Paper City Article

The Smile Event

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:14:20 GMT

An Evening with Disco Legends

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:45:50 GMT

Tinsel %26 Dreams 2011

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:42:15 GMT

Legacy's 5th Annual Cabaret for A Cure Gala

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:50:40 GMT

Friends of Stehlin Foundation Gala

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:20:37 GMT

Zoo To Do 2011

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:13:23 GMT

Lela Rose Grand Opening Party

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:39:20 GMT

Jewel Charity Ball 2011

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:35:08 GMT

Art Y'All: Texas Art Meets Texas Eats in the Nasher Sculpture Garden

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:18:15 GMT

Laura Wilson "Our Architecture" Reception at One Arts Plaza

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:00:30 GMT

Vogel Alcove Auxiliary Membership Luncheon

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:15:26 GMT

James Farmer "A Time to Plant" Book Signing

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:38:39 GMT

David Yurman Shopping Event benefitting Dallas Symphony Orchestra League

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:02:07 GMT

Dallas Women's Foundation's Luncheon Patron Party 2011

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:47:52 GMT

An Affair of the Art 2012 Kick-Off Party

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:27:11 GMT

The Hästens Store Dallas "Going on 5" Celebration

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:05:30 GMT

Partners Card 2011 North Seller Party

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 01:44:01 GMT

Partners Card 2011 South Seller Party

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 01:30:44 GMT

Erickson Beamon Trunk Show at Swag

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 01:15:44 GMT

The Crystal Charity Ball Silent Auction Preview Party

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:09:59 GMT

Tutu Chic Fashion Show and Luncheon 2011

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:06:35 GMT

Zoo to Do Patron Party 2011

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:50:33 GMT

Richard Lambertson and John Truex Personal Appearance at Tiffany %26 Co.

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:41:44 GMT

Dinner in the Wild 2011

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:19:50 GMT

Big Brothers Big Sisters Big Black Tie Ball 2011

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 04:51:26 GMT

2012 Saint Valentine's Day Luncheon and Fashion Show Kick-Off Party

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 03:21:38 GMT

10th Annual Virginia Chandler Dykes Leadership Award Luncheon Announcement Party

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 01:58:13 GMT

400 North Ervay Realtor Preview Party

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 01:50:55 GMT

2011 Texas Trailblazer Awards Luncheon benefitting The Family Place

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 01:39:37 GMT

Equest Therapeutic Horsemanship Donor Appreciation Party

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 01:35:37 GMT

Urban Green's The Green Gatsby

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 01:26:18 GMT

Temple Grandin Lecture benefitting Lone Star Puppy Raisers Guide Dogs for the Blind

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:30:21 GMT

2011 Expanding Worlds Luncheon

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:27:42 GMT

Kappa Kappa Gamma Dallas Alumnae Association 2011 Tablescapes

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:18:13 GMT

Delish at Galleria Dallas

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:15:16 GMT

The Salvation Army Doing the Most Good Luncheon 2011

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:06:25 GMT

2011 Neiman Marcus Vine and Dine

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:00:40 GMT

Bermano's Secret Garden Launch Party

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:14:55 GMT

Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity 25th Anniversary Underwriter's Party

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 12:20:09 GMT

The Mad Hatter's Tea 2012 Announcement Party

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 02:35:18 GMT

Premier Baby Planning Media Mixer

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:24:18 GMT

Troutt Lecture Series benefitting Council for Life

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:29:14 GMT

26th Annual National Philanthropy Day Luncheon

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:22:38 GMT

The Yes! Event Luncheon benefitting The Legacy Senior Communities Women's Auxiliary

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:20:02 GMT

Escapade 2011 benefitting The Family Place

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:17:30 GMT

Del Frisco's Grille VIP Grand Opening Party

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 02:40:33 GMT

DIFFA/Dallas "Turn Up the Cheer" Holiday Wreath Collection

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:16:29 GMT

KERA 50th Anniversary Celebration

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:37:32 GMT

Junior League of Dallas 90th Anniversary Luncheon

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:36:22 GMT

TexProtects Annual Fundraiser 2011

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:36:06 GMT

2011 Robert S. Folsom Leadership Award Luncheon

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:17:13 GMT

Partners Card Announcement Party

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:30:07 GMT

Cocktails for a Cause 2011 benefitting Planned Parenthood North Texas

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:53:25 GMT

Habitat for Humanity 25th Anniversary Party

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:33:39 GMT

The Art of Conversation with City ArtWorks

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 04:17:14 GMT

Red Tails' Debut Afterparty

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 04:29:22 GMT

2011 Women on the Move Luncheon

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 03:48:05 GMT

Classic BMW 40th Anniversary

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 03:15:49 GMT

Forty Five Ten December Soirees

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 03:06:13 GMT

Paying Homage to Ilan Ramon with HMH

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 01:56:43 GMT

2011 Guardian of the Human Spirit with HMH

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 01:15:35 GMT

The Crystal Charity Ball 2011

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 12:19:20 GMT

AHA Heart Ball Kick-Off

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:25:03 GMT

Exploring Abraham Lincoln at the Jung Center

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:27:17 GMT

A Harvest Market and Awards Lunch

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 04:38:28 GMT

Hearts %26 Hands Alliance Luncheon Benefitting Friends of Wednesday's Child

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 02:57:31 GMT

2011 Chi Omega Christmas Market Opening Gala

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 02:38:05 GMT

Dress for Dinner at Saks Fifth Avenue

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 01:31:12 GMT

"Stay in School" Gala with Communities in Schools

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:20:19 GMT

Les Femmes du Monde 2011 Woman of the Year Award Dinner

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:48:38 GMT

UST's Irish Gala

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:12:41 GMT

Nick Finnegan Counseling Center's Fundraiser

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:34:27 GMT

Memorial Park Conservancy's Green Gala

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 03:11:30 GMT

Tony Mandola's Grand Opening

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 02:59:13 GMT

Fundraiser for Candlelighters

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 01:04:45 GMT

Catholic Charities' A Cardinal's Christmas

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:31:50 GMT

GHWCC Annual Women's Hall of Fame

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:12:40 GMT

Children at Risk's Burst the Human Trafficking Bubble

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:55:43 GMT

Celebration of Story with WITS

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:49:09 GMT

14th annual Bad Pants Open golf tournament

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 03:18:09 GMT

The Living Bank's "Celebrate Life" Gala

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:35:12 GMT

Astros at Sprinkles Cupcakes

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:08:11 GMT

For All Humanity Luncheon

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 04:31:00 GMT

Arthritis Foundation's Bone Bash

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 03:56:37 GMT

17th Annual What's Up Doc?

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 03:43:49 GMT

Fall for Life with Lifehouse of Houston

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:44:08 GMT

Bowls that Benefit with Hoston's Ronald McDonald House

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:06:11 GMT

Picnic in the Park

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:23:07 GMT

Museum of Printing History Gala

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 05:24:46 GMT

Houston Audubon's Songs Across the Lake

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 04:41:05 GMT

The Arrangement VIP Party

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 01:38:39 GMT

A Night with Leslie Sinclair

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:10:19 GMT

Grace for Grace

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 05:28:24 GMT

"Dream Out Loud" Fundraiser

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 04:18:22 GMT

Hotel ICON's "A Night of Magic"

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 03:17:08 GMT

Seven Acres 2012 Gala Kick-Off

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 03:07:26 GMT

L.K. Bennett's Houston Store Opening with a Shopping Fundraiser for Houston Wilderness

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 02:36:32 GMT

Vintage Virtuoso 2011

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:44:12 GMT

Atrium Ready to Wear Holiday Tea

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 04:46:14 GMT

Texas Children's Ambassadors Holiday Party

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 01:56:24 GMT

The Nostalgia of the 60s Alive at the Women's Home 2011 Gala

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:56:34 GMT

All Things Audrey

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:18:55 GMT

The Houston Symphony's Music Education Programs

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 04:58:16 GMT

2011 Home SAFE Home Gala benefiting AVDA

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 04:43:07 GMT

VIP Reception for Mayor's Holiday Celebration and Tree Lighting

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 04:12:22 GMT

Phoenicia's MKT Bar Downtown Grand Opening

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 04:08:02 GMT

The Little Bird Holiday Party for Camp for All

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 01:11:51 GMT

Elaine Turner Holiday Event Benefiting Joy School

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:40:44 GMT

The Page Parkes Scouted Premiere Party

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:53:16 GMT

2011 Women on the Move

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 04:55:58 GMT

Trees of Hope Pre-Gala Shopping Party at Ralph Lauren

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 05:35:49 GMT

Artist Taft McWhorter 3rd Annual Collectors Night

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 02:23:00 GMT

Legacy Community Health Services Luncheon

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 04:38:55 GMT

Legacy Community Health Services Clinic Opening

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 03:09:36 GMT

Fourth Annual Houston Police Foundation Gala

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 12:55:18 GMT

Alley Theatre Wild Things Event

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 03:49:40 GMT

One Green Street Couture Vintage Collection Runway Show

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:40:39 GMT

6th Annual Home Sweet Home Gingerbread Bash

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:36:19 GMT

Welcome to Texas Party for Jean Paul Gaultier

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 08:10:24 GMT

Jean Paul Gaultier Exhibit Host Committee Luncheon

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 08:09:48 GMT

Donor Circle Member Opening for Jean Paul Gaultier Exhibit

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 08:08:26 GMT

Book Launch Event of Green Beans and Guacamole

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 05:01:40 GMT

University of St. Thomas Ana Maria Martinez Concert

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 04:11:30 GMT

Foundation for Teen Health Luncheon

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 01:32:45 GMT

2011 Champions for Children: A Night at The Improv

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 01:08:52 GMT

2011 Holiday Schmooze

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 01:43:30 GMT

Art + Advocacy 2011

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:55:14 GMT

Treasure Street 2011

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:11:46 GMT

The Art of Film 2011 benefitting The Dallas Film Society

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:59:07 GMT

Gems of Jewel Charity Neiman Marcus Fashion Show and Luncheon

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:49:35 GMT

Ensemble Theatre Presents Cinderella

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 04:40:09 GMT

BB1 Classic hosts Collage Breakfast

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 01:44:04 GMT

New Friends New Life Holiday Home Tour Kick-Off Party

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 04:43:23 GMT

When it came time to announce the selected estates to be featured during the Holiday Home Tour benefitting New Friends New Life, chairmen Elizabeth Phillips, Heather Roberts, Barbara Miers, and Leah Semones knew just what to do: host an elegant house party at the residence of Phillips%26rsquo; parents, Laura and Byron Carlock. The result was a well-attended f%26ecirc;te with passed canap%26eacute;s by Cassandra Fine Catering, wine and, of course, the big announcement of the four Lakeside neighborhood mansions to open for the tour. Whom did we spot? New Friends New Life%26rsquo;s Katie Pedigo, Irene and Jim Burleson, Pat Hodge, and Bruce Morrice.%26nbsp;

Mission Ole benefitting Trinity River Mission

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 05:45:17 GMT

Mission Ol%26eacute; benefitting Trinity River Mission wasn%26rsquo;t your ordinary chips-and-salsa fiesta. Instead, hostess Laurie Sands Harrison raised the bar, channeling Santa Fe and decorating her house with plenty of Southwest-chic decor for the occasion. The task of filling Harrison%26rsquo;s estate with top-tier guests belonged to chairmen Kate Rose Marquez and Dawn Spalding, who wooed them with Latin music, Mexican-inspired bites by Wendy Krispin and a live auction that had guests bidding big for exclusive vacations, including a South of the Border trip to Las Ventanas al Para%26iacute;so, A Rosewood Resort, in Los Cabos. Who was there? Honorary chairman Caroline Rose Hunt, Mary and John Gill, Nancy Rogers, and Katy and Lawrence Bock.%26nbsp;

Legendary benefitting Dallas Contemporary

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 11:49:06 GMT

What do you get when you mix contemporary art and fine dining? A recipe for something legendary. Such was certainly the case during Dallas Contemporary%26rsquo;s Legendary event, which featured Made In Texas %26mdash; an interactive culinary installation from New York%26ndash;based artist Jennifer Rubell, held in the Contemporary%26rsquo;s Design District art space. Talk about out-of-the-ordinary party bites: Local foodies from the Mozzarella Company, Casa Silguero, Posh Couture Rentals and more were placed on display atop artful pedestals, where they cooked up signature dishes for guests such as chairman Patrick Collins, honorary chairman Robert Hallam, Jr., Stephen Friedman, Perry Rubenstein, Janelle and Alden Pinnell, Lauren Shadford, and Nancy and Tim Hanley.

Kappa Alpha Theta Heart to Heart Luncheon

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 05:19:36 GMT

We%26rsquo;ve always taken a liking to larger-than-life Houston socialites, so imagine our thrill when bombshell Joanne Herring was named guest speaker of the Heart to Heart luncheon benefitting CASA and Dallas Kappa Alpha Theta scholarships. Herring %26mdash; a former honorary consul to Pakistan and Morocco, television host and inspiration for Julia Roberts%26rsquo; character in the movie Charlie Wilson%26rsquo;s War %26mdash; told stories from her remarkable past and spoke about her new book, Diplomacy and Diamonds: My Wars from the Ballroom to the Battlefield, to a packed crowd at Brook Hollow Golf Club. Seen: chairmen Susan Russell and Susie Barnett, Dee Dee Lee and Carolyn Toledo.

Curator's Choice at the Dallas Museum of Art

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 06:13:42 GMT

When the Junior Associates Circle of the Dallas Museum of Art throws a party kicking off the upcoming year, an art-savvy group is sure to follow. Art patrons and junior collectors turned out in force for Curators Choice, a high-energy cocktail party at the DMA with everything from tours of the museum to fizzy sips, music from DJ Jennifer Miller and Paul Paredes, and an after-party at Perry%26rsquo;s Steakhouse %26amp; Grill. With all those DMA notables (Olivier Meslay, Junior Associates chairmen Kristin Gray and Suzanne and Darrell Wellen) and top social types (Caroline and Rob Belanger, Kate and Eric Pfeifle, Ginny and Conner Searcy), this was quite the artistic must-attend.

Stella McCartney Grand Opening Party

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 11:26:47 GMT

There was nary a midway in sight, but for the Texas debut of the Stella McCartney boutique at Highland Park Village, the polished HPV party set certainly had admission to a one-of-a-kind, remarkably fashionable amusement park. McCartney%26rsquo;s party planners thought outside the box for the opening, turning the boutique into a chic theme-park scene to benefit Dallas Contemporary, from the crooning barbershop quartet and hundreds of rosy-pink balloons (including six shiny silver ones shaped to spell S-T-E-L-L-A) to cotton-candy bites. Evening hostesses Tracy Cheatham, Karla McKinley, Capera Ryan, Deborah Scott, and Amy Ware invited all their friends to attend %26mdash; namely, stylish ones such as Daniele Berland, Natalie Chu, Michelle Lockhart, Gina Ginsburg, Julie Butler Hawes, and Kelli Ford. In lieu of thrill rides, plenty of goodies entertained this group, including hot finds from the Stella McCartney ready-to-wear, accessories and collection for kids, plus a preview of precious baubles from the New York Magnificent Jewels sale on loan for the evening from Christie%26rsquo;s Auction House. Even the typical carnival fare was given a glam upgrade %26mdash; forget corny dogs and deep-fried Oreos %26mdash; with a deluxe vegetarian seated dinner for lucky invitation holders, held at the home of the Cheathams following the event. For many, this night%26rsquo;s attractions made for %26ldquo;The Happiest Place on Earth.%26rdquo; In Dallas, that is.

Goss-Michael Foundation Opening Reception for Nigel Cooke

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 11:44:58 GMT

The Dallas Opera "First Night" 2011

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 12:20:48 GMT

Signature Chefs Gala

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 03:59:31 GMT

Jeannine Pettas of Jeannine's Bistro Named Honorary Sheriff By Adrian Garcia

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 03:47:26 GMT

2011 TWO x TWO for AIDS and Art Gala benefitting amfAR and the Dallas Museum of Art

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 05:10:06 GMT

%26ldquo;I%26rsquo;m all about versatility,%26rdquo; said former co-chairman turned gala guest Sharon Young. She was referring to her convertible Sue Gragg black feather earrings she%26rsquo;d found at Forty Five Ten, but the same adjective depicts the ever-evolving TWO x TWO for AIDS and Art gala Young was attending that evening. This over-the-top-chic black-tie event hosted at the art home of Cindy and Howard Rachofsky %26mdash; with the purpose of raising record amounts for the Dallas Museum of Art and amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research %26mdash; undergoes a vast transformation year after year, all in an effort to top the previous alchemy of victory. From the decor by event designer Todd Fiscus (this year he chose layers upon layers of chic and sleek black) to the national galleries and artists wooed to donate works and a guest list that continues to become more weighted with New York and Los Angeles art cognoscenti, versatility is the name of this art-gala game.
Inside the blacked-out dinner tent, host Howard thanked Alden and Janelle Pinnell %26ldquo;for the best range of art we%26rsquo;ve ever had at TWO x TWO%26rdquo;: 121-plus pieces of contemporary works on display inside the Richard Meier manse. Hostess Cindy, at his side, was one of the first to announce the DMA%26rsquo;s latest acquisition: a new director. %26ldquo;It gives me great pleasure to introduce our brand-new Eugene McDermott director, Max Anderson,%26rdquo; she said to rousing applause. Along with TWO x TWO director Melissa Meeks, the Rachofskys gathered event co-chairs Joyce Goss, Tony Award%26ndash;winning actor John Benjamin Hickey, and Gary Tigges; honorary chair Stanley Tucci; supporter Kenneth Cole; performer Patti LaBelle (who sang %26ldquo;Lady Marmalade%26rdquo; and %26ldquo;Somewhere Over the Rainbow%26rdquo;); and Sotheby%26rsquo;s auctioneer Jaime Niven to entice the crowd to spend fluently and feverishly for the evening. The result? A staggering $4.8 million raised for the cause. The majority of the bounty came from one auction bid for featured artist Mark Grotjahn%26rsquo;s Untitled (In and Out of the Darkness Face 43.01), 2011, an oil on cardboard mounted linen painting. It was valued at $650,000; the crowd of 500 roared, then leapt to a standing ovation when the piece sold for $1 million %26mdash; a TWO x TWO record. The artist himself, however, celebrated a bit too much, a bit too early, and was reportedly trying to nap on the Rachofsky front lawn while his piece landed the milestone bid.

Applauding the Rachofskys%26rsquo; landmark: Tracy Madans in a black-plumed Azzedine Ala%26iuml;a pumps; birthday girl Jennifer Eagle with husband John; Deedie and Rusty Rose; art dealer Edward Tyler Nahem; Kim and Tony Horton; New York collectors Amy and John Phelan; upcoming Art Ball co-chairs Julie Hawes and Merry Vose; Joanne and Mark Giambrone; artist Jay Shinn; Marion and Nash Flores; hairstylist Ceron, wearing a custom-made pair of rhinestone, chain and stud-encrusted jeans from Houston designer Castillo; Art Basel rep Dan Tanzilli; Ana and Don Carty, and Debbie and Eric Green.

Overheard

%26ldquo;I%26rsquo;m so blown away by how Howard and Cindy have nurtured this event %26mdash; a world-class fundraiser. And f*****n%26rsquo; Patti LaBelle is in the house?%26rdquo; %26mdash; Tony Award-winning actor and Plano native John Benjamin Hickey

%26ldquo;Getting tickets to tonight was more difficult than getting tickets to that other %26lsquo;small event%26rsquo; going on tonight.%26rdquo; %26mdash; co-chairman Gary Tigges onthe coinciding evenings with the World Series

%26ldquo;Wow, I%26rsquo;m such a whore and I still have more to go!%26rdquo; %26mdash; Alan Cumming via video, running through the sponsor list
%26ldquo;He%26rsquo;s the most altruistic person I know %26hellip; you could say that he uses his platform to speak up for the down at heel.%26rdquo; %26mdash; Stanley Tucci on Kenneth Cole

%26ldquo;Buy art %26hellip; drink really good wine %26hellip; buy more art %26hellip; and drink more wine.%26rdquo; %26mdash; Kenneth Cole

%26ldquo;You can have her in your kitchen, in the bedroom, in your cars %26hellip; it sounds disgusting and wonderful all at the same time.%26rdquo;%26mdash; Stanley Tucci on introducing Patti LaBelle and her endless licensing%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

2011 A night at the Turtle Creek Karaoke Lounge Kick-off at the Shak

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:21:00 GMT

The Salvation Army Junior Auxiliary Fall Festival

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 07:13:59 GMT

Fashion Group International Kick off Party

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 12:13:29 GMT

Each Moment Matters Luncheon

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 12:03:11 GMT

No Tie Dinner %26 Dessert Party Kick-off Event

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 10:52:42 GMT

Lifenet Friends %26 Family Par Tee Golf Tournament

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 11:18:11 GMT

A Night at the Turtle Creek Karaoke Lounge Kick-off Party

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 10:32:06 GMT

Nasher Salon featuring Kevin Bacon

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 05:23:19 GMT

St. Jude Sponsor Party 2011

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 04:40:25 GMT

Opening Dinner %26 Preview of Tony Cragg's 'Seeing Things'

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 12:49:15 GMT

Burger Palace Anniversary

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 02:52:51 GMT

The Burger Palace celebrates its first anniverary with a presentation of basketball to owner Mei Tamminen by Houston Rocket announcer Bill Worrell.

Celebrity Waiter Luncheon

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 12:30:07 GMT

Houston Astro Wives Gala 2011

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 07:02:31 GMT

2011 TWO x TWO for AIDS and Art First Look benefitting amfAR and the Dallas Museum of Art

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 05:07:12 GMT

Lisa Garza Apron Launch at Neiman Marcus Downtown

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 05:04:05 GMT

Hermes 25th Anniversary benefitting the Dallas Zoo

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 04:48:51 GMT

Elie Tahari Grand Opening Party

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 04:44:00 GMT

Trina Turk Grand Opening Party

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 04:42:05 GMT

Oscar de la Renta Accessories Launch Party

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 04:40:17 GMT

2011 Cattle Baron's Ball

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 12:27:15 GMT

Two x Two for AIDS and Art DMA Preview Party

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 12:30:51 GMT

Touchdown for TAG

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 05:12:10 GMT

The Dallas Opera "First Night" Announcement Party

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 03:59:35 GMT

Dallas White Rock Marathon "Beat the Heat" Happy Hour

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 04:54:28 GMT

Michael Kalish Opening at Samuel Lynne

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 05:32:31 GMT

Big Brothers Big Sisters Big Black Tie Ball Partron Party

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 01:08:19 GMT

Child %26 Family Guidance Center Lunch %26 Learn Lecture

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 11:17:47 GMT

Derby Daze: TAG

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 06:21:15 GMT

When it came time to celebrate the Kentucky Derby, the young social set had its pick of two mint julep%26ndash;fueled fund-raisers. First, was Lee Park Junior Conservancy%26rsquo;s Day at the Races.%26nbsp;Second, was Think Ahead Group%26rsquo;s Derby Dallas at the Briggs Estate in Highland Park benefitting the Center for BrainHealth. Here, it was all about haberdashery, Southern bites and a real horse on site for Derby-perfect party pics.%26nbsp;At TAG: Preston Evans, Marianne Miller, and Jenny Heiser.

%26nbsp;

Derby Daze: Lee Park

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 06:48:00 GMT

When it came time to celebrate the Kentucky Derby, the young social set had its pick of two mint julep%26ndash;fueled fund-raisers. First, Lee Park Junior Conservancy%26rsquo;s Day at the Races, held throughout Arlington Hall at Lee Park, with croquet and bocce ball on the lawn, plus a hat competition, scotch tasting and more.%26nbsp;Who did we spot? Sharla Stevanovic, Kim Dierks, Sarah Wicker and Todd Stevens.

Les Acres Vertes

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 03:19:00 GMT

Leave it to bon-vivant showroom owner George Cameron Nash to take 54 design types to the French countryside for one night only %26mdash; with not a single Boeing or bellhop involved. It all happened inside Nash%26rsquo;s wonderland of furniture, and all for Deborah Liaigre, artistic director for (and wife of) Christian Liaigre, the man behind arguably one of the chicest French furniture lines of our time. Mrs. L and company president Christophe Caillaud %26mdash; just off their plane from Paris %26mdash; could not possibly have imagined what awaited them. Nash and his partner Mark Williams (Nash%26rsquo;s company CFO, in fact) had utterly transformed one of the showroom%26rsquo;s spaces into Provence: two dozen holly trees; a crisscrossed banquet table (all 72 linear feet of it); 50 chairs borrowed from a nearby la Madeleine cafe; and, hitched overhead, what had to be every fresh-flower bouquet in town, all upside down, laced with strings of sparkling market lights. The capacious table was set with a mishmash of heirloom napkins and antique dinnerware %26mdash; as if, Nash said, %26ldquo;six families got together and had a celebration all together in a courtyard.%26rdquo; The feast wasn%26rsquo;t purely visual: Chef Abraham Salum dazzled with ratatouille and truffle-crusted rack of lamb, all washed down with Ruinart champagne and French wines. The guests %26mdash; among them, inimitable New Orleans decorator Gerrie Bremermann and tip-top Dallas designers Emily Summers, Mil Bodron, Michelle Nussbaumer, Neal Stewart, Nancy Leib, and Josie McCarthy %26mdash; left wide-eyed and wowed, with not one reported case of jet lag.

Simply Summer ... Fashionably Fall

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 02:49:33 GMT

With summer nearing an end, the always stylish party set was ready for a fall f%26ecirc;te. Enter Simply Summer, Fashionably Fall at Neiman Marcus NorthPark Center %26mdash; this year%26rsquo;s twist on the beloved shopping party formerly called Simply Summer, Simply Shoes that supports the Turtle Creek Recovery Center. From a lash and lipstick bar via Le M%26eacute;tier de Beaut%26eacute; to casino games and abounding fall trends, this was quite a well-heeled soir%26eacute;e. On the guest list: Lafayette 148 New York fashion designer Edward Wilkerson, who jetted in for the event and mingled with chairmen Kristi Bare, Maggie Cooke Kipp, Nancy Gopez, Margaret Keliher, and Cindy Stager, plus guests such as Teffy Jacobs, Kate Rose Marquez, and Katy Bock.

The 2011 Crystal Charity Ball’s Ten Best Dressed Women of Dallas

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 06:05:11 GMT

When the first Thursday of September rolls around, Dallas feels a certain frisson: The finest set of ladies who lunch (and a dappling of well-dressed gentlemen) directs their Bentleys and Benzes to Neiman Marcus Downtown for the inimitable Crystal Charity Ball%26rsquo;s Ten Best Dressed Women of Dallas Fashion Show and Luncheon. This gleaming kickoff to the fall social season sets the bar for the myriad fund-raising galas, luncheons and cocktails to follow. This year, however, the buzz surrounding the aforementioned Thursday noon seemed to shine brighter. The reason? %26ldquo;Whether you drive down Main or Commerce,%26rdquo; said NM%26rsquo;s Shelle Sills, %26ldquo;there%26rsquo;s no mistaking we are in the rare-air world of Valentino.%26rdquo; Not only did the house of Valentino fly in its charming design team of Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli, plus CEO Wendy Kahn, but it also sparked a major change to the recent Best Dressed fashion-show formula. Instead of staging NM%26rsquo;s first-floor accessories department for a winding runway spectacle, NM dolled up its second-floor Couture Salon for a return to the fashion show%26rsquo;s original location. %26ldquo;I%26rsquo;ve never seen a room like this,%26rdquo; NM%26rsquo;s Jim Gold observed about the wonderfully enigmatic scene, wherein the usual racks of designer gowns were replaced by a catwalk, rows of seating, stage lights and society photographers. Like a bubbly bottle of Veuve, socials buzzed throughout the room, looking for their seats while air-kissing and catching up with their well-heeled acquaintances. %26ldquo;It gets a little lonely around here without you,%26rdquo; joked Gold to the jovial crowd, which had finally returned from summer-long stays in Aspen, Antibes, Santa Fe and the like. After the societal reunion quieted and NM luminaries including Karen Katz, Gabrielle de Papp, Sandy Marple, Quentin Pell, Sills and Gold were thanked by The Crystal Charity Ball chairman Connie O%26rsquo;Neill, the show began. The Ten Best Dressed Women of Dallas made their runway strut %26mdash; those gleaming, philanthropic members of CCB who, as luncheon chairman Aileen Pratt declared, are %26ldquo;well-dressed people of great personal style%26rdquo; %26mdash; before Valentino sent its lavish Fall 2011 collection down the catwalk to a wealth of approving applause. We loved when Hall of Fame honoree Elaine Agather gave a glowing thumbs up to friend and front-row spectator Olivia Kearney. Note to all: We spotted more than one stunning gown quite suitable for The Crystal Charity Ball on Saturday, December 3.

Seen on the Scene
First timers on the Crystal Charity Ball%26rsquo;s Ten Best Dressed list Tricia Besing and Pam Perella, along with Ten Best Dressed mainstays Ellen Winspear, Lee Ann White, Nancy Rogers, Kim Miller, Pat McEvoy, Claire Emanuelson, Nancy Carter, and next year%26rsquo;s luncheon chairman Robyn Conlon; second-ever honorary chairman Annette Simmons; Valentino fashion PR maven Noona Smith-Peterson; beloved hairstylist Ceron, who donned an eye-catching red-velvet bow tie; Houston socialites Joan Schnitzer Levy and Diane Lokey Farb; the owner of Decades and gatekeeper of the finest vintage couture, Cameron Silver, who was in town from LA for that evening%26rsquo;s Fashion%26rsquo;s Night Out festivities; plus social swells Heather Furniss, Ola Fojtasek, Leisa Street, Doris Jacobs, Sue Gragg, Niven Morgan and Shelby Wagner, Gina Betts, Norma Hunt, Ashley Tripplehorn Hunt, Ann Carruth, Jennifer Sampson, Erin Mathews, Lisa Schnitzer, Nancy Carlson, Betsy Sowell, Gene Jones, Kelli Ford, and Rita Sue Gold. %26nbsp;

TACA Gala 2.0

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 12:46:25 GMT

If you%26rsquo;re a chairman looking to freshen up one of society%26rsquo;s most treasured 46-year-old galas, call on Todd Events party-making mogul Todd Fiscus to set your newfangled fund-raiser aglow. For TACA%26rsquo;s annual RBC Wealth Management Custom Auction Gala, chairmen Kit and Kemp Sawers looked to Fiscus to sprinkle his signature look throughout the iconic Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek. The result was quintessentially Todd, with velveteen banquettes and chaises, brightly lit bars, sleek cocktail tables surrounded by garden stools and a ballroom awash with pink and orange lights. But it wasn%26rsquo;t just the decor that took on a new look, as there were more gala surprises in store: A slew of new faces %26mdash; think Heidi Dillon, Nate Claxton, Amber Albracht, Lisa and Bill Griffin, Tracy and Kent Rathbun, Matthew Simon and Keith Schumann, and Rachel Tice %26mdash; joined de rigueur TACA supporters Ashley and Ward Hunt, Diane and Hal Brierley, Janie and Paul Cooke, Serena Young Ritch, Nancy and Clint Carlson, Barbara and Don Daseke, Doris Jacobs, Connie and Denny Carreker, and TACA%26rsquo;s own Andy Teller and Becky Young. The black-tie attire of years past was nixed, leaving ladies the option to raise their hemlines (we adored Jacquelin Taylor%26rsquo;s whimsical Jason Wu frock) and gents free from those buttoned-up tuxes and bow ties. For the first time, dinner by the Mansion%26rsquo;s resident culinary expert, chef Bruno Davaillon, was served throughout all corners of the estate %26mdash; from its Library, Bar and Wine Cellar up to its intimate, second-story suites %26mdash; allowing for plenty of space for the 300-plus crowd. DJ Lucy Wrubel made her TACA debut, too, spinning party beats early in the cocktail hour and throughout the late-night after-party. Even the live auction took on a facelift, offering up an array of must-bid vacations. Auction paddles flew for trips to the C%26ocirc;te d%26rsquo;Azur%26nbsp;(the European excursion was won by Kaara and Jim Wicklund), Cabo San Lucas, Bermuda and more. As for TACA? With nearly a half million dollars raised, %26ldquo;change is in the air%26rdquo; could not have been a more perfect fund-raising catchphrase.

