2010 Sampling of Auction Packages will be posted soon
2009 Sampling of Auction Packages
Gilly’s at The B.O.B.
All the Best The B.O.B. has to Offer
If you win the bid for this awesome package from the Gilmore Collection of restaurants, you have a very special evening in store for you. Your party of eight will sample all the best the Big Old Building has to offer with a leisurely progressive dinner throughout the restaurants of The B.O.B. Your four-course meal will begin in the Monkey Bar and then progress through Gilly’s, Judson’s and Bobarino’s, where a special course awaits at each. Of course, no meal is complete without a little bit of the grape or a sampling of handcrafted brews. House wines and B.O.B.’s Beer will be matched to each course. The rest of the evening is up to you as you explore the many venues available to you at The B.O.B. Whether you choose to play pool, view the latest sports event or dance the night away, this is one celebration that’s sure to please.
Louis Benton Steakhouse
Delve into Food and Wine Pairings at a Special “Six by Six” Dinner
Your party of six will be as interactive with Chef Joseph as you like as he prepares a specially designed six-course meal just for you at Louis Benton Steakhouse. He will personally select a fine wine from Louis Benton’s impressive wine list to accompany each course. You and your guests will enjoy your meal seated at the exclusive VIP table, where Chef Joseph will personally present each course and explain the nuances of the individual pairings. This promises to be a great adventure as you explore the culinary world with a master guide by your side.
Lux Land Live
Invite your closest friends to join you for an intimate concert in your home featuring live music written and performed by Lux Land. You and your friends will enjoy a 45-minute performance featuring a selection of Lux’s unique melodies that are blended with inspiring lyrics. Both heartbreaking and hopeful Lux’s music speaks to the listener on many levels.
Butch’s Dry Dock
A Private Cellar Wine Feast for Eight
Your party of eight will enjoy an extraordinary culinary adventure in the intimacy of the private wine cellar at Butch’s in downtown Holland. There, you will be treated to a delicious five-course meal with hand-selected wine pairings meant to enhance the unique flavors of each dish. This is one time you can let your imagination run wild because this private feast will be totally designed by you, Chef Adam, and your host, Butch TerHaar. It’s an evening you won’t soon forget!
Food Design by Chef Brech
Who Will You Invite?
Would you like to treat your friends, family, or even surprise your management team or employees with an unforgettable dining experience? Then this is the package for you. Chef Brech will let
you choose the venue – home or office or maybe even someplace else – and then he will consult with you to create a personalized menu comprised of a five-course wine dinner for ten people. As indicated by its moniker, a specially selected wine will be paired
with each course, and Chef Brech will love to share his insights
on the principles of food and wine pairing. By the time your party comes to a happy conclusion, you will be a hero among those on your guest list.
Charley’s Crab
A Spectacular “Charley’s Bucket” Party for a Dozen Friends
You’ll be the most popular person in your circle of friends when you throw a good old-fashioned beach party at your own residence. You create the atmosphere and Chef Christopher will treat your gathering of 12 people to a traditional “Charley’s Bucket” feast, complete with lobsters, Dungeness crab, clams, mussels, andouille sausage, corn and potatoes, making for a very upscale version of the classic seaside clambake repast. Consult with Chef Chris to help create the menu because your party will also enjoy a soup course and end your culinary adventure sweetly with dessert. Wine pairings will be hand selected by Chef Christopher to complete your dining adventure. Don’t let this unique dining experience slip through your fingers. Bid high and get ready for a rousing game of beach-blanket bingo.
The Grille at Watermark Country Club
Round of Golf and Five-Course Meal
Invite three of your friends to play an 18-hole round of golf at your choice of the private greens at Watermark Country Club or the brand new, state-of-the-art facilities at StoneWater Country Club. Take pleasure in the immaculate tees and fairways, with an enjoyable pace of play. When the competition is over, freshen up in the clubhouse locker room before heading inside to relax and savor each of the five-courses prepared for you by Chef Eric and his award winning culinary team. End the night right by roasting your own s’mores tableside, or top off the evening with Eric’s fabulously rich peanut butter mousse pie. The Grille at Watermark is open year round to the public. Watermark Country Club and StoneWater Country Club each offer private 18-hole golf courses, pool facilities, and fitness facilities, as well as an open-to-the-public full-service dining room and multiple-use banquet facilities.
