The themes 'American Excellence' and 'Spring Garden' serve as inspiration for the unique, custom look in each of the 10 galleries. All linen and chair treatments are custom creations for the landmark event, notes Occasions president Eric Michael.
A warm welcome. Some 780 guests attended, with another 150 coming for the late-night Club Corcoran after-party.
The Atrium is transformed into a whimsical yet formal garden setting with cut velvet linens in three shades of green, hanging trellises and faux topiary backdrops.
A central bar on the Bridge sits on a 'lawn' of faux grass. The bar is encased in a stone facing.
A longer view of the bar area.
The Salon d’Ore, the most formal and opulent room in the museum, is reconstructed room from an 18th century French chateau. Aubergine-colored silk linens with orange embroidered flowers are complemented by feathery orange seat cushions and napkins folded to resemble roses.
Gallery 1, where some of the best paintings are hung, is a nod to American design. Hand-sewn quilts, resembling early American crazy quilts, were made from remnants of other tablecloths; these were produced by Ann Cooper of
Table Manners.
Gallery 4, a room with only 30 guests, features an Italian Bargello needlework linen in shades of plum and turquoise. Custom turquoise 'pouf' seat cushions were made from turquoise linen.
Dining tables in the Rotunda circle a dramatic marble statue and feature a whimsical polka dot linen.
Gallery 5 features an oversize pattern in blue and gray with pewter chargers, another nod to American design.
The Small Mantle Room was considered the jewel of the party. Wooden pedestal tables with lace place mats, lace napkins and Dutch-style flowers in red and white create an intimate room.
Gallery 17, seated with the Junior Members of the Corcoran Women’s Committee, is a tongue-in-cheek nod to American Gothic with black and gold linens and black tulle chair skirts.
The dramatic 'Gothic' tables.
The evening's menu:
• Spring lobster salad with rhubarb, ciogga beets, and sea beans
• Filet of Virginia beef on a bed of mushroom barlotto with carrot ribbons
• Study of chocolate and almond with almond gelato
The lobster salad. The meal was executed from three separate satellite kitchens on different levels of the museum. Occasions hired some 30 chefs and 150 waiters and bartenders for the evening.
The entree. All told, the event took three days to set up.
The sweet finale--the 'study in chocolate.'
