The Gladstone Hotel in Toronto is an extraordinary place and Christina Zeidler, who runs it, is an extraordinary person. Among the extraordinary things they've been doing there (apart from the amazing reno and the rooms-by-artists and the Trampouline Hall sessions and the great music and...and....and.....) they've been supporting - both with their purchasing power and with donated manual labour - a nearby organic farm. This is a field-to-table approach to the food that puts their money where their mouth is in terms of sustainable agricultural practices, local economic integration and food as an aspect of culture. Even the wine (By Chadsey's Cairns) is from a local winemaker.
They're wrapping up a series of "Harvest Wednesday" dinners in the next little while and Christina asked if I'd like to bring the guitar down for the musicians to use since it's very much in the same spirit as what the Harvest project is doing. Apart from "earning" a fabulous meal with some wonderul company out of the deal, it was a delight to hand the guitar to some very good friends: Donne Roberts (from the African Guitar Summit) and my old friend Chip Yarwood (formerly of "Mother Tongue" - now doing sound at the Gladstone). They were accompanied by the polymusical Celina Carroll on various struck and plucked instruments.
Thanks to Christina and all the folks at the Gladstone!
Posted at 1:25 PM