Gail Therrien, co-president, Community Education Foundation; Bernie Gastrich, speaker; and Ellen Rothenberg, co-president.

The selection of wines, affordable rarities from Slovenia, the former republic of Yugoslavia, was surprisingly excellent. And who ever heard of Slovenia? Fortunately, the well-traveled gentleman beside me kindly provided geographic bearings. Slovenia is a coastal and mountainous region making it suitable for growing grapes.

Guest lecturer Dr. Bernie Gastrich of the American Wine Society guided the tasting tour. Though Dr. Gastrich may very well be a wine snob (with every right!), he didn't have the air of one. The chosen wines were bargain treasures ranging from $8.99 to 11.99. Though there wasn't a Slovenian box o' wine on the list, it's safe to say that most tasters wouldn't be put off by these prices. Slung over Dr. Gastrich's shoulder was a little bag, which - of course, adhering to the imagination - must have contained a flask of the finest wine.

The evening opened with a 2000 Kogl Chardonnay, a fruitier wine with a delightful fizz. The other course wines, a 2000 Domiana Sauvignon Bland, a 2000 Santomas Chardonnay, a 1999 Istenec Pinot Noir, a 1999 Vipava Cabernet, a 2001 Refosc, and a 2001 Vinalkoper Merlot, while not necessarily pleasing to all palettes, were distinct. The Pinot Noir and Merlot were favorites. The Cabernet, though not fully aged, and the fullbodied Merlot had a wonderful bouquet. And since a lingering aftertaste is a virtue, the award must be given to the Cabernet - also for its potential.

The food, a selection of savory winter fare, was delectable - though after all the wine, an extra handful of chicken curry canapes would have been well received. While the dessert was less than desirable, the goat cheese and red pepper crostini, the grilled artichoke and the mini sandwich of duck confit with blueberry jam (if only it weren't mini) were excellent.

Everyone at my table unanimously agreed. Just in case it's ever a "Jeopardy" question, there isn't a wine that goes with artichoke.

Overall, kudos to Dylan's Roadhouse for providing northern Westchester residents with a nonintimidating eatery - no pretentious decor, hoards of teens or affected staff. Bottom line, Dylan's Roadhouse is a restaurant with a sophisticated country flair, suitable for families and couples.

Perhaps the most exciting part of the evening was the company My table alone seated members of a local

bonsai club, followers of the hippy-ish band Phish, mountain bikers, a corporate powerhouse with a passion for making furniture, an art teacher addicted to her TIVO, simultaneous dieters of Atkins and South Beach, and the proud parents of teenage superstar hockey player. (They were so cool!) With more than 80 people in attendance, imagine the conversation at other tables! Though we complained about missing "Survivor" and "The Apprentice," except for the art teacher, who, of course, had it TIVOed, the truth was, it was fun to admit to our nightly pleasures. Everyone enjoyed their wine, their food and Dylan's atmosphere.

The fascinating bunch at my table really was a direct reflection of the CEF co-presidents and board members - whose enthusiasm is contagious. Mrs. Rothenberg and her copresident, Gail Therrien, also a bonsai club member, speak with great pride about CEF programs, and rightfully so - considering they survive on donations from parents and small fundraising events, their programs have reached thousands of kids. "A lot of organizations have boards that simply make decisions, we are very active within our organization," said Mrs. Rothenberg.

CEF provides those programs that parents and teachers across the country dream of having in their community: superintendent's conference day activities, mentorship, summer enrichment and sports, computer scholarships, and teacher mini-grants, to name a few The superintendent's conference day is not nearly as fun as the unexpected snow day, but has the potential to be with CEE Each conference day, the organization holds an interactive program for elementary school kids at Northern Westchester Center for the Arts. The programs range from the scientific to the theatrical and everything in between.

During summer, kids can enroll in four-week enrichment classes in subjects from skate boarding to tae kwon do. The summer sports program, run by the Bedford Central School District athletic staff, features hockey, field hockey, lacrosse, and softball, among others for grades 6 to 8. The fall men torship program pairs high-school students with younger kids for academic, cultural and extra-curricular activities. Financially constrained middle- and high-school families can apply for the computer scholarship program. The mini-grants are designed to provide funding for teachers or community members with a particular idea or project they wish to explore.

"Not enough parents know about us. A lot of parents are involved in CEF programs, but don't realize it's us," said Mrs. Rothenberg. "We're trying to get our name out as much as possible."