WHITE OUT: The Social Concierge’s Tyson Villeneuve and Jordan Kallman hosted their third Diner en Blanc dinner at David Lam Park, the hottest ticket of the season. Some 3,500 participants, the largest to date, dressed head to toe in elegant whites, converged at the Yaletown venue — a closely guarded secret until an hour before the event — for the epicurean extravaganza. Armed with dinnerware, tables and chairs, the flash mob transformed the public space into an alfresco pop-up restaurant for the evening. The culinary phenomenon that began 26 years ago in Paris saw more than 30,000 people in Metro Vancouver on a wait list looking for a seat in the annual picnic. (Guest list is comprised of previous year’s attendees, their referrals and a lottery system.) The social conveners will take their partying ways to Calgary where Albertans will don their best white attire Sept. 4. The all-white affair has been exported to 40 cities worldwide.
LULU LUAU: Founder Chip Wilson was on hand for the opening of Lululemon’s flagship store at Robson and Burrard. The billionaire, who recently became $845 million richer with the sale of shares in the firm he founded, joined current CEO Laurent Potdevin for the big reveal of the largest Lululemon Athletica store to date. Potdevin, hired to polish the brand’s image following a year of drama, welcomed guests — VIPs, dignitaries and media personalities — to the 4,500-square-foot retail outlet that will be a testing ground for the company’s retail innovations. In addition to the store’s staple of yogawear and accessories, the former president of TOMS shoes introduced a special men’s section called The Joinery, where men can have shorts custom made.
DISCOVERING THAILAND: Just five months into her post, Thailand Consul-General Surrhiluck Sa-ngarmangkang has been busy promoting her country’s assets to neighbouring cities in B.C. Fresh from a tour on the Island, Sa-ngarmangkang fronted the inaugural Discover Thailand Festival this past weekend at the Vancouver Art Gallery North Plaza and Playhouse Theatre. The first of its kind in Western Canada, the celebration aimed to showcase the nation’s rich and vibrant cultural heritage through its performing and culinary arts. Looking to further strengthen trade and cultural ties between Canada and Thailand, Sa-ngarmangkang invited VIPs and media into her Matthew Street home for a garden party and presentation of the country’s riches. According to staffers, there are some 5,000 people of Thai descent currently living in B.C.
