Edit Expo - Smart Design for Life

EDIT EXPO -The Festival of the Future

Dates: Sept 28- Oct. 8, 2017

Location: 21 Don Roadway

Event: Expo for Design, Innovation & Technology

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EDITDX

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/editdx/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/editdx/

Website:  http://editdx.org/home

Cost:  $15 day pass

I hoped to post this much earlier but I only had a chance to visit the Edit Expo on the last day due to the location and time factors but I wish I had time to go to a few more of the panel events.

The Inaugural 10 day Edit Expo was situated inside an abandoned factory in Toronto's Port Lands area tucked in at the end of the Don Valley Parkway.  It was an immersive festival that brought together world-changing ideas with a goal to get closer to achieving the UNDP's Sustainable Development Goals.

Situated inside an abandoned factory in Toronto's Port Lands, the inaugural EDIT –– a 10-day immersive festival full of world-changing ideas –– brought us one step closer to achieving the UNDP's Sustainable Development Goals. 

With a day pass you could access speakers, exhibits, and workshops.  On the last day that I attended they had a FREE Lunch for anyone that attended using Food that would normally be thrown out with a host of volunteers serving up Soup and Foccaccia bread to up to 5000 people.

Second Harvest Ambassador and Chef Bob Blumer was on hand to do a food demo using left over bits of food provided to make a Cauliflower crust pizza with green pesto and vegetables.   I had a bite and it tasted great.

As you can see from the sign that one of the volunteers above was holding, we waste up to 30% of Fruits & Vegetables in Canada mostly because it's thought of as "too ugly".  Grocery stores will not stock blemished fruits and vegetables so most of them go into landfills.  People at home do not want to buy these so called "ugly vegetables" and they also waste food that goes un eaten.  I am guilty of this and am trying to be more mindful of what I buy and how I use it.  Almost half of the food produced in the world doesn't end up being consumed by people.  That would be enough to feed everyone in the world if it was better managed.

Besides the Food aspect which is what I was most interested in of course,  I am also interested in smart design and technology that makes life better for people.

I have to admit that I didn't understand some of the artistic installations but as you can see there were some beautiful installations.

I wish this Expo was in a more accessible area so that more people could have attended.  There was parking and that was probably the easiest way to get there besides on bikes.  They had a bike share company there at the entrance.  I took the ttc and then took an Uber back to the subway because it was a bit of a hike from the stop closest to the location.  I wish I had more time to visit sooner.

One of my favourite things at the Expo was the rooftop garden.  I think every multi unit building should have a roof top Oasis that provides food, relaxation and at the same time cools the buildings.  That's smart design.  Keeping nature in an Urban environment and for Sustainability which is the ultimate goal.  

We need to start finding solutions to problems of the ever increasing population and density with the decreasing amount of natural resources.

I would love to see where the direction of this Expo goes next year.

KitchenAid - Yours For The Making

The Future of Cooking in your home.

Event:  KitchenAid -Yours For the Making
Location: The Storys Building 11 Duncan Street
Date: Tuesday Oct 3, 2017
Demo by Chef Corbin Tomaszwski
Hshtag #YoursForTheMaking 
Social handle @KitchenAid_CA.

I was really happy to receive an invitation to go to a lunch time event by Kitchen Aid at the Storys Building recently.  First, I had never been to the Storys building and wanted to check it out and most importantly I own and love KitchenAid small appliances and I am always interested in seeing what's new on the market so that I can plan my dream kitchen.

The always fun Chef Corbin Tomaszwski was on hand to do a hands on demo where he showed how KitchenAid innovations help in the kitchen from start to finish.  He did a demo of fresh pasta made using a KitchenAid stand mixer with a pasta attachment with pan seared Salmon cooked on the KitchenAid stove.   As you can see from the photo below I helped zest an orange for the marinade for the Salmon.  There were a lot of Kitchen, Lifestyle and Home experts in attendance so I was honoured to be included with them.

We got to see some of the Kitchen Aid appliances in action and learn about some of the innovative features.  KitchenAid stand mixers may seem expensive but the value comes in all the amazing attachments you can add instead of buying a lot more appliances.  You can make pasta, juice, grind, and one of the coolest attachments is the vegetable sheet cutter.  You can make thin strips on zucchini to make zucchini pasta or lasagna with it.

