A Vancouverite now living in Toronto. I work in the media (as a web editor at a large-ish newspaper) and it's kind of all-consuming for me. I read tons of newspapers, magazines, blogs, listen to podcasts, etc.

I love the arts. Know a bit about everything but really passionate about books, music and visual arts. After that, I'm kinda out of time and energy.

I'm a sponge for information. I'm opinionated but not pushy (not that pushy anyway) and open-minded (except on Mondays when my mind is under renovations). I care passionately about public spaces, the streets, squares, parks, and other things that make cities such great places to live. Hate sprawl. Ride a bike, love it and I'm generally just a really urban(e) person.

I also try to be a snappy dresser, women often say "dapper."

Usually have a big grin on my face (unless you catch me very early in the morning before I've had my coffee). Holds open doors, gives up his seat on the subway and always says 'bless you' after someone in the room sneezes.

I also cook quite a bit because I hate the caf at work.... and because I actually like throwing dinner parties. who knew.

I work as a copy editor/web editor at a newspaper but try to maintain my indie cred by writing for smallish magazines.

If you're really bored I blog at www.boyreporter.ca

Trivia, breaking the ice, keeping a conversation going, getting better at cooking, singing in front of a bunch of people I don't know who probably aren't listening (karaoke), helping tourists, writing headlines.

I'm a friendly and personable fellow. And that I love my espresso.

Books: Netherland, the Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, The English Patient, Life and Death of Great American Cities, Everything is Illuminated, Midnight's Children, Heart of Darkness, AHWOSG, The True History of the Kelly Gang, White Noise, Middlesex, Motherless Brooklyn, Maus, the Medium is the Message, books by Adrian Tomine, Seth, Michael Chabon, and tons tons more.

I also really like visual arts, design and typography. Particularly stuff from the inter-war period. Bauhaus, De Stijl. And I'm not really sure where This American Life fits in... but Ira Glass is pretty awesome.

My favourite films: Pulp Fiction, Chungking Express, Woody Allen films (Manhattan in particular, Annie Hall), Ferris Bueller's Day Off (who doesn't like this movie), The Royal Tenenbaums, The Big Lebowski. I also realize that I love Guy Maddin. I actually don't see enough film.

Music: Wilco,, Fleet Foxes, the magnetic fields, Bon Iver, Okkervil River, songs written at the brill building, the Weakerthans, Broken Social Scene, the Hidden Cameras, Metric, P:ano, the Beatles, Elliot Smith, White Stripes, Stars, the Dears, Radiohead, Rufus Wainwright, Sloan, the Organ, the Arcade Fire, the Postal Service, the Decemberists, Jon Rae Fletcher and the River, Spoon Cuff the Duke, the Deadly Snakes, the Constantines, The New Pornographers, The Hidden Cameras, CBC Radio 3 Podcast, Fembots, the Bicycles, Final Fantasy, Ninja High School, Blocks Recording Club, Laura Barrett. I'm getting tired of typing.

Food: Sushi, is coffee a food? is beer a food? M & Ms, Spicy Indonesian food that my mom makes... Oh and the coffee from here (http://www.idealcoffees.com/index.html)

Good food, my friends (who are also good food in a real pinch), coffee, beer/red wine (which go well with friend or food), good music, better books.

What I've read, what I'm reading and what I'm going to read.

How I could move to NYC permanently, or back to Australia for a year without going bankrupt.

Right now... working. I work evenings. BUT on Saturday night, when I'm not working, I'm usually out on the town, at a pub with friends, at a live show, or at a gallery opening (if they're doing one on Saturday night).

Give me five or six drinks then we'll talk. OK... fine, I was named after a President of the U.S. that I don't like. Not it's not Coolidge or Hoover.

any of this sounds interesting.... you have a good book/cd/movie to recommend to me.