Signed Jackson Guitar
A hand crafted Jackson guitar signed by the entire Trans Siberian Orchestra at the beginning of the 2009 Season.
Advertise with Radio
Citadel Broadcasting of West Michigan would like to help your business address your key marketing challenges with a $5,000 radio advertising program. An account manager will sit down with you and your team; conduct a thorough customer needs analysis, then together you will partner to determine a radio marketing strategy utilizing one or more of our terrestrial radio assets.
Spinnaker
The Ultimate Overnight Dinner Party
Your friends will be vying to be included among your party of eight when they find out about this fabulous dining experience. First, consult with Chef Michael to help in the planning of your five-course gourmet dinner, and set the date for your special event. Then check into the Grand Rapids Airport Hilton Hotel and settle into your four deluxe overnight accommodations. Take advantage of all the hotel’s special amenities before making your way to the Captain’s Table in the casually elegant Spinnaker Restaurant to enjoy your customized meal, complete with compatible wine pairings specially selected by the chef. Just when you think it couldn’t possibly get any better than this, the Spinnaker’s Pastry Chef will complete your pampering with a special dessert prepared tableside. Thank goodness no one will have to drive home. The next morning, enjoy breakfast in your own room, or reassemble the group and indulge in the Spinnaker’s renowned Sunday Brunch.
A Carefree Vacation at Villa Rosa Puerto Vallarta
Entertain, relax and enjoy with 7 of your closest friends a seven-night stay at Villa Rosa, a spectacular 4 bedroom, 4.5 bath European style villa, nestled in the mountainside of beautiful Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico.
Sweeping views of the Bay of Banderas and Puerto Vallarta are yours to enjoy from every room in the villa. The romantic master bedroom suite has a secluded outdoor Jacuzzi and second terrace overlooking the bay.
A modern granite counter topped kitchen is available if you choose to cook—but why would you with Chef Carlos on staff to prepare almost anything you wish. His wife Vanessa will graciously serve your party on one of the terraces or in the open-air dinning room. Take a dip in the infinity pool with panoramic views. Margaritas poolside with fresh guacamole and salsa in the heat of the afternoon? Juevos rancheros for breakfast? Ask and you will receive.
It truly is a carefree vacation. The staff takes care of meal preparation, meal serving, grocery shopping, laundry and cleaning. You can select off the Villa Rosa menu or have the chef prepare what you like. All you pay for is the food and beverages of your choice.
Via Maria Trattoria
Jazzy Dinner Party for 20!
Via Maria chefs are well known for a variety of delicious cuisine; the Hall Street Jazz group is fun and interactive, and the Felt Mansion is a trip into the elegance of the past. Here is an opportunity for you to put it all together for a night to be long remembered. This package offers an incredible jazzy dinner party for up to 20 people, to be held at the beautifully refurbished Felt Mansion located between Holland and Saugatuck, along the shores of Lake Michigan. The Felt Estate was once the luxurious summer home and hobby of self-made millionaire and inventor, Dorr E. Felt. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and on the Michigan State Register of Historic Sites, the mansion retains the architectural beauty of a bygone era, offering a glimpse into the wealth and lifestyle of the Roaring 20s. In this historic setting, the Via Maria chefs will create a meal to compliment your style of party – a formal sit-down dinner, perhaps a tapas experience, or maybe even a summer grill-out – you set the tone and the theme for this extraordinary event. The Hall Street Jazz trio will perform for your group – toe-tapping or outright dancing on the veranda under the stars – this is your party. There will also be beautiful flower arrangements provided around the house and photographs taken. It is truly an opportunity for a rare evening from Via Maria Trattoria.
