The Mineola fashion and food community strutted its stuff at Taste & Style in Mineola at Jericho Terrace on Thursday, Nov. 12. The evening garnered a slew of local restaurants and fashion empires to display fine cuisine and top notch clothing.

“Mineola has transformed itself into a solid fashion community,” Tsontos Furs owner Bill Greene said.

Fashion shows from Mineola’s Designing Dreams, Robert’s Mens Shop, Richard Harris, Bonaventure Tuxedo, Serafina Design, Mineola Moto, among other boutiques walked the catwalk. From party dresses to biker outfits, Mineola put its best foot forward.

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“What’s nice about the event is you walk around, I think I can name most of the people in the room,” Mineola Chamber of Commerce President and Piccola Bussola owner Tony Lubrano said. “Even though it’s a big crowd, everyone knows each other.”

The hometown nature of the event boasted two top television news talents in traffic reporter for NBC 4 New York’s “Today in New York” Lauren Scala and Diane Macedo, a weekend morning anchor for CBS-TV 2. Both attended Mineola High School and remain close friends today.

“It’s great to be back [in Mineola],” Scala said. “It’s great to give back to a community that has given so much to us.”

For Macedo, who’s father John served as the Village of Mineola’s zoning board chairman for 20 years, maintaining family roots in the community gave the night a special significance.

“To be part of an event like this where all the restaurants are from Mineola, everyone contributing is from Mineola and all the benefits will go back to Mineola, it’s a really great way to give back,” Macedo said. “My family is still here; aunts, uncles, brothers, you name it.”

The Friends of Mineola Library, Mineola Athletic Association, Mineola Auxiliary Police, Mineola Fire Department, MVAC, Mineola VFW and Mineola American Legion benefited from the evening’s silent auctions and ticket sales.

“It goes along with the community spirit,” Mayor Scott Strauss said. “The money donated tonight goes right back into the community. People get a chance to help Mineola and enjoy food neighborhood restaurants provide.”