Trinity Taverna
I can’t resist the carbs. And I’m insulin resistant. Which may account for my hangover this morning, even though my alcohol days are decades behind me.
Yup, that’s what my nutritionist says. I eat bread or pasta and my sugar spikes and I get high and then I crash. But the problem is I can’t say no. Put some bread on the table, even that awful spongy stuff, and I’ve got to have some. And dessert! On my own I can say no, but when we’re all there together it’s a party, and we all want to have fun.
And that’s what we did last night at Trinity Taverna, have a party.
But not a west coast party, but an east coast one, an intellectual one, I haven’t had such stimulating conversation in eons.
Our concierge was Jake Gold, T.O. man about town. He’s the one who picked this Greek restaurant by the beach. Didn’t know there was a beach in Toronto? Many don’t. Let’s just call it “the Lake.”
And Amanda Palmer. She’s writing a book. It was fascinating to hear how her TED talk led to so many opportunities. If you’re not afraid to go through one door, many more will open thereafter. Assuming you can get that first door to open, Amanda is a fifteen year overnight success.
And Hayley Rosenblum, the music diva at Kickstarter. She did college radio, she worked for Ms. P. She’s 26 and just living in her own apartment and if you want to get on the fast track, laden with money and perks, music is not your avenue, it’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock and roll, and that’s all you may get, the ability to stand with your brethren and rock out.
And Jian Gomeshi. Once upon a time in a band, but now Canada’s foremost interviewer, with his show Q, also featured on public radio throughout the United States.
And what did we discuss?
Rape culture. It came up on Jian’s show, there was controversy. Too many people in public shy away from controversy.
Turns out there was an issue on Kickstarter, with a book that told how to pull girls. And Amanda doesn’t believe there should be limits on art, and neither do I, but if you put a business entity in between… This was David Geffen’s point with Geto Boys. They’ve got a right to make it, I’ve got a right not to put it out.
And Jian was lamenting the fact that everything blows up quickly today and there’s a rush to judgment.
In other words, Donald Sterling made those statements but did he need to be excommunicated from the NBA just that fast or should we have thought about it, and what’s just as fascinating is the fact that in a matter of weeks nobody will be talking about Sterling, but he’ll still be feeling the consequences.
Not that there should be no consequences. But once again, where’s the line and what’s the penalty. We forgive Anthony Weiner once, but we refused to do so again. And Eliot Spitzer can’t even be New York City’s comptroller, no one’s forgiving him.
And we’re living in an era of cultural whiplash. Where Amanda Palmer can be famous for raising money, but not famous for her music. And this bothers her.
And me.
The same way she had no idea who Luke Bryan was.
You think someone’s a star. But the truth is, many people have no idea who that person is.
And I’m fascinated by the death of Twitter, yes, that’s what the “Atlantic” has to say:
And save your contrary opinions, but ain’t that America, where everybody says something is happening until it’s not. Kind of like BlackBerry. Its death was hiding in plain sight. Is Twitter’s?
Now I’m not saying we won’t get real time news. But I am saying we probably won’t get it from me and you, but from the truly famous, who are pulling away from the hoi polloi while the latter don’t realize it. You can post on the comment thread, you can hate tweet, but that doesn’t mean anybody reads it.
But underlying the discussion last night was the food.
And I want to tell you about the octopus, with an aged balsamic glaze. Hayley’s anti-seafood, but even she tried and liked it.
I loved it. It was barely rubbery and oh-so-tasty.
And when the bill came I felt like nothing so much as an adult.
That’s what’s wrong with too many in the music game, they never grow up. They age, but they cling to their youth, their leather jackets and tattoos, believing if they just look the part they will remain rebels.
But aging ain’t such a bad thing, it gives you perspective and wisdom. The ability to ask the hard questions and triumph.
And that’s what both Amanda and Jian have done. Played the game their own way and ended up with riches and power, ain’t that the American Way?