Sustainable Beauty
Experience up-to-the-minute technology in this ultimate makeover package for 8 by Carlson Laser Aesthetics. After all, who doesn’t want to age beautifully? Imagine yourself in the privacy of your own home with seven of your closest friends, sipping organic martinis, noshing on healthy appetizers prepared onsite by the always creative and entertaining Chef Tommy Fitzgerald. Now picture yourselves indulging in makeovers using microdermabrasions, Botox, and Juverderm. The finishing touch? Applying Colorescience mineral cosmetics, designed to give your skin instant and long-lasting results. Professional consultant Joe Stankowski will give tips on “how to look like a fitness model at any age” and will be happy to stay for a Q&A session afterward, giving your guests the opportunity to ask about specific topics that interest them.
Designs For Living Shopping Spree
Designs for Living will provide the winning bidder with a $3,000 shopping spree at either Klingman’s or Israels and 3 hours of Interior Design Services from a staff designer.
The Winchester
Do You Even Have 50 Friends?
Is there a special occasion, office party, family reunion or other celebration on the horizon for you? If so, this package offers the perfect solution. Throw a carefree party for a crowd of up to 50 people as The Winchester closes its doors to the public on a Monday or Tuesday evening in order to cater exclusively to your private festivity. Work with Chef Peter to help develop your special meal, including hors d’oeuvres, dinner, dessert and cocktails. Do you want it formal or casual? It’s your night, so you call the shots. When the memorable evening winds down, walk away from the mess knowing that you’ve given your guests the time of their lives. It’s your venue, your people, your menu and your own private party at The Winchester, one of Grand Rapids’ most exciting new restaurants that emphasizes local, seasonal ingredients and serves them up with flair. It doesn’t get much better – or easier – than this.
Brian Vander Ark LIVE
Brian Vander Ark will perform a private concert in your backyard or home just for you and your guests. He will perform some of his original material unplugged for about an hour. He may even sing his #1 hit “The Freshman” or “Little Man.” After performing, Brian will meet and greet with your party for an hour. As an additional bonus, you will receive a full catalog of three studio albums personally signed by Brian! And just to bring this package to the next level, Brian Kelly, Grand Rapids photographer, will extend his talents to make your private concert even more memorable. Brian Kelly will be present to take journalistic-style photos during set-up, music check, arrival of guests, and of course, Brian Vander Ark performing just for you. He will put the photos together in a hardbound coffee table book for you to cherish for years to come! The winner and a guest of this deluxe package will also be placed on the VIP Guest List for the Verve Pipe’s upcoming concert at the Intersection on December 19, 2009 right here in Grand Rapids. You are sure to receive rock star treatment!
JW Marriott six.one.six
“Iron Chef” JW Style!
Let JW Marriott and the culinary staff of their premier restaurant, six.one.six, make your culinary dreams come true with a cutting-edge team-building event that brings real cooking true to life. Two teams of five will go head-to-head with culinary coaches to create an amazing three-course meal. This Iron Chef-like friendly competition will take place in the kitchen at the JW, complete with a beer and wine bar, over-the-top service and an experience that your group will never forget. Todd Chance of the Todd Chance Morning Show on Hot Fm will join the team building dinner and will have the team leaders and Chef Aaron on the air the next morning to discuss the challenges they faced during the competition. This wouldn’t be the JW if it weren’t kicked up another notch. Your dinner will be followed up with a dessert reception in six.one.six to cap off the meal. This package is unlike any other offered. It’s great for a corporate team-building exercise or your favorite group of foodie friends. No matter how you end the evening, this is one dining experience that will be hard to top. Did we mention this was a package unlike any other? The winner of this package will also receive an anniversary or birthday gift they won’t forget, with a complimentary room overnight and a dinner for two in the Chef’s office, complete with selected wine pairings. What are you waiting for? Bid high and let your JW experience begin!
