Despite a postponement due to Hurricane Nicole, the sixth edition gave Orlando the chance to exhibit their fashion sense, displayed their classy taste for design and elegance and share their gastronomic delights. World-renowned for its photogenic moments, Saturday’s Le Dîneren Blanc did not disappoint.

Together, guests dined, danced and celebrated as one while embracing this year’s theme.

To complement the evening, the celebration welcomed live performances and exhibits inspired by world culture including a Havana themed cigar lounge, European Horse & Carriage Experience at sunset, Middle Eastern Belly Dancing and Brazilian Samba Performance to welcome guests upon arrival, South Pacific Fireshow during dinner time, and highlights of Caribbean and African culture throughout the evening.

Guests embraced the theme highlighting the best of world culture from their chosen attire to tablescape – all while maintaining the “white concept.” It was truly a beautiful celebration and one that put diversity awareness and appreciation at the forefront.

After a beautiful dining experience, the traditional sparkler moment followed – lighting up the sky while opening the dance floor! Renowned Orlando personality DJ Emcee gave the audience much to enjoy with a high energy playlist that kept everyone on their toes all night long ending the night in pure excitement and joy.

Launched in Paris in 1988 by François Pasquier and a handful of friends, Le Dîneren Blanc has become a global phenomenon and taken over 120 cities in 40 countries around the world such as New York, Miami, Sydney, Los Angeles, Buenos Aires, Vilnius, Montreal, and Nairobi.

Le Dîneren Blanc – Orlando hosts gratefully acknowledges Ticarme’s Kitchen, Statement by Kreative Things, and Joyfully Planned – Galaxie Rides, as official local collaborators of the 2022 edition of Le Dîneren Blanc.

The Orlando event was helmed by devoted hosts Tash Johnson of Tash Johnson & Co. International, Fabie Reid of Modernique Events & Co and Lisa Greenwood. Together, they make J.A.G.A. Productions, also known as Just Another Grand Affair, an event management and consulting company that focuses on the production of large-scale grandeur functions in the Central Florida region.

Over the years, Le Dîneren Blanc has become a worldwide epicurean phenomenon. What was a “friends and word-of-mouth only” event has grown into an international phenomenon celebrated on six continents. Launched in Paris in 1988 by François Pasquier and a handful of friends, Le Dîneren Blanc de Paris marked its 30th anniversary in 2018 with a record 17,000 guests from Paris and around the world. While the technology behind the event may have changed over the years, the principalfueling this fanciful event has not: guests dressed in white continue to gather at a secret location for the sole purpose of sharing a gourmet meal with good friends in one of their city’s most beautiful public spaces.

Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Dîneren Blanc International is responsible for developing this secret posh picnic in more than 40 countries. Each event is headed by passionate local organizers who fell in love with the concept and wanted to bring it to their city, giving this rendezvous a local flair.

For more information and videos of Le Dîneren Blanc events from around the world, visit dinerenblanc.com.

To keep up to date on Orlando event announcements, visit orlando.dinerenblanc.com.

Video by Darrell Scattergood

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There are places I’ll remember
All my life, though some have changed
Some forever, not for better
Some have gone, and some remain
All these places had their moments
With lovers and friends, I still can recall
Some are dead, and some are living
In my life, I’ve loved them all

— John Lennon, excerpt from In My Life

The Little Drummer Boy — Costa Rica

In 1856, American William Walker and his ragtag army of mercenaries attacked Honduras, Nicaragua and later Costa Rica with the intention of creating a slave-holding empire with himself as its president. With the blessing of US President Franklin Pierce, Walker was successful in Honduras and Nicaragua, then turned his sights on Costa Rica. President Juan Rafael Mora Porras called upon the general population to take up arms and head north to fight against the foreign invaders. After routing a contingent of Walker’s soldiers at Santa Rosa, Costa Rican troops continued marching north, following Walker’s army to the city of Rivas. The Battle of Rivas was brutal and fierce with Walker’s men retreating into a hostel near the town center where they commanded an advantageous firing position. Juan Santamaría, a poor laborer and son of a single mother, had joined the army as a drummer boy. A general suggested that a soldier should advance towards the hostel with a torch and set it on fire. Juan Santamaría volunteered for the suicide charge, but with the condition that someone would look after his mother if he died. He then advanced and succeeded in setting fire to the hostel, and was mortally wounded by the enemy. His heroics were the defining factor in the Costa Rican victory at Rivas. Walker escaped, and eventually returned to Honduras in an attempt to reestablish his control of the region, but was captured and executed by a firing squad in 1860. Juan Santamaría, the Little Drummer Boy, is Costa Rica’s national hero. You will see monuments, statues and parks named after him throughout the nation. Juan Santamaría Day, a national holiday, is held every April 11 to commemorate his courageous death.