Stepping Out In Style

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 06:05:56 GMT

The city%26rsquo;s elite went all out for this year%26rsquo;s Stepping Out in Style Fashion Event %26amp; Luncheon benefitting KidneyTexas. A sea of ladies who lunch (chairmen Pat McDonough and Marianne Wilshusen, honorary chairman Charlotte Kimberlin, and KidneyTexas president Megan Meyercord) made tracks to Brook Hollow Golf Club for the fashion-forward function. What awaited was certainly a stylish sight: Runway expert Jan Strimple produced a fashion show from Tootsies and KidBiz, with a surprise catwalk appearance by Dallas Mavericks mogul Mark Cuban and his children.%26nbsp;

The Real Estate Council Giving Gala

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:46:44 GMT

Lambda Legal's Landmark Dinner

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:27:16 GMT

LIFT Champions of Literacy Luncheon

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 12:29:25 GMT

Dallas Museum of Art Art Ball Kick-off Party

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 12:04:38 GMT

CNM "A Night of Light" Kickoff

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 01:52:12 GMT

Flemings Hosts City ArtWorks Kick Off

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 09:53:11 GMT

What: An intimate evening with members of the 2011 Houston Conversationalists and the Staff and Board Members of City ArtWorks at Flemings Steakhouse.

Where: Flemings Steakhouse

When: Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Time: 6:30

Host(s): City ArtWorks

President(s): Katrina Arnim

Staff: Keelan Wackman, Rolando Reyna, Jessica Rawlinson, Tessa Pearson

Catering: Flemings Steakhouse

Attire: Business Casual

Hors D'Oeuvres:: Beef Filet Skewers with a madera sauce, Seared Ahi tuna on wonton crips with an aioli sauce, and gruyere cheese puffs

Board of Directors: Katrina Arnim, President; Patsy Andrews, Treasurer; Debbie Posso, Secretary; Deborah Bautista; April Gauss; Barbara Hammer; Rosemary Henley; Mady Kades; Ella Park; Liz Conces Spencer; Jana Stiffel; Sallye Tucker; Lourdes Valdes; Usha Vasu; Dennis Williams. Board Members Emeritus: Janet Fox (deseased); Phyllis Miller, Ph.D. Advisory Board; Mike Andrews; Marie Arcos; Mia Bering; Sharon Brier; Robin Cavanaugh; Sara Chapman; Judy Adam Foelber; ViVian Fridley-Hereford, Ed.D.; Diane Kendall; Gloria McCoy; Jeanne Roth; Sarah Sanders; Walter Smith; Nicole Van Den Heuvel; Tom Wolff, Ph.D.

Blacktie Photos by: Caroline Berg Photography

%26nbsp;

The brisk evening at Fleming's Steakhouse started off on a great foot as the City ArtWorks members and a handful of the 2011 Houston Conversationalists came together for a small, intimate get together on the outside patio. The guests were warmly welcomed with a quick toast by Cindi Rose and Mady Kades, and were then invited to partake in the raffle for a great gift certificate provided by Flemings. Everyone was in great spirits as they mingled and discussed current and future projects for City ArtWorks as well as the Conversationalists. With more great events quickly coming up, it was a great opportunity for everyone to get to know each other even better and get excited about what's to come for the organization.

About City ArtWorks

%26nbsp;

City ArtWorks engages children in exciting hands-on art experiences. We provide accessible and affordable art education by trained educators and artists, acting on our governing principle that children flourish when given the opportunity to explore their own creativity. City ArtWorks fosters the development of the creative thinker. Exposure to the visual arts can help children develop a deeper understanding of their world and social environment. Arts education directly and positively impacts a child's higher order thinking skills, problem solving ability, and motivation to learn

Oscar de la Renta Handbag and Shoes Launch

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 04:36:33 GMT

Dallas Childrens Theater Cabaret Gala 2011

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:51:22 GMT

Fashion's Night Out at Stanley Korshak

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 02:58:35 GMT

Stiletto Strut 2012 Kick-Off Party

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 03:48:30 GMT

Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center at Cedar Hill Grand Opening

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 04:11:34 GMT

2011 March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction of Dallas Sponsor Party

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 04:44:34 GMT

Victoria Snee Book Signing at The Style House

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 04:57:23 GMT

Willis %26 Woy Sports Group Life Beyond Football Retreat

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 05:12:50 GMT

Talley Dunn Gallery "New Variations" Exhibit Opening

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 05:34:14 GMT

The Dallas Opera's 2011 Inner Circle Season Kick-Off Celebration at Komali

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 05:52:56 GMT

Burgers %26 Burgundy benefitting DIFFA/Dallas

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 06:04:36 GMT

Bobby Norris Roundup for Autism "Diamonds in The Rough"

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 06:17:37 GMT

A Night In Assisi - A Little Party With A Lot of Soul

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 11:26:57 GMT

What: 61st Anniversary Event to raise money for the St.Francis Episcopal Church for Christian Education, Music, Pastoral Care and Outreach Ministries.

Where: St.Francis Episcopal Church in Houston, TX

When: Saturday, October 15, 2011

Time: 5 pm to 8 pm

Ticket Prices: $50 individual ticket

Beneficiary: St.Francis Episcopal Church

Host(s): St.Francis Episcopal Church

Catering: Carrabba's Italian Grill

Music: Jason James

Sponsors: Frost Banking, Winetopia, Houston Distributing Company, Inc., Carrabba's Italian Grill

Attendance: 150

Attire: Casual Chic

Special Thanks: to the Table Sponsors: Barbara and Pat McCelvey, Jacee and Kelly Wolf, Jenny and David Moore, Jenna Jackson and Brendan Gilbert

Event Coordinator: Jenna Jackson

Blacktie Photos by: Roswitha Vogler/photosbyrovo.com

%26nbsp;On Saturday, October 15, 2011 about 150 guests gathered at St.Francis Episcopal Church for a fun afternoon. The outdoor basketball court of the St.Francis Day School was transformed in the venue of 'A Night in Assisi', a fun party with Italian Appetizers, Cocktails and Auction.

Guests mingled at the buffet, enjoyed their drinks and everybody gathered at the auction board to bid on special items such as a holy Porsche for a weekend, a slice of heaven in Sonoma, or for a true masterpiece by Van McFarland, who was painting live during the event, besides many other items.

The silent auction and some other fun items like Cookies with a pinch of Soul for $10 attracted the guests for bidding and buying.

Later in the eveing Rev. Stuart Bates of St.Francis thanked the guests for their participation and Geary Broadnax encouraged the guests for more biddung and acted as an auctioneer.

All procceds from this evening will support the Christian Education, Music, Pastoral care and Outreach Ministries at St.Francis Episcopal Church.

%26nbsp;

About St.Francis Episcopal Church

In 1949 a group of forty dedicated persons saw the need for a new Episcopal mission at the far west edge of Houston. In August of that year, the first Eucharist was held under the trees near the present site with a borrowed cross and a log for a kneeling rail. The congregation was named St.Francis.

Today St.Francis Church and the St.Francis Episcopal Day School occupy 16 acres in a lovely and flourishing suburb of Houston. The present church building and much of the School were completed in 2001.

Find more information at www.sfch.org

BubblyQ 2011

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 04:20:15 GMT

MTV Re:Define

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 11:06:03 GMT

Fashion's Night Out at Neiman Marcus NorthPark Center

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 04:28:22 GMT

Fashion's Night Out at Valentino

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 04:18:44 GMT

Fashion's Night Out at Highland Park Village

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 04:10:40 GMT

Fashion's Night Out at Gregory's

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 04:05:22 GMT

Fashion's Night Out at Forty Five Ten

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 03:38:56 GMT

Fashion's Night Out at Christian Louboutin

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 03:31:06 GMT

Junior League of Houston Opening Style Show

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 06:12:38 GMT

Dream Art Exhibition at Hudson Lounge

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 06:49:27 GMT

Primebar Grand Opening Bash Benefitting Junior League of Dallas

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 01:36:17 GMT

Baubles for Berrys at I W Marks

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 04:46:20 GMT

In the wake of a tragic incident, I W Marks hosted Baubles for Berrys, a silent auction where 100 percent of the proceeds went to the devastated Berry family. More than 170 auction items contributed to the cause, from restaurant and vacation packages to home supplies, autographed items and jewelry. Masraff%26rsquo;s generously provided appetizers and beverages for the hungry do-gooders. Bidding for the Berrys: I W Marks trio Brad Marks and Susan and Daniel Marks; event organizers Laurie Selzer, Claudia Selzer, Patti Dennenberg, and Syma Levy; Julie and Russell Masraff; jewelry designer Jill Reno; Wesley Savage; and Veronica Pullicino, coming together to raise nearly $80,000 for the injured kids.

Child %26 Family Guidance Center Lunch %26 Learn Lecture

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 04:08:48 GMT

The Real Estate Council "Young Guns" Casino Night

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 04:17:35 GMT

Zadok Jewelers Fêtes Vacheron Constantin

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 04:07:22 GMT

It was the one party where you did want to check your watch. Zadok Jewelers hosted Vacheron Constantin, the world%26rsquo;s oldest watchmaker, at La Colombe d%26rsquo;Or for an intime trunk show and dinner. %26nbsp;Hugues de Pins, president of Vacheron Constantin North America, and Ellen Sorensen, marketing and communications director at Vacheron Constantin, put in appearances while guests sipped champagne and admired the timeless tickers. Chronograph connoisseurs: Helene Zadok, Jonathan Zadok, Dan Zimmerman, Sallymoon Benz, Valinda and Walter Weibel, Tammy and Wayne Nguyen, Courtney Jones, Nataline Oelkers, and Jaime Armendariz.

Contemporary Arts Museum Houston Gala

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 01:57:53 GMT

Lights, Camera, Art
The co-chairs were savvy, committed art types: collectors Poppi Massey and Karen and Harry Susman. They smartly kept the night simple and focused on what it needed to be about: art, artists and the au courant art space that champions them. But %26ldquo;simple%26rdquo; did not equate with boring, for this snappy soir%26eacute;e was edged with energy and significance. Party planner Rebekah Johnson did her usual spatial razzle-dazzle %26mdash; and voil%26agrave;, acres and acres of plastic wrap encased tables and chairs, evoking a giant package ready to be opened. %26ldquo;It%26rsquo;s wobbly and crunchy this year,%26rdquo; Johnson quipped, decked out in Balenciaga with a chunky Robert Lee Morris cuff. The building itself provided the timeless, sleek backdrop, making a perfect container for the night%26rsquo;s major live- and silent-auction art goodies, assiduously culled by director Bill Arning, which generated more than $292,000 %26mdash; an all-time event record that exceeded more than half the gala%26rsquo;s $565,000 bottom line. So it was when the recently re-imagined Contemporary Arts Museum Houston Gala took off, for the third year in a row back where it belongs, the CAMH itself. Few rental locations can compete with its shining, metal-clad luster or match the museum%26rsquo;s fresh, angular and soaring floor plan. Factor in an opulent seated dinner crafted by Jackson Hick%26rsquo;s impeccable Jackson and Company %26mdash; highlighted by an entr%26eacute;e of Cornish hens that were so perfect they resembled sculpture %26mdash; and a dance-floor-filling performance by Skyrocket! (which gets our vote for the best headliner to unbutton a black-tie f%26ecirc;te), and you have the vibe of this year%26rsquo;s CAMH Gala %26mdash; really the top one ever since this scribe has been covering the annual black-tie benefit, going back to 2004. And the post-10 pm after-party for the younger set, again a recent gala addition, added to the sense of purposeful play. %26nbsp;

Talk About Performance Art
Front and center were many of the artists that the CAMH supports %26mdash; again, as it should be, tapping past (or future) exhibiting talents and giving them a place of honor, including light mistress Adela Andrea (whose flame-colored tresses made her easy to spot; she was also an auction donor), Sharon Engelstein and Aaron Parazette, Joan Batson and Bert Long Jr., David McGee, McKay Otto in from Wimberley, Libbie Masterson, and the always adorable and provocative Paul Horn; gallerists Kerry Inman, Allison and David Ayers, Barbara Davis, Anya Tish, Bryan Miller, Arturo Palacios, and Deborah Colton; Jereann Chaney, donating a Janine Antoni color print to the live auction from the Chaney Family Collection; Christie%26rsquo;s auctioneer Steven Zick, who%26rsquo;s based in Chicago, joined by Houston colleagues Lisa Cavanaugh and Jessica Phifer; Liz and Tom Glanville, she in a form-fitting Alexander McQueen frock that resembled a canvas; Diane Lokey Farb; Mrs. and Mr. Pop, Dorene and Frank Herzog; Cabrina and Steve Owsley; CAMH senior curator Valerie Cassel Oliver with colleagues Connie McAllister, Amber Winsor, and Mandy Bredbenner, the latter beyond ecstatic after tallying the auction totals; Chinhui Juhn and then board chair Eddie Allen; Greg Fourticq Jr.; Marita and J.B. Fairbanks; Leigh and Reggie Smith (whose collecting vision is highlighted in this month%26rsquo;s feature house); Randy Powers; Bill Caudell; Ceron; Erica and Benjy Levit; Tatiana Massey, who spearheaded our Texas art book; Caroline Starry LeBlanc, serving on the after-party host committee, with husband Jared LeBlanc; and new parents and generous collectors Penelope and Lester Marks, he recently embarking on a career as an artist. As cowboy-hatted painter/gallerist Wayne Gilbert exclaimed, glancing at the packed room, %26ldquo;They%26rsquo;re not afraid of the artists. And everyone is here. Or rather, everyone fun is here.%26rdquo;

Saks Fifth Avenue’s Kickoff to the Consular Ball

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 01:42:18 GMT

It was eau du anticipation when Saks Fifth Avenue hosted a swank kickoff party for this fall%26rsquo;s re-imagined white-tie benefit, the Consular Ball. (Save the date: Saturday, November 19, at Hilton Americas%26ndash;Houston.) Saks duo Terry Zmyslo and Sylvia Forsythe joined chair triumvirate Philamena Baird, Melissa King, and PaperCity%26rsquo;s Kate Allen Stukenberg, as well as the f%26ecirc;te%26rsquo;s honoree, Becca Cason Thrash, in greeting a delegation of social notables that included members of our town%26rsquo;sillustrious consular corps. In keeping with the gala theme %26mdash; France is this year%26rsquo;s honoree %26mdash;%26nbsp;LVMH%26rsquo;s smoldering scion perfumier, Kilian Hennessy, made a rare PA, dazzling the crowd with his signature scents that evoke %26ldquo;dangerous passion,%26rdquo; inspired by creative types from Baudelaire to Jim Morrison. Wafting through the air: Valerie Sarofim, Lacy Baird, Lauren Nolasco, William Dobbs, Lynn Houston, Samira Salman dishing with designer David Peck, Jay Jones, Petra Martinez, Neda Ladjevardian, Elizabeth and Gary Petersen, Hanna Taghi, then-Consul General of Spain Miguel A. Fdez. de Mazarambroz, Marie and Alain LeN%26ocirc;tre, Karen and Rudy Wildenstein, Astrid Van Dyke, Martha Blecher, Michele LaNoue, Consul General of Mexico Luis Malpica y de Lamadrid, Chree Boydstun, Honorary Consul to the Republic of Cameroon Charles Greene, and natch, Consul General of France Pierre Granjouan. If this night%26rsquo;s smart turnout predicts that of the upcoming bash, we expect this Consular Ball to be a record-breaking success. After all, there%26rsquo;s nothing like the fragrance of green for the worthy cause of international scholarships.

Recipe for Success: Delish Dish

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 01:33:26 GMT

Place (Setting): An informal intime fund-raiser at the new, art-bedecked casa of Greg Fourticq Jr., benefitting Recipe for Success.

Chairs: Greg Fourticq Jr. and Sara Dodd-Spickelmier.
Toque: Armando Palacios of the eponymous Armandos.

Menu: This culinary soir%26eacute;e, billed as Delish Dish, was another entr%26eacute;e in the innovative %26ldquo;Gala in Small Bites%26rdquo; series pioneered by Recipe for Success founder Gracie Cavnar.

Delish Diners: Lisa Sanchez, Randy Powers dishing with Elizabeth Moore Arnold, Betty and Stephen Newton, Anne Farish, artist Page Kempner, Barbara Gamson, Neal Hamil, Anne Kinder, Keith Spickelmier, Mia Jones, Kara Kinder Howes, the host%26rsquo;s parents Patsy and Greg Fourticq, gallerist Sandy Parkerson, Steve Farish, Martha Oti, Cabrina and Steve Owsley, Tas Thornhill, Poppi Massey, Jay Jones and Terry Wayne Jones, Georgia and Michael Foulard, and Andrew Echols.

Icing on the Cake: The delightful night raised more than $10,000 for the nonprofit %26mdash; which is set to take a national turn in the future %26mdash; that educates school kids on nutrition by connecting them to cooking, locally grown food and the pleasures of the dinner table.

Liaisons au Louvre, Part Deux

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 01:25:21 GMT

Real Royals and Rock %26lsquo;n%26rsquo; Roll %26mdash;%26nbsp;a Little Background La Grande Nuit, Part Deux, followed in the footsteps of the original benefit, a fiery production in the summer of 2008, when Miz Thrash concocted the ultimate black-tie blockbuster %26mdash; being granted permission, then throwing the first-ever fund-raiser held in the world%26rsquo;s foremost art museum, the tr%26egrave;s venerable Mus%26eacute;e du Louvre. Earls, barons, baronesses, counts and countesses flocked, as did Miz Thrash%26rsquo;s loyal legions of Texans, producing a plum bottom line and earning the soir%26eacute;e%26rsquo;s chair %26mdash; who serves on both the boards of the International Friends of the Louvre as well as its American counterpart %26mdash; an extraordinary commendation: the highest award bestowed by the French government, a lofty Chevalier of the Legion of Honour. Now, flash forward three years, and back to our interview about the sequel, Liaisons au Louvre II.
1. What did you do in the hours before the gala to prepare? I was at the Louvre all%26nbsp;during the day for set up and seating.

2. Your getting-ready ritual? No ritual. I left so late I only had 45 minutes, so I did my own hair and makeup, got my gown on and ran out the door!%26nbsp;

3. You wore? McQueen. One of the last 12 gowns he designed before his untimely death.%26nbsp;The back had a motif of the Winged Victory painted onto the%26nbsp;fabric from the shoulders down the train.%26nbsp;Need I say more [about] why I choose that particular gown?

4. The stage? The progressive evening took place in four different parts of the museum: cocktails in Napoleon III%26rsquo;s apartment and on his terraces; the seated dinner in the glorious%26nbsp;Cour Marly, the Louvre%26rsquo;s four-level sculpture galleries; guests then adjourned and moved into the iconic Pyramid for the live auction and concert. Finally, the after-party was held on the terrace at Caf%26eacute; Marly adjacent to the Pyramid. I chose a palette of fuchsia in the all-white marble sculpture gallery for decor. Black and white for the pyramid.%26nbsp;

5. The entertainment? The one and only Janet Jackson performed a full-blown show with dancers. No wardrobe malfunction, sadly.

6. The Who%26rsquo;s Who? Guests came from virtually all over the world: Russia, China, every major city in%26nbsp;America, Mexico, Brazil, Spain, Germany, the U.K., Switzerland, Italy, France. Moguls, collectors,%26nbsp;philanthropists, royalty, movie stars %26mdash; you name it.Forty Houstonians attended.

7. Unforgettable moment? Highlight was selling the Richard Prince painting (as auctioneer)%26nbsp;for $700,000. What a thrill!

8. Compared to the previous bash? This was the second Liaisons au Louvre. It was completely different from the first: different venues in the museum and a lot of new guests. Both events were fabulous!

9. The bottom line? We made $3.6 million for the Louvre.%26nbsp;There were 292 guests.%26nbsp;Sort of amazing %26mdash; and a record for any fund-raiser in Paris!

10. You%26rsquo;ll always remember? It%26rsquo;s hard to describe the energy at this event. %26nbsp;The after-party went until 4 am, when we were forced to close it down. People were dancing and exchanging details and making plans to visit each other%26rsquo;s cities. Just a natural high for one and all!

Houston Symphony Ball: “Scheherazade and Her Magical Nights”

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 01:18:05 GMT

Move Over, Aladdin
Sheiks and sultanas held sway when one of our country%26rsquo;s top orchestras was celebrated in a gala that took its clues from the pages of a literary classic edged with the mystery of the Middle East. %26ldquo;Scheherazade and Her Magical Nights%26rdquo; served as the leitmotif for the Houston Symphony Ball, so the allure of ancient Persia pervaded the ballroom of the Hilton Americas%26ndash;Houston. Sharin Anneysa Gaille channeled a 21st-century Scheherazade chairing the impressive, exotic evening %26mdash;%26nbsp;and breaking with tradition to do it solo %26mdash; escorted by rising designer Nima Taherzadeh, who also created Miz Gaille%26rsquo;s azalea-hued gown. Taherzadeh, in from NYC for the soir%26eacute;e, was saluted the day before at Saks Fifth Avenue at a tea that honored the Houston Symphony and served as a special pre-party for the hypnotic black-tie night. Richard Flowers%26rsquo; The Events Company was pressed into service to realize the Orientalist theme, cleverly employing props ranging from peacock feathers and innumerable illuminated lanterns to tented dining nooks that recreated a stop on a caravan route %26agrave; la The Arabian Nights. The menu? An inspired feast, from grilled fillet of beef with date and onion compote and a pomegranate demi-glace reduction to rosewater mousse, underscored this nod to faraway times and distant lands. The honorees ran the gamut of symphonic swells, all past and present Symphony Society chairmen, including a slew of social sultans %26mdash; John Cater, Richard Merrill, John Platt, J. Hugh Roff Jr., Joe F. Moore, Mike McLanahan, Fayez Sarofim, Mike Stude, and current chair Ed Wulfe %26mdash; sharing the Ima Hogg Philanthropy Award.%26nbsp;Spec%26rsquo;s Hermen and Lisa Rydman Key received the Maurice Hirsch Corporate Citizenship Award, while Shirley and Jay Marks (parents of major art collector Lester Marks, who was there with wife Penelope) went home with the Raphael Fliegel Award for Visionary Leadership.

Viziers, Poets, Philosophers and Courtly Ones
Royal revelers: major and most benevolent underwriters Julia and Russell Frankel, and Betty and Jess Tutor; Phoebe and Bobby Tudor, she in diaphanous yellow J. Mendel; Symphony CEO Mark Hanson with wife Christina, the pair both accomplished musicians; artistic director Hans Graf with wife Margarita; underwriting committee chairs Linda and Gene Dewhurst; Barbara and Pat McCelvey; Nancy and Robert Peiser; Tara and David Wuthrich; Liz and Tom Glanville; Barbara and Ulyesses LeGrange; the dynamic Nidhika and Pershant Mehta; Tricia and David Dewhurst, he giving a moving speech about Symphonic memories from his days at Will Rogers Elementary; Martha Finger resplendent in green Gucci with husband Richard; Beth Madison with Ralph Burch; recent past gala chairmen Kelli Cohen Fein and Martin Fein and Nancy and Erik Littlejohn; the chair%26rsquo;s adorable daughters Anneysa and Morgan Gaille, Anneysa celebrating her 14th that night; silent-auction chairs Gabriela Dror and Paula Fyhr, joined by their respective husbands, Danny Dror and Magnus Fyhr (fellow auction chair Robin Reimer was not able to attend); Helen and Jim Shaffer, set to be honored at this month%26rsquo;s Opening Night %26ldquo;Ode to Joy%26rdquo; Gala. (Save the date: Saturday, September 10, headlined by Beethoven%26rsquo;s Ninth at Jones Hall, followed by dinner and dancing at The Corinthian). The younger set was there too, taking over from the 24th-floor Skyline bar at a high-voltage after-party chaired by Tami Ernst with co-chair sibling Robert Ernst and Claire Cormier Thielke. Guests exchanged Manolos for Persian slippers while getting down to vinyl spun by DJ Karma and indulging in a late-night goody bag filled with mini bottles of bubbly and a thank-you note from the chair %26mdash; %26nbsp;an excellent accompaniment to another treat: the Gala%26rsquo;s $750,000 raised for Symphonic outreach and education programs.

Naeem Khan Fashion Show at Tootsies

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 01:02:52 GMT

Another beguiling runway production and an occasion for great ballyhoo was the fashion show for Naeem Khan, the most glittering evening to date staged at Tootsies%26rsquo; gleaming, breezy new West Ave location. The f%26ecirc;te, chaired by dynamic force-of-nature Becca Cason Thrash, also served as a fund-raiser for a cause close to her heart: Best Buddies, which fosters employment, leadership and friendship between people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and a group of global volunteers. Naeem, natch, came in for a PA, while his Fall 2011 collection glided by on the runway, with its signature beading, lush embroidery and shimmering paillettes, plus the addition of some airy ostrich feathers. Among the brigade jamming the front row: Sue and Lester Smith, Stephanie Perkins, authoress Jo Barrett who%26rsquo;s just become a mom, Holly Waltrip, Erica Rose, Sarah Bray, leggy Chris Goins, Carolyn Farb, Yvonne Cormier and daughter Claire Cormier Thielke, Sheridan Williams, Judith Oudt, Katherine Phelps, Sheridan Williams, Caroline Kenney, Karina Barbieri, Kimberly DeLape, Greggory Burk and sister-in-law Allie Fields, Delise Ward, Roz Pactor, sisters-in-law Jennifer Segal and Raquel Segal, Cindi Rose dishing with Nancy Marcus Golden, Donna and Robert Bruni, Ren%26eacute;e Lewis Cary, and Lucinda Loya, drawing praise for her provocative top by Maison Margiela. Whew! Talk about a glam slam.

Tootsies River Oaks Tennis Tournament Luncheon and Fashion Show

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:50:14 GMT

It%26rsquo;s one of our hallowed traditions: Tootsies River Oaks Tennis Tournament Luncheon and Fashion Show, an afternoon serving up more than the thrills of the clay court. At this season%26rsquo;s ebullient old- and new-guard event at River Oaks Country Club, chairman Joella Mach, joined by husband Steve and adorable daughter Priscilla, orchestrated a day of social splendor and sportsmanship. No one one-upped anyone else on wardrobe details, as there were plenty of designer wares to go around, both on the runway that traverses the deep-blue pool, and off, thanks to fashion-show producers Lenny Matuszewski and Tamara Klosz Bonar and Tootsies%26rsquo; Mickey Rosmarin. Game, set, match: Minnie Baird, making a grand entrance in an art car decked out in an ode to the MFAH%26rsquo;s Florescence event; Cheryl Boblitt in leopard Valentino; Macey Stokes opting for a lovely Milly botanical; art advisor Mary Lou Swift, who whispered, %26ldquo;They look like a lineup of Monet paintings%26rdquo; about models during the %26ldquo;In Bloom%26rdquo;segment, admiring looks from Giambattista Valli to Cacharel, then later wondering about the scantily clad gents on the runway, %26ldquo;Are these real models or River Oaks guys?%26rdquo;; Molly Jodeit; Erin Florescu sporting optimistic orange Marc Jacobs and trading quips with ringmaster Rosmarin; Melissa Mithoff; Suzette Betts; design scribe Susanna Moldawer; Ericka Bagwell in Azzedine Ala%26iuml;a; Courtney Hill Fertitta in Thakoon; Sallie Morian; Katie Brass; Tassie Nicandros with daughter Vicky Nicandros Elliot; and a smattering of smashing gents including Neal Hamil, Scott Evans, sartorial Ceron, and Jim Petersen Jr., looking uncharacteristically preppy while model gazing, and sharing a table with his sister Claire Granberry.

Seated Luncheon at Valentino

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 05:27:30 GMT

In the Lens of Luxury
All the swans came out, couture seekers alongside a contingent of collecting types, when Italian luxury purveyor Valentino hosted a summer seated luncheon at its Galleria boutique, sponsored by PaperCity magazine. The occasion was rare and extraordinary: a salute to the then-upcoming opening of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston%26rsquo;s blockbuster for the late lensman Helmut Newton, the inimitable photo master whose transgressive fashion spreads proposed a new %26mdash; and powerful %26mdash; role for womanhood and broke all the rules, beginning in the 1970s. (Now on view, %26ldquo;Helmut Newton: White Women %26bull; Sleepless Nights %26bull; Big Nudes,%26rdquo; through September 25.) Jackson Hicks did the catering honors, and guests dined amid Valentino%26rsquo;s rockstud and petal handbags, as well as an enticing array of stilettos, pumps and platforms, alongside covetable frocks, cocktail wear and more. (Valentino benevolently donated a percentage of sales from the afternoon to the MFAH.) Besides the alluring collections, attendees were treated to insights provided by the MFAH%26rsquo;s esteemed photography curator, Anne Wilkes Tucker, who emphasized that the exhibition marks the first-ever large-scale American show for Newton%26rsquo;s masterworks, which are presented often life-size, including some very provocative nudes, throughout the Beck%26rsquo;s main galleries. Tucker explained that the show is drawn from the museum%26rsquo;s acquisition of the collection of Manfred Heiting, the Amsterdam-based photo authority who organized this bold view of the notable Mr. Newton drawn from the image-maker%26rsquo;s first three books, which 30 year later are still capable of stopping gazers in their tracks.

Photo and Fashion Followers
Among the chic and inquisitive: Valentino brass June Haynes, in from New York, joined by Houston boutique manager Jacqueline Clark; the MFAH%26rsquo;s Dana Mattice; Kate McConnico; Sabiha Rehmatulla; Kelli Blanton; Judith Oudt and Diane Lokey Farb dishing with Sarah Simon on their upcoming trip to Paris for Becca Cason Thrash%26rsquo;s Louvre bash (and eying the Valentino racks for wardrobe strategy); Danielle Ellis; Melissa Mithoff; Laura Jones; Karen Susman; Elizabeth Moore Arnold; Rini Ziegler, sporting a Valentino rose leather jacket; Ceron, another standout in Valentino; mega collector Leigh Smith; Monica Hartland with sis Sarah Hartland; and Lynn Wyatt, between Grand Marshal duties for the Art Car Parade and a trip to Prince Albert%26rsquo;s wedding, who reminisced about her friendship with June and Helmut Newton and visiting the creative couple in their penthouse in Monaco.

Elizabeth Anthony/Esther Wolf Customer Appreciation Evening

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 05:16:52 GMT

Julie Roberts, owner of Elizabeth Anthony/Esther Wolf, hosted a series of fabulous events for her boutique%26rsquo;s devoted clientele. First was a shopping affair with light bites, drinks and a trunk show. Shopping till they dropped: Barbara Henson, Helen Perry, Kathryn Risley, and jewelry designer Patricia Makena. Next, the fashionable stop honored Merele Yarborough for her tireless philanthropy in the community. Out to celebrate: Pam Green, Brenda DeVore, Yvonne Cormier, Sidney Faust, and Kesa Guest. Finally, Roberts invited top customers to a Friends %26amp; Trends Luncheon and Fashion Show. Front row and center: Linda Peterson, Anne Burns, Mollie Hill, Nancy Haywood, and Annie Cater.