The Heritage Restaurant at Grand Rapids Community College
Secchia Institute for Culinary Education
A Foodie’s Fantasy with Dinner and a Show and So Much More
Kevin is the founder of the Vegetarian Awakening Conference held at Grand Rapids Community College. This conference was established to showcase the best vegan chefs in the industry. The chefs’ demonstrations held at this conference allow attendees to taste fantastic vegan cuisine and be part of where this new cuisine is truly headed. Great Chefs aren’t just born. Come see how they’re made. The private dining room at The Heritage Restaurant on GRCC’s downtown campus will set the scene for this grand repast. Your party of eight will revel in a multi-course meal prepared by Chef Instructor Kevin Dunn and his Advanced Culinary Arts students. Watch these students strut their stuff with one goal in mind: to impress you with their skills. Of course, appropriate wine selections will complement the meal and please the palate. Then your party can take in a show with eight tickets to GRCC’s Spectrum Theatre. If you have ever wondered what the chefs of tomorrow will be capable of, then this is the package for you!
Refreshed. Revitalized. Reawakened.
That is how you will feel if you are the top bidder of this package from Vasaio Life Spa. Imagine you and up to 34 special guests indulging in a 2-hour sampling of Vasaio’s Spa, Salon and Medical Spa services. These rejuvenating services range from 15 to 30 minutes and your guests are encouraged to choose two. For an added exclusive feel, Vasaio’s doors will be closed to the public as your pampered guests choose from the following mini Spa/Salon Services:
• Massage Therapy • Murano Foot Soak with Scrub
• Microdermabrasion • Cut and Hairstyle
• Facial • Mineral Makeover
• Paraffin Hand Dip/Massage
The Chop House
Kitchen Tour and Chef’s Table at The Chop House
Enjoy an exceptional culinary evening for six people with a special Chef’s Table dinner at this premier, upscale steakhouse in downtown Grand Rapids. Chef Zacky will guide your party through a personal tour of his kitchen and teach you about what makes the meat used at The Chop House different from the rest. He will give pointers on how to select your own meat products and tips on their preparation. Then return to the Chef’s Table to enjoy the fruits of your lesson. You will also consult with Chef Zacky ahead of time to design your own culinary adventure, and then sit back and let The Chop House culinary team delight you with a superlative five-course meal that takes you through whatever adventure your palate has decided upon. Of course, a Chop House meal isn’t complete without a sampling from their exquisite wine list… superbly compatible wine selections are included in your feast.
Mia & Grace
Michigan Food and Wine Tasting Party
Are you a culinary explorer who likes to be the first to discover a great new place? If so, then this package has your name written all over it. Muskegon’s exciting new farm-to-table restaurant, Mia & Grace, is offering to prepare and serve your party of 12 an eight-course local market tasting menu, at your choice of location. Relax and enjoy in the comforts of your own home or choose the intimate space of this modern, artsy eatery. Chefs Jamie and Jeremy will prepare and serve your party a local market tasting menu, introducing each course to your group, explaining its provenance and fielding any culinary questions from the crowd. This special tasting menu will be accompanied by Michigan wines, with the Winemaker on hand to discuss each selection’s characteristics and qualities. This promises to be one very interactive evening of discovery for you and your lucky guests.
Beautiful Condo In Prescott Arizona
This package is the perfect getaway for just about anyone…and for the golf-lover! Treat yourself to this one-week stay in Prescott, Arizona. You will be provided with a beautiful condominium unit that welcomes your party of six. Kick up your heels and enjoy your weeklong getaway to this unique, old-world setting located in north-central Arizona. And, you’re sure to enjoy the warm climate too! Prescott offers 6 golf courses, 525 buildings featured on the National Register of Historic Places and an abundance of natural beauty. Whether you spend your day golfing, shopping, sightseeing, biking or hiking, you are sure to feel right at home in this fully furnished, tastefully appointed, three-bedroom condominium. It’s even located on a private golf course and features immaculate views. December, January and February are a bit chilly but no matter when you visit, Prescott offers a variety of events and activities so that you are sure to experience the many faces of Prescott.
