Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Diner en Blanc

This one was totally under my radar.  It's really way too hoighty toighty for me, but still I find it interesting.  It's called Diner en Blanc, a spontaneous bring-your-own-dinner party where everyone wears white (that's the "en Blanc" part) and meets in a park, the exact one announced only minutes before it starts.  And they show up in droves:



Four thousand people showed up at NYC's Bryant Park last week to break bread and schmooze.  And they didn't just bring their own little picnic basket full of fried chicken....oh no!  They brought their own tables, chairs, table cloths, china, etc.

The concept started in Paris 25 years ago and is still going strong there today....


Now there are organized Diner en Blanc events in 40 cities around the world, with another 400 cities asking to have one organized in their area, too.

I can't imagine going anywhere dressed in all white.  I'm like that little slob kid in the Charlie Brown entourage who has a cloud of dirt and dust around him at all times. Best case I'd show up in "dirty gray" and be denied entry.  Maybe I'd better just stick with gourmet food trucks.  Their dress code is more to my liking.

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Is anyone besides me here in landlocked America keeping up with the America's Cup?  This is the sailing event where teams vie to take on the reigning champion, currently Oracle Team USA.  After a lengthy Louis Vuitton Cup series where Emirates Team New Zealand won the right to challenge Team USA, and then jumped out to a commanding lead (8-2), Oracle has come back strong.  Right now it is tied up 8 wins each.  The race today is winner take all.



The race will be televised on the NBC Sports channel at 1:15 pm Pacific Time, and on the free America's Cup app for iPad.  I don't know squat about the tactics and strategy behind sailing, but I just like the come-from-behind drama.  

It's like being behind by 5 touchdowns going into the 4th quarter, then somehow coming back and kicking a field goal as the final second ticks off to win.  Will that happen here today?  

I've watched most of the races so far and have become addicted.  *gettin' my nachos and cold beer ready*  :)

S


8 comments:

  1. I guess the good thing about being retired is you have time to keep up with stuff like that. The closest I get to sailing is listening to the Christopher Cross song.

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  2. All white dinner...bunch of pretentious ass holes!

    I used to race small sailboats, and I love watching the Am. Cup, but I've only managed to catch it twice, not very well advertised. The new Cat. boats are amazing...so fast! I preferred the single hull boats. Longer races, more strategy, sail changes with huge spinnaker sails for down wind...just seemed more like a sailboat race to me while these boats are almost like a speedboat race. Still, tremendous skill and strategy + $$$$$.

    My uncle ocean raced years ago. He said to get the same feeling, put a hose on a forked stick aiming at a lawn chair with a meat grinder next to it. Turn the hose to full, sit in the chair and every 20 minutes put a 100 dollar bill in the meat grinder and turn the crank.

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  3. I've never heard of these "white" dinners. Very interesting. I hope the food doesn't need to be white.

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    1. Here's the link, Steve:

      http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/09/24/224410455/this-elegant-whimsical-pop-up-dinner-party-had-4-000-guests

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  4. Never heard of dinner en blanc. Going to have to look that one up. It sounds very cool, actually.

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  5. I'll have to check out this dinner en blanc. How spontaneous could this be if it involves food, tables, etc. AND white clothes?

    Since this - in my case - would involve shopping for clothes, I would need several weeks notice. And then I still wouldn't be able to find anything and would just stay home, eating in my old sweats. :-)

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  6. I think people know the date and time, so they can get ready. It's just the location that is revealed at the last minute.

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  7. They have these dinners in Cincinnati - I have a facebook friend who participates (he's a city councilman - in fact the first openly gay one in Cincinnati & you may make of that what you will). It looks like a hoot - but I'm with you about the white not staying white very long. Unless they make body bibs now?

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