The Fridge has the touch window front and a double door so you can open things you use frequently without opening the whole fridge.  The appliances are all sleek clean and attractive so they really make your kitchen look great while being super functional.  My pet peeve is design without good function.  That's just art and not design.

After the demos we sat down to a lunch prepared with the techniques shown in the demo.  The lunch main was a citrus marinated pan seared salmon with fresh pasta and Kale.  Some people attended a breakfast session and had different treats.
As you can see from the photo above there were also pastries for dessert and an Ice cream that was made using the KitchenAid stand mixer with the Ice Cream maker attachment.

It was a quick and well organized lunch and I enjoyed it very much.  If you are planning your dream home I encourage you to look at KitchenAid appliances to make your kitchen sparkle and your cooking easier and more fun.

*Disclaimer:  I was invited for a complimentary lunch and some of the photos were provided and some are my own.  All of the opinions are my own. Sponsored post.

More About some KitchenAid appliances:

KITCHENAID® COUNTER-DEPTH FRENCH DOOR REFRIGERATOR WITH FRESHVUE™ DOOR-WITHIN-DOOR (LAUNCHING FEBRUARY 2018) Designed with the cook in mind, this refrigerator has storage flexibility, premium finishes and stylish wood paneling with the added convenience of the FreshVue™ Door-within-Door. Home chefs love the proximity lighting and Door-within-Door feature because they can quickly see and access their favourite fresh ingredients. This refrigerator is available February 2018 in stainless steel, black stainless steel, and PrintShield™ stainless steel exterior, which resists smudges to keep your working kitchen looking beautiful. MSRP: $5,999

KITCHENAID® STAND MIXER ATTACHMENTS KITCHENAID® VEGETABLE SHEET CUTTER From substituting pasta and wraps with vegetable sheets, to re-inventing snacks and sweet dishes, the Vegetable Sheet Cutter helps inspire fresh versions of everyday dishes. Two interchangeable blades allow you to produce thinner or thicker sheets, depending on your preference or recipe. Compatible with all Stand Mixer models, the KitchenAid® Vegetable Sheet Cutter attaches to the Power Hub of your Stand Mixer for fast, hands-free results. MSRP: $249.99 (KSMSCA) 

KITCHENAID® SPIRALIZER PLUS WITH PEEL, CORE AND SLICE Compatible with all KitchenAid® Stand Mixer models, it’s the first automated spiralizer on the market, leveraging the KitchenAid® Stand Mixer’s motor and hands-free operation. By using a combination of accessories, the attachment’s five blades can perform several functions including peeling, slicing and coring most fruits and vegetables. The two distinct spiral blades can create thin noodles or thicker strands. MSRP: $249.99 (KSM2APC) 

KITCHENAID® 5-PIECE PASTA DELUXE SET Powered by the KitchenAid® Stand Mixer, this set includes five pieces - Pasta Roller, Spaghetti Cutter, Fettuccine Cutter, Lasagnette Cutter and Capellini Cutter – to make authentic, fresh pasta from scratch. Compatible with all KitchenAid® Stand Mixer models, the Pasta Roller rolls 6-inch sheets of pasta with 8 thickness settings so you can make your pasta as thick as you like. MSRP: $379.99 (KSMPDX

Food Docs to check out at Planet in Focus

The Planet in Focus Environmental Film Festival takes place this weekend and they have some fantastic Food Documentaries in their program this year.   These are some of the films that will be screened at the festival.  I have seen a few of them and I can tell you that they are worth checking out.

On the Saturday of the festival there will also be a FOOD Panel after a couple of the films during the day at Innis Town Hall.

My recommendation is to make sure you go see WASTED: The Story of Food because you will have this film in your head at every step of your everyday life.

FOOD COOP Thomas Boothe, France, 2016, 97 min
Sitting between the immersive institutional portraiture of Frederick Wiseman and Broad City’s knowing send­up of gentrified Brooklyn, Food Coop offers an engaging and often humorous look at Park Slope’s wildly successful socialist supermarket.

This film is an interesting look at a new way to shop for your weekly groceries and eat better food for less money and at the same time getting to know a like minded community of people.  It has a very New York feel and you will like the different people in the community of Co Op people.

