Arts Council Fundraiser Promises To Be All About Dining in Style

Matthew Hersh

Picture being seated at a private table in a secluded area about to be treated to a Greek Taverna dinner. You decide to order a tender marinated calamari from the menu accompanied with a seasoned roasted lamb, all the while taking in the the Greek decor.

Sounds like a perfect evening at a perfect restaurant in Astoria, doesn't it? But similar experiences will take place in 28 homes slated to host the Arts Council of Princeton's largest annual fundraiser, "Dining By Design." Set for October 2, the event will feature a variety of dinners in area private homes, each with its own artistic focus.

"Every non-profit has to have a benefit once a year to support and add to its operations," said Anne Reeves, executive director at the Arts Council. This year's goal for operations alone is around $4 million, she added.

Now in its fourth year, Dining By Design has proven to be one of the more significantly successful events on the books for the Arts Council. The 2003 benefit attracted about 200 participants. Ms. Reeves expects this year's event to draw between 300 and 350.

One of this year's major draws is the the grand finale. After the dinner and art review at the respective dining sites, participants will adjourn to the Princeton Airport in Montgomery for champagne, dessert, and a silent auction.

Such changes, Ms. Reeves said, are essential for the success of future fundraisers.

"Every time we've done a fundraiser, we've ended up changing it around," she said. One departure this year is that some of the homes will be hosted by artists. Ms. Reeves referred to one host who has a collection of medieval "signet" emblems and will offer a presentation about his collection. Another features a 1739 barn attached to the dining area, so participants can acquire a regional colonial feel while learning about the history and purpose of the barn. Film historian Michael Wood, a professor of English and comparative literature at Princeton University, will host a dinner and a film discussion with film showings in the viewing room in his home.

The aim of the event, Ms. Reeves said, is to group people together almost randomly at various homes, which will "hopefully" lead to a "shared discussion" at Princeton Airport at the end of the evening.

"You don't know everybody there, and the idea is to mix age groups and people we think would enjoy meeting one another," she said, adding that when a particular genre or culinary style is desired, people can be accommodated "if there's room."

At the beginning of the evening, participants will show up at their appointed homes for a cocktail "half hour," Ms. Reeves said. Then the speaker or host will accompany guests through the exhibit in the homes for about another half hour, followed by dinner.

But, depending on whom you ask, the trip to the airport is only the beginning.

Invitations for Dining By Design are in the form of airplane tickets, thus giving the impression that guests are in for a ride of some sort. At the airport they will find "desserts, dancing, and eclectic auctions."

So, for some, the evening doesn't have to end with the champagne and dessert.

One of the auction items includes a picnic for six adults and six children at a small working farm in the Hopewell countryside. With food provided by Chez Alice, the picnic also includes a tour of the farm and farm animals. Another auction offering is from Southwest Airlines, which has a new route that flies in and out of Philadelphia and will provide two plane tickets to "anywhere" in the U.S., Ms. Reeves said.

If you have the time, another auction includes a stay at a home in Martha's Vineyard for a week, or a separate stay at a home in Maine, also for a week.

The Arts Council will also auction off chess lessons with Princeton's own "chess master" John Crumiller, who is a member of the U.S. Chess Federation, the official sanctioning body for tournament chess in the country; two tickets to a Saturday matinee to see the New York City Ballet; and a photo session with Princeton photographer Pryde Brown.

Additionally, Princeton University Press has donated art books for auction; Bowhe & Peare will supply an Italian cake platter; and a weeks worth of "chowder suppers" will be put together by local chowder master, Kim Rizk.

But the main thrust of the evening, Ms. Reeves said, is the arts and, literally, dining in style.

"That's the whole point, and it's all about the arts," she said. "We're just trying to pull this all together so we can actually dine by design."

For information, call Maureen Bowman at (609) 279-0734.