A Little Princess Visits the Big City

So I went to Toronto for some work training.

I arrived at the hotel around 10:00 PM or so. The lobby was more than a little bit intimidating. (I knew I would totally regret not bringing my camera with me).

There were some glorious signs proclaiming: Fairmont Gold Floor Express Elevators. Yet for some reason in my exhausted state, I couldn’t sort out which elevators went to the Gold Floor. Uh yeah- little Princess needs to stop going to bed at 9:00 if being up at 10:00 made her that incoherent.

Oh wait, isn’t 10:00 Toronto time actually 9:00 Winnipeg time?

Whatev. Moving on.

So I get to the room and found a lovely note welcoming me to the Fairmont, some chocolate and some cheap wine. How do I know it’s cheap? And why would a five star hotel like the Fairmont stoop to such a level? Well, when D2 was kind enough to get me upgraded to the Gold Floor, the concierge there asked him what I like.

D2’s response? “M & M’s and cheap wine.” He knows me so well.

So I fall into bed and luxuriate in the plethora of pillows and cushy duvet. I could go on and on about that bed. And the pillows. I NEED a king-sized bed. I'm totally adding that to my Amazon wish list on my side bar.

I get dressed the next day in a very appropriate dress and jacket.

Oh crap, I forgot the camisole I always wear underneath the dress! So I go to the private lounge (where they’re already serving us complimentary breakfast) and ask for a safety pin at the desk. They hand me a sewing kit.

Dude! Do I look like I know how to sew?

Oh wait, I guess next to all the Prada and Gucci types who actually paid to be here instead of sneaking in on a favour, I guess I do.

So I pin myself my dress semi-successfully and carry on to the conference, confident in the fact that I won’t be known as “that girl from Winnipeg who liked to show off her décolletage.”

Blah blah scholarships. Yadda Yadda administrative blah…..

We can go? Uh, it’s only 1:30. This is supposed to go until 4:00. Seriously my department paid for me to fly to Toronto for 4 ½ hours? Wait, the bag of goodies aren’t scheduled to come out for another hour? What kind of goodies? Juicy couture necklaces? M & M’s? Free manicures?

Le sigh. No goodies for the princess. (Or anyone else for that matter).

OK now what?

So apparently below the hotel there is an underground world that includes a spa. Now we’re talking! My poor little nails have been neglected of late. I managed to book an appointment for 3:45 and went up to the room to take a nap.

I set the alarm for 3:00. And of course being technically challenged it didn’t go off. Annoying since I also didn’t get my wake up call this morning. It was only by the grace of whomever that I happened to wake myself up on time both times.

So I manicured and was told that “Elizabeth Milan” is big in the spa world. Uh huh. Never heard of her. I was also told that Brad Pitt was staying at my hotel for the Toronto Film Festival. (Seriously, do you think I would have waited this long to mention it if I even caught a wee glimpse? No. I didn’t see him.)

Now one might think that since I was in a big city with a night free I would go out and live it up. Well, that would be people who don’t know what it’s like to work in an educational setting in September. Seriously, even off the crazy pills, I feel like all I do is sleep.

Post-manicure I crawled into my pj’s, called room service and ordered a movie. (“21” if you’re interested…not bad). I snuggled into the duvet and pillows, ate a $45.00 dinner of soup, salad and a piece of cake and read a book.

Bliss.

I watched Iron Man again, and read “Bitter is the New Black.” A fabulous book by blogger Jen Lancaster. Random Musings of My Life was kind enough to send me that and “Such a Pretty Fat” and I love love love them. I devoured the first book in one day and was cursing myself for not packing both. The second I got home I immersed myself in “Such a Pretty Fat.” Seriously do you read Jen Lancaster's blog? If not, go. Now. Immediately.

Oh, and remember the 3:00 alarm I set so I would get to me 3:45 PM manicure on time? Well guess what happened???

Le sigh.
It's dark at 3:00 in the morning. Hard to figure out how to turn off the alarm.

3:09 AM. Crap - I had only hit snooze.

The next day I had to be out of my room at noon, but didn’t need to be at the airport until 2:30. No problem! That’s what the Fairmont Gold Lounge is for.

They stored my bag, and I read another book. I checked my email on the free internet. I ordered a $25.00 lunch. Seriously, I could get used to that kind of life. I wonder if D2 will marry me?

Hmm- I really was meant to live a more patrician life.

xo

This is the lunch they brought up to me in the lounge. They even brought a wee vase with a flower. Seriously. Can I just move in?