The Big Party: An Opus Affair to Remember 

I’m not sure that I normally think of flapper dresses and suspenders when I think of attire appropriate for a Sunday, but all that changed this past Sunday at Opus Affair’s, The Big Party. Honoring the arts, this fundraising party was set to The Great Gatsby and hosted by Eastern Standard and an impressive array of spirits.

For $75, a ticket bought you:

• Admission to The Big Party
• Delicious passed appetizers (with the likes lobster salad on crostini, salmon and cucumber squares, lavender cream puffs and a Kickass Cupcake tower, to name a few)

• Spread of cheese and charcuterie
• Open bar featuring four Hendricks and Drambuie cocktails, St. Germain and Fernet punch, Cristalino sparkling wine, Naragaansett tall boys and Bantam cider

Mrs. Gardner’s Garden with Hendricks

Cristalino

Punch

• Chance to win door prizes (like a pair of tickets to Mercury Orchestra, link has music)
• Swag bag, with $25 gift certificate to The Hawthorne

Plus a perfect excuse to go back in time, break out your 20′s era couture, do the Charleston, meet some new friends and have a great afternoon.

Jazz Quartet

And how often can you stay that you played croquet on “the lawn” at Eastern Standard.

Come 5 pm, the party moved next door to The Hawthorne, where Jackson Cannon’s crew was ready to keep stirring and shaking. I started with a Vieux Carre, which is quickly becoming my new favorite rye drink.

Vieux Carre

Although we didn’t try one, Nicole was working on a piece of art in the Ramos Gin Fizz. Have you ever seen a more stunning cocktail??

Ramos Gin Fizz

We nibbled on their pretzel bites and shave salami, watched as the crowd coming from ESKD got larger and louder. Founder of Opus Affair Graham Wright entered to a round of applause, evoking a short speech and thanking all those in attendance.

Shaved Salami

When Cannon himself took a spot behind the bar, Jon and I couldn’t resist ordering another cocktail. I asked Jackson for his favorite drink of the moment and he whipped up an El Presidente, an aged rum based drink that was lighter than the Vieux Carre and very well balanced.

El Presidente

Jon asked for something with whiskey and Jackson nailed it with a whiskey and ginger concoction. This drink is one of the best and most unusual I’ve ever had.

I know I can speak for Jon in saying this was one of the best events we have attended all year, and right up there with the Boardwalk Empire party thrown by Stoddards. The crowd was fun and friendly, everyone really embraced the Gatsby theme.

Kyle Thomas Hemingway, co-host of Opus Affair, assured me this would be a yearly event and if this is where they set the bar, I highly recommend you check out their website and schedule of events and make plans to attend next year!

It was an Opus Affair to remember.

Have you ever been to an Opus Affair event?

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