CLIPS AND COMMENTARY FROM CANADA'S BEST KNOWN UNDISCOVERED OLD WHITE BLUESMAN

Friday, May 13, 2011

The New Eye of Toronto

Eye Magazine has been re-branded as "The Grid". I have not been an avid Eye reader of late but I just went through the inaugural issue of The Grid  from cover to cover and though it has a little more "edge" I can't see how this is going to give the ubiquitous Now a run for their money.  How could the cover of their premiere issue look like such an afterthought. Two people (I think it's two of their contributors bit it's never made clear) and a very old cliche headline - "I'll have what they're having".  It refers to the lead story (and the theme of this issue) where do upscale chefs buy a cheap and fast meal (and a sidebar of their guilty pleasures...Double stacked Oreos, anyone?) They left out my most loved and most hated chefs in TO.  Didier the most loved, and Massimo my most hated (noit because of his cooking but because he cancelled my gig - and many others - with little/no notice at his Sopra Lounge). The Grid makes it sound like it might be a little more focused on event listings, particularly music - my pet project) but it was a pathetic presentation - An Upcoming Concerts section that was pretty thin and included duplications and the featured show taking place on the same day they hit the street. The the club listings included only 20 (count 'em, TWENTY) listings for the upcoming week. Argh! I will hold on to this issue for a little while because it did list some interesting cheap eats that come highly recommended and I took special note of the new Burger Priest which is just down the road from me and which I look forward to trying. I shall keep an eye on further issues because if they stay with the foodie theme, maybe they will publish a comprehensive list of late-dining/snacking places.  That's what I would like to see.