On Thursday, August 16th, Maurice and I had the opportunity to dress in all white and attend Le DĂ®ner en Blanc in the city of brotherly love, Philadelphia! What the heck is Le DĂ®ner en Blanc? To clarify, DĂ®ner en Blanc is an invitation only dinner party that originated in Paris thirty years ago. Over the course of an hour, guests travel together in groups to a secret location for a night under the stars. So, this is the second time I attended the event, thanks to a wonderful friend of mine, Cassandre! She has been looking out for the kid since last summer. What a gem! For inquiring minds, if you are looking to attend and don’t have a direct connection, you can register for next year here. If I’m not mistaken, you will get added to the Phase III waiting list.
So, here’s how it works: grab a partner, pack a delicious meal, purchase some white furniture, decorate a center piece, bring a bottle, and wear some comfortable shoes. Sounds simple, right? Well, not exactly, but it’s a heck of a great time. We purchased most of our items from Amazon, IKEA, and Dollar General (Don’t Judge 🙂 ) which can be found here: 1) Outdoor compact table ; 2) Folding chairs ; 3) Tablecloth; 4) Chair covers; We also purchased a hand truck from Loews to transport everything.
When dressing for the vent, make sure everything is white. Not beige, cream, or off white, but white! They are very strict folks. Depending on what city you are in, you may be able to get by with a non-white. Last year, I wore my favorite suede chelsea boots. This year, I dressed down my blazer and shorts with a pair of white chucks. Maurice stepped out in a sleeveless dress shirt, white denim jeans, and black boots with a rose neck accessory. For the ladies, wear your favorite white skirt or dress to the event. Heels or sandals will also work.
Food, food, and more food! Depending on your budget constraints, you can bring your own food to the event, or purchase a meal from the event itself. Maurice and I decided to keep it simple. We packed a picnic basket with some of our favorite treats including a house salad, salmon, crackers, fruit, and wine. Yummy right?
This year, we had an opportunity to wine and dine at City Hall, which was a huge contrast from last summer! The event itself was broken up into three or four sections, with live muiscians and djs playing throughout the venue. We danced in almost every section. By the end of the night, the entire crowd was worn out, but it was way worth it! I hope you were able to live vicariously through us.
Au revoir,
-Bryce Lennon