Arline and Ben Guefen (in the middle) invited family and friends for a recent glorious evening with restaurateur Carmelo Mauro, which they won as successful bidders at a fundraising dinner for Ben Gurion University of the Negev. The Guefens and guests were treated to a sumptuous meal, from appetizers to dessert, at the gorgeous Memorial-area home of Carmelo. Carmelo and his friend Mark Cox (left), owner of Mark's American Cuisine Restaurant, prepared the food and Carmelo chose the appropriate wine for each course. Mauro and Cox have teamed up for several years now for the University fundraiser and Carmelo will be honored by the group next year.
Marathon Real Estate Celebrates Grand Opening with, what else, a Ribbon Cutting!
Grand Opening festivities for Marathon Real Estate took place Thursday, November 16 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at their new offices located at 4111 Medical Parkway, Ste. 200. Luisa Mauro and her partner, Tausha Carlson, are both marathon runners who integrated their love of running with their passion for real estate to form Marathon Real Estate - a full service residential boutique firm located in central Austin. While training for the Austin marathon, the two realized the traits that helped them go the distance in a total of 17 marathons were the same characteristics that would bring them success in the real estate profession - discipline, dedication, perseverance, high energy, enthusiasm, time management skills, a strong work ethic and a drive to exceed expectations. Luisa will also continue her role as Director of Group Marketing for Carmelo's.
Carmelo's Ristorante Celebrates 21 Years in Austin - and a Pinch Amore!
On October 29, Carmelo's Ristorante celebrated 21 years of Italian food, wine, music and art in Austin. Manager Luis Patino, Hilary and Carmelo Mauro were joined by a packed patio of well wishers. In 1985, Carmelo's expanded from Houston to Austin, leasing, and eventually purchasing, the historic "Old Depot Hotel" located at Fifth and Red River near the Austin Convention Center. Built in 1872, the "Railroad House" accommodated passengers traveling to other railroads and four stagecoach lines, making it the oldest standing train depot in the state of Texas. While the restaurant itself has been lovingly restored over the years, everything else has remained the same - the pungent smells of garlic, the irresistible sounds of an accordion and, of course, a sundry of the best Italian pasta, veal, seafood, beef and poultry specialties, wines and desserts.
Carmelo's is proud to announce that both locations now offer wireless Internet. This new service is especially appealing to businesses looking for the perfect place to impress clients with fantastic food and tier-one technology. Who says you can't mix business with pleasure?
Carmelo's Ristorante Hosted Castello Banfi Vintner Dinners In October
Wine aficionados who appreciate the Renaissance of Brunello and Super Tuscan wines enjoyed extraordinary Castello Banfi Vintner Dinners in Austin and Houston with special host Filippo de Belardino. Guests were able to taste and learn about some of the finest wines in the world, how they're grown and delicately designed…paired with perfect food choices!
Filetto Fidel - It's What's For Dinner! And a Texas Beef Council Grand Prize Winner to Boot!
Carmelo's was announced the Grand Prize winner of the "Best of Beef" Chef's Challenge conducted by the Texas Beef Council and KKMJ-FM. The dish was entered as part of the Austin Restaurant Week, which took place June 17-25, 2006, and featured three course meals for thirty dollars at participating Austin restaurants, with a portion of the price donated to the Capitol Area Food Bank of Texas.
On the anniversary of Carmelo's Ristorante in June, the City of Houston recognized and congratulated Carmelo's for 25 years of outstanding food, service, culture and community involvement and Mayor Bill White proclaimed June 11, 2006 as Carmelo's Ristorante Day.
Chris Obenland and Shelley Starr met and fell in love soon after. Chris, his mom and dad and Shelley's parents planned the biggest surprise ever on LIVE TV for Shelley. Chris proposed in the KHOU Great Day Houston studios and the whirlwind wedding plans began. Laurette Veres from the largest bridal show in Houston, The Bridal Extravaganza, was the Great Day Wedding Day wedding planner. Carmelo's provided the rehearsal dinner for the couple and their family and friends before their live wedding in the Great Day Houston studios. Carmelo's has one more bridal show scheduled this year and three more for 2007 - see the Wedding page for more details!
Carmelo’s Presented A Special Vintner Dinner Featuring Cecchi Winery
In October, Carmelo's presented special vintner dinners featuring Cecchi Winery in Austin and Houston. For over a hundred years, the wine-makers Luigi Cecchi and Sons have been producing and selling quality wines from Tuscany. These days Luigi Cecchi can count on the valuable cooperation of his sons Cesare and Andrea, one in the commercial sector and the other in production. In the 1970's the wine-makers moved to Castellina in Chianti, a zone of great historical and geographical importance in the Chiantigiana area. In these cellars, equipped with the latest technology, the final stage in the production cycle takes place, while the actual wine making happens on the three separate estates in the most famous production areas of Tuscany.
The Cecchi Chianti of today represents the happy marriage between the "Chiantigiana" tradition and technological innovation, which has brought with it a noticeable improvement in quality. This wine has a lively ruby red color, turning towards garnet red with age. It has an intense vinous bouquet with a hint of violets. Its flavor is harmonious, dry and slightly tannic. Cecchi Chianti can be consumed with any meal, including cold and white meats. When aged it makes an ideal accompaniment to roasts, grilled meats and game.
Carmelo’s Now Equipped With Defibrillators
Carmelo’s Ristorante Austin and Houston have joined airports, office buildings, industrial plants, casinos, golf courses, cruise ships and sports arenas by making Automated External Defibrillators, or AED, available – along with ten trained staff members in each location to operate them.
Defibrillation is the treatment of irregular, intermittent or absent heart rhythms by an electrical current to the heart. It is the only definitive treatment for sudden cardiac arrest and AEDs are proven to be safe, reliable and effective in preventing unnecessary deaths. Unlike a heart attack, which is death of muscle tissue from loss of blood supply, many victims of SCA have no prior symptoms. SCA can strike anyone, at any time, anywhere.
According to Carmelo’s owner Carmelo Mauro, “I hope we never need to use it but if it could save a life, it is a worthwhile investment. The cost of the defibrillator and the training are nothing compared to saving a life.”
SCA is one of the leading causes of death in the United States striking more than 340,000 victims each year. More people die from SCA than from breast cancer, prostate cancer, house fires, hand guns, traffic accidents and AIDS combined. The current national survival rate for SCA is less than five percent but an additional 40,000 lives could be saved each year in the U.S. alone with widespread access to defibrillators. Polls have found that only six percent of U.S. workplaces surveyed are equipped with portable defibrillators.
