Anya Marina Learns a Lesson About Red Bull

Singer-songwriter Anya Marina is out on tour with the Virgins and Lissy Trullie, and sending Spinner her dispatches from the road. In the fifth installment, Marina learns of the evils of Red Bull and meets up with a foodie friend. Follow along on her excellent adventures.

Friday, May 15, 2009
Vancouver, BC (Biltmore hotel)

After the show at Seattle's Chop Suey, I went out with Lissy and guitarist Paul Vassallo for a rare nightcap.

Note to self: Red Bull at midnight is a bad idea.

Note to hotel housekeeping re: bathroom tiles: You're welcome.

Note to meth-heads re: Red Bull: You guys. Red Bull. Seriously.


Suffice it to say, I didn't get a good night's sleep. I'm looking so forward to seeing an old friend and my fatigue means nothing. Years ago on my first ever trip to Vancouver, my sister and I befriended a waiter named Rich. Somehow we've all kept in touch over the years. Sometimes we'll go an entire year without a word, but whenever one of us is in the other's city, we'll have a meal and a laugh. It's one of those rare friendships.

Rich has moved way up in the food world, so tonight's plans include going to one of my favorite restaurants of all time: WEST. It's great to see him and he regales me with stories of living in New York and feasting at all of my dream restaurants (Per Se, Daniel, Le Bernardin, etc).

After dinner, I join up with the others and we play to a huge and lively crowd in Vancouver, at the recently refurbished and swanky Biltmore Cabaret. It is by far the best show. Everyone sings along to my cover of T.I.'s 'Whatever You Like' and I sell a bunch of unicorn t-shirts to a metal band whose name escapes me. Riding high after such a fun night, I drive to Bellingham, Wash., grinning all the way back over the border.

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