River Oaks Mansions Create Outdoor Party Magic as the Zieglers and Paige Fertitta Open Up Their Homes
Giving Houston Ballet and Houston Symphony a Perfect Weather Boost
BY Shelby Hodge //
Paige Fertitta, Richard Flowers, Blayne Fertitta, Angel Rios at the Houston Ballet Ball launch party at the Fertitta family home in River Oaks (Photo by Annie Mulligan)
With Houston’s fickle weather, it’s always a roll of the dice as to whether or not Mother Nature will smile on the best laid plans for outdoor entertaining. Just ask wedding and event planners who have literally sweated through or hunkered down during unpredictable weather situations. This fall, however, two performing arts groups were blessed with the best of autumn in the Bayou City with Houston Ballet and Houston Symphony getting perfect weather.
The Ultimate Garden Tea Party
The florals are always magnificent when philanthropists Rini and Edward Ziegler entertain in their River Oaks home, and are particularly special for their annual autumn garden party honoring the Houston Symphony. For this year’s event, they tented part of the back garden where a duo of violinists performed Mozart and Hayden while waters trickled from the flower decked fountain.
Focus of the midday fête was the informative chat with Houston Symphony executive director and CEO Gary Ginslting, the subjects introduced by this writer. Bonus for the lunching ladies and sprinkling of gents was the Saks Fifth Avenue fashion presentation accompanied by a dazzling cache of jewels from legendary jeweler David Webb.
Orchestrating the hosts’ vision for this elegant garden party were The Events Company in charge of florals and Jackson & Company providing a scrumptious luncheon/tea spread.
Cocktails al Fresco
When Paige Fertitta opened her Fertitta family home in River Oaks for the 2026 Houston Ballet Ball kickoff, it was with special indulgence as the Ballet Ball itself will honor her beloved friend Richard Flowers, the events design master who has created unmatched decor for major galas for decades. The evening celebration took place across the resort-style back gardens where some 140 attendees joined in the salute to Flowers.
Also to be honored at the February gala is Houston First, represented on this evening by general counsel Paula Whitten-Doolin.
Thanksgiving and Christmas Items
Key to the festivities were ball chairs Christine and David M. Underwood, Jr., along with Houston Ballet executive director Sonja Kostich and artistic director Julie Kent.
As is the rule when the Fertitta family hosts an event, the Landry’s Hospitality empire steps in to provide a feast far beyond typical cocktail party fare. Think a lavish charcuterie station from Grotto Downtown and a generous caviar bar from La Griglia, plus heaps of passed hors d’oeuvres.
_md.jpg)
_md.jpg)