Martini Madness Kickoff at Roak

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 05:02:26 GMT

Craft patrons and art lovers gathered at Roak to kick off Houston Center for Contemporary Craft%26rsquo;s upcoming Martini Madness! 10th Birthday Bash. (Save the date: Thursday, September 22, at HCCC.) Enjoying artist demonstrations and quaffing cocktails poolside: chairmen Alton LaDay, Libbie Masterson, and Judy Nyquist; along with guests Matthew Wettergreen, Susie Criner, Nyala Wright, Jeff Shell, Mickey Rosmarin, HCCC director Julie Farr, and Jonathon Glus.

Wet Exhibition Opening

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 05:18:18 GMT

The University of Texas MD Anderson’s 70th Anniversary Celebration

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 04:48:02 GMT

The University of Texas MD Anderson%26rsquo;s 70th anniversary celebration at Minute Maid Park raised more than $4 million for the cause. Chairmen Janet and Ernie Cockrell, Nancy Loeffler, and Charline and Red McCombs oversaw the gala, which paid tribute to honorees Anne and John Mendelsohn; John took the occasion to reveal that he was relinquishing his role as MD Anderson%26rsquo;s third president to return to research. (Ronald DePinho has since been announced as the center%26rsquo;s new president.) The Houston Symphony played in lieu of the Astros while guests enjoyed dinner in left field, then emcee Scott Pelley led the apr%26egrave;s-dinner entertainment, which ranged from opera singer Susan Graham to Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers. Making cancer history: Mary Lester, the honorees%26rsquo; sons Eric Mendelsohn and Jeff Mendelsohn, Jan Duncan, Madeleine and T. Boone Pickens, Luci Baines Johnson, and honorary chairmen Susan and Jim Baker.

“The Whole World Was Watching” at The Menil Collection

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 04:31:38 GMT

With little more than an abracadabra, The Menil Collection transformed itself for two recent events. First was the opening of %26ldquo;The Whole World Was Watching,%26rdquo; a photographic exhibit of civil rights images donated by Adelaide de Menil and Edmund Carpenter (who passed away months later). Guests such as Clint Willour and Rick Lowe enjoyed an afternoon of music, drinks and speeches by exhibition curator Michelle White, museum director Josef Helfenstein, Reverend William Lawson, and Morgan Hunter, winner of the MLK oratory competition.

Men of Menil Evening of Magic

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 04:22:41 GMT

The Men of Menil took over The Menil Collection’s Richmond Hall with a magic-themed affair where cards seemed to float out of the black top hat centering each table. Co-chairmen Eddie Allen, Marc Melcher, and Mark Wawro amazed guests with performances by master illusionists and sleight-of-hand artists throughout the black-tie evening. Nothing up their sleeves: Bill White, Dan Dubrowski, John Thrash, Eddy Blanton, Brad Bucher, and Lester Marks.

2011 Rose Ribbon Foundation Benefit Dinner

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 04:10:42 GMT

At this year%26rsquo;s Rose Ribbon Foundation Benefit Dinner, founder Cindi Rose and chair duo Jessica Rossman and Jessica Meyer truly had a reason to smile: The annual event raised $100,000 for the cause. All proceeds directly benefit breast cancer survivors such as Jeannie Stavinoha, who gave a heartwarming speech about how free reconstructive surgery changed her life. For the seventh time, Fleming%26rsquo;s Prime Steakhouse underwrote the dinner, which was overseen by Sam Governale, Fleming%26rsquo;s new operating partner. High on the agenda was the presentation of a Tiffany %26amp; Co. award to honorees Susana and Juan %26nbsp;Stern, in memory of Tracey Hilfman. After the dinner, auctioneer Carolyn Farb fielded bids from the likes of Gordon Bethune, Caroline Kenney, and James Jones, who vied for first-class airfare, Baccarat crystal and other luxury lots. Rose Ribbon supporters: Tracey Hilfman%26rsquo;s husband Dave Hilfman, Elizabeth and Gary Petersen, Christie and Mark Sullivan, Tony Rotondo, Diane Brown, jazz crooner Kristine Mills, Benjamin Rose, Erica Rose, and Nancy Marcus Golden.

Lord Wedgwood Book Signing at Bering's

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 03:53:25 GMT

It%26rsquo;s not every day you see a Rolls-Royce, especially Tilman Fertitta%26rsquo;s, perched atop four Wedgwood teacups. Such was the case outside Bering%26rsquo;s on Westheimer, however, when Lord Wedgwood and Jorge Perez, Wedgwood%26rsquo;s national spokesperson, held a book signing at the store, followed by a bridal event the next day. Guests absorbed entertaining tips, while the Houston Junior League was presented with a Wedgwood Basalt Ware bowl. Bering%26rsquo;s Augie Bering V welcomed guests including Joann Klein, travel underwriter Camille Castro of Rolls-Royce of Houston, Bethany Layne, Mary Oatman, Marcus Martin, Stuart Williams, Junior League president Perry Ann Davis Reed, Clementine and Chris Jackson, and Adrienne Bash.

Tickle Me Pink Fashion Show

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 12:31:59 GMT

For this year%26rsquo;s Tickle Me Pink Fashion Show, presented by honorary chairman and creator Zoe Patterson and benefitting the Pink Ribbon Project, student designers from across the state assembled at Spring Street Studios to show off their unique creations. This stylish battle against breast cancer, chaired by Ronit Joselevitz and Adair Reidy, recognized two local leaders of women%26rsquo;s fashion: Sarah Stewart Bernard, who has won accolades for her new line of fine scarves, and Tysh Mefferd, founder of Stella %26amp; Dot Jewelry. Young designers including Nicole Walker, Veronica Long, Justin Bontha, Callie Duty, and Ria Gerger sent models down the runway to jams by guest DJ Dan Rose and local rap group Myth, applauded by Jennifer Brown, Kristy Montgomery, and Julie Griffin.

MoP SHoP Opening Reception at the Goss-Michael Foundation

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 07:18:22 GMT

The Goss-Michael Foundation played host to an avant-garde English invasion when British fashion-art guru Maia Norman jetted in to debut her latest collection for Mother of Pearl %26mdash; a graphic line of T-shirts, jumpsuits, jackets and more, incorporating prints of work by contemporary British artist Jim Lambie. The limited-edition wares were picked over all night during a reception at Goss-Michael%26rsquo;s MopShop pop-up boutique. Mannequins donning the collection were posed atop a colorful floor installation and decorated with oversized heads made of flower buds. The top style-setters were there to see it all: GMF%26rsquo;s Joyce Goss and Jessica Olsson; Dallas Contemporary%26rsquo;s Peter Doroshenko; V.O.D. owner Jackie Bolin; and supermodel Chandra North-Blaylock.%26nbsp;

Elie Saab Parfum and VOGUE Exclusive Sneak Preview

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 06:50:17 GMT

When Vogue hosts a party, the fashion-forward set steps out. This held true when fashion house Elie Saab launched its first fragrance, La Parfum, at the W Dallas %26ndash; Victory with help from Vogue brand ambassador Lauren Manford and Vogue special events manager Ashley Middleton. During the exclusive ladies-only soir%26eacute;e, guests Jan Strimple, Nancy Gopez, and Tiffany Bryan viewed a behind-the-scenes film on how Saab meticulously chose each element of the perfume in the same discerning way he designs couture gowns. The designer spent years making sure the perfume %26mdash; from its elegant bottle to the delicate scent %26mdash; would suit the beautiful women who would wear it. We think we%26rsquo;ve discovered the social scene%26rsquo;s new It-scent.

Cancer Support Community Movers, Shakers, Difference Makers! Awards Dinner

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 04:11:20 GMT

Who took home the coveted honor %26mdash; gleaming silver martini shakers %26mdash; at this year%26rsquo;s Movers, Shakers, Difference Makers! Awards dinner at The Palm Restaurant, benefitting the Cancer Support Community of North Texas? Benevolent honorees Mark Solomon, Sheila McKinney, Jay McAuley, and Leah and John Davis. The Davis couple notably scored a few laughs when they took center stage in clever salt-shaker and moving-man costumes. More difference makers on the scene: past award winners Susan Palma and Muffin Lemak, event chairs Laura and Doug Wheat, and The Palm%26rsquo;s Chuck Scimeca.

Cattle Baron's Fun in the Sun

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 04:33:00 GMT

When you ask Cattle Baron%26rsquo;s Ball members to don cowboy boots and hats, they jump at the chance to dress in glamorous western wear. This time, ranch attire was required, as CBB supporters and their families hit the road to the 505 Ranch Club at Cedar Creek Lake for a day of old-fashioned fun. Hayrides transported guests and their kids (think Ball chairman Jennifer Dix, with her husband Richard, Lisa and Bill Ogle, Suzanne and David Droese, and Tracy and Josh Madans) to and from a lakeside barbecue, polo exhibition, fishing on the dock and a live concert. This waterfront bash was just the beginning: We%26rsquo;ve marked our calendars for the can%26rsquo;t-miss Cattle Baron%26rsquo;s Ball at Southfork Ranch on Saturday, October 15.

Touchdown for Hooch %26 Pooch and Kitchen Dog Theater

Thu, 19 May 2011 03:54:21 GMT

It was all fun and games for the spirited patrons at the tailgate-themed Hooch %26amp; Pooch bash benefitting Kitchen Dog Theater. An athletically dressed bunch (KDT board president%26nbsp;Paul Barnes, artistic director%26nbsp;Christopher Carlos, plus%26nbsp;Karen Parrish,%26nbsp;Mark Daves,%26nbsp;Dana%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Cameron Cobb, and%26nbsp;Buddy Pool) paraded into the McKinney Avenue Contemporary sporting team jerseys, letterman jackets and game-day T-shirts. The playing field for this f%26ecirc;te was ripe with a sea of red, white and blue balloons and an assortment of stadium-inspired bites and vodka-spiked libations. Score one for the party team.

Stanley Korshak Rock 'N' Runway

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 03:25:29 GMT

Stanley Korshak%26rsquo;s Rock %26lsquo;N%26rsquo; Runway event, benefitting The Park, set some seriously high standards for this year%26rsquo;s social season: Three mini fashion shows filled the Crescent Court atrium, featuring models strutting along a circular runway and wearing everything from Brunello Cucinelli fall knits to looks from emerging designer Katie Ermilio. In the center of it all? A towering DJ booth where DJ Lucy Wrubel stood front and center, entertaining the crowd (from Korshak VIPs Janet and Crawford Brock, Paige Slates, Bret McKinney, and Rose Clark to attendees Missy Wyszynski, Jamie O%26rsquo;Banion, and Jo Marie Lilly) with a mix of classics from AC/DC and other rock legends. It was one of the loudest and most fashion-forward show- stoppers we%26rsquo;ve seen in ages.%26nbsp;

Cattle Baron’s Mansion Meal

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 03:03:12 GMT

The lovely ladies of Cattle Baron%26rsquo;s Ball are well versed in throwing one of the most over-the-top parties of the year, so it was no surprise one of their afternoon f%26ecirc;tes would be just as enchanting. For the group%26rsquo;s Spring Luncheon, chairmen Piper Wyatt and PaperCity%26rsquo;s Brooke Hortenstine led CBB members and past Ball chairmen to the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek for bites crafted by Mansion chef Bruno Davaillon and a fashion show via Saks Fifth Avenue. The luncheon A-List: Saks Fifth Avenue%26rsquo;s Trudy Cresswell and Becky Morris, Ball chairman Jennifer Dix, and the Mansion%26rsquo;s Tracy Fitz, plus Kristen Johnston, Suzanne Droese, and Kristi Sherrill Hoyl.

Runway Romp for Salvation Army

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 12:15:14 GMT

All the ladies in town know the best place to score vintage designer duds: The Salvation Army Women%26rsquo;s Auxiliary Fashion Show %26amp; Luncheon at Brook Hollow Golf Club. This year, chairmen Patti Flowers and Pam Busbee curated the Chic Boutique with its plethora of donated gowns, couture suits, handbags and more. Jan Strimple took on the afternoon fashion show, dressing models and members of the young social set %26mdash; think Jessica Jones and Mary Margaret Hancock %26mdash; for the runway spectacle. Front-row fashionistas: honorary chairman Sandra Cecil, Margot Perot, Marilyn Augur, Billie Leigh Rippey, Joyce Fox, Carolyn Rathjen, and Sarah Perot.

2011 Appetite for Advocacy Luncheon

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 05:16:13 GMT

When our invitations to the Dallas Children%26rsquo;s Advocacy Center Appetite for Advocacy luncheon arrived, one heavenly name caught our eye: Drew Brees, the Super Bowl%26ndash;winning New Orleans Saints quarterback and luncheon speaker. After a photo op with Brees, VIPs made their way to the Sheraton Dallas Hotel%26rsquo;s main ballroom, where ESD fourth graders (in a heated raffle contest) approached the likes of DCAC%26rsquo;s Lynn Davis, chairman Gina Betts, Ruth and Ken Altshuler, and Olivia Kearney. Were we surprised when the crowd began chanting, %26ldquo;Who dat!?%26rdquo; Not in the least.

Heroes and Handbags 2011

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 05:26:11 GMT

Midday retail therapy doesn%26rsquo;t get better than the Heroes %26amp; Handbags silent auction at The Ritz Carlton, Dallas. The more than 500 Heroes for Children supporters had chairman Skye Brewer to thank for rounding up the frenzy of quilted Chanels, biddable Speedys and Prada hobos, which were donated from the closets of attending socials. But it wasn%26rsquo;t just covetable arm candy that kept attendees busy: During brunch, Linda Armstrong Kelly (the superstar mom of cancer-surviving cyclist Lance Armstrong) delivered an uplifting speech. Who heard it all? Mother-daughter honorary chairmen Peggy Sewell and Jacquelin Sewell; Heroes for Children co-founders Larissa Linton and Jenny Scott; and guests Jenna Alexander, Kate Rose Marquez, and Lisa Ogle.

Chick Lit Luncheon 2011

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 06:11:02 GMT

Chick Lit Luncheon benefitting Community Partners of Dallas was a best-selling afternoon. Chapter one: Begin with celebrity author and guest speaker Emily Giffin, who shared quirky anecdotes about life, love and happiness. Chapter two: Throw in a cast of characters (Christi Houser, Meghann O%26rsquo;Leary, Lara Tafel and more) all donning summery dresses. Chapter three: Adorn each banquet table with Tiffany-blue, gift-box centerpieces %26agrave; la the dust jackets of Giffin%26rsquo;s New York Times best-selling book, Something Blue. Finish with a happy ending in chapter four: Meet the sweet CPD supporters, including honorary chairman Sally Hoglund, luncheon chairmen, Angela Nash and Anne Stodghill, and its president and CEO Paige McDaniel.

Spring Fever at Hotel ZaZa

Thu, 26 May 2011 02:30:17 GMT

When the weather warms, it means one thing: time for Hotel ZaZa%26rsquo;s annual, pool-side Spring Soir%26eacute;e. This night foodies had their first taste of the hotel%26rsquo;s revamped restaurant, Dragonfly. Terence Newman, Cornelia and Ralph Heins, Mimi and Ian Edmonds and hundreds more joined Hotel ZaZa VIPs, Charlie Givens and Benji Homsey, in sampling the culinary creations of Dragonfly chef Dan Landsberg. From the constantly flowing Veuve Clicquot to the hundreds of party pics that were snapped in the pop-up 1960s kitchen set, it was an unforgettable ZaZa f%26ecirc;te.

Chicks with Guns Book Signing

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 12:47:13 GMT

Al Pacino at the SPA

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 12:00:58 GMT

What: An evening with Al Pacino - one of cinema's most riveting stars.

Where: Jones Hall, Houston TX

When: Monday September 19, 2011

Time: 8:00 pm

Ticket Prices: $45 - $155

Beneficiary: SPA Society for the Performing Arts

Attendance: 2100+

Event Coordinator: William Tayar, Priscilla Larson

Board of Directors: Linda Bertman, Chree Boydstun, Fred 'Pat' Burns, Dona S. Chambers, Richard E.Chandler, Courtney Chapoton, Jan R.Cohen, Robert K.Devlin, Barbara Duganier, Arvia Few, Jana Giammalva, Liz Glanville, Kimberly Gremillion, Claudia Hatcher, Gigi Huang, Shawn K.Jackson

Blacktie Photos by: Roswitha Vogler/photosbyrovo.com

%26nbsp;

Al Pacino at the SPA

No. Not that spa. The Society of Performing Arts (SPA)

Al Pacino performed to a sold out audience at Jones Hall to kick-off the 2011-12 seaon of the Society of Performing Arts. Ernie Manouse with the local PBS TV channel joined him on stage to moderate the evening. Al Pacino shared his passion for acting and directing up close and personal. In an on-stage interview with clips, Mr Pacino gave a rare glimpse into the creative process of his acting career. This one-night-only performance ended with a question-and-answer session with the audience.

An on stage post-performance reception hosted about 250 VIP guests, who were anxiousley waiting for Mr.Pacino to make his appearance. As Mr.Pacino walked the stage to meet with the wellwishers and guests, everybody tried to get a photograph with him and he was busy with writing autographs, however he was very accommodating with trying to please as many as he could. .

What a way to open the new season with this legend!!

About Society for the Performing Arts

Founded in 1966, Society for the Performing Arts (SPA) is the largest independent non-profit presenting organisation in the Southwest. Since its inception, SPA has sponsored more than 900 performances of the world's finest music, dance and theater events, in adherence to the belief that the arts are fundamental to the overall enrichment and quality of life within the community. In addition to presenting artists, SPA seeks to provide a variety of learning experiences for adults and children through master classes, lectures and special student performances, as well as build relationships between the performing arts and other interests within the greater Houston area and throughout the state of Texas.

Luxury Marketing Council Meeting at Craft Dallas

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 11:29:23 GMT

20th Anniversary Kickoff for Teach For America

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 12:24:45 GMT

What: Underwriters' Reception and Preview Party Hosted by Marathon Oil Corporation presenting Underwriter for the Teach For America %26bull; Houston 20th Anniversary Celebration.This fall, Teach For America celebrates its 20th anniversary in Houston, TX. Since 1991, more than 1800 corps members have reached more than 250,000 Houston students, and nearly 1,000 alumni continue to work and live in the greater Houston region. Today, Teach For America alumni lead some of our city's most exciting education initiatives, driven by a shared vision that one day, all children in this nation will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education.

Where: Marathon Tower Conference Center

When: Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Time: 5:30-7:30

Ticket Prices: RSVP

Beneficiary: Teach For America

Host(s): Marathon Oil Company

Co-Chair(s): Janet Clark, Cathy and Paul Chapman

Committee Members: Leslie Blanton, Anne Mendelsohn, Cathy Chapman, Mariloli Odum, Paul Chapman, Douglas Selman, Marty Goossen, Josephine Smith, Robert Graham, Y. Ping Sun, Ben Guill, Phoebe Tudor, Ann Kennedy, Fran Vallejo, D. Mark Leland, Marina Walne

Introductions: Terry Bruner

Speaker: David Lopez

Catering: Marathon Tower Conference Center

Sponsors: Marathon Oil Company

Attire: Business

Event Coordinator: Mary Dickson

Blacktie Photos by: Caroline Berg Photography

%26nbsp;

The intimate evening began as Teach For America Corp Members and Board Members made their way in to the Marathon Tower Conference Center. Greeted by friendly faces, they made their way to the hors d'oeuvres tables and small bar to grab themselves a cocktail. Once all the guests had arrived and had a while to talk to other members, Terry Bruner, the Executive Director for Teach For America took the podium and began to welcome everyone for coming.

Terry then introduced the next speaker, Corp Member, David Lopez. David quickly and warmly invited everyone in the room to gather closer as he then started to give a brief look into his personal experience working through Teach For America. His powerful and inspirational story was well received and it was clear that he truly had a passion for the work he has done, and will continue to do. Co-Chair, Janet Clark then took the podium and thanked everyone who had attended as well as contributed to the Teach For America Organization, as it was because of their hard work and love for teaching that truly makes the organization what it is.

The highlight of the evening was a presentation of a check for $100,000.00 from Marathon Oil to Teach for America.%26nbsp; That's a kickoff.

Go Red for Women Luncheon

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 11:11:17 GMT

Cotes du Coeur 2011

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 04:12:05 GMT

From the scarlet carpet leading into the Hilton Anatole to the generous amounts of cabernet and pinot noir, one color oh-so apropos to the American Heart Association%26rsquo;s heart-health cause was prevalent during its annual C%26ocirc;tes du Coeur gala and wine auction. The cuisine of the eve was prepared by 11 iconic Dallas chefs including Richard Chamberlain (Chamberlain%26rsquo;s Steak %26amp; Chop House), Bruno Davaillon (Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek), and Kent Rathbun (Abacus, Jasper%26rsquo;s) for gala-goers such as chairman John Adams, Carole and Scott Murray, and Mary and John Gill. The night was, without a doubt, red hot.

The 17th Annual Celebrity Waiter Gala

Tue, 24 May 2011 12:10:20 GMT

Talk about a star-studded night: The Celebrity Waiter Gala at Hotel Palomar, hosted by chairmen Ann and Joel Hurley, honorary celebrity chairman Dirk Nowitzki, and honorary chair Donna Lane, had quite the noteworthy lineup of celeb waiters. Kimberly Fischer, Kris Clinton, Brittnee Lee, Sonia Acevedo, Morgana Shaw, and Ken Benson worked their creative talents for tips benefitting the Child Abuse Prevention Center. Also on the menu? Flowing cocktails, a fab silent auction and nonstop beats via DJ Jeff Plunk. Clearly, a generous tip can have posh benefits.

Season's Greetings for The Crystal Charity Ball

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 05:52:06 GMT

For being held on a balmy spring eve, the mood during The Crystal Charity Ball%26rsquo;s Theme Reveal Party was more of the wintery kind. The evening began as standard for any cocktail soir%26eacute;e %26mdash; guests including Kristi Sherrill Hoyl, Caren Kline, and Lynn McBee air-kissed and chatted their way through the group assembled at the home of Suzanne and Patrick McGee. What followed was blissfully unexpected: Ball chairman Connie O%26rsquo;Neill made her big announcement. The theme for this year%26rsquo;s Ball is %26hellip; %26lsquo;Tis the Season! With that, a pianist chimed in with Christmas tunes and waiters paraded out of the kitchen with trays of desserts decorated with candy snowflakes. Save the date for CCB%26rsquo;s winter wonderland on Saturday, December 3. We wonder how much tinsel and mistletoe decorations chair Tricia Besing has up her sleeves.

Astro Wives Gala - Blacktie and Baseballs

Mon, 05 Sep 2011 02:20:40 GMT

What: Gala benefiting the Houston Area Women's Center

Where: On the field at Minute Maid Park

When: Thursday, August 18, 2011

Time: 6:00 pm

Ticket Prices: Individual Tickets $500 each; Table prices are: $5,000 Home Run Table of 10; $7,500 Silver Slugger Table of 10; $10,000 Gold Glove Table of 10; $15,000 Diamond Table of 10 %26amp; $25,000 All-Star Table of 12.

Beneficiary: The Houston Area Women's Center

Master of Ceremonies: Hall of Fame Broadcaster Milo Hamilton

Honorary Chairperson(s): George and Barbara Bush

Co-Chair(s): Summer Barmes (Clint) %26amp; Mary Catherine Melancon (Mark)

Invocation: The Meachams

Entertainment: Rich Little

Sponsors: Engineering Partners International, Michael Graff/American Air Liquide Holdings, Inc., DeeDee and Wallis Marsh, Beverly Wren and Greg Miller, Sybil Roos, Conoco Phillips, Crane Foundation, Exxon Mobil, Lewis Jewelers, Cherie and John Lindley, United, CITGO, King %26amp; Spaulding LLP, Waste Management, Leslie Alexander and the Houston Rockets, ARAMARK Sports and Entertainment, Bracewell %26amp; Guiliani LLP, C%26amp;D Scrap Metal Recyclers Co., Inc., Centerpoint Energy, Consolidated Graphics, Engineering Partners International, Inc., EPI Materials Testing Group, Gallery Furniture, John Eagle Honda, Lisa and Paul Hill, Houston Astros Baseball Club, Houston Modern Luxury, Precision Graphics, Roberts Development/Construction Inc., SYSCO, Westside Lexus and Northside Lexus, Terry and Dr. Joe Agris, Mona and Fred Arnold, Sonny Brandtner and Julie Wilson, Sue and Bob Cimino, Kevin Gee, Paula Graves, HomeAid Houston, Paige and Jason Hutt, Karen Meinardus, Rocky Robinson, Patricia and Randall Swearingen, Patsy and Scott Chapman, and Melanie Gray and Mark Wawro

Auctioneer: Stephen Lewis

Menu: Now Starting: Smoked Diver Scallop, Sour cherries and roasted red bell pepper on baby red oak lettuce bouquet with carmelized shoolot vinaigrette. Fresh baked Artisan breads. Warming Up: Watermelon and goat cheese salad with aged balsamic, micro basil and sea salt. Mid-Relief: Char grilled Ribeye steak with Cabernet reduction, Shrimp skewer with lemon shallot herb butter. Shitake mushrooms and smoked gouda macaroni %26amp; cheese. Asparagus and young Summer market vegetables. Closing: Bittersweet chocolate mousse cake with soft caramel and peanuts.

Attendance: 500+

Attire: Black Tie

Special Thanks: ARAMARK Sports %26amp; Entertainment, Brenner's Steakhouse on the Bayou, the Capital Grille, Bryan Caswell, Consolidated Graphics, Howard Covens, Darryl Murchison Design, DelFrischo's Double Eagle Steakhouse, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse- River Oaks, FOX Broadcasting Company, Pam Gardner, Logan Goodson Design, Milo Hamilton, Marian Harper, Jamie Hildreth, HomeAid Houston, Houston Area Women's Center Staff and Volunteers, Houston Astros Organization, LD Systems, Dennis Liborio, Lorin Leatherwood, Stephen Lewis, Rich Little, Macy's, Aimee and Roy Marsh, Judy Nichols %26amp; Associates, Lauren Nolasco, Opie Otterstad, Precision Graphics, Saks Fifth Avenue, John Sorrentino, Sprinkles Cupcakes, Jonathan Sterchy, and United. As well as the evening's securing provided by the City of Houston Police Department Officers: Officer Brad Piel, Officer Tracy Campbell, and Sergeant Andy Porras

Event Coordinator: Judy Nichols

Blacktie Photos by: Caroline Berg Photography

Despite the Houston heat, guests began to make their way to Minute Maid park to attend the 2011 Astros Wives Gala benefiting the Houston Area Women's Center. As they made their way down to the field, they couldn't help but notice the elaborate decor that the evening was to surround them with. Along the walkway were jeweled trees, almost chandelier-like, absolutely beautiful. As soon as they entered, they walked around to many tables set up with the best auction items you could possibly ask for. From personalized Astros gear to trips and photography sessions, there was just a little bit of everything for them to bid on. As more guests arrived and mingled, Hall of Fame Broadcaster, Milo Hamilton, ushered them in to be seated to begin dinner and the Live Auction, hosted by Auctioneer, Stephen Lewis. The dinner looked and smelled nothing short of delicious. After the Welcoming and Invocation, it was time for the Live Auction to begin. The guests had too much fun bidding on the spectacular and priceless gifts. After both the Silent and Live Auctions closed, guests were treated to entertainment by Rich Little. No doubt the Astro Wives won this one.

The Houston Area Women's Center has been a member of the community since 1977 and part of the United Way family since 1981. Over the years, we have grown from a grassroots effort run by volunteers to an organization employing over 120 staff. Volunteers and members of the community continue to make us who we are by contributing their time, expertise, services and goods to ensure that our agency remains client-focused. We are proud of our ability to direct 84 cents of every dollar towards client services (for more information on our program efficiency, visit Charity Navigator). With a commitment to providing shelter, counseling and advocacy services to survivors of domestic and sexual violence, we look forward to the day when the need for our services no longer exists.

Camp For All No Barriers Bash

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 11:27:22 GMT

What: Camp For All is a unique camping and retreat facility that works in collaboration with other non-profits to provide life changing programs for children and adults with challenging illnesses and special needs. Campers of all ages and abilities gain self-confidence and independence while having fun, learning new skills and bonding with others who share their challenges in a safe and understanding environment.Working in collaboration with 56 other non-profits, children and adults attend Camp For All with cancer, muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injuries, cognitive issues, severe burns, cerebral palsy, sickle cell, visual challenges, epilepsy, heart issues, autism and so much more. Since 1998 more than 70,000 have come through our gates to Discover Life.We collaborate with Texas Children's Hospital, Epilepsy Foundation Houston, Scott and White, Memorial Hermann, M.D. Anderson, The Periwinkle Foundation, Brenham State Supported Living Center, Briarwood School, Muscular Dystrophy Foundation, The Parish School and more. View our Partner Directory.

Where: SPJST Lodge #88 1435 Beall Street Houston, Texas 77008

When: August 26, 2011

Time: 7pm

Ticket Prices: $50 Young Professionals Members $60 Non-Member $75 Join Young Professionals/Attend Event

Beneficiary: Camp For All

Presenting Sponsor(s): BKD Foundation, Liz and Robert Rigney, Nexen Petroleum, Amegy Bank of Texas, PKF Texas, Brooke and Jason Bernhardt, Jennifer and Patrick Breckon, Dianne Hawkins, Janice and Richard Kellogg, Kimberly Koppenhaver, Sara and David Lewis, Dr. Tracey Samuels McNamara and Mr. Robert McNamara, Dr. Jack and Georgianna Mullins, Lisa and Mike O'Leary, Winnie and Ben Powell, Rose and Boone Schwartzel, Pat and Gordon Sorrells, Cynthia and John Adkins, Dr. and Mrs. M. Lawrence Drerup, Becky and Sells Neuhaus, Cheryl and Joshua Samuels, Pat and Merv Schaefer, Jennifer and Craig Simons, TIRR Foundation, Ann and Charlie Vaughters, Lee and Justin Whitley, Winstead, PC, Jenny Childers, Elizabeth and Lloyd Conaway, Julie and William Dabney, David Ellerbe, Erin Fuchs, Katie and Whitney Mears, Carole and John Moore, Elite Island Resorts, Dripping Springs Vodka, United Airlines, and Vintage

Honorary Chairperson(s): Tim Neuhaus

Entertainment: Emory Quinn

Sponsors: Dripping Springs Pure Texas Vodka and Hideous Liqueur

Menu: Fusion Taco and What's Up Cupcake

Attendance: 200+

Attire: Casual Attire

Blacktie Photos by: Caroline Berg Photography%26nbsp;

Camp For All is a unique camping and retreat facility that works in collaboration with other non-profits to provide life changing programs for children and adults with challenging illnesses and special needs.

Campers of all ages and abilities gain self-confidence and independence while having fun, learning new skills and bonding with others who share their challenges in a safe and understanding environment.

The evening started off as Camp For All supporters made their way to the Heights' more commonly known Bingo Hall. It was looking like it was going to be a great turnout, as their was plenty of room for guests to mingle and even dance! As people made their way to grab their favorite drink and were given an assortment of unique sunglasses, I noticed a photobooth in the far corner- how fun! The guests were encouraged to dress up in silly costumes and fun glasses and step into the free photobooth to get their photo made from the evening.

