Still looking for the perfect place to ring in the new year? How about America's Golden Age?
Guests at Crystal Bridges Museum have the opportunity to be transported to a different place in time at the museum's NEW 365 celebration Saturday night.
FAQ
‘New 365’
CBM Supper Club
WHEN — 8:30 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturday
WHERE — Great Hall at Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville
COST — $225; $200/members
INFO — 418-5700 or crystalbridges.org
FYI
Museum Dance Party
WHAT — Featuring Jumbii, Tulsa Modern Movement, performance artist Cynthia Post Hunt presents New Year’s Eve Traditions, Rozenbridge, Nimbus Circus, ArkansasStaged, Russ Tall Chief, Melody Pond, Wini Rubi
WHEN — 9:30 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturday
WHERE — Throughout Crystal Bridges Museum
COST — $60; $55/members
INFO — 418-5700 or crystalbridges.org
"For us as an institution, it's kind of a departure from what we've done in the past," says Case Dighero, culinary director at the museum. The new Supper Club portion of the evening, added this year, will be "a higher level of entertainment focused on music, food and community [for] our more mature demographic."
Playing up the feel of a speakeasy, guests will enter a highly-stylized corridor to the Great Hall through a private entrance. Museum staff in Rat Pack-era character will greet partygoers behind the velvet ropes with elaborate hors d'oeuvres and martinis.
"All these dishes are over the top foods -- old trends you don't really see anymore," says William Lyle of the nosh and accompanying sit-down dinner. Lyle is the executive chef at Crystal Bridges' restaurant Eleven and put together a one-time menu for the event. He says foods like oysters Rockefeller, steak tartare and Beef Wellington "make connections to the evening itself -- [to the] Golden Age, the Rat Pack age, to an over the top experience. Traditionally, New Year's Eve is one night where we kind of spoil ourselves. The food will match the theme of the night."
But fret not, fans of Crystal Bridges' annual dance party celebration. The groovin' party featuring regional music, dance and visual arts acts returns for its fourth year at the museum starting at 9:30 p.m. The new Supper Club begins earlier in the evening, offering guests a varied experience for ringing in the new year. The idea of food as entertainment has become an important part of the programming at Crystal Bridges -- with series like WOW, DISH and Cr(EAT)e making connections between food and art.
"Having a food experience is a cultural event -- people are not just using food as sustenance," Dighero offers. "There's something to be said about completely immersing yourself in a dinner and music and the people who are around you. It's really special."
Dighero will be joined by director of the Northwest Arkansas Jazz Society Robert Ginsburg to emcee the program that will host Grammy-nominated pianist Judy Carmichael -- "She's that old-school, smoky voice of sexy, sensual jazz" -- Block Street Hot Club and ArkansasStaged. "What's more inspiring than food and music and life and community and all those things coming together?"
NAN What's Up on 12/30/2016