John and Yoko — Montréal

Located in the famous Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel, this one-bedroom suite was the site of the legendary 1969 Bed-in for Peace in Montréal, where John and Yoko recorded the song Give Peace a Chance.  Guests singing along included Timothy Leary, Petula Clark, Tommy Smothers and whoever happened to be present in the room. The living room and bedroom feature memorabilia composed of press articles, framed gold records and pictures of the famous couple. The suite is available for lodging and can also be rented for parties.  Sometimes I will only make a pilgrimage to the room’s exterior, just to see the plaque on the door.

The Old Hanging Oak — Houston

From the top of the double-decker tour bus we passed blocks of Houston’s commanding, almost futuristic-looking office towers that dwarfed the remaining older buildings in the surprisingly modest downtown center.  As the tour continued, an oak tree situated behind a gate caught my attention. The guide informed me that it was the Old Hanging Oak, a 400-year-old tree, the oldest in Houston. The official word was that it had been used to hang over eleven criminals between 1836 and 1845. Unofficially, I learned it was the source of an untold number of lynchings, generally of African-Americans, during the Jim Crow racial segregation laws at the end of the 19th century. In particular, when African-American troops in WW1 , treated as heroes in France, returned home to the states, they had a greater sense of self-esteem, but were pushed down and faced virulent hostility by white Americans. Perhaps only the Old Hanging Oak could tell the real story of all the atrocities in which it has played a part. It’s not unusual to bury unsavory parts of history. There was barely a mention of the now defunct Enron, whose branding was once proudly displayed throughout the city. The Old Hanging Oak made me think how much Houston had progressed, where it is now one of the nation’s most ethnically diverse cities, with one in four Houstonians foreign born. The Old Hanging Oak Tree of Houston is a symbol of hatred and racism, but now represents a reconciliation of the past and a better tomorrow.

The Doolough Tragedy — Ireland

My wife and drove through the sweeping hills of the Connemara in County Galway, a landscape once described by Oscar Wilde as a place of ‘terrible beauty.’ We pulled off the road to study a Famine Trail. Known as the Doolough Tragedy of 1849, where scores of destitute and starving people staggered through horrendous weather for 15 miles to a manor’s house in the hope of food, only to be turned away. Apparently, the grand man of the manor did not want to interrupt his lunch and never met them. Later, corpses were found  by the side of the path with grass in their mouths. Too weak to walk or speak, many were crawling to churches so that they could be laid to rest on consecrated ground. Once a year a Famine Walk  takes place on the trail to commemorate the victims.

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Padre Pro’s last request was to be allowed to kneel and pray. When the firing squad’s shots failed to kill him, a soldier shot him at point-blank range. Pro had been falsely accused in the bombing attempt of former Mexican President Álvaro Obregón, and had become a wanted man. Betrayed to the authorities, he was sentenced to death without the benefit of any legal process. On the day of his execution, Pro forgave his executioners and refused a blindfold. He died proclaiming, Viva Cristo Rey! (Long live Christ the King!) On a recent trip to Mexico City, I was exploring the Roma Norte Neighborhood, courtesy of Visit Mexico City.  Located on the edge of the city’s bustling downtown and historical sites, my photographer, Deb Roskamp, and I were just about to take a break in one of Roma Norte’s idyllic tree-lined pocket parks, when a small building, adjacent to a parish church, caught our  attention.  Its sign read: Museo Padre Pro. The name sounded curiously familiar, so we went inside.

The museum was small, but felt spacious, allowing emotional space to reflect on this man Pro and his remarkable life story. At the entrance to the museum, books, posters and postcards were sold. All the information was in Spanish, but fortunately my photographer was Spanish-speaking wife, who translated Pro’s history to me. His story was of a  Catholic priest who defied the fiercely anti-clerical and anti-Catholic provisions of the 1917 Constitution, which were now vigorously enforced in 1926. This enforcement resulted in severe penalties for priests, including death, who criticized the government or wore clerical garb outside their churches. The articles also mandated secular education in schools, prohibiting the Church from participating in primary and secondary education, forbade public worship outside of church buildings and restricted religious organizations to own property. The final article revoked basic civil rights of clergy members, denying priests and religious workers the right to vote.

