The Smell of the Establishment
My fancy gala actually ended up being a fair bit of fun, though the art auction bordered on catastrophic -- the recession has apparently hit the art market. Almost nothing went for above it's estimated value, and some of the most valuable pieces recieved no bids at all. I also got a feel for the general provinciality of the Vancouver scene. Granted, a number of luminaries were at the Toronto Art Fair, but neither the art nor the guests were terribly glamorous. It's a small and isolated city we live in.
I was a silent auction guard. I ended up wearing black jeans (just couldn't find a nice pair of dress pants), but it didn't seem to matter, there was plenty of denim around, despite the high price of the event. During the live auction, I was an art walker and had to parade some large paintings around the dining hall while the auctioneer from Christie's (a pleasantly commanding British woman who looked straight out of a BBC crime drama) called out the bidding.
The volunteers got a free dinner (though not the food that the guests got) at possibly the longest table I've ever eaten at, some free drinks, and a piece of art (a Liz Magor multiple in an "unlimited edition") that was complimentary to all attendees.
The Vancouver Club is pleasantly non-glitzy. It's too old-money for any kind of glitz. The level of comfort and quality in the furnishings was pretty astounding, actually. The whole place smelled wonderful, like old things very well-maintained, like generations spent in the pursuit of improvements in the material conditions of living. I seem to have been doing a good deal of venturing out of my usual social sphere, lately. It's been enlightening.
I was a silent auction guard. I ended up wearing black jeans (just couldn't find a nice pair of dress pants), but it didn't seem to matter, there was plenty of denim around, despite the high price of the event. During the live auction, I was an art walker and had to parade some large paintings around the dining hall while the auctioneer from Christie's (a pleasantly commanding British woman who looked straight out of a BBC crime drama) called out the bidding.
The volunteers got a free dinner (though not the food that the guests got) at possibly the longest table I've ever eaten at, some free drinks, and a piece of art (a Liz Magor multiple in an "unlimited edition") that was complimentary to all attendees.
The Vancouver Club is pleasantly non-glitzy. It's too old-money for any kind of glitz. The level of comfort and quality in the furnishings was pretty astounding, actually. The whole place smelled wonderful, like old things very well-maintained, like generations spent in the pursuit of improvements in the material conditions of living. I seem to have been doing a good deal of venturing out of my usual social sphere, lately. It's been enlightening.