So I went in to Vancouver yesterday (2.5 hour trip on the totally deconstructed Hwy 1) to the 2010 Christmas Gala Floral Trade Show. I'm flirting with the idea of Floral Design and this is the event for trends in the industry.

At the break, a fully catered gala event in itself, I sat with an impeccably and expensively dressed woman. I was already feeling a little conspicuous in flip flops & jeans, since nearly everyone was decked out like a christmas tree. Apparently it's inappropriate in Vancouver to wear black rubber thongs in October, but entirely appropriate to wear black silk thongs, especially if they're exposed...

The woman told me a story of her friend, a career florist who'd unexpectedly had her eyesight damaged after being hit in the face with bear spray.

'Bear spray?!' I responded, enthused at the offbeat subject. 'My gosh, if she was close enough to be sprayed on by a bear, she's lucky all she had damaged was her eyesight - she could have lost her life!'

The woman's delicate eyebrow shot up in horror. A deep silence followed and she turned to engage with the woman to her left.

Apparently bear spray is mace. Not bear piss.
Nothing like showing your valley colours at an urban event.