In 1926, the Jesuits sent Padre Pro to Mexico City just three days after Plutarco Elías Calles banned all public worship. Since he was not known as a priest, Pro went about clandestinely — sometimes in disguise of a variety of professions — celebrating Mass, distributing communion, baptizing children, hearing confessions, anointing the sick, and even celebrating weddings. He would often dress as a beggar to collect money for the poor. The whole time, he was risking his life because public worship was explicitly outlawed and priests would be arrested immediately. Details of Pro’s ministry in the Underground Church come from his many letters displayed in the museum. Soon under surveillance by the Calles regime, a failed attempt to assassinate Álvaro Obregón, provided the state with a pretext for arresting Pro.  A man confessed his part in the plot, testifying that Pro was not involved, but this was ignored.

In prison, unsure of his fate, Pro spent his time praying for the others in confinement and for the salvation of humankind. On the morning of November 23, a guard appeared at the cell door and called for Padre Pro. He turned to the other prisoners and exclaimed, Good-bye, brothers, till we meet in Heaven!

Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours Chapel – Leonard Cohen’s Montréal

Montréal is a city of cathedrals, and for my first trip to the city my plan was to walk from one church to the next, never knowing what experience awaited me around each corner. While wandering on the edge of Old Montréal’s cobbledstoned streets, I stumbled upon Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours Chapel, known as The Sailor’s Church due to its proximity to the Old Port. I was quite moved by the statue of a woman atop its dome, who seemed to reach out to the St. Lawrence River. Upon closer inspection I realized that the statue was Our Lady of the Harbour, made famous by Leonard Cohen in his song, Suzanne. As a fan of Cohen, it was an important discovery in which I will never forget. The church also features an observation tower with remarkable views of Old Montréal and the St. Lawrence, and a museum, which includes artifacts pre-dating the arrival of the New France colonists in 1642. Admission to the chapel is free.

The Dying Lion Monument of Lucerne – Swiss Guard

The Dying Lion of Lucerne is a powerful memorial that pays homage to the selfless Swiss Guard who died defending the royal palace in Versailles during the French Revolution. When angry French masses stormed  the palace on August 10, 1792, the 1,000  Swiss Guardsmen stood up as the last defenders of the French monarchy — but in vain. (History has not been kind to Louis XVI, but we forget that he underwrote the Continental Army during the American Revolution). The Guard, renowned for their bravery and unconditional loyalty, never surrender, even at the point of death. A Swiss Guardsman had to be an unmarried Swiss Catholic male between 19 and 30 years of age who had completed basic training with the Swiss Armed Forces. The Dying Lion of Lucerne  monument was initiated by Karl Pfyffer von Altishofen, a junior lieutenant with the Swiss Guard, and was hewn out of stone after rallying Lucerne’s artistic community. It was described by Mark Twain as “The most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world.”

Today, the Swiss Guard’s esteemed stature remains as defenders of the Pope in the Vatican. Since the assassination attempt on John Paul II of 13 May 1981, a much stronger emphasis has been placed on the Guard’s non-ceremonial roles. The Swiss Guard has developed into a modern guard corps equipped with advanced small arms, and members in plain clothes now accompany the Pope on his travels abroad for his protection. I recall with frustration while standing in line at  Saint Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City where a group of American tourists were mocking a  Swiss Guard’s historic mode of dress. I tried to explain to them that they were among the world’s greatest defenders. I was met with further laughter: “In those little outfits!” I thought, yes; but far more appropriate than the American tourists’ baseball caps, sweat strewn tee shits with logos, and frayed baggy shorts.

The Magical Mystery Tour – The Beatles in Liverpool

The Magical Mystery Tour of Liverpool is the ultimate Beatle experience for the ultimate Beatle fanatic, and if you fit that description, it is well worth the journey. The tour introduces you to over thirty places directly associated with the Beatles and those people who were close to them.

Tickets are purchased at the  Beatles Story Museum at the renovated Albert Dock, on the River Mersey. If you have the time, the museum offers a good Beatles primer before you get on the bus. Full of memorabilia, rare photographs and interactive exhibits, it covers the lads’ beginnings to their rise to stardom and eventual departure from Liverpool.

