Having lived in Toronto since the early 1970s, including an eight-year stint as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Trinity—Spadina, Olivia Chow — now the 66th Mayor of Toronto — is no stranger to the city's top landmarks and diverse restaurants. 

blogTO recently caught up with Chow to discuss her first on-screen role on Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent, where she made her acting debut as a friend of Inspector Vivienne Holness, played by Karen Robinson.

In response to the question of the best thing to do in Toronto, Chow quickly highlighted the city's expansive cycling trail network.

"You can bike all the way over to Leslie Spit [Trail] or you go on the Martin Goodman Trail and go west," she told blogTO. 

When asked about her best Toronto memory, Chow shouted out the Algonquin Island Association Clubhouse, where she and her late husband, Jack Layton, got married. "I have a tree planted there in honour of the marriage," she explained.  

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Since winning the 2023 Toronto mayoral by-election, Chow told blogTO that her favourite moment on the job so far has been all of the street festivals she's had the chance to attend. 

"Torontonians go nuts in the summer, they just fall out into the street, and I get to say hello to thousands and thousands of people, and have a great time together," she said. 

When asked about some of her favourite food spots in the city, Chow crowned Fiesta Farms as the best place to get groceries, North of Brooklyn for the best pizza, Johnny's Hamburgers for the best burger, and Bao Mama for the best sandwich. 

Other responses from Chow included watching the sunset at Cherry Beach as the best date idea/spot and paddleboarding on Lake Ontario as one of her favourite things to do in the city. 

Last but not least, Chow gave the most fitting answer when asked about Toronto's best landmark. "City Hall," she laughed.