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'Diner en Blanc' Flash Mob Descends on Battery Park City

By DNAinfo Staff on August 26, 2011 9:04am

By Della Hasselle and Patrick Michael Hughes

DNAinfo Staff

BATTERY PARK — A touch of elegance descended on Battery Park City Thursday night when a 'Diner en Blanc' flash mob event made its party debut in the Big Apple.

The "Dinner in White," a 23-year-old French tradition, brought nearly 1,000 New Yorkers together for the first time for a monochromatic dinner complete with champagne, jazz music and white tablecloth settings.

The attendees, who had to apply online and were told where to meet at the last minute, arrived in stylish white summer outfits. The digs included an Andy Warhol white wig, turbans, and even a tiny white pill box hat accompanied by a puff of feathers.

Other sartorial highlights included pearls, white lace, cotton dresses and white dinner jackets and suits.

“The ‘Dîner en Blanc’ recalls the elegance and glamour of court society, and diners engage one another knowing they are taking part in a truly magical event,” a description on the Facebook page explained.

Each attendee was responsible for his or her own food, table settings and chair for the picnic-style dinner, but could order up to two bottles of wine at the party.

The event, which began at sunset, overlooked the yachts in the water. The Diane Sweet Trio played jazz standards throughout the evening.

The party was imported from Paris by organizer Francois Pasquier. To ensure a good party, attendance to the event was mandatory for participants who signed up ahead of time.

It was a great way for New Yorkers to get to know each other, people commented afterwards.

"Thanks so much for an amazing event. Lovely to see so many friends and make new ones," James Bremner commented on the event's Facebook page. "To all the doubters, a massive raspberry. Xx."

Others also seemed to enjoy the ambiance of jazz and dinner by dusk.

"What a fabulously magical time!" Tsuru Goto said. "Thank you!"