DC Magazine or "Modern Luxury" Ad Rag?

[darkstar965]

We're lucky to have a growing number of quality food media options.The new "EdibleDC" and "Foodshed" (formerly titled "Flavor") do a good job imho.

Then there's the large format, glossy ad vehicle posing as a magazine called "DC Magazine" or "Modern Luxury DC".

To be fair, DC Mag isn't specific to food. It includes plenty of 'content' focused on interior design, architecture, luxury products and fashion. Restaurants and food, though, are a key part of the focus.

The publisher, Peter Abrahams, states in the current Jan/Feb 2013 issue that "We look forward to continually connecting you to what's best in the city...in 2013." The Editor-In-Chief, Karen Sommer Shallet, uses her column in the current issue to generate inauguration-related excitement and announce a new product, called "Front Desk" which they'll be publishing for the in-hotel-room market.

Wow! The realization that tens of thousands of visitors coming into DC will pick up this magazine but not see the several high-quality (including but not limited to this website) sources and guides, is pretty unfortunate and, imo, underserves a wonderful city getting better every day.

Of 144 pages, I'd guess (didn't count) that a good 70% or more is advertising focused on the aspiring or arrived "mass affluent." Advertisers like Brooks Brothers, Lincoln, Bulgari, Rolls Royce, high-end jewelers, cosmetic surgeons and the top-tier (multi-million dollar residential property) real estate brokers dominate most pages.

At the back of the magazine (for reasons akin to why big grocers put the milk and bread at the backs of stores) is a "Food Drink Guide" described in the TOC as "The essential, delectable source for DC's best restaurants." Seems a crime that what Don produces and so carefully edits and this DC Mag section are both allowed to self identify as a "Guide."

For the most part, DC Mag's exhaustive listing of restaurants is done with brief, always positive, marketing lines likely provided by the restaurants themselves. The only indication of any interpretative value being provided to readers is the green-circled white star used to.designate a few "Top Choice" spots. While DC Mag did see fit to use its star to highlight places like CityZen, Eve, Komi and 1789, there is no such attention paid to Palena, Dolcezza, Dino, Makoto, Sushi Taro or Fiola. And, can fuhgeddabout smaller spots like Earls, Fishnet, or Tofu House.

Makes one wonder about the 'methodology' DC Mag employed but not described.

The omnipresent tension between profit pursuit and quality maximization.