and Amanda Blakley

Posted by Sarah Kelsey
Filed in People
October 18, 2009
The Society GirlsAshleigh Dempster and Amanda Blakley need little introduction. The sassy, smart and enviously stunning pair run The Society, a Toronto-based members-only club for the creative set (or, of course, those who really want to run in that circle). From the annual Boobyball and S.M.U.T Soiree to their Yogart series, the cultural curators have transformed the way people can experience and engage with the city.

Since they began The Society a few years ago, the club has grown from only a few members to hundreds. Their events have grown too, from intimate dinner parties to scotch tastings at Raptors' games, and exclusive polo or sailing lessons with experts in the field. The lovely ladies have even used their curating skills to expand the club to New York City. It all means we've only just begun to hear about the clever events they can concoct.

I caught up with the pair to discuss how they met, why they love Toronto and their favourite places to eat in and around the city.

Toronto Through the Eyes of Shinan Govani

Posted by Tim
Filed in People
September 27, 2009
Shinan GovaniShinan Govani doesn't need an introduction but I'll give him one anyway. The National Post gossip scribe writes about everyone. Well, not exactly everyone, but the socialites, celebrity hair stylists and Hollywood starlets who we should supposedly care about. If you need to know who recently dined at Sotto Sotto, drank at Amber or said what at which fundraiser Shinan has you covered. Toronto Life wrote an in-depth profile of him back in 2006 so I'll skip the rest of his bio.

Toronto Through the Eyes of Denzil Minnan-Wong

Posted by Crystal Luxmore
Filed in People
September 20, 2009
Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong's pinstripe suit clashes with the fairyland on the wallpaper behind him, and the couch he's sitting on is flowered in the same pattern as a bedspread my mother bought in the '80s.

Working a suburban ward lined with strip malls, there are just a few choice places to be a "man of the people," and the Valley Fields Family Restaurant is one of them. We met last week, and as the Councillor sipped ice tea and waited for his large plate of fries, he smiled and told me that he just got tickets to the TIFF premiere of The Men Who Stare at Goats and would thus need to duck out in about half an hour.

The right-wing Councillor for Don Valley East was first elected in 1994. He moved into the neighbourhood when he was 8-years-old, after his parents bought a three-bedroom bungalow, their first house. We chat and easily finish the interview in 20 minutes, and then his girlfriend pops in wearing a black sequined outfit before they step into a silver convertible and head for the red carpet.