A few weeks ago I was invited to join the Spring Street Social Society for one of their latest dinners in partnership with Stella Artois.
For those of you who are not familiar with the Spring Street Social Society, or SSSS as it is often called, the secret dinner society was started by Amy Virginia Buchanan and Patrick Janelle, aka @aguynamedpatrick. The members-only society curates instagram perfect dinners, housed in stunning wedding-worthy settings that are beautifully produced and always peppered with live performances.
The evening's festivities were held at Bowery Station, once a J,M,Z train stop, now a private party space surrounded by windows to the bustling city beyond. Guests lined up outside of the event space waiting for the doors to open, serenaded by a mustachioed accordion player.
Upon entering, guests were greeted with Stella Artois cocktails created by Diego Sanchez of Cocteleria. Two beertails were served, A Plum Shandy made with Stella Artois and homemade plum syrup, and a spicy michelada made from homemade Red Pepper Syrup. Large basins brimming over with ice and bottles of Stella Artois were displayed along with a selection of gorgeous bottle openers designed by Fort Standard and Kelly Wearstler.
Guests were welcomed by the hosts of the evening, who reminded us that the sweetness of summer was coming to a close. Before it slipped through our fingers we had this evening to celebrate, wear handmade flower crowns, make new friends, and let the wildness of summer run through all of us for one last fleeting moment.
As guests entered into the glittering dining room filled with banquet tables covered in candles and wildflowers, another secret performance waited, a gorgeous rendition of Summertime sung by what we all thought was a server finishing up last minute touches.
Galen Zamarra of New York's Mas Farmhouse was the guest chef of the evening, who prepared a beautiful summery meal that began with edible planter boxes filled with farm fresh vegetables and edible dirt. The planter boxes were served along with an array of dipping sauces from homemade aoli, basil mustard, carrot hummus, and beet mustard.
A wonderfully summery Sweet Corn Soup was the highlight of the evening - fresh, and savory, sweetened by the main ingredients of summer corn, shimeji mushrooms, and poached lobster. What is it about corn in the end of summer that is so good? Guests sipped on curated wines and Stella Artois served in chilled pint glasses. A group of servers turned performers broke into impromptu song and dance, a routine to Harry Balfonte's Day-o.
Dessert was a gorgeous Zucchini Cake served with fresh strawberries and creme fraiche sorbet and candied squash blossoms. It was a good looking dish, to say the least.
The night concluded with a theatrical ode to summer - words performed by the host and hostess that made guests' skin tingle with that wild excitement that perfect summer nights bring.
And just like that, almost as quickly as the evening began, the evening was over. We tumbled into the summery air, feeling alive and that we had all just witnessed something really special.
Want More? So do we. Join the Spring Street Social Society Here >>>>