Shortly into the evening, the entertainment of the night, Emory Quinn, began to play their lively and well-prepared set list. It definitely got people up and moving. I noticed more and more people were making their way out back, so naturally I had to follow to see what was going on. Outside was where the food was- Fusion Taco and the oh-so-yummy, What's up Cupcake?. They had set up their food trucks and allowed the guests to come up and order whatever their hearts desired. The long lines stayed long the entire night. It was a treat! In addition to the live music and photobooth, there was a great raffle opportunity for those who wished to participate. Overall, it was a fun and casual night with a great reason to support the Houston area Camp for All.

The Friends of the Stehlin Foundation 2011 Gala Kick-Off

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 08:21:01 GMT

Children of the World Concert Features Amy Grant

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:30:22 GMT

What: An Intimate Dinner and Concert with Amy Grant, benefiting the Gladney Center for Adoption.

Where: River Oaks Country Club, Houston Texas

When: Friday, August 26, 2011

Time: 6:30pm

Ticket Prices: $250 individual ticket

Beneficiary: The Gladney Center for Adoption

Presenting Sponsor(s): Allison %26amp; Dan Connally, Christine %26amp; Ty Hoffer, Morgan Stanley Privae Wealth Management, Amy %26amp; David Novelli; Fayez Sarofim %26amp; Co., Minnie %26amp; Will Baird, Butrey Family Foundation, Dana %26amp; Eric Croswhite, Diane %26amp; Jim D'Agostino, Carolyn %26amp; Mike Hood and family, Anne %26amp; Ted Kennedy, The Strake Foundation.

Gala Chairperson(s): Carolyn %26amp; Mike Hood

Honorary Chairperson(s): President %26amp; Mrs. George H.W. Bush

Committee Members: Minnie %26amp; Will Baird, Sara %26amp; Mark Bettencourt, Susan %26amp; Jim Boone, Drue %26amp; David Boyles, Diane %26amp; Jim D'Agostino, Annie %26amp; Bob Graham, Christine %26amp; Ty Hoffer, Andrew D. Kanaly, Jennifer %26amp; Dan Lehane, Amy %26amp; David Novelli, Susan %26amp; Walter Pye, Debbie %26amp; Rocky Robinson, Sannam %26amp; Scott Warrender, Mayr %26amp; Dick Watt, Leigh %26amp; Russell Wheatley

President(s): Frank Garrott

Introductions: Dana Croswhite (Introducing of Amy Grant)

Invocation: Dr.T.Mac Hood

Welcome: Carolyn Hood and Mark Melson

Entertainment: Amy Grant

Auctioneer: Mark Melson

Menu: Salad: Baby Greens with Burgundy Poached Pear, topped with Saga Bleu Cheese, Spicy Pecans and Balsamic Vinaigrette. Entree: Smoked Prime Fillet of Beef Tenderloin with Horseradish Whipped Potato, Braised Beefd of Wild Mushroom, Haricot Vert and Pea Puree; Dessert: Milk Chocolate and Dulce de Leche Tart with Orange Sauce.

Attendance: 230+

Attire: Cocktail Attire / Coat and Tie

Event Coordinator: Jennifer Lanter

Board of Directors: Deborah Robinson, Chairman; Janette Hunter, Chair-Elect; Jeffrey Margolies, Past Chair; Lyn Rossi Scott, Secretary; Jeffrey M. Harp, Treasurer; Frank Garrott, President; Mark Bettencourt, James Boone, Segi Desta, Chris Dezzi, Kelly Dillard, Lisa Elder, David Friedman, Arthur Gorman, Sharon Haynes, Kenneth Heitner, Richard Hill, Rob Holliday, Robert Jameson, David Johnson, Anne Kennedy, Randle Lee, Ann Louden, Kathleen Marsal, Sarah Marie Martin, Mary Sue McKenna, Ann Mendenhall, DeWitt Ray, Carl Roland, Andrea Rosko, Shannon Schumacher, Sally Dyson Simmons, Michael Steadman, Susan Stone, Lyle Mayeaux Thornton, Hiry West

Blacktie Photos by: Roswitha Vogler/photosbyrovo.com

%26nbsp;

Amy Grant - this name guarantees a very special and sucessful evening. The upscale River Oaks Country Club in Houston, Texas was the venue for the Children of the World Concert featuring Amy Grant. On Friday, August 26, 2011, another heat record breaking day in Houston, about 230 guests enjoyed a reception before dinner and concert. Event Chairs Carolyn %26amp; Mike Hood welcomed Sponsers and Underwriters in a special VIP reception in this beautiful hall of the Country Club. Amy Grant mingled with the VIP guests and enjoyed meeting the generous sponsors. Delicious Hors d'oeuvres and wine were served. Individual ticket holder enjoyed their reception in one of the other beautiful rooms.

At 7:30pm the doors to the dining room openend and guests took their seats, before Chair Carolyn Hood and Mark Melson, Executive VP %26amp; Chief Development Officer of the Gladney Center for Adoption welcomed the guests to this special evening. Dr.T. Mac Hood spoke the Invocation and guests enjoyed their three-course dinner. Dana Croswhite and the children of the world took stage and Dana made a very personal introduction of Amy Grant, followed by a short, special performance of Amy together with six small children of the world.

Mark Melson took stage again to act as an auctioneer for the Live Auction of three special items: A Baume %26amp; Mercier Ladies Diamond Watch, a Casa Carino Vacation in San Miguel de Allende in Mexico, and a 'Father and Son' Framed Print of Presidents Bush and Bush.

Amy Grant started her live performance and guests enjoyed her songs and her talk and it was indeed a very special evening, and all for a good cause, benefiting the Gladney Center for Adoption.

About Gladney

The Gladney Center for Adoption's mission is to provide loving homes for children, a caring environment for birth parents, supportive services for Gladney families and adoptees, and assistance to orphans and underserved children throughout the world.

For more than 120 years Gladney has been a pioneer and leading voice for improving the lives of children, adoptive families and birth parents. With unwavering commitment, through good economic times and bad, they focused on their mission and made a difference in the lives of birth parents, families and children here and around the world.

A genuine commitment to client service makes Gladney as exceptional adoption agency. Their customized programs and services ensure that the families and birth parents are cared for through every step of that journey. Gladney has a commitment to Family for Life. They recognize that adoption is a lifelong journey, so the offer programs and support that extend far beyond placement.

Find more information at www.gladney.org

The Royal Weddings – Then and Now Luncheon

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 04:25:41 GMT

Houston’s aristocracy still had London on their minds when they arrived at The Royal Weddings – Then and Now Luncheon, benefitting The Marshall Plan for Afghanistan Foundation. Chairman Connie Cooke transformed the Hilton Americas–Houston into an environment fit for a king — or, in this case, a prince. His Royal Highness Prince Jean de France, Duc de Vendôme, gave everyone the lowdown on royal weddings, both William and Kate’s nuptials and his own fantastical affair. By afternoon’s end, more than $350,000 had been raised to bring our troops home safely from Afghanistan. Local dignitaries: honorary chairs Donna and Robert Bruni, honoree Margaret Williams, French mezzo-soprano Marie Lenormand (whose musical top notes wowed guests), including major underwriters Diane Lokey Farb, Paige and Tilman Fertitta, Brian Teichman, Tricia Dewhurst, Paul Somerville, Penny Loyd, Susan Krohn and Patrick Gehm, and the Duc and Duchesse de Gramont, who donated the lavish raffle prize of a royal day in Paris; as well as Marshall Plan founder Joanne King Herring and French Consul General Pierre Grandjouan and wife Kate.

Hope Stone Inc.'s Breakfast for Dinner Gala

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 03:39:39 GMT

PHOTOGRAPHS ON THE BLOCK, AND BREAKFAST IS SERVED Everyone was on their toes and devouring eggs and pancakes as Hope Stone Dance rolled out its clever signature benefit, the second annual Breakfast for Dinner, at Jon Deal’s Spring Street Studios. Winsome chair quartet Alison Jefferies, Shannon Mann, Joy Posoli, and Emily Weinstein joined founder/director Jane Weiner in cooking up this endearing evening, whose highlight was a performance by Hope Stone’s Kids Play Ensemble.

Houston Center for Photography’s 8th Annual Print Auction

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 03:24:09 GMT

Photographic zealots descended upon the Junior League of Houston to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Houston Center for Photography and bid on 89 fabulous images that came across the live- and silent-auction block. The annual Print Auction collect-a-rama, chaired by lenslady Libbie Masterson, raised a chart-topping $170,000 for HCP.

Alley Theatre Gala: Trailer Park Chic

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 06:24:31 GMT

We%26rsquo;ve attended some swell Alley Theatre Galas, but at the end of the day, the black-tie dress code always put a bit of the kibosh on the fun. Not so this year, when the %26ldquo;Trailer Park Chic%26rdquo; theme dictated attire and attitude. Socials went wild, and this wildly successful benefit raised more than $550,000 for the Tony-winning theater%26rsquo;s coffers. Chairs Jana and Scotty Arnoldy reigned over the prom court, anointing Kim Tutcher and her husband, dedicated board member Dan Tutcher, as prom king and queen. Both couples looked the part, with the ladies really standing out: Jana in leopard-print hair and a saucy short purple frock, while prom queen Kim wore a sea of rose-colored tulle over a lemon-hued underskirt. The venue %26mdash; a tent that popped up off the West Loop South %26mdash; added to the sense of %26nbsp;play, while food trucks (Gigi%26rsquo;s Asian Bistro, Sylvia%26rsquo;s Enchilada Kitchen, Hubcap Grill and more) pulled up in lieu of a formal seated dinner. Armadillo races, ice cream carts, performances by Big Ray and the Kool Kats and Divisi Strings, beer taxis and late-night dominos completed the fab fund-raiser. Low-browing it: Carol and Mike Linn, Courtney and Bo Hopson, Kirby and Scott McCool, Cynthia and Tony Petrello, Cornelia and Meredith Long, Susan and Rob Reedy, Lynn Wyatt, Margaret Williams with Jim Daniel, Kathryn and Jim Ketelsen, and Jane and Dean Gladden, the Alley managing director.

Asia Society Texas Center’s Tiger Ball

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 07:54:43 GMT

PHOTOGRAPHS ON THE BLOCK, AND BREAKFAST IS SERVED The Tiger Ball roared, rolling out its largest and most successful fund-raising gala ever. The Hilton Americas%26ndash;Houston was the backdrop as 650 guests came together at this Pan-Asian night to raise more than $600,000 for Asia Society Texas Center, while toasting the launch of ASTC%26rsquo;s $25 million, multi-year capital campaign announced by director Martha Blackwelder. Reigning over the global f%26ecirc;te were board chairman Charles Foster and wife Lily and honorary chairman board member Nancy Allen (whose leadership in getting the new Yoshio Taniguchi%26ndash;designed building from vision to reality has been exemplary), alongside co-chairs Anne and Albert Chao and Marie and Vijay Goradia. The cross-cultural evening honored former Secretary of State James Baker and Rice University First Lady Y. Ping Sun for bridging East and West and for their service to country and community. (Stay tuned for the big reveal of the Center%26rsquo;s new home %26mdash; an architectural jewel in the Museum District %26mdash; coming April 2012.)

The Art Car Parade

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 02:20:32 GMT

My favorite weekend amid a chock-a-block calendar involves not a single gown or tux, but some raucous rides headlining an over-the-top, risqué and wacky ball that crescendos into the world’s first and foremost Art Car Parade. And so it began when the incomparable Orange Show Center for Visionary Art tapped Don Mafrige Jr. and moi to chair the legendary weekend. This year, the Art Car Parade turned 24 while the Orange Show — which corrals and produces this extravagant convergence of vehicles, bikes and other outrageous contraptions — celebrated its 30th. Whew and vroom, vroom.

%26nbsp;Friday night, the Art Car Ball lured thrill seekers and illustrious members of our art set back to the place where the ball belongs: Jeff McKissack’s monument to a healthy and zesty fruit, aka the Orange Show and environs, including the upcoming Smither Park. Juicin’ It Up: Orange Show founder/board chairman Marilyn Oshman; Stephanie Smither (Smither Park is named in her late husband’s honor); Contemporary Arts Museum Houston director Bill Arning with Mark McCray; Heather Wagner Reed dishing with scantily clad Jim Petersen Jr.; gallerists Deborah Colton and Wade Wilson; creative types including artist Daniel Kayne, photogs Everett Taasevigen and Dustin Mansyur, and designer Saba Jawda; model maker Jeff Shell; Michael Mandola; benefactress Suzy Simons with Mary and Charles Campbell, in from Corpus Christi; Fruitmobile (the original art car) maker Jackie Harris and her husband, piano man Wally Shannon; and prom-gowned Rebecca Bass, who has been teaching young people the art of art cars for years. %26nbsp;

Thirty-six hours later, parade day arrived — this year moved to Sunday to welcome esteemed delegates from the American Association of Museums convention. Miz Oshman and OS executive director Lynette Wallace greeted guests of honor Mayor Annise Parker and Lynn Wyatt, who was the first international socialite to perform Grand Marshal duties (Miz Wyatt waved from a perch in Isaac Cohen’s incredible wooden vehicle Splinter). We were on hand to take names and jot notes at the VIPit Party along the verdant, historic grounds of the Heritage Society. Among the celebrants: Poppi Massey; Robin Wombwell; Jaime Fruge, arriving on a cute bike; Marita and J.B. Fairbanks with their adorable brood; first-time attendees Nidhika and Pershant Mehta with pals Mehrnaz and Ned Gill; Ginni Mithoff with son Michael Mithoff and wife Melissa; Mauney Mafrige; The Menil Collection curator Toby Kamps with his parents, Mary and Charles Kamps, in from Wisconsin; Molly and Ford Hubbard with Ford’s mom Patty Hubbard; Raquel and Andrew Segal, joining Andrew’s brother Justin Segal and his wife Jennifer; Stuart Rosenberg; Marcy de Luna; crayon king/artist Keith Hollingsworth; Lonnie Schiller; Barbara Hinton; Kim Stoilis, who heads the Bayou City Art Festivals; Sloan/Hall gents Shannon Hall and Marcus Sloan; Galveston Arts Center curator Clint Willour; preservationist Bart Truxillo; sisters Christina and Julie Sacco; Glasstire founder Rainey Knudson and her Art Guy husband Michael Galbreth; and gallerist Wayne Gilbert with wife Beverley, all ecstatically applauding perennial faves including Percy the Peacock, Rex the Rabbit, and the mighty Hen-a-Tron

Houston Symphony League’s Children + Spring + Fashion Show and Brunch

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 07:57:12 GMT

Houston Symphony League%26rsquo;s Second Annual Children + Spring + Fashion Show and Brunch brought out the tykes, who paraded down the runway in looks by Neiman Marcus. The Junior League was a sea of generations, including chairmen Many Ann McKeithan with grandkids Madison, Meredith, and Mary Caroline Burke, and chairman Betty Tutor with grandkids Layla and Savannah Tutor. An instrument petting zoo and a puppet show completed the charming day.

Friends of Child Advocates’ Angels of Hope Luncheon

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 07:45:06 GMT

Friends of Child Advocates%26rsquo; Angels of Hope Luncheon, chaired by Lesha Elsenbrook and Kim Tutcher, drew hundreds of It Girls to the Westin Galleria Hotel for a sleek fashion show of Elie Tahari%26rsquo;s resort and spring collections, presented by Neiman Marcus. The afternoon honored Debbie Martinez for her service to CA, while benevolent ones Momentum Audi%26rsquo;s Jared Lang and model maker/past honoree Page Parkes-Eveleth treated some lucky young ladies to the luncheon plus hair, makeup and a new outfit.

Legacy Community Health Services’ “A Night of Celebration”

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 07:31:37 GMT

Legacy Community Health Services%26rsquo; %26ldquo;A Night of Celebration,%26rdquo; a cocktail soir%26eacute;e swankily chaired by Neiman%26rsquo;s ringmaster Bob Devlin and social Julia Frankel, transformed Neiman%26rsquo;s Couture Salon into a jazzy supper club with performances by crooners Kristine Mills and Bryan Anthony. A highlight was the announcement of the Jerry D. Bartee Assistance Fund Suite in the new Legacy building, where patients will receive financial services. Well wishers/revelers including Legacy executive director Katy Caldwell and colleague Chree Boydstun, Judith Oudt, Monsour Taghdisi, Debra and Mark Grierson, Melanie Gray and Mark Wawro, Jackson Hicks (set to be honored at Legacy%26rsquo;s Luncheon on Tuesday, September 20, at the Wortham), Milton Townsend, Joann and Bill Crassas, Fiona Dawson, and Claire Cormier Thielke clinked glasses to the organization%26rsquo;s 30th and to its hitting the $12 million mark of its $15 million capital campaign.

Stages Be Marvelous! Gala

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 05:59:42 GMT

Corsages, coronation-style gowns, and snazzy white and powder-blue jackets came out when Stages Repertory Theatre staged the dreamy Be Marvelous! Gala, headlined by the Marvelous Wonderettes (who recently graced its stage, in the musical by the same name). The Junior League was wrapped in vinyl, transformed into a set from the senior prom, circa 1961. Four co-chairs assumed the roles of prom queens: Libby Cagle, Claire Cormier Thielke, Kate McConnico, and Annie Criner (Mizzes Cagle and Cormier Thielke in their actual dresses from back in the not-so-distant day). After a classic Junior League seated dinner, artistic director Kenn McLaughlin and board member/talent Sally Edmundson bestowed the Theodore Award (named for founder Ted Swindley) on ardent board member Amy Moss. After the Wonderettes crooned “Thank You and Goodnight,” an outrageous after-party in the Tea Room brought the energy forward: Late-night revelers grooved to DJ Mav, while Whataburger provided post-prom party food. Being marvelous: George Lancaster with pal Tara Simon, in from Kansas City; Greg Fourticq Jr.; Judy and Jim Nicklos; Dianna and Harry Bowles; Penny and Townes Pressler; Leslie and Shannon Sasser; Randy Powers; Bill Caudell; Catherine and Dean Giuffre; and Cabrina and Steven Owsley.

Hermann Park Conservancy's Evening in the Park

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 06:46:46 GMT

CancerForward's New Summer Standard

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 01:25:35 GMT

CancerForward founder Beth Sanders Moore orchestrated a new addition to the social repertoire: The New Summer Standard, timed to celebrate National Cancer Survivors Day and the one-year anniversary of this innovative nonprofit that shares, via its Web site, health and wellness updates with survivors around the globe. Joining Miz Sanders Moore and husband Jess Moore were well-connected chair couples Betty and Stephen Newton, Cabrina and Steven Owsley, and Phoebe and Bobby Tudor, alongside the honorary chairmen, two-time survivor David Solomon and wife Marcia. In all, 250 guests came together to raise nearly $200,000 during this meaningful dinner/dance at the Houston Country Club headlined by handsome jazz crooner Tony DeSare (a late-breaking replacement for Loston Harris, who had a family emergency) and the dozens of hometown survivors who filled the room.

Hermann Park's Urban Green

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 06:50:16 GMT

Hermann Park%26rsquo;s young-professionals set, Urban Green, held a droll, Caddyshack-themed benefit chaired by Kristy and Chris Bradshaw and Christine and Chris Transier that brought out fellow bright young things including Divya and Chris Brown, Lauren Clark, James Phelan, Carlos Meltzer dishing with Nick Espinosa, and Emily and George Jackson

Atrium Summer VIP Sale and Soiree

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 05:47:58 GMT

Ground-Breaking of Smith Clinic

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 02:25:16 GMT

Friends of the Harris County Hospital District gathered to celebrate the district%26rsquo;s largest single private donation: a gift of $15 million from philanthropists Lester and Sue Smith. The 167,807-square-foot Smith Clinic is expected to open in late 2012, but for now, attendees modeled powder-pink hardhats at its construction site near the Medical Center while honchos Stephen DonCarlos and H. Ben Taub expressed the district%26rsquo;s gratitude toward The Lester and Sue Smith Foundation%26rsquo;s gift, which will significantly impact healthcare in the community. Celebrants included Kitch Taub, Trish Morille, Ginni Mithoff, Ned Torian, Emily Crosswell, Elvin Franklin Jr., and Eva Kirby.

18th Annual Susan’s Rally

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 02:13:24 GMT

Entrant vehicles queued in Momentum Volkswagen%26rsquo;s drive, firing up their engines in anticipation of Susan%26rsquo;s Rally 2011, which this year honored the late Elsa Kaim. Underwriter Momentum Volkswagen/Audi%26rsquo;s GM Jared Lang waved the starter flag, unleashing the 18th annual routed adventure that ultimately saw Bruce Nixon, Kaitlyn Sharp, Lisa Webb, and Danielle Lutz roll to victory in the winning car. After the rally, guests gathered at the Finish Line Party at Post Oak Grill, where chef Polo Becerra served a feast. Doug Harris conducted the event%26rsquo;s auction, while the day raised approximately $175,000 to help in the fight against breast cancer. (Susan%26rsquo;s Rally was founded by Bruce Roberson in memory of his sister, Susan Roberson Wade.) All revved up: committee members including Tine Knickrehm Purvis, Billie Bond, and Ludeen Sweeney; Rally master Chase Breidenthal; and supporters including Marlon Young and big bidders Carolyn and Tom Williams.

Opening of Titian Exhibition at Museum of Fine Arts

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 05:07:14 GMT

A seated supper at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, celebrated the opening of “Titian and the Golden Age of Venetian Painting: Masterpieces from the National Galleries of Scotland,” organized by MFAH curator of European art Edgar Peters Bowron and Michael Clarke, director of the National Galleries of Scotland (through August 14). Relishing the Renaissance works, including the artist’s mighty Dianas: Jeanie Kilroy, the MFAH’s Helga Aurisch, Steven Hamilton, Tom LeCloux, Tony and Isaac Arnold, Sam Gorman, Leslie and Brad Bucher, and Linda Finger. %26nbsp;

“A Salute to the South” with Houston Symphony’s Young Professionals Backstage

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 04:57:32 GMT

It was time for %26ldquo;A Salute to the South%26rdquo; when the Houston Symphony%26rsquo;s Young Professionals Backstage completed another successful season. Southern draws included classic regional treats and Arnold Palmers, a Ray Charles tribute by the legend%26rsquo;s prot%26eacute;g%26eacute;, Ellis Hall, at Jones Hall and a festive finale at The Breakfast Klub. South-bound: Elizabeth Cleveland, Jonathan Cohen, Melissa Fitzgerald, Shavonnah Roberts, Sharon Lott, and Sarah Wasaff.

Virtuosi of Houston Gala, “Encore 15: Honoring Houston’s Music Philanthropists, A Magical Evening of Memories and Music”

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 02:44:23 GMT

This year%26rsquo;s Virtuosi of Houston Gala, %26ldquo;Encore 15: Honoring Houston%26rsquo;s Music Philanthropists, A Magical Evening of Memories and Music,%26rdquo; saluted not only the organization%26rsquo;s talented young musicians but also the benefactors who have supported its mission for the past 15 years. Chair quartet Linda and John Barrett and Zarine and Meherwan Boyce oversaw the entertainment-packed evening, including performances by Broadway songstress Michelle Dejean, operatic chanteur Gabriel Gonzales and the Virtuosi young artist chamber orchestra under the direction of Franz Anton Krager and Andrzej Grabiec. Honorees in harmony: Margaret Williams, Donna and Robert Bruni, Barbara and Ulyesse LeGrange, Nidhika and Pershant Mehta, and Mary Kay and Michael Pulos, Phyllis and Cornel Williams, and honorary chair Monzer Hourani.

Charles LeDray Reception and Dinner

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 06:00:40 GMT

Friends and members of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, filled the main gallery of the%26nbsp;Caroline Wiess Law%26nbsp;Building for a reception and dinner heralding New York%26ndash;based, mid-career artist%26nbsp;Charles LeDray%26rsquo;s %26ldquo;workworkworkworkwork%26rdquo; (through September 11). Houston is the last stop for the national tour of this survey, in which LeDray examines the meaning behind everyday objects rendered in miniature. Consumed by the creations: MFAH curator%26nbsp;Alison de Lima Greene, interim museum director%26nbsp;Gwen Goffe,%26nbsp;Michael Zilkha,%26nbsp;Mary%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Bernie Arocha,%26nbsp;Clint Willour, and%26nbsp;Kathy%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Marty Goossen.

3rd Annual Margarita Taste-Off

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 03:40:23 GMT

Amigos and admirers of margaritas gathered at Antique bar to decide who makes the best cocktail in town. Mexican restaurants including Armandos, El Tiempo Cantina, Taco Milagro and Xuco Xicana came armed with their best recipes, employing tequila donated by Don Julio. Guests mingled while sampling each tasty concoction, all for a good cause: the Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Family Alliance, which provides services for families relocating to Houstonfor cancer treatment. By the end of the evening, Sylvia%26rsquo;s Enchilada Kitchen was declared the winner, and more than $12,000 had been raised. Enjoying a night in Margaritaville: Moses Gonzalez, Anil Gupta, Madelyn Fitzpatrick, Alexandra Palacios, Courtney Shipper, Michelle Haun, Chris Centrich, and Lourdes Valdes.

Arts4Japan

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 05:36:02 GMT

To help Japan recover from this year%26rsquo;s devastating earthquake and tsunami, chairman Jurate Kopecky curated a silent auction at Gremillion %26amp; Co. Fine Art benefitting her newly minted Arts4Japan Foundation. Highlighted were creations in a variety of media from diverse global artists, including%26nbsp;Ilian Rachov%26nbsp;from Turin, Italy, and Miami-based%26nbsp;Philip Ross Munro, who both discussed their work.%26nbsp;Crooner Bryan Anthony%26nbsp;serenaded the art-loving brigade, including gallerist%26nbsp;Ron Gremillion,%26nbsp;Catheryn Wilson,%26nbsp;Bradford Paige%26nbsp;of Colombostile,%26nbsp;Nathan Kasselder, donor%26nbsp;Jonathan Tinkle, and%26nbsp;Sean Finn.

Houston Arts Alliances Pachikadi and His Flying Friends Book Signing

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 06:07:22 GMT

UT Health School of Nursing Partners Luncheon

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 06:26:18 GMT

Texan-French Alliance for the Arts’ Biennial International Art Auction

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 02:39:14 GMT

Bonjour%26nbsp;to the Art Set
It was an authentic international convergence when a coterie of the best and brightest of our visual talents paired up with their French peers to vie for a 10-day residency in either France or Texas, respectively. Forty artists submitted one single definitive creation, along with an accompanying statement, as the Second Biennial Texan-French Alliance for the Arts (TFAA) Award and Auction unfurled with a splendid f%26ecirc;te at Decorative Center Houston. A quintet of femmes reigned: honorary chairman Francophile extraordinaire Lynn Wyatt; chairman Martha Finger, host of an elegant cocktail kickoff weeks earlier; newer-to-the-scene hard-working co-chairmen Laure Parise and Jo%26euml;lle Petit; and honorary selection chairman/collector Judy Nyquist, whose commitment to Texas art is broad and deep. Gallerist Devin Borden installed the artworks in the expansive exhibition gallery of DCH, where 250 collectors, dealers, artists, and museum and nonprofit types took in the display of competing canvases, sculpture and photography before readying their pens and raising their paddles to participate in the brisk silent and live bidding (the live auction conducted by gallerist Wade Wilson). The auctions combined with ticket sales generated six figures for the TFAA%26rsquo;s cross-continental cultural causes. A portion of the dollars raised also did good for Texas Children%26rsquo;s Cancer Center%26rsquo;s Arts in Medicine Program, while another portion was returned to the participating artists.

Packing His Bags for Paris%26nbsp;
After an appearance by Consul General of France Pierre Grandjouan and remarks by TFAA president Mickey Henry, Wyatt and Nyquist bestowed the grand prize on ... the creator of Sartre %26amp; Camus, a watercolor depicting hip-hop artists conflated with two of the great French philosophers by %26mdash; can you guess? %26mdash; Houston mid-career notable David McGee, who spoke eloquently about his inspirations at the Louvre %26mdash;%26nbsp;Delacroix and Gericault %26mdash;%26nbsp;and the history of African-American expats in Paris. In from Nice, French painter Daniel Farioli earned second-place honors for his larger-than-life canvas of a classic Fender Stratocaster, while Houston artist Jonathan Leach captured third place for his futuristic ab geo Plex-and-acrylic sculpture. For more of the story, peruse papercitymag.com.%26nbsp;

Offering accolades to the honorees: hometown gallerists Wayne Gilbert, Gus Kopriva, and Linda Darke, and French contingent Virginie Boissiere and Natalia Jimenez-Gomendio; artist finalists including Wendy Wagner, Selven O%26rsquo;Keef Jarmon, Tara Conley, parents-to-be Melanie Crader and Mick Johnson, Allison Hunter, Nicola Parente, Susan George, and Geoff Hippenstiel; the Blaffer%26rsquo;s Claudia Schmuckli and the MFAH%26rsquo;s Alison Greene, among the selection judges; TFAA business director Vanessa Abahashemi; and collectors Jim Petersen Jr., Fabene Welch, and Susie and Sanford Criner. Ready your paddles: The next TFAA Award arrives 2013.

Lawndale Art Center's Design Fair: Learn. Shop. Connect

Mon, 09 May 2011 02:11:27 GMT

Clinking Cocktails for the New Classics
After more than a dozen years worshipping at the altar of Eames, Bertoia and Nelson, Lawndale Art Center steered its annual home-furnishings fund-raiser in a new direction. As of last year, it was %26ldquo;Goodbye Modern Market, hello Design Fair.%26rdquo; Once again this spring, savvy chair trio Vernon Caldera, Adam Gibson, and Eleanor Williams presided over the enticing weekend shop-a-thon, enlisting Rottet Studio%26rsquo;s international architect, furniture designer and founder Lauren Rottet, as honorary chair. For the lively Preview Party that kicks it all off, adorable designing sisters Sarah and Saba Jawda did chair honors. The result? Record-breaking attendance and high-flying sales as more than a thousand flocked during the weekend to discover new-century classics curated by Michael Guidry in the expanded Texas Co-Op, starring avant-gardists such as David Tsai and Plodes Studio presented by Roya and John Paul Plauch%26eacute;, alongside metalworking queen Gertrude Barnstone. Popular booths included Carol Piper Rugs, where Randy Twaddle%26rsquo;s transformer carpets were the rage; Wac Design Studio, produced by Scott and Jenny-Lynn Weitz-Amar%26eacute; Cartwright; CrOp, crafted by fashion designer David Peck; Paul Forsythe%26rsquo;s Exquisite Corpse Booksellers; Sunset Settings/ Carolyn Brewer; and Don Browne%26rsquo;s mid-century marvels, including some cool cocktail culture.%26nbsp;

Acolytes of Design
Among the design tribe: Betty and Seth Gibson, parents of chair Adam Gibson, the trio striking a pose in the Smilebooth; Claudia Sol%26iacute;s, snapping up a Lucite clutch and %26lsquo;80s ring from Dawn Bell of Coronation Vintage; Adrienne Johnson Yost and Randy Yost, who purchased a terrarium from Vernon Caldera%26rsquo;s Left Brain Right Brain Design, which creates miniature nature-scapes titled after global metropolises; Judy Nyquist, going home with a Left Brain Right Brain creation named Diriamba, Nicaragua; Marta Fredricks; Adam Adams; Michelle Smith with architect David Lidsky; Lawndale directress Christine West and husband Ramon; Anita and David Garten; major underwriter Scott Sparvero; art doyenne Barbara Davis, dishing with Amanda Jernigan; 4411 Montrose%26rsquo;s new owner Bruce Eames; and pals Elizabeth Koval and Donae Cangelosi Chramosta, whose fabulous finds ranged from eyeglasses scored at Philip Brown%26rsquo;s Smith Opticians to hipster recycled gift wrap from The Local Paper.

