Dining for Pets: Don’t you just love these events that allow you to splurge on yourself and do some good at the same time? On Tuesday, Feb. 28, many area restaurants and businesses will share a portion of the day’s proceeds with the Animal Compassion Network to help fund spay-and-neuter programs, as well as to help cover the cost of animals in line for adoption. Bistro 1896, La Caterina Trattoria, the Left Bank and the New French Bar are just a handful of participating establishments. This “Dining for Pets” event will be held on National Spay Day, which is devoted to raising public awareness of the benefits of spaying and neutering pets. To find out more about the ACN and restaurants participating in this event, visit www.animalcompassionnetwork.org.
Through the grapevine: The Marketplace and The Wine Guy will collaborate on a wine dinner that aims to whisk participants, figuratively, to Italy. On Tuesday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m., the Marketplace will greet diners with a selection of hors d’oeuvres, to be followed by a multi-course meal featuring Italian flavors. Offerings will include braised leg of lamb, shrimp and anchovies with kumquats, and zabaglione with orange. Rob Campbell, aka the Wine Guy, will provide an array of Italian wines to accompany the cuisine. Price is $65 per person, including tax and tip. The Marketplace is located at 20 Wall St. in downtown Asheville; call 252-4162 to make reservations.
Cookie Cook-off: The Girl Scouts of Western North Carolina Pisgah Council has come up with a creative way to sell their cookies. For the past few years, the Council has promoted the WNC Girl Scout Cookie Cook-off, wherein area restaurants are encouraged to create a dessert based on one of eight varieties of Girl Scout cookies. The establishment then promises to sell the dessert for part or all of the month spanning Feb. 24 to March 20 and donate a portion of the proceeds from each sale to the Council. A list of participating restaurants can be found at www.girlscoutswnc.org, where patrons can also vote for their favorite cookie dessert. To order some of those cookies for yourself, call the Council at 252-4442.
