Packs of diners clad exclusively in white descended upon Lincoln Center on Monday evening for the city’s second annual Dîner en Blanc, an American version of the shared-meal-cum-flash-mob started by François Pasquier in Paris in 1988.

This year’s more than 3,000 attendees arrived in groups led by volunteers—as per tradition, the location of the dinner is kept a secret from the diners until that evening, to preserve at least an illusion of spontaneity. The rules for participants are strict: they must carry in their own table, chairs, white tablecloths, flatware and four-course dinners, and they must dress entirely in white. “This means no ivory, no cream or any other color will be permitted,” a discussion thread on the event’s website from one of the hosts stated, advising attendees to dress “elegantly.” Elizabeth Hill, an elementary school teacher, even wore her wedding dress.

“Well, it’s white, and it’s all I had!” she said, explaining that she and her husband had decided to come at the last minute when their friends offered them tickets. “Might as well,” she shrugged. Read More