Vitale’s of Ada
A Private Wood-Fired Oven Pizza Party at the Polizzi Residence
It’s a backyard pizza party held in front of a built-by-hand wood-fired pizza oven at the private residence of Joe and Angela Polizzi, owners of Vitale’s of Ada. This is a true Italian tradition that the Polizzis will share with you and 29 of your closest friends. Enjoy pizza the way it is made in Italy, along with authentic Italian appetizers, wine and beer. Angela and Joe Polizzi are full-blooded Sicilian. Together, Joe and his brother-in-law Gino built the brick oven in the family’s backyard a couple years ago. Since then, the pizza parties that are thrown at that household are no less than epic: Think 20-plus Sicilian people running around yelling at each other, which is just standard-issue Sicilian communication, while making the best pizza you have ever tasted. Vitale’s of Ada and the Polizzis extend this tradition of fire, earthen building and feasting to you and your 29 guests. It’s sure to bolster your connection to the past, each other and to a great slice of Italy.
Amway Grand Plaza Hotel Catering Department
A Five Diamond® Chef’s Table Awaits
How can anyone resist an evening of pampering at Michigan’s only AAA Five Diamond Award® winning restaurant, The 1913 Room? That is the site for this exceptional package from the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel Catering Department. Chef Steve is prepared to astound your party of eight guests with a six-course Chef’s dinner made especially for you. The beautiful surroundings of The 1913 Room will set the stage for this special evening at the exclusive Chef’s table. To inspire the palate and enhance your culinary experience, appropriate wines will be selected from The 1913 Room’s extensive cellars by Chef Steve himself to pair perfectly with the menu. He and the culinary team of Amway Grand Plaza Hotel’s Catering Department stands ready to pamper you with a specially designed menu, stellar service and complimentary valet parking, providing an evening of ultra indulgence and pure luxury. It’s an evening your guests will long remember.
Reds on the River
Private Riverside Wine-Themed Dinners
It only happens five times a year – Wine-themed dinners at Reds on the River. You could be one of the privileged if you get this package. The winning bidder can decide for themselves how best to use this package of six reservations at one or more of Reds elite wine dinners. Use all six reservations at one dinner and bring along some friends, treat yourself and your “significant other” to three separate events, or mix and match any way you want to use your six reservations. These events are so popular that advance registration is required. Each featured Winemaker presents several of their wines, and each wine will be paired with an exceptional course prepared from scratch, using all fresh ingredients by Reds Executive Chef Glenn Forgie and his talented culinary team. The dinners are held in Reds private Riverside Room adjacent to the restaurant, where you and your guest(s) will be “WOWED” from start to finish.
One Trick Pony
A Firehouse Dinner Unlike Any Other
This package is for the person seeking the ultimate dining experience in surroundings like no other. Your party of eight will start the evening with a cocktail party at downtown’s One Trick Pony. The festivities will include delicious appetizers and compatible drinks to get the party started. Then you and your guests will relocate to a charming turn-of-the-century Firehouse, where you will get to tour the station and converse with area firefighters while One Trick Pony owner and accomplished Chef, Dan Verhil, cooks your dinner for eight in the firehouse kitchen. Then, sit down right there in the firehouse for a festive, three-course meal designed especially for you. Naturally, this grand repast will be accompanied by the perfect hand-selected wines that are sure to enhance this unique dining experience. Whoever gets this package will have bragging rights for years to come. And who knows? You may be lucky enough to get to slide down an authentic firehouse pole!
Applause Catering & Events
It Wouldn’t Be A Party Without Applause
If you have a family celebration on the horizon or just like entertaining fun friends with great food and amazing wines, then this package is perfect for you. Your incredible evening will be an unforgettable one, created especially for you and five of your favorite guests. Best of all, this special evening will take place in the comfort of your own home, where you can kick back with loved ones and enjoy letting someone else do the work. Throughout the evening you and your guests will be pampered, spoiled, wined and dined with a truly magnificent four-course dinner that’s sure to be remembered. Chef Jevon will consult with you to help plan this special event, and then be as interactive with the guests as you wish: Do you want a little cooking demo with each course? Do you want to query the Chef about tricks of the trade? Do you want to know what guides the wine pairing process? Whatever you choose, this evening will have you taking bows to the “applause” you’ll get from those lucky friends you invite to share this extraordinary evening with you. And don’t worry about the cleanup. Chef Jevon will take care of that, too.
