My Top 10 Practical Christmas Gifts List

You reach a stage in your life when useless stuff starts to pile up and you spend more time trying to move it around or clean it than you do actually using it.  So I have been thinking about my Top Ten Practical Gifts that I might want and that would make great gifts.  So if you are stuck on some ideas for people you think are hard to buy presents for then I hope this helps.

1. Grocery Store Gift card. 
Food is getting really expensive.  Get a gift card for food.  You can get something like a card to Whole Foods or even Eataly or the closest store to the person that you are getting the card for.  The less money spent on basic groceries the more money to have fun.  Cards to places like Eataly are splurges for foods you can't get all the time.

2. Uber Gift Card.
You can get an Uber gift card that's good for food delivery and ride shares.  Great for those sick days or rushed days or when you are out partying and need a safe ride home or even a ride to somewhere with no parking which is more common these days.

3.  Netflix gift card.
This one is pretty self explanatory. Who doesn't want to binge watch and Netflix and chill in the cold winter months.  Getting a gift card means you don't have to think about paying those Netflix bills and can watch whenever you want to.

4.  Ikea Gift card or something useful that someone needs from Ikea.  Personally I need a new dresser so a gift card towards one would be a great thing.  They also have food and great seasonal decorating items.

5.  Cineplex movie gift card.
Get together with your friends for dinner and a movie. Give a great gift card and your friends can enjoy a night in one of the VIP theatres.  If you haven't done that you should try it.  You won't want to sit in a regular seat again.

6.  A Restaurant Gift Card. 
There are lots of restaurant options here.  The Keg, and I am sure there are lots of local hidden gem restaurants that have gift cards.  Give someone a night away from cooking.  Mom's would especially love this.

7.  Cleaning service gift card.
Who wouldn't want someone to come and clean your house?  Unless you are OCD you probably would rather do anything else with your time.  I love to have my home clean but find it's hard to keep it looking as clean as I would like because it's time consuming and takes a lot of energy. 

8.  A good night's sleep.
How about putting a sleep kit together.   A couple of really great pillows.  A high quality sheet set.  A weighted blanket is very popular these days.  A sleep mask.  Some lavendar linen spray.  A sound machine.  Some relaxing before bed teas or some comfy pajamas.

9.  Coffee Time
Personally when I get a Starbucks gift card it makes me happy because Starbucks is great but it's pretty pricey when you have it all the time.  You can get a cool Starbucks mug and add a gift card to it to keep the coffee love going.  If your people are addicted to Tim Horton's then do the same thing or maybe a container of Tims coffee if they like to have it at home too.

10.  Winners, Homesense, Marshalls or The Bay Gift card.
So as you can tell I am all about the practical gift cards.  I picked these places because they are all over and you can get almost anything.  If you need clothes, makeup, home goods and even some treats then this is a great way to get those things without burning a hole in your wallet.  Ever little bit helps stretch the dollars. 

So as you can see I have chosen a lot of gift cards but I would suggest that you get creative in presenting them.  Put them in a mug that means something to the person.  My boss found a trick gift card holder.  Wrap it up in box of chocolates or with a pair of gloves or whatever fun thing you can think of.

But be careful and get the cards direct from the source because there are a lot of people out to scam the money from those gift cards and make sure they don't have expiry dates.

Are big festivals still enjoyable?

I used to be the Street Festival Queen.  I started going to street festivals when I wasn't working for something to do that was free and entertaining.  I could get some street food for $5 to $10 and wander around and take photos.  I would write about them on my Starving Foodie Blog. 

The photo above was take about 2 hours before the fireworks at Mel Lastman Square and on the other side of the food trucks were thousands of people.

I am writing this post on this blog because it's not food related as much as it is a commentary about how Festivals have changed.

Last year I went to fewer and fewer festivals because they were becoming further and further away and more hassle to get to them and insanely long lines and the prices of food and drink not as affordable to try a bunch of things.

But in the past year I think there are so many other reasons that have added to my decline in attending street festivals.

Between the man in the van that mowed down people in the very area I was standing at tonight at Mel Lastman Square to the other guy that ran people down on the Danforth not too long after that.   So many people were just going about their daily business or out enjoying the weather at the time so there were probably a lot more people than usual around.  Someone's life can change in an instant just by being in the wrong place at the wrong time these days and someone else's bad decisions that harm innocent people.

