Beatz and Eatz at Oolite: A WMC Dinner Party and Afterparty

Winter Music Conference kicks off next Tuesday, and while you may be wondering what the biggest party week of the year has to do with food, we’re here to tell you that WMC is more than bros in tank tops and untz-untz.

Starting with a nourishing evening of wholesome eats and soulful beats at Oolite. Dubbed Beatz and Eatz, the conscious-forward event is giving music fans and foodies a place where they can meet, dance, and eat in the middle.

The brainchild of holistic health coach, yoga teacher, and dance music enthusiast Meredith Weil, Beatz and Eatz isn’t just a night of fun for the mind, body, and soul, but also supports a good cause. All funds raised will go towards youth programs in inner-city communities in hopes of breeding the future generation of creatives, musicians, and artists.

In proper WMC fashion, the evening kicks off with a cocktail reception sponsored by Veev spirits. There’s also an art auction where local and national artists graciously donated works that speak to the transformative and emotional power of music.

Of course, Oolite is known for its gluten-free fare, but since this is an evening of nutrition, it’s a vegan and gluten-free, three-course family-style menu that will be proffered.

For the first course, James Beard nominee Kris Wessel is grilling spicy Florida grown Eggplant wrapped in toasted sesame malbar spinach, with a lemon caponata; wild mushroom and no-cheese arepa with poached leek crème; and the best house salad ever (we’re pretty sure a pun was intended here). The salad consists of hearts of palm, olives, chickpeas, cucumbers, tomatoes, brussel leaves and domestic hydroponic greens mix. For second course, guests will choose one of the following: vegetable lasagnetta with roasted calabazza squash, boniato mash, garlic braised kale, tomato-asparagus, and spinach ragout in layered roti sheet; vegetable-quinoa burger on rice-flax seed or roti bread, avocado, greens and a lemon vinaigrette; or red rice and mushroom stuffed and baked cho-cho (chayote squash) with a black bean guajillo corn sauce. Dessert is between a berry cobbler with vegan almond ice cream or assorted vegan cookies.

The soundtrack to your dinner will be provided by DJ Richard “Dr. Love” Vasquez (who got his start in New York City at the famed Studio 54), “soundscape artist” and T Lyfe, and DJ Gina Turner.

If the latter sounds familiar, it’s because Turner is otherwise known as Mrs. Laidback Luke. In fact, she missed last WMC because she was set to give birth any day, and LL had to cancel his kung-fu class and Ultra performance because Turner went into labor. This year, however, the trio is celebrating their first WMC together. And because they’re pretty damn inseparable, it wouldn’t be so surprising if Luke showed up to throw up some double LL’s during Oolite’s dinner party.

Want to keep the party going? (It is WMC after all.) Head to the Astor Hotel for Disbehave WMC Edition where Yolanda Be Cool and Worthy (a Dirtybird original) will be spinning tunes till 4 a.m. Your entry is included with the dinner, which costs $125. Tickets can be purchased via eventbrite.com

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