FNLROM: Tacos and Laughs, Dinosaurs and Gin, These Are A Few of My Favourite Things

Jurassic Park IV: The Search for Cupcakes

The third season of the FNLROM museum parties are in full swing, so I dropped by one of my favourite Toronto cultural events for some food and fossils. I'm happy to say the events are lively and thriving, and still continuing to evolve with each season.

I wrote about FNLROM in the past season and talked about how much I love exploring the museum after hours. Right from the start, I was happy to see changes made to make the experience better. For one thing, the currency system has been streamlined. You used to buy individual ROM Bucks to pay for food and drinks. Now, you buy a ROM Buck for $6 and that ROM Buck buys you what you want - basically you buy 1 ROM Buck and that's what each dish costs. Some dishes, like tacos, are 2 for $6, while drinks and other dishes $6 each, but it's far simpler than past seasons.

And don't worry about what you'll spend your bucks on, as the variety of food vendors on site has grown, with expansion beyond the main lobby. Bronfman Hall on the 2nd level has been transformed into sort of a pop-up food court and bar, making excellent use of the space. There's every imaginable variation on street food available, from tacos and cupcakes to Filipino sisig fries and samosas - there should be a few things to appeal to those with vegan and gluten dietary needs.

Follow some of the #FNLROM food vendors on Twitter: @curbsidebliss @GourmetGringos @HotBunzzTO @tiffinday @TitaFlips @LittleTomatoTO

Marlin tacos from Gourmet Gringos, giant buns from Hot Bunzz, and incredible duck egg and peameal sandwiches from Little Tomato

Food is only part of the indulgence of FNLROM, so after a quick bite, it was off to explore. Keep in mind, while FNLROM runs until 11pm, the galleries are only open until 9:30pm (Dinosaur and Gem galleries are open later), so make the most of your time.

Only slightly dramatic looking prairie dog.

Doctor What?

Tryptich

I have to take a moment to praise the staff and volunteers who keep FNLROM running. We had some wonderful interactions with ROM Volunteers among the galleries. There's a sarcophagus in the Egyptian gallery that I've passed a dozen times, but until a ROM Volunteer chatted with us, I'd never realized it wasn't wood but an ancient form of papier-mâché that was used to seal the body. Who expected to go to the museum and learn something?

This is the coffin of Djed-maat-es-ankh, an Egyptian woman who died of a massive dental cyst that burst.

One of the things you really need to make an effort to see is a stunning photo exhibition "Sebastião Salgado GENESIS". It's an amazing array with 275 of Sebastião Salgado's photographs from all points of the earth, capturing how utterly jaw-dropping the majesty of the world can be, and why we need to preserve it. The exhibit runs until September 2nd, 2013.

The Brooks Range, Alaska. Sebastião Salgado

Iceberg between Paulet Island and the South Shetland Islands on the Weddell Sea. Antarctic Peninsula. Sebastião Salgado.

Once the galleries close, there are still some spaces to explore. The Dinosaur gallery plays hosts to a bar, cupcakes from Curbside Bliss, and the charming and talented folks at Manual Labour Coffee, who introduced me to "Coffee Pop" - fresh brewed ice coffee mixed with soda water. It was remarkable the way my brain kept expecting "sweet" but I tasted "bitter' and shut up brain and enjoy the deliciousness (tip: don't add milk, it doesn't mix well)

A wander through the Teck Gallery of gems, minerals, and rocks was accompanied by the live music form students of the U of T jazz program, while you marvel at what the shiny wonders time and geology create.

A rare Cerussite gem, 896 carats, shining with fiery intensity.  Shiny.

Acicular mineral, bristles with crystal.

Rock stars

This goethite mineral, like stretched taffy.

Museum adventures are always best enjoyed with friends, and my companion was sure to contribute her thoughts on FNLROM as a first-timer

We're sitting in the ROM, munching food and drinking out beer, while the sounds of the band Wildlife echo throughout and it all feels rather epic, and good. I'd like to see more things epic and good in this city.

FNLROM runs until June 21st. Make plans, buy your tickets online, and enjoy your night at the museum.


Tickets for all remaining FNLROM events are available for online purchase now.

Friday May 24: ROMic-con

Dust off your cape, channel your inner super hero and come dressed in your crime fighting best! Check out a retrospective of super heroes, take a lesson in designing your own comic, and laugh away your end of week stress with improv from The Second City, the world’s premiere improv and sketch comedy theatre.