Participants board one of the company’s fleet of three yellow psychedelic Magical Mystery Tour coaches identical to the bus used in the 1967 BBC film “Magical Mystery Tour.” A team of professional tour guides who are all expert Beatle historians conduct the two and a half-hour journey. And each of them seems to have their own personal story and relationship with John, Paul, George and Ringo.

Selected Highlights:

The Jacaranda club where the lads would hang out during their student days

The Liverpool College of Art where John met Stuart Sutcliffe, later a temporary Beatle,  and Cynthia Powell, who became his first wife.

Penny Lane and Strawberry Field/s.

The childhood homes of John, Paul, George and Ringo.

St. Peter’s Church Hall, where Paul first met John while he was performing with his Quarry Men skiffle group.

And, of course, the reconstructed Cavern Club.

Yes, these are places that I will always remember.

The real story of ‘Yellow matter custard, Dripping from a dead dog’s eye’ in “I am the Walrus.” John Lennon heard that a Liverpudlian school teacher was teaching  courses about the meaning in Beatle songs. The lyric is a Liverpudlian school boy taunt. Lennon though the kids would get a kick out of it, so he put it into the song.

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Mount Royal and Montréal

In 1535, French explorer, Jacques Cartier, climbed a small mountain, which overlooked the St. Lawrence River in Upper Canada and gave it the name, Le Mont Royal. Cartier was the first European to navigate the St. Lawrence River, and, along with his explorations of the Canada’s Atlantic coast, laid France’s claim to North America. Cartier is also credited with naming Canada, which stems from the Huron-Iroquois word kanata, meaning village or settlement. As Montréal’s small trading post grew due to its strategic setting on the river, the mountain became the symbol of the city and eventually its name. A wooden cross, now made of steel grinders and 158 spotlights, was erected. The slopes of the mountain were gradually incorporated into residential properties, but city fathers established a park on the very top for the world to enjoy.  This is where my journey begins each arrival, with an easy climb to the top of the mountain for sweeping views of this bilingual city of over four million people, the fourth-largest French-speaking city the world. Who’s Number 1:  Why that’s Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, who has now edged out Paris as the world’s number one French-speaking city.

Old Montréal

Located between the St. Lawrence River and the downtown center, the cobblestone streets of Old Montréal is an essential must-see attraction. Established in 1642, the French settlement was once a fortified town and the birthplace of the city proper.  Best explored on foot, this area of graceful stone buildings is worth visiting any season, but the real secret is to plan a trip the last weekend in August when the Pointe-à-Callière, the Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History, recreates an 18th-century public market. You will see locals dressed in folkloric Quebecois costumes, stalls with regional food items, demonstrations by craftspeople, musicians and, even a military camp and marching band.

Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours Chapel

Montréal is a city of cathedrals, and for my first trip to the city my plan was to walk from one church to the next, never knowing what experience awaited me around each corner. While wandering on the edge of Old Montréal, I stumbled upon Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours Chapel, known as The Sailor’s Church due to its proximity to the Old Port. I was quite moved by the statue of a woman atop its dome, which seemed to reach out to the river. Upon closer inspection I realize that the statue was Our Lady of the Harbour, made famous by Leonard Cohen in his song, Suzanne. The church also features an observation tower with remarkable views of Old Montréal and the St. Lawrence, and a museum, which includes artifacts pre-dating the arrival of the New France colonists in 1642. Admission to the chapel is free.

Little Italy

Coming from a Northern Italian ancestry, I’m always drawn to Italian communities. Montréal’s Little Italy (Piccola Italia) is the second largest (after Toronto) in Canada. The community is filled with Italian cafés, restaurants and bars, specialty food shops, cultural landmarks, and Jean-Talon Market, Montréal’s most vibrant open-air food area. Vendors sell flowers, and locals play bocce at nearby Parc Dante. Also located there is Madonna della Difesa Church, one of the most important landmarks in the area. An insider secret is the fresco situated above the High Altar, shows a virile Benito Mussolini astride a horse, commemorating his signing of the Latern Treaty. In 1929 he was still pretty much regarded as a good guy among Little Italy’s community.

