Stacey Kile, Mary Kay Pivovarnik, Oscar Flores and Mike McGinley were happy to catch up with each other at CASA: A Night in Napa on Thursday evening at the Beaumont Inn, Dallas.
Courtesy of Mike McGinley
You can’t go wrong with the healthy and tasty pan-seared salmon at Bank+Vine.
Courtesy of Mike McGinley
Mike and Oscar loved the wine cellar backdrop at CASA: A Night in Napa.
It’s easy to leave an event feeling fulfilled in Northeast Pennsylvania.
There are so many extraordinary events locally, and I love writing about them all.
I previewed the CASA: A Night in Napa gala a few weeks ago, and I’m happy to report that it exceeded all expectations at the Beaumont Inn last Thursday.
People walked away with opulent bottles of wine thanks to a wine pull, and it was neat to see Vicki Guiliano and The Wine Merchant there volunteering.
The outdoor and indoor setting at the Beaumont Inn provided a relaxed and lovely setting for the gala, which benefited advocate aid for abused and neglected children in Luzerne County.
Hearing the stories on the big screen and directly from the many advocates in the room was touching.
CASA of Wyoming Valley recruits, trains and supports these community volunteers as they make a big difference in the lives of children.
Kudos to my friends Ruth Corcoran and Lake Gemzik for serving as co-chairs. I am in awe of them both.
Besides the fabulous Beaumont Inn, we were at another Friedman Hospitality Group restaurant last week: Bank+Vine on Wednesday.
Our server was the sweetest, checking on us as Oscar and I chatted with a friend about our upcoming wedding (more to come on that in two weeks).
We ordered the charcoal grilled octopus with confit potatoes and sausage, along with the charcoal grilled carrots with lemon yogurt and toasted pistachio, to start. I couldn’t stop until every last carrot was gone.
I had my favorite pan-seared salmon with tomato broth, potatoes, bell peppers and lemon pearls.
This – and seemingly every dish on the menu – is made so healthily that I never regret my choice there. In fact, I loved every bite.
And finally, a stop at LongHorn Steakhouse the previous weekend was such a joyful experience I must mention that, too.
Between our new and old friends, we so enjoyed chatting with the staff. Thanks to Amanda, Sabrina and Gladys for making our day bright.
A random Sunday afternoon stop was so enjoyable, and we can’t wait to go back and see the staff again after the wedding.
Oh, the food was excellent too (shoutout to the grilled chicken and strawberry salad).
If you’re ever near the Wyoming Valley Mall area and looking for a delicious meal, this is a sure bet.
On another note, I’ll share more about the wedding soon. It’s fast approaching, and we can’t wait to fill you in on all the fun details.
Mike McGinley is a Times Leader columnist who is often called a man about town. Email him thoughts at mikejmcginley@gmail.com.
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Mike McGinley is a Times Leader columnist who is often called a man about town. Email him thoughts at mikejmcginley@gmail.com.