Also recently I had my wallet stolen somewhere between taking out cash at the bank machine before jumping onto the subway to go to work and discovering that it was missing when I went to grab my wallet to buy my lunch.   I have spent 2 weeks replacing the things in my wallet.  I still don't have my birth certificate and can't renew my passport without it.  I also can't rent a Zipcar yet becuase my card hasn't arrived yet.
It is a very uneasy feeling to lose your wallet.  You wonder what the person who took it is going to do with it.  You have to remember everything you had and backtrack and then replace everything.  It's very time consuming.

What I noticed when I went to Mel Lastman Square to see the Canada Day events was that I had to worry about my personal space and make sure my bag was protected.  I also couldn't handle being in a crowd of people flailing their arms,  wandering around with their phones in their face and not paying attention to where they were going and the crowd of families with kids just running wild and un supervised.

I have gone to Mel Lastman Square many times for concerts and festivals over the years.  I was there yesterday and watched an African band for a little while but this time I had an overwhelming desire to get out of the area.

I thought about the people that died in that very area and it seemed to me that the people have changed over the years.   I have grown up on a street with mostly immigrant families but we knew all of our neighbours.  Things have changed so much now that we have more Asian and Indian population than we do people born in Canada.  People stay within their communities and they don't know their neighbours.   Most have not grown up in Canada and therefore do not seem to have the same value for things as they may not have the feeling that we did when I grew up that we look out for our area and the people that lived in it.

I don't feel like people have the same respect level that I grew up with.  The example is how much trash people leave behind now after these large festivals.  It's someone else's job to pick it up instead of walking your butt a few feet to dispose of it properly.

Mel Lastman square was designed for half the population that now resides in North York and people weren't coming from all over the city to go there.  It was mostly a neighbourhood destination.
It's not designed for large groups of people to comfortably watch concerts and other events. 

I couldn't just enjoy my time there anymore like I had done in the past because I couldn't feel safe or comfortable anymore and didn't even see anyone I recognized and I have lived in this area since 2011 and things have changed drastically since then.

I blame the state of the world and the poverty and wealth divide.  If more people could earn a living wage in the areas they live in things would be more balanced throughout the city.   I also blame the greedy developers who build huge skyscraping  buildings while taking out community spaces and green spaces where people can relax and feel safe.  I do not think there is any turning back at this point,  we have grown too big for the infrastructure we have now.  It's very visible when you  ride the Yonge Street subway any given day.  People get on at Finch and don't get off until Union station.  This is an indicator to me that people don't work where they live and the concentration of work and entertainment is all centred around the Union station area.  it's just too much in one small area and where I live there is the highest density of the whole city.  That wasn't true when I moved here.

I waffle between staying and moving but with the cost of rent downtown and the commuting times out of town there aren't many good options.

I just feel sad that the one thing that was enjoyable in the past has now been taken away because of a handful of bad people who hold innocent people hostage in their own city.   I feel like I have lost my freedom and ability to enjoy the good things the city has to do.  I know someone in the Netherlands who is envious of the many festivals I attend but I am envious of the peaceful life she leads in the Netherlands.  I was never afraid to go anywhere in Toronto my whole life but I do not feel that way anymore unfortunately.

Welcome to Canada.

My HOT LIST for Hot Docs

What to see at Hot Docs. - MY HOT LIST

I had a chance to preview 2 Hot Docs films before the festival's start.  One was The Corporate Coup d'Etat and the other one was Maxima.  Here is a bit about these 2 films and a couple of others on my HOT LIST

The Corporate Coup d’État 

This film is an interesting look at the history of  how we got to the "Make America Great" Trump battle cry and how we got here through a look at history to a look at the people the greed and power filled decisions of a few un scrupulous men and how it put people out of their homes and increased the divide between the rich and the poor.  This film was put together very well through it's look from Mussolini to Trump and the people along the way that drove the change and the ones that paid for these changes created by Greed.

The Corporate Coup d’État will have its Canadian Premiere as a Special Presentation at the 2019 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, on April 29 at 9:30PM EST.

Screenings at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival:
Monday, April 29 - 9:30pm at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema
Tuesday, April 30 - 10:00am at Isabel Bader Theatre
Friday, May 3 - 12:00pm at Hart House Theatre 

 MAXIMA is the story of one tenacious woman with a purpose.  It captures the story of Máxima Acuña, a generational farmer in Peru who takes on a fight to keep her land and survive the corporate violence of billion-dollar American mining giant Newmont Mining when they lay claim to her land. Máxima Acuña’s is a strong, determined but unassuming woman who believes she must fight to protect was was her legal rights and save her families future and the future of her people's health and livelihood.  This is a true story of the power of one woman on a mission to do the right thing.