Saturday 21 October, 12:30pm ­ Innis Town Hall
Screens with FIXED! (Cat Mills)

MODIFIED Aube Giroux, Canada, 2017, 86 min[Canadian]
Canadian director Aube Giroux’s first feature, Modified, weaves stories of her participation in citizen led movements to label genetically modified organisms (GMOs), with interviews from activists Jane Goodall and Rachel Parent, and personal narratives of family, gardening, food, health, and loss. A touching and thoughtful film, Modified, is activism inspired by love.

I haven't had a chance to see this one but hoping to see it at the festival on Saturday.  GMO food is something that everyone should be educated on because people estimate that there may not be enough food in the world to feed everyone by 2050 but is GMO food the answer and what will it do to future generations?

Saturday 21 October, 3:45pm ­ Innis Town Hall
Guest: Aube Giroux

WASTED! THE STORY OF FOOD WASTE Anna Chai/Nari Kye, USA, 2017, 85 min
Slick, solution­-oriented, and featuring Anthony Bourdain at his sardonic best, WASTED! The Story of Food Waste is that rare social issue documentary that’s every bit as entertaining as it is informative.

I absolutely loved this film, so much that I watched it intently twice.  I love Anthony Bourdains sarcastic, brutal honesty and his straight forward no B.S. delivery of the reason this film was made.
It  has the same visual appeal as his show Parts Unknown which was Emmy winning.   It also has the great story telling and fact driven intensity that keeps you interested in the subject and the speakers in the film.  I have seen a lot of documentaries so it wasn't extremely shocking for me but for those that aren't as educated about where our food comes from and goes to, it's a real in your face reality check.  I highly recommend you see it with your friends and family because you may have a great discussion about what you are doing everyday and ways to make changes.   Since watching this documentary I have started a Wasted Soup Crockpot that my coworkers have contributed their excess food scraps to and it's been simmering away almost every day for the past 2 weeks.


Saturday 21 October, 6:45pm ­ Innis Town Hall

Screens with THE POACHER (Nicholas Jones) 

DEAD DONKEYS FEAR NO HYENAS Joakim Demmer, Sweden/Germany/Finland, 2017, 80 min
Famine stricken Ethiopia is exporting food to Europe while receiving aid from the World Bank to feed its population. Director Joakim Demmer investigates this scandalous situation, showing how the government has leased or sold bountiful land to foreigners while locals survive on handouts from abroad.

I have not seen this film yet but I have seen the trailer and it looks pretty interesting and kind of eye opening at what goes on with food that is supposed to help people in need.  

Saturday 21 October, 9:30pm ­ Innis Town Hall

Screens with KÉKWU (Sean Stiller)

THE LAST PIG Allison Argo, USA, 2017, 53 min
The Last Pig, by Emmy award­-winning filmmaker Allison Argo, is an intimate reflection on animal treatment, following ethical pig farmer, Bob Comis, as he contemplates his transition out of raising animals for slaughter. The film takes a meditative approach to animal activism.

What happens when a Pig farmer decides he has a crisis of conscience and decides to stop being a Pig Farmer.  The Last Pig is one mans journey to change his life plan and look at what his contribution to the world is.


Sunday 22 October, 2:30pm ­ The Al Green Theatre at the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre

CLOSING NIGHT FILM

CAN YOU DIG THIS? Delila Vallot, USA, 2015, 85 min
Self-­described “Gangsta gardeners,” including the charismatic Ron Finley, are leaders in the emerging urban gardening movement springing up in notoriously rough South Los Angeles. These gardeners embrace life and their positive energy permeates the community, changing the meaning of what it is to be gangster.

This film is super inspiring to see people struggle but at the same time 1 person can make a difference just by planting a garden.  With a whole host of characters from low income communities and the champions that take it upon themselves to make a difference.


Sunday 22 October, 7:45pm ­ Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema
Guests: Ron Finlay 

Ron Finley, and executive produced by John Legend. Following the film Finley will be presented with the 2017 International Eco-Hero award and will give an address about his practice.

Also of note there will be a tribute to the late filmmaker Rob Stewart (Sharkwater) who was a friend of the festival.