Posh, exclusive Dîner en Blanc comes to Jersey City. Here's what you need to know
Le Dîner en Blanc is a strange, magical, posh, somewhat inconvenient event that began in Paris. Where else could they come up with something so impractical and lavash?
Dîner en Blanc is an invite-only picnic held in a public space where everything, from the wardrobe to the table settings, must be white. And there are some peculiar rules involved — but more on those later.
For the first time ever, Jersey City will host its own.
Meredith Burns, Christine Goodman and Mira Prinz-Arey from Art House Productions, an organization that's focused on the development of performance and visual arts in Jersey City, are responsible for bringing this exclusive event to Jersey City.
Here's what you need to know about Dîner en Blanc.
What to wear to Dîner en Blanc
Dîner en Blanc means "dinner in white." All guests must wear white. Not cream. Not ivory. Not beige. White. Guests are also expected to dress elegantly, so a white pair of shorts and a T-shirt won't do.
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How to get invited to Dîner en Blanc
Dîner en Blanc is an exclusive event. You must either be invited directly by the hosts or participating partners or get on the waitlist by going on the website jerseycity.dinerenblanc.com.
The details
The thing about a Dîner en Blanc is that there really aren't many details released until the day of, which keeps it shrouded in mystery. The exact date and time of Jersey City's dinner will be announced the first week of July. Dîner en Blanc events are traditionally held on public grounds, like in a park. Invited guests will be told a rendezvous point, and the exact location will be revealed the day of. Tickets are $53.
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What to bring
Yet another unconventional aspect of Dîner en Blancs is that guests have to bring their own white portable tables, chairs, white table linens, tableware and gourmet meal. It's picnicking on steroids, tight packing skills required.
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The history
François Pasquier is the originator of Dîner en Blanc. He had the idea to throw a picnic when he returning to Paris after a long trip in 1988. More and more of his friends wanted to come, so he decided to throw it in a public space. He also asked everyone to wear white so they could recognize one another. It was such a hit, they threw another the next year, and the year after and so on, the guest list growing each time.
Now, Dîner en Blanc events are held on six continents.
Go to jerseycity.dinerenblanc.com for more information.
Rebecca King is a food writer for NorthJersey.com. For more on where to dine and drink, please subscribe today and sign up for our North Jersey Eats newsletter.
Email: kingr@northjersey.com
Twitter: @rebeccakingnj
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This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ restaurants: The first-ever Dîner en Blanc comes to Jersey City
