sushi and violins
With the snow coming down heavily, I decided to take the subway downtown. Driving (as already mentioned) is foolhardy and nervewracking in the snow. I strolled down Queen Street in the gently hovering flakes and it was very pretty. No roasted chestnuts - but still very Christmas-y. Not having to worry about parking and battling road raging half-wits lifted my mood considerably. I popped into Chapters/Indigo/Starbucks/Books-R-Us, mingled with the bespectacled student crowd (many to be found in the Politics isle, clutching titles such as Robert Reich's "Reason", Al Franken's "Liars...Whatever, Bla, Bla Bla" and anything by Michael ("Call Me God") Moore. Dude, we're SOOOO progressive, dude.
The only thing of interest to me was an expensive and gorgeous book about literary England which I am determined to purchase at some later date (generous reader: my birthday is in early March and I will supply the exact title on demand) and a couple of jazz magazines which I was going to buy but then saw the line-ups at the cash and gave up. Dude, those progressive, capitalism-despising dudes sure like to spend money.
Out on the street again, now snowing a bit more heavily but still very pleasant, the temp hovering around negative one and no wind to speak of. I walked back up to Queen Street and as I was passing HO-SU, my favourite sushi joint, I was pulled inside by invisible arms and before I knew it I was ordering a lunch special even though it was well after 3PM. Six perfect California rolls and four pieces of sushi: whitefish, tuna, salmon and shrimp. A bottomless cup of green tea and a lovely bowl of miso soup, plus three Korean appetizers and salad. All for the princely sum of $9 (that would be about 200 Czech crowns, 500 Icelandic crowns, 4 Pounds Sterling and 976 Mongolian Tughriks) That's CHEAP, baby!
When I first went to the Czech Rep after the fall of communism and mentioned my liking of sushi, I was met with incredulous stares and expressions of disgust ("fuj", in Czech) Now, of course, sushi is au courant and every self-respecting hipster talks about it. I'm told by a reliable source (though I did not see this myself) that a decent sushi lunch in Prague will set you back a hefty $40 Cdn (about 800 Czech crowns) That's per person! I did see the prices in London a couple of years ago on my last trip there but can't remember them because I fainted when I saw the menu. Long live Canada, eh! The True North Strong & Free!
On my way back to the subway, I passed the Rex Jazz bar and contemplated another injustice. A person I know, an instrumentalist who shall remain aimless, has landed a steady gig there. Accompanied by a trio who shall also rename mainless. They can hack their way through some standards; he (the instrumentalist in question) has decent technique but his sense of time is sorely lacking (13 bar blues is his speciality). He trills and glisses and howls with his instrument, running up and down scales at a good clip but without direction. And yet he seems to get real primo gigs. Not yet The Blue Note - but most of Toronto's top clubs. Musician colleagues all know him and shrug when asked to comment on his abilities.
A few steps down the street and I enter the subway to the strains of the most incredible sounding accordion playing. There he is: a Ukrainian fellow, a recent immigrant, I'm assuming, sitting on a rickety chair in the stinky draft of a slushy and icy subway entrance, playing his instrument with the fleeting fingers of an angel, with the most stunning technique and bravado, performing Christmas carols and Bach's cantatas with equal ease, riffing awsome jazz harmonies on both, obviously in possession of a talent and gift and depth of musical essence the afore mentioned Rex-hired musician cannot even dream of. The Ukrainian sits on his ripped canvas chair, shooting a shy smile to passers by who throw a quarter in his accordion case.
Don't get me wrong: I have no problem with any musician playing wherever he pleases. A subway gig around Christmas time is almost certainly more lucrative than a Rex gig any time. But a Rex gig will bring you to the minds and lips of the Toronto jazzeratti and no subway gig ever will...
But life is unfair: that's why Toronto is a great city with scheisse weather and Prague is a great city with exhorbitant sushi. I love sushi and I love jazz and I would love to see that accordionist play Carnegie Hall and the other dude play anonymous retirement parties. But then of course, I would also like to fly to the moon on gossamer wings....
The only thing of interest to me was an expensive and gorgeous book about literary England which I am determined to purchase at some later date (generous reader: my birthday is in early March and I will supply the exact title on demand) and a couple of jazz magazines which I was going to buy but then saw the line-ups at the cash and gave up. Dude, those progressive, capitalism-despising dudes sure like to spend money.
Out on the street again, now snowing a bit more heavily but still very pleasant, the temp hovering around negative one and no wind to speak of. I walked back up to Queen Street and as I was passing HO-SU, my favourite sushi joint, I was pulled inside by invisible arms and before I knew it I was ordering a lunch special even though it was well after 3PM. Six perfect California rolls and four pieces of sushi: whitefish, tuna, salmon and shrimp. A bottomless cup of green tea and a lovely bowl of miso soup, plus three Korean appetizers and salad. All for the princely sum of $9 (that would be about 200 Czech crowns, 500 Icelandic crowns, 4 Pounds Sterling and 976 Mongolian Tughriks) That's CHEAP, baby!
When I first went to the Czech Rep after the fall of communism and mentioned my liking of sushi, I was met with incredulous stares and expressions of disgust ("fuj", in Czech) Now, of course, sushi is au courant and every self-respecting hipster talks about it. I'm told by a reliable source (though I did not see this myself) that a decent sushi lunch in Prague will set you back a hefty $40 Cdn (about 800 Czech crowns) That's per person! I did see the prices in London a couple of years ago on my last trip there but can't remember them because I fainted when I saw the menu. Long live Canada, eh! The True North Strong & Free!
On my way back to the subway, I passed the Rex Jazz bar and contemplated another injustice. A person I know, an instrumentalist who shall remain aimless, has landed a steady gig there. Accompanied by a trio who shall also rename mainless. They can hack their way through some standards; he (the instrumentalist in question) has decent technique but his sense of time is sorely lacking (13 bar blues is his speciality). He trills and glisses and howls with his instrument, running up and down scales at a good clip but without direction. And yet he seems to get real primo gigs. Not yet The Blue Note - but most of Toronto's top clubs. Musician colleagues all know him and shrug when asked to comment on his abilities.
A few steps down the street and I enter the subway to the strains of the most incredible sounding accordion playing. There he is: a Ukrainian fellow, a recent immigrant, I'm assuming, sitting on a rickety chair in the stinky draft of a slushy and icy subway entrance, playing his instrument with the fleeting fingers of an angel, with the most stunning technique and bravado, performing Christmas carols and Bach's cantatas with equal ease, riffing awsome jazz harmonies on both, obviously in possession of a talent and gift and depth of musical essence the afore mentioned Rex-hired musician cannot even dream of. The Ukrainian sits on his ripped canvas chair, shooting a shy smile to passers by who throw a quarter in his accordion case.
Don't get me wrong: I have no problem with any musician playing wherever he pleases. A subway gig around Christmas time is almost certainly more lucrative than a Rex gig any time. But a Rex gig will bring you to the minds and lips of the Toronto jazzeratti and no subway gig ever will...
But life is unfair: that's why Toronto is a great city with scheisse weather and Prague is a great city with exhorbitant sushi. I love sushi and I love jazz and I would love to see that accordionist play Carnegie Hall and the other dude play anonymous retirement parties. But then of course, I would also like to fly to the moon on gossamer wings....
"...take me to the Rex, baby..."
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