MAXIMA has its World Premiere as part of the new ‘Persister’ programme at Hot Docs Canadian Documentary Festival on April 27 at 5:45PM at the Isabel Bader Theatre in Toronto, Canada. 

MY HOT PICKS - Films on my list of Docs to see

Toxic Beauty is a documentary feature film that knits together archival footage, personal stories, and hard-data to deconstruct doubt propagated by Big Cosmetics and Pharma, making nefarious claims that we have nothing to worry about. Toxic Beauty will have its “Special Presentation” World Premiere at the Hot Docs International Documentary Film Festival on April 28 at 6:30PM EST at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema.

Screenings at Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival:
Sunday, April 28    6:30pm      Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema
Monday, April 29   12:45pm   TIFF Bell Lightbox
Thursday, May 2    5:45pm     Scotiabank

The Wandering Chef is a story about Korean celebrated  Chef Jiho IM who demonstrates the power of food bringing people together and his longing for a mother he wishes he had in his life.

World Premiere:

Wed May 1 - Hart House - 6:30pm

Thurs May 2 - Scotia Bank 3 - 3:00 pm

Fri May 3 - Isabel Bader Theatre - 9:30pm

Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool

If you know about Jazz you know who Miles Davis is.  This is a legendary artist with a long career who has influenced many people in the music business.  You rarely see much about Miles Davis so this is a must see doc.

Wed May 1 - Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema - 8:45pm

Fri May 3 - Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema - 10:00am

Sat May 4 - Tiff  Bell Lightbox - 6:45pm

Ask Dr. Ruth

Many people would ask my mother if she was Dr. Ruth because she looked like her but didn't totally sound like her.  Dr. Ruth is like your Jewish grandmother who gives you advice and then feeds you but in this case her advice is about sex.  If you have never heard of her you must have been living under a rock.  She has been giving advice for decades and has the most amazing sense of humour about her job.

Fri Apr 26 - Isabel Bader Theatre - 6:00pm

Sat Apr 27 - Tiff Bell Lightbox - 10:00am

Mystify: Michael Hutchence

This is the one I want to see the most.  I loved INXS the Australian Band who were huge in the 80's and have continued with a new singer after lead singer Michael Hutchence's sad passing.   He had a mysterious personality and his voice was distinct and full of soul.  I am surprised it took so long for a documentary to be made.  He was gone far too soon.  INXS continued successfully but it would have been great to see it continue with Michael Hutchence as the driving force.

Sun Apr 28 - Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema - 9:30pm

Mon Apr 29 - Hart House - 9:15pm

Wed May 1 - Tiff Bell Lightbox 10:00am

Sun May 5 - Tiff Bell Lightbox - 1:15pm

HI, AI

The subject of AI kind of freaks me out a bit.  I have seen other documentaries about it and you have to wonder what will happen to humans in the future if AI can take over everything.  The only thing left for humans to do will be to create AI and fight for the same things they always did.

While I believe there is a benefit of technology to help people especially the elderly who are unable to do daily tasks I hope that we don't replace the human to human connections that are what make a life worth living.

Mon Apr 29 - Scotiabank - 8:45pm

Tue Apr 30 - Scotiabank - 12:00pm

Sat May 4 - Tiff Bell Lightbox - 6:30pm

Chef Flynn -1 week engagement at Hot Docs Cinema Jan 25

CHEF FLYNN
Directed by Cameron Yates

One-Week Engagement
Begins January 25, 2019
Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema in Toronto
 

 

Chef Flynn McGarry was 10-years-old when he showed interest in taking over the kitchen duties from his divorced mother Meg who had no interest in cooking.  Around 13 he opened a supper club in the living room of his mother's California home, using his classmates as line cooks and serving a seasonal foraged tasting menu to wide-eyed Los Angelenos.

As the years pass, Flynn grows both as a chef, and a teenager, eventually outgrowing his family kitchen, and his mother's camera and in a search for increased knowledge and to be taken seriously he ventured out to stage at many world class restaurants which included a trip to Scandinavia.  Flynn all the while honing his style on Pop Up restaurant events.

