Paper City Article

The Paper Store by Bell'Invito Launch at Nest

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 01:00:51 GMT

7th Annual Annie's List Dallas Luncheon

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 04:30:16 GMT

Babes in Toyland Page Parkes Holiday Party

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 01:56:01 GMT

Roberto Cavalli Scarf and Pashmina Debut

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 04:33:36 GMT

Kelly Wearstler Appearance at Neiman Marcus NorthPark

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:36:33 GMT

Shake It Up Martini Party

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 07:11:00 GMT

Wristwear and Royal Recipes at deBoulle

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 05:15:05 GMT

It was all about treasured timepieces and crave-able canap%26eacute;s at deBoulle when owner Denis Boulle and his wife Karen celebrated the jewelry boutique%26rsquo;s debut of the Swiss-made Corum watch collection. Corum CEO and co-host Steve Shonebarger helped tap celebrity chef Darren McGrady for an in-store book signing of his latest volume, Eating Royally. As the private chef to Princess Diana, McGrady%26rsquo;s aptly named book boasts %26ldquo;recipes and remembrances from a palace kitchen.%26rdquo; Party royalty: Arlene and Keith Dickerson, Karen and Bill Seanor, and Kathleen and Jake Jacobson.

Black Card Party at Hotel ZaZa

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 12:36:21 GMT

Luncheon Kickoff for "The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk"

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 03:38:53 GMT

Waiters in sailor stripes. A pile of crusty French baguettes. Models fashioning beehive updos. Jean Paul Gaultier's Fall 2011 collection. Was this the perfect%26nbsp;d%26eacute;jeuner%26nbsp;to garner committee members for the exhibit "The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk" at the Dallas Museum of Art?%26nbsp;Oui, bien s%26ucirc;r!%26nbsp;Dear reader, take note: Should you be hosting a luncheon, pay careful attention to every move made by%26nbsp;Deedie Rose. The art collector invited more than 70 of art and fashion's finest to lunch with one mission in mind: Hook in each guest to join the host committee supporting the Gaultier exhibit landing at the DMA this November. It was the sunniest of spring days, and the best-dressed set bedecked themselves accordingly. We saw:%26nbsp;Kim Whitman,%26nbsp;Melissa Fetter,%26nbsp;Marguerite Hoffman,%26nbsp;Cindy Schwartz,%26nbsp;Catherine Rose,%26nbsp;Suzanne Droese,%26nbsp;Chandra North,%26nbsp;Ola Fojtasek,%26nbsp;Nancy Halbreich, and%26nbsp;Lisa Runyon. But the most beautiful sight in the room involved the painstakingly Parisian details decorating Rose%26rsquo;s airy Pump House %26mdash; a historic piece of her estate modernized by architect Gary Cunningham. Place cards were handwritten in dreamy French cursive (table sept,%26nbsp;table deux, etc.), and tablecloths were replaced by butcher paper with hand-drawn outlines marking the spot for your silverware, napkin, plate and wine glass. This creative approach to table settings sprang from a collaboration that began with Rose's fashion designer daughter, Lela Rose, who suggested drawings be strewn across each table. Next to chime in was Forty Five Ten's%26nbsp;Brian Bolke, who recommended the outlined place settings.%26nbsp;Et voil%26agrave;! All was perfect. But in the end, it wasn't just cr%26ecirc;pes and delightful decor. French-Canadian exhibit curator%26nbsp;Thierry-Maxime Loriot%26nbsp;%26mdash; in town from the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts in Canada, with museum cohort%26nbsp;Danielle Champagne%26nbsp;%26mdash; gushed about the show. What we're dying to see: Gaultier himself, who will jet in for the opening November 13 (exhibition though February 12, 2012); noteworthy pieces including a rare leather corset from the designer's Herm%26egrave;s days; and the exhibition tome, 400 pages of interviews from fashion legends including Tom Ford and Polly Mellon. Itching to join the host committee? Ring the DMA at 214.922.1242.

Fashion's Night Out at LAFCO

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 03:10:35 GMT

Helen Altman Opening Reception at Talley Dunn Gallery

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 01:07:47 GMT

Meet the Mayor with The Trinity River Trust

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 06:35:33 GMT

Dreamfly Productions Summer Hootenanny

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 06:17:39 GMT

Bastille Day Fête at Hotel ZaZa

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 05:57:46 GMT

Private Social VIP Opening Party

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 05:42:58 GMT

H%26M Grand Opening Party

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 11:58:06 GMT

Nonstop champagne? Covetable fashion everywhere?Hundreds of high-energy, style-setting partygoers and VIP access to one of the most-talked-about stores of the season? Check, check and check. Leave it to H%26amp;M to host one of the most sought-after store openings in town.

Few could anticipate the tide of fashion mania that ensued when H%26amp;M threw open the doors of its first Texas store at NorthPark Center. Dallasites were over the moon to welcome the legendary Swedish retailer, and my, how it showed. When PaperCity was tapped to co-host the private opening bash, held the night before the store%26rsquo;s public debut, we knew we were in for the most glamorous kind of party chaos: The guest list was gigantic; the Twitter-verse and blogosphere blew up with bits about the f%26ecirc;te deets; and, as the clock struck party time, a red-carpet queue grew to the length %26nbsp;of at least three NorthPark shops. Moments before the store opened to guests, H%26amp;M%26rsquo;s Jennifer Ward %26mdash; in town with H%26amp;M VIPs including president of H%26amp;M North America Daniel Kulle, Nicole Christine, Pansy Tolou, and store manager Tony Cassar %26mdash; let us inside for a personal tour of the massive 23,000-square-foot emporium. %26ldquo;We like to have something for everyone, however you like to style yourself,%26rdquo; said Ward as she pointed out various shopping spots geared toward fashion sophisticates, edgy dressers, dapper gents, trendy tots and more. It was the calm before the soir%26eacute;e storm. Once the enormous glass doors were officially flung open, the fashion set paraded in. Amber Venz, Bradley Agather, Alison Gross, and Beth Zimmerman snagged as many items as they could carry %26mdash; tweeting about their finds the whole time. Tastemakers such as fashion writer Kristie Ramirez-Hoitsma, Nest owner Heather Wiese-Alexander, stylist Tammy Theis, catwalk extraordinaire Jan Strimple, and model Chandra North-Blaylock made their retail rounds, too, as did social scenesters Yvonne Crum, Lisa Moore, Aimee Deputy, Jim Williamson, Ken Maxwell, Kari Bentley, and Melinda Knowles.The best part aboutthis megawatt-shopping affair: While in line for the dressing rooms, there was always a waiter nearby, passing champagne to help pass the time. Bubbly to fuel our retail therapy? We can%26rsquo;t envision shopping any other way.

Soundbites + Buzz

%26ldquo;You will be getting all the designer collabs. This store will have the best of the best.%26rdquo; %26mdash; H%26amp;M%26rsquo;s Jennifer Ward

%26nbsp;%26ldquo;I designed this shirt. Can I take a picture with it?%26rdquo; %26mdash; artist Beth Zimmerman on the T-shirt she designed exclusively with H%26amp;M

%26ldquo;Right now? I%26rdquo;m Buying and wearing bright bright colors %26mdash; fashion blogger Bradley Agather

Summer Style and Beauty Bash at Tootsies

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 10:49:30 GMT

Tr%26egrave;s chic was the required attire at Tootsies%26rsquo; Summer Style and Beauty Bash and when it came to wow-factor style, guests didn%26rsquo;t disappoint. With proceeds benefitting Young Texans Against Cancer, more than 200 partygoers shopped with charity in mind %26mdash; think Rebecca Minkoff handbags and Citizens of Humanity denim. The indulgences didn%26rsquo;t end there: Facelogic Spa provided mini hand treatments, a nail-polish bar boasted the collection of Butter lacquers, and Mi Piaci kept everyone well fed with divine party bites. It was an event fine-tuned for this fashion pack: Rhonda Sargent Chambers, Courtney Edwards, and Tootsies%26rsquo; Alison Volk.%26nbsp;

Hats Off to A Wonderland of Fashion at Dallas Arboretum

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 12:10:01 GMT

With its storybook theme "A Wonderland of Fashion," The Mad Hatter's Tea Party at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden was a full-blown fashion f%26ecirc;te. Awe-inspiring hats were worn by all %26mdash; from chairman%26nbsp;Susan Walker%26nbsp;to honorary chair%26nbsp;Yvonne Crum, who dressed as Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum with friend%26nbsp;Jill Rowlett. Mistress of production%26nbsp;Jan Strimple%26nbsp;directed a runway spectacle, showcasing looks from Anne Fontaine, Betty Reiter, Karen Millen, Tootsies and Tory Burch. Also strutting down the catwalk were winners of the afternoon's hat competition, including%26nbsp;Carmaleta Whiteley%26nbsp;in a look designed by%26nbsp;Todd Fiscus;%26nbsp;Steve Kimble%26nbsp;in a chapeau he crafted himself; and%26nbsp;Faye Briggs%26nbsp;wearing a white creation by%26nbsp;Shane Walker. Who else partook in the golden afternoon? President of the Women's Council of the Dallas Arboretum%26nbsp;Sharon Barbee,%26nbsp;Shirin Askari, and%26nbsp;Marilyn Hailey.

Partners Card's Buzz-Worthy Jumpstart

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 01:21:14 GMT

A last-minute rain check couldn't keep Partners Card chairmen%26nbsp;Andrea Weber,%26nbsp;Nancy Scripps, and%26nbsp;Kelley McDonald%26nbsp;from hosting a must-attend kickoff toasting the week-long retail extravaganza benefitting The Family Place. At the first sign of stormy weather, party planners moved the f%26ecirc;te inside, cued the fizzy custom cocktails and ushered nearly 100 guests, from Family Place VIPs%26nbsp;Paige Flink%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Melissa Sherrill Martin, to socials%26nbsp;Alison Volk%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Katy%26nbsp;and%26nbsp;Lawrence Bock %26mdash;%26nbsp;into a poolside ballroom at the Westin Galleria Dallas. What was everyone celebrating? The upcoming shopping event at which supporters purchase Partners Cards ($60) and receive 20 percent off at more than 750 shops and restaurants %26mdash; everywhere from Forty Five Ten to La Duni. Let the shopping begin October 28 through November 6.

Club Monaco Opening Event

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:02:26 GMT

Yolanda Adams' Fashion Debut

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 05:39:09 GMT

Belvedere Vodka Presents Belve Music Lounge

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 01:30:40 GMT

Belve Music Lounge took over the Poolside Lounge of the Four Seasons Hotel for an afternoon of fun-filled alfresco tunes, sips and tastes. DJs took their places in the booth at this PaperCity-sponsored bash, creating a great escape atmosphere while guests lounged in queen-sized sun beds and indulged in specialty mixed Belvedere Vodka cocktails. In the pool posse: Claudia Powell, Donna and Kevin Lacy, Celina Romero, Sebastian %26ldquo;DJ SeeBass%26rdquo; Marmolejo, Cesar %26ldquo;DJ Gilt%26rdquo; Gil, Joy Willard, Angela Marbley, artist Hanh Tran, Molly and Rock Phillips, Tammy Dowe, and Gina Spear.

Antique Pavilion

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 01:32:42 GMT

Image Maker Donald Baechler’s Opening Night at McClain Gallery and a Bite Afterwards

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 07:13:29 GMT

Oversized Blooms, a Crowd Fills the Room
Among the heavy-hitting shows this spring, Donald Baechler%26rsquo;s solo at McClain Gallery makes the top 10 list. This mid-career notable came in from Manhattan to present a new body of work %26mdash; paintings and sculpture %26mdash; that simplify his signature series of tulips into abstracted, black blooms collaged upon canvas or paper, while introducing powerful bronze iterations that in turn evoke ancient totems. Our town%26rsquo;s art A-listers turned out as McClain%26rsquo;s Robert McClain and Erin Siudzinski worked the room, dishing with museum types such as Contemporary Arts Museum Houston director Bill Arning and The Menil Collection curator Toby Kamps, who stealthily photo-bombed a number of our party pics; as well as Pop prognosticators Dorene and Frank Herzog, alongside other top collectors Sherry and Larry Davis, Greg Fourticq Jr. (who purchased a sculpture), Rowena Young and Buddy Steves, and Amy and David Kapiloff; artists Trenton Doyle Hancock, Michael Bise with Adrian Page, former Baechler studio assistant Brendan Cass, Art Guy Michael Galbreth, Cody Ledvina, and Berlin-born Anton Henning, in from Germany. %26nbsp;

Dinner-Party Portfolio at Caudell and Powers%26rsquo; Pad
A curated contingent of art lovers ventured on to designer Randy Powers and Bill Caudell%26rsquo;s handsome Tanglewood townhouse, where cashmere wall coverings and important antiques and paintings hold sway. A striking arrangement of crimson tulips in the library offered an ode to Baechler%26rsquo;s favorite iconic subject, while a stunning Baechler bronze head took center stage. Sightings: Sabiha Rehmatulla, Laura Mudd, Cabrina and Steven Owsley, Lou Cushman, Renea Abbott and Greg Manteris, Catherine and Dean Giuffre, Ann Wolf and son Henry, and architect Lauren Rottet.

Bunny Williams Personal Appearance at Greenwood King

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 07:01:02 GMT

Few designers can trace their lineage to the taste-making firm Parish-Hadley, founded by Sister Parish and Albert Hadley, or boast nearly 25 years at the helm of their own biz, countless magazine spreads and covers, their own furniture collections, a Manhattan garden store and four well-received design volumes. So it was with considerable buzz that internationally known Bunny Williams alighted at Greenwood King%26rsquo;s The Lobby for a lecture and book signing of her latest, Bunny Williams%26rsquo; Scrapbook for Living (Stewart, Tabori %26amp; Chang), which resulted in a crowd of several hundred. Julie Greenwood and Linda King warmly welcomed Williams and fans, who formed a beeline for signed books. Rapt design denizens: Kari Parsons chatting with Vanessa Sendukas, Jerry Jeanmard, Caroline and Peter Billipp, Mimi Kerr, Lester Grundy, Kingslea Thomas, Elaine Ellender, and Becky Birdwell. %26nbsp; %26nbsp; %26nbsp;%26nbsp;

Tara Conley’s “Word for Word” at Laura Rathe Fine Art

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 05:48:35 GMT

Art lovers flocked to Laura Rathe Fine Art for the opening of Tara Conley%26rsquo;s %26ldquo;Word for Word,%26rdquo; an exhibition evolved from the Houston-based sculptor%26rsquo;s collections of text: overheard statements, donated letters and misread signs. Conley, who%26rsquo;s best known for her bronze work, presented 14 phrases in hand-forged scripted lettering, as well as two moving scrolls (%26ldquo;Aren%26rsquo;t Relationships Fantastic?%26rdquo; and %26ldquo;When You Say It Like That, It Sounds Bad%26rdquo;). She also discussed her upcoming DiverseWorks installation with writer Tria Wood, %26ldquo;My Life as a Doll.%26rdquo; Scripted: Katherine Houston, Carol Altergott, Melissa Noble, Marlene Picard, and Fabene Welch.

Tony Magar’s “Diamonds in the Bay” at Laura Rathe Fine Art

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 05:26:45 GMT

At Laura Rathe Fine Art, %26ldquo;Diamonds in the Bay%26rdquo; was the consummation of 50-plus years of work by Tony Magar, one of the last second-generation abstract expressionists. During an interview with Jina Brenneman (curator with The Harwood Museum of Art in Taos), Magar regaled the room with tales of his eccentric past. Sparkling in the gallery: Laura Rathe, Wes Thomas, John Todd Partridge, and Ryland Holmes with Brian James.%26nbsp;

Lunching for Ladies at WINGS

Thu, 26 May 2011 04:48:39 GMT

Kudos is in order for this fabulous WINGS Luncheon foursome: chairmen Robin Bagwell and Kimberly Clifton and honorary chairmen Myrna Schlegel and her daughter Kim Whitman. These benevolent ladies helped fill more than 500 seats at the Hyatt Regency Dallas to benefit New Friends New Life and its programs that transform the lives of exploited women. The afternoon topic of conversation? A frank discussion about human trafficking, led by Texas attorney general Greg Abbott and legal eagle Harriet Miers, for attendees including NFNL executive director Katie Pedigo, Pat Schenkel, Lillie Romano, Ray Hunt, and Ashlee Kleinert.

Fendi Fatto a Mano for the Future Event

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 06:51:12 GMT

Design Hearts Fashion
For more than a decade, we%26rsquo;ve had the sizzling confluence of art and fashion, more recently segueing into an intriguing dialogue between art and design. Enter the next conversation, spoken last December at Design Miami, where during the heat of Art Basel Miami Beach fair week, Benjamin Aranda and Chris Lasch of Aranda/Lasch turned Fendi%26rsquo;s pavilion into a very cool melding of au courant design, contemporary architecture and up-to-the-minute fashion. This spring, the storied Italian luxury house brought this provocative trend to town, transforming Fendi%26rsquo;s Galleria boutique into an Art Basel%26ndash;style booth for a singular cocktail party celebrating and displaying Aranda/Lasch%26rsquo;s modular furnishings billed as Modern Primitives. Formed from faceted foam encased in swank Selleria Fendi leathers and swathed in fur, the crystal-inspired collection featured perfect perches for social swells to gaze at handbags, quaff cocktails or slip on a sleek peep-toed platform.

Design devotees and fashion followers swarmed, welcomed by Fendi brass Houston store director Karin Hargett and North American president Stacy Van Praagh, in from Manhattan. Van Praagh introduced guest of honor: Houston-raised Benjamin Aranda, the design and architectural star who, along with Roman artisan Ester Di Sarno (in from Bal Harbour), created a Modern Primitive while the crowd looked on. Admirers who also engaged in a little retail therapy: Kimberly DeLape, de Menil biographer/scribe William Middleton (whose recent profile for W explored Silvia Venturini Fendi%26rsquo;s commitment to important contemporary design), Lucinda Loya, Deborah Duncan, Carmen Maria Lechin, Soni Dhesi, Porscha Radcliffe, Aarti Andrade, Irina Stuart, Raquel Adham, Irina Gelovani, Nirza Guerrero, Irina Grant, Lyndsey Johnson, Iraida Martinez, Kirsten Guerra, and the designer%26rsquo;s mother, Liliana Pinochet, who stopped by to say hi.

Community Immunity Spring Luncheon

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 04:17:50 GMT

Tootsies Hall of Fame

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 01:09:49 GMT

Happy Hour in the Hollow at the Lancaster Hotel

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 03:50:59 GMT

Alex Rodriguez at Hotel Granduca

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 02:39:40 GMT

Windows on The World

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 01:17:30 GMT

Philippe Restaurant + Lounge Grand Opening

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 01:58:45 GMT

Hotel ZaZa's Spring Fever

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 05:20:53 GMT

United Way Donor Appreciation "Color the Night Bright"

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 02:35:53 GMT

Greater Houston Women's Hall of Fame Announcement Party

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 12:41:38 GMT

Fashion Industry Gallery June Market Kick-Off Party

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 01:55:14 GMT

Tootsies' Luncheon at River Oaks Tennis Tournament

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 03:10:03 GMT

Go West I at Baccarat

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 02:28:08 GMT

Katy Prairie Bash 2011

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 05:33:18 GMT

Houston Arts Alliance Ai Weiwei Reception

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:32:57 GMT

DIFFA: Dramatically Different

Thu, 26 May 2011 04:09:27 GMT

Clayton Dabney Foundation Dinner

Thu, 26 May 2011 03:15:34 GMT

White Rock Lake Centennial Celebration at Neiman Marcus

Thu, 26 May 2011 01:06:16 GMT

The Foundry VIP Opening

Thu, 26 May 2011 12:10:04 GMT

FGI Spring Trends Report "Fashion Voyeurs"

Thu, 26 May 2011 11:25:05 GMT

Nasher Sculpture Center presents Sightings: Martin Creed

Tue, 24 May 2011 01:49:12 GMT

Organic in the City Fashion Show + Auction

Tue, 24 May 2011 12:28:48 GMT

Council for Life 5k Run Kick-Off Party

Tue, 24 May 2011 11:30:25 GMT

Samuel Lynne Galleries presents Miller %26 Waggoner's Transformation

Mon, 23 May 2011 03:52:48 GMT

Dallas Contemporary Exhibition Opening featuring Juergen Teller, Ezra Petronio, Le Pavilion

Mon, 02 May 2011 11:33:02 GMT

The 29th Annual Orange Show Gala

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 02:20:14 GMT

When I saw the art car with the gigantic bulging eyeballs, I knew this wasn%26rsquo;t the Opera Ball. Such was the scene as I pulled into a section of town that does not see much black tie: the lot of the Finger Furniture I-45 South showroom. Instead of the civilized splendor of the Hilton Americas%26ndash;Houston ballroom, furniture displays touting the Luxury of Leather beckoned. Yes, this was the Orange Show Gala, appropriately returning to where it all began %26mdash; Houston%26rsquo;s gritty East End, where a few miles away Jeff McKissack%26rsquo;s monument to the orange makes a glorious stand, preserved thanks to this art-centric nonprofit.

Kudos to chairman Franny Koelsch and board chair, founder and Orange Show angel Marilyn Oshman for taking a chance on a new venue, after many years in the shadows of the mammoth presidential heads at David Adickes SculpturWorx. The verdict: The cavernous warehouse of Finger%26rsquo;s was a mega-hit, as 600 revelers turned out. The %26ldquo;Kaleidoscope%26rdquo; theme produced some, ahem, psycho-delic outfits, such as Mark Sullivan who showed up in Dolce %26amp; Gabbana Palm Beachy trousers and a fur wrap (%26ldquo;I just went into Ceron%26rsquo;s closet and pulled out the first things I saw%26rdquo;). Others went for a circus effect, like Andy Weathers, who wrapped himself in a string of blinking bulbs. %26ldquo;Wonder where his battery pack is?%26rdquo; quipped Greg Manteris, who channeled a disco Don Juan in an outsized afro, alongside dancing queen Renea Abbott.

Cisco Kids: The predominant effect was hippie chic, as realized by love children Lane and Bob Schultz (he, OS board prez); Vanessa and Perry Sendukas; Don Mafrige Jr.; big benefactors Amy and Rodney Finger; outside-art collector extraordinaire Stephanie Smither and son John Kerr Smither in flowing biblical robes; Houston Arts Alliance honcho Jonathon Glus at his %26mdash; gasp %26mdash; first-ever Orange Show Gala and Alton LaDay; and artists Sharon Kopriva with gallerist husband Gus, art car maven Ann Harithas with museum director husband Jim, Wayne Gilbert with wife Beverley, muralist Kasi Kubiak in a get-up worthy of Mardi Gras, and Dan Phillips, who contributed bone jewelry and a fantastic bone-adorned chair to the silent-auction goodies. The evening%26rsquo;s apex %26mdash;%26nbsp;a performance by high-voltage band War %26mdash; catapulted revelers to the dance floor after a seated dinner by Pico%26rsquo;s Mex-Mex. Playing cult classics Spill the Wine, Cisco Kid, Why Can%26rsquo;t We Be Friends and Low Rider %26mdash; so apropos, with lowriders parked on the warehouse floor %26mdash; they bestowed a drum set upon chair Miz Koelsch while the crowd rocked on.

Holiday Cocktails with Halleh Amiralai

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 02:45:26 GMT

2011 Houston Ballet Celebration at Versace

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 06:26:18 GMT

Danse Fever
Once again, Versace%26rsquo;s Houston Galleria boutique put its best stiletto forward and hosted an evening of cocktailing and shopping for one of our town%26rsquo;s most notable performing arts groups, the Houston Ballet. The occasion continued the posh retailer%26rsquo;s annual tradition of important danse patronage, begun three years ago, marked by a swank store-side party with a portion of proceeds going to the cause and a lavish donation for the Ballet Ball%26rsquo;s silent auction. The night %26nbsp;was the perfect prelude to spring%26rsquo;s big ball, %26ldquo;Designed to Dance%26rdquo; that followed less than two weeks later.
Presiding were boutique director Rene Chapman-Wood; NYC%26ndash;based Versace VIP Jessica Giesen; ball chairmen Jo (who left with a stunning frock) and Jim Furr; and the Houston Ballet brigade of Patsy Chapman, Judy Waters, and Jill Scott. Shopping was in the air as a contingent led by Gabriela Dror and Caroline Kenney parked themselves beside a bank of platform pumps arrayed like sculptures from Art Basel, while Phoebe Tudor departed to the dressing room with an armful. %26nbsp;The buzz was about the ball and the Ballet%26rsquo;s soon-to-be-unveiled (Saturday, April 9) $47 million Center for Dance, designed by Mr. Furr%26rsquo;s firm, Gensler.

En Pointe
Svelte swans and dashing gents quaffing Grey Goose cocktails: auction chairmen Lisa Pope Westerman and Greg Westerman, she a Gensler architect and PaperCity contributing architecture editor; the evening%26rsquo;s host committee members Allie and Jay Fields, Elizabeth Moore Arnold, Michael and Melissa Mithoff, Greggory Burk, Patti and Don Murphy (she in Versace, natch), and Jerry Gauthier; benevolent benefactor Ira Brown; dancer extraordinaire Phillip Broomhead, who was Miz Tudor%26rsquo;s partner for the winning pas de deux for Dancing with the Houston Stars; Diane Lokey Farb; art collector Mark Haukohl; Robert Burnside; Kathryn and Jeff Smith; Judy Nichols; Versace fragrance duo J.J. Lovelace and Kelly McLeod, who gave us the scoop about a new perfume launch; Diane and Phil Bazelides; Caitlin Trevett; Ballet Barre member Michelle Kobelan with pal Ally Daum; Joshua Uduma; Natalia and Dennis Scheib; Ruth and Neill Davis; Louis Skidmore; Cindi Rose, sporting a Versace purse, with husband Franklin, in a Versace suit; Zara and Malik Merchant; Jaclyn Cross; Dominique Furuta in a Versace zipper dress, who%26rsquo;s told us she%26rsquo;s lusting after gladiator sandals; and major wine auction donor Jean May, who acquired a tie for husband Henry.

Party Question: Favorite (Spring) Break?
Diane Lokey Farb: Being on the red carpet for the Cannes Film Festival or the Academy Awards, including attending Elton John%26rsquo;s parties.
Dominique Furuta: Costa Rica, where I always pack my Versace bathing suit.
Cindi and Franklin Rose: A wine country excursion.
Lisa Pope Westerman: Before kids, the Ocean Club, Bahamas. Now skiing in Vail or a trip to the Hill Country.
J.J. Lovelace: The Alps, just outside of Zurich.
Ally Daum: The tropics. Scuba diving in Belize %26mdash; the best!

The Dallas Opera Opening Night 2010

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 03:29:10 GMT

There's something about attending a performance at the Winspear Opera House that inspires glitz and glam. The Dallas Opera's opening night there %26mdash; a red-carpet affair, chaired by Dallasite turned New York social Julia Moore %26mdash; aroused plenty of black-tie glamour from everyone in attendance. Our applause goes to Moore's custom-designed Oscar de la Renta gown (he referenced the Winspear's architectural glass structure in creating the dress) and the ovation-worthy performance of Mozart%26rsquo;s Don Giovanni starring Tony Award winner Paulo Szot. Post-opera, fans including Cindy and Charles Feld, Ellen Winspear, Walt Roper, and Kim Whitman progressed to a seated dinner. As for an encore, we're anxiously awaiting the Dallas Opera Gala on Friday, April 8.

