Lightside

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It seems just yesterday it was announced the Royal Ontario Museum was to undergo an amazing change - an addition was to be built on the north side facing Bloor Street.

A contest for the best design was organized and, when the smoke had settled, the winning design was contentious. Architecturally, the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal structure looks like a house of glass - all angles and planes, corners and shadows. It dominates and leans toward the busy street, as though ready to pounce.

Construction began in May 2003 and people of our fair city gasped. As the steel structure took shape we craned our necks, dropped our jaws and exclaimed, "What are they doing?"

By this April, all of this $270 million project's permanent collections galleries will be in place. No trifling matter. This 17,200-square-metre, overwhelmingly crystal glass addition is imposing.

Inside, imagination has run free. Here, this and other generations will be able to contemplate, to puzzle and admire over time and place.

If this sounds like I am smitten by this grand structure, think again. I am not.

Wowed, yes. But its design and space will take time to win me over. Safe to say the entire museum, what it holds in total, has me as a lifelong fan.

It happened that an invitation led me to this spectacular place. While it is currently in use, finishing steps will take another two years. No matter. I was there to visit its new Restaurant Lounge, C5 Lounge and day dinning room.

The purpose of my being there was the C5 quandary. Its head honchos, Chef Ted Corrado and food services director Elizabeth Hollyer, and others were pondering which, the Grand, the Crystal, or the Architecture, should be its hallmark martini.

All three drinks, although based on the same Grey Goose Vodka, were as different as the Michael Lee-Chin addition and the museum's older sections - similar in purpose, but as far removed as mountain and mud in appearance.

In excess of 50 people - mostly business types in tailored suits and architecturally designed dresses - had gathered to assist the C5 in resolving its dilemma.

Further, a panel of five distinguished swillers would have the final say.

The judging was intense: Sniff, swirl, taste and make notes. Swirl and sip again! So difficult to determine! While this process continued we, the anticipating and ever-so-quiet audience, laboured to drink the bar dry.

To aid us, tiny oysters topped with a delicious jelly - finger foods so delicate and subtle one needed many to stave off hunger pangs - were passed around.

Finally, after several comments by panel members as to the merits of this, that or the other competing drink, a decision was reached. They had sipped, swallowed and worked their way to a final conclusion.

While it was not unanimous (whoever can decide totally in such a case?), they voted the "Architecture" as the C5's official martini. Not bad for a splash of vodka, measured drip of Hpnotiq liqueur and a petit drop of Scotch.

Being part of such an elite selection group it seemed a sin to ask for mineral water to end the session! After all, the bulk of those present were toasting and washing down oysters with samples of the winner.

As for me, well, the addition, its overall design, dark corners and mood, sharply defined planes were heady enough. The food was top drawer as well. Water was just fine.