As you walk its streets, you are surrounded by the gentle chaos of tourism at its best. Horse drawn carriages prowl the cobbled streets, groups led by knowledgeable guides crowd the corners, families and couples scurry about looking in the windows of its small shops or patiently stand in long lines for an opportunity to eat at one of Charleston's signature restaurants.
Now, imagine having a birds eye view of this menagerie of human activity. It is feasible with one of the many highly technical drones available today. From that vantage point, you can soak in a view of the popular rooftop bar on the Pavilion Hotel gracefully overshadowing the famous landmark called the Old City Market. In the near distance, the South Carolina Aquarium glistens in the sun and the salty bay waters lick the docks where the cruise ship Fantasy resides when in port. Across the rolling water stands old Fort Sumter like a proud sentinel at the edge of Charleston Bay between Sullivan's Island and Morris Island. As you scan back to the waterfront, the many diverse rooftops of the majestic old homes along East Battery come into view culminating at Battery Park. St. Matthew's Church, Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon, Rainbow Row, Dockstreet Theater, and Meeting Street trailing like a cement river are all within view.
Now, let's take that thought to another level. Imagine physically hovering 165 feet over the downtown district with a glass of wine in your hand. That would be a unique experience, and for the right price, it is within the realm of probable. A Belgian based novelty restaurant can make that once in a lifetime, unique, and unforgettable dining experience possible. In May 2006, Hakuna Matata, a communication agency featuring gourmet pleasures, and The Fungroup, a company specializing in amusement park installations deploying cranes, joined forces to offer a unique concept called Dinner in the Sky.
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| Brussels |
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| Belgium |
Dinner in the Sky is now operating in over 60 countries above some of the most famous landmarks with many of the worlds top chefs and has gained official authorization from the toughest countries, including France, Canada, Australia and Israel. Michelin three-star chef Alain Passard of L'Arpege, a famous restaurant in Paris, prepared a special dinner party in the sky above the stunning Cathedrale d'Amiens, also called Notre-Dame d'Amiens, which is located in the city of Amiens a little over 100 kilometers north of Paris. Other cities include Brussels, Rio de Janeiro, Toronto, Madrid, London, Dublin, Dubai, and Las Vegas. This is a schedule of upcoming events.
Dinner in the Sky is hosted on a platform of 22 people suspended at a height of 160 to 180 feet by a crane. You are seated at tables with three staff in the middle (chef, waiter, entertainer) for a session of up to 8 hours. It can be divided or personalized according to the client’s wishes. An event can be held anywhere (golf course, public place, race track, castle, vineyard, historical site...) as long as there is a surface of approximately 500 square meters that can be secured. Of course, authorization by the owner is required. As far as cost goes, the same type of event as the one hosted by Passard with a star chef cooking above a famous U.S. landmark, like the Grand Canyon or Niagara Falls, would cost anywhere between $50,000 and $100,000, but in Las Vegas it is advertised at $289.00 per person.
To be realistic, maneuvering a large crane or finding an open surface of 500 square meters in Charleston would be a challenge. Hey, where there is a will, there is a way. However, looking for something more down to earth? Charleston has a long and diverse list of restaurants to choose from with beautiful roof tops. But what the heck, go for it. Do something extraordinary and consider booking with Dinner in the Sky. You could be the talk of the town.
Dinner in the Sky is hosted on a platform of 22 people suspended at a height of 160 to 180 feet by a crane. You are seated at tables with three staff in the middle (chef, waiter, entertainer) for a session of up to 8 hours. It can be divided or personalized according to the client’s wishes. An event can be held anywhere (golf course, public place, race track, castle, vineyard, historical site...) as long as there is a surface of approximately 500 square meters that can be secured. Of course, authorization by the owner is required. As far as cost goes, the same type of event as the one hosted by Passard with a star chef cooking above a famous U.S. landmark, like the Grand Canyon or Niagara Falls, would cost anywhere between $50,000 and $100,000, but in Las Vegas it is advertised at $289.00 per person.
This platform can also be used for Swing in the Sky, which gives golfers the incredible experience of playing their swing from 50 meters up. Just think of the driving distance from that tee. Rory Mcllroy would be envious. Other events include Meeting in the Sky, Marriage in the Sky, Movie in the Sky, and Concert in the Sky.
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| Dinner in the Sky Movie |
You can share a dinner or a glass of Champagne with friends while listening to the sounds of Ghanaian drummers; arrange a match of bridge or poker; sip Brandy while enjoying a fine Havana cigar; play a round of baccarat while being entertained by French Cancan dancers; participate in a quiz or a talk show broadcast live from the stars; attend a DJ jam session … all from an altitude of 50 meters.
Dinner in the Sky has been around since 2006. I first reported about the concept in 2010 to the Charleston area and it is one of my most read articles. I thought it was worth another look. Forbes magazine called it "one of the world's ten most unusual restaurants." You definitely would need deep pockets to personally afford this but a business organization or restaurant could consider it if they were into stepping out of the box when it comes to personnel or client parties. Could you see High Cotton hosting a Dinner in the Sky or Fleet Landing.
Contact information for Dinner in the Sky.
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