Spacetaker's 7th Annual Gala: "Sold Out: A Celebration of Art for the Masses"

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:18:17 GMT

Black Ball

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 02:22:51 GMT

The august 18th-century-era party room Le Grande Salon of La Colombe d%26rsquo;Or %26mdash; which once served as the backdrop for nobles and their circa-1700s merriments %26nbsp;%26mdash; was the mise en sc%26egrave;ne for an evening of mayhem and raucous fund-raising at Glasstire and Fresh Arts Coalition%26rsquo;s big bash, this year themed %26ldquo;Black Ball.%26rdquo; (Past GT and FAC galas are the stuff of legend, including the not-soon-to-be-duplicated Cheese Ball, Golf Ball and Mirror Ball). This year%26rsquo;s sizzler conjured delicious, Page Six-worthy scandal as more than 500 thrill-seekers turned out, presided over by chair sextet Sloan/Hall gents Shannon Hall and Marcus Sloan, Sicardi Gallery%26rsquo;s Allison and David Ayers, and Cabrina and Steve Owsley, and honorees Meg and Nelson Murray.

What Monsieur Hall Saw: We enjoined Monsieur Hall for his best-dressed list: %26ldquo;I assumed the identity of fashion model Kate Moss. And Marcus [Sloan] was the very embodiment of Lindsay Lohan, all pretty in a turquoise halter dress by American Apparel %26mdash; with requisite alcohol monitor, of course ... Allison [Ayers] was the most gorgeous Cleopatra! I loved Timmy Martinez as the disgraced Boy George; Ceron%26rsquo;s pre-rehab Russell Brand, his wig tangled with chewing gum and cigarette butts; Michael Landrum and Pepper Paratore as the shameful lip-syncing Milli Vanilli; Daniel-Kayne in ballet tights and his black and white swan companions, the black swan being with child %26agrave; la Natalie Portman; Claudia Schmuckli%26rsquo;s perfectly pink and saucy Marie Antoinette, and my favorite: Jeff Shell as the loose-lipped but all-smiles-and-pageant-waves Miss California.%26rdquo;

And let%26rsquo;s not forget the party%26rsquo;s founders, who sported ice skates while enacting an Olympic bit of bad behavior with Fresh Arts%26rsquo; Marita Fairbanks as Tonya Harding, while husband J. B. Fairbanks was Harding%26rsquo;s pipe-wielding ex Jeff Gillooly, to Glasstire%26rsquo;s good girl Rainey Knudson, aka Nancy Kerrigan. Dripping Springs Vodka, The Black Door wines and St. Arnold%26rsquo;s Brewery added to the fervor, while Digital Photo Memories snapped blackmail-able party pics as the band Klockwork performed. And incoming Fresh Arts executive director Ian Garrett toted a camera and emerged from the bushes in a bit of paparazzi performance art.

AA Benjamin Holiday Party

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 07:30:02 GMT

There was some serious gem-gazing when our town%26rsquo;s most illustrious purveyors of coveted creations set with diamonds, emeralds, rubies and other eye-catching gemstones hosted beguiling bashes. We flitted from store to store, alighting at a swell suite of stops including Marion Glober%26rsquo;s Past Era Fine Antique and Estate Jewelry; A.A. Benjamin, Ltd. (greeted by jewelry maven Amy Lawch); I W Marks, where brothers Daniel and Brad Marks graciously donated all proceeds to Camp for All; and finished with a flourish at Wayne Smith Jewels, where we wished the very talented designer Mr. Smith the best on his sparkling new Uptown Park emporium.

Past Era Annual Holiday Celebration

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 06:49:48 GMT

There was some serious gem-gazing when our town%26rsquo;s most illustrious purveyors of coveted creations set with diamonds, emeralds, rubies and other eye-catching gemstones hosted beguiling bashes. We flitted from store to store, alighting at a swell suite of stops including Marion Glober%26rsquo;s Past Era Fine Antique and Estate Jewelry; A.A. Benjamin, Ltd. (greeted by jewelry maven Amy Lawch); I W Marks, where brothers Daniel and Brad Marks graciously donated all proceeds to Camp for All; and finished with a flourish at Wayne Smith Jewels, where we wished the very talented designer Mr. Smith the best on his sparkling new Uptown Park emporium.

TFAA Art Award and Auction Kickoff Party

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 06:08:27 GMT

The Texan-French Alliance for the Arts (TFAA) Art Award and Auction kickoff party was as sublime as its setting: the swank home of Martha and Richard Finger. Martha and her co-chairmen, Laure Parise and Jo%26euml;lle Petit, beckoned guests in from the cold to view artworks and attend to the words of TFAA president Michael Henry and honorary chair Lynn Wyatt, who revealed that Louis Vuitton had donated funds to the cause. (Mark your calendars for the PaperCity-sponsored auction at Devin Borden Hiram Butler Gallery on Wednesday, March 30 %26mdash; and you, dear reader, are invited to come and bid.) Helping TFAA promote cultural exchange between Texas and France: honorary selection chair Judy Nyquist, Fran%26ccedil;oise and Edward Djerejian, Toby Kamps, Libbie Masterson, Gus Kopriva, Fredericka Hunter, Fran%26ccedil;oise Henry, David McGee, Vanessa Abahashemi, French Consul General Pierre Grandjouan, and Louis Vuitton%26rsquo;s Emily Paull and Fatuma Switzer.

Mary Jo Peckham Award Luncheon and Fashion Show

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 01:41:18 GMT

Jamee Gregory Book Signing at Chanel

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 09:56:05 GMT

Feather Your Nest Luncheon and Speakers Series with Colleen Rickenbacher

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 10:43:23 GMT

The Art of Film 2010

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 01:21:31 GMT

When the Dallas Film Society premiered its inaugural The Art of Film event at the Hall of State at Fair Park, we knew it would receive rave reviews. A big buzz was even more inevitable when the evening's starring role went to Oscar winner Robert Duvall, who jetted in for a pre-dinner conversation with film critic Elvis Mitchell. As for the cast and crew behind the event's debut %26mdash; chairmen Lynn and Allan McBee, DFS president and CEO Tanya Foster, chairman of the board Michael Cain, and 400 boldface types including Ellen and Don Winspear, Ann Swisher, and Anne and Steve Stodghill %26mdash; they too were no strangers to red-carpet-worthy affairs.

Fashion Houston 2010 Presented by Audi

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 03:51:56 GMT

It%26rsquo;s nearing December as I pen this copy, and the buzz from the inaugural Fashion Houston 2010 presented by Audi is still deafening (and the memories extraordinary). All manner of tastemakers of both sexes swarmed to the head hive, aka the Wortham Theater Center, alighting first at the glamorous tented Audi Pavilion %26mdash; set up in Fish Plaza and curated with chic little pop-up shops, a beguiling display of maquillage at Laura Mercier Lounge and some very sexy Audis, especially the purr-worthy convertible R8 and, nearby, the stately A8 sedan %26mdash; then swarming into the Wortham, where the Grand Foyer, which architecturally quotes the splendors of Imperial Rome, was a fitting venue for the front-row faces seen on these pages. Also peruse these pics to discover those with the stamina to make it to the PaperCity after-party at Four Seasons%26rsquo; Quattro that wrapped these four astounding nights in October.%26nbsp;

%26nbsp;And bravo to those who made it happen, principally Audi%26rsquo;s leading man and president of Fashion Houston, Jared Lang, and visionary Neal Hamil, who coaxed two icons %26nbsp;to appear together for evening four%26rsquo;s stellar gala, Rob Rutherford, the incomparable Lynn Wyatt (presenting a parade of her greatest couture looks of all time, edited from one of the most enviable closets in the universe) and the lady who created the era of the supermodel %26mdash; and mentored and inspired cover girls of yesterday, today and tomorrow %26mdash;%26nbsp;the very beloved Eileen Ford, honored for her role in the international fashion firmament. And most movingly of all, some of the very famous faces from Ford Models stopped by to pay tribute, including Dolores Hawkins Phelps (of Houston%26rsquo;s Phelps family, as in Katherine and Bill), Dianne DeWitt, and the platinum-locked Carmen Dell%26rsquo;Orefice. %26nbsp;

%26nbsp;And an ex-president made a PA, too: George H.W. Bush and wife Barbara, along with Neal and Maria Bush, cheering on granddaughter Lauren Bush; senior Bush revealed that this was his first-ever fashion show. (Lauren%26rsquo;s runway collection, Lauren Pierce, as well as philanthropic FEED Projects, including its unforgettable FEED bag, were among the headliners of evening two.) %26nbsp;Also notable: Alana Stewart, former wife of George Hamilton and Rod Stewart.

%26nbsp;Pssst: Get ready for a one-night catwalk revival this spring (rumor has it) with another four-evening extravaganza in Fall 2011. Buckle your (Audi) seat-belts and prepare to bust out those Louboutins and stock your statement bag.

It%26rsquo;s a Wrap
The venue for the PaperCity-sponsored after-party was a short glide from the Wortham, the Four Season%26rsquo;s Quattro, which was red-carpeted, with a step-and-repeat for the paparazzi and their willing subjects. Out were dining tables %26mdash; the space was transformed into a clubby nightspot for the occasion. (A perfect coincidence: Its name is also found in the make of Audi%26rsquo;s powerful Quattro engine). Veuve Clicquot flowed and flowed, while Belvedere Vodka fueled mean martinis for the crowd of 300. For bites, top toque Maurizio Ferrarese manned a risotto station in one of the private dining areas, while another space offered up molten treats from the dessert bar. Miz Wyatt, Neal Hamil, and Fred Smith (celebrating his birthday later in one of the state suites) were ushered immediately to the very tony Il Rosso private dining room, where bottle service took place. However, Eileen Ford wanted nothing to do with the VIP room, as %26ldquo;two people do not a party make,%26rdquo; so she remained perched at an intimate table at the front of Quattro, receiving accolades and warmly greeting friends old and new.

Who Showed
(in this order)
Cesar Galindo
Lyn Devon
Christina Siriano
David Peck and Elaine Turner
Lauren Bush
Lela Rose
Net-a-Porter
Chloe Dao
Toni Whitaker
Irina Shabayeva
Kiton
Marc Bouwer
Emilio Pucci

Faces in the Crowd
Melissa Mithoff
Anne Carl%26nbsp;
Sisters Sarah Jawda and Saba Jawda
Jacqueline and Leon Kinloch
Alana Stewart
Bob Devlin
Cortney Cole
Elizabeth Petersen
Lucinda Loya
Laura Bhatia
Ceron (who styled the runway %26rsquo;dos)
Joyce Echols
Mickey Rosmarin
Helen Perry
Linda McReynolds
Rose Cullen
David Bamford
Kim Moody with daughter Makell
Judith Oudt
George Lancaster
Selven O%26rsquo;Keef Jarmon
Barbara Davis
Diane Lokey Farb
Marcy de Luna
Samira Anne Salman
Rusty Arena
Tammy Dowe
Elizabeth Dorey
Laura Spalding
Beth Bryant

Partygoers Ring in the New Year ZaZa Style

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 06:39:55 GMT

Coco's Fifth Anniversary Celebration

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 12:47:01 GMT

An Evening with David Yurman

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 04:09:18 GMT

The Opening of the J.H. Minassian %26 Co Showroom in the Dallas Design Center

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 02:54:06 GMT

Za'lloween

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 02:47:55 GMT

charlieuniformtango Celebrates 15 Years

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 12:35:24 GMT

Montblanc Store Opening

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 02:11:41 GMT

Party at Wayne Smith Jewels

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 06:43:49 GMT

Stop: Wayne Smith Jewels
Vibe: It was an intime evening as platinum card%26#8211;holding types flocked to Wayne Smith%26#8217;s bauble haven for flutes of champagne and admiring and/or acquiring. Twinkling vintage and contemporary creations, including covetable pieces designed by the discerning Mr. Smith himself (we fell in love with the leaf brooches) caught the eye of Joan Blaffer Johnson, Ethelyn Kuldell, Lorena Karpen, and John Middleton.

The Envy Party at Neiman Marcus NorthPark

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 04:59:56 GMT

Must Have: Dresses, suits, sweaters and blouses by Robert Rodriguez, Etro, Elie Tahari and Escada %26#8212; all splashed with green hues and accessorized with lace, pearls and plenty of feathers and fur.
Destination: The Neiman Marcus penthouse, aka Designer Sportswear on Level Three, gave way to models posing in a green-themed fashion presentation by NM%26#8217;s Apryl Churchill and PaperCity co-editor Brooke Hortenstine during this two-night event.
Shopping Society: Billie Leigh Rippey, Melissa Watson, Summer Larson, Elena Boss, Shirley Young, Mary Shelton, and NM notables Malcolm Reuben and Gabrielle de Papp.

Balenciaga Classic Bag Ten Year Anniversary at Neiman Marcus NorthPark

Sun, 19 Sep 2010 01:27:59 GMT

Must Have: Balenciaga bags in all shapes and sizes from the Classic collection, as well as several Neiman Marcus exclusives including the signature City and First bags.
Destination: Designer Handbags on Level Two %26#8212; a location impossible to escape without leaving with numerous new totes %26#8212; was the spot to toast the Balenciaga Classic Bag Collection%26#8217;s 10-year anniversary with Balenciaga fashion stylist Elizabeth Welton.
Shopping Society: Sharon Ward, Tracy Achor Hayes, Samantha Seiman, Adrienne Randall, Marci Johnson and a slew of style-setters.

Ashley Pittman Personal Appearance at Neiman Marcus NorthPark Center

Sun, 19 Sep 2010 12:36:53 GMT

Must-Have: Local jewelry designer Ashley Pittman%26#8217;s namesake collection of charitable jewels crafted in Africa by Kenyan artisans %26#8212; think necklaces and cuffs made of horn, bronze and semiprecious stones.
Destination: A luncheon in The Club Room at NM Caf%26#233;, hosted by Pittman's pals Peggy Sewell and Jacquelin Sewell.
Shopping Society: The ladies who lunched included Gene Jones, Erin Mathews, Nancy Halbreich, Gayle Stoffel, Meredith Francis, Jennifer Russell, Mary Gill, and Sara Fay Egan.

Stewart Cohen Identity Artist Reception and Book Signing

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 05:24:35 GMT

Art Scene: Photographs Do Not Bend Gallery exhibited 50 photographic works by artist Stewart Cohen, with a book signing to boot. Compelling portraits of Prince Albert of Monaco to famed fashion exec Derrill Osborn (who was in attendance to view his likeness) hung around the walls, while guests lined up to have Cohen sign their copies of his new book, Identity: A Photographic Meditation from the Inside Out.
Creative Types: Anne and Jeremy Besser, Cindy Furtitta, Melanie Spiegel, Gisela Borghi, Paige Anderson, Maureen Dalton-Wolfe, and PDNB gallery owners Missy and Burt Finger.

Italian Art Event at Nest

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 05:14:19 GMT

Art Scene: Mod Italian furnishings and artwork stocked Nest%26#8217;s Snider Plaza boutique during an event honoring the Italian Trade Commission and its two-week promotion of luxe Italian goods. We were bowled over by standout pieces from Kartell, Pineider, Seletti, Colico and Arte di Murano.
Creative Types: Italian artists including Tiziano Bonanni, Fabrizio Ferrari, Robbie Shackelford, and Mauro Tacconi, with Nest%26#8217;s own Heather Wiese-Alexander, Donald Fowler, Stefanie Darrah, and Laura Busby.

Ceylon et Cie Tastemaker Tag Sale

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 03:24:45 GMT

James Magee Exhibition Opening

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 11:10:29 GMT

Zegna Centennial Event at Neiman Marcus NorthPark Center

Mon, 18 Oct 2010 12:55:56 GMT

Dallas Summer Musicals' Welcoming Party for Wicked Cast %26 Company

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 05:31:35 GMT

The Luxury Marketing Council Presents Michael Crotty

Thu, 30 Sep 2010 05:09:35 GMT

Retreat to the Mayan Riviera

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 06:01:25 GMT

Rome Salon and Day Spa celebrated the upcoming Consular Ball at West Ave with a cocktail kickoff themed Retreat to the Mayan Riviera (save the date for the white-tie international gala: Saturday, October 16, at the Hilton Americas%26#8211;Houston). Members of the Consular Forum and the Houston Junior Chamber of Commerce enjoyed lime-and-salt hand and foot scrubs paired with pink margaritas and coastal cuisine. The pampered bunch included Rome%26#8217;s Zahira Coll-Buell, Eve Ruhlman, Consul General of the Netherlands Geert C. Visser, Fallon and Kevin Bulli, Consul General of Greece Alexandra Theodoropoulou, and Valerie Dittner.

Katy Prairie Conservancy Gala

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 05:36:03 GMT

The Katy Prairie Conservancy held its first fund-raising bash, %26#8220;Where the Wild Things Are,%26#8221; at Astrid and Gene Van Dyke%26#8217;s house (which is not little and not located on the prairie) featuring dinner and rock tunes by the band Justus. Co-chairmen Cindi and Bob Blakely and Cornelia and Meredith Long toasted the Kelsey and Tucker families for their environmental contributions. Eco activists: Katy Prairie Conservancy board president Mary Van Kerrebrook and director Mary Anne Piacentini; Jana and Scotty Arnoldy; Marshall Ashmore; and honorees Dr. Mavis Kelsey, Gaye and John Kelsey, Ann and Tom Kelsey, Wendy and Mavis Kelsey, Stephanie and Brad Tucker, and Joyce and Louis Tucker.

A Spectacular Evening of Energy, Honor, %26 Celebration

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 12:19:25 GMT

The city%26#8217;s brightest theater enthusiasts gathered at the Hilton Americas%26#8211;Houston for Ensemble Theatre%26#8217;s annual black-tie gala, this year themed %26#8220;A Spectacular Evening of Energy, Honor, %26amp; Celebration.%26#8221; Co-chairmen Jackie Phillips and Paul-David Van Atta, together with honorary chairman Linnet F. Deily, helped raise $375,000 for the thespian cause, with an additional gift of $550,000 announced by Ensemble board chairman Argentina James. Energy honorees Spectra Energy, Shell, ExxonMobil, CenterPoint, Chevron and BP America were celebrated for their cumulative donations of $1.8 million over the past five years. Taking center stage: honorees Margaret Avery (Lifetime Achievement), actor T.C. Carson, actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, and rising star Tr%26#233; Garrett.

A Fete with Two Style Setters

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 03:41:10 GMT

Weeks later, another coveted invite arrived for a tandem f%26#234;te, pairing Park Avenue/Palm Beach%26#8211;pedigreed Amanda Brooks (the authoress who holds a degree from Brown and lives an enviable downtown Manhattan lifestyle with mega-cool artist husband, Christopher Brooks) with vintage king Christos Garkinos, whose L.A. retail rendezvous, DecadesTwo, is perfumed with Hollywood glamour and serves as designer consignment HQ for those in the know.

Brooks penned bons mots in her new volume, I Love Your Style: How to Define and Refine Your Personal Style, while Garkinos curated a capsule collection of red-carpet looks culled from celebrity closets. (Claire Danes, Julianne Moore and Rachel Zoe are among the fair types who consign high-voltage designer names to his boutique.)

The most glamorous girls in town turned out to rifle the racks from Hollywood closets, whether they had miles of their own designer-packed cupboards or not. Adorable Karen Pulaski was wreathed in smiles to be back in Houston from her L.A. foray, and steadily stepping out with crooner Steve Tyrell. Also cheerfully joining in the fun: Molly Hubbard, Karen Mayell, Diane Lokey Farb, Katherine Phelps, Marnie Greenwood, Kelli Blanton, Joyce Echols, Merele Yarborough, Yvonne Cormier with cool daughter Claire Cormier Thielke, Beth Muecke, Annie Amante, Melissa Mithoff, Laura Casey, Ursaline Hamilton, Ren%26#233;e Lewis Cary, Kara Childress, Terri Havens, Courtney Hopson, Debbie Festari, Leigh Williams, and in from L.A. Carlota Espinosa, doyenne of the Web site hautelook.com, which stocks DecadesTwo%26#8217;s posh designer wares.

%26nbsp;

PaperCity%26#8217;s Kate Allen Stukenberg talks consignment with Christos Garkinos.
%26nbsp;
To start off, can you give me some consignment purchasing tips
CG: When you%26#8217;re buying, I think it is important that you go into a boutique that caters to you. Second, don%26#8217;t want to buy everything from one store. And make sure you see pieces there that you wouldn%26#8217;t see anywhere else. Also check that the owners are reputable and able to guarantee authenticity when it comes to handbags. That is really important. I%26#8217;ve been doing this for about ten years and I%26#8217;ve maybe sold 8,000 handbags over the years and I%26#8217;ve only had four that I%26#8217;ve had issues telling if they were real or fake so mazel tov. I%26#8217;d also say it%26#8217;s a good place to get designer shoes. Designer shoes have become the %26#8220;it bag%26#8221; this season. I think the architecture of shoes is amazing right now but they are like $1,200 a pair.
%26nbsp;
So, how does someone from Houston get their stuff to you?
CG: We have many Houston consignors. We have over 3,000 consignors around the world. The can get to us by phone, e-mail, everything. We get items mostly in a box. It%26#8217;s like Christmas everyday at the store, boxes from everywhere.
%26nbsp;
Treasures.
CG: We%26#8217;ll look and see if metallics are big or taupe or what color scheme is hot, and we will buy to that. That%26#8217;s very important. Plus anything by Tom Ford%26#8211;era YSL or Gucci is incredibly collectible, so when I go in someone%26#8217;s closet and see the Tom in their closet, I have to put my fashion poker face on because I don%26#8217;t want to show that I%26#8217;m too interested in it %26#8230; He%26#8217;s really a great guy, and he left his businesses without any archive.
%26nbsp;
Did he really?
CG: He did. So when I see his pieces, I try and gather them and offer them to him first to buy back if he doesn%26#8217;t have the piece. For me, that is what I love %26#8212; the hunting and gathering.

How much of his collections has he been able to sort of buy back?
CG: From me? Maybe 40 to 45 pieces over the years. In the last five years, though, there has been a real Tom Ford resurgence.

Which designer of the past do you most admire and why?
CG: For me, McQueen for both men%26#8217;s and women%26#8217;s was great. From the men%26#8217;s perspective, he was tall %26#8230; like 6%26#8217;1%26#8221; or 6%26#8217;2%26#8221;. I met him once, and he and I were eye to eye. I mean unlike these great designers that are 5%26#8217;8%26#8221; and designing for themselves %26#8230; I%26#8217;m holding onto my pieces from him.

How many celebrities bring in their own goods?
CG: I%26#8217;d say we have about 150 celebrities that consign, and maybe 20 percent of them actually bring in the stuff themselves because they want to shop. But then I have to play fashion police and make sure they don%26#8217;t buy something another celebrity has already worn and been photographed in %26#8230; I would die.

How do you convince women to part with certain thing?
CG: I always joke that the best thing for my business is divorce, weight loss or gain, or moving. It%26#8217;s almost like fashion Robin Hood, because I go in these women%26#8217;s closets and get stuff out to women who really want and will really wear these things. I mean, some women buy the same thing in three different colors %26#8212; which I understand because I do it. I have three of the YSL Johnny boot, so I get it.
%26nbsp;
What%26#8217;s next?
CG: I%26#8217;m working on my book called My First Handbag. You can ask any woman, and they will tell you a great story that goes with their first handbag. Do you remember yours?
KAS: My first good one was a Marc Jacobs from his first collection. Like the one Gwyneth Paltrow used to carry. It had the two pockets in the front and was bone-colored. I got it in college before I moved to New York %26#8230; I remember begging my mother for it for Christmas. I regret getting the bone-colored one now, but at that moment, I had to have it.

29+1 Celebration at RDG + Bar Annie

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 06:53:58 GMT

Leggiadro Opening

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 06:35:02 GMT

Paige Parkes Management's 25th Anniversary

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 06:01:41 GMT

Artemide Bella Notte

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 11:15:52 GMT

%26nbsp;As if The Fashionistas weren%26#8217;t luminous enough, founder Heidi Dillon and her swanky crew packed into the Design District%26#8217;s Artemide lighting showroom for a well-lit cocktail party and fund-raising silent auction to benefit the organization%26#8217;s local fashion-supporting programs. A black Rolls-Royce and a pearly Maserati on loan from Park Place Dealerships were parked outside, while inside, guests glowed. Greeting fashion luminaries was showroom manager Mack Hopper, and guests Dan Pritchett, Kay Troutt, Rodger Kobes, and Brandon Stephens.

"The Carrie Diaries" Book Signing with Candace Bushnell

Thu, 27 May 2010 05:35:49 GMT

A Sex and the City fever took over weeks before the movie%26#8217;s sequel premiere: Candace Bushnell, the author of the novel behind the blockbuster, whirled into town for a signing of her latest SATC tome, The Carrie Diaries at NorthPark Center%26#8217;s Neiman Marcus Cusp boutique. Tiptoeing in a pink pair of swallow-print, rhinestone-encrusted Miu Miu platforms, Bushnell greeted a crowd of dapper ladies and gents, including Jana Wood, Jodi McGary, Elizabeth Kirkpatrick, Margaret Harder, and Lauren Scheinin.

Paul Horn’s Mad Monster Party

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:31:39 GMT

Deborah Colton and Carolyn Farb hosted artist provocateur Paul Horn%26#8217;s Mad Monster Party at their newly re-branded Colton %26amp; Farb Gallery. Dracula%26#8217;s shot bar, Mummy%26#8217;s margaritas and Frankenstein%26#8217;s candy station lured costumed revelers including Wendy and Fred Schiller, Lauren Rottet with Kevin Stolle, Bob Nowak, Michael Macedo Meazell, and Penelope and Lester Marks.

Party on the Patio

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 06:45:25 GMT

Ah, to be young %26#8230; and a Menil Contemporary! The art-loving contingent recently gathered on the patio of Hotel ZaZa%26#8217;s Monarch Lounge to discuss the arts over hors d%26#8217;oeuvres and cocktails. And talk about door prizes %26#8212; this eve boasted a custom Bryn+McKenna necklace and a private tour given by Menil assistant curator Michelle White of the museum%26#8217;s treasure rooms (where the Warhols, Magrittes and more are stored when not on display). Contemporarily artistic: Adrian Patterson, Ramon Manning, Louisa Ordway, Allison Blanton Stasney and Spencer Stasney, Menil African art curator Kristina Van Dyke, Patricia and Mike Dinh, and Gretchen and Michael Sammons.

Tootsies River Oaks Tennis Tournament Luncheon and Style Show

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 06:43:46 GMT

Mimosas, Magnolias and Match Points
For the swell set, the Tootsies River Oaks Tennis Tournament Luncheon and Style Show is the epicenter of the spring season. Big-brimmed hats come out; Versace shades or Ray-Ban Wayfarers are readied as accoutrements to Tootsies runway extravaganza with a lineup from Roberto Cavalli, Diane von Furstenberg, Naeem Khan, Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, Monique Lhuillier, Zac Posen and more. And on a pair of back-to-back afternoons, bright young things and our grandest dames all hold court %26#8212; of the clay variety %26#8212; at River Oaks Country Club for a tennis tournament whose posh pedigree extends back to 1931. Oh, and the beyond-coveted tickets are sold out with nary an invite being printed.

This year, chair sisters-in-law Mary Eads and Lisa Eads %26#8212; Mary in lemon-hued Lela Rose, Lisa in white, white Etro %26#8212; presided over the palmy gatherings themed %26#8220;Serving Up Love ... Global Style.%26#8221; Per tradition, some ladies attend one luncheon, others converge upon both, and %26#8220;lunch%26#8221; often ends laaaate in the afternoon or into cocktail time. The gilded hours are not sans gents, however: The grand masters were Tootsies owner Mickey Rosmarin and fashion-show producer Lenny Matuszewski, who (assisted by colleague Tamara Klosz Bonar) choreographed a high-voltage, classic show. The catwalk%26#8217;s finale is famous: a poolside parade %26#8212; and often plunge %26#8212; by some winsome male models.