Flynn's mother Meg with a background in film was documenting Flynn's life from the time he was born and amassed 18 years of personal archival footage as well as intimate vérité, this feature documentary portrait is not only the study of a rising star thrown into the media spotlight at an early age, but also a reflection on motherhood and what it means to give up one's own identity in furtherance of a child's passion.

Director Cameron Yates (The Canal Street Madam) captures lightning-in-a-bottle to reveal Flynn’s singular drive and passion as he navigates the often-cutthroat world of fine dining.

Chef Flynn had its Canadian premiere at Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, and screened at Sundance, Berlinale, SXSW in 2018.

I had a chance to speak with the Director Cameron Yates and Flynn's mother Meg this week.

Cameron Yates

1.     How and when did you get involved in the documentary?

"I read articles in the New Yorker and found info online in 2012. and found the Dining with Flynn videos on Youtube and was totally fascinated and wanted to find out more about Meg so I contacted her through a connection from the films producer"  

2.     Since Meg had a film background did she have a specific vision for the project and did you have a pre conceived vision of where you wanted to take it? 

"Meg handed over hard the hard drives and ever asked to see anything".  "She was crying after screening".

Cameron met with Meg, Flynn and his sister Paris for dinner in New York,  Flynn ordered for everyone.  

It took a year of chatting with Meg before he came on board to direct. He felt that Meg was ready to hand over the reigns by then,  Meg asked Cameron to shoot the last dinner at their LA home.

They filmed for about 5 years.  Cameron felt that the film was more of a mother and son relationship than just a Teen Prodigy story.

Chef Flynn now has his own restaurant in New York which is named after is mother.  It's called Gem, which is Meg spelled backwards.

Cameron tells me that Flynn is very hands on in his restaurant with him shopping at the local farmer's market, picking the flowers, music and the hiring and firing of staff on top of his masterful cooking ability he wants to be taken seriously as a restaurant owner and fine dining Chef and ditch the Teen Prodigy moniker.

He has built a community of friends in New York that include his sister Paris and her friends who are nearby and the family that is his kitchen staff.

Flynn's mother now lives in a Studio in LA where she still makes short films while working full time as an assistant.  I spoke to her about her incredible influence in Flynn's life.

Meg McGarry

1.  Did you have thoughts of what you thought Flynn would be when he grew up? 

"We  found footage of cooking shows of Flynn playing with his sister and her calling him Chef Flynn.  He Dressed up like Emeril when he was 2 for Halloween.  

I just wanted a kind and healthy baby.  If your child shows and interest in something you should embrace it.  Played baseball, guitar and did different things in an exhaustive way.  He has natural ability. Around 10 he was interested in taking over kitchen.  At 11 wanted to learn on Internet and with cookbooks.  He created his own dishes at 12.  He apprenticed where I hung out.  By 13 he had extraordinary kitchen skills".

2.  How did he convince you to do the pop up in your home?  

"It was oganically formed by cooking for family, friends and birthdays. When it grew we asked for donations for the food.  My father cooked huge Chinese food meals on Friday nights.  Our home had a restaurant area.  At the beginning we held the pop ups twice a month.  I had pro friends to help cook and serve.  He gained a bit of fame at the start because of his age.  When you are young you have a lot of energy.. people achieve a lot in their youth.  The first article in the New Yorker was because of  journalist who came to dinner at the house and wanted to write about it and the New Yorker picked it up.  We met Chef Daniel at a book signing and Flynn showed him photos on his phone of the food he cooked and he realized he can cook from a very complicated cookbook.  He was able to go and work the line in his New York restaurant and they soon realized  his hard work and talent."

3.  Does he have other ideas of what he wants to do?  

"He shied away from things that take away from restaurant, he works 5 days a week.   After 1 year it's still fresh. Sometimes has a day off and does parties or goes to movies, concerts and other things.

He lives close to the restaurant and his sister lives near him.

I live in LA and visit every 4 months" 

Meg still writes and made a short film about a  year ago.   She feels it's time to step back and let Flynn fly on his own and develop his wings.

I have now watched the film twice.  One before Hot Docs and again before this interview and I picked up new subtle images and words after watching it the second time.

It's very interesting when you combine a passion, a supportive family, and an interesting life story how things can amplify quickly in the media and change dynamics of one's life.

Go see this film.  A lot of the footage is raw footage filmed over the early years but then moves to Flynn's breakout as a professional Chef.