***A bit of blogkeeping: Have you entered to win 2 general admission tickets to the Marc’s Great American Rib Cook-Off and Music Festival? Today is your last chance, so check it out! Remember, you can tweet once per day for additional entries.***

Last night, Matthew and I attended one of the hottest foodie parties in Cleveland: the 19^th Annual Cleveland Magazine Silver Spoon Awards Party. This event not only honors some of the best chefs, restaurants, and dishes in town, but also raises money for the Arthritis Foundation, Great Lakes Region, Northeastern Ohio.

The ballroom at the Intercontinental Hotel was packed to the hilt with fine food. Some of our favorites of the evening included Pier W‘s poached salmon and mushrooms, Deagan’s Kitchen and Bar‘s chicken paprikash, Light Bistro‘s spring pea and mint soup with ramp pesto, Taki’s Greek Kitchen‘s lamb chops, and Sweet Melissa‘s decadent dessert spread.

Hodge’s and Spice Kitchen and Bar rocked out the VIP room, with craft cocktails that included hibiscus-infused tequila at Spice and bourbon and strawberries at Hodge’s and delicious nibbles like smoked lamb tacos with strawberry jalapeno salsa from Hodge’s and smoked fish on spelt pancakes at Spice. Plus, two of the nicest, most personable local chefs you’ll ever meet in Chris Hodgson and Ben Bebenroth!

Aside from the food, there were fabulous wines, wonderful silent auction and Chinese auction prizes, and lots of friends to mingle with. The Silver Spoon Awards Party is definitely one of the premier fundraising events of the year.

Kudos to Alicia for all her hard work in planning. I’m already dreaming about next year’s fun!

***Disclosure: I was asked by the Arthritis Foundation to help promote the Silver Spoon Awards Party. In exchange, I received 2 complimentary VIP tickets. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***