shroomgirl,
It's not a dinner, it's a "Wine & Food Celebration".
It is this Sunday from 2-5pm at the University Plaza Convention Center. Tickets are $25 in advance. I was wrong numerically in my above post (perhaps because my eyes are bigger than my plate!) I just dug the flyer out....
"More than 60 wines from five continents.
Enjoy hors d'oeuvres from more than 25 restaurants & caterers.
Espressos & imported coffees.
Gourmet juices & mineral waters.
Food & wine experts to answer your questions.
Exclusive wine accessory table."
There is also a Patron's Party $70 in advance $75 at door.
"Vintage wines at silent auction
Rare big bottles from the world's finest vineyards.
Delectably elegant hors d'oeuvres
Special gifts and drawings."
Springfield, MO is the third largest city in Missouri.
You really should make a trip to Springfield sometime. There are some excellent restaurants here, at least four that serve sushi (if that gives you any idea) - one of them, the first non-coastal place in the midwest I've ever liked it. I'm very particular about the freshness of the seafood I eat. And two Thai restaurants, one of them voted #1 restaurant in Springfield.
Cashew chicken was invented here. If you've never had Springfield cashew chicken, you've never had the REAL cashew chicken. Yours in St. Louis are totally different. (One of my best college friends grew up there and lives there now.)
Population? In the city probably about 150,000. Probably over 200,000 in surrounding towns. (Many people commute.)
Populations are booming in suburan counties around Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Washington, D.C., New York, and Springfield, Missouri. Springfields neighbor counties, Christian and Stone, respectively rank 31st and 38th in the nation in their rates of growth in the 1990s.
Bass Pro is headquartered here. I believe they are building the largest fresh water aquarium in the country to be completed within the next couple of years.
For contact info regarding the "Wine & Food Celebration"
For Tickets call 417-865-2100
ext. 254
Brown Derby International Wine Center:
They actually have VERY impressive selection of gourmet food, from veal stock, to truffle oil, to parmigiano reggiano.
www.brownderby.com
(If you ever go there, I can tell you who to talk to.)
More info on Springfield MO:
http://springfield.missouri.org/gov/
I don't know exactly how many restaurants there are in Springfield. I do know that they are always packed on weekends. People love to eat out.
Hope this helps shroomgirl.