It certainly was and made the event worth attending...the rest was boring...except the food, that was pretty great!
I tend to stick with the same people around me, my small group of friends, but in my professional life I'm forced to interact wit many others and so have built up the right skills to do so but that doesn't mean I have to like it. Occasionally someone, like the woman I mention in this post, surprises me in a good way and something more comes from it, a better business relationship or even friendship; I don't go out there looking for it though, (especially in a business environment), I'm happily in a relationship and have enough friends and acquaintances.