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Northbrook chamber wines and dines at annual auction
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Updated: November 8, 2012 2:54PM
The Northbrook Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s 19th Annual Auction & Taste filled an expansive ballroom with the delicious aroma of area cuisine.
The Renaissance Chicago North Shore Hotel welcomed ticket holders Monday evening, where some wore festive orange fashions to greet business associates and neighbors.
Then there was Mark Kamin, who wore oversized blue sunglasses to watch the pre-Halloween live auction unfold.
His shades garnished an evening where guests noshed on morsels offered by a menu of 20 restaurants, including Marcello’s, The Landmark Inn, Trattoria Oliverii, TK’s Smoke Pit, Pinstripes, Zapatista, Bravo Cucina Italiana, and Johnny’s Kitchen & Tap.
Ron Bernardi, of Northbrook Sunset Foods, donned a red bow tie as tuxedoed celebrity auctioneer. About 150 items were up for bid.
Chamber President Tensley Garris modeled a Burberry cashmere scarf.
“(This is) the real thing,” Garris said, petting the sweet wrap. “This is just one event that the chamber does all year long, we have five monthly events as well as a golf outing and a business expo, so come join us at the chamber,” she urged.
With 700 members, Garris said the Chamber is at “an all-time peak.”
Keeping it local speaks to Northbrook Countryside Montessori School instructor Guy Calise who is raising his family in the village.
He and his wife Wendy, a lifetime Northbrook resident and head of the Countryside Montessori School, have three children, Dante, 14, Cecilia, 10 and Rino, 7.
“I mean, who wants to look into the Yellow Pages to find a service or a product when we can find it in our town,” Guy Calise said. “We should keep it local. Northbrook is a great place to raise your family, a great place for schools, a great place to grow old.”
Northbrook Village Trustee James Karagianis attended with his wife Julie.
Karagianis said the village is a great place to live, work, shop and dine “because of its location, because of its school system, park district and village government.”