If Slim Aarons Were Here
Palm Beach met Cannes as the gals of summer admired the sleek fashion parade %26nbsp;%26#8212; both on the runway and off %26#8212; and dished about upcoming vacances in destinations ranging from Nantucket and Southampton to the South of France. Among the aristocratic aerie: Katie Cullen in Jean Paul Gaultier; Stephanie Cockrell and gal pal Kara Kinder Howes; Greggory Burk in crisp Charles Chang-Lima; Bethany Hughes in Michael Kors; Millette Sherman, sassy in Jay Godfrey; Courtney Fertitta in an understated, stunning Charles Chang-Lima cream-color sheath; Diane Lokey Farb dishing with Kelli Blanton; Rebecca Thomas rocking a Pucci frock; mother-daughter set Yvonne Cormier and Claire Cormier Thielke; Lynn Wyatt channeling the Riviera in a nautical navy Chanel jacket; Impressions Bridal Salon%26#8217;s Anita Gaylor; Dancie Ware; Melissa King; Karen Mayell in pastel Pucci; impeccable Linda McReynolds; Mary Stanton Smith; Lacy Baird; and new mom to twins Elizabeth Petersen in Stella McCartney. Courtney Sarofim, surveying the scene from a prime seat at the Fayez Sarofim and Company table, summarized the faultless day perfectly, %26#8220;Where else would we rather be?%26#8221;

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Scholarship Banquet

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 02:14:39 GMT

Zoo To Do 2010 Kickoff

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 05:35:34 GMT

SFERRA %26 All The Best by Ronda Carman

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 05:28:26 GMT

All the Best blog editor Ronda Carman and beautiful Sferra bedding were perfect reasons to host a warm-weathered event at Michelle Nussbaumer's Ceylon et Cie showroom. Noting Nussbaumer%26#8217;s unique treasures, as well as the Sferra-draped display bed, were Sferra Luxury Linens owner Paul Hooker; interior decorators such as Christopher Ridolfi, Ty Burks, John Phifer Marrs, Joanie Wyll, Laura Lee Falconer, Margaret Chambers, James McInroe, and Beverly Field; and creative types including Mary Jane Ryburn, George Sellers, Laura Stewart, and Veranda magazine's Carolyn Englefield.

Milagro Tequila Party at The Beat Condos

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 06:46:04 GMT

The moveable cocktail at The Beat Lofts was as vibrant and spirited as one might expect when the PA at the party is Milagro Tequila. The Beat Lofts, a new urban development in the Southside on Lamar District, played top host with lighted bars serving margaritas and intimate Milagro tequila tastings in the fourth-floor model residences. The tastemaker behind the chic decor was man of style Sam Saladino %26#8212; he and The Beat VIP Al Coker showed off their collaboration to guests Cakkers Grant, Michael Aguilar, Malone Lankford, Jerry Kingston and more. %26nbsp;

Dallas International Film Festival

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 11:46:15 GMT

Red-Carpet Revamp

Sundance, Cannes and TriBeCa may be the glitziest film-festival destinations. But given the obsession with red carpets, celebs and A-list film premieres, perhaps the paparazzi should add a new city to their list of celeb-sighting destinations: Dallas. A big buzz surrounded this year's event, as the Dallas Film Society decided to amp up its film festival with a new name (Dallas International Film Festival), a new CEO and festival executive director (Tanya Foster), a new chairman of the board (Michael Cain) and a new artistic director (James Faust), all to set the stage for 11 days of red-carpet romps by some of Hollywood's brightest marquee names. %26nbsp;

Star-Studded Soir%26#233;es

The festival's opener %26#8212; a gala screening at the Angelika Film Center %26#8212; drew in 1,600 filmgoers, who joined honorary chairs Laura and Tom Leppert, Golden Globe nominee Bill Paxton, and socials Kacy and Carter Tolleson, Anne and Steve Stodghill, and Angus Wynne. Next up, the Filmmaker Lunch at the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, with Wilmer Valderrama and America Ferrera; the Dallas Star Award presentations, with Steuben Crystal trophies given to Guillermo Arriaga, the late Pedro Infante, The Blind Side writer John Lee Hancock, The Green Mile director Frank Darabont, and The Dark Knight cinematographer Wally Pfister; and hundreds of screenings and premieres. Making the trek to pose under our bright lights were Amanda Seyfried, Kathleen Quinlan, Dallas Shining Star Award recipient Amber Heard, Kelly Monaco, Barry Corbin, Zach Gilford, and Clint Howard.

Feather Your Nest Luncheon and Speakers Series with Harville Hendrix and Helen La Kelly Hunt

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 12:55:35 GMT

When it comes to lifestyle musings, the Feather Your Nest Luncheon and Speakers Series has quickly become one of the must-attend events for stylish self-betterment. This time, an intimate group of socialites met co-founders Kim Whitman, Colleen Rickenbacher, and Ashlee Kleinert at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas, to hear husband-and-wife relationship experts Helen LaKelly Hunt and Harville Hendrix speak about lasting love. In the highbrow luncheon crowd: Deborah Scott, April Spicer, Mason Custard, Trisha Boulogne, and Joyce Goss.

Partners Card Kickoff

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 01:04:11 GMT

To kick off The Family Place's annual Partners Card event, co-chairmen Maggie Kipp, Molly Nolan, and Gina Roidopoulos decided a summery grill party was in order. Complete with mariachi music, plenty of bubbly cocktails and dozens of socials in flowery sundresses, the scene at Galleria Dallas' The Grill on the Alley seemed to channel a swank, outdoor fiesta, with the likes of The Family Place's Paige Flink, Galleria Dallas%26#8217; Angie Freed, and guests Gloria Campos, Katy and Lawrence Bock, and Nancy Scripps traipsing about the patio spectacle.

Horne %26 Dekker Opening

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:39:13 GMT

St. Jude Kick Off Party

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 05:46:16 GMT

The Old State's Dallas' Top 100 Dinner

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 05:56:29 GMT

Briggs Freeman Spring Party

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 05:00:07 GMT

14th Annual Strong Smart and Bold Celebration Luncheon

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 12:44:01 GMT

Stanley Marcus: The Relentless Reign of a Merchant Prince

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 05:46:35 GMT

The thought of encapsulating Neiman Marcus%26#8217; great trailblazer, Stanley Marcus, between two covers is daunting, but author and former NM marketing director Thomas E. Alexander accomplished just that. Excitement over his book, Stanley Marcus: The Relentless Reign of a Merchant Prince, drew members of the NM family including Barbara Womble, Deborah Fugit, Ruth Altshuler, Nancy Halbreich, and Barbara Boettigheimer to the Hall of State at Fair Park for a t%26#234;te-%26#224;-t%26#234;te between Alexander and journalist Rena Pederson. Orchestrating the event were the Dallas Historical Society's Diane Bumpas and Jack Bunning, who recounted their own NM memories with the likes of Shelby and Lawrence Marcus, Caroline Rose Hunt, Capy Alexander, Marjie Rozell, and Carolyn Cobb.

Kroell Patrol at Saks Fifth Avenue

Wed, 26 May 2010 01:41:12 GMT

The ladies of the Hermann Park Conservancy couldn%26#8217;t wait to spend an %26#8220;Evening in the Park,%26#8221; so they began celebrating a day early with a luncheon at Saks Fifth Avenue. New York%26#8211;based designer Devi Kroell imparted fashion advice to the guests %26#8212; she%26#8217;s known for her exotic-skin handbags and sculptural shoes. Admiring her handiwork: gala chairmen Anne Carl and Lucy Carl; Saks%26#8217; Sylvia Forsythe and fedora-wearing GM Terry Zmyslo, Jeannette Doumani, Lisa Holthouse, Ursaline Hamilton, Mary Grace Gray, and Jenine Howard.

Champagne %26 Ribs

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 05:34:14 GMT

eatZis Market and Bakery Grand Opening

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 03:20:42 GMT

2010 IIDA Auction and Fashion Show

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 02:26:40 GMT

Pratham Houston Gala 2010

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 06:29:01 GMT

The Girl Who Learned Differently Book Launch and Signing

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 05:13:44 GMT

Net-A-Porter Fall '10 Collection Preview

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 03:49:16 GMT

Junior League of Dallas Sustainer of the Year Luncheon

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 03:33:29 GMT

W.O.W. Annual Memebership Party at Elaine Turner

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 12:11:49 GMT

Tootsies Sex and the City 2 Party

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 05:05:36 GMT

Equest Community Service Award Announcement Party

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 04:35:34 GMT

Memorial Hermann Circle of Life Gala

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 05:58:50 GMT

St. Tropez Soiree at Hotel ZaZa

Tue, 11 May 2010 01:22:39 GMT

Thousands of miles from the Mediterranean, the sparkling scene at Hotel ZaZa's St. Tropez Soir%26#233;e channeled chic parties of the C%26#244;te d'Azure. Christophe Charrier, Benji Homsey, and Charlie Givens were spotted poolside at ZaZa's Urban Oasis patio, where Veuve Clicquot flowed, Dragonfly's foie gras torchon bites were passed, and models posed in Brunello Cucinelli looks from Stanley Korshak. Gazing at a shining Maserati car display and champagne bottles turned fireworks were Karina and Horatio Lonsdale-Hands, Filippo Tattoni-Marcozzi, Azadeh Ajami, Summer Guerra, and Carol Sonnenberg.

10th Anniversary Eye Ball

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 12:24:40 GMT

When it came time to plan the Eye Ball's 10th anniversary gala, chairmen Karen and Dave Dealy selected the grand dame of downtown hotels, The Adolphus, for the elegant event locale, chose the luminous Linda Marcus as honorary chair and gathered an impressive list of black-tie-attired invitees %26#8212; all to benefit UT Southwestern's Department of Ophthalmology and Prevent Blindness Texas. Noble Nash, Deborah Brown, Lillie Young, Caroline Rose Hunt, Charles Simmons, and Tincy and Vance Miller swept through the baroque ballroom before taking their dinner seats. After the last course was devoured, all made a dash to the dance floor to waltz and twirl to the sounds of the Brent Van Sickle Orchestra. A glamorous sight to see, indeed.

TITAS Command Performance and La Fête Du Ballet

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 12:36:58 GMT

With tickets in hand to what some say is spring's hottest curtain call , dance enthusiasts swarmed the Music Hall at Fair Park for TITAS' Command Performance. An all-star ballet was just the beginning of the two-part event kicking off TITAS' spring season and honoring arts patroness Rebecca Enloe Fletcher, with chairman Gabrielle de Papp and honorary chairman Caren Prothro. Finding his seat inside the theater, TITAS co-founder Tom Adams proclaimed, %26#8220;Every dancer loves Dallas %26#8212; If asked to perform here, they don't say no." Starring roles went to dancers David Hallberg, Yuan Yuan Tan, Rubinald Pronk, Clifton Brown, Sarah Lane, Jose Manuel Carreno, Drew Jacoby, and Gillian Murphy, who performed excerpts from Giselle, Swan Lake and the world premiere of Among the Stars. After a champagne-fueled intermission, Ethan Stiefel and Paloma Herrera shone in a Don Quixote grand finale, bringing audience members Cece Smith and Ford Lacey, Bess Enloe, Janie Cooke, and Carolyn Fonberg to their feet. Post-performance, VIP guests including TITAS executive director Charles Santos made the short trip from Fair Park to Neiman Marcus Downtown for the La F%26#234;te du Ballet black-tie dinner. The fashionable landmark was cleared of Chanel handbags and Manolo Blahniks and furnished with pink tulip and peony bouquets, candlelight and waiters passing savory bites from The Zodiac. "Neiman Marcus loves to link with the arts," said NM CEO Karen Katz, who was mingling with fellow NM luminaries Ann Stordahl and Shelle Sills. The night's star performers %26#8212; now donning gowns and tuxes instead of tutus and tights %26#8212; %26nbsp;also made the foray downtown and were greeted with bravos from guests Kenny Goss, Keri Kaiser, Lysa and Greg Rohan, Capera Ryan, Wendy Weinman, Gracia and Bruce Perlstein, and Thomy-Sue Toledo.

Designing With A Vision Reception Welcoming Sergey Ermakov

Wed, 19 May 2010 06:48:11 GMT

Samuel Lynne Galleries and the Dallas Film Festival Welcome Michael Kalish

Tue, 18 May 2010 04:24:02 GMT

Consular Forum Kick Off Event

Tue, 18 May 2010 02:31:54 GMT

"Classy" Book Launch with Derek Blasberg

Tue, 04 May 2010 12:53:58 GMT

Park Cities Quail Award Dinner and Auction

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 01:14:33 GMT

Between the Braniff flight attendant uniforms designed by Pucci and artifacts from the Hindenberg, Park Cities Quail made the Frontiers of Flight Museum home on the range for its inaugural dinner and auction, all to benefit the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch and youth hunter activities. Chairman Matt Perry-Miller joined Collectors Covey%26#8217;s Bubba Wood, WFAA%26#8217;s Pete Delkus, board chair Joe Crafton, and honorary chairman T. Boone Pickens to honor Bob Carter %26#8212; the big shot of the evening who took home the T. Boone Pickens Lifetime Sportsman Award for his dedication to conservation. Guests Trevor Rees-Jones, Mark Murray, Rusty Rice, Ray Harvey, Patrick Sands, and Walker Royal kept the live auction bulletproof by bidding high on exotic trips, private dinners and art.

An Affair of the Art: Great Impressions

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 12:49:47 GMT

Wistful works from Monet, Courbet, Manet and other legendary impressionist painters caught the eye of an impeccably dressed group of socials at the Junior Associates Circle's An Affair of the Art gala benefitting the Dallas Museum of Art. During the picture-perfect evening, chairmen Renne and Bill Lokey and Lisa and Wayne Moore took a private tour of %26#8220;The Lens of Impressionism: Photography and Paintings Along the Normandy Coast, 1850-1874,%26#8221; before being seated with fellow art patrons Seth Bame, Susannah Wallace, Meredith and Vince Kallaher, Brittney Pardue, Bryan Woodward, and CeCe Turner.

Feather Your Nest Luncheon and Speakers Series with Pamela Fiori

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 11:46:01 GMT

%26nbsp;In the language of chic getaway spots, few are as well-versed as Town %26amp; Country's contributing editor Pamela Fiori. The eloquent editrice discussed one such destination %26#8212; the subject of her new book, In the Spirit of Capri %26#8212; during the Feather Your Nest Luncheon and Speakers Series at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas. Luncheon co-founders Kim Whitman, Ashlee Kleinert and Colleen Rickenbacher took their seats with Deedie Rose, Jan Showers, Elizabeth Showers, Robin Ladik, and Elisa Summers, while Fiori inspired daydreams of Limoncello and well-tanned yachters. %26nbsp;

Paige Denim Cocktail Party at F.I.G.

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 07:04:07 GMT

To show the latest collection for the eponymous line Paige Denim, Paige Adams-Geller swooped in to Fashion Industry Gallery for a cocktail party in her honor. "I call them my Krystle Carringtons %26#8212; You know, like in Dynasty," described the glamazon designer of her Swarovski-studded black jeans. At dusk, F.I.G's fashion contingent convened in the modern concrete courtyard, where flutes of Barefoot Bubbly and models in Paige Denim awaited the likes of Marlene and John Sughrue, Bekah McKee, Jessica Baxter, Lauren Toliver and Mallory Smith.

FashionRules! with Nicole Richie

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 02:58:01 GMT

More than 600 partygoers buzzed around Neiman Marcus NorthPark, anxiously awaiting any sign of the Hollywood starlet mentioned on their invitation. At the party co-hosted by PaperCity magazine, celebutante and clothing designer Nicole Richie flew in to launch her new fashion collection, Winter Kate, meet and greet swarming fans, and sign the latest Fashion Rules! puzzle.

Blues Lounge Bash
Per NM VP and fashion director Ken Downing's declaration that navy, cobalt and turquoise are chic for spring, the designer sportswear salon on the third floor was transformed into a fashionable blues lounge for a swank pre-party %26#8212; a hub for those wanting a sip of bubbly before meeting Miz Richie. PaperCity co-editor Brooke Hortenstine hosted this smart little soir%26#233;e where socials sipped Nicolas Feuillatte One Fo(u)r Brut from petite blue champagne bottles and munched mini-burger sliders and cerulean candied popcorn. "I have to go downstairs and see the collection," said Hassie Harrison before spotting the honoree of the evening. Richie appeared from a back dressing room in gray skinny jeans, a black-and-white kimono-style top and platforms, and parted the pre-party sea of fans to ride the main escalator down to the second floor. Elena and Steven Boss, Mary-Jane Harris, Emily Steed, and Steve Kmetz followed close behind. %26nbsp; %26nbsp;

Celebrity Jigsaw
On level two, the lengthy queue for those wanting Richie to sign their Fashion Rules! puzzles wrapped through the racks of fashion, around the cases of sparkling baubles and in between tables of designer handbags. "We bought three!" said Paige Lane of the game depicting makeup artist and photographer Mathu Andersen's portrait of Richie channeling Twiggy %26#224; la 1966. Richie took her seat at a table surrounded by a wall of ivy foliage, adjacent to models and racks showcasing her hippie-chic Winter Kate collection, and greeted the swarm armed with iPhone and BlackBerry cameras. Amy Power, Renee Rouleau, Amber Venz, Elizabeth Rhoades, Jon Tutulo, Courtney Sinelli, Katelin Smith, John Rasch, and Kary Brittingham all pondered staking a spot in the signing line. Doris Jacobs was sandwiched in, waiting for Richie's signature all in the name of fashion. "I just thought it was a fun idea,%26#8221; said Jacobs. %26#8220;It's such a fashion statement.%26#8221; %26nbsp;

Our Brooke Hortenstine sat down with demure designer Nicole Richie to talk kimonos and Winter Kate before Richie faced her mass of adoring fans.
How involved are you in the design process of your clothing and accessory lines?
NR: I design it, I do everything. %26nbsp;

A must-have item from Winter Kate?
NR: The kimonos because they%26#8217;re great pieces to throw on over jeans, over anything. You can make it your statement piece %26#8212; it%26#8217;s so easy to wear. %26nbsp;

How did your collection land in the venerable Neiman Marcus?
NR: I created a dream list, and Neiman Marcus was at the top of that list. It%26#8217;s a huge honor for me to be at Neiman%26#8217;s %26#8212; I%26#8217;ve been shopping here with my mom since I was little. %26nbsp;

What%26#8217;s next?
NR: I%26#8217;m expanding into shoes with House of Harlow, and eventually to bags. %26nbsp;

Anything different regarding your own style after having two babies?
NR: I%26#8217;ve always dressed for comfort, so I would say my style has stayed the same.

Your shoes don%26#8217;t look very comfortable %26#8230;
NR: Well, you know %26#8230;

Vaughan Christopher Gallery Celebrates "Bold, Bright and American"

Mon, 03 May 2010 02:17:34 GMT

Cite 81 Launch Party

Mon, 03 May 2010 01:20:38 GMT

Ports 1961 Event with Tia Cibani

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 10:09:36 GMT

Designer Tia Cibani created architectural silhouettes and modern-day kimono cocktail dresses inspired by a journey to Kyoto for her Ports 1961 spring collection. To showcase these designs, Cibani traded in her globetrotting lifestyle for domestic travel. The destination: Nordstrom at Galleria Dallas. Hostesses Tracy Madans and Nordstrom store manager Sally McDevitt showed the new wares at a trunk show and private viewing soir%26#233;e, with help from Vogue's Anne Vincent. Glenda Bulger, Piper Wyatt, and Kim Whitman dreamt up their own spring excursions, with Nordstrom's Gene Vance assisting with their travel trousseaux.

Jimmy Choo 24:7 Party in Highland Park Village

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 04:18:25 GMT

To launch the new Choo 24:7 collection, Jimmy Choo's Highland Park Village boutique stayed open late for a debut party, with Elisa Summers, Heather Washburne, and Sarah Seay as the chosen party hostesses. While showing off the versatile heels, Jimmy Choo's Johanan Merino explained the spectrum of colors and heights. "It's your go-to shoe wardrobe," he raved. Searching for a perfect pair with help from Christi Houser and Margaret Cho: Ann Carruth, Laurie Connell, Janna Lewis, and Martha Lou Beaird.

Ceron Salon "Shampoo" Grand Opening

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:03:33 GMT

Houston%26#8217;s hair apparent, Ceron, has taken his shears on the road, cutting and coiffing Dallas ladies and gents in his sparkling new salon, Ceron Salon, in the venerable Neiman Marcus Downtown. The Neiman%26#8217;s brass were so happy about his new outpost that they, along with business partners Gina Betts, Craig Weinstock, Gigi St. Pe, Roz Colombo, Neiman%26#8217;s directrice Shelle Sills, and PaperCity magazine threw him a sexy little grand-opening f%26#234;te: %26#8220;Shampoo and Shampagne,%26#8221; a riff on Warren Beatty and Julie Christie in the %26#8217;70s classic hairdresser romp, Shampoo. Neiman%26#8217;s VP and fashion director Ken Downing dreamed up caftan-ed and coiffed models, scented with Est%26#233;e Lauder%26#8217;s Youth Dew, who wrapped themselves around a restored 1970s Triumph Bonneville motorcycle just like the one Beatty rode, on loan from Lost Antiques. DJ Lucy Wrubel puffed on bubble-gum ciggies, and more than one blow-dryer was spinning like a Colt 45. Zodiac chef Jeff Dains served iconic %26#8217;70s spiffed-up bites: pigs in a blanket, Swedish meatballs in spoons, smoky deviled ham salad in celery sticks, Bugles and mac-on-a-stick, and, just as in any era, guests swizzled cocktails %26#8212; in this case, Grey Goose Original martinis. %26nbsp;In the crowd: Dawn Weeks-Spalding, Kristi Hoyl, Nancy Gopez, Olivia Kearney, Jenna Turner, Kate Rose Marquez, Lisbeth McNabb, Helena Wall, Marjon Zabihi, Penny Sadler, Lisa Bachman, Alicia Wood, Tanya Foster, Lisa Ogle, Joey Vallone, Jim Williams, Lynn McBee, Gregory Dunbar, Mary and John Gill, Teffy Jacobs, Cara French, Daffan Nettle, Jennifer Simons, and Neil Toler. A pack of Ceron%26#8217;s devoted Houston women also made the trek, including Karen Mayell, Diane Lokey Farb and Becca Cason Thrash.

David Bates: Themes and Variations Opening Reception

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 12:58:24 GMT

Shoe Addicts and Simon Doonan

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 02:47:05 GMT

Some Cinderella stories involve Prince Charming and a glass slipper. But for five lucky partygoers at Barneys New York last week, the story entailed Simon Doonan and free stilettos. The tale begins with Barneys' dandy creative director hosting an exclusive spring shoe soiree and giveaway at the NorthPark Center store. Throughout the evening, guests talked footwear with Doonan and put their names into a straw Balenciaga tote with hopes that they would be among the chosen winners. An hour into the event, Doonan stood atop a shoe display and readied the group for the momentous drawing: "Now, you're all going to have to try and stay calm. I hope you took your meds!" he playfully advised. The first name Doonan drew from the bag was the fashionable blogger Judy Aldridge. She picked the blue satin Manolo Blahniks made famous in the Sex and the City movie. Bethany Siggins was the second to score new heels and chose a Givenchy pair. I was shocked to hear my name next (I took home Yves Saint Laurent's Tribute sandal) and Lisa Moore followed suit picking from the Pierre Hardy collection. The most darling winner was youngster Cassie Polley. She and her sister Alexandra had accompanied their mom, Tomima Edmark, to the party and brought along their French bulldogs Josephine and Jacqueline. Much to Doonan's delight, Cassie shrieked loudly with child-like zeal before selecting a ruffled Giuseppe Zanotti flat %26#8212; making for a perfect "happily ever after" to this shoe fairytale.

Project Row Houses 15th Anniversary Celebration

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 01:13:03 GMT

Project Row Houses revived its gala this past season after a four-year hiatus, returning to where it all began: the leafy campus enveloped by a suite of historic shotgun dwellings in the heart of the Third Ward. More than 250 revelers came out for this alfresco f%26#234;te while Mother Nature provided perfect weather to celebrate 15 years of internationally acclaimed community and art programming, toast the vision of co-founder Rick Lowe, meet new executive director Linda Shearer and exceed the evening%26#8217;s six-figure fund-raising goal. Crooner Trudy Lynn provided the bluesy musical vibe, while Cheryl and Percy Creuzot%26#8217;s Creuz%26#243; Cuisine catered the down-home dinner.

Chair Rebecca Trahan joined co-chairs Bert Bertonaschi, Cheryl Creuzot, Julie Greenwood, John Guess Jr., Bill Hill, Demetra Jones, Anita Smith, and Phyllis Williams in welcoming supporters, including co-founding artists Bert Long Jr. with Joan Batson, Floyd Newsum, Jesse Lott, Bert Samples, and George Smith with wife Thelma of The Menil Collection; Erin Rice Patterson and Adrian Patterson; theater man Adam Adams, who contributed to PRH%26#8217;s wish-list garden project; architect Bill Stern; Melanie Lawson; and art restorers Jill Whitten and Rob Proctor, kicking up their heels on the improvised dance floor in the PRH garden.

Moores School of Music Society 23rd Annual Dinner Concert

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 11:02:28 GMT

Bring on the Band

%26#8220;I Got Rhythm%26#8221; was the apt title for this spring%26#8217;s Moores School of Music%26#8217;s annual dinner concert, which saluted the supper clubs and big bands of eras past at a beautiful, beguiling black-tie benefit single-handedly chaired by Chanel%26#8217;s directrix Eleanor Connan. More than 300 swell socials and benevolent music lovers packed the Hyatt Regency Houston for a night harmonized to the strains of Cole Porter, Duke Ellington and, of course, George Gershwin. The evening honored patron Margaret Williams, whose passion for clef notes goes back to her training as an opera singer, and melodious Moores supporters Beth Madison, who served as honorary chair; Moores Society prez Cathy McNamara; and director David Ashley White, who also presided. But the true stars were the Moores%26#8217; accomplished orchestral musicians, conducted in concert by Franz Anton Krager, with guest pianist/Moores grad Richard Dowling. Guests swayed to the big-band standards arranged by composer Robert Nelson, a long-time Moores faculty member. After a lavish seated dinner (the menu: shrimp cocktail, steak, and petits fours, an ode to American culinary classics), ELS Show Band electrified the audience.%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

%26nbsp;

Emerald City

Emerald-hued lights bathed the room in a tribute to the glory days of the Shamrock and in homage to green moolah %26#8212; as in dollars. After all, the event set an all-time fund-raising record, with proceeds benefitting music scholarships and special projects. In keeping with the theme, vintage photos of the bygone hotel had been enlarged as inspirational backdrops. Members of the McCarthy family dropped by, too %26#8212; Glenna Picton, Christi and Walter Beard, Angela Picton, Carthy Picton, Leah McCurry, Leah Croxton, and Rachel Baker %26#8212; as did school namesake John Moores, joining glamorous ones including Diane Lokey Farb, escorted by Ceron; Cynthia and Tony Petrello; Phyllis and Cornel Williams (one of the auction chairs); chair husband Andr%26#233; Connan; Sallymoon Benz and Alan Bentz; Rose and Harry Cullen, she in Chanel; Julia and Russell Frankel; Diane and Harry Gendel joined by architect son and doctor daughter-in-law Keith and Liz Gendel, who have recently moved back from L.A.; Betty and Jess Tutor; Carolyn Farb with Mark Pickard; Dick Kuriger; violinist and conductor Dagang Chen, a Moores grad; Zarine and Meherwan Boyce; Joanne King Herring; UH brass prez Renu Khator and professor husband Suresh Khator, as well as provost John Antel with wife Susan, and regent Carroll Ray; and Mary Grace Gray with the Granduca, which hosted several sumptuous kickoffs leading up to the big night.

