Inside L.A’s All-White Dinner Party That’s A Worldwide Phenomenon
The worldwide phenomenon known as Diner en Blanc is an extravaganza that’s more than a dinner, more than a gathering. It’s an experience.
And it has arrived in Los Angeles. This bring-your-own-everything dinner party is held in the fall – late October or the first of November – at a mystery location not revealed until two hours before the event.
In 2016, this location was a downtown courtyard between the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and the Mark Taper Forum. The area – which has a walk-thru fountain as its centerpiece – was filled with tables covered in white, many topped with decorations ranging from replicas of the Eiffel Tower to wedding-like gazebos. This was spread out over a large area about the size of a football field.
Sitting at them were 2,000 people dressed in various variations of white. There were men in all-white tuxedos, a man in a rabbit costume, ladies in headdresses, even a couple dressed as unicorns.
And many people in masks.
An Elegant Masquerade Ball
In many ways, Diner en Blanc is like an elegant masquerade ball, a private invitation-only affair that’s so anticipated by people that in order to attend. they have to apply to be invited months in advance. In fact, to go to the next Diner en Blanc in Los Angeles, it is suggested you apply for it soon as you finish reading this article.
You do this on it’s official website, losangeles.dinerenblanc and that only gets you on a waiting list. And those waiting lists at these events around the world can be ridiculously long. Earlier this year in New York City, the waiting list exceeded 35,000 people.
It’s best to know someone who gets invited, cling to them and beg like crazy for them to take you. It’s like trying to get into the Masters golf tournament, long recognized as “the toughest ticket in sports.”
Created in Paris as a simple dinner in public among a few friends and friends of friends, “Dinner In White” has exploded to cities all over the globe with as many as 5,000-15,000 guests. People are required to bring pretty much everything: their own table, chairs and even food and sometimes drinks.
You can purchase a food basket in advance and due to ABC laws, the Los Angeles event required people to purchase wine and champagne on site – Apothic was the wine sponsor – tho clearly. not everyone followed this policy.
The Los Angles 2016 party was on a Friday nite, Nov. 4, from 7:30-11 p.m. After eating (and drinking), people frolicked around and even in the fountain, then danced to music by a DJ. There was even a wedding proposal in the fountain. Many people arrived by charter buses from all over the city: Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Santa Monica and the South Bay.
The next Los Angeles dinner will vary slightly from the 2016 one, owing to the fact it will be in a different location, which adds to the intrigue that continues to make this such a popular event.
Indeed!
Merci beaucoup for celebrating elegance with us at our Tour Eiffel table. A sante!