Regional Chamber Members Make Beautiful Music Together
If you walk into Sandia Café—tucked into The Glen Shopping Center in Lake Ridge— just
Monica Ogaz de Tellez owner of Sandia Cafe and Frank Varljen with the Prince William Symphony Orchestra worked together to create a successful fundraiser. |
The wine list holds more surprises. Sandia is proud to carry the wine portfolio of Aurelio Cabastrero, named Best Sommelier of Spain, offering a selection of more than 80 fine Spanish wines. Monica Ogaz de Tellez, owner and chef, explained, “We have the same wines as you would find in top-rated restaurants. They are hand-selected from premiere bodegas; you cannot find
what we have in the grocery stores, they are not mass produced.” Then fellow Prince William Regional Chamber member, Frank Varljen of the Prince William Symphony Orchestra, approached Sandia Café about supporting the Orchestra’s Annual Gala, wine seemed like a natural way to contribute. The Sandia Café donated 10 cases of their best wines to the Orchestra’s event but still wanted to do more.
“I like supporting the arts. The Orchestra does a fantastic job; we are fortunate to have them in our area. It makes sense to help them,” said Monica.
Formed in 1972 as a volunteer-driven organization, the Orchestra has grown with the community over the years, maturing into a first-rate musical institution. The Washington Post has described their performances as “enthralling and exhilarating.”
“You would be hard pressed to find such a talented musical group anywhere, let alone in your own backyard,” said Carl Long, Orchestra music director.
Sandia Café collaborated with the Prince William Symphony Orchestra to host a “Classic Spanish Wine Tasting” fundraiser featuring five regional wine and food pairings. Ticket sales and 10 percent of wine shop sales were donated to the Orchestra. A harpist and flutist from the Orchestra added to the ambiance of the event. During the duet’s break, Sandia employee Justin Able played classical guitar. Monica plans to put his talents to use on a regular basis and will soon have a listing of nights when live music will set the tone for dinner at the Café.
People who regularly attend wine dinners at Sandia said that they appreciated the chance to enjoy the Orchestra’s music in one of their favorite settings and to meet members of the Orchestra. “The combination of good music and good wine set an atmosphere that highlights the mood to enjoy Monica’s creations,” said regular customer Hal Lewis.
Like many partnerships between Regional Chamber members, the fundraiser brought together groups that might not otherwise have met. More than 70 people were in attendance—there were those who regularly attend Sandia wine dinners having their first exposure to the Orchestra, and vice versa.
Ultimately, Monica felt this is what made the event successful, “The Orchestra and Sandia were able to bring our customers together to enjoy an elegant afternoon. Some of my customers have said that they will begin attending Orchestra performances, and several Orchestra patrons added themselves to the e-mail list for my wine dinners. It was a case of Chamber members being able to help each other.”
To learn more about these Prince William Regional Chamber members, visit them online at www.sandiacafe.com and www.pwso.org.