Friday May 31: Indo Pop

Experience the best of Bollywood style and colour. Presented by international hip/hop dancer/choreographer Chase Constantino, performance by Bollywood dance troupe Broken Dance Company and YouTube superstar Superwoman. Digital art by London-based Inkquisitive, South Asian fashion, and mehndi (henna) demonstrations. 

Friday June 7: Indigenous Arts

Celebrate Aboriginal History Month with DJ Bear Witness from A Tribe Called Red, Craig James Laur and Duke Redbird. See fashion by designers Charm Logan and Sage Paul, experience visual/installation art by Amanda Strong and learn how to make a canoe (by hand). In partnership with the Association for Native Development in the Performing and Visual Arts (ANDPVA).

Friday June 14: Fashion

Be prepared to strut your style - we’re bringing big fashion direct from the runway win the ROM’s BIG exhibition. Canadian fashion on display, as well as music by Joseph and the Mercurials.

Friday June 21: Mesopotamia

Be the first to see the ROM’s blockbuster exhibition, Mesopotamia presented by RSA Insurance before it opens to the public. This night celebrates Middle Eastern culture with a yoga rave with Linda Malone from Iam Yoga, live performance by west coast composer/DJ Adham Shaikh and JUNO-nominee Jaffa Road.

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My Favourite Toronto - Cherry Blossom days in High Park

Every spring, there's this narrow window of opportunity when the sakura cherry trees in High Park bloom in a burst of colour. Swarms of people teem through the park, gawking and clicking photos as they take in the seasonal spectacle. And as short as the blossoms last, and as crazy as the park can get, it's still well worth stealing a bit of time to seek out some beauty.

Crowds stream through High Park every year, captivated by the cherry blossoms.

The weekends, of course, are a bit of a madhouse when the trees are in bloom, so I found some time during the week to head in. The sakuras bloom usually during that first run of consistently warm weather, and last a week and a bit, pending any strong wind or rain storms. You have to seize your moment before their gone. Too many people drive, especially considering how transit friendly the park is. The Carlton/College streetcar terminates in High Park, and High Park subway is right across the street from the park. If you were to drive, I'd recommend parking in the nearby neighborhoods and walk the 10-15 minutes into the park. Cycling is also a pretty popular option.

Impromptu picnic - grabbed some roast chicken, cheese, salad
 and assorted nibbling bits from  the nearby Loblaws and shops on Roncesvalles Avenue.

I grabbed some food from local grocery stores (and a cider or two from the LCBO) and walked in from High Park subway on Tuesday late-afternoon. I find the area down towards Grenadier Pond tend to be a little less hectic than the sakuras at the top of the hill near Grenadier Cafe, so I strolled down and found plenty of space. Groups were picnicking, some doing sunset yoga, and a group of adults playing hide & seek tag. There was plenty of space to spread out take in the scenery. Twilight in High Park makes for a very pretty sight. Once I'd eaten, it was time to stroll the trails and snap a few photos.

Cherry Blossom canopy

Sky full of sakura

In bloom.

People take advantage of the blooms to stage some inventive portraits.

Cosplayer photoshoot - original version of Psylocke from "X-Men", the perfect costume colour scheme for cherry blossoms

Picnic in the park

Cherry glow.

A little peace from the crowds.

Tips for enjoying blossom season:
- if you want to enjoy yourself, number one tip is to go during off-peak hours.
- plan ahead: there aren't enough washrooms to keep up with the demand. 
- there's food onsite at the Grenadier cafe, but I find it's better to bring some food with you. If cooking isn't your thing, nearby Roncesvalles Avenue and Bloor West have plenty of shops to help you improvise an excellent picnic.

- remember to clean up after yourself and pick up your trash: you'd think it's common sense, but yet...

- that being said, if you're picnicking, bring a garbage bag just in case the park garbage is swamped. 

- leave the car at home and take transit or bike. Seriously.
- don't be a dick and shake blossoms loose just to make it rain and DON'T BREAK OFF BRANCHES AS A SOUVENIR. You're damaging the park and shortening how long the blossoms will be around to enjoy.
- consider leaving screaming toddlers or your skittish dogs at home. The park is going to busy enough to cause a headache in this case, so why contribute to the stress.

- MOST IMPORTANTLY take a few moments, put down the camera, and just look around you and take in this unique, beautiful landscape we have in our city. Go on, I'll wait.


For some more info on the park and trees, check out High Park's website.

Torontoist has an interesting post on the origin of the sakura trees in High Park as well.

All photos here are mine, and can be found in my Flickr album: Cherry Blossoms in High Park (2013). If you want to use any of them, just drop me a line.

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