This was a black-tie invitation-only event to honor Daniel Libeskind, who has been chosen to lead the redesign of the World Trade Center site.  He was selected from a panel of "the best the world had to offer", by residents, developers, and government figures.  A lot of NYC bigwigs were there. 

The event was run by the Educational Alliance, a Lower Manhattan non-profit that has been around for 115 years.  The LEGO Company donated pieces to children, who then built abstract buildings and cityscapes that were displayed in the cocktail room at the event.

Since The LEGO Company was involved, their PR director contacted me and asked if I would display my city on-stage at the event.  So I packed up my city, bought a tux, and carried everything off to this luxurious hotel in the "swanky" district of Manhattan.  

So I didn't know what to expect.  Turns out, LEGO was not participating; they had only donated those pieces to kids, and left it at that.  So I didn't know anyone there!  I ended up hanging out with some of the people at my table, and passed around some business cards.  

After Daniel Libeskind's presentation, I went up and spoke with him for a minute, telling him how impressed I was with his speech.  I also told him I was an architecture nut and a lower manhattan resident, as well as the creator of the LEGO buildings he had been standing next to all night; and I asked him if I could have a picture with him in front of my LEGO city.  He said yes. :)  I wanted to talk longer, but he obviously had 1,000,000 people who wanted to speak with him, so I let him be. :)

Everyone really loved my city, people were talking about them and pointing and poking. :)