Recipe for Success’ Dress for Dinner at Saks Fifth Avenue

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 06:12:37 GMT

Fans of food and fashion united at Saks Fifth Avenue for Recipe for Success%26rsquo; Dress for Dinner, which welcomed designer Zang Toi %26mdash; in a kilt, no less %26mdash; and his spring collection. Foodies gravitated toward the cocktails and bites prepared by Fleming%26rsquo;s and Saks%26rsquo; Galleria neighbor, Gigi%26rsquo;s Asian Bistro. Chaired by Roz Pactor and Isabel David, the evening raised funds toward Recipe for Success%26rsquo; goal of vanquishing childhood obesity by educating kids about how foods are grown and prepared. Joining the charity%26rsquo;s founder, Gracie Cavnar, were Saks%26rsquo; Terry Zmyslo, Ann Short, Gabriela and Gary Gerhart, Liz Gorman, and Jennifer LeGrand.

Go West

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 04:29:30 GMT

Mary McDonald Personal Appearance at Houston Design Center

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 07:11:21 GMT

Houston Design Center%26rsquo;s Spring Market headliner generated one of the biggest turnouts of all time when up-to-the-minute designer Mary McDonald came in from L.A. to pen bons mots in her first volume, Mary McDonald: Interiors, The Allure of Style (Rizzoli), after addressing an SRO crowd in HDC%26rsquo;s Alkusari Stone Showroom. McDonald presented images culled from signature projects %26mdash; from Hollywood silent-screen star Buster Keaton%26rsquo;s reborn villa to the recently completed Luxe Summit Hotel in Bel Air %26mdash; while emphasizing her design philosophy, exemplified by five words: seduction, curated, glamour, grand tour and theater. The night before, newlyweds designer Karen Pulaski Tyrell and crooner Steve Tyrell hosted an intime f%26ecirc;te at their home to clink cocktails in her honor. Fans flocked including HDC owners Sheri and Grant Roane; ASID past prez Lynne Jones, Ginger Wheless, Roz and Alan Pactor (she, Tyrells%26rsquo; sis), Daniela Barcelo, Sabiha Rehmatulla, Sima Ladjevardian, and Chandos Dodson with fianc%26eacute; Ike Epley.

Back to School with SEARCH

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 03:19:19 GMT

Greg Gorman and Spring Market at Decorative Center Houston

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 05:54:52 GMT

In keeping with Decorative Center Houston%26rsquo;s commitment to important contemporary art, its Spring Market featured a retrospective of lensman Greg Gorman%26rsquo;s astonishing career. The California-based artist%26rsquo;s four decades of work have centered around the portrait, both clothed and nude; he%26rsquo;s captured celebrity types, from Andy Warhol to Amazonian Grace Jones, in images that vary from the enigmatic to the powerful, all free from backdrops and unnecessary trappings. (Many on view were culled from the photographer%26rsquo;s just released volume, In Their Youth, which he signed the next day for a packed audience that purchased every copy available.) Opening night of Gorman%26rsquo;s DCH exhibition, %26ldquo;A Distinct Vision: 1970%26ndash;%26nbsp;2010,%26rdquo; coincided with the anointing of the 2011 Stars of Design, presented by DCH owner Charles Cohen, who came in from NYC with wife Clo Cohen bestowed honors on eight Houston notables: architects Guy Jackson (lifetime achievement) and Natalye Appel, visual artist Dixie Friend Gay, interior designer Richard Holley, jeweler David Hall Hodges, graphic talent Craig Minor, landscape designer Timothy Adcock, and photog Paul Hester.

Rolling Out the Accolades
In the design-minded throng: Lynn Wyatt; Carolyn Farb; Gorman subject Reggie Bibbs; Priscilla Larson, dishing with Georgia Foulard; American art heavyweights Cornelia and Meredith Long; architect Danny Samuels; Joan and Culver Stedman; Beth Sanders Moore; collector type Bob Card; Mary Ann and David McKeithan; Hines honcho George Lancaster; Arvia Few; Found%26rsquo;s Ruth Davis; Ryan Reitmeyer with Carol Piper Rugs; the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston%26rsquo;s photo curator Anne Tucker; and Veranda%26rsquo;s Carolyn Englefield, who moderated a talk earlier in the day.

Becca Thrash’s Dancing with the Houston Stars 2011

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 04:57:19 GMT

Pop, Wow, Pas de Deux
The invitation pictured Fred and Ginger but decried, %26ldquo;Wait until you see Dancing with the Houston Stars.%26rdquo; And that claim was not braggadocio. Six teams, 12 contestants, three gravity-defying minutes each %26mdash; so it went when Season Two of DWTHS, billed as a Houston Ballet original benefit, unfurled at Maison Thrash as a scintillating segue into summer. Inaugurated last fall and devised by Ballet board member Becca Cason Thrash %26mdash; who serves as the event%26rsquo;s consummate chair and host, along with husband John Thrash %26mdash; the glittering evening marries philanthropy and fun. Its dramatic dance contest pits smoldering socials, partnered with professional dancers, in a contest that is taken verrrry seriously. The pool is transformed into a dance floor, masterminded by Richard Flowers, leaving no room for error as more than 230 pairs of eyes watch, critique, analyze and score every move. %26ldquo;The ballots were so close this year that %26ldquo;they had to be counted, then recounted,%26rdquo;%26nbsp;
revealed Miz Thrash, who added, %26ldquo;And I%26rsquo;m not telling who came in second.%26rdquo;%26nbsp;

Meet the Dancers
Mo%26euml;t %26amp; Chandon bubbly and Belvedere Vodka fueled the cocktail hour, which morphed into a multi-course dinner where culinary offerings from Philippe, Eddie V%26rsquo;s at CityCentre, Monarch Bistro at Hotel ZaZa and RDG + Bar Annie/Ava %26amp; Alto were interspersed with vintages from Houston Wine Merchant alongside danse pairings. Among those bravely and boldly stepping to the stage were%26nbsp;2010 Champions Phoebe Tudor and Phillip Broomhead in a reprisal of their%26nbsp;
winning sugar swing, followed by current contestants, in order of appearance: Beth Muecke in a saucy jazz number partnered with Adrian Ciobanu; Melissa Mithoff lending drama and air moves in a racy salsa with Jos%26eacute; Herrera; Ceron disco-ing with wit and abandonment in a hilarious outfit befitting a sheik alongside Krissy Richmond; Dominique Sachse generating heat and channeling the immortal Marilyn as she cha-cha-ed with Philip Gutierrez; leggy Lindsey Love with Joe Modlin in a pert pop number; and dapper managing director C.C. Conner gracefully gliding in %26ldquo;an old-fashioned%26rdquo; with past principal Dawn Scannell.

The Winners %26hellip; Can You Guess?
Waltzing off with the first prize was the beloved gent who helped make the new Dance Center possible ... who stepped up at the 11th hour to take the place of an injured social... and who shares the top position at the Ballet %26mdash; C.C. Conner, with Miz Scannell who confided their winning strategy, which was contrary to the other five teams%26rsquo; air escapades: %26ldquo;We%26rsquo;re four on the floor ... We decided neither one of us would have our feet off the ground.%26rdquo; %26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;
%26nbsp;
In the Audience
Casting their ballots from the front row: Sue and Lester Smith, who know their way around a dance floor, the generous couple recently gifting Harris County Hospital District $15 million for a breast cancer clinic; Trish and Rock Morille, seated at the Smith table; Brenda Love with husband Ed Jones, cheering on her daughter Lindsey; Nick Florescu, who we suspect voted for Miz Sachse; new-to-town Arts4Japan founder Jurate Kopecky; a flock of belles on a girls%26rsquo; night out including Linda McReynolds, Pat Breen, Jeanie Kilroy, Rose Cullen, Ann Bookout, and mother-daughter Yvonne Cormier and Claire Cormier Thielke; Michael Mithoff with adorable daughter Mia cheering on Melissa (Michael confided that her practice sessions were so intense, %26ldquo;it was like being married to an athlete%26rdquo;), with his parents, Ginni and Richard Mithoff; 2010 contestant Lynn Wyatt, escorted by artistic director Stanton Welch; Jay Jones, who co-chaired the campaign for the new $46.8 million Dance Center; Diane Lokey Farb, another 2010 contestant; Sarah and Ron Simon, anticipating their trip to Becca%26rsquo;s big Louvre bash in Paris; Neiman Marcus%26rsquo; Bob Devlin and Liz Zaruba; Tootsies%26rsquo; Mickey Rosmarin, whose store donated swank looks by Naeem Khan, Pucci, Roberto Cavalli and 15 other designers to the Tootsies silent auction bazaar; Versace%26rsquo;s Rene Chapman-Wood; Greggory Burk, set to co-chair the Ballet Ball next spring with Miz Thrash on the arm of husband Pat Burk, who was one of the dashing 2010 contestants; Margaret Williams, who has a beautiful theater in the new building named in her honor, with Jim Daniel; Monsour Taghdisi, who also gave a wonderful performance last fall on the dance floor; 2010 Ballet Ball chairmen Jo and Jim Furr; Lindsey Brown, who%26rsquo;s co-chaired some swell Ballet Barre events; Jean and Henry May; and Lonnie Schiller, who revealed that his grandmother was a ballroom dancer and that he%26rsquo;s open to taking the stage in 2012. Four hours later, this benefit had raised $362,000 on a Tuesday evening, chez Thrash, for the Ballet%26rsquo;s coffers.

Three Cheers for the DIFF

Mon, 02 May 2011 02:32:52 GMT

All the top theaters in town were packed with A-list crowds looking to snag a seat at one of the 184 rave-worthy films screened during the Dallas International Film Festival (DIFF). Kicking off the 11-day cinematic celebration was an opening-night gala at the Winspear Opera House, including a tribute from honorary chairmen Margot and H. Ross Perot to the festival%26rsquo;s founder and chairman emeritus, Liener Temerlin; a screening of Being Elmo: A Puppeteer%26rsquo;s Journey; an after-party at The Trammell %26amp; Margaret Crow Collection of Asian Art; and plenty of red-carpet romps. Among the star-studded sightings around the city: DIFF chairman Michael Cain, DIFF executive director Tanya Foster, festival artistic director James Faust, Dallas Star Award winner Ann-Margret, plus celeb guests Dennis Quaid, and Peter Fonda.%26nbsp;

Back to the Future at the Art Ball

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 03:11:03 GMT

It takes courage to move the seated dinner portion of the Dallas Museum of Art%26rsquo;s 46th annual black-tie Art Ball, normally housed inside the bastion%26rsquo;s weatherproofed barrel vault, outdoors. %26ldquo;I have always loved the DMA%26rsquo;s sculpture garden,%26rdquo; said ball chairman Lisa Runyon. %26ldquo;So I knew from day one exactly where the dinner should take place.%26rdquo; Little did she know rain showers were going to roll in %26mdash; like well-dressed guests Nancy and Clint Carlson, Ann Hobson, Billy Fong, Jennifer and John Eagle, Janelle and Alden Pinnell, Joanne and Mark Giambrone, Cathy Freeman Phillips and Scott Phillips, Nancy and Richard Rogers, Paige and David Lane, and Margaret and Glenn Solomon %26mdash; mere minutes into the gala. The unflappable Todd Fiscus directed his Todd Events team to shield the perfectly set dinner tables in the sculpture garden from rain droplets with a myriad of plastic sheeting while guests cocktailed it up in the concourse. By the time the dinner chimes rang, the skies cleared, and the weather followed the theme of the evening: PastPresentFuture %26mdash; celebrating the past gifts, the present collection and the future path of the museum. %26rdquo;Brian Bolke is responsible for my dress,%26rdquo; said chairman Runyon, receiving guests in a Derek Lam from the fall collection. %26ldquo;He saw it in the runway show this past March and asked Derek to loan the dress to me %26mdash; I think it%26rsquo;s perfect for the theme.%26rdquo; Along with Eugene McDermott interim director Bonnie Pittman, Runyon welcomed well-attired art aficionados Cindy Rachofsky in Alexander McQueen; lead underwriter Tim Headington; core committee members Sharon Young, Julie Hawes, and Cindy Ferris; Deedie Rose, resplendent in tiers of Lela Rose; Mackay Boynton, choosing a Rugby tux with faille ribbon; Suzanne Droese in a silk Stella McCartney; Faisal Halum with multiple lapel pins; Merry Vose, brilliant in a hot-pink Tish Cox sheath; Nicole Musselman in Rick Owens; Tracy Madans in Etro; and Ceron, wearing a bow tie centered with a Chanel black camellia %26mdash; one that Chanel director Pilar Hubbard ironically helped him straighten. Also mingling in the crowd of 600 were the 40 fashionable trend-spotters responsible for curating the well-edited silent auction, sponsored by Faye Briggs. Trend-spotters we spied: San Antonio%26ndash;based Lisa Barfield, designer David Cadwallader, graphic designer Kristina Wrenn, showroom owner David Sutherland, mother-daughter duo Jan Showers and Elizabeth Showers, art consultant Cindy Schwartz, Christie%26rsquo;s Capera Ryan, Stanley Korshak%26rsquo;s Crawford Brock and Bret McKinney, fashion designer Abi Ferrin, and Neiman Marcus%26rsquo; Gabrielle de Papp.

DMA Junior Associate’s Maison de la Mode

Thu, 19 May 2011 04:31:04 GMT

Photo ops were aplenty during An Affair of the Art: %26ldquo;Maison de la Mode House of Fashion%26rdquo; %26mdash; the Junior Associates Circle of the Dallas Museum of Art%26rsquo;s black-tie benefit held at the DMA. Till nearly midnight, flashbulbs captured the scene that boasted the junior social set%26rsquo;s finest (think Ellen and Jamie Copaken, Bradley Agather, Preston Evans, Lindsay and Chuck Jacaman, and Catherine Carr), a fashion presentation styled by Stanley Korshak%26rsquo;s Bret McKinney and a multimedia DJ spinning beats and music videos. As for fine-tuning the megawatt eve? Chairmen Jennifer and Aaron Tobin and Paige Westhoff were to credit, as they led the way in raising funds supporting %26ldquo;The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk,%26rdquo; debuting at the DMA on November 13.%26nbsp;

A Rockin’ Reveal for Cattle Baron’s Ball

Tue, 24 May 2011 01:49:18 GMT

During the Cattle Baron%26rsquo;s Ball Entertainment Reveal Party at Morton%26rsquo;s The Steakhouse, rumors swirled over who would entertain the pack of partygoers at this year%26rsquo;s Cattle Baron%26rsquo;s Ball. (Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 15.) After each guest filed into the at-capacity venue %26mdash; this was the first soir%26eacute;e held at Morton%26rsquo;s new Uptown digs %26mdash; Ball Chairman Jennifer Dix finally released these top-secret names: Darius Rucker on the Main Stage %26hellip; Dierks Bentley on the Live Auction Stage and Clint Black on the VIP Baron%26rsquo;s Party Stage. The crowd reaction? Nothing but cheers from Reveal Party chairmen Sara Fay Egan and Jacquelin Sewell, and guests Olivia Kearney, Dawn Spalding, Richard Eiseman, and Aaron and Brooke Shelby.

Social Swagger

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 05:11:26 GMT

Stiletto Strut gets a fabulous revamp with a new beneficiary, The Family Place, and a tony triumvirate of mother-daughter chairmen.

It was a sight that could halt even the busiest rush-hour traffic: hundreds of well-heeled party gals marching in their Louboutins, Manolos and Choos toward a glossy, fuchsia-pink delivery truck parked at the Commerce Street entrance outside Neiman Marcus Downtown. Emblazoned on the truck%26rsquo;s hot-pink-lacquered side was the beloved name %26ldquo;Todd Events.%26rdquo; Inside the hot rig? Even brighter pink carpet, a lit-up bar and five applauders %26mdash; the truck%26rsquo;s owner, event planner Todd Fiscus; jewelry designer Ashley Pittman; and your trusty PaperCity trio, Rob Brinkley, Christina Geyer, and Lauren Mang %26mdash; cheering said marchers on toward the finish line. Little did rubberneckers who were passing by know that this wildly glamorous frenzy was all in the name of Neiman Marcus Stiletto Strut. This year, the fashionable flagship%26rsquo;s crowning f%26ecirc;te underwent a bit of a makeover, with a new beneficiary, The Family Place, and a call to the young social set (the %26ldquo;Kitten Heels,%26rdquo; as dubbed by the invitation) to participate. And who better to chair a reinvented occasion than Elaine Agather and her vibrant 20-something-year-old daughters, Bradley and Lorene. The night began with a buzzing, pre-Strut cocktail throughout NM%26rsquo;s marble-clad first floor, where bubbly sips were the catalyst for hundreds of pictures snapped inside a photo booth in the Shoe Salon. %26ldquo;I could be in there all day!%26rdquo; Bradley told us before making her way to snap a party pic or two. Also posing for a snapshot was The Family Place%26rsquo;s development director Melissa Sherrill Martin, smiling wide with her sister Kristi Sherrill Hoyl. Adjacent to a display case brimming with Chanel handbags was yet another popular destination: a kiss reader, who told the fortune of many socials via the smudge left by a smooch on a piece of paper. But enough about posing and kissing: What were the glamorous walkers wearing for the big Strut? Some attendees opted for comfort (Lorene wore Diane von Furstenberg wedges, and honorary chairman Sally Hoglund laced up a pair of practical tennies); others preferred making a statement (Piper Wyatt selected %26ldquo;sky-high%26rdquo; Giuseppe Zanottis); and many went for tried-and-true classics, %26agrave; la Elaine%26rsquo;s Christian Louboutin pumps. %26ldquo;I was going to join y%26rsquo;all in a five-and-a-half-inch heel,%26rdquo; announced Fiscus to the crowd moments before Nancy Sinatra%26rsquo;s %26ldquo;These Boots Are Made for Walkin%26rsquo;%26rdquo; signaled the start of the Strut. For us, that tune was the cue to head to Fiscus%26rsquo; set of wheels, where we awaited the pack, led by Jacquelin Sewell riding in a shiny convertible Lexus pace car (from Sewell Lexus, natch), and watched as, one-by-one, the following took their final, high-heeled steps: The Family Place%26rsquo;s executive director Paige Flink, plus Ashley Tripplehorn, Elizabeth Tripplehorn, Tracy Madans, Cindy Rachofsky, Ann Barbier-Mueller, Meghan Looney, Muffin Lemak, Nancy Briggs, Lynn McBee, Tia Wynne, Nancy Gopez, Kris Johnson, Nancy Carter, Candace Krause, Jennifer Tobin, Anne Stodghill, Leigh Bailey, Jaime Singer, and Hayley Hightower.%26nbsp;

A Perfect 10 Wears Valentino

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 05:33:19 GMT

Each spring, members of The Crystal Charity Ball anxiously await answers to two pressing questions asked within the membership. Number one: Who do they think Neiman Marcus will select as the featured designer for The Crystal Charity Ball Ten Best Dressed Fashion Show and Luncheon? And number two: Which perfectly stylish and charitable women will be named to The Crystal Charity Ball%26rsquo;s venerable list of The Ten Best Dressed Women of Dallas? To be the first to hear the news, the well-heeled Crystal Charity Ball crowd (think Di Johnston, Debbie Oates, Christie Carter, Lynn McBee, Paige Locke, Ola Fojtasek, Gina Betts, and Caren Kline) gathered for mid-morning bites and mimosas in the Couture Salon at Neiman Marcus Downtown. The answer to Question One was quickly apparent: The name Valentino, the regal Italian fashion house revered for its glamorous gowns and namesake red hue, was emblazoned on a wall of the salon that was filled with the flown-in fall Valentino looks. Of the beautiful collection crafted by Valentino designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli, NM%26rsquo;s Shelle Sills described it best: %26ldquo;If I can think of one word, it%26rsquo;s perfection.%26rdquo; But there was still one more answer to reveal. Leave it to Neiman Marcus VIPs Gabrielle de Papp, Jim Gold and Sills, along with Valentino%26rsquo;s Wendy Kahn, to spill the news of who will walk the Neiman Marcus runway, representing The Crystal Charity Ball%26rsquo;s 2011 Ten Best Dressed Women of Dallas during the luncheon on Thursday, September 8: Robyn Conlon, Nancy Carter, Claire Emanuelson, Pat McEvoy, Kim Miller, Nancy Rogers, Lee Ann White, and Ellen Winspear; first timers Tricia Besing and Pam Perella; Hall of Fame Honoree Elaine Agather; The Crystal Charity Ball chairman Connie O%26rsquo;Neill; and Ten Best Dressed Luncheon chairman Aileen Pratt, plus honorary luncheon chairman Annette Simmons.

%26ldquo;IT%26rsquo;S SPELLBINDING. IT%26rsquo;S CHARMING. IT%26rsquo;S FEMININE.%26rdquo; %26mdash; Neiman Marcus%26rsquo; Ken Downing on Valentino%26rsquo;s Fall 2011 collection.

HoustonWorks USA Putting Houstonians Back to Work Gala Kickoff

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 05:27:59 GMT

11th Annual Moonlight Rhapsody

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 04:58:15 GMT

Philanthropists flocked to Lake Conroe%26rsquo;s La Torretta Lake Resort %26amp; Spa for the 11th Annual Moonlight Rhapsody, hosted by actress, performer, TV and radio host and songwriter Marla Maples. This year%26rsquo;s beneficiary was the Montgomery County Women%26rsquo;s Center, a nonprofit that offers counseling to victims of domestic abuse. Guests enjoyed a seated dinner by the four-star resort%26rsquo;s restaurant, Chez Roux, and furthered the cause at the silent-auction tables. Moonlighting for charity: La Torretta%26rsquo;s Al Luciano, Mary and Ken Smith, TMG Entertainment prez Paolo Sadri, Donna and Lanny Moriarty, and Dawn and Bobby Cleboski.

11th Annual Chefs' Dinner benefiting the Houston Food Bank

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 03:29:57 GMT

2012 Dallas Symphony Debutante Event at Warren Barron Bridal

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 02:58:42 GMT

Wells Fargo Dallas Symphony Derby "Royal Ascot"

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 02:43:48 GMT

Junior League of Dallas Rummage Roundup

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 06:35:15 GMT

Lucky Strike Lanes Grand Opening

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 11:33:22 GMT

Pho Colonial Grand Opening

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 11:29:36 GMT

26th Annual Building Hope for Children Gala by Casa De Esperanza

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 04:47:52 GMT

St. Jude Derek Harper Golf Classic %26 Evening Under the Star Kick-Off Party

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 03:19:13 GMT

Paws in the City Kick-Off Event at LAFCO

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 03:17:58 GMT

Bravissimo! Opera in the Heights Annual Fundraiser

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 06:31:03 GMT

The Martini Madness! Kickoff Party

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 05:52:05 GMT

Houston Fine Art Fair Reception

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 04:22:50 GMT

It%26rsquo;s official: The Houston Fine Art Fair is on its way. Brad Bucher and fair ambassador Marshal Lightman welcomed guests to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston%26rsquo;s Beck Building for a partial reveal of the 80 galleries participating in the inaugural event, which will highlight post-war, contemporary and Latin American works. Answering the call are hometown gallerists Barbara Davis, Mar%26iacute;a Ines Sicardi, Anya Tish, Hiram Butler, Robert McClain, and Meredith Long, as well as out-of-town dealers Louis Stern and William Shearburn. Afterwards, art lovers mingled under the porte coch%26egrave;re and discussed how the fair%26rsquo;s preview reception on September 15 will benefit the Glassell School of Art%26rsquo;s Core Program. (Save the dates: September 15 %26ndash;18, at the George R. Brown Convention Center). Artful associates: fair creator Rick Friedman and director Fran Kaufman, FotoFest%26rsquo;s Wendy Watriss and Fred Baldwin, Glassell director Joe Havel, MFAH chairman of the board Cornelia Long, Minnette Boesel with the mayor%26rsquo;s office, and Solkem N%26rsquo;Gangbet of the Houston Museum of African American Culture.

The Little Black Dress Project

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 02:11:22 GMT

Ever since its creation by Gabrielle %26ldquo;Coco%26rdquo; Chanel in 1926, the little black dress has been designed and redesigned, withstanding fashion trends. Enter Jeff Shell, director of the Neal Hamil Agency. Three years ago, he founded the Little Black Dress Project, a benefit for Fashion Group Foundation of Houston that challenges Texas fashion-design students to create their own versions of the beloved wardrobe staple and vie for scholarship dollars. This year%26rsquo;s celeb judges %26mdash; including designers Chloe Dao and David Peck, Neiman%26rsquo;s Stacey Swift, Shannon Hall of style mecca Sloan/Hall, and PaperCity%26rsquo;s Laurann Claridge %26mdash; reviewed the top 10 dresses in a fashion show at House of Blues. First-place honors went to Viet Nguyen of Houston Community College; second place, to Neil Marek of University of North Texas; and third place, to Chinaza Moses, also of HCC. LBD onlookers: Marcus Sloan, Donae Chramosta, Vicki Rizzo, Jared Lang with Cara Morales, and Diane Brown.

2011 Houston Symphony Opening Night Luncheon at Tony's

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 07:19:41 GMT

Hosts Kathi and Bill Rovere ushered a fortunate flock into the wine cellar at Tony%26rsquo;s for a midday repast celebrating the Houston Symphony%26rsquo;s Opening Night Gala upcoming this fall. The theme, %26ldquo;Ode to Joy,%26rdquo; alludes to Beethoven%26rsquo;s 9th, which is the orchestral headliner that inaugurates the 2011 %26ndash; 2012 season. (Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 10, with a concert at Jones Hall followed by a seated dinner at The Corinthian.) Noteworthy: Houston Symphony CEO Mark Hanson, Diane Lokey Farb, Astrid Van Dyke, Judi McGee, Harriet Gertner, Viviana Denechaud, and April Lykos.

Houston Pet Set Kick-Off Party at Tootsies

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 03:06:08 GMT

Texas Rangers Triple Play Game Show

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 04:28:04 GMT

Friendly Fêtes

Mon, 23 May 2011 07:01:53 GMT

Woodall Rodgers Park's Green Fling

The Backstory: To celebrate Earth Day, Friends of the Park put together a Green Fling at the Trammell and Margaret Crow Collection%26nbsp;of Asian Art to benefit the Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation. Eco-friendly party props included an emerald AstroTurf entryway lined with a fleet of Smart Cars, VeeV A%26ccedil;ai Spirit cocktails ($1 per bottle sold is donated to The Sustainable A%26ccedil;ai Project) and Wallflower Management models traipsing through the Crow in looks on loan from Tootsies.%26nbsp;

The In-Crowd: Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation VIPs including Glenn Singleton, Missy Wyszynski, Katherine Mathes, and Kristin Gray, plus partygoers such as Lauren and Austin Hill, Christina Donnally, Cory Emerson, Katie Beal, Stephanie Fox, and Charlotte Carter.

Ronald McDonald House of Dallas' Casa Habana

The Backstory: On this balmy Friday evening, one event was penned into every young socialite's calendar: Casa Habana hosted by Young Friends of the Ronald McDonald House. To turn the Ritz-Carlton, Dallas, into a hot Havana social scene, a call was placed to event planner Todd Fiscus%26nbsp;(who propped the vast ballroom with Cuban-chic decor) and to DJ Lucy Wrubel, who spun beats from atop a glowing pedestal. The Ritz's own Fearing's Restaurant kept the flavor Latin with a taco bar in the midst of a silent auction packed with must-have trips and swag.

The In-Crowd:%26nbsp;Chairmen Molly Thomas, Wynne Brown, and Katie Head%26nbsp;and a record=breaking guest list of more than 750 attendees including RMH CEO Jill Cumnock, Sarah Leverett, Cate Ford, Laura%26nbsp;and Gary Guion, Catherine Flagg, Maggie Flagg, Erin Rabenhorst, Dana Peterson, and Allison Vanderwoude.

%26nbsp;

2011 Dallas Contemporary Peek + Wish! Art Aution

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 02:47:59 GMT

Few could describe the Saturday-night scene at the Dallas Contemporary during its Wish! Art Auction better than the art space%26rsquo;s executive director, Peter Doroshenko: %26ldquo;It%26rsquo;s just the right mix,%26rdquo; he said. Doroshenko may have been referring to the glittering crowd %26mdash; an effortless melting pot of art and design types, social swells and the fashion set, all gathered by Peek and Wish! chairmen Brooke Hortenstine and Capera Ryan. But it wasn%26rsquo;t just the ace attendees and sponsors such as David Yurman and Versace who contributed to the impeccable party mix. Hortenstine, Ryan and the incredible Dallas Contemporary team had a multifaceted lineup of flown-in talent in store, from artful installations to multimedia splendor all slated for two megawatt nights, making this a most atypical art auction.%26nbsp;

%26nbsp;Thai performance artist Surasi Kusolwong and his Dallas Dollar Market took center stage to kick off Thursday night%26rsquo;s Peek party. From his platform anchored in the center of the Contemporary, Kusolwong %26mdash; flanked by two bombshell Clutts Agency models %26mdash;%26nbsp;enticed guests with a collection of oddball wares. This high-energy shopping frenzy had partygoers including Nicole Musselman, Ana Pettus, and Alison V. Smith and Barry Whistler participating in his work by scrambling to trade $1 bills for everything from racecars to colorful sombreros. The visual stimulation didn%26rsquo;t end there, as crowds flock to Peek for one main reason: To preview the contemporary art that goes up for bid at Saturday night%26rsquo;s Wish! Art Auction. %26ldquo;I learned last year that you can%26rsquo;t wait,%26rdquo; said Keith Schumann, fresh from winning David Wilburn%26rsquo;s Patio Chair silent-auction piece at Wish!

