We Really Dug This Party

Have you ever thrown a party for someone and had the guest of honor cancel on you after the invitations had already been sent? Now just imagine if that guest had been a marquee-name celebrity who was the big draw for your charity's ticket sales. That's exactly the position the Archaeological Institute of America found itself in last night when Harrison Ford missed his chance to accept an honor from the association on the occasion of its 130th anniversary and first-ever gala dinner.

As you might have surmised, Ford was chosen for his role in bringing Hollywood-style interest and excitement to the at-times dry field (pun intended) of archeology through his star turns as Indiana Jones. To be fair, it was a shooting conflict that prevented the actor from being able to attend and he did provide a videotaped acceptance speech. But in spite of the lack of movie-star glitz (or perhaps even because of it), the night was filled with fun, as guests tucked into a Maya-inspired feast prepared under the watch of Maya food archeologist Patricio Balona, Maya archeologist Ben Thomas and Capitale executive chef Jason Munger. Boldface names from the world of food and exploration (including several Top Chef contestants from Season 5) and Travel Channel host Samantha Brown, archeologist James Delgado and Discovery Channel host Josh Bernstein feasted on dishes such as roasted feral pork with a poblano tomatillo sauce and jicama, yucca and calabasa. A live auction featured tours of the ancient world that sounded tempting enough to get even Tutankhamun to raise a paddle. As for Indy, maybe he'll come next year and present the honors to the 2010 honoree. 

For more photos, click here.

A Kangaroo Storms the Waldorf

Honey-glazed cockroaches, crunchy crickets and yes, even maggots suspended in beet gelée. These appetizers signal only one thing: the annual dinner of the Explorer's Club. This eclectic gathering of astronauts, ocean explorers, mountain climbers and other lovers of the unknown was held at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on Saturday and though the night was a long one (not breaking up until about a half hour before midnight), the program was kept lively by a retinue of owls, primates and even a boxing kangaroo, all of whom took their turn on stage in the Grand Ballroom. Emcee Josh Bernstein (pictured), host of the Discovery Channel's Into the Unknown with Josh Bernstein, nimbly segued between human honorees and those with tails, as venerable explorer after explorer took the dais to accept well-deserved honors. The night was a celebration of biodiversity. And though Manhattan may not be considered uncharted territory, we think it's entirely appropriate that New York serves as headquarters of the Explorer's Club. Can you name another other metropolis more varied and worth exploring?