Mount Royal Cemetery

I’ve never been one attracted to the morbid, but these 165 acres, located on the north slope of Mount Royal, are worth exploring both for their beauty and sense of history. Founded in 1852, and now a National Historic Site, the setting is almost romantic with its large green spaces, monumental headstones and crosses from the Victorian era.  Buried at the cemetery include John Molson, Molson Beer industrialist and benefactor of numerous Montréal institutions, John Abbott, 3rd Canadian Prime Minister, other Confederation Fathers, iconic hockey players — remember, hockey was invented in Canada — and even victims of the Titanic. Leonard Cohen lies at rest atop Mount Royal, buried beside his parents, grandparents and great-grandparents in the cemetery of the congregation with which he maintained a lifelong connection. Historical guided tours are available to learn about the life of some of the other famous figures that are buried in the cemetery.

Underground Montreal

Yes, the winter months are long and cold, but for Montréalers there is an 18.5 miles underground city of malls, food courts, office complexes, hotels, apartments, and Metro stops. It’s not even necessary to wear a coat. It is unique for a city that so proudly preserves it past to have something so modern, and I’ve always enjoyed strolling its maze of tunnels, corridors, escalators, and concourses. Later, I learned that Houston, Texas has an underground mall as well, modeled after Montreal’s. But this was designed for much needed protection from the blistering Texas summer sun and its humidity.

John Lennon and Yoko Ono Suite 1742

Located in the famous Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel, this one-bedroom suite was the site of the legendary 1969 Bed-in for Peace in Montréal, where John and Yoko recorded the song Give Peace a Chance.  Guests singing along included Timothy Leary, Petula Clark, Tommy Smothers and whoever happened to be present in the room. The living room and bedroom feature memorabilia composed of press articles, framed gold records and pictures of the famous couple. The suite is available for lodging and can also be rented for parties.  Sometimes I will only make a pilgrimage to the room’s exterior, just to see the plaque on the door.

Montréal Bagels

In Montréal you will you hear it pronounced “bah- gal” and yes, they are different.  In contrast to the New York-style bagel, which also contains sourdough, the Montréal bagel is smaller, thinner, sweeter and denser, with a larger hole, and always baked in a wood-fired oven. It contains malt, egg, and no salt, and is boiled in honey-sweetened water before being baked. You will also hear from locals that they are the best and most authentic bagels in world.  I once took a homeless man, a Montréal expat living in Vancouver, for coffee and asked if he would like a bagel, too. He replied that they were not real bagels, and declined. His favorites and now mine: Montréal’s historic St.-Viateur Bagel and Fairmount Bagel.

Montréal Smoked Meat

We all know pastrami and corned beef, but what is smoked meat? Well, it’s basically beef brisket that has been dry-cured, but then soaked (unlike pastrami) to desalinate it before seasoning and smoking. The seasoning is apparently a secret, for no one will divulge anything else other than it makes the most delicious sandwich on the planet. Schwartz’s (circa 1928) is the oldest deli in Canada and is considered institution, though others will make a case for the newcomer, Reuben’s Deli and Steakhouse, at only a mere 40 years of existence.

Other attractions

Touring Notre-Dame Basilica of Montréal and Marie-Reine-du-Monde Cathedral, strolling trendy St-Catherine and St Laurent Boulevards, exploring the Downtown Museum Quarter and wandering the Quartier Latin, the main Francophone district. You can also take a spin on La Grande Roue de Montréal, the highest observation wheel in Canada at 197 feet.

How to get there

Virtually all major airlines offer flights to Montréal, but if you have the time, why not go the distance and travel in luxury aboard VIA Rail Canada. I’ve trekked the rails from Vancouver to Halifax, and from the comfort of an armchair, crossed six provinces, experiencing everything from towering mountain peaks, sweeping forests and unique wildlife to wide-open prairies, two oceans and world-class cities. It’s even better with a Caesar, a Canadian version of the Bloody Mary, in your hand. With the sound of tracks, it’s easy to slip off to a luxuriant night of sleep.

Where to stay

There is no hotel more conveniently situated than the Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth. Located above the train station (Via Rail & AMTRAK) and connected to the underground city, this legendary hotel is within walking distance of downtown’s numerous attractions as well as Old Montréal. Offering 1,039 rooms, in which 100 are suites, this landmark property has played host to Charles de Gaulle, Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, Mikhail Gorbachev and, if it was a not a surprise, Queen Elizabeth ll.

For further information about travel to Montréal, visit Tourisme-Montreal.org or (877) BONJOUR.

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