Houston’s $1.5 Million Night of Global Celebration — Asia Society’s Beloved Tiger Ball Reaches Stunning New Heights
Building Bridges and Celebrating a Connected World
BY Shelby Hodge // 03.07.24
Grabbing a selfie with Renu Khator and Sushila Agrawal at the Asia Society Texas Center Tiger Ball. (Photo by Shelby Hodge)
Asia Society Texas Center continued its celebration of uniting the vibrant cultures and diverse perspectives of Asian countries with the annual Tiger Ball that on this night raised $1.5 million. In year’s past, the evening of national dress and black tie has honored a specific country, but for 2024 it was a pan-Asian fête.
No sparkling Indian elephants, no vibrant Chinese dragons, no set costume recommendations, rather it was a stunning night of global celebration in both dress and decor following the theme “Celebrating Magnificent Asia.”
The evening began for Asia Society‘s closest friends and family in the stunning Taniguchi building where Tiger Ball honorees Sabria and Kevin Lewis were toasted. The couple was recognized for “their lifelong commitment to building bridges of international understanding and strengthening Houston’s cultural vibrancy.”
Headliners in the intimate champagne-infused start to the evening were gala chairs Chinhui and Eddie Allen and Heidi and David Gerger and honorary chairs Sultana and Moez Mangalji and Sue and Randy Sim. Asia Society Texas Center president Bonna Kol thanked the honorees for their continued commitment to expanding the reach of the society and presented them with a spectacular handmade silver bowl from Beatriz Ball in appreciation.
The gala launched with the lively thrumming of dhol drummers which welcomed attendees as they entered the gala pavilion, a massive tent erected on the center’s parking lot. The location makes for spectacular decor as the terrain is peppered with massive oak trees. Aztec Events & Tents, GTX Productions, Prashe Décor dressed the space in lavish swaths of greenery, bountiful florals and vast bouquets of shimmering ribbons overhead.
City Kitchen, which always provides a welcome gala meal, surpassed their typical excellence with a dreamy dinner that began with a creamy lemon grass soup with chili oil and shrimp fritter and continued with miso-glazed sea bass, daikon and roasted garlic puree, sauteed bok choy and shiitake mushrooms. Dessert buffet followed in the after-party tent.
SHOP
At each place setting, there was a box of chocolates, courtesy of Harry Winston which also provided two magnificent watches for the silent auction that featured a number of designer items.
The fundraiser concluded with dancing to the sounds of DJ Alx of Karma DJ’s.
PC Seen: Nancy C. Allen, Durga & Sushila Agrawal, Leslie & Brad Bucher, Tripp Carter, Theresa & Peter Chang, Anne & Albert Chao, China & Roberto Contreras IV, Ann & Jay Cuclis, Donna Fujimoto Cole, Lily & Charles Foster, Glen & Kathy Gondo, Kathy & Marty Goossen, David Harvey, Farhina & Mohsin Imtiaz, Petra Martinez, Gordon Quan, Leigh & Reggie Smith, Janae & Ken Tsai, Michelle & Rishi Varma, Asha & Farid Virani, Margaret Alkek Williams, David Wuthrich, Shiang Ling & George Yang, and Y. Ping Sun & David Leebron, who have been tapped to chair the 2025 Tiger Ball.
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