Diner en Blanc

Diner en Blanc in Paris

It's no secret that I love to picnic.  Which is strange because when I'm at work in a cubicle all day, I hate going outside for lunch.  Let's just say that I'm a high maintenance picnic-er.  I love to picnic, but I need to have my table, food that can be room temperature, and usually a glass of wine. This past weekend, I happen to come across a white picnic party.  It was a outdoor picnic, but everyone was dressed fashionably in white and dining al fresco by the light of candles and the moon.  One of the guests was nearby and I asked her about the party ( I assumed she was a guest because she was wearing a very large white had with a bird perched on the rim).  She explained that it was Diner en Blanc; an outdoor picnic that allows friends to gather in a secret location for a summer picnic.  Everyone wears all white and has to bring all their own picnic supplies (food, table, chairs, etc.). Once the party is complete, people take all their belongings, careful not to leave anything so it appears as the party never happened.  The location is always kept secret until one hour before, and then is never revealed to outsiders.  This woman, who perhaps had too much white wine, said that the original Diner en Blanc began in France (man, those French know have amazing ideas!) and now the idea has spread across major cities in the world.  Doing a little research today, I discovered that Minneapolis isn't quite part of the official Diner En Blanc organization, but I think the party seemed to have quite the success without.  It has totally inspired me to have a pop up picnic with my friends!  I'm even thinking we need to bring it one step further and try to only have white food and drink.  Dining al fresco just reached a whole new level!