Wilmette, IL  (Feb. 23, 2008) More than a dozen of the North Shore’s best restaurants will be serving specialties at the charitable gala, First Leap for Charity. Being held on Leap Year’s Day, First Leap will be held at the newly remodeled showrooms of Imperial Motors Jaguar in Wilmette with proceeds going to four charities: the American Stroke Foundation, Cancer Wellness Center, Healthy Child Healthy World and PAWS Chicago (Pets are worth Saving).

The dishes will feature truffles (both the mushroom and the candy), tastes from a variety of cultural traditions, and both casual and formal dishes. Participating restaurants, caterers and purveyors of fine spirits, and their contributions include:

Ø      Chinoiserie Restaurant – spring rolls

Ø      Chocolate Potpourri – truffles and gourmet toffee

Ø      Francesco's Hole in the Wall – Italian sausage and peppers

Ø      Garden Fresh Market – Mediterranean feast – grape leaves with lemon sauce, hummus and pita

Ø      Las Palmas – Cheese quesadillas, nachos and chips

Ø      La Petite Amelia - Eggplant Cavier on garlic toast point

Ø      Life Vegan – Vegetarian Restaurant – carrot supreme tuna sandwich, bbq twist, macaroni and soy cheese, potato salad, kale preens, cashew cheese cake

Ø      Omaggio – Carpaccio with Harry's Bar sauce on homemade foccaccia bread

Ø      Rose's Wheat Free Bakery – desserts, cookies, small cakes

Ø      RT Sushi Bar & Lounge – Spicy Tuna Roll

Ø      Starbucks - coffee

Ø      Tomato Head – assortment of pizza's

Ø      Tramonto's Steak & Seafood - Truffled Goughers with Mushroom Duxelle

Ø      Va Pensiero Restaurant - Sambuca cured Alaskan salmon with citrus vegetable salad

Ø      Pravda Vodka, donated by Mark Levinson

Ø      Wines by International Wine Cellars

The event will also celebrate the 25^th anniversary of full-service communications firm ABC Communications, Inc. ABC president Candice Kuhnen is organizing First Leap.

First Leap for Charity will be from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday February 29, at 721 Green Bay Road, Wilmette. Admission is $30, with checks made out to attendees choice of the four charities. Proceeds of a silent auction will also go 100 percent to the charities.

The evening will also feature live music, a fashion show and a drawing for an all-inclusive trip to Cancun, provided by American Invsco Realty and their Novo Cancun Beach Marina & Golf Resort.

The spectacular fashion show will be emceed by Pierre Lang from Hana K, Chicago’s couture outwear designer. Bobby Chi will present his breathtaking hand painted silks, and the show will include hip men’s and woman’s fashions from Enaz and Dalaj of Highland Park and exquisite jewelry from Hoffman Jewelers of Highland Park.

ABC Communications, Inc., is a full-service communications agency that develops, designs and produces advertising and marketing materials, promotional events (under its subsidiary, It’s an Event) and public relations campaigns, both locally and on a national scale.

For more information on First Leap for Charity, see www.abc-communications.com, call (800-838-3006) or make reservations on line www.brownpapertickets.com.

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