Full Circle Meal, With a Twist
11 Things We Did for Our Creek Dinner in the Covid-Era
After a year of masking, distancing, apprehensive planning, and learning many different ways to exist in a world with COVID19, event planners, celebration creators, communities, gatherers, and families of all shapes and sizes have done something amazing: we’ve adapted. We’ve opened our arms, maybe somewhat unwillingly, to evolution. We have foraged new ways to have fun, to take care of one another, and to gather with ingenuity and style. We take the challenges of COVID in stride, by remembering what it means to be in a community. We honor our inherent responsibility to take care of each other.
For the Bacon & Lox Society’s Full Circle Meal, this meant facing two different sets of challenges. We had to plan for the mental adjustments because we knew there were hard choices to make in order for the show to go on. We also had to plan for the physical challenges inherent in a COVID safe dinner. Here’s how the BLS put our spin on our Creek Dinner this year:
MENTAL ADJUSTMENTS
1. UN-INVITE GUESTS WHO WOULD BE MISSED
We had to cut many people from our guest list. After planning for our full Bacon & Lox community to join the Full Circle Meal this year, it became painfully clear to our planning group that only a fraction would actually be able to come in order to have a safely sized gathering. So, we decided to send “un-invitations.” They were intentionally designed and included key details that showcased some of the core collaborator’s contributions. That way, those who would be missed would still be involved. See our story on uninviting here.
2. KEEP EACH OTHER SAFE
We made a promise to our core group to plan for the most restricted. To be in a community is to be responsible for each other, especially for each other’s safety. For every move made going forward, it was very important for each core member to remain conscious of their neighbor. We got routine tests, masked up, sanitized, and stayed vigilant.
3. BE FLEXIBLE, BE CURIOUS
We started from scratch and began working on an entirely new design plan for our event. We made a promise while planning to always plan for the unknown. As with most events, we know that the best method for success is to expect the unexpected. We had to plan for flexibility we didn’t know we had yet. We knew there would be challenges, but we adjusted our attitudes from thinking “we can’t do that” to “how can we?”
PHYSICAL ADJUSTMENTS
1. USE A PRIVATE LOCATION
We changed our venue from a public park to a private stretch of Cherry Creek, generously hosted by Will and Mandy Croasdale on their property, Sanctuary at Giant’s Foot. This allowed for privacy and deterred any additional onlookers.
2. INTENTIONALLY INSPIRED DESIGN
Our honeycomb tables, dreamt of by Nicole Hutnyk and designed by Will Croasdale of Abundat, Inc. We wanted a table that could be created out of a unique situation. One that could seat 2-6 people, would allow for people to walk between tables, could be combined in the future for a bigger table. The hexagon tables were perfect, will be used again in the future, and they kept us individually a part of something bigger.
3. MINDFUL PARTICIPATION
In the midst of setup, we had forgotten to set chairs at each table setting. When everyone gathered for dinner, pausing to say hello and take in the whole installation, the accident turned into another moment to limit contact. Everyone simply picked up their own chair from the banks of the creek, carried it over to their table, and placed it at a distance that they felt comfortable.
4. SELFLESS HARD WORK
Our chefs, Andre de Waal, Mike Carrino, and Brandon Grimila, cut staff members during meal prep to ensure limited exposure and contact. To limit exposure and keep us safe, Joe Moussa and Sarah Petryk installed their entire intricate floral and fabric installation by themselves - a feat that takes a team of skilled florists and designers.
5. HAVE A PICNIC PARTY
Normally we serve a widespread, family-style meal. This year, chefs chose an elegant, individually packaged picnic paired with a “grazing box” of appetizers. This kept the opportunities for incredible food to be prepared by our chefs Andre, Mike, and Brandon. It also allowed for self-lead courses, which limited table service, contact between meals, and limited the number of people needed to execute a Full Circle Meal. Most importantly, it still felt special.
6. LOW CONTACT TABLE SETTING
Our table setting was intentionally designed to be low contact during setup: an upside-down dinner plate, covering clean silverware wrapped in handmade cloth napkins. Our grazing box on top with embroidered fabric for every guest, doubling as our seat markers.
7. SUSTAINABLE SINGLE-USE
We had pre-filled waters, lidded in compostable cups. Jill and Rob brought us individual cans of beer. Chris and Dayne pre-made incredible single-serve mocktails, all with recyclable and compostable material. We had airplane bottles of alcohol at each table for guests to spike themselves, which also created a safe space for non-alcohol drinkers.
8. CREATIVELY CONNECT
A magic moment for us this year was the use of Karina Puente’s handmade blessing ribbons. We always hold hands when we bless our Full Circle Meal, and we found the perfect way to do just that in a COVID safe manner.
When we allow ourselves to think outside the box, we create unforgettable experiences born from unique situations. We can expect more from each other and ourselves because we are all capable of so much. Our core collaborators felt the invaluable gift from everyone who did not attend so we could still gather. We learned lots of lessons, and we can’t wait for our next Full Circle Meal.