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Corks popped all across town.

THE Kidney Foundation of Northwest Ohio's 18th Annual Wine Affair “Through the Drinking Glass” presented by Fifth Third Bank was Friday at the Hilton Garden Inn at Levis Commons.

Fine wines and gourmet foods were paired for a delightful dinner with piano accompaniment. Meanwhile, silent auction items tempted folks as artist Bob Shira painted a masterpiece for the live auction by Beth Rose.

Featured eateries included Kotobuki, La Scola Italian Grill, Poco Piatti, Beirut, Byblos, Mancy's Blue Water Grille, The Melting Pot, and Wixey Bakery. Wines were from 55 Degrees, Heidelberg Distributing and Berman Wine Co., Bowling Green Beverage, DJP Selections, European Wine Imports, Hammer, Natural-State Wines, Private Reserve, Vanguard Wines, Wines LLC, and Wine Trends.

Emcee Chrys Peterson of WTOL-TV, Channel 11, kept the evening rolling.

There in support were honorary chairman Bob LaClair, president and CEO of Fifth Third Bank, and honorary medical chairman Dr. Allen Flickinger. Event chairmen Tim Dudderar and Tonya Robinson and their committee expect to net about $70,000.

Among the crowd of 550 were Jim Pfitzen and his sister, Dolores Glaser, and his grandson, Jim Pfitzen III, and girlfriend Aleha Almester, John Hadley, Melissa and Dick Marcus Judy and Scott Potter; Marcia and Don Siemens, and Ron Reeder and Carla Smith.

MANSION View Inn hosted a wine tasting on Friday. The intimate affair for 20 people featured food from Manhattan's paired with five wines.

AT THE Toledo Museum of Art Glass Pavilion was a Nov. 13 celebration of flavors of fall “Hops Vine” sponsored by Heidelberg and Berman. Patrons ranging from 25 to 50 sipped their favorite libation and nibbled finger foods as Resonant Soul played tunes.

Event chairmen were Erin Betz and Maribeth Nitschke, and co-chairmen were Kimi Chapman, Craig Herschel, and Linsey Ansberg. The event netted $5,000.

A WINE Tasting and Jazz Concert to benefit aspiring musicians presented by the BeInstrumental Foundation was Nov. 11 at Manhattan's Restaurant. The instruments are free to local inner-city schools and community organizations. Manhattan's and The Vineyard donated gourmet foods and wines while jazz guitarist Damen Cook played sizzling tunes.

PAULA Brown Shop, in honor of its 10th anniversary, hosted an Italian Night featuring the Italian Majolica Pottery Ubaldo Grazia from Deruta, Italy. The fun Nov. 11 included wine tasting and hors d'oeuvres and a chance to see special collections from Sophia Lustig Shop and Sophie's Sister too.

MOBILE Meals 22nd annual Wine Gala was Nov. 7 at Stranahan Great Hall presented by HCR Manor Care and Health Care REIT. A fall setting included earth-toned fabrics on the ceilings and walls and silver ice buckets surrounded by mini gourds with votive candles and fall leaves on the tables.

Fifteen area wine distributors poured samples as guests shopped the silent auction. Dinner was a harvest meal that included pork tenderloin and Cornish hens, wild rice, sweet potatoes.

Leading the night was emcee Rob Loeb. Introduced were honorary chairman John Graham, HCR Manor Care, and Joanie Barrett, registered nurse, event chairman. Recognized was the late Gretchen Taylor, involved with the event since the get-go. Her husband, Ward, was present.

Then the fun began as Rick Kigar, the auctioneer since the first gala 22 years ago, enticed folks into bidding wars. Featured was a three-bottle lot — 2001 Chateau Latour, 2001 Chateau Lafite Rothschild, and a 2001 Chateau Mouton Rothschild — valued at $1,650. Two such lots were donated by Robert Bennett and Holly Jensen.

The winning bidders were Malcolm Richards and Chris Mallow. The top bidding table can attend the wine selection next year and it was Malcolm and Peggy Richards' Supplemental Staffing table which included Clare and Lucille Gorski, Tommy and Annie Pipatjarasgit, Chris and Kelly Riordan, and Cory and Christie McKenzie.

The night still young, many burned calories as they danced to the tunes of Touched.