%26nbsp;In addition to the more than 50 pieces of auction art, even more creative attractions were afloat during Wish!: Twenty-two-year-old DJ Jesse Marco was flown in from New York to spin Saturday night%26rsquo;s soundtrack and ended up delivering much more than party tunes. Marco %26ldquo;vibe%26rsquo;d%26rdquo; a mini-mix before each live auction lot, in turn impressing Christie%26rsquo;s auctioneer Andrea Fiuczynski. %26ldquo;I have to say, you all are hip and happening,%26rdquo; she beamed of the seats filled with Lisa and John Runyon, Michelle Nussbaumer, Nancy Dedman, Karla McKinley, Suzanne and David Droese, Brian Bolke, Faisal Halum, Piper and Mike Wyatt, Elizabeth Showers, Brad Kelly, Capa Mooty, Kelli and Allen Questrom, Morgan Thaxton, Ann Stordahl, Rob Dailey, Jo Marie Lilly, Betty Blake, Julie and Ed Hawes, Merry and Chad Vose, Claire and Dwight Emanuelson, Jessica Olsson, Joyce Goss, Lindsey and Patrick Collins, Sue and Jimmy Gragg, Chris Hite, Kristie and Tom Hoitsma, Courtney and Jeff Sinelli, Deborah and John Scott, Meredith and Josh Needleman, Sharon and Michael Young, Anne and Steve Stodghill, Chris Kimbrough, Meghan Looney, Leslie and Jason Needleman, Tracy and Josh Madans, and Beth and Fin Ewing. Post mix, it was on to the auction, livened by an Untitled Damien Hirst skill spin-art piece that drew the biggest bidding war, resulting in a tie finally broken by a top bid that nearly doubled its $10,000 value. Outside the Contemporary %26mdash; and putting all those valet%26rsquo;d Bentleys and Benzes to shame %26mdash; was Puerto Rican artist Dzine%26rsquo;s car project, Pimp Juice. %26ldquo;I like involving the artist because it makes them the focal point,%26rdquo; said Doroshenko of Dzine%26rsquo;s electric-purple Cadillac Brougham with hydraulics, flat screens and neon lights. %26ldquo;Like having Pimp Juice outside; it%26rsquo;ll be even more of a surprise on the way out.%26rdquo; And it was, as after the last Belvedere Vodka cocktail was sipped, guests were treated to a showing of car tricks courtesy of Dzine

Warby Parker Pop-Up Shop Launch Party

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 03:56:10 GMT

Curtain Call 2011

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 01:07:00 GMT

Memorial Hermann Circle of Life Gala 2011

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 05:45:50 GMT

Just Say Yes Luncheon 2011

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 04:43:18 GMT

Matouk Bedding Debut at Blue Print

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 03:34:07 GMT

Escada Grand Re-Opening Party

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 03:16:11 GMT

United Way Picnic at the Rachofsky House

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 04:20:35 GMT

Sewell Mini of Plano Grand Opening

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 01:34:13 GMT

United Way Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:51:49 GMT

Dallas Symphony Orchestra AT%26T Gala Launch Party

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 11:56:52 GMT

The Real Estate Council FightNight 2011

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 02:54:46 GMT

2011 Celebrity Waiter Luncheon Kick-Off Event

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 02:49:49 GMT

Paul Neinast Salon: Evening of Jewelry and Art

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 04:27:23 GMT

The Joule Poule Launch + White Party

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 04:19:04 GMT

2011 Savor the Symphony

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 03:07:33 GMT

Third Annual Retail As Art Invitational

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 02:12:45 GMT

Peacock Alley Studio Opening

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 12:24:37 GMT

Crime Stoppers 30th Anniversary Awards Luncheon

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 06:42:25 GMT

MFAH Titian and the Golden Age of Venetian Painting

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 07:04:18 GMT

Houston Symphony Maestro's Wine Dinner 2011

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 05:41:35 GMT

Nasher Sculpture Center Presents Sightings: Martin Creed

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 04:21:19 GMT

Dallas Garden Club 65th Annual Flower Show + Tea

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 04:54:14 GMT

A Special Evening with Willie Nelson

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 03:40:06 GMT

Friends of The Brookwood Community Luncheon

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 02:23:25 GMT

North Texas Young Presidents Organization Get the Scoop!

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 04:23:46 GMT

10th Annual EFNT Spirit of Entrepreneurship

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 04:02:39 GMT

Wigs, Wardrobes %26 Wine at Allie Coosh

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 05:06:13 GMT

Bonne Santé

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 06:04:49 GMT

Texas Medical Association Foundation Gala

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 02:31:01 GMT

Making it Better and Looking Good Doing It

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 12:18:56 GMT

The Mommie Series: Summer Edition

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 12:22:47 GMT

TACA Party on the Green 2011

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 03:51:40 GMT

FlyingHorse 2011

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 02:37:47 GMT

Collaborative for Children's An Evening With Friends

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 02:04:15 GMT

Visiting Nurse Association Wheels for Meals %26 More

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 06:38:29 GMT

The Social Book 2011 Launch Party

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 05:01:29 GMT

Houston Opera Ball: "My Fair Ladies"

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 02:28:18 GMT

Houston Grand Opera’s most munificent night is incontestably the Opera Ball, traditionally chaired by a soigné couple from the echelons of our highest society. This spring, this protocol went out the door when HGO’s own director of development and patron services, Rudy Avelar, was tapped to chair the big white-tie night at the Wortham Theater Center. Avelar devised the theme, “My Fair Ladies,” with parasols, buff boys and a multi-million dollar bequest. The invitation set the stage with its reference to the Rex Harrison/Audrey Hepburn cinematic classic’s Ascot scene, thematically visualized by party impresarios Richard Flowers and Kirksey Gregg, as well as Jackson Hicks, who catered the seated dinner with course after course, including filet mignon and My Fair Lady coconut cake. Early on, the evening went off-script, to very remarkable results …%26nbsp;

My Fair Ladies, Indeed: Paying homage to the benefactresses of HGO, nearly 600 revelers toasted past ball chairs; 13 former chair femmes accepted accolades and a nosegay bestowed by Avelar. A chorus line of male dancers, in from Vegas, also made a grand entrance, but nothing could top the major announcement made early in the evening by HGO chairman Glen Rosenbaum: that patroness Margaret Williams was bestowing a $4 million gift on HGO, to be used for endowing a general director chair — making her the fairest lady of all. Among the glam guests at this history-making, $5.5 million night: 2010 Yellow Rose gala chairs Denise and Philip Bahr, she in a romantic black-and-white Oscar de la Renta gown; yellow rose Lynn Wyatt, also selecting Oscar, escorted by son Bradley Wyatt; Cynthia Petrello in a French vintage 1950s couture gown with husband Tony; Pat and Dan Breen, she also headlining in Oscar; 2009 chairmen Donna and Robert Bruni; auction chair/gallerist Wade Wilson and pal Anna Dean, alongside wine auction chairs Laura and Jerry Lasco; Jana and Scotty Arnoldy; Dian and Harlan Stai; Bobbie and John Nau; John and Becca Cason Thrash, she in Valentino; Karen and Mike Mayell; auction chairmen gallerist Wade Wilson and pal Anna Dean; Beth Madison with fiance Robert Burch; Michelle and Frank Hevrdejs, who will chair the MFAH’s Grand Gala Ball this fall; Susan Krohn with fiancé Patrick Gehm; and newlyweds Divya and Chris Brown, who just celebrated their first anniversary.

Mad Men of SPA

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 01:38:03 GMT

The cool, sexy vibe of early %26rsquo;60s America %26mdash; as channeled through TV phenomenon Mad Men %26mdash; was the sizzle for the Society for the Performing Arts Gala. Again the Wortham served as venue, and the gentlemen ruled. A swell six-pack did chair honors %26mdash; Chuck Davidson, Tom Glanville, Jay Jones, Steve Trauber, Bobby Tudor, and Marc Watts %26mdash; while the vintage-themed night honored Joe Peck, founding SPA board member and past president and board chair. Mod 1960s trappings prevailed: long chandeliers, Pollock-style drip action paintings, and Knoll furnishings devised by Rebekah Johnson with input from decorations/cuisine chair Vanessa Sendukas. The pair even found powder-blue, rotary-dial Bell telephones to conjure the era.

Stepping into the 1960s: Updos and swank styles were de rigueur for the gals, most perfectly realized by Phoebe Tudor, Liz Glanville and Leslie Bennett, while white dinner jackets made a dapper statement on chair Bobby Tudor, Mike Plank and Scott McClelland. Other Dons, Peggys, Bettys and Rogers: SPA director June Christensen in a vintage frock, with colleagues Priscilla Larson and Kathryn Lott; last year%26rsquo;s chairmen Georgia and Mike Foulard; Kathryn and Jeff Smith, he as auctioneer for lush lots typified by the Nantucket Getaway, donated by the Tudors, which went to Elizabeth and Tim Vail and a slew of their pals; artists Bert Long Jr. and Joan Batson; Jill and Brad Deutser; birthday boys chairman Marc Watts and Jason Few, who received cakes and a song crooned by a Marilyn impersonator; Terry Wayne Jones smoking a mean candy cigarette; Ginni Mithoff; Craft Center director Julie Farr and Bob Lordi; and auction chair Theresa Mallett with husband Edward. The smart set hit the dance floor when the band Skyrocket took center stage, and all of a sudden 1964 turned into 2011, $400,000 had been raised, and the crowd rocked on.

Kara Walker at The Menil Collection

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 12:27:32 GMT

At The Menil Collection, internationally celebrated Kara Walker addressed rapt throngs about her art-making practice — searing silhouettes that comment on the history of the African-American experience. After Walker’s talk, the second act was less serious: a dinner gathering at the Marks Collection, where hosts Penelope and Lester Marks welcomed the A-list artist and a contingent of admirers including the Menil’s Josef Helfenstein, Toby Kamps, Kristina Van Dyke, and Michelle White; CAMH curator Valerie Cassel Oliver; gallerist Wayne Gilbert; Mr. and Mrs. Pop, Dorene and Frank Herzog; Mary and Bernie Arocha; Melanie Lawson and John Guess Jr.; Row Houses founder Rick Lowe and director Linda Shearer; and artists Trenton Doyle Hancock, Robert Pruitt, Tierney Malone, and Nathaniel Donnett.

Art Car Parade Kickoff

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 12:24:52 GMT

At the Art Car Parade kickoff at the Continental Club, this year%26rsquo;s participants flocked to pick up official parade packets and put on a bit of a show of their rollicking rides, which make Houston%26rsquo;s event the world%26rsquo;s largest, most historic and most celebrated in the world. Orange Show executive director Lynette Wallace %26mdash; the nonprofit produces the annual art extravaganza %26mdash; was on hand to greet creative types including Jackie Harris, who crafted the first Houston art car, Fruitmobile in the 1980s; and Rebecca Bass, who has been teaching her high school students the art of making art cars for 23 years.

Martin Kline at Meredith Long %26 Company

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 12:33:25 GMT

Venerable Houston gallery Meredith Long %26amp; Company (established 1957) welcomed mid-career master Martin Kline, whose latest encaustic creations moved gallery goers by their evocations of the cosmos and ancient civilizations. Kline wowed the crowd including hosts Cornelia and Meredith Long and daughter Martha Long, Cindy and Larry Burns, MFAH curator Barry Walker, Harriet and George Sellnau, Tatiana and Basil Diab, Jason Jacques, and fellow painter Terrell James with architect husband Cameron Armstrong.

Trees of Hope Guild Spring Social

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 12:36:27 GMT

Then it was back to another private club for %26ldquo;A Celebration of Trees from the Serengeti to the City,%26rdquo; this spring%26rsquo;s African-themed Root Ball fund-raiser for Trees for Houston, which plants, promotes and protects our town%26rsquo;s greenscape. Four hundred nature denizens savored cocktails that segued into an alfresco buffet dinner of traditional African fare, accompanied by the soul-drenched sounds of Yvonne Washington, who donned African splendor for the occasion. Reigning over the environmental evening that raised more than $280,000 were tony trio Florence Gautier-Winther, Patricia Peckinpaugh Griffith, and Kathy Cullen McCord. Leaf-lovin%26rsquo; guests who embraced the safari chic dress code with style included Sara Dodd-Spickelmier and Keith Spickelmier, Catherine and Patrick Elkins, Trees for Houston director Barry Ward, Christina Sanborn escorted by Trey McCord, Eliza and Stuart Stedman, Sissy and Grady Roberts, Irena Hixson on the arm of Marcus Cordero, Ginnie and Tim McConn, and Lauren Levicki and Liz Gorman, who enjoined James Sivco to shed his tie.

Fielding Hope for Yellowstone

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 12:38:08 GMT

It was a balmy Sunday %26mdash; the season opener at the Houston Polo Club %26mdash; and a team of Young Friends of Yellowstone Academy turned out to cheer the ponies and the players and do good for their favorite cause: the private Third Ward nonprofit Christian school that helps kids, from kindergarten through eighth grade, overcome poverty and prepare for high school. Adding to the revelry, the Handsomes performed, and the swell set enjoyed bites from Bernie%26rsquo;s Burger Bus plus Tasti D-Lite and vied for a raffle and auction lots. Among the bright and the beautiful: chair couple Laurence and Henry Bragg, school founder Kristi Lumpkins, executive director Kim Hansen, principal Cherie Singleton and husband Calvin, and enthusiastic supporters %26ldquo;Fielding Hope for Yellowstone%26rdquo; including Greggory and Pat Burk, Lisa and Josh Oren, Anna and Ryan Moss, Reed and Billy Wareing, Allison and Spencer Stasney, Kate and Michael Swail, Christie and George Vlahakos, and Dexter Johnson with Tonia Jones, the couple a standout in Derby-inspired finery.

The Center Foundation Spring Luncheon

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 12:31:45 GMT

Pappagallo Bermuda handbags and Lilly Pulitzer ensembles in a sea of pink and green came out, along with alligator-adorned polos and a few sprightly headbands, all in an ode to Lisa Birnbach — she who identified,%26nbsp; launched and then revived a storm of prep-dom with her dual volumes, The Official Preppy Handbook and True Prep. The blue-blooded occasion? The Center’s annual luncheon, which celebrated its 10th anniversary while benefitting its mission of providing residential, vocational and day services for those with disabilities. Natch, the River Oaks Country Club provided the perfect venue for the madras- and pastel-attired set, led by clever chair trio Candace Dickerson, Stef Levy, and Christy Rowland. They welcomed a prep squad including Pepper Edens; Elizabeth Young, comparing wardrobe notes with Caroline Finkelstein; Sheri Bailey, who was the perfect vision of a preppy on the links, down to the monogrammed golf bag; Kim Miller, who tossed her cardigan over a classic Lilly shift; Courtney Robertson, with a big-bowed headband; and John Sanchez, looking the part in pink shorts, a green polo shirt with polo pony logo à la Ralph Lauren, Top-Siders and Ray Bans.%26nbsp;

Red Cross-Dallas Area Chapter Roll Call at the Crescent

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 04:27:27 GMT

Richard Lonsdale-Hands 50th Anniversary Exhibition Preview

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 04:44:06 GMT

Coal Vines Grand Opening at The Shops at Legacy

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 03:19:14 GMT

TUTS 2011 Sterling Stars Gala

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 02:03:23 GMT

Rock the Casbah

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 02:36:59 GMT

Blaffer Blast
It’s not easy to re-imagine a gala. It takes courage to unbutton a black-tie fête, transforming the ultra-formal and often stiff into something, well, more contemporary. So it was when Blaffer Art Museum director/curator extraordinaire Claudia Schmuckli began to deconstruct the museum’s annual benefit, transforming it over three years from a seated repast to a more casual buffet affair that embraced a wider audience — from power-broker and biz types to hipster and important artists. She also moved it back from the Hines College of Architecture to where it belongs: the newly rebranded Blaffer Art Museum, née the Blaffer Gallery. This concept of deconstruction perfectly paralleled the Blaffer’s latest endeavor — a smart, gleaming redux of its 1970s building, which takes the existing site in the heart of the University of Houston central campus and tweaks its entrance and interiors to make a 21st-century statement. The new design, set for completion in early 2012, will be crafted by of-the-moment Manhattan firm Work Architecture Company, whose project roster includes Diane von Furstenberg’s acclaimed new HQ.

A Chic Sheikdom of Party Animals
This scene was less Lawrence of Arabia than Animal House — but substitute togas for caftans and fezzes. Drinks alfresco in the museum courtyard, illuminated by giant orange-and-pink cone-shaped lanterns, souk-worthy lounge areas, music by Moodafaruka and performances by Belladonna Dance Company segued into the Moroccan-inspired feast from City Kitchen, topped by the ultimate confection: a $20,000 pledge made anonymously by a certain table that propelled the night’s total toward $170,000.

Chic sheiks and winsome sultanas: chairmen Karen and Scott Rozzell (his firm, CenterPoint, among the benevolent underwriters); honorees Jo and Jim Furr (his firm, Gensler, set to collaborate on the renovation); university honchos John Antel and John Roberts; outgoing board chair Gordon Goodman; incoming board chair Ryan Gordon; Blaffer famille Coco Blaffer, Joan Blaffer Johnson, and Wirt Blaffer; silent-auction big winners Leslie and Brad Bucher, acquiring the Leonardo Drew, and Mary and Bernie Arocha, who went home with the Johan Grimenprez; and turban-wearing Jim Petersen Jr.

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Airs “Inside Buffalo” Documentary

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 01:50:40 GMT

Black History Month was the perfect opportunity to celebrate great achievements. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, aired filmmaker Fred Kuwornu%26rsquo;s Inside Buffalo, a documentary honoring the 92nd Buffalo Division, a segregated unit that fought in Italy during World War II. The salute coincided with the 150th anniversary of Italian unification. Enlightened observers: the MFAH%26rsquo;s film curator Marian Luntz, who was joined by Howard Jones, Arlene Fox, Angela Holder, Paul Matthews, and Bryce Kennard.

Houston Community College Black History Gala 2011

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 01:52:05 GMT

Houston Community College%26rsquo;s Black History Gala at the Hilton Americas%26ndash;Houston honored Charles Bolden Jr. and Anthony Hall Jr. with the Joyce M. Reynolds Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding deeds. Chairman William Harmon oversaw the black-tie night, which included a live auction, seated dinner and talk by legendary civil rights leader Julian Bond. Culturally aware: Representative Sheila Jackson Lee; and honorary chair trio Bruce Austin, Christopher Oliver, and Michael Williams.

Equinox Yoga on he Lawn at the Rachofsky House

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 01:41:59 GMT

Opening Fête at Wayne Smith Jewels

Tue, 31 May 2011 07:04:17 GMT

Now that Wayne Smith Jewels has relocated his bijoux boutique to Uptown Park, what better reason for a party? Proprietor Wayne Smith %26mdash; who%26rsquo;s known for his dazzling estate jewels as well as glittering baubles he designs himself %26mdash; welcomed guests alongside his new associate, Sissy Davis, who recently retired from Herm%26egrave;s and now joins Smith%26rsquo;s venture. Bijoux buffs: Denny Lyons, Don Connelly, Maggi Jones, Marsha Cross, Michelle and Frank Hevrdejs, John B. Connally IV, and Laura Ward.

Relaunch at Joan Pillow Bridal

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 12:16:13 GMT

Like many a bride, Impressions A Bridal Salon has taken on a new name. Friends and patrons arrived in HIghland Village to celebrate the newly christened boutique, which is now named for its owner: Joan Pillow A Bridal Salon. Guests marveled at gowns from designers Carolina Herrera, Monique Lhuillier, Vera Wang, Marchesa and Jenny Lee, as well as a painting by Houston artist John Palmer, commissioned by customer Lizzy Pendleton. In the wedding party: the owner%26rsquo;s husband, John Pillow, and her Houston partner, Anita Gaylor, as well as guests Emily Streiff, Linda Lorelle, Helena Horwitz, Mollie and Dan Castaneda, Elizabeth Jewell, Susan Kaplan, and Rebecca Pappas.

Houston Symphony Magical Musical Morning, The Sound of Music

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 01:20:13 GMT

Families flocked to the Houstonian Hotel for the Houston Symphony%26rsquo;s annual Magical Musical Morning. Chairman Jenny Staff Johnson and co-chairs Julie Barrett and Katie Forney orchestrated games, arts and crafts, brunch and an instrument petting zoo for this year%26rsquo;s event, themed %26ldquo;The Sound of Music.%26rdquo; While the children played with everything from drums to xylophones, parents browsed the Symphony pop-up shop, with proceeds benefitting the Symphony%26rsquo;s Music Matters! Education and Community Engagement Programs. Encouraging future Mozarts and Beethovens: Christina and Mark Hanson, Betty and Jess Tutor, Joella and Steve Mach, and Melissa and Michael Mithoff.

6th Annual Kissed by an Angel Girls Night Out

Tue, 31 May 2011 05:41:08 GMT

The Kissed by an Angel Girls Night Out, this year themed %26ldquo;Pretty in Pink,%26rdquo; treated more than 300 guests to an array of girlish goodies, from pink cocktails to Chanel makeovers, a raffle and, of course, the handsome husbands who served as waiters. Chairmen sisters-in-law Jennifer Segal and Raquel Segal oversaw the evening, which raised more than $110,000 for the Clayton Dabney Foundation to help families create %26ldquo;Everlasting Memories%26rdquo; for children in the final stages of terminal cancer. In the pink posse: hosts Amy and Peter Shaper, Lucinda Loya, Lisa Holthouse, Marita Fairbanks, Kate McConnico, Marnie Greenwood, Greggory Burk, Melissa Mithoff, and Michelle Clements.

Luxury Marketing Council Luncheon

Tue, 31 May 2011 05:33:34 GMT

The Luxury Marketing Council invited its members and guests to a luncheon at Hotel Granduca to mingle and listen to the wisdom of guest speaker Todd Yost, associate principle at Dallas%26rsquo; McKinsey %26amp; Company and an expert on luxury brand strategizing. Making notes: Houston and Dallas LMC chairman Pamela Martin-Duarte, Samira Salman, designer David Peck, Jennifer Hern, Shannon Hennessy, Najeeb Ahmed, Isabel Dove, Grace Medellin, and Jennifer Hopfe.

BARC Foundation Cocktail Reception

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 02:17:43 GMT

Highland Village%26rsquo;s aptly named third-story eatery, Up Restaurant, was the place to sit, stay and donate when Mayor Annise Parker introduced guests to the Houston BARC Foundation%26rsquo;s founding board of directors. HBF is a private fund-raising organization dedicated to caring for and ultimately preventing homeless animals through spay and neuter programs and pet/owner counseling, among other life-saving BARC initiatives. Pet promoters: Susan and Dan Boggio, Patti and Don Murphy, Brian Teichman, Bobbie Nau, Don Sanders, Elizabeth and Gary Petersen, Carolyn and Paul Mann, and Charlotte Hill.

Bayou Bash

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 07:36:47 GMT

Bayou Buddies held one of its biggest fund-raisers of the year, Bayou Bash, at the Sabine promenade. Guests enjoyed boat rides, a crawfish boil, silent auction and live music, all to benefit the preservation efforts of the Buffalo Bayou Partnership. On the bayou crew: Erin McClure, Julie Antill, Claire and William Getschow, Julie Davidson, and Sarah Harrison.

An Evening in the Garden

Tue, 31 May 2011 04:34:52 GMT

Brookwood Community’s aptly themed gala, “An Evening in the Garden,” filled the Houston Country Club’s ballroom with topiaries, ivy and garden centerpieces, all grown and cultivated by Brookwood’s citizens. Celina Hellmund, Cynthia Petrello, and Melinda Stubbs chaired the sold-out event, which broke records by raising more than $750,000 to help create a supportive environment for adults with disabilities. Performances by Brookwood’s citizen bell choir and HGO Studio Artist Brittany Wheeler, as well as a speech by Earle Martin, author of The Boy Who Saved My Life: Walking into the Light with my Autistic Grandson, enthralled honorees Mollie Castaneda, Mindy Hildebrand, Kay House, and Huda Zoghbi, as well as guests Shannon and Mark Wallace, Franci and Jim Crane, Sue and Lester Smith, and Lynn Wyatt.

Wipe Out Kids' Cancer Guild Spring Fling

Tue, 31 May 2011 03:36:22 GMT

Atrium Grand Opening Featuring Prabal Gurung Fall 2011 Collection

Tue, 31 May 2011 02:59:42 GMT

The fabulous femme behind Casa de Novia Bridal Couture, Luvi Wheelock, has channeled her fashion amore into a new shop, Atrium Ready to Wear, tucked in the same building as her bridal boutique. The opening bash %26mdash; hosted by Greggory Burk, Allie Fields, and Elizabeth Petersen %26mdash; introduced guests to tip-top designer Prabal Gurung (winner of the 2010 CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund award) and his fall collection. In the Casa: Debbie Festari, Stephanie Perkins, Susan Plank, Courtney Hopson, Luvi%26rsquo;s husband Carlos Wheelock, and Kristen Roller, director of sales for Prabal Gurung.

2011 No Tie Dinner and Dessert Party

Tue, 31 May 2011 02:47:32 GMT

Ken Downing at Neiman Marucs

Tue, 31 May 2011 02:49:57 GMT

When Neiman Marcus fashion director Ken Downing speaks, we listen. Naturally we were on the front row when the fashion impresario popped into town to report on spring trends at the retail giant. Smart young ladies walked the runway in Chanel, Zac Posen, Lanvin, Prada, YSL and more, sporting garb Downing deemed %26agrave; la moment: Bohemian head scarves and flowing skirts that recalled Yves Saint Laurent%26rsquo;s halcyon travels to Russia; wide-legged trousers with sandals; coral in every form; maxi anything; neutral tones; and jewelry suites echoing a royal return to grandeur. Downing also divulged that the 2010 Yves Saint Laurent retrospective at the Petit Palais in Paris still lingers in the public consciousness, resulting in many YSL-influenced looks. %26ldquo;Downing%26rdquo; his insights: Neiman%26rsquo;s Bob Devlin, Annina Stefanelli, Vicki Woodson, Lindley Arnoldy, Brittany Rose, Eloise Frischkorn, Artie Hibbert, Patricia Mia, and Bianca Coin.

Houston Children's Charity's 'A Gathering of Champions' Fundraiser

Tue, 31 May 2011 02:48:49 GMT

A Night at the Turtle Creek Karaoke Lounge Wrap Party

Tue, 31 May 2011 01:09:38 GMT

14th Annual Racing for Sight

Tue, 31 May 2011 01:07:24 GMT

Justice for Children's 8th Annual Gala - Mardi Gras Ball

Tue, 31 May 2011 01:07:12 GMT

Caron Cares Kick-Off Reception

Tue, 31 May 2011 12:22:21 GMT

Texas Children's Ambassadors Family Fun Day

Fri, 27 May 2011 05:16:33 GMT

Jewish Community Center's 21st Annual Children's Scholarship Ball

Fri, 27 May 2011 04:16:35 GMT

Art Car Ball

Wed, 25 May 2011 12:05:14 GMT

2011 Accessible Luxury Event

Thu, 26 May 2011 04:46:28 GMT

Louise %26 Donald Cowan Center for Education Dedication

Wed, 25 May 2011 05:22:00 GMT

Womens Auxiliary of Nexus Recovery Center Spring Luncheon

Wed, 25 May 2011 04:53:02 GMT

12th Annual Spirit of Spring Luncheon and Fashion Show

Wed, 25 May 2011 03:45:16 GMT

Houston Surgical Society 2011 Distinguished Surgeon of Houston

Wed, 25 May 2011 01:35:49 GMT

2011 Teaming Up for Healthy Kids Luncheon

Tue, 24 May 2011 04:17:48 GMT

Bentley Continental GT Premiere

Tue, 24 May 2011 03:32:01 GMT

North Texas Food Bank The Round Table Happy Hour

Thu, 19 May 2011 05:36:51 GMT

Theatre Three's 50th Anniversary Luncheon

Mon, 23 May 2011 12:54:52 GMT

MusiqaFiesta

Tue, 24 May 2011 12:51:57 GMT

2011 Dallas Art Fair Preview Gala

Tue, 03 May 2011 11:17:17 GMT

Catherine D. Anspon and Christina Geyer consider the booths, the buzz, the big sales, those glamorous parties and, above all, the stellar art. Photography Bruno and Jerry McClure.

Thirty, 50, 70-plus. Since 2009, we%26rsquo;ve watched, then participated as the Dallas Art Fair incubated from a small, well-edited collection of three dozen dealers to an Art Dealers Association of America%26ndash;quality presentation that serves as a beacon for the Texas community and beyond. Home-grown and nurtured by co-founders Chris Byrne and John Sughrue %26mdash; a perfect confluence of art and business if there ever was one %26mdash; the Fair reached maturity in 2011. Moving from Arctic February to balmy April, year three emphatically signaled that the Dallas Art Fair was all grown up and was a resounding success: (1) Celebrated, often visionary gallerists rolled out their roster of art stars. (2) High-wattage collectors flocked. (3) Artists of note and one Factory superstar attended, mixingand mingling with Texas talents. (4) A web of programming added depth, showmanship, a scholarly component and even intrigue.%26nbsp;

%26nbsp;

Boldface Art Types %26mdash; Christina Geyer Takes Names at This International Art Whirl%26nbsp;
Thursday Night%26rsquo;s Big Revel ... Dallas Art Fair 2011 Preview Gala
Seen/Scene: Marlene and John Sughrue working the door with her sis, MaryEllen Donovan, in from NYC; Sam Saladino self-parking to avoid the two-block-long valet line; Dave Perry-Miller; Wells Fargo honchos Trip Bomar, Steve Christensen, John Dix, and Mike Marasco; patron sponsor Neiman Marcus%26rsquo; Jim Gold, Gabrielle de Papp, and go-to curator Julie Kronick; designer Jason Wu, who toured the Fair with Gold; collectors extraordinaire Deedie Rose, Marguerite Hoffman, and Cindy and Howard Rachofsky; style makers Niven Morgan and Shelby Wagner; Forty Five Ten%26rsquo;s Brian Bolke; Ceron; Jennifer and John Eagle, who opened up their modernist casa last year for a tony Fair tour; Lindsey and Patrick Collins; Claire Dewar; Arcodoro%26rsquo;s Lori and Efisio Farris; Brook Partners%26rsquo; Lyle Burgin; Muffin and John Lemak (daughter Ellie works for Colton %26amp; Farb%26rsquo;s Dallas outpost); Ed Beardsley of Heritage Auctions; Museum Tower%26rsquo;s Greg Greene and Dan Boeckman; art savant Cindy Schwartz; adorable Kristy Barefoot with storied Ruinart Champagne (supped by social swells since 1729!), a presenting sponsor; Valley House%26rsquo;s Cheryl Vogel, chatting with Laura Bush; Charlotte Anderson; Marion Flores; Axa Art%26rsquo;s Frank Herzog and wife Dorene, hosts of the Houston kickoff soir%26eacute;e; Dallas Contemporary headliner Juergen Teller, who divulged the night%26rsquo;s dinner plan %26mdash; a private meal with local art types; Julie Taubman; Kelli and Allen Questrom; Dallas Morning News gossip guy Alan Peppard; and the Fair%26rsquo;s Lauren Christensen, Katie Richter, and Chris Byrne, who stayed late to do one more walk-through. Patron sponsor Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek%26rsquo;s top toque Bruno Davaillon crafted artful bites, posh Cadillac wheels were parked outside, and Mo%26euml;t Hennessy provided luxurious libations, including Ruinart Champagne, while guests lounged on sleek furnishings from Scott + Cooner. The sold-out night benefitted Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and Dallas Contemporary.%26nbsp;

FashionRules! at Neiman Marcus Downtown

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 06:01:40 GMT

%26ldquo;I%26rsquo;m having a Texas birthday experience,%26rdquo; declared fresh-faced designer%26nbsp;Jonathan Bash%26nbsp;during a pre-party conversation with over iced tea in Neiman Marcus Downtown%26rsquo;s Zodiac Room. Bash, in town from Los Angeles, with business partner and Dallas native%26nbsp;Lacey Lemak, had more than a birthday to celebrate during his trip. You see, Neiman Marcus Downtown selected Bash, with his new spring collection, as the starring design attraction for its FashionRules! event, benefiting The Salvation Army Junior Auxiliary. The night of the big party, NM%26rsquo;s Commerce Street valet lot reached its limit as more than 300 pretty young faces packed into the flagship%26rsquo;s first floor for their fill of bubble-gum-pink cocktails and an hours-long opportunity to shop the colorful minidresses. %26ldquo;There%26rsquo;s a dress,%26rdquo; said Bash, %26ldquo;called %26lsquo;The Muffin%26rsquo; because Muffin inspired the collection!%26rdquo; Indeed, he was speaking of%26nbsp;Muffin Lemak, Lacey%26rsquo;s well-dressed mom. It%26rsquo;s even on our radar that this very evening, one not-to-be-named veteran socialite requested that Bash create a custom gown for her to wear to an impending black-tie. As for the junior society types, many took several hangers%26rsquo; worth of dresses upstairs for impromptu fittings. Back on the ground we spotted: The Salvation Army Junior Auxiliary chairman%26nbsp;Michelle McAdam,%26nbsp;Elizabeth%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Kevin Phillips,%26nbsp;Casey%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Charlie Robinson,%26nbsp;Nile Nussbaumer,%26nbsp;Meghan Looney,%26nbsp;Ellie Lemak,%26nbsp;McKenzie Brittingham,%26nbsp;McLean Brittingham,%26nbsp;Terri Brittingham,%26nbsp;Lauren%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Josh Laughry, and%26nbsp;Caroline Shuford.

