Inside Houston’s $1.7 Million Tiger Ball Night — Asia Society Texas Center Breaks Records In Red Dream Of a Party
Channeling The World's Most Opulent Tea Room
BY Shelby Hodge // 03.14.25
Asia Society Texas’ Tiger Ball 2025: Enchanting Shanghai, honoring Y. Ping Sun and David Leebron, on Friday, March 7, 2025. (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)
What: Asia Society Texas Tiger Ball
Where: The Asia Society Texas campus in the Museum District
PC Moment: Upon entry to the lavish tent pavilion for the Asia Society Texas Tiger Ball, attendees were swept up in a gilded sea of red and gold decor designed to reflect the “Enchanting Shanghai” theme of the evening. Chinese lanterns hung from above, swaths of red bougainvillea dangled from the oak trees that grow amid the nonprofit’s parking lot (where the tent was erected), and red fabric draped above dinner tables set the dramatic tone. It was Prashe Décor‘s interpretation of an opulent tea room in Shanghai.
The theme was a nod to the evening’s honorees Y. Ping Sun and David Leebron, who during his tenure as president of Rice University were dedicated to enriching the cultural vibrancy of Houston and expanding the city’s global influence. Even since his retirement, the couple have continued their much admired leadership across several arenas.
The evening began for honorees, gala chairs and VIPs in the Asia Society Texas Center where champagne toasts and presentations fêted the honorees including remarks by Asia Society Texas board chair Marty Goossen and president Bonna Kol.
Chairs Shawn Stephens and Jim Jordan and Michelle and Rishi Varma — alongside honorary chairs Nancy C. Allen, Anne and Albert Chao, and Margaret Alkek Williams — led the Asia Society Tiger Ball to a record $1.73 million in proceeds.
Elizabeth Anthony
As the 600 guests arrived at the gala pavilion, they were greeted by the rhythmic sounds of drummers and Hanfu performers, dressed in vibrant traditional Chinese attire. Once the socializing subsided, everyone was seated to a sumptuous Chinese-inspired dinner by City Kitchen. The menu featured five spice-roasted duck with yams, Sichuan pepper and wood ear mushroom appetizer followed by pan-seared sea bass with XO sauce, forbidden rice, scallion braised fava beans, and carrots with ginger and honey. A dessert buffet followed.
When DJ Alx of Karma DJs cranked up the tunes, the dance floor was awash in its own sea of red with more than a few of the ladies dressing in the color of the evening.
PC Seen: Marie and Vijay Goradia, Kathy Goossen, Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, Leslie and Brad Bucher, Gordon Quan, Phoebe and Bobby Tudor, Theresa and Peter Chang, Leigh and Reggie Smith, Sue and Randy Sim, Lily and Charles Foster, China and Roberto Contreras, Anne and Albert Chao, Sushila and Durga Agrawal, Kelley and Steve Lubanko, Leela and Nat Krishnamurthy, and Ileana and Michael Treviño.
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