When setting my alarm clock last night, I accidently set the time one hour ahead. As a result I got up at 6am which was really 5 am. Unfortunately I didn't realize my mistake for over an hour.

WOOHOO! Just found $15 in the pocket of my winter coat!

Canada’s most dangerous cities - Canada - Macleans.ca

http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/10/14/national-crime-rankings-2010/
Maclean's ranking of most dangerous cities. Belleville ranked 15th overall. 4th in sexual assaults :o

ROM visit, bigwig schmoozing and crashing a private party...what a day!

Yesterday I headed to Toronto for a museum conference.   It started with a reception at the Royal Ontario Museum and a chance to see their Terracotta Army exhibit.  I thought the exhibit was fantastic!  If you can, you should go see it.  The bronze artifacts were beautiful, the exhibit design and components were really good and, oh, the terracotta warriors were amazing.  There are only 5 warriors in the exhibit but a wealth of other artifacts including some amazing bronze pieces dating to 200 BC.  It was so well done and fascinating to be up close to them to see the detail.  Since I doubt I'll ever get to see them in China I was very thrilled!!!! 

Afterwards I attended a private wine and cheese reception to welcome museum delegates to the conference.   I was the networking  queen.   Sometimes you go to these things and it is just a great drag, same old people, etc.  This was not the case this time.  There were not a lot of the ordinary museum workers (like me) there, it seemed to be a lot people in "high" places in the museum world.  I had a lengthy convo with the brand new director of the ROM, who has just arrived from the UK to take the position and has only been on the job for 3 weeks.  What a dynamo she was!!!   Amazing, inspiring, young, modern ideas.  I can't wait to see what she does for the ROM.   

 The CAO of the  ROM has promised to loan my museum actual dinosaur fossils the exhibit I am working on.  THIS IS MAJOR!!!!! He just randomly came up to talk to me and a few others and somehow I mentioned I was developing a dino exhibit and he made the offer to loan the artifacts free of charge.   I asked who I should contact to make the arrangements (thinking he would refer me to a curator in the paleontology department and he said "oh just email me personally and I'll make it happen for you."      It is all in who you know! 

AND THEN....the ROM people invited us to crash a private reception in which there were about 2500 guests.  The reception was for potential private rental clients to showcase the type of hospitality the ROM can offer.It was held over two floors of the museum which was now closed for the night.   They transformed into a very hip, chinese inspired night club.  There were dj's everywhere, bar stools and bar tables set up in black and red lacquer, metallic gold leather sofas, the walls were draped in yards and yards of red silk and some walls had projections of flames on them.    There were also ice sculptures of the terracotta warriors.   It was a site to behold!!!!  Unfortunately I was not allowed to take any photographs. 

Now for the food...

The party was all about showcasing the different food vendors that are on contract to cater at the ROM.  There were over 20 different food stations, providing tasting size servings. One of the stations was staffed with celebrity chef Jamie Kennedy but it was so jammed with people I couldn't get through the throngs to get to him or his food!  I only got to about half of the food stations, it was simply too packed with people and I started to get full.  I'm going to try to list all the amazing food I sampled.  I think you will be able to tell which were my favourites.   Feel free to drool! 

Chicken Tikka, spinach naan, spinach and cheese samosas and mango lassi

soba noodles

pork belly with parsnip silk

chili seared chicken with peanut ice cream and 3 chili pepper compote    - SO GOOD - Hot and cold at the same time!!!!  AMAZING!!!!!

local smoked whitefish on baguette toasts with micro sprouts - TASTY!

tuna tartar with sesame mayo on taro chips - MELTED IN YOUR MOUTH,  YUMMMMMY!

apples with creme anglais - meh

dark chocolate flour less cake

dark chocolate dipped mini pears on a stick - MMMMMMMMMMMMM! 

bartlett pear and almond tarts 

An assorted candy bar with chinese takeout boxes and about 20 kinds of nostalgic old fashioned candies  (I am munching on giant malted milk balls as I type.   I took the take out box home filled with candies.) 

 Did I mention the raspberry mojitos?????  After the wine at the 1st reception and the mojitos at the second I was feeling no pain!!!

It was quite the experience!!!   The venue was gorgeous and the food was excellent and each tasting plate was presented like a true work of art!   What a party to crash!

All in all a most excellent of days!!!