Party for Jason Wu at the Home of Lucy %26 Steve Wrubel

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 10:35:37 GMT

For designer%26nbsp;Jason Wu, when it comes to stylish gals over which to fawn, we can think of few more fashionable than%26nbsp;Lucy Wrubel. (She could even make Wu momentarily forget his famous muse in the White House.) It was no surprise, then, that top heads at Neiman Marcus Downtown asked the daring dresser and %26nbsp;photographer husband%26nbsp;Steve%26nbsp;to open their kaleidoscopic Highland Park house for an indoor/outdoor cocktail honoring Wu and his just-debuted fall collection. The designer, fresh from a dinner with new NM president of specialty retail%26nbsp;Jim Gold%26nbsp;at Arcodoro %26amp; Pomodoro to celebrate that weekend%26rsquo;s Dallas Art Fair, arrived at the modernist Wrubel residence at dusk. With the home%26rsquo;s collage of mod, wildly colored furnishings as his backdrop, Wu made the rounds, greeting his gaggle of adorers consisting mainly of Wrubel friends (Suzanne Droese,%26nbsp;LB Rosser,%26nbsp;Lisa Runyon,%26nbsp;Mi Jung Warner,%26nbsp;Kristen%26nbsp;Twomey,%26nbsp;Tamara%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;John%26nbsp;Bickel%26nbsp;and more), Wrubel family (Lucy%26rsquo;s parents,%26nbsp;Jennie%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Stuart Reeves) and famous NM faces (Gabrielle de Papp,%26nbsp;Shelle Sills,%26nbsp;David Koca,%26nbsp;Jeny Bania,%26nbsp;Matthew Simon%26nbsp;and more). Held the balmy eve before Wu%26rsquo;s Fall trunk showing, guests thrilled at the op to sneak a peek at the raved-about collection of voluminous dresses embellished with deconstructed lace, crisp ascot shirts and lush wool coats, worn by models traipsing among patio decorations trucked in by Todd Fiscus and posing for their close-ups in front of the Wrubels%26rsquo; graffiti-art garage door. We caught up with Wu at NM Downtown the next day for a bit of post-party chat.%26nbsp;
%26nbsp;
Wu Hoo! We Jive with Jason
CG: What did you think about the Wrubels%26rsquo; house?
JW:%26nbsp;Oh, it was wonderful! You can tell they%26rsquo;re all about taking a risk, but they have a great aesthetic, too %26mdash; a great sense of style.%26nbsp;%26nbsp;
CG: Where else have you stopped while in Dallas?
JW:%26nbsp;Jim Gold took me to the Art Fair preview. Art being such an important part of my inspiration, I thought it was really amazing.%26nbsp;
CG: Speaking of inspiration, what sparked your most recent collection?
JW:%26nbsp;Photographs of Versailles by Robert Polidori. They were taken during its restoration and compiled into a three-volume book. The building materials in the beautiful space inspired my idea of Baroque sportswear %26mdash; it%26rsquo;s about taking two unlikely ingredients and giving them new life.%26nbsp;

Friends of the Park Green Fling

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 06:04:12 GMT

Young Friends Casa Habana

Mon, 23 May 2011 06:16:44 GMT

14th Annual Heart of Gold Luncheon

Mon, 23 May 2011 05:10:51 GMT

What Happens in Vegas

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 04:32:54 GMT

The%26nbsp;Interfaith Housing Coalition had all the cards in its favor %26mdash; just ask those who attended its What Happens in Vegas %26hellip; Gives a Home and Hope to the Homeless benefit, staged by its Friends of Children group. Nine chairmen duos (Kathi%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Scott Shuford,%26nbsp;Lisa%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Sanders Thompson,%26nbsp;Lauren%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Josh Laughry,%26nbsp;Adriane%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Andy Crosland,%26nbsp;Caroline Shuford%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Mary Shuford,%26nbsp;Christy%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Sayers Brown,%26nbsp;Natalie%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Jeff Wells,%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Shelby Sabin%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Chris Menczer)%26nbsp;tried their luck at a bit of charitable gambling, all painting a casino-cool scene inside the Hotel Palomar. It was a full house with this swarm of Vegas-chic guests:%26nbsp;Rita Davis,%26nbsp;Dow Crocker,%26nbsp;Katie Beams%26nbsp;and IHC President%26nbsp;Susie Barnett.%26nbsp;

Ronald McDonald House of Dallas Moonlight Ball 2011

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 06:33:49 GMT

The moment we received our elegant invitation to the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas' 30th anniversary Moonlight Ball, we knew we were in for a starry evening of fund-raising to support seriously ill children and their families. By the light of the moon, stylish co-chairmen%26nbsp;Natalie Dossett%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Gigi Sussman%26nbsp;swept through Brook Hollow Golf Club, chatting with charitable attendees including honorary chairmen%26nbsp;Katherine%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Bob Penn%26nbsp;and guests%26nbsp;Elise%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Hudson Houck,%26nbsp;Robyn%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Don Conlon,%26nbsp;Di%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;David Johnston, RMH CEOJill Cumnock%26nbsp;with husband%26nbsp;Kris, and%26nbsp;Sally%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Mike McWilliams. To close out the night in high style, The Project Band serenaded guests for a long night of waltzing, twirling and dipping.

Stanley Korshak's 25th Anniversary

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 06:11:48 GMT

Has it really been 25 years since%26nbsp;Caroline Rose Hunt%26nbsp;threw open the glass doors of the venerable Stanley Korshak to welcome customers and throw unforgettable bashes? It began in the late %26rsquo;80s, when the store boomed with PA parties and guest lists boasting the likes of Bill Blass and Geoffrey Beene. Since then, there have been intimate gatherings (we remember the 100-person soir%26eacute;e attended by Prince Albert of Monaco); supersized events (for its 21st anniversary, Korshak f%26ecirc;te planners bought out every liquor store in the vicinity); and dozens of%26nbsp;PaperCity-sponsored to-dos (from a buzzing night dubbed Club Korshak in 2008 to last year's Brunello Cucinelli boutique opening). But of all the champagne-infused events that have ensued at the Crescent Court fashion institution, few will be lodged into the memory banks as prominently as Korshak's 25th anniversary. Here's how to blow out the candles of a milestone birthday in style: Begin withSaturday Night Fever%26nbsp;flare, with disco balls and power-house tunes via DJ%26nbsp;Lucy Wrubel, who spun her beats from a sparkling tower standing three stories tall in Korshak's cosmetics salon; add several libation destinations on each floor, with bartenders pouring generous amounts of Patr%26oacute;n Tequila and Ultimat Vodka; park sparkling Aston Martins out front; and fill the store with more than 700 society types %26mdash; or, "TheWho's Who%26nbsp;of Dallas and%26nbsp;Fort Worth!" as Korshak's own%26nbsp;Rose Clark%26nbsp;so fittingly described this crowd. Seen lauding the birthday star:%26nbsp;Charlotte Anderson, who did some serious shopping in between party chat;%26nbsp;Sara%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;David Martineau;%26nbsp;Billie Leigh Rippey;%26nbsp;Ashley%26nbsp;Tripplehorn;%26nbsp;Aparna Crosnoe;%26nbsp;Julie Butler Hawes;%26nbsp;Jacque Wynne, who stayed late for the after-hours dance party at The Shak;%26nbsp;Linda%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Steve Ivy, who busied themselves in the Carolina Herrera shop;%26nbsp;Doris Jacobs%26nbsp;and her daughter%26nbsp;Teffy Jacobs;%26nbsp;Olivia Kearney;%26nbsp;Rajan%26nbsp;Patel; and%26nbsp;Jess%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Beth Moore%26nbsp;in from Houston. Among the sea of partygoers, we caught up with Korshak owner%26nbsp;Crawford Brock, who delighted in sharing the night with his wife,%26nbsp;Janet, and daughters%26nbsp;Helen,%26nbsp;Leigh%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Laura. One busy bee we saw dashing across the courtyard between Stanley Korshak and its younger counterpart, The Shak, was%26nbsp;Bret McKinney. "I was here%26nbsp;all%26nbsp;last night!" he said of planning the high-wattage after-party that required 24 hours of construction, including clearing The Shak of its racks of designer wares and constructing a colorful disco dance floor. One question remains: How ever will Korshak celebrate its 50th?%26nbsp;
%26nbsp;
Remember When%26hellip;
"I was a provisional member of the Junior League of Dallas, and Stanley Korshak hosted the first-ever Auction %26amp; Casino Party. The store sparkled, everyone was so fashionably dressed and Korshak put on an incredible runway show. The bar was set high from the start!%26rdquo; %26mdash;%26nbsp;Lynn McBee
"I have the best memories of Brooke [Hortenstine] and I working together. She took all of the%26nbsp;PaperCityphotos on her Elph camera!" %26mdash;%26nbsp;Paige Slates
"I loved having the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders swimsuit calendar unveiling party at Korshak. Football, fashion and the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders %26mdash; a winning combination!" %26mdash;%26nbsp;Charlotte Anderson
%26rdquo;The night of the Italian Party I got to wear an Italian mayor's sash and play Italian music all night long. It was a thrill to play that set! Who else would give me that opportunity?" %26mdash;%26nbsp;DJ%26nbsp;Lucy Wrubel

The Dallas Symphony Orchestra League presents the 25th Annual Presentation Ball

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 04:51:05 GMT

Gowns and curtseys were all the rage as 40 exquisite Symphony Debutantes took their bows at the 25th Annual Dallas Symphony Orchestra League Presentation Ball at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center. Escorted by dapper members of the Honor Guard, debs including%26nbsp;Caroline Crews,%26nbsp;Emily Hairston,%26nbsp;Grace McElroy,%26nbsp;Randall Neely,%26nbsp;Christina Dietz, and%26nbsp;Catherine Sowell%26nbsp;were presented to top-tier society swells such as honorary chairs%26nbsp;Tincy%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Vance Miller%26nbsp;(Tincy chaired the first-ever ball in 1987); DSOL president%26nbsp;Barbara Boyd;%26nbsp;and ball chairman%26nbsp;Cynthia Beaird. Family roots were in abundance, too, with debutante%26nbsp;Dulaney Miller,%26nbsp;alongside grandparents%26nbsp;Dee%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Charles Wyly%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Stan%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Sara Lee Gardner, with daughter%26nbsp;Helen Gardner. Waltzing in white has never looked better.

Center of Attention Foundation Happy Hour

Mon, 23 May 2011 01:59:40 GMT

Jill Reno at IW Marks

Mon, 23 May 2011 01:44:12 GMT

Chiapas Project Young Professionals Wishing Well Kickoff Party

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 05:00:33 GMT

Who better to make benevolent dreams come true than the Chiapas International Young Professionals? This group of bright young philanthropists kicked off its Wishing Well Campaign, a plan to raise funds for a water sanitation plant to be built in the Dominican Republic, with a bubbly cocktail at the home of designer%26nbsp;Jan Barboglio. Wish granted: By evening's end, the organization %26mdash; with its chairmen%26nbsp;Pilar Macdonald%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Bradley Wilson%26nbsp;and guests%26nbsp;Natalie Erwin,%26nbsp;Lindsey Garrett,%26nbsp;Meghan Looney,%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Lou Mercer%26nbsp;%26mdash; raised an astounding $22,000. A dream come true, indeed.

Destination Bourbon Street for The Crown Ball

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 03:58:50 GMT

With all the purple-and-gold decorations, strands of beads and feathered masks, it felt like Mardi Gras at the 10th Annual Crown Ball presented by The Ryan Gibson Foundation for Leukemia Advocacy. A sizeable pack of more than 30 chairmen %26mdash; Adriane and Hook Harmeling, Sayward and Bryant Smith, Andrea and John Weber, Morgan Cox and others %26mdash; arrived at Marc Events, all in sparkly disguises per the masquerade-themed party attire directive. When guests weren%26rsquo;t placing bids at the silent auction, they were dancing to live music by the Ray Johnston Band or sipping Southern-style cocktails courtesy of Bacardi USA. The night's party catch phrase? Laissez les bons temps rouler!

2011 Zoo to Do Kickoff Celebration

Mon, 23 May 2011 12:16:05 GMT

Manolo Blahnik at Saks Fifth Avenue VIP Reception

Thu, 19 May 2011 01:16:48 GMT

Launch of Manolo Blahnik at Saks

Thu, 19 May 2011 01:14:28 GMT

Aaron Parazette's Cloud Break Opens at McClain Gallery

Wed, 18 May 2011 07:11:41 GMT

Buffalo Bayou Ball "Happy Trails to You"

Wed, 18 May 2011 02:07:25 GMT

Guardian of the Human Spirit Luncheon

Tue, 17 May 2011 02:28:17 GMT

Mission Incredible for Mission of Yahweh

Mon, 16 May 2011 11:23:17 GMT

What: The Mission Celebrates it's 50th Anniversary Serving Homeless Women and Children!

Where: River Oaks Country Club, Houston Texas

When: Sunday, May 15, 2011

Time: 6:00pm

Ticket Prices: $200 individual ticket

Beneficiary: The Mission of Yahweh

Master of Ceremonies: Dave Ward

Honoree(s): Susan G. Baker, The Reverend David Peterson and Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church, Eagle Scouts of Greater Houston

Presenting Sponsor(s): DMN3, Monica Hartland %26amp; John Blaisdell, Larry %26amp; Linda Martin, Ltd,

Honorary Chairperson(s): Janice and Bob McNair

Co-Chair(s): Lisa Ferchau and Monica Hartland

Invocation: The Reverend David Peterson

Music: Smith Sound

Sponsors: Monica Hartland and John Blaisdell, DMN3, Linda and Larry Martin, Goodrich Petroleum, Hues by Heather, John P. McGovern Foundation, Lisa and Mark Ferchau, Marlene Marker/The Marker Group Inc., Millette and Haag Sherman, Laura and Dave Ward, Watson Family Foundation, Lisa and Craig Wilson/GLS Welcome

Menu: Jicama Apple and Pear Salad, Herb-Crusted Prime Beef Tenderloin, Chocolate and Raspberry Petite Gateau

Attendance: 370+

Attire: Business Attire

Special Thanks: Bulgari Corporation of America, Cohn-Moscarelli Marketing %26amp; Communications, Data and Mailing Resources, Disc Pro Printing %26amp; Graphics, DMN3, Eu Entertainment, Jamie Miller, Joyful Sound, Philippe Restaurant, Premiere Valet, Quantum/SUR Inc., Scott Evans, Warner Roberts

Board of Directors: Joyce Pankonien, Mel Kieke, Jamie Miller, Randy Blanchard, Lisa Ferchau, Pamela Lockard, Hiett Ives, Fozia Steinkuller

The Mission celebrated its 50th anniversary and everybody came to be part of it. A sold-out gala with more than 370 guests was indeed a guarantee for a successful evening.

On a wonderful Sunday evening guests arrived at the upscale River Oaks Country Club around 6 pm to be greeted by event chairs Lisa Ferchau and Monica Hartland. Guests enjoyed cocktails, bid on many silent auction items and bought raffle tickets for this incredible Bulgari-watch (retail value $5,250). The attraction of the evening was a little Maltipoo Sweetheart, a Maltese/Poodle mix, which was sold later in the live auction for $3,500.

Dinner was served around 7pm and the Master of Ceremonies Dave Ward welcomed all the guests. Former MOY Board Chairman Randy Blanchard introduced the chairs Lisa Ferchau and Monica Hartland, before the Youth Choir "Joyful Sound" gave their opening performance.

Awards were presented to Susan Baker, to The Reverend David Peterson and to Eagle Scouts of Greater A very lively auction and dancing to the music of Smith Sound ended this very special evening for the Houston for their dedication to improving the lives of the homeless in Houston.Mission of Yahweh.

About The Mission of Yahweh

The Mission of Yahweh began with a vision given to Mrs. Helen Gay - known by most as Sister Gay. This vision from God led her to a devoted life of helping the poor, and in 1961 she opened her home to women in crisis.

To get her community's help, Sister Gay would drive her truck through the Memorial area seeking donations. Soon, many churches and families lent their support to Sister Gay and her vision.

In 1971, a group of churches met and organized a Board of Directors and the corporate structure to support her work. In 1972, a corporate charter was granted by The State of Texas to establish The Mission of Yahweh as a non-profit 501(c)3 homeless shelter for women and children. In 1981, construction began with a single dormitory on Algiers.

Today, the Mission Campus consists of 11 buildings and houses up to 85 women and children. Sister Gay's vision continues to drive their mission to enrich the lives of homeless women and children. Although Sister Gay passed away in 2008, The Mission of Yahweh and the legacy she left behind continues to flourish.

www.missionofyahweh.org

"The Enchantment of India" Tremont House 27th Annual Mardi Gras Ball and Parade Viewing Party

Mon, 16 May 2011 07:10:30 GMT

An Evening with Joan

Mon, 16 May 2011 06:45:32 GMT

3rd Annual Tapestry Gala

Mon, 16 May 2011 06:11:50 GMT

Supper in the Garden

Mon, 16 May 2011 05:02:21 GMT

The Big Black Tie Ball: An Evening of Masterpieces

Mon, 16 May 2011 05:42:25 GMT

Blue Plate Special Cafe Lunch and Harvest Market

Mon, 16 May 2011 04:24:41 GMT

Steppin' Out for LifeHouse Houston Dinner

Mon, 16 May 2011 03:46:16 GMT

2nd Annual Indian Film Festival of Houston Awards Night

Mon, 16 May 2011 02:58:58 GMT

Menil by Moonlight

Mon, 16 May 2011 01:20:20 GMT

We all know the art set functions best once the sun goes down, so it was no surprise that Menil by Moonlight was a huge draw. With its galleries open from 7 to 9 pm, The Menil Collection offered contemporary art aficionados a uniquely nocturnal look at its exquisite holdings, coupled with outdoor screenings of Pop proponent Andy Warhol%26rsquo;s television creations and cameos made during his career %26mdash; a rare treat. Night owls: artists Charlie and Angelbert Metoyer, Menil director Josef Helfenstein and wife Dorothee Sauter, Yen-Chi Le, Corbin Dill, Bobby Heugel, David Frantz, Sallie Teninbaum, Kate McConnico, Ghent Lummis, and Mary Michael Townsend.

Hats and Flats

Fri, 13 May 2011 12:02:07 GMT

What: A summer Picnic benefiting Teach For America.

Where: Home of Astrid Van Dyke

When: Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Time: 11:30am - 1:30pm

Ticket Prices: $250 Ticket (limited), $500 Ticket, $5000 Table for ten

Beneficiary: Teach For America

Host(s): Astrid Van Dyke

Mistress of Ceremonies: Aisha Crumbine

Gala Chairperson(s): Cathy Brook and Tricia Dewhurst

Committee Members: Sharon Adams, Gracie Cavnar, Cathy Chapman, Phyllis Childress, Sally Hopper, Sally Matthews, Cathryn Selman, Anne Stewart, Phoebe Tudor, Astrid van Dyke

Catering: Chef Barbara

Menu: Tarragon Chicken Salad on Artichoke Half, Melon Salad with Honey and Lime, Crudites with Sauce Verte, Vegetarian Mushroom Pate, Brie with Apricot Chutney, Strawberry Tarts, Macarons au Chocolat.

Attendance: 90+

Attire: Picnic Chic Attire

Special Thanks: Laura and John Arnold Foundation, The Brown Foundation / Cynthia %26amp; Ben Guill. Nancy %26amp; Richard Kinder, The Mutt Foundation.

Event Coordinator: Teryn Eustace

The home of Astrid Van Dyke in the beautiful River Oaks area was a wonderful setting for this Teach for America Luncheon on a typical humid and hot day in Houston. The guests dressed in their beautiful picnic-chic attires and most ladies showed off their colorful hats.

Chairs Cathy Brook and Tricia Dewhurst, together with host Astrid Van Dyke welcomed the guests and ice-cold beverages and wine were offered. Guests mingled in the open pavilion which gave shade and a warm breeze filled the humid air.

The centerpiece of the event was a silent auction featuring custom picnic baskets donated by some of Houston's premier catering companies.

Guests enjoyed their delicious lunch while Patton Bushong and Jeremy Tarbutton talked about their experience as teachers for Teach for America.

Teach for America

Teach for America's mission is to build the movemnet to end educational inequality in Houston and across the nation by building a corps of highly talented individuals who commit to teach two years in our city's lowest-income communities and who become leaders for expanding educational opportunity. Right now, 530 corps members and over 300 alumni teach almost 80.000 students in over 150 Houston public schools.

www.teachforamerica.org

Art4Life

Wed, 11 May 2011 06:28:04 GMT

Bid-Arama, Amazing Art
Three hundred savvy art collectors and a contingent of socials converged upon the Station Museum of Contemporary Art for a truly important contemporary art auction of 50 works by top internationals and respected Texas talents. The record-setting Art4Life evening rivaled such choice collectors%26rsquo; f%26ecirc;tes as the Glassell Gala and reaped $100,000 for the cause: AIDS Foundation Houston and their much needed work in the community. Curating the silent auction was gallerist Barbara Davis, who called in favors from artist pals including, from her own stable, works by Mie Olise, Donald Lipski, and Joe Mancuso. Davis co-chaired alongside collectors Heidi Schwarzwald and Bryan Rosenstrauch, setting a high bar for this event. Blue Apron Caters and Barefoot Wine donated bites and libations. AFH CEO Angiela Zielinski and colleague Nathan Kasselder were ecstatic and are hoping Davis will co-chair again for 2012.

Who Acquired What
%26bull; The Joe Mancuso painting went home with Tim Hurst.
Penelope and Lester Marks were high bidders on the monumental Robyn O%26rsquo;Neil drawing, a gift for their daughter, Alana Valentina, who arrived weeks later.
%26bull; After a fierce bidding war, Rachel Hecker%26rsquo;s Pop-inflected signage went to Monty McDannald and Katina Pontikes.
%26bull; Leigh and Reggie Smith scored the James Drake drawing.
%26bull; Barbara and doc Mark Schusterman eyed and acquired the Lowell Boyers canvas.%26nbsp;
%26bull; Sandy Dow was the high roller on the op-geo painting by Susie Rosmarin.%26nbsp;
%26bull; Andre Marshall was the winner of the Christine Bruni Fondren photograph.
%26bull; International Mie Olise%26rsquo;s dynamic painting went to Lisa Reed.
%26bull; JoAnn Park%26rsquo;s whimsical print was won by Kathryn O%26rsquo;Brien.
%26bull; Chairs Heidi Schwarzwald and Bryan Rosenstrauch acquired stellar creations by Texas talents Ann Wood and Jonathan Leach.
%26bull; Yours truly scored a succulent painting by Lawndale artist-in-resident Daniel McFarlane.
%26bull; Kristen Cannon acquired the Bulgari statement handbag.

2011 Passion for Fashion Luncheon

Wed, 11 May 2011 05:31:20 GMT

Where the Girls Are …
Factor in a pair of red-carpet designers, five it-girl chairs, a Texas fashion icon and the automotive exec who launched Houston’s first-ever fashion week, and you have — voilà! — this spring’s big sold-out runway convergence, the Passion for Fashion Luncheon. Nearly 500 style seekers swarmed Hotel ZaZa for a seated luncheon, awards presentations and a Q-and-A conducted by Clifford Pugh of designing gents/HCC Design Society honorees Mark Badgley and James Mischka. The day’s other honorees enhanced the excitement. Diane Lokey Farb, in Chanel, was toasted for her exquisite and unerring sense of style; just returned from Hollywood, she lent her Badgley Mischka gown from Oscar night (the evening before) to adorn the stage, while a riveting video tribute screened and she accepted the much-deserved Design Society Fashion Icon Award. Also recognized was Audi’s main man, Jared Lang, who was applauded for co-launching and supporting Audi Fashion Houston, which kept us on the town last fall with lavish runway shows nightly, for a full week, at the Wortham Theater Center.

The afternoon benefitted Houston Community College’s celebrated fashion and interior design programs led by division chair Kay King. Over it all reigned chairmen Gabriela Dror (wearing the headliners) and Nidhika Mehta (who opted for Prada), pals co-chairmen Robin Reimer and Rosemarie Johnson, alongside honorary chairman Leisa Holland-Nelson, and chairman emeritus and luncheon founder, Julia Frankel.%26nbsp;

Front-Row Flash and Drama
Who wasn’t there? Fashion followers: Becca Cason Thrash; HCC’s Mary Spangler, William Harmon, and Bob Bibb; Linda Barrett; Ceron; Ginger Blanton; Kelli Blanton; Frann Gordon Lichtenstein; Soraya McClelland; Patsy Fourticq;%26nbsp; Neiman Marcus’ Bob Devlin; Frances Marzio, Linda McReynolds; Beth Wolff; Phoebe Tudor; Yvonne Cormier; Paige Fertitta;%26nbsp; Gayle Bentsen; Tootsies’ Mickey Rosmarin,; Melissa Mithoff; Zarine Boyce; Caroline Kenney; Jennifer Segal; Paula Fyhr; Cindy Garza Farmer; Judith Oudt; Dancie Ware; Astrid Van Dyke; Joan Schnitzer Levy; Kimberly Cutchall; Pily Simon; Sally Qasem; Lisa Tidwell; Laura Heard; Catharine Faulconer; Shelena Lalji; Neal Hamil; Sonu Anand; Harpal Chana; Pinder Gill; Aku Bedi; Karina Barbieri; Kimberly DeLape; Susan Krohn, whose casa was the scene for a%26nbsp; lavish cocktail party the night before fêting the designers; Audi Fashion Houston’s Rob Rutherford; in from New York, David Webb’s John Evatz; Lucinda Loya; Chloe Dao; and Saks Fifth Avenue’s Terry Zmyslo, whose store hosted the post-luncheon reception at ZaZa and set up a Badgley Mischka boutique hotel-side, which saw some very brisk perusing and acquiring.

The Lester and Sue Smith Foundation Donation to Harris County Hospital District

Wed, 11 May 2011 04:27:02 GMT

Hats in the Park Luncheon

Wed, 11 May 2011 02:51:26 GMT

Then the day for wide brims, straw boaters and Philip Treacy and Gabriela Dror millinery arrived, as Hats in the Park unveiled %26mdash; a tented luncheon affair at the historic Clubhouse of Hermann Park, which raised funds for one of our town%26rsquo;s most lush and historic green spaces, Hermann Park via its nonprofit Conservancy. %26ldquo;This is the first time I%26rsquo;ve been to this luncheon that is hasn%26rsquo;t rained,%26rdquo; quipped Mayor Annise Parker, as she thanked chairs Franci Crane and Sandy Godfrey, and introduced honoree Ned Holmes, who was applauded for his good work advocating on behalf of Hermann Park (to the tune of $3 million) for its Grand Gateway renovation during his tenure as Texas Department of Transportation commissioner. Also announced were the well-heeled chairs of the park%26rsquo;s upcoming centennial birthday, slated for 2014 %26mdash; the winsome duo of Phoebe Tudor and Sheridan Williams. Millinery mavens, sartorial gents: Peter Brown who exclaimed, %26ldquo;I feel dapper!%26rdquo;; Saks Fifth Avenue contingent Terry Zmyslo and Sylvia Forsythe; Gina Bhatia dishing with Mary D%26rsquo;Andrea; Mindy Hildebrand; Kelli Blanton; Ann Short; Jeanie Kilroy; Frances Marzio; and neighbor Rice University%26rsquo;s first lady Y. Ping Sun, who shared news with us about the campus%26rsquo; new James Turrell skyspace, breaking ground any day now.

Memorial Park Conservancy's 5th Annual Green Gala

Wed, 11 May 2011 02:55:02 GMT

The occasion was aptly christened %26mdash; the Green Gala. And so it was when Leslie Blanton chaired cocktails, dinner and an environmental award at a private club benefitting Memorial Park Conservancy. The blue-blooded and old guard turned out, beginning with the honorary chairmen, past gala chairs Wendy Hines, Meg and Nelson Murray, Sharon and Michael Talbert, Kate and Steve Gibson, Gaye and John Kelsey, Blaine Adams, Stephanie Fox, and Madeleine Hussey. Russell Adams was the recipient of the inaugural Ima Hogg Volunteer Service Award, receiving accolades for his efforts on behalf of the park trails. Pedigreed park people: Lynda and Joe Turner, he director of Houston Parks and Recreation Department; lifetime board member Sadie Gwin Blackburn and board chairman Jeanie Connell; Beverly and Oliver Pennington; Debbie and Steve Costello; Teresa and Dean Corgey; Hollis Grace; and Regina and Peter Garcia.

Rose Ribbon Foundation 2011 Benefit Dinner

Wed, 11 May 2011 02:17:14 GMT

Latin American Gala and Auction

Mon, 09 May 2011 07:30:01 GMT

We%26rsquo;re diverging from tradition and covering the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston%26rsquo;s Latin America Experience Gala in terms of its 10 greatest highlights %26mdash; fitting for this international, million-dollar fund-raiser, which is one of the most important art soir%26eacute;es in America.

In Honor of a Decade, a Top Ten List
1. Perfect Timing: Gala chairs collectors Luis Campos and Mary Lile planned the big night to coincide with a milestone date and major anniversary: the decade marker for the MFAH%26rsquo;s Latin America department, which is regarded as the top in the U.S. and arguably the number one in the museum world.
2. The Torch Is Passed: Late director Peter Marzio%26rsquo;s 2001 hire to found and lead the department, the dynamic and brilliant curator Mari Carmen Ram%26iacute;rez, was very much in evidence as the guiding light during this 10th anniversary black-tie benefit.
3. Blockbuster Decor: Revelers were greeted by the ultimate party prop: a world-premiere exhibition by a ground-breaking master. Octogenarian Carlos Cruz-Diez, who has ateliers in Paris, Caracas and Panama, was the guest of honor. His monumental retrospective %26ldquo;Color in Space and Time%26rdquo; had opened to the public the day before, with its riveting geometry and chromatically saturated paintings, sculpture and futuristic installations.
4. Psychedelic Entertainment: The dance performance that night offered an ode to Cruz-Diez. The maestro%26rsquo;s dance troupe, the Chromatiques, cavorted tableside in the great expanse of Cullinan Hall %26mdash; completely unforgettable, and an amazing light show.%26nbsp;
5. Bidding Wars: Before dinner, a scintillating, standing-room-only live auction conducted by Sotheby%26rsquo;s heartthrob VP Augie Uribe in the Brown Theater brought in big bucks (more than $500,000) for important works by historic and contemporary Latin American talents. The most thrilling offering %26mdash; lot 8, Cruz-Diez%26rsquo;s 1972 Induction chromatique 40A %26mdash; went to Leslie and Brad Bucher, among the department%26rsquo;s staunchest and most generous supporters.
6. The Internationals: The intercontinental vibe was intoxicating %26mdash; from the honoree, Miami collector Tanya Brillembourg, touted for her impact on the field of Latin American art, to the family of Cruz-Diez, who effortlessly conversed among English, French and Spanish as their patriarch%26rsquo;s translator. There were so many out-of-towners that the gala required an international chair: Luis Benshimol of Madrid performed that duty. Also sighted: Brazilian mega-collector Adolpho Leirner, in from S%26atilde;o Paulo, whose trove of geometric abstraction is now in the coffers of the MFAH.
7. Place Settings: My personal table was graciously hosted by Morton Kuehnert Auctioneers%26rsquo; Luis Lopez-Morton and Patricia Kuehnert-Gillespy. The knowledgeable pair conveyed their excitement about the booming field of Latin American art (and shared some terrific plans for their Houston auction house and the Latin wave).
8. Latin Luminaries: Among the global f%26ecirc;te%26rsquo;s guests: Meredith and Cornelia Long; Sicardi Gallery%26rsquo;s founder Mar%26iacute;a In%26eacute;s Sicardi; Mary and Roy Cullen; Houston Arts Alliance%26rsquo;s Jonathon Glus and Alton LaDay; curator Gilbert Vicario, in from Des Moines with Houston pals Michelle Avi%26ntilde;a and Claudia Sol%26iacute;s; the Craft Center%26rsquo;s Sara and Bill Morgan; Sofia Adrogu%26eacute; and Sten Gustafson, who chaired the preview evening that kicked off the festivities; Gail and Louis Adler; Mary and Bernie Arocha; MFAH interim director Gwen Goffe; and Kelly and Nicholas Silvers.
9. T%26ecirc;te-%26agrave;-T%26ecirc;te: Another perk was the chance to chat with Tommy Solomon, son of the late trailblazing gallerist Holly Solomon. Tommy, also a dealer, came in from California, guest of Miz Lile; we met up earlier in the day to talk contemporary art and compare notes between the scenes in Houston and L.A.
10. The Bottom Line: The endgame was as bright as the Cruz-Diez light chambers: 600 guests and $1.13 million for the MFAH%26rsquo;s Latin American department.