Among the 330 attendees were two founders, Carolinea Heintz and Irene Wolff; George Brymer, foundation board president; Darrell Gill, board president; Rob and Becky Snoad; Bob and Kathie Maxwell; Jerry and Joyce Johnson; Ted and Beth Bowman, and Sam and Maggie Thurber.

The estimated net is about $70,000.

CHAINE des Rotisseur's wine tasting was Nov. 6 at Maumee Wines. Owner Richard Fortney prepared a light supper and the group tasted nine Italian wines rated 90 or above.

THE Association of Two Toledos held a Spanish wine tasting at Maumee Wines on Oct. 30.

DANBERRY Realtors hosted its annual charity auction and wine tasting Oct. 15 at the Hilton Garden Inn, Levis Commons. The net goes into an emergency assistance fund, the Danberry Treasure Chest for families of chronically ill children, through the Toledo Children's Hospital Foundation. Sometimes it's for utility bills, gas cards, medical machines for home use, walkers and wheel chairs and sadly enough, has even been used for funerals too.
THE Northwest Ohio Chapter of Miami University Alumni Association wine tasting event is at 6 p.m. today at Manhattan's. Five wines will be sampled along with appetizers and desserts. The event is $30 per person.

NOT wine, but lots of sweets, was the Ballet Theatre of Toledo's “Nutcracker Sweets” fund-raiser for the Nutcracker Ballet performances Nov. 28 and 29. The fund-raiser was Nov. 7 at Toledo Country Club with event chairman Charlotte Halloran who was assisted by Jacque Hack and Mary Frederick.

A silent auction, hors d'oeuvres, and desserts were part of the event as a trio played background music. First prize in the evening's raffle was a trip for two to Chicago, donated by Kretchmer Travel, and the winner was Angela Bodnar. The event raised $5,000.

VINO was not the focus, but it flowed. The Junior League of Toledo's annual sustainer tea honored the late Julia Orwig, who started the teas as a way to maintain connections with fellow members. The Nov. 18 event, at the Ottawa Hills home of Nancy Kabat, was hosted by Tibble Foster, Joan Haigh, Sue Martin, and Alice Weber. Special guest and token male was Ken Orwig, who fit right in with long-time friends of his late wife. Mrs. Orwig, a past president, was involved in the Polly Fox Academy, where the Julia Orwig Scholarship Fund has been established through the Toledo Public Schools Foundation.

THE Art of Fine Living gala was a 50th anniversary celebration of the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo Wednesday in the Oliver House, which is celebrating its 150th birthday.

Tunes sung by Kim Buehler accompanied by a trio of jazz musicians filled the air as some 300 attendees sipped, schmoozed, and shopped the silent and live auction too.

Auctioneer Jerry Anderson kept the spirit going, as did his WTOL-TV, Channel 11, co-anchor Ms. Peterson who was emcee.

Appetites were sated at food stations that featured celebrity chefs including Cynthia Gehring, Cynthia's Catering; Labib Hajjar, Beirut Restaurant; Tad Cousino, Frog Leg Inn; Toby Herman, Rockwell's; JD Wesley, Encore; and more. Pies were provided by Oliver House Signature Pizza Oven.

Desserts by Liz Grosjean, Petit Fours Patisserie, completed the feast.

Event chairmen were Sue Hague-Rogers, Jim Moore, and Rita Mansour, and honorary chairmen were Margy Trumbull and George Rumman.

The event net of $97,000 includes $25,400 in Young Artists At Work Scholarships for 2010. Parting gifts were “Restore Planet Earth” recyclable bags that included biodegradable serving dishes made from pressed leaves donated by VerTerra.

Seen were Dick and Meg Ressner, Jim and Pat Appold, Barbara Steel and Alan Kimpel, Sheila Schwartz, Edith Franklin, Susan Reams, Pat Levey, Tim Valko, Keith Burwell, Rob Bigelow, Carolyn Putney, Suzanne Rorick, Mary Arquette, Mike Bell, Barbara and Alan Konop, Mary and Fritz Wolfe, Paula Fall, and Ben and Bonnie Upton of Ann Arbor.

Barbara Hendel is The Blade's society editor.
Contact her at: bhendel@theblade.comor 419-724-6124.

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