British Invasion at Elaine Turner benefitting Heroes for Children

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 06:07:28 GMT

Elaine Turner's %26#8217;70s-era British blowout showcased the designer%26#8217;s new collection and supported Heroes for Children, which helps families of children undergoing cancer treatment. Among the mod squad: Jennifer Frazier, upcoming Heroes Brunch chair Alissa Maples, Jillian Plachy, Andrea Mitchell, Nicole Fertitta, and Shere%26#233; Granger.

Tory Burch Cocktail Party benefitting Camp for All

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 05:58:43 GMT

Tory Burch enthusiasts and supporters of the special-needs nonprofit Camp For All enjoyed shopping and cocktails at Burch%26#8217;s Galleria boutique. Chairs Liz Rigney and Kelly Peterson Cliburn doled out the retail therapy to guests including Meredith Rigney, Andy Hall, Niki Smith, Susan Walker-Spalding, and CFA%26#8217;s Pat Sorrells.

Legacy Community Health Services’ Cabaret for a Cure

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 05:23:38 GMT

The ballroom at the Hilton Americas%26#8211;Houston ballroom twinkled for the third annual Cabaret for a Cure, which brought in a chart-topping $250,000 for Legacy Community Health Services. Chairmen Anita and Gerald Smith and Paul-David Van Atta joined honorary chairs Debra and Mark Grierson and honorees Trini Mendenhall Sosa and Frank Sosa and corporate honoree Shell Oil%26#8217;s Jani Lopez for the evening of dinner and dancing, while headlining performers Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. brought the crowd to its feet. Sparkling in the audience: physician Shannon Schrader, Brian Teichman, Liz Zaruba, Bob Devlin, Mayor Annise Parker, Diane Lokey Farb, Astrid and Gene Van Dyke, and Legacy CEO Katy Caldwell.

In Love with Fashion

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 05:00:17 GMT

Guests fell %26#8220;In Love With Fashion%26#8221; all over again when Tootsies showcased Joan Hornig%26#8217;s jewelry collection at a night of bijoux chaired by Jeff Shell of the Neal Hamil Agency. Tootsies%26#8217; showed the best for spring, and Hornig, whose lush gold baubles are inspired by art history and travel, donated 100 percent of the evening%26#8217;s proceeds to Recipe for Success, a charity dedicated to combating childhood obesity. In the crowd: Recipe for Success founder Gracie Cavnar, Tootsies%26#8217; Mickey Rosmarin and Shelley Taylor Ludwick, Isabel Cowles Murphy, Alton LaDay, Gabriela Dror, and Sharon Brier.

MFAH’s Dinner Celebrates Launch of an American Season

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 04:36:48 GMT

Life imitated art on a recent evening at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, as the city%26#8217;s aesthetes celebrated the opening of three momentous American-themed exhibitions: %26#8220;Prendergast in Italy,%26#8221; %26#8220;Sargent and the Sea%26#8221; and %26#8220;Houston%26#8217;s Sargents.%26#8221; Cognoscenti mingled, cocktails in hand, as they previewed the canvases before enjoying a seated dinner catered by City Kitchen in the Sarah Campbell Blaffer Foundation Gallery. Discerning eyes included MFAH power couple Frances and Peter Marzio; triumvirate Cornelia and Meredith Long (she, MFAH board chair; he, pioneering American art dealer) with daughter Martha; Courtney and Christopher Sarofim; Charles Butt; Leslie and Brad Bucher; Lisa Corrin, in town from Williamstown, Massachusetts, where she%26#8217;s director of the Williams College Museum of Art; and curator Sarah Cash from Washington D.C.%26#8217;s Corcoran Gallery of Art. The evening went out with a bang as MFAH curator Emily Ballew Neff, celebrating her birthday, was serenaded by all.

Cool Globes: Hot Ideas for a Cooler Planet

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 01:11:39 GMT

Discovery Green was again in the limelight, this time as the site for an ecological art convergence when %26#8220;Cool Globes%26#8221; rolled into town. The exhibition of 50 gargantuan fiberglass globes transformed by prominent international, national and Texas talents was unveiled with a lively cocktail fund-raiser at The Grove, topped off by the presence of then-mayor Bill White and special guest speaker Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who wowed the crowd with his impassioned plea for a new American energy policy. The evening also included a silent auction of mini globes transformed by Houston talents, all to support education and environmental awareness. In the eco-conscious crowd: Susan Bono with the Mayor%26#8217;s office, who got Cool Globes to Houston; Cool Globes founder Wendy Abrams with husband Jim, the couple in from Chicago; underwriters Jack Fusco with Calpine (who acquired artist Susan Plum%26#8217;s glass-encased globe) and Jason Few with Reliant; mini globe artists including Bert Long Jr., Weihong, Wayne Gilbert, and Robyn O%26#8217;Neil; sculptor-painter Sharon Kopriva, tapped for a major globe by Vestas; and silent auction curators Gus Kopriva and PaperCity%26#8217;s Catherine Anspon.

Hermann Park Luncheon on the Lawn

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 01:23:22 GMT

On a balmy afternoon this spring, the historic 1920s-era Clubhouse at Hermann Park was festooned with chapeaux extraordinaire%26nbsp; %26#8212; creations from Philip Treacy to Gabriela Dror %26#8212; as their chic owners turned out for Luncheon on the Lawn, a rite of the season that raises green for the Hermann Park Conservancy (this time, to support the beautification of the Grand Gateway park entrance). Chair duo Jana Arnoldy and Linda Hunsaker joined honoree and advocate Ann Hamilton (who gave a poignant speech about the park%26#8217;s meaning in her life) and HP executive director Doreen Stoller in this bright and buoyant occasion that brought out leading ladies including mom-to-be Karen Farber of the Mitchell Center; Hines executive Claire Cormier Thielke; Ann Short; Kelli Blanton; Nidhika Mehta; publicist Maggi Jones, whose client Tiffany %26amp; Co. donated a posh raffle prize and the fund for the new Tiffany %26amp; Co. Bridge; Out of Africa%26#8211;inspired Nancy Littlejohn in Ralph Lauren, with gal pals Sharin Gaille and Paula Fyhr; plus some very sartorial gents, including Peter Brown, Joe Nelson III, Bill Coats, HP Conservancy board chair Tom Downing, architect Jay Baker, Ceron, Jackson Hicks (who did catering honors, in a boater from Chapeaux Motsch in Paris), and Milton Townsend, with mom Ana Maria McDonald.%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

Discovery Green Gala on the Green presented by HEB

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 12:32:54 GMT

Our newest and most noteworthy addition to Houston%26#8217;s parks, Discovery Green, toasted its second year with a verdant-hued biennial benefit, %26#8220;Gala on the Green,%26#8221; presented by H-E-B. More than 750 joined chairs Carolyn and Matt Khourie and Bobbie and John Nau in the colorful black-tie night, which began with a stroll through the LEED-certified park grounds bathed in green light and illuminated by a mammoth chandelier (some party magic from The Events Company), before segueing into a seated dinner by Jackson and Company, and dancing to the high-voltage sounds of Fried Ice Cream. The environmental evening exceeded the million-dollar mark ($1.4 million, to be precise) to support diverse and free parks programming, thanks to enlightened supporters including conservancy board chair Brady Carruth, park prez Guy Hagstette, programming director Susanne Theis, Eileen and Kase Lawal, Phoebe and Bobby Tudor, Margaret Williams with Jim Daniel, Mayor Annise Parker, Andrea and gubernatorial candidate Bill White (who was instrumental in establishing the park), Nancy and Rich Kinder (she directed its private fund-raising), H-E-B honcho Scott McClelland with wife Soraya, MFAH power couple Frances and Peter Marzio, and art patrons extraordinaire Cornelia and Meredith Long.%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

UPPA Spring Market Kickoff at Tootises

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 11:56:52 GMT

Memorial Park's 85th Anniversary Gala

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 12:56:44 GMT

Houston%26#8217;s other oasis, Memorial Park, was not to be outdone, commemorating its 85th anniversary with an old-guard gala at the Bayou Club, co-chaired by Wendy Hines and new parents Meg and Nelson Murray, and honoring Diana and Bill Hobby (she was out of town). Executive director Sally Tyler and board chair Jeanie Connell also presided over the alfresco evening under a big tent that extolled the history of one of our city%26#8217;s most-beloved and used green spaces, which was created in 1924 to honor the World War I soldiers who once trained on its grounds. Posh people for the park: chair husband Jeff Hines, board member Shelly Lemelle Anello, theater man Adam Adams, daughter and son-in-law of the honorees Kate and Steve Gibson, Regina and Peter Garcia, politico Mike Skelly, Kathy and Harry Masterson, Hallie and Gordon Carver, State Representative Ellen Cohen, Carole Ann and Lee Hamel, Andrea White, Mavis Kelsey, Ann Coco, Carol and R.O. Hunton, Odette Mace, and horticulturist, environmentalist and author Sadie Gwin Blackburn.

DiverseWorks Gala: "Debutantes Run Wild"

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 12:45:43 GMT

DiverseWorks%26#8217; raucous, exuberant %26#8220;Debutantes Run Wild%26#8221;%26#8211;themed gala would have made River Oaks matrons tremble. Held at our favorite new venue, The Bell Tower on 34th, it lured the artful and the social including Capital One%26#8217;s gone-goth Paul Pettie (we loved his silver moon boots); DW co-director Sixto Wagan in an Imelda Marcos%26#8211;inspired getup, squiring co-director Diane Barber; gallerist Linda Darke Swaynos (quipping, %26#8220;Tonight, cross-dressing is encouraged%26#8221;) with husband Don Swaynos; Warhol-wigged Marshal Lightman with wife Victoria, both bearing (we hope temp) tattoos advertising their Looking at Art classes; gal pals Eleanor Williams, Claudia Schmuckli, and Christina Sol%26#237;s as wayward prom queens; former debs tapped for the protocol committee including The Menil Collection%26#8217;s Emily Todd; honorees/ patrons Melanie Lawson and John Guess Jr., Community Artist Collective%26#8217;s Michelle Barnes, artist Molly Gochman (cutting a rug with Mark Haukohl), and sculptor Dan Havel (celebrating his birthday with collaborator/fellow honoree Dean Ruck and his sweetheart Debbie McNulty, the trio making an entrance in their Fur Mobile); Bell Tower owner Chuy Terrazas; dealer Arturo Palacios with dual dates, artists Elaine Bradford and Kia Neill; and chairs Tracey and Patrick Keegan, who get kudos for cooking up this mad, mod affair.

Houston Ballet Ball Kickoff at Versace

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 12:23:31 GMT

En Perfect Pointe
To toast the Houston Ballet, Versace put its best foot forward this spring %26#8212; not en pointe but in towering stilettos %26#8212; to kick off the 2010 Ballet Ball, themed Surreal Movement. A swell suite of socials flocked to the Italian luxury retailer%26#8217;s Galleria boutique for an evening of cocktailing and shopping the spring/summer collection. In support, Versace donated a coveted Couture Intreccio Bucket handbag to the gala%26#8217;s silent auction coffers.

To welcome the devoted disciples of danse, Versace marketing and events manager USA Dana DePierro came in from Manhattan to join Houston store manager Rene Chapman-Wood; Houston Ballet notables artistic director Stanton Welch, managing director C.C. Conner, director of individual giving/events Patsy Chapman, and general manager James Nelson; and, of course, the quartet of the evening, gala chairs Jana and Richard Fant and Laura and John Spalding, both chair girls sporting Versace.

Danse Plus Dal%26#237;
Patrons included Jo and Jim Furr (she in a frock bearing a scene straight from Salvador Dal%26#237;);%26nbsp; Hattie Parker and Aaron Ball; Hines exec Claire Cormier Thielke; Lacy Baird, Judith Oudt (set to co-chair her own artful night, the CAMH Gala, next month); Patti Murphy sporting a fabulous Versace handbag, with husband Don; Houston Downtown Alliance%26#8217;s Heather Pray, arriving with David Rassin; Melissa and Michael Mithoff; Cindi and Franklin Ross, she in a rose-motif Versace frock; Joann and Bill Crassas; Roseann Rogers with husband/doc Aashish Shah; Samira Salman; Edward Sanchez; dapper Floyd Griffin; Bulgari Houston directress Karen Turner-Smith and husband Robert Smith; Kristy Junco; Polly and Jerry Gauthier; Mary Alice and Michael Parmet; Valerie and Will Dittner; Denise Ozene; Mary Ann and David McKeithan; politico Jeffrey Welch from Peter Brown%26#8217;s staff; balletomane Jean May; Lafe Bauer; Roland Maldonado; Roche Bobois%26#8217; Paulina Garcia; Ira Brown; Shiva Rafferty; Jessica Osorio; Charlotte Hill; and Pamela Mouton with adorable daughters Elizabeth and Rachel Leonards %26#8212; all setting the stage for the lavish and Dal%26#237;-esque Ballet Ball weeks later.

European Wax Center Skin Bash

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 05:02:49 GMT

The European Wax Center supported The Women%26#8217;s Fund at its French Riviera%26#8211;themed opening at River Oaks Plaza, complete with bubbly and beachwear from Zingara. Among the revelers: EWC founders Jessica Streiner, David Coba, and Josh Coba, as well as TraMy Lam, Mimi Dinh, and Jose Gomez.

Houston Grand Opera's Opening Night Dinner

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 04:03:34 GMT

Following the sold-out performance of Houston Grand Opera%26#8217;s production of Donizetti%26#8217;s The Elixir of Love at Wortham Theater Center, a swell crowd traded the opera house for a bohemian-themed party tent on Fish Plaza for HGO%26#8217;s Opening Night Dinner Celebration. The evening %26#8212; chaired by Elizabeth Abraham, Isabel David, and Ashley Wehrly %26#8212; sparkled with chandeliers and centerpieces crafted of jeweled wine bottles. Honorees Gracie and Bob Cavnar walked the red oriental carpet with honorary chairs Janet and John Kelly and enjoyed a dinner masterfully created by Tony%26#8217;s. Social high notes: Cynthia and Anthony Petrello, Karen and Harry Pinson, Carolyn and Jimmy Robertson, Lynn Wyatt with son Douglas Wyatt, and 2010 Opera Ball chairs Denise and Philip Bahr. (Save the date: HGO%26#8217;s The Yellow Rose Ball, Saturday, April 10, at the Wortham Theater Center.)

Luxury Marketing Council at Bailey's Prime Plus

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 03:45:56 GMT

Art Abounds at Venue Museum District

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 11:53:59 GMT

YPO Dallas at the 52nd Annual Grammy Award Show

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:57:51 GMT

Bailey's Prime Plus Opening honoring 2009 Cattle Baron's Ball Committee

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:34:34 GMT

Michael Craig-Martin Private View

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 05:41:18 GMT

Defining a Movement: Mom 2.0 Conference

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:24:04 GMT

Wine %26 Roses Kick Off Party

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 11:57:51 GMT

HOK Reception: Booksigning

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 11:36:49 GMT

7th Biennial Ben Qurrah Award Gala

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:01:39 GMT

The Fashionistas Celebrate "The Bolter" by Frances Osborne

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:05:53 GMT

El Centro de Corazon Kick Off Party

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 02:44:57 GMT

Passion of Fashion Kick Off Party

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 01:04:29 GMT

Equinox Preston Hollow Cocktail Party

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 11:04:15 GMT

"Have you seen it? It%26#8217;s beautiful!" exclaimed Tricia Besing as she passed through the Preston Hollow Equinox bash, celebrating the fitness center and spa's grand opening. Equinox's Steve Kmetz and Kami Findley welcomed an active bunch to the new space %26#8212; Stephanie Oakes, Jessica Velasco, Jacqueline O%26#8217;Shea, Apryl Churchill, Rob Mahurin, Paul Cox, Kathy Czorniak, Melissa Dominguez, Melanie and John Ofenloch, and Gloria and Dan Burrows %26#8212; who toured the Pilates room and the stash of Kiehl%26#8217;s products and Lululemon workout gear in Equinox%26#8217;s boutique.

The Luxury Marketing Council Presents "Luxury Brands and Performing Arts"

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 01:32:25 GMT

Atop the sixth-floor Patron Lounge of the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre, the Luxury Marketing Council%26#8217;s Pamela Martin-Duarte and Charles Ward invited Keri Kaiser, Rob Sumner, Stephen Tolerico, and Emily Krueger as guest speakers for a Luxury Brands and Performing Arts gathering. After Wolfgang Puck Catering%26#8217;s sushi hors d%26#8217;oeuvres, Ignacio Martin-Duarte, Peter Cwalino, Shirley Dunn Hanks, Chip Besio, Tucker Priesley, Jeff Netzer, and Chris Hite listened raptly as the panel discussed the AT%26amp;T Performing Arts Center%26#8217;s impact on luxury culture in Dallas, before touring the remarkable Joshua Prince-Ramus%26#8211; and Rem Koolhaas%26#8211;designed theater.%26#160;

Briggs-Freeman Party with Marsha Mason

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:30:28 GMT

If only a guest list always included an Oscar-nominated actress. Briggs Freeman%26#8217;s Robbie Briggs, Charles Freeman, Anne Goyer, and LeeLee Gioia co-hosted a swell cocktail party in honor of actress Marsha Mason %26#8212; known for her role as The Goodbye Girl and her marriage to Neil Simon %26#8212; at Denny Alber%26#8217;s Tuscan-style villa. Mason was in town searching for a steward for her magical New Mexico estate Rio Abajo Rio, listed by Briggs Freeman (possible party candidates were Hedda Dowd, Susan Ragrand, Kathleen Rozelle, Jeff Eleazer, Dana Fuller, Richard Mulligan, and Peggy Levinson), and to discuss trading in the Hollywood limelight for an Argentinean ranch.

Junior League of Dallas "Rock the Dice" Auction %26 Casino Party

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:00:17 GMT

A hot deck of cards and highly crafted bites from Wolfgang Puck Catering weren%26#8217;t the only enticements at the Junior League of Dallas%26#8217; %26#8220;Rock the Dice%26#8221; Auction and Casino. Ball chairman Angela Nash rolled the dice with honorary chairman Lindalyn Adams, while Kim Lewis, Kristen Lippe, Jackie Miller, and Kate and Keith Newman danced through Union Station to the music of Mars Hill. Others desired the live auction's featured swag: an escape to Encantado Resort, fur coats and fine jewelry. Taking a turn at Texas Hold%26#8217; Em: Mary Katherine Goodrich, Dan Pidgeon, and Liz Tankersley.

Lee Park Junior Conservancy Dinner at Hotel ZaZa

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 04:27:41 GMT

A cacophony of clinking martini glasses and clanking silverware filled Hotel ZaZa's Dragonfly restaurant when members of the Lee Park Junior Conservancy embarked on a culinary adventure courtesy of Dragonfly executive chef Grant Morgan. Guests such as %26#160;Hotel ZaZa's Benji Homsey, John Williams, Julia Blankenship, Allison Lehman, Robert Harris, Marcus Duron, Laura Sparkman, Aaron Tobin, Noel Rodriguez, and Carolyn Chinn mingled and sipped.

The Wish Gala

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 03:09:38 GMT

With fashion and wish-granting on their minds, patrons of the Nasher Sculpture Center gathered at NorthPark Center for its inaugural Wish Gala. After voting on one artful wish to grant to the Nasher %26#8212; choices were a contemporary project series, the catalog Jaume Plensa: Genus and Species or a contemporary artist lecture series %26#8212; socials dined on cuisine by Kent Rathbun before the gala%26#8217;s main fashion show event. Looks from Versace, Barneys New York and Valentino flew down the runway, with Suzanne Warner, Ken Foret, Joyce Goss, and Rhonda Sargent Chambers taking top show seats. After all the ballots had been counted, the lecture series received the most votes %26#8212; we hope to be in the front row at the Nasher soon.

Toms Shoes Ping-Pong Party at Neiman Marcus NorthPark

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:07:42 GMT

Ping-pong was the fashionable game at a recent event at Neiman Marcus at NorthPark Center. The rules? Beat Toms Shoes founder and designer Blake Mycoskie at table tennis and win a pair of his philanthropic footwear. However, should you lose at this cocktail party/tournament, you conceded to buying your own %26#8212; talk about a win-win situation. Mycoskie set out to dominate the likes of Kellyn Curtis and Janee Harrell-Johnson, while onlookers browsed the collection of specially designed Toms for Neiman Marcus. Sporting her own pair of Toms slip-ons was co-host Jaquelin Sewell, mingling with Gabrielle de Papp, Kristie Ramirez, and Karla McKinley.%26#160;

More is More: Tony Duquette by Hutton Wilkinson Book Signing

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 10:47:04 GMT

"Have you ever listened to any of his stories?" Heather Furniss asked us, regarding Hutton Wilkinson's elaborate tales, at his book signing in Highland Park Village%26#8217;s Noble Boutique. She was removing her strand of pearls as Wilkinson fitted her in an opulent Tony Duquette necklace, with owner Bill Noble looking on. "It%26#8217;s just a little something to wear to the grocery store," she laughed. Wilkinson, Duquette%26#8217;s long-time business partner and friend, was in town to sign his new book, More Is More: Tony Duquette, with Cynthia Beaird, Barb Biddle, Margie Harris, Ann Dyer, Sherri Edrington, and Maria Bloomberg lining up for a sig. "This is the how, the why, the where. It%26#8217;s his manifesto," said Wilkinson of the tome%26#8217;s prologue, a rare first-person account written by the late Duquette in the early %26#8217;70s.%26#160;

Ceron Salon Luncheon at Neiman Marcus Downtown

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 02:38:35 GMT

Wherever our newest scissorhands goes, a glamorous group is sure to follow. The famed Houston hair guru, Ceron, %26#160;celebrated the opening of his new Ceron Salon at Neiman Marcus Downtown Dallas with a flock of well-coiffed ones %26#8212; from both Houston and Dallas %26#8212; with popovers, champagne and Ceron-isms at The Zodiac. Karen Mayell, Diane Lokey Farb, and Lindsey Love made their way north to support Ceron and to mingle with Dallasites Tanya Foster, Suzanne Droese, and Debbie Oates during a tour of the space. Ceron tried his hand at a bit of construction %26#8212; posing with a trowel for the photographer %26#8212; but, of course, this dapper stylist is much better suited for a pair of shears. Ceron Salon partners Gina Betts, Roz Colombo, and Gigi St. Pe playfully examined the architectural plans before taking their luncheon seats at The Zodiac, where Neiman%26#8217;s Shelle Sills offered a warm welcome to the flagship%26#8217;s new dapper hairstylist. %26#160; %26#160;%26#160;

Dallas Art Fair Kickoff at Neiman Marcus

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 04:07:57 GMT

"Art has always been important to the legacy of Neiman Marcus," declared senior VP and fashion director Ken Downing during the Dallas Art Fair kickoff party at Neiman Marcus Downtown. The landmark flagship store was installed with Lillian Bassman's iconic fashion photography, from Santa Monica%26#8217;s Peter Fetterman Gallery %26#8212; one of 55 stellar exhibitors at the Dallas Art Fair, which ran February 5 through 7 at F.I.G. To the clinking of Mo%26#235;t %26amp; Chandon Imperial-filled flutes, Chris Byrne and John Sughrue, the Dallas Art Fair's founding twosome, divulged how a simple idea grew into what's now a monumental occasion for the Dallas %26#8212; and Texas %26#8212; art scene. The "art guy" (Byrne) and the "business guy" (Sughrue) said it happened over a most productive lunch: "Hey, we should have an art fair," said Byrne. "And, well, I guess no one stopped us." Neiman%26#8217;s VIPs Ann Stordahl, Wanda Gierhart, Steve Kornajcik, Shelle Sills, Neva Hall, Gabrielle de Papp, Ken Downing and Sandy Marple beamed as Barbara and Larry Good, Jeffrey Grove, Olivier Meslay, Marlene Sughrue, Judy and Bill Pittman, Melinda and Mark Knowles, Judy Pollock, Stuart Glass, Joan Davidow, Wendy and Jeremy Strick, Nancy Gopez, Kristi Bare, Lynn Buren, Joan and Bob Kramer, Nancy Dedman, Brad Kelly, Cindy Schwartz, James Cope, Barbara Buzzell, Allison Smith and Barry Whistler, Claire Emanuelson, Claire Dewar, Ellen Borlenghi, Trisha Boulogne, Lee Jackson, and Janet and Jonathan Kutner chatted and viewed the vintage Bassman black-and-white photographs. (A crowd-pleaser was Night Bloom, a portrait of Anneliese Seubert in Givenchy haute couture.) Turning artful ideas into something grand is a theme familiar to Neiman Marcus: There's a Picasso upstairs, an Alexander Calder and more than 2,500 other pieces of art in the Neiman Marcus permanent collection. %26#8220;Stanley [Marcus] would go to market and always come back with art. He thought it would enhance the shopping experience," said Downing.

Toast to Texas

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 01:14:40 GMT

The 28th Annual Orange Show Gala

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 11:43:37 GMT

%26#8220;I%26#8217;ve knocked over three drinks already with these wings. Now I see why it%26#8217;s definitely better to be a devil,%26#8221; Paul-David Van Atta exclaimed as he navigated the wicked and wonderful throngs at David Adickes SculpturWorx, once again HQ for the Orange Show Gala, themed %26#8220;Angels and Demons on the Bayou.%26#8221; Van Atta fit right in, as did the other 550 revelers, many outfitted in outrageous splendor, including chair quartet Victor Juarez, Wayne Blosat, and Shelley and Jim Rice, who channeled a black-tie night down under (and we don%26#8217;t mean Aussie land). Orange Show founder and chairman of the board Marilyn Oshman got in the spirit, too, sporting a lavish headdress punctuated by a big horn, with decided empress overtones.

Other sightings involved plenty of red-blooded devils and other naughty types, such as Becky Birdwell in a bustier and bondage boots; Jo and Jim Furr, fabulously masked; visionary art collector Stephanie Smither and son John Kerr Smither in coordinating golden robes straight from the Old Testament; Karen Desenberg as a devil-may-care flapper; angelic Lisa Epley; Orange Show board prez Bob Schultz and adorable wife Lane; Tootsies%26#8217; Mickey Rosmarin; devilish Don Mafrige Jr.; new Orange Show director Lynette Wallace at her first OS Gala; gallerist Barbara Davis dishing with artist Joe Mancuso (whom she represents) about his generous donation of a pair of canvases to the big board; C.C. Conner of the Houston Ballet; silent auction artists Ann Stautberg and Frank X. Tolbert 2; dealer Wade Wilson as a %26#8216;70s disco devil; Penelope and Lester Marks, wearing crimson horns with great aplomb; and Delise Ward, reading the runes to husband, Tootsies%26#8217; Craig Lidji. All in all, the demons outnumbered the haloed ones at this saucy art bash.

Be The Ball

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 11:38:04 GMT

Pappagallo Bermuda bags, cable knits in palmy shades of green and pink, crisp oxford button-downs, tons of argyle, madras plaid everywhere and sporty navy captain%26#8217;s blazers were some of the country club-ish wardrobe cues at this season%26#8217;s fun fund-raising f%26#234;te, Be the Ball benefitting Glasstire and Fresh Arts Coalition. It was literally a Lilly Pulitzer%26#8211;rama, reprised from an earlier date that had been thwarted by our big snow. The venue remained unchanged %26#8212; not ROCC, but Bushwood Country Club, aka Hermann Park Golf Course Club House channeling the zany attitude of the 1980s comedic romp, Caddyshack.

