Olanafest: In the Gloaming

Dale Stewart reports from Greenport, NY. The third annual Olanafest, a food-fantasma held on Saturday, September 21 at Frederick Church’s 250-acre artist-designed Olana, the Persian-style manor boasted ten of the Hudson Valley’s esteemed chefs like farm to table pioneer Zak Pelaccio of the recently opened Fish & Game and Ric Orlando of the award-winning New World Home Cooking Co. All of the tasty art-inspired tidbits were based on Church’s paintings like Le Perche’s petit Maine lobster based on Sunset, Bar Harbour, 1854. Some 300 plus guests sipped on offerings from Coppersea Distillery, Crossroads Brewing Company, Hudson-Chatham Winery and Shier Winery while bidding on silent auction items like art from DJ Spooky and an intimate NYC concert with Sting were up for grabs. When reflecting on the success of the event the Olana Partnership, president Sara Griffen, pictured left with realtor Mary Mullane to her right, praised this year’s event designer Brown Cranna of Studio Luxe when she said, “Every year we have designers volunteer their time, and I never know how they are going to outdo themselves, but this year they sure have raised the bar. For Olanafest, Olana colors were chosen but pared down to just a few, applying a modernist sensibility to the entire scheme. Brown and his team were a pleasure to work with throughout the process."

Coppersea'sChristopher and Alli Williams; Hudson Home'sGreg Feller and Richard Bodin.

Christine Boeke, Gina Aldisert, and Terry Laughlin.

Nadine and Alain Chevreux; Olana's Robin Key and Mark Prezorski.

PJ and Rita Birmingham of Mt. Merino Manor bookend Duncan Calhoun and Russ Gibson of The Barlow and Croff House.

Jim Marinaccio, Nick Haddad, event sponsor Colin Stair; event designer Brown Cranna and Olana's Paula Rickborn.

Sergio Hortega with designers Geoff Howell and Thomas Froese.

Congressman Chris Gipson and his wife Mary Jo with PJ Birmingham; Red Barn chefs Bert Goldfinger and Christine Jones flank Olana's Valerie Balint.