HADA Spring Antiques Show %26 Sale

Mon, 09 May 2011 07:05:42 GMT

The Gems of HADA
Antiques and collecting are all the decorating rage, thus the Houston Antiques Dealers Associations%26rsquo; Spring Antiques Show %26amp; Sale was the place to be for three days in February. Established 1964, America%26rsquo;s oldest association of antique dealers rolled out the Aubussons on its newest tradition: a sneak-peek preview party sponsored by PaperCity magazine. More firsts: the PaperCity Curate book boutique and the Aisle of Style (more on both in a moment).%26nbsp;

The opening-night preview party is a race to see favorite dealers and snap up treasures before opening day. Antiquarians, designers and collectors perused more than 100 booths of international, national and hometown dealers, starting with HADA%26rsquo;s member roster of respected antique denizens including HADA president Larry N. Bahn of The Country Gentleman, David Lackey of the eponymous David Lackey Antiques %26amp; Art, Chappell Jordan Clock Galleries%26rsquo; Ralph Pokluda and daughter Emily Pokluda, The Blue Saffron%26rsquo;s Karim Bousfiha, Pride of Persia%26rsquo;s Mehdi Abedi and Lisa Slappey, Charlotte Nail of Charlotte Nail Interiors, and show chairman Reggie Yannuzzi of English Surrey Antiques %26amp; Interiors, among others. More favorites: Dallas%26rsquo; Lush Life vintage jewelry, a trove of gob-smacker brooches, rings and necklaces from Chanel, Miriam Haskell, Lagerfeld, Kenneth Jay Lane; Mr. Toads vintage designer-wear out of San Francisco; Jesse Davis Antiques from London; Made in Russia from Palm Beach; Pandora de Balthazar European Luxury Bedding from Round Top; and not to forget the miles of Louis and Anne and Duncan, imperial rugs, sparkling silver and crystal.

Aisle of Style, Terrific Treasures and Bookin%26rsquo; It
And all aisles led to the PaperCity Curate book boutique and the PaperCity-curated Aisle of Style, which was packed with engaging design-centric boutiques and services, including Rusty Arena%26rsquo;s exquisite hand-blocked wallpaper and fabrics; Charles Masterson%26rsquo;s handsome metalwork (he and wife Tiffany showed off his contemporary sconces, which bear Arts and Crafts overtones, while also giving us an update about this collaboration with late Houston artist Dick Wray on a major public art project for the new City of Houston permitting building ); a charming display of the late sculptor Waylande Gregory ceramics, manned by noted Houston-based painter Susie Rosmarin; Farrow %26amp; Ball English paint, pigments and wall coverings, presented by Boxwood Interiors; Jill Brown%26rsquo;s vintage-inspired apothecary and droll ancestral canine portraits.

Admirers and acquirers: Carol Isaak Barden, who recently%26nbsp; commissioned Masterson for sconces for her Handmade House, chatting with Josh Espinedo; Patricia Reed; Bonnie Campbell, director of fabled MFAH house museum Bayou Bend, which is often among the HADA Show%26rsquo;s beneficiaries, glimpsed shopping alongside MFAH patroness Bobbie Nau; designers Randy Powers, Bill Stubbs, Catheryn Wilson, Denny Lyons and Catherine Johnson; Bill Caudell; artist-photog Libbie Masterson with her mom, Mariquita Masterson; Boxwood Interiors%26rsquo; Mimi Wadsworth and Bret Duhon; Vicki and Jack Rizzo and daughter Mauri Oliver; jeweler Wayne Smith; Judy Borrell, on the lookout for Art Deco finds for her collection; Gretchen and Andrew McFarland; Jas Gundry: Susie Criner and daughter Annie Criner; fashion retailer Leonard Rutan; Tootsies%26rsquo; Mickey Rosmarin; Emily Granelli; Farrow %26amp; Ball%26rsquo;s Ann Pailthorp; Lawndale Design Fair co-chairmen and collectors Vernon Caldera and Adam Gibson; Pamela Passino; Morton Kuhnert Auctioneers%26rsquo; Marlene Weyand;%26nbsp; Karina and Carlos Barbieri; Chris Goins; Monica Duff; Judith Oudt;%26nbsp; John Jamail Jr.; and Segreto Studio%26rsquo;s Leslie Sinclair.

2011 Houston Ballet Ball, Designed to Dance

Mon, 09 May 2011 06:29:11 GMT

Tutu and Circumstance
How often does a black-tie night inaugurate a world-class new building, especially one that%26rsquo;s now the most impressive, important and largest dance-company facility of its kind anywhere in America? Well, that calls for a masterful celebration. So it was when Houston Ballet%26rsquo;s 2011 Ball unfurled, with its sleek and sexy %26ldquo;Designed to Dance%26rdquo; theme. Chairmen Jo and Jill Furr %26mdash; she in Monique Lhuillier, with a diamond necklace and cuff on loan from past principal dancer Dawn Scannell%26rsquo;s jewelry company, Peran %26amp; Scannell %26mdash; were the perfect contemporary couple to pull off this party. She serves on the Ballet board; he is the principal of Gensler%26rsquo;s south central office that designed the new $46 million, state-of-the-art Center for Dance, which would open weeks later, adjoining Wortham Theater Center with a nifty skybridge (for more on its architectural marvels, flip to the front of this issue).

The night%26rsquo;s honorees, patrons supreme all, added a touch of philanthropic aristocracy, as the evening saluted Rose and Harry Cullen, she also a board trustee; the couple received accolades to wild applause while the band struck up %26ldquo;La Vie en Rose%26rdquo; in deference to Houston%26rsquo;s Rose. And speaking of the band, Doc Scantlin and His Imperial Palms Orchestra came in from Washington, D.C. (booked with the help of Susie Criner), having been remembered by the chairmen after they attended a gala a decade ago in the capital city. Among Scantlin%26rsquo;s retinue, plenty of winsome, %26lsquo;40s-inspired crooners, including the smoldering Chou Chou (who contributed sets from %26ldquo;Minnie the Moocher%26rdquo; to %26ldquo;Chattanooga Choo Choo%26rdquo;) and some swell Andrew Sisters numbers. Another highlight was company soloist Oliver Halkowich taking center stage, baton in hand, to conduct a lively rendition of the classic %26ldquo;Moon River,%26rdquo; overlaid now with 21st-century overtones. The decorations and seated dinner both continued this subtle ode to the timeless and the today. Richard Flowers and Kirksey Gregg paired illuminated Lucite tables with profuse pink, red and peach rose bouquets; Jackson Hick%26rsquo;s cuisine was equally sublime. concluding with a cleverly constructed dessert starring a spring-loaded, miniature ballerina popping out of a chocolate box.

Social Pli%26eacute;s
Devotees of dance: patroness extraordinaire Margaret Williams, with Jim Daniel (she gifted the funds for the striking new dance lab theater in the Center for Dance, which, natch is named in her honor): Linda and Walter McReynolds, great friends of the honorees; Jacqueline and Leon Kinloch, dropping in from Chicago to attend; Beth and Bryan Muecke, she one of this month%26rsquo;s brave Dancing with the Houston Stars contestants and the couple, chairs of the ball kickoff f%26ecirc;te held at Festari; doctors Polly and Jerry Gauthier; Karen and Mel Payne; Patti and Don Murphy, she in ballerina pink Carolina Herrera, and a Ceron updo; Phoebe and Bobby Tudor; Ballet brigade managing director C.C. Conner, artistic director Stanton Welch, GM James Nelson, and Academy associate director Shelly Power; Beth Sanders Moore and Jess Moore; Jay Jones, who co-chaired the new Center%26rsquo;s bold capital campaign and is a longtime trustee; Terry Wayne Jones; auction chairmen Lisa Pope Westerman and Greg Westerman who coaxed luxurious lots from a Versace Krista Couture handbag to a Manolo Blahnik shoe wardrobe from Neiman Marcus and an abstract canvas by emerging Houston painter Justin Garcia; Kathyrn and Jeff Smith with pal Elizabeth Vail (Tim was away on a biz trip in Shanghai); Molly and Jim Crownover; Sue and Lester Smith, basking in the success of his new book; Lynn Wyatt who made a grand entrance with maestro Welch, and donated Lunch with Lynn to the silent auction; Karen and Rudy Wildenstein, she in Angel Sanchez; Anne and Albert Chao; Nancy and Erik Littlejohn; Cartier%26rsquo;s Kari Gonzales; Letty Loya; top art collectors Leigh and Reggie Smith; adorable new parents Hattie Parker and husband Aaron Ball; Ballet Guild member Jerry Ayers Johnson and Jim Johnson; and the chairs%26rsquo; family, son and daughter-in-law O%26rsquo;Neal and Grace Furr, and daughter and son-in-law Erin Furr Stimming and Chris Stimming.

Four hours, nearly 500 revelers, and $750,000 later, this night raised the barre and set the stage for the Center for Dance%26rsquo;s grandly celebrated unveiling six weeks later.

DKNY Preview Party

Mon, 09 May 2011 05:52:00 GMT

It was an afternoon of fashion and philanthropy when Donna Karan ambassador Sheridan Williams and her daughter Lauren Clark welcomed friends into the Williams home to preview the designer%26rsquo;s spring collection. And what, you ask, is a Donna Karan ambassador? Williams explained that after Saks Fifth Avenue Houston nominated her last year, she was chosen by Karan because of her extensive philanthropic achievements. True to form, a favorite cause %26mdash; MD Anderson Children%26rsquo;s Hospital %26mdash; benefitted from the preview. Models lingered in Karan%26rsquo;s effortlessly chic garments while Erin Conneally-Weinberg and Curtis Farnham, in from New York on behalf of the label, conveyed the collection%26rsquo;s themes and assisted the interested. Crazy about Karan: Saks Fifth Avenue%26rsquo;s own Terry Zmyslo and Sylvia Forsythe, Diane Lokey Farb, Donna Vallone, Elizabeth Petersen, Janet Gurwitch, Helen Perry, Dian Ginsberg, and Leigh Williams.

The Rienzi Society Annual Dinner

Mon, 09 May 2011 05:32:36 GMT

The 11th annual Rienzi Society Dinner was a throwback to the swell parties of the John Staub–designed home’s original owners, Carroll Sterling Masterson and Harris Masterson III, as guest poured into the elegant confines that are now part of the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Chairmen Rose and Harry Cullen and Isla and Tommy Reckling welcomed the group into the ballroom, which houses the famous Worcester porcelain collection. The Rienzi Society has raised an incredible $2 million since the group’s inception, resulting in the acquisition of delights such as a 19th-century classical female bust. In keeping with the house’s legacy, swans — the symbol of Mrs. Masterson — adorned tables as place-card holders. The soigné set: Rienzi director Katherine Howe with husband George, MFAH interim director Gwen Goffe, Jeanie Kilroy, Frances Marzio, Meg Goodman and Mike Bonini, Nancy Allen, Margaret Williams, and James Reckling.

From Runway to Reality - Spring 2011 Trends Event

Mon, 09 May 2011 05:13:06 GMT

Spring%26rsquo;s arrival means new trends for devoted Neiman Marcus customers. There to help navigate the ready-to-wear waters were Fashion Group International%26rsquo;s (FGI) trends committee, led by chairman Shandolyn Arline-Johnson. Panelists Angela Barthel, Patty Vasey, J. Landa and moderator Rebecca Spera discussed the season%26rsquo;s must-haves: the color coral, bohemian influences, florals, stripes, and wide-leg trousers. Mariposa restaurant provided hors d%26rsquo;%26oelig;uvres for the fashion folk, who absorbed the presentation and later practiced what they preached. Trend friends: Andrea Bonner, Linda Cole, Roz Pactor, Leisa Holland-Nelson, Ashley Small, Alexis Jones, Neiman%26rsquo;s Alyssa Kilpatrick and Stacey Swift, Donae Chramosta, and Jeff Shell.

Mikimoto at Zadok Jewelers

Mon, 09 May 2011 04:52:52 GMT

Fans and friends of Zadok Jewelers knew the world was their oyster when the Post Oak store welcomed Mikimoto pearls to its sparkling inventory. Helene and Dror Zadok, Gilad Zadok, and Amy and Segev Zadok greeted enraptured guests, who admired Mikimoto necklaces strung with Akoya and South Sea pearls. In town to represent the brand, which dates back to 1893 when namesake Kokichi Mikimoto first cultured a pearl, was senior VP%26nbsp; Aaron Reed. Social pearls: Kristy and Ryan Sledge, Debi and Robert Axelrod, Emmanuel Pinakoulakis, Phil Iero, Sami El Hage, Sue Farenthold, and Mike Wayne.

The Mommie Series

Mon, 09 May 2011 04:30:00 GMT

Hardworking mothers gathered at Haut Chocolat Boutique for champagne and retail therapy. The quarterly meeting, called The Mommie Series, was the brainchild of hosts Misti Pace-Krahl of Misti Style and Haut Chocolat owner Linda Cunningham. Their goal: to create a place where women can swap information and listen to speakers address subjects ranging from family, health and finance to %26mdash; what else? %26mdash; fashion. At this inaugural gathering, KPRC anchorwoman Courtney Zavala served as emcee, while Linda Gayle-Thompson, Sally Pope, Elizabeth Lockwood and Pace-Krahl herself enlightened the crowd.

Joseph's Girls Night Out

Mon, 09 May 2011 04:08:05 GMT

Houston ladies kicked off their shoes and tried on some new ones at Joseph boutique%26rsquo;s annual Girls%26rsquo; Night Out event. Store manager Kathryn Risley and operations manager Dan Cochran mingled with guests toting brightly colored martinis and waited for the arrival of Monique Erickson of Erickson Beamon bauble fame. Sporting black boots and a sparkling headband, she had everyone in awe with a selection of her intricately jeweled pieces. Well-heeled: Joan Pillow, Trish Lecourias, Cory Jagneaux, Tess Banez, Lisa Olsson and Lisa Graff.

Here Comes the Sun Luncheon

Mon, 09 May 2011 03:40:12 GMT

Once again, the lovely nurses of St. Luke%26rsquo;s Episcopal Hospital strutted their stuff on the runway at the River Oaks Country Club for St. Luke%26rsquo;s Friends of Nursing Spring Luncheon. This year themed %26ldquo;Here Comes the Sun,%26rdquo; the annual event benefits the hospital%26rsquo;s Nursing Fellowship Program. For the first time, the nurses were escorted by board members, who donned black tie for the occasion. Chairmen Jana and Scotty Arnoldy teamed up with Tootsies%26rsquo; Mickey Rosmarin, who underwrote the fashion show for the third year, with a special appearance by Kay Unger. Fashion followers: Donna Vallone, Suzanne Levin, Rose Cullen, Patsy Fourticq, Dee Dee Guggenheim, Sarah Simon, and Bethany Hughes.

Young Professionals Backstage @ Ravel's Spain with Bolero

Mon, 09 May 2011 02:37:33 GMT

At Young Professionals Backstage, YPB @ Maurice Ravel%26rsquo;s Spain with Bolero, conductor Hans Graf transported his rapt audience from Jones Hall into a Spanish dream. The YPB benefit segued into the comic opera L%26rsquo;heure espagnole, performed by Rice University Shepherd School of Music%26rsquo;s students and mezzo-soprano professor Susanne Mentzer. The Spanish theme continued at Andalucia Tapas Restaurant and Bar, where enthusiasts tapped into tapas and sangr%26iacute;a. Ready to cha-cha: Houston Symphony CEO and executive director Mark Hanson, concertmaster Frank Huang, Heather Pray, Melissa Fitzgerald, Michael Coppens, Naji Ghorayeb, Sarah Meals, and Akshay Tavkar.

Cristo Rey Jesuits’ Defying Gravity Gala

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 05:37:09 GMT

True to the nature of the Cristo Rey Jesuits, the Defying Gravity Gala was anything but ordinary. The innovative Catholic high school, led by Fr. T.J. Martinez, works with low-income students in east Houston as part of a national network that combines four days in the classroom with one day working in the corporate world. Guests at the Enterprise Jet Center delighted in a semi-spontaneous flash-mob dance, along with a lavish spread by Michael Cord%26uacute;a Events. Flying high: chairmen Carol Beck and Penny Grams, Melissa and Bill King, Cathy and Giorgio Borlenghi, Eva Guzman and Lupe Fraga, Lucinda and Javier Loya, and Soraya and Scott McClelland.%26nbsp;

Midnight in Marrakech

Fri, 06 May 2011 06:46:25 GMT

Friends of Women's Studies Table Talk 2011

Fri, 06 May 2011 06:28:52 GMT

Pathways for Little Feet

Fri, 06 May 2011 05:25:19 GMT

2011 Scholarship Extravaganza

Fri, 06 May 2011 04:42:53 GMT

Cancer Fighters of Houston, Inc. "Wings of Love"

Fri, 06 May 2011 04:25:22 GMT

JA Hall of Achievement

Fri, 06 May 2011 01:07:00 GMT

Making a Difference Luncheon

Wed, 04 May 2011 06:53:06 GMT

Faith in Practice Gala

Wed, 04 May 2011 05:39:51 GMT

The Young Sustainers Club

Wed, 04 May 2011 04:50:51 GMT

4th Annual Gala, The Magic of "M"

Wed, 04 May 2011 04:12:25 GMT

Dallas Opera Gala Unveil Underwriter Dinner

Wed, 04 May 2011 03:50:39 GMT

Justice for Children VIP Pre-Gala

Wed, 04 May 2011 03:17:02 GMT

Greater Houston Conference for Women

Wed, 04 May 2011 02:48:14 GMT

Cocktails with Mary McDonald

Wed, 04 May 2011 01:41:45 GMT

Mary McDonald at Houston Design Center

Wed, 04 May 2011 01:04:46 GMT

One Man Dallas Launch Party

Tue, 03 May 2011 05:38:19 GMT

2011 Dallas Art Fair Kickoff at Neiman Marcus Downtown

Tue, 03 May 2011 12:05:56 GMT

29th Annual Catholic Foundation Award Dinner honoring Mary Templeton

Mon, 02 May 2011 12:51:41 GMT

The Goss-Michael Foundation Presents an Exhibition of Works by Jim Lambie

Mon, 02 May 2011 01:07:58 GMT

Malai Thai-Vietnamese Kitchen VIP Tasting

Mon, 02 May 2011 12:14:26 GMT

Sewell Lexus of Dallas Hosts Lexus CT 200h Launch

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 05:53:55 GMT

Soup's On! Luncheon benefitting the Stewpot Alliance

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 04:45:26 GMT

Park Place Dealership's "Dallas Stars Casino Night"

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 03:32:03 GMT

Meadows Museum Flower Show

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 03:46:35 GMT

Celebrating Women Luncheon Kickoff with Ricardo Chavira

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 04:10:39 GMT

C.U.R.E. History in the Making Launch

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 02:50:26 GMT

Asador Restaurant Grand Opening Celebration

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 01:23:54 GMT

Hung Liu Exhibition Opening at Stay ZaZa Art House %26 Social Gallery

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 04:43:13 GMT

Eighth Annual Westlake Academy Gallery Night

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:19:52 GMT

DIFFA Media and Patron Appreciation Event

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 04:58:32 GMT

The Dallas Opera Welcomes Laura Claycomb

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 04:32:26 GMT

2011 Attitudes %26 Attire Funraiser Luncheon

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 01:00:15 GMT

Heroes and Handbags Live Auction Party

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 12:29:41 GMT

Chiapas International Fashion Event

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 12:00:42 GMT

Dallas Opera Gala Patron Party

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 10:57:14 GMT

Nasher SALON featuring Spike Lee

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 05:33:29 GMT

NasherSALON featuring Maya Angelou

Mon, 23 May 2011 03:21:20 GMT

7th Annual Legends for Charity Dinner

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 04:54:07 GMT

Celebrity Waiter Gala Patron Party

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 04:26:45 GMT

Dallas Opera Gala "Unveil"

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 04:24:57 GMT

Retail As Art Photography Invitational Kick-Off

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 04:07:23 GMT

Moonlight Ball Patron Party

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 02:49:04 GMT

First Annual Sunday Funday Crawfish Boil

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 02:32:48 GMT

SMU Gamma Phi Beta Makeovers at Cerón Salon

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 01:02:43 GMT

Frontiers of Flight Museum Annual Gala honoring Dr. Kenneth Cooper

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 01:08:19 GMT

Bags, Baubles and Bites Event

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:53:58 GMT

Savor the Symphony 2011 Patron Party

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:13:36 GMT

Elaine Turner CityCentre Grand Opening

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 06:30:26 GMT

The 17th Annual Fine Art of Shooting: A Sporting Clays Invitational

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 03:54:00 GMT

2011 Stiletto Strut Shoe Shopping Event

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 02:55:31 GMT

All Star Celebration

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 02:45:29 GMT

For the Love of Color

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 01:36:54 GMT

Junior Friends of the Dallas Arboretum Magical Evening

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 05:05:10 GMT

13th Annual Bishop's Gala featuring Bill Cosby

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 04:30:42 GMT

Council For Life Box Lunch Series "Life Lessons"

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 04:00:34 GMT

Gone to Texas Gala

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 01:12:16 GMT

Les Dames D'Escoffier presents 22nd Raiser Grazer "Dames in the City"

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 12:14:00 GMT

The 2010 Flora Awards Dinner

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 01:02:25 GMT

%26nbsp;What better spot to host the annual Flora Awards Dinner than the leafy, butterfly-filled grounds of Fair Park%26rsquo;s Texas Discovery Gardens? Chairman Jennifer Sampson put together a spectacular celebration inside the Discovery Gardens%26rsquo; Grand Hall for this year%26rsquo;s award honorees Ellen and John McStay, as well as the likes of Barbara Hunt Crow, honorary chairman Ebby Halliday, Mary Jane Fogerty, and Lindalyn Adams. As for the hall%26rsquo;s lush decor? The Garden Gate%26rsquo;s Junior Villanueva trucked in scores of seasonal flowers and driftwood to create his ever-so elegant and over-the-top tablescapes.

The BeatLeukemia Ball

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 05:54:32 GMT

Who says all you need is love when you can have flowing champagne, crave-worthy cuisine and nonstop dancing, too? At the Beatles-themed BeatLeukemia Ball benefitting LeukemiaTexas Research %26amp; Patient Aid, there was plenty of love %26mdash;packed into the psychedelically decorated Hilton Anatole. Chairmen Pam Busbee and Sally Cullum and honorary chair Caroline Rose Hunt tapped The Fab Four %26mdash; the number-one Beatles tribute band in the world %26mdash; for all-night entertainment, inciting plenty of dancing from Jack LaBarbera, Dee Dee and Jim Lee, Allison Isola, Merlene Phillips, and Mike Decker.

Opening Doors for Those Without a Place Luncheon

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 04:02:14 GMT

Cabaret for a Cure

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 03:31:35 GMT

Camp For All No Barriers Bash

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 03:12:44 GMT

12th Annual Hats Off to Mothers Luncheon

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 03:00:52 GMT

Denim, Diamonds, and Dreams: Promise Ball 2011

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 06:37:11 GMT

"It's a Jungle Out There!" University of Houston Law Alumni Association 35th Annual Gala

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 02:52:26 GMT

Texan-French Alliance For The Arts Art Award and Auction

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 01:24:17 GMT

The Greyt Gala: Operation Forever Home

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 12:46:04 GMT

FlyingHorse 2011 Launch Party

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 11:52:25 GMT

TWU T. Boone Pickens Institute of Health Sciences-Dallas Center Grand Opening

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 05:23:14 GMT

2510: Rosewood Crescent Hotel's 25th and Bella Flora's 10th Anniversaries

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 01:38:15 GMT

Shari Louise Hits Sloan/Hall

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 04:38:05 GMT

Gables Park 17 Artists' Reception

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 01:26:11 GMT

16th Annual "What's Up, Doc?" Dinner

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 08:29:30 GMT

This is a test and lkjlkj

New Year, New Day

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 06:21:37 GMT

Tasting Room VIP Sneak Peek

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 05:42:55 GMT

CHRISTUS 7th Annual Spring Luncheon

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 04:37:52 GMT

Catwalk For A Cure 2010

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 02:42:00 GMT

Fashion for a Cure
It all began seven years ago in Houston, after a young woman lost her husband, and from that tragedy a bright light now beams, offering treatment, hope for a cure and assistance to sarcoma cancer patients and their families nationwide. Since then, Amschwand Sarcoma Cancer Foundation’s annual fund-raiser, Catwalk for a Cure, has earned an important place in the social calendar, pairing with lead sponsor Saks Fifth Avenue to bring in a heralded designer for an elaborate fashion show, while PaperCity serves as major media sponsor. This season, Catwalk returned to a luncheon format, chaired by Melissa Mithoff and Kara Kinder Howes as a sell-out throng of 350 women and a smattering of distinguished gents flocked to the Westin Oaks Ballroom for a beautifully choreographed runway presentation of Carolina Herrera’s Spring 2011 Collection. The graceful designer held court nearby, after being introduced and thanked by Saks’ main man Terry Zmyslo. The looks were ladylike and elegant, with new artful touches that alluded to gardening (such as details from 18th-century seed packets) and the dramatic origami folds and architectural bows of traditional Korean dress.

ASCF co-founder and executive director Melissa Amschwand Bellinger also presided, bestowing awards to survivor Tracey Ferrin and poignantly, posthumously to board member Emily Hibner, with her family accepting — her 13-year-old niece Sabrina Scott won the raffle item for a Herrera gown in the future, which she’ll share with twin sis Charlotte. Fittingly long-time volunteer and board member Leigh Williams was the lucky recipient of the raffle trip to Deer Valley. Also seen buying raffle tickets was the designer herself. Moved to raise money for the cause, she rushed to offer her credit card number before the raffle closed, contributing to the bottom line of nearly $200,000 raised that day.

The Night Before
The Granduca was the old-world setting for an intime dinner the evening before in honor of Miz Herrera. Hotel GM Mary Grace Gray tapped top toque Renato De Pirro to whip up a five-course repast, while co-hosts Saks’ Terry Zmyslo and Sylvia Forsythe welcomed the swell set, including supporters Lynn Wyatt, Greggory Burk (a past Catwalk chair), board member Laura Mitchell, new Caroline Herrera prez Caroline Brown, Herrera’s Phoebe Gubelmann, croc queen Alexandra Knight (who donated an alligator clutch to the cause), and Pili Simon, as well as chair femmes Mithoff and Howes and founder Miz Amschwand Bellinger.

Philanthropic Ones
Allie Fields
Jack Amschwand
Carol Barden
Ruth Davis
Sabiha Rehmatulla
Joyce Echols
Stephen Fadem
Danetta Beaushaw
Jill Collins
Kathryn Smith
Diane Lokey Farb
Marie Louise Kinder
Ceron
Lucinda Loya
Karen Desenberg
Stephanie Cockrell
Liz Decker
Michael Mithoff
Aaron Howes
Carolyn Mafrige
Anne Lamkin Kinder
Dina Lev
Nancy Golden
Katie Brass
Christie Sullivan
Jenny Moore
Vanessa Sendukas
Rosemary %26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp; %26nbsp;Schatzman
Millette Sherman
James Bellinger
Elizabeth Petersen

Healthy Eating at Texas Children's Ambassadors Luncheon

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 07:58:13 GMT

Pet Set at Charde

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 07:33:19 GMT

The Women's Home Jane Cizik Garden Place Dedication

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 07:17:37 GMT

Heritage Texas Properties Awards Breakfast

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 06:45:40 GMT

New Lab for Christus Stehlin Foundation for Cancer Research Grand Opening

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 06:16:05 GMT

Red Wine and Dark Chocolate

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 05:58:49 GMT

Mosaic on Hermann Park Re-Launch

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 05:41:06 GMT

UST Mardi Gras Gala 2011 "Jazz It Up"

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 03:57:58 GMT

Park Lovers' Ball: "An Evening in Cupid's Garden"

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 03:26:38 GMT

Neuhaus Education Center's Annual Benefit Luncheon

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 02:55:41 GMT

An Evening with Legend Robert Duvall Celebrating the Texas Epic Lonesome Dove

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 02:34:02 GMT

Crisis Intervention of Houston 40th Anniversary

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 02:04:53 GMT

Devereux "Savor the Hope" Gala

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 01:42:44 GMT

Houston Zoo Friends Luncheon and Fashion Show at Tootsies!

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 01:19:07 GMT

Billiard Ball 2011

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 05:22:36 GMT

Alexa Hampton Speaks at The Houston Design Center

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 02:11:33 GMT

More than 200 design disciples flocked to The Houston design Center%26rsquo;s Bunch %26amp; Shoemaker showroom for a meet-greet-and-speak with the posh and pedigreed designer Alexa Hampton, scion of the late maestro Mark Hampton (one of the most celebrated decorators in America). Continuing the family tradition, Miz Hampton spoke on %26ldquo;Decades of Design with Mark Hampton.%26rdquo; Post-lecture, she penned bons mots in her latest volume, The Language of Interior Design. Acolytes of Alexa: showroom owners and host Barbara Shoemaker and Robert Bunch, designer Bill Stubbs, ASID prez Sharon Staley, Jennifer Loh, Christina Girard who%26rsquo;s pals with Miz Hampton, Elizabeth Koval, Beverly Jacomini, Joann Klein, Janus Lazaris, Geraldina Wise, Jamie Duhon, Carroll Patrizi, and Sarah Pesikoff.

12 Days of Christmas at The Ensemble Theatre

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 04:04:39 GMT

For the past 11 years, Gayla Gardner and her daughter Donya Gardner have organized the 12 Days of Christmas charity to spread the holiday cheer from their homes to those less fortunate. As they%26rsquo;ve sponsored more than 50 families in the past, it%26rsquo;s no wonder this year they teamed up with The Ensemble Theatre for an all-out production. Guests enjoyed a light buffet and wine followed by Ensemble%26rsquo;s own version of Cinderella. Fairy godmothers and godfathers: chairmen Jackye Alton, Sherise Curd, Linda Estes, and Josephine Tervalon; Zawadi and Antoine Bryant; Karen and Anthony Whitaker; Lodis Walker; LaChelle Allen; Thelma LeVeaux; and Michelle Biggs.