Scene on the greens: argyled-out chairs Julie Kinzelman and Christopher Tribble joined by fellow chairs Karen and Harry Susman (chair Lea Weingarten was unable to attend), pretty-in-pink chair Careen Plummer posing with Kasi Kubiak, who concocted a jaunty demi-hat resembling a putting green paired with an AstroTurf-covered miniskirt; the co-founders of Glasstire and Fresh Arts Coalition, respectively Rainey Knudson and Marita Fairbanks, in matching %26#8217;80s looks composed of big hair and hilarious, poufed plaid frocks; Knudson%26#8217;s husband, Art Guys%26#8217; Michael Galbreth in a mad madras ensemble; Fairbanks%26#8217; husband J.B. all prepped out; Jenni Rebecca Stephenson of Spacetaker, encased in a Gopher mascot suit, also the attire of choice for legal eagle Will Stukenberg; Fresh Arts executive directress Mandy Graessle in Bushwood logo threads; honorary chair trio Martha Finger, Michael Landrum, and Pepper Paratore sporting nifty berets; artists Kelly Klaasmeyer, Michael Bise with Moody Gallery%26#8217;s Adrian Page, and Bill Davenport, all contributing to the silent auction; and veddy old-school Veronica and Andrew Rentz, Liz and Tom Glanville, Lisa and Russell Sherrill, Karen and Stephan Farber, Samira Salman, and Bill Goldberg, proclaiming, %26#8220;The party combines my fave pursuits, golfing and art.%26#8221;

Nancy Mathé Donor Awareness Soirée

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 05:46:42 GMT

Mixing altruism with fashion, trendsetting philanthropists gathered at 310 Rosemont for the second annual Kidney Donor Awareness Soir%26#233;e. Chair and kidney donor recipient Nancy Math%26#233; welcomed a sea of socials who shopped Rosemont%26#8217;s well-stocked racks of women%26#8217;s and men%26#8217;s hipster styles to benefit the organ donor awareness initiatives of the National Kidney Foundation. Taking home a swag bag: Liz and Anthony Referente, Cari and Ben Shoemate, Rebecca Spera, Allen Hill, James Glassman, and chair husband Joe Math%26#233;, welcomed by 310 Rosemont%26#8217;s Kenna Gibson and Kahia Cardona.

Houston Arts Alliance's Arts Reception Honoring Newly Elected City Officials

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 04:45:09 GMT

Houston Arts Alliance's recent f%26#234;te for newly elected city officials gave the leaders of both political and artistic fields an opportunity to get acquainted. Headliners at the reception held at the Hobby Center's Founders Club included Mayor Annise Parker, who professed a love of museums, and City Controller Ronald Green, who expressed his desire to see the Houston arts scene diffuse to the suburbs and inner city. As the early evening elapsed, the mayor noted that the arts are good for business %26#8212; something this group has long known.

Meredith Long %26 Company Welcomes Barbara Hines

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 04:13:40 GMT

Meredith Long %26amp; Company pulsated with cocktails and curated compositions as Cornelia and Meredith Long and daughter Martha Long welcomed a bevy of posh patrons into their blue-chip RO space. This masterpiece evening saluted artist Barbara Hines on the occasion of her first solo exhibition, which featured tonal plein-air canvases in the grand tradition of 19th-century American landscape painting. Hines graciously donated the proceeds to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and Aishel House, a housing and meal service for Texas Medical Center patients and their families. In the art-smart set: Gerald Hines, Pat Breen, Celina Hellmund Brener, Brenda Duncan, Lynn Wyatt, and Hines honcho George Lancaster.

The Center's Halloween Bash

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 03:34:07 GMT

More than 300 devilishly disguised partygoers packed Autry Park for a bash benefitting The Center. Chair foursome Leisa Dillon, Margaret Fitts, Anna Moss, and PaperCity%26#8217;s Monica Bailey Bickers welcomed costumed kids and their parents to this f%26#234;te fit for a make-believe king or queen. The tykes enjoyed a scavenger hunt, trampoline, and bites courtesy of Chick-fil-A (Holcombe and Buffalo Speedway) and H-E-B Buffalo Market, while Palmer Packaging treated everyone to ghostly goodie bags.

Houston Symphony's Magical Musical Morning: “Rockin’ Through the Holidays”

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:54:21 GMT

The Houston Symphony Society and the Houston Symphony League hosted their annual Magical Musical Morning at the Houstonian. Chair quartet Traci Lee, Dixie Meynier, Trish Whitcomb, and Katherine Yzaguirre beautifully orchestrated the family-focused brunch, complete with an instrument petting zoo and musical games. Seen backstage: chair kids Barrett Lee and dad Richard, Ryland and Walker Whitcomb and dad Ty, Morgan Meynier, and Elizabeth Yzaguirre with dad Mark.

Houston Symphony's Young Professionals Backstage "Rhapsody in Blues"

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 01:13:21 GMT

After a jazz-infused concert of Gershwin%26#8217;s %26#8220;Rhapsody in Blue%26#8221; at Jones Hall, more than 200 music lovers traded symphonic sounds for a delta-inspired experience at House of Blues. The Houston Symphony%26#8217;s Young Professionals Backstage %26#8220;Rhapsody and Blues%26#8221; post-concert soir%26#233;e was a harmonious success as virtuosi jammed to the bohemian tunes. Among the cultured ensemble: Farrah Akhtar, Adam Dinitz, Kiju Joh, Heather Pray, Samira Salman, Lauren and Brian Swanson, and Melodie Wade.

Ceron Salon "Shampoo" Grand Opening

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:33:45 GMT

Houston%26#8217;s hair apparent, Ceron, has taken his shears on the road, cutting and coiffing Dallas ladies and gents in his sparkling new salon, Ceron Salon, in the venerable Neiman Marcus Downtown Dallas. He%26#8217;ll never forsake his Houston royals, so not to worry %26#8230; this suave stylist burns up I-45 to and fro. The Neiman%26#8217;s brass were so happy about his new outpost that they, along with business partners Gina Betts, Craig Weinstock, Gigi St. Pe, Roz St. Pe Colombo, Neiman%26#8217;s directrice Shelle Sills, and PaperCity magazine threw him a sexy little grand-opening f%26#234;te: %26#8220;Shampoo and Shampagne,%26#8221; a riff on Warren Beatty and Julie Christie in the %26#8217;70s classic hairdresser romp, Shampoo. Neiman%26#8217;s VP Ken Downing dreamed up caftan-ed and coiffed models, scented with Est%26#233;e Lauder%26#8217;s Youth Dew, who wrapped themselves around a restored 1970s Triumph Bonneville motorcycle just like the one Warren rode, on loan from Lost Antiques. DJ Lucy Wrubel puffed on bubble-gum ciggies, and more than one blow-dryer was spinning like a Colt 45. Zodiac chef Jeff Dains served iconic %26#8217;70s spiffed-up bites: pigs in a blanket, Swedish meatballs in spoons, smoky deviled ham salad in celery sticks, Bugles and mac-on-a-stick, and, just as in any era, guests swizzled cocktails %26#8212; in this case, Grey Goose Original martinis.

A pack of Ceron%26#8217;s devoted Houston women piled in the Mayells%26#8217; flying machine and high-tailed it to Love Field for the party. In the cockpit and in control was Karen Mayell, who has a pilot%26#8217;s license tucked in that Chanel minaudi%26#232;re, and in the passenger seats were Diane Lokey Farb, Shelby Hodge, and Mark Sullivan. Mary Beth Aspromonte, Kelli Blanton, Lindsey Love, Mary Jo Hatfield, and Becca Cason Thrash made it there under their own steam, as did Phyllis Hand, who snapped pictures just like it was 1977. Moi was there, of course, as were transplanted Houstonians Joey Vallone, Alice Moore, and SMU student Katy Mayell. Also in the crowd: NM%26#8217;s Jeny Bania and 150 chic Dallas socials.

The Menil Collection Celebrates the Dallas Art Fair

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:35:39 GMT

Art Hearts Commerce
Houston%26#8217;s illustrious art contingent %26#8212;%26nbsp;museum directors, curators, collectors and artists %26#8212;%26nbsp;came together to clink cocktails for the coming of the Dallas Art Fair. The Menil Collection opened up one twilight evening to stage a perfectly curated party, co-sponsored by PaperCity magazine. Against a backdrop of works by Andy Warhol, John McLaughlin, Brice Marden and Robert Gober, 120 rapt guests listened intently as Fair co-founders Chris Byrne and John Sughrue, joined by art advisor Cindy Schwartz, invited one and all to the second annual Dallas Art Fair. (Stay tuned for our complete Fair coverage next month, and read our blog at papercitymag.com.)

Party Palette
Veuve Clicquot (presenting sponsor of the Fair) flowed, as did Belvedere Pure Vodka and Casa Lapostolle Chardonnay. Tony%26#8217;s had the catering honors and passed bountiful bites.

Social Sculpture
Among the art aristocracy: Menil director Josef Helfenstein, engaged in a t%26#234;te-%26#224;-t%26#234;te with Sughrue; Menil curator Michelle White; Contemporary Arts Museum Houston director Bill Arning and curator Valerie Cassel Oliver, who would head to the Fair to see Donald Moffett%26#8217;s installation at Anthony Meier%26#8217;s booth in preparation for curating a major Moffett show; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston curator Barry Walker, who was honored at the Fair%26#8217;s dealer reception; Marlene Sughrue, accompanying her husband on her first visit to the Menil; Jim Harithas of the Station and ArtCar Museum; exhibiting gallerists Fredericka Hunter, Barbara Davis, Carolyn Farb, Deborah Colton, Kerry Inman, Patrick Reynolds, and Wade Wilson; collector types Lester Marks (whose Fair tour was quickly filled to capacity), Jereann Chaney, Poppi Massey, Judith Oudt (who is chairing next month%26#8217;s CAMH Gala), and Mrs. and Mr. Pop, Dorene and Frank Herzog (he, AXA Art Texas representative); Menil Contemporaries leader Adrian Patterson; Ballroom Marfa co-founder Fairfax Dorn in town for an Exit Art fund-raiser at Colton %26amp; Farb; Lori and Efisio Farris, whose Arcodoro restaurant was the destination later for an intime dinner party honoring Byrne and Sughrue hosted by PaperCity%26#8217;s Jim Kastleman and Holly Moore; Mo%26#235;t Hennessy%26#8217;s Rhonda McDonald; and artists Bert Long Jr. and Joan Batson, Sharon Engelstein and Aaron Parazette, Elaine Bradford, Ken Mazzu, Howard Sherman, crooner Zo%26#235; Jackson-Jarra, and Selven O%26#8217;Keef Jarmon, dropping by before returning to his nonprofit project in South Africa.%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

Ruffian Book Signing

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:35:51 GMT

Contemporary Arts Museum Houston's Another Great Night in November

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:24:07 GMT

Femme-Fueled F%26#234;te
The Contemporary Arts Museum Houston%26#8217;s Another Great Night in November is one of the season%26#8217;s most elegant affairs, with nary a gentleman in sight. This year, the fund-raiser strayed from tradition when a man did stop by the River Oaks Home of host Eliza Stedman %26#8212; CAMH director Bill Arning. But he didn%26#8217;t stay for dinner. (Nor did Stedman%26#8217;s husband Stuart, who was at the MFAH's One Great Night in November.)

Chair duo Cabrina Owsley and Leslie Sprague joined Miz Stedman in presiding over the evening, this year dubbed %26#8220;Una Notte Sotto le Stelle,%26#8221; which translates as %26#8220;A Night Under the Stars%26#8221; %26#8212; a nod toward all things Italian. In a tribute to the evening%26#8217;s luxe retail sponsor, all three ladies were perfectly attired in Bottega Veneta, down to Stedman%26#8217;s diamond earrings. The Italian fashion house, you see, contributed iconic Veneta bags as loot for the lucky winners of the hotly contested Treasure Hunt. Rebekah Johnson%26#8217;s Bergner and Johnson Design concocted the decor, transforming the outdoor tent with draped fabrics and dramatically swathed contemporary chandeliers. City Kitchen carried forth the Tuscan motif via a seated dinner starring vallegeti di vitello (veal packages filled with prosciutto and robiola).

More than 250 guests made for a sold-out soir%26#233;e, while adding a significant six figures to the CAMH%26#8217;s coffers. In the swell set: Carol Ballard, one of the major underwriters, with her daughter Leslie Ballard Hull, CAMH Studio%26#8217;s co-founder; Fresh Art Coalition%26#8217;s Marita Fairbanks; new mom Kelly Silvers, dishing with pal Natalie Ariz; CAMH curator Valerie Cassel Oliver, attired in BV and acting as emcee; Tatiana Massey, who was not at the winning table, quipping,%26nbsp; %26#8220;Another year without a BV bag!%26#8221;; Judith Oudt, who%26#8217;s set to co-chair this spring%26#8217;s CAMH Gala, planned for Friday, April 23 at the museum; stalwart museum supporter Sissy Kempner; Leigh Smith; Jereann Chaney; a glamorous group from Bottega Veneta, including Houston store manager Liz Marsh, Roxanne Paschall and Kristen Bensen, in from New York, plus Milan-based Francesca Bellettini and Stefania Nebuloni; Kelly Hamman; Martha Finger; Marsha Cross-Beeson, head-to-toe in BV; and the astute team that captured first place in the Treasure Hunt %26#8212; Henrietta Alexander, Cristiana Anderson, Louise Riddell Bland, Gisela Cherches, Heidi Gerger, gallerist Kerry Inman, Betty Newton, Judy Nyquist, Terry Smith, Lea Weingarten, and Ann Wilde.%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

Treasure Hunt Topics:
Name the largest island of the Tuscan archipelago. (Answer: Elba)
Name the French emperor exiled there in 1814 (Answer: Napoleon I)
What is the famous English language palindrome associated with that island? (Answer: Able was I ere I saw Elba.) %26nbsp;%26nbsp;

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston's One Great Night in November

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:22:09 GMT

Big Boys, Bold Cigars, Important Art
H. Lee Godrey chaired last year%26#8217;s the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston's One Great Night in November. At the august f%26#234;te, nearly 250 Y-chromosome guests raised almost three-quarters of a million dollars towards new works of art for the MFAH, with the acquisitions democratically voted upon from offerings proposed by the museum%26#8217;s curators. European painting and sculpture curator Edgar Peters Bowron officiated, while Jackson and Company crafted the four-course seated dinner. Bowron%26#8217;s submission was fortuitously the top vote-getter:%26nbsp;a pair of circa-1700 oil paintings by Italian master Marcantonio Franceschini. Noble notables: gallerist Meredith Long, Lenoir Josey (who selected the wine pairings), Bob McNair, Les Ballard, Devinder Bhatia, Tony Petrello, John Duncan, Harry Reasoner, Pete Coneway, Charles Duncan Jr., Tom Glanville, Jack Blanton Jr., Harry Gee, American art collector Frank Hevrdejs, and tobacconist Jeffrey Stone, who contributed cigars to the cause.%26nbsp;

Yao Restaurant %26 Bar Grand Opening

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 04:14:03 GMT

Plush Holiday Celebration

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 03:29:28 GMT

Howls for Handbags

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 02:33:24 GMT

Fly Away with the Bridge Announcement Party

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 03:51:10 GMT

DSM's Associate Producers Membership Event

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:22:21 GMT

Lisa Luby Ryan's Vintage Living Re- Invented

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 11:35:29 GMT

OBJECTS...Lost %26 Found with High Tea

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 04:13:12 GMT

Pinkberry Grand Opening at Preston Royal Center

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 12:44:25 GMT

MOCAH 10th Anniversary Masquerade Ball

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 02:35:04 GMT

The Museum of Cultural Arts Houston (MOCAH) celebrated its 10th anniversary of creative excellence at the historic Magnolia Ballroom. MOCAH co-founders Rhonda Radford-Adams and Reginald Adams honored internationally acclaimed micro-sculptor Willard Wigan for his virtually invisible artwork. Art-frenzied: Lisa and Brian Freeze, Gracie Saenz, Al Castillo, and Melissa and Michael Allen.

The Gallery at River Oaks

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 01:40:59 GMT

Chick Lit Luncheon Author Reveal Party

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:03:31 GMT

2010 Tapestry Gala Kick Off Reception

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 05:55:39 GMT

The Cardinal Boutique's Black and White Party

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 03:43:38 GMT

Barbara Orbison, wife of late singer-songwriter Roy Orbison, launched her new fragrance, Pretty Woman, at The Cardinal Boutique, where the perfume is exclusively stocked. Store owner Robin Sengelmann hosted the black-and-white-themed bash that also raised money for renal cancer research at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Jolie Toi Couture's Inaugural Gazelles Fashion Show

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:31:09 GMT

Jolie Toi Couture hosted the inaugural Gazelles Fashion Show, %26#8220;Call of the Wild.%26#8221; Designer Sunny Haik displayed her exquisite one-of-a-kind ball gowns for kings and queens of the jungle.

Equality Texas' Second Annual Merry Merry Martini Mixer

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 02:03:27 GMT

United Way Tocqueville Society Dinner with Ebby

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 12:10:16 GMT

Texas Ballet Theater Celebrates Ben Stevenson's 40th Anniversary

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 12:54:17 GMT

MFAH’s Five-A honoring Alvia Wardlaw

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 12:33:22 GMT

The African American Art Advisory Association (Five-A) hosted a dignified evening honoring Alvia Wardlaw, a renowned professor and museum director at Texas Southern University and former curator of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. At the MFAH, museum director Peter Marzio welcomed more than 100 guests, who raised their glasses to the esteemed organizer of exhibitions for Thornton Dial, John Biggers, Roy DeCarava and the celebrated quilters of Gee%26#8217;s Bend. (Five-A, an MFAH patron group, supports the museum%26#8217;s ever-expanding African-American collection and educates the community about important artwork by African-Americans.) Perfect patrons: Anita Smith, Yvonne Cormier, Merinda Martin, Five-A president Ramon Manning, Sarah Trotty, Susan and Martin Wickliff, Toni Whitaker, and Heidi McDonald.

Neiman Marcus InCircle Party

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 12:41:44 GMT

Rice Design Alliance Gala

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 05:12:42 GMT

More than 1,100 architecture and design devotees danced and dined at the Hilton Americas%26#8211;Houston for the Rice Design Alliance%26#8217;s 23rd Annual Gala, %26#8220;Hue: Contributing to a Vibrant Community.%26#8221; Chairs Mikki Hebl and David Harvey Jr. and executive director Linda Sylvan welcomed the colorful crowd, including honorees Phoebe and Bobby Tudor. Environment talents Juli%26#232; Gauthier, Randall Walker, and Bob Inaba of Kirksey Architects, under the guidance of party designer Rebekah Johnson, transformed the ballroom into a m%26#233;lange of colors and textures. Illuminated fabrics were draped over walls, tables and even the brightly lit bar. While shimmying to Fried Ice Cream%26#8217;s beats, guests bid on luxury travel and entertainment goodies in the silent auction, organized by Shelby Holman and Kim Kasse. The soir%26#233;e also highlighted a chromatic collection of auction works donated by Houston artists and galleries, curated by Austin James and Liz Anders. In all, the evening generated more than half a million dollars to promote the urban-planning dialogue in our city.

Santa’s Elves Party

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 04:21:23 GMT

Although it began as a celebration of his parents%26#8217; 50th wedding anniversary, Greg Fourticq Jr. added holiday spice to everyone%26#8217;s calendar with the annual Santa%26#8217;s Elves Party benefitting the Children%26#8217;s Cancer Hospital at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. This year%26#8217;s hosts, Paige and Tilman Fertitta, joined chair couples Katie and Harry Cullen, Jill and Brad Deutser, Ashley and Lance Loeffler, Soraya and Scott McClelland, Kristen and Lee Nix, Kathryn Hall Wilson and Tom Wilson, and Nancy and Don Woo in recreating the magic of Santa%26#8217;s workshop. Capricious elves such as Patsy and Greg Fourticq and Diane and John Connally III helped raise more than $30,000 for the pediatric center.

Tod's "Italian Touch" Party

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 06:16:07 GMT

With a desire for decadent imports, sophisticates hurried to Tod%26#8217;s at NorthPark Center to hail Italian Touch, journalist Donata Sartorio%26#8217;s new tome depicting the impeccable style of Italy%26#8217;s most fashionable families. To host the event, which benefitted Two x Two for Aids and Art, Tod%26#8217;s called in its suave CEO Marco Giacometti, along with Dallas%26#8217; own fine pedigrees: Cindy and Howard Rachofsky, Jan and Jim Showers, Jennie and Stuart Reeves, Lucy and Steve Wrubel and Jenny and John Kirtland. Eying D-Bags and winter Gomminos among the Italian finery: Jodie Oliver, Thomas Cole, Margaret Solomon, Sarah Bloom, and Betsy Crousen.

Chanel Precious Jewels and Watches

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 06:13:08 GMT

Surrounded by tweed and pearls, golden chains and camellias, we f%26#234;ted Chanel%26#8217;s collections of precious jewels and timepieces at the Highland Park Village boutique. After making introductions with the divine Laurent Grosgogeat, Chanel%26#8217;s senior VP of fine jewelry and watches, Highland Park Village%26#8217;s new owners and hosts Elisa and Stephen Summers and Heather and Ray Washburne mingled with Chanel%26#8217;s Michael Cicero, Courtney Grafeld, and Pilar Hubbard around the bauble-filled cases. Grafeld showed us her favorite piece %26#8212; a stunning diamond-encrusted camellia %26#8212; and offered up some Chanel trivia. The cap of the Chanel No. 5 parfum bottle? It%26#8217;s the same shape as the Place Vend%26#244;me. Madame Coco never missed a beat. Crazy for Chanel: Amy and Jason Claro, Jennifer Ferguson, Kloe Barcus, Christine Handy, Piper Wyatt, and Michael Wisenbaker.%26#160;

Preston Hollow Equinox Sales Office Party

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 05:01:51 GMT

Neon spandex and sweatbands? We think not. At a swanky pre-opening party, PaperCity raised a minty mojito to help Equinox toast the opening of its Preston Hollow fitness center. Partygoers loosened up with complimentary massages and munched on veggie and tofu hors d%26#8217;oeuvres %26#8212; perfect for keeping those abs in check. Equinox%26#8217;s Craig Carter, Anna McKinzie and Preston Hollow general manager Steve Kmetz took us through the new location%26#8217;s floor plans %26#8212; we made note of the exquisite stone and wood elements accenting the modern facility. With a gym this chic, we may be following up on our resolutions after all.

Holocaust Museum’s Guardian of the Human Spirit Luncheon

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 02:15:56 GMT

Philanthropy in the Afternoon
One of the most poignant afternoons in the social calendar is the Guardian of the Human Spirit Luncheon. This gravitas-edged benefit raises awareness about tolerance while generating funds to keep Holocaust Museum Houston free to the public year-round and further its education and outreach so the Holocaust will not be repeated. This season%26#8217;s luncheon, co-chaired by the well-connected Brenda and John Duncan, honored Houston%26#8217;s ultimate community builders, Barbara and Gerald Hines. She%26#8217;s a champion of cancer crusades, from M.D. Anderson Cancer Center to the Hala Comprehensive Breast Clinic in Jerusalem; he%26#8217;s the worldwide real estate developer and benefactor of educational institutions, including his namesake, the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture at the University of Houston, the Yale School of Architecture and Purdue University%26#8217;s Sustainable Buildings Technology Lab. Together, this powerhouse couple has impacted medical, civic, religious and cultural causes %26#8212;%26nbsp;including Holocaust Museum Houston.

Terrific Tribute
Among the 900 guests who packed the Westin Galleria to generate more than $450,000 for HMH: soon-to-be-elected Mayor and museum board member Annise Parker; Lynn Wyatt; museum chair Michael Goldberg and wife Carol; Margaret Love; Regina Rogers; B.A. Bentsen; Ambassador Arthur Schecter; Helene and Dror Zadok; Diane Gendel; Joan Schnitzer Levy and Irvin Levy; David Mincberg; Charlotte Berkowitz and her husband, past museum chair Peter Berkowitz; Punkin and Walter Hecht; Ginger and Jack Blanton; Melissa Brunicardi; Polly and Murry Bowden; Donna and Tony Vallone; and the day%26#8217;s honorary chairs, including Joan and Stanford Alexander, Jeri and Marc Shapiro, Sue and Lester Smith, Holocaust survivor Naomi Warren, and Lorraine and Ed Wulfe.

Neiman Marcus On Trend Event

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:07:17 GMT

%26#8220;A pop of red, a touch of leopard, major black dresses and metallics in shoes%26#8221; are some of the season%26#8217;s most fashion-forward trends underscored PaperCity%26#8217;s features editor Laurann Claridge, who emceed. The designer-clad crowd at Neiman Marcus%26#8217; Couture Salon listened intently, took notes and made orders for the looks that marched by on the runway, including covetable creations by Prada, Donna Karan, Zac Posen and more. The cocktail soir%26#233;e preview also featured Tina Pennington and Mandy Williams, sister-authors of the tantalizing tome What I Learned About Life When My Husband Got Fired!, who penned their real-life saga under the noms de plum Red and Black. Center stage with the writers were national makeup artist Raychel Wade, a Fashion Week mainstay and 2009 La Prairie Colour Ambassador, and Neiman Marcus%26#8217; Stacey Swift, who annually curates this eagerly awaited forecast f%26#234;te. In the sleek set: Penny Wright, Jacqueline Kinloch, Natalie Klein with pal Melissa Kam, Roz Pactor, Leisa Holland-Nelson, Diane Cain, 2010 Opera Ball chair Denise Bahr and mom Olga Bush, and Neiman Marcus%26#8217; Bob Devlin and Liz Zaruba.%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

Festari for Men Una Notte in Italia

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:29:04 GMT

%26#8220;It%26#8217;s Raining Men, Hallelujah,%26#8221; goes the refrain from the %26#8217;70s disco classic, the anthem of the over-the-top Una Notte in Italia, which benefits Family Services of Greater Houston. This annual seated dinner and fashion show at the InterContinental Houston hotel parades philanthropic gents upon the catwalk in sleek looks from Festari for Men; said models receive wolf whistles from adoring fans. It%26#8217;s always a sexy, high-voltage night, a segue between fall%26#8217;s more formal galas and the holidays. Honorary chairs Debbie and Rudy Festari again oversaw this season%26#8217;s Notte, which artfully mixed tried-and-true socials with fetching newcomers from the world of sports and even performing art. The Festaris joined winsome chairs Rachel Brown and Robin Reimer to tap uomini belli for the runway including jeweler Franco Valobra (tossing out pearl necklaces like Mardi Gras beads), Meredith Cullen, salsa-ing Lester Smith, Dominic Walsh Dance Theater%26#8217;s heart-stopping lead Domenico Luciano, chair husbands Michael Brown and Charles Reimer, Monsour Taghdisi, Mo%26#8217;s Johnny Vassallo, and Astros ace catcher Humberto Quintero. On the front row: Melissa and Michael Mithoff, Ericka and Jeff Bagwell, Suzanne and Paul Getty, Olympic medalist siblings Diana Lopez and Steven Lopez, and Veronica and Michael Roa.%26nbsp;

Tiffany %26 Co. Platinum Party

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:55:14 GMT

The orange roses in perfect bunches on the tables matched the fiery (nearly 25-carat!) orange tourmaline necklace, while abundant diamonds were set off by the sparkly socials thronging the alfresco deck of RDG + Bar Annie. With clarity, we can say that Tiffany %26amp; Co. knows how to toss a swell pre-Thanksgiving bash. Director Michael McClure presided, while one-of-a-kind bijoux from the retailer%26#8217;s iconic 2009 %26#8211; 2010 The Blue Book were on display (many based on treasures from Tiffany%26#8217;s archive, including some exquisite lacy, Deco-inspired bracelets). All eyes were on the splendid sculptural Schlumberger cuff, ring and brooches %26#8212; covetable cruise wear that evoked an underwater paradise. Gem-gazers: Beth Sanders Moore and Jess Moore, Karen and Rudy Wildenstein, Maggi Jones, Courtney Lanier, Mimi Del Grande selecting a Tiffany key necklace for daughter Tessa, Kathleen and Townes Pressler, Julia Frankel, Jenny and David Moore (he, founder of Elves %26amp; More) with the newborn Penelope, Patti and Michael Morgan, and Seth Bright.

David Yurman's Gem-Studded Bijoux Bash

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:37:22 GMT

Diamond Power
It was bright lights, bijoux city when Sybil and David Yurman came to town for a series of personal appearances. Their PAs were capped by a diamond-encrusted evening at the jewelers%26#8217; eponymous Galleria boutique, co-hosted by PaperCity magazine. Legions of long-time Yurman collectors and new fans alike lined up to eagerly eye and buy, with a portion of proceeds benefitting Best Buddies Texas. Yurman%26#8217;s charismatic son and and daughter-in-law, new parents Ku-Ling Siegel and Evan Yurman, also dazzled. (She%26#8217;s a filmmaker who%26#8217;s directed some sexy Yurman commercials; he%26#8217;s the designer of his own Yurman collection, inspired by ancient and medieval masterpieces. He took time to point out his latest creations in the showcases.) Houston boutique manager Lauren Granello and Yurman exec Chris Kimbrough, in from Dallas, presided over the bauble-a-thon alongside the New York contingent, Shauna Brook and Catie Harrell, and the Yurman family.

Gem-Boree
Shining in the social setting: Bruce Herzog, who divides his time between Manhattan and Houston and is a pal of David Yurman; Chree Boydstun; Michael Mandola; David Bamford, who owns a Peter Zweig%26#8211;Philip Johnson house; Susan Bono, who heads green initiatives for the mayor%26#8217;s office, dishing with Bill Dykes; Brad Hensler; Neal Hamil; Liz Decker; Best Buddies statewide director Kent Loftin; Beth Muecke with adorable daughter Kendra; Jackie and Monty Eubank; Marjorie and Craig Kovacevich; Randall Edward Design%26#8217;s George Foster and Eugene White; and Ron Decker, double-gifting wife Debra with an 18K-gold circle pendant and a pav%26#233; diamond ring, who commented, %26#8220;We don%26#8217;t even need to try them on.%26#8221; The final act was a glamorous seated dinner chez Thrash, where John and Becca Cason Thrash welcomed the Yurman contingent, as well as newlyweds Tricia and David Dewhurst, Sue and Lester Smith, Ann and Mathew Wolf, Courtney and Bo Hopson, Sara Dodd-Spickelmier and Keith Spickelmier, Greggory and Pat Burk,%26nbsp;Greg Fourticq Jr., Chesie Breen, and%26nbsp;Karen Pulaski, who has finally moved back to Houston after a sojourn in L.A.

Virtuosi of Houston's Kickoff Party Celebrating Mexico

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 05:55:21 GMT

River Oaks Chamber Orchestra at St. Arnold Brewing Company

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 03:26:24 GMT

Bubbles and BBQ

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:52:59 GMT

The sound of champagne corks popping and the laughter of 70 young professionals filled the wine cellar at Block 7 to support the John P. McGovern Museum of Health %26amp; Medical Science. The lively, over-the-top %26#8220;Bubbles and BBQ%26#8221; soir%26#233;e raised money for the museum%26#8217;s exhibitions and educational programs. Among the beautiful and bubbly: Sharon Aboussleman, Errol McLaughlin, Katherine Orellana, Beth Bryant, Jared Lang, Ashley Allen, and David Cordua.

Women on the Move Luncheon

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 04:21:57 GMT

Cáceres Soiree

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 10:57:53 GMT

The sun-drenched sensibility of Andalusian Spain was the motif for a lively Iberian-inspired party at C%26#225;ceres. Perspective home-owners toured three properties, clinked cocktails from rooftop decks, then strolled through the park-like setting to admire a new poolside aerie. Spanish wines and bites from Capriccio, Catalan, Culinaire Catering and El Tiempo Cantina underscored the evening%26#8217;s Mediterranean motif. C%26#225;ceres developers Bonner Ball and Tom Zenner of Black Diamond and Andy Suman and Chad Muir of R%26#246;he %26amp; Wright welcomed Viktor Bodorff, Bromley Oliver,%26nbsp; Keith Kaposta, Ren%26#233;e Lewis Cary (in Pucci) and John Cary with adorable daughter Lila, Jane Block, Wade Murphy, Ben Brown, gallerist Wade Wilson, Elizabeth Stewart with Ezekiel Solis, Dirk Stronck, Alice and Paul Danneman, Betty and Willem Bezemer, Barbara and David Brill, Margaret King, and Basil Al-Gailani.

Houston Symphony's Young Professionals Backstage

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 01:17:30 GMT

The Houston Symphony%26#8217;s Young Professionals Backstage started off their season in tune at RDG + Bar Annie. The conductors of the evening, Vika Filippov and Rachel Walton, struck a chord with the 200 virtuosos who wined and dined on Robert Del Grande%26#8211;created bites and bubbly by Veuve Clicquot. In the ensemble: Jamie Glover, Amy Branch, Kimberly Crowder, Cortney Cole, Jared Lang, and Mo%26#235;t Hennessy%26#8217;s Doug Wooster.

A Conversation with a Living Legend

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 04:46:11 GMT

Resounding applause filled the Hilton Americas%26#8211;Houston ballroom when baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron was honored at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center%26#8217;s fund-raising luncheon %26#8220;A Conversation with a Living Legend.%26#8221; Emmy-winning CBS news anchor and TCU graduate Bob Schieffer interviewed the baseball hero as chairs Ginger and Jack Blanton, Kelli and Eddy Blanton, and Leslie and Jack Blanton Jr., along with honorary chairs Elyse and Bob Lanier and Courtney and Christopher Sarofim, raised more than $400,000 for cancer research and patient-care programs at the institution. MVPs: Ericka and Jeff Bagwell, Diane Lokey Farb, Joan Schnitzer Levy and Irvin Levy, and Pam and Randall Onstead.

Open Door Mission’s Benefit Luncheon

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 11:32:57 GMT

Community improvement was%26nbsp; on the menu at the Open Door Mission%26#8217;s benefit luncheon, which generated $165,000 for the addicted, impoverished and disabled in Houston. Applauding feature speaker Cardinal Daniel DiNardo: luncheon chairs Susan Boggio, Theresa Butler, and Fran Fawcett Peterson and honorary chairs Dr. Robert Ivany and Stan Marek

The Inaugural Indian Film Festival

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 02:54:34 GMT

Tacos y Tacones Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans Gala

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 04:48:13 GMT

The Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans threw a fabulous Tacos y Tacones Gala to celebrate 39 years of helping Latino families in Houston. The InterContinental Houston glistened in the AAMA%26#8217;s official blue and silver as chair Paula Mendoza, honorary chair Eduardo Nunez and more than 450 supporters gathered to honor D%26#8217;Artagnan Bebel and James Rootes for their contributions.

The 58th Consular Ball Honors the Kingdom of Spain

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 03:37:08 GMT

The Houston Junior Chamber of Commerce welcomed more than 680 guests to the Hilton Americas%26#8211;Houston ballroom for the 50th Consular Ball honoring The Kingdom of Spain and The Consular Corps of Houston. The night in Seville included Iberian-inspired entertainment, such as colorful dancers flown in from Madrid and a vibrant flamenco performance. Chairman Sherman Yeager, honorary chairman Eduardo Aguirre (former U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain), and co-chairmen Loli Fern%26#225;ndez-Andrade Kolber and Astrid Van Dyke saluted diplomatic honoree Gordon Quan for his devotion to the international community. Spotted dancing a tango: Crist%26#243;bal Col%26#243;n XX (a descendent of Christopher Columbus), Consul General of Spain Miguel Angel Fern%26#225;ndez de Mazarambroz, and Consul General of Mexico Carlos Gonz%26#225;lez Magallon.

Designed With Care Cocktail Party

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 03:51:36 GMT

Impressions a Bridal Salon

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 03:59:20 GMT

In Highland Village Shopping Center, luxury nuptial boutique Impressions A Bridal Salon heralded its Houston location with a festive unveiling. Matrimonial models mingled with guests throughout the 2,600-square-foot space, which showcases gowns by designers Monique Lhuillier, Vera Wang, Anna Maier %26#8211; Ulla-Maija, Carolina Herrera and more, as well as a well-edited collection of wedding shoes, veils and jewelry. Houston partner Anita Gaylor and owner Joan Pillow, in from Atlanta, tempted brides-to-be and destined debutantes alike with their covetable designer selections. Not wedding crashers: Nini Bekhradi, Laura Mudd, Shawna Fatjo, New York%26#8211;based designer and CEO of Anna Maier %26#8211; Ulla-Maija Charles Bunstine, Mary Ann and David McKeithan, Jon Pillow, Sima Ladjevardian, Ruth and Jack Gay, and Sabiha Rehmatulla.

Moores School of Music Society's Host Committee Tea

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 04:56:03 GMT

The curtain rose on a harmonious f%26#234;te for the Moores School of Music Society%26#8217;s I Got Rhythm Host Committee Tea. Chair Eleanor Connan and honorary chair Beth Madison welcomed scores of socialites to the Hotel Granduca, where honoree Margaret Williams saluted the newest members of the gala host committee. In the musical set: Helen Shaffer, Susanna Brundrett, Shirley Rose, Sally Reynolds, Phyllis Williams, and Moores School director David Ashley White. Save the date: Moores School%26#8217;s 23rd Annual Dinner Concert: I Got Rhythm, Friday, February 26, at the Hyatt Regency downtown. Katherine Vilutis

Champagne and White Glove Luncheon at BB1 Classic

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 04:55:26 GMT

"Music and Art" Star of Hope Benefit at BB1 Classic

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 04:42:01 GMT

Zadok Jewelers' Winter Wonderland Gemstone Jubilee

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 04:27:25 GMT

Exit Art Benefit at Colton %26 Farb Gallery

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 03:35:26 GMT

The 18th Annual Mary Jo Peckham Award Luncheon and Fashion Show

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 01:34:59 GMT

TheRedVault.com Launch Party at Laura Rathe Fine Art Gallery

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:53:28 GMT

IW Marks Jewelers "I Wish" Holiday Celebration

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 12:19:43 GMT

Past Era at Antique Pavilions's Holiday Party

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 11:18:24 GMT

Musiqa's "Music and Youth"

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 12:15:09 GMT

Hannah Bacol Busch Gallery's "Man, Woman, and Child" Exhibition Opening

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 04:40:14 GMT

Texas Children's Cancer Center Casino Night

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 01:34:24 GMT

Astros Wives 20th Anniversary Gala Underwriter's Party at Mo's ... A Place for Steaks

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 01:09:09 GMT

Wig Out for UNICEF

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 03:33:00 GMT

2nd Annual Christmas Tail

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 02:27:56 GMT

Donald J Pliner Supports SNAP

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 02:02:48 GMT

Trees of Hope Gala and Tootsies

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 01:15:40 GMT

The Luxury Marketing Council Presents: The Convergence of Social Networking, E-Retailing and Integrated Media: Opportunities for Luxury Marketers

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 01:34:30 GMT

Miller Outdoor Theatre Gala

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 04:38:38 GMT

Friends for the Prevention of Heart Disease and Stroke Annual Dinner

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 02:00:41 GMT

The Living Bank's "Celebrate Life" Gala

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 01:04:06 GMT

Huffington Center's Women's Health Summit

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 12:47:34 GMT

A.A. Benjamin, Ltd. Open House

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 11:53:11 GMT

Houston Police Foundation Gala

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 03:32:08 GMT

Toast to Living Well

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 04:00:12 GMT

Circle of Life Gala

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 02:06:02 GMT

Art and Wine Night at Ruggles Green

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 02:47:52 GMT

Gragg Park Campus Opening Celebration

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 01:50:56 GMT

The Blue Bird Circle Gala

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 01:28:12 GMT

EaDo Palooza

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 01:06:31 GMT

BRA-vissima!

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 02:09:36 GMT

AT%26T Performing Arts Center ACT III

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:28:09 GMT

One event and local talent was simply not an option when it came time to raise the inaugural curtain at the highly anticipated and heavily funded performance halls at the sparkling new AT%26amp;T Performing Arts Center. Movie stars, mezzo-sopranos, prima ballerinas and our finest philanthropists were cast for three nights of affairs (calling for three show-stopping dresses) for Scene 1: Theater, Scene 2: Opera/Ballet and Scene 3: Broadway/Gala.
%26#160;
Scene 1: Theatrical Amusement
%26#8220;It%26#8217;s really amazing being the first people on this stage,%26#8221; said the evening%26#8217;s host, actor Bruce Willis, for the opener at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre. ACT III chairman Jeanne Marie Clossey shepherded VIPs Howard Hallam, Caren Prothro, and namesakes Dee and Charles Wyly into the deconstructed theater %26#8212; designed by architectural giants Rem Koolhaas and Joshua Prince-Ramus %26#8212;%26#160;to find their lime-green seats in the Potter Rose Performance Hall. An excerpt from a James Lapine play starring Debra Monk, a hip-hop adaptation from Will Power and DJ Reborn, and composer Alan Menken tickling the ivories of a Steinway %26amp; Sons with songs from The Little Mermaid and Beauty %26amp; the Beast were the performances du jour. After the last key was struck, Kevin Duncan, Deedie and Rusty Rose, Gene Jones, and Charlotte Anderson watched as the curtains flanking the walls of the spectacular cube rose to reveal the encasement glass walls and a magnificent view of downtown. Gasps of amazement lingered %26#8212; until Scene 2, that is.

Scene 2: Pirouettes and Librettos
The next evening, the color red had its moment %26#8212; from the iconic crimson glass fa%26#231;ade of the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House to the bevy of cherry-hued dresses and bow ties. Through our opera glasses, we noted president/CEO Mark Nerenhausen, Ellen and Don Winspear, Linda Custard, Bess and Ted Enloe, Mark Porter, Nancy and Clint Carlson, Shannon and Ted Skokos, and Joyce and Harvey Mitchell watching the acrylic chandelier tubes in the Sir Norman Foster%26#8211;designed hall disappear into the ceiling to form a constellation of twinkling stars, as conductor Graeme Jenkins cued the orchestra. Opera greats Denyce Graves and Thomas Hampson alternated with the Christopher Wheeldon%26#8211;choreographed ballet pieces performed by Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company. A humorous ballet ended the show: male ballerinas in tutus and a cow prop %26#8212; an homage to Texas, perhaps?

Scene 3: A Fierce Finale
Bright lights shone on the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House Saturday night for the culmination of the majestic unveiling of our $354 million complex %26#8212; a gala evening of Broadway, dining and dancing. Socials in sweeping Carolina Herrera, Marchesa and Oscar de la Renta trains witnessed rousing performances from Tony Award winners Patti LuPone, Kristin Chenoweth, and George Hearn, as well as a twirling dance display from Billy Elliott%26#8217;s Kiril Kulish. After saluting Broadway%26#8217;s best, hundreds including Diane and Hal Brierley, Lisa Arpey, Ann Swisher and Michael McGehee, and Nancy and Jeremy Halbreich congregated in Sammons Park %26#8212; party-propped by Neiman Marcus %26#8212; for an alfresco feast by Ritz-Carlton chefs Dean Fearing and John Coleman. Famous faces such as actor Billy Zane, Clossey%26#8217;s Heroes date Zachary Quinto, the evening%26#8217;s director John Doyle, and producer Kevin Duncan mixed with divine Dallasites, eventually migrating to Club Alon, staged inthe Wyly, for the jazz-charged after-party.

A Room of Her Own

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:39:16 GMT

Hotel Sorella Grand Opening

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:18:59 GMT

Saks Fifth Avenue’s Key to the Cure

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 06:04:12 GMT

Where Compassion Is Always in Fashion

One of the rites of fall is Saks Fifth Avenue%26#8217;s national campaign to find a cure for cancer. This year, the luxury retailer tapped Michael Kors to design artful tees, with the majority of proceeds benefitting the crusade. Besides the tee, Saks also donates a portion of an entire weekend%26#8217;s sales to the cause, countrywide. At Saks%26#8217; fashionable fields in the Houston Galleria, this year%26#8217;s beneficiary was St. Luke%26#8217;s Cancer Center, while Key to the Cure was kicked off by a high-voltage, three-hour shopping party co-hosted by PaperCity magazine. Several hundred revelers savored retail therapy throughout Saks%26#8217; first floor, fueled by Grey Goose Vodka martinis and bites from Hotel ZaZa, Fleming%26#8217;s Prime Steakhouse %26amp; Wine Bar, and 17 at the Alden%26#8211;Houston.

%26nbsp;

They Came, They Saw, They Shopped%26nbsp;
Houston store honcho Terry Zmyslo and right-hand lady Sylvia Forsythe reigned, greeting philanthropic guests including new St. Luke%26#8217;s Episcopal Hospital CEO%26nbsp;Margaret Van Bree%26nbsp;and fellow St. Luke%26#8217;s colleagues
Mark LaRocco%26nbsp;with wife Jan,%26nbsp;Karen Myers,%26nbsp;Bill Brosius,%26nbsp;Susan Kiley,%26nbsp;Marianne Dwyer,%26nbsp;Priscilla Anderson, and%26nbsp;Jessica Michan; joined by swell socials%26nbsp;Alicia Smith; Wendy O%26#8217;Hanna;%26nbsp;Ericka Bagwell; Gabriela and Daniel Dror; private-jet lady Janine Iannarelli, chatting with pal Deana Blackburn; Nidhika and Pershant Mehta (who are major benefactors to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston%26#8217;s new Indian gallery, which is named in their honor); Hotel ZaZa%26#8217;s Natalie Wiseman; Franklyn Barnett squiring Roswitha Vogler; gallerist Barbara Davis with international artist Andrea Bianconi, who dropped in from Italy; William Dobbs; the Alden%26#8217;s Susan Ward-Freeman; Molly Brivic; physician Russell Kridel searching for a statement handbag to surprise wife Cheryl; Ceron; painter Nicola Parente; Cheryl Williamson; Angel Rios; Maeve Pesquera with Fleming%26#8217;s; Hanna Taghi sporting an orange Herm%26#232;s birkin; Trish McClanahan; Monica and Scott Duggan; Florence Rutherford; Marlene and Alan Finger; and Frances Jones.

%26nbsp;

Party Query
If you were granted a key to anything in the world, what would it unlock?
Marie Michaels: A villa on Lake Como.
Margaret Van Bree: The door to the fountain of youth.
Roswitha Vogler: Any home with a tennis court.
Mark LaRocco: The cure for cancer!
Kim Padgett: Someone%26#8217;s heart. But I%26#8217;d be happy with a key to a new car.
Ceron: A jewel case with a big Cartier watch.
Marianne Dwyer: The Saks Fifth Avenue store.

Houston Design Center’s Fall Market Days

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 10:54:23 GMT

Posh Purveyors of All Things Home
It was the ultimate progressive party for those mad about home design %26#8212;%26nbsp;and that%26#8217;s just about everyone we know. Houston Design Center capped Fall Market Days with a swell cocktail soir%26#233;e co-hosted by PaperCity magazine, where several hundred design disciples descended upon the lush 15-acre campus of HDC for lively perusing, acquiring and chatting %26#8212; designers, architects, showroom owners, collectors and clients alike. Design Center owners Sheri and Grant Roane presided, while the crowd navigated the nine must-see stops: Design House, Kitchen %26amp; Bath Concepts, Belle Maison Designs, Ashly Antique Decorative Rugs, Pride of Persia Rug Co., Charlotte Nail Antiques, Marc Anthony Rugs and Anything But Plain, concluding with a reception at ASID headquarters.%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

Power of Nine%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;
Dashing from showroom to showroom: Design House%26#8217;s Connie LeFevre, an ASID designer, dishing with incoming ASID president Sharon Staley; Glenn Seureau, head honcho of neighboring Star Motors; Kitchen %26amp; Bath Concepts%26#8217; mother-daughter team Peggy McGowen and Micqui McGowen; Teri and Phillip Pugh of Belle Maison Designs, who drew raves for their dramatic architectural doors and columns and their enlightened use of reclaimed wood; Ashly Antique Rugs%26#8217; Abbas Mohammadzad and Helena Diana; antique doyenne Charlotte Nail welcoming antique specialist/interior designer Beverly Vosko, who had spoken earlier that day at the Nail showroom; Pride of Persia%26#8217;s PhD%26#8211;degreed owners Mehdi Abedi and Lisa Slappey; Anthony P%26#233;rez with Marc Anthony Rugs; ASID president Hallie Radcliffe-Canalli; Houston Center for Contemporary Craft%26#8217;s executive director Julie Farr with beau Bob Lordi; designers Catheryn Wilson, Elizabeth Koval, Charlotte Hill, Donna Page, Letecia Ellis, Susan Fruit, and Amilee Wendt; art consultant Mary Lou Swift; Amegy Bank%26#8217;s Michael Pearson; and collectors Margarida and Penn Williamson.

British Invasion at Elaine Turner benefitting Heroes for Children

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 05:11:36 GMT

Women of Distinction Announcement Party

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 04:51:45 GMT

Saks Fifth Avenue%26#8217;s Terry Zmyslo and Sylvia Forsythe rolled out the red carpet for the Women of Distinction Announcement Party. The retail Mecca%26#8217;s couture salon was transformed into a sleek runway for the night%26#8217;s eagerly anticipated guests of honor. The chairs of the upcoming Winter Ball, Connie Cooke and Phyllis Williams, cheered for the 11 new honorees: Joan Dunlap, Harriet Gertner, Melissa King, Traci Lee, Linda Lorelle, Carmen Maria Montiel-Lechin, Patti Murphy, Helen Shaffer, Laura Spalding, Donna Vallone, and ambassador Jan Carson. Also applauding were honorary chair Margaret Williams and Skip Tiedemann with Emirates airlines, which has donated a quartet of first-class tickets to the Seychelles and the Maldives for the gala%26#8217;s live auction. (Save the Date: The Winter Ball: Imperial Grandeur benefitting the Crohn%26#8217;s %26amp; Colitis Foundation of America at InterContinental Houston on Saturday, January 23.)

Waylande Gregory Lauch Party at Sloan/Hall

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 04:21:01 GMT

The late pioneering artist/ceramist Waylande Gregory lives on, as Gregory%26#8217;s grand-nephew Bryan Downey and business partner Mickey Rosmarin, who spearhead Waylande Gregory Studios, debuted their bold new gold-leaf-embellished ceramic collection at Sloan/Hall. Kristine Mills contributed jazzy vocals from her latest album, Bossanovafied. Movin%26#8217; and groovin%26#8217; while perusin%26#8217;: Sloan/Hall%26#8217;s Marcus Sloan and Shannon Hall, Laura and John Spalding, Ceron, Christopher Mendel, Suzy Simons, Mark Horn and more.

Nest Welcomes Donald Fowler

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:49:20 GMT

When it comes to glamorous gifts and home decor, Nest is our sanctuary. So we had to raise a celebratory glass when the Snider Plaza shop threw a party to welcome its new general manager and buyer, Donald Fowler. Guests gathered with Nest owner Heather Wiese-Alexander to celebrate and indulge all their comfort-food vices %26#8212; mini burgers, bitty baked potatoes and cheesecake, all from Party Maker. Flocking to the new nester: Mary Ellen Phares, Katie Baird, Lisa Ann McCall, Nancy and Jerry Szor, John Hammarley, and Jennifer Duffy.%26nbsp;

Fall Opening Nights at the Menil

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 03:37:20 GMT

The Menil Collection celebrated two pioneers of modern and contemporary art with three important openings. First, the Menil unveiled %26#8220;Joaqu%26#237;n Torres-Garc%26#237;a: Constructing Abstraction with Wood,%26#8221; showcasing the Latin American modernist%26#8217;s innovations in wood sculpture accompanied by a selection of paintings and drawings. Organized by Mari Carmen Ram%26#237;rez, Latin American curator of the MFAH, in collaboration with Menil director Josef Helfenstein, this exhibition (through January 3) underscores the connections between Torres-Garc%26#237;a%26#8217;s experiments in two- and three-dimensional forms. Also in conjunction with the exhibition, Sofia Adrogu%26#233;, Brad Bucher, and the Menil Foundation trustees hosted a special evening extolling the Joaqu%26#237;n Torres-Garc%26#237;a show. Art admirers: Marcy Taub Wessel, Clare Casademont and Michael Metz, Marion Barthelme and Jeff Fort, Mary and Bernard Arocha, Cecilia de Torres, Adelaide de Menil Carpenter, and board president Harry Pinson. Later in the season, abstract aficionados previewed %26#8220;Cy Twombly: Treatise on the Veil,%26#8221; organized by the Menil%26#8217;s Bernice Rose and Michelle White (through February 14). Concurrently that evening, Heidi Gerger, Mar%26#237;a In%26#233;s Sicardi, Adrian Patterson, and Bevin Bering Dubrowski and Dan Dubrowski raptly looked on as Franklin Sirmans, curator of Modern and Contemporary
Art, debuted the reinstallation of the 20th-century galleries.

Pecan Room %26 Tavern Opening at Old Parkland

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 02:15:21 GMT

LD Tuttle Trunk Show at V.O.D.

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:11:38 GMT

Louis Vuitton NorthPark Center Grand Opening

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 12:34:49 GMT

"I remember my first real purse,%26#8221; said co-host Kimberly Whitman. %26#8220;My first special purse was a Louis Vuitton.%26#8221; The powers-that-be at Louis Vuitton must have known about the sentimental place their wares have in her heart, as Whitman was crowned party hostess for Vuitton%26#8217;s grand store opening at NorthPark Center. If the Speedys and Pochettes on the veneer shelves could talk, they would tell you of the glamorous ones who joined Whitman, Vuitton%26#8217;s president and CEO Daniel Lalonde, and W magazine%26#8217;s chairman and editorial director Patrick McCarthy for an evening of bubbly, caviar and buying. Leisa Street, Holly Bock, Connie Sigel, Gigi Howard, Lisa Ogle, Deborah Scott, Brian Bolke, Christen Wilson, Muffin Lemak, Susan Posnik, Nancy Webb, Jon Rasch, Meaders Ozarow, Jackson, Leon Banowetz, Yvonne Crum, and John Clutts gathered to toast the 6,200-square-foot bastion housing luggage and city bag collections, as well as men%26#8217;s and women%26#8217;s shoes, watches, fashion, jewelry, sunglasses, textiles, ties and accessories. %26#8220;I wanted to see the design and architecture of this store at a cocktail party,%26#8221; deadpanned George Cameron Nash, %26#8220;instead of shoppers screaming over bags.%26#8221; Nash had heard about the magnificent design elements and wanted an in-person viewing of the double-story glass fa%26#231;ade overlooking the courtyard, the luggage display featuring antique trunks and historical visuals, and Vincent DuBourg%26#8217;s commissioned bronze sculpture, Suitcase in Exile. Swirling around the %26#8220;Louis Vuitton Bag Bar%26#8221; were Whitman and her sister Krystal Schlegel, both wearing head-to-toe Fall Louis Vuitton. Whitman admitted her latest LV obsession: a monogrammed umbrella. %26#8220;My sister already has one, and I%26#8217;m so jealous!%26#8221; she said. While many persons wore bits of LV from their closets, a four-legged partygoer stole the show: Gregg Asher brought Logo, his grand dame of a Chihuahua, who rode in style in a Vuitton pooch carrier and donned a monogram canvas collar. After seeing Logo, Deborah Scott made note of her favorites and declared, %26#8220;I%26#8217;ve got to get more Louis Vuitton.%26#8221; Stocking up on as many LV%26#8217;s as possible was a charitable deed, as a portion of the sales from the event benefitted Big Thought, the nonprofit focused on improving public education through creative learning.

Brooke%26#8217;s T%26#234;te-%26#224;-T%26#234;te %26#8232;with Monsieur Lalonde
%26#8220;Would you like a glass of champagne?%26#8221; Daniel Lalonde, the debonair president and CEO of Louis Vuitton North America, asks me. Ten minutes before the party begins, he and I are sitting down to chat in the shoe salon of his new palace in NorthPark Center. %26#8220;Thank you, I have one,%26#8221; I say. %26#8220;Well, where is it?%26#8221; he questions, raising one eyebrow while looking at my hands holding only a mundane notebook and pen. %26#8220;Someone is babysitting it for me at the front of the store,%26#8221; I say. %26#8220;You should always have a cold glass of champagne,%26#8221; he responds. And just like that, a bubbly-filled flute appears. That%26#8217;s it. Steamer trunk closed. I%26#8217;m smitten over the way he conducts business. Here%26#8217;s what we learned about Lalonde%26#8217;s terribly charming self and his choice of baggage:

Your own favorite piece of Louis Vuitton?%26#8232; The Monogram Keepall %26#8212; 55%26#8221; and personalized. It%26#8217;s perfect for an overnight trip. I like it because it%26#8217;s more sporty than a roller bag.%26#160;And this midnight blue skinny tie.

Your personalization? My initials, D.A.L., with dots, and cream and burgundy stripes down the middle.%26#8232;%26#160;%26#8232;

%26#160;

Damier or monogrammed canvas? I%26#8217;m a Damier man. In fact, Damier Graphite.

%26#160;

Something new the ladies should rush out to purchase?%26#8232; It%26#8217;s hard to pick one. For yourself? I would pick the Shell bag. But the problem is we just sold out. The Blue Nuit Alma Vernibag in patent leather would be nice. %26#8232;%26#160;%26#8232;

%26#160;

For the men?%26#8232; A Damier graphite pilot bag. It%26#8217;s practical and stylish, and you can use it for a couple of nights.

%26#160;

Beloved architectural detail of this store? I think I have two. The double-height fa%26#231;ade facing the garden %26#8212; it lets the light shine in and doesn%26#8217;t feel like a mall store. And the four commissioned chandeliers from Italy, made of Murano glass, with Louis Vuitton elements and motifs dangling from them.

Martini Madness at Houston Center for Contemporary Craft

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 05:08:08 GMT

Veranda and Roche Bobois' Design for a Cause

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 04:15:18 GMT

Scardello Artisan Cheese One-Year Anniversary Celebration

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 04:48:01 GMT

Conduit Gallery's 25th Anniversary Celebration

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 04:43:54 GMT

11th Annual Slocum Street Style Night and Wreath Auction

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 04:41:34 GMT

Christie's Master of Wine Party

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 04:42:01 GMT

Intimacy's Cupcakes and Cleavage Party

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 03:42:03 GMT

Found Holiday Party

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 12:40:22 GMT

The Fourth Annual Highland Village Ferrari Festival

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 04:29:02 GMT

Elaine Turner Holiday Party

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 03:57:10 GMT

Smoke Grand Opening Celebration

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 01:51:17 GMT

Opening of Wolfgang Puck's Five Sixty

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 01:16:55 GMT

It was a rock-star-worthy affair when socials and foodies gathered atop the newly renovated Reunion Tower to celebrate alongside Wolfgang Puck and his wife Gelila Assefa for the grand opening of Puck%26#8217;s new restaurant Five Sixty. Guests sampled goodies from executive chef Sara Johannes (the lamb chops with cilantro-mint vinaigrette were a hit) and stepped to the sounds of the Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd. On the scene: Capera Ryan, Myrna and Bob Schlegel, Holly Forsythe, Greg Johnson, Stephan Pyles, and Janet and Phil Cobb.%26#160;

75th Anniversary of the Visiting Nurse Association

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:47:56 GMT

It may have been one of the stormiest nights in the city, but nothing dampened the spirited patrons of the Visiting Nurse Association at its Diamond Jubilee birthday celebration, dubbed %26#8220;Roots of Life.%26#8221; VNA supporters sipped Jubilee Juleps and took in the lush lands of the Trinity River Audubon Center before heading into a flora-filled tent for dinner, where nature was the theme %26#8212; imagine a woodsy whirl of flowers, branches and bark. Co-chairman Catherine Carr, alongside her co-chair mom, Peggy Carr, commended the crowd for its contributions to VNA (and for braving the squall that tore through town moments before the evening kicked off; luckily, all was well): %26#8220;We feel like we really owe you all a round of applause.%26#8221; Jubilee chairmen Linda Slaughter and Michelle Slaughter beamed when Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Mayor Tom Leppert, Patrick Haggerty, and Marianne and Roger Staubach bid big during the fund-a-cause auction. Socials rooting all the way: Caroline Rose Hunt, Cece Smith and Ford Lacy, Meg Munson, Nancy Gopez, Lynn and Allan McBee, and honorary chairman Lyda Hill.%26#160;

%26#160;

The benevolent Visiting Nurse Association was %26#8220;born%26#8221; in 1934. What else was happening that year?

%26#8226; Franklin D. Roosevelt was president

%26#8226; Cadillac introduced chic new aerodynamic styling

%26#8226; Bonnie and Clyde were running loose

%26#8226; Donald Duck made his big-screen debut

%26#8226; Coco Chanel was noshing in Paris cafes %26#160;

Cover Launch at The Shack

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:23:38 GMT

Lisa Moore and Robyn Stevens premiered their collection of sun-conscious clothing, Cover, at a f%26#234;te fit for sunny days at The Shak at Stanley Korshak. Guests tried their luck at a raffle benefitting The American Cancer Society and mingled among models. Having fun in the sun: Deborah and John Scott, Kate Gardner, Erin Sander, Ashley Asheford, Brett Levy, and Amy Ware.

Versace NorthPark

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 05:02:21 GMT

It was full-throttle fashion mode for hosts Daniele Berland, Deborah Scott, and Christen Wilson at the new Versace NorthPark Center boutique, where an in-store cocktail and shopping soir%26#233;e on the eve of the Studios 1019 blowout offered an exclusive first view (and first shop). Versace store manager Katherine Matangos showed off the dazzling collection of leather handbags to guests such as Jan and Jim Showers and Vivian and Alberto Lombardi.%26#160;

Kara Ross Trunk Show

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:32:28 GMT

Capa Mooty welcomed style-savvy socials to her home for cocktails and a trunk showing of the latest collections from New York jewelry and handbag designer Kara Ross. The designer herself adorned partygoers in the marvelously modern accessories for a cause, as a percentage of the evening's sales benefitted Smile Train. Eyeing the gemstone-embellished cocktail rings and lavish alligator and python handbags: Alexa Person, Jennifer Martinson, Nancy Hartnett, and Bonnie Lance.%26#160;

Equinox Opening Party

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:22:23 GMT

Socials had plenty of spring in their step when toasting the opening of Equinox Fitness Club%26#8217;s first-ever Dallas location. Equinox CEO Harvey Spevak had guests raise their Tommy Bahama Rum mojitos in honor of The Fashionistas, Friends of the Katy Trail and Greer Garson Gala, while Justin Whitman, Doss Alexander, Heidi and Bill Dillon, Katherine Mathes, and Matt Lucas explored the luxurious spa and fitness facilities.%26#160;

Michele Watches at The Joule

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:06:38 GMT

Michele%26#8217;s fall accessory collections drew the fashion flock to the top of The Joule hotel for a preview and a cocktail in the posh presidential suite. Michele VIPs Lisa Hamer and David Cowdrey introduced divine timepieces, sunglasses dappled with diamonds and sumptuous handbags to devoted fans. Grey Goose La Poire Pear-tinis and bites from %26#8212;%26#160;where else? %26#8212; Charlie Palmer at The Joule fueled the crowd, while admirers including Cameron Stone and Valerie Elizabeth took special notice of the Safari watches, strapped in bold animal prints, and the classic white Michele timepiece. VP Steven Barbery proffered an in-depth look at the Michele girl and decreed, %26#8220;The Michele customer %26#8212; she%26#8217;s a collector.%26#8221; Socials agreed, flashing baubles from their personal stash. As the evening came to a close, all left with a stunning pair of sunglasses from Michele%26#8217;s Diamond collection %26#8212; an apropos accessory for these luminous faces.

Art Ball: 24K Supper Club

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:16:39 GMT

%26#8220;This really is the Golden Era,%26#8221; beamed Olivia Kearney, in a vivid yellow Carolina Herrera gown, as she reveled in the metallic moment that was this year%26#8217;s Art Ball, themed %26#8220;24K Supper Club%26#8221; and benefitting the Dallas Museum of Art. The opulence of King Tut%26#8217;s treasures %26#8212; the blockbuster exhibition filling the DMA%26#8217;s hallowed halls and walls %26#8212; embraced guests with a display of vintage Aston Martins from presenting sponsors Jennifer and John Eagle and their John Eagle Dealerships, as well as a bevy of gilded pharaoh boys posing in the fountain. Chairman Elaine Agather glowed head-to-toe in a gold-sequined dress by Josef Statkus, which had been custom-made at the request of fashion authority Brian Bolke. %26#160;%26#160;%26#160;%26#160;%26#160;%26#160;%26#160;%26#160;%26#160;%26#160;%26#160;

%26#160;

Event designer Todd Fiscus turned the DMA into a decadent supper club for the occasion. We were mad about the velveteen banquets %26#8212; oh, how we love rose gold. Socials explored galleries stocked with silent-auction treasures, artfully arranged by the evening%26#8217;s StyleMakers: Bolke, Nancy Dedman, Rob Dailey, Gene Jones, Cindy Rachofsky, Nancy Rogers, Catherine Rose, and Shelle Sills. After bidding on one-of-a-kind treasures, guests entered the Barrel Vault for a golden dinner by Sodexo, and Agather offered her appreciation for the endless support from some of society%26#8217;s lovely ladies, such as honorary chairman Nancy Hamon, Melissa Fetter, Jacquelin Sewell, Marie Dean, Tanya Foster, Sharon Young, and Gina Betts. %26#160;%26#160;%26#160;%26#160;%26#160;%26#160;%26#160;%26#160;%26#160;%26#160;%26#160;

%26#160;

King Tut may have boasted a brilliant bijoux collection, but nothing could compare to the evening%26#8217;s live-auction gems. Oliver Barker of Sotheby's auctioned off a five-star safari in South Africa, a voyage aboard luxury liner The World, an art-filled weekend in London and a vacation at Casa Papelillos in Punta Mita, to name a few. The riches continued with the Young Artists Exhibition, a pyramid of sweet treats and an even sweeter after-party, dubbed The Sapphire Lounge and presented by The Joule and Tim Headington, where no karats were spared. %26#160;

%26#160;

Golden Girls

Fashion experienced a bright moment at The Art Ball; spotted in the Vault were: Pat McEvoy in Roland Nivelais, Angie Barrett in Rodarte, Suzanne Droese in Marchesa, Rachael Dedman in Monique Lhuillier, Leah McCann in Abi Ferrin, and Erin Hill in Oscar de la Renta.

AFI Dallas Star Award

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 01:18:35 GMT

Audiences at the glammed-up AMC Theatres at NorthPark Center raved about Rita Hayworth at the presentation of the AFI Dallas Star Award and VIP screening of Gilda, hosted by the Rita Hayworth Gala Committee. AFI Dallas International Film Festival CEO and artistic director Michael Cain toasted the screen legend, and upcoming gala chairman Laura Hunt accepted the award on Hayworth%26#8217;s behalf, then it was on with the show. Hyped up on Hayworth: Rita and Henry Hortenstine, Caroline Rose Hunt, Lynne and Roy Sheldon, and Jeanne Marie Clossey.%26#160;

Tinsel %26 Dreams

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:30:04 GMT

Remember all the tinsel? Arlington Hall twinkled and the silent-auction lots included decorative items designed by Neiman Marcus, Bachendorf's and Swoozie's. Bernadette Hudson was high bidder for a year of invitations to PaperCity parties, while chairman Joan Oxford toasted Leslie Renico-Boysen, Carla Sayklay, Anne and Terry Conner, and Gail Knapp.

TITAS International Ballet and La Fête du Ballet Dinner

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:09:09 GMT

Dance lovers twirled for TITAS at its Command Performance of International Ballet and La F%26#234;te du Ballet dinner. Chairmen Matrice Ellis-Kirk and Ron Kirk hosted the star-studded show at the Music Hall at Fair Park, where the evening commenced with internationally renowned ballerinas pirouetting in what American Ballet Theatre dancer Julie Kent described as a %26#8220;take-your-breath-away performance.%26#8221; Then socials leapt to Neiman Marcus Downtown for a black-tie dinner, where Mia Michaels was honored among the poised patrons including Laila Gilliland, Jock Naponic, and Jill McFarland.%26#160;

Houston Symphony Kickoff Ball Music Matters!

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 03:34:57 GMT

Dallas Theater Center Gala

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:53:03 GMT

Inside Out

As the first ones to enjoy the soon-to-open masterpiece by architect Rem Koolhaas and his Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), more than 400 arts enthusiasts filed into the gleaming Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre to celebrate the Dallas Theater Center%26#8217;s 50th anniversary. The view from the 11-story, aluminum-tube-clad structure offered a breathtaking panorama of the Arts District, with silhouettes of the District%26#8217;s contemporary architecture contrasting sharply with the late 19th-century Cathedral Santuario de Guadalupe at Ross Avenue and North Pearl Street. Cocktails served in the underground lobby %26#8212; think Grey Goose mojitos and Hall Napa Valley wines courtesy of part-time Dallasites Craig and Kathryn Hall %26#8212; were paired with guitar music plus performance art by the group Diva, clad in stretchy white cocoons. It was a theatrical smorgasbord from the start. %26#160;

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Curtain Call

On cue, Dee and Charles Wyly and former first lady Laura Bush with guests John Gunn, Donna Wilhelm, Lysa and Greg Rohan, Ann Swisher, Michael McGehee, Larry Angelilli, and John Howell paraded to the main performance hall for dinner, lavish fare by the Food Company. Table centerpieces were opaque, glowing, white-acrylic cubes. Tom Addis%26#8217; inspiration: the cube design of the Wyly Theatre, naturally. Dessert was clever: petite plates of bite-sized sweets, allowing guests to enjoy dessert during the performances without the usual cacophony of silverware striking china. A montage of the DTC%26#8217;s first five decades included scenes from shows, recognition of its six artistic directors and delightful historic footage. The evening%26#8217;s entertainments were rich: actors performing scenes from The Who%26#8217;s Tommy, The Tempest and Big Love; outrageous aerial acrobatics; even large, lightweight silver balls being dropped into the crowd. Indeed, DTC%26#8217;s current artistic director, Kevin Moriarty, promised of the new venue %26#8220;theater as bold and muscular and compelling as the city of Dallas.%26#8221; %26#160;

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Leading Ladies (and Gentlemen)

Frank Risch, chair of the DTC Board of Trustees, exclaimed, %26#8220;Is this place incredible or what? Nothing short of amazing.%26#8221; He thanked patrons of the DTC and added special thanks to Linda and Bill Custard, the 50th anniversary honorary chairmen, whom DTC actor Sally Nystuen Vahle proclaimed as %26#8220;the first couple of the Dallas Theater Center.%26#8221; Sarah and Don Warnecke, 50th anniversary celebration chairmen, announced a stellar lineup of upcoming events, before introducing Diane and Hal Brierly, the night%26#8217;s gala chairmen. %26#8220;Is this the most amazing party you%26#8217;ve been to in a long time?%26#8221; queried Diane. %26#8220;Not a detail too little to worry over!%26#8221;

NorthStars Awards Luncheon

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:44:27 GMT

Starlight, star bright %26#8230; Ten charitable souls outshone the rest at Highland Park Village and PaperCity magazine%26#8217;s NorthStars Awards Luncheon at Patrizio restaurant. Judges Dodge Carter, Gail Madden, and Deborah Brown scrutinized nominees from more than 70 organizations and selected the brightest of the philanthropic bunch: Joanna Clarke of the Junior League of Dallas; Tracey Kozmetsky of Dallas Children%26#8217;s Advocacy Center; Deb Lewin of Equest Therapeutic Horsemanship; Julie Lowenberg of National Council of Jewish Women; Ann Podeszwa of Wipe Out Kids%26#8217; Cancer; Todd Price of The Family Place; Steve Smith of Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children; Jill Tananbaum of Cattle Baron%26#8217;s Ball; Linda Caldwell Walker of Jeffries Street Learning Center; and Richard Worth of Interfaith Housing Coalition. Basking in the NorthStars glow were Henry S. Miller VIPs Jackie Stewart and Hillary Artzt, along with HPV retail notables including Jay Hamby of Ralph Lauren, Pilar Hubbard of Chanel and Holt Haynsworth of Haynsworth Photography.

Shimomura Opening

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 11:43:56 GMT

2009 AFI International Film Festival

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:29:38 GMT

For eight days and nights, the 2009 AFI International Film Festival %26#8212; with founding sponsor Victory Park and presenting sponsor NorthPark Center %26#8212; treated film fanatics to more than 200 features and short films, high-spirited parties, star sightings and more. This year%26#8217;s red-carpet affair was filled with cinematic curators from 25 countries, who paraded their projects on the big screens of NorthPark Center, Victory Park and The Magnolia. From notable names such as Adrien Brody, Robin Wright Penn, Robert Towne, and Peter Bogdanovich to indie entertainers from Sundance smash hits such as Peter and Vandy, The Burning Plain and%26#160;The Brothers Bloom, there%26#8217;s no denying it: AFI has made our city a celluloid hotspot on the film-fest circuit. Some of Dallas%26#8217; own strutted down the red carpet, including musician/actor Tyler Dow Bryant, who got his big break in Rock Prophecies; singer and Highland Park native Winslow Bright; and leading lady Jordan Ladd of the film Grace. When asked how it would have been if she%26#8217;d had the revamped version of NorthPark Center during college, Ladd said, %26#8220;I would, like, ditch class and walk this mall all the time and go to Neiman%26#8217;s.%26#8221;

%26#160;

Cue the credits: Founder and chairman emeritus Liener Temerlin, chairman Stephanie Hunt, president Joe Harberg, artistic director Michael Cain, festival chairs Anne and Steven Stodghill, and Nancy Hamon, Ruth O%26#8217;Donnell Mutch, James Faust, and Ruth Altshuler.

Dallas Theater Center’s 50th Anniversary

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:15:06 GMT

Dee and Charles Wyly opened their home for an intimate reception toasting the beginning of the Dallas Theater Center's 50th anniversary season. The first act of the 50th f%26#234;tes featured anniversary chairman Sarah Warnecke, honorary chairmen Linda and Bill Custard, gala chairmen Diane and Hal Brierley, DTC artistic director Kevin Moriarty, and committee members Barbara and Jon Page, Lynne and Mitch Clarke, and Carmaleta Whiteley.%26#160;

Ilori Opening

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:29:52 GMT

Samar by Stephan Pyles Grand Opening

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 11:17:11 GMT

American Heart Association’s Stiletto Strut

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:11:10 GMT

What do a charity walk for the American Heart Association and Neiman Marcus Downtown have in common? Shoes. In this case, the most stylish stilettos. Claire Emanuelson and Muffin Lemak co-chaired the second annual Stiletto Strut, where glam ladies stroll around one block of the NM downtown store, all to benefit the American Heart Association. At the pre-walk cocktail party on the first floor, honorary chairs Kathy Esping Woods, Heather Holmes Esping, Jenny Esping Kirtland, and Julie Esping Blanton mixed with fellow strutters and admired one another's footwear. Firefighters from the Dallas Fire-Rescue team were helpful in more ways than one: Besides blocking off one lane of the downtown streets, they were willing to pose for party pics with many a smoldering woman. The always generous Nancy Rogers received the Heart and Sole award for her generosity before Ken Downing gave the go-ahead by exclaiming, "Ladies, start your stilettos and rev your ramblers!" And away went Gloria Martindale, Rozalyn Colombo, Dawn Weeks Spalding, and Ola Fojtasek, following a pace car lent by Sewell Automotive Group. Downing and PaperCity's own Rob Brinkley and Brooke Hortenstine donned whistles and microphones to cheer the strutters toward the finish line. But the race wasn't over yet. The pursuit continued at Charlie Palmer, compliments of the Strut's presenting sponsors, The Joule, A Luxury Collection Hotel, and the Baylor Jack and Jane Hamilton Heart and Vascular Hospital. %26#160;

%26#160;

If the Shoe Fits

Glam ones gracing the streets of Main, Akard and Commerce for the one-block strut were co-chairmen Emanuelson and Lemak, along with Heather Furniss, all in Christian Louboutins; Jenna Alexander kicking up her heels in cage-like boots from Yves Saint Laurent; Amy Leon in chic bronze Jimmy Choos; and Ellen Snuffer, who danced gleefully across the finish line. We even spotted some males %26#8212; or, as Shelle Sills dubbed them, "the loafers" %26#8212; who came out in support: Dwight Emanuelson, John Lemak, Ed Perrin, and Todd Furniss.

The Dallas Opera’s The Marriage of Figaro

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 09:57:26 GMT

Opera patrons swooned at the opening-night reception for The Dallas Opera%26#8217;s The Marriage of Figaro in the Grand Hall of the Texas Discovery Gardens. Guests clinked their glasses to honorees and opera devotees Marilyn and Ward Halla. Applauding for an encore: Mary Beth and Jay Marshall, Marnie and Kern Wildenthal, Joyce and Harvey Mitchell, and Lori Rayfield.%26#160;

Young Friends of the Ronald McDonald House

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 09:51:49 GMT

"I loved working with our committee %26#8212; we never had a dull meeting!" said co-chairman Cate Ford at the Young Friends of the Ronald McDonald House fund-raiser dubbed %26#8220;Puttin' on the Ritz.%26#8221; The stylish Y.F. clique packed into the Ritz-Carlton, Dallas %26#8212; decked out as a %26#8217;20s supper club %26#8212; to bid on items from places such as Equinox, Bottega Venetta and Madison to benefit The Ronald McDonald House of Dallas. Members of the hot bunch hit the dance floor, some in top hats and boas, to groove to Signed, Sealed %26amp; Delivered and dine on late night eats from Fearing%26#8217;s. Co-chairmen Ford and Lauren Swann chatted like besties with April and Chad Cook, Carl Sewell, Lisa and Wayne Moore, Ellen and Reid Porter, Sarah Leverett, and Katie Head.

Mardi Gras Masquerade

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 09:34:06 GMT

Chairmen Maggie Cooke Kipp and Katy Sevier created a tribute to New Orleans%26#8217; Fat Tuesday fest for the American Red Cross Masquerade Ball at the House of Blues. %26#8220;We just had to do it,%26#8221; said Kipp about hosting the affair. Some partygoers donned elaborate masks, while others draped themselves in beads, but only a select few were tossed the VIP pass %26#8212; a strand of pearls with a red cross %26#8212; to the after-party. As The Project worked the stage, some revelers took to the dance floor and others bellied up to the blackjack tables. Blane McMillan placed his bet with the dealer and said, "This time last year, I was on Bourbon Street. Actually, I'm having more fun now." Of course, it wouldn't be a New Orleans f%26#234;te without the appropriate Big Easy fare. Guests filled their plates with red beans and rice, fried chicken and bread pudding. Queuing for the Red Cross krewe: honorary chairmen Pamela and Eddie King, and Joan and Larry Rogers, Melissa Holland, Kaytie St. Pierre, Jennifer Smit, Melanie Shaffer, Grant Kipp, Carolyn Bailey, and Brian Strickfaden.

Aurora Picture Show Award Dinner

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 01:12:20 GMT

Luxury Marketing Council at Neiman Marcus, Hotel Granduca, Del Frisco's

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:40:11 GMT

Saks Fifth Avenue's Girls' Night Out for M.D. Anderson

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:09:07 GMT

Valobra Jewelry Kickoff Party for PetSet

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 01:10:45 GMT

Rice Design Alliance: Unveiling of Cite, Annual Home Tour

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:25:42 GMT

The Ensemble Theatre Gala

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:20:27 GMT

Classy Chassis Vintage Auto Show

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:39:03 GMT

Holocaust Museum Award Presentation

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:42:05 GMT

Texas Children's Cancer Center Celebration of Families Luncheon

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:09:41 GMT

Luxury Marketing Council at BB1 Classic Uptown Park

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:02:37 GMT

A Tale of Two Galas: Big Brothers Big Sisters, Society for the Performing Arts

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:02:19 GMT

Gala in Small Bites at Saks

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:19:31 GMT

Photo Play at G Gallery and Vaughan Christopher Gallery

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:07:02 GMT

Top Docs: Breast Cancer Network of Strength, Methodist's Stride4Stroke, Face Foundation

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:35:33 GMT

It's Easy Being Green at Buffalo Bayou, Hermann Park, Trees for Houston, Houston Zoo

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:52:02 GMT

Urban Oasis Opening at Hotel ZaZa

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:56:25 GMT

Galas Galore: Hermann Park, MFAH, CAMH, Blaffer Gallery

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:24:58 GMT

Saks Fifth Avenue’s Fashion Show and Luncheon with Zac Posen

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:44:35 GMT

Hot Off the Presses Party for West Ave

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:11:02 GMT

Houston PetSet Soiree

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 01:12:28 GMT

A plethora of party animals migrated to the nonprofit%26#8217;s debut gala at Hotel ZaZa. Animal advocates: Ericka Bagwell, Debbie Festari, Meaghan Rubey, Jodie Eisenhardt, Robin Reimer, Megan Sutton-Reed, and Stacy Walker.

I W Marks Hosts Campaign Party for Roseann Rogers

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 01:18:15 GMT

I W Marks was all decked out in diamonds for Bellaire City Council candidate Roseann Rogers. Bijoux buffs perused the precious jewels and sipped wines from Houston-based Water 2 Wine while supporting the council hopeful, who is in this month%26#8217;s runoff. Social gems: Cindi Rose, Robert Ramirez, Beverly Montgomery, Roz Pactor, and I W Marks%26#8217; main men Brad Marks and Daniel Marks.

Cattle Baron's Ball

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:55:11 GMT

Most have heard by now that the 2009 Cattle Baron%26#8217;s Ball was a whole lot of slip and even more slide. Torrential rains swept in and hovered over the Star Brand Ranch in Kaufman, turning the normally sprawling outdoor party for 3,500 into hundreds huddling under one lone and soggy tent, the Andrews Saloon. Those trekking to and from the tent sloshed muck on their jeans, on their skirts, on their shirts %26#8230; even in their hair. We stood shin-deep in the mire, alongside mud-splattered partygoers such as Robert Colombo and Jimmy Ramsey, laughing (as that was all one could do) at Eddie Deen%26#8217;s chafing dishes filling with rainwater and the Disneyland-esque decor washing away. For a calendar year, chairman Katherine Wynne LaLonde and my fellow 98 committee members work on one of the most multifarious events in the state %26#8212; try building a wonderland of specialty lighting, varied cuisine, giant stages for top-name musicians, endless bars, ladies%26#8217; rooms, photo booths and auctions in nothing more than a barren hay pasture, and all in the name of cancer research. But all was not lost (besides the occasional boot or stiletto abandoned in the mush), as an extraordinary amount for the American Cancer Society %26#8212; more than $3 million! %26#8212; was raised, and many of us had the best rainy night of our lives. Were people falling down in the mud? Too many to count. Did Montgomery Gentry and Julianne Hough perform on a plywood stage better suited for an elementary school play? They did, and two powerhouse shows at that. You heard even 4WD Range Rovers couldn%26#8217;t make it out of the muddy valet lot? Those hard-working Jack Boles valet parkers toiled until 5 am and still couldn%26#8217;t retrieve everyone%26#8217;s car. Was it the best time I have ever had at Cattle Baron%26#8217;s? Absolutely.

Crystal Charity Ball Fashion Show and Luncheon

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:28:42 GMT

In the midst of all those Louboutins, pearls and updos, we could sense it: Change was in the air at this year%26#8217;s Crystal Charity Ball Fashion Show and Luncheon. Instead of a second-floor fashion show spectacle, Neiman Marcus Downtown cleared the main floor with the myriad of Birkins, quilted Chanels and couture accessories to make way for hundreds of Chivari chairs and mounted stage lights. The NM powers that be bid adieu to the traditional catwalk of years past, and guests instead took their seats lining the marble floor to see The Crystal Charity Ball%26#8217;s Ten Best Dressed Women of Dallas walk by in Michael Kors%26#8217; fashionable creations. Before the show began, NM%26#8217;s Shelle Sills welcomed more than 500 ladies and spoke of her longstanding friendship with Kors %26#8212; the New York designer is a Texan at heart, after all. Town %26amp; Country editor in chief Pamela Fiori made an official shopping declaration at the podium: %26#8220;This has been the year of %26#8216;guilt with purchase,%26#8217;%26#8221; she said. %26#8220;And to tell you the truth, I%26#8217;m tired of it! So let%26#8217;s just forget about it and shop!%26#8221; Luncheon chairman Betsy Sowell, radiant in a beaded black Michael Kors sheath, honored Nancy Dedman %26#8212; The Crystal Charity Ball%26#8217;s second-ever honorary luncheon chairman %26#8212; and Crystal Charity Ball chairman Debbie Oates in her speech, Neiman%26#8217;s notables Burt Tansky, Karen Katz, Ken Downing, Ann Stordahl, and Gabrielle de Papp looked on.%26#160;%26#160; %26#160;

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Kors Crashes the Catwalk

As spotlights beamed, the Ten Best Dressed glided down the runway, all flawlessly styled in Kors%26#8217; lavish looks and escorted by handsome male models. After the Best Dressed took their front-row seats, models prowled the catwalk dressed in fashions from Kors%26#8217; Fall 2009 and Spring 2010 collections; neon pink and lime frocks from fall shifted to spring%26#8217;s lighter periwinkle and lavender looks. Kors closed out the show to rousing applause and bountiful cheers, then took a stroll down the runway in his signature all-black attire. Then it was up to the fourth floor for the seated luncheon, followed by an all-out shop-fest in the couture salon with Kors. %26#160;

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A-Plus Attendees

The Crystal Charity Ball%26#8217;s Ten Best Dressed Women of Dallas: Charlotte Anderson, Di Johnston, Robyn Conlon, Aileen Pratt, Claire Emanuelson, Nancy Rogers, Ola Fojtasek, Amy Turner, Kelli Ford, Lee Ann White, and Hall of Fame Honoree Joyce Mitchell. Luncheon guests included: Lisa Troutt, Gene Jones, Gina Betts, Ceron, Barbara Daseke, Laura Bush, Linda Ivy, Kim Miller, Jan Pickens, Ann Carruth, Tricia George, Elaine Nelson, Gloria McCall Snead, Heather Furniss, Rachael Dedman, Peggy Sewell, Lynn McBee, Olivia Kearney, Vicki Chapman, Pat Harloe, and Pat McEvoy.

Baylor Health Care System Celebrating Women Tenth Anniversary Luncheon

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 04:36:45 GMT

At Baylor Health Care System Foundation%26#8217;s Celebrating Women Luncheon, chairmen Karen Halsell and Randi Halsell toasted 10 years of benefitting breast cancer research at the Hilton Anatole with honorary chairmen Sue Porter, Debbie Snell, Sharon McCullough, Tincy Miller, Margo Goodwin, Barbara Stuart, Melissa Macatee, Tucean Webb, Tucean Franks, Suzanne Webb, Nancy Chapman, Carol Seay, Gretchen Minyard Williams, and Helen Nixon. Author Kelly Corrigan delivered a moving speech, while Debbie Scripps and Nancy Scripps congratulated Circle of Care Award recipients Lyda Hill, Alinda Wikert, and the late Margaret Hunt Hill. Let%26#8217;s hear it for the ladies!%26#160;

Trinity Trust’s Bridging the Trinity Bridge Fair

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 04:23:23 GMT

Fire breathers, jugglers, fortune-tellers and a cascade of fireworks over downtown%26#8217;s Continental Bridge celebrated the construction of renowned architect Santiago Calatrava%26#8217;s Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge. Chairman Lynn McBee, Christy Berry, Mayor Tom Leppert, and national honorary chairmen Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson savored watermelon gazpacho shooters and grooved to music by Boys Named Sue and DJ Lucy Wrubel, along with honorary event chairmen Al Hill Jr., Lyda Hill, Alinda Wikert, and Mary McDermott Cook.%26#160;

Partners Card Seller Recruitment Celebration

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 04:47:29 GMT

The glittering displays throughout Bachendorf%26#8217;s at The Plaza at Preston Center set the stage for the Partners Card 2009 North Seller Recruitment Celebration, where chairmen Jennifer Burns, Paige Westhoff, and Jennifer Tobin f%26#234;ted the kickoff of this year%26#8217;s Partners Card event benefitting The Family Place. Generous shopaholics: Janet and Jack Nylund, Kristen Baker, Amy Rembert, Scott Turner, Brenda and Bob White, Sara and Cass Robinson, and Mary Anne Dunne.%26#160;

UNICEF Reception at Kenny Goss’ Home

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:26:40 GMT

UNICEF supporters gathered at the home of art guru and philanthropist Kenny Goss for an intimate soir%26#233;e to raise awareness about children%26#8217;s rights. Hostesses Trisha Boulogne and Joyce Goss welcomed UNICEF Togo representative Una McCauley, who spoke passionately about the plight of western Africa and UNICEF%26#8217;s %26#8220;Believe in Zero%26#8221; campaign. Guests including Patricia and Jose Borrell, Melonie Kastman, Kelly Cox, and Gowrie and Alex Sharma listened on at the eye-opening evening.%26#160;

Saks Want It

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 07:17:32 GMT

Celebrity stylist Mariel Haenn is no stranger to the red carpet, so we were thrilled when she was the featured attraction at the Saks Fifth Avenue at Galleria Dallas Want It! event, presented by MasterCard. We caught up with the trendsetter between dressing guests in Saks%26#8217; latest labels, and she dished about everything from styling the likes of Rihanna and Jada Pinkett-Smith to her own must-haves. %26#8220;What I really want?%26#8221; said Haenn. %26#8220;Rocker boots, a strong-shouldered blazer and big metal necklaces.%26#8221; With C%26#238;roc Vodka martinis in one hand and Gil%26#8217;s Elegant Catering bites in the other, guests took their fashion-show seats. Models trotted down the runway, while Haenn and Saks%26#8217; Becky Morris offered up tips on how to wear the fabulous pieces. Our favorites: bejeweled tops by Alice %26amp; Olivia, Nanette Lepore%26#8217;s sequined dress and a lady%26#8217;s tuxedo jacket by Rock %26amp; Republic. After the last model took her turn, guests such as Lakina Thurmond, Kimberly Brown, and Fariba Sarshad were fashioned up by Haenn before posing for pictures on the MasterCard Digital Style Suite runway.

The Fashionistas LimeLight New Member Party

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 07:43:49 GMT

Heidi Dillon must have clicked her ruby Louboutins together three times, because as soon as we entered The House for The Fashionistas New Member Welcome Party, we were in an architectural Oz. Festivities at the high-rise condominium, which was envisioned by Elkus Manfredi Architects and interior designers Philippe Starck and Yoo, began in the penthouse, where Mo%26#235;t %26amp; Chandon champagne flowed and mannequins in Yeohlee fashions furnished the modern floor plan. After Dillon and chairman of The Fashionistas%26#8217; LimeLight Group Kirby Allison welcomed guests, the glam group moved to the fifth-floor lounge and pool for beats by DJ Guillaume and Belvedere Vodka martinis on the rooftop deck. Many took note of the whimsical decor: Monet Mercer pictured herself in the poolside cabanas; Nancy Whitenack was in awe of the 130-foot infinity pool; and Molly and Leon Banowetz wanted to plan a winter party around Starck%26#8217;s enormous outdoor fireplace. Design devotees: John McGill, Katherine Matangos, Connie Harkins, Bri and Mike Crum, Rachel Fresquez, Cathryn Homler, Brandt Wood, and Jerry Bokamper.

Brunello Cucinelli Shop Opening at Stanley Korshak

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 07:56:10 GMT

Those in amore with everything Italiano made tracks to Stanley Korshak for the opening of the Brunello Cucinelli Shop. Awaiting guests were Stanley Korshak VIPs Crawford Brock, Rose Clark, Elaine Raffel, and Bret McKinney, as well as a pair of shiny new Maseratis, courtesy of party co-host Park Place Maserati. After mingling with Cucinelli%26#8217;s Natasha Caronna and sampling the specialty Maseratini, the chic crowd watched a runway presentation from Brunello Cucinelli. %26#8220;Girls in heels are sexy. Period. End of statement,%26#8221; whispered a smitten Andrew Glassford from his front-row seat. The clay-hued Cucinelli cashmere is our latest fashion fantasy, and now we know where to find all of our knit needs: %26#8220;Anything you see tonight you can buy,%26#8221; said McKinney. %26#8220;Which we love!%26#8221; Admirers included: Sally Francis and Mark Seibel, Susan Posnick, Mary and Steve Kardell, Teddy Solis, Capera Ryan, Jack Keller, Gloria and Dan Burrows, Rob Wilson, Laura McDonald Stewart, and Amy Hawkens.

Two x Two for AIDS and Art First Look

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 04:00:26 GMT

%26#160;As preview parties go, this one almost stole the show %26#8212; and now we know whom to call if we ever host a blowout for a famous singer and an emerging fashion designer. Fab foursome Jenny and John Kirtland and Lucy and Steve Wrubel, co-chairs of First Look, the Thursday-night preview to the Saturday-night Two x Two for AIDS and Art gala, all benefitting amfAR and the Dallas Museum of Art, orchestrated a theme of %26#8220;MusicXFashion%26#8221; %26#8212; and insisted everyone come dressed as their favorite rock star for an electric evening presented by The Joule, A Luxury Collection Hotel. After arriving at the stunning Rachofsky House (what better place to throw a rockin%26#8217; party than at Cindy and Howard Rachofsky%26#8217;s architectural wonder, a cubic composition of white-enameled squares designed by Richard Meier), guests walked the drive alongside a wall of graffiti (a temporary live installation by artist Soner and others), a beat-spinning DJ (Lucy) and her spiky-haired husband (Steve). %26#8220;I didn%26#8217;t wear my guy-liner!%26#8221; said a regretful Doss Alexander, upon noticing Steve%26#8217;s mascara%26#8217;d eyes. But it was on to the house, where this year%26#8217;s collection of contemporary art awaited bids %26#8212; and where we could see socials in enough leather pants, studs and boots to keep Aerosmith wardrobed for days. We ventured outside in the brisk night air to find event designer Todd Fiscus air-kissing would-be rockers amidst the bohemian decor that he whirled together for the night (think plush seating, zebra rugs and gnome tables). We overheard Fiscus%26#8217; partner Rob Dailey, wrapped in a furry scarf, mention an outfit dilemma. %26#8220;At first I thought I would dress trendy,%26#8221; he said, %26#8220;but then I decided to be warm and trendy!%26#8221; After gobbling an array of global bites by exec chef Scott Romano of Charlie Palmer, guests gathered to see models trot the runway in opulent fashion by Christian Siriano, courtesy of Forty Five Ten. The pint-sized designer %26#8212;%26#160;winner of the fourth season of Project Runway %26#8212;%26#160;drew a roar of applause from the audience, but his show was just the opening act. The Kirtlands, of Kirtland Records, natch, introduced the evening%26#8217;s musical component: heartthrob musician Gavin Rossdale, whose spectacular acoustic session of solo songs and favorites from his days in the British rock band Bush had the fashionable mix movin%26#8217; and groovin%26#8217; on the Rachofskys%26#8217; lawn. One British-accented beauty even pushed to the edge of the stage to be up close to the terribly gorgeous Gavin. Indeed, for zealous art aficionados and Rossdale groupies, this party topped the charts.

The Star-Studded Scene
Patti Crews, Brian Bolke, Faisal Halum, Tracy and Josh Madans, Michael Craig, Kevin Flink, Michael Corman, Lauren Stimmel, Lori Green, Robert Bennett, Piper Wyatt, Andrea Minnis, Robin and Steve Ladik, Rhonda Sargent Chambers, Kellie Rasberry, Wendy and Jeremy Strick, Cindy and Armond Schwartz, Heidi Dillon, Suzanne Droese, Christen and Derek Wilson, Claire and Dwight Emanuelson, Elizabeth O%26#8217;Mahony, George Billingsly, Samantha Walter, Gregg Asher, David Martin, and Jennie and Stuart Reeves.

Two x Two For AIDS and Art Gala

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 04:54:02 GMT

Two x Two x 11 Reasons Why it Was One of the Dazzlers of the Year

It%26#8217;s almost impossible to raise the bar on Two x Two for AIDS and Art, the always spectacular annual auction benefitting amfAR and the Dallas Museum of Art %26#8212;%26nbsp;but somehow, in its 11th year, it happened. Here are 11 ways it got there.

11. The star power of the artists whose work was on the block: Matthew Barney, Brice Marden, Diane Arbus, Francesco Clemente, Joseph Cornell, Olafur Eliasson, Wolfgang Tillmans %26#8212; more than 100 in all.

10. The standing ovation for the unbelievably charming Harry Belafonte, the keynote speaker, who demurely thanked the sold-out house. Said he, overwhelmed: %26#8220;I should%26#8217;ve come last year.%26#8221; (Which garnered more applause.)

9. Glamour gal Jan Showers, co-chair of the evening (with daughter Elizabeth Showers), who cooed into the microphone, %26#8220;When Todd Fiscus told me he had 12,000 butterfly orchids, I cannot tell you what I did.%26#8221; The yellow beauties hovered over the proceedings, dripping from a whirling helix of what looked like giant Pick-Up Sticks hitched to the tent%26#8217;s ceiling. Modern, fresh, stunning. Event-design maestro Fiscus told us the assemblage took 300 hours to produce and install.

8. Because the biggest cheer of the night, from a cheer-happy crowd, went to Cindy and Howard Rachofsky, who, year after year, define %26#8220;gracious hosts.%26#8221; (We%26#8217;re nominating them for a picture in Merriam-Webster.)

7. Alan Cumming, the headline entertainer, rocking out %26#8220;Mein Herr,%26#8221; from Cabaret, as his opening number %26#8212; followed promptly by songs from Hedwig and the Angry Inch, his own album I Bought A Blue Car Today, even Dolly Parton. Cumming was mesmerizing %26#8212; the standing ovations proved it. His big finish? La Parton%26#8217;s %26#8220;Here You Come Again,%26#8221; done in his own erudite, energetic way.

6. The glee expressed by myriad out-of-towners, who traveled for the event. %26#8220;Dallas is very fun. I%26#8217;m impressed!%26#8221; said New Yorker Judy Taylor, Equinox%26#8217;s vice president of public relations.

5. Sotheby%26#8217;s chairman %26#8212; and star auctioneer %26#8212;%26nbsp;Jamie Niven and his hard-to-resist sales pitches. He facetiously embellished the Dallas Cowboys Ultimate Luxury Suite package with a perk: %26#8220;Cheerleaders will drop by for a lap dance %26#8230; it%26#8217;s everything you want in life.%26#8221;

4. Lucy Wrubel%26#8217;s hair. Her instruction to her hairdresser? %26#8220;Let%26#8217;s do Dynasty.%26#8221;

3. The price tags. A painting by Peter Doig, the night%26#8217;s honored artist, fetched $300,000. A Marlene Dumas pulled $450,000.

2. The nonstop %26#8212; and we mean nonstop %26#8212; Dom P%26#233;rignon.

1. The record-breaking $4 million plus %26#8212; in a downed economy %26#8212;%26nbsp;raised for AIDS research and for the DMA. Bravo, Dallas. The total raised at Two x Two over 11 years? More than $25 million. Now we%26#8217;re impressed.

Claridge + King Stila Makeup Party

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 01:08:01 GMT

Tootsies River Oaks Tennis Tournament Luncheon %26 Fashion Show

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:48:20 GMT

The Menil’s Young at Art

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:43:14 GMT

Festari Fête and Beachy Zingara Boutique

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:41:05 GMT

Cattle Baron’s Western Reveal

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:37:20 GMT

Progressive Forum

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:36:34 GMT

Moonlight Ball for Ronald McDonald House

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:35:34 GMT

Art Car Parade

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:29:01 GMT

Knuckle Ball–A Pitch for Life

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:12:29 GMT

Luck of the Draw 8: When Art Attacks!

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:05:16 GMT

SPCA Ball

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:54:53 GMT

Sloan/Hall’s Pink Champagne Future Lover Extravaganza

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:49:26 GMT

Mardi Gras Galas

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:25:02 GMT

Star of Hope 11th annual Celebrity Luncheon and Fashion Show

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:13:01 GMT

Roche Bobois Rocks

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:19:22 GMT

Heart of Texas Excellence Dinner

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:14:55 GMT

Girls’ Night Out celebration

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:12:32 GMT

V for Valentino

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:06:39 GMT

M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Legends and Legacies Book Signing at Raspberry Rose

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 05:03:48 GMT

Carrie Schwartzenburg, owner of Raspberry Rose, hosted a book signing for Elizabeth Travis, editor and co-author of Legends and Legacies: Personal Journeys of Women Physicians and Scientists at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. A portion of the proceeds benefitted medical and science internships for young women at M.D. Anderson. Katherine Vilutis

Saks Fifth Avenue Catwalk for a Cure

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:02:59 GMT

Forget Ike %26#8212; Here Come Lauren, Kristen and Sheridan
How do you plan a big-ticket benefit when last year%26#8217;s was hurricaned out? Well, enlist a powerhouse mother/daughter team and then secure beloved honorary chairs whose support of cancer causes is legendary. And so it went with this season%26#8217;s sold-out, near-record $350,000 Catwalk for a Cure, a hometown charity founded by Melissa Amschwand Bellinger and her late husband Tom before he succumbed to the disease. (Melissa continued the crusade, and Catwalk for a Cure was born in 2004 by teaming up with Saks Fifth Avenue, which choreographs an elaborate fashion show as the high point of the annual bash that funds sarcoma research and supports those undergoing treatment.)%26nbsp;
%26nbsp;Chair trio Sheridan Williams and daughters Lauren Clark and Kristen Nix tapped honorary chairs Jess and Beth Sanders Moore for the glamorous gala at the Hotel ZaZa, where the sleek, handsome set %26#8212; 375 strong %26#8211; pulled out the sartorial stops.%26nbsp; For the occasion, Richard Flowers%26#8217; Events Company worked its magic, swathing the ZaZa ballroom in sheer white with white roses and plenty of candlelight. Cocktails segued into a seated dinner, then the splendid fashion show headlined by designers Mark Badgley and James Mischka (a Rice alum who relayed tales of late-night swims in the Mecom Fountain; he got reacquainted with Houston by spending the day at The Menil Collection), celebrating 20 years of dressing stars and socials.
%26nbsp;The evening also paid tribute to sarcoma survivor and ASCF board member Dr. Stephen Fadem, an internationally recognized kidney doc with Baylor College of Medicine who movingly spoke about beating sarcoma. A special surprise was the creation of the first Melissa Amschwand Bellinger Commitment to the Cause Award, which was bestowed upon honorary chairs Jess and Beth (its new name had been kept a secret, even from Melissa).

Model Behavior
In the beautiful crowd: Saks%26#8217; Sylvia Forsythe, Jeanne Ruberti, Fady Armanious, and Dawn Faulkner (store director Terry Zmyslo was in Milan on fashion biz); ZaZa owner Charles Givens, who donated the live-auction grown-up slumber party in the hotel%26#8217;s sought-after suites; former Catwalk honoree David Solomon and wife Marcia; Jack Amschwand with daughter Jane, respectively father and sister to the late ASCF founder; Denise Antunes with Cartier (the retailer donated a classic gold Love bracelet to the live auction, which was snapped up by John Eddie Williams); Karen and Mike Mayell; Michael Kemper, who helped launch Catwalk and always serves as one of the emcees; Alexandra Knight, who donated an exotic handbag, acquired by high bidder Janeice Longoria; Cynthia and Tony Petrello; Celina Hellmund Brener; Franci Crane; Phoebe Tudor; Greg Fourticq Jr.; Cynthia and Bucky Allshouse; original Catwalk chair Erin Heath, who has been involved with Catwalk since its beginning, with husband Boyd, who serves on the board; Shalini Bhargava, the lucky live-auction winner of the Badgley Mischka gown from the Spring 2010 collection; William Dobbs; Laura Mitchell, who%26#8217;s active for the cause (she%26#8217;s the daughter of late survivor honoree, Sherry Holmes); Pat Breen; Katherine Phelps; board member Leigh Williams; Merele Yarborough; Melissa and Doug Schnitzer; Bruce Buckley; designer Randy Powers; Bill Caudell; State Representative Ellen Cohen, a 40-yera cancer survivor; and rock violinist Bobby Yang, who cut short his European tour at the bequest of pal, chair Miz Williams, to perform at the swell ClubCatwalk after-party.

Best Buddies Benefit Gala, “An Evening in the Glittering Gulf”

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 05:23:10 GMT

Arabian Nights
The scion of a fabled American family and a high-wattage international Houston social made for a potent pairing at this fall%26#8217;s Best Buddies benefit. Best Buddies founder Anthony Kennedy Shriver joined fellow gala chair and host Becca Cason Thrash, a long-standing Best Buddies board member who has helped raise millions for the cause, at %26#8212; where else? %26#8212;%26nbsp;the fit-for-a-sultan Thrash house. The %26#8220;Glittering Gulf%26#8221; theme nodded to the high-profile diplomatic post of its honorees: Diana and Chase Untermeyer, he former U.S. Ambassador to Qatar. The evening also paid tribute to Shriver%26#8217;s mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who passed away this summer, for championing those with intellectual disabilities. And Addie Lasseigne and Allison Ngo, real-life Best Buddies, spoke in a salute that moved the audience to tears.
%26nbsp;Just for one night, the private residence was transformed into a sparkling souk lined with lavish silent auction goodies courtesy of posh purveyors including purse designer Alexandra Knight, Tootsies, Versace, Van Cleef %26amp; Arpels, Montblanc and jeweler Emily Armenta. Following the sumptuous seated dinner whose main course was catered by RDG + Bar Annie%26#8217;s Robert Del Grande (braised beef with spiced vegetables and pomegranate molasses), a lively live auction ensued, conducted by Miz Thrash and Mr. Shriver. On the block were luxe lots that underscored the Kennedy connection and the gala%26#8217;s exotic flair. Brisk bidders and parents-to-be Elizabeth and Gary Petersen nabbed the Boston getaway complete with Jamie Wyeth portrait print of JFK and John F. Kennedy Presidential Library tour led by a family member, while Ceron acquired the jaunt to Doha and Dubai courtesy of Qatar Airways. Then Jared Kearney, Ashley Wehrly%26#8217;s new beau, was among the lucky winners of the week in the Bahamas aboard a Westport 112 Yacht.

Sheiks, Sultanas and Souk Seekers
The 200 well-connected guests lived up to the glittering motif. Some wore black tie. Others donned Arabian chic, including standout Christine Wooster in a traditional Middle Eastern caftan (her husband Doug%26#8217;s firm, Mo%26#235;t Hennessy, was responsible for the free-flowing Veuve Clicquot, Belvedere and Chopin Vodkas). Among the social caravan: Joanne King Herring, dishing world affairs at the head table; Karen and Mike Mayell; gallerists Cynthia and Robert McClain; Ann and Mathew Wolf; Don Mafrige Jr.; John Evatz of Graff jewelers, in from Manhattan; Anne Carl in Vera Wang with Noble Carl; Alicia and Lance Smith; Jessica Phifer with Christie%26#8217;s and her best guy, NASA%26#8217;s Chip Conlee; Valerie Sarofim; about-to-be-wed Bevin Bering and Dan Dubrowski; Anne and John Mendelsohn; Debra and Mark Grierson; Jenine Howard and CleRenda McGrady, whose husbands both play for the NBA; Robin and Charles Reimer; Meghan Thrash; Nancy and Erik Littlejohn; Phoebe and Bobby Tudor (she the vision behind the Julia Ideson Library restoration); Qatar Airways executive Kristian Anderson; Tootsies top man Mickey Rosmarin; Beatriz and Mark Maney; Caroline Kenney in a plunging red gown by Donna Karan, with husband Gary; Joyce and Hugh Echols with his brother Andrew Echols; Bruce Eames squiring Barbara Davis Gallery%26#8217;s Susanna Kise; Amanda and Robert Brock; Kimberly and Frank DeLape; Neiman%26#8217;s Bob Devlin and Liz Zaruba; Laura and John Spalding; Sarah and Ron Simon, she in Oscar; Judy Oudt; Monsour Taghdisi; top collectors Suzanne and Paul Getty (the pair has just given a major gift to the MFAH); Susan and Mike Plank; and, in from Paris, the dashing Nick Florescu; as well as Miz Thrash, in a gown designed for her by fashion pal Naeem Khan (to complement the arabesques on the invitations), and husband John Thrash. This continental contingent raised $350,000 %26#8212; and that%26#8217;s the truth, not a tale from The Arabian Nights.

Covenant House Texas Gala

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:07:03 GMT

More than 500 generous jet-setters turned up the heat Ricky Ricardo%26#8211;style for the Covenant House Gala, %26#8220;Havana Nights,%26#8221; at Hilton Americas-Houston. Gala chair Amanda Crump and co-chair Cheryl Boblitt presided over an exciting evening of dinner and dancing that grossed more than $550,000 for homeless and runaway youth. While Kevin Ryan, Anthony Sutton, Peggy and Bill Roe, and honoree Patricia Turner played the bongos and sipped mojitos, the event amassed a record number of Scholarships of Hope, which provide food, shelter and medical care for the young residents of CHT. Katherine Vilutis

Rose Ribbon Foundation Shades of Roses Benefit Dinner at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse %26 Wine Bar

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:23:16 GMT

Everything came up roses at Fleming%26#8217;s Prime Steakhouse %26amp; Wine Bar for the Rose Ribbon Benefit Dinner. Chairs Robin Reimer and Jessica Rossman wined and dined fashionable patrons,
while honorary chairs director/founder Cindi Rose and Fleming%26#8217;s Maeve Pesquera helped raise more than $80,000 for reconstructive surgery for cancer survivors. Katherine Vilutis

Ready Women Scholarship Tea Benefitting Project Row Houses’ Young Mother’s Residential Program

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:21:24 GMT

Dreams were realized at Ready Women%26#8217;s second annual Scholarship Tea benefitting the Young Mother%26#8217;s Residential Program at Project Row Houses. Elizabeth DeLuca welcomed guests into her beautiful home for an elegant afternoon of tea and crumpets. Chairs Harriet Gertner and Phyllis Williams treated the chic set to a style show by Toni Whitaker, while Ready Women%26#8217;s executive director/founder Jacqueline Kinloch and honorary chair Merele Yarborough sat ringside.Katherine Vilutis

RA Sushi CityCentre Grand Opening Benefitting Young Texans Against Cancer

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:11:38 GMT

The stylishly edgy RA Sushi celebrated its second location, in CityCentre, with a %26#8220;Boogie Nights%26#8221; bash benefitting Young Texans Against Cancer. Disco devotees: Michael Kemper, Julie Gordon, George Weatherall, Suzanne Anderson, Amy Sun, and RA founder Scott Kilpatrick in from Arizona. Katherine Vilutis