'Welcome to Canada," the greeters, dressed up as customs officials, told upwards of 3,000 guests as they arrived to the NHL All-Star Saturday Night Party at the CE Centre. "Do you have anything to declare?"

Uh, yup. I do declare this party to be unlike any other party hosted in Ottawa before.

Around Town has attended its share of shindigs, but none that offered mechanical bull rides. Partygoers wearing hockey jerseys, business suits and even leather pants channelled their inner Calgarian cowboy and cowgirl while hanging on for dear life.

The evening paid tribute to all seven of our country's NHL cities while going big on entertainment, food and drinks (it helped that Molson Canadian was the sponsor).

Partygoers whooped it up in the Calgary saloon while the Toronto room was decidedly more cosmopolitan with its Bay Street stockbrokers buying and selling shares near the replica CN Tower.

Guests were also seen chowing down on chicken Shepherd's pie at the Winnipeg station and ordering up drinks at the Edmontonthemed bar with oil rig scenery. In the wintry Vancouver corner, guests indulged in shrimp cocktails while watching an ice-sculpting demonstration. Parliament Hill appeared in the form of the main stage backdrop.

The late-night party (it started after the All-Star skills competition and continued into the wee hours) had something for everyone, including free neck and shoulder massages.

Ottawa Senators president Cyril Leeder was seen with his wife, Lydia, and their daughter, Ciera, snacking on smoked meats on rye, served in the Montreal area. Nearby were various performers from Cirque Fantastic.

"I think it's pretty spectacular," said Leeder of the party.

"It's very un-Ottawa. We need a little bit of that now and then."

Also seen were NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, Mayor Jim Watson and Canadian Olympic Committee president and former Nordiques owner Marcel Aubut.

MAGAZINE SCENE

Ottawa Magazine's issuerelease party was so big it had more guests than there are pages in the magazine's thick, slick 2012 Interiors edition.

Some 175 writers, photographers, advertisers and staff celebrated the latest issue and its take on modern-style homes during a reception held Thursday at the magazine's Centretown West office.

Publisher Dianne Wing found some elbow room in one of the cubicles, where she chatted with Robert Merkley from Merkley Supply and architect Barry Hobin. Hobin's artist son, Jonathan Hobin, was the issue's contributing stylist. He was glimpsed deeper in the crowd, as was the magazine's editor, Sarah Brown.

Home designer Chuck Mills was seen with Susan Finlay, whose husband, Jonathan Westeinde of Windmill Developments, is behind the Cathedral Hill luxury condo tower. Its future residents will include Westeinde's powerhouse parents, John and Shirley Westeinde, who currently live in a waterfront home in Nepean. The couple is finalizing the purchase of two units, which they'll combine into one.

Restaurateur Stephen Beckta and his wife, Maureen Cunningham, whose creative new kitchen is featured in the issue, dropped in before heading to dinner at George Monsour's Back Lane Café on Wellington.

Beckta, who owns the acclaimed Beckta dining & wine and Play food & wine, told Around Town he's keen to open a third joint in town. He has to find the right spot, though (he's been poking around the Glebe).

And, after going a whole year with no Tony Fouhse sightings, Around Town finally ran into the award-winning photographer. "They don't let me out much, the stupid an-kle bracelet," he quipped.

OVER TO YOU, MAESTRO

The next time Mayor Jim Watson can't find his keys to the city he can just call Ottawa Symphony Orchestra (OSO) maestro David Currie.

Currie, who's been the orchestra's music director and conductor for the past 20 years, was presented with the symbolic gift of a key to the city during last Monday's OSO concert at the National Arts Centre.

Currie was pretty humble about it all when Around Town caught up with him at the post-concert reception. "I'm just thrilled for the orchestra," he said of the public recognition.

The reception was hosted in Le Salon by the mayor's office with about 80 or so people attending (the mayor ducked out early to get some work done). There were platters of cheese with toasted baguette, mini hamburgers, shrimp and dessert pastries, as well as an open bar budgeted at two bevvies per guest.

At the party, OSO timpanist Jonathan Wade was seen hanging with lawyer David Scott, recently named an officer to the Order of Canada. "I've been watching him for years, riveted, and I think he's absolutely fantastic," Scott said of Wade, who's also a member of the NAC Orchestra.

OSO board president Martha Hynna socialized with fertility specialist Dr. Norman Barwin while Currie's wife, Nancy Currie, chatted with OSO board members Susan Annis (past president) and Ian Glen, chairman of the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA). Architect Barry Padolsky, hired by the city for the Arts Court expansion, rubbed shoulders with arts patron A.J. Freiman and longtime OSO cellist and retired economist Jim Dingle.

Also present was Bryan Croft, general manager of the OSO for eight-plus years. He's moving to Toronto, where his partner, Yousuf Siddiqui, lives, to become managing director of the Artists' Health Centre Foundation.

TEENAGE WHIRLWIND

Roger's House, an Ottawa-based hospice for kids with life-limiting illnesses, is getting a helping hand worth $7,600 thanks to the efforts of a certain 13-year-old student of Immaculata High School.

Kate Reeve organized her second annual charity fashion show last Sunday at the Glebe Community Centre.

"Kate is someone who shows that kids don't wait until they're grown up to make a difference in their community," said media personality and emcee Max Keeping.

Models from Angie's hit the catwalk in outfits from Jana & Emilia Fashion Design Studio, Khala Morgan, Demü Label and Amber Watkins. The event also featured a silent auction with 40 items.

Supporting the event were Reeve's volunteering family members as well as neighbours and friends from her Old Ottawa South 'hood. The roughly 200 attendees included Roger's House executive director Lloyd Cowin and Angie's Models owner Angie Sakla-Seymour looking healthy and tanned from her recent cruise (no, not that cruise; her trip was capsizefree and in the Caribbean).